The DDA Trouble Free Zone Part 3

[rosiejo]

Like a cup of each in the batter? Another cup on top?

You are killing me with this!!!!!!!!! I gave up baking for lent and my list of things to "try" is a mile long!!

Wasn't that generous... batter made enough to cover two 7 inch cake tins an inch deep ( could probably have used one tin and made them thicker ) I add three squares of chocolate crumbled up (the squares were about 1.5 inch square) then about 20 baby marshmallows which I cut in half.

Once they were cooked and cooled I melted 6 more squares of choc to spread on the top (so 3 squares on each) and then just decorated with mallows... On the one that I experimented with the butter cream I spread that first then poured the chocolate over then the mallows - that was the tastiest one.

Should have taken pics really - took half to work yesterday and DH pretty much demolished the other half last night! I cut each tin into 12 squares as they were quite sickly with all the chocolate and all!

 

[rosiejo]

I agree. It is really awesome. However, it is time to get past the fear of the camera and post us some pictures woman!!

Love the photos Vicki - I had to be really brave about getting autographs last trip - I spent hours making my book and then chickened out! Luckily my DSIL posed with me with the characters the first couple of weeks, and DH would hunt them out and when the line was short drag me into it with my book! They loved the book and made a big fuss of us in our disneymoon hats too. I think I'll try and get some more this year

 

[rosiejo]

It doesn't help that every time I go by a mirror, I still see the fat girl. DH can't believe that I can't see a change, but I really don't. I think when you've been fat for so long, it's hard to believe that you can change that much. The only thing that makes me believe it is the carload of clothes I've given to goodwill, and the new clothes that are starting to appear in smaller sizes.

Glynis WTG you're doing great girl!

I lost weight when I hadn't discovered my LI - I was quite ill - and went from an english 14 to an english 8/10 - when I look in the mirror I see the same me... but when I had photos taken last trip I look at them and say who on earth is that skinny girl!

Get some photos taken - we'd love to "see" you

 

[rosiejo]

I need advice:

Julia has begged me for the last few months to do cheerleading -so I called our local cheerleading gym and they told me tuition was $45 a month, then there were competition fees around $50 for 3 local competitions and the uniform - and they get less expensive uniforms b/c they grow so quickly - this seemed reasonable to me and so I enrolled Julia in tumbling class at the gym and told her she could do pee wee cheer next year. I was told by several people that the pee wee option was for people who want to see how they feel about it and an affordable option.

None of what I was told seemed out of line to me

Tonight they released all the information for next year.

Listen to these fees:

$130 coaches fee
$45 monthly tuition
$35 annual registration fee (which I paid when I enrolled her in tuymbling)
$125 uniform (this is supposed to be a cheap one?!!?)
$8 in hairbows
$12 bloomers for under skirt
$40 practice uniform
$150 warm up suit
5 competitions averaging $75 each (3 in other cities about 1 1/2 to 2 hours away so if they are early we will have to stay overnight in a hotel)

and this does not include gas, pictures, crap she will want to buy at competitions, end of the year banquet and what if she outgrows the $400 required clothing?!?!?

I figured out it will be close to $1500 for her to cheer next year without all the extras

I am mad that I paid the annual registration fee - I think they hid a lot of fees from me - they told me the uniform was about $120 - um think they could have mentioned the other $280 in required clothing?

and now - I have a little girl who is going to be crushed - I told her she could cheer -

I told her tonight it was too much money and I was going to see if I could find another gym but I am not sure anywhere else will be much better!!

Any ideas out there?

OMG that's just extortionate! And completely underhand. I hope someone has some ideas as Julia would make such a cute Although she'd make a cute anything really!

 

[rosiejo]

Ok. Is this better? I updated the original picture. ETA: I used a rolling pin to roll it out to the edges. I have it laid flat in the fridge now.

Thanks for the compliments on the pictures and my smile.

I saw the photo in your first post... and was like... roll it further... fill the bag??? there's no more room ????

Then I read down and see you updated the picture Thought Amy was having real issues with that!!!

 

[UP Disney]

I saw the photo in your first post... and was like... roll it further... fill the bag??? there's no more room ????

Then I read down and see you updated the picture Thought Amy was having real issues with that!!!

She does seem something of a drill sargeant, doesn't she??!! In the original picture, I just smushed it out with my hands and it only covered maybe 2/3 of the bag. I used a rolling pin to fill the bag for the final results. I'll bake them today and let people see the final results.

 

[lovesdumbo]

While Kyle and I were out to dinner trying to celebrate, we got a phone call that my great grandfather is in ICU at a hospital nearby. We detoured there, really unaware of what was going on...

He's 86, but - as far as we knew - healthy as can be. He went in this morning for some minor procedure (so we were told).... and now he's very ill It turns out he was having all sorts of tests done for some things that have been going on the last week or so, but didn't tell anyone. Well, when he got to the hospital the docs said he didn't look well, but realized he had come in because he was feeling bad.

Within the hour he was worked up, transferred to the MICU and has steadily declined. He is now septic, but they can't really get antibiotics going until they stabilize his blood pressure, which is absolutely refusing to respond to the 4 meds he's on.



Really, if you add this to your prayer list, please add my extended family. These times are hard for all involved, but there are a few second cousins in particular that are REALLY, REALLY not taking this well. They won't go back to see him, but won't go home and get some rest, so they've been sitting in a circle just staring at one another or into space since about 11am. The food we brougth tonight was the first they'd eaten.

Even closer to my heart is my poor daddy. He isn't all that close to his father, and he always says "anything good that I am I got from {my grandpa}". He's sort of the family clown, so he's "doing his duty" and keeping everyone laughing to try to raise their spirits a bit. Which tears my heart apart because I know HE'S hurting, and he won't deal with it until everyone else is taken care of.

So pray for peace for them, please. And of course for the doctors, etc involved... but mostly for them.

Love you all! Thanks so much for support..... in good times and in the not as good.

Your entire family is in my prayers.

 

[lovesdumbo]

Lovespoohbear-I'll be going to the world May 1st if you want me to look for the grad mickey ears.

Vicki-LOVE your pal Mickey photos. You look quite happy outside your comfort zone!!!! I got Lizzy a Pooh Barbie for her birthday and I was thinking if might be cute to take photos of her & her new friend around the world. I'll be sure to post photos after our trip of our "decorated" clip board. Of course that means I've got to actually start working on the autograph cards. I was thinking of doing what another Diser did and put coloring book images of the characters on the cards for Lizzy to color. I bought a new IMac just before Christmas and haven't really had much chance to play with Photo Shop Elements yet. There must be tutorials I can do. Maybe this weekend.....

 

[marcij]

Jennifer -- so sorry to hear about your great grandfather. He, his doctors, and your entire family are in my prayers. I hope he has started to respond to the meds.

 

[UP Disney]

I was thinking of doing what another Diser did and put coloring book images of the characters on the cards for Lizzy to color.

I like the idea of the coloring book images for the younger kids to color. It really serves two purposes then. Autographs from the characters and something to keep the kids occupied during wait times. I'd love to see pictures of some of them if you decide to do this.

I'd love to see pictures of Lizzy with the Pooh Barbie around the world if you get them as well.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I told Lizzy's teacher I wanted to do a photo journal of Epcot for her to share with the class when we get home. Photos of her with a flag from each country, silly hat, fountains, gardens... And I was going to do Epcot autograph cards and ask the CM's to write Happy Birthday in their language. Oh thanks for the flag links on that Epcot thread! Her teacher's response was don't forget to have fun-I really love her teacher. I think Lizzy will think its fun. She enjoyed doing the passport last year. We saw lots of adults doing the passport too.

The only characters I know we will see that I couldn't find coloring pages for were Chip & Dale. Anyone seen any of them? I do have one from a coloring book I have at home I could scan but I'm not sure if the reverse image will bleed through.

 

[Tammi67]

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY TO ALL MY DDA FRIENDS!​

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May the luck of the Irish be with you today and always.

 

[Tammi67]

I was just looking at Marti's link, and I realized the style I just bought was the Nile. I bought them at Dilliards this past Friday for $29, since I didn't have time to wait for them to be shipped. They had just gotten them in and from what I remember, they had them in navy and black.

Amy

So Amy, you regularly wear a 7.5 -8, and you bought a 7, is that correct? I'm trying to figure out what size I would need without trying them on.

 

[UP Disney]

Vicki-LOVE your pal Mickey photos. You look quite happy outside your comfort zone!!!!

I do hide it well, don't I? I get silly because I feel so silly. I've heard from my Girl Scouts that I'm contagious when I get like this. I'm a crazy Girl Scout Leader and Camp Counselor. I push myself outside my comfort zone regularly with them. I wear funny hats at events and sometimes on trips. I want them to learn that it is more fun to be outside your comfort zone. It is easier when they are with me. Even after all these years of pushing myself, I'm still not comfortable and am still having to push.

I'll tell you all a secret. I got my Camp name for pushing myself outside my comfort zone. The first week-end GS event I attended was a sleepover for hundreds of girls in a high school. One of the activities was going to be a pajama fashion show. I looked through my pj's for the funniest that I had. My DH & I had bought matching old-fashioned red lumberjack pajamas with the flap butt as a gift when we were first married so I packed those. On Friday evening, they announce "Surprise!! We are having a PJ birthday party in the gym!" My first reaction was "No way am I running around in those pj's for several hours". I had two different leaders growing up. One was a witch - Mrs. Rupple - and one was so much fun - Ms. Weingarten. As I was standing there getting ready to change into shorts & a t-shirt, a voice in my head kept saying "Are you going to be like Mrs. Rupple or Ms. Weingarten? Mrs. Rupple or Ms. Weingarten? Mrs. Rupple or Ms. Weingarten?". Well, Ms. Weingarten won. I put on those red flannel drop-butt pajamas. The troop had attended a Disney on Ice earlier in the year and we had all bought Cat in the Hat hats. So we were all wearing those that night as well. Imagine the scene - me running around in red flannel pj's and a green & white hat. All week-end other girls kept asking me "Aren't you the one that was wearing the funny pj's at the party?"

So to the rest of the story. I decide to be a counselor at camp. You have to have a camp name. I have no idea. One of the other counselors because of the pj party suggests Red or ... are you ready ... here it comes ... Drawers. I choose Drawers because I know I can have more fun with this name. Every year I buy a new pair of boxers or pj pants with funny sayings or characters. I also have a wide range of hats that I wear at camp. Of course, this is just at camp!!!!

It has made a major difference in my DD's lives. I am a very serious person with very strong ideas of right & wrong. However, they learned that mom can still be (& have) fun!!!! I asked my DD to e-mail me some pictures of Pal Mickey and I that she has on her computer. In my request, I told her "I know you think I'm nuts". Her response to me almost made me cry. "LOVE YOU even if u are nuts!"

So there's my long-winded story!

 

[KMH1]

So Amy, you regularly wear a 7.5 -8, and you bought a 7, is that correct? I'm trying to figure out what size I would need without trying them on.

That is correct! Remember, this is for the Nile style only.

Amy

 

[Tammi67]

Jennifer - You and your family are in my prayers.

Kate - That is unbelievable for cheerleading for a 4 year old! I can't believe that it is competitive for that age group. I know our local parks & rec has camps in the summer for various age ranges. Check with the places that teach gymnastics and see if they have any cheerleading. Maybe you could entice her with gymnastics or ballet instead. Alyssa is in gymnastics and she wants to do ballet too, but with between our work schedules, Nicholas in karate and soccer.....it's hard to find the time. Maybe this summer. Good luck with it.

Vicki - I loved your pictures. You looked like you were having such a great time, which I'm sure you were. My favorite is the one with you and your DD Becky. BTW, you DH looks so familiar to me. He reminds me of someone but I can't put my finger on whom. Does anyone get this feeling?

 

[Tammi67]

That is correct! Remember, this is for the Nile style only.

Amy

Gotcha. Thanks.

 

[babytrees]

The thought of my feet getting bigger if I get pregnant scares me. What will I wear then, I already have the hardest time finding shoes. I have been looking since January and everything I find is either too short or way too wide or my heel slips out of the back. I love wearing shoes without a back or with an open toe but I can't wear them to work. Oh the fun I have finding shoes. But don't even get me started on finding clothing for myself.

Becky

Becky-

I have odd shaped feet also....have you tried the Eurostep line? That is the only line of shoes I can get that consistently fit my feet!!

 

[KMH1]

She does seem something of a drill sargeant, doesn't she??!! In the original picture, I just smushed it out with my hands and it only covered maybe 2/3 of the bag. I used a rolling pin to fill the bag for the final results. I'll bake them today and let people see the final results.

Well, I guess I'm a dense drill sergeant (let's blame it on the pregnancy again, shall we ), because I just realized I obviously missed the original picture.

I'm probably going to bake the lions and elephants this weekend, so maybe I'll make Kevin take pictures of the "steps" and post them. Of course, then you all will see how BIG I'm getting, but since Kevin will post pictures from our trip, that's inevitable, I guess!

Amy

 

[Tammi67]

Well, I guess I'm a dense drill sergeant (let's blame it on the pregnancy again, shall we )

What excuse are you going to come up with after Matthew makes his arrival????