# Biggest Loser Princess and Tinker Bell 2011 and 2012 -- OLD please see NEW thread



## lisah0711

Greetings Biggest Loser folks who are doing Disney races!  

This thread started out for those of us who did the Princess in 2011.  Our new thread for folks doing races in 2012 and 2013 is here http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=45072651&postcount=1  Please join us there! 

*This is a place for us to talk about the races and a meet and anything else so that the folks on the BL threads won't get tired of hearing us chatter about it!  *

And, of course, anyone who is interested can certainly chime in too!  Tips are always appreciated!   

DON'T BE SHY ABOUT JOINING IN!  

Nancy 10K 5/12/12
Lisa H. CdA Half 5/29/12
Maria Providence RnR Half 8/19/12
Lisa H. Sandpoint Half 9/16/12
Maria & Kathy Wicked Half 9/22/12
Liz ToT 9/29/12 

*W&D Half 2012*
Dottie
Rose
Lisa

*Donald 2013*
Maria
Lisa
Liz

*Mickey 2013*
Nancy
Rose
Dottie

*Tinker Bells 2012* 
liesel (Lisa)
lisah0711 (Lisa)
aka "The Lisa Bells" 

*Princesses 2012*
Worfiedoodles (Maria)
Rose&Mike (Rose)


*Princesses 2011*
mikamah (Kathy)
mommyto2pirates (Lindsay)
Rose&Mike (Rose)
lisah0711 (Lisa)
worfiedoodles (Maria)
jbm02 (Jude)
jenanderson (Jen)
yogamama (Mary)
corinnak (Corinna)
dumbo buddy (Nancy)

Hope that I didn't miss anyone!   

Good luck to us all!


----------



## lisah0711

Tell us when you will be there and where you are staying and if you want to try and do a meet.

I will be at Animal Kingdom Jambo House -- savanna view.  I arrive on 2/23 and leave on 2/28.  

It's my first solo trip!  

And, of course I want to do a meet!  That is the whole reason why I am doing this!  :


----------



## lisah0711

Here is a link on suggested packing lists.  
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=15724821&postcount=1
It is an old thread but recently bumped.

Here is a link about what to do that last week and suggestions about race day from Coach Charles.
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=39384676&postcount=1

The race program:
http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/media/ewwos/pdf/Princess11Program.pdf

Map for course:
http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/media/ewwos/pdf/rundisney/PRINCESSHALFMARATHONMAP2011.1.pdf


----------



## mikamah

Hello Lisa!! 

Great idea to start another thread.  I can't believe how close we're getting now, and I'm sure come february we'd be driving everyone crazy on the bl thread.  

We come in on wed 2/23 and leave tues 3/1.  We're at All star Movies, and I'll be with Michael and my sil Beth and niece Taylor.  Beth had kindly offered to come with us so she can watch Michael while I do the race.  I'm definitely up for a dis-meet. 

I'm still thinking I'll go to the expo early friday when it first opens, and then meet up with my family at the park.

Just 8 weeks and 5 days!!!!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Thanks so much for starting this Lisa! I was afraid with two teams, we would have trouble coordinating things so this is perfect!

My plans are up in the air--drama, what can I say.

I have BWV booked arriving the 25th and leaving the 1st. I might fly down, Thursday night, still not sure yet. As of now it's me and one of my sisters. We might bring the husbands, haven't decided yet. I am definitely up for at least one meet, and maybe Jellyrolls? I am guessing we will be going to the expo on Saturday. I will let you all know when we firm things up.

Not sure if Mike will run if he comes along or not. Should I make him wear a tutu?

I will say this after W&D--go easy on the walking before the race. Take transportation when you can--that is the only time I have had really sore legs and I blame it on the billion miles we walked before the race!


----------



## lisah0711

Welcome Rose!  Sorry about the drama and uncertainty.  Sisters!  

I've heard that they make the men running the Princess start at the back of the pack -- I mean like the last corral.  That would probably bug Mike more than a tutu!   

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and doing the race!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I found you guys

I am arriving in disney late on thur 2/24 and leaving mid afternoon on mon 2/28.  We are staying at Carribean Beach.  It will be my mom and my aunt who are cheering me on!  No running for them.

I would love to meet up and definitely would be sad if I miss meeting you all.  I have to admit I am feeling anxiety over our plans.  I am trying to squeeze in as much as we can since this is my aunts first trip to disney.  Im hoping I can take your advice rose and not overdo it the first 2 days.  I am also wondering how the heck I am going to fit in a meet but I will do my best to coordinate it with you.  I am type A what can I say. 

I plan on getting to the expo on friday right when it opens.  Kathy maybe i will see you there.

Lisa thanks for starting this thread.  Im sure with a bunch of us doing the race we will drive everyone nuts over the next 2 months.

oh by the way I think shawn is doing the race too.  I might be wrong but I thought I remembered her saying it.

Rose- mike in a tutu  that would be great.

Question:
Is anyone planning on wearing anything "special" tiara, tutu, costume, etc.?


----------



## jbm02

Hi everyone!!  
Thanks Lisa, for setting this up and letting me know the thread was here!!

I'd love to try and do a meet.  We're staying at the POP.  Anyone else there??We get in on Thursday and will leave on Monday.  

Jen and I originally planned to do this trip with our DHs as a "couples getaway weekend" but when Disney changed the date of the race, that threw a wrench into our plans... now the race falls on the last day of my kids February break week.  (Can you imagine telling the kids that even though THEY were on vacation, we'd go to WDW without them - hardly!!! LOL).  So it will be us, our DHs and 2 kids apiece!!  We'll actually get into FL on Saturday but plan to spend a few days on Daytona Beach (yes, I know that it will be February but it still has to be warmer than upstate NY!!)

Is anyone planning on wearing anything "special" tiara, tutu, costume, etc.? 

This is scary...yes!  Jen is in charge of our fashion for the day. I have visions of looking like a big yellow M&M running through the streets of the Magic Kingdom.... 

Have a great night!!
Jude


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

jbm02 said:


> Hi everyone!!
> Thanks Lisa, for setting this up and letting me know the thread was here!!
> 
> I'd love to try and do a meet.  We're staying at the POP.  Anyone else there??We get in on Thursday and will leave on Monday.
> 
> Jen and I originally planned to do this trip with our DHs as a "couples getaway weekend" but when Disney changed the date of the race, that threw a wrench into our plans... now the race falls on the last day of my kids February break week.  (Can you imagine telling the kids that even though THEY were on vacation, we'd go to WDW without them - hardly!!! LOL).  So it will be us, our DHs and 2 kids apiece!!  We'll actually get into FL on Saturday but plan to spend a few days on Daytona Beach (yes, I know that it will be February but it still has to be warmer than upstate NY!!)
> 
> Is anyone planning on wearing anything "special" tiara, tutu, costume, etc.?
> 
> This is scary...yes!  Jen is in charge of our fashion for the day. I have visions of looking like a big yellow M&M running through the streets of the Magic Kingdom....
> 
> Have a great night!!
> Jude



Hi Jude.  We missed you...where have you been?  Glad to hear your plans are still on and Im sure the kiddos are happy to be coming along.  How is Jen doing?  I had to laugh at the costume.  Im sure whatever she plans for you will be stylish.  Im still trying to decide what to wear.  I wish I could know what the weather will be like.  I think I might plan two outfits one for colder and one for warmer.  I think I am going to wear a tiara but not sure if I will add anything else to my outfit.  Good to hear from you.


----------



## mikamah

Hello fellow princesses!!!!

I still can't believe it's less than 2 months away.  I'm trying not to stress with vacation this week and not getting my planned runs in, but will reevaluate next week after things are back to normal, I'm sure I am sure I will be back on track. 

Jude-It's great to see you here.  Now, with Jen planning your outfits, I wouldn't guess yellow, but I'd think some pretty hot pink may be involved.   The pics she posted of her races she always looked so adorable.  Tell her I said hello, and I hope to see her at the race, or here before.  It's the last day of my ds's vacation too.  We're staying til tues just to save on the flights.  It's crazy expensive to fly school vacation weeks. 

Lindsay- I know what you mean about trying to take it easy the days before, but I can't imagine how that is going to happen.  If it's unseasonably warm, maybe we will do a water park one day, and I can sit while the kids do the slides.  I am planning to relax at the pool sat evening. We can definitely try to meet up at the expo, and also before the race while we wait in the portaporty lines. 
I will wear capris- they're black with pink thread down the side and a little pink triangle on the bottom of the leg.  I have a pink shirt that matches, and will get a throw away sweatshirt to start out with incase it's cold early.  I would like to find a new shirt, but if I don't it will be the pink t-shirt.  I think a tiara would drive me crazy, and I don't think I have the figure for a tutu.   What are you planning to wear?

Rose- sorry for the sister issues, but hope it all works out.  It would be great if Mike came and ran with you.  Does your other sister's husband run also?  I was also thinking, since he is such a good cheerleader for you, that once you cross the finishline, he could turn back and finish the race with me and lisa and help us along if we're struggling. 

Lisa- Have you gotten your tiara and tutu yet?  

I need to figure out what I will be bringing.  I want to bring my cell phone and camera.  Plus I need to try some gel or beans.  My capris have a little back pocket, so I'll try my cell phone in that some day and see if it fits.  I wonder if I would carry my camera the whole time, or if i need a pack for it, spibelt or something.  Any suggestions appreciated.


----------



## lisah0711

jbm02 said:


> Is anyone planning on wearing anything "special" tiara, tutu, costume, etc.?
> 
> This is scary...yes!  Jen is in charge of our fashion for the day. I have visions of looking like a big yellow M&M running through the streets of the Magic Kingdom....



 Hi Jude!  So nice to see you!  

If jen is doing your fashion then you should be all set because she always looks great in her race pics -- even when she is covered in mud!  

I definately do not have the figure for a tutu.    My plan is to wear my WISH shirt, black capris, and a hat or visor.  A tiara would be fun but I don't know how that would work.  Also, I have an Incredibles patch I can put on my hat or shirt.  Kathy and Lindsay I have one for each of you, too.    I'm still trying to think of something for all of us for BL, too.  



mikamah said:


> Hello fellow princesses!!!!
> 
> I still can't believe it's less than 2 months away.  I'm trying not to stress with vacation this week and not getting my planned runs in, but will reevaluate next week after things are back to normal, I'm sure I am sure I will be back on track.



You will be back on track in no time!  

Did my 6 miles yesterday and don't feel too bad today.  My pace was not up to snuff but, as Kathy reminded me, the long runs are about endurance not speed.    But I can't help feeling a little bit like my tail is on fire.  

For those of you who have gone through the training and done a half before how do you trust that it will all somehow work and come together on race day?  

Happy New Year to all of you!  I never dreamed last New Year's that this would be happening this year!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> I still can't believe it's less than 2 months away.  I'm trying not to stress with vacation this week and not getting my planned runs in, but will reevaluate next week after things are back to normal, I'm sure I am sure I will be back on track.
> 
> *You will get back on track Kathy dont worry.  It is hard when your daily routine is off.  I hope you got so good relaxation in this week and enjoyed your "vacation".*
> 
> Lindsay-  We can definitely try to meet up at the expo, and also before the race while we wait in the portaporty lines.
> *Sounds great!!! I cant wait to meet you in person.*
> 
> What are you planning to wear?
> *I have no idea.  I think I will make a decision at the beginning of feb.  I want to see how much weight I can loose by then.  My ultimate goal was to wear a running skirt.  I found a cindy blue one with a princess tiara in the bottom corner and a cindy running shirt online.  Its a bit pricey but depending on what the weather looks like I might splurge.  I have to see how I look and feel by then...right now I dont think my bottom and legs are ready for a skirt yet.  I think either way I might get the top and pair it with black capris or shorts.  But that could change too.  I am so undecided.*
> I need to figure out what I will be bringing.  I want to bring my cell phone and camera.  Plus I need to try some gel or beans.  My capris have a little back pocket, so I'll try my cell phone in that some day and see if it fits.  I wonder if I would carry my camera the whole time, or if i need a pack for it, spibelt or something.  Any suggestions appreciated.



*I plan on taking my cell phone.  I am hoping to find an outfit with a pocket for that.  I think I will just carry my camera.  It is light weight.  I typically run holding my cell phone and I have become use to it.  Maybe try running and holding something to see if it will work for you before the race.  I dont use a hip pack or running belt I tried but those things drive me nuts.  *



lisah0711 said:


> Also, I have an Incredibles patch I can put on my hat or shirt.  Kathy and Lindsay I have one for each of you, too.    I'm still trying to think of something for all of us for BL, too.



That is so nice of you Lisa.  I actually need to get on the incredibles thread and post.  Its hard keeping up with all the different threads.  Gosh it could really be a full time job.  I would love to have something BL especially there is so many of us.  What could we do??? hmmm

I am going to be doing my 45 min run shortly.  Just letting my lunch settle.  I know this sounds weird but I am so excited to run today in our warm front we are having.  Its 45 degrees.


----------



## Rose&Mike

I am being lazy and posting here instead of updating the new threads! My pm count keeps going up! I feel so loved. My excuse is that I am still recovering from my run this morning!



lisah0711 said:


> I've heard that they make the men running the Princess start at the back of the pack -- I mean like the last corral.  That would probably bug Mike more than a tutu!
> 
> I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and doing the race!


When Mike and I were in college we went to a Halloween party and i dressed up as midshipman (he was at Navy) and he dressed up as a cheer leader!  It was hysterical! He can definitely pull off a skirt--not sure what that says about him. I think he is leaning towards not running, but I still don't know who is going to carry my water!!!! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I found you guys
> 
> Question:
> Is anyone planning on wearing anything "special" tiara, tutu, costume, etc.?


I'm contemplating the tutu and the tiara, at least for the before the race pictures. Then I'll probably give them to Mike. He said he would come to the start. I refuse to check a bag after W&D!



jbm02 said:


> Hi everyone!!
> Thanks Lisa, for setting this up and letting me know the thread was here!!
> 
> I'd love to try and do a meet.  We're staying at the POP.  Anyone else there??We get in on Thursday and will leave on Monday.
> 
> Jen and I originally planned to do this trip with our DHs as a "couples getaway weekend" but when Disney changed the date of the race, that threw a wrench into our plans... now the race falls on the last day of my kids February break week.  (Can you imagine telling the kids that even though THEY were on vacation, we'd go to WDW without them - hardly!!! LOL).  So it will be us, our DHs and 2 kids apiece!!  We'll actually get into FL on Saturday but plan to spend a few days on Daytona Beach (yes, I know that it will be February but it still has to be warmer than upstate NY!!)
> 
> Is anyone planning on wearing anything "special" tiara, tutu, costume, etc.?
> 
> 
> Have a great night!!
> Jude


Hi Jude!! So great to see you! Please say hi to Jen! I hope we get to meet up with you all!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hi Jude.  We missed you...where have you been?  Glad to hear your plans are still on and Im sure the kiddos are happy to be coming along.  How is Jen doing?  I had to laugh at the costume.  Im sure whatever she plans for you will be stylish.  Im still trying to decide what to wear.  I wish I could know what the weather will be like.  I think I might plan two outfits one for colder and one for warmer.  I think I am going to wear a tiara but not sure if I will add anything else to my outfit.  Good to hear from you.


I think I will have a plan that involves a skirt or capris and just adjust for the weather.



mikamah said:


> Hello fellow princesses!!!!
> 
> Rose- sorry for the sister issues, but hope it all works out.  It would be great if Mike came and ran with you.  Does your other sister's husband run also?  I was also thinking, since he is such a good cheerleader for you, that once you cross the finishline, he could turn back and finish the race with me and lisa and help us along if we're struggling.
> 
> I need to figure out what I will be bringing.  I want to bring my cell phone and camera.  Plus I need to try some gel or beans.  My capris have a little back pocket, so I'll try my cell phone in that some day and see if it fits.  I wonder if I would carry my camera the whole time, or if i need a pack for it, spibelt or something.  Any suggestions appreciated.


 I think he might try to cheer on the course, so I'm sure he will look for you all! Definitely try the gels, etc before hand to see if they bother your stomach. I think I am going to get a belt for my gu and endurolytes and carry a throw away bottle of water. My skirt had pockets, but my capris don't--maybe I need new capris....


lisah0711 said:


> Hi Jude!  So nice to see you!
> 
> If jen is doing your fashion then you should be all set because she always looks great in her race pics -- even when she is covered in mud!
> 
> I definately do not have the figure for a tutu.    My plan is to wear my WISH shirt, black capris, and a hat or visor.  A tiara would be fun but I don't know how that would work.  Also, I have an Incredibles patch I can put on my hat or shirt.  Kathy and Lindsay I have one for each of you, too.    I'm still trying to think of something for all of us for BL, too.
> 
> 
> Did my 6 miles yesterday and don't feel too bad today.  My pace was not up to snuff but, as Kathy reminded me, the long runs are about endurance not speed.    But I can't help feeling a little bit like my tail is on fire.
> 
> For those of you who have gone through the training and done a half before how do you trust that it will all somehow work and come together on race day?
> 
> Happy New Year to all of you!  I never dreamed last New Year's that this would be happening this year!


Woohoo for 6 miles Lisa! I am going to be honest here, I was insecure until I finished my first half! And I don't think that's unusual. Every time you add a mile though, you will be able to say--I have done xx miles, I know I can do this. So if your training goes up to 10 or 11 miles, you will KNOW that you can do that. The other miles are "downhill" from there. That's part of the reason we did 13 before my first 5k. Mentally, I just needed that. Lots of people do training plans where they only go up to 10 or 11 and do just fine. The big thing is, stick to your taper! Try not to overdo the walking beforehand, and go out at the pace you are used to. It's so easy in a race to want to go out too fast. The goal is negative splits! You can do it!!!!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> *I plan on taking my cell phone.  I am hoping to find an outfit with a pocket for that.  I think I will just carry my camera.  It is light weight.  I typically run holding my cell phone and I have become use to it.  Maybe try running and holding something to see if it will work for you before the race.  I dont use a hip pack or running belt I tried but those things drive me nuts.  *
> 
> 
> 
> That is so nice of you Lisa.  I actually need to get on the incredibles thread and post.  Its hard keeping up with all the different threads.  Gosh it could really be a full time job.  I would love to have something BL especially there is so many of us.  What could we do??? hmmm
> 
> I am going to be doing my 45 min run shortly.  Just letting my lunch settle.  I know this sounds weird but I am so excited to run today in our warm front we are having.  Its 45 degrees.


Have a great run!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello Princesses, and Happy New Year!

It took me a few days to find my way over here (thanks for the heads-up, *Lisa!)*, and I currently clearly have taper madness for the WDW Half, so it may be interesting to see if my posts approach cogency or coherence! 

I haven't really given any thought to wardrobe yet, but I don't see me with a tiara. A running skirt definitely has possibilities...

The 2011 Princess will be my fifth Half, at that point I will have completed 4 WDW Half marathons -- but this is my first Princess. The first time I was absolutely petrified. I was a walker, and closer to Pooh than Roo in every way, and I wanted so badly to finish...I am so fortunate, I lucked into meeting and running with (part of the way) a wonderful WISHer Ruth aka Daydreambeliever. She kept me moving, encouraged me to run even a little, and explained that if you make it to 10, they won't sweep you. That was huge for me. The last three miles weren't pretty (mine never are!), but I knew I could get to 10. If you have put the miles in, you will do fine. The key is getting all the long runs in, because at the end it's all mental, and if you know you can do it, you will! 

If you can believe this, I don't know where I'm staying yet...haven't made the reservation. I have my flight and I'm registered for the race, I just have to figure out exactly what's going on. I have friends from the Leanies thread at ASSports, so I will probably stay there. I fly in Feb. 25th and out March 2nd. Maybe I should wait for a bounceback next weekend...

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning princesses! I am still a little sore from my run yesterday. And I had one too many beers last night, so that's not helping.

I am a little overwhelmed with the big thread today. I have probably six or eight more people to sign up and I am the coach this week for team mickey and I'm starting to get a little stressed about Tom going back to school. He ended up this semester with 3 As, a B+ and a B, which is great, but he still seems to have that gifted kid mentality about everything--I'll get to it, it's fine, no problems, etc. There's way more to the story than that, but I won't bore you. Anyhow, just needed to have a little woe is me, I am overwhelmed and a little stressed party. 

Happy New Year!

Maria--good to see you! I hope the marathon goes great! I still don't have airfare yet--still haven't made the final decision if Mike is going to come too.


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> Also, I have an Incredibles patch I can put on my hat or shirt.  Kathy and Lindsay I have one for each of you, too.    I'm still trying to think of something for all of us for BL, too.


Thanks lisa, that is so sweet of you to get us the incredibles patches.  I'd like to have something lime green to be seen as a dis-er, but if I don't come up with something, at least I'll be with you in your green.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Its hard keeping up with all the different threads.  Gosh it could really be a full time job.


  Ain't that the truth.  I think the teams will work out well, especially with the big group signed up already.  I do hope it settles down and we all merge before the end of the challenge. 



Rose&Mike said:


> I'm contemplating the tutu and the tiara, at least for the before the race pictures. Then I'll probably give them to Mike. He said he would come to the start. I refuse to check a bag after W&D!
> 
> Definitely try the gels, etc before hand to see if they bother your stomach. I think I am going to get a belt for my gu and endurolytes and carry a throw away bottle of water. My skirt had pockets, but my capris don't--maybe I need new capris....


With your figure you'd look adorable in a tutu.  Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.  I am definitely going to pick up some gels and stuff to try out.  I have a pretty strong stomach usually, so hopefully I'll find something quickly.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> I currently clearly have taper madness for the WDW Half, so it may be interesting to see if my posts approach cogency or coherence!
> 
> She kept me moving, encouraged me to run even a little, and explained that if you make it to 10, they won't sweep you. That was huge for me. The last three miles weren't pretty (mine never are!), but I knew I could get to 10. If you have put the miles in, you will do fine. The key is getting all the long runs in, because at the end it's all mental, and if you know you can do it, you will!


You must be getting so excited for next weekend.  Looking much warmer than last year, I hear.  Good luck!!  Two halfs in 2 months in disney!!  What a dream workout!!  I know you will be amazing.  Thanks for the 10 mile tip.  I do worry about being swept.   



Rose&Mike said:


> I am a little overwhelmed with the big thread today. I have probably six or eight more people to sign up and I am the coach this week for team mickey and I'm starting to get a little stressed about Tom going back to school. He ended up this semester with 3 As, a B+ and a B, which is great, but he still seems to have that gifted kid mentality about everything--I'll get to it, it's fine, no problems, etc. There's way more to the story than that, but I won't bore you. Anyhow, just needed to have a little woe is me, I am overwhelmed and a little stressed party..


The challenge is really growing.  Our fall group really stayed a good size til the end, so it's nice to have so many familiar people on board already.  It's a big commitment as hostess of the challenge, and you are doing an amazing job.  Try not to stress about the challenge.  Easier said than done, I'm sure, but the rest of us can only imagine how much of your free time it entails, and are totally understanding if you don't get back to us right away.  Thank you so much for taking it all on.    On ds, don't you wish you could just sit in dumbo again today?  I loved that picture, and he is a smart kid and you have raised him right, and even if he has to do things his own way, he will be alright.  Hang in there.  We are always here to listen if you need to vent.  I so do not look forward to michael becoming a grown man.  

Yesterday we went roller skating in the afternoon and there was this girl with a little glittery tutu/skirt.  It was not poofy at all, just straight down, one layer of the tulle type material with sequins on it.  It was very cute, and I thought i need to reevaluate my outfit.   I went on youtube and watched some princess videos and it would be fun to have a more fancy outfit.  I doubt I'll do anything too drastic, but maybe dress up my t-shirt a little.  

Also, on the roller skating, I am having princess paranoia.  I'm so afraid of hurting myself.  These little kids falling all over the place, and all I could think was omg, if I fall and break something and can't do the princess, I'll never forgive myself.  I was very careful.  I also think that when I'm out walking in the snow/ice.   

Hope you're enjoying the weekend.


----------



## mikamah

Forgot to say, Lindsay your possible outfit sounds very cute.  I bet you'll be ready for it, but I know exactly what you mean about the legs not being ready for a skirt, but can you wear a skirt with capris or do the skirts come with the running shorts in them?  I like the idea of a skirt, but need the capris.  I got to get shopping.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Kathy--runningskirts.com has a skirt with capris. They are pricey, but worth it in my opinion.

Probably won't talk about this a lot on the main threads cause they are so big right now, but Mike got a call this afternoon that his only sister died unexpectedly today. She was 44, I think. The medical examiner called later to say they were going to do an autopsy, but that she'd been having headaches. His dad died of a heartattack when they were in high school and his mom died of alzheimer's when we were in our 30s. We were not close to her--you know how it is sometimes with siblings, sometimes great, sometimes not so great, but it's very sad. It's scaring the crud out of me. Mike has had borderline high blood pressure and then there's tom and his issues this semester. Anyhow, I probably will be around a little this week, but not sure how much. Tom goes back to school on Friday, and Mike and I decided he needed to have as normal a week as possible. He has a hard semester coming up, and there is the possibility of some drama coming out of all this. Long story. 

I'm probably not making much sense. Please my friends, take care of your health. Life is so short. I hate that this is how we get reminders of what matters.


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> Hello Princesses, and Happy New Year!
> 
> It took me a few days to find my way over here (thanks for the heads-up, *Lisa!)*, and I currently clearly have taper madness for the WDW Half, so it may be interesting to see if my posts approach cogency or coherence!
> 
> I haven't really given any thought to wardrobe yet, but I don't see me with a tiara. A running skirt definitely has possibilities...
> 
> The 2011 Princess will be my fifth Half, at that point I will have completed 4 WDW Half marathons -- but this is my first Princess. The first time I was absolutely petrified. I was a walker, and closer to Pooh than Roo in every way, and I wanted so badly to finish...I am so fortunate, I lucked into meeting and running with (part of the way) a wonderful WISHer Ruth aka Daydreambeliever. She kept me moving, encouraged me to run even a little, and explained that if you make it to 10, they won't sweep you. That was huge for me. The last three miles weren't pretty (mine never are!), but I knew I could get to 10. If you have put the miles in, you will do fine. The key is getting all the long runs in, because at the end it's all mental, and if you know you can do it, you will!
> 
> If you can believe this, I don't know where I'm staying yet...haven't made the reservation. I have my flight and I'm registered for the race, I just have to figure out exactly what's going on. I have friends from the Leanies thread at ASSports, so I will probably stay there. I fly in Feb. 25th and out March 2nd. Maybe I should wait for a bounceback next weekend...
> 
> Maria



Good luck, Maria!    You're going to do great!  

So what are you wearing for this half marathon?  Do you have something special to show you are a DIS'er?  Let us know if you see anything really fun or cute that we could try.  



Rose&Mike said:


> I am a little overwhelmed with the big thread today. I have probably six or eight more people to sign up and I am the coach this week for team mickey and I'm starting to get a little stressed about Tom going back to school. He ended up this semester with 3 As, a B+ and a B, which is great, but he still seems to have that gifted kid mentality about everything--I'll get to it, it's fine, no problems, etc. There's way more to the story than that, but I won't bore you. Anyhow, just needed to have a little woe is me, I am overwhelmed and a little stressed party.



You're doing great.  This is the most hectic week of the challenge and it calms down fast.  We've got it covered for you!  



mikamah said:


> Thanks lisa, that is so sweet of you to get us the incredibles patches.  I'd like to have something lime green to be seen as a dis-er, but if I don't come up with something, at least I'll be with you in your green.
> 
> Ain't that the truth.  I think the teams will work out well, especially with the big group signed up already.  I do hope it settles down and we all merge before the end of the challenge.



Yep, it is good that we are trying the multiple thread again because it is a big group.  I'm sure that we will merge eventually.  I'm glad that we have this thread to come to because our planning would get lost -- not to mention drive people crazy!  



Rose&Mike said:


> Kathy--runningskirts.com has a skirt with capris. They are pricey, but worth it in my opinion.
> 
> Probably won't talk about this a lot on the main threads cause they are so big right now, but Mike got a call this afternoon that his only sister died unexpectedly today. She was 44, I think. The medical examiner called later to say they were going to do an autopsy, but that she'd been having headaches. His dad died of a heartattack when they were in high school and his mom died of alzheimer's when we were in our 30s. We were not close to her--you know how it is sometimes with siblings, sometimes great, sometimes not so great, but it's very sad. It's scaring the crud out of me. Mike has had borderline high blood pressure and then there's tom and his issues this semester. Anyhow, I probably will be around a little this week, but not sure how much. Tom goes back to school on Friday, and Mike and I decided he needed to have as normal a week as possible. He has a hard semester coming up, and there is the possibility of some drama coming out of all this. Long story.
> 
> I'm probably not making much sense. Please my friends, take care of your health. Life is so short. I hate that this is how we get reminders of what matters.



Aww, Rose, I am so sorry.    Unfortunately these situations have a tendency to cause drama so be prepared.  Let us know if there is anything we can do to help!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I'm sorry I'm venting here. Just don't want to do it on the new thread. Do you have any idea how much a funeral costs? This is turning into a mini nightmare. It turns out she'd been having headaches for weeks but didn't go to the doctor! Mike's dad died of a heart attack at 49 after not going to the doctor with chest pains for weeks. What is wrong with people? I feel horrible, but I am praying we find out tomorrow that she had some kind of insurance policy or somthing. And of course no one in his family has asked us how we are going to handle it, or if we need help handling the financial aspect or anything. This is the stuff that is so hard for us. We don't have anyone to call for help, we never had anyone, no parents, no nothing. It's exhausting sometimes. I just need someone to tell me that it will all work out ok. 

As for princess, I don't think Mike is going to go. I'm not even sure I can afford to go now, but I'm not going to decide yet. We don't know how many trips he has to make back and forth to Wisconsin to deal with all this stuff. And there's all the financial stuff. 

Ok, hopefully you all don't think I am the most heartless person on the planet. I am really sorry that she died. I just am angry that she didn't go to the doctor, angry that she didn't tell anyone if she had a will, if she had insurance, anything. I'm angry that she left a mess, after all that we had to go through with their mom. If she would have gone to the doctor maybe they could have fixed it, and I wouldn't have to feel so bad for Mike.

Thanks.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> Also, on the roller skating, I am having princess paranoia.  I'm so afraid of hurting myself.  These little kids falling all over the place, and all I could think was omg, if I fall and break something and can't do the princess, I'll never forgive myself.  I was very careful.  I also think that when I'm out walking in the snow/ice.



Kathy I do the same thing.  Sometimes I trip over something or slip off the curb wrong and Im like wow that could have turned out really bad.  I think I am more worried about getting injured or sick before the trip than I am worrying about actual being able to complete the half.



mikamah said:


> Forgot to say, Lindsay your possible outfit sounds very cute.  I bet you'll be ready for it, but I know exactly what you mean about the legs not being ready for a skirt, but can you wear a skirt with capris or do the skirts come with the running shorts in them?  I like the idea of a skirt, but need the capris.  I got to get shopping.



I dont know quite honestly I am so up in the air about this.  I too was watching the videos and would love to do something a little fun but I am always so worried I will look wierd or people will think I am silly.  I have always been self concious.  I think as it gets closer I will decide.  I saw girls in tu tu's that were only 1 layer and actually looked comfy material.  I would possibly consider something like that.  



Rose&Mike said:


> Probably won't talk about this a lot on the main threads cause they are so big right now, but Mike got a call this afternoon that his only sister died unexpectedly today. She was 44, I think. The medical examiner called later to say they were going to do an autopsy, but that she'd been having headaches. His dad died of a heartattack when they were in high school and his mom died of alzheimer's when we were in our 30s. We were not close to her--you know how it is sometimes with siblings, sometimes great, sometimes not so great, but it's very sad. It's scaring the crud out of me. Mike has had borderline high blood pressure and then there's tom and his issues this semester. Anyhow, I probably will be around a little this week, but not sure how much. Tom goes back to school on Friday, and Mike and I decided he needed to have as normal a week as possible. He has a hard semester coming up, and there is the possibility of some drama coming out of all this. Long story.
> 
> I'm probably not making much sense. Please my friends, take care of your health. Life is so short. I hate that this is how we get reminders of what matters.



Rose I am so sorry you are having to go through this.  We are here if you need to talk.  It is scary.  Life is too short and I agree why do we need things like this to happen to remind us.  Like I said before Live like you were dying because you just never know.


----------



## mikamah

Rose, I am so sorry for you and Mike and even though he wasn't close to her, i'm sure it's a big loss for him to have lost his last relative, and like you said a worry for his health too.  So sad.  

Sending prayers you way that everything goes as smoothly as possible.  Hang in there, and vent away.  We are here for you.


----------



## jbm02

Rose,
I am so sorry for everything you and Mike are struggling through right now. My heart goes out to both of you as he deals with the loss of his sister and you try to control concerns about genetics for his health.  


 And don't worry about venting - hopefully thile board will give you an outlet to say things you might not be able to voice out there.  And many of us have been through similar things - my MIL (who really was a wonderful woman) didn't believe in life insurance because she saw it as a way to reward people for someone else's death.  So when she developed cancer and died at age 46, there was no money for a funeral.  All disposable income had gone toward medical expenses.  My FIL eventually sold his home to pay off the funeral and other expenses that accummulated.  Unless someone has been through something like this, I'm not sure they realize the impact on a family.  (As a result, my soon-to-be-DH and I spent some of our wedding money on life insurancee policies for each of us, just in case...) 

Thinking of you.
Jude


----------



## Rose&Mike

Thank you all. And thank you so much Jude for sharing your story. I was feeling so guilty for feeling so frustrated about all of this. We have always both had life insurance. Money is the last thing you should have to be worrying about right now.

I am feeling a little more rational today. Mike is probably going to go up tomorrow. He is going to go into work and get a wireless card so that he can keep up on his email. We had a discussion today about how if she did not have a will, that any decisions that he makes are his to make and unless someone else wants to open up their wallet, it is really none of their business. Tom and I are going to stay here. If Tom went to school here, we would go with Mike, but WI is ~400 or 500 miles in one direction from here and SC is 500 miles in another direction. Logistically, it was starting to get crazy, and we want Tom going back to school calm and ready to go. (And let's face it, Tom is relieved to be staying home.)

Then if Mike has to go up later to clean out her house or whatever, I will go. She supposedly has rental property, but the cousin knew little about it. Hoping that there is a will or an accountant or an attorney or something. I know that today, I will be making a list of where everyone of our accounts are and putting it in our lockbox. I don't want someone else to have to deal with this.

Ok, guess that's it for now. Thank you all. It really does help to say the things I might not be able to say irl. Poor Mike, he was saying that he could stay at her house to save some money. I asked him if he really wanted to be there by himself at night. We're looking online for a Marriot today. 

I promise I will not hijack the thread everyday.


----------



## Yogamama

Rose and Mike, you are in my prayers, what a tough situation. 

I'm glad to have found my way over hear to this post.  I'm excited but nervous about the run.  I can maintain a less than 16min/mile between walking and running.  I know I won't be able to outright run the whole thing, but I'll certainly try. 

I have a tiara already and I'm a great sewer, and so I'm going to whip up a yellow tu-tu (I'm registered as Belle, I'm a nerdy brunette married to a beast, and so it's a great fit!).  I'll wear running capris under my tu-tu

Good luck everyone, I feel so EMPOWERED when I get on here and read about everyone else's plans and what brought them here.  

Go team!


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> I'm sorry I'm venting here. Just don't want to do it on the new thread. Do you have any idea how much a funeral costs? This is turning into a mini nightmare. It turns out she'd been having headaches for weeks but didn't go to the doctor! Mike's dad died of a heart attack at 49 after not going to the doctor with chest pains for weeks. What is wrong with people? I feel horrible, but I am praying we find out tomorrow that she had some kind of insurance policy or somthing. And of course no one in his family has asked us how we are going to handle it, or if we need help handling the financial aspect or anything. This is the stuff that is so hard for us. We don't have anyone to call for help, we never had anyone, no parents, no nothing. It's exhausting sometimes. I just need someone to tell me that it will all work out ok.
> 
> As for princess, I don't think Mike is going to go. I'm not even sure I can afford to go now, but I'm not going to decide yet. We don't know how many trips he has to make back and forth to Wisconsin to deal with all this stuff. And there's all the financial stuff.
> 
> Ok, hopefully you all don't think I am the most heartless person on the planet. I am really sorry that she died. I just am angry that she didn't go to the doctor, angry that she didn't tell anyone if she had a will, if she had insurance, anything. I'm angry that she left a mess, after all that we had to go through with their mom. If she would have gone to the doctor maybe they could have fixed it, and I wouldn't have to feel so bad for Mike.
> 
> Thanks.



, Rose, this is one of those times when emotions run high and you are going to experience all of them for awhile.  There is no reason to feel bad about all that you are feeling.    I'm glad that you aren't making any decisions about the Princess yet.  You may feel like you want to spend some time with your sisters after this.  And we are here for you to vent away to!



Yogamama said:


> Rose and Mike, you are in my prayers, what a tough situation.
> 
> I'm glad to have found my way over hear to this post.  I'm excited but nervous about the run.  I can maintain a less than 16min/mile between walking and running.  I know I won't be able to outright run the whole thing, but I'll certainly try.
> 
> I have a tiara already and I'm a great sewer, and so I'm going to whip up a yellow tu-tu (I'm registered as Belle, I'm a nerdy brunette married to a beast, and so it's a great fit!).  I'll wear running capris under my tu-tu
> 
> Good luck everyone, I feel so EMPOWERED when I get on here and read about everyone else's plans and what brought them here.
> 
> Go team!



 Hi Mary!    If you can do a run/walk in under the Princess time then you are good to go.  I'm doing a run/walk myself but we do have a couple of folks here who can run it all the way.  It's going to be a lot fun!  Your tutu sounds great!  What does you tiara look like?  Are you just going to wear it by itself or with a hat?  Inquiring minds want to know!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> I'm sorry I'm venting here. Just don't want to do it on the new thread. Do you have any idea how much a funeral costs? This is turning into a mini nightmare.



Rose I am so sorry for all of this stuff going on.  I can share a somewhat similar experience.  My dh had an aunt who passed away 2 years ago at 49.  we hadnt spoken to here in a long while.  She had some issues with drinking and I think mental health stuff too.  We tried many times but it just always turned out in a disaster of drama.  When she passed away her mom (mikes nana) said she had a will.  My dh was listed as the executor.  She had no life insurance but some money in the bank and a car.  The funeral expense was about 6,000.  that included creamation with a yearn.  Gravedside service with the priest from the church, dove release, and prayer cards.  Luckily it did all turn out ok but took 6-8 months to get everything taken care of with bills, cleaning out her appt, selling the car etc.  It was a mess and a nightmare.  I can only imagine what you and mike are going through with it being miles and miles away and having no idea about anything.  If she doesnt have a will, everything will go to an estate.  Im not sure how mike would go about it but speaking to a lawyer would be the right direction.  He would have to be named executor of the will in order to gain any of her assets I believe.  Just to give you another idea we recently buried mikes nana.  It included a 1hr "viewing" although she was creamated and in a yearn.  Flowers around the yearn.  Prayer cards, graveside service with the pastor.  It was a little over 8,000.  

I will be thinking and praying for you and mike through this rough time.  Hang in there you will get through it.



Yogamama said:


> I'm glad to have found my way over hear to this post.



Glad you made it over here Mary!  Dont worry about running the whole thing.  You can find a good walk/run interval if needed.  Like lisa said there is a bunch of us that are doing intervals.  I actually am getting faster doing a 3minrun/2minwalk interval than I am if I run the whole time.  Im curious about your tiara too.  Is it plastic.  How do you plan on wearing it?


----------



## Rose&Mike

Yogamama said:


> Rose and Mike, you are in my prayers, what a tough situation.
> 
> I'm glad to have found my way over hear to this post.  I'm excited but nervous about the run.  I can maintain a less than 16min/mile between walking and running.  I know I won't be able to outright run the whole thing, but I'll certainly try.
> 
> I have a tiara already and I'm a great sewer, and so I'm going to whip up a yellow tu-tu (I'm registered as Belle, I'm a nerdy brunette married to a beast, and so it's a great fit!).  I'll wear running capris under my tu-tu
> 
> Good luck everyone, I feel so EMPOWERED when I get on here and read about everyone else's plans and what brought them here.
> 
> Go team!


Welcome Mary! I agree with Lindsay, start looking at an interval that will work for you. Rundisney.com has some links to some galloway stuff which explaings intervals, if you haven't looked into it before. It sounds like you are already doing intervals, but didn't know if you had read anything about it. I ran my first 1/2 outright. The temps were great--in the 50s. I felt awful at the end of it. W&D was much warmer and humid and at night. We ran a mile walked a minute for the whole race. I still had nausea at the end--which for me is from not enough salt or fluids--but no leg cramps. It's amazing to me what just adding in a few walkbreaks does for my overall performance.

And I am really thinking I am going to do the tutu thing. Still not sure about the tirara. I will definitely be getting up early enough to flatiron my hair.

After being extremely ambivalent yesterday, Mike told me he wants to come and he wants to run, even if we have to eat pb&j in the room. We have annual passes, so that is covered. I just have to look and see if registration is still open. I think he just wants something happy to look forward to right now. 

Ok, back to real life.

Oh, and thank you Lindsay.


----------



## mikamah

Jude and Lindsay- my hearts go out to you for all you have been through and how tough those times must have been.  I am so grateful that when I lost each of my parents, they both had insurance, so I could think about me and my loss, and not have so many other worries.

Rose- I'm glad you and Mike are able to talk things out, and since he is the only relative, it is all his decision, however hard they may be, and he needs to do what is right for him right now.  I hope he is able to find some kind of insurance or money she had that will make it a bit easier.  I don't know what she did for work, but my work has an automatic one year salary life policy on all full time employees.  Hope the next few days go smoothly for you all.

Lindsay-  I'm glad I'm not alone in my paranoia about getting hurt and not making the princess.  I've been surfing the web in search of the perfect outfit.  I'm pretty sure I'll stick with the black/pink capris, and pink shirt, and maybe dress it up.  Unless I miraculously drop 30 pounds in 2 months and then I'll go with the skirt.  I thought about tye dye, but you can't dye the polyester shirts, so I may order new tye dyes for me and the fam, with lime green and hot pink, a princess-ey dis-ey combo that we could wear after the race. 

 Don't worry Lisa, if I come across a beautiful tye dye tutu I'll get you one too.

Hi Mary!!  Welcome to our princess planning!  Your outfit sounds so cute.  I saw a belle costume on a youtube video that looked awesome.   I'm doing intervals and could never run the whole thing, but my training has been going well, and I've been able to stay under the 16 min miles too.  On my longer run/walks, I've been playing with the times of the intervals, and doing shorter run, 2-3 min with 1-2 min walks seems to speed me up a bit.  I would love to have a little leeway so I could take some pictures.  

So ladies, in 8 weeks, it will be all over and we'll be sporting our beautiful tiara medals right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Oh, and thank you Lindsay.



Your welcome and I think registration is still open but filling up fast.  I think that will help mike through this to have something to look forward to, and I know it will make you happy to have your water carrier.

Kathy- I think your tie dye shirts sound awesome.  I know I cant believe 8 more weeks!


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Like lisa said there is a bunch of us that are doing intervals.  I actually am getting faster doing a 3minrun/2minwalk interval than I am if I run the whole time.  Im curious about your tiara too.  Is it plastic.  How do you plan on wearing it?



 You can tell it's more about the fashion than the time for us!  



Rose&Mike said:


> Welcome Mary! I agree with Lindsay, start looking at an interval that will work for you. Rundisney.com has some links to some galloway stuff which explaings intervals, if you haven't looked into it before. It sounds like you are already doing intervals, but didn't know if you had read anything about it. I ran my first 1/2 outright. The temps were great--in the 50s. I felt awful at the end of it. W&D was much warmer and humid and at night. We ran a mile walked a minute for the whole race. I still had nausea at the end--which for me is from not enough salt or fluids--but no leg cramps. It's amazing to me what just adding in a few walkbreaks does for my overall performance.
> 
> And I am really thinking I am going to do the tutu thing. Still not sure about the tirara. I will definitely be getting up early enough to flatiron my hair.
> 
> After being extremely ambivalent yesterday, Mike told me he wants to come and he wants to run, even if we have to eat pb&j in the room. We have annual passes, so that is covered. I just have to look and see if registration is still open. I think he just wants something happy to look forward to right now.
> 
> Ok, back to real life.
> 
> Oh, and thank you Lindsay.



I think it would be great if Mike decides to run.  It would be nice to have something fun to look forward to -- he can be "Mike and his pack o' princesses!"   Don't worry you won't be stuck with us because there is no way I can keep up with you!  



mikamah said:


> *Don't worry Lisa, if I come across a beautiful tye dye tutu I'll get you one too.*


*This is so scary! *


mikamah said:


> Hi Mary!!  Welcome to our princess planning!  Your outfit sounds so cute.  I saw a belle costume on a youtube video that looked awesome.   I'm doing intervals and could never run the whole thing, but my training has been going well, and I've been able to stay under the 16 min miles too.  On my longer run/walks, I've been playing with the times of the intervals, and doing shorter run, 2-3 min with 1-2 min walks seems to speed me up a bit.  I would love to have a little leeway so I could take some pictures.
> 
> So ladies, in *8 weeks, it will be all over and we'll be sporting our beautiful tiara medals right now*!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



  Oh, I feel better hearing about your intervals -- I thought you were at 4:1 already and I am not.    2:1 I can do but not on the longer runs yet for the whole run.  I am just trusting in the plan.  Trust the plan is my mantra!    I did three miles today thanks to DH getting me out of the house.  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mikamah

Trust in the plan, Lisa, trust in the plan, and we will get there.  I was just reading marathoning for mortals again, and even though I haven't run in over a week and a half, I think we're going to be alright! Cause reading is as good as running, right? 

  I was doing mostly 4/1 intervals, but on the longer one's I'd slow down, so increasing the walking intervals sped me up to keep me in the sweeper-free pace.  I did 1/1 and that seemed to be the same pace as 2/1 for me.  Right along, we've been at similar paces, so don't worry about it, it will all work out.  Remember, we don't want to go out too fast either.  We don't want to overdo it and not  be able to get back to epcot for a margarita.  We will need the salt you know. 

Rose- I'm so glad Mike want to run with you. You will both deserve a trip after this week.  I think you should go with matching tutus.

Now off to find those tyedye tutus for us, lisa.


----------



## jbm02

Rose,
Jen's husband Paul is running too...and she is threatening to make a tutu for him, too!!!  (not kidding!!!!)  I hope that you can both come because I think it will be a great getaway for both of you....

As for me, I am struggling with my runs.  I was supposed to do 9 today and barely finished 7.5.  I am trying not to get discouraged and keep plugging along....  but right now 13.1 feels impossible (sorry for the downer comments.  I just keep hoping that something will "click" again....)

Jude


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> Trust in the plan, Lisa, trust in the plan, and we will get there.  I was just reading marathoning for mortals again, and even though I haven't run in over a week and a half, I think we're going to be alright! Cause reading is as good as running, right?



 You got it!   I'm reading The Nonrunner's Marathon Guide for Women: Get Off Your Butt and On with Your Training this afternoon.  It is a scream!  



jbm02 said:


> Rose,
> Jen's husband Paul is running too...and she is threatening to make a tutu for him, too!!!  (not kidding!!!!)  I hope that you can both come because I think it will be a great getaway for both of you....
> 
> As for me, I am struggling with my runs.  I was supposed to do 9 today and barely finished 7.5.  I am trying not to get discouraged and keep plugging along....  but right now 13.1 feels impossible (sorry for the downer comments.  I just keep hoping that something will "click" again....)
> 
> Jude



, Jude.  Of course you can do it!    Aren't you the person who did so well on their PSTs (sorry if that is not the official name) not too long ago?  

I've been feeling like that for a whole week.  I can do the miles but not the pace for the whole time.  It makes me frantic!   I was telling my DH about all the thoughts going through my head during my run today as we drove home from the gym and he looked at me and said "that's quite the diatribe you have going in your head."    So I'm trying to find my zen now cause the freak out is not working for me.


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> Trust in the plan, Lisa, trust in the plan, and we will get there.  I was just reading marathoning for mortals again, and even though I haven't run in over a week and a half, I think we're going to be alright! Cause reading is as good as running, right?
> 
> I was doing mostly 4/1 intervals, but on the longer one's I'd slow down, so increasing the walking intervals sped me up to keep me in the sweeper-free pace.  I did 1/1 and that seemed to be the same pace as 2/1 for me.  Right along, we've been at similar paces, so don't worry about it, it will all work out.  Remember, we don't want to go out too fast either.  We don't want to overdo it and not  be able to get back to epcot for a margarita.  We will need the salt you know.
> 
> Rose- I'm so glad Mike want to run with you. You will both deserve a trip after this week.  I think you should go with matching tutus.
> 
> Now off to find those tyedye tutus for us, lisa.


That margarita is sounding so good right about now. Actually I'll get a cosmo slushie and meet you all in Mexico.



lisah0711 said:


> You can tell it's more about the fashion than the time for us!
> 
> 
> 
> I think it would be great if Mike decides to run.  It would be nice to have something fun to look forward to -- he can be "Mike and his pack o' princesses!"   Don't worry you won't be stuck with us because there is no way I can keep up with you!
> 
> *This is so scary! *
> 
> Oh, I feel better hearing about your intervals -- I thought you were at 4:1 already and I am not.    2:1 I can do but not on the longer runs yet for the whole run.  I am just trusting in the plan.  Trust the plan is my mantra!    I did three miles today thanks to DH getting me out of the house.
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!


Woohoo for getting out of the house.



jbm02 said:


> Rose,
> Jen's husband Paul is running too...and she is threatening to make a tutu for him, too!!!  (not kidding!!!!)  I hope that you can both come because I think it will be a great getaway for both of you....
> 
> As for me, I am struggling with my runs.  I was supposed to do 9 today and barely finished 7.5.  I am trying not to get discouraged and keep plugging along....  but right now 13.1 feels impossible (sorry for the downer comments.  I just keep hoping that something will "click" again....)
> 
> Jude


Jude--you can so do it! You've done it before. Keep telling yourself that. This is a hard time of the year to get all those miles in. Just hang in there.


lisah0711 said:


> You got it!   I'm reading The Nonrunner's Marathon Guide for Women: Get Off Your Butt and On with Your Training this afternoon.  It is a scream!
> 
> 
> 
> , Jude.  Of course you can do it!    Aren't you the person who did so well on their PSTs (sorry if that is not the official name) not too long ago?
> 
> I've been feeling like that for a whole week.  I can do the miles but not the pace for the whole time.  It makes me frantic!   I was telling my DH about all the thoughts going through my head during my run today as we drove home from the gym and he looked at me and said "that's quite the diatribe you have going in your head."   So I'm trying to find my zen now cause the freak out is not working for me.


Might I suggest 8 minute meditations? It's working well for me right now, not!

Ok, today was officially a flipping nightmare. Poor, Tom he is a mess cause he's worried about us. I had a complete and total meltdown this afternoon because I just cannot flipping believe how poorly people behave. The money stuff is pushing all my buttons--even though we live very comfortably it's leftover from childhood stuff--nothing to eat, no heat, etc. 

Anyhow--here are the highlights, after spending all day on the phone trying to coordinate with all the cousins, and thinking that there was a plan, Mike was informed that there were "people" on facebook planning to come in this weekend and that the service should be Saturday. This was after he explained to everyone about Tom going back to school, and that he actually has a job that they expect him to come to. Plus honestly, he is a mess and just wants to get things settled. There still is no sign of will, but the family attorney is going to check probate court in the morning. So Mike was a mess, basically had the conversation with his cousin that the people coming in for the funeral were more important because he had no real relationship with his sister, etc. I guess we should have been on facebook so we could know what was going on. He agreed to the service Saturday, but said he would have to leave on Thursday. That's when I lost it. I do not think we should be footing the bill for a service on Saturday that he is unable to attend. And of course he is overwhelmed with guilt. So after the blowup we talked about it for a while and came up with the plan that we would pay for the cremation, for a small visitation on Wednesday evening at the funeral home and make a 500 donation for the service and that was it. If they want to do it Saturday, then they can pay for it. This is so freaking unbelievable. Here if someone dies, it is taken care of in two days period. He called the cousins and told them what he was responsible for, and if they wanted something else, then hopefully the estate could pay for it, but that he was not responsible. He is going to have a conversation with the funeral home to let them know, and he told the pastor of the church what was going on as well. Add to that that a couple of people told him who they "thought" she left things to, and he was not on the list. Which is absolutely fine with him. He wants nothing to do with it. But amusingly enough, no one has offered to open their wallets, but they are more than happy to tell him what to do. Mike is a peacekeeper and this is killing him. And Lisa you were right, Tom told me he is worried something will happen to us. 

I'm only going to work 4 or 5 hours on mon and tues, and get home to spend some quality time with Tom. Then I'm off on Wed and Thurs. I feel so sick to my stomach, I am sitting on the verge on a panic attack and I don't have any idea what I ate today. I'm kind of looking forward to a couple of hours at work just for the normalcy.

Thank you all for being my surrogate mom's right now. I have my differences with my sisters, but none of them would ever behave the way these people have been behaving. And I know we are the bad guys in all this, and maybe we really are. But no one else knows what his relationship with his sister was, or why it was the way it was. 

Lisa--I printed your pm from earlier for Mike and it really helped us both to stay grounded for the most part today.

Hopefully tomorrow will be better.


----------



## keenercam

Rose - I am so sorry for your family's loss. Having lost my 42 year old brother 14 months ago, I can really relate. Howard and I paid for the entire funeral, etc. Including bringing him home from Virginia to NJ to be buried near where his 16 and 17 year old kids live with his ex-wife. It was so hard to hear everyone's opinions when we were footing the bill. I felt like even though we were estranged someone had to step in. He was penniless and no one else could help financially but everyone including his new fiance's family had an opinion. I hope that you and Mike can make the decisions that are right for you. I am just so sorry you are going through this.  Sending you a hug.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hi princesses! I had this really deep thought at 4am about trusting the plan, but I think it's gone. I have been thinking about it, though, and thinking about how I feel before my races, and even before my runs. I think at this point I am still amazed that my body can do what it can do. And I think we all need to remember, that if you do the work, and put in the miles, the rest is mental. And I know how strong you all are! Saturday, I had a physically and mentally tough run, but I was able to keep telling myself, you have done this, you can do this. At the end it was almost like I was outside of my body because I felt cruddy, my legs were rubber, but I was really able to pull on the fact that I KNOW I am a runner. Anyhow, just something to think about. Mentally you need to tell yourself, I know I can do this, I know i can. And I will worry about being sore, tired, etc when I am done with my race.

That's my deep thought for the day! Have a great day!


----------



## mikamah

Rose&Mike said:


> Hi princesses! I had this really deep thought at 4am about trusting the plan, but I think it's gone. I have been thinking about it, though, and thinking about how I feel before my races, and even before my runs. I think at this point I am still amazed that my body can do what it can do. And I think we all need to remember, that if you do the work, and put in the miles, the rest is mental. And I know how strong you all are! Saturday, I had a physically and mentally tough run, but I was able to keep telling myself, you have done this, you can do this. At the end it was almost like I was outside of my body because I felt cruddy, my legs were rubber, but I was really able to pull on the fact that I KNOW I am a runner. Anyhow, just something to think about. Mentally you need to tell yourself, I know I can do this, I know i can. And I will worry about being sore, tired, etc when I am done with my race.
> 
> That's my deep thought for the day! Have a great day!


Thanks for sharing this.  I don't think I am a runner yet.  We'll see when I get back out there today.  I've only got time for 2 miles, but it's been too long.  Tomorrow I am going to a local gym for one free week, and if I like it they have a special for 9.95 a month pay as you go with no joining fee, so I'll join to get through the princess at least.  They have zumba there too, so I would like to try that one day also.  

Rose- Hope you and Mike were able to get some sleep last night, and 4 am was just a brief moment of sleeplessness.    Thinking of you guys and sending prayers for peace and hope that everything goes smoothly for Mike in WI.  Hang in there.

Jude- Sorry you had a rough run saturday. Everyone has those days, and you are not alone, but you have done a half before, and you will rock the princess!  Here's to a better run your next time out. 

Lisa- How is the Zen thing working for you?  I love it.  I'm on the verge of the freakout this weekend, so I spent endless time on line looking at running skirts yesterday.  Even though I haven't run in 10 days, I am feeling it's very important to find my outfit for the princess.  I may be wearing it on the sweep bus, but I want to look good.  I think I may order a sparkle skirt.  Check out sparkleskirts.com.  They come in 2x, and the magenta would match my capris, and they're only 1 layer, so they don't poof out over your butt. My legs are looking pretty good since I've been running, so I think I could pull it off.  They have just plain ones that you wear over your shorts or tights, for 32$.  I think it would be fun to dress up.  I don't wear any hat usually, so I don't know about a tiara or head band, but if I found something that worked, you never know.  Don't worry lisa, if I'm really obnoxious, you'll just run faster to get away from me. 

Hello Cam!  I miss you and the other Mickey teammates.  It's hard to keep up with all the threads.  I am loving the new ww so far.  Last week I fell off a bit, but the new year, new routine will hopefully see me on track at least til the end of february.  Hope you are doing well!

Have a great day fellow princesses.


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> But amusingly enough, *no one has offered to open their wallets, but they are more than happy to tell him what to do*.



 Reminds me of the good old days in the PTA!  



keenercam said:


> Rose - I am so sorry for your family's loss. Having lost my 42 year old brother 14 months ago, I can really relate. Howard and I paid for the entire funeral, etc. Including bringing him home from Virginia to NJ to be buried near where his 16 and 17 year old kids live with his ex-wife. It was so hard to hear everyone's opinions when we were footing the bill. I felt like even though we were estranged someone had to step in. He was penniless and no one else could help financially but everyone including his new fiance's family had an opinion. *I hope that you and Mike can make the decisions that are right for you*. I am just so sorry you are going through this.  Sending you a hug.



 to you, Cam, for having to go through that.  It is hard to be the responsible one.  

And, Rose, does this sound familiar?



Rose&Mike said:


> Hi princesses! I had this really deep thought at 4am about trusting the plan, but I think it's gone. I have been thinking about it, though, and thinking about how I feel before my races, and even before my runs. I think at this point I am still amazed that my body can do what it can do. And I think we all need to remember, that if you do the work, and put in the miles, the rest is mental. And I know how strong you all are! Saturday, I had a physically and mentally tough run, but I was able to keep telling myself, you have done this, you can do this. At the end it was almost like I was outside of my body because I felt cruddy, my legs were rubber, but I was really able to pull on the fact that I KNOW I am a runner. Anyhow, just something to think about. Mentally you need to tell yourself, I know I can do this, I know i can. And I will worry about being sore, tired, etc when I am done with my race.
> 
> That's my deep thought for the day! Have a great day!



That is very helpful advice, Rose.  One of the books I was reading yesterday had a quote from Henry Ford that said "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't -- you're right."  So I'm trusting that the plan will make me feel like a runner in eight weeks!    And I will tune out the "I can't" voice.  



mikamah said:


> Thanks for sharing this.  I don't think I am a runner yet.   Lisa- How is the *Zen thing* working for you?  I love it.  I'm on the verge of the freakout this weekend, so I spent endless time on line looking at running skirts yesterday.  Even though I haven't run in 10 days, I am feeling it's very important to find my outfit for the princess.  I may be wearing it on the sweep bus, but I want to look good.  I think I may order a sparkle skirt.  Check out sparkleskirts.com.  They come in 2x, and the magenta would match my capris, and they're only 1 layer, so they don't poof out over your butt. My legs are looking pretty good since I've been running, so I think I could pull it off.  They have just plain ones that you wear over your shorts or tights, for 32$.  I think it would be fun to dress up.  I don't wear any hat usually, so I don't know about a tiara or head band, but if I found something that worked, you never know.  Don't worry lisa, if I'm really obnoxious, you'll just run faster to get away from me.



That is from a line in Tron -- I keep saying it to myself quite a bit now!  
I will check out the sparkleshirts because I couldn't find them before.  And no, I won't run away from you even if you are really obnoxious -- cause you're my friend -- and because I can't! 

I decided some of my freakout might be related to the 8 -- count 'em 8! -- pounds I gained between the end of the last challenge and this one.    Since I've been faithfully doing WW for a couple of days, I've lost 1 pound and I just generally feel stronger today.  I feel stronger the days I really work thard so I'm just going to keep doing that right up through 2/27! 

Have a great day, ladies!


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> Thanks for sharing this.  I don't think I am a runner yet.  We'll see when I get back out there today.  I've only got time for 2 miles, but it's been too long.  Tomorrow I am going to a local gym for one free week, and if I like it they have a special for 9.95 a month pay as you go with no joining fee, so I'll join to get through the princess at least.  They have zumba there too, so I would like to try that one day also.
> 
> Have a great day fellow princesses.


Kathy--hope the run went well! And I hope you like the gym!



lisah0711 said:


> Reminds me of the good old days in the PTA!
> 
> 
> 
> to you, Cam, for having to go through that.  It is hard to be the responsible one.
> 
> And, Rose, does this sound familiar?
> 
> 
> 
> That is very helpful advice, Rose.  One of the books I was reading yesterday had a quote from Henry Ford that said "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't -- you're right."  So I'm trusting that the plan will make me feel like a runner in eight weeks!    And I will tune out the "I can't" voice.
> 
> 
> Have a great day, ladies!


Lisa--I hope those 8 pounds go away fast!!!! And I'm glad my ramblings this morning helped. I am a big believer in positive thinking. I don't always practice it, Mike will attest to this. But it has definitely gotten me through some touch situations. And yes it all sounded familiar.

Cam--I am so sorry you had to go through a similar situation. Thank you so much for sharing. This might sound strange, but I feel so normal--you know how you think no one else can possible have families like this, but I guess lots of people do.

I went to work, and while I had a hard time concentrating, it was so nice to be there. I have a huge pile of gifts to process, so I will be kept busy for a while. I'm a little nervous, I am making mistakes, but hopefully not.

Still no plans to exercise. Can you believe I might be taking two days in a row off? Who would have thought! 

TTYL!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Hi princesses! I had this really deep thought at 4am about trusting the plan, but I think it's gone. I have been thinking about it, though, and thinking about how I feel before my races, and even before my runs. I think at this point I am still amazed that my body can do what it can do.



while running the past few days I have been thinking alot about this too.  It is totally mind over matter.  When I dont feel like running that first mile feels like torture because my brain is saying I dont feel like doing this.  Once I convince myself that I actually am doing it, it starts to feel so much better.  I dont know if that makes sense. but i agree, the people who made these training plans must know what there talking about so I am just trusting in the plan.  Thanks for sharing your early morning thoughts rose.  Hearing this from you after you have completed your races makes me even more confident.



mikamah said:


> I am feeling it's very important to find my outfit for the princess.  I may be wearing it on the sweep bus, but I want to look good.  I think I may order a sparkle skirt.  Check out sparkleskirts.com.



You really crack me up kathy.  I checked out those skirts and they are so cute.  I am looking for something like that but with a tutu or chifon material instead of a sparkle.  If you come across any websites let me know.  I havent had much luck finding anything for adults only little girls.  I hope you had a great 2 miles today.  The gym sounds like a great idea and zumba will really get you movin.  I hope you like it.



lisah0711 said:


> ::I decided some of my freakout might be related to the 8 -- count 'em 8! -- pounds I gained between the end of the last challenge and this one.



I had a mini freak out too.  I gained 5.  So Im with ya there sista.



Rose&Mike said:


> Still no plans to exercise. Can you believe I might be taking two days in a row off? Who would have thought!
> 
> TTYL!



no i cant believe it rose but during times like this sometimes you just need to chill.  Dont feel bad for taking a break you will get back into it as soon as things settle down.  I hope tom is feeling better and less anxious.  Has mike gotten to wisconsin safely?


Hello Ladies hmm hmm i mean princessess

Im not going to write this on the team boards today because I dont want to scare off any of our 3 male teammates but I feel horrible today.  TOM arrived this morning and I fell so bloated, headache, moody, etc.  Why oh why do us women have to go through this...really dont we put up with enough.  I am hoping my weigh in today is all water weight because as I said above to lisa I am up 5 lbs since the fall challenge.  That is the most of gained back since I started my journey.  Not getting discouraged I am back OP.  I am still doing the old old old ww points.  Just dont have the money to join to get the updates.  ya well its what I know and it works.  Anyway I guess this board is suppose to be about our running so I will try to stay on subject.

I felt extremely tired during my 44 min run yesterday.  The plan had me change from a 3:2 to a 3:1.  I didnt realize I would notice it as much as I did.  I think running 45min on friday, 6 miles on sat, and 44min on sunday was a little too much.  My legs were tired.  My next run is planned for wed. morning hopefully I can get some more pep in my step by then.  

TTYL


----------



## mikamah

Lindsay- that's a lot of running, 3 days in a row, and one a long run.  No wonder you're tired.  And stinking TOM.  I'm sure that 5 will be gone as soon as tom is gone.   Hang in there.  Take it easy tomorrow.  A rest day after the long runs is so helpful.  

As far as ww goes, I went and joined and just paid 14 dollar for that week, had a coupon for no joining fee, and got the new books and info.  It is pretty similar, but anything processed is going to be more points that before.  For instance, my fav ww frozen meal was 4 points and now it will be 8 points.  Plus all the carbs, breads and pasta, I think have increased in points a little, but fruit is 0 points.  I knew the old plan like you so well, but felt like I needed a fresh start, and now I'm looking up everything and learning the new points, so I hope that will help keep me on track for a while.  I don't think i'll go back for meetings.  I don't want to pay either.  A lot of it is the smart, common sense stuff we know we should be doing anyway.  Some people are worried about the fruit and yes, fruit does have a lot of sugar, but for me, I know I didn't get to be this size from eating fruit, so while I still have a lot to lose, I think the fruit isn't an issue.  Probably as you're closer to goal, it can make a bigger difference.  

Now on the princess, I remember Veronica posted about weight loss and your running speed.  I forget exactly but looked it up, and runners world said that on average a runner can get 2 seconds faster per mile, for ever pound lost, so if I lost 10 pounds, that would be 20 sec/mile.  I'm trying to remember that when I start scouring the kitchen for chocolate. 

Rose-  2 days off from exercise would be a record for you, wouldn't it?  I think all the stress you're under this week must be just exhausting.  You're all in my thoughts.

Lisa- You are a strong woman!  You are going to lose that weight! You are going to ace your training!  You are going to rock that princess!!!!  You will  look amazing in a sparkleskirt!!!  sorry, I'll try to stop torturing you, or maybe not.

Have a great evening!


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> Still no plans to exercise. Can you believe I might be taking two days in a row off? Who would have thought!



 I'm so sorry that you have to go through all this.  Do take care of yourself this week -- that is the number one priority.    And didn't you run 12 miles about 48 hours ago?  I think you are entitled to a little break!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Im not going to write this on the team boards today because I dont want to scare off any of our 3 male teammates but I feel horrible today.  TOM arrived this morning and I fell so bloated, headache, moody, etc.  Why oh why do us women have to go through this...really dont we put up with enough.  I am hoping my weigh in today is all water weight because as I said above to lisa I am up 5 lbs since the fall challenge.  That is the most of gained back since I started my journey.  Not getting discouraged I am back OP.  I am still doing the old old old ww points.  Just dont have the money to join to get the updates.  ya well its what I know and it works.  Anyway I guess this board is suppose to be about our running so I will try to stay on subject.



Wow, Lindsay, that is a a lot of running all in a row.  I think a break is definately in order.    Hope the TOM thing goes away soon.

I did have a 5 pound gain that I pretty much "maintained" throughout the holidays -- it was the 3 extra pounds that came the day of weigh in that really torqued me -- I blame it on my long run but that was Friday and this is Monday so I don't know how much longer that excuse will hold out.   



mikamah said:


> Lisa- You are a strong woman!  You are going to lose that weight! You are going to ace your training!  You are going to rock that princess!!!!  You will  look amazing in a sparkleskirt!!!  sorry, I'll try to stop torturing you, or maybe not.



Aww, you're so sweet!  

Remember how Michael's sage running advice was "Run when you get to the finish line!" (see even your kid is sweet! )  Well, Robert's sage running advice is "If you see the sweepers, run like h*!!, Mom!"    Apparently we have been reading a little too much of the Nonrunners book together!   (And just so you know, he doesn't usually talk that way because I've taught him swear words are much more effective if you don't use them all the time ). 

Have a great evening, Princesses!


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> Well, Robert's sage running advice is "If you see the sweepers, run like h*!!, Mom!"    Apparently we have been reading a little too much of the Nonrunners book together!   (And just so you know, he doesn't usually talk that way because I've taught him swear words are much more effective if you don't use them all the time ).


  Reminds me of the Crosby,stills, nash song,  Teach your children well.  You're such a good momma.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--that is a lot of miles over three days! I wouldn't be able to walk if I ran three days in a row! And hugs on TOM. I don't think I ever told you all, but remember how I thought it was impossible that I would have it at Disney this time--WRONG!!!! Got it the day before we left. The next time I get it will probably be the day before I leave for Princess!!!!! Been there done that once and let me tell you it was NOT pleasant.



mikamah said:


> Lisa- You are a strong woman!  You are going to lose that weight! You are going to ace your training!  You are going to rock that princess!!!!  You will  look amazing in a sparkleskirt!!!  sorry, I'll try to stop torturing you, or maybe not.
> 
> Have a great evening!


ITA!!!!!!



lisah0711 said:


> Remember how Michael's sage running advice was "Run when you get to the finish line!" (see even your kid is sweet! )  Well, Robert's sage running advice is "If you see the sweepers, run like h*!!, Mom!"    Apparently we have been reading a little too much of the Nonrunners book together!   (And just so you know, he doesn't usually talk that way because I've taught him swear words are much more effective if you don't use them all the time ).
> 
> Have a great evening, Princesses!


This had me laughing out loud! And what a smart thing to teach Robert about how to judiciously use swear words! I think I used the f bomb 700 times on Sunday. I am definitely not a good role model to my child!

Well, this might be day 3 of no exercise. Did I tell you all I have a cold on top of everything else. I'm not supposed to take decongestants because of the pac's and today I am feeling pretty cruddy. Everyone at work stood way back from me! I might go down and do 20 minutes on the treadmill at a stroll, but I might not. It scares me a little--I keep thinking what if this is the beginning of my fall off the wagon. What if I stop exercising all together, etc. What I really should be saying is what if I overdo it and end up sicker! That would be pretty stupid! This weekend is a short run, thank goodness!

And Kathy--you have me very motivated to look for some kind of tutu thingy for over my tights!

Oh and just an update--there is a will, and it looks like Mike is not mentioned anywhere in it--at least that's the last I heard. So some of this stuff at home should be starting to settle down a little. He is sounding a little better today when I talked to him.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> I don't think I ever told you all, but remember how I thought it was impossible that I would have it at Disney this time--WRONG!!!! Got it the day before we left. The next time I get it will probably be the day before I leave for Princess!!!!!



I have this problem too.  every vacation we take it comes.  If it stays on track I will be due for it the day after the princess but I gaurentee you something will change and I will most likely get it the day I arrive in disney. 

glad to hear things are improving on the home front.  Dont worry you will not fall out of your exercise routine.  I felt the same way when I stopped running for 2 wks in the fall but I got right back into it.  You will too.  Give yourself time to heal both mentally and physically.  I hope your cold goes away soon.



lisah0711;39399995 Well said:


> that is hysterical lisa.  I love it.
> 
> Tomorrow morning I am planning a late start at work so I can get my run in.  My dh is taking both the boys into school.  With them in seperate places usually we each take one on our way to work.  I am so lucky to have my dh supportive of me.  He has been so awesome through my training and now he is doing the C25K himself.  Hopefully in the spring we can do a race together.


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> Reminds me of the Crosby,stills, nash song,  Teach your children well.  You're such a good momma.



 Thanks!  I try!  



Rose&Mike said:


> This had me laughing out loud! And what a smart thing to teach Robert about how to judiciously use swear words! I think I used the f bomb 700 times on Sunday. I am definitely not a good role model to my child!
> 
> Oh and just an update--there is a will, and it looks like Mike is not mentioned anywhere in it--at least that's the last I heard. So some of this stuff at home should be starting to settle down a little. He is sounding a little better today when I talked to him.



, Rose, your kid is in college -- I'm pretty sure he's heard the f-bomb at time or two by now.  

Isn't that good news about the will?  I'm sure it is a relief to Mike and you guys know that you did exactly the right thing for you and your family!  Take care of yourself! 

Only cross training for me today as I am running tomorrow at lunch with a friend of mine.  She does full marathons and smokes me on the TM but she has been nice enough to commit to running once a week with me which I really appreciate.


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> Thanks!  I try!
> 
> 
> 
> , Rose, your kid is in college -- I'm pretty sure he's heard the f-bomb at time or two by now.
> 
> Isn't that good news about the will?  I'm sure it is a relief to Mike and you guys know that you did exactly the right thing for you and your family!  Take care of yourself!
> 
> Only cross training for me today as I am running tomorrow at lunch with a friend of mine.  She does full marathons and smokes me on the TM but she has been nice enough to commit to running once a week with me which I really appreciate.


Yea, and I've even heard him saying it, but I think maybe it's a southern thing or something, but I feel like he's looking at me in horror when I do it!

Have a great run tomorrow--you too, Lindsay!

I am officially not exercising 3 days in a row. Hoping to get something in tomorrow if I can breathe!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello Princesses!

I have been trying to get over here all day to offer some support to *Rose* , and to shore up everyone who's feeling a little challenged , but it's just been that kind of day...suffice it to say that the lack of preparation of my colleagues has caused me to be in full-on emergency status, with a crazi-busy last day at work tomorrow. 

Oh, and probably TMI, but I am extremely regular and was expecting to skate through this race, but TOM seems to be starting? I had a total WTH moment this afternoon, and now I can't decide if I'm depressed or worried. Two weeks early is not normal for me, and I keep thinking I won't really "get going", this was just a fluke. I'm ignoring the way I seem to have bloat, because if I just refuse to acknowledge it, surely it will go away...

I just want to share one thing before I head to bed. This morning we were going to work and stopped at a light. I looked at the car in front of us, and on the bumper was a pink Mickey head sticker with a tiara on it, with 13.1 written on it. I squealed! I think my dh thought I was nuts, but I was so psyched to see the Princess symbol! I predict a lot of merchandise in my future 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Worfiedoodles said:


> Hello Princesses!
> 
> I have been trying to get over here all day to offer some support to *Rose* , and to shore up everyone who's feeling a little challenged , but it's just been that kind of day...suffice it to say that the lack of preparation of my colleagues has caused me to be in full-on emergency status, with a crazi-busy last day at work tomorrow.
> 
> Oh, and probably TMI, but I am extremely regular and was expecting to skate through this race, but TOM seems to be starting? I had a total WTH moment this afternoon, and now I can't decide if I'm depressed or worried. Two weeks early is not normal for me, and I keep thinking I won't really "get going", this was just a fluke. I'm ignoring the way I seem to have bloat, because if I just refuse to acknowledge it, surely it will go away...
> 
> I just want to share one thing before I head to bed. This morning we were going to work and stopped at a light. I looked at the car in front of us, and on the bumper was a pink Mickey head sticker with a tiara on it, with 13.1 written on it. I squealed! I think my dh thought I was nuts, but I was so psyched to see the Princess symbol! I predict a lot of merchandise in my future
> 
> Maria


Hi Maria! Have a fabulous trip. I was feeling really bad on Sunday especially after we were all talking outlaws last week.  I can't wait to buy some princess merchandise. I didn't buy any w&d stuff at the expo, then felt too nauseous after the run, and didn't end up with anything other than the race shirt and the medal. I was really disappointed. Again--have a fabulous time and tell all those cousins hello! Oh--and I hope you are wrong about the tom stuff. I am so irregular--sometimes will go 45 days between--but managed to have it during the w&d race. I was desparate for a real bathroom at the end. Not fun at all!


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I have this problem too.  every vacation we take it comes.  If it stays on track I will be due for it the day after the princess but I gaurentee you something will change and I will most likely get it the day I arrive in disney.



Aww, man, I hate it when that happens!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> Hello Princesses!
> 
> I have been trying to get over here all day to offer some support to *Rose* , and to shore up everyone who's feeling a little challenged , but it's just been that kind of day...suffice it to say that the lack of preparation of my colleagues has caused me to be in full-on emergency status, with a crazi-busy last day at work tomorrow.
> 
> Oh, and probably TMI, but I am extremely regular and was expecting to skate through this race, but TOM seems to be starting? I had a total WTH moment this afternoon, and now I can't decide if I'm depressed or worried. Two weeks early is not normal for me, and I keep thinking I won't really "get going", this was just a fluke. I'm ignoring the way I seem to have bloat, because if I just refuse to acknowledge it, surely it will go away...
> 
> I just want to share one thing before I head to bed. This morning we were going to work and stopped at a light. I looked at the car in front of us, and on the bumper was a pink Mickey head sticker with a tiara on it, with 13.1 written on it. I squealed! I think my dh thought I was nuts, but I was so psyched to see the Princess symbol! I predict a lot of merchandise in my future
> 
> Maria



Hope you are wrong about TOM, Maria.    Good luck this week-end -- can't wait to hear all about it!   



Rose&Mike said:


> Hi Maria! Have a fabulous trip. I was feeling really bad on Sunday especially after we were all talking outlaws last week.  I can't wait to buy some princess merchandise. I didn't buy any w&d stuff at the expo, then felt too nauseous after the run, and didn't end up with anything other than the race shirt and the medal. I was really disappointed. Again--have a fabulous time and tell all those cousins hello! Oh--and I hope you are wrong about the tom stuff. I am so irregular--sometimes will go 45 days between--but managed to have it during the w&d race. I was desparate for a real bathroom at the end. Not fun at all!



 Bummer!  Hope that you are feeling better today, Rose!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Worfiedoodles said:


> I just want to share one thing before I head to bed. This morning we were going to work and stopped at a light. I looked at the car in front of us, and on the bumper was a pink Mickey head sticker with a tiara on it, with 13.1 written on it. I squealed! I think my dh thought I was nuts, but I was so psyched to see the Princess symbol! I predict a lot of merchandise in my future
> 
> Maria



OOOHHH I will need to get that.  I told my dh a few nights ago the amt of money I plan on using from our tax return and he said it sounded like alot for only a few days.  I told him not to worry about it and left it at that. 

I also was telling my mom and aunt how at the expo I needed to make sure I got a shrit that says "I did it".  My mom said well at that point you wont have done it yet.  I told her how alot of times they sell out and this is something I really will need to have and that I am confident that I will finish.  She said she still thinks I should wait until I do but I told her if for some reason I dont I will sell it on ebay.

Have a great weekend maria and good luck with the race.

Ok so I didnt get my run in today.  Bad planning on my part.  I was more worried about having dh take the kids to school and never thought I should make sure my clothes were ready for the am.  I ended up not being able to find any of my running pants.  I think I washed them all together but have no idea where the load of wash must have been put.  dh said he didnt take anything out and put it anywhere.  so apparently I have a laundry burgular at my house.  I took way to much time looking and then it was too late.  So now I am feeling guilty but will just pick up on saturday with my 7 mile run.  Im sure its not too big of a deal to miss one run for 44 min. thats life!


----------



## corinnak

Hey guys!  Don't forget me!  I'll be there, too!

The Princess Half is probably the most fun race I've ever done, and I got a PR, AND you guys are all going to be there???  I'm not that into the "princess" thing, but I can't pass it up.

As for attire, I don't usually run at Disney without a WISH shirt, but the scream team isn't really out in full force for this one...I am not a princess at heart, but I might run as Quorra in the new TRON movie...  

I am gearing up for the half this weekend (#8??  Seems impossible - but it's true), and volunteering for the full....I also have a thought of running the Hypothermic Half here in MN between the two races.  Which would make me (finally) a Half Fanatic.

Looking forward to a Biggest Loser gathering in February, though!!!


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ok so I didnt get my run in today.  Bad planning on my part.  I was more worried about having dh take the kids to school and never thought I should make sure my clothes were ready for the am.  I ended up not being able to find any of my running pants.  I think I washed them all together but have no idea where the load of wash must have been put.  dh said he didnt take anything out and put it anywhere.  so apparently I have a laundry burgular at my house.  I took way to much time looking and then it was too late.  So now I am feeling guilty but will just pick up on saturday with my 7 mile run.  Im sure its not too big of a deal to miss one run for 44 min. thats life!



I think that you will be fine, Lindsay, you've been working so hard!  



corinnak said:


> Hey guys!  Don't forget me!  I'll be there, too!
> 
> The Princess Half is probably the most fun race I've ever done, and I got a PR, AND you guys are all going to be there???  I'm not that into the "princess" thing, but I can't pass it up.
> 
> As for attire, I don't usually run at Disney without a WISH shirt, but the scream team isn't really out in full force for this one...I am not a princess at heart, but I might run as Quorra in the new TRON movie...
> 
> I am gearing up for the half this weekend (#8??  Seems impossible - but it's true), and volunteering for the full....I also have a thought of running the Hypothermic Half here in MN between the two races.  Which would make me (finally) a Half Fanatic.
> 
> Looking forward to a Biggest Loser gathering in February, though!!!



 Corinna is going to be there, too!    Sorry, I don't know why I didn't know that.   

I'm glad that you told me about the scream team because if I found some cute Princessy shirt I may switch to that -- hmmm, decisions, decisions.   

Quorra would be cute -- and you definately have the physique to carry it off --  but wouldn't that black outfit be awfully warm if it was hot?  

*Good luck at the Donald this week-end!*


----------



## mikamah

Hello Princesses!!! 

 I still can't believe I'm doing this.  I went to the running store yesterday to get a bra, and got a moving comfort which seems to have almost as much support as the Enell.  I also got some new socks and some gels and gummies to try out.  I'll go back in a couple weeks for new shoes, but did try some other ones on, and will most likely end up with the same ones.  I tried some thicker socks and used them today on the treadmill at the gym because my left foot occassionally bothers me, and they felt good.  I'll wait til I'm outside to decide if they are better.  Other excitement, I ordered a sparkleskirt in magenta.  I saw the 2xl's were special order, so I emailed them to see how long it would take, and they emailed me right back, made sure she had my color and I ordered it.  They had some in stock, but not my color.  The woman Leah who emailed me is doing the princess and will be at the expo.  
I did a week free at the gym, but probably won't join because the 29 a month special needs a 2 year commitment.  So I'm back to hoping for minimal snow for til the princess.
The other thing I looked at was a waist belt for my camera.  I'm not sure if I'll need one, or if I'll carry it the whole time since I'll be using it a lot, i hope.  So I'll think about that, and will do a run and carry my camera one day and see how that goes. 

Corinna-  I'm so excited you're doing the princess!!  It will be so fun to have a bl meet and meet everyone.  Good luck and have fun this weekend!!  Can't wait to hear all about it.  I had to google quorra.  You would look amazing as her.   I can't believe you're thinking of doing another half before the princess.  You are amazing!

Maria-  Good luck and have fun this weekend.   I hope tom is not with you and it was just a fluke. Love the idea of a mickey head tiara 13.1 sticker.  I hadn't really thought about the stickers, but I'd love to have one too.  Lots to save up for.

 Lisa- They do have some sparkle skirts in stock in your size.  I know she said she had black, and black diamond, I think.  I've been out looking for a new shirt this week, and trying to find a pair of running pants I like.  No luck on the pants, but I did come across some Nike tye dye shorts!!!!   I laughed when I saw them.  Didn't have them in capris, so it's a no-go for us.  A cute princessey shirt would be fun too.

Lindsay- I hope tom will not visit any of us in disney.  It just stinks.  I got it early one trip, and the worst part was paying 7 dollars for 10 tampons in the pop gift shop.  I wouldn't worry about missing your run today.   I missed all last week, and did 5 yesterday, and felt fine.  That's great dh is so supportive, and love you and your mom's convo about the t-shirt.  I'm getting one too, but I promise I won't wear it til after the race.  And we are going to do it, and we won't need no stinkin ebay.

Rose- Hope you are feeling better and so glad there was a will, and mike sounded better when you talked to him.  Hope he's home soon, and everything goes smoothly.  You are so right to take it easy and get better before you exercise again.  You've been under enough stress lately.  I have no doubts you will not fall off the wagon, and you need to take care of yourself.  
I was chuckling about dropping the f-bomb in front of our kids. It's probably a good think if tom doesn't like you saying, or isn't used to you saying it. 
 I remember the first time i heard my mom say it.  My sister and I were planning a trip to ireland and my other sister who was 19 just announced she was pregnant and my mom said, "what the f---, I'm going to ireland with you."   I think it was the only time i heard her say it before my dad died, and the last time was when we came home from the oncologist, and her prognosis was finally sinking in, and she said, "what the f---, let's have ice cream sundaes for lunch." 
 I think I've only said it a couple times in front of michael since he's been old enough to know the word.  Now those infant/toddler days are another story.

Ah, well, I'm rambling.  I guess i should get supper going.  Hope you're all having a good week.  The next two days I work late, so I'll miss my afternoon dis-time.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

corinnak said:


> I am gearing up for the half this weekend (#8??  Seems impossible - but it's true), and volunteering for the full....I also have a thought of running the Hypothermic Half here in MN between the two races.  Which would make me (finally) a Half Fanatic.



hey corinna how could we forgot about you?  Glad you hoped over and joined us.  I think any race that includes the word hypothermic sounds nuts..  I hope you have a great race this weekend and a great time in disney.  It looks like mid to upper 60's for the weekend there (according to the weather channel).  Still on the cooler side, not sure where you live but compared to the weather we are having that sounds nice so I hope you really enjoy it.  take care



mikamah said:


> I remember the first time i heard my mom say it.  My sister and I were planning a trip to ireland and my other sister who was 19 just announced she was pregnant and my mom said, "what the f---, I'm going to ireland with you."   I think it was the only time i heard her say it before my dad died, and the last time was when we came home from the oncologist, and her prognosis was finally sinking in, and she said, "what the f---, let's have ice cream sundaes for lunch."



OMG kathy! your mom sounded like a cool lady.  love the quotes.  I cant wait to see you in your sparkle skirt.  I bet you will look very sparkly.  Great job on getting your run in.  I was glad to hear that you felt just fine after missing a few.  I just worry to much. 

Not much to say tonight.  I am still beating myself up for not running today but not hard enough apparently because I made excuses for doing any other form of exercise too.  Im off to check out the other boards.  TTYL princessess


----------



## Rose&Mike

Corinna and Maria--have a fabulous race!!! 

Kathy--can't wait to see the sparkle skirt!

Hi Lisa and Lindsay!!

Tom and I are sitting here enjoying just hanging out--his choice. He's going back tomorrow around lunch. The weather is too iffy for Friday. Mike is aiming to be home before lunch so that he can see Tom for a minute. 

I got on the treadmill today--just walked but it felt so good to be moving. I'm planning on running a mile or two tomorrow. I'm sure it will be very slow!


----------



## corinnak

Hmmm.....I think I mentioned once on the BL thread that I was going, but if so, it is easy to get lost in the shuffle and even moreso, I might only remember intending to post that on the BL thread.    Well, here we are, all together now, eh?



lisah0711 said:


> I'm glad that you told me about the scream team because if I found some cute Princessy shirt I may switch to that -- hmmm, decisions, decisions.
> 
> Quorra would be cute -- and you definately have the physique to carry it off --  but wouldn't that black outfit be awfully warm if it was hot?
> 
> *Good luck at the Donald this week-end!*




Thanks Lisa!!!  

Re: Scream Team - there were a FEW Wishers cheering, but the thing about the Princess weekend is that there is only the one long race and the 5K.  Marathon weekend, there are often at least a few of us who aren't doing the Goofy, so we try to cheer/volunteer for the opposite race.  Most people don't plan a big trip for a 5K that does not even have official timing, so most of the WISHers who are there that weekend are running during the half!  Princess clothes are very popular at this race, both among WISHers and others.  The nice thing about the Lime, though, is that it means we can find each other more easily afterward.  Weather permitting.    I probably will wear the lime.  I dont' know that I'd feel right doing a longer Disney race without my WISH shirt!

Speaking of weather, I wore basically the Quorra outfit last year for the 5K Princess weekend:






It was kind of chilly, actually.  If it were hot, I'd just wear a skirt and shirt and no arm warmers.    As for my physique - you are too, too kind.  I am no Olivia Wilde! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> hey corinna how could we forgot about you?  Glad you hoped over and joined us.  I think any race that includes the word hypothermic sounds nuts..  I hope you have a great race this weekend and a great time in disney.  It looks like mid to upper 60's for the weekend there (according to the weather channel).  Still on the cooler side, not sure where you live but compared to the weather we are having that sounds nice so I hope you really enjoy it.  take care
> 
> ....
> 
> Not much to say tonight.  I am still beating myself up for not running today but not hard enough apparently because I made excuses for doing any other form of exercise too.  Im off to check out the other boards.  TTYL princessess



I live in Minnesota, so whatever the weather is, I'm just glad to be running outside.  I actually race better in cooler temps, so I'm psyched it's not shaping up to be a "hot" year.  I think that is due next January. 

Don't be too hard on yourself for not running.  Some days we just need a solid rest, and that's OK. 

Kathy - the multiquote didn't come through for you, so I'll just say it:  I think I'm probably more amazingly crazy than anything.  We'll see how I feel after this race and how the weather patterns look.  I'm probably not going to do it if it is raining, a blizzard or below about 10 degrees!  

Maria and Rose:


----------



## lisah0711

lisah0711 said:


> Quorra would be cute -- and you definately have the physique to carry it off --  but wouldn't that black outfit be awfully warm if it was hot?



And you also have the Quorra haircut, and of course, the way you pronounce your names -- I think you are on to something!  



mikamah said:


> Lisa- They do have some sparkle skirts in stock in your size.  I know she said she had black, and black diamond, I think.  I've been out looking for a new shirt this week, and trying to find a pair of running pants I like.  No luck on the pants, but I did come across some Nike tye dye shorts!!!!   I laughed when I saw them.  Didn't have them in capris, so it's a no-go for us.  A cute princessey shirt would be fun too.



Thanks for checking on that for me.  I ordered a black sparkle skirt to wear over capris and a black diamond sparkle skort.  I'm still afraid of the chafing issue with the skort but the black diamond would look great with my WISH shirt.  I really do want to wear my WISH shirt unless I find something so cute I can't resist.  The skirts have pockets so maybe that will work for us?    I want to be sure to have my "real outfit" by the time I am doing my 10 miles so I can test it out.  I'm going to have to suck it up about appearing in public in my outfit and I see people I know everywhere I go -- hopefully I won't run into a judge or an opposing party all sparkly.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Not much to say tonight.  I am still beating myself up for not running today but not hard enough apparently because I made excuses for doing any other form of exercise too.  Im off to check out the other boards.  TTYL princessess



You'll be fine, Lindsay!  Good luck on your 7 miles this week-end -- that's my mileage this week-end, too.  



Rose&Mike said:


> Tom and I are sitting here enjoying just hanging out--his choice. He's going back tomorrow around lunch. The weather is too iffy for Friday. Mike is aiming to be home before lunch so that he can see Tom for a minute.
> 
> I got on the treadmill today--just walked but it felt so good to be moving. I'm planning on running a mile or two tomorrow. I'm sure it will be very slow!



Take it easy while you are sick and stressed.    Glad that Mike gets to come home today!  



corinnak said:


> I live in Minnesota, so whatever the weather is, I'm just glad to be running outside.  I actually race better in cooler temps, so I'm psyched it's not shaping up to be a "hot" year.  I think that is due next January.
> 
> Don't be too hard on yourself for not running.  Some days we just need a solid rest, and that's OK.
> 
> Kathy - the multiquote didn't come through for you, so I'll just say it:  I think I'm probably more amazingly crazy than anything.  We'll see how I feel after this race and how the weather patterns look.  I'm probably not going to do it if it is raining, a blizzard or below about 10 degrees!



Ha!  I am such a wimp compared to you -- I won't run outside if it is below 35! 

I think that I am going to sign up for a local half here in Coeur d'Alene.  It is on Memorial Day week-end which means it will be cold and rainy.  I think I need to have something else in the works before I am done getting ready for the Princess to keep me motivated.  

Have a great day princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lisa--you go girl! Another half--how exciting!

Mike is almost to Indy, so barring any problems he should make it home before Tom leaves. I looked at the weather and i am so glad Tom is leaving today. Well, I am not really glad, because I will miss him terribly, but it is time, and he seems to be excited about school. We bought an lsat prep book yesterday. Fingers crossed for a calm semester!

I am definitely hitting the treadmill today. Might not go far, but I am starting to feel back to normal and could really use some stress relief!

Have a great day!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> I think that I am going to sign up for a local half here in Coeur d'Alene.  It is on Memorial Day week-end which means it will be cold and rainy.  I think I need to have something else in the works before I am done getting ready for the Princess to keep me motivated.



I was just saying the same thing last night.  We have a big half right here in my home town.  It is close to selling out and I just cant find an extra 60 dollars so I was stressing last night about it.  I think my mom might sign me up as my bday gift.  Shes the best  I just signed ryan up for bball at the local Y and that cost 60 and I always said my babies will come first.  I agree about the needing something to keep me going.  I dont want to get that post half let down and stop the forward progress.  

You and kathy are going to look so cute in your sparkle skirts.  Now I really need to get my butt in gear and decide on something.  



Rose&Mike said:


> I am definitely hitting the treadmill today. Might not go far, but I am starting to feel back to normal and could really use some stress relief!
> 
> Have a great day!



glad your feeling better.  I hope everyone got home and to school ok.  I bet it was hard saying goodbye to tom again.  

I can tell these next weeks are going to fly by because I am so busy I dont even know which way to look.  Today is 7 weeks until I leave for the trip.  Some of you will already be there too.  Can you believe it.


----------



## mikamah

mommyof2Pirates said:


> OMG kathy! your mom sounded like a cool lady.  love the quotes.  I cant wait to see you in your sparkle skirt.  I bet you will look very sparkly.  Great job on getting your run in.  I was glad to hear that you felt just fine after missing a few.  I just worry to much.
> 
> Not much to say tonight.  I am still beating myself up for not running today but not hard enough apparently because I made excuses for doing any other form of exercise too.  Im off to check out the other boards.  TTYL princessess


Thanks Lindsay.  My mom was pretty cool, when she wasn't driving me crazy.  I can't believe I'm wearing a sparkle skirt, and Lisa is too!!!!!!   It is going to be so much fun.  I was worried all last week as things came up and it became a week without running, then 9 days, then 10 days.   But I think it was good, so I won't stress as much if I miss a run or two in the next 2 months.  Beating yourself up is not allowed.  It's not very princessey.  Cut yourself some slack.  Life gets in the way sometimes, and sometimes we just need a little rest too.  



corinnak said:


> Hmmm.....I think I mentioned once on the BL thread that I was going, but if so, it is easy to get lost in the shuffle and even moreso, I might only remember intending to post that on the BL thread.    Well, here we are, all together now, eh?
> 
> I'm probably not going to do it if it is raining, a blizzard or below about 10 degrees!


I do remember you saying you were thinking about the princess, but weren't sure you'd be able to swing it since you were going in january too.  So glad you are going.  Those are good reasons to skip the race.  



lisah0711 said:


> Thanks for checking on that for me.  I ordered a black sparkle skirt to wear over capris and a black diamond sparkle skort.  I'm still afraid of the chafing issue with the skort but the black diamond would look great with my WISH shirt.  I really do want to wear my WISH shirt unless I find something so cute I can't resist.  The skirts have pockets so maybe that will work for us?    I want to be sure to have my "real outfit" by the time I am doing my 10 miles so I can test it out.  I'm going to have to suck it up about appearing in public in my outfit and I see people I know everywhere I go -- hopefully I won't run into a judge or an opposing party all sparkly.
> 
> I think that I am going to sign up for a local half here in Coeur d'Alene.  It is on Memorial Day week-end which means it will be cold and rainy.  I think I need to have something else in the works before I am done getting ready for the Princess to keep me motivated.


I so want to see you running around the neighborhood in your sparkle skirt!!  I don't know if I have the guts.  Maybe at the park, though.  It will be good to get the outfit and see what fits in the pockets, and go from there.  I don't really want a waist pack now that I'm wearing a skirt, so I'm going to carry my camera on one of my runs and see how that goes.  I figure it will be out at least every mile for pics of the mile markers, all through mk, by the hotels, so I wonder if it will be easy to  just carry it.  My cell phone would fit in my capri pocket.  So much to plan.  
So cool you're thinking of your next half.  You are more amtitious than I.  I was thinking of maybe the Baystate half marathon in October.  Something to aim for, and keep me moving after the princess. 



Rose&Mike said:


> Mike is almost to Indy, so barring any problems he should make it home before Tom leaves. I looked at the weather and i am so glad Tom is leaving today. Well, I am not really glad, because I will miss him terribly, but it is time, and he seems to be excited about school. We bought an lsat prep book yesterday. Fingers crossed for a calm semester!
> 
> I am definitely hitting the treadmill today. Might not go far, but I am starting to feel back to normal and could really use some stress relief!
> 
> Have a great day!


Hope you had a good day, Rose, and Mike made it home to see Tom, and that Tom has a safe and calm ride back to school.  It must be so reassuring that he's excited to go back.  And here's a hug on him going back.  I know it's tough on you.  Hope you and Mike have some time to relax and enjoy each other this weekend after the stressful week you've had. 

Well, no exercise for me today, and I'm working early tomorrow, so I may go to the gym after work.  More snow possible this weekend, so I'm praying it's not too much.  Nothing new with me on the princess front.  

Have a magical night.


----------



## mikamah

mommyof2Pirates said:


> IToday is 7 weeks until I leave for the trip.  Some of you will already be there too.  Can you believe it.


Ahhhhhh!!  I can't believe it!!!  It is going to be so much fun!!!!! 

Are your kids in bed?  I'm encouraging michael to watch tv so I can dis.  bad mommy. we're going to play a quick monopoly deal game now before bed.  Good night.


----------



## Rose&Mike

I can't remember where I post stuff half the time!

Mike made it home and Tom made it back to school ok! Thank goodness he went back today, because it might be ugly in the mountains tomorrow. One less thing to worry about. I was a little weepy when he left. Mike and I stood in the window and watched him go. He kept looking up and waving at us. It was kind of cute.

I ran tonight after work--I went in for a couple of hours. Then went to the Y and did a 5k in 30:42. Walked for another 9 minutes to get a total of 40 minutes in. Woohoo! I felt so much better, though I ate way too much for dinner again!

Kathy--on carrying the camera, do you have it in a case or have it on a strap? I carry my ipod in my hand and it's in a plastic cover. I have to take the cover off after long runs because I sweat so much it runs inside the cover. It's pretty gross. Anyhow, just throwing that out there as something to think about. I do sweat A LOT, hence needing to consume salt after runs, but if I carry a camera, I will probably have to put it in a case to keep it from being gross. 

And Lisa--how did I miss that you joined weight watchers--I was skimming Team Donald. I'm glad it's working well. Things have just been chaotic for us since about December 14--that's when Tom came home from school. I feel like I missed so much. And thank you again for helping to keep me sane this week Lisa--you are the best!

Ok, princesses, sweet dreams. TTYL!


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I can tell these next weeks are going to fly by because I am so busy I dont even know which way to look.  Today is 7 weeks until I leave for the trip.  Some of you will already be there too.  Can you believe it.



Wow!  I guess I will arrive seven weeks from yesterday.  That makes me  and  all at once.  

Remember Mom can't take care of all those guys if Mom doesn't take care of herself.    Your Mom is a sweetheart!  



mikamah said:


> I can't believe I'm wearing a sparkle skirt, and Lisa is too!!!!!!   It is going to be so much fun.  I was worried all last week as things came up and it became a week without running, then 9 days, then 10 days.   But I think it was good, so I won't stress as much if I miss a run or two in the next 2 months.  Beating yourself up is not allowed.  It's not very princessey.  Cut yourself some slack.  Life gets in the way sometimes, and sometimes we just need a little rest too.



The sparkleskirt "Queen Mum" was super nice -- she is running the marathon this week-end.  She is the one in the pirate costume if you check out the site.  

I think a lanyard would be too bouncy for your camera.  They should have Photopass photographers at each mile -- they would make a bundle!  



mikamah said:


> bad mommy. we're going to play a quick monopoly deal game now before bed.  Good night.



 Nah!  Mommy needs a break after her hectic workday.    Isn't Monopoly Deal the best Monopoly ever? 15 minutes and it's done!  



Rose&Mike said:


> I can't remember where I post stuff half the time!



Well, I don't suppose the 1300+ posts on the multiple BL threads have anything to do with that . . .   You're doing a great job hostessing!  

I'm glad that Mike is home and Tom is back at school ahead of the storm.  

It was my pleasure to help you this week -- that's what princess friends are for!


----------



## corinnak

I should chime in on the camera thing, I suppose!  I've run a lot of Disney races with a camera.  I have had a pouch on my water belt, but mostly, I just carry it in one hand.  I had logistical issues with the pouch.  I have also used a spibelt - depending on the camera and your body/preferences, that could be another option.  I have a waterproof/shockproof camera, in case of rain (and sweat.)

Like I said, mostly I've been happiest carrying it, though.  I use the wrist strap and then it is handy to hand to a cast member/handler for photos.  I am thinking they probably can't have photopass and ASI photographers out there at the same time - ASI probably has non-competition rules about having other "official" photographers on the course, and ASI are "ace" photographers, not character photographers.  I'm guessing if Disney could have both, they would.

Rose - you mention taking salt after runs.  Do you take it before runs as well?  I have had some of the best long race experiences when I've had a packet of salt the morning of.  Just wondering.

Thanks for all the well-wishes!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Corinna--I've been taking an endurolyte before long runs, and then every 3 miles. Then at the end I've been eating trail mix--nuts, raisins, m&ms and lots of salted pretzels. I questioned whether it was the salt that was making me so nausous until our last run. We did 12 miles and it was so windy the sweat was evaporating off us. I was covered in a coat of white crust. It could be that I just wasn't drinking enough water, because I have made sure that I'm getting more water, but I think it's the salt as well. So do you just eat a packet of salt with some water? I thought for a while maybe I was just running too fast for my abilities, but Friday we had our fastest run ever (races included) and I felt fine. It gets frustrating sometimes trying to manage the nausea and the other gi stuff, but if that's the worst problem I have I really can't complain.

Have a great day all you princesses!


----------



## mikamah

Thanks Rose and Corinna for your advice on the camera.  My camera is also a waterproof/shockproof camera too, and i'm a bit of a photo taking nut when i'm in disney, so I'm guessing I will just carry it.  Also don't know if I want to have a waist pack on.  It may distract from my beautiful sparkleskirt.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> Thanks Rose and Corinna for your advice on the camera.  My camera is also a waterproof/shockproof camera too, and i'm a bit of a photo taking nut when i'm in disney, so I'm guessing I will just carry it.  Also don't know if I want to have a waist pack on.  It may distract from my beautiful sparkleskirt.



I do agree kathy....you do not want to hide any of that sparkle.  I do find it funny that every post about the race somehow revolves around clothes, cameras etc.  who needs to worry about running 13 miles when there is so much else going on.  I love it.

well I came home to no heat tonight.  house is was freezing. luckily we have a service contract with the oil company and the gentleman got here and fixed it by 830p.  It is starting to warm up.

I have my 7 mile run planned out for the morning.  Should be interesting its suppose to snow another inch or two tomorrow.  Running in snow????? now thats one thing I definitely didnt think I would ever have been doing on a saturday morning.


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> Thanks Rose and Corinna for your advice on the camera.  My camera is also a waterproof/shockproof camera too, and i'm a bit of a photo taking nut when i'm in disney, so I'm guessing I will just carry it.  Also don't know if I want to have a waist pack on.  It may distract from my beautiful sparkleskirt.



Can't have anything interfering with the sparkle!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I do agree kathy....you do not want to hide any of that sparkle.  I do find it funny that every post about the race somehow revolves around clothes, cameras etc.  *who needs to worry about running 13 miles when there is so much else going on*.



  Yeah!  Glad that you got your heater fixed!

Today is a 7 mile run.  I'm not as INCREDIBLE as you, Lindsay, I will do mine on the TM unless I see that it is not raining or snowing outside then I might give it a try.  Have a great day princesses!


----------



## lisah0711

Almost forgot!  

*Good luck Corinna and Maria on the Donald today! *


----------



## jbm02

lisah0711 said:


> Almost forgot!
> 
> *Good luck Corinna and Maria on the Donald today! *



You can follow them on:

http://live.activeresult.com/index.dude?id=9#RESULTS

...but you'll need to know their last names!!!

Good luck Corinna and Maria!!!!

...seven inches of snow here and no sign of a plow.  Tomorrow is my scheduled 9 mi and wussy me will be doing it on the treadmill.  I'm too klutzy to try and run in the snow!!!


----------



## lisah0711

jbm02 said:


> You can follow them on:
> 
> http://live.activeresult.com/index.dude?id=9#RESULTS
> 
> ...but you'll need to know their last names!!!
> 
> Good luck Corinna and Maria!!!!
> 
> ...seven inches of snow here and no sign of a plow.  Tomorrow is my scheduled 9 mi and wussy me will be doing it on the treadmill.  I'm too klutzy to try and run in the snow!!!



Oooo!  That is so exciting!    Thanks for posting the link!  You can search by bib number.  

Sorry about the snow.  Here's some sunshine for you!    I'm feeling a little more inspired to run my 7 miles now -- gym opens in an hour.


----------



## mikamah

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I do agree kathy....you do not want to hide any of that sparkle.  I do find it funny that every post about the race somehow revolves around clothes, cameras etc.  who needs to worry about running 13 miles when there is so much else going on.  I love it.
> 
> I have my 7 mile run planned out for the morning.  Should be interesting its suppose to snow another inch or two tomorrow.  Running in snow????? now thats one thing I definitely didnt think I would ever have been doing on a saturday morning.


Funny, I think planning the outfit will make us run better.  Glad you got your heat fixed, and be careful today running in the snow.  Good luck!!!!



lisah0711 said:


> Today is a 7 mile run.  I'm not as INCREDIBLE as you, Lindsay, I will do mine on the TM unless I see that it is not raining or snowing outside then I might give it a try.  Have a great day princesses!


Go LISA!!!!  You can do it!!!!



lisah0711 said:


> Almost forgot!
> 
> *Good luck Corinna and Maria on the Donald today! *


Whoo hooo!!   Good luck Corinna and Maria!!!!



jbm02 said:


> You can follow them on:
> 
> http://live.activeresult.com/index.dude?id=9#RESULTS
> 
> ...but you'll need to know their last names!!!
> 
> Good luck Corinna and Maria!!!!
> 
> ...seven inches of snow here and no sign of a plow.  Tomorrow is my scheduled 9 mi and wussy me will be doing it on the treadmill.  I'm too klutzy to try and run in the snow!!!


Thanks for that link.  I don't know their last names, but I'll check it out anyway.  They must do a link for the princess too.   
Good luck on your 9 miles!  I am to nervous to run in the snow too.  I certainly do not want to hurt myself before the race.  

I guess I should get moving around here.  My house is a mess and I've procrastinated enough.  I'll do some wii-fit today, and hope to take a short run/walk tomorrow.   

Have a great day.


----------



## Rose&Mike

I definitely run better when I am feeling stylish. Honestly, I have found that even if I'm having chafing, I am able to ignore it until I'm done--and I have finished with welts and bruises it's been so bad. Of course it's always better to avoid it if possible.

I ran a long run last weekend, so I'm only going to do 5 or 6 today--on the treadmill. It snowed last night and it's 17 here this morning! There is no way I'm going outside! We have the craziest weather here! Last Saturday it was 60!

I am going to get serious about looking for a plane ticket today. My sister and her dh are coming. Then I got an email from the sister with the injury that she is just thinking about coming. I'd love to see her, but it's kind of turned into a couples weekend now since the other two backed out. Uggh. Hopefully she will get that from the email I sent her. I don't think her dh is into disney, so I can't see him coming along. 

*Good Luck Corrinna and Maria!!!!!*


----------



## Rose&Mike

We have plane tickets!!!

We come down Thursday evening--it's not a direct flight, but we don't change planes and we land around 7:30 and we come home at midnight on Tuesday--I hate getting in so late, but there is nothing in the evening and I hate to waste a vacation day! I need to soak up as much sunshine as possible!

Now we have to find a room for Thursday--originally we booked starting Friday. Oh, looks like Mike found a room at OldKeyWest. So we'll have to waitlist bwv, but that's ok!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Can you tell I am avoiding doing anything productive today? We ran 6 miles at the Y. I was pooped at the end. Finished in 60:20. My gi stuff is acting up a little. And I have tom again--yes that's right it's been a whopping 20 days since the last time. It's so frustrating sometimes. Mike never worries about anything and I have to watch every bite I put into my mouth before and after a run or I have "issues." Anyhow, that was my little whine for the day. It could be a lot worse. But I've had a couple of big palpitations this week while running, too, which again is not unusual, but it scares the crud out of me when it happens. And why do I do this exactly? Cause I look good in a running skirt? That's the only thing I can think of right now!

Hope everyone had good runs today!


----------



## mikamah

Whoo hoo on the plane tickets, Rose!!!!  Did Mike decide to do the race too?  I saw on the other thread it is 88% full, just in he wants to do it, he might not want to wait too long to register.   

Bummer on the gi stuff and the palpitations.     Looking good in a running skirt is a fabulous reason to go through all this.   You are so funny. I would think if we look good we would feel more confident and therefore we would run better.   

I'm right there with you on avoiding doing anything productive.  We had a cub scout bottle and can drive, so we collected my sisters and brothers bottles and visited for a bit, and then went with the scouts to the redemption center, kind of dilly dallying around today.  I am doing  laundry and the clean laundry is dumped on my bed so I will have to fold it before I go to bed at least.  I have my aunts' b-day tomorrow so I stopped to get her a gift card at a restaurant/shop and picked up a shephards pie for tonights dinner so I don't have to plan.  I'm sure I'll use lots of points on it, but it will be worth it.  

I think I'll check out the events board, and see if anyone's posted about the disney half.  The housework will wait a bit longer.


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> Can you tell I am avoiding doing anything productive today? We ran 6 miles at the Y. I was pooped at the end. Finished in 60:20. My gi stuff is acting up a little. And I have tom again--yes that's right it's been a whopping 20 days since the last time. It's so frustrating sometimes. Mike never worries about anything and I have to watch every bite I put into my mouth before and after a run or I have "issues." Anyhow, that was my little whine for the day. It could be a lot worse. But I've had a couple of big palpitations this week while running, too, which again is not unusual, but it scares the crud out of me when it happens. And why do I do this exactly? Cause I look good in a running skirt? That's the only thing I can think of right now!
> 
> Hope everyone had good runs today!



 on the plane tickets and 6 miles today!  Bummer about the stomach. palpitations and TOM issues.   

Did you decide where you are staying?  Is Mike running?  Princesses want to know this stuff!  



mikamah said:


> *I'm right there with you on avoiding doing anything productive*.  We had a cub scout bottle and can drive, so we collected my sisters and brothers bottles and visited for a bit, and then went with the scouts to the redemption center, kind of dilly dallying around today.  I am doing  laundry and the clean laundry is dumped on my bed so I will have to fold it before I go to bed at least.  I have my aunts' b-day tomorrow so I stopped to get her a gift card at a restaurant/shop and picked up a shephards pie for tonights dinner so I don't have to plan.  I'm sure I'll use lots of points on it, but it will be worth it.
> 
> I think I'll check out the events board, and see if anyone's posted about the disney half.  The housework will wait a bit longer.



You're on call -- you have to conserve your energy in case someone needs your care!     Enjoy the birthday celebrations tomorrow!

7 mile run went okay.  Stayed reasonably close to pace for majority of the run.  I'm going to try the running track for the 8 miles because 2 hours on the TM was very, very boring.    Knees a tab bit sore but otherwise upright and functioning.  

My hands were really swollen for the last part of the run but apparently that is common and no big deal. 

Went grocery shopping afterwards.  Locked my keys in the car.    Had to have DH come rescue me.   Then we went to lunch at Texas Roadhouse.  Lots of leftovers so no cooking tonight.  

Corinna and Maria hope that you had great runs today and please check in when you can and put us out of our suspense.


----------



## lisah0711

Forgot to say I've been looking at times for the half today.  Saw a couple of 4:21 and 4:27 and a lot of 3:50 and plus times -- those are chip times so it is making me feel better!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, so here is the skirt I am thinking about getting:
http://www.runningskirts.com/basic-skirts.html

The first one--pink plaid. I have a pink running skirt with briefs, but this is just a skirt with nothing underneath that you wear over tights or compression shorts. That way I'm covered if it's cold or hot. Plus I think it looks like me and I will definitely wear it again. I have a long sleeved pink tech shirt and a sleeveless pink teck shirt. Not real princessy, but I definitely think it's cute! And I think I found some pink running shoes! WOOHOO! I am so sick of wearing ugly blue ones!

We are staying Thursday night at Old Key West, then Friday-Monday night at BWV. We have a waitlist for BWV for Thursday. Not sure where my sister is staying with her hubby. 

I am going to talk to them about maybe doing Jelly Rolls Sunday night, if anyone thinks they would be up for it! We went in October and it was really fun.

Lisa--glad you are feeling better about things. 

Kathy--did you do anything productive today? I balanced the check book and that was it! I didn't even get out of bed until lunchtime! Basically I got up and got dressed to go run! It was fabulous! I needed some down time!

Lindsay--I saw it was snowing in Philly--did you run in it?


----------



## mikamah

Evening ladies. 

I didn't do much, Rose, but I did fold the 2 baskets of laundry from earlier in the week, plus one from today, and picked up the kitchen a bit.  I need to put the holiday decorations away, but it's too dark now in the cellar, so it must wait til morning.  We just played some checkers and did puzzles for a while.  Now he's watching a show before bed.  

Rose, that skirt is wicked cute.  It will look fabulous on you.  It's nice to have it not lined so you can wear whatever bottoms with it you want.  Sounds like you had a well deserved, nice relaxing day.  I doubt I'll be able to do jellyrolls sunday.  We made a reservation in mexico for 3:30ish, and we thought we'd do epcot that day.  That way my sil can bring the kids to the finishline, and they can go into epcot and I'll catch up with them after I go back and shower.  

Lisa- whoo hoo on 7 miles!!!  Nice work!!  You are going to be just fine for the princess.  those times are encouraging, arent' they.  I have heard if you can go 5 miles, you can go 13.  Don't know if that's true or not, but each time i go longer, I'm surprised how quickly I do recover.  I guess that's what training and pacing ourselves is all about.  I'm looking forward to 8-9 on tuesday, and the weather is looking great 35 and sunny.  Only a little snow here, so that should be gone. 

Lindsay- hope your 7 miles went well, and you didn't get too much snow!!  

Corinna and Maria- Can't wait to hear all about the race.  Hope you're relaxing and enjoying some park time right now showing off those medals.

Off to finish the laundry.  (maybe)


----------



## Rose&Mike

Woohoo! Mike is officially registered to run the Princess!!! Which means I don't have to carry my water--or my gu, or my endurolytes!!!! This is the best thing that has happened to me all week! 

Did I tell you all what my favorite drink was in October and December at WDW? It was this thing with  blackcherry bourbon and who knows what else. I got it at the Yachtsman and the bar at the yachtsman. Anywho, Mike got me a bottle before he went to Wisconsin this week and we just cracked it open, and yes I am a southern girl and I do like my bourbon!

Have a great night!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> We have plane tickets!!!



yay So exciting.



Rose&Mike said:


> Can you tell I am avoiding doing anything productive today? We ran 6 miles at the Y. I was pooped at the end. Finished in 60:20. My gi stuff is acting up a little. And I have tom again--yes that's right it's been a whopping 20 days since the last time. It's so frustrating sometimes. Mike never worries about anything and I have to watch every bite I put into my mouth before and after a run or I have "issues." Anyhow, that was my little whine for the day. It could be a lot worse. But I've had a couple of big palpitations this week while running, too, which again is not unusual, but it scares the crud out of me when it happens. And why do I do this exactly? Cause I look good in a running skirt? That's the only thing I can think of right now!
> 
> Hope everyone had good runs today!



Feel free to whine away.  Sometimes it makes me feel better if I have a pity party for myself and than move on with it.  Sorry for all the troubles you had during and after running.  Its just typical men dont have to deal with as much as women do.  Isnt child birth enough???




lisah0711 said:


> 7 mile run went okay.  Stayed reasonably close to pace for majority of the run.  I'm going to try the running track for the 8 miles because 2 hours on the TM was very, very boring.    Knees a tab bit sore but otherwise upright and functioning.
> 
> My hands were really swollen for the last part of the run but apparently that is common and no big deal.



great job on the 7 miles and on the TM you are the woman!  My hands were swollen toward the end too.  I think its normal.  If you find out its not let me know.



Rose&Mike said:


> Ok, so here is the skirt I am thinking about getting:
> http://www.runningskirts.com/basic-skirts.html



that is a very cute skirt rose and although there is nothing princess on it, it looks very girly and i think totally appropriate for the race.  We plan to do the MK for the remainder of the day on sunday otherwise I would have loved to join you at jelly rolls.


*Lindsay--I saw it was snowing in Philly--did you run in it?*

drum roll please>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The answer is YES!  I am officially nutz!  I left my house as there was flurries and by mile 5 it was full blown snow.  It was about 30 degrees so not too blustery.  I was slipping all over the place and am still amazed that I did not fall.  At one point the snow was blowing at me so much and the wind picked up and my eyelashes froze together.  it took a few seconds of my finger on my eye melting the ice crystals until I could open it.  I completed 7 miles in 1hr and 24min.  So I kept my 12min pace.  Honestly I am not trying to brag but I am just so proud of myself today.  I am amazed at what I can do when I put my mind to it.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--that is fabulous! Great time for such cruddy weather!!!!


----------



## mikamah

mommyof2Pirates said:


> drum roll please>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> 
> The answer is YES!  I am officially nutz!  I left my house as there was flurries and by mile 5 it was full blown snow.  It was about 30 degrees so not too blustery.  I was slipping all over the place and am still amazed that I did not fall.  At one point the snow was blowing at me so much and the wind picked up and my eyelashes froze together.  it took a few seconds of my finger on my eye melting the ice crystals until I could open it.  I completed 7 miles in 1hr and 24min.  So I kept my 12min pace.  Honestly I am not trying to brag but I am just so proud of myself today.  I am amazed at what I can do when I put my mind to it.


        
Congratulations Lindsay!!  You should feel so proud of yourself, and I am amazed that you were able to keep up your pace in all that snow!!  You are amazing, and I know you will be an amazing princess!!!



Rose&Mike said:


> Woohoo! Mike is officially registered to run the Princess!!! Which means I don't have to carry my water--or my gu, or my endurolytes!!!! This is the best thing that has happened to me all week!
> 
> Did I tell you all what my favorite drink was in October and December at WDW? It was this thing with  blackcherry bourbon and who knows what else. I got it at the Yachtsman and the bar at the yachtsman. Anywho, Mike got me a bottle before he went to Wisconsin this week and we just cracked it open, and yes I am a southern girl and I do like my bourbon!


Whoo hoo!!  So happy for you that Mike is running too, and we will get to meet him too!!  That bourbon sounds delicious.  Hope you slept well last night.


----------



## MISSINWDW

Rose&Mike said:


> Ok, so here is the skirt I am thinking about getting:
> http://www.runningskirts.com/basic-skirts.html



Hey guys! Running the Princess half with 4 awesome friends and sooo excited I'm about to burst! Don't know how I will make it 7 more weeks! We all live in South Korea. I am from the US and my buddies are from Croatia, Wales, and Australia. I have never run before and this is my first half. When we started training in Sept I couldn't make it around the soccer field ONCE! 
My husband brought us all a bunch of skirts back from a business trip from runningskirts.com
They are awesome. I have a pink one with a princess crown. Go under skirts and look for the Princess ones. He also got me 2 winter ones, one with long tights and one with capri length that fall just below the knee. They are so warm and comfortable to run in.
We fly in on Wed the 23rd and leave Tuesday morning so we'll have 5 amazing, kid-free days at WDW. Glad I found this thread, it will give me something to do as we count this down. Nice to meet you all and happy running!
-Melissa


----------



## MISSINWDW

Rose&Mike said:


> Ok, so here is the skirt I am thinking about getting:
> http://www.runningskirts.com/basic-skirts.html



Ok, look under buy skirts, then Athletic skirts and scroll down to the Princess stuff. I reccommend the Athletic length. It's perfect, comfortable, and not Daisy-Duke short like the regular running skirt.
Love the crown!
-Melissa


----------



## Rose&Mike

Welcome MISSINWDW! Nice to have you. I actually run in one of the skirts from runningskirts.com--it's the pink one with the little white dots and the briefs underneath. I really love it. I ran my first two half marathons in it. It's a little big now, so time to break down and get something new. The princess skirts are really cute. And I've thought about getting a skirt with tights, but I have a pair or capris I like, so I might just get something to go over it. I really like runningskirts.com.  Very comfortable and they hold up through washings great! How fun to be running with all your friends! Sounds like it will be a great trip!

Kathy--I slept fabuously. Didn't get up until 8am! Maybe the insomnia is gone, or maybe it was the cherry bourbon....

Forgot to tell you--Mike picked Princess Tianna for his princess.

Have a good day.


----------



## lisah0711

*Lindsay!*  You are totally *INCREDIBLE!* running a 12 min/mile pace in the snow!    You are totally going to rock the Princess!  

From what I read the hand thing is your vasular system working to keep you cool.  



mikamah said:


> I'm looking forward to 8-9 on tuesday, and the weather is looking great 35 and sunny.  Only a little snow here, so that should be gone.
> 
> Corinna and Maria- Can't wait to hear all about the race.  Hope you're relaxing and enjoying some park time right now showing off those medals.



And look at you, Kathy, getting ready to run in 35 degree temps saying "the weather looks great!"  

Looking forward to hearing about your races, too, *Maria and Corinna!*



Rose&Mike said:


> Woohoo! Mike is officially registered to run the Princess!!! Which means I don't have to carry my water--or my gu, or my endurolytes!!!! This is the best thing that has happened to me all week!



Woo! Hoo! for Mike running the Princess!    Love the Princess Tiana!    And yay for getting your plane tickets.   

That reminds me I need to call DVC and get my ME lined up.  My flight from Spokane is a direct flight, too.  I leave at 6:40 am and stop in Denver, then Kansas City, before finally arriving at MCO at 5:00 pm.  It's a long haul so I'm glad I get there on Wednesday because it takes me a little time to adjust to the EST from PST too.



MISSINWDW said:


> Hey guys! Running the Princess half with 4 awesome friends and sooo excited I'm about to burst! Don't know how I will make it 7 more weeks! We all live in South Korea. I am from the US and my buddies are from Croatia, Wales, and Australia. I have never run before and this is my first half. When we started training in Sept I couldn't make it around the soccer field ONCE!



 Melissa!  I think you get the award for Princess travelling the farthest to get to the race!    Those skirts are cute.  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Woohoo! Mike is officially registered to run the Princess!!! Which means I don't have to carry my water--or my gu, or my endurolytes!!!! This is the best thing that has happened to me all week!



Im so excited that mike signed up.  Now you have your prince charming to run with.  That drink sounds yummy.  I am not a big drinker but I think if we end up keeping our ohana reservation on sunday for dinner after the race I will order one.  Anyone have any suggestions?  



MISSINWDW said:


> Hey guys! Running the Princess half with 4 awesome friends and sooo excited I'm about to burst! Don't know how I will make it 7 more weeks! We all live in South Korea. I am from the US and my buddies are from Croatia, Wales, and Australia. I have never run before and this is my first half. When we started training in Sept I couldn't make it around the soccer field ONCE!
> My husband brought us all a bunch of skirts back from a business trip from runningskirts.com
> They are awesome. I have a pink one with a princess crown. Go under skirts and look for the Princess ones. He also got me 2 winter ones, one with long tights and one with capri length that fall just below the knee. They are so warm and comfortable to run in.
> We fly in on Wed the 23rd and leave Tuesday morning so we'll have 5 amazing, kid-free days at WDW. Glad I found this thread, it will give me something to do as we count this down. Nice to meet you all and happy running!
> -Melissa



Hi Melissa.  Wow you all are coming from all over the world.  You will have so much fun.  That was very nice of dh to buy you skirts.  I am debating on the cindy blue princess skirt but I cant make up my mind on what to wear.  Glad to know you and rose think they are comfortable.



Rose&Mike said:


> Forgot to tell you--Mike picked Princess Tianna for his princess.



That just makes me smile.  I think any guy who runs this race is awesome and it goes to show that they are completely comfortable with their manly hood.

not much going on here today.  Getting ready for some Eagles football.  Friends are coming over and should be here shortly.  I was surprised that my body is not sore today.  I think it is because I was pretty much frozen during the run yesterday, it was like taking an ice bath while running.


----------



## lisah0711

Maria and Corinna can't wait to hear from you Princesses!  

Just added my ME to my DVC reservation.  It's getting closer!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Oh that reminds me.  this is the first time I have booked directly through disney.  We always used AAA before but with the race discounts it beat the AAA price by alot and my TA couldnt get us into CBR but going through disney endurance I got us rooms.  Anyway.  What should I expect in the mail from disney and when does it come?


----------



## mikamah

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I was pretty much frozen during the run yesterday, it was like taking an ice bath while running.


Whatever works to keep you pain free.  I'm still amazed at your time in the snow.  



lisah0711 said:


> Maria and Corinna can't wait to hear from you Princesses!
> 
> Just added my ME to my DVC reservation.  It's getting closer!


Whoo hoo for ME!!!  I just love checking my bags in boston and not thinking about them again.  It means vacation is starting!!! Thanks for the reminder.  I don't remember if I booked ME yet, so I think I'll call now.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Oh that reminds me.  this is the first time I have booked directly through disney.  We always used AAA before but with the race discounts it beat the AAA price by alot and my TA couldnt get us into CBR but going through disney endurance I got us rooms.  Anyway.  What should I expect in the mail from disney and when does it come?


I have done both in the past, and it seemed that I would get the packet from disney maybe 6 weeks out, but I have a horrible memory.  I think magic express comes later, 4 weeks or so.  I don't know about this one.  I booked with the disney travel co, and called yesterday to make my final payment, and asked again for an email confirmation to be sent, which I never got last time, and it didn't come through again.  I called back and he sent me one that he had to type up because for some reason their system wouldn't generate me the email.  I don't know if it is because it's a group discount when you book through the running number.   Have you been getting any emails for your ressies?    



Rose&Mike said:


> I slept fabuously. Didn't get up until 8am! Maybe the insomnia is gone, or maybe it was the cherry bourbon....
> 
> Forgot to tell you--Mike picked Princess Tianna for his princess.


Whatever it takes to get a good nights sleep.  So cute, mike picked Tianna.  So happy for you he is running too. 



MISSINWDW said:


> Hey guys! Running the Princess half with 4 awesome friends and sooo excited I'm about to burst! Don't know how I will make it 7 more weeks! We all live in South Korea. I am from the US and my buddies are from Croatia, Wales, and Australia. I have never run before and this is my first half. When we started training in Sept I couldn't make it around the soccer field ONCE!
> We fly in on Wed the 23rd and leave Tuesday morning so we'll have 5 amazing, kid-free days at WDW. Glad I found this thread, it will give me something to do as we count this down. Nice to meet you all and happy running!
> -Melissa


welcome, Melissa.  That will be so fun for you and your friends to travel and race together.  Isn't it amazing how much you can accomplish when you set your mind to it.  6 months and look how far you've come.  Our travel dates are the same as yours, but I'll have my son, sil and niece with me.  Good luck with your training.

My plan is for 8-10 tomorrow.  I'm going to work early in the am, so I hope to get out a little early.  If I feel good, i'll push to 10, especially since we've got some snow coming in wed.  My free week at the gym ends tomorrow, but I want to run outside, so I only used it twice.  I still have a couple Y passes to utilize in the future.  

I'm going to go set up ME right now so I don't forget.  Have a great evening, princesses!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> :I have done both in the past, and it seemed that I would get the packet from disney maybe 6 weeks out, but I have a horrible memory.  I think magic express comes later, 4 weeks or so.  I don't know about this one.  I booked with the disney travel co, and called yesterday to make my final payment, and asked again for an email confirmation to be sent, which I never got last time, and it didn't come through again.  I called back and he sent me one that he had to type up because for some reason their system wouldn't generate me the email.  I don't know if it is because it's a group discount when you book through the running number.   Have you been getting any emails for your ressies?



we did get the inital confirmation and then shortly before the rest of the payment was due we got another one.  Do I have to set up ME on my own.  I am pretty sure I already called in my flight information already?

Kathy- good luck on the run tomorrow.  Go for the 10!!!!!


----------



## mikamah

Thanks lindsay.   I booked the trip before I had our flights booked, so I didn't have ME booked yet.  If you had your flights, I'm sure you did ME right away.


----------



## corinnak

Sorry to keep you ladies in suspense!!  I'm home at last - it was a exhausting weekend with 4 early mornings and 2 disgustingly early mornings.  I ran the half and volunteered for the full, and slept a little and had fun as well.  I have photos that I need to load up - maybe later today.  

I had a good run, but it wasn't a life-changing race for me.  No PR, about 4 minutes slower than last year for a few reasons:  I was running with a friend for the first 2/3 of it and he was doing the Goofy Challenge, so we kept a very moderate pace.  We stopped for photos.  I had two bathroom breaks, too.  I have decided it is actually better if I stop and am comfortable than if I try to keep running and have to slow down out of, you know, discomfort.  Even so, I only stopped once last year.    The other thing was that there were some narrow sections of road where it got very "cloggy" and you just could not choose your own pace.  You were going what the people in front of you were doing and that was that.  I hadn't experienced that in a Disney race so much before, but there were 27,000 runners out there, which is 7,000 more than they registered in previous years.  Doesn't really matter, of course.  I had a good time with John (Ffigawi) from Team Ohana and then I took off and finished about 3 or 4 minutes ahead of him, which means I was cooking for the last 5 miles (even with that 2nd bathroom stop!).

I also volunteered for the full marathon at water stop 7.  It was another cold morning, and unfortunately, I had to get up even earlier to volunteer than I had for running the previous day.  Volunteering is a bit of an endurance event itself, and we even had a bit of a race the last hour because somehow there were way too many water tables/workers and not enough on Powerade, so Tracy (disneyfan21) and I got moved to setting up gatorade tables.  We rocked it so much that the supervisor came by and said he was impressed.  

After that, we traveled to outside of DHS and cheered for runners between mile marker 23 and 24 and handed out additional refreshments:  twizzlers, pretzels, cookies.  Good times, and at that point so many of the runners said it meant a lot to them that we were out there.

After a goodly nap for me, Maria and I spent Sunday afternoon together exploring World Showcase as only a couple of moms without kids or husbands can do!  We loved watching Off Kilter, Miyuki, World Showcase Players, and the Circle-vision movie in China and had a lovely dinner at the Tangerine Cafe.  It was so nice to have some time with Maria!!!

After that, I met up with a bunch of other WISHers at Jellyrolls.  Will the good times never cease??  Yes, I have to say, they eventually do.  It is good to be home, however, and I am so looking forward to a good night's sleep!





Rose&Mike said:


> Woohoo! Mike is officially registered to run the Princess!!! Which means I don't have to carry my water--or my gu, or my endurolytes!!!! This is the best thing that has happened to me all week!
> 
> Did I tell you all what my favorite drink was in October and December at WDW? It was this thing with  blackcherry bourbon and who knows what else. I got it at the Yachtsman and the bar at the yachtsman. Anywho, Mike got me a bottle before he went to Wisconsin this week and we just cracked it open, and yes I am a southern girl and I do like my bourbon!
> 
> Have a great night!



I am not a southern girl BUT I do like bourbon as well.  Unfortunately, I am not a cherry flavor fan - bad experience with cough syrup when I had the measles in Jr. High and everything tasted like cherry flavored cough syrup for a few weeks.  Very strange, I know!  




mommyof2Pirates said:


> The answer is YES!  I am officially nutz!  I left my house as there was flurries and by mile 5 it was full blown snow.  It was about 30 degrees so not too blustery.  I was slipping all over the place and am still amazed that I did not fall.  At one point the snow was blowing at me so much and the wind picked up and my eyelashes froze together.  it took a few seconds of my finger on my eye melting the ice crystals until I could open it.  I completed 7 miles in 1hr and 24min.  So I kept my 12min pace.  Honestly I am not trying to brag but I am just so proud of myself today.  I am amazed at what I can do when I put my mind to it.



It is never about bragging to tell of your racing accomplishments.  Well, maybe sometimes, but that is OK because if you achieve something, you deserve to tell people about it and feel good, I say.  I'm glad you did not fall.  That is crazy about your eyelashes freezing together!  I have had frozen eyelashes, but never such that I couldn't open my eyes!  Way to keep on pace under challenging circumstances!!!  Congratulations!


----------



## mikamah

Congratulations Corinna!!!  Thanks for sharing about your race, and busy, sleepless weekend.  I read a thread that a bunch of people were thanking the wishers who were passing out licorice and pretzels.  How cool that was you.  

Well, I am going to brag a little.  I ran/walked 10 miles today!  I feel so proud of myself for getting out there, and not giving up.   I did my 5 mile route from my house, came in the house ate some cliff blocks, stretched a little and peed, was in for 5 min, and then went right back out and did the route again.  The second time was about a minute slower average pace, but over all including the 5 min break, my pace was 15:38!!!!  Under the sweep pace!!!!  I know where all the miles are on my route, so I kept adding in my head, and when I got to 7, I only had to go another half mile and then turn around, so it would have been silly to stop there and only do 9.  Plus a friend of mine drove by and stopped and I told her I was going 10 miles, so she said to call her after.  That helped me to push too.  Plus the fact that we're expecting 12-18 inches of snow tomorrow, so my outside running may be sidelined for a bit and most of the patients cancelled their appts tomorrow, so I have tomorrow off to recover.  So I had to do it.  

 My body feels pretty good.  A little achy, but no pain.  When I got in, my pulse was racing for a while, but it settled down, I drank water, ate some pretzels, and a banana, and I'm feeling back to normal.  I also got the tight cough once I got home.  It was cold out, and I was fine the whole time outside.  Part of it might be I was at the tail end of a cold.  

Do I think I could have gone another 3 miles?  Probably, but I definitely think I need to drink and replenish more during the race.  Around mile 8, I felt hungry and my stomach was growling.  

Thanks for listening, like you have a choice. 

Funny, I did think about my race outfit.  My t-shirt was riding up a bit under my sweatshirt, and my sweatshirt was short, so my belly showed when the t-shirt rode up, which I don't like, but by the last few miles, I didn't care. But I did think my tshirt will be tucked into my sparkleskirt for the princess, so that shouldn't happen.

I guess I should feed that boy dinner.  I'll catch up on the other threads later.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Congratulations Corinna! Mike and I had some ice cream Saturday afternoon.

Kathy--great job! You must be so proud of yourself! I get the tight cough too if I work out in the cold air. Anything over your nose and mouth to add some moisture back in will help with it. 

I am in a funk, that I don't seem to be able to get out of. I am craving carbs and I am tired and weepy. I did run 4 miles this morning before work but my stomach was a mess afterwards. I probably need to break down and have a colonoscopy, though I am sure it is probably just runners "issues". I have no pain anywhere and only have issues when I don't eat well--and I had a colonoscopy sometime in my 30s, so I really think this nothing. Sorry for the tmi and to be the big downer, but I am just pooped--no pun intended. 

Then I just found out that someone else we know--age 35--just died of cancer--that was not diagnosed until she went in the hospital last week. Goodness. I am having a hard time with all these relatively young people being so sick and not knowing it until it's too late. It's really very scary. I think my yearly physical is in a month or so, and I am definitely not skipping it this year.

Tomorrow I have the day off, and it will be the first time I have had any real time to myself since mid-December, so hopefully that will help me to recharge and feel motivated.

Again, sorry to be a downer. I am glad I have a race and a trip to look forward to. 

Maria--are you back yet?


----------



## lisah0711

corinnak said:


> Sorry to keep you ladies in suspense!!  I'm home at last - it was a exhausting weekend with 4 early mornings and 2 disgustingly early mornings.  I ran the half and volunteered for the full, and slept a little and had fun as well.  I have photos that I need to load up - maybe later today.



Congratulations Corinna!    Sounds like you had a great time at the Half and volunteering on Sunday.  Are you all ready to do it again in 6 weeks?



mikamah said:


> Well, I am going to brag a little.  I ran/walked 10 miles today!  I feel so proud of myself for getting out there, and not giving up.



Woo hoo on 10 miles, Kathy!    You are going to be so ready for the Princess!    I'm glad that you aren't sore.  

I think these long runs are good to help you figure out what you need to do to keep yourself hydrated and fueled.  We don't want to be losing steam at mile 9.   

What flavor Clif Blok did you try?  Maria told me about the Black Cherry.  I really like them.  The gave me some strawberry to try yesterday at Fleet Feet.  I have some Hammer product -- the endourlyte folks -- that is like Gu called Mountain Huckleberrie.  Huckleberries are a big deal in my neck of the woods so it intrigued me.  



Rose&Mike said:


> I am in a funk, that I don't seem to be able to get out of. I am craving carbs and I am tired and weepy. I did run 4 miles this morning before work but my stomach was a mess afterwards. I probably need to break down and have a colonoscopy, though I am sure it is probably just runners "issues". I have no pain anywhere and only have issues when I don't eat well--and I had a colonoscopy sometime in my 30s, so I really think this nothing. Sorry for the tmi and to be the big downer, but I am just pooped--no pun intended.



Sorry that you are in a funk, Rose.   

I would definately talk to my doctor about my stomach issues.  There may be something that he can give you that would help.  I think I heard on NPR last week that they think that some IBS can be cured with antibiotics.  You've had a very rough time lately and I'm sure that has taken a toll as well.  Hope that you can get some rest and relaxation tomorrow.  

I think Maria might be in NYC this week.  I remember her saying she had to go for work right after a race.  

Short runs for me this week.  I feel like I could do more but I am trusting the training.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

corinnak said:


> Will the good times never cease??  Yes, I have to say, they eventually do.  It is good to be home, however, and I am so looking forward to a good night's sleep!



Sounds like you had a wonderful time.  How fun that must of been to volunteer and cheer on the racers.  Whether it was life changing or not you did it and that is awesome.  Glad your home safe.  Cant wait to see some pics.  We need to see what outfit you choose.  That really is the importance of these races you know.



mikamah said:


> Well, I am going to brag a little.  I ran/walked 10 miles today!  I feel so proud of myself for getting out there, and not giving up.  .



whoooo hoooo.  Way to go kathy!!!!  Im so impressed.  



Rose&Mike said:


> I am in a funk, that I don't seem to be able to get out of.



for you rose.  I hope your day alone tomorrow makes you feel better.  



lisah0711 said:


> Short runs for me this week.  I feel like I could do more but I am trusting the training.



me too.  I feel like its the calm before the storm with this weeks runs.  Then not another short week until closer to the race.  Enjoy it!

HI princessess.  Ive been a busy bee but at least it makes the time go fast.  I had every intention of running tonight on the TM.  We fixed it!  but since I didnt get to check in all day on the boards my posting took me 90 minutes and now its bedtime.  so I think I will try again tomorrow and maybe just do 2 nights in a row since there shorter runs.  No harm in that Im sure.  I hope all of you that are getting snow stay safe and warm.  Did I mention that I now despise snow.  It makes my day so much more difficult when all I want is for it to get easier.


----------



## corinnak

Rose&Mike said:


> I am in a funk, that I don't seem to be able to get out of. I am craving carbs and I am tired and weepy. I did run 4 miles this morning before work but my stomach was a mess afterwards. I probably need to break down and have a colonoscopy, though I am sure it is probably just runners "issues". I have no pain anywhere and only have issues when I don't eat well--and I had a colonoscopy sometime in my 30s, so I really think this nothing. Sorry for the tmi and to be the big downer, but I am just pooped--no pun intended.
> 
> Then I just found out that someone else we know--age 35--just died of cancer--that was not diagnosed until she went in the hospital last week. Goodness. I am having a hard time with all these relatively young people being so sick and not knowing it until it's too late. It's really very scary. I think my yearly physical is in a month or so, and I am definitely not skipping it this year.




  Rose, I'm so sorry about your friend - what a sad, scary thing to happen.  I am also sorry you are continuing to have GI issues, too.  I think getting it checked out by the doctors is a smart move.  It sounds way more problematic than anything I've experienced, and it seems like it could interfere with your activity at some point. 




lisah0711 said:


> Congratulations Corinna!    Sounds like you had a great time at the Half and volunteering on Sunday.  Are you all ready to do it again in 6 weeks?
> 
> <snip>
> 
> Short runs for me this week.  I feel like I could do more but I am trusting the training.



I'd be ready to do it again next weekend if I needed to!    Seriously, I didn't race this one hard and while I need to catch up on sleep, I am feeling pretty good physically!

Cut-back weeks are really important.  They allow you to rebuild and get stronger without losing conditioning, and also prevents overtraining.  Trust the plan!  





mommyof2Pirates said:


> Sounds like you had a wonderful time.  How fun that must of been to volunteer and cheer on the racers.  Whether it was life changing or not you did it and that is awesome.  Glad your home safe.  Cant wait to see some pics.  We need to see what outfit you choose.  That really is the importance of these races you know.



I had a very fun time this weekend.  It is good to be home...where there was a good bit of shoveling waiting for me.    My pics did not turn out the best because I could only find a battery charger for this less-good camera.  The pictures in the dark are terrible.  I'm afraid you guys won't be impressed by my clothes at all - I am pretty basic at races - not really a "princess" type, though I did run with my Fairy God-cousin, John from Team Ohana.  Who clearly IS the princess type.  It was like running with a celebrity, I tell ya!  P.S.  I am the one on the right.


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> me too.  I feel like its the calm before the storm with this weeks runs.  Then not another short week until closer to the race.  Enjoy it!
> 
> HI princessess.  Ive been a busy bee but at least it makes the time go fast.  I had every intention of running tonight on the TM.  We fixed it!  but since I didnt get to check in all day on the boards my posting took me 90 minutes and now its bedtime.  so I think I will try again tomorrow and maybe just do 2 nights in a row since there shorter runs.  No harm in that Im sure.  I hope all of you that are getting snow stay safe and warm.  Did I mention that I now despise snow.  It makes my day so much more difficult when all I want is for it to get easier.



No worries with shorter runs closer together, Lindsay!    That's what I am doing, too.  I get a big chuckle when I think to myself now "Oh I just have a short 4 mile run."  It wasn't that long ago that I was working up to a 4 mile run!  

Did you ever read those gothic romance books where someone would be rescued from the sea?  Their personalities would change and they would say they "suffered a sea change."  (It was really probably brain damage from almost drowning).  That's how I think of myself now -- that I "suffered a sea change!"   Fortunately, my sea change was for the good!   



corinnak said:


> I'd be ready to do it again next weekend if I needed to!    Seriously, I didn't race this one hard and while I need to catch up on sleep, I am feeling pretty good physically!
> 
> Cut-back weeks are really important.  They allow you to rebuild and get stronger without losing conditioning, and also prevents overtraining.  Trust the plan!



Woo hoo!  You're ready to do it again!   Loved your princess cousin!  

Rose, I heard Mike saying "y'all" on another thread -- practicing his Princess Tiana talking!    Hope that you have a nice, relaxing day.  

Today is my short run with my friend.  We don't have as much snow as they thought we might but we will still run inside on the TM.  I think for my 4 miles I may try the walking track to work on my speed!  Six weeks from today I will be sleeping with a savanna view!  Anyone that wants to come over the AKJambo and check it out is welcome!

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

6 weeks from today I will be packing! I'm going to work on Thursday for a couple of hours and we leave Thursday afternoon! We're hoping to go to DTD Thursday night for a drink!

I am feeling better today. It's nice to have a no responsibilities day. We got about 4 inches of snow yesterday. Lindsay--I'm with you. I hate snow. Mike hates snow. We really need to move!

Thanks for the positive comments. I have always had stomach/potty issues--never diagnosed with ibs. Things got worse after I had Tom--I had so many complications. I did have a colonoscopy in my 30s for some very minor bleeding.  If I would just stop and go to the bathroom while running instead of trying to tough it out, I would probably have no problems. So, I might try that. Once I get started I try to tough it out. I am also thinking about trying milk of magnesia once or twice a week, which the gi guy told me I could take everyday if I wanted to. Or maybe activia...but honestly it doesn't look good enough to waste the calories on!

Today I'm going to do the elliptical. And maybe strength. 

And Lisa--too funny about Mike saying y'all. I say it all the time, but I haven't heard him say it as much! 

And you all are officially runners if you are saying "my short run--4 miles!"  Woohoo! I feel like I am cheating if I don't go 4 miles! 

Have a great day!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses!!!  I love hearing what you'll be doing in 6 weeks!!!  I can't believe it is coming so quickly!!  Looking at the snow whipping out my window and praying it looks very different in 6 weeks.  We will be waiting to board the plane right now!!

Rose- glad you are feeling better today. So sad about the 35 yo you knew.  So sorry.  On the gi stuff, for irreg, diarrhea, ibs stuff, our docs always recommend a fiber supplement every day, and align.  Align is a probiotic, the only proven one out there that is approved by the fda, and it really does work. It will bring the bowel flora back to normal, and by doing that, will ususally decrease gas, cramping and bloating.  No calories either.  On constipation, they will also do fiber, and miralax as needed.  Miralax is not absorbed by the body like some other laxatives, so it's safe to use as much or as little as needed.  Not a bad idea to have another colonoscopy to make sure it you don't have anything else going on, and the you will have peace of mind too.  
DTD for drinks!!  Yay!!  Now do you take a couple days off from alcohol before you do a race?  I was feeling like I shouldn't drink alcohol at least saturday, but maybe friday too.  I'm not a big drinker normally, but I love to have fun drinks on vacation. 

Lisa-the sea change.  Really what happened to us?  I do think I need to set a goal for after the princess.  I don't think I will just come back and become a couch potato, but a goal will help.  I don't think it will be disney race, but I will look around for something local.  There's a half in october, but  may would be better.  Maybe a 10K.  Good luck on your run today.

Lindsay-What do you mean you hate snow?!?!  After your run the other day with the frozen eyelashes, I'd think you love it!!  Hope you weren't hit too bad. We're sort of snowed in and it's still coming down.  Good luck getting your runs in this week.  It is amazing how much time we can spend here on the dis.  

corinna- Awesome picture.  Love your friends hair.  He looks like a really fun running partner.  and you look fabulous. 

Well, I guess I've spend too much time here already and I should get some breakfast made.  It's a bonus day off, so i don't need to be too productive. 

Have a great day.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Kathy--is miralax liquid--did it used to be milk of magnesia? Thanks for the ideas. I think that really all this is coming from "irregularity." I might try the align. It's worth a shot. It's just such a pain, because I think I have it figured out and then I'm wrong!  As for the alcohol--I won't have any Saturday--and I'm sure it will be gorgeous, so no drinks by the pool! But I will probably have some Thursday and Friday. I will just make sure to get lots of water and probably some gatorade those days as well.

As you all get up in miles, you probably should try weighing yourself just before and just after a long run. This is a good way to look at whether or not you are getting enough fluids during your long runs. Too much fluid is not good, but too little is not either. I have to consume endurolytes before and during a long run and I have started eating salty pretzels immediately after. I can't remember what the number is, but basically you don't want to sweat out more than a certain percentage during a run--meaning if you are down too many pounds, then you did not consume enough fluid which is dangerous. I have to watch this closely as well because my pac's are significantly worse when I am dehydrated and I don't have enough salt. (Between this and the gi stuff, I am not sure why I run--managing it all is getting to be quite the job!) 

I got really mad at Mike last week cause he said I just don't want to run a full marathon. I told him if he had to manage the pac's and the stomach stuff and sometimes felt like throwing up after a long run, he might not be as excited to want to DOUBLE the distance. He shut up after that! I'm not opposed to doing a full someday, I just feel like I need to get a handle on some of this stuff first.

Ok, enough ramblings!


----------



## mikamah

Miralax is a powder you mix in water or juice and it's tasteless.  It's different from Milk of Magnesia.  The milk of mag would be fine occas, but I think it's can be more habit forming.  
Funny, don't you remember you run because you look so cute in the running skirts.  I can't imagine doing a marathon.  Glad you are able to shut Mike when necessary.
You have only been running for a year, right?  In time, hopefully things will hopefully work themselves out, and you you never know, you may want to do a full one day.  You have come so far in a short time.  The marathoning for mortals book says you should be running for a full year before training for any long distance races.
Thanks for the advice on the weighing and endurolytes.  I definitely should have taken something more yesterday, and will next time.  I did eat some pretzels after too, thinking they are high in salt, and drank a lot.  

I think I'm going to have another non-productive day.  Not totally true, because I will have to shovel the snow eventually.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello Princesses! 

I'm slowly getting acclimated -- we arrived yesterday afternoon and immediately had to scramble to get my folks on a flight out so they could beat the storm (big blizzard in New England). 

I'm not much one for race reports, but here it is -- I woke up at 3am Saturday, and I just knew it was going to go well  . I felt healthy, relatively rested, and I had all my gear laid out and ready to go, d-tag (for timing) already on my shoe. My dh walked me out to the buses (he was doing the Full the next day), and I was off! My bus took the same route as the regular traffic (this was new to me), so we got there a little later than I would have liked. I went out to the bus just before 4, I'll be heading out 20min earlier for Princess. I barely had time to stand through the Port-a-Potty line and then walk down to the race. I was so excited because I had moved up two corrals for my start, which was also making me think this could be a very good day. I should preface all of this by saying I am not a fast runner. My best time at that point was 3:11. I lined up about 6 rows from the start of my corral (F), and in the very front I saw the 3 hr pace team. For those who don't know, there are pace teams that run at a particular speed to finish in 2 hours, 2:30, etc. I really, really wanted to break 3 hours, so I knew that if I could get past them and never see them again, I would do it. 

I finally started in Wave 6 (they let each corral go, with the elite's in Corral A --Wave 1 (and did I mention *Corinna* was in Corral B?!). I headed out feeling ok, but I was surprised at the number of people I was passing. The first mile is always rough because you're packed almost like sardines, and it's hard to find your space. Anyway, I couldn't see the clock when I started, but I knew I was theoretically about half an hour behind the first Wave. I made it a point to eat my second set of Clif bloks at Mile 2 (I eat a couple before I start), and as usual, I completely missed Mile 4. I know it's there, but I never see it! Anyway, by Mile 5 it was starting to get light and I was close to the MK. I saw some WISHers cheering, and that always gives you a little extra boost. Running right down the middle of Main Street USA is also a big pick me up, not to mention running through the castle! I really didn't think I needed to hit the restrooms, so I skipped it. If you do think you might have to go, I think it's worth making the stop in the MK. But I digress -- I saw plenty of characters on the way to and in the MK, and as you leave Capt. Jack Sparrow is also available for photos...he had quite a line, though! 

After MK the entertainment slows down some, but I was happy I was still feeling good. I was having 13 and 14 mile splits, so I could live with that. I also passed one of my Ohana cousins, which was a big boost for me. She was Goofy last year, and taking it easy this year, and it boosted me to see her since I knew she had started in the corral ahead of me. I kept moving even when I could feel myself slowing, and got my usual boost from seeing *ThunderMatt * on top of the over pass after Mile 10, waving to everyone and encouraging the WISHers. 

I got myself up the overpass (definitely my least favorite part of the race), and made past Mile11. Then this guy wanted me to stop so he could take a picture of the back of my WISH shirt. I told him I wasn't stopping, but he could take a picture. He did, so hopefully it turned out for him. As I was running down the hill, my Ohana cousin caught up with me to give me last minute encouragement about reaching my goal. Then I ran around the bend and up the last overpass, and then down toward Mile12. I saw my cousin's husband (who I suspect finished at around 2 hours or less), and then kept going into Epcot. I made the loop in Epcot, then I was headed for the finish! I crossed the line, got my Donald medal (as I was waiting for my medal I heard the announcer say, "Here comes the 3 hour pace team" so I knew I made my goal!  ), ate an orange, and had a massage. Then it was time to board a bus back to the resort. 

Here's the part that's not so great. I don't know how this happened, but apparently my d-tag did not record at the 15K split, or the finish, so I don't have an official time. I'm trying to see what I can do about it -- I realize I may not be able to get an official time (although I certainly should show up in the photos at the finish), but I'd like to at least know unofficially how I did so I know what to shoot for to improve even by a couple minutes for Princess. I also want to know how this could have happened, so I can avoid it in the future. I was pretty upset when I went to look up my results online and I don't have a finish time, but I do have a medal and I know I did it....It's really frustrating since this is literally the best race of my life, and I have nothing to prove it. 

Anyway, I am really looking forward to doing it again next month and figuring out how to have it count! I ran 2M this morning, and I feel really good. Now I want to take off some weight (I think I'm looking at a 3 lb gain after my week in WDW, which I can definitely live with), and do whatever I can to improve. It is clear I need to do more crosstraining, so I'm going to make a real effort to get that going. 

DS is home from school today and DH is out blowing away the endless snow which is still falling pretty heavily, so I'm going to go make lunch for my fellas. I will catch up with this and other threads later -- this is my first stop on the DIS!

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria--what a great race report! I am so sorry about the d-tag mixup. I hope you can get an official time. I loved reading your race report. I have so much trouble with remembering details, so I love reading detailed race reports.


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> Here's the part that's not so great. I don't know how this happened, but apparently my d-tag did not record at the 15K split, or the finish, so I don't have an official time. I'm trying to see what I can do about it -- I realize I may not be able to get an official time (although I certainly should show up in the photos at the finish), but I'd like to at least know unofficially how I did so I know what to shoot for to improve even by a couple minutes for Princess. I also want to know how this could have happened, so I can avoid it in the future. I was pretty upset when I went to look up my results online and I don't have a finish time, but I do have a medal and I know I did it....It's really frustrating since this is literally the best race of my life, and I have nothing to prove it.
> 
> Anyway, I am really looking forward to doing it again next month and figuring out how to have it count! I ran 2M this morning, and I feel really good. Now I want to take off some weight (I think I'm looking at a 3 lb gain after my week in WDW, which I can definitely live with), and do whatever I can to improve. It is clear I need to do more crosstraining, so I'm going to make a real effort to get that going.
> 
> DS is home from school today and DH is out blowing away the endless snow which is still falling pretty heavily, so I'm going to go make lunch for my fellas. I will catch up with this and other threads later -- this is my first stop on the DIS!
> 
> Maria



Maria!  So glad that you had a great race!    But such a bummer about your d-tag!  

From what I recall looking at the online info before your chip stopped reading was that they estimated you to finish 2:54 and your time was 12:53/mile.  Maybe that helps!   

You are going to be rocking the Princess!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I thought these were interesting articles about dehydration:

http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3950
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-302--10085-0,00.html

You can also find plenty of articles saying drink before you are thirsty, etc. I find the whole topic pretty interesting.


----------



## corinnak

Worfiedoodles said:


> I finally started in Wave 6 (they let each corral go, with the elite's in Corral A --Wave 1 (and did I mention *Corinna* was in Corral B?!).




Woops!  Make that Corral C!  I was with Butch, JenB, Kathy and John fell back from A to run with me.  The 2 hour pace team was in C, so I would have been left in the dust of Corral B, had I managed to sweet-talk my way in there!

Congratulations on a GREAT race!  I know JenB had some problems with the preliminary results on the Donald last year - she did manage to get them straightened out somehow, I think.  I think her problem might have been that her d-ring was squished flat under her laces.  I hope they can fix it for you - how disappointing to have a technical difficulty for your new PR.    Keep us posted!

Kathy - John was a fun running partner for sure - he likes to chat and it was a comfortable enough pace for both of us that we were just gabbing away most of the time.  

Oh, I forgot to mention, since this is also a BL thread - I hopped on the scale yesterday and today, and was astounded to find that my weight stayed just the same over this crazy weekend.  I had a good number of "treats" and did not actually count much at all because I had no computer and little access to wi-fi for my iPod touch.  On the other hand, these weekends are so, so different from my normal activity level, to some degree, it makes sense that my eating could be less restrained and I'd still be OK.  Here are my personal rules for eating at Disney:

1.  Eat when I'm hungry.
2.  Stop when I'm full.
3.  Save the splurges for things I love and can't get at home, but do have some fun!

That along with all the walking, running, and volunteering (plus shivering!) seems to work out OK for me.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

corinnak;39505628I had a very fun time this weekend.  It is good to be home...where there was a good bit of shoveling waiting for me.  :laughing:  My pics did not turn out the best because I could only find a battery charger for this less-good camera.  The pictures in the dark are terrible.  I'm afraid you guys won't be impressed by my clothes at all - I am pretty basic at races - not really a "princess" type said:


> http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/corinnak/P1080015.jpg[/IMG]



You look wonderful corinna.  It sounded like so much fun and I cant wait to get there myself.  I love John's outfit.  Is he doing the princess with you too?



lisah0711 said:


> No worries with shorter runs closer together, Lindsay!    That's what I am doing, too.  I get a big chuckle when I think to myself now "Oh I just have a short 4 mile run."  It wasn't that long ago that I was working up to a 4 mile run!
> 
> Did you ever read those gothic romance books where someone would be rescued from the sea?  Their personalities would change and they would say they "suffered a sea change."  (It was really probably brain damage from almost drowning).  That's how I think of myself now -- that I "suffered a sea change!"   Fortunately, my sea change was for the good!



never read those books but I get the point.  Yes I think I have suffered a sea change especially after my sat run in the snow.  I know I can remember feeling so worn out after trying to go a mile.  3 use to feel far.  Now 4 is just a short quick one.  We are so awesome arent we?



Rose&Mike said:


> 6 weeks from today I will be packing!



me too.  I will be probably still stressing over my outfit for the princess too.  Gosh you would think I am purchasing my wedding dress or something.



mikamah said:


> Looking at the snow whipping out my window and praying it looks very different in 6 weeks.  We will be waiting to board the plane right now!!



me too.  Please  let there be sun!!!!!



Rose&Mike said:


> As you all get up in miles, you probably should try weighing yourself just before and just after a long run. This is a good way to look at whether or not you are getting enough fluids during your long runs. Too much fluid is not good, but too little is not either. I have to consume endurolytes before and during a long run and I have started eating salty pretzels immediately after. I can't remember what the number is, but basically you don't want to sweat out more than a certain percentage during a run--meaning if you are down too many pounds, then you did not consume enough fluid which is dangerous. I have to watch this closely as well because my pac's are significantly worse when I am dehydrated and I don't have enough salt. (Between this and the gi stuff, I am not sure why I run--managing it all is getting to be quite the job!)



thanks for this info and glad mike stopped hounding you.  I need to read the links you posted about dehydration but is it better to drink gatorade before or after the run?



mikamah said:


> I think I'm going to have another non-productive day.  Not totally true, because I will have to shovel the snow eventually.



I hope you enjoyed your day at least shoveling gave you your points for the HH. I would say thats definitely 20 min of exercise.



Worfiedoodles said:


> Anyway, I am really looking forward to doing it again next month and figuring out how to have it count! I ran 2M this morning, and I feel really good. Now I want to take off some weight (I think I'm looking at a 3 lb gain after my week in WDW, which I can definitely live with), and do whatever I can to improve. It is clear I need to do more crosstraining, so I'm going to make a real effort to get that going.



The race sounded so great maria.  I have to laugh because as I was reading quickly I was thinking gosh she has a lot of cousins that are all into running how neat is that.  Then I realized Team Ohana. duh! 

That is horrible about your dtag.  I would be furious.  Glad Lisa was watching your time at least maybe if you cant get any answers from disney you have some idea.  Thanks for sharing your race report with us.



Rose&Mike said:


> I thought these were interesting articles about dehydration:
> 
> http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3950
> http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-302--10085-0,00.html
> 
> You can also find plenty of articles saying drink before you are thirsty, etc. I find the whole topic pretty interesting.



thanks for sharing rose I will come back later to read.



corinnak said:


> Oh, I forgot to mention, since this is also a BL thread - I hopped on the scale yesterday and today, and was astounded to find that my weight stayed just the same over this crazy weekend.  I had a good number of "treats" and did not actually count much at all because I had no computer and little access to wi-fi for my iPod touch.  On the other hand, these weekends are so, so different from my normal activity level, to some degree, it makes sense that my eating could be less restrained and I'd still be OK.  Here are my personal rules for eating at Disney:
> 
> 1.  Eat when I'm hungry.
> 2.  Stop when I'm full.
> 3.  Save the splurges for things I love and can't get at home, but do have some fun!
> 
> That along with all the walking, running, and volunteering (plus shivering!) seems to work out OK for me.



thats great.  Thanks for the tips and advice.


Life is just down right busy for me right now.  I have this constant feeling of needing to do so much and am having a hard time relaxing.  So much at home and work to get done and just not enough time in the day.  I am really really really looking forward to our trip.  6 more weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Plan is to get on the TM for 44 min tonight. and also clean up my house.  MIL is coming over tomorrow evening.  I have this thing about letting her see my house a mess.  My parents I could care less.

For those veteran disney racers......My mom and aunt want to cheer me on in MK and then again at the finish.  I am assuming they have to take the same bus I do to the start but what is the latest that they can pick up the bus.  Any recommendations for plans for them or even if this is your first race Do you have any plans for those watching you?


----------



## corinnak

mommyof2Pirates said:


> You look wonderful corinna.  It sounded like so much fun and I cant wait to get there myself.  I love John's outfit.  Is he doing the princess with you too?
> 
> <snip>
> 
> For those veteran disney racers......My mom and aunt want to cheer me on in MK and then again at the finish.  I am assuming they have to take the same bus I do to the start but what is the latest that they can pick up the bus.  Any recommendations for plans for them or even if this is your first race Do you have any plans for those watching you?



You know, John says he is interested in doing the Princess half, but I don't think he's registered for it and it may not be this year.  I guess we will just have to wait and see.

How nice that your mom and aunt want to cheer for you!  Gosh, I know when the busses were for this weekend, but I'm not sure if it's the same for Princess or not.  This past weekend, they were running busses between 3am and 4am for a 6am start for the first wave.  They can take the monorail from the Epcot start up to MK and then back down after they've seen you go past.

That is so funny about all of Maria's cousins on Team Ohana!  We're starting our fourth year together, I think, so we really do feel a bit like extended family at this point!


----------



## mikamah

Good evening!!

Maria- Loved reading your race report, am so happy you had such a good race.  What a bummer about the d-tag.  If they are calling out your name at the finishline, there must be some recording of when you finished, right?  I hope  you are able to get an official time from them.   3 pounds isn't bad for a week in disney, and i'm sure it will be gone in no time.  You are amazing, already getting out there running.  Hope you're all shovelled out and ds has school tomorrow.  We haven't been cancelled yet, but all our neighboring towns have.  

Lindsay-It's so hard to have so much going on and feel overwhelmed.Just think in 6 weeks, it's 5 days of lindsay time!  No housecleaning, feeding the family, work, ah, can you just wait.  And all you have to do is run a few miles.  I think I need to invite you MIL over here so I get this house in order.  I keep putting things off, and off.  Oh well, my goal is to have all the christmas stuff put away before the princess. 

Rose- thanks for those articles.  I am definitely interested in reading them, and will get back to them.

Corinna-a maintain in disney is always nice.  I have been surprised to maintain there in the past, and I do indulge in my favorites.  I try to stay away from fried foods, drink my water, and limit myself to one mickey bar a day at the most.

Hi Lisa!  Hope you had a good run today!


----------



## mikamah

Those articles were great, Rose.  Interesting debate on the drinking before you're thirsty, or waiting till you are thirsty.  I have always been a good water drinker, but when I'm running, I do try to take in some some sodium before and after.  With the cold weather, I feel like i am hardly sweating, but  I know I am some.  If it's warm for the  princess, I will be sure to bump up the fluids.  
The first article had me chuckling.  I can't imagine trying to race after a few drinks, so it must have been a fun study to be a part of.


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> Those articles were great, Rose.  Interesting debate on the drinking before you're thirsty, or waiting till you are thirsty.  I have always been a good water drinker, but when I'm running, I do try to take in some some sodium before and after.  With the cold weather, I feel like i am hardly sweating, but  I know I am some.  If it's warm for the  princess, I will be sure to bump up the fluids.
> The first article had me chuckling.  I can't imagine trying to race after a few drinks, so it must have been a fun study to be a part of.



Did I tell you about the time this summer when Mike came home from work after having gone out for a beer and said ok, I'm ready to run? I said, uh, no, I'm not running with you and scraping your dehydrated butt off the pavement! But he probably would have been fine, I'm the one with the issues!

I'm going to run 4 miles after work today. It's so cold here. (Well cold for us). It's in the teens this morning and I don't even want to get out of bed. Have a great day!


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> The race sounded so great maria.  I have to laugh because as I was reading quickly I was thinking gosh she has a lot of cousins that are all into running how neat is that.  Then I realized Team Ohana. duh!



 Yes, I've been confused by the Ohana cousin thing before, too.  



mikamah said:


> Those articles were great, Rose.  Interesting debate on the drinking before you're thirsty, or waiting till you are thirsty.  I have always been a good water drinker, but when I'm running, I do try to take in some some sodium before and after.  With the cold weather, I feel like i am hardly sweating, but  I know I am some.  If it's warm for the  princess, I will be sure to bump up the fluids.



That is one of those things that concerns me training in the cold versus whether it will be warm for the race.  I am trying the endourolytes that you recommened, Rose.  

I tried a Gu yesterday for my short run.  I didn't need it, just wanted to try it.  It was vanilla bean.  The taste and texture were fine -- it was like eating caramel -- don't know if I would like it during a race.  But I had to use the bathroom a lot after my run.  It could be a problem if I was still racing!  



Rose&Mike said:


> Did I tell you about the time this summer when Mike came home from work after having gone out for a beer and said ok, I'm ready to run? I said, uh, no, I'm not running with you and scraping your dehydrated butt off the pavement! But he probably would have been fine, I'm the one with the issues!



Well, no wonder he used to get you lost!  

Just found out they called a snow day here -- had 8 inches of snow yesterday and rain last night so I am sure the roads are terrible.  Will do a little tag team for work and DS today.  I hate to bring him to the office.

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> :Well, no wonder he used to get you lost!


 Too funny! 

Watch the gu and stuff like it, some of them have caffeine in them, which is fine if you want the caffeine, but I have to avoid it. Mike can run a whole race without endurolytes, and it doesn't seem to bother him. I won't go more than 4 or 5 miles. I wonder if it has something to do with whatever is causing the pac's that's making me sensitive to not having enough salt? Who knows....I am enjoying my salted pretzels at the end of my runs!

I am happy to report 4 miles on the treadmill at the Y--no stomach issues.

Have a great night!


----------



## lisah0711

Thanks for the tip about caffeine, Rose!    I'm thinking that looks like it could be an issue for me.

Yesterday my new compression capris came.  I tried them on with my WISH shirt and they look great.  I could just go with those if I don't like running in my sparkleskirt.  That should be here later this week.  I'm still needing a visor though.  Also going to have to figure out what to do about my glasses.  Originally I thought I would just wear my sunglasses the whole time but if it is dark when we start, I will have to switch to my regular glasses which I would like to avoid.  I would like to see what is around me instead of just a blur!  

Short runs are going well.  May just go ahead and do 4 miles today.  We have the pineapple express so I might be able to swing it outside if the wind calms down a bit.  That would be a treat!  

Anyone else get an email with the program yesterday?  I put a link to the map and the program at the beginning of the thread.

We need to start thinking about a meet time.  Kathy, Lindsay and I are meeting at the Expo at 10:00 am on Friday -- is anyone interested in lunch that day?  Or something on Sunday afternoon?  

I'm solo so I have a lot of flexibility but I know that many of you don't.  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mikamah

Rose&Mike said:


> :I am happy to report 4 miles on the treadmill at the Y--no stomach issues.


Yay!!!  



Rose&Mike said:


> Did I tell you about the time this summer when Mike came home from work after having gone out for a beer and said ok, I'm ready to run? I said, uh, no, I'm not running with you and scraping your dehydrated butt off the pavement! But he probably would have been fine, I'm the one with the issues!


Too funny.   I'm definitely too clutzy to run after a couple drinks. 



lisah0711 said:


> That is one of those things that concerns me training in the cold versus whether it will be warm for the race.  I am trying the endourolytes that you recommened, Rose.
> 
> I tried a Gu yesterday for my short run.  I didn't need it, just wanted to try it.  It was vanilla bean.  The taste and texture were fine -- it was like eating caramel -- don't know if I would like it during a race.  But I had to use the bathroom a lot after my run.  It could be a problem if I was still racing!
> 
> Just found out they called a snow day here -- had 8 inches of snow yesterday and rain last night so I am sure the roads are terrible.  Will do a little tag team for work and DS today.  I hate to bring him to the office.
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!


Hope your snow day went ok.  Must be tough trying to tag team and driving in the snow.  
I am just hoping we have normal to colder average temps for the race.  40-50 to start and not above 60 by the finish.  I'll put my order in now. 

 I also wonder, do we need to carry water, or can we trust the water stops will have enough?  I guess that would depend on the weather too.  

I count my last 2 days of shovelling as my cross training this week, and tomorrow I may try to get out for a gentle run/walk in the snow.  

TGIF princesses!!  Have a great day!!


----------



## corinnak

lisah0711 said:


> Short runs are going well.  May just go ahead and do 4 miles today.  We have the pineapple express so I might be able to swing it outside if the wind calms down a bit.  That would be a treat!
> 
> Anyone else get an email with the program yesterday?  I put a link to the map and the program at the beginning of the thread.
> 
> We need to start thinking about a meet time.  Kathy, Lindsay and I are meeting at the Expo at 10:00 am on Friday -- is anyone interested in lunch that day?  Or something on Sunday afternoon?




It is a tough one about the glasses.  I would expect it to be quite dark at the start, and I agree, you want to be able to see the world around you.  There is not really an elegant solution for this if you wear prescription sunglasses, I'm afraid.  

I would love to have a BL meet - I think we should plan on a larger WISH team meet around dinnertime at a resort food court on Saturday - that is the usual thing, I believe.  Unless it is freezing rain, I will wait at the family reunion tent that includes the letter W until the last WISHer comes in.  I will be wearing the lime, too.

A BL celebration on Sunday afternoon/evening would be really nice.  Should we plan on a resort or Jellyrolls or something?  I won't be in on Friday early enough to meet at the expo.


----------



## lisah0711

corinnak said:


> It is a tough one about the glasses.  I would expect it to be quite dark at the start, and I agree, you want to be able to see the world around you.  There is not really an elegant solution for this if you wear prescription sunglasses, I'm afraid.
> 
> I would love to have a BL meet - I think we should plan on a larger WISH team meet around dinnertime at a resort food court on Saturday - that is the usual thing, I believe.  Unless it is freezing rain, I will wait at the family reunion tent that includes the letter W until the last WISHer comes in.  I will be wearing the lime, too.
> 
> A BL celebration on Sunday afternoon/evening would be really nice.  Should we plan on a resort or Jellyrolls or something?  I won't be in on Friday early enough to meet at the expo.



I'm used to wearing chums on both sets of glasses and switching back and forth.  I can always tuck one set under my shirt if they bounce too much.  Will have to work on that one.  

Sorry that you won't be in early enough on Friday to hit the Expo with us.  I'm thinking a Sunday afternoon thing at Epcot would be nice.  Saturday works for me, too.  

You might not know this but its in her profile so I'm not giving away any secrets -- Kathy is having a birthday while we are there.  Her birthday is 2/25!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> woohoo thats great rose.
> 
> 
> 
> lisah0711 said:
> 
> 
> 
> We have the pineapple express so I might be able to swing it outside if the wind calms down a bit.
> 
> We need to start thinking about a meet time.  Kathy, Lindsay and I are meeting at the Expo at 10:00 am on Friday -- is anyone interested in lunch that day?  Or something on Sunday afternoon?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> First question is...whats a pineapple express??? Im guessing it has something to do with warm weather.  I hope you got outside for your run.  That would be a treat.
> 
> I know Im a definite for friday at the expo.  Otherwise our plans are jam packed.  After the expo we are stopping back at the resort to drop my shopping items off and then heading to epcot for the rest of the day/night.  Saturday night is still up in the air but I think we are going to MK for the main st electrical parade at 7 and wishes at 8.  Sunday we are heading to MK after I recoup from the race.  I think for me whoever I can meet up with at the expo will be great and than I will definitely stop by the family reunion tent after the race.  Corinna I will see you if your still there.  Is anyone else planning on doing that to?
> 
> 
> 
> lisah0711 said:
> 
> 
> 
> You might not know this but its in her profile so I'm not giving away any secrets -- Kathy is having a birthday while we are there.  Her birthday is 2/25!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I dont think I knew this.  How exciting Kathy!!!!!!
> 
> Ok I slacked this week on running but something had to give.  I have not run since my 7 mile on sat.  I may hop on the TM tonight, do my 4 mile tomorrow, and then possibly another on sunday.  I know I should have rest days but they are all shorter runs so Im to concerned.  My goal is to then get one more in sometime during the week and then I have an 8 mile next sat.  This will be my furthest run to date.  I gotta pump myself up for that one.
> 
> I would like to announce loud and clear TGIF!!!  Its been quite a week.  I do have our last flu clinic tomorrow morning but I should be done by 1030.  Ryan starts basketball tomorrow at 1045 so I hope I will make it.  He is very excited.  and.......Its my bday weekend.  Party at my nanas with my family on sunday!  honestly Im not really all that excited Im turning 32 which I know is still young but I cant even remember where the last 10 years went they are flying by so fast.  I just want to be "forever young".  My real bday is 1/18 so I have a few more days to say Im only 31.
Click to expand...


----------



## HulaHoopy

Thank you for adding me!


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> Hope your snow day went ok.  Must be tough trying to tag team and driving in the snow.
> I am just hoping we have normal to colder average temps for the race.  40-50 to start and not above 60 by the finish.  I'll put my order in now.
> 
> I also wonder, do we need to carry water, or can we trust the water stops will have enough?  I guess that would depend on the weather too.
> 
> I count my last 2 days of shovelling as my cross training this week, and tomorrow I may try to get out for a gentle run/walk in the snow.
> 
> TGIF princesses!!  Have a great day!!



I'm thinking that we may want to carry a bottle of water we can get rid of later just to be sure that we have enough -- do they run out of stuff I wonder?   



mommyof2Pirates said:


> First question is...whats a pineapple express??? Im guessing it has something to do with warm weather.  I hope you got outside for your run.  That would be a treat.



Yep, the pineapple express is when warm air comes up from Hawaii and warms up the jet stream here.  Warm being a relative term -- it's in the 30's and windy so feels colder.  I was hoping for 40's and no wind so will run on the TM as planned.  

And don't worry about getting older, Lindsay, because you will always be younger than me -- in fact all of you will always be younger than me now that I think about it!  

Besides I got my sparkleskirts today.  I love the black diamond with the shorts!    Don't know if I will be brave enough to wear them for the race but they are so cute.  I have another sparkleshirt that I can wear over my capris.  Can't decide which one I will try for my run today but I know I will be one sparkley runner today!   

Plus I won a big decision in a court case so I will be a chirppy, happy, sparkly kind of princess today!


----------



## flipflopmom

Okay, I finally found some of my favorite people all in one place.  I'm going to start stalking this thread just to keep up with my Donald friends, a lot easier than hunting you out over there!    I'm so jealous of you guys!  You are going to be amazing!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> but I know I will be one sparkley runner today!
> 
> Plus I won a big decision in a court case so I will be a chirppy, happy, sparkly kind of princess today!



Congrats on the court win , Those are some great adjectives chirppy and sparkly.  Cant get much better than that.  I hope the skirts worked well for you.  I bet it looks great.



flipflopmom said:


> Okay, I finally found some of my favorite people all in one place.  I'm going to start stalking this thread just to keep up with my Donald friends, a lot easier than hunting you out over there!    I'm so jealous of you guys!  You are going to be amazing!



Taryn if you can make it to me in PA I will hide you in my suitcase and bring you along.

I am at work bright and early today but have been missing getting on these boards in the morning so I decided to make a few quick replies before I got started putting together our flu clinic.  By the way I hope you all got your flu shots.  The flu is now all over the country and spreading. (not as bad as last year with H1N1 but still pretty significant).  We had 3 deaths and numerous individuals are in the hospital on vents.  All of them are young adults between 20-40.  SO IF YOU DIDNT ALREADY GET YOUR FLU SHOT!!!  Ok Im off my soap box now.

Have a great day everyone.  I need to do a 4 miler today but have no time to fit it in during the daylight hours, apparently my dh thinks its more important today for him to go with his mom to help her buy a new car.  Im annoyed  can you tell?  So it might be TM for me tonight or I might just push it off until tomorrow where I have to juggle a few more things around to fit it in.


----------



## flipflopmom

At work already?  Sheez!  Crack the whip, boss!  Sorry Mike had other plans for today.  I read an article one time about non running spouses and how they dont' get it, but there was the flip side of both parents were runners, and one would run, they would child swap, then the other, and how it cut on their mileage, etc..  Funny how trying to be healthy can be such a burden.  How long are you working? You will get it in!    You better have a big suitcase!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses!!

I did all my multiquoting, and it went poof, so I won't try to do it again. I've got a house to clean, so let me try to remember all the important stuff I had to say.

I got my sparkle skirt yesterday!!!  It's very bright and sparkly, and though it doesn't look as good on me as the thin models in the ad, I'm going to wear it with pride and act like the nutty princess I am.  I may go with a black shirt instead of the pink, and definitely may need something sparkly in my hair.

Lindsay- Happy birthday weekend!!  Hope you have fun and 32 sounds sooooo young to me.    But I know it's all relative, and since Lisa shared when my b-day is, I will tell you to relax about being 32, heck, Lisa is old enough to be your mother.
On missing your runs, I felt the same way over christmas break, and missed 10 days of running, and was amazed the next week at how good I felt, and really don't think I lost any endurance, or stamina.  Then this week I did 10, and again felt surprized at how good i felt after.  I think the training works, and even if we have to miss a few, it takes longer than a week or 2 to lose the strength we have built up.  
thanks for the flu shot reminder.  It is amazing how sick people can get from the flu, and I hope all the princesse got their shots!!!
And tell dh it's your birthday weekend, and you deserve to get your runs in. 

Lisa- congrats on your case!  And just kidding on being lindsays mom.  Glad you like your sparkle skirts too.  We will have fun, won't we. 

 I'm a definite on the 10 am expo, and up in the air on the rest.  I'd love to do a big wish meet, and it will depend on the week, and where it is and where we are.  I'm going to visit sil and niece in 2 weekends, and we will make a definite plan for friday's dinner, and a tentative park plan.  After the race we're doing epcot and have a 3:40 adr in mexico.  Saturday night I plan to have a low key, food court dinner, and pool, weather permitting, so if there was a big wish meet we may go to that.  Especially if it was at one of the all stars.

I will definitely stop by the W tent after the race and hope I get you meet you, corinna.  

Hi Taryn!!  Wish you were coming with us too.  

Hello to everyone I've missed.  Have a great day.

I am off to get this house cleaned so I can enjoy the rest of the weekend guilt free.  Really this time.  If you see me back on, let me have it.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Princesses! 

*Kathy* -- I really hope I get to meet you at Princess! 32 sounds young to me, too -- I had a 3 yr. old when I was 32  When you get your house clean, mine could definitely use some help -- I'll be getting right on that after I watch my Tivo'd "Hawaii 5-O". I have my priorities 

*Taryn* -- So great to see you!  I totally get the 2-parent runner issue, particularly since dh just trained for his first Full. It's hard when one spouse is running for over 4 hours at a time on the weekend. Even though my ds is older, just getting him where he needs to be is time-consuming. DH is now training for the Boston Marathon in April, and he's decided he didn't do enough cross-training or hill training last time, so he's going to be spending even more time on it...it's a good thing I can mostly do my runs in the morning before work. DS leaves for school around 6:30, and I'm already on the TM...

*Lindsay* -- My entire family had flu shots, we won't be passing it along!  I hope you are able to enjoy the weekend, even with some work thrown in. 

*Lisa* -- I have never seen them run out of water. There are so many stops, by the end I was just taking it even though I didn't really need it. I wouldn't tell you not to carry your own water, but to look at the stops and where they are placed and decide if you think you really need to. Umm...I think we might be the same age or close, so we cannot be the mothers of these young'uns! The babysitters, but we would have to have been pretty precocious to have birthed them babies!  Wow, you guys are going to be sparklelicious! I haven't thought about my outfit yet, I'll probably have my WISH visor and the shirt. Look for the lime green! 

 *Hulahoopy!*

If you want *Corinna* at a meet, plan it at Jellyrolls!   I think that is a fabulous idea! I will not be in early enough Friday to meet at the Expo, so something later would be great for me as well. I will also wait at the W tent, but my wait won't be as long as *Corinna's*! Corral B or C, whatever, she is rockin' out the Half times! 

*Rose* -- I hope your stomach ills are a thing of the past. It is hard to get excited about a run when you know it may have issues...this is another Princess who will be finished and showered before I cross the line -- you guys are awesome! 

AFM: Here's a good piece of advice to learn from my mistakes -- don't try Gu on the course if you've never had it before.  I basically had to spit it out because I could feel it making me sick a few years ago. Only ingest things your body is familiar with! This means if you don't normally use Powerade, don't start it at Mile Whatever. I only run with water, and it's fine for me. If you want to drink the Powerade, be sure you train with with on your long runs. 

I am happy to report success on two fronts -- I succeeded in getting in my post-race recovery runs, 2M Wed., 3M Thurs., and 4M Friday; and I was able to contact TrackShack who runs the Disney races. They found me in the finish photos and video, so I will have an official time which will be in the system by the close of business next Wed. -- I will let you know how I did when I get back from NYC! I cannot tell you how much this means to me, I am so pleased and I feel like now I can put that race to bed and start really thinking about my next goal. 

I can hardly believe it, but I have to go to work and get an application out Tuesday to FEMA (yep, that FEMA -- they provide emergency food and shelter -- I'm a grants professional in homeless housing and services, for anyone who doesn't know), and then Wednesday I'll be catching a train to NYC and staying overnight in Manhattan. I had to promise my colleague I would not go to a Broadway show that night, she's concerned about me coming out and making it back to my hotel several blocks away that late. But, I do plan to go to Times Square in the afternoon, hopefully I will be able to go in the new Disney store. Anyway, I'm in a training all day Thursday, and then I catch another train back to Boston, arriving around 8pm. I won't be able to work out Wednesday or Thursday, but I'm hoping to skip work Friday and do my 10M. I'm perfectly happy to take a sick day, I think it's a bit much to expect me to show up after being away and getting nothing done for 2 days. I haven't been to NYC since I was pregnant with ds, so this should be an adventure. Penn Station, here I come! 

Oh, and in other news -- I committed to going to WW Monday night. I've been online forever and not had much to show for it. I'm going back to meetings in person. I have to admit I do see results that way, it's just not my favorite. But, if that is the most uncomfortable thing I have to do to make progress, I will count myself lucky. 

Hope everyone is having a great long weekend!

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lisa*--woohoo for winning the court case--and I agree those were great adjectives!

*Corinna*--Our plans are tentatively to go to Jelly Rolls on Sunday night. I still have to get with my sister, but hopefully she will be up for it. Mike and I would love to do it with a group! The night after the W&D there were tons of people in there who had run the race, and I am guessing there will be lots of Princesses there Sunday night.

*Hi Maria!* I am so glad they are getting your time straightened out! See above about Jelly Rolls. We still don't know if we will be running with my sister or not or even what pace she is running! Have a fabulous time in NYC!

*Kathy*--good luck with that house cleaning! Ours is getting a little messy and I have no motiviation!

*Lindsay*--Happy birthday weekend! And yep, we all got flu shots. This is the first time I have had one, but since I can't take any decongestants, I was not skipping it this year!

*Hi Taryn!* I feel like we are having a little family reunion! Jude pops on here occasionally too! If you want to drive to Birmingham (that's where our layover is) you can't get in our suitcase! Bags fly free on Southwest!

We got up and ran 12 at the Y this morning. It was really hot! I feel pretty good. Little minor gi issues (well minor for me anyhow). I finished in 2:04:05. I was pretty happy with that. I started taking the align and added the benefiber back in and we'll see how it goes. I have a physical coming up, so if nothing else I will talk to her about it then. It's so funny, but whenever people ask us how we can run so far without pain, I always say my legs feel great, it's my stomach that's the problem! It looks like I am going to avoid the nausea this time, too so that's good.

I need to get serious about my outfit. It just seems like such a big commitment to buy a new running skirt, cause they are so expensive and I know that's the one I'll be running in this summer! So it needs to be just right!

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## Rose&Mike

VENT--which has nothing to do with running, but no one on the other thread will know what I am talking about! Remember when at&t turned off our internet???? We got a bill today for the modem they sent us! After ANOTHER HOUR on the phone and 3 transfers and the guy telling us they never received it back, and Mike saying would you like the TRACKING NUMBER they finally conceded that they should not have billed us. Then the guy asked why we cancelled the service? CANCELLED--we never signed up for it!! So now we have to follow up AGAIN to make sure they actually credited our account. Should this not be illegal? Ok, I'm having a beer. It's after 5 somewhere, right?

Back to taking down the Christmas decorations! Thank goodness we did not put very many up! Makes it easy to take down! I did hang up my gamecock ornament that Tom got me so that I can see it all year.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hello Ladies!

I am happy to report that I got my 4 mile run in. 47 min exactly for a 11:44 pace.  I did the 3:1 intervals.  I like the 3:2 better and the 3:1 only cut 5-10sec per minute off my time.  Im just following the plan! You know my type A personality if I dont follow it perfectly why follow it at all!!!  This drives me nutz about myself.

Anyway.  I think I have decided to wait until a week or so before our trip to get my outfit.  I am not comfortable in a skirt and capris....not sure why maybe its that I wore this style way to much in middle school. but I just dont see myself in that.  Not that I dont think it looks good on others just not what I picture myself wearing.  So I think I am going to wait until I know better what kind of weather we might have and then decide from there.  I am thinking for warm I may either get a black or pink running skirt (seen this both at dicks sporting goods) and for colder predictions I may just wear my black yoga type pants I have now.  As far as a shirt I will still keep looking and just try to find one that is short sleeves.  That way if it is cold I can just add a long sleeve shirt underneath.  This is my thought for today but it doesnt mean that I wont splurge and just order a sparkle skirt or the cindy blue running skirt w/ the tiara on it.  I do need to get a plastic tiara too.  

Thats all for now. Talk to you tomorrow.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princesses!!

I am proud to say I did actually clean my house yesterday and didn't pretend to clean and goof off on the computer all day.  Michael went to a friends after gymnastics and I went for a run/walk with a friend, and we walked more than ran, and chatted, and when I got home, it took 1:12, and I mapmyrun-d it, and it was 4.92 miles.  I thought it would have been less since we were talking and talking a lot.  

*Lindsay*- Congrats on your time!!!!  You are doing awesome.  I still play with my intervals too, and for my longer runs, I definitely like 2:1 or 3:2. I tired out and slow down toward the end much worse if I do the 4:1.   
Funny, on wearing skirts with capris in high school.  I can understand why you wouldn't want to.   Now if the fad was to wear leg warmers for the princess, I wouldn't be able to do that.   Boy we wore some crazy stuff, didn't we.  That's great Dick's has some skirts to choose from.  I couldn't find any in my size in the stores, and I didn't want to invest a lot of money in a 2X because I hope not to be this size for much longer.  

*Rose*- That AT&T thing is unbelieveable.  Definitely aggravating enough to start drinking. 
Congrats on your run!!  I am amazed at your time, just over 10 minute miles!! WOW!!  You are definitely going to rock the princess.  I hope you can find the perfect running skirt.  

*Maria*- I so hope we get to meet at the princess.  I am so happy to hear you will get an official time for the disney half.  That must have been such a bummer for you, especially since you were having such a good race. 
Have a good, safe trip to NYC.  Times square is so amazing.  Hope you have a little down time to yourself, and I think you definitely deserve friday off.  

*Lisa*- It was great to talk to you yesterday, and I must  bow down to you for wearing the sparkleskirt at the gym.  I did think about wearing mine out, but just don't think I can do it.  

Not much going on here today.  I just told michael to decide what he wants to do today, bowling, monster mini golf, or a movie.  Not just tv and video games all day.

Have a sparkly sunday.


----------



## corinnak

Hi friends!  I was trying to put together some combination of the words Princesses, Biggest, and Losers.....but it was not coming together well!  

Yesterday was a shovel XT day for me (almost 2 hours, because though we didn't get THAT much, there was a bunch from the plow blocking our driveway, and our pile is now big enough that I end up moving the snow essentially up and over the mountain) .  I was smart and subbed in in for Bodypump - I really am going to try to avoid going into Princess overtrained, but it's still technically the recovery period for WDW 1/2 so we'll see if I manage to take it easy enough.    On the other hand, I really did not pull out all the stops for that race, which makes a difference as well in how much recovery is needed, I believe.

Yes, OK, Jellyrolls is very fun!  I am so glad it went smoke-free a few years ago because honestly, the idea of a smoke-filled bar never appealed to me, whether or not there was great entertainment.  So glad you're planning for it, Rose!

Oh, I kind of like the idea of having the meet at one of the ALL STARS.  I don't think it's been done before, but a lot of the people I know are staying there, and there will be Expo busses.  We could get a photo on that winner's stand thing.    I will look into it.

So now because this is the first longer race for many of us, I am going to give some unsolicited clothing and general racing advice.  I know it's fun to think about how fabulous we want to look during a race, less fun to think about this stuff, but it is very important to your race experience that you think about these issues as well as you prepare what you want to wear.  Here's some of the wisdom on race gear that I've learned over the years.  I am also including some non-wardrobe race tips, just to get them out there.  

1.  "Nothing New on Race Day." This applies to things like GU and Powerade, as Maria mentioned (I've seen more people feel bad after the GU station) BUT even more of the time, it refers to clothes and shoes.  It is tempting to buy something awesome at the expo and show up with it on race day, BUT if you wear something you've never done a long run in before, you don't really know how that garment is going to work for you or where it might chafe, bind or ride up.  Even things like a tag you didn't notice or a thread that didn't get trimmed quite right can leave you with a nasty, bloody chafe at the end of 13.1 miles, so you want to start trying out your race outfit in the next couple of weeks so you have a few long runs to tweak and refine.  And learn where to put the bodyglide.  And if running in a tutu or tiara is going to drive you nuts, it's better to know now than to figure it out at mile 3 of 13.

Frankly, you don't even want to try new combinations on race day.  Here's a true story from last year's January half.  It was so cold, I decided I had to run in tights, but wanted to wear a skirt over it for, you know, looks.  The skirt I had along had no drawstring and I hadn't worn it over tights before.  Around the mile 1 marker, I notice...my skirt is practically around my knees!  Turns out that particular skirt, while I'd run in it many times with no problems, does not stay up well over the slicker spandex running tights.    I couldn't just ditch the skirt, even if I wanted to because that is where I had my number!!  I managed to work it out by putting my spi-belt UNDER the skirt, but talk about un-ideal.

2.  Use bodyglide.  I almost never need it for runs less than 10 miles, but going up to the half distance...I put it on my feet to prevent blisters, my bra band and certain places on the straps and under my iPod clip to prevent chafing.  You can get it at running stores, obviously, but other good places to find Bodyglide so you can try it before the race:  Bike stores, sporting goods stores (Dick's and REI usually have it) and Amazon.com.

3.  Cotton Kills.  I am guessing most of you know this by now, but I am throwing it in there just in case.  You don't want to wear cotton because it gets wet and chafes.  No cotton underwear, shirts, pants and especially NO cotton socks in a half marathon.

4.  Eat carefully the night before.  Many of us are making ADR's for this weekend, but please be careful what you choose to eat the night before the race.  It should not be too different from what you would eat at home and it should not have a ton of fiber or spice.  They do pasta dinners before races for a reason - everyone thinks it is all about the carbs, but me?  I think it's because it is simple food, easy to digest.  Personally, I also avoid Mexican food right before a race.

5.  Don't wear your race "finisher's" shirt on race day.  Unless your other option is to freeze or roast, many people consider it bad luck to wear your race shirt before you've finished the race.  Many others consider it to be in bad taste.  Almost everyone considers it to be a "Newby" thing to do.  I consider it to come under the heading of "nothing new on race day."


6. Pin your number to your front.  Every race, I see people with their numbers pinned to their backs.  I guess there are some sports where this is the thing to do, but in running....it's the front for a couple of reasons:  

A. Identifying you in photos - if your number is visible, after the race, you will be able to go to the ASI website and find a folder of all your photos and videos.  If your number is not visible, you will be sifting through lost and found for a few hours.  

B.  They sometimes announce your name as you're crossing the finish line.  They can't do that if they can't see your number!!

C.  Crowd Support.  There there will be some in the Magic Kingdom and some outside of Epcot,and if cheerers can read your name, they may just call it out!!  Even at the water stops, you may find yourself addressed by name if your bib is in front.

D.  If there is a problem with your chipped time (as Maria had happen this year) they will use your photo to calculate your official time.  Good thing Maria's number was visible in her photos!

7.  Don't go out too fast - the start of the race is exciting and you may be swept along in the excitement, but every second you gain at the start, you'll lose two at the end because of the fatigue.  Plan to pace yourself as you've done in your training runs and you'll finish strong!

8.  Fueling:  Plan to eat something on race morning.  Whatever is usual for you, OR something bland that will sit well.  I never eat this except before a race, but I like a plain bagel, some peanut butter, banana and milk in the room.  People often bring a clif or luna-type bar to the start if they aren't hungry when they first wake in the room.  One of my good friends likes the uncrustables sandwiches available at the resorts.  They are incredibly caloric, however, so beware.  Again, this is not time to try out new fueling strategies - make sure you try running after eating whatever you decide you want to eat pre-race.

9.  Water:  They will have Powerade at the front and Water in the back of the stop.  The cups will be different for both, and the volunteers will shout what they are holding.  Water stops vs. bringing your own water:  I don't want to be alarmist, but I know Disney did run out of water during one of the races that year it was really hot.  I think they had a lot more demand than they expected.  It has not been a problem since, and knowing Disney, they would not let that happen again.  Last year, I waited 20 minutes in line to get my checked bag in January.  This year, I walked up to a table and the bag was in my hand in literally 10 seconds.  I would expect that Disney will have the water covered.  I do always like to run with my water belt, though - I can sip more neatly from it while running, I can also decide myself when I want a drink instead of wondering where that next water stop is.  It is a matter of personal preference.

10.  Bathrooms - There are port-a-potties at the start, both at the Epcot parking lot and out by the start area.  Many people recommend getting into line and then getting back into line again.     There are also port-a-potties near each water stop on the course and you can stop at the TTC bathroom or the bathrooms in the parks if you know where they are.  For myself, I always figure I do better by just stopping and using the facilities rather than by getting uncomfortable and having to slow down.  But that's just me.

11.  Checking a bag - Some people prefer not to as it's one less thing to worry about.  People who drive often keep a few things in their car.  I always check a bag.  I pack warm clothes to change into and also my own favorite post-race snacks.  For some reason, the snacks at the end of a Disney race always seem to be a little light on salt for my preferences.  Typically they have Bananas, Oranges, Protein Bars, Muffins, water and Powerade in bottles.  I like to bring along some pretzels or other salty food, and my favorite energy bar.


12. D-Tags - there are elaborate instructions for attaching this look to your shoe, but really it is not that hard.   Dont' be tempted to squish it flat under your laces - it could impact the machine's ability to collect your data. 


13.  If you want a massage after the race, they are available (in a tent before the bag claim exit) for $1 per minute, cash.  I suggest 10 minutes - it is enough to get you a little loosened up, not so long that you start to get cold.  Again, bring CASH with you in the race if you have an interest in this.  This is BEFORE the bag claim tent.  Depending on your finish time, there may be a wait for a massage.


And my last, favorite tip:

14.  If you are going back to your hotel room after the race, be sure to leave the "Do Not Disturb" sign out!  Nothing is more frustrating than getting back to your room wanting nothing more than a shower and rest to find that the maid is in the middle of things in your room.  In fact, I usually put this sign out the night before so I don't have to think of it as I am leaving in the early morning!  

All right, I've said too much.  Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!!

P.S.  Maria - I am hoping I will be in Corral A for this race again this year.  If it's a lot bigger than last year, it may be B, but a girl can hope!


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> I got my sparkle skirt yesterday!!!  It's very bright and sparkly, and though it doesn't look as good on me as the thin models in the ad, I'm going to wear it with pride and act like the nutty princess I am.  I may go with a black shirt instead of the pink, and definitely may need something sparkly in my hair.
> 
> Lindsay- Happy birthday weekend!!  Hope you have fun and 32 sounds sooooo young to me.   *But I know it's all relative, and since Lisa shared when my b-day is, I will tell you to relax about being 32, heck, Lisa is old enough to be your mother*.



  Sad but true!  But I'm not too old to be a 

And yep, once you put on the sparkly skirt you need more sparkle.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Morning, Princesses!
> AFM: Here's a good piece of advice to learn from my mistakes -- don't try Gu on the course if you've never had it before. I basically had to spit it out because I could feel it making me sick a few years ago. Only ingest things your body is familiar with! This means if you don't normally use Powerade, don't start it at Mile Whatever. I only run with water, and it's fine for me. If you want to drink the Powerade, be sure you train with with on your long runs.
> 
> I am happy to report success on two fronts -- I succeeded in getting in my post-race recovery runs, 2M Wed., 3M Thurs., and 4M Friday; and I was able to contact TrackShack who runs the Disney races. They found me in the finish photos and video, so I will have an official time which will be in the system by the close of business next Wed. -- I will let you know how I did when I get back from NYC! I cannot tell you how much this means to me, I am so pleased and I feel like now I can put that race to bed and start really thinking about my next goal.



Thanks, Maria, I am definately going to try some Powerade ahead of time because I don't want to find out it makes me sick out on the course.  

I'm so glad that they found your photo so you have an official time!   

Have a great time in NYC!  



Rose&Mike said:


> We got up and ran 12 at the Y this morning. It was really hot! I feel pretty good. Little minor gi issues (well minor for me anyhow). I finished in 2:04:05. I was pretty happy with that. I started taking the align and added the benefiber back in and we'll see how it goes. I have a physical coming up, so if nothing else I will talk to her about it then. It's so funny, but whenever people ask us how we can run so far without pain, I always say my legs feel great, it's my stomach that's the problem! It looks like I am going to avoid the nausea this time, too so that's good.
> 
> I need to get serious about my outfit. It just seems like such a big commitment to buy a new running skirt, cause they are so expensive and I know that's the one I'll be running in this summer! So it needs to be just right!
> 
> Have a great day everyone!



Woo hoo on the 12 miles, Rose!   

Sorry about the AT&T thing.  Hopefully you are done with them now.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hello Ladies!
> 
> I am happy to report that I got my 4 mile run in. 47 min exactly for a 11:44 pace.  I did the 3:1 intervals.  I like the 3:2 better and the 3:1 only cut 5-10sec per minute off my time.  Im just following the plan! You know my type A personality if I dont follow it perfectly why follow it at all!!!  This drives me nutz about myself.
> 
> Anyway.  I think I have decided to wait until a week or so before our trip to get my outfit.  I am not comfortable in a skirt and capris....not sure why maybe its that I wore this style way to much in middle school. but I just dont see myself in that.  Not that I dont think it looks good on others just not what I picture myself wearing.  So I think I am going to wait until I know better what kind of weather we might have and then decide from there.  I am thinking for warm I may either get a black or pink running skirt (seen this both at dicks sporting goods) and for colder predictions I may just wear my black yoga type pants I have now.  As far as a shirt I will still keep looking and just try to find one that is short sleeves.  That way if it is cold I can just add a long sleeve shirt underneath.  This is my thought for today but it doesnt mean that I wont splurge and just order a sparkle skirt or the cindy blue running skirt w/ the tiara on it.  I do need to get a plastic tiara too.
> 
> Thats all for now. Talk to you tomorrow.



Wow great time, Lindsay!    You are totally going to rock the Princess!  



mikamah said:


> *Lisa*- It was great to talk to you yesterday, and I must  bow down to you for wearing the sparkleskirt at the gym.  I did think about wearing mine out, but just don't think I can do it.



When you are wearing a bright, flourescent green WISH shirt anyway, the sparkle skirt isn't the first thing people notice!   I wore it in the grocery store, too, although DS insisted that we were never together and had to walk to the car separately.  

It's fun but I am leaning toward my original plan of black compression capris, my WISH shirt and whatever I decide on for a hat.  I think I will put my INCREDIBLES patch on my hat or shirt.  Next year I can be more blingy!  

Have a great day, Princesses!


----------



## lisah0711

corinnak said:


> Hi friends!  I was trying to put together some combination of the words Princesses, Biggest, and Losers.....but it was not coming together well!
> 
> Yes, OK, Jellyrolls is very fun!  I am so glad it went smoke-free a few years ago because honestly, the idea of a smoke-filled bar never appealed to me, whether or not there was great entertainment.  So glad you're planning for it, Rose!
> 
> Oh, I kind of like the idea of having the meet at one of the ALL STARS.  I don't think it's been done before, but a lot of the people I know are staying there, and there will be Expo busses.  We could get a photo on that winner's stand thing.    I will look into it.



Thanks for all the great advice, Corinna!   

I think a meet at the AllStars would be great because I know Lindsay, Kathy, Jude and JenA all will have their kids with them so it is good to have a family friendly option.  We do have to try and get one picture with all of us together sometime!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Here is the skirt I ordered. I was starting to get overwhelmed with choices. If it's cold I will run in capris and whatever shirt I end up picking. Looking at the temps, I think even if I have to wear sweats before the race, I will be able to run in the skirt.

We had more drama yesterday with Mike's sister's will. I am really burned out and ready for February. We are going to see Tom mid month--hopefully it will be warm, and then WDW at the end of the month. At the beginning of the month Mike is going to San Diego--which is sooooo not fair. I am going to be very cranky that week! I might try to go, but I'm doubting that it will work with my work schedule. 

I think I'm going to find a pink or green or black sleeveless shirt--and may just wear one I have and see about making a lime green headband and ironing on the WISH logo. I found a cute princess iron-on that I might try to put on my shirt and I have a bracelet that a friend made for me that says dlf>dnf>dns. And that's it for me! 

Hope everyone is doing well. Except for being really hungry today, I cannot even tell I ran 12 miles yesterday. I think I am definitely getting the hang of this running stuff. I think Mike has convinced me it is a good idea to run the Kentucky Derby half in April. There are several WISHers that are coming into town, so I think it will be fun.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.


----------



## corinnak

All right - here's the thread I set up for a Saturday meet:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=39563129&posted=1#post39563129

There is also a plan that I've linked to on the thread for a DTD meet on Friday, but I won't be in in time for that one.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Good evening princesses!  I am replying from memory so if I miss anything Im sorry.

Rose- I love that skirt.  That is so cute.

Corinna- thanks so much for all that advice, that is so hopeful to us virgin half marathoners.

Kathy- Glad you got your cleaning done.  I hope you had a great day with michael.

Lisa- just to clarify my kiddos are staying behind with my dh.  Its just me my mom and aunt coming to disney.  

I dont think I will be able to make the meet that saturday.  We are doing 3 parks that day.  I hope it wont come back to bite me in the end.  We are doing AK for a few hours, then DHS, then going to MK for the main st electrical parade and wishes, then heading back to the resort to bed.  

I am off tomorrow with my boys.  We have dentist appts at 730am.  I am hoping to just have a relaxing easy going day.


----------



## mikamah

*Corinna*- Thank you so much for all the advice.  So many questions I think of at times and you answered them, and I will definitely be reading your tips again many times.  Thanks for setting up the meet for saturday.  It works great for me, since I wanted to plan to get back to the resort and chill for the evening.  It will be so fun to meet some wishers!!!

*Lindsay*- Enjoy your day off tomorrow, after the dentist.  Hope your boys don't mind it too bad.  Three parks in one day is very adventurous, but I'm sure you can do it.  It is disney after all.  

*Rose*- Love, love, love that skirt.  So cute.  Some day I will have a figure for one like that too.   Another half in april sounds good.  I started looking for something may/june-ish so that when i come back from the princess I have something to work towards.  There's a half in Gloucester MA in may that I am thinking about.  That is awesome you did 12 miles yesterday and feel great today. 

*Lisa*- Isn't it funny how we can go back and forth on our outfits.  I am probably going to wear a black shirt now, but would like to dress it up.  The wish shirt will be perfect.  I "wish" mine fit.  It will fit for my next disney race, and actually maybe it will fit for another race later this year.  

We had a nice low-key day.  Went sledding for a while and tomorrow we are going to go to the science museum.  The last of the christmas stuff is away, the house is clean, the guinea pigs cage is clean, and all is good.  

If you're off tomorrow, enjoy your day, and if you're working, hope the day flies by.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  



Rose&Mike said:


> I was starting to get overwhelmed with choices. If it's cold I will run in capris and w hatever shirt I end up picking. Looking at the temps, I think even if I have to wear sweats before the race, I will be able to run in the skirt.



Love the skirt --very cosmic!    It will go with a lot of colors for shirts, too, even the black shirt you are wearing in your pic (from W&D?) will work.  

Sorry about the drama.    Remember make the decision that is best for your family!  



corinnak said:


> All right - here's the thread I set up for a Saturday meet:
> 
> http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=39563129&posted=1#post39563129
> 
> There is also a plan that I've linked to on the thread for a DTD meet on Friday, but I won't be in in time for that one.



Thanks for setting up the Saturday meet, Corinna!  I will be there.  That will be a nice way to end the day before I get ready to return to the hotel to rest up for Sunday morning.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Lisa- just to clarify my kiddos are staying behind with my dh.  Its just me my mom and aunt coming to disney.



That's right!  Well, you could go to Jellyrolls on Sunday then if there is a meet there!  

Enjoy your day with your boys today!  



mikamah said:


> *Corinna*- Thank you so much for all the advice.  So many questions I think of at times and you answered them, and I will definitely be reading your tips again many times.  Thanks for setting up the meet for saturday.  It works great for me, since I wanted to plan to get back to the resort and chill for the evening.  It will be so fun to meet some wishers!!!



It will be great if we can get a good number of folks together.  We will have to try to get a picture of all of us the morning of the race.  Who knows when we will ever all be in one spot again -- besides the Disboards!  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## diznmom

Good Afternoon!  I am a long time DisBoard reader.  I will be running the Princess Half Marathon with all of you next month.  Although I am new to the thread, my journey this past year is not unlike many of yours.
Last January a co-worker and I decided to join the local gym and WW on line in hopes that we would lose a sizeable amount of weight.  My first day at the gym last January I could barely walk, let alone run a mile.  Throughout the course of the year I found my "inner Princess" and completed several 5K races and two 10Ks.  I wasn't fast...but I finished!
As of today I have dropped 44 pounds and am 15 pounds away from my ultimate weight goal.  
I am committed to losing those last 15 pounds and am looking forward to the Half Marathon.  I found the Cinderella blue skirt on line and am looking for a comfortable shirt to go with it.  I would appreciate any ideas out there!
I look forward to being part of your discussion.  As you can see by my signature my DH, DS, DD, and I love WDW.  It is indeed the happiest place on earth!


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> We had a nice low-key day.  Went sledding for a while and tomorrow we are going to go to the science museum.  The last of the christmas stuff is away, the house is clean, the guinea pigs cage is clean, and all is good.
> 
> If you're off tomorrow, enjoy your day, and if you're working, hope the day flies by.


Glad you got the house stuff done! And what a good Mom to go sledding! Have I mentioned I don't like the snow?



lisah0711 said:


> That's right!  Well, you could go to Jellyrolls on Sunday then if there is a meet there!






diznmom said:


> Good Afternoon!  I am a long time DisBoard reader.  I will be running the Princess Half Marathon with all of you next month.  Although I am new to the thread, my journey this past year is not unlike many of yours.
> Last January a co-worker and I decided to join the local gym and WW on line in hopes that we would lose a sizeable amount of weight.  My first day at the gym last January I could barely walk, let alone run a mile.  Throughout the course of the year I found my "inner Princess" and completed several 5K races and two 10Ks.  I wasn't fast...but I finished!
> As of today I have dropped 44 pounds and am 15 pounds away from my ultimate weight goal.
> I am committed to losing those last 15 pounds and am looking forward to the Half Marathon.  I found the Cinderella blue skirt on line and am looking for a comfortable shirt to go with it.  I would appreciate any ideas out there!
> I look forward to being part of your discussion.  As you can see by my signature my DH, DS, DD, and I love WDW.  It is indeed the happiest place on earth!


Welcome! Please feel free to join us on the Biggest Loser thread, if you would like. Post on the main thread, and we will assign you to a team!

Did you get the skirt from runningskirts.com? I really like their skirts. This time I ordered one from skirtsports. I am hoping it fits as well as the ones from runningskirts. I am really particular about my bottoms, but for my tops I've been running in tech shirts from Champion. I get them at target and really think they are comfy. I have 4 sleeveless ones and one long sleeved.  A lot of folks run in a WISH tech shirt--but I think they normally place the orders in the fall. Good luck!

Hope everyone is doing well. We are running 4 miles after work tomorrow. Hopefully we can get dreadmills beside each other!


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> It will be great if we can get a good number of folks together.  We will have to try to get a picture of all of us the morning of the race.  Who knows when we will ever all be in one spot again -- besides the Disboards!


Just so you know, I'm a bit of a photo-taking maniac.  I was just noticing i can only take 800 more pics on my present memory stick, so I may have to get another one before the trip. It would be great to get a group photo before the race.  



diznmom said:


> Good Afternoon!  I am a long time DisBoard reader.  I will be running the Princess Half Marathon with all of you next month.  Although I am new to the thread, my journey this past year is not unlike many of yours.
> Last January a co-worker and I decided to join the local gym and WW on line in hopes that we would lose a sizeable amount of weight.  My first day at the gym last January I could barely walk, let alone run a mile.  Throughout the course of the year I found my "inner Princess" and completed several 5K races and two 10Ks.  I wasn't fast...but I finished!
> As of today I have dropped 44 pounds and am 15 pounds away from my ultimate weight goal.
> I am committed to losing those last 15 pounds and am looking forward to the Half Marathon.  I found the Cinderella blue skirt on line and am looking for a comfortable shirt to go with it.  I would appreciate any ideas out there!
> I look forward to being part of your discussion.  As you can see by my signature my DH, DS, DD, and I love WDW.  It is indeed the happiest place on earth!


Welcome and congrats on your weight loss so far.  That is awesome.  The cinderella skirt sounds cute, and I would second the champion shirts from target.  That's what I usually use also.  Championusa.com has a lot on sale right now, and you can google a coupon code to get 20% off and free shipping.  I just ordered 5 new shirts, and they came to less than 50$ total. 
A lot of us here did seem to start our running journeys at the beginning of 2010.  I hadn't realized it.  



Rose&Mike said:


> Glad you got the house stuff done! And what a good Mom to go sledding! Have I mentioned I don't like the snow?


 I wasn't as good a mom this time, I brought a friend with us so I didn't have to keep climbing that hill.  Plus with all the new snow, it was  very bumpy and not a very comfortable sledding ride for me, so i was more of an observer.  
Hope you and Mike get dreadmills together and have a good run.  

It's getting closer, less than 6 weeks!!!!!  

Have a great day, princesses!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> Just so you know, I'm a bit of a photo-taking maniac.  I was just noticing i can only take 800 more pics on my present memory stick, so I may have to get another one before the trip. It would be great to get a group photo before the race.



Ive never done a disney race before with as big of a crowd as we will have but I know lisa and kathy had talked about giving me their cell #'s to try to meet up while waiting for the race to start.  Is anyone else up for this or will it be too crazy to try to get together.  I know we are all most likely in different corrals but I thought it would be cool to try to gather for a little while even in the port a potty line to pump each other up.


----------



## corinnak

I have definitely met up with people before the start of races.  The T-Z tent is an option.  Some WISHers are almost always past the bag check area camped out near the far "gate" of the pen, as far in as you can go.  Makes sense to know who is in which corral, too.  We could post our bib numbers when those come out with the waivers in the next few weeks - that should give us an idea of who is near who.  

Also remember that you can always move back a corral to start with a friend, but if a person wants to move UP a corral, you need to take proof of time to packet pickup and try get it changed there - they have a booth in the packet pick-up area for this.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hey Sparkly Ones!

*Lindsay* -- Those who have already done the Princess can answer better than I. Before the WDW races I've entered there's usually a group of WISHers gathered in the Port-o-Potty area, recognizable by the lime green if it's warm enough. 

*Kathy* -- Are you enjoying the slush? This is a ridiculously weathery day -- snow, sleet, rain -- I can't imagine what's next? 

*Rose* -- It is so awesome you run with Mike! Dennis wants nothing to do with running with me, because I would slow him to almost a halt.  I love your skirt, totally cute! 

*diznmom* --  Congratulations on your fabulous weight loss!

*Lisa* --  You are so good to keep us chatting, I always smile when I see you've posted 

*Corinna* -- Great advice as always! I have one more piece of Expo advice -- if you see something you want, buy it then! Do not plan on it being there later (particularly if you wear any size other than Extra Small  ). I also try to eat light the day before. I don't mean skip meals or just have soup, but I do try to make sure I'm never more than comfortably full, and actually prefer to feel like there's a little room left. Ok, I have one more thing -- I love to have chocolate milk after the race. It's a good recovery food, and for me it's a special treat. 

I had a fabulous yoga class today, really stretched out my groin and hams. I highly recommend stretching parts you didn't realize you have as you increase your mileage, you will feel so much better! 

In the best news of 2011 to date for me, I have a time for the WDW Half! Officially I finished in 2:56:29. This is a new PR for me, and I am ecstatic! 

I'll be packing tonight, I'm looking forward to a brisk walk from Penn Station to my hotel across from Rockefeller Center tomorrow. DH thinks I'm crazy and should take a cab, I want to have the experience of walking in NYC. Maybe I am a little 

I went to my first WW meeting in years last night. I feel like it went really well, and I already know some things I'd forgotten and have been doing wrong. My only concern is my trip, but as dh pointed out -- it's really only one dinner, a breakfast, lunch and snack to get me through 'til I get home. Surely I can't do too horribly, with WW so present in my mind 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ive never done a disney race before with as big of a crowd as we will have but I know lisa and kathy had talked about giving me their cell #'s to try to meet up while waiting for the race to start.  Is anyone else up for this or will it be too crazy to try to get together.  I know we are all most likely in different corrals but I thought it would be cool to try to gather for a little while even in the port a potty line to pump each other up.



Happy Birthday Lindsay!   

If we can't meet before we should definately try to meet in the T-Z tent after.



corinnak said:


> I have definitely met up with people before the start of races.  The T-Z tent is an option.  Some WISHers are almost always past the bag check area camped out near the far "gate" of the pen, as far in as you can go.  Makes sense to know who is in which corral, too.  We could post our bib numbers when those come out with the waivers in the next few weeks - that should give us an idea of who is near who.
> 
> Also remember that you can always move back a corral to start with a friend, but if a person wants to move UP a corral, you need to take proof of time to packet pickup and try get it changed there - they have a booth in the packet pick-up area for this.



I'm pretty sure I will be in the last corral.    I have heard having the email and text updates is a good way to keep track of folks -- if they work. 



Worfiedoodles said:


> Hey Sparkly Ones!
> 
> I had a fabulous yoga class today, really stretched out my groin and hams. I highly recommend stretching parts you didn't realize you have as you increase your mileage, you will feel so much better!
> 
> In the best news of 2011 to date for me, I have a time for the WDW Half! Officially I finished in 2:56:29. This is a new PR for me, and I am ecstatic!
> 
> I'll be packing tonight, I'm looking forward to a brisk walk from Penn Station to my hotel across from Rockefeller Center tomorrow. DH thinks I'm crazy and should take a cab, I want to have the experience of walking in NYC. Maybe I am a little
> 
> I went to my first WW meeting in years last night. I feel like it went really well, and I already know some things I'd forgotten and have been doing wrong. My only concern is my trip, but as dh pointed out -- it's really only one dinner, a breakfast, lunch and snack to get me through 'til I get home. Surely I can't do too horribly, with WW so present in my mind
> 
> Maria



Woo! Hoo! for the new PR, Maria!   

Your story about your walk reminds me of the one time we went to NYC.  We had DS -- who was 7 -- DH, MIL and a brother in law with us.  DH got the brilliant idea to take the subway from the train station to the hotel (we had taken the train from Albany).  We were quite the sight with all our suitcases on the subway -- pretty much screamed tourist.    DS' eyes were as big as saucers watching all the interesting denizens of the subway.  Then when we got off the subway we walked right into the big gay pride parade.    Between having DS and his Mom there DH was pretty much mortified.    But we do remember that subway ride!  

Sounds like your DH has the WW thing down, Maria!    Enjoy your trip!


----------



## diznmom

Good evening everyone!  It is a cold, snowy, sleety, freezing rainy night in coastal Maine.  It makes me even more excited to be in Florida in a few weeks.  My friends keep reminding me that it might be cold, but I can almost guarantee it won't be like tonight!
I got confirmation today that my new Cinderella running skirt has been shipped.  Whoohoo!  Hope it fits!
This morning before work I got in my 4.5miles at the gym.  Hope everyone else's run went well.
Does anyone know what, where and when proof of time needs to be submitted?  On the registration form I listed my 10K time from a race this summer.  I'm not sure what to do next???
Have a wonderful night!  Thanks for the warm welcome.  Dissers are the best!


----------



## mikamah

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ive never done a disney race before with as big of a crowd as we will have but I know lisa and kathy had talked about giving me their cell #'s to try to meet up while waiting for the race to start.  Is anyone else up for this or will it be too crazy to try to get together.  I know we are all most likely in different corrals but I thought it would be cool to try to gather for a little while even in the port a potty line to pump each other up.


I think it would be great to meet before too, if there's time.  Was it Corinna who said she pees 3 times before every race?  I've been reading so much I forget who said what, but 3 times in the porta potty must entail some waiting around time.  It'd be fun to have a group to wait with.  We could plan to meet at the t-z tent, and have the cell as a backup.   I'll have my cell phone with me, and will pm you my number.  For the expo too.  I'm planning to get there for the opening.  Hope you're having a fun birthday!!



corinnak said:


> I have definitely met up with people before the start of races.  The T-Z tent is an option.  Some WISHers are almost always past the bag check area camped out near the far "gate" of the pen, as far in as you can go.  Makes sense to know who is in which corral, too.  We could post our bib numbers when those come out with the waivers in the next few weeks - that should give us an idea of who is near who.


So does that mean the numbers correspond to the corral we'll be in?   That would be great to see who's with us.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> Hey Sparkly Ones!
> 
> *Kathy* -- Are you enjoying the slush? This is a ridiculously weathery day -- snow, sleet, rain -- I can't imagine what's next?


Um, no not at all.  There's more tomorrow, friday and then tuesday!  This is just too much.  Maybe it will end soon so we will have no problem getting out of boston for the princess.  Our after school program called me at work to close early, so that was a pain.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Corinna* -- Great advice as always! I have one more piece of Expo advice -- if you see something you want, buy it then! Do not plan on it being there later (particularly if you wear any size other than Extra Small  ). I also try to eat light the day before. I don't mean skip meals or just have soup, but I do try to make sure I'm never more than comfortably full, and actually prefer to feel like there's a little room left. Ok, I have one more thing -- I love to have chocolate milk after the race. It's a good recovery food, and for me it's a special treat.
> 
> In the best news of 2011 to date for me, I have a time for the WDW Half! Officially I finished in 2:56:29. This is a new PR for me, and I am ecstatic!


Whoo hoo!!  Congrats on your new PR and getting the official time!!!!    thanks for the tips too.  I was thinking i wouldn't want to eat at crystal palace on saturday since I always eat way too much there.  Have fun in NYC!!  It's not supposed to be too cold tomorrow, so it would probably be a nice day for a walk.  Be careful.



lisah0711 said:


> I'm pretty sure I will be in the last corral.    I have heard having the email and text updates is a good way to keep track of folks -- if they work.
> DH got the brilliant idea to take the subway from the train station to the hotel (we had taken the train from Albany).  We were quite the sight with all our suitcases on the subway -- pretty much screamed tourist.    DS' eyes were as big as saucers watching all the interesting denizens of the subway.  Then when we got off the subway we walked right into the big gay pride parade.    Between having DS and his Mom there DH was pretty much mortified.    But we do remember that subway ride!


I'll be in that last corral too.  I wonder how many people like us are slower and don't enter proof of time, and could there be more than one full corral, so some end up in the second to last.  That would be nice, and extra 7 minutes.  I can picture you in the subway.  So funny.  



diznmom said:


> Good evening everyone!  It is a cold, snowy, sleety, freezing rainy night in coastal Maine.  It makes me even more excited to be in Florida in a few weeks.  My friends keep reminding me that it might be cold, but I can almost guarantee it won't be like tonight!
> I got confirmation today that my new Cinderella running skirt has been shipped.  Whoohoo!  Hope it fits!
> This morning before work I got in my 4.5miles at the gym.  Hope everyone else's run went well.
> Does anyone know what, where and when proof of time needs to be submitted?  On the registration form I listed my 10K time from a race this summer.  I'm not sure what to do next???
> Have a wonderful night!  Thanks for the warm welcome.  Dissers are the best!


New england is pretty miserable this week.  We're near the north shore, MA, and so happy the ice is missing us.  what a mess.  Hope you're happy with your skirt. 

Have a nice evening.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Worfiedoodles said:


> I'll be packing tonight, I'm looking forward to a brisk walk from Penn Station to my hotel across from Rockefeller Center tomorrow. DH thinks I'm crazy and should take a cab, I want to have the experience of walking in NYC. Maybe I am a little



Maria Congrats on your official race time.  Have fun in NYC.  I love walking all over NYC and taking in all the sites.  Last time we saw the naked cowboy.  Be careful if you walking by yourself!!!!



lisah0711 said:


> Happy Birthday Lindsay!
> 
> If we can't meet before we should definately try to meet in the T-Z tent after.



Thank you Lisa!  I think we should be able to find each others at the tent.  I am always worried about being late so Im sure I will be there in plenty of time.  Even if we stand in the port a potty lines together it will still be much more fun than being "alone".



mikamah said:


> I think it would be great to meet before too, if there's time.  Was it Corinna who said she pees 3 times before every race?  I've been reading so much I forget who said what, but 3 times in the porta potty must entail some waiting around time.  It'd be fun to have a group to wait with.  We could plan to meet at the t-z tent, and have the cell as a backup.   I'll have my cell phone with me, and will pm you my number.  For the expo too.  I'm planning to get there for the opening.  Hope you're having a fun birthday!!



I think that is a good plan.  For anyone who is interested lets try to meet at the T-Z tent the morning of the race and exchange cell #'s before than.  Oh and if we could maybe post pics of ourself on here too so I can have a visual to go by.  I too will be at the expo for 10 Kathy so once we get numbers I will either call or text you once Im there.  Lisa if it goes by last names our stuff is probably at the same table.


I had a low key birthday today.  Started off with horrible weather here. Snow and ice.  Schools were closed.  I delayed the office to open at 10am.  My dh took nick to daycare which opened at 930 and I took Ryan to my moms since she had a snow day too.

The day flew by with a ton of issues happening at the office.  An old friend of mine took me out for lunch and surprised me by paying and got me a birthday scratch off ticket. Not a winner but it was the thought that counts.  My kids serinaded me with their paper jams to a rock version of happy birthday.  It was so cute and brought tears to my eyes.  I ran 4 miles on the treadmill. and now I am waiting for my wash to get done so I can put it in the dryer.  So overall it was a nice day.

I hope you all are staying warm.  It is suppose to be in the low teens for the next few days here.  Including saturday when I need to get my 8 mile run in. 

On a brighter note.  I checked the weather channel and tomorrows forcast for disney is a high of 76 degrees.  Lets all say a prayer for that kind of weather in 5 weeks from now!!!!!!


----------



## mikamah

Sounds like a very nice birthday, Lindsay.  The t-z tent before the race sounds good, and then off to the portapotty lines.   I think now that i have my skirt, I'm going to worry about how late I can go to the bathroom and then get in my corral.  

76 for a high would be perfect, and hopefully around 50 in the morning, and only warming up to 60 by the end of the race.  Lovely. 

I'm trying to figure out where my sil and the kids would see me best at the end of the race, if anyone has suggestions.  It looks like the bleachers at the end are pretty crowded, but since they will have park passes and the park should be open before I finish I wondered if they might be able to see me better inside the park, beyond spaceship earth, or if the finishline is the best.  I plan to have my cell and thought  I'd call sil at mile 10-11 to let her know about the time I'd be coming in.  Any suggestions, Corinna or Maria?


----------



## corinnak

mikamah said:


> I think it would be great to meet before too, if there's time.  Was it Corinna who said she pees 3 times before every race?  I've been reading so much I forget who said what, but 3 times in the porta potty must entail some waiting around time.  It'd be fun to have a group to wait with.  We could plan to meet at the t-z tent, and have the cell as a backup.
> ....
> 
> So does that mean the numbers correspond to the corral we'll be in?   That would be great to see who's with us.
> 
> ...
> 
> I'll be in that last corral too.  I wonder how many people like us are slower and don't enter proof of time, and could there be more than one full corral, so some end up in the second to last.  That would be nice, and extra 7 minutes.  I can picture you in the subway.  So funny.



Guilty as charged on the 3x to the portas before the corral.  Sometimes I am nervous before a race, so it's nice to have something to "do."  I am not the only one - Mel on the Princess thread (and Ohana) recently said she does the same thing.  

Actually, come to think of it, I often don't have the patience to wait near the T-Z tent for too long - I will try to do better this time, but I usually meet up with people on the other side of bag check.  However, for the first time this January, it got WAY too squishy in there way too early - they were encouraging people through bag check well in advance of being ready to open the gates to let us through.

Also remember, it is a bit of a long walk from the staging area to the start.  Not to mention the walk from the busses to the staging area. At least half a mile, I'd say.  It's cool because it's on this back service road, but it is easily an extra mile of walking all together.  No pacing requirements for that part, of course.  

As for bib numbers and corrals, yes, in the past the numbers have indicated where in the line-up you will fall, though it's always a guess.  I had thought maybe B for January, but it turned out to be C for me.  

As for being in the last corral(s) for lack of proof of time, yes, there are a lot of people for whom that is the case.  If you have done a race 10K or longer, you can bring a print out of the results to the Expo - ANY time will probably get you moved up at least one corral.  Although being in the last corral is not necessarily a problem.  It does put you that much closer to the sweepers if you have any pace concerns.  

So here are the tips for starting in the last corral:

1.  The back of the pack is where the fun is!  

2.  Get to your corral early and stake out a place right at the front.  This will buy you a few more minutes and will mean that when they start your wave, you will not have to jockey for space, you can just GO.  

3.  Don't worry if you are passed by a few runners - there are always a few faster people who don't bother to submit a time and then try to make their way through.  

4.  If someone falls behind pace, the sweepers tend to be really nice and they won't pull you out of the race without some warning and giving you a chance to catch up.  If a person does get swept, they board a van and are be on Disney's timetable, but they *will* get everyone back to the Epcot staging area.  

5.  Have we talked about "throw away clothes" yet?  If it is cool enough for a great run (which it was last year) you will want to bring along a few items to keep comfortable at the start of the race.  The people in the last corrals have the longest to wait for the start - as much as an extra 45 minutes, potentially, so make sure you're prepared.  They collect clothes from the race course, launder them and donate them.  Good things to have along if the weather is cool and you like to be warm:  sweatshirt or jacket, gloves, pants with zippers at the bottom or pajama pants that can be removed over shoes.  Others prefer a trash bag with a hole in the top - very princessy, but I've done it - $1 store poncho or mylar blanket.  If it's really cold, I bring those hot hands warmer things.  It probably won't be that cold on the day of our race though.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Oh and if we could maybe post pics of ourself on here too so I can have a visual to go by.  I too will be at the expo for 10 Kathy so once we get numbers I will either call or text you once Im there.  Lisa if it goes by last names our stuff is probably at the same table.



Happy Birthday!!

I think posting pictures is a great idea.  Of course you've all seen my photos, but I'll post one again later.  



mikamah said:


> Sounds like a very nice birthday, Lindsay.  The t-z tent before the race sounds good, and then off to the portapotty lines.   I think now that i have my skirt, I'm going to worry about how late I can go to the bathroom and then get in my corral.
> 
> I'm trying to figure out where my sil and the kids would see me best at the end of the race, if anyone has suggestions.  It looks like the bleachers at the end are pretty crowded, but since they will have park passes and the park should be open before I finish I wondered if they might be able to see me better inside the park, beyond spaceship earth, or if the finishline is the best.  I plan to have my cell and thought  I'd call sil at mile 10-11 to let her know about the time I'd be coming in.  Any suggestions, Corinna or Maria?



Remember, there are corrals out near the corrals.  You probably want to go once before heading for the corrals, but then at least one more time once you get out to the corrals.  If you have a few people waiting together, it is possible to leave the corral once you've gone in, but eventually it will probably get too squishy to make your way back to the group easily.



Worfiedoodles said:


> Hey Sparkly Ones!
> 
> *Lindsay* -- Those who have already done the Princess can answer better than I. Before the WDW races I've entered there's usually a group of WISHers gathered in the Port-o-Potty area, recognizable by the lime green if it's warm enough.
> .....
> 
> 
> *Corinna* -- Great advice as always! I have one more piece of Expo advice -- if you see something you want, buy it then! Do not plan on it being there later (particularly if you wear any size other than Extra Small  ). I also try to eat light the day before. I don't mean skip meals or just have soup, but I do try to make sure I'm never more than comfortably full, and actually prefer to feel like there's a little room left. Ok, I have one more thing -- I love to have chocolate milk after the race. It's a good recovery food, and for me it's a special treat.



Congratulations on your new PR!!  Fabulous!

I am glad you have gotten some WW answers - Olive oil in excess could definitely do it.  I never thought of it - I use cooking spray for most things, myself.  It's amazing how much less oil you can get away with for almost all cooking.

Good advice on the Expo.  It's true - things sell out.  Also good advice on the eating reasonably the day before.  I know that I like to eat well the day before the race - I probably eat a little more than I do most of the time, actually, but I would not want to go overboard at a buffet the night before either, definitely.  Comfortably satisfied is the way to feel!




lisah0711 said:


> If we can't meet before we should definitely try to meet in the T-Z tent after.
> 
> 
> I'm pretty sure I will be in the last corral.    I have heard having the email and text updates is a good way to keep track of folks -- if they work.




What a great story about your trip to NYC - it sounds like something out of a movie!!!

So are you thinking of getting email/text alerts on your phone while you're in the race?  That could be fun...or distracting, I guess, as you say, if it works.  I may set it up on my phone once we get our numbers, though - for after.  Sometimes the alerts definitely get delayed or lost.  Last year during the cold marathon, we were tracking a friend and saw the 20 mile alert and then....nothing.  We ended up wondering if he was OK.  Which he was.  The finish alert just didn't appear in anything like a timely fashion.  


Watch out for Winter, everyone!  Seems like it's cold, snowy, windy or otherwise slightly wretched pretty much all over the country right now.


----------



## corinnak

mikamah said:


> I'm trying to figure out where my sil and the kids would see me best at the end of the race, if anyone has suggestions.  It looks like the bleachers at the end are pretty crowded, but since they will have park passes and the park should be open before I finish I wondered if they might be able to see me better inside the park, beyond spaceship earth, or if the finishline is the best.  I plan to have my cell and thought  I'd call sil at mile 10-11 to let her know about the time I'd be coming in.  Any suggestions, Corinna or Maria?





Woops - I missed this one.  Here's my suggestion.  At the end of the race, there is a long lead-up to our Epcot entry (through a side door) on the West side of the bus stops.  If they watch you come through there, once they've seen you, they can go across to the place we come out of Epcot, on the east side of the ticket gates.  If they don't want to shuffle across, I would suggest they just set up on that east side - it's a LONGish chute from where we come out of Epcot, pass mile 13 and then continue on to the Finish.  If they watch from there, then they can go around and meet you at the family reunion area with no problem.  The couple of times my DH and boys have been along for a race, that is what they did and it worked out great.

There is not as much spectating that happens in Epcot, from what I've seen, probably because people want to be able to get back to their runners easily.  Are they going to see you on Main Street in MK as well or sleep in a little more?


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hello Princesses.

My skirt came today. I really like it. I will have Mike take a picture if I think of it when I run on Saturday--on the treadmill.

I had a really good run today. I forced myself to go a little slower and I finished feeling fabulous. Until I went to the restroom. Without being too graphic, I came home and made an appointment with my doctor. I have tried everything. I've been on the align for a week. I eat as healthy as I can. This is probably nothing--and will probably end up costing me $1000 for them to tell me it's nothing (terrible health insurance)--but it's getting ridiculous. Anyhow, I'm going to my doctor next week and I'm guessing she will refer me to a gi person. My appointment is Wednesday. I think I'm a little scared they will tell me I can't run.....

I'm sharing this, because most of you have been with me since the beginning. I did the biomeasure machine at the Y. It does height, weight, bmi and body fat. I'm sure it's not a 100percent accurate, but I thought it was pretty interesting. I did it after I worked out--which I read can actually make your body fat percentage higher, so I'm going to try it again this weekend before a workout.

Anyhow--with shoes and workout clothes on:
height 5' 7.6"
weight 142.4
bmi 22
body fat 20 percent
body fat mass 27.9 pounds

This puts me in the excellent category for body fat, which leads to the question, do I really need to lose anymore weight? So I have a little belly, maybe it's not the end of the world.... Anyhow, I found it very interesting. I did put the wrong age in--42 instead of 43, but I don't think that matters. I can never remember how old I am.

I was really nervous about doing this. I guess it's a dysmorphic thing, but I still see body fat everywhere, so this was a good measurement for me. I will be anxious to see what is if I do it before a workout.

Hope everyone is doing well. I am going to shovel the driveway so Mike can get up it. We are getting some nasty snow right now. Yuck!


----------



## lisah0711

Rose, sorry that your stomach is still bothering you.    I think that it will be good for you to get it checked out to see if there is something that will help you and for peace of mind.  Hopefully if they tell you to do anything with your running it will just be to take it down and not to stop it.  

See what the doctor says about your weight.  At this point in time if you lose anything there is no guaranty that it will be fat or come off where you want it.  You feel good.  You look good.  Maintaining has its own set of challenges I know but I think that you are there, girl.  Now you have to believe it yourself!  

What color shirt are you going to wear with your new skirt?


----------



## mikamah

corinnak said:


> Woops - I missed this one.  Here's my suggestion.  At the end of the race, there is a long lead-up to our Epcot entry (through a side door) on the West side of the bus stops.  If they watch you come through there, once they've seen you, they can go across to the place we come out of Epcot, on the east side of the ticket gates.  If they don't want to shuffle across, I would suggest they just set up on that east side - it's a LONGish chute from where we come out of Epcot, pass mile 13 and then continue on to the Finish.  If they watch from there, then they can go around and meet you at the family reunion area with no problem.  The couple of times my DH and boys have been along for a race, that is what they did and it worked out great.
> 
> There is not as much spectating that happens in Epcot, from what I've seen, probably because people want to be able to get back to their runners easily.  Are they going to see you on Main Street in MK as well or sleep in a little more?


Thanks again, Corinna.  It is so nice to have the veteran disney racers here to help us newbies.  
I think my family will just come to epcot for the finishline, and this actually sounds great, to try and see me as we head into epcot and then go over to the finish line.  

I can't believe it's just 5 weeks away! 

The weather doesn't look like it will cooperate for my long run this weekend.  I may go to the Y and use a free pass for the treadmill, but I'm hoping to do 11, and I don't know that I can do that long on the treadmill.  Next weeks temps are looking really cold, so I'll have to do something.  

*Rose*-Your numbers are amazing!  I bet that felt so good to see it all in print.  I think as we get older, our bodies will never be what they might have been when we were 20.  It is amazing how our heads don't always match reality.  You truly do look amazing, fit and thin. 
That is good you made the appointment with the dr.  So expensive though.  I hope you are able to get some help and answers for your issues. 

*Lisa*- Did you get some exercise tonight????  It's not 9 yet, so it's not too late. 

Looks like I'll be getting some more shovelling exercise.  Another snow day tomorrow.  I'm ready for spring.

Be careful if you're heading out in the snow tomorrow.  Have a great night.


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> Rose, sorry that your stomach is still bothering you.    I think that it will be good for you to get it checked out to see if there is something that will help you and for peace of mind.  Hopefully if they tell you to do anything with your running it will just be to take it down and not to stop it.
> 
> See what the doctor says about your weight.  At this point in time if you lose anything there is no guaranty that it will be fat or come off where you want it.  You feel good.  You look good.  Maintaining has its own set of challenges I know but I think that you are there, girl.  Now you have to believe it yourself!
> 
> What color shirt are you going to wear with your new skirt?


Thanks Lisa! I am really glad I did the biomeasure. It really has helped me put things in perspective. I am going to ask my md if she thinks there is any a pressing need to lose anymore, and if she says no, I think I am done. This weight is pretty easy to maintain at. Just low enough that it keeps me on my toes, but not too low that I am stressing constantly. Well, at least I am trying not to stress constantly.

I think I am going to wear pink. I have a long sleeved and a sleeveless hot pink shirt. I have always worn black shirts for races, because I look thinner in the pictures. But I might be a little daring! I am going to go out today and see if I can find some lime green lycra to make a headband. I might try to put the WISH logo on it, but we'll see how it goes.



mikamah said:


> The weather doesn't look like it will cooperate for my long run this weekend.  I may go to the Y and use a free pass for the treadmill, but I'm hoping to do 11, and I don't know that I can do that long on the treadmill.  Next weeks temps are looking really cold, so I'll have to do something.
> 
> *Rose*-Your numbers are amazing!  I bet that felt so good to see it all in print.  I think as we get older, our bodies will never be what they might have been when we were 20.  It is amazing how our heads don't always match reality.  You truly do look amazing, fit and thin.
> That is good you made the appointment with the dr.  So expensive though.  I hope you are able to get some help and answers for your issues.
> 
> *Lisa*- Did you get some exercise tonight????  It's not 9 yet, so it's not too late.
> 
> Looks like I'll be getting some more shovelling exercise.  Another snow day tomorrow.  I'm ready for spring.
> 
> Be careful if you're heading out in the snow tomorrow.  Have a great night.


Oh the weather! We only got about 4 inches yesterday, but it's so cold--in the teens--that everything is now ice! I hope it goes well at the Y if you have to run inside. And thanks for all your advice! I am looking forward to going to the dr. and getting it over with!

I think I am going to go ahead and get new running shoes. I am somewhere between 350 and 400 miles I think on this pair. My knee is starting to tweak a little so I think it's time. Mike and I are going to go after work. I think I know what I want--but I'm hoping they have a color other than blue. I am sick of blue running shoes. I don't need my running shoes to be beautiful, but do they have to be ugly??? Why do they make women's styles in the same colors as men's? 

Maria--are you back from New York?? Did you make it to the Disney store?

Lindsay--how are you? Haven't heard from you in a few days.

Corinna and anyone I missed--

Tomorrow is a short run for us. Somewhere between 4 and 6 miles, depending on what kind of mood I am in and how crowded it is at the Y!


----------



## corinnak

Good morning!  It's a cold one here today (-13 when I was dropping off the kids, up to -11 when I was filling up the car....) and I have a bunch of stuff in the works for DH's show that opens next weekend, so the next week is going to be FULL.  I will still check in as I can.    But it might not be much!



diznmom said:


> Does anyone know what, where and when proof of time needs to be submitted?  On the registration form I listed my 10K time from a race this summer.  I'm not sure what to do next???
> Have a wonderful night!  Thanks for the warm welcome.  Dissers are the best!



Sorry - I think I missed this question somehow - Once again, welcome!  As for proof of time, if you listed a 10K time and race when you registered, you should be good to go.  If you have a better time since then, or if you are worried they didn't get your proof, bring along a printed copy and they can adjust your corral for you (with a sticker!) if needed.  It's not the same booth where you pick up your packet, but there is a separate booth for "Runner Relations" where they can take care of that.  I got my corral changed in 2010 for the half because I had had some much faster races since I'd registered.  They actually have computers there where you can print out a proof if you need it - I did - but it takes longer than printing at home.   It meant I got to be in the same corral as some friends, so it was worth the added runaround, I thought.



Rose&Mike said:


> I had a really good run today. I forced myself to go a little slower and I finished feeling fabulous. Until I went to the restroom. Without being too graphic, I came home and made an appointment with my doctor. I have tried everything. I've been on the align for a week. I eat as healthy as I can. This is probably nothing--and will probably end up costing me $1000 for them to tell me it's nothing (terrible health insurance)--but it's getting ridiculous. Anyhow, I'm going to my doctor next week and I'm guessing she will refer me to a gi person. My appointment is Wednesday. I think I'm a little scared they will tell me I can't run.....
> 
> I'm sharing this, because most of you have been with me since the beginning. I did the biomeasure machine at the Y. It does height, weight, bmi and body fat. I'm sure it's not a 100percent accurate, but I thought it was pretty interesting. I did it after I worked out--which I read can actually make your body fat percentage higher, so I'm going to try it again this weekend before a workout.
> 
> Anyhow--with shoes and workout clothes on:
> height 5' 7.6"
> weight 142.4
> bmi 22
> body fat 20 percent
> body fat mass 27.9 pounds
> 
> This puts me in the excellent category for body fat, which leads to the question, do I really need to lose anymore weight? So I have a little belly, maybe it's not the end of the world.... Anyhow, I found it very interesting. I did put the wrong age in--42 instead of 43, but I don't think that matters. I can never remember how old I am.
> 
> I was really nervous about doing this. I guess it's a dysmorphic thing, but I still see body fat everywhere, so this was a good measurement for me. I will be anxious to see what is if I do it before a workout.
> 
> Hope everyone is doing well. I am going to shovel the driveway so Mike can get up it. We are getting some nasty snow right now. Yuck!




Rose - good luck with that appointment.  It is far better to have something checked out and have it be nothing serious, or if there is a problem, deal with it in a timely fashion.  I am hoping for the best for you!  I also hope you are able to continue to run.

Is the biomeasure machine one of those electrical impedence devices?  They are not the most accurate, but it seems like there's no good, convenient way of measuring this stuff.  Just looking at your pictures, it's abundantly clear that you are at a very healthy, fit level right now.  I'm guessing your doctor, rather than saying "lose more weight, yes." will give you the doctor-equivalent of a standing ovation for your current weight.  Which may be just a nod and indication that you are at a healthy weight.  Think of how many people they see who are not at a healthy weight - you're in the minority at this point.  We don't need to be gaunt or skinny or as small as possible.  

It sounds to me like you've found a happy weight for you, a weight you can live with.  Yes, most of us moms will still have a belly - I know I do.  I am pretty sure mine isn't going anywhere any time soon without a surgical intervention!!




mikamah said:


> Thanks again, Corinna.  It is so nice to have the veteran disney racers here to help us newbies.
> I think my family will just come to epcot for the finishline, and this actually sounds great, to try and see me as we head into epcot and then go over to the finish line.



I'm glad to help, and this thread it TOTALLY my speed - not too many of us, not too crazy fast, race-related questions.  I don't ever mean to be overbearing or assume ignorance, but I do like to share what I've learned, sometimes the easy way, sometimes the hard way! 

Today's Half Marathon Information for the First Time Racer:

I realized we haven't talked about the Medical stations at all, and what to expect there.  If you look on the map, you'll see they have several medical stations over the course of the race.  Along with providing assistance if a runner is not feeling well or has an injury that needs attention (they may or may not allow runners to continue, depending on the circumstance) they also provide biofreeze and sometimes vaseline - don't get them mixed up!  

The biofreeze is a green, minty sort of balm - if you are having a sore or spasming muscle, it can help with that, but you generally take it from their gloved hands or a tongue depresser.  You then have minty on your hands for the rest of the race, though biofreeze is not so bad as these things go.  

The vasaline is there in case you are having chafing issues - it's clear just like at home - anything you can do to prevent a worsening of a chafe or blister, I always say.   I have never taken either one in a race (though I thought about the biofreeze for my shoulders at one point), but they are there in case you do need them.


----------



## Rose&Mike

diznmom said:


> Good evening everyone!  It is a cold, snowy, sleety, freezing rainy night in coastal Maine.  It makes me even more excited to be in Florida in a few weeks.  My friends keep reminding me that it might be cold, but I can almost guarantee it won't be like tonight!
> I got confirmation today that my new Cinderella running skirt has been shipped.  Whoohoo!  Hope it fits!
> This morning before work I got in my 4.5miles at the gym.  Hope everyone else's run went well.
> Does anyone know what, where and when proof of time needs to be submitted?  On the registration form I listed my 10K time from a race this summer.  I'm not sure what to do next???
> Have a wonderful night!  Thanks for the warm welcome.  Dissers are the best!



I know Corinna commented on this, but I would take proof along just in case. We had to use ours at W&D as they did not have it from when we registered and then emailed. It's not too time consuming to get it changed. And even if you don't start in the corral you get switched to (I might decide to run with my sister who doesn't have a timed race) it's kind of cool to know you could have.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Lindsay--how are you? Haven't heard from you in a few days.



Im here Rose!!!!  Honestly I think I have caught a bit of the winter blues.

Long story short dh is having job issues again with his bossess causing him to be anxious.  He wants to find a new job but 1. not too much to choose from in his field, and 2 whats available would be a pay cut and we already are tight on money.  My job is so unbelievably insane right now with deadlines and budgets etc.  My house is a wreck, we are still trying to clean out dh's nana's apt.  Adding in these snow days and figuring out when to open the office, where the kids are going for child care, etc.  I feel like I am ready to loose my mind.  Sorry to vent and this is probably why I have been just reading along and not venting because I cant just lie and say Im doing good. 

This weekend is my 8 mile run.  Not sure if I will do it on sat or sun but either day its suppose only be 15 degrees so it doesnt really matter.  Sat. Ryan has bball from 1045-1145 and then I am going to a coworkers bachelorette party that I have to be ready for at 320p.  I hope at some point this weekend I can unwind.

I also am worried because up until this point I have not used any kind of supplements like GU or sports beans in my runs.  I have felt ok.  My question is do I really need them?  I have texture issues so the only things that appeal to me are sports beans.  I have read before that eating a twizzlers does the same thing.  Anyone have suggestions?  I am thinking I will just do the 8 without anything but maybe I can get something to try for my 10 that I have schedule for in 2 weeks.

Another note: Our meterologists are tracking a "monster" storm that is suppose to hit us on mon eve or tues eve.  I really hope if we do get snow it is a monster so that I can be snowed in and have a day to relax.

Ok thanks for listening.

Corinna- I love your race tips.  

Rose- have you given thought to meeting up with us at the race?  I know you have your sister and mike with you but I do not want to leave this weekend without meeting you and giving you a big hug for all the support you have given me.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Pretty Princesses! 

I told myself I couldn't post until I finished my 10M this morning, and it's probably a good thing. After my train got in an hour late last night, I wasn't looking forward to getting up and running  I am so happy it's done. This was my first long run after the Half, and it took a lot out of me. 

*Corinna* -- Baby, It's Cold Outside  I don't know how you do it, I think I would give up and stay under the covers with that kind of cold. Hardy stock up there in MN! I second the port-a-potty as many times as possible before you enter your corral -- but don't get in line behind me, I always manage to pick the longest one.  Is it awful that I am looking forward to the walk to the corrals because I expect to not see a ton of men in the woods relieving themselves for a change?  I have to kind of laugh at them. Oh! And to add to Corinna's advice -- there is another set of port-a-potties right by the corrals (not nearly as many as by the tents) if you have an emergency...Corinna, are there pace teams for Princess?

*Rose* -- I got in last night around eight, and had a WW deli ziti and sauce dinner, watched some Tivo, and promptly fell asleep around 11. I did indeed make it to the Disney Store, and I have a red v-neck short sleeve shirt with Mickey and a Big Apple to show for it.  I suspect you are at a fabulous weight for you, Congratulations! 

*Kathy* -- Good thing I had planned to be home today. DS texted me while I was on the train the he got an automated message from the Headmaster and school was closed today. Of course, waking up this morning, I can see why  I know 11M on the TM doesn't sound exciting, but it's all in how you approach it. When I'm doing 10, I break it into 2.5, 5, and 7.5, the points at which I stop for a few seconds to eat clif bloks and have a drink of water. I think breaking it up makes it seem much more manageable. Another trick I use is to alternate two speeds for each mile, not enough to be an interval, but just so you feel like it's slightly different. If you're better at math than I am, you can figure out what percentage you have done as you go to occupy yourself. It's pretty easy with 10, 11 will be more of a challenge! 

*Lisa* -- I laughed out loud reading your story about your trip to NYC! Definitely like something out of a sitcom, but hard not to laugh even as it's happening! I saw a Michael Jackson impersonator in the red Thriller jacket in Times Square. I ended up having dinner and lunch at Subway, and an orange and breakfast bar for breakfast. I had snacks on the train on the way back, and ate my normal packed lunch on the way there. I did everything I could to minimize a gain, and I think it worked! 

*Lindsay* -- a belated  I'm sorry I didn't get to see the naked cowboy, that would have been a sight! On the way to my hotel I walked through Times Square, I went there in the afternoon and also to Rockefeller Center. I also managed to see St. Patrick's Cathedral, Madison Square Garden, and walk by the Empire State Building. Not bad for a very short trip! 

*diznmom* -- Winter in NE is not a pretty thing, is it? I was at a session yesterday where most of the people were from New York. They tried to divide people up by states, identifying CT as a separate one. When someone asked about New England, they said go with CT. I looked at a woman from NH and we agreed -- CT may technically be part of NE, but not in practicality...

Ok, so I think I've given a TR in the various responses. My train was an hour late getting in both ways, I'm glad I didn't have any plans after arrivals. I also went in M&M World, which was bigger than the one in Vegas, I thought. Definitely bigger than the one in Orlando. I think native New Yorkers do not eat at home much -- I could not get over how many cafes and diners there were, and I'm not even counting the restaurants. Of course, I had a view of the Radio City Music Hall sign from my hotel, so I was in tourist central...

I promised ds that after lunch we would spend the afternoon doing Tivo, and my legs agree that is a great idea. Now that I have a WW weigh in Monday, I have to hold it together for the weekend. This is actually a good thing, I already have a WW deli vegetable lasagna to heat up when dh and ds have takeout. I had an orange and a vitamuffin for breakfast, my day has started out right! 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I also am worried because up until this point I have not used any kind of supplements like GU or sports beans in my runs.  I have felt ok.  My question is do I really need them?  I have texture issues so the only things that appeal to me are sports beans.  I have read before that eating a twizzlers does the same thing.  Anyone have suggestions?  I am thinking I will just do the 8 without anything but maybe I can get something to try for my 10 that I have schedule for in 2 weeks.



Honestly, everyone is different -- you might be able to do 8 ok without anything. I need something any time I go over 6. I don't really think twizzlers do the same thing, I've been that route and I find I have less stability and more of a "let down" with them -- but again that's just me. I tried doing it with just jellybellys my first year. Um -- I don't recommend it. I couldn't believe how much stronger and energized I felt when I used a real product that was made for this purpose. I've never used the sports beans, but they sound like a good option...I recommend that you have something available so if you feel you need to take it to be able to finish, you are prepared. 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good evening Princesses!!



corinnak said:


> I'm glad to help, and this thread it TOTALLY my speed - not too many of us, not too crazy fast, race-related questions.  I don't ever mean to be overbearing or assume ignorance, but I do like to share what I've learned, sometimes the easy way, sometimes the hard way!


I have never thought you to be overbearing at all.  I love reading all the details you've shared with us about the race.  I feel like I can't get enough info, and I know it will still be an amazing day, but so much better if I'm prepared for it all.  This is a great group here, and it's nice to feel like I can keep up with everyone.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Honestly I think I have caught a bit of the winter blues.
> 
> I also am worried because up until this point I have not used any kind of supplements like GU or sports beans in my runs.  I have felt ok.  My question is do I really need them?  I have texture issues so the only things that appeal to me are sports beans.  I have read before that eating a twizzlers does the same thing.  Anyone have suggestions?  I am thinking I will just do the 8 without anything but maybe I can get something to try for my 10 that I have schedule for in 2 weeks.
> 
> Another note: Our meterologists are tracking a "monster" storm that is suppose to hit us on mon eve or tues eve.  I really hope if we do get snow it is a monster so that I can be snowed in and have a day to relax.


 Hugs to you Lindsay for all you have going on.  This hasn't been a fun january with all the snow it is depressing.  
No advice on the supplements, but I didn't feel great for a while after my 10 mile run, and think I should have eaten something more.  I had only done one pack of clifblocks.  But my 8 mile a couple weeks prior, I didn't take anything, had a banana and water right after, and felt fine.  I did try the chocolate gu and liked that.  I want to try a few more, but havn't gotten back to the store.  I think I'll try and take something every 3-4 miles at the princess, and hope it will keep me feeling ok after.  I think the weather will have an affect on us too, if it's warm, we'll sweat more than we've been doing in this cold weather, so that will affect us too.  I like rose's pretzel idea too.  
I haven't seen the news yet today, but i hope that monster storm fizzles out before it hits you and then heads to us.   



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Kathy* -- Good thing I had planned to be home today. DS texted me while I was on the train the he got an automated message from the Headmaster and school was closed today. Of course, waking up this morning, I can see why  I know 11M on the TM doesn't sound exciting, but it's all in how you approach it. When I'm doing 10, I break it into 2.5, 5, and 7.5, the points at which I stop for a few seconds to eat clif bloks and have a drink of water. I think breaking it up makes it seem much more manageable. Another trick I use is to alternate two speeds for each mile, not enough to be an interval, but just so you feel like it's slightly different. If you're better at math than I am, you can figure out what percentage you have done as you go to occupy yourself. It's pretty easy with 10, 11 will be more of a challenge!


Sounds like a fun trip in NYC.  Seeing michael jackson in times square reminds me of when my brother and I met elmo in times square, late one night.  He took my picture with him, and then elmo wanted some money, but we didn't have any small bills so we just took off, laughing that elmo was coming after us. 
 I like the idea of breaking up the long treadmill runs.  I am going to go out and run in the morning with a friend, but we don't know how we'll do with the cold.  If it's too cold I'll do my 11 miles sunday or tuesday at the Y.  I thought I could break it into 3 mile increments and the last one would only be 2.  

 I might need to bling up my shirt for the race.  All this talk of princess rhinestone iron-ons on the big princess thread has me thinking.  I like the black shirt better with the magenta skirt, and it could use a little more color.  
I need new running shoes too, Rose.  The shoes I get were white with pink/blue trim, and not bad looking, and the new shoe is turquoise/white.  Not bad looking either.  I've been wearing saucony.  I thought of trying a different shoe, but don't want to mess anything up.  My foot that had bothered me before, hasn't been bothering me, so I hope to keep it that way.

I've been looking at some disney race videos on youtube, and this one was awesome, if you want to watch it.  It gave me goosebumps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bMaEk4gMQ0  I don't know if the link will work but you can search, Disney half marathon 2011 all along the route.
 I found it very inspiring, and it was so nice to actually see the whole course.  I posted a comment and the man who posted the video replied back to my comment and was so inspriing.  
this is what he posted. 


> I'm glad you enjoyed the video and more important, that you are focused on your own race at the Disney Princess Half-Marathon. Stay focused, along each mile, believe in yourself and see that finish line... one step closer with each footing along the route! We each are a dream waiting to be realized through our life - trust me when I say that this moment will help to clearly define and shape your Life. The race is amazing, but make it YOUR race, your pace,﻿ your day! GOOD LUCK!


I thought it was very nice of him to respond.  His wife is doing the princess also.  

So hang in there ladies!!  We can do this!  We are going to be princesses for a day in 5 short weeks, our race, our pace, our day!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Here's my thoughts on supplements. (Please keep in mind that it's been a lonnnng month and I had a margarita with dinner and now I'm having a bourbon on the rocks. So hopefully this will make sense!) 

Mike can run a half with almost nothing. Just some water. He's actually done it in training and I think he ran the one we did in September with just water. 

I on the other hand need endurolytes over like 5 miles and some kind of fuel over 8. And believe me I pay for it if I skip it. Gu and clif shots work well for me but not to be gross, they make me burp. I live with it because other than that I tolerate them pretty well. As soon as I stop running I start eating salted pretzels.

On our last dreadmill run we had pretzel m&ms. Mike ate them at mile 8 or 9. He thought they were a perfect pick me up. I ate them in the car on the way home because I was too afraid of dropping them and having them fly off the treadmill. (I don't think the Y people would have been happy about that.)

Anyhow, except for the fact that I need the salt, I don't know that it matters where I get my fuel--though I am careful to avoid gu with caffeine. I think the issue is more to find something that your body tolerates. I really like the idea of the pretzel m&ms and if it is ever warm enough to go outside again, I will probably try them.

The big thing is, if you are going to try something, do it before the race. You don't want to hit the finish line ready to heave. Not a good way to end the race.

I am happy to say that I got new shoes and they are not BLUE!!!! Woohoo! I think the guy at fleet feet thought I was insane. But he did tell me he sold the exact same pair of shoes to two other princesses! Seriously though, why pay a $100 for something that you think is UGLY! I bet Venus and Serena only have shoes in colors that they like! Anywho, my shoes are grey and a pinky purple color. Oh, they're asics 2160s. I guess that's the important part. I actually picked them becaue I loved how they felt--I tried on a BLUE pair last week and called around until I found someone with the right color. I didn't tell the fleet guy that, so I know he think I'm a total flake! I also researched them on line and the fleet feet dude said they are the asics equivalent of the saucony I've been wearing. It's nice to know that I am figuring out what I need and not just depending on the shoestore person. Looking forward to running in them tomorrow.

Maria--glad you are back safe! 

I will reply tomorrow! Going to finish my drink!


----------



## mikamah

Enjoy that drink, Rose.
  I can just picture m&m's flying off the treadmill and hitting other people in the gym.


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> Enjoy that drink, Rose.
> I can just picture m&m's flying off the treadmill and hitting other people in the gym.



Seriously, that's what I was afraid of!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Here's my thoughts on supplements. (Please keep in mind that it's been a lonnnng month and I had a margarita with dinner and now I'm having a bourbon on the rocks. So hopefully this will make sense!)



Rose you seriously crack me up  Your comments made perfect sense which is even more impressing.  Thanks for the tips.  I love M and M's so I might just give that a try.  Although wont they melt if its hot out?  I know they only melt in your mouth and not in your hand but Im sure that has its limits. I can just seem me reaching in my pocket at the race and pulling out a bag of melted chocolate.

Kathy- I loved watching that video and ready his response to you as well as your comments.  I will admit I was in tears.  It has me so excited and motivated.  I searched for some princess video and found a few.  None as inspiring but still fun.  I also was happy to see in jan. that most people had on short sleeves and shorts.


I have my 8 mile to do this weekend.  I cant stand the TM but I am considering doing it on it due to the cold weather.  It is suppose to be in the teens to low 20's both today and tomorrow but very windy and bitter cold.  It will take me about 1:35 to complete my run and I just dont know if its a good idea to be outside that long in these temps.  I will make a game time decision I guess.  I am either planning on doing it today after ryans bball game or sometime tomorrow.  

I hope you princesses had a great week.  Only 5 more weeks to go 

oh how could I forgot to say:  I GOT MICKEY MAIL YESTERDAY!!!!  We got our Magical express vouchers and tags.  I should still get one more package from disney yet too right?


----------



## mikamah

Good morning girls!

I got out with my friend to run/walk, and feel really proud that I did it. It was 15 degrees when we left, and we did 6 miles.  I had my fleece pants, turtleneck, and zip up jacket-new from target for 20$.  I had also bought bondi band headband and neck warmer, but took both of them off before one mile, I was too hot.  The rest was perfect, and my new jacket is thin polyester wicking material, and it really kept me warm.  We were lucky the sun was shining and there was virtually no wind.  We went from her house, but in the area I grew up in, so we went around all these side streets and I reminisced a bit.  She was great, and pushed me to run a little longer a couple times.  We've gone out together a few times, and in the beginning, I felt like I was holding her back, but I know that's not the case, and she seems to enjoy going at my slow pace and having company.  It's also nice that I can leave michael with his friend and her hubby.  

So I didn't get my 11 miles, but tuesday is supposed to be a high of 20, and I will have from 2-6 to fit it in.  If it's crazy windy, I can use my friends treadmill, so I've already decided that I won't work late if they need me to, and I will get that long run in.  After that there's only one long one left.  I never thought I'd consider the 6 miles I did today to be a short run.  Crazy.  What has happened to me?

We also split my last pack of gu and gu chomps to try them out.  I like the gu better.  I'm don't care for the chewy chomp/clifbloks.  Felt like they were sticking in my teeth.  Tonight I hope to get to sports authority and get some sport beans and more gu's, and unless I like the beans, I'll stick with gu.  

*LIndsay*- Good luck with your run, whereever you do it.  You could always try a short route from your house, and loop back home and switch to the treadmill if it is too cold.  The temps are tolerable but not if the wind is whipping it's awful.
Yay for ME vouchers!!!  I got mine this week too, and 3 copies of the same notice that I'm paid in full.  I love to see the disney envelopes. 

Hope you're having a princessey weekend!!


----------



## lisah0711

corinnak said:


> So here are the tips for starting in the last corral:
> 
> 1.  The back of the pack is where the fun is!
> 
> 2.  Get to your corral early and stake out a place right at the front.  This will buy you a few more minutes and will mean that when they start your wave, you will not have to jockey for space, you can just GO.
> 
> 3.  Don't worry if you are passed by a few runners - there are always a few faster people who don't bother to submit a time and then try to make their way through.
> 
> 4.  If someone falls behind pace, the sweepers tend to be really nice and they won't pull you out of the race without some warning and giving you a chance to catch up.  If a person does get swept, they board a van and are be on Disney's timetable, but they *will* get everyone back to the Epcot staging area.
> 
> 5.  Have we talked about "throw away clothes" yet?  If it is cool enough for a great run (which it was last year) you will want to bring along a few items to keep comfortable at the start of the race.  The people in the last corrals have the longest to wait for the start - as much as an extra 45 minutes, potentially, so make sure you're prepared.  They collect clothes from the race course, launder them and donate them.  Good things to have along if the weather is cool and you like to be warm:  sweatshirt or jacket, gloves, pants with zippers at the bottom or pajama pants that can be removed over shoes.  Others prefer a trash bag with a hole in the top - very princessy, but I've done it - $1 store poncho or mylar blanket.  If it's really cold, I bring those hot hands warmer things.  It probably won't be that cold on the day of our race though.
> 
> 
> 
> Happy Birthday!!
> 
> I think posting pictures is a great idea.  Of course you've all seen my photos, but I'll post one again later.



Thanks for the back of the pack tips, Corinna!    I was wondering what biofreeze is, too.   

And I don't know that we've seen your new cute haircut on these boards.    I'm not too worried about not recognizing you because I know I will recognize your pretty smile.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Im here Rose!!!!  Honestly I think I have caught a bit of the winter blues.



 on the winter blues, Lindsay.  Sorry that things are so stressful at your work and DH's work.  I think it is just that time of year.  

Hope that your 8 miles went well!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Morning, Pretty Princesses!
> 
> I told myself I couldn't post until I finished my 10M this morning, and it's probably a good thing. After my train got in an hour late last night, I wasn't looking forward to getting up and running  I am so happy it's done. This was my first long run after the Half, and it took a lot out of me.



Woo hoo on the 10 miles, Maria!    And it sounds like you were totally OP on your trip, too!  

Oh, and thank you for telling me about the black cherry Clif Bloks.  I really love them!  



mikamah said:


> So hang in there ladies!!  We can do this!  We are going to be princesses for a day in 5 short weeks, our race, our pace, our day!!



Woo hoo!    And way to go on 6 miles in the cold -- you totally !  



Rose&Mike said:


> But he did tell me he sold the exact same pair of shoes to two other princesses! Seriously though, why pay a $100 for something that you think is UGLY! I bet Venus and Serena only have shoes in colors that they like! Anywho, my shoes are grey and a pinky purple color. Oh, they're asics 2160s. I guess that's the important part. I actually picked them becaue I loved how they felt--I tried on a BLUE pair last week and called around until I found someone with the right color. I didn't tell the fleet guy that, so I know he think I'm a total flake! I also researched them on line and the fleet feet dude said they are the asics equivalent of the saucony I've been wearing. It's nice to know that I am figuring out what I need and not just depending on the shoestore person. Looking forward to running in them tomorrow.



Ooo, new shoes, Rose!    They sound very pretty.  

Thanks for telling me about the Endourolytes, too.  I think I would have had my first charley horse today if I hadn't taken a couple before my run today.

Well, Princesses, today I did 8 miles -- the longest I've ever run!    I even did it just a bit over a Princess pace which made me feel more confident --  need to work on that negative split thing as the first 5 miles were 14 min/miles.  

I tried something new and did the walking track at the Kroc Center -- yep, 88 laps around the walking track!    It was so nice to get off the dreadmill and I could run a lap and walk a lap.  It was pretty warm there, too, as the track is elevated.  The last half hour I walked with the nurse from my doctor's office -- I got her started doing the 
C25K!    She told me that I look like I've lost a lot of weight since she saw me in October which of course made me feel great, too.

The only question I have is whether I could do another 5 miles after this -- right now I'm thinking .  I could have done better with hydration and fuel and luckily have some time to work on that.  I'm feeling pretty philosophical about the race today which I think is a good place to be!  

Enjoy your week-end Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--sending you a . I'm sorry the work stuff is flaring up again. I hope you got your run in today. I am tentatively planning to make the Saturday meet, and hoping to meet up with everyone before the race. And I'm also still gunning for Jelly Rolls's Sunday night. I talked to my sister today, and mentioned we were going to try to meet up with some folks and that they were welcome to come along and she was cool with whatever. I think I just need to put a plan together and if they want to do something else they can.

My 19 yo niece has a nasty case of mono--and her boyfriend broke up with her last night! I feel so bad for her. My sister said she was sobbing and puking at the same time! Poor thing.

Maria--glad you made it home safely! Woohoo for getting that 10m in!
I hope WW goes well on Monday!

Kathy--I am so impressed with you going in out in those temps! Have I mentioned I do not like the cold? A lot of our neighborhood streets are covered in ice still, so I'm impressed that you were able to go outside! It's really nice to run with someone, isn't it? Makes the time go faster!

Lisa--Great job on 8 miles! And thanks for the reminder, we need to order some more endurolytes. How on earth did you count 88 laps? I think I would have lost track too many times! I'm glad you are feeling good about things today.

Well we did 6 on the dreadmill at the Y. No stomach issues--go figure. Who knows why everything was fine this time, but the 4 miles on Thursday was a mess. I honestly cannot see a pattern, except for maybe not enough potty fairy visits on certain days. I did a ton of research yesterday and I am starting to throw around the idea of a gluten allergy. I have too many annoying things going on--the hair loss, pacs, horribly irregular tom, chronic gi issues, feeling like I am constantly fighting off mild depression. Anyhow, we'll see what she says. Can you imagine--gluten free vegetarian?? Doesn't sound like fun.

I ran in my shoes. I really liked them. I did have to stop at 3 miles and adjust the laces because my left foot was going to sleep, but I've had this issue before, and usually just takes getting my laces situated. My knee that has been tweaking feels great, so it was definitely time for new shoes!

Here is a picture of me in my new skirt and new shoes.





Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!

Holy Cannoli Batman! I just realized I had a pr for 6 miles today! My new shoes made me fast!!


----------



## mikamah

Good evening everyone.

We just got back from Snow Tubing with the scouts, and it was so much fun, we stayed out there the full 3 hours and then were starving so we went to papa ginos, and all I could think of while we waited for our food was Maria's words, "hunger is not an emergency"  but man we were hungry.  But I did control myself and had a small salad and only 3 small slices.  

*LIsa*- Nice job on the 8 miles, wow, 88 laps is a lot of laps, but it sounds like it was nice to be really walking versus the treadmill.    So exciting to be a princess pace, and you will be just fine for the princess.  and of course you would have been able to do another 5 miles, just 2 more to be at 10, and then the sweepers should leave us alone, and the last 3 we will be so thrilled and excited, we'll sail on through.  We can help each other in the beginning not to go too fast.  I've done 4 5ks, and each one I still go out faster than I'd like, but a little better than the one before.  It is just so exciting in the beginning of the race.   We can do this!!!

*Rose*What a cute picture.  Love the pink with the skirt.  I'm still going back on forth with the pink or black top.  I like pink better, but look better in black.  Ah, vanity.  Congrats on your new PR, and no gi issues.  I hope you are able to get this all figured out quickly.  And, in the pic, where exactly is that belly you speak of?????  You look fabulous.  
I have heard you don't like cold somewhere.   We were mainly on quiet side streets and there was still some snow and ice in spots, and we walked very gingerly over those areas.  It's funny, 2 months ago I never would have thought I'd be out there with this much snow, but the thought of the treadmill for so long has me out in the cold.  
I hope you can make the sat meet.  Michael and I will be there, and depending on the day, sil and niece.  I figure he and I will come back and chill for the evening, swim hopefully, and call it an early night.  He and my niece get along really well most of the time, but we haven't shared a hotel room for a week before, so they may benefit from some time apart too.  

Off to catch up on Team Donald!!  Have a nice evening.


----------



## jennz

Hi everyone!  I'm just popping in to say hello to my old friends.   Not doing the princess but will be working the phones that weekend!  It's getting close!

I haven't read the thread but while scrolling down to reply two things popped out at me:  biofreeze - that is THE BEST!  DH and I use it when we get sore, and DD swears by it for cheer and tumbling pain.  That with the KT tape solves just about anything.

The other thing that popped out at me...Rose!    Girl you look great!  And I love the socks!


----------



## lisah0711

jennz said:


> Hi everyone!  I'm just popping in to say hello to my old friends.   Not doing the princess but will be working the phones that weekend!  It's getting close!
> 
> I haven't read the thread but while scrolling down to reply two things popped out at me:  biofreeze - that is THE BEST!  DH and I use it when we get sore, and DD swears by it for cheer and tumbling pain.  That with the KT tape solves just about anything.
> 
> The other thing that popped out at me...Rose!    Girl you look great!  And I love the socks!



*jennz!*   So nice to see you!    Maybe next year you can join us.    Come back and chat with us and tell us how you are doing.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Lovely Blingy Ladies!

*Jennz* -- Lovely to see you! Please do stop in as you are able! 

*Kathy* -- That quote is a good one. It's not original, but I try to remember it. It's just good to recall that you don't have to eat every time you are the slightest bit hungry, and you can wait for your next scheduled meal or snack and nothing "bad" will happen... You did your miles outside in this weather?!  You are the Woman! 

*Rose* -- The photo is fantabulous, and do you have any idea how happy you look?! That is the best part, you look like you could not be any more delighted!  Congrats on the PR!

*Lisa* -- Great job on 8M! And 88 laps?! You have the patience of Job! I have no doubt you do look like you have lost weight -- because you have! You have a fantastic attitude, and you are doing a great job. 

*Lindsay* -- Did you end up outside or in for your LR? I am a little discombobulated because I'm not going to get Mickey mail this time. I booked my room at All-Star Sports through AAA because of the better discount, but now I'm not sure how to access ME, etc. I guess I'm going to have to make a phone call to figure this out. 


I ran my 3M this morning, and I'm ready to start my week, or I will be after I finish  I have to have everything done by three when my house becomes Football Playoffs Central. We're not having anyone over, but we like to just be able to relax and enjoy the games. Since my beloved Patriots are not playing (major Sigh  ), this will really be a good family time without any tension...

This will be the only full week I'm working in Jan., so it's going to feel weird. I hope I get used to it, because this is my real life  It's going to be odd because my assistant/co-worker is still out on a medical leave, and probably won't be back until the middle of February. My boss informed me she's getting a temp, honestly I think I'd rather just do things myself, but whatever.  This is my work buddy who I spend a ridiculous amount of time talking with and e-mailing, we're very tight. It's going to feel funny to be there without her, and I won't have anyone I can share the injustice of the day with (not sure what it will be, but there always is one -- some are just silly and some make you want to scream  )

I have my exercise and menu plan for the week -- I'm saving all my weekly points for ds's birthday on Saturday. He already informed me he wants to go out for ice cream for lunch. He's having a sleepover the night before, so I can eat my normal food at home then. I'm also planning on eating one of every fruit and vegetable we have while I watch 6 hours of football. I don't think I will really be that hungry -- but I figure it's better to already plan that if I get hungry I'm reaching for sugar snap peas instead of chips! 

I hope everyone is planning on a wonderful week of good training and healthy eating! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> Good evening everyone.
> 
> We just got back from Snow Tubing with the scouts, and it was so much fun, we stayed out there the full 3 hours and then were starving so we went to papa ginos, and all I could think of while we waited for our food was Maria's words, "hunger is not an emergency"  but man we were hungry.  But I did control myself and had a small salad and only 3 small slices.


Look at you, you little snow bunny! Very impressive! I like to wear black for races, too. Because then if I have poor posture when they are taking a picture I don't look as slouchy! So if I wear pink, I will be spending the whole race "tucking my core" which I should be doing anyway, but often get lazy about! Yes, it's a vanity thing. But I have yet to have a race picture that I've wanted to print! Mike and I were not in any wine and dine pictures--not even at the finish. Everytime we were near a photographer, there was someone more interesting I think--one time snow white was running beside us. When we finished there was a race walker finishing at the same time. Tom didn't even see us finish because he was too busy watching the race walker! 

*Jennifer*, I have missed you! We really need to meet half way when the weather calms down and have lunch!

Maria--sounds like you all have a great afternoon planned. And I hope this week goes by fast for you. Next week is going to be a long week for me--Mike is going to San Diego (starting the 31st). It's so not fair! (Where is the pouty smiley?). 

Thank you so much for saying I looked happy in that picture. It really meant a lot to me. (And for all the other complements, everyone). I am happy. And I haven't always been happy. But I feel like I am at a pretty good place, and even when things are a little rough like they have been lately, it's nice to be reminded that overall life is really good.

I, too, have done my exercise and menu plan for the week! We are running 13 (uggh) on Saturday. It might be warm enough (meaning above 40) to go outside. I told you all this summer I refused to be cranky about the heat, because I knew I would hate the cold more--and I do! Mike and I had this long discussion about whether (since we might run with my sister) we could do just 10 or 11 this weekend. He said--if you run without her, are you running it for time. Uggh. So, I guess we will go for 13 this weekend. Maybe the sun will come out and we'll have one of our really warm winter days! (I looked it up--the record high for that day was 73 in 1975 and the average is 42. I could live with 42!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend! And I'm only saying this for Mike--go Packers!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> I got out with my friend to run/walk, and feel really proud that I did it. It was 15 degrees when we left, and we did 6 miles.



Great Job Kathy.  Thats nice you have a running buddy.  I am finding that now that I am running longer runs, I am getting a bit lonely.  It could be the cold weather that has me feeling that way too.  



lisah0711 said:


> Well, Princesses, today I did 8 miles -- the longest I've ever run!    I even did it just a bit over a Princess pace which made me feel more confident --  need to work on that negative split thing as the first 5 miles were 14 min/miles.



Woohoo Lisa!!!!  Great Job.  that was alot of laps.  I was having the same feeling after my run today too.  Almost like a panicy feeling of can I go 5 more????  I know we can, and we will!



Rose&Mike said:


> and hoping to meet up with everyone before the race.



Thats great rose!!!  
Sorry to hear about your neice.  poor thing, as if mono isnt bad enough.
when is your actual doctors appt?  You do have a bunch of things going on, all of them could be entirely normal but worth mentioning.  I have been having such issues with my hair since I started loosing weight and running.  It has gotten so thin, I mean really thin that it freaks me out.  I kinda figured and heard it is normal.  Im afraid to go to the doctor because I am afraid that he will tell me that something is wrong with me. 




mikamah said:


> We just got back from Snow Tubing with the scouts, and it was so much fun, we stayed out there the full 3 hours and then were starving so we went to papa ginos, and all I could think of while we waited for our food was Maria's words, "hunger is not an emergency"  but man we were hungry.  But I did control myself and had a small salad and only 3 small slices.



thats sounds like so much fun Kathy.  It is hard not to see it as an emergency when you are starving.  I think you did a great job!!!!!



Worfiedoodles said:


> I have my exercise and menu plan for the week -- I'm saving all my weekly points for ds's birthday on Saturday. He already informed me he wants to go out for ice cream for lunch. He's having a sleepover the night before, so I can eat my normal food at home then. I'm also planning on eating one of every fruit and vegetable we have while I watch 6 hours of football. I don't think I will really be that hungry -- but I figure it's better to already plan that if I get hungry I'm reaching for sugar snap peas instead of chips!



great job on the planning!  That makes such the difference.  I hope your week goes well and that the temp doesnt cause to much pain.



Rose&Mike said:


> Thank you so much for saying I looked happy in that picture. It really meant a lot to me. (And for all the other complements, everyone). I am happy. And I haven't always been happy. But I feel like I am at a pretty good place, and even when things are a little rough like they have been lately, it's nice to be reminded that overall life is really good.



I agree you do look happy and very fit I might add.  I love the skirt and those socks are so cute.  I think you have picked a great outfit.  Just for planning purposes for me.....do you have a short sleeve shirt you are bringing as a back up or are you just thinking its going to be cold.  

I dont know why I have so much anxiety about what to wear....I actually drive myself nuts.  I want to purchase this short sleeve shirt I found online but am afraid that I will be too cold.  I wore short sleeves in my race last fall and it was in the low 50's.  

Ok princessess!!!!  big news......I did it! 8 miles outside in the 15 degree weather.  Hurddled mounds of snow, ran through a few inches of snow on pavements that werent shoveled. I really think I have gone insane.  

I cant say it was a great run, but it was my longest yet.  At about mile 6 my left buttock muscle felt strained and my hips were hurting.  I felt a little pooped in the last mile too.  I really need to figure out my energy supplement plan.  I think last nights party played a part too.  I had 3 beers and 2 shots...(peer pressure)! I didnt get to sleep until 130am and my little guy had us up at 6am.  So I am thinking that could be part of it.  I still finished with a 12:22 pace and I am totally happy with that.  

I hope you all have a very princessy week.


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Woohoo Lisa!!!!  Great Job.  that was alot of laps.  I was having the same feeling after my run today too.  Almost like a panicy feeling of can I go 5 more????  I know we can, and we will!
> 
> I cant say it was a great run, but it was my longest yet.  At about mile 6 my left buttock muscle felt strained and my hips were hurting.  I felt a little pooped in the last mile too.  I really need to figure out my energy supplement plan.  I think last nights party played a part too.  I had 3 beers and 2 shots...(peer pressure)! I didnt get to sleep until 130am and my little guy had us up at 6am.  So I am thinking that could be part of it.  I still finished with a 12:22 pace and I am totally happy with that.
> 
> I hope you all have a very princessy week.



I definately think you could go another 5, Lindsay, after doing 8 this week-end under less than ideal conditions and still doing a 12:22 pace!   

And did you see your ticker today?!? It say's ONE MONTH! (I know your ticker is set to when you leave )



Rose&Mike said:


> So if I wear pink, I will be spending the whole race "tucking my core" which I should be doing anyway, but often get lazy about! Yes, it's a vanity thing. But I have yet to have a race picture that I've wanted to print! Mike and I were not in any wine and dine pictures--not even at the finish. Everytime we were near a photographer, there was someone more interesting I think--one time snow white was running beside us. When we finished there was a race walker finishing at the same time. Tom didn't even see us finish because he was too busy watching the race walker!



You can tell that you run with a chi runner, Rose, worrying about "tucking your core" -- you really don't have much to tuck, girl!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> I hope everyone is planning on a wonderful week of good training and healthy eating!



Sounds like you have your plan all set and are ready to go, Maria!  

Hope all you folks in the northeast get to warm up a bit soon.  I saw that they thought that these would be the coldest temps of the year so warmer weather is coming! 

Get to do two short runs and 6 this week and then the ten miler on 2/5.  It will all be taper down after that!    I have someone running with me on Wednesday and Saturday so that will make the time pass more quickly, too.  Still feeling philosophical so I'm happy about that.  

And the 88 laps wasn't too bad because I would just could 11 for each mile and start over.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princesses!!!!

*Jennz*- It's so good to see you again.  I've missed you.

*Lindsay*- Nice job on the run yesterday, Lindsay.  Isn't it amazing you got out there in 15 degree weather and did it?  Awesome!!  I know I was more tense saturday with snow and ice on the ground, and maybe you were too and that is why your buttock was feeling strained.  How do you feel today?  I know you could have gone another 5, and in 5 weeks you will, no problem.   I'm writing a note to myself not to drink 3 beers and do 2 shots the night before the princess.  I'm amazed you were able to do the full 8!!  Nice job!!!  

Oh, what to wear is toughey.  This cold weather running is helping.  I get hot easy, and will get a throwaway zip up, and have the short sleeve under, unless it's going to be really cold, and then may wear a keeper longsleeve and tie it around my waist if I get hot.  I'm good in capris if it's 30 or above.  I guess we need to have several options and wait and see.  If you love the short sleeve shirt, and it's cold, could you have long sleeve shirt to wear under it? 

*Maria*- Are you cold enough?  Have a good week, back in the swing of full time.  I really hate how working can interfere with all I want to do. Love your plan to eat every fruit and vegie during the games.  What a great plan.   

*Rose*- Now, what is mike wearing for the race?   If you get him in a beautiful, flashy tu-tu and sparkly tiara, I bet they will get a great pic of the two of you.  Only having done a  couple races, I'm guessing it's hard to be happy with the pics.   I was happy with my last pics because they looked better than the race before, but nothing I'd want displayed at home.   13 next weekend!!  You are there, girl!!!!

*Lisa*- How are you feeling after your 8 on saturday?  Hope just fine.  It's hard to believe it is coming so quickly.  

*Corinna*- Hello there. 

It feels weird to think I'm excited it's supposed to be 20 tomorrow so I can get my long run in.  I'm still amazed I'm doing this.  I talked to my sil Beth last night and she did some running on the treadmill at the gym this week, so I may have another running buddy!!!  We're going to sign the kids up for the 1 mile kids run on saturday.  I've heard they're a lot of fun, and they will love to get a t-shirt and medal.  We're going out to visit them next weekend, and will make some more plans.  

Stay warm, princesses!!  Have a great day and week!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> And did you see your ticker today?!? It say's ONE MONTH! (I know your ticker is set to when you leave )



Yep 30 days from today I will be preparing to get on the plane and lisa you will already be there. actually now that I think of it Im sure its 31 days, I think my ticker is a bit messed up. Either way its getting close.



mikamah said:


> It feels weird to think I'm excited it's supposed to be 20 tomorrow so I can get my long run in.  I'm still amazed I'm doing this.  I talked to my sil Beth last night and she did some running on the treadmill at the gym this week, so I may have another running buddy!!!  We're going to sign the kids up for the 1 mile kids run on saturday.  I've heard they're a lot of fun, and they will love to get a t-shirt and medal.  We're going out to visit them next weekend, and will make some more plans.



Oh that will be so fun for michael and his cousin.  Make sure he wears a bright colored shirt so you can pick him out in the huge crowd of people.  I was just looking at pics of the kids mile from marathon wkend and there was a ton of kids.  

My left hip and butt is a bit sore today, actually I now have a limp.  Its worse when I first stand up after sitting for awhile so I think its just muscular.  Im sure in a day or two it will be better.  Yes Kathy note to self no drinks the night before the race.

It was 1 degree this morning when I left for work.  It is so cold its painful.  I hope it warms up soon.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hi Princesses! I'm running 4 miles after work at the Y. So cross your fingers that my intestines behave! I saw the forecast for Saturday and it's up to 44!!! Woohoo! We should be able to run outside! Very exciting!

Have a great day.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Hi Princesses! I'm running 4 miles after work at the Y. So cross your fingers that my intestines behave! I saw the forecast for Saturday and it's up to 44!!! Woohoo! We should be able to run outside! Very exciting!
> 
> Have a great day.



hey rose!  Its funny that we are cheering for 40 degree weather.  I hope you get to run outside.  It will be such a treat for you.

Hi Ladies!!!!  Good news is my hip/butt is feeling much better so it wasnt any injury just some soreness.  I am planning to get a run in tonight on the TM.  We are now only suppose to have a wintery mess mixing with some late day snow so the monster storm that they were predicting is not coming.  It will just be enough to cause a  headache for me.  I really could have used a snow day but that requires near blizzard conditions for me so no such luck.

Have a princessy day.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning, Princesses!  



mikamah said:


> It feels weird to think I'm excited it's supposed to be 20 tomorrow so I can get my long run in.  I'm still amazed I'm doing this.  I talked to my sil Beth last night and she did some running on the treadmill at the gym this week, so I may have another running buddy!!!  We're going to sign the kids up for the 1 mile kids run on saturday.  I've heard they're a lot of fun, and they will love to get a t-shirt and medal.  We're going out to visit them next weekend, and will make some more plans.



If Beth and the kids get excited and decide to do the Princess 5K we can go and scream team 'em -- and you if you decided to go too.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Yep 30 days from today I will be preparing to get on the plane and lisa you will already be there. actually now that I think of it Im sure its 31 days, I think my ticker is a bit messed up. Either way its getting close.



It will start going fast now!   Hope your derriere feels better today.  It's funny how those long runs make things ache that you forgot you had!  



Rose&Mike said:


> Hi Princesses! I'm running 4 miles after work at the Y. So cross your fingers that my intestines behave! I saw the forecast for Saturday and it's up to 44!!! Woohoo! We should be able to run outside! Very exciting!
> 
> Have a great day.



  Anything to get off the TM is a reason to celebrate!  

I'm actually didn't feel too bad after my 8 miles around the track.  I will do a short run tomorrow with my friend around the track at lunch and then my 6 miles on Saturday on the track as well.  

I did cross training yesterday.  It was the first routine that I ever did with my trainer in the fall.  I finished it in 20 minutes and rode the bike for 10 minutes.  The first time I did it I had to lie down for an hour!    So I feel pretty strong and ready today.  

Looks like there are some more folks going to the Saturday WISH meet.  Thanks for organizing that, Corinna!    I'll be so happy to see you all!  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Powerful Princesses! 

I should be working on an application, but I'm just not "feeling it" yet this morning -- chatting for a few minutes should get the creative juices warmed up nicely! 

*Lisa *WISH meets are fun -- I encourage everyone to come to as many as you can! It's great to finally meet the people you've been chatting with, and finally be able to give them a real rather than virtual 

*Lindsay* -- The jury is still out, but we may be getting your storm  Glad it's going to pass you by...I'm really glad you're feeling better! 40 sounds downright balmy, doesn't it? 

*Rose* -- My dh went to a clinic for the Boston Marathon last night, and they told them they should never, ever be running on a TM for that distance. You should have the cold weather clothes to get out no matter how cold it is. Needless to say, I'm perfectly happy doing Halfs! 

*Kathy* -- Ready for the next storm?  My ds is dreading it, he's afraid he'll be going to school in July at this rate. I'm dreading it, too. I'm supposed to have a site visit at 2 of our properties all morning Thursday. It is a pain to coordinate the reviewer and all the agency staff I need present, so I really hope she doesn't just decide she's not coming. 

*Corinna* --  You are officially my snow idol. I don't know how you do it! 

I ran 4M yesterday morning, and stayed OP all day. Actually, I haven't had any problems with that yet, knock on wood. I'm going for my first WW weigh in tonight, but feeling good since I was down for my BL weigh in (different days, different scales). I have yoga at lunch time, so I should be feeling nice and loose for the Big Moment. 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Oh that will be so fun for michael and his cousin.  Make sure he wears a bright colored shirt so you can pick him out in the huge crowd of people.  I was just looking at pics of the kids mile from marathon wkend and there was a ton of kids.


Thanks, I hadn't thought too much about it yet.  His tye dye mickey shirt may be perfect, but they may want to wear the shirts they get for doing the race.  I guess we can pick up their packets at the expo too, but I don't know that you have to.  We're going to register them this weekend. 



Rose&Mike said:


> Hi Princesses! I'm running 4 miles after work at the Y. So cross your fingers that my intestines behave! I saw the forecast for Saturday and it's up to 44!!! Woohoo! We should be able to run outside! Very exciting!


Hope you had a good run and 44 sounds absolutely balmy.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Good news is my hip/butt is feeling much better so it wasnt any injury just some soreness.  I am planning to get a run in tonight on the TM.  We are now only suppose to have a wintery mess mixing with some late day snow so the monster storm that they were predicting is not coming.  It will just be enough to cause a  headache for me.  I really could have used a snow day but that requires near blizzard conditions for me so no such luck.


glad the storm is missing you and that your hip if feeling better.  I do get aches and pains sometimes, and am always happy if they are gone in 2 days.  


lisah0711 said:


> If Beth and the kids get excited and decide to do the Princess 5K we can go and scream team 'em -- and you if you decided to go too.
> 
> I did cross training yesterday.  It was the first routine that I ever did with my trainer in the fall.  I finished it in 20 minutes and rode the bike for 10 minutes.  The first time I did it I had to lie down for an hour!    So I feel pretty strong and ready today.


We think the kids will just do the 1 mile, that will be enough for vacation.  It looks like lots of fun for them.  If they decided on the 5k, I'd have to do it too, and I don't want to.  Saturday will hopefully be the most relaxing day I've ever had in wdw.   
Nice job with the trainer.  Amazing how strong we have gotten. 



Worfiedoodles said:


> i*Lisa *WISH meets are fun -- I encourage everyone to come to as many as you can! It's great to finally meet the people you've been chatting with, and finally be able to give them a real rather than virtual
> 
> *Kathy* -- Ready for the next storm?  My ds is dreading it, he's afraid he'll be going to school in July at this rate. I'm dreading it, too. I'm supposed to have a site visit at 2 of our properties all morning Thursday. It is a pain to coordinate the reviewer and all the agency staff I need present, so I really hope she doesn't just decide she's not coming.
> 
> I ran 4M yesterday morning, and stayed OP all day. Actually, I haven't had any problems with that yet, knock on wood. I'm going for my first WW weigh in tonight, but feeling good since I was down for my BL weigh in (different days, different scales). I have yoga at lunch time, so I should be feeling nice and loose for the Big Moment.


I'm so excited to meet everyone.  I am so not ready for more snow.  We're in the possible 3-6 range, but at commute time, sounds like a snow day or delay will be likely for thurs.  Michael was also saying he doesn't want another snow day because that brings him to 6/27, a monday, and he doesn't want to go to school only one day that week.  
Good luck at weighin tonight!!  Such a good feeling when you arre ON!!

Well, I totally give every single one of you who uses the treadmill so much credit.  It is horrid.  I went to my friends after work because it was still spitting snow and the roads looked pretty slick, so my plan was for 11, but after 1 hr and 45 min, I had only gone 6.5 miles, and it was soooo not fun.  I was thinking, what was I thinking, I can't do 13.1 miles, and was so discouraged.  Prior to this I'd only done 2-3 miles twice on the treadmill.  So I went to pick up michael early from after school care and he wanted to stay another hour because they were going to be playing his favorite game, so I took that as a sign, and got out on the road for a careful 2.5 miles, and my pace was 14.38, soooo I guess I am just not a treadmill girl.  I'm so glad I did get outside and do a little more, and get that confidence back up.  I will be able to do this again.  I'm so fickle.   

*Corinna*- hope you're staying warm out there.  

Good luck everyone with your runs this week!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Kathy--that's why we call it the DREADMILL. It blows chunks doesn't it? I am soooo much faster outside, but I just can't do cold. I get hives and I cough. Fingers crossed for the 40s on Saturday.

Maria--I heard The Middle today and I thought of you. So how far did they say you could go on the treadmill? And what was the reasoning for no long distances?

Hi to Lindsay and Corinna and Lisa! 

I ran 4 at the Y and my stomach wasn't too bad. Tomorrow I go to the doctor. Yuck. And back to fleet feet. My left foot went to sleep when I ran Saturday, so I loosened the laces and rubbed a hot spot today. Uggh. They said to bring them back in, but I'm thinking new shoes (probably blue). So frustrating because the sales dude said they fit perfectly. And my right foot feels fabulous and my knee pain is gone. So we'll see what they say, but we have 13 scheduled for Saturday and I can't do it in these shoes I don't think.

I cannot wait to be in Florida. I just want to see the sun. I forgot to take my vitamin D yesterday and I sat at my desk at work the whole day feeling like I was going to cry. Spring is coming soon, right?

Have a good night!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, My Lovelies!  

*Rose* -- I hope the doctor has a good solution for you. I know you just want the tummy issues gone. 

*Kathy* -- I could say my first weigh in was spectacular, but that might be understating it... I lost 6.6 lbs in my first week on WW!  I cannot tell you how thrilled I am. Of course, my WW and BL weigh in are on different scales and different days, so I won't have that to report for BL -- but still...

I must be the opposite of all of you -- I prefer the TM, I really enjoy it. I like the time with just me and my ipod  And, I'm faster inside than out -- probably because I'm not used to all that stimulation  

I got up this morning and did 3M. I had planned 4, but since I *think* there will be a snow day tomorrow, I decided to do 3 so I could do 10 tomorrow if that's the case. If not I'll do my normal 3 tomorrow and 10 Friday as originally planned. It's a one mile difference overall, so I'm not overly concerned. 

Have a great day! 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> so I took that as a sign, and got out on the road for a careful 2.5 miles, and my pace was 14.38, soooo I guess I am just not a treadmill girl.  I'm so glad I did get outside and do a little more, and get that confidence back up.  I will be able to do this again.  I'm so fickle.
> 
> *Corinna*- hope you're staying warm out there.
> 
> Good luck everyone with your runs this week!!



I second that motion Kathy.  I think any of you who go do more than 3 miles on the TM are super heros.  Glad you got a good run in outside to boost your spirits.  You will do awesome.  



Rose&Mike said:


> I ran 4 at the Y and my stomach wasn't too bad. Tomorrow I go to the doctor. Yuck. And back to fleet feet. My left foot went to sleep when I ran Saturday, so I loosened the laces and rubbed a hot spot today. Uggh. They said to bring them back in, but I'm thinking new shoes (probably blue). So frustrating because the sales dude said they fit perfectly. And my right foot feels fabulous and my knee pain is gone. So we'll see what they say, but we have 13 scheduled for Saturday and I can't do it in these shoes I don't think.
> 
> I cannot wait to be in Florida. I just want to see the sun. I forgot to take my vitamin D yesterday and I sat at my desk at work the whole day feeling like I was going to cry. Spring is coming soon, right?
> 
> Have a good night!



Hi Rose,  I hope your appointment went well today.  That stinks about the shoes.  I cant wait to be in FL too.  Next tues is groundhog day so hopefully he doesnt see his shadow. and then we can say spring is right around the corner.



Worfiedoodles said:


> I could say my first weigh in was spectacular, but that might be understating it... I lost 6.6 lbs in my first week on WW!  I cannot tell you how thrilled I am.



Holy cow that is great Maria.  Congratulations.


I didnt get on the TM as planned last night.  I actually was in bed at 8pm.  I think TOM is slowly approaching because I feel like I need to eat all the time and its not good things that I am craving, plus I usually get a bit fatigued during the week before too.  I am thinking of following a two week turnaround plan that I had got a year or so ago from prevention magazine.  It says you could loose up to 12lbs in 2wks.  Last time I did it I lost 6.  Its really nothing different from what I am already eating it just breaks it down to what you should be eating and at what times of the day.  I think it might just help me to get my metabolism going again.  The old WW plan isnt working for me anymore.  I pretty much have followed it with the exception of this past wk I had gone over but either way I just loose a lb or two during the week and then gain it back again.  I thought my running was causing it but I am starting to think not.  Its just frustrating.

On a happier note, I am trying to decide if I want to sign up for a local half marathon on may 2 or do the rock and roll half in philly on sep 18.  Anyone every do a rock and roll race?  It looks like fun.  I think I need fun to get me going for 13 miles.  If I choose the sept one I would have a little more time to focus on my weight loss and not so much the long runs.  Any suggestions?


----------



## Rose&Mike

Well, the good news is, my doctor does not think I am a hypochondriac. But she does think something might be going on. She is doing a bunch of different blood tests, then depending on what comes out of that I get to see a gi guy and an endocrinologist. 

I didn't realize until I wrote down everthing that is going on for her how incredibly irregular my tom is. It's pretty bad. She said I'm at a healthy weight and no reason to think that would cause tom to be that out of whack. Then add in the hair loss, pacs, nausea after running, other isses after running (which is why I went in the first place), irregulaity and a couple of other things, which I won't bore you with and I guess you get enough stuff that it might be something real going on. 

I brought up celiac--and she said she already planned to check for that. And surprisingly enough an over active thyroid--that's the first time in my life a doctor has checked for that! So we'll see. She thought it was interesting that I could have pacs as frequently as I do and not feel them. And she did not like the nausea after running. So we'll see what the blood tests say and go from there. I have reflux just from thinking about the bills--last year we went from a small copay to a $4000 deductible and 20% after that. Uggh. On the other hand, I am tired of feeling not right. I don't feel bad, I just don't feel right. Does that make sense?? Sorry for the book. 

And I'm in different shoes. Red nike zoom structure. I just wanted to say this wasn't just about pink shoes. I need the support for pronation, but I wanted something a little cushier. The saucony's I was running in (and the brooks before that) were just hard. Hopefully this will do the trick. I guess I have slightly wide feet in the front and narrow in the heel which is an interesting combination for finding the right shoes. Tomorrow I will try a run in them.

I'm kind of a little overwhelmed today, because I wanted her to say she didn't think any of this was any big deal. She told me a couple of things were concerning her a little--which still could mean nothing is going on, and probably does, but like I said, if I am honest, I haven't felt a 100% for a while now, so maybe I'll get some answers. 

Hope everyone is doing well.

Forgot to say--Maria--woohoo! Congratulations on a fabulous WW weigh in!


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> Well, I totally give every single one of you who uses the treadmill so much credit.  It is horrid.  I went to my friends after work because it was still spitting snow and the roads looked pretty slick, so my plan was for 11, but after 1 hr and 45 min, I had only gone 6.5 miles, and it was soooo not fun.  I was thinking, what was I thinking, I can't do 13.1 miles, and was so discouraged.  Prior to this I'd only done 2-3 miles twice on the treadmill.  So I went to pick up michael early from after school care and he wanted to stay another hour because they were going to be playing his favorite game, so I took that as a sign, and got out on the road for a careful 2.5 miles, and my pace was 14.38, soooo I guess I am just not a treadmill girl.  I'm so glad I did get outside and do a little more, and get that confidence back up.  I will be able to do this again.  I'm so fickle.



Great job with the TM and getting outside to finish up!    Sounds like it was just in time before the next storm rolls through.



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Kathy* -- I could say my first weigh in was spectacular, but that might be understating it... I lost 6.6 lbs in my first week on WW!  I cannot tell you how thrilled I am. Of course, my WW and BL weigh in are on different scales and different days, so I won't have that to report for BL -- but still...



Maria, great job on the 6.6 loss!  You totally !  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> On a happier note, I am trying to decide if I want to sign up for a local half marathon on may 2 or do the rock and roll half in philly on sep 18.  Anyone every do a rock and roll race?  It looks like fun.  I think I need fun to get me going for 13 miles.  If I choose the sept one I would have a little more time to focus on my weight loss and not so much the long runs.  Any suggestions?



Will May 2nd be enough time to recover and rev up again, Lindsay?  With that said, I signed up for a half on May 29 here but that's 12 weeks between half marathons not 8.  I'd say go for the rock and roll half because it sounds like more fun.  But really I think that you are strong enough to do both!  



Rose&Mike said:


> I'm kind of a little overwhelmed today, because I wanted her to say she didn't think any of this was any big deal. She told me a couple of things were concerning her a little--which still could mean nothing is going on, and probably does, but like I said, if I am honest, I haven't felt a 100% for a while now, so maybe I'll get some answers.



Glad that your doctor is taking your concerns seriously and is checking things out, Rose.   

You are obviously very healthy and probably more able to deal with whatever is going on than you have been ever in your life.    I recall that they did a great job of checking out your heart with the PACS last year so you know you're okay there.  Thyroid can really mess up your whole system and it does weird things to your body, too.  When I had thyroid issues I lit up the scan so much that the radiologist came out of his cave and gave me an examination.   I'm glad that you are getting checked out for your own peace of mind.  

One day's short run and one day of cross training done this week.  A short run tomorrow and six miles on the track on Saturday.  Then the 10 miler!  

One month from tomorrow we will be racing Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lisa--I have confidence that if you can do 88 (was it 88?) laps on the indoor track, you can do 10 miles. I love 10 miles. I would say 6 and 10 miles are my favorite distances. 6 because I can run it pretty fast, and 10 because after 8 I start getting this zen thing going--probably lack of oxygen to my brain. But really, I think 10 isn't too easy, or too hard, it's just right! You just need to look for your zen place!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Kathy and Lindsay and Maria--I hope the snow and ice is causing you too many problems this morning. It's crazy!


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> Lisa--I have confidence that if you can do 88 (was it 88?) laps on the indoor track, you can do 10 miles. I love 10 miles. I would say 6 and 10 miles are my favorite distances. 6 because I can run it pretty fast, and 10 because after 8 I start getting this zen thing going--probably lack of oxygen to my brain. But really, I think 10 isn't too easy, or too hard, it's just right! You just need to look for your zen place!



Thanks, Rose, the 10 milers isn't scaring me much with the 6 miler in between.  That's the nice thing about Bingham -- he gives you lots of time to recover which I need!   



Rose&Mike said:


> Kathy and Lindsay and Maria--I hope the snow and ice is causing you too many problems this morning. It's crazy!



 Hope you ladies are staying warm and safe!  

Have a wonderful day pretty Princesses!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, Princesses!!

I will get some shovelling exercise in this morning, and the will do the wii fit run for 30 minutes today.  I know it's not like getting outside,  but it's better than nothing, and I think it may be as good as the treadmill.  I actually like it better.  I'll make Michael do it with me, and we will race.  I ate too much crap yesterday, and didnt' journal my food for the first day this year, so I need to get back on the stick and stay there.  I have been doing so well, and wonder why I need to sabotage myself.  I need to lose every pound I can to make running the princess a little bit easier.  

So, I am going to make breakfast now, and cut up a bunch of fruit, and have a healthy and in control day today.  

*Maria*-  6.6 lbs!You are awesome!!!  That must have been such an amazing feeling!!  Guessing  you had a snow day today!!  I forget where ds goes to school, but saw Boston public was cancelled.  Good luck with your 10 miles!!  

*Rose*- So glad that you went to the doctor and she is checking you out thoroughly.  It's hard to put ourselves out there, and admit it when we don't feel right, so I'm glad you've done that, and she will help figure things out.  Like lisa said, the thyroid can mess up so many systems.  So sorry about the money, but your healthy and wellness are worth it.   But man that sucks.  
Love that you get into the Zen thing after 8 miles.  I tried so hard to find my zen on the treadmill the other day, but it was nowhere to be found.  My friends treadmill is in her family room looking out the window at the ice covered river, there were birds out there, it was snowing, it was absolutel beautiful, except for the ridiculous piece of rubber moving under my feet.

*Lisa*- congrats on signing up for your next half!!!  I am so impressed with your motivation.   Enjoy your short run today.  I hope to get out for 6 on saturday too.  My friend may go with me, and with the sun coming out, I hope the roads will be pretty clear.  What do you think you'll be doing 4 weeks from right now?  Which park will you be in?  So exciting!!!

*Lindsay*-I know your frustration with the ww.  It's tough to work so hard, and then not see results.  Maybe the other plan will help mix things up and boost your loss.   A friend of mine just started Atkins because she wants to kick her sugar habit, and lost a good bit her first week.  I remember reading about the 3 hour diet, and the premise was to eat within 30 minutes of waking to start the metabolism, (she says after 3.5 hours up and nothing in her stomach) then to eat every 3 hours at least to keep the metabolism revved up.  I forgot about that, but I know when I've kind of tried to do that while I follow ww, it did help.   Good luck with the new plan.
Good luck with the half decision.  I know Jude mentioned on the donald thread, i think that they are having a first year, Rock n Roll half in Providence RI, this august she was thinking of doing, so I checked it out, and it looks just amazing with the bands for entertainment all along the way.  The bling is quite beautiful also.  Such decisions to make.  I know you will be ready for whichever one you choose too.  How far are you from Philly?  Would it be a day trip for you or would you stay the weekend?  You could also make it a family weekend trip to phillie.  Have your kids been to Sesame Place?  It was really fun.  We went when michael and my niece were 4 and then again at 5.
Such decisions.  

There is a first half near me in may that I may do for my next half.  I definitely need to have a plan in place before the princess so I get back out when i come home.  I remember reading the mfm chapter about the let down after the race you can feel.  

Well, I'm off to get that breakfast cooked, and then get outside.  

Have a great day Princesses!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, Princess Pals! 

*Kathy* -- What Half are you thinking of? I could be persuaded if it's a fun rather than a "racy" half...I need to work on my race schedule for this year. Usually I just say I'll do blah blah blah, but nothing specific, and then I don't. Now I'm thinking I want to do my halfs at home. Heck, doing more than 1 5K would be a big step up for me! 

*Lisa* -- I love Bingham, I followed him almost religiously and it got me through that first Half, just like it's going to do for you! Don't worry about me, I'm not leaving my house today  Now that I've run, my plan is to lunch with ds, and then spend the afternoon reading and relaxing, possibly with a little cleaning thrown in. 

*Rose* -- I am so proud of you for going to the doctor! You have done the hard part, now you just have to let her do her job. Whatever you find, I know you can handle. You are a strong lady, and your positive attitude will only be an asset!  So, dh said they said not to run on a TM because by the time you get to mile 18 or 20 or 21, your legs will just die because they will not have the strength you need. This happened to dh at WDW, so he's become a believer. They say no TM at all, and dh bought into it. 

*Lindsay* -- I have a cousin (on Team Ohana) who does the Philly Rock n Roll and loves it! She says it is a lot of fun, and I can imagine that it would be. I'm sure whatever you decide, it's good you'll have another race ready to go! 


We knew last night ds didn't have school (he goes to Boston Latin School, so yes, *Kathy*, that is included in Boston Public), so I decided to sleep in and do my 10 when I got up. I was awakened by dh out with the snowblower. He did a great job clearing the driveway, sidewalk in front, and our stairs down to pavement.  Anyway, I hopped on and the rest is history. I am so happy to have my LR done for the week!  

I had a banana after my shower, and I'm going to make lunch in a minute -- turkey sandwich on Arnold thin with 100 cal Pringles (I ate all my Pop chips, those are yummy! I'm buying 3 bags for next week). I found I can work them into my daily points, and I also have to fight ds for them, so I'd just rather buy more. I also have sugar snap peas, carrots, apples, oranges, grapes, dates and pineapple I can work in to fill out my lunch and afternoon snack. I'm just going to go with whatever sounds good. I know, I'm a rebel   We have baked chicken, steamed veggies and rice pilaf for dinner. I'm going to make sure I can have a Skinny cow ice cream cone for dessert. That sounds really good right now. 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Well, I'm all shovelled out after 90 min and my arms are like jello.  I am so blessed to have a next door neighbor who will snowblow me out when he does his, since our driveways are connected, and man, I missed him today.  There's no where the put the snow, the banks are up to my head, so I got a good workout.  Michael cleaned the car and porch off and played, so he was happy.  I told him next year, shovelling is going to be included in his allowance, so he'll have to help more.  

*Maria*Sounds like a nice snow day for you.  This is the half i was thinking about.
http://www.twinlightshalfmarathon.com/contact.htm
It's the first one, but where they have walkers starting first, I think it may be fun and low key.  It's a beautiful route from the beach, and I've biked there years ago, and I know parts of rte 127  have some killer hills, but I can't remember any bad one's on that route.  I'll take a drive of it first.  $50.00 is a good price too.  I was looking up to find something local to keep me moving after the princess.  I think it's on the same day as a boston half marathon, I think put on by BAA.  I like to look at the prior years results before I sign up for a race and see that I won't be last, but I couldn't for that.  It would be nice to do a race without the fear of the sweepers too.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> How far are you from Philly?  Would it be a day trip for you or would you stay the weekend?  You could also make it a family weekend trip to phillie.  Have your kids been to Sesame Place?  It was really fun.  We went when michael and my niece were 4 and then again at 5.
> Such decisions.



We are about 1 hour from philly.  It could be a day trip but since you have to pick up your packet and there is an expo the day before we probably would make it a overnight family trip.  The kids would love it if we could also catch a phillies game the day before too.  We have been to sesame place twice already.  It is a blast and reminds me a little of disney.  With the parade and the characters an all.  We are only about a 45min drive from there.  

Well we got about a foot of snow last night.  We had to snowblow really early this morning and had to get into work by 9.  My mom was able to stay home with the kids.  They got to play outside all day and loved it.  I on the other hand was so busy today and ended the night with a meeting and got home at 8pm.  I am beat.  I also let the stress get the best of me and over ate today.  Not a great thing to do prior to weigh in. 

I think I am leaning towards doing the rock and roll half in sept.  I am going to sign me and dh up for the 5K in may although I may just change my mind at the last minute so I will let you know for sure once it is confirmed.  I am feeling a bit indecisive at the moment.  It is going to be dh's first 5K and I thought it would be nice to be there with him.  

In 4 weeks from now I should be on the ME bus heading to CBR. ahhhhh cant wait!

Good Night Princessess


----------



## Rose&Mike

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I didnt get on the TM as planned last night.  I actually was in bed at 8pm.  I think TOM is slowly approaching because I feel like I need to eat all the time and its not good things that I am craving, plus I usually get a bit fatigued during the week before too.  I am thinking of following a two week turnaround plan that I had got a year or so ago from prevention magazine.  It says you could loose up to 12lbs in 2wks.  Last time I did it I lost 6.  Its really nothing different from what I am already eating it just breaks it down to what you should be eating and at what times of the day.  I think it might just help me to get my metabolism going again.  The old WW plan isnt working for me anymore.  I pretty much have followed it with the exception of this past wk I had gone over but either way I just loose a lb or two during the week and then gain it back again.  I thought my running was causing it but I am starting to think not.  Its just frustrating.
> 
> On a happier note, I am trying to decide if I want to sign up for a local half marathon on may 2 or do the rock and roll half in philly on sep 18.  Anyone every do a rock and roll race?  It looks like fun.  I think I need fun to get me going for 13 miles.  If I choose the sept one I would have a little more time to focus on my weight loss and not so much the long runs.  Any suggestions?


Lindsay--I'm sorry it's hard right now. You have a very crazy schedule right now. I hope you find a way to get things moving again! And I think having another race on the calendar is a great plan. I think if I didn't have the princess coming up, I would have really scaled back this winter--maybe even stopped running. It's hard to find motiviation in the winter. I ran my first and only 2 halves so far less than a month apart. And it worked out fine. I basically did one long run in between, I think. So, I think a race in May is doable. You just have to have a plan.



lisah0711 said:


> Glad that your doctor is taking your concerns seriously and is checking things out, Rose.
> 
> You are obviously very healthy and probably more able to deal with whatever is going on than you have been ever in your life.    I recall that they did a great job of checking out your heart with the PACS last year so you know you're okay there.  Thyroid can really mess up your whole system and it does weird things to your body, too.  When I had thyroid issues I lit up the scan so much that the radiologist came out of his cave and gave me an examination.   I'm glad that you are getting checked out for your own peace of mind.


I know nothing about endocrinology or thyroid stuff so I will probably be asking lots of questions, if things go that direction.




mikamah said:


> Love that you get into the Zen thing after 8 miles.  I tried so hard to find my zen on the treadmill the other day, but it was nowhere to be found.  My friends treadmill is in her family room looking out the window at the ice covered river, there were birds out there, it was snowing, it was absolutel beautiful, except for the ridiculous piece of rubber moving under my feet.
> 
> There is a first half near me in may that I may do for my next half.  I definitely need to have a plan in place before the princess so I get back out when i come home.  I remember reading the mfm chapter about the let down after the race you can feel.
> 
> Well, I'm off to get that breakfast cooked, and then get outside.
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!!


I only get the zen thing outside. That sounds like a great place to put a treadmill, but it's still a treadmill. I often spend a couple miles just counting down from 60 over and over. It's definitely something I DO, rather than something I ENJOY. And I think I have a little of that letdown after races--or again it might just be exhaustion and overtraining. I think it really helps to have another goal in place.



Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Afternoon, Princess Pals!
> 
> *Kathy* -- What Half are you thinking of? I could be persuaded if it's a fun rather than a "racy" half...I need to work on my race schedule for this year. Usually I just say I'll do blah blah blah, but nothing specific, and then I don't. Now I'm thinking I want to do my halfs at home. Heck, doing more than 1 5K would be a big step up for me!
> 
> 
> *Rose* -- I am so proud of you for going to the doctor! You have done the hard part, now you just have to let her do her job. Whatever you find, I know you can handle. You are a strong lady, and your positive attitude will only be an asset!  So, dh said they said not to run on a TM because by the time you get to mile 18 or 20 or 21, your legs will just die because they will not have the strength you need. This happened to dh at WDW, so he's become a believer. They say no TM at all, and dh bought into it.
> 
> Anyway, I hopped on and the rest is history. I am so happy to have my LR done for the week!
> 
> Maria


That would be so cool if you could run a race together! And very interesting about the treadmill and running full. I know I don't go as far, but I have actually been feeling stronger outside (on the few times I've run outside) but I run too fast on the treadmill in the hopes of it ending sooner! Woohoo for getting the LR done for the week. 



mikamah said:


> Well, I'm all shovelled out after 90 min and my arms are like jello.  I am so blessed to have a next door neighbor who will snowblow me out when he does his, since our driveways are connected, and man, I missed him today.  There's no where the put the snow, the banks are up to my head, so I got a good workout.  Michael cleaned the car and porch off and played, so he was happy.  I told him next year, shovelling is going to be included in his allowance, so he'll have to help more.
> 
> *Maria*Sounds like a nice snow day for you.  This is the half i was thinking about.
> http://www.twinlightshalfmarathon.com/contact.htm
> It's the first one, but where they have walkers starting first, I think it may be fun and low key.  It's a beautiful route from the beach, and I've biked there years ago, and I know parts of rte 127  have some killer hills, but I can't remember any bad one's on that route.  I'll take a drive of it first.  $50.00 is a good price too.  I was looking up to find something local to keep me moving after the princess.  I think it's on the same day as a boston half marathon, I think put on by BAA.  I like to look at the prior years results before I sign up for a race and see that I won't be last, but I couldn't for that.  It would be nice to do a race without the fear of the sweepers too.


I haven't looked at the link yet, but that race sounds great! I'd like to run a race near the beach! And all that snow--uggh!


mommyof2Pirates said:


> I think I am leaning towards doing the rock and roll half in sept.  I am going to sign me and dh up for the 5K in may although I may just change my mind at the last minute so I will let you know for sure once it is confirmed.  I am feeling a bit indecisive at the moment.  It is going to be dh's first 5K and I thought it would be nice to be there with him.
> 
> In 4 weeks from now I should be on the ME bus heading to CBR. ahhhhh cant wait!
> 
> Good Night Princessess



I think that's a good plan Lindsay! We're thinking about doing the Savannah rnr. We could see Tom on that trip too! We're just waiting for USC to announce when parent's weekend is. It's so frustrating because they know the football schedule so I don't understand the hold up!

Hope everyone is doing well. I am feeling a little bleh today. Thanks for all the positive comments. I've been reading about celiac--and there is a genetic component, which is interesting. Tom has had stomach issues his entire life (and so have I!) But I don't know if they ever tested him for celiac. When he was a baby he was diagnosed with "toddler diarhea". Which basicaly meant he had chronic diarhhea and they had no idea why. He was hospitalized his freshman year in high school twice in two weeks for horrible dehyration and they could never figure out what was making him so sick. Anywho, I'm sure I'm catastrophizing here, but my poor kid. Genetic skin disorder and gluten free. I am really hoping that is not what I have, because I don't even want to tell him we have to check him for that.

I ran in my new shoes last night. I told Mike, I kept feeling like there was something wrong with them, because they actually had cushioning! I wore my old socks--yes they are cotton, and yes I know I shouldn't wear cotton, but they are comfy. No problems, with my feet, but stomach issues--again. So, I'm glad I went to the doctor.

And drumroll please--139.8 today. I am officially done if I ever get to 137. If I get to 139.0 I will have lost 50 pounds.

Hope all you princesses are doing well! Four weeks from today I will be enjoying the Florida sunshine! Oh, and it's supposed to be 47 on Sunday--so we are running outside!!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Hope all you princesses are doing well! Four weeks from today I will be enjoying the Florida sunshine! Oh, and it's supposed to be 47 on Sunday--so we are running outside!!!!



ooo 47 sounds dreamy at the moment.  I hope you guys have a great run.  As far as the stomach issues goes, I really hope they can find the culprit for you soon or at least if its nothing specific they can find something that will work for you so you dont have to worry about these symptoms.  Interesting about your son and his past history too.  Hopefully its nothing and just sensitive stomachs/intestines run in your family.



Alright so I finally made up my mind and now its no turning back.  I signed up for the half marathon in my area on 5/2/11.  It will only give me 9 weeks between races but what the heck....you only live once right.  Actually I have thought long and hard on this one.  My choice was to either do this or do the rnr half in sept.  I decided that training through july and august at long distances would be even harder for me than doing it through the winter.  I just cant take the heat and remember it was hard enough doing 2-3 miles in it.  Plus instead of an overnight trip to philly I think mike and I are going to do the tunnel to towers 5K in NYC that I did last year.  We would go to the city for the day and have my mom and dad take the kids to the finish line to cheer for us.  The boys are very much into the home alone lost in NY movie this year and are constantly asking to go there.  I think it would be a fun day.  So I am officially registered!!!!

on a more debbie downer kind of note: my dh got rear ended this morning going to work and the guy took off.  Now we have to shell out money for the 500$ deductible.  It is so frustrating that people cannot be responsible and respectful, mike said that the guy just rammed right into him and was swerving as he drove off it was at 7 in the morning but we were thinking the guy possible was drunk.  I really am just thankful it wasnt worse.

Well ladies in 4 weeks from now I will be getting ready to watch illuminations!!  I honestly can not wait.  

Tomorrow it will be 6 miles on snow covered roads/pavements for me.  Next weekend is my 10 mile run and it is forecasted right now to be a high of 42.  I am crossing my fingers.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--be careful on the snowy roads. I know I said this on Mickey, but I'm really sorry about the accident, and really glad it wasn't worse.


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> I ran in my new shoes last night. I told Mike, I kept feeling like there was something wrong with them, because they actually had cushioning! I wore my old socks--yes they are cotton, and yes I know I shouldn't wear cotton, but they are comfy. No problems, with my feet, but stomach issues--again. So, I'm glad I went to the doctor.
> 
> And drumroll please--139.8 today. I am officially done if I ever get to 137. If I get to 139.0 I will have lost 50 pounds.
> 
> Hope all you princesses are doing well! Four weeks from today I will be enjoying the Florida sunshine! Oh, and it's supposed to be 47 on Sunday--so we are running outside!!!!



 for running outside and nice weather!  I saw the long range forecast for WDW for four weeks from today is a high of 75 and a low of 50.  I could so do that!  

I will do 6 miles at the indoor track this morning -- which according to my calculations takes me to right at the front of the castle!  

Have a great day Princesses!  

Nice job on the new low, Rose!    I don't blame you for wanting to even it out to 50.  

Hope the doctor figures something out to make you feel more comfortable after a run.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Alright so I finally made up my mind and now its no turning back.  I signed up for the half marathon in my area on 5/2/11.  It will only give me 9 weeks between races but what the heck....you only live once right.  Actually I have thought long and hard on this one.  My choice was to either do this or do the rnr half in sept.  I decided that training through july and august at long distances would be even harder for me than doing it through the winter.  I just cant take the heat and remember it was hard enough doing 2-3 miles in it.  Plus instead of an overnight trip to philly I think mike and I are going to do the tunnel to towers 5K in NYC that I did last year.  We would go to the city for the day and have my mom and dad take the kids to the finish line to cheer for us.  The boys are very much into the home alone lost in NY movie this year and are constantly asking to go there.  I think it would be a fun day.  So I am officially registered!!!!
> 
> on a more debbie downer kind of note: my dh got rear ended this morning going to work and the guy took off.  Now we have to shell out money for the 500$ deductible.  It is so frustrating that people cannot be responsible and respectful, mike said that the guy just rammed right into him and was swerving as he drove off it was at 7 in the morning but we were thinking the guy possible was drunk.  I really am just thankful it wasnt worse.
> 
> Well ladies in 4 weeks from now I will be getting ready to watch illuminations!!  I honestly can not wait.
> 
> Tomorrow it will be 6 miles on snow covered roads/pavements for me.  Next weekend is my 10 mile run and it is forecasted right now to be a high of 42.  I am crossing my fingers.



Be careful running in the snow and ice, Lindsay!   

I'm so sorry that your DH was rearended but glad that he is okay and that the boys weren't in the car.    The other guy probably was drunk or something.  Ask the insurance company to see if there were any cameras around that might have caught the accident.  

 on scheduling your next half!  I think you can just pick up your training at 8 weeks out and be fine but I'm sure that Corinna and Maria can speak more on that subject since they are doing 6 or 7 weeks between half marathons right now!  

Okay, Princesses,


----------



## mikamah

mommyof2Pirates said:


> In 4 weeks from now I should be on the ME bus heading to CBR. ahhhhh cant wait!


 So psyched!!  4 weeks from right we'll be heading to the bus to go to the kids races!!!



Rose&Mike said:


> Hope everyone is doing well. I am feeling a little bleh today. Thanks for all the positive comments. I've been reading about celiac--and there is a genetic component, which is interesting. Tom has had stomach issues his entire life (and so have I!) But I don't know if they ever tested him for celiac. When he was a baby he was diagnosed with "toddler diarhea". Which basicaly meant he had chronic diarhhea and they had no idea why. He was hospitalized his freshman year in high school twice in two weeks for horrible dehyration and they could never figure out what was making him so sick. Anywho, I'm sure I'm catastrophizing here, but my poor kid. Genetic skin disorder and gluten free. I am really hoping that is not what I have, because I don't even want to tell him we have to check him for that.
> 
> I ran in my new shoes last night. I told Mike, I kept feeling like there was something wrong with them, because they actually had cushioning! I wore my old socks--yes they are cotton, and yes I know I shouldn't wear cotton, but they are comfy. No problems, with my feet, but stomach issues--again. So, I'm glad I went to the doctor.
> 
> And drumroll please--139.8 today. I am officially done if I ever get to 137. If I get to 139.0 I will have lost 50 pounds.
> 
> Oh, and it's supposed to be 47 on Sunday--so we are running outside!!!!


 So glad you're getting everything checked out, but I'm sure the waiting is a killer.  I too, hope it is nothing serious, and just a sensitive gut, ibs but if it does turn out to be celiac, there's so many more options out there now for breads and pastas, and from what I've heard many are very tasty.  Hope you don't have to deal with it though.  Hang in there. 
Whoo hoo on the 130s!!!!!!  OMG, I only remember being there the year I graduated high school.  That must feel so amazing.  
Enjoy your outside run tomorrow.  We're going to my brothers, and I hope to get out in the am too.  It may be in the 30s today!!!  
I had been wearing cotton blend socks too, and luckily had no issues, but just got some new feetures socks at the running store, and they are so cushiony, and feel great.  I think there are always exceptions to every rule.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Alright so I finally made up my mind and now its no turning back.  I signed up for the half marathon in my area on 5/2/11.  It will only give me 9 weeks between races but what the heck....you only live once right.  Actually I have thought long and hard on this one.  My choice was to either do this or do the rnr half in sept.  I decided that training through july and august at long distances would be even harder for me than doing it through the winter.  I just cant take the heat and remember it was hard enough doing 2-3 miles in it.  Plus instead of an overnight trip to philly I think mike and I are going to do the tunnel to towers 5K in NYC that I did last year.  We would go to the city for the day and have my mom and dad take the kids to the finish line to cheer for us.  The boys are very much into the home alone lost in NY movie this year and are constantly asking to go there.  I think it would be a fun day.  So I am officially registered!!!!
> 
> on a more debbie downer kind of note: my dh got rear ended this morning going to work and the guy took off.  Now we have to shell out money for the 500$ deductible.  It is so frustrating that people cannot be responsible and respectful, mike said that the guy just rammed right into him and was swerving as he drove off it was at 7 in the morning but we were thinking the guy possible was drunk.  I really am just thankful it wasnt worse.
> 
> Tomorrow it will be 6 miles on snow covered roads/pavements for me.  Next weekend is my 10 mile run and it is forecasted right now to be a high of 42.  I am crossing my fingers.


Congrats on signing up for your second half!!!!!  You can do it!!!  I think I definitely need to sign up for something before the princess.  
Sorry about dh and the car.  some people are such inconsiderate idiots.  I hope dh is feeling ok.  
Be careful in the snow today.  Our roads aren't quite clear yet either.  I'd love to see 40s next weekend for my long run too, but long range forecast isn't looking too promising. 

Well, I feel like I'm getting my motivation back.  I've missed a few short runs, and did some wii fit run, but didn't feel like it was nearly as good, but today when I started the wii run, I decided to run around my house, so I did 60 min of run/walk 4/1 inside the house, and it was boring, but better than the treadmill, and I do feel like it's as good as getting outside.  I'm glad I did that, and now I will be sure to get in all my short runs from here on out.  I had planned to run with a friend today, but she had to cancel.  Tomorrow I will either run in the am at my brothers, or run in my house again.
I held the wiimote the whole hour, and figured that was like holding my camera during the princess, and I think it makes sense that I'll carry the camera.

Off to get ready for the weekend.  

Have a great weekend, and remember in 4 short weeks, we'll be in the warm florida sun, freaking out because the race is tomorrow.


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> for running outside and nice weather!  I saw the long range forecast for WDW for four weeks from today is a high of 75 and a low of 50.  I could so do that!
> 
> I will do 6 miles at the indoor track this morning -- which according to my calculations takes me to right at the front of the castle!


I'm following you!! 
 I could take 50 degrees.  I think I'm more fearful if it's record high temps, and think that would be worse than really cold.  
Good luck with your run today and what a great goal, we'll be in front of the castle.  
I joined the facebook princess half marathon group, and someone on that said that the last sweeping spot is at 11 miles, and said if you are in the big group at the end, you will be safe, but if you're a straggler following the last big group, you'll be swept, so we gotta hang tough till mile 11.  

Corinna, Rose, or Maria, question on the clover leaf heading back to epcot, is it one big onramp/leaf we have to go over, or two of them, or god forbid 3?  just want to be prepared.  I guess I could try to figure it out on the map too, but it's easier to ask our pros.

Have a great day!!


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> So psyched!!  4 weeks from right we'll be heading to the bus to go to the kids races!!!
> 
> Have a great weekend, and remember in 4 short weeks, we'll be in the warm florida sun, freaking out because the race is tomorrow.



Wow!  I can't believe you ran for an hour in your house!    I'd say you have your mojo back!  

Nah, we won't be freaked out about the race -- we'll be excited for our WISH meet, then we can freak out!


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> I'm following you!!
> I could take 50 degrees.  I think I'm more fearful if it's record high temps, and think that would be worse than really cold.
> Good luck with your run today and what a great goal, we'll be in front of the castle.
> I joined the facebook princess half marathon group, and someone on that said that the last sweeping spot is at 11 miles, and said if you are in the big group at the end, you will be safe, but if you're a straggler following the last big group, you'll be swept, so we gotta hang tough till mile 11.
> 
> Corinna, Rose, or Maria, question on the clover leaf heading back to epcot, is it one big onramp/leaf we have to go over, or two of them, or god forbid 3?  just want to be prepared.  I guess I could try to figure it out on the map too, but it's easier to ask our pros.
> 
> Have a great day!!


I don't know. At W&D we ran to epcot via BW. Which was really cool. My feeling on the ramps is none of them are real hills--compared to what we have here. You just need to shorten your strides and try not to pick your knees up. Think of it as downshifiting. (My chi running husband is telling me what to type.) It's ok to slow down a little on hills especially if you are not used to running them. At w&D we did run this one ramp near DHS and there was a toy story army man out there yelling--c'mon take that hill! It was soooooo fun!

If you are running inside for an hour, you will probably be ok even if the temps are up. It's a lot warmer inside than outside right now, and you get no breeze when running inside. The thing that I would be a little concerned about is the humidity. Humidity is deceptive. I didn't think the temps for w&d were bad, but the humidity was really high. The sweat doesn't evaporate and your body temp can go up. So make sure you are getting fluids.


----------



## Rose&Mike

And all this talk about being swept. We are not Cinderella--we are not cleaning the castle. We are running through the castle. There will be No Sweeping! You all have put the miles in. Finish strong this month. Do a good taper. And do not over do it before the race and you will be fine. You will be so excited. You are strong women. You can do this!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hello pretty Princesses! I am the posting queen today.

I think the higher power knew I needed a mental break today, because the weather was fabulous! We started our run around noon and it was 50!!!! When we finished it was 54. I actually could have run in a skirt and or a short sleeved shirt. I was kind of hot at the end! (Definitely NOT complaining.)

We did 14.09 miles in 2:31:48. We debated doing another mile, but I'm glad we stopped because my stomach seized up. It hurt so much for a couple of minutes I started crying. Luckily, it was short lived and I feel fine now. So that's good. We decided since it was so nice to do 14 today, 6 next week, then 10, then 6. I am ready. And a little longer taper is not a bad thing. If the weather is nice for the 10 we might stretch it a little longer, but I think we are at Carolina that weekend, so probably not. I might be able to talk Tom into a couple of miles, but not more than 4.

We ran A LOT of hills today. According to the garmin we climbed 2076 feet, but we also descended 2055 feet. Downhill is definitely more fun! One of the hills was over a half mile climb. I am so proud of myself, because I remember how hard the hills were this summer.

Maria--Mike and I have been talking about the treadmill running, and what they were saying about no treadmills does make some sense. My legs felt very fatigued today. That could be the hills, or the distance, or just that we haven't run outside since 12/31. We are definitely going to try to squeeze more outdoor workouts in.

I hope everyone is having a great day. I feel so much calmer about everything since I got my vitamin d fix from the sun and since I spent a few miles in my zen place.


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> The thing that I would be a little concerned about is the humidity. Humidity is deceptive. I didn't think the temps for w&d were bad, but the humidity was really high. The sweat doesn't evaporate and your body temp can go up. So make sure you are getting fluids.



ITA Florida is much more humid to me -- I can feel it as soon as I step off the plane in Orlando!



Rose&Mike said:


> And all this talk about being swept. We are not Cinderella--we are not cleaning the castle. We are running through the castle. There will be No Sweeping! You all have put the miles in. Finish strong this month. Do a good taper. And do not over do it before the race and you will be fine. You will be so excited. You are strong women. You can do this!



This was the last post I read before I went for my run so I heard "Cinderella, Cinderella! All I hear is Cinderella!  From the moment that I wake up . . ."  Throughout my run.   



Rose&Mike said:


> Hello pretty Princesses! I am the posting queen today.



You were the posting queen yesterday, Rose!  

Glad that you had a great run and found your zen place!  

I do agree that, for me anyway, that physically running is a much better workout.  Unfortunately we aren't all going to be able to always run outside due to weather and the TM is better than not running at all anyway.  I'm not going to do anymore TM runs until after the Princess just because I think it will help me prepare better for the race.  

6 miles around the indoor track wasn't too bad but I was a lot more sore later in the day than I was when I did 8.  I did a really good job having something in my stomach 2 hours before, good hydration, pace but my body was like "didn't we just do this last week?"    It's a good example of why a long taper is a good thing!  

Have a wonderful day Princesses!


----------



## lisah0711

My ticker says 4 weeks from today!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Lindsay--be careful on the snowy roads. I know I said this on Mickey, but I'm really sorry about the accident, and really glad it wasn't worse.



thank you rose.  Mike is doing fine, his back already feels better.  It just sucks.  The car is not too bad but just more of a hassle.  We most likely will take it to get fixed when I am gone so that he doesnt have to waste even more money on a rental.  thanks again.



lisah0711 said:


> for running outside and nice weather!  I saw the long range forecast for WDW for four weeks from today is a high of 75 and a low of 50.  I could so do that!



oooh 75 sounds so nice right now.  ITA I would prefer low 60's for the race and then the warmer temps can come later in the day.



mikamah said:


> :Well, I feel like I'm getting my motivation back.  I've missed a few short runs, and did some wii fit run, but didn't feel like it was nearly as good, but today when I started the wii run, I decided to run around my house, so I did 60 min of run/walk 4/1 inside the house, and it was boring, but better than the treadmill, and I do feel like it's as good as getting outside.  I'm glad I did that, and now I will be sure to get in all my short runs from here on out.  I had planned to run with a friend today, but she had to cancel.  Tomorrow I will either run in the am at my brothers, or run in my house again.
> I held the wiimote the whole hour, and figured that was like holding my camera during the princess, and I think it makes sense that I'll carry the camera.
> 
> Off to get ready for the weekend.
> 
> Have a great weekend, and remember in 4 short weeks, we'll be in the warm florida sun, freaking out because the race is tomorrow.



Wow that is some motivation Kathy!  Good job.  I think if you werent bothered by the wii remote you will be fine holding the camera.  



Rose&Mike said:


> And all this talk about being swept. We are not Cinderella--we are not cleaning the castle. We are running through the castle. There will be No Sweeping! You all have put the miles in. Finish strong this month. Do a good taper. And do not over do it before the race and you will be fine. You will be so excited. You are strong women. You can do this!



I second that Rose.  We are going to be just fine and will rock the princess!!!



Rose&Mike said:


> We started our run around noon and it was 50!!!! When we finished it was 54. I actually could have run in a skirt and or a short sleeved shirt. I was kind of hot at the end! (Definitely NOT complaining.)



oh rose I am so jealous.  Im glad you got your run done outside and what an awesome one it was.  Holy Hills!!!  Sorry about the belly hurting but glad it went away quickly.  



lisah0711 said:


> 6 miles around the indoor track wasn't too bad but I was a lot more sore later in the day than I was when I did 8.  I did a really good job having something in my stomach 2 hours before, good hydration, pace but my body was like "didn't we just do this last week?"    It's a good example of why a long taper is a good thing!
> 
> Have a wonderful day Princesses!



Great Job Lisa.

I did not do a good job today of fitting my run in.  I played with all the kids at my nana's out in the snow instead.  We built a super huge fort and fit 5 kids inside of it.  It was a bunch of fun.  So my punishment is now doing 6 miles on the TM tonight instead.  

I hope you princesses had a great weekend.  Only 4 more weeks to go.


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> 6 miles around the indoor track wasn't too bad but I was a lot more sore later in the day than I was when I did 8.  I did a really good job having something in my stomach 2 hours before, good hydration, pace but my body was like "didn't we just do this last week?"    It's a good example of why a long taper is a good thing!
> 
> Have a wonderful day Princesses!


Good job doing the 6!



lisah0711 said:


> My ticker says 4 weeks from today!


OMG! I am so ready. I know we just were on vacation, but this has been the LONGEST January I can remember. I just want to sit at the pool, in the sun with an alcoholic beverage!

Meant to tell you Lisa--Thursday night we are at OKW and then we move to BWV. We have a waitlist for BWV, but we've also been calling to see if we can get AKL for Thursday. It's probably a no go at this point, but you never know. We added Thursday when I got better airfare leaving earlier, so we had to take what we could get.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I did not do a good job today of fitting my run in.  I played with all the kids at my nana's out in the snow instead.  We built a super huge fort and fit 5 kids inside of it.  It was a bunch of fun.  So my punishment is now doing 6 miles on the TM tonight instead.
> 
> I hope you princesses had a great weekend.  Only 4 more weeks to go.


Sounds like you had a great day Lindsay! How fun!

We had a nice day. We went to the Sport, boat and rv show. Which was fun. DS called and I ended up having a 15 minute conversation with him in the middle of the expo center. He was having a little meltdown. He had one last week too. He is trying really hard this semester, so that's good. I called him back when we got home and he seems to be feeling better. I sent him that quote you put on the Donald thread, Lisa.

I ordered a princess bondi band for me and my sister today. And Mike got a lime-ish green running shirt that he is going to wear. I feel great today--my heel is a little sore, but I don't feel like I ran 14 miles yesterday. Our 13.1 time was 4 minutes faster than our September 1/2 and ~6 minutes faster than W&D. And it was a training run!!!! I still don't know if I am running princess for time or just running with my sister and Mike too finish, but I am feeling very strong, and that's a fabulous feeling!

Have a good night.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Good job doing the 6!
> 
> 
> OMG! I am so ready. I know we just were on vacation, but this has been the LONGEST January I can remember. I just want to sit at the pool, in the sun with an alcoholic beverage!
> 
> Meant to tell you Lisa--Thursday night we are at OKW and then we move to BWV. We have a waitlist for BWV, but we've also been calling to see if we can get AKL for Thursday. It's probably a no go at this point, but you never know. We added Thursday when I got better airfare leaving earlier, so we had to take what we could get.
> 
> 
> Sounds like you had a great day Lindsay! How fun!
> 
> We had a nice day. We went to the Sport, boat and rv show. Which was fun. DS called and I ended up having a 15 minute conversation with him in the middle of the expo center. He was having a little meltdown. He had one last week too. He is trying really hard this semester, so that's good. I called him back when we got home and he seems to be feeling better. I sent him that quote you put on the Donald thread, Lisa.
> 
> I ordered a princess bondi band for me and my sister today. And Mike got a lime-ish green running shirt that he is going to wear. I feel great today--my heel is a little sore, but I don't feel like I ran 14 miles yesterday. Our 13.1 time was 4 minutes faster than our September 1/2 and ~6 minutes faster than W&D. And it was a training run!!!! I still don't know if I am running princess for time or just running with my sister and Mike too finish, but I am feeling very strong, and that's a fabulous feeling!
> 
> Have a good night.



Rose I am so glad you sound so happy today.  That run really did you good.


----------



## mikamah

wow, I go away for the weekend, and expect to be behind on the Donald thread, but not here.  You princesses have been chatty.  Who can blame ya, with less than 4 weeks til the princess!!

Be back after I get michael to school to catch up.


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> wow, I go away for the weekend, and expect to be behind on the Donald thread, but not here.  You princesses have been chatty.  Who can blame ya, with less than 4 weeks til the princess!!
> 
> Be back after I get michael to school to catch up.


I think it was mostly me! 

Have a good day!


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I did not do a good job today of fitting my run in.  I played with all the kids at my nana's out in the snow instead.  We built a super huge fort and fit 5 kids inside of it.  It was a bunch of fun.  So my punishment is now doing 6 miles on the TM tonight instead.
> 
> I hope you princesses had a great weekend.  Only 4 more weeks to go.



 Less than 4 weeks to go!  Hope the TM wasn't too dreadful last night, Lindsay.   

This week your long run is 10 also, isn't it?  I am going to be sure I have a rest day before and after.    



Rose&Mike said:


> OMG! I am so ready. I know we just were on vacation, but this has been the LONGEST January I can remember. I just want to sit at the pool, in the sun with an alcoholic beverage!
> 
> Meant to tell you Lisa--Thursday night we are at OKW and then we move to BWV. We have a waitlist for BWV, but we've also been calling to see if we can get AKL for Thursday. It's probably a no go at this point, but you never know. We added Thursday when I got better airfare leaving earlier, so we had to take what we could get.



You need a vacation, Rose, after the horrible month that you had!  

It would be fun if you end up at AKL on Thursday.  We could take the bus to the Expo together to meet Lindsay and Kathy -- and any of our other Princesses who are going to the Expo Friday am.    I'll be at AKV Jambo House.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Rose I am so glad you sound so happy today.  That run really did you good.



 You did sound rested and happy this week-end, Rose!  



mikamah said:


> wow, I go away for the weekend, and expect to be behind on the Donald thread, but not here.  You princesses have been chatty.  Who can blame ya, with less than 4 weeks til the princess!!
> 
> Be back after I get michael to school to catch up.



Hope that you had a good time and got that planning finalized!  

I had a PM last night from jenanderson.  She said to tell you all "hello" and that she misses you.  Hopefully she will jump in here and say "hello" herself.  I told her that we are really hoping to see her and Jude at the WISH meet Saturday night. 

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mikamah

Rose&Mike said:


> I don't know. At W&D we ran to epcot via BW. Which was really cool. My feeling on the ramps is none of them are real hills--compared to what we have here. You just need to shorten your strides and try not to pick your knees up. Think of it as downshifiting. (My chi running husband is telling me what to type. It's ok to slow down a little on hills especially if you are not used to running them. At w&D we did run this one ramp near DHS and there was a toy story army man out there yelling--c'mon take that hill! It was soooooo fun!
> 
> If you are running inside for an hour, you will probably be ok even if the temps are up. It's a lot warmer inside than outside right now, and you get no breeze when running inside. The thing that I would be a little concerned about is the humidity. Humidity is deceptive. I didn't think the temps for w&d were bad, but the humidity was really high. The sweat doesn't evaporate and your body temp can go up. So make sure you are getting fluids.


Thanks Rose.  That is true, and sometime when I'm outside even in this cold, I'm surprised how much I'm sweating still.  
I did 3.5 miles yesterday from my brothers house, and it was an out and back route, which went down a long gradual hill, and I thought of the onramps, and they are definitely shorter than this hill was, and I kept up with the run/walk that I was doing, and just went a little slower.  Just like you and Mike said.  



Rose&Mike said:


> And all this talk about being swept. We are not Cinderella--we are not cleaning the castle. We are running through the castle. There will be No Sweeping! You all have put the miles in. Finish strong this month. Do a good taper. And do not over do it before the race and you will be fine. You will be so excited. You are strong women. You can do this!


  We can do it!!!



Rose&Mike said:


> I think the higher power knew I needed a mental break today, because the weather was fabulous! We started our run around noon and it was 50!!!! When we finished it was 54. I actually could have run in a skirt and or a short sleeved shirt. I was kind of hot at the end! (Definitely NOT complaining.)
> 
> We did 14.09 miles in 2:31:48. We debated doing another mile, but I'm glad we stopped because my stomach seized up. It hurt so much for a couple of minutes I started crying. Luckily, it was short lived and I feel fine now. So that's good. We decided since it was so nice to do 14 today, 6 next week, then 10, then 6. I am ready. And a little longer taper is not a bad thing. If the weather is nice for the 10 we might stretch it a little longer, but I think we are at Carolina that weekend, so probably not. I might be able to talk Tom into a couple of miles, but not more than 4.
> 
> I hope everyone is having a great day. I feel so much calmer about everything since I got my vitamin d fix from the sun and since I spent a few miles in my zen place.


Sounds like a beautiful day and run.  Glad the tummy settled down quickly.  Fabulous time too!! 



lisah0711 said:


> 6 miles around the indoor track wasn't too bad but I was a lot more sore later in the day than I was when I did 8.  I did a really good job having something in my stomach 2 hours before, good hydration, pace but my body was like "didn't we just do this last week?"   It's a good example of why a long taper is a good thing!  :


 Nice job on the 6 miles, and I know what you mean.  Sometimes I feel better after a longer run than the shorter run before hand.  I am definitely careful to drink enough and have a snack before too, and it will make all the difference.  Now I guess it's time to plan how i"m going to carry my snacks on race day. * Any one have a waist pack that they love?  *


lisah0711 said:


> My ticker says 4 weeks from today!


  When I left beth's yesterday we were thinking we'd be in mexico enjoying a margarita at that time.  She may be carrying me back to the all stars, but I can't wait for that drink or two, or three.   We did some planning, and I don't know if I have time now, but I"ll post it all later.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> thank you rose.  Mike is doing fine, his back already feels better.  It just sucks.  The car is not too bad but just more of a hassle.  We most likely will take it to get fixed when I am gone so that he doesnt have to waste even more money on a rental.  thanks again.


Glad he's feeling better.  It is such a hassle to lose the use of the car, and pay for it too. 




mommyof2Pirates said:


> I did not do a good job today of fitting my run in.  I played with all the kids at my nana's out in the snow instead.  We built a super huge fort and fit 5 kids inside of it.  It was a bunch of fun.  So my punishment is now doing 6 miles on the TM tonight instead.
> 
> I hope you princesses had a great weekend.  Only 4 more weeks to go.


Snow play is probably better for the heart and soul than running outside anyway.  Hope the treadmill went well last night.  


Rose&Mike said:


> OMG! I am so ready. I know we just were on vacation, but this has been the LONGEST January I can remember. I just want to sit at the pool, in the sun with an alcoholic beverage!
> 
> We had a nice day. We went to the Sport, boat and rv show. Which was fun. DS called and I ended up having a 15 minute conversation with him in the middle of the expo center. He was having a little meltdown. He had one last week too. He is trying really hard this semester, so that's good. I called him back when we got home and he seems to be feeling better. I sent him that quote you put on the Donald thread, Lisa.
> 
> I ordered a princess bondi band for me and my sister today. And Mike got a lime-ish green running shirt that he is going to wear. I feel great today--my heel is a little sore, but I don't feel like I ran 14 miles yesterday. Our 13.1 time was 4 minutes faster than our September 1/2 and ~6 minutes faster than W&D. And it was a training run!!!! I still don't know if I am running princess for time or just running with my sister and Mike too finish, but I am feeling very strong, and that's a fabulous feeling!
> 
> Have a good night.


I am so ready too.  I can't stand that we are getting another big storm this week.  The bondi bands are cute.  At first I thought you said mike bought a limegreen skirt.  and thought, that's the spirit!!  glad you had a good talk with ds and helped him calm down a bit.  It's got to be so hard to just talk on the phone, and not see his face, and know he's ok.  Is just one of your sisters coming now?  With her dh too, right?  
Some girls were talking about jellyrolls at work, and it sounds like so much fun.  



Rose&Mike said:


> I think it was mostly me!


 I love reading your posts. 



lisah0711 said:


> Less than 4 weeks to go!
> 
> 
> It would be fun if you end up at AKL on Thursday.  We could take the bus to the Expo together to meet Lindsay and Kathy -- and any of our other Princesses who are going to the Expo Friday am.    I'll be at AKV Jambo House.
> 
> 
> Hope that you had a good time and got that planning finalized!
> 
> I had a PM last night from jenanderson.  She said to tell you all "hello" and that she misses you.  Hopefully she will jump in here and say "hello" herself.  I told her that we are really hoping to see her and Jude at the WISH meet Saturday night.


I so hope JenA will pop in here, and I would so love to meet her too.  She so so inspiring and helpful to me last spring when was starting running, and I hope we'll see her soon. 

Well it feels good to be caught up, but now I need to go to work.   More snow coming, 5 inches tomorrow, 12-18 wed.  I can't take it anymore!!!!
Nothing I can do about it, so I'll just deal.  23 days I'll be flying into the sunny warmth of my favorite place!!!  
We had a fun weekend, lots of laughs, food, and drink.  Did get out for a run/walk and was proud of myself for that.  And am back on track now.  Sometimes that boost in calories will help with weight loss.  Gotta run now. 

Have a great day everyone!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I have a confession.  I never got on the TM last night.  Feeling really anxious about that today.  It is the only long run that I missed.  I am hoping I can force myself to do it tonight.  I am feeling a bit down in the dumps today.  Not sure if its TOM still playing havoc on me or what.  I think I just need some sunshine.   Unfortunatly we are getting the storm that Kathy is talking about starting tonight through wed.  I dont think it is going to be as much snow but alot of ice and wintery mix.  

Lisa- yes my 10 mile is next weekend too.  We can do it  I am hoping for some good weather.  Last week it was saying mid 40's now its down to predictions in the mid 30's.  I am just hoping for clear walkways and at least mid 30's.  Im getting a bit concerned looking at the weather predictions for FL.  I think I might melt running in 60 degree weather. 

Have a nice day Princess ladies.


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I have a confession.  I never got on the TM last night.  Feeling really anxious about that today.  It is the only long run that I missed.  I am hoping I can force myself to do it tonight.  I am feeling a bit down in the dumps today.  Not sure if its TOM still playing havoc on me or what.  I think I just need some sunshine.   Unfortunatly we are getting the storm that Kathy is talking about starting tonight through wed.  I dont think it is going to be as much snow but alot of ice and wintery mix.
> 
> Lisa- yes my 10 mile is next weekend too.  We can do it  I am hoping for some good weather.  Last week it was saying mid 40's now its down to predictions in the mid 30's.  I am just hoping for clear walkways and at least mid 30's.  Im getting a bit concerned looking at the weather predictions for FL.  I think I might melt running in 60 degree weather.
> 
> Have a nice day Princess ladies.



 Lindsay we can totally do it!  

Sorry that you are still feeling the funk.    If I was in your place I would be tempted to say I've done all my other long runs and have a really long run on Saturday, I will just skip the 6 and continue on with two short runs and the 10 on Saturday.  But that's just me -- hopefully one of our real runners will chime in on this subject.  

Having one of those days where it's like what else is going to happen now?   Car overheated and kid freaking out about his first tardy ever.  DH came to take kid to school then pick me up at mechanic -- nothing like a little $850 car repair bill to start your week.    Then discovered a big bunch of damage to our office landscaping due to careless snow removal on the next lot over -- probably over a $1,000 worth but that is the snow removal guys problem.    Big payroll report deadline today plus the usual bunch of stuff that happens on Mondays.  It's not even lunch time yet!  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## corinnak

Hi Loser/Princesses!

I'm sorry to do a quick drive-by here.  I just have a minute but wanted to say hi  and see how things are going here.  Last week was just nuts.  DH was out of town over the weekend, one of my boys was sick, AND I was painting set pieces for the show that DH is in right now.  It was tech week all last week and performances over the weekend.  Oh, and my brother flew out and stayed with us for a few days as well.  So....busy, busy.

Crazily, on Friday night, after seeing the opening performance of DH's show, 
'Art,' I decided that the weather looked good and I was going to go ahead and run the Securian Half Marathon that is associated with the St. Paul Winter Carnival.  I was hoping to get 3 half marathons in 3 months and become a Half Fanatic.

So I did the race day registration, then discovered my Garmin was dead.  So I figured, I'd just join one of the pacers.  No problem.  I was feeling wishful so I jumped in with the 2:10 team.  2:10 is my previous PR from last year's princess.  Turns out, the pacer, Juli, is also running the Princess Half.  She's going with her daughter, Karina.  Same name, different spelling!  Very fun.  AND we live in the same town and run a lot of the same routes.  It was so nice to meet her!

The bad news is, the course was short.  Due to measurement challenges and a mistake on the part of the lead car, we all got turned around over a mile before we should have and ended up with a race of 11.7 miles instead of 13.1.  Ugh.  I was on pace for a PR, but what can you do?  I think it was probably a PR at 10 miles, but I'll never know for sure.  

The cool thing to me is that I can decide on Friday night "Hey, I'm going to do this race tomorrow" and go out there and do it - it's not long ago I could not have even done that with a 5K.


Lisa - extra  for you - what a rough start to your morning.  I hope things get better from there.


----------



## lisah0711

corinnak said:


> I was on pace for a PR, but what can you do?  I think it was probably a PR at 10 miles, but I'll never know for sure.
> 
> The cool thing to me is that I can decide on Friday night "Hey, I'm going to do this race tomorrow" and go out there and do it - it's not long ago I could not have even done that with a 5K.
> 
> 
> Lisa - extra  for you - what a rough start to your morning.  I hope things get better from there.



Bummer, Corinna!    So sorry but what a trouper for running around in the cold Minnesota weather!  

Thanks for the  -- my stuff is just mostly annoying.  My 82 MIL got out of Cairo last Thursday so things could be much worse for us really!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Howdy Princess Pals! 

Where does the time go?! I can't remember the last time I posted here, so forgive me if I forget or am repetitive...just chalk it up to my advanced age 

*Lisa* So glad for MIL -- that must have been very scary  Puts things into perspective, doesn't it? I was lamenting about our bad luck this weekend (we need to have our garage door repaired), but really, not a big deal. Things can be replaced, people are invaluable  That is a ridiculous amount of annoyance before lunch, though! I know you made it through and made smart choices with your lunch, because you are on a roll, girl! 

*Corinna* -- I think it is amazing that you can decide to do a Half the night before  Seriously Awesometacular! Sorry about the PR -- and so impressed you're hangin' with the 2:10 pace group, you totally 

*Lindsay* -- You are not the first person to miss a long run, and still have a fantastic Half. Please do not dwell on it. It's gone, and now you should concentrate on your next run.  And did I read dh had a car accident?! I believe everyone is ok and that is a blessing! 

*Kathy* -- I need to look up the name at home, I think it's the ifitness ultimate running belt I use. It has places to put blocks or gu, and a pouch which expands to hold whatever you need, with a separate compartment to tuck money or id. I really love it, especially since it has toggles to attach your running number, so you don't have to pin it to your shirt. It's nice if you might be shedding layers. I bought mine at the WDW Expo this year, and both dh and I ran with it (he did the Full, I did the Half). We found it met both our needs really well. He also ran with a fluid belt, he didn't have a problem having the two on and he wanted to make sure he could carry gatorade.  By the way, dh just told me he heard 14-20 for the snow  

*Rose* -- I love Bondibands! Great product, and locally produced in Maine. I only had one tiny issue once, and they more than made up for it. I hope you enjoy your Princess bondiband! My hair is so thick, I actually wear two (one further back and one overlapping it a bit) to keep it completely off my face. I also hope they have them screen with the Princess logo at the Expo. I have them from the last 2 WDW marathon weekends, and I wear them all the time. 

Rose is right, no talk of sweeping.  It's not gonna happen, ladies! I know you can *all *do this. Remember, I walked/ran three Half races at over 200 lbs, and I have finishers medals to show for all of them! You can do this! I was so ill-prepared for my first Half, I trained solely on the TM *holding on to the rails the entire time *; I had no idea I might need fuel, so when I got to the Expo and saw there were items for sale, instead of buying them to at least try them before the race, I went to DTD and got Jellybellys ; I walked almost the entire way; and everywhere I looked to my eyes everyone looked so lean and fit, and I couldn't possibly be in the same race -- but I was, and everyone, from those lean to not so lean, was incredibly nice and helpful.  I know you can do it, and in your heart of hearts, so do you! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> You did sound rested and happy this week-end, Rose!
> 
> 
> I had a PM last night from jenanderson.  She said to tell you all "hello" and that she misses you.  Hopefully she will jump in here and say "hello" herself.  I told her that we are really hoping to see her and Jude at the WISH meet Saturday night.
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!


Honestly, I was faking it a lot--but that's not a bad thing. We kept busy and had a nice weekend, and if I would have let myself, I could have easily been swallowed up by anxiety. But I didn't, so I am proud of myself. I'm so glad you heard from Jen. It would really be nice to see her and Jude.



mikamah said:


> We had a fun weekend, lots of laughs, food, and drink.  Did get out for a run/walk and was proud of myself for that.  And am back on track now.  Sometimes that boost in calories will help with weight loss.  Gotta run now.
> 
> Have a great day everyone!!


I'm glad you had a nice weekend. I wish I was a little closer to my sisters. Great job on getting the exercise in!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Lisa- yes my 10 mile is next weekend too.  We can do it  I am hoping for some good weather.  Last week it was saying mid 40's now its down to predictions in the mid 30's.  I am just hoping for clear walkways and at least mid 30's.  Im getting a bit concerned looking at the weather predictions for FL.  I think I might melt running in 60 degree weather.
> 
> Have a nice day Princess ladies.


I hope you get reasonable weather this weekend! You have been such a trooper getting out there in the cruddy weather.



lisah0711 said:


> Having one of those days where it's like what else is going to happen now?   Car overheated and kid freaking out about his first tardy ever.  DH came to take kid to school then pick me up at mechanic -- nothing like a little $850 car repair bill to start your week.    Then discovered a big bunch of damage to our office landscaping due to careless snow removal on the next lot over -- probably over a $1,000 worth but that is the snow removal guys problem.    Big payroll report deadline today plus the usual bunch of stuff that happens on Mondays.  It's not even lunch time yet!
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!


Oh, Lisa. That is a cruddy start to a Monday. I'm glad your MIL got out of Cairo. Very scary. 

*Hi Corinna!* Bummer about the distance on your run! But very cool to know that you can decide at the last minute that you want to run a race--and not just a little race, 13 miles no less! Hope things get a little less crazy for you.




Worfiedoodles said:


> Rose is right, no talk of sweeping.  It's not gonna happen, ladies! I know you can *all *do this. Remember, I walked/ran three Half races at over 200 lbs, and I have finishers medals to show for all of them! You can do this! I was so ill-prepared for my first Half, I trained solely on the TM *holding on to the rails the entire time *; I had no idea I might need fuel, so when I got to the Expo and saw there were items for sale, instead of buying them to at least try them before the race, I went to DTD and got Jellybellys ; I walked almost the entire way; and everywhere I looked to my eyes everyone looked so lean and fit, and I couldn't possibly be in the same race -- but I was, and everyone, from those lean to not so lean, was incredibly nice and helpful.  I know you can do it, and in your heart of hearts, so do you!
> 
> Maria


I have a couple of lycra bondibands--I think they are bondibands, they look the same--that I got a w&d. I really like them too. They lycra ones do a decent job keeping the sweat out of my eyes. One of the princess ones I ordered is for heavy sweating--I think that's the one I will keep.

What a great story! I know everyone can do it too! So, no more sweeping talk!

I skipped my strength class tonight. Mike got up at 4:30 this morning to go to the airport, so I've been up since then, and my stomach is a mess. Everyday it seems a little worse. I feel like I am carrying a bowling ball around. Hopefully the doctor will call soon, even it's just to tell me I need to see another doctor. I still might walk on the treadmill, or I might not. I can't gain 49 pounds back in one week of being a slacker, right?

Have a great evening.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> Lindsay we can totally do it!
> 
> Sorry that you are still feeling the funk.    If I was in your place I would be tempted to say I've done all my other long runs and have a really long run on Saturday, I will just skip the 6 and continue on with two short runs and the 10 on Saturday.  But that's just me -- hopefully one of our real runners will chime in on this subject.



thanks for the advice lisa.  I think I will take it.  I will just pick up where I left off.  I hope your day got better.



corinnak said:


> The bad news is, the course was short.  Due to measurement challenges and a mistake on the part of the lead car, we all got turned around over a mile before we should have and ended up with a race of 11.7 miles instead of 13.1.  Ugh.  I was on pace for a PR, but what can you do?  I think it was probably a PR at 10 miles, but I'll never know for sure.



thats cool that you can decide that spur of the moment.  You are awesome.  I cant believe that happened during the race.  I bet there were plenty of unhappy racers.



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lindsay* -- You are not the first person to miss a long run, and still have a fantastic Half. Please do not dwell on it. It's gone, and now you should concentrate on your next run.  And did I read dh had a car accident?! I believe everyone is ok and that is a blessing!



thanks maria.  Yes it was more of a hassle.  worse things could happen.  We are blessed.



Rose&Mike said:


> I skipped my strength class tonight. Mike got up at 4:30 this morning to go to the airport, so I've been up since then, and my stomach is a mess. Everyday it seems a little worse. I feel like I am carrying a bowling ball around. Hopefully the doctor will call soon, even it's just to tell me I need to see another doctor. I still might walk on the treadmill, or I might not. I can't gain 49 pounds back in one week of being a slacker, right?
> 
> Have a great evening.



Take it easy rose.  If your not feeling well you need to give yourself a break.  I hope you hear something soon.  Feel better.

Ok so here are the updates on my outfit:

I ordered nike shorts. Not sure if I want to wear short but Im going to try them on and see how I like them.  Otherwise I am going for the plain old black capris.





I ordered this tshirt the only issue is its cotton.  So still debating if I should wear it or not.  I first want to see how it looks.  You know its all about the fashion.






I also had this one in mind but it was alot more expensive and still cotton.





I also ordered body glide today.  I am assuming you just rub this on in between your legs right?  Never used it before.  Is it something I should try to carry along with me?  Chaffing is the only reason I may not wear the shorts.  I may wear tights underneath.

I also ordered a plastic tiara but I am also thinking of getting a bondi band with a tiara on it too.  

Ok well thats the update.  I will post a pic of myself wearing the proposed outfit once I get it all.  All I have to say is running the 13.1 miles is going to be a piece of cake compared to how hard it is to determine what to wear.


----------



## jenanderson

lisah0711 said:


> I had a PM last night from jenanderson.  She said to tell you all "hello" and that she misses you.  Hopefully she will jump in here and say "hello" herself.  I told her that we are really hoping to see her and Jude at the WISH meet Saturday night.





mikamah said:


> I so hope JenA will pop in here, and I would so love to meet her too.  She so so inspiring and helpful to me last spring when was starting running, and I hope we'll see her soon.





Rose&Mike said:


> I'm so glad you heard from Jen. It would really be nice to see her and Jude.



Hello everyone!  Writing Lisa made me know that I should check in with everyone and so I am going to copy much of what I wrote to her.  First of all, I can't begin to tell you guys how much I miss all of you.  Despite that....it was necessary to take a break from the DIS. I had reached a really low point that had nothing to do with the DIS but I did not have anything positive to contribute.

So I will give you the short summary: I could not find anyone who would do anything about helping me find a job even though everyone said that what was happening was wrong. I was growing more and more depressed as the time passed. I thought I could still hold everything together but I couldn't. I think I was pretty much depressed. The week before Christmas, I got my Christmas miracle...I was offered a job. I have now been working for 4 weeks and feel like I am finally recovering.

That is the short story that leaves many of the really hard details but does pretty much sum it all up.

This fall, I pulled away from many people and away from all the support I had on the WISH. Thankfully Jude knew how bad it was and called me to check on me all the time. As I work on finding "me" again, I have to work on saying I am sorry to everyone else who I had left out of the loop. So, I am sorry that I pulled away from the WISH without any explanation.

I will say that I am thankful that the damage I have done in terms of weight is only 10 pounds but it is much harder without all of you.

I have spent a lot of time focusing on getting my life back in order but I now have to focus on getting my healthy life back on track.

I am still running and will be running the Princess with Jude. I have joined a gym and am going to start working with a personal trainer. The hard part is that I really have eaten poorly for months again and am totally struggling with all of that.

So, I am thinking of how to get back on track with it and thought of all you. I wanted to check in with you and let you know how things are.  It is wonderful to read about how great everyone is doing with their training and I am proud that none of you have given up - everyone is going to have the time of their lives and finish strong!

Jen


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Jen It is so good to hear from you.  Im so sorry you had to go through such a rough time but I am so glad to hear that you once again found a job and are on the recovery.  Take it one step at a time.  We are here for you and no apologies are needed.  Im glad to hear you will still be at the princess.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Jen* -- We really missed you! I am so glad to hear that things have taken a radical turn for the better, and you are feeling better  We all have setbacks, but you can now say you are an example of picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and making fitness "fit" in your life. I am so proud of you, and so happy to hear from you! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

*Jen*- It's so nice to see you again, we've missed you. So sorry for all you have been through, and so happy you've found a job and are starting to feel back to yourself.  I totally agree with lindsay, no apologies necessary, we all have times when we just can't be here, but this is our safe place, come and go when we can, and we're always happy to see you back.   Sending pixiedust that 2011 continues to be a much better year for you.

*LIndsay*- Are you enjoying that snow yet?  Looks like you're in the thick of it now.  Send it south for me, please.   Love the shorts and shirt is so cute.  I've never run in shorts, and probably need to lose another 50 pounds first.  They would look cute with capris under them too, if it was cool. Here's hoping you have some warm weather before to try them out. My shirt is part cotton, it's the champion dri-fit from Target.  They're what I've worn since last spring, and I've tried more of the polyester wicking shirts, but they arent' as comfy for me.  I think all the rules do have exceptions.  
I picked up a plastic tiara at claires, and need to try and attach it to my head and try it out.  It has a comb, not a headband type.  It was cheap, so if I throw it away, that's fine, but i'll have it on for my before race pics.  

*LIsa*-sorry you had such a rough start to your day.  Hope it improved immensely before too long.  Poor robert, first time tardy in middle school is impressive.  3 weeks from tomorrow we'll be there!!!!!!!! 

*Maria*- Thanks for the info on your waist pack and sharing your experience with your first races.  At 206 pounds, I do find so much comfort in knowing I am not the first one to do a half at this weight.  I do sometimes look at myself and think I don't fit in, but try to remember that I do, and I am going to do this.   One channel said we'll only get 8-16 over the 2 days, so I'm going to listen to them.  A little denial goes a long way.  We have school today, so far, so I hope it won't be called early.   Enjoy the snow.

*Rose*- Hugs on  your tummy.  Hope you can get some answers soon.  You definitely can't gain 49 pounds back in a week.  Take some days off if you feel like it, and get some rest.  

*Corinna*- Congrats on deciding to do a half the day before.  That really is amazing.  Must have been such a great feeling.  

*Jude*- Welcome back.  Hope you had a good trip.

Have a great day, princesses!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay*--cute shorts!!! I do love pink! 

*Jen*--I am so glad you are doing ok. And I am so happy that things are turning around. I totally get the stepping back from things for a bit. I hope we see you around some more and I really hope we get to meet you at Princess.

I did my own version of WATP during How I Met Your Mother last night. Scheduled for 4 miles today. We have been so lucky. We are only getting rain--the ice stayed north of the Ohio. I think like an inch of snow tomorrow, but that's nothing. Mike is in San Diego this week, so I enjoyed a quiet evening last night. By Thursday night when he gets home, I will be ready for some company, I'm sure! DS did not get his service spring break trip. He got in line early, but it filled up too soon. So I think he mentioned something about coming home. I'm not holding my breath, but that would be nice.

Have a great day!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

*JenA,* it was so nice to hear from you!    I'm so glad that things have improved for you and that you will be running the Princess soon!  We missed you!  

*Maria,* thanks for having faith in me that I would stay on track in spite of my hectic day.  I had delicious Smart Ones Roasted Vegetable pizza --7 points plus and some yogurt.  I was actually pleased I stayed on track all day.  

*Rose,* faking works.    Hope that you enjoy your week alone and that the storm avoids you.  That would really add insult to injury having Mike be in San Diego and you being stuck in the storm!  

*Lindsay,* your shorts look cute.  I'm sure you will look very good at the Princess no matter what you decide to wear.   

*Jude,* welcome back from your service week!  

*Corinna* and *Kathy* hope the big storm isn't too much in your necks of the woods!  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> [ I think like an inch of snow tomorrow, but that's nothing. Mike is in San Diego this week, so I enjoyed a quiet evening last night. By Thursday night when he gets home, I will be ready for some company, I'm sure! DS did not get his service spring break trip. He got in line early, but it filled up too soon. So I think he mentioned something about coming home. I'm not holding my breath, but that would be nice.
> 
> Have a great day!




Glad the snow is missing you.  I hope you enjoy your quiet week, Its funny right now I would pay a million dollars to have a week at home alone but Im sure after one night I would want my "loud" family back.  I hope DS decides to make a trip home during his break.


I did it. I got my butt on the TM last night and did my 45 min.  I actually went 4.1 miles which is a PR for me.  I just go faster on the TM.  It was all mind of matter....I really wanted to quit after the first mile. 

We had a mess outside this morning.  an inch or two of snow and then sleet and freezing rain while I drove in.  It is very slippery out.  We are suppose to have this mix throughout the day and then tonight we are suppose to get a few inches of ice.  I am crossing my fingers that we can close tomorrow.  Ryans school was closed today so he went to the daycare with Nick.  They have a school age program there when schools are closed.  He had a blast last week when he went there so he was excited to go again.

Another storm is possibly going to hit our area on saturday but they are not sure what it will be yet.  I really cant take this stuff anymore.

In 3 weeks and 2 days I will be arriving in sunny FL.


----------



## jenanderson

Thanks everyone for all the kind words and the nice welcome back.  I am so much happier and much more myself since starting back at work.  My new job is a big one and I am no longer teaching in a classroom.  I am now the Technology Integration Specialist and Differentiated Instructional Coach at a middle school.  Our school was awarded a multi-million dollar grant to turn into an E-STEM (environmental science, technology, engineering and math) school.  In about 5 weeks, every student will be issued their iPad that they will have at school and take home.  My job is to help the staff learn how to use technology in their teaching and create instruction that meets each child's needs using technology.  It is a very stressful job in many ways but I am just so happy to have a job that it is fine.

As for my training....I was able to run 10 miles this weekend.  I am now on a treadmill.  This running warrior finally decided that all the snow and ice was just too dangerous to be out on the road.  I miss running outside but I am fine with inside running for now.  Yesterday I did 2 miles on an elliptical, 1 mile on a treadmill and then worked out with my personal trainer for 45 minutes.  Today I can barely move my arms!   

I love to see or hear what you all are wearing for the Princess!  I am excited because I just got an e-mail that says the tutus that I ordered for Jude and I have shipped!    I will share more about our outfits as I finalize things.

*Rose - *I am so sorry to read that you are having stomach issues.  You have worked so hard so I am sorry that you have this going on when you run.  Hopefully an answer will be found soon.

*Lisa - *Thanks for encouraging me to come back and chat with you all.  I have missed all my WISH friends.

*Kathy - *You TOTALLY fit in at any race.  I can remember feeling like I had no business being in a "race" when I went to my first one.  Even though I did see many people who in my mind looked like runners, I also saw more people who looked just like me.  You are going to do great at the Princess and I think it is the perfect half marathon to start with! 

*Lindsay - *I love the RUN LIKE A GIRL t-shirt!  I am still trying to decide what saying is going to be the one I wear.  Way to go on your PR last night!  Knowing that the Princess is coming fast is a good motivator!  Sorry about all your snow.  We have had over 60 inches this winter as well and I don't even know where to shovel it any more as the banks around my driveway are taller then me!    I can't wait to see FL!

*Maria - *You are such a great cheerleader for the group.  I love how you shared about your 1st half and buying the jelly beans!  It is amazing how supportive the whole racing community is and I know that everyone here is going to finish that race and have their medal to remind them of how strong they really are!

Well, I should get back to work because my list of things to do never ends.  Hope everyone has a great day!

Jen


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I did it. I got my butt on the TM last night and did my 45 min.  I actually went 4.1 miles which is a PR for me.  I just go faster on the TM.  It was all mind of matter....I really wanted to quit after the first mile.



Congrats on your PR, Lindsay!    I'm glad that you are just carrying on with your training -- sometimes being caught up is better for you than that feeling you get when you were always behind!  



jenanderson said:


> Thanks everyone for all the kind words and the nice welcome back.  I am so much happier and much more myself since starting back at work.  My new job is a big one and I am no longer teaching in a classroom.  I am now the Technology Integration Specialist and Differentiated Instructional Coach at a middle school.  Our school was awarded a multi-million dollar grant to turn into an E-STEM (environmental science, technology, engineering and math) school.  In about 5 weeks, every student will be issued their iPad that they will have at school and take home.  My job is to help the staff learn how to use technology in their teaching and create instruction that meets each child's needs using technology.  It is a very stressful job in many ways but I am just so happy to have a job that it is fine.
> 
> As for my training....I was able to run 10 miles this weekend.  I am now on a treadmill.  This running warrior finally decided that all the snow and ice was just too dangerous to be out on the road.  I miss running outside but I am fine with inside running for now.  Yesterday I did 2 miles on an elliptical, 1 mile on a treadmill and then worked out with my personal trainer for 45 minutes.  Today I can barely move my arms!



It's so nice to see posts from you again, Jen!    You're new job sounds exciting but I'm sure it is busy and will be challenging trying to help everyone with the technological aspects.   

And it sounds like your training is going great!    I moved inside to the TM, too, when the weather got bad here in November.  I'm not a big fan of the TM.  I'm not as fast and even with the incline its just not the same -- apparently I am a wobbly runner!    But as I got to my longer training runs I started using the indoor track at our Kroc Center.  11 times around for a mile but it beats the TM any day for me!    10 miles is my long run this week and then taper starts.  

*Kathy,* there was a thread on the events side of WISH not too long ago talking about different belts.  The iFitness belt seemed to be a popular one.  They will be a the Expo but you may not want to wait until then.  That girl in the nonrunner's book used a baggie pinned to herself but as I recall that wasn't an ideal solution.    (Thank, Jen, for recommending that book!)  

Today is a short run with my friend at the track.  I'll have another short run and then 10 miles on Saturday.

Stay warm and safe, Princesses!


----------



## mikamah

jenanderson said:


> Thanks everyone for all the kind words and the nice welcome back.  I am so much happier and much more myself since starting back at work.  My new job is a big one and I am no longer teaching in a classroom.  I am now the Technology Integration Specialist and Differentiated Instructional Coach at a middle school.  Our school was awarded a multi-million dollar grant to turn into an E-STEM (environmental science, technology, engineering and math) school.  In about 5 weeks, every student will be issued their iPad that they will have at school and take home.  My job is to help the staff learn how to use technology in their teaching and create instruction that meets each child's needs using technology.  It is a very stressful job in many ways but I am just so happy to have a job that it is fine.


Sounds like a very interesting and exciting job.  I would think it might be tough for some of the older teachers to adapt, or I guess maybe as teachers, you've all learned all the new technology as it came along.  I remember when we moved some of our nursing documentation over to the computer, and so many older nurses had such a hard time, and that was years ago, and some still do.   Good luck with it all. 



jenanderson said:


> *Kathy - *You TOTALLY fit in at any race.  I can remember feeling like I had no business being in a "race" when I went to my first one.  Even though I did see many people who in my mind looked like runners, I also saw more people who looked just like me.  You are going to do great at the Princess and I think it is the perfect half marathon to start with!


Thanks.  Some days I feel like I fit in, and other days I don't, but I have come a long way since last february when I would only run at the park where noone would see me. I'm very comfortable running all over town now, and don't feel self-conscious at all.   I'm so excited for the princess.  I bought the magenta sparkle skirt, and am wearing black capris under, with a pink tshirt and may iron a rhinestone crown.  I picked up a cheapo tiara that I may wear if I can get it to stay on my head.  I'll at least wear it for pics before the race.   



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I got my butt on the TM last night and did my 45 min.  I actually went 4.1 miles which is a PR for me.  I just go faster on the TM.  It was all mind of matter....I really wanted to quit after the first mile.
> 
> Ryans school was closed today so he went to the daycare with Nick.  They have a school age program there when schools are closed.  He had a blast last week when he went there so he was excited to go again.


Yay you for a new PR!!!  That is so exciting and fast!!!
Thought of you this morning, looked like you were being slammed with all the ice and freezing rain.  That's nice the day care can take school age kids too during snow days and Ryan likes it.  
I took another day off to stay home today.  Michael can go to his cousin's house, but I didnt' feel like dealing with the snow, and since it was my 4 hour day, I said what the heck.  We've turned over to rain now.  What a mess.  



Rose&Mike said:


> I did my own version of WATP during How I Met Your Mother last night. Scheduled for 4 miles today. We have been so lucky. We are only getting rain--the ice stayed north of the Ohio. I think like an inch of snow tomorrow, but that's nothing. Mike is in San Diego this week, so I enjoyed a quiet evening last night. By Thursday night when he gets home, I will be ready for some company, I'm sure! DS did not get his service spring break trip. He got in line early, but it filled up too soon. So I think he mentioned something about coming home. I'm not holding my breath, but that would be nice.


That would be nice if ds comes home to visit.  I'm guessing you're not the type of mom who would put a guilt trip on him, but that might work.  We have a joke about my mom, who was good at the guilt trip thing, and she often said, ," I think it would be nice if you....." basicly meaning she was going to be pissed if you didn't do whatever.  We often quote her now.   Glad your weather isn't too bad. 



lisah0711 said:


> *Kathy,* there was a thread on the events side of WISH not too long ago talking about different belts.  The iFitness belt seemed to be a popular one.  They will be a the Expo but you may not want to wait until then.  That girl in the nonrunner's book used a baggie pinned to herself but as I recall that wasn't an ideal solution.    (Thank, Jen, for recommending that book!)
> 
> Today is a short run with my friend at the track.  I'll have another short run and then 10 miles on Saturday.


Thanks Lisa.  I forgot about the baggie solution.  Too funny.  I have a zip pocket in my capris that would hold my phone and room card, and the sparkle skirt has a pocket too, and I could put my gu's in that, and I'll carry my camera, and I'm wondering if that's all I need.  I did see some tiny little spi-belt type packs at dicks, but the capri pocket would hold as much as them.   Hope you have a good run at the track.  I should be boarding the plane about 3 weeks from now.  

*Maria*- Enjoying the weather?  It seems like they are afraid to say too much about the weekend yet, not wanting to send too many people over the edge.  Stay safe.

I did an hour wii run around the house this morning, and some wii boxing.  Last week when I took the snow day off, I got in a funk, so I figured I'd start off the day with some exercise and prevent that.  I'm feeling good, and will get my upper body workout with the shovel later.  
I'm going to call a gym nearby that has an indoor track, and see if they'll do a free trial and that way I can go sunday for my long run, if I can't get outside.  

Good luck with your training, princesses!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning Princess friends! The wind was very scary here last night and I was up for a couple of hours in the middle of the night. So glad I am off today. I ran 4 miles on the treadmill after work last night. Being completely honest here--if this race was not coming up I think I would contemplate taking like a week off. I feel really cruddy--most of the time now, and especially after I eat. Sorry to be a downer. The good new is (I think it's good news) I have now lost 50 pounds. So that's exciting.



lisah0711 said:


> *Maria,* thanks for having faith in me that I would stay on track in spite of my hectic day.  I had delicious Smart Ones Roasted Vegetable pizza --7 points plus and some yogurt.  I was actually pleased I stayed on track all day.


Great job Lisa! That pizza sounds good.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Glad the snow is missing you.  I hope you enjoy your quiet week, Its funny right now I would pay a million dollars to have a week at home alone but Im sure after one night I would want my "loud" family back.  I hope DS decides to make a trip home during his break.
> 
> 
> I did it. I got my butt on the TM last night and did my 45 min.  I actually went 4.1 miles which is a PR for me.  I just go faster on the TM.  It was all mind of matter....I really wanted to quit after the first mile.


Great job Lindsay! Woohoo for the pr! When Tom first went to school Mike was traveling a bunch--and I HATED it. I was so lonely and the house was so quiet. Now I don't mind it so much. He's not going as often and it's usually only for a couple of days. You need to get Mike and your boys in scouts and then they will camp on occasion and you will get a quiet night here and there! 

Jen--that sounds like a very interesting and busy job! How do you keep the kids from doing stuff they shouldn't do during class with their ipads? 



lisah0711 said:


> *Kathy,* there was a thread on the events side of WISH not too long ago talking about different belts.  The iFitness belt seemed to be a popular one.  They will be a the Expo but you may not want to wait until then.  That girl in the nonrunner's book used a baggie pinned to herself but as I recall that wasn't an ideal solution.    (Thank, Jen, for recommending that book!)
> 
> Today is a short run with my friend at the track.  I'll have another short run and then 10 miles on Saturday.
> 
> Stay warm and safe, Princesses!


Hope the short run went well! I have been thinking about fueling belts since I am contemplating running by myself. Mike might run with my sister. It's hard to explain, but mentally I have been struggling so much, and I think this would be such a big mental victory to run this for time without Mike. I still haven't decided. Anyhow, I am taping my endurolytes to my bib and my skirt has two pockets so I'll put my gu in one and camera in the other. The only thing I'm not sure about is if I am going to actually just carry some salt. I'm also going to get one of those waterbottles handholder things. I already carry my ipod, so I'm used to that.

Hope everyone is doing well and staying warm! We have really dodged the bullet with this storm. Thank goodness. Have a great day!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> Congrats on your PR, Lindsay!    I'm glad that you are just carrying on with your training -- sometimes being caught up is better for you than that feeling you get when you were always behind!



Thanks lisa and thank you again for the words of encouragement.  You know me so well, I was beating myself up and stressing over not doing the 6 mile.  Now that I moved on and picked right up where I left off I feel much better.  

Have fun on your short run today.




jenanderson said:


> Thanks everyone for all the kind words and the nice welcome back.  I am so much happier and much more myself since starting back at work.



Jen your job sounds awesome.  Im so glad you are feeling better.  Great job on your 10 mile run.  I want to someday do the warrior dash but I have some more work to do before that happens, but I am still running outside in the snow so I feel like I am dangerously preparing myself for it.  I cant wait to see pics of your and judes outfits. Im sure you girls will look so good. 



mikamah said:


> Yay you for a new PR!!!  That is so exciting and fast!!!
> Thought of you this morning, looked like you were being slammed with all the ice and freezing rain.  That's nice the day care can take school age kids too during snow days and Ryan likes it.
> I took another day off to stay home today.  Michael can go to his cousin's house, but I didnt' feel like dealing with the snow, and since it was my 4 hour day, I said what the heck.  We've turned over to rain now.  What a mess.



Its a big mess here too Kathy.  We got snow yesterday only like 4 inches.  Last night it was ice and this morning rain.  I cant take it anymore but it looks like there is another storm coming through on sat, and possibly next thursday.

Your idea of a free gym day to use the track is great.  My son does bball at the YMCA on sat.  They have a track and I am going to contemplate seeing if I could use it.  The only issue is with the weather on sat they might cancel bball and close the Y and sunday they are not open. So will see but thanks for the idea it may be an option to hurddeling snow this wkend.



Rose&Mike said:


> Being completely honest here--if this race was not coming up I think I would contemplate taking like a week off. I feel really cruddy--most of the time now, and especially after I eat. Sorry to be a downer. The good new is (I think it's good news) I have now lost 50 pounds. So that's exciting.



Rose I am so sorry to hear that you are feeling so bad.  Try not to push yourself to hard.  You have been training for so long that if you miss a few runs its not going to be the end of the world.  Take care of yourself.
Glad you missed out on this yucky storm.


I thought for sure this ice storm would get me a day off from work but no such luck.  We opened for 10am today.  As I was getting ready I noticed our dining room floor was wet.  Here we have leaks going on in our house.  1 in the dining room and 1 in the basement.  Both on the same side of the house.  The ice/snow on our roof plus the excessive amt of rain we got this morning I believe is causing water to drain under our shingles and the water is coming in through the walls.  I hope that by the time we get home its not any worse.  My dad is going to try to stop down mid day today to look at it for us.  Did I mention.  I HATE THIS WEATHER!!!  We are expected to get more on saturday and another storm possibly next thursday.

Last night I started planning what I will be packing for FL.  Yes I do this well in advance.  I have 4 disney shirts all short sleeved, and I am planning capris, with jeans as a back up.  I have a light jacket/pullover fleece that I am taking for at night.  Depending on how warm it is I will either wear flip flops or sneakers.  Does anyone have a plan for what they are taking.  I never went on vacation where I would have such a difference in weather.  

TTYL Princess Ladies!!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Kathy--you are going to be stylin! Hope you had a good day off and I hope you can work something out with the gym. I can guilt Tom about some things, some things not so much. I try to save it for when I really need it.

Lindsay--that's so frustrating about the roof leaks! I hope the damage wasn't too bad. I would definitely recommend walking around in shoes with support. Don't underestimate how many miles you will put on even before the race! A lot of times I will carry cute shoes in a string bag and then put them on when we get somewhere. (Ok, really Mike carries the string bag, but I would carry it if he didn't.) And--VERY IMPORTANT--put your running stuff in your carryon. Do not check it, especially your shoes. You can replace stuff at the expo, but you don't want to!

We kind of got our wait list for BWV. Not the same class of room, but at least we will be at BW. Still hoping to get the same class of room, but at this point I'll be happy that we only have to switch rooms and not hotels.

I have only left the house today to take the dogs out and it has been fabulous! I did WATP. And then I had an AHA moment. In theory, I am not trying to lose weight anymore. Which means it really is ok to skip a workout. I get more than enough exercise in any given week. I know that probably sounds silly, but I still really struggle with missing a day. My foot is a little sore, and I REALLY should skip tomorrow's run. So then I had this big plan, ok I'll skip the run, but I'll do the elliptical. Maybe I will skip the run and go to the mall!!! All of my clothes from last spring and summer are too big, so I could use a couple of things for our trip! And my foot could use a break.

So, as on now, I am taking tomorrow off. Doing a light workout Friday. Taking Saturday off. And running outside (hopefully) 10 miles on Sunday. Then it's taper time! Next weekend if the weather cooperates, we are going to see Tom. Really looking forward to it!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Pretty Princesses! 

Remember that sore throat I had Monday night? Well it blossomed into a full-fledged cold. I spent yesterday in bed, which was just as well since ds had a snow day. I don't think he accomplished a single thing all day, but since I was basically comatose, I guess I can't complain too much. I probably should still be in bed, but I've used so many sick days for snow days already...I figured since I was feeling better I'd come in for half a day. I'm already looking forward to lunch and my nap 

Needless to say, no workouts since Monday for me. I am hoping to rally and get in some miles Sat. and Sun., but it's just going to depend on how quickly this cold moves out. 

*Rose* -- I think it is fabulous you need to make a trip to the Mall for new clothes! That is the kind of exercise to be proud of! And of course you can take a day off -- sometimes it's just what you need. 

*Lindsay* -- I can't even think of another storm. I'm running out of positive "snow" energy!  I'm so sorry about the leaks, that is not good  DH went up and shoveled off the roof above our bedroom (it's an addition that sticks out past the original roof) this morning. He was concerned because we keep hearing so many reports of roofs collapsing. I'm impressed you're already working on the packing! I only have one definite, the t-shirt I got in NYC with Mickey and a big shiny apple. I thought that would be fun to wear. Great job on the PR, that is a magic moment! 

*Kathy* -- How did your shoveling go? DH told me we officially do not have anywhere else to put more snow. He can't reach the top of the mounds he's already made  Great idea starting your snow day out with some exercise. I really wanted to do 10M yesterday, but when I got up I realized 1M was more than I could handle, so it was best to spend the day in bed. 

*Lisa* -- Are you ready for your 10M Saturday? I have every confidence you are going to finish it feeling ready and pleased with your accomplishment! 

*JenAnderson* -- Your new job sounds really intriguing, plenty to keep you challenged, and also great to look forward to every day!  

 to *Corinna and Jude!*

Everyone have a great day, it's almost the weekend! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princesses!!!!

Well, it's not snowing or raining, and the sun is supposed to come out, but we'll see.  According to Puxathawny phil, spring should come early, so I'm holding him to that.   Is he your neighbor Lindsay?  Poor little groundhog with so much responsitility.

*Rose*- Sorry you are feeling so poorly.  I hope you get some answers and solutions soon.  Congrats on 50 pounds gone!!!  That must feel so good.  Sounds like you had a nice relaxing day yesterday.  I hope you enjoy your shopping day.  You definitely deserve it.  Shopping can count as exercise too, if you do it right.  Have fun. 

*Lindsay*- So sorry about the roof leaks.  That is so frustrating and aggravating.  Hope it's not too bad, and stops soon.  A friend of mine had that happen last week, and had someone come to try and chip the ice off the roof so it would drain, but it hadn't helped to much, but probably did prevent it from getting worse.  I'm just crossing my fingers.   This weather does suck, and I am so done with it too.  hang in there.  Spring always does come.  
Now on to the fun stuff, what are we going to pack for our trips!!!  I'm a capri person.  Even the january we went it was 30 in the morning, and I wore capris with a sweatshirt.  And last august, I wore capris in the 90 degree weather too.  I'll bring capris, and i have a variety of disney shirts.  We have matching tyedye mickey shirts, so we'll bring them, and some mickey shirts, and I'm just bringing capris.  I did buy a lime green shirt, and will wear that saturday for the dis meet.  I might put a little rhinestone heart on it too. 
I was thinking I should carry my running outfit and shoes on the plane too, Rose.  I think I'll wear my old running shoes most of the week before the race, and I have a pair of merrill sandals that are very comfy, but I've had food pain at times, so I think I'll save those for after the race, and stick with the sneakers before.  I definitely notice the foot pain more when I've spent too much time in bare feet or socks.  

I had a little anxiety yesterday after watching all the roof collapses, I thought my roof was sagging, but it was just the snow drift, but I climbed up on some chairs and footstool to look in the attic and it looked fine, so that alleviated my anxiety, but the funny thing was, when I was starting to escalate thinking the roof was going to collapse, I wasn't worried about what I'd do to get it repaired, where would we go, but I was worried I'd have to cancel the princess trip to save money  At least I have my priorities straight.  My roof is just fine, it was more in my head, and I turned it around, and try to think this house has been here for 80 years, and I'm sure it has survived winters like this before.  Just a crazy moment.  

Well, I guess I should get my butt to work now.  I would love to be a stay at home mom.

Hello to everyone else!!
Have a great day!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hi Princesses!

Maria--feel better!

Kathy--so glad the roof is holding up!

This morning started off rough. Mike's plane tonight was already cancelled (he's flying through Houston and they are getting ice tongiht). They rebooked him for very late Friday night. He called his work travel when they reopened and they told him to cancel the flight and they booked him on SW tonight. Thank goodness. I am done being alone for this week! 

So the plan for today is work, come home and take the dogs out, and then go shopping. I am not going to the gym. I am not going to the gym. I am not going to the gym. 

Still hoping to hear something from the doctor this week. I heard the celiac panel can take a while.

Hope everyone has a great day!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

Hope everyone is staying warm, safe and dry!  

*Rose,* sorry that your tummy is still bothering you so much.  Maybe start tapering a little early to give it a chance to heal?    I think it would be great for you to run on your own cause you know you can do it!    Glad your waitlist came through so you don't have to move too far on Expo morning, even though I will miss you on the bus.

*Lindsay,* sorry for the roof leaks.    They are frustrating because where the leak is may be so far away from where the water is entering.  

I've never gone to WDW except in December or January.  Then the secret is layers.  I'm taking a pair of jeans but planning on capris for the most part.  I'll have at leat one long sleeved shirt and mostly short sleeve shirts.  I like using a fleece vest if it is a little cooler.  I'm going to miss having a washer/dryer in my studio -- I get so spoiled with DVC.    I love my Merrell shoes but will probably wear my racing shoes on the plane.

*Maria,* so sorry that you have the bug but thank goodness it is now!    And  I am ready for my 10 miles on Saturday at the track.  I did 4 miles yesterday.  I will do an easy run today so I have a day off before my long run.  I'm feeling strong and ready to race with the body I have!  

*Kathy,* sorry for the roof anxiety.   

Hello to the rest our of Princesses!


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> So the plan for today is work, come home and take the dogs out, and then go shopping. I am not going to the gym. I am not going to the gym. I am not going to the gym.



Rose, do not go to the gym.  You need to go clothes shopping!   Give your body a rest!    Glad Mike is coming home tonight.  Have a great day!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Morning, Pretty Princesses!
> 
> Remember that sore throat I had Monday night? Well it blossomed into a full-fledged cold. I spent yesterday in bed, which was just as well since ds had a snow day. I don't think he accomplished a single thing all day, but since I was basically comatose, I guess I can't complain too much. I probably should still be in bed, but I've used so many sick days for snow days already...I figured since I was feeling better I'd come in for half a day. I'm already looking forward to lunch and my nap



Maria I hope you feel better soon.  My nose is a little stuffy and I sneezed a bunch yesterday.  I said a prayer that it wouldnt develop into more.  I feel like we have 3 more weeks to avert any disasters.  I hope you get some running in this weekend but take it easy and let yourself recover from your cold.



mikamah said:


> Well, it's not snowing or raining, and the sun is supposed to come out, but we'll see.  According to Puxathawny phil, spring should come early, so I'm holding him to that.   Is he your neighbor Lindsay?  Poor little groundhog with so much responsitility.



 no he's not our neighbor I think puxatawny is more western PA.  Although we had this ground hog in our yard at our old house that was a complete pest.  This thing was huge and we would refer to him as phil.

Sorry about your roof anxiety.  I never thought about it collapsing now I will worry too.  We plan to try to clean it off a bit on friday.  This weekend I saw a guy standing on his icy/snowy roof trying to know it off.  All I could think about was Pam's dh.  I told my dad and dh they are not standing up there.



Rose&Mike said:


> So the plan for today is work, come home and take the dogs out, and then go shopping. I am not going to the gym. I am not going to the gym. I am not going to the gym.
> 
> Still hoping to hear something from the doctor this week. I heard the celiac panel can take a while.
> 
> Hope everyone has a great day!



Rose just go to the mall.  You will enjoy it and your body and mind needs that.  Retail therapy cures everything for me.  Glad mike will be home soon.  I do know that celiac panels sometimes take 1-2 weeks to come back.  We run them on kids often here.  I hope you hear something soon.



lisah0711 said:


> I am ready for my 10 miles on Saturday at the track.  I did 4 miles yesterday.  I will do an easy run today so I have a day off before my long run.  I'm feeling strong and ready to race with the body I have!



That is such an awesome attitude Lisa.  Good for you.

Last night did not go as planned.  I picked the kids up from my moms, dropped them off at home and went to the grocery store.  As I was checking out Mike called saying an alarm was going off at one of his centers and he had to go there ASAP.  I rushed home and tried to pull my car into the parking spot we had "cleared" on the street so mike could get out of the driveway.  Well my car got stuck and was blocking the driveway.  It took us 20 min just to get it moved back enough to get mikes car out.  This all started around 615p.  I went in and turned the tv on for the kids.  I went back out to try to get my car unstuck.  Mike got back a short while later and helped.  By 815p we finally had my car out and the space cleared so it wouldnt get stuck again.  Then I still had to help ryan with homework and get the boys showered and into bed.  That finished by 9.

So my plan to run on the TM was put on hold.

Then I went on to do our taxes online.  I wanted to make sure to do them ASAP so I would get our return back prior to vacation so I could use some of the money as spending.  Well I got them done but apparently the IRS is not taking itemized returns until 2/14/11 due to some late tax laws being passed this year.  Last year I filed and my direct depostied refund was in my acct 4 days later.  The year before was the same way.  So I really hope that I get my refund before we leave on 2/24.  Otherwise it will take some creative bill paying so I have some spending money.  I just had a feeling something like this would occur.

I finally got to bed at midnight.  Slept so good that I slept through the alarm.  Luckily Dh woke up and we still had enough time to get out of the house without being late to work.  

The good news is that the leaks were stopped and all dried up by the time we got home last night. 

Thanks for sharing your vacation clothing plans with me.  I feel much better now about my choices and I am definitely going to plan on wearing my sneakers on the plane and packing my race gear in my carryon.  I have these nike flip flops that are so comfy and I always say that I could run a marathon in them but I think I wont take the chance and I will most likely wear my sneakers for the days prior to the race.  Thanks rose for that advice.  Didnt really think that through.

Ok well I am done with my book for the day.  I am getting so excited this time in 3weeks I will be preparing to leave.


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> I'm feeling strong and ready to race with the body I have!


This made me smile.

Lindsay--glad the leak wasn't too bad. And I hope you aren't getting sick! Uggh on the car getting stuck. Thank goodness those storms missed us this week, because I would have just lost it. Thanks for the info about how long the celiac panel takes. I had read it could be a couple of weeks. If I don't hear anything by the two week period, I guess I'll call. I'm sure they've gotten the other stuff back, but I guess she is waiting to call until it all comes in.

I didn't go to the mall, but I didn't go to the gym either. Once I got home to let our dogs out, I was too lazy to go back out. Mike's plane is on time, so he should be home in about 2 hours. We're supposed to get snow just about every other day for the next week. We might have to cancel our SC trip, which stinks, because, I don't know when we will be able to go. March is busy for me at work. I don't know if I'm worn out or pms'ing but I am so emotional. Still not sure when we will run this weekend. This is so awful, but I just want to get the last long run over with. Sorry to be the debbie downer of the thread. I will work on faking it some more.

Have a great night!

Oh, kept meaning to tell you all this. I have seen Coach Charles talk about this, and I have learned the lesson the hard way--twice! If you are thinking about getting a pedicure or giving yourself a pedicure, do not wait until right before the race. For one thing, the calluses you have built up serve a purpose. And for me, for both of my halves I waited until like 2 or 3 days before and ended up with toenail issues. Made for some sore piggy toes. I don't know what the optimal time is, but I am thinking for me there will be no trimming or filing less than a week or 10 days before the race. I am determined to not have sore toes this time!


----------



## jbm02

Hi everyone!!
i know I have been MIA lately.  Frankly, my training hasn't been going well.  My short runs are fine but I am really struggling with my long ones.  I was able to train outside for my first half in October and I've been inside on the TM (aka dreadmill) for almost the whole time here.  I'd like to say that the reason I am having such a hard time is because I'm bored on the TM...but I have a feeling it's more than that.  I know I am putting alot of pressure on myself for a run that was supposed to be all about fun and pictures.  I am working on getting myself into a fun-Disney mood for the run.   

Lisa, I wish I could adopt your attitude - I'm not there yet but I'm trying!!

Rose, I hope you went to the mall and had  GREAT time!!!

Lindsay, My favorite running shirt is my "I Run Like A Girl" shirt.  It's bright pink and so much fun!  

Maria, hope you are feeling better!  i had a nasty stomach bug when I was at Ft Drum last week and it wasn't pretty.  (but if I was going to get sick, i guess it worked out well it was that week because I was working 14 hours days, which meant no running.  not that i could have run with that tummy bug...LOL)

Good thoughts to everyone worrying about snow and ice.  

...time to get off the 'puter before my DH thinks I have abandoned him.  Tomorrow is another day!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Oh, kept meaning to tell you all this. I have seen Coach Charles talk about this, and I have learned the lesson the hard way--twice! If you are thinking about getting a pedicure or giving yourself a pedicure, do not wait until right before the race. For one thing, the calluses you have built up serve a purpose. And for me, for both of my halves I waited until like 2 or 3 days before and ended up with toenail issues. Made for some sore piggy toes. I don't know what the optimal time is, but I am thinking for me there will be no trimming or filing less than a week or 10 days before the race. I am determined to not have sore toes this time!



Its funny that you wrote this.  I was thinking about treating myself to a pedicure.  I havent got one in a number of years.  Then I remembered my matron of honor got one with me 2 days before my wedding and she got an infected toe.  I was like no way jose....not risking that.  I thought i was being a bit neurotic but now you have validated my anxiety.  Thanks for making me feel sane.



jbm02 said:


> Hi everyone!!
> i know I have been MIA lately.  Frankly, my training hasn't been going well.  My short runs are fine but I am really struggling with my long ones.



Its been tough training for this during the winter.  I know when I get on the TM it just doesnt feel the same to me.  I go outside and it feels like I havent been running much at all.  Hang in there.  I am sure you will still do fine and it is all about the fun right.  You and jen will have a blast. dont worry.

Tonight I came home to a clogged kitchen sink.  apparently my loving dh drained hamburger meat in it the other night and didnt wash it down with hot water.  So I had to scoop all the water out and then I used a turkey baster to blow pressure into the drain until it loosened up with the hot water.  I fixed it by myself which I thought was a big accomplishment.  We ended up not eating dinner until 730p.  Tomorrow is NFL day at work and i signed up to bring meatballs.  They are baking in the oven right now.

I think I am still going to hop on the treadmill tonight even though its late.  I really would feel better if I didnt miss anymore runs.

Good Night Team Princess.


----------



## jenanderson

*Lisa  *Good luck with your long run this weekend!  I am planning on 11 mileswe are getting so close!

*Kathy  *I love to hear how you are motivating yourself and running around your house.  I agree that starting your day out with exercise is always best.  I think you should go online and search for all the gyms near you  you will find that almost all of them do free trial memberships.  DH and I did this when it got cold.  We did 7 day memberships.  We finally did find a gym that we decided to join but it was great getting some free runs in to start with.

*Rose * I am so impressed with your 50-pound loss!  I cant wait to say that I am at that point.  I think it was a good plan that you took a night off.  There are times that it is more important to just give your body a break and it sounds like you really needed it.  
*
Lindsay * You totally need to find a warrior dash to do.  The mud run was one of the best runs I have done so far and I cant wait to do it again this year.  There is going to be a warrior dash near me next year but I have passed on it because my race schedule is already too full and I wanted to do the mud run again because it is longer.  Sorry about the leaks in your house.  I am glad to read that it has stopped.  Loved to read that someone else is packing!  I plan on starting the piles tomorrow night!!!

*Maria  *Sorry to hear you are not feeling well.  I had a horrible cold last week and it makes the training even more challenging.  Take it easy and get well soon!

Tonight I had an appointment with my trainer at the gym.  I ran 2 miles on the treadmill as a warm up and then did an hour with the trainer.  OMGI am so sore and I am sure tomorrow I will feel totally beat up.  Despite how hard it is, I am enjoying my workouts and know that this cross-training will help my running.  Tomorrow I will do some light stretching and then on Saturday we will do 11 miles.  

Alright, here is are the plans for the race day outfit:  I ordered tutus for Jude and I.  They came yesterday and I LOVE them!  The tutu has a bottom layer of soft black tulle and then a shorter layer of hot pink tulle on top.  I am going to go pick up rhinestone studs to put on the tutus to make them sparkly!  Then, I am planning on using a matching hot pink fabric paint to decorate my sports bra and add rhinestone studs to that as well.  Jude will be wearing whatever top she wants (she said she does NOT strip down to her sports bra)!  I also am going to pick up our tiaras this weekend.  I would LOVE to find some hot pink socks but havent found them yet.  

I do not do a pedicure before races but I do treat my feet with care.  I use extra lotion all week long and then before the race I polish my nails to match my outfit.  I know people cant see them but I know they are done.  

Other things I will be packing will be clothing that can be layered.  I love to wear dresses at Disney so I will bring a couple with little sweaters that can go over them.  I will probably pack way too much but since we are driving, I will have plenty of room!  

Final thought for tonight...if you have read the book "The Non Runner's Marathon Guide for Women", I have decided that when I run, I am Chipper Jen!    This cracks me up because Jude used to call me that and I would say NO WAY!  I am now owning it though.  As much as I hate it...I love to run.

Night everyone!
Jen


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

*Maria,* hope that you are feeling better soon!   

*Lindsay,* sorry for all the "domestic bliss" that you've been having lately.    It's nice to be able to get on TM and get away from that for awhile!  



Rose&Mike said:


> This is so awful, but I just want to get the last long run over with. Sorry to be the debbie downer of the thread. I will work on faking it some more.



You're not the only person looking forward to the last long run this week-end, Rose!    Hope that Mike is home safe and sound and that you can get some R & R this week-end.  



jbm02 said:


> Hi everyone!!
> i know I have been MIA lately.  Frankly, my training hasn't been going well.  My short runs are fine but I am really struggling with my long ones.  I was able to train outside for my first half in October and I've been inside on the TM (aka dreadmill) for almost the whole time here.  I'd like to say that the reason I am having such a hard time is because I'm bored on the TM...but I have a feeling it's more than that.  I know I am putting alot of pressure on myself for a run that was supposed to be all about fun and pictures.  I am working on getting myself into a fun-Disney mood for the run.
> 
> Lisa, I wish I could adopt your attitude - I'm not there yet but I'm trying!!
> 
> Rose, I hope you went to the mall and had  GREAT time!!!
> 
> Lindsay, My favorite running shirt is my "I Run Like A Girl" shirt.  It's bright pink and so much fun!



Sounds like you can wear your favorite shirt with your pretty tutu, Jude!   

I can't take credit for my attitude -- it's a philosophy from yoga which Maura from the Events boards reminded me of on another thread.  You can only work today with the body that you have today.  Today you don't have the body that you had in high school, or the body you hope to have when you are at goal.  You just have to work with what you have.    It does help take some of the pressure off because of course I'm wasting way too much time wishing I was farther down the road on this journey.  



jenanderson said:


> Alright, here is are the plans for the race day outfit:  I ordered tutus for Jude and I.  They came yesterday and I LOVE them!  The tutu has a bottom layer of soft black tulle and then a shorter layer of hot pink tulle on top.  I am going to go pick up rhinestone studs to put on the tutus to make them sparkly!  Then, I am planning on using a matching hot pink fabric paint to decorate my sports bra and add rhinestone studs to that as well.  Jude will be wearing whatever top she wants (she said she does NOT strip down to her sports bra)!  I also am going to pick up our tiaras this weekend.  I would LOVE to find some hot pink socks but havent found them yet.
> 
> I do not do a pedicure before races but I do treat my feet with care.  I use extra lotion all week long and then before the race I polish my nails to match my outfit.  I know people cant see them but I know they are done.
> 
> Other things I will be packing will be clothing that can be layered.  I love to wear dresses at Disney so I will bring a couple with little sweaters that can go over them.  I will probably pack way too much but since we are driving, I will have plenty of room!
> 
> Final thought for tonight...if you have read the book "The Non Runner's Marathon Guide for Women", I have decided that when I run, I am Chipper Jen!    This cracks me up because Jude used to call me that and I would say NO WAY!  I am now owning it though.  As much as I hate it...I love to run.
> 
> Night everyone!
> Jen



Oh my gosh, Jen, you are going to be Chipper Jen!    I know I remember you saying that you are so not Chipper Jen and never would be!    I always thought that you would make a good Chipper Jen though -- except less annoying.   

Can you take white running socks that you like and dye them hot pink?  I can't wait to see a picture of your beautiful outfits!

I'm still deciding on my outfit.  My WISH shirt is a men's and it just is not flattering and it may not be comfortable if it is warm.  I have a running tank I got for if it is warm but I worry about my flabby arms.    (See still not quite at that living with the body I have thing! ) I have a cute teal shirt that I am leaning towards and will test it on Saturday.  It would go with my shoes and my Cinderella bib.  I'll post some pics this week-end.  

Have a great day, Princesses, and good luck with those long runs this week-end!  We are almost there!


----------



## Rose&Mike

jbm02 said:


> I know I am putting alot of pressure on myself for a run that was supposed to be all about fun and pictures.  I am working on getting myself into a fun-Disney mood for the run.


Glad you are feeling better! I do the pressure thing too. I never really thought of myself as competitive (though Mike and Tom would probably disagree). But I find myself pushing myself too hard sometimes. As Mike likes to tell me, maybe it's ok that the 20 year olds are faster than you! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Tonight I came home to a clogged kitchen sink.  apparently my loving dh drained hamburger meat in it the other night and didnt wash it down with hot water.  So I had to scoop all the water out and then I used a turkey baster to blow pressure into the drain until it loosened up with the hot water.  I fixed it by myself which I thought was a big accomplishment.  We ended up not eating dinner until 730p.  Tomorrow is NFL day at work and i signed up to bring meatballs.  They are baking in the oven right now.
> 
> I think I am still going to hop on the treadmill tonight even though its late.  I really would feel better if I didnt miss anymore runs.
> 
> Good Night Team Princess.


Wow, Lindsay. You have quite the week! You need to have a grown up drink during the superbowl! Did you get on the treadmill?

*Jen*--you can really tell that you are at a different place than a couple of months ago.  I am so glad. The Fleet Feet here has hot pink compression socks. And I have some long reebok socks that are pink and black. Your outfit sounds very cute! I will run around here now in a jog bra. But I don't think I'd run a race in a jog bra. I paint my toenails to match my outfit too and I flat iron my hair. It's kind of become a ritual. You gotta look good in those prerace photos!




lisah0711 said:


> I can't take credit for my attitude -- it's a philosophy from yoga which Maura from the Events boards reminded me of on another thread.  You can only work today with the body that you have today.  Today you don't have the body that you had in high school, or the body you hope to have when you are at goal.  You just have to work with what you have.    It does help take some of the pressure off because of course I'm wasting way too much time wishing I was farther down the road on this journey.


Thanks for sharing. This is so true. And this goes along with reminding ourselves of the positive changes we have made and not beating ourselves up for our mistakes. I am still trying to prove to someone else that I am good enough (still haven't quite let that one go). The body that I have needs to be good enough and I need to love it because it's the only one I have.

Mike made it home on time. Thank goodness I called and woke him up early, because by the time the rest of the people from his company called the flights for yesterday and today were full. They were hoping to go standby. I guess Houston is a mess and the other airlines were filling up from people trying to avoid airports in Texas. 

The plan for today is the elliptical and shopping. I think we might run Sunday. It's supposed to be int he 40s, so we are going to go outside.

Have a great day!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, Princesses!!

In 3 weeks we'll be headed to the expo!!!!  Can't believe it, and I will be very happy when this weekends long run is over.  Ran around here for 40 min this morning, and am planning my run for sunday.  I still need to call the gym with the track, but I'm pretty sure they all will let you try them out.  

*Maria*- I hope you're feeling better real soon.  My arms still are a little achey from wed's shovelling.  That was some wet, heavy snow.  The sun is shining now, and it's beautiful, but it would be more beautiful if we could see the grass.  Michael dug a huge hole down in a snowbank, and pulled up a few piece of grass and was so excited to reach the ground.  I wish I could have a bit of his joy in all this snow.

*Jen*- You have always been chipper to me, and I'm so glad you are feeling chipper again.  I am motivated to run around my house because I hate the treadmill so much.  I used a friends dreadmill for my last long run and only got to 6.5 miles and hated it, and lost all confidence, and thought what on earth was I thinking I could do a half marathon.  Luckily afterward, Michael wanted to stay at after school care for a game, so I went out and did 2.5 on the roads, and got my confidence back.  I know the treadmill is probably mind over matter, but I guess I don't know if my mind is strong enough for that right now.  Your outfits sound adorable.

*Lisa*- I'm sure you will look lovely in whatever you wear, and I'm sure your arms would look fine too.  I think in our heads we always look worse thatn we really do.  You are doing a half marathon!!  You are amazing!! Do you have a tiara?  I did pick up an extra for you, partner, at least for a picture.

*Rose* - Glad Mike made it home safe, and I'm glad you didnt' go to the gym, and took a day of rest.  Hope you're feeling better soon, and don't ever feel like a downer.  We're here to listen anytime you need to vent.  We all have those days, don't we.  

*Jude*- Hang in there.  The treadmil-ls just is tough, and I am sure you are doing great, and will be fine.  Chipper Jen will keep you going, and you will have so much fun.  

*Corinna*- Hello, hope you're training is going well.

Well, I'll say, I can't believe I'm going to meet you all in just a few weeks.  I feel like I've gotten to know you and am so excited meet you in person.  I get filled up when I think of all I've been through the past 2 years, and how much support and inspiration I've received from you all, and how grateful I am that we are going to get to meet.  

Good luck with your runs today and this weekend.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Precious Princesses! 

Feeling a bit better today, I think I'll make it through the Celtics game tonight. We have about a 10-15 minute walk from where we park, so it shouldn't be too bad. 

Definitely looking forward to running at least some miles this weekend. I'm hopeful it will be tomorrow, but I don't run unless I can breathe, so we shall see...

*Kathy* -- Something really important to keep in mind as "taper madness" sets in after all the long runs, you have done the mileage and you can do the Half! It's easy to convince yourself you didn't do enough and you aren't ready, when you really have done plenty and you are ready to go! 

*Rose* -- So glad Mike made it home! I hope you have a great time shopping  You are better than good enough  You are Awesome! 

*Lisa* -- Definitely keep testing out your outfits until you find the right combination, you want to be comfortable and feel that way, too! 

*Jen* -- I can't wait to see your sparkly sports bra! Your entire outfit sounds really cute! 

Sorry for the short replies, I have to finish a few things up before I go home and nap...

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> Well, I'll say, I can't believe I'm going to meet you all in just a few weeks.  I feel like I've gotten to know you and am so excited meet you in person.  I get filled up when I think of all I've been through the past 2 years, and how much support and inspiration I've received from you all, and how grateful I am that we are going to get to meet.
> 
> Good luck with your runs today and this weekend.


I've only been around for a year, but I totally agree! I love you all to pieces. And Kathy, I loved reading about Michael and the snow. Hope you get the run worked out for the weekend.

*Maria*--I'm sure I'm too late, but have fun at the Celtics game! And I agree, it's easy to talk yourself into thinking you need to do more. (I have been second guessing everything). Remember, trust the plan. And thank you, Maria, I am feeling a little bit awesome today.

I had a good day. Three miles on the elliptical. Got Mike's b-day present--it's Sunday. Got three clearance sweaters at Macy's, in the juniors department no less! Had some fries, and now I'm having a cherry bourbon. Yum. We are running 10 on Sunday, hopefully outside.

I downloaded some new stuff for my ipod.
The Middle-Jimmy Eat World 
Ain't no rest for the wicked--Cage the Elephant (Mike loves this song)
The Cave--Mumford and Sons
Little Lion Man--Mumford and Sons

I absolutely love Mumford and Sons. They are just fabulous. I'm making Mike figure out if we can go see them in concert.

DS is driving to Atlanta tonight. I am not happy about it--but the bourbon is helping. There are flood watches out for the entire drive. Hopefully they will be there soon.

And speaking of bourbon, is anybody up for Jellyrolls on Sunday? My sister does not even have a plane ticket yet--very long story, I still think she will be there--so I am making plans and dragging them along assuming they make it.

Ok, I guess that's it. Have a great night pretty princesses!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

Bib numbers and waivers are up!   http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/princess-half-marathon/

My bib # is 10209.  It sounds like it is is still the last corral but I expect that since I don't have any race time to do anything different.   

In 3 short weeks we will  have our WISH meet Saturday night!  

*Kathy,* awww, thanks for the tiara!  It sounds like fun!    Hope that they are wrong and you don't get more snow today.

*Maria,* hope that you are feeling better.   Don't push on the running until you feel much better.

*Rose,* glad that you had a good day and found some clothes -- in the juniors department no less!  

Will be leaving in a couple of hours to do my 10 miles this morning.  The track doesn't open until 7 am on Saturday.

Have a great Saturday Princesses!


----------



## jbm02

I'm bib 2904 !!!! 

Off to the Y for my run.  Have a great weekend everyone!!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princesses!!!

OMG, we have bib numbers!!!!!  This is really happening!!!  I'm so excited and can't wait to finish this weekend's long run and start the official taper.  I am 13648!!  Wow, that's a lot of runners.

*Lisa*- You have a fun number, like Beverly Hills 90210, but just mixed up.  I wonder if you could be in the second to last corral with that number.  I guess it depends on how many people don't have any times to submit. Thanks for showing us that.  Good luck on your 10 miles today!!  You can do it!!!

*Maria*- Thanks for the pep talk and the taper madness warning.  I got to remember to trust in the plan, trust in the plan.  They must work, right?  Glad you're starting to feel better and hope you had fun at the Celtics.  

*Rose*- I feel like I've known you for longer than a year.  It will be so nice to meet everyone.  I'd love to do JellyRolls, but won't be able to.  We're eating in mexico at 3:40 after the race, and will either stay at epcot for Illuminations or head back to the hotel to relax and swim.  I've heard great things about jellyrolls.

*Lindsay*-Hope you're doing well, and no more disasters at your house. Good luck with your long run this weekend!!  

I'll be doing my long run tomorrow. I made plans for michael to go to my sisters house and made an appointment at the gym with a running track at 11  for a tour and free day pass.  Today storm will decide if I need to go there, or if I can go outside.  It's supposed to be 38 degrees tomorrow, which would be awesome to get outside, but the side streets are all so narrow and still covered in snow and ice, so I'll wait and see.  We're right on the rain/snow line but if it's all rain, I'd love to get outside.  

Came home last night to no heat, and couldn't get the pilot light to stay lit.  I was nervous and my friends husband came over to do it with me.  The repair man came pretty quick and it was only $200, so that wasn't too bad.  I'm going to borrow his roof rake this morning and try to clean off my porches at least.  This weather is getting to me.  

I did pick up some mint chocolate gu that was delicious.  I know many of you have issues with the consistency, and I think I've figured out why I like it.  I love frosting, and brownie batter, and that is what it reminds me of.  So all those years of licking the bowl when I'm baking was really to make sure I'd be able to refuel when I started running.

Hello jen and jude!!

Have a great saturday!!  Good luck with all your runs this weekend!!


----------



## jenanderson

Morning Everyone!  I will come back later and make a bunch of responses but I am just checking in.  

*To EVERYONE:  *HAVE A GREAT LONG RUN this weekend!

We are almost there and I can see each and every one of us crossing that finish line!

I got up this morning at 5:45, got to the gym by 6:15 and finished 10 miles.  It was a really good run.  We had wanted to do 11 miles but we ran out of time because the kids had dance this morning and we had to get home to get them there on time.  Still, I felt strong when I finished and know that I easily could have gone to 11 or 12 today.  Next weekend we have nothing planned so our plan is to run 11 or more.  

While I was running, I finalized my outfit in my mind.  I am excited to go shopping today to pick up the last pieces.  I will be sure to take photos and post them when I am done.  

Alright, time to get a million things done but I will check back in later.  Just remember....you are all strong enough to do this!

Happy running!
Jen


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning! I hope everyone has great runs this weekend!


I am bib# 3146 and Mike is bib#4197

Fingers crossed that the weather cooperates and we can run outside tomorrow. 

Have a great day!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

jenanderson said:


> Lindsay [/B] You totally need to find a warrior dash to do.  The mud run was one of the best runs I have done so far and I cant wait to do it again this year.  There is going to be a warrior dash near me next year but I have passed on it because my race schedule is already too full and I wanted to do the mud run again because it is longer.  Sorry about the leaks in your house.  I am glad to read that it has stopped.  Loved to read that someone else is packing!  I plan on starting the piles tomorrow night!!!



We have a warrior dash near us in june but Im not sure I would be fit enough to do that yet.  Maybe next year.  I remember seeing your pics of your race and how awesome it was.  



lisah0711 said:


> I'm still deciding on my outfit.  My WISH shirt is a men's and it just is not flattering and it may not be comfortable if it is warm.  I have a running tank I got for if it is warm but I worry about my flabby arms.    (See still not quite at that living with the body I have thing! ) I have a cute teal shirt that I am leaning towards and will test it on Saturday.  It would go with my shoes and my Cinderella bib.  I'll post some pics this week-end.



Decisions, Decisions. I cant wait to see a pic of you and the outfit you decided on.  Usually I dont get so involved with what I am wearing but I think this race has so much meaning to us that we want to look perfect for our big day.



Rose&Mike said:


> Wow, Lindsay. You have quite the week! You need to have a grown up drink during the superbowl! Did you get on the treadmill?



Yes I really do.  I never did get on the TM.



mikamah said:


> Well, I'll say, I can't believe I'm going to meet you all in just a few weeks.  I feel like I've gotten to know you and am so excited meet you in person.  I get filled up when I think of all I've been through the past 2 years, and how much support and inspiration I've received from you all, and how grateful I am that we are going to get to meet.
> 
> Good luck with your runs today and this weekend.



ITA.  I have only been part of the BL group since may but you ladies have been such an inspiration and so supportive for me.  I am just so excited to meet you all in person.



Worfiedoodles said:


> Feeling a bit better today, I think I'll make it through the Celtics game tonight. We have about a 10-15 minute walk from where we park, so it shouldn't be too bad.



Glad your feeling better maria.  I hope you had fun at the game.



Rose&Mike said:


> I had a good day. Three miles on the elliptical. Got Mike's b-day present--it's Sunday. Got three clearance sweaters at Macy's, in the juniors department no less! Had some fries, and now I'm having a cherry bourbon. Yum. We are running 10 on Sunday, hopefully outside.



Sounds like a fun day Rose.  I hope TOM made it to Atlanta safely.  Unfortunatley I have to pass on jelly rolls.  We have an ADR at ohana for 510 and plan on doing MK that day.  



lisah0711 said:


> My bib # is 10209.  It sounds like it is is still the last corral but I expect that since I don't have any race time to do anything different.



Lisa your never going to believe this.  My number is 10207.  Out of all the participants our numbers are just 2 away from each other.  What are the chances..  Thanks for the info.  I just printed off my waiver.



mikamah said:


> Came home last night to no heat, and couldn't get the pilot light to stay lit.  I was nervous and my friends husband came over to do it with me.  The repair man came pretty quick and it was only $200, so that wasn't too bad.  I'm going to borrow his roof rake this morning and try to clean off my porches at least.  This weather is getting to me.



Glad you got it fixed quickly.  I know this weather is seriously a pain in the rear.  I cant wait until spring.  Good luck on your run tomorrow.  We are suppose to have 38 degrees tomorrow too.  Currently it is a wintery mix outside.

Good morning ladies.  I got some cleaning done last night and forced myself not to come on the computer so I could get a good night sleep.  I was in bed by 9.  I slept great but woke up with a splitting headache.  It is now only a dull one but hopefully it goes away soon.  Ryans basketball was cancelled this morning due to the weather.  So we are just relaxing.  Not much planned for today.  I am gearing up mentally for my 10 mile run tomorrow.

I got my princess tshirt in the mail yesterday.  I am not 100% thrilled with it but its ok.  It is more of a square tshirt and its not really flattering, plus its all cotton so if its really warm I am going to be soaked by the end.  I am thinking I might plan on wearing this but see what they have at the expo.  I really want something princessy, not just a plain shirt.  I hope my shorts come today.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.  Good luck on your longest runs prior to taper.


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> OMG, we have bib numbers!!!!!  This is really happening!!!  I'm so excited and can't wait to finish this weekend's long run and start the official taper.  I am 13648!!  Wow, that's a lot of runners.
> 
> I did pick up some mint chocolate gu that was delicious.  I know many of you have issues with the consistency, and I think I've figured out why I like it.  I love frosting, and brownie batter, and that is what it reminds me of.  So all those years of licking the bowl when I'm baking was really to make sure I'd be able to refuel when I started running.



 We are actually going to do this!    It does still seem like a dream!  

Glad that you liked the mint chocolate gu.  Have you tried the vanilla bean?  It reminds me of caramel.  I had a Mountain Huckleberry Hammer gel and it was very tasty.  Unfortunately I left it in my car so I had it after my run.    Obviously need to be a little better at making sure I have my stuff on race day -- live and learn!



jenanderson said:


> I got up this morning at 5:45, got to the gym by 6:15 and finished 10 miles.  It was a really good run.  We had wanted to do 11 miles but we ran out of time because the kids had dance this morning and we had to get home to get them there on time.  Still, I felt strong when I finished and know that I easily could have gone to 11 or 12 today.  Next weekend we have nothing planned so our plan is to run 11 or more.
> 
> While I was running, I finalized my outfit in my mind.  I am excited to go shopping today to pick up the last pieces.  I will be sure to take photos and post them when I am done.
> 
> Alright, time to get a million things done but I will check back in later.  *Just remember....you are all strong enough to do this!*Happy running!
> Jen



Hey Chipper Jen!    This was the last post I read before heading out for my own run this morning -- thanks!    And nice job getting that long run in so early in the day!  



Rose&Mike said:


> Good morning! I hope everyone has great runs this weekend!
> 
> 
> I am bib# 3146 and Mike is bib#4197
> 
> Fingers crossed that the weather cooperates and we can run outside tomorrow.
> 
> Have a great day!



Nice numbers!  Too bad that they are going to make Mike start at the back of the pack -- he will probably still pass us!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Decisions, Decisions. I cant wait to see a pic of you and the outfit you decided on.  Usually I dont get so involved with what I am wearing but I think this race has so much meaning to us that we want to look perfect for our big day.
> 
> ITA.  I have only been part of the BL group since may but you ladies have been such an inspiration and so supportive for me.  I am just so excited to meet you all in person.
> 
> Lisa your never going to believe this.  My number is 10207.  Out of all the participants our numbers are just 2 away from each other.  What are the chances..  Thanks for the info.  I just printed off my waiver.



I know, Lindsay, I don't usually put this much thought into what I wear either!  

I can't believe that you and Rose haven't been a part of the BL gang that long.  Seems like we've all been together longer!   

And our numbers are so close, Lindsay!  We must have registered at the same time!  

 Hello to Corinna, Maria and Jude!  

Well, I did it.  Ten miles today on the indoor track -- I can officially start taper madness!    I'm going to be confident and say that I could have gone to 13.1 but I am glad to have a little break here before the race as I did have an achy hip at the end.  

Good job to everyone who did their long runs today and good luck to all our Princesses doing their long runs tomorrow!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Ladies.

Lisa- I was thinking maybe our numbers being so close has to do with our last names???  Either way I think its cool that are numbers are only 2 apart.

Great Job on the 10 miles!!!!!!!  Now its all down hill for awhile.  Enjoy the taper!

I got my shorts in the mail today.  I really love them but I still want to run in them obviously on the TM to make sure they are not going to be annoying.  I am still waiting for my tiara.

We ended up going out to eat with my in laws at texas roundhouse.  I am stuffed but it was all pretty healthy choices.  Salad, filet, baked potatoe.  I did have a few fried pickles.  I must say those babies are yummy.  I also did not order soda and drank 3 huges glasses of water.  I think I will be good to go tomorrow.  I am a bit nervous about running outside due to all the ice we got recently but I think if I run in the non-busy streets around my house I should be ok.  I am thinking of doing a 1.5 or 2 mile loop and just repeating it.  I thought if I do that my dh could run some gatorade and water out to me each time I pass the house.    I still did not get any energy things to try either.  I might just grab some pretzel m&m's like rose tried and see if that does anything.  I thought if this works I can have my mom take a pack and hand them off to me when I see her in MK.  I guess with that I always run the risk of not seeing her and than I wont have anything.

Ok well I am now babbling so I am heading to cuddle with my boys and watch the disney toy story marathon.  Have a great evening.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lisa--I am so happy for you! 10 miles is fabulous! Congratulations!

Lindsay--have a good run tomorrow. Mike will eat the pretzel mms during a run. I stick with gu. (Too many stomach issues.) I have eaten them afterwards.

So here's my day. I am thinking about starting a journal so I don't drive you all insane. Lots of changes coming our way, I think.  I hadn't eaten much gluten last week while Mike was gone. I had rice and beans for dinner every night. I had some gluten, but not much. Anyhow, last night we had thin crust pizza. And I felt awful. Just cruddy, like I had swallowed a bowling bowl. It was a personal thin crust pizza that we split--and I only ate 1.5 pieces. So after talking about it a lot and doing a lot more research online, and a lot of gentle prodding by Mike I decided to go gluten free for a while. You can be gluten sensitive even without testing positive for celiac (though I still don't have my results). I think for the first time today he realized how much hair I had lost--I pulled it back and showed him and he said I have a widow's peak, and I've lost a bit of weight over the last month. The brain fog seems to be getting worse, (Mike said I am "distracted" meaning I forgot something just a little too often), there's the running issues and I guess I could go on, but I won't bore you all. 

So, I'm a little overwhelmed and sad. Mike keeps saying, if this makes you feel better, who cares what the diagnosis is, and if it doesn't then we'll look for something else. We went shopping today, which was a nice distraction. And I must say, I am looking kind of skinny, and really need to find a way to eat that doesn't make me feel like crap. Because I am not eating, because I don't feel good after I eat. We went out to eat at a restaurant that has a gluten free menu and gluten free beer and cider. Which was fun. And I'm feeling a little better about things. Maybe the tests will show something else definitive and this will be a non-issue, but I'm not holding my breath. I want my positive attitude back. And I want to not feel so worn down all the time. It's my fault, because I waited so long to go to the doctor. My favorite thing to say--Denial is a river in Egypt. 

We are running tomorrow. Which should be fun. And I will seriously consider a journal, so I don't drive you all insane! 

Have a great evening everyone!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> I am thinking about starting a journal so I don't drive you all insane. Lots of changes coming our way, I think.



Rose you are not driving us insane.  Dont feel that you have to write somewhere else because you dont think anyone wants to listen.  I dont mind and am truly concerned for you.  Im sure you will be fine and if you could change your diet to be vegetarian I am sure you will do ok adapting to a gluten free.  It really does make sense with what your saying.  There also is more of an awareness now with gluten free diets over the past few years I have seen so much stuff that says gluten free.  We even have a pizza place near us that is gluten free.  Hang in there.  If this works you will feel so much better both physically and emotionally.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I did it!!! 10 miles  I was determined to do it outside and that I did.  It was beautiful weather.  Sunny and almost 40 but the roads and sidewalks were horrible.  I had to stop very frequently to ice skate.  My pace slowed a bit due to this but at least I didnt break any limbs.  I really needed to do it outside mentally.  I felt really really good during my run but the last 2.5 miles were a bit painful.  The last mile I had to start talking out loud to my legs because they wanted to stop.  But I made it and Im sure given the adrenaline of the race I will be able to add another 3.1 onto it.  As for today I was thrilled to be done at 10.

Now I am trying to plan some healthier versions of our usual superbowl food.  I think we may be going either to my moms or my nanas for dinner and part of the games.  

I hope you all are enjoying your sunday.


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> So, I'm a little overwhelmed and sad. Mike keeps saying, if this makes you feel better, who cares what the diagnosis is, and if it doesn't then we'll look for something else. We went shopping today, which was a nice distraction. And I must say, I am looking kind of skinny, and really need to find a way to eat that doesn't make me feel like crap. Because I am not eating, because I don't feel good after I eat. We went out to eat at a restaurant that has a gluten free menu and gluten free beer and cider. Which was fun. And I'm feeling a little better about things. Maybe the tests will show something else definitive and this will be a non-issue, but I'm not holding my breath. I want my positive attitude back. And I want to not feel so worn down all the time. It's my fault, because I waited so long to go to the doctor. My favorite thing to say--Denial is a river in Egypt.
> 
> We are running tomorrow. Which should be fun. And I will seriously consider a journal, so I don't drive you all insane!
> 
> Have a great evening everyone!



I'm glad that Mike is so supportive to help you get to feeling better, Rose.    How did you feel after going to the gluten free restaurant?  How was your run today?  The important thing is that you take care of yourself and get to feeling better!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I did it!!! 10 miles  I was determined to do it outside and that I did.  It was beautiful weather.  Sunny and almost 40 but the roads and sidewalks were horrible.  I had to stop very frequently to ice skate.  My pace slowed a bit due to this but at least I didnt break any limbs.  I really needed to do it outside mentally.  I felt really really good during my run but the last 2.5 miles were a bit painful.  The last mile I had to start talking out loud to my legs because they wanted to stop.  But I made it and Im sure given the adrenaline of the race I will be able to add another 3.1 onto it.  As for today I was thrilled to be done at 10.



Woo hoo, Lindsay, for doing ten miles!    I'm glad that you made it outside without getting hurt.  

I'm thinking those folks with the training plan know what they are doing having us back off now.  I feel strong but things are starting to ache more than they did.    I have had quite a few interesting conversations with my various body parts since I started this process -- sometimes the body thinks the brain was crazy for coming up with this idea!   A couple of times on my run yesterday I got a little choked up because I can't believe that I've come so far.  

Kathy, I'm waiting to hear how your long run went!   

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--woohoo! Congratulations!

And I'm going to tell you girls I cried at the end of both of my races. Especially w&d. I think I cried the first time I ran 13 miles on a long run. Now, granted I'm a little emotional but I was so overwhelmed, because I have wanted this for so long, and really didn't think I could do it. So it was very emotional.

Thanks for all the support. I am feeling pretty good today. I won't say it's a miracle cure, but I don't feel like I have a bowling ball in my stomach. So that's good. I read it can take months to feel "better"--whatever that means. And that sometimes you have to cut out dairy for a while too, but I am ignoring that for now. Dairy free, gluten free, vegetarian might push me over the edge. We went to whole foods and got enough stuff to get us through the next couple of days. We are going to see Tom next weekend, and I still don't know what I am going to eat, but I'll figure something out.

The g-f restaurant had pizza. And I thought it was very tasty--really crunchy. I don't know how Mike felt about it. But he ate it. And I must say g-f cider is pretty tasty. I can force myself to drink it. Mike had g-f beer, and it's ok. Just will take some getting used to.

And I felt really good after my run. One tiny stomach cramp, and that was it. Which is better than it's been in I don't know how long. We haven't even been stretching after our runs because my stomach was such a mess that I wanted to get home to the bathroom. We actually stretched at the park and probably would have done a cool down lap if we weren't so cold. We ran 11 miles. I am really looking forward to 2 cutback weeks. 

Kathy--hope your run went great!

*Before I forget---HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!!!!! You will always be my Prince! *
(I'm going to make him some gluten free brownies in a minute and his Packers are playing--who could ask for a better birthday!)


----------



## mikamah

Good afternoon Princess!!!  

Add me to the list of those who completed their long run this weekend and are going to be amazing at the princess!!!

I did my 12 miles.   Love that banana!!!  My friend came with me, and we did a 6 mile route from my house, came in stretched, peed and had a gu and banana and more water than my last long run, and went out again for the same route and did the full six.  There is a loop in the route so I could have cut it a little shorter at mile 9.5 or so, but I didn't, and was happy when I got to the end of the loop because I knew there was no longer a possible short cut and I would complete the full 12, unless I called someone to pick us up.  I feel really good, motivated, and confident that I can do the 13.1.  After doing 10 miles 2 and a half weeks ago, I definitely could have gone another 1.1 today.  Actually probably mile 8-9 was the toughest, and once I got past 10 I was pumped that I hadn't run that far before.  I did longer walk intervals toward the end too.  I timed the 6 mile loops separately, and was only 4 minutes slower the second loop, and came in at exactly 15 minute mile average for the 12.  We were in my house probably 6-7 minutes, so I figure I'll be ok with portapotty lines.  I'm thinking I may only need to go once, and can stretch while I wait in line.  

I feel pretty good.  My right hip aches a bit, and has in the past, and I know some ibuprofen with dinner will usually take care of that.  My left foot that was sore last week, feels fine, so I'm thrilled.  I got new shoes this week, and used them for half the run, and switched to the old one for the second half.  So life is good!!!  I'm getting so excited, and am thinking since we are all going to safely get to orlando without any snow delays, and have an amazing time!!!

*Lisa*-Whoo hoo!!!!  So exciting we are done with our long runs!!!  The taper will feel good, and it is such a great feeling to be done with the long one.  

*Lindsay*Congrats on your long run being completed too!!!  I'm sure you feel so good too.  Bummer on all the ice.  I was thrilled we got all rain yesterday, so lots of our ice melted, and it wasn't too bad.  My route is by the high school, so the streets are pretty quiet on the weekend and were pretty clear today.

You two, like I said, I know I could have done the other 1.1 today, so I know you both will be able to do the other 3.1 in 3 weeks.  I was also thinking about all the mile markers, the characters and entertainment along the way.  I mean we saw lots of people shovelling off their roofs and walking their dogs to pass the time, but I don't think that will be nearly as exciting as wdw!!!! 

Wow, I'm so excited!!

*Rose*- I completely agree with Lindsay, and am always here for you to listen, so please feel free to vent away.  It has got to be so frustrating to feel so lousy, and especially when the running that you love makes you miserable, it's got to be tough.   Hang in there.  I hope you get some answers soon. So glad that Mike is such a good support for you.  Hey, speaking of Mike, when is he going to pop in and "meet" us here. I saw him on another thread and posted that he should pop over. 

*Chipper Jen*- I thought of you during my run!! I thought, Jen said I'm strong enough to do this, and she is right, I am going to do it!!  And I did!!  

Well, I guess I should think about dinner.  Though I'd like someone else to make it, but I guess I'll do it.  Michael is out playing in the snow with a friend, which is great that I can hear them, so I don't have to keep getting up to peek out the window and make sure he's ok.  

Have a wonderful evening Princesses!!  Hope everyone had great runs this weekend!!


----------



## mikamah

Rose- So glad you're feeling better.  I know I am going to cry at the end of the princess.  I cried at the end of my first 5k just overwhelmed with it all, and now I'm starting to cry just thinking about how far I have come.  I think my goal will be to only cry at the end, and keep it in check the rest of the race.  Though when I see michael as we run into epcot, I can imagine that will get me going.  It is amazing that we can do whatever we set our minds and hearts on.  We are all strong and amazing women.  

happy birthday to Mike!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Congratulations Kathy!!

I am so pleased for everyone! This has been such a rough winter to train. And everyone has stuck it out!

Hope everyone is having a good evening!


----------



## jenanderson

Evening everyone!  I had meant to get back on but last night the boards were down and my days are just so busy.  Yesterday after my run, I went to the Mall of America with a friend we walked around for about 2 hours.  There was this great store with wonderful running clothing.  I did buy a tank top but I think I am going to return it.  I love that I finally found a tank top that is long enough for me and doesnt ride up but it was just so expensive.  So, I think it will be going back to the store even though it is a great top.  Today knowing that I didnt want to pay so much for a top, I went to Target.  I did find a pair of running shorts to go under my tutu but all the tanks were again just so short on me.

Shopping totally frustrated me both yesterday and today and here is why.yesterday after my 10 mile run, I was happier when I stepped on the scale.  I weighed 155 (I had been down to 153 in November).  I ate really well all day and only allowed myself a small treat last night after burning off 1370 calories in the run.  Still, when I was shopping, I will admit that I felt fat.  I realize that I am not fat any more but I look in the mirror and see bulges.  Today, I got up and weighed 157!!!!  I was so angry.  I have worked so hard this week.  I have logged all my food and have been totally honest with every bite.  I worked out 6 days out of 7.  I am hungry and feel totally deprived.  I look in the mirror and totally see someone who should be at least 4 pounds lighter but really I would like to be 9 pounds lighter.  I know this seems so stupid with it being such a small amount but I am really struggling with the whole weight issue right now.  

While many people will be worrying about the race (and not that I am not), I really am worrying the most about how I am going to look on vacation.  I dont want to look bad in the pictures  especially the race pictures and it is definitely a mental issue that I need to work on right now.  

Alright, enough of this rambling on about all my crazy diet problems.  Time to respond to everything going on here

*Lisa  *GREAT JOB on your 10 miles!    I bet it feels great to know that you are starting to taper!  I am glad that you read my post last before going out on your run.  I totally believe that we are all going to be crossing the finish line with smiles on our faces!  

*Rose  *You totally are not going to drive us insane by sharing all that is going on (notice how much I shared tonight).  I think coming here to share is a great way to help deal with all we are working through in life and everyone here truly does care about the struggles.  I really think that part of the reason why I have been struggling lately is that I dont type it all out here like I used to and work through everything.  The WISH board is great therapy.  Sounds like the G-F eating is really helping and it was great to read that you run was so successful without making you feel so bad.  I am so happy that you had a good run!  

Great reminder to everyone about how it is natural to cry at the end of a race.  I will say that I think I have finished all of mine with a huge smile but this one might be different.  This one is emotional for me.  This is the one that made me start on the path to being healthy.  It has been a long year of struggles and success and crossing the finish line at the princess might bring out the happy tears!


*Lindsay  *WAY TO GO!  10 miles is great!    I am so happy that the weather and the conditions outside cooperated with you.  I hear you about struggling with legs that want to stop!  I had to have some serious talks with myself yesterday to remind my body that I am a warrior.  I do a lot of self-talking and it really helps.  

*Kathy  *YOU WILL BE AMAZING!  I am so impressed with your 12 miles!    Sounds like you had a great plan to get the miles in and I am so happy it went so well.  I am glad you thought of me during the run.  You are totally strong enough to get through the 12 miles and will have no problem with 13.1 on race day.    

Well, now I have really gone on and on so it is time to sign off.  One last note to share my race numbers - I am 3639 and Pauls number is 3185.   

Have a great week everyone!
Jen


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> I'm thinking those folks with the training plan know what they are doing having us back off now.  I feel strong but things are starting to ache more than they did.    I have had quite a few interesting conversations with my various body parts since I started this process -- sometimes the body thinks the brain was crazy for coming up with this idea!   A couple of times on my run yesterday I got a little choked up because I can't believe that I've come so far.
> 
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!



Lisa you should be very proud of yourself.  I am proud of you  It is a bit emotional when you think back to when you first started and where you are now.  I do this often and have to fight back the tears.



Rose&Mike said:


> And I'm going to tell you girls I cried at the end of both of my races. Especially w&d. I think I cried the first time I ran 13 miles on a long run. Now, granted I'm a little emotional but I was so overwhelmed, because I have wanted this for so long, and really didn't think I could do it. So it was very emotional.



Oh I know I will have tears as I cross the finish and most likely as I run through the castle, oh and probably when I see my mom.  When I did my first 5K a few years ago I was at my heaviest 217.  I think by the race I was down closer to 200 and I really didnt know if I could finish it.  I only trained on the treadmill and didnt run outside until the wk of the race and it felt awful.  I finished the race...my time was something around 46 or 47 minutes and I bawled when I crossed the finish line.  I mean sobbed.  I remember even tearing up as I waited for my race to start.  I have not felt like that since but I am sure this race will bring that same emotion back.  

I am glad you are feeling better today, and I hope Mike had a wonderful birthday and enjoys the brownies you are baking him.



mikamah said:


> Add me to the list of those who completed their long run this weekend and are going to be amazing at the princess!!!
> 
> I did my 12 miles.



Yay!!!! Way to go Kathy! 12 miles is so awesome.  Boy you were almost to the end.  You are going to do so awesome at the princess!!!!!  



jenanderson said:


> Shopping totally frustrated me both yesterday and today and here is why.yesterday after my 10 mile run, I was happier when I stepped on the scale.  I weighed 155 (I had been down to 153 in November).  I ate really well all day and only allowed myself a small treat last night after burning off 1370 calories in the run.  Still, when I was shopping, I will admit that I felt fat.  I realize that I am not fat any more but I look in the mirror and see bulges.  Today, I got up and weighed 157!!!!  I was so angry.  I have worked so hard this week.  I have logged all my food and have been totally honest with every bite.  I worked out 6 days out of 7.  I am hungry and feel totally deprived.  I look in the mirror and totally see someone who should be at least 4 pounds lighter but really I would like to be 9 pounds lighter.  I know this seems so stupid with it being such a small amount but I am really struggling with the whole weight issue right now.



Ok jen if it makes you feel any better I am having the same issues too.  I really decided on doing the princess so it would give me motivation to loose all the baby weight I had gained with my 2 pregnancies.  I wanted to loose 60lbs.  I have lost a total of 35.  I am really proud of that but I have struggled over the past few months.  I think running these longer distances just isnt sparking my metabolism.  I havent been eating any differently and even if I do watch every bite I put in my mouth I seem to stay the same weight.  It has been really frustrating.  I am actually a bit sad and disappointed in myself that I am not closer to my goal.  This also has me worried about how I will feel about my pictures.  I actually have been putting on my outfits I planned to wear and having my son take my picture so I can see how they look.  I am starting to realize that there are other things that I need to be proud of that I have accomplished and I know I will keep working towards my goal.  I just wanted to say I know how you feel and it is frustrating but be proud of what you are doing and the obstacles that you have overcome.  You are awesome and I am sure you will look awesome in your pics too.

Well I am surprised at how good I feel after my long run.  My legs a just a bit stiff when I sit for awhile and try to get up but otherwise I feel great.  I forgot to tell you about my energy supplements during my run.  I went real technical. At mile 5 I ate about 6 small pretzels, and at mile 8 I had a small bite size pack of twizzlers.  I also looped past my house about 6 times and I had my water bottle and gatorade on my car so I kept myself hydrated.  I did notice the gatorade made me feel a bit nauseated but only for about a 1/4 mile or so afterward.  I think I either may skip it all together or only take it once or twice during the race.  I think my plan will be to take some pretzels and twizzlers and have my mom hold onto a pack of pretzel m&m's to hand off to me if I need it.  It seemed to work fine for me.  

Well its back to the work week tomorrow!  I hope the next 2 weeks go quickly.  I am getting so excited I can hardly contain it anymore.


----------



## jenanderson

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ok jen if it makes you feel any better I am having the same issues too.  I really decided on doing the princess so it would give me motivation to loose all the baby weight I had gained with my 2 pregnancies.  I wanted to loose 60lbs.  I have lost a total of 35.  I am really proud of that but I have struggled over the past few months.  I think running these longer distances just isnt sparking my metabolism.  I havent been eating any differently and even if I do watch every bite I put in my mouth I seem to stay the same weight.  It has been really frustrating.  I am actually a bit sad and disappointed in myself that I am not closer to my goal.  This also has me worried about how I will feel about my pictures.  I actually have been putting on my outfits I planned to wear and having my son take my picture so I can see how they look.  I am starting to realize that there are other things that I need to be proud of that I have accomplished and I know I will keep working towards my goal.  I just wanted to say I know how you feel and it is frustrating but be proud of what you are doing and the obstacles that you have overcome.  You are awesome and I am sure you will look awesome in your pics too.



Thanks for sharing this.  I know that I need to be proud of what has been accomplished and I know that I am not going back in the wrong direction.  I think it is just so much the point that I thought at this point I would have lost the whole 50 pounds - 41 pounds is great but it just seems like I came up short of my goal.  I am working on trying to focus on how much I have accomplished this year.  This leads me to the shirt that I am working on and I will share parts of it because it is something that I need to remember for myself and is true for everyone here.  The back of my shirt will say (I am still working on it):

This princess....
Used to cry running around the block
Lost 40 pounds
Never gave up
Believes in herself
Finds magic in running 
Is strong
13.1 is just the beginning!


----------



## corinnak

Hi Princess Racers!

It's been wild and crazy timese here (as usual, I guess?)  I just had to chime in and say that I'm still here and starting to get excited for Princess!  The waivers with bib numbers are up.  I am 2324 this year - which is over 600 higher than my number last year.  I think the race has grown, cause my proof of time was actually faster than for 2010.

Regarding losing weight while distance running...I know I started running because I figured if I could run, I would lose weight from the activity.  Which has so not been the case.  I know a lot of people find that it is the opposite - that they end up gaining a couple of pounds during marathon training, especially, for whatever reason.

I had intended to be a lot smaller at my first half marathon than I ended up being.  It wasn't until AFTER that race that I managed to get my act mostly together.  It's so much more about food and portions and consistency than it is about activity, at least for me.  Which can definitely be frustrating and disappointing, I know, but whatever our weight at the start-line, the fact that we are THERE at the start line is a victory.  I know that while I wasn't thrilled with my appearance in my photos in 2009, I was still glad that I had them and proud of the accomplishment the photos represented.  This race is a HUGE reward, so let's get out there and savor it and remember just how far we have come.

I actually did a half marathon this morning.  There was snow on the trail, and my knees are not thanking me tonight.  Hopefully they will feel better in the morning.  I am going to try to baby them this week!


----------



## mikamah

jenanderson said:


> This princess....
> Used to cry running around the block
> Lost 40 pounds
> Never gave up
> Believes in herself
> Finds magic in running
> Is strong
> 13.1 is just the beginning!


This is just beautiful, and made me cry.  You have come so far, and are such an inspiration.  



corinnak said:


> Hi   This race is a HUGE reward, so let's get out there and savor it and remember just how far we have come.


  I have gotten so much inspiration from you corinna, and how far you have come, but especially from your first half marathon.  It has really helped me to believe in myself when I look at you and others who have done so much, at higher weights.  Today I definitely feel stronger, healthier and more fit at 206 pounds than I felt at a time when I weighed 160.




mommyof2Pirates said:


> I am starting to realize that there are other things that I need to be proud of that I have accomplished and I know I will keep working towards my goal.  I just wanted to say I know how you feel and it is frustrating but be proud of what you are doing and the obstacles that you have overcome.
> :


You have so much to be proud of, and are an amazing woman, wife, mom, and princess.  You so deserve this weekend away with your mom and aunt, and are going to be amazing at the princess.  You should be so proud of all you have done, and go back and look at the pics in your journal, you are going to look great in those princess pics because you will have a big, proud smile on your face. 



Rose&Mike said:


> I am so pleased for everyone! This has been such a rough winter to train. And everyone has stuck it out!


  We are amazing, aren't we all!  I still can't believe we're in the final countdown!!!  So exciting.

I feel pretty good today, but know I should have moved around more last night.  Just a little achey, but my hip is much better, and I would be able to walk around MK no problem if we were there right now.  
On the pictures, after my first race, I did print out my picture as I crossed the finishline, and I looked like crap, beat red face, I look fat not fit, and though I don't like the pic at all, I do like what it stands for, I put myself out there, I got out and did the c25k, and stuck with it, I completed what I started out to do.  I had hit a personal low last winter, and the c25k got me up and motivated to do something about it, and helped me to believe in myself again, and know that I can do what I set my mind to do.  
Each successive race, I've liked the pictures better, I'm still overweight, but I've toned up more each time, and for the princess, I've tried on my outfit several times, the first time I put on the sparkle skirt, I didn't like how it made my hips look fatter than just the capris alone, but have decided that the skirt is more about my spirit and how far I have come, and so I won't look like ariel on race day, I will feel like the crazy, funloving princess I am when I cross that finishline.  

Thank you all again for all you share with us here, all the support, the hugs, the inspiration.  I know I would not be here, ready to run a half marathon without all of you.   I love you guys.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

I'm so proud of all of us for getting those long runs in this week-end!    It takes a lot of determination and perseverance to train for a winter run.    I didn't really appreciate that before!  



Rose&Mike said:


> Thanks for all the support. I am feeling pretty good today. I won't say it's a miracle cure, but I don't feel like I have a bowling ball in my stomach. So that's good. I read it can take months to feel "better"--whatever that means. And that sometimes you have to cut out dairy for a while too, but I am ignoring that for now. Dairy free, gluten free, vegetarian might push me over the edge. We went to whole foods and got enough stuff to get us through the next couple of days. We are going to see Tom next weekend, and I still don't know what I am going to eat, but I'll figure something out.
> 
> The g-f restaurant had pizza. And I thought it was very tasty--really crunchy. I don't know how Mike felt about it. But he ate it. And I must say g-f cider is pretty tasty. I can force myself to drink it. Mike had g-f beer, and it's ok. Just will take some getting used to.
> 
> And I felt really good after my run. One tiny stomach cramp, and that was it. Which is better than it's been in I don't know how long. We haven't even been stretching after our runs because my stomach was such a mess that I wanted to get home to the bathroom. We actually stretched at the park and probably would have done a cool down lap if we weren't so cold. We ran 11 miles. I am really looking forward to 2 cutback weeks.
> 
> Kathy--hope your run went great!
> 
> *Before I forget---HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!!!!! You will always be my Prince! *
> (I'm going to make him some gluten free brownies in a minute and his Packers are playing--who could ask for a better birthday!)



Glad to hear that you had your long run yesterday and no stomach problems!    I think that you are on to something.   

I bet there are gluten free items at WDW, too.  You may want to call Disney guest services.  I've heard that they are very accommodating.  

Happy Birthday to Mike!     A loving wife, brownies and your team winning what could be a better way to celebrate?  



mikamah said:


> So life is good!!!  I'm getting so excited, and am thinking since we are all going to safely get to orlando without any snow delays, and have an amazing time!!!



 It will be here before we know it!    And woo hoo for getting all the way to 12!  



jenanderson said:


> Evening everyone!  I had meant to get back on but last night the boards were down and my days are just so busy.  Yesterday after my run, I went to the Mall of America with a friend we walked around for about 2 hours.  There was this great store with wonderful running clothing.  I did buy a tank top but I think I am going to return it.  I love that I finally found a tank top that is long enough for me and doesnt ride up but it was just so expensive.  So, I think it will be going back to the store even though it is a great top.  Today knowing that I didnt want to pay so much for a top, I went to Target.  I did find a pair of running shorts to go under my tutu but all the tanks were again just so short on me.
> 
> Shopping totally frustrated me both yesterday and today and here is why.yesterday after my 10 mile run, I was happier when I stepped on the scale.  I weighed 155 (I had been down to 153 in November).  I ate really well all day and only allowed myself a small treat last night after burning off 1370 calories in the run.  Still, when I was shopping, I will admit that I felt fat.  I realize that I am not fat any more but I look in the mirror and see bulges.  Today, I got up and weighed 157!!!!  I was so angry.  I have worked so hard this week.  I have logged all my food and have been totally honest with every bite.  I worked out 6 days out of 7.  I am hungry and feel totally deprived.  I look in the mirror and totally see someone who should be at least 4 pounds lighter but really I would like to be 9 pounds lighter.  I know this seems so stupid with it being such a small amount but I am really struggling with the whole weight issue right now.
> 
> While many people will be worrying about the race (and not that I am not), I really am worrying the most about how I am going to look on vacation.  I dont want to look bad in the pictures  especially the race pictures and it is definitely a mental issue that I need to work on right now.



Jen, sorry about the clothes shopping issue.    I think that it takes a long time for your brain to catch up to your body as you lose weight.    Are you sure your weight gain isn't just water retention after a long run?  My body hangs onto water for a couple of days after a long run.  You are strong, you know that you can do this and you have to be kind to yourself because you've had a rough time.   



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ok jen if it makes you feel any better I am having the same issues too.  I really decided on doing the princess so it would give me motivation to loose all the baby weight I had gained with my 2 pregnancies.  I wanted to loose 60lbs.  I have lost a total of 35.  I am really proud of that but I have struggled over the past few months.  I think running these longer distances just isnt sparking my metabolism.  I havent been eating any differently and even if I do watch every bite I put in my mouth I seem to stay the same weight.  It has been really frustrating.  I am actually a bit sad and disappointed in myself that I am not closer to my goal.  This also has me worried about how I will feel about my pictures.  I actually have been putting on my outfits I planned to wear and having my son take my picture so I can see how they look.  I am starting to realize that there are other things that I need to be proud of that I have accomplished and I know I will keep working towards my goal.  I just wanted to say I know how you feel and it is frustrating but be proud of what you are doing and the obstacles that you have overcome.  You are awesome and I am sure you will look awesome in your pics too.



I'm glad that you are feeling good after your long run, Lindsay!  

Add me to the list of folks who is wishing that they would be closer to their weight loss goals by now.  But I'm not.  And I'm closer than I would be if I would have given up so I try to be more accepting about it.  I'm going to be over 200 when I do this race and that is just the way it is.  I'm strong, I've done the training and I can do this!  



jenanderson said:


> Thanks for sharing this.  I know that I need to be proud of what has been accomplished and I know that I am not going back in the wrong direction.  I think it is just so much the point that I thought at this point I would have lost the whole 50 pounds - 41 pounds is great but it just seems like I came up short of my goal.  I am working on trying to focus on how much I have accomplished this year.  This leads me to the shirt that I am working on and I will share parts of it because it is something that I need to remember for myself and is true for everyone here.  The back of my shirt will say (I am still working on it):
> 
> This princess....
> Used to cry running around the block
> Lost 40 pounds
> Never gave up
> Believes in herself
> Finds magic in running
> Is strong
> 13.1 is just the beginning!



I love your shirt, Jen!    It's so true and is totally you!  



corinnak said:


> Hi Princess Racers!
> 
> It's been wild and crazy timese here (as usual, I guess?)  I just had to chime in and say that I'm still here and starting to get excited for Princess!  The waivers with bib numbers are up.  I am 2324 this year - which is over 600 higher than my number last year.  I think the race has grown, cause my proof of time was actually faster than for 2010.
> 
> Regarding losing weight while distance running...I know I started running because I figured if I could run, I would lose weight from the activity.  Which has so not been the case.  I know a lot of people find that it is the opposite - that they end up gaining a couple of pounds during marathon training, especially, for whatever reason.
> 
> I had intended to be a lot smaller at my first half marathon than I ended up being.  It wasn't until AFTER that race that I managed to get my act mostly together.  It's so much more about food and portions and consistency than it is about activity, at least for me.  Which can definitely be frustrating and disappointing, I know, but whatever our weight at the start-line, the fact that we are THERE at the start line is a victory.  I know that while I wasn't thrilled with my appearance in my photos in 2009, I was still glad that I had them and proud of the accomplishment the photos represented.  This race is a HUGE reward, so let's get out there and savor it and remember just how far we have come.
> 
> I actually did a half marathon this morning.  There was snow on the trail, and my knees are not thanking me tonight.  Hopefully they will feel better in the morning.  I am going to try to baby them this week!



I know that you don't particularly like your 2009 photos, Corinna, but for me they are totally an inspiration.    That is my plan to follow in your footsteps.  With this Princess and the next!  

Hope that your knees feel better soon!    You're doing a half almost every other week, girl!  

*Maria* and *Jude*, hope that you Princesses had a great week-end!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Lovely Princesses! 

*Lisa* -- A good weekend, indeed, I am feeling much better and starting to think more definitively about the upcoming race! I was a little disappointed when I got my number #8905, I had hoped to be up a bit -- but that was based on 3:11, so perhaps with my proof of time for 2:56 I might move up  If not, no big deal. I think this race will be totally fun whether you start in Corral A or H! 

*Kathy* -- You are totally a crazy fun-loving Princess, and you are going to squee when you cross the finish line!  There's nothing like it, you are going to be so happy and feel like you can accomplish anything -- and the truth is you can! 

*Corinna* -- Fabulous race placement, you will sprint through and run with the gazelles!  Also great perspective -- you have accomplished so much, and I can only hope to follow in your footsteps. My goal is to run each Half lighter than the last, and I'm on target (knock on wood) for Princess. Of course, I don't attempt them 2 weeks in a row  

*JenAnderson* -- Fabulous wording for your shirt! I sense some real magic in there 

*Lindsay* -- I freely admit I cried the first time I ran the WDW Half, and I have been known to have some leakage ever since. It is very emotional, realizing that you just had a major accomplishment -- kind of a verification that you are a "real" athelete -- at least for me it is. Of course, as I'm waiting for the bus to my resort I always think, "Why on earth did I sign up for this? I shouldn't do this again." Then I get over it after a shower and a little rest. 

*Rose* -- I'm glad your run was better. I do believe it can take quite awhile for your system to totally "settle down", so you should just be patient with yourself. Trust me, if anyone drives everyone insane, it will be me!  Instead of talking through things, I "write" through them. It works for me, and if it works for you, you should do it! 

*Congratulations to Everyone on all the Fabulous Long Runs!*

I was so sick last week, but I am at 95% today, and ready to move on with my training! I ran 4M this morning and 3M yesterday, so I'm running again. I missed my LR last week, but plan to do 12M on Saturday. I prefer Friday, but I don't see how I can make it work this week. Maybe something will come to me -- just hopefully not another snow day!  

Now for the big news -- our family is expanding! We are now the proud and happy parents of a 10 wk old male grey tabby kitten . He has white socks and a white muzzle, and he is very inquisitive and loves people. DS has named him Chewbacca, Chewie for short. He sleeps next to me, he has already figured out that I'm the key to making sure all his little kitty dreams come true We could not be happier, and we already have plans to get him a companion -- their are 6 kittens that will be available at the end of March, and we hope to bring one home. I'll be naming this one, and yes, the sci fi naming tradition will continue -- I'm just waiting to see if we get a girl or boy, and what the personality deems appropriate. 

Everyone have a Magical Day! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> Now for the big news -- our family is expanding! We are now the proud and happy parents of a 10 wk old male grey tabby kitten . He has white socks and a white muzzle, and he is very inquisitive and loves people. DS has named him Chewbacca, Chewie for short. He sleeps next to me, he has already figured out that I'm the key to making sure all his little kitty dreams come true We could not be happier, and we already have plans to get him a companion -- their are 6 kittens that will be available at the end of March, and we hope to bring one home. I'll be naming this one, and yes, the sci fi naming tradition will continue -- I'm just waiting to see if we get a girl or boy, and what the personality deems appropriate.



Congratulations on the new family member, Maria!  :kitty:  For a second or two there I thought that you were going to tell us that you were having a baby!    Isn't it fun having a new kitty around -- you get to find out about all the things that need  kitty proofing that you took for granted with your older cat.    He is a lucky kitty to have found such a good, loving home!    Be sure to have a picture of Chewie when we see you!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

jenanderson said:


> This princess....
> Used to cry running around the block
> Lost 40 pounds
> Never gave up
> Believes in herself
> Finds magic in running
> Is strong
> 13.1 is just the beginning!



I love this Jen!!!!!  You have come so far and you truly are an inspiration.



corinnak said:


> Regarding losing weight while distance running...I know I started running because I figured if I could run, I would lose weight from the activity.  Which has so not been the case.  I know a lot of people find that it is the opposite - that they end up gaining a couple of pounds during marathon training, especially, for whatever reason.
> 
> I had intended to be a lot smaller at my first half marathon than I ended up being.  It wasn't until AFTER that race that I managed to get my act mostly together.  It's so much more about food and portions and consistency than it is about activity, at least for me.  Which can definitely be frustrating and disappointing, I know, but whatever our weight at the start-line, the fact that we are THERE at the start line is a victory.  I know that while I wasn't thrilled with my appearance in my photos in 2009, I was still glad that I had them and proud of the accomplishment the photos represented.  This race is a HUGE reward, so let's get out there and savor it and remember just how far we have come.



Corina thank you so much for saying all this.  It makes me feel so much better about myself.  I have come to terms with the fact that I am not going to loose much more weight over the next few weeks.  I am hoping after my next half on may 2, I can shorten my running for awhile and focus on loosing some more pounds.



mikamah said:


> I've tried on my outfit several times, the first time I put on the sparkle skirt, I didn't like how it made my hips look fatter than just the capris alone, but have decided that the skirt is more about my spirit and how far I have come, and so I won't look like ariel on race day, I will feel like the crazy, funloving princess I am when I cross that finishline.



Kathy I am so glad you are not going to hide your crazy inner princess behind plain clothes.  I think you need to let it all out of race day and what better than your sparkle skirt.  You will look great! and ariel is so overated.



Worfiedoodles said:


> [Now for the big news -- our family is expanding! We are now the proud and happy parents of a 10 wk old male grey tabby kitten . He has white socks and a white muzzle, and he is very inquisitive and loves people. DS has named him Chewbacca, Chewie for short. He sleeps next to me, he has already figured out that I'm the key to making sure all his little kitty dreams come true We could not be happier, and we already have plans to get him a companion -- their are 6 kittens that will be available at the end of March, and we hope to bring one home. I'll be naming this one, and yes, the sci fi naming tradition will continue -- I'm just waiting to see if we get a girl or boy, and what the personality deems appropriate.



How exciting.  I want to see a picture too.  He sounds cute and I love the name.  I am glad you are feeling better and back in your running shoes.

I got my tiara in the mail today.  It is a little bigger than the picture made it seem.  I think I will atleast wear it to start the race but Im not sure how long it will last.  I think I am going to try to get out this weekend to look for another shirt.  I really just want a black running tank.  I just dont think my cotton princess shirt is going to be comfortable.  

I am so surprised how well my body feels today.  My legs are not all that sore.  I thought they would feel worse.  I am still so pumped about my run.  Today when I was driving home I tracked my drive on my car....when I hit 10 miles I was like "wow" that is a long run.  I am just still amazed at myself.  I think if I feel this good now I will feel on top of the moon after the princess.  Bring it on....I am so excited I just cant control myself anymore.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Jen*--I'm sorry about the shopping frustration. Should you keep the tank even though it's pricey? I live in my workout clothes and if it's something I like I consider it a great investment. Especially since you have so much trouble finding stuff that's long enough. Hang in there. I can't wait to see your shirt.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Oh I know I will have tears as I cross the finish and most likely as I run through the castle, oh and probably when I see my mom.  When I did my first 5K a few years ago I was at my heaviest 217.  I think by the race I was down closer to 200 and I really didnt know if I could finish it.  I only trained on the treadmill and didnt run outside until the wk of the race and it felt awful.  I finished the race...my time was something around 46 or 47 minutes and I bawled when I crossed the finish line.  I mean sobbed.  I remember even tearing up as I waited for my race to start.  I have not felt like that since but I am sure this race will bring that same emotion back.


Tears *and* smiles. That's the goal. Thanks for sharing this.

*Corinna*--Goodness you are a running machine!! I hope the knees are feeling better.



mikamah said:


> but have decided that the skirt is more about my spirit and how far I have come, and so I won't look like ariel on race day, I will feel like the crazy, funloving princess I am when I cross that finishline.
> 
> Thank you all again for all you share with us here, all the support, the hugs, the inspiration.  I know I would not be here, ready to run a half marathon without all of you.   I love you guys.


This made me smile, too.

*Hi Lisa!* 

*Maria*--glad you are feeling better. A new kitty! How exciting! Congratultions! We need pictures!

Good evening princesses! My body (specifically my foot--plantar fasciitis) is not happy that I did 14 miles last weekend and 11 this weekend. I have spent a lot of time today stretching my calf out to try to cut back on the soreness. Will probably be skipping my 4 miles tomorrow. Hopefully it will calm down quickly!

Today was day 3 of g-f. Wednesday I am going to call to check on my test results if I still haven't heard anything. The brownies were pretty tasty. Gluten free bread--NASTY! We bought it from a local bakery and I thought it was disgusting. I'm not a big bread eater anymore, so I can live with it, but it did make me a little sad that grilled cheese probably won't be the same. Who knows if it's working, but I feel like the food is not just sitting in my stomach like a big lump and my blood sugar doesn't feel like it's all over the place. Once I talk to the doctor, we will call Disney. Mike thought it might be easier to have the conversation if we have a better idea of what's going on. 

I am so glad I had already started eating well before this all happened. It's much easier to give things up when you know that eating better really does make your body feel better and helps to fuel your exercise. Even this summer when everything started getting bad, I wasn't ready to give up so much food. It would have been much more difficult. And I don't even know if my doctor would have taken it as serious. It's not so much that I needed to feel really cruddy to give up gluten, more that I have learned I can live without it. 

We are getting snow tonight. Yuck! I hope everyone has a good evening.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> We are getting snow tonight. Yuck! I hope everyone has a good evening.



Sorry the bread didnt taste good.  Maybe there are other companies or bakeries that make it more tastier.  I am glad this change is at least making you feel better.  I hope the PF feels better soon too.  

I hope you are not getting too much snow.  It has been in the 40's the past two days and it felt so good.  Now its back into the 20's for the next few days but hopefully....crossing my fingers....for no more snow this week.  So far it looks promising.  Stay warm in safe in your yucky weather.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Just a little bit of snow, so that's good. And it looks like we should be ok this weekend to go see Tom. He is actually really excited about us coming. We'll drive halfway Thursday and stop before the mountains. They are calling for snow Thursday morning, but hopefully the roads will be good by the time we leave.

My foot is still sore this morning. So no run tonight. I'm going to try to do the elliptical and if that bothers my foot I'll get on the bike. I'm going to do strength on Wednesday and then maybe run a couple of miles afterwards, since I might not get a workout in on Thursday or Friday. Hopefully Saturday morning it will be warm enough to run outside in SC!

Ok, hope everyone has a fantastic day!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Spent the last 30+ minutes updating all the links in all the threads. Goodness, I will be glad when we go to one thread!

Just saw the Aaron Rodgers--You just won the Super Bowl, what are you going to do now commercial--and of course he said--I'm going to Disney World! 

Time to get moving this morning.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princesses!!!   I can't believe in 15 days I will be headed to wdw!!!   I'm praying for a week like this one here.  No snow days!!!!  Few flurries this morning and sun through sunday.  Of course it's going to be cold, but I can't have it all.

*Maria*- Congratulations on your new addition.  Kitties are so fun and lovable.  Ds is allergic, or we'd have one too.  We have 2 new kitten cousins, and they are so cute and fun.  Enjoy little Chewie!!  Great name.  Are you going to be ok without a snow day this week?  Glad you're feeling better and able to run again.

*Lisa*- I was just thinking back to a year ago when we started the C25k, and remember how hard those 30 minute sessions were, where we were supposed to run a full minute 8 times?  I didn't make all 8 the first time, and look at us now.  We are actually doing the princess half!!!!  We can so do anything we set our minds to.    I love that you are planning on doing it again next year.  I'd love to also, but I'll have to wait and see what the year brings.  

*Lindsay*- Glad you got your tiara!!  I figure even if we just have them on in the pre race pics that's all good and fun.   I too am amazed how good I feel after my long run this weekend.  I guess that's the reason we followed the training plans, and they really do work.  Who would have thunk it?

*Rose*- Sorry the foot is acting up.  You are amazing though.  I'd look at it as an excuse to rest, and have heard you should take 3 days off, completely off, but you're looking to get other exercise in that won't aggravate it.  You are an exercising machine.  But it is ok to take some days off, and you will not lose any of the strength you have built up.  I've heard it takes 2-3 weeks to undo all the training.  So glad you're going to visit ds this weekend.  Bummer on the bread.  Do you have Shaw's supermarkets?  Here they have a glutenfree bread that the hospital buys that the patients rave about.  I know there are tons of gf products out there now, and I hope you're able to find some.  Trader joes may have some too.  I'm guessing you've googled for suggestions.  Hope you can find something you like.  

Jen, Corinna, and Jude- hello!  Hope you're all having a good week.

No exercise here today.  We have family night at a local restaurant - it's a school fundraiser in the big function room and the kids buy raffle tickets for tons of stuff, like principle for a day, lunch with the teachers.  It's a fun night, spaghetti and meatballs, and salad, so I'm planning to have mostly salad and a little pasta.  Trying to stay on track til the trip!!!

Have a great day everyone!!


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I am so surprised how well my body feels today.  My legs are not all that sore.  I thought they would feel worse.  I am still so pumped about my run.  Today when I was driving home I tracked my drive on my car....when I hit 10 miles I was like "wow" that is a long run.  I am just still amazed at myself.  I think if I feel this good now I will feel on top of the moon after the princess.  Bring it on....I am so excited I just cant control myself anymore.



Woo hoo, Lindsay!   You are so ready for the Princess!  



Rose&Mike said:


> *Hi Lisa!*



 Hi Rose!  Sorry about the PF.  Hope it passes quickly.  Mine flares up every once in awhile, too, but is gone quickly even though I always think "Uh-oh!"  

Have you tried the Ezekiel bread?  I know that pjlla really likes it.  



Rose&Mike said:


> Spent the last 30+ minutes updating all the links in all the threads. Goodness, I will be glad when we go to one thread!



Thanks for hostessing!   It's a big job!  

Blister has subsided and hip is almost better.  I am going to wait until Wednesday when I go with my friend before running again.  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> I didn't make all 8 the first time, and look at us now.  We are actually doing the princess half!!!!  We can so do anything we set our minds to.    I love that you are planning on doing it again next year.  I'd love to also, but I'll have to wait and see what the year brings.



Guess it's my turn to follow you today!    It is amazing what we can do when we set our minds to it!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Just a quick post today, Ladies! 

Hope you're feeling nice and Princessy! 

I came in to find my boss's boss (our President) had assigned me a complicated task that's due by noon on Friday, so my posting is going to be limited for the rest of the week. I also have the state audit that's been postponed twice due to bad weather this afternoon, so I don't know how far I'm going to get today...

I ran 3M this morning since I knew I wouldn't be able to go to yoga. Felt good! I was down 2.4 at WW last night, so definitely a little cause for celebration!  That's 8.8 in 3 weeks, I'm happy 

I promised myself that I will finally learn how to post photos so everyone can get a gander at Chewie...hopefully this weekend! 

Thank you for all the well wishes -- we are so excited to have him! 

Keep those workouts going, you're going to finish strong!

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--Hope you have fun tonight! I am so glad you are feeling good after your long run. I use the exercise instead on xanax. I really should probably be staying off my foot, but I'm kind of stubborn and a little stupid! The elliptical did really stretch out my calf. Still not sure if I will run tomorrow or not.



lisah0711 said:


> Hi Rose!  Sorry about the PF.  Hope it passes quickly.  Mine flares up every once in awhile, too, but is gone quickly even though I always think "Uh-oh!"
> 
> Blister has subsided and hip is almost better.  I am going to wait until Wednesday when I go with my friend before running again.
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!


I'm starting to get a little nervous. It's pretty sore. I wore sneakers with my dress pants to work today and I'm sitting here in shoes now. Glad the blister is going down and the hip is feeling better.

*Maria*--I hope work is not too crazy this week.

Thanks for all the bread suggestions. I'm guessing there is something good out there, we just haven't found it yet. The stuff at whole foods was like a brick. After the yucky stuff from the bakery we didn't even buy it. Have I mentioned that the brownies are REALLY good.

Day 4 g-f. My blood sugar was all over the place today--I don't think I ate enough during the day. We had Moe's for dinner. I got a naked burrito. It was just as tasty as if it had the tortilla--actually I liked it better. We used our own chips. 

I'm still hoping to run 2 or 3 tomorrow, but might just need to get on the elliptical again or the bike. We were supposed to leave Thursday around 4:00, but Mike just told me he has a meeting at 4:00 that he might not be able to miss. And it's with an executive where you sit around and wait forever for your five minute "audience." He's going to hint to his boss tomorrow and see if he'll take it for him.

We called Disney and had g-f vegetarian added to our reservation. They also said that all the counter services should have something...might be a lot of salads. I'm going to put in a garden grocer order next weekend.

Is anyone else contemplating DL this year--coast to coast medal??? It's on my birthday.....

Have a great evening!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Just a little bit of snow, so that's good. And it looks like we should be ok this weekend to go see Tom. He is actually really excited about us coming. We'll drive halfway Thursday and stop before the mountains. They are calling for snow Thursday morning, but hopefully the roads will be good by the time we leave.



Glad you didnt get too much snow.  How exciting to be visiting tom.  I hope you get going early enough tomorrow.  I hate when work gets in the way.  I hope that foot feels better ASAP.  Make sure to REST it.  



Rose&Mike said:


> Just saw the Aaron Rodgers--You just won the Super Bowl, what are you going to do now commercial--and of course he said--I'm going to Disney World!


 that will never get old.....and where else in the world would anyone want to go after winning the super bowl.  I cant think of anywhere else I would rather be. actually as I was writing this the commerical came on.  I gotta admit I teared up a bit. Im such a sap.



mikamah said:


> No exercise here today.  We have family night at a local restaurant - it's a school fundraiser in the big function room and the kids buy raffle tickets for tons of stuff, like principle for a day, lunch with the teachers.  It's a fun night, spaghetti and meatballs, and salad, so I'm planning to have mostly salad and a little pasta.  Trying to stay on track til the trip!!!



that sounds like a fun night Kathy.  I think we are going to make it through the week without any snow days too.  I hope the bad weather is behind us.  Next week here is suppose to be in the 50's.  Currently we are back into the low 20's and very windy today.



lisah0711 said:


> Blister has subsided and hip is almost better.  I am going to wait until Wednesday when I go with my friend before running again.
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!


Glad you are healing up Lisa.  We still got to get through another 8 this weekend so giving yourself an extra day of rest is good.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> I came in to find my boss's boss (our President) had assigned me a complicated task that's due by noon on Friday, so my posting is going to be limited for the rest of the week. I also have the state audit that's been postponed twice due to bad weather this afternoon, so I don't know how far I'm going to get today...



Doesnt your boss know that you are preparing for a race and a trip to disney and that you cant be bothered with this stuff right now.  I am trying to do my best to focus at work but honestly I think my mind is trying to go on vacation early.



Rose&Mike said:


> [We called Disney and had g-f vegetarian added to our reservation. They also said that all the counter services should have something...might be a lot of salads. I'm going to put in a garden grocer order next weekend.
> 
> Is anyone else contemplating DL this year--coast to coast medal??? It's on my birthday.....
> 
> Have a great evening!



disney is so accomodating I bet you will find some great things to eat.  I unfortunatly will not be doing the DL half.  I dont know if I will ever get back to do a another disney race either.  At least for awhile.  That is why this is even more special to me.  I think doing the DL half and getting the C to C medal would be a great bday present for you.

Ok ladies.  Here is a picture of the most up to date me in my princess outfit.  I will say that I took this prior to running in it on the TM tonight.  I dont think the shirt is going to work.  It just doesnt absorb the sweat and I actually took it off half way through my run and ran in my sports bra.  So I will be looking for another top.  The shorts definitely worked although they rode up a bit but otherwise were comfortable.  My tiara is a bit too small for my big head and Im not sure if it will even make an appearance.  I may look for another one of those too.  So here is me in at least the shorts I will be wearing.






I had a great day again.  The scale actually is moving downward again.  I am hoping to come out of this week with a loss.  That would get me even more pumped.  Ryan also got his first report card today.  He did good and got all satisfactory's.  He does need to improve on raising his hand before he answers and using his class time productively. I had to laugh at the one because even to this day I think I could use my work time more productively too.  We will help him work on it though.  

Well I need to get to bed.  My goal is to get a decent nights sleep each night so I will be well rested prior to the trip.  No more late nights for me.

Night, Night, Princessess.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning! Just a minute to say Hi! 

Lindsay--I really like the pink shorts!

No running today. My foot is still sore. I'll do the elliptical again. 

I am up two pounds this week. Uggh. Things just arent' moving along if you get what I mean. I can't eat anymore fruits and vegetables! I don't mind the two pounds, because I was at the very low end of maintain. I just need to be patient and give the g-f a little longer, I guess. Sometimes I wish I could just take a pill and not eat at all anymore. It's starting to not be fun.

Ok, busy day. Have a great day everyone!


----------



## mikamah

Rose&Mike said:


> I use the exercise instead on xanax.


  It is amazing the effect exercise has on us.  The other day after my 90 minute roof-raking fun, I thought, I just should have gotten some ativan and sat calmly in my house and let it be.   I know now my house was not going to collapse, but the mind can be a crazy thing.  
Bummer your foot is still hurting.  I hope it starts to feel better soon.  Do you take any antiinflammatories?  Michael has food allergies and the restaurants in disney are awesome about it.  My favorite was Boma last august, the chef came out and walked us over the entire buffet and told us what everything was and what had his food allergies in it.  I was psyched because he explained each dish, and thing I may not have tried by look alone.  Hang in there.  I'm sure your body needs time to adjust to the gf diet.  

*Lindsay*- You look so cute.  Bummer the shirt won't work for you, it's very cute.  I love the pink shorts, and you really do look great.  Awesome the scale is moving this week for you too.  I'm down to a new low 204.6 this morning and now I think I could possibly make 199.9 in the next 2 weeks if I stay focused.  I wonder if our long weekend runs revved up our metabolism or something.  I'm so right there with you and being on vacation.  Michael looked at the calendar this morning and said 2 weeks!!!!  So praying the snow is done for the season.  A girl can hope. 

*Maria*- Nice loss again!!  You are doing awesome on the new ww.  It's so nice to have the sun shining again, and to see no snow in the 5 day forecast.

*Lisa*- Are you following me again?  I thought you'd be ahead of me today since I'm going in to work at 10, so I drove michael to school.  Glad the blister is healing and hip feels better.  My hip felt better today, and I did an hour wii run through the house this morning, and it was a little sore again, so I took some advil.   I hope to get outside tomorrow after work.  

Good morning princesses!!  I think I'll do my iron-on my tshirt tonight and take a pic of me in my outfit tonight.  I printed off my waiver, and also the one's for michael and my niece.  The are doing the Mickey Mile!!  Such a fun name.   I was surprised to see that they'll have the timing chips too, which will be awesome for them, and we'll pick up their packets at the expo.
I offered to buy my niece a sparkle skirt, but after I danced around her house last weekend after a few glasses of wine, I think she was scared.

Good luck with training this week!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Sparklicious Ones! 

I spent the morning writing and I just realized it's time for my morning snack...I'll get to that apple and WW yogurt right after I chat a bit! I decided I earned a break! 

*Kathy* -- Do you really think we can handle an entire week without a snow day?!  I agree, bring on that sun! I was planning on being home the 24th, but just realized I need to come in for a morning meeting...it's definitely going to be a half day for me, though -- gotta have some time to pack and get ready! 

*Rose* -- Sorry about your foot  My dh also has PF, and he gets a special type of massage for it, which really seems to help. He also has some special shoe inserts. He got his foot/leg taped before the WDW Full, as well as a pre-massage, and he thinks it really made a difference. Just some thoughts...

*Lindsay* -- Love the shorts, and look at those toned calves!  I don't want to discuss productivity, let's just say mine is less than exemplary  Seeing the little recliner in the background of your photo made me nostalgic. We used to have a blue one for ds, back when he didn't fight his father for the recliner  You are doing great with making enough sleep a priority. I think people don't realize how important it is to really feeling your best. I know it's laughable that I'm often in bed by 9:30, but it's working well for me. 

*Lisa* -- Great idea to give yourself a break and let the blister go down. You definitely do not want to run with that  And the Davis Baby Factory is officially closed for business  Our only additions will be feline at this point! 

Sending shoutouts to * Corinna, Jude, and Jen!* 

I ran 4M this morning, and I'm taking tomorrow off. That's four days in a row, which is pretty much my limit. I also figured out a way to get my 12M in on Friday -- I just have to be on the TM before 5 am, which is definitely doable. I'm looking forward to having it done and then being able to relax this weekend. My dh has to run 16M Saturday, so I'd rather we spread it out and not have both of us worn out on the same day 

Maria


----------



## corinnak

Worfiedoodles said:


> I ran 3M this morning since I knew I wouldn't be able to go to yoga. Felt good! I was down 2.4 at WW last night, so definitely a little cause for celebration!  That's 8.8 in 3 weeks, I'm happy



Way to go, Maria!!! I'm so glad the new WW is working so brilliantly for you - of course it is because YOU are working the new WW so brilliantly, so nice job!





Rose&Mike said:


> We called Disney and had g-f vegetarian added to our reservation. They also said that all the counter services should have something...might be a lot of salads. I'm going to put in a garden grocer order next weekend.
> 
> Is anyone else contemplating DL this year--coast to coast medal??? It's on my birthday.....
> 
> Have a great evening!



That's good that you've got the head's up in to Disney.  It's a whole food adventure.  I sure hope that you see some good results from your efforts soon - needing to give up gluten is something I've always hoped I'd never have to do, because as a vegetarian, our choices already feel sort of...limited, especially at restaurants etc.  I do have a friend who has celiac and so I have realized that I really can and do make lots of things without gluten, but it is definitely one more thing to think about.  Hang in there. 

As for DL 1/2....it's not really on my radar so far this year.  I've done it twice now and the medal is lovely, but I really did last year's because it was the 5 year medal and I knew so many people who were going, they managed to suck me in.   It is a very, very fun race, and in some ways I love Disneyland even more than WDW!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ok ladies.  Here is a picture of the most up to date me in my princess outfit.  I will say that I took this prior to running in it on the TM tonight.  I dont think the shirt is going to work.  It just doesnt absorb the sweat and I actually took it off half way through my run and ran in my sports bra.  So I will be looking for another top.  The shorts definitely worked although they rode up a bit but otherwise were comfortable.  My tiara is a bit too small for my big head and Im not sure if it will even make an appearance.  I may look for another one of those too.  So here is me in at least the shorts I will be wearing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had a great day again.  The scale actually is moving downward again.  I am hoping to come out of this week with a loss.  That would get me even more pumped.  Ryan also got his first report card today.  He did good and got all satisfactory's.  He does need to improve on raising his hand before he answers and using his class time productively. I had to laugh at the one because even to this day I think I could use my work time more productively too.  We will help him work on it though.
> 
> Well I need to get to bed.  My goal is to get a decent nights sleep each night so I will be well rested prior to the trip.  No more late nights for me.
> 
> Night, Night, Princessess.



Your picture is SERIOUSLY a great example of the progress you've made.  I saw it on your journal as well, and you look great! 

I am so glad you tried the shirt for running - better to know now so you can make a different plan.  It is a very cute shirt, though, and I'm sure you'll find another time to wear it during the weekend! 

And I am with Ryan on using work time more productively.  It is one of life's great challenges, for sure.

I love your "sleep" plan.  It's so helpful to go into a race weekend feeling rested.  Because between the travel and the early, early mornings required for a Disney race, well...better to have your sleep banks full.  It's something I need improvement on myself, so I am going to try to follow your good example!



mikamah said:


> Good morning princesses!!  I think I'll do my iron-on my tshirt tonight and take a pic of me in my outfit tonight.  I printed off my waiver, and also the one's for michael and my niece.  The are doing the Mickey Mile!!  Such a fun name.   I was surprised to see that they'll have the timing chips too, which will be awesome for them, and we'll pick up their packets at the expo.
> I offered to buy my niece a sparkle skirt, but after I danced around her house last weekend after a few glasses of wine, I think she was scared.
> 
> Good luck with training this week!



Looking forward to your photo! It IS pretty cool that they have the chip timing for the Mickey Mile - they do a nice job on those kids races.  It's great that Michael and your niece are participating!  Too funny about the sparkle skirt and wine and dancing.  She may change her mind when she sees them at the expo, of course - if she's going to the expo, that is. 



As for me:  It's been another wild week.  I kind of like the excitement, but I miss my time on the DIS!  My mom is coming to visit for the week and she is arriving today, so I might  have a little cleaning to do today.    I don't remember the last time I saw her, so it will be great to have her here for most of a week.

My knees are feeling betterish now - I haven't run since the race Sunday, but I have been doing less "babying" of my knees than I thought I would.  I got word that one of the theaters in Minneapolis needed some volunteers to get their set finished in time to open, so I went in Monday and yesterday and painted a whole bunch of stonework.  I do like to paint, but I think I've painted enough rockwork now to last me a while!  It is nice to help out, nice to do good work, and nice to make more theater contacts.  

My weight is still uppish.  Still within bounds, but definitely at the upper end of my comfort zone.  I am not entirely sure what my problem is, but I have been less focused on the world of weight loss/maintenance lately, and my eating has been a bit more erratic, so I guess it makes sense that I'd be up.  


It's been a while since I gave a race tip.  Here's one specifically for the Princess Half:

There will likely be glitter.  Last year, they had BBB girls at the expo with their glitter wands as you came in - you could make a wish and get "glittered."  My wish was "I want to run really fast!!"  And I'll be darned, it did come true.  That being said that glitter gets...kind of everwhere.  It was on my face, my clothes, my hands by the end of the day.

In the finishing chute they had another bunch of these woman with glitter wands.  At that point in the race (i.e. right after) , it can be hard to know what you want beyond a medal.  I think I skipped the glitter at the end of the race - somehow the glitter/sweat combo did not appeal.  No guarantee they will have this as part of the finish area this year, but it might be a good idea to decide ahead of time whether you think you want glitter at the end or not.

And now, how about a walk through the finish chute:

If this is your first BIG race, you may be surprised by how much of  a process it is:

As you cross the finish line, they'll be taking your picture and taping you, so no pressure to do a pose or smile or look good, but do avoid immediately looking at your watch/turning off your garmin/stopwatch as you cross, etc.  Once you cross:

Do walk forward and keep moving - there are people behind you, plus also, this is how you get to the medals!

There may be glitterati (fairy godmothers in training, as stated above).

There will definitely be lines for medals - doesn't matter which side you go to, and bear in mind that there are people handing them out further back, too. It can be faster to bypass the first few medal volunteers and get one from someone further back.  

IF it is chilly, they may have mylar blankets for us.  Even if you don't feel cold right away, these can be handy as you cool down, and can be good for sitting on in your car or on the bus as well.

There will be bottles of water and Powerade.  I don't drink powerade during a race, but after a long race, I do tend to like about half a bottle.  They usually have a variety of flavors here - red, yellow or blue, at least, so get your favorite.  It OK to take a powerade AND a bottle of water.

There is also a food station.  It's usually bananas, oranges, muffins, power bars.  If you like something salty after a race, you will want to pack that in your checked bag.  I have started bringing a small bag of pretzels, for instance. 

Sometimes you can get a bag or a box from a volunteer to carry all this stuff.  It is a LOT to carry after a race.  I have started packing a small plastic bag in my water belt for this part now, though I've never heard of anyone else going that far.  

Next up:  photos.  This is the part where you can put down all that stuff you just got and get a final picture with your medal.  You can get one by yourself or with friends or both.  You will need to hold your medal up so that your number is visible.  I think it would be nice if they had a mirror and combs available, like school photo day, but no such luck.

You can also opt to skip this step - there is always a "no photo" line if you feel like you'd never buy that photo or are otherwise in a tearing hurry.

Next up:  Massage tent ($1 per minute) and/or get your bag from the bag check tent.  I love having warm, dry clothes to put on after a race, even if just over the top of what I'm wearing.  I also have gotten a brief post-race massage, and I tell ya, I'd pay $1 a minute at that point just to lie on the table.  

Next, come on out to the T-Z family reunion tent to meet up with other WISHers as we finish.

There are also generally some character photo opportunities beyond the family reunion tents.  Concessions are also available (if you need coffee for instance) They'll have a shop set up with whatever princess gear did not sell at the Expo.  There is also a place to get your medal engraved with your name and finish time, though you can also do this at DTD later in the day if it is something that interests you but you don't want to do it right then.  

And that is about it!  When you feel it's time to head back to your room for a shower and well deserved rest, you can catch a bus back to your resort or head back to your car.  There can be lines for the busses, especially for the All Stars, but last year, at least, the line tended to move quickly.  

It's not all that complicated, but I know I like to know what is coming, and especially in that post-race euphoria, it can be hard to process it all for the first time.


Hope everyone has a great day!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

*Maria,* good luck on the big project and a big woo hoo for having such great success with the new WW!  

*Rose,* hope the foot feels better soon.    I saw in Redbook that the Snyder's GF pretzels are tasty.  Have you tried them?

*Lindsay,* you look fabulous!    Too bad that the black shirt isn't going to work because it is cute -- you can at least wear it around the parks.  

*Kathy,* hooray for a new low!    You are going to be ONE-derland for the Princess!  

*corinna,* thanks for the info about what happens at the end and the warning about the glitterati.    It reminds me of the bird seed that was thrown at our wedding -- I swear I found that stuff in places I didn't know I had! 

Hi *Jen* and *Jude*!  

Blister is gone but unfortunately the hip pain is not.  I will take another day off today as I was limping yesterday.  I'm doing the Aleve/Advil rotation so I think it will be fine -- just needs to calm down.  I'm not worried -- yet.  

Busy week.  DS is sick today.  Got so frazzled that I used my Dad's name in email to DS' teacher then cried when I realized that I did that since it is the anniversary of my Dad's passing next week.    Probably just needed to cry.  Taking deep breaths, relaxing and looking for that zen place.   

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lisa-- I hope you found your zen place. And I really hope your hip is feeling better soon. And I really, really hope you aren't sad anymore. And I love Snyder's pretzels, so I will have to look for the gluten free ones.

I got my hair colored today. I've been going to the same person for haircuts for years. She had to style it different to fluff it up in the front because it's gotten so thin. Thin for me, at least. I know this, I can see it in the mirror, but for some reason it made me really sad and nervous. I need this to be fixed. Patience, I know. I'm kind of mad at myself that I ignored this for so long--it seems to me a few people told me I should go to the doctor last summer.

And Corinna--I agree, I already do eat a lot of gluten free stuff. But boy it is in a lot of stuff that you wouldn't expect. And as a vegetarian it really limits what you can eat when you travel.

So, I'm feeling pretty good--things are moving again, but I am having a pity party. I worked so flipping hard last year! Diet and exercise are supposed to make you healthy. I don't want to deal with this. I'm tired and anxious. And I know things could be worse. Really I do. Really. Just needed a little pity party. 

The good news is, I got out of the training tomorrow! Woohoo. I'm going to go in for a couple of hours and then come home and get ready to go. Hopefully Tom will keep the drama to a minimum this weekend.

Thanks for letting me wine...I think it's gluten free! Ok, going to the Y for some endorphins!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Well, I finally broke down and called the doctor to check on the tests. I don't know when everything came back, but everything that she ran was in the normal range including thyroid and the celiac panel. Uggh. I guess that's good. 

So the nurse said the next step is the gastro guy. I told her that I had gone ahead and gone gluten free and would like to try that for a couple of weeks and then go from there. (You can have gluten sensitivity without having celiac disease. You can also have celiac with negative bloodtests.) She ran it by the doctor, and I just need to get a multi-vitamin with the b vitamins in it. She seemed good with going this direction for now. If after the race, I am still having gi symptoms I will go to the gi doctor. I really think this is a food thing. Maybe not gluten. But the more I read the more it makes sense. 

I didn't get a workout in today, but I'm ok with that. My foot is feeling a little better today, so I might try to run tomorrow for a couple of miles. I'm off to Target to get DS some valentine candy and try to find a g-f multi-vitamin.


----------



## mikamah

*Rose*- glad to hear all the lab tests came out good, but sorry you don't have an answer.   I hope the gf will make all the difference for you.  I can imagine it is very anxiety provoking, and we all put things off, and the important thing is that you are taking care of it now.    Be good to yourself.  You've had a lot going on this year, and worry is exhausting.  Hang in there.  Enjoy your weekend with ds.

*Lisa*- So sorry you're having a rough week.  Hope you can take some time to yourself tonight and just relax. 

* Corinna*-  Have a great visit with your mom.  I love your detailed description of the finishline.  It's so nice to read it all so I won't miss anything.  It is overwhelming when you cross the finishline, but I'll definitely want my pic taken, and maybe a little glitter too.  Yay!!

*Maria*- Sounds like you've got a great plan to get all your runs in.  4 days in a row is a lot.  I'm working the day before we leave too, and I'm sure I won't be terribly productive.  Hey, if I think about it, there's only 8 work days left!!

Hello Lindsay, Jude and Jen!!  

Well, I tried to iron on my rhinestone crown to my pink shirt, and I could only get about half the rhinestones to stick, so I tried to pull them off and ended up ripping the shirt, mumbling a few unprincess-like words, and then we ran to target and luckily they had another shirt, so I got it, and it will be un-embellished.  I was so happy they had another one in my size.  Guess my sparkle skirt and tiara will be bling enough for me.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> I am up two pounds this week. Uggh. Things just arent' moving along if you get what I mean. I can't eat anymore fruits and vegetables! I don't mind the two pounds, because I was at the very low end of maintain. I just need to be patient and give the g-f a little longer, I guess. Sometimes I wish I could just take a pill and not eat at all anymore. It's starting to not be fun.
> 
> Ok, busy day. Have a great day everyone!



I bet those lbs will erase quickly.  Hang in there.



mikamah said:


> I offered to buy my niece a sparkle skirt, but after I danced around her house last weekend after a few glasses of wine, I think she was scared.
> 
> Good luck with training this week!



that had me hysterical  Glad your scale is going down too.  I hope you hit your goal but if you dont you still are amazing so dont worry to much about it.



Worfiedoodles said:


> I also figured out a way to get my 12M in on Friday -- I just have to be on the TM before 5 am, which is definitely doable.



12 miles on a treadmill in at 5am.  Girl you are superwomen



corinnak said:


> It's been a while since I gave a race tip.  Here's one specifically for the Princess Half:



Corina.  I must say I absolutely love your tips.  You are so detailed and dont miss a thing.  I have such anxiety when I do new things and having all these details ahead of time makes me feel so much better.  Thank you tons for all the advice.  I think you could write a book. "Disney racing for Dummies".  I hope you enjoy your time with your mom.  Have fun.



lisah0711 said:


> Too bad that the black shirt isn't going to work because it is cute -- you can at least wear it around the parks.



1st and more importantly I want to say you are in my thoughts this week.

2nd I want to share another picture.  I already have all my shirts planned out for my vacation but this is the one I will wear on sunday after the race with my medal around my neck.




It says  and she lived happily ever after.......



Rose&Mike said:


> So, I'm feeling pretty good--things are moving again, but I am having a pity party. I worked so flipping hard last year! Diet and exercise are supposed to make you healthy. I don't want to deal with this. I'm tired and anxious. And I know things could be worse. Really I do. Really. Just needed a little pity party.



Pity Parties always make me feel better.  I had my own today at work.  So the 2 of us can toast tonight with GF whine. I liked that comment.  You are still working hard and even harder now to make yourself feel better.  Im sorry you have to deal with all this it really stinks!  Feel free to throw a party any time you need to.



Rose&Mike said:


> Well, I finally broke down and called the doctor to check on the tests. I don't know when everything came back, but everything that she ran was in the normal range including thyroid and the celiac panel. Uggh. I guess that's good.



Doesnt that frustrate you that you had to call them for the results.  That stuff drives me nuts.  Glad it all was normal but it also would have been nice for you to have an answer.  Hopefully in the next few weeks these changes will have you feeling much better.  At least getting away for the weekend hopefully will take your mind off things. 

I ran on the TM last night for my 45 min run.  I am planning on doing 50 minutes tomorrow night too.  My goal is to not miss anymore runs prior to the race.  
I am stressed beyond belief with work.  I am giving 3 presentations on friday at a network wide collaborative for our hospital.  Our office is in our 2nd year of participating in the PA governers office for health care reform initiative of make our primary care (peds) office a medical home.  I recently got our office NCQA level 3 certified which you probably have no idea what that means but it is big and involved alot of work.  I got paid nothing extra but did this out of my own free will and a passion for better medicine.  Well since I did so well I am now being asked to help roll out a similar initiative to other practices in our network.  So I am freaking out a bit because public speaking is my least favorite thing to do.  I tend to ramble and talk fast and forget totally everything I had planned to say.  I am speaking in front of many medical directors and top hospital executives and I want to make a good impression.  I could use so pixie dust for this one.  

I am so looking forward to escaping to disney for a few days even if it involves running 13.1 miles.  Only 2 more weeks until most of us leave or are already there.


----------



## jenanderson

Hello Princesses!  

Boy, I would love to respond to each and every one of you but honestly, I am so tired that I don't think I could even focus enough to do it and then I would probably fall asleep in the middle of it!  I will try to catch some of what I read.....

*Lisa - *Sorry you had such a frazzled sort of day.  I hope you are feeling better.  Sounds like you are taking good care of yourself - I bet with rest, Aleve and some time off - your body will be feeling great again soon.  

*Kathy - *I laughed so hard when I read about you in your sparkle skirt!  I think it is simply wonderful that you are just so positive about the race and ready to have so much fun with it!  You have trained so hard and are so ready for this!

*Rose - *I keep reading about all your food challenges.  I am sorry that the doctor did not really have an answer for you but in some ways it was positive that the tests did not show anything.  I like your plan on contacting the doctor again when you get home if you are not feeling well.  

*Maria - *WOW!  You are doing great with the weight loss!  Way to go!  Can't wait to see a photo of the new kitty!

*Corinna - *I love that you shared the information about the race.  I am one of those people who feels so much better about the race if I know what to expect.  I would love to hear more about what to expect at the start of the race.  

I am sure I missed a million things.  Here is the brief update on me:
1.  Lost 1.4 pounds this week but I felt hungry the whole time.  I need to figure out a better balance.
2.  Worked out with my trainer on Monday night and it was horrible.  Every part in my body hurt.  This led to me taking yesterday and today off.  I have to see my trainer again tomorrow.  
3.  My job is incredibly stressful right now.  My new school needs to cut $458K from our budget.  I won't be cut because I am paid from a grant fund but it is stressful to be in a building where so much is going to be cut.  I am working super long hours to implement all the new things we are being asked to do.
4.  I feel exhausted...mind, body and soul.  I am going to work to get through the week and my long run on Saturday but this weekend is going to be about how to take care of me a bit.  I will take a nap at some point.  I will take a long bath at some point.  I will plan something fun with my family.  I will only do work for a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon.

We are almost there!  It is just so fun to follow along with all of you and I feel so inspired by everyone!

Time for bed....Night everyone!
Jen


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--sending good thoughts your way for great meetings tomorrow!

I ran 4 this morning--and it was fabulous. Feeling pretty good today. I'm going to work for a couple of hours and then will be home to get ready to go. Mike still doesn't know when he will be able to leave. We're only driving half way tonight.

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

*Rose,* glad that you heard from the doctor and the tests came back in the normal range.  I know that is a relief for you even though it is frustrating to not know what is going on still.    Hope that the foot is feeling better and I know that you are looking forward to seeing Tom this week-end!  

*Kathy,* sorry about the rhinestones and the shirt.    But  for the unprincess-like words -- that's why I don't even attempt things like that anymore.  You will be a beautiful princess with your sparkle skirt and tiara!  

*Lindsay,*  for your presentations this week -- nice of them to let you do them all at one and get them over with.  You must be very good or they wouldn't ask you back or to do more than one!    And I love the "happily ever after" shirt!  You have a lot of cute stuff to wear at WDW!

*Jen,* sorry your new job enviroment is so stressful.    I think your plan to take care of Jen this week-end is an excellent one!  

 Hello to *Maria,* *Corinna* and *Jude*!

Feeling lots better today -- it's nice to get those emotions out of the system.  I will at least do a slow walk today if not my regular run.  Still haven't had a chance to go to Fleet Feet so will try and do that today, too.  I think the rest has done what it should.

Have a wonderful day Princesses!


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> Lindsay--sending good thoughts your way for great meetings tomorrow!
> 
> I ran 4 this morning--and it was fabulous. Feeling pretty good today. I'm going to work for a couple of hours and then will be home to get ready to go. Mike still doesn't know when he will be able to leave. We're only driving half way tonight.
> 
> Have a great day everyone!



Glad that you are feeling good today, Rose!    And you got in a run and are almost ready to go.  Have a safe trip!


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> Good morning Princesses!
> 
> *Rose,* glad that you heard from the doctor and the tests came back in the normal range.  I know that is a relief for you even though it is frustrating to not know what is going on still.    Hope that the foot is feeling better and I know that you are looking forward to seeing Tom this week-end!


I am glad, but I still know something is going on. And it's starting to drive me a little crazy. I read more about negative results and gluten intolerance/sensitivity. I am going to stick with this for a little while, because really it seems to be doing the trick--at least as far as my stomach issues go. And my doctor seems supportive. It's amazing how much smaller my stomach looks when it's not hugely bloated! And then I guess, eventually I will try adding gluten back in and see what happens. It's not so much that I wanted any one test to be positive, I just want to fix this! And I guess if this is the fix, then I will stick with it whether or not I have positive results or not.

Lindsay--meant to say--love, love, love that t-shirt! Where did you get it? You look so cute!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Playful Princess Pals! 

*Rose* -- My dh's cousin's daughter is gluten sensitive, and since they found out she is a different kid. She would have these crazy meltdowns every night, she was miserable herself and miserable to be around -- and now she consciously chooses to avoid all gluten even if it's something kids love, because she knows how awful it makes her feel. I think you are right to give it a try, it could definitely be the root of what is making you feel awful.  So glad you had a great run today! And what a nice trip to look forward to -- have a great time with Tom! 

*Lisa* -- Glad to hear your hip is better. It is so frustrating when the body doesn't seem to want to let us do what we want to! And sometimes you just need to let it out, I'm glad you feel you can do that here! 

*Jen* -- Even when you aren't in jeopardy, it's is incredibly stressful if everyone around you is  I think your plan for the weekend sounds fantastic. I hope you are able to relax and enjoy every minute! 

*Lindsay* -- I love your post-race shirt! It's perfect, and will show off your medal nicely!  How awesome is it that you have done such a wonderful job you are being asked to share your knowledge with the people who can implement it in other areas, and also take on another certification process?! You're right that I don't know what that means, but I suspect there was a great deal of time and effort involved -- I hope you are suitably proud of your great accomplishment. I also really, really don't like public speaking, but I do have to do it sometimes for my job. The great thing is, when it's over, you can let it go and relax for a bit. Have something to look forward to after those presentations, and remember -- you can do anything! 

*Kathy* -- I wish I had only 8 work days left -- but you inspired me to actually count, and I have 10 (I'm working on President's Day), which is also not bad! Considering I was barely in the office in January, I don't have much to complain about. But I am starting to get excited about the trip and the race! My shirt won't be embellished, either. I didn't get the Martha Stewart gene, not even close  I think you will be plenty sparkly! 

*Corinna* -- Fantastic detailed description of the finish! I don't know if this is an issue for anyone else, but ever since I almost fainted after my 2nd Half, I make sure I eat an orange as soon as I make it through the food line and before my massage. Have a wonderful time with your mom! 

I'll also add one more massage tip (this may not be new, but I thought of it) -- your Key to the World card does not work for a massage. I always bring a bit of cash with me because that is a treat I don't want to miss. 

I took today as a rest day, and it feels good so far. I'm actually really looking forward to my run tomorrow. I have the ipod all loaded up with new Glee songs 

We ended up having chicken breast from a local market last night, and it was so juicy and tasty -- I'm going to suggest to dh we buy it there instead of the chain grocery store. 

Tonight dh is making burritos -- I'm a little nervous, even though I have them pointed out and accounted for -- 1 6" Mission tortilla, 1/2 c. vegetarian refried beans, 1/4 c. reduced fat cheese + salsa = 5 pts, and I'm having 2. I just have it in my head that I can't eat Mexican food,  but I'm eager to give these a try! 

Exercise and Food -- that seems to be where my focus is these days -- when I'm not trying to get the new kitty to let me sleep a few more minutes. He wakes up ready to play. 

Oh! And planning the transition to a new pastor for our church. I agreed to be the chairperson of the Staff/Parish Relations Committee before our pastor announced she's retiring...and now I have to plan a farewell party for her, and figure out how to welcome and help settle the new person, which apparently is much more complicated than one would think...at least the party will be over in June.  I can't think too much about that because I'm obsessed with thinking about how I might want to spend my time after the race. I'm staying until Wednesday, so I have two full days to enjoy myself 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good evening princesses!!

*Rose*- Sounds like you're starting the weekend off on the right foot with your great run.  You may have already left, but if not, have a wonderful weekend, and safe travels.  Get some extra hugs from ds while you're there too. 

*Lindsay*- I love that shirt for after the race, and now you've got me thinking, I don't know what I am going to wear.   I just pulled out all my disney shirts, and my capris from last summer, but nothings hitting me for that day.  I do plan to buy an I did it shirt, so maybe that, or the shirt that we get in our packet.  Or maybe I see a shopping trip in my near future.     Good luck with your presentations tomorrow.  I am sure you will do an awesome job and make yourself proud.  I don't like public speaking, and luckily don't really need to.  btw, you look awesome in those capris. 

*Maria*- Sorry you have 10 more days of work, but they will fly by.  I think I'm driving the girls at work a little batty.  I'll bring my outfit in next week on the day our boss is out to show them.  She's a stickler for keeping personal business in the back room, so she won't approve of my running around the unit in my sparkle skirt.  Did you see the weather forecast- No snow storms predicted for at least the next 10 days!!!   Soooooo  excited, and hoping it turns into 15 and we all get there without any delays.  Enjoy your burittos.  I'm sure you'll be fine, especially at home without anyone coming and filling up the chip bowl.

*Lisa*- Hope your hip held up on your walk today.  I got out after work for 3 miles, and my hip was a bit sore to start, and my shin was too, so I did 2/1 and went slow, and they actually felt better as I went along.  Hope you're having a good day.

*Jen*- I like your plan for the weekend to wind down and take some me time.  You deserve it.  Congrats on the 1.4 down, but bummer you felt hungry a lot.  I have been roasting vegies for the past few weeks and they taste soooo good, and I use just a little olive oil, so they really are great for you.  I'm roasting cauliflower, peppers, onions, and zucchini right now. 

I was supposed to go speed dating tonight with a friend but we didn't get in.  There is always more women than men, and they don't have very many for our age group, so we thought we'd go.  I've been a few times, and it's always a lot of fun, but only dated someone once for a little while after.   Oh well, since I asked my nephew to babysit, I decided I'll go out anyway.  I think I'm going to go see the movie No Strings Attached, and take some me time.  

Have a great night everyone.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Just wanted to stop in for a quick hello.  I didnt get a chance to read much of todays posts but wanted to ask for some prayers.

We had a tragedy in our area late last night.  I think it might have made it onto the nation news.  It is in allentown, PA.  There was a gas explosion and 2 families lost their lives.  A 4 month old and 16 year old, and their parent and an elderly couple.  It is so sad.  This was only 2 blocks from my parents home.  The explosion was felt for miles.  It also damaged a total of 47 homes.  Please keep these families and the EMS responders in my area in your prayers tonight.  It is such a sad disaster.  This is like the 4th home gas explosion that I have witness in my years living in the city.  Its very scary.  I have oil heat but my parents have gas.  Its just so scary to see this happen.

Hug your loved ones a bit tighter tonight as we just never know what the next moment brings.

Sorry to bring down the mood.


----------



## mikamah

Oh, Lindsay, that is so sad.  I am so sorry and will be praying for those families and their loved ones, and all of you in that area.  It is so scary because it could happen anywhere at any time.  Hang in there.


----------



## jbm02

Lindsay, your community is in our thoughts and prayers.  We had something similar happen last year near Albany.  What a horrible tragedy.

...okay, I've been guilty of lurking lately.  I am still struggling with my runs but spent the last week working through re-thinking my expectations for this run (no longer a "race" for me) and working on letting go of alot of anxiety.  I am finally at a place where I am ready to have fun with the race and double hockey sticks for any time that I actually accrue.  Poor Jen has had to listen to my "poor me" whining the past weeks and thank God for all her encouragement.  I didn't want to whine here so I just kind of followed along with everyone else.  I am ready to do this now!!!

We leave a week from today!  First to my parents house in Daytona Beach (we'll be there for the 500 but I don't understand NASCAR...), then to WDW on Thursday.  Yay!!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

*Kathy,* I'm still trying to figure out what I will be wearing besides the race, too.    Nice job taking some me time!  

*Lindsay,* glad that you and your family are safe.   Good luck with your presentations today!  

*Maria,* good luck getting your project completed today! 

*Jude,* glad that you are feeling better about things and if you get down again your partner has said she is Chipper Jen for this race!  

*Rose,* safe travels!  

 Hi *Jen* and *Corinna*!

I think the moon and stars and planets are lining up again here.    Sick child will be returning to school today and these extra days of rest have helped the hip.  I'll do my 8 miles on the indoor track tomorrow and get right back on schedule with my short runs.  

You know the race is getting closer when they tell you how to put your D-tag on!  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Checking in with the Pretty Princesses! 

*Lisa* -- I rely on a VP for some information, and she informed me she just doesn't have time this week, so I will be finishing up the project next week. Fine with me!  Glad your little guy is headed back to school. They make the best patients, don't they? Ok, that honor goes to their fathers, but I think they're in training at this point...

*Jude* -- While I admit I am hoping for a good time, I am really excited about this as a fun race! I think it is going to be a fantastic experience overall, and you should hold on to that! 

*Lindsay* -- That is truly awful. I will keep everyone in prayer. 

*Kathy* -- How was the movie? I really want to see "The King's Speech", but I don't know when that would happen...I'm so glad you kept your "me" time, especially as a single mom, you deserve every opportunity you get. I don't know how you do it! 

I am happy to say my 12M is in the books -- and I actually didn't feel like I should be "done" until after 11, so that is definitely good! 

Now I am free to relax and enjoy the weekend -- well, after I get done with this pesky work  How am I going to celebrate? I'm going to watch Episodes 5 & 6 of "The Tudors" while I eat lunch. I sort of feel like I'm cheating -- as long as it stays relatively factual I won't be surprised. I had an entire year of English History in undergrad, so I know Anne Boleyn is not going to have a happy fate 

DH let me know he hasn't made any reservations for Saturday night yet, but it's on his list. I don't know where we'll end up, but I know I'm saving my Weekly WW points for that dinner! DS is babysitting with the youth group to raise money for their summer trip (UM Army -- they go to Connecticut and do minor home repairs and yard work for people who cannot do it themselves), so we will be able to be out and not worry about him at all. 

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend, and great (if shortened!) LRs!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Lindsay--meant to say--love, love, love that t-shirt! Where did you get it? You look so cute!


This one I got at our disney store in our mall.  Thanks!  Its my favorite to.



mikamah said:


> I was supposed to go speed dating tonight with a friend but we didn't get in.  There is always more women than men, and they don't have very many for our age group, so we thought we'd go.  I've been a few times, and it's always a lot of fun, but only dated someone once for a little while after.   Oh well, since I asked my nephew to babysit, I decided I'll go out anyway.  I think I'm going to go see the movie No Strings Attached, and take some me time.
> 
> Have a great night everyone.



speed dating sounds like fun.  I think of the movie hitch when I hear that.  I hope you got to go out by yourself.  Me time is very important and I bet with you being a single mom it is far and in between when you actually get to do "you".  How was the movie.  I have been wanting to see that.



jbm02 said:


> I am ready to do this now!!!
> 
> We leave a week from today!  First to my parents house in Daytona Beach (we'll be there for the 500 but I don't understand NASCAR...), then to WDW on Thursday.  Yay!!!!



Thats the spirit jude!  That is one thing that is so wonderful about disney races and that is it really is not all about a "race".  It is about having fun too.  So I am glad that you have come to terms with it and are ready to take it on.  I am so jealous that your vacation starts in a week.  and I dont get nascar either but Im sure it would be exciting to be at the D500 if I were. 



lisah0711 said:


> I think the moon and stars and planets are lining up again here.    Sick child will be returning to school today and these extra days of rest have helped the hip.  I'll do my 8 miles on the indoor track tomorrow and get right back on schedule with my short runs.
> 
> You know the race is getting closer when they tell you how to put your D-tag on!
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!



Yes I was excited to get the email that said final race information.  That means it is just about here.  I will be really excited when I get through my 8 mile run this weekend.  than I can look forward to 4-5 mile runs and under for the next 2 weeks. 

Im glad ds is feeling better and that your hip is doing better as well.  Good luck with your run tomorrow.

Well ladies I am a bit exhausted.  Out of the house at 630am and home at 730pm.  uhhh.  at least the ending part was not at work but at target shopping.  I found a black tank top to wear for the race. (I am hoping for 50's or above) and I got a new sports bra that is much more supportive than the ones I have.  I dont mind it but in pictures my chest seems to be at my waist.  So hopefully this works.  

Another busy weekend for me.  tomorrow is bball for ry in the morning and then we are moving out the furniture and finishing up this at mikes nanas apt.  I think tomorrow will be it for that.  thank goodness.  Then sunday is church school for the boys, 8 mile run for me, and my MIL and FIL are coming over for dinner to celebrate my MIL bday.  

Did I mention I cant wait until 2/24 when I leave for disney.  I really really really need a break from the stress of life.

Well TGIF and I hope you all enjoy your weekend.  Good luck on getting in those runs!!!!


----------



## jenanderson

Evening Everyone!  I bought 1400 rhinestone studs today and am working on putting them on the tutus that I bought for Jude and me!!!!  I also bought us nail polish that is bright and will inspire us to run fast!    I will be gluing on studs for several hours tonight - but first I will reply to everyone just a bit....



Rose&Mike said:


> I am going to stick with this for a little while, because really it seems to be doing the trick--at least as far as my stomach issues go. And my doctor seems supportive. It's amazing how much smaller my stomach looks when it's not hugely bloated! And then I guess, eventually I will try adding gluten back in and see what happens. It's not so much that I wanted any one test to be positive, I just want to fix this! And I guess if this is the fix, then I will stick with it whether or not I have positive results or not.



Rose - This sounds like a great plan and I am glad that you feel your doctor is supporting you.   



Worfiedoodles said:


> My shirt won't be embellished, either. I didn't get the Martha Stewart gene, not even close  I think you will be plenty sparkly!
> 
> Exercise and Food -- that seems to be where my focus is these days -- when I'm not trying to get the new kitty to let me sleep a few more minutes. He wakes up ready to play.



Maria - Your comment about Martha Stewart made me laugh!  A bunch of my friends tease me all the time about Martha Stewart!   

I get the food and exercise focus.  It sounds like you have been doing a really good job with it though!



mikamah said:


> I have been roasting vegies for the past few weeks and they taste soooo good, and I use just a little olive oil, so they really are great for you.  I'm roasting cauliflower, peppers, onions, and zucchini right now.
> 
> I was supposed to go speed dating tonight with a friend but we didn't get in.  There is always more women than men, and they don't have very many for our age group, so we thought we'd go.  I've been a few times, and it's always a lot of fun, but only dated someone once for a little while after.   Oh well, since I asked my nephew to babysit, I decided I'll go out anyway.  I think I'm going to go see the movie No Strings Attached, and take some me time.



Kathy - I know that I need to work on roasting more veggies.  I have been so hungry but know that if I were to do a few more veggies it might not be so bad.  Thanks for the reminder.

Good for you to take some time for you!  It is something that moms don't do enough of.  I can't wait to hear what you ended up doing (and if you liked the movie if that is what you did)!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> We had a tragedy in our area late last night.  I think it might have made it onto the nation news.  It is in allentown, PA.  There was a gas explosion and 2 families lost their lives.



Lindsay - This is so sad.  What a tragedy!  We will be thinking of you.



jbm02 said:


> Poor Jen has had to listen to my "poor me" whining the past weeks and thank God for all her encouragement.  I didn't want to whine here so I just kind of followed along with everyone else.  I am ready to do this now!!



Jude - You know it is NOT poor Jen.  You have listened to me whine for ages and I think that we both have to help each other along....that is what friends are for.  You are totally ready to do this and I can't wait for you to see our tutus!!!!



lisah0711 said:


> I think the moon and stars and planets are lining up again here.    Sick child will be returning to school today and these extra days of rest have helped the hip.  I'll do my 8 miles on the indoor track tomorrow and get right back on schedule with my short runs.
> 
> You know the race is getting closer when they tell you how to put your D-tag on!



Lisa - It is amazing that we are this close.  I think of how I started a year ago with all of you and can't believe we have gotten to this point.

Good luck with your run and enjoy the short ones as your body gets to rest up!



Worfiedoodles said:


> I am happy to say my 12M is in the books -- and I actually didn't feel like I should be "done" until after 11, so that is definitely good!



Maria - Bet it feels great to have your 12M run done!!!  Great job!  I think I have been over training a bit with all the running and the personal trainer so I have decided that this weekend is it and I think we are only going to do 10M.  I am not worried though because I have done a half marathon twice this past year and know that I can do this one!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I will be really excited when I get through my 8 mile run this weekend.  than I can look forward to 4-5 mile runs and under for the next 2 weeks.
> 
> Did I mention I cant wait until 2/24 when I leave for disney.  I really really really need a break from the stress of life.



Lindsay - Good luck with your 8 mile run this weekend!    It is so nice when you start working your way down in the miles.  I always get really stressed when I am at my peak and then once I accept that I am actually tapering, my runs go so much better.  2/24 is almost here so you will be getting your break in no time!  

Well, I should get back to my bedazzling on the tutus!    I am taking it easy tonight.  We are not running tomorrow but will run on Sunday this week.  I will continue to try and take it easy and not get so stressed about food, diet and all of that!

Night Everyone!
Jen


----------



## mikamah

jbm02 said:


> I am finally at a place where I am ready to have fun with the race and double hockey sticks for any time that I actually accrue.  Poor Jen has had to listen to my "poor me" whining the past weeks and thank God for all her encouragement.  I didn't want to whine here so I just kind of followed along with everyone else.


We're always happy to listen to whining if you're ever in the mood.  So glad to here you are ready to run, and are going to have an amazing time.  I think it was Corinna that posted after the disneyland half that she PR'd in FUN!!  That could be your goal, if you're not running for time, take more time to relax, see the characters and enjoy all the little things.  Especially since you're going to look so amazing in your tutu's!!



lisah0711 said:


> I think the moon and stars and planets are lining up again here.    Sick child will be returning to school today and these extra days of rest have helped the hip.  I'll do my 8 miles on the indoor track tomorrow and get right back on schedule with my short runs.
> 
> You know the race is getting closer when they tell you how to put your D-tag on


I thought that about the Dtag too!!  OMG, here we go!!  Actually I'll get to practice on michael's and taylors on saturday, so I should get mine right.  Glad ds is better, and your hip is feeling better as well.  My hip bothered me a bit after 3 on thurs, so I'm going to do a short run today, and then do my 8 on monday after work.  I'm determined to get all my planned runs in, but they just might be a little out of order.  Good luck on your 8 miles today!!



Worfiedoodles said:


> How was the movie? I really want to see "The King's Speech", but I don't know when that would happen...I'm so glad you kept your "me" time, especially as a single mom, you deserve every opportunity you get. I don't know how you do it!
> 
> I am happy to say my 12M is in the books -- and I actually didn't feel like I should be "done" until after 11, so that is definitely good!


Thanks Maria.  It's pretty awesome being a mom, single or not, and at times I'd love to have a dh just to get away for a little while, but before I had michael, I knew I wasn't going to get married unless it was the right one, and that didn't happen before that biological clock got ticking too loudly.
I saw No Strings Attached, and it was funny, but a little crude in spots, and I am not a prude by any means, but at times I thought it was a bit much.  
Nice work on the 12 miles and have fun tonight.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Well ladies I am a bit exhausted.  Out of the house at 630am and home at 730pm.  uhhh.  at least the ending part was not at work but at target shopping.  I found a black tank top to wear for the race. (I am hoping for 50's or above) and I got a new sports bra that is much more supportive than the ones I have.  I dont mind it but in pictures my chest seems to be at my waist.  So hopefully this works.
> 
> Did I mention I cant wait until 2/24 when I leave for disney.  I really really really need a break from the stress of life.


Sounds like a busy but hopefully fun weekend, and then only one more weekend until disney!!  Glad you got out for a little shopping, I laugh at the bra comment.  I got a new moving comfort bra a month ago or so, and love it.  I had the enell, which was amazing support, but not attractive at all as it looked like I had one huge b--b in the middle of my chest, but my new bra has just as much support, and an inner separate bra within the outer bra.  Enjoy your new bra!! 



jenanderson said:


> Evening Everyone!  I bought 1400 rhinestone studs today and am working on putting them on the tutus that I bought for Jude and me!!!!  I also bought us nail polish that is bright and will inspire us to run fast!    I will be gluing on studs for several hours tonight - but first I will reply to everyone just a bit....
> 
> Well, I should get back to my bedazzling on the tutus!    I am taking it easy tonight.  We are not running tomorrow but will run on Sunday this week.  I will continue to try and take it easy and not get so stressed about food, diet and all of that!


You go Martha!!  My shirt is in the mail to you, just a little rhinestone tiara is all I wanted.  Though I do think I'll take one more trip to ac moore and see if there is something else I'll do.  Maybe some glitter paint.  Don't know if I want to invest in the bedazzler.  Hope your tutu's decorating went well.  

*Rose*- hope you had a safe trip and are enjoying the weekend with ds.

*Corinna*- hello!!  

Well, got on the scale yesterday and weighed 202.6 and didn't believe it, so I waited to weigh again today, 202.8!  I even made Michael get on the scale make sure it's not broken.  I've been really good this week, but 3.2 pounds for me in a week, is really unheard of lately.  It is definitely the boost I need to keep it up, and I am determined to definitely break 200 in the next 11 days.  
I'm going to run in the house this morning for 45-60 min, which I figure would equal 3-4 miles.  I'm on call this afternoon for a few hours, and all day tomorrow, so I want to pull out all my summer clothes, and decide what to bring.  

Have a great weekend everyone!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

jenanderson said:


> Evening Everyone!  I bought 1400 rhinestone studs today and am working on putting them on the tutus that I bought for Jude and me!!!!  I also bought us nail polish that is bright and will inspire us to run fast!    I will be gluing on studs for several hours tonight - but first I will reply to everyone just a bit....



WOW now that is alot of rhinestones.  I hope you had fun and got it all done.  You two are going to look so great.  



mikamah said:


> Well, got on the scale yesterday and weighed 202.6 and didn't believe it, so I waited to weigh again today, 202.8!  I even made Michael get on the scale make sure it's not broken.  I've been really good this week, but 3.2 pounds for me in a week, is really unheard of lately.  It is definitely the boost I need to keep it up, and I am determined to definitely break 200 in the next 11 days.



That is awesome Kathy.  You are almost there.  Keep going.  You are awesome!!!!!!

I slept so good last night.  Shortly after I posted on here which I think may have been around 8pm.  I went up to bed and layed with my boys and watched tv.  I woke up at 930 and they were both asleep.  I put them to bed, I dont even remember when dh came in and I just got up a little bit ago.  I woke up not even sure where I was.  Thats when you know you slept soundly.  I feel very very refreshed today!


----------



## jenanderson

mikamah said:


> Well, got on the scale yesterday and weighed 202.6 and didn't believe it, so I waited to weigh again today, 202.8!  I even made Michael get on the scale make sure it's not broken.  I've been really good this week, but 3.2 pounds for me in a week, is really unheard of lately.  It is definitely the boost I need to keep it up, and I am determined to definitely break 200 in the next 11 days.
> I'm going to run in the house this morning for 45-60 min, which I figure would equal 3-4 miles.  I'm on call this afternoon for a few hours, and all day tomorrow, so I want to pull out all my summer clothes, and decide what to bring.



Kathy - I am so proud of you!  Way to go on your loss!  I think it is amazing how great you always doing and I know that you will work hard these last 11 days!  Keep it up!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> WOW now that is alot of rhinestones.  I hope you had fun and got it all done.  You two are going to look so great.



Lindsay - It IS a lot of rhinestones!  I worked for 2 hours last night and finished the under-layer of one tutu.  Today I finished Jude's tutu and have a good start on mine.  I also worked on my shirt.  Lots of crafting going on!  

Here is the update on the outfits:  I have found tight black runner's shorts to wear under the tutu.  The tutus are almost done with the all the studding.  I found a great Nike tech shirt and worked on the back of the shirt.  I still need to finish the front of it but now have a concept in mind for that as well.  I found perfect polish for Jude and I that will complement our outfits.  Today I am going to go to the MOA to exchange the tiaras (don't like these on so I am going to get the ones that are less colorful but we better on).  I also still need to find us socks.  I think I saw some that will be perfect but I want to bring a tutu to be sure they match.

Here is the fun part....PHOTOS!











Hope everyone is having a great day!
Jen

PS - I feel GREAT giving myself some days off.  I am itching to run today but will wait until tomorrow.

PSS - If you haven't tried it, Muscle Milk is a GREAT recovery drink.  I will be packing some to bring with us for after the run.  It is amazing how quickly you feel good after drinking a bottle.  I always buy the Muscle Milk Lite in the chocolate flavor.


----------



## jenanderson

Just had to say....yep, I realize I spelled running wrong on my t-shirt!  Can you believe it?  I was trying to be so careful and did not even notice it until a friend just told me.    I have already peeled the paint off and fixed it.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

jenanderson said:


> Just had to say....yep, I realize I spelled running wrong on my t-shirt!  Can you believe it?  I was trying to be so careful and did not even notice it until a friend just told me.    I have already peeled the paint off and fixed it.



Jen I LOVE the outfit.  you are an amazing stylist.  I wish I would have hired you to make me something so cute.  I have a plain old black running tank and a pair of pink shorts.  I was thinking of using your idea with writing on the shirt obviously not the same stuff.  Would you be annoyed?  I dont want to feel like a copier.  You have such great ideas.  I really just want to add a little spice to my wardrobe.

Have fun with the rest of your crafting.  Im glad your friend caught that you spelled running wrong so you were able to fix it.  I didnt even notice it.

have a great day.


----------



## jenanderson

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Jen I LOVE the outfit.  you are an amazing stylist.  I wish I would have hired you to make me something so cute.  I have a plain old black running tank and a pair of pink shorts.  I was thinking of using your idea with writing on the shirt obviously not the same stuff.  Would you be annoyed?  I dont want to feel like a copier.  You have such great ideas.  I really just want to add a little spice to my wardrobe.
> 
> Have fun with the rest of your crafting.  Im glad your friend caught that you spelled running wrong so you were able to fix it.  I didnt even notice it.
> 
> have a great day.



Glad you like the outfit!  I had so much fun thinking about it and working on it.  I can't wait to finish the front of the shirt.  Right now it says BELIEVE really big (letters going down the shirt).  That was already printed on the front of the shirt in white.  I have outlined it in the pink.  I plan on adding other inspiring words and adding more studs to make it sparkle.

You totally would NOT annoy me if you wrote on your shirt.  I just went to the craft store and bought a container of Tulip brand fabric paint.  Feel free to use my shirt for inspiration.  I don't even care if you use the "This princess...."  

To be honest, I am not even sure if I am running in this shirt.    I might go get one more and do something similar.  I thought it would be really cute to wear this after the race in the parks.  I might run in it for a bit, take it off (tuck it in my tutu band) and then run in my sports bra so that I can wear this later.  I really love the shirt.  I really love the tutu too!  

Tomorrow I am going to paint/write on my sports bra and stud that too!    I plan on making a statement!  

OMG...just have to share....we went to the Mall of America tonight and I bought a BIKINI!  I am not sure what I was thinking.  I know that if I try to look at myself briefly that it looks fine.  The problem is when I sit with it on and stare at myself from every angle in the bathroom.  I know there is this weird little bulgy area that I would like to not have (from my c-sections and being pregnant).  I know that I could be a bit firmer.  I am trying to look at myself and learn to realize that I am okay in a bikini. 

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.  I will be getting up early for my long run.  

Night everyone!
Jen


----------



## mikamah

jenanderson said:


>


Absolutely looooove these, Jen.  The tutu is just adorable with all the rhinestone and mickey head rhinestones.  I love what you wrote on your shirt, and can so see why you want to wear it after the race too.  It is so inspiring, and so fun.  I'm getting so excited now!!!
Funny, I didn't notice the Runnig either.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I was thinking of using your idea with writing on the shirt obviously not the same stuff.  Would you be annoyed?  I dont want to feel like a copier.  You have such great ideas.  I really just want to add a little spice to my wardrobe.


I am feeling the same way.  I picked up some glitter fabric paint last night, and am going to paint a tiara on the front of my shirt, and was thinking about putting "dead last finish beats did not finish which greatly trumps did not start" on the back, but I'm not sure.  I know I will say something to others with fun shirts on, if I can breathe at the time I see them, and so I know if someone said something to me, it would definitely be motivating.  
I see a trip to AC moore in your near future, Lindsay!!  Have fun!!



jenanderson said:


> OMG...just have to share....we went to the Mall of America tonight and I bought a BIKINI!  I am not sure what I was thinking.  I know that if I try to look at myself briefly that it looks fine.  The problem is when I sit with it on and stare at myself from every angle in the bathroom.  I know there is this weird little bulgy area that I would like to not have (from my c-sections and being pregnant).  I know that I could be a bit firmer.  I am trying to look at myself and learn to realize that I am okay in a bikini.


I bet you look wonderful and hot in that bikini!!  Model it for your hubby and see what he says. 

Good morning princesses!!!

Not much going on here today, I hope.  I'm on call til 7pm, and really don't want to go in, but if I need to, it will be more disney dollars, so either way will be fine.  We're just hanging at home.  DS has been watching too much tv, and went for his physical this week, and so that was a good reminder to cut back, so yesterday, I said to him 2 hours is the most I think you should watch today, what do you think, and he said 2 and a half, so we went with that, but by dinner time he only had 30 min left and he was melting down because he got something in his eye, so which I knew was more about the tv, so I gave in and gave him an extra 30 min.  Heck 3 hours was way less than the past weekends where he probably watched 6-8. 
He's also gone back to watching after dinner every school night, so we're going to cut back there too.  

Have a princess-ey sunday ladies.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

jenanderson said:


> You totally would NOT annoy me if you wrote on your shirt.  I just went to the craft store and bought a container of Tulip brand fabric paint.  Feel free to use my shirt for inspiration.  I don't even care if you use the "This princess...."



thanks jen.  I may or may not do something to my shirt.  Just depends on the time I have to do it.  Thanks for the inspiration!!!  You go girl for getting in a bikini.  I bet you look marvelous and no one will notice those little things that you do.  Rock it with confidence girl!!!!!  Oh and I love that you are decorating your sports bra too.



mikamah said:


> Not much going on here today, I hope.  I'm on call til 7pm, and really don't want to go in, but if I need to, it will be more disney dollars, so either way will be fine.  We're just hanging at home.  DS has been watching too much tv, and went for his physical this week, and so that was a good reminder to cut back, so yesterday, I said to him 2 hours is the most I think you should watch today, what do you think, and he said 2 and a half, so we went with that, but by dinner time he only had 30 min left and he was melting down because he got something in his eye, so which I knew was more about the tv, so I gave in and gave him an extra 30 min.  Heck 3 hours was way less than the past weekends where he probably watched 6-8.
> He's also gone back to watching after dinner every school night, so we're going to cut back there too.
> 
> Have a princess-ey sunday ladies.



Hi Kathy.  I hope you get to spend the day at home.  Winter is very hard to limit tv time.  I notice myself even spending more time on the computer and tv.  Theres just not too much else to do.  I think you are doing great by focusing on the time spent and come the warmer weather Im sure things will change too.

I just got back from sunday school with the kids and now I have to run to the store to get stuff for dinner.  in laws are coming over at 2.  I also need to get outside by 1230 to get my 8 miles in before they get here.  I really just feel like vegging out all day but I know once I get out there running it will feel good.

Here is a funny story from yesterday that I forgot to share:  My parents took me and the boys to dutch wonderland (amusement park) last summer and my mom was telling me she wants us to do that again this year.  She asked nick my 3 year old "Nick what park do you want memaw to take you to this summer?"  and his response was "DISNEY".  I was hysterical and of course my mom thought it was funny too.  She said well like mother like son.  I just love him.  Needless to say she told him he had to pick somewhere closer to home.  

Ok well I hope you all are having a great weekend.  Only 2 more weeks to the princess.

PS: I have been stalking the weather channel 10 day forecast for orlando and just wanted to say that the weather is looking good.  all 70 and above for the week prior to us getting there.  I hope this pattern sticks.  I would love some 70 degree weather.


----------



## mikamah

Hope you had a good run, Lindsay.  Love ds's comment to Memaw.  Maybe she should take him to disney, keep your eye out for a bounceback when you're there.

Well, I've gone a little haywire with the fabric paint.  I did a pink and silver glitter tiara on my shirt for the race, and I had bought a lime green shirt for the dis meet, so I put little mickey heads around the collar and a swirly mickey head in the middle, small, like life is good size, and then for after the race I found another pink shirt and made a little tiara on that one.  They look cute.  I'll post some pics when they dry.  So that's 3 shirts, and 7 days, so I took out my other disney shirts, and have 6 of them picked out to bring, with 3 pair of capris, bathing suit, coverup, and I'm ready to go.  I guess I could be a good mom and get Michael's stuff ready too. 

I'll decide later if I write something on the back of my race shirt.  I'm not very creative, but like both the DLF>dnf>dns and  " The miracle isn't that I finished, it's that I had the courage to start."  So we'll see.  

I think I'll go through michael's clothes now.  Thinking out loud here, but he could use some new sneakers too.  Maybe we'll go shopping too.  Or maybe I'll google inspirational running quotes first.......


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

My 8 mile run this afternoon turned into almost 9.  Here's why:

As I was approaching 6.7 miles I ran up to a gentleman walking with a dog behind him without a leash.  I thought this was odd.  The dog ran over to me as I was running in the street.  He was very friendly so I stopped and was petting him and then walked through the snow to get him onto the sidewalk.  The dog ran ahead and the guy said it wasnt his dog he had been following him for block. (why he didnt check to see where the dog lived was beyond me but anyway).  So I tried to get the dog to come back to me and with that he darts into the street right into traffic.  Luckily the cars stopped and after a few minutes of he going back and forth in the street with me looking like a nut calling him from the sidewalk a nice women and her daughter came up the other side of the street.  The dog ran over to them and I yelled for them to hold onto his collar.  Luckily he had tags and there was his address and phone number.  The ladies daughter ran home to get their dogs leash.  Meanwhile I noticed the dogs name was "Mater"  Isnt this ironic.  Here I am training for a disney marathon and I find a stray dog named mater.  So the girl gets back about 5 min later with the leash and the lady said she had to get home because they had somewhere they needed to be.  So i said I would get the dog home and than I got their address and would leave the leash on their porch.  I had to walk the dog about 6 blocks home.  As I approached his house I saw a lady on the phone in the driveway she was my age and as she saw me she started to cry.  I turned into their driveway and there was a little boy about 4 years old crying for his dog.  When he saw mater he started jumping up and down and screaming mater...mater.  He gave his doggie a big hug.  I almost cried too.  The women was so thankful and so was I that I was able to bring back their dog.  I then had to drop off the leash and run home.  I was gone for about 1hr and 50 min but it was a very rewarding run.  Thought I would share the details with you.

PS....I also found that 8 was so much easier this time around.  I think I am just about ready fellow princess ladies....how bout you?


----------



## sabnrob06

jenanderson said:


> Kathy - I am so proud of you!  Way to go on your loss!  I think it is amazing how great you always doing and I know that you will work hard these last 11 days!  Keep it up!
> 
> 
> 
> Lindsay - It IS a lot of rhinestones!  I worked for 2 hours last night and finished the under-layer of one tutu.  Today I finished Jude's tutu and have a good start on mine.  I also worked on my shirt.  Lots of crafting going on!
> 
> Here is the update on the outfits:  I have found tight black runner's shorts to wear under the tutu.  The tutus are almost done with the all the studding.  I found a great Nike tech shirt and worked on the back of the shirt.  I still need to finish the front of it but now have a concept in mind for that as well.  I found perfect polish for Jude and I that will complement our outfits.  Today I am going to go to the MOA to exchange the tiaras (don't like these on so I am going to get the ones that are less colorful but we better on).  I also still need to find us socks.  I think I saw some that will be perfect but I want to bring a tutu to be sure they match.
> 
> Here is the fun part....PHOTOS!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hope everyone is having a great day!
> Jen
> 
> PS - I feel GREAT giving myself some days off.  I am itching to run today but will wait until tomorrow.
> 
> PSS - If you haven't tried it, Muscle Milk is a GREAT recovery drink.  I will be packing some to bring with us for after the run.  It is amazing how quickly you feel good after drinking a bottle.  I always buy the Muscle Milk Lite in the chocolate flavor.



LOVE LOVE LOVE your shirt and tutu.. I have my pink tutu and have been racking my brain on ways to "jazz" it up!  I also have a shirt and have tried the iron on thing but it's just not working for me. Never thought to use paint. Thanks so much for the ideas.. Don't worry, I won't steal your quotes!


----------



## lisah0711

jenanderson said:


> Here is the update on the outfits:  I have found tight black runner's shorts to wear under the tutu.  The tutus are almost done with the all the studding.  I found a great Nike tech shirt and worked on the back of the shirt.  I still need to finish the front of it but now have a concept in mind for that as well.  I found perfect polish for Jude and I that will complement our outfits.  Today I am going to go to the MOA to exchange the tiaras (don't like these on so I am going to get the ones that are less colorful but we better on).  I also still need to find us socks.  I think I saw some that will be perfect but I want to bring a tutu to be sure they match..



Jen, I absolutely *love* your beautiful tutus and inspiring shirt!    I think the Mickeys are a nice touch.  You are very creative.   

Is that nail color Ink a Dink a Pink?  I saw it in a magazine and thought it looked like a princess color.  



mikamah said:


> I am feeling the same way.  I picked up some glitter fabric paint last night, and am going to paint a tiara on the front of my shirt, and was thinking about putting "dead last finish beats did not finish which greatly trumps did not start" on the back, but I'm not sure.  I know I will say something to others with fun shirts on, if I can breathe at the time I see them, and so I know if someone said something to me, it would definitely be motivating.



Can't wait to see your creations, too, Kathy!    Hope that you avoided being called in.  



mikamah said:


> I'll decide later if I write something on the back of my race shirt.  I'm not very creative, but like both the DLF>dnf>dns and  " *The miracle isn't that I finished, it's that I had the courage to start*."  So we'll see.



I always like this one!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> PS....I also found that 8 was so much easier this time around.  I think I am just about ready fellow princess ladies....how bout you?



 I think I'm ready, too.  But I have to say that I am liking not having any more long runs until the race!  

So nice of you to help that poor lost dog, Lindsay.  Glad that Mater found his way home.  

Seeing all your pretty and creative stuff makes me feel a little inadequate -- I am so not creative.    But I love to look at it!  

My 8 miles seemed easier yesterday, too.  I was just a little over Princess pace and really slowed down the last two miles.  Funny thing I slowed down because my hip was hurting again after mile 6 but I am not really sore today at all.  I will be sure that I do all my short runs during the week to keep things limbered up.  5 seems like an easy run now -- I so cannot believe that I am saying that!  

I have my suitcase out and a few things in it so I know it is getting close.  I have to be careful and not put too much stuff in there since it is early.  I could be like Mrs. Potatohead packing Mr. Potatohead for the big rescue "and here's some monkey chow . . . "

BRB with some pics.


----------



## lisah0711

Okay so here are my outfit choices -- I'm going for comfort for this race.  

The WISH shirt which I was originally planning to wear:




Pro: It's a WISH shirt!  
Con:  Do I really want to wear a men's shirt for my Princess race?!? Plus with the long sleeves it will be hot if it is warm.

The shirt that I will probably wear:




Pro:  Teal makes my eyes look blue and goes with Cinderella and my shoes.
Con:  Might be hot if it is really warm.

The final choice (which is my husbands favorite):




Pros:  It is comfortable -- even for long runs and cool even when training inside.
Cons:  My arms are not as toned as I would like.

I know that I will have a great time no matter what I wear so I'll just take them all and decide some time!


----------



## lisah0711

*Happy Valentine's Day to all our Princesses!* 

And hoping I didn't manage to somehow kill the thread with my pics . . . 

Got to do my online checkin today!  

Have a great day!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Lisa* -- I had a huge post with replies for everyone, and then it went poof and I got a message the boards were down for 2 hours...I can't reconstruct it, but I can say I agree with your dh,although you would look lovely in anything, outfit #3 is the most flattering!  You are gonna look like one gorgeous WISHer! 

*Lindsay* -- Good for you and good for Mater. Good karma coming your way! 

*Jen* -- I especially love the hidden Mickeys, very nice! 

*Kathy* -- I'll be shopping at North Shore this Sunday! DH got me a Sephora set with various perfumes to try for Christmas and I need to get my full-size bottle. I think it's fate my favorite was Vera Wang's "Princess"! 

I was wiped from the 12M on Friday, and I took Sat. and Sun. off. I ran 4M this morning, and felt good. 

Here's a WW recipe my leader gave us -- even if you aren't doing WW this is just yummy -- get a package of sugar free jello (any flavor) and make it with the hot water as you normally would. Instead of adding cold water, add a cup of yogurt (again, your choice of flavor). If you are on WW, it's 2 pts. This is like a lovely, light mousse after it sets up. I made it with black cherry jello and black cherry yogurt, and it is a little slice of heaven 

I need to start thinking about my attire for this trip, I may get another pair of jeans on Saturday. I need to take ds shopping, he grows every January  With any luck, I can send him off with dh and shop for me  I really like those sparkleskirts, but I'm too late this year. I plan to visit their booth at the Expo and check them out. Hopefully next year I will need a smaller size 

Hey, did you guys notice the numbers for the race now go up to 17,000?! We are going to have so much fun! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lisa* -- I had a huge post with replies for everyone, and then it went poof and I got a message the boards were down for 2 hours...I can't reconstruct it, but I can say I agree with your dh,although you would look lovely in anything, outfit #3 is the most flattering!  You are gonna* look like one gorgeous WISHer*!



Aren't we going to be gorgeous WISH'ers? 

Thanks, Maria!  The boards have been kind of pokey lately so it is not surprising that they went down.  

Thanks for the recipe.  I think you like anything that is black cherry.   

Have a great day!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

lisah0711 said:


> Thanks for the recipe.  I think you like anything that is black cherry.



You got me! It's my favorite flavor...the mountain berry and strawberry clif bloks are also good, but nothing is quite as yummy as black cherry! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good evening!  Only have a sec and will be back later, but wanted to say Lisa- I love number 3 too!!   It looks great on you, and you look great too!!  
It gets my vote.  What a fun print, and it is very flattering.  

I did my 8 today, and it wasn't as much fun as I'd like, but I'm glad to be done with the long runs now!!!

Off to get supper.  bbl.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> Okay so here are my outfit choices -- I'm going for comfort for this race.



I am with everyone else and love #3.  You look great Lisa in all 3 shirts but since we were voting....  I also think your arms look just fine too.  No need to worry you will look like a beautiful princess.



lisah0711 said:


> *Happy Valentine's Day to all our Princesses!*
> 
> And hoping I didn't manage to somehow kill the thread with my pics . . .
> 
> Got to do my online checkin today!
> 
> Have a great day!



I guess that is why It wasnt working for me tonight I guess even I am 11 days out even though 24 minus 14 is 10.  I am confused   It doesnt take much lately.  So I will check in online tomorrow.  Horray for you being all checked in.  How exciting.



Worfiedoodles said:


> [Hey, did you guys notice the numbers for the race now go up to 17,000?! We are going to have so much fun!



Wow so that means if my number is 10,207 I am not totally in the back.  I run just about every race in the back so I am glad this time to feel like I am in the middle.  I hope you find some new jeans.  I would like to get out and find a new pair too but not sure if it will fit into all my other plans I have going on.  



mikamah said:


> I did my 8 today, and it wasn't as much fun as I'd like, but I'm glad to be done with the long runs now!!!



Whoo hoo on getting the last long run in for awhile.  Mine didnt feel great either but now that its over with it feels really good.  I will enjoy the next week and a half of running the shorter stuff.
By the way Kathy....where are the pics of your outfit.  I thought you were going to post them the other night.  I am dying to see the sparkle skirt.  If your a bit nervous to post it just have a glass of wine first that will do the trick.

Happy V-day ladies.  Its been an uneventful day here in my neck of the woods.  It hit 53 today but it was so windy it still felt cold.  Tomorrow is going to be cold but then the rest of the week will be warming up.  Friday is suppose to be 61.  I would say I feel like a sick day is coming on but I dont want to jinx myself. 

There were lots of bad treats at the office today and I know PMS is approaching because I had a hard time saying no.  I ate a slice of oreo ice cream cake and a bunch of twizzlers.  I am feeling a bit gross tonight.  I need to get hormones under control.

Have a good night princelicious crew!!!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose I saw that you posted on Team Mickey so I wanted to say welcome home.  How did your weekend go?  I hope Tom is doing well and that your belly is feeling better.


----------



## mikamah

Good evening princesses!!  Just got up from my little nap with ds.  I was tired after my run today, and laid down with him and was out like a light.  He loves me to lay down with him at night, but if I have anything i need to do, I can't because I fall asleep too easily.

Psyched to have my long runs done now.  I got new shoes a few weeks back, and one isn't as comfortable as the old shoes, so I don't know what I'll do for the race.  I'm going to try a different sock in that shoe next time i run and see if that will help.  I thought I was getting a blister today, but luckily I didn't.   

I did finally get my pics uploaded.  Had some technical difficulties, and broke my card reader the other night, and had to get a new one.  I was putting my pics on the computer this am when they called me in to work early.  I didn't want to go, but figured extra time is rare lately, so I went in.  

This is what I've decided to wear, and I added a tiara to the shirt in glitter paint.





My first masterpiece- the race shirt.





then after painting the above, I couldn't stop.  for the dis meet since my dis shirt is a few sized too tight.





My shirt to wear after the race, just a small tiara so as not to take away from that shiny new medal.





I went back and forth on the pink or black shirt, but have decided on the pink, but here's a pic of the black.





The tiara will just be for show.  It doesn't stay on my head, too thick, and bobby pins don't really help, and I was thinking today since it was so warm out, that anything on my head will probably drive me crazy.  

*Lisa*- It's good to have choices, and you can pick the night before, but having the blue cinderalla bib on that fun print top would look lovely. 
Plus then you can wear your wish shirt for the wish meet.  We are all going to be lovely princesses.   Did you definitely decide no on the sparkle skirt?  

*Maria*- Have fun shopping this weekend.  We were in JC Penney yesterday and they have a big rack in the women's active wear section that is all 2.97 and I got myself a cute bright green vest.  Went for sneakers for ds which we didn't get, came home with a vest and sweatshirt for me.  Cool that you like the Princess perfume the best.  I'm sure after the race, none of us will be smelling too princesslike.

*Lindsay*- Bummer on pms, and the treats, but it's valentines day, and tomorrow is a new day.  I've been praying for some pms and would love to have TOM come soon so he's not running the princess with me.   I'll definitely need a fanny pack if he is.  I made michael watch THe PRincess and the Frog with me last night, and it was adorable and he really loved it.   He thought it was not too girlie for a princess movie if your boys are interested.  He also wants to see Tangled when it comes out on dvd.  I figure it won't be much longer that he'll have no interest in any movie I want to see, so I need to take advantage of it now. 

Hello Rose, Jen, Jude and Corinna.   

Hope all your heads are filled with princess dreams now.  Though it's only 9 oclock in Idaho, so you're  probably still up, Lisa.  Unless you're like me.


----------



## Rose&Mike

I have to go back and catch up, but wanted to say hi. I'm feeling very sad since we got back, and really wanting to hibernate, but I don't want to go down the depression road, so I'm going to practice faking it again. It might be pms--who knows???

We had a wonderful weekend. Saturday we went to Charleston for the day and it was awesome. We spent the day in Charleston and then went to the beach for an hour or so. It was cold but sunny. I was so happy to be at the beach, I was in tears. We walked along the beach and then drove around for a while. Definitely going to Charleston instead of Hilton Head this year for Easter. Saturday night we had dinner with Tom's best friend's family. It was fine--not my favorite part of the weekend--let's just say I am a pretty mellow parent in comparison (which is not how my friends would describe me.).

It was probably the best visit we have had since DS went to school. DS was very respectful, and only got an attitude once or twice. He found out last week that he is most likely going to get the internship he applied for. Now he just has to get through the background check.

The downside in all this--we walked miles this weekend. 7+ Friday and Saturday. My foot moved beyond sore to pain. I have not run since Thursday. The weather is beautiful here, so it is killing me and making me sad and anxious and depressed. I did the elliptical at the hotel on Saturday--really I should have skipped it. Yesterday I did strength and iced it (which really hurt). Today my foot is feeling ok (sore but no pain), but I'm going to skip the run and go do the elliptical. I am hoping to do a couple of miles on Thursday. This is the longest I have gone without running since April--maybe even February or March--of last year. I'm stressed about the race. I know I can run in pain, I just don't want to make the recovery that much longer. All those miles walking around this weekend just did me in--and I had good shoes on the entire time. Oh well, what can you do.

On the other hand--my stomach is feeling great. I really don't mind skipping gluten when it means I don't walk around feeling cruddy and bloated all the time. I hope everyone is doing well. I need to go back and catch up tonight. 

Have a great day everyone.


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> You got me! It's my favorite flavor...the mountain berry and strawberry clif bloks are also good, but nothing is quite as yummy as black cherry!



Hmm, I've only seen the strawberry and black cherry clif bloks so will have to look for the mountain berry.  The black cherry is my favorite, too.  

How is Chewie?  Does it make you think of some of the things that Worf used to do?  We remembered a lot of things our old dog, Charlie, did as a puppy after we got our puppy, Sadie.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Wow so that means if my number is 10,207 I am not totally in the back.  I run just about every race in the back so I am glad this time to feel like I am in the middle.  I hope you find some new jeans.  I would like to get out and find a new pair too but not sure if it will fit into all my other plans I have going on.
> 
> Whoo hoo on getting the last long run in for awhile.  Mine didnt feel great either but now that its over with it feels really good.  I will enjoy the next week and a half of running the shorter stuff.



Lindsay, woo hoo for having that last long run behind you!    Can you believe that we are saying "oh, I just have a _short_ 5 mile run this week-end!" 

Hooray for checking in today.  I always feel like it is getting close when that happens.  Then and when I can get my SWA boarding pass for my lovely 7 hour trek across the country.  



mikamah said:


> Good evening princesses!!  Just got up from my little nap with ds.  I was tired after my run today, and laid down with him and was out like a light.  He loves me to lay down with him at night, but if I have anything i need to do, I can't because I fall asleep too easily.
> 
> Psyched to have my long runs done now.  I got new shoes a few weeks back, and one isn't as comfortable as the old shoes, so I don't know what I'll do for the race.  I'm going to try a different sock in that shoe next time i run and see if that will help.  I thought I was getting a blister today, but luckily I didn't.
> 
> Hope all your heads are filled with princess dreams now.  Though it's only 9 oclock in Idaho, so you're  probably still up, Lisa.  Unless you're like me.



Oh, you are so creative, Kathy!    I love all your shirts!    Your sparkle skirt goes perfectly with your capris.  

We are going to be some great looking princesses!  

Yikes!  Hope that you aren't getting a blister.  There is something about the seam on my Sauconys that rub on the side of my foot.  I'm going to use mole skin for the race in those spots.  

I think that number 3 will be the outfit.  My neighbor is helping me shorten my WISH shirt sleeves and length so I can wear that to the meet on Saturday.  Maybe even on Sunday after the race because I haven't really thought about what I will wear that day.  I still need to find a black visor because I know I will need it when the sun comes out.  

And, sorry but I definitely think the sparkle skirt is out for this race.  I really love my sparkle shirt that has the built in shorts.  I'm going to get a plain black racing tank from Champion and wear it for my Coeur d'Alene half on Memorial Day week-end.  I fgure by then my legs will look a little nicer.    Gotta work on those body image issues!  

*Rose,* glad that you had a good time and that the stomach is feeling better.  Sorry about the sore foot, though.    Give it a break and hopefully it will calm down some.  Were you wearing your othotics?  I put mine back in and it helped both my foot and hip a lot.  You're in such great condition and shape a few days off to heal an injury is not going to sideline you or cause you to fall off the wagon.  Sing to yourself "just keep faking, faking, faking"  

I hope that you all get that PMS out of the way this week while the moon is full and before the race!  

 Hello to Corinna, Jen and Jude!

Have a great day princesses!


----------



## jenanderson

Hello Everyone!  I really need to go back and catch up with the posts but am not sure if I have time.  I brought home so much work and I don't want to be packing too much of it with me to Disney!  

We did a 10 mile run on Sunday.  It went great again.  I really struggled at the start of it but at mile 8, I was getting into a rhythm.  We will be running on more longer run this weekend but we haven't decided how far we will go.  

Last night I had my last workout with my trainer until after vacation and he was so hard on me.  My muscles are still shaky today.  I am really looking forward to a break from him!  

I work tomorrow, go to a conference for work on Thursday and Friday, will pack all weekend and we leave on Tuesday right after school.  I can't believe we are this close!     I will catch up with everyone for sure on Thursday night because I will be by myself at the hotel and have internet access.  I will also have access to the fitness center so I am planning on getting in a good workout.

Sorry I am so busy right now but I just wanted to say HELLO!  We are almost there!!!!!

Jen


----------



## jbm02

Hi everyone!!  LOVE seeing the pictures of everyone's Princess gear.  I am completely creatively challenged and am thanking my lucky stars that Jen took pity on me and is "dressing me"!!!  (I keep telling her that I will be the ones the little kids point to and ask "why is that M&M running in a tutu?!!"")
..I am still struggling with my runs but realized that it isn't my legs but by foot.  The bottom of my left foot starts to burn once I hit mile 5.  I called a podiatrist friend tonight and he suggested Nike gel inserts.  I'll give those a try tomorrow.  But no matter what, I am going to finish the whole 13.1!!!  I ran 60 minutes today - 6.2 miles.  Ouch, ouch, ouch.  But I am going to suck it up and run through this - working on my mental toughness!!  LOLOL  But I am so glad everyone is having such a great training period heading into the princess!!
We leave on Friday after the kids and DH get home from school.  We're driving down (I HATE to fly).  We'll go down as far as somewhere in VA on Fri night, then will get into Daytona sometime on Saturday.  DH and DS have tickets for the 500 on Sunday and we'll be haning out on the beach through Wednesday.  Then off to WDW on Thursday!!!  I am looking forward to seeing everyone and finally putting faces to DIS-names!!!
'night all!!!
Jude


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> This is what I've decided to wear, and I added a tiara to the shirt in glitter paint.



Kathy I love the outfit and you look wonderful.  The sparkle skirt is so cute and looks marvelous.



Rose&Mike said:


> We had a wonderful weekend.



Im glad you had a wonderful weekend.  Sorry you are feeling sad.  I am so glad to hear the belly is better but now the foot.  uhh! you poor thing.  Take it easy and dont stress to much.  I bet if you didnt run from now until the race you would still do fine.  Take it easy on it.  



lisah0711 said:


> I hope that you all get that PMS out of the way this week while the moon is full and before the race!



Unfortunatly my PMS starts 2wks prior with the feeling of wanting to eat everything and then about a few days before I get the sad/irritable feelings.  It is so annoying.  I am suppose to get it on the 25th.   Not real happy about it.  Hope it either comes sooner or if not than later.  I think the sad/irritable feelings will be swoosh away this month.  A trip to disney can cure any PMS symptoms right?  When we took our trip in sept 2009 I got mine the day we left.  It seems to never fail.



jenanderson said:


> I work tomorrow, go to a conference for work on Thursday and Friday, will pack all weekend and we leave on Tuesday right after school.  I can't believe we are this close!



Its so exciting Jen, Im jealous I have to wait until dinner time on thursday to leave.  Good luck getting all the work done.



jbm02 said:


> ..I am still struggling with my runs but realized that it isn't my legs but by foot.  The bottom of my left foot starts to burn once I hit mile 5.  I called a podiatrist friend tonight and he suggested Nike gel inserts.  I'll give those a try tomorrow.  But no matter what, I am going to finish the whole 13.1!!!



So sorry to hear about the foot troubles.  that really stinks but I like your determination.  You will do it.  Rest that foot.  I hope the inserts help.


Oh what a day.  Work is nuts.  We are in the middle of budget season and everyone is on edge.  I have meetings out the wazoo and have not been in the office as much as I would like.  Picked up the boys from school and Ryan was sitting at a table with his head down and his coat on.  He was shivering.  I knew it the moment I saw him. FEVER!  then I go to get nick and he is wearing shorts and a tshirt.  Apparently I forgot to replace his extra clothes and he had a huge diarrhea blowout at naptime.  He has not had an accident in at least a year.  He seems fine but ryan is sick.  Temp 102.5, sorethroat, headache.  I dont think its anything more than a virus but my dh and i had to draw straws to see who gets to stay home tomorrow.  It is my turn.  As much as I love my baby and want to be home with him when he is sick it just stresses me to miss work with so much to do and leaving next week.  I am probably going to run in the morning to get some stuff to do at home.  I just hope he feels better soon.  I hate to see him feel so bad.  I also hope no one else gets it either.  I also got a notice today that a child had lice at nicks school.  Really 9 days before my vacation where i am suppose to have time to myself for the first time in 6 years.  Really???? So hopefully that does not make its way home.  I would freak.

Ok well sorry about the complete vent session and book I wrote.  Guess I needed to get it all off my chest.  Thanks for listening. 

Have a great night ladies.


----------



## lisah0711

jenanderson said:


> Hello Everyone!  I really need to go back and catch up with the posts but am not sure if I have time.  I brought home so much work and I don't want to be packing too much of it with me to Disney!



 Hi Jen!  Hope that you don't have to take too much work with you on vacation.    You'll be heading to WDW before you know it!  



jbm02 said:


> I am still struggling with my runs but realized that it isn't my legs but by foot.  The bottom of my left foot starts to burn once I hit mile 5.  I called a podiatrist friend tonight and he suggested Nike gel inserts.  I'll give those a try tomorrow.  But no matter what, I am going to finish the whole 13.1!!!  I ran 60 minutes today - 6.2 miles.  Ouch, ouch, ouch.  But I am going to suck it up and run through this - working on my mental toughness!!  LOLOL  But I am so glad everyone is having such a great training period heading into the princess!!
> We leave on Friday after the kids and DH get home from school.  We're driving down (I HATE to fly).  We'll go down as far as somewhere in VA on Fri night, then will get into Daytona sometime on Saturday.  DH and DS have tickets for the 500 on Sunday and we'll be haning out on the beach through Wednesday.  Then off to WDW on Thursday!!!  I am looking forward to seeing everyone and finally putting faces to DIS-names!!!
> 'night all!!!
> Jude



Bummer about the foot, Jude.  I think a few nice drinks and resting on the beach might help with that!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Oh what a day.  Work is nuts.  We are in the middle of budget season and everyone is on edge.  I have meetings out the wazoo and have not been in the office as much as I would like.  Picked up the boys from school and Ryan was sitting at a table with his head down and his coat on.  He was shivering.  I knew it the moment I saw him. FEVER!  then I go to get nick and he is wearing shorts and a tshirt.  Apparently I forgot to replace his extra clothes and he had a huge diarrhea blowout at naptime.  He has not had an accident in at least a year.  He seems fine but ryan is sick.  Temp 102.5, sorethroat, headache.  I dont think its anything more than a virus but my dh and i had to draw straws to see who gets to stay home tomorrow.  It is my turn.  As much as I love my baby and want to be home with him when he is sick it just stresses me to miss work with so much to do and leaving next week.  I am probably going to run in the morning to get some stuff to do at home.  I just hope he feels better soon.  I hate to see him feel so bad.  I also hope no one else gets it either.  I also got a notice today that a child had lice at nicks school.  Really 9 days before my vacation where i am suppose to have time to myself for the first time in 6 years.  Really???? So hopefully that does not make its way home.  I would freak.
> 
> Ok well sorry about the complete vent session and book I wrote.  Guess I needed to get it all off my chest.  Thanks for listening.
> 
> Have a great night ladies.



Aww, Lindsay.    I just hate it when there are a million things going on when you are trying to get out of the office -- then to put PMS on top of that -- you need another hug, girl!    But it could have been worse if it was all happening next week when you are gone -- mommy guilt, it's the pits.    Remember a few more days and you will be a Princess!  

 Hello to Kathy, Corinna, Maria and Rose!  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> *Corinna*- hello!!
> 
> Well, got on the scale yesterday and weighed 202.6 and didn't believe it, so I waited to weigh again today, 202.8!  I even made Michael get on the scale make sure it's not broken.  I've been really good this week, but 3.2 pounds for me in a week, is really unheard of lately.  It is definitely the boost I need to keep it up, and I am determined to definitely break 200 in the next 11 days.
> Have a great weekend everyone!


Kathy--that's fabulous! Congratulations. Great shirts by the way!

*Jen*--loved the outfits! 

*Lindsay*--so glad you were there to save Mater.

*Lisa*--my vote would have been #3, too! Glad you picked it! I need to get out my w&d shirt and make the arms smaller so that I can wear it while we are at wdw.



Worfiedoodles said:


> You got me! It's my favorite flavor...the mountain berry and strawberry clif bloks are also good, but nothing is quite as yummy as black cherry!
> 
> Maria


I love anything cherry--especially bourbon--have I mentioned that before?? 



lisah0711 said:


> You're in such great condition and shape a few days off to heal an injury is not going to sideline you or cause you to fall off the wagon.  Sing to yourself "just keep faking, faking, faking"


Thanks for saying this.



jbm02 said:


> ..I am still struggling with my runs but realized that it isn't my legs but by foot.  The bottom of my left foot starts to burn once I hit mile 5.  I called a podiatrist friend tonight and he suggested Nike gel inserts.  I'll give those a try tomorrow.  But no matter what, I am going to finish the whole 13.1!!!  I ran 60 minutes today - 6.2 miles.  Ouch, ouch, ouch.  But I am going to suck it up and run through this - working on my mental toughness!!  LOLOL  But I am so glad everyone is having such a great training period heading into the princess!!


Foot stuff just stinks. Hope the inserts work.

*Lindsay*--right there with you on the pms. Goodness. You would think as infrequently as tom comes to my house that I could go to wdw ONE TIME and not have to deal with it. I can pretty much guarantee it will start next Thursday as we are getting ready to leave for the airport. So frustrating! Hope the kiddos are doing better! 

I did the elliptical last night and stopped when my foot started getting tender. I then came home and iced it. I can feel it this morning, but no pain. On the way to the Y, I almost turned around and went to the park. The weather is so nice! I couldn't believe how many people were on the treadmills. You would have had to chain me to the treadmill yesterday. Thursday it's supposed to be 70. I am meeting Mike at the park after work no matter what. Even if we have to slow down our pace to almost walking, I don't care. Mentally I need a run outside. I have the inserts in, but they are so hard, I'm wondering if they are aggravating my heel. On the other hand, they are keeping my arch from collapsing, which causes plantar flare up. Who knows???? I think I might need to go to the Good Foot Store. 

I hope everyone is having a great week! Only 8 more nights sleeping in my bed!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Uggh! I finally bought a pair of skinny jeans. I had to order the size I needed. Ok, fine. I washed them once and something funky happened to them and I need to take them back! And I know they won't have my size again! And I paid $70 for them! I have NEVER paid that much for jeans. So frustrating! I guess it's back to Kohl's for cheapy jeans.

Ok, minor vent over. I am going to attempt g-f pizza crust today. And g-f from scratch brownies to take to work tomorrow.

Ok, time to get busy! Have a great day.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, Pretty Princesses! 

*Rose* -- So sorry about the jeans, that is just wrong. I'm still debating getting a new pair this weekend...I am so jealous of your weather! If it were 70 here I would totally be running outside on my favorite path by the ocean  I am so glad you had a great weekend, you certainly deserved it! 

*Lisa* -- The Mountain Berry package is blue! I think I also saw Margarita flavor on a website, I think I would try that at home, rather than on a course, just to be safe it's not scary  Chewie is a bit more active than Worf ever was, or at least that I can remember  He loves to pick up things and carry them around in his mouth, our other kitties never did that. My ds learned the hard way. He has a habit of leaving his clothes all over his bedroom floor. He was a bit embarrassed when Chewie brought a pair of his underwear to mom 

*Kathy* -- Your outfit is too cute, and I love the shirts! You guys are so creative! I found a $10 off coupon for JCPenney, so I guess I'm good to go  Now all I have to do is remember to bring a snack so I avoid Auntie Anne's! My ds will definitely be getting pretzel bites, my goal is to have one (or none!) of his and call it a day. 

*Lindsay* -- I'm glad you were able to get it all off your chest. Sometimes it's so hard to do everything we want/need to do; we could all use a little  I am very happy to be in the middle of the pack for the race, too! It took me three races to move out of the last corral, I honestly felt like I had a major accomplishment before I even started in January...

*Jude* -- It sounds like you have a great trip planned! I can't wait to meet you and everyone else who I haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet! 

*Jen* -- Ok, I am officially jealous of everyone leaving before Friday morning!  I'm on the 2nd JetBlue flight out of Boston, so at least I should be at the Expo for most of the afternoon. I'll be wearing a WISH sling bag on my back, so please say "Hi" if you see me! 

*Corinna* -- Is mom still visiting? Hope things are going well. I wouldn't be surprised to find out you threw in another Half 

So, I went to my WI last night at WW and I was down. .6, for a total of 9.4 in 4 weeks. I have a goal of losing 10 lbs before I get on the plane next Friday, and I am totally focused now! You would think that would have translated into me getting up and running this morning, but I just felt like I couldn't do it. I ran 3M yesterday morning and then had yoga, and I was just beat. I think I did get really restorative sleep, so hopefully I'll be able to bounce up tomorrow morning and run 3M. 

The only wrinkle is I am having a really long day today (here's my mini vent, ala *Lindsay*). I have to go directly from work to a meeting at DS's school so I can learn about 8th grade curriculum and their choices (fine arts and modern foreign language -- they all have to take Latin), at 6pm. That should last until 7pm, at which point we have to sprint into the suburbs to our church, where our District Superintendent is introducing our new pastor at 8pm. I have to be at this meeting, since I'm the chairperson for the personnel committee. It is slightly awkward since this church has not had a new pastor in 15 years, and in that time people have forgotten that they don't get to choose their new pastor, the Bishop makes an appointment and basically you have to live with it. Add to that the fact that this introduction is strictly confidential, it's just me and the rest of the committee. I have to hope that none of these people will leak it to the rest of the congregation. I think the odds aren't good  By the time I get home for dinner, it's going to be 9:30 or 10pm. I have a lovely piece of salmon and rice waiting for me, I just have to tough it out. I packed a ton of veggies and fruit today, so hopefully I can grab a little something while we're driving to the church meeting to tide me over. And I have to hope that eating that late, I can drag myself up in the morning for my workout.  

Anyway, I guess I'd better eat my lunch and get back to work...

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> : But it could have been worse if it was all happening next week when you are gone -- mommy guilt, it's the pits.    Remember a few more days and you will be a Princess!



Yes at least its all happening now.  Hopefully we will be in the free and clear next week.  Mommy guilt is setting in but my boys dont seemed bothered by me leaving at all.  Maybe its because I keep telling them I am going to bring them home a really cool surprise. 



Rose&Mike said:


> I did the elliptical last night and stopped when my foot started getting tender. I then came home and iced it. I can feel it this morning, but no pain. On the way to the Y, I almost turned around and went to the park. The weather is so nice! I couldn't believe how many people were on the treadmills. You would have had to chain me to the treadmill yesterday. Thursday it's supposed to be 70. I am meeting Mike at the park after work no matter what. Even if we have to slow down our pace to almost walking, I don't care. Mentally I need a run outside. I have the inserts in, but they are so hard, I'm wondering if they are aggravating my heel. On the other hand, they are keeping my arch from collapsing, which causes plantar flare up. Who knows???? I think I might need to go to the Good Foot Store.
> 
> I hope everyone is having a great week! Only 8 more nights sleeping in my bed!



Rose I can only imagine how you feel being forced to slow down and having this wonderful weather.  I hope you at least are able to do a walk or slow job today outside.  Wow 70! Im jealous.  It is 45 here today and I was thrilled.  Only 8 more nights!!!!! 



Rose&Mike said:


> Uggh! I finally bought a pair of skinny jeans. I had to order the size I needed. Ok, fine. I washed them once and something funky happened to them and I need to take them back! And I know they won't have my size again! And I paid $70 for them! I have NEVER paid that much for jeans. So frustrating! I guess it's back to Kohl's for cheapy jeans.



That is so frustrating.  You would think for spending that much money on jeans they would be of top quality.   I hope your pizza and brownies come out yummy!



Worfiedoodles said:


> So, I went to my WI last night at WW and I was down. .6, for a total of 9.4 in 4 weeks. I have a goal of losing 10 lbs before I get on the plane next Friday, and I am totally focused now! You would think that would have translated into me getting up and running this morning, but I just felt like I couldn't do it. I ran 3M yesterday morning and then had yoga, and I was just beat. I think I did get really restorative sleep, so hopefully I'll be able to bounce up tomorrow morning and run 3M.



Thats so awesome Maria.  I bet you will hit your goal before next week.  Sorry you are not leaving until friday....if it makes you feel any better we wont land in orlando until 819pm so really Fri is our first day. 

Ok can we say holy long day.  Gosh I was tired just reading about it.  I hope it goes well for you, at least it will make your day go quickly.  

Well I am home with Ryan today.  His temp is still up.  This am it hit 103.  It goes down with motrin but is back up again once it wears off.  I had him checked this morning to rule out strep since he was complaining of headache and sorethroat but it was negative.  So its viral and we just have to let it ride its course.  I am working from home but took a break to catch up with you ladies.  

I am scheduling a bunch of stuff for myself between now and next wed at work so my days go fast.  I am so anxious to get to disney I just cant take it anymore.  So I thought if I keep myself busy it will go faster.  I am such a nut.

I am also completely obsessed with checking the weather channel.  So far for next friday in disney world it shows 77 and sunny.


----------



## mikamah

Just wanted to say hi to my princess friends!!  

Only have a minute, so I'll catch up later, but I missed catching up this morning.  I know it's smart of me to chose to run/walk, and limit my dis time, but I miss you.  

We've having my sister and bil for dinner, and they michael and I go to scouts for a pinewood derby build night, and then I'll bring him home and go to the scout leader meeting and my sister will stay and watch him.  

Hugs to all.  Some busy, stressful stuff going on.  Hang in there princesses.    We'll all be escaping to magical princess land soon.


----------



## lisah0711

*Rose,* I'm sure you'll look great no matter what kind of jeans you get, Rose!   

And besides the weather is showing some warmer temperatures for the end of next week and wind!    Hope it's a tail wind for the leg back!  

*Maria,* you'll be at 10 pounds down before you head out for sure!    Your long day should almost be over now.  

Watch out for those little kitty gifts -- the only time my kitty brought me something it was a mouse!   

I'll look for the berry Clif Bloks -- it's pretty hard to beat the black cherry, though.    The margarita doesn't sound that appealing to me.  

Does anyone know whether it is regular Powerade or Powerade Zero for the sports drink?  I think I remember that it is lemon/lime flavor.  I'm trying some lemon/lime Powerade Zero right now and I'm thinking that I would not be wanting it on race day -- tastes like icky kool-aid to me.

*Lindsay,* hope that Ryan is feeling better soon.    Bless his heart!  

*Kathy,* I was just admiring your pictures again and thinking that your face looks so thin!    Can't wait to hear when you hit ONE-derland!  

Well about this time next week I should be checking in at AKL!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> Well about this time next week I should be checking in at AKL!



This reminded me.  I thought it would be fun to do a QOTD-what will you be doing this time next week? through the weekend.  Play along if you want....if not I will answer my own questions and you can all be amused.

QOTD What will you be doing on Wednesday 2/23/11?

I will be finishing up any loose ends at work.  I have a busy day planned so hopefully it goes fast.  Then I will come home and spend some cuddle time with my boys and dream of all the fun times that will be had in the days to come.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, QOTD--I will be working a Bowl for kids sake event next wednesday with Mike. We have a lot of work events the weekend that I am gone, so I volunteered to come in on Wednesday night. Boy, I need to get organized this weekend or I will be having some major last minute panic getting ready to go!

DS called me a million times today with questions for his background check. I think he's done, so that's good! I made g-f brownines--they are fabulous!!! Yum! The pizza dough was ok. Finding the ingredients was stressful. I was almost in tears a couple of times in the Kroger. I finally called Mike and had him google some stuff to see if it's g-f. I won't say the pizza dough was my favorite, but it was edible. And I don't feel like I have a lump of undigested dough in my stomach--what more can you ask for.

So here's my excitement for the day. My sister texted me that she has to be in Argentina (for work) on the 27th. Yes, the 27th of February. She's going to call tomorrow, but I'm guessing she is baling, but I could be wrong. I'm sure she still doesn't have plane tickets. Anywho, if that's the case, Mike and I would love to meet you all for the expo and we're really looking forward to Saturday. 

I did strength today, and have iced my foot twice this evening. Definitely meeting Mike to run after work! Woohoo! If my foot is really sore, then that's it until the race. 

I hope everyone is doing great. I am taking my g-f brownies to work tomorrow, so we'll see how it goes!


----------



## mikamah

Good evening princesses!!!  

Had a 2 hour scout leader meeting tonight to plan the big banquet I'll miss cuz we'll be in disney, and the pinewood derby.  So I just sent an email to the other leader with all the info about the banquet and their needs and it's in her court now.  She's the official leader but as just the assistant, maybe I'm a little too anal or too much of a planner, but I seem to be the only one trying to plan and keep the others informed.  Oh well, I'm not stressing about it tonight because tomorrow is our last den meeting before disney!!!!!!

Love the qotd, lindsay!!   Next week at this time, I hope we'll be heading back to ASMo on the bus from Mk.  Either that, or relaxing around the pool with a frozen drink.  Figure I should celebrate that night, and the go alcohol free til my celebratory margarita sunday afternoon!!!

*Lindsay*- I'm not worried about the fla weather yet, but next wed is on our 7 day forcast, and it looks sunny and 36 so far!!!!!  SOoooooooo hope it doesn't change to any snow.  I'll truly believe it by the weekend.  Sorry poor 
Ryan is sick.  It's so stressful with work and everything, but I'll bet you'd prefer he be sick when you're home, and next week, you should be able to rest assured he's healthy with Dad while you're with us!!!!  

*Rose*- So glad you had a nice weekend with ds, and your last post sounds so happy and positive.  You're doing a great job beating the sadness, or faking it well.  Hope you're feeling better.  It sounds like you're good with the sister bailing, and I'm so glad Mike is coming with you where all the sisters ended up not going.  That will be great to meet you at the expo and the dismeet.  Good luck with your run tomorrow.  I think that's a great plan to take some time off to rest the foot before the race.  I know they say to take a full 3 days off, and I know that's hard for you, but give it a try. 

*Lisa*-Thanks for the compliment.  I do feel like I can see a difference this past week too.  A couple people at work have complimented me and noticed my weight loss too.   Too bad about the sparkle skirt, but glad to hear you have a plan to wear it in the future.  I don't like shorts either.  I definitely share the same body image issues you do, but as time goes on, slowly we're coming around.  

*Maria*- Yay, you'll see that 10 pounds gone by next friday!!!  Hope your long day ended a long time ago and you're comfy at home.  

*Jude*- 2 days til you're on vacation!!!!  Whoo hoo!!  Hope your foot starts feeling better with the gel inserts.  Safe travels if we don't see you again before friday.  I know those final days before the trip can be hectic.  See you soon in wdw!!!!

*Jen*- hope your conference isn't too painful, and you have plenty of time to dis.  You're next after Jude to leave on tuesday!!  I forget, are you guys staying at Pop?   

*Corinna*- Hello there!!  I'm going to go back and read your posts of tips for the race tonight.  I can't believe we're going to be there so soon.

I am so excited.  I know I have another week to go, but I'm just feeling a little crazed.  I'm bringing my outfit to work tomorrow, and will model it for the girls in the afternoon, after all the patients have been sedated.
My boss is a stickler for keeping the personal talk away from the admitting side of the unit where the patients can hear us, so I'll wait til she's gone home.  Also, the girl who runs ds's after school program is a disney fanatic also, and she wants to see it, so I'll wear it to school to pick him up.  Of course I'll run that by michael in the am first.  

I am supposed to work next tuesday and we leave wed, but I put my name up to get the day off.  I'll know on friday if I get if off, and then officially will be on vacation.  I'm thinking they'll want to give me the day off since I'm probably a bit out of my mind lately.  

Sweet dreams princesses.


----------



## jbm02

Hi everyone!  We leave tomorrow!!!   Yay!!

But I have so much to jam-pack in before we leave!  I am going out for a quick run (no more than 3) after getting everyone off to school/work.  Then I have a hearing this morning, back to the office to tie up any loose ends and leave by 3PM so I can get the kids to an orthodontist appointment.  Tonight is packing up everything (hmmm, I've been asking the kids for 2 weeks to try on their summer clothes from last year - what's the chance that both will only have 1 - 2 pair of shorts that still fit??!) ...tomorrow is my last 2 hour run.  I am not going to concentrate on any miles, just go for 2 miles straight through.  I won't make 13 but it should be good.  (please, please let my new gel-inserts work!!!)  Then I'll be running around, doing last minute errands, etc til everyone gets home from work and school. As soon as DD steps off the bus - we're off!!!

Before I forget - what time is everyone meeting on Saturday??  Lisa, I emailed you my cell number and I have your cell number.  Jen and I will be together so if we're missing, we're lost together...

I'll try to pop in before leaving tomorrow!!


----------



## jbm02

Forgot to answer:

[COLOR="RedQOTD What will you be doing on Wednesday 2/23/11?[/COLOR][/SIZE]

Walking the beach on Daytona Beach and being oh-so-glad to have escaped the upstate NY winter!! ....can't wait to be able to run outside again, too!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> So here's my excitement for the day. My sister texted me that she has to be in Argentina (for work) on the 27th. Yes, the 27th of February. She's going to call tomorrow, but I'm guessing she is baling, but I could be wrong. I'm sure she still doesn't have plane tickets. Anywho, if that's the case, Mike and I would love to meet you all for the expo and we're really looking forward to Saturday.



Well at least mike decided to come now so Im sure it is easier for you to deal with her uncertainty.  I on the other hand would be so excited to meet you both at the expo along with kathy and lisa.

Glad Toms stuff is coming together.  I hope your run went well and that your brownies are a big hit today at work.



mikamah said:


> I am so excited.  I know I have another week to go, but I'm just feeling a little crazed.  I'm bringing my outfit to work tomorrow, and will model it for the girls in the afternoon, after all the patients have been sedated.
> My boss is a stickler for keeping the personal talk away from the admitting side of the unit where the patients can hear us, so I'll wait til she's gone home.



I know I feel a bit crazed too Kathy.  I just feel like I want to run around screaming that I am going to disney soon.  Im holding it in dont worry.  I was cracking up at your work story. 1. because now we all know what happens when you get sedated in a hospital....you have nurses dancing around in sparkly skirts. and 2.  I find it hilarious that instead of trying to have personal talk elsewhere you just wait until the boss goes home.  You are too funny.  

I hope you get the day off!!!!!



jbm02 said:


> Hi everyone!  We leave tomorrow!!!   Yay!!



Jude that is so exciting.  I bet being on the beach in the sunny weather is going to be amazing.  Good luck on your last runs and I hope the inserts work and that your foot feels better.  Have a safe trip!!!


Well Ryan slept all night without any medicine.  He is not up yet but I am really hoping the fever is done.  I am home with him until 9 and than mike is coming home for the rest of the day.  so unfortunately I have to go to work.  I want to get outside and run so bad today but I wont be home until its dark, it is going to be a high of 55 today.  Our TM is acting up again and when mike was using it on monday is began to smell like rubber was burning and then was smoking.  So needless to say we havent used it since.  

Well have a great day Princessess!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*2/17/11QOTD-*What are your plans for next Thursday 2/25/11.

I have off.  I plan to take Ry to Kindergarten and Nick to daycare for the morning.  I will then go to the grocery store so my dh and boys have food in the house, then I will do my 30 min run.  By then I will have to P/U the boys.  I plan on hanging out with them until I need to go to the airport.  dh is leaving work early to take me.  Our flight leaves at 550p and arrives at MCO at 819p.  We are using ME but picking up our bags ourselves since its later.  We will hop on a bus to CBR!!!!  Once we check in we will go to the room and unload and than most likely get a bite to eat at the foodcourt.  We are planning on getting to bed at a decent time to prepare for the days ahead.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning! 

Kathy--that cracked me up too, what the nurses are doing when we're sedated.

Jude--safe travels!

Lindsay--have a great day! 

Hello to Lisa, Maria, Corinna, and Jen!

I got up early this morning and put together soup to take to work. I had to taste the g-f brownies again to make sure they are edible. Did I tell you they have a can of black beans in them? They are delicious!

High of 74 today!!!!! Though it will be pretty windy. This is why I put up with the nasty temps in the summer. I love it when we get some early spring days.

So fingers crossed that my foot cooperates today. I will be smiling all day, just because we are running outside.

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## mikamah

jbm02 said:


> !Before I forget - what time is everyone meeting on Saturday??  Lisa, I emailed you my cell number and I have your cell number.  Jen and I will be together so if we're missing, we're lost together...


The assp dis meet is at 4:00 with a group pic being taken at 4:30 was the original plan.  I hope to get there for 4.  
Good luck with your run.  Hope the inserts help.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I just feel like I want to run around screaming that I am going to disney soon.  Im holding it in dont worry.:laughing
> 
> I hope you get the day off!!!!!


Phew, I'm glad I'm not alone.  I figure my charge nurse will give me next tuesday off so she doesn't have to listen to me.  And just so you know, several of the girls I work with asked me to bring in my outfit and show them.   




mommyof2Pirates said:


> Well Ryan slept all night without any medicine.  He is not up yet but I am really hoping the fever is done.  I am home with him until 9 and than mike is coming home for the rest of the day.  so unfortunately I have to go to work.  I want to get outside and run so bad today but I wont be home until its dark, it is going to be a high of 55 today.  Our TM is acting up again and when mike was using it on monday is began to smell like rubber was burning and then was smoking.  So needless to say we havent used it since.


Hope Ryan's better this morning.  Bummer on the treadmill, and not being able to get out today to run.  It already feels so warm today, but next week we'll be toasty!!!!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> *2/17/11QOTD-*What are your plans for next Thursday 2/25/11.


Next thursday, which is actually the 24th,   I think we're going to AK.  It's not set in stone, so I'll do whatever the kids and sil want to do.  We aren't doing the dining plan, so don't have any ressie for that day.  We don't have park hoppers either, so if we did ak, maybe dtd afterwards.  I honestly don't care what we do, I'll just be so happy to be there!!!!  My sil said she wants to take it easy, and I know I should take it easy, but that's hard for me once I get there, but I'm going to follow her lead.  

It's so nice to come here and chat with you all about this since really noone else fully understands me and the level of my obsession. You princesses are the best.


----------



## mikamah

Rose&Mike said:


> Did I tell you they have a can of black beans in them? They are delicious!
> 
> High of 74 today!!!!! Though it will be pretty windy. This is why I put up with the nasty temps in the summer. I love it when we get some early spring days.
> 
> So fingers crossed that my foot cooperates today. I will be smiling all day, just because we are running outside.


wow, black beans.  I love them, and bet they somehow give the brownies a great consistency.  Good luck with your run, and enjoy that beautiful temperature!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> This reminded me.  I thought it would be fun to do a QOTD-what will you be doing this time next week? through the weekend.  Play along if you want....if not I will answer my own questions and you can all be amused.
> 
> QOTD What will you be doing on Wednesday 2/23/11?



Good idea, Lindsay, on the QOTD.    Wednesday is my travel day.  My flight leaves Spokane at 6:40 am and lands in Orlando at 5:00 pm (but it's really only 2 pm my time).  I'll get to sit in the exit row and watch my movies on the DVR!  I'll be tired from being on the plane for 7 1/2 hours so will have something to eat and go to bed early.



Rose&Mike said:


> So here's my excitement for the day. My sister texted me that she has to be in Argentina (for work) on the 27th. Yes, the 27th of February. She's going to call tomorrow, but I'm guessing she is baling, but I could be wrong. I'm sure she still doesn't have plane tickets. Anywho, if that's the case, Mike and I would love to meet you all for the expo and we're really looking forward to Saturday.



Wowza, Rose!  Sisters, gotta love 'em!   We would love to see you and Mike at the Expo.  We should probably think of where we are going to meet.  Anyone have any ideas?  I might wear my WISH shirt which would make me easy to spot! 



mikamah said:


> I am so excited.  I know I have another week to go, but I'm just feeling a little crazed.  I'm bringing my outfit to work tomorrow, and will model it for the girls in the afternoon, after all the patients have been sedated.
> 
> My boss is a stickler for keeping the personal talk away from the admitting side of the unit where the patients can hear us, so I'll wait til she's gone home.  Also, the girl who runs ds's after school program is a disney fanatic also, and she wants to see it, so I'll wear it to school to pick him up.  Of course I'll run that by michael in the am first.



Yes, you want to be careful with that sparkle skirt and Michael -- parents are embarrassing enough as it is without accessories!  



jbm02 said:


> Hi everyone!  We leave tomorrow!!!   Yay!!
> 
> But I have so much to jam-pack in before we leave!  I am going out for a quick run (no more than 3) after getting everyone off to school/work.  Then I have a hearing this morning, back to the office to tie up any loose ends and leave by 3PM so I can get the kids to an orthodontist appointment.  Tonight is packing up everything (hmmm, I've been asking the kids for 2 weeks to try on their summer clothes from last year - what's the chance that both will only have 1 - 2 pair of shorts that still fit??!) ...tomorrow is my last 2 hour run.  I am not going to concentrate on any miles, just go for 2 miles straight through.  I won't make 13 but it should be good.  (please, please let my new gel-inserts work!!!)  Then I'll be running around, doing last minute errands, etc til everyone gets home from work and school. As soon as DD steps off the bus - we're off!!!
> 
> Before I forget - what time is everyone meeting on Saturday??  Lisa, I emailed you my cell number and I have your cell number.  Jen and I will be together so if we're missing, we're lost together...
> 
> I'll try to pop in before leaving tomorrow!!



Jude, you're leaving today!    Whatever doesn't get done at home can get done in Daytona!    Safe travels!  And think of us while you are sitting on the beach sipping something cool! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Well Ryan slept all night without any medicine.  He is not up yet but I am really hoping the fever is done.  I am home with him until 9 and than mike is coming home for the rest of the day.  so unfortunately I have to go to work.  I want to get outside and run so bad today but I wont be home until its dark, it is going to be a high of 55 today.  Our TM is acting up again and when mike was using it on monday is began to smell like rubber was burning and then was smoking.  So needless to say we havent used it since.



Glad that Ryan is feeling better, Lindsay.  Ah, the resiliency of youth!   This may be one of those days when you say "Yay, I get to go to work today!"   Smoking TM doesn't sound good.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> *2/17/11QOTD-*What are your plans for next Thursday 2/25/11.



This is my solo day.    I'm going to Animal Kingdom in the morning.  I'm thinking fish and chips and Welsh Dragon at Rose & Crown CS for a late lunch and then I want to see MSEP at MK at 7 pm.  I used to work MSEP when I worked at DL so I would like to see it at WDW because who knows when that might happen again.   

Okay Princesses this is what I have for meets:

Fri 2/25 Meet at Expo at 10 am

Fri 2/25 Princess Thread meet somewhere in DTD -- this is the one from the Princess thread on the Events side of the WISH board.  I'll see if I can find the link.  I don't know much about it because I will be having dinner with Kathy to help celebrate her birthday that day!   

Sat 2/26 The WISH meet that Corinna is organizing at All Star Sports at 4 pm  http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=39563046&postcount=1

Sun 2/27 Before race? Are we trying to meet up before we go to our corrals?  If so, where? I'm fuzzy on this one!

After race in the Family Reunion Tent T-Z.  

Later Jellyrolls?  Don't know much about that one.  I won't be able to make it because I have ME at 5 am on Monday.

I am so ready to be there!    Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> High of 74 today!!!!! Though it will be pretty windy. This is why I put up with the nasty temps in the summer. I love it when we get some early spring days.
> 
> So fingers crossed that my foot cooperates today. I will be smiling all day, just because we are running outside.
> 
> Have a great day everyone!



I will be smiling for you today Rose!!!  I am still figuring a way to get in a run outside today.  I planned on staying later at work but I might have to think of an excuse why I might need to leave early.  Black beans in the brownies....now that is one thing I would have never thought of.  Glad they taste so good!!!!



mikamah said:


> It's so nice to come here and chat with you all about this since really noone else fully understands me and the level of my obsession. You princesses are the best.



oops I got ahead of myself.  2/24/11 is thursday.  Your day sounds fun and I know what you mean about needing to take it easy but mentally it is hard.  I know I am going to regret my plans the days prior while I am running my race.  I dont get to disney often and my aunt has never been there so that is my excuse.

I agree no one else really wants to hear about my trip anymore.  Even my mom who is going doesnt seem as excited.  I told her last night she was annoying me that she doesnt sound more excited and she said what do you want me to do scream and cheer over the phone as you talk about.  I replied with "YES"!!!!



lisah0711 said:


> Good idea, Lindsay, on the QOTD.    Wednesday is my travel day.  My flight leaves Spokane at 6:40 am and lands in Orlando at 5:00 pm (but it's really only 2 pm my time).  I'll get to sit in the exit row and watch my movies on the DVR!  I'll be tired from being on the plane for 7 1/2 hours so will have something to eat and go to bed early.
> 
> *Wow, that is a long flight Lisa.  Im glad you are arriving a number of days before the race to let your body adjust to the time change.*
> 
> Wowza, Rose!  Sisters, gotta love 'em!   We would love to see you and Mike at the Expo.  We should probably think of where we are going to meet.  Anyone have any ideas?  I might wear my WISH shirt which would make me easy to spot!
> 
> *I dont know anything about WWS but I plan to get the bus from CBR at 930.  So should we at least plan on 10am somewhere?  Rose maybe since you have done races here previously you would have a good spot in mind.  I also will PM you guys my cell# so if I am not there you can call me because most likely I would be wandering around lost.*
> 
> This is my solo day.    I'm going to Animal Kingdom in the morning.  I'm thinking fish and chips and Welsh Dragon at Rose & Crown CS for a late lunch and then I want to see MSEP at MK at 7 pm.  I used to work MSEP when I worked at DL so I would like to see it at WDW because who knows when that might happen again.
> 
> *We rearranged plans to be at MK on sat at 7 to see this.  I said the same thing...would hate to miss it because who knows how long it will be there.*
> 
> Okay Princesses this is what I have for meets:
> 
> Fri 2/25 Meet at Expo at 10 am
> * I will be there!*
> 
> Fri 2/25 Princess Thread meet somewhere in DTD -- this is the one from the Princess thread on the Events side of the WISH board.  I'll see if I can find the link.  I don't know much about it because I will be having dinner with Kathy to help celebrate her birthday that day!
> 
> *I didnt really participate much on this thread*
> 
> Sat 2/26 The WISH meet that Corinna is organizing at All Star Sports at 4 pm  http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=39563046&postcount=1
> 
> *Just not enough time in the day for me on this one.  I am hoping to meet corinna and maria after the race!*
> 
> Sun 2/27 Before race? Are we trying to meet up before we go to our corrals?  If so, where? I'm fuzzy on this one!
> 
> *I would be up for this if it works out.  I think we mentioned about meeting at the T-Z tent?  What time is everyone planning on getting the bus to the race?*
> 
> After race in the Family Reunion Tent T-Z.
> *I will stop here I just dont know how long I will stay.*
> 
> Later Jellyrolls?  Don't know much about that one.  I won't be able to make it because I have ME at 5 am on Monday.
> 
> *This sounds like so much fun but I already had plans for MK and dinner at ohana's*



Not sure if you wanted a direct response to all of the above but Im a bit chatty today.  Thanks for summing it all up for us Lisa.  I seriously can not wait!!!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Precious Princess Pals! 

*Lindsay* -- Looking forward to answering your QOTD, how fun! 

*Lisa* -- Great list of Meets. I'm looking forward to making what I can...my flight doesn't land until 10:40 Friday, so I don't know if you guys will still be at the Expo by the time I make it there. I'll have my WISH lime green sling bag on my back, so point and laugh if you see me! 

*Kathy* -- I told my dh I'd probably only get to spend 4-5 hours in Epcot Sunday (depending on how long it takes me to recover from the race and when I go to JellyRolls), and he told me that sounds like way more than enough time... He really doesn't like WDW...It is sweet of him to pretend to pay attention when I tell him my Monday/Tuesday Park plans, but the truth is, I don't have any "live" people around me who would care...

*Rose*-- Refresh my memory, what is Spring?  We don't get much of one here anyway, but the idea of having it in February is just more than I can wrap my mind around  Enjoy your gorgeous day! Sorry about your sister, but it sounds like you are poised to have a fabulous time, anyway. 

*Jude* -- Safe travels  

2/17/11QOTD-What are your plans for next Thursday 2/25/11.

Next Thursday I will run 2M before work, then I have a meeting that should take most of my morning. I'm leaving at noon, and spending the afternoon with ds and Chewie, and doing my final packing. After dinner I'll go over all the final things dh has to remember (ds has an orthodontist appt. Friday morning, pick me up at the airport, etc.). Then I plan to enjoy The Big Bang Theory, read a little, and get to bed early! 

What will you be doing on Wednesday 2/23/11?

Wednesday is a regular work day for me. I will run 3M before work (I'm on taper, my normal Wed. run is 4!), and then head in to finish up whatever I can so I can minimize what I come back to. At this point I will be incapable of paying much attention at work.   After work I will be continuing  (I put a load in the washer every morning before I go to work), and making sure any last minute errands have been run (library, CVS, etc.). Then I'll settle in to watch The Middle and Modern Family, before a little reading and a good night's rest 

Ok, so I survived yesterday ok, but it was a long one. The presentation at ds's school was actually good, they have a choice of modern foreign language -- Spanish, French, Italian, German or Chinese. They have to stick with it for 4 yrs, so they'd better choose well  If they are not in band/orchestra or chorus, they are automatically in Theater. This will be popular with my ds, who is in the Improv Club and loves it! 

The meeting at church was fine -- I like the new pastor, but there are some people who are going to have issues with her. Theological issues -- which I think is not necessarily awful, it's good to hear different points of view and be able to think your way to your own opinion -- or at least that's my opinion...I didn't get home until 10pm, and by that time the ability to eat a full meal was beyond me. I had some popchips and a couple of Godiva squares, and called it a day. All within my points for the day, by the way! 

To my surprise, after going to be at 11pm, I actually did wake up at 5! I got up and did 3M on the TM, and here I am...guess I'll have to get to my work soon 

I had my usual breakfast, and I'm having the salmon and rice for lunch. I'm having mac and cheese (a WW recipe) for dinner, and then I'll finish up with a serving of bbq popchips and a WW dark chocolate/raspberry ice cream treat while I watch The Big Bang Theory (it's a habit, but not a really bad one...). OP all day in my quest for that loss! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> Next thursday, which is actually the 24th,



Ya know people on vacation don't care what date it is!  Didn't even notice!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Not sure if you wanted a direct response to all of the above but Im a bit chatty today.  Thanks for summing it all up for us Lisa.  I seriously can not wait!!!!!



Well, of course, I wanted a response to everything!  Why oh why do we have to work for a living? 



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lisa* -- Great list of Meets. I'm looking forward to making what I can...my flight doesn't land until 10:40 Friday, so I don't know if you guys will still be at the Expo by the time I make it there. I'll have my WISH lime green sling bag on my back, so point and laugh if you see me!



We'll keep in touch by text!   And I bet Chewie would be fascinated to hear all your plans, even if the other guys in your house are not.  

If you can stream music at the office you should check out www.d-cot.com Just finished listening to Magic Kingdom Entrance Loop -- now I have that happy, just walking in the gates feeling!  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Worfiedoodles said:


> I had my usual breakfast, and I'm having the salmon and rice for lunch. I'm having mac and cheese (a WW recipe) for dinner, and then I'll finish up with a serving of bbq popchips and a WW dark chocolate/raspberry ice cream treat while I watch The Big Bang Theory (it's a habit, but not a really bad one...). OP all day in my quest for that loss!
> 
> Maria



You are so in control of your eating you will definitely hit your goal.  Have a great day.



lisah0711 said:


> If you can stream music at the office you should check out www.d-cot.com Just finished listening to Magic Kingdom Entrance Loop -- now I have that happy, just walking in the gates feeling!
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!



I tried this and can you believe the my network blocks the site.  I guess they now if I listen to this music at work I definitely would not be getting anything done.


----------



## Rose&Mike

I need to go back and do replies, but I'm sitting here with ice on my foot waiting for Mike to come back with some decaf coffee. I think I accidentally got some gluten yesterday. Last night after dinner my stomach felt off and I have spent today with a big lump again that you can see. The good thing (I guess) is that I have barely eaten today. I just am not sure what I ate yesterday that made me sick. Mike thinks it might be the g-f flour--a lot of people on one of the websites said that this brand is terrible about cross-contamination. Or I guess it could have been the cornmeal. I don't know, but I wonder how I walked around like this for so long. I guess I had forgotten what it felt like to feel good.

My sister is definitely not coming. What a year! 

Ok, Mike is back. I'm going to drink my coffee, get a shower and then I'll be back later to catch up.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> I need to go back and do replies, but I'm sitting here with ice on my foot waiting for Mike to come back with some decaf coffee. I think I accidentally got some gluten yesterday. Last night after dinner my stomach felt off and I have spent today with a big lump again that you can see. The good thing (I guess) is that I have barely eaten today. I just am not sure what I ate yesterday that made me sick. Mike thinks it might be the g-f flour--a lot of people on one of the websites said that this brand is terrible about cross-contamination. Or I guess it could have been the cornmeal. I don't know, but I wonder how I walked around like this for so long. I guess I had forgotten what it felt like to feel good.
> 
> My sister is definitely not coming. What a year!
> 
> Ok, Mike is back. I'm going to drink my coffee, get a shower and then I'll be back later to catch up.



Hi Rose, did you run?  Sorry about the belly I hope it feels better soon.  I cant believe your sisters.  I am so glad mike decided to join you on the trip awhile ago otherwise this Im sure would have been even more frustrating for you.  

TTYL


----------



## jbm02

Hi everyone.  I know I haven't been the chattiest of this thread (no duh, hunh?) but wanted to let all of you know how much of an inspiration you have all been to me.  I know I am struggling and listening to all of your successes is really pushing me to catch up with all of you.  I am freaking out ALOT right now.  My DH is ready to kill me (him: I thought this was supposed to be fun??!  That's why I encouraged you....)  Hopefully I will get my anxietty under control by next Sunday...
Anyway, just wanted to let you know how much this thread has meant.  

Hope to see everyone there!!


----------



## jennz

Kathy your outfit is FABULOUS!!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> Wowza, Rose!  Sisters, gotta love 'em!   We would love to see you and Mike at the Expo.  We should probably think of where we are going to meet.  Anyone have any ideas?  I might wear my WISH shirt which would make me easy to spot!
> 
> Fri 2/25 Meet at Expo at 10 am
> *If the weather is nice I would say maybe outside. (Is it at WWS???) It was a little crazy once you got inside. For w&d they had the cafe open. What time do you think you will catch the buses??? We will probably go to DHS and take a bus one of the host resorts and then catch a bus to WWS. Whew, that's a lot of buses! Maybe we should rent a car.*
> 
> Fri 2/25 Princess Thread meet somewhere in DTD -- this is the one from the Princess thread on the Events side of the WISH board.  I'll see if I can find the link.  I don't know much about it because I will be having dinner with Kathy to help celebrate her birthday that day!
> *We will probably skip this meet. Where are you having dinner for Kathy's birthday! That's so exciting!*
> 
> Sat 2/26 The WISH meet that Corinna is organizing at All Star Sports at 4 pm  http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=39563046&postcount=1
> *We will be at this one. Not sure if we will eat, though.*
> 
> Sun 2/27 Before race? Are we trying to meet up before we go to our corrals?  If so, where? I'm fuzzy on this one!
> *If you all decide to try this let me know. We have to take a cab, so I'm a little nervous about getting there on time.*
> 
> After race in the Family Reunion Tent T-Z.
> *We will be in the tent. I will probably be icing my foot and eating some g-f treats. *
> 
> Later Jellyrolls?  Don't know much about that one.  I won't be able to make it because I have ME at 5 am on Monday.
> *I will be at Jellyrolls. I feel like I have earned a drink or two or three. Might even have to have one at Epcot Sunday afternoon.*
> 
> I am so ready to be there!    Have a great day Princesses!





mommyof2Pirates said:


> I agree no one else really wants to hear about my trip anymore.  Even my mom who is going doesnt seem as excited.  I told her last night she was annoying me that she doesnt sound more excited and she said what do you want me to do scream and cheer over the phone as you talk about.  I replied with "YES"!!!!


Lindsay--you can tell us how exiceted you are!

Maria--glad you survived your very busy day! We still need Kitty pictures!




jbm02 said:


> Hi everyone.  I know I haven't been the chattiest of this thread (no duh, hunh?) but wanted to let all of you know how much of an inspiration you have all been to me.  I know I am struggling and listening to all of your successes is really pushing me to catch up with all of you.  I am freaking out ALOT right now.  My DH is ready to kill me (him: I thought this was supposed to be fun??!  That's why I encouraged you....)  Hopefully I will get my anxietty under control by next Sunday...
> Anyway, just wanted to let you know how much this thread has meant.
> 
> Hope to see everyone there!!


Jude--you inspire me. Safe travels.



jennz said:


> Kathy your outfit is FABULOUS!!!!


Hello Miss Jennifer! Hope you are doing well.

We have reservations for 4 at the following. If anyone would like to join us, please let me know. We have been to WDW a bunch lately, and really don't have too many must-dos on this trip, and would love to have the company if anyone would like to join us at any of the parks. Anyhow here's my ressies:
Friday--Narcoossee's 7:15pm
Saturday--Cape May 8:10am (breakfast)
Saturday--Raglan Road 7:00pm (might cancel this one)
Sunday--Boma 5:05pm

We arrive on Thursday evening and go home Tuesday evening.

We had a good run. The cold front came through earlier than they thought, so it was ONLY 63. And very windy. But my foot cooperated and it was so nice to be outside with Mike instead of running on the treadmills with headphones in. I think my foot is going to be ok. Sunday we are going to do an easy 6.

QOTD--today is our travel day. Mike and I will both work until noon. Then Mike will take the dogs to the boarder and I will finish packing. At 2:00ish we will leave for the airport--it's only 15 minutes away. Our flight leaves at 4:30 and we should land by 7:30. Hoping to be sitting somewhere with a grown up drink by 9:00. We are still scheduled to have to switch rooms Friday morning, but are hoping when they check in they will take care of us. I need to do a garden grocer order still.

Ok, that's it for tonight. It's been a long day and I am pooped!

ETA: Ok, so after some research, we found the gluten. The corn meal we bought to make the pizza crust is "naturally gluten free" BUT not milled on dedicated equipment. And from looking at their website, they are not testing to make sure it is under 20ppm. So that's probably where my stomach mess came from. Are you all sick of hearing about this? I could just cry my stomach is such a mess again. Hopefully, it is short lived. I guess it just makes me so sad, because I was feeling so much better. Ok, I'll be back to perky in the morning, I promise.


----------



## cclovesdis

Welcome to Healthy Habits Pamper Week!

My name is CC (short for Christina) and I will be your Healthy Habits coach for BL 11. I love the BL challenges and Healthy Habits has helped me significantly in achieving many of my goals.

*Some Background Information: *Thanks to donac (Dona-hostess of Team Donald) and jenanderson for their amazing help so I know how to coach!  I couldnt do this without seeing them in action previously.  I will be continuing the prizes that Jen started.

*Heres How Healthy Habits Pamper Week Works:* Each day there will be three "Habits" for you to complete. You do not need to keep track of your points and there will not be a winner. This is simply for your enjoyment!

Welcome to Day 1, Friday 2/18

[/SIZE="4"]1) Go for a brisk walk for about 10 minutes.
2) Drink more water than usual.
3) Compliment yourself.[/SIZE]

P.S. I am posting this here because there are a few reasons for a pamper week this week.
1.) Many schools have a week's vacation next week and some of us will be spending more time with children.
2.) I'm going to be honest, it would be hard for me to coach and tally HH points in the same week.
3.) To help you BL/WISH Princess 1/2 Marathon runners out in the only way I could think of-GOOD LUCK!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

jbm02 said:


> Hi everyone.  I know I haven't been the chattiest of this thread (no duh, hunh?) but wanted to let all of you know how much of an inspiration you have all been to me.  I know I am struggling and listening to all of your successes is really pushing me to catch up with all of you.  I am freaking out ALOT right now.  My DH is ready to kill me (him: I thought this was supposed to be fun??!  That's why I encouraged you....)  Hopefully I will get my anxietty under control by next Sunday...
> Anyway, just wanted to let you know how much this thread has meant.
> 
> Hope to see everyone there!!



thats so sweet Jude.  I bet once you get there your anxiety will lessen.  Dont worry you will do fine and have fun too.



Rose&Mike said:


> We had a good run. The cold front came through earlier than they thought, so it was ONLY 63. And very windy. But my foot cooperated and it was so nice to be outside with Mike instead of running on the treadmills with headphones in. I think my foot is going to be ok. Sunday we are going to do an easy 6.



so glad you got the run in and that your foot was doing better.  I hope by the morning your stomach issues have resolved and you can be back to perky!!!!



cclovesdis said:


> Welcome to Healthy Habits Pamper Week!
> 3.) To help you BL/WISH Princess 1/2 Marathon runners out in the only way I could think of-GOOD LUCK!



Thanks CC!!!!!


----------



## mikamah

jbm02 said:


> Hi everyone.  I know I haven't been the chattiest of this thread (no duh, hunh?) but wanted to let all of you know how much of an inspiration you have all been to me.  I know I am struggling and listening to all of your successes is really pushing me to catch up with all of you.  I am freaking out ALOT right now.  My DH is ready to kill me (him: I thought this was supposed to be fun??!  That's why I encouraged you....  Hopefully I will get my anxietty under control by next Sunday...
> Anyway, just wanted to let you know how much this thread has meant.


You have been such an inspiration here too, little miss boot camp and 100s pushups, etc, and you are going to be amazing at the princess!!  I think once we step off the planes or out of your car in wdw, the magic will take over, and we will all know that we can do it, and we will be perfect princesses.  Have a safe trip and enjoy the beach!!



jennz said:


> Kathy your outfit is FABULOUS!!!!


Thanks Jenn.  Hope you're doing well.


Rose&Mike said:


> Lindsay--you can tell us how exiceted you are!






Rose&Mike said:


> We have reservations for 4 at the following. If anyone would like to join us, please let me know. We have been to WDW a bunch lately, and really don't have too many must-dos on this trip, and would love to have the company if anyone would like to join us at any of the parks. Anyhow here's my ressies:
> Friday--Narcoossee's 7:15pm
> Saturday--Cape May 8:10am (breakfast)
> Saturday--Raglan Road 7:00pm (might cancel this one)
> Sunday--Boma 5:05pm
> 
> We arrive on Thursday evening and go home Tuesday evening.
> 
> We had a good run. The cold front came through earlier than they thought, so it was ONLY 63. And very windy. But my foot cooperated and it was so nice to be outside with Mike instead of running on the treadmills with headphones in. I think my foot is going to be ok. Sunday we are going to do an easy 6.
> 
> ETA: Ok, so after some research, we found the gluten. The corn meal we bought to make the pizza crust is "naturally gluten free" BUT not milled on dedicated equipment. And from looking at their website, they are not testing to make sure it is under 20ppm. So that's probably where my stomach mess came from. Are you all sick of hearing about this? I could just cry my stomach is such a mess again. Hopefully, it is short lived. I guess it just makes me so sad, because I was feeling so much better. Ok, I'll be back to perky in the morning, I promise.


Sorry you got some gluten and were feeling badly yesterday.  It definitely sounds like you've found what was making you feel so bad, so that is good.  Hope you're feeling better already.
Thanks for the invite to all your meals.  That was very sweet of you.  Glad you got out for a good run.  63 sounds lovely.  Actually 40s last night felt pretty darn good. 



lisah0711 said:


> Good idea, Lindsay, on the QOTD.    Wednesday is my travel day.  My flight leaves Spokane at 6:40 am and lands in Orlando at 5:00 pm (but it's really only 2 pm my time).  I'll get to sit in the exit row and watch my movies on the DVR!  I'll be tired from being on the plane for 7 1/2 hours so will have something to eat and go to bed early.
> 
> This is my solo day.    I'm going to Animal Kingdom in the morning.  I'm thinking fish and chips and Welsh Dragon at Rose & Crown CS for a late lunch and then I want to see MSEP at MK at 7 pm.  I used to work MSEP when I worked at DL so I would like to see it at WDW because who knows when that might happen again.
> 
> Okay Princesses this is what I have for meets:
> 
> Fri 2/25 Meet at Expo at 10 am
> I'll be there!!
> Fri 2/25 Princess Thread meet somewhere in DTD -- this is the one from the Princess thread on the Events side of the WISH board.  I'll see if I can find the link.  I don't know much about it because I will be having dinner with Kathy to help celebrate her birthday that day!   Which is the 25th, and the only reason I noticed the date wrong yesterday. We have early dinner ressie at Sci-fi Drive in theater at 4:10.  I'd love to have you come with us, but please don't feel obligated if something else comes up, or you'd rather go elsewhere.  This is your solo vacation, and you can do whatever you want, and besides, I'll be celebrating my b-day all week as a princess!!
> 
> Sat 2/26 The WISH meet that Corinna is organizing at All Star Sports at 4 pm  http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=39563046&postcount=1
> I'll be there!!
> Sun 2/27 Before race? Are we trying to meet up before we go to our corrals?  If so, where? I'm fuzzy on this one!
> I'd love to meet before we go to corrals.  Wherever works.  I'll pm you my cell to anyone interested, and have it with me.  But I'm so 90s, and don't text.
> 
> After race in the Family Reunion Tent T-Z.
> I figure I'll have the family meet me here too.  I'll tell them the W stands for weird.
> 
> Later Jellyrolls?  Don't know much about that one.  I won't be able to make it because I have ME at 5 am on Monday.No jellyrolls for me.  Mexico and margaritas.
> 
> I am so ready to be there!    Have a great day Princesses!


I am so ready too.  I'm heading to work early again, but getting tuesday off is a good possibility, so I'm psyched.  Although 4 days off before we leave, I may be committed by then.  Maybe I'll decorate all of michaels t-shirts.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I agree no one else really wants to hear about my trip anymore.  Even my mom who is going doesnt seem as excited.  I told her last night she was annoying me that she doesnt sound more excited and she said what do you want me to do scream and cheer over the phone as you talk about.  I replied with "YES"!!!!



She and your aunt will be so thrilled when you get there.  It's amazing how excited I get every time, and I'm ten times worse with the princess, and it's hard to keep it all in.  Thanks goodness we have the dis!!




mommyof2Pirates said:


> Thanks for summing it all up for us Lisa.  I seriously can not wait!!!!!






lisah0711 said:


> Why oh why do we have to work for a living?


Because none of you have sent me the number of your rich, single, disney loving male friends.  Come on ladies.  There must be one out there.



cclovesdis said:


> [Welcome to Day 1, Friday 2/18
> 
> [/SIZE="4"]1) Go for a brisk walk for about 10 minutes.
> 2) Drink more water than usual.
> 3) Compliment yourself.[/SIZE]
> 
> P.S. I am posting this here because there are a few reasons for a pamper week this week.
> 1.) Many schools have a week's vacation next week and some of us will be spending more time with children.
> 2.) I'm going to be honest, it would be hard for me to coach and tally HH points in the same week.
> 3.) To help you BL/WISH Princess 1/2 Marathon runners out in the only way I could think of-GOOD LUCK!


Thank you so much CC.  This is so awesome and thoughtful of you to think of us.  Miss you.

*Maria*- I thought I quoted you.  I'm guessing we'll still be at the expo at 10:40 friday, and hopefully we'll see you there.  It's my birthday, so I'll be doing some shopping.  Glad you survived your long day.  It's going to be a beautiful day today!!  Hope you can get out and enjoy some of it.  I'll be in work til 4 or 5ish, but then I hope to be officially on vacation!!

Michael just got up and came in my room and said "5 more days!"  He's my boy!!

Have a great day princesses!!


----------



## jenanderson

Morning Everyone!  I thought for sure that I would be spending time on here catching up last night.  I am away from home at a Technology Leadership Conference and hate being at a hotel by myself.  Turns out, I spent the evening talking to a lot of other great technology people until late last night.  So much for my nice quiet evening catching up on the DIS!  

I did eat too much yesterday but at least got up at 5 AM this morning to hit the fitness center.  Got my 6.0 mile run in and my workout that my trainer gave me (shhhhh....I skipped the planks but I am not going to tell him!  )

I will probably hop on and chat with you all this weekend before I leave on Tuesday!  It is so exciting to think that it is almost here.  It has been such a long journey and it is time for us all to celebrate with a beautiful run though the castle!

Have a great Friday everyone!
Jen


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

A week from today the Expo starts!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I tried this and can you believe the my network blocks the site.  I guess they now if I listen to this music at work I definitely would not be getting anything done.



I think that you should talk to the person who runs that place and complain!  (that's you, right? )



Rose&Mike said:


> My sister is definitely not coming. What a year!



Too bad about your sister, Rose.    You'll have more fun with Mike and less family drama!  



jbm02 said:


> Hi everyone.  I know I haven't been the chattiest of this thread (no duh, hunh?) but wanted to let all of you know how much of an inspiration you have all been to me.  I know I am struggling and listening to all of your successes is really pushing me to catch up with all of you.  I am freaking out ALOT right now.  My DH is ready to kill me (him: I thought this was supposed to be fun??!  That's why I encouraged you....)  Hopefully I will get my anxietty under control by next Sunday...
> Anyway, just wanted to let you know how much this thread has meant.



Jude! You're doing great!  Boot camps, top scores on PSTs, you are amazing!   

*Our little group here wouldn't be the same without each and every one of us!* 

I hate the days before we leave for vacation -- they are so stressful.  Take some deep breaths, you're going to have a wonderful time, you're going to do great!  

I bet you will cheer up when you see Chipper Jen! 



jennz said:


> Kathy your outfit is FABULOUS!!!!



 Howdy stranger!  Nice to see you! 



Rose&Mike said:


> We had a good run. The cold front came through earlier than they thought, so it was ONLY 63. And very windy. But my foot cooperated and it was so nice to be outside with Mike instead of running on the treadmills with headphones in. I think my foot is going to be ok. Sunday we are going to do an easy 6.



Glad that you had a good run in the sun today, Rose!   Sorry about the gluten that snuck its way into your system.    Take it easy on that foot.  



cclovesdis said:


> Welcome to Healthy Habits Pamper Week!
> 
> My name is CC (short for Christina) and I will be your Healthy Habits coach for BL 11. I love the BL challenges and Healthy Habits has helped me significantly in achieving many of my goals.
> 
> *Some Background Information: *Thanks to donac (Dona-hostess of Team Donald) and jenanderson for their amazing help so I know how to coach!  I couldn’t do this without seeing them in action previously.  I will be continuing the prizes that Jen started.
> 
> *Here’s How Healthy Habits Pamper Week Works:* Each day there will be three "Habits" for you to complete. You do not need to keep track of your points and there will not be a winner. This is simply for your enjoyment!
> 
> Welcome to Day 1, Friday 2/18
> 
> [/SIZE="4"]1) Go for a brisk walk for about 10 minutes.
> 2) Drink more water than usual.
> 3) Compliment yourself.[/SIZE]
> 
> P.S. I am posting this here because there are a few reasons for a pamper week this week.
> 1.) Many schools have a week's vacation next week and some of us will be spending more time with children.
> 2.) I'm going to be honest, it would be hard for me to coach and tally HH points in the same week.
> 3.) To help you BL/WISH Princess 1/2 Marathon runners out in the only way I could think of-GOOD LUCK!



Thank you, CC!    Pampering week is perfect for this week!    It was nice of you to think of us!  



mikamah said:


> Michael just got up and came in my room and said "5 more days!"  He's my boy!!



You're raising him right! 



jenanderson said:


> I will probably hop on and chat with you all this weekend before I leave on Tuesday!  It is so exciting to think that it is almost here.  It has been such a long journey and it is time for us all to celebrate with a beautiful run though the castle!



Enjoy your conference and  for getting up early and hitting that fitness center!  You are going to rock the Princess!  

I have a five mile run tomorrow and some packing to do this week-end.  I may work a bit over the week-end even though Monday is a holiday just to be sure that I am caught up.  That's one of the things about being self-employed -- you can take off as much as you want as long as you don't mind not being paid! 

I've had two great whoosh days so if I can lose one more little tiny pound before Wednesday I will be at 50 pounds lost before I leave for the Princess!  I know I can do it! 

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> I am so ready too.  I'm heading to work early again, but getting tuesday off is a good possibility, so I'm psyched.  Although 4 days off before we leave, I may be committed by then.  Maybe I'll decorate all of michaels t-shirts.



your cracking me up kathy.  I wish I new a rich handsome disney loving man for you.



jenanderson said:


> I will probably hop on and chat with you all this weekend before I leave on Tuesday!  It is so exciting to think that it is almost here.  It has been such a long journey and it is time for us all to celebrate with a beautiful run though the castle!
> 
> Have a great Friday everyone!
> Jen



this is so true Jen.  This will be a great big celebration of accomplishment for all of us.



lisah0711 said:


> I have a five mile run tomorrow and some packing to do this week-end.  I may work a bit over the week-end even though Monday is a holiday just to be sure that I am caught up.  That's one of the things about being self-employed -- you can take off as much as you want as long as you don't mind not being paid!
> 
> I've had two great whoosh days so if I can lose one more little tiny pound before Wednesday I will be at 50 pounds lost before I leave for the Princess!  I know I can do it!
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!



have fun with your run and packing.  thats what I will be doing to, along with a bunch of other things.  You can do it 1 more lb.  50----thats so awesome!!!!  

So Ryan is back to school today and so far everyone else is ok.  Nick is still very gretzy and grumpy.  He is all stuffed up but hopefully it wont turn into anything more.  It is suppose to be in the high 60's today.  I wore a casual dress with not stockings today and now I really am noticing how white/pale my legs are  I need some sun!!!

Ok now onto Friday's QOTD- What are your plans for next Friday 2/25/11?

Our plans include- Expo in the am, stopping back at the resort to drop off my purchases., touring the countries in epcot, dinner at cape may buffet (BC), epcot for illuminations and EMH- hopefully not too late though.  

Have a great day TGIF!!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

cclovesdis said:


> Welcome to Healthy Habits Pamper Week!
> 
> 3.) To help you BL/WISH Princess 1/2 Marathon runners out in the only way I could think of-GOOD LUCK!


Thanks CC! I hope you are doing well! We have not chatted in a while.



mikamah said:


> I am so ready too.  I'm heading to work early again, but getting tuesday off is a good possibility, so I'm psyched.  Although 4 days off before we leave, I may be committed by then.  Maybe I'll decorate all of michaels t-shirts.
> 
> Because none of you have sent me the number of your rich, single, disney loving male friends.  Come on ladies.  There must be one out there.
> 
> Michael just got up and came in my room and said "5 more days!"  He's my boy!!
> 
> Have a great day princesses!!


I hope you get Tuesday off! All the single ones I know are REALLY young! Which is not a bad thing, but it kind of kills the rich part! Unless you find one with a trust fund. I keep forgetting that we get to meet Michael too!

Jen--great job getting to the fitness center! It's sounds like you are enjoying the conference.



lisah0711 said:


> *Our little group here wouldn't be the same without each and every one of us!
> 
> I hate the days before we leave for vacation -- they are so stressful.  Take some deep breaths, you're going to have a wonderful time, you're going to do great!
> 
> I bet you will cheer up when you see Chipper Jen! *
> I have a five mile run tomorrow and some packing to do this week-end.  I may work a bit over the week-end even though Monday is a holiday just to be sure that I am caught up.  That's one of the things about being self-employed -- you can take off as much as you want as long as you don't mind not being paid!
> 
> I've had two great whoosh days so if I can lose one more little tiny pound before Wednesday I will be at 50 pounds lost before I leave for the Princess!  I know I can do it!
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!


ITA with the bolded parts! Very well said! We are going to have a crazy couple of days before we leave, too. We both work Monday and Tuesday. Monday I'm doing strength. Wednesday Mike works and then that night we are both helping out with an event for my work. Thursday we are both working half days. And our plane leaves at 4:30! Phew! I need to be organized this weekend.

I hope the 5 miles goes well and I hope that one teeny tiny pound goes away very soon!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> So Ryan is back to school today and so far everyone else is ok.  Nick is still very gretzy and grumpy.  He is all stuffed up but hopefully it wont turn into anything more.  It is suppose to be in the high 60's today.  I wore a casual dress with not stockings today and now I really am noticing how white/pale my legs are  I need some sun!!!
> 
> Ok now onto Friday's QOTD- What are your plans for next Friday 2/25/11?
> 
> Our plans include- Expo in the am, stopping back at the resort to drop off my purchases., touring the countries in epcot, dinner at cape may buffet (BC), epcot for illuminations and EMH- hopefully not too late though.
> 
> Have a great day TGIF!!!!


Lindsay--enjoy those warm temps. We're supposed to be back in the 50s tomorrow, but the 60s on Sunday. I'm glad everybody is back at school. Your PA dutch is sneaking out there. (I grew up in Hanover--did I ever tell you that??? So, yes I knew what lebanon bologna is.) Sounds like you have a great day planned for Epcot! 

I am feeling SOOOOO much better. My flat(ish) belly is back, so that's fabulous! I'm contemplating even getting rid of my baking sheets, because you can be cross-contaminated from that. I was very skeptical about this, but I am telling you all, Wednesday night within an hour of eating my stomach/intestines felt off, and by Thursday morning I felt just cruddy. So assuming it is the gluten, I really, really, really want to avoid it. We got an email from the corn meal company saying it is not processed in a dedicated facility and they do not test for gluten--which I take to mean they tried testing, but can't guarantee that they are within the legal limits. This same company makes a ton of gluten free products, so I'm sure if they thought they could label this g-f they would. Anyhow, the cornmeal is in the garbage. When we get back, I am going to do a test with the g-f flour and make sure something in that wasn't bothering me. I am getting a reputation at work for not eating anything, which makes me feel weird. But it's so nice to not be miserable and bloated.

Ok, got to pay the bills. I have already been to the dmv to renew the car registrations. I'll be back later to answer the qotd.

Maria--love the kitty picture.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Is that a bevy of lovely Princesses I see?! 

Good Morning!

*Rose* -- I keep saying I am going to learn to post photos on the DIS, and I promise after I get back from this race, I will do it. Until then, the only  way to see Chewie is send me an e-mail or phone number, and then I can show off my new baby. I am so glad you are feeling better in general and can really tell gluten seems to be the problem. Once you know what it is, you can avoid it! 

*Lisa* -- I know that pound, and it's goin' down! You absolutely can make it history, no problem. What a fantastic accomplishment, 49 lbs! I hope you are suitably proud of yourself, you are rockin' this out. 

*JenA* -- Bless you, we were on that TM at the same time! Isn't it a powerful feeling when you're all done before your day even starts?! I'm lovin' it!  I hope you are really enjoying your conference. Great time to rest, recharge, and be ready for all the fun of next week! 

*Kathy* -- My flight lands at 10:40, I know ME is good, put probably not that good!  I expect to make it to the Expo around noon-thirty or 1, but who knows?! You are crackin' me up, looking for something else to decorate! What a wonderful birthday you are going to have! And you are so close to vacation -- what did your co-workers think about your outfit? I bet they were all suitably impressed. You might start a trend! 

*jennz* -- Great to see you posting! 

*Jude* -- Just keep swimming, swimming swimming  You are going to do well and have a great time. This is a fun race, and I know you will find some, or it will find you! 

*CC* -- Thanks, we are feelin' the Love! 

*Lindsay* -- Your Epcot day sounds lovely! Be sure and go to the new Caramel shop in Germany. You can even be healthy by getting a caramel apple -- they will slice them for you -- and they look fantastic! I haven't had one yet, but I think this is the trip!  Is it bad that when I start to peel an orange I think of Soarin'? 

Friday's QOTD- What are your plans for next Friday 2/25/11?

Yea! Final travel day for me! I plan to get up and get to the airport by 6 for my 7:40 flight. I'm going to be stopping at the food stand to pick up 18 Rabbits granola bars. You can't get them locally, and I love them. They make a yummy breakfast, Cheeky Cherry Chocolate (my favorite!) is 6 WW pts, which I consider pretty decent for vacation breakfast (I add a banana, and stay full all morning). Then I'll settle into my flight, watching tv and reading. Love JetBlue! Once I land (hopefully at 10:40)Magic Express will whisk me to the All Star Sports, I'll check in and settle, probably grab a turkey sandwich for my lunch, then it's off to the Expo! No real plans here, just picking up my number and purchasing the merchandise I can't live without  That usually consists of a couple of tech shirts and a mug, if they have them. Then back to the hotel to rest and then hook up with *Corinna*. I think our plan is dinner at the California Grill, gotta confirm that....it's going to be an awesome day! Did I mention I will not be taking ds to the orthodontist since I'll be in the air at the time of his appointment? I'm sure dh will come to appreciate what an enriching and enlightening experience it is 

I ran 10M this morning, my last LR before the race. It feels so good to have that done! Now I can relax and enjoy my taper. I seem to be running about 2 minutes overall faster than in January, so we'll see if that bears out when I run the race, or I'm too busy enjoying the costumes and scenery! 

My eating plan today includes my normal breakfast, a turkey sandwich on Arnold thin and veggies for lunch, grapes and babybel for afternoon snack, and a WW deli pasta meal for dinner, followed by Popchips and the ever popular dark chocolate/raspberry ice cream treat. My real treat tonight, I'm way behind on the Tivo so I'm going to watch this week's Castle and Hawaii 5-0. Can you tell I'm no longer 25?! This is what happens when you fall asleep at 9pm 

DH is running 16M tomorrow, and then we're going to take ds shopping for clothes. I've already made it clear that dh is taking him while I shop for me.  I really don't need much, but I am hoping to find a new pair of dark wash jeans. Maybe in a smaller size... 

Everyone have a fabulous evening, and remember we are so close, we can almost see the Epcot ball! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good evening princesses!!  

I didn't get tuesday off, but am going to work just 8-1, so that is fine.  I still have a 3 day weekend off ahead of me.  The big scout banquet is while we're away, so I've been trying to get things organized for that, and turfing it over to the official leader.  Maybe she already had planned to organize things, but I doubt it.  We had our den meeting at my house last night, and her son was sick, and she never even called to tell me she wasn't coming.  We're supposed to have 2 adults at all times, so the two parents who dropped their kids off, I told them it would be a playdate, and we'd do scout stuff, since it was against scout rules to be alone with them.  THey're all kids I've had over for playdates anyway, but I don't want to break the scout rules.   I'm sort of glad we're missing the banquet, it's a crazy night, and michael is fine with missing it.  So I've sent this woman a couple emails with the things she need to do, and I'll send in the info for the boys to get their awards tomorrow, and then I'm done.  Til we come back and get ready for the pinewood derby!!  Whoo hoo!!  I think it would be easier to just be the one leader, rather than feel like I need to run everything by this woman who doesn't get back to me.  Sorry to vent.  Thanks for listening, and now back to our regularly scheduled disney princess half marathon obsession.

QOTD- Next friday, I'll be turning 47!!  I'll be meeting some lovely ladies at the expo at 10, picking up my packet, and michael and taylors packets for the 1 mile fun run.  They will probably come too, with my sil beth, aka my nanny.   I plan to do a little shopping, it is my b-day afterall, and want to buy a pink princess t-shirt, unless I really love the shirt that comes with the packet, and then I may treat myself to a piece of jewelry.  I've been eyeing the chamilia bracelets since they have disney charms, or some nice earrings, not necessarily from the expo though.  After we'll head to DHS, and are doing sci fi drivein for early dinner, and I told michael the only thing I want to do this week, other than the half, is to do the animation class on my b-day.  It's one of our favorite things to do.  Then hoping the weather permits an evening swim before we go to bed.

I did model my outfit for the gals at work, and they loved it.  One girl I work with only wears solid colored tops with white pants, and she always teases all of us about our loud prints, and colored socks, so she was shocked when she saw me and it was hilarious.  for her birthday last year, we all wore white pants and plain tops and we made nurses caps for us all to wear to honor her.  It was too funny.  

I think I've got my clothes all ready to go, and will do michael's over the weekend, and bring up the suitcases.  We'll pack some snacks to bring too, and I think I'll bring a nalgene water bottle so I will be sure and drink enough the days before the race.  

*Maria*- yay for your last 10 miler!!  I thought you'd posted you'd be at the expo at 1040.  I don't think I'll have enough money to be hanging around til 1230-1.  Bummer you'll miss ds's appt.  Have fun shopping tomorrow!!  

*Rose*- So glad you are feeling better today.  It's so tough such a small amount of gluten can do that to you, and you'll have to be diligent about it, but so good you're feeling better overall.  

*Lindsay*- Glad Ryan is better and able to go to school.  Hope your crazy week is over, and you have the weekend off to relax with your men before your much deserved "me" time. 

*Lisa*- So excited you had a whoosh and are at 49 pounds gone!   You will definitely get to 50 pounds by wednesday!! You have done amazing!!

My silly scale was up a pound today, so I didn't count it.   I'll try to get it to behave by sunday and use that for this weeks weighin.  I'm going to do 3 miles tomorrow and 5 sunday, and then 3 on tuesday.  After that, I figure my walking at disney will be enough to keep me in shape.  I'm sure I'll run for an occassional bus while there too.  

Sweet princess dreams.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Your PA dutch is sneaking out there. (I grew up in Hanover--did I ever tell you that??? So, yes I knew what lebanon bologna is.)



 I am actually half pa dutch.  My dad is 100% but luckily does not have as much of an accent as my grandparents.  My aunts husbands name was Vic and my pappy always called him wic.  That is too funny.  I dont know where hanover is.  Where else is that close too?  Im glad you can relate to my silly words.




Worfiedoodles said:


> DH is running 16M tomorrow, and then we're going to take ds shopping for clothes. I've already made it clear that dh is taking him while I shop for me.  I really don't need much, but I am hoping to find a new pair of dark wash jeans. Maybe in a smaller size...
> 
> Everyone have a fabulous evening, and remember we are so close, we can almost see the Epcot ball!
> 
> Maria



I hope you have a great day shopping today maria.  Great job getting in your last long run.  I know it is so close I can almost smell the oranges.



mikamah said:


> I didn't get tuesday off, but am going to work just 8-1, so that is fine.



aww sorry you have to work but 8-1 isnt too bad.  Plus it will make your day go faster.  That really stinks about the cub leader, she should be impeached!!!  Glad you are at least organizing it so the kids are not missing out.  That must be really frustrating.

Only a few more days.


We took the boys out to eat and to the mall last night for a late Valentines day treat.  We try to do this every year for vtines day.  Other than their bdays and xmas we really dont spoil them too much.

We ate at chili's which was not a great meal for me but I didnt over fill myself.  I stopped when I felt satisfied.  Then Nick made a build a bear and ryan got a phineus and ferb ds game.  They really enjoyed it.  

We have ryans bball game today and then we need to take him to register for tball.  I am going to try and get some away time to get to the store.  I would like to get another pair of capri's to take to disney.  I also need to grab some toiletry items.  I plan to do my packing today

now onto Saturday's QOTD.  What are your plans for next Saturday 2-26-11?  The day before the big race....will you take it easy?????

The answer for me is probably not.  Our plans start by getting to AK for rope drop at 9 riding KS, EE, and ITTBAG.  Then going to DHS spending time there and then getting to MK for the MSEP at 7.  Most likely we will leave after that.  No ADR's today so we will eat CS. So I am going to try to take it easy during all that.  Does anyone know if you can get free cups of water at the CS or snack areas?


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> So Ryan is back to school today and so far everyone else is ok.  Nick is still very gretzy and grumpy.  He is all stuffed up but hopefully it wont turn into anything more.  It is suppose to be in the high 60's today.  I wore a casual dress with not stockings today and now I really am noticing how white/pale my legs are  I need some sun!!!
> 
> Ok now onto Friday's QOTD- What are your plans for next Friday 2/25/11



Glad that Ryan is feeling better -- hope Nick gets over his grumpiness.  Thanks, Rose, for giving me a hint about what gretzy means!   Had not heard that one here in the Wild West!  

My plans for Friday are to meet up with the Expo folks at 10 am and do a little shopping.  After I drop my loot off at AKL I may go to MK or to Epcot before meeting up with Kathy and her family to celebrate Kathy's birthday with dinner at Sci-Fi.  I'm thinking about catching Illumintations that night, too, but having the Friendship Boats not running really puts a damper on my transportation plans! 



Rose&Mike said:


> I am feeling SOOOOO much better. My flat(ish) belly is back, so that's fabulous! I'm contemplating even getting rid of my baking sheets, because you can be cross-contaminated from that. I was very skeptical about this, but I am telling you all, Wednesday night within an hour of eating my stomach/intestines felt off, and by Thursday morning I felt just cruddy. So assuming it is the gluten, I really, really, really want to avoid it. We got an email from the corn meal company saying it is not processed in a dedicated facility and they do not test for gluten--which I take to mean they tried testing, but can't guarantee that they are within the legal limits. This same company makes a ton of gluten free products, so I'm sure if they thought they could label this g-f they would. Anyhow, the cornmeal is in the garbage. When we get back, I am going to do a test with the g-f flour and make sure something in that wasn't bothering me. I am getting a reputation at work for not eating anything, which makes me feel weird. But it's so nice to not be miserable and bloated.



Rose, glad that you are feeling better.  How frustrating that one little thing like that can mess up your whole syste.  You guys eat a lot of cool pizzas so I hope that you will find something that works for you.  Sometimes you have ignore "helpful" remarks at work that aren't so helpful,   



Worfiedoodles said:


> Everyone have a fabulous evening, and remember we are so close, we can almost see the Epcot ball!



Woo hoo for getting that last ten miler done!    Good luck with shopping!  



mikamah said:


> My silly scale was up a pound today, so I didn't count it.   I'll try to get it to behave by sunday and use that for this weeks weighin.  I'm going to do 3 miles tomorrow and 5 sunday, and then 3 on tuesday.  After that, I figure my walking at disney will be enough to keep me in shape.  I'm sure I'll run for an occassional bus while there too.



Bah!  You're scale is obviously being affected by the full moon or some other analmoly.  Ignore it and I'm sure that it will go back where it is supposed to.   

I'm going to do my 5 miles on the indoor track this morning and then switch to the 1/2 mile loop around my block.  It has hills so I figure it is good for that overpass.  With the walking track you don't get much incline but after a day or two on those hills my body quickly adapts.  

I succumbed to taper madness yesterday and signed up for a Jeff Galloway running school in Missoula MT in July.  It's a three hour class.  Don't know if I will run the Missoula Half the next day but it should be interesting.  I told DH it was for my birthday!    He did ask me twice yesterday if I was done buying what I needed!   I told him yes, except for the Expo.  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--Woohoo for 10 miles done! Have fun shopping today. I think it's fantastic that you are missing the orthodontist! I HATED taking Tom to the orthodontist. He was very cranky about the whole thing. And just throwing it out there--you all could blow off California Grill and join us at Narcoossee.... Though, I don't know why you would miss California Grill, I am good company, but not that good.

*Kathy*--don't you hate it when people volunteer for stuff (often also known as the inability to say no) and then do nothing! It sounds like you work at a really great place!

*Lindsay*--Hanover is southeastish of Gettysburg really near Maryland. We were 45 minutes from Baltimore, 30 minutes from York and an hour from Lancaster. You are going to be so busy on this trip that the race is going to feel like a break.

*Lisa*--very cool about the galloway group! Running/Fitness can be very expensive. I'm glad Mike spends as much as I do! No guilt.

AFM--I had a rough night emotionally last night. I am really trying not to be totally po'd about my sister bailing out. This is partly why I've stopped answering the QOTD. We have no plans. We didn't make any plans with anyone from the WISH boards because we were trying to accomodate our family. We wanted them to have a good trip. Honestly, we went to WDW three times last year, this trip was about the company. Not that we won't have a great time. I'm sorry to be complaining. This is what she told me...she has known about this trip for a couple of weeks but was hoping it would work out. And honestly, I was not that shocked. I don't know, I think I would have given the people I was traveling with a heads up that I might not be coming. The worst part is this all brings out my feelings of unworthiness--which I realize is ridiculous even as I type it. 

Ok, "wine" over. We went out for a drink last night and then came home and had a g-f Amy's bowl. The food stuff is dragging on me a little, too. I think if I had a definitive diagnosis it would be easier to live with and not feel so weird and like I'm trying something unnecessary. But we both read several things that have said that while the gold standard diagnosis is a biopsy, the reality is that if you feel better while not eating gluten then you shouldn't eat it. The tests just aren't that good--too many false negatives.

We are going shopping today and doing some cleaning and organizing. Also going to do a garden grocer order. 

And I keep meaning to mention this--I have an extra Princess Bondi Band--bought one for my sister--so if anyone is interested I am giving it away.

Have a fabulous Saturday!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lisa--Mike had to call DVC about something and asked again about the Friendship boats. (Something I read on Allears suggested they might be partially running). They are running everywhere EXCEPT Y&B. Assuming the person he talked to is correct, we should be able to take them to DHS and Epcot. I hope that's correct!


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> Lisa--Mike had to call DVC about something and asked again about the Friendship boats. (Something I read on Allears suggested they might be partially running). They are running everywhere EXCEPT Y&B. Assuming the person he talked to is correct, we should be able to take them to DHS and Epcot. I hope that's correct!



Oh, I hope that is correct!  I really love those boat rides -- they are so relaxing and a lot more fun than the buses.  Tell Mike thanks for checking!  Is he getting worried about having to hang out with a bunch of Princesses? 

Sorry about the sister thing.    It would have been nice for her to give you a heads up.  People who don't go to WDW that often don't really get the planning aspect of it.  I'm kind of finally learning that family members are pretty much always going to behave the way they always do.  So if you expect them to suddenly be different you will inevitably be disappointed.  I just tell my DH that we are going to do what we think is best and is best for our family and then we will never feel bad no matter what the outcome.  You and Mike will have a nice relaxing, fun time!    And just think -- no family drama!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lisa--He's good with it. He likes girls. I think the other thing with all this, is that after Mike's sister died, I just really wanted to see them. And then they all just kept backing out. And I could see them--if I went to PA. That's how it's always been. Oh well. It's ok. Life is good. And I am looking forward to meeting you all. And even more exciting Mike is getting two patent checks next week--which is all extra fun money for this trip! I'm not saving a penny of it (and I'm not saving it for lawschool tuition). And since I don't really eat anything anymore, that means lots of grown-up drinks and lots of fun stuff at the expo!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> Glad that Ryan is feeling better -- hope Nick gets over his grumpiness.  Thanks, Rose, for giving me a hint about what gretzy means!   Had not heard that one here in the Wild West!
> I succumbed to taper madness yesterday and signed up for a Jeff Galloway running school in Missoula MT in July.  It's a three hour class.  Don't know if I will run the Missoula Half the next day but it should be interesting.  I told DH it was for my birthday!    He did ask me twice yesterday if I was done buying what I needed!   I told him yes, except for the Expo.



I know who would of guessed that a simple thing like running would cost so much money.  I thought this would be a cheap thing to get into.  That class sounds awesome and a great bday present to yourself.



Rose&Mike said:


> And I keep meaning to mention this--I have an extra Princess Bondi Band--bought one for my sister--so if anyone is interested I am giving it away.
> 
> Have a fabulous Saturday!



Rose I actually had planned to order one but waited to long.  I would love to have that and I would be more than willing to pay you for it.  Do you want to bring it to the expo and we can exchange there?  

I know it is so disappointing for you with your sisters backing out but you cant control them and I would not say you are not worthy.....they just dont know what they are missing and I am not referring to the trip.  You are an awesome person and it is their own faults for backing out.  You made the effort and that is all you can do.  Unfortunatly Im sure that does not take the sad/disappointed feelings away but Im sure it happened for a reason.  I bet even without plans you and mike are going to have a blast.  





Rose&Mike said:


> And even more exciting Mike is getting two patent checks next week--which is all extra fun money for this trip! And since I don't really eat anything anymore, that means lots of grown-up drinks and lots of fun stuff at the expo!



Woohoo thats always fun.  You deserve to use every penny of it even if it is on adult drinks and running attire.


So plans changed once again for me.  I took ryan to bball and was excited to watch the last game since next week is his last and I wont be home.  Well mike coaches along with another parent and that parent was not there.  So I stepped in as coach for the day.  Ryan was funny about this.  we split the kids up into two teams and I had ryans group.  I would tell them to do something and he would say thats not how daddy does it.  Then he got a bit lippy and said I dont know what I am talking about.  I made him go sit out and he got all teared up.  This behavior was very unlike him.  Apparently it is just not cool for your mom to be the coach.  Its too bad because I know way more than my dh does about playing basketball.  

Anyway after bball I drove home and got ryan signed up for tball, than I took the boys to lunch at on the border.  I had fajitas and they were so yummy.  We also went to the xmas tree shop and got some 1$ travel items.  Now we are back home and the boys are napping.  I am waiting for dh to get home from working and then we are all going to get haircuts.  I think I am going to get 3-4 inches off.  So needless to say I didnt get any cleaning or packing done.  

Ok well I pretty much wrote a book!  I hope you all are enjoying our last weekend home before the big day!!!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--once I decide which one I am going to keep, I will see if I can find a link to the other one so you can see it. You don't have to pay me, and I will be happy to bring it to the expo. We didn't get too much productive done today either. I found a pair of jeans and we found a pair for Mike. He is hard to buy for--he's a 32x34. Not a real common size. We also bought t-shirts at the Disney store. I got the one with the shoe on it. But if you tell me when you are wearing it, I won't wear it on the same day. I loved, loved, loved it when you posted the picture. 

Did I tell you all that we have had a grocery cart in front of our house for a couple of days? We live a mile+ from the grocery store, and down a cul de sac, so I have no idea how it got here. Mike is taking it back. I called the store and they said they would come get it, but they haven't. I'm afraid a kid is going to get hurt on it and someone is going to sue us!

I also looked for a pair of cute walking shoes today. I found a pair--not teva, but another similar brand. Cute would be stretching it, but they look ok and they are really comfy with arch and heel support, so I might go back and get them. My heel is sore just from walking around, so I'm going to have to ice it tonight. We are running tomorrow, going to Target and doing some more cleaning up around here.

Have a great evening.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Lindsay--once I decide which one I am going to keep, I will see if I can find a link to the other one so you can see it. You don't have to pay me, and I will be happy to bring it to the expo. We didn't get too much productive done today either. I found a pair of jeans and we found a pair for Mike. He is hard to buy for--he's a 32x34. Not a real common size. We also bought t-shirts at the Disney store. I got the one with the shoe on it. But if you tell me when you are wearing it, I won't wear it on the same day. I loved, loved, loved it when you posted the picture.



Thats fine rose!  I was hoping to be able to buy one at the expo so when I saw your post I was excited.  Im so glad you got the disney shirt too.  It is so cute and definitely is my favorite.  I am planning on wearing it on race day when we go to MK.  Honestly it doesnt matter to me you can wear it whenever.  It is an awesome shirt and so fits the occasion.

I hope you have a good run tomorrow.  I am running doing my 5 tomorrow too.  It was way to windy here today.  It would have felt like running while pulling a sleigh on your back.  So hopefully the wind will die down by tomorrow.  It is so cold here again that I had to turn up the thermostat a bit.  I cant wait until next week to get some warmth in my body.

I got my haircut tonight.  I took 3 inches off the lenght and got layers put in.  I feel like it but some volume into my hair.  Ever since I began running and loosing weight my hair got really thin.  I think this cut has helped it.  The only thing is my ponytail now is much shorter.

Alright well its off to bed for me.  Talk to you princess' in the morning.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

its me again......

I told you i was obsessed with checking the weather right.  Well on weatherchannel.com I checked the 10 day forecast for walt disney world, FL it is now suppose to be in the low to mid 80's from now through next mon.  I am jumping for joy but also getting a bit concerned too.  I have been running in 20-30 degree weather with no humidity.  I hope I can stand the warmer air.  I am a bit nervous.

I was joking with my mom and I said oh my god I hope I dont die.  and her response was "yep that would be a waste of money".    gotta love her.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Good morning Princessy ladies!!!!!

1 week from today we will be running like princessess at this time.

Sunday's QOTD- What are your plans for the race?  taking the bus, cab, or driving?  Any race strategies? What will you do after to either recuperate and/or celebrate?


I am taking the bus.  Not sure what time I should plan to be at the bus stop.  I wanted to see what you all were planning.  My strategy is to do a 3:2 run/walk interval.  My plan says I should do 4:1 but that seems to drain me too much.  I also plan to stop and take some pics if I see characters I really like and they dont have a very long line.  I really want to make sure I take alot of pics so I will remember my experience....this may be the one and only time I get to do this.  After the race I am thinking I might get a short massage but I will play that by ear.  I am going to head back to the resort to shower and rest a bit....most likely grab something to eat as well.  Then its off to MK.  We have ADR at Ohana's for 510p.  We are then going back to MK after and will try to stay as late as we make it for EMH.  I will be wearing my medal proudly too.

I am going to take a trip to the mall this morning after the kids are done with sunday school.  I need to get a new pair of capri's and possibly a pair of shorts.  I need to come home and run and then we have a wedding to go to.  It is a girl that works for me.  She is getting married over an hour away.  It starts at 5pm.  Im sure the whole office is going to be a bit tired tomorrow morning.

Have a great sunday princessess.


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> I'm not saving a penny of it (and I'm not saving it for lawschool tuition). And since I don't really eat anything anymore, that means lots of grown-up drinks and lots of fun stuff at the expo!



Sounds yummy!  And I know that you feel like you can't eat anything now but I know that you will figure it out soon.    (People can borrow money for grad school, too. )



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I know who would of guessed that a simple thing like running would cost so much money.  I thought this would be a cheap thing to get into.  That class sounds awesome and a great bday present to yourself.



To be fair DH never complains about it.  I think it was related more to the fact that my car had to be towed Friday -- another $600 repair bill.    Thank goodness it didn't happen on Wednesday when I was trying to get out of here!  My car is 9 years old but it has less than 80,000 miles on it but pumps don't last forever.  

Lindsay, some day sooner than you think, neither you or Mike will know anything.  



Rose&Mike said:


> Did I tell you all that we have had a grocery cart in front of our house for a couple of days? We live a mile+ from the grocery store, and down a cul de sac, so I have no idea how it got here. Mike is taking it back. I called the store and they said they would come get it, but they haven't. I'm afraid a kid is going to get hurt on it and someone is going to sue us!
> 
> I also looked for a pair of cute walking shoes today. I found a pair--not teva, but another similar brand. Cute would be stretching it, but they look ok and they are really comfy with arch and heel support, so I might go back and get them. My heel is sore just from walking around, so I'm going to have to ice it tonight. We are running tomorrow, going to Target and doing some more cleaning up around here.
> 
> Have a great evening.



Weird about the grocery cart.  Your homeowner's insurance would defend you on something like that.  

Have you ever tried Merrell shoes?  I love my sandals that are like Tevas.  They have tons of support.

Good luck with your run today!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> its me again......
> 
> I told you i was obsessed with checking the weather right.  Well on weatherchannel.com I checked the 10 day forecast for walt disney world, FL it is now suppose to be in the low to mid 80's from now through next mon.  I am jumping for joy but also getting a bit concerned too.  I have been running in 20-30 degree weather with no humidity.  I hope I can stand the warmer air.  I am a bit nervous.
> 
> I was joking with my mom and I said oh my god I hope I dont die.  and her response was "yep that would be a waste of money".    gotta love her.



It will be cool when we get started and shouldn't be too horribly warm by the time we get done.  I think we'll be fine -- guess I may not need my throw away gloves!    I'm bringing everything "just in case!"

Too bad you don't have anything to do today!   Good luck with your run!  

Your office isn't closed for President's Day?  Our's is but I will go in for awhile anyway to get some stuff done.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Good morning Princessy ladies!!!!!
> 
> 1 week from today we will be running like princessess at this time.
> 
> Sunday's QOTD- What are your plans for the race?  taking the bus, cab, or driving?  Any race strategies? What will you do after to either recuperate and/or celebrate?



I'm glad that you asked this so our folks who have done races can chime in if this isn't going to work.  I'm going to get up so I can catch the bus at 3:30 am from AKL.  Check my stuff in, use the porta potties and meet up if we can.  

I would like to get pictures as I go but if I'm too close to the sweepers I will just keep going.  

My big goal is to finish -- whatever else happens is gravy.

After the race I will meet up in T-Z tent -- hopefully everyone can stop there as I think they do a picture -- Corinna, is that right?    

The meet up with Kathy in Mexico for margaritas.    And then get myself ready to catch the ME at 5 am on Monday.  That's a 10 hour trip to get home.  

I told DS that I would probably be home in time to pick him up from school and offered to pick him up in my tiara and medal!   He couldn't say "no" fast enough!  

I did my five miles yesterday.  It was nice not to be totally exhausted after a long run!    My hip is calming down and I think I can just cruise here to the race.  I'm really at the "what the heck was I thinking?!?" stage of my taper but I just take lots of deep breaths and think of how fun it will be to meet all of you!  

I haven't checked the Princess thread today yet but yesterday everyone was pretty much in freak out mode over there -- I finally had to stop reading, it was scaring me.  I don't need any help in that department! 

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princesses!!   I can't believe I didn't post here yesterday.   That's so unlike me.  

So I'll have to catch up on the qotd.  
Saturday we'll sleep in and head to wwos after bkfst for Michael and Taylor to do the kids 1 mile mickey race.  It starts at 11, so we'll probably get there early so we can find the race start.  Maybe we'll see where the race is at the expo friday so the kids will know where they'll be running.  After the race we'll do whatever the kids want, any park or dtd, but Michael and I will definitely go back to assp for the dis meet at 4, and Beth and Taylor may be with us too, and then we'll eat at the food court, sounds like it will be good swimming weather so the kids will swim while I'll pine away for a frozen alcoholic beverage.  I don't drink that often, usually just on vacation, so I definitely don't want to drink the day before the race.  May have just one on my b-day, but we'll see.  

Oh my, sunday, I asked Lisa to call me just to make sure I got up when I heard the alarm /wake up call.  I think I'll shower the night before, and  be ready to go.  I'm packing some packets of peanut butter, and thought I'd pick up a banana and bagel the night before to have breakfast on before the race, either on the way or while waiting, and will bring a bottle of water.   I'll take the bus to the race start.  I think I will start the race with a 3-5 min warm up walk.  I definitely tend to get caught up in the crowd and go faster than I should in any race I've done so far, so that will hopefully prevent that from happening.  Then I'll probably stick with 2/1 run/walk.  That's what i've done for my last 2 long runs, and I'm around a 14 min mile early, and slow to closer to 16 by the end.  Hoping that will give me the buffer for portapotty lines and if it goes well perhaps even a character photo or two.   That on the assumption Lisa and I are in different corrals.  If we're together, I hope to stay with her, and I think we'd start with 2/1 anyway.  
After the race, stop in the t-z tent, visit the fam for a bit, then go back, shower and be back to epcot for a 3:40 mexico lunch and margarita.  Beth and the kids will be at the finish line and will do epcot after they see me.

After dinner, I'll do whatever the kids want to do, which will depend on what they've done before.  If they want to do some kimpossible missions which they've enjoyed before, I'd be thrilled to meander about WS with another margarita.  I'll be doing some catch up on the drinking.

*Lisa*- Congrats on signing up for the Galloway class.  I'd love to do something like that some day.  And look at you thinking about a third half marathon this year.  You are amazing!!  Too funny dh's comment on spending.  He has no idea what damage you could do at the expo, does he?  
That's another postivie to not having a man who looks at my CC bill.

*Rose*- I'm so sorry your sister isn't coming and you were feeling so badly about it.  It is definitely about her, and maybe she was feeling badly too, and was having a hard time telling you.  You so such an amazing woman, and I am so happy you have Mike who seems to really appreciate you and support you.  So excited to meet you soon.  When you talked about always being the one to to to PA to see your family, it reminded me of my brother.  There's 5 of us, and 4 of us live within 5 mile of where we grew up, and my other brother is 2 hours away, and he always came here to see my mom, and I have always gone to see him a few times a year since our kids are the same age, but after my mom died, I felt like my other siblings should reach out and go there more.  My other brother was going to six flags once which is 15 min from this brother and he wasn't going to call him or stop by, and it made me so mad, and I did say something to him and he did call, but it caused me a lot of anxiety, and I finally came to the conclusion that I needed to take care of just me and my relationships with each individual sibling and not worry about their relationships.  It was hard because my mom brought us all together, and it's different now, but it's all ok.  
Well after I wrote it all down, it doesn't really have anything to do with your situation, except that i don't think it's fair that you're the one who has to do the travelling, but maybe more families are like that, the ones that move away are the ones that seem to come back to where you grew up.  I don't know.  So I'll stop talking now, and just give you a hug and hope that you are feeling better today. 

Maybe this is part of the taper madness.  I feel like I could cry now.  Ooh, there I go.  Ah memories. 
Luckily, I took a trip to ac moore and picked up some t-shirts and michael and I are going to decorate them for him, Beth and Taylor.  They're in the dryer now.  We also need to paint his car for the derby since the final workshop/checkin is the wed after we come home.  

*Lindsay*-OMG, we ate at chilis friday night too.  I did order the steamed vegies with my chicken wrap and only ate half of the wrap so I could have the molten chocolat lava cake as our traditional dessert.  And I ate half of it, so I'm sure you were better than that.  It was to celebrate that Michael's on vacation.  We'll probably go out tuesday after work to celebrate that I'm on vacation too. 
You have a busy day, good luck shopping, have fun at the wedding and YAY on your 5 miles. I'm going to wait til it warms up a bit to go out and do my 5 today.  I think we're going to be fine in the heat.  Remember last summer we were training in the 90 degree heat and it should be 50-60s at the highest when we start.  ( I  hope)
Nice work coaching for ds's team.  It is so hard to coach your own kid.  I've watched the kids of michael's baseball coaches the past 4 years, and they always seem to act up.  The last 2 years he's had the same coach who isn't going to coach again because he can't take his own kid, and his kid really isn't that bad, but just acts the way any kid acts with his own parent.  It's too bad.   
Thanks for doing the qotd.  I love reading everyone plans and am getting so excited.  

Hello *Corinna, Maria, Jen and Jude!!* Jude must be at the beach by now. Ah how wonderful.  

I guess I'll get up and make some breakfast now, and get out and get that run over with.  It doesn't sound as windy now as earlier, so I hope it's not to painfully cold.  

Have a nice sunday princesses, and just think of where we'll be next sunday!!!


----------



## mikamah

Guess I'm following you today Lisa.   Bummer on the car bill, but you're right, these things will go.   Love how you always have a positive attitude. 

No freak outs necessary.  You have done the training, and you will be just fine!!!!   You are not going to be anywhere near those sweepers either, lady.  

We all have done what we need to do and next weekend, we will be sporting those medals around our necks!!!! 

(you can't tell I'm faking it and really freaking out, can you?)


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> Guess I'm following you today Lisa.   Bummer on the car bill, but you're right, these things will go.   Love how you always have a positive attitude.
> 
> No freak outs necessary.  You have done the training, and you will be just fine!!!!   You are not going to be anywhere near those sweepers either, lady.
> 
> We all have done what we need to do and next weekend, we will be sporting those medals around our necks!!!!
> 
> (you can't tell I'm faking it and really freaking out, can you?)



You'll be fine!  We'll all be fine!   Right now we'll be running up the cloverleaf and we are floating like little fairies!   Our feet are hardly touching the ground -- it's like magic!  I can see Spaceship Earth in the distance.    And there he is -- your rich, handsome, single Disney-lovin' guy holding a sign that says "Kathy! Where have you been all my life?"   Won't that be fun?


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> You'll be fine!  We'll all be fine!   Right now we'll be running up the cloverleaf and we are floating like little fairies!   Our feet are hardly touching the ground -- it's like magic!  I can see Spaceship Earth in the distance.    And there he is -- your rich, handsome, single Disney-lovin' guy holding a sign that says "Kathy! Where have you been all my life?"   Won't that be fun?


 But wait is he wearing a tutu and a tiara?  I want to get the image right in my mind!!


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> But wait is he wearing a tutu and a tiara?  I want to get the image right in my mind!!



Well, of course you will be wearing a tiara and a tutu.    I'm thinking that if you want him to wear them then maybe you'd better hold off on that until you are alone together!


----------



## jenanderson

Good Morning Princesses!  Ahhh...it is Sunday.  I should be running my last long run but instead, I am sitting around enjoying my morning.  My mom and her boyfriend are suppose to be coming for brunch today so I got up early to get a few things prepared.  Honestly though, they might not come because apparently we are suppose to get over a foot of snow today (is it time to leave for FL yet???).    DH and I will be doing an easy work out later today and then will run 10 tomorrow.  

Yesterday was spent doing tons of things to get ready for the trip and I am SO EXCITED to be leaving in TWO days!    We went shopping for electronic things yesterday to help with the long drive.  We wanted a iPod tuner (so we can play our iPod through our radio), a power adapter (so you can plug the adapter into the lighter outlet and then plug a regular power cord into the adapter) and I bought a mobile wifi device because I have to be able to check my e-mail while on vacation.  My work said they would pay me while I was gone if I would check in each day.  

I also worked on Jude's t-shirt.  After seeing my black one, she wanted one as well.  Here is what hers says:

This princess....
gets up for 5:00 AM boot camp classes
motivates others
trains like a warrior
survived mortar attacks while serving at FOB Danger Iraq
never gives up
will conquer 13.1

*Sunday's QOTD- What are your plans for the race? taking the bus, cab, or driving? Any race strategies? What will you do after to either recuperate and/or celebrate?*  We will be driving our van to the race.  I think we plan on leaving the Pop by 4:00 AM.  When there, we will use the bathrooms and then head to the start.  Our race strategy is this....to have as much fun as possible, take as many photos as we can and finish the race.  Seriously, this race is about many things and not one of those things have anything to do with my race time.  After the race, we will drink some Muscle Milk, shower and get ready to hit the parks! We have dinner reservations at Ohana and plan on getting to see Fantasmic.

*Lisa, Kathy and anyone else who might consider freaking out - *Totally no freaking out allowed!  We have all accomplished so much this past year, we have all trained hard and we will all be crossing that finish line!  

*Rose - *Sorry your sister did not give you warning about the trip and then canceled on you.    You and Mike will have an incredible trip and I hope we will get a chance to meet you guys.  I love that Mike has some extra money for you to spend this trip....have some extra celebration drinks when you are done!  I know that I am going to make a HUGE splurge this trip and on Sunday night I am going to have one of those HUGE drinks at Ohanas.  We never pay for drinks at Disney and this trip will be the end of that!  

*Lindsay - *We will probably see your group at Ohana on Sunday night!  We will be there for dinner at 5:30 and you bet we will all be wearing our medals!  Thanks for the great weather update!  I spoke with Jude yesterday (she was in South Carolina) and she said it was beautiful.  I will chat with her today and here how Daytona Beach is.  Your new hair cut sounds really cute.  I really want to have mine cut but am worried that I wouldn't be able to get it all up for running.

*Lisa - *Thanks for sending all the info for the meets.  Jude and I will be meeting up with you all for at least a bit.  I was sorry to read that you had a big car bill....that is never any fun.  I TOTALLY think that you should be picking up your DS wearing your medal and tiara!  

*Kathy - *Good Luck with your run today!  It sounds like you are so ready for this race both physically and mentally!   

Alright, I should sign off for a little bit.  Plans for the day include brunch, finish gluing rhinestone studs on the 2nd tutu and finishing both t-shirts, laundry and packing, a quick workout, doing some work for my job and checking in here.  While I am not freaking out...I have a high level of anxiety today.  Still so much to get done, almost time to leave, huge storm rolling in (please don't let the storm impact our drive) and a general feeling of "I have to eat everything in the house" going on.  

Have a great day everyone!
Jen


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> Well, of course you will be wearing a tiara and a tutu.    I'm thinking that if you want him to wear them then maybe you'd better hold off on that until you are alone together!


Oooooh, good plan.  I'll have to rest up from the race for a bit before then too.


----------



## jenanderson

lisah0711 said:


> Well, of course you will be wearing a tiara and a tutu.    I'm thinking that if you want him to wear them then maybe you'd better hold off on that until you are alone together!



You guys are too funny!  LOVE IT!


----------



## lisah0711

jenanderson said:


> Alright, I should sign off for a little bit.  Plans for the day include brunch, finish gluing rhinestone studs on the 2nd tutu and finishing both t-shirts, laundry and packing, a quick workout, doing some work for my job and checking in here.  While I am not freaking out...I have a high level of anxiety today.  Still so much to get done, almost time to leave, huge storm rolling in (please don't let the storm impact our drive) and a general feeling of "I have to eat everything in the house" going on.



No freaking out for you either, Jen!   You know when ChipperJen starts freaking out that things really are bad.    It is so stressful getting out the door on vacation.  Jude had that same problem earlier this week.  Hope that she is hanging out on the beach chillin' now.  

I love Jude's shirt!   You are so creative!

Can't wait to see you all soon at WDW!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> Your office isn't closed for President's Day?  Our's is but I will go in for awhile anyway to get some stuff done.



No we only close for the majors like xmas, thanksgiving, memorial day, labor day, and 4th of july.  Otherwise we are there to serve our community!  Ryan has to go to school tomorrow too.  It was one of the days they took away from them due to excessive snow days.  He is a bit upset because originally the boys were going to have a sleepover at my parents house.  

I am internally trying not to freak out either.  Like kathy I am trying hard to fake that I have no worries.  I know we all will do fine!!!!!!
I have to say how nice its been to have this thread with no one freaking out.  You all are so supportive.  Thanks for starting this up lisa.



mikamah said:


> Maybe this is part of the taper madness.  I feel like I could cry now.  Ooh, there I go.  Ah memories.
> Luckily, I took a trip to ac moore and picked up some t-shirts and michael and I are going to decorate them for him, Beth and Taylor.  They're in the dryer now.  We also need to paint his car for the derby since the final workshop/checkin is the wed after we come home.



sorry for the tears Kathy.  I hope you enjoy making more shirts...you are really on a roll.  Have a fun day.



mikamah said:


> We all have done what we need to do and next weekend, we will be sporting those medals around our necks!!!!



Cant wait!!!!!!



lisah0711 said:


> And there he is -- your rich, handsome, single Disney-lovin' guy holding a sign that says "Kathy! Where have you been all my life?"   Won't that be fun?



you girls seriously had me hysterical.  too funny.



jenanderson said:


> *Lindsay - *We will probably see your group at Ohana on Sunday night!  We will be there for dinner at 5:30 and you bet we will all be wearing our medals!  Thanks for the great weather update!  I spoke with Jude yesterday (she was in South Carolina) and she said it was beautiful.  I will chat with her today and here how Daytona Beach is.  Your new hair cut sounds really cute.  I really want to have mine cut but am worried that I wouldn't be able to get it all up for running.



that would be awesome Jen.  Make sure to say hi if I dont see you first.  I bet jude is in her glory right now.  Her shirt sounds amazing.  I never did get crafty with mine.  I hope you get all your stuff done and get out of town safely uhhh snow!!!!!  

Ok I am feeling a bit horrible right now.  I got a bit too into shopping and ended up getting home later than I wanted to.  I also got a call from some of my employees and they wanted to meet at the office to carpool to the wedding so we need to leave sooner than I had planned.  So I am not getting my run in today.  Now I am freaking out.  Not sure how I will run this week but I am thinking I should just get over my fears and run even if its dark out.  I know for sure I will run on thursday so maybe I should just do 5 then instead of 3.  IDK I feel like I fell off my plan and its so close to the race.  I hope I didnt screw myself up.  

Apparently I am not doing a good job of faking it Kathy.

On the brighter note I did buy myself a new outfit to wear to the wedding so I am a bit excited for that.

I better get going so I can get myself ready.

Have a great night!!!!!


----------



## mikamah

jenanderson said:


> I know that I am going to make a HUGE splurge this trip and on Sunday night I am going to have one of those HUGE drinks at Ohanas.  We never pay for drinks at Disney and this trip will be the end of that!
> 
> While I am not freaking out...I have a high level of anxiety today.  Still so much to get done, almost time to leave, huge storm rolling in (please don't let the storm impact our drive) and a general feeling of "I have to eat everything in the house" going on.


Take a deep breath, relax, and think about that nice, huge drink at Ohana's!!!!  I hope you're day yesterday and today goes smoothly, and the storm is gone and cleaned up so you can start your trip tomorrow without any stress.  Tomorrow!!!  Whoo hoo!!!  Just one more day!!!!!!  Your kids must be getting so excited too!!!!  Have a save trip, and we'll see ya there!!!!   Love Jude's shirt too.  So creative.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ok I am feeling a bit horrible right now.  I got a bit too into shopping and ended up getting home later than I wanted to.  I also got a call from some of my employees and they wanted to meet at the office to carpool to the wedding so we need to leave sooner than I had planned.  So I am not getting my run in today.  Now I am freaking out.  Not sure how I will run this week but I am thinking I should just get over my fears and run even if its dark out.  I know for sure I will run on thursday so maybe I should just do 5 then instead of 3.  IDK I feel like I fell off my plan and its so close to the race.  I hope I didnt screw myself up.
> 
> Apparently I am not doing a good job of faking it Kathy.


No freaking out allowed.  You have put the time and hours into the training, and missing one little 5 mile run is not going to affect your awesomeness at the princess.  I think you could do 3 or 5 on thursday and either way you will be fine.  I think I'd just to the 3 since you will be on your feet casually touring the parks for the 2 days before the race.  And besides, you were probably a dancing fool last night in your new dress so you can count that at cross training too.  You will be fine even if you can't run again this week.  No worries!!

No freaking out here, I'm calm and cool as a cucumber.  We went to a friends for dinner last night, and I brought and made the roasted vegies, and baked some congo bars to bring.  I did paint a few more t-shirts last night for the family.  They came out cute.  I think t-shirt painting is stress relieving.  No big plans for today but will officially pack.  My clothes are in a laundry basket, and I do need to pick up a few more things to bring, and go to the running store to buy more gu.  I did get my 5 in yesterday but it was cold and windy, so I'm glad that's over.  I'll do 3 tomorrow, either early before work in the house or after work down behind the school.   

Hope all you princesses enjoyed your weekends.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning!

Jen and Corinna--I hope the snow is not too bad for you all.

For me I think some of the freaking out before a race comes because of less mileage=less stress relief from exercise. That anxiety then really keeps me going during a race, but you have to be careful not to go out to fast. This time I am not really stressed about the race, but more about the ability to walk. 

We ran 6 miles at a good pace--under an hour. My heel was sore--I could feel it, but no pain. Today it is very, very sore. So more ice today. I bought some teva's--they are like little slippers with arch and heel support. Not the most attractive shoes, but not really optional at this point. When we get back I might have to break down and go see someone about the foot. I don't want to go before the race, because I don't want anyone to tell me not to run--probably not the healthiest attitude, I know. 

Anyhow, it was a great run, yesterday. Cardio wise, I feel like I will be fine for the race, but I will definitely be the one at the reunion tent with ice on her foot.

Before everyone starts traveling, I just wanted to tell you all how proud I am of everyone. I hope you all have fabulous races. Who needs sisters, I will get to see my friends.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> And besides, you were probably a dancing fool last night in your new dress so you can count that at cross training too.



Actually I did dance a bunch.  It felt good because since I had put on weight post kids I have become more shy and would not dance at weddings unless I knew everyone.  Well last night I felt confident and gorgeous in my new outfit and new haircut.  I seriously was burning up the dance floor.

Thanks for the support!  Im glad you had a great day yesterday.  Have fun with the packing today.



Rose&Mike said:


> Anyhow, it was a great run, yesterday. Cardio wise, I feel like I will be fine for the race, but I will definitely be the one at the reunion tent with ice on her foot.



Glad you had a great run.  Sorry the foot is still sore.  You have been so great rose!  Thanks for being there for us and for sharing your racing/running experiences.  I am so proud of you too.  I always felt sad that I am an only child and dont have a sister but I agree....who needs them....we have made some great friends!  Cant wait to meet you.

Ok so things are just not going as planned but it doesnt surprise me because that is just the way life it right?  Nick is coughing worse and now is running a fever.  Luckily my parents are off today for the holiday so my dh is taking nick there.  He is coming into the dr at the end of today to get checked.  I have so much stuff to do at the office and I am still not packed.  I need to get a few more things to.  Top it off with 3 inches of snow this morning.  Ryan had a 2hr delay but luckily childcare opened at 7 so it didnt affect our morning schedule.  

I am thinking I will just pick up where I left off with my runs.  40 min tomorrow and 30 min thursday.  Im sure it will be fine.  I am now done freaking out about the race.  I moved onto freaking out about leaving with a mess everywhere.

QOTD- What are your plans for Monday 2/28/11?  Are you heading home?

I unfortunately will be heading home this day.  Our flight leaves at 250p and gets home at 510p.  Ryans parent teacher conference is scheduled at 8pm that night. Hopefully we dont have any delays.  We dont have plans for the morning except to sleep in and get out of our room in time for check out.  We probably will just hang at the resort and have breakfast/lunch there.

Have a great day ladies.  Jen if I dont talk to you before have a safe drive.  I hope you dont have trouble with the weather. 

Does anyone know when Corinna leaves?


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses! 

*We're going to Disneyworld!*  

Whew!  Had to get that out of my system.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I am internally trying not to freak out either.  Like kathy I am trying hard to fake that I have no worries.  I know we all will do fine!!!!!!



 We will all be fine and have a fabulous time! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I have to say how nice its been to have this thread with no one freaking out.  You all are so supportive.  Thanks for starting this up lisa.



If we didn't have our own thread we would have driven all the BL folks crazy or away by now!  

Lindsay, I've never done this before so take what I say with a grain of salt, but if you can get 5 miles in today or tomorrow, then go for it.  But if you have to wait until later in the week, on top of park commando time right before the race, then I would settle for 3.  But that is just me.  You've done the miles, you've done the time.  As Coach Charles would say "the hay is in the barn!" 



mikamah said:


> No freaking out here, I'm calm and cool as a cucumber.  We went to a friends for dinner last night, and I brought and made the roasted vegies, and baked some congo bars to bring.  I did paint a few more t-shirts last night for the family.  They came out cute.  I think t-shirt painting is stress relieving.  No big plans for today but will officially pack.  My clothes are in a laundry basket, and I do need to pick up a few more things to bring, and go to the running store to buy more gu.  I did get my 5 in yesterday but it was cold and windy, so I'm glad that's over.  I'll do 3 tomorrow, either early before work in the house or after work down behind the school.



Can't wait to see you all in your cute shirts!   (Don't worry -- I'll say handsome to Michael!)



Rose&Mike said:


> For me I think some of the freaking out before a race comes because of less mileage=less stress relief from exercise. That anxiety then really keeps me going during a race, but you have to be careful not to go out to fast. This time I am not really stressed about the race, but more about the ability to walk.
> 
> We ran 6 miles at a good pace--under an hour. My heel was sore--I could feel it, but no pain. Today it is very, very sore. So more ice today. I bought some teva's--they are like little slippers with arch and heel support. Not the most attractive shoes, but not really optional at this point. When we get back I might have to break down and go see someone about the foot. I don't want to go before the race, because I don't want anyone to tell me not to run--probably not the healthiest attitude, I know.
> 
> Anyhow, it was a great run, yesterday. Cardio wise, I feel like I will be fine for the race, but I will definitely be the one at the reunion tent with ice on her foot.
> 
> Before everyone starts traveling, I just wanted to tell you all how proud I am of everyone. I hope you all have fabulous races. Who needs sisters, I will get to see my friends.



Glad that you had a good run, Rose!  You are ready to rock the Princess!  

Sorry about the foot, though.    I started wearing my Merrell flip flops even around the house and my feet and hips feel a lot better.  Maybe that would help you, too?  Sounds like it is getting better.  Who cares about fashion? You have a race to run!  

*Jude,* that was a heck of a race your guys got to see yesterday!  

*Corinna* and *Jen* hope the snow isn't too bad.  

*Maria,* don't forget to pack a picture of Chewie! 

I'm packed and working on my backpack now.  I'll wear my running shoes.  Still debating whether I will bring the computer or the portable DVD player.  I'm getting to the there is too much time to overthink this stage.  Should I bring an extra suitcase in case I have a lot of stuff?  Do I really need all those clothes?  What movie should I bring?  Do I have a good book to read?  Decisions, decisions . . .  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I am thinking I will just pick up where I left off with my runs.  40 min tomorrow and 30 min thursday.  Im sure it will be fine.  I am now done freaking out about the race.  I moved onto freaking out about leaving with a mess everywhere.
> 
> QOTD- What are your plans for Monday 2/28/11?  Are you heading home?



I bet you were one hot momma burning up the dance floor last night, Lindsay!   

Good idea with your runs -- I really can feel a difference in my body since I started tapering.  A lot fewer aches and pains!  

Next Monday I have to catch the ME at 5 am for my 8 am flight.  I fly to Las Vegas and have a layover for a couple of hours before landing in Spokane at 2:40 pm.  Sadly, I will not be able to pick up my DS in my tiara and medal -- he will be so disappointed -- NOT!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning Pre-Race Princesses! 

*Lisa* -- You are spot on with your advice for *Lindsay*. I was going to plead with her to please, please, please not do 5M later in the week. This is taper madness, you have to be confident and let your training work!  I am so impressed you are already packed! I have a packing list, but I haven't even made it to the attic to my bin of summer clothes to see what might need to come with. You are organized and ready! 

*Lindsay* -- I'm at work today, too, at least for part of the day. Our Admin offices are closed (it's just me!), but we can work if we want to. I decided it was a good idea since I'm about to burn four vacation days...but in a good way!  Please listen to *Lisa* and let your last run be no more than 3M. I really think you will be glad you did, especially since you are going to be so active at WDW before the race. 

*Rose* -- I came to work in snow this morning...but we're only getting 2-4, so not bad at all. I'm so glad you had a great run! It's wonderful when it all comes together, especially right before a race. You have been such a great cheerleader for this group, I'm so happy you are here! 

*Kathy* -- How's the first day of Feb. vacation treating you?  My ds was actually unhappy to see the snow, he says he's seen enough of it. Not that I really blame him...I bet all your t-shirts are going to be so cute, I can't wait to see them! 

*JenA* -- Love *Jude's* shirt, it is perfect! I should have done 3M yesterday, but it just didn't happen. We drove the Boston Marathon route yesterday afternoon (my dh is running in April), and I couldn't get over how long, and hilly/curvy it is. Flat Disney races are just right for me!  I don't quite think I'll float up the overpass like *Kathy and Lisa* (I've been known to call it "Nemesis"), but I do know to stay to the outside because it's less intense and at that point in the race, I'm going for ease! 

*Corinna* -- I'm starting to think a Welsh Dragon after the race should be a tradition for me, too... 

Ok, guess I should try to catch up, you guys had a busy weekend! 

Saturday QOTD: -- Saturday morning I'm going to get up (not sure if I'll scream team for the 5K or not, maybe...), then tentatively go to DTD. Those of you who have been on the BL thread any length of time know what I do there...but just to refresh (and to anticipate!), I will go to the Christmas Store to see if there is a new Belle ornament I need (doubtful since I was just there in Jan., but you never know...), then stop into Once Upon a Toy (I'm looking for a Chewbacca/Disney Character, not sure who is "Chewie" in that series) -- for example, we have Mickey as Luke Skywalker. Then I'll hit Tren-D, I can usually find something "girly" I need  Then on to the World of Disney Store, where I'm looking for a snow globe for ds's collection. I plan to have lunch at Fresh A-Peel, their allears online menu looks pretty good. Then I'll stop in at Goofy's Candy Company to pick up a carrot cake cookie (this will be my post-race treat, along with chocolate milk). I'll head back to the resort to rest a little, maybe roam around and check out the big icons. If it's warm I could even have a little dip!  

Then I'll head over to the WISH Meet at 4, where I will enjoy meeting everyone! After the pasta special for dinner, I think we're going to the Dolphin for a soft serve cone, then back to the resort for an early bedtime. I will shower, set the alarm, set the wakeup call, and put all my clothes out the night before, including setting up my ifitness pouch, etc. Then some quick reading, and I will call it a night. I don't expect to sleep much, but time will tell...

Sunday QOTD: -- It's Princess Half Marathon Day!  Today I will wake up at 3, and put on all the goodies I laid out the night before. I will have an 18 Rabbits Granola Bar and banana for breakfast, and drink a diet soda for the caffeine. Then I will head out to make sure I catch a bus (after putting the "do not disturb" sign on my door), hopefully not the last one at 4. I will walk to the area by the port-a-potties, not planning to check a bag at this point, but I may change my mind?  I hope to meet up with some WISHers and Princess Pals, and hang before heading to my corral. I expect to enjoy all the costumes and awesome attire! I will try to get as far up front in the corral as I can, and then enjoy the entertainment on the screen (I'll be too far back to see it up close and personal  ), hopefully I'll have a buddy or two to chat with. Then as my corral moves up towards the start, I'll get my clif bloks ready. I like to eat 2 a few minutes before we take off. Then at my start, off I go! I won't bore you with my race strategy, but I will say that after missing the 15K time check in Jan., I will be stomping every time I see one of the time mats! Post-race I will get my medal and goodies (yes, I am also bringing a bag to put everything in, a good strategy if I'm going to be on the massage table), eat an orange right away (I've almost passed out before, so this is my preventative medicine), and then get in line for a massage. Post-massage I will join everyone at the "W" reunion tent. After the last WISHer comes in, I will get on the bus, and go back to my resort. I plan to then enjoy my chocolate milk and carrot cake cookie, and rest. Later I will go to Epcot and eat as appropriate, then I plan to go to JellyRolls with the group. It's going to be an awesome day! 

Monday QOTD: -- No travel for me today, unless you count the bus to the MK! I plan to spend all day and evening at the MK, taking in rides, shows, and whatever takes my fancy. I haven't been to MK since Haunted Mansion, Hall of Presidents and Space Mountain were upgraded, so I'm looking forward to all of those experiences. I'm hoping being solo won't be a big detriment. Hopefully my medal will help me make friends! I've heard It's a Small World, After All... I just may take a mid-day lunch break and come back to the park later in the evening, depending on how crowded everything is. I'd rather have a quick swim and rest and then come back ready to enjoy the night! 

I got up and ran 4M this morning, which felt great. I was really pleased with my time, finishing in under 45 minutes. My BL weigh in last week is good, so I have that so far...tonight I have my WW weigh in, where I'm really hoping to break 10 lbs. The scale looks good so far, as long as nothing scary like pms weight appears (which would figure  ). 

I broke my own rule and bought a new sports bra for the race. I don't usually bother with much support (like my dear WISH friend *Debra*, I have preschoolers rather than girls), but I found this bra with gel in the shoulder straps, and decided to give it a try. I ran with it this morning, and it was awesome! I have a new addition for the race! I will also be liberally using my bodyglide to make sure I'm ok with this new piece of equipment, but I think the road test went well. 

Oops! What is my boss doing here?! So much for my "DIS day", I guess I'd better produce some work 

Maria


----------



## jenanderson

lisah0711 said:


> No freaking out for you either, Jen!   You know when ChipperJen starts freaking out that things really are bad.    It is so stressful getting out the door on vacation.  Jude had that same problem earlier this week.  Hope that she is hanging out on the beach chillin' now.



Thanks Lisa!  I am still slightly freaking out.  It really is not about the race - it is just more about the packing and loading the car.  The plan is to have the van pretty much loaded tonight because we will be leaving RIGHT after work tomorrow!    I know we will need to throw in last minute personal things but the rest will be organized and ready to go.  

I have spoke with Jude several times and she is loving the beach and sounds so much more relaxed!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ok I am feeling a bit horrible right now.  I got a bit too into shopping and ended up getting home later than I wanted to.  I also got a call from some of my employees and they wanted to meet at the office to carpool to the wedding so we need to leave sooner than I had planned.  So I am not getting my run in today.  Now I am freaking out.  Not sure how I will run this week but I am thinking I should just get over my fears and run even if its dark out.  I know for sure I will run on thursday so maybe I should just do 5 then instead of 3.  IDK I feel like I fell off my plan and its so close to the race.  I hope I didnt screw myself up.




Lindsay - One thing I have really learned to accept is that one day....and even sometimes one week...is not going to screw up my running.  I think this is a really hard concept when you first start running.  It is easy to think that you have to squeeze that last run in or run something longer because you missed a run.  The most important thing is that you don't let a missed run throw you off mentally.  Think about all the training you have done, all the positive runs you have had and concentrate on finishing the race....it will all come together.

I will share this - today I was suppose to do my last long run but I was not feeling great (MAJOR PMS problem) so I just did my 3.5 and decided that was it.  I did not feel guilty and I am now focusing on our race.  It did take me a while to get to this point but it is the truth - I have trained and I am ready.



mikamah said:


> Take a deep breath, relax, and think about that nice, huge drink at Ohana's!!!!  I hope you're day yesterday and today goes smoothly, and the storm is gone and cleaned up so you can start your trip tomorrow without any stress.  Tomorrow!!!  Whoo hoo!!!  Just one more day!!!!!!  Your kids must be getting so excited too!!!!  Have a save trip, and we'll see ya there!!!!   Love Jude's shirt too.  So creative.



Kathy - I love how cool and collected you are!  I am again dreaming of my vacation, being with friends, running through the castle, drinking my celebration drink and all of the good things.  It does help!    Like I said, I think I just have that anxiety of wanting to be on the road going on.  It is just so close now!!!!



Rose&Mike said:


> Good morning!We ran 6 miles at a good pace--under an hour. My heel was sore--I could feel it, but no pain. Today it is very, very sore. So more ice today. I bought some teva's--they are like little slippers with arch and heel support. Not the most attractive shoes, but not really optional at this point. When we get back I might have to break down and go see someone about the foot. I don't want to go before the race, because I don't want anyone to tell me not to run--probably not the healthiest attitude, I know.
> *
> Before everyone starts traveling, I just wanted to tell you all how proud I am of everyone. I hope you all have fabulous races. Who needs sisters, I will get to see my friends.*



Rose - I am sorry that your foot is still bothering you.  I do understand about not going to the doctor at this point.  Just take really good care of it for now and wear your teva's.  I will be wearing my teva sandals because they make my feet feel good - they also are not the most attractive.

As for the part I bolded....I feel the same way.  I am so proud to even know all of you and know that we will all have fabulous races.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ok so things are just not going as planned but it doesnt surprise me because that is just the way life it right?  Nick is coughing worse and now is running a fever.  Luckily my parents are off today for the holiday so my dh is taking nick there.  He is coming into the dr at the end of today to get checked.  I have so much stuff to do at the office and I am still not packed.  I need to get a few more things to.  Top it off with 3 inches of snow this morning.  Ryan had a 2hr delay but luckily childcare opened at 7 so it didnt affect our morning schedule.



Isn't this just how it goes sometimes?  I know that my day is passing WAY too quickly.  I think we should all take some really deep breaths and think about how happy we will all be really soon!  



lisah0711 said:


> *We're going to Disneyworld!*



  It is almost time!  I know that tonight I will be laying in bed saying...."I am too excited to sleep!"  



Worfiedoodles said:


> *JenA* -- Love *Jude's* shirt, it is perfect! I should have done 3M yesterday, but it just didn't happen. We drove the Boston Marathon route yesterday afternoon (my dh is running in April), and I couldn't get over how long, and hilly/curvy it is. Flat Disney races are just right for me!  I don't quite think I'll float up the overpass like *Kathy and Lisa* (I've been known to call it "Nemesis"), but I do know to stay to the outside because it's less intense and at that point in the race, I'm going for ease!



Hey Maria - It is good to hear that you think Disney is not too hilly/curvy.  Since I switched to running inside, I have been missing my hill work.  I know I could do it on the treadmill but I just don't.  How exciting that your DH is running the Boston Marathon!!!  I will be signing up for the Twin Cities marathon right when we get home.  I am excited (but a bit scared) to be planning my first full marathon!

Alright ladies - My bags are almost packed and I will be loading the van soon.  I have finished decorating the clothes for Jude and I....even did some paint writing and rhinestone bedazzling on my sports bra!   

We got 15+" of snow yesterday and it is now snowing again.    The only good news is that they are doing a pretty good job of keeping up with the plowing.  We WILL be leaving tomorrow around 5:15 PM and I am hoping that the roads will not be too bad.

Today DH and I got to the thrift store.  We found really great robes to wear to the race.  We will wear them until it is time to run and then discard them.  They were $1.50 each!  We also found great light weight jackets to wear if it is cool in the morning.  Again, we will toss them when we don't want them because they were also only $1.50 each!  I even bought a robe and jacket for Jude!  

Time to get busy again but I wanted to take a quick break and check in with everyone!  Enjoy the days because we are almost there!

Jen


----------



## liesel

I just wanted to stop in and say good luck to everyone this weekend.  You princesses rock!     You are all so inspiring and I can't wait to hear all about this weekend.  Be sure to take lots of pictures!  I'm expecting a BL princess trip report!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi all.

Thanks again to everyone with all your great advice and support.  It is really hard when you miss runs to not feel guilty about it and worry that it will cause failure.  I have not run since last sunday when I did my 8 miles.  I am going to try my hardest to get out tomorrow but now it is suppose to snow again.  uhhh.  honestly it is really not me slacking or making excuses its just that my life and the weather are not cooperating.  Either way I will take it in stride and not worry.  I can do this!!!!!

Nicholas ended up with a double ear infection and some wheezing in his chest.  He never even complained of his ears hurting.  The dr said they are red, bulging and filled with pus.  God love him.  He is a tough cookie.  Good news is that I got an antibiotic and a nebulizer for him.  So hopefully he will be mostly recovered by the time I leave on thursday.  It will give me some piece of mind.  Then we have to hope that myself or my mom will not get it.  Gosh as if I dont have enough to worry about.

I am determined to pack tonight and make a list of any extra stuff I may be missing.  I also got my entire office cleaned up today at work and organized my thoughts so I am feeling much better about that.

Jen....Have a very safe and wonderful trip.  Good luck at the race.  Im proud of you Princess!!!!!  I hope to either see you at the race or at Ohana's.

TTYL


----------



## jbm02

Hi everyone!!  There is so much to catch up on.  I apologize if I miss anyone!!



lisah0711 said:


> No freaking out for you either, Jen!   You know when ChipperJen starts freaking out that things really are bad.    It is so stressful getting out the door on vacation.  Jude had that same problem earlier this week.  Hope that she is hanging out on the beach chillin' now.
> 
> I love Jude's shirt!   You are so creative!
> 
> Can't wait to see you all soon at WDW!



Isn't Jen awesome???  She totally rocks.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I am internally trying not to freak out either.  Like kathy I am trying hard to fake that I have no worries.  I know we all will do fine!!!!!!
> I have to say how nice its been to have this thread with no one freaking out.  You all are so supportive.  Thanks for starting this up lisa.
> 
> Have a great night!!!!!





mikamah said:


> Take a deep breath, relax, and think about that nice, huge drink at Ohana's!!!!  I hope you're day yesterday and today goes smoothly, and the storm is gone and cleaned up so you can start your trip tomorrow without any stress.  Tomorrow!!!  Whoo hoo!!!  Just one more day!!!!!!  Your kids must be getting so excited too!!!!  Have a save trip, and we'll see ya there!!!!   Love Jude's shirt too.  So creative.
> 
> No freaking out allowed.  You have put the time and hours into the training, and missing one little 5 mile run is not going to affect your awesomeness at the princess.  I think you could do 3 or 5 on thursday and either way you will be fine.  I think I'd just to the 3 since you will be on your feet casually touring the parks for the 2 days before the race.  And besides, you were probably a dancing fool last night in your new dress so you can count that at cross training too.  You will be fine even if you can't run again this week.  No worries!!
> 
> No freaking out here, I'm calm and cool as a cucumber.  We went to a friends for dinner last night, and I brought and made the roasted vegies, and baked some congo bars to bring.  I did paint a few more t-shirts last night for the family.  They came out cute.  I think t-shirt painting is stress relieving.  No big plans for today but will officially pack.  My clothes are in a laundry basket, and I do need to pick up a few more things to bring, and go to the running store to buy more gu.  I did get my 5 in yesterday but it was cold and windy, so I'm glad that's over.  I'll do 3 tomorrow, either early before work in the house or after work down behind the school.
> 
> Hope all you princesses enjoyed your weekends.



...working on the "no freaking out" part.  Still.  Here is why - I trained alot for my first half in October and finished with a decent time but was disappointed in myself because I had to walk for a bit (my goal was to run the whole thing, not for any PR/time).  And yet, I trained better that time.  This time I have struggled alot more with my long runs.  I think the cold winter and darkness has alot to do with it.  I run much better outside - or, if not better, at least longer!   I had my first outside run down here in FL.  Feet still hurt - I'll be joining Rose is icing down my feet at the end!!



Rose&Mike said:


> Good morning!
> 
> For me I think some of the freaking out before a race comes because of less mileage=less stress relief from exercise. That anxiety then really keeps me going during a race, but you have to be careful not to go out to fast. This time I am not really stressed about the race, but more about the ability to walk.
> 
> We ran 6 miles at a good pace--under an hour. My heel was sore--I could feel it, but no pain. Today it is very, very sore. So more ice today. I bought some teva's--they are like little slippers with arch and heel support. Not the most attractive shoes, but not really optional at this point. When we get back I might have to break down and go see someone about the foot. I don't want to go before the race, because I don't want anyone to tell me not to run--probably not the healthiest attitude, I know.
> 
> Anyhow, it was a great run, yesterday. Cardio wise, I feel like I will be fine for the race, but I will definitely be the one at the reunion tent with ice on her foot.
> 
> Before everyone starts traveling, I just wanted to tell you all how proud I am of everyone. I hope you all have fabulous races. Who needs sisters, I will get to see my friends.



What a terrific sentiment.  Can I say "ditto"??!  I am looking forwrad to meeting everyone.  You have all been such an inspiration for me.  

So, if you pass me running, or walking, or even hobbling, call out a cheery hi, please!!!  I may not finish this race the way i wanted to but I will make it to the end...


----------



## mikamah

Good evening princesses!!

Thanks for the good wishes Liesel!!  

*Lindsay*- So glad you had fun at the wedding, and you are so right, you are ready for this race.  Poor little Ryan.  So glad you got him some meds and I hope he's 100% better by the time you leave.

*Jen*- Thanks for all the kind words.  I hope the snow is all plowed and you are able to get on the road as planned tomorrow.  Have a safe drive and we'll see you there.  And congrats on planning your first marathon!!!

*Maria*- I was very happy we just got a pretty little dusting of snow today.  Michael was packing and got himself dressed to go to the Y in shorts.  Guess he's ready for FLA!!  The bra and gel straps sounds very comfy.  I think we'll be at MK next monday too!  We go home tuesday.

*Rose*- Glad you had a great run yesterday.  I'm sure many of us will have ice on different body parts at the finish, too.   Glad you got some comfy sandals.  I have a rather ugly pair of Merrell sandals that I love.  Comfort is so important, and even more so now that I am a runner.

*Lisa*- Nice job being packed all ready.  I'm in a half packed state of disarray.  It will all get done though by wed am.  Loved your "we're going to disney world" dance!!   Getting so excited.  I still can't believe it.

*Jude*- You will finish this race, and with a big smile on your face!!  It is all about the attitude.  Hope you're enjoying the beach.  Weather looks awesome!!

*Corinna*- Hope you're getting ready and have a safe trip too.  Anymore last minute advice for us first timers?    We are all going to be just fine!!

Well, no real freaking out today, except for one little meltdown when ds had a meltdown, and I thought, now did you really have to make that worse.  I blame it on taper madness.  Though ds doesn't understand that.  Oh well, it's not the first and won't be the last.  

QOTD- next monday I figure we'll do whatever the kids want to do, but we're thinking with school vacation being over, it will probably be a good day for MK and shorter lines to get everything done that we didn't do earlier.  We have Chef Mickey's dinner ressies at 6:40, so maybe end our last full day with wishes.  I've got my advil packed so I can keep up with the kids and whatever they want to do.  Though last summer, I sat outside thunder Mt for a while while michael went on it a few more times.  My stomache only could handle 3 times, but there was no line and he wanted to do it more.  I'd love for it to be quiet enough for them to do a lot with little waits.

Can't believe just one more day and we leave.  My nephew is sick so ds will go to my brothers tomorrow instead of my sisters.  We were with them sat, so I'm just hoping we all stay healthy.  

Have a great night!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Princessess!

Just a quick hello because Im not sure what time I will be back on today.  If for some reason I wouldnt get on until later I want to say Have a great flight tomorrow Lisa and Kathy!  I hope you can sleep tonight with all the excitement.  You two are awesome and such an inspiration to us all.  Cant wait to see you at the expo.  

Oh where are we meeting there??????

Well my not was a bit horrible.  I hardly slept.  Nicholas is so sick.  He coughed all night long, was running a low grade fever, and didnt sleep well at all.  I hope today he starts to get better.  I feel so bad for him.  The sad part is I have to take him into school.  I feel the really horrible mother guilt right now.  Dh and I both have must do things today at work and if we called out it would not be good.  I am going to see how he does but tell them to call me if he is not doing well.  Of course then I will get him.  Uhhhh I hate when my babies are sick, not to mention when its 2 days before I am leaving them and going to disney world.  More guilt.

I did get some packing done last night and all my stuff I need is now washed.  I am going to finish it up tonight.  Im going to try to stop over lunch at Kohls today to get another pair of capri's.  The rest of stuff that I need I will pick up thursday morning.  Like fuel for the race, PMS stuff, etc.

Ok well have a great day!!!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning! Only two more nights to sleep in my own bed!

Lindsay--I hope everyone is feeling better soon and that you don't get sick!

I'm not stressed about the race, but I am a little stressed about the five million things I have to do before I leave. Last night we made g-f choc chip cookies and puppy chow. Today we are having a bakesale/fundraiser at work that I am in charge of. Work today, and then packing tonight. Tomorrow I am going to the Y for either elliptical or bike--more for my mental well being than anything! Then last minute errands and packing and cleaning. Then at 4:00 I have to go into work until 9:30 for a special event. (They are having events Wed-Sun and since we are gone, I felt like I needed to be a team player, so Mike and I are both helping with this one.) Then Thursday morning, work from 9-12. Then home and last minute stuff and out the door to the airport by 2:30 (hopefully). I'm sure it will all get done.

The foot is sore, but that's ok. I will definitely be taking transportation as much as possible--which is not what we ususally do. We walk and walk and walk. We love staying at BW because we can walk so many places!

Ok, time to get going! Have a great day everyone!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--Just saw your post. I'm sorry Nicholas is so sick. Tom had asthma/allergies, etc, etc. It's so hard. I hope he is feeling better soon and that you get some sleep tonight.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

Sounds like most of us are dealing with the hardest part of going on vacation -- getting out the door!   Take a deep breath -- ah!    Be sure your running shoes and gear are packed -- check!   Take another deep breath!    You've got the important stuff so relax.   Soon we will be like Jude enjoying the tropical breezes and drinking adult beverages.  

*Maria,* thanks for sending that picture of Chewie -- he is a cutie!   Thank you, too, for all of your race and life advice!    Nothing like having new undies to make a girl feel special!  



jenanderson said:


> Isn't this just how it goes sometimes?  I know that my day is passing WAY too quickly.  I think we should all take some really deep breaths and think about how happy we will all be really soon!



Were you too excited to sleep last night, Jen?    Safe travels!  Use that deep breathing thing all day today.  



liesel said:


> I just wanted to stop in and say good luck to everyone this weekend.  You princesses rock!  You are all so inspiring and I can't wait to hear all about this weekend.  Be sure to take lots of pictures!  I'm expecting a BL princess trip report!



Thanks, liesel!   



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I am determined to pack tonight and make a list of any extra stuff I may be missing.  I also got my entire office cleaned up today at work and organized my thoughts so I am feeling much better about that.



Lindsay, so sorry to hear that Nick is feeling so poorly.  Here's a  for him and two for you .  Hopefully in another day or so he will be feeling like himself -- they have amazing recouperative powers.  And don't worry about your runs or anything else, just do what you can.    It will be fine.  



jbm02 said:


> So, if you pass me running, or walking, or even hobbling, call out a cheery hi, please!!!  I may not finish this race the way i wanted to but I will make it to the end...



Will you let us hobble with you?   I bet that you will do just great, Jude.    Have one of those umbrella drinks on the beach for me, please. 

BRB so excited I'm using too many smilies today!


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> Well, no real freaking out today, except for one little meltdown when ds had a meltdown, and I thought, now did you really have to make that worse.  I blame it on taper madness.  Though ds doesn't understand that.  Oh well, it's not the first and won't be the last.



Ah, isn't it nice how our children feel comfortable enough to express their feelings at any time?   Bless his heart -- it would be much worse if you were going and he was staying.  He's on vacation -- he's ready for you to be too!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Just a quick hello because Im not sure what time I will be back on today.  If for some reason I wouldnt get on until later I want to say Have a great flight tomorrow Lisa and Kathy!  I hope you can sleep tonight with all the excitement.  You two are awesome and such an inspiration to us all.  Cant wait to see you at the expo.
> 
> Oh where are we meeting there??????!!!!



 Lindsay.  Deep breaths.  

Is there a good place to meet outside the Expo?  Maybe a flag pole?  I will be catching the first bus that leaves from AKL and have my phone on.  I'll see if I can find a good spot -- or maybe someone who's been there can suggest one -- I'll have my WISH shirt on so I should be easy to spot!  



Rose&Mike said:


> I'm not stressed about the race, but I am a little stressed about the five million things I have to do before I leave. Last night we made g-f choc chip cookies and puppy chow. Today we are having a bakesale/fundraiser at work that I am in charge of. Work today, and then packing tonight. Tomorrow I am going to the Y for either elliptical or bike--more for my mental well being than anything! Then last minute errands and packing and cleaning. Then at 4:00 I have to go into work until 9:30 for a special event. (They are having events Wed-Sun and since we are gone, I felt like I needed to be a team player, so Mike and I are both helping with this one.) Then Thursday morning, work from 9-12. Then home and last minute stuff and out the door to the airport by 2:30 (hopefully). *I'm sure it will all get done*.



 It will all get done.  

Glad that the foot is feeling better.    You'll just have to ride the boats more this trip!  

I have to ask -- was the puppy chow for the bakesale?   Or your puppies?  

One more sleep and I will be heading out.    Tonight is Popcorn and Poetry Night for DS' class.  We get to sit on blankets with flashlights and the kids put on skits for us.  Should be a fun to see what those kids came up with.   

I should be back on some time today but in case I am not, I just want to say *THANK YOU* to all our Princesses who have given me so much support and encouragement -- I am so proud of all us!    I know that we say that *WISH* gave me the courage to start, but it was really you ladies!    Thank you from the bottom of my heart!


----------



## lisah0711

Guess who had to have their car towed again this morning?  
Talked in my lawyer voice and got the tow bill paid and a discount on what has been promised to be the last repair.  I'm so ready to be a Princess!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hey Princess Buddies! 

Long day at work, and another one tomorrow -- wanted to pop in and check in! Safe Travels, Sweet Ladies! 

*Lisa* -- omg, you must be so frustrated with the car!  Popcorn and Poetry night sounds like a ton of fun...and I'm sure it will be a great laugh, too! I'll be learning about underage drinking with my new teenager while we watch "Glee"  

*Rose* -- you are indeed a busy woman! I know it seems like so much right now, but it will all get done  Looking forward to finally meeting you 

*Lindsay* -- Poor Nicholas! I'm sorry he's not feeling well...how did he do today? Hopefully after a good night's rest tonight (crosses fingers), he'll be much better tomorrow 

*Kathy* -- I'm with you on the "just staying healthy" part. I've told my dh and ds not to get too close to me. They're both sniffling and sneezing (I'd say "gretzy" but that's a word I just saw a few days ago and I'm not really certain how to use it  ). Anyway, I'll be poppin' vitamin C drops and hoping for the best! 

*Jude* -- So nice to have any outdoor run in FL before the race, I am envious!  Hope you enjoyed that sunshine!

*JenA* -- I hope your first Full is awesome, it's a distance I don't aspire too because of the training I see my dh do. The WDW course is very flat -- obviously there are some grades and that horrific overpass, but plenty of very flat, wide areas for running. 

Ok, so I guess I'd better report on the WW weigh in -- for the first time my WW weigh in matched my BL weigh in -- I was down 2.8, for a total of 12.2 in 5 weeks! So very happy I made and passed 10 lbs!  Now I'm more determined than ever to hang onto my loss. 18 Rabbits granola bars and fruit for breakfast, kids' meals for lunch, and sensible dinners, with a max of one treat per day. That's the plan -- I may have 2 treats on race day, since I'm having a post-race carrot cake cookie! 

_Tuesday QOTD_ -- This is my Epcot/DHS day. I found out DHS has evening extra magic hours, so I'm going to end my time at WDW here, in all probability -- unless I decide my last ride really has to be Space Mountain, but that's another story... Anyway, I plan to get up and get going to Epcot, ride Soarin', Test Track and Mission Space, the intense side (Single Rider line, here I come!), and then meander through the countries. I'm not sure where 'll stop or what I'll do, but I intend to take in every little thing that interests me. Then I'll head over to DHS, and yes, I'm going to go for it and ride TSM, RnR and ToT, all for the first time...unless I chicken out, which could happen. I've never seen Beauty and the Beast Live OnStage, so that's also on my list. I'm going to close down the Park, looking forward to just being out and enjoying myself doing whatever I want to!

I had yoga today, and since I was the only one who came, I got a private class completely focused on poses and stretches that will help my running. It was so awesome, quite the bargain for $5! I love my instructor, she could not be more supportive. She's very zen, but I guess that's not surprising...

I have a temp to help me get some projects done since my assistant is slowly coming back from a medical leave. I started with a new one this week, and she's a gem -- here's the scary part -- she just graduated from Brandeis with a dual Masters in International Relations and Conflict Resolution. This woman is way too educated to be making my copies and doing yahoo property searches for me...

One last tip, which you can take or leave -- I always take a pain reliever (Tylenol) before I head out for the buses. I think it's better to have it in your system, and I'll take more after I get back to my room. YMMV

Ok, almost time for my lesson in underage drinking  My ds asked me why it would be ok to drink too much no matter how old you are? I told him he was absolutely right, drinking too much is not good ever  

Maria


----------



## mikamah

*Lindsay*-  Poor little Nicholas and poor you.  I can't imagine how stressed you must be feeling.  That first 24 hours of antibiotics are the worst, and i hope he's starting to feel much better by now.  It's so tough.  I'll be thinking of you and praying he's much better and you have a safe trip thursday.  You so deserve this, and you are going to be awesome. 

*Lisa*- Oh that freaking car.  Oh I can imagine that lawyer voice comes in handy at times like this.   Are you all ready????   I'm pretty much packed except for the toiletries, and am still going back and forth on what purse to bring.  They're small, so I may bring them both.  Have a safe trip and we'll chat thursday!! 

*Rose*-Hope your busy days go by quickly and you're in the magic of wdw before you know it.  

On the expo, I'm thinking I/we'll try to catch the first bus as well, which I  heard would be at 9 am, or one hour before the expo opens.  I'm going to be wearing my mickey tyedye t-shirt that day, I think, so I'll be pretty bright.  We all have them from our last trip so if they come with me we'll be easy to spot.   I'll also have my cell and be sure to listen for it, so if I don't see you guys right away, I'll call ya.   

I'm so looking forward to meeting everyone, and I know without the support an inspiration of all of you here, I would not be doing a half marathon.  

Safe travels and good health to everyone.


----------



## mikamah

*Maria*- Congrats on the 2.8 and 12.2 total weight loss!!  That is just awesome!!  You must be so proud, and feel so good.  I love when you hard work and good healthy living pays off.  
Your tuesday sounds great.  If you'll do mission space intense side, you will be fine for tot and RNR.  I haven't done mission space yet, but do not like spinning rides, so I won't ever try the intense version.  DS doesn't want to try it yet, so that's fine by me.  

I forgot the qotd-  We will be leaving next tuesday.  Our flight is at 3:40, so we'll probably have ME at 12:45, and again will play it by ear.  If we have a late night monday we may just swim before we leave, or hit dtd, or a park for one last favorite ride.  

See you in wdw!!!!   Who am I kidding, I'll be back in the am for my final dis-fix.


----------



## jbm02

Hi everyone!!  OMG, I can't believe "it" is almost here!!!! 

For those who aren't here yet, the weather in Florida is absolutely beautiful.  It's been in the high 70s and low 80s for the last several days.  I've been going out for morning runs around 6:45AM - warm enough for shorts and no jacket!  Considering it is 7 degrees at home, this is paradise. 

I just got a text from Jen - she is on the road!!

*Maria*, so impressed with your weight loss.  I need to get my act in gear and concentrate on it once the race is over.   

*Lisa*, I am so so sorry about your car!!!  Grrrrr.....!  
As for ESPN, I've never been there so can't offer any recommendations as to a place to meet.  But you have both my and Jen's cell numbers - don't hesitate to call us if you don't see us!  (BTW, Jen is a tall Nordic goddess-like woman; I'm short and well, a little rounder! )

*Lindsay* - sorry that Nicholas is sick.  I hope that everyone is better soon!

And for everyone else - happy and safe travels!!  I can't thank all of you enough for all your inspiration, comfort and support!  See everyone on Friday!!
Jude


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Lindsay--Just saw your post. I'm sorry Nicholas is so sick. Tom had asthma/allergies, etc, etc. It's so hard. I hope he is feeling better soon and that you get some sleep tonight.



Thanks Rose.  It is tough when they get so sick.  I hope your next two days go smoothly.  I feel like its a competition pack in as much as we can in 3 days.  Just think in 48 hrs we will be out the door and already arrived at our happy place.



lisah0711 said:


> One more sleep and I will be heading out.    Tonight is Popcorn and Poetry Night for DS' class.  We get to sit on blankets with flashlights and the kids put on skits for us.  Should be a fun to see what those kids came up with.
> 
> I should be back on some time today but in case I am not, I just want to say *THANK YOU* to all our Princesses who have given me so much support and encouragement -- I am so proud of all us!    I know that we say that *WISH* gave me the courage to start, but it was really you ladies!    Thank you from the bottom of my heart!



I hope you had a great time tonight, that sounds like alot of fun.  I am so proud of you and cant wait to meet you.  You have been such an inspiration and so supportive to us all.  You deserve to have a wonderful time and celebrate in your amazing accomplishments.  Have a safe flight and see you on friday!



lisah0711 said:


> Guess who had to have their car towed again this morning?
> Talked in my lawyer voice and got the tow bill paid and a discount on what has been promised to be the last repair.  I'm so ready to be a Princess!



oh my gosh that is nuts.  Glad you got out of some of the bill.  Uhhh you poor thing.



Worfiedoodles said:


> Ok, so I guess I'd better report on the WW weigh in -- for the first time my WW weigh in matched my BL weigh in -- I was down 2.8, for a total of 12.2 in 5 weeks! So very happy I made and passed 10 lbs!



That is excellent maria.  I hope your days go quickly.  I was cracking up at your conversation with DS.  That is too funny.



mikamah said:


> On the expo, I'm thinking I/we'll try to catch the first bus as well, which I  heard would be at 9 am, or one hour before the expo opens.  I'm going to be wearing my mickey tyedye t-shirt that day, I think, so I'll be pretty bright.  We all have them from our last trip so if they come with me we'll be easy to spot.   I'll also have my cell and be sure to listen for it, so if I don't see you guys right away, I'll call ya.
> 
> I'm so looking forward to meeting everyone, and I know without the support an inspiration of all of you here, I would not be doing a half marathon.
> 
> Safe travels and good health to everyone.



I am going to catch the first bus too so I guess we could head towards the entrance and call each other as we get close.  I will not be as flashy.  I will have on a black and grey striped mickey top and either green khaki capris or jean capris.  I most likely will have my mom and aunt with me too.  So excited to see you all there.



jbm02 said:


> For those who aren't here yet, the weather in Florida is absolutely beautiful.  It's been in the high 70s and low 80s for the last several days.  I've been going out for morning runs around 6:45AM - warm enough for shorts and no jacket!  Considering it is 7 degrees at home, this is paradise.
> 
> I just got a text from Jen - she is on the road!!



Ohhhhh that does sound like paradise.  Right now I am shivering in my basement and that is with my space heater on.  Cant wait to get there and join you in paradise. 

Yay for Jen getting on the road!!!!!

Well nick seems to be a little tiny bit improved.  He is still coughing really bad but maybe a little less frequent and he was pretty active tonight.  Hopefully he will sleep better and feel even better in the morning.  uhhhh I am taking a breath Lisa!  Thanks for the reminder.

My day was nuts as usual, but only one more day of work to go.  I think I am actually going to do the banana dance right before I walk out the door at my office.

I went to Kohls and to target and there are no capri's or shorts anywhere.  Tomorrow I will try old navy that is near my work.  Otherwise I will just have to walk around in my underwear.  Which I dont think is appropriate so hopefully I can find capri's.

I am now going to clean off my memory card to the camera and got my documents/vouchers together to take.  I also want to try to get to bed at a decent time.

Just in case I dont get on in the morning. HAVE A GREAT TRIP LISA!!!!  SEE YOU THERE ON FRIDAY!!!!

Good night princessess


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lisa--that silly car! Did it not know you were busy this week!?!?
Safe travels tomorrow!

Maria--congrats on the pounds gone! That's fabulous!

Lindsay--I had trouble finding shorts this weekend too.

Kathy, Maria, Corinna and anyone I missed--safe travels to you too!

Long day. I'm struggling with food today. But it will be ok. The puppy chow, by the way was a chex mix snack with chocolate and pb for work. G-F.

The packing seems to be under control. I stayed at work longer than I planned today, so I will only go in Thursday long enough to check the mail from Wed and Thurs to make sure there is nothing that needs addressed. So that's good.

Life is good, princesses! Hope everyone has a safe trip. Lindsay, you and I might be the only ones hanging out here tomorrow!

Have a good night.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Lindsay, you and I might be the only ones hanging out here tomorrow!
> 
> Have a good night.



Still awake and I saw your post.  Yep I think its down to me, you, and maria too, and maybe jude if she checks in remotly.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning!

Feeling more positive today. I can see the end!

We do have flooding rain in the forecast for tomorrow, so fingers crossed that there are no major delays. We're flying southwest, which is good because at least we're not on a puddle jumper. Mike keeps saying--it's a big plane, it will be fine. The worst of the rain is supposed to come tomorrow night, so hopefully we will get out on time.

We got mostly packed last night, so today shouldn't be too crazy. I made a garden grocer order for emergency g-f veggie food.

*I'm sure I missed this....what time on Friday??? What time does the expo open???* We will have to go to DHS or one of the other parks and take a bus to a host resort and then bus to the expo. Or take a cab. Hmmm, maybe I should have got more cash. 

Lindsay--hope Nicholas did ok last night. 

Ok, time to go to the Y and get going! Have a great day.


----------



## lisah0711

My bags are packed . . . I'm ready to go! 

*Lindsay,* hope Nick is feeling better today.  You definately want to do the dance when you leave the office.  

*Rose,* the Expo opens at 10 am.  The buses start at 9:00 am or 9:30 am I think.  It's freezing here.  I am sure they will have to deice the plane this morning.

*Maria,* hope the Glee episode went well.  DS recently informed me that I have an uncanny ability to turn any conversation into a lecture about sex.   He's not that interested in girls, I have to do it before his brain shuts off!    Congrats on your great weigh in, too. 

*Kathy,* safe travels.  I will call you tomorrow.

Jude, Jen, Corinna safe journey.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I'm still here! Quick post before I head in to work...

*Lisa* -- Have you checked the Donald Thread? I couldn't be prouder to be following you -- you are # 2 on the BL list this week!  Great Job! Glee was a little disturbing, but they finally got to the message that drinking when you're a teen leads to very bad places....

*Lindsay* -- I'll be hangin' later, I'm sure you are all chomping at the bit to hear the mundane details of what I can't find yet to pack...

*Rose* -- I hope the food comes easier to you today...remember, it's a fresh start! 

Safe Travels to all the Princesses headed out and en route today!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

I'm all ready but michael is crying because i cut his toenails.   Like really michaeel, you're 9.  Get over it. 
I know it's excitement, overtired craziness.  I'm taking a deep breath and heading to the most magical place on earth.  

Cooking him a good breakfast and crossing my fingers once we're out of here, he'll be just fine.  I'd so rather he have his meltdowns here with me alone.  

Lindsay- Hope ds is better today.  Good luck and safe travels tomorrow!1

Rose- glad you're feeling positive today!!  You'll be there tomorrow!! YAY!!

Lisa- hope you have a smooth flight.

See you all real soon!!!!!   

I'm going to miss my computer until the race.  It's only 2 days till I see you all at the expo.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Kathy!* -- I hope your travel goes as smoothly as possible, it's always harder to travel with tweens! I'm sure Michael will perk up when he sees Logan, that always does it for me! Have a bunch of fun before I see you!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Good Morning Princessess!

Wow I cant believe this time is here.  It really just hit me this morning.

Lisa and Kathy- I hope you have great flights today.  Have fun!  It looks like it will be highs in the mid 80's.  Wow I didnt think it would be this warm!  I'll take it though.

Maria I forgot I wanted to provide you with a definition of what gretzy means so if you feel adventurous you can use it in the future.

Gretzy= being irritable, moody, whiny etc.  This just cracked me up that no one other than rose ever heard that before.  I feel so foreign.

Anyway,  Nick slept all night.  He still has a cough and it quite moody aka gretzy.  But I think he is on the mend.  Thank goodness.  

I am so excited to get through this last day of work.  I hope it goes fast.  I am going to old navy over lunch in the hopes of finding capris or shorts.  I also want to stop at CVS and get a pink toenail polish and give myself a pedi tonight.  Tomorrow I will take the kids to school for the morning.  RUN!!!  Go to the grocery store the boys have things to eat this wkend.  Pick them up from school and hang with them.  Then I will be off to the airport by 345p.  

Rose we are expecting rain tomorrow late afternoon too.  I am nervous about flying in general so hopefully it is a smooth ride.  I hate turbulance.  

Maria- I also wanted to say how cute chewie is.  I got your picture mail and i was like why did someone just send me a pic of a cat.  Then after I saw all the comments to you I realized that was from you.

Ok well I better getting working.  TTYL


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, today is going good so far. Been to the Y. Did 2 miles on the elliptical and a 2 mile easy run. Did 2 loads of laundry. Updated the BL threads with the weight results. Painted my toenails pink--great minds think alike Lindsay! Just be careful you don't cut too short! Time to do some more packing.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Me again. Finished the laundry--did the sheets and towels. Printed my excel itinerary, and got everything ready to go in the backpacks--except a hat for Mike. I think... And I dusted my room. Still need to clean up my bathroom. At this rate I will have some time to sit around and do nothing for a few minutes before we leave tomorrow!

Anyhow, I discovered this little trick while packing--maybe I'm the last one to know this. We try to do only carryons--for many reasons. So, l put a lot of things in zip lock bags. Well, I put all my undies in one of the bags and went I went to push the air out of the bag, I discovered if you barely have the bag cracked it creates a kind of vacuum and makes everything really flat and compact. Very cool! I just opened up some room in suitcase and backpack!

Ok, time to get productive again!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello Precious Princess Pals! (made all the more precious since we are few...) 

*Rose* -- Great job on the  I still need to get there! I haven't decided what color for my toes yet, my hands are going to be bright violet. I'll have to see what's in the bin, and then decide if I need a trip to CVS 

*Lindsay* -- Thank you, I now feel like I understand gretzy and can use it in a sentence  Good luck with your lunch shopping trip! I have to "shop" the summer clothes bin in my attic, I haven't been up there yet, it's a high priority for when I get home from work. Glad you enjoyed Chewie. I'm like a mom with a new baby, I'll show him to people whether they want to see him or not!  So glad to hear Nick is feeling better. Poor little guy! 

Hopefully *Kathy, JenA and Lisa* are travelling swiftly and safely, *Jude* is lovin' that beach, and the rest of us will remember everything we want to bring! I just thought to put snack-size ziplock bags on my list. I can't seem to find my WISH sling bag, which is a huge bummer. I may end up bringing my bag from the 2010 Half, which is mesh and pretty nice, as those bags go...

I'm pleased to say I popped out of bed this morning and did 3M. I have one more 2M tomorrow morning, and that is all she wrote! 

This is my last full day at work, and it's going pretty well. I was hoping to be a bit farther along, but I have to wait on a few things...really hoping to finish a project today so I can forget about it and enjoy my trip...

Speaking of work, I'd better do a few more things 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Only 3 more hours of work left for me.  I have a few more things to do and I can leave with piece of mind.

I got a pair of black bermuda cargo style shorts at Old Navy and a pair of jean capris-which I love.  I had to buy a 14 and everything else lately has been a 12.  I am telling myself its just the cut of the pants.  Typically this would bother me but who cares....Im going to DisneyWorld.

Rose glad your getting the stuff done with time to spare.  Have fun tonight at your event.

Maria I hope you get your project done so you can rest easy.  

TTYL


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Just waiting for the courier to take the package away...I am done! Well, almost, still have to show up tomorrow to meet the new project manager, but that and a few loose and I'll be out of here!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Glad you got finished Maria.  I ended up leaving work an hour early.  Just couldnt contain my excitement anymore so I had to leave. 

So I am officially now on vacation!!!!!

I painted my toenails tonight a bright pink color.  I clipped the boys nails, wrote instructions for dh....didnt think I had to do this but he apparently has been paying attention to the details of our everday life and now he needs instructions., I am now going to clean off my memory card for the camera.  I am pretty much packed except a few odds and ends.  We did online check in with air tran and have our boarding passess.  I think its all coming together.

I hope the two of you are enjoying your night.  Talk to you tomorrow.


----------



## lisah0711

Quick post to say that I am here.  I am enjoying a glass of wine in my room and adjusting to EST.  Just beat a big snowstorm in Idaho -- I hear it might be a snow day tomorrow.  Can't wait to see you all soon!  Will catch up more tomorrow.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--woohoo for being on vacation!

Lisa--glad you made it safely and beat that snowstorm. I'm guessing that's where our nasty rain is coming from tomorrow.

Maria--and then there were two... Glad the project is getting wrapped up.

I am packed, my house is somewhat in order. The event went well tonight. So I just need to go in for a couple of hours tomorrow morning, and then I'm done! It looks like the really bad weather might hold off until tomorrow night--severe storm watches are out, so hopefully we will have no problems.

Talk to you tomorrow.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning! Woke up way too early today. I think we are going to take our throw away sweats out of our carryons. The low is supposed to be 60, and I think we will be fine!

Lindsay--safe travels today!
Maria--have a good day!
Corinna--if you haven't left yet, have a good trip!

It's already raining. They are expecting 3-5 inches in the next 24 hours. No severe weather until tonight. It's going to be a very soggy day. 

Have a great day everyone! Tomorrow I will be waking up at BW, and having breakfast at Fresh Market! Can't wait!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> Quick post to say that I am here.  I am enjoying a glass of wine in my room and adjusting to EST.  Just beat a big snowstorm in Idaho -- I hear it might be a snow day tomorrow.  Can't wait to see you all soon!  Will catch up more tomorrow.



Glad you made it safely and beat the storm.  See you tomorrow.  Have a fun day.



Rose&Mike said:


> I am packed, my house is somewhat in order. The event went well tonight. So I just need to go in for a couple of hours tomorrow morning, and then I'm done! It looks like the really bad weather might hold off until tomorrow night--severe storm watches are out, so hopefully we will have no problems.
> 
> Talk to you tomorrow.



Glad your day went well.  for being all packed.



Rose&Mike said:


> Good morning! Woke up way too early today. I think we are going to take our throw away sweats out of our carryons. The low is supposed to be 60, and I think we will be fine!



Rose I was thinking the same thing.  I may still take my sweatshirt/jacket that I had planned on but the pants I am definitely taking out.  I hope the rain doesnt affect your flight.  Did you realize that our flights are not landing too far apart.  If you are delayed by just a few minutes and mine is early by a few there is a good possibility we could run into each other in the ME lines.  You never know....so keep your eyes open.  Our flight is suppose to land at 819.  Im sure we will be back on here but just incase I miss you have a safe flight.  See you there tomorrow.

Well last night nick vomited all over his bed and then had diarrhea this morning.  He seems ok now so hopefully that will be a one time thing.  I didnt sleep all that great because of it and wish I could be more rested to start my trip but thats life.

I am going to take ryan and nick into school now so I can run, go grocery shopping, and stop at the bank.  I will pick them both up by noon.  Then we are having lunch at subway (hope nick is still ok).  Then I will send a few hours with them and doing some dishes too.  We will head off to the airport at 345p.  I hope I dont become a blubbering idiot when I have to say goodbye to the boys.  I am already tearing up thinking about it.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--goodness, poor Nick. He has not had a good week. I hope you aren't too sad at the airport. Have a safe flight!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning!

A quick post before I go to work...although I have the feeling I'm going to be the only one once I get there... 

*Lindsay* -- I am so sorry Nick is so ill just as you are leaving. I do hope the worst has passed and tonight he will have a lovely, restful sleep -- and so will you, at your resort!  Safe Travels, and when you get settled in your seat on the plane, take a deep breath and relax! 

*Rose* -- I had already decided to take the pants out. I run in a singlet, so I'm leaving the sweatshirt jacket in. 60 is warm, but my arms will be cold standing around for an hour...I'll just shed it along the way when I'm ready. Glad the event went well, you can leave work on a good note! And sorry about the , but glad it shouldn't impact your flight. That rain will be here tomorrow, but I think I'll get out without a hitch. I'm glad my flight is early in the day, though. Please travel safe and well, and enjoy that BW breakfast tomorrow morning! 

*Lisa* -- So glad you made it and beat the storm!  I hope you have a fabulous day, enjoy the FL sunshine, and ride something whimsical for me! 

I got up and did my 2M this morning, it felt like I barely started and I was done. The good thing is it got me moving, which I need to keep doing all day. I'm working this morning, I have a hair appt. at 2, and then I can start packing, once my  moves along. I have to go get my dh at work at 5, then I'll settle in for the final pack, clean the rooms I feel are absolutely necessary (that would be the main bathroom, for sure), and hopefully watch some Tivo with ds. Actually, I'm glad to have plenty to do -- hopefully I won't get too antsy since my mind will be occupied...

Maria


----------



## corinnak

Hi Princesses Racers!  I'm still here and still at home.  I honestly don't know where the time has gone, except that maybe I've been using my DIS time for books just recently.  


I'll be arriving Friday night and up early cheering for the 5K on Saturday with Racey Tracy, then off to the Expo and Packet Pick-up, and finally - ta da! - 4pm WISH meet at All Star Sports Food Court!

In the meantime....I've got some packing to do. 

Rose - I think it is the right call to pull most of your sweats.  It will be cool for waiting around outside, but it won't be freezing our tooties off, at least!  What a refreshing change!

Except that it will be less refreshing - it's not going to be PR weather for me, but it will be very enjoyable!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

It's a beautiful morning in WDW!    I'm off to AK then to Epcot.  Maria, I'm thinking EO may not be whimsical to you but how 'bout Figment?

Then there is a trip to Target in my future as my phone is not charging properly from my laptop and I forgot my hairbrush.  I'm sporting that tousled look!   

*Lindsay,* sorry that Nick is still sick.  My DS was sick lots of times when I was travelling and he and his Dad both did just fine.    Relax and enjoy your time.  Safe travels.

Safe travels to you, too, today, Rose.  And to Corinna and Maria tomorrow.  

Kathy doesn't have computer access now.  Jen and Jude hope you have safely arrived.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Worfiedoodles said:


> I got up and did my 2M this morning, it felt like I barely started and I was done. The good thing is it got me moving, which I need to keep doing all day. I'm working this morning, I have a hair appt. at 2, and then I can start packing, once my  moves along. I have to go get my dh at work at 5, then I'll settle in for the final pack, clean the rooms I feel are absolutely necessary (that would be the main bathroom, for sure), and hopefully watch some Tivo with ds. Actually, I'm glad to have plenty to do -- hopefully I won't get too antsy since my mind will be occupied...
> 
> Maria



Good luck getting it all done Maria.  I feel the same way about having stuff to do.  Otherwise I would be going crazy.  Have a good day.



corinnak said:


> Hi Princesses Racers!  I'm still here and still at home.  I honestly don't know where the time has gone, except that maybe I've been using my DIS time for books just recently.



Have a good day corinna.  Thanks for checking in.  Have a safe trip tomorrow.



lisah0711 said:


> It's a beautiful morning in WDW!    I'm off to AK then to Epcot.  Maria, I'm thinking EO may not be whimsical to you but how 'bout Figment?
> 
> Then there is a trip to Target in my future as my phone is not charging properly from my laptop and I forgot my hairbrush.  I'm sporting that tousled look!




Hi Lisa!!!!  Glad you are having a great time.  I cant wait to be there too.  That stinks about your phone and there is always 1 thing that I forget too.  Last trip it was my sunglassess.  Hopefully I can remember everything this time.  Thanks so much for your comments about nick being sick.  You always find a way to make me feel better.  Have fun today.

Rose- So far nick seems better today so hopefully he will be ok.  Dh commented last night to nick that at least he did it then when mommy was home.  My dh cant deal with vomit.  What a man...I'll tell ya.

Ok well I am now heading out to run.  TTYL


----------



## Rose&Mike

My stress level is really through the roof--I really need a good run! I am home, changed and pretty much ready to go. Mike is taking the dogs to the boarders. It is so cold and damp here. Really looking forward to some sunshine!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> My stress level is really through the roof--I really need a good run! I am home, changed and pretty much ready to go. Mike is taking the dogs to the boarders. It is so cold and damp here. Really looking forward to some sunshine!



Rose just think in a few hours you will be in disney and that should get your stress level a bit down.  Have a safe flight.

Well I did my run in 18 degree weather today and boy was it cold.  I was glad it was only 30 min.  It felt good to run again.  I had a nice lunch with my boys and now they are playing while I am cleaning and quickly posting on here.  When we got home they went up and got their suitcases and came down with smiles saying mom we are ready to go with you.  They really thought they were funny but all I could do was cry.  I dont think they expected that reaction.  I hope my guilty concious will subside once I get on the plane.  I know I deserve to do this for me and I will really enjoy it.

Well I am packed and ready so now just cleaning and wasting time until my prince aka dh comes to take me to the airport.  See you tomorrow!!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Safe travels to *Rose *and *Lindsay *today and *Maria* and *Corinna *tomorrow.  *Jen *, *Jude* and *Kathy* glad that you all arrived safely.

For the Princesses who are going to be at the Expo tomorrow for the opening we will try and find a good central spot when we get off the buses.  I will be wearing my WISH shirt so look for me.  I will also call or text you.

Don't forget our WISH meet on Saturday at 4 pm at the All Star Sports Food Court.

Can't wait to see you all soon!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Got home safely. It was so wonderful to meet everyone.  Talk to you all soon.


----------



## astroth

Hi Ladies!!   Woops - this is actually Corinna.  I am using DH's computer.  Who knew he had such a creepy avatar???  Anyhow...

What a wild ride this weekend.  I am home safely, and I must say...I did not actually miss the cold and snow once while I was in Florida!

I have a few pictures to upload.  

Hope everyone's travel went safely.  It was so great to see so many of us at the half marathon.  Congratulations to all who participated!!!


Corinna (Really!!!)


----------



## diznmom

I posted several weeks ago but got out of the loop as DH's father was very ill and we had cancelled our trip.  To make a long story short, DH's father got well, out of the hospital, and returned home.  Thanks to the Disney Magic from the DVC folks we got a room (thanks Bernie!) and we were able to rebook our flight.
My final time was 2:38:02.  This was my first half after a year of learning to first walk then run and losing 50 pounds.  
I was teary at the start, teary entering Magic Kingdom, teary through the castle and at the finish.
I have been an avid reader, although infrequent poster at this forum.  Thank you for all the words of encouragement and advice you gave all of us who read, but don't always post.  
I also saw some folks cheering along the way with WISH t-shirts.   Thank you to all of you...although you didn't know me in that big crowd, I knew you and I felt you were encouraging me along the way too.
See you all in 2012!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

It was so fabulous to meet all of you and experience the 2011 Princess Half Marathon with you all!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Got home safely. It was so wonderful to meet everyone.  Talk to you all soon.



Glad to hear that you made it home safely.  I'm sure that all your boys were happy to see you!    I hope that your Mom and Aunt enjoyed their trip, too.



astroth said:


> Hi Ladies!!   Woops - this is actually Corinna.  I am using DH's computer.  Who knew he had such a creepy avatar???  Anyhow...
> 
> What a wild ride this weekend.  I am home safely, and I must say...I did not actually miss the cold and snow once while I was in Florida!
> 
> I have a few pictures to upload.
> 
> Hope everyone's travel went safely.  It was so great to see so many of us at the half marathon.  Congratulations to all who participated!!!
> 
> 
> Corinna (Really!!!)



Hi Corinna!   So nice to meet you this week-end.    You are just as lovely in person as you are in the cyberworld.  

That is an interesting avatar your husband has there -- not as pretty as your trashcan!  

ITA with the weather situation at home vs. WDW.  It is cold, snowy and icy here -- I got used to walking without fear of falling so quickly!  



diznmom said:


> I posted several weeks ago but got out of the loop as DH's father was very ill and we had cancelled our trip.  To make a long story short, DH's father got well, out of the hospital, and returned home.  Thanks to the Disney Magic from the DVC folks we got a room (thanks Bernie!) and we were able to rebook our flight.
> My final time was 2:38:02.  This was my first half after a year of learning to first walk then run and losing 50 pounds.
> I was teary at the start, teary entering Magic Kingdom, teary through the castle and at the finish.
> I have been an avid reader, although infrequent poster at this forum.  Thank you for all the words of encouragement and advice you gave all of us who read, but don't always post.
> I also saw some folks cheering along the way with WISH t-shirts.   Thank you to all of you...although you didn't know me in that big crowd, I knew you and I felt you were encouraging me along the way too.
> See you all in 2012!



Glad that everything worked out for you and that you had a great race, diznmom!   

I saw a couple of scream teamers just before mile 8 in a funky lime green wig.   

I came home yesterday with bug that I was calling the Princess bug but apparently is an Idaho bug as everyone here has it, too.  

I'm trying not to post a lot about my race yet because you all did so well and I think its better to have all the good stuff out there first.    I don't want anyone to feel weird or anything because I didn't make it this time.  

I'm so proud of all of our Princesses!  I know that I would have never made it as far as I have without each and every one of you!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

diznmom said:


> I posted several weeks ago but got out of the loop as DH's father was very ill and we had cancelled our trip.  To make a long story short, DH's father got well, out of the hospital, and returned home.  Thanks to the Disney Magic from the DVC folks we got a room (thanks Bernie!) and we were able to rebook our flight.
> My final time was 2:38:02.  This was my first half after a year of learning to first walk then run and losing 50 pounds.



I am so glad things worked out for you.  What an awesome time you had too.  It was a great experience.  Congrats on your accomplishments!



lisah0711 said:


> I'm trying not to post a lot about my race yet because you all did so well and I think its better to have all the good stuff out there first.    I don't want anyone to feel weird or anything because I didn't make it this time.
> 
> I'm so proud of all of our Princesses!  I know that I would have never made it as far as I have without each and every one of you!



Hi Lisa.  It was so wonderful to meet you.  You are such a sweet and caring person.  I am so proud of you.  I didnt get to say this after the race...I think my brain was lacking oxygen at that moment but I think you were so courageous for getting out there and running.  You should be 100% proud of yourself.  You are making the effort to get healthy and I think you are doing a great job.  Even if you didnt make it this year you are still a winner in my book.  There is always next year.  Be proud of yourself!!!!!!!!!!


Well it is back to reality for me today.  Nick came in at 630am taping me on the back to wake me up.  The boys fought about what shows they were going to watch while eating breakfast.  Neither of them wanted to get dressed.  We were running late and had to run to get ryan to his classroom on time.  My house is a bit of a mess!!!!! and I have to return to work tomorrow.  Oh how I wish I was back at the carribean beach resort with my legs dipped in the hot tub reading a good book.

I had such a great time and yes Lisa my mom and aunt enjoyed there time too.  My mom.....the one who wasnt excited because she was leaving my dad behind.....didnt want to leave yesterday because she was having too much fun.

I am trying to figure out how we can budget another trip for one of the races next year.  My dh would love to do the 5k and the boys would love the kids race.  Im working on it.

oh Corinna- welcome back.  It was great to meet you too even though we didnt get to talk much.  You look amazing by the way and you are such an inspiration!!!!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi everyone! i'm not part of the biggest loser challenges (though i'd like to be - what do i need to do?) but since i met so many of you at the meet i'd thought i'd stop by and say hi. so, 

i'm STILL sore from sunday! that's ok, it reminds me of what i did! i'm still on  after this weekend and trying not to think about how cold it is at home and how our next scheduled trip to WDW isn't until january (that's right, i already booked my DVC for marathon weekend!).

what's everyone planning on doing next? and how are you continuing to train? i can't think about running right now but i want to stick with it. what do you do to maintain your base. 

xoxo,
nancy


----------



## jbm02

Hi everyone!  We drove home yesterday - straight through from FL and my brain is still a little too fuzzy to create a coherent post! Sean wasn't feeling well so I did most of the 20 hours driving time and while I was doing better earlier, it suddenly caught up with me!   I plan to write tomorrow... I just didn't want you to think I'm ignoring all of you who have been such inspirations to me as I struggled through this!!!

..'night all -(yes, it is only 6:24PM....)

Jude


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Well it is back to reality for me today.  Nick came in at 630am taping me on the back to wake me up.  The boys fought about what shows they were going to watch while eating breakfast.  Neither of them wanted to get dressed.  We were running late and had to run to get ryan to his classroom on time.  My house is a bit of a mess!!!!! and I have to return to work tomorrow.  Oh how I wish I was back at the carribean beach resort with my legs dipped in the hot tub reading a good book.



Funny how those guys let us know that they missed us!  

And, thanks, Lindsay!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> hi everyone! i'm not part of the biggest loser challenges (though i'd like to be - what do i need to do?) but since i met so many of you at the meet i'd thought i'd stop by and say hi. so,



Hi Nancy!    It was wonderful meeting you this week-end and so nice to see you on this thread!  

All you need to do is post on this thread to join the BL challenge.  http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=39242686&postcount=1  The first post tells you how the challenge works.  Rose will assign you to a team when she returns.  

I'm doing another half on Memorial Day week-end here in Coeur d'Alene.  Have to start figuring out my training schedule.  



jbm02 said:


> Hi everyone!  We drove home yesterday - straight through from FL and my brain is still a little too fuzzy to create a coherent post! Sean wasn't feeling well so I did most of the 20 hours driving time and while I was doing better earlier, it suddenly caught up with me!   I plan to write tomorrow... I just didn't want you to think I'm ignoring all of you who have been such inspirations to me as I struggled through this!!!
> 
> ..'night all -(yes, it is only 6:24PM....)
> 
> Jude



Jude, glad that you are home safe and sound.    It was nice meeting you and Jen on Friday even if was just for a few minutes.  You both looked great!  

Safe travels to all of our travelling Princesses!


----------



## mikamah

Hello fellow princesses!!

It was so nice to meet everyone this weekend, and to put actual faces and voices with the names here.  It's funny how we talk here and I think you all have the same boston accent as I do.   

*Lisa*- I am so proud of you, and think you are an amazing woman, and so positive and upbeat, and I am sad that you weren't able to finish the race this time, but I know that you are going to continue on this healthy path, and you are going to be amazing at the C'oeur d'Alene half in may.  It was so nice to meet you in person and spend some time with you.  I hope you're feeling better, and you had smooth travels home.  

I am beat tonight, but had to start the laundry so michael can wear his race shirt to school tomorrow.  I feel like I gained 10 pounds, but am not going to weigh in til friday, and am going to get back on track in the am, and hope to minimize the gain.  

Hope everyone else has safe travels and had wonderful trips.  

Sad I didn't get to meet Jen and Jude, and see you ladies in your awesome outfits for the race.  

My laptop won't let me online, but luckily my desktop did, so I hope to get some pics up sometime tomorrow.  

Have a great night princesses.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*diznmom*--I'm sorry we didn't get to meet you. I'm so glad you were able to come! Congratulations!

*Nancy*--So glad you have joined us!

*Lindsay*--I'm glad your Mom and Aunt had fun. Mike and I think we are doing W&D--just throwing it out there......I wish we lived closer, because I think we would have fun hanging out.

*Lisa*-- I can't wait to hear about the race in May!

*Hi Corinna!* I will be sending you a friend request.

*Maria*--hope you made it home safe!

*Hi Kathy!* 

And hi to Jen and Jude. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you this time.

We got back around midnight. It was a lonnnnnng day at work today. Someone broke one of the overhead bins on our flight from MCO to Atlanta. For a minute there, I thought we were going to be stuck, cause it was one of the last flights of the day. What is it with us and flying drama???? Anywho, they taped it shut and we were on our way! We actually got home early.

My foot and calf were pretty unhappy with me yesterday. I wore inserts all day yesterday and did nothing today and it's feeling much, much better today. If I am pain free, I am going to try a couple of easy miles on Sunday.

I am thrilled to pieces with my time for this race! I thought that I would hit between 2:10 and 2:15, but the doubting voices in my head, kept me from being too optimistic. I think we will probably run this one again next year, if for no other reason than it was so nice to get out of here for a few days. There were tornadoes on Monday--then this morning the temps were in the 20s! Crazy weather!

I will post more on my food journal, but the eating was hard. The counter service restaurants were very hit or miss as to whether the staff was trained in what to do for food allergies. Which is ok, but I had one too many cast members role their eyes at me when I asked a question and I lost in on Tuesday morning and just started crying at epcot. And I couldn't stop for a while. Oh well. The good news is that we had some fabulous service at the sit down restaurants we went to. So that's good.

Ok, guess that's it for now. Hope all you pretty princesses are doing well.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> *Lindsay*--I'm glad your Mom and Aunt had fun. Mike and I think we are doing W&D--just throwing it out there......I wish we lived closer, because I think we would have fun hanging out.



ITA Rose.  I think my mike and your mike would get along well too. 
I dont know if I could swing a trip for this years W&D but I would definitely love to do the princess again next year and bring the whole crew this time.  I will let you know.....things could change.  I am feeling pretty addicted




dumbo_buddy said:


> hi everyone! i'm not part of the biggest loser challenges (though i'd like to be - what do i need to do?) but since i met so many of you at the meet i'd thought i'd stop by and say hi. so,
> 
> i'm STILL sore from sunday! that's ok, it reminds me of what i did! i'm still on  after this weekend and trying not to think about how cold it is at home and how our next scheduled trip to WDW isn't until january (that's right, i already booked my DVC for marathon weekend!).
> 
> what's everyone planning on doing next? and how are you continuing to train? i can't think about running right now but i want to stick with it. what do you do to maintain your base.
> 
> xoxo,
> nancy



Hi Nancy,  I have to ask.....where you the nice lady who is was in our picture in the morning at the T-Z tent?  I realized after I got home that I either didnt meet you or the person that was in the picture.  My pic is really blurry too so that doesnt help.  Either way glad you are joining us.  Great job on the princess. 

I am running another half on may 1 so I am taking the next 3 weeks slow and doing 3-4 mile runs only and then I will start back in with the longer weekend runs.  I am no pro and this was my first half so we will see how it goes.



jbm02 said:


> Hi everyone!  We drove home yesterday - straight through from FL and my brain is still a little too fuzzy to create a coherent post! Sean wasn't feeling well so I did most of the 20 hours driving time and while I was doing better earlier, it suddenly caught up with me!   I plan to write tomorrow... I just didn't want you to think I'm ignoring all of you who have been such inspirations to me as I struggled through this!!!
> 
> ..'night all -(yes, it is only 6:24PM....)
> 
> Jude



Glad you got home safe.  I hope sean is feeling better.  That stinks that you had to drive most of it.  Gosh I would be exhausted too.  Great Job with the princess!!!!  Sorry I didnt get to meet you.



mikamah said:


> Hello fellow princesses!!
> 
> It was so nice to meet everyone this weekend, and to put actual faces and voices with the names here.  It's funny how we talk here and I think you all have the same boston accent as I do.



 your funny Kathy.  It is cool to hear voices now as I read your posts.

I am still tired and trying to catch up on my rest.  Work today was so unproductive for me.  I was day dreaming way to much.  I was feeling really bloated today I am drinking tons of water so hopefully that feeling passes soon.  Is anyone else other than rose thinking of doing the princess again next year.  I really would love to take my whole family this time and have my boys do the kids race and my dh do the 5K.  It just was so amazing.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hi Nancy,  I have to ask.....where you the nice lady who is was in our picture in the morning at the T-Z tent?  I realized after I got home that I either didnt meet you or the person that was in the picture.  My pic is really blurry too so that doesnt help.  Either way glad you are joining us.  Great job on the princess.



hi! yes, i was in the picture. i sort of just inserted myself into your group  i'm on the end with the pink shirt and white hat. we'll just have to meet in person at the next race!


----------



## corinnak

Hi Princess Racers!

Nancy - Welcome to the thread!  I am glad you inserted yourself - sometimes people just fit right in like they've always been a part of the crew, and I definitely had that feeling with you.  

Lisa - If you want to talk about your race experience, we want to hear about it. I think it is probably more upsetting to you than to us, so if you're not ready, that is OK.  I think I speak for the group when I say that I am very impressed by what you accomplished and am inspired by your courage and heart, getting out there.  You worked as hard as anyone on Sunday (Harder than some of us, truthfully) and I hope you will feel comfortable to share your experience.  I also think that the race you have picked out next sounds like a great plan.  It seemed like you have the endurance to finish the distance, but that the time allowance was just not quite enough, so if I am looking at the right race, having it be an out-and-back on the same day as a full marathon, you will have plenty of time!  Hopefully it won't be such a warm, sticky day, too.  That helped NOBODY on Sunday!

Lindsay - another half on May 1???  That is coming right up!  I think your plan sounds solid, and reminds me that we never really talked about recovering from a race - something that most training plans don't include, but about which I've learned some things  "the hard way."




Recovering from a Race

Here is a rule of thumb that my running friend/mentor always tells me:

Recover 1 day for every mile that you raced.  

Which is not to say lie on the couch and eat Ben & Jerry's out of the carton 

BUT

Racing tears your body down in ways that training does not, so the next week or two, the focus should be on recovery rather than improvement.  It's OK to run if you feel up to it, but keep the runs shorter - 2-4 miles at an easy "theraputic" pace.  No intervals, no hill training, no pushing it to get it over with faster.  

If you do XT, it's the same thing - active recovery, maintaining a level of fitness.  Maybe even insert a couple of extra pure rest days.

This is a good time to double check our nutrition as well, to make sure it is solid and we have the things we need to rebuild and recover.  

I have on at least one occasion ended up overtrained after continuing to work out too hard right after a race.  Some symptoms of overtraining:  Fatigue, crabbiness, injuries, getting slower instead of faster, heart rate that gets too high too easily. 

OK, PSA over!!!  I hope everyone has a great night and I am so excited to hear about upcoming race plans!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

corinnak said:


> Recover 1 day for every mile that you raced.
> 
> Which is not to say lie on the couch and eat Ben & Jerry's out of the carton



wait, how did you know? can you SEE me through the computer??? 

i haven't run at all since the race. i was going to today but baked banana bread instead. 

i have a sitter coming friday so i can get out for a little jog. i want to keep up a base. i'd like to run the bronx half in august and the wdw full in january (eek). need to get back on the horse when it comes to exercise and eating well!


----------



## corinnak

dumbo_buddy said:


> wait, how did you know? can you SEE me through the computer???
> 
> i haven't run at all since the race. i was going to today but baked banana bread instead.
> 
> i have a sitter coming friday so i can get out for a little jog. i want to keep up a base. i'd like to run the bronx half in august and the wdw full in january (eek). need to get back on the horse when it comes to exercise and eating well!



  I know because that is a common post-race urge of mine!!   

My point is that it is OK to bake banana bread instead of running right now.  It's hard because most of us have had to fight so hard to get into a fitness routine and it's hard to let it slide a bit, but it really is OK to ease up this week, especially. 

You won't lose much if any conditioning in one week, even if you do nothing more strenuous than shopping at the grocery store.  

Those are some awesome sounding future race plans!


----------



## roseharris

Interesting Gossip! I like it.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

dumbo_buddy said:


> hi! yes, i was in the picture. i sort of just inserted myself into your group  i'm on the end with the pink shirt and white hat. we'll just have to meet in person at the next race!



Im glad you inserted yourself too.  We definitely will have to try to meet in person next time.  I do remember seeing your welcoming smile and cheerfulness.  I am planning on doing the tunnel to towers 5K again this year I dont think that is too far from you.  Its an awesome race experience if your interested.



corinnak said:


> Lisa - If you want to talk about your race experience, we want to hear about it. I think it is probably more upsetting to you than to us, so if you're not ready, that is OK.  I think I speak for the group when I say that I am very impressed by what you accomplished and am inspired by your courage and heart, getting out there.  You worked as hard as anyone on Sunday (Harder than some of us, truthfully) and I hope you will feel comfortable to share your experience.  I also think that the race you have picked out next sounds like a great plan.  It seemed like you have the endurance to finish the distance, but that the time allowance was just not quite enough, so if I am looking at the right race, having it be an out-and-back on the same day as a full marathon, you will have plenty of time!  Hopefully it won't be such a warm, sticky day, too.  That helped NOBODY on Sunday!



I ditto this!!!!!!!

Corinna thanks for the post race recovery tips


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Im glad you inserted yourself too.  We definitely will have to try to meet in person next time.  I do remember seeing your welcoming smile and cheerfulness.  I am planning on doing the tunnel to towers 5K again this year I dont think that is too far from you.  Its an awesome race experience if your interested.



i just googled it and i'm very interested. i have two uncles and a cousin who are FDNY. in fact, my uncle is the bronx union rep. sounds like a great race and a worthy cause. on april 30th there's a 5k at the bronx zoo! we are members and go there at least once or twice a month so i definitely want to do that one.

******

thanks corinna for the info on the recovery. i am one of those to tend to fall of the wagon pretty easily. i need a race to train for in order to keep my motivation up. 

is anyone thinking of doing the full in january? we are already booked in a 1br at the beach club for that week! talk about putting the cart before the horse!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses!!

I wish i could say it feels good to be home and back to routine, but I can't.  I don't want to be here.  I want to be in disney world still wearing my medal around the parks, drinking frozen drinks, and living in the magic still.  

But I'm here.  Yesterday wasn't a smooth adjustment.  Work was fine as was school, but he had his first gymnastics class, followed by the scout pinewood derby workshop, and making up 2 days of homework, so he was soooo tired and whiney, and gretzy!!!!  Hey, I have a new word.  I was glad he made the bus this morning so I can have my coffee and relax on the dis for a bit before work.  

It was such an amazing trip and so much fun.  I don't know when I will do another half, but right now want to work on increasing my speed and losing more weight.  I would have loved to have more time to take pics with characters during the race.  I felt good through MK, and then at mile 7, I got anxious I was only 2 min ahead of the pacers, and pretty much stayed 2-3 min ahead the rest of the race.  I did stop and take pics of all the mile markers and many characters with other people, except chip and dale had no line, so I got my pic with them, and had a volunteer take my pic infront of the castle.  I may buy 2 professional pics, one at the finishline and one coming out of the castle.  

I would love to do another disney race, but don't know when I will get there. 
There's been a lot going on at my work that I've been in denial about that I need to think about and really build my nest egg up again.  Our hospital is definitely merging with a larger group at some time this year, so we don't know what will happen with that, and a group of our docs are doing procedures at a new outpatient facility, so our numbers are down.  One of our nurses took a job with the new facility and just gave her resignation this week.  I'm not really worried about having a job since I've been there 26 years and we have a union, but my hours can be cut, so that's a worry.  But for now, I'm going to stay on my disney high a little longer!

*Corinna*-Thanks again for all your tips before the race, and for the recovery tips too.  I was planning to get out running again next week, and not worry about this week.  

*Nancy*- It was so great to meet you and I'm go happy to see you joining us here.  The full in January!!!  You are amazing, girl!!  I had looked around before the princess for my next big race, but hadn't found anything I really wanted to do, so my next race may be mothers day week 5k, and then I want to do the 5k I did as my first race in june.  The bronx zoo race sounds amazing.  

*Rose*- Welcome home!  Glad your foot is feeling better, and glad the sitdown restaurants were good to you.  I saw your desserts posted somewhere and they looked so good.  Must have been Corinna's facebook.  

*Lisa*- It was so fun to see you and I'm so glad you joined us in mexico.  Beth and I got a bit silly after you left us, not that we weren't starting before.    We stayed in Epcot til after 8, but left before illuminations to beat the crowd.   I was like a zombie by the time we got back to our room that night.  

*Lindsay*- So happy you had such a good race and were able to get so many pictures with the characters along the way.  I would have loved to have more speed to do that too.  Looking forward to reading the rest of your report.  The kids races were really fun and your boys would love them.  It really helped to put Michael and Taylor into the mood of the race weekend, and they felt so good and proud of themselves.  

*Maria*- Hope you had an easy flight home yesterday and enjoyed the rest of your trip.  It was so nice to meet you.  

*Jude*- Hope you're able to get some rest this week.  It's tough coming back to reality, but must be so much harder to drive all that way.  

*Jen*- Can't wait to hear about your race.  I hope it was marvelous.

*diznmom*- So glad you were able to make the trip and had a great race.  

Hope everyone's having a smooth adjustment back to reality.  I plan to get my pictures all organized this weekend and do my little scrapbook.   I don't have a disney trip in the works.  I don't know what I'm going to do with myself.  

Have a great day!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning princesses!

I have done nothing this week except go to work. I'm fighting either a cold or spring allergies. My legs are finally not swollen. I don't ever remember my legs being so puffy after a race, but I felt better after this race than I ever have (except for foot soreness) so maybe there's a correlation. I'm going to attempt a couple of miles either tomorrow or Sunday.

Upcoming race plans--Mike got an email that the KY Derby half was at 95% so I went ahead and signed up. It's at the end of April. I think the foot is going to cooperate. This is going to be a pretty emotional race for me. I have wanted to run this since we moved here in 94. It was the reason I kept trying to run over the years, but I could never get past 5 miles. I always thought if I ran a 1/2 it would be my first, but in my mind it kind of got associated with failing--if that makes sense, since I quit training so many times. 

It used to have a lot of hills, which I was fine with, but they changed the course this year and it's much flatter, so I think it will be fast. And Mike is running this one for time, which means I am on my own. Which will be good, because I could take a cab home if I was miserable. I'm sure it will be great, but I am a little nervous. There is a huge group from his work running (a couple hundred people), so there will be a party of sorts afterward. They have their own recovery area, etc. And that night there is a concert. A bunch of Wishers are running, so I think it will be fun!

I'm sure we will run something else this year, but not sure what. I know we will do the Carolina Parents Weekend 5k if we go. I plan to give DS a run for his money this year.

Ok, now that  I wrote a book, time to get going. I hope everyone is doing well. It definitely was hard to come back to reality this week.

Have a great day!


----------



## jenanderson

Morning Everyone - I have been meaning to get on and chat with everyone since returning but I have been so sick.  As we drove away from WDW, I felt the scratchy throat coming on.  That turned into a cold like condition with a horrible runny nose.  Now though, it is more of the flu like deal with a temperature (102° last night ) and achy body.  The hardest part is that I am working (yes, they all know I am sick but want me in if I can be).  By the time I got home yesterday, I was shaking and felt horrible.  Thankfully the fever broke last night and even though I feel a bit better today, I still feel super weak and achy.  Not a fun way to come home.

I will write longer this weekend about the race but I have to say this....I loved it.  It was a wonderful experience that I had been dreaming of for so long.  I felt really bad that Jude and I missed meeting up with all of you - my DD and Jude's DH both had some health things going on that day and it just did not seem like a good plan to go.  I was happy that we got to meet Lisa at the expo though!

I am already planning to go back and do the race again next year.  My dream would be to do the Goofy - but I think that will have to wait a year or so.

Since I have been so sick since returning, I have not even thought about going out and running again.  I am ready for it though.  Running outside in the Florida sun made me really excited for nice weather and racing season to begin in Minnesota!  Here is my racing schedule for the year so far:

March 19 - 7K
June 5 - 1/2 marathon
August - 5K
Sept - 10K Mud Run
Oct - Full Marathon!  
Oct - 5K

I am still looking for some other races to put on the schedule for the months there is nothing there.  

Alright, it is time to focus on my work and then try to get home to get back into bed.  Thank goodness it is Friday.  I promise to come on and write my reflections of the race this weekend.

Later - 
Jen


----------



## corinnak

dumbo_buddy said:


> thanks corinna for the info on the recovery. i am one of those to tend to fall of the wagon pretty easily. i need a race to train for in order to keep my motivation up.
> 
> is anyone thinking of doing the full in january? we are already booked in a 1br at the beach club for that week! talk about putting the cart before the horse!



Someone might be talking me into the Goofy.  I know, right?  I have my room booked already as well.  With DVC, it is not putting the cart before the horse, it is really just a good idea, since those rooms will fill for that weekend and it is easier to cancel if things change than book closer to the date.  I'll be at AKV again, since it worked so well for me this past January.

I also like having a race on the calendar, so there is some purpose behind my workouts.  "Getting fit" and "Looking better" are never enough for me. But if I know I've got 13.1 miles on a certain date, I know that if I miss too many workouts, I'll be paying for it on race day!



Rose&Mike said:


> Upcoming race plans--Mike got an email that the KY Derby half was at 95% so I went ahead and signed up. It's at the end of April. I think the foot is going to cooperate. This is going to be a pretty emotional race for me. I have wanted to run this since we moved here in 94. It was the reason I kept trying to run over the years, but I could never get past 5 miles. I always thought if I ran a 1/2 it would be my first, but in my mind it kind of got associated with failing--if that makes sense, since I quit training so many times.




Rose, I think this makes a LOT of sense.  I am so glad that training for the Princess was a different experience, and now you know you can go the distance!  I bet you'll have fun even running without Mike by your side.  It is a different experience, running alone vs. running with someone you know.  IMO, BOTH are good!




jenanderson said:


> Since I have been so sick since returning, I have not even thought about going out and running again.  I am ready for it though.  Running outside in the Florida sun made me really excited for nice weather and racing season to begin in Minnesota!  Here is my racing schedule for the year so far:
> 
> March 19 - 7K
> June 5 - 1/2 marathon
> August - 5K
> Sept - 10K Mud Run
> Oct - Full Marathon!
> Oct - 5K
> 
> I am still looking for some other races to put on the schedule for the months there is nothing there.




Hi Jen!  I am sorry to have missed you over the weekend, but maybe we can meet up for a more local race sometime this year.  Your Marathon in October - is that Twin Cities??  I think I am going to do that this year as well.  I have a couple of friends goading me to register.  They are faster than me, but the thought is I'd have someone to wait with in the corral.  It would be awesome if you were there as well!

I'm also planning on the Challenge Obesity 5K again this year - always a fun one.  And probably a Triathlon at the start of June.  Also: 

I hope you feel better soon!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> Yesterday wasn't a smooth adjustment.  Work was fine as was school, but he had his first gymnastics class, followed by the scout pinewood derby workshop, and making up 2 days of homework, so he was soooo tired and whiney, and gretzy!!!!  Hey, I have a new word.  I was glad he made the bus this morning so I can have my coffee and relax on the dis for a bit before work.



Kathy sorry the adjustment was not a smooth one but I love how you used your new work gretzy.  You used it in perfect context too.  Glad you had such a great trip.  I am trying to hang onto my disney high too.



Rose&Mike said:


> I have done nothing this week except go to work. I'm fighting either a cold or spring allergies. My legs are finally not swollen. I don't ever remember my legs being so puffy after a race, but I felt better after this race than I ever have (except for foot soreness) so maybe there's a correlation. I'm going to attempt a couple of miles either tomorrow or Sunday.
> 
> Upcoming race plans--Mike got an email that the KY Derby half was at 95% so I went ahead and signed up. It's at the end of April. I think the foot is going to cooperate. This is going to be a pretty emotional race for me. I have wanted to run this since we moved here in 94. It was the reason I kept trying to run over the years, but I could never get past 5 miles. I always thought if I ran a 1/2 it would be my first, but in my mind it kind of got associated with failing--if that makes sense, since I quit training so many times.
> 
> It used to have a lot of hills, which I was fine with, but they changed the course this year and it's much flatter, so I think it will be fast. And Mike is running this one for time, which means I am on my own. Which will be good, because I could take a cab home if I was miserable. I'm sure it will be great, but I am a little nervous. There is a huge group from his work running (a couple hundred people), so there will be a party of sorts afterward. They have their own recovery area, etc. And that night there is a concert. A bunch of Wishers are running, so I think it will be fun!



Sorry your feeling crappy rose.  I dont have a cold but I will admit I havent done much this week either.  The house is a bit of a mess but I keep putting off cleaning until this wkend.  My entire body felt bloated/swollen about a day or so after the race.  I feel like today is better but wow I didnt really anticipate that.  I am trying to watch my sodium intake and I am drinking tons of water.  

The Kentucky Derby half sounds awesome.  Does everyone wear big crazy hats?  I remember watching the derby on tv and all the women have big fancy hats on.  Just wondering. 

I hope your feeling better today!



jenanderson said:


> Morning Everyone - I have been meaning to get on and chat with everyone since returning but I have been so sick.  As we drove away from WDW, I felt the scratchy throat coming on.  That turned into a cold like condition with a horrible runny nose.  Now though, it is more of the flu like deal with a temperature (102° last night ) and achy body.  The hardest part is that I am working (yes, they all know I am sick but want me in if I can be).  By the time I got home yesterday, I was shaking and felt horrible.  Thankfully the fever broke last night and even though I feel a bit better today, I still feel super weak and achy.  Not a fun way to come home.



Glad you at least made it through the weekend before you got sick.  I hope you feel better soon.  Glad you had a great race and had fun with jude and your families.  You have a great race plan going!



corinnak said:


> Someone might be talking me into the Goofy.



You are my hero.  I think you should go for it!

I think I will venture out and get my butt running again tomorrow.  I just plan to do 30 min in the morning.  It is cold and windy here.  It has me feeling a bit depressed and lazy.  I want to run outside in shorts and a tank top. I need a temper tantrum smiley!!!!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

Yesterday morning I spent an hour typing a wonderful, thoughtful, insightful reply to everyone and then it went poof!   So I will try again today but don't have as much time.

*Rose,*sorry that you have the crud.    I've been fighting it all week, too.  Congrats on signing up for the Derby run, too.  It sounds like your troubles before were in training and now that you have a few races and a great training base under your belt, I know you'll do great!    I think it will be nice to do a race where you get to sleep in your own bed the night before, too!

*jenanderson,* hope that you are feeling better, too!  

*Kathy,* sorry for the rough landing back in reality.    And the work troubles.    Doesn't it feel funny not having to think about a long run this week-end? 

*Nancy,* so glad that you decided to join us on Saturday and have joined our group!    You are definitely one of us!  

*Lindsay,* you are a rock star for thinking about getting outside and running again this morning!  

*Maria,* glad that you are home safe!  I know your guys are happy to have you back home.  

*Jude,* it was nice meeting you!  

*Corinna,* thanks for the post race tips!  

It feels so odd not going to the Kroc Center for a run this morning.  I thought about it for a bit but with this crud I just feel like I need a bit more time.  So I will go to the grocery store and then do laundry today.  

I totally feel comfortable talking about anything with you guys!  I'll talk a little bit more about my experience later -- I'm pretty philosophical about it at this point.  I'll finish the Princess someday.  It just wasn't my race to finish on Sunday.  

And, of course, the highlight of my trip was getting to meet all of you!    I wouldn't have traded that for anything!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

wow, getting back to running has been awful! i ran 3 mi yesterday and 4 this morning and both days were terrible. i was so slow and so tired! i'm having some weird toe pain around the toenails of my second toes. maybe i need new sneakers? don't know. yuck though. i thought after doing 13.1 miles that 3 or 4 would be a breeze. notsomuch.

corinna - you should totally go goofy! you can do it! you are a rock star! 

i'm trying to get into the mindset of training for the full. i've told a few people about it and not one single one of them was like, "go nancy!" they were all like, "why would you do that?" gee, thanks people.


----------



## Rose&Mike

mommyof2Pirates said:


> My entire body felt bloated/swollen about a day or so after the race.  I feel like today is better but wow I didnt really anticipate that.  I am trying to watch my sodium intake and I am drinking tons of water.
> 
> The Kentucky Derby half sounds awesome.  Does everyone wear big crazy hats?  I remember watching the derby on tv and all the women have big fancy hats on.  Just wondering.


Hope your run went ok today, Lindsay! My legs were swollen until Thursday. I've never had that before, but I've also always felt sick to my stomach, so maybe the retaining water is not such a bad thing. Mike said there will be some people in Derby Hats, and I think "Elvis" runs it every year and "Uncle Sam". I have only watched on tv. Hmmm, now you have me thinking about hats! I was considering running it in a skirt and the princess raceshirt. But, it could be really sunny, so I might need appropriate head gear.



lisah0711 said:


> And, of course, the highlight of my trip was getting to meet all of you!    I wouldn't have traded that for anything!


This was the highlight for me too! 

*Kathy*--I'm sorry about the workstuff. Reality really blows chunks sometimes, doesn't it? I hope Michael is getting back on a normal schedule.

*Nancy*--I will be your full chearleader! Go Nancy! You can do it!

I ran 4 miles at the Y this morning. It was in the 50s but a nasty cold rain. My plantar foot feels pretty good. My left knee (which has NEVER given me any problem before) is a mess. It only bothers me when I am actually running. Mike thinks it's from the inserts. They put an extra piece on that insert, so I took it off after a mile. We'll see how it goes. I might have to run without the inserts and just wear them to walk around. After everything else this past year, I am so tired of doctors, so I'm going to try a bit longer with these inserts to see if it works. I have to go back to my doctor in April for girl stuff and to re-evaluate the g-f. 

It was such a cruddy run, I was singing the "I'm never going to run again" song. But then we came home and booked a room for W&D! Despite all the issues last year, I really liked that run. And think of how much fun I will have at the after party if I don't feel like puking!? The only g-f food will be cheese, but I can make do with the wine part!

Have a great day princesses!

ETA--ok, so the plantar is now being outshadowed by the knee. Holy crud, I don't know what I did, but it is a mess! Got the icebag out again. It's on the outside of my knee, so hopefully just an itb thing going on and nothing worse. Again, I am questioning my sanity!  On the other hand, it is getting me out of painting the ceiling in the family room today!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> Yesterday morning I spent an hour typing a wonderful, thoughtful, insightful reply to everyone and then it went poof!   So I will try again today but don't have as much time.



dont you just hate when that happens.  It does feel weird not to have a long run planned.  I am happy to have a week or two to not think about long distances.  I am going to get my butt out there shortly to put in my 30 min.  I pushed it off all day and if I dont do it now its not going to happen since tomorrow is a busy day for us.



dumbo_buddy said:


> i'm trying to get into the mindset of training for the full. i've told a few people about it and not one single one of them was like, "go nancy!" they were all like, "why would you do that?" gee, thanks people.



I will be your cheerleader too.  Go Nancy.  You can do it.  Thats a great idea.  You got to remember that if you tell people that are not long distances runners you are going to run a marathon that is going to be there reaction.  Dont take it negatively, they just dont understand.  



Rose&Mike said:


> ETA--ok, so the plantar is now being outshadowed by the knee. Holy crud, I don't know what I did, but it is a mess! Got the icebag out again. It's on the outside of my knee, so hopefully just an itb thing going on and nothing worse. Again, I am questioning my sanity!  On the other hand, it is getting me out of painting the ceiling in the family room today!



Oh my gosh rose you just cant win.  at least it gets you out of painting.  I seriously would consider injuring myself on purpose to get out of that. JK.  I hope all feels better soon!

Ok so I am heading out shortly to run.  I ended up sleeping in today....I am just not fully caught up on my rest yet.  Although I would love to go lay down right now I am going to force myself to run instead.  We had ryans bball banquet earlier today and then my dh's godson's bday party.  It was at an activity center and the kids got a half hour karate class which was so cool.  the boys are beat so they are taking naps.


----------



## mikamah

Good evening, princesses!!

Just a week ago, I was relaxing at the pool, thinking about getting up at 3 am, and having a little anxiety attack because there were no more bagels in the food court for my breakfast.  There still weren't any at 3 am but I made do with toast, and survived.  So funny. 's

Well, I must confess that I haven't even thought about going out for a run yet.  I am so impressed with you all who have gotten out there.  My usually good foot started bothering me during the race, and it's still achey, and feels crunchy, like my knees have before, so I'm thinking arthritis/inflammation, and rest is probably good for it.  It's supposed to rain tomorrow, but I do need to get moving again, so I'll do some wii fit tomorrow, and get out for a morning run during the week.  

*Rose*- so sorry about your knee.  You have had so much going on, but I love that your singing the "I'm never going to run again" song segue'd into booking a room for the W&D.   I found my legs to stay swollen for a few days too, and was thinking I overdid the salt.   After the half, I laid on the bed with my legs up against the wall for  15-20 min, and it really did help my legs feel better pretty quickly after the race.  Veronica on the incredibles thread had suggested doing that after long runs, and it does seem to help decrease the swelling and stiffness.

*Lisa*- It is nice not to have to get out for a long run this weekend.  And I hate when those long replies go poof.  I totally think it's reasonable to take the weekend and recover from the race and your cold too.  It's funny, now that the race is over, 20 degree weather seems way too cold to go running in.  So happy spring is around the corner.   And I totally agree that meeting you all was the highlight of my trip too. 

*Lindsay*- Hope you had a good run, and some warm weather to run in.  Sounds like a busy weekend for you too.  We just have ccd tomorrow and the rest of the day is totally free.  I'm so looking forward to doing nothing.  I want to get my pics organized and post some on facebook, and here too.  

*Nancy*- You go girl!!  You can so do a marathon!!!!

*Jen*- Hope you're feeling better soon.  You have a great year of races planned.  

*Corinna*- I am sure you can go Goofy next year.  You are amazing and strong, and will do whatever you aspire to do.  

We spent the day from 8-5:30 at the pinewood derby, and michael was so excited his car was chosen as best in show for his group, and he got a trophy.  Last year his car came in last every time it raced, and this year, he came in first once, so he was beaming.  I remember last year, he was so good about coming in last, and I was so proud of him, so I'm very happy for him today.  I was thinking what a week we've had, the mickey mile last saturday, the princess, and now a derby trophy.  It feels like last weekend was so long ago.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> We spent the day from 8-5:30 at the pinewood derby, and michael was so excited his car was chosen as best in show for his group, and he got a trophy.  Last year his car came in last every time it raced, and this year, he came in first once, so he was beaming.  I remember last year, he was so good about coming in last, and I was so proud of him, so I'm very happy for him today.  I was thinking what a week we've had, the mickey mile last saturday, the princess, and now a derby trophy.  It feels like last weekend was so long ago.



michael is quite possibly the cutest young man ever. what a great kid. sounds like he had a big week!


----------



## jbm02

Morning, everyone!
I am so glad that this thread is continuiung, even though the Princess is over.  I know it will slowly peter out but it's a little easier for me to follow this one and feel invloved than some of the bigger ones.  



mikamah said:


> Hello fellow princesses!!
> 
> It was so nice to meet everyone this weekend, and to put actual faces and voices with the names here.  It's funny how we talk here and I think you all have the same boston accent as I do.
> 
> *Lisa*- I am so proud of you, and think you are an amazing woman, and so positive and upbeat, and I am sad that you weren't able to finish the race this time, but I know that you are going to continue on this healthy path, and you are going to be amazing at the C'oeur d'Alene half in may.  It was so nice to meet you in person and spend some time with you.  I hope you're feeling better, and you had smooth travels home.
> 
> Sad I didn't get to meet Jen and Jude, and see you ladies in your awesome outfits for the race.



Kathy, ...after going to college in RI, I can fake a pretty good Boston/RI accent!!  (no NYers have an accent so we just have to fake others...yeah, right...LOL)

You said exactly what I wanted to say to Lisa.  *Lisa*, if you could measure the inspiration you have given to the rest of us in miles, you'd be at an ultra-marathon by now.  

Sorry we missed you too.  MY DH spent all of Saturday at an urgent care (infected toe - yuck).  It threw a kink into our schedule but honestly, I was so worried about him that I forgot about the meet til it was almost 4PM.  He's okay now, thanks to the antibiotics...



Rose&Mike said:


> *diznmom*--And hi to Jen and Jude. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you this time.


Sorry we missed you too Rose.  Hopefully next time!!



corinnak said:


> Someone might be talking me into the Goofy.!



Have you been talking to Jen???!! 

Go for it!!!

And thank you so much for the race recovery recommendations.  I was going to google that exact subject - and there they were! 




dumbo_buddy said:


> i'm trying to get into the mindset of training for the full. i've told a few people about it and not one single one of them was like, "go nancy!" they were all like, "why would you do that?" gee, thanks people.



Are you kidding??!  I am in such awe of those able to make such a commitment.  GO, NANCY!!!!



Rose&Mike said:


> ETA--ok, so the plantar is now being outshadowed by the knee. Holy crud, I don't know what I did, but it is a mess! Got the icebag out again. It's on the outside of my knee, so hopefully just an itb thing going on and nothing worse. Again, I am questioning my sanity!  On the other hand, it is getting me out of painting the ceiling in the family room today!


Ouch.  Hope you are feeling better SOON.

As for me, I think I may hold off on any halfs this summer and concentrate on the Hudson Mohawk Half (in Albany NY) which is held in early October.  I really wanted to do the Rock N Roll one in Providence in August but I disappointed myself in my performance in this one.  Not that the race wasn't awesome - just that my performance wasn't what I wanted it to be.  I know alot of the issues were mental ones that I had to work through.  And, frankly, doing the race and realizing what affected my performance was something I needed to realize to get my head in gear for my next half.  Several of my friends have said to "just cross the half off your bucket list and stick with 5Ks" but I really like the challenge of the half.  It definitely puts me way out of my comfort zone and I know that I will have to work for whatever results are achieved... I am going to spend the time til October working on both my endurance and speed and go  into it with a "you can do this" attitude".  If I get to a "happy running place" before August - who knows?  maybe I'll post about Providence!  But if not, I know that I'll get to where I need to be for October.

Okay, now I REALLY need to get DS up to work on his history project!!
Have a great day everyone!
Jude


----------



## Rose&Mike

Uggh! Stupid, stupid knee! Can I not catch a break! Yes, I am whining. And this is partly my own stupid fault. I should have stopped as soon as it started twinging yesterday, but no. I am stubborn! I'm going to give it a week and if it's not better I am calling the sports medicine clinic. So next Monday. Hold me to it.

We're going to call the Y today and see if we can run in the pool. That's one of the things you can do instead of running, that and elliptical. 8 weeks until my next 1/2. Here's hoping I can even do it.

Jude--I'm sorry about your dh. I'm glad he is doing better. As for improving, with every pound I lost I got faster, and every race I've run I have learned something. Even if it's just that I need to cut myself some slack. If you want to continue running 1/2s then I say go for it--personally I think 5ks are kind of boring. I'm going to get a little philosophical here, but I see the 1/2 as being so intertwined with weight loss. They both require patience and planning. They require stick-to-it-ness. You can't just go out and do it (at least most people can't.) It takes thoughtfulness and perseverance to be successful. And you are a very strong person! You can do this and I know you can improve (though I'm sure you did fine in the Princess) and meet your goals.

Have a great day!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hey Princess Pals! 

Sorry it's taking me so long to reacclimate -- here is my imitation of a RR...cross-posted from the Leanies...

I keep thinking about starting this post, and then I have to do something, and then it doesnt happen because I realize I dont have enough timeso this time Im typing it in Word and then Ill paste it when Im done. That way I can leave it if needed and come back until I finally have the entire post! 

This was my first solo trip, so I had a lot to think about and process, as well as the race. It kind of merges together into a combined solo trip/race report. An inauspicious start, my flight was delayed out of Boston because we had a air conditioning problem (i.e. it didnt work), and then we lost our place in line. At this point I wasnt too stressed. I had just scored big getting 18 Rabbits granola bars at the airport to have for breakfast every day, so that was a win! You cant get them in stores around here, only at the airport, so I already had a treat in place. Anyway, after going down the wrong side of the terminal, I finally found my way to Magic Express  so I could wait in a very long line. I just made it on the next bus, and I was on my way to the All Star Sports Resort. I checked in and found my room on the 3rd floor of one of the Touchdown! (football) buildings, facing the football field. Not a bad location, and it was a bright sunny 80+, much nicer than the 30s I left at home. 

I went to the food court and had a turkey sandwich kids meal. My strategy was to eat kids meals for lunch, but it turned out not to be the best one. The turkey part was fine, the hamburger bun was less than thrilling. I had double grapes with it, so not too bad. And I bought a refillable mug, so I could have unlimited light Minute Maid lemonade and unsweetened tea. Then it was time to head for the Expo! Keep in mind the only big Expo Ive ever been to before is for WDW Marathon Weekend in January. I was surprised that this Expo was a bit smaller (packet pickup and the vendors all in the same building), but there was still plenty to see! I was ecstatic to find myself in Corral D. Since they were running A-F, I figured this put me right where I should be. Another WISHer online had said Track Shack (who runs the race) had D at 2:51-2:59, which was definitely my goal range. 

I didnt find anything I needed with the various vendors, but I did stop at the Disney store. I bought 2 bondibands, a singlet and a long-sleeved shirt. They had a great variety of merchandise, and I noticed right away they had more in larger (i.e. not just XS, S and M) sizes. 

After making my purchases I headed back to the resort, and my luggage had arrived! I unpacked, and did a little walk around the resort. I liked the big sports icons, and I noticed teenage cheerleaders and football players strolling around. Soon my buddy Corinna arrived, and we headed over to the Wave at the Contemporary for dinner. It was great to catch up with her, and I tried really hard to make good choices for dinner. I had a buffalo mozzarella flatbread (ok, but not really yummy), and a bowl of butternut squash soup (delicious!). And that was it. I was comfortable, and didnt mind skipping dessert. I made it a relatively early night, and slept ok. The bed was not particularly comfortable, and I was up at 7. Which turned out to be a good thing, since the cheerleaders started practicing outside my door at 8I took myself for a tour of the other All Star Resorts. I really liked the giant icons at All Star Movies. I dont think I could stay at All Star Music, because if I got stuck in the Country Fair section I might do someone bodily harm if I had to listen to that music all day. Yep, there is music playing from each of the buildings reflecting their design. After my tour, I hopped a bus to DTD. I had to stop in at the Christmas store, but nothing new since Jan. I went into Once Upon a Toy, and bought a Goofy as Chewbacca for my son. I was starting to get hungry, so I headed over to Fresh A Peel (where Mickey Ds used to be). I had a citrus grilled chicken salad that was absolutely delicious! I asked for very light dressing, and found the meal to be perfect and filling. After a swing through the World of Disney, quick stop in Ghirardelli for espresso beans for dh, and quick look at Tren-D, I headed back to my resort. 

I got changed and ready for the WISH Meet. I was really looking forward to this, I had several ladies from the BL I had never met in person, and I kind of felt like Corinna and I encouraged them to do this race, so I wanted to make sure I met them! The Meet was lovely, also got to catch up with Ohana cousins JenB and Kathy and meet Ohana and BL buddy Rose (and Mike!), all in all a fantastic time. So, after the Meet Corinna and JenB and I went to the Swan or Dolphin (I think Dolphin, but honestly, Im not sure which one I was in) and ate at a Buffeteria. I was able to get just a slab of lasagna, and then we had soft serve ice cream. By the time I made it back to my room it was about 9. I quickly set out my race stuff, put my D-tag on, and I was ready for sleep. Well, sort of. Remember this past summer when I had to stop running because I had too much bacteria on my eyes? I was having a relapse, and it wasnt pretty. I went to bed not sure if I would be able to even get my contacts in the next morning, but I was determined to run in glasses if I couldnt. Luckily for me when Stitch called at 3am, the contacts went in ok. I dressed, grabbed my stuff, and was out the door around 3:30. What a huge line had already gathered for the buses! Id never seen anything like it in January, but then again Ive never left from a Value before. I opted to leave behind my throwaway jacket, just taking my Mylar blanket from January. I had no problem getting into a port-a-pottie right away, but I never found the WISH folks. I went down to my corral and settled near the front. The wait didnt seem too bad, and we were off! 

I felt good at the start, which is a great sign. Once again I managed not to see the clock when I crossed the start, so I wouldnt really know how I was doing until I hit Mile 2. I should also say that while there were a great many ladies in costumes (and some fellas), there were also plenty of runners like me, in regular, non-sparkly attire. I seemed to be hitting splits around 12minutes at Miles 2-4, so I felt pretty good about things. Made it through the toll at MK, so on a roll! Approaching the Contemporary the sun came up, which was not quite so good. This was going to be a record high day in Orlando, and it started earlystill feeling pretty good, but I could feel myself slowing a bit. Lovely run through MK as usual, and then to the narrows and the long stretch of pavement and sun. By the time I hit Mile 10, I knew it wasnt going to end pretty. I just kept going as fast as I could. I think my last 2 miles probably took 15 minutes each, but I knew that with my great start, I could still have a PR, so I kept pushing. I crossed the finish line in 2:52, a full 4 minutes faster than January!  I was so pleased  and I do think if the sun hadnt been so incredibly hot, I might have been even faster! 

After a 20 minute massage, I found the other WISHers at the T-Z tent. We had some group photos, and then back to the hotel. I was quite surprised to find I actually felt pretty good, like I didnt need a long nap. I took a shower and had a little rest, then met up with Corinna and we went to Epcot. After splitting a veggie wrap at Sunshine Seasons, we did a KimPossible mission in France, and listened to the Voices of Liberty in America. We had a delightful peach tea schnapps slush in China, and headed for the buses to make our way to AKL. We met Rose and Mike for dinner at Boma, and I was very restrained. Then we all went to JellyRolls, where we met JenB. I had never been there before, but Im already planning to go back! The dueling request pianos were so much fun! I didnt ask for a song, but I will the next time I go. I was just so tired, but we were dancing, we did a conga line to Copacabana  it was a great time had by all! 

I got back to my room and went to bed at Midnight. I was up for 21 hours Sundayand I think Im now just starting to feel normal. Nevertheless, I popped up at 7am Monday and met Corinna for breakfast. Then we parted ways so she could pack and catch her flight. I went to the Animal Kingdom, just making it in before EMH ended. This turned out great, it allowed me to get on the safari before the hordes hit. After the safari I did the rainforest trek, then I meandered to Kali River Rapids, and did it for the first time. Meh. Then I grabbed a vanilla rooibos tea, and warmed up. Just as I was finishing my tea, it was time for Finding Nemo. Id never seen the musical either, so I took a seat. It was cute, I thought it was very well done. Then I went to ride Dinosaur, and had a grilled barbecue chicken salad at Flaming Tree Barbecue, which was yummy. Then I took a turn around the Tree of Life, Id never been on the back side before. I decided I was going to try to do something new at every Park this trip, and so far Id succeeded in AK and Epcot  Id never done a KimPossible Mission, either. I came back to the hotel and had a quick rest, then it was off to the MK for the evening. 

I had a list of a few things to accomplish, since some upgrades had been made since I was last at the MK. But I decided to start it off my doing something I hadnt done since ds was 4, the train ride. It was pleasant, and over before too long. Then I grabbed a fast pass for Space after riding the People Mover, and rode Its a Small World and Mickeys Philharmagic. I really wanted to catch the Main Street Electrical Parade since Id never seen it before, so I had a seat close to the front of the sidewalk and enjoyed it. Then I rode Pirates and the Jungle Cruise (never ridden after dark before), and Big Thunder Mountain during Wishes, which was pretty cool. I also did the revamped Haunted Mansion. I was just so tired, I couldnt make it to the Hall of Presidents. I decided to adapt my plans for the next day to come back to just do that. 

I awoke early again Tuesday so I could get to Epcot for EMH. It was pouring and nasty, but I had a poncho and I was determined to enjoy my day. I was planning 3 Parks today, so I had to be efficient. I rode Soarin and got a fastpass for later, then it was off to Mission Space  orange side, of course! I was a little skeptical because of the rain (still raining and pouring in spurts), but I got in line for Test Track. I did eventually ride, but we were stuck on the course inside for awhile, while they waited for the pouring to die down. Then back to Soarin. Still raining, so I did Living with the Land. Then it was clearing up, and World Showcase had opened. I headed for Norway and did the Maelstrom. Ive never stayed for the movie after before  turns out that was a good choice. Then on to Germany, where I was going to buy a caramel apple  but when it came right down to it, I looked at them and I just didnt want one  it just looked like too much for me. So, I went to the American Adventure and watched it for the first time. Ok, one inaccuracy I have to point out  John Adams never said Thomas Jefferson was a better writer than he was. He actually thought the opposite. In any case, then I was starving, having aborted the caramel apple lunch plan. I went to France and selected a turkey and brie on French bread. I was standing in line to pay when guess who found me? Mike and Rose! It was great to run into them again, and I was so glad I had passed on the chocolate mousse! It looked good, but like too much. This was my usual response with the desserts this week, so I didnt end up really eating them, just a half a carrot cake cookie. Anyway, tummy filled I wandered to England to go through the garden in back (another thing I never did), then it was off to DHS. 

I was going for one reason, to see Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage, which I had never seen. I got there 10 minutes after the start, so I decided to hang around for the next show. I did the Great Movie Ride, and Prince Caspian (for the first and only time, trust me), and then I was able to get in line for the show. It worked its magic on me, I just love BelleAnyway, I didnt see any other reason to hang around the Studios, so I took the bus to the TTC, and then the monorail to MK.

My first stop at MK was Columbia Harbor House, which was closedso I ended up eating at Starlight Rays. Here is where I totally fell off the wagon. I had chicken breast nuggets and fries. This was my only clear indulgence of the trip, so I consider that massive progress. After being sated, I headed off for the Hall of Presidents. I liked the update and enjoyed the show. Then one last ride on the PeopleMover, and I left the MK for the resort. I got back and packed while I watched the rest of BL, and went to bed. I had to drop my luggage before 7 and catch the ME at 7:05, so I wanted to be up early. 

I took some last photos of the resort, and headed out for the airport. My flight was uneventful, other than JetBlue moving to a terminal where they dont have McDonalds (so no planned oatmeal for breakfast  but I did find another 18 Rabbits bar!). It was great to be home, but I was so tired, I couldnt really have a coherent thought, and I had to go to work the next day. 

Since then Ive been catching up on sleep, I ran 2M Thurs., 3M Fri., and 4M yesterday, and Im taking today off. Yesterday we went to a AAA travel show to book a cruise as a gift for my dads 75th birthday, and to get information on a drive vacation to Canada. 

So, for the big result  I weighed in at WW yesterday, and I was down 2.4!  I could not believe it! I am so pleased to have finally lost weight after a WDW vacation! This brings me to a total of 14.6 lbs in 6 weeks, which feels awesome. 

I have truly written a book here, and now I have to go to church. Hope everyone is doing great, I promise to have replies soon!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> michael is quite possibly the cutest young man ever. what a great kid. sounds like he had a big week!


Thanks, Nancy.  I am pretty lucky, though he has his moments.



jbm02 said:


> Kathy, ...after going to college in RI, I can fake a pretty good Boston/RI accent!!  (no NYers have an accent so we just have to fake others...yeah, right..





jbm02 said:


> *Lisa*, if you could measure the inspiration you have given to the rest of us in miles, you'd be at an ultra-marathon by now.


So true.  I know I for one would not be where I am right now without all of Lisa's encouragement and support.



Rose&Mike said:


> Uggh! Stupid, stupid knee! Can I not catch a break! Yes, I am whining. And this is partly my own stupid fault. I should have stopped as soon as it started twinging yesterday, but no. I am stubborn! I'm going to give it a week and if it's not better I am calling the sports medicine clinic. So next Monday. Hold me to it.


That just bites.  Definitely a good idea to get it checked out if it's not better.  I know it's hard, but maybe a few days without any exercise would do it some good.  Total rest.  I know the next half is weighing on your shoulders, but I think the 3 day total rest rule can help.  Rest, elevate, ice, and a few mixed drinks are in order for you this afternoon.



Worfiedoodles said:


> Hey Princess Pals!
> 
> Maria


Loved reading your race report.  It was so good to meet you at the dis meet, but I feel like I didn't talk with you for very long.  Now that the weather is getting warmer, we'll have to plan a MA dis meet soon.  Maybe meet and walk by the charles, or something.  You had a fun filled trip, and you and Lindsay are inspiring me to get going on my journal.  

All of you out running already were in my head this morning.  It's supposed to rain today, so I hadn't planned on running but it was 53 degrees and not raining when I dropped ds at ccd, so I ran/walked for 3.5 miles.  My foot actually felt good while I was running, and tender during the walking, but as I moved, it started feeling better.  I put my 13.1 mickey head sticker on my car today!   

Enjoy your sunday, princesses!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*maria* - that was a really great race/trip report! i enjoyed reading it. also, you are my disney vacation healthy eating hero! i will have to remember your excellent choices the next time i'm there. unlike you, i ate everything in sight while at disney, especially AFTER the race. and i gained 3 lbs! 

***********

it's raining here today but actually not cold! that's a total surprise. we decided to take the little guy to the children's museum of manhattan which turned out to be awesome! he ran around like a madman for an hour and a half and is now snoozing away. i did 30 min on the elliptical this morning to give myself a little break from the running. 

i think the cold that alot people got upon returning from WDW is now coming my way. major bummer. 

thanks everyone for the encouragement on doing the wdw marathon. i'm exhausted just thinking about it right now!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> We spent the day from 8-5:30 at the pinewood derby, and michael was so excited his car was chosen as best in show for his group, and he got a trophy.  Last year his car came in last every time it raced, and this year, he came in first once, so he was beaming.  I remember last year, he was so good about coming in last, and I was so proud of him, so I'm very happy for him today.  I was thinking what a week we've had, the mickey mile last saturday, the princess, and now a derby trophy.  It feels like last weekend was so long ago.



that is so awesome kathy.  I am so happy for him.



jbm02 said:


> As for me, I think I may hold off on any halfs this summer and concentrate on the Hudson Mohawk Half (in Albany NY) which is held in early October.  I really wanted to do the Rock N Roll one in Providence in August but I disappointed myself in my performance in this one.  Not that the race wasn't awesome - just that my performance wasn't what I wanted it to be.  I know alot of the issues were mental ones that I had to work through.  And, frankly, doing the race and realizing what affected my performance was something I needed to realize to get my head in gear for my next half.  Several of my friends have said to "just cross the half off your bucket list and stick with 5Ks" but I really like the challenge of the half.  It definitely puts me way out of my comfort zone and I know that I will have to work for whatever results are achieved... I am going to spend the time til October working on both my endurance and speed and go  into it with a "you can do this" attitude".  If I get to a "happy running place" before August - who knows?  maybe I'll post about Providence!  But if not, I know that I'll get to where I need to be for October.
> 
> Okay, now I REALLY need to get DS up to work on his history project!!
> Have a great day everyone!
> Jude



I thought about doing the same thing jude.  I really need to lose another 30lbs and I feel like keeping the runs shorter and focusing on food will help that.  I have a half on may 1st and then I am going to just do 5K's.  I am hoping to get back to the princess next year and this time I would like to just run and not stop for so many pictures.  Good luck on getting to the happy running place.  You can do it.



Rose&Mike said:


> Uggh! Stupid, stupid knee! Can I not catch a break! Yes, I am whining. And this is partly my own stupid fault. I should have stopped as soon as it started twinging yesterday, but no. I am stubborn! I'm going to give it a week and if it's not better I am calling the sports medicine clinic. So next Monday. Hold me to it.



I hope your knee heals up soon.  If its not Im holding you to seeing a dr next week.  Funny story- today I was at my nana's and everyone was looking at my pics.  My mom's cousin was like wow look at you in this pic you look so skinny.  I was like thats not me thats my friend rose.  It was the pic of all 4 of us.  They said we look like we could be related.  My mom keeps asking about all of you too.  She though you all were so nice and she was so happy to meet everyone.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> This was my first solo trip, so I had a lot to think about and process, as well as the race.



Hi Maria.  I am so glad I got to say hello to you after the race.  Next time I hope to be able to schedule the wish meet into our plans.  I loved your report of the race and your trip.  It sounds like you had a great time and you did awesome during the race.  I was in corral D too somewhere in the middle.  



mikamah said:


> All of you out running already were in my head this morning.  It's supposed to rain today, so I hadn't planned on running but it was 53 degrees and not raining when I dropped ds at ccd, so I ran/walked for 3.5 miles.  My foot actually felt good while I was running, and tender during the walking, but as I moved, it started feeling better.  I put my 13.1 mickey head sticker on my car today!
> 
> Enjoy your sunday, princesses!



Great Job Kathy!!!!!!!!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> it's raining here today but actually not cold! that's a total surprise. we decided to take the little guy to the children's museum of manhattan which turned out to be awesome! he ran around like a madman for an hour and a half and is now snoozing away. i did 30 min on the elliptical this morning to give myself a little break from the running.



Sounds like a fun day Nancy.

I got my run in last night and I did it in a tshirt and running pants.  I am tired of the long sleeves so it was nice to have somewhat decent weather.  I felt horrible during the run.  Out of breath, tired, and my legs felt like rubber.  Im hoping that my next run I will have some more pep in my step.  

We had a busy weekend and I am dreading the start of the work week.  I still dont feel caught up on my rest.  Either that or my mind just doesnt want to face reality that the trip/race is over and I need to move on.


----------



## jenanderson

Hey Everyone!  I keep meaning to get on and type about the race but I have been so sick since coming home.  Today I am feeling a bit better so I thought I could comment and post some photos.

I will say that 3:00 AM is early....a bit too early but I was so excited when the alarm went off.  I had to shower, get my outfit on, do my make up, get my hair done and remember all my accessories.  Yep, I am all about being all made up for a race and this one was no exception!  Once I was ready, DH quickly got himself ready and we went outside to meet Jude.  We actually had connecting rooms at the Pop Century Resort and at 4:00 AM, we were ready to go!

Even though the first pictures may look a bit sleepy, I was ready to go! We drove our van to Epcot and quickly found a parking spot (NOTE FOR NEXT YEAR:  do not be so excited about the race that you do not note where you are parking )  

We all waited to use the bathrooms right as we got there.  The lines were long as most races but as my DH commented...they moved slowly because there were not enough guys in the line!    I tried to explain to him how long it takes to use the bathroom and fix your tutu!  

I had heard that it is a long walk to the start and that is no joke!  We were so excited when we got to our starting point....corral B!

Thoughts to this point:  I was stunned at the amount of people who were going to the bathroom right out in the open (or along the sides of the road on the way to the start).  I loved how Disney had fireworks for corral A and then corral B to start.  I sure hope they continued it so that all the princesses felt that their start was as important as the first group.  It was VERY DARK in some spots at the start of the race.  I also think that in some locations the road was so narrow that it made it difficult to run with the crowds.  Usually the first couple of miles are a struggle for me as I work to get in a groove and this race was no different.  I wasn't really struggling as much as we were not settling into an even pace.  For a bit we were running slow and then we were running too fast.  I would have liked to have paid closer attention to setting a pace and sticking to it.  Instead, I found myself concentrating so much on everything that was going on around me.  

As I think about the race again, there are no words to describe how great it was to run into the Magic Kingdom, down Main Street and to the castle.  I feel like I had it all as I was running in and there right at the end were my kids holding big signs and cheering us on!  After quick hugs, we moved on to tomorrowland (and a quick bathroom stop) and then we started the constant stopping for photos.  We had been stopping briefly for the mile marker signs but now we were stopping for photos that had lines.  The worse was when we stopped before running through the castle to get pictures with Mickey and Minnie.  We waited a LONG time.  I am glad we did it though because I know that if I run this race again, I won't be stopping as much and I love all my photos from this experience.  We then ran through the castle and out the back area (again, stopping for more photos).  

At this point, we were not really running and we walked most the rest of the course.  We stopped for as many photos as we wanted and made it almost to Epcot before we got going again.  When we reached Epcot, I knew that no matter how anyone was feeling, we had to run....we wanted to finish strong and we could finish strong.  Chipper Jen kicked it into high gear and off we went.  

I loved the end of the race!  It was great to have people cheering us on again, and I felt totally energized!  

Thoughts about the end of the race:  I wish I had known more about how the end was set up.  We went past the finish line and then met up with our families.  I did not realize where to go to get the message or that there were more photo opportunities.  We stood there for a few minutes and then just left to go take showers.  I would have been happy soaking up more of the race excitement and enjoying the accomplishment if I had known where to go.  

After Jude, DH and I went back to our hotel rooms, we showered and then hit the MK for the day.  We had a fabulous last night dinner at Ohana and then sadly, it was time for us to say good-bye to Jude's family.  They were leaving early the next day so they needed to get back for the night.  My family went to see Fantasmic and it was a perfect ending to a wonderful day.

Final thoughts:  I cannot thank Jude enough for asking me to run the Princess with her.  I was over weight, out of shape and my diabetes was out of control.  When I told her that I couldn't do it, she told me that I totally could do it and she never acted like I couldn't.  I cannot thank many of you on this board enough.  You encouraged me over the course of a year - cheered me on when I had successes, picked me up when I struggled and always encouraged me to keep on going.  I am not the same person I was when I started this journey to the Princess.  I am stronger, I am healthier and I love to run.  I have dreams of going Goofy and know I will do it with a smile on my face one year soon!


----------



## jenanderson

Here are some photos:


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> *maria* - that was a really great race/trip report! i enjoyed reading it. also, you are my disney vacation healthy eating hero! i will have to remember your excellent choices the next time i'm there. unlike you, i ate everything in sight while at disney, especially AFTER the race. and i gained 3 lbs!
> 
> i did 30 min on the elliptical this morning to give myself a little break from the running.


Maria really was amazing with her eating, wasn't she.  I was up 6.2, but after 2 days, it was down to 3.2.  I guess I should have done a full marathon to eat and drink like I did.   
You're such a good role model getting that exercise in.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I got my run in last night and I did it in a tshirt and running pants.  I am tired of the long sleeves so it was nice to have somewhat decent weather.  I felt horrible during the run.  Out of breath, tired, and my legs felt like rubber.  Im hoping that my next run I will have some more pep in my step.
> 
> We had a busy weekend and I am dreading the start of the work week.  I still dont feel caught up on my rest.  Either that or my mind just doesnt want to face reality that the trip/race is over and I need to move on.


My legs felt a little rubbery yesterday too, and I went really slow.  It does seem to be taking a long time to adjust to reality.  I hope this week is a little smoother for all of us. 

*Jen and Jude*- You guys look so adorable.  Love the outfits, and the We believe t-shirts.  Loved reading your race report, jen.  Glad you're starting to feel better.  

Hello, Rose, Lisa, and Maria.  Hope everyone has a good monday!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Jen I loved the report and you girls looked so great.  I especially love the extra hair accesory you added.

I bet I wasnt too far behind you guys finishing.  I started in corral D and probably started out about 10 min behind you and I finished in 3hrs and 12 min so If I would have just ran a bit faster I might have been able to spot you!  or should I say if maybe I would have stopped for one less picture.  Im glad you had fun and I agree with it being the first race I really enjoyed all the picture taking.  Next time I think I will try to race more.

Kathy I hope this week is better for you too


Oh this is funny so I will share.  Yesterday was my cousins 8th bday and I got her a disney foil princess puzzle.  Her younger sister who is 3 got a bit whiney and was saying she is the princess.  The 8 year old yells back "no its my birthday so I am the princess" and I had to follow with hey Im wearing the medal so I am the princess.  Everyone got a laugh out of that and it ended the bickering too.  (and yes I wore my medal yesterday to show it off to my family)  I would wear it daily if people wouldnt look at me funny.


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses!  

I'm glad that we are continuing to chat here because it makes it easy to keep up with everyone.  

*Nancy,* sorry that you had a tough run.    I totally think that you could rock the full in January!    Hope your cold doesn't get any worse.  

*Kathy,* congratulation to your derby winner and for getting out there and doing a run!  

*Jude,* I think the plan is to keep chatting on this thread at least until we merge the two challenge threads.   

*Rose,* so sorry about the knee.    Is it the same as the plantar foot?  I wonder if compensating for the PF aggravated the knee.  

*Maria,* loved your TR and way to go on the WW loss and the miles!   

*Lindsay,* add me to the list of Princesses not quite ready for reality!  

*jenanderson,* loved your TR and pics.  I especially like the picture of you doing your Chipper Jen thing running backwards!  

*Corinna,* hope that you are doing well!  

Only three short weeks until Spring Break.  Summer will be here before we know it!  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## lisah0711

Did anyone hear anything about a new Disney race when they were at the Expo?

I heard something about it on Saturday morning when I was at the Expo.  They gave us a hint -- PURSE!   

I've read some speculation that it might be another Disneyland race.  I will be interested to hear if that is the case since it is much easier for me to get to Disneyland than it is to get to WDW.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> I heard something about it on Saturday morning when I was at the Expo.  They gave us a hint -- PURSE!



purse? PURSE? what the?? hmmm....well, i bet it's a princess race in DL. the dooney and burke pocketbooks that they were selling at the expo were the princess theme. maybe?


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I heard them announce it at the race too.  They didnt give any hints though but said they will be giving the details in april.  I was interested to hear what it was too.  Oh a princess race closer to you would be great Lisa.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria--Fabulous trip report! I felt really bad that we didn't see if you wanted company for lunch. I was a little flustered when we saw you--I could not find a g-f treat at epcot! Way to go on the eating! 

Lindsay--I am going to call you sister-friend since your family decided we are alike! It must be the PA connection.

Jen--great trip report and loved the pictures!

Kathy--congratulations to Michael!

Lisa--other knee! Uggh. I think it's from the new inserts I was trying. They are going back!

Hi to Corinna and Nancy! I hope I'm not missing someone!

My knee is doing much better today. I am feeling more optimistic about running the KY derby 1/2. I did ice it once at work. I think it was getting sore from sitting at my desk too long. I got a box and propped my leg up under my desk and that seems to help. Feeling great right now. I will ice it again tonight, and if it cooperates tomorrow I might try a tiny bit of elliptical. Just a tiny bit. Yesterday afternoon I got a tubby and iced my knee while reading a book in the bath! That was a first!

At dinner on Sunday with Corinna and Maria, we were talking about running and how long runs are mentally theraputic, I kind of think even meditative. So we talked about what to do if you can't run and the whole yoga thing came up. I have such a mental block when it comes to yoga. I've tried a dvd at home and I like it ok, and I know it would probably be good for me, but I just have never wanted to try it at the Y. And I think I have figured out why. They do yoga in the dark at the Y. I have issues with the dark, as I'm sure you can imagine. So it made me feel a little better to figure out what it was that was turning me off. They have a yoga/pilates class that I'm hoping is not in the dark that I might try. Are yoga classes always taught in the dark or is this something that our Y just does?

Ok, I've rambled on enough! Have a great night!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Pretty Princesses! 

*Rose* -- What no beet salad?! I was feeling horrible for you, it seems like the CS staff could have been a lot more understanding.  My yoga class has the lights off but the shades up, so it's dim rather than dark. I actually close my eyes for most of the class, so I guess it doesn't bother me?  If the room was totally dark I would be uncomfortable, too. I don't blame you for skipping it that way. 

*Nancy* -- So happy you came to the WISH Meet! It was fantastic to meet you in person -- and I'm even happier you found your way over to the BL threads  I think you are right about a DL Princess race. Disney has struck gold with this one and I'm sure they'll want to send it out to the West coast as well. Good news for our *Lisa!* I see no reason you can't do the Full, particularly if you know you want to do it now and start training. If I make it back in Jan., I will be cheering and offering twizzlers! 

*Lindsay* -- You are definitely the Princess! One thing I miss with my nieces living in FL and me in MA -- I really don't get any girl drama. Maybe that's a blessing? Maybe not, I'd rather be closer to the girls! I am so with you about not being ready for the work week -- I seriously contemplated calling in sick, but realized that wasn't actually a good idea...hopefully next weekend I will actually be caught up on my sleep -- but I doubt it with Daylight Savings Time. I do not spring forward well  

*Kathy* -- Yep, it is rough transitioning back into the real world. I also felt like I didn't get to speak to you much. Let me compliment you again on Michael's behavior -- he did amazingly well for a very boring time for a young man! We definitely need to do a MA BL meet! I think maybe Tracey was going to plan something after the merge? 

*JenA* -- Love the RR and the fabulous pictures! What a great way to put a smile on everyone's face, thank you for sharing!  Nice abs!

*Jude* -- omg, your poor dh! I am so glad to hear he is recovering, I know that wasn't a stop you wanted to make during your trip! 

*Lisa* -- I do hope you get a Princess race closer to you, although selfishly I hope you come back to the East coast because of course I want to see you again! I'm thinking about doing coast to coast in couple of years, so I will be making it to DL eventually. 

I ran 3M yesterday morning, and today is yoga day! On a very sad note, yoga is ending at work at the end of April, so I will have to modify my Tuesdays, maybe this is an opportunity to modify my week so it fits just a little better...

I've decided to give up crunchy for Lent. That means popchips, pringles and popcorn -- with the exception of Sundays, because "every Sunday is like a little Easter"  I think this will be good for me. I'm already planning to hoard my SyFy tivo for Sundays, so I can enjoy with popcorn  I was seriously considering giving up chocolate, but my dh was scared  We also give up meat on Fridays, so that's another easy low point day just waiting to happen. We are skipping our traditional pancakes for dinner tonight (Fat Tuesday), and instead having turkey burgers. I will enjoy my last Popchips for awhile with it 

I think we're going to register for the Providence Rock n' Roll Half. We've always wanted to do a Rock n' Roll, and it's hard to get closer than Providence for us. It's in August, so I will have a definite weight loss goal to shoot for to improve my time. It's going to be hot, but maybe I'll run well if it's relatively early in the day?  Sure would be nice to meet *Jude* (and anyone else who's thinking about it!) there...

I am poised to solidly be in another "decade", but I'm having trouble getting myself focused to get there. I spent all yesterday in a training in a room with no windows and little air, and it was rough. I did eat well even though I had to eat out for lunch. I had a bowl of chicken soup (broth-based) for lunch, followed by grapes and a small square of chocolate they provided at the soup store. I refused the free bagel that came with the soup, so that was big for me!  

Anyway, I have to get focused because ds and I are travelling in the middle of April to my dad's 75th birthday party. I want to be as small as possible, because I'm going to feel awkward and barely know anyone. The majority of the guests will be my dad's new family (he remarried in 2006 after my mom passed in 2002), and I don't know these people at all since I live 1,500 miles away...My three stepsisters all have grandchildren, I really don't have anything in common with them at all. Add my shyness around strangers and insecurity in the mix, and whatever I can do to increase my confidence, I need to make happen. On the bright side, I'm dropping ds off for a few days since he'll be on April vacation. I'm literally staying about 24 hours since I want to get back before dh runs the Boston Marathon. All I have to do is smile for a few hours, and then I can get back to my normal life. There won't even be time to go crazy off course with the food, since I think I'll be eating a total of three meals there. I'll be sure I have a really good book to read on the way back on the plane, so I can relax. 

That's my plan for now...hope everyone is having a good week, back in the normal again...

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria--hope you see that new decade soon! And I had beet salad for dinner on Monday. Mike said--beet salad makes you pee red! Too funny!

So I did the elliptical yesterday. I almost didn't because my knee was stiff and sore from sitting at my desk again. I took it really easy. Usually I do a mile in 11-12minutes. It took me 36 minutes to do 2.6 miles. Anyhow, I am very happy to say it seemed to really help. No pain or soreness last night and it's feeling pretty good so far today. I am off today, so not being stuck at my desk should help. I am cautiously optimistic about maybe being able to run a couple of miles this weekend. Today I'm going to a piyo class at the Y--hopefully they will keep the lights on. Tomorrow I will do the elliptical again. Not sure about Friday. And then hoping to run Saturday or Sunday.

I made a really tasty casserole for dinner last night with beans and zucchini and swiss cheese. I posted the link to it on my journal. It called for chicken, but I used white beans instead. 

Today I have a dentist appointment (I do not like going to the dentist) and then I'm having lunch with someone from U of SC who is in town to "interview parents of student leaders about their experience at the university." We're going to a local restaurant that seems to get the whole g-f thing. Since I started eating g-f the only two places locally I have eaten out at have been BJ's for g-f pizza and takeout Moe's. 

Hope everyone is doing well! Have a great day!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, Princesses!!  

I think my disney high is starting to wear off, and this real life thing is not so much fun.  Luckily, michael seems to be recovered and not gretzy, so it's my turn to be gretzy.   Actually, I'm fine, really, but just a little bummed that I don't know when I'll be going back to disney again.  Our first trip was a little over 4 years ago, and before we even came home, I think I had a plan in my mind of when we would go again, and have for each successive trip.  I think I'll print some trip pics this weekend, and start working on my scrapbook.  Funny, though I have a ton of disney stickers and scrapping stuff, I probably don't have any princess stickers, so I may need to take a shopping trip, too.

I got out for 4 miles this morning, and it was slow, but I'm glad I pushed and did it.  My route that I had to give up running because of all the snow is clear again, so I was happy.  I know where all the mile markers are along this route, so I can go up to 7, or do 2-3.  It's nice to be able to know how fast I'm going too.   Though it's slow.

*Rose*- so glad your knee is starting to feel better.  I only did yoga once, a prenatal class and it wasn't dark.  Enjoy your day off and your lunch today.  

*Maria*- You did so well in disney, and before that I'm sure you will get to your new decade soon.  I looked up the rock and roll halfs when Jude mentioned doing the Providence one.  They look like a lot of fun.  It's nice to have one so close too.  Will dh run also?   I like your every sunday is little easter rule.  I may adopt that one.  I was talking to michael about lent and giving up something and he said he'd like to give up homework.  I think it would be easier if we have sunday's off too.  thanks for the compliment on him.  I was so impressed with him that day too, and happy I was able to stay for a while. 

*Lindsay*- Love the birthday party story.  You are the princess!!  Hope your week is going smoothly too.  

*Lisa*- That would be fun to have a princess race at DL.  I loved the princess theme, and the feeling of comraderie with all the other women at the princess.  But I am thinking I'd love to get to wdw for the jan marathon weekend once too.  I'm sure it's a whole different excitement to it. 

Hello Corinna, Jen, Jude, and Nancy!!  Hope everyone is adjusting to the real world again.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Pretty Princesses! 

*Rose* -- It sounds like you have a good day planned. The elliptical is hard! I'm glad your knee seems to be better. You are right to take it easy and let it heal. Good luck at the dentist, I don't know anyone who looks forward to that! The lunch sounds interesting, I'm sure you have some opinions to share 

*Kathy* -- I'd like to take credit for "Every Sunday is a Little Easter", but that's not my rule, it's part of my religion (United Methodist) -- we are taught to give up or add something for Lent, and that Sundays don't count. Lent is supposed to be 40 days, and it is if you do not count the Sundays. So, you can have whatever or not do whatever on the Sundays, since they are "a Little Easter". Usually if I add something (Bible study, specific prayer, etc.), I still do it on the Sundays. But when I take away something... Yep, Sunday treats are needed!  I know what you mean about coming back to real life. I think the Princess was such a high, it's hard to go back to our dull, drab winter. I realized this morning I've done nothing to decorate for St. Patrick's Day, which is not like me at all.  I think reacclimating takes awhile, particularly if you don't have another trip somewhere planned. The Providence Rock n' Roll really looks like fun, and we would definitely both run -- one of us will finish over an hour after the other one  but he can wait for me! I'm not sure what we'll do with ds, though...maybe we can talk my BIL into running and ds can hang with my SIL...I don't want to be that far away and leave him on his own. We leave him to grocery shop, but we can literally see the Stop n Shop from our house. Even better, maybe they can keep him for the weekend...they don't have kids and they enjoy hanging out with him (and he loves them, too!). 

AFM: I was so tired and had chills this morning, so skipped the workout. I'm definitely going to do it tomorrow, no matter what. My assistant is out sick, my boss is dealing with hospice for her aunt, and that leaves me and the temp at work. I have an application to get out today, as well as writing some testimony. 

I am seriously thinking about leaving early, if I can find a way for dh to get me home. I'm just so very tired and rundown, I feel like I can't catch up. I will probably be here all day, but maybe tomorrow could be a sick day...I also admit there is a book I've been waiting for at home for me, I just started it last night and I really wouldn't mind the time to read it...but mostly I think I need more sleep. I'm going to try for an early bedtime tonight, if nothing else.

 to *Corinna, Jen, Jude, Nancy, Lisa, and Lindsay! * 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> purse? PURSE? what the?? hmmm....well, i bet it's a princess race in DL. the dooney and burke pocketbooks that they were selling at the expo were the princess theme. maybe?



Yeah, I was thinking that clue wasn't too helpful when I heard it, too.   



Rose&Mike said:


> Lisa--other knee! Uggh. I think it's from the new inserts I was trying. They are going back!



Is the knee feeling better without the inserts?   

The yoga classes that I've done turn out the lights at the end for the relaxing part.  It's not pitch black.  Sometimes they will play New Age music.  You lie on the floor and relax in something called corpse pose -- I'm pretty good at that one!    It was my favorite part of class but if you don't like the dark, you could always leave before that part.  

*Rose* and *Maria* I made some delicious roasted beets the other night with my other roasted vegetables.  Very tasty!  

*Maria,* a coast to coast medal is on my list of things I hope to do one day, too.  Hope that you are feeling better soon!    What book are you reading?  

*Kathy,* sorry that you are feeling gretzy.    Great job on getting out and running!  

Hello to *Corinna, Lindsay, Jude and Jen!* 

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mikamah

Good afternoon Princesses!! 

I'm just enjoying a cup of tea and watching some Dr. Phil since michael went home after school with a friend.  There's so much else I could be doing, but I figured since we have scouts tonight, I deserve a little me time first.  

Not much exciting going on here, but I'm trying to get back into a routine.  I took a walk this am with a friend, and plan to run/walk on saturday, so that will be 4 days this week.  

*Maria*- Thanks for sharing about your little easters.  I decided to give up chocolate and ds is giving up chewing gum, which is big for him.  I don't think we'll to the little Easter on the sundays, because I'm afraid I will lose control.   Hope you're not coming down with something and that you took today off as a "me" day.

*Lisa*- I bet I'd be pretty good at the corpse pose too, though some of the other poses, not so much.  

Hope everyone is having a good week.  Tomorrow's friday!!!  Weekend is almost here!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Precious Princess Pals! 

*Kathy* -- Yep, it was definitely a "me" day -- but I do think I was fighting something off a bit. I totally understand about just going cold turkey -- sometimes I think that's the only way to do it. When I stopped drinking regular soda, I just had to stop. There was no weaning, I just went straight to the diet stuff. Now I barely drink soda at all. It's not that I won't let myself -- it's just I don't like how I feel when I have it. 

*Lisa* -- Corpse pose is absolutely my best one!  I love it when we have a long relaxation and I can just totally let go.  The book (I finished it yesterday) was Karen Marie Moning's ShadowFever. It's the 5th and final book in a series, and I just had to read it almost all at once.  It's like when a new Diana Gabaldon book comes out -- I plan to take the day off once I get it because I know I will not be able to put it down. 

As you see by my revised signature, we signed up for Providence! I am really excited because I need a race to train for. We found out it starts at 7am, so we're going to take ds13 with us and he can wait in the hotel room while we run. He will not open the door to strangers, he knows what to do in an emergency, and as long as there's a tv and food...he may not even notice we're gone  I'm really looking forward to seeing how much I can lose before the race, and if I can improve my time. This is my first non-Disney Half, so I'm living on the edge  

Do we need a BL Princess 2012 Thread? I'm just wondering...we could continue with ladies who enjoyed 2011, and also pick up people who have been inspired and decided to do 2012...I think I'm definitely in for next year. Not sure if I'm doing the WDW Half, but if I can only do one race at Disney next year, it will be the Princess! 

I've seen the "Official 2012" thread start, but I'm a little too timid -- it seems like so many people already, I know I'd never keep up! I'd rather be on a smaller thread where I can really get to know people 

I did stay home yesterday to get some extra sleep -- and after I did I went ahead and got my 10M in! I felt pretty good and tried a new strategy dh learned after one of his marathon training workshops. They tell them to Gu before the race, and then every 5M. I had 3 clif bloks before and 3 at 5M, and I actually felt ok -- I really like the idea of less frequent "energy stops", so I think this may be my new way to go. I was having bloks every 2M, but this will be much more efficient 

I'm taking today off from exercise. I planned to do office laps, but the temp showed up about 20 minutes into it, so I had to bag that plan. DS has a lock-in at church tonight, so we're on our own. DH is running part of his marathon route tomorrow, so we're going to have an early night. I already took mac and cheese (WW, of course) out of the freezer to thaw for my dinner tonight, so I won't be tempted to have something too yummy the night before my WW weigh-in. 

I plan on going home and having lunch with Inspector Lewis this afternoon. For those of you unfamiliar, it's a PBS mystery show -- modern day, but with the sensibilities of Hercule Poirot. I watched season 3 on tv, and I've been getting the previous 2 seasons on Netflix. It's a nice break from the Tudors, I'll start season 2 of that when I finish Season 2 of Inspector Lewis. Just me, the Netflix and  Should be a productive and relaxing afternoon...perfect for a rainy day. 

I'm going to get up and run 4M tomorrow before I go over for my WW weigh in. Hoping for another loss! 

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--very exciting about the providence race! I'm in for the princess for next year (hopefully) if someone wants to start a new thread. I agree, the other thread is huge, and I can barely keep up with all the bl stuff and ohana.

The good news is, my knee is much improved from last week. It only bothers me now when I sit for extended periods of time. The bad news--I can't run on it. I tried and it was not good. I didn't even make it four tenths and was barely able to finish walking a mile--at 16 minutes no less. I had a meltdown. Yesterday was just not a good day. I broke a casserole dish and there was glass all over my kitchen, so I had to clean that up before going to work. I have work burnout--probably because while I am not there all the time I have not actually taken any time off. I just cram my hours into the days that I can. So I figured yesterday I have four weeks of vacation time (part-time) to take before the end of June. That will probably not happen. And then there was the treadmill mess. I was fighting back tears because I couldn't run and the girl beside me doused me in the cleaner because she sprayed the machine instead of the towel. I just lost it at that point. I was very cranky last night. Poor Mike. I'm sick of the g-f, sick of winter, sick of my body not cooperating. Just being an overall wally whiner.

So the good news--I can walk, I can do the elliptical, I think I will be able to do strength next week, I feel pretty healthy, my pacs are pretty much gone, and g-f really isn't that bad, I guess. Mike convinced me to have some more testing done by an independant lab. They do (I know this is gross) stool testing for antibodies rather than blood testing. The theory is that they catch things a lot sooner. He read all the research/background and said that while some doctors might not be accepting of it, it seems like "good science." In his mind, he thinks the test will come back positive which should put an end to all this should I/shouldn't I do this thinking. (Actually he said he thinks it will light up like a Christmas tree.) And if it comes back negative, I will continue to avoid gluten, but maybe not worry quite so much about cross-contamination, eating french fries that were fried in fryers with other food, maybe have an occasional regular beer, etc. Mentally, I think either result will bring some relief. When DS was finally diagnosed with his genetic disorder, it was because we pushed for a specific test. All of the doctors that we saw were positive it was not genetic but a common form of his disorder. I was POSITIVE it was genetic after all the research I did. I am pretty sure I have some form of gluten intolerance, it would just be nice to have some confirmation.

So that's where I'm at. Grateful that I am healthy, a little frustrated with my injuries. Life is good, and I know that. Maybe the lesson in all this is, that sometimes there are not easy answers or quick fixes and I need to work on my patience a little more.

BTW--the yoga has the lights off for the whole thing, so does the piyo. I don't do lights off with strangers. Too many leftover childhood issues. I might call around town and see if someone else offers yoga with the lights on. And even though it was snizzling here yesterday--snowy drizzle, next week it is supposed to be near 70--I think on Wednesday! I can't wait! Oh, and I just remembered, my favorite day of the year is this weekend! I LOVE DAYLIGHT SAVING!!!!!!! I do so much better when the sun stays up longer at night! Woohoo! I'll be doing the happy dance on Sunday! Well maybe not dance, because it will hurt my knee, but I will be smiling all day.

Sorry for the book. I am feeling better after talking it all out.


----------



## lisah0711

TGIF Princesses!  

*Kathy,* you are rocking it this week with your exercise and weight loss!    You are a brave woman to give up chocolate for Lent.  

*Maria,* good luck with your WW weigh in tomorrow!   Thanks for telling me about your book.  Looks like I may have to check out another series.  I just read Outlander for the first time a few weeks ago but I wasn't sure if I wanted to get into the whole series yet.  Now I'm reading Pillars of the Earth -- those folks in the Middle Ages had a hard time.  

I'm waiting to see how my half and finances do before committing to the 2012Princess but I'll join in the chit chat if a new thread is started or I can change the title to this one.  The only thing about changing the title is that we might intimidate new folks.  

*Rose,* sorry that you are having a crappy time.    It sounds like your knee is getting better -- just not as quickly as you would like.  I think that you have a great attitude about the whole thing so kudos to you!  

I spent a great deal of the day watching news coverage of the terrible events since the earthquake in Japan, especially the northwest tsunmanis.  It's so sad and scary.


----------



## jbm02

Hi, all!!!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Jen I loved the report and you girls looked so great.  I especially love the extra hair accesory you added.
> I bet I wasnt too far behind you guys finishing.  I started in corral D and probably started out about 10 min behind you and I finished in 3hrs and 12 min so If I would have just ran a bit faster I might have been able to spot you!  or should I say if maybe I would have stopped for one less picture.  Im glad you had fun and I agree with it being the first race I really enjoyed all the picture taking.  Next time I think I will try to race more.
> 
> Oh this is funny so I will share.  Yesterday was my cousins 8th bday and I got her a disney foil princess puzzle.  Her younger sister who is 3 got a bit whiney and was saying she is the princess.  The 8 year old yells back "no its my birthday so I am the princess" and I had to follow with hey Im wearing the medal so I am the princess.  Everyone got a laugh out of that and it ended the bickering too.  (and yes I wore my medal yesterday to show it off to my family)  I would wear it daily if people wouldnt look at me funny.



Lindsay, I wish we saw you!!  And it's time for confessions:  Jen would have finished at least 40 minutes sooner had I not held her up. I've been pretty open about my training issues.  Well, on top of that, I had some disturbing GI issues during the race (TMI, I know).  Poor Jen and her DH Paul (aka our Prince Charming!!) were stuck walking with me more than they anticipated.  So while I loved the race, I was more than a little disappointed in my performance.  But it's pushing me to get over myself and whatever mental blocks inhibited my training.  

I brought my medal to work and all the guys loved it!  They were really surprised at how heavy it was, and what a nice band was on it.  One is even thinking about running the Princess with his DW next year!



lisah0711 said:


> Hello Princesses!
> 
> I'm glad that we are continuing to chat here because it makes it easy to keep up with everyone.
> Only three short weeks until Spring Break.  Summer will be here before we know it!
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!



It can't come soon enough!!!!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Morning, Pretty Princesses!
> 
> *Kathy* -- Yep, it is rough transitioning back into the real world. We definitely need to do a MA BL meet! I think maybe Tracey was going to plan something after the merge?  Keep me in mind if you do a MA meet.  I'd love to try and get over there - I'm 35 min from the MA line...
> 
> I've decided to give up crunchy for Lent. That means popchips, pringles and popcorn -- with the exception of Sundays, because "every Sunday is like a little Easter"  I think this will be good for me. I'm already planning to hoard my SyFy tivo for Sundays, so I can enjoy with popcorn  I was seriously considering giving up chocolate, but my dh was scared  We also give up meat on Fridays, so that's another easy low point day just waiting to happen. We are skipping our traditional pancakes for dinner tonight (Fat Tuesday), and instead having turkey burgers. I will enjoy my last Popchips for awhile with it  Gave up chocolate but the crunchy thing would have been more of a sacrifice for me.    I am also trying to add something "good" - trying to be less judgmental, being more positive, trying to be a better and more attentive friend.  Sometimes I get so caught up in the craziness of my and my family life that i forget to be as attentive as I should to my friends.
> 
> I think we're going to register for the Providence Rock n' Roll Half. We've always wanted to do a Rock n' Roll, and it's hard to get closer than Providence for us. It's in August, so I will have a definite weight loss goal to shoot for to improve my time. It's going to be hot, but maybe I'll run well if it's relatively early in the day?  Sure would be nice to meet *Jude* (and anyone else who's thinking about it!) there...         REALLY want to try for it but I am going to give myself a month to see how my training goes.  Plus I want to look at the elevation for the run - there are some pretty big hills in Providence!  But it's a niggling thought in the back of my mind....
> 
> I am poised to solidly be in another "decade", but I'm having trouble getting myself focused to get there. I spent all yesterday in a training in a room with no windows and little air, and it was rough. I did eat well even though I had to eat out for lunch. I am 2 lbs away from my next decade - need to get there!
> 
> Anyway, I have to get focused because ds and I are travelling in the middle of April to my dad's 75th birthday party. I want to be as small as possible, because I'm going to feel awkward and barely know anyone. The majority of the guests will be my dad's new family (he remarried in 2006 after my mom passed in 2002), and I don't know these people at all since I live 1,500 miles away...My three stepsisters all have grandchildren, I really don't have anything in common with them at all. Add my shyness around strangers and insecurity in the mix, and whatever I can do to increase my confidence, I need to make happen. On the bright side, I'm dropping ds off for a few days since he'll be on April vacation. I'm literally staying about 24 hours since I want to get back before dh runs the Boston Marathon. All I have to do is smile for a few hours, and then I can get back to my normal life. There won't even be time to go crazy off course with the food, since I think I'll be eating a total of three meals there. I'll be sure I have a really good book to read on the way back on the plane, so I can relax.  Sending you pixie dust and confidence...
> 
> Maria





mikamah said:


> Good morning, Princesses!!
> 
> I think my disney high is starting to wear off,


Mine too.  Sigh.




Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Morning, Precious Princess Pals!
> 
> [As you see by my revised signature, we signed up for Providence! I am really excited because I need a race to train for. We found out it starts at 7am, so we're going to take ds13 with us and he can wait in the hotel room while we run. He will not open the door to strangers, he knows what to do in an emergency, and as long as there's a tv and food...he may not even notice we're gone  I'm really looking forward to seeing how much I can lose before the race, and if I can improve my time. This is my first non-Disney Half, so I'm living on the edge
> Do we need a BL Princess 2012 Thread? I'm just wondering...we could continue with ladies who enjoyed 2011, and also pick up people who have been inspired and decided to do 2012...I think I'm definitely in for next year. Not sure if I'm doing the WDW Half, but if I can only do one race at Disney next year, it will be the Princess!
> 
> I've seen the "Official 2012" thread start, but I'm a little too timid -- it seems like so many people already, I know I'd never keep up! I'd rather be on a smaller thread where I can really get to know people
> 
> I did stay home yesterday to get some extra sleep -- and after I did I went ahead and got my 10M in! I felt pretty good and tried a new strategy dh learned after one of his marathon training workshops. They tell them to Gu before the race, and then every 5M. I had 3 clif bloks before and 3 at 5M, and I actually felt ok -- I really like the idea of less frequent "energy stops", so I think this may be my new way to go. I was having bloks every 2M, but this will be much more efficient
> 
> I'm taking today off from exercise. I planned to do office laps, but the temp showed up about 20 minutes into it, so I had to bag that plan. DS has a lock-in at church tonight, so we're on our own. DH is running part of his marathon route tomorrow, so we're going to have an early night. I already took mac and cheese (WW, of course) out of the freezer to thaw for my dinner tonight, so I won't be tempted to have something too yummy the night before my WW weigh-in.
> 
> I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!
> 
> Maria



Yay!!!



lisah0711 said:


> TGIF Princesses!
> 
> [I'm waiting to see how my half and finances do before committing to the 2012Princess but I'll join in the chit chat if a new thread is started or I can change the title to this one.    same here.  Double sigh.
> 
> 
> I spent a great deal of the day watching news coverage of the terrible events since the earthquake in Japan, especially the northwest tsunmanis.  It's so sad and scary.  Just heard back from my college roommate who lives in Nagano that she and her family are doing fine.  Now just waiting to hear from our family in Ewa Beach Hawaii...



*Rose*, so sorry about your knee.  Hope it gets better really soon.



Signing off because I have to be on the road to Buffalo by 5:45AM tomorrow.  There and back in one day (5 hours one way!), then to VA on Sunday - Friday and to Chicopee MA next Fri - Sunday for DD's basketball tournament....  Have a great weekend everyone!
Jude


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses!!

I uploaded some pics and will do my little scrapbook of our trip this weekend.  I always do a small scrapbook of each trip, and that way if I never get to the big scrapbook, at least I have something.  We tend to look at them a lot because they're quick.  Though I don't have any princess stickers so I'll need to hit ac moore tomorrow since I don't have a coupon for today.  

Going to run/walk at the park this morning.  I really don't feel like it, but I need to.  I'd rather make cinnamon buns and stay in my pajamas all day, but the sun is shining and it's going to be near 50 degrees today so if I do nothing I'll regret it.  

*Jude*-  Wow, you've got a lot of travelling going on.  Have safe trips. 

*Lisa*- I'll join the chitchat on a new princess thread too, because you never know.  Have you got your training plan set for the may half?  It will be so nice for you to be able to get most of your training done outside for that one. 
On giving up chocolate, not brave, probably stupid.   Those dove eggs were mocking me at target the other day.  I did tell michael he need to buy me a dove chocolate bunny for easter.

*Rose*-  I can only imagine how fustrating your knee is for you.  Happy you can walk and do the elliptical without pain, but bummed for you that you can't run. I hope more time will heal it and you'll be running soon.  You have been hit with so much, and you remain positive through it all, looking at the bright side.   I hope you can get some answers on the g-f issue too.  It makes sense they could find some answers in stool studies, probably moreso than blood.  When you look into the studies, make sure they know you are gluten free, and I wonder if that can make a difference in the results.   I know for the small bowel biopsies that we do during a gastroscopy, the results are more accurate if you are not gluten free. Just a thought. 
 Yay for daylight savings time this weekend!!!!!  

*Maria*- Congrats on committing to the Providence half!!  They look like they will be a blast.  I'm sure ds will be absolutely fine in the room by himself, especially that early.   Does he like staying alone?   Good luck at ww!!

Time to get productive now.  Have a nice weekend.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisa- The disaster's in Japan are so sad to watch.  Its just horrible.  Glad you are inland and safe.  

Kathy- You are doing so awesome getting in your workouts.  I admire you!

Maria- Glad you took a day for yourself and you are feeling better.

Rose- Sorry about the run not going well and the stupid girl who sprayed you.  Glad you were able to still think of the positives.  Dont worry I am sure you will be able to get out running soon.  

Jude- Wow you are all over the place this week.  I hope you have safe travels and enjoy yourself a bit too.

Hi Corina and Jen and Nancy!

I was surprise to see the 2012 princess thread start up already and I agree that thread just gets way to big.  I have a hard time keeping up.  I would definitely join a BL one and I am thinking optimistically that I will be able to return for the princess next year.  The "will" is there, I am just figuring out the "way".  Ryan told me that he will save change and then if we put our money together we will have enough to go.  Gotta love his enthusiasm.

As soon as mike gets home from taking his test at school I will be heading out for a run.  I gotta get these muscles in gear again for it is only another 7 weeks until my next half.  Thank goodness we turn the clocks ahead so I get some extra daylight to fit my runs in.  I am also hoping the weather starts to warm up around here.  Im tired of running in the cold.  

We have my cousins son's bday party tonight at a place called bounce U.  It is a place with huge rooms full of moon bounce type equipment.  The boys are so excited and therefore felt the need to get up at 6am today.  The party is not until 450p so this should make for a long day.

Have a great weekend!!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Happy Saturday Princesses! 



jbm02 said:


> Signing off because I have to be on the road to Buffalo by 5:45AM tomorrow.  There and back in one day (5 hours one way!), then to VA on Sunday - Friday and to Chicopee MA next Fri - Sunday for DD's basketball tournament....  Have a great weekend everyone!
> Jude



Safe travels, Jude!    And good luck to your DD on her basketball tournament!  

And I wouldn't worry about holding up Jen and Paul during the race -- every single picture I've seen of them -- even ones on other people's reports -- in each and every one all of you look so happy and like you are having so much fun!    I recall that the was the idea behind this race for you guys so I would say "mission accomplished." 



mikamah said:


> Going to run/walk at the park this morning.  I really don't feel like it, but I need to.  I'd rather make cinnamon buns and stay in my pajamas all day, but the sun is shining and it's going to be near 50 degrees today so if I do nothing I'll regret it.
> 
> *Lisa*- I'll join the chitchat on a new princess thread too, because you never know.  Have you got your training plan set for the may half?  It will be so nice for you to be able to get most of your training done outside for that one.



Good for you going out this morning even though you'd rather stay home.    I'm doing the same thing.  

I have a confession to make, too.  I haven't run since the Princess!    So today I am going to do 3 miles.  I do have my training plan for my May half all mapped out.  I'm starting at what is technically last week with 3 miles with one MM to see how my timing is.  I'll have to play around with some of the distances later in the training but I feel like I have a good base so it's different than starting from square one.  This is the race where I am working more on my time as I feel the distance is not the issue.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> We have my cousins son's bday party tonight at a place called bounce U.  It is a place with huge rooms full of moon bounce type equipment.  The boys are so excited and therefore felt the need to get up at 6am today.  The party is not until 450p so this should make for a long day.



Thanks for checking on me, Lindsay!    Hope that your boys don't spend all day trying to see what they can bounce on at home to practice!  

 Hello to all the rest of our Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Jude--safe travels this week.



mikamah said:


> Good morning princesses!!
> 
> Going to run/walk at the park this morning.  I really don't feel like it, but I need to.  I'd rather make cinnamon buns and stay in my pajamas all day, but the sun is shining and it's going to be near 50 degrees today so if I do nothing I'll regret it.
> 
> *Rose*-  I can only imagine how fustrating your knee is for you.  Happy you can walk and do the elliptical without pain, but bummed for you that you can't run. I hope more time will heal it and you'll be running soon.  You have been hit with so much, and you remain positive through it all, looking at the bright side.   I hope you can get some answers on the g-f issue too.  It makes sense they could find some answers in stool studies, probably moreso than blood.  When you look into the studies, make sure they know you are gluten free, and I wonder if that can make a difference in the results.   I know for the small bowel biopsies that we do during a gastroscopy, the results are more accurate if you are not gluten free. Just a thought.


Kathy--I hope the run went well. It's interesting but they tell you not to start eating gluten again. They do ask you when you stopped. The science behind it says that even though you are not consuming it your body does not just immediately stop making the antibodies. They are checking for antibodies and malabsorption issues. I had talked myself out of gluten being the culprit, but after doing more research and reading this week, I think I just caught things early. I think that the running and dieting and intense workouts magnified issues that might not have shown up as quickly. Does that make sense? I had a couple of drinks last night at dinner and still no pac's. And I always had major pac's this summer after a night out. There has to be a reason they have stopped. I think for the small biopsies the issue is that your intestine starts to heal itself--which means they are less likely to get a damaged areas during the biopsy. I am starting to know way more about this stuff than I ever wanted to.

Lindsay--I hope the runs and the party went well this weekend!

Lisa--did you have a good run?

I'm still having to ice the knee. I should not have tried to run on Thursday. Oh well, at least I know if I am patient it will start to improve. Mike is out getting grass seed since we have some dead spots from last years drought. I might see if he wants to go to the Y. I wouldn't mind a half an hour or so on the elliptical.

Enjoy the extra daylight this evening!


----------



## mikamah

Good afternoon princesses.

I have been eating like a pig all day.  I'm sure I'm hormonal, but I'm kicking myself one minute and then I'm scouring the kitchen for more crap.  I'll make supper soon, and then I think I should go to bed and call it a day.  My run/walking has been slow, but I've been tired, so I haven't really pushed.  I figured today is just 2 weeks, and they say you need that long to recover.  I'll push for 4-5 tomorrow.  I'm thinking I should have signed up for another half to keep me motivated at this point.  I do want to do the local 5 miler in june, and look good, so I don't know why I'm eating like I am.  Oh well, tomorrow is a new day, and I am going to journal every bite, and keep in control.

*Rose*- You certainly do know more than anyone should have to know about gluten allergy.  It's so good to be educated, and know what your dealing with, especially when you need to advocate for yourself.  That is great you are having so few pac's now too on the gf diet.  I definitely think we know our bodies best, and I so hope they will give you a definite answer, but it seems like you have found the g-f is good for you.  Glad the knee is slowly improving too.  I'm sure it's hard to be patient with it when you have another half coming up.  Hope you're able to run soon.

*Lindsay*-Hope the boys had fun bouncing yesterday.  Wow,  7 weeks til your next half.  You are amazing, girl.  Did you ever think you'd be doing 2 half marathons within 3 months?  I told michael that ryan was going to save his change so you all could go next year for the princess and asked him if he wanted to also, but he said now.  He's saving up for another pet- a fish or mice.  We'll just see how he feels when I leave him home. 

*Lisa*- Hope you had a good run today.  Were you able to get outside?  It finally feels like spring isn't too far off.  You have definitely got the distance down for your next half.  That mm plan sound good!

Hello to everyone else.  Hope you all had a nice weekend.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Kathy--the hormonal thing is the pits! Hope things are more on plan today.

I went to the Y last night and it was the best thing! I did 4 sweaty miles on the elliptical and got my heartrate up to the range it's at when I am running. So I got a little stress relief and enough cardio that hopefully my training will not all evaporate. And I think it really helped my knee. I did a lot of stretching when I was done and last night I had no pain! Woohoo. The test will be work today. Sitting at my desk kills me. I need to find a way to stretch my leg out. 

I think if I can get running again the race will be ok. If nothing else I can do more frequent walk breaks. For the princess I was only walking a minute every mile and I skipped the last 3 breaks. So, I have lots of room to play around with the breaks and still be able to finish the race. I just need Mike to show me how to use the Garmin!

Ok, time to get going! Have a great day everyone.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi everyone! i've been so excited with joining the BL group that i've been checking the team mickey thread like an obsessed ex-girlfriend and haven't been on this princess thread in a while! i have to go back and read everyone's posts now!

just a quick bit of awesomeness....last year at a pre-parade party at our friends we met a couple who are disney lovers like us and own dvc. the husband and i have emailed a bunch over the year to talk about our vacations, etc. we saw them yesterday at the party (our 'hoods st. patty's day parade was yesterday) and they are just so nice and really fun. i told them about the princess half and they were so pumped for me. then i told them about doing the WDW full in january and right then and there they decided to go down for the weekend to cheer me on!!! he just texted me this morning saying he's calling DVC at 9! yay. i'm really excited to know i'll actually have people cheering for me at this race (instead of being on my own at the princess!)

hope everyone is doing well....


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Lisa*- I hope you had a good run this weekend.  Its hard getting back into the groove again but I think having another half in our new future was a good idea.

*Kathy*- I am a hormone eater too.  Its like you can be so angry at yourself for eating something you shouldnt be but 10 minutes later there you are again looking for something else.  Its frustrating when you cant control it.  Hang in there!

*Rose*- Glad the elliptical worked out and that you got a good workout in.  You will be fine.  You are so strong and have been running for so long now that even a few weeks wont hurt you.  I ran only once a week for a few weeks prior to the princess and still did it so I have faith that you will too.

*Nancy-* that is so cool of your friends to go down to cheer you on.  Im so excited for you.  I hope you had fun at the parade yesterday.

Well today is my weigh in day and I am a bit nervous to see what it is.  I did really good for most of the week with the exception of 1 or 2 days.  Last night though I think I began stress eating and picked way to much at things.  I hope I didnt ruin my hard work.  This week is going to be a bit stressful.  I think I only mentioned it on the Mickey board but dh is having work issues again.  He got an inside tip that his position is not in the budget for next year and he is getting written up for dumb things.  I think they are trying to get him out.  Luckily he already had an interview with another company a few days prior to finding this out.  He goes in for the final interview on tuesday.  He meets with the president of the company.  The pay would be somewhat comparable and the job sounds really good for him.  I am just crossing my fingers that it works out because this is the only other option right now.  There is just not a whole lot out there.  So that is where the stress is coming from and I am just trying to keep my stress eating to a minimum.

oh and to add to the stress, nick woke up vomiting last night.  He only did it a few times and seemed fine this morning so hopefully he makes it through the day ok at childcare.

I am hoping to run tonight after work and that should help with the stress too.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

Had a bad run in with the poof fairy on the Donald thread -- hope she can't find me here!  

*Rose,* way to rock the elliptical!    Personally I would rather be tortured than do the elliptical so if you can do 4 miles without hurting your knee, I'd say you are on your way to recovery!   

*Kathy,* sorry about the hormones.    Someday, you'll look back on this time of your life and miss these little signs of womanhood . . . NAH!  

*Nancy,* how fun to have some folks come to cheer you on at the Marathon!    I think the WISH scream team is out in full force for the Marathon, too, much more than at the Princess.  

*Lindsay,* lots of  and good thoughts heading your way!  It will all turn out for the best, it is just hard to live through things to that point.  

My run Saturday went about the way I expected it to.  It wasn't fabulous but I was glad that I had done it when I was through.  I did the indoor track and it was fine.  I decided that I will only do the treadmill for short runs and try to be outside or on the track for the rest of this training.  For me, at this stage of my running life, I have to actually be the one propelling my body because even an incline on the TM is not enough to adequately prepare me.  I can live with that.  

I spent a long time yesterday watching The Tudors on netflix -- thanks Maria!    I'm about half way through Season 1.  It's taken me all these episodes to figure out that the weird flower the servants have on their tunics and above the gates are the Tudor Rose!    This is what happens when you don't watch much adult tv!  

There are a lot of birds in the trees outside my window -- that is a good sign that spring is coming.  Most of our snow is gone, too, except for the piles in the parking lot.

Hello to the rest of our princesses!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, Precocious Princesses! 

*Lindsay* -- I hope Nick is better today and dh's job woes work out for the very best, whatever that may be. It is hard not to pick when you're stressed. Yesterday I went a little overboard with my enjoying the "crunchy". I know what I did, and I will learn from that next weekend. 

*Nancy* -- It is really fun to have cheerleaders, and if you are wearing something WISH on marathon weekend, you will see many more people along the route who will cheer for you and take photos of you! Because there are two races that weekend (and not everyone is Goofy material -- myself absolutely included), you usually get people who do one race and cheer for the other. One of my best memories from this year's Full was cheering for the WISH folks! *Corinna* got me set up with some other WISHers, and we handed out twizzlers after DHS to everyone who wanted one passing by (with extra loud screams for the WISHers running, walking, or limping at that point!). 

*Rose* -- So glad you had a good experience at the Y! Sitting at a desk all day is definitely not helpful. It doesn't help that when I get up, people seem to wonder what I'm doing. I just have to get out of my office and move every once in awhile! 

*Kathy* -- Hormones are good to have, but boy can they make life tough  We've all been there. The good thing is you are back in control today (me, too!), and we are going to have a lovely loss this week.  DS loves to stay alone -- I think since he's an only he doesn't mind?  He views it as a sign of independence, which it certainly is. 

*Lisa* -- How did the run go? I bet it felt fantastic to move again -- sometimes it's hard to get out there after a big event, I don't think I even walked for three months the first time 

*Jude* -- You are absolutely in for any MA meet I know about! Unfortunately I think most of us are on the Eastern end of the state, but then again, MA geography is so not my strong suit! 

It was supposed to be an uneventful weekend, but that's not how it turned out. DH decided to bag his 20M run Saturday morning. I still did my 4M and went to WW for my weigh in -- down 1.8 for a total of 16.4 so far 

Anyway, it's a good thing he did because he got a call on his cell phone that the shelter had a 12 wk. old kitten for us! He is a long-haired grey, and he's really beautiful. He has big paws, so we're expecting him to be a substantial guy. Chewie was a little less than thrilled at first, but has decided that he will accept a playmate  I've named him Spock, which is ironic since he is a total cuddler. He loves to plop down on your chest or lap and goes right to purring and sleep. We spent the rest of the day acclimating to our newest family member (ok, Chewie is the one who had to acclimate, the rest of us were good  ), and then Sunday dh did his 20M. I got my extended hair process Sunday afternoon, so no sweating for me until Thursday. Kind of a bummer, but that run is going to feel great! 

Ok, really gotta get back to work now... to all the other Princesses!

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

*Maria,* congratulations on the new family member!    Sometimes it pays to put off those long runs!    Poor Chewie.    I'm sure he will adjust to having company quickly.  Hopefully they'll be sleeping with their little kitty heads together in no time!    on the weight loss, too!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Nancy--very cool about your friends being there to cheer you on. And it's been getting very quiet on Team Mickey (time for the merge) so I am personally really glad you joined us.

Lindsay--I hope Nick is feeling better and the interview goes well. Don't stress too much about the stress eating. It's just one of those things sometimes. I try to mix in healthy food when I'm stressed and not just eat junk. So hummus with my scoops. Or cheese and fruit. It's hard not to stress eat, so I try to at least eat something good for me. It doesn't always work, but I try.  Hang in there.

Lisa--great job on getting out there. And you all still have piles of snow. Oh my, I definitely belong in the south. 

Maria--congrats on the new family member. He sounds so sweet! I hope Chewie is happy, too!

Well, my knee felt pretty good today. You all would be very proud of me. While on the elliptical, I contemplated the treadmill, just to see how it would go. You know, just a teeny, tiny little run. But I didn't. I did a mile and a half on the elliptical and then went to group strength. The only thing I didn't do were the lunges. My knee started tweaking so I did more squats instead. We also did this thing for your outer hip that I hope will help strengthen my itb. Everything is feeling pretty good. Fingers crossed that I will be able to do a short run on Saturday. No matter what I am holding off unitl then. I want this gone, I don't want to be fighting it for months.

So I am feeling a little calmer now that I am back into a exercise routine. So that's good. 

Have a great evening!


----------



## jbm02

dumbo_buddy said:


> hi everyone! i've been so excited with joining the BL group that i've been checking the team mickey thread like an obsessed ex-girlfriend and haven't been on this princess thread in a while! i have to go back and read everyone's posts now!
> 
> just a quick bit of awesomeness....last year at a pre-parade party at our friends we met a couple who are disney lovers like us and own dvc. the husband and i have emailed a bunch over the year to talk about our vacations, etc. we saw them yesterday at the party (our 'hoods st. patty's day parade was yesterday) and they are just so nice and really fun. i told them about the princess half and they were so pumped for me. then i told them about doing the WDW full in january and right then and there they decided to go down for the weekend to cheer me on!!! he just texted me this morning saying he's calling DVC at 9! yay. i'm really excited to know i'll actually have people cheering for me at this race (instead of being on my own at the princess!)
> 
> hope everyone is doing well....


What a great group of friends!!!  Especially since they totally "get it".  Lucky girl!!

Lisa, WOOHOOO  on the run!!!

Lindsay - say hi to another hormone eater too. Hope Nick is feeling better!! Fingers are crossed for your DH and his job situation.  With the state of the NYS budget and its effect upon cuts to education, we're stressing out over whether Sean's position will be cut from the school budget.   We just have to wait and see (and pray) but it really takes a toll.  




Worfiedoodles said:


> One of my best memories from this year's Full was cheering for the WISH folks! *Corinna* got me set up with some other WISHers, and we handed out twizzlers after DHS to everyone who wanted one passing by (with extra loud screams for the WISHers running, walking, or limping at that point!).  How awesome!!!
> 
> *Jude* -- You are absolutely in for any MA meet I know about! Unfortunately I think most of us are on the Eastern end of the state, but then again, MA geography is so not my strong suit!
> I am about 2.5 - 3 hours from Boston but after the driving I've been doing lately, that will be a piece of cake!!
> 
> It was supposed to be an uneventful weekend, but that's not how it turned out. DH decided to bag his 20M run Saturday morning. I still did my 4M and went to WW for my weigh in -- down 1.8 for a total of 16.4 so far  Double, triple WOOOHOOOOs to that!!!
> 
> Anyway, it's a good thing he did because he got a call on his cell phone that the shelter had a 12 wk. old kitten for us! He is a long-haired grey, and he's really beautiful. He has big paws, so we're expecting him to be a substantial guy. Chewie was a little less than thrilled at first, but has decided that he will accept a playmate  I've named him Spock, which is ironic since he is a total cuddler. He loves to plop down on your chest or lap and goes right to purring and sleep. We spent the rest of the day acclimating to our newest family member (ok, Chewie is the one who had to acclimate, the rest of us were good  ),  Awwwwww.  How cute!!!
> Ok, really gotta get back to work now... to all the other Princesses!
> 
> Maria





Rose&Mike said:


> Well, my knee felt pretty good today. You all would be very proud of me. While on the elliptical, I contemplated the treadmill, just to see how it would go. You know, just a teeny, tiny little run. But I didn't. I did a mile and a half on the elliptical and then went to group strength. The only thing I didn't do were the lunges. My knee started tweaking so I did more squats instead. We also did this thing for your outer hip that I hope will help strengthen my itb. Everything is feeling pretty good. Fingers crossed that I will be able to do a short run on Saturday. No matter what I am holding off unitl then. I want this gone, I don't want to be fighting it for months.
> 
> So I am feeling a little calmer now that I am back into a exercise routine. So that's good.
> 
> Have a great evening!



So impressed that you knew what was good for you and what not.  And were able to stick with it.

...I am at UVA and tried to go to their gym - turns out it is closed to visitors on the hours that I can go.   And now it is too dark to run outside.  Glad I brought my Pilates book because that's what I'll have to do tonight!!

Have a great night everyone
Jude


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Jude*--are you my long lost sister??? I just read your post on Donald about the issues growing up and except for changing a couple of numbers, I so could have written it! I am 5'7", my mom was 5' 1/2". She weighed nothing--I was normal sized. But I ALWAYS thought I was fat. I don't ever remember a time growing up thinking that I wasnt fat. I could go on and on. 

Anyhow, just wanted you to know that I so get it. It is such a mental struggle. I am going to come clean here, I know I look better. I even like most of my pictures now. And I still think I'm overweight. Not that I could lose a few more, I still feel like it's not good enough. It's better, I can actually say positive things about myself now, but it is such a hard thing to let go of. Good for you for trying so hard to break the cycle with your daughter. I even see in Tom a little bit of an obsession with weight and that worries me sometimes. Anyhow, just wanted to thank you for sharing and I didn't want it to get lost on the team thread.

Sorry to hijack the thread, everyone.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisa- Glad you got out running again.  Its hard to start back up but after a few you will get back into the groove.  I heard those birdies this morning too.

Maria- Another kittie how sweet.  I hope chewie adjusts quickly.

Rose- Im so proud of you for resisting the tempation.  Im glad that you are still able to continue your routine.  You will be out there running before you know it.  

Jude- Good for you to take your pilates book along.  Im sure I would have gave up once the gym was closed.  Your awesome!

Nick did good through the day and seemed fine tonight.  I got a 5K run in.  At the end of my run I ran past a gas station and two kids came running out yelling and hoped into their car and the clerk was coming out the door after them.  The car started to burn rubber.  I couldnt tell if it was teenagers goofing off or if they were robbing the place.  Of course my anxiety kicked in and I was sure it was a robbery.  I turned the corner and ran towards my house about a 1/4 mile away.  I ran so fast thinking they were going to follow me and shoot me for witnessing the crime.  It took me 10 min to calm my breathing and heart rate down once I got home.  I think I watch way to may movies.  I never heard sirens so I am assuming it was kids goofing around.  Im such a nut.

I lost 2.4lbs this week which was great although it is loosing the weight I had gained so it still doesnt feel like a victory.  I need to get over that feeling I think its what is standing in my way.  Im trying hard to figure out mentally whats going on.  I have toyed with the same 3lbs now for months.  I really would like to get more weight off.

Ok well I blabbed for way to long tonight.  Take care my princessess!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> *Jude*
> 
> Anyhow, just wanted you to know that I so get it. It is such a mental struggle. I am going to come clean here, I know I look better. I even like most of my pictures now. And I still think I'm overweight. Not that I could lose a few more, I still feel like it's not good enough. It's better, I can actually say positive things about myself now, but it is such a hard thing to let go of. Good for you for trying so hard to break the cycle with your daughter. I even see in Tom a little bit of an obsession with weight and that worries me sometimes. Anyhow, just wanted to thank you for sharing and I didn't want it to get lost on the team thread.
> 
> Sorry to hijack the thread, everyone.



isn't it a shame how our thoughts on weight and self esteem start from such a young age? my mom was VERY overweight when i was growing up and she used to tell me that i was getting fat. i wasn't allowed to eat ANY sugar. none. ever. i was a stick. so thin! but as soon as i got to college and could eat whatever i want all i did was eat sugar and crap. it's hard for me to stop eating like that. i need to find a balance for my little guy. i think it's going to be hard!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Nick did good through the day and seemed fine tonight.  I got a 5K run in.  At the end of my run I ran past a gas station and two kids came running out yelling and hoped into their car and the clerk was coming out the door after them.  The car started to burn rubber.  I couldnt tell if it was teenagers goofing off or if they were robbing the place.  Of course my anxiety kicked in and I was sure it was a robbery.  I turned the corner and ran towards my house about a 1/4 mile away.  I ran so fast thinking they were going to follow me and shoot me for witnessing the crime.  It took me 10 min to calm my breathing and heart rate down once I got home.  I think I watch way to may movies.  I never heard sirens so I am assuming it was kids goofing around.  Im such a nut.
> 
> I lost 2.4lbs this week which was great although it is loosing the weight I had gained so it still doesnt feel like a victory.  I need to get over that feeling I think its what is standing in my way.  Im trying hard to figure out mentally whats going on.  I have toyed with the same 3lbs now for months.  I really would like to get more weight off.
> 
> Ok well I blabbed for way to long tonight.  Take care my princessess!



i would have SO freaked out if i were running and thought i was a witness to a robbery! no wonder you booked it home! hopefully it was nothing but at the time it was happening there's no way you would have thought it was nothing!! my heart's racing just thinking about it! 

i've been going up and down the same three pounds too. blah.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

oh thank the lord!!!! My husband got offered the position.  I think this will be a really great opportunity for him and alot less responsibility for the same amount of pay so that is always good.  We will have to adjust a bit to the hours.  Currently he is 8-430 but this new job is 9-6.  It will just take some creative planning.  I am so excited for him and am so thankful that this opportunity came along just as he was finding out that his days at his current job were numbered.  He has to give a 4wk notice and Im sure those 4 weeks will not be exactly fun for him but he no longer will have to deal with the misery and anxiety.  

Just wanted to share the news.

I hope you all are having a great day.  Nancy BL winner 2 weeks in a row.   You go girl.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--Conrats to Mike! I hope he really likes his new position! And I would have assumed it was a robbery too! But I am a huge worrywart. There were lots of Princesses on the Mickey top ten this week. I haven't looked at the Donald stats yet.

I sound like a broken record, but I went to the Y today and did the elliptical. Again, I contemplated the treadmill, but luckily they were really crowded today, so I did not even have to summon up any willpower to stay off of them. 

Tomorrow I might try zumba or I might just do the elliptical, or I might go to strength. Haven't decided yet. I have off on Wednesdays, and I am really looking forward to tomorrow! I need to mail those cruddy inserts back for a refund and mail my "specimen" in for testing. I will be glad to have both of those done!

Have a great night Pretty Princesses!


----------



## mikamah

mommyof2Pirates said:


> oh thank the lord!!!! My husband got offered the position.  I think this will be a really great opportunity for him and alot less responsibility for the same amount of pay so that is always good.  We will have to adjust a bit to the hours.  Currently he is 8-430 but this new job is 9-6.  It will just take some creative planning.  I am so excited for him and am so thankful that this opportunity came along just as he was finding out that his days at his current job were numbered.  He has to give a 4wk notice and Im sure those 4 weeks will not be exactly fun for him but he no longer will have to deal with the misery and anxiety.


That is awesome news, Lindsay.  You must feel such  huge sense of relief.  I hope his last few weeks go by quickly and aren't too bad for him.  So happy for you both.  I'm sure you'll adjust to the change in hours too.  Hopefully it won't be too stressful of an adjustment.  I don't know what time you get home, but 3 days a week I work til 5:30 and I like to have leftovers planned for those nights so I don't have to cook.  
And a big congrats on your loss this week!!  Even if you've lost it before, you are losing it again, and kicking those pounds to the curb deserves to be celebrated.  I don't even want to think about how many times I've lost these same pounds.

*Rose*- Nice work staying off the treadmill.  I'd love to get to the place where I need will power not to get on a treadmill.  I've heard Zumba is so much fun.  

*Jude*-I'm wondering if you and Rose are related since you are both exercise queens.   So impressive that you are doing so much while travelling.  Hope your week is going well.

*Lisa]*-Glad  you got out there for a run, and you are not alone in it not being fabulous.  I feel like I'm so slow and still tired.  I hope this week gets better for both of us.  Luckily spring is on the way, and hopefully the sun will shine on all of your training days until May.  

*Maria*- Congratulations on your newest addition!  So exciting.  Hope chewie's adjustment is quick.  Congrat on your continuing losses!!  You are so "ON" girlfriend.  It's so inspiring.

*Nancy*- Isn't it all about making changes for our kids and hopefully them avoiding having to go through any of the stresses we have been through.  I'm a binge, emotional eater, and some days I'll watch michael and he's mindlessly eating in front of the tv, and it freaks me out.  I do think we are raising them in a time where the awareness about health and fitness is so much greater than when we were growing up, and I hope that I do enough so it's like second nature for him.  Though, I'm sure once he's gone off to college all bets are off.  Not worrying about that for a while though. 

It looks like rain any time, so i'm still in my pajamas trying to decide if I should dress to run, or dress for wii fit.  Or maybe I should dress to stay on the dis all morning.  Oh, I'm already dressed for that.  Ok, i'm moving.  

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> i need to find a balance for my little guy. i think it's going to be hard!



You can do it, Nancy.    Just do as much as you can now when he is little and will listen to you.    And you are obviously doing something right being the BL two weeks in a row!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> oh thank the lord!!!! My husband got offered the position.  I think this will be a really great opportunity for him and alot less responsibility for the same amount of pay so that is always good.  We will have to adjust a bit to the hours.  Currently he is 8-430 but this new job is 9-6.  It will just take some creative planning.  I am so excited for him and am so thankful that this opportunity came along just as he was finding out that his days at his current job were numbered.  He has to give a 4wk notice and Im sure those 4 weeks will not be exactly fun for him but he no longer will have to deal with the misery and anxiety.



 Lindsay!  What a relief for Mike and your whole family.  Maybe they will decide that to let Mike go immediately instead of waiting four weeks.  Do you have any flexibility in your hours?

*Rose,* enjoy your day off today!  

*Kathy,* enjoy your late morning!  

*Jude,* you are a trouper exercising while on vacation!  

*Maria,* how are the kitties?    How is it that you are still the only girl in the house?    I'm sure they all cater to your every desire!  

Hello Princess Corinna and Princess Chipper Jen!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

good morning everyone! 

lisa - you guys getting any snow? al roker just told me 6-12 feet of snow may be coming in your direction.

i hope everyone has a lovely day. it's nasty and rainy here and the little guy isn't feeling all that well. which, you know, is AWESOME when dh is away on business all week. oh well. but it supposed to be a great day tomorrow and an even better one friday! almost 70 degrees!


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> *Jude*-I'm wondering if you and Rose are related since you are both exercise queens.
> 
> It looks like rain any time, so i'm still in my pajamas trying to decide if I should dress to run, or dress for wii fit.  Or maybe I should dress to stay on the dis all morning.  Oh, I'm already dressed for that.  Ok, i'm moving.
> 
> Have a great day everyone!


That was so sweet, I like it better that we're related because we are exercise queens! Don't worry the sun is coming! We have had rain the last few days and the sun is out today! 70 tomorrow and 75 on Friday!!!! I can't wait--I'm off on Friday! I hope you got your workout in.



dumbo_buddy said:


> good morning everyone!
> 
> lisa - you guys getting any snow? al roker just told me 6-12 feet of snow may be coming in your direction.


OMG--please tell me you meant 6-12 inches! Lisa--do you have food and water put away if it's feet?

Hi to everyone!

I went to zumba and it was really fun. I was very uncoordinated, but did ok! I felt my knee a couple of times, but no pain. I'm going to ice later today just in case. So my plan is:
Today--I did zumba and a mile on the elliptical
Thursday--elliptical
Friday--zumba and elliptical
Saturday--off or maybe a few miles on the elliptical 
Sunday--try to run!

I'm going to tell Mike to run on Saturday morning at the park. It's killing me, but it would be so selfish of me to hold back his training for the race just because I will be sad. If I asked I know he would go on the treadmill at the Y, (they have a treadmill and an elliptical beside each other) but I'm going to tell him to go brave the million people who I'm sure will be outside running. I might sleep in, but I'm guessing I will wake up when he gets up, so I will just go do a couple of miles on the elliptical. I cannot honestly remember the last time either one of us did a long run without the other one. Since I'm sure Sunday I will be going VERY slow, I'm sure he'll come along.  I know some people would say, c'mon get over it, cut the cord. But we like running together. It just happens that we are married, too. 

Have a great day everyone. I am enjoying the sunshine!


----------



## lisah0711

dumbo_buddy said:


> good morning everyone!
> 
> lisa - you guys getting any snow? al roker just told me 6-12 feet of snow may be coming in your direction.
> 
> i hope everyone has a lovely day. it's nasty and rainy here and the little guy isn't feeling all that well. which, you know, is AWESOME when dh is away on business all week. oh well. but it supposed to be a great day tomorrow and an even better one friday! almost 70 degrees!



Hope your little guy is feeling better soon, Nancy.    It is the pits when that happens when it is only you at home.  I feel your pain.    Maybe you guys can get outside a little bit and enjoy the weather.  It might not make any difference in how he feels but sometimes a change of scenery does wonders for everyone.  

No snow here today.  I hope Al was talking about all that snow getting dumped on the Cascades before it makes it way east to us.  It's in the 40's which is nice spring weather to us!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> OMG--please tell me you meant 6-12 inches! Lisa--do you have food and water put away if it's feet?



duh. sometimes i don't know what is wrong with my brain. inches! i meant inches! lol! with all the snow we've had it certainly does feel like feet. 



lisah0711 said:


> Hope your little guy is feeling better soon, Nancy.    It is the pits when that happens when it is only you at home.  I feel your pain.    Maybe you guys can get outside a little bit and enjoy the weather.  It might not make any difference in how he feels but sometimes a change of scenery does wonders for everyone.
> 
> No snow here today.  I hope Al was talking about all that snow getting dumped on the Cascades before it makes it way east to us.  It's in the 40's which is nice spring weather to us!



thomas seems to be perking up thank goodness. the weather today is really crummy and cold so tomorrow and friday's sunshine will be awesome! i'm trying to get our mommy & me class (i teach mommy & me at the catholic school 4 days a week) to join me at orchard beach park on friday! can't wait to actually spend time outside!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, Princess Pals! 

Whew! I was a little worried about *Lisa* there and all that snow 

*Nancy* -- Glad the little guy is feeling better. When they're that small you really would rather it was you that was sick than them. Now (with ds13), not so much 

*Rose* -- I'm holding you to that promise of sunshine, because it is nothing but  for me today! I think it's great that you and Mike run together. If I could get dh to run at my pace, I wouldn't complain at all - but he would, so we are not well-matched. Just the luck of the draw. I like the look of your plan, I think your knee will, too 

*Lisa* -- I know, I was surprised and pleased when I found out our new kitty was also a boy. I like being the only princess  Unfortunately while they do treat me with courtesy, I think catering to my every need might be pushing it. But, I do admit I haven't opened a car door as a passenger or pumped gas in about 19 years... 

*Kathy* -- I believe you are quite "ON" too, these days! Once we dry out, we can really  Chewie has already decided Spock is a ton of fun. They created a game where they sit on either side of our main bathroom door and stick their paws underneath the other side and pounce on them. It's really cute, and we definitely didn't teach that to them 

*Lindsay* -- I am so happy for you! What a great relief for your entire household, and hopefully now you can relax and let anything that happens over the next few weeks just go by -- because he is outta there! 

*Jude* -- You are a woman in motion, I can't believe how much travelling you are doing  I hope you aren't the only one driving, because I would never make it. You are strong, like bull! 

Tomorrow I can run again, and I've decided to go ahead and do my 10M since I'll be home in the morning. DS doesn't have school, so dh and I are splitting the day. He could be home alone, but with the twin girls next door (one of whom has a HUGE crush on him), let's just say I think it's prudent for an adult to be around. They are all good kids, but I think it's better to be safe than sorry...

I found a decent recipe in the WW magazine, believe it or not on the back of the tear out ziplock ads. It's a gazpacho pasta salad, and 1 1/2 c. is 5 pts. That's a pretty decent serving. Next time I'll add a few ounces of grilled chicken breast, and it will be really filling. 

I'd better have a piece of fruit soon, I can feel that afternoon slump coming on...

Maria


----------



## corinnak

Hi Princesses!  I have not been running and hence have not been posting.  Yup, evidently the two are kind of linked up.  

Thanks for continuing to include me even though I'm a slacker!

My tendon has really been enjoying the rest!  I am excited to try a little running again probably tomorrow - just short to start - and see how it goes.

And *Maria*, my goodness - I didn't know you were living with such gentlemanly gentlemen!  I love my house full of boys, but for the most part they definitely treat me like "one of the guys."  Or else...pack mule.   

*Nancy* - I'm so glad your little guy is feeling better!  Hope your class was great!

*Lisa* I am relieved you won't be getting 12 feet of snow, though 12 inches, I swear, is plenty.

*Rose*  You are a Zumba Machine!!!  I think it's so nice that you and Mike enjoy running together and I don't blame you for any of your feelings about sending him running by himself.  My DH has less than no interest in running, and given that, I'm just thankful he so thoroughly supports my doing it!

*Lindsay* - that is such great news about the job.  What a relief that's got to be.  I hope the transition is a smooth one for everyone.

*Kathy* - Hope your weather is good and your wii fit is fun!

*Jude*  my DH went to UVA - March is the most beautiful time there, isn't it?  I hope you found your workout in spite of the un-gracious-hostiness of the gym. 

*Jen*  It was a while ago, but I don't think I commented - it was so fun seeing your photos from the Princess.  Sorry I missed you - hopefully see you soon!


----------



## jbm02

Hi everyone!  I was a little MIA after things got busy in VA, then spent the last few days at girls basketball games in MA.  Whew.  It was a busy 10 days and I am soo glad to be back home.




Rose&Mike said:


> *Jude*--are you my long lost sister??? I just read your post on Donald about the issues growing up and except for changing a couple of numbers, I so could have written it! I am 5'7", my mom was 5' 1/2". She weighed nothing--I was normal sized. But I ALWAYS thought I was fat. I don't ever remember a time growing up thinking that I wasnt fat. I could go on and on.
> 
> Anyhow, just wanted you to know that I so get it. It is such a mental struggle. I am going to come clean here, I know I look better. I even like most of my pictures now. And I still think I'm overweight. Not that I could lose a few more, I still feel like it's not good enough. It's better, I can actually say positive things about myself now, but it is such a hard thing to let go of. Good for you for trying so hard to break the cycle with your daughter. I even see in Tom a little bit of an obsession with weight and that worries me sometimes. Anyhow, just wanted to thank you for sharing and I didn't want it to get lost on the team thread.
> 
> Sorry to hijack the thread, everyone.



You have no idea how this made me feel.  It meant alot.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> oh thank the lord!!!! My husband got offered the position.  I think this will be a really great opportunity for him and alot less responsibility for the same amount of pay so that is always good.  We will have to adjust a bit to the hours.  Currently he is 8-430 but this new job is 9-6.  It will just take some creative planning.  I am so excited for him and am so thankful that this opportunity came along just as he was finding out that his days at his current job were numbered.  He has to give a 4wk notice and Im sure those 4 weeks will not be exactly fun for him but he no longer will have to deal with the misery and anxiety.


 Yay, Lindsay!!  So  happy for this news.  



Rose&Mike said:


> That was so sweet, I like it better that we're related because we are exercise queens!
> Like this idea too!!
> I went to zumba and it was really fun. I was very uncoordinated, but did ok! I felt my knee a couple of times, but no pain. I'm going to ice later today just in case. So my plan is:
> Today--I did zumba and a mile on the elliptical
> Thursday--elliptical
> Friday--zumba and elliptical
> Saturday--off or maybe a few miles on the elliptical
> Sunday--try to run!
> I've watched zumba a few times and my only thought has been "There isn't enough alcohol in the world for my body to move like that..!!!!
> 
> Have a great day everyone. I am enjoying the sunshine!





corinnak said:


> *Jude*  my DH went to UVA - March is the most beautiful time there, isn't it?  I hope you found your workout in spite of the un-gracious-hostiness of the gym.
> 
> *Jen*  It was a while ago, but I don't think I commented - it was so fun seeing your photos from the Princess.  Sorry I missed you - hopefully see you soon!



UVA was awesome - no snow and I was able to run outside! (well, I got lost once and my 30 minute run turned into a 50 minute one...but is that necessarily a bad thing??? LOL  

Sorry we missed you at the Princess.  We tried to pack too much into too few days with families.  Next time we are going to slow it down a little....

And, yup, I've been doing alot of driving lately.  4 hours to Buffalo, 4 hours back on Sat, 8 hours to VA last Sunday, 9 to MA on Friday, then driving home last night from MA.  Oh, and thanks to Sean's infected foot, he couldn't drive home from FL - so add 20 hours to that in Febuary.  It made the VA drive seem short!!!

...time for March Madness (and doing some pilates while watching....holy cow, how do those cheerleaders get abs like that???!!!!).  Have a great night!
Jude


----------



## dumbo_buddy

so...i know we just "met" and all but...i need to "talk"...to someone. someone who understands a bit more than real life folks. i signed up for the marathon and got with team mickey on the biggest loser challenge. ever since the princess (well before that really) i've been feeling pretty great. i mean, sure, i want to take off some weight but the fact that i worked hard and trained through the terrible winter and finished a half marathon really raised my spirits. and then i had my sights set on the marathon. it's not til january of course but it gave me a nice long time to train. i joined BL and lost a few pounds. i've been trying to eat really healthy. just trying to be a new...me. 

the last few days i've felt a bit off. a little crampy and PMSy in anticipation of good ole aunt flo. i was up all last night with a stomach ache from what i thought was bad chinese. felt yucky today and couldn't stop yawning even though we were having a great day at Wee Play with the little guy. Sent DH to CVS for me and, well, yadda yadda yadda...






i know this is WAY too much sharing for this thread but i just feel so...shocked...or something.

and...i know i should be ecstatic because of how hard it was to conceive thomas but...i'm not. there. i said it. i'm not. i'm scared and i just feel...sad. no, not sad. disappointed? no. not that. god i sound so ugly. i'm sorry. it's just...i was in a groove now. i signed up for the marathon in january. i had a goal. and i just really wanted to do that. now? what now?

i'm an only child. i don't even know what it's like to have another kid around. i feel sad for thomas. he's my little love. how do you really love another? i know it's been done since the beginning of time. but, i don't know, i have issues.

and the thought of the colic and the puking and the not sleeping...

sorry, i just needed to write this all out. an e-vent.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Nancy-- Wow, what a surprise. I only had one (and a miscarriage and lots of issues), but I will say, I was not happy when I found out I was pregnant. Don't get me wrong, I adore my son, and wouldn't change anything. But my husband was in town 4 days that month. 4 days. I caved, never thinking I could get pregnant. But I did. I was so not ready. The timing was terrible. I spent almost the entire pregnancy alone because DH was in the first gulf war. Anyhow, give it time. It's a big surprise. I can't tell you what it's like to have two kids, but we also had a failed adoption. The mom decided after she had the baby to keep it, and I grieved for that baby. A mom's love transcends so many things. I know you are disappointed, and I think it's ok to grieve a little and let things sink in. But I really think in time you will be excited for your new little one.

And please don't disappear on us. I really like having you around.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Just a quick update--I can't run. It's so painful. I have been using the foam roller and I have an appointment tomorrow with a chiropractor who specializes in sports injures and does active release therapy. He is really young, but from what I've read online he really seems like he wants patients to take an active roll in their recovery. He was featured in a local running e-newsletter that I get. So fingers crossed. Mike is going to go with me tomorrow, cause I'm a little nervous. 

Jude--glad you made it home safe. I hope things slow down a little.

Hello to everyone! Hope everyone is doing well.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Jude*-  that is quite alot of driving.  Glad you made it safely.  I hope things     slow down a bit so you can get some rest time in.

*Nancy*- holy cow I would be floored too.  Dont feel bad by the thoughts and emotions you have right now.  They are all normal and I even had them when we Planned our second pregnancy.  I always knew I wanted more than one child but once it was really happening I got scared.  I too am an only child.  Once you get over the shock and disappointment of changing your goals. (marathon) Im sure like rose said you will be delighted.  I have two boys and I its amazing how the moment the second is born your heart just grows bigger.  There will be enough room in there to love them both just as much as you love thomas now...I promise.  They will be close in age too and although at first it may be an adjustment but once they both get a bit older they will love having each other around.  

I second rose's comment....dont go away.  We love having you on here to talk to.  We can help keep you eating healthy during your pregnancy so that afterwards you can pick up right where you left off with running.  Congrats.

*Rose*- I am so sorry about your knee and so disappointed for you.  I hope this chiropracter can help you heal quickly. 

Hello to all my other princessess!

I ran a St pat's 5K today and I have to say it was quite boring compared to our last race.  It went well though.  I had a PR of 34:09  I was pretty excited about that.  It was dh's first race and he did it in 31 something.  I was proud of him but still annoyed that he just started running and goes faster than me.

I am hoping to still see a loss on the scale tomorrow.  My next half is may 1st and I am hoping to at least shed another 5lbs.

Well its back to the grind tomorrow.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Congrats on the pr Lindsay!* You are going to find that as your weight goes down your time goes up if you keep the training up. It's another great benefit of weight loss! Now you can tell yourself--I want to beat my husband, I need to lose this weight! It does get frustrating sometimes!

Yesterday I was talking to Tom (he is going to fly home for Easter instead of us going there). And I was telling him about the knee and how I can't even run a mile right now, and he is such a boy. He said--"oh yeah! guess who's going to win the parents weekend 5k, and I don't even have to train." I had to laugh. (I'd already spent enough time crying.) He was really trying to cheer me up in his own warped boy way. And after our conversation Saturday it was nice to hear him joking around with me.

So we found out yesterday that this band that I really want to see is going to be in Memphis the weekend of the KY derby half. Mike said if I can't run we should go. It's the Beale Street music festival. We'll see. I don't want to be here if I can't run the race, there's just too many emotions tied up in it. My biggest fear in all of this is falling off the wagon and staying off of it. Does that fear ever go completely away?

It's going to be 80 here today. I'm leaving work at 1:00 for my appointment and then I'm getting out a lounge chair and sitting in the sun! It's going to be cold again by the weekend (50/32) and I want to soak up some Vitamin D while I get the chance.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*rose, lindsay* - thank you so, so, so much for writing back to me. i know it was a little TOO much info but i just felt so in shock yesterday and i really felt bad saying anything about it to DH. he knows i'm not completely thrilled yet so he's trying to hide his happiness a bit and i don't think it's fair of me to not let him celebrate!

i actually took a nyquil last night (i figure since i'm SO early that the little bean isn't getting any nutrients from me yet so it's ok). i just HAD to get some sleep. and i feel a little better today emotionally. physically i feel tired though. but, OF COURSE i finally nailed down a sitter 2-3x week to watch thomas so i can run for an hour. you know what? i'm still going to do it. i've been running now for almost a year, i'm in shape, and there's no reason i can't continue to exercise.

once i go to the doctor i'm going to talk to him about marathons and half marathons and what is feasible training during pregnancy and postpartum. 

i AM going to stay on here. W.I.S.H. means being healthy all the time, right? i made a big boo boo by eating everything in sight during my pregnancy last time and my goal this time is to gain only what's recommended and remain active. i can't go back to where i was.

*rose* - so sorry this injury isn't getting better. what time is your appt with the chiro? i know you probably wanted to smack your son but he really was just trying to lighten your spirits. guys just don't really know how to do it properly! lol! don't give up on your weight maintenance and your dream of doing the derby race. ehem, it is easier said than done b/c i'm having a mini heart attack here thinking i probably won't be able to do the wdw marathon. but part of me is trying to tell myself that the race will always be there. ick, stinks just saying it though. anyway, let us know what the chiro says. i'm thinking of you. 

*lindsay* AWESOME JOB ON THE PR!! woot woot!!! how great is that??? oh, and OF COURSE hubby would have to beat you. aren't those men the pits? lol. just kidding of course. i find that men often are just faster. but you know what i've read? even though men are faster in shorter races, it's the WOMEN who hold the records for the loooooong distances like 100 miles or whatever. just shows you that it's we women who have the real endurance 

*jude* i'm an ACC gal! i went to wake forest in nc. uva has such a beautiful campus. i miss the south sometimes!


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*-  Sounds like you were totally blindsided by this pregnancy, and all your feelings are perfectly normal, and we are always here to listen and help help you work through anything you are going through.  You had big plans to do the marathon, and that is a huge disappointment that you won't be able to do that in 2012, but that doesn't mean you won't do it another year, it's just needs to be put on hold for a while.  I know you are a loving mother, and you will be amazed that you will love this new baby as much as Thomas.  Hang in there.  E-vent away.  We are always here to listen.

*Lindsay*- Whoo hoo!!  Congratulations on your new PR!!!!  I would be annoyed with dh too.  It just doesn't seem fair how fast men lose weight and how they can run faster with less training.  Sheesh.  Wonder why I don't have one.  Don't think I'd tolerate thing like that. 

*Rose*-So sorry the knee is not getting better.  Good luck with the chiropractor today.  He sounds like a great doctor for you with liking his patients to be involved, since you are the one who knows your body best, he's hopefully learned to take what you tell him, and add to it, versus just telling you what to do. 
Ds is so cute, trying to cheer you up.  I don't think the fear of fully falling off the wagon ever goes away, but knowing you for the past year and your strength and determination, I know you will not fall off the wagon and stay there.  Something like your knee may knock you out for a minute, but you will crawl right back in there.  Enjoy sitting in the sun today.  I'm jealous.  

*Lisa*- Hi there!  Hope you're all shovelled out!

*Corinna*- Funny how running and posting are related.  My healthy eating and posting have a very close relationship.  

*Maria*-Your kitties sound so cute. But oh my, Ds and the girls, I hope I have a few more years, but I don't know.  Michael is starting to notice the figures of girls and women on tv lately, particularly the cleavage.  I just want to keep him my little boy.  

*Jude*- hope you have some time at home after all that travelling.  And I hope you have an economic car too.

*Jen*- Hi there.

Nothing much happening here.  I did 5 miles saturday with a friend, and today hit the snooze alarm instead of getting up and skipped my wii fit plan.  If ds is in a good mood tonight, we may go play tennis after dinner.  

Hope everyone has a nice monday.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

Hope that everyone is enjoying these first days of spring!  

We dodged the snow here -- had about an inch on Saturday.  The snow removal guys took down their marker poles so hopefully there will be no more snow plowing until fall.  

*Maria,* I always knew that your guys are all so nice but I have to admit that I'm astounded at how very gentlemanly they are.  I'm glad to hear that they appreciate you and treat you like the princess you are!  

*corinna,* glad that you are giving yourself a little break with the running.  You've done a lot already in 2011 -- congratulations on being a Half Fanatic!  

*Jude,* you don't have time to run with all that driving!    And the cheerleader abs -- my theory is youth and lack of childbearing.  

*Nancy,* congratulations on your big news.    What a shocker!  Just when you are starting to feel like yourself, doing things without being the food source and have some goals for you -- POW!  Plus feeling sick on top of it.  Bless your heart!    I think that it is perfectly natural to mourn your old life a bit as you get ready for this new phase.  You'll be totally ready to run away from everyone for the next marathon!    I haven't known you very long but you are a lovely person, have a great sense of humor and will love your new little one just as much as you love Thomas.    Don't leave us though!  We still have lots of races to run together. Just not real soon!   

*Rose,* so sorry the knee continues to cause you so much pain.    I'm glad that you are having the sports doctor take a look at it.  It sounds like he knows what he is doing and will understand how important movement is to your life!  

*Lindsay,* congratulations on your PR!    I'm a little worried about my next race being boring too!    How did it go when Mike gave his notice?

*Kathy,* looks like I am following you again today!    Way to go on doing 5 miles and you aren't even officially in training!  

Hi *Jen!*   You know the BL threads are merging at the end of the week.  There are lots of folks there who miss you and would love to hear from you, if you are ready.  

I think I turned the corner this week-end with my attitude.  I guess I had to sit at the cross-road for a bit and ponder which direction I was going to go.  Was I going to stop after this half in May?  Was I going to do any more timed races?  Was I going to find some other kind of exercise and give up this running idea?  I did 7 miles on Saturday.  Then I decided to keep going.    And I'm running on to ONE-derland this spring.  I'm setting my sites on a coast-to-coast medal in 2012.    I have a plan to get in all three of my runs this week before heading out for our short spring break vacation next week.  I even decided to sign up for a 5 mile race next month -- this is the same one I did last year in 1:44 -- I'm pretty sure I can do another PR this time around!   

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lisa* -- I know, I was surprised and pleased when I found out our new kitty was also a boy. I like being the only princess  Unfortunately while they do treat me with courtesy, I think catering to my every need might be pushing it. But, I do admit I haven't opened a car door as a passenger or pumped gas in about 19 years...
> 
> Tomorrow I can run again, and I've decided to go ahead and do my 10M since I'll be home in the morning. DS doesn't have school, so dh and I are splitting the day. He could be home alone, but with the twin girls next door (one of whom has a HUGE crush on him), let's just say I think it's prudent for an adult to be around. They are all good kids, but I think it's better to be safe than sorry...
> 
> Maria


Are you sure you aren't from the south Maria. I don't open doors either. I am definitely the princess in the house. Actually yesterday when I was melting down and getting back in the car after the disasterous attempt at running I yelled at Mike to not open my door! He really puts up with a lot from me. And we found we needed to be around more the older Tom got. We did not want any coed stuff going on when we weren't home.

*Corinna*--hope your tendon is cooperating and ready to get back to work soon.




dumbo_buddy said:


> once i go to the doctor i'm going to talk to him about marathons and half marathons and what is feasible training during pregnancy and postpartum.
> 
> i AM going to stay on here. W.I.S.H. means being healthy all the time, right? i made a big boo boo by eating everything in sight during my pregnancy last time and my goal this time is to gain only what's recommended and remain active. i can't go back to where i was.


*Nancy*--I think that's a great idea to talk to your doctor. Why do I think that Running Skirts makes a maternity running skirt???? I think I saw it somewhere. And I'm really glad you are going to stick around.

*Kathy*--woohoo for five miles! I hope you get your tennis in today.


*Lisa*--woohoo for turning the corner! Woohoo for 5 miles races and woohoo for a coast to coast medal! I was so happy to read your post. I have been worried about you, but have been so wrapped up in my own stuff (more issues with DS in addition to the knee) that I have not been such a good friend. As one ponderer to another--sometimes you just got to think on it for a little while.

Thank you for all the kind words. The stress has been getting to me a little this week.
AFM--I am feeling so much more optimistic about things than I was this morning. I really like the chiropractor--even though he TORTURED me. I'm not kidding, it was excruciating. It's definitely itbs. He asked me like three times--you really had no pain until two weeks ago? I must have a high threshold or something, because I really didn't. I guess there is a significant amount of scar tissue. Mike said when he did this one thing (don't know what it's called) but he used this tool to look for parts of the muscle with scar tissue, anyhow he said you could see where the problem was. And boy did it hurt!

Anyhow I now have tape on until Friday. I am supposed to foam roller at least twice a day. I can keep exercising--elliptical and zumba (if it doesn't hurt), but no bike (I hate the bike) and no squats, lunges, etc. And if I am religious about the foam roller, I can try to run again on Saturday. He did say if I feel anything even remotely close to pain to stop immediately. I go back again next Monday. It can take between 2-8 visits usually. 

What I really liked about him, was he wants his patients to aid in their recovery. I am supposed to be getting an email with videos of stretches and strength exercises to do. And even though I mentioned the plantar he encouraged me to work on the foam roller and if it becomes a problem again, we will deal with it then. I didn't feel like I was being oversold therapy that I might not need.

What a relief! He actually encouraged me to do cardio and to exercise this week. The bad part was, some of it was so painful, that I'm guessing he wasn't even applying that much pressure in those places, so I'm thinking the foam roller is going to be horrible tonight and that next week when I go see him it's going to really hurt again! He kept saying, I don't want it to hurt but I want you to get better!

Anyhow, I am really sore, but very hopeful.


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> I think I turned the corner this week-end with my attitude.  I guess I had to sit at the cross-road for a bit and ponder which direction I was going to go.  Was I going to stop after this half in May?  Was I going to do any more timed races?  Was I going to find some other kind of exercise and give up this running idea?  I did 7 miles on Saturday.  Then I decided to keep going.    And I'm running on to ONE-derland this spring.  I'm setting my sites on a coast-to-coast medal in 2012.    I have a plan to get in all three of my runs this week before heading out for our short spring break vacation next week.  I even decided to sign up for a 5 mile race next month -- this is the same one I did last year in 1:44 -- I'm pretty sure I can do another PR this time around!


I am so happy to hear you so positive and excited.  Spring sounds like a perfect time to go to ONE-derland!  You are such an inspiration to me, Lisa.  I doubt I'll be doing any disney races next year, but I'd love to see you again in disney, hmmmm, maybe a labor day DL trip.

*Rose* Glad your appointment went so well, and sorry about the pain.  It must be a relief to have a definite diagnosis and plan, and I'm so happy you will be able to exercise.  I'll keep my fingers crossed that your therapy goes smoothly and you'll be running soon.  

Well, when I got out of work it was freaking snowing.  What the heck.  I am so ready for spring to really be here.  No tennis, but I did do 35 min of wii fit while michael did his homework.  I guess I should have watched the weather more closely this week.  Guess we're getting more thursday.  Oh well, I do love new england.  I hope to get a run/walk in tomorrow morning before work.   

Hello to all the princesses!!  Have a great day!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> Nothing much happening here.  I did 5 miles saturday with a friend, and today hit the snooze alarm instead of getting up and skipped my wii fit plan.  If ds is in a good mood tonight, we may go play tennis after dinner.



Great job on the 5 miles



lisah0711 said:


> I think I turned the corner this week-end with my attitude.  I guess I had to sit at the cross-road for a bit and ponder which direction I was going to go.  Was I going to stop after this half in May?  Was I going to do any more timed races?  Was I going to find some other kind of exercise and give up this running idea?  I did 7 miles on Saturday.  Then I decided to keep going.    And I'm running on to ONE-derland this spring.  I'm setting my sites on a coast-to-coast medal in 2012.    I have a plan to get in all three of my runs this week before heading out for our short spring break vacation next week.  I even decided to sign up for a 5 mile race next month -- this is the same one I did last year in 1:44 -- I'm pretty sure I can do another PR this time around!
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!



good for you lisa.  I am so glad you are keeping up with the running.  It will only get easier as we continue to train.  A coast to coast medal would be awesome and such a great reward for all your hard work.  

Thanks for asking about dh.  It went fine after he quit.  He gave a 4 wks notice and everyone seems so upset that he is leaving including the president.  She asked why he is leaving and he really wanted to say because you treat me like sh** and dont appreciate how hard I work but he stayed professional and just said that he thought the new position he has taken is going to be a better fit for him and is more hands on with children and there families.  They are all being nice to him and are not holding it against him so hopefully his last few weeks will be enjoyable.  




Rose&Mike said:


> Are you sure you aren't from the south Maria. I don't open doors either. I am definitely the princess in the house. Actually yesterday when I was melting down and getting back in the car after the disasterous attempt at running I yelled at Mike to not open my door! He really puts up with a lot from me.



I had to laugh, I was thinking about this topic on friday when my husband and boys were wrestling each other on the floor and my dh grabbed my flip flop off my foot and they were all passing it around and not letting me have it back and they were finding it so amusing.  Honestly being the only girl in my house does not make me a princess I feel more like the ugly step sister.   or even somedays I feel like cinderella....only on occasions does dh actually resemble the prince. 

Glad your visit to the chiro was good and positive.  I guess its no pain no gain huh.  Good luck this week with that roller.  I hope the stress is starting to settle for you.  



mikamah said:


> I know we had snow yesterday morning.  I threw a mini temper tantrum when we got out to the car.  This weather is making me miserable.  I need sun and warmth and it is not in the 10 day forecast so I feel like this.
> 
> 
> I am going to attempt a run tonight (hopefully) if the day goes as planned.  I really need to make sure i am getting in my runs now...only 6 wks to my next half.  This weekend I am planning a 7mile run.  I havent run past 3 since the princess.
> 
> I am feeling a bit anxious and irritable the past day or two so I know TOM is right around the corner.  Hopefully running tonight will help me feel better.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I am feeling a bit anxious and irritable the past day or two so I know TOM is right around the corner.  Hopefully running tonight will help me feel better.



jealous! lol!



mikamah said:


> Well, when I got out of work it was freaking snowing.  What the heck.  I am so ready for spring to really be here.  No tennis, but I did do 35 min of wii fit while michael did his homework.  I guess I should have watched the weather more closely this week.  Guess we're getting more thursday.  Oh well, I do love new england.  I hope to get a run/walk in tomorrow morning before work.
> 
> Hello to all the princesses!!  Have a great day!!



we are supposed to get snow tomorrow and thursday. um, it was 70 on friday! what the heck?? i just have to remind myself that soon i'll be complaining that it's too hot so i should just enjoy whatever weather we have...yeah, not easy!




Rose&Mike said:


> *Nancy*--I think that's a great idea to talk to your doctor. Why do I think that Running Skirts makes a maternity running skirt???? I think I saw it somewhere. And I'm really glad you are going to stick around.
> 
> Thank you for all the kind words. The stress has been getting to me a little this week.
> AFM--I am feeling so much more optimistic about things than I was this morning. I really like the chiropractor--even though he TORTURED me. I'm not kidding, it was excruciating. It's definitely itbs. He asked me like three times--you really had no pain until two weeks ago? I must have a high threshold or something, because I really didn't. I guess there is a significant amount of scar tissue. Mike said when he did this one thing (don't know what it's called) but he used this tool to look for parts of the muscle with scar tissue, anyhow he said you could see where the problem was. And boy did it hurt!
> 
> Anyhow I now have tape on until Friday. I am supposed to foam roller at least twice a day. I can keep exercising--elliptical and zumba (if it doesn't hurt), but no bike (I hate the bike) and no squats, lunges, etc. And if I am religious about the foam roller, I can try to run again on Saturday. He did say if I feel anything even remotely close to pain to stop immediately. I go back again next Monday. It can take between 2-8 visits usually.
> 
> What I really liked about him, was he wants his patients to aid in their recovery. I am supposed to be getting an email with videos of stretches and strength exercises to do. And even though I mentioned the plantar he encouraged me to work on the foam roller and if it becomes a problem again, we will deal with it then. I didn't feel like I was being oversold therapy that I might not need.
> 
> What a relief! He actually encouraged me to do cardio and to exercise this week. The bad part was, some of it was so painful, that I'm guessing he wasn't even applying that much pressure in those places, so I'm thinking the foam roller is going to be horrible tonight and that next week when I go see him it's going to really hurt again! He kept saying, I don't want it to hurt but I want you to get better!
> 
> Anyhow, I am really sore, but very hopeful.



omg i just totally got queasy thinking about the chiro manipulating your knee all that much. OUCH! but hey, if it gets you to where you need to be then AWESOME! when i hurt my foot in november i found a doctor that was pro-exercise during treatment which made me feel better. i felt like i could actually be an active part in getting better. i hope the doc raised your spririts!



lisah0711 said:


> *Nancy,* congratulations on your big news.    What a shocker!  Just when you are starting to feel like yourself, doing things without being the food source and have some goals for you -- POW!  Plus feeling sick on top of it.  Bless your heart!    I think that it is perfectly natural to mourn your old life a bit as you get ready for this new phase.  You'll be totally ready to run away from everyone for the next marathon!    I haven't known you very long but you are a lovely person, have a great sense of humor and will love your new little one just as much as you love Thomas.    Don't leave us though!  We still have lots of races to run together. Just not real soon!
> 
> 
> I think I turned the corner this week-end with my attitude.  I guess I had to sit at the cross-road for a bit and ponder which direction I was going to go.  Was I going to stop after this half in May?  Was I going to do any more timed races?  Was I going to find some other kind of exercise and give up this running idea?  I did 7 miles on Saturday.  Then I decided to keep going.    And I'm running on to ONE-derland this spring.  I'm setting my sites on a coast-to-coast medal in 2012.    I have a plan to get in all three of my runs this week before heading out for our short spring break vacation next week.  I even decided to sign up for a 5 mile race next month -- this is the same one I did last year in 1:44 -- I'm pretty sure I can do another PR this time around!
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!



first off, thank you for the kid words. really, thank you. i certainly need to remind myself that there are plenty of people in the world with more than one child (though, not many on the BL princess thread, lol!) and many of those people do in fact keep running and run marathons! and why can't i be one of those people? it may be difficult to figure out logistics of when i can run with two but i'll figure it out. and you're right - the WISH team isn't going anywhere. it's not like if i don't run THIS marathon that they will just close up shop and shun me!

and lisa, you're amazing! you ran 7 miles and kept going?! woot! you're my hero! i never just keep going! you are so going to PR at the next race! i'm looking forward to racing with you in the future 

****************
not much is new here, really. i'm still experiencing so much emotion right now. i'm still shocked and disappointed and feeling ashamed of myself for not being happy. i'm getting flashbacks of my nightmare of a newborn that was my son and just thinking, how can i possibly do that again?? i know i'll get over it. i know i'll remember that everything happens for a reason and god has a plan for everyone and all that. just...not now. i'll get there. 

i'm planning on getting out for a run today. i have the sitter scheduled to come over at 3 which is usually a good time post-nap. that is of course until today when the little guy decides he's going to poop instead of nap and then just stay up. oh well. 

i'm having some issues figuring out what to eat. nothing sounds good. tried to make some eggs for lunch. ew. basically i've been eating almonds all day. then at night i get hungry. i'm so very worried about going overboard like i did with my last pregnancy. 

hope everyone has a great day. you can probably tell i'm stressed b/c i'm all over the place and writing nonstop! lol!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Nancy* -- When you get a surprise it's a big one! I know it is a vast mental adjustment, give yourself time to take it all in and start making plans for 2013! Trust me, if I found I was pregnant, I would not be doing cartwheels, either, and I think it's perfectly normal that your a bit discombobulated. At about Mile 3 during the Princess, I glanced over and the woman running next to me had to have been at least 6 months pregnant. I was a bit awed...oh, and Congratulations! 

*Lindsay* -- You are channeling the wrong Princess! "Cinderelly" is not going to get you pampered. I highly recommend you let your inner Jasmine come out, and then they can start working to grant your wishes 

*Kathy* -- I spent yesterday at a conference in Waltham, in a room without windows. You can imagine what I thought when I could finally see outside. I did not order snow! I am done of winter  Once they notice the female figure, it's all down hill from there...you still get some great moments, but they get distracted by every Katy Perry or Selena Gomez which wanders by...

*Rose* -- Well, I am from Missouri, which many say is the most northern southern state...but it's my New England husband who has the good manners! My MIL was awesome in so many ways, I figure if she can raise a gentleman, so can I  I am so glad you finally have a diagnosis and treatment plan! I think you know Mike is an absolute gem -- and you deserve him! 

*Lisa* -- I'm so glad you decided to stay on the running track! Sometimes we do need to take some time and re-evaluate. I just had a weekend that was so busy and off track, I really was thinking, "why am I even trying?". We also just need a mental break. Training and eating healthy are hard work -- both mentally and physically. We have to remember to be kind to ourselves -- you are so kind and thoughtful to others, I bet you rarely put yourself first. I want to see more of that, because you deserve it  Coast to Coast is an awesome goal! 

*Jude* -- Those cheerleader abs come from the pact the covens all make to ensure they maintain those figures  Just kidding! I know those young ladies work hard and that is so much better than spending their lives on the couch, like I did at that age! 

*Corinna* -- My guys have to be nice to me because I'm the only one who can figure out where they left their stuff. Their idea of looking for something is rather -- superficial. Seriously, why is have one place for something and always put it there such a hard concept?! 

*Jen* -- 

Ok, so here I am...this weekend was absolutely crazy. My BIL called Thursday night to let us know he and SIL were coming down Saturday to go to a hockey tournament, and staying at our house Saturday night. Um, ok. I changed my normal Friday afternoon "me" time and spent 2:45 cleaning the house. Then we went grocery shopping, then I collapsed by 9. I got up early Sat. for my WW meeting, where I was down .4, but feeling really bloated and yucky...we'll get to that later. BIL and SIL spent Saturday afternoon with us, which meant me. DH and DS already had a commitment at church all afternoon. I was so tired, but they took naps in shifts -- so I had to entertain someone the whole time. Then Sunday morning dh ran a Half, which once again left me in charge of entertainment -- 'cause after the Half he went to work! I had them all day Sunday. I took them to the International Seafood Show for lunch (where dh was working, in charge of the City's booth), and theoretically we could wander around and eat at will. They assured me they wanted to go, and SIL (with sciatica sp?) would be fine. Well, she wasn't. She sat three times in between walking, and I barely got to see anything, although I'm sure I ate way too much. They are nice, but we only have so much to talk about, and they hit the kitchen about 7:30, so no sleeping in for me. After they left I discovered TOM had arrived (no *Nancy* surprise for me!) -- and this may have colored my view of the weekend, as I bet I was a bit cranky. 

I wanted nothing so much as to stay home and in bed yesterday, but I had to go to this conference which I knew was going to be a complete dud when I had to sign up for it. It lived up to expectations. When I got home last night I felt blah. I haven't run since Friday, and I just didn't want to do anything. So, I had a bit of a rebellious moment -- I stayed up until midnight and finished the book I started reading last night. Of course, I regreted it this morning. 

Today was my last yoga class at work, which was kind of sad. I am really going to miss it. Anyway, just checking in...my BL weight was the same as last week, so I guess that's a small blessing. I am genuinely worried about my WW weigh in on Saturday morning, I have a feeling this won't be pretty  I know I need to get up and run tomorrow morning, but I'm so tired...

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--I am so sorry about the snow. I'm glad you got the wii in and I hope you are able to get a run in.

*Lindsay*--I'm glad things are going ok for Mike. Four weeks will fly by. The flip-flop story made me smile. I hope you have a good run.

*Nancy*--hang in there. I hope you had a good run, too. 



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Nancy* -- When you get a surprise it's a big one! I know it is a vast mental adjustment, give yourself time to take it all in and start making plans for 2013! Trust me, if I found I was pregnant, I would not be doing cartwheels, either, and I think it's perfectly normal that your a bit discombobulated.


Seriously, Mike would have to hide the ladders because I would be up on the roof. We've had a couple of people joke about it, and we are both like--you have got to be kidding! Hopefully that ship has sailed.....I'm sorry it was your last yoga class. And oh my, what a weekend you had. Hopefully the ww weigh in will go well, but even if it's a not so great week, you have done sooooo well with it. I know you will get back in the swing of things soon.

I have a nice bruise on my leg. And it was pretty sore today. I did the exercises and the evil foam roller this morning. Then the dr. called to check on me and said if it was sore to skip a day--uhhhh, too late. I'm not going to do it tonight. I went to the Y and did 2 miles on the elliptical and lifted weights (arms) for about 10 minutes. So a pretty good day. I might try to do zumba tomorrow. We'll see how things are feeling. It was 80 here again today, but I guess it's going to cool off for several days. It kind of stinks because all the trees are blooming and I hope they don't get frostbite!

Have a great evening!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

WAAAAAHHHHH!!! this weather is horrible! rain/hail/snow/yuck talk about the type of day where normally i'd just sit and eat and eat and eat. and then i'd be upset that i ate all day...so i'd eat more. 

thankfully, giving up processed foods for lent has been a bit of a diet saver because there isn't much for me to chow on except healthy foods! that, and the fact that i don't have much of an appetite. 

i got a run in yesterday. took me almost 35 min to do a 5k. for me that's a bit on the slow side since i usually do my shorter runs at at high 9/low 10 min/mile pace. usually my short runs are 4 miles long - 3 laps around maritime college. i did only 2 laps and felt so tired! and now it's going to rain and be cold for the foreseeable future so it looks like i'll be stuck on the elliptical for a while. blah. 

how is everyone doing today?


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Nancy* -- We have a grey day, too, and tonight into tomorrow we are getting snow. That is wrong I tell you, just wrong!  Sorry you are suffering through it -- but good job skipping the processed food! 

*Rose* -- Are you going to go for the zumba? I hope you are less sore today! I will say I miss the days of it being easy to fill an Easter basket. I've been racking my brain for what to put in ds's -- so far I've got the new Kingdom Keepers book, Twizzlers (a rare treat since he has braces), I-tunes gift card, jammies, the new Britney cd...and that's it. Kid doesn't like chocolate (if we didn't have identical birth marks, I would wonder...), can't have anything gummy any more, and has to pick out his own clothes (well, I think I can get by with the jammies, but that's about it). I'll probably end up picking up McDonald's, and other gift cards of that type, too, since he's starting to spend more time away from us. He needs socks, but he can't wait until April for those, and who wants socks for Easter?! 

Ugh. It's been a long day already...I didn't get up for my run today, I was in a very boring workshop all morning, and I had a conference call for most of the afternoon. If I could take a nap...anyway, at least I got to bed earlier last night, and I'm counting my points and eating well today. 

I am really looking forward to the abc comedies tonight -- I need a good  

I'm not sure if I told you guys I'm re-reading the Jean M. Auel (Children of Earth --Clan of the Cave Bear) books, because the final one in the series is about to come out. Number 4 is waiting for me at the library. I'm not sure I even read that one before, as I remember the first three from junior high. In # 3, the heroine "shares Pleasures" with someone who she cares about, but doesn't love. I remember because I couldn't wrap my mind around it at that time, and I think I stopped reading the book midway because I just knew that was wrong  Well, I finished it, and she commits to the one she really loves, so it all works out   I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next, because if I did read the next book (and I don't think I did), I certainly don't remember it! 

I also just read Buffalo West Wing -- a murder mystery, where the heroine is the White House Executive Chef, and Death of a Chimney Sweep -- the latest Hamish MacBeth murder mystery. I have been reading too much lately and getting too little done, but every once in awhile I just need a "book break" 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good afternoon Princesses!  



Rose&Mike said:


> What I really liked about him, was he wants his patients to aid in their recovery. I am supposed to be getting an email with videos of stretches and strength exercises to do. And even though I mentioned the plantar he encouraged me to work on the foam roller and if it becomes a problem again, we will deal with it then. I didn't feel like I was being oversold therapy that I might not need.
> 
> What a relief! He actually encouraged me to do cardio and to exercise this week. The bad part was, some of it was so painful, that I'm guessing he wasn't even applying that much pressure in those places, so I'm thinking the foam roller is going to be horrible tonight and that next week when I go see him it's going to really hurt again! He kept saying, I don't want it to hurt but I want you to get better!
> 
> Anyhow, I am really sore, but very hopeful.



Glad that you found someone who can work with you on your terms, Rose!  You'll be back at running in no time!   



mikamah said:


> I am so happy to hear you so positive and excited.  Spring sounds like a perfect time to go to ONE-derland!  You are such an inspiration to me, Lisa.  I doubt I'll be doing any disney races next year, but I'd love to see you again in disney, hmmmm, *maybe a labor day DL trip*.



That would be fun!    I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for another Disneyland race when they announce the new race in April.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Thanks for asking about dh.  It went fine after he quit.  He gave a 4 wks notice and everyone seems so upset that he is leaving including the president.  She asked why he is leaving and he really wanted to say because you treat me like sh** and dont appreciate how hard I work but he stayed professional and just said that he thought the new position he has taken is going to be a better fit for him and is more hands on with children and there families.  They are all being nice to him and are not holding it against him so hopefully his last few weeks will be enjoyable.



Sorry for the bad weather and being irritable, Lindsay.    Thank goodness they are being nice to Mike at work so you don't have that too.  Spring is coming!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> jealous! lol!



LOL being jealous of someone's PMS -- now that is something that you don't hear too often on a BL thread!    Don't worry, Nancy, someday you will have PMS again, too!    Bless your heart, girl!    You and that new little baby will be just fine!   Thomas, however, may have his little nose out of joint for a bit though.   Good job on the run but don't be afraid to take it easy.  I was so tired at the beginning of my pregnancy that I don't even remember remodeling our house in a month after we moved!   



Worfiedoodles said:


> Coast to Coast is an awesome goal!



Are you going to join me next year, Maria?   

Bless your heart for going over and above in the in-law entertainment department!    I say your DH owes you big time -- maybe with a visit with your Dad's other family . . .   How is your DH feeling about the Boston Marathon?

 Hello to the rest of our princesses.    I think I read somewhere that one of our princesses is on a cruise right now so please come and tell us all about it.  

I don't want to rub it in but it is 53 and I'm going for a run outside.    I think that it's the first time I've run outside in Idaho this year!


----------



## lisah0711

lisah0711 said:


> I don't want to rub it in but it is 53 and I'm going for a run outside.    I think that it's the first time I've run outside in Idaho this year!



Oh, and in case any of you are jealous that I got to run outside, I swallowed *A BUG* so maybe outside running doesn't sound so great now, does it?


----------



## Rose&Mike

dumbo_buddy said:


> WAAAAAHHHHH!!! this weather is horrible! rain/hail/snow/yuck talk about the type of day where normally i'd just sit and eat and eat and eat. and then i'd be upset that i ate all day...so i'd eat more.
> 
> thankfully, giving up processed foods for lent has been a bit of a diet saver because there isn't much for me to chow on except healthy foods! that, and the fact that i don't have much of an appetite.
> 
> i got a run in yesterday. took me almost 35 min to do a 5k. for me that's a bit on the slow side since i usually do my shorter runs at at high 9/low 10 min/mile pace. usually my short runs are 4 miles long - 3 laps around maritime college. i did only 2 laps and felt so tired! and now it's going to rain and be cold for the foreseeable future so it looks like i'll be stuck on the elliptical for a while. blah.
> 
> how is everyone doing today?


Hang in there Nancy. The tired thing is probably pretty normal right now. I was exhausted the first trimester. As for the weather, I totally agree. It was so gorgeous yesterday. Today it's drizzling and in the 40s. Yuck! I just don't like cold!



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Rose* -- Are you going to go for the zumba? I hope you are less sore today! I will say I miss the days of it being easy to fill an Easter basket. I've been racking my brain for what to put in ds's -- so far I've got the new Kingdom Keepers book, Twizzlers (a rare treat since he has braces), I-tunes gift card, jammies, the new Britney cd...and that's it. Kid doesn't like chocolate (if we didn't have identical birth marks, I would wonder...), can't have anything gummy any more, and has to pick out his own clothes (well, I think I can get by with the jammies, but that's about it). I'll probably end up picking up McDonald's, and other gift cards of that type, too, since he's starting to spend more time away from us. He needs socks, but he can't wait until April for those, and who wants socks for Easter?!


I tried to do zumba but there was instructor issues so I just went ahead and did the elliptical. The rehab stuff takes me 25 minutes or so and I did 40 min on the elliptical. That sounds like a typical teen Easter basket--though my kid loves chocolate so it made it easier. I always got him some kind of spring outdoor thing too--a new football or a frisbee or whatever I could find that looked interesting. It's funny I would have never gotten him socks or t-shirts as a gift. Now he is always asking for new socks and t-shirts. He wears a plain white tee under everything and I think they get crusty fast.



lisah0711 said:


> Oh, and in case any of you are jealous that I got to run outside, I swallowed *A BUG* so maybe outside running doesn't sound so great now, does it?


 This made me smile. I always end up with a bug up my nose. Yuck!

I think I over did it a little yesterday. I walked the dog around the neighborhood and between that and the elliptical I ended up with close to 10000 steps--that's the most I have had in a long time! My knee felt really good, but it's a little stiff today. I hate worrying about every twinge!  

I am so glad the merge is finally here!

Hope everyone is doing well. Are we going to keep chatting here. I'm good with it. I don't go on and on about the running stuff on Mickey as much as I do here. What do you all think?


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> Oh, and in case any of you are jealous that I got to run outside, I swallowed *A BUG* so maybe outside running doesn't sound so great now, does it?



 EW! hey, consider it like a free GU packet! hahhaah. hope you enjoyed the run even with the unexpected appetizer!



Rose&Mike said:


> Hang in there Nancy. The tired thing is probably pretty normal right now. I was exhausted the first trimester. As for the weather, I totally agree. It was so gorgeous yesterday. Today it's drizzling and in the 40s. Yuck! I just don't like cold!
> 
> 
> I tried to do zumba but there was instructor issues so I just went ahead and did the elliptical. The rehab stuff takes me 25 minutes or so and I did 40 min on the elliptical. That sounds like a typical teen Easter basket--though my kid loves chocolate so it made it easier. I always got him some kind of spring outdoor thing too--a new football or a frisbee or whatever I could find that looked interesting. It's funny I would have never gotten him socks or t-shirts as a gift. Now he is always asking for new socks and t-shirts. He wears a plain white tee under everything and I think they get crusty fast.
> 
> 
> This made me smile. I always end up with a bug up my nose. Yuck!
> 
> I think I over did it a little yesterday. I walked the dog around the neighborhood and between that and the elliptical I ended up with close to 10000 steps--that's the most I have had in a long time! My knee felt really good, but it's a little stiff today. I hate worrying about every twinge!
> 
> I am so glad the merge is finally here!
> 
> Hope everyone is doing well. Are we going to keep chatting here. I'm good with it. I don't go on and on about the running stuff on Mickey as much as I do here. What do you all think?



YUCK! the weather is even worse today. we got about an inch of snow but luckily it has stopped and hopefully it'll be gone by the end of the day b/c it's supposed to warm up. still, i'll need to scrape my car before heading to mommy and me class. 

my facebook lately has been littered with zumba people! it is really popular! i really need to try it out! it sounds like it is fun. people seemed to be really enjoying their classes! 

rose i hope your knee feels better. could the cooler weather be a part of why it is sore? i have herniated discs in my back and this weather is really killing me. i know whenever it rains and especially when it's a cold rain that i'll be in pain. it's better now when i know what to expect. 

can't believe it's time to shop for easter! last year i got thomas a mickey mouse easter basket. i am hoping and praying that it didn't get lost in the scariness that is my basement. maybe this year he'll know a little more about what it is? not likely.

i'd like to chat on here b/c i feel like it's a little more work-out focused which is nice. like, i can say, "hey i ran 3 miles the other day and they BLEW" and you'll know what i'm talking about


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Worfiedoodles said:


> [I wanted nothing so much as to stay home and in bed yesterday, but I had to go to this conference which I knew was going to be a complete dud when I had to sign up for it. It lived up to expectations. When I got home last night I felt blah. I haven't run since Friday, and I just didn't want to do anything. So, I had a bit of a rebellious moment -- I stayed up until midnight and finished the book I started reading last night. Of course, I regreted it this morning.



TOM made a visit this week to me too and I so feel your pain.  I have felt the same this week.  I hope by now you are starting to feel better.  These are times that I despise being a women. 



Worfiedoodles said:


> I will say I miss the days of it being easy to fill an Easter basket. I've been racking my brain for what to put in ds's --


 I love your ideas for ds's basket.  Im having a hard time finding things for the boys baskets this year. I try not to do much candy for 2 reasons one is they shouldnt eat it and the second is I shouldnt either.  So I like to find little toys or healthy snacks.  The other thing is not spending a fortune on them.  That I think is the harder part.  



lisah0711 said:


> Oh, and in case any of you are jealous that I got to run outside, I swallowed *A BUG* so maybe outside running doesn't sound so great now, does it?



that happened to me for the first time last year and it was so disgusting.  I guess we have to watch what we wish for.  Im glad you got out to run in the fresh air.



Rose&Mike said:


> I am so glad the merge is finally here!
> 
> Hope everyone is doing well. Are we going to keep chatting here. I'm good with it. I don't go on and on about the running stuff on Mickey as much as I do here. What do you all think?



I am very excited for the merge.  I miss our BL alumni from team donald but both threads were just too hard to keep up with.  I am looking forward to chatting with everyone again.

I would still chat with you all on here too.  I think it is easier to talk about running and things associated on here vs a our larger board.

I think I am beginning to feel more like myself again.  Wow TOM was bad on me emotionally this month.  Not sure what I did to deserve that.  I am a bit bloated and up a lb but hopefully over the next few days I will be start to deflate.  

I would love to get a run in tonight but will have to see what the weather is going to be like.  We currently are at 30 degrees and dreary.  It is going to be like this through the weekend and than go up into the 40's for next week.  How exciting

Have a great day!


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> Hope everyone is doing well. Are we going to keep chatting here. I'm good with it. I don't go on and on about the running stuff on Mickey as much as I do here. What do you all think?



Hope you are feeling better today, Rose!   

I say keep on chatting here for now.  We can start a new thread later in the summer when registration opens or I can change the title to this one anytime.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> i'd like to chat on here b/c i feel like it's a little more work-out focused which is nice. like, i can say, "hey i ran 3 miles the other day and they BLEW" and you'll know what i'm talking about



Hope the weather is improving in your neck of the woods, Nancy!    How was your class?  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I would still chat with you all on here too.  I think it is easier to talk about running and things associated on here vs a our larger board.



Glad that you are feeling better, Lindsay.    I saw your recent race picture on Facebook -- you looked as cute as could be!  

And speaking of Facebook, thanks to those of you who have friended me.  I am slowly learning the Facebook thing so don't look for anything too exciting from me -- besides my MIL is one of my friends so no complaining about DH!  

The bug thing was worse for the bug than it was for me!    I'm glad it was a little Idaho bug instead of a big old Florida or Iowa bug!  

Off to a 6th grade choir performance tonight -- the put it with the high school performance.  

Have a great evening Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I am obviously not friends with everyone on facebook! Who else is on??? I think I have a total of 13 friends.  I am really popular, I know.

I did not work out today. I did 11 days straight, though admittedly one of them was that abysmal attempt to run on Sunday, so I'm not sure if that should count. I did my rehab stuff this morning--that takes about 25 minutes and I will stretch again tonight. Interestingly enough, my hips are sore today. When I think about things, my hips have been sore on and off for a while now. I just ignored it. Which I guess could have been the start of the itbs. (Mike remembers what the dr. said better than I do.) I guess for some people that's where there itb problems show up. So, maybe I have had symptoms longer than I thought. 

Have a good night Pretty Princesses!


----------



## mikamah

A quick hello princess friends.  So excited to merge tomorrow, but so bummed my internet is down.  I'm at the library now, and michael has checked out his books and is waiting on me.  Plus it's his bedtime, so I should be a good mother and take him  home now. 

Lisa- the bug, ewwwww.  You guys crack me up.  

I hope to be back tomorrow.  I'm happy to keep posting on here too, but am very excited to be back together with you princesses from team Mickey. 

Have a great friday, girlfriends!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> Glad that you are feeling better, Lindsay.    I saw your recent race picture on Facebook -- you looked as cute as could be!
> 
> And speaking of Facebook, thanks to those of you who have friended me.  I am slowly learning the Facebook thing so don't look for anything too exciting from me -- besides my MIL is one of my friends so no complaining about DH!



Oh lisa if you have found me on facebook feel free to send me a friend request.  I have no idea how to find people.



Rose&Mike said:


> I am obviously not friends with everyone on facebook! Who else is on??? I think I have a total of 13 friends.  I am really popular, I know.



I am on and usually check that daily.  Most of the stuff I post is about races or running or fun things we do.  I like to keep up with my old high school friends and family.  Its funny I dont talk directly to them on there but know exactly whats going on in their life.  Some people post everything.

Thats interesting about the hips.  Isnt it crazy how long things can go on before you realize something isnt right.  or are willing to admit something isnt right.  At least you are more intune with it all now and that will help alot as you heal and continue on with your running.  Im so glad you met a good chiro it seems like he has really helped you alot.  If you would have went to an ortho you would have had xrays,mri's, injections and PT by now with all kinds of restrictions.  Im all about Dr's since obviously I work for one but sometimes it gets a bit over done so I think you really went in the right direction.



mikamah said:


> A quick hello princess friends.  So excited to merge tomorrow, but so bummed my internet is down.



oh that really stinks.  I hope its back up and running soon.

Well it was no run for me tonight.  I had a spitting headache after work so I used it as my excuse.
I did enjoy a nice evening with my well behaved boys.  I just love it when they listen and cooperate.  I think sometimes they just know whats best.

TGIF tomorrow and "the merge".  It should be a good day


----------



## jbm02

Just popping in so you don't think I've fallen off the planet.  It's been a crazy week - school BOE meetings every night (save last night) til almost 11:45PM each night.  DH was feeling a bit neglected   so last night we just hung out to watch the basketball games (YAY, FL and UConn!  ...although home-town kid Jimmer Fredette's team lost - I was a little torn there due to my rooting for FL!). 
Heading to work so I will try and catch up with everyone tonight/tomorrow!! 



Rose&Mike said:


> I am obviously not friends with everyone on facebook! Who else is on??? I think I have a total of 13 friends.  I am really popular, I know.



I'm on... Jude Mulvey  (much easier to find when it's not a common name!! )  I'd love to hear from all the Princesses!  ...

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> I am obviously not friends with everyone on facebook! Who else is on??? I think I have a total of 13 friends.  I am really popular, I know.



You are popular, Rose, with the right crowd!    Glad you took a day to rest and that you are feeling better!   



mikamah said:


> A quick hello princess friends.  So excited to merge tomorrow, but so bummed my internet is down.  I'm at the library now, and michael has checked out his books and is waiting on me.  Plus it's his bedtime, so I should be a good mother and take him  home now.
> 
> 
> 
> Bummer about the internet.  It was nice to talk to you for a few minutes yesterday.
> 
> 
> 
> mommyof2Pirates said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh lisa if you have found me on facebook feel free to send me a friend request.  I have no idea how to find people.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Glad that you are feeling better, Lindsay.    Sometimes you just have to hang out with those cute guys!
> 
> Sent you a friend request, too.
> 
> 
> 
> jbm02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Just popping in so you don't think I've fallen off the planet.  It's been a crazy week - school BOE meetings every night (save last night) til almost 11:45PM each night.  DH was feeling a bit neglected   so last night we just hung out to watch the basketball games (YAY, FL and UConn!  ...although home-town kid Jimmer Fredette's team lost - I was a little torn there due to my rooting for FL!).
> Heading to work so I will try and catch up with everyone tonight/tomorrow!!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Hi Jude!    Nice to hear from you!    Found you on Facebook, too.
> 
> Busy day today getting ready to head out to Seattle tomorrow.  Looks like we don't have to worry about snow in the pass or anything like that.  We will pick up my Mom at the airport and hang out for a few days.  Get to go to the Pacific Science Center, Tacoma Glass Museum and the aquarium in Vancouver BC.  Should be fun!    See you guys in about a week!
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...


----------



## Rose&Mike

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I am on and usually check that daily.  Most of the stuff I post is about races or running or fun things we do.  I like to keep up with my old high school friends and family.  Its funny I dont talk directly to them on there but know exactly whats going on in their life.  Some people post everything.
> 
> Thats interesting about the hips.  Isnt it crazy how long things can go on before you realize something isnt right.  or are willing to admit something isnt right.  At least you are more intune with it all now and that will help alot as you heal and continue on with your running.  Im so glad you met a good chiro it seems like he has really helped you alot.  *If you would have went to an ortho you would have had xrays,mri's, injections and PT by now with all kinds of restrictions. * Im all about Dr's since obviously I work for one but sometimes it gets a bit over done so I think you really went in the right direction.
> 
> Well it was no run for me tonight.  I had a spitting headache after work so I used it as my excuse.
> I did enjoy a nice evening with my well behaved boys.  I just love it when they listen and cooperate.  I think sometimes they just know whats best.
> 
> TGIF tomorrow and "the merge".  It should be a good day


The bolded part was why I really didn't want to go to the regular doctor. I think there are some great ortho guys and we have a good sports medicine clinic, but honestly, I don't think I needed all those tests. Now if it doesn't improve, then absolutely. I'm sorry about the headache--but what a nice evening with the boys. And I do not have any local friends on facebook. It's starting to get a little awkward with people around here, but I like using it for mostly just dis people. I have one friend from when we lived in San Diego and another person from when we lived in San Diego who accepted my friend request and I tried striking up a conversation and nothing. So anyhow, I've been using it mostly for dis and running stuff. There is a lot of drama around here with people and facebook and I have been trying to avoid it.



jbm02 said:


> Just popping in so you don't think I've fallen off the planet.  It's been a crazy week - school BOE meetings every night (save last night) til almost 11:45PM each night.  DH was feeling a bit neglected   so last night we just hung out to watch the basketball games (YAY, FL and UConn!  ...although home-town kid Jimmer Fredette's team lost - I was a little torn there due to my rooting for FL!).
> Heading to work so I will try and catch up with everyone tonight/tomorrow!!
> 
> 
> 
> I'm on... Jude Mulvey  (much easier to find when it's not a common name!! )  I'd love to hear from all the Princesses!  ...
> 
> Have a great day everyone!


Hi Jude! You are soooo busy! Goodness. I'm not a big fan of UCONN right now since they beat my team last night!



lisah0711 said:


> You are popular, Rose, with the right crowd!    Glad you took a day to rest and that you are feeling better!


Awww, thanks Lisa. Have a fabulous trip!

I am looking forward to attempting to run again tomorrow. My leg is feeling pretty good. The foam roller doesn't hurt nearly as much as it did at the beginning of the week! I bought some new compression shorts today that I am going to wear tomorrow. We are supposed to have nasty weather, so we're going to go to the Y and I will do a couple miles on the elliptical, then try to run a mile or two and then do my rehab stuff. That should give Mike enough time to get a run in.

Have a good Friday, Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Jude--I read what you wrote about hoping to run 2:10-2:20--I wanted you to know I think that's doable with the training especially if you stick with the weight loss, too. My first two halves were right around 2:25. Princess I ran 2:12. I was hoping to break 2:10 for the KY derby half, but that won't happen now. Anyhow, fwiw, I found the more the weight came off, the faster I got.  Something just seemed to click the last couple of months, even with having to do so many miles on the dreadmill. I'll be rooting for you.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Anybody else in a slump??? I'm having a lot of "just want to pull the covers over my head" days. I'm trying to be optimistic about the knee/itb thing, but it's been hard. Obviously, I still need to work on my patience. The elliptical is getting really old--and to make matters worse my knee was twingeing on it yesterday. I'm taking the day off. And my eating has been horrid. I am still maintaining, but making some really bad choices. I think the only reason, I haven't just thrown in the towel is that I feel like I have a responsibility to the main BL thread--so that's a good thing. I think we might plan a trip to Florida in May, just still waiting to see what's up with Tom's internship for the summer.

Anyhow, I know we've all been kind of quiet lately, but I think of you all often. When I just want to bag it all, I remember that I know you all are pulling for me. It's just getting a little old this month. I'm sick of g-f and I want to run, so being positive has been a little difficult lately. But I'm working on faking it, so hopefully eventually my brain will get the memo.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Rose&Mike said:


> Anybody else in a slump??? I'm having a lot of "just want to pull the covers over my head" days. I'm trying to be optimistic about the knee/itb thing, but it's been hard. Obviously, I still need to work on my patience. The elliptical is getting really old--and to make matters worse my knee was twingeing on it yesterday. I'm taking the day off. And my eating has been horrid. I am still maintaining, but making some really bad choices. I think the only reason, I haven't just thrown in the towel is that I feel like I have a responsibility to the main BL thread--so that's a good thing. I think we might plan a trip to Florida in May, just still waiting to see what's up with Tom's internship for the summer.
> 
> Anyhow, I know we've all been kind of quiet lately, but I think of you all often. When I just want to bag it all, I remember that I know you all are pulling for me. It's just getting a little old this month. I'm sick of g-f and I want to run, so being positive has been a little difficult lately. But I'm working on faking it, so hopefully eventually my brain will get the memo.



*Rose* --  I'm faking it right along with you. I had a rough week last week -- just couldn't seem to get up to run, ate whatever crossed my path, had a gain I can't even acknowledge, and didn't go to my WW meeting. I realized I had to just fake along until I feel it. I've run 3M the last 3 days, and I've been counting my WW points, and not going over my daily allotment. I was feeling better about it, until I got on the scale this morning and saw no change...but I digress. I realize this is a (half, in my case  ) marathon not a sprint, and I have to put in the training to get the results. 

I also haven't seemed to manage to make it to the whole BL thread. I just find it too daunting right now. This smaller group is all I can manage 

I read a lot last week, so I guess there's a positive...but fitness was not on the agenda. And my only excuse was TOM, I didn't have an injury. I just seemed to not be able to focus, and TOM was rougher than usual -- I didn't adapt well at all. 

Trying to convince dh to do Chip 'n Dale. I don't think I'll be successful, but he didn't outright say no, so maybe. He knows I really want to do it because I'll probably never do a full, so this is my chance to run the last half of the course. I just have to hope I can convince him before it fills...

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria--sending you a big hug. I'm sorry you are having to fake it too, but I am not feeling as lonely now. I hope you can talk Dennis into Chip and Dale. I KNOW you can get back on track with your WW. I know you can do it. Hang in there.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Anybody else in a slump??? I'm having a lot of "just want to pull the covers over my head" days. I'm trying to be optimistic about the knee/itb thing, but it's been hard. Obviously, I still need to work on my patience. The elliptical is getting really old--and to make matters worse my knee was twingeing on it yesterday. I'm taking the day off. And my eating has been horrid. I am still maintaining, but making some really bad choices. I think the only reason, I haven't just thrown in the towel is that I feel like I have a responsibility to the main BL thread--so that's a good thing. I think we might plan a trip to Florida in May, just still waiting to see what's up with Tom's internship for the summer.
> 
> Anyhow, I know we've all been kind of quiet lately, but I think of you all often. When I just want to bag it all, I remember that I know you all are pulling for me. It's just getting a little old this month. I'm sick of g-f and I want to run, so being positive has been a little difficult lately. But I'm working on faking it, so hopefully eventually my brain will get the memo.





Worfiedoodles said:


> *Rose* --  I'm faking it right along with you. I had a rough week last week -- just couldn't seem to get up to run, ate whatever crossed my path, had a gain I can't even acknowledge, and didn't go to my WW meeting. I realized I had to just fake along until I feel it. I've run 3M the last 3 days, and I've been counting my WW points, and not going over my daily allotment. I was feeling better about it, until I got on the scale this morning and saw no change...but I digress. I realize this is a (half, in my case  ) marathon not a sprint, and I have to put in the training to get the results.
> 
> I also haven't seemed to manage to make it to the whole BL thread. I just find it too daunting right now. This smaller group is all I can manage
> 
> I read a lot last week, so I guess there's a positive...but fitness was not on the agenda. And my only excuse was TOM, I didn't have an injury. I just seemed to not be able to focus, and TOM was rougher than usual -- I didn't adapt well at all.
> 
> Trying to convince dh to do Chip 'n Dale. I don't think I'll be successful, but he didn't outright say no, so maybe. He knows I really want to do it because I'll probably never do a full, so this is my chance to run the last half of the course. I just have to hope I can convince him before it fills...
> 
> Maria



Hi guys I have to admit I am faking it right along with you guys.  I just dont know what it is.  Weather????, post TOM???? I dont know but I am having a hard time getting out to run.  Making too many excuses for myself.  My eating is hit or miss.  Usually I do good for a few days and then I have a day or two where I "blow it".  So I am still up a few down a few but overall not going anywhere.  It makes me upset that I cant get myself motivated and than that just makes me more "depressed".  Not sure how to get myself out of this.  I try and try giving my brain a pep talk but it just doesnt seem to be listening.  Can this have anything to do with the post princess let down????

Just wondering since we are all feeling it??

I truly love you guys and this is why I have not completely fallen off the wagon.  I know that you will hold me accountable and I also think of you often.  Its what keeps me moving on this journey.  Im not moving in the right direction but at least I am keeping myself wading until I can catch the next tidal wave to success.  Thanks ladies


----------



## Rose&Mike

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hi guys I have to admit I am faking it right along with you guys.  I just dont know what it is.  Weather????, post TOM???? I dont know but I am having a hard time getting out to run.  Making too many excuses for myself.  My eating is hit or miss.  Usually I do good for a few days and then I have a day or two where I "blow it".  So I am still up a few down a few but overall not going anywhere.  It makes me upset that I cant get myself motivated and than that just makes me more "depressed".  Not sure how to get myself out of this.  I try and try giving my brain a pep talk but it just doesnt seem to be listening.  Can this have anything to do with the post princess let down????
> 
> Just wondering since we are all feeling it??
> 
> I truly love you guys and this is why I have not completely fallen off the wagon.  I know that you will hold me accountable and I also think of you often.  Its what keeps me moving on this journey.  Im not moving in the right direction but at least I am keeping myself wading until I can catch the next tidal wave to success.  Thanks ladies


I'm sorry you are feeling bleh too, Lindsay. For me, I think it's the lack of endorphins from running--so that's a good reason for you to force yourself too get out there. It was my biggest stress reliever, and the elliptical is just not doing it. And the lack of sun! And then I get in this spiral of I can't do this, so I might as well eat crappy, I ate crappy, so I might as well eat crappier. I need to take my own advice I guess and just work on one thing.

It really was a great weekend--perfect weather, great time. Maybe it is just a big letdown thing going on. I'm going to make sure I take my vit. d today.

And Lindsay--I KNOW you can do it too. You are not going to fall completely off the wagon. And you have another race coming up! How exciting!

I'm thinking about seeing if someone wants to use my bib, and so is Mike. We might just go to Memphis the weekend of the derby 1/2 and see Mumford and Sons. Mike is having some more work stuff that cropped up this week and we are both burned out.


----------



## mikamah

Hugs and drinks all around.  I wish we could all get together, relive the princess and get remotivated.

I'm getting out for my run/walks 3 days a week, because I was remembering last year when I started the running, I was feeling really depressed and was at an all time low, and I'm scared if I don't get out and move that will happen again.  Work has been very quiet, so that's a worry.  Trying not to stress about that until I need to.  Denial is powerful. My eating has been out of control, more than in control, and am up a couple pounds from before the princess.  So ready for spring to really hit.  Maria, looks like we'll get mostly rain this storm, so that's a relief.



Worfiedoodles said:


> [Trying to convince dh to do Chip 'n Dale. I don't think I'll be successful, but he didn't outright say no, so maybe. He knows I really want to do it because I'll probably never do a full, so this is my chance to run the last half of the course. I just have to hope I can convince him before it fills...


I bet you can think of something to help convince him.
 Maria, you will get back on the ww track.  You have done so well this year, and maybe you just need a little break, not totally off track, but maintain for a few weeks, have a few splurges, and the get refocused.  You are my disney trip/ww hero.  That hard work will not be for naught.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Can this have anything to do with the post princess let down????
> 
> Just wondering since we are all feeling it??
> 
> I truly love you guys and this is why I have not completely fallen off the wagon.  I know that you will hold me accountable and I also think of you often.  Its what keeps me moving on this journey.  Im not moving in the right direction but at least I am keeping myself wading until I can catch the next tidal wave to success.  Thanks ladies


I wonder if it is the post race letdown.  Sometimes all we can do is ride the waves, and hope we don't backslide too far back.  Never give up. 



Rose&Mike said:


> Anybody else in a slump??? I'm having a lot of "just want to pull the covers over my head" days. I'm trying to be optimistic about the knee/itb thing, but it's been hard. Obviously, I still need to work on my patience. The elliptical is getting really old--and to make matters worse my knee was twingeing on it yesterday. I'm taking the day off. And my eating has been horrid. I am still maintaining, but making some really bad choices. I think the only reason, I haven't just thrown in the towel is that I feel like I have a responsibility to the main BL thread--so that's a good thing. I think we might plan a trip to Florida in May, just still waiting to see what's up with Tom's internship for the summer.
> 
> Anyhow, I know we've all been kind of quiet lately, but I think of you all often. When I just want to bag it all, I remember that I know you all are pulling for me. It's just getting a little old this month. I'm sick of g-f and I want to run, so being positive has been a little difficult lately. But I'm working on faking it, so hopefully eventually my brain will get the memo.


A trip in may would be perfect, and you so deserve it with all you've been going through.  It's hard to be postive all the time, and we are here for you through good and bad. 

Hang in there, Princesses!  You are all beautiful, strong women.  We will get through these slumps, one day at a time.


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> I'm getting out for my run/walks 3 days a week, because *I was remembering last year when I started the running, I was feeling really depressed and was at an all time low, and I'm scared if I don't get out and move that will happen again.*  Work has been very quiet, so that's a worry.  Trying not to stress about that until I need to.  Denial is powerful. My eating has been out of control, more than in control, and am up a couple pounds from before the princess.  So ready for spring to really hit.  Maria, looks like we'll get mostly rain this storm, so that's a relief.


The bolded part is the part that is really scaring me. I feel like I am going down that slippery slope and I don't know how to stop it. I find myself not wanting to leave the house--let's be honest, not wanting to get out of bed on my days off. It doesn't matter how much other exercise I do, it's just not the same as running. And no one gets it--well Mike does, but none of our friends. They just look at me like I'm nuts. I tried to run yesterday and for 3 minutes I was very happy. I was watching the Reds game--but no luck. Still just as bad. 

So we went out last night and I had 3 budlights (tall ones, so really more than 3, but who is counting) and french fries. When we got home I took off the kinesiology tape and my leg is just one ugly bruise. Is this worth it??? I am just ready to quit. How could something this painful come on this quickly? That's the part that I can't wrap my head around. I am feeling pretty crappy this morning--but honestly it was worth it. Seeing how bruised my leg was wasn't nearly as shocking after having a couple drinks.

Kathy  on the work stuff. I know you really like your schedule, so I hope something works out.  And Kathy--same thing I said to Maria and Lindsay--you CAN do this. I know you can.

Have a good day everyone. I think I am going shopping for some spring clothes. Nothing from last year fits. Hopefully cute clothes will be a motivator to keep my act together.


----------



## mikamah

Happy April fools day!!   It's a lovely, snowy morning here.  Its seems to have stopped, but left us with a few heavy wet inches.  Oh I am so done with winter.  

*Rose*-I'm sorry it's such a tough time for you right now.  It's only been a week with the chiropractor, right?  I can't even imagine how hard that must be for you, but is sounds like he does know what he's doing, and I hope you will be seeing some improvement soon.  Shopping sounds good.  Get yourself some nice clothes that will flatter your new figure, and then you make sure you stay that weight.   
I'm glad you enjoyed a few drinks with Mike last night.  That always does help.  I have found that I don't usually drink when I'm alone because I'm afraid I will like it too much, and it would be to easy to make it a habit.  I remember having a few beers alone when michael was 2 and we had quite a day, and after he went on the back porch and threw the glass jar of mayonaise onto the cement below, I went and opened a beer.  
Hang in there, rose. 

I hope the longer days, and the spring that has to come soon will help us all get back on a good track.  Hard to believe that looking out the window.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Kathy* -- I'm with you, I almost cried when I looked out and saw the snow. I know there wasn't much, but I just didn't want to see it  Spring has to be just around the corner, right?  I am determined to refocus. I'm going to my WW meeting tomorrow, even though I'm expecting a gain. I need to be there, live through it, and get going on next week  I won't run again until Sunday, so I plan to put the food and exercise all back together then. I've been doing well with the food and with 3 runs this week, I consider that getting back on track. 

*Rose* -- I think Spring clothes are just the thing. I know it always cheers me up, and especially since you are getting smaller ones! I know you don't want to quit because I saw how you were lit with an inner glow after you had your PR at the Princess! Even with all the food issues, etc., the running was making you so happy -- and you will get back to it. It may take longer than you would like, but the day is coming when you will feel good, strong, and healthy  It is scary when you can't run for whatever reason, because it does give us such a boost. Make yourself leave the house and get out -- even when you don't want to. I struggle with that myself, but I always feel better when I do it. Buy some fresh flowers and put them where you will see them. Get a manicure. Do whatever you need to do to remember how very special you are, and you deserve to treat yourself well 

*Lindsay* -- Do you have a race coming up? My next one isn't until August, and I think that's part of my problem. It's so far out, I know I don't have to really do anything yet -- but the truth is I do if I want to lose another chunk before it, which I really need to do to improve my time -- so anyway, that is a thought I have about how to get out of "slumpdom". Maybe we can all sign up for a local 5K to get motivated? I know I shouldn't feel this way, but when dh announces he's doing 18 or 20M for his LR, I start to feel like "why do I bother?" -- even though I know we are not in competition! I need to get back to doing this for me, remembering how powerful I feel when I finish a race, and making it happen. 

*Lisa and Corinna* -- Welcome back from your travels, I hope you had restful breaks and you're ready to chat! 

 to *Jude, Jen, * and other princesses I missed! 

One bright spot -- I've decided to get a new travel bag before I have to go home for my Dad's birthday party. I'm going to Hallmark tomorrow to pick out a Vera Bradley Weekender. I'm mulling over patterns that would be durable, but look cute, too. I'm thinking about purple punch or simply violet -- yep, purple is my favorite color! Any thoughts?  

Ok, Princesses  Let's get out there and make this a good day! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Hang in there Princesses spring is coming!  

*Rose*, *Maria* and *Lindsay* sorry that you are all having to fake it.    to all of you that you get your mojo back soon.

Really standing still or going backwards aren't any fun either and I know that you ladies can get back on track very, very soon.  Take a few deep breaths, a little rest, and you will be back to your regular Princess selves soon.  



mikamah said:


> *Hugs and drinks all around*.  I wish we could all get together, relive the princess and get remotivated.  Hang in there, Princesses!  You are all beautiful, strong women.  We will get through these slumps, one day at a time.



 Sounds like a good idea to me!



Worfiedoodles said:


> One bright spot -- I've decided to get a new travel bag before I have to go home for my Dad's birthday party. I'm going to Hallmark tomorrow to pick out a Vera Bradley Weekender. I'm mulling over patterns that would be durable, but look cute, too. I'm thinking about purple punch or simply violet -- yep, purple is my favorite color! Any thoughts?
> 
> Ok, Princesses  Let's get out there and make this a good day!
> 
> Maria



Well, since you asked, I thought the simply violet was very pretty and wouldn't show dirt as much as the purple punch -- seemed like there were more light colors in the pattern in the purple punch.  They are both very cute and I liked the boysenberry, too, wouldn't lose that bag!  

We had a wonderful time on our spring break vacation in spite of a lot of rain and time in the car.  We went to the Tacoma Glass Museum, saw the Star Wars Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit at the Pacific Science Center, Pike's Place Market and went to the Vancouver Aquarium.  We had a lot of fun but are glad to be home.  

Had an April Fool's that was totally unintentional today.  An old girlfriend of DH's contacted him by email.  It was no big deal but his reaction was priceless -- he was a bit freaked out.    I offered to send her a catty reply but my offer was declined.  

My hips and derriere are telling me that it wasn't so good to be in the car so much.  So is the scale.    So tomorrow I am going to do my 9.5 miles on my training plan even if they will be very slow miles.  

Hello to all the rest of our Princesses!


----------



## jbm02

Rose&Mike said:


> Anybody else in a slump??? I'm having a lot of "just want to pull the covers over my head" days. I'm trying to be optimistic about the knee/itb thing, but it's been hard. Obviously, I still need to work on my patience. The elliptical is getting really old--and to make matters worse my knee was twingeing on it yesterday. I'm taking the day off. And my eating has been horrid. I am still maintaining, but making some really bad choices. I think the only reason, I haven't just thrown in the towel is that I feel like I have a responsibility to the main BL thread--so that's a good thing. I think we might plan a trip to Florida in May, just still waiting to see what's up with Tom's internship for the summer.
> 
> Anyhow, I know we've all been kind of quiet lately, but I think of you all often. When I just want to bag it all, I remember that I know you all are pulling for me. It's just getting a little old this month. I'm sick of g-f and I want to run, so being positive has been a little difficult lately. But I'm working on faking it, so hopefully eventually my brain will get the memo.





Worfiedoodles said:


> *Rose* --  I'm faking it right along with you. I had a rough week last week -- just couldn't seem to get up to run, ate whatever crossed my path, had a gain I can't even acknowledge, and didn't go to my WW meeting. I realized I had to just fake along until I feel it. I've run 3M the last 3 days, and I've been counting my WW points, and not going over my daily allotment. I was feeling better about it, until I got on the scale this morning and saw no change...but I digress. I realize this is a (half, in my case  ) marathon not a sprint, and I have to put in the training to get the results.
> 
> I also haven't seemed to manage to make it to the whole BL thread. I just find it too daunting right now. This smaller group is all I can manage
> 
> I read a lot last week, so I guess there's a positive...but fitness was not on the agenda. And my only excuse was TOM, I didn't have an injury. I just seemed to not be able to focus, and TOM was rougher than usual -- I didn't adapt well at all.
> 
> Trying to convince dh to do Chip 'n Dale. I don't think I'll be successful, but he didn't outright say no, so maybe. He knows I really want to do it because I'll probably never do a full, so this is my chance to run the last half of the course. I just have to hope I can convince him before it fills...
> 
> Maria





Rose&Mike said:


> Maria--sending you a big hug. I'm sorry you are having to fake it too, but I am not feeling as lonely now. I hope you can talk Dennis into Chip and Dale. I KNOW you can get back on track with your WW. I know you can do it. Hang in there.





mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hi guys I have to admit I am faking it right along with you guys.  I just dont know what it is.  Weather????, post TOM???? I dont know but I am having a hard time getting out to run.  Making too many excuses for myself.  My eating is hit or miss.  Usually I do good for a few days and then I have a day or two where I "blow it".  So I am still up a few down a few but overall not going anywhere.  It makes me upset that I cant get myself motivated and than that just makes me more "depressed".  Not sure how to get myself out of this.  I try and try giving my brain a pep talk but it just doesnt seem to be listening.  Can this have anything to do with the post princess let down????
> 
> Just wondering since we are all feeling it??
> 
> I truly love you guys and this is why I have not completely fallen off the wagon.  I know that you will hold me accountable and I also think of you often.  Its what keeps me moving on this journey.  Im not moving in the right direction but at least I am keeping myself wading until I can catch the next tidal wave to success.  Thanks ladies



Okay, guess you better add me to this list!  It helps to know I'm not the only one out there... I've been kind of avoiding the boards because I was dealing with such a funk.  I think this has just been a really long, really cold and really grey winter.  I took too much time off from running after the Princess and am paying for it right now.  My boot camp class has been my savior lately.  Made it to the Y today - and was closed out of my favorite spin class despite the fact that I got to the Y 10 minutes before it opened.  Sadly, there were 20 people in line ahead of me and there are only 15 bikes.  So off I trudge to the TM.  First 3 miles in a long time.  It was harder than it should have been but I'm hoping that it's the start of getting me back into my groove...



mikamah said:


> Hugs and drinks all around.  I wish we could all get together, relive the princess and get remotivated.
> 
> I'm getting out for my run/walks 3 days a week, because I was remembering last year when I started the running, I was feeling really depressed and was at an all time low, and I'm scared if I don't get out and move that will happen again.



Needed to hear this!!!  And I'm definitely scared that if I don't pull myself together I'll never regain what I'm losing....

Starting today, I am committing myself to working on my mental attitude...I'm going to get back there!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> I'm thinking about seeing if someone wants to use my bib, and so is Mike. We might just go to Memphis the weekend of the derby 1/2 and see Mumford and Sons. Mike is having some more work stuff that cropped up this week and we are both burned out.



It may be better for you guys to do something else that weekend that would be fun to keep your mind off of it.  It may be less pressure on you to do this race next year once your leg is healthy again.  You had so much emotions tied to this that you will want to be able to give it your all.  Plus it will give you more time to slowly get your knee going again.  Let us know what you decide...either way we will be right here chearing you on.



Rose&Mike said:


> So we went out last night and I had 3 budlights (tall ones, so really more than 3, but who is counting) and french fries. When we got home I took off the kinesiology tape and my leg is just one ugly bruise. Is this worth it??? I am just ready to quit. How could something this painful come on this quickly? That's the part that I can't wrap my head around. I am feeling pretty crappy this morning--but honestly it was worth it. Seeing how bruised my leg was wasn't nearly as shocking after having a couple drinks.



We all have had nights like this I am just sorry you had to pay for it the next day.  At least it validates your gf theroy.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> One bright spot -- I've decided to get a new travel bag before I have to go home for my Dad's birthday party. I'm going to Hallmark tomorrow to pick out a Vera Bradley Weekender. I'm mulling over patterns that would be durable, but look cute, too. I'm thinking about purple punch or simply violet -- yep, purple is my favorite color! Any thoughts?



So which one did you choose?  



lisah0711 said:


> Had an April Fool's that was totally unintentional today.  An old girlfriend of DH's contacted him by email.  It was no big deal but his reaction was priceless -- he was a bit freaked out.    I offered to send her a catty reply but my offer was declined.
> 
> My hips and derriere are telling me that it wasn't so good to be in the car so much.  So is the scale.    So tomorrow I am going to do my 9.5 miles on my training plan even if they will be very slow miles.



your poor dh.  I bet he thought it was a joke.  I think you should have replied

I hope your hips are feeling better!



jbm02 said:


> Starting today, I am committing myself to working on my mental attitude...I'm going to get back there!!!



I like your new found attitude Jude and I am jumping on your wagon.

I did get out running on saturday, I should have run longer but I didnt...no real excuse.  I only have 4 weeks until my race and have been running 3 miles 1-2 times a week.  Not exactly a good plan to have prior to a half.  So any suggestions.  I am going to try to get back on my 3 run/week sched with my week runs being 40-45 min long.  What should I do for my long wkend runs.  My race is May 1st.  I was thinking:

April 9- 7 miles
April 16- 10 miles
April 23- 8 miles
Wk of race tues 30min, thur 20min, race on sunday.

Any comments or suggestions?

I also got an email from a parent at Ryans school.  They are trying to get a mom's team to run a marathon relay that is in our area in sept.  I emailed that I was interested and I am really excited.  Apparently the mom that is putting the team together helps in ryans classroom and he has been telling her that I do races and I just won the race in disney.  I told her I was sorry to have to break the news that not only did I not win but I really am not that fast either.  She was still happy to have me on the team.
This has got me even more motivated to loose more weight and try to get quicker.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, Pretty 

*Lindsay* -- I think that running schedule makes sense, and I am psyched you are going to be on the Mom's relay team! That sounds like a ton of fun, and a great opportunity to connect with other local runners 

*Jude* -- This has got to be the longest winter on record. Snow on April 1st, rain ever since...I don't know what I would do with a warm day 

*Lisa* -- I'm so glad you had an awesome Spring break!  It sounds like a great getaway, and just what the doctor (or lawyer!) ordered. How was the 9.5M run? I'm not sure when I'm going to do my next 10M, maybe this weekend. We'll see how things shake out later in the week. 

*Kathy* -- Are you enjoying the ? 

*Rose* -- Have you been trying to figure out what the new RunDisney event is? I haven't put any effort into it, but I admit I am half hoping it's a Princess at DL, because that would be the perfect excuse to go out there, and I've never been...

Feeling much better after giving myself a "fresh start" this weekend. I was up 3 lbs at my WW weigh in Saturday, but am considering that a NSV -- I was at the meeting and I left feeling energized and excited, so that's priceless! 

I came home from the 7:15am WW meeting, ran 3M, took a shower, and had fresh pineapple and a homemade 3 pt. banana muffin. We took Spock for his first vet visit, and Chewie had his rabies shot and a blood test. The local library is next to the vet, so I stopped in when we arrived and exchanged the books I'd read for a couple of new ones, Dear Fatty by Dawn French and Scones and Bones by Laura Childs. Then I went to Hallmark and picked out my new bag. Turns out the Weekender just didn't suit me, so I ended up with a Miller bag, in simply violets. I really like it and I'm excited to use it. I'm also going to pick up a mini hipster this weekend, I think I'm getting the new watercolor pattern, but you know there's an element of "what am I feeling like" when I buy it  

DH and I then drove downtown, and walked about 6 blocks to marathon sports -- they have all the Boston Marathon gear. DH picked out 2 jackets, a shirt and a hat, and he had a 20% off coupon because he attended several pre-race workshops, so that was awesome! Literally right next to marathon sports is a store called "Sugar Heaven"  with every type of candy imagineable. But I was very restrained and only picked up a special treat for ds (ok, I might have helped him eat a little...). 

Then dh and I made our menu and went grocery shopping. By the time we got home it was after 9, and I was beat. The next morning we went to church, dh prepped all the fruit and veggies and made dinner for tonight (filet mignon and mashed potatoes (WW recipe!), and last night was a WW recipe french bread pizza with ricotta and tomatoes (yum!). 

I had my "Supernatural Sunday" -- I save all my Sci Fi Tivo from the week and watch it Sunday  while I eat popcorn (ok, popcorn only lasts for 1 show), and went to bed around 10. I totally stuck to my points on Saturday, so I'm very pleased by that. And I only went over a little Sunday, which is accounted for in my weeklies, so I seem to be on track. 

DH is running 12 miles tonight, so I'm totally "on duty" on the parenting front. Since he pre-made dinner, it shouldn't be too stressful. Just have to make sure the homework is done, and pray ds doesn't need help with algebra 

Planning to do intervals tomorrow, alternating 5.0 and 5.5 for each half mile for 4 miles. I haven't done intervals in awhile, so it will be interesting to see how I do. I'm in a workshop all day tomorrow, which promises to be deadly dull. Hoping my co-worker doesn't come so I can bail in the afternoon 

Could I be any more chatty? 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Greetings Princesses!  



jbm02 said:


> Okay, guess you better add me to this list!  It helps to know I'm not the only one out there... I've been kind of avoiding the boards because I was dealing with such a funk.
> 
> Needed to hear this!!!  And I'm definitely scared that if I don't pull myself together I'll never regain what I'm losing....
> 
> Starting today, I am committing myself to working on my mental attitude...I'm going to get back there!!!



Of course you are going to get back to where you want to be, Jude!    I think our Princesses all need a big dose of spring!   Or a strong drink . . . or both!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> your poor dh.  I bet he thought it was a joke.  I think you should have replied
> 
> I hope your hips are feeling better!
> 
> I like your new found attitude Jude and I am jumping on your wagon.
> 
> I did get out running on saturday, I should have run longer but I didnt...no real excuse.  I only have 4 weeks until my race and have been running 3 miles 1-2 times a week.  Not exactly a good plan to have prior to a half.  So any suggestions.  I am going to try to get back on my 3 run/week sched with my week runs being 40-45 min long.  What should I do for my long wkend runs.  My race is May 1st.  I was thinking:
> 
> April 9- 7 miles
> April 16- 10 miles
> April 23- 8 miles
> Wk of race tues 30min, thur 20min, race on sunday.
> 
> Any comments or suggestions?



A relay for school sounds like fun, Lindsay!  

It is nice to have a race to work toward because it is so easy to put things off.  I might be tempted to do a 5 mile run on the 23rd but maybe that is my sore hips talking.    They are actually feeling better today -- thanks for asking.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lisa* -- I'm so glad you had an awesome Spring break!  It sounds like a great getaway, and just what the doctor (or lawyer!) ordered. How was the 9.5M run? I'm not sure when I'm going to do my next 10M, maybe this weekend. We'll see how things shake out later in the week.
> 
> Feeling much better after giving myself a "fresh start" this weekend. I was up 3 lbs at my WW weigh in Saturday, but am considering that a NSV -- I was at the meeting and I left feeling energized and excited, so that's priceless!



Hooray for fresh starts!    Isn't it nice that every day is a chance for a new start if needed?  

How did the kitties do at their check-up?  At least they can go together -- misery loves company.  

I didn't make it to 9.5 miles on Saturday.  Had to stop at 7 miles -- ran the soreness out of my hip at 5 miles but it came back and I decided it just wasn't worth it.  It works out better to switch a couple of runs with my 5 mile race on the 17th anyway.   

Supernatural Sunday sounds like a lot of fun!  DS is a big Doctor Who fan.  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Hi Jude! *I hope you are feeling better. I so get the not wanting to post when you are in a funk. I do the same thing. I'm trying to remember that it's ok to have a bad day and that if someone else had a bad day I would want to cheer them up, so let us cheer you up. You can do it, I know you can.

*Lindsay*--very cool about the Mom's marathon thing! And too funny that Ryan was telling everyone you won the race. I think the plan looks good, just try really hard to get your runs in. 

*Maria*--glad you are back on track! I think a DL princess race would really be fun. And I hope there is no algebra homework tonight!

*Lisa*--take care of those hips! And snow would be my tipping point. I think if it snowed I would just stay in bed. Have I mentioned I don't like snow?

Hi to Kathy, too! And anyone else I missed.

So, today was chiropractor day. I think I am being a bit of an overachiever with the rehab exercises, because the muscle I am supposed to be strengthening (gluteus medius) was very sore. He told me to be careful to not overdo it and I didn't even tell him I was using weights with some of the leg lifts. (I stopped doing that a couple of days ago, so it's ok.) Anyhow, he said that just by the exam if I just showed up today and said I thought I was having itbs, he would assume it was the right leg and not the left because the left leg is in so much better shape than it was a couple of weeks ago. (the left leg is the one that hurts.)

Now I just have to be patient and wait for the inflamation to go down. I'm not icing enough--I am supposed to ice every time I exercise no matter what I do or how it feels. Everything is sore--he still tortured me--but it doesn't feel so tight, so I see that as such an improvement. I'm going to try to run Wed or Thurs and again Sat or Sun. I asked him what he thought about the race, and he said if I am doing run/walk intervals he still thinks it's a good possibility. But he must have said 10 times in 30 minutes that I need to be patient. Do you think he has figured me out? I go back again on Monday.

Anyhow, Tom had some major issues today, but I am feeling a lot calmer than I thought I would be. Could be the g-f beer I'm drinking, or maybe this whole injury thing is really what it took for me to learn that things take time and you can't solve some things over night. Hopefully this new found patience will last for a few days.


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> I haven't put any effort into it, but I admit I am half hoping it's a Princess at DL, because that would be the perfect excuse to go out there, and I've never been...



I'm hoping it's a Princess at DL, too, Maria.    The clues are so convoluted that it's hard to say what it is now.    According to the Run Disney comments on Facebook some of the guesses are spot on -- the only problem is that there are hundreds of guesses!  



Rose&Mike said:


> But he must have said 10 times in 30 minutes that I need to be patient. Do you think he has figured me out? I go back again on Monday.



I'm so happy for your good report, Rose!


----------



## Rose&Mike

How are all you Princesses doing?

I am happy to say I ran 1.7 on Wed and 2.6 today. We went just over 4 miles total today. And my leg is feeling good. It seems to be recovering much faster. I am starting to think that maybe the shoes/inserts were causing the plantar flare up too. I have been stretching and icing and rolling out my calf and foot and I ran without the inserts today and it's feeling pretty good. 

Still not sure what I am going to do about the race at the end of the month but I am feeling much more optimistic. As I'm typing this it's hailing--looks like half inch or so. It's so loud. At least it's not snow. I think it's going to be in the mid 80s this afternoon.

Anyhow, it was really nice to run today. I am a little disappointed I did not make it further, but feel like I have made a ton of progress in a week. If the race wasn't coming up, I think it would be a lot easier to be patient. 

Tom has some stuff going on that we are very unhappy about and I am still processing what the gluten inolerance test results said, but things are good. My stomach finally feels back to normal after the regular beer I had over a week ago. And during the run today, no stomach issues--nothing, didn't even know I had a stomach. So maybe all those runners with runners trots have gluten intolerance--you never know.

Maria--hope you are doing ok. And you too Jude.

Enjoy the weekend everyone.


----------



## mikamah

Good evening princesses!!  I can't believe I haven't posted here in over a week.  I so wish I had a disney race in my near future.  Ah well, I'll take notes from Rose's book on patience.  

Things are very unknown at work.  I think the issues with the GI docs are going to work out ok, for now, until the hospital merges with a larger group, and then all bets are off.  They are debating the benefits of going to a for profit group, versus staying with a larger non-profit, in the local papers, so if we go for profit, they list the almost 1.5 million dollars our 3 hospitals will pay the towns yearly, so you know there will be big cut to pay for that.  I actually do pretty good not worrying about it.  I figure whatever happens happens for a reason, and truly things usually tend to work out.  

But I am trying to be more frugal, and build up the nest egg, and in doing so, I have no disney trip planned.  Though, I am thinking, and have always wanted to see DL, and if all goes well, perhaps next summer, we will do a big southern california trip, and end on labor day weekend at DL, maybe cheering Lisa on as she crosses the finishline in the DL half. 

I only ran twice this week, but one was 4.8, and today I did 6.5, so I'm ok with that.  I want to do 3 days a week, and at least 10 miles a week.  I did feel it today, because I ran up most of the hills.  I have my friend Karen/Jillian to thank. She does push me, which is good, and she lays off if I'm not wanting to be pushed. 

Today was a good day for ds too.  I don't think he rolled his eyes at me at all today.  We are at my sisters house, we're cat sitting for her, but michael wanted to watch some shoes on the disney channel, and we got rid of it at home, so we came here, so I figured I catch up here. 

*Maria* How are you?  I missed your posts this week, and hope we see you on the bl thread soon.  Bummer on your gain last week, but sounds like you got inspired, and hopefully are back on track, and saw a loss this week.  How is dh?  Only a week left, does he get nervous before the marathon?  I would think it would be very nerve racking.  A girl who volunteers at work is running, and she is so nervous.  She did her last 20 mile run this past week, and was having some back pain.  I can't even imagine 20 miles.  Hope dh is doing well with his training.  Do you and ds go to the finishline, or watch along the way?  Oh, yes, and how about this weather, FINALLY!!!!   The whole week is looking so warm.  

*Rose*-I am so happy you were able to run so far this week, and the shoes are making a difference.  Hopefully you'll be able to slowly increase your distance.  Remember patience, patience, patience, listen to your body, and plenty of g-f beer after every run.  Glad you have an answer from the test results, and hope you can find peace with it all, especially for the impact it may have on Tom.  Sorry he's having a rough time, and hope things settle down for him soon.  

*Lindsay*- Hope you have a good run this weekend.  I think your long run plan looks good, too, but I would agree with lisa and possibly make the weekend run before the race weekend, a little shorter.  I think I did 5 the weekend before the princess, and that worked out well.  Or maybe see how you feel that day, and if you feel fully recuperated from the 10 miles the prior weekend, then do the 8, but if you are a bit tired or sore still, maybe cut it back.  I'm sure you will get a pr at this half, unless there are some unexpected photo-ops along the way.  I'm so impressed with you doing a half so soon.  

*Lisa*-Did you get out for a run this weekend?  Hope all your snow has melted, and you don't have to hit the track for your training.  I haven't really thought too much about the mystery disney race, since the second clue. I'll have to check out the other clues, in between some bejeweled blitz. 

*Jude*-Hello there.  I hope you've been able to get out and run, and get that positive attitude back.  Hope the warmer weather is here to stay, and we all get a little spring fever, and start to love out outside exercise. 

Hello, Corinna, and Jen!!  Hope you guys are doing well.  

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, princesses!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

Quick post here in between telling DS to get moving -- seems to be an issue this morning.  

Hope that you are all doing well.  I'm looking forward to my 5 mile race on Sunday.

*Maria,* I'm wondering what your "ChEAR" strategy is for the Boston for Dennis.  How is he feeling about his race?  

*Rose,* glad that you are able to get a little running in now!  

Hello to all our other Princesses!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Pretty  Pals!

*Lisa* -- Good luck with your race this weekend, I hope you have a fabulous time, in all ways! 

*Kathy* -- I am sorry you are dealing with all the questions at work, it's hard when you don't know what's going to happen, particularly with your family's source of income  Running up hills is much harder than running on flat terrain or a TM, you are doing great! 

*Rose* -- Glad the stomach issues seem to be better, and you have my sympathy with the ds drama. It's two sides of the same coin -- they bring you such joy, but they also cause you much worry 

AFM: I am pleased to report that at last week's weigh in I was down 3.6, so a new low! I know that's not going to last -- I have to weigh in Wed. night this week, so different time and early, I'm expecting a gain. On the bright side, I will then have 10 days until my next weigh in, so a loss should be possible! 

We were very worried because  had a bad result from his blood tests, so we had to have a more extensive test done. Looks like it was a false positive and he is fine, so plenty to be grateful for!  

DH is excited and nervous about running his first Boston Marathon. He is resting, carb loading, and drinking gatorade now in anticipation of the big event. He feels like he's earned the rest, and I can say I believe he has. I can't believe how hard he has trained for this. I really, really hope he's happy with his time. 

This is the weekend ds and I are travelling to my dad's surprise birthday party. I have the new miller bag, a new blouse for confidence, and a really good book to read on the way back to sooth myself  I get home at 5:40 Sunday evening, then dh and I will have a quiet dinner so he can get to bed early before his big race. 

DS has his first show (he joined the Improv troupe at his school) Friday afternoon, and he's working at the show later in the evening. This means our Friday is going to be a little frantic -- I'm working in the morning, dh is getting a pre-race massage and kinetic taping, then we have to go to the first show, then hot foot it over to the race Expo so dh can get his number,etc., then back to pick up ds after the second show, then try to get everyone completely packed and in bed, because we need to be at the airport at 5am. Whew! I'm tired just thinking about it. 

I hope everyone else is anticipating a good weekend -- I know it's a little early to be talking about it, but it's kind of dominating my thoughts 

Oh! Did I mention my boss is about to leave for 3 weeks in China, and this afternoon she's going to dump a boatload of work on me?! I'll just have to get it done quickly so I can DIS while she's gone 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

*Maria,* woo hoo on the 3.6!    I think you are getting your mojo back!  

Glad that Chewie is okay.    It is hard on the humans when the furry family members have issues.  

Tell Dennis to have a wonderful race and I will be thinking of him.  

Sorry about the work dumping -- don't know why vacations and work dumping go hand in hand.   

Have a great day!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi princesses! i haven't posted on here in a while. probably b/c i haven't run in WEEKS and i'm bummed about it. i just don't have the energy and i've been having really bad bathroom issues that i can't seem to escape. i've been trying to get on the elliptical even if it's just for 20 minutes a few times a week. i always feel better about myself when i exercise.

is anyone else following the big runDisney announcement? i'm following it even though it's just making me mad. i really don't like surprises (you know, like getting knocked up unexpectedly, lol) and i just want to know what it is b/c if it's later next year i might be able to actually do the race!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--congrats on the loss! I knew you could do it! Have fun this weekend and I hope Dennis has a great race! I'm glad Chewie is ok.

*Nancy*--still with the stomach stuff? I'm sorry it's not better. What does the doctor say? Is it normal 1st trimester stuff?? It doesn't sound like it. Hang in there. 

*Kathy*--great job on those runs and not letting the stress derail you. We had to build up a nest egg a couple of years ago--Mike's company was on the auction block. It was a big mental adjustment for us at first, but really good in the end. The trip to DL next summer sounds fabulous!

*Hello to Lindsay and Lisa and Jude and anyone I missed! *
*Lindsay*--the new job must be starting soon! I hope the change in schedules isn't too crazy!

AFM--Things are going well. I am actually doing ok with everything, just a little overwhelmed and of course I am fighting a stupid cold! DS continues to have issues. Some days he does ok, and some days I am afraid to answer the phone. It looks like he will most likely be home this summer--which is going to be interesting for all of us. He is still waiting to hear from one internship. He will be home for the month of May for sure. We are going to talk to someone about ADD/ADHD. It's been in the back of our heads for years, but it looks like it might be time to do something about it. He's also going to have gluten intolerance tests and genetic tests for the celiac gene done. There is a train of thought that gluten issues can trigger concentration/brain fog. I know that is definitely the case for me. Until I went g-f Mike was having to finish sentences for me, I would forget all the time what I was doing, I couldn't find the word for things. Anyhow, Tom also has quite a few symptoms of having gluten issues.

I have decided to try the race. And if I can't finish, then I KNOW I gave it 100%. (Of course I will be disappointed, but I couldn't have tried any harder.) I had a NSWV (a non-stopwatch victory) yesterday. Yesterday is the first time I have run after a treatment. My leg was pretty bruised up, but I was able to run/walk 3 miles and walk afterwards for a total of 4.8miles. The furthest I have gone since Princess. We were running 2 walking 30sec. I am going to run 2 walk 1 on Thursday. I think I will be able to finish the race walking even if my knee starts going, so Mike thought it would be better to add more walking to the beginning so that hopefully I will be running longer. We were running at about a 9:30 pace, so I was very happy with that. 

I don't go back to the chiropractor until the end of next week, assuming the rest of the runs this week go well. He also looked at my foot that has been bothering me since before Princess. He thinks it's a fatty pad (what an awful term!) injury and not p-f. So that's good. Of course the cure--rest! But he said it can wait until after the race. I don't know why it didn't get better in March but it could have been from the inserts. I have taken them out of my shoes and I am now just running in regular neutral running shoes. 

Definitely keep getting your shoes checked ladies, especially as you lose weight. I really think the shoes did my itb in. Both the chiropractor and the running store said it's very unusal to stop pronating, but I definitely did. 

Anyhow, I'm still here. Life is good. A little challenging right now, but very good.


----------



## Rose&Mike

This is a "shouldn't have answered the phone" kind of day.... Thank goodness there is not a lot of junk food in our house right now. Trying to see the positive....


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Sounds like it's time for a  and a special  for *Rose!*

Some days are just like that -- My boss's plane leaves first thing in the morning for China. Her Blackberry doesn't work there, so I will be counting the hours until she has to turn it off 

You'll get a kick out of this. I was speaking generally about finally talking about what we want to do when it's time to retire, and dh pops up with, "I was thinking maybe when ds goes to college we could sell the house and buy a condo"....um, I think he will probably come home during the summers!  I'm certain we can't just count on him being gone! I do hope you're able to get the tests you need to find the right solution for Tom. Poor kid, I know it is more frustrating because he is theoretically an adult -- but I don't think anyone who can't legally drink yet really is one, IMHO...

I'm glad you are going to try the race, there is no shame in giving it your best and seeing what happens 

*Nancy* -- The first trimester can be so confusing while your body figures out what's going on. I hope that is what's happening to you, and by the second you'll be feeling well again in every way.  I'm not following the clues, but I am thoroughly confused by them  I just want to know what the race is, I think it's ceased to be entertaining for most people. 

A quick  to *Kathy, Jude, Jen, Lindsay, Corinna and Lisa *

Anyone feeling extra princessy in anticipation of the royal wedding? If Charles's wait is anything to go by, William has a long one ahead of him to be King...hopefully he's not too much like Simba, wait I think that might be Harry 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose- Glad to hear the running is getting better and that you will be able to attempt the race.  I am sure you will do great and even if you dont finish, we all know you will have done all you could do.  I hope things are ok with TOM.  I can imagine how hard it is for you all to readjust to being a three-some again.  Hopefully he will find something to keep him busy this summer so you all dont drive each other crazy.

Kathy- I think you are so smart to build your nest egg and resist the temptations of disney, and think of it this way....maybe if the transistion goes well and you are not affected financially you can take that extra dough and have a real fun trip.  Good job on getting the runs done.

Maria- Have a great time this weekend and try not to stress to much.  congrats to your husband for all his hard work and training.  What day is the race?  Glad chewie is ok.

Nancy- I havent been following run disney but do you have a guess?  When are they announcing it?

Hi Lisa, Jude, and Jen

I have been busy, overwhelmed, miserable, etc.  Im sure TOM has something to do with it.  Its not due to come for like 2 wks but it seems that my PMS stuff starts 2 wks prior and has been lasting until about 4 days after it starts.  So basically I have been feeling horrible for half of every month for the past 6 months or so.  Im not sure what my deal is.  I have had Mirena in for the past 4 years so I dont know if that has something to do with it?  I need to figure something out.  

I still have not gotten myself eating on plan.  Its not entirely off but some days are worse than others.  I am not drinking enough water, and sadly I still have not run past 5 miles.  Im thinking this all could be contributing to my mood too.  

I know what I need to do and tell myself that I am going to focus again but it doesnt take long for it to fall apart.  Im just not feeling good about myself.  I really hope I can complete the half on may 1st.  It doesnt help that its been raining here almost every day for the past 3 wks. 

Wow I am really the debbie downer of the thread today.  Sorry about that but I guess I needed to get these feelings out.  I appreciate you guys listening.  I promise i will try to make my next post a bit more positive.

Take care ladies.


----------



## lisah0711

Good afternoon Princesses!  

Quick post this afternoon.  

*Nancy* and *Maria* safe travels!  

*Rose,* hope things are getting better at your house.  

*Lindsay,* hope that you are feeling better.   

Hello to all the rest of our princesses!  

Just found out that BIL has stage 3 cancer.  Waiting to hear about prognosis and treatment.  I feel just as bad for our nephew as his mom (DH's sister) passed away at age 49 from cancer.  Don't understand why the poor guy has to go through this again with his other parent.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lisa--I'm so sorry about your BIL. I hope it is treatable.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisa I am so sorry to hear about BIL I hope the prognosis turns out to be good and that he can fight it.  You and your family are in my prayers.


----------



## mikamah

*Lisa*- I am so sorry. It is so hard.

Hello there princesses.  Not enough dis time for me this week either.   I'm planning to schedule in some dis therapy over the weekend and really catch up.  

*Maria * Have a great weekend, and I hope the trip goes very well for you.  Nice job on the loss again!  You are doing fabulous.  Good luck to DH on monday!!   I'll be thinking of him. 

*Nancy*-Have a great weekend away, relax and enjoy every minute.  You deserve it.

*Rose*Hugs to you for all you are dealing with with ds.  It's not easy.  I'm sure you miss the days where the battle was to get him in the shower.  Hang in there.  I hope you got a good run in yesterday, and I'm so happy you're going to be able to do your race, and have such a positive attitude. 

*Lindsay*- sorry you're having such a rough time, and haven't been able to get out for longer runs.  You are going to do fine with your half, no matter what you're able to do before.  You have a great base from the princess training, and are strong and motivated.  I am sure the stress of dh's changing job, and all that you have going on isn't helping.  Hang in there.  Vent away.  I also haven't been able to get my eating under control since the princess.  I'm essentially maintaining, but need to lose again.  

Hang in there ladies.  One day at a time!! 

Gotta run.  Have a fabulous friday!!


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> Lisa--I'm so sorry about your BIL. I hope it is treatable.



Thanks, Rose.   



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Lisa I am so sorry to hear about BIL I hope the prognosis turns out to be good and that he can fight it.  You and your family are in my prayers.



Thanks, Lindsay.  



mikamah said:


> *Lisa*- I am so sorry. It is so hard.



Thanks, Kathy.  

Not much to do except wait to hear what is going on and what BIL and DN decide to do.  Thank goodness I can run!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Good news....I got in a run last night.  It was great weather and ryan had a tball game so we spent our evening outside.  We got home at 7 and I got ready to run and realized I needed to get goodies to send in to ryans teacher for bunny baskets she is putting together, the due date was today.  So I had to make a decision whether to can the run and go the the dollar store or not send anything in and feel bad.  Well the good news is I am an excellent multi-tasker and I decided to run to the dollar store and then run home.  I ran the entire time except for the 5 min of shopping.

I got home feeling good and I felt like I had to at least have run 3-4 miles.

The bad news is I only ran 2.  My calfs were so tight and sore and I felt quite tired by the end.  oh boy I am really doing a number on myself.  Maybe signing up for a half so soon was a bad idea.  Im sure I will complete it, I just dont think it will be very pretty.

sunday is suppose to be nice so I am assuring you that I am going to run 10 miles.  you have my permission to virtually slap me if I dont.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--you are sounding more like yourself. I hope it goes well on Sunday.

Lisa--ITA running is a great stress reliever. I will be keeping your BIL in my thoughts.

Thank you to everyone for the hugs lately. I have been really needy. Things continue to be a challenge with DS. I am trying to engage Mike more in what's going on. I just feel like a dumping ground lately--and I am very grateful that DS calls, but it makes for a challenging phone call. He wants me to sit there let him vent, say nothing--show no concern, offer no advice and not let it worry or stress me out. That's been working really well. I am extremely nervous about the summer, but we are looking into some options to help DS deal with what has been going on--and he's very receptive. It's only 3 1/2 months--how bad can it be right??? So he has no job, nothing lined up to do, and his bff is probably going to be out of town. No problem, right?

I went 6 miles yesterday. 4 of it run/walking. My knee did not feel too good at the end, but it seems to be recovering quick. I had a meltdown when we got in the car--I am terrified of being stranded on the race course. I am back to doubting whether this is a good idea. Mike suggested bagging the whole thing and planning to run another race in a month or so. I just can't get it out of my head that I will have failed AGAIN if I don't do this. Ridiculous, right? 

Anyhow, that's where I'm at. Here's hoping my phone doesn't ring too many times today. I am only working Monday and Tuesday next week--and then I'm taking off until the Tuesday after Easter. I am really hoping that helps me get my head back in the game. I still have not called my DR. to tell her about the gluten tests. My brain just hasn't known which direction to go lately. 

*Maria*--have fun at the birthday party!!!!


----------



## lisah0711

I'm very excited because it looks like the new Disney race will be at Disneyland!  

http://platform.ak.fbcdn.net/www/ap...net/4d8797f055471/Clue10FINAL_1302879323.jpeg

Finally a clue I can figure out!


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> I'm very excited because it looks like the new Disney race will be at Disneyland!
> 
> http://platform.ak.fbcdn.net/www/ap...net/4d8797f055471/Clue10FINAL_1302879323.jpeg
> 
> Finally a clue I can figure out!


I could do a coast to coast Princess.


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> I could do a coast to coast Princess.



Wouldn't that be fabulous?    Not to mention DVC at the Grand Californian.


----------



## lisah0711

Quiet bunch of Princesses here!  

So excited to register for the Tinkerbell 1/2 at DL on January 29th.   

After my disappointment at the Princess, I really can't say how much it means to me that I will have my first Disney race finish at Disneyland.  

It is a little scary to think about having Tinkerbell and the Princess so close together but it will be nice have that coast-to-coast medal so early in the year.    Thank goodness for DVC!

*Maria,* how was your week-end and Dennis' race?

 Hello to all our other princesses.  Hope I haven't managed to kill the thread.


----------



## mikamah

lisa is a threadkiller, threadkiller, threadkiller, he he he.  

I forgot all about the announcement til you reminded me, Lisa.  Soooo excited for you.  And a little jealous too.   Isn't that awesome, you will finish your first disney half at your home in DL.  Some times things happen for a reason, don't they.  

Ok now I want to go buy a few lottery tickets so I can go too.  That will be the only way I'll get to do a disney race next year.  Or maybe I should get looking for that rich man.  That would work too.

Hello Princesses!! 

Got my clothes all organized this morning, and now am working on michael's.   Or I guess I should say I got overwhelmed with his and took a break.  We're going bowling in 20 minutes, so I really didn't want to get all involved in a big project, so I figured I'd check in here.  

I didn't get my 10 miles in last week.  Did 2 on wed, and 6.5 on sat.  But I did feel much better both of those days.  We were going to run this am, but it's drizzly.  School vacation is harder to keep to the routine.  I plan to run tomorrow, before work at 10.  Michael goes to his after school care vacation program tomorrow and thurs, so I'll give him the choice to come to the park with me, or go there early.  

*Maria*- How did DH do yesterday?  I thought of him as i watched the marathon coverage.  It was awesome.  What a beautiful day for him to run his first one.    We went into boston saturday night, and I thought the whole city must be like disney world was on princess weekend, runners everywhere, and the anticipation and excitement so high.  Hope you had a good weekend at Dads and the party went well.  

*Rose*- how is the knee feeling this week.  Hope it's settling down after the weekend run, and you're feeling confident about the race.  

*Lindsay*- Hope dh's new job is going well, and you're having a good week. Are you on school break too?  I can't remember.  You're long run is done and your half is coming up!!  Are you as excited as you were for the princess?  

 I signed up for the local half at the end of sept, and am excited, but not nearly as much as for the princess.  Though I liked the $40 rregistration fee.  And the fact it's so close, and I'll be able to do some training runs on the route.   I would really like to increase my speed by then, and to do that I need to lose some weight for one.  My friend who is running it with me, is much faster, and for a 5k, I don't mind making her wait for the 15 min while I finish, but for the half, that will be like an hour she'll be waiting.  I know she won't care, but I still want to be faster.  I'm interested to see how my speed will do during the race without any disney entertainment.  I didn't stop a lot, but I did go back and forth across the streets to take pics of the entertainment and mile markers.  

Guess I should feed ds some lunch before we go.  

I'm so excited for everyone who might be doing the new disney race!!!!  I wonder how it will affect the disney half and the princess.  If people will have to choose just one, or if it will be a lot of new disney runners who find dl more convenient.   

 I'm wearing my princess shirt right now, and yesterday I got my photopass pics I ordered, and my new mugs.  I get a mug every trip with a pic of michael on it, but I didn't get one last trip, so I ordered one from that, and one from the princess with michael and my niece on it after their race with their medals. 

 Have a princessey day all!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Pretty  and Terrific !

I believe we are now going to have both posting on this thread!

*Kathy* -- What a yucky day for school vacation. I'll be glad on Thursday when the sun comes back. My ds is in St. Louis until tomorrow afternoon, so he'll only have two days of vacation at home. 

*Lisa* -- So excited for you with the new DL race! I think it is going to be a lot of fun, and you will have a wonderful time! 

*Rose, Lindsay, Nancy, Corinna, Jen, Jude* -- Just wanted to say "Hi!" and hope things are going well for you. 

Ok, so Dennis had a great race! He started with the last wave (of course!) at 10:40. He finished in 4:35, which was a new PR for him. This is a much harder and hillier course than the WDW Full, so all the training he did really paid off. He cut his time by 6 minutes, and he has a really cool medal. He ended up walking up more of the hills than he wanted to at the end, but he's still happy with his overall performance. 

My weekend was ok -- great to see my dad, only a few tense moments at the party, and a lot of travel very quickly. I was on Southwest, and I really don't like their "open seating" policy, but I needed a direct flight for ds to take back to Boston. My dad was totally surprised by the party, and I think everyone had a good time. 

My eating was out of control. In an effort to take us to places we don't have up North, we went to Bob Evans for brunch on Saturday after we landed, and Golden Corral on Sunday before I left.  Not to say that it wasn't all yummy, but I have no business at a buffet. I am clearly not up to the challenge  I need to remember where the treadmill is located, and that I have a weigh in Saturday morning.  

So, the best thing to come out of my weekend -- being in the home I grew up in and seeing it is unrecognizable as that place and without a single remaining indication my mother lived there for 35 years seemed to free me to feel like I can finally go through everything my dad boxed and brought up to me, which is essentially everything my mom had (other than the clothes which were already donated when she passed). I don't know why it had this effect, but it did. I also was able to see my neighborhood and feel more positive about my childhood. My parents made it the best they could, but I endured a lot of teasing and persecution because I looked different than everyone else. I think time has helped with this, too, realizing that I'm not the only kid who got picked on for whatever reason, and many people had much worse childhoods than I did. Mine was overflowing with love, and really as an adult, that's the important part that stayed with me. Sorry if that's TMI. 

Anyway, I am in need of a good refocusing on weight loss and getting my workouts in -- I think I'm going to have a post-Easter renewal plan, just writing it out will help me with making it happen!

My pastor would say this is Holy Week. Anyone else having "Holy Cow, I have to get ready for Easter?!" week? 

I have a basket to fill, a menu to plan, and I have to see if I can get into that dress I said I was going to wear a year ago at this time...which is frankly doubtful at this point! 


Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Rose* I hope your week is going well.  Tomorrow starts your time off. I hope you enjoy it and have time to re-organize and refresh yourself.

*Lisa* Woohoo the tinkerbell and the princess.  That is so exciting.  I am glad the new race is in your neck of the woods and it all will mean even more this time around.  You are so inspiring.

*Kathy* I am definitely not as excited for this half as I was the princess.  I am looking forward to it and it will be nice having my whole family here to chear me on but I almost got a been there done that feeling.  Its sad that I always need something really challenging to conquer.  Im not sure I want to do a marathon though.  I did like the $50 registration fee too.

*Maria* Congrats to your husband.  That is a great PR especially with the hills.  Im glad your trip was not too painful.  Im also happy that you are able to see the positives that came from your childhood.  Its not ok how you were treated by others but I am sure that it is part of what made you the person you are today.  I think you are a lovely person with an amazing attitude.  


Things have been interesting in my neck of the woods.  I did get my 11 mile run in on sunday.  It felt great until the last mile or so.  My hips and thighs were so tight and painful and I really had to dig deep to find the will to finish.  I think part was that it was extremely windy and for alot of the run I was running into the wind requiring much more effort than normal to run.  Today I barely fell any soreness so thats good.  It is suppose to be nice tomorrow so i will run in the evening.  I plan to hopefully get in a 5 mile on saturday too.  I think I still have enough of a base that I will still do fine at my half.  I am feeling pretty confident.

My husband started his new job and monday.  He is an asst. director for a daycare.  It was a bit of a step down for him but he is getting paid the same.  I was hoping the lighter responsibility load would be better for his anxiety and stress.  This also required nick to switch to the new daycare.
Sorry if I am repeating something I already told ya.  Nick seems to be adjusting well and I am really happy with the program.  Mike is trying to keep an open mind about it but says its a wierd feeling there.  The director has barely said much to him in the two days hes been there and he's basically figuring out what his role is suppose to be on his own.  Many of the staff are complaining to him about this director and one of the ladies that has a job somewhat on his level said that she never worked in a place where a director was so negative and sometimes they like you and other times if feel like you cant do anything right.  Mike feels totally blind sided because this did not seem this way in the 3 interviews he had there.  He obviously is trying to keep an open mind and see how things play out but its not the greatest feeling.  Its actually giving me anxiety because I dont want it to turn out like the last place.  He was miserable and got high blood pressure and panic attacks.  Ugghh.  Its just frustrating.  I feel so sad for him.  I hope it turns around and works out for the best.

We are adjusting to the new schedule too and maybe thats part of my anxiety.  I dont do well with change.  I even had anxiety when we went to team threads at the start of the BL challenge. 

Ok well enough venting for me.  Thanks once again for listening.  I am looking forward to the holiday weekend.

take care princess ladies.


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> Quiet bunch of Princesses here!
> 
> So excited to register for the Tinkerbell 1/2 at DL on January 29th.
> 
> After my disappointment at the Princess, I really can't say how much it means to me that I will have my first Disney race finish at Disneyland.
> 
> It is a little scary to think about having Tinkerbell and the Princess so close together but it will be nice have that coast-to-coast medal so early in the year.    Thank goodness for DVC!
> 
> *Maria,* how was your week-end and Dennis' race?
> 
> Hello to all our other princesses.  Hope I haven't managed to kill the thread.


I would love to do this--but the timing thing. I am going to have to think about it. It's a long way to travel for a short trip and it's a hard time of the year to take time off and then turn around and do Princess a few weeks later.

I am really excited for you Lisa! What a great goal to keep you motivated this year!



mikamah said:


> I signed up for the local half at the end of sept, and am excited, but not nearly as much as for the princess.  Though I liked the $40 rregistration fee.  And the fact it's so close, and I'll be able to do some training runs on the route.   I would really like to increase my speed by then, and to do that I need to lose some weight for one.  My friend who is running it with me, is much faster, and for a 5k, I don't mind making her wait for the 15 min while I finish, but for the half, that will be like an hour she'll be waiting.  I know she won't care, but I still want to be faster.  I'm interested to see how my speed will do during the race without any disney entertainment.  I didn't stop a lot, but I did go back and forth across the streets to take pics of the entertainment and mile markers.
> 
> Guess I should feed ds some lunch before we go.
> 
> 
> Have a princessey day all!!


So how big is the 1/2 you signed up for? The first one I did was about 400 people. After having done two larger races, I prefer bigger. Mike keeps telling me I need to try a small race again, because I am much healthier since the gluten is under control. What I didn't like was seeing the same people for 13 miles. Drove me a little insane after a while. Especially the chick who didn't even have workout clothes on. But hopefully I would be passing more people this time! Anyhow, curious to see what you think.



Worfiedoodles said:


> So, the best thing to come out of my weekend -- being in the home I grew up in and seeing it is unrecognizable as that place and without a single remaining indication my mother lived there for 35 years seemed to free me to feel like I can finally go through everything my dad boxed and brought up to me, which is essentially everything my mom had (other than the clothes which were already donated when she passed). I don't know why it had this effect, but it did. I also was able to see my neighborhood and feel more positive about my childhood. My parents made it the best they could, but I endured a lot of teasing and persecution because I looked different than everyone else. I think time has helped with this, too, realizing that I'm not the only kid who got picked on for whatever reason, and many people had much worse childhoods than I did. Mine was overflowing with love, and really as an adult, that's the important part that stayed with me. Sorry if that's TMI.
> 
> Anyway, I am in need of a good refocusing on weight loss and getting my workouts in -- I think I'm going to have a post-Easter renewal plan, just writing it out will help me with making it happen!
> 
> 
> Maria


Maria--I'm glad you found some peace during your trip. I have a lot of demons that I need to deal with, and sometimes I think I am only hurting myself by avoiding them. DS only got picked on a few times for being multi-racial and it was enough to bring out the Mama Bear in me. I'm sorry you had to deal with that growing up. And I hope your post-Easter renewal plan works fabulously!

Did they have bad weather in St. Louis yesterday? We had awful storms last night. Most of the damage was over the river.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> We are adjusting to the new schedule too and maybe thats part of my anxiety.  I dont do well with change. *I even had anxiety when we went to team threads at the start of the BL challenge*.
> 
> 
> take care princess ladies.


Me too! Tracey and CC and I have been starting to trade pms about the next challenge and I don't think anyone liked the teams--they were necessary, but I did not really like it! Hope your week is going ok. And I hope the job works out ok. That would stink to trade one stress for another!

*****
So, anybody else find the uproar about another women's race a little "interesting." I think most of us were title ix girls (except Lindsay--she's a baby), so I personally think it's kind of funny--especially the idea that I am sexist because I ran the race? So what does that make Mike? Mike had no issues with running Princess and not being able to "compete." Actually I think it annoyed him that a guy had to cross the finish line first. I think he and Tom both thought it was cool that it was a girly race, since I do like being girly on occasion. I would personally have no problem with a men's only race. Let's see what theme--tarzan, or I guess pirates, or peter pan (for those boys who don't want to grow up), or incredible hulk--doesn't Disney own Marvel now? Anyhow, it will be interesting to see if people keep their comments from getting ugly.

My food/eating is very close to being out of control right now--I am eating cheesecake that I made this weekend as I type this. The stress of the last couple of months is starting to suck the life out of me. I am still maintaining, but barely. I think part of it is pms--that would be two or three months in a row. Pretty exciting, really! I'm also a nervous wreck about Tom being home this summer. If he doesn't find something to do it is going to get ugly, very fast. He will be home around May 9th. We have him on a waitlist to get into see a doctor hopefully by mid-May. We need to find out if this is gifted issues or adhd once and for all. I'm hoping he will do an iq test (I'm guessing he will if I pay for it). Tom hasn't been calling me as much, I think because we end up yelling at each other almost every time lately. He comes home tomorrow night for the weekend. Hopefully it will be a nice, calm visit. I'm going to see if he will run with us this weekend.

So that's where I'm at. The only other exciting news is that we booked a trip for late May so that I can have some g-f french fries. I got an annual pass rate at BWV for 5 nights. Even that became a yelling match--though DS was yelling at Mike this time--because we were not taking into consideration when the Pirate movie was opening. Yes we are horrible parents. So Mike and I are flying down on a Thursday, and DS is flying down on Friday after staying up all night for the Pirate opening with his friends. It didn't cost any more money, so I didn't care. We are staying 5 nights. I will be having french fries everyday.

Have a great day, Princesses!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Evening,  and 

So, it's all falling apart for me foodwise and with exercise. I feel like an uncontrolled lump. I desperately need to get it together. I don't have any hope for this weekend's weigh in, hopefully I'll get my head on straight soon.  Please feel free to gobsmack me into next week, I clearly need it! 

*Rose* -- There was some scary hail and tornado warnings, but luckily the only difficulty ds had was that he couldn't watch "Glee".  Yeah, I was the only kid who wasn't visibly Caucasian in my neighborhood, and being adopted and in the gifted program didn't help. But, you know I caused some of it myself by being snotty because I got out of class for "enrichment" programs, and also because I just never developed good social skills. People also picked on the overweight kids, the really poor kids, the kids who's mom's worked, etc. -- it's just taken me awhile to put that in perspective. I could go on and on with TMI, but you guys don't need to be my therapist! Suffice it to say, forcing myself to deal with my past is painful, but I do think it's good, and I don't think I'm really doing it all at once, just as I can manage -- I also think you can only do it when you're ready, and you will get a sign that will let you know. Be gentle with yourself.  The trip sounds awesome, I'm glad you are getting away, you certainly deserve it -- and Tom the adult should be starting to realize your trip sschedules don't all have to revolve around him -- boy, that's going to be hard for him to believe, isn't it?! 

*Lindsay* -- I hope with some time the new job seems like a good move for your dh. It is hard when you first start. Sometimes it just takes awhile to settle in and for everyone to get their new roles. Hopefully the center director is one of those people who slowly feels out his new staff and doesn't interact a lot in the beginning...Great job on the run, I do think you will have a good Half!


Ok, I just have to say I am a bit stunned by the outcry over the new Disney race! I had no idea gender-specific races were such a big issue. I think a lot of the uproar is because Disney made such a big deal hyping it, and then told half the population it wasn't "really" for them. That was a strategic error. There definitely should have been a clue that said, "For the Ladies". Anyway, I'm also trying to stay out of the big fray. I don't do enough races to have a valid opinion. 

Everyone have a great evening!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i'm officially incredibly jealous of everyone's running and training schedules! everyone seems to be really doing so well at their races and training too (lisa, lindsay i'm lookin' at you especially!).

i still have yet to run for going on 4 weeks now! finally my stomach issues seem to be a little better but i still am having some bathroom problems 

i really need to start at least getting out on some good walks if i'm not running. i've been doing the elliptical every now and then but fresh air is SO much better. the weather has been so crappy though. wah. 

anway, i'm hoping that the first trimester tiredness will go away soon and i can be a little more active! 

i'm bummed about the DL race but not b/c of the whole women-focused thing. i'm just bummed that it's so far! lol! one day i want to get that coast to coast medal though! and oh yeah, staying at the grand californian would be AWESOME!

good news - we had to cancel the jan 2012 trip b/c of the new baby but we're going to try to do a sept 2011 trip! i'll be just getting into my third trimester and even though it'll be hot i'll be happy to do one more trip with thomas. we're going to do sept. 7 night - sept. 11. you know, in a way i'm kind of glad to not be in nyc on sept. 11. that might sound weird but it being the 10th anniversary will be all that more depressing. my family and my neighborhood lost so many people that i kind of want to skip the sadness. yeah, i know it's impossible to get away from it but i think being in disney will help a little.


----------



## mikamah

Good evening princesses and tinkerbelles!!!!

I never came back on last night to post.  Did a short run/walk this morning at the park with michael before work.   I'm joining Rose and Maria with the out of control eating.  I bought so much crap at walmart this afternoon, and proceded to wolf a bunch of it down.  The mini white powdered sugar donuts, and the lofthouse fluffy sugar cookies with frosting on them.  They taste so good, but why did I buy them?  I had lost a pound this morning, and had done well yesterday, but sometimes I just sabotage myself.  I've packed up the rest of the cookies and donuts in snack bags for michael's lunches.  And I have had my fill.  I did journal it all, at least.  

We did have a fun 4 days off.  Ds went to the day program today and is going tomorrow.  They did a fun field trip to an art studio in Salem called frankensteins art, and he painted a wooden dinosaur, and made a puppet.  Tomorrow they go to Prince House of Pizza for lunch and a rock and roll show.  He is so excited for that.  He had been spending vacation days with my nephew alot, but he's 14 now, and has lots of friends now, so just an occassional day is better.   

*Maria*- Congratulations to your DH.  He must have just felt so awesome after that race, and to pr as well, wow.  So happy for him.  Where did you watch the race from?   Now, you can get  your mojo back!!  No gobsmacking necessary.  I'm sure all the emotions from the weekend haven't helped.  So glad your weekend was ok, and you seem to have felt freed by the changes in the home you grew up in, and a big hug for when you start going through all your mom's things.  That can be so emotional too, bringing up all the memories, good and not so good.  Hope ds is home safe and sound, and enjoys his last few vacation days.  

*Lindsay*-So glad the soreness is better from the long run sunday.   It's amazing how even if we don't get out as much as we'd like, we still seem to have built up some good stamina from training for the princess.  I think you're going to have a fantastic half too.  How many are in your race?  
I hope everything works out for dh.  There's always some drama at workplaces, but it stinks to be starting a nice new job and already seeming to be plunked in the middle of the drama.  That's got to be stressful.  

*Rose*-I thought of you and your ds tonight, and how you must miss the little  boy innocence and the silly things they say, and how tough it must be to let him grow and make his own decisions, good and bad.  Michael trying to get out of showering just asked what was the percentage of his need to take a shower tonight.  Didn't like the 100% answer though.  Sorry you've been feeling out of control.   I am so excited you booked a trip for may.  You so deserve it, and hopefully you, Mike and Tom will have as wonderful a time as your last trip.  
Thanks for sharing your experiences with the different size halfs. I've been thinking about that a lot lately.  The half I signed up for is capping off at 2000 runners.  Last year was about 1500.  I looked at the times, the slowest was just over 4 hours, then from  like 3:15 to 4 hours there was sporadic times, some a few min apart, to 6-7 min gaps.  Seemed to be a lot together near the 3 hour mark.  I did the princess in 3:35, and this will be hillier, so I guess I'd hope to be about the same, and will be surprised if I'm faster.  I wonder what it will be like for that distance with a smaller crowd.  I never felt alone in disney, and think this will be a good challenge for me, but wonder how hard it will be to be alone toward the end.  
I am looking at it as a good test to see if the long distance running is something I really like to do, or was it more an excuse to go to disney.  I would love to do another disney half some day.  I am glad I am doing one in the fall, and know it will help keep me active over the summer, and I am looking forward to being able to get those long runs in without worrying about ice and snow.  

*Lisa*- Hello there!!  I am so excited for you and the Tinkerbell.  I remember registering for the princess and the high I was on for days!!  Are you all recuperated from the race on sunday?  What a difference a year makes, huh?   

It is interesting all the hype over the new race.  Does anyone know if when the first princess came out there was as much hype over it?  I find the thread here and the facebook posts addicting, much like the threads about taking your kids out of school for a disney trip.  I don't like conflict, and don't post, but do find it interesting lurking.  I hope it all settles down, and the race is as magical as the princess.  

Yay, the shower is running. 

Have a great night!!


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> i still have yet to run for going on 4 weeks now! finally my stomach issues seem to be a little better but i still am having some bathroom problems
> 
> anway, i'm hoping that the first trimester tiredness will go away soon and i can be a little more active!
> 
> good news - we had to cancel the jan 2012 trip b/c of the new baby but we're going to try to do a sept 2011 trip! i'll be just getting into my third trimester and even though it'll be hot i'll be happy to do one more trip with thomas. we're going to do sept. 7 night - sept. 11. you know, in a way i'm kind of glad to not be in nyc on sept. 11. that might sound weird but it being the 10th anniversary will be all that more depressing. my family and my neighborhood lost so many people that i kind of want to skip the sadness. yeah, i know it's impossible to get away from it but i think being in disney will help a little.


Glad your belly is starting to feel better, and I hope the tiredness goes away soon.  I can only imagine how exhausting it is being pregnant and chasing around a 2 year old can be.  I hope you find your energy increasing every day.  
So excited for your sept trip.  I can't imagine how tough 9/11 must be on you,  your family and your neighbors. So sorry for all you went through.  It will be nice for you to get away, and spend some special time with Thomas before the baby comes.   
Hang in there, Nancy.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning!   

*Lindsay,* I will keep you and Mike in my thoughts and hope that it all works out for the best.    The first week at a new job is always weird.  Great job on your run and enjoy your taper!  



Rose&Mike said:


> So, anybody else find the uproar about another women's race a little "interesting." I think most of us were title ix girls (except Lindsay--she's a baby), so I personally think it's kind of funny--especially the idea that I am sexist because I ran the race? So what does that make Mike? Mike had no issues with running Princess and not being able to "compete." Actually I think it annoyed him that a guy had to cross the finish line first. I think he and Tom both thought it was cool that it was a girly race, since I do like being girly on occasion. I would personally have no problem with a men's only race. Let's see what theme--tarzan, or I guess pirates, or peter pan (for those boys who don't want to grow up), or incredible hulk--doesn't Disney own Marvel now? Anyhow, it will be interesting to see if people keep their comments from getting ugly.



Rose, hope that you enjoy your week-end with DS.    It will be nice for you all to have some face time.

I was surprised at the uproar over the new race.  I don't recall hearing this kind of brou-ha-ha over the Princess.    I thought Mike had a genuine good time at the Princess and I was glad he was there because he had lots of good tips!  It was frustrating me because I almost felt guilty for being excited.  I started the "official" thread on the events side of the board and so far everyone seems to be playing nice.  It just seems incredible to me that WISH'ers wouldn't be excited and supportive about a Disney race.  

*Maria,* I'm so glad that you had a nice visit with your Dad and are able to reach a place of peace about your Mom.    And I have to say gobsmacking is a great word!  I will give you some  instead.  I know that you will get back on track soon.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> i'm officially incredibly jealous of everyone's running and training schedules! everyone seems to be really doing so well at their races and training too (lisa, lindsay i'm lookin' at you especially!).



Glad that you are able to get out and do some walking, Nancy.    You're nurturing a new life so you just get a little longer rest period this time.  I know you'll be back at it before you know it once your little one gets here.

I think it is wonderful that you have another WDW trip planned for September 11th.  I'm sure it is difficult to be in NYC where so much of it happened.  Our wedding anniversary is on 9/11 but we celebrate anyway because it was our day before it became a day of infamy.  



mikamah said:


> *I am looking at it as a good test to see if the long distance running is something I really like to do, or was it more an excuse to go to disney.*  I would love to do another disney half some day.  I am glad I am doing one in the fall, and know it will help keep me active over the summer, and I am looking forward to being able to get those long runs in without worrying about ice and snow.



I had been kind of wondering about this, too, Kathy.  But I'm happy to say that I am finding that I am running for me and that I enjoy it whether I am running at home or at Disney -- although I have to admit that running and seeing you ladies is really the best of all!  

Have a great day!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> I got an annual pass rate at BWV for 5 nights. Even that became a yelling match--though DS was yelling at Mike this time--because we were not taking into consideration when the Pirate movie was opening. Yes we are horrible parents.



Yay for the trip.  Can I fit in your suitcase.  That could give me a whole new motivation for loosing more weight.  Sorry Tom is being a pickle.  I have to admit I probably was a bit like him at his age.  I think it may be the "only child" syndrome.  We all think the world revolves around us.  I still have a hard time realizing that it doesnt. 

Im glad you will be getting your GF fries daily and hope that the trip turns out to be a great way to kick off the summer.  Hopefully tom finds something to do with himself so it relives a bit of tension/stress on your family.  I cant imagine life with a teenager/college student.  I am not rushing those days to come anytime soon.

I too have been having out of control eating habits but mine are lasting way to long and I really need to just figure it all out. 

by the way I am guessing I was not a title xi girl because I dont know what that is.  Can you fill me in?



Worfiedoodles said:


> So, it's all falling apart for me foodwise and with exercise. I feel like an uncontrolled lump. I desperately need to get it together. I don't have any hope for this weekend's weigh in, hopefully I'll get my head on straight soon.  Please feel free to gobsmack me into next week, I clearly need it!



Im right there with ya Maria.   Hang in there we can turn it all around.



dumbo_buddy said:


> good news - we had to cancel the jan 2012 trip b/c of the new baby but we're going to try to do a sept 2011 trip! i'll be just getting into my third trimester and even though it'll be hot i'll be happy to do one more trip with thomas. we're going to do sept. 7 night - sept. 11. you know, in a way i'm kind of glad to not be in nyc on sept. 11. that might sound weird but it being the 10th anniversary will be all that more depressing. my family and my neighborhood lost so many people that i kind of want to skip the sadness. yeah, i know it's impossible to get away from it but i think being in disney will help a little.



Horray for the trip.  That will be great to have one last horray as the three of you.  I cant believe its been almost 10 yrs since 9/11.  I am planning on running the tunnels to tower 5K again this year and I bet it will be even more emotional than it was last year.  Sorry for all that you lost on that day.  It is still so unsettling and depressing all these years later.



mikamah said:


> How many are in your race?



Kathy glad you had a great few days with Michael and I am equally glad that he got in the shower.  My race is 4,000 which use to sound like alot but since doing the disney race I still think that is small.  Im sure I will be back with the stragglers.  One day I will be a middle of the pack runner, that is my goal.  



lisah0711 said:


> I had been kind of wondering about this, too, Kathy.  But I'm happy to say that I am finding that I am running for me and that I enjoy it whether I am running at home or at Disney -- although I have to admit that running and seeing you ladies is really the best of all!
> 
> Have a great day!



I definitely agree Kathy.  I too am running because it makes me feel good and Disney was just icing on the cake.  The best part was definitely meeting you all.


I have not read much of the new race stuff but I cant believe people are being so crazy.  The men I am sure are just disappointed and jealous.  

This is not completely related but while we are on the topic I have to vent.  Why oh why do they have so many girlie character breakfasts at disney.  Where are the ones for the boys.  Like maybe peter pan, incredibles, etc.????

Ok thats my vent.

My day off has been a bit hectic.  It started by the door bell ringing at 8am.  I answer it in my pj's with no bra, hair all crazy, and I hadnt even brushed my teeth yet. (nice sight I know)  and it was the guy from the oil company to fix my oil burner.  Ummm he wasnt suppose to come until 2-3pm.  Apparently it was and error in their system but I let him into my messy house to fix it.  Then we had to go to the bank, and stop at a salon/spa for a GC for the dr I work fors birthday gift.  We visited with my friend who will be watching ryan some weeks over the summer.  Now we are home.

The boys are suppose to be napping/resting but they keep coming down every few minutes to ask if they can get up.  They want to paint easter eggs so we are going to do that and then Ryan has a tball game at 515.  whew....so much for a day off.  I remember my days off pre-kids.  It consisted of laying around and watching tv.  wow those were the days.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Thanks for all the support, everyone! Just a quick thought I had -- are we all the moms of boys? 

I was thinking of *Lindsay's* lament about the character breakfasts, and I was saying the same thing 5 years ago...

Maybe that's why we're happy to embrace the Princess and Tink -- we don't get any of that at home! 

I think a lot of us either are or have only children, too? (Don't worry *Nancy and Lindsay*, we still love those with more than 1 kiddo!). I am an only and I have an only. 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Worfiedoodles said:


> Ok, I just have to say I am a bit stunned by the outcry over the new Disney race! I had no idea gender-specific races were such a big issue. I think a lot of the uproar is because Disney made such a big deal hyping it, and then told half the population it wasn't "really" for them. That was a strategic error. There definitely should have been a clue that said, "For the Ladies". Anyway, I'm also trying to stay out of the big fray. I don't do enough races to have a valid opinion.
> 
> Everyone have a great evening!
> 
> Maria


I'm starting to have two issues. One that I am sexist because I don't see a problem with the race. And I think some of the comments are pushing civility--especially those mentioning women's products. I'm trying to stop reading, but I keep getting drawn back to it. I guess what I am really questioning is--what group do I belong to--I always thought wishers were positive and I am feeling like being forced to pick sides. I don't know what Dennis thinks, but Mike really doesn't see a problem with women's races. He did say he wished he had a shirt from the princess. I pointed out to him that NONE of my race shirts fit. He said, yep you have a point.

Hopefully it will all die down soon!



dumbo_buddy said:


> good news - we had to cancel the jan 2012 trip b/c of the new baby but we're going to try to do a sept 2011 trip! i'll be just getting into my third trimester and even though it'll be hot i'll be happy to do one more trip with thomas. we're going to do sept. 7 night - sept. 11. you know, in a way i'm kind of glad to not be in nyc on sept. 11. that might sound weird but it being the 10th anniversary will be all that more depressing. my family and my neighborhood lost so many people that i kind of want to skip the sadness. yeah, i know it's impossible to get away from it but i think being in disney will help a little.


That's really exciting Nancy! Perfect time to go. It will be an emotional day.



mikamah said:


> *Rose*-I thought of you and your ds tonight, and how you must miss the little  boy innocence and the silly things they say, and how tough it must be to let him grow and make his own decisions, good and bad.  Michael trying to get out of showering just asked what was the percentage of his need to take a shower tonight.  Didn't like the 100% answer though.  Sorry you've been feeling out of control.   I am so excited you booked a trip for may.  You so deserve it, and hopefully you, Mike and Tom will have as wonderful a time as your last trip.
> Thanks for sharing your experiences with the different size halfs. I've been thinking about that a lot lately.  The half I signed up for is capping off at 2000 runners.  Last year was about 1500.  I looked at the times, the slowest was just over 4 hours, then from  like 3:15 to 4 hours there was sporadic times, some a few min apart, to 6-7 min gaps.  Seemed to be a lot together near the 3 hour mark.  I did the princess in 3:35, and this will be hillier, so I guess I'd hope to be about the same, and will be surprised if I'm faster.  I wonder what it will be like for that distance with a smaller crowd.  I never felt alone in disney, and think this will be a good challenge for me, but wonder how hard it will be to be alone toward the end.
> I am looking at it as a good test to see if the long distance running is something I really like to do, or was it more an excuse to go to disney.  I would love to do another disney half some day.  I am glad I am doing one in the fall, and know it will help keep me active over the summer, and I am looking forward to being able to get those long runs in without worrying about ice and snow.
> 
> Have a great night!!


Thanks for saying this Kathy. I do miss my little boy. He was the sweetest kid. And he's a great young man. I'm sorry you are stuck on the bad eating train too. I didn't do much better today, but still trying. Strangely my weight was up 2 lbs yesterday and down 2 today. I don't know what's going on.

2000 might be ok. 400 was definitely too small. And running without ice and snow is always good in my book!



lisah0711 said:


> I was surprised at the uproar over the new race.  I don't recall hearing this kind of brou-ha-ha over the Princess.    I thought Mike had a genuine good time at the Princess and I was glad he was there because he had lots of good tips!  It was frustrating me because I almost felt guilty for being excited.  I started the "official" thread on the events side of the board and so far everyone seems to be playing nice.  It just seems incredible to me that WISH'ers wouldn't be excited and supportive about a Disney race.
> 
> Have a great day!


Don't feel guilty for being excited. In my opinion there is nothing to feel guilty about. I'm glad folks are playing nice. Does that mean you are going to dessert us on the princess thread?



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I too have been having out of control eating habits but mine are lasting way to long and I really need to just figure it all out.
> 
> by the way I am guessing I was not a title xi girl because I dont know what that is.  Can you fill me in?
> This is not completely related but while we are on the topic I have to vent.  Why oh why do they have so many girlie character breakfasts at disney.  Where are the ones for the boys.  Like maybe peter pan, incredibles, etc.????
> 
> .


Have fun painting eggs! And I'm sorry you're on the bad food train too! At least we all have good company. We just need to all get off at the next stop together!

Lisa can explain this better, I'm sure, but title ix was a law passed in the 70s which was about equality in education. One of the things that came out of it was sports teams for girls. A lot of schools were spending a ton of money on boys programs and nothing for girls. For instance, Mike said his junior high finally got a girls basketball program when they were forced to take 4 girls on the boys team. A lot of schools had cheerleading for girls and maybe field hockey. That was the case where I grew up. So the schools were forced to add stuff for girls. So I guess I should be appalled that we are taking a step back in wanting these races, but I don't see what the big deal is. If places thought men's races would draw people and they would shell out the money, then they would have them. Would I personally run in a men's race--only if Mike asked me to run beside him. Which is the only reason he ran in a women's race. It was about me, not about him. I'm sure I didn't explain title ix right.

And I agree on the character breakfasts. We didn't go to disney for about 5 years--when Tom was ~10-15. Once he got older he loved it again. We just went to Universal and Sea World during the off time. 



Worfiedoodles said:


> Maybe that's why we're happy to embrace the Princess and Tink -- we don't get any of that at home!
> 
> I think a lot of us either are or have only children, too? (Don't worry *Nancy and Lindsay*, we still love those with more than 1 kiddo!). I am an only and I have an only.
> 
> Maria



I think we all do have boys! Too funny! 

*****
I ran last night. It did not really go well. We went 4.8 miles total including warm-up and cool-down. My itb is so tight again. I wasn't going to go to the chiropractor again before the race cause it just beats me up, but I might go ahead and go Monday. My hip is so sore. This is really getting old. I told Mike if it wasn't for my heart stuff, I would take vitamin i before running. And I know that's a bad choice. 

I did have a really nice conversation with Tom today. We pick him up around midnight. I think it will be a nice visit. 

Hope everyone is doing well!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Lindsay - i'd like to do that tunnel to tower 5k one day. it'd be a much easier commute for me than going to WDW for these races! 



Worfiedoodles said:


> Thanks for all the support, everyone! Just a quick thought I had -- are we all the moms of boys?
> 
> I was thinking of *Lindsay's* lament about the character breakfasts, and I was saying the same thing 5 years ago...
> 
> Maybe that's why we're happy to embrace the Princess and Tink -- we don't get any of that at home!
> 
> I think a lot of us either are or have only children, too? (Don't worry *Nancy and Lindsay*, we still love those with more than 1 kiddo!). I am an only and I have an only.
> 
> Maria



yes we do have all boys! and i remember when we met we were all talking about being only children and/or having an only child. lol! i guess all that talk got my ovaries working again or something because they certainly did want me in the "only child club" haha. i'm an only child though so i guess i'm still allowed  oh and watch, i'll have a girl and then i'll be kicked out of the "boys club"  hehe



Rose&Mike said:


> I'm starting to have two issues. One that I am sexist because I don't see a problem with the race. And I think some of the comments are pushing civility--especially those mentioning women's products. I'm trying to stop reading, but I keep getting drawn back to it. I guess what I am really questioning is--what group do I belong to--I always thought wishers were positive and I am feeling like being forced to pick sides. I don't know what Dennis thinks, but Mike really doesn't see a problem with women's races. He did say he wished he had a shirt from the princess. I pointed out to him that NONE of my race shirts fit. He said, yep you have a point.
> 
> Don't feel guilty for being excited. In my opinion there is nothing to feel guilty about. I'm glad folks are playing nice. Does that mean you are going to dessert us on the princess thread?
> 
> 
> Lisa can explain this better, I'm sure, but title ix was a law passed in the 70s which was about equality in education. One of the things that came out of it was sports teams for girls. A lot of schools were spending a ton of money on boys programs and nothing for girls. For instance, Mike said his junior high finally got a girls basketball program when they were forced to take 4 girls on the boys team. A lot of schools had cheerleading for girls and maybe field hockey. That was the case where I grew up. So the schools were forced to add stuff for girls. So I guess I should be appalled that we are taking a step back in wanting these races, but I don't see what the big deal is. If places thought men's races would draw people and they would shell out the money, then they would have them. Would I personally run in a men's race--only if Mike asked me to run beside him. Which is the only reason he ran in a women's race. It was about me, not about him. I'm sure I didn't explain title ix right.
> 
> And I agree on the character breakfasts. We didn't go to disney for about 5 years--when Tom was ~10-15. Once he got older he loved it again. We just went to Universal and Sea World during the off time.
> 
> 
> 
> I think we all do have boys! Too funny!
> 
> *****
> I ran last night. It did not really go well. We went 4.8 miles total including warm-up and cool-down. My itb is so tight again. I wasn't going to go to the chiropractor again before the race cause it just beats me up, but I might go ahead and go Monday. My hip is so sore. This is really getting old. I told Mike if it wasn't for my heart stuff, I would take vitamin i before running. And I know that's a bad choice.
> 
> I did have a really nice conversation with Tom today. We pick him up around midnight. I think it will be a nice visit.
> 
> Hope everyone is doing well!



i like your comments here about the race. i don't have a problem with it being a women's race at all. i'm just jealous of the west coasters who get to sign up for it  

i think alot of the people on that particular thread "big disney announcement" are being a little irrational. ok alot irrational. i mean, yeah, this is an online forum and people often feel more able to voice their opinions in a place like this but it's still no reason to be so over the top about your distaste for a race! that's what it is - just a race! it's not like disney made an announcement that was like, "guess what everyone - we hate men!" 

people would have been complaining about this race no matter what it was. it sounds like some of these people oughtta go out and run off some energy instead of posting some ridiculous garbage (masengill? really? come on, grow up!)

it seemed to me like mike had a good time at the race and enjoyed being there to support his wife! did he have anyone say anything nasty to him? i was shocked when one of the guys on that thread said that they received snide comments. i find that hard to believe. and if they did get a nasty comment, he should have chalked it up to one particularly nasty woman, not the whole group! i mean, these two women cut me and about 40 people waiting to get on the bus back to the hotel and i didn't just assume that every woman at the event was a cutter! 

shoo! these hormones are really making me feisty!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> Thanks for all the support, everyone! Just a quick thought I had -- are we all the moms of boys?
> 
> I was thinking of *Lindsay's* lament about the character breakfasts, and I was saying the same thing 5 years ago...
> 
> Maybe that's why we're happy to embrace the Princess and Tink -- we don't get any of that at home!
> 
> I think a lot of us either are or have only children, too? (Don't worry *Nancy and Lindsay*, we still love those with more than 1 kiddo!). I am an only and I have an only.
> 
> Maria



 I think that every one of us has a boy!  And don't worry if you have a girl, *Nancy,* because I think Corinna, Jude and jenanderson all have girls, too.  We are equal opportunity princesses!   

I'm not an only but both my parents were only children.  My sister and I would often lament that they just couldn't appreciate the horror of having a sibling.   

Yes, the lack of as many things for boys has always been an issue for Disney -- where are the princes for all these princesses going to come from, hmmm?  



Rose&Mike said:


> I'm starting to have two issues. One that I am sexist because I don't see a problem with the race. And I think some of the comments are pushing civility--especially those mentioning women's products. I'm trying to stop reading, but I keep getting drawn back to it. I guess what I am really questioning is--what group do I belong to--*I always thought wishers were positive and I am feeling like being forced to pick sides*. I don't know what Dennis thinks, but Mike really doesn't see a problem with women's races. He did say he wished he had a shirt from the princess. I pointed out to him that NONE of my race shirts fit. He said, yep you have a point.



I think the furor will die down in a few days.  ITA, Rose, it is hard to imagine a Disney race that WISH'ers aren't embracing and being excited about.  

Nope, not abandoning any threads.  I just thought it was a shame that it was the only race without an "official" thread on the events side of the WISH boards two days after the announcement and registration.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> i think alot of the people on that particular thread "big disney announcement" are being a little irrational. ok alot irrational. i mean, yeah, this is an online forum and people often feel more able to voice their opinions in a place like this but it's still no reason to be so over the top about your distaste for a race! that's what it is - just a race! it's not like disney made an announcement that was like, "guess what everyone - we hate men!"
> 
> people would have been complaining about this race no matter what it was. it sounds like some of these people oughtta go out and run off some energy instead of posting some ridiculous garbage (masengill? really? come on, grow up!)
> 
> shoo! these hormones are really making me feisty!!!



You go, Nancy!    That thread is the one where most of the nasty comments are although I have to admit it's like something bad that you just can't help looking at.  

Have a great evening all!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

well friends, i need to e-cry a little. i've mentioned my stomach issues before and i just can't take it anymore. for the last five weeks i've had terrible diarrhea every day except for _maybe_ 4 days. i can't take it! i just got my hair done (looks great by the way!) but for the last hour of it i was sweating bullets praying that she would hurry b/c i had to go to the bathroom. i barely made it home.

i'm going to call a gastro doctor on monday. it's not getting any better. no idea what it could be either. i've done a bunch of google searches and basically diarrhea just isn't a pregnancy symptom. i think it's something else. what could cause this much??

sorry, this is totally TMI but if i don't vent it someplace i'm going to lose it. i can't go anywhere! i'm worried about easter tomorrow and having to be in the bathroom the whole time. and what if i can't make it on the drive home???

where is the DIS doctor? we need one.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hugs to you Nancy. I hope you get it figured out soon. Stomach stuff is just not fun.


----------



## lisah0711

Sorry about the tummy troubles, *Nancy*.    I hope that they can help you get some relief that they will let you take with your bun in the oven.  Are you eating yogurt to try and keep the bacteria balance in your body?    Bless your heart!  I don't know if this is better than barfing or not?   Let us know what they say tomorrow.

And to the all of our  and  have a happy, blessed Easter!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning and Happy Easter to all the princess mom's of mostly boys!!  That is too funny.  And we're all at different stages, and surviving!!  Whoo hoo!

*Nancy*- i'm so sorry you have been feeling so poorly.  Has your pcp done stool cultures yet?   I think it's good to get it all checked out, and please feel free to whine here.  It's awful to have it go on for so long, but hopefully they will find a cause, and then be able to treat it.  Hang in there. 

We just had a big easter breakfast, and now am off to shower, and mass, and then my sisters.  I haven't had any chocolate yet, Michael can't believe it, but the cinnamon bun with bkfst was enough for now.  I want to slowly enjoy my chocolate treats and make them last. 

Have a fabulous day everyone!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

happy monday everyone!!

i ate like a piggie pig yesterday and was up all night with more tummy problems. this time though it was ALL my fault. so, while i was up i did some thinking about the DIS's reaction to the tinkerbell race. and i think it's phoooey! i kind of see where people are coming from with how if they had a men's focused race there would be alot of protesting and all that. but i didn't feel like the princess half marathon was enabling of women at all. 

i am SO not girly at all and really not into the princesses. in fact, i really don't like pink. my friend bought me a hot pink shirt to wear to the race b/c she said i needed to participate at least a little! haha. the expo wasn't really for me as i wasn't into the glitter and skirts and all that. but that doesn't mean i didn't absolutely love the race! i had such a great time. how is that enabling? oh...and i ran 13.1 miles! me! by myself! with no family and no friends around me. and i loved it! if that's not the epitome of empowering i don't know what is. you didn't HAVE to wear a crown and glitter to run. i didn't feel left out b/c i didn't. 

i can't wait to do another princess half. and if i didn't live so far i'd do the tinkerbell one! 

that's all. just had to say "GO US!" for participating in that race. it was awesome.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Is it wrong that I just want to do all the Disney races?  

I wish we could afford to send me to each and every one, but that's just not an option. I'm feeling a little sad right now because I told dh I would switch to the Princess, and now it seems like my entire DIS Team Ohana is going to WDW marathon weekend...but then dh pops ups with "maybe we can do a long weekend in Tampa at my sister's in the Fall" to appease ds, since we don't plan to visit this summer like we usually do. I admit it, my first thought was -- does that mean I can fit in "Wine & Dine?"  I didn't vocalize that one, but I was thinking it...

And I could change my mind and switch back to marathon weekend, but then I wouldn't have Princess, and I really enjoyed that experience so much  It would be really selfish of me to insist on doing both, even if I could make a case for it...I could stay the shortest time possible, eliminate park time, etc...

And I sound like a whiney brat, when I am so fortunate that I can do one race at Disney every year -- I really am very lucky  

I need to get over myself and be more grateful.  

So, more of vent/whine than a post...hope everyone else is feeling well and having a great day!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Worfiedoodles said:


> Is it wrong that I just want to do all the Disney races?
> 
> I wish we could afford to send me to each and every one, but that's just not an option. I'm feeling a little sad right now because I told dh I would switch to the Princess, and now it seems like my entire DIS Team Ohana is going to WDW marathon weekend...but then dh pops ups with "maybe we can do a long weekend in Tampa at my sister's in the Fall" to appease ds, since we don't plan to visit this summer like we usually do. I admit it, my first thought was -- does that mean I can fit in "Wine & Dine?"  I didn't vocalize that one, but I was thinking it...
> 
> And I could change my mind and switch back to marathon weekend, but then I wouldn't have Princess, and I really enjoyed that experience so much  It would be really selfish of me to insist on doing both, even if I could make a case for it...I could stay the shortest time possible, eliminate park time, etc...
> 
> And I sound like a whiney brat, when I am so fortunate that I can do one race at Disney every year -- I really am very lucky
> 
> I need to get over myself and be more grateful.
> 
> So, more of vent/whine than a post...hope everyone else is feeling well and having a great day!
> 
> Maria



I understand how you feel maria.  I would love to go back to the princess next year but my dad, dh, and the boys said we can no longer leave them behind.  Obviously this would cost alot more so I dont think it will be happening.  I think my mom and I could manage another girls trip financially but since our other halfs are standing there ground it probably wont happen.  This makes me want to stomp around throw a temper tantrum and have a pity party for myself.  and yes I should just be greatful I got to go this year but its hard to see that point when you really want to do it again.

So whine away because we totally understand the feelings.

Alright ladies my half is on sunday.  I admit I got in that 11 mile run 10 days ago but I only ran one time since.  I have no idea what is going on in my brain.  I am going to attempt a run tonight but they are threatening us with bad thunderstorms so hopefully they hold off until I get a 30 min run done.  Then I will do a 20 min on sat.  I really hope I make it and that it really kicks my butt into gear.  

Nancy- I hope the belly is getting better or that you get an answer soon.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I understand how you feel maria.  I would love to go back to the princess next year but my dad, dh, and the boys said we can no longer leave them behind.  Obviously this would cost alot more so I dont think it will be happening.  I think my mom and I could manage another girls trip financially but since our other halfs are standing there ground it probably wont happen.  This makes me want to stomp around throw a temper tantrum and have a pity party for myself.  and yes I should just be greatful I got to go this year but its hard to see that point when you really want to do it again.
> 
> So whine away because we totally understand the feelings.
> 
> Alright ladies my half is on sunday.  I admit I got in that 11 mile run 10 days ago but I only ran one time since.  I have no idea what is going on in my brain.  I am going to attempt a run tonight but they are threatening us with bad thunderstorms so hopefully they hold off until I get a 30 min run done.  Then I will do a 20 min on sat.  I really hope I make it and that it really kicks my butt into gear.



I am lucky that I am the only one in my family who is interested in going to WDW! My ds13 could care less, and my dh actively wants to avoid it, unless it's for a race.  

How did your half sneak up on me like that?!  For what it's worth, I really think the training you do the months before is much more important than the training you do the week before. Get enough rest and good nutrition the next few days. I'm looking forward to hearing how you do! 

AFM: I'm feeling good about my efforts this week and the last few days. Last night I made myself run 2M when I got home from work, and I got up this morning and ran 3M. I've been tracking every little thing I put in my mouth. I'm eating my activity points and weekly points, but it's all getting recorded. Today is going to be a really long day (dh and I have an appt. with our financial planner after work), so I'm trying to plan accordingly. I'm in a training at my office which includes lunch today. I know this means big, bready sandwiches, so I brought my own -- not quite my usual since I can't heat it up, but I'm having 2 Babybels as my protein and assorted veggies, grapes, fresh dates, and a container of Pringles. My dinner will be quite late tonight, but I'm going to have ww eggrolls (10 pts), and a delicious WW dark chocolate raspberry cheesecake bar. These are really yummy! 

The plan is to get up tomorrow and run 4M before I head out to a meeting. I can sleep in a little since I don't have to be there until 9. I think this should all result in a loss Saturday morning, as long as I keep the food in check tomorrow. I just have to quite overestimating how much I can eat -- and writing it all down has been really helpful! 

Ok, gotta eat my yogurt before I go to my training!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Worfiedoodles said:


> Is it wrong that I just want to do all the Disney races?


  It is so not wrong.  I keep thinking, how can I get back to do another disney race?  
My friend jane wants to do disney with us again, and all I can think is how can I arrange that to be on a race weekend.  

I doubt I'll go back until 1013 at the earliest.  Though I will do the math again for august since I just got the free dining email, but I can't do it.  But I want to.  Maybe I can swing it.  No, no, I can't.  This is the battle in my head all the time.

Gotta get some more lottery tickets.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--I REALLY think you NEED to do W&D. Assuming my knee gets better, we will be there.

I have started to post so many times this week and I have just been so overwhelmed with everything. But I really need to give myself a pep talk, so I'm forcing you all to listen. That's what friends are for right?

So here's the week--abbreviated version. DS's visit went ok until he threw a full blown temper trantrum right before we left for the airport on Sunday. It was really ugly. And why you ask, because we dared to bring up some of the stuff that was going on. I guess we are supposed to be quiet and just let him dump all this stuff on us and not say a word. I am very nervous about the summer. We had all mostly calmed down before he went through security, but honestly I couldn't stop crying. How have things gotten this bad?

Last Friday I went to the chiro cause my hip was so sore. Saturday we ran and it was ugly. After a couple of miles I sent Mike off by himself cause it was so uncomfortable. I ended up running 90 sec/walking 90 sec. And of course it was raining during all this. We ran again Monday. Again, pretty uncomfortable. 

It has rained all week. The Ohio is ~10 feet above flood stage. It's been so bad this week, that people got nervous when the sun came out cause that meant more bad thunderstorms at night. 

Then Wednesday night I had some bad stomach issues. I don't know what happened, but it was yucky. I thought about you Nancy! So yesterday I didn't eat much but I did make the very unwise choice to have several g-f beers at the game last night in between the two nasty thunderstorms!

What a week. DS comes home next weekend. So one more week of calm. 

So here's the pep talk I need:

Ok time to get your act together. Either do the race tomorrow or don't do it, but you need to quit having a pity party. Yep, it's been a tough spring, but things could be so much worse. Look at it this way, you may have a hurting knee tomorrow, but you won't feel sick after the race--what a victory! You should be very proud of all you have accomplished over the last year. Don't let a couple of bumps in the road derail all of your hard work! No matter what, you should be proud of yourself tomorrow. 

I'm a little weepy, but I feel better. This time tomorrow I will be officially resting my itb for a few weeks. And it's not supposed to rain tomorrow, so that's exciting!

I hope you all are doing well. Life is good.

Oh, one more thing that I don't know how to handle. People are starting to make comments that the reason I lost weight was because of the gluten issues. I really don't know what to say to this. It frustrates me cause I feel like it really detracts from my hard work. And there are tons of overweight people with gluten/celiac disease. Anyhow, I don't know what to say and not sound defensive.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> It is so not wrong.  I keep thinking, how can I get back to do another disney race?
> My friend jane wants to do disney with us again, and all I can think is how can I arrange that to be on a race weekend.
> 
> I doubt I'll go back until 1013 at the earliest.  Though I will do the math again for august since I just got the free dining email, but I can't do it.  But I want to.  Maybe I can swing it.  No, no, I can't.  This is the battle in my head all the time.
> 
> Gotta get some more lottery tickets.



I do the same thing in my mind too Kathy.



Rose&Mike said:


> So here's the pep talk I need:
> 
> Ok time to get your act together. Either do the race tomorrow or don't do it, but you need to quit having a pity party. Yep, it's been a tough spring, but things could be so much worse. Look at it this way, you may have a hurting knee tomorrow, but you won't feel sick after the race--what a victory! You should be very proud of all you have accomplished over the last year. Don't let a couple of bumps in the road derail all of your hard work! No matter what, you should be proud of yourself tomorrow.
> 
> I'm a little weepy, but I feel better. This time tomorrow I will be officially resting my itb for a few weeks. And it's not supposed to rain tomorrow, so that's exciting!
> 
> I hope you all are doing well. Life is good.
> 
> Oh, one more thing that I don't know how to handle. People are starting to make comments that the reason I lost weight was because of the gluten issues. I really don't know what to say to this. It frustrates me cause I feel like it really detracts from my hard work. And there are tons of overweight people with gluten/celiac disease. Anyhow, I don't know what to say and not sound defensive.



Sorry for all the stuff your going through.  I agree with your pep talk  and I apologize I thought your race was at the end on may.  Im sure whether you decide to do it or not you will give it your best and that is all that matters.  I will be cheering for you.

as far as what others are saying I would just tell them that you lost weight because you worked hard at watching what you were eating and exercise and that having a gluten issue has nothing to do with it.  Dont worry about what others think.....you know and we all know how hard you worked and thats all that matters.  The rest can go pound sand!!!!  You rock rose


----------



## Rose&Mike

Thanks Lindsay.

Ok, now I am so mad! We are not going to the expo until tonight, but I looked on line to see what corral we are in and I am in D and Mike is in C. They decided to add more corrals this year but they didn't ask for proof of time. They just let you tell them when you thought you would finish. Mike said last year we would have both been in B. I don't know why this is making me so furious, but it is! Mike said his corral last year (B) was full of walkers--people who weren't even trying to run--not run/walkers, just walkers and he put down the same time last year that I put down this year. So I guarantee the corrals are full of people who had no concept of how slow they would be. If you are having 7 corrals, REQUIRE PROOF OF TIME!!!! Uggh. So I run 2 races at Disney--totally crowded, and start in B. I get a PR and I am stuck in D! 

I think what upsets me the most is I really, really, really don't want to stand there by myself before the race and now Mike has to move back a corral. I can run it by myself, I am actually looking forward to it. But I don't want to stand there by myself. 

I just want tomorrow to be over. I don't want my knee/hip to hurt anymore, I don't want to have gluten problems, and I want my kid to just give me a couple of drama free days. I guess that's asking too much.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hello my Princesses!

*Lindsay*--I hope the race went well!

I have not felt great today physically (I have had a stomach thing going all week) but mentally I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders. And all I did was finish a race. You know how when one thing goes wrong, everything seems to go wrong sometimes and mentally you just feel like you are in a downward spiral. I have so been feeling that way since the beginning of March. Things still may be rocky this summer but I feel like I can handle them. It's so silly, but I just really needed to cross that finish line. I have been beating myself up a lot lately for all the stuff that is going on with DS--you know Mom guilt...if only I had seen this as a problem earlier, if only we had made him talk to someome, if only we had had him tested, etc. Mike keeps saying he wouldn't have done anything differently, things just needed to get to this point, and now we will deal with it. I keep trying to remember that. 

Anyhow, I am hoping the positive me is back, because I have not enjoyed living with myself lately. I had a big aha moment yesterday, maybe around mile 8 or 9. I still need to think about it a little more.

As for the corrals though, what a joke! It was a mess and everyone was complaining about it. So that made me feel a little better, though I'm sure I over reacted just a tiny bit. 

I'll let you all know when I post a race report.

Hope everyone is doing fabulously!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Ladies.

Rose- I am glad you are feeling better and are now ready to take on the world.  I cant wait to hear more about your race.  I do alot of deep thinking running alone during those 13 miles too.


Well I survived my 2nd half marathon and made a new PR. Honestly it wasnt that hard to beat my first time considering I didnt have a camera with me.  My finishing time was 2:48:02.  I was pleased.  My disney princess time was 3:12.  I kept with the last pace team which was 2:30 until about mile 5 and I just couldnt hang anymore.  The last 2 miles were torturous.  I honestly wanted to cry.  My legs were so tight and sore and I just really felt like I ran out of steam.  I think a few more training runs would have helped that.   Also around mile 4 I overturned my ankle in a hole that was in the middle of the street.  I was so thankful that I didnt really injury myself but it was a bit sore for the rest of the run and feels very stiff and sore now.  

I was proud of myself for doing it and not giving up.  I will say it was a nice run....great scenery....great people running it and also volunteering for us too.  Lots of inspirational stories of people who finished.  My parents and sons were there cheering me on at 3 different spots and then the finish and my aunt came out to 2 spots so it was so nice to have my family there supporting me.  My dh did the 5K so he waited for me at the finish.  I will say that nothing will ever amount to my first race in disney.


----------



## mikamah

*Lindsay*Congratulations on your new half marathon PR!!!  Sooooo excited for you, and glad you finished with such a great time.  I am so impressed with you and how you came back from the princess and even though you didn't get as much training in as you would have liked, you committed to this half, and got out there and did it!!  So glad you didn't hurt the anke worse, and hope you've got an easy day tomorrow to recuperate.  Did you wish you had your camera anywhere along the way?  Any princes or pirates out there to take pics with?
I was guessing nothing would quite compare to disney, but I think doing local races is a good goal to keep us in shape for the day that we can get back to do another disney race.  

*Rose*-So glad you are feeling better emotionally after the race. I look forward to reading your race report.   A big hug on the mom guilt.  You husband sounds like a very wise man, and I am sure he is right, and you both did everything right through the years, and now you will deal with all this, and it will all work out.   This parenting thing is not always easy.  Hang in there.  

Hello fellow princesses!!  I am trying to get back into a routine, and getting at least 10 miles a week in.  I've been slacking, and only getting out twice the past 2 weeks.  Did 3 miles today and yesterday, so that was good.  Otherwise, not much happening here.  Michael has baseball game tomorrow night, and wednesday looks like rain, so we may be rained out then.  

Hope everyone had a great weekend, and that you all have a good week ahead.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> *Maria*--I REALLY think you NEED to do W&D. Assuming my knee gets better, we will be there.
> 
> I have started to post so many times this week and I have just been so overwhelmed with everything. But I really need to give myself a pep talk, so I'm forcing you all to listen. That's what friends are for right?
> 
> So here's the week--abbreviated version. DS's visit went ok until he threw a full blown temper trantrum right before we left for the airport on Sunday. It was really ugly. And why you ask, because we dared to bring up some of the stuff that was going on. I guess we are supposed to be quiet and just let him dump all this stuff on us and not say a word. I am very nervous about the summer. We had all mostly calmed down before he went through security, but honestly I couldn't stop crying. How have things gotten this bad?
> 
> Last Friday I went to the chiro cause my hip was so sore. Saturday we ran and it was ugly. After a couple of miles I sent Mike off by himself cause it was so uncomfortable. I ended up running 90 sec/walking 90 sec. And of course it was raining during all this. We ran again Monday. Again, pretty uncomfortable.
> 
> It has rained all week. The Ohio is ~10 feet above flood stage. It's been so bad this week, that people got nervous when the sun came out cause that meant more bad thunderstorms at night.
> 
> Then Wednesday night I had some bad stomach issues. I don't know what happened, but it was yucky. I thought about you Nancy! So yesterday I didn't eat much but I did make the very unwise choice to have several g-f beers at the game last night in between the two nasty thunderstorms!
> 
> What a week. DS comes home next weekend. So one more week of calm.
> 
> So here's the pep talk I need:
> 
> Ok time to get your act together. Either do the race tomorrow or don't do it, but you need to quit having a pity party. Yep, it's been a tough spring, but things could be so much worse. Look at it this way, you may have a hurting knee tomorrow, but you won't feel sick after the race--what a victory! You should be very proud of all you have accomplished over the last year. Don't let a couple of bumps in the road derail all of your hard work! No matter what, you should be proud of yourself tomorrow.
> 
> I'm a little weepy, but I feel better. This time tomorrow I will be officially resting my itb for a few weeks. And it's not supposed to rain tomorrow, so that's exciting!
> 
> I hope you all are doing well. Life is good.
> 
> Oh, one more thing that I don't know how to handle. People are starting to make comments that the reason I lost weight was because of the gluten issues. I really don't know what to say to this. It frustrates me cause I feel like it really detracts from my hard work. And there are tons of overweight people with gluten/celiac disease. Anyhow, I don't know what to say and not sound defensive.



 you mean the tantrums keep going even into the college years? ugh. 

i'm sorry you've been feeling so down lately. it's so hard to snap out of it sometimes.

i too would be really annoyed with someone insinuating that you lost weight only b/c of your celiac disease. really? how ignorant. nevermind the fact that you worked your butt off for it! 



Rose&Mike said:


> Hello my Princesses!
> 
> *Lindsay*--I hope the race went well!
> 
> I have not felt great today physically (I have had a stomach thing going all week) but mentally I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders. And all I did was finish a race. You know how when one thing goes wrong, everything seems to go wrong sometimes and mentally you just feel like you are in a downward spiral. I have so been feeling that way since the beginning of March. Things still may be rocky this summer but I feel like I can handle them. It's so silly, but I just really needed to cross that finish line. I have been beating myself up a lot lately for all the stuff that is going on with DS--you know Mom guilt...if only I had seen this as a problem earlier, if only we had made him talk to someome, if only we had had him tested, etc. Mike keeps saying he wouldn't have done anything differently, things just needed to get to this point, and now we will deal with it. I keep trying to remember that.
> 
> Anyhow, I am hoping the positive me is back, because I have not enjoyed living with myself lately. I had a big aha moment yesterday, maybe around mile 8 or 9. I still need to think about it a little more.
> 
> As for the corrals though, what a joke! It was a mess and everyone was complaining about it. So that made me feel a little better, though I'm sure I over reacted just a tiny bit.
> 
> I'll let you all know when I post a race report.
> 
> Hope everyone is doing fabulously!



congrats on finishing! i'm proud of you! especially with all your aches and pains, finishing this race was such an accomplishment. i hope it starts on a road to recovery to a more pleasant time this summer. good luck with DS coming home. we'll be praying for some peace for you!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hi Ladies.
> 
> Rose- I am glad you are feeling better and are now ready to take on the world.  I cant wait to hear more about your race.  I do alot of deep thinking running alone during those 13 miles too.
> 
> 
> Well I survived my 2nd half marathon and made a new PR. Honestly it wasnt that hard to beat my first time considering I didnt have a camera with me.  My finishing time was 2:48:02.  I was pleased.  My disney princess time was 3:12.  I kept with the last pace team which was 2:30 until about mile 5 and I just couldnt hang anymore.  The last 2 miles were torturous.  I honestly wanted to cry.  My legs were so tight and sore and I just really felt like I ran out of steam.  I think a few more training runs would have helped that.   Also around mile 4 I overturned my ankle in a hole that was in the middle of the street.  I was so thankful that I didnt really injury myself but it was a bit sore for the rest of the run and feels very stiff and sore now.
> 
> I was proud of myself for doing it and not giving up.  I will say it was a nice run....great scenery....great people running it and also volunteering for us too.  Lots of inspirational stories of people who finished.  My parents and sons were there cheering me on at 3 different spots and then the finish and my aunt came out to 2 spots so it was so nice to have my family there supporting me.  My dh did the 5K so he waited for me at the finish.  I will say that nothing will ever amount to my first race in disney.



GREAT JOB!!!!  what a great PR! woot! and how nice that you had your family cheering for you! and at multiple spots! i was at the princess alone and i wished someone would just cheer for me! 

how are you feeling after the race? sore? 



mikamah said:


> Hello fellow princesses!!  I am trying to get back into a routine, and getting at least 10 miles a week in.  I've been slacking, and only getting out twice the past 2 weeks.  Did 3 miles today and yesterday, so that was good.  Otherwise, not much happening here.  Michael has baseball game tomorrow night, and wednesday looks like rain, so we may be rained out then.
> 
> Hope everyone had a great weekend, and that you all have a good week ahead.



i need to get back to a routine too. it's so easy to slack and SO hard to get back into the grind. enjoy the baseball game! it looks like rain here too. boo.

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

so you know my stomach issues? well, i finally have a solution. i went to the doctor last week and had to give a sample (ew). turns out i had a pretty serious intestinal bacterial infection called c. difficile. something like that. the doctor called me the next day and was like, "wow you must have really been in pain!" um, duh! anyway, he called my OB to talk about the medication i needed to be on and the OB ok'd one of the antibiotics so i started them on friday. and i finally am starting to feel better. what a relief! 

so now i need to get my butt in gear and get back to exercising. it was too easy to use my stomach problems as an excuse to not do anything but now i will need to get back to it!


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*- I am so glad you have an answer to your stomach issues, and glad you are starting to feel better already.  Be sure to finish the antibiotics even when you are feeling better, and if you were to get any symptoms back after the antibioitics are done, go back in right away.  Once in a while, C-diff can need a longer treatment.  
You must be nearing your second trimester too, and should be getting more energy back.  Yay!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> *Nancy*- I am so glad you have an answer to your stomach issues, and glad you are starting to feel better already.  Be sure to finish the antibiotics even when you are feeling better, and if you were to get any symptoms back after the antibioitics are done, go back in right away.  Once in a while, C-diff can need a longer treatment.
> You must be nearing your second trimester too, and should be getting more energy back.  Yay!!!



oh yes, i will definitely be sure to finish these meds! i want it to go AWAY! though i did find it funny that a side effect listed for vancomycin was...diarrhea. lol! 

we leave for hawaii on saturday and i'm just praying the c-diff stays far away from me while on vacation!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

dumbo_buddy said:


> so you know my stomach issues? well, i finally have a solution. i went to the doctor last week and had to give a sample (ew). turns out i had a pretty serious intestinal bacterial infection called c. difficile. something like that. the doctor called me the next day and was like, "wow you must have really been in pain!" um, duh! anyway, he called my OB to talk about the medication i needed to be on and the OB ok'd one of the antibiotics so i started them on friday. and i finally am starting to feel better. what a relief!



Wow Im glad you went to the doctor and now have treatment.  Im glad you are feeling better already.  We have had 5 patients with cdiff in the past month or so.  I think there is an outbreak in our area because the labs are starting to see a incline.

Lisa- No I wasnt missing my camera at all.  There were no pirates or princessess just lots of nice ordinary people cheering.  Great job for keeping up with the running.  How many weeks until your half????

I am a bit sore today from my ribs down.  I feel good otherwise and boy did I sleep good last night.


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> Is it wrong that I just want to do all the Disney races?



 No, I'm right there with you, girl!   

Are you thinking of doing half of the Chip and Dale with someone, Maria?  Sounds like there is going to be a big Ohana presence at Marathon Week-end.  But it is pretty hard to beat the Princess!  



Rose&Mike said:


> You should be very proud of all you have accomplished over the last year. Don't let a couple of bumps in the road derail all of your hard work! No matter what, you should be proud of yourself tomorrow.
> 
> I'm a little weepy, but I feel better. This time tomorrow I will be officially resting my itb for a few weeks. And it's not supposed to rain tomorrow, so that's exciting!
> 
> I hope you all are doing well. *Life is good*.
> 
> Oh, one more thing that I don't know how to handle. People are starting to make comments that the reason I lost weight was because of the gluten issues. I really don't know what to say to this. It frustrates me cause I feel like it really detracts from my hard work. And there are tons of overweight people with gluten/celiac disease. Anyhow, I don't know what to say and not sound defensive.



Aww, Rose, you've had such a challenging spring.    I'm glad that you were feeling better about things before your race yesterday.  And you know that you lost all the weight because of your hard work.  You didn't even know about the g-f until several months after maintaining.  I would say "No, it was a lot of hard work to lose the weight, the g-f helped make maintaining stick once and for all."  Really most people are trying to be supportive, they just might not know how to be.    And if they are not -- who cares what they think? 



Rose&Mike said:


> Hello my Princesses!
> 
> *Lindsay*--I hope the race went well!
> 
> I have not felt great today physically (I have had a stomach thing going all week) but mentally I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders. And all I did was finish a race. You know how when one thing goes wrong, everything seems to go wrong sometimes and mentally you just feel like you are in a downward spiral. I have so been feeling that way since the beginning of March. Things still may be rocky this summer but I feel like I can handle them. It's so silly, but I just really needed to cross that finish line. I have been beating myself up a lot lately for all the stuff that is going on with DS--you know Mom guilt...if only I had seen this as a problem earlier, if only we had made him talk to someome, if only we had had him tested, etc. Mike keeps saying he wouldn't have done anything differently, things just needed to get to this point, and now we will deal with it. I keep trying to remember that.
> 
> Anyhow, I am hoping the positive me is back, because I have not enjoyed living with myself lately. I had a big aha moment yesterday, maybe around mile 8 or 9. I still need to think about it a little more.
> 
> As for the corrals though, what a joke! It was a mess and everyone was complaining about it. So that made me feel a little better, though I'm sure I over reacted just a tiny bit.
> 
> I'll let you all know when I post a race report.
> 
> Hope everyone is doing fabulously!



I'm so glad that you had a great race and and "a-ha" moment.    And now you can officially start a little rest of your itb and get yourself healed in time to start training for the W&D.  

Congratulations to Mike on his PR -- he was fast!  

BRB the smilie police are making me break this up.


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hi Ladies.
> 
> Rose- I am glad you are feeling better and are now ready to take on the world.  I cant wait to hear more about your race.  I do alot of deep thinking running alone during those 13 miles too.
> 
> 
> Well I survived my 2nd half marathon and made a new PR. Honestly it wasnt that hard to beat my first time considering I didnt have a camera with me.  My finishing time was 2:48:02.  I was pleased.  My disney princess time was 3:12.  I kept with the last pace team which was 2:30 until about mile 5 and I just couldnt hang anymore.  The last 2 miles were torturous.  I honestly wanted to cry.  My legs were so tight and sore and I just really felt like I ran out of steam.  I think a few more training runs would have helped that.   Also around mile 4 I overturned my ankle in a hole that was in the middle of the street.  I was so thankful that I didnt really injury myself but it was a bit sore for the rest of the run and feels very stiff and sore now.
> 
> I was proud of myself for doing it and not giving up.  I will say it was a nice run....great scenery....great people running it and also volunteering for us too.  Lots of inspirational stories of people who finished.  My parents and sons were there cheering me on at 3 different spots and then the finish and my aunt came out to 2 spots so it was so nice to have my family there supporting me.  My dh did the 5K so he waited for me at the finish.  I will say that nothing will ever amount to my first race in disney.



Lindsay, I'm so happy for you and your new PR!    And how fun to have your family there to watch you and cheer you on.    Maybe it will change their mind on letting you go without them again one day . . . 



mikamah said:


> Hello fellow princesses!!  I am trying to get back into a routine, and getting at least 10 miles a week in.  I've been slacking, and only getting out twice the past 2 weeks.  Did 3 miles today and yesterday, so that was good.  Otherwise, not much happening here.  Michael has baseball game tomorrow night, and wednesday looks like rain, so we may be rained out then.
> 
> Hope everyone had a great weekend, and that you all have a good week ahead.



Hey, girl, you are out and running so give yourself a pat on the back!    That's the nice thing about going through all of this training, you are pretty much ready to do a 5K anytime.  How cool is that?   



dumbo_buddy said:


> so you know my stomach issues? well, i finally have a solution. i went to the doctor last week and had to give a sample (ew). turns out i had a pretty serious intestinal bacterial infection called c. difficile. something like that. the doctor called me the next day and was like, "wow you must have really been in pain!" um, duh! anyway, he called my OB to talk about the medication i needed to be on and the OB ok'd one of the antibiotics so i started them on friday. and i finally am starting to feel better. what a relief!
> 
> so now i need to get my butt in gear and get back to exercising. it was too easy to use my stomach problems as an excuse to not do anything but now i will need to get back to it!



I'm so glad that they figured out what was going on with your tummy, Nancy.    And hooray that it is working already!   

And, yeah, sorry tantrums go on.    But then you get to the stage where it is hard not to laugh they are saying such silly things so it is a little more entertaining.  Currently we are beginning the brood in your room stage which is actually quite peaceful.  



mikamah said:


> *Nancy*- I am so glad you have an answer to your stomach issues, and glad you are starting to feel better already.  Be sure to finish the antibiotics even when you are feeling better, and if you were to get any symptoms back after the antibioitics are done, go back in right away.  Once in a while, C-diff can need a longer treatment.
> You must be nearing your second trimester too, and should be getting more energy back.  Yay!!!



Listen to the nurse here -- everyone knows the nurses know more than the doctors.  

I had a nice visit with my Mom.  It was very warm in Phoenix.  In the 90's.   No running but a lot of walking around the Phoenix Zoo which was my first real job when I was 15 and 16. My Mom had her volunteer job at the botanical gardens one morning so I had to entertain myself.  It was nice to have a morning to myself.  

I maintained while I was gone so that was a good thing.  Now it is time to knuckle under and make some progress again.  I skipped my shorter long run yesterday.    But since I have a 12 and 14 miler coming up I think I will be fine for my half at the end of the month.

  Hello to the rest of our princesses!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Lisa- No I wasnt missing my camera at all.  There were no pirates or princessess just lots of nice ordinary people cheering.  Great job for keeping up with the running.  How many weeks until your half????



Sorry kathy this comment was meant for you.  It goes to show how out of it I am this morning.



lisah0711 said:


> I maintained while I was gone so that was a good thing.  Now it is time to knuckle under and make some progress again.  I skipped my shorter long run yesterday.    But since I have a 12 and 14 miler coming up I think I will be fine for my half at the end of the month.
> 
> Hello to the rest of our princesses!



Glad you had a nice time visiting and got some sun and warmth too.  Dont worry about skipping the run you will be fine and I am the perfect example of that.  You are doing great with your training.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Woohoo Lindsay!!! Congrats on your PR!

I totally get the big deal about finishing the second one--the whole time I ran my second, I kept thinking what if the first one was a fluke and I can't do it????? But you can do it!!! So exciting!

And I am so jealous that you aren't sore. This was my slowest half and I feel like I have been beat up! My quads hurt and my glutes are KILLING me! I have never been this sore after a run before. It might have been from walking some, or Mike said I have been doing so much rehabbing which includes a lot of glute exercises that maybe they are just overworked/worn out. I am so glad I had today off. I am working Friday this week. I think I would have had to call in. It hurts the worst when I go to stand up. I have to do the foam roller or it's so sore I can't walk. 

My knees aren't feeling too bad, so that's exciting! I'm going to start my pool running this week and we are going to make sure my bike is ready to go so that I can ride my bike beside Mike when he runs--at least we're going to try it. We'll see if it works. I just want to be outside and not on the bike at the Y. I hate to waste all the nice weather inside!

Thanks for all the Congrats everyone!

Oh, I almost forgot--very exciting news. DS is going to be able to work at the minor league baseball stadium this summer! He worked there in high school. I don't know if he will get to usher--which I know is what he wants--but at least it's something. He told me if he couldn't usher he wasn't going to stay, but I hope once he realizes he has NO income if he doesn't stick it out, he will come around. At least he has something lined up for the summer! What a relief!


----------



## pjlla

Never mind.......  ............P


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I'm going to forgive *Pamela* for killing our thread since she's at the World right now! 

*Rose* -- How did the pool running go? I'm so glad Tom is set for the summer. He needs something to do besides just hang out. I don't think any of you would enjoy that 

*Lisa* -- 12 and 14 milers?! You are a machine, Woman! And the 90s...I've gotten used to not having heat like that very often, dry heat or not I would be miserable and not running or walking if I could help it!  Glad to have you back 

*Nancy* -- I know you are enjoying virgin cocktails in the sand, so I hope your  is awesome!

*Lindsay* -- Great job on the PR!  I am so proud of you, you go, Girl!

*Kathy* -- I know I read this on the other thread, but it sounds like you had a fabulous time in Maine! I'm so glad you were able to get away, and you are enjoying this good weather! 

 to *Jude, Jen, Corinna!*

I have been hitting all my running workouts, which is making me very happy. Until July I'm maxing out at 5M for distance, to help with the weight loss. It's hard for me to lose when I'm doing 10M weekly. My May/June schedule is generally Resting Sunday and Wednesday, 4M Monday and Friday, 3M Tuesday and Thursday, and 5M Saturday. This seems to be just the right amount to keep the weight coming off. I also have some Wednesdays scheduled when I do 2M, but I like how I feel better with 2 rest days. 

I've also been tracking every little thing I eat, and keeping track of my activity points and eating them, which I didn't do before. It does seem to make it easier psychologically to eat when I'm hungry, thus avoiding the "crazy-I must eat everything in sight because I got too hungry" issue.

I tend to find myself cutting off eating after having a real dessert, rather than picking at pieces of candy or cookies. Of course, what works for me changes from week to week  

I can't decide if I want to do the Chip and Dale bad enough to sign up with a partner and hope they are actually able to come and do the race. A lot can happen...I could just sign up for the 15th anniv. Donald, but then probably not the Princess...nothing is over 50% yet except for Goofy, and there's no chance I'm doing that  I have time to figure things out a little bit. 

We are replacing our brick front entrance staircase, which has two levels (we decided it's just too hazardous and we can't put it off anymore). That is eating my summer vacation budget, and until that work is done (and we know there aren't other additional special surprise costs), I can't really plan much. I mean, I can plan for one race, but I can't see if there's a way to convince dh to stretch it to 2  I really need to get more comfortable doing local races like dh does. The difference is he's fast enough, he doesn't have to worry about finishing by himself, and I don't want to get lost straggling in with traffic going on the streets.  

Anyway, dh is coming to retrieve me now...chicken and rice for dinner, I've saved my pts for a piece of chocolate cake w/buttercream frosting for dessert!

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

*Maria*, I am so glad that you have found a plan that works for you and you are enjoying so much success!  

Can you maybe try some shorter local races to get comfortable with them?  It is awfully nice to sleep in your own bed and eat your own food before a race. 

*Nancy,* I've seen some your vacation pics on Facebook.  Looks like a wonderful time!    And everyone obviously survived the long plane flight!  

*Rose,* sounds like everyone is adjusting to Tom being home and that you are enjoying some family activities.    I thought of you while I was watching the Derby Saturday.  Not only did Animal Kingdom have a great name but it was so fun to watch him come from behind like that and win by a big margin!  

Hello to the rest of our princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Just wanted all you Princesses to know that I still have pixie dust stuck in the corners of my sunglasses. I just can't bring myself to wash it out. I will forget about it for a few days and then it will sparkle and it makes me think of you all. Corny, I know, but I'm a little corny, so that's ok.


----------



## lisah0711

That's a good one about the , Rose!  I just put my suitcase away finally on Sunday!   But I'm still a


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I will never forget that weekend either and am so glad you ladies were a part of it.   I so want to do it again.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I thought of you all as I ran my 4M this morning. We have a beautiful day of bright sunshine, just what every princess needs 

Let's hope Friday the 13th brings everyone good luck today! I need to go to a meeting this morning I have to drive to, so no office time for me. We think the kitties have earmites, so they get to visit the vet this afternoon. Ideally, I'd like to get the menu and grocery shopping for next week done tonight, but we shall see. DS has a paintball party late tomorrow afternoon, and dh will probably want to shop during the 3 hour window, and before the Bruins playoff game. 

I have my WW weigh in tomorrow morning, hoping for a small loss even though TOM has really kicked my patootie this week. Between Mother's Day, my anniversary, and a rough week at work, I am spent. With any luck I'll be too tired to overeat this weekend 

I hope the sun is shining wherever you are, and there's no snow in your yard! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Hi princesses!!  I totally agree, the princess weekend was just amazing, and I was so happy to meet you all, and would love to be able to do it every year. 

I'm going to run with a friend after work, and I packed my princess capris and t-shirt to wear.  It brings me back.

Love that you have pixie dust in your glasses still, Rose.  I of course crossed that finishline, and forgot all of corinna's tips I had read.  Another reason I need to go back. 

Sorry about the kitties Maria.  

The sun is shining here, and I hope you all have a happy, princessey day!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, Princess Pals!

I feel like I should post here, I'm feeling like I'm neglecting this thread! I'm not full of exciting news or diet or exercise successes, actually just the opposite.

I'm hoping you are all doing much better than I am. I'm looking into another local Half in November -- the Chilly Half. It's in Newton, MA, and you get to run down Heartbreak Hill, instead of running up it like Boston marathoners do. I kind of like that idea...

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

I think the Chilly Half looks like a lot of fun, Maria.  It would be fun to run down Heartbreak Hill! 

Reading about the DIS'er who was killed in the tornado makes me think about all of you ladies and how much you all mean to me.  I really appreciate all the encouragement, support and friendship that I have received from each and every one of you.    I'm so thankful that we got to get together at the Princess this year and hope that some day we will be able to do it again.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> I think the Chilly Half looks like a lot of fun, Maria.  It would be fun to run down Heartbreak Hill!
> 
> Reading about the DIS'er who was killed in the tornado makes me think about all of you ladies and how much you all mean to me.  I really appreciate all the encouragement, support and friendship that I have received from each and every one of you.    I'm so thankful that we got to get together at the Princess this year and hope that some day we will be able to do it again.





i was really sorry to hear about the loss of a member of the DIS. i even just said to DH that it's amazing how people that are online can become close friends. sometimes you just don't think that there are actually people typing these posts! i mean, that's not how i feel about the princess thread people because i've actually met most of you in person but you know what a i mean!

i may not be doing princess 2012 but i'd love to do princess 2013 - not sure that's a possibility since i really want to do the wdw marathon in 2013. we'll see though.

i wish i had gotten some pixie dust after i ran the princess half. once i finished i was just so pumped that i didn't really think about what i should do next. i just wanted that medal!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Lovely Princess Pals!

I also can't quite believe the devastation in Joplin, or the loss of a DISer. It does put things in perspective, and makes you want to hug everyone you know, and reach out with a virtual hug for DIS buddies! 

Ok, so getting myself in Princess  mode, I made a deal with dh -- if I lose 20lbs, I get to upgrade my hotel from a Value to a Mod. I was fine in the Values (my first stay there), but I really would like the more comfortable bed, a little more room, a refrigerator, and to be closer to DTD. I seem to need more incentive to get the weight loss moving again, so this seems like a win-win. It doesn't cost us much overall (I'll only stay for 3 or 4 nights), and taking off another 20 would definitely make me healthier and happier. Plus, I kind of want that hot tub 

I also finally got myself moving again this morning. I ran 3M, and it felt great! I'm planning on 4M for tomorrow. I also brought plenty of good food to work. I'm having an orange, WW yogurt and homemade (small) banana muffin for breakfast; hummus, peppers, carrots, and dates for lunch. My snacks are blueberries, cherries, a banana and a babybel. I had a small portion of raspberries and hot tea before I left this morning. Tonight we are having grilled salmon, brown rice and steamed broccoli for dinner, I'll follow that with a WW ice cream treat while I watch the BL finale.

So, what are you going to do today to take care of and motivate that most precious princess, You?! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

dumbo_buddy said:


> i was really sorry to hear about the loss of a member of the DIS. i even just said to DH that it's amazing how people that are online can become close friends. sometimes you just don't think that there are actually people typing these posts! i mean, that's not how i feel about the princess thread people because i've actually met most of you in person but you know what a i mean!
> 
> i may not be doing princess 2012 but i'd love to do princess 2013 - not sure that's a possibility since i really want to do the wdw marathon in 2013. we'll see though.
> 
> i wish i had gotten some pixie dust after i ran the princess half. once i finished i was just so pumped that i didn't really think about what i should do next. i just wanted that medal!



It would be fun if we could all do the Princess is 2013 together!    Here's some  for you Nancy 'cause you can never have too much pixiedust!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Morning, Lovely Princess Pals!
> 
> I also can't quite believe the devastation in Joplin, or the loss of a DISer. It does put things in perspective, and makes you want to hug everyone you know, and reach out with a virtual hug for DIS buddies!
> 
> Ok, so getting myself in Princess  mode, I made a deal with dh -- if I lose 20lbs, I get to upgrade my hotel from a Value to a Mod. I was fine in the Values (my first stay there), but I really would like the more comfortable bed, a little more room, a refrigerator, and to be closer to DTD. I seem to need more incentive to get the weight loss moving again, so this seems like a win-win. It doesn't cost us much overall (I'll only stay for 3 or 4 nights), and taking off another 20 would definitely make me healthier and happier. Plus, I kind of want that hot tub
> 
> I also finally got myself moving again this morning. I ran 3M, and it felt great! I'm planning on 4M for tomorrow. I also brought plenty of good food to work. I'm having an orange, WW yogurt and homemade (small) banana muffin for breakfast; hummus, peppers, carrots, and dates for lunch. My snacks are blueberries, cherries, a banana and a babybel. I had a small portion of raspberries and hot tea before I left this morning. Tonight we are having grilled salmon, brown rice and steamed broccoli for dinner, I'll follow that with a WW ice cream treat while I watch the BL finale.
> 
> *So, what are you going to do today to take care of and motivate that most precious princess, You?! *
> 
> Maria



A mod for the 2012 Princess would be great, Maria.  I think Lindsay and her Mom and Aunt enjoyed CBR.  

DS is home sick today so I will take care of myself by taking care of my sick kid.    It's not too fun here at our house when you are sick -- no computer, no Minecraft, no PS, no iPod.  Only tv and lying on the couch.  
Luckily there isn't any junk in the pantry so I will be safe eating wise.  I'm hoping to clean a little bit of our attic storeroom.  Cleaning my attic will help me to mentally clean out my head.  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Ladies.

I have been extremely disappointed with myself lately and I think that feeling has caused me to continue to emotional eat.  As of today I have put on 10lbs since the princess and 14lbs altogether from my lowest weight.

I started tracking and journaling again yesterday and no wonder I am putting on weight.  Here I am thinking the food was "not too bad" but boy the points add up quickly.  I need to do some grocery shopping and get some good choices in the house and soon.

I feel 1/2 motivated right now.  That is my brain is saying yes lets do this most of the time.  I know it will just take a little bit to just topple it over in the right direction to weight loss/healthiness.

As far as motivators.  I made a plan on monday that I would like to run the disney marathon in 2014 it would be a few wks before my 35 bday and I thought that would be a good gift to myself.  Of course everyone...well my mom and dad were saying that it would be too much for me to do and I should stick with half marathons.  Well you know what happens when someone tells me not to do something right??????

The only thing is the goal is so far out that I need something to motivate me in the near future.  I know I will not be able to do the princess this year and most likely unless we fall into some financial luck I will not get there in 2013 either.  So Im not sure what else to use.  Anyone else get that been there done that feeling after running their first half.

I think its my undiagnosed ADD but I get bored easily.  I am trying to picture me in a bathing suit this summer and that really should be motivation enough.

So I am still trying to see what will get me going.  But for now I am trying to do it one bite at a time.

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

I am too so sad about the tornadoes and the diser who lost their life in it.  How horrible.  We had tornado warnings last night and one touched as low as tree tops and did some minor damage to a few homes about 10 miles away.  Of course I didnt know any of this until this morning so its a good thing a tornado didnt touch down on our house.  We are suppose to get some bad storms later tonight again.  

Nancy- Im so glad you are home safe.  I will check the pics out later from home.

Maria- I never minded value on our vacations.  I have stayed in all three ranges value/mod/deluxe and even going back to All Star Sports after doing AKL didnt bother me a whole lot.  With that being said I do have to say I was so happy staying at CBR for the race.  We never waited for buses to and from the expo or race, or parks for that matter.  We never had to stand on the bus.  The rooms/beds were so comfy.  and I swear the hot tub saved my legs the night before the race.  It was so peaceful and relaxing and that is just what a princess needs.  Although I will stay at a value again....I am secretly hoping that we can stay at CBR on our next family vacation. 

Lisa- I hope DS feels better soon.  I agree its never fun to stay home playing nurse but it does give you time to get stuff done that you normally wouldnt make the time for so thats good.

Miss you all and I am so wishing we could meet up again soon.  I promise if I win the powerball I will take everyone to the princess with me. 

Ok for legal reasons let me use this disclaimer:

I will take Rose,Kathy,Nancy,Lisa H, Maria,Jen, and Jude...oh corina too.  I dont want to win and than have everyone join the boards to go.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princesses!!

It is so sad all the devastation from the tornados and to lose a dis-ser does hit home.  I feel so lucky to have met all of you here, and in person, and I do sometimes forget we are from all parts of the country and world.  

I am too in a bit of a funk, and disappointed in gaining back the 7 pounds I had lost before the princess.  It was such an amazing weekend, and I just don't have the motivation to get out and run like I did when the outcome was going to be the princess.  I don't know when our next trip will be either, and am amazed how sad that makes me.  I have always had a plan in my head of when my next trip will be before we come home from our present trip, but for the princess, I knew I needed to stop and save a little more.  I shouldn't be so bummed, I was there in feb, and last august, so 2 trips in 6 months, but I just want to be planning again.  

I don't know about 2013.  I'd love to do the princess but with school vacation week, it's more expensive.  I've been thinking that my next disney race, I'd like to do the january half, to see and feel the difference in the races.  I know there might not be the hot firemen, but I'm thinking there'll be a few thousand hot guys running with me instead.  That could help my speed for sure.  My 50th bday is in 2014, and my original plan was to take a disney cruise over feb vaca, but I want to go with my brother sil, and niece, and since he does accounting, he can't go til april, and he'd rather do a less expensive cruise, and have the casinos, sooo I'm thinking, maybe I could do a weekend alone to disney for the jan half, for my birthday.   It would cost less than the princess in feb, and I couldn't really leave michael over school vacation.  I'd love to go alone, and do the half and volunteer at the full on sunday, and cheer you on Lindsay!!!

I do feel like i need to have some disney to look forward to, but it's far off.  I think I need to make a tentative plan.  My friend Jane and her dd16 would like to take another trip with us too, so maybe feb 2013, but I don't know.  

So I'm trying to get my focus back, and wrote up a 3.5 week training plan for the 5k in june.  I plan to run 3 days a week, 2 short and one long, and cross train 2 days.  If I did a 5k tomorrow, I think I would have my worst time ever.  I'm also writing my food down, and am really trying to keep that up, no matter how bad it is.  

*Lindsay*- I'm glad you are feeling half motivated at least.  Hang in there, and never give up.  It's sucks to see some weight come back on, but its a journey, and we will have our ups and downs.  I'd love to plan for the jan 2014 marathon weekend.  It's so far off, it does seem hard to get motivated for it, and maybe the key is to plan other halfs along the way.  I need to make my 16 week plan for the sept half I'm doing, to start in june.  It is definitely harder without the thought of disney.  Or maybe not having a pace requirement will make it harder to get the training in.  Who cares if it takes me 8 hours.  I may just stop in a local bar during the race.    Know you are not alone, and we can and will get our focus back, and see this weight gone.  Again.  And thanks for bringing me when you hit the powerball!!  I can't wait!!!  Smart to have the disclaimer, and Lisa can let you know if that's all you need to do to make it legal. 

*Lisa*- Are you ready for your half this weekend?   You are doing so great with the training, and I know you're going to have a wonderful race.  Hope ds is feeling better, and you got some of the attic and your mind cleaned out.  I am also very grateful for you and all my friends here.  I so hope our paths will cross again at a disney race.  You know you are always welcome to stay here if you want to do a MA vacation.  We are so close to so much, beaches, mountains, Boston.  

*Maria*-the upgrade for the princess is a great motivator.  Nice work getting out there and running again.  I did feel good running again yesterday, and definitely having a plan written out helps me.  You are doing great with the food.  Keep it up, keep on inspiring me, and maybe I will follow suit.   

*Nancy*- Welcome home!!  Loved your pictures.  Ds is stinking adorable.  So glad you had a wonderful time.  for a minute I thought you were going to have your baby in november, and then do the marathon in jan, but I figured out the math.  Still pretty impressive to do it a year after. 

*Rose*- How is disney world?  So wish we were all with you.  Hope your trip has been fabulous.

I am sitting out on my back porch this morning, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and there's a nice breeze.  I think I'm going to make this my new computer spot.  So glad I got a laptop. 

Have a great day!!  Hope the warm weather hits you all, and you have a fabulous, active, healthy eating type of day.


----------



## Rose&Mike

So how is everyone?

And what happened with the tornado? I can't find anything about it on the dis?????

We got home last night at 12:30. And I am having a major case of post-vacation let down. We had a good time--though I must say we I need to stop putting up with so much crap from DS. He always apologizes, but his attitude is getting a little old.

*Maria*--I hope the 20 pounds comes off easily!

*Lindsay*--I was laughing at your legal disclaimer.

So, my knee did pretty well on this trip. It was a little sore at the end of the day, but in a different place than ususal and I think that was from the 10 miles we walked every day! Having said that--I tweaked my other ankle sometime before we left. I'm not even sure when it happened.  I had to ice it every night--the top of my foot around my ankle kept swelling up. Uggh. Thank goodness for kt tape. I taped it each morning and that seemed to keep it from hurting too much. On Sunday we took a little run out to DHS and around BW and it was fun. I still have to do mapmyrun. By the end I could feel my knee, but no pain. So that's exciting. I'm hoping to be running for good again next week.

I know the next challenge will be good for me--I am very unmotivated right now. But I'm having trouble getting back into the groove of things.

Have a good day princesses.


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I have been extremely disappointed with myself lately and I think that feeling has caused me to continue to emotional eat.  As of today I have put on 10lbs since the princess and 14lbs altogether from my lowest weight.
> 
> I started tracking and journaling again yesterday and no wonder I am putting on weight.  Here I am thinking the food was "not too bad" but boy the points add up quickly.  I need to do some grocery shopping and get some good choices in the house and soon.
> 
> I feel 1/2 motivated right now.  That is my brain is saying yes lets do this most of the time.  I know it will just take a little bit to just topple it over in the right direction to weight loss/healthiness.



Aww, Lindsay, I know just how you feel.    I weigh 10 pounds more than I did at the Princess, too.  You can get back on track and get headed back in the right direction.  I know that you can do it!  

Sounds like you have some great big, long term goals.  How about some smaller ones that could happen sooner?  Maybe something besides a race?  What would you really like to do besides Disney?  Do something with the boys or something alone?

No matter what we all know that we are in this together!  

And I did get a big chuckle out of your disclaimer!    If you win the lottery I'll be happy to be your legal adviser.  



mikamah said:


> It is so sad all the devastation from the tornados and to lose a dis-ser does hit home.  I feel so lucky to have met all of you here, and in person, and I do sometimes forget we are from all parts of the country and world.
> 
> I am too in a bit of a funk, and disappointed in gaining back the 7 pounds I had lost before the princess.  It was such an amazing weekend, and I just don't have the motivation to get out and run like I did when the outcome was going to be the princess.  I don't know when our next trip will be either, and am amazed how sad that makes me.  I have always had a plan in my head of when my next trip will be before we come home from our present trip, but for the princess, I knew I needed to stop and save a little more.  I shouldn't be so bummed, I was there in feb, and last august, so 2 trips in 6 months, but I just want to be planning again.



, Kathy, it is hard to not have another Disney trip in the works.  But you have some wonderful things planned for this summer and you have Michael saving up for the next Disney trip so it will be happening sooner than you think.

I don't know why we are all in a funk now.  Seems kind of late for a post-Princess let down or maybe it was that endless spring rain.    Whatever it is, the important thing is that we get back on track -- and I know that we will!  



Rose&Mike said:


> So how is everyone?
> 
> And what happened with the tornado? I can't find anything about it on the dis?????
> 
> We got home last night at 12:30. And I am having a major case of post-vacation let down. We had a good time--though I must say we I need to stop putting up with so much crap from DS. He always apologizes, but his attitude is getting a little old.



You've been home a few hours and you are worried about not being back in the groove, Rose? Give yourself a chance, girl! 

So glad that you had a good time at WDW.  Sorry about the DS thing.    Maybe next trip should be a Rose and Mike trip.  

MinnieLor, a DIS'er and WISH'er and her husband were killed in the Joplin tornado.  There are a couple of threads about it on the podcast boards.  I didn't really know her except on the boards but I do remember her posts because she had pictures of her dogs and she had a couple of black labs like our dog (who is Corinna's dog twin).  

It is funny how the Disboards expand your horizons with friends all over the place. I never worried too much about the weather in the northeast or south until you folks came along!  

Okay, Princesses, time to get out of our funks and get ourselves back to where we need to be!  We can do it!


----------



## Rose&Mike

thanks lisa! MysteryMachine is in MO also. I will have to check on her. That's so sad about MinnieLor. We are supposed to have severe weather tonight. Yuck. 

It was in the mid 90s the whole time we were in FL--I got pavement rash again, but at least it was warm and sunny! It wasn't too humid, so I did ok with it.

And do you want to hear something funny--We met Debra from team Ohana for dinner and she said I was a glass half full kind of girl.  Really, me? I think I USED to be a glass half full kind of girl, but after I had Tom with all the complications and then the failed adoptions and miscarriage, etc, I became very pessimisstic. It drove Mike a little crazy.

I really think this spring and the injury and the gluten stuff has been good for me in a weird kind of way. I really think a lot of it is that I am SIGNIFICANTLY less stressed after being off gluten. Did you know gluten can cause a lot of brain symptoms as well as other stuff? All these years with depression and anxiety and I just needed to stop eating poison! Who would have thought it.

And coming clean here--I'll talk about it more in my trip report--I had a hot dog (with a g-f bun of course). I've been thinking about going a "little less" vegetarian for a while. (I know--a hot dog, how gross, right?) But I just wanted to order something at least somewhat normal. It got really old to have to talk to a manager every time we wanted to eat. We ate most lunch and breakfasts in the room. Anyhow, we went to casey's and I had a hotdog with mustard and onions. And it was pretty tasty. I struggled a lot for the next day or so with the feeling of failing for going off being a vegetarian. I still haven't decided what I am going to do. I think I will be a 99% vegetarian, and maybe just cheat occasionally. Being g-f is stressful, and sometimes you just need to eat! I must say, I think Tom finally gets it. He will be the first to say that, if I ate meat it would be easier--which it would--but he gets it that it's kind of a hassle. It could always be worse, but it's still a pain some days!

*Lindsay*--A bunch of people are doing Hershey in October. We are remotely contemplating it. What do you think???? It's not too far from you.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi all,

I am off today to volunteer at ryans field day.  Im excited.  Field day was my favorite thing as a kid.  My best friend would always win first place and I would get second.  The month before field day in my 5th grade year I trained for it.  My dad would take me to school every night after dinner and I would run the bases and do the obstacle course.  Guess what.....I won 1st place that year and my BF was so mad.  I will never forget this memory.  Anyway its a beautiful day.  Already 83 degrees and sunny. 

Kathy- I so fell your struggle with both weight loss and not having a disney trip in the works through the computer and I wish I could just give you a hug.  I know we both will be ok and I appreciate your support.  

Lisa- Good luck with your half this weekend.  You will do so great.

Rose- Im glad you had a good time in disney and had great weather too.  I agree that with everything else you have going on with food....an occasional treat would be ok.  Who doesnt love a caseys hotdog. 

I had looked at the hershey half and thought it looked like so much fun.  I would definitely consider it as long as I dont have to go to a conference for work.  There is a possibility that I will have to go to Las Vegas in Oct.  Keep me posted on what you are doing.  Hershey is only 90 min away.  

Have a great day all.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i exercised for an hour and i feel like a new woman!

took thomas out in the jogger and started out walking. but when i made it to maritime college i just felt the need to jog for a little since that's what i was used to doing for so long! i jogged for 5 min then walked for another 5 min, jogged another 5, walked another 5, jogged another 10 then walked for the rest of the time. 

can't believe that not that long ago i ran 13.1 miles with just a couple short walk breaks! and now i could hardly do much more jogging than i just did. still, it felt great to break a good sweat!!

and i feel like i totally just deserved the blueberry frosted poptart i just had. thomas and i split a package. so healthy  i'm making a salad for lunch thought ...erm, with chicken cutlets on top 

*rose* - i'm sorry, i totally missed that you went to disney! how can i miss a disney trip?? where did you stay? was it planned for a long time? i feel like i always know when everyone is going to disney!!! that way i can pretend it was ME who was going!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I had looked at the hershey half and thought it looked like so much fun.  I would definitely consider it as long as I dont have to go to a conference for work.  There is a possibility that I will have to go to Las Vegas in Oct.  Keep me posted on what you are doing.  Hershey is only 90 min away.



ooo! hershey half! now THAT sounds fun! it's too far to plan now but i'd be interested in the 2012 hershey half! it'd be great as part of my training for the wdw marathon in 2013! 

i'm in!


----------



## lisah0711

Ooo!  I think a little Princess meet at the Hershey sounds like fun!  

Nancy, it's good to remind yourself every once in awhile how quickly you will feel like yourself again once your little one is here.  I'm glad that you are able to get out there and enjoy yourself.  It won't be long until you are the food source again -- think of all the calories you will burn!  

I had a great time at my race on Sunday.  There was about 2500 people there racing -- about 1500 in the half field.  It was a nice cool day, started in the 40's.  As I was cold waiting for the start I almost went back for my jacket and throw away mittens but once we started lining up it wasn't too bad and I was very glad later that I didn't.  The marathon runners started 1/2 an hour before we did.  We started at 7:30 a.m.  It was nice to stay home until 6:00 a.m.  

It was a pretty day in Coeur d'Alene.  You get to run along side the lake for quite aways.





I was doing 17 minute miles for the first five miles or so but then started slowing down.  I also had to turn off my time/lap counter because it was running the iPhone battery down too fast.  Couldn't go without music!  

At mile 3 I started seeing some of the fast half folks coming back already.    Not long after that I started seeing the fast marathon folks coming back, too.    Some were nice and acknowledged the cheers.  Others just kept going.  A few were even nice and would say "good job" to you.  

At about mile 6 I saw my friend that I train with and her brother coming back -- they are doing the Seattle Rock n Roll this summer so this was a "training run" for them.  My friend even braved the bad juju and wore the shirt for the race.

I just plugged along all the way through mile 10.  There weren't many half folks back with me but there were lots of marathon folks and no one knew who I belonged with until they saw my bib in front.  

I should have stopped at mile 10 and used the portapotty.  So I spent to next two miles wishing I would have stopped.  To make it worse we were weaving through the local community college.  I knew there were lots of toilets behind those closed doors.    So even though I only had 1 mile to go I stopped at the portapotty at mile 12 and I was darn happy it was there!  That way I could smile in my pictures at the finish.    Apparently the potty distraction was enough that I didn't notice until that last mile that I had several big blisters on my right foot.  

DH and DS were waiting for me at the finish.  Some of them were more patient than others.  Can you believe that handsome guy in the green shirt is only 11?!?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




But at last I was there!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




I was happy to finish and finish strong.  Now I can only get faster!    I missed all of you ladies but I know that I would never have picked myself up after the Princess and done this again if it wasn't for each and every one of you!


----------



## corinnak

Lisa - what a great report!  All you needed was a little more time - I knew you had what it takes to finish a half!  What a great triumph and accomplishment for you!  Congratulations!!!!

 Some of those fastie racers in front are just so focused, sometimes I think they just don't feel they can spare even the energy to acknowledge the cheers and sometimes it seems like they just don't even notice.  I do love the cross-spectating on an out-and-back course - that's something that there isn't a lot of on the Disney courses.

Rose - as a fellow vegetarian, I have to say I don't blame you one bit for anything you choose to eat - gluten-free is tough.  Vegetarian can be challenging as well.  Both together?  Holy cats, I don't know how you've made it this long.  I've been a vegetarian for a long, long time and I honestly don't know if I could do what you've been doing.  It seems like there's always a veg option.  There's often a g-f option.  They are rarely the same thing.  Do what you have to do, that is what I think. 

Nancy - So great you were able to get out and get a little jogging in with Thomas!  I don't think I ever did any real exercise while pregnant except a little walking, a little swimming,  and I wish in retrospect I would have. Good for you!

Lindsay - it sounds like we're not the only ones who are struggling with a couple of re-found pounds.  It is so easy for those lost pounds to come back, but we can chase them off again and keep them gone with some extra vigilance.  

Maria - I think a mod for Princess would be a nice treat for you and 20 lbs is totally within your grasp.  We're right behind you the whole way!  

AFM - I'm just chugging along slowly, trying to get my weight back down a little still using http://www.myfitnesspal.com/   This is my life now, though - it's all about beating back the dread "last 5 lbs" over and over again, apparently.  Which either means I'm doing what I need to do to hold the line or else my "ideal" weight is too low for me to realistically stay at without a lot of work.  I haven't decided yet.  

I ran a local 5k yesterday and came in 2nd in my age group.  It was a small race of a little over 200, and there were many inspiring athletes of all sizes and abilities, including a brave young woman with cerebral palsy who finished the full 5k on her feet, and a woman who had already lost 170 lbs and still had more to lose, but was doing a great job of getting out there and running!  I thought it was going to storm, but all we ended up getting were a few sprinkles, so that was OK.

Next up - a half marathon at the end of June and 10 miler on July 4.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

lisah0711 said:


> It would be fun if we could all do the Princess is 2013 together!    Here's some  for you Nancy 'cause you can never have too much pixiedust!
> 
> A mod for the 2012 Princess would be great, Maria.  I think Lindsay and her Mom and Aunt enjoyed CBR.



I think I'll be back in 2013, unless I get a bug and decide to go back to the WDW Half, or do TinkerBelle...can't really plan that far out yet! 

I didn't know CBR was an option as a host hotel, for some reason I thought it was only the POs. Of course, now I'm thinking I want to stay in a Princess room at POR 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> As far as motivators.  I made a plan on monday that I would like to run the disney marathon in 2014 it would be a few wks before my 35 bday and I thought that would be a good gift to myself.  Of course everyone...well my mom and dad were saying that it would be too much for me to do and I should stick with half marathons.  Well you know what happens when someone tells me not to do something right??????
> 
> The only thing is the goal is so far out that I need something to motivate me in the near future.  I know I will not be able to do the princess this year and most likely unless we fall into some financial luck I will not get there in 2013 either.  So Im not sure what else to use.  Anyone else get that been there done that feeling after running their first half.
> 
> I will take Rose,Kathy,Nancy,Lisa H, Maria,Jen, and Jude...oh corina too.  I dont want to win and than have everyone join the boards to go.



Lindsay -- of course you can do whatever distance you set your mind to! I will say that after watching dh train for Fulls, I know it is more of a time commitment than I want to make. The training plan he followed had him doing all of his long distance runs at 5.0 mph, and between the actual runs and the recovery, I think it has to be an important goal to get it all in. 

I hope you win the lottery  but just in case you don't, I think it is good to have a local race to train for. I've been really bad about signing up for these in the past, but the more I do the more confident I feel -- and it is motivating!



mikamah said:


> I don't know about 2013.  I'd love to do the princess but with school vacation week, it's more expensive.  I've been thinking that my next disney race, I'd like to do the january half, to see and feel the difference in the races.  I know there might not be the hot firemen, but I'm thinking there'll be a few thousand hot guys running with me instead.  That could help my speed for sure.  My 50th bday is in 2014, and my original plan was to take a disney cruise over feb vaca, but I want to go with my brother sil, and niece, and since he does accounting, he can't go til april, and he'd rather do a less expensive cruise, and have the casinos, sooo I'm thinking, maybe I could do a weekend alone to disney for the jan half, for my birthday.   It would cost less than the princess in feb, and I couldn't really leave michael over school vacation.  I'd love to go alone, and do the half and volunteer at the full on sunday, and cheer you on Lindsay!!!



*Kathy* -- Although I've decided there are many things I love about the Princess, the WDW Half is an amazing race, too. No hot firemen that I remember, but still plenty of characters and all the race amenities. The Expo is bigger, and there are more speakers, etc. You pick up your packet in a different building, the entire bldg where the Princess pick-up is was devoted to the Expo. Every hotel is a host hotel, so you have more options in where you stay. They also all have pre-race pasta dinners, so that's a nice touch. I had so much fun cheering for the Full, it's a lot of fun to see other WISHers and people you know run by. I highly recommend the experience! 



Rose&Mike said:


> We got home last night at 12:30. And I am having a major case of post-vacation let down. We had a good time--though I must say we I need to stop putting up with so much crap from DS. He always apologizes, but his attitude is getting a little old.
> 
> So, my knee did pretty well on this trip. It was a little sore at the end of the day, but in a different place than ususal and I think that was from the 10 miles we walked every day! Having said that--I tweaked my other ankle sometime before we left. I'm not even sure when it happened.  I had to ice it every night--the top of my foot around my ankle kept swelling up. Uggh. Thank goodness for kt tape. I taped it each morning and that seemed to keep it from hurting too much. On Sunday we took a little run out to DHS and around BW and it was fun. I still have to do mapmyrun. By the end I could feel my knee, but no pain. So that's exciting. I'm hoping to be running for good again next week.



One thing I keep telling my ds, "I'm Sorry" doesn't always make it ok, I expect you to think before you are disrespectful. Hopefully if I say it enough, one day it will sink in  I'm glad your knee did better, sorry about the ankle. All that walking -- no wonder you were feeling it! I'm glad you had a good trip, sometimes it's nice to just get away. 



lisah0711 said:


> Okay, Princesses, time to get out of our funks and get ourselves back to where we need to be!  We can do it!



Yes, we can do it!  New month, new BL Challenge, a fresh start for everyone! 



Rose&Mike said:


> And do you want to hear something funny--We met Debra from team Ohana for dinner and she said I was a glass half full kind of girl.  Really, me? I think I USED to be a glass half full kind of girl, but after I had Tom with all the complications and then the failed adoptions and miscarriage, etc, I became very pessimisstic. It drove Mike a little crazy.
> 
> *Lindsay*--A bunch of people are doing Hershey in October. We are remotely contemplating it. What do you think???? It's not too far from you.



Rose you are so encouraging on these boards, how can we think of you as anything but a happy camper? You are a survivor and an inspiration. You have been through a lot in your life, and you are very inspiring to others.  Sigh. I had Dennis on board to do Hershey and then we realized Ben would be miserable and freaked out from all that travel and no time to do his homework...I'm officially saving it for another year...



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I had looked at the hershey half and thought it looked like so much fun.  I would definitely consider it as long as I dont have to go to a conference for work.  There is a possibility that I will have to go to Las Vegas in Oct.  Keep me posted on what you are doing.  Hershey is only 90 min away.



Would you believe I just found out I'm going to my professional association conference in Las Vegas in October?! I am so excited! I didn't think I would be able to go, but our training director set aside funds for me to attend!  I'm going October 5-8, if you'll be around...



dumbo_buddy said:


> and i feel like i totally just deserved the blueberry frosted poptart i just had. thomas and i split a package. so healthy  i'm making a salad for lunch thought ...erm, with chicken cutlets on top



When I'm feeling like a big treat in the morning every once in awhile on the weekend I'll eat some of Ben's fudge poptarts. I do try not to do it very often, but every once in awhile, you need a little poptart therapy 



lisah0711 said:


> I was happy to finish and finish strong.  Now I can only get faster!    I missed all of you ladies but I know that I would never have picked myself up after the Princess and done this again if it wasn't for each and every one of you!



Fantastic RR, *Lisa!* I cannot tell you how proud I am of you -- I knew you could do it!  And yes, your ds looks older than 11 -- they grow so fast, if only their attitudes didn't 



corinnak said:


> I ran a local 5k yesterday and came in 2nd in my age group.  It was a small race of a little over 200, and there were many inspiring athletes of all sizes and abilities, including a brave young woman with cerebral palsy who finished the full 5k on her feet, and a woman who had already lost 170 lbs and still had more to lose, but was doing a great job of getting out there and running!  I thought it was going to storm, but all we ended up getting were a few sprinkles, so that was OK.



Great finish in the 5K! And you already have 2 other good distances coming up, that is awesome! I'm glad you didn't get rained on. I think knowing what your final weight range in has to be a learning process, and you will figure it out. I have faith it will all fall into place and be clear to you whenever it's meant to. 

AFM: Didn't manage to get up and run this morning, I'm hoping to do 2M when I get home. We'll see how warm it is. I am back to my healthy meals, and I'm thinking about shaking up my eating schedule. I think I'm going to move yogurt and blueberries to the late afternoon snack, to see if that helps me control my hunger until dinner. I'm not that hungry when I eat the yogurt in the morning, so I think just having an orange and banana muffin might suffice. I'm going to experiment until I find the right combination. I'm also going to start ramping myself up to 10M runs again. I'm going to do 6 next weekend and add a mile a week until July when I plan to do 10s all month until my Half at the beginning of August. I have a new clif blok strategy -- 3 before I start, 3 at 5M, so it should be interesting to see if how my body responds.  

Let's make it a great day to end the lusty month of May! (please tell me you've seen the musical, Camelot, otherwise that doesn't sound nearly as benign! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> I had a great time at my race on Sunday.  There was about 2500 people there racing -- about 1500 in the half field.  It was a nice cool day, started in the 40's.  As I was cold waiting for the start I almost went back for my jacket and throw away mittens but once we started lining up it wasn't too bad and I was very glad later that I didn't.  The marathon runners started 1/2 an hour before we did.  We started at 7:30 a.m.  It was nice to stay home until 6:00 a.m.
> 
> It was a pretty day in Coeur d'Alene.  You get to run along side the lake for quite aways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was doing 17 minute miles for the first five miles or so but then started slowing down.  I also had to turn off my time/lap counter because it was running the iPhone battery down too fast.  Couldn't go without music!
> 
> At mile 3 I started seeing some of the fast half folks coming back already.    Not long after that I started seeing the fast marathon folks coming back, too.    Some were nice and acknowledged the cheers.  Others just kept going.  A few were even nice and would say "good job" to you.
> 
> At about mile 6 I saw my friend that I train with and her brother coming back -- they are doing the Seattle Rock n Roll this summer so this was a "training run" for them.  My friend even braved the bad juju and wore the shirt for the race.
> 
> I just plugged along all the way through mile 10.  There weren't many half folks back with me but there were lots of marathon folks and no one knew who I belonged with until they saw my bib in front.
> 
> I should have stopped at mile 10 and used the portapotty.  So I spent to next two miles wishing I would have stopped.  To make it worse we were weaving through the local community college.  I knew there were lots of toilets behind those closed doors.    So even though I only had 1 mile to go I stopped at the portapotty at mile 12 and I was darn happy it was there!  That way I could smile in my pictures at the finish.    Apparently the potty distraction was enough that I didn't notice until that last mile that I had several big blisters on my right foot.
> 
> DH and DS were waiting for me at the finish.  Some of them were more patient than others.  Can you believe that handsome guy in the green shirt is only 11?!?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But at last I was there!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was happy to finish and finish strong.  Now I can only get faster!    I missed all of you ladies but I know that I would never have picked myself up after the Princess and done this again if it wasn't for each and every one of you!



AWESOME! what a gorgeous view of the lake! i wouldn't mind running long distances if i could look at that sight! really nice! 

i love that picture of you running. you look great...and happy! great and happy during a run? i've never had that look 

we all knew you could do it! woot! woot! oh and how were the venetian sunsets? i googled them and they sound delicious and refreshing! 



corinnak said:


> Lisa - what a great report!  All you needed was a little more time - I knew you had what it takes to finish a half!  What a great triumph and accomplishment for you!  Congratulations!!!!
> 
> Some of those fastie racers in front are just so focused, sometimes I think they just don't feel they can spare even the energy to acknowledge the cheers and sometimes it seems like they just don't even notice.  I do love the cross-spectating on an out-and-back course - that's something that there isn't a lot of on the Disney courses.
> 
> Rose - as a fellow vegetarian, I have to say I don't blame you one bit for anything you choose to eat - gluten-free is tough.  Vegetarian can be challenging as well.  Both together?  Holy cats, I don't know how you've made it this long.  I've been a vegetarian for a long, long time and I honestly don't know if I could do what you've been doing.  It seems like there's always a veg option.  There's often a g-f option.  They are rarely the same thing.  Do what you have to do, that is what I think.
> 
> Nancy - So great you were able to get out and get a little jogging in with Thomas!  I don't think I ever did any real exercise while pregnant except a little walking, a little swimming,  and I wish in retrospect I would have. Good for you!
> 
> Lindsay - it sounds like we're not the only ones who are struggling with a couple of re-found pounds.  It is so easy for those lost pounds to come back, but we can chase them off again and keep them gone with some extra vigilance.
> 
> Maria - I think a mod for Princess would be a nice treat for you and 20 lbs is totally within your grasp.  We're right behind you the whole way!
> 
> AFM - I'm just chugging along slowly, trying to get my weight back down a little still using http://www.myfitnesspal.com/   This is my life now, though - it's all about beating back the dread "last 5 lbs" over and over again, apparently.  Which either means I'm doing what I need to do to hold the line or else my "ideal" weight is too low for me to realistically stay at without a lot of work.  I haven't decided yet.
> 
> I ran a local 5k yesterday and came in 2nd in my age group.  It was a small race of a little over 200, and there were many inspiring athletes of all sizes and abilities, including a brave young woman with cerebral palsy who finished the full 5k on her feet, and a woman who had already lost 170 lbs and still had more to lose, but was doing a great job of getting out there and running!  I thought it was going to storm, but all we ended up getting were a few sprinkles, so that was OK.
> 
> Next up - a half marathon at the end of June and 10 miler on July 4.



2nd place?!?! holy cow! that is awesome! congrats to you! 

where is your half marathon at the end of june?



Worfiedoodles said:


> I think I'll be back in 2013, unless I get a bug and decide to go back to the WDW Half, or do TinkerBelle...can't really plan that far out yet!
> 
> I didn't know CBR was an option as a host hotel, for some reason I thought it was only the POs. Of course, now I'm thinking I want to stay in a Princess room at POR
> 
> 
> Lindsay -- of course you can do whatever distance you set your mind to! I will say that after watching dh train for Fulls, I know it is more of a time commitment than I want to make. The training plan he followed had him doing all of his long distance runs at 5.0 mph, and between the actual runs and the recovery, I think it has to be an important goal to get it all in.
> 
> Although I've decided there are many things I love about the Princess, the WDW Half is an amazing race, too. No hot firemen that I remember, but still plenty of characters and all the race amenities. The Expo is bigger, and there are more speakers, etc. You pick up your packet in a different building, the entire bldg where the Princess pick-up is was devoted to the Expo. Every hotel is a host hotel, so you have more options in where you stay. They also all have pre-race pasta dinners, so that's a nice touch. I had so much fun cheering for the Full, it's a lot of fun to see other WISHers and people you know run by. I highly recommend the experience!
> 
> AFM: Didn't manage to get up and run this morning, I'm hoping to do 2M when I get home. We'll see how warm it is. I am back to my healthy meals, and I'm thinking about shaking up my eating schedule. I think I'm going to move yogurt and blueberries to the late afternoon snack, to see if that helps me control my hunger until dinner. I'm not that hungry when I eat the yogurt in the morning, so I think just having an orange and banana muffin might suffice. I'm going to experiment until I find the right combination. I'm also going to start ramping myself up to 10M runs again. I'm going to do 6 next weekend and add a mile a week until July when I plan to do 10s all month until my Half at the beginning of August. I have a new clif blok strategy -- 3 before I start, 3 at 5M, so it should be interesting to see if how my body responds.
> 
> Let's make it a great day to end the lusty month of May! (please tell me you've seen the musical, Camelot, otherwise that doesn't sound nearly as benign!
> 
> Maria



my goal is to do the full marathon in 2013 but i also want to do the princess in 2013 too. i will have to start telling all my fellow BL princesses to please come with me  two trips in two months to run races in disney? hmmm...not sure if DH will go for that. but if we go as a family to the marathon and stay for a week then maybe i can swing another solo trip in feb. i mean, i can totally pull the hey-you-knocked-me-up-when-i-wasn't-ready guilt trip, right? i'll start being on my best behavior....now. 

i too and trying to find a good eating schedule. i've been experimenting with making my own smoothies with frozen fruit and greek yogurt. the one i made this morning was delicious. but i find that when i drink a meal i'm always hungry right after. 

******

i had a SLOW and HOT 2.5 mile jog today. but i did it and it's done! i'm glad i went out in the morning before i had a chance to change my mind. i stuck thomas in the jogger with a crunchy granola bar and his juice and he was good to go. he still had his thomas the train jammies on!  they were filming Royal Pains while i was down at maritime college running. it was fun to see the bazillions of crew members and trucks that are needed just to do a scene or two!

thought you guys would appreciate this - it was this time last year that i was feeling rather ick about things and found out about the c25k plan. i decided to give it a try. i started out taking thomas in a regular old stroller and managed to run/walk like that for about 2 months. my aunt and uncle bought me a jogger and i just kept going. i started with running for 30 seconds at a time and here i am a year later having finished a half marathon and looking at full in the future (you know, post-baby). if it weren't for the motivation i got from DIS folks (mostly from lurking a whole bunch before finally posting) i'm not sure i'd still be at it


----------



## Rose&Mike

Thank you all for posting bunches today. It was just what I needed. I am overwhelmed with everything--I don't know why--and I'm a little teary, so I loved reading everyone's updates. Did I tell you all I am getting periods again--so maybe it's hormonal. And don't worry Nancy--there will BE NO SURPRISES at my house. The thought makes Mike cringe in horror as much as I do.

*Lisa*--I am so very, very happy for you. You looked so happy in your picture! And the lake was gorgeous! I KNEW you could do it!



corinnak said:


> Rose - as a fellow vegetarian, I have to say I don't blame you one bit for anything you choose to eat - gluten-free is tough.  Vegetarian can be challenging as well.  Both together?  Holy cats, I don't know how you've made it this long.  I've been a vegetarian for a long, long time and I honestly don't know if I could do what you've been doing.  It seems like there's always a veg option.  There's often a g-f option.  They are rarely the same thing.  Do what you have to do, that is what I think.


First, congrats on the 2nd place! That's awesome! Very exciting.

Second, thank you so much for saying this. I have been feeling like such a poser/quitter. And since I'm feeling kind of crappy about myself I have been making crappy choices. And then feeling worse cause I'm making bad choices. I might have to start the new challenge out as a Loser, cause I am not sure if I will get back to my maintain range by Saturday. Mostly it's just tiring always having to think about what I'm going to eat. I know it will get easier--it already is a little easier. 

As for those pounds you are struggling with--I feel your pain. I still feel like I have to be ever vigilant. Hang in there.



Worfiedoodles said:


> Rose you are so encouraging on these boards, how can we think of you as anything but a happy camper? You are a survivor and an inspiration. You have been through a lot in your life, and you are very inspiring to others.  Sigh. I had Dennis on board to do Hershey and then we realized Ben would be miserable and freaked out from all that travel and no time to do his homework...I'm officially saving it for another year...
> 
> Maria


Maria--I hope you got your two miles in! And a Vegas trip--how fun! How cool would it be if Lindsay was there at the same time! I think I need to go to Vegas, too. I can't think why yet, but I REALLY think I need to go.
Thanks for the encouraging words. I'm trying to be a glass half full kind of girl--I'm so glad that everyone thinks that I'm encouraging.



dumbo_buddy said:


> thought you guys would appreciate this - it was this time last year that i was feeling rather ick about things and found out about the c25k plan. i decided to give it a try. i started out taking thomas in a regular old stroller and managed to run/walk like that for about 2 months. my aunt and uncle bought me a jogger and i just kept going. i started with running for 30 seconds at a time and here i am a year later having finished a half marathon and looking at full in the future (you know, post-baby). if it weren't for the motivation i got from DIS folks (mostly from lurking a whole bunch before finally posting) i'm not sure i'd still be at it


I LOVE Royal Pains! How cool!

Loved your story about this time last year.

*****
AFM--still plugging away. I ate craptastically this weekend--let's be honest, mostly I just had waaaaay too many g-f beers. I am still up about 2 pounds from our trip and .8 outside my maintain range. Still hoping to get back there by Friday.

DS is supposed to find out when he goes to see the dr. about adhd tomorrow. We have been waiting about a month to see this guy. We had a big "discussion" today when I got home from work about the fact that no, he was not driving back to SC for a couple of days by himself unless he figured out what was wrong with his car--the windows are going down by themselves randomly. I am not going to fix this for him. He needs to show some initiative. He's been doing pretty well--been reasonably respectful. Though I'm still not sure why it takes him all day to cut the grass....

And in other news--Mike has started applying for jobs outside of Louisville. We have talked about this for years, and while it's still very scary, I'm good with it. I am so much calmer since going g-f. If he doesn't find anything by this fall--after W&D--we are going to look for a new house in Louisville in a different neighborhood. We have outgrown the one we are in. He's talking to a headhunter, so hopefully something exciting will happen. He's hoping for GA, SC, NC or FL. 

Ok, guess I better check on the other thread.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

rose - what line of business is mike in?


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Im so glad to hear from everyone too.

Lisa- Great job on the race and I knew you could do it too.  That was a beautiful picture and lovely scenery to run through.  Totally beats my half that I ran through a parkway along a crick.  Ok now Im sure you all are going to comment about me calling it a crick right?
Anyway I am so happy for you and you looked so happy at the finish.

Corinna- Wow 2nd place that is excellent.  You are my idol.  Thanks for the encouraging words about the weight.  

Nancy- Look at all you accomplished in a year.  Isnt it great to reflect on what weve done vs what we still havent done yet.  You have done amazing things for your health and that little growth inside your tummy is proof of it.

Rose- I hope all goes well with Toms appt tomorrow and good luck to mike with his search.  I hope you are feeling better.

Maria- If I do go to vegas it would be the last week of oct.  It sounds crazy but I am really not wanting to go.  I just feel too bad leaving the boys again and this time it would be for a week.  October is a busy time of year for us with school and Ryan will be in football this year.  It is also the week before halloween too.  So I would much rather skip out on that and possibly do the hershey half.

Lisa- Since the princess meet in hershey sounds lovely does that mean you will make the trip?????

Tomorrow is June 1st and it marks a new start for me.  I think I said this a hundred times over the past few months but this time I mean it.  Today I weighed myself and I was up 16lbs from my lowest weight.  My goal is to drop 30lbs by my marathon relay I am doing with the mom's team from ryans school on 9/11/11.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--I knew what a crick was! And Tom's appointment isn't tomorrow, we are just hoping they call us with an appointment time tomorrow! It's a very strange office, but I really think it's going to be a good fit. (At least I hope it is!)


----------



## corinnak

No judgement on a "crick" here either.  My sister used to go to the crick to catch crawdads.  And we have never lived in the south, but there are some terms and phrases that are too good to not use just because they are somewhat regonally based.  Like "I might-could" or "fixin'"  We mebbe had a neighbor from the South who taught us some of this stuff.  And then later I played Daisy Mae in "Li'l Abner" and the dialect coach taught me some more.  

My intended (though not yet registered-for) half marathon in Charlevoix, MI at the end of June:

http://goodboyeventslogin.com/index.php?topic=Upcoming Events&subtopic=Charlevoix Marathon&col=2


----------



## lisah0711

dumbo_buddy said:


> thought you guys would appreciate this - it was this time last year that i was feeling rather ick about things and found out about the c25k plan. i decided to give it a try. i started out taking thomas in a regular old stroller and managed to run/walk like that for about 2 months. my aunt and uncle bought me a jogger and i just kept going. i started with running for 30 seconds at a time and here i am a year later having finished a half marathon and looking at full in the future (you know, post-baby). if it weren't for the motivation i got from DIS folks (mostly from lurking a whole bunch before finally posting) i'm not sure i'd still be at it



ITA, Nancy.    And I think it's never too early to work on a Disney trip plan  



Rose&Mike said:


> Thank you all for posting bunches today. It was just what I needed. I am overwhelmed with everything--I don't know why--and I'm a little teary, so I loved reading everyone's updates. Did I tell you all I am getting periods again--so maybe it's hormonal. And don't worry Nancy--there will BE NO SURPRISES at my house. The thought makes Mike cringe in horror as much as I do.



Boy think how that would make Tom's nose out of joint!   

I hope that Mike finds something that will work for you.  I know that you've been thinking about it for a long time.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Lisa- Since the princess meet in hershey sounds lovely does that mean you will make the trip?????
> 
> Tomorrow is June 1st and it marks a new start for me.  I think I said this a hundred times over the past few months but this time I mean it.  Today I weighed myself and I was up 16lbs from my lowest weight.  My goal is to drop 30lbs by my marathon relay I am doing with the mom's team from ryans school on 9/11/11.



I'll be there in spirit with you this year, Lindsay.    It does sounds fun and very lovely.  Plus it would be so fun to see everyone again so soon.  2013 sounds a long way off now.   

I know what a crick is, too.  My family is from Springfield MO and all talked in the southern way -- they even fought for the Confederacy!  Besides I wouldn't want to tease you and make you gretzy.  

I'm right here with you on the new start for June 1st.  I'm going to weigh less than 200 when I run my half in September.   



Rose&Mike said:


> Lindsay--I knew what a crick was! And Tom's appointment isn't tomorrow, we are just hoping they call us with an appointment time tomorrow! It's a very strange office, but I really think it's going to be a good fit. (At least I hope it is!)



Good luck getting your appointment today!  



corinnak said:


> No judgement on a "crick" here either.  My sister used to go to the crick to catch crawdads.  And we have never lived in the south, but there are some terms and phrases that are too good to not use just because they are somewhat regonally based.  Like "I might-could" or "fixin'"  We mebbe had a neighbor from the South who taught us some of this stuff.  And then later I played Daisy Mae in "Li'l Abner" and the dialect coach taught me some more.
> 
> My intended (though not yet registered-for) half marathon in Charlevoix, MI at the end of June:
> 
> http://goodboyeventslogin.com/index.php?topic=Upcoming Events&subtopic=Charlevoix Marathon&col=2



That looks fun, Corinna.  I saw several Half Fanatics shirts at the race this week-end along with some 50 States marathon shirts.  And that lady behind me at the portapotty was running her 101st marathon at age 61.  Something for us to aspire to!  

Happy National Running Day and have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mikamah

mommyof2Pirates said:


> The month before field day in my 5th grade year I trained for it.  My dad would take me to school every night after dinner and I would run the bases and do the obstacle course.  Guess what.....I won 1st place that year and my BF was so mad.


Love this story.  I see you've had that competetive streak from way back.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> ooo! hershey half! now THAT sounds fun! it's too far to plan now but i'd be interested in the 2012 hershey half! it'd be great as part of my training for the wdw marathon in 2013!


Hershey half sounds delicious.  And fun.  I'd definitely consider it for 2012.  Make it a long weekend, if my sil/bro and niece were interested.   



lisah0711 said:


> I had a great time at my race on Sunday.  There was about 2500 people there racing -- about 1500 in the half field.  It was a nice cool day, started in the 40's.  As I was cold waiting for the start I almost went back for my jacket and throw away mittens but once we started lining up it wasn't too bad and I was very glad later that I didn't.  The marathon runners started 1/2 an hour before we did.  We started at 7:30 a.m.  It was nice to stay home until 6:00 a.m.
> I was happy to finish and finish strong.  Now I can only get faster!    I missed all of you ladies but I know that I would never have picked myself up after the Princess and done this again if it wasn't for each and every one of you!


Love your race report and the pics.  The lake is just beautiful, and you are too.  So happy, strong, and confident.  So happy for you, Lisa.  Robert looks way to old now.  Where did your little boy go?  Unbelieveable how fast they grow.  



corinnak said:


> I ran a local 5k yesterday and came in 2nd in my age group.  It was a small race of a little over 200, and there were many inspiring athletes of all sizes and abilities, including a brave young woman with cerebral palsy who finished the full 5k on her feet, and a woman who had already lost 170 lbs and still had more to lose, but was doing a great job of getting out there and running!  I thought it was going to storm, but all we ended up getting were a few sprinkles, so that was OK.


congratulations on coming in 2nd.  That is quite an accomplishment, especially since your age group probably has some pretty fast runners, and you are one of the fastest.  So exciting.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Kathy* -- Although I've decided there are many things I love about the Princess, the WDW Half is an amazing race, too. No hot firemen that I remember, but still plenty of characters and all the race amenities. The Expo is bigger, and there are more speakers, etc. You pick up your packet in a different building, the entire bldg where the Princess pick-up is was devoted to the Expo. Every hotel is a host hotel, so you have more options in where you stay. They also all have pre-race pasta dinners, so that's a nice touch. I had so much fun cheering for the Full, it's a lot of fun to see other WISHers and people you know run by. I highly recommend the experience!


It sounds awesome.  Thanks for the info.



Worfiedoodles said:


> [One thing I keep telling my ds, "I'm Sorry" doesn't always make it ok, I expect you to think before you are disrespectful.


I'm going to try and remember this piece of advice.  I should start a list of helpful parenting tips I've received here.  


Worfiedoodles said:


> I am back to my healthy meals, and I'm thinking about shaking up my eating schedule. I think I'm going to move yogurt and blueberries to the late afternoon snack, to see if that helps me control my hunger until dinner. I'm not that hungry when I eat the yogurt in the morning, so I think just having an orange and banana muffin might suffice. I'm going to experiment until I find the right combination. I'm also going to start ramping myself up to 10M runs again. I'm going to do 6 next weekend and add a mile a week until July when I plan to do 10s all month until my Half at the beginning of August. I have a new clif blok strategy -- 3 before I start, 3 at 5M, so it should be interesting to see if how my body responds.


Sounds like you are getting back on track, and have a great plan.  It does help so much to have something planned.



dumbo_buddy said:


> i mean, i can totally pull the hey-you-knocked-me-up-when-i-wasn't-ready guilt trip, right?


 It better work.  He so owes you.



dumbo_buddy said:


> i had a SLOW and HOT 2.5 mile jog today. but i did it and it's done! i'm glad i went out in the morning before i had a chance to change my mind. i stuck thomas in the jogger with a crunchy granola bar and his juice and he was good to go. he still had his thomas the train jammies on!  they were filming Royal Pains while i was down at maritime college running. it was fun to see the bazillions of crew members and trucks that are needed just to do a scene or two!
> 
> thought you guys would appreciate this - it was this time last year that i was feeling rather ick about things and found out about the c25k plan. i decided to give it a try. i started out taking thomas in a regular old stroller and managed to run/walk like that for about 2 months. my aunt and uncle bought me a jogger and i just kept going. i started with running for 30 seconds at a time and here i am a year later having finished a half marathon and looking at full in the future (you know, post-baby). if it weren't for the motivation i got from DIS folks (mostly from lurking a whole bunch before finally posting) i'm not sure i'd still be at it


Congrats on getting out jogging again.  I'm sure now that the first trimester must be over, you will have lots more energy too.  It is amazing how much support and inspiration can be found here.  I know I would never have done the c25k, and kept it up to get to the princess if it weren't for the support here.



Rose&Mike said:


> I'm trying to be a glass half full kind of girl--I'm so glad that everyone thinks that I'm encouraging.
> 
> And in other news--Mike has started applying for jobs outside of Louisville. We have talked about this for years, and while it's still very scary, I'm good with it. I am so much calmer since going g-f. If he doesn't find anything by this fall--after W&D--we are going to look for a new house in Louisville in a different neighborhood. We have outgrown the one we are in. He's talking to a headhunter, so hopefully something exciting will happen. He's hoping for GA, SC, NC or FL.


I'd say you are succeeding on being a glass half full type of girl.  You have handled so much that has been thrown at you with such a positive attitude, and you so deserve to catch a break.  Good luck with mike and the job search.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Tomorrow is June 1st and it marks a new start for me.  I think I said this a hundred times over the past few months but this time I mean it.  Today I weighed myself and I was up 16lbs from my lowest weight.  My goal is to drop 30lbs by my marathon relay I am doing with the mom's team from ryans school on 9/11/11.


As long as we keep on trying, we are going to be successful.  I've started over more times than I can count, but know if I had given up, I'd be up 100 pounds not 10.  We can do this!!!!!  Michael would love to have a little crick in the back yard to catch tadpoles in. 



lisah0711 said:


> Happy National Running Day and have a great day Princesses!


Hope you and all the princesses had a fabulous nat'l running day!!  Love your plan to be in ONE-derland for your half in september.  I hope to be joining you.  In Onederland, not Idaho for the half, but that would be fun too. 

Good evening princess pals.

Just wanted to pop in and catch up with you all.  Last year at this time we were all getting ready for the princess race to open, and deciding when we'd sign up.  ah, wish we were doing that again.

I've been getting out to run/walk since I wrote up a plan about 2 weeks ago.  I had missed one short run last week, but am able to make it up this week, so all is good.  I was thinking I wouldn't be able to beat my best 5k time at the 5k in 2 weeks, but this morning, I walked michael to school, 1 mile, and then ran/walked 3.4 miles, and my pace was just under 14 min and I wasn't killing myself, so if i can stay focused and get it down around 13, maybe I will be able to break the 40 min 5k mark.  I really want to beat 40.  It's the 5k I did as my first 5k last year, and wanted to beat 45 min, and finished in 43 something. 

I too am ready to get focused and losing again with the summer challenge.  I've been up and down with the same few pounds, so I hope to kick them to the curb for good this time.  

And I can't take the 69 dollars a day for disney commercials any longer.  I found myself on expedia just yesterday pricing airfares for august.  Even though I can't go.  I got to get another addiction.  Maybe I should start knitting again.  

Hope you're all enjoying your evenings.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Holy cannoli batman! Mike already got a request from a company for a screening interview with a company in NC. AND his company agreed to let him apply for a postition in Melbourne.

Are the stars finally all aligning?????

Nancy--he's an engineer (actually has 2 degrees in physics, but works as an engineer.)

Oh--and Tom's first appointment is Monday.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Holy cannoli batman! Mike already got a request from a company for a screening interview with a company in NC. AND his company agreed to let him apply for a postition in Melbourne.
> 
> Are the stars finally all aligning?????
> 
> Nancy--he's an engineer (actually has 2 degrees in physics, but works as an engineer.)
> 
> Oh--and Tom's first appointment is Monday.



yay for mike and hopefully the stars are finally aligning for you.  I will send some PD your way.  So glad you also got Toms appt!  I hope it goes well.

Kathy&Nancy- I think I would be a definite for hershey in 2012 we have to keep it in mind and hopefully a few other princessess can join us too.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, Pretty Princess Pals! 

I thought I could do a long post, but just had a task land in my lap -- so I'll be brief!

*Lindsay* -- Hershey 2012, huh? Well, maybe we could work something out for ds with that much advance notice...I'm keeping it in the possible column! I totally get not wanting to be away the week before Halloween. That's when all the great stuff happens with kids! 

*Rose* -- I'm keeping my fingers crossed and sending  your way! I hope everything works out as it should!

*[Kathy* -- I agree about all those Disney commercials, they are painful! Did you see there's a new show on HGTV tonight about making some lucky family's yard "Disney"? It's on at 8, I am tuning in! 

*Lisa* -- I know a crick, and I know what "Bless her little heart" means, too  My extended family is from the other side of Missouri, in the bootheel. They have been known to ask when you-ins, are coming to visit? 

*BronxNancy* -- I think you should post here first after your ultrasound. Inquiring minds! 

*Corinna* -- Sounds like a nice, early start. And with being a Boston qualifier, there will be some fast fields! 

I ran a total stonker 6M Saturday, but was glad I did it. I've started working my way back up to 10M LRs. Today I did 3M before work and it felt fantastic. It was like the stars aligned to make my workout incredible. I also had a pretty good work day going, until my new project jumped into my lap. I'm going to get that going and then have another lovely DIS break. I have cherries, blueberries and a babybel for my afternoon snack, and we're having salmon for dinner. I didn't manage to fit in pineapple this morning before work, so it's going to be my dessert tonight. My fruits and veggies today will include the aforementioned, plus blackberries, an orange, peppers, carrots, dates, and mixed veggies on the grill. 

It's a real life's good kind of day! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> Hershey half sounds delicious.  And fun.  I'd definitely consider it for 2012.  Make it a long weekend, if my sil/bro and niece were interested.
> 
> Just wanted to pop in and catch up with you all.  Last year at this time we were all getting ready for the princess race to open, and deciding when we'd sign up.  ah, wish we were doing that again.
> 
> I've been getting out to run/walk since I wrote up a plan about 2 weeks ago.  I had missed one short run last week, but am able to make it up this week, so all is good.  I was thinking I wouldn't be able to beat my best 5k time at the 5k in 2 weeks, but this morning, I walked michael to school, 1 mile, and then ran/walked 3.4 miles, and my pace was just under 14 min and I wasn't killing myself, so if i can stay focused and get it down around 13, maybe I will be able to break the 40 min 5k mark.  I really want to beat 40.  It's the 5k I did as my first 5k last year, and wanted to beat 45 min, and finished in 43 something.
> 
> I too am ready to get focused and losing again with the summer challenge.  I've been up and down with the same few pounds, so I hope to kick them to the curb for good this time.
> 
> And I can't take the 69 dollars a day for disney commercials any longer.  I found myself on expedia just yesterday pricing airfares for august.  Even though I can't go.  I got to get another addiction.  Maybe I should start knitting again.
> 
> Hope you're all enjoying your evenings.



hershey half DOES sound delicious! don't get me wrong, i love my princess medal...but how good does some free chocolate sound??? 

if you're interested in disney, let me know and i can work on a quote for you. it's free to use me  i have been going full steam ahead planning our september trip even though it's not even 100% that we're going! if i wish hard enough it'll happen, right???



Rose&Mike said:


> Holy cannoli batman! Mike already got a request from a company for a screening interview with a company in NC. AND his company agreed to let him apply for a postition in Melbourne.
> 
> Are the stars finally all aligning?????
> 
> Nancy--he's an engineer (actually has 2 degrees in physics, but works as an engineer.)
> 
> Oh--and Tom's first appointment is Monday.



ah, great that things are working out. i asked what kind of business because DH is in marketing and i was in finance and we both have some really good headhunters! they really like us and keep working with our friends. engineering though? nope, too smart for us! great that things are rolling!!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Kathy&Nancy- I think I would be a definite for hershey in 2012 we have to keep it in mind and hopefully a few other princessess can join us too.



here's the thing...i want to do the WDW marathon in 2013 so a half marathon in october 2012 would be pretty much perfect timing in my training schedule! hershey really isn't far at all for us and we could make a nice weekend out of it. i'm so in! 

but wait, would we be "chocolate princesses" cuz um...that might not work! haha!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Afternoon, Pretty Princess Pals!
> 
> I thought I could do a long post, but just had a task land in my lap -- so I'll be brief!
> 
> *Lindsay* -- Hershey 2012, huh? Well, maybe we could work something out for ds with that much advance notice...I'm keeping it in the possible column! I totally get not wanting to be away the week before Halloween. That's when all the great stuff happens with kids!
> 
> 
> *BronxNancy* -- I think you should post here first after your ultrasound. Inquiring minds!



another princess in hershey! let's do it!!!

i WILL post on wednesday with ultrasound results! i haven't even come out of the closet yet on facebook! i was thinking i'd announce once i knew the gender. 

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

hi everyone! i've been doing pretty well with either jogging or walking most days. the eating is a whole other story but at least i'm moving. 

i managed to jog 3 miles today too! it's not a whole lot but hey, i'm pregnant. thing is, my right heel hurts now. the bottom. what's up with that? i wonder if i landed on it funny? it hurts now to put my foot down. ARGH!!!!!

on sunday july 17th there's a miles for moms 4 mile run/walk race in central park. i'm thinking of doing it! it raises money for moms with cancer. plus, it's only 4 miles and worse comes to worse i can walk if i don't feel great. i want to keep in the racing mindset and i think it would be fun to do this. it'll keep me focused on making sure i keep up the exercise. 

sometimes i wish we all lived closer. it would be fun to go out to dinner with everyone. well, maybe we'd all go for a jog first and then go eat


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hello Pretty Princesses

Lots of excitement at my house recently. 

First--*Maria*--woohoo for a fabulous run!

*Nancy*--google fatty pad injury--isn't that just a fabulous name??? Anyhow, I was having some trouble with my heel/foot and thought it was a plantar flareup and it was a fatty pad issue. I just hate saying that!

******
So I am sitting here eating 1/2 a g-f cupcake and a teeny bit of ice cream. We got the cupcakes at whole foods--they were frozen. $7.00 for four. I almost didn't buy them, because honestly some g-f stuff just sucks. I am happy to report they are pretty fabulous. I have been absolutely craving cake! The good news is they are frozen, so kind of hard to impulse eat and they are huge, so definitely something to share with Mike. It's nice to have a treat that I like that I don't have to make myself.

DS gave me "permission" to talk about this. So he went to a double session today with the new doctor. He is a psychiatrist who specializes in add/adhd and works a lot with college students. He actually has add himself. So last night Tom had an absolute and total meltdown. And I did not handle it well. He was very anxious about today. But today went well. He didn't want us to come along and he didn't want to sign the release. I am trying so very hard to not take this personally and to realize that he just wants to be a grownup and have some control over his life. And I'm mostly ok with it. 

He definitely has some add issues, but probably not adhd. It would really explain a lot. Tom really liked the dr. a lot--he said he just gets it. He didn't want to talk about the strategies that they are going to be working on cause he didn't want me to nag him about it. Ok--I asked him to kindly not ever use the word nag in a sentence about me again. I can understand that again he wants to take charge of his life. He told me he was still thinking things through from today--processing--who does that sound like???? 

He did mention medication, but they are a ways from deciding if that is a viable option. I guess there is a newer drug that is pretty effective--but it's still an amphetamine--which I am not too crazy about. We'll see how it goes. Thank goodness we have money to pay for all this--cause between our high deductible and crappy insurance it's mostly going to be out of pocket. 

So, anywho, that's where we are at. DS is going to SC for a few days--leaving Wednesday. Not thrilled about him driving alone, but looking forward to the break. 

Mike had a phone screening with a company in Durham that looks promising. Still not sure how I feel about Durham, but it's closer to the beach and Annapolis and Orlando, and Hershey. (My sister lives in Lititz.) I have another sister who lives and hour or so from Durham. Right now Mike is filling out essay questions. Then they will decide if he gets another interview. 

I'm not really up to talking about all this on the main thread, but I wanted you all to know what was going on. Life is good, just a little chaotic right now. I don't think I realized how worried I was about Tom. And I'm glad he has some answers, but I'm sad he has to deal with this, too. The poor kid has had a lot of health stuff to deal with.

And as for running--who knows. Stupid itband. That's all I'm going to say. Have a great evening.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Sorry for the frustrations Rose.  Im sure its hard to have to sit back and not be completely involved in whats going on with tom.  I commend you for not forcing him to let you in.  

In our office I have seen so many parents do that to their kids when they just want privacy and to be "grown up".  Although I am sure its hard this will actually help him grow as an adult and learn things that he might not have with you being there to tell him what to do.  Im sure once he processess things eventually he will open up to you about it.

Im glad he liked the Dr and hopefully it helps.  

I swear I had ADD as a child and still see some sx as an adult.  I was always a C student but maybe if people were more aware of the disease years ago I could have got A's. 

I often think Ryan is going to end up on meds but it could just be that he is a 6 year old boy, and what 6 year old isnt hyper and inattentive.  So I will give him time.

anyway Im sending lots of hugs your way for all the stuff going on and for the knee issues too.

I did actually get out to run last night and did 36 min.  It was pretty bad.  I was slow and out of breath and tired.  Im so mad that I let myself get to this point again but I am ready to make changes and get back to where I was.

Hello to all the other princessess too!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Thanks Lindsay. 
If it makes you feel any better, I am slow out of breath and tired too. It's beyond frustrating, no matter what the reason. You can get it back and I am thinking your fitness level will come back quickly. It won't be like completely starting over, I don't think. I hope you are really enjoying your week off.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

A quick good morning, Ladies!

I have to attend a meeting this morning, and once I make it in the office we're going out for lunch, so I won't make it on the DIS until this afternoon. 

*Lindsay* -- Conditioning does come back, and it can come in spurts. One day, you will just be able to climb mountains again. It is coming! 

*Rose* --  I am dreading the day when I have to stop being able to have control over ds's big decisions, but I know it's coming, and I do know it's a good thing. It sounds like Tom is being very mature, and this will work out. 

*Nancy* -- I think the Moms run/walk in Central Park sounds like so much fun!  

I am not going to let my disappointment over only a .4 loss since yesterday get me down. I was expecting more, but I had a NSV instead. I ran 4M in under 44 minutes. I know that isn't breaking any land speed records, but it is for me!  And the best part is, I don't feel like I have to lay down now! 

Ok, off to learn about the latest developments in foreclosures in Massachusetts. Yes, it's as fascinating and depressing as it sounds... Hopefully I will be able to read some great DIS posts coming into my e-mail 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi all!

*rose* big hugs! i can only imagine how frustrating this whole thing must be for you. i'm a big time control freak so when the time comes when i can't control my tom's life, it's going to be a big issue for me. i hope that the treatment plan works out and you see some results soon! i think tom being able to do this on his own with the doctor will be a real maturing moment for him!

and yay durham! my best friend lives there and i was just there in april to see her and her new baby! of course, the food there is awesome and fattening but everything else about NC is just so appealing to me. people are NICE! there is parking everyone! traffic is non-existent! and the cost of living is PHENOMENAL! my friend and her hubs bought a really nice and big 4 bedroom house at the end of a cul-de-sac in an absolutely beautiful neighborhood for way LESS than my 800 square foot shack here in the bronx cost! every time i visit her i decided i want to move down to NC. 

only bad part about durham though...DUKE! ew. (hehe, i went to wake so i have to say that!)

*lindsay* i said it on the other thread but i think it's great you went out for 36 min! that's alot! and it's done! it's 36 min of running that is over with! it'll come back. you'll be in your stride before you know it!

*maria* 4 miles in 44 minutes is FAST!! woot!!!! nice work! foreclosures...yay! sounds fun..not.

***

well i looked up the fatty pad injury and plantar facitis (sp?) and they both kind of sound like my problem. ick. but really the treatment sounds the same - rest. ok, i can do that. i mean, i don't want to but considering we're supposed to be breaking humidity records and heat records the next couple of days i think it's best for me not to run. besides, it kills to put weight on my heel so i'm not going anywhere!

t-minus one day til i find out if munchkin #2 is a girl or a boy. well, at least i think i'll be able to find out. might still be early? dunno.


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses!  

*Nancy,* can't wait to hear what they say at your ultrasound today.  I have to confess that when I see ultrasound pics that I can hardly tell one end from the other but the folks who do it every day seem to be able to tell.  Oh, and the story about my friend whose girl turned out to be a 9 pound boy, we'll save that one for the scary birth stories.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lisa* -- I know a crick, and I know what "Bless her little heart" means, too  My extended family is from the other side of Missouri, in the bootheel. They have been known to ask when you-ins, are coming to visit?



Sorry about the stonky run.    Nice to get it out of the way though.  

I'd kind of forgotten about you-ins and if I say "bless your heart" to you I mean it in a nice way -- 'cause I'd never use it the other way to any of you!   

*Rose,* I'm glad that Tom had a good session and likes his doctor.  Add me to the list of folks who will be sad when I have to let DS take control of his own big decisions.  It will be so hard!  

I don't know a thing about North Carolina although I hear it is supposed to be a wonderful place to live.  They always get high ratings for quality of life and cost of living.  

If DS ever meets Mike he will probably talk his ear off as last I heard DS was going to become a physicist and teach at a college.  

*Lindsay,* sounds like you are having a good time with your guys this week.    I think the good news is that it will be easier and faster to get your conditioning back.    At least that what I am hoping for myself!  

I'm hoping to have time to buy some new running shoes this week.  I've had these since November and done two races in them so it is time.  I don't know if I will get Saucony again or not.  I was lucky that I never had my PF flair up again but I did get blisters alot on longer runs regardless of socks, moleskin or body glide.  I'd like to avoid that this time around.  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## lisah0711

*And a very happy birthday to our own, Maria*!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> *And a very happy birthday to our own, Maria*!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIA!!!! 

(do you the rest of you have about 20 people you know with june 8th as their birthday?? what the heck was going on 9 months before that day? it's a very popular bday!)

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

well folks, the ultrasound went really well! everything looks good and was measuring well. the umbilical cord insertion issue that i had with thomas seems to be not the case with this one! woot! baby weighs approximately 5oz (so...um, my 8lb weight gain is not all baby! lol) and is in the 46th percentile. thank goodness! thomas was always in the 3rd or something. 

and lisa, there was no mistaking it when we saw that there was a dinkle between the legs...another boy! you gals may appreciate the fact that my very first thought was, "awesome, disney trips will be so much easier since we won't have to do pirate AND princess stuff!"

and according to maria's wish, i came home and got right on the DIS  only john, the docs, and my BFF sarah (the one who lives in durham, rose) know! 

i feel so...weird right now. lightheaded and dizzy. i know it's just from the nerves. not that i didn't know i was pregnant but knowing the sex and seeing all the different parts of the baby on that ultrasound...it's like, for realz now. ha! 

the doc was sweet and said something about how if the new guy looks anything like thomas we'll be lucky. i mean, she has to say that but it was nice to hear he's a cutie


----------



## lisah0711

dumbo_buddy said:


> well folks, the ultrasound went really well! everything looks good and was measuring well. the umbilical cord insertion issue that i had with thomas seems to be not the case with this one! woot! baby weighs approximately 5oz (so...um, my 8lb weight gain is not all baby! lol) and is in the 46th percentile. thank goodness! thomas was always in the 3rd or something.
> 
> and lisa, there was no mistaking it when we saw that there was a dinkle between the legs...another boy! you gals may appreciate the fact that my very first thought was, "awesome, disney trips will be so much easier since we won't have to do pirate AND princess stuff!"
> 
> and according to maria's wish, i came home and got right on the DIS  only john, the docs, and my BFF sarah (the one who lives in durham, rose) know!
> 
> i feel so...weird right now. lightheaded and dizzy. i know it's just from the nerves. not that i didn't know i was pregnant but knowing the sex and seeing all the different parts of the baby on that ultrasound...it's like, for realz now. ha!
> 
> the doc was sweet and said something about how if the new guy looks anything like thomas we'll be lucky. i mean, she has to say that but it was nice to hear he's a cutie



I'm so happy for you, Nancy.    I hope that you are feeling better soon.  I'm sure you are right and it is nerves and excitement.  I think that it is just a relief to see that little one and know he's all right.  

And just think not only can you skip the Princess thing but hand me downs!    Lindsay will be able to give you tips about having two boys.  

Take it easy today and enjoy!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Happy Birthday Maria!!!*  



Worfiedoodles said:


> I am not going to let my disappointment over only a .4 loss since yesterday get me down. I was expecting more, but I had a NSV instead. I ran 4M in under 44 minutes. I know that isn't breaking any land speed records, but it is for me!  And the best part is, I don't feel like I have to lay down now!
> 
> Maria


Woohoo! Congrats on the run! And you made me smile with the part about wanting to lay down. I had to lay down after almost every long run last summer--thank you gluten intolerance. It's nice to finish a run and not feel beat to death!



dumbo_buddy said:


> hi all!
> 
> [and yay durham! my best friend lives there and i was just there in april to see her and her new baby! of course, the food there is awesome and fattening but everything else about NC is just so appealing to me. people are NICE! there is parking everyone! traffic is non-existent! and the cost of living is PHENOMENAL! my friend and her hubs bought a really nice and big 4 bedroom house at the end of a cul-de-sac in an absolutely beautiful neighborhood for way LESS than my 800 square foot shack here in the bronx cost! every time i visit her i decided i want to move down to NC.
> 
> only bad part about durham though...DUKE! ew. (hehe, i went to wake so i have to say that!)


I have been looking up stuff about durham and it looks like it would be good. They seem to be pretty health conscious--the company that Mike is talking to has a gym onsite that families can use too. We have mixed feelings cause I think we would both like to be further south, but we are pretty young still, so we could do this for a while and then still move again. He is very interested in this company--it sounds like a great opportunity. He has not heard from the hiring manager of the position wi/ his company that's in FL. They gave him permission to apply for it, but I wonder if there is some internal wrangling going on--cause they don't want him to go. He said if he doesn't get an interview for this position, he won't get one for any outside of his core business cause he is a perfect match for this position. So then that will make the decision to move to NC (if it gets that far) a lot easier.



lisah0711 said:


> I don't know a thing about North Carolina although I hear it is supposed to be a wonderful place to live.  They always get high ratings for quality of life and cost of living.
> 
> If DS ever meets Mike he will probably talk his ear off as last I heard DS was going to become a physicist and teach at a college.
> 
> I'm hoping to have time to buy some new running shoes this week.  I've had these since November and done two races in them so it is time.  I don't know if I will get Saucony again or not.  I was lucky that I never had my PF flair up again but I did get blisters alot on longer runs regardless of socks, moleskin or body glide.  I'd like to avoid that this time around.
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!


I love getting new shoes! I always put them on and say--wow my old shoes really were worn out! 

I wanted Mike to get his graduate degree in electrical engineering--cause he is really into ee. But, he had a limited amount of time and we would have had to take loans to make it through an extra year. The physics degree was easier for him. How many people can say that? There aren't a lot of people walking around with grad degrees in physics--most people get a phd and the thought is that you only get a masters if you couldn't get a phd--the new company wanted to know what his gpa was.





dumbo_buddy said:


> HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIA!!!!
> 
> (do you the rest of you have about 20 people you know with june 8th as their birthday?? what the heck was going on 9 months before that day? it's a very popular bday!)
> 
> **********************************
> 
> well folks, the ultrasound went really well! everything looks good and was measuring well. the umbilical cord insertion issue that i had with thomas seems to be not the case with this one! woot! baby weighs approximately 5oz (so...um, my 8lb weight gain is not all baby! lol) and is in the 46th percentile. thank goodness! thomas was always in the 3rd or something.
> 
> and lisa, there was no mistaking it when we saw that there was a dinkle between the legs...another boy! you gals may appreciate the fact that my very first thought was, "awesome, disney trips will be so much easier since we won't have to do pirate AND princess stuff!"
> 
> and according to maria's wish, i came home and got right on the DIS  only john, the docs, and my BFF sarah (the one who lives in durham, rose) know!
> 
> i feel so...weird right now. lightheaded and dizzy. i know it's just from the nerves. not that i didn't know i was pregnant but knowing the sex and seeing all the different parts of the baby on that ultrasound...it's like, for realz now. ha!
> 
> the doc was sweet and said something about how if the new guy looks anything like thomas we'll be lucky. i mean, she has to say that but it was nice to hear he's a cutie


Congrats Nancy! Another boy, you can stay part of the club. Take it easy today and feel better!

******
I am feeling discombobulated today. DS is on his way to SC for a couple of days. Not happy about his driving through the mountains by himself, but THRILLED to have a few hours to myself. The stress of the last couple days was getting to me a bit.

Some bits and pieces are coming out about the dr visit on Monday. Like--he needs to eat 3 meals a day and get 8 hours of sleep a night.---Seriously, I have been saying that for years but I have to pay someone how much money so that he would listen???? I am smiling as I type this but it is just a tiny bit (ok a huge bit) annoying. The important thing is DS is feeling better about himself and hopeful, which has been concerning us. He was cranky this morning, so I was happy to see his car leave. He kept taking stuff out to his car last night and I asked him if he was coming back and he said, yep I have to go to my shrink on Tuesday.

Thanks for all the positive comments. It is hard to back off--sometimes I do better than others--but I think this is going to be a positive experience for him. 

We ran last night--3 miles. It was HOT--in the 90s. But it went ok. My itband has been tight, so I was nervous. I have been thinking about the fact that the chiro was encouraging me to take more time off, and I've decided since it's summer I would rather plug along at 3-5 miles and be outside this summer than take time off so that I could be running when it's cold again. Does that make sense? I'm still hoping I can keep increasing my distance, but if I can't, I can't. Mentally I just need to be outside running this summer, if at all possible. It's keeping me sane.

There was a girl who was run/walking and she kept holding her hip in the same place that I hold mine when my itband is bothering me. When she stopped running I stopped to talk to her and asked her if her about it. She had knee pain, hip pain, etc in all the right places. I told her to google it before it gets so bad she has to stop running. I think it had been bothering her for a while but she had no idea what was causing it.

So, today I am supposed to work out and work on purging--we are acting like we are moving and getting rid of a bunch of stuff--and it's been strangely freeing. Right now, I am having trouble getting motivated though!

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Thanks Lindsay.
> If it makes you feel any better, I am slow out of breath and tired too. It's beyond frustrating, no matter what the reason. You can get it back and I am thinking your fitness level will come back quickly. It won't be like completely starting over, I don't think. I hope you are really enjoying your week off.





Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lindsay* -- Conditioning does come back, and it can come in spurts. One day, you will just be able to climb mountains again. It is coming!



Thanks so much for the words of encouragement.  I hope you are thinking right rose....I was really hoping that the heat may have had a part in it too.  This was my first run in 70+ weather and it was 82 when I ran.



dumbo_buddy said:


> and yay durham! my best friend lives there and i was just there in april to see her and her new baby! of course, the food there is awesome and fattening but everything else about NC is just so appealing to me. people are NICE! there is parking everyone! traffic is non-existent! and the cost of living is PHENOMENAL! my friend and her hubs bought a really nice and big 4 bedroom house at the end of a cul-de-sac in an absolutely beautiful neighborhood for way LESS than my 800 square foot shack here in the bronx cost! every time i visit her i decided i want to move down to NC.



Boy Durham sounds so nice I think I would love to move there.  Rose I forgot to ask but I am assuming this would be so much closer to Toms's school too?



lisah0711 said:


> I'm hoping to have time to buy some new running shoes this week.  I've had these since November and done two races in them so it is time.  I don't know if I will get Saucony again or not.  I was lucky that I never had my PF flair up again but I did get blisters alot on longer runs regardless of socks, moleskin or body glide.  I'd like to avoid that this time around.
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!



I hope you find some good shoes.  I really need a new pair myself.  I bought mine in nov. too.



dumbo_buddy said:


> and lisa, there was no mistaking it when we saw that there was a dinkle between the legs...another boy! you gals may appreciate the fact that my very first thought was, "awesome, disney trips will be so much easier since we won't have to do pirate AND princess stuff!"



Oh that is so exciting and you totally had a different reaction than I did when I found out #2 was a boy.  I sat there and cried and then cried because I felt bad crying.  I wanted to do the princessy stuff but now my boys are just stuck with doing things semi girly with me.  Like for instance I told them all next trip to disney we are eating at cinderella's royal table and they will just have to put a smile on and deal with it.

I was so excited reading this that I teared up but Im sure that doesnt surprise you....I cry at everything.



lisah0711 said:


> And just think not only can you skip the Princess thing but hand me downs!    Lindsay will be able to give you tips about having two boys.



My tips are: clear out your living room, buy ear plugs, make sure you have a good insurance plan with a low ER copay, embrace in all your coolness now because once they hit kindergarten mom's are no longer cool and Dad's rock, ummm I am sure I will think of more.

The best thing I have found about 2 boys close in age is the great relationships that they form.  My boys fight and bicker like brothers will but they also love each other to death too.  I love to watch all the fun games they make up...like Bro's...Im not sure what it is but I always hear them saying "lets play Bro's". 

Im so happy for you.



Rose&Mike said:


> [There was a girl who was run/walking and she kept holding her hip in the same place that I hold mine when my itband is bothering me. When she stopped running I stopped to talk to her and asked her if her about it. She had knee pain, hip pain, etc in all the right places. I told her to google it before it gets so bad she has to stop running. I think it had been bothering her for a while but she had no idea what was causing it.



You are so sweet Rose.  Always helping others.  Im glad your run went ok and you will get your endurance back again too.  I really think we need to factor in this 90 degree weather too.  I hope your break from Tom will give you so rest and peace.  Have fun purging.  that sounds fun.

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

Boys is it hot here today.  High of 94 but I think it currently feels like 100.  My dh gave me a to do list before he left of watering the flowers, putting his wash in the dryer, and taking out the garbage in the bath and bedrooms.  I just laughed.  I got all of it done plus some so I texted him and said cinderella has been busy and the work is done, now I am just waiting for my prince to come.  He cracked up!

We have such a backwards relationship sometimes.  He has been doing all the cleaning and straightening lately and then gives me honey to do lists.  I think it is usually the other way around but Im not complaining.  

We now are just relaxing and will be going to the minor league baseball game tonight.  Im excited because it is my first game of the season.  The boys have already gone once.  I would like to go alot more but financially just cant.  I was looking at things and realized that in 2 years our car will be paid off, a loan will be paid off, and daycare costs will drop by 720 dollars a month.  I am going to feel like a freakin millionaire.  So maybe in two years we can get a season ticket package and go to alot more games. 

Wow I guess I am a bit chatty today.  Its amazing how good I feel after just eating better, drinking water, and exercising for two days.  I forgot how great it makes me feel!

Before I go.....I have to say.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Wow, you guys, Thank You So Much for all the wonderful Birthday Wishes! I have a lot more I want to say but I am literally shoving hummus and veggies in my mouth so I can eat before my next meeting...

Very quickly, Congratulations, Nancy! He's going to be another cutie, I can just tell! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

I know you won't see this it tomorrow, but 
HaPpY BiRtHdAy MaRiA!!!!!!
I hope you have a lovely day fit for the princess that you are.

Good afternoon princess friends.

I haven't been feeling very chatty the past couple days, and been a bit stressed with work stuff, and emotional with my mom's anniversary coming up, crazy busy with baseball,  but I've been trying to read and keep up on you all.  I so wish I could have you all over for beergaritas.   

Congratulations Nancy on your son!!  Loved the ultrasound picture.  So beautiful, and that little hand so amazingly clear.  So happy for you that you stay in the mom of boys club.  

*Rose*- So glad that ds seems to be doing well taking control of his health, and I'm sure it is so hard for you to step back, and let him hear ans listen to this new doc tell him what you've been telling him before, but I'd think that is normal.  I hope you enjoy some relaxing time while he is away.  Thank you so much for the support.  I just read this post you replied to me on the other thread,





> I feel like I am slowly creating the person I want to be, too. You can do it, Kathy!


 and I started to cry.  Just one of those days, but it's so nice to know I am not alone.  

*Lisa*- Hope all is well in your neck of the woods too. 

*Lindsay*- Hope you're enjoying your vacation week. 

Gotta run.  Going to let michael swim at his cousins' before baseball to cool off.  It's going to be a hot one at the field.  

Have a great evening, princesses, and thank you each and everyone of you for being here for me.  I love you guys.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> I haven't been feeling very chatty the past couple days, and been a bit stressed with work stuff, and emotional with my mom's anniversary coming up, crazy busy with baseball,  but I've been trying to read and keep up on you all.  I so wish I could have you all over for beergaritas.



hugs, kathy.  i'm sorry you're feeling stressed with work and sad about your mom. it must be hard. i know those funks. the ones where you just don't feel like talking to anyone. feel better. a beergarita sound nice


----------



## Rose&Mike

But--g-f beer, right, Kathy? Hang in there. I have been in one of those funks on occasion this spring. Ok, for a lot of the spring. Hang in there.

*****
Just ate an entire g-f cupcake. I wanted it all day. It was like a siren's call from my freezer. I think I am just having trouble decompressing from everything that has been going on. It doesn't mean I'm falling completely off the wagon, I need to keep telling myself that.


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Pretty Princesses!  

*Rose,*  for Mike that everything works out on the job front and will work for you.  There may be some HH points in your future, hmmm? They always ask for GPA and class rank in connection with law degrees, too, I think it's silly except at the entry level but what do I know? 

Considering all that went on in your life this spring and where you are now, I would say that you are never falling off the wagon again so don't worry when you indulge yourself every once in awhile.  

I think running outside and taking it easy is a great idea, especially in the heat and humidity.  

*Lindsay,* it sounds like you are enjoying your staycation this week.   It's too bad that it is so darn hot though.  

*Maria,* sounds like you were working entirely too hard on your birthday yesterday.  Hope you can get a break and relax sometime soon!  

*Nancy,* your little one looks cute!  That is a great picture with the wave!   

*Kathy,* sorry about the work stress.    I'm sure the heat and humidity doesn't help.  

I caught some nasty sinus bug this week so will postpone my training start until next week.  I just can't run with a rock bouncing around in my head.  

Have a great day, Princesses!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> I caught some nasty sinus bug this week so will postpone my training start until next week.  I just can't run with a rock bouncing around in my head.
> 
> Have a great day, Princesses!



Ahh I hope you feel better soon Lisa.



ROSE- Last night our team was playing the Durham Bulls so the good news if Mike does get that job you will still have minor league baseball.  I also wonder if this is a sign for you.....What are the chances that the one game I get to their playing durham right after all this discussion about it.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning Patient Princess Pals! 

Yep, yesterday was a doozie...but I'm here now!

*Lindsay* -- It sounds like you are making the most of your staycation. I have one of those coming up at the end of the summer, I wonder what it will feel like to sleep in for more than one day at a time? Of course, that's assuming Spock allows it. He tends to nuzzle me (yes, he is a cat), until I have no choice but to give him attention. 

*Lisa* -- I am so sorry you aren't feeling well. I agree it is much better to wait to start until you feel like you can move again. You would just make yourself crazy trying to do something when your body says 

*Rose* -- You had a cupcake to celebrate my birthday, that was so sweet!  You are the least likely person I know to fall off the wagon. You might calmly step out of the drivers box for moment, but you do stay on the wagon! 

*Nancy* -- I am so excited you're having another little guy! Yea, you get to stay in the club!  Seriously, we'd all be plying you with all those great princess ideas we never got to use if you were having a girl. It's all good! I think that sweet little hand is saying, "Hey, I'm Here!" I predict this guy is going to enjoy being the center of attention. Ok, my ds is 13, why is it that when I even think about that newborn cry I try to "let down"?! I breastfed for the blink of an eye, for goodness sake! 

*Kathy* -- Did you enjoy the brief respite from the heat this morning? It's supposed to crank back up to 96 by the end of the day. I completely empathize with the way you are feeling. It's like I have a million things to do, I know I should be starting something -- and something big, not cleaning out my underwear drawer like I did last week  -- but I just can't seem to get the momentum moving forward. 

Well, I'm going to draw from the organizational challenge this week. Cleaning the sink in the evening is remarkably like "shining your sink"...yep, I've decided to go back to the FlyLady way. I was quite devoted at one point, and I've kept a lot of her plans going, but I've also let an awful lot slide. I think I need to have zones to do each week and daily reminders to keep me focused. I do a morning routine, and I need to get back to after work and before bed. I think with that type of discipline, I will get my house back where I want it, my weight loss moving in the right direction, and bring some more peace back into my life. 

I did not get up and run this morning, it was raining and my eyes felt like they had sand in them, so I knew contacts weren't happening. I think I was outside entirely too much yesterday. I've been avoiding my allergy medication because it dries out my eyes. I don't even have any that hasn't expired, it's been so long since I purchased it. I think I'm going to have to get some more and just take it on days when I know I will be outside a lot. Yesterday I had two meetings out of the office and I spent about 2 hours outside coming and going. 

Anyway, I have a webinar this afternoon, so I get to stay at my desk. I only have to leave to go to our employee benefits fair. I'm mainly going to sign up for the raffles, they have some good stuff. I get my benefits through dh, he's in a much larger pool so the rates are better. They also provide a free catered lunch, we'll see if I'm lured into eating it 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> I caught some nasty sinus bug this week so will postpone my training start until next week.  I just can't run with a rock bouncing around in my head.
> 
> Have a great day, Princesses!



yuck! i hope the sinus thing goes away quickly. my go to plan was always a sudafed and an aleve combined. i swear it helps! seems to relieve the pressure a good deal. feel better. 

i agree about waiting til it passes to start training. it is VERY painful to run when you feel like your face will explode!!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> ROSE- Last night our team was playing the Durham Bulls so the good news if Mike does get that job you will still have minor league baseball.  I also wonder if this is a sign for you.....What are the chances that the one game I get to their playing durham right after all this discussion about it.



that DOES sound like a sign to me! very strange how things like that happen. the other day i was typing on here and wrote "things i do when i'm feeling down" and then as soon as i said that the tv said, "things i do when i'm feeling down" sheesh - it was like i knew!!

how was the game?? i'm trying to get to a met game but they don't play a home day game for another two weeks! 



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Nancy* -- I am so excited you're having another little guy! Yea, you get to stay in the club!  Seriously, we'd all be plying you with all those great princess ideas we never got to use if you were having a girl. It's all good! I think that sweet little hand is saying, "Hey, I'm Here!" I predict this guy is going to enjoy being the center of attention. Ok, my ds is 13, why is it that when I even think about that newborn cry I try to "let down"?! I breastfed for the blink of an eye, for goodness sake!
> 
> 
> Well, I'm going to draw from the organizational challenge this week. Cleaning the sink in the evening is remarkably like "shining your sink"...yep, I've decided to go back to the FlyLady way. I was quite devoted at one point, and I've kept a lot of her plans going, but I've also let an awful lot slide. I think I need to have zones to do each week and daily reminders to keep me focused. I do a morning routine, and I need to get back to after work and before bed. I think with that type of discipline, I will get my house back where I want it, my weight loss moving in the right direction, and bring some more peace back into my life.
> 
> I did not get up and run this morning, it was raining and my eyes felt like they had sand in them, so I knew contacts weren't happening. I think I was outside entirely too much yesterday. I've been avoiding my allergy medication because it dries out my eyes. I don't even have any that hasn't expired, it's been so long since I purchased it. I think I'm going to have to get some more and just take it on days when I know I will be outside a lot. Yesterday I had two meetings out of the office and I spent about 2 hours outside coming and going.
> 
> Anyway, I have a webinar this afternoon, so I get to stay at my desk. I only have to leave to go to our employee benefits fair. I'm mainly going to sign up for the raffles, they have some good stuff. I get my benefits through dh, he's in a much larger pool so the rates are better. They also provide a free catered lunch, we'll see if I'm lured into eating it
> 
> Maria



it's funny, i was already dreading going to bibiti boppiti boutique with my little girl. lol! so i'm glad it's a boy. i can get way more into the pirate stuff! plus johnny depp is just gorgeous!

i breastfed thomas until two days before the princess half marathon! going away for the weekend was finally my getaway so i could stop! of course, stopping the bf'ing was what made that little eggie pop out and get me knocked up! i still feel a little b**b pinch when i start to cry or hear a baby cry. 

ok, what is this flylady thing? sounds like some organizational thing to keep the house in order?? if so, i need that. like, big time. my house is only 800 square feet for goodness sakes and i still can't keep up. we are doing a huge purge of junk this weekend and cleaning from top to bottom. this place is a disgrace. 

***

after my getting-to-be-a-bad-habit evening of munching, i really needed to get out and move. but it's going to be 98 here today! and the humidity is horrible! so i knew i better get out early. i didn't even bother trying to run. my foot still feels a little weird and i just didn't want to push it in the heat. i pushed thomas around in the jogger and managed to walk 3.6 miles. it took me an hour to do it! that's not even fast enough to not get swept at a WDW race! still, it's not like i'd be pushing a stroller! 

i have some chicken that i need to make tonight though i need some canned soup for what i want to make so i'll have to go out again. yuck. i'm driving to the store though. it's only a mile away and i usually walk but with this heat i'm pretty sure i'd wind up in flames!

hope everyone has a great day!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

dumbo_buddy said:


> ok, what is this flylady thing? sounds like some organizational thing to keep the house in order?? if so, i need that. like, big time. my house is only 800 square feet for goodness sakes and i still can't keep up. we are doing a huge purge of junk this weekend and cleaning from top to bottom. this place is a disgrace.



www.flylady.net

It's a system for getting and keeping your home clean and yourself organized. I know it's way early yet, but the Holiday guide is invaluable to me. I'm able to keep all my holiday information in the same place and I don't lose my mind between Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

You can sign up for e-mails, or just follow along on her website. I like getting the e-mail reminders, it's a good prompt for me to do something rather than get in my pjs and get in bed minutes after I get home from work 

Maria


----------



## flipflopmom

Hey everyone.  I hope you don't mind my intrusion here. I admit, I feel like a bit of a poser, since I have never ran a princess, but I have 2 princesses of my own, so does that count?  Of course, that alone might be grounds for exclusion since I would be the only mother of girls here...

Rose invited me to stop by here, as I desperately need to rekindle my BL friendships and have the contact, but the summer challenge is just wayyy more than I have time to deal with right now.  I miss you all so much, that I just went back and read postings since April to catch up.

Rose - Lots of  to you!  I think I've mentioned before that AK has ADHD, and you all know I do.  We finally had to resort to meds in 3rd grade.  We don't do summers, and I wanted to look at some dietary options for her to see if that helps.  We tried the fish oil, which is supposed to help, but with her gag/texture issues couldn't do it.  I've also heard the g-f can help.  I may need some advice on that.  She's a carb freak, and pretty much lives on bread, cereal, and some fruit and lettuce, due to aforementioned texture issues.  She won't eat any meat except grilled chicken and bacon.  She likes some fruit, and occasionally broccoli, carrots, cauliflower.  She'll eat some yogurt, but won't do smoothies because of the texture of the pulp.  Has to have pulp free oj, too.  LOTS of issues in that little package.  Her emotions run HIGH all the times, and with the impulse control stuff, speaks before she thinks.  Long story short, I know what you are going through, I live it.  Let me know if I can help, and please share anything you think will be helpful.  I HATE giving her meds, but her grades, peer relationships, and self-esteem suffer so badly we felt like we didn't have a choice.  I'd love to get her off...

AND DURHAM!!!!  HECK TO THE YEAH!!!!!  That's only a couple of hours from me.  We could meet in the middle!!!  Sending pixie dust.  I agree with Nancy, yuk to Duke, but we go down for VT games!  

Speaking of Nancy - I've been told you are very nice, I agree with that from what I've read.  Congrats on the baby. I hope you'll be accepting of this Hokie!    When did you guys grad from Wake?  One of our good friends went there, baseball player.  I only live an hour north of there!

Maria - Happy Belated birthday!    I love flylady, too, but I've had to let that go, too.  I just delete the emails without even opening them. Don't need the reminders or guilt at how much class has consumed me!

Kathy -  to you.  With father's day coming up, I get it.  I said a prayer for you on Mother's Day.  You guys aren't far from my minds, ever.  

Lisa - didn't read back far enough to see why you were disappointed w/ Princess, but that's water on the bridge now!  CONGRATS on your race!  So proud of you!  I still haven't ever done any races at all.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I'll need to start back at the beginning of couch to 5K just to run at all.  You're my hero!!!!

And Linds, my soul sister - why must we be so alike?  Although, I've got you beat because I'm up 20 alzdsk.tvbhfhbsldkh pounds from my lowest.  TOM's here, so I am hoping that I can be closer to 17 when he makes his departure.  I need your encouragement to get this stuff gone!  We can do it.  So glad DH found a new job, hope it turns out good.  And you will be a millionaire in 2 years!  What a rainbow at the end of the rain!    We'll have 3 loan/car payments/ etc. gone then, too.  Of course, now AK needs braces.....

So, I hope you don't mind my intrusion as an honorary princess.  This thread meets my needs right now of friendship and motivation, on a smaller, more intimate scale.  

Taryn


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

flipflopmom said:


> So, I hope you don't mind my intrusion as an honorary princess.  This thread meets my needs right now of friendship and motivation, on a smaller, more intimate scale.
> 
> Taryn



I am so glad you joined us here and I am sure that I can speak for everyone and say you are more than welcome to join us on the princess thread.  I think we need to continue to remain soul sisters and loose the unwanted pounds this summer together.  I have really missed talking to you and hearing your rants and vents about things.  I hope brads job is going better and that with summer approaching you have more time for yourself.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ahh I hope you feel better soon Lisa.



Thanks, Lindsay!    I'm so glad that you are enjoying your week with your boys, even if it is so dang hot!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lisa* -- I am so sorry you aren't feeling well. I agree it is much better to wait to start until you feel like you can move again. You would just make yourself crazy trying to do something when your body says



Thanks, Maria!    I really don't want to start this next training cycle off on a bad note.  Don't want a bad vibe all summer!  

I do like a lot of Flylady's stuff, too, Maria.  She has a ton of great tips and tricks.  I can't do the whole system though because it all goes to heck in a handbasket if I do my zones once a month.  So I do the "daily hotel clean" which is swooping through every day and doing a little bit of straightening and shining.  I seem to be able to keep up better that way.  But I think it is like losing weight -- there is no right or wrong way but it is just a matter of figuring out what works for you! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> yuck! i hope the sinus thing goes away quickly. my go to plan was always a sudafed and an aleve combined. i swear it helps! seems to relieve the pressure a good deal. feel better.
> 
> i agree about waiting til it passes to start training. it is VERY painful to run when you feel like your face will explode!!
> 
> that DOES sound like a sign to me! very strange how things like that happen. the other day i was typing on here and wrote "things i do when i'm feeling down" and then as soon as i said that the tv said, "things i do when i'm feeling down" sheesh - it was like i knew!!!



Well, I'm glad that you didn't use your clairvoyant powers to make my face explode, Nancy!    I am trying your Sudafed/Aleve combo this morning so thanks for the advice.    My sinuses are getting better and my hips don't really mind an extra few days before I start running again.  

Hope you and Thomas can find a way to stay cool today!  

*Taryn,* it's so nice to see you!    Of course you can be an honorary Princess!    And you aren't the only one with daughters --  Jen and Jude have daughters.  Not to mention that you will hear us talk about our boys and be glad that you have girls -- or wish you had boys depending on the day!   

My deal with the Princess was that I was swept for being too darn slow.  You are right it is water under the bridge and I'm going to try another Disney race in January the Tinker Bell Half and I'm feeling good about that.    I grew up in Anaheim and DL is my "home" (I mean even before DVC came along ) so it all makes cosmic sense to me.  

I'm glad that things are going better at Brad's job.  It is tough times at workplaces for everyone now.  That is why we are selling our office building to try and reduce our overhead.  Thank goodness for DVC and our family philosophy that we have to take vacations no matter what because you just don't know what will happen in this life.  

I hear you on the braces   DS has them now.  He was so excited when he came back from his last appointment saying "I'll get my braces off next summer!"  And all I could think was "Can I pay them off by then?!?"   

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Worfiedoodles said:


> www.flylady.net
> 
> It's a system for getting and keeping your home clean and yourself organized. I know it's way early yet, but the Holiday guide is invaluable to me. I'm able to keep all my holiday information in the same place and I don't lose my mind between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
> 
> You can sign up for e-mails, or just follow along on her website. I like getting the e-mail reminders, it's a good prompt for me to do something rather than get in my pjs and get in bed minutes after I get home from work
> 
> Maria



i just briefly checked out her website and i like it. i need a system. this house is really gross. i'm going to start a few things today and them tomorrow will be a day of cleaning. it's supposed to rain anyway so i won't feel like i'm wasting the day. it's just hard to clean when the house is so darn small and i can't put the toddler someplace to play!

if i have a plan i think i can stick to it. my mother was like a crazy person as far as always cleaning so i have a total mental block. thing is, living like a pig is ok for a 21 year old in her own apt but not ok for a mom!



flipflopmom said:


> Hey everyone.  I hope you don't mind my intrusion here. I admit, I feel like a bit of a poser, since I have never ran a princess, but I have 2 princesses of my own, so does that count?  Of course, that alone might be grounds for exclusion since I would be the only mother of girls here...
> 
> Rose invited me to stop by here, as I desperately need to rekindle my BL friendships and have the contact, but the summer challenge is just wayyy more than I have time to deal with right now.  I miss you all so much, that I just went back and read postings since April to catch up.
> 
> Rose - Lots of  to you!  I think I've mentioned before that AK has ADHD, and you all know I do.  We finally had to resort to meds in 3rd grade.  We don't do summers, and I wanted to look at some dietary options for her to see if that helps.  We tried the fish oil, which is supposed to help, but with her gag/texture issues couldn't do it.  I've also heard the g-f can help.  I may need some advice on that.  She's a carb freak, and pretty much lives on bread, cereal, and some fruit and lettuce, due to aforementioned texture issues.  She won't eat any meat except grilled chicken and bacon.  She likes some fruit, and occasionally broccoli, carrots, cauliflower.  She'll eat some yogurt, but won't do smoothies because of the texture of the pulp.  Has to have pulp free oj, too.  LOTS of issues in that little package.  Her emotions run HIGH all the times, and with the impulse control stuff, speaks before she thinks.  Long story short, I know what you are going through, I live it.  Let me know if I can help, and please share anything you think will be helpful.  I HATE giving her meds, but her grades, peer relationships, and self-esteem suffer so badly we felt like we didn't have a choice.  I'd love to get her off...
> 
> AND DURHAM!!!!  HECK TO THE YEAH!!!!!  That's only a couple of hours from me.  We could meet in the middle!!!  Sending pixie dust.  I agree with Nancy, yuk to Duke, but we go down for VT games!
> 
> Speaking of Nancy - I've been told you are very nice, I agree with that from what I've read.  Congrats on the baby. I hope you'll be accepting of this Hokie!    When did you guys grad from Wake?  One of our good friends went there, baseball player.  I only live an hour north of there!
> 
> Maria - Happy Belated birthday!    I love flylady, too, but I've had to let that go, too.  I just delete the emails without even opening them. Don't need the reminders or guilt at how much class has consumed me!
> 
> Kathy -  to you.  With father's day coming up, I get it.  I said a prayer for you on Mother's Day.  You guys aren't far from my minds, ever.
> 
> Lisa - didn't read back far enough to see why you were disappointed w/ Princess, but that's water on the bridge now!  CONGRATS on your race!  So proud of you!  I still haven't ever done any races at all.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I'll need to start back at the beginning of couch to 5K just to run at all.  You're my hero!!!!
> 
> And Linds, my soul sister - why must we be so alike?  Although, I've got you beat because I'm up 20 alzdsk.tvbhfhbsldkh pounds from my lowest.  TOM's here, so I am hoping that I can be closer to 17 when he makes his departure.  I need your encouragement to get this stuff gone!  We can do it.  So glad DH found a new job, hope it turns out good.  And you will be a millionaire in 2 years!  What a rainbow at the end of the rain!    We'll have 3 loan/car payments/ etc. gone then, too.  Of course, now AK needs braces.....
> 
> So, I hope you don't mind my intrusion as an honorary princess.  This thread meets my needs right now of friendship and motivation, on a smaller, more intimate scale.
> 
> Taryn



hi taryn! nice to "meet" you!! i am TOTALLY ok with being friends with a hokie. i mean, anyone who hates duke is a friend of mine! lol! do you live by VT? my friend from wake's dad teaches there (or used to? they live in roanoke now).  i graduated in '02. hubby didn't go to wake, he went to a C.U.N.Y. school downtown (baruch). my friend scott who went to wake with me is moving to charlotte and i'm jealous of his vicinity not only to school but to bojangles and chick fil a! 

oh, and i totally must have fooled whoever said i was nice  i DO live in the bronx and we're not known for being all that nice! haha only kidding!

looking forward to chit chatting with you. the BL princess thread is alot more manageable right now. i like the bigger thread but it's hard to keep up! and that's saying alot because 1) i'm a SAHM and 2) i have no life other than to play on the computer! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I am so glad you joined us here and I am sure that I can speak for everyone and say you are more than welcome to join us on the princess thread.  I think we need to continue to remain soul sisters and loose the unwanted pounds this summer together.  I have really missed talking to you and hearing your rants and vents about things.  I hope brads job is going better and that with summer approaching you have more time for yourself.



yes! agree! more than welcome 



lisah0711 said:


> I do like a lot of Flylady's stuff, too, Maria.  She has a ton of great tips and tricks.  I can't do the whole system though because it all goes to heck in a handbasket if I do my zones once a month.  So I do the "daily hotel clean" which is swooping through every day and doing a little bit of straightening and shining.  I seem to be able to keep up better that way.  But I think it is like losing weight -- there is no right or wrong way but it is just a matter of figuring out what works for you!
> 
> 
> Well, I'm glad that you didn't use your clairvoyant powers to make my face explode, Nancy!    I am trying your Sudafed/Aleve combo this morning so thanks for the advice.    My sinuses are getting better and my hips don't really mind an extra few days before I start running again.
> 
> Hope you and Thomas can find a way to stay cool today!
> 
> My deal with the Princess was that I was swept for being too darn slow.  You are right it is water under the bridge and I'm going to try another Disney race in January the Tinker Bell Half and I'm feeling good about that.    I grew up in Anaheim and DL is my "home" (I mean even before DVC came along ) so it all makes cosmic sense to me.
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!



i need to get in the habit of doing some cleaning every day. i get so down because i have a disgusting non-stop shedding white bulldog and i can't keep up with the hair. i will sweep at least 2x/day and the hair is STILL all over the place. love the dog but lately i really want to give her to our friends. 

i didn't know you grew up in anaheim! very cool! i wish i lived closer to a disney park. i would really like to visit DL sometime and see the original house of mouse! maybe one day i'll do the tinkerbell half! i like tink 

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

ah it is much cooler than yesterday. still hot as heck but not too bad! i got thomas out in the jogger this morning and started off running. well, barely half a mile in i felt a little crampy. i don't know if maybe i just had to pee or if maybe my running capris are getting a little too tight around the middle or what. i decided to start walking after a mile and after a few minutes of walking the cramping was gone. i really wanted to run but if walking feels better than so be it. i walked 4 miles in an hour. i'm not breaking records but my body is moving for an hour and that's 4 miles i don't have to do again!

i just typed this big long thing about maybe/maybe not moving but it made no sense and was boring so i deleted it. you're welcome. 

have a great day everyone! i'm off to sweep the floors now!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--where are you??? I hope everything is ok and you are just having a bleh week. Thinking about you. Actually what I hope is that you are having a fabulous week and that you are just too busy for us.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> ROSE- Last night our team was playing the Durham Bulls so the good news if Mike does get that job you will still have minor league baseball.  I also wonder if this is a sign for you.....What are the chances that the one game I get to their playing durham right after all this discussion about it.


Too funny! When we said Durham to Tom he said--You are NOT going to be Bulls Fans! It's kind of cool cause we are all in the International League so we would still get to see the same teams play!

*Maria*--I hope your eyes/allergies are feeling better. So did you do anything fun for your birthday?

*Lisa*--I'm glad you are starting to feel better.



dumbo_buddy said:


> it's funny, i was already dreading going to bibiti boppiti boutique with my little girl. lol! so i'm glad it's a boy. i can get way more into the pirate stuff! plus johnny depp is just gorgeous!


 So when I was pregnant with Tom I really wanted a girl. Really, really, really wanted a girl. After being in labor for over a day (long story) I told Mike I knew it was a dumb boy baby cause a girl would not do this to me. Anyhow, I am so GLAD I had a boy. While I like being the Princess of the house, I do prefer doing boy stuff!

*Taryn*--so glad you are here! We have all missed you. This is just a good girlfriend party now! I'm so glad the stuff with Brad's job worked out. Thanks for the add info. The whole thing is upsetting me more than I thought it would. I saw on the other thread where you talked about your upcoming trip--too exciting! And the idea of Durham is starting to grow on us, but who knows if it will work out. I thought of you right away and wondered how close you all were. And as for Duke--Mike is first and foremost a Navy fan, but he and Tom LOVE UK basketball--so you know how we feel about Duke at our house. I told Mike wherever we end up my Carolina Gamecock flag is going up immediately so there is no doubt who we root for during football season!

*******
Ok, so I just typed up a major rant, but decided not to bore you all with the details. Suffice it to say, things are a little rough at our house right now. I had a huge meltdown last night. There are going to need to be some MAJOR attitude adjustments or it's going to get ugly--and I'm not talking about Mike. 

At what point do our 20 yo children need to be responsible for themselves?  Mike and I started talking about the fact that maybe Tom needs to be contributing a little bit to his therapy/ and meds if he needs them. I know that might sound harsh, but there's a very long history here. I have the means to pay for this, but it's somewhat about taking responsibility for yourself and learning to be more respectful to (in this case) your parents. And losing the nonchalant attitude about money. (Again not Mike.) It could get interesting. 


Have a great day everyone.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, I really need to get a life......



dumbo_buddy said:


> oh, and i totally must have fooled whoever said i was nice  i DO live in the bronx and we're not known for being all that nice! haha only kidding!


That was me. And where do you want to move to?

*******
So I had a pity party day and did nothing. I actually took a nap. I can't remember the last time I took a nap. DS sent a text to me telling me that he was having fun and that he missed us. Just when you want to throw them off the roof......Just kidding. 

I have not eaten much today--though I did eat the last cupcake--still celebrating your bday Maria--everything I wanted had gluten in it. I am just having a major pity party today. I feel like I have been hit by a truck. 

Time to suck it up and pull up the big girl panties and act like a grown-up. Though in my defense, I think this is pms--I think that makes 4 months in a row. Wow. I had forgotten what pms felt like. I actually started crying when I got Tom's text. Maybe not getting your period was one side effect of gluten that wasn't so bad. 

Ok, have a great night Pretty Princesses.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> Ok, I really need to get a life......
> 
> 
> That was me. And where do you want to move to?
> 
> *******
> So I had a pity party day and did nothing. I actually took a nap. I can't remember the last time I took a nap. DS sent a text to me telling me that he was having fun and that he missed us. Just when you want to throw them off the roof......Just kidding.
> 
> I have not eaten much today--though I did eat the last cupcake--still celebrating your bday Maria--everything I wanted had gluten in it. I am just having a major pity party today. I feel like I have been hit by a truck.
> 
> Time to suck it up and pull up the big girl panties and act like a grown-up. Though in my defense, I think this is pms--I think that makes 4 months in a row. Wow. I had forgotten what pms felt like. I actually started crying when I got Tom's text. Maybe not getting your period was one side effect of gluten that wasn't so bad.
> 
> Ok, have a great night Pretty Princesses.



aw, thanks rose.. you are so sweet xoxo

yuck, i'm really bummed about your pity party. and if you have no life then i'm just a downright loser!!

maybe you needed that nap. and a day to be sad. sometimes you need to just take in the sadness and allow yourself to be in a crap mood. just try to make tomorrow better! i really hate those funks. 

i'm not PMSing obviously but i've been a little weepy the last couple days. while i was doing my walk this morning "nightswimming" by REM came on and i just....cried. why? no idea? i guess it reminds me of being younger and past relationships and where i am now and all that but sheesh! crying in the middle of a workout? 

how sweet of tom to send you such a nice text. you are such a good mama! i'm waiting for the day when my tom says "i love you!" i just hope it comes before "i don't like you!"

****

my house is clean! john came home and was stunned! ok, well the bathroom isn't clean but he said he'd do that tomorrow.

there is a grand opening of a disney store tomorrow morning at the palisades mall not too far from here. first 500 people get a prize. and then you can meet mickey and minnie from 12-4. maybe we'll do that?! could be fun. i never made it to the disney store like i had planned the other day so it could be fun to go together and get the new baby someting...oh and of course get thomas a little something 

anywho, it's 8:21pm and i'm ready for bed. if i don't go to bed i'll start eating! i had an herbalife shake with strawberries and some yogurt for dessert. figured that was better than chips and cookies! i'm exhausted! all that housecleaning sure does take it out of you. maybe i should do it more often to build up my stamina


----------



## mikamah

Hello princesses and welcome to our newest princess, Princess Taryn!!  So good to see you again.  I actually popped on at work to read a little, and saw yours and Roses notes to me, and started to fill up, so I got off the computer, and got back to work.  

I'm better, actually didn't cry today.  lol.  I think it's going to be one of those months for me.  I guess thinking my mom's been gone 2 years, it would get easier, but the memories still hit me so hard some days.  At baseball, I think back 2 years and at any games that my family was at we'd be talking about mom being sick, and last year, I was definitely more focused on the running and getting through this month, not turning to food.  We're having a mass for my mom in 2 weeks on her anniversary and then are going to my brothers and my sisters thought we should invite our only cousins' close by on my mom's side, theres 3 of them, but my brother who is having us over doesn't want to, so I feel bad about that.  Just stupid aggravating stuff like that. 
Work had been quiet til this week, but we've been working without a contract, and the hospital won't settle on successorship language, so we've voted to do an informational picket next wed.  Ds's baseball coaches have been very negative lately when they're losing, and that's frustrating.  I hate conflict, so instead of saying anything to them, since they are volunteering their time, I'm trying to be overly positive, and some of the other mom's are too.  They're 9.  They should be having fun, not getting upset if they  make errors, or don't swing at a strike.  Just too serious.  I guess it's going to get worse, but I didn't expect it start so young.  

 Just lots going on, and not enough free time.  We had a make up game tonight, have the hitting derby in the am at 9, a game at 10, the baseball picnic I'm volunteering 1-3, then a cubscout cookout and campout starting at 5.  I think it's going rain tomorrow night, so I'm hoping we'll skip the campout part, and sun am, have an informational football meeting.  Ds is going to play in the fall.  I have emailed the football coach for his age, about having the last 2 weeks off in august, and missing practice, and he was great about it.  So that made me happy.  

Thursday morning after michael got on the bus, I was going to pop in here, but was feeling stressed, so I just sat out on my porch with my coffee and a book, and took some quiet time to myself.  It felt good, and reenergized me.  Got my period too, and the emotional pms seems to be passing so that is good. 

*Rose* -I agree with Maria, and would like to vote you least likely to fall out of the wagon.  You've had quite a year, and have perservered through so much, and you are going stay in that wagon, and have an occassional g-f cupcake, and stay in your maintain zone.  You can do it.  And yes, when you come over, the beergaritas will be g-f.  Is tequila g-f?  I hope so.  Sorry things are stressful with Tom.  I know you will do what is best for him, and be there for him, but it's good to teach him responsibility too.  It's not easy.  Hang in there. So happy he sent you a nice text today.  Good luck to mike with the job search.   

*Nancy*-Nice job cleaning the house.  I said when we left for michael's game tonight I was going to vacuum when I got home, but I didn't.  I'll do it in the morning.  Those hormones make you so emotional, don't they.   The new disney store sounds like a fun thing to do.  Now that you know it's a boy, he needs something to wear.  I see some matching outfits in your future.  Plus so many of their things are discounted when you buy two.  Have fun.

*Maria*-Did you enjoy the heat yesterday?  Or the storms.  I was walking through the parking lot after work last night, and 3 lightning bolts came out of the sky and looked so close, I ran as fast as I could to my car.  I need to check out flylady, but not quite ready yet. lol.  Just a few more days of squallor.  My sock/underwear drawer need a big overhaul too.   I actually still haven't packed away the mittens and hats.  Oh well, I'll get it all done by the fourth of july.  The pollen is bad right now.  I hope the rain tomorrow washes it all away and your allergies hit the road.  Enjoy the weekend. 

*Lisa*- Hope your sinuses are getting better, and you've been able to get out and run again.   Good luck with the sale of your building.  Will you be moving your office to your home?  I hope it all goes smoothly.  We just went to the orthodontist last week, and we're still in the wait for more teeth to come in stage, so no money needed yet.  Heck, I'm guessing braces are worth 2-3 disney trips.  

*Taryn *- So good to see you back, and you are right, we can do this!!  It sucks to have gained weight back, but this is a journey, we have all done it, but this can be the last time we lose it for good.    You are definitely welcome here.  Are you heading to disney soon?  Tell us all about it.  I have no trips in the near future and need to live through others. Thanks for thinking of me on mothers day.  a big hug to you as fathers day nears.  It's still so tough.

*Lindsay*-Wow, vacation weeks go by too fast, don't they.  Hope you enjoyed the game, and are having a fabulous week.  

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend.  I know I'm supposed to hope for a warm sunny weekend, but just a little rain sat night to keep me from having to camp out is all I am hoping for.  Just in our little town.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> Hello princesses and welcome to our newest princess, Princess Taryn!!  So good to see you again.  I actually popped on at work to read a little, and saw yours and Roses notes to me, and started to fill up, so I got off the computer, and got back to work.
> 
> I'm better, actually didn't cry today.  lol.  I think it's going to be one of those months for me.  I guess thinking my mom's been gone 2 years, it would get easier, but the memories still hit me so hard some days.  At baseball, I think back 2 years and at any games that my family was at we'd be talking about mom being sick, and last year, I was definitely more focused on the running and getting through this month, not turning to food.  We're having a mass for my mom in 2 weeks on her anniversary and then are going to my brothers and my sisters thought we should invite our only cousins' close by on my mom's side, theres 3 of them, but my brother who is having us over doesn't want to, so I feel bad about that.  Just stupid aggravating stuff like that.
> Work had been quiet til this week, but we've been working without a contract, and the hospital won't settle on successorship language, so we've voted to do an informational picket next wed.  Ds's baseball coaches have been very negative lately when they're losing, and that's frustrating.  I hate conflict, so instead of saying anything to them, since they are volunteering their time, I'm trying to be overly positive, and some of the other mom's are too.  They're 9.  They should be having fun, not getting upset if they  make errors, or don't swing at a strike.  Just too serious.  I guess it's going to get worse, but I didn't expect it start so young.
> 
> Just lots going on, and not enough free time.  We had a make up game tonight, have the hitting derby in the am at 9, a game at 10, the baseball picnic I'm volunteering 1-3, then a cubscout cookout and campout starting at 5.  I think it's going rain tomorrow night, so I'm hoping we'll skip the campout part, and sun am, have an informational football meeting.  Ds is going to play in the fall.  I have emailed the football coach for his age, about having the last 2 weeks off in august, and missing practice, and he was great about it.  So that made me happy.
> 
> Thursday morning after michael got on the bus, I was going to pop in here, but was feeling stressed, so I just sat out on my porch with my coffee and a book, and took some quiet time to myself.  It felt good, and reenergized me.  Got my period too, and the emotional pms seems to be passing so that is good.



hi kathy!! i was just signing on this morning to post a "where are ya kathy?" note but now i don't have to 

yuck, i'm sorry this month is shaping up to be a bit of a stinker. i'm really sorry about having to deal with all the emotions about the anniversary of your mom's passing. i know it's not the same but every august seems to be a bit of a downer for my family because it'll be three years since my grandpa died. he lived around the corner and he was a pretty awesome guy and we all miss him dearly. i'm getting teary writing this so i can only imagine how much tougher it is when it's your mommy. 

and i'm sure weird family dynamics and drama don't help either when you're all just trying to get together to honor your mom. when i'm at church in two weeks i'll say a prayer for your mom.

i think we all can agree that we accept you not coming on here to chit chat when you took some "me" time instead! a book on the porch sounds really wonderful and heavenly. what book??

i really can't stand that the coaches of little league are so intense. they are like that here. two of my cousins (11 and 8) play and my girlfriend's kid (10 and 9) play so we go to alot of games. the field is three blocks away. some of the coaches act like these kids are in the world series or something. ick.

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

have a great day everyone. i slept so poorly last night. woke up today up in weight. it's coming on too fast! but, i've been exercising pretty regularly so i'm cutting myself some slack...some.

good news! well, besides the fact that 12 hours later my house is still clean (haha). john came home last night and said that the september trip to disney is looking really good. he got a bunch of products into some big grocery chains down south and the boss/owner is very happy with him. woot! he was down in ashville and greenville last month and i guess those meetings went really well. that was the trip when he was like, "NC is so beautiful! i could live there." duh.

so, full steam ahead on planning. i even bought another disney maternity shirt. it's a tinkerbell tank top. it's black so maybe it'll slim my belly when i'm 30 weeks ! 

looks like we are going to go to that new disney store after all. i want to leave early to try to be in the first 500. this will totally screw with naps but oh well. 

have a wonderful day. it's rainy here but cool. i'll take it.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

*Nancy,* you have the pea soup of mega-hormones flowing through your body.    MY DH still complains about all the crying that went on at times when I was preggers.  Just let it all out, sweetie!    Nice job on the clean house!  I think you deserve a trip to the Disney Store!  

*Rose,* sorry for all the drama at your house.    Tom will be paying his own freight soon enough -- he might as well get used to it!  

*Kathy,* glad that you took some me time and are feeling better.    We will move our office to another location -- I need the separation.  

*Taryn,* all that homework now will pay off when you are heading off to Disney! 

*Maria,* did you do anything fun for your birthday? 

 Hello to our other princesses!  

I got my new shoes yesterday and went for a little run on the trail by the lake.  These shoes are Brooks instead of Saucony.  They are also half a size larger since I now officially have my first black toenail -- I guess I'm a "real runner" now!   

Have a wonderful week-end princesses!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> At what point do our 20 yo children need to be responsible for themselves?  Mike and I started talking about the fact that maybe Tom needs to be contributing a little bit to his therapy/ and meds if he needs them. I know that might sound harsh, but there's a very long history here. I have the means to pay for this, but it's somewhat about taking responsibility for yourself and learning to be more respectful to (in this case) your parents. And losing the nonchalant attitude about money. (Again not Mike.) It could get interesting.
> 
> 
> Have a great day everyone.



I think it is a good idea to start making Tom contribute in some way and I am just speaking from experience.  My parents never asked me for a penny other than me paying for my car and auto ins, and later a cell phone.  I lived at home until I was 22 and from 19yrs on a had a full time job.  I came and went as I pleased and did all kinds of fun things with my money.  Im so appreciative of what they have always done for me but it did not teach me that money didnt really grow on trees.  When I got married and then had kids I had this unrealistic idea that we would always have money and not need to worry about spending.  That has now gotten me in quite a financial squeeze over the past few years and I am now learning the hardway.  I am not by any means blaming my parents for my stupidity but I think if they were not so generous I would have learned this lesson a bit earlier.  



Rose&Mike said:


> DS sent a text to me telling me that he was having fun and that he missed us. Just when you want to throw them off the roof......Just kidding.



Very sweet of him.  Hang it their rose and its still fine to have pity party's for ourselves.  Every day you take care of everyone else and worry about everyone else.  So if you need to take the day to throw yourself a party that go for it.  We all do it from time to time.



dumbo_buddy said:


> there is a grand opening of a disney store tomorrow morning at the palisades mall not too far from here. first 500 people get a prize. and then you can meet mickey and minnie from 12-4. maybe we'll do that?! could be fun. i never made it to the disney store like i had planned the other day so it could be fun to go together and get the new baby someting...oh and of course get thomas a little something



Thats sounds like it will be alot of fun!



mikamah said:


> Just lots going on, and not enough free time.



Sorry for the rough times right now Kathy.  I hope you are feeling better soon.  I will do the rain dance so you can get out of camping tonight.  I would be doing the same dance if it was on my schedule too.

*********************************************************
Good morning princess's.  Cinderella was busy again today....cleaning the kitchen, making breakfast, straightening the house....because my mother in law is coming over today and my husband basically requires the red carpet to be rolled out for her.  Ok sorry I should be nicer.

Anyway so my inlaws are coming over for mikes bday which was on thursday.  I am going to try to get a run in shortly and then I have to run to the store to get corn on the cob.  I am making hamburgers on the grill, onion rings (baked), and corn.  Nothing fancy.

Otherwise not much going on here today.


----------



## flipflopmom

dumbo_buddy said:


> hi taryn! nice to "meet" you!! i am TOTALLY ok with being friends with a hokie. i mean, anyone who hates duke is a friend of mine! lol! do you live by VT? my friend from wake's dad teaches there (or used to? they live in roanoke now).


If you plop a pin midway between Winston and Roanoke, you'll land on my small town!  We're about 1 and 15 from B'burg, and Winston, and 1.5 from Roanoke!  Chick fil a is soooo yummy!  My Southern Charm will be a nixe counteraction to your Bronxishness!   And kudos to you for running with a jogger.  I tried once, and found I twist a bit when a run.  Did not make for a smooth one! 



Rose&Mike said:


> So when I was pregnant with Tom I really wanted a girl. Really, really, really wanted a girl. After being in labor for over a day (long story) I told Mike I knew it was a dumb boy baby cause a girl would not do this to me. I saw on the other thread where you talked about your upcoming trip--too exciting! And the idea of Durham is starting to grow on us, but who knows if it will work out. I thought of you right away and wondered how close you all were.  I just typed up a major rant, but decided not to bore you all with the details. At what point do our 20 yo children need to be responsible for themselves?


And I said AK had to be a girl, because she was definitely asserting herself, little miss 2 weeks late!  Girl drama is the WORST!!!  Brad realized that he could A.  have 3 women in the house with PMS at the same time, OR have 3 weeks a month with PMS..   I think he's hoping for 1 week he can run home to his momma!  As for the 20 year old....  I think he definitely needs some financial responsibility.  It's never going to get any easier!



Rose&Mike said:


> So I had a pity party day and did nothing. I actually took a nap. I can't remember the last time I took a nap. DS sent a text to me telling me that he was having fun and that he missed us. Just when you want to throw them off the roof.


Sometimes, you just gotta let it out.  I mean, around here, if I don't have my own pity party, no one else will do it for me! Remember, even Superman had kryptonite.  No one is calling for you to be superwoman. * It's okay to be down, because you are strong enough to pull yourself up again*!  So sorry you feel rough, hon.  It really sounds like you've had it rough, and I really apologize for not being here for you!  So the gluten was what was the underlying cause for all the stomach stuff?  GF and vegetarian.  Hmm..  Grown a garden yet?



dumbo_buddy said:


> i'm not PMSing obviously but i've been a little weepy the last couple days. while i was doing my walk this morning "nightswimming" by REM came on and i just....cried. why? no idea? i guess it reminds me of being younger and past relationships and where i am now and all that but sheesh! crying in the middle of a workout? my house is clean! john came home and was stunned! ok, well the bathroom isn't clean but he said he'd do that tomorrow)


Man, I remember those days.  I cried at every song and commercial.  I'm sentimental anyway, and cry easily, but I should have lost water weight just from all the tears!  Gotta admit, I'm a little jealous at the Disney Store near you.  The one in Greensboro closed, and I don't have a clue where another one is!  My house is an utter disaster.  Complete and total.  And probably will be until we get back from WDW.  I've resigned myself to it. I have clean undies.  Good enough.



mikamah said:


> I'm better, actually didn't cry today.  lol.  I think it's going to be one of those months for me.  I guess thinking my mom's been gone 2 years, it would get easier, but the memories still hit me so hard some days.  *Rose* -I agree with Maria, and would like to vote you least likely to fall out of the wagon.  You've had quite a year, and have perservered through so much, and you are going stay in that wagon, and have an occassional g-f cupcake, and stay in your maintain zone.  You can do it.  And yes, when you come over, the beergaritas will be g-f.  Is tequila g-f?  I hope so.  Sorry things are stressful with Tom.  I know you will do what is best for him, and be there for him, but it's good to teach him responsibility too.  It's not easy.  Hang in there. So happy he sent you a nice text today.  Good luck to mike with the job search.
> .  We just went to the orthodontist last week, and we're still in the wait for more teeth to come in stage, so no money needed yet.  Heck, I'm guessing braces are worth 2-3 disney trips.
> *Taryn *- So good to see you back, and you are right, we can do this!!  It sucks to have gained weight back, but this is a journey, we have all done it, but this can be the last time we lose it for good.    You are definitely welcome here.  Are you heading to disney soon?  Tell us all about it.  I have no trips in the near future and need to live through others.


I hope you got your rain!  I'm in the boat with you.  Last year, if you remember, we were at WDW on Father's Day, so I kinda bypassed it.  I'm really feeling it now, because this is the time of year we found out about Daddy, he was making decisions, and I was doing everything I could to spend time with him.  So every summer activity reminds me of him.  I've already told Brad I'm not going to church next Sunday, and I'm leaving the plan for the day up to him.  If he wants us to be together as a family and do something, we might.  If he wants to take the girls and go to his parents to swim, that's cool tool.  I think a day alone to cry would be okay.  But I also need to check wtih the rest of the family to see what they want to do!  

Just remember, you deal how you need to.  There's no prescription for this.  We'll take clues from you.  Want to talk about it, post and we'll listen.  Want to forget about, don't mention it and neither will we!  

As for ball, It's insane!  AK is playing softball for the first time, and one of the other coaches is a jerk.  He totally psyches out AK's team, he acts like it's a big deal.  Let them have fun!  Geez.  Hope the football experience will be good for Michael.  Maybe he won't knock those baby teeth out too soon and you can avoid the orthodontist for a while.  I am not looking forward to that payment.  There goes any extra money I would have for having my Master's.  She just lost all hers in the 6 months since her last dental appt, she'll be 12 in Sept.



lisah0711 said:


> I got my new shoes yesterday and went for a little run on the trail by the lake.  These shoes are Brooks instead of Saucony.  They are also half a size larger since I now officially have my first black toenail -- I guess I'm a "real runner" now!


You go girl!  Did you like them?  I have Saucony's but have heard some people really love Brooks.  You have such a gorgeous place to run!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Im so appreciative of what they have always done for me but it did not teach me that money didnt really grow on trees.  When I got married and then had kids I had this unrealistic idea that we would always have money and not need to worry about spending.  That has now gotten me in quite a financial squeeze over the past few years and I am now learning the hardway.  Good morning princess's.  Cinderella was busy again today....cleaning the kitchen, making breakfast, straightening the house....because my mother in law is coming over today and my husband basically requires the red carpet to be rolled out for her.  Ok sorry I should be nicer.



Geezz, MIL in common, too, huh?  It's funny, because my fiscal irresponsibility came from the opposite reason.  My parents were savers.  Background of being poor growing up with a family farm as income, I am sure.  I am very glad Daddy was, because Mom is okay financially now.  Anyway, they never spent unneccesary money.  I had to beg for the "brand name" stuff.  Had a college loan to supplement my scholarships, even though they could have paid it. Brand names were not necessities, never spent money just to go out to the movies, malll, etc.  Mom was not a shopper....  I took my money and said WAAAHOOOO!!!!  Look what I can do!  And do, and do, ....etc.  It's so hard to find that balance as parents. I wish I were more like my parents, with the fun thrown in!

My update on me! 
*My TOM*  finally got the heck out of here yesterday, and sure enough, he took 5 pounds with him.  As bad as I feel about gaining some back, I needed to do some real processing and reflection.  You girls just do that to me.  I haven't thought about weight or health except really in passing, or buttoning my pants, in months.
1.  I weigh less now than I weighed at WDW last year, and I had already lost considerable weight.  HOWEVER,   I think I looked better then than I do now, 5 pounds less, because I was running and more toned!  In fact, I think I look closer to where I did 65 or so pounds ago.  I know 15 or so pounds in comparison to 60 is insane, but my mental image is suffering, therefore my self-esteem, yada yada yada...
2.  In order for me to reclaim my health AGAIN, I can't coast.  I've been coasting.  Yes, I have wonderful excuses.  But who doesn't?  
3.  Running is my catalyst for health.  If I run, I am much more mentally healthy.  I eat less, because I don't want to undo my run.  I have more energy.  I feel stronger.  Win/win right?  So why the HECK can I only count on one hand the number of runs I have in 2011???  I know life is hectic, but my health is worth taking the time.  Besides, if I have more energy, my other time should be more productive, right?
4.  I have to be here.  It's too easy to let bad habits back in!
5. 100% of my weight gain is sugar.  100%.  I had totally eliminated it from my diet except for 1 or 2 Hershey's kisses a day.  Which turned to 4 or 5.  etc. etc.  
6.  Knock out the sugar, get back to running, and I'll be back at my lowest by the end of the summer.  Sure, lofty goal.  But doable.  My body ALWAYS responds very quickly to a sudden change. 

Soo..... DRUMROLLL.....  I RAN THIS AM!!!  I had come on and done all my multiquotes, was getting ready to respond, and said -just go.  Some fear there, and feelings of failure, but I made it 30 minutes.  Sure, not my 9 mile best, but a good starting off point.  Realistically, that's what I have time for on a regular basis.  

I leave for WDW in 18 days.  Sure goodness and mercy I can lose 5 pounds in 2.5 weeks.  We'll see. Kathy - I'll give you the details on our trip later.  Need to finish an assignment before I get ready for church. 

Thank you so much!  You all have no idea how much i need you!
Taryn


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Just to let you know I'm still here -- I promise to have a good, lengthy post coming later tonight or tomorrow. 

Today is the big party for the pastor, so I've been running around getting ready for it. I have to be at church by 9, and probably won't get home until late this afternoon. I have a feeling I may collapse when I do. 

Sending hugs and energy to those who need it, and a giant  to *Taryn!* For most of the last Challenge I posted here instead of on the main thread, I just only had so much time and energy, and this was much more manageable. Plus, almost everyone I really love (with a few notable exceptions) was posting here! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

*Lindsay,* did you find someone to watch Ryan this week?  There are few things as stressful as childcare stress!    Is there a school summer program that he could go to for a day or two?  I'm sure it will be fine but I feel for you while you try to work it out.  Funfetti cake will not help!  

*Taryn,* it's so nice to see you posting again!    Woo hoo for you getting out there and running today!    I think that you are in a better place now weight wise because you can get yourself toned and feel better with exactly what you want to do EXERCISE and a little loss.  Then you can be like Rose and be a maintainer who knows that she will never, ever go back!   

I do like the Brooks shoes so far.  They just fit my feet better now.  My feet have changed quite a bit since I got the shoes in November.  I think I need to paint my toenails today and pretty them up a bit.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> Just to let you know I'm still here -- I promise to have a good, lengthy post coming later tonight or tomorrow.
> 
> Today is the big party for the pastor, so I've been running around getting ready for it. I have to be at church by 9, and probably won't get home until late this afternoon. I have a feeling I may collapse when I do.
> 
> Sending hugs and energy to those who need it, and a giant  to *Taryn!* For most of the last Challenge I posted here instead of on the main thread, I just only had so much time and energy, and this was much more manageable. Plus, almost everyone I really love (with a few notable exceptions) was posting here!
> 
> Maria



And we love you, too, Maria!  

Enjoy that big party today and remember to smile really big when you are waving good-bye to that pastor!   

Did you ladies know that it will be a full moon on Tuesday?    Well, that could be an explanation for all the goin ons around here.  Yesterday we went to POTC4 in Spokane and had lunch.  My two companions had a big time lapse in manners that went on for quite some time.  Usually I would have just been mad and lectured them for the ride home.  Instead I stewed in my resentment, burst into tears when we got home, and started sobbing about how I deserve better treatment.  They looked like this.   Can't even blame it on TOM 'cause I'm on HRT.  But it did get the point across!  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Taryn- Im so glad you got out running.  30 min a day is ok to spend on yourself even with everything you have going on.  By doing so you will study better, be a better mom, and a better wife....by the way I hope that screwdriver is put away.  So sorry for all the feelings that are coming up this month for you.  Im sure it is so tough.  I hope with your family being there they will help to ease your pain....and remember Im sure your daddy would want you to smile not cry.

Lisa- Isnt it crazy that we have to act like the exorcist has taken over our body for anyone to listen.  Well I hope it helped you to feel better I know I always do after one of those rants.  and as far as the full moon goes....I could so tell.  My work has been crazy this week and I had to take at least 10 calls while I was off about off the wall problems they couldnt handle.  

Maria- I hope your day goes well today!!!!

Rose- Is your team the louisville bats?????  If so the iron pigs played them last night and it went 13 innings.  Happy to say our pigs won. Sorry. 


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

Well I was pretty upset looking at the scale today because I didnt think I have done that bad yesterday but it was up 1.8lbs really give me a break.  So I am going to try really hard today and I am heading out to run shortly.  I hope for my weigh in at work tomorrow to see some good results for my first week.

We are heading to my nana's today to have a bday get together for mike and otherwise nothing else planned.

I did find one of my friends to watch Ryan for mon and tues.  It was the friends we went to TN with last summer so spending 10 days with her has given me lots of trust that she will take great care of him.  He is very excited as is she.  I am so thankful to have such great friends.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Doing my favorite thing--yep icing my knee. I did not do the yoga before we ran this morning and i could definitely tell. I think the yoga stretches (as much as I HATE them) are the key to being able to keep running this summer. We went 6 miles, ran 5 walked 1. Much slower than I would like, but I did it and I am happy.

I am determined to get back in a routine this week. I only worked out 3 three times last week and they were all runs. What a slacker I'm becoming. So the plan for this week:
M-strength
T-run
W-strength or maybe zumba
R-run
F-off
S-run
S-off

I did want to clarify--Tom doesn't ask us for a ton of stuff anymore and he's on a full scholarship. Mostly we are covering phone, car insurance, clothes, stuff he needs when he's home, food at home, that kind of stuff. It's more his attitude, if that makes sense? Like he gets it and is dealing with his day to day stuff, but doesn't get it that sometimes you might need to save a little instead of buying the beer making kit on amazon. We just won't go there. I'm wondering if some of this is impulse control in addition to just not getting it sometimes. Anyhow, I talked to a friend who works in mental health and she agree that having him contribute even a token amount to all of this stuff is a good thing cause it creates more ownership, so I guess we will talk to him about it. He comes home today. It's been so quiet here the last couple of days......

Taryn and Kathy--I'm sorry for all your sadness. I am so glad for you that you had such great relationships with your parents that you miss them so much. From someone who knows, if you didn't love them so much you wouldn't still be so sad (which I know you know) but in my eyes that is a good thing. How wonderful to have such great people in your life.

Taryn--glad you got a run in. You sound like you are feeling better just after one run! By the time I stopped eating gluten I was feeling pretty lousy. Brain fog, almost stopped getting my period, nausea for hours after running, hair falling out--and I'm not talking a little, I'm talking clumps, along with lots and lots of other issues. I think if I wouldn't have been running so much I would have gone a couple more years before figuring out what was wrong. But I am feeling so much better--no more stomach aches, no more nausea, no more irregular heart beat, hair is growing back. It's a PITA, but it's worth it.

Lindsay--Glad you found childcare. And I hope the scale says good things tomorrow. Yep, we're the Bats. Our bullpen blows CHUNKS! They are so bad. 

Lisa-- Why oh why do those boys not treat us like the princesses that we are. I wear brooks and I really like them, though I still have a black toe left over from my last pair of shoes. Purple nail polish usually covers it up pretty well.

Maria--I hope it goes great today!

Nancy--how was the Disney store?

Ok, guess I'm done icing. I'm surprised I don't have permanent tissue damage on that knee from all the ice. Have a great day!


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> hi kathy!! i was just signing on this morning to post a "where are ya kathy?" note but now i don't have to
> 
> yuck, i'm sorry this month is shaping up to be a bit of a stinker. i'm really sorry about having to deal with all the emotions about the anniversary of your mom's passing. i know it's not the same but every august seems to be a bit of a downer for my family because it'll be three years since my grandpa died. he lived around the corner and he was a pretty awesome guy and we all miss him dearly. i'm getting teary writing this so i can only imagine how much tougher it is when it's your mommy.


Thanks Nancy.  It's tough when your close to anyone you lose.  Hugs to you on your grandpa.  I lost my dad 15 years ago, and truly as the years went on, it did get easier, but there will be an event or a day where a memory will come up so strong, and I'll miss him like the day we lost him.  Grief is an interesting process, and so individualized too.  I do remember my parents first anniversary after my  mom died, and being so happy for her to be back with my dad that day.  After feeling sad for 13 years on that day without him, it was very comforting to know they are together again.  In my family, we tend to deal with our sadness with alcohol, and have had many laughs about it too.  Luckily, we all seem to have a tough time at different times, so we don't all fall apart together.  I'd say overall, we all are doing pretty good. 





dumbo_buddy said:


> good news! well, besides the fact that 12 hours later my house is still clean (haha). john came home last night and said that the september trip to disney is looking really good. he got a bunch of products into some big grocery chains down south and the boss/owner is very happy with him. woot! he was down in ashville and greenville last month and i guess those meetings went really well. that was the trip when he was like, "NC is so beautiful! i could live there." duh.


yay for good disney potential and a clean house.  I feel so good when the house is clean.  



lisah0711 said:


> I got my new shoes yesterday and went for a little run on the trail by the lake.  These shoes are Brooks instead of Saucony.  They are also half a size larger since I now officially have my first black toenail -- I guess I'm a "real runner" now!


Congrats on the black toenail!!  You've been a real runner for a while now, but now you have the proof.  Hope the new shoes work out well for you.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I will do the rain dance so you can get out of camping tonight.  I would be doing the same dance if it was on my schedule too.


Thanks for the rain dance!!  It worked!!!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Anyway so my inlaws are coming over for mikes bday which was on thursday.  I am going to try to get a run in shortly and then I have to run to the store to get corn on the cob.  I am making hamburgers on the grill, onion rings (baked), and corn.  Nothing fancy.
> 
> Otherwise not much going on here today.


Hope you had fun with the inlaws, and got your run in this morning.  Your meal sounds delicious.



flipflopmom said:


> I hope you got your rain!  I'm in the boat with you.  Last year, if you remember, we were at WDW on Father's Day, so I kinda bypassed it.  I'm really feeling it now, because this is the time of year we found out about Daddy, he was making decisions, and I was doing everything I could to spend time with him.  So every summer activity reminds me of him.  I've already told Brad I'm not going to church next Sunday, and I'm leaving the plan for the day up to him.  If he wants us to be together as a family and do something, we might.  If he wants to take the girls and go to his parents to swim, that's cool tool.  I think a day alone to cry would be okay.  But I also need to check wtih the rest of the family to see what they want to do!


 Hugs to you this week and on father's day.  I'm glad you will be able to take some time to yourself if you feel like it on father's day.  I made a scrapbook after my mom died, started with pics of her and dad, and then us as kids, her and my dad with the grand kids, and ended up a modge podge of different trips I took with her, holidays, etc, and it's kind of nice to have lots of different memories in the same book.  I hope you're thinking of lots of good memories of you and your daddy this week.


flipflopmom said:


> My update on me!
> *My TOM*  finally got the heck out of here yesterday, and sure enough, he took 5 pounds with him.  As bad as I feel about gaining some back, I needed to do some real processing and reflection.  You girls just do that to me.  I haven't thought about weight or health except really in passing, or buttoning my pants, in months.
> 1.  I weigh less now than I weighed at WDW last year, and I had already lost considerable weight.  HOWEVER,   I think I looked better then than I do now, 5 pounds less, because I was running and more toned!  In fact, I think I look closer to where I did 65 or so pounds ago.  I know 15 or so pounds in comparison to 60 is insane, but my mental image is suffering, therefore my self-esteem, yada yada yada...
> 2.  In order for me to reclaim my health AGAIN, I can't coast.  I've been coasting.  Yes, I have wonderful excuses.  But who doesn't?
> 3.  Running is my catalyst for health.  If I run, I am much more mentally healthy.  I eat less, because I don't want to undo my run.  I have more energy.  I feel stronger.  Win/win right?  So why the HECK can I only count on one hand the number of runs I have in 2011???  I know life is hectic, but my health is worth taking the time.  Besides, if I have more energy, my other time should be more productive, right?
> 4.  I have to be here.  It's too easy to let bad habits back in!
> 5. 100% of my weight gain is sugar.  100%.  I had totally eliminated it from my diet except for 1 or 2 Hershey's kisses a day.  Which turned to 4 or 5.  etc. etc.
> 6.  Knock out the sugar, get back to running, and I'll be back at my lowest by the end of the summer.  Sure, lofty goal.  But doable.  My body ALWAYS responds very quickly to a sudden change.
> 
> Soo..... DRUMROLLL.....  I RAN THIS AM!!!  I had come on and done all my multiquotes, was getting ready to respond, and said -just go.  Some fear there, and feelings of failure, but I made it 30 minutes.  Sure, not my 9 mile best, but a good starting off point.  Realistically, that's what I have time for on a regular basis.


I've missed your lists of thoughts and plans.  Congrats on getting out and running again!!! 



Worfiedoodles said:


> Today is the big party for the pastor, so I've been running around getting ready for it. I have to be at church by 9, and probably won't get home until late this afternoon. I have a feeling I may collapse when I do.


Hope you have fun at the party, and get some rest when you get home. 



lisah0711 said:


> Yesterday we went to POTC4 in Spokane and had lunch.  My two companions had a big time lapse in manners that went on for quite some time.  Usually I would have just been mad and lectured them for the ride home.  Instead I stewed in my resentment, burst into tears when we got home, and started sobbing about how I deserve better treatment.  They looked like this.   Can't even blame it on TOM 'cause I'm on HRT.  But it did get the point across!


 Dang men.  Just don't get it sometimes.  Hope they are treating you more princesslike today. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> We are heading to my nana's today to have a bday get together for mike and otherwise nothing else planned.
> 
> I did find one of my friends to watch Ryan for mon and tues.  It was the friends we went to TN with last summer so spending 10 days with her has given me lots of trust that she will take great care of him.  He is very excited as is she.  I am so thankful to have such great friends.


Have fun today!!  Glad the child care worked out this week.  It's so stressful, makes me wish I went into teaching and had summers off.  But then I'd have to deal with all those kids.  Never mind, summer camp is fine. 



Rose&Mike said:


> Doing my favorite thing--yep icing my knee. I did not do the yoga before we ran this morning and i could definitely tell. I think the yoga stretches (as much as I HATE them) are the key to being able to keep running this summer. We went 6 miles, ran 5 walked 1. Much slower than I would like, but I did it and I am happy.


That is awesome, Rose.  It sounds like you are getting back into it, and the leg is tolerating it, so that is great.  I wish you could come run with me, and then you would still feel fast!!  



Rose&Mike said:


> I am determined to get back in a routine this week. I only worked out 3 three times last week and they were all runs. What a slacker I'm becoming.


 I wish I was as active a slacker as you are. 





Rose&Mike said:


> Taryn and Kathy--I'm sorry for all your sadness. I am so glad for you that you had such great relationships with your parents that you miss them so much. From someone who knows, if you didn't love them so much you wouldn't still be so sad (which I know you know) but in my eyes that is a good thing. How wonderful to have such great people in your life.


Thanks rose.  I do feel very blessed to have had a good relationship with my parents.  We laugh about some things my mom used to say, and on inviting my cousins in two weeks, I'm going to tell my brother, "I think it would be nice to invite them" .  My mom always said, "I think it would be nice if you..." so we joke about that.  

Good afternoon everyone!!

Thanks for the wishes for rain yesterday, we got it good. lol.  We went to the park and did the hitting derby, and then had a little downpour before ds's game, but it stopped, so his game went on, and it poured again midway.  They lost 15-0, and at one point when one kid threw the ball to noone on third, the coach threw his notebook on the ground.  REALLY!!  this is 9 yo little league.  I've been working on an email to send him, and sticking close to the dugout and doing a lot of cheering and encouragement. 

After the game was the cookout, in the rain, and because it was cold, the coaches didn't want to do the dunk tank, so the kids did, and michael was thrilled to get dunked.  We got home around 1:30 and watched a movie- rookie of the year, and then I took a nap on the couch.  It felt great.  
A friend called to go to the movies, so we went to see potc4, but it was sold out, so we saw Kung fu Panda instead.

This morning we had a football info meeting, and the leader didn't show up, so a girl who's involved with the cheerleading answered some questions, and then michael went to a friends house, I cleaned, and did the grocery shopping, and now he's got 2 friends over here, and they're loud, but I'm sitting in my room ignoring them.  So long as noone's getting hurt, I don't care what they're doing.  

It feels good to have the house cleaned up.  It was such a mess.  I've been a slacker bigtime in that dept.  I still have a pile of papers on the kitchen table I need to fill out for summer camps, and write the final checks.

I have only run twice a week the past 2 weeks, but last sunday was 8 miles, and yesterdy was 2 for last week.  I hope to go out this afternoon with a friend.  My 5k is wed, and I really wanted to beat 40 min, but don't know if I will.  I think I can beat my pr of 43, but haven't put the work in to do much more.  

This is playoff week for baseball, so a game mon, wed, sat, and if we're in the top two, the following wed will end it. I'm pretty sure we're done sat, the way it's been going, but it ain't over, til it's over.  They have a summer Jimmy fund tournament, and pick 12 kids for it, so michael wanted to try for it.  I don't know if he'll get picked, he's definitely a good pitcher, but not hitting great this year, but I wonder how political it is, too.   I'll decide after I see the team, and if the coach's kids are all picked, even if they're not as good as some of the others.  

So that's what up here.  Sorry for the book.  Again, I'd rather be visiting with you all and having those gluten free beergaritas.  

Hope you're enjoying your sunday afternoon.  It's almost 3, and we'll send the boys home.


----------



## flipflopmom

Morning everyone.  I'll try to get back on to respond later, this is purely a self-serving post!

*Lisa, I need your help!!!!* check your pm box!

Sorry guys.  I have to write a legal analysis paper for my special ed class and I have having trouble locating info I need to cite it correctly!

Back to the grindstone!


----------



## lisah0711

flipflopmom said:


> Morning everyone.  I'll try to get back on to respond later, this is purely a self-serving post!
> 
> *Lisa, I need your help!!!!* check your pm box!
> 
> Sorry guys.  I have to write a legal analysis paper for my special ed class and I have having trouble locating info I need to cite it correctly!
> 
> Back to the grindstone!



Got it.  Check your PM box.


----------



## Rose&Mike

So, I have been up since 5:00. Did 40 min of yoga, folded two loads of laundry. Too productive for the morning! I'm going to do a WATP video after work and lift weights at home instead of go to the gym. I still don't like yoga.

Tom got home last night around 8:00. He called to tell us he was going to be about 40 min late cause of storms in the mountains. Well when he pulled in he was so upset. Long story short, last fall he hit a wall--don't ask--and did some very minor damage to his bumper. It looked to be cosmetic and there was no way we were fixinig it. Well somewhere in the mountains his heat shield and bumper started coming loose. So he had to stop a couple times to pop things back together. Around Versailles, KY (about an hour from here) he had to stop and use a string to tie things back together and finally he found a gas station with a small roll of duct tape and taped things up and made it home.

He was filthy from having to crawl under his car. Thank goodness nothing worse happened. Before going g-f I would have gone nuts. (For some reason anxiety is another thing that gets better for a lot of people when they go g-f. Not that I don't still worry about things.) I handled things really well. At one point I started laughing cause just the thought of him trying to tie his bumper back on---I don't think he appreciated it. What a relief that it wasn't worse than what it was. He said he didn't want to worry us, so he didn't tell us what was going on. Not sure how I felt about that, but we'll talk about that another day.

So today he's taking his car around to a couple of body shops to see what it will cost to patch things back up. Mike messed with the bumper last night and I think it will stay up at least to get it to the body shop.

Anyhow, hope everyone is doing well. Aren't you all looking forward to dealing with all this stuff.

Have a great day!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> Doing my favorite thing--yep icing my knee. I did not do the yoga before we ran this morning and i could definitely tell. I think the yoga stretches (as much as I HATE them) are the key to being able to keep running this summer. We went 6 miles, ran 5 walked 1. Much slower than I would like, but I did it and I am happy.



Glad you are at least getting your runs in and I hope the knee keeps getting to be less and less of a pain.



mikamah said:


> I have only run twice a week the past 2 weeks, but last sunday was 8 miles, and yesterdy was 2 for last week.  I hope to go out this afternoon with a friend.  My 5k is wed, and I really wanted to beat 40 min, but don't know if I will.  I think I can beat my pr of 43, but haven't put the work in to do much more.



Wow I think your doing good with your runs Kathy.  I think under 40 would be great and such an improvement from your very first run.  Look at how far you have come

Sorry about the coach on ds's team.  I am not looking forward to this kind of stuff at all.



Rose&Mike said:


> I handled things really well. At one point I started laughing cause just the thought of him trying to tie his bumper back on---I don't think he appreciated it. What a relief that it wasn't worse than what it was.



Ahh poor Tom.  Well that was giving him a true taste of reality and being an adult huh???  Im glad it wasnt worse either and I would have gotten a chuckle in too.  I am that weirdo who finds situations like this humurous.  It drives my husband crazy.  like if someone spills something or breaks something or falls (I always ask if their ok first) it makes me laugh.  I hope the cost of getting it fixed isnt too bad.

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

Well I am a bit disappointed today even though I said I wouldnt be.  The scale was exactly the same from a week ago.  I feel like I did fairly well this week and maybe only over did it slightly 5-8points on 1 or 2 days.  I thought about every bite I took and drank my water.  I know I can do better but I thought it would have been enough to go down a little.  

I have that feeling like I want to just throw in the towel and say who cares if I am fat, but I know that is not the right thing to do nor is it what I want.  So I am trying to shrug it off, be positive and just move on.  I have had 18pts between break/lunch and I have 8 points left for dinner.  I drank 4 cups of water so far and plan to have another 2 before I leave work.  I will most likely run tonight but if I dont get out in enough time I will then either do yoga or zumba at home.

Thanks for listening friends


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi everyone! just a quick drive-by hello to you all. i am so behind on both threads! i just sat down to write a nice entry but of course thomas just started screaming in his crib. so much for a nice quiet break. 

hope to be on later! the weather is way cooler and i got a 2 mile jog plus 2 mile walk in this morning. felt great!

have a great day everyone!!xoxo


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, My Lovelies! 

*Nancy* -- It is amazing how they know the moment you sit down. I can be running around all day Saturday, try to sit for 10 minutes -- and that is the precise time DS appears and wants me to do something for him. It's uncanny...it's like they have radar which tells them we might do something not totally devoted to them  Your trip to the new Disney store sounded fantastic. I love buying baby goodies, particularly the really little ones  I think you had a great day. 

*Lindsay* -- I have a Mount Washmore from all the loads of towels I have made. The thing is, every time I "throw in the towel", I just get more and more unhappy, and then I end up trying to dig it out of the pile, and it's yucky and gross and I just want a fresh one...so my advice is if you need to throw in this towel, do it! Grab fresh one and feel good about it.  Mine just came out of the dryer, and I intend to take a long mental soak, dry myself off with my hot clean towel, and start fresh! I'm so glad you found childcare. There really isn't anything that is more nervewracking...Very nice of you to roll out the red carpet for the MIL. The last time dh had company coming and I really didn't have time or inclination to do anything, he made a real effort to clean the areas where they would be. I think he could see that I was just not going to do it. I took ds to see POTC4 instead, and I think I made the right choice. I'm not necessarily advocating that strategy, but you never know...I admit I did go back and do a few things, but I basically let his standard be good enough. 

*Rose* -- I would have been laughing, too. Car repair done on the side of the road with duct tape is inherently funny, and it's good to see the humor in the situation. No one got hurt, and that was a big dose of taking responsibility because you're on your own right there! I think it is good for him to get a sense of life not being a continuous free ride. On the other hand, you don't want to make it too daunting. I don't know how my ds internalized this (ok, probably has to do with his cousins who left home at 18 because they didn't like the house rules), but he's under the impression he needs to be saving for an apartment now. We keep telling him he's probably going to live in a dorm when he goes to college, but he wants to be able to have everything he needs. He saves 80% of his allowance every week, in separate accounts for an apartment, car, etc. I know that is good, but trust me, he's very free with our money. It's only his he holds on to! 

*Kathy* -- I am so glad ds is done with organized sports! I just wouldn't want to deal with all those crazy coaches, and some crazy parents, and  Oh Kathy, the mom stuff is so hard...it just comes and goes. it's been almost 10 years for me, and sometimes it can feel like yesterday  You just have to do what you need to for you so you can be ok. Sometimes that takes a long time to process through. And that's fine -- there is no timetable, and no reason not to let yourself be sad. You can also feel the comfort of warm memories at the same time.  Taking a moment to sit, read a book, and enjoy your life is a great way to deal with stress. I'm so glad you were able to do it, and I hope you have many other opportunities soon!

*Lisa* -- The full moon Tuesday explains so much...Sorry for the drama.  Sometimes they need a little reminder they were not born in a barn and you expect them to act like a momma raised them instead of wolves. My birthday fun will actually be this weekend. I let dh know that I wanted tickets to West Side Story for my birthday. We're going to a matinee on Sunday -- 11th row Orchestra, I can't wait! I know it's Father's Day, but he bought the tickets...it's actually not bad because he really doesn't like to celebrate. It also gives us a great excuse to get out of church quickly after Children's Sunday, which can tend to drone on  I also just got new shoes, I haven't even worn them yet! I'm an Asics girl, I have gel nimbus 12s. I went for black and purple this time, instead of my usual raspberry and white. I like them, they look like serious business! 

*Taryn* -- So glad you were able to get out and run! I know I feel better when I do it, too. Sometimes I fall back into that fantasy, where I get to be a trophy wife -- I wake up whenever I want, then I can have a nice run, leisurely lunch, maybe do a little light housework, have a nap, and then wait for my dinner to be served. Ok, I do get to do some of that (I can even do it all on Saturdays, sometimes), but I really do think I would run more if I could sleep as much as I want and then do it  Then I think about your schedule, and I know I am actually lucky. I know it sounds weird, but I am so glad I didn't have a clue what to do when I graduated from college, so I just went to grad school! I cannot imagine trying to juggle a family, job, and school -- you totally  Whenever you can fit in a run, I say just go for it! 

Ok, so the party....dh and I ordered a full sheet cake, and then we were told the number of people was doubled. So, we added another half sheet, cupcakes, and three trays of cookies. We got to church early and immediately started helping. Although the youth were supposed to come early to help, my ds and the 3 teens who were the children of our chef were the only ones who showed up. The kids helped with cooking (as did dh), and I worked on setting the tables. The woman who volunteered to cook (not my favorite person, but she certainly is a willing worker!) made two kinds of quiche, ham, french toast, norwegian pancakes with blueberry or apple filling, and a ton of sliced fresh fruit. The youth minister who was in charge of decorating did an amazing job. She spent far less than I would of and everything still looked very nice (she shopped at some discount places that would have been too much effort for me, I'm not driving all the way from my house to the Christmas Tree Shop -- closer to *Kathy* than me!)

We were working through most of the service, which was fine with me, they were counting down the 10 favorite hymns of the congregation, so it was sing, sing, sing  After the service there was supposed to be a receiving line, but the pastor didn't move to the hall entrance, so she just kind of ended up greeting people as they left church. We got people seated, did the blessing, and called them up table by table to go through the serving line. The youth served, which made it much easier than people trying to take portions. It quickly became clear that although we had set up for 72, it wasn't going to be enough. My dh and some others set up more seating, and we sort of made it work. After most people were pretty much done eating, we started the entertainment, which was supposed to be a roast. In actuality, it was a few people talking about how much they would miss her -- it didn't get too heavy though other than when one of our very elderly people got maudlin about not having the pastor to pray with her anymore...luckily she was almost done and we could move on before it became a funeral instead of a retirement party. Would you believe they didn't even eat all of the full sheet cake? We ended up freezing the half sheet for coffee hour next week, and giving the cookies and cupcakes to the local homeless shelter. 

Anyway, afterwards clean-up went pretty well. I had plenty of help from the youth and other committee members, and the pastor was quite happy with everything. Now all I have to do is get the welcome basket ready for the next one this week and place an ad for a new office manager, conduct interviews, background and reference checks, and hire someone by the end of July. Hopefully the rest of the committee will be somewhat helpful...

I went home and I was mentally exhausted. DH could not understand why I was so worried about what people thought. I wish I could have his attitude. Anyway, I'm going to write Thank Yous to the three principle people who made it happen and consider the party done. 

I have to admit I have been celebrating my birthday with food continuously, I plan to stop soon  This weekend I caught myself eating because I was nervous, rather than hungry. That is a slippery slope for me. I also haven't run since last Tuesday. I need to get moving again. 

I stayed up way too late last night reading a book, and I feel quite "blah" today. But, on the bright side I have started getting the Flylady e-mails again, and I'm doing a few things to get the house back on track. It's a good week for me to start FlyLady. She's in the bathroom this week, and that's one of my better rooms to work in. I can always wrap my mind around doing the task and they're not too unmanageable. When she's in the kitchen I always have trouble 

I hope you guys are all having a Good Day, Sunshine!

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses!  

*Lindsay,* hope that you are getting back into the work groove.  Now that you are there, there will be no weird office emergencies, of course!  

*Rose,* sorry about the icing.  Sounds like you are right that the yoga stretches do help.    Maybe if you play some woo-woo music and chant it will take your mind off how you don't like them.    You got to run three days, that sounds like great progress.

Poor Tom and the car thing.  It is kind of a funny story.  We've had this conversation at our house before how our kid does not seem to have experienced the same kind of adversity that we did growing up -- cars breaking down, boats breaking down, household disasters so when they come along they don't deal with them a philosophically as we do.  So next time you have some domestic disaster be sure include your children!  

*Kathy,* I will be thinking of you tomorrow for your race and your picketing and this week-end for your mass.    Enjoy your crazy busy week!   

*Nancy,* at our house we call the uncanny ability to need Mom to do something right when she can finally sit down and relax "Bob-dar."  It's amazing and indefatigable!    Good luck with the doctor today.    You know the prophylactic Tylenol before shots trick, right?

*Maria,* sounds like a lovely party on Sunday.  And I admire you for putting that extra cake away because I would have been tempted to keep it for myself.    West Side Story will be so much fun -- plus people will sing the Maria song to you -- like that's never happened before!  

*Taryn,* I know it's a pain now but getting all those assignments done before you go to Disney will pay off!  

It will be a quick day.  This morning I have a couple of things that must get done at work and then pick up DS from school at 12:30 p.m.  Then I will spend the rest of the afternoon cleaning house.  That should pretty much finish the mega-cleaning for my Mom's visit.  Tomorrow same schedule, expect I will try and think of something fun to do since it is the last day of school.  DS will stay home for the rest of the week and start summer camp on Monday.  He's excited because he will be in the teen group since he will officially be a 7th grader.  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay-- No great words. I look at it as how close to the edge of the cliff I am standing. Some days I'm on my tippy toes barely hanging on and some days I'm a couple feet back and enjoying the view. It does get easier, because most days now I am enjoying the view. I know it's got to be frustrating--you seem like a very results driven person and when you don't see the results you want to see it's going to be frustrating. So think about the results you don't see. When you are eating better and exercising you are taking care of your body so that you will be healthy and able to do the things you want to do later in life. You can do it.

Maria--loved your post yesterday.

*******
Well I had an unfortunate encounter with a bag of Lay's chips and some chipotle ranch dressing. Thank goodness Tom was home cause he kept me from eating the entire bag--he loves chips as much as I do. The thing was it was very purposeful. I bought the chips. I bought the ranch (g-f I might add) with the express intention of not eating a small serving but having a big old chip party. I don't think I have done that since 2009.

So Tom asked me what happened. I said you know how I handled the car thing pretty well? Just because I didn't go nuts didn't mean it wasn't causing anxiety and yesterday it all just came to a head. I am not enjoying work too much and I had to go to the grocery after work and so I bought the chips and the dip. I'm not calling it a binge. I stopped when I was ready to stop--and there were still lots of chips left. And Tom insists he ate as many as I did. So it could have been worse.

So today my stomach isn't feeling too great and I'm back at the top of my maintain. We are running tonight and that's when I probably really pay for my bad choices. Fingers crossed the knees cooperate.

Have a great day.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisa* i hope you are being treated more like the princess that you are after the incident in spokane! how was potc4? i would like to see it! 

is the tinkerbell half your next big race? i can't wait for pictures 

*rose* damn those chips! they are not kidding when they say you can't have just one. 

have you ever checked out brian kest power yoga? i think i actually have an extra DVD that i can send you. i'm not a big yoga person but this guy seems to move a little faster. it seems to be more of an athlete's workout instead of the namaste crunchy stuff. don't get me wrong, brian kest is crunchy but the workouts seem more...i dunno...something. just not as boring?

*maria* i am ALL about celebrating birthdays for weeks on end! when i was a kid the whole month of october was all about ME! haha. 

mount washmore  that is now part of my vocab. thank you.

sounds like the party was a hit...i always feel stressed even when the party is over b/c i over-think whether or not people enjoyed themselves. we're having DS's 2nd bday party on the 25th and i'm already stressing. and it's just pizza and cake!

*taryn* we need to hear more about your upcoming disney trip! i've been enjoying rose's trip report on her w.i.s.h. journal and i need MORE!!

*lindsay* how has it been being back at work? i feel like last week went by so fast and i wasn't even the one on vacation!!

*kathy* can't wait to hear about your 5k! did michael decide on an instrument? i played the flute for 7 years. too bad i still don't have my flute or else i'd just give you mine! 


my neighbor is smoking pot in between the two houses! it stinks! i mean, the least he could do is offer to share it instead of me just having to get a contact high! LOL! kidding, of course! he doesn't do it too often and i'm not a prude, i know people do it but if i can smell it, then so can thomas! 

his 2 year appt went well. he weighs a whopping 24 lbs. i mean really, he's a shrimp! doctor wasn't concerned about his lack of words. he got one shot. was supposed to get hep A but they didn't have it so i'll have to go back. and he had blood drawn. ugh. not fun. he got over it fast though. the doctor asked about what i'm feeding him and is he getting 4 veggies a day and not eating fast food. um, yeah, i lied.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, Precious Princess Pals! 

*Nancy* -- Mount Washmore is from FlyLady, I can't take credit...but I did make up the towel thing myself. I guess I was just having a flight of fancy  The smoking would make me crazy. I don't want anyone smoking anything around my family! 

*Rose* -- I hope you get a great run in this afternoon.  I'm still not back in the saddle, I just can't seem to make a run happen. Everytime I think I will, I either sleep in or ds wants a ride to school and there isn't time...or whatever excuse I can come up with. I am not setting a good example. I understand the big chip party. I keep having  every night, even when I'm not hungry. I just want to eat...

*Lisa* -- Good luck with the house cleaning. I hope ds has a great first day at camp next week. Do you have plans for fun things to do with your mom? My BIL and SIL come home from France on Saturday. I kind of decided before we pick them up from the airport I'm going to the mall to shop a little. I have a couple of gift cards burning a hole in my pocket, and I just don't seem to shop for me anymore. I used to make an effort with my wardrobe, but I just seem to have stopped, I'm not sure why? 

*Kathy* -- We signed ds up for camp and paid deposits, but we haven't had to write the final checks yet. I know that will be pleasant  The real bummer is that now he's 13, we can't pay for his camps and be reimbursed through a dependent care account. I think he's my dependent, leaving a 13-15 yr. old home alone all day is not a good idea, this should be a deduction  Unfortunately, I don't see that code changing 

*Taryn* -- I am green with envy over your upcoming trip! I can think of no better way to enjoy your summer than to go to WDW and relax!  Is there anything in particular you are looking forward to? I plan to do the new Star Tours the next time I'm there 

*Lindsay* -- How's your work week going so far? I am pleased I have a workshop all day tomorrow -- so no time in the office, but no DISing, either  Hopefully I'll have lots of posts to read on my Blackberry, I just won't be able to respond much. Anyway, hopefully you didn't find too much waiting for you when you returned and it's been a smooth transition. 

I got a sign from the universe this morning. When I wiped the bottom of the bowl and base on one of our toilets, I managed to get bleach on the stretchy pants I was wearing to work. Yep, it's two clues 1) I need to dress appropriately for work and not clean while I'm in my work clothes and 2) I need to stop letting myself wear the stretchy pants and start exercising and eating right again. I am tired of being a mess, but no one can take control of this but me. 

Then I forgot my lunch....

Anyway, I keep thinking I will stop having these Scarlett O'Hara moments and do something now. Tomorrow is another day, but I could still do something positive today. I know I could, I just can't seem to...

I feel like I need a week to just stop life, catch up, think, and then start again. I may have to settle for going to bed at a decent hour...

Oh! And I just wanted to say what *Lisa* said on the other thread was _brilliant_ -- why are we so hard on ourselves? We are all amazing, accomplished, strong women. We deserve a big 

Maria


----------



## flipflopmom

Rose&Mike said:


> We went 6 miles, ran 5 walked 1. Much slower than I would like, but I did it and I am happy. Mostly we are covering phone, car insurance, clothes, stuff he needs when he's home, food at home, that kind of stuff. It's more his attitude, if that makes sense? Like he gets it and is dealing with his day to day stuff, but doesn't get it that sometimes you might need to save a little instead of buying the beer making kit on amazon


Maybe he'll learn hwo make gf beer !  I think, even though she is much younger, giving AK ownership of the ADHD was a big step for us, which we add a bit more to as she gets older.  Don't know if you remember, but Brad's insurance is reverse deductible, so we end up paying for her meds in the fall/winter until Jan, because it's so freaking expensive.  We've talked to her about it.  Not in a guilt forming way, I hope, but just along with the way we deal with everything else, she knows how much things cost. We try really hard to teach opportunity cost to her (economics standard in school!!)  She knows that we have less money  Keeps her real!  Good job on your making through your run! 



mikamah said:


> It's so stressful, makes me wish I went into teaching and had summers off.  But then I'd have to deal with all those kids.  Never mind, summer camp is fine. Thanks for the wishes for rain yesterday, we got it good. lol.  This morning we had a football info meeting, and the leader didn't show up, so a girl who's involved with the cheerleading answered some questions, and then michael went to a friends house, I cleaned, and did the grocery shopping, and now he's got 2 friends over here, and they're loud, but I'm sitting in my room ignoring them. This is playoff week for baseball, so a game mon, wed, sat, and if we're in the top two, the following wed will end it. I'm pretty sure we're done sat, the way it's been going, but it ain't over, til it's over.


Good for in making your house a hangout for the boys.  If you keep it that way it will keep him out of trouble spots later!  I hope this week of playoffs is relatively drama free.  Summer's off as a teacher are great when you actually have them off.  I've been singing "it's a cruel, cruel summer".....   Maybe this week of ;aldskjfa;sogfu a;ovj sdlgkj will help keep my mind off Father's Day Sunday. I can't believe the leader didn't show up for the football meeting!



Rose&Mike said:


> Well somewhere in the mountains his heat shield and bumper started coming loose. So he had to stop a couple times to pop things back together. Around Versailles, KY (about an hour from here) he had to stop and use a string to tie things back together and finally he found a gas station with a small roll of duct tape and taped things up and made it home.


I am glad you said you laughed, because I was  at teh image!  Sounds like a resourceful young man!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Well I am a bit disappointed today even though I said I wouldnt be.  The scale was exactly the same from a week ago.  I feel like I did fairly well this week and maybe only over did it slightly 5-8points on 1 or 2 days


Don't you dare throw in the towel.  I need you to lead me! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> i just sat down to write a nice entry but of course thomas just started screaming in his crib. so much for a nice quiet break.


They know, somehow, they know.  I was getting ready to go run this am before Dh left, and Sophie (4) woke up and I had to get her back to sleep.  History proves that if she wakes up early like this, she's likely to several more times and need consoling. I didn't have time after I got her back to sleep to go before he left. No run this am..


I've had this reply on my screen, minimized, since yesterday, or maybe evenSunday??.  Finally got it finished up, so I can go back and see what's been going on!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Worfiedoodles said:


> I feel like I need a week to just stop life, catch up, think, and then start again. I may have to settle for going to bed at a decent hour...
> 
> [Maria



I have been saying this for about a month now, except I've been been saying it about the g-f stuff. I just don't feel like I have a handle on things and it keeps getting worse and worse. Chips again today--but they are gone now. Then add in Tom and the ADD stuff and the fact that I am actually having some nasty pms and it's getting to be a bit much.

I made a meal plan for this week. Woohoo, right. So today we are supposed to be having veggie reubens. Ok, I need g-f bread. Went to Kroger after work yesterday--no udi's bread. Stopped at a bakery on the way home that a friend recommended and the g-f bread looked disgusting. Went to Kroger again--still no Udi's. It was all I could do not to cry in the store. There goes my brilliant plan. But it's not like I can just buy a loaf of any kind of bread. So I had a long talk with someone in the bakery about why there was no udi's in stock. So frustrating. I just feel like I don't know what to eat ever! I know this is ridiculous, but then I keep eating more and more junk. I had g-f mac and cheese 3 or 4 times last week. And g-f pizza. Those are not good choices. And I am sick of bean enchiladas.

Ok, whine, whine, whine. That's all I do lately. I just feel like I have still not properly grieved in this whole process. And it's tiring me out. 

I really have been wishing I had a Mom or a mil or an aunt or something lately. It's all weighing me down a bit and all this stuff with Tom is not helping. He had another appointment today. I left work early thinking I could get some mental health down time, but it's been a little dramatic around here. And I've been thinking about Mike's sister's death a lot lately too. I am just pooped out I guess. 

Ok, sorry, again. I've been saying that way too much lately.


----------



## flipflopmom

Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lindsay* -- I have a Mount Washmore from all the loads of towels I have made. The thing is, every time I "throw in the towel", I just get more and more unhappy, and then I end up trying to dig it out of the pile, and it's yucky and gross and I just want a fresh one...so my advice is if you need to throw in this towel, do it! Grab fresh one and feel good about it.
> 
> *Taryn* ! I cannot imagine trying to juggle a family, job, and school -- you totally  Whenever you can fit in a run, I say just go for it!
> 
> Ok, so the party....I went home and I was mentally exhausted. DH could not understand why I was so worried about what people thought. I wish I could have his attitude.  When she's in the kitchen I always have trouble



LOVE LOVE LOVE the towel analogy!  WONDERFUL!  You did an amazing job with that party.  I have always envied people that don't worry about what others think... it would make my life so much less complicated if I didn't!  When I was trying to follow flylady more regularly, I remember the kitchen days.  I distinctly spending one whole day cleaning cabinets and baseboards....  I agree, I can manage a bathoom day.  I'm not juggling anything, mostly just dropping all the balls...



lisah0711 said:


> *Taryn,* I know it's a pain now but getting all those assignments done before you go to Disney will pay off!


I can't thank you enough for your help!  I got lost in the myriad of courts and decisions on that one!



Rose&Mike said:


> Well I had an unfortunate encounter with a bag of Lay's chips and some chipotle ranch dressing. Thank goodness Tom was home cause he kept me from eating the entire bag--he loves chips as much as I do. The thing was it was very purposeful.


Rose, the things happen.  Not in a long time for you..  Brush it off and move on.  I love those dang things too......



dumbo_buddy said:


> taryn[/B] we need to hear more about your upcoming disney trip! i've been enjoying rose's trip report on her w.i.s.h. journal and i need MORE!! my neighbor is smoking pot in between the two houses! it stinks! i mean, the least he could do is offer to share it instead of me just having to get a contact high! LOL! kidding, of course! he doesn't do it too often and i'm not a prude, i know people do it but if i can smell it, then so can thomas!  his 2 year appt went well. he weighs a whopping 24 lbs. i mean really, he's a shrimp!  the doctor asked about what i'm feeding him and is he getting 4 veggies a day and not eating fast food. um, yeah, i lied.


  I hope your neighbor moves!    My oldest was a shrimp, she only weighed 35 pounds when she started kindergarten!  My youngest is a BEAST!!!  Glad the appt. went well!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Afternoon, Precious Princess Pals!
> *Taryn* -- I am green with envy over your upcoming trip! I can think of no better way to enjoy your summer than to go to WDW and relax!  Is there anything in particular you are looking forward to? I plan to do the new Star Tours the next time I'm there
> 
> I got a sign from the universe this morning. . I am tired of being a mess, but no one can take control of this but me.



Remember all that reading I did a while back on sleep?  There was a study where women did nothing but add 2 extra nights of sleep and lost weight.  Get the sleep, and life will be better. 

Okay - quick details that I know about our trip.  I'm a shame to Dis'ers I just haven't spent the time planning that I would like, and we've been wavering on dining and ADRs, and. and. and..

Leave Thurs. June 30 late and drive through the night.  DH is off all that week, so he'll stay up Wed. night and sleep most of the day Thurs.  Arrive early Friday Morning at AKL.  Have breakfast at Boma at 10, explore, swim, recover, dinner at Boma (LOL).  

Sat. am - check out of AKL and into BLT.  Leave our stuff with bell services and hit MK!  Dinner at Ohana, watch July 3 fireworks from Top of the World Lounge in BLT. New things at MK this year: Swiss Family Treehouse, flying carpets, Tom Sawyer Island.  

Sunday -4th of July.  Epcot all day.  Akershus breakfast, dinner at Biergarten.  Not sure about the food there at all, but the girls should like the entertainment.  Since it could be a capacity day, we're scared to leave, so we'll be in the park all day.  Needed a place to sit and chill in the cool for a while!

Monday - recover!  Brunch at Ohana w/ Mickey.  No real plans, just whatever happens..

Tuesday - AK am EMH.  Brunch at Tusker House.  Hit conservation station for the first time.

Wed.  - back to Mk in the am, probably back there in the pm for Wishes..

Thurs - back to AK in the am, maybe dinner at ESPN club and hanging out on the Boardwalk for the evening. 

Friday - DHS am.  See Phin. and Ferb and new Star Tours and Beauty and Beast show for first time.  Ohana dinner AGAIN! (DH said if we bought DVC, he get's 2 Ohana dinners each trip....)

Sat.  Breakfast at Chef Mickey's before checking out.

This will be our third year in a row to WDW, so I promised a more laid back than commando trip.  The girls love the BLT pool, and wanted to do more in the community hall than we did.  Do have some firsts, and being there for the 4th we're expecting big crowds!  At this point, I just want to walk down Main St. USA and smell the bakery and look at my castle and hug my family!!!!!!!!

Classes are driving me slowly insane.  One professor keeps assigning more and more, and has only graded 2 assignments.  WE HAVE over 20 in 1.5 months!  I have 3 more for that one that I know about, 2 are big papers due Monday.  I was thankful for Lisa this week, I cried.  I had to analyze a spec. ed court case, and it might as well have been written in German!  Turned in a paper Sunday that is my only grade for that course, will meet with the prof. Thurs for feedback, then revise and final submit before we go.  Have to get a week ahead in the third so I'm not reading and writing on vacation.  I think I can I think I can I think I can!

I realized at 3:30 I hadn't washed Sophie's t-ball shirt from Sat. and she has a game tonight.   Dry dryer dry!  AK has cheer from 5:30-7, and she wants me to take her bible school that's from 6:30-9 afterwards, BUT Sophie's last game is from 6-7, then she has an ice cream party and trophies afterwards.  I am praying Brad gets off in time to help out.

Sorry for the book!   Love to you all!  Hope my next post won't be so spastic!
Taryn


----------



## dumbo_buddy

yesterday i gave thomas a thomas the train set with some wooden tracks and three little trains. he loves it. LOVES IT. before we left the house to head to a friend's i cleaned up everything and put the tracks in a toy bin. 

I JUST GOT HOME AND THE STUPID DOG ATE THREE OF THE TRACKS. TOTALLY RUINED SET! IT COST ME LIKE $40! 

i want to SCREAM!!! wood chips and splinters all over the place. 

EXPLETIVE! EXPLETIVE! EXPLETIVE!!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> It will be a quick day.  This morning I have a couple of things that must get done at work and then pick up DS from school at 12:30 p.m.  Then I will spend the rest of the afternoon cleaning house.  That should pretty much finish the mega-cleaning for my Mom's visit.  Tomorrow same schedule, expect I will try and think of something fun to do since it is the last day of school.  DS will stay home for the rest of the week and start summer camp on Monday.  He's excited because he will be in the teen group since he will officially be a 7th grader.
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!



I hope you will have some fun and quality time with DS.  Horray for it being the end of school.



Rose&Mike said:


> Well I had an unfortunate encounter with a bag of Lay's chips and some chipotle ranch dressing.



Oh I agree with Nancy no way you can only eat one.  We all have days like this and this is a rare occurence for you.  I agree with Lisa....sometimes we are just too hard on ourselves.   You do an awesome job of holding it together with all you have going on.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> the doctor asked about what i'm feeding him and is he getting 4 veggies a day and not eating fast food. um, yeah, i lied.



I know our pediatrician personally and I still lie too.  Usually when they say how much juice do they drink.  I would say only 4 oz a day.  but really its more like 8-16oz...orange juice so its not as bad as the all sugar stuff but I still feel paranoid to tell the truth.  The funnier thing is when parents come in reaking of smoke and we ask them if their child is exposed to cigarette smoke and they say no.  They must think we are dumb.

Anyway I am glad his appt went well and I was  about your neighbor



Worfiedoodles said:


> Anyway, I keep thinking I will stop having these Scarlett O'Hara moments and do something now. Tomorrow is another day, but I could still do something positive today. I know I could, I just can't seem to...



Sometimes it is so hard to pull yourself out of it.  I still feel like i am bordering on the edge of the wagon but thankfully its currently the good side.  It has taken me awhile to get here again and I still feel at any minute I can fall back to the dark side.  I am trying to hang on and I definitely wont quit.  You can do it to!!!!



Rose&Mike said:


> Then add in Tom and the ADD stuff and the fact that I am actually having some nasty pms and it's getting to be a bit much.



I think the moral of the story here is Nasty PMS.  That will make any situation seem 10 times worse.  So keep that in mind and when you are really feeling stressed or anxious just tell yourself this is all PMS.....try to hang in there Im sure soon you will feel better....in the meantime whine/vent away...thats what we are here for.  



flipflopmom said:


> Okay - quick details that I know about our trip.  I'm a shame to Dis'ers I just haven't spent the time planning that I would like, and we've been wavering on dining and ADRs, and. and. and..



Your trip sounds dreamy  I often want to go more laid back but maybe once we can go more frequently as a family it will get easier.  Otherwise I am a planning commando freak.  Ohana's by the way is now one of my favorite dinner places after eating there princess wkend.  I can see why your husband made those stipulations.

I will confess I have forgotten to wash ryans tball uniform from a sat. too and then tues came I was like oh well...its just going to get dirty anyway.  We can still get away with this until they get older and stinky.

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

Thanks for those who asked about my return to work.  It is going ok except that I have that feeling of not wanting to work anymore.  I get like this after every vacation and it takes a few weeks and then I get back to reality.  The problem is I have a wk off in july and aug so this summer I should just consider a wash at work.

I am happy to report that yesterday was completely on plan to the T!!!

Today so far I have had 11 points and I have 15 left for dinner which is good as I am making chicken enchilada's.  Ryan is staying at my parents house so it will feel quiet at home I am sure.  Nick is going to be upset that he didnt get to sleep over so mike is taking him out for ice cream after dinner.


----------



## flipflopmom

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I will confess I have forgotten to wash ryans tball uniform from a sat. too and then tues came I was like oh well...its just going to get dirty anyway.  We can still get away with this until they get older and stinky.



I had already done that once.  I hated for her to wear it 3 times without washing.  It was pretty funky!


Nancy - our dogs do that too..  I completely understand the sentiment....  this year it was one of our favorite ornaments off the Christmas tree.....

Lindsay - glad you are in a better frame of mind today!

Last game of the season DONE!  She's got her "first trophy with my name on it" ...  Time for Brad to cook and me to start another paper.  Good night everyone.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

dumbo_buddy said:


> yesterday i gave thomas a thomas the train set with some wooden tracks and three little trains. he loves it. LOVES IT. before we left the house to head to a friend's i cleaned up everything and put the tracks in a toy bin.
> 
> I JUST GOT HOME AND THE STUPID DOG ATE THREE OF THE TRACKS. TOTALLY RUINED SET! IT COST ME LIKE $40!
> 
> i want to SCREAM!!! wood chips and splinters all over the place.
> 
> EXPLETIVE! EXPLETIVE! EXPLETIVE!!!!



OMG I totally know how you feel we have a choc lab and when he was a puppy he ate everything.  We lived with half of a sofa for awhile because I wouldnt dare buy anything new.  When company came over we would give them pillows to put on the coach to sit on because there were no longer any cushions.  We also lost 2 tv remotes, longenberger baskets, kids toys, oh and we also have a chewed up thomas the train track set and those things are not cheap.  I could go on and on about things we lost.  Luckily now he is such a good dog but it took a number of years to get to this point.  Hang in there and try not to kill the dog.  



flipflopmom said:


> Last game of the season DONE!  She's got her "first trophy with my name on it" ...  Time for Brad to cook and me to start another paper.  Good night everyone.



Horray!!!!  That is so cute.  Good luck with your paper.  Keep swimming girl

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

So I had a complete change of plans for tonight since we both worked late.  I got home and started making the enchilada's at 630 and mike came in and said how long until their finished.  I said not until 715 or so.  Well we both were starving and nick was still upset over his brother not being home so we decided to do Mc'D's.  Now before you all start to BOO I want to commend myself because I had 15 points left for the day and I got a hamburger and a sm fry.  So I only used 11.  So although not the best choice I did still make a wise choice if that makes any sense.  Usually I would have thrown the towel on top of Mt washmore and ordered a big mac meal.  So I call this a NSV  Then we took nick to 5 below and let him pick a prize.  He choose a 2$ farm animal set.  another NSV I saved 3$.  Then we stopped at dairy queen where I used up some extra weekly points on a mini oreo blizzard.  It was 350cal and 13g of fat so I have to figure out the points but even so I counted them.

Oh while we were at the store I stumbled across slap braclets.  Anyone remember these.  They were huge when I was in middle school.  I really was almost tempted to buy one.  I think its so exciting to see fad's return.

Anyone all in all it was a nice evening.  I miss Ryan but at least I can get up and out of the house without much of a fuss tomorrow.  He's having a blast with my parents Im sure.

Have a good night!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--great job at McD's! Total NSV!

Nancy--our shelter dog (he was a year old when we got him) chewed a hole in our brand new love seat the day we bought it! Seriously, we had in the house for a couple of hours. He pulled one of the cushions down off of it and chewed a big old hole in it. I think we left him alone for 10 minutes. I am a firm believer in crate training. We were his 4th or 5th home--he has a lot of issues. But he's a good dog, he just got into a lot of trouble when he was younger--we basically couldn't let him out of our sight. But it's gotten a lot better. Anyhow, is there a "safe" place you could have your doggie hang out when you aren't around?

--Ran 4 miles in just under 40 minutes and almost no knee issues. And it was in the 70s. Couldn't really ask for a better night.


----------



## flipflopmom

Rose&Mike said:


>



Got a little backspace happy  Anyway, just wanted to say great run Rose!  

Lindsay - two of my students had slap bracelets this year.  Now I know why our teachers hated them.   And great job at McD's!!!

Another day in front of the laptop.  Have a great one!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning ladies!  

There was a big old full moon shining when I woke up at o'dark thirty this morning.  It was quite pretty actually.  

*Rose,* so glad that you had a good run yesterday.  A whole summer of runs like yesterdays would be fabulous for you.  When is your next race BTW? Food and Wine? I've got F&W on the brain for next year if I can manage my C2C.  

I think that you are going to have to have extra back up plans for your g-f eating.  I know that you hate having to find "special" stuff at the grocery store but really there is more available to you than there was if you had started a few years ago.  Just the other day DS was asking me "what is with all this g-f stuff?  It's everywhere!"  Like I'm not a fan of frozen bread, but you may have to have a loaf in your freezer for those days when the bakery truck broke down.  And snacks to tide you over -- well you may have to keep some of the higher calorie stuff, like nuts, which I know that you like, around.  You can do that and still be OP.  I know that you want to feel "normal" with your eating.  I think you forget that when you ate "normally" you spent a lot of time being sick and in the bathroom -- that wasn't so great either!    I think that you sound 100% happier and healthier now and all the trouble has been so worth it to get your life back!   

*Nancy,* another advocate of crate training for dogs.  Our four year old black lab still stays in the crate when we are not home because otherwise everything would be chewed to bits and pieces.  I swear she has a whole Lego set in her stomach.   Fiona may want a place of her own she can escape to be alone when baby number two arrives. 

My next race is in September in Sandpoint, Idaho.  I do get to go to running school with Jeff Galloway in Missoula, Montana next month before then.  Then the Tinker Bell Half will be next half unless I decide to do something in November or early December.  My goal for my next half is sub-four hours.    Thanks for asking!  

*Maria,* don't you just love those signs from the universe?   Yours sound more profound than mine.  If I'm cleaning the toilet I'm usually thinking about how people could have better aim.    You *are *an amazing, strong, accomplished woman.    You deserve some rest, a chance to take care of yourself, and some pretty new clothes to make you feel special!    And as many new towels as it takes! 

We are taking my Mom to a special Leonardo da Vinci exhibit at our local museum in Spokane on Friday.  They have a lot of models built from his designs.  DS will like that and she will like seeing that with him.  Friday we are driving to a local mission -- the oldest building in Idaho.  When I was growing up we went to a lot of the missions in California for school projects -- Rose will remember the missions from when she lived in San Diego.  The missionaries actualy made it way up here.  It's hard to find new things to do with guests when they've been coming here for years!   

*Taryn,* I'm glad that I could help you with your assignment.  I loved reading about your Disney plans.    You will love AKL.  Sanaa, the restaurant in Kidani, is very good, too, but all those meals at Boma are hard to beat.  They have wonderful South African wines there, too.  Hang in there vacation will be here before you know it!

*Lindsay,* I say you did just fine with McD's yesterday.  If it's within your points and works for your family that night -- why not?!?   Poor Ryan, in his mind a brother free night was probably going to be a great thing but it sounds like he felt like he was missing out on the fun with grandma and grandpa.    Hope that you get your groove back at work soon -- I so know how you are feeling.  

*Kathy,* good luck with your race today and your informational picketing.    That is going to be quite the contrast of highs and lows.  Let us know how you did!  

Another short work day for me.  I think I've got the cleaning left down to a manageable amount.  DS will be wanting to veg out with Minecraft this afternoon after three days of finals.  He was going on about how he had six more years of homework left for middle and high school, then college, then grad school and then said "I hope that I don't have any homework when I'm 32!"   He had been dancing around with a lampshade on his head earlier so I would say that kid needs some time to do absolutely nothing!  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--have fun at your 5k tonight!

*Lisa*--yep I remember the missions. It's one of the things I really liked about San Diego. When we first moved there I thought (being from one of the original 13 colonies) this place is too new with no history, but the missions were pretty cool. 

I have the snacking down pretty good--the chips were just a binge. I had healthy snacks at home, I just didn't want them.  The issue is flour replacement products. While it's true things are significantly better than they were even a few years ago, the reality is some of the stuff tastes really awful--and I mean really awful. Amy's g-f mac and cheese--really bad. Most g-f pizza crusts--really bad. We found a loaf of bread last night--it had a shelf date of 2012. Yes, you read that right, 2012. I'm sorry, I cannot eat bread that it is supposed to be ediible off the shelf for almost a year. 

The issue around here is that stores are just not ordering enough--but they are mailing out newsletters saying that they now carry these products. I get a g-f newsletter from Kroger about once a month now. Well, when the shelf holds maybe 6 loaves of bread (and I'm being generous here) and you are only ordering it once a week, but you're mailing out fliers to all the folks who buy g-f products saying that you have it, it becomes a problem. I have been trying since March to get our store to add the g-f Snyder's pretzels. The Snyder's rep told me he was set up to put it in every Kroger in the region. But for some reason our store manager just can't figure it out.

 I've decided when I move it's going to be near a Whole Foods and then that will take care of a lot of these issues. And I do feel better. I really do. I am so grateful to have figured this out. I am just not really liking food right now. Mike and I talked about this last night--this is why people with chronic illnesses cheat--diabetics, people with heart disease, etc. It's just a pain sometimes. And I won't cheat--not worth it to feel sick. I guess I just need to stop whining about food. I refuse to use this as an excuse to gain the weight back. It's just going to take a little getting used to.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

morning all!!!

still annoyed with the dog. she was eating a plastic bag when i turned my head. it is totally for spite!

we are big crate people too. we just got rid of the crate a few months ago because fiona was really reliable! ha! thing is, the crate is really big and our house is so small. it takes up most of the free space we have in here. ugh. i have been telling DH we need to bring it back up. but the thought of losing all that space that we're even more going to need when the baby swing comes back up is too much!!

*rose* i'm so bummed for you about the g-f thing. why can't it be easier? i know that i keep telling myself that i should do that thing where you cook for the week all on sunday or something but i never do. i would suggest you do that...but who wants to spend a whole weekend day cooking??? i'm glad you got a good solid run in though. that had to help at least a little!!

*lisa* how long is the sandpoint race? another half? running school? um, how AWESOME is that???? i can't wait to hear about it!

*lindsay* nice work at mcdonalds! that is restraint baby! i couldn't do it! two cheeseburger meal all the way!! oh and slap bracelets? loved them! they are SO back in now too! i remember they were banned when i was in school b/c kids were cutting their wrists with them. sheesh, all the bad kids have to go an ruin it! i saw slaw bracelet watches at the mall on saturday! cool!

*kathy* have an awesome time at the 5k tonight! what a nice mid-week thing to do!

*maria* darn! sorry about the bleach on the pants but yeah, maybe that sign was a good kick in the...pants  

*taryn* ah, i want to go with you on your trip! driving?! i find people who drive to WDW to be very brave!!! that's alot of work! wait, you haven't done beauty and the beast at DHS yet?? oh you'll love it. i really think they do a great job with that!!


***
la la la waiting for the mattress people to come. annoying! i could have had a nice run and been back and showered by now. of course if i left then they would have come.

i'm a little crazy i know but i've decided to drive to NJ to go to chick fil a. it's the closest one and i really want it! i love their grilled chicken sandwiches! i mean, i need to go shopping for DH's father's day gift and anniversary gift so might as well go to a mall that has food that i want. lol. sure, i have to go over the GWB and pay the toll but i'm so worth it!  a friend of mine who i went to grammar school with is going to meet us! should be fun!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, Princess Pals!


Big hugs all around to all of you.  You are beautiful, strong, amazing women, and as long as we keep on trying, and never give up, our focus may come and go, and real life may get in the way but we will be successful, and reach our goals.  Hang in there, ladies.  We can do this!!!!

I have my 5k tonight, and feel pretty good about it.  I've been running with my friend, and the last couple times have noticed I've actually been having a conversation, while running, not just during the walk breaks, which is huge for me.  Sunday we did 3.2 miles, and I tried to run more and took just 4 one minute walk breaks.  And though I haven't been working on speed, I definitely have more endurance.  I've decided I'm going to really push myself like last year and hope to break 40 min.  My other big hope is not to look like I"m about to have a stroke in the finish line pics.  

Still trying to reign in the eating, but scale is holding steady.  

*Taryn*- Love hearing about your trip.  I loved Boma and was pleasantly surprised to really love Biergarten too.  Especially the Bavarian cheesecake.  I showed the pics to my sister before her trip, and she couldn't wait for the cheesecake. I give you so much credit for all the classes you're taking.  I have a hard time getting my 15 contact hours of continueing ed every two years.  You rock!   Hope all goes smoothly this week.

*Rose* -Honey, you have had so much going on the past year, and have dealt with each thing thrown at you with such grace and resolve.  You are one strong woman, and I hope you can catch a break soon.   yay for 4 miles with no knee issues!!!  So excited for you.  I hope you're able to smoothly increase your mileage, and get back to a good running routine.  That alone will help with the stress.  And don't worry about the chips.  Sometimes chip therapy is needed.

*Maria*- You are amazing.  So glad the party for the pastor worked out well. You must have been exhausted.  Thanks for the reminder when I'm cleaning the toilet to be on the alert for signs, rather than just cursing ds in my head for peeing all over the place.   Some times you just need a little break to regroup, and rest.   You will get back on track, and get running again.  I know it because you have a moderate resort waiting for you at the princess half.  Regroup, take some down time and relax.  
I hadn't thought about camp after age 12 not being tax deductible.  What a bummer.  Yeah, no way they're ready to be home alone all day.  So 12 is the cutoff here?  3 more years.  My friends 16 yo is going to busch gardens for an animal care camp this summer.  There's so many amazing camps out there, I may need to get another job.

*Lindsay*- Congrats on your NSV at mcd's.  You are living the ww plan. You can have anything in moderation, and that's what you did.  I'm sorry the scale isn't moving as you'd hoped.  It stinks that we need to work so much harder as we get older to lose the weight like we did in our 20s.  Keep plugging away, one day at a time.  Sorry your vacation week seemed to fly by.  
I was laughing at you lying to your pedi too.  It kind of stinks when the kids get older and the doc asks them the questions.  Ds told his doctor he watched tv every night from when he gets home from school til bedtime, and all weekend long.   I did insert some defense, but I'm sure it wasn't beleived.  It was a long, cold winter.   I also think about the vegies, and do pediatricians think everyone is lying and if they say the kid gets 4 vegies a day, cut it in half to 2?  We do that with alcohol, automatically figure if someone' s a drinker they drink twice as much as they admit to.  

*Nancy*- So sorry about the train set.  Such a bummer, and they are wicked expensive.  Michael had a little set, and then got some hand me downs which was great.  We sold the whole lot for 20 bucks at our yard sale last year.  If he loves it, you shoud think about craigs list, or second hand stores.  And thank you for the reminder of why I don't want a dog. 
I was thinking of you, my friend chaperoned her dd's middle school trip to nyc and the bronx zoo, and man she had a tough group of boys she was in charge of, and told us some funny stories.  Made me rethink trying to chaperone ds's trips in the future. lol.

*Lisa*- Thanks for the good wishes.  Glad to hear your house is getting cleaned, and you'll be all ready for Mom to visit tomorrow.  She must get so excited to come and see you and ds.  My mom loved going out to my brothers' with to visit taylor.  Is today's ds's last day?  So exciting for him to be done, and have survived his first year of middle school.  A night to veg is exactly what he will need.  Michael want's to stay up for the bruins game, and is telling me it will be historical if they win, and it hasn't happened since 1971, so I'll probably give in with the agreement of bed at 8 pm tomorrow night.  Glad you had a beautiful moon to look at today when you woke up.  Sounds far too early to me.  Hope you get a good nights sleep tonight.

Have a great day everyone.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oh kathy if DS does a trip down here you have to chaperone! i'll meet you!! it would be so fun!!!! and i'll bring you wine to make the trip back easier!!!

and taryn i forgot to saw that biergarten is one of our favorite restaurants at disney! i think you'll like it! tons of things to try and the show is cute! the beer is so good too. they have a flight you can get and test them all. yum!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

is it me? do i stink? 

i'm the last poster on FOUR different threads on the w.i.s.h. forum right now. 

i'm getting a complex now.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Don't get a complex, *Nancy!*

I was in tense meetings and away from my desk all day. I needed to mindlessly relax -- so for once instead of mindlessly eating I found mindless tv. I had taped Toddlers and Tiaras (I hadn't seen it, but decided to watch once), and I just saw all I need to. 

I'm too spent to do a real post -- and I have another day of meetings tomorrow. I am starting to think I should just buy several yards of material and make muumuus -- but that would imply I know how to sew  

Seriously, my head is not there right now, and I don't know when it will be. I'm starting to regret being registered for the half in August, I am just too tired to be making life decisions, that's for sure. I can always tell when I start fantasizing about my life as a lady of leisure...and it includes unlimited sleep! 

Ok, that's why I wasn't posting -- no one should be subjected to this sad sack! 

Have a lovely weekend, ladies! 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Worfiedoodles said:


> Don't get a complex, *Nancy!*
> 
> I was in tense meetings and away from my desk all day. I needed to mindlessly relax -- so for once instead of mindlessly eating I found mindless tv. I had taped Toddlers and Tiaras (I hadn't seen it, but decided to watch once), and I just saw all I need to.
> 
> I'm too spent to do a real post -- and I have another day of meetings tomorrow. I am starting to think I should just buy several yards of material and make muumuus -- but that would imply I know how to sew
> 
> Seriously, my head is not there right now, and I don't know when it will be. I'm starting to regret being registered for the half in August, I am just too tired to be making life decisions, that's for sure. I can always tell when I start fantasizing about my life as a lady of leisure...and it includes unlimited sleep!
> 
> Ok, that's why I wasn't posting -- no one should be subjected to this sad sack!
> 
> Have a lovely weekend, ladies!
> 
> Maria



Maria...we are always here to listen whether it is good or bad.  You will swim out of this...hang in there.  I know the feeling but once things settle you will come around.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Thanks, Lindsay!

My dh just told me to go to bed. Even he can see I am a mess! 

Have a great evening -- and as FlyLady would say, "Go to bed at a decent hour!"

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hugs maria! hang in there. and don't watch that toddlers in tiaras crap. that would drive me to eat! those people are scary!!!


----------



## mikamah

*Maria*-A big hug for you.   Like lindsay said, we are here for you on the bad days as well as the good.  I hope you have a low key weekend, and can get some quiet, me time.  You deserve it.  This healthy life is like a rollercoaster, with ups and downs, but know when you're feeling low, it will turn, and get easier again.  Hang in there.

*Nancy*-Some contraband wine on a school trip is probably what gets the chaperones through it. lol. Our 8th grade does washington, and I know they always want nurses and doctors to go, so I've thought I'd like to do it.  This girl had a brittle diabetic with a broken foot in her group, and said there was a girl with panic attacks and claustrophobia in another group, who could hardly function.  She felt so bad for the girl.  And the diabetic was one of a group of boys who took off from the group in times square. We were talking, if they were our kids, wouldn't we go too, to be their support.  Or maybe the parents were looking forward to a couple days alone. 
Nice job getting out and running yesterday.  Thanks for saying I inspired you.  I actually think I inspired myself too.  I want to work on my speed and one of the easiest ways to do that would be to lose weight.  So I'm feeling focused and motivated again.  Hope you had a nice visit with your friend.  

*Rose* - I hope you're having a good week, and just busy.  

*Lisa* - Enjoy your visit with your mom this week.  And hooray for summer vacation!!!!!  

*Lindsay*- I'm so happy you're doing so well and have your focus back.  I know you're going to stick with it, and see lots of pounds gone over the summer.  

I know I posted on the other thread, but I was happy with my time the other night.  Of course I would have been happier if I had beat the 40 min, but I know that I didn't put in the time to do that.  At the first mile, which I knew would be my fastest mile, it was 13:10, and I thought that to beat 40 would be hard, but kept on trying, and did my best.  41:26 was my official time, last year I was 43:26, and another 5k last fall I was 42:40ish, so a PR for me.  It was a hot night, and I felt great after I was done.  Funny, it was my breathing that didn't allow me to go faster, but after the race, my body felt pretty good, just a little sore.  Last year, I remember being so sore for days after.  So I think physically I'm in much better shape than last year, but cardiovascularly, I still need some work.  Again, I know weight loss will help.  

I had thought about a 5 mile race on 7/2, but I don't think I'm going to do that.  I feel a little overwhelmed at how fast this month is going, and we have our fireworks party on the 3rd, and my yard is a mess, and I have a lot to do for that.  

Hang in there, princesses!  One day at a time, never give up.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

My Mom arrived yesterday and we are going to a Leonardo da Vinci exhibit in Spokane and to lunch today.  It is still cool and rainy but since she comes up here to escape the heat in Arizona she doesn't care that she has to wear a sweatshirt!  

*Kathy,* great job with your 5K and PR!    I think it is harder to get ready for these local races because "real life" seems to intrude a bit more easily.  I think a big accomplishment is that we are getting out there and still doing this long after the Disney race!  

*Nancy,* of course you don't stink!    Nice job being inspired and doing a 5K.  That is great time, especially for someone pushing someone else around!  

*Maria,* get some rest this week-end, girl!    I do not deal with sleep deprivation at all.

*Rose* and *Maria* as Lindsay says, we are always here to listen to any of our princesses!  

Toddlers in Tiaras sounds like one of those shows that makes you glad that you have a boy!  

*Taryn* did you see this blog about what is going on at WDW on 4th of July?  http://www.wdwinfo.com/holidays/4th_July.htm  Looks like some fun stuff going on.  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

dumbo_buddy said:


> is it me? do i stink?
> 
> i'm the last poster on FOUR different threads on the w.i.s.h. forum right now.
> 
> i'm getting a complex now.


 Silly Nancy.



Worfiedoodles said:


> Don't get a complex, *Nancy!*
> 
> I was in tense meetings and away from my desk all day. I needed to mindlessly relax -- so for once instead of mindlessly eating I found mindless tv. I had taped Toddlers and Tiaras (I hadn't seen it, but decided to watch once), and I just saw all I need to.
> 
> I'm too spent to do a real post -- and I have another day of meetings tomorrow. I am starting to think I should just buy several yards of material and make muumuus -- but that would imply I know how to sew
> 
> Seriously, my head is not there right now, and I don't know when it will be. I'm starting to regret being registered for the half in August, I am just too tired to be making life decisions, that's for sure. I can always tell when I start fantasizing about my life as a lady of leisure...and it includes unlimited sleep!
> 
> Ok, that's why I wasn't posting -- no one should be subjected to this sad sack!
> 
> Have a lovely weekend, ladies!
> 
> Maria


Hang in there Maria. I know those feelings. I hope you can do something this weekend that takes some of the stress off of you.



mikamah said:


> I know I posted on the other thread, but I was happy with my time the other night.  Of course I would have been happier if I had beat the 40 min, but I know that I didn't put in the time to do that.  At the first mile, which I knew would be my fastest mile, it was 13:10, and I thought that to beat 40 would be hard, but kept on trying, and did my best.  41:26 was my official time, last year I was 43:26, and another 5k last fall I was 42:40ish, so a PR for me.  It was a hot night, and I felt great after I was done.  Funny, it was my breathing that didn't allow me to go faster, but after the race, my body felt pretty good, just a little sore.  Last year, I remember being so sore for days after.  So I think physically I'm in much better shape than last year, but cardiovascularly, I still need some work.  Again, I know weight loss will help.
> 
> I had thought about a 5 mile race on 7/2, but I don't think I'm going to do that.  I feel a little overwhelmed at how fast this month is going, and we have our fireworks party on the 3rd, and my yard is a mess, and I have a lot to do for that.
> 
> Hang in there, princesses!  One day at a time, never give up.


We chaperoned an 8th grade trip to Chicago, a 9th grade trip to Atlanta and a 10th grade trip to Chicago. After that Tom decided he was done with trips--thank goodness! On one of the trips I spent a good portion of the trip with a girl who was having panic attacks and did not get her medication on time. She wouldn't deal with any of the other parents. Fun stuff.

Congrats on the race! And I am living proof that losing really helps with time, which is a great motivator!

*Lisa*--have fun with your Mom!

*****
I am still here, still maintaining, still running, still dealing with a bunch of stuff at home. Life is good, just a little tiring right now. And I had a doozer of a t.o.m. visit--honestly I'd forgotten what it was like, it's been such a non-event for a while now. Major pms, and major cramps. I feel like a teenager--what's that about??? 

I ran 4 miles tuesday and 4 miles yesterday. Going to go 6 or 7 on Saturday or Sunday. Haven't decided yet. We are all doing a 10k on 4th of July--Tom, too. It's the same race we did last year. I would really like a pr--if only by a minute, but I need to baby my knee, so we will have to wait and see. It would be a big mental victory to cross that finish line a little faster than last year, but at this point I am just happy to be running. I feel like I am slowly getting my cardio back--it's hard cause it's humid. Mike and I are going to sign up for w&d this weekend. I am feeling much more confident that I will be able to complete it even if it means having to take a lot of walk/picture breaks.

Have a great day!


----------



## flipflopmom

TWO WEEKS FROM RIGHT NOW I WILL BE AT AKL!

Hey everyone, I dont' have time to quote, so I am going to on memory.

*Nancy* - you just have a little more time than some of us.   Not that stayin at home with a little one, and being pregnant, and cleaning...  yeah well, you don't have any more time.  Thought about you yesterday when one of our dogs chewed a flip flop.  thanks for the reassurance about Biergarten - I'm skeered!

*Maria *- Vent away.  That's what I love about this group.  We CARE.  But I know the feelings of just not having it in you to post.  I did mindless tv for a bit yesterday, too.  I watched Sweet Home Alabama.  

*Kathy*  Good job on your 5K!  I am so proud of you!!!!!  We only take teachers on class trips, because you can't say yes to the good and no to the bad, and there are plenty of parents I want no where near my kids.  Like the one that took her 11 year old son out to Hooter's and an Eminem concert for his birthday. 

*Rose *- Sorry TOM was so awful.  Mine almost always are.  Guess when he's coming back?  Yep,. WDW... The 10K as a family is such a very, very, very cool idea!!

*Lindsay *- Hope you are okay!

*Lisa* thanks for the post.  We're going to watch the 3rd Mk fireworks from TOWL at BLT.  And going to Epcot all day on the 4th.  I just thought the American Adventure was the perfect place to be!  

I did work on the trip a little on morning, and made reserv. for the girls at Pirates' League - cheaper than BBB and something different.  Well, apparently there are mermaids in the new POTC movie, adn they are offering a mermaid makeup hair and nails pkg.   The girls will be so excited!!!!!!  It's a surprise!

ONE CLASS IS DONE!!!  All over but the grading.  3-6 more assignments for another, depending on how many more she posts. then that one will be done.  Turned in 20 assignments in the last month for her, she's graded 3...  Then just have to keep up w/ my weekly stuff and for the summer long one, get a week ahead..  So yeah. I really shouldn't be here.

Full moon, cloudy day, messy house, loud kids, I just want to go curl back up in bed!!!!  Did I say loud kids?  I mean, really loud kids.  I am on sensory overload right now!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> [ Funny, it was my breathing that didn't allow me to go faster, but after the race, my body felt pretty good, just a little sore.  Last year, I remember being so sore for days after.  So I think physically I'm in much better shape than last year, but cardiovascularly, I still need some work.  Again, I know weight loss will help.



I definitely find it harder to breath when i try to go faster too.  I think the weight is def. part of it but I think the heat and humidity makes a huge difference as well.  Either way you did so great and it is always nice to get that PR.



Rose&Mike said:


> Mike and I are going to sign up for w&d this weekend. I am feeling much more confident that I will be able to complete it even if it means having to take a lot of walk/picture breaks.
> 
> Have a great day!



This could be the perfect excuse to stop and take pics with the characters without feeling guilty.  Glad you are going to be able to do it.

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

Meeting went well today.  There are many unanswered questions with all of our changes but my title I know for sure was changed to Senior Practice Manager.  I am most likely going to finish this year in the next level which is associate practice director and is a starting salary difference of about 6,000 so I am fighting to be able to get it changed by the time our annual evals are done which is july or aug.  My current salary should go up a little which is better than nothing but it would be nice if I can hit that next level.

Anyway I am happy to report that I have lost 3lbs this week.  I really needed to see that for my own mental health.

Well I have a bunch of work to get done before I leave so I will need to catch up later.


----------



## corinnak

Hi Princesses!  

Greetings from Her Highness Princess Unreliable!  I'm really sorry I don't have time to reply to everyone right now - we're packing up for a little trip, not to WDW, so nevermind.    I hope to be a bit more back in the loop next week.  It's great to catch up on what y'all have been up to at least a little, though!

Maria -   Take good care of yourself this weekend - it sounds like R&R is just the thing.  

Talk to you all soon.

-C


----------



## Worfiedoodles

First let me apologize because I only have until dh gets back with my Subway dinner to DIS, then he needs the computer to do our finances and the church finances. DS has commandeered the laptop to make studyguides for finals, so I'm the SOL family member. We just need three computers...DH has an ipad for work, but I don't seem him using it for non-work...

Anyway, dh and I had a talk last night and it helped me recommit to doing what I need to do. I'm miserable when I don't, so I don't know why I keep stopping.... I'm going to reprioritize my workouts, and go back to journaling all my food. It seems so basic, but I just get lazy and stop doing it. 

I've written down every morsel that crossed my mouth today, and I'm eating with my points -- or at least I'm on target as of now. Dinner will leave me with 2 pts. I earned 9 earlier, so I'm going to have a 3pt. ice cream dessert. I am positive I actually have 0 weekly points left, but whatever. Tomorrow is my regular start day, so I'm doing just that, starting my points counting and weighing tomorrow. I know I will have a gain, but better to know now. 

In a very un-Marialike move, when I got home today from my meeting I did 3M on the TM. I wouldn't call it pretty, but it's done. I plan to run 8M tomorrow. I'm going to get up early, go a little slower since my weight's up and I haven't run consistently for a week, and see how it goes. 

Ok, so I was looking in the WW Dining Out guide, and imagine my surprise that I could have a BLT with cheese, for 9 pts! I was stunned. I never thought I could eat that! It's going to be my dinner tonight, along with veggie chips and the ice cream dessert. If I do find myself hungry later I can have an orange, and I have hot and cold tea also ready to go. 

I am going shopping with dh this week (sometimes he just goes alone) to make sure I get things I really want to eat this week. I'm going to buy what looks good, and see how the points work out. I know that sounds a little strange, but I think I need to get back to eating what I like, and making that work. I've been eating WW yogurt every day, and I don't love it. I do really like yoplait, and it's a point more. I think I can fit that in -- so stuff like that. I'm picking my own ice cream treats. It's a little tweak, we'll see how it works out. 

*Corinna* -- Have a wonderful trip! Looking forward to catching up with you 

*Lindsay* -- That would be an amazing raise, I really hope it all works out with the timing. I know you deserve it! 

*Taryn* -- I read about the Mermaid pkg and it really sounds great! I know the girls are going to be thrilled 

*Rose* -- TOM finally left today, and I think that has had a lot to do with my mood improvement. My hormones just go wacky 

*Lisa* -- I had no idea of what goes on with those pageants. I cannot believe these people willingly inflict this on their little girls, who cry, scream and melt down because they are being forced to dress and act like little hoochies in training  And there are not crowns for everyone, so that is the saddest part of all. There literally is a "most beautiful" title. Can you imagine your self-esteem if you didn't get it? Not for me, that's for sure.

*Kathy* -- Did you get the e-mail that the Disney store at North Shore is closing? I am sad because that means I have to start going back to Square One, but I have to admit that store was never my favorite. It just seemed thrown together. 

*Nancy* -- Yep, those people frighten me. Living in a trailer and paying $1,000 for a dress that will be outgrown in 6 months...let's just say I have different priorities 

Ok, dh is back so I have to run. Thanks so much for being my buddy!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Taryn- the mermaid pkgs sound like they will be a great surprise for your girls.  I bet they will be thrilled.

Maria- Im glad to hear your day was a bit better today and great job getting on that TM.

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

It has been a long day.  I started work at 730 and just got home and got the kids in bed around 9.  I had to pick the kids up at my moms and of course she talked me into going over to my nana's for dinner.  we had rotiserre chicken and pasta salad.  I did good and left without eating any cake this time.

Tomorrow is the kids first race at the parkway.  They are excited!  We are then getting together with my in laws.  We will spend some time for fathers day with them tomorrow and then with my dad so we wont have to hop around to different places on sunday.  

When i got home tonight I got ryan's final report card in the mail.  He went up and got some above averages in alot of areas and the teacher commented that we should be really proud of how far he has come academically but that he was still needing frequent reminders to keep on task, raise his hand, and not worrying about what is going on with others.  The PE teacher put that he continued to have trouble listening and following directions and his lack of ability to pay attention was distrupting to the class.  Honestly Ryan really is a good kid but I am almost starting to worry that he has ADHD.  I have thought about this even before he started kindergarten more so just because I have worked with kids with ADHD for the past 15 years and sometimes you can just tell.  I am going to talk to his pediatrician (since its convienent that I work with her) and see what she thinks.  I am not big on giving meds and Im not sure that I would even do anything before school starts next year but I hate to keep waiting if he truly does have a problem.  Im just not sure how young you should worry about this.  

So other than that I am feeling pretty good and really glad the wkend is here.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, princesses, and Happy father's day to all your dad's and the dad's of your little angels too.

*Lindsay*-glad to her ryan did improve on his report card, but it must be hard to be worried about adhd.  I think talking to you md is a good idea, and I don't think I would be in a hurry to get him on any meds, but to be aware and see how he does going into 1st grade.  He's young, and I am sure that many kids have had hard time getting focused in kindergarten.  I remember volunteering in michael's kindergarten and first grade classes, and it wasn't always smooth.  And how is the rest of the class doing?  I know you can't get that info, but I think a teacher really sets the mood of the class, and keeps in charge, and so I would wonder if lots of kids have trouble staying on task, or if it's just ryan.  It's tough and a worry for you.  I hope talking to the doctor about it will help, and if it is an issue, getting him extra help in school may help, before thinking about meds.  
Hope  you enjoying your weekend.

*Maria*-Hope getting those runs in helped you this weekend.  You sound like you're feeling better and having a plan to track the food does give you so much more control over things.  Hope you're enjoying the weekend.  Thanks for the disney store tip.  I might have to pop in and see what on sale. 

*Taryn*-Thinking of you today, and know that your daddy is with you in your heart.    Hope you have a peaceful, relaxing day.

*Lisa*-Hope you're enjoying your visit with mom.  I bet it's nice for her to be with you for father's day too, and you can share memories of your dad.  Have you got a plan for your sept half written out yet?  I need to do that since my plan only went to my 5k, but I just don't have the  motivation I had for a disney race.

*Rose*-glad things are going well, and youre' just busy.  so happy you've been getting some runs in and doing well.  A july 4th family 5k sounds really fun.  I'd look for one here, but since we have the fireworks on the 3rd, I tend to have a bit of a hangover on the 4th.

*Corinna*-Great to see you.  Have a great trip!! Where are you off to?  

Good morning gang,

I did 3.2 yesterday afternoon in the heat with my friend, and then we floated in the pool for a while.  I do need to write up a plan for the sept half, and get my run's in faithfully.  that was the 3rd time this week, but I know going forward I need to have it written down.  

I'm on call today, so we're just hanging i our pajamas this morning.  My friend's dd is in the champoinship soccer game at 11, so we will go see her play if I don't get called in.  Otherwise, grocery shopping and laundry is the on the agenda.  I'm doing really good with food this weekend, but more because I need to go grocery shopping and there's no junk around.  So to go to the grocery and not bring home junk will give me another good week.  I can do it.

Have a wonderful sunday, princess girlfriends.


----------



## flipflopmom

Thanks Kathy, it's been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, and I will be glad that it won't come around again for another 365.  

Lindsay - We waited until after 3rd for AK's meds.  I wish I had done it for 3rd, but she handled it okay until then.  Honestly, 1st is such a huge reading year.  I would base my decision on how he does in the reading dept.  If he's reading okay, I would let it slide.  If he struggles with reading, he'll always be behind, at least in our area, because 1st is the big grade to teach it.  

Guys, we're flailing.  I'm a soo stressed with schoolwork.  The girls have decided to whine and argue constantly, and Brad is ready to call off the trip completely.  I know part of their acting out is my lack of attention to them because of classes.  The house is such a wreck that I can't focus, but i'm in the weeds now with school and trying to get ready for the trip.  On top of it all, they called Friday night and said they'll need Brad to work some the week before we leave after all.  Which means I won't have his help getting ready to go.  It could also screw up his unemployment for the week.  My eating is out of control, and honestly, I don't know how much more I can take...

Send some ppd my way please.


----------



## mikamah

*Taryn*


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

*Rose,* so excited to hear about the W&D!    You've been doing so well with your running and have lots of time to train.  Was it just last summer that you were getting ready for your first W&D?   And a family 10K on the 4th sounds like fun!  (don't you think the Dis needs an Uncle Sam smilie or something?)   for the other stuff but it sounds like your summer is shaping up.  

*Taryn,* hopefully your instructor will decide you people don't need anymore busy work because she has to grade it all!    When things get wild and crazy, just think of your happy place and that you will be there soon, no matter what.   I hope that Brad's employer can figure out a way for him to help and still qualify for unemployment -- surely they keep that in mind for their employees.  Take deep breaths, it will work out.  

*Lindsay,* woo hoo on the new job title and the possible salary increase.    I think your conditioning will come back more quickly this time as you get back to training regularly -- at least that is what I am hoping for both of us!    Nice job on the loss after all your hard work!  

*Corinna,* nice to see you!    Have fun on your trip!    Come back and tell us all about it!  

*Maria,* glad that you are feeling better.    Getting that recommited plan in place is a big, big help.    I need to take a page from your book.    I think that you are going to have a fabulous summer and be all ready for the Providence 1/2 in no time!  

*Kathy,* Galloway has some 1/2 plans on his RunDisney site.  I'm using one of those for my training for my September 1/2.  That is one of the things I need to get started on this week.    I'm so glad that you had a great 5K and survived your crazy, busy week.    Now you just need to get through those last few days of school and it will be summer!  

*Nancy,* hope that you had a nice week-end!

Hello to the other princesses.  That is one of the nice things about Facebook, it is a little easier to see how people are doing if they aren't checking in on the boards.

This princess needs to pull herself together this week, especially if she doesn't want to post a gain three weeks into this new challenge.  Being off plan really isn't as fun or satisfying as I remember it being.    More like watching something bad happen that you can't seem to stop.   

So I have my newly minted training plan ready and a brand new page in my journal.  I hope by this time next week I will be patting myself on the back and seeing nothing but blue skies and clear roads ahead.  

In the meantime it is the first day of DS's summer camp so I have to make sure that he has what he needs.  We are trying to make him be more responsible and letting him be home in the morning instead of going for early care.  We'll see how that works out.    That concept of if you want more independence you must show more responsibility and reliability is not going over too well but I'm sure this will happen soon.  

Have a great day Princesses! (sorry the smilie police tell me that I have reached my limit)


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, princesses!!

I sort of realized this morning, that my alone time in the morning is over next tuesday when school ends, so I got my butt out for a good run/walk and need to make the most of this week.  

*Lisa*- Good luck with robert's new independance.  I am sure it's so much easier to do it all for him and make sure he has everything he needs, but ya gotta make them learn the hard way sometimes.  I think that's where the adult beverages in the evening will come in handy for you.  
It's hard when you're off track, and can't control it, but you've had a busy week with mom visiting and all, and I know you will get back on track, and see all good things in that journal.    You can do it!!

I felt pretty good running this morning, and was thinking a lot about Rose and Corinna and your journeys' and how successful you have been, and feeling like I can do it too.  I have done it before, and this month is tough emotionally, but I'm doing ok, and I plan to keep my focus and kick some of this dang weight to the curb once and for all.  

I let michael buy the white powdered donuts yesterday, and ate 2 of them, then he put them in baggies for his snack through the week, and I told him if I ate any of them, I would give him 10 dollars.    They aren't even calling my name. 

Have a great day!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> So to go to the grocery and not bring home junk will give me another good week.  I can do it.




thanks for the advice with Ryan.  Yes it is difficult because I dont know how the other kids are.  Everytime I have been in ryan's room to observe or volunteer he seemed to be behaving fine.  I would say its because I was there but in history that always seemed to make him misbehave so who knows.  I think I will mention it to the DR since I work here otherwise I probably wouldnt make the call yet.  We are going to try to work hard with him over the summer on listening/paying attention/etc. although I feel like with him we have been doing this since he was 2.  Maybe this time it will click.  

Im so glad you had a good week to.  I know you can definitely do this.  I am rooting for you.



flipflopmom said:


> Lindsay - We waited until after 3rd for AK's meds.  I wish I had done it for 3rd, but she handled it okay until then.  Honestly, 1st is such a huge reading year.  I would base my decision on how he does in the reading dept.  If he's reading okay, I would let it slide.  If he struggles with reading, he'll always be behind, at least in our area, because 1st is the big grade to teach it.



He knows all of his sight words...do you know what that is?  Im assuming the same style of curriculum is used all over but have no idea about this.  We read almost every night and I point to the words and read the ones he doesnt know and I let him read the ones he does.  As we get a few pages into the book it takes him longer and longer to say the words.  He brings up other things about the pictures or about what we are having for dinner the next day.  So I dont know if that is normal for his age 6 1/2 or if he just cant pay attention.    Should he be able to read a whole early reader book on his own by now?  The teacher sent home a few paper books that have like 4-5 pages with pretty much the same words or sayings on each page except the last word of the sentence changes.  He can usually read those pretty well.  So I am just not sure exactly what he should be able to do.  He did get mostly 3's and a good handful of 4's on his report card which leads me to believe academically he is ok.  This is has been so stressful on me.

I am so sorry you guys are having a rough time.  I think disney is just what everyone needs.  You definitely have to convince brad that part of the girls acting out is the fact that you guys are so busy and thats what kids do when they dont have the parents undivided attention.  I know you barely have anytime now but maybe try for either you or brad taking a short time each day to spend time with the girls individually.  Also when driving places try to have a quality conversation.  It is often one of the moments that other than driving they can have your undivided attention.  If it helps to know my kids do the same thing when we are so busy.  Once I realize whats happening I try to focus on it and it seems to get better.  Hang it there!!!!

Also lots of  for yesterday.  I hope you are feeling better today.  Im sure your daddy is looking down on you right now and feeling so proud of all you are doing for yourself and your family.



lisah0711 said:


> This princess needs to pull herself together this week, especially if she doesn't want to post a gain three weeks into this new challenge.  Being off plan really isn't as fun or satisfying as I remember it being.    More like watching something bad happen that you can't seem to stop.



I was just saying yesterday how great I feel again and why my brain lets me fall off the wagon.  It really does make you feel crappy both physically and mentally.  It is hard to stop it once you get started but you can do it.  I think with your new plan you are ready and you will do great.  You will get your conditioning back...it just takes a week or two and you will be back in the groove.



mikamah said:


> I let michael buy the white powdered donuts yesterday, and ate 2 of them, then he put them in baggies for his snack through the week, and I told him if I ate any of them, I would give him 10 dollars.    They aren't even calling my name.
> 
> Have a great day!!



Now that is a great idea.

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

This was the first weekend in a very long time that I weighed in less than I was on friday.  It was only .2 less but either way you look at it its less.

I ran on saturday night and it was my first run that I felt like I was getting back into a groove.  I still am running a bit slower than I had been but I dont have any races planned until sept so I am ok with that.  I am just working on getting out there and moving again after a month of just vegging.  I plan to run tonight again.

Not much else going on here.  I kind of like it this way.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*Lindsay* you are kicking this challenge's butt! Nice work!

*Taryn* bIgs hugs to you. I'm sorry things are so stressful now. Don't let hubby cancel that trip!!!

*Lisa* oh boy more responsibility! I forget, how old is DS? 12? What kind of camp is he going to? How is your visit going with your mom?

*Kathy* you can totally kill it in this challenge! Seeing other people's success stories is so encouraging isn't it??

*Maria* I'm on the recommitment bandwagon with you!!

*Rose* awesome news about the wine and dine! I would love to do that one day. Though starting a run in the evening would be very hard for me!!

We had a nice weekend here. One of my best friends had a little boy on Saturday! She lives in LA. I wish I could go see them!!

I ran another 5k today and walked a mile after that. Felt good to get the workout in. For Thomas's birthday we are having pizza and ice cream. My aunt Mary and uncle Eddie and my other aunt Mary and uncle John and their kids might come over. 

I'm watching my friend's 5 year old today. My friend has to go to court to get an order of protection on their neighbor! Yikes!!! I don't mind watching her but I did have things to do. Oh well.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

didn't want to put this on the main thread but wanted to share. i had every intention of taking belly pics every week or so but kept forgetting. you can see i'm filling out pretty much everywhere! still in regular clothes but i think their days are numbered


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> *Lisa*- Good luck with robert's new independance.  I am sure it's so much easier to do it all for him and make sure he has everything he needs, but ya gotta make them learn the hard way sometimes. * I think that's where the adult beverages in the evening will come in handy for you*.
> It's hard when you're off track, and can't control it, but you've had a busy week with mom visiting and all, and I know you will get back on track, and see all good things in that journal.    You can do it!!
> 
> I felt pretty good running this morning, and was thinking a lot about Rose and Corinna and your journeys' and how successful you have been, and feeling like I can do it too.  I have done it before, and this month is tough emotionally, but I'm doing ok, and I plan to keep my focus and kick some of this dang weight to the curb once and for all.
> 
> I let michael buy the white powdered donuts yesterday, and ate 2 of them, then he put them in baggies for his snack through the week, and I told him if I ate any of them, I would give him 10 dollars.    They aren't even calling my name.
> 
> Have a great day!!



Woo hoo for a good run, Kathy!    You've got plenty of time to get yourself where you want to be for your half.  

Yes, adult beverages will be needed no doubt although everything went very well this morning.  They do rise to the occasion if you let them!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> thanks for the advice with Ryan.  Yes it is difficult because I dont know how the other kids are.  Everytime I have been in ryan's room to observe or volunteer he seemed to be behaving fine.  I would say its because I was there but in history that always seemed to make him misbehave so who knows.  I think I will mention it to the DR since I work here otherwise I probably wouldnt make the call yet.  We are going to try to work hard with him over the summer on listening/paying attention/etc. although I feel like with him we have been doing this since he was 2.  Maybe this time it will click.
> 
> *This was the first weekend in a very long time that I weighed in less than I was on friday. * It was only .2 less but either way you look at it its less.
> 
> I ran on saturday night and it was my first run that I felt like I was getting back into a groove.  I still am running a bit slower than I had been but I dont have any races planned until sept so I am ok with that.  I am just working on getting out there and moving again after a month of just vegging.  I plan to run tonight again.
> 
> Not much else going on here.  I kind of like it this way.



Woo hoo for getting in the groove and starting Monday weighing less than Friday, Lindsay!   

Have you had Ryan's eyes checked?  DS started wearing glasses when he was in the first grade.    We also tried hard to keep up with reading, writing and math in the summer to avoid brain drain.  It's no fun but it does pay off in the fall.  

If it makes you feel any better, even as they get older it seems like it is hard to figure out whether something needs to be done or not.  DS pulled a D and C- on two finals and still got B's and B+ for his grades.  Apparently there was a big time freeze and panic on those tests -- we decided it is better to have that happen now than in high school.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> *Lisa* oh boy more responsibility! I forget, how old is DS? 12? What kind of camp is he going to? How is your visit going with your mom?



Woo hoo, Nancy, for getting out there and doing your run today!    Your belly pics look good -- I still see abs.    I think that with baby number two things probably pop out faster than they did the first time around.   

DS is 11 and turning 12 in July.  He is very mature for his age so sometimes I need to remind myself of that.  Poor guy has had a lot of physical changes this year -- he is taller than me, his voice has changed, has hair everywhere.  It's hard to be the guy who will need to shave soon in the 6th grade.  He really is a good guy and we are very proud of him.

He goes to a church summer day camp four days a week.  This is an exciting year because he is considered a "teen" and gets to be in a different part of the program.  They get a little more freedom so he was looking forward to it.  It will be interesting to hear how he likes it since the kids get to do a scavenger hunt today but the teens are learning about how Christians are persecuted in China.  He can go there this summer and next and then we will have to come up with a plan B.  He could be a camper in training there.  We will never let him stay home for summers as he would like -- memories too long for that!  

It's 1 pm and everything has been tracked and logged and I'm all set for a totally OP day.  One day at a time!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Nancy!* -- How cool is it there is an entire human being in there?! Awesome! So glad you posted. And those abs were lookin' mighty good before Mr. Baby started paying rent!  to Thomas! June babies rock! I hope the 5 yr. old wasn't too much trouble. 

*Lindsay* -- So glad you're feeling that running groove kicking in! It is wonderful to feel like you're in charge and making progress  I think because boys are just so much more active than girls, sometimes it's hard to tell what's a real issue and what's a teacher not recognizing that. Kudos to you for going the extra mile to try to figure out what Ryan needs. That's what he needs most -- Mom who's intent on doing the very best for him 

*Kathy* -- Well, it's a good thing Michael isn't as insidious as Ben -- he would be placing the donuts in my path, talking about what a little treat there were, really, and telling me this batch just seemed so much better than usual  If there was a chance of him getting money, all bets for mom's health would be off! 

*Lisa* -- I know this is going to be a great week for you! That loss is just around the river bend! It is a continual challenge with these little man/boys. They want to do it themselves, but they also want that safety net. It's eerily like when they were toddlers 

*Taryn* -- it sounds like that vacation can't come soon enough...hang in there, I know you can do this! 

*Rose* -- You are going to have so much fun at W&D! I hope they have a gluten-free booth just for you! 

*Corinna* -- Why do I have the feeling that you are enjoying a quick trip to a quiet, peaceful place with lapping shores and a laidback pace? Maybe it's because it sounds so good! 

Okay, AFM:

My 8M Saturday felt really good. It helped me greatly with my resolve, and I'm so glad I did it. Yesterday was a rest day, and after Children's Sunday at church Dennis took me to see "West Side Story". It was a decent production. It was dated, of course, and I thought some of the cast was too loud/vibrato, but what the heck, they were singin' to Maria! 

Tonight is the first test of my new resolve. I couldn't run this morning, so I have to do it when I get home. I actually feel ok, it's just been a really stressful day at work, and I've had almost no time to DIS -- I have a deadline for a big application, and it's all I can do to stay ahead of it. The run will be a great opportunity to de-stress, even though getting in my bed also seems like it could work  

If *Kathy* and *Nancy* are having a great running day, I want one, too! Thanks for inspiring me!

Ok, gotta finish something up so I can leave when dh gets here...

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

So I have been trying to just keep swimming. Some days are better than others. My knees are doing great. Still getting sore but not until 4 miles or so.  But remember the ankle sprain/strain from just before we went to wdw? Well we ran 7 yesterday and my ankle was pretty swollen last night. Mike is starting to question whether is is a stress fracture. It's feeling ok today. I am choosing to ignore it for now. Did you know that De Nile is a river in KY? 

*Lindsay*--here's my take on the adhd thing. We have questioned whether Tom has had adhd since he was little--and obviously he did. But other than a few minor behavioral issues at school he did ok. Actually he graduated from high school with a 4.0 and was a national merit scholar. Could he have benefitted from the medicine, sure. We spent a lot of time on him in high school and it was stressful on Mike and I at times. 

Having said all that, I think there is a time and a place for meds. I think if it were my kid it would be worth looking into whether there were other non-medical therapies that might help with things. If a child needs meds to get through the day, then by all means they should have them. That is the point Tom is at now. He can't do his work--the volume has gotten too much and he just can't sit through a class and stay focused. I've seen him try to work at home and he will make it about 15-20 min and that's it. He was missing appointments last semester and really things got a little ugly. He was starting to feel bad about himself. So now it's time for some help. Would I have medicated him before now, nope. And that's what he would say to. There is no right or wrong answer and it's a changing thing. Just cause you decide to go one direction now, you might change your mind and go a different direction later. I definitely think it's worth talking to someone. Hang in there. It's hard to be a parent sometimes.

****
So speaking of DS, we have an appointment with our family doctor on Friday to talk about the ADHD stuff. If she is good with writing the prescription he will stop seeing the psychiatrist--there's some issues there that happened over the last week. This guy helped him. DS is feeling much more organized and feeling ok with the fact that this is just something he has to deal with. So that's good. But he wants him to keep seeing him for an unlimited period of time and Tom is not good with that. And I don't think he needs it. He just needed to be turned back in the right direction. He has another appointment on Thursday and we're trying to decide if we should cancel it or wait until after we see the primary care doctor. 

*Taryn*--I hope you make it through the next couple of crazy days before your trip!

Hello to everyone else. Sorry I haven't been responding too much. Just feeling a little overwhelmed right now. Hopefully things will settle down after this week.


----------



## liesel

I just got back from my road trip last night and am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the main challenge thread right now (over 20 pages while I was gone, holy cow!) but I wanted to at least pop in and say hi to everyone.  I also wanted to let you know that before I left:

I registered for the Tinker Bell! 

It seems much more real now that I've paid the fee!  A little scary too.  I haven't run that consistently since the kids got out of school (I need to figure this out) and DH and I are considering doing a 4 mile run on July 4th that we haven't had much time to train for in the last 2 weeks.  Congrats to all of you for being on track after the Princess, I hope to catch up soon!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

liesel said:


> I registered for the Tinker Bell!



 Now we have two Tinkerbelles -- or should I say Lisabelles?! Fantastic, you guys are going to have so much fun! 

Lucky you, running an inaugural race -- I can't wait to hear all about it, and see the cool merchandise! 

But first you have the fun of training, and all the great breakthroughs as you get ready -- awesome!

Maria


----------



## liesel

Worfiedoodles said:


> Now we have two Tinkerbelles -- or should I say Lisabelles?! Fantastic, you guys are going to have so much fun!
> 
> Lucky you, running an inaugural race -- I can't wait to hear all about it, and see the cool merchandise!
> 
> But first you have the fun of training, and all the great breakthroughs as you get ready -- awesome!
> 
> Maria



Thanks so much, the Lisas are going to rock this race!  I thought for a minute there I killed your thread!

Taryn-Good to see you posting!  I saw some of your WDW plans and it looks like fun!  We didn't do much TS on our trip, but Boma is definitely my favorite.  We also really enjoyed Biergarten, both the food and the live music.  They put on several shows throughout the evening, I think you can find the times on allears and the Epcot times guide.  My kids were tearing up the dance floor, much to the amusement of the band.

Nancy-definitely some rockin' abs going on there!  You will see them again soon!

Hi to Rose, Kathy, Lindsay, Lisa, and Corinna!  I'll try to catch up on the main thread.  Its a really great group, I'll try to learn all the new people!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Our two lisas are doing the tinker bell!!! How exciting!!! I can't wait to follow along with your training. I'm having a brain fart and can't remember when it is so I'm going to look now! How cool to do an inaugural race. It will be interesting to hear what you "tink" of it 

I'm typing this on my fancy iPad and realizing that I just want to go back to my laptop. Don't tell DH. For some reason none of the smilies are showing. They are all showing up as little question marks. 

I really need to go out for a jog today. It looks like the weather may be potentially crummy for the rest of the week so I better get outside while I can. I'm being weighed down by last night's pizza and ice cream cake though. Ick. 

Remember how I'm hoping to go to Disney in September? Well it is still up in the air. Boo. John still needs to ask for the extra week off. I really hope he boss will just give it to him. He's the Director of his department for goodness sake and is glued to his computer and phone 24/7. Give him another week. He will be checking emails constantly anyway!! He left early this morning to fly to San Diego for one night. Stinks. That's a long trip.  Hopefully the meetings will go well and he can ask afterwards


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> *Kathy* -- Well, it's a good thing Michael isn't as insidious as Ben -- he would be placing the donuts in my path, talking about what a little treat there were, really, and telling me this batch just seemed so much better than usual  If there was a chance of him getting money, all bets for mom's health would be off!



  Yep, I was thinking there would be a lot of active "helping" to fall off the wagon if that was the deal at our house.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> [*Lisa* -- I know this is going to be a great week for you! That loss is just around the river bend! It is a continual challenge with these little man/boys. They want to do it themselves, but they also want that safety net. It's eerily like when they were toddlers



Thanks, Maria!  Hope that you had a great run last night!    Kudos to you for running at home after work on a Monday.  I just don't workout on Mondays -- I've made it one of my rest days because I have a very hard time making it happen and it starts the week off on a bad note otherwise.  I'll definately be getting a run in today.   



Rose&Mike said:


> So I have been trying to just keep swimming. Some days are better than others. My knees are doing great. Still getting sore but not until 4 miles or so.  But remember the ankle sprain/strain from just before we went to wdw? Well we ran 7 yesterday and my ankle was pretty swollen last night. Mike is starting to question whether is is a stress fracture. It's feeling ok today. I am choosing to ignore it for now. Did you know that De Nile is a river in KY?



Sorry that you are feeling overwhelmed, Rose.    I'm glad that you can do some running as I know that helps you feel better!  It sounds like Tom is doing a great job being proactive on his treatment and how he feels about things.    In the meantime, just keep swimming!  :swim:



liesel said:


> I just got back from my road trip last night and am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the main challenge thread right now (over 20 pages while I was gone, holy cow!) but I wanted to at least pop in and say hi to everyone.  I also wanted to let you know that before I left:
> 
> I registered for the Tinker Bell!
> 
> It seems much more real now that I've paid the fee!  A little scary too.  I haven't run that consistently since the kids got out of school (I need to figure this out) and DH and I are considering doing a 4 mile run on July 4th that we haven't had much time to train for in the last 2 weeks.  Congrats to all of you for being on track after the Princess, I hope to catch up soon!



Woo hoo for the Tink, Lisa!    It's going to be a lot of fun!    Some of my best memories from the Princess week-end was hanging out at the W tent with the WISH'ers.  

I'm glad that you had a great time on your vacation.  It is hard to train during vacation, although some people do.  You've got lots of time to work on your base before the training for the Tink will start probably in October -- I haven't looked at a schedule to figure that out yet.  I have a half on September 18th so I figure I will just start a week or two after that on the Tinkerbell Schedule.  

And don't worry about killing this thread -- it is just a bit quieter than the big thread!    You are welcome here anytime!  

I'm going to take a page from Maria's and Kathy's books and go for my run this morning before work since I got up at 3:45 am -- it's run or do housework so I'll pick running!


----------



## mikamah

Worfiedoodles said:


> Now we have two Tinkerbelles -- or should I say Lisabelles?!


 or Princess Lisabelles!  I'm so excited for both of our Lisa's.  

*liesel*- Congrats on registering for the Tinkerbelle.  You will have such an amazing time, and meeting other wishers was one of my favorite parts of the princess weekend.  I am so excited for you, and plan to live vicariously through you and Lisa.  

*Rose*- Bummer on the ankle, and there is  De Nile river here in MA too, and sometime you just need to float down that river for a little while, and regroup.  Hang in there sweetie.

*Lisah*- Hope you got a good run in today. 3:45  Way too early for me.  Maybe you can sneak home for a nap later.  How did ds like his camp yesterday?   

*Nancy* - Love the belly pics, and I think you look amazing, and just so you know, my belly is still bigger than yours.  Maybe I should take a pic and see how many months it will take for you to surpass me.

*Maria*- did you get your run in last night?  Hope it went well, it wan't too hot here.  Funny about ds.  Michael did tease me a little, but I think he was happy he was going to get to eat all the donuts, not wake up and look for them and realize I downed the whole bag while watching criminal minds.  Hope you get some dis time today at work.

*Lindsay*- I know what sight words are.  I when I volunteered in k and 1st, that's what I did with the kids.  I think ds is doing great to know all of them.  I remember the huge range of ability, some kids knew them all the in september, and other at the end of the year were still at the beginning.  You are aware there might be an issue, and I think that in itself will be a big part of dealing with it if he does have adhd.  Hang in there.  You're a wonderful mommy.

Hi Corinna.  How's vacation?

 Michael wanted to go see our friends baseball game last night, so even though michael's done, we still went to the park.  lol.  Much lower stress for me though, just to visit with my friend.  
They're replacing the water main on our side street for the next 2 weeks, so it's a pain to have the windows closed up to keep the dust out.  I'm just hoping it's done and paved before our july 3rd party since our yard is so tiny, and the side street is so quiet, we hang out there too.  

Have a great day princesses and tinkerbelles!!


----------



## flipflopmom

mommyof2Pirates said:


> We are going to try to work hard with him over the summer on listening/paying attention/etc. although I feel like with him we have been doing this since he was 2.  Maybe this time it will click.  He knows all of his sight words...do you know what that is?  Im assuming the same style of curriculum is used all over but have no idea about this.  We read almost every night and I point to the words and read the ones he doesnt know and I let him read the ones he does.  As we get a few pages into the book it takes him longer and longer to say the words.  He brings up other things about the pictures or about what we are having for dinner the next day.  So I dont know if that is normal for his age 6 1/2 or if he just cant pay attention.    Should he be able to read a whole early reader book on his own by now?


Okay, first on the reading.  Knowing sight words is really, really good. First grade will focus more on sounding words out, spelling them, making word families (mop, top, stop, drop, etc).  Sounds like that's what the readers were he had?  Early reader can be at many levels, so I hesitate to say where he should be with those.  Plus, grade level expectations can vary from state to state, so I don't wan't to get you worked up.  I had a child transfer to my room from NC, very bright kid, but he was waaayyyyy behind just do to expectation differences in the states.  Reading with him is GREAT.  You are building vocabulary, etc.  If he wants to talk about the pics, let him.  Kids are curious, and want to know more than what the author is telling them.  Talking about the story will actually help him be a better reader, as it will help him clue in to the things readers do (make mental images, connections, predictions, figure out things that are implied but not spelled out, etc.)  If he gets too distracted by the story to want to read words himself, let him do other activities to work on his own reading skills.  Starfall.com is a GREAT website to work on this starfall.  I would suggest the first 5 lessons on this page.  Also some great games, video clips, and stories here between the lions.  I know I am addressing the reading more than the attention issue, but it will help him to stay on top of reading.  

Attention span, especially in boys, is tricky.  A lot of times the very activeness in boys is mistaken for ADHD.  This link help4adhd is to a GREAT adhd site.  I hope I have linked directly to the page with symptoms.  This is what we had to fill out and the school had to fill out when we first started working with AK. Be sure to read the critieria on how many should be present, and the fact that it has to cause difficulty in two or more settings.  EVEN IF you suspect ADHD, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PUT HIM ON MEDS!  Remember that.  You don't even have to tell the school that you suspect, or have the diagnosis.  I also want to share this. (Sorry for the book, but reading and ADHD are two of my "causes").  I've made it fairly obvious that I have ADHD.  I have thought many times about medication, but just can't bring myself to do it.  I handle it with caffeine.  Yes, caffeine.  Goes against EVERYTHING you think of with caffeine, I know.  But ADHD meds are stimulants.  ADHD has some lack of blood flow to the brain associated with it.  Caffeine increases that blood flow.  I've read story after story of kids behavior with ADHD and no meds improving with caffeine.  In fact, our former guidance counselor used to keep soft drinks in her fridge to give to kids if they were out of meds, etc.  I personally drink 5 or 6 cups of black coffee, and many glasses of unsweetned tea a day while trying to do things like write papers.  Now, the trick is to find a caffeine source that does not contain sugar, artificial sweeteners, etc.  AK will drink coffee with a bit of milk and a 1/2t. of sugar, or a glass of straight up unsweetened tea if I brew it with mint.  It makes a huge difference in her behavior.  How does Ryan react to caffeine?  I've also heard of people that tried to up their kids caffeine to see if it helped before going to the dr.  (Reasoning, if the caffeine made it worse, wasn't true ADHD because the stimulant had the opposite effect and hyped them up instead of calming them down).  Just a thought........  Again, sorry for the book and if it was TMI.



dumbo_buddy said:


> didn't want to put this on the main thread but wanted to share. i had every intention of taking belly pics every week or so but kept forgetting. you can see i'm filling out pretty much everywhere! still in regular clothes but i think their days are numbered


How absolutely adorable!  Please keep sharing!!!!



lisah0711 said:


> DS is 11 and turning 12 in July.  He is very mature for his age so sometimes I need to remind myself of that.  Poor guy has had a lot of physical changes this year -- he is taller than me, his voice has changed, has hair everywhere.  It's hard to be the guy who will need to shave soon in the 6th grade.  He really is a good guy and we are very proud of him.


I had forgotten how close in age he and AK are.  She'll be 12 in Sept.  She's got the opposite end - last to get.... developed and hairy.   This age is soooo tough.  (For them and us!)  Adult beverages......  ahhh.... lapu lapu in my future!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Tonight is the first test of my new resolve. I couldn't run this morning, so I have to do it when I get home. I actually feel ok, it's just been a really stressful day at work, and I've had almost no time to DIS -- I have a deadline for a big application, and it's all I can do to stay ahead of it. The run will be a great opportunity to de-stress, even though getting in my bed also seems like it could work


You need that balance of sleep and exercise.  I hope you got it in!



Rose&Mike said:


> So I have been trying to just keep swimming. Some days are better than others.  Mike is starting to question whether is is a stress fracture. It's feeling ok today. I am choosing to ignore it for now. Did you know that De Nile is a river in KY?
> 
> So speaking of DS, we have an appointment with our family doctor on Friday to talk about the ADHD stuff. If she is good with writing the prescription he will stop seeing the psychiatrist--there's some issues there that happened over the last week. This guy helped him. DS is feeling much more organized and feeling ok with the fact that this is just something he has to deal with.



PLEASE take care of you!!!!  Please?  For me?  Don't float down DeNile so long you do permanent damage.  And don't stay away for fear of not wanting to vent, that's why we are here!  Got it?  As for Tom, sounds like the psychiatrist has down what he needed to do.  Time to move on.  Glad Tom seems more accepting now.  I remember AK saying after we first addressed it with the doctor "You mean I'm not just crazy?"  Broke. my. heart.  So that sounding board of acceptance is important.



liesel said:


> I just got back from my road trip last night and am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the main challenge thread right now It seems much more real now that I've paid the fee!  A little scary too.  I haven't run that consistently since the kids got out of school (I need to figure this out) and DH and I are considering doing a 4 mile run on July 4th that we haven't had much time to train for in the last 2 weeks.


YAY!!!!  I am here because of the pace of this thread.  I have too much on my plate to commit to the challenge, but realized I need the support! How exciting!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Now we have two Tinkerbelles -- or should I say Lisabelles?!


Love it!!!!  very southern!



liesel said:


> Taryn-Good to see you posting!  I saw some of your WDW plans and it looks like fun!  We didn't do much TS on our trip, but Boma is definitely my favorite.  We also really enjoyed Biergarten, both the food and the live music.  They put on several shows throughout the evening, I think you can find the times on allears and the Epcot times guide.  My kids were tearing up the dance floor, much to the amusement of the band.


Thanks for the vote of confidence on Biergarten.  Our 11 year old is freaking out because she thinks we are taking her to a bar!



dumbo_buddy said:


> How cool to do an inaugural race. It will be interesting to hear what you "tink" of it


  You guys are killing me now!!!!  Sending ppd for Sept!



lisah0711 said:


> I'm going to take a page from Maria's and Kathy's books and go for my run this morning before work since I got up at 3:45 am -- it's run or do housework so I'll pick running!


We could have chatted.  That's the time I get up every morning. 


As you can tell by this lengthy post, I am in a better place.  I only have one assignment for the paper guru, and 2 for another class to finish in the next 9 days.  DH talked Disney all night (I'm sure it was to distract me from my imminent mental breakdown!)  He's helping someone plan a trip at work, he's the Disney guy there!   Ak is better, Sophie is not, but that's okay.  We'll get there.  `I am going to take the rest of the day off of classwork adn work on stuff for the trip and housework.  I think.  We'll see how long that resolve lasts!

Thanks for the ppd.  It worked!
Taryn


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

dumbo_buddy said:


> I'm watching my friend's 5 year old today. My friend has to go to court to get an order of protection on their neighbor! Yikes!!! I don't mind watching her but I did have things to do. Oh well.



wow thats crazy.  Glad you were there to help her out.  I hope you had a good day.



dumbo_buddy said:


> didn't want to put this on the main thread but wanted to share. i had every intention of taking belly pics every week or so but kept forgetting. you can see i'm filling out pretty much everywhere! still in regular clothes but i think their days are numbered



This is totally awesome and seeing that cute (very fit) belly bump just warms my heart.  You look wonderful.  Dont forget to share more as you continue to grow.  I love baby bellies!!!!!



lisah0711 said:


> Have you had Ryan's eyes checked?  DS started wearing glasses when he was in the first grade.    We also tried hard to keep up with reading, writing and math in the summer to avoid brain drain.  It's no fun but it does pay off in the fall.
> 
> If it makes you feel any better, even as they get older it seems like it is hard to figure out whether something needs to be done or not.  DS pulled a D and C- on two finals and still got B's and B+ for his grades.  Apparently there was a big time freeze and panic on those tests -- we decided it is better to have that happen now than in high school.



Ryan had his eyes checked at the doctor and passes so I am assuming that is ok.  Thanks for sharing your stories about Ds.  Definitely helps.

Good luck with that running plan. and yes one day at a time



Worfiedoodles said:


> [Tonight is the first test of my new resolve. I couldn't run this morning, so I have to do it when I get home. I actually feel ok, it's just been a really stressful day at work, and I've had almost no time to DIS -- I have a deadline for a big application, and it's all I can do to stay ahead of it. The run will be a great opportunity to de-stress, even though getting in my bed also seems like it could work



Just keep telling yourself how good you will feel if you run and how much better you will sleep. You can do it.  Im glad you had a great run this weekend and got to see a play too.



Rose&Mike said:


> But he wants him to keep seeing him for an unlimited period of time and Tom is not good with that. And I don't think he needs it. He just needed to be turned back in the right direction. He has another appointment on Thursday and we're trying to decide if we should cancel it or wait until after we see the primary care doctor.



I hope your PCP will be ok with ordering the meds.  Yes I agree tom probably does not need a constant rolling appt.  Maybe just an occasional visit.  Our peds docs do this for the kids.  We do meds or behavioral intervention and then see the children every 3-6 months depending on their control.  We see kids up until 22yrs.  So I would assume the PCP would do this too.  The only thing is some Family docs dont put as much focus and time on talking to the patient about it.  So he may still feel better following up with a counseler not necessarily a psychiatrist.  


Thank you so much for sharing your history with tom.  It is so difficult and I commend you for working through it with him.  That is why I even hesitated to think about even an eval since his academics were ok.  Its just one of those things that I have worried about with him for a few years now.  He has always been my difficult child, high strung, cries (loudly) if something isnt going his way, anger...like when I put him in his room if he is being "bad" he will scream and throw his bedding around and kick the door.  I just ignore it. My dh has a hard time ignoring it but I did the same thing as a kid so I guess it doesnt bother me as much.  Anyway thanks again for the advice.



liesel said:


> I registered for the Tinker Bell!



Horray that is so exciting and I like the name for you ladies.... Princess Lisabelles.



dumbo_buddy said:


> Remember how I'm hoping to go to Disney in September? Well it is still up in the air. Boo. John still needs to ask for the extra week off. I really hope he boss will just give it to him. He's the Director of his department for goodness sake and is glued to his computer and phone 24/7. Give him another week. He will be checking emails constantly anyway!! He left early this morning to fly to San Diego for one night. Stinks. That's a long trip.  Hopefully the meetings will go well and he can ask afterwards



Sending Pixie dust to your dh's boss because with a little disney magic in his blood there will be no way he can say no.



mikamah said:


> They're replacing the water main on our side street for the next 2 weeks, so it's a pain to have the windows closed up to keep the dust out.  I'm just hoping it's done and paved before our july 3rd party since our yard is so tiny, and the side street is so quiet, we hang out there too.
> 
> Have a great day princesses and tinkerbelles!!



That stinks.  Why is it they always pick the most inopportune time to do things like this.  Like the summer when you want to be outside relaxing or feeling the breeze flow through the windows.



flipflopmom said:


> As you can tell by this lengthy post, I am in a better place.  I only have one assignment for the paper guru, and 2 for another class to finish in the next 9 days.  DH talked Disney all night (I'm sure it was to distract me from my imminent mental breakdown!)  He's helping someone plan a trip at work, he's the Disney guy there!   Ak is better, Sophie is not, but that's okay.  We'll get there.  `I am going to take the rest of the day off of classwork adn work on stuff for the trip and housework.  I think.  We'll see how long that resolve lasts!
> 
> Thanks for the ppd.  It worked!
> Taryn



Yay. Im so glad to hear that you feel better and that dh is back on board.  I think out of anyone I know you and your family need this trip the most.  You will have such a great family time.  You have been through so much this year with worries about dh's job, AK and gymnastics, school, so forth and so on.....you really deserve a break from reality.  

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

Let me just say to everyone thank you so much for your comments about Ryan.  It means so much to me that you take the time out of your busy day to give such detailed feedback and share your experiences with me.  I appreciate it so much.

You know when you have kids no one ever told you on top of being a mom you will also need to be a teacher, a doctor, a nurse, a seamstress, a coach, a police officer, a security gaurd, etc. Im sure I could think of a bunch of other duties that a mom does for our kids.  note to Nancy(the police officer and security gaurd is a must when you have two boys in the house)

Anyway....

I got a great run in last night again.  It has been so nice running at night.  I go out after the kids are in bed and still have plenty of daylight.  Today we are having a first day of summer picnic luncheon at work but since I have started the biggest loser challenge at work the girls are all bringing in healthy things.  Everyone is doing so well.  We have 5 staff weighing in and so far in 4wks we lost 23.8lbs as a group.  I think at the end of the challenge if we have continued success I will send our story into our networks healthy you magazine and see if they want to do a story on our office getting healthy by inspiring each other.  I think my staff would really love that.

Well ladies enjoy the first day of summer today!!!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Taryn--thanks for sharing about the caffeine. I'm going to google that and see what I can find. it's interesting cause tom has always said that caffeine does not effect him--in that it doesn't make him hyper (but it does raise his blood pressure). We decided he will go to the psychiatrist one more time on thursday and then that will probably be it. If he needs a counselor we will find one in SC. Glad things are calming down.

Nancy--I forgot to say yesterday--love the baby bump.



liesel said:


> I just got back from my road trip last night and am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the main challenge thread right now (over 20 pages while I was gone, holy cow!) but I wanted to at least pop in and say hi to everyone.  I also wanted to let you know that before I left:
> 
> I registered for the Tinker Bell!


Too exciting! Glad you could join us!



dumbo_buddy said:


> Remember how I'm hoping to go to Disney in September? Well it is still up in the air. Boo. John still needs to ask for the extra week off. I really hope he boss will just give it to him. He's the Director of his department for goodness sake and is glued to his computer and phone 24/7. Give him another week. He will be checking emails constantly anyway!! He left early this morning to fly to San Diego for one night. Stinks. That's a long trip.  Hopefully the meetings will go well and he can ask afterwards


I really hope you can work your trip out.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I got a great run in last night again.  It has been so nice running at night.  I go out after the kids are in bed and still have plenty of daylight.  Today we are having a first day of summer picnic luncheon at work but since I have started the biggest loser challenge at work the girls are all bringing in healthy things.  Everyone is doing so well.  We have 5 staff weighing in and so far in 4wks we lost 23.8lbs as a group.  I think at the end of the challenge if we have continued success I will send our story into our networks healthy you magazine and see if they want to do a story on our office getting healthy by inspiring each other.  I think my staff would really love that.
> 
> Well ladies enjoy the first day of summer today!!!!!


That's really cool Lindsay! Probably makes it much easier to stay on plan when others are on plan too!

******
Hi to everyone else--oh and Lisa 3:45, goodness! That is early!

I am icing--my knees and my ankle. Went for a run on the treadmills at the Y. They got new really cushy treadmills and it was pretty nice run. No knee pain and the ankle is only a little swollen.

I wish the PC doctor appointment was before Friday. I will be glad when that is over. The whole family is going to the appointment. Actually Tom wants me to go and I want Mike to go. I wish our pediatrician treated kids until 22--that is so cool whoever said that--things would be much easier!

And we are still waiting to hear about both jobs. It's one of those hurry up and wait things. I would love an out of town weekend so I keep hoping for an interview so that we can take a trip! Melbourne would be nice--I could definitely make a trip to see the mouse for a day, I think!

Ok, have a nice evening!


----------



## flipflopmom

Rose&Mike said:


> Taryn--thanks for sharing about the caffeine. I'm going to google that and see what I can find. it's interesting cause tom has always said that caffeine does not effect him--in that it doesn't make him hyper (but it does raise his blood pressure). If he needs a counselor we will find one in SC. I am icing--my knees and my ankle. No knee pain and the ankle is only a little swollen.:I wish the PC doctor appointment was before Friday. I will be glad when that is over. The whole family is going to the appointment. And we are still waiting to hear about both jobs. It's one of those hurry up and wait things.


The "research" on the caffeine is still kind of up in the air, some docs recommend, others are unsure, etc.  I go by lots of testimonies, and personal experience.  When we took Ak for the first appointment, we had made lots and lots of notes.  I had already talked to the dr. over the phone, and he focused all his attention for the first 30 minutes on her as if I weren't in the room.  That was really important, she trusts him now.  So if you feel ignored in the beginning, it's a good thing. 

One thing to keep in mind and ask about, IF you decide to go the meds route,  is that this is a controlled substance, and as such, (at least in VA), you can't just get a refill on a prescription at the pharmacy.  You have to call the dr's office each month to request refills,can only be refilled every 30 days,  and the doctor has to write a new paper prescription each month to take to the pharmacy.  This is something to check on and see what the dr. suggests.  I don't know how this would work to get it to SC.  Pretty sure you couldn't mail it, don't know if the dr. could call it in (ours can't, we have to pick it up, but that might just be a time saver for the office and they would make an exception), or how it would all work.  Don't start stressing now, could just be a VA law, but be sure to ask! Just something I thought about....... 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> We do meds or behavioral intervention and then see the children every 3-6 months depending on their control.  I think out of anyone I know you and your family need this trip the most.  You know when you have kids no one ever told you on top of being a mom you will also need to be a teacher, a doctor, a nurse, a seamstress, a coach, a police officer, a security gaurd, etc I got a great run in last night again.  It has been so nice running at night.   We have 5 staff weighing in and so far in 4wks we lost 23.8lbs as a group.



Aw. Lindsay  There is something weird in my genetics that appreciates validation of trials.  Sometimes, it just feels like I make mountains out of mole hills.... I want to add to your list :  maid!!!!, chauffer, counselor, fashion advisor, chef, life coach and organizer, personal assistant.   Kinda sounds like my kids walk all over me, huh? So glad you had a good run and are back on track!  

Okay, here goes:
1.  Brad finally DOES get to be off next week, someone that wasn't eligible for unemployment wanted to work.  They had figured out that he would lose about $200 working next week, based on how much they wanted him to work, unemployment, etc.  I know that sounds AWFUL, especially since he's been off w/o pay every Friday for about 2 months now, that he had a chance to work and didn't take it.  Unfortunately, it's all about the $$!!!  So he can help or do the packing, etc.  

2.  He also said they are starting aBL competition at work, winner gets a paid vacation day.  He's at a disadvantage, b/c he's VERY overweight and they are going by percentage, BUT this means 2 things:  1.  He'll be healthier.  2.  He won't be bringing chips and other bad stuff home to tempt me, and we'll be in this together!  I am sooo excited!

Hoping to knock out part of a paper today, although my heart's not in it yet.  Taking the girls to the library at 11 for storytime (Ak insists she'll just look for books instead), and then sending them to Mom.  I think I will clean out the toxic waste dump that is AK's room, b/c she's lost her portable DVD player!

Have a wonderful day!!!!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*Taryn* I missed this important piece of info along the way but...what are you in school for? I'm about to start an online course in search engine marketing. Hubby wants me to take it in hopes that we can build our consulting business. When you business partner is your hubby it's hard to get on the ball! Lol! Anyway, how did your paper turn out?

*Lindsay* I just wanted to offer support with what you're going through with Ryan. I'm not there yet with my kid(s) but I can only imagine how frustrating it is to have to deal with it all 

*Rose* how's the icing going? What's next on the treatment agenda? How frustrating to want to just run and have to be sidelined after every workout with swelling and pain. Hrrmph. 

I got through half thebpeople on here but little man is up and yelling from his crib. Must get him and get ready to go to party city for enough party supplies to choke a hungry hungry hippo!

Have a great day!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

flipflopmom said:


> One thing to keep in mind and ask about, IF you decide to go the meds route,  is that this is a controlled substance, and as such, (at least in VA), you can't just get a refill on a prescription at the pharmacy.  You have to call the dr's office each month to request refills,can only be refilled every 30 days,  and the doctor has to write a new paper prescription each month to take to the pharmacy.  This is something to check on and see what the dr. suggests.  I don't know how this would work to get it to SC.  Pretty sure you couldn't mail it, don't know if the dr. could call it in (ours can't, we have to pick it up, but that might just be a time saver for the office and they would make an exception), or how it would all work.  Don't start stressing now, could just be a VA law, but be sure to ask! Just something I thought about.......



I just have a sec before work to comment but since this is what I do I figured I would chime in.  This is a law everywhere in the US because it comes down from the DEA.  So Taryn you are exactly right.  You have to pick up your scripts on paper because they cannot be called in or faxed in to the pharmacy.  Well you can fax it but you have to than mail in the script to them...not all pharmacy's will do that.

Some physicians will give you 3 scripts at a time with each of them having dates a month apart.  This usually is only once they know the patient is on the right drug and right dose and most times that takes awhile to be sure.  

What can happen Rose if tom does do the meds is that you pick up his script and then mail it to him at school for him to fill at a local pharmacy.  

It is a bit of a hassle with these meds but with reading all the crazy things that go on with them I am sure you can understand.

Now I am off to work!!!! I need to be more productive today.  I slacked a bit this week and am lacking motivation.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

*Kathy,* glad that you had a relatively stress free game this week!    Bummer about the water main but it will be nice to have it done before your big celebrations on the 4th of July!  I always think that your celebrations sounds so fun!    Thanks for coming up with cool name of Princess Lisabelle!  

*Taryn,* where were you when my kid was in grade school? 
That was some great information.  Poor AK, I know it's hard when the kids are at the early end of the development spectrum, too.    Hard to believe that it will all even out in a year or two.  

I would be happy to chat with you at 3:45 am -- problem is that it is 12:45 a.m. here and I'm just not too chatty then!    I will keep that in mind for those days I get up really, really early.  I've convinced DH that he has to keep the CPAP on longer in the night and that helps alot with me being able to sleep in a bit more.  I looked up the lapu lapu and it looks delicious!  

*Lindsay,* great job getting out for that run!    It's nice to get out there when the weather is nice for a change.  A BL challenge at work is a great idea and since it was your idea, you have to really keep on top of it!    (not that you wouldn't anyway )  

*Rose,* I'm glad to hear that you are keeping up with the running, even if you do need to ice still.    That will help you get through this week and then it sounds like progress will be made and you can concentrate on having a nice summer.  

It was funny because a couple of weeks ago DH was telling me that he wanted to move to NC.  I was totally shocked because we are such total western U.S. folks.  He wants to be closer to WDW, and Boston and New York but with better weather.    I'm not getting too excited about it since we don't have portable jobs, not to mention six more years before DS graduates.  His school was just voted #59 of top high schools in the U.S. by Newsweek -- there is no way we would take him out of there now that we are in.    

*Nancy,* I saw on Facebook that you had an adventure yesterday.    That is one reason why living close to family is a good thing!    I couldn't help but wonder if it was the neighbor who was smoking pot who helped you or someone else?  I locked DS in the car when he was an infant -- luckily it was early in the morning and DH was about 15 minutes away.  Some day you will laugh about that story!  

Working with your spouse does have it's advantages -- your co-worker doesn't complain when you stay home to take care of a sick kid.   It can be a disadvantage in that you feel like you can't get away from work.  We had to implement a rule that you can't talk about work at home without asking and the other person is free to say "no!"  

I lost 2.5 pounds being totally OP.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for another 1.5 pounds to get me back to a maintain for the week.  It's a bit annoying to think that if I hadn't lost my resolve that would be four more pounds gone but that's what happens when you don't stick to the plan.  

DS is really enjoying his summer camp.  Apparently life in the teen group is fabulous -- you get your own room, different recreational stuff and only occassionally be with the "little kids."  Today the little kids are going skating and the big kids get to play hide and seek in the church -- there are apparently some great hiding places there.  It's nice when they like their summer program, makes Mom's life easier!  

Have a great day Princesses and Belles!


----------



## Rose&Mike

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I just have a sec before work to comment but since this is what I do I figured I would chime in.  This is a law everywhere in the US because it comes down from the DEA.  So Taryn you are exactly right.  You have to pick up your scripts on paper because they cannot be called in or faxed in to the pharmacy.  Well you can fax it but you have to than mail in the script to them...not all pharmacy's will do that.
> 
> Some physicians will give you 3 scripts at a time with each of them having dates a month apart.  This usually is only once they know the patient is on the right drug and right dose and most times that takes awhile to be sure.
> 
> What can happen Rose if tom does do the meds is that you pick up his script and then mail it to him at school for him to fill at a local pharmacy.
> 
> It is a bit of a hassle with these meds but with reading all the crazy things that go on with them I am sure you can understand.
> 
> Now I am off to work!!!! I need to be more productive today.  I slacked a bit this week and am lacking motivation.


I'm sure there is a way to make it work cause lots of kids go away to school. We can't be the only one with a kid who is out of state. We'll see what she says. Worst case is I guess we have to find a doctor in Columbia, but hopefully it won't come to that. Honestly, flying home once a month wouldn't cost us anymore than continuing to see the psychiatrist would--do you think I can deduct that as a medical expense?

It's funny cause Tom will not take a prescription for adderall or ritalin. He said it is just CRAZY how much people are abusing it on campus. Luckily there are some other alternatives. When he first went to the psychiatrist he came home saying I am going to need medicine twice a day for the rest of my life. (And this particular medication is only supposed to be taken once a day.) Mike and I did not want to hear that. Once he had time to process things a little he now says--I want the least amount I need to get me through school. The psychiatrist had him on a ton of supplements too, some of which we decided were not a good choice--too many side effects. I just want this week to be over. Tom can be a little hot head (can you say teenage boy) and he is going to the psychiatrist one more time tomorrow. He will probably be fine there, but then he'll probably call me and go crazy. I keep trying to convince him to call Mike, but that doesn't seem to be working.

*Kathy and Maria*--the pawtucket redsoxes are in town and I thought about you all. I'm sure you all are the most awesome fans, but this is my least favorite series of the year! They have the loudest, most woohooing fans of any visiting team. It drives us a little (ok, a lot) insane! Luckily they are only here for 4 games!

*Lindsay*--so we now have Turkey Hill ice cream. We've had it for a while. But now they have the peanut butter cup flavor. I could get into some serious trouble with Turkey Hill ice cream. I used to go to turkey hill after work when I was in high school for a big old cone. But it's g-f so I'm not complaining!

*******
I have really been neglecting the main thread, but honestly I feel just swallowed up by everything that has been going on. If my DS went to school in state or only a couple hundred miles away, I don't think it would be nearly as big a deal. But in just over 6 weeks he goes back to South Carolina. So some of this stuff needs to get resolved. And Mike is not sleeping--which means he is waking me up, which is not helping. I have been very, very tired so that's not working so well. 

Hope everyone has a good day.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> I lost 2.5 pounds being totally OP.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for another 1.5 pounds to get me back to a maintain for the week.  It's a bit annoying to think that if I hadn't lost my resolve that would be four more pounds gone but that's what happens when you don't stick to the plan.



Great job.  I think the same thing about this reloss I am having to do.  Thats life.  We will get to our goal eventually some people take the express way and others take the scenic route....either way we will get there.

Glad DS is loving his camp.  That does make a moms day much easier.



Rose&Mike said:


> *Lindsay*--so we now have Turkey Hill ice cream. We've had it for a while. But now they have the peanut butter cup flavor. I could get into some serious trouble with Turkey Hill ice cream. I used to go to turkey hill after work when I was in high school for a big old cone. But it's g-f so I'm not complaining!



Oh how I love turkey hill icecream.  We have about 50 flavors to choose from in our grocery store and its usually on sale 2 for 4$.  But I wouldnt know about that.

I thought of you sunday while I was at the grocery store there was a whole aisle labeled gluten free.  It seemed new...it had been awhile since I was in the store.  I thought at least things are better than years ago and there is more options.  But it is sad that its still not totally there yet.  If anything hopefully with more exposure about gf the foods and options will start getting better at the stores for you.

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

Just wanted to share a funny story:  Last night ryan wanted some extra time with me and while I was putting him to bed he asked if we could lay together and talk about our next disney trip....yes it is 2-3 years away but we still talk about it.

We were talking about what rides we wanted to do and he says that he wants to do the new star wars ride because R2D2 is no longer there to make the loud noise...this scared him last time.  He said they only have chewbacca there.  I asked him how he knew this and he said he saw it on the disney channel news break.  So of course I thought this was funny because here I am worried about ADD and he apparently at least pays attention to something.  Even if it isnt correct at least he knew they redid the ride.

Anyway Rose I know you rode the new ride.....is there still the R2D2 in the que that makes the loud noise????? you may not even know what I am talking about.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--Tom said r2d2 is still in the queue, but he didn't think he was loud or scary.  

Spoiler alert--they have this droid in the queue who is in charge of scanning the luggage. It's pretty amusing. We always fast passed the old ride, but we stood in line for this one a couple of times and I enjoyed the queue!

******
did you all see where the women's only running argument has been dredged up again. If for some reason i just disappear from disboards, it's cause I just couldn't keep my mouth shut anymore....that's all I'm going to say. Hopefully, unless I get too fired up and say something I shouldn't..... Did you know that the 40th anniversary of title ix is coming up?


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> did you all see where the women's only running argument has been dredged up again. If for some reason i just disappear from disboards, it's cause I just couldn't keep my mouth shut anymore....that's all I'm going to say. Hopefully, unless I get too fired up and say something I shouldn't..... Did you know that the 40th anniversary of title ix is coming up?



Thanks for telling us about the new and improved Star Wars, Rose.    That is one of the rides I'm looking forward to doing when I'm at DL in January.  That and the Car2 and Little Mermaid rides.  

 I noticed the women's race thing, too, I just thought "oh brother, not again"   Is it heating up again?  I'll have to go check it out!   I have to admit there is something compelling about these controversial threads and closed threads, too.  

 for you for getting through the rest of the week, Rose.


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> Thanks for telling us about the new and improved Star Wars, Rose.    That is one of the rides I'm looking forward to doing when I'm at DL in January.  That and the Car2 and Little Mermaid rides.
> 
> I noticed the women's race thing, too, I just thought "oh brother, not again"   Is it heating up again?  I'll have to go check it out!   I have to admit there is something compelling about these controversial threads and closed threads, too.
> 
> for you for getting through the rest of the week, Rose.


Yep, race is being brought up again--that's when I have to stop reading and bite my tongue. Mike finds the whole thing very amusing. 

I'm enjoying a few minutes to myself. Tom's car is acting up--the windows are falling down for no reason and the door locks aren't working right. We thought they were going to look at it today, but they won't get to it until next week so Mike and Tom went to pick it up. Anyhow, isn't it funny how just a few minutes alone in the house is just heavenly. Tom said the other day--only 7 more weeks until I go back to school. I said--Tom, guess what, only 7 more weeks until you go back to school! I am a terrible mom!


----------



## liesel

lisah0711 said:


> Thanks for telling us about the new and improved Star Wars, Rose.    That is one of the rides I'm looking forward to doing when I'm at DL in January.  That and the Car2 and Little Mermaid rides.
> 
> I noticed the women's race thing, too, I just thought "oh brother, not again"   Is it heating up again?  I'll have to go check it out!   I have to admit there is something compelling about these controversial threads and closed threads, too.
> 
> for you for getting through the rest of the week, Rose.



I like Lisabelle!  How funny!

I am trying hard not to let the women's race negativity rain on my parade.  I'm very excited about this race.  Don't get me started either!  I noticed a few weeks ago someone who had a vocal negative opinion jumped on the Tink half thread to answer a question and reminded people that men have to start a corral back, etc.  He also once again told everyone that he had no intention of running the race.  I was thinking, dude, why are you on this thread?  Anyway...

LisaH-you will most likely find me and the family at star tours in January too!    We are all fans, even DD, but especially DS, who happens to be named Luke.    We are going to DL in October for a couple of days before our nephew's wedding and we can't wait to ride it and the little mermaid.  I saw a rumor yesterday that POTC may be down for refurb sept-nov, if that's true we'll just have to ride several times in january!     I can't resist a closed thread either.    You have been so dedicated lately with your running, very inspiring!

Taryn-Your DD's concern about Biergarten cracked me up!  WDW is so kid friendly, how funny!  I can't wait to hear all about your trip (but I do not envy the heat and humidity).  It sounds like the weight is coming off quickly.

Rose-I saw that you are looking into the possibility of relocating.  If Mike goes out for an interview, it would be interesting to check out the restaurants and grocery stores and see if they have a better g-f selection.  This is such a huge part of your quality of life, if it can be improved, I say go for it!

Kathy and Maria-Thanks for the running encouragement, I'm slowly getting back to my normal schedule after being on vacation and feel so much better eating my OP meals and snacks.  You two are do dedicated and keep such busy schedules!  


Lindsay and Nancy-Sorry about the family drama, I'm there too.  Nancy-Thomas is such a cutie!  Enjoy celebrating his birthday.  Your parents are definitely missing out on something special.  When I told my mom about my 5K last month, she said, "oh."  I haven't told my parents about the Tink half, and I'm not sure when I will.  I guess they'll find out eventually.  They haven't said a word about my weight loss and when I talk about it they just change the subject back to themselves.  I haven't had a single family member on my side comment about my weight loss (and most of them live within an hour of me).  My inlaws have noticed and I only see them once or twice a year.  I'm so happy to have such a supportive husband and kids and my neighbors and people at the gym have been very enouraging.  I also can't forget how supportive these boards have been, more encouraging than my real family!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello, Ladies!

Ok, I'm going to try to catch up -- but I have a small window and a lot to say -- probably do a better job of catching up tomorrow. I just finished a big project at work and so I can take some DIS time...

*Lisa* -- I was really surprised at the backlash when the Tink race was announced. I think because it was so hyped, people got excited and when they found out the target audience was female, they were very disappointed.  

*Rose* -- I hope the poltergeist leaves Tom's car, although again, this sounds like something I would laugh about as long as safety wasn't involved  Sorry the PawSox fans were annoying. I've come to understand that Boston fans are not appreciated throughout our great nation. It seems some people are resentful we keep winning all the Championships   Hang in there with all your various balls in the air -- good things will come, it just may take awhile to shake out 

*Lisah* -- Tomorrow when I'm trying to keep myself from eating I'll go check out the Tink thread  A little entertainment is part of my diversion strategy  So glad ds is loving summer camp! I am really hoping when ds goes away he will feel the same. He's never been to sleep-away camp before, so we'll see. 

*Lindsay* -- I feel confident in saying if there's one thing most boys pay attention to, it's Star Wars. DS says he doesn't really like the Episodes I and II, and I found him watching II the other day -- they're drawn like flies to honey 

*Nancy* -- I know you're busy coaching on the main thread today. You can't have 2 questions in one day -- you're making the rest of us look bad!  You go, Girl -- awesome job today! 

*Taryn* -- You are clearly more  than , braving a tween's room! Every once in awhile I insist he clean it up, but mostly I just let it go. I figure he has to have some space he can control, and frankly I don't think I want to know 

*Kathy* -- It's confession time -- I did not run Monday night. DH even told me not to, it just wasn't going to turn out well. I did get up and run Tuesday morning and this morning, so I'm feeling good about that. And I have been sticking to my eating plan, so that is coming along as it should. Now I just have to not give in and have too many treats tonight. And I  Princess Lisabelles -- perfect! 

My ds had the last of his finals today. He's one whipped kidlet. There is so much pressure on them -- his Latin master told them if they didn't get an F they did above average  Friday is their field day, dh is working it supervising one of the basketball courts. Ben told him not to speak to him or any of the other kids  The teams are based on Roman provinces. Ben's team is Noricum. Never heard of it.  

My big project at work was applying to get one of our social enterprises on the state contracting list for catering. I knew next to nothing about this program, so it's been a big learning curve. Plus, it has to be submitted electronically, and you have to upload every document individually. I've got 19 items uploaded so far, tomorrow I should have 3 more. I guess it's easier and Greener to do it this way, but I'd feel more confident if I had created a paper application, where I could see it all laid out the way I want it before I send it in. The program where we upload puts items in alphabetical order, so things are not winding up they way I would have ordered the application. 

I have yet to do my FlyLady mission for today, straightening the floor of my closet. I may save that for the weekend, I really want to do it but I've got to move into the "getting ready for tomorrow" phase so I can get to bed at a decent hour and get up and on the TM! 

Speaking of which, Good Night and Have a Pleasant Tomorrow!

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, so the sirens are going off. Supposedly there was a tornado touch down at Churchill Downs, so it will probably make the news. It's not even raining at our house yet, but we are in the basement. Tom and Mike are playing pool. I am just waiting for the storms to move on down the road. It was so weird, when the sirens first went off we didn't even know there was a storm coming.

Maria--woohoo for 2 runs! And I'm sure it's just the local sox fans who are a little too woohooey. We won today, so it wasn't quite as bad! It was a day game and I had off, so a nice way to spend the day.

Just waiting for the storm to pass.....They said a tornado was seen on the track at Churchill. It's about 15 minutes out, but I think it will stay north of us by a couple miles.

Liesel--love the sand picture--too cool. I just skimmed the main thread--where was that taken?

ETA--9:01pm more sirens, more tornado warnings. Again, I think it is staying just north of here but only by a mile or two. They are showing damage pictures, but so far no reported injuries. I had Mike pour me a bourbon between warnings.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> ETA--9:01pm more sirens, more tornado warnings. Again, I think it is staying just north of here but only by a mile or two. They are showing damage pictures, but so far no reported injuries. I had Mike pour me a bourbon between warnings.



Rose I am praying that it surpasses you and does not cause any fatal damage elsewhere. so scary.  I would be having a bourbon right there with you.  keep us posted....


----------



## Rose&Mike

thanks Lindsay. I think we missed the worst of it. The area right around churchill downs got hit the hardest. There are power lines down around U of Louisville. It got a lttle scary here right around 9:30 when they issued a tornado warning for our little town, but it's over. It's funny, our dog hates storms and the only time he cried was right around 9:30. I guess the change in pressure was really bad right then. It's raining really hard right now, but they said the worst is over. The commute might be ugly tomorrow as there are a lot of power lines down. We have lived here since 94 and usually a tornado warning lasts about 30 minutes. This started at ~7:20 and just ended a few minutes ago. Pretty crazy--almost 3 hours and 4 or 5 thunderstorms. They just got done saying that they did not expect any of this--which explains why they issued the warnings with the sirens, but nothing was on tv for about 10 minutes. We thought it was a mistake at first.

Have a nice evening everyone! 

Ok, they've told us to stay off roads tonight cause they don't know how much damage/flooding had occurred. What a night!


----------



## flipflopmom

mikamah said:


> Maybe I should take a pic and see how many months it will take for you to surpass me.They're replacing the water main on our side street for the next 2 weeks, so it's a pain to have the windows closed up to keep the dust out.  I'm just hoping it's done and paved before our july 3rd party since our yard is so tiny, and the side street is so quiet, we hang out there too.


Your first sentence almost made me spit my coffee on the screen.   How's the water main work coming?   Hope you are having a good week.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> *Taryn* I missed this important piece of info along the way but...what are you in school for? When you business partner is your hubby it's hard to get on the ball! Lol! Anyway, how did your paper turn out?


It's in curriculum and instruction.  I don't really have any plans to do anything with it, other than earn 2K more a year.   It was part of Obama's stimulus money, district's got money they had to use on teacher's to get more highly trained.  It's pretty much free, all I have to do is buy the books, so at the time, I said "why not?"  Now I know why.  It's been almost 2 years, and I'll finally (hopefully) graduate in Dec.  I can't imagine working with DH.   to you!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> What can happen Rose if tom does do the meds is that you pick up his script and then mail it to him at school for him to fill at a local pharmacy.


Duh.  Why wouldn't that possibility enter my head?



lisah0711 said:


> *Taryn,* where were you when my kid was in grade school? I would be happy to chat with you at 3:45 am -- problem is that it is 12:45 a.m. here and I'm just not too chatty then!   I've convinced DH that he has to keep the CPAP on longer in the night and that helps alot with me being able to sleep in a bit more.  I looked up the lapu lapu and it looks delicious!  It was funny because a couple of weeks ago DH was telling me that he wanted to move to NC   His school was just voted #59 of top high schools in the U.S. by Newsweek -- there is no way we would take him out of there now that we are in. I lost 2.5 pounds being totally OP.  DS is really enjoying his summer camp.  Apparently life in the teen group is fabulous -- you get your own room, different recreational stuff and only occassionally be with the "little kids."


Lol. Forgot about the time difference.  Brad has a cpap, it saved our marriage.  I spent the first 3 months of our marriage sleeping on the couch, with a pillow over my head AND the door to the bedroom shut!  The lapu lapu is fabulous, but crazy expensive!  Last year, I had one each Ohana dinner trip.  (father's day and our last night).  It helped to dull the senses of those sad times a bit.   That's great that DS's school scored so high.  I had to go check out the article, and of course, it ticked me off.  (So much based on scores and teacher/student ratios.  Most of top 20 were gifted schools.  Totally stacks the deck against poor areas that can't afford teachers, high special ed. inclusion populations, etc., i.e. where we live!)  Not to take anything away from these schools at all!  Hope I didn't offend!  Glad DS is enjoying camp!



Rose&Mike said:


> Honestly, flying home once a month wouldn't cost us anymore than continuing to see the psychiatrist would--do you think I can deduct that as a medical expense?: He said it is just CRAZY how much people are abusing it on campus. Once he had time to process things a little he now says--I want the least amount I need to get me through school
> I used to go to turkey hill after work when I was in high school for a big old cone. I feel just swallowed up by everything that has been going on.



Sounds like a medical expense to me!  That is so scary about the abuse, we've thought about it long term, do we want her having it in college, etc.  I didn't know turkey hill was a place and not just a company! I completely understand the swallowed up feeling.  Hang in there.  Hopefully you'll have some answers today!  Sending PPD! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Great job.  I think the same thing about this reloss I am having to do.  Thats life. Just wanted to share a funny story:  Last night ryan wanted some extra time with me and while I was putting him to bed he asked if we could lay together and talk about our next disney trip....yes it is 2-3 years away but we still talk about it.


If I get a chance, I'll take a pic for him! You know, that's the attitude I've taken, this is my life now.  I can see me always fluctuating some, because I know my mentality, it focuses on one thing at a time, and when life swallows me up, exercise and diet are usually 2 things I let go of in order to focus on what i need to!  Hang in there! 



Rose&Mike said:


> If for some reason i just disappear from disboards, it's cause I just couldn't keep my mouth shut anymore....that's all I'm going to say.


Stay away from those threads, we need you here! 



lisah0711 said:


> That and the Car2 and Little Mermaid rides.
> I'll have to go check it out!   I have to admit there is something compelling about these controversial threads and closed threads, too


HAve to admit, been feeling a bit jealous of all the cool new stuff in DL lately.  I try to remind myself we have 4 parks... 



Rose&Mike said:


> I'm enjoying a few minutes to myself. Tom's car is acting up--the windows are falling down for no reason and the door locks aren't working right. Tom said the other day--only 7 more weeks until I go back to school. I said--Tom, guess what, only 7 more weeks until you go back to school I am a terrible mom!


Must be a reaction to being duct taped, the car is fighting back!  Your comment to Tom sounded like something I would totally say!  Being home is tough in college.  I remember being torn between wanting Mom and Daddy to comfort me, and wanting to assert my independence, and mostly ending up working in the garden with Daddy, grumbling under my breath!



liesel said:


> I can't wait to hear all about your trip (but I do not envy the heat and humidity).  It sounds like the weight is coming off quickly. I guess they'll find out eventually.  They haven't said a word about my weight loss and when I talk about it they just change the subject back to themselves


You must have me mixed up with someone else!    Although TOM's disapperance helped!  I did well for a few days, then got sucked back into schoolwork. Sorry you don't have the family support, that's why we're here!



Worfiedoodles said:


> You are clearly more  than , braving a tween's room! It's confession time -- I did not run Monday night. I did get up and run Tuesday morning and this morning, so I'm feeling good about that. And I have been sticking to my eating plan, so that is coming along as it should. There is so much pressure on them -- his Latin master told them if they didn't get an F they did above average. I've got 19 items uploaded so far, tomorrow I should have 3 more. The program where we upload puts items in alphabetical order, so things are not winding up they way I would have ordered the application.



First of all, I turned out much more .  Read a Nora Roberts book for a while and then napped.  I just couldn't handle anything yesterday.  I am sure you needed sleep worse than a run, b/c it probably would have been bad, and then you'd been depressed.  Instead, you rested, and you are doing great!!!  Part of this whole process is understanding your body!!!  That project sound killer, and frustrating! And no pressure at all!  I'm sure it's fabulous!  Poor DS.  How old is he again?  I hate it when teachers make statements like that.  If a D is above average, then make them B's, change the test or the grading.....   Too much pressure!



Rose&Mike said:


> ETA--9:01pm more sirens, more tornado warnings. Again, I think it is staying just north of here but only by a mile or two. They are showing damage pictures, but so far no reported injuries. I had Mike pour me a bourbon between warnings.


Girl...  A mile or two north?  I would have been totally freaked out!  Hope everything is cleared up enough that you can get to Tom's appt.  Bourbon seems like the appropriate thing to drink in KY during tornadoes!   We had some serious rain, wind, and hail last night around 11:30-12.  May have been remnants of your storm!


Whew, that took forever, especially since I had to go check out the newsweek list.  And then email one of my professors about it. And the check out the school closest to me on the list. Oh yeah, and jumping over to work on my paper when DH came downstairs to get ready for work so he wouldn't fuss about time management. See, ADHD!

Yesterday am, took the girls to library for storytime.  AK was adamant that she was too old, so I had her look through books to check out while Sophie was in storytime.  It was nice, she grabbed a bunch on cheerleading, 1 one gymnastics, 1 on soft ball, and 1 on teen makeup and hair.   She weeded through what she felt was bring home worthy, and actually got a fiction book to read.... I picked up some fluff!  We met mom for lunch, she took the girls, and instead of cleaning, or writing, or getting WDW ready, I read and then napped.  It was good for my soul to be alone and not think about stress.  

As usual, Brad is fussing and stressing about money.  Not my fault he's only worked 4 days a week for the last 2 months!  Not my fault I had to spend some tax return money on shoes and clothes for the kids, they couldn't run around naked! Not my fault we need to work on the car before we go.. Yada Yada.  Lead to a stressful evening.  I'm trying to tell myself - I'll be in WDW.  Bring home my annual coffee mug, did the photopass pre-order, that's plenty of souvenirs for me!  Kids have about $40-50 each to spend we've saved up, gift cards, etc.  Just set aside enough for a lapu lapu, and I'm all good!    But I do have recurring nightmares that it pours all week, the girls very poorly behaved, and we run out of money...  Deep breaths.  No since borrowing trouble from tomorrow!

So today's agenda is to finally finish this last paper for my special ed. class, almost done, and then tackle Ak's room WITH HER HELP!  She's lost her portable DVD player, or I wouldn't bother!  Wish us luck!

Have a wonderful day!  
Taryn


----------



## Rose&Mike

good morning Princesses!

Taryn--glad you had a few minutes of me time yesterday. No feeling guilty!

Maria--it is pretty funny about the car windows. I kept hoping it would stop doing it, but we think something is getting wet and that's causing the problem. And you never know when it will do it. The area around Columbia is not the nicest, so we probably should get it fixed before he goes back to school. At least he has been locking up his gps so hopefully it won't get stolen!

I was planning on running this morning, but slept instead. I'm going to leave work a little early, come home and see Tom before he goes to work to find out how it went with the psychiatrist and then run a tiny bit around our neighborhood. At least that's the plan, we'll see if it actually works. Tomorrow is the appointment with the primary care doctor.

I guess there was some storm damage in our area, but I'm not sure exactly where. We just had some crazy rains. I'm going to check when I go to work, but hopefully all our shingles are still on the roof!

Have a great day!


----------



## mikamah

I'm quickly running out of my dis time this morning, and need to go out a few min early to make the work men move their truck so I can get out of my driveway.  It's cool and rainy, so they all have thier shirts on today.  bummer.   I think it's going well.  The whole road is all dirt, mud now, and they're out playing with their big trucks.  

I'll catch up with you all later, but for you rose, 
WHOO HHOO!!!!   GO PAW SOX!!!!! 
Have fun at your games this week!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Okay, I have to do a quick minute of bragging on ds's school, too! 

It's ranked #63 in the Newsweek poll, we lost points because the kids are only allowed to take 3 AP classes at once. 

We're #38 in U.S. News & World Report, where the criteria is a bit different. 

I'm so glad we are able to offer these kids great educational opportunities! Think how much they will achieve with this solid foundation 

*Kathy* -- Our contractor came by this morning despite the rain (can't do mortar when it's pouring) to explain that the current steps didn't have a proper foundation, and that is why they failed. So, we have to get new rebar which of course increases our cost. I may be dreaming of more than one vacation sitting on those steps 

*Rose* -- So glad you are ok!  Tornados are scary business. I understand the sleeping in. Sometimes we just need to do it. 

*Taryn* -- My ds is 13 . He's what they call a "rising 8th grader", meaning he'll be in that grade next year. It's been really hard on ds because he's used to making all As, and this school is much harder and the competition is much more fierce. Every kid who was accepted had an A+ average, and they were the 400 kids who scored the highest on the entrance exam. He's not used to everyone else being just as smart, and smarter, than he is. The workload is heavier, the classes are more intense, and he can't just skate on some of the assignments because they're easy. He's also used to being the kid they based the curve off of, and it's throwing him that someone always comes up with an A, so the masters don't necessarily feel compelled to have a curve. We're told that by the time these kids get to college, it's comparatively easy since they've been challenged so much along the way. 

 to *Lisa, Lisah, Lindsay, Nancy and Corinna! *

I just submitted my application electronically, and now I only have to worry about the status report I forgot to do for a funder.  I'm going to do what I can today, and probably finish it up Monday. I'm not in the office tomorrow, which I consider a blessing 

I got up and ran 3M this morning, so I'm 3 for 3! Tomorrow I'm going for my 9M. I get to go to a meeting downtown which means I can even sleep in and still get it done, which is making me quite happy 

I'm staying with my WW points, too. Today's planned dinner is already a bust, so I told dh I want a BLT at Subway. 9 pts, fits into my allocation, and tastes yummy! I am going to be bummed if I don't have a loss this week. This is the most OP I've been in awhile.

Have a great day,  and 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   



Rose&Mike said:


> Yep, race is being brought up again--that's when I have to stop reading and bite my tongue. Mike finds the whole thing very amusing.



I think Mike was a perfect example of how a reasonable man would deal with the women's race thing.  He did it, he had a good time, and he was a total gentleman.  That's the way it should be!  



liesel said:


> I am trying hard not to let the women's race negativity rain on my parade.  I'm very excited about this race.  Don't get me started either!  I noticed a few weeks ago someone who had a vocal negative opinion jumped on the Tink half thread to answer a question and reminded people that men have to start a corral back, etc.  He also once again told everyone that he had no intention of running the race.  I was thinking, dude, why are you on this thread?  Anyway...



Yeah, I remember that, too, I was thinking I was going to have to jump in with my "this is a place for positive comments" thing there for a bit on the Tinker Bell thread but it died a natural death.  That's why I could never be a mod -- don't know when to wade in!  

I absolutely love DL when it is decorated for Halloween.    Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy is a favorite and, of course, Haunted Mansion Holiday.  They are doing a 4th of July World of Color so maybe they will have a Halloween WOC too!



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lisa* -- I was really surprised at the backlash when the Tink race was announced. I think because it was so hyped, people got excited and when they found out the target audience was female, they were very disappointed.



ITA that part of the Tinker Bell negativity was because of mistakes made by Disney marketing.    It's not so bad now but for awhile it was like you can't be a true WISHer and be excited about a Disney race?   Sheesh!  As you can see I still have "issues" about it!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> My ds had the last of his finals today. He's one whipped kidlet. There is so much pressure on them -- his Latin master told them if they didn't get an F they did above average  Friday is their field day, dh is working it supervising one of the basketball courts. Ben told him not to speak to him or any of the other kids  The teams are based on Roman provinces. Ben's team is Noricum. Never heard of it.



Woo hoo you stumped the classical scholar (DH) with Noricum!    It was a Celtic province in Austria -- they were apparently smart and sided with the first Julius Caesar.

We got a big laugh out of your DH not being allowed to speak to Ben or any of the kids -- you're lucky, we are no longer allowed to get out of the car!  

*Rose,* glad the tornadoes missed you!    That's so scary when you don't know what is going on and whether you should go to the basement or not.   



flipflopmom said:


> Brad has a cpap, it saved our marriage.  I spent the first 3 months of our marriage sleeping on the couch, with a pillow over my head AND the door to the bedroom shut!



I hear ya, Taryn!    And it's not just that it is disturbing to your spouse, but hello, you stop breathing repeatedly, your heart gets stressed and it happens over and for over for hours all night and you don't get a good rest.    I have to get after him every once in awhile to keep in on all night.  I do have sympathy because it is like having a vacuum on your face all night.  



flipflopmom said:


> That's great that DS's school scored so high.  I had to go check out the article, and of course, it ticked me off.  (So much based on scores and teacher/student ratios.  Most of top 20 were gifted schools.  Totally stacks the deck against poor areas that can't afford teachers, high special ed. inclusion populations, etc., i.e. where we live!)  Not to take anything away from these schools at all!  Hope I didn't offend!  Glad DS is enjoying camp!



Totally not offended, Taryn.  My Mom and three out of four grandparents were teachers in Springfield, Missouri so I totally get the whole issue of how there are inadequate resources in schools for what should be done for our children.    We feel so fortunate that there is such a wonderful school here in our town for DS.  You would love it, Taryn, they unapologetically put academics first and let the teachers teach bell to bell, every single day.   

Hope that you find the portable DVD player.    Misplace the charger and the player will turn up -- that is what works for us!   



mikamah said:


> I'm quickly running out of my dis time this morning, and need to go out a few min early to make the work men move their truck so I can get out of my driveway.  It's cool and rainy, *so they all have thier shirts on today.  bummer*.   I think it's going well.  The whole road is all dirt, mud now, and they're out playing with their big trucks.



  Maybe it will warm up this afternoon, Kathy!    



Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm so glad we are able to offer these kids great educational opportunities! Think how much they will achieve with this solid foundation



Well said, Maria!    I think it's good for our guys to have some challenges at this stage of their lives.  It has been a bit of a shock for DS not to be sailing at the top but good for him, although he might not agree.  

Nice job getting your run in!  We have thunderstorms so don't know if a run will happen for me today.  I'm too cheap to pay $8 to do the walking track this time of year.

My hard work this week paid off -- I lost 4 pounds and am back to what I weighed on Friday.    Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining.  And I am apparently not the only one in my family who benefits from a little lesson from the school of hard knocks!  

Have a great day, ladies!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> thanks Lindsay. I think we missed the worst of it. The area right around churchill downs got hit the hardest. There are power lines down around U of Louisville. It got a lttle scary here right around 9:30 when they issued a tornado warning for our little town, but it's over. It's funny, our dog hates storms and the only time he cried was right around 9:30. I guess the change in pressure was really bad right then. It's raining really hard right now, but they said the worst is over. The commute might be ugly tomorrow as there are a lot of power lines down. We have lived here since 94 and usually a tornado warning lasts about 30 minutes. This started at ~7:20 and just ended a few minutes ago. Pretty crazy--almost 3 hours and 4 or 5 thunderstorms. They just got done saying that they did not expect any of this--which explains why they issued the warnings with the sirens, but nothing was on tv for about 10 minutes. We thought it was a mistake at first.
> 
> Have a nice evening everyone!
> 
> Ok, they've told us to stay off roads tonight cause they don't know how much damage/flooding had occurred. What a night!



Wow what a night.  Glad you are all in one piece.



flipflopmom said:


> So today's agenda is to finally finish this last paper for my special ed. class, almost done, and then tackle Ak's room WITH HER HELP!  She's lost her portable DVD player, or I wouldn't bother!  Wish us luck!



Glad you had some alone time yesterday it is such a necessary thing for us moms.  Im sure your vacation will turn out just fine.  Try not to worry.  I know easier said then done.   for finishing up your last paper.  Good luck venturing into AK room and trying to find the DVD player.



Rose&Mike said:


> I was planning on running this morning, but slept instead. I'm going to leave work a little early, come home and see Tom before he goes to work to find out how it went with the psychiatrist and then run a tiny bit around our neighborhood. At least that's the plan, we'll see if it actually works. Tomorrow is the appointment with the primary care doctor.



Sometimes sleep outweighs running and that is perfectly fine.  I hope everything goes well with Toms appt today.



Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm staying with my WW points, too. Today's planned dinner is already a bust, so I told dh I want a BLT at Subway. 9 pts, fits into my allocation, and tastes yummy! I am going to be bummed if I don't have a loss this week. This is the most OP I've been in awhile.



You are doing great and well on your way back on the wagon.  Even if you dont see a loss hang in there it will come.  I know the feeling.



lisah0711 said:


> My hard work this week paid off -- I lost 4 pounds and am back to what I weighed on Friday.    Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining.  And I am apparently not the only one in my family who benefits from a little lesson from the school of hard knocks!
> 
> Have a great day, ladies!



That is excellent Lisa.  Great Job.

**********************************************************
Totally off topic but,
Ok has anyone else seen the 2012 dining plan list....Im not sure how many of you use the dining plan but there are a bunch of resturants missing on the list.  Like half of the world showcase at epcot.  Im hoping that part is a typo.  It also only lists captn jacks resturaunt at downtown disney I think yak and yeti are no longer on either. 

Anyway if that is the case I would seriously reconsider paying for the dp next time.  

Well it seems like my weight is not melting off of me this week as I have planned but I am down a smidge.  I am hoping for a metabolism boost overnight because my goal this week was 2lbs.  I think so far I am at .4  I am planning on running tonight hopefully if we do not have any storms.  So we will see.  Either way I am ok with what number I will see, because I know that I worked hard this week and I think TOM may be approaching the station so I feel a tab bit bloated.  

Nothing much happening here.  Its been pretty boring lately which I am not going to complain about.

Have a great day Princess's.


----------



## liesel

Rose&Mike said:


> Ok, so the sirens are going off. Supposedly there was a tornado touch down at Churchill Downs, so it will probably make the news. It's not even raining at our house yet, but we are in the basement. Tom and Mike are playing pool. I am just waiting for the storms to move on down the road. It was so weird, when the sirens first went off we didn't even know there was a storm coming.
> 
> Just waiting for the storm to pass.....They said a tornado was seen on the track at Churchill. It's about 15 minutes out, but I think it will stay north of us by a couple miles.
> 
> Liesel--love the sand picture--too cool. I just skimmed the main thread--where was that taken?



The pic was from Great Sand Dunes National Park in southern Colorado.  I was going to post a pic from Carlsbad Caverns but haven't gotten around to it yet.

Sorry for the tornado scare, I'm glad you are safe.  We saw one from our house 2 summers ago, not fun.




mommyof2Pirates said:


> **********************************************************
> Totally off topic but,
> Ok has anyone else seen the 2012 dining plan list....Im not sure how many of you use the dining plan but there are a bunch of resturants missing on the list.  Like half of the world showcase at epcot.  Im hoping that part is a typo.  It also only lists captn jacks resturaunt at downtown disney I think yak and yeti are no longer on either.
> 
> Anyway if that is the case I would seriously reconsider paying for the dp next time.
> 
> Well it seems like my weight is not melting off of me this week as I have planned but I am down a smidge.  I am hoping for a metabolism boost overnight because my goal this week was 2lbs.  I think so far I am at .4  I am planning on running tonight hopefully if we do not have any storms.  So we will see.  Either way I am ok with what number I will see, because I know that I worked hard this week and I think TOM may be approaching the station so I feel a tab bit bloated.
> 
> Nothing much happening here.  Its been pretty boring lately which I am not going to complain about.
> 
> Have a great day Princess's.



Wow, I hope that is a typo!  I think our next WDW trip may be 2-3 years away too, I just hope its sooner than that!  You've been doing great this challenge, keep it up!

LisaH-It sounds like a nice school you've got there.  I was glad that negative tone disappeared off the Tink thread.  I don't think anyone wants to get into an argument on our happy thread!  I love DL at Halloween too, my first Halloween visit was actually last year during a girls trip with a good friend of mine.  She'll be joining us for a day on this trip too.  I think for our next girls weekend we should have a spa day too.  Spa and DL-the perfect weekend!

Kathy-I hope the weather improves so you can enjoy the view.  

Maria-Your DS sounds like he needs a break!  Its wonderful that he is able to attend a great school, but it sounds very challenging.

Well, my Disney vent is that they went and raised their ticket prices when I was camping and off the grid so I couldn't buy our APs before they raised the rates.  Now I'll have to pay an extra $200!    Have a great rest of the day and weekend everyone!


----------



## flipflopmom

Rose&Mike said:


> At least that's the plan, we'll see if it actually works. Tomorrow is the appointment with the primary care doctor.


Hope everything worked out!  PPD for the PCP today!  (Sounds like drugs!)  Glad you slept, your mind needs the rest, too!



mikamah said:


> I'm quickly running out of my dis time this morning,


You did say you missed my long posts, right? 



Worfiedoodles said:


> Okay, I have to do a quick minute of bragging on ds's school, too! *Taryn* -- My ds is 13 . He's what they call a "rising 8th grader", meaning he'll be in that grade next yearI just submitted my application electronically, and now I only have to worry about the status report I forgot to do for a funder.  This is the most OP I've been in awhile.


So proud of you Maria for being OP!  Just remember, you can't gauge too much on that scale.  I hate psyching myself up for a loss and it not showing.  I tell DH - "I did so great yesterday, I fully expected to wake up skinny!"  Sounds like your DS is one very smart young man, and his school sounds like a BEAST!!!  Harvard or Yale in his future?  Hope you got a lot done on the status report!



lisah0711 said:


> We got a big laugh out of your DH not being allowed to speak to Ben or any of the kids -- you're lucky, we are no longer allowed to get out of the car!  I do have sympathy because it is like having a vacuum on your face all night.  Totally not offended, Taryn.  My hard work this week paid off -- I lost 4 pounds and am back to what I weighed on Friday.   And I am apparently not the only one in my family who benefits from a little lesson from the school of hard knocks! !


Hmmm.....  hard knocks? Maybe we need to follow through on our threat to leave the kids here when we go to WDW.  That might be borderline child abuse, though.    You are having a GREAT week!  Glad I didn't offend,  One of my classes is forcing us to talk a long hard look at public education as it stands today, and it stinks, by and large.  As for the vaccuum - we call it the Storm Trooper/Darth mask here.  I've gotten so used to it know, I had to have white noise machines when DH was on 3rd shift, can't sleep without the sound!  Funny story about embarrassing your kids.  AK decided she wanted to  this year, great way to incorporate her love of tumbling and talking.  She eventually wants to cheer at VT.  Anyway, right before tryouts we had a staff/7th grade bball game at the end of the year, and staff cheerleaders. They pulled AK to start learning (I was ticked at first, she was in front of the whole school not knowing what to do) I cheered collegiately for a semester until I couldn't hack the schedule and keep up my grades. So I lead the staff cheerleaders, and the coach made the comment "look at her, she's showing you up!  Her jumps and technique is 10 times better."  So during a quarter break, I did some roundoff and jumps on the court.  The kids went nuts, especially the younger ones that still love me!  On my run back to my sideline, AK takes off doing her mega flips.  The older kids all said "ooooo.... you just got told" to me.  AK was tired of being told her momma was better than her!   But the worst was when one of the teachers who the kids love, and I, started doing a dance to "Teach me how to Dougie" (I know, I'm probably the only one here that knows it).  The school loved it, AK was trying to crawl under the bleachers while shooting me evil stares.  She leads such a hard life!




mommyof2Pirates said:


> Im sure your vacation will turn out just fine.  anyone else seen the 2012 dining plan list....Im not sure how many of you use the dining plan but there are a bunch of resturants missing on the list.  Well it seems like my weight is not melting off of me this week as I have planned but I am down a smidge.  I am hoping for a metabolism boost overnight because my goal this week was 2lbs.


I feel impending doom....  I just can't shake it.  Anyway, as far the the DDP, this happens every year.  The restaurants that are owned by outside sources, as most in WS and many others are, have until Dec. to renew their contracts with DDP, and most wait until then.  Hoping for your overnight melting!



liesel said:


> Well, my Disney vent is that they went and raised their ticket prices when I was camping and off the grid so I couldn't buy our APs before they raised the rates.  Now I'll have to pay an extra $200!


OMGoodness!    Didn't realize it affected the AP's that much!  We got a heads up, it's coming email from mousesavers, and since I'm a slacker, hadn't ordered mine for next week yet, so I was able to get in on them before they changed.  I didn't think it was that big of an increase on reg. tix, but didn't really check it closely!

Lisabelles, did you see this?  The medal for Tink?
http://www.stitchkingdom.com/disney-tinker-bell-half-marathon-medal-16657/
Soooo pretty!
Well, the final assignment for the Spec. Ed. class is done!   2 classes down, 1 to go.  I have 2 papers to write for it in the next 6 days, if I can ever get off the DIS.  I spent time yesterday reading last year's DR and TR.  It was a fun walk down memory lane, but useful, because I remembered Brad ran out of undies due to all the extra showers.  Sorry if TMI. 

Speaking of Brad...  We'll be together for the next 16 days.    Nuff said.  He's off for the next 2 weeks, and already started in on money.  AGAIN.  Today, he's going to service the car (used to be a car service tech)we hope to take to WDW and see if he thinks it's good to go.  It's older, but it's the SUV vs. the flea flicker.  So we're trying to determine between reliability and good gas mileage and comfort/packing room. He's working on it at his parents, and taking the girls to swim.  So hopefully I can bang out 1 of the two assignments, again, provided I get off here!

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!!
Taryn


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, princesses!!

And princess Lisabelles,  I am sooooo excited for your race since I've seen the beautiful bling you will be earning.  I think I need to get that on the agenda in my future.  

I did find myself pricing disney trips.  Michael turns 10 in dec, and he has a teacher work shop and a half day off near his b-day, so if I did 5 nights, he'd only miss 2.5 days of school, and it's cheaper, and he'd be a kid still for the dining plan, and the flights are only 216 direct right now on jet blue.  I can't do it yet, but maybe if I get my hours increased in sept, I'd be able to do it. 

It's an addiction. 

Off to work, but ds is sleeping at a friends tonight, so I really will be able to catch up here, and go out for an early morning run alone!!  

Have a fabulous day everyone!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Nothing much happening here.  Its been pretty boring lately which I am not going to complain about.



Boring is good!    Especially for summer.  Nothing beats a long, lazy day.   

That's too bad about the dining list.  Hopefully it will change.  Are you planning a trip soon? 



liesel said:


> I think for our next girls weekend we should have a spa day too.  Spa and DL-the perfect weekend!



I've heard the spa at the Grand Californian is very nice!   

That's a bummer about the AP prices.  Maybe stretch a hopper into an annual pass so you get some extra time?  I don't recall whether they do the non-expiring option at DL.  



flipflopmom said:


> I, started doing a dance to "Teach me how to Dougie" (I know, I'm probably the only one here that knows it).  The school loved it, AK was trying to crawl under the bleachers while shooting me evil stares.  She leads such a hard life!



 I hope you teach me how to Dougie one day, Taryn!   

Ah, yes, AK gets some extra special embarrassment because of you being a teacher at her school.    I bet you are a lot of fun and the kids do love you!  

A good friend of mine grew up in a small, rural school here in Idaho.  (One of my few Facebook friends, Patty).  Her Mom was a teacher there, too, and was her teacher in the 3rd grade.  There was a very strict rule that she had to call her Mom "Mrs. O'Brien" in class and if she forgot, her Mom ignored her.   



mikamah said:


> Good morning, princesses!!
> 
> And princess Lisabelles,  I am sooooo excited for your race since I've seen the beautiful bling you will be earning.  I think I need to get that on the agenda in my future.
> 
> I did find myself pricing disney trips.  Michael turns 10 in dec, and he has a teacher work shop and a half day off near his b-day, so if I did 5 nights, he'd only miss 2.5 days of school, and it's cheaper, and he'd be a kid still for the dining plan, and the flights are only 216 direct right now on jet blue.  I can't do it yet, but maybe if I get my hours increased in sept, I'd be able to do it.
> 
> It's an addiction.
> 
> Off to work, but ds is sleeping at a friends tonight, so I really will be able to catch up here, and go out for an early morning run alone!!
> 
> Have a fabulous day everyone!!!



Wowza!  What are you going to do with your free night?  Do you have a good movie on Netflix picked out?  You have to do something fun! Absolutely no house or yard work and get that blender fired up.  You need to test it before next week-end, right?

*Rose,* thinking of you all today!  

*Maria,* hope nothing too embarrassing happens to your DS today!   

 Hello to the rest of our princesses!  

Can you believe that it is almost the 4th of July?  This summer is disappearing before my eyes.  

It's Ironman here this week-end.  We always plan to stay home that day because the course runs right between our house and office and cuts us off.  They start at 7:00 a.m. and go until midnight!    That is a long, long time to be going!  

Have a great day Princesses and Belles!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

flipflopmom said:


> Speaking of Brad...  We'll be together for the next 16 days.    Nuff said.  He's off for the next 2 weeks, and already started in on money.  AGAIN.  Today, he's going to service the car (used to be a car service tech)we hope to take to WDW and see if he thinks it's good to go.  It's older, but it's the SUV vs. the flea flicker.  So we're trying to determine between reliability and good gas mileage and comfort/packing room. He's working on it at his parents, and taking the girls to swim.  So hopefully I can bang out 1 of the two assignments, again, provided I get off here!
> 
> HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!!
> Taryn



uh oh TARYN HIDE THE SCREWDRIVERS

that story about AK and you seriously had me in tears.  That poor child. 

Makes sense about the dining plan....I just seemed odd that all those places werent on it.




mikamah said:


> I did find myself pricing disney trips.  Michael turns 10 in dec, and he has a teacher work shop and a half day off near his b-day, so if I did 5 nights, he'd only miss 2.5 days of school, and it's cheaper, and he'd be a kid still for the dining plan, and the flights are only 216 direct right now on jet blue.  I can't do it yet, but maybe if I get my hours increased in sept, I'd be able to do it.
> 
> It's an addiction.
> 
> Off to work, but ds is sleeping at a friends tonight, so I really will be able to catch up here, and go out for an early morning run alone!!
> 
> Have a fabulous day everyone!!!



I hope that the trip could work out for you.  I know the feeling I cant foresee our trip for another 2-3 years and I am already trying to plan it in my mind because that makes me feel better.  Then sometimes I get depressed knowing I cant go sooner.



lisah0711 said:


> It's Ironman here this week-end.  We always plan to stay home that day because the course runs right between our house and office and cuts us off.  They start at 7:00 a.m. and go until midnight!    That is a long, long time to be going!
> 
> Have a great day Princesses and Belles!



Wow that is crazy.  Do you get to watch them and cheer them on?

We are not planning a trip in 2012 but I happened to just see it on the blogs and just thought it was strange.  Thats how odd I am I worry about stuff even when it is not directly affecting me. 

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

Busy day today at work but TGIF.  I am not sure how my weigh in will go today because I generally try to wait right before lunch and now I will be out of the office at 940 and will eat before I return again.  I may weigh in on monday since I will be off next friday.  We will see.  Either way I know it will be a small loss this week.

Dh and I had a tiff this morning which is a bit unusual for us. I realized last night that he hadnt given ryan breakfast this week before dropping him off at the sitter.  I asked him why and he said he didnt know that he was in charge of that.  I got mad and said well who ever told me I was in charge...no one gave me a job description I just use commen sense.  well that ticked him off.  gosh we have been at each others throats lately I think we could really use some down time so hopefully this sunday with not having much to do we can do something fun together.  MEN.......


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay*--that sounds like an argument at our house.

*****
Well it turns out there were 3 little tornadoes in our area, 5 total in Louisville!The one at Churchill Downs damaged 9 barns. No horses were injured. What's so funny is they weren't even talking about the storm in our area very much. One was less than a mile from our house. I guess that's why you go to the basement cause you just never know. They were all little and no one was injured, thank goodness! Folks have been getting very complacent around here and I think that was quite the wakeup call.

Everybody at my house is a little stressed out. I went for a run and lifted before we went to the game last night and I felt like I was having chest pains all evening--Don't worry I'm 100 percent sure it's stress, heat and too much weight lifting. And maybe just a little dehydration from adult beverages this week. Tom isn't up yet and he has been doing really well with staying on schedule this week. He said it went ok with the psychiatrist yesterday, but he doesn't want to keep going. He took his blood pressure and it was elevated. It's going to be interesting to see what our pcp says. 

And poor Mike. Two people have left his group at work in like 2 weeks. We are pretty sure that they have killed any chance of him transferring with his company right now. The position that he posted on is still listed but he has heard nothing. Sometimes I am just tempted to put the house on the market and worry about the job later. We have enough money to get us through 6-9 months without touching the 401k, but there's the health insurance issue, and even though ours sucks I wouldn't want to go without it.

*Kathy*--enjoy your free evening. If you lived closer, I'd tell you to come on over and we'd sit by the pool.

Have a good day. I'll let you know how things go.


----------



## lisah0711

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Either way I know it will be a small loss this week.
> 
> Dh and I had a tiff this morning which is a bit unusual for us. I realized last night that he hadnt given ryan breakfast this week before dropping him off at the sitter.  I asked him why and he said he didnt know that he was in charge of that.  I got mad and said well who ever told me I was in charge...no one gave me a job description I just use commen sense.  well that ticked him off.  gosh we have been at each others throats lately I think we could really use some down time so hopefully this sunday with not having much to do we can do something fun together.  MEN.......



Woo hoo on a small loss coming, Lindsay!    I'm sure it wil lead to bigger things soon!  

And a big  on the MEN thing.  It deserves two really.   I've had the same conversation with my DH many, many times.  Except you are nicer than I am about it.  I usually start yelling something "you can handle a million dollar case without direction -- why don't you know what needs to be done every morning at home without being told?" or something like that, which is really helpful, I know.    Poor Mike, he probably felt bad that Ryan didn't get breakfast but instead of saying so, he got defensive.  I think it's really just a their brain works differently thing but if you figure something out, let me know.  

I might run down the hill and do some cheering on Sunday for Ironman.  It's pretty hard to pry me from the house on Sundays, though.   



Rose&Mike said:


> *Lindsay*--that sounds like an argument at our house.



See, we're not the only ones!    Except it is a little scary to hear that you still deal with that, Rose, I was hoping it would get better as DS gets older.  

Glad that the tornadoes missed you.  It's scary how close they were.  

I hope that everything goes well today and that you all can start relaxing with a plan in place.    I'll be thinking of you!


----------



## mikamah

Good evening, princess pals!!

I'm just relaxing in my pajamas alone and enjoying every minute of my alone time.  Michael's friends mom picked him up at aftercare, and I just dropped his stuff to her, and chatted for a bit.  She said, you can call later and check on him if you want, and I quickly answered, "OH no, I won't be calling"    Then I zipped to target and picked up a few things, have chicken pot pie in the oven for dinner, and then will just relax tonight, and watch a movie, and maybe read for a bit.  I put a bunch of choices on my netflix instant queue.  City of Angels if i feel like crying, and some old jennifer aniston movies, picture perfect and she's the one.  I don't remember if I saw them before or not.  Also put One flew over the cuckoo's nest.  So many choices depending on my mood after dinner.    

*Lindsay* - I really can't go in december, yet I find myself dreaming about it.  We want to do washington dc next april, so I need to start looking into that and getting excited for it.  I am just drawn to wdw, and realistically, maybe 2014 for my 50th might be our next trip, or should be if i want to be responsible, but i keep dreaming.   Sorry about the fight with dh.Marriage is tough, not that I know from experience, but I hear it is.    Hang in there, and I hope you're able to have a nice relaxing weekend.  My friend that was my coach when I had michael thought doing it alone was such a great thing, and reasoned that everything that needed to be done I had to do, if the baby was crying in the middle of the night, I just got up and took care of him, I didn't get frustrated because my husband was lying beside me pretending to be asleep and ignoring the baby.  Yah, she's not married anymore.  
Hope the scale was good for you. 

*Rose*- I would have loved to come and sit by the pool with you tonight, and check out some gluten free beer with ya.  Sounds like you and Mike could sure use some stress relief this week.  I hope something turns up on the job front for Mike soon.  I would not want to be without health insurance either.  So scary to do that.  Hope Tom's appt with the pcp went well, and his blood pressure is ok.  So many people have white coat syndrome, and sky high bp when at the doctors, but fine normally.  Do you check his at home too?  Or most of our pharmacies have the cuffs you can check with no stress of being at the doctors office.  Hang in there.  Hope you have some relaxing time this weekend too.

*Lisa*  "you can handle a million dollar case without direction -- why don't you know what needs to be done every morning at home without being told?" Love this!!!    I can imagine you are a force to be reckoned with when necessary.    That would be cool to see the Iron man competition.  That's a long day for them, wow.  I can't believe the fourth of july is next weekend either.  I am so hoping our street gets paved by then.  My yard is so small the kids play in the street during the party, and have the water balloon fight there, and if it was this weekend it's be a mud bath.  So keep your fingers crossed for me.  I'm definitely less stressed about things as I get older, and after a couple pina coladas, I won't care what's happing in the dirt.  Our festival starts tonight with a champagne gala, I don't know who goes to that, lol, but tomorrow is a park day with kiddie rides, games, and an Ice cream scooperbowl, where you get 5small samples from 5 different ice cream stands.  Might make that my lunch.  Glad Robert was enjoying his camp this week.  

*Taryn*-Your poor daughter doesn't stand a chance.    You are so funny, and one day she will look back without those daggers in her eyes and smile at what a fun and cool mom you were.  Probably  many years from now though, so don't hold your breath.  I have missed your long posts, and since I've been reading your posts, I haven't had enough time to post my own.  Just kidding.  yay for school being almost over, and your 16 glorious days with your dh.    Enjoy every minute of them.  

*Maria*- How 'bout that Whitey Bulger???!!!!  It seems like we've heard about him off and on forever, but I think I've heard enough now.   Actually, I was thinking it would be interesting to pick up one of the books about him.  
Nice job on the runs!!  Hope the 9 went well for you.  Bummer on the steps cost increasing.  It does stink to have to put money into the house, especially at the cost of vacation.  I really need vacation time to regroup, and keep myself sane, but of course as I'll attest to this year, it doesn't have to be expensive, just time off relaxing together.  Wow, ds's school sounds so challenging but what a great opportunity for him.  
I thought of you when I saw our town is getting together with the rec dept to do a summer camp for I think it was 6o homeless schoolage children living in the local motels.  When michael started school, and told me his bus stopped at the Days Inn, it made me so sad.  Do I remember your work is with the homeless?  

*Liesel*-Bummer on the increase in prices of your aps.  I hate when things like that happen, like paying a late fee on a bill makes me so mad if I've forgotten to pay something.   Love the tink medal!!  You lisabelles are going to be looking good!!!

Well, I'm going to have my dinner now, and chill out for a bit.  I do have some laundry to do, but not much else tonight.  I plan to get up early and run/walk, but probably just 3-4.  My foot was a little sore after the 5 on wed, so I'll take it easy, and see how it feels.  Might be time for new shoes, but I was hoping to make it til august on these.  

Have a wonderful evening, ladies!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Moorrnnninng,  and !

I am channeling *Nancy* this morning and feeling pretty good! 

*Kathy* -- My dh has read almost every book on Whitey, he loves that mob stuff. It's funny because he's from NH and I'm from MO, but Whitey is just one of those characters you can't believe is real... I do work with the homeless, mostly individuals rather than families. At the meeting I went to yesterday morning they announced that as of Wednesday night there were 1,551 families in motels. What is even sadder is that a high percentage of them are teen moms, who could really use some support. The state is not obligated to provide them with housing search while they're in the motels, so they may not be getting any help in finding a place to live. We go to church in Malden, which also has motels full of homeless families. My church makes kits to deliver meals to them, which is something but doesn't seem like nearly enough. Ok, before I make everyone crazy and get caught up in work on a Saturday, I'm going to move on! Your relaxing evening sounds wonderful! We are going to have one of those tonight. DS is at Camp Wanakee in NH for a youth church retreat, and we are going to go to dinner and then watch "The King's Speech". 

*Lisah* -- Well, you got the husband thing right. I don't know why it is they can do these unbelievably complex deals at work, but are incapable of determining lunches need to be made  Dennis worked the basketball courts at Field Day. Luckily for him Ben wasn't on one of the teams he had. He did come over to him just to make sure he wasn't getting a ride home, though 

*Rose* -- I am sorry about what's going on with Mike's work situation. It is disheartening that they will feel they need to keep him where he is. These things do always work out for the best, but sometimes it takes awhile. I bet that he needs to be there in order to be ready for the next fabulous opportunity that will arise 

*Lindsay* -- DH and I also rarely get upset with each other, and usually it's because I'm just in a mood and he's had enough. It is disconcerting, and throws off your whole day. On the bright side, there's always the "make-up"...we had our first and only to date total blowout when we'd been married nine years (screaming at each other and being really mean)-- dh felt so bad he agreed to a cruise for our 10th anniversary. So, it can work to your advantage  , not that I recommend it!

*Taryn* -- You made me laugh outloud reading about poor AK and her embarrassing Mommy!   for the next 2 weeks with dh, I know it can be stressful, particularly right before a trip. My dh just hates to spend the money, and the closer we get the more testy he is. It also takes him about 2-3 days to really relax, so I've accepted the first day is kind of a throw away. That's why I like it when we can go to his sister's in Tampa before hitting Orlando. He's finally in vacation mode when the real fun starts. 

*Lisa* -- Wow, that is a scary AP increase! I don't blame you, I would be very annoyed as well. They increased the prices much earlier this year, usually it's in August, I believe. So glad you had a wonderful trip, the photos are awesome! 

I'm  at *Nancy and Corinna*!

So, yesterday's 9M went really well. I felt great the entire time I was doing it! I'm so glad, after last week's 8 was a challenge. The scale is not moving like I would like, but I am going to take *Lindsay's* sage advice and hang in there. I'm sure a great loss is coming eventually. I also managed to stay OP with my food. I had nachos for dinner, my only indulgence -- and I earned enough Activity points to cover them. 

DS left last night for his youth retreat, so it's just us today until tomorrow afternoon. DH is running a 10K tomorrow morning. I'm sleeping in. I know the stress has really been getting to me, because I slept 10 hours last night. Spock and  were doing their best to wake me after 7 and then 8, but it wasn't until 10 hours had passed I was able to come out of my coma. 

I'm not sure what we'll do today. I want to go to the outlets, but I also need to go to the Mall. I have to pick one or the other. It was rainy so I was leaning towards the Mall, but now the sun seems to be coming out, so it's my chance for the outlets. I want to go with dh and not ds, so this may be my only chance for awhile. The outlets are too far to leave ds by himself, and he would be miserable there -- so I'd better just do it! I want to get a new dress and skirt for summer, maybe look at some Vera Bradley...

I was watching a tivo'd "Extreme Makeover:Weight Loss" last night, and I'd like to think I had a epiphany. I realized that I need to lose 34 lbs to get into my healthy weight range. Any way you slice it, that is not impossible. I just keep putting it off and thinking it's too much, and I never really apply myself for long. Like I said, I've got a full laundry basket of towels I've thrown in. I lose 5 or 10, I give up, and I'm right back where I started or weighing even more. The only good thing is that every time that happens, I determine I liked where I eventually got to, and I make a little more progress. This has seen me slowly move from the 210s, to 200s to the low 190s where I am now -- thinking 180s are really good and I can be back there in a week or so. Hopefully this push will get me to the 170s and beyond. I don't like to talk about numbers because I get discouraged, but I think it's important to remind myself that even with the stops and starts, I'm much better off than I was 4 years ago. I know that I have not done all the mental work I need to do -- I do keep trying, and I know I am making progress. I have a lot of issues from being adopted (even into a loving, amazing family), and not being accepted because I'm multi-racial. It's taken me a long time to realize that most people are picked on and ostracized for some reason or other. That's why the "cool kids" group is so small -- small in size and small in mind. I've often viewed being adopted as that first rejection, and if you couldn't love a newborn, what they heck was wrong with me? On an intellectual level, I know it took far more love to send that baby away to a loving home where she could have two parents and a better life, but because of the way the kids treated me in school, it just made me feel like there was something fundamentally wrong with me. I love myself and I love my life -- and I am so fortunate -- I'm just learning to let that go and finally decide if someone doesn't like me that's ok and doesn't mean I am "wrong" at my core, and be pleased not only with what I've accomplished, but who I am phsyically and mentally. I am far from ideal, but I've worked hard to have this particular body, and I intend to continue to improve all of me.  The more secure I become in myself, the more I'm able to let the food go. In my case, this really is more mental than physical. Thank you for being my therapists this morning 

Last night when I stopped at nachos because I was full, that was a victory. Normally I wouldn't think of going to bed without some chocolate -- but I just was completely full, so I stopped eating. If I can do that on a regular basis, I will see results. Eating is a comfort to me, and I have to stop that. 

Last weekend I was in the Hallmark and they have new Star Wars items. I bought a sign with  which says "Do or Do Not, There is No Try". This has actually been helping me. I placed it on top of the tv in the bedroom, where I can see it first thing when I wake up and go to sleep, as well as when I'm in bed and contemplating going down to the kitchen for a snack. 

Sorry, I didn't mean to write a book, I think I just needed to get all that out. 

I hope everyone is ready for a fabulous weekend, and Thank You for being my friends! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria--I wanted to share with you. I went to therapy several years ago to deal with all of the abuse. I was having a lot of ptsd symptoms and really was in a bad place. Anyhow, one thing the therapist told me that really stuck with me and gave me some comfort was that in her opinion the most difficult thing to deal with and to learn to live with is feeling rejected by your mother or feeling like she didn't love you enough to protect you and care for you--no matter what the reason. This is probably part of the reason why it is has been much easier in some ways for me to forgive my dad who was the perpetrator than my mom who allowed the bad stuff to happen. And why it hurt so much. I will never understand why she did the things she did--and continues to make the choices that she made. And for years I had a hard time believing anyone could like or even love me--if your Mom doesn't love you then who could??, but it does get easier. You might not ever know why she did what she did, and that's got to be hard to come to terms with. I know it is for me, but I finally think I have figured out that I need to give myself what I need and that taking care of my body is the kindest thing I can do for myself. I don't know if any on this makes sense, but just wanted you to know I was thinking of you today.

******
Ok yesterday was a long day. I have been sleeping so poorly which is not helping. The appointment went well. I just love our pcp and will miss her if we ever move. She spent a lot of time with us and answered all our questions. Tom told her he was concerned the other guy might over medicate and she agreed that less was better. So he has a prescription that he started yesterday. He goes back to see her in a month. She encouraged him to not take it on days he doesn't need it. Which made him happy. We came up with a plan that involves eventually transferring some of the care to the campus counselors--since he is so far away. Mike found out that we can actually mail order the prescription--you can only do this in certain states--and that will save us $40 a month. The nice thing is both KY and SC allow mail order with signature so we can pick up a prescription here and mail it in and it can be delivered to SC or Tom can mail it from SC and have it delivered to SC. So that will make things easier. 

So Tom took it yesterday, probably too late in the day (lunchtime) and only slept for 2 hours or so last night. She started him on the lowest dose recommended for adults, so we'll give it a few days and if he's still not sleeping then he'll call her and see what she thinks. He was so funny last night. Normally when you have a conversation with him it involves 50 different topics and is all over place. Last night he was very chatty buy managed to stay on topic. He was wearing me out he was so chatty. He is going to teach Kaplan SAT prep courses this fall and had to study for the training today and he said it was still not the most exciting thing, but he was better able to stay on task. He said his body feels a little keyed up but his brain is moving a little slower so he is actually able to pay attention better.

So that's where we are at. Hopefully the sleep stuff will resolve itself. I am feeling much better about the fact that she wants him to transfer some of the care to campus. The counseling center on campus is pretty strict about what they want for a diagnosis so hopefully the paperwork from the psychiatrist will be sufficient. All that stuff will get sent to SC next week so that hopefully he can have an appointment right when he gets back. And he's going to stop seeing the psychiatrist here which we are all very happy about. He was a little too pill happy for us.

Mike called the hiring people about both jobs yesterday and everything is still in play. We still aren't very optimistic about the one with his company. They have not officially killed it locally, but they have been known to allow people to interview somewhere else and then drag things out so long that it ends up falling apart. This is what we're afraid of. We took a bunch of stuff to goodwill, so no matter what happens we will be organized and neat.

Have a super weekend.

Hello to everyone. I hope you all are enjoying the weekend.

--oh and on the topic of poverty. This whole thing with Tom makes me so sad. All I can think about is all the families who can't afford to do this for their kids. Sure we don't enjoy spending this money, but we can afford it. This would be a huge hardship for a lot of folks and I just hate that.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Forgot to tell you all--my Fairy Godmother was on GMA this morning. They did the my three words segment and it was a video of  these three little girls behind the castle with MFG with the words--Bippity, Boppity, Boo.  I totally started crying--I'm kind of mess this week! Goodness! Anyhow, it was very exciting!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi friends! just popping in quickly to say hi. i need to go back and read a couple of pages. the last couple days were pretty busy and full of food and food and more food. i'm up to 147.5 now - started the pregnancy at 135. it's all food fat, no baby fat. wah. i'm feeling a little sorry for myself for making such bad choices the last few days. i have been exercising most days at least for a little. 

ok, have to run. dh is in one of those awesome sour moods (yes, it's only 7am) and i have a feeling it's going to be a long day. he has a little bit of clean up to do leftover from the party and is acting like he's the only one who does anything. cuz, you know, i just sat around for the last few days.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Rose&Mike said:


> You might not ever know why she did what she did, and that's got to be hard to come to terms with. I know it is for me, but I finally think I have figured out that I need to give myself what I need and that taking care of my body is the kindest thing I can do for myself. I don't know if any on this makes sense, but just wanted you to know I was thinking of you today.



*Rose* -- You know exactly how much I needed to her that. Thank You for being such a brave survivor and trying to help me feel better by revealing so much of yourself. You are one tough, strong cookie, and I am so pleased to call you my friend 

It sounds like you have a good plan for Tom's medication, and I do think it's better to start low and figure out if you need more. Overmedicating can't be good 

So yesterday I started out with a runny nose and sneezes, and it just kept getting worse. I ended up telling Dennis I didn't want to go shopping, I just felt awful. We went out for brunch (I had French toast), and that was almost more than I could take. I came home and didn't leave my bed the rest of the day. I slept awful last night, the medication made me a frequent visitor in the bathroom. Let's just say I was reminded of when I was 9 mos pregnant, and if I could eliminate this cold through liquid, it would already be gone  Now I can feel it in my sinuses, so no run for me today. Dennis, who gave me the cold , is trying to decide whether to go run his 10K. He looks like death warmed over, but that's just my opinion 

I'm going to drink some Sleepytime tea and try to get a little rest. Honestly, I had planned to go over to the main thread and answer questions, but I don't think I'm mentally up to it. I have that fevered feeling when you can't think well enough to read a book, so hopefully after some rest I'll feel more up to talking about hidden Mickeys 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning ladies!   

*Maria,* a big  to you for working on the mental part of your game.  You're like a BL contestant who had their big break through and now are going to knock 'em dead!   

It took me such a long time to realize that not everyone is going to like you, and some people aren't even going to have a good reason for not liking you.  I used to think that people pleasing thing came along with the exaggerated sense of responsibility that seems to be a midwestern trait.  Now I don't know, I only know that "what people think" isn't as important to me now.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> I love myself and I love my life -- and I am so fortunate -- I'm just learning to let that go and finally decide if someone doesn't like me that's ok and doesn't mean I am "wrong" at my core, and be pleased not only with what I've accomplished, but who I am phsyically and mentally. I am far from ideal, but I've worked hard to have this particular body, and I intend to continue to improve all of me.  The more secure I become in myself, the more I'm able to let the food go. In my case, this really is more mental than physical. Thank you for being my therapists this morning



, Maria, I'm so glad that you are my friend!    I hope that you are feeling better today, too.   Sick is no fun.

*Rose,* you have been through so much and are so brave!    And you are at goal and have stayed there through another tough year.    You so totally rock!  

I'm glad that the doctor visit went well and things are coming together.  I hope that you all can enjoy the rest of your summer.  This may be last summer you are all home at once for any length of time.  

*Nancy,* remember that with Thomas -- it goes so quickly!  Then they are grown up and don't need you anymore (or at least admit to it).   

The female Ironman champion finished in 9:19:42 -- that is a long time to be out there doing your best.  She did walk part of the marathon.  The second place woman actually ran the marathon portion 30 minutes faster than the winner so the winner must have had a better bike time.  It was a little warmish toward the end.

In recognition of Maria's and Rose's inspiring posts, I am going to go for a short run now.  Even though it is a Monday and I never exercise on Mondays.  Thanks!  

Have a great day all!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lindsay* your tiff with hubby is like a daily thing here! on friday i dropped thomas at my friend's for an hour so i could go to costco and buy things for the party. i had DH pick him up when he left work. i got home and they were both there and i asked DH what thomas ate at my friends. "i don't know. was i supposed to ask?"  eesh, if they aren't told exactly what to do they just don't get it. my problem is that i'm hot-tempered and blow up all.the.time! 

how's the running going? did you decide on the hershey half? i would REALLY like to do it oct 2012! 

*rose and maria* - i wish i had checked this thread more thoroughly earlier because it seems a little too late to add my two cents. i want to thank you for sharing your struggles. what's the best part of reading it is that i actually KNOW you guys and know that you've come out on top and are two awesome and beautiful women. it is SO hard dealing with mom issues. i went to therapy for a while about my mom but gave up. i think i was just getting mad at rehashing the fact that she just doesn't love me the way she should. and still i find myself sitting and daydreaming about the day when she'll finally be a real mom. yeah, that's not going to happen. 

i'm really glad to be a part of this thread. it's nice to know that there are truly nice and supportive people out there. sometimes you just don't want to go into dark areas of like with the people in your real life. you know?

*kathy* i love DC! i interned there in college and had the best time. alot of my friends live there too. when you do go, PLEASE let me know. one of my best friends works at the white house. she used to be president bush's scheduler (as in, she basically scheduled his whole life in 15 minute intervals for years!). when obama's administration took over, they got rid of most people but she was kept on and does something a little different now. she keeps telling me and i keep forgetting because all i hear is things like top secret and air force one and national security. haha. anyway, blah blah. let me know when you're going because my friend can give you a private tour of the white house. it's AWESOME! she takes you to all sorts of places that you can't go on the regular tour. we were there in april and stood right outside the oval office. we'd normally be able to go in but obama and his staff were in there in a secret meeting which turned out to be him finding out that bin laden was killed. pretty neat. 


*Lisa* so how was camp for DS? and his extra bit of freedom? i hope it worked out swimmingly 

*Taryn* when are you leaving for disney? wait, did you leave yet?   





Worfiedoodles said:


> I am channeling *Nancy* this morning and feeling pretty good!
> 
> hehe, it's fun to write in big font, isn't it??
> 
> 
> 
> So, yesterday's 9M went really well. I felt great the entire time I was doing it! I'm so glad, after last week's 8 was a challenge. The scale is not moving like I would like, but I am going to take *Lindsay's* sage advice and hang in there. I'm sure a great loss is coming eventually. I also managed to stay OP with my food. I had nachos for dinner, my only indulgence -- and I earned enough Activity points to cover them.
> 
> nice job on the 9 miler! awesome! that's enough activity points for nachos for SURE! you deserve them!
> 
> 
> I was watching a tivo'd "Extreme Makeover:Weight Loss" last night, and I'd like to think I had a epiphany. I realized that I need to lose 34 lbs to get into my healthy weight range. Any way you slice it, that is not impossible. I just keep putting it off and thinking it's too much, and I never really apply myself for long. Like I said, I've got a full laundry basket of towels I've thrown in. I lose 5 or 10, I give up, and I'm right back where I started or weighing even more. The only good thing is that every time that happens, I determine I liked where I eventually got to, and I make a little more progress. This has seen me slowly move from the 210s, to 200s to the low 190s where I am now -- thinking 180s are really good and I can be back there in a week or so. Hopefully this push will get me to the 170s and beyond. I don't like to talk about numbers because I get discouraged, but I think it's important to remind myself that even with the stops and starts, I'm much better off than I was 4 years ago. I know that I have not done all the mental work I need to do -- I do keep trying, and I know I am making progress. I have a lot of issues from being adopted (even into a loving, amazing family), and not being accepted because I'm multi-racial. It's taken me a long time to realize that most people are picked on and ostracized for some reason or other. That's why the "cool kids" group is so small -- small in size and small in mind. I've often viewed being adopted as that first rejection, and if you couldn't love a newborn, what they heck was wrong with me? On an intellectual level, I know it took far more love to send that baby away to a loving home where she could have two parents and a better life, but because of the way the kids treated me in school, it just made me feel like there was something fundamentally wrong with me. I love myself and I love my life -- and I am so fortunate -- I'm just learning to let that go and finally decide if someone doesn't like me that's ok and doesn't mean I am "wrong" at my core, and be pleased not only with what I've accomplished, but who I am phsyically and mentally. I am far from ideal, but I've worked hard to have this particular body, and I intend to continue to improve all of me.  The more secure I become in myself, the more I'm able to let the food go. In my case, this really is more mental than physical. Thank you for being my therapists this morning
> 
> Last night when I stopped at nachos because I was full, that was a victory. Normally I wouldn't think of going to bed without some chocolate -- but I just was completely full, so I stopped eating. If I can do that on a regular basis, I will see results. Eating is a comfort to me, and I have to stop that.
> 
> Last weekend I was in the Hallmark and they have new Star Wars items. I bought a sign with  which says "Do or Do Not, There is No Try". This has actually been helping me. I placed it on top of the tv in the bedroom, where I can see it first thing when I wake up and go to sleep, as well as when I'm in bed and contemplating going down to the kitchen for a snack.
> 
> Sorry, I didn't mean to write a book, I think I just needed to get all that out.
> 
> I hope everyone is ready for a fabulous weekend, and Thank You for being my friends!
> 
> Maria



x1,000,000 sounds to me like you have a good weight loss plan. you can definitely do it! 

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

everyone has been doing so well with their running and i was definitely inspired. after the last few weeks of doing nothing but eating and gaining, i decided to get back on the healthy wagon today. i ran 3.1 miles with the jogger and then walked another 2 miles. took me about an hour to do it all and i was so glad to have moved that much. took a shower and now i'm putting together a shopping list and meal plan. my aunt came over about an hour ago. she locked herself out of the house and had to borrow my car to drive to my uncle's firehouse to get her keys. they recently renovated my grandpa's old house so we don't have a copy of the key for that house anymore. anyway, i guess that's reason #45,235 why living around family is a good thing 

i'm off to check the BL recipe thread for some ideas. after shopping is nap time (aka laundry/cleaning time) and then i think we'll hit the beach in the afternoon. or the pool club. we'll see. sometimes i wish i had a less active kid so we could have just one day of laying around and doing nothing. oh well!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--I hope you are feeling better. That stinks that you felt cruddy on a kid free day.



lisah0711 said:


> In recognition of Maria's and Rose's inspiring posts, I am going to go for a short run now.  Even though it is a Monday and I never exercise on Mondays.  Thanks!
> 
> Have a great day all!


I hope it was a good run!



dumbo_buddy said:


> i find myself sitting and daydreaming about the day when she'll finally be a real mom. yeah, that's not going to happen.
> 
> everyone has been doing so well with their running and i was definitely inspired. after the last few weeks of doing nothing but eating and gaining, i decided to get back on the healthy wagon today. i ran 3.1 miles with the jogger and then walked another 2 miles. took me about an hour to do it all and i was so glad to have moved that much. took a shower and now i'm putting together a shopping list and meal plan. my aunt came over about an hour ago. she locked herself out of the house and had to borrow my car to drive to my uncle's firehouse to get her keys. they recently renovated my grandpa's old house so we don't have a copy of the key for that house anymore. anyway, i guess that's reason #45,235 why living around family is a good thing
> 
> i'm off to check the BL recipe thread for some ideas. after shopping is nap time (aka laundry/cleaning time) and then i think we'll hit the beach in the afternoon. or the pool club. we'll see. sometimes i wish i had a less active kid so we could have just one day of laying around and doing nothing. oh well!


Nancy--I still occasionally play the what if or if only, etc stuff in my head. I will say, I think it's good that you still have some sort of relationship with your mom. It really is hard to make the decision that you are better off without them than with them. It brings up a whole lot of stuff you have to deal with emotionally. I don't know why she doesn't think you are an awesome daughter--but remember, phooey on her. Fabulous job on the exercise today!

******
Things are going ok here. Still tired--I hate being tired. Tom is getting a little dizzy from his meds when he exercises, so we will have to keep an eye on that. Tonight I think we are going to go watch game 1 of the CWS--go Gamecocks! 

TTYL!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Have to get to bed, just wanted to share a thought I had earlier today -- some day our boys are going to be on a message board, all discussing why they can't find wives who are as wonderful as their mothers...I guess we'd better keep Taryn on speed dial! 

Feeling a little better, hoping to run slowly tomorrow. Hoping to sleep well tonight since I haven't since last week...

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Worfiedoodles said:


> Have to get to bed, just wanted to share a thought I had earlier today -- some day our boys are going to be on a message board, all discussing why they can't find wives who are as wonderful as their mothers...I guess we'd better keep Taryn on speed dial!



This is hysterical  Nick aka DS4 was telling me tonight that he has a girlfriend at school and I said well how do you know she is your girlfriend and he said because I showed her the back of my underwear.  I didnt even know what to say.  DH shrugged his shoulders and said well at least he didnt show her is front.  I then gave him the talk about how he doesnt need any girlfriends that he can just have me because no body else can take my place....he then said Ok mommy you can be my girlfriend. 


Nancy- Glad thomas's party went well.  Dont worry about the food or the weight gain just keep moving and you will be fine.  You are doing so good!

Maria- I hope you are feeling better.

Rose- Go Gamecocks.  I hope toms meds adjust quickly...dizziness=not fun.

Hello to Taryn, Kathy, and Lisa too.

Well ladies I had a horrible weekend.  Well really just one thing ruined it.  To make a long story short ah hem....

we had a grad party to attend.  My husbands best friend finished his masters so his wife threw him a party.  I already had bought a ticket to my friends play.  So we went to the party at 5 and he stayed there with the kids and I left at 7 to go to the play.  I came back around 11 and my husband was passed out sitting on a chair in their yard.  He had way to much to drink.  I was furious.  I yelled....no wait I growled that he better get his a** in the car.  I had to look for my kids.  This one guy who I didnt even know said its ok Ive been keeping an eye on them.  (ugh really).  I found ryan who was playing outside but it took me 10 min to find nick...he was up in their sons bedroom playing.  I got there things together and then walked around the house and there mike was sitting on the curb vomiting.  His BFF started laughing and i went off on him about how this was not funny at all and that I wasnt gonna take him home.  Nick started crying and ryan comforted him by telling him daddy just drank to many beers.  I felt horrible for the kids.  I was so angry and continued to be even more angry in the morning.  I left early in the morning with the kids and went to my moms to let myself cool down.  He got up and texted me that he was so sorry.  I called him and explained why I was so mad It was more that fact that the kids were there under his supervision and that it was irresponsible of him.  Granite his friends are the kids godparents but she was being a hostess and shouldnt be expected to watch our kids.  I know he really knew what he did was wrong so I forgave him because I cant stay mad at anyone for long.  I came to find out after talking with his BFF's wife that all of the guys had way to much and they were doing shots of hard liquor.  I guess they forgot that they arent in their 20's anymore.  Apparently her BIL who is a dentist and a very responsible guy vomited all over their kitchen floor.  So at least It helped with the embarressment I was feeling.  

Anyway sorry for the book but I just thought I would let you know why my wkend stank.  I didnt sleep much sat. which made for a miserable sun.  I had gained .8 over the weekend but I am back on plan today and went running for 30 min tonight.

I took ryan with me running tonight and he kept up with me the whole 30.  I really enjoy running with him.  He said he is in training for football.

Have a great week ladies.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

A quick  for you, *Lindsay* -- and if it were me his apology would also come with a concession for something I wanted (cruise, painting a room, actually changing the lightbulbs he said he'd change 2 weeks ago etc.) but that's just me. I would have been scared out of my mind that my little boys were not supervised, and I don't think I would have forgiven as easily. You are a better man than I , Gunga Din! 

I am so sorry this happened to you. My weekend would have been completely shot, too. I hope this week is much, much better. 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ugh lindsay! that would have made me SO mad. i think you handled yourself so beautifully. i would have flipped out and probably made him sleep outside! lol! grrr! 

yesterday at the pool a couple ladies and i were having a similar conversation. men just don't seem to understand that kids need to be watched. like, all the time. my friend and her hubby took their daughter to the pool. my friend was down with the daugter and the hubby was up at the bar drinking. on a monday. at 2pm. really? and this other lady's kid was there. the lady works and she asked my same friend if she could take her daughter to the pool. told her that her husband would be there in an hour. well don't you know that the husband showed up, saw joanne with his daughter and walked right up to the bar, never to be seen again. 

men!!!


----------



## flipflopmom

Don't disown me!  I have been reading, and have lots to say.  However, I don't have time.  Turned in final paper a few minutes ago.  Packing and flurry to get ready time!   to everyone.  I'll get on, at the very least, Thursday afternoon for a nice long post.  Girls will be with mom, and Brad will be sleeping in prep for the drive throught the night.  I hope I'll have everything done by then!  Leaving Thursday night!

First time packing with AK trying to figure out which bras she can wear with what, and her worried about clothes, accessories, etc.  So glad we sit down and plan outfits for each day, and bag them labeled with day, so we have those issues here, not there!

So close!
Love you all!
Taryn


----------



## mikamah

Worfiedoodles said:


> Have to get to bed, just wanted to share a thought I had earlier today -- some day our boys are going to be on a message board, all discussing why they can't find wives who are as wonderful as their mothers...I guess we'd better keep Taryn on speed dial!


  You are so funny.  
Maria, you are such a strong and beautiful woman and I know you are going to succeed at this.  It is so hard to look within, and try to figure out all the emotions that go into our eating and weight, but you are doing it, and you are going to reach your goals.  It's not a sprint, it's a marathon, and each day you're still plugging away is a success.  Thank you for sharing your feelings with us.  I was raised in the manner that if you don't talk about the bad things, then you can pretend that they didn't happen, and know there's lots of things buried deep within me that I've stuffed down with food, and the courage that you and Rose have shown here by sharing so much with us, is such an inspiration to me.  Love you guys.

*Rose*- You are one amazing woman, and I am so inspired by each post of yours I read how you have dealt with so much in the short time I've known you, with such grace and strength.   

*Lindsay* -Hugs to you on your husbands stupidity the other night.  I wrote stupid husband first, but I know he's not always stupid, but just does stupid things sometimes.   It's not easy, is it.  Hang in there, glad the boys were ok, and hope dh makes up for it this weekend, and treats you like the princess you are. 

*Nancy*- Hugs to you on your mom too.  I was lucky to have a mom who may not have told me how she felt about me, but I know she loved me, and loved being a grandma too, so it makes me so sad for your parents not to be a big part of your boy's lives.  But a big, fat, phooey on them, and you are an amazing mom, and your aunt and uncle will be like the grandparents to your kids, and they are going to grow up knowing how much you love them.  
Thanks for the DC info.  I had heard if you call the state rep, they can get you into a white house tour sometimes, so I was going to try and do that too.  I'll let you know when we make our plans.  I'd rather have you planning my disney trip in dec though.  

*Lisa*-That Iron man sounds amazing.  I'd be dead.  Drowned during the swimming part, once the water went over my head.  How was your monday run?  So proud of you for getting out there on your non exercise day.  It's hard to be a people pleaser, isn't it.  I don't want people not to like me either, and do have a hard time with that, but am trying to raise michael not to care so much what people think, but it's hard.  I'm sure in your profession you can't please everyone all the time.  Hope you're having a good week.

*Taryn*- You'll never be disowned.  So excited for your disney trip coming up.  I love vacations!!  And if you're arranging marriages, I think michael will make a good catch. 

Today's michael's last day of school.  yay for him!!!  I wish I was working a short day, because he'll be one of the few kids in after school care, but we talked about it and it's better for me to get a day off when he's not in school, so he's fine with it.  
He asked to go to chili's for dinner, and then remembered we have leftovers from the grill, so tomorrow we might go out to supper instead.  

Off to do a few quick errands before work.  

Have a wonderful day, girlfriends.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

dumbo_buddy said:


> ugh lindsay! that would have made me SO mad. i think you handled yourself so beautifully. i would have flipped out and probably made him sleep outside! lol! grrr!
> 
> yesterday at the pool a couple ladies and i were having a similar conversation. men just don't seem to understand that kids need to be watched. like, all the time. my friend and her hubby took their daughter to the pool. my friend was down with the daugter and the hubby was up at the bar drinking. on a monday. at 2pm. really? and this other lady's kid was there. the lady works and she asked my same friend if she could take her daughter to the pool. told her that her husband would be there in an hour. well don't you know that the husband showed up, saw joanne with his daughter and walked right up to the bar, never to be seen again.
> 
> men!!!



Yes I know men just dont think.  This is actually a rare occurence for my husband.  He usually is more responsible.  He would not be the one hanging at the bar while we are at the pool unless it was a planned thing and I gave him the ok.  Yes I am the example of "the man is the head of the family but the women is the neck that tells the head which way to turn" in a non-controlling way of course.  He said he really doesnt think he was like that for long before I got there because he remembers playing football with the boys and then shortly after he got my message that I should be back in an hour he was "coaxed" into doing a shot of some crazy kind of liquor and he said after that is when he doesnt remember much.  He truly felt really bad the next day and was embarressed and very sorry for what he did.  So I cut him slack.  He really is a great guy and husband and thankfully I dont deal with this kind of stuff often.  



flipflopmom said:


> Don't disown me!  I have been reading, and have lots to say.  However, I don't have time.  Turned in final paper a few minutes ago.  Packing and flurry to get ready time!   to everyone.  I'll get on, at the very least, Thursday afternoon for a nice long post.  Girls will be with mom, and Brad will be sleeping in prep for the drive throught the night.  I hope I'll have everything done by then!  Leaving Thursday night!
> 
> First time packing with AK trying to figure out which bras she can wear with what, and her worried about clothes, accessories, etc.  So glad we sit down and plan outfits for each day, and bag them labeled with day, so we have those issues here, not there!
> 
> So close!
> Love you all!
> Taryn



Yay.  your almost there.  Cant wait for that long post..... Have fun packing 



mikamah said:


> Today's michael's last day of school.  yay for him!!!  I wish I was working a short day, because he'll be one of the few kids in after school care, but we talked about it and it's better for me to get a day off when he's not in school, so he's fine with it.
> He asked to go to chili's for dinner, and then remembered we have leftovers from the grill, so tomorrow we might go out to supper instead.
> 
> Off to do a few quick errands before work.
> 
> Have a wonderful day, girlfriends.



Its a horrible feeling when you know all the kiddos are out early and that yours has to stay.  But he will be so much happier on the day you are actually off to spend with him.  I love chili's and have not had any NSV there yet.  I always end up getting the chicken crispers.  I hope you find something yummy and healthy.

Maria- If we had the money I would of gotten a trip to disney out of him  Instead I was having trouble falling to sleep and I asked him to rub my back.  He did it without any hesitation. Usually I would have gotten denied unless I rubbed his back too.  So I guess that was his peace offering.

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

Feeling much better today.  Slept well last night.  Lost the weight I had gained over the weekend.  So all is good in my universe for the moment.
Thanks for all your comments about my drama.  It feels so great to have friends to talk to and I dont have to be afraid of being judged.  

Have a great day!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

just got back from a SIX mile walk! woot!  it is really humid today so i decided to walk rather than run. since thomas decided 5am was a good time to get up this morning, i left him with john around 6am to go to the ATM because apparently i still owe the beach club we belong to $35 for the raffle that is mandatory to buy tickets for. 

dunkin donuts was just calling my name so i stopped and got john a breakfast sandwich and got a buttered bagel for thomas and me to share (aka i ate 3/4 of it). 

so yeah, buttered bagel and a six mile walk and i'm probably still not even for the day. lol!


----------



## liesel

Kathy-My "healthy" meal at Chilis is to get the chicken fajitas without the tortillas (340 cal just for the tortillas ).  You are supposed to skip the cheese and sour cream too, but I can't resist.  I hope you enjoy your summer with Michael.

Taryn-Your  story made me laugh!  I know you'll make it through all your school stuff.  Have fun at WDW!

Lindsay- I would have been furious as well.  Good job getting back on the wagon, I'm sure you'll do well this week.

Maria- You've accomplished so much, I know you can do anything!  Thanks for sharing so much of yourself.  Great job with the running!

Rose- You are very brave and such an inspiration.  Its good to hear that you are working out how to get Tom his meds.  I hope Mike's job hunt works out.  That's so great that you Mike and Tom are doing a 10K together for the 4th.

LisaH-Watching an Ironman sounds like fun.  When we were living in Hawaii 7 years ago (only for 6 months, but a total blast!) the Honolulu Marathon ran past our apartment.  The energy from 25,000 people was amazing and I turned to DH and said I wanted to do something like that someday.  Now here I am training for my first half!  

Nancy-Pregnant you are still a faster runner than me!    I'm glad the party went well and Happy Belated Anniversary!

*********

Well I went out for my long slow 3 mile run on Sunday and man was it hot!  I decided to run at the local middle school outdoor track so I could keep better track of my intervals-run 1 lap (.25 mi), walk 30 sec (1 min after each mile).  I did a very slow jog to compensate for the heat and the fact that I hadn't run for 3 weeks with vacation and DH traveling.  I still managed to keep a 16 min/mi pace, which gives me hope that I can be under pace for the Tink.  The best part was that I could easily maintain a conversation (lots of other runners out there), I wasn't tired when I took my walk breaks during the first 2 miles, and I finished strong with no pain!  I told DH this and he said, "now you just have to go 10 more miles."  I don't want to think about that yet!  DH and I are doing a 4 mile run on the 4th of July-our first run together.  We don't train together since one of us is watching the kdis.  He can go 3 miles without stopping so I told him to feel free to ditch me, but I think he plans to keep with me the whole time.   

The funniest part about my run was that when I got there I saw a paramedic truck.  I thought, "all right who told them I was going out for a run!"     The paramedics passed me twice (I did pass them once at the end during their cool down ), but I didn't let that make me feel bad.  Its their job to stay in shape!  The whole thing made me think of Kathy and the workers outside her house.

As for the AP thing, I do subscibe to Mousesavers, but I didn't get the email until after the camping trip.  They announced the rate increse on Friday and did it on Sunday, and I was off camping the whole time!  I was so used to the August price increase and was waiting until then to purchase the APs just before the prices went up.    I can't believe they are now $50 more per person!  LisaH-they don't have the nonexpiring hoppers at DL.  We are still planning on getting APs and using them for our Oct trip, the Tink, and a post Carsland trip in maybe Sept or Oct 2012.  I do have $200 in Disney Rewards saved so far, so that should help.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon,  and !

*Lisa* -- I think I'd have a great time running if I could watch paramedics while I did it  Good job getting out there, it's all about the babysteps. Just take it slow, and before you know it you will be doing 10M at once!

*Nancy* -- 6M! Did you forget you're pregnant?! You are definitely creating a little runner there -- it's a good thing your so active so you will be used to it when you are running after 2  The mom thing is tough, and so complex -- sometimes it just helps to talk, even if it's not really going to change. I'd like to think that realizing what a precious gift a child is makes us great moms -- and sometimes our life experiences make us come to that realization easier. I compare myself to my boss who has 2 daughters adopted from China -- she is definitely more into every moment of her daughters lives than I am. But I digress. My point, and I did have one, is that your personal experience will drive you to be a fantastic mom, Thomas and BronxBaby (ok, what are you calling the Little Blessing as a nickname right now?) are lucky indeed! 

*Lindsay* -- As long as you got a "makeup" something, it's all good! I'm sure he was very sorry, and you are acting very mature about the whole situation. I tend to fall on the "drama queen" side, I think it helps the marriage that my dh is vaguely afraid of me... Just Kidding, honestly. I did not know about the courting ritual of showing the back of the underwear -- that is one of those moments you can't buy, it's just too precious! 

*Kathy* -- Today was Ben's last day, too, another half day. So far he has amused himself by going on all 4 subway lines (in Downtown Crossing, the last thing I want is a call telling me he decided to check out Forest Hills ), then going to Revere Beach. I'm sure he'll make it home eventually. It's hard to let him have this much freedom -- he has to text me everytime he gets to another destination, so at least I know where he is. 

*Taryn* -- I love the bag labelling system for the clothes. We've been doing it with ds since back when I was still picking out his clothes. It was just so easy to grab a bag and dress him. It is so much better to have those discussions at home instead of on vacation! My niece is coming for a visit in July, and she has started wearing a bra (turned 12 in May), it's going to be interesting to see if she is all coordinated, hiding as much as possible or trying to let the straps be shown. She did look like a board, but her mother's a DD, so it will be interesting to see if she's showing those signs yet. Actually, I kind of hope not because ds will be way embarrassed. 

*Rose* -- Go Gamecocks! I hope you really enjoy the game!  I hope Tom's able to get his meds regulated quickly, so you can settle into a "normal". _Forgot to tell you all--my Fairy Godmother was on GMA this morning. They did the my three words segment and it was a video of these three little girls behind the castle with MFG with the words--Bippity, Boppity, Boo.  I totally started crying--I'm kind of mess this week! Goodness! Anyhow, it was very exciting! _ Ok, I confess, I don't know what this means?  

*Lisah* -- I don't think I've ever inspired anyone to do anything, so I'm glad at least it was for something healthy for you!  Great job exercising on your non-day! 

AFM: I am feeling much better today. I woke up and ran 2M, which wasn't pretty but it was good to move. I have my healthy breakfast and lunch, with burgers on tap for dinner. DH told me he has a 4:30 meeting, which means I'll get home around 6. This gives me less time to eat things I shouldn't, so now I won't have to deal with that issue. 

I have to confess I have a new guilty pleasure. I seem to have become addicted to "Toddlers and Tiaras". I just can't stop watching it. It's creepy and cooky, mysterious and spooky, altogether ooky, but I can't turn away from the train wreck. 

Ok, gotta do a little work...

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hi Lisa--how many calories was that tortilla! Goodness. Was that more than one tortilla? 

Lindsay--I'm glad you and DH worked everything out. I'm guessing the whole thing just really scared you--it would have scared me to see Mike out of control and not knowing what was up with my kid. And when I'm scared I tend to get really angry. Anger seems to be an easier emotion to deal with than fear. Did he have a really nasty hangover?

Taryn--getting excited for you!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Have to get to bed, just wanted to share a thought I had earlier today -- some day our boys are going to be on a message board, all discussing why they can't find wives who are as wonderful as their mothers...I guess we'd better keep Taryn on speed dial!
> 
> Feeling a little better, hoping to run slowly tomorrow. Hoping to sleep well tonight since I haven't since last week...
> 
> Maria


This cracked me up! I just hope I get along with whoever it is.

Kathy--I hope Michael enjoyed his last day of school.

Nancy--woohoo for six miles!

Liesel--sounds like the track was fun.



Worfiedoodles said:


> Forgot to tell you all--my Fairy Godmother was on GMA this morning. They did the my three words segment and it was a video of these three little girls behind the castle with MFG with the words--Bippity, Boppity, Boo.  I totally started crying--I'm kind of mess this week! Goodness! Anyhow, it was very exciting! [/I] Ok, I confess, I don't know what this means?


So my three words is this thing thing they do on Good Morning America where you videotape someone holding up three words and they play music. The videotapes are just a few seconds and they show a whole bunch at once. So the one on Saturday was behind Cinderella's castle with three little girls. It was so cute. Someone knew I needed to see My Fairy Godmother, I think.

*******
Long, long, long day. I skipped my run--still not sleeping and I think I am fighting a virus. I got so frustrated at work today that I threw an envelope--it was in the general direction of my desk and not at someone, so I guess that's good. 

Thank you all for your nice words, but I am considered the slacker in my family--and not the brave one at all. One of my sisters is a CPA for a school system--some big thing and the other one is some bigwig with a pharmaceutical company. They both had inlaws who helped with stuff. My mil was diagnosed with alzheimers right before DS was born.

And then there's me. No big career, no big goals, no gluten. I still feel like I am not doing what I am supposed to be doing--does that make sense? I stayed home with Tom because he was so sick when he was little that we were encouraged not to take him anywhere. He didn't sweat from the skin disorder he has and he would get so ill with every little virus and he had asthma. It was the right thing to do, but it killed any career goals. Then when he was in middle and high school Mike was working 60+ hours a week, so I continued to do the Mom thing. And that was fine. I think now I am just feeling pretty useless. I'm not really liking my job too much. As you can tell, I have been thinking about this a bunch lately. I just don't know how I got to this point.

Ok, enough Debby downer, Mike heard from the company in NC today. They are going to do a phone interview with the hiring manager in the next couple of days--so far he has only talked to the HR manager. So things are moving along. I think if we move I need to look for something different to do. 

2nd game of the college world series tonight--if the gamecocks win this one they are the champs for the 2nd year in a row! Too exciting!

Have a nice night!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!   

*Lindsay,* big  for the stupid husband trick.  And they wonder why we sometimes yell "am I the only adult around here?"  



Worfiedoodles said:


> A quick  for you, *Lindsay* -- and if it were me his apology would also come with a concession for something I wanted (cruise, painting a room, actually changing the lightbulbs he said he'd change 2 weeks ago etc.) but that's just me.



 This was my thought, too, Maria.  I was thinking along the lines of a Disney trip myself or Princess 2013!  

*Taryn,* no worries!    Hope you have time to chat before you go but if not have a wonderful, wonderful time!  

*Nancy,* great job on the 6 miles!    Hope that your kiddle sleeps in tomorrow.  

*Kathy,* it's summer!  

*Lisa,* sounds like your training is coming right along!  

*Rose,* you are totally not a slacker and very accomplished and intelligent!


----------



## liesel

Rose-The fajitas at Chilis come with 3 small flour tortillas, which are 340 calories total and I think at least half the sodium content for the dish.  They taste like they are loaded with preservatives anyway, so its an easy thing for me to skip.  

Go Gamecocks!  I forgot to mention that a childhood friend of DH works there at the resource center for the first year experience.  

I know how you feel about the whole career thing.  Mine came to a halt too staying home with the kids, which I love, but I also miss working.  Sometimes I have to remind myself that Madeline Albright didn't start her career until after her kids were grown and look what she has accomplished!  I hope you find your path, too.


----------



## flipflopmom

Brad left for a few minutes, so I have time for a quick post.  Lindsay, if I hadn't hidden the screwdrivers, I would have used them!  Let's just say although he wasn't drunk, he had 48 hours of screwdriver worthy behavior! He has shaped up a bit, but I still feel like I am treating everything with kid gloves.  Honestly, that man saps every bit of motivation out of me.  I just can't accomplish anything when he is lying in the recliner watching tv or playing on his ipod!  Our progress has been slow and steady towards getting ready.  But, to be fair, a lot of it is my fault.  I am so drained from working on school from 3:45 am to 11pm for a month that I was on the verge of a breakdown.  I am glad I am done, and have kind of taken an easy approach to packing!

honestly, it's been so bad, that at times I have thought that I want out.  Just done.  I get tired of getting no help, him yelling at the kids. I know we are both so stressed, but our girls don't deserve the brunt of it.  But I just can't.  He's not abusive, but I can't stand yelling.  Yes, I do occasionally, but not as much as he does.  He was raised in that kind of home, and still reverts to that kind of parenting when he's tired.  I wasn't, and it horrifies me.  I will deal w/ the lack of housework help, but not my girls suffering.  Anyway, when I talk about it, he sees where he went wrong, (would NEVER admit it), but I do see him making better efforts afterwards.

Sorry about the book, I just had to get it off my chest!!!

Maria and Rose - I just have to say, I honestly have no idea what it's like to go through the parent thing.  I am VERY blessed to have had 2 of the most wonderful people in the whole world as my parents, and can only imagine and  what you are going through.  

Rose- start thinking about what you would like to do.  What do you think you would want to do?  Glad the phone interview is on the way!  

Oops, he's home.  Gotta go.  more later


----------



## dumbo_buddy

liesel said:


> Kathy-My "healthy" meal at Chilis is to get the chicken fajitas without the tortillas (340 cal just for the tortillas   You are supposed to skip the cheese and sour cream too, but I can't resist.  I hope you enjoy your summer with Michael.
> 
> 
> *********
> 
> Well I went out for my long slow 3 mile run on Sunday and man was it hot!  I decided to run at the local middle school outdoor track so I could keep better track of my intervals-run 1 lap (.25 mi), walk 30 sec (1 min after each mile).  I did a very slow jog to compensate for the heat and the fact that I hadn't run for 3 weeks with vacation and DH traveling.  I still managed to keep a 16 min/mi pace, which gives me hope that I can be under pace for the Tink.  The best part was that I could easily maintain a conversation (lots of other runners out there), I wasn't tired when I took my walk breaks during the first 2 miles, and I finished strong with no pain!  I told DH this and he said, "now you just have to go 10 more miles."  I don't want to think about that yet!  DH and I are doing a 4 mile run on the 4th of July-our first run together.  We don't train together since one of us is watching the kdis.  He can go 3 miles without stopping so I told him to feel free to ditch me, but I think he plans to keep with me the whole time.
> 
> The funniest part about my run was that when I got there I saw a paramedic truck.  I thought, "all right who told them I was going out for a run!"     The paramedics passed me twice (I did pass them once at the end during their cool down), but I didn't let that make me feel bad.  Its their job to stay in shape!  The whole thing made me think of Kathy and the workers outside her house.
> 
> As for the AP thing, I do subscibe to Mousesavers, but I didn't get the email until after the camping trip.  They announced the rate increse on Friday and did it on Sunday, and I was off camping the whole time!  I was so used to the August price increase and was waiting until then to purchase the APs just before the prices went up.    I can't believe they are now $50 more per person!  LisaH-they don't have the nonexpiring hoppers at DL.  We are still planning on getting APs and using them for our Oct trip, the Tink, and a post Carsland trip in maybe Sept or Oct 2012.  I do have $200 in Disney Rewards saved so far, so that should help.



oh man it would be SO hard for me to say no to the tortillas. i love them love them love them. 

nice job on the run! 


Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Afternoon,  and !
> 
> *Nancy* -- 6M! Did you forget you're pregnant?! You are definitely creating a little runner there -- it's a good thing your so active so you will be used to it when you are running after 2  The mom thing is tough, and so complex -- sometimes it just helps to talk, even if it's not really going to change. I'd like to think that realizing what a precious gift a child is makes us great moms -- and sometimes our life experiences make us come to that realization easier. I compare myself to my boss who has 2 daughters adopted from China -- she is definitely more into every moment of her daughters lives than I am. But I digress. My point, and I did have one, is that your personal experience will drive you to be a fantastic mom, Thomas and BronxBaby (ok, what are you calling the Little Blessing as a nickname right now?) are lucky indeed!
> 
> AFM: I am feeling much better today. I woke up and ran 2M, which wasn't pretty but it was good to move. I have my healthy breakfast and lunch, with burgers on tap for dinner. DH told me he has a 4:30 meeting, which means I'll get home around 6. This gives me less time to eat things I shouldn't, so now I won't have to deal with that issue.
> 
> I have to confess I have a new guilty pleasure. I seem to have become addicted to "Toddlers and Tiaras". I just can't stop watching it. It's creepy and cooky, mysterious and spooky, altogether ooky, but I can't turn away from the train wreck.
> 
> Ok, gotta do a little work...
> 
> Maria



toddlers and tiaras??? really? oh boy! i've watched it a few times but i had to stop. i know i'd get sucked in! lol! some people are so weird, aren't they??

i like bronxbaby. that's cute! we still don't know what we're naming him but matthew seems to be the only name we can really agree on. matthew john i guess. 

oh and the six miles - i walked it. too muggy and hot to run. my pace wound up being between 16 and 17 mile/min. i kept thinking "i would totally be swept right now"

and thanks for the kind words about my mom issues. all i know is that i will always make sure that thomas and bronxbaby will know that they are always loved. they will know it so much that i fully expect to her, "aw, come on, ma" alot. 



Rose&Mike said:


> Long, long, long day. I skipped my run--still not sleeping and I think I am fighting a virus. I got so frustrated at work today that I threw an envelope--it was in the general direction of my desk and not at someone, so I guess that's good.
> 
> Thank you all for your nice words, but I am considered the slacker in my family--and not the brave one at all. One of my sisters is a CPA for a school system--some big thing and the other one is some bigwig with a pharmaceutical company. They both had inlaws who helped with stuff. My mil was diagnosed with alzheimers right before DS was born.
> 
> And then there's me. No big career, no big goals, no gluten. I still feel like I am not doing what I am supposed to be doing--does that make sense? I stayed home with Tom because he was so sick when he was little that we were encouraged not to take him anywhere. He didn't sweat from the skin disorder he has and he would get so ill with every little virus and he had asthma. It was the right thing to do, but it killed any career goals. Then when he was in middle and high school Mike was working 60+ hours a week, so I continued to do the Mom thing. And that was fine. I think now I am just feeling pretty useless. I'm not really liking my job too much. As you can tell, I have been thinking about this a bunch lately. I just don't know how I got to this point.
> 
> Ok, enough Debby downer, Mike heard from the company in NC today. They are going to do a phone interview with the hiring manager in the next couple of days--so far he has only talked to the HR manager. So things are moving along. I think if we move I need to look for something different to do.
> 
> 2nd game of the college world series tonight--if the gamecocks win this one they are the champs for the 2nd year in a row! Too exciting!
> 
> Have a nice night!



psh, do NOT think you are a slacker. puhlease! you did more for your son than most people can say they have! i myself still struggle with the whole idea that i stay at home. i mean, why did i go to wake forest, double major, and work my tush off to climb the corporate ladder only to leave my position as the head of investor relations for a multi billion dollar asset managment firm to stay home and teach mommy and me classes? you know why? so my children can NOT have mommy issues. so they can remember great times with their mom growing up and not a baby sitter. now, that's not to say that people who work are making the wrong decision. i know lots of moms who work and have great relationships with their kids. but for me, it's the right decision. and for you, it was the right decision too!! 

 you're awesome, rose. and don't you forget it!



lisah0711 said:


> Hello Princesses and Belles!
> 
> *Lindsay,* big  for the stupid husband trick.  And they wonder why we sometimes yell "am I the only adult around here?"
> 
> 
> 
> This was my thought, too, Maria.  I was thinking along the lines of a Disney trip myself or Princess 2013!
> 
> *Taryn,* no worries!    Hope you have time to chat before you go but if not have a wonderful, wonderful time!
> 
> *Nancy,* great job on the 6 miles!    Hope that your kiddle sleeps in tomorrow.
> 
> *Kathy,* it's summer!
> 
> *Lisa,* sounds like your training is coming right along!
> 
> *Rose,* you are totally not a slacker and very accomplished and intelligent!



how was your day?? i'm going to make your pasta salad for this weekend when we go camping with my 87 year old grandpa and his dead lady-friend's family. they are a really nice family of four - mom, dad, and two kids in their mid-twenties. they LOVE to eat. and they are all morbidly obese. as in, the smallest of the four is definitely over 350lbs.  i think a nice healthy pasta salad might be a good thing to bring!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

It was just one of those crazy days yesterday.  My sister lives in Taos NM and may have to evacuate because of the Los Alamos fire -- if the fire hits the lab property and starts burning nasty stuff.    We also found out an old family friend had passed away and it was kind of the end of an era for my parents generation of friends from California.  Then DH got up an hour early which put a cramp in my style because I lost an hour of my "me" time.  Had to have new brakes put on my car so was carless yesterday, too.  Nothing makes you want to leave like not having your car!    Ah, well, it's a four day week-end because we will be closed on Friday.



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lisah* -- I don't think I've ever inspired anyone to do anything, so I'm glad at least it was for something healthy for you!  Great job exercising on your non-day!



Are you kidding me, Maria?!?  You've inspired me for years now!    I'm sorry that I never told you before.  



Rose&Mike said:


> 2nd game of the college world series tonight--if the gamecocks win this one they are the champs for the 2nd year in a row! Too exciting!



If there is move in your future it will be the perfect time to switch jobs and look for something new.  

And I have to admit I get a chuckle out of all your cheering for the Gamecocks as I recall a time when you were a little embarrassed to say their names!    

*Taryn,* the stress of getting things done so you can go on vacation is the pits.    There's so much to do, emotions run high, you can't help but thinking "wouldn't it just be better to stay home?"    Not to mention all the other stressors in your life with work and school.  But somehow it will all come together and when you get down there it will all be worth it.  You can't put a price on family memories!  

*Nancy,*walking a 16/17 minute mile preggers and in the heat and humidity is rocking it, girl!    Don't be afraid to take it easy on yourself.    Matthew John sounds like a nice name and you may come up with something you like more as it gets closer.  

The pasta salad does travel well if you don't add the dressing until you serve it.  We eat on it for several days.  I will put up the other recipe sometime in the next day or two.  It's couscous, pasta, red pepper, green onion with a peanut dressing.  

I'm just working like crazy so I can enjoy my 4 day week-end.  I'm coming to realize that a lot of the stress in my life is from things at work that I said would get done earlier than they could reasonably get done and things that pop up that mess up my good intentions.  So I go in thinking these three things will get done today and by the end of the day none of them were done.  Then I fret 'cause I hate those "where is my stuff calls?"  :scared2:  Fretting puts me out of the present and that's where I need to live.  It's not as easy to retrain your neural pathways as you would think.    Sounding a bit crazy now so better go do my run. 

Hello to all our other Princesses and Belle!   

Have a great day all!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses and lisabelles!!!!  Happy Summer!!

I got cancelled today!!!!  Very exciting, and my name is up to get cancelled tomorrow and friday too.   It's quiet at work, and i retallied my paid time off, and have more than I thought, so I figured if I could get cancelled 2-3 days this week, I would and start the summer off right.  Plus I'm on call sat and monday, and if I get called in, I could take another day off next week.  This week and next week, I didn't have camp and ds is going to my sister's and brothers houses.  I figure once camp starts, I won't take any extra time off til vacation at the end of august.  

*Lisaliesel*- I'd rather watch the paramedics than construction men, but I'll take what I can get.  I bet they helped put a little bounce in your step.  When I do the walking track and there are other people there, I definitely push a little harder.  Especially if they're good looking men.  Shirtless even better.  I know chili's is so bad.  We didn't go yet, but I owe him.  This week is busy, so probably next week, but I'll often get the margarita chicken with rice and brocolli, and take half home so we can share the molten chocolate lave cake.  Pretty much the cake is why we go there.  Nice job on the 16 min miles.  I found last year I was doing 16 min miles in the summer, and as I gradually increased my run lengths as part of my training, I was still able to maintain the 16 min/miles for the most part.  Keep it up, and you are going to do just fine for the tinkerbelle.

*Rose*-I'm sorry you are struggling right now with work and everything.  Nancy said it so well.  You have been an amazing mother to Tom, and you are anything but a slacker.  Kids going off to college is a huge adjustment for them as well as the parents.  It is so nice to know you have a great relationship with Mike, he is there to support you.  If you had been working and parenting all those years, there might not have been the time for your marriage to stay so strong.  Does that make sense?  I know so many people who's marriages fall apart after the kids are grown.  As a single, working mom, my time is split 2 ways, and I feel like if there was a husband, it would have to be split 3 ways.  I hope you know what an amazing woman you are.    Hang in there, rose. 

*Nancy*-6 miles!!!!  You are one amazing pregnant woman!!!  I'm so happy for you that you are able to get out there and move, and feel so good this pregnancy.  I love bronxbaby and Matthew John. 

*Maria*- Hope ds made it home from his adventure in one piece without a sunburn. I'm sure he had a blast.  I like your idea to have him text you with each change of location, but man I'm not looking forward to ds gaining independance.   My grandmother lived in malden, and as kids she always took us to Revere beach, and my Dad worked at a bank in malden, so he would drive us with him in the morning and drop us at her house and we'd take the subway to boston with her, and as we got older, we'd drive with him and then go into boston on our own with friends.  I can't remember how old we were when we could go alone, high school at least.  

Hello to Taryn, Lisa, lindsay. 

Going to get out for a quick run/walk, with ds on his bike, and then clean out his room together.  A big project, and after we'll go to our friends to swim, but only when we're done.  Here come the construction crew, shirts on, but hopefully it will heat up later!!  

Have a great day!!!


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> It was just one of those crazy days yesterday.  My sister lives in Taos NM and may have to evacuate because of the Los Alamos fire -- if the fire hits the lab property and starts burning nasty stuff.    We also found out an old family friend had passed away and it was kind of the end of an era for my parents generation of friends from California.  Then DH got up an hour early which put a cramp in my style because I lost an hour of my "me" time.  Had to have new brakes put on my car so was carless yesterday, too.  Nothing makes you want to leave like not having your car!    Ah, well, it's a four day week-end because we will be closed on Friday.


Boy, when it rains it pours.  So sorry about your family friend.  It's very sad to watch our parents generation lose their friends and family.  I remember my mom feeling so alone after her last brother passed away, and eventually we got to teasing her about being the matriarch of the family.  My cousin started that, and it became a big joke, and now that cousin is the matriarch.  Hope your mom is doing ok, and i hope your sister is ok and they get the fires under control soon.  So frightening to see, I can't imagine how scary it is for her.  
Hang in there, Lisa.  Hope your week goes smoothly and everything you need to do gets done, and if it doesn't to heck with it, and enjoy every minute of your 4 day weekend!!!

And I still am amazed how we get up and post at the same time so much, and yet it's 3 hours earlier where you are.  Too dang early.


----------



## Rose&Mike

My neighbor is having a new roof put on today--honestly, I kind of hope everyone keeps their shirts on. You all are too funny!

I ran 4 miles this morning--5 total with wu/cd, and ended up just under 40min for the run. It's a little hilly in our neighborhood so it was kind of rough. I had the garmin so I knew how much longer and finished on a slight downhill. I really wanted to be under 40 minutes!

Lisa--the los alamos thing is scary. I hope it all works out ok.

Kathy--enjoy that day off!

Hello to everyone else! Tom and I are cleaning closets today. I had a little (ok big) moment of panic this weekend when I realized that if I didn't get some of this heavy lifting stuff done while I had boys (Mike and Tom) around to help that I might get stuck doing it all myself. Maybe I'm putting the cart before the horse here, but I am working under the assumption that eventually Mike will find a job. Oh and Taryn asked what do I want to be when I grow up (my words)--I have no idea. I still thought I'd have 3 more kids at home, but we know how that worked out. 

Ok, have a fabulous day!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose&Mike said:


> And then there's me. No big career, no big goals, no gluten. I still feel like I am not doing what I am supposed to be doing--does that make sense?



Its one thing to feel like you still want to do more or something different but please dont base your success off of whether or not you were at the top of the company.  You were the head honcho of your household and gave Tom something special.  I would give my right arm to be home with my kids.  What you sacrificed for him is way more important than anything your sisters have done.  Feel proud about that.  

As for feeling like you are not doing what you should be...I get that feeling.  I am starting to feel like that as well.  I overheard a conversation at the baseball snack stand one night between two guys....the one asked the other how things are going and his response was "livin the dream man!!"  I thought that was a great attitude and made me really think about whether or not I am living the dream.  After thinking about it I really feel like more often than not I feel like Im living a nightmare.  Honestly I know others are worse off than me and I have alot to be thankful for but between my job and worrying about finances...not having money to do what I really want to do it just feels like some days are more like a nightmare than a dream.   So I can totally sympathize with your feelings.





flipflopmom said:


> honestly, it's been so bad, that at times I have thought that I want out.  Just done.  I get tired of getting no help, him yelling at the kids. I know we are both so stressed, but our girls don't deserve the brunt of it.  But I just can't.  He's not abusive, but I can't stand yelling.  Yes, I do occasionally, but not as much as he does.  He was raised in that kind of home, and still reverts to that kind of parenting when he's tired.  I wasn't, and it horrifies me.  I will deal w/ the lack of housework help, but not my girls suffering.  Anyway, when I talk about it, he sees where he went wrong, (would NEVER admit it), but I do see him making better efforts afterwards.
> 
> Sorry about the book, I just had to get it off my chest!!!



The stress of worrying about finances, getting everything done, job, school etc. is enough to burden any marriage...marriage is hard enough without these things.  The best thing you can do is not to stop communicating.  Let him know how you are feeling and although he wont admit he is wrong he will know what he needs to change.  

I am sure this vacation is exactly what your family needs.  I remember reading your last TR and you said something like it was the best time because it was uninteruppted quality time with your family.  I think that is the best medicine!!!



dumbo_buddy said:


> psh, do NOT think you are a slacker. puhlease! you did more for your son than most people can say they have! i myself still struggle with the whole idea that i stay at home. i mean, why did i go to wake forest, double major, and work my tush off to climb the corporate ladder only to leave my position as the head of investor relations for a multi billion dollar asset managment firm to stay home and teach mommy and me classes? you know why? so my children can NOT have mommy issues. so they can remember great times with their mom growing up and not a baby sitter. now, that's not to say that people who work are making the wrong decision. i know lots of moms who work and have great relationships with their kids. but for me, it's the right decision. and for you, it was the right decision too!!



Like I said to rose the sacrifices you both have made for your kids are amazing and they will appreciate one day when they are older and have kids of their own and they realize what you did for them.  



lisah0711 said:


> It was just one of those crazy days yesterday.



Gosh Lisa sorry about the day you had.  Sorry to hear about your friend and I hope your sisters house will be ok....very scary.  

Hang in there only a couple days left and you will have a nice long weekend to recouperate.



mikamah said:


> Here come the construction crew, shirts on, but hopefully it will heat up later!!



You crack me up.

Have a great day off.

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

Well TOM arrived this morning so I feel like my hopes of loosing this week are slim.  I am feeling bloated today. 

The kids are off to the philly zoo and I cant help but to be jealous.  I love the zoo and I know they will be having such a great time without me.  At least they are having fun and thats all the matters.

Only 2 more days of work and then I have 10 days off.  Thats really what I keep telling myself today.

Have a good day!!!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lindsay* take a trip up here and come to the bronx zoo!  we'll meet you and get you in for free! i love zoos too and go probably once every two weeks. we actually got engaged at the lincoln park zoo in front of the elephants. hehe.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, Ladies!

*Nancy* -- I would offer up our zoo, too, but its  We actually used to take ds to the Providence Zoo, because at least the animals don't look sad. Benjamin was going to be Matthew until about a week before he was born. DH got really attached to the name Benjamin, and I agreed if he was born with red hair and blue eyes (like dh), we'd name him that. Obviously, he was! It didn't last long, though, his brown hair and eyes came in pretty quick. 

*Lindsay* -- TOM is so annoying!  I hate that initial bloat feel. On the bright side, hopefully it will pass quickly. 10 days off sounds wonderful! Do you have fun plans? I'm sorry if I'm just forgetting. Some days it's a good thing my head is attached...

*Rose* -- Before we go shopping this weekend, I'm doing a closet purge! I'm actually excited, I plan to see what I have, what I need, and what I've been tossing on top of the shelves for the last few years  Thank you for the "my three words" explanation, I was just lost. Okay, so it sounds like you are not in the right job for you. Moving to a new community will be a great opportunity to explore your options and find your passion -- what a wonderful adventure! And I don't think you should feel "less than" for being a SAHM. You did what worked for your family -- and this is the best that we all can do. I know it is natural to compare yourself to your sisters, but I feel pretty confident that each of you is a very distinct person with individual talents and trials. Perhaps one or both of them would not have been able to sacrifice career ambitions to nurture a child who needed more care? That is a skill I don't think I have...One of the reasons I work for a non-profit is the incredible flexibility. I earn 39 vacation/holidays every year, plus 10 days of sick leave. If I leave work at 2:00 to attend a school event, it still counts as a full work day for me. If I didn't have those options, I would find it so much harder to be a working mom! I am one of those rare birds who genuinely enjoys working and loves her job. I am lucky to be able to do something I am so suited for. When you feel like that, most days it's a pleasure to come to work.  Not every single day, but most days. I hope you are able to do some searching, thinking, and exploring, and decide what you want to pursue next!  

*Kathy* -- Yeah on the cancelling! We decided if we were going to have to let ds take the T home from school, we might as well let him take it there as well. There are not enough students to warrant an afternoon bus, so the kids are on their own. He texts when he leaves school and when he gets home every day. His tour of the T was something he and his friends came up with. We let it go to Revere Beach, and then told him it was time to go home.  I feel like an honorary resident of Malden. We go to church there and it ends up meaning we are there once or twice a week, between services, treasurer duties for dh, youth group, and staff committee duties for me. 

*Lisah* -- I'm with you on the 4-day weekend! I took Friday off and plan to do my 10M. Then I will be footloose and fancy free to go to the outlet mall Saturday morning  Good luck getting your tasks done! I'm having pretty good luck with mine, just a few more things and I'll feel comfortable for today. 

*Taryn* -- Everyone has given you fabulous advice. Marriage is another event that's a marathon, not a sprint. You are both exhausted and worried, and that is never going to translate into Snow White and her 7 Dwarfs whistling while they work. I know this trip is going to be wonderful for you, and I hope you are able to truly relax and enjoy your family  By the way, while I have some adoption issues, none are with my parents. My mom and dad could not have been more loving, supportive, everything you would want for your child. I am really lucky, sometimes I get maudlin and forget how blessed I am. 

*Lisa* -- Thanks for the Chilis advice. There are times when that's just where we're going and I have to try to reason my way through dinner 

So, I got up this morning at 5 to get Ben ready to go to the airport. He flew out this morning to spend a week in St. Louis with my dad and his wife. Dennis took him to the airport on the subway so he could go in with him without worrying about parking. He was able to take him to security and saw him go to his gate, so I felt good about that. Ben texted from the plane when he was on and when he landed, so apparently he did just fine. I wasn't really worried, he's been flying since before he was 2, so this wasn't a new experience for him -- well, not totally new, it's the first time he's flown by himself. They are heading to Branson, MO (country music, family fun, theme parks, water parks, etc.) today, and will spend a couple of days there. That is a lot of travelling for my guy, but they're the ones who decided they wanted to leave today 

While they were airporting I ran 3M. I originally wanted to do 4, but turns out I'm not really 100% yet, so that will wait. I am determined to do 10M Friday, so I don't want to push it too soon. I had a big bowl of cantaloupe, watermelon and blackberries for breakfast. 

I had lunch out with my assistant, I had the lunch special which was a roast beef sandwich with a cup of gazpacho. It was delicious and not too pointy...tonight I have to go to a networking event for work, where I will have to order something. I'm going to stick to an appetizer and plan on having some soup or fruit when I get home. I don't want to have a big, heavy meal. I was gifted with homemade cookies for my birthday today(yes, they are a bit late) by another co-worker, so far I've stayed out of them. I'll take them home and let Dennis eat them. 

So, I guess I'm on track -- I think I forgot to post -- Dennis says we have enough in our vacation account (I'm one of those women who is very lazy about her finances and has dh doing pretty much everything -- I know where it all is and he tries to show me what he's doing, I sort of pay attention ) for my Princess trip!  More motivation, I want that Mod! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, just wanted to say thank you all for saying exactly the right things today. Tom and I had a great day. We got through 3 closets. Mostly I pulled stuff out and he watched me and kept me from keeping stuff we don't need! We have 4 or 5 more big bags for goodwill and a bunch of trash. We are going to tackle some more on Friday. 

I just checked Mike's home email and he got a request from the hiring manager for his next interview! That's how I feel right now. We have told no one about this except Tom and you all of course. The job sounds pretty cool and Mike is very excited.

*Maria*--great job getting through DS flying alone--Tom flew alone for the first time when he was in 10th grade I think--he was going to Miami for a music camp. We drove to Nashville so that he would be on a direct flight. The day before he left the director sent us an email saying some parent was going to pick him up at the airport in Miami--all along they told us she would be picking him up. I totally freaked. It was quite the experience. It all worked out fine, though and he had a great time. We drove to Miami to pick him up and had a little vacation--he was there for two weeks. Miami is gorgeous, but I have never seen so many RUDE people in one area before in my life! Goodness, everyone was cranky! How can you be so cranky when there is water everywhere?????? 

I hope you have fun shopping!

*Lindsay*--I totally think you should go see Nancy! How fun would that be! I wish I could go!

Ok, I need to get back to organizing and cleaning. I feel like Cinderella here lately!

And this one's for you Lisa, in case you missed it on the other thread---

*WOOHOO! Carolina Gamecocks NCAA Baseball Champs 2 Years Running!!!!!*


I'm getting much better at saying it!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

Thank goodness the week-end is almost here!  

*Kathy,* hope you enjoyed the rest of your day off after that little tiff in the morning -- good to get that last of the school stress out of your systems.    Some day we're going to miss this stuff!   

*Taryn,* safe travels and have a wonderful, wonderful time!  

*Lindsay,* it is hard when your kids are off doing fun summer stuff and you are stuck working.  It's like where is my summer vacation?!?  But staycation is right around the corner.    Are you going to turn your phone off so people can't bug you?  Or maybe only take calls at a certain time of day?  We used to let our assistant call us right before we had margaritas at noon -- so we could unwind quickly.    Now we do the news blackout on vacation -- no calls, no email, no nothing!  Everyone survives and we actually get a break.  Hope that you can do that.  

*Nancy,* I'd like to come to the Bronx Zoo with you some time!  And I'll buy you a corndog.    You've done a great job coaching this week!  

*Maria,* yay for non-pointy meals!    Sounds like you will be ready for your long week-end.    I think I'm going to make it, too, unless some emergency pops up today.  I am so envious of your wonderful vacation schedule.  I tell people I can take off as much as I want as long as I don't mind not getting paid.    I'm actually very fortunate and it does make a big, big difference in the work/family stress.  We are lucky!    Take it easy on the 10M if you aren't 100%.   I'm glad he made it to MO safely.  I'm not looking forward to the first time DS does the fly alone thing.  



Rose&Mike said:


> And this one's for you Lisa, in case you missed it on the other thread---
> 
> *WOOHOO! Carolina Gamecocks NCAA Baseball Champs 2 Years Running!!!!!*
> 
> 
> I'm getting much better at saying it!



 Yes, I did notice, Rose!   

I'm off to get my tasks done so I can enjoy the long week-end.  Have a wonderful day all!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

um, *rose, *i don't even have three closets in my whole house! LOL! i'm jealous. no, wait, i have three. exactly three. do you know how difficult is to find places to put things?? congrats to south carolina on another win! how exciting! 

*lindsay* almost time for staycation! whatcha planning next week? we'll be passing through your area on saturday on our way down to gettysburg. i will give allentown a big wave as we pass by 

*lisa* i really like the idea of turning off cell phones and not checking email on vacation. i feel like not enough people do that (ehem, my husband) and it gets so annoying. when i was working i felt like i needed to be on my blackberry all the time when on vacation. and you know what? even the "emergencies" were never really emergencies. 

*maria* good luck on your 10 miler! don't push yourself too much. it wasn't that long ago that you were feeling like poo! take it a little easier if you can! glad ben made it ok. i like the name benjamin. like, alot. might have to run it by dh. he'll probably have some problem with it! he is so annoying with the whole name thing. perhaps we'll just call this kid thomas #2.

oh *kathy* i am not looking forward to the talk back stage. yeesh. i'm glad he apologized though. he's a good kid. ok fine i only met him for like a second a few months ago but he is such a sweetie! 

*taryn* have a wonderful trip and safe travels! can't wait to hear all about it. are you a trip report writer? if so i'll be reading! speaking of, i need to go check rose's TR b/c i'm not sure if i finished it or not. 

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

ran 3 miles and walked another 3 today. i'm tired but feeling good. my friend just texted me asking if i wanted to go for a walk. lol. i asked her if she would settle for a stroll over to the green grass. yes, we call an area about the beach the green grass. cuz, you know, it has green grass (a hot commodity in the bronx! lol!)

well, i forgot to hit enter before and now i'm back from the green grass. haha! had a nice time. thomas is sitting in his high chair in a daze watching cars (for the millionth time) and not eating his sandwich (so you know who will be eating it instead ). i think it's time for a nap! 

have a great day


----------



## flipflopmom

Hey ladies!  I am taking a quick second to say goodbye! I'll try to check in from WDW - have to do online discussions for class, so I'll be on anyway!  Girls are at Mom's, Brad is in the bed, car's mostly packed.  Finishing up cleaning - OCD about leaving my house clean, and then going to take a bath with a book!  so I can finish packing the toiletries!

Leaving around 7 tonight, hope to get to AKL around 7 in the am!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Taryn* -- Have a wonderful vacation! I wish you  and 
and I hope we will get to see at least a mini TR! 

*Nancy* -- You are cracking me up...you could be like George Foreman and give all your sons the same name...that would be an ice breaker!  I'm glad you enjoyed the green grass. 

*Lisah* -- Are you flying through your tasks today? I just have about a half hour and then I'm Outta Here!  Unfortunately for me my boss came in today, and her mere presence seems to generate work for me. I got through most of it, and I have a to do list for Tuesday. 

*Rose* -- Other than passing through to get on a cruise ship  I've never been to Miami, it doesn't sound fun. And I would have totally freaked at the substitution in pick up. You didn't know this strange parent at all! 

So, I didn't get home last night from the networking event until 8, and I was wiped out after getting up at 5. I skipped my workout this morning. I figure since I'm doing 10 tomorrow, it isn't a horrible idea to be fresh and fully rested, anyway. I nibbled a little on sweet potato fries, tomato/mozarella, hummus and salad, but didn't have a real meal at the event. When we got home we were a little hungry. I am very proud that I ordered a small Greek salad, added an oatmeal raisin cookie and called it a night. I woke up kind of hungry, but I got over it. I won't tell you what dh ordered 

I have a strict eating plan for today since I missed the exercise, so far I've stuck to it. Luckily for me it includes Subway, that's my segue into "vacation mode" tonight. Yes, I've reached the point where Subway is a treat. Mock me, but I am losing inches if not pounds!  I haven't decided what Tivo I'm going to watch yet, but I have a Poirot from Sunday night, so that's probably going to be the big winner. Tomorrow after I do my 10 I have the final 2 episodes of "The Tudors", I'm looking forward to that. 

Everyone keep in touch and have a wonderful 4th! I'm sure we'll all check in sporadically. Just remember we are a committed group of  and  and we will not be taken down by hotdogs, potato salad and ice cream pie!  

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

*Nancy,* you are doing such a great job with your run/walking!    You so totally !

*Taryn,* safe journey!    Give Mickey a hug and have a couple of strong, frou-frou drinks for your Princess friends!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lisah* -- Are you flying through your tasks today? I just have about a half hour and then I'm Outta Here!  Unfortunately for me my boss came in today, and her mere presence seems to generate work for me. I got through most of it, and I have a to do list for Tuesday.



  I'm trying to get everything done.  I think I'm going to make it and will be leaving in about one hour.    I have my Tuesday to-do list, too, 'cause otherwise I would forget some of it!  

Have a wonderful week-end Princesses and Belles!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hello Princesses and Tinks!

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! I had trouble leaving work today--I work for a non-profit too and end up "donating" way too many hours. Really my position should be full time, but even if they wanted me to, I do not want to do it full time!

Mike's next phone interview is tomorrow at 4:00pm. We had a long talk yesterday about how much money we need to relocate and whether we were selling short by not waiting for something in Florida. We decided that in theory living in FL sounds great, but it might sound better than it actually ends up being. We do like the seasons--but want a shorter winter! It's so gray here in the winter. I saw a statistic once that said we have as many cloudy days here as Seattle--I don't know if that's true. But the sun definitely disappears here around November 1 and doesn't return until sometime in late March--and even then we still have a ton of overcast days. 

Ok, getting off topic. Anyhow, I just hope we are doing the right thing. I'm starting to get a little anxious and I don't want my anxiety to keep Mike from gettting to do something (move) that he has wanted to do for a very long time. If I make a list there would be way more + on the relocation side and hardly any on the stay here side--except that it's safe. I feel safe here. Did I tell you that my mom lives about 2 hours from Durham? Not that I think she will pop by or anything, but maybe that's where the anxiety is coming from. 

There's baseball tonight--$1 beer or $6 g-f beer. Mike definitely can't take a salary cut or I won't be able to have beer at the stadium! I wonder if the Durham Bulls have g-f beer yet or if I'm going to have to start bugging them?

Have a great night! I think almost everyone is off tomorrow--I'll be cleaning out closets with DS.

*Nancy*--we have waaaaaay too many closets. It just means you can keep more crap! We have a 10feet x 10 feet room in our basement that is just for storage--I'm dreading doing that one! Sometimes less is a good thing--I'll be spending my holiday weekend cleaning out closets and hauling stuff to goodwill!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

you guys ready for this??

thomas, my male model! 

we took him to get headshots done a few weeks ago. it was 

sort of a disaster but they managed to get a pretty good shot. who knows if he'll land anything but, while i'm home and have the time, it can't hurt to give it a try.






i think he's a little too white for any jobs! LOL!

anyway, just wanted to share. i'm not telling any in real life folks that i had head shots done for him. sounds...weird...to say. 

he's my kid so duh, i think he's cute. we'll see if any ad people feel the same way. he was supposed to go to a huggies "go-see" but they were looking for a 16 month old. yep, he's already too old!


----------



## Rose&Mike

too cute Nancy!

Maria and Lindsay--congrats on the WIN success!

Lindsay--too scary about your office. I'm glad everyone was ok.

Taryn--hope you are having FUN!

Hi to everyone!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Rose* -- Your post made me go check out the main thread -- I had no idea I had done so well! What a great boost! Here I am complaining because the weight is coming off slower than I would like, when actually doing the right things is working  Gotta remember, slow and steady wins the race  My SIL who lives in Tampa enjoys living in FL, but it is definitely not exactly what they thought it would be. They moved from NH, for an opportunity for her, and her dh has had a heck of a time finding a position that is anywhere close to his former salary. They love the weather, but not so much the giant bugs year-round. They live on a golf course near a lake, and they have to watch for alligators. That would be a dealbreaker for me  Anyway, they are very interested in moving to TN or SC now, so I guess it's all relative.

*Nancy* -- Well, I'm not his Mommy and I think he's adorable! Such a cutie! Just don't put him in any pageants. I was appalled at the boys' moms in those things. You get the feeling they are not happy with the gender of their kids, and they're going to do pageants whether the kids like it or not 

*Lisah* -- Are you relaxing and enjoying your day yet? I slept in until 7:30 and that felt great. Of course I couldn't keep my eyes open past 10 last night...

Whew! 10M later and I am ready to relax! I'm not exhausted (thank goodness!), but I can tell I just ran 10M. Now my weekend is my own -- I just have to remember to stop reading the work e-mail. I read one this morning that made me mad, so I had to respond before I started my run. I get really annoyed when entry level direct care staff think they know more about federal applications than I do  But I'm not going to let that ruin my weekend. The Tudors await! 

I have an eating plan for today, even with my run. I know tomorrow we will be running and around and I won't be running, so I'd like to keep today in check with more leeway tomorrow. I just had my recovery choc milk 

Happy July 1st! New month, new losses and PRs to come!

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> *Rose* -- Your post made me go check out the main thread -- I had no idea I had done so well! What a great boost! Here I am complaining because the weight is coming off slower than I would like, when actually doing the right things is working  Gotta remember, slow and steady wins the race



Are you kidding?  You did the hat trick!   Winning HH, WIN! and being a superstar to boot!  Congratulations! You so totally rock! I honestly do not remember this happening before -- it is a *wonderful, wonderful *accomplishment.  

I've been to the store and am heading out the bank.  Later we will go see Super 8 because I've been informed no one will be caught dead at Cars 2.  

*Nancy,* Thomas is as handsome as can be!    Have fun camping!

*Rose,* things always have a way of working out for the best -- it's just a bit hard to live through it all to get to that point.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisa - i made the pasta salad just now! yum! i may or may not have eaten a whole lotta spoonfuls directly from the big bowl. 

thanks for the recipe. it was easy and yum. i made it with whole wheat pasta. i wonder if the camping family will eat any of it!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

maria - nice work on the 10 miler! that's awesome! when i was running longer distances i had chocolate milk as my recovery drink too! yum! totally hit the spot! how did you feel during your run? what do you do for nutrition/hydration during your long runs (that question goes out to everyone, really). i'm terrible with both of them. after the princess i had the WORST cramps. kept thinking i needed to do #2 (ew, sorry) but it was just that i was dehydrated. 

nice work on the WIN stuff! woot!

oh and don't you worry - there will be no pageant stuff. this is just a fun maybe thing to do. if he lands something, great. anything we make goes into the college fund. but, so far with the headshots we're in the hole. heh. 

i agree with *lisa, rose *- everything will work out for the best. it's just hard to see it right now. hugs!!!

*lisa* anyway to bribe the kid into cars 2? i really want to see it. we actually own super 8 here at the house but haven't watched it yet. i um, ehem, buy pirated movies from the chinese guy who comes to the beach club 

****

well, it's official, i'm having another baby.  i found a great deal on a double stroller (last year's model in orange - guess nobody wanted it) and ordered it. and it came today! our UPS guy was like, "um, a double stroller?? you hiding something??" lol! he always cheers me on when i see him when i'm running. he joked that i'm going to have to start running faster to keep up with two. haha. anyway, so i have a double stroller in the box sitting in my living room. oh man. 

i just finished off a bag of baby carrots. except the second to last one was WEIRD! i posted a pic of it on facebook. it's not like it's in the shape of jesus's face or something, it's just a three-pronged baby carrot! weird!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

dumbo_buddy said:


> i agree with *lisa, rose *- everything will work out for the best. it's just hard to see it right now. hugs!!!


I think the problem is that in my experience, things just don't always go well. My motto is more "**it happens and you deal with it." Not very positive, but it has got me through some crappy times. I'm feeling calmer about things today. Mike said the nicest thing to me last night--he told me that if at any point I decide I just don't want to leave, we don't have to. So that helped me to calm down a bit.

So here's a little psa--all those papers that your kid is bringing home that you just can't part with, and the clothes from when they were little, and the toys and the stuffed animals, etc--get rid of it!  (Ok, so keep the cute art projects and their stories they wrote and their awards, but you don't need every worksheet from kindergarten through 6th grade.) I have already spent 3 or 4 hours today sorting, tossing, etc and I still have a ton left to do. I don't think I'm even close to having hoarding issues, but I kept way too much stuff from when Tom was little--maybe cause he's an only. Who knows. I opened this one box and it had like 4 or 5 pairs of ratty baby shoes. What possessed me to think I'd want them in the future??? We're making progress, but our basement is a disaster zone! And my itband on both legs is killing me from sitting like a pretzel cleaning stuff out. I did get one of the closets cleaned out in the basement and it looks great, but the storage room is still a mess!

Ok, break over, back to work!


----------



## mikamah

Good afternoon, Princesses and Lisabelles!!

I think Rose's cleaning vibes have come to me.  I've gotten a lot done last night, and this afternoon.  It appears all the pipe work is done on my side street, and it's all just packed dirt, so very dusty in the wind.  Because I was hoping it would be paved before the weekend, I procrastinated on cleaning anything outside, but last night figured, I need to start.  I mowed the lawn, and we cleaned out the garage, and brought all the outside furniture out to the yard.  I have some old tables and chairs that I pretty much just use for our fireworks party.  We always sit on the porches, and that furniture stays up there.  Today after work, I sprayed down the house, and porches, and we washed all the furniture, and have started cleaning out the play room.  It felt so good to clean out michaels room and get rid of so much, and we'll finish the playroom tonight.  The other reason I procrastinated was I thought I'd get a couple days off this week since work is quiet, but I only got wed and had to work yesterday and today.  I'm on call tomorrow, and of course hoping not to get called in, but i figure if I don't count on it and get lots done tonight, I won't get called in.  Trying to use that reverse psychology.  And now that the week is over, I'm happy I worked and have the extra pto time in the bank.  

I thought of you this morning, *Rose*.  I dragged michael to the grocery store before work, and he was just being so aggravating, wanting everything, pushing the cart away from me, putting things in it, driving me crazy and I was never so happy to drop him at my sisters.  I think stay at home moms deserve a big medal.  It must be so draining at times.  I hope things all work out for you, and think Mike is so sweet to reassure you that if you don't want to go, he is fine with that.  You're such a cute couple.  And thanks for the tidbit on saving all those papers.  I save less and less each year, but don't tell michael that.  

*Nancy*- Have you left yet?  Hope you have an absolutely fabulous time this weekend, and Thomas's pic is absolutely adorable.  So cute.  I hope he gets something and you can see what it's all about.  It was pretty cool for michael to see when we went into boston for that talent scout thing, and to realize it's not an easy thing to do.  I'm sure there are many more opportunities in nyc, so you never know.   Thomas could be the next Life Cereal Mikey.  

*Lindsay*- Glad everyone is ok from your work.  That must have been so scary.  Enjoy your staycation!!  Sounds like you'll have a well deserved break.  

*Lisah*- Happy long weekend!!  Have you broken out the adult beverages yet?  Oh, it's only 2 oclock there, so may be not.  Enjoy super8.  I don't even know what it's about, but keep thinking of Super 8 motels.   I'm hoping cars might be at the drive-in in august when we're in Maine.  We've never gone to it before because we tend to hit the adult beverages early can't drive, but this year we'll be there 8 nights, so if one of us isn't sober enough to drive at least  one night we'd better stop at AA on the way home.  Enjoy your long weekend and neighborhood fireworks!!!

*Maria*- Congratulations, supersta!!!  You are right, slow and steady is the way to go.  Do you go to the esplanade to watch the fireworks, or can you see them from closer to home?  I've never been, and since our fireworks are the 3rd, we have a low key fourth, and tend to call it an early night.  Hope you're enjoying your time without ds, and he's having a blast.  Some days I can't wait til michael can go to overnight camp. 

*Liesel*- Hi there!  How's the running going?  Hope all is well!!

*taryn*- You're in disney!!!  I'm jealous!!  Have a fabulous time!!

Well, this was a nice little break.  A friend might come by for supper tonight, so I think I'll get some laundry and get back to the cleaning the playroom.  Michael took a break too and just started writing a book.  "The Summer Sleepover."  I thought it was going to take forever because he asked me about 10 times what I thought about the first sentance, but he just came in and read me the first couple paragraphs, and they were pretty good.  I see a sleepover here in my future.  

Have a great evening everyone.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisa- I hope you are enjoying your early start to the weekend!

Nancy- Thomas is adorable!!!  I would say getting that double stroller really makes it official.  You also had me cracking up about buying movies from the chinese guy at the beach club. ummm if we didnt know you were from NY we know now.  Yell really loud when your passing by allentown maybe i will hear ya.  Have a great trip!!!!

Rose- Woohoo for Mike getting an interview.  That is so nice that he is letting you know that its your decision too and he will not force it if you dont want it.  Hes such a great husband.  Nice to know that all those Kindergarten worksheets I have stashed in folders on my book shelf I can just throw away.  I need to sort through it and keep the cute stuff and projects.  That will be on my list to do this week, along with going through the mounds of clothes in our basement that no one is wearing.  Thanks for the inspiration to clean!!!!

Kathy- I think michael writing a book is so cute.  What an imaginative mind.  It will be funny to see if his story becomes real.  

Maria- Great job in all areas of the challenge this week.  See you really pulled yourself out of the slump.  I knew you could do it.  So proud of you.  

Taryn- I hope you are enjoying your vacation.  I hope it goes very slow and that you enjoy every minute of it.

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

We had a great time today at Bushkill falls.  We took the long route for hikers.  It was a great work out.  Lots of steep stairs to climb. Beautiful views. and Amazing weather.  It took us almost 2 hours and I would say we went about 3-4 miles.  We stopped alot for pictures and to explore nature.  I will post some if I can find my wire to plug my camera into the computer.  I got a few good ones.  We ate at the snack bar and I got a grilled chicken sandwich.  It was gross.  Then we did paddle boats and so that was some more exercise.  Then we played mini golf.  Got some ice cream and then came home.  We got home about 5pm.  I am beat.  

I think we are going to get pizza for dinner tonight.  I need to go to the grocery store in the morning because we dont have much food here.  We also need to go to kohls tonight to get ryan some undies.  His are getting tight on him.  The kid just grows like a weed.  I thought he would slow down but holy smokes I swear we go through 2 sizes per season.

Talk to you later.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

have a great weekend gals! we're gonna start packing up and hitting the road shortly. hoping it'll take us 5 hours including a stop. i'm going to try not to stress about the sleeping conditions (thomas in a pack-n-play next to my 87 year old grandpa who pees 20x a night and his pregnant mom who seems to need to pee about 15x a night. also, grandpa turns the HEAT on at night. ugh.)

anyway, i brought running clothes. if anything, i'm going to try to go for a nice walk or something before the rest of the folks wake up. we'll see if it works out though. there isn't alot of area to go walking/running unless i go on the main road which is a little too highway-ish.

i hope to be on sometime during the weekend if the campground has wifi. hope everyone has a nice and relaxing weekend!! xoxo


----------



## Rose&Mike

Nancy--hope you are having fun! 

Kathy--enjoy your fireworks on the third. A lot of what I kept yesterday were stories that Tom wrote. I went from 5 storage containers to 1--crazy I know. And you had me smiling with the AA coment. Sounds like a good vacation to me. 

Lindsay--One of the things I got rid of yesterday was baby clothes. I don't know why I held onto stuff for so long. I found a couple of girl things--from our failed adoptions--both babies were girls. So that was a little emotional. Sounds like you had a great day yesterday! I have never been to Bushkill falls.

******
I ran 3.1 today without stopping--so that was pretty cool. All the squatting and stooping, etc to clean stuff out has been hard on my itband so I wasn't sure what to expect. Today we scraped the paint off our mailbox post and repainted it and Mike is working on the backyard. I need to tackle another closet, I guess.  Mike took 7 garbage bags, a toy box and a bread maker to goodwill this morning. There are three huge garbage bags full of paper to be recycled in the basement. I also looked at houses a little bit online. The interview went well--at least Mike felt good about it. Which is what matters. So now we wait--up to two weeks they said--to find out if he moves onto the next step. Meanwhile, we are hoping he gets a phone interview from the job with his company in FL next week. I guess it's not dead yet. 

I am feeling pretty good about the 10k on Monday. I might not hit a pr, but I will be close. I think my 5k time today was 32 min and we were taking it pretty easy--and we got started late so it was already pretty warm. I would love to see a 1:02--which would be 10 minute miles. But I will be happy to finish it without pain.

Enjoy the weekend! People have already started shooting off fireworks here so it's going to be a noisy one!


----------



## mikamah

*Rose*- Good luck on your race today!!!!  I hope you get your pr, but remember you have come so far since your injury, being able to get out and run 10k is a fabulous accomplishment, no matter the speed.  Have fun!!!  

Happy Fourth of July Princess pals!!  Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday full of family and love.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Happy 4th of July!!!!!!

We were waiting for the fireworks to start last night.  They were having them at Dorney Park (which is an amusement park in our area similar to Hershey or Six Flags)  I said to my mom....wouldnt it be nice to hear the music right now and jiminy cricketts voice. Then I started singing When you wish upon a star and Ryan told me to be quiet because I was embarassing him.

Anyway....the fireworks were great and we had an upfront and center view.  The kids loved them and that is the first time I can remember that.  Usually one of them are whining because they are too loud and they are scared.  So it was fun.

Today we will most likely go over to my nanas for a cookout and then go to our local stadium for parachuters and fireworks.  I just love this holiday.

Rose Good Luck on your run.  I hope it goes well and I ditto what Kathy said...even if you dont PR or go slower than you would like...look what you have just overcome and how great you are doing.  Your awesome!!!!

I hope you all are enjoying the holiday!!!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon,  and !

I meant to get on here earlier to wish *Rose* , but I had to spend my morning cleaning, and faster than I had thought! My niece arrived today from FL, and my SIL's inlaws were coming to our house so dh could take them to the airport to pick her up. Her flight was landing at 11:21. We got up about 7:30 to start cleaning, and I pretty much had the first floor done, while dh had the basement presentable. We still needed to do our deck and clean up the backyard at 9:30, when they called to say they were here but lost... Dennis went to get them, and I scurried around and quickly did what I could out back, which wasn't much. Then we find out they brought the great grandma -- which was fine, but it was going to be a tight fit in the car to get dn. 

So, until it was time to get dn, we made conversation with the SIL's inlaws. I have met these people 2 or 3 times total, over the past 18 years. They were very nice, of course, but we have nothing in common other than dn. Let's just say the morning was more stressful than one might have hoped...

*Lindsay* -- It sounds like you have a wonderful holiday planned! We're just grilling in the backyard, and we can see fireworks from the next city from our front porch area, so we'll be on the grass next to it to watch them. We just have to watch out for construction debris, as our stairs are still a work in progress.  I have to outfit Ben twice a year, too. Once before school starts, and once again at the end of Jan/beg of Feb. His birthday is at the end of Jan., and he has always taken a growth spurt then. I just accept this is our way of life 

*Kathy* -- I hope everything went great yesterday for you! How was the party?  This is my first 4th of July ever without ds, I'm glad it's not a sentimental holiday for us. I kind of miss the kids from next door running around and beach balls hitting the back windows of the house, but it's also relaxing. 

*Rose* -- I know you are having a great race, I can just feel it!  You have inspired me to clean out my closet. This is a big project, so I'm just taking it in little chunks. I did completely clean out my jewelry drawer, that is a good feeling 

*Nancy* -- I know you are avoiding the food pushers, enjoying time with Grandpa, and using BronxBaby for an excuse as needed 

*Lisah* -- Yep, Cars 2 is totally out at my house, too. I'll have to rent it on netflix, like I did with The Princess and the Frog. I still haven't seen Tangled or Up, both are on my list. I have already been told that the world will end if we don't see HP asap. Apparently, everybody will be seeing that one 

Next Sunday we go to NH to pick up dn and keep her for a week. Dennis and I both took the week off of work, so it's staycation time!  I'm not sure exactly what we're doing, but we will probably do a trolley tour, the Freedom Trail, the top of the Prudential Bldg (tallest bldg in Boston), Codzilla (high speed boat ride on the harbor), and JFK Library and Museum. With all of that, I am determined to run 3M most days. I may have to skip a few, but it's my goal to get it in before we head out every day. 

Yesterday I surprised myself and did 5M. I planned to just do 3, but I felt really good after 2, and I knew today was a bust, so I kept moving! I've sort of been sticking to my eating plan. DH keeps coming home with treats, and I only have so much will power  I swear, every time that man leaves the house he must pass a bakery  I finally watched "The King's Speech" last night. Wonderful movie. 

I had a great time at the outlet mall Saturday. The Vera Bradley store was 30% off! I also got two great blouses for work, and cute dress, and a couple of sports bras. DH found three pairs of dress pants, which he desperately needed. All in all, I thought it was an excellent day. 

I just put on my swim suit and I'm headed out back to read a decadent book, flip through magazines, and enjoy a black cherry hard lemonade. I am not much of a drinker, but these are yummy -- and no one is depending on me to do a darn thing the rest of the day! 

Happy Fourth, Lovely Ladies!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Worfiedoodles said:


> *Nancy* -- I know you are avoiding the food pushers, enjoying time with Grandpa, and using BronxBaby for an excuse as needed



ugh, none of the above.  i am so mad at myself for having to come on here and say that not only did i not say no to really anything but i gained 4 lbs this weekend. i knew what i was doing. i ate deer bologna for goodness sake! we didn't swim, we didn't even go for any walks. we literally sat from saturday afternoon til monday morning and ate. 

my grandfather needs to go in assisted living. but he won't even hear about it. he is really starting to lose it. he kept calling john ed (my dad's name) and told him that he just retired in february. um, he retired in the late 70s! he is cold when the temperature is under 80 which means that he turns on the heat at night in the camper. we keep trying to explain to him that we just can't sleep like that and he just doesn't get it. he'll say it's ok to turn the air on then will an hour later turn all the lights on (while thomas is sleeping!) and turn the air off. ugh. 

anyway, stop complaining. i have an OB appt and i'm not looking forward to seeing the fact that i'm up like 16+ lbs already and not even halfway through. and it's my own fault! i'm swollen in my legs and feet today. and you know what? i'm hungry. 

"diet" starts tomorrow! i can't run tomorrow either b/c my appt is at 8am and it'll be too hot by the time i get home. poo.


----------



## liesel

Maria-Congrats on your BL hat trick!!    You a such an inspiration to me, staying OP and getting in some great runs!

Nancy-That is such an adorable picture of Thomas!  I'm so sorry to hear about your grandpa, I hope your family can come up with something.  You are doing great and I know you'll be back OP!  I love the advice from Aunt Ann.

Lindsay-Bushkill Falls sounds lovely.  I've never been to the northeast and hearing all of you discuss places makes me want to visit!  I hope you enjoyed the rest of your 4th.

Kathy-I'm sorry fireworks were postponed.  I hope you had a great weekend with Michael.  Thanks for asking about my running.  I'm doing very well with the long slow runs and building up my endurance, but the faster shorter ones are giving me a little trouble right now.  I think its because I haven't been training as consistently as I would like (home all the time with the kids right now), but I hope to get back up to a faster pace soon.

Rose-Way to go on all the cleaning and organizing.  I started sorting through the kids school stuff last summer and its amazing how much stuff can accumilate.  I hope you had a fantastic 10K with Mike and Tom!

LisaH-I hope you had a great 4 day weekend!  Thanks so much for the advice on the WISH shirts.

***********

I've been so busy with taking the kids to all their stuff that I haven't had much time to DIS.  DH left this morning on another business trip, so today is a catch up day.  The kids are less than thrilled, but there is too much to do.

DH and I ran our town's 4 mile race yesterday.  We finished in 57:52 (14:28 pace).  I really beat myself up about this because I was not as fast as I could be, but I know there were several factors.  Since I only had time to get in 2 long runs before this race (and a few shorter ones) I opted to only go 3 miles on both of them.  I hadn't run for 3 weeks and I didn't want to overdo it.  So this race was actually the first time I've ever gone 4 miles.  It was stinkin' hot and there was only 1 water station.  We actually had to come to a stop at the water station since there was only 1 trash can at the station and they didn't have one positioned further down the trail.  We left our water bottles at the start.  If I had it to do over again, I would have carried water.

The heat and altitude (6200 feet) bothered me, I was more out of breath than at the 5K, which was at 5280 feet (mile high in Denver!).  This course was much more hilly and I haven't started any hill training yet.  I'm trying to build my strength a little more first.  I also felt bad that DH slowed down so much for me, when he could have been much faster.  There were only 110 people in this race, so I was obsessed with not being last.  Yes, I know the WISH motto, but that didn't stop me from looking over my shoulder!  We were 81 and 82 out of 110.  The race organizer originally said that we would have a buffet breakfast afterwards.  Apparently they changed their minds because just before the start, they announced that they were serving hot dogs, baked beans, and pasta salad.  I don't like hot dogs and this meal was really not sounding good at 8AM in the heat.  Luckily they also had bananas and oranges, so I had that, a little bit of pasta salad, and a chocolate chip cookie.  They also served beer, but it was lite beer and we just weren't interested at that hour.  Going up the last hill in the sun, I was vowing to never race in July again, but I know I will be tempted next year, just to beat my time.

Overall, I'm still staying under my 15 mm goal pace for races to get ready for the Tink, I just need to remember that and keep going.  I finished with no pain and strong legs and I am happy about that.  Have a good day Tinks and Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

How are you all doing? I am pooped. We were so busy this weekend. Saturday and Sunday we got our yard in good shape. Saturday mike and I ran 3 miles. Monday we ran the 10k and cleaned out our garage and worked some more in our basement. I need a vacation from my life! The more stuff I throw out, the more I want to throw out. I'm becoming a little obsessive about it. 

The race went really well. I was much more relaxed about it this year than last. Tom got up cranky--which I was not happy about. He is not a morning person. Mike and Tom ran right around 54min. I did 1:01:34 (might be off by a few tenths, I keep forgetting). I was very happy. This was almost 5 minutes faster than last year and considering I was coming back from a rocky spring I thought I did pretty well. No knee problems yesterday, but things are a little achy, so I will continue to ice and foam roller, etc. Tom was so funny. When I saw him at the end he said he didn't like it and didn't want to run a race again--he thought it was too crowded. (He did cc in hs so 3000 was a crowded race to him.) Anyhow, after a while he started talking about how proud he was that he did it and that maybe someday he would do another race and that he was going to do his weekday runs at 4 miles instead of 3. What a runner-like thing to say. I have finished several races saying--never again, only to do it again. So, it was a good day. I'll post some pics later. 

liesel--good for you for finishing that tough race! Hills are a challenge. I hated running hills this time last year, but I kind of enjoy it now. I think carrying water is a good idea. Either I carry it or Mike carries water at every new race we do. I didn't carry water on Monday cause I ran the race last year and I knew they had a ton of water stops. It's just not worth it to take a chance on not having something to drink. And a hot dog right after a race does sound kind of yucky, though I did have one for lunch yesterday. It's the only meat thing I'm eating right now.

Nancy-- I'm glad you survived the weekend.

Maria--sounds like you had a fabulous weekend!

Lindsay--we just can't take you anywhere--all that silly singing!

Hello to everyone else! It's warm and muggy here again. Not sure if I will run tomorrow or not. Anyhow, have a great evening!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi all,

Just a quick check in.  I am off to take the boys to the free movie at the theatre today.  I think its cloudy with a chance of meatballs.  We have seen it before but it gets them out of the house...and believe me I need to get them out...they are driving me nuts.

I hope to get back on later and catch up on the main thread since I am coaching starting friday.  

I also have been dealing with a cold/illness for the past few days so I havent ran and I am feeling gross again.  Its annoying me that I am struggling so bad with this.  Why cant I just eat normally. uggh.  

Anyway I will catch up later.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning, ladies!   and 



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lisah* -- Yep, Cars 2 is totally out at my house, too. I'll have to rent it on netflix, like I did with The Princess and the Frog. I still haven't seen Tangled or Up, both are on my list. I have already been told that the world will end if we don't see HP asap. Apparently, everybody will be seeing that one



I haven't seen Tangled yet either, Maria.    I still haven't even finished the Tudors so I have some catching up to do.  It seems to be harder to get into the Netflix thing when I could be sitting outside at night.   

Thanks for telling me about the Mike's Cherry Hard Lemonade.  I've been eyeing it for awhile now and will give it a try.  I love the black cherry Clif shot bloks I hope it tastes like those!  

*Nancy,* glad you survived the camping trip.    I have to say the deer bologna was .  Sorry about the assisted living thing.  We've done that with several family members and it seems to help if you can talk them into "trying" it with the idea that it isn't permanent.  You really can't blame the poor guy for not wanting to lose his independence. 

*Lisabelle,* great race and great pace even in the heat and altitude!    You are so going to be ready for the Tink!   

I just started doing some hill training but I am finding out the bad thing about living at the top of the hill -- the beginning of the run is great, you feel so speedy and all.  But, boy, that hill is long on the way home!    It does make you feel strong quickly though.

*Rose,* I'm so glad that you had a great race!    You did great especially coming off an injury.    Do you have any other races before W&D?  

*Lindsay,* so sorry that you have the crud on your vacation.    Hope that you can get rid of that quickly.  And  on the kids driving you crazy -- it's a little early in the week for them to start that so you don't feel bad about going back to work.   

*Kathy,* glad that you enjoyed the fireworks last night.  It makes for a long day afterwards so take it easy tonight.  

Guess who I get to see on Saturday?!? Jeff Galloway!  I signed up for running school in Missoula way back in February before the Princess.    Except the funny thing is that you don't actually get to run in running school -- we are going to talk about it.    But I'm sure there will be something at the Expo to tempt me.  

Have a great day all!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Well, still trying to recover from the weekend, or actually not trying, that would be the problem. No excuse or reason, I just don't have any motivation and the heat is not helping  TOM is also rapidly approaching. 

*Lisah* -- I know what you mean about Netflix. I banged off three over the weekend, mostly because I had so much time. When I'm working it goes to the back of the line. I want to absorb as much sun as I can, after all the snow and rain  The Mike's Black Cherry is pretty good. It goes particularly well with a lack of responsibility 

*Lindsay* -- I hope you feel better. It's definitely not worth it to run when you're sick. Nothing good comes from it 

*Rose* -- I am so glad you had a great race, you definitely deserved one! 

*Lisa* -- You did a great job! Hills are my nemesis. High altitude is also beyond me -- when I was in Denver last September I made the mistake of trying to run. I quickly figured out I needed to slow my pace, big time 

*Nancy* -- How was the ob visit? I know you were hoping to do better, but hey, there's always Labor Day!  Bronxbaby was really hungry, and you can't deprive him! Every meal is a chance to start over. Sometimes I need 2 or 3 starts a day 

*Kathy* -- Are you back at work? I worked yesterday and should have been today, but our ac stopped working in the bedroom July 3rd. That was not going to work for me any longer since it's 90 today, so dh installed a new ac and I went to Logan to pick up Ben. 

Ben had a great flight and did really well. I'm annoyed that my smom did not offer him any sunscreen and took him to a water park -- yes, my child is now part lobster. She didn't have any at all. I guess they don't purchase it? She has a heart of gold, but thinking out consequences is not her strong suit. She arrived here one time without her medication because they lost her luggage -- yep, she did not have it in her carry-on. That seems like common sense to me 

I'm enjoying the new ac (may not elect to leave my bedroom ever again), and relaxing. I made a lot of headway in my closet this morning. It's starting to look the way I want it to, I have more shelves to go through. I can't believe the stuff I'd forgotten I had 

I have a site visit and audit with the City tomorrow morning for one of our programs. That means my DIS morning is probably shot. Hopefully I'll get to relax in the afternoon by DISing and listening to the podcast. I'm still in the process of listening to last week's show. 

We're having burgers tonight to celebrate ds's return. I'll probably have an early night and enjoy sleeping comfortably again. 

I'm starting to worry no one I know is doing the Princess , and everyone I know is doing marathon weekend in Jan. I know I shouldn't care, but I'm feeling left out...even though I really had a better time in most ways at the Princess, I may have buyer's remorse. Actually, I didn't buy it yet, but I will soon...

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--I will probably do Princess. If we are still here I will DESPARATELY need a break from winter, and we will have the money. Even if we end up moving, I think it's still a very good possibility. I haven't made a ressie yet. I think I still have a couple of weeks left to get home resort priority at BWV. Not sure if Mike will come this year again or not.

Lindsay--feel better.

******
We cleaned out Tom's closet today and I shredded a ton of stuff. We have two more bags of trash, three more bags of recycles and 4 bags for goodwill. I also started cleaning out my craft pantry. I told Tom he could take a set of shelves he has in his room back to Columbia if he could get the books in his closet. We got rid of so much stuff in his room that it was no problem.

This job stuff is a little draining. I will be disappointed if nothing works out, but mostly I just want things to move along so we know what's going on. The stuff in NC has been going on for over a month and could easily drag out for another month. The stuff with Mike's work is just annoying. They are hiring a ton of people in Melbourne. They actually reposted some of the stuff yesterday which upset Mike. His HR person said it doesn't mean anything negative--and might just mean they need more applicants. She said after the conversations she has had with their HR people, he should at a minimum get a phone screening. 

I know patience is a virtue, but we have been talking about doing this for sooooooooo long. I just want things to move along. Our house will show so much better in the summer/fall. And if we are spending another winter here I need to start planning some trips.

I got glutened Monday. I set a spoon of something I was eating on a plate that had Tom used for pb&j--it was on the island and hadn't made it to the dishwasher. I thought surely a few crumbs wouldn't matter. An hour later--stomach ache in the same place I get a stomach ache everytime I accidently get gluten. Oh well. I had been debating a cheat day again, but I guess not. Luckily it only lasted a couple of hours.

Ok, time to be productive again.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Thanks for the reassurance, *Rose!* It's nice to know there will be a friendly face there! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Or you ladies could do the Tink and get that shiny INAUGURAL medal!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

liesel said:


> DH and I ran our town's 4 mile race yesterday.  We finished in 57:52 (14:28 pace).  I really beat myself up about this because I was not as fast as I could be, but I know there were several factors.  Since I only had time to get in 2 long runs before this race (and a few shorter ones) I opted to only go 3 miles on both of them.  I hadn't run for 3 weeks and I didn't want to overdo it.  So this race was actually the first time I've ever gone 4 miles.  It was stinkin' hot and there was only 1 water station.  We actually had to come to a stop at the water station since there was only 1 trash can at the station and they didn't have one positioned further down the trail.  We left our water bottles at the start.  If I had it to do over again, I would have carried water.
> 
> The heat and altitude (6200 feet) bothered me, I was more out of breath than at the 5K, which was at 5280 feet (mile high in Denver!).  This course was much more hilly and I haven't started any hill training yet.  I'm trying to build my strength a little more first.  I also felt bad that DH slowed down so much for me, when he could have been much faster.  There were only 110 people in this race, so I was obsessed with not being last.  Yes, I know the WISH motto, but that didn't stop me from looking over my shoulder!  We were 81 and 82 out of 110.  The race organizer originally said that we would have a buffet breakfast afterwards.  Apparently they changed their minds because just before the start, they announced that they were serving hot dogs, baked beans, and pasta salad.  I don't like hot dogs and this meal was really not sounding good at 8AM in the heat.  Luckily they also had bananas and oranges, so I had that, a little bit of pasta salad, and a chocolate chip cookie.  They also served beer, but it was lite beer and we just weren't interested at that hour.  Going up the last hill in the sun, I was vowing to never race in July again, but I know I will be tempted next year, just to beat my time.
> 
> Overall, I'm still staying under my 15 mm goal pace for races to get ready for the Tink, I just need to remember that and keep going.  I finished with no pain and strong legs and I am happy about that.  Have a good day Tinks and Princesses!



i think you rocked it at your race. it was hot, the altitude was high and you hadn't trained much! a race in july is just bound to not be a fast one! 

are the half marathons at DL hilly? the princess half was not hilly at all except for a couple slow inclines. it's a good thing because i don't do any hill work except for the end of my runs where i have to get up the street at the end of the neighborhood!



Rose&Mike said:


> How are you all doing? I am pooped. We were so busy this weekend. Saturday and Sunday we got our yard in good shape. Saturday mike and I ran 3 miles. Monday we ran the 10k and cleaned out our garage and worked some more in our basement. I need a vacation from my life! The more stuff I throw out, the more I want to throw out. I'm becoming a little obsessive about it.
> 
> The race went really well. I was much more relaxed about it this year than last. Tom got up cranky--which I was not happy about. He is not a morning person. Mike and Tom ran right around 54min. I did 1:01:34 (might be off by a few tenths, I keep forgetting). I was very happy. This was almost 5 minutes faster than last year and considering I was coming back from a rocky spring I thought I did pretty well. No knee problems yesterday, but things are a little achy, so I will continue to ice and foam roller, etc. Tom was so funny. When I saw him at the end he said he didn't like it and didn't want to run a race again--he thought it was too crowded. (He did cc in hs so 3000 was a crowded race to him.) Anyhow, after a while he started talking about how proud he was that he did it and that maybe someday he would do another race and that he was going to do his weekday runs at 4 miles instead of 3. What a runner-like thing to say. I have finished several races saying--never again, only to do it again. So, it was a good day. I'll post some pics later.



nice work on the race and nice pace! that's funny that tom changed his mind from not wanting to run a race again to wanting to do another one, all in the same day! lol! can't wait to see pictures!!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Just a quick check in.  I am off to take the boys to the free movie at the theatre today.  I think its cloudy with a chance of meatballs.  We have seen it before but it gets them out of the house...and believe me I need to get them out...they are driving me nuts.
> 
> I hope to get back on later and catch up on the main thread since I am coaching starting friday.
> 
> I also have been dealing with a cold/illness for the past few days so I havent ran and I am feeling gross again.  Its annoying me that I am struggling so bad with this.  Why cant I just eat normally. uggh.
> 
> Anyway I will catch up later.



aw, feel better soon. i never eat well when i don't feel good. you know how there are people that are like, "oh i'm so sick i have no appetite"?? yeah, that is NEVER me!

where is the free movie?? sounds great! 

we passed a yocco's hot dog place when we stopped for a pee in trexlertown the other day. i remember you posted once about them and i soooo wanted one. good thing i soooo wanted to be HOME way more! 



lisah0711 said:


> I haven't seen Tangled yet either, Maria.    I still haven't even finished the Tudors so I have some catching up to do.  It seems to be harder to get into the Netflix thing when I could be sitting outside at night.
> i go to the movies by myself alot. when i was nursing thomas i used to go to a movie in between feedings. it was pretty much the perfect amount of time between when he would need to eat again - DH would have a bottle just in case but the kid NEVER took a bottle so it never worked. anyway, it was a good way to get some alone time and i could relax. i don't like to go shopping but i love the movies! i saw tangled and princess and the frog and all sorts of movies that i know DH wouldn't be into. i highly recommend tangled. VERY GOOD!!
> 
> 
> *Nancy,* glad you survived the camping trip.   I have to say the deer bologna was .  Sorry about the assisted living thing.  We've done that with several family members and it seems to help if you can talk them into "trying" it with the idea that it isn't permanent.  You really can't blame the poor guy for not wanting to lose his independence.
> 
> when i was either in high school or college we were down in PA with my grandpa, his lady-friend and her family at this fire hall for easter. every single person was VERY VERY overweight. the food they serve was only white or yellow (meaning, NO VEGGIES ANYWHERE!!). this one particular time (we used to go every year) my mom and i were munching on the hard salami they had out before dinner was served. someone came up to us and said, what do you think about the deer bologna? well, being the oh-so-hoity-toity new yorkers that we are (lol) we were like, ewwww! i didn't eat any deer! and the guy (dressed in his camoflauge hunting outfit) says, "well that's what you've been stuffing in your mouth for the last 15 minutes!" HAHAH joke was on us. i have to say, it is really delicious! i just don't want to hear about the hunting and all that!
> 
> another time during easter at the fire hall they had roast beef that was really tasty....turned out IT WAS BEAR!!!!
> 
> 
> Guess who I get to see on Saturday?!? Jeff Galloway!  I signed up for running school in Missoula way back in February before the Princess.    Except the funny thing is that you don't actually get to run in running school -- we are going to talk about it.    But I'm sure there will be something at the Expo to tempt me.
> 
> Have a great day all!



missoula - montana? right? isn't this the school in montana you're attending?? i can't wait to hear all about it. i'm really interested in run/walking. i've been just doing running but now that i have my sights set on a full marathon in 2013 i'm wondering if run/walking would be better for me. 



Worfiedoodles said:


> Well, still trying to recover from the weekend, or actually not trying, that would be the problem. No excuse or reason, I just don't have any motivation and the heat is not helping TOM is also rapidly approaching.
> 
> *Lisah* -- I know what you mean about Netflix. I banged off three over the weekend, mostly because I had so much time. When I'm working it goes to the back of the line. I want to absorb as much sun as I can, after all the snow and rain  The Mike's Black Cherry is pretty good. It goes particularly well with a lack of responsibility
> 
> *Nancy* -- How was the ob visit? I know you were hoping to do better, but hey, there's always Labor Day!  Bronxbaby was really hungry, and you can't deprive him! Every meal is a chance to start over. Sometimes I need 2 or 3 starts a day
> 
> Ben had a great flight and did really well. I'm annoyed that my smom did not offer him any sunscreen and took him to a water park -- yes, my child is now part lobster. She didn't have any at all. I guess they don't purchase it? She has a heart of gold, but thinking out consequences is not her strong suit. She arrived here one time without her medication because they lost her luggage -- yep, she did not have it in her carry-on. That seems like common sense to me
> 
> I'm enjoying the new ac (may not elect to leave my bedroom ever again), and relaxing. I made a lot of headway in my closet this morning. It's starting to look the way I want it to, I have more shelves to go through. I can't believe the stuff I'd forgotten I had
> 
> I have a site visit and audit with the City tomorrow morning for one of our programs. That means my DIS morning is probably shot. Hopefully I'll get to relax in the afternoon by DISing and listening to the podcast. I'm still in the process of listening to last week's show.
> 
> We're having burgers tonight to celebrate ds's return. I'll probably have an early night and enjoy sleeping comfortably again.
> 
> I'm starting to worry no one I know is doing the Princess , and everyone I know is doing marathon weekend in Jan. I know I shouldn't care, but I'm feeling left out...even though I really had a better time in most ways at the Princess, I may have buyer's remorse. Actually, I didn't buy it yet, but I will soon...
> 
> Maria



i'm not a big fan of the mike's drinks. they are a too sweet for me. i just stick to beer unless i'm in disney when i have frozen margaritas 

thanks for asking about my OB appt. it was very quick and painless! i have my 20 week anatomy scan ultrasound tomorrow morning. looking forward to seeing the munchkin again and confirming that it's still a boy! lol! 

glad ben made it home ok. sorry about the sunburn! yikes! is he in pain? nothing worse than a bad sunburn!!

wish i could do the princess this year with you! but i'm probably in for the following year! do it do it do it!! i will need to see pictures and hear all about it to get me pumped for the 2013 race!



Rose&Mike said:


> *Maria*--I will probably do Princess. If we are still here I will DESPARATELY need a break from winter, and we will have the money. Even if we end up moving, I think it's still a very good possibility. I haven't made a ressie yet. I think I still have a couple of weeks left to get home resort priority at BWV. Not sure if Mike will come this year again or not.
> 
> Lindsay--feel better.
> 
> ******
> We cleaned out Tom's closet today and I shredded a ton of stuff. We have two more bags of trash, three more bags of recycles and 4 bags for goodwill. I also started cleaning out my craft pantry. I told Tom he could take a set of shelves he has in his room back to Columbia if he could get the books in his closet. We got rid of so much stuff in his room that it was no problem.
> 
> This job stuff is a little draining. I will be disappointed if nothing works out, but mostly I just want things to move along so we know what's going on. The stuff in NC has been going on for over a month and could easily drag out for another month. The stuff with Mike's work is just annoying. They are hiring a ton of people in Melbourne. They actually reposted some of the stuff yesterday which upset Mike. His HR person said it doesn't mean anything negative--and might just mean they need more applicants. She said after the conversations she has had with their HR people, he should at a minimum get a phone screening.
> 
> I know patience is a virtue, but we have been talking about doing this for sooooooooo long. I just want things to move along. Our house will show so much better in the summer/fall. And if we are spending another winter here I need to start planning some trips.
> 
> I got glutened Monday. I set a spoon of something I was eating on a plate that had Tom used for pb&j--it was on the island and hadn't made it to the dishwasher. I thought surely a few crumbs wouldn't matter. An hour later--stomach ache in the same place I get a stomach ache everytime I accidently get gluten. Oh well. I had been debating a cheat day again, but I guess not. Luckily it only lasted a couple of hours.
> 
> Ok, time to be productive again.



man i'm so jealous of your closet space. although i tend to keep waaaaay too much so i'd just fill every available space if i had it! nice work on cleaning out tom's stuff. it's exhausting doing that stuff! 

sorry you got glutened! it's amazing(-ly bad) that just a few crumbs can give you a stomach ache.  that really stinks! 




Worfiedoodles said:


> Thanks for the reassurance, *Rose!* It's nice to know there will be a friendly face there!
> 
> Maria





lisah0711 said:


> Or you ladies could do the Tink and get that shiny INAUGURAL medal!



 so wish i could get that medal!!! i love how it has a spinny thing 

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

evening princesses and tinkerlisas!

we had a nice day today. the weather was hot and humid and disgusting but we made it work. went out for a 3.6 mile walk. wanted to go further but DS had a meltdown. i think even he was hot. it was probably good. don't want to over do it. 

went food shopping which is always an adventure with a toddler. still, got everything i needed and am currently making my planned meal for this evening. i planned out through sunday night. 

after thomas's lame excuse for a nap my aunt mary (the one who lives around the corner, not the aunt mary who lives across the street who came over this morning) called and said that she and my uncle and the kids were heading down to the beach. it's only a block away so i threw on our suits and we went down. as soon as i opened the door it was drizzling. but really a sun shower so we headed down anyway. it rained a little while down there but it was still sunny and we had a nice time. got a good two hours in and thomas LOVED playing with my cousins. they came with us to disney in january when we stayed at the treehouses. 

anyway, blah blah blah, i'm glad we got out. the breeze was awesome down there and hopefully all the activity will help us all sleep! 

pork chops will be ready in 20 min. thank goodness b/c i'm starving!!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, Princesses and Lisatinks!!  Loving all the lisebelle names  you're inventing here.  

Well, we hit 19 dollars on our 20 dollars worth of lottery tickets we got this weekend, so I'm not in for any race next year.  But I'll enjoy all of you talking and training for your races.  

*Maria*- Glad Ben had a good trip, and sorry about the sunburn.  It's hard to imagine going to a water park without sunscreen, but not everyone has common sense.  I think there was some good running vibes in MA on sunday, because I did 5 miles that day too, and felt really good.  Of course I haven't run since.  Oh well.  So do you not recommend the Frankilin Park zoo?  We've never been there, but I do love the Roger Williams, and it's easy to get to.  Hope you enjoyed the ac last night.  I didn't put mine in yet, just lazy, but we had a nice thunderstorm to cool off the house at bedtime.  

*Rose*- So happy you had a great race on monday, and the men did too.  So cute, the story about tom and him not running anymore, and changing his mind in the same day.  Don't we all do that?  You're a cleaning maniac.  Keep inspiring me.  It does feel so good.  I still have to put away all the july4th stuff.

*Lisa*- How's your week?  Did you do better than I did getting back on track?  We can do it.  I know you have the big birthday weekend coming up, but I will not be celebrating by eating cake this weekend.  Unless I have a really weak moment at the supermarket today.   I loved the video of the finishline on facebook.  You looked so strong and happy.  

*Lindsay*- Hope you're feeling better soon, and enjoying your staycation.  THe falls place sounds beautiful.  We went to the FLume gorge in NH one year, and I michael thought it was so beautiful, and he said, " I can't wait to go back to school and tell all my friends about this place."  So cute.  Hope the kids don't drive you too crazy the rest of the week.    Amazing how they can really get you going.  Let's try and remember they'll be teenagers one day, and enjoy the youthful aggravation while we still can. 

*Lisaliesel*- Congrats on your race!!  You speed is awesome, and you are so going to be fine for the tinkerbell!!  So happy for you!!!

*Nancy*- good luck today!!  Now the deer balogna didn't look too bad, just like pepperoni to me.  Thanks for the inspiration to move this morning.  I've got to get back on track.  

Actually my weight was up to 213, back to 210.2 today, not by anything I did.  So once again, I went the wrong way into a new decade.   And once again, I'm starting fresh today!!  Chili for lunch, chocolates gone.  Summer is here.  

Have a great day everyone!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi friends! everyone else hot??? it is really hot here. we were downtown at 7:45 this morning for my 20 week ultrasound which went beautifully. it's so great to hear "everything looks good and normal"  makes everything so much easier! no bed rest, no going in nonstop for scans and non-stress tests and all that blah blah blah. 

didn't get a run or a walk in today. by the time we got home it was too hot already. we had breakfast and chilled out for a little then headed to the pool for about an hour. thomas had a nice time and i sat on the step of the pool and stayed nice and cool! 

DH just emailed me, "I dont think it will be a problem, but just in case can u check Bay Lay for the 3rd week in August?" (btw we call it bay lay b/c when we went to the DVC doorway to dreams john thought that the guy was saying bay lay instead of bay lake. hehe). UGH! september will be hot enough! plus i doubt we'll be able to score a 1br at BLT if i moved it. i wish he would just ask his boss already for the time off. the man has done wonders for the company already! he deserves a vacation and most importantly, I NEED A VACATION TO DISNEY BEFORE THIS BABY IS BORN DARN IT!

yes, i came on here to complain. sorry! have a great day everyone!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

well whoever said that complaining doesn't do anything doesn't know me! lol!

email just now: 

"Spoke we Jon.  We are  GOING."

jon is the owner of the firm. AHHHHH!!! yay yay yay yay!!!!!!

squeeeeeeee!!!!

now what can i complain about?? hmm....what about "oh man, it's sooo hard being pregnant with toddler...oh man, a massage at the grand floridian would be so awesome. oh, ouchie, my back. ooo..."


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> The Mike's Black Cherry is pretty good. It goes particularly well with a lack of responsibility



Sounds yummy -- I sometimes feel I have an exaggerated sense of responsibility so maybe that would balance things out!  

Glad to hear that DS is home safe and sound.  Sorry about the sunburn thing.   



Rose&Mike said:


> I got glutened Monday. I set a spoon of something I was eating on a plate that had Tom used for pb&j--it was on the island and hadn't made it to the dishwasher. I thought surely a few crumbs wouldn't matter. An hour later--stomach ache in the same place I get a stomach ache everytime I accidently get gluten. Oh well. I had been debating a cheat day again, but I guess not. Luckily it only lasted a couple of hours



Sorry about the gluten thing, Rose.    Thank goodness it was just a little bit.  You are totally rocking the cleaning things out thing!   



dumbo_buddy said:


> missoula - montana? right? isn't this the school in montana you're attending?? i can't wait to hear all about it. i'm really interested in run/walking. i've been just doing running but now that i have my sights set on a full marathon in 2013 i'm wondering if run/walking would be better for me.



Yep, it's in Montana -- sometimes I forget the geography thing.    I think you would like the run/walk thing.  Rose does a modified Galloway and walks for a minute at the end of every mile I believe.  

Woo hoo on the good report on the baby and a double woo hoo on the WDW trip!    I'm so glad that everyone is doing well.  Stay cool!  

Hard to believe that my "baby" will be 12 tomorrow!  



mikamah said:


> Well, we hit 19 dollars on our 20 dollars worth of lottery tickets we got this weekend, so I'm not in for any race next year.  But I'll enjoy all of you talking and training for your races.



Hey you got back almost all of your money -- that's like winning in the lottery!    

You'll be back on track in no time, Kathy.    It's hard with the holiday and being tired and all but as long as we don't ever give up we will still be making progress.    Once I make it through the birthday week-end it should be smooth sailing for awhile.  

Internet problems at home this morning on top of other technological woes.  My first gen iPhone finally gave it up so I got a new phone -- can't wait to try out MyRunKeeper with it -- maybe I won't need to get a Garmin.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lisa*--kept meaning to tell you. Did you know that at both Princess and w&d we were running right along Jeff Galloway for a while??? It was pretty cool. Can't wait to hear about the class.

*Nancy*--the run/walk thing--for my 1st half I ran the whole thing. And I mean the whole thing with untreated c-d no less! For w&d we ran a mile walked a minute. We did the same for Princess. Since my injury (uggh!) I have been playing around with intervals. I did run 5 min walk 45 sec during the 10k this weekend and managed to be almost 5 min faster than last year. I miss just running and hope to get back to where I can do 6 miles straight. (I did 3 last week), but I am really starting to see the benefits of run/walk intervals. Mike did run 4 1/2 walk 30 sec for the kdf half and got a pr. Even when doing them, I usually run the last couple miles without stopping. Anyhow, I would look into it. I think you can get a great time and more importantly feel pretty good at the end of the race. I think for someone who is used to just running without stopping it's a big mental adjustment--Mike was VERY skeptical at first. But I think it's a great tool.

And woohoo for the trip!!!!!

*Kathy*--fwiw, I had ice cream for lunch yesterday and way too many g-f beers last night. You don't have to be perfect every single day, you just have to keep trying. Hang in there.

*Maria--*glad Ben made it home ok.
*
Lindsay*--how are you???? 

********
So I kind alluded to this, but what a day yesterday. I got a ton cleaned out, but by the time Mike got home I was just chicken fried (that's what we call it at my house when you are just DONE with everything.) I ended up having a couple of beers before we went to the game and a couple at the game. I ate horribly and I just didn't care! I think I am in the anger stage of grief now when dealing with the food issues. Does that mean acceptance is coming soon????

And to top it off, you all know how much cleaning/organizing/purging I've been doing???? Mike's cousin sent 3 boxes of who knows what from his sister's house! Uggh! I'm sure it's more crap that we don't need or want.  I know that sounds harsh, but we have pictures of his family and his sister left him NOTHING in her will, so I can't imagine what it is. I left it on the front porch. Mike knows I am in a mood so hopefully he will be smart and not bring it in and leave a mess because there is NOT ENOUGH G-F BEER in Louisville!!!!

And Tom is losing his appetite and starting to lose weight--one of the side effects of amphetamine use. And he doesn't want to lose weight. I'm going to worry a bunch when he goes back to school. I really hope we are a little closer.

Ok, sorry for the book. Life is good. Life is good. Life is good.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> Internet problems at home this morning on top of other technological woes.  My first gen iPhone finally gave it up so I got a new phone -- can't wait to try out MyRunKeeper with it -- maybe I won't need to get a Garmin.



lisa - i just upgraded my iphone 3 to the iphone 4 at the apple store a few weeks ago. i went into the at&t store to buy the protective case for the new phone (i need major protection with a toddler) and for poops and giggles i asked the guy if he bought back iphones and they do! it might be worth contacting your closest at&t store and checking. they guy gave us an envelope and some form to fill out and i mailed it in. got $196 for it...and the upgrade to the iphone 4 was $199.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I'm going to stop unwrapping and eating Hershey dark miniatures for just a minute so I can post 

*Lisah* -- I think it is fantastic you are going to the Galloway training! It is going to be fabulous and you are going to learn so much! Those baby boys grow fast, don't they? I had to buy mine an electric shaver last month.  We finally gave in because he was so desperate to shave the peach fuzz and stray hairs under his chin. Congratulations on your continuing patience through the tween years. He'll be a teenager before you know it! 

*Nancy* -- I am so glad you are getting your trip!  Tell us all your plans! I know you are going to BLT -- do you do afternoon naps with the little guy and the Bronxbaby? I haven't been keeping track, is there free dining while you'll be there? I know that always makes it harder for me to get ADRs. 

*Kathy* -- I haven't run since Sunday, either!  We used to take Ben to both zoos, and then one day when he was 4 we just told him we were going to the zoo, not which one. We were running late and decided we'd just go to Franklin Park rather than going all the way to Providence. We parked and started to get out, and he exclaimed, "Oh, I wanted to go to the good zoo!".  We took that as our clue and haven't been back. There's nothing wrong with it, but the exhibits are rather sparse and so are the animals. The Providence Zoo's exhibits are much more organic, the conditions are nicer, and even though it's not a big zoo, it's well done. I admit I'm kind of a zoo snob, after growing up in St. Louis. Marlin Perkins used to park all those animals he found on the Wild Kingdom at our zoo, and it's really nice. It also seems free. There's no admission, but property owners have an added tax -- I think my dad pays $33/year and all the museums and zoo are free. It's a pretty good deal, if you go to those places. 

Turns out dh and his friend didn't do the best installing job, this morning the ac unit was full of water. We've got a repair person coming tomorrow afternoon, so I'm going to have a night without it tonight. Hopefully it will be cooler and we'll be fine with fans. 

*Rose* -- Chicken fried?! I love it. That is a new phrase I am going to start using!  I am sorry you feel that way, though. I'm going to perk myself up (hopefully) by going to my Hallmark tonight and getting a new Vera Bradley bag. The fall patterns came out today. I am such a sucker, but whatever it takes, right?  After all that cleaning you definitely did not deserve to have 3 more boxes of who knows what show up  They definitely seem like they should be Mike's problem. 

Ok, so the same kid who refuses to see Cars 2 asked me to order the last Chronicles of Narnia movie on Netflix  This man-child stage is definitely interesting...and unpredictable 

One more work day and I'm on vacation for a week and a day. Sunday we are picking up my niece12, and dh's cousin's daughter, who is physically 14 but mentally more like 6, and gluten-free unless we want major meltdowns. This is where *Rose* is going to save me! I know next to nothing about gluten, other than not to give her regular beer  We have fruit and veggies for snacks, but our chips are Pringles or Ruffles, and we usually do pancakes for the kids for breakfast. I'm not sure what to give her? We can do eggs and bacon for breakfast. We're probably going to be out and about for lunch, and we can do something grilled for dinner. Should we just avoid all bread and cake products? Ice cream is good, right? I don't want to keep her from anything, but her mother has warned us if she has any gluten at all she will have a fit  Is candy ok? Gum and gummy things are out because they all have braces.  I know I should probably actually research this, but honestly, I figured I'd get better information asking someone who really knows  We're only keeping her until Tuesday night, so it really isn't that long. The gluten free is only the icing on the cake (ok, I know this is going to sound wrong, and I don't mean to lack compassion, it's just her mother tells us how easy she is, and I don't see it -- perhaps because I can't just meet her needs, I have to consider the other kids). Her speech is difficult to understand. She really can't read, she doesn't do anything with height or water, and she's afraid of a lot. She doesn't watch tv or movies or play wii games. She can't make things with playdoh or clay, she can't copy or create in that way. As the kids have gotten older, it's been really hard to come up with things they can all do together. Ben and Bethany are really good about including her and helping her, but I can tell it's frustrating for them -- I actually think it's good for them to see they are lucky not to have her issues, and to learn that she can function as long as they provide support. That said, she'd be happy going to StoryLand, and the other two would be bored beyond tears. I know people with kids in different age ranges go through this all the time, it's just new to me. Like I said, when they were younger it was pretty easy to entertain them all together. 

It also makes the other kids crazy because she's been constantly texting them that she's going to high school next year and their not. Well, she is, but she's not taking the standard curriculum. They are good kids and they do understand, they just get frustrated with her sometimes because she acts so young. She plays with baby dolls and doesn't share any interests with the other kids. I think it's hard to get the disconnect since she looks older than they are. 

Have I rambled enough about this? Ok, one more thing. The ladies in dh's family tend to be well-endowed. When I saw her at Christmas, she seemed to be carrying on the tradition -- but not wearing a bra because her mother won't make her wear one if she doesn't want to. Ben is embarrassed to be around her with them flapping in the wind, and I don't blame him. We want him to treat her like he does his other cousins, but I get that he doesn't want to hug a girl who's girls are just sitting out there. I am really hoping her mother has changed that view or she's changed her mind and she's contained. If they want her to go to high school and function in a normal setting, they should give her all the tools she needs. Proper undergarments are one of those tools! I know, I don't know the battles her mom fights on a daily basis, and that one just might be too hard -- I just think nothing good can come of not shoring things up...

Oh, the mother also makes me crazy because she refuses to vaccinate (at all), and likes to tell me I torture my child needlessly by requiring shots, and I'm lucky he's not autistic since we get every shot his pediatrician recommends. I don't even want to go there, but really, I don't give her grief because she's letting disease run rampant...

So, that's my challenge for next week. We plan to take the kids on a trolley tour of Boston Monday, and see what we can come up with for Tuesday. We're saving the water, height and adventure activities for later in the week. 

Ok, it must be someone else's turn to complain, I am just full of it today...

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

quick gluten tutorial:

candy--snickers and plain mms are ok. I don't really eat anything else. I think ghiradhelli is ok as well.

chips--I only eat plain lays. Gluten is often hidden in seasoning and there can be cross contamination if a chip is made at the same plant as a chip with gluten. 

Snyder's has a g-f pretzel that's pretty tasty. Scoops are great and gluten free--but not all tortilla chips are, so we stick with scoops.

Be careful of pre-shredded cheese. I shred my own, but I read that they can use starch/gluten to keep it from clumping together. I don't know if this is true.

Lots of fast food restaurants have allergy stuff available online, including McDonalds. Did you know that Big Mac sauce has gluten in it? We eat Moe's when we get takeout--but not their chips. Almost everything except the tortillas and chips are g-f. They have an allergy menu online.

Nathan's all beef hot dogs are gluten free.

Places to watch for gluten/cross contamination:
*stuff sliced at the deli--some lunch meat is supposed to have gluten in it and even if something is gluten free there can be cross contamination. Boar's Head is supposed to be all g-f. Again, I don't eat lunch meat, so this might be worth googling.
*Soups/Dips/Sauces
*anything with soy sauce in it--some soy sauce has gluten in it.
*anything that may be made at a factory where they make stuff with gluten in it. Example: I don't think any godiva chocolate is g-f anymore because they are now making one with gluten in it. 
*same goes for ice cream. Turkey Hill and Breyers seem to do a good job with listing allergens on the back.
*anything fried is pretty much a no go at restaurants due to cross contamination.

Udi's makes a resonable bread that you can find at Whole Foods and some grocery stores. Again you have to watch for cross contamination from stuff like peanut butter and mayo. Most of our condiments are squirt now because it decreases the chance of cross contamination. I have my own pb and jelly.

Bisquick makes a g-f mix that tastes ok that you can probably make pancakes with--I made biscuits. There are also pancake mixes. It's all ridiculously expensive but tastes ok. Watch for cross contamination on the butter.

I don't know much about meat, cause the only thing I eat is the occasional hot dog. 

Products are supposed to list allergens on the back, but just because something says is does not contain gluten, does not mean necessarily that it is certified gluten free. I still read ingredients and if I think there is a chance of cross contamination, I just avoid it.

It's a pita, what a wonderful person to give the Mom a break for a few days. 

Let me know if you have any specific questions.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Worfiedoodles said:


> I know next to nothing about gluten, other than not to give her regular beer





i'll be back to post more after i read the rest of yours and rose's post but i just had to take a moment to thank you for the laugh! lol!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Rose*-- Thank you so much! Now I am really nervous, this is much more complicated than I thought. No wonder you are going crazy trying to make it work, and it seems like just a little makes life pretty miserable for you  See, more proof you are one strong woman! 

*Nancy* -- Glad I could make you laugh. I wanted to show I am paying some attention 

I am beyond tired and it is about 300 degrees in our bedroom. Fans moving hot air around isn't really all that useful 

I'm going to go to bed soon and try to sleep, I guess I'm just feeling "posty" tonight. I didn't make it to the Hallmark, I've have to see what they have tomorrow. They only order one of each item in each pattern. I know I could shop online or at the regular VB store, I just really like to give them my business. It doesn't hurt that I earn dollars based on my spending. I have $16 in "bonus" money I can spend next weekend at the ornament premiere, one of my vices  They have a Spock ornament this year. It must be mine 

Everyone have a great evening!

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria--did the Mom not give you any idea about what she eats regularly? Cause I feel like it's a huge thing to just say here she is, don't let her eat gluten! 

Chex has a lot of gluten free cereal--forgot to mention that.

Here's a good example of why I still read labels. Whole Foods sells bagged walnuts--just plain walnuts--I think it's the whole foods brand. Anyhow, on the back of the bag it says--processed in a facility that also processes wheat! Seriously, this just pisses me off beyond reason. They are PLAIN walnuts for goodness sakes! And it's whole foods--they can't sell walnuts that are processed in a factory that doesn't process wheat!? Basically, unlesss they go through this huge testing everytime they process the walnuts there is a chance the walnuts could be cross contaminated and make you sick. I had issues with this with cornmeal when I first went gluten free. Cornmeal should be gluten free--unless it is processed with wheat, contains wheat filler or is grown in a field that alternates with wheat. So cornmeal can be a little tricky.

Anyhow, I just wanted to tell you I think this is really nice of you to do this for your niece (cousin??? can't remember). 

Don't stress too much about it, maybe the mom can tell you what she regularly eats.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hello Ladies....

I havent posted much because honestly I hate to be a debbie downer and lately I am just not feeling very positive.  Every stressor in my life basically came to a head tonight and I felt like I had a nervous breakdown...or temper tantrum....but nervous breakdown sounds so much more mature.

Heres a list of the things that are bothering me: (I am starting with the negatives and will end this post with the positives)

1. I havent run in over a week.  I have eaten poorly.  I feel out of control with my eating and I feel like a big fat blob.  

2. My kids..primarily Ryan have been giving me a run for my money this week.  Can we say Attitude with a capital A.  and at the age of 6...really????  

3. Even though I had the week off, I have been contacted by the office by phone or email this entire week.  I had to attend a meeting today for our expansion.

4. I am doing a half million dollar expansion at my office and my boss moved on to his new job and now I feel like I have no support and am doing it all on my own without an idea of what I am even doing.

5.  I am tired of worrying about money and bills that need to be paid.  Why cant I just have enough to go around and plenty leftover to do all the fun stuff too.  (now Im just throwing a pity party)

Ok I think overall thats it and really it all seems like not that big of a deal when I type it but boy has it been driving me crazy this week.

Tonight I took the boys to my cousins bball game and while there Ryan was "lipping" off at me.  I warned him that if he talked like that again he would loose his DS.  We got back to my nanas and he started rough housing with my uncle.  I told him numerous times to stop and he kept at it so then I made him sit.  He "lipped" off so I took away his ds.  This started the meltdown and then my aunt made comments about how he is always misbehaving and crying about something.  She never had kids and is my aunt by marriage so that just got to me.  I picked up the kids and left.  by that point every other stressor came to mind and I pretty much cried all the way home.  

Im not sure why I let everything bottle up until I explode like an emotional mess.  I think I need to work on that.

So sorry I havent posted a whole lot.  I am a day dream believer and my dreams of how nice my week would be with my boys is not playing out.  I think that also upsets and depresses me.

Anyway I am actually feeling a bit better after my good cry and venting to you all.  So thanks for listening.

Now for my replies:

Nancy- Im so glad everything is good with the baby and horray for the sept. disney trip.  I also wanted to say good job for passes on the yoccos hot dog.

Maria- Very nice of you to take your neices for the week especially with the special needs that come along with it.  Like Rose said that is really great of you and Im sure it really gives there mom a break.  on the other hand, I really have a very strong opinion about parents that dont vaccinate their children but I will keep them to myself.  Glad you could put this aside too.  You are such a wonderful person.

Rose- Sorry to hear about the side effects of Toms meds.  If he really doesnt have an appetite maybe he can add in a nutritional shake throughout the day.  Like pediasure or there is one for adults too but i cant think of the name right now.  Keep an eye on it his meds might have to be changed if it gets to be an issue.  

I hope the interview process with mikes work moves quickly.  I totally get the need to know feeling.  It would drive me crazy not to know where I am going to be in 6 months.  Hang in there.  I am slowly learning Patience is a Virtue.

Hi Lisa and Kathy!!!!!

Ok and now to end on the positive:

I still have one day off tomorrow with my boys.  So hopefully everyone wakes up on the right side of the bed and we have a good day together.  

Saturday we are going to the beach for the day....well its with my inlaws but Im still going to list this as a positive.

I should be getting my new phone in the mail tomorrow.  It will be my first smart phone. 

Tomorrow is a new day

I am coaching this week on the BL board so I will pull myself together overnight.  Nobody wants a coach thats hanging on the edge of a cliff.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

This is my second try this morning because of a visit from the poof fairy.  



Rose&Mike said:


> *Lisa*--kept meaning to tell you. Did you know that at both Princess and w&d we were running right along Jeff Galloway for a while??? It was pretty cool. Can't wait to hear about the class.



That sounds like fun -- I read he wore a parrot at the Princess!  It would be fun to run with him for awhile but maybe crowded or distracting, too.

I'm sorry that Tom is having side effects.  Can Tom get some calories in a smoothie or something like that?  Maybe a visit to the school nutritionist for some help?  I imagine that he would balk at being told he needs to drink Ensure.    It's a process figuring all that stuff out.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> lisa - i just upgraded my iphone 3 to the iphone 4 at the apple store a few weeks ago. i went into the at&t store to buy the protective case for the new phone (i need major protection with a toddler) and for poops and giggles i asked the guy if he bought back iphones and they do! it might be worth contacting your closest at&t store and checking. they guy gave us an envelope and some form to fill out and i mailed it in. got $196 for it...and the upgrade to the iphone 4 was $199.



Thanks for the tip, Nancy.    Unfortunately I had the first gen iPhone so no buy back but the AT&T store guy suggested Craigslist.  I have figured out what I will do yet.  

So sorry about Thomas waking up so early this morning.    Can you tell what is waking him up?  Does he have room darkening shades?  Maybe a fan for some white noise 'cause the paper guy comes then?  Heavy, wet diaper?  Teeth?  Or tell DH it's take your son to work day? 



Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm going to stop unwrapping and eating Hershey dark miniatures for just a minute so I can post
> 
> *Lisah* -- I think it is fantastic you are going to the Galloway training! It is going to be fabulous and you are going to learn so much! Those baby boys grow fast, don't they? I had to buy mine an electric shaver last month.  We finally gave in because he was so desperate to shave the peach fuzz and stray hairs under his chin. Congratulations on your continuing patience through the tween years. He'll be a teenager before you know it!



Wow!  That is going to be a challenging visit.    Thank goodness that you have Rose to help guide you!  I think you need to save the regular beer for you!   

A Spock ornament sounds like fun -- how are your little kitties?  

DS would love to have an electric shaver -- those things are expensive!  But he's not quite ready for that yet although he does have hair everywhere else.    I noticed a bit of variety in viewing choices lately, too.  I try to tell him to enjoy being a child as long as he can.  



Rose&Mike said:


> quick gluten tutorial:



This was great info, Rose.    It did make me a little sad though because I know you had to figure out a lot of it the hard way.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hello Ladies....
> 
> I havent posted much because honestly I hate to be a debbie downer and lately I am just not feeling very positive.  Every stressor in my life basically came to a head tonight and I felt like I had a nervous breakdown...or temper tantrum....but nervous breakdown sounds so much more mature.



That's why I like the term "having the vapors" myself.   

I totally don't blame you.  You were sick on your vacation, bugged a lot from the office and then had lippy relatives.    Loss of electronics is a very effective punishment around here but it still results in the end of the world at times.   

You have to get the app called Lightsaber for your phone.    It's free and basically has no practical application but you never know when you are going to need to whip out your phone and zap somebody who is bugging you with your lightsaber!    You can change colors of the light and the base and it even plays music.  Mostly I like to just wave it around and listen to the cool lightsaber sounds.  

*Kathy,* they are talking about matching shirts on the BL thread.  You should post a pic of your cute tie dye shirts!  

This may not have been a good week to wean myself off of Diet Coke.  I am so darn tired.  I'm still doing caffeine but still feel like zombie woman.  

Hello to the rest of our Princesses and Belles!  

Have a great day, ladies!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, ladies!!

I got cancelled today!!!  Whoo hoo!!  This was the last day I had no camp for ds, so for the next 6 weeks, I won't try to get cancelled, so I'm going to enjoy it.  

Went out for a walk/run this morning, it started to rain, so we drove to the park to do the track, but after 1 mile, it was raining, and thunder was rolling in, so instead of going home, we went to the other track across town, and I did another 2 miles there before the storm hit.  I needed to start the day off right, and hope to keep on the right track.  We're going to go see Zookeeper, and then have lunch at panera, go grocery shopping that I skipped last night and we went to a friends house instead.  

*Lindsay*-I wish you were closer and I'd have you over for lunch and we could leave your boys in the house with michael and ignore them and sit out on the porch with a big bottle of wine.  Hang in there.  This being responsible thing is so draining and exhausting, and especially frustrating when you've taken time off to spend quality time with them, and you end up fighting and screaming at them all day.  Not that I know what that's like.   I hope you have a fabulous day today and the boys let their inner angels out.   

*Maria* -You are such a good person to have your niece and cousins dd over.  I hope all goes smoothly, and the mom gives you a lot more info about the girls preferences and such.  She may not be as sensitive as Rose, and be able to have foods that might be cross contaminated, and that would make it a lot easier.   Rose gave you a great list to start you off.  I was cracking up reading your post, and hope she comes with lots of "support" this year.  If not, maybe Ben will need some of that gluten free beer.  
And what's this talk about shaving?  Say it isn't so.  Love the zoo comment.  

*Lisa*- I forgot to say how excited I am for you going to see Jeff Galloway.  What a great treat for your birthday weekend.  And I love the mikes hard black cherry and berry drinks.  I like my liquor sweet.  They're good, but higher calorie than my favorite cheap wine- Arbor Mist Sangria.  2 liter bottle for 7 bucks.    I am a cheap drunk.  I think you should leave work early today and start the birthday celebrations soon!!  Happy Birthday to Robert!!!

*Rose*-Sorry to hear Tom is having some side effects from the meds, and hopefully he will adjust to them over the summer, and you'll be able to send him back with less worry.   

*Nancy*- Hope you're able to take a nap with ds today.  Early  mornings are so not fun, but even worse when you're pregnant and tired already.  Hang in there.  

Off to make some illegal popcorn to bring to the movies.  

Have a great day!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay*--big, big hugs to you! Shame on your work for bugging you so much. Mike had a week like that when we were at WDW where they had to keep faxing him stuff to sign. He tried to hide it from me after a couple of days cause he knew it was driving me nuts! It was driving him nuts, too, but I'm a little more vocal! 

Did you maybe have a little panic attack last night, I wouldn't blame you if you did? Tom was tough at that age. I remember one time in the McDonald's parking lot he was throwing a temper tantrum about something and Mike had him by the feet and I had him by the arms to put him in the car and he got out the other side! Now it's funny, but at the time I wanted to kill him! Of course he doesn't remember it! I think loss of electronics is a good punishment. It's hard for kids at that age to be off their schedules and while being home for the week sounds fabulous to us, to them it just means no schedule. And with Tom, I know in retrospect, some of it was the adhd. Don't get me wrong, he was a good kid, but he really needed a schedule and order in his life or things got chaotic and ugly. Hang in there. A day a the beach sounds AWESOME to me! We might try to drive down to Charleston when we take Tom back to school just so we can see the water.

*Kathy*--that is some serious perserverance to get that run in!

*Lisa*--I think I missed saying happy birthday to Robert. Did you mention it was his bday this week? And I totally need to get a different phone so I can have it make light sabre noises!

*******
Woohoo, I only had 2 gf beers at the game last night! My eating has been awful, but I did stick to a baked potato with broccoli and beer. I am .6 over maintain but hoping it will be down today or tomorrow. And I slept in until 9:30 today which I think was much needed. We have been burning the candle at both ends. We opened the boxes from his cousin and it was a ton of pictures and some weird stuff from India. Now I need to figure out what to do with it all. Mike is an extreme kind of guy--he will either throw all of it out or keep all of it. I had a little panic attack last night before we went to the game--just a little overwhelmed with everything. I am still getting a stomach ache everytime I eat--leftover from the gluten from Monday I guess. Or maybe just some really bad choices this week.

So I have a question/dilemma. Mike found out today that he is going to get to interview for the jobs in Melbourne. It will start with a screening phone interview and go from there. (We have so much going on right now it's a little crazy!) Anyhow, I work for a non-profit and we are in the process of beginning to beta test new software for our donor database. I am the only person in the office who really understands and uses our current database right now--my boss went in yesterday to try to fix something and made a mess which I now have to try to unsort. She will be the first to say that it's "my database". 

Our employee manual says that once you give notice, you cannot take any personal/ paid time off. When you leave the company you get paid back any unused paid time off (which we receive monthly) but you lose the personal days. I would like to tell them that Mike is starting to interview for this to give them as much heads up as possible, but I don't want it perceived as giving notice. Because it might not be. And we just started our new fiscal year and I lost a ton of time off that didn't roll over and I really would like to use some of the stuff that rolled over. On the other hand, someone else needs to learn to use the database if I am going to leave. I figure even once we know what's going on, I will probably give at least a months notice. Do I just call that good enough??? If I tell them now what might be happening do you think they will call that the day I gave notice? What I am trying to avoid is the conversation "why didn't you tell us Mike was interviewing......". I am probably just overthinking this way too much. Then yesterday I put in for vacation for w&d and my boss was joking and said "you can't take vacation." She was joking, but it was a little weird with everything else that's going on. So what do you think?

Ok, time to get going!

Have a good day!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon,  and  Pals!

I'm home after my half day at work. I had pizza with ds to celebrate the beginning of our staycation. I don't think it's going to really feel like one until we pick up the girls, we have a lot to do to get ready for our guests! 

*Rose* -- I am not an HR expert, but I believe giving notice should be done in writing -- so mentioning it to them shouldn't count for that -- but you never know how people will take things. I think giving them notice when you really are leaving is enough. I think it would be nice if you mentioned that since we are having this new system, it makes a great deal of sense to also train a backup, someone who is able to use it if you are unavailable. For the investment they are making, that is only logical. What happens if you get hit by a bus? Or move to a fabulous new location and find your bliss  You should not be the only one who can use that system! 

At least you know what is in the SIL boxes now. I think it's better than wondering if there's a shrunken head or penile sheath 

The mom said, "Tristan will eat anything. Just make sure she doesn't have any gluten or she will have a total meltdown like a 2 yr. old".  Great, she _will_ eat anything, but she shouldn't! I told dh he has to call his cousin tonight and get the scoop on what she normally eats. I don't know why I didn't think to phrase it that way. Thanks, *Rose*! 

*Kathy* -- I am so impressed you literally drove  to keep your workout going! You are the woman! That is the kind of dedication that will take you far. The shaving has been coming for a year. Puberty did not start late with this one, I think we first started seeing the signs at 11. I told him the activities Dennis and I have tentatively scheduled for them for next week and he didn't balk, so I'd like to think this may go well. Or they could all pout all week. One never knows  I'm glad your child care issues are good to go for the rest of the summer. It is such a worry when you don't know exactly what you're doing with them! I think parts of Zookeeper were filmed at Franklin Park, you'll have to tell us what you think!

*Lisah* -- That poof fairy has to go! We waited for about a year on the shaver for a few reasons. We found one for about $30, and told him if there are issues he has to replace it himself. He's been pretty careful with it so far. Weaning from diet soda is hard work  I am really proud of you for working on it. How is that birthday boy? Any fun stories to tell us about that special day? I bet you're less tired now than you were at the end of that day  The kitties have come to realize we are here to serve them, which is fine. They are so very playful and loving, we really enjoy them. We figured out Spock is a Maine Coon cat, he is a behemoth. It's a good thing he likes 

*Lindsay* -- What a week you have had! It is so disappointing when we have expectations and they just don't quite get met.  And not really getting away from your work, annoying relatives, cranky kids -- of course this is not the week you envisioned! I hope you are having an incredibly fabulous day today, and I know you will be a great coach! So far everyone on this thread (over the various challenges), has been an encouraging, entertaining, and fun coach -- there's a reason I like hanging out with you people! 

*Nancy* -- So, do we have confirmation Bronxbaby is still a boy? Wouldn't that throw you for a loop if he wasn't?! I hope you are having a long, luscious nap 

Still no movement from me on the healthy diet or exercise front. At this point I think I may hold out to go full out until after the kidlets depart. I'll try to do little things right until then, and once my life is my own (Tristan goes back to NH Tuesday, Bethany goes back to FL Sat., Ben goes to CT Sun.), I will feel energized and ready to lose, lose, lose! 

Ben is spending a week in CT as part of a program with our church. Our youth group (and others around NE) are going to a selected town in CT, where they will do minor home repairs and yard work for people who can't do it themselves. In the evenings they do fun games and activities. No electronics or phones allowed. This should be interesting  Actually, it must not be too bad because the kids who went last year had so much fun they wanted to do it again. You have to have completed 7th grade, so this is the first year Ben is eligible. 

We're picking the girls up this Sunday as part of a family meal at a restaurant in NH. It's going to be interesting to see what the mother orders for Tristan. I'll be making notes 

Thanks for not taking me to task for my vent. I realize it is sensitive since the poor child cannot help her issues or what her mother does. I am ill-equipped to serve in loco parentis for her, but I will do my best to make sure all the kids have fun and enjoy being together. 

Just an hour and it will be time for my hair appt. and stop at the Hallmark. You know there's a new VB calling my name 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

thanks Maria. I think I will continue to hold off telling them anything until it is real. They will have folks that know the new database, it's the current one we are using that no one else can use--at least not very well. But you know what, that's the way it is. No point in stirring the pot early. Have fun at Halmark!

Lisa--meant to comment earlier. Woohoo on giving up the diet soda. I fully get how incredibly difficult it is, even if you are still having caffeine. I honestly felt like I was going through withdrawal symptoms. I was edgy and cranky and knew if I just had ONE SODA I would feel calmer. But I honestly think it was the best thing (aside from going g-f) that I have ever done for my healthy. I don't have the horrible carb cravings that I used to have and I just don't feel so chemically contaminated--if that makes sense. Anyhow, I think it's fabulous! You can do it!

I am working on the kitchen--I said I was not going to clean and purge today, but it is helping me to not get to keyed up and feel a little bit in control of things. I've done 4 cabinets. Guess it's time to get back to work.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Thank you all for just listening and being there for me.  You all mean so much to me.

I am happy to report I am feeling much better today.  My kids are being well behaved.  Ryan is back to his old self.  Life is good.

Rose- I agree with maria...I wouldnt really say what is going on in the event that you dont move but I would try to have them get you a back up.  In my office I have 2 people for every important task.  One who is the Guru and a back up that at least can hop in and pick up the task quickly if needed.  So if they dont listen and do that then its on them.  I think if you are planning to give them a months notice that is more than enough.

oh and I definitely agree...I think part of the issue with Ryan is we are now really out of routine.  I though having him off this summer and at different places each week would be good for him but now I am second guessing it.  He is a child that needs a routine....actually I need routine too.  I went bonkers during my maternity leaves.    But I really think you hit the nail on the head.

Maria- I hope you find the perfect bag today.

Lisa- I think I may pick up on your lead and try giving up diet soda again...for the umteenth time.  Great job!!!

Kathy- I wish you were closer too. Have fun on your day off.

Nancy- I hope you are catching some ZZZZZ's.

Well I am heading home in a bit...right now I am relaxing at my parents.  I need to get home to do a load of wash and pack up for our big day at the beach tomorrow.  Its suppose to be great weather.  I am really excited.  

I will post the QOTD tonight on the BL board but will be off most of the day tomorrow...its been awfully quite on the boards during the wkend so I think it will be ok but if anyone wants to hop on in my place feel free.

TTYL Princessy lisabelles..


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm going to stop unwrapping and eating Hershey dark miniatures for just a minute so I can post
> 
> i have to say that hershey dark is pretty much the ONLY candy i DONT like! i will save all the dark ones for you at halloween
> 
> *Nancy* -- I am so glad you are getting your trip!  Tell us all your plans! I know you are going to BLT -- do you do afternoon naps with the little guy and the Bronxbaby? I haven't been keeping track, is there free dining while you'll be there? I know that always makes it harder for me to get ADRs.
> 
> thanks maria, i'm so excited to finally know that we're going - oh and a bonus? plane fares actually went DOWN a couple bucks since last week!
> 
> we are hard core touring people. never go back to take a break. thomas has always just taken little snoozes here and there in his stroller. however, this trip will be a bit different having a toddler and being 30 weeks pg. we may have to try the afternoon nap in the room thing. however, i don't see thomas being very good at that. we'll see! staying at BLT will make it easy to go back and forth to MK
> 
> 
> 
> One more work day and I'm on vacation for a week and a day. Sunday we are picking up my niece12, and dh's cousin's daughter, who is physically 14 but mentally more like 6, and gluten-free unless we want major meltdowns. This is where *Rose* is going to save me! I know next to nothing about gluten, other than not to give her regular beer  We have fruit and veggies for snacks, but our chips are Pringles or Ruffles, and we usually do pancakes for the kids for breakfast. I'm not sure what to give her? We can do eggs and bacon for breakfast. We're probably going to be out and about for lunch, and we can do something grilled for dinner. Should we just avoid all bread and cake products? Ice cream is good, right? I don't want to keep her from anything, but her mother has warned us if she has any gluten at all she will have a fit  Is candy ok? Gum and gummy things are out because they all have braces.  I know I should probably actually research this, but honestly, I figured I'd get better information asking someone who really knows  We're only keeping her until Tuesday night, so it really isn't that long. The gluten free is only the icing on the cake (ok, I know this is going to sound wrong, and I don't mean to lack compassion, it's just her mother tells us how easy she is, and I don't see it -- perhaps because I can't just meet her needs, I have to consider the other kids). Her speech is difficult to understand. She really can't read, she doesn't do anything with height or water, and she's afraid of a lot. She doesn't watch tv or movies or play wii games. She can't make things with playdoh or clay, she can't copy or create in that way. As the kids have gotten older, it's been really hard to come up with things they can all do together. Ben and Bethany are really good about including her and helping her, but I can tell it's frustrating for them -- I actually think it's good for them to see they are lucky not to have her issues, and to learn that she can function as long as they provide support. That said, she'd be happy going to StoryLand, and the other two would be bored beyond tears. I know people with kids in different age ranges go through this all the time, it's just new to me. Like I said, when they were younger it was pretty easy to entertain them all together.
> 
> *ugh*
> 
> It also makes the other kids crazy because she's been constantly texting them that she's going to high school next year and their not. Well, she is, but she's not taking the standard curriculum. They are good kids and they do understand, they just get frustrated with her sometimes because she acts so young. She plays with baby dolls and doesn't share any interests with the other kids. I think it's hard to get the disconnect since she looks older than they are.
> 
> *UGH!*
> 
> 
> Have I rambled enough about this? Ok, one more thing. The ladies in dh's family tend to be well-endowed. When I saw her at Christmas, she seemed to be carrying on the tradition -- but not wearing a bra because her mother won't make her wear one if she doesn't want to. Ben is embarrassed to be around her with them flapping in the wind, and I don't blame him. We want him to treat her like he does his other cousins, but I get that he doesn't want to hug a girl who's girls are just sitting out there. I am really hoping her mother has changed that view or she's changed her mind and she's contained. If they want her to go to high school and function in a normal setting, they should give her all the tools she needs. Proper undergarments are one of those tools! I know, I don't know the battles her mom fights on a daily basis, and that one just might be too hard -- I just think nothing good can come of not shoring things up...
> 
> Oh, the mother also makes me crazy because she refuses to vaccinate (at all), and likes to tell me I torture my child needlessly by requiring shots, and I'm lucky he's not autistic since we get every shot his pediatrician recommends. I don't even want to go there, but really, I don't give her grief because she's letting disease run rampant...
> 
> So, that's my challenge for next week. We plan to take the kids on a trolley tour of Boston Monday, and see what we can come up with for Tuesday. We're saving the water, height and adventure activities for later in the week.
> 
> Ok, it must be someone else's turn to complain, I am just full of it today...
> 
> Maria



did i mention UGH!!?? you are doing the right thing by having her come stay with you but i can really see how very difficult it will be. 

oh and the no vaccination thing? so annoying! a bunch of know-it-all hoity toities in westchester who read one article by jenny mcarthy and then decided not to vaccinate their kids caused an outbreak over the winter in MUMPS AND MEASLES!!! i mean seriously??? it's really ridiculous. our pediatrician said when we first met her that she vaccinates on time and if we have issues with that then we should find another doctor. i was like, vaccinate away baby! in fact, give him double dose if it means he won't get these diseases!




Rose&Mike said:


> quick gluten tutorial:
> 
> candy--snickers and plain mms are ok. I don't really eat anything else. I think ghiradhelli is ok as well.
> 
> chips--I only eat plain lays. Gluten is often hidden in seasoning and there can be cross contamination if a chip is made at the same plant as a chip with gluten.
> 
> Snyder's has a g-f pretzel that's pretty tasty. Scoops are great and gluten free--but not all tortilla chips are, so we stick with scoops.
> 
> Be careful of pre-shredded cheese. I shred my own, but I read that they can use starch/gluten to keep it from clumping together. I don't know if this is true.
> 
> Lots of fast food restaurants have allergy stuff available online, including McDonalds. Did you know that Big Mac sauce has gluten in it? We eat Moe's when we get takeout--but not their chips. Almost everything except the tortillas and chips are g-f. They have an allergy menu online.
> 
> Nathan's all beef hot dogs are gluten free.
> 
> Places to watch for gluten/cross contamination:
> *stuff sliced at the deli--some lunch meat is supposed to have gluten in it and even if something is gluten free there can be cross contamination. Boar's Head is supposed to be all g-f. Again, I don't eat lunch meat, so this might be worth googling.
> *Soups/Dips/Sauces
> *anything with soy sauce in it--some soy sauce has gluten in it.
> *anything that may be made at a factory where they make stuff with gluten in it. Example: I don't think any godiva chocolate is g-f anymore because they are now making one with gluten in it.
> *same goes for ice cream. Turkey Hill and Breyers seem to do a good job with listing allergens on the back.
> *anything fried is pretty much a no go at restaurants due to cross contamination.
> 
> Udi's makes a resonable bread that you can find at Whole Foods and some grocery stores. Again you have to watch for cross contamination from stuff like peanut butter and mayo. Most of our condiments are squirt now because it decreases the chance of cross contamination. I have my own pb and jelly.
> 
> Bisquick makes a g-f mix that tastes ok that you can probably make pancakes with--I made biscuits. There are also pancake mixes. It's all ridiculously expensive but tastes ok. Watch for cross contamination on the butter.
> 
> I don't know much about meat, cause the only thing I eat is the occasional hot dog.
> 
> Products are supposed to list allergens on the back, but just because something says is does not contain gluten, does not mean necessarily that it is certified gluten free. I still read ingredients and if I think there is a chance of cross contamination, I just avoid it.
> 
> It's a pita, what a wonderful person to give the Mom a break for a few days.
> 
> Let me know if you have any specific questions.



shoo! rose, no wonder why you are exhausted with eating! one thing seems to be gluten free and then the next isn't. crazy. 



Rose&Mike said:


> Maria--did the Mom not give you any idea about what she eats regularly? Cause I feel like it's a huge thing to just say here she is, don't let her eat gluten!
> for your niece (cousin??? can't remember).
> 
> Don't stress too much about it, maybe the mom can tell you what she regularly eats.



this! if i my child had an allergy, i would send alot not only a list of can and can't eats but i'd also send a package of all the food so that the host wouldn't have to spend any extra money on my child. you can't just be like, "oh don't give her any gluten b/c then she will be crazy." what the heck does that even mean?



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hello Ladies....
> 
> I havent posted much because honestly I hate to be a debbie downer and lately I am just not feeling very positive.  Every stressor in my life basically came to a head tonight and I felt like I had a nervous breakdown...or temper tantrum....but nervous breakdown sounds so much more mature.
> 
> Heres a list of the things that are bothering me: (I am starting with the negatives and will end this post with the positives)
> 
> 1. I havent run in over a week.  I have eaten poorly.  I feel out of control with my eating and I feel like a big fat blob.
> 
> 2. My kids..primarily Ryan have been giving me a run for my money this week.  Can we say Attitude with a capital A.  and at the age of 6...really????
> 
> 3. Even though I had the week off, I have been contacted by the office by phone or email this entire week.  I had to attend a meeting today for our expansion.
> 
> 4. I am doing a half million dollar expansion at my office and my boss moved on to his new job and now I feel like I have no support and am doing it all on my own without an idea of what I am even doing.
> 
> 5.  I am tired of worrying about money and bills that need to be paid.  Why cant I just have enough to go around and plenty leftover to do all the fun stuff too.  (now Im just throwing a pity party)
> 
> Ok I think overall thats it and really it all seems like not that big of a deal when I type it but boy has it been driving me crazy this week.
> 
> Tonight I took the boys to my cousins bball game and while there Ryan was "lipping" off at me.  I warned him that if he talked like that again he would loose his DS.  We got back to my nanas and he started rough housing with my uncle.  I told him numerous times to stop and he kept at it so then I made him sit.  He "lipped" off so I took away his ds.  This started the meltdown and then my aunt made comments about how he is always misbehaving and crying about something.  She never had kids and is my aunt by marriage so that just got to me.  I picked up the kids and left.  by that point every other stressor came to mind and I pretty much cried all the way home.
> 
> Im not sure why I let everything bottle up until I explode like an emotional mess.  I think I need to work on that.
> 
> So sorry I havent posted a whole lot.  I am a day dream believer and my dreams of how nice my week would be with my boys is not playing out.  I think that also upsets and depresses me.
> 
> Anyway I am actually feeling a bit better after my good cry and venting to you all.  So thanks for listening.



aw, lindsay, no wonder why you're stressed! i'm not looking forward to the talking back phase with my kids. i am pretty sure i will go nuts when they do that. you have so much going on. and shame on work for calling you in. it's called vacation people!!

thing is, there's no such thing as a real vacation anymore. when i was working i was glued to my blackberry. i remember having a 9pm conference call with some clients in japan while the fireworks were going off at WDW! i mean, would the world end if i was like, "listen japanman-san, can this wait til monday??"

i hope today went better. maybe being the coach will help get you back on track? i'd like to say it helped me but i didn't work as hard as i probably should have. i'm enjoying your QOTD so far! i'm off to answer it when i finish up here! 



lisah0711 said:


> Good morning Princesses and Belles!
> 
> This is my second try this morning because of a visit from the poof fairy.
> 
> 
> Thanks for the tip, Nancy.    Unfortunately I had the first gen iPhone so no buy back but the AT&T store guy suggested Craigslist.  I have figured out what I will do yet.
> 
> So sorry about Thomas waking up so early this morning.    Can you tell what is waking him up?  Does he have room darkening shades?  Maybe a fan for some white noise 'cause the paper guy comes then?  Heavy, wet diaper?  Teeth?  Or tell DH it's take your son to work day?
> 
> You have to get the app called Lightsaber for your phone.    It's free and basically has no practical application but you never know when you are going to need to whip out your phone and zap somebody who is bugging you with your lightsaber!    You can change colors of the light and the base and it even plays music.  Mostly I like to just wave it around and listen to the cool lightsaber sounds.
> 
> *Kathy,* they are talking about matching shirts on the BL thread.  You should post a pic of your cute tie dye shirts!
> 
> This may not have been a good week to wean myself off of Diet Coke.  I am so darn tired.  I'm still doing caffeine but still feel like zombie woman.
> 
> Hello to the rest of our Princesses and Belles!
> 
> Have a great day, ladies!



that stupid poof fairy. she always visits at the worst times. how about a visit from the "lose-5-lbs-instantly" fairy? that would be nice.

i can't figure out what's waking him. 3:30 is just a crazy time to wake up. even 5am was bad but i'd take that over 3:30. he has room darkening shades that are ok. our houses are so close together that even the dog next door barking could probably wake him. we've had the air on in his room and that provides the white noise. blah. who knows. i wonder if he has nightmares? or 2 year molars coming in? 

i'm going to look into the lightsaber for my phone!! i want one NOW!!

and yes, *kathy* please do share about your tie dyed shirts. i kinda sorta want to match on this trip maybe for one day. but i'm still going back and forth on it. 



mikamah said:


> Good morning, ladies!!
> 
> I got cancelled today!!!  Whoo hoo!!  This was the last day I had no camp for ds, so for the next 6 weeks, I won't try to get cancelled, so I'm going to enjoy it.
> 
> Went out for a walk/run this morning, it started to rain, so we drove to the park to do the track, but after 1 mile, it was raining, and thunder was rolling in, so instead of going home, we went to the other track across town, and I did another 2 miles there before the storm hit.  I needed to start the day off right, and hope to keep on the right track.  We're going to go see Zookeeper, and then have lunch at panera, go grocery shopping that I skipped last night and we went to a friends house instead.
> 
> Off to make some illegal popcorn to bring to the movies.
> 
> Have a great day!!



nice work on the run/walk! not only did you get some in before the storm but you went someplace else to try to beat it out! now THAT is dedication!!! you go!!

and you know how i feel about bringing food into the movie theater! nice work! i tend to bring full lunches! lol! last movie was a delicious bologna and cheese sandwhich, chips, soda and candy. hahaha



Rose&Mike said:


> *******
> Woohoo, I only had 2 gf beers at the game last night! My eating has been awful, but I did stick to a baked potato with broccoli and beer. I am .6 over maintain but hoping it will be down today or tomorrow. And I slept in until 9:30 today which I think was much needed. We have been burning the candle at both ends. We opened the boxes from his cousin and it was a ton of pictures and some weird stuff from India. Now I need to figure out what to do with it all. Mike is an extreme kind of guy--he will either throw all of it out or keep all of it. I had a little panic attack last night before we went to the game--just a little overwhelmed with everything. I am still getting a stomach ache everytime I eat--leftover from the gluten from Monday I guess. Or maybe just some really bad choices this week.
> 
> So I have a question/dilemma. Mike found out today that he is going to get to interview for the jobs in Melbourne. It will start with a screening phone interview and go from there. (We have so much going on right now it's a little crazy!) Anyhow, I work for a non-profit and we are in the process of beginning to beta test new software for our donor database. I am the only person in the office who really understands and uses our current database right now--my boss went in yesterday to try to fix something and made a mess which I now have to try to unsort. She will be the first to say that it's "my database".
> 
> Our employee manual says that once you give notice, you cannot take any personal/ paid time off. When you leave the company you get paid back any unused paid time off (which we receive monthly) but you lose the personal days. I would like to tell them that Mike is starting to interview for this to give them as much heads up as possible, but I don't want it perceived as giving notice. Because it might not be. And we just started our new fiscal year and I lost a ton of time off that didn't roll over and I really would like to use some of the stuff that rolled over. On the other hand, someone else needs to learn to use the database if I am going to leave. I figure even once we know what's going on, I will probably give at least a months notice. Do I just call that good enough??? If I tell them now what might be happening do you think they will call that the day I gave notice? What I am trying to avoid is the conversation "why didn't you tell us Mike was interviewing......". I am probably just overthinking this way too much. Then yesterday I put in for vacation for w&d and my boss was joking and said "you can't take vacation." She was joking, but it was a little weird with everything else that's going on. So what do you think?
> 
> Ok, time to get going!
> 
> Have a good day!



omg that mcdonald's story is both hilarious and horrifying at the same time!! these darn kids! 

i wouldn't stress about the .6 gain. sounds like that's all g-f beer bloat to me! 

i will start this by saying that you don't have to take any of my advice: don't tell work about mike's interviewing. first off, you never know how the interview will work out. who knows, mike might talk to the guy and be like, no way no thanks. i wouldn't give notice until you're ready to give notice. the second work knows that you're not really "in it" they will probably start viewing you as someone out the door even if you're not there yet. 

what you can do is work on a manual or something about how to do that database. that way you can help with the transition of the new person when it comes to that. 

on a side note, isn't it ridiculous how companies will allow only one person to know how to do something?? my last position was head of investor relations at a multi billion dollar asset management firm and i was the only one who knew how to work the client database. i could spit out a report in a few minutes and nobody else knew how to do it! um, duh! so when i was put on bedrest they freaked! i wound up working half of my bedrest until i made the mistake of mentioning it to my OB and he had a cow. 

anyway, i wouldn't mention anything to them at work about mike looking for another job. wait til it gets closer to an offer or a move.

how far is melbourne to disney??? man oh man that would be GREAT!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oh, and thanks for asking - yes, i DID get a little snooze in this afternoon! thank goodness because i really was losing it before nap time.

around 7:30am i got thomas in the stroller for a walk. no run, too humid and too tired. after about a mile he fell asleep (after crying). but 20 min later he woke up and tried to get out of the stroller. as in, screaming like i was killing him and standing up in it! and we were at least 15 min from home. uuuggghhhh. i was walking around maritime college and just ignored some of the workers looking at me like i was torturing my kid. i was so tired that i wound up yelling at him like he was an adult. yeah, like he really understands me telling him that we're a mile from home. 

the rest of the morning passed equally as sucky but finally i made it to noon and thomas slept for 3.5 HOURS! i managed to lay down for a little but of course the stupid dog was being a PITA!!! still, i think i got about 45 min-1 hr. 

it's not even 5 yet and the sky is BLACK! thudner and lightening is starting. so, we're stuck in the house on the couch watching tv. i really hope he sleeps tonight. 

OMG! on the way home we got into my neighborhood and thomas calmed down. decided to take a walk on the trail. it's around the block from our street but the houses are all on this 40 foot bluff that overlooks the manhattan skyline. i wish i lived on the trail! anyway, there's a nice walking path and while on it i stopped to chat with a neighbor. saw another neighbor walking said hello and he didn't look at me. instead he pointed to my feet and said, snake! OMG OMG OMG SNAKE!!!! i must have rolled over it with my jogger b/c it was squirming all over the place. i ran home and didn't even say goodbye to them. i am SO VERY AFRAID of snakes!!! 

EWWWWWWW!!!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

It must be the week for ac problems. We are waiting for someone to come look at ours. And then hopefully we will get to see some of the bb game.

Nancy--snake. yuck! Where are you all going to eat at WDW???? 

******
So, exciting news. Mike got an email this morning from the hiring manager in Melbourne. He spent about 50 minutes talking to him on the phone this afternoon. And he is tenatively scheduled to go to Melbourne on July 29th! I am hoping I will be able to go too. It's Tom's last weekend at home, which I hate, but what can you do. Send lots of pd our way that his work doesn't all of a sudden decide he can't go interview. Tom said I am allowed to be excited as long as I am not catatonic if it doesn't work out. 

And thanks for the idea about putting together something about what I do/how to work the database. It is pretty crazy when only one person in an office really knows how to do something. I think what makes me so uncomfortable is my boss keeps talking about all these changes and what we are going to do, etc. And all I can think is--I might not be here. I am just a peon really, so it shouldn't matter. I think I just worry too much!

Hopefully the ac guy will get here soon!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- I think I would have had a siezure if that was me and there was a snake.  You poor thing.  I am really afraid of any bug/snake/rodent too.  It wasnt the cobra from the bronx zoo??????  Glad thomas got a good nap in...sorry you didnt get as much time but hopefully you get a good night sleep tonight.  

Rose- Horray for the phone call going well and I hope you can take the trip with Mike too.  I have to say it would be hard not to get excited.  My dh would say the same thing Tom did.  I have a tendency to get excited a bit too much and then if it doesnt pan out Im a mess.  I guess he must know you too well huh?  Well I am sending you lots of  and plenty of prayers that it is exactly what the two of you are looking for and that if so it works out.

**********************************************************
Well the car is packed and the kids are in bed.  I have to post on the BL boards and then take a shower and I will be off to bed too.  I am going to try out my new phone tomorrow and post on FB from the beach.  I will catch up with you all on sunday.  Have a great weekend.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

Hope that everyone is enjoying their Saturday!  





mikamah said:


> I got cancelled today!!!  Whoo hoo!!  This was the last day I had no camp for ds, so for the next 6 weeks, I won't try to get cancelled, so I'm going to enjoy it.  *Lisa*- I forgot to say how excited I am for you going to see Jeff Galloway.  What a great treat for your birthday weekend.  And I love the mikes hard black cherry and berry drinks.  I like my liquor sweet.  They're good, but higher calorie than my favorite cheap wine- Arbor Mist Sangria.  2 liter bottle for 7 bucks.    I am a cheap drunk.  I think you should leave work early today and start the birthday celebrations soon!!  Happy Birthday to Robert!!!



Congratulations on getting cancelled!  It's nice to be able to enjoy that last day before all those camps.  I will have to try the Mike's -- I like sweet drinks, too, I've been having mai tais this week.   And driving so you you can get your run in -- that totally rocks!   

Robert says thanks for all the birthday wishes -- he had a great day yesterday.  

*Rose,* congratulations to Mike on getting the interview!  That is so exciting!   I totally agree with the idea that you don't worry about mentioning anything at work until it looks like it is a done deal.  And I have to say that story about McDonald's  but it is funny now.  The crazy things our kids do!   

I totally get what you mean by feeling like you aren't getting a bunch of chemicals in your body when you give up the diet soda.  I think I'm over the hump now.  I really do feel like I'm actually getting the signals my body sends to my brain more, too.  I've put things back that I've taken out to eat a few times now.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> At least you know what is in the SIL boxes now. I think it's better than wondering if there's a shrunken head or penile sheath



  What books have you been reading lately, hmmm? 



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lisah* -- That poof fairy has to go! We waited for about a year on the shaver for a few reasons. We found one for about $30, and told him if there are issues he has to replace it himself. He's been pretty careful with it so far. Weaning from diet soda is hard work  I am really proud of you for working on it. How is that birthday boy? Any fun stories to tell us about that special day? I bet you're less tired now than you were at the end of that day  The kitties have come to realize we are here to serve them, which is fine. They are so very playful and loving, we really enjoy them. We figured out Spock is a Maine Coon cat, he is a behemoth. It's a good thing he likes



Glad that the kitties are doing well.  They should be tired out after all the extra folks around this week.  

Birthday boy had a great time.  We did some shopping so he could spend his birthday loot and got unlimited game time so he was a happy camper.  

Hmm, stories about the day DS was born . . . you mean like having a forceps delivery with nothing but a local because they could never get the epidural started?  That the mother talked to the doctor in her lawyer's voice?  Or having one of the nurses tell us that we were very calm for elderly parents?  Nah, nothing to tell!    It was all worth it and a distant memory now except for the good stuff!  

*Lindsay,* love the picture on Facebook -- glad that you are having a good time at the beach.   

And you can totally kick the diet soda habit, too.  It's a bit tough at first but totally doable and you'll feel alot better.  

*Nancy,* holy cow on the snake thing!    And what the heck is a snake doing in NYC?!? 

Have a great time with Mickey today!  

I'm off to see Jeff Galloway.  I'm going to leave here around 10 am which will get me to Missoula around 1 pm.  Then I'll have time to grab lunch and check out the Expo before running school from 3 pm to 6 pm.  Hoping to get home around 9 pm.  I decided to wear my WISH shirt in case there are any other WISH'ers there.   

Neener, neener poof fairy!


----------



## Rose&Mike

cute facebook pic Lindsay!

Have fun at running school, Lisa!

Uggh--we are going to have to replace our heating/cooling unit. It's about 18 years old, but still. The guy was out last night and again this morning. We are just hoping it makes it until we get a couple estimates to get the new one installed. I guess I will hold off on the new windows for now.

Hope everyone is having a good day! Lindsay, I am so jealous that you are at the beach!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Lovely Ones!

This is a super quick post because I'm supposed to be ready to leave when Dennis and Ben get back from their haircuts 

I just wanted to wish *Lisah* great luck today with the Galloway workshop, I'm sure you will have a wonderful time! And don't be shy about sharing everything you learn  Loved the little details about ds's delivery, I'm going to comment more on that later. I actually watch too much Daily Show, I got the sheath idea from a book review about a WW II mishap with a plane going down in what they thought was a cannibal area, and all the natives wore were those...luckily they thought they were gods, like C3PO and the Ewoks 

What is with the wildlife in the City? Snakes in NYC, Beavers in Boston -- no wonder *Nancy* and I became runners, we have to get away from the vermin!  Have a great time at the "really good zoo"! 

*Lindsay* -- I know you will have so much fun at the ! I can see it from my bedroom window, and it's a 5 minute drive away, but the water is so cold this far north I never go in. I do like walking on the beach in the early morning or at sunset, I need to make it a point to have that happen this week  This week there is a sandsculpting contest, I want to make sure we get over and see the sculptures. They are really elaborate and artists from all over the U.S. and beyond come to participate. 

*Rose* -- I'm giddy just reading your post. Mike would need to lock me in a padded room. I totally understand your optimism! It sounds good so far 

*Kathy* -- I hope you are getting out and enjoying this gorgeous day! My first task will be to go to the Hallmark (yes, I was there yesterday) to drop off my wish list for 500 extra reward points, and so dh can pick out a birthday card for his father. He likes to do it himself. 

I ended up getting a Mandy VB bag in Plum Petals. It is so cute, and my Hallmark friend Lisa gave me what looks like a tiny VB purse, which is actually a mirror with a magnetic closure. It's also in Plum Petals and even has a VB tag sewn on the back. These are the little things that keep me coming back -- that and by dropping off my list, Lisa will pull all the ornaments I want so next weekend when they can sell them I just have to come in and pick them up, rather than get there before their picked over. She's also going to set aside my Oct. debut ones so they never even make it on the floor. It's a symbiotic relationship, and I like it 

I really have to brush my teeth now so I don't scare anyone. Everybody have a fantastic day, and like I said, more comments are coming at some point. 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good afternoon everyone!!

Having a nice weekend, but it does seem to go by too fast.  We saw Zookeeper yesterday and loved it.  It was hilarious, though in the beginning, I thought it wasn't going to be as good as it was.   After the movie, we walked around the mall, and michael decided to buy some posters and redecorate his bedroom.  It could use a paintjob, but I figure if he wants to cover the walls, do it now, and then later we'll paint.  He picked quite an assortment, Wimpy kid, bruins, red sox, and mario brothers.  I'm sure it will be quite the room.  

Last night we went to our friends for dinner and swimming.  They live on the river, and have a dock that the kids jump off.  It's a tidal river, and pretty gross to me, but the kids love it.  Then they clean all the grossness off in the pool.  Last night we watched Fever Pitch, to keep with the baseball theme of ds's life.  Today, our friends 12 yo is in the Jimmy fund tournament, so we went to his game.  It was changed from 1 to 11, so I didn't get my dis time in.  We did play tennis for an hour this morning, and over the past couple years, I've noticed we're really coming along.  For the most part, we stayed in our own court.  lol. 

A friend from work is having a bbq/pool party today, so we'll swing by there shortly for a bit.  It was really nice to have an extra day off this weekend.  Tomorrow I'm doing a 5k that I did last year, and it was really hot, but it's looking nice tomorrow morning, though the email said they had record registartions, so it will be a big race.  Last year there was over 800, and over 100 came in after me.  It was a big deal for me. 

*Rose*- I agree with waiting to tell them at work when you know something definite, and a month is a good long notice, too.  Ugh on the heating/cooling unit.  What a pita.  I hope it's not too painful on the wallet.  That is my big fear the big ticket items.  When I bought my house 7 years ago, the people before me had replaced the boiler, hot water heater, etc, so they were only a few years old, but now that makes them 10.  There is always something with a house, isn't there.   

*Lindsay*- I had to check out the facebook pic.  So cute.  Looks like the perfect beach day too.  Hope you had a blast. 

*Lisa*- I'll definitely take any galloway tips you send my way.  I laughed out loud at your delivery tidbits, and now think I know why Robert is an only child.  Don't worry, I was a geriatric mom too.  Though my delivery was a little smoother than yours sounds.  I'm sure they were thrilled not to be able to get the epidural in a lawyer.   Nice job kicking the diet soda.  

*Maria*- I bet Ben will like zookeeper, just to see the zoo and the sights of boston.  We get all excited when we see something we know in the movies, there's a great scene on the Zakim bridge.  I thought of you as we walked by the hallmark store yesterday and all those vb bags were callling out to me.  I have an old llbean bag that the zipper is going on, and need a new bag, and have been eyeing the vb bags, but there's too many to choose from.  Sounds like you are very close to the hallmark girl.  So funny.  My sister works at Kmart, and she'll always keep an eye out for the hot items at the holidays for us.  Hope the weekend goes smoothly with your houseguests.  

*Nancy*- Sounded like a beatiful place to walk until the snake!  How gross.  Did you ever read the posts about the boy who got bit by a snake in wdw? He ended up fine, but  I mentioned it to michael once, and the past couple trips, we've been walking around the resort, and he gets mad at me because he's scared of snakes and it's all my fault because I told him about it.  Hope that adorable little thomas slept in today.  And I forgot earlier, but I'm soooooo excited for your september trip!!!!!  I love matching shirts, and have done them for all of our trips. 
these are my favorite.  I ended up ordering them, since I figured the time and energy it would take to make the mickey heads, and the fact that they wouldn't come out as nice as these ones, made them well worth the price.  I even did tye dye socks with mickey buttons to match.  The girl I ordered from is on facebook too, and does all sorts of other stuff too.  




I painted some mickey head matching shirt for the kids race day too that are in my facebook album.  I'll have to post them on the regular thread too.  

Thanks for the kind words on the exercise.  I feel like I've got the exercise under control, which is keeping the weight status quo, because it's counteracting the not so in control eating.  One of these days it will all fall into place again.  

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

kathy those shirts are SO CUTE!!! i'm going to show them to DH to gauge how he feels about matching shirts  

i posted this on facebook too but for those that don't have it or don't check, we went to the bronx zoo today for the lego safari. lego part was really cool! we made our way over to the DVC area which was set up like a safari- they are pushing AKV. anyway, i walk over and ask a CM when safari mickey would be there for pictures and she said, "there he is!"






OMG ARE YOU FOR REAL???? i would have been so pissed if i lived anywhere else and drove in to see mickey! we still wound up having a nice morning there until a certain 2 year old decided he wanted to have a meltdown. we made him sit in the stroller and got a ton of lovely looks from the people who i suppose have never seen a child cry before. 

*kathy* - sounds like a fun weekend so far. what did you think of fever pitch? i think i would like it more if i were a red sox fan but it was cute. i don't think they'll be doing any movies of people falling in love over a mets season. lol! 

good luck at the 5k!!! that's your second this summer right?? nice!

*rose* - ugh, owning a house really sucks sometimes doesn't it?? i feel like as soon as one thing is fixed something else breaks. i suppose that might be b/c i have a house that is from before the depression but you know how it is. new heating/cooling unit? ouch. i hope it's not too expensive!!

*maria* i really like vera bradley stuff and i just looked up the design you got - pretty! when i had my shower for thomas i got TWO VB diaper bags! fancy! i wound up selling one on ebay (don't tell aunt fran!) and the other i actually didn't use all that much for diaper bag stuff. i use it more like for an overnight bag or something. i forget what the design is called but it's blue and brown.

*lisa* hope the clinic is going well!!! can't wait to hear about it!

*liesl* how are you?  

*lindsay* i hope the beach is treating you well! did you get kohr's soft serve?? did you play at wonderland? do they still have the water park? i love ocean city! 

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

after nap today we headed over to the beach club for a couple hours. it was HOT! but the tide was coming up which was perfect and thomas really seemed to enjoy the water. only problem is that he kept getting deeper and deeper!  had to reign him in a few times. 

john took thomas's pacifier and put it in his pocket. and then he proceeded to lose said pacifier in the water. i know we need to get rid of it. but i'm not ready. luckily we have a few at home that stay in his crib. of course he's sucking away on one of those right now 

oh, and i ran 5k this morning around maritime college. no stroller. i felt free! i managed to do it in 35 min even which is not fast for me (my pr is 28.5 min) but i'll take it b/c it was really humid out and i'm 20 weeks pg! haha. walked another mile home but DID NOT go on the trail this time. i stayed on my block. 

do any of you guys read trip reports? i read some here and there if i feel like i like the people. haha. sometimes they are pretty good. this one i read last night had a picture of a SNAKE in the WATER at epcot by the baby center/first aid center. OMG *kathy* don't tell michael. i have told john several times that i will $h*t myself if i see a snake in disney. i know it's a matter of time.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Rose,* bummer about the heating/cooling unit.    It's a good selling point for the house and check with your utility provider to see if they will give you a rebate for upgrading to a more efficient unit.  You will also save some energy costs with your new efficient unit and there might be a credit on your tax return, too.  You have to be comfortable this summer!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> I just wanted to wish *Lisah* great luck today with the Galloway workshop, I'm sure you will have a wonderful time! And don't be shy about sharing everything you learn  Loved the little details about ds's delivery, I'm going to comment more on that later. I actually watch too much Daily Show, I got the sheath idea from a book review about a WW II mishap with a plane going down in what they thought was a cannibal area, and all the natives wore were those...luckily they thought they were gods, like C3PO and the Ewoks



Oh, I love John Stewart and Steve Colbert, too!    I will be thinking of you this morning as I make pancakes for DS and being thankful that they are plain, old pancakes (no offense, Rose! )  

I thought that you might be reading some JD Robb "In Death" books because I've read about those sheaths there, too.  Like the Janet Evanovitch books, they are the same theme but different stories.  I've been on a big kick with them this summer.  I'm on the lookout for some really good beach reads for vacation.  It has to be bubble gum for the brain but not too trashy so I don't look bad to the in-laws.    So far I have the new Catherine Coulter.  

I think your new VB bag sound lovely.  Your Hallmark store sounds wonderful.   



mikamah said:


> Having a nice weekend, but it does seem to go by too fast.  We saw Zookeeper yesterday and loved it.  It was hilarious, though in the beginning, I thought it wasn't going to be as good as it was.   After the movie, we walked around the mall, and michael decided to buy some posters and redecorate his bedroom.  It could use a paintjob, but I figure if he wants to cover the walls, do it now, and then later we'll paint.  He picked quite an assortment, Wimpy kid, bruins, red sox, and mario brothers.  I'm sure it will be quite the room.



Good luck with your race today!    Hope it's not too hot.  Can't wait to hear all about it!  

I think Michael's room sounds eclectic and thank goodness these guys aren't into the skimpy clad girl picture thing, yet.   We had to have a sexting talk this week with DS' new phone and that involved a lot of eye rolling and hand waving.  

Yes, the epidural thing caused a bit of an uproar -- they called the chief anesthesiologist out in the middle of the night.  Both DH and I were very nice to everyone because we get much better care that way and they were doing the best they could.  Luckily my old-fashioned OB who had just returned from vacation came in and took care of everything.  He was the one I used my lawyer voice on -- something to the effect of "get this baby out of here now!" because I had fibroids and it felt like DS was taking a souvenir with him.    It all turned out fine and I had a wonderful baby boy, who is now taller than me.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> i posted this on facebook too but for those that don't have it or don't check, we went to the bronx zoo today for the lego safari. lego part was really cool! we made our way over to the DVC area which was set up like a safari- they are pushing AKV. anyway, i walk over and ask a CM when safari mickey would be there for pictures and she said, "there he is!"



WTH?!? Flat Mickey?  That would be a pisser if you had come from far away.  Sounds like the Legos were neat.  I will have to check them out as DS was a big Lego guy but it moving away from that now.  

I had a great time at Galloway Running School yesterday.  I'm glad that I left early because I forgot that Missoula is on MST and so it actually started an hour earlier to me.  It was fine and I had time once I got there to look around before it started.  

There were about 15 people there so it was very individualized.  He genuinely appreciated that I was driving from 180 miles away just to come to running school.  And that was before he heard my tale of woe of being swept at the Princess.  Right off the bat he told me a few things that I should do and then at the break we spent quite a bit of time talking about Disney races.  I'll do a separate post later of all the things I learned.  And, of couse, I did get a picture.






It was so enjoyable that I didn't really mind the drive and wasn't too tired when I got home, although apparently the boys really missed me, so I will give them some extra attention today.  

Have a wonderful day ladies!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisa- Im glad you had such a great time at running school.  That is so cool you got to spend time talking with him.  I cant wait to hear all of what you learned.

Maria- woohoo for the new purses...that is quite a relationship with the hallmark store you have.  Whether the water is cold or not that is awesome that you can see the beach out your window.  You should definitely make it a once a week thing to walk on the beach...that is quite a stress reliever for me anyway.

Rose- Sorry about the A/C.  I hope it hangs in there until you can find a decent quote and company to do the work.

Kathy- your day yesterday sounded like so much fun.  I agree the weekends go way to fast.  I loved the fever pitch movie.

Nancy- I cant believe the misadvertisement of mickey yesterday.  Sounds like you all are having a nice weekend too.  

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

Yesterday was my first trip to Ocean City, NJ.  I really loved it.  It was similar to all the other Jersey shore points but it had a really nice family atmosphere.  Even at night on the boardwalk it was mostly families or older adults vs. those nutty teenagers.  

It was beautiful weather.  We had such a great time.  Ryan and nick surprised me at how much they loved the ocean.  Its been 2years since we have gone so I wasnt sure how they would be.  Ryan was in up to his shoulders which gave me panic attacks but I stayed right by his side and as it got high I would hold his hand.  Nick told us before going that he wasnt going in because sharks are in there but he didnt mention any of that and was in up to his waist.  Right as we got there we saw dolphins swimming not to far out from shore.  That was so cool.  I basically had to drag them out of the ocean when it was time to get off the beach.  They really didnt even play much in the sand.

We then went back to my MIL hotel and swam in the pool.  At that point the adults were already beat... the kids not so much...they were ready for the boardwalk.

We ended up walking the boardwalk to 1015pm.  The boys choose to spend their money on hermit crabs...lucky me.  We got home about 1am.  We hit a little traffic in philly but otherwise it was a smooth ride.  I am still exhausted this morning but it was a wonderful day.

To recap some things we tried and to answer Nancys???:

We ate dinner at Mack and Mancos its an award winning pizza place and was shown on some of the Food Network shows.  There was constantly a line out the door.  I had 2 slices and it was very good.  

I did not get kohrs custard but everyone else did...go me!

I did have a bite or two of fudge samples along the boardwalk.

I also had chickie and pete's crab fries....this is a philly thing.  They are seasoned(crab bay) crinkly fries and you did them in a cup of melted american cheese.  Not such a good choice but I only ate a handful and handed it off to my FIL.

We went to Wonderlands and the kids did some rides.  The price of those ride tickets really amazes me. 2-4$ per ride per kid.  

A funny moment from the morning was as we were walking on the boardwalk my in laws got fries and my fil was talking to us and holding a fry in his hand as he was moving it to talk.  A seagul came flying by and stole it right out of his hand.  We were cracking up. The seagulls are a bit scary.

Anyway thats the recap to my day.  It was alot to do in one day but we loved it.  Now tomorrow its back to work for me.


----------



## Rose&Mike

We ran 8 miles this morning. I am icing, and then it's back to cleaning out the house. Mike helped with some stuff yesterday and I think he has a new appreciation about all I've been doing.

Kathy--hope the race went well!!!

Lindsay--I loved reading about your day at the beach. What a perfect day! And seagulls scare me. People feed them at BWV which makes it hard to eat outside cause they expect everyone to feed them.

Nancy--I would have been so not happy about the 2d mickey! Glad it was fun and good job on the 5k!

Lisa--glad the running school was fun! Can't wait to hear about it!

******
Mike thinks the guy did not tighten something back up Friday night and the freon leaked out cause he could not actually find the leak. (Which of course made me feel guilty--global warming and all.) It seems to be working ok today and he did not charge us for Saturday's trip. They did take apart the unit yesterday in the house and it is a huge rusty nasty mess, so we are just going to go ahead and replace it. It will be a good selling point for the house and I don't want to be 900 miles away and have something break. We're going to offer a credit at closing if someone wants new windows--we have some cracked seals. Our real estate agent is going to come over Wednesday just to look around and tell us what we need to do. Mike told her we would show it early if someone comes along who is really, really interested, but otherwise we won't list it until he has a job offer--since it still might not work out. But this way, we can get done what she needs us to do and get it on the market as soon as possible. We have a pool and it will show so much better in the summer than the winter. And our backyard is really landscaped and will get messy quickly if no one is living here.

So that's all that's new with me. 

Have a great day!

Oh--Taryn, you should be getting home soon. Hope you had a super trip!


----------



## mikamah

Just a quick hello because it took me 15 min to check facebook and read back here, and I told michael to tell me when it was 2 oclock and I would get off the computer then.  He's yelled at me about 5 times to get off now, so I told him I did to shut him up.   Hope I don't get caught.  

The race was really fun today.  It's a 5k that we did last year, Take the Lake, and my friend from work and her niece did it too, and my friend Karen who I run with.  So we met a lot of people that we knew or had met before.  This was the race last year as I crossed the finishline, two guys were cheering for me, and I thought it was for the woman before me, but they were friends of Karen.  So they cheered me on again.  One of them is doing their the Providence Rock and Roll half as his first half.  The other didn't do the training, so he backed out.  I also ran into a guy I knew years ago from country dancing.  I asked where he went these days, and he goes to manchester new hampshire to dance.  Too far for me.  

My time was a minute slower than last month, but it was hot and sunny, and I didn't push as hard as I could have.  I was talking to a woman along the way who was 76 yo.  She was so inspiring to me, and with my run/walk, I would go back and forth with her, but she seemd to have a slow and steady pace going for her.  She said, "I'm 76, and I just do what I can do."  I said I'm 47, and that's all I can do too.  She laughed and said she had 30 years on me, and I told her how inspired I was by her.  I thought of my mom after talking to her, and how their 2 lifestyles were so diffferent, and hope I am more like this woman as I get older.  

The other thing I thought about a lot was my eating.  My work friend is 60, ans she was about 2 minutes ahead of me, and I am so happy for her, but was just thinking she's only been running for 2 months, and doing great, but here I am running for 18 months, and at a slower pace than I'd like.  She says I am her inspiration to run, and I look at her, and she is an inspiration to me for healthy eating.  She is an overeaters anonymous member, and lost 60 pounds a 5ish years ago, and looks amazing, and is always so strong when there is junk at work.  Never touches it.  I know sugar is an addiction for me, and I need not to buy it, but the OA thought is because it's an addiction, you can't have any processed sugars.  I think I'm going to try and stay away from processed foods, and especially processed sugars.  Mary can't have any item where sugar is the 5th ingredient or higher.  I think I'll start there, and try to heat more healthy, natural foods.  

Guess I did a bit of instrospection during the race today. 

Your day at the beach sounded perfect,* Lindsay*.  I just love summer. 

*Lisa*- Love the pic of you and Jeff Galloway, and can't wait to hear all about it.  Enjoy your day with the boys. 

*Nancy*- I hope your dh will do the matching shirt thing.  Our first trip, we bought shirts for the girls and kids, and then added more for the men after initially thinking they wouldn't want to be included, and they really did get into it.  

*Rose*-Nice job on 8 miles!!   Hope the knee is feeling good. 

Hello, *Maria, Liesel, and Taryn.* 

 And I'm 20 min past my allotted computer limit.  But I think I can get off now and not get caught. 

Have a great evening!!  Camp starts tomorrow, so I want to make a big fruit salad, and I bought some cheezits for ds and put them all in snack bags, so packing his lunch will be easier, and I will stay away from them.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

rose- I think its great you are doing the walk through and seeing what should be done.  Even if this job falls through it sounds like you still may want to move at some point so its better to do things now then to rush when the moment arises.  Glad mike got an appreciation for the hard work you were putting in.

kathy- Great job at the race.  The hot sun does make all the difference.  Isnt it amazing how much we analyze while running.  Interesting what you said about your friend and OA.  I didnt realize there was such a group.  I definitely could be part of that.  I think I need to start treating my eating of fast food as an addiction.  It makes sense...if I was addicted to drugs I would just do a little each day...I would stop.  Right???  I think I will start tomorrow. Of course I will have to make a list and note what qualifies as fast food.  I think its safe to say anything with a drive thru right.  That would exclude subway...I cant give up subway!

Well I did not get much rest today.  I have no idea where my boys get all of their energy.  Of course dh took a 3 hr nap....and he wonders why I am moody when he gets up.

It will need to be an early night tonight.  ugh its back to work tomorrow.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Forgive me  and 

I'm just going to focus on chatting with you, rather than responding. It's late, I'm tired, and I have to get this out or I won't sleep well...

Ok, so we went to pick up the girls and there weren't any problems with that. I did have a revelation at lunch. You would think I would have figured this out but...I mentioned before that Tristan can't really read. In my mind this was books, but it turns out she can't really read a menu...she literally asked her father what she could have, and he read off the menu things that were gluten-free. This means that at least for lunch tomorrow and Tues. when we'll be out, I'm going to have to pick things that are gluten-free and then ask her to choose -- plus I have no idea where we'll be at lunch time each day, we were just going to wing it...wish me !

So, we brought them home. It's about an hour drive, and all three kids were listening to their ipods. Ben and Bethany had their headphones on. Tristan apparently doesn't have any, so we had to hear every song she chose. This got old really quick for me, but I dealt with it. 

We fed them dinner, and I offered to cut up Tristan's gluten free hot dog, or give her a knife to cut it. She flat out refused, and insisted on putting the whole thing on a fork and eating it from both ends. I know this is little and shouldn't bother me, but I would never let Ben do it, and he kept looking at me, waiting for me to correct her....and of course I couldn't! She also informed me all chips are gluten free -- she clearly wanted to eat them. Um no, but all the ones I put out were  It's an interesting tactic, I just hope her ability to fabricate doesn't go beyond my knowledge of gluten, because otherwise this might not be pretty 

But wait, there's more...the last time Tristan visited (ok, this is probably TMI), TOM was visiting her. So she told Dennis and asked him to put towels on every sitting surface.  I've never heard of doing this for people, but we did it to make her happy. Anyway, Dennis was standing talking to the girls and a commercial for feminine products came on the tv. Tristan turned to Bethany and asked her if she had her TOM yet, and kept wanting to talk about it. Bethany turned about 12 shades of red, and Dennis excused himself. Then later Bethany came to Dennis and apologized because Tristan embarrassed him. Can I just say Bethany is an absolute gem?! I am just so grateful Ben wasn't standing there, because I think he would have turned inside out from embarrassment. That is the gist of the problem with conversing with Tristan, she doesn't have any sort of polite filter, and whatever she thinks comes out of her mouth. 

In addition to not coming with any gluten free food or much directions ("Don't give her bread or chocolate"), she also came without any toiletries. ANY. As in I was scrambling in my linen closet for a new toothbrush, etc. This kid has braces -- how on earth did her mom think she was going to function without a toothbrush?! I'm just glad I bought a multi-pack of deodorant last week  so I had one to give her 

Tomorrow we are doing a trolley tour of Boston. Dennis informed me late yesterday that he has to go to a meeting at 1 for work. So that means either we're done with the tour before he leaves, or he leaves us in progress and either way I have to shepherd the kids home and deal with feeding them. This would not stress me normally, but I am terrified I'm going to "poison" Tristan with gluten! It's going to be a long day tomorrow...

Quickly --

*Nancy* -- Cardboard Mickey is a total ripoff! I would have been seriously mad if I made any effort to see that!  I just starting reading your TR -- I needed to do something to take me to my happy place. Breastfeeding at WDW now sounds preferable to the next 2 days 

*Lisah* -- I have a feeling you got some fabulous advice at the workshop, I can't wait for you to share!  By the way, I can see you've lost weight in the photo with Jeff Galloway. You are doing it, Lisahbelle!

*Lindsay* -- I hope the return to work isn't too painful, and you have some great  memories to get you through!

*Kathy* -- I'm so impressed you ran in the heat! You totally  I love those tie dye shirts! And did you spit your niece out of your mouth? She totally looks like a Mini Me! 

*Rose* -- So sorry about replacing the ac! Our window unit was way more than I thought, I cannot imagine for an entire house!  It will help to sell it. Our house had a brand new boiler and oil burner when we bought it and it made us feel more confident as buyers. After 2 meals with this kid, I cannot imagine the mental gymnastics you do to eat out at all.  No wonder you were living on beet salad! 

I'm  to *Taryn and Lisa!*

Everyone have a fabulous night and a fantastic tomorrow!

Maria


----------



## flipflopmom

Hey ladies!  We got in at 3am.... long night of driving.  Great trip, I'm still processing, more on that later.  Definitely had highlights and lowpoints.. but I'm hoping it's like giving birth and I forget the lowpoints.   I have a lot of reading and writing to do for an assignment in the next 36 hours, so I might not check in until after that, but did want to say we made it home safely!  TTYL!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy* nice job on the race! yeah, ok, a minute later could possibly be a little frustrating but HELLO! it was july 10th! it wasn't like you were running in the middle of october! that kind of heat would slow anybody down! 

i always wondered about overeaters anonymous. what does it mean to be an overeater? i mean, couldn't really anyone say they are? our church has a meeting of OA and sometimes i really think about going. especially nights like last night where i find myself elbow deep in the peanut butter jar after having eaten loads of food prior. and i'm not talking about doing it because i'm preggo. i do that...alot 

but can i live my life treating sugar as an addiction and never have ANY like an alcoholic treats booze? i don't think so. i do wish i could get some control though. 

*rose* nice work on the 8 miles! i can't wait to start training again. i'm only doing short jogs and walks but it's all i can handle now. looking forward to reporting higher mileages in about 6-7 months. 

when is mike's next interview? another phone one? and this is for the melborne one too, right? not that you don't already know but google maps tells me melborne is an hour and a half to lake buena vista - um...awesome!!!

*taryn* can't wait to hear about your trip!!! 

*lisa* how cute is that pic of you and mr. galloway! when i heard him speak at the princess expo i got the impression that he's a genuinely nice guy. seems like he was just the same at your running school! it was great that he took the time to chat one on one with you. i'm really interested in hearing what else he had to say!

*maria* oh maria maria maria...tristan sounds...miserable. i'm sorry, that's horrible to say but you are truly a saint for dealing with her. now, i can't remember - but WHY exactly is she staying with you? i'd avoid that again like the plague. omg the TOM stuff? the poor kid, she just has no social skills whatsoever! and it sounds like her mother doesn't either. if i were you i would call the mother and 1) request a list of what exactly she can and can't have and tell her that "no bread or chocolate" is not acceptable and 2) remind her that she didn't pack anything for that child! that's BS! 

*****

well, i posted a play-by-play of our day yesterday on the other thread so i won't post it again but suffice to say we had a really nice day yesterday. a total impromptu trip downtown! we were a little unprepared since we originally had just thought we were going to the diner for breakfast and wound up just parking outside the train and hopping on! but it was fun anyway! we walked a TON. and yet, i'm still up 2lbs. that's how much i overeat. oh well. 

thomas took his first subway ride AND first express bus ride yesterday. he was so excited about the subway but then got bored before we even were out of the bronx. of course he managed to stare directly at the semi-scary folks that got on in the south bronx. lol! you know, the people you just don't make eye contact with. he was blowing kisses at them. ah, kids.

it's 7:37am right now and it's already 78 degrees and the humidity is killer. i really want to get in a walk but i'm so not feeling it today. but i feel like if i don't get out it'll be a bad start to the week. might as well get it in before it gets up to 90 today!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA!!! Have a WONDERFUL DAY!!!! 

7-11 - what a great birthday date! very lucky!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Happy Birthday Lisa!!!!!* 

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Maria---Hang in there. I think you are doing such a nice thing by having Tristan for a few days. And Ben and your niece will learn by having her there as well when they see how patient you and Dennis are when dealing with it all. I wouldn't be thrilled that he is leaving today at 1:00 either. And I'm thinking she can't be as sensitive to gluten as some people are or surely her parents would show more concern.

Lindsay--good luck with the fast food. I think you might find that if you give it up even for a short period of time, it will start to taste kind of yucky. I used to love mcd's biscuits, but even before I gave up gluten, I was kind of over them. Just didn't taste good anymore.

Hi to everyone else!

*******
We spent the entire day yesterday working on the house. I'm only jumping on now cause I had to paint my disgusting toenails in order to wear sandals to work today and I need them to dry! We have lived here since 94, and we really needed to get rid of some stuff! It's starting to feel more under control. It's funny, cause when I go back into rooms now I see stuff that I will probably still get rid of. It just took getting started, I guess. I am starting to enjoy the less cluttered look!

And I have decided I need to kick it into gear with the weight. I have been sitting at the very top of my maintain pretty much since we got back from Disney. I'm making too many questionable choices and I need to kick it back into gear and get back into some healthy choices. 

Ok, out of time. I hope everyone has a fabulous day!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Happy Birthday Lisa I hope you have a wonderful day!!!!

Maria- Im so sorry for the headache tristan is causing.  You truly are a saint for taking on a child with those difficulties.  I cant remember if you said something specific is wrong with her but Im guessing there is.  Im sure this would be a tad bit easier if the mom was better prepared with a list of things for her to eat, and a good supply of all she needs.  Hang in there.

Nancy- Your day sounded like so much fun yesterday.  I love impromtu trips.  I hope you find a way to stay cool today.  Its going to be a hot one.  

Taryn- Hi there lady!!!! Glad you made it home safe and thanks for checking in.  We will be anxiously awaiting for your return so we can hear all about your trip.

Rose- I like less cluttered too.  You wouldnt know it by looking at my house though. and we have only been here since 2006.  Have a great day at work today!

Hello Kathy and liesel and anyone else who may be reading.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Happy Birthday, Lisa! 

Ok, that last one was for me 

I hope this day is full of pure, unadulterated joy for you! 

I have to run since we're taking the subway in to get on a trolley -- just wanted to say thank you so much for the support. It is so nice to have a place where I can whine without feeling like I'm a bad person...

In old school terms Tristan would be MR, I think now they call it DS? I'm not even sure what the S stands for, but the D is developmental. Her mother is expecting that when she's 18 she'll be able to get services from the Department of Developmental Services (but surely that can't be the same "S"?) I still don't know exactly how this day is going to shake out, but I'm hoping *Rose* is right -- surely she must be able to tolerate a little gluten, or they would have been more specific? 

I have her because my niece is visiting, and there were going to be a lot of hurt feelings if we didn't invite her for at least a few days. I get the feeling they actually wanted us to take her for the entire week, but I am not up for that. I think the mom realizes that and resents it a little. Tough nuggies. I don't see her offering to take my kid for even 2 days, and he's a heck of a lot easier to deal with...

Ok, gotta move or dh will have his own meltdown 

Have a great day ladies, and  Back, *Taryn!*

Maria


----------



## mikamah

*Happy Birthday, Princess Lisabelle!!!  Hope you have a fabulous day!!!*

Short on time yet again.  First day of summer camp, and ds is excited, but with our busy fourth of july weekend, we've thrown things to get them out of the way and then had to search for things like his waterbottle in his baseball bag in the cellar, and his epipen and benadryl safely hidden on top of the fridge.  Duh.  I know I should have done it all last night.  

*Maria*-Huge hugs and plenty of pixie dust coming your way for your week ahead.  Hope your fridge is full of mikes hard drinks.  Sounds like you'll need them. 

Hello to everyone else.  Gotta run!!  Have a fabulous day!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

Thank you all so much for all the birthday wishes!    I really can't tell you enough how much you all mean to me!  

*Lindsay,* so glad that you had a fabulous time at the beach!  And I think you did well with the eating -- taking tastes and moving on.  

And, I agree with you, *Rose,* those WDW are scary!    Nice job on the 8 miles, too! 

*Kathy,* great job on your race yesterday!    One little minute in the heat and humidity is nothing to feel bad about.  How fun that you got to see some folks that you know and had your own cheering section!  

*Nancy,* so glad that you had a good day in the big city yesterday.    Looks like Thomas had a great time! 

*Maria,* I will be thinking of you today and sending good thoughts your way.    You are very kind to Tristan and it sounds like her mother doesn't really do anything to make it any easier for you except to paint a horrible picture if you don't intuitively get what you are supposed to do.    If she thinks she can get her services when she is an adult why isn't she getting her services now?   Ugh!

*Taryn,* welcome home!  Glad that you had a good time and can't wait to hear all about it!   

So, I'm going to share some of the things I learned at Galloway Running School on Saturday.  There was a ton of information.  He stood up there and talked for 3 hours without any notes or anything but you could tell that there was a plan to it.  He really was nice and wants to help everyone.  

The overall theme is that you should be happy when you run -- enjoy yourself, be pain free, and not feeling like you are going to die.  Then he spent a long time talking about the brain and how the subconscious reflex brain -- the one that regulates your breath and heartrate, stuff you don't have to think about -- send messages to get you to stop doing things that are stressful and how you have to get control of the reflex brain through the conscious brain.  There is a lot of chemistry and hormonal soup in your brain, especially when you are running.

Next he talked about endurance is the key to being a successful long distance runner.  If you've seen his newer training plans on the RunDisney site you will see that he now wants you to go to 17 miles on your long run for a half if you are training for time.    You will continue to gain time in your half if you train between 14 and 17 miles as your longest run is 3 weeks before race day.  Over 17 miles and you will start to lose time.  That was one of my issues I think that I never went over 10 miles in my training.  

He then talked about the Magic Mile (MM) and the ratios for the various paces and explained how to use the MM to predict your race pace as well as determine the pace for your long runs.  The training pace for your long runs should be 1.2 x MM plus 2 min/mile.  So if your MM was 14 minute mile, your long run training pace would be 18.8 (1.2 x 14) plus 2 minutes -- so you don't have to worry about being slow for your long runs.  In addition you add 30 seconds for each 5 degrees the temperature is over 55 degrees -- if it's 65, that's another minute.  All the various ratios and times can be cut in half.  They are in his books and also on his site as well as RunDisney's.  

For your short runs, one run should be with the cadence and acceleration (glider) drills, plus your regular short run.  The RunDisney site has the best videos on how to do those.  And the other run each week should be a race rehersal of 2 to 4 miles playing around with the ratios -- for example see how a 30/30 does compared to a 1/1, etc but making sure that you are used to what you have to do for that race pace.   Concentrate on having a short stride, keeping your feet low to the ground and a light touch.  

The good news is that once you are through your race you will keep your conditioning for up to 4 weeks.  You can maintain the race conditioning by doing one long run (17 miles for the 1/2) every three weeks, alternating with MM and race rehersals for long runs and continuing to work on the drills during the short runs.  Or doing one long run of 10 miles every other week.  

Then we spent a lot of time on nutrition and fat burning.  He recommends the book "The End of Overeating."  Maybe it's Pamela who has read it?  I will have to check it out.  The key to fat burning is walking adding more steps or activity to your day and making sure that you have a calorie deficit.  So he recommends a pedometer and doing those 10,000 steps a day.  He also is big on journaling.  He said studies show that people will eat less if they write everything down even if they never look at what they wrote down again. There are alot of studies that back up the journaling thing -- I know that is one thing that I have to faithfully do because I am a bit sloppy with it.

There was a discussion about mental training and different things you can do to trick your brain into getting you through a wall or an ache or pain.  This was very similar to what is in his book on running.  He has a whole book on mental training for races now.  But amazingly there were no books for sale anywhere at the Expo or at the school and no big plugs for any of them.  

It was a great experience and I'm glad that I did it.  We also get priority email access so we can email him any time that we have a question during our training.  

Tonight I am going to an introduction on a training class through my local running store that would take me through my half in September.  Now I am torn whether to do that just go with the Galloway on my own.    I'll have to see how much leeway they give us to do our own pace on this deal -- I like the local because it's two short runs on T/Th night and one long run Saturday morning so you'd have to show!  

Have a great day!  

PS Aww, isn't that nice even the poof fairy tried to visit me on my birthday!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisa* thank you for sharing this information. it sounds like you learned a great deal.

the thing that stands out the most for me is how you shouldn't feel like you're going to die when you run. ok, i don't _always_ feel that way but pretty much at least once during every run (even short ones) i think to myself "i want to die" and then add a bunch of expletives to the end of that though. 

i have never done any tempo or different speeds or anything like that on my runs. basically i have one speed and that is whatever speed it takes me to get to the end of my run. 

i'm interested in the end of overeating book. i wonder if it's available online as an e-book? i'm going to check the library for that. 

thanks again for all the info! i'm going to go back and read it again


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok i've been thinking more about what jeff galloway has to say...17 miles before a half marathon??? i'm not saying he's wrong but i'm saying he's crazy!!!  lol! kidding! wow! 17! 

i have just been wasting time on the DIS reading trip reports from people who ran the WDW marathon and i thought, wow, if mr. galloway wants you to run 17 miles before a half marathon, i wonder what he'd like you to run before a full? i kinda sorta followed the hal hidgon plan and my longest run was only 10 miles. i was under the impression that 10 was ok because your training/adrenaline would get you the rest of the way. really interesting stuff!

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

registration is open for the princess 2012 - who is running it?? maria? rose? i really wish i could do it. by then the baby will be 3 months-ish and too young for me to leave for a weekend. and by that i mean too young for me to leave DH alone with two kids for a weekend! lol! 

i think the hershey half will be my next big race - oct 2012. i'm thinking it would be a fun meet-up for us gals...whatcha think?


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi ladies,

Maria I hope your day isnt too crazy with the kids.  

Lisa- thanks for all that great advice.  I will need to refer back to that a few times.

Nancy- I think I definitely can make hershey 2012 work.   That race seems like it would be alot of fun and a great weekend away for the family.  I got deeply saddened when I saw the email for the princess....I would love to be there but financially I have to be responsible and defer.

Oh its been nuts back at work.  I really dont have the time to be on here but I needed a quick break.  I have been working non stop since I got here.  I havent eaten lunch.  I did have a piece of banana bread though.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--I really think you should look at some of the run/walk intervals. I'm not talking the short ones, but like yesterday we did run 5 walk 45 sec. There was a short time around mile 6 when I was tired, but for the most part it was pretty pleasant. And I was running right around a 9:00 minute mile for the last mile. Our overall time for 8 was an average pace of 10:30. (Remember this was a long training run, so we were supposed to be going slow.) The point being that even after 7 miles, with the breaks and the so so training this spring, I was able to pull out a fast last mile. Mentally, it's a big shift, but I don't think I would be running right now if I hadn't switched at least for now. This is much easier on my itband and my lungs! And I am a huge believer in running at least 13 miles before a half. If you are young (20s or early 30s) maybe the race day adrenaline will get you through those last 3, but I feel like for us older folks, there is a greater risk of injury/issues if your body is not ready for those last 3 miles. Anyhow, just my 2 cents.

*Lisa*--sounds like it was lots of fun. I think Mike would really enjoy one of those workshops.

*Kathy*--hope Michael had fun at camp.

*Lindsay*--hope you survived work!

*Maria*--hope you survived today!

********
So, Mike is going to Melbourne to interview on Friday, July 29. (I am both thrilled and terrified right now!) They will pay for one night in a hotel and Mike's plane ticket. They suggested he look at flying into MCO--more options. Now we have to decide if I am going to go or not. If I go we will pay for an extra night in a hotel. Before the air conditioning debacle I had planned on going. But now, I'm not so sure. It's an extra plane ticket and an extra night in a hotel. Plus meals. He will get reimbursed for some stuff, but not all of it. Add to that, it's probably Tom's last weekend in this house if we move. To me that's a huge deal. We've lived here since Tom was 3, and while he's excited for us, it's all still a little emotional. We've been in the Cocoa Beach/Brevard County/space coast area before, so I am familiar with it, so do I really need to see it to be convinced it's a good idea????? I figure the weekend will end up costing us in the area of $500-$700. 

This is all a really good problem to have, I'm just on overload right now with all this stuff. I get a little crazy when I have too many decisions to make--like I will make the wrong one and something catastropic will happen. I guess that's the key--nothing catastropic is going to happen. Add to that my boss telling me today about all these plans and things we are going to do. Long day. She is out of the office until next week, so at least that pressure is off me a little.

Ok, that's it for now. I might be back later.


----------



## liesel

Hello to the princesses and fellow 

So I posted on the main thread my tale of DH leaving on a business trip-two kids with the stomach flu-cleaning-sleep depravation-no exercise-I eventually got a little sick adventure that was my week.  I haven't had any exercise since my race last Monday and hope to get back soon.

I forgot to mention that we did see Cars 2 opening weekend and the kids really enjoyed it.  Cars isn't my favorite, but it was nice to see a Pixar film that didn't make me bawl uncontrollably (UP and Toy Story 3!).  To all of you with just boys (which is most of you isn't it! ), I recommend Tangled and Princess and the Frog-I loved them both.  I really like being able to see girlie things with DD and get my sci fi geek on with DS (still working on getting into Star Trek, though!).

Both kids are in for the kids races at the Tink weekend.  I mentioned how I was thinking of wearing pirate accessories and now they want them too!  So we are going to be a pirate family for race weekend.    The kids are leaning more towards POTC than the Neverland pirates, but oh well.  I can't do the Princess next year since I am doing this race, but it would be fantastic if more of you could join the Lisabelles!  I feel a little guilty that DH is left out of race weekend right now, he'll be watching the kids while I run.  We are not doing the 5K because its at 10:30 at night (way too late for the kids-11:30 our time!) on Friday, we'll be flying in Friday morning.  Its also $99 per person!  It includes a park ticket that we wouldn't need because we'll have our APs.  So $400 for our family to run a race together is way too steep.  I would really love to do a half with DH, so maybe the W&D may be in our future someday!  Although I don't think the kids would like it if we went to WDW without them!

**********

Maria and Lisa-Another Daily Show and Colbert Report fan here!  

Maria-Wow, you really have your hands full this week!  Poor Tristan, I hope she gets the help she needs.  That is so fantastic of you to take this on!  Enjoy your low key adventures this week!

Lisa-  I hope you are enjoying your day.  Thanks so much for all of the information about your day with Galloway!  That's really interesting that he is such a proponent of slow long distance runs.  17 miles is far-does he still recommend a long run of 14 on the to finish plan?  I know I need to do another MM soon, just as soon as I can get a couple of weeks of consistent running in.  I was wondering what tips he gave you concerning your princess experience.  Thanks for sharing!

Nancy-Nice cardboard safari Mickey!  I read all about your adventures on the main thread and I'm glad you had a great weekend.

Lindsay-I'm so jealous that you went to the beach!  I'm glad you had a great time.  I miss the beach so much being landlocked.  Thanks for coaching this week.

Rose-Good luck to Mike on his interview.  How exciting and scary, but in a good way!  Its so great of you to start organizing now rather than when its moving time.  Then you'd be looking at the stuff thinking, "why do I have this?!" and then, "no time to go through it now so I guess its coming with us!"  Many headaches will be saved.    When we moved from CA to WA I didn't give notice until after DH had his offer.  I gave them a good 6 weeks notice, which I felt was very generous.  I quit 2 weeks before we moved, even though we had a relocation package and movers (so nice!), and we took a few days to enjoy the area before we left.  It also made moving much less stressful.

Kathy-Great job on the race!  Having just experienced miserable heat during a race, it makes a HUGE difference and you rocked it!  I'm glad you and Michael enjoyed Zookeeper.

Taryn-Welcome back!  Good luck with studying!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Ok Rose heres how I would look at this situation.

1. If you have the extra 500 or so dollars and it wont be taken from something else that you need to do than I say dont worry about the bucks...you only live once and you cant take the money with you. Although this could be the reason I dont have much money right now...I think I follow this motto a little too often.

2. Tom might enjoy a night or two alone in the old house.  You could always do something special the last night you have together either way it will be special and im sure leaving a night or so early will not be the end of the world in his eyes.  But it may be for you.  So if so and you think thats all that will be on your mind while your away than maybe it would be best just to stay back.

3. you probably really could use to get away for a few days especially with all the cleaning out you are doing and even though you are familiar with it seeing the area may just give you even more confidence in the decision if/when the time comes.

ok so thats how I would like at it.  Its so exciting that mike is getting this opportunity I really hope it works out for you.

Leisel- Sorry for the nutty week you are having. I like the idea of you all dressing as pirates for the tink race.  Thats so exciting.

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

Well I made it through the first day back to work.  i am exhausted and am ready for bed.  Ryan got a little sunburned today at my friends house.  She said they were swimming for over 3 hours straight and she didnt think to redo his sunblock.  He said he doesnt feel good and has a headache so I am pumping him with fluids and Im going to go cuddle with him for a little.  Cuddling with mommy always makes it better.  Gosh I love this age.


----------



## mikamah

just a quick good morning, and hope you all have a fabulous day!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning  and !

Whew! I survived Day One. At 6pm tonight we get to hand Tristan back into the custody of her parents. It would not be an exaggeration to say we are looking forward to it 

*Kathy* -- How is Michael settling in at camp? Do they have any water activities planned to beat this heat? I really wish we did...we have free tickets for a Boston Harbor cruise today, but we can't use them because Tristan won't go on a boat. She doesn't like anything to do with water, which means my other brilliant idea, Water Country, is out. 

*Lisa* -- I didn't realize you had a dd! This is great and will take some of the pressure off of *Taryn*, as she only has 2 girls and we have many boys needing Disney wives  One of the things we did yesterday was go up in the Custom House, which has a huge clock tower and lookout over Boston. All the kids loved it (Tristan was ok as long as she stayed back from the edge), and there was a nice breeze. The view was fabulous, and since Dennis joined us there after his meeting for work, my stress level went way down 

*Rose* --  for Mike's interview! This is all good, I know! I totally understand the way you are feeling trying to decide whether to go or not. In a year, will you regret it if you do move and aren't in the house that weekend with Tom, or will it just be a vague memory and not bother you at all? That would be how I would decide, I think. I survived and so did Tristan. She had bacon, hash browns and eggs for breakfast, a Greek salad with grilled chicken (Hard Rock!) for lunch, and .... ok, we ran out of ideas for dinner and I wasn't going to let the other kids have yet another hamburger, so we all had salad and grilled chicken for dinner. I just have to come up with lunch while we're out today. I've got gluten free cereal (Cinnamon Chex, thanks for the heads up!) and fruit for breakfast, and we're passing her off over a family dinner at a seafood place in NH. 

*Lindsay* -- hmm. Well, I wanted to do Hershey this year, and we punted only because ds was freaked about his homework schedule (yes, already). So, with a year's notice, maybe we can tell him he just has to "suck it up, buttercup"? Having Dennis already think it's a good idea is huge, I bet I can make this work!  Stop and eat your lunch today! You need nourishment if you are going to go at that breakneck pace 

*Nancy* -- I am in for the Princess!  I'm waiting to register until after I do the Providence Half at the beginning of August. I naively thought I would have a better time, but now I'm not so sure. I have not lost the weight I planned, and my training is non-existent this week. I'm seriously planning a 10M Saturday to get me back on track (at a slower pace, I promise). Add me to those recommending the intervals. I'm not very good about doing it myself, but I like to once a week do alternate 5.0 and 5.5 mph every time the song changes on my ipod (yes, I know that is not technically how you are supposed to do it, but it's simple enough I can wrap my mind around it). Anyway, I do get speed gains when I do them. 

*Lisah* -- 17M before a Half?! Ok, this is way more training than I do, but it makes sense...I don't think I can make that work before my August race since I only have 3 LRs before I do it, but I will look at his plan and see if I can implement it for the Princess. I think I would feel really good at the end if I had done 17 three weeks before  Thank you so much for sharing what you learned, I am so glad you were able to take this day for you and your goals  Oh, the DDS services -- Tristan lives in Maine, and I guess there the way it works is if it's a mental rather than a physical disability the kids receive their services through the schools until the get a certificate of completion in high school, and then they can access the adult services system, which includes clubhouses, work therapy, and housing situations. The mom is hoping Tristan can live in a group home and be around people her own age when she is older. 

Tristan is now officially driving the kids crazy, too. She interrupts them, she can tell a 20 min story about taking her dogs to the vet, they set up a game for her and she plays 2 minutes and gets distracted and wants to do something else. Ben says it's like babysitting...and well, it kind of is...anyway, I told him it's one more day and he can do it. Tristan came up with the idea that Ben can take her to FL to visit -- she refuses to ride on a plane by herself. He was terrified, so I promised him he wouldn't have to be responsible for her. Her mom can deal with her flying. 

One more quick whine -- I live 5 minutes from the airport. Literally. Logan is quite the busy place, so you can guess how often planes are flying. Every single time Tristan sees a plane in the sky, she stops, points like it's Superman, and tells us she sees an airplane. At first it was cute, then it was annoying, now it's almost comical, although I know we shouldn't laugh (and don't, I promise!). I really am starting to think the mom's assessment that we should treat her like she's 6 or 7 trended up, because Ben used to do that for buses when he was 2...anyway, just one more day and we can concentrate on more "teencentric" fun!

Ok, I have to boogie. I'm not exactly sure what we are doing today. We had planned the Harvard Museum of Natural History, but that sounded like a dud with the kids, so maybe we'll do something else. 

The trolley tour of Boston was great, I'm going to send company on it every time we have new visitors. 

Everyone have a great day, and again, thanks for listening to my whines. I'm actually not giving a full account, the highlights are more than enough..

I did have amaretto gelato yesterday -- so there are bright spots! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   



dumbo_buddy said:


> the thing that stands out the most for me is how you shouldn't feel like you're going to die when you run. ok, i don't _always_ feel that way but pretty much at least once during every run (even short ones) i think to myself "i want to die" and then add a bunch of expletives to the end of that though.



Aww, Nancy, I think everyone has runs where they feel like they are going to die at some point or another -- I know I do.    There was a lot of talk about running with what you have that day so if you felt like you were going to die and backing off didn't help, to accept it and cut things short if needed.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> ok i've been thinking more about what jeff galloway has to say...17 miles before a half marathon??? i'm not saying he's wrong but i'm saying he's crazy!!!  lol! kidding! wow! 17!



That's if you are training for time -- it's 14 miles if you are using the training to finish schedule.  Galloway quoted a bunch of statistics they have gathered over the past 30 years with over 300,000 runners and you can gain a pretty good chunk of time by going those extra miles.  Also, the folks who go the 17are stronger in the last three miles of a race and less likely to run out of steam which appeals to me because my wagon really drags at the end.

I really need that so I'm game to give it a try.  Also, I know when I finally finished 13 in May it was a bit of a shock to my body so it wouldn't hurt to get it used to going farther.  I think Kathy went to 14 in her training before the Princess if I recall.  And believe me I never run an extra mile if I don't think I have to -- which could be part of my problem.  

*Lindsay,* you're doing a great job of coaching this week!    I loved the pledge this morning!  



Rose&Mike said:


> *Nancy*--I really think you should look at some of the run/walk intervals. I'm not talking the short ones, but like yesterday we did run 5 walk 45 sec. There was a short time around mile 6 when I was tired, but for the most part it was pretty pleasant. And I was running right around a 9:00 minute mile for the last mile. Our overall time for 8 was an average pace of 10:30. (Remember this was a long training run, so we were supposed to be going slow.) The point being that even after 7 miles, with the breaks and the so so training this spring, I was able to pull out a fast last mile. Mentally, it's a big shift, but I don't think I would be running right now if I hadn't switched at least for now. This is much easier on my itband and my lungs! And I am a huge believer in running at least 13 miles before a half. If you are young (20s or early 30s) maybe the race day adrenaline will get you through those last 3, *but I feel like for us older folks, there is a greater risk of injury/issues if your body is not ready for those last 3 miles*. Anyhow, just my 2 cents.



Oh yeah, you poor old thing, you.    But that is a great point about being ready for those last miles.    Mike would totally love one of those classes.  

That is exciting about Mike's interview.  I think you are showing remarkable restraint by not saying, hmmm, if we fly to MCO can we stay at SSR for a couple of nights?   

*Lisabelle,* so sorry that you and everyone in your family has been sick.    Be sure that you take the time that you need to recover because that sounds like it was a nasty bug.  

Galloway does still say 14 miles on the to finish plan.  When I told Galloway I'd been swept at the Princess he said right away that it was very hot that day, especially to someone who trains in my neck of the wood.  I told him my problem was not that I could not do the distance -- but rather that I couldn't do the distance in the time under those conditions.  He said what I needed to do was go and run 5 or 6 miles at the Princess pace -- 15 seconds/45 seconds is a 16MM but he said I might want to go faster, like a 20/40 or 30/30 to give myself a little cushion.  And get used to how that felt and do that several times so that I could duplicate it at the race.  That was one of my problems, too, I think because on the 3 miles I was at 14 MM but as the heat increased and the distance increased I slowed down -- that and the tummy problems and stop at the potty.  It just wasn't my day to finish but the Tinker Bell at my own DL -- it's karma!   



mikamah said:


> just a quick good morning, and hope you all have a fabulous day!!



Hi Kathy!    Thanks so much for calling last night.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> Whew! I survived Day One. At 6pm tonight we get to hand Tristan back into the custody of her parents. It would not be an exaggeration to say we are looking forward to it



I'm glad that you survived, Maria.    I think that DS and his cousin deserve something extra special for being troupers and doing exactly what they should.   

DH worked in a group home for adults all through college.  It really is a good situation for everyone.  It gives people a chance for independence and their own relationships and helps people to just enjoy each other when someone else is doing the caretaking role.   

I did forget something very important in the Galloway information I shared -- *what to do when you get behind in your training. *   He said it is one of the top questions that gets asked over and over so we shouldn't feel bad when it happens because it happens to everyone for various reasons.  

If you get behind in your training schedule on your next long run you should still do whatever the milage is on the schedule but walk the first four or five miles and then run/walk the rest until you get to whatever the milage is for the long run for that week.  Then you are caught up and continue on with the training schedule and don't worry about it.  

They changed the local intro training meeting to tonight so I will have to wait to see what they have to say.  I will probably do it since it would be $45 for a 10 week training since I have a $15 credit from buying my new shoes.  

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Maria- bless you for taking on that child.  She is quite a handful and I think in the long run you will realize she will have reminded you to be so thankful that you have a healthy child.  these children need so much support and many times even more support than there own family can offer.  I really think that it was a little absurd for your sister/SIL (couldnt remember) to make you feel like you had to take her.  She should know better and probably was just looking for a break herself.  I cant say I blame her but still.  She could have spent a day with you with her doing something fun with the kids and then took her back home while the others stayed.  Anyway that is water under the bridge and you are hours away from getting back to normalcy and teenage fun.  

Lisa- I can feel that the tink was just meant for you!!!!  You have done such a great job and I commend you for not throwing in the towel.  Your persaverence and determination is quite admirable.  Thanks for sharing the answer to what to do when you get behind...I know I asked that one before.  I hope the running group works out for you.  Let us know how the meeting goes.

Hello Kathy, Rose, Taryn, and liesel

Its only tues and I already feel drained by work.  Gosh its hard to take time off around here because you end up working twice as hard when you come back.

It is so hot and humid today.  I think the heat index is close to 100.  It sounds like its hot like that all over.  Guess summers finally here.  LisaH have you made it into the 70's.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

GREAT NEWS TODAY!!

i emailed runDisney a few days ago. it was a shot in the dark since i know that the marathon entry fees are non-refundable but i explained that i got knocked up and can't do the 2012 race. i just got an email back from them saying they have a new deferral policy that lets you defer a race for up to a year. basically i'll just sign up for the 2013 race and then they will refund me the 2012 fee minus a $35 deferral fee. not bad!!!

WOOT! go runDisney!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

that's it! i'm sticking to this area of the DIS and not posting anywhere else! what is WITH the moody folks EVERYWHERE??

i posted under the competition area a couple days ago that i was emailed rudisney to see about deferring. one person (that coach guy. coach of what??? annoyingness??) posted back basically saying no they won't let you.

so i posted just now with my happy news that disney is starting to be more accommodating. i said, "yay! i'm happy to report you were wrong and they actually are letting me defer." and he writes back, "not wrong, just outdated."
and some other guy goes into what disney is doing wrong. 

jesus, everyone wants to complain about disney and its events all the time. look, i don't have much of a life as i'm letting someone out there in internet-land bother me but still! get a life! just say, "oh great! glad to see disney is making changes!"

/vent.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

dumbo_buddy said:


> that's it! i'm sticking to this area of the DIS and not posting anywhere else! what is WITH the moody folks EVERYWHERE??
> 
> i posted under the competition area a couple days ago that i was emailed rudisney to see about deferring. one person (that coach guy. coach of what??? annoyingness??) posted back basically saying no they won't let you.
> 
> so i posted just now with my happy news that disney is starting to be more accommodating. i said, "yay! i'm happy to report you were wrong and they actually are letting me defer." and he writes back, "not wrong, just outdated."
> and some other guy goes into what disney is doing wrong.
> 
> jesus, everyone wants to complain about disney and its events all the time. look, i don't have much of a life as i'm letting someone out there in internet-land bother me but still! get a life! just say, "oh great! glad to see disney is making changes!"
> 
> /vent.




*Nancy* --  I know just who you mean. A couple of weeks ago someone asked about hotels for Princess, and he posted that they should just pick an Epcot one and they could walk to whichever ever one was the host. I knew enough to stay out of it, having seen him post before. Someone finally told him that there are no Epcot host hotels for Princess (and never were), and he had a comeback about how this race must not have the numbers like marathon weekend. Well, no duh, it doesn't have a Full, and a Half/Full combo! 

He knows something about everything, and he shares it whether it's "updated" or not. Don't feel bad, it's not just you he's annoying and condescending towards 

Very glad you can defer -- and would you believe it, Dennis feels so bad about how this week has been (abandoning me with the 3 kids yesterday, plus yesterday Tristan kept pestering me about my age, and today it was whether I was on WW because I'm fat ), that he said today if he doesn't get into Boston in 2013, he'll do the Full on marathon weekend -- that would mean I would get to be there for your first Full to cheer you on! If so, I'll be with the WISHers after DHS with twizzlers -- I can't wait! 

*Lindsay* -- You are right, I am so thankful Ben does not have any disabilities. We are very, very fortunate. I fully realize this, I just needed somewhere to vent. Dennis just said to me, "one more hour"...he's just about done, too. She kept asking him why he doesn't make more money so we can go on a vacation this year. Ben has been complaining, even though he's still getting 4 trips this summer, and unfortunately that is how she tries to understand why Benjamin is whining. My niece hasn't said a word -- her entire family was originally supposed to make this trip, but they made two trips to my older nieces graduations, and something had to give. Although I have to admit, I did almost snicker when Tristan asked Dennis if we were poor...Luckily he had a fabulous answer about how we are actually so lucky, because we can afford everything we need and a lot of what we want -- and we can help people who really are poor. Then Ben got to talk about going to CT next week to help with home repairs and yard work, it was a nice segue. I also got to remind Ben he isn't going for free, we are paying for him to do community service for a week -- so that was good, too! See, lemonade from those lemons 

Okay, gotta make sure she's packed to go. I think there's going to be an inaudible sigh of relief throughout the car when we head for home after dinner tonight.

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Let me start by saying, I am not complaining and I am really happy with how everything is going, but it's all just a bit overwhelming. When we moved from MD to CA, CA to IL, and IL to KY the Navy moved us. They would even box up your trash  if you let them. I still have no idea what the relocation will be like, but mostly I'm just trying to get as much of the heavy lifting out of the way while Mike and Tom are still here and I have help! Mike said he is set up to interview with 8-9 people while he is there. They said it will take about 4 hours. 

And Lisa--I am seriously considering turning this into a mini-family vacation. I mentioned it to Tom last night. We all have annual passes. So I was thinking fly down Thursday into MCO and stay at DTD or the Lake Buena Vista Marriott Village. Friday morning drive to Melbourne. Mike do his thing and Tom and I will meet with a real estate agent. Friday night WDW--maybe epcot. Saturday drive back to Melbourne to look at apartments in the morning--I narrowed it down to about 6 that take pets and have short term leases. Mike is supposed to call about availabiltiy. Maybe in the afternoon look at a few more houses with the agent. Saturday night WDW. Sunday morning WDW. Sunday night fly back.

Does that sound exhausting or am I just not a spring chicken anymore??? Ok, sorry. I'm feeling pretty good about everything, just a little stressed. I'm really excited for Mike, but last night I realized that I am probably moving where I won't have a job and won't know anyone and it got a little overwhelming. I used to be really good at making friends, but not so much lately. And I know I complain about my job, but it's a place to go everyday--ok, a place to go 3 days a week. 

I think today I am just in shock that this is really moving forward.

Maria--I'm glad you survived the visit!

Nancy--I'm glad you got your deferment!

Hi to everyont else. Time to get busy on something--I'm sure there is something I should be doing!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*rose* the melbourne plan does sound a little exhausting BUT i think it's a good idea. first of all, anything that involves going to disney is automatically a good idea. but also, it's not like melborne is all that close to kentucky. at first i would have said to hold off on looking at houses and apartments until mike gets the offer. i would normally say something like don't put the cart before the horse or whatever. BUT, since they are having mike meet with all those people it seems obvious that they are very interested. AND because melborne isn't that easy to get to while in kentucky i think it's good to get a head start on looking at places to live so that once mike gets the offer you can just pull the trigger. make sense? no? didn't think so. my inability to get my point across lately is really bad! lol!

i say go! it's another trip to WDW! plus that means it'll be another trip report i get to read (cuz, you know, you have to do one!)

*maria* i'm so glad i'm not the only one who feels that way about "coach". he is a pompous a$$ if you ask me. always has an answer to everything even if it's the wrong answer. people are running for their health and to have fun here on the WISH boards. i don't think many of the people on here are looking to break any records or anything! whatever, poo on him.

i'm so glad your tristan time is almost over. you deserve a whole bottle of wine after that. oh and you said an inaudible sigh will occur when you drive home? seems to me like i'll be able to hear that sigh from 4 hours south of you!!! 

so...i don't want to say that i hope dennis doesn't do the boston marathon but...i hope he doesn't do the boston marathon! it's be nice to see a fellow princess that marathon weekend! 

*lindsay* hope the rest of the week isn't as tough as these last two days! i found that pre- and post- vacations at work were always the pits. people freaking that you're leaving and then you come back to find out that they left everything for you to do upon your return. phooey! 

*kathy* hi! how was your day? how are you feeling after the 5k? sore at all?

*liesel* hi!! 

*lisa* how do you track your intervals when you run? let's say i did 5 min run, 30 second walk or whatever it is, how do you track it? just keep an eye on your watch the whole time? i wonder if "there's an app for that" ?? also, do you start the run/walk thing right away? or save that for after a few miles? right now my intervals are walk/walk but once i'm back to running i'm really thinking the run/walk thing to be the way to go. the last couple of miles of the princess were really tough for me. it'd be nice to have a little steam in me at the end next time.

*************
thomas took a really long nap today and i was a total dummy and didn't lay down myself. instead i played on the computer and did laundry. it's SO HOT out too so after he woke up i decided to go to carvel for some ice cream. of course, this is the bronx and as i'm getting him out of the car some bum comes up and asks me for 50 cents. psh, no dude, go away. the difference between my little neighborhood and just 2 miles outside our nice gated community is BIG! at least the carvel tasted great as always 

looks like poor john might be stuck in arkansas for another night. the flight to atlanta was just delayed then they boarded then they canceled it. poor guy.


----------



## liesel

dumbo_buddy said:


> GREAT NEWS TODAY!!
> 
> i emailed runDisney a few days ago. it was a shot in the dark since i know that the marathon entry fees are non-refundable but i explained that i got knocked up and can't do the 2012 race. i just got an email back from them saying they have a new deferral policy that lets you defer a race for up to a year. basically i'll just sign up for the 2013 race and then they will refund me the 2012 fee minus a $35 deferral fee. not bad!!!
> 
> WOOT! go runDisney!



Yay, I'm so glad they are changing their policy!  It only makes sense.  I saw your open letter to run disney .  There are some pretty crabby people complaining about women's centered races on that thread again!  I'm so tired of the complaining about race shirts, especially since they are now offering men's and women's shirts at the princess and the tink, and it looks like they may continue this after these 2 races.  I've even posted this on another thread and they've opted to ignore me and continue to complain.  Its especially annoying since women have to put up with ill fitting unisex shirts at most races.  After reading here, I had to go check out your thread.  I think I'll try that "outdated" line next time I'm wrong about something!    Sorry for the crabby response, guys don't know what its like to get unexpectedly knocked up!

Sorry for my vent too, I'm so sick of the complaining and feel like those of us running the Tink won't get the support from many on the WISH board because they are so peeved at run Disney.

Maria-Enjoy the rest of your week!

Rose-Sounds like a plan!  Busy, but fun!

Gotta go, my parents just called and said they will be here in 5 minutes (they weren't going to meet us for another hour and a half, that's how they roll).

Hi Lisabelle, I'll try to reply to your reply later!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- Im so glad you got to defer your race...so much better than wasting the money and I agree that policy makes more sense.  They are still getting your money but they have to understand circumstances come up.  I know the exact guy you are talking about on the boards too.  I was completely amazed at some of the comments on that board prior to the princess.  some of those people are so rude.  I hated to even ask any questions.  It was quite comical to read all of the rants back and forth between people.  Carvel sounds yummy well...minus the bum.  I hope john makes it home soon but I guess he can look at it this way...more chikfil a for him.

Maria- I hope you didnt take what I was saying the wrong way.  I know you are more than greatful for a healthy child...I was just making the point that sometimes we need those reminders about how lucky we truly are.  I know sometimes I forget.  I know you were just venting and thats what we were here for.  Sorry if my comments came off wrong at all that was not my intention. Again I think you are so wonderful for taking tristan for a few days and I can say that I would have not been so willing.  She sounds like quite a handful but Im glad you are finding humor in some of her comments.  By now you should be on your way home and I think I may have just heard that sigh.


Rose- Your plan sounds fabulous.  I say go for it.  I agree with nancy better to be prepared if it does work out.  Im sure that would cut down on some stress if you have a plan for where you will stay when you move.   I know you are not complaining...just getting your feelings out and thats what we are here for.  Even though its an exciting time it doesnt mean its not stressful.  Actually i learned about this in my stress management class.  The stress you are having is Eustress.  Its the stress that comes out of something good.  Like moving for a job that you want.  But in the end its still stress so vent away when necessary we are listening.

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

Wow I cant believe how fast my days are going. I cant believe its alreay 8pm.  I still want to update the BL board quick and I need to get these boys to bed early.  We are all still dragging after our marathon shore day on sat.  I think I am going to head to bed early again too.  

I just havent gotten a handle on my eating this week...I feel to overwhelmed with everything else going on that I cant even think or plan what I am eating.  well and that just leads to more of an overwhelmed feeling.  I really need to get out and run...I think that would help my brain settle down a bit.

Talk to you ladies tomorrow.


----------



## Rose&Mike

liesel said:


> Sorry for my vent too, I'm so sick of the complaining and feel like those of us running the Tink won't get the support from many on the WISH board because they are so peeved at run Disney.


I hate that for you all. I am sick of the complaining too--yes they are supporting women's races right now. I just think some of the arguments are ridiculous and I have a son--so yes, I get the whole there are lots of opportunites for girls right now. But those opportunities are there because people worked and pushed for them for years. If you want an opportunity for boys/men then do the work! Actually I find a lot of it amusing. I haven't been posting too much on the events side either--just not worth the drama.

*Lindsay*--I hope you are feeling back to normal soon! Going back to work stinks, especially if all your work just piled up while you were gone!


*******
Thanks for all the positive comments. Tonight was not a good night--but I am sitting here with a woodford and oj and gingerale so it's looking up. I had a little meltdown--I'm going to blame it on pms--at least I think that's what it is.

Still not sure what we are going to do but we have to make a decision tonight. Tom is ambivalent and Mike just wants me to be happy. Actually I think Tom is a little depressed. He misses his friends at school and actually said tonight he wants to be back in class. He's been spending way too much time in his room and hasn't been doing very much with his friends here. Another reason, I hate to leave him. I know he would be fine, he's just my baby--you know what I'm saying.

Mike is actually interviewing with two different hiring managers in addition to a couple of panels. They told him 4 hours, but he got the schedule and it will be more than 4 hours. 

We called about some apartments and the ones that take pets and allow short term leases seem very nice--one of them has a place to wash and vacuum your car in the complex. So the world would not end if I didn't go. I'm just nervous--what if all the neighborhoods are full of foreclosed/empty houses???? Don't they always show Florida and California on the news when they are talking about foreclosed homes??? It's funny, I moved from MD to CA and CA to IL with no idea whether I would like it or where we would live and it was not an issue. We just did it. I think all this is more about just being very afraid of change. Sorry for all the processing.

Still don't know what to do. But the bourbon is kicking in so I'm feeling better. Tom just told me he is going to download google chrome to my computer, so I'll talk to you later.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning everyone.  I feel like I don't have enough time in the days this week.  It's been hot, so after dinner we've gone to swim at my brothers for a little while, and then come home and the night is over.  

Michael really loves this camp.  It's actually the cheapest one too, and I've got him thinking ahead as to which camp he might like to become a counselor in training at in a few years.  I'm thinking they only have a few at each camp, and maybe in the next few years he should gear more towards one camp he'd like to maybe work at later.  Not that I'm trying to rush the growing up thing, but i am a planner.  The only bummer about this camp is there is no pool, but he doesn't seem to mind.  It's the rec dept camp held at a school, but when the sprinklers come on in the field they will go out and run around in them to cool off, and they'll do other water games too.  He came home the first night so excited and happy because they played 4 different kinds of dodge ball.  Said if dodgeball was a professional sport he'd play that after baseball.  Some of the young adults who work at his after school care are counselors here too.  

So anyway, all is well here, but busy.  I'm working 40 hours this week, so I miss my 10-2 days, and my free time.  I hope to come home tonight, where it's going to be cooler, and get some housework done, and then watch a movie.  It's only supposed to be in the 80s.  Whoo hoo!!  And the humidity scale has un only at "muggy" instead of "oppressive".  I have been lazy and haven't put my ac in the bedroom, but honestly, with the windows open and ceiling fan on, it's been ok sleeping.  

*Rose*-     I can not even imagine all the moves you have made, and how hard that must be, and all the thought and decisionmaking that goes into it. I love your idea to make it a vacation with Tom too, and hope he comes around and would like to do that with you.  But whatever you all decide and do, is going to be the right thing for you all.    Good luck to Mike on all those interviews too.  You must be so happy to be able to run again and help relieve some of the stress of all this.  Hang in there.  

*Lindsay*-I hear you on the days going by too fast.  I'm sorry I haven't been around the bl thread for your coaching week.  The days go by too fast.  You are doing what you can do, and even if you're eating isn't the best, you're still here and trying, and when things quiet down a bit, you'll get your focus back.  It's hard in summer.  It's such a fun time, and we want to make fun summer memories for our kids, but it's tiring, and doesn't leave as much me time, does it.  So glad you had a fun beach day.  

*Lisa*- thanks for sharing all you have learned at the Jeff Galloway workshop.  Love the pic of you two, and how cool would it be for you to run with him for the Tinkerbelle.  You never know.  I so agree with his thought process on preventing injury and not overdoing it.  I had merged the galloway with bingham plans, but did more galloway for the princess.  I did 12 miles 3 weeks before the princess, and that definitely gave me more confidence for the princess half.  I did try to do my long runs at the 16 min/mile pace.  I think in my head, I needed to be at that pace for the long runs, or I wouldn't have know I'd be able to do it on the princess day.  17 is far, but a good goal for you, and even if you don't get to the 17, but get to 12 or 14, it will give you all the more endurance.  I know the Tinkerbelle is going to be your race!!  It's perfect that it's at your DL.  I love how you call it "your' DL.  Good to talk to you the other night. 

*Maria*-  I heard that sigh last night.    You are such a good person and teaching your son how to be patient and tolerant of others too, buy having Tristan there.  It sounds very draining, and we are here to vent to, and can only imagine how tough it was on you, and how relieved you are.  Our neighbor has autism, and she's non-verbal, and about 14 now, and I've thought many times over the years, how lucky I am to have a healthy son.  As michael's growing up and becoming more independant, I think my neighbors won't have that, she'll need care through her whole life.  I know as parents, you do what you have to do, but I do feel so blessed.   Yesterday would have been the perfect day for water country and you'd have been half way to Tristans house.  That's too bad she wouldn't go.  

*Nancy*-Loved reading about your train trip into the city.  It's a great day when you're having so much fun, you need to buy more diapers.    I love the mobile pics people put on facebook, and it's the one thing that got me thinking I need to upgrade my phone.  On the overeaters anonymous thing, I think they treat obsessive overeating, and it's more individualized to each person, and they'r trigger foods, if you will, and helping each other avoid the foods that cause you to binge.  When I was in my 20, we worked a new years eve and ate so much that night at work, that 3 of us decided we needed to do something about it the next day, so we called around, and the only thing open on new years day was an OA meeting, so we went to where it was supposed to be, sat down, with all the thin people, by the way, and they started saying the AA pledge, so we got up and left, thinking we were in the wrong place, and then as we walked out asked someone who said it was the right place and they start with the aa pledge.  we were too embarrassed to go back.  We joined ww the following day, the first time for me at 181.  That's my goal to get back to.  
I felt good after the 5k sunday.  It think my body is in good shape, but need to get my breathing stronger, because I can't seem to push harder because I can't breath, not that my legs can't go harder, if you know what I mean.  And I think to get stronger cardiovascularly, I need to lose weight.  Of course I haven't done anything the past 2 days.  
I am a big fan of the run walk.  I'd say because of my weight is how I started run/walking. after running 2.5 miles straight last year during the c25k, I could hardly walk the next day, so that's when I started the run/walk.  I tend to count my breaths and also get to know where I'm running since I do the same route, and will take walk breaks in the same spots.  I'm pretty sure they have lots of apps you can down load.  
So glad disney will let you defer some of your fee to the next year.

*Liesel*- Your race weekend sounds so fun.  Ds and dniece did the 1 mile kids race at princess weekend, and loved it.  It was so cool to bring the kids into the theme of the weekend, and they wore their medals after the race too, and got lots of contratulations.  I love the pirate theme.  You will have a blast.  Don't let any of those old fuddy duddy's get you down.  I hope they cool off.  Such wet blankets.  And once you're in dl, I"m sure it will all be positive support you'll be seeing from everyone.  The princess weekend was so amazing.  

Michael just got up, and the news is on but i'm only half listening, and he just asked me what castrated means, so I lied and said I didn't know, and let him change the channel.  Too early for that conversation.

It feels good to catch up with you all.   Off to shower and pack lunches.

Have a great day everyone!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Lindsay,* hope things have cooled off in your neck of the woods.  It was in the 80's here yesterday but it is cool and rainy today.   

That heat doesn't help with feeling drained for sure!    Really the week after vacation shouldn't suck as much as it does considering how much you "worked" last week!    Make the best choices you can this week and hopefully you can do some planning on the week-end.  You can do it!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> that's it! i'm sticking to this area of the DIS and not posting anywhere else! what is WITH the moody folks EVERYWHERE??



Full moon on Friday!   

That was exciting news that they are letting you defer!    It never hurts to ask.  Your thread seems to be a little less snarky now.  I don't know what it is with some of our WISH'ers.  I think it is a small, but vocal few that make it seem worse than it is.    They need a good dose of !

Why yes, Virginia, there is an app for intervals.    RunKeeper has intervals.  I'm just now starting to experiment with it so I can't say for sure how well it works.  RunKeeper might have cost a couple of dollars.  I also have something called Interval Run but never got the hang of it.  I do look at the time because I run with my iPhone in my hand.  Plus after awhile I can pretty much tell when I need to stop and start.  Galloway has an interval timer for $19.95 that will beep or vibrate.  I'm thinking about one of those.  I really covet a Garmin but since I just got the iPhone I am making myself suck it up and be responsible.  

*Maria,* I hope that had a nice, quiet relaxing evening last night.    I think a trip to WDW is a very nice way to say "thank you" for going above and beyond in the spousal support thing!    Are you doing the relay in 2012?  I remember you were discussing it but sorry I don't remember what you decided.  

*Rose,* I don't blame you at all for feeling unsettled.  There is a lot going on.  I think that your plan sounds fun and it shouldn't be too exhausting if you take it easy and just do a few highlights.  I think it would be nice to relax at WDW to take the stress off being in a new place and all thinking about all those decisions.   



liesel said:


> Sorry for my vent too, I'm so sick of the complaining and feel like those of us running the Tink won't get the support from many on the WISH board because they are so peeved at run Disney.



ITA!   I do feel like a second class WISHer but hopefully it will blow over for the last time now.  It would have been forgotten already except for the whiners who somehow manage to work it into every conversation.    Vent over!

We will have a wonderful time at the Tinker Bell Half, Lisabelle, and will wear our WISH shirts proudly like the true WISHers we are!    Not to mention it will be a ton of fun!  



mikamah said:


> Michael really loves this camp.  It's actually the cheapest one too, and I've got him thinking ahead as to which camp he might like to become a counselor in training at in a few years.  I'm thinking they only have a few at each camp, and maybe in the next few years he should gear more towards one camp he'd like to maybe work at later.  Not that I'm trying to rush the growing up thing, but i am a planner.



Kathy, I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one pushing the counselor thing thinking of the day when DS is too old to be a camper!    I have him convinced for now.  It makes life so much easier when they like their camps.  

It was nice talking with you, too, that Michael sings a mean "cha, cha, cha" and thanks for your card, too.  

I went to running orientation last night.  It will be an interesting training.  It's ten weeks until my half, which is the length of the training.  There are two groups a beginning 5K group -- like C25K and the 10K/1/2 training group.  This consists of everything from people who just finished the 5K training to Ironman people, which to me is more than a little intimidating.  For the most part they are training you to run, A LOT, like 20 minutes at a time.    The coach assured me that people modify all the time and that works fine for them.  I'm not afraid to let those Ironman people leave me in the dust every time -- it is just not who I am.    It's way outside my comfort level but I'll give it a shot since it's my only choice for a local coach and I'm sure I'll get my $45 out of it.  I could probably use a little pushing.  

Have a wonderful day, ladies!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

kathy's right - the humidity is not as OPPRESSIVE as it was yesterday. still, we must remember to drink water! took little man in the jogger today and "jogged" out a 5k and then walked for about another mile. my time on the 5k part was 39 min! granted, i need to stop to find thomas's pacifier and fix the stroller fan but maaaaan the pace gets so much slower in the heat! i haven't been bringing water with me and that is a big mistake. i'll be sure to fill a bottle next time i go out. water intake has always been tough for me. i wait til it's too late in my run! i need to keep remembering how i felt after the princess when i was dehydrated.

john made it home last night around midnight. i kept expecting him so i didn't really fall asleep til he got home. he took the baby monitor and slept in the guest room. his snoring lately has been out of control so we're sleeping separately. i'm a terrible sleeper and just can't fall asleep with a truck roaring next to me each night. we were both up by 5 since a certain 2 year old just won't sleep in anymore!

i think i'm going to sit here for the next half hour or so and drink some water and stare at the computer. then hopefully i'll get some energy to take thomas to the pool. didn't take him the last two days. 

hope everyone has a great day! i'm interested in hearing how the rest of maria's evening went yesterday! how much did you imbibe once tristan went home??


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning,  and !

So happy to get the fun stuff started, I'm even typing in a happy color! 

*Nancy* -- After we had dinner and it was time to part company, Tristan's mom made some noises about inviting Ben up to spend the night some time this summer. That was nice, we'll see if he's available when she wants him to go. We drove home and the kids watched Glee and Modern Family on the way. We had to stop at Dick's Sporting Goods at the mall so Dennis could pick up some Gu. I got some clif bloks and we also found the sweatshirt my BIL asked us to send back to FL with Bethany, a Bruins championship hoodie. When we got home everyone was beat. I went to bed with a Mike's Black Cherry Hard Lemonade and a piece of dark chocolate fudge (the restaurant we ate in has fresh made fudge). I watched "Toddlers and Tiaras", and it was the perfect choice. I could feel like a good mom and not a total slouch in the weight dept. Let me say that just like in real life (ok, I guess this is a facscimile thereof), there are moms of every shape and size, of course. In the pageant world, there appear to be a few moms who look really good, some moms who look average, and a ton of moms who have stopped doing anything for themselves and completely focus on their pageant princess. Even though I hadn't run in a week, I could tell myself at least I've run in 2011 (or moved at all), which is more than I'm sure could be said for most of those women 

*Lisah* -- I would love to do the relay, but I had to choose only one Disney race for next year. I am so lucky to be able to do the  , I am going to be happy with that! I do intend to do a better job of finding local races. I'd like to find a Half for the Fall, I'm just having a hard time finding one where I won't finish dead last, and yes, that would bother me a little too much. I don't mind being in the last group, but it has to actually be a group, not me and my shadow  I wanted to do the Salem MA Half, but we have to pick up my dad and smom from their cruise that morning, so it won't work.

*Kathy* -- We are getting our water fix today! We are taking a ride on Codzilla, a high speed boat that blasts through Boston Harbor with music blaring. Sounds like fun for teens, no?  We also plan to go up in the Pru (2nd tallest bldg in Boston), and walk along Boylston Street to stop at Marathon Sports for more Gu and new socks for the Providence Half. I'm so glad Michael loves camp, that makes all the difference in the world. I will tell you, Ben had been at the same camp from 4-12, and this year he decided he wanted no part of it, despite last year his fondest dream being to become a conselor. You can plan, but you may have to adapt 

*Rose* -- So what did you decide? Inquiring Minds want to know! I'm sure it was a good choice, and you will be happy with it. Sometimes it's good to have a deadline. I would be floored with the moving. We moved once halfway across the country from Missouri to MA, and that is enough for me. I've told dh the next big move we make is the last.  It's harder to make friends the older your kids are. With Tom in college, it's not like your going to meet other moms at birthday parties  I understand your being torn, I just know that it will all work out for the best. Have faith! 

*Lindsay* -- No worries, I'm sure you were just telling me something I needed to remember to hear. I think just getting used to being back to work is enough for this week, you will slide into good eating as it all becomes normal again. It's a big adjustment, particularly when your work just accumulated while you were gone. 

*Lisa* -- Ok, I don't want either of you to feel like 2nd class DISers, because you are both 1st Class all the way!  Just ignore the sour grapes of those meanies. I wanted the new race to be a Half focused on the 2nd half of the WDW Full course, but I didn't whine and throw a tantrum! For goodness sake, these Boards are supposed to be a positive place! 

So AFM, I am proud to report Dennis and I got up this morning and ran 5M! We went to Deer Island (actually a peninsula into Boston Harbor) and did 2 laps, which is actually 5.2M. I was so slow, it was hot, and I have lost so much conditioning. It was a good reminder that if I want to even finish my Half in 3 weeks, I'd better seriously kick it in gear. 

Everyone have a wonderful day, the real fun of the staycation has begun! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Happy birthday to our stealth Princess Jude!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Happy Birthday Jude!!!* 



Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Morning,  and !
> 
> *Rose* -- So what did you decide? Inquiring Minds want to know!


Uggh, haven't decided yet. Mike really wanted to book the travel last night as they are supposed to book at least 2 weeks in advance and tomorrow is two weeks. And since his part of the company pays for this travel he doesn't want anyone to be upset with him for spending any more than necessary. Then our internet was down for a couple of hours this morning which did not help! I am leaning back towards going wo/Tom. Flying down Thursday and coming home Saturday and not visiting Mickey. Tom is so incredibly ambivalent and honestly I don't think I could handle going down there and getting attitude from him. I'm on the verge of tears all the time. Mike's been a little emotional too, which makes me feel a little less like a freak! And let's be realistic. I've been to disney 2x this year already. I'm going back in October and December and if we move we will be about 90 min away. When I get done here I am going to see if I can find a hotel near the beach. I don't eat much when we are traveling, but as everyone knows bourbon is g-f and bourbon by the beach at night sounds pretty relaxing.

Ok, I'll be back later. Time to look at hotels!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*rose*  don't be on the verge of tears! you poor thing. it is frustrating to come up with a good idea and then not get the excitement from tom that you were expecting. i feel bad that he misses school. i remember when i was in college i couldn't WAIT to get back to school during the breaks. i think college age kids don't realize that time DOES move and that eventually school will be back again. it's too bad that another disney trip won't be in the cards this time but, going back in oct and dec (lucky!!) does make up for it!

*maria* nice job on the 5 miles this morning! it's hot out there! and i bet that fudge last night tasted AMAZING! in fact, thanks alot, now i want fudge!  yeah, i'm sure ben is just dying to spend the night at tristan's house. when you did the drop off, did you mention to the mom that a list of pre-approved foods would have been nice? i'd like to say that i would do that but knowing me and my hatred for confrontation i'd just smile and be all like, "yeah it was great!"

*tinkerlisas* i say phooey to the dummy WISHers that just want to poo poo the women focused races! they are the same people who don't like runDisney events for like a million reasons so i wonder why they even bother! sounds like they need a shot of pixie dust straight up their rear!

i'm going to check out the runkeeper for intervals! i like training with my iphone. i used it for mapmyrun.com which maps all my runs. it also runs out my batter though!

i think the running school sounds really great but, i agree, intimidating! but, psh, you're a half marathoner! they should be intimidated by you!

*kathy* ooo it would be great if michael decided to be a counselor in training at his camp. i used to go to manhattan for day camp. yes, i went INTO the city for camp  my parents worked downtown and the daycamp was on the upper east side and sat on 3 acres.  even when we left the bronx and moved to CT i still went! i used to commute downtown with all the suits to go  i became a C.I.T. at age 13 and it was really cool (well, i thought i was really cool).  it would be fun if michael did the same. though those fickle pre-teen years, who knows! 

*lindsay* how was work today? any better? kathy's right - i feel like the summer is HARDER to stay on track. each day is different and it's hard to plan ahead. plus all that BBQ'd meat that's readily available everywhere you turn is just too hard to pass up sometimes. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUDE! hope to see you on here sometime soon!

*********************
today i feel....pregnant. i don't know if i'm dehydrated or just tired or what. i couldn't WAIT for thomas to go take his nap. i had some lunch and laid down. read 2 pages of a book and tried to take a nap. now, i'm a terrible sleeper so just the fact that i laid down was big. i did wind up  falling asleep only to be woken up every 20 min to pee. i still laid down for about an hour and a half. and when thomas woke up i wanted to CRY i was so exhausted. ok, not cry but i just didn't want to get up. we were going to head to a friend's pool but i just can't see leaving the house. i feel really run down. i'm trying to keep drinking water but needed to have a diet soda just to give myself a little kick.

anway, we went to the beach club this morning for about an hour. the tide was up so we hit the beach first instead of the pool. it was really awesome - thomas took some toys and played in the sand and then splashed in the water. and i literally sat in the chair for almost a half an hour before he even noticed me. it was amazing!! we then went up to the baby pool for a few minutes. after a while he wanted in the big pool but i didn't want to go in. luckily it started to rain so we left. 

that's pretty much the first time i was able to sit quietly and watch him. it wasn't a long time but it was nice! 

and tonight's dinner is already made! last week i made chicken and broccoli alfredo stuffed shells. yes, they are as unhealthy as they sound. froze half. pulled them out of the freezer this morning so all i need to do is put them in a dish, pour alfredo sauce over them (will try not to use too much and i got the lower fat kind) and bake. done and done. this is perfect b/c i just feel so...yuck.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Happy Birthday, Jude! 

Hope it was awesome and terrific! Just about to watch "Little Fockers" with the kidlets. Feeding them pizza, what's not to like? 

Codzilla was a salty, wet blast, I highly recommend it! Didn't make it to the Pru, maybe tomorrow. Dennis has to work tomorrow afternoon/evening (he has a Board meeting and he has several projects to present), so it's just me and the teens. We already made meatballs and I'll cook some pasta, so dinner will be easy. 

Everyone have a great evening. Maybe I can find a workout tomorrow, I'd love to see if I can make it happen. Of course now it rained and it would be great to run, but my body is done for today. 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I need to make this quick as I am only starting my replies now and its already 10 pm gosh this week just is flying.  I am def. feeling the not enough time in the day thing right now.

Rose- I do not deal well with change at all.  When I moved out of my parents at the age of 22 for the first time (I didnt go away to college).  I moved in with my dh who then was my fiance.  It was the first home we bought.  I was so distraught that I got severly depressed and cried all day long for 2 wks straight.  I couldnt even eat anything so you knew there was something wrong with me.  So I totally get the way you are feeling.  Even though you should be happy there is so much stress attached to it too.  So hang in there and know we are here to support you.

Maria- Glad your day was alot of fun and alot less stressful.

Nancy- Sorry about how you are feeling today.  Make sure you drink lots and maybe take it easier for the next day or two.  You have been doing alot in this heat for the past week.

Hi Lisa#1 and Lisa#2 in no specific order, Kathy and Taryn....and 
Happy Birthday Jude! if your reading along let us know how your doing.

*********************************************************
I am sitting here anxiously awaiting a phone call.  Our best friends are expecting their 3rd child any moment know.  She has been in labor at the hospital since early this morning.  The first two times she had a CS so she is not trying a vag.  He is down and in position and she was pushing the last we heard which was about 15 min ago.  Im saying prayers that he comes out naturally this time.

They are naming him nicholas which I think is a bit odd.  I would necessarily have done that considering we are such close friends and get together often with our kids but to each is own and I am taking the compliment that we just choose a perfect name.

We had a great dinner out tonight with my parents and although I made very bad choices I really enjoyed the company.  Then we came home and played football outside.  Ryan is practicing already with his daddy.  Of course I played the roll of the cheerleader!!!!!  I didnt get them to bed until 930 which was totally not in the plan but we enjoyed our night.

Ok well I just saw the update from my friends sister...it looks like she is going in for a csection.  The poor thing.  She gave it a good try but I feel so bad that she was up all last night in early labor and now went all day long and still will have to recover from a csection.  Anyways pretty soon we should hear the news hopefully all good news.

Have a great night Ladies.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria--I'm glad you had a good day today.

Lindsay--thank you. That was just what I needed to hear tonight. I'm sorry about your friend.

So, I have been having some major anxiety stuff going on. It's been coming on for about two weeks. Stress just pushes me over the edge sometimes and the jaycee dugard story being front and center this week has been triggering some stuff for me, I think. Add that to adhd stuff, g-f stuff and job stuff and I am chicken fried. I'm just not feeling very happy about anything and everything is feeling like a chore--and we won't even talk about what I've been eating.

So I'm going to try to be positive. I have been through almost every closet/cabinet in my house and it is just about cleaned out. I have a few to do in the kitchen and need to go through our laundry room and master bedroom closet again. Our air conditioner is still working for now--which means we don't have to rush to replace it. Mike and I finally booked the trip for the interview. The flights back were really crappy on Saturday and Sunday (too short a notice I guess) so we are flying into MCO Thursday evening and back through Melbourne Friday night. That should give me enough time to see a few houses and some apartments. Mike said Thursday night we could go to dtd and do Raglan Road if I wanted. I have been really down on food lately, so that was very sweet of him to offer. 

Tomorrow the real estate agent is coming to see our house and I might have thrown out a ton of stuff but it's not as clean as I would like. Oh well. I need to re-read that article from this morning.

Thank you all for being my stand-in Mom/sisters this week. I really needed the support--it's been getting kind of rough. But I am feeling a little more in control of things tonight, so hopefully we are on an upswing. 

Have a lovely night.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, princesses!!  

Busy week at work for me, and yesterday, my friend i work with really pissed me off.  Today looks like a pretty bad day at work.  She was in charge, and wanted today off, so she cancelled herself, and when she made the schedule, I looked at it, and really there is not enough coverage through lunch, and in the afternoon, so I pointed out some things, and she switched it around a little, and it still wasn't covered, so I said, do you think you should really cancel?  And she said, it doesn't matter because if she didn't cancel herself, she was calling in sick.  To go to water country.  I was so aggravated.  Me and another girl are working extra hours this week to get coverage, and it's just not fair and selfish.   It might work out ok, if we have a couple patients cancel, if some of the procedures don't run long, etc, but she really shouldn't have cancelled herself.  Oh well, I just hope the day goes ok.  

*Lisa*- I'd be a little intimidated by the Iron men too, but you are getting out there, and making healthy choices to be active, and I bet they will be so supportive.  I've been amazed at the people I've met at the races and how positive they all are.  One of karen's friends finished the 5k in 22 minutes, and seemed so friendly and nice even though it took me twice as long.  I think we are more self conscious and judgemental of ourselves than anyone else is.  Hope the training goes smoothly for you.  Glad you liked the cha cha chas.  We're a bit goofy, and like to torture our friend with our singing.  

*Rose*-  Hope you continue to ride the upswing.  

*Maria*-thanks for the review on the Codzilla.  I bet michael would love it.  

*Nancy*- get that water in today, and be careful in this heat. It is so beautiful right now. 

Hi Lindsay and Lisaliesel!!

Happy belated birthday to Jude!!

Got to run.  Have a fantastic day!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I'm icing my knee, so I have about 5 minutes. I am happy to say that this morning I ran 4 miles in just under 40 minutes without stopping and NO PAIN!!!!! I would not say the itband is perfect, but now it's just minor stuff that I need to stay on top of. I can't even tell you how happy this makes me. I was smiling and thinking of you all during the last mile! I'll still do the walk breaks during the long runs, but I love that I can get a 4 mile straight run in if I want to.

Nancy--I hope you are feeling better today.

Kathy--that work stuff just stinks! I hope it's a slow day.

Lindsay--thank you so much for coaching this week. I know it has been a crazy week for you but I think you are doing a fabulous job. I've been trying to jump in a little more--but honestly folks are still pretty chatty over there, so I'm not sure if they even miss me.

Today we have a heating/ac contractor coming to give us an estimate and our realtor is coming. So I have to come home from work and straighten up a bit more. Good thing I got that run in! We were supposed to have a contractor come Tuesday night but they never came and they never called--so frustrating!

Ok, time is just about up! Have a fabulous day all you princessbelles!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy- sorry for the junk at work.  I cant stand when people do that.  Like hello your suppose to be a team.  Well I hope your day went ok and I guess the positive is the extra hours mean extra money. woohoo.

Rose- Glad the run was great!!!!!  Good luck with the realtor and contractors...I cant stand no shows either.  Im sure everyone enjoys your posts and missing when you are not on.  I sometimes feel guilty for posting these long detailed things about my day on here and then I just post small vague posts there.  Anyone else feel that way?  I mean I dont want to change anything and mainly I just feel comfortable talking to you all on here but just sayin.

Wow crazy is not even half of what my day was today.  I cant even talk about it because Im so exhausted but mainly it was all work BS.  Deadlines appearing out of no where that I am having to pull crap out of my you know what to meet them.  Just very frustrated and on top of it I was asked by my boss to take on 2 knew projects/committes one of them being a group that will do public speaking re: patient centered medical homes.  umm sure I will do it. 

I also found out others have gotten their raise in this pay and my salary is still listed as the same.  My pay also did not get deposited in the bank today.  I called payroll and they said they submitted everything late so it will be in tomorrow.  and this is a huge network of 10,000 employees.  So needless to say I am overwork and even got more added on today and now Im hearing that everyone else is getting more and Im not.  Ive just about had it today.

Im not even going to mention that in the middle of this my dh asked if he could golf on sunday after I just told him last week that if he signs up for a tournament at the end of the month we will only have money for that and no more golf days until then.  Ok well I mentioned it anyway.  He just doesnt get the stress that I am under financially all he wants to do is spend and when I talk to him about it he gets it but then asks for money anyway. this is the reason I control the money and not him. I feel like I need a blood pressure pill today thats how fired up I am.  

Ok so there is my vent for the day.  I am really hoping that my night is relaxing with no other crap associated.  So if Im lucky I will be back later more mellow and happy than I am now.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

add me to the exhausted list today. just got in after going up to CT to see a friend and her two daughters. it's only an hour each way but i'm totally "chicken fried!" of course i haven't spoken to my mom in ages and basically passed right by their house on the way. whatever. 

i'm not even going to go through all the crappola i ate today. no wonder i feel like poop.

i'll be on tomorrow morning all bright eyed and bushy tailed...promise!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- I hope you get a good nights sleep.

I just wanted to report that I have climbed down from the bridge and my night has been uneventful.  I feel much better!  gosh what a day but its behind me and tomorrow is friday.  Now to get these boys to bed so I can relax.  My dh is playing softball tonight and wont get home until 11.  So I am excited to have an hour or so without anyone to bother me.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello  and !

Just a quick goodnight to you all --

*Lindsay* -- Glad you are feeling better  Those days are really rotten, and now it's over and you get "Me Time" -- Enjoy! 

*Nancy* -- 2 hours on a train with a 2 yr. old? Yep, that would do me in, too! Let's just say I started my day with a big thing of hash browns from Burger King, and it didn't get better from there. Don't look too much like a squirrel tomorrow morning, I have it on good authority they shoot wildlife in NYC! 

*Rose* -- I am very happy you got that run in!  I cannot say the same. How did it go with the realtor? I'm sure all the clearing out you've been doing will really help.

*Kathy* -- What your friend did at work really stinks. That is just thoughtless, making life harder for others for Water Country?! Seriously?! It's not going anywhere... I do think Michael would love Codzilla. It has a cute story about hunting for, well, Codzilla, and you will be soaked in salty water when you are done if you sit anywhere near the front. You do get some acceleration and a few stomach drops, but it's the wake that really gets you. The Coast Guard cutter was out, and we went through their wake a couple of times 

*Lisabelles* -- I hope you had a great day, tomorrow is Friday! 

Today we went to the JFK Library and Museum. I think the kids liked it, but they had no idea who he was. Well, Ben sort of knew...Bethany was more impressed by the Cuban Missile Crisis movie, which explained there were missiles off the coast of her home, pointed right at it. Her favorite part was Jackie's wardrobe, and who could blame her  They were both a little taken aback by the record players, and the 45s, which only held one song on each side. So primitive! 

We had a great Sorry! tournament tonight. I wish Bethany lived closer, we would definitely get together more often. I think we are going to make this an annual thing now both kids are old enough to fly alone. Maybe we can coordinate with my SIL and they can fly one way together, each staying a week at the other's house. My SIL has a volleyball pool and lives on a golf course, so they are easily entertained there. 

I did not get a workout in, but tomorrow is a possiblity. Our activity isn't until the afternoon, it all depends on how Dennis feels when he gets up. We're taking the kids to Patriots Place (the shopping area adjacent to Gillette Stadium), where the Patriots play. We have tickets for them to do Espionage! (a 5 Wits production) It's described as a "Disney-quality" attraction which includes an experience that will "fully immerse you in a vibrant, physical world that’s unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before! You'll have to solve puzzles, explore new spaces and discover the details of your unique story. You’ll be trained as spies, infiltrating and taking down an evil corporation determined to stop you at every turn.The name actually comes from Shakespearean times. The five wits were said to be Imagination, Estimation, Fantasy, Common Sense, and Memory … all aspects that make an appearance in our adventures." They actually have two different adventures, the other one is 20,000 Leagues -- and yes, you find the Nautilus. They had one in Boston that was an Egyptian tomb near Fenway Park. Ben did that a few years ago and really enjoyed it. We figured this would be fun for the kids and we can relax or shop a little while they do it. The adventures last for about an hour, just long enough for me to spend my gift card at Victoria's Secret. 

Everyone have a great night, and good luck with weigh ins tomorrow! I'm skipping this week, next week I am committed to getting back on track and ready for that Half! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I sometimes feel guilty for posting these long detailed things about my day on here and then I just post small vague posts there.  Anyone else feel that way?  I mean I dont want to change anything and mainly I just feel comfortable talking to you all on here but just sayin.


I do know how you feel.  I wish i had more time to be more chatty on both threads too, but we all know there is not enough time in the day to do all the dis-sing we'd like to do.  I'll come here and catch up with you all, and then not have enough time to go to the bl thread.  You did great coaching last week, and chatting here too.  I should be hitting the shower now, but wanted to say hi here first.  

*Rose*- I am so happy for you being able to run 4 miles straight!!  I think someone is looking out for you with all the stress of the possible move, you need to be able to run for stress relief.  Yay!!

*Maria*- Sounds like you're having a great week.  I took some cousins from Ireland to the Kennedy museum about 20 years ago, and that's the only time I've been.  I'd like to go back again.  There is so much to see here, yet I don't get out and see it.  I think it's getting easier as michael's getting older too.  Michael and his cousin taylor are just a month apart and get along really well.  They're only 2 hours away, but we do a lot with them because they can entertain themselves at times.  They're both only children too, and it's nice for them. 

*Lisa*- Are you still celebrating the birthdays through the week?  Hope you're having a good week. 

Hi Liesel!!

Well, work wasn't too bad yesterday, so that was good.  I guess I'll get moving now.  Michael's still asleep, but I need to leave at 8 so I'll turn on the shower, and he should get up.  

Have a fabulous day!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*maria* - i drove to CT - no train. train would be way too exhausting! drive wasn't too bad but i sweat the traffic gods know whenever it is that i'm driving and tell every car to get in my way. oh well.

happy friday everyone! i'm a little more chipper today...a little. feeling the junk food hangover big time. at least it's not too humid out and looks like today's going to be a nice day. i don't think i'm going to go for a walk today. i probably should but i could use a break. 

just checked the tide chart and it looks like high tide (best for swimming and plalying around here) is right at nap time. i think we might do the club in the morning and then come home to nap and then go back again. we'll see. i always have big plans for the day and then my couch calls me. 

have a great day everyone! what are the weekend plans??


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria--Sounds like you are having a great visit! I'm glad it is looking up!

Lisah--hope you are doing ok and just busy, busy, busy this week.

Lindsay--hope you and your family of wrestlers got some good sleep last night.

Hi to Nancy, Lisa, Kathy, Taryn, and Jude.

******
We have picked a heating/ac contractor now we just need to schedule a time to get the new unit installed. I'm really glad we called the realtor. She gave us a good idea of what we need to do and what we don't need to do. She loved our pool--it's a weird pool. It's partially in the ground with a retaining wall around it with landscaping in the retaining wall. She thinks it will be a great selling point. So all that hard work we put in the backyard in June was a good thing. I just need to keep working on getting rid of stuff and start to get ready to declutter so that as soon as Mike gets an offer we can take pics and list the house. We don't have to paint as much as I thought we would, so that's good. And she told me not to plan on replacing all the windows, but rather just get a few of the panes with broken seals replaced.

Tom went out with a former gf last night (they've been sort of seeing each other). Then he went to the Harry Potter movie with a friend at midnight. It was nice to have a quiet evening. I told Mike I was taking the day off from cleaning. Which I think he was really happy about. I'm going to go to the Y this morning and then maybe do a little cleaning until Tom gets up. Tom and I plan on hanging out this afternoon. I am feeling much more excited about things again. This week was just a moment of panic I think. 

Have a great day!


----------



## Rose&Mike

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Kathy- sorry for the junk at work.  I cant stand when people do that.  Like hello your suppose to be a team.  Well I hope your day went ok and I guess the positive is the extra hours mean extra money. woohoo.
> 
> Rose- Glad the run was great!!!!!  Good luck with the realtor and contractors...I cant stand no shows either.  Im sure everyone enjoys your posts and missing when you are not on.  I sometimes feel guilty for posting these long detailed things about my day on here and then I just post small vague posts there.  Anyone else feel that way?  I mean I dont want to change anything and mainly I just feel comfortable talking to you all on here but just sayin.
> 
> Wow crazy is not even half of what my day was today.  I cant even talk about it because Im so exhausted but mainly it was all work BS.  Deadlines appearing out of no where that I am having to pull crap out of my you know what to meet them.  Just very frustrated and on top of it I was asked by my boss to take on 2 knew projects/committes one of them being a group that will do public speaking re: patient centered medical homes.  umm sure I will do it.
> 
> I also found out others have gotten their raise in this pay and my salary is still listed as the same.  My pay also did not get deposited in the bank today.  I called payroll and they said they submitted everything late so it will be in tomorrow.  and this is a huge network of 10,000 employees.  So needless to say I am overwork and even got more added on today and now Im hearing that everyone else is getting more and Im not.  Ive just about had it today.
> 
> Im not even going to mention that in the middle of this my dh asked if he could golf on sunday after I just told him last week that if he signs up for a tournament at the end of the month we will only have money for that and no more golf days until then.  Ok well I mentioned it anyway.  He just doesnt get the stress that I am under financially all he wants to do is spend and when I talk to him about it he gets it but then asks for money anyway. this is the reason I control the money and not him. I feel like I need a blood pressure pill today thats how fired up I am.
> 
> Ok so there is my vent for the day.  I am really hoping that my night is relaxing with no other crap associated.  So if Im lucky I will be back later more mellow and happy than I am now.


I totally missed this post. I feel a little guilty sometimes, but the reality is, you all are keeping me sane this summer. I really have come close a couple times to throwing in the towel. My eating has not been good at all--I had a box of g-f mac and cheese for dinner last night (in my defense it is MUCH smaller than a box of Kraft). So, some guilt, yes, but this is what we all need right now, so that's just the way it is. I have been trying to be more active--I am the hostess for goodness sakes! 

And the work stuff--I would be so not happy! I feel like everyone is in this--just be glad you have a job mode--and so no one feels like they can complain about anything. And complain may be too strong a word. No one feels like they can even say I can't do something or point out problems, etc. But not getting paid on time would really tick me off. It wasn't even a holiday this week, cmon people get your act together!

And the money stuff--have you tried sitting down with Mike once or twice a month and showing exactly what's going on with everything? Money stuff is tricky. It took us a long time to get a system together that works for us--one where we don't argue about things, etc. I am so glad Mike never had time to golf. It's a really expensive hobby!

Hang in there Lindsay!

*****
Kind of related to the "you can't complain at work stuff"---the real estate agent said with the economy now, you have to price a house so that people can pay less than the asking price. You have to assume they are going to offer less no matter how fairly you price it. The assumption by buyers right now is that they should not pay full price period. When we sold our house in IL we sold it for above the asking price. So this could be interesting.


----------



## lisah0711

Oh, great, I get to the be one to post after the troll.    I reported our little troll friend so hopefully he will be gone soon.  

*Lindsay,* I think that you did a great job coaching this week!  I'm sorry that your week was so hectic.  Hope that you have time to take it easy and get a little planning done so you can feel better.  

And I don't think it's complaining to say "people depend on their paychecks being deposited on time" nor is it to mention that the increase in salary that goes with the increased responsibilities hasn't show up yet. 

*Nancy,* glad that you had a good time with your friend.    Sorry about the chicken fried thing but glad you are feeling better today.      I'm going to pretend I'm at the beach with you today.  



mikamah said:


> I do know how you feel.  I wish i had more time to be more chatty on both threads too, but we all know there is not enough time in the day to do all the dis-sing we'd like to do.  I'll come here and catch up with you all, and then not have enough time to go to the bl thread.  You did great coaching last week, and chatting here too.  I should be hitting the shower now, but wanted to say hi here first.



Hey Krazy Kowgirl Kathy!    Thanks for coaching this week!  

Glad that things turned out okay at work.  I would not have been happy about that one either.   

I have a little BL guilt, too, but it's not like we have abandoned the thread or anything so I think we should all stop worrying!  

*Maria,*   sounds like you are all really enjoying the staycation in spite of the heat!   

*Rose,*  glad that you are taking a day off from cleaning!    Hope that you can do something fun!

Hi *Lisabelle* and all our other princesses!   

I'm quiet because I had a little visit from a stomach virus.    Luckily I seem to be the only person in the family who caught it.  I am feeling better now.  My scale showed a 7 pound loss but I'm pretty sure that will not stick around.  I will be happy if half of it stays.  

Have a great day all!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning  and !

Dennis and I got up and ran at Deer Island again. For some reason, maybe because it's a little cooler, I was much faster today, and I felt much better. I only did 3M instead of 5, since I plan to do 11 tomorrow.  I have decided this is the last day of crap eating. Tomorrow Bethany flies back to FL and we have to get Ben ready for his CT week, so there is no reason I can't restart myself tomorrow. 

*Lisah* -- So sorry that virus hit you  Totally unfair! Thanks for reporting the troll. I hope you hang on to as much of your loss is possible. Those are numbers I only dream of 

*Rose* -- It sounds like you don't have that much to do to be ready for the house, that is awesome! That means you will have time to relax and start to think about what you want to be when you grow up!  Seriously, this is the perfect time to let your mind wander and think about what makes you happy. It is a little daunting, but you are a lucky ducky! 

*Nancy* -- Ok, driving with a 2 yr. old for 2 hrs does not sound much better!  You are a brave one! My Saturday is an 11M run, getting Ben ready for camp, and catching up on the new sci fi shows we didn't watch Monday night since we had company. Sunday Dennis is taking Ben to CT, and their leaving right after church which means I can't go. So disappointed  That means I have the entire day just for me, since Dennis won't get home until about 6 pm...I plan to relax, watch some T&T, and read the newest Janet Evanovich. We picked it up from the library this week, and I am ready  I also need to make my new workout schedule into the Fall, catch up on a bunch of laundry, and see what needs to be done to recover from the kids -- but I can do it in peace and quiet 

*Kathy* -- We don't get out nearly as often as we intend to, either. Ben has been begging us to go the the MFA (Museum of Fine Arts) for ages. I am determined to make that happen later this summer. It takes having company for us to really make the rounds. We spend our weekends running and then running errands. It is easier as they get older -- they start to demand to see things and you feel so guilty you take them 

*Lindsay* -- Ok, it's not wrong to be mad you didn't get paid the right amount or on time, that is just reasonable!  And the money thing...one of the reasons Dennis and I don't fight much is we have enough that we can compromise and be happy with our choices. When I first had Ben, I literally had to spend my maternity leave finding another job because the one I had was not going to cover $800/mo for child care -- and we couldn't live without me bringing in a salary. We shopped the sales in multiple stores every week to buy our food, cutting our costs as much as we could. It was worth it, because we bought our condo when Ben was 7 mos. old, so he had a small backyard and we had room for him. We kept saving as much as we could, and bought our house when he was 3. We didn't start "vacationing" until Ben was 4, and we took our first trip to WDW -- and we mainly did that because I was so depressed after my mom passed, it was the only thing I could think of that might cheer me up. Well, we've vacationed a bit too much and now we have to face reality -- that's why I have to cut my trips back, and we are doing a staycation and being responsible by fixing our steps. It's not fun, but it is the right thing to do. We've pretty much paid off our debt other than the mortgage, and we're only taking trips we basically already have the money for -- hence my excitement that there's enough in our vacation fund for me to go to Princess. You may have to have a moment where you go over your spending plan with dh, and he has to show some buy in. Dennis handles all our money, but I know where it is, I know the budget for the month and each week, and it's easy to grasp that paying the mortgage comes before another shopping spree, no matter how much I might "need" something...Anyway,  'cause money is a toughie! 

*Lisa & Jude* -- 

We're getting ready to leave for Patriot Place. It's a nice drive, and it will be fun to be out and about! It looks like the last touches are going on our steps today. We have to wait about a month for it to cure, and then they can add the wrought iron railing. I am going to be so happy to have them mostly done! 

Everyone have a fabulous day!

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, did you all just hear me take a really deep breath...I have spent the morning researching places for DS to have more adhd testing since what the original guy did is not sufficient enough to transfer care to USC and he doesn't do any other testing. It was enough for our doctor to write a prescription but USC requires very specific tests and documentation--that you have to have done off campus. Uggh. Tom has called 4 or 5 places and left messages. If something doesn't get worked out by the beginning of next week he is going to start looking for a place in columbia to do the testing.  What a royal pita this has all been! He will get another prescription from our pcp  in a week or so, and hopefully I should be able to get another one at the end of August/begin of Sept. So we are good for a while. He does not take the meds every day. 

After that I don't know if we will still be here so we are planning assuming we won't. After learning more about adhd and talking to Tom more he really does have every single symptom except for the impacting your academic ability one (not sure how it's worded). Actually he didn't have that one until this past year, and now it's a problem. It's funny cause the thought is adhd impairs you if you aren't working to your ability level. Well his grades last semester weren't horrid (3.0 I think) but it was not to the best of his ability. And I swear the kid just can't be still when he isn't taking the meds. He walks around the room constantly. It's exhausting. It's funny how the longer he's on the meds the more I'm noticing symptoms that he doesn't have when he's medicated. 

I thought we were going to hang out this afternoon and do something fun but he's going out with the former girlfriend again. Oh well, pushed aside for a girl. I seriously might just take a nap, but I'll probably end up cleaning some more.

Lisa--feel better!


----------



## flipflopmom

You know those times when you just really want to withdraw from the world and be a hermit for a while?  Well, I'm there.  I've browsed some, and do have stuff to say, I'm interested and concerned.  But, I just don't have communication in me right now.  Lots of stuff going on, I think I am just finally taking the week of solitude that I usually do to chill after school is out that I didn't get to do this year.  Still have 2 more papers to write, but don't even have that in me.  I'm crashed in the recliner, eating fruit (sort of detoxing my diet to jumpstart it), playing word games on my phone and watching trash tv.  I'll be back, I'm lurking!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

flipflopmom said:


> You know those times when you just really want to withdraw from the world and be a hermit for a while?  Well, I'm there.  I've browsed some, and do have stuff to say, I'm interested and concerned.  But, I just don't have communication in me right now.  Lots of stuff going on, I think I am just finally taking the week of solitude that I usually do to chill after school is out that I didn't get to do this year.  Still have 2 more papers to write, but don't even have that in me.  I'm crashed in the recliner, eating fruit (sort of detoxing my diet to jumpstart it), playing word games on my phone and watching trash tv.  I'll be back, I'm lurking!



aw, hugs!!!  i think most of the gals here on the BL princess board are pretty stressed out for different reasons. don't worry about keeping up but make sure to come back when you're ready!! 

*rose* keep us posted with what you come up with for the testing for tom. so...what's the deal with the old girlfriend? think the flame is ignited again??

*lindsay* did your paycheck make it to the bank today? how FRUSTRATING!!!!!

*maria* i need some books to read. i'm just in a rut. can't find anything i want to read. tell me about janet evankovich. what is her first book called? is it a series? i just want something i can get into! i re-read the last harry potter because i want to go see the movie tomorrow morning (i have to go to the first showings around here or else the riff raff make movie-going horrible). but now that i'm finished with that i just can't seem to pick something out! wah! help! 

*lisah* how are you feeling today? stomach bugs are horrible! i had that c.diff intestinal infection for pretty much the whole spring. kept my weight down but then as soon as i was properly medicated for it i gained about 10 lbs right away. darn stomach issues/pregnancy causing weight gain. 7lbs lost though?? sounds like a bad stomach bug!  poor thing make sure to stay hydrated!!

*kathy* how thoughtful of that lady at work to schedule you to work extra so that she can take off and go on vacation. i love people sometimes, don't you??

****

i'm sitting on the couch now waiting for our chinese to be delivered. went to our beach in the morning and then the beach club in the afternoon. tough life, right??  still, i'm tired. 

i'm planning on the 9:45am showing of harry potter tomorrow. thinking of getting a bagel and cream cheese to bring in with me with a coffee. or maybe a dunkin donuts breakfast sandwich....hmm...decisions decisions...and healthy ones too


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Nancy* -- Janet Evanovich has written a series of books about an inept bounty hunter named Stephanie Plum and her interesting entourage, which includes her semi-crazy grandmother and Lula, a rather large former 'ho. They live in the Burg in New Jersey, and she waffles between Morelli, a cop, and Ranger, another much more successful bounty hunter and owner of Rangeman Security. They are mysteries with the slightest touch of romance, really it's more of a subplot when it occurs. The action is all around Stephanie's job, her wacky family, and the interesting characters she meets. They are quick and fun reads. The first book is called "One for the Money". I highly recommend them. I'm on "Smokin' Seventeen", and I can't wait to dive in! 

Last evening with my niece...we're all up and at 'em early to get her to the airport and get me on the TM -- I'm not about to be running around the nhbd for 11 miles, I want to be close to whatever I might need...

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hello ladies!

Maria- Sounds like you had a great ending to your staycation.

Nancy- glad you perked up a bit.  I love your beach pics.   Dont laugh because I am horrible with geography but what body of water is that?? the hudson?

Lisa- I hope you feel better soon.  wow 7lbs.  I love the movie devil wears prada and the one assistant says "im one stomach virus away from a size 2"  well I am many stomach virus away from a size 2 but I think that quote is hilarious.

Kathy- I hope you had a great day.  I love your wrestling name. oh and I love the sparkle skirt, cowboy boots, and sparkly cowboy hat idea.  I think you should send it in to WWE you never know....that might be your ticket to never ending disney vacation money.

Taryn- Hang in there and sometimes we all need that unwind time.  Dont feel bad for just sitting back and relaxing and watching junk tv.

Rose- well I was going to say glad tom is at least getting out and doing things with his friends again but Im not sure how you feel about this exgirlfriend.   What do you think about it?  oh and the getting dissed for another girl thing. I dont even want to think about those days to come.  I already told my boys that I will always be the #1 lady and that they need to make sure that there wives are ok with that otherwise they shouldnt marry them. and yes this is what I say to my 6 and 4 year old.  Ofcourse I am joking.  Anyway I hope all works out with finding testing.  What exactly are they looking for Vanderbilt tests????

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

Ok well I did get my paycheck and I didnt have my raise so coincedentally I had a meeting with my boss today.  It went well and I brought up this topic.  He thought I was in range and therefore didnt increase my salary.  He annoys me with this stuff...too busy to worry about little details such as my PAY CHECK!!!!  Then I got our financials back for our fiscal year and our revenue actually bumps me into the next management tier which is actually the starting salary is thousands of dollars more than I am making now.  So I emailed him asking him in my title can be changed and my salary adjusted to that level.  Hes probably really loving me right now.  The thing is I am confident that I am worth more and the salary that that level pays I feel is adequate and I would be happy.  Even with my current increase I still feel very under compensated for the work and responsibility I have.

Anyway...the week is over and the good news is...I am going to the beach again tomorrow.  This time to Seaside Heights,NJ where they film the Jersey Shore.  

Its just going to be my parents me and the kids.  Mike is staying home to do the outside yard work that is out of control.  It was his choice but I feel bad.  We are leaving at 630am so I just finished the laundry and now I need to get to bed.

Have a great day tomorrow.  I will most likely post a pic to facebook.  Which reminds me Maria and Taryn I need to become friends with you on facebook.  Im just horrible at friends finding.  

Good night all.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Taryn*--hope your down time helps you recharge!

*Nancy*--have fun at Harry Potter!

*Lindsay*--another beach day! I am so jealous!  I think the original psychiatrist relied too much on self-reporting because Tom is an adult, though he did go by dsm iv (???) standards. Our pcp was fine with his diagnosis. The university wants something different--I am assuming cause of the rampant abuse of adderall and ritalin on college campuses. I'm fine with that cause I really would like an official iq test done. (He topped out some unofficial tests that they did in school.) I think the original guy was a good starting point because he has adhd and it really made Tom feel ok about himself and Tom knows how he doesn't want to be when he grows up now--the guy had a few issues. Anyhow, he got Tom organized and explained to him why he had to do things a certain way, etc and that helped. But despite his initial claims he seems to rely heavily on medication. We are all now in agreement (Tom, our pcp, and Mike and I) that transferring care to campus is probably a good thing since we are so far from him. It will all work out, it's just a hassle sometimes! I have looked at symptoms of adhd for years, and now that I understand things a little better he has had symptoms his whole life. But it never really interfered with things too much. Some of the stuff I read said it's really not uncommon for really smart kids with adhd to hold it together until college and then things start to fall apart. Even through high school we were pretty strict with Tom's schedule--home by a certain time on week nights, no late night studying cause it triggered migraines. He always did homework on Sundays--but it was such an ordeal. He would get up every 5-10 minutes and walk around. He got distracted so easily. There could be no noise in the house, etc. But his grades were good and it was manageable. Anyhow, sorry for the book. I feel a little guilty we didn't deal with this earlier, but everyone keeps telling me he was doing ok earlier. Maybe I was just doing too much time management for him. He's handling everything really well--no drama yesterday when he found out about USC--which is such a positive thing. Actually a lot less drama period. So this is a good thing.

As for the gf--he keeps saying it's no big deal--she will be a freshman this year at Western KY I think. I did ask if she was 18 yet. She's a cute girl and I know her Mom from PTSA. He seems to be enjoying hanging out with her so I'm glad. We are going to have to have a little chat about no funny stuff when Mike and I are in Florida. Just look what you all have to look forward to.

Mike and I went out to dinner last night. Since we came back from WDW we have been out to dinner twice. We got Moe's take out a couple of times but that doesn't really count. Going out to dinner stresses me out. But there is a local restaurant that someone told us to try. On their menu they mark whether each item can be made g-f or not and when they bring the food out they tell you that the item is g-f so you know they got it right. It was so fun! I miss going out to eat. We shared a bibb salad with pears and pecorino (sp?) cheese and champagne dressing and I had a tomato and goat cheese sandwich on some kind or g-f flat bread with fabulous roasted potatoes. (I forgot to tell them to leave the chicken off, so I just picked it off and Mike took it home to eat today.) I am so over stressing about that kind of stuff. I am mostly vegetarian--that's the best I can do.  I didn't eat most of the bread--which Mike thinks is so funny--but I could have ate if it I wanted to, that's the important part!   I did eat most of the potatoes--they were so good! Then we shared chocolate creme brulee for dessert! It was fabulous! It was a perfect night out that I really, really needed.

Ok, enough slacking. Time to get up and clean something! I hope everyone has a great day!

Lisa--I hope you are feeling better!


----------



## mikamah

good morning, princesses!!

We are off to my sisters camp today, just for one night.  It will be fun and relaxing.  We try to get up there once during the summer if we can coordinate a weekend.  It's a trailer, with beds, so easy packing.  Just gotta throw pjs and an outfit for tomorrow in the bag, and swimsuits/towels sunsreen bugspray should do it.  I do want to run or walk in the morning too since I slacked this week on the exercise.  This week coming up, michael's camp is a few towns away run by the Y, so a bus will pick him up about 50 min before I have to be at work, so I'll have my morning coffee/dis time again.  It worked out well to be my coaching week. 

*Rose*-You seem more your happy self today, and I'm go glad for you.  Sounds like a nice, much needed night out.  I am not looking forward to ds and dating.  Glad tom's friend is 18.  My nephew is 20 and dating girl who will be a high school senior this fall, and it makes me nervous. 

 What will I be like when it's Michael?   He's already looking at the girls.  He came home tuesday from camp, and said, Brendan's sister Grace is pretty.  He tells me she's older than him, but just a year because she's almost 11, and he's almost 10. Yah, in december.  They were in camp together this week.  The next day he said he has a crush on Grace, and he thinks she likes him too because she knows his name.  Then yesterday, the last camp day, they have awards, and michael got the arts and crafts award, and he said Grace got the same award, and then he says, wouldn't it be cool, if I was to marry Grace in like 20 years, and we got the same award when we were kids.  I think I'm going to be in trouble.  It's cracking me up now, but what will he be like once those hormones kick in. 

*Lisa*- How are you feeling today?  Hope the gi bug has left the house, and you're all recovered, and enjoying a warm summer weekend in Idaho.  

*Lindsay*- Good for you for sticking up for yourself and talking to your boss.  Hope he knows how valuable you are to the company.  Enjoy the beach.

*Maria*_ Good luck with the 11 miles today!!  You can do it!!!

*Nancy*- I hope thomas is ok and doesn't have a stomach bug.  I'm sorry, i think i just chuckled at the mess, and didn't say anything about the diarrhea.  Hope you are both enjoying a warm sunny day without any problems. 

*Taryn*- Hello there.  I totally get the need to take a break.  If you lurking, we miss you, but hope you're enjoying the summer and reenergizing.  

Have a fabulous weekend!!

It's 11.  Time to get my butt in gear.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Just quickly wanted to say hello.  

Rose- Im glad you had a nice eve. out with mike last night and a great meal too.  I dont even want to think about the whole girlfriend thing.  Im glad tom is enjoying himself and that everyone is of age. 

Kathy- I hope you had a great day at the camp.  Sounds like lots of fun.

Hello to everyone!!!!!!

I just got home from a day at the beach.  I have to say I did not enjoy seasides ocean as much as ocean city.  The tide was very high today and the waves were very strong but the part I hated was that the area where the boys could stand was so full of broken shells it hurt our feet and then the waves would bring it all including sand in and smacking you in the legs.  A few times I got knocked over and got drug up the beach.  I had a huge wad of sand in my bathing suit between my legs and it looked like I went #2 in my pants.  So disgusting.  However when the boys went up to play in the sand I made my way past that area into the deeper part and it was very nice just floating through the waves.  I still got taken under by a few but it was fine and very peaceful.

The boardwalk there I love.  I usually try not to talk about horrible food I decide to eat but this can not be missed.  I got fried pickles.  The were those big dill pickles that you buy in a barrel.  cut into 1/2 inch slices.  battered with flour/egg/seasoned bread crumbs and then fried.  I dipped them in ranch dressing and they were out of this world.  Well worth every single calorie that I consumed.  I may even dream about them tonight.

We also saw the jersey shore crew.  They are currently taping for the next season.  Now to most I would not admit that I watch this show but it truly is my guilty pleasure.  My dad noticed the commotion by the go carts across the street from where we were eating dinner so I walked over and there was the gang waiting to ride.  I got a good pic.  Then when they finished they walked right past where we were eating.  I saw them eating dinner in one of the resturaunts.  The when we were getting ice cream one of the guys walked by with his date.  Its amazing that they just act like no one is around them but really there are at least 100 people following them I am not kidding.  There are about 5 or 6 cameras and then about 5 security gaurds and seaside police officers.  

So even though I love the boardwalk there I still preferred ocean city, NJ.  It just has more of a classy family atmosphere.  

I think this is probably it for my trips to the beach this year.  I really enjoyed them and it has been a great break from reality.  

Hopefully the kids will sleep in tomorrow....I know they are beat.

Tomorrows agenda is to go to sportsfest and catch some sporting activities.  We are going to take the boys to watch the WXW wrestling.  I fear this will only encourage there flying elbows that they have been doing lately off of my sofa but my husband won the battle so we are going to go. 

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend.  Talk to you tomorrow.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning,  and !

I have to get the fellas up in a few minutes to get them ready for church. Since Dennis may have to drive to CT (they think they may have enough room without him), I can't go with them because they have to leave right after the service. I should be sadder about this than I am  But, that means I have to say goodbye to Ben soon. 

*Lindsay* -- Wow, that must be kind of weird to just happen upon filming a tv show, with people kind of all over. They film a lot of movies around here and we see things from a distance, but I don't think I've ever really been close enough to recognize the cast. Your beach day sounds...well, beachy!  I was so surprised when I went to St. Pete Beach last fall, and under the water the floor of the ocean was all these shells. I expected it to just be smooth sand.  Dennis had a similar shock when we were first married and went on a float trip on a river in Missouri. I insisted we bring water shoes, he thought I was crazy. Then he stepped on the river bed and it was all rocks instead of the sand he expected. 

*Kathy* -- I hope you have a great time at your sister's camp! It's nice to just get away even for one night. Dennis asked me this week if I wanted to stay another night in Providence before the race. I jumped on it! So, we can travel down Friday instead of Saturday, I'll be able to be more "in place". I know it's only a short drive, but it will feel more like a break this way.  Ah, that testosterone...yep, enjoy this time while you can! 

*Rose* -- I can't imagine what you are going through with Tom, that is so much to try to get settled for him, and yet try to let him have his independence...I'm sure you will be able to work the testing and meds out. I totally get when you aren't thrilled to leave him with an empty house and the gf, too  Yep, good to make sure everyone is a legal adult...I now get why you don't go out to dinner much. The g-f thing is so complicated  I hope you are looking forward to your FL trip. I know there will be stress, but it is the good kind! 

*Taryn* -- There are times when I just lurk, too, you probably remember them  Sometimes you just need to read and absorb rather than comment, and that's ok 

*Lisah* -- How are you feeling? I hope much, much better. Did you start the training group? You are a running machine these days!  Those 7 lbs you lost showed up on my scale, so I have my work cut out for me  I think a lot of it will go quickly because it's from not as much exercise or water and a ton of junk food. 

*Nancy* -- How are you feeling? I'm sure BronxBaby is starting to take up some space  I admit I had to laugh at Thomas in the tub, but I hope he wasn't actually starting a little illness. I know it was anything but funny at the time, but little kids are just such basic humans -- you have to enjoy them. 

*Lisa* -- And how is your training going? I bet your kids are keeping you hopping! 

Yesterday went really well. I got up and we got Dennis and my niece off. She's travelling as an unaccompanied minor, so Dennis had to wait until her plane took off to leave the airport. Anyway, while he took care of that I got on the TM. I did my 11M, and it wasn't too bad. It was a little warm, and I started to get really wanting to be done after 9M, but I was determined to make it work. I'm a little sore today, but not too bad. The rest of the day we worked on packing Ben, doing some laundry, and catching up on my Tivo. I also was able to go to the Hallmark to pick up my ornaments. Now I'll rack up more points for my next reward certificate to use at the October event. I still have 8 ornaments I need to buy -- and some of them are even for other people 

Ben is in the shower and I have to get Dennis moving. The plan for today is to do more laundry and bang off more items on my general list, while also taking time for at home mani/pedi, facial, and relaxing with my magazine pile. I still haven't finished my closet (although it is much better), and I need to make a new workout schedule, organize a few drawers, and finally get the clothes pile ready for the Salvation Army. My radiator is overflowing with items to donate. If I get most of the items done from that list, I will be satisfied. 

Everyone have a fabulous Sunday!

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Taryn,* hope that you are getting rested and feeling better.    I think everyone needs to check out from the world every once in awhile.  Keep reading along and we will all be here for you when you are ready to jump back in!   

*Lindsay,* glad that you had a good time at the beach!    Did you come home to a perfectly groomed yard?  Or did Mike just need some alone time?   Enjoy that big wrestle-mania event that you are going to today.  Hope that your furniture holds up this week while all the good stuff is renacted -- and that the wrestlers are okay, too.  

I'm glad that you had that meeting and discussion with your boss.  You have a lot of responsibility and should be paid accordingly.  Be sure and save those revenue reports and the information about your various presentations in your "atta girl" file so you can refer to them when you need to show tangible examples of how you've benefitted the company.  The saving the day and keeping the revenue stream going in the face of carpet glue is a good one.  I used to have trouble remembering all the great things I did if I didn't keep a folder.  

*Rose,* I'm glad that you are able to get things set up in SC for Tom (even if it is a bit of a hassle at first).  It lets him be in change -- which is what he wants and needs -- plus you are going to get more info!   

I'm not looking forward to the girlfriend thing.    There were a few rumblings at the end of the year but since DS' school doesn't allow PDAs of any kind it doesn't seem to get too far until you get to high school.  I don't blame you for wanting to have a talk about when the house is empty.  A birth control reminder wouldn't hurt -- hey, you embarassing yourselves anyway! Can't they just have sex in the car like we (well maybe not you ) used to?  

*Krazy Kowgirl Kathy,* hope that you are having fun in New Hampshire and had a lovely run this morning.   

Hopefully Grace will go to another camp for the next few weeks and will be but a distant memory of a sweet summer craft romance!    Michael is such a sweet guy, you know he will go totally head over heels when it happens.  

I don't blame you for being nervous about your nephew.  One of my client's sons was dating a high school girl who was under 18.  The Mom knew all about the relations but, of course, when there was a fuss, she reported it to the police and now the kid had a statutory rape conviction on his record, as an adult that will stay there forever.  

*Nancy,* hope that Thomas is feeling better now!    Everyone has those crazy poop stories.    We had the tub thing and also a memorable one where it shot all over the dresser, changing pad and even lamp in the middle of the night.  Good times, good times! 

Maria gave you a great description of Janet Evanovich and her Stephanie Plum books.  I started the series with Ten Big Ones when I was on vacation -- I'm just reading it again this week actually.  It is one of the funniest ones. I liked it so much I went out and got eleven, even though it was only in hardback, which I never do.  I always wait for the paperback.  I think the later ones are the better ones.  

There is also the Joanna Fluke murder mysteries set.  They all have food names like Apple Pie Murder.  I think of that heroine Hannah Swensen as the cleaner, midwestern version of Stephanie Plum.  She has two men in her life, too, but it never goes anywhere.  Be warned that Hannah owns a cookie store and is always baking and has recipes in her book.  I'm never inspired to suddenly make things from scratch on the spur of the moment and especially because I usually read these books when I am in Iowa and it's too dang hot.  Another one of the "family reads."  

*Maria,* how was your 11 miles yesterday?  Hope it went well and you are feeling ready for your half soon!    It will be here before you know it!    Have they told you who any of the bands are going to be?  I guess there is one every mile so that should be entertaining -- even if they stink.   I was interested to read that the Rock n' Roll has several levels of medals if you do multiple RnR marathons through the year.  Something to shoot for after that coast to coast medal!  

I am recovered for the most part from my stomach bug and my weight went back to the same number I've been stuck at for three weeks.  Well, I haven't actually be stuck at it for three weeks.  I have it for my weigh in, eat too much over the week-end and gain a few pounds, work like crazy and get back to the weigh in number and repeat again!  I'm breaking that cycle this week-end.

Yesterday was my first run with my training group.  The beginners group went 1 mile with the coach with the jogging stroller and baby.  I thought of you Nancy.    Our group went out for three to seven miles -- your choice -- and if you wanted to do intervals they were doing 4/1.   But you could do slower intervals if you wanted.  So the group went out and started running right away -- you people run to warm up?   And I did my own thing and was perfectly happy.  I knew where they were going and had my new Run Keeper so it worked out fine.  I saw they in various groups as they came back and at the end in the store when in for water and they had a really tasty electrolyte drink.  I thanked the coach for letting me do it at my own pace.  I would have been miserable trying to catch up or holding people back.  And it was hot -- like in the 70's -- so I was in my perfect Galloway recommended pace, had a good run and am all ready for hills on Tuesday!   

Oh and all the hardcore Ironman folks were not there cause they were doing a little tri at Hayden Lake.  I really respect and admire those guys but they are a little intimidating, not to mention some can be a tad arrogant, or maybe that is me in my insecurity.  Going to work in the yard this morning and do a little laundry this afternoon and take it easy.

Hello to all our other princesses and belles!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Forgot to mention I'm wearing my new Lands End purple polka dot tankini -- one size smaller than last year on top and bottom! Ok, it would look better 7 lbs lighter, but it's still comfortable and fits ok...and the purple polka dots make me happy! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Ah, *Princess Maria,* we were posting at the same time.   

Glad that you had a good run yesterday and way to push through those last couple of miles.  

Here's an extra  for you for saying good-bye to Ben for camp.    I'm sure that he will have a wonderful time.  

Are you and Dennis going to do anything special since you are empty-nesters this week?  I noticed that you went to Victoria's Secret earlier this week!  

And don't worry about that 7 pounds -- quite a bit of it has found it's way back already!  

Enjoy your relaxing day!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Icing my knees and ankle....The knees aren't bad but the ankle hurts like crazy when I ice it. I can only leave it on for about a minute at a time.

Maria--enjoy your camp week. Tom started going to camp at the end of sixth grade. It was really hard at first, but once we got used to we really enjoyed away camp! Great job on getting in those 11 miles! Yep, eating out is not so fun, but at least we have a couple of places to go now. You sound like you have a great day planned!

Lisa--glad you are feeling better. That's horrible about your client's son. It's becoming a big concern which is really sad. I have been saying that to Tom for years--you have to ask how old they are. This girl is out of high school, so I figured she was 18 and I think the age of consent here is 16, but still. And there probably is nothing going on......I will say every once in a while stuff like--no surprises, no accidents, do you need dad to go to the drug store for you. He usually roles his eyes and asks me if we really need to be having this conversation.

Kathy--hope you are having fun with your sister! Cute story about Michael.

Lindsay--I love fried pickles! Well, I used to love fried pickles. They have fried dill pickles at buffalo wild wings. They are sliced in rings--so yummy! I would totally consider cheating on them--though I wouldn't actually do it, but I would consider it!

Nancy--I hope Thomas is doing better.

******
We had a really productive day yesterday. We cleaned all the windows and put a piece of painters tape on all the ones that need a section replaced. If I were staying here I would just get new windows, but I think this will cost half what new windows would cost to put in (maybe less) and be a lot less hassle. I rearranged some of the stuff she wanted me to rearrange and got a couple more bags for good will. If someone called me to show the house today I could have it ready to go in about an hour. It's not perfect yet--we have some painting to do--but it's getting there.

I also have been trading pm's with a dis'er who lives in Melbourne. I am so glad I contacted her. She had a lot of really good input and gave me the name of a different real estate agent who I'm going to contact today. Mike has not been thrilled with the responses we've been getting from the other one. We told our neighbor what was going on--she actually figured it out cause we have been putting so much trash out and hauling so much stuff to good will. Mike wants me to go ahead and tell my boss tomorrow and let the chips fall where they fall. Louisville is such a small town in that if one person knows something everybody knows something. I still don't know what I'm going to do, but it would take some of the pressure off me. I think that's part of the reason I am sleeping so poorly. I really don't like disappointing people and I will do anything to avoid conflict. We'll see.

We ran 6 miles this morning and it was hard! It was hot and my workout on Friday just wore my legs out. My legs were fatigued from the first step. But I finished and I was happy. We actually ran hard the last .4 (we call the last .4 running to the bench--long story). Anyhow, I was sub 8 when we finished--so I'm happy that I could pull it off despite being beat. 

Ok, time to make breakfast. We bought gluten free bagels to try. I'm going to make an egg and cheese sandwich.

Have a great day!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I am so TIRED OF CLEANING!!!!!!!

Mike's been working on re-caulking and painting windowsills and I have been working in the kitchen. All of the cabinets are cleaned out, the countertops scrubbed and decluttered. The sink scrubbed. I've started on cleaning the appliances and I need to clean the outside of the cabinets. And I still need to do the fridge. I did the pantry yesterday. 

I've realized something over the past few days. I was really sick this spring before I finally went g-f. It came on so gradually that I didn't know it had really gotten that bad. But I never would have had the energy to do what I've done over the last couple of weeks. And except for running I had really stopped doing anything I liked to do--I wasn't sewing or knitting or painting or doing anything. And our house was never horribly bad, but we really put off doing a lot of stuff that should have been done a long time ago. It makes me a little sad and scares me a little, but I am so glad that I feel better!

Nancy--where you been??? I hope everything is ok! 

Time to get back to work!


----------



## mikamah

Good evening Princess pals,

We had a fun weekend in NH, and am both very tired, so we watched POTC #2, and are going to go to bed early.  Michael's camp this week is the classic Y camp on a pond a few towns over.  He'll swim, canoe, kayak, paddle boat, go ponding which is just an excuse to get all muddy looking for live things in the mud.  He'll come home filthy and we'll fight for him to shower every night, but he'll have a blast.  Paddle ball was another favorite for him last year.  He's just doing one week here this year.  It's one of my favorite camps because a bus picks him up at 8:05 around the corner, and I'll have my 30 min of coffee/computer time in the mornings again.  I'm working an extra 4 hours this week too, so I only have one short day on thursday.  

*Rose*-I'm tired just reading all that you are doing.  I can't imagine getting my house in order enough to put it on the market.  It is great that you feel so much better now that you are gf, and can appreciate that although it's a big pita sometimes, it's worth it. 

*Lisa*- So glad the training went well, and the coach is happy to let you go at your pace.  Good luck with the hills this week.  And sorry those dang stomach bug pounds came back.  that's just not fair.

*Maria*-Hope you got Ben off smoothly, and you're enjoying some alone time.  He'll be home before you know it, but I can understand how big a change it must be without him.  Some days I just can't wait for overnight camp.  Congrats on the new tankini!!!

*Lindsay*- Very cool pics of the jersey shore gang.  I've only watched it once, but I'm sure it was exciting for you, being a fan.  

*Nancy*-Hope all is well with you and you're enjoying the weekend.

Hello to all our other prinesses.  Off to watch a quick show with ds before bed.  He's a bit overtired, you would have thought I was cutting his toes off just now, not trimming his toenails. 

Have a fabulous night.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning! Sleeping is over rated right???? I woke up before 5:00. I cleaned out my inbox, did a load of laundry, put away laundry and finally started putting together an itinerary for w&d. I seriously considered having a g-f brownie (which I made yesterday) for breakfast, but I have so far avoided the temptation. My weight was exactly at the top of my maintain this week. Not good, but still maintaining.

Kathy--Michael's camp sounds so great! Do you hose him off before you let him in the house!

Lindsay--cool on the Jersey Shore pics!

Ok, here's the agenda for today:
*work
*2nd pass on cleaning out the Master bedroom closet
*wipe down the bathroom cabinets (I did the kitchen cabinets last night)
*maybe get in the pool for a few minutes
*look at the listings the real estate agent sent us
*hopefully be in bed by 10:00 (since I've been waking up so early I am going to attempt to go to sleep earlier)

Keep your fingers crossed that my air conditioner works for one more week. They are putting in our new system next Monday. It's supposed to be very hot here this week!

Have a super day!


----------



## flipflopmom

Morning lovelies!  I am happy to report that I am in a much better frame of mind.  I spent Saturday with some chick flicks and ended it with a little wine  and enjoyed my family at mom's yesterday, so I am feeling more like me.  I was actually dreading going to church and her house, it's like the more I sequester myself, the deeper I get and less I want to be out, but once I do, I am okay or even better.  When will I learn that?  Brad also brought up a point last night, he mentioned that he thought I had WDW let down.  Build up, anticipation, and then it's over?  Maybe.  Worth considering!

Girls spent the night with mom, so I am taking today to clean.  It's scary how I let the house go last week, so I have lots to catch up on.  I have 3 more papers to write this week, one is about half done, but I think I'll be in a better frame of mind if my house is clean.  

Maria - thanks for the encouragement.  It's good to know I'm not the only one that needs to venture into lurkdome for a while!   Your staycation sounded like lots of fun, and your patience with Tristan was commendable.  Enjoy your DH this week!

Lisa- your running stuff sounds AWESOME!  How cool to learn from what some consider to be the master!  Kudos to you for going at your pace and not letting anything ruffle your feathers!  Thanks for sharing!  We see some of those stories of stat. rape that are really sad.  We had a parent last year that the same thing had happened to them, an upset mother of a 17 year old girl acted before she thought.  (He was 18 at the time.)  Now, as an adult, he can't come eat lunch with his child, come to conferences, or see the child in a school play because he is not allowed on school property.  I felt really sorry for him.  

Kathy - Need a hose?  I don't want to do your laundry this week.  Of course, I have enough of my own.  Maybe he could camp out in the backyard to complete the camp experience and just not head indoors this week?  

Lindsay -  on the paycheck and raise stuff.  I hope your boss sees you for what you are worth, and gets you that raise quickly!!!!!  I liked Lisa's idea of a "go me" folder.  I have to admit, I will forevermore read yoru posts with a Jersey shore accent, and think of you in heavy makeup, long nails, and big hair. 

Rose-   You've handled this really well.  I, like you, don't deal well with unknowns and change, and you've done a great job.  While I was rooting for Durham, I can totally see you as a Florida babe!  As for Tom, what a lot to have to take care of.  Have you found a dr. that will do the tests necessary?  Will that mean that he will see a dr. at USC for prescriptions, etc?  I thought of you as we drove through Columbia coming home!  When does he have to go back?

Nancy - You make me feel bad, running pregnant in the heat pushing a stroller, when I think it's just too flippin hot to even be outside, much less run!   Hope you are okay!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Nancy- glad you perked up a bit.  I love your beach pics.   Dont laugh because I am horrible with geography but what body of water is that?? the hudson?
> 
> Lisa- I hope you feel better soon.  wow 7lbs.  I love the movie devil wears prada and the one assistant says "im one stomach virus away from a size 2"  well I am many stomach virus away from a size 2 but I think that quote is hilarious.
> 
> Ok well I did get my paycheck and I didnt have my raise so coincedentally I had a meeting with my boss today.  It went well and I brought up this topic.  He thought I was in range and therefore didnt increase my salary.  He annoys me with this stuff...too busy to worry about little details such as my PAY CHECK!!!!  Then I got our financials back for our fiscal year and our revenue actually bumps me into the next management tier which is actually the starting salary is thousands of dollars more than I am making now.  So I emailed him asking him in my title can be changed and my salary adjusted to that level.  Hes probably really loving me right now.  The thing is I am confident that I am worth more and the salary that that level pays I feel is adequate and I would be happy.  Even with my current increase I still feel very under compensated for the work and responsibility I have.
> 
> Good night all.



hi lindsay - i'm not laughing - DH didn't even know what body he was swimming in for the first year we lived at our house! it's not the hudson. the hudson is on the west side of NYC - it separates manhattan and new jersey. it's the one that plane LANDED in a few februarys ago. as you go north on the hudson you pass the george washington bridge (bridge between nj and ny) and even farther north it separates part of new york state. we are on the east side. so, technically the water we swim in is pretty much the end of the east river (i know, sounds gross but it's not!) and the beginning of the long island sound. from the beach as you can see the manhattan skyline which is beautiful (and a little sad when you don't see the twin towers) and also queens (which is on long island). 

wow, that was a long-winded lesson on trivial geography! lol! 

glad about the paycheck and i hope that you get bumped up!! 



Rose&Mike said:


> *Taryn*--hope your down time helps you recharge!
> 
> *Nancy*--have fun at Harry Potter!
> 
> *Lindsay*--another beach day! I am so jealous!  I think the original psychiatrist relied too much on self-reporting because Tom is an adult, though he did go by dsm iv (???) standards. Our pcp was fine with his diagnosis. The university wants something different--I am assuming cause of the rampant abuse of adderall and ritalin on college campuses. I'm fine with that cause I really would like an official iq test done. (He topped out some unofficial tests that they did in school.:scared1 I think the original guy was a good starting point because he has adhd and it really made Tom feel ok about himself and Tom knows how he doesn't want to be when he grows up now--the guy had a few issues.Anyhow, he got Tom organized and explained to him why he had to do things a certain way, etc and that helped. But despite his initial claims he seems to rely heavily on medication. We are all now in agreement (Tom, our pcp, and Mike and I) that transferring care to campus is probably a good thing since we are so far from him. It will all work out, it's just a hassle sometimes! I have looked at symptoms of adhd for years, and now that I understand things a little better he has had symptoms his whole life. But it never really interfered with things too much. Some of the stuff I read said it's really not uncommon for really smart kids with adhd to hold it together until college and then things start to fall apart. Even through high school we were pretty strict with Tom's schedule--home by a certain time on week nights, no late night studying cause it triggered migraines. He always did homework on Sundays--but it was such an ordeal. He would get up every 5-10 minutes and walk around. He got distracted so easily. There could be no noise in the house, etc. But his grades were good and it was manageable. Anyhow, sorry for the book. I feel a little guilty we didn't deal with this earlier, but everyone keeps telling me he was doing ok earlier. Maybe I was just doing too much time management for him. He's handling everything really well--no drama yesterday when he found out about USC--which is such a positive thing. Actually a lot less drama period. So this is a good thing.
> 
> As for the gf--he keeps saying it's no big deal--she will be a freshman this year at Western KY I think. I did ask if she was 18 yet. She's a cute girl and I know her Mom from PTSA. He seems to be enjoying hanging out with her so I'm glad. We are going to have to have a little chat about no funny stuff when Mike and I are in Florida. Just look what you all have to look forward to.
> Mike and I went out to dinner last night. Since we came back from WDW we have been out to dinner twice. We got Moe's take out a couple of times but that doesn't really count. Going out to dinner stresses me out. But there is a local restaurant that someone told us to try. On their menu they mark whether each item can be made g-f or not and when they bring the food out they tell you that the item is g-f so you know they got it right. It was so fun! I miss going out to eat. We shared a bibb salad with pears and pecorino (sp?) cheese and champagne dressing and I had a tomato and goat cheese sandwich on some kind or g-f flat bread with fabulous roasted potatoes. (I forgot to tell them to leave the chicken off, so I just picked it off and Mike took it home to eat today.) I am so over stressing about that kind of stuff. I am mostly vegetarian--that's the best I can do.  I didn't eat most of the bread--which Mike thinks is so funny--but I could have ate if it I wanted to, that's the important part!   I did eat most of the potatoes--they were so good! Then we shared chocolate creme brulee for dessert! It was fabulous! It was a perfect night out that I really, really needed.
> 
> Ok, enough slacking. Time to get up and clean something! I hope everyone has a great day!
> 
> Lisa--I hope you are feeling better!



rose i wish there was something to say that would make you feel better about what tom's going through. personally i think you did the right thing with being strict with tom while in high school. i bet alot of that is why he did so well! my parents were SUPER strict and while i resented it at the time, i would have never done well and gotten into a good college! i think having help while he's back at school will be great. and i'm glad he's not being too dramatic about it either! i thought it was the GIRLS who were supposed to be the dramatic ones! ah, guess not!!

sounds like dinner was great. sounds yummy...and healthy! healthy eating....need to get back on that. 



mikamah said:


> good morning, princesses!!
> 
> We are off to my sisters camp today, just for one night.  It will be fun and relaxing.  We try to get up there once during the summer if we can coordinate a weekend.  It's a trailer, with beds, so easy packing.  Just gotta throw pjs and an outfit for tomorrow in the bag, and swimsuits/towels sunsreen bugspray should do it.  I do want to run or walk in the morning too since I slacked this week on the exercise.  This week coming up, michael's camp is a few towns away run by the Y, so a bus will pick him up about 50 min before I have to be at work, so I'll have my morning coffee/dis time again.  It worked out well to be my coaching week.
> 
> *Rose*-You seem more your happy self today, and I'm go glad for you.  Sounds like a nice, much needed night out.  I am not looking forward to ds and dating.  Glad tom's friend is 18.  My nephew is 20 and dating girl who will be a high school senior this fall, and it makes me nervous.
> 
> What will I be like when it's Michael?   He's already looking at the girls.  He came home tuesday from camp, and said, Brendan's sister Grace is pretty.  He tells me she's older than him, but just a year because she's almost 11, and he's almost 10. Yah, in december.  They were in camp together this week.  The next day he said he has a crush on Grace, and he thinks she likes him too because she knows his name.  Then yesterday, the last camp day, they have awards, and michael got the arts and crafts award, and he said Grace got the same award, and then he says, wouldn't it be cool, if I was to marry Grace in like 20 years, and we got the same award when we were kids.  I think I'm going to be in trouble.  It's cracking me up now, but what will he be like once those hormones kick in.
> 
> *Lisa*- How are you feeling today?  Hope the gi bug has left the house, and you're all recovered, and enjoying a warm summer weekend in Idaho.
> 
> *Lindsay*- Good for you for sticking up for yourself and talking to your boss.  Hope he knows how valuable you are to the company.  Enjoy the beach.
> 
> *Maria*_ Good luck with the 11 miles today!!  You can do it!!!
> 
> *Nancy*- I hope thomas is ok and doesn't have a stomach bug.  I'm sorry, i think i just chuckled at the mess, and didn't say anything about the diarrhea.  Hope you are both enjoying a warm sunny day without any problems.
> *Taryn*- Hello there.  I totally get the need to take a break.  If you lurking, we miss you, but hope you're enjoying the summer and reenergizing.
> 
> Have a fabulous weekend!!
> 
> It's 11.  Time to get my butt in gear.



oh man sounds like michael is already a ladies man!!! i see the beginning of a beautiful relationship with grace!  

where was your sister's campsite? 

oh, and thank you for your concern about thomas. he's fine. he gets diarrhea every so often but the next day he was totally fine. you just have to laugh at the mess sometime. while it's happening it's icky but eh, poop happens! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I just got home from a day at the beach.



loved the pics of the jersey shore crew! i watch that show too when it's on. it's such a trainwreck - you just have to feel good about your own life when it's on! lol! 

my friend/around the corner neighbor was at seaside this past week with her hubby, 2 year old and 3 month old. they saw the jersey shore folks a ton too! 

i think i prefer ocean city to the other places too. i used to go with my babysitter (she was more like my second mother) and her family when i was little to wildwood. we stayed in wildwood crest. i LOVED the boardwalk with all the rides and stuff. and then with my parents we did ocean city. now that i have a family i appreciate the quiet of ocean city. and it's just much more....classy. i think it's still a dry town too, right?



Worfiedoodles said:


> Yesterday went really well. I got up and we got Dennis and my niece off. She's travelling as an unaccompanied minor, so Dennis had to wait until her plane took off to leave the airport. Anyway, while he took care of that I got on the TM. I did my 11M, and it wasn't too bad. It was a little warm, and I started to get really wanting to be done after 9M, but I was determined to make it work. I'm a little sore today, but not too bad. The rest of the day we worked on packing Ben, doing some laundry, and catching up on my Tivo. I also was able to go to the Hallmark to pick up my ornaments. Now I'll rack up more points for my next reward certificate to use at the October event. I still have 8 ornaments I need to buy -- and some of them are even for other people
> 
> Ben is in the shower and I have to get Dennis moving. The plan for today is to do more laundry and bang off more items on my general list, while also taking time for at home mani/pedi, facial, and relaxing with my magazine pile. I still haven't finished my closet (although it is much better), and I need to make a new workout schedule, organize a few drawers, and finally get the clothes pile ready for the Salvation Army. My radiator is overflowing with items to donate. If I get most of the items done from that list, I will be satisfied.
> 
> Everyone have a fabulous Sunday!
> 
> Maria



maria, how do you train on your long runs? do you bring water with you? do you eat? how often? i just cannot figure that stuff out. i mean, it's been forever since i've done anything more than 3 miles but eventually i'll get back and i NEED to figure out how to stay hydrated and get some calories in. 

nice job on the 11 miles. it was hot too! 



lisah0711 said:


> I'm not looking forward to the girlfriend thing.    There were a few rumblings at the end of the year but since DS' school doesn't allow PDAs of any kind it doesn't seem to get too far until you get to high school.  I don't blame you for wanting to have a talk about when the house is empty.  A birth control reminder wouldn't hurt -- hey, you embarassing yourselves anyway! Can't they just have sex in the car like we (well maybe not you ) used to?
> 
> LOL!!!!!!
> 
> 
> Maria gave you a great description of Janet Evanovich and her Stephanie Plum books.  I started the series with Ten Big Ones when I was on vacation -- I'm just reading it again this week actually.  It is one of the funniest ones. I liked it so much I went out and got eleven, even though it was only in hardback, which I never do.  I always wait for the paperback.  I think the later ones are the better ones.
> 
> There is also the Joanna Fluke murder mysteries set.  They all have food names like Apple Pie Murder.  I think of that heroine Hannah Swensen as the cleaner, midwestern version of Stephanie Plum.  She has two men in her life, too, but it never goes anywhere.  Be warned that Hannah owns a cookie store and is always baking and has recipes in her book.  I'm never inspired to suddenly make things from scratch on the spur of the moment and especially because I usually read these books when I am in Iowa and it's too dang hot.  Another one of the "family reads."
> 
> *Maria,* how was your 11 miles yesterday?  Hope it went well and you are feeling ready for your half soon!    It will be here before you know it!    Have they told you who any of the bands are going to be?  I guess there is one every mile so that should be entertaining -- even if they stink.   I was interested to read that the Rock n' Roll has several levels of medals if you do multiple RnR marathons through the year.  Something to shoot for after that coast to coast medal!
> 
> I am recovered for the most part from my stomach bug and my weight went back to the same number I've been stuck at for three weeks.  Well, I haven't actually be stuck at it for three weeks.  I have it for my weigh in, eat too much over the week-end and gain a few pounds, work like crazy and get back to the weigh in number and repeat again!  I'm breaking that cycle this week-end.
> 
> Yesterday was my first run with my training group.  The beginners group went 1 mile with the coach with the jogging stroller and baby.  I thought of you Nancy.    Our group went out for three to seven miles -- your choice -- and if you wanted to do intervals they were doing 4/1.   But you could do slower intervals if you wanted.  So the group went out and started running right away -- you people run to warm up?   And I did my own thing and was perfectly happy.  I knew where they were going and had my new Run Keeper so it worked out fine.  I saw they in various groups as they came back and at the end in the store when in for water and they had a really tasty electrolyte drink.  I thanked the coach for letting me do it at my own pace.  I would have been miserable trying to catch up or holding people back.  And it was hot -- like in the 70's -- so I was in my perfect Galloway recommended pace, had a good run and am all ready for hills on Tuesday!
> 
> Oh and all the hardcore Ironman folks were not there cause they were doing a little tri at Hayden Lake.  I really respect and admire those guys but they are a little intimidating, not to mention some can be a tad arrogant, or maybe that is me in my insecurity.  Going to work in the yard this morning and do a little laundry this afternoon and take it easy.
> 
> Hello to all our other princesses and belles!



thanks for the book recommendations (you too, maria). i think i will start on them! i meant to yesterday but didn't have the energy to read anything other than doing a little facebook stalking 

glad the running group went well! i'm sure the coach with the jogger looked way better than me! i always look a little awkward because i don't know how to move my arm that's not holding the jogger! i still need to download that interval app. my running has pretty much stopped though. i'm doing pretty much just walking now. it's been very hot out and just walking has been enough to tire me out.

don't be intimidated by the iron man folks. ok, i would be a little intimidated too. but i have this belief that people who are starting running later in life (meaning like, anything after 30 or so!) are to be more admired than those folks who have just always been doing it. i mean, i have some friends who have ALWAYS been running. since high school i'd say. what's it to them to get out for a run. it's engrained in their brains. for those of us who haven't always been doing it, it takes that much more motivation and oomph to go out and do it! and it takes more balls! lol! so they should be intimidated by YOU! so there!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Forgot to mention I'm wearing my new Lands End purple polka dot tankini -- one size smaller than last year on top and bottom! Ok, it would look better 7 lbs lighter, but it's still comfortable and fits ok...and the purple polka dots make me happy!
> 
> Maria



nice job on the smaller size! woot! i love lands' end bathing suits! it's all i wear! they offer DDD cup which is perfecto for me. and they LAST! i'm still wearing a suit that i've had for a few years now which makes me feel better about spending the extra dough on those suits.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> Icing my knees and ankle....The knees aren't bad but the ankle hurts like crazy when I ice it. I can only leave it on for about a minute at a time.
> 
> Maria--enjoy your camp week. Tom started going to camp at the end of sixth grade. It was really hard at first, but once we got used to we really enjoyed away camp! Great job on getting in those 11 miles! Yep, eating out is not so fun, but at least we have a couple of places to go now. You sound like you have a great day planned!
> 
> Lisa--glad you are feeling better. That's horrible about your client's son. It's becoming a big concern which is really sad. I have been saying that to Tom for years--you have to ask how old they are. This girl is out of high school, so I figured she was 18 and I think the age of consent here is 16, but still. And there probably is nothing going on......I will say every once in a while stuff like--no surprises, no accidents, do you need dad to go to the drug store for you. He usually roles his eyes and asks me if we really need to be having this conversation.
> 
> Kathy--hope you are having fun with your sister! Cute story about Michael.
> 
> Lindsay--I love fried pickles! Well, I used to love fried pickles. They have fried dill pickles at buffalo wild wings. They are sliced in rings--so yummy! I would totally consider cheating on them--though I wouldn't actually do it, but I would consider it!
> 
> Nancy--I hope Thomas is doing better.
> 
> ******
> We had a really productive day yesterday. We cleaned all the windows and put a piece of painters tape on all the ones that need a section replaced. If I were staying here I would just get new windows, but I think this will cost half what new windows would cost to put in (maybe less) and be a lot less hassle. I rearranged some of the stuff she wanted me to rearrange and got a couple more bags for good will. If someone called me to show the house today I could have it ready to go in about an hour. It's not perfect yet--we have some painting to do--but it's getting there.
> 
> I also have been trading pm's with a dis'er who lives in Melbourne. I am so glad I contacted her. She had a lot of really good input and gave me the name of a different real estate agent who I'm going to contact today. Mike has not been thrilled with the responses we've been getting from the other one. We told our neighbor what was going on--she actually figured it out cause we have been putting so much trash out and hauling so much stuff to good will. Mike wants me to go ahead and tell my boss tomorrow and let the chips fall where they fall. Louisville is such a small town in that if one person knows something everybody knows something. I still don't know what I'm going to do, but it would take some of the pressure off me. I think that's part of the reason I am sleeping so poorly. I really don't like disappointing people and I will do anything to avoid conflict. We'll see.
> 
> We ran 6 miles this morning and it was hard! It was hot and my workout on Friday just wore my legs out. My legs were fatigued from the first step. But I finished and I was happy. We actually ran hard the last .4 (we call the last .4 running to the bench--long story). Anyhow, I was sub 8 when we finished--so I'm happy that I could pull it off despite being beat.
> 
> Ok, time to make breakfast. We bought gluten free bagels to try. I'm going to make an egg and cheese sandwich.
> 
> Have a great day!



i'm glad the melbourne DIS'er is being so helpful! it'll be nice to know someone even if you haven't met them yet! at least you'll have a shared interest (DISNEY!)

how were the g-f bagels? my cousin has celiac and some of the g-f breads she sometimes has look a little questionable but others look good! 



mikamah said:


> Good evening Princess pals,
> 
> We had a fun weekend in NH, and am both very tired, so we watched POTC #2, and are going to go to bed early.  Michael's camp this week is the classic Y camp on a pond a few towns over.  He'll swim, canoe, kayak, paddle boat, go ponding which is just an excuse to get all muddy looking for live things in the mud.  He'll come home filthy and we'll fight for him to shower every night, but he'll have a blast.  Paddle ball was another favorite for him last year.  He's just doing one week here this year.  It's one of my favorite camps because a bus picks him up at 8:05 around the corner, and I'll have my 30 min of coffee/computer time in the mornings again.  I'm working an extra 4 hours this week too, so I only have one short day on thursday.
> 
> *Rose*-I'm tired just reading all that you are doing.  I can't imagine getting my house in order enough to put it on the market.  It is great that you feel so much better now that you are gf, and can appreciate that although it's a big pita sometimes, it's worth it.
> 
> *Lisa*- So glad the training went well, and the coach is happy to let you go at your pace.  Good luck with the hills this week.  And sorry those dang stomach bug pounds came back.  that's just not fair.
> 
> *Maria*-Hope you got Ben off smoothly, and you're enjoying some alone time.  He'll be home before you know it, but I can understand how big a change it must be without him.  Some days I just can't wait for overnight camp.  Congrats on the new tankini!!!
> 
> *Lindsay*- Very cool pics of the jersey shore gang.  I've only watched it once, but I'm sure it was exciting for you, being a fan.
> 
> *Nancy*-Hope all is well with you and you're enjoying the weekend.
> 
> Hello to all our other prinesses.  Off to watch a quick show with ds before bed.  He's a bit overtired, you would have thought I was cutting his toes off just now, not trimming his toenails.
> 
> Have a fabulous night.



glad camping was fun! where in NH? my uncle (who lives in groton, MA) has a "cottage" aka bigger house than i will ever own on lake waukewan (near winnepesa...oh geez i can't spell it so i won't try! lol). it's so pretty up there

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

i've been MIA for a few days. not really on purpose though. just...i don't know...i've been in a funk. i've been eating like crazy and gaining and gaining. i started the pregnancy at 135 (my goal weight) and this morning after a weekend full of eating nothing but crap i weighed in at 152. i'm just beside myself about this. i have zero control. i haven't been on my metformin since 12 weeks pg and it feels like all hell is breaking loose. not that the metformin stops me from eating but it helps me in that it keeps my sugar a little more stable so i don't wind up craving the carbs and sugar even more. i'm not blaming it on that though. i'm just eating everything. i'm eating more than DH! and the pregnancy excuse just isn't cutting it. 

i've been feeling VERY rundown the last few days too. yesterday we went to the zoo for about an hour and i told DH we had to go home because i felt sick. it was really hot so that was probably it but i just know that if i had been eating healthier i'd be feeling better. 

i hate this. this whole i-know-i-should-stop-eating-junk-yet-i-do-it-anyway-and-then-complain-about-it thing. i'm setting myself up for some real depression the way i'm going. 

ok, stop it nancy, you're bringing us all down! i have to get out and try to walk. it's going to be hot today and it's supposed to thunderstorm later. i better at least just try to go out for 30 minutes. 

we did have a nice weekend (apart from the eating). saturday morning i saw harry potter at the imax. nice to have some alone time. in the afternoon we went to a friend's BBQ over in rockland county (NY) which was great apart from the ridiculous traffic getting there and coming home. when we pulled in front of the house my uncle eddie and aunt mary must have seen us b/c they came right over to play with thomas for a little before he went to bed. 

sunday we skipped church again (john said he's taking the summer off! whoops! nice catholics, huh?) and went to the diner and then to the zoo. we walked through jungle world then went on the monorail (it's an open one that passes through all these habitats kinda like the safari at AK). then lunch at home and naps for the whole house. well, i laid there, couldn't sleep. watched the women's soccer final (darn!) then took Aunt T (she's not our aunt but that's what we call her as she might as well be family) out to dinner to an italian place to celebrate her retirement. 

and as you can see i'm putting off going for a walk. must go! bye! ok now...i'm going...bye! see ya! real soon! ok! bye...here i go....


----------



## mikamah

Nancy and Taryn, glad to see you back and posting, but my 35 minute of alone time has passed, and i need to run to work.  Didn't even have time to read all your posts, but did like the geography lesson, Nancy.  Not my strong suit.  lol.

have a fabulous day princesses!!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

Congratulations to Princess Corinna who finished her first triathalon yesterday!  

*Rose,* sorry that you woke up so early this morning.    You have a lot on your mind and it's easy to wake up, have the brain turn on, and there goes the rest of your sleep.  Of course, I get up before 5 am every morning but I really like it, and you can probably stay up past 9 pm too!    I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that the a/c holds out this week.  

*Kathy,* I'm glad that you had a great time in NH.  What a mean mom you are to make your child bathe and trim his toenails.    I suppose you insisted on trimming his fingernails, too.  

It could always be worse.  My friend has a son who won't get out of the shower.  Her husband went down and turned a valve that he thought was turning the hot water off.  Instead, it turned off the drain to the septic system.  They had gone somewhere and came back to a sewage flood to the tune of $20,000+ thousand dollars of damage.  That kid is showering last when he visits here next month.   

Wasn't it Tom, Rose, who would stay in the bathroom for hours?  Nancy, get Thomas and Bronxbaby used to bathing every day now.  It will make your life so much easier if you do.  

*Taryn,* I totally understand the WDW letdown.    That's one of the nice things about DVC, you can get that next trip in the works, even if it is just planning.    I know that you'll feel better when you get your house straightened up.  It's probably not as bad as you think and I know that is important to you.  Get those papers knocked out and enjoy the rest of the week with those girls!  

I didn't think about the school grounds thing but it makes total sense because that kid I was talking about is going to be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.   

On a totally different topic, did the heathens ever shape up?  I'm sure it wasn't fun being in a room with them all year but they sure were entertaining at times.  

*Nancy,* it's hot, your preggo, don't be afraid to just do walking now.  If you feel like you are too slow, try some interval walking, walking a bit faster, then a bit slower.  I think it's wonderful that you are getting out there and moving every day!    It's hard to be pregnant and take care of a two year old, too, so don't be so hard on yourself.    And don't be afraid to rest if you are tired.  

*Lindsay,* hope that you have a fabulous week at work this week!  

*Maria,*purple polka dot tankini girl I bet you looked marvelous!    With your purple Vera Bradley bag I bet you looked just like those ads.    And woo hoo for a smaller size!  

I'm ready for a week where I end the week weighing less than I started and hanging on to that loss.   

Have a great day!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

well i had my own little disney moment today! as i was doing my walk around maritime college i passed a few groups hanging outside. they do a few camps and activities there during the summer. there's also summer classes going on there too.

i was passing by one of the buildings and a huge group of high school/college age kids came out with maybe a chaperone or two. the group took up the whole sidewalk even though they saw i was moving much faster than they were. so i had to say excuse me a few times until finally a chaperone tells the students in Portuguese that they needed to move. it was like my own personal brazilian tour group in my way all they way up in new york!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

dumbo_buddy said:


> well i had my own little disney moment today! as i was doing my walk around maritime college i passed a few groups hanging outside. they do a few camps and activities there during the summer. there's also summer classes going on there too.
> 
> i was passing by one of the buildings and a huge group of high school/college age kids came out with maybe a chaperone or two. the group took up the whole sidewalk even though they saw i was moving much faster than they were. so i had to say excuse me a few times until finally a chaperone tells the students in Portuguese that they needed to move. it was like my own personal brazilian tour group in my way all they way up in new york!!


 Glad you got your walk in. The gluten free bagels--eh, not so good. And they are HUGE. I split them all in half and put them in the freezer. I toasted it on the George Foreman so it was edible, but I really do miss real bread.

*Taryn*--glad to see you back. I'm glad you are starting to feel a little better. We're hoping Tom will be able to see the psychiatrist on campus--he has an appointment tomorrow here to talk to someone about doing the testing. He just has to jump through a lot of hoops--the university doesn't want to be a drug dealer, which i can appreciate. Hopefully he can get it all taken care of. He is teaching Kaplan classes this fall and just found out they want him to teach his first class on August 7th so he wants to go back a few days earlier than planned.

*Lisa*--Yep, Tom lived in his bathroom. He would turn the shower on and let it run for 30 minutes and sit and read a book. We were VERY close to taking the door off. That old impulse control problem will get you everytime! At least now we know why he was doing it! And yep, if I was going to sleep at 9:00 I would probably not be so exhausted. I have been on a midnight to 4:45 schedule lately. Saturday night I did midnight to 6:30, so a little better. Hopefully tonight will be better!

*Hi to Kathy and Maria and Lindsay!*

*Congrats to Corinna!*

******
So I did go ahead and talk to my boss today. It took a huge amount of pressure off me. I made it very clear that I was not giving notice. She told me multiple times that she was very glad I let her know what was going on. 

Ok, out of time. I hope everyone has a great evening. TTYL!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Evening,  and !

My evening plans have changed as we have to take our bed apart. Why would we do that? I discovered Chewie hanging out of the box springs this afternoon. He and Spock made a hole, and he had climbed in and was enjoying his new accommodations. We're going to get a piece of plywood to put under the box springs. This sounds like fun 

*Rose* -- I'm so glad speaking with your boss worked out well. It had clearly been weighing on you, and now you can relax and keep the cleaning going!  Seriously, you are a cleaning machine, I am totally impressed! Over the last 2 days I've done 7 loads of laundry, but that's about all I've accomplished. Well, that and totally cleaning the main bathroom. I'm resolved to mop that floor more often 

*Nancy* -- How rude! I'd like to say I'm shocked by your Disney moment, but not really  I'm all for skipping church, guess I'm not the best United Methodist, either  My new training fueling is based on what Dennis learned at the sessions before the Boston marathon. I have an energy drink and three clif bloks before I start, and then three more clif blocks every 5 miles. I need to start adding in Gatorade, too, probably every couple of miles. I've come a long way from my first race when I literally ate Jelly Bellys , and then only because when I went to the WDW Expo, everyone seemed to be getting some kind of fuel, so I thought I'd try something I knew I could tolerate...And I agree with Lisah, the later Plum books are better, although I have to say after finishing 17 (and reading the next title is "Explosive 18"), I'm afraid we are now getting to "Nasty 19" and "Tantric 20"  By the way, I'm a Ranger girl  Yeah, I feel a little guilty buying LE suits when I know I'm hoping it won't fit next year, but I figure as long as the sizes are getting smaller, I'll go with it 

*Lisah* -- I wish I looked like the models in those VB ads...but then I wouldn't be me!  You'll appreciate this...I was all set to go to Miss Vickie's and use my gift card, when Dennis said, "Why don't we go to the Patriots' Hall of Fame while the kids do their adventure?". Um,...yeah, sounds great, honey! Actually, I do love the Patriots, so that was good, but no new cuties for me that trip! 

*Kathy* -- You are doing a great job coaching! It is hard to keep up with everyone, especially since there are so many relatively new people who's names I don't know by sight 

*Taryn* -- Are your profs paper happy or what?!  You seem to have so many to do...the summer I was in-between in grad school I took a class in the Civil War. We literally watched Ken Burn's documentary as it aired at home (yes, I'm that old), and then wrote a 2-3 page summary of our impression of each episode. It was actually pretty painless and the most interesting take I'd ever seen on the Civil War, which I've tended to try not to study. Yech! 

*Corinna* -- Congratulations! I know this is a goal you have had and you must be so proud! 

I'm still  to *Jude and Lisa!*

Gotta go eat my dinner. Grilled haddock, brown rice and broccoli. I'm so glad I actually like it 

Not really looking forward to going back to work tomorrow, but I would like to continue paying the mortgage so "Heigh ho, Heigh ho, it's off to work I go"...

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good evening everyone,

*Maria*- I'm sorry you have to go back to work tomorrow.  I hate the end of vacation.  Hope it's a smooth day for you. 

*Rose*- I'm so glad it went well and you talked to your boss.  One less thing to worry about, and someone who maybe can be a support to you about the move too.   I hope you can get a good night sleep tonight.   You must be exhausted with those short nights.

*Nancy*- You are doing so well with the exercise, and I'm sorry the food is a struggle for you right now.  THink of how much better shape you are in and even though you're gaining more than you'd like this pregnancy, you are going to lose it quicker because you are so much more active, and you have the 2013 disney marathon as your goal.  Hang in there, honey.  

*Lisa*-I hope this is your week with the scale!!  How's Robert liking his camps this summer?  Hope it's all going smoothly.

*Lindsay*-  hang in there, girlfriend.  Hope you are able to get some "me" time in over the next few days to regroup.  I was thinking when michael starts football practice I might try to run the track while he's practicing, so I'll be close by, but not just sitting on my butt watching.  We'll see.  

*Corinna*- Congratulations on your first Triathlon!!!  You are amazing!!

Well, michael had a fun day at camp overall.  We were hoping his old friend Clifton wasn't going to be there, and he wasn't.  He's had some issues with this kid off and on and they were put in different classes last year, but will be together again this fall.  I hope it goes smoothly.  He showered while I cooked supper without much of a fight.  My AC is in, its even a bit chilly here, and I'm thrilled. We're going camping this weekend, and I just knew with the heat if I tried to pack up without a place cool off, I would be a madwoman, so I put it in.  
I hope your ac lasts the week rose.

Off to bed now.  Have a great night, princesses!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--just wanted to tell you to hang in there.

I am so tired. I did 11:00 to 5:45, which is a little better. I'm going to try some chamomile tea tonight. And it seems the more tired I get the more carbs I eat. I think I might skip the workout tonight. 

Ok, have a great day princesses. Time to get going.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

A quick good morning, before I go to work and don't get anywhere near the DIS today...

I got up and ran 3M, which is good for me right now. I admit I am already starting to stress, thinking about all the work that came in on my Blackberry while I was away. I wish the scale reflected my intentions rather than my actions....

Everyone have a fabulous day, and here's a little quote from the first song on my ipod this morning:

We've been through this enough it gets rough but there's nowhere to run
This is where we belong we are strong we can never give up
If we wanted to we could, we've always understood
We keep lookin' for the good

Bonus points if you can name the song! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

good morning princesses and tinkerlisas! 

*kathy* thanks for the encouragement. i'm going to snap out of the funk. i think it's just a combo of feeling not quite right (aka hot, pregnant, headache, chubby, etc etc) and feeling a little overwhelmed and anxious about the whole second kid thing. 

it's funny you mentioned old orchard beach in the main thread! my aunt mary and uncle eddie (across the street) came over sunday night and asked me to look up hotels for them there because they were thinking of going up this weekend. they are the king and queen of last minute planning! yesterday morning mary came over for coffee before she went to work and said they hadn't decided yet and maybe they'd go to rhode island instead - newport beach? anyway, hope you have fun wherever you go and hopefully all of canada won't be where you are!

*rose* ever tried melatonin? i think it works pretty well - you just have use it for about a week before it starts working. sleepytime tea is good too but drinking before bed always means that much more peeing for me at night! 

i'm glad to hear that talking to your boss went as well as it did. she probably appreciates the heads up! what's new with the melbourne search? anything? i was looking on zillow.com for houses in the disney area for giggles last night. looked at winter garden, fl which is like 30 min from disney. found houses that were like 3000 sq feet that cost like $300k! amazing! my little 800ft SHACK cost more than that. what the heck am i doing here?? ah, one can dream of being close to disney.

*maria* nice work on the 3 miles this morning! you must have been up EARLY! i'm going to look into the clif shot blocks when the time comes. i'm really not a fan of drinking while moving (b/c it never goes in my mouth properly!). i remember getting up to a water station at the princess and took my cup. each time i'd have to stop to drink. one time towards the end i wasn't paying attention and chugged the powerade they had. yuck! something i'll have to get used to as the electrolites and sugar and all that are probably good on that long run!

good morning to *lisa and lisa and taryn and everyone else!* lisa - when's the next running class? how is robert's camp going? 

******
not much to report here. the humidity is crazy here. feels like soup when you walk outside! it's going to be in the 90s for the rest of the week. i really need to get the little guy out and into the pool and having fun but i've been feeling so off lately that i don't want to do much besides hang at home with the air on. my anxiety about baby #2 is really through the roof lately. my grandmother had TEN children in a house around the corner that isn't much bigger than this place and she managed. and i can't handle 2?? i need to pull it together. this is a blessing dammit! not a death sentence! i'm sorry to be so down about this. i feel like i can't really say that to anyone around here. most people around here have two or more kids so for me to act like i don't think i can handle it sounds ridiculous to them. 

blah blah blah complain complain complain. i get to sit around all day. don't have to work. what's there to complain about???

i'm going to get the kiddo out of his pj's and head out for a walk. probably just go for a little one and go slow. it's just way too humid! must go grocery shopping today!

have a great day everyone!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   



dumbo_buddy said:


> it was like my own personal brazilian tour group in my way all they way up in new york!!



 Lucky you!  Maybe the tour groups will be gone in September!  

Have you started figuring out your touring schedule for your trip yet?  I forgot which resort you are staying at, sorry.  

*Maria,* hope your week goes smoothly.  It's good to be needed.    (That's what I try to tell myself. ) Nice job on the run this morning!  

I got a big kick out of the kitty story.  Our first cat did that, too, I discovered it when I saw a tail hanging out.  We used duct tape for our repairs.  

I do wonder when the Plum series will run it's course.  I won't read seventeen until it comes out on paperback next year.  The spinoff about Diesel sounds interesting -- it's based in Salem (which I guess must be near to you, too, since it is near to Kathy - duh! )  Truthfully I think both Ranger and Morelli could do better!  I never got over my disappointment with the Ranger thing in book eight.  I mean really, a guy who is supposed to be so good that he will ruin you for other men should have a little more finesse IMHO, if you know what I mean.  

*Kathy,* glad that Michael is liking camp.   on the Clifton thing in the fall.  Robert is still enjoying his camp but it doesn't hurt that we will be leaving for Iowa for a few days next week either.  Then it's only 2 1/2 weeks of camp and one week at home and school starts on the 29th so summer will pretty much be over here very soon.  



Rose&Mike said:


> I am so tired. I did 11:00 to 5:45, which is a little better. I'm going to try some chamomile tea tonight. And it seems the more tired I get the more carbs I eat. I think I might skip the workout tonight.



Darn!  I was hoping that you would sleep better once you talked to your boss.   

*Lindsay,* we will be here when things calm down for you so don't worry.    Just don't give up and don't abandon us for good!   

Tonight is our first short training run -- hills!   

Have a great day all!


----------



## lisah0711

Awww, *Nancy,* I think the heat and humidity in your neck of the woods is enough to make anyone feel like they are in a funk, especially a pregnant woman.    Honor your body and your baby and rest if that is what you need.  No guilt, no worries.    It's a big job growing that baby!

I've never known anyone who didn't wonder what the heck they were doing when baby number 2 (or more) was coming along.  Heck, we even wondered ourselves with baby number one!    It doesn't mean that you don't appreciate your blessings -- it means that you are practical and have more than an inkling of what you are in for.

You are a great Mom and you will do just fine with both kids.    Will every day be a walk in the park?  Nope.  Will there be domestic disasters and fighting and lots of jokes about bodily functions?  Yep.  But you'll do great, you'll have fun and sooner than you realize you will look back and long for those crazy days.  

Can you get someone to come in more often and help give you some more breaks?  I think that is one of the most wearing things about motherhood -- you just never are off.  Maybe you could go somewhere cool and read or see a movie?  Hang in there.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Ok now you ladies know I cant stay away from here for long.  My days are just not right if I dont reply to you all and post my daily saga's.

So although I may not get on the big thread as much as I like I will still make time for my favorite bunch of friends.

Maria- I hope your enjoying the alone week with Dennis.  Im sure you miss Ben but try to enjoy the time alone.  and your suit sounds so cute.  

Lisa- your time with the running group sounded great.  Glad you could go at your own pace and kuddos for joining.

Rose- Wow you are getting alot done in such a short period of time. Im glad you got you told your boss and got that off your shoulders.  Isnt it great how much energy you have now that you feel better.  I hope you continue to get a little more sleep each night and catch up on your rest.  I hope the A/C hangs in there in this heat too.

Kathy- Glad you had a good time in NH.  Woohoo for another camping weekend.  Although it is going to be a hot one.  I hope you have a pool or some kind of water there.  Glad michael is having fun at camp that sounds like a cool one for a boy to be at.  

Taryn- Glad you are feeling better.  I get the disney let down too.  Especially since I do not have another trip to look forward to in awhile.  When you have some down time  your going to do a TR right????  I was cracking up at your jersey comment.  I told my friend who is short like snookie that I will loose weight and then for halloween we could be the jersey shore crew.  I would have to be Jwow since she is tall but she is really skinny and has a big chest (fake ofcourse) so I will have to figure that out.  But it will definitely be lots of makeup and big hair.

Nancy- ahh the east river I didnt even think about that.  Well I agree that Ocean city is my favorite jersey shore point now.  We stayed at wildwood a few times but to me thats just like seaside too much commotion.  I think I may just be getting old.  I like it quiet and peaceful now.  My parents are saying that they are renting a condo for a wk next year at ocean city, MD and that we can come if we want.  So we are going to see about that.  I really prefer MD over Jersey.  Sorry you havent been feeling so well.  I remember getting to that point of pregnancy.  Its not fun.  I never really enjoyed being pregnant either.  I get the anxiety you must be having because I had the same thing.  Actually we planned #2 and I cried after I found out I was pregnant because I had that feeling of "oh my gosh what did I do".  It will be ok.  You will adjust and life will go on.  You will have days still of "oh my gosh what did I do" but that is only human.  Even sometimes now I think if I would have only stopped at 1.  But I love my nicky to pieces and would not change anything even the times that get rough.   There will be lots of times when you will just smile at the thought of your boys.  Like the times they stick up for each other or play their own made up games together.  There are some really special moments that having 2 kids brings.  I am an only child to and I think its hard for us to imagine what life is like with multiple kids.  That probably makes the anxiety even more heightened.  

Corinna- Congrats on the TRI!!!!!

Ok well thats all the time I have.  People are beyond irritating me at the moment.  We had a mom annoyed because her appt was at 930 and she called at 930 to say she was just leaving her house.  We told her she has a 15 min late window and if she arrives after that we will need to resch her appt.  She said she will be furious if she has to do that because its hot out.  So she arrives at 942 just in enough time.  She was just saying as she checked out that she knew she would be able to make it because she only lives 5min from here but with traffic it takes 10-15.  a duh there is traffic every day so obviously you dont like 5 min if it takes you 10 or 15.  I mean really....  

Ok now I am just venting and you really dont need to here this junk.  I hope you all are staying cool.  It is so hot and humid out I am glad I am inside even if it is at work.

Talk to you later.


----------



## flipflopmom

dumbo_buddy said:


> well i had my own little disney moment today! it was like my own personal brazilian tour group in my way all they way up in new york!!


Having just spent a week with them...   



Rose&Mike said:


> : We're hoping Tom will be able to see the psychiatrist on campus--he has an appointment tomorrow here to talk to someone about doing the testing.  did go ahead and talk to my boss today. It took a huge amount of pressure off me.


I am glad they are being cautious, too!  I know that talking to your boss had to be a big relief.  I sure hope you can get some sleep, but I know the feeling of not being able to turn off the brain.  I have to read myself to sleep a lot of nights.  Poor Brad has started sleeping with a pillow over his head!  When is your visit to FL?



Worfiedoodles said:


> My evening plans have changed as we have to take our bed apart. Why would we do that? I discovered Chewie hanging out of the box springs this afternoon. He and Spock made a hole, and he had climbed in and was enjoying his new accommodations. We're going to get a piece of plywood to put under the box springs. *Taryn* -- Are your profs paper happy or what?!


That sounds like a fun experiment.  Hope it slept well! Sillly kitties!  That's what you get for giving them sci-fi names.  They were looking for unknown worlds.    Paper happy is right.  Guess that's the nature of the beast in online work.  One professor- we meet 6 hours a week online for 4 weeks, and completed 25 papers!!  The worst part was that she didn't start grading until we only had 1 or 2 more to do, so we had no idea what kind of work she was looking for.  The other one I've done a paper a week since May 16 for, and the 3rd class was just one HUGE paper (19 pages!).  Thankfully 3 more and I am done for the summer.  Problem is I am so burned out, I just can't make myself do it!  I think that might be part of why I haven't been contributing - I'm tired of typing and formulating thoughts.




mikamah said:


> Well, michael had a fun day at camp overall.  We were hoping his old friend Clifton wasn't going to be there, and he wasn't.  He's had some issues with this kid off and on and they were put in different classes last year, but will be together again this fall.  !!


I hate those personality conflicts, they really add so much drama, and can break a year.  AK is in a group of "mean girls" and something goes down every day.  First thing I hear when I leave school is the daily soap recap...  I'll be glad when she gets to high school and isn't surrounded by it.  When I say in the group, I just mean that out of the 70 kids in her grade at our school, broken into 3 homerooms, there are 5-10 mean girls in each homeroom!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> *kathy* thanks for the encouragement. i'm going to snap out of the funk. i think it's just a combo of feeling not quite right (aka hot, pregnant, headache, chubby, etc etc) and feeling a little overwhelmed and anxious about the whole second kid thing.


Summertime pregnancy is no fun!  AK was born in September, and I lived the last few months at home in shorts and a sports bra.  Not a pretty sight, but I was miserable.  I get the second kid thing!  I was so worried about how I would ever love another as much as the first, how I would give them equal attention, etc. etc.  Ak was 7 when Sophie was born, so she had been our center for quite some time.  Guess what - you won't give them equal attention.  There will be times one needs you more AT THAT MOMENT than the other does, and then the tables will turn.  It all evens out.  It's hard at the time, there are times you feel like the worst mother in the world, and it all falls on your shoulders, but you get some rest and start over, hoping to do the best you can each day.  You love them, and that's what matters.  




lisah0711 said:


> Then it's only 2 1/2 weeks of camp and one week at home and school starts on the 29th so summer will pretty much be over here very soon.



I go back two weeks from today.    Our kids start August 11.   BTW, I JUST got back my court case paper. Yep, month later.  She commented on how well "I" understood the case and all the previous rulings.   We know how little I really understood that legaleaze to begin with.  THANK YOU AGAIN!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> When you have some down time  your going to do a TR right???? Ok well thats all the time I have.  People are beyond irritating me at the moment.  We had a mom annoyed because her appt was at 930 and she called at 930 to say she was just leaving her house.


Lord have mercy...   let's hope the heat made her crazy!!!!!!   What a piece of work!  I hope I can do a TR...  if I ever regain my writing abilities.  Hang in there hon, we just have to do the best we can at that moment.  I've had great moments, but they have been greatly overruled by terrible ones lately.  Just when I think I am getting my head in the game, some new worry comes along and I just deal.....  Oh, if I were rich.  

Took AK for her first ortho consult this week, and came back with top teeth braces, and new bills to pay!    Sometime or other, this has got to stop.  Then, of course, DH and I argued about it, he thinks we could have waited a couple of years until we get some other bills paid off, which lead to arguements about those bills, which lead to...  Well, it wasn't happy around here. Then the stress of money comes back, and then I can't think straight, and have the cloud of doom over my head again, and anxiety.  And well, you all didn't need to hear all that.  Sorry, I had to get it out somewhere.

I HAVE GOT TO WRITE THIS PAPER, it's due in 5 hours and I haven't done any reading for it.  Leaving now.  No more procrastinating.  None.


----------



## liesel

Good morning princesses and fellow Lisabelle!

Taryn-Good luck with the paper.  Hopefully by the time you see this it will be done!  I'd love to see a TR too, I need a Disney fix!

Lindsay-I hope your salary situation is resolved and you get paid what you deserve!  How frustrating to not even get your paycheck on time!

Rose- for all the stuff with Tom's medical care and the job hunt.  It must have been a relief to talk to your boss.  I hope you can get some better sleep soon!

Maria- reading about your cats.  I haven't had a cat in a long time (we have a dog who thinks she's our third child) and didn't even realize they could do that!  Congrats on the smaller swim suit, I bet you look great!  I'll definitely have to consult all of you once my runs get longer concerning fuel.

Lisa-Congrats on joining a running group and not letting yourself get intimidated.  I don't think I'm at that point yet, that's for sure.  I know what you mean when you were talking about running a race at DL feeling like home.  I didn't work there like you did, but I did grow up 5 miles away and it is definitely my home park (I love WDW too!).  WDW fans talk about the bubble and how much they enjoy that aspect, but for me, when I was living there, I liked being able to glimpse the Matterhorn when driving by or seeing the fireworks on Friday nights.  It was like having a piece of the magic in my daily life.  Plus I like the idea of doing my first half there since I know the area so much better than WDW (I've never even stayed onsite!).

Kathy-It sounds like you have a fun weekend planned.

Corinna-Congrats on finishing your first triathalon.  Hopefully you can come here and tell us all about it!

*********

I'm trying hard to catch up, its just so hard with the kids around all the time (DS is over my shoulder as we speak).  I did my 3 mile run on Sunday and it was great to be back out after 13 days.  It was so hot, I couldn't sustain my intervals (1 lap-.25 mile- on track-30 second walk) after 2.5 miles and ended up walking half of my last half mile.  I think I went too fast on my second mile, there was a teenager on the track and I tried not to let his fast pace influence me, but I did a little anyway.

We also went to the running store so DH could get some new shoes and I made some purchases too.    I have totally converted DH!  He's got new running clothes, socks, and now shoes.  I tried to tell them that the technology has really changed since he did cross country in high school!  He even researched running belts online for me!    I got a new running belt with a water bottle that I tried out on Sunday and I love it.    It was comfortable and I really liked having water with me.  I think I may wear it for the Tink, despite all the water stops, just in case I need it.

Well, I'm going to try running after 8PM today and see how that goes.  I'm sure it will still be hot!  Have a good day everyone!  I'm still following along, even if I sometimes spend all my time reading and then have no time to post!


----------



## liesel

Nancy-I completely forgot your reply until after I hit submit and then I had to feed the kids lunch.  Anyway, I know how you feel, as far as the being hot and miserable goes.  I had both my kids in September (a day apart) and I was pretty uncomfortable.  As far as the second kid goes, I remember just feeling so happy and fulfilled with Luke (my DS) that I was open to having another child but I didn't feel like I needed a second in order to be happy.  Now I can't imagine life without Ella (my DD).  I did feel a little overwhelmed at first, like I was being pulled in 2 different directions (some days I still feel like that) but it gets better and you get used to a routine.  Then the oldest starts going to school and you have more special alone time with the second just like you did the first (while missing the first terribly when he's at school).  We try to plan special things with each kid.  Thursday DH and I are taking Luke to see Harry Potter while Ella spends time with the grandparents.  Sunday I am taking Ella to a hair styling class put on by the children's salon.  I'm terrible with hair and she loves the different styles they do there, so it will be a great chance for me to learn.  DH and Luke will also do something together.  They are learning a lot about compromise and taking turns since they are two different people with different interests.  Here's a disney example:  Luke's favorite ride: Space Mountain.  Ella's favorite: IASW.  And no, they don't like each other's favorite rides!  At least they both love POTC!  It will be a new adventure!

Maria and Nancy-I was feeling a little down about not running last week during the stomach bug and read both of your princess reports.  Thanks for a much needed boost!  It makes me all the more excited for my first half!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisa and maria* ok back to evanovich - should i start from "one for the money"?? sounds like you didn't and maybe i don't need to start from the beginning. 

i have been reading wally lamb's "i know this much is true" for the last few MONTHS now. i read a little, get bored, read something else, read some more of it, etc etc. it's taking me forever to get through the book. i just want to read something that will change my life. is that too much to ask for??

*liesel and lindsay* thanks so much and  for taking the time to calm me down a little about the whole having another kid thing. i know it'll work out. 

*taryn* big hugs to you! money arguments are always the worst! how is AK handling the top braces? i still remember my first day of braces. my dad and i went with my neighbor and his dad to a knick's game. my very first NBA game. i was so pumped but in so much pain. and we went to mcdonalds! (my mom never let my dad and i have it so we weren't telling her!) and it hurt too much to eat. i hope AK doesn't have too much pain and if she does give her a milkshake! 

*kathy* i'm glad clifton didn't make an appearance this year! clifton. that just sounds like bad news!!

*rose* did you take a workout break today? you deserve a rest!!

****
went out and did a little more than 4.5 mile walk today. it was hot but i had my water and actually was feeling pretty good. it was SO humid but there was the tiniest bit of a breeze so it felt like a treat! i passed an older lady who also lives in silver beach and walked with her for a few minutes and chit chatted. she slowed me down but she's so nice so i didn't mind. i told her i was pregnant and like everyone else, nobody can believe i'm as pregnant as i say i am. i'm still not really showing and just like thomas, i gained weight as back fat before the baby belly came out. so i just look thick. anyway, she commended me on having lost weight over the winter. so, you know, she's my new best friend.

she left the campus and i continued on for another lap. there's this guy who kinda looks like usher the singer who i guess is a messenger for the school. he drives around the campus in a van everyday. anyway, since i started running last year he always gives me a nice wave. we never really talk, just a honk and a wave and a thumbs up. i'm telling you, seeing him is so great b/c it makes me accountable to something. like, every time i see him i'm like, ok usher knows i ran today. good job, nance. 

anyway, a few weeks ago he was out of the van and working on the pathway that's on the water. i walked by and he smiled and i said, "wow, so you DO have legs! i've never seen you out of the car!" he said that he's impressed that i'm always out with the little guy and that i must be in great shape. he asked why i was walking and not running. told him i'm pregnant. fast forward to today and he drives by and stops to tell me that i better have water b/c it's the hottest day yet. i said i'm feeling good and almost done and that i need to keep up my exercise. in his "usher-type" voice he was like, "you lookin' good, baby, you lookin' good."

so now usher is my best friend too. one day we'll get to names. maybe next year. lol. 

i was glad i got out for the walk today! AND i went grocery shopping after shower and breakfast. of course i forgot a bunch of stuff but at least i have something to make for tonight! john's not going to be home until late-ish so it's just me and the munchkin tonight. i'm making super simple asian noodles with stiry fry veggies. i wanted to make it with shrimp but apparently i live in the ghetto and the frozen seafood freezer was LOCKED! i didn't have patience to wait for someone to open it. so, just veggies. 

this afternoon we walked down to our beach for a little. it was SO HOT down there. i was dripping just sitting there. stood in the water every few minutes and finally gave up and came home to sit in the air 

oh, also, i'm becoming an angry DIS'er!! omg! i'm one of THOSE people! i got mad at someone's trip report for being wrong about his terminology for pizza. yep. pizza. i need to start doing more yoga.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Nancy* -- I think you don't need to start with the first book, but I would go back aways because they do progress, sort of. I'm trying to think of when I really started loving them -- maybe Hot Six? Lisah may remember better than I do. But as for changing your life -- I cannot imagine that you are shallow enough that these books would be life-changing for you! These are good for a "hoot and a holler", but they are not going to contain revelations of the universe!  Ok, now I have that Usher song running through my head. You know, the "dj has us falling in love" one. I laughed at your post complaining about your "shack". When we moved from Missouri our housing cost doubled, and the space we were able to get was halved. It's just part of the fun of big city living  You are going to do great with 2 kids. I have faith in you!  

*Lisa* -- I'm glad you enjoyed the antics of the interstellar kitties and my TR from the Princess. It was a fantastic trip, and memorable in all the good ways! 

*Taryn* -- Welcome to the wonderful world of orthodontia! Ben has been in his for about a year now. It really surprises me because I remember mine hurting so much, and they seem to barely bother him when he gets them tightened.  Paying for it is just part of the fun 

*Lindsay* -- Ok, there is no excuse for being rude, I don't care how hot it is. I just don't get that attitude. I'm appearing to have you help me with my child, the last thing I'm going to be is problematic.  We are spoiled because knock on wood Ben usually only has his annual checkup, he doesn't really get sick. Some people need an attitude adjustment. 

*Lisah* -- There's just something about Morelli -- that doesn't do it for me. I agree, they probably both could do better. Stephanie has her issues...and frankly, there was more than once I would have moved into Rangeman and not looked back. But that's just me  But I agree about the technique -- maybe our expectations are too high 

*Kathy* -- I hope Michael is enjoying this camp. I do understand about the personality issues. One of the reasons Ben refused to go back to his usual camp this year was he'd had enough of this boy, Nick. Nick was a little punk who tried to make Ben feel awkward about going to Boston Latin. Needless to say, this kid couldn't get into BLS if his life depended on it. He also tried to call me by my first name. I don't think so 

*Rose* -- Chamomile tea sounds lovely, like a wonderful start to a great night's sleep  How is the ac holding out? I'm actually glad we had to replace ours, because now I can stop waiting for the other shoe to drop. It's cool and comfy, and why would I ever want to leave my bedroom? 

So, I managed to have a good eating day, and a very productive day at work. I'm ready to relax and have dinner, perhaps with a little black cherry libation. I seem to be quite fond of them, and one at night is just perfect. 

I'm trying to figure out how on earth I'm going to get up early enough to do 12M before work Friday. It's not looking good -- I may blow off church and do it then instead, depending on the weather report. Upper 90s does not seem like good running weather  But, if I do get started at 5am Friday, it should at least be cooler 

Have a great evening,  and !

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- Ok the difference of living in the bronx vs living in bethlehem..... If I saw the same guy driving in a van everyday and waving to me when I was running I would be disturbed and never run that route again. even if he did look like usher.  We also dont have locks on our seafood but Im just sayin.   I love that you meet friendly folks along the way and get great compliments too.  

Liesel- glad your getting back to running and getting your dh excited about it to.  It sounds like youve created a monster.

Taryn- Sorry for the financial arguments those are never fun.  I hope AK is doing well with the braces.  I was suppose to take ryan to the ortho last summer.  He still has all his baby teeth so I am just waiting because I wont have any money to pay for them anyway.  I figure waiting 2 years would not cause a major catastrophy in his mouth and if it does then I will just deal with it.  Its cosmetic so at this point I feel like we can wait.  I can side with you and agree that she is at the age where its time to fix it otherwise you risk emotional issues of her having braces her senior year of high school.  
**********************************************************

Im still chugging along.  I need to do laundry tonight or I wont have any clean outfits tomorrow and I have a meeting with some higher ups tomorrow so I should look presentable.  I have been avoiding talking about it because I am tired of hearing my self say it but I really need to get a plan of eating and exercise again and soon.  I am really sad to say I am not to far away from the 200 mark again and I refuse to go there.  Why or Why can I not keep off weight  I feel like if I dont focus my whole day on it I fail.  I just feeling like I am the cliff hanger guy from the price is right.  I was half way up the mountain and now I fell back down to the bottom but for some reason this time the mountain seems so much steeper.    

Well now that I feel like debbie downer tonight I am going to get off of here and get my kids washed up and to bed.  Talk to you ladies tomorrow.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Lindsay* -- I am right there with you "hanging by a clif, clif hanger!" I hope I'm not totally dating myself with that -- _In Between the Lions_, anyone? We will get there, we just may need to pick a new vehicle. This wagon is not modern enough for us. Maybe a starship named Enterprise? or the Millenium Falcon? Yep, that's the one I'm getting on! 

Ok just had to add no one's taking a stab at the song from my ipod? I'll give you a hint -- the performers are also from the Midwest, and they got their start in Champaign/Urbana IL....

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oh no no no no, i don't think stephanie plum's going to change my life. but i need some books to read while i search for that life changing book. and by life changing i just mean something i really like. i can't remember the last book that i read that i just LOVED! most of them lately have just been....meh.

re: the bronx. we live in this tiny little area of the bronx where it's like mayberry and everyone knows each other and most likely you're related in some way to at least one person that you see everyday. and maritime college is about a 5 min walk from silver beach so it's pretty friendly too b/c you see the same people there. but go outside our nice little gates? and you have your seafood locked up! there was a computer printed picture of the THIEF that was stealing the frozen shrimp! OMG! ghetto!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm trying to figure out how on earth I'm going to get up early enough to do 12M before work Friday. It's not looking good -- I may blow off church and do it then instead, depending on the weather report.



the cullen family is pro skipping church lately! on that 12 mile run you'll have plenty of time to say a few hail marys!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Nancy--Cold Mountain. Probably my favorite book.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning. I went to bed around 10:00, but we had nasty thunder storms last night for several hours--lots of thunder and lightening, so our dog cried a bunch and I was awake. I'm going to get up and run before it gets too hot. Today I need to pick some houses to see when we are in FL next week. The window guy is coming sometime this morning. And then this afternoon Tom and I have some errands to run. He saw a different psychologist yesterday who is going to do the testing for him. I think a week from Monday. So that's good. Ok, guess I'll get ready to run. Have a great day.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> Nancy--Cold Mountain. Probably my favorite book.



read it twice! loved that book!!



Rose&Mike said:


> Good morning. I went to bed around 10:00, but we had nasty thunder storms last night for several hours--lots of thunder and lightening, so our dog cried a bunch and I was awake. I'm going to get up and run before it gets too hot. Today I need to pick some houses to see when we are in FL next week. The window guy is coming sometime this morning. And then this afternoon Tom and I have some errands to run. He saw a different psychologist yesterday who is going to do the testing for him. I think a week from Monday. So that's good. Ok, guess I'll get ready to run. Have a great day.



morning! sorry about the storms. of course when you go to bed a decent hour _something_ has to go wrong so you don't sleep! grr! good luck on your run. glad tom found a psychologist to test him! 

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

another bad night's sleep up here! grr! i ate too much at dinner (shocker) and i think it gave me bad dreams. around 1am i woke up from a really disturbing dream and didn't want to go back to sleep right away b/c i seem to go right back into bad dreams. i  read for a little and then couldn't fall back asleep until the sun was coming up. then an hour later thomas was up. bummer.

today should be an interesting day. my mother called yesterday (first time in weeks) and i kind of cornered her. she asked if john was going to the work reunion (they both used to work for the same company years and years ago - that's really how i met him). she said she was thinking of going because at first she thought she had to work but it turns out she doesn't. when i told her that john wasn't going she decided not to go since nobody was really going. so i said, "so what are you going to do on your day off then?" backed into a corner! so she was like, "um, well, um, do you and thomas want to come up and we'll go to the mall?" 

this is how i have to get thomas to see his grandmother. i have to force out an invitation and capitalize on her mistakes.  sad. 

it is really hot already! tomorrow is a high of 96 and friday is a high of 99! i know that's not as hot as our southern counterparts but for up here that is BAD! crazy! 

so tell me...is this normal? for the last few days thomas has been obsessed with wearing this accessory:


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Nancy!* -- You have no idea how much I miss pj pals! That used to be one of my highlights, picking them out for Ben. He didn't know they made other pajamas until he did sleepovers...and now his jammies, absolutely, positively cannot match. They can coordinate, but matching is out of the question. Thank you for making me smile this morning! 

*Rose* -- Sorry about the storms, enjoy that run! I punted and kept sleeping, I was worn out. The high here is going to be 80 on Sunday. I am so skipping church! 

I'm running late and have to get to work -- more replies from there. Everyone have a great morning!



Maria


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> the cullen family is pro skipping church lately! on that 12 mile run you'll have plenty of time to say a few hail marys!






mommyof2Pirates said:


> Nancy- Ok the difference of living in the bronx vs living in bethlehem..... If I saw the same guy driving in a van everyday and waving to me when I was running I would be disturbed and never run that route again. even if he did look like usher.




You guys are cracking me up.  

And getting me emotional too.  *Nancy*- Your mother makes me so mad.  It really makes me appreciate all the time that my mother wanted to spend with us.  Sometimes it was hard to juggle, and overwhelming, but now that she's gone, I have such an appreciation for how much she loved us and loved being a grandma.  I remember one time, I called her toward the end of the week, and she said was like, "omg, where have you been, I haven't heard from you all week."  so i remember saying, I was working, I work full time you know.  and she said, " you do not work full time" with that sarcastic tone, and now we laugh, and my sister quotes that saying sometimes to me still.  At times I guess she was the exact opposite of your mom, and demanding, and I never knew how much I would miss that.  
I'm sorry.  I'm rambling, and probably not making you feel any better, but I just want to shake your mom, not that it would do any good, but she should appreciate you and treasure every minute she could spend with you and that adorable little sandpail wearing grandson of hers.  So I'll shut up now, and give you a big hug.
I loved the pj pals too, Maria.  

Big week at work.  Our union has come to a tentative agreement on our contract, so that is good.  I'll have to figure out what to do with my pension.  Either change to a lump sum plan, or start contributing 2% of my own money to it.  There will be a class coming up about it, that I'll be sure to make.  
The other thing they have announced we are joining forces with Lahey clinic.  Our manager went to a meeting yesterday and explained it to us.  It's not a buy out or a merger, but we will be affilliated with lahey and they will make a larger corporation called Lahey Health Systems but for the time being, we should stay the same.  I imagine a lot will change in time.  All of their doctors are employees of Lahey, where as ours are on their own and practice at the hospital.  I'm happy that we are staying non-profit.  I think that is better.  
As for our little endoscopy world, the docs are still working with the hospital to come to an agreement, and supposedly it seems to be working out.  But I'm feeling like if some of them do leave, that since our unit is a newer, state of the art unit, maybe some lahey docs would fill in.  We have lots of md practices nearby owned by lahey, and I know some patients would rather come to beverly verses Lahey burlington/peabody, so though I'm not booking my disney trip yet, it does look promising to increase my hours in the fall.  

Now I've rambled on and on about me, and have to run.  

Hello everybody else!!  I'm on the cliff with the rest of ya.  Though I was inspired by rose going out to run this morning and did 30 min wii fit.  

Maria it's too hot to do 12 miles outside.  I hope we have a nice cool front come through for you half next month.  

I'm still rambling.  Hi Lisabelles!!!  Lindsay-  Hang in there.  Never give up.  You will get your focus back.  We all will.  We can do this!!  I think we need to plan a race together again.  I missed the conversation about Hershey 2013, but that might work.  Maybe I'll buy a hershey bar today and think about it.  

Have a fabulous, princessey day!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy* thanks for the cyber-hug. i think i needed it big time today i just have to make sure i take my mom issues and turn them into a learning experience. my children will hear me tell them i love them every single day...even when they're teenagers and don't want to hear it. in fact, especially then!

good luck with the pension stuff. i don't want to pry or anything but i want to offer up any help if you need it with that. in my previous life, i worked in finance and a big part of what i did was consult on pension funds and all that mumbo jumbo. if you have any questions, pm me or send me a facebook message. 

*maria* a few weeks ago when we went to that disney store opening at the palisades mall we bought i think 4 different pj pals. they had them on sale for $10 each. they are so cute! we have cars, handy manny, mickey and friends, and one with bruce from finding nemo. love them. 

*rose* how'd the run go??

*******************
well, usher saw me walk today. so at least i know i worked out. however, it is HOT AND HUMID! i slogged through 3 miles and it took me 51 minutes! i felt like i was going backwards at some points! i'm going to have to take the next two days off. it'll just be way too hot! speaking of, *maria* i agree with kathy that it's too hot to do a 12 miler! you REALLY don't want to overdo it so soon before your race too. right?


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Lindsay,* I'm sorry that you are still feeling like you are out of control.    I know that you can reel yourself in and get back to where you need to be.    I did see your cute beach picture on Facebook and I have to say you look wonderful so perhaps it is not as bad as you think it is.    And this is the place for venting so feel free to vent away anytime that you need to.   

Oh yeah, and I would totally not worry about orthodontics for baby teeth.    We had that discussion with our dentist with DS and were told that the permanent teeth can be totally different so there is absolutely no point in addressing anything until those permanent teeth are out.  The nice thing, too, is our othrodontist doesn't charge interest so hopefully you can find someone who will do the same.  Lots of time to figure that one out. 

*Taryn,* only two weeks of summer left for you?   I hope that you can get your papers done and take some time off before you have to go back to work.  Thank goodness you got to go to WDW this summer!   

Hope AK is getting used to her braces!  

I'm sorry about the money arguments.  We have them, too.  It's hard not to be anxious about money this week when we don't know what the heck is going on with our economy -- not starting a political discussion just a comment.    I can keep all the balls in the air, I have a little reserve, and feel like I'm one unexpected expense away from disaster.  It's very stressful.    Somehow it all works out and will continue to do so.  That's what I tell myself or I will go crazy.  

*Lisabelle,* enjoy these last few crazy days of summer!    Way to go getting out and running in the heat.  Jeff Galloway says add 30 seconds to your training time for every five degrees over 60 -- so that is two whole extra minutes a mile if it is 80 degrees outside.  I know that a little part of your brain says "but I need to be at 16MM" but it's a long way to the race and you've been sick.  So take care.    I think that you are doing fabulous and way to get DH on board, too. 

*Nancy,* I say start with Ten Big Ones for Evanovich and then go up or down depending on how you like it.  I think you will be very entertained or you will wonder what kind of books Maria and I read.   

I hope that you have a nice visit with your Mom.    I know that your relationship is a tough one.  You aren't going to change your Mom at this stage so the only thing you can change is how you react to her. If she chooses not to have a meaningful relationship with her beautiful daughter and wonderful grandson, it is her loss.   

Bucket boy is adorable.  I miss those pj days, too.  But I don't miss those toy bins.  Mine were always falling and spilling Legos and other assorted stuff everywhere! 

*Maria,* "ooo ah, dance in smarty pants . . . " I absolutely loved Between the Lions.  Nancy and Lindsay if that show is still on it is great to help your little readers.  Plus very entertaining for the adults and that doesn't happen so often in the kids shows.  Good times, good times.  

I do know the answer to your song question but only because I cheated and googled it yesterday.  Your post was number 6 by the way.  

*Kathy,* glad that things seem to be working out at work.    I was wondering how that was going.  You are doing a great job coaching this week!  

*Rose,* sorry about the thunderstorms.    But thanks for the book recommendation.  I've added Cold Mountain to my list for vacation reading. 

We had thunderstorms here last night, too, so the training run was cancelled.  I'll do a short run tonight.  Tomorrow is tempo runs.  Should be interesting.  

I just keep keeping on.  I'm really stressed and just not feeling like doing anything.  So I'm faking it 'til I make it baby.  It seems to be working or at least keeps me moving.    I'm so glad that I can come on here and chat with you all and be entertained and talk about stuff like Between the Lions and Ranger!  

Have a great day all!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oh oh oh i almost forgot. when i couldn't sleep last night i bought "one for the money" on my ipad. i read the first chapter and in the first two or three pages stephanie was having something not-so-nice done to her at the age of 6! i can tell this is going to be a little racy but i also like the fact that it seems like she says exactly what she's thinking. like me, she seems to have no filter!

"fake it til you make it" - great motto lisa. sometimes it's the only thing we can do! i also like to practice "smile therapy" when i'm stressed. if i just put on a big smile (you know, the ones that actually kind of hurt) i feel like at least a little bit i'm feeling happy and in control 

and *lindsay* i forgot to say this before even though i was thinking it. i think you looked great in your facebook photo at the beach! oh and where did you get that suit?? i think we all need to reel it in a little. i think *kathy's* idea of planning a race is a good one. i felt like when i was training for the princess i had something to look forward to - the training runs. i knew i HAD to do them. so i did. not having a race to look forward to makes it harder to "just do it."

i say we do hershey october 2012! i'm in! then after i think we should treat ourselves to those chocolate massages they do! 

ok as you can see i'm killing time on here before heading up to CT. going to leave in about 15 minutes.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Nancy* -- Hoping I catch you before you leave, I have to run out to a birthday lunch for my asst. in a minute -- just take today as it comes. Lisah gave you fabulous advice. I would be so proud to have you as my daughter, even if I would have been a tween to have you!  You are giving her every opportunity, and that's all you can do. If she squanders them, it's on her. Trust me, Ben knows which grandparents make and effort and which don't, and although he loves them all -- it's obvious who makes his life good and who just throws money at him at Christmas, not that he's really complaining about the cash these days  Hang in there, and we will commiserate after your visit. Ben is in Wethersfield CT this week -- wave if you go by! (I have no idea where that is!)

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning!

I am the needy friend this week without the energy to multi-quote. So I'm going by memory.

Kathy--I'm glad the work stuff is working out ok. Are you feeling less stress?

Nancy--I hope it went ok with your Mom. I get it. A therapist told me once (in a nice way) that as long as I still wanted her to change, I was in a child/parent relationship with her. Meaning I was not interacting with her as an adult. Once I realized she was never going to change, I was able to see things more clearly. It still makes me really sad. It makes me sad for the little girl me who didn't have a Mom who loved her enough to take care of her. The adult me knows I am just fine without her. Worrying about what she thought or what she was going to do all the time effected all my other relationships--I expected no one to really love me and I expected people to abandon me. I won't say I'm completely over it all, but I am aware of it now, which is a good thing. It's really obvious that you have so many people that love you--look at all your aunts, etc! I know it sucks, it really does. And I wish I could fix it for you. Anyhow, I hope it was an ok visit.

Hello to everyone else! 

I am just beyond tired. I ran yesterday morning--and that cleared my head for a couple of hours. But most of the time I feel like my brain is stuffed with paper. I just want to get through the day. A week from today we go to Florida and then hopefully everything will be resolved one way or the other. I have decided I am really ready to go. The process of cleaning out the house was emotionally difficult. There were multiple times that I just sat and cried. Did I tell you all I found baby girl clothes that people gave us for our adoptions that failed? I guess I just stuffed them in a box. Or on Sunday when Tom erased his dry erase board in his room and took it down. His best friend had decorated it in high school and it had been up for 3 years or so. It's silly stuff but it has me just wrung out. I'm crying now. I think being so tired is not helping. Anyhow, I'm ready to go. Yes, this is the house my son grew up in. But Tom said something to me this weekend--no matter where you and Dad live, that will be my home. 

So we just have to get through one more week--Mike is a little strung out too.

Stay cool ladies! Have a great day!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> I am just beyond tired. I ran yesterday morning--and that cleared my head for a couple of hours. But most of the time I feel like my brain is stuffed with paper. I just want to get through the day. A week from today we go to Florida and then hopefully everything will be resolved one way or the other. I have decided I am really ready to go. The process of cleaning out the house was emotionally difficult. There were multiple times that I just sat and cried. Did I tell you all I found baby girl clothes that people gave us for our adoptions that failed? I guess I just stuffed them in a box. Or on Sunday when Tom erased his dry erase board in his room and took it down. His best friend had decorated it in high school and it had been up for 3 years or so. It's silly stuff but it has me just wrung out. I'm crying now. I think being so tired is not helping. Anyhow, I'm ready to go. Yes, this is the house my son grew up in. But Tom said something to me this weekend--no matter where you and Dad live, that will be my home.
> 
> So we just have to get through one more week--Mike is a little strung out too.
> 
> Stay cool ladies! Have a great day!



aw, rose. i'm looking forward to hearing about your florida trip. i think a break for you is a good thing (though it won't be much of a break with mike interviewing and you checking out houses!). i can only imagine all the emotions you had going through all your stuff! sure, it's just "stuff" but to the owner it's just memories. 

when i was in high school, my room was yellow and had a sunflower motiff (hey, it was the 90s, sunflowers were VERY in). i was never allowed posters or anything in my room but i decorated the best i could within the strict parameters of mom craziness. i went to college and came home for thanksgiving and everything in my room was gone. gone! all the yellow was gone and it was turned into another guest room. (my parents' house is a 4bd and only one kid so we already had a guest room!) all the little high school "stuff" that friends gave me, pictures, dolls, CDs....gone. sure, it was just stuff but i was sad that i didn't get to say goodbye. so, i get it. going through all your stuff must have put you through the ringer (wringer? what's the correct word?). 

and that is SO sad that you found all the girl baby stuff. ugh. i was talking to a neighbor at the beach the day before yesterday. told her we were having another (she's was looking at my stomach and i could tell she was wondering). she has an 8 year old. we got to talking about how it was such a surprise because of all the trouble we had with thomas. she told me after her son she had 5 miscarriages including a stillborn. and here i was a little depressed that i have this blessing aka #2. i wanted to puke with guilt. and i've been there myself with the miscarriages. it must have been hard looking at the girl clothing. what did you do with it? 

i have to commend you, rose. you're going through alot and you're still keeping up with the running and eating well. that. is. HUGE! it seems like the second anything gets a little too hard for me i immediately turn to food. you are setting a great example for the rest of us (not that we want you to be stressed but you know what i mean). 

try to rest


----------



## Rose&Mike

thanks Nancy--but how was the visit??? And that stinks that she did that to your room! What a poopy thing to do. Tom was telling me that he's glad we waited until now to move cause he had friends whose parents moved freshman year and it was really hard on them to not go home to the same place. I imagine you felt like you weren't going home to the same place either. All we can do is try to be better Moms. I know I'm not perfect, but I think my kid actually likes me, so I have to be doing better. I put the girl stuff in a goodwill bag. And my eating is maybe 75 percent good and 25 percent not so good. I had a g-f cupcake and ice cream for lunch yesterday. And I'm starting to have stomach issues again when I run--100 percent from crappy choices which leads to crappy issues. But I'm having my smoothie (without sweetener except fruit) for breakfast again, so I'm trying. 

Oh and I forgot to say, I don't know what those jammie things were, but the picture with the pail--too cute! I loved two--Tom was so much fun at that age! And don't feel guilty about your friend and the fact that you are struggling with this pregnancy. That's just life sometimes. Somethings just go the way they go--we don't always have a choice in some matters. We call it an "is" at my house; like as in--it just is, no explanations


----------



## dumbo_buddy

good morning everyone! i was going to get on last night and report about the visit with my mom but instead i tore the house apart looking for a missing document (that i never found last night but found within 5 minutes of being up this morning. isn't that always the way??). 

we had a nice time yesterday. i really can't complain too much. my mother seemed engaged and enjoyed thomas's company. but that's where i need to just let it go. call it a nice day and that's it. it's these little visits that get my hopes up that things will be different. rose is right, one of these days i'll have to accept that i can't change anyone except for myself. you'd think after 15+ years of complaining about the same thing i would! 

ok i just wrote out a big report of the day but even i was boring myself. so i'll share a little memorable story from the day:

after playing for a while at the mall kiddie area i said let's eat. of course my mother wasn't hungry. i got thomas a happy meal and he ate a few fries. i got subway. my mother got....nothing. wasn't hungry. after we ate she offered to get us mcD's ice cream but they were out. so i went to baskin robbins and got thomas and i some ice cream. mom didn't want any. and i got lots of looks about eating the ice cream. then she decides to get something. maybe subway. comes back...with a kids meal because a 6in is just way too much food for anyone to eat (really, b/c i just housed mine with no problems!). 

today i'm heading downtown to the west village - thomas has a "go-see" - his first one since i got those headshots taken. they called yesterday evening. it's for vaseline. should be interesting. we can go anytime between 10:30 and 4:30 so i'm planning on getting there first thing. any later and it'll be way too hot and we'll both be way too cranky. not looking forward to going down to the west village though - it's hot downtown!!

need to get going if i want to leave on time!

have a great day all!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Happy Thursday!  I have made it through 3 hours of work without any major disasters so this is a record for my week.  It has just been unusually insane.  I think its the heat.  I have a staff member out with mono for the next 2 wks and at one moment I wished I would get it because 2 wks of laying in bed sounds good right about now.  Sad that I would choose having a sore throat and being completely wiped out over my daily life.

Anyway.....

Maria-  I too know the answer but I googled it like Lisa.  We are just no fun!

Nancy- I was cracking up about the bronx shrimp thief.  Im glad your visit was ok with your mom.  I think everyone else gave you some amazing advice about that on here.  You are a great mom to thomas and his soon to be sibling and that is all that matters.  I loved thomas' pail hat pic.  So cute.  I hope the vaseline go see works out well today.  I cant wait to hear about it.  Thanks for the compliments on my beach pic.  I have the kids hiding most of me so I guess it doesnt look so bad.  I got the suit at kmart for 14$  Its a one piece with a baby doll style dress on top.  It reminds me of a suit my nana use to have and she probably wore it when she was in her late 60's.  I dont care it was comfy and I am calling it my fat suit because I am determined that next year I am buying a 2 piece.  Thats quite a goal I know.  Hershey 2012 sounds good and I will try my best to make that happen.  A chocolate massage would be devine.

Rose- I can imagine just how stressful this all is for you.  Im glad Tom is being supportive and trying to help.   Your memories that you made in your home were made by you and they will always stay in your mind, and you will make lots of new memories in your new place too....  Hang in there!

Kathy- We use to be a private practice a number of years ago and then joined our network.  It has its pros and cons with being part of a big network.  Mostly Pros but the worst con is having to justify every little thing like needing a certain amount of staff, buying certain equipment, etc.  Not sure how the merge will affect you but just wanted to offer my thoughts.  Im hoping it works out to the good for you its sounds really promising and if you get to disney sooner than later I will be cheering so loud for you.  So how was that hershey bar?????

Lisa- Thanks for the compliments on my FB beach pic.  I think I feel so bad because I worked so hard to loose weight and tone up and it depresses me to have to repeat it because of my laziness.  Thanks for the advice about the ortho appt too.  Ryan had a tooth injury when he was 3 so his front teeth are a mess.  I am hoping his adult teeth come in nicely.  Mike and I dont have horribly messed up teeth so Im crossing my fingers.  I love your motto too It seems we are all so stressed lately but I think we are all doing a great job of faking it.....at least if you would see me in person you wouldnt know how stressed I was....on here is another story.  Anyway soon we all will make it...Im sure of it  Hang in there.


Tonight Ryan gets his football uniform we have to be at the field house by 7.  So we will be eating out tonight because guess who didnt plan ahead to figure out how to get us dinner at a resonable hour.  

Last night I went to be shortly after the kids.  I felt more rested today but I feel myself slowly becoming exhausted.  I really need to make sure I go to bed early at night so I dont get too run down.  

I have been wanting so bad to start my running up again but with this heat I have been holding off.   So all of you who are out there during this heat wave  I worship you.  Im sorry I complained about the 8 mile run in 10 degree weather while it was snowing.  Right about now that sounds nice.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

alright people - i'm calling it - we're in for the hershey half oct. 2012. so, eastcoasters - get on it!!

yeah so the vaseline go see was a total dud. wound up waiting around for an hour. thomas was SO good and just playing and hanging out. then they called his name and all hell broke loose! screaming! crying! wouldn't stand where they wanted him. you know, typical 2 year old stuff. turns out they only wanted pics of his hands and feet anyway. and i'm not even sure they got that. 

oh, and OMG people are SOOOO WEIRD!! one mom was there - polish i think and was obsessed with her kid. let to poor kid play. i brought out some toys and the kid wanted to play with thomas - let him! then her kid took some of thomas's annies cookies. and the mom freaked. i told her it was ok if they shared. she examined the bag. at first i thought maybe he was allergic to nuts or something. no, the kid is only allowed organic. puh-lease! there were some total stage parents too. it was really great people watching. oh and there were adult models too. you know, like 6ft+ tall amazon women with huge skinny feet. it was pretty hilarious that my kid was running around them and at one point he threw a squishy ball at one of them. the model looked soooo happy about that. lol! professional models + my kid = 

well, usher didn't see me workout today. oh well. way too hot. waaaaay too hot. now we're just hanging at home and trying to stay cool.

51 days til disney!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon,  and !

*Nancy* -- Sorry the go see was a dud -- although it sounds like it provided plenty of entertainment  It sounds like your visit yesterday was the best you could have hoped for, so a good outcome. I can't believe your Disney visit is so soon! I have to get back to reading your TR, I was enjoying it and then got sidetracked.  Oh, and I just have to say -- I often hold myself to a 6 in at Subway, there are days I know I could eat a footlong  What your mom did to your room was just wrong! I cannot imagine doing that to my child  I don't think my mom moved a thing when I left for college. Please do not feel bad about the friend and her reproductive issues -- we all have issues of some sort, and while it's good to remember we are lucky in some areas, there are definitely others where we have not been so blessed. And on the Evanovich front, maybe that's why I can't really get into Morelli -- juvenile pervert! 

*Lindsay* -- I agree this heat is too much. I'm not running again until Sunday, when our high is supposed to be 80. My BIL and SIL are coming down Friday night to go to a Red Sox game, and he announced last night he wants to go for a run Saturday morning. Of course my silly husband agreed. I hope they both don't have heart attacks  I think Dennis is smart enough to stop if he realizes it's just too warm, the jury is out for BIL. 

*Rose* -- I keep forgetting to ask you, when you are in WDW do you go to the Babycakes in DTD? They have g-f treats, and I believe you can now order in advance from them the same way you would the WDW Florist for cakes, etc. I've never tried it, but I've seen it  I am so sorry, it must have hurt so much to find the baby things. It's good you are blessing someone else who will be able to use them.  Are you packed yet for your trip? I think I would be  I know there is so much going on and you will be checking out places to live so it's not really a vacation, but there will be fun, I am certain. Mike just seems like a fun guy!  

*Lisah* -- I need to do a better job faking it. Lately all I want to do is go home, crawl into bed, watch T&T (yes, it's on almost every night), and not think about what I should be doing. I'm trying to ignore the fact I have a Half in 2 weeks. I am woefully undertrained, bursting out of my clothes, and so wishing I had actually ate the way I intended  We'll get there, right? 

*Kathy* -- I am sorry I'm doing a cruddy job keeping up with your QOTDs. I know you are doing a great job, I just don't seem to have any oomph to get over there. Maybe later...Anyway, thank you for being our coach. You are such a patient and giving , we are lucky to have you! 

*Taryn, Jude, Corinna* -- Hope your heat is not too hot to handle! 

I wish I had something new and exciting to report...well, Dennis did call me out of the blue today and ask me to research a quick trip to Montreal. I may get a little getaway yet! 

My scale is on an upward swing, so nothing good on that front. I know I need to rein in my eating, but knowing and doing seem to be two completely different things. 

Oh! I started reading "The Help". I wouldn't normally read something that isn't written in proper English, but I decided to give it a try and it's sucked me in I'm just a few chapters in, we'll see how long I last. 

Everyone have an awesome Thor's Day!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hey boston friends - looks like oct. 1st i'll be up in your neck of the woods. wake forest (the college i went to) is playing boston college in football. my friend andy from school lives in arlington, ma with his wife and i invited us up there for the weekend - lol! my bday is 10/4 so i thought it'd be a fun way to celebrate. plus, i haven't been to a wake game in a few years now! and coincidentally my friend and his wife's anniversary is on 10/4 too. (they did it so i'd have a really big birthday cake of course)

not sure how feasible it is to get together but just thought i'd throw it out there


----------



## Worfiedoodles

dumbo_buddy said:


> hey boston friends - looks like oct. 1st i'll be up in your neck of the woods. wake forest (the college i went to) is playing boston college in football. my friend andy from school lives in arlington, ma with his wife and i invited us up there for the weekend - lol! my bday is 10/4 so i thought it'd be a fun way to celebrate. plus, i haven't been to a wake game in a few years now! and coincidentally my friend and his wife's anniversary is on 10/4 too. (they did it so i'd have a really big birthday cake of course)
> 
> not sure how feasible it is to get together but just thought i'd throw it out there



We should definitely try to plan something! We used to live halfway between BC and BU, but then we reproduced and needed a yard for the offspring. Maybe we could meet somewhere in Somerville (or even Arlington, I was just thinking Somerville has a lot of cool places in Davis Square), or we would be happy to come into Allston/Brighton and meet you there (or Downtown) before the game, if that makes more sense...will you be tailgating before the game? When are you going home? We can't have you come to Boston and not see your  buddies! 

I also literally live 5 minutes from the airport, but I don't think we want to do a Meet there 

Maybe *Kathy* has some good ideas? 

Ok, back to the boring webinar I'm supposed to be watching...

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok all of those town names sound so familiar but i'm sorry that i don't know exactly where they are! my girlfriend rachel used to live in sommerville so i'm pretty sure i've been to davis square - if we went out to the bars it would have been there, right?? 

the game time is still TBD so we'll have to wait a little to figure it out. but right now i'm hoping we'll drive up friday night and then leave sometime on sunday. we will probably tailgate. well, as much as i can tailgate with a 2 year old and a very pregnant belly! 

yay! looking forward to that weekend even more now


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!   

Quick post before I go and pick up DS.  

*Rose,* I know that you will be glad when you go to FL and see what is going on, one way or another.   

There are a lot of strung out people everywhere lately.  DH has gone to work at 6 am all week because he can't sleep and figures he might as well work.   It is totally goofing up my morning routine!   

*Nancy,* I'm glad that things went okay yesterday.    And you have to admit those folks at the Vaseline thing sounded pretty entertaining.    I'm envious of you and your Boston Dismeet!  

*Lindsay,* it didn't look like you were doing the let's get the kid to hide me tug o' war at all in your picture!    We have lots of those pictures so I know exactly what you are talking about.

Robert had a virus when he was an infant that affected his baby teeth (made the enamel soft -- poor kid had crowns when he was 3) so even with his injury I hope Ryan will be the same.  

Hope the first night of football goes well!  

*Maria,* I can always think of things I wish I would have done differently.  I'm trying to let those things go and just accept what is more that is hard to do!    I hope that you will get to see Cam when you are doing your race.  

The "fake it til you make it baby" came from Rose, I believe.  There's still some faking here but it is getting better.  

Hello to everyone I missed!    Hang in there!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- thomas' go see sounds so comical at leas you had entertainment.  How exciting for your boston trip and to meet up with our bostonians.  And woohoo for being 51 short days away from disney.....Im so excited for you.  

Maria- I think when you were talking to lisa and said that you want to come home everyday and lay in bed and watch tv, and that your popping out of your clothes.  Well I just want to say I am right there with you.  What is wrong with us.   Im going to try really hard this weekend to make a plan for next week.  We can do it...I know we can.  

Ok I am planning on Hershey 2012 but I have to say that I will not be able to confirm that until closer to the time of registering/booking...just have to make sure I have the funds for that.  I saw the pkgs and it doesnt seem like an expensive trip for me but still I need to wait and see.  It sounds like it would be a super great time.

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

today was a bit slower at work which was nice.  I needed a break!  Tonight we took Ryan for his uniform.  He is much bigger than the kids on his team.  They put him on the 5-6yr old 1st year team but he is only 3 months shy of 7.  They are going to evaluate how good he is and they will determine if he should move up.  I am on the fence.  I dont want him to be on a team that the other kids are not on his level but yet I dont want him on the older team and then not to get as much playing time.  Yes he is only 6 and this is what we have to worry about.  Anyway I guess we will see soon.  The funny part was that he has such a big head he didnt fit any of the helmets.  They had to search all over to find him one.  Everyone was laughing but not in a bad way and I could tell it bothered ryan.  He got a bit teary but held it together.  He is getting very sensitive lately.  Is this the age that starts???  He was very mad at me that I posted on facebook that he wants to marry selena gomez, he was actually in tears about that.  I felt horrible.  

Anyway I really really wanted to go out for a run tonight but dh told me I would kill myself since I havent run in a few weeks and the heat index was still 100 at 8pm so i listened to him.  I am running 4 miles this sun with my relay team of moms from ryans school.  I am a bit nervous because I think I am the heaviest and slowest one there.  It upsets me because in my mind by this point I wanted to be alot lighter.  ugghhh why do I do this to myself.

Ok I feel like I am rambling so I am heading off to bed.  Have a great evening.


----------



## mikamah

Good evening, Princesses!!  

My coaching stint is over, and though I did keep up over there, I didn't get my act together at all.  I say as I just ate a congo bar.  I'm right there with the rest of you who are struggling, and trying to figure out how to get my focus back.  The past 3 weeks, I've gotten 3 days of exercise in each week, but only run once each week.  I wrote out my training plan for the sept half, but am not as motivated to stick with it as I was the princess.  I'm glad I have the half coming up because otherwise, I think I would probably have given up all exercise completely.  I do not want to get a DNF, and I want to beat my princess time, which if I do any regular training at all, should be easy for me to do since I won't have a camera and I won't be weaving back and forth across the road to take pics along the way.  Though the course is much hillier than the princess.  

We're heading camping tomorrow right after work.  I'm not looking forward to trying to sleep tomorrow night in a tent in this heat.  We're about a mile from the beach, so I'm praying for a seabreeze.  I have already said, michael will be hot and tired from camp that I will cut him some slack, and not expect him to help me set up much.  That way he won't hear me swearing when I'm sweltering and fighting with the tent.  

He lost his glasses at camp today.  I hope he finds them tomorrow.  It was late in the day and he had left them at the aquatic area when he was swimming, so hopefully someone picked them up.  He has an opthamologist appt in 4 weeks, and they have been decreasing his prescription slowly the past couple times, so I'm thinking if he doesn't have them he can use the old ones and use none at times til we go to the doc.  He was so upset.  So I couldn't get upset.  At least we have vision issurance now, and it won't be 400$, but should be less than 200 like last year.  

Thanks for all the support during my week of coaching.  It was nice to chat more with the new bl members that I haven't really gotten to know much.  It's such a nice group there too, and so nice to see the thread so active still into the summer. 

*Rose*-  I can only imagine how many memories you are bringing up going through your whole house.  I love what Tom said to you about his home being with you and Mike, where ever that may be.  He is such a sweet and caring boy, even though he may have his moments.  You are a great mom, and he knows it.  I hope the rest of the cleaning and packing goes smoothly for you. 

*Nancy*-I just can't imagine how your mom could throw all your stuff away and change your room on you without telling you.  Extra hugs for you.   I would love to meet up with you when you're in Boston.  Maria's suggestions were great, and I'm game.  Other thing was if it's a nice weekend, we could meet outside somewhere, either boston common, or along the charles, or a park near where you'll be in Arlington.  I wrote it on my calendar so I don't sign up for call that weekend.  Thanks for the offer for pension advice.  My brother is also an accountant, and he helps me too, but I'll keep that in mind.  

*Lisa*- I'm faking it til I make it too.  Sorry for all the stress you've been under.  Money worries are the worst.  I also feel that things always do tend to work themselves out the way they are supposed to.  It's still a worry though.  Though, I guess I'm lucky I don't have a dh to fight with about it.   5 days til vacation!!  Are you going to the lake again?  With that beautiful, peaceful deck?  I hope so. What a great place to regroup and relax. 

*Maria*-I loved The Help.  Though my english isn't probably the best itself.  I'd love to get together with Nancy when she's here, too.  Have you been able to run this week on the treadmill?  Your race is in 2 weeks?  You are going to do great, and I'm sure it will be a fabulous weekend.  Are you doing a dismeet?  

*LIndsay*-It was brutally hot tonight to run.  Glad you chose not to.  I hope you and dh can work it out with football that you can get some running in again.  It's so hard to juggle it all.  Michael has a big head too, and had trouble with the baseball helmets when he first started, so we bought him one.  Michael's a sensitive kid too, but I tend to be a bit sarcastic and tease him too, and once in a while go too far.  I think when it's a new thing, like Ryan and football, they probably don't want to be singled out as being different, even though it's no big deal, they are sensitive.  I'm sure he will be fine, and he and Selena will make a lovely couple.    I'll never forget a few years ago, taking care of this really messed up woman/drug abuser, who was also a mother, and another nurse saying to me, that no matter how bad a mother we think we are, we are really never going to damage our kids the way some people do.  You are a great mom.  Mom guilt is the worst, though.
Oh, and on the braces, michael had some teeth pulled a few years ago, so he has retainers holding that space, and we see an orthodontist, every 6 months, and haven't paid anything yet because they are watching and waiting until more secondary teeth come in before they can start any work.  He's missing a permanent tooth on one side so those teeth will fit, but the other side is too crowded, so we'll see what happens.  I'm not looking forward to that bill either.  Those braces will probably cost 2 or 3 disney trips. 

I don't know if I'll be back on in the am.  I want to cut up some fruit before I go to work, and I hope to get out of work early and head up to Maine.  

Oh, and on Hershey 2012, I'd love to, and like LIndsay will need to wait and see.  Fingers crossed it will all work out. 

Hope you all have a fabulous, princessey, weekend!!


----------



## mikamah

Eeeek, I killed the thread.

Though I'm going to chalk it up to the fact that you were all getting your 6-8 hours of beauty sleep all princesses need. 

Now I'm really shutting the laptop down and will see ya on sunday!

Have a fabulous weekend!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

It Lives! No *Kathy!* I promise you didn't kill the thread!

I'm eating my breakfast quickly before I head out to work, going in early today, so I planned to post later...

Anyway, have a wonderful trip, stay as cool as you can, and get a little relaxation in, too! 

I hope Michael's glasses are found. It is interesting when we can't do the "upset mom" thing because they're already so disturbed. I feel like I have a really great rant, but of course I can't use it. Sometimes Dennis and I laugh about it later. 

Have Fun!

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

TGIF!    It sounds like we are all ready for a week-end of relaxing and regrouping.  

*Lindsay,* sorry about the sensitive kid thing.    I didn't have any brothers so I was quite surprised when I realized how sensitive DS could be about things -- those guys aren't all jokes about body functions and turning things into weapons.   

I'm sure that you will do great at your relay this week-end.  Don't compare yourself to the other Moms.  Just compare yourself to where you have been and how far you've come and that you have the courage to keep going, even when things haven't gone the way you had hoped.  

Well, I'm going to miss you Coach *Krazy Kowgirl Kathy!*   I hope that you have a wonderful time camping this week-end and that sea breeze finds you.   

Hope that the glasses turn up.  We've had the same problem.  I just don't remember to remind him to wear his old glasses or the chums when he swims and he doesn't remember himself because he is too busy having fun.  

We are going to Lake Okoboji for a five nights next week.  It will be a quick trip.  My Mom is coming here to get out of the heat in Arizona and take care of Sadie and Wally, our dog and cat.  She likes to do laundry so I am going to ask her to help me catch up.    We will be with Ed's family except BIL will not be there because he is still recouperating from his treatment.  We are going to try very hard to unwind.  They make very strong margaritas at lunch so that helps.  

*Maria,* you are going to do fabulously at your half.  It's your first non-Disney half isn't it?  So it's going to be different but a band every mile has to be fun plus it sounds like there are a lot of people -- I was reading 17 corrals? If you do a Dismeet and meet Susie (escape) please tell her hello from her fellow Incredibles.  

Have a wonderful day ladies!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy* you didn't kill the thread! i didn't get back on last night because thomas went to bed a little on the late side and john and i watched the first episode of "the big c" on showtime on demand. i'm sorry that michael lost his glasses. hopefully they turn up soon! i started sweating when i read that. not to bring up mommy issues again but even if i got upset that i lost something (the time i sat on my retainer at camp and broke it comes to mind) i would still get it. so i just want to thank you on behalf of michael for not giving him a hard time about the glasses. he was upset, that was enough. you are such a great mom!  have fun camping. is there any electric where you're going? can you bring a fan? it is going to be SO HOT.

i think you did a great job coaching. it's tough in the middle of the summer. i'm finding it hard to keep up with the thread. i like to do the personal replies but have given up a little on it. _some_ people refuse to do any personals! psh, that's just bad thread participation behavior! 

*maria and kathy* i'm looking forward to heading up to boston! i wonder if a sunday breakfast/brunch meet-up would be best? depends on the game time on saturday i guess. 

*lindsay* glad you got a breather at work yesterday! i'm also glad you didn't run last night. it is WAY too hot! i saw the pics of ryan in his uniform and he looks so cu...no, not cute...handsome and tough! loved the gun show pose!!! i tried to "like" it but the internet was acting weird last night. 

*rose* hi! how was your day yesterday?? did you get any sleep last night? i hope so! 

*lisa* we had a little money tiff here last night. not that big but just...annoying. going down to that go-see in the village yesterday cost me $24 in parking and i was only there a little over an hour. like i WANTED to spend that much! 

you mentioned robert having a virus when he was an infant and it affecting his teeth. when i was about 6 months old i had a 104 or 105 fever (something super high) and as a result i had very bad yellow staining on my teeth. i remember being like 7 or 8 and people asking my why my teeth were so yellow. i had to have bonding over it done then. it's strange how sickness can affect teeth, right??

*lisel* hi! everything going well in your training? tinkerbell half will be here soon. 

****
well, folks, i would LOVE to complain about the heat but i can't now. the today show just had a segment on about refugees from somalia. it was so disturbing. mothers are walking for a MONTH at a time with their children to find water and ....well i won't continue but it was really sad. so i will NOT complain that i have to stay inside in my air conditioned house. 

needless to say i didn't work out today. it's 8am and 89 already. that's just crazy! i may head out to the mall later just to walk around. i really don't like shopping but i'd like leave the house even if it's for just a little bit. we'll see. 

we don't have any weekend plans. need to think of something. in the meantime, i'll go make breakfast


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisa* looks like i was posting when you did. have a great time at the lake. what day do you leave? how far is it from you? sounds nice and relaxing. have a margarita for me, will ya??? also, your mom LIKES to do laundry. man, i really missed out on some good mom action! 

my cousin johnny is 11 and is the most sensitive kid i know. he's a worrier and is always hurt or something. when he came to disney with us in january we'd all go on a ride. his sister mary and brother michael would get off and be like that was awesome! but johnny found something wrong with it. his neck hurt on RNRC. there was something poking in his back at small world. his ice cream was too melty. he burned his tongue on the breakfast pizza at crystal palace. something!  the sensitivity is border line annoying. he has always been like that though and now i just laugh with him about it. we were down at the beach last week and he told me that thomas poked him in the eye. i just joked that he's getting beat up by a toddler. 

these boys are deeper than i thought!


----------



## lisah0711

dumbo_buddy said:


> *lisa* looks like i was posting when you did. have a great time at the lake. what day do you leave? how far is it from you? sounds nice and relaxing. have a margarita for me, will ya??? also, your mom LIKES to do laundry.



Yes, my Mom likes to do laundry -- when we all went to WDW for Christmas for 8 nights we did something ridiculous like 15 loads of laundry.    But we had clean towels and clothes!  

Poor Robert had a tough time when he was little.  He had two sets of ear tubes, was hospitalized for pneumonia, had a nebulizer for asthma treatments, yet was always a happy, smart guy who was always in the 95th percentile for height and weight.  When we had his tonsils out in kindergarten because it was giving him apnea all those troubles went away.  We should have taken those tonsils earlier.    But it's all good now -- he is taller than me and has his deep voice now and hardly ever is sick.   

We are going to Lake Okoboji on vacation which is in the northwest corner of Iowa.  We fly into Minneapolis on Wednesday.  Make a quick stop at Mall of America and then its about a three hour drive.  Ed's family has a lake cottage that has been in the family since 1893 -- 118 years.  It was probably five years old when it was purchased and some of the original structure is still there.  The rest was mostly added during WWII so it is a funky old place.  We are lucky because we stay in the honeymoon cottage, a guest cottage in the back, that was built in the 50's -- it's the only place with air conditioning and we have our own bathroom instead of sharing with everyone else!

Things are expensive in the city and everything is more expensive these days it seems to me.  I was telling Ed that I think we have inflation already.  Our receivables have taken a little spike and that always makes us testy -- we get testy with each other when we should be on the phone calling our clients asking them where their payment is.  

Stay cool today and take it easy.  Hopefully some cooler weather is on its way soon!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisa and maria* real quick before i forget - so i'm the SLOWEST reader on the planet and am only on chapter 3 or 4 of this new book. but i just have to comment on stephanie and her perception of herself. she describes herself as not fat but insinuates that she could stand to lose a little. then goes to say that she is 5'7" and 130 lbs. and...i hate her.


----------



## Rose&Mike

dumbo_buddy said:


> *lisa and maria* real quick before i forget - so i'm the SLOWEST reader on the planet and am only on chapter 3 or 4 of this new book. but i just have to comment on stephanie and her perception of herself. she describes herself as not fat but insinuates that she could stand to lose a little. then goes to say that she is 5'7" and 130 lbs. and...i hate her.


Seriously, I'm 5'7" and weigh 140 so what does that make me? 

I'm so jealous that you all are going to have a meet!


*Lindsay*--I need to go check out facebook and see Ryan in his uniform. Tom was a little sensitive, too. Though not like Nancy's cousin. Goodness, I think that would drive me a little crazy. I think the big thing is, they don't want to feel like they are being made fun of, and even if we are just oohing and aahing cause we thing something is cute, they sometimes thing we are making fun of them. Does that make sense? Mike likes to say--you let Tom watch way too much Oprah. It's made him too touchy, feely.

*Kathy*--Have fun this weekend! I hope the weather breaks and it's not so nasty where you are.

*Lisa*--Tom was sick like that when he was little. He had a spinal tap at 18 mos. He was sick so often and so bad that the pediatrician encouraged us to keep him home one winter.  We did asthma, the nebulizer, er visits, blood coming out of the lining of his eyes from allergies, etc. But he's very healthy now, so that's all that matters. Was it at the cabin last year that you ate a bug while running? Or were you just worried about eating a bug?

*Maria*--I had no idea that race was so close! Did it seem to sneak up on you? 

****
I hit the Y this morning and did 30 min on the elliptical and lifted. So I made my maintain barely--I hate relying on the last chance workouts--cause let's be honest it's just water weight, but mentally I really will take any victory right now.

So here's what has been going on this week. Wednesday on my day off Tom and I went shopping for something for Mike to wear to his interview. (yes, Mike could have done it, but it was better this way, trust me.) So Mike is 6'3" and weighs around 160 pounds. He is a 32x34. Really he should be a 31x34, but that will never happen. His shirt size 15" 34-35. These are not really off the rack sizes. The shirt is not as bad, the pants--uggh. You can find dockers in this size, but we didn't want dockers. After checking a couple of stores we ended up at Macy's and they had 1 pair of dress pants--luckily we liked them. It took us a while to find a shirt. It turned out the original shirt we bought was too big so we went back to Macy's Weds night with Mike and then did some shopping for Tom's new house. Then last night we hit up target for more house shopping and in a bit we are going on what I think will be the last house shopping trip before Tom goes back to school. He's going back on the 3rd. 

Mike and I were going to go down to help him move in, but Tom is going down early because he starts work on the 7th, I think. Monday the new ac/furnace is being installed. Sometime in the next 10 days they will be out to repair our windows (which I am happy to say cost way less than half what new windows would have cost). I'm sure something else is going on--oh yeah, and next Thursday and Friday Mike and I will be in Florida. My Melbourne travel guide came yesterday so I am planning on sitting down with that in the next day or so.  Yesterday at work I found out they scheduled a meeting for data conversion for our big project right when I am going to be at the airport on Thursday, so I'm really glad I told her about what's going on. Normally I leave around 3:00 on Thursday anyhow, but I would have had to come up with a reason for why I needed to miss the meeting....so that was nice to not have to deal with.

So the next 10 days will be a little crazy, but being busy is good. I'm a little sad about Tom going back to school, but a little happy too. Happy that he seems in such a better place, sad because we had a mostly nice summer and I have really enjoyed having him around the last couple of weeks. 

My hip is bothering me today, so send good thoughts my way that the itbs stuff is not flaring up again. We are supposed to go 9 or 10 tomorrow, so we'll see. I really need the stress relief.

Have a super Friday!

Have a great Friday!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi gals! 

just got back from taking thomas to the movies. we saw winnie the pooh. it was SO cute! thomas was a good boy too. granted, he ate about a thousand and one cookies but whatever. we got to watch the whole thing which was really nice. 

thomas was so good in fact that i decided to treat myself to a burger and fries from checkers  you can tell we were a little in the ghetto when we ate at checkers. haha!

rose - sounds like a busy next week for you! 

lisa - sounds like a fun trip and a really awesome house! how cool that it's been in the family for so long! i've been to iowa a few times on business but that's about it as far as my knowledge of iowa  

****
little guy's taking a nap and i think i'm going to do a little DISing and thinking about my upcoming trip. even after my burger and fries i'm still hungry. gross.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Soooooo, anyone want to guess what new tires for a 2007 Mazda 6 cost? If you guessed $618.00 you win a prize! We took Tom's car for an oil change and tire rotation and when we went to pick it up I saw on the slip that it said they didn't rotate the tires. Why oh why did you not rotate the tires, I asked. BECAUSE there was cracking in all 4 sidewalls!!!! Uggh. Did it not occur to you to tell me that when you called to say the car was ready to be picked up that the tires were shot, because now I have to spend another day dealing with this!!!!! But maam, the tires will be ok probably for another month or so.......Ok, yes I am absolutely going to send my child through the mountains back to school with tires that MIGHT last another month....So, the new tires are going on tomorrow. Good thing I am an anal compulsive saver and had car repair money in my budget. (Actually it was for the down payment on my next car, but I'll be using it for car repair.) My checkbook is taking a major hit this month. Anyone want to take a guess on what will break next????? So for his birthday on Sunday my DS will be getting 4 new tires, new bedding, a new bed and a new desk. Oh and I forgot, and a paid for renter's insurance policy. What a great birthday present.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> Soooooo, anyone want to guess what new tires for a 2007 Mazda 6 cost? If you guessed $618.00 you win a prize!



ouch!!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose- Sounds like the one year my parents got me a winter car clean up...oil change, antifreeze flush, fluid replacements, etc.  oh and a new part (cant remember what) that I need replace.  That was an exciting birthday well at least i didnt have to shell out my own cash so I was greatful and Im sure tom is too.  I bet that is it now....I think you had your fair share.  

I hope the hip is ok and good luck on your run tomorrow.  sounds like you have quite a busy week coming up...make sure to get your rest.

Nancy- a cold movie theatre was a great idea today.  Glad you made it through the whole movie.  Good job Thomas

Lisa- Your trip sounds like so much fun.  I agree everything seems to have increased in price.  I just cant stand it anymore.  Im speaking openly now and I hope I dont offend anyone....I was so aggravated at the grocery store the other night.  Here I am struggling to put good food on our table and heres a family checking out in front of me with 4 kids all well dressed in brand names including all of them in bright and shiny jordan sneakers.  They bought their groceries with their access (gov. assist card).  As I walk outside with the few bags of food I could afford I see them loading their groceries into their cadillac escalade.  I seriously wanted to hurt those people.  I am so annoyed anymore about stuff like this.  I work my but off and these people are reaping the benefits more than I am.  Now I know and believe there are people who truly need the assistance but its times like this that just gets my blood boiling.  Anyway I really went on a rant here but yes I noticed just about everything has gone up except my paycheck...hopefully soon that will change.


Kathy- I hope you have a great weekend and that the tent stays cool for you.  

Hi Maria and Liesel

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

Mike got out early and picked up the boys at my moms so at 5 I left work and came right home.  It felt so nice!!!!  We had turkey bbq sandwiches for dinner and they were yummy.  I am also happy to report a 2lb loss this week.  It is the same 2lbs I have been loosing this challenge but its a loss none the less.  My goal now is to keep it off plus loose more!  I can do it!

Funny kid story to share:  We heard them upstairs and could tell they were playing cops and bad guys.  Then I heard Ryan: "where are you hiding your drugs", Nick: "Its in my pocket officer", Ryan: You better stop resisting arrest or you will get tazered" Wow I guess those times we let them watch cops with us probably wasnt the greatest idea.  I had a talk about how this isnt the right thing for little boys to be playing and that if they play cops one person can be a robber and the cop has to catch them.  So then we here this:  Ryan: "put your hands up robber"  Nick: "I didnt do anything officer I was home with my wife"  Honestly its quite the entertainment around here.

We have no plans for tonight or tomorrow.  The kids races were cancelled tomorrow do to the severe heat warning.  I was happy about that.  We have our Central air set at 73 and its 78 in here.  We checked that it was working and it is but its so hot out it cant even cool it down.  Its insane and yes nancy I hate to even complain about my house being 78 vs 73 after reading your post about somalia so Im not complaining by any means I am just saying.

Ok well I hope you all enjoy your friday evening.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning,  and !

I never made it back on the DIS yesterday, but I read all your posts. 

*Lindsay* -- It was surprising for me too, how sensitive these fellas are. I would tell you it gets better but...well, maybe *Rose* has reached that point! Right now I can barely do anything right, and almost everything I say or do is an embarrassment  I understand your frustration at the grocery store. I am so naive, someone had to explain to me that the income used to purchase those large vehicles in cash does not have any taxes paid on it. My BFF from undergrad heads a unit in mid-Missouri (I'm sure all states have them), that tracks down welfare fraud. They have a huge backlog, a very small staff, and it's not always easy to catch people. What makes it even worse is those kids are being taught that way of life -- and that it is a good way to be.  I had a co-worker who had an additional car supposedly "just for fishing", and who provided his Baby Mama with designer clothes for his infant. Well, we figured out what he was fishing for. He was arrested for dealing drugs in our largest shelter. Drug dealer to the homeless, that is pretty pathetic. 

*Rose* --  Well, the bright side is now Tom will be very safe, and you do not need to worry about his tires. He actually is lucky his parents are willing to still provide so much for him when he is a quasi-adult. Remind me, is Tom turning 20 or 21? Shopping for Mike sounds like an adventure -- I bet you were glad to have Tom with you for that. And I do understand your ambivalence about him going to back to school -- glad he's moving forward, but wishing you had more time with him right now. You are right about the race, I just haven't really been thinking about it, and now I guess I'm going to have to 

*Nancy* -- Ben's first movie in the theater was "The Tigger Movie", and he was just 2. I could not believe how the other kids were running around and acting crazy, but maybe they weren't as awed as he was. He stood for most of the movie, but he was quiet and he couldn't stop watching. It was great to see as a parent -- I think that was the first time he was verbal and awestruck all at once. Did I mention once this kid started talking he was 90 miles an hour? So for him to be quiet for the whole movie was amazing.  Remember, Stephanie Plum needs to lose a little by Jersey standards. I admit I've never been there, but based on the folks I see on tv -- health doesn't seem to be a big concern  I agree, getting together Sunday morning sounds like a good time. As you know, I'm devastated whenever I have to miss church 

*Lisah* -- The Providence RnR is indeed my first non-Disney Half. I have decided that I am doing this race for fun rather than time, because in this heat and at this weight, time is a fantasy. I am in lucky corral #13...which really was the clincher in my thought process. I am used to being in the back, I just think that seals my fate. I'm either going to be trudging along with people who have the same expectations I do, or passing a lot of people who were unrealistic about their time. You didn't have to submit proof of time for a corral placement, so I wonder  You must be so excited for your trip! I have been to Iowa, I went to undergrad not too far from the Iowa border. I won't tell you what we called the students who were from there, it was less than flattering  I am sorry the receivables are not going as one might hope. I cannot even imagine the stress and courage it takes to own your own business -- and have your spouse as your co-owner!  You deserve a wonderful, relaxing, leisurely trip! 

*Kathy* -- I finished "The Help" last night. I couldn't put it down!  When I said I don't usually read books that aren't in proper English, I meant books I could not understand because they were so mangled, not using "a" instead of "to". This was definitely a worthy read -- and the anthropologist in me (my minor in undergrad) was fascinated and appalled at this view of a culture that seems alien to me. I know it existed, I know it is part of U.S. History, but I've decided I'm glad I can't really know what it was like to have lived then. All that said, what a great read -- just because I'd rather not know that time existed doesn't mean I shouldn't be aware of it and try to understand the people and the struggles for everyone at the time. 

Last night was interesting. My BIL and SIL were supposed to come down because they had Red Sox tickets. My SIL decided it was too hot and she wasn't going to bother, so BIL wanted Dennis to go with him. Like he was going to say no....so there goes our last night w/out ds...which was fine, it just made another night for me to really relax. Anyway, almost as soon as we got home they left. I settled in to watch Toddlers & Tiaras, and ended up finishing reading "The Help". It was cooler this morning when they headed out for their run, then it thundered and now it is pouring. I'm glad, I'd rather they ran in the rain than the crazy heat. I think when they get back we're going to breakfast, but I'm not positive. I'm just having a mug of hot tea and some cherries, just in case. 

I admit it, I am excited because my young man is coming home today!  I have missed him this week, and it's been hard without any contact. I can't wait to hear about what he did, what he thought, and how he is. I plan to take him to see HP tomorrow afternoon, after I do my 12M. Ok, just heard the guys drive up...

Everyone have a great day (that includes you, *Lisa!)*!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

good morning!

just a quick check in. we've had a busy weekend so far. today we're supposed to have visitors over. my old neighbors from CT - haven't seen them probably since college. they retired and split their time between SC and maine now. their son who is my age and lives in brooklyn just had his first kid. so they are stopping here on their way back to maine. anyway, that means i have a couple hours to clean this house and make it look at least a little presentable.

weighed in at my highest yet 152.5 today. i mean, is i really surprise since i spent all day yesterday eating and haven't exercised in three days? we went to mall yesterday and i caught a glimpse of myself in a full length mirror and it wasn't pretty. i don't even really look pregnant. just very chubby. my stomach is hardly protruding but my back fat is out in all it's glory. 

tomorrow is supposed to be a little break in the heat and i hope to get in a walk. today's a lost cause b/c i'm not sure when the visitors are coming and i have to suck down this coffee and start cleaning. 

blah.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

Hope that everyone is enjoying their week-end and staying cool!  

*Nancy,* I hope that they got your water back to normal quickly!    People are such idiots!   

And don't worry about Stephanie Plum -- she'll say and do plenty of other stupid things so you will kind of forget this one.    If you just really don't like this one or just can't get into it, give number ten a try 'cause the first one isn't that great IMHO. 

Have fun with your visitors.  It's always fun to see people you haven't seen in awhile.  

And about the weight thing.    It's hot, your stuck in the house with an itchy kid, world is crazy, it's hard to make those good decisions about eating and it's too hot to exercise every day.  But you are doing a great job with your exercise and that will help you.  Not only will you burn calories but you will have strength and endurance for your delivery.  I wish I had a magic bullet for all of us but I do know that as long as you keep trying you will never fail. (That's what *Kathy* tells me and I believe her!)



Rose&Mike said:


> *Lisa*--Tom was sick like that when he was little. He had a spinal tap at 18 mos. He was sick so often and so bad that the pediatrician encouraged us to keep him home one winter.  We did asthma, the nebulizer, er visits, blood coming out of the lining of his eyes from allergies, etc. But he's very healthy now, so that's all that matters.



Poor Tom!  And poor you for having to go through that, cause it's awfully hard on the parents.    Thank goodness everything is okay now!  

Happy Birthday to Tom!     That's what happen as you get older, you get fun things like tires!  



Rose&Mike said:


> Was it at the cabin last year that you ate a bug while running? Or were you just worried about eating a bug?



And people say I'm the one with a good memory!    Yes, I was worried about eating a bug while running last year when I went on vacation.  Luckily when I finally did eat a bug it was a little Idaho bug.  Which is fortunate because those Iowa bugs are big, juicy things!  

Hope that the ankle and hips calm down.  Maybe someone is trying to tell you to take it down a notch since you have so much going on.  

*Lindsay,* woo hoo on the 2 lbs this week!    I hope that you can get some rest and regroup a bit this week-end.  

I don't blame you for being frustrated.  I think everyone has a story or two about people who are receiving benefits that they shouldn't.  And it is frustrating for people like us who work so hard.  I hear you!   



Worfiedoodles said:


> Right now I can barely do anything right, and almost everything I say or do is an embarrassment



I know what you mean, Maria.   We laugh that just existing is an embarrassment to DS now.   They are nice guys and they are just trying to make their way in this crazy, crazy world we brought them into.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lisah* -- The Providence RnR is indeed my first non-Disney Half. I have decided that I am doing this race for fun rather than time, because in this heat and at this weight, time is a fantasy. I am in lucky corral #13...which really was the clincher in my thought process. I am used to being in the back, I just think that seals my fate. I'm either going to be trudging along with people who have the same expectations I do, or passing a lot of people who were unrealistic about their time. You didn't have to submit proof of time for a corral placement, so I wonder



You're going to have a great race and I bet that you will be passing people like crazy all the way through the race!    I saw the medal -- it looks beautiful -- I really like the colors!  

Oh, I've heard quite a few things that Iowans call folks from MO since I am a MO girl, too, (even though I never actually lived there -- closest I got was Kansas City).  It's pretty funny!  But people from Iowa and Missouri are so nice.  

I hope that Ben had a wonderful time and that you enjoy yourselve at HP.  We may not be seeing it until we get to Okoboji.  

And speaking of medals, *Rose,* did you see that they are using the same medal this year for Wine and Dine?  It looks pretty to me but I can't really tell what the dangles are.  I'm interested 'cause I'm still hoping for a coast-to-coast next Fall.

*Kathy,* I hope that you had a nice time on your camping trip and were able to cool off!  

I had a great run yesterday, even though it was in the 70's already.  I went a bit more than six miles -- RunKeeper was turned off for part of the run back  -- but I still had an 18 minute pace toward the end, which is the fasted I've been on a long training run.  I also did start running into members of the group coming back until quite late in the run so that is another indication that I am getting faster!  Even when I was really hot and tired toward the end I still would run 10 steps every minute.  

I was talking with someone I know through work who is also a beginning runner in our group.  The half in September will be his first.  He is just out there running, exhausting himself, wearing cotton clothes, and doing 5 miles runs as his short runs.  He's one of those guys who thinks they just have to push, push, push and always feels like he is dying.  I've tried suggesting that he read a couple of books and raved about my tech shirt -- but I don't think the hints are taking.  I'm pretty sure that he will be injured here soon and then maybe he will slow down a bit or try and figure out what is going on.  There have been so many times lately that I was grateful that I had you guys when I was getting started because it could have been a disaster!   So thank you all!  

A little cleaning, a little packing, a little nap is on the agenda today.  Have a great day all!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Maria- I hope you had a nice homecoming with Ben and enjoy HP today.  I really need to watch those movies or read the books from the start.  I have been catching them on tv lately but always towards the middle and I cant get into them. 

Nancy- I think you should give yourself more credit.  You have been working out much more than most pregnant women.  So what if the last couple days you took off umm hello its 105 degrees and YOUR PREGNANT! You are doing an amazing job and even if your eating isnt where you would like it you are still being mindful about it and that is better than not caring at all.  

Enjoy your time with your friends today!

Lisa- My dh sounds like the guy at your work....I think it has something to do with their testosterone levels.  They figure it out in the long run it just takes them awhile.  See us women we use our brains.  Have fun packing today.

Hi Rose and Kathy- I hope your weekends are turning out great and all is well in your worlds.

**********************************************************
I am feeling great today!!!  Wow havent said that for awhile.  I met up with my mommies running group today and we did 4 miles.  It was 85 degrees and humid out but I made it.  The women were so nice and actually it was our team minus one and 3 other girls from our team captains running group.  There motto is nobody gets left behind so even though they would run ahead they backed tracked every now and then so we would stay together.  There was another lady who is my size...and we run at the same pace so that was nice to have a running buddy otherwise I would have felt like I was being a pain holding everyone back.  It was alot of fun.  

Now I am trying to figure out why I stop doing something that makes me feel so good like running, but the things that make me feel so bad like eating junk I continue to do.  It makes no sense.

But it has really started my day off right and I now feel like I have a ton of energy and motivation to clean my house and eat good food.  Maybe I should just get my butt out of bed everyday and run in the morning...maybe thats the key.

Well my MIL and FIL will be over for lunch today and they are bringing pizza's but I will keep it to a 1 slice minimum plus some veggies.

Then we are going to my nanas for dinner...not sure what she is making?????

Have a great sunday!


----------



## mikamah

Good afternoon, Princesses!

I thought I'd have time to read and catch up here before michael woke up, but I didn't make it.  Our weekend was ok.  Good times and bad times, but we ended up coming home early after michael's meltdown this morning.  All my fault of course because I interrupted him.  

Here's a recap,
 Michael- "Can I have a gatorade? "
Me-" No hon, have a water." well maybe I didn't say hon, but that sets the tone of my voice. 
Michael- " can I have an Iced Tea?"
Me- "No, have a water." Still OK tone.
Michael- "can I.."
Me-"No michael, have a water!""  Not the best tone. 
Michael-: OMG, I can't stand it when you fricken interrupt me,, blah, blah, blah", slammed himself in the car, and so I finished packing up, and he continued to be nasty, including an "I hate you" and we came home early and did not go to Old Orchard beach for the day, not a pretty ride.  

Had a fun talk with tears about respect, and responsibility and choices, etc, on the way home, and when we got home we were both quiet, so I cooked burgers on the grill for lunch while he laid on the couch, since it went without saying there would be no electronics in the house today, and when I came in from cooking and having a beer, he was sound asleep.  

He just woke up and is eating, and the tides have turned, so all is well again.  But i don't have time to catch up yet.  Just wanted to share our fun.  
Actually it was fun, hot, Wells beach was beautiful with great boogie board waves.   

Hope you're all enjoying the weekend.  bbl.  does that mean be back later?  I'm not sure of the acceptable abbreviations.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lindsay AND lisa* nice work on the running!!! i don't run with people - it's nice to hear about people who do though. i have a feeling it would be pretty motivating to know you have to keep up!

*kathy* ugh! sorry about the early trip home today! sounds exhausting! ooo and an "i hate you" ?? ouch! i am SO not looking forward to that! i bet that beer tasted sooooo good though. mmmm....beer....mmmmm....wait, where was i? sorry, started daydreaming about cocktails  i hope the rest of the day goes smoothly and that michael gives you some HUGS!

*rose* i had to giggle at your comment on facebook about magic erasers. john and i joke about how it's such a good eraser that it erases itself! lol! 

*maria* what did you think of harry potter? oh, *lindsay* i refused to read the harry potter books for a loooong time because i just didn't want to go with the cool crowd. you know, wanted to be different and all "oh i don't read that stuff." yeah, well, after i gave my two weeks notice at the job i had before my last one (so, like in '07) i was bored and sat in my office with the door closed and read the harry potter books online! i found some website that had them online for free. lol! i think i finished three of the books while waiting for time to run out at that job. they are very good. and i felt like that even after they'd all be hyped up big time to me! 

*maria* did you do your 12 miler? it's so hot still!

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

my old neighbors came to visit for a couple hours and it was really nice to see them. they are my parents age the mrs. is just beside herself that my mom still sucks. she was so sad that she doesn't see thomas all the time. oh and thomas was soooo putting the cute on today too. haha. he wasn't shy at all (it helped that they brought him a beach toy set that included a hat, i mean, a pail!). 

anyway, we had some bagels and coffee cake and cookies and fruit. yep, i had it all. eh, whatever. it is what it is. they left and thomas had a lame nap. john just took him to costco and so i decided to jump on the DIS!

yesterday we did inside stuff - went to wee play (and indoor kid play place) and then to the palisades mall. stopped by the disney store of course and bought baby #2 this: http://www.disneystore.com/boys-bab...d-cap-for-infants/mp/1288235/1000762+1000772/

i know, i just had to. didn't get the shoes but did get the onesie and ears. i just couldn't put it down. oh and i smelled the two new disney perfumes. i SO badly wanted to like them but ick. not that i wear perfume but i would put some on if it was disney and it smelled good! 

oh! good news! this morning at the grocery store i was actually able to buy some shrimp! they must not lock it up when the fish counter is open. LOL! so tonight i'm going to make shrimp and veggie lo mein noodles


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lisa*--Have a great time at the cabin!

I am here. I am reading everyone's replies, but I am drowning in paint and magic erasers and teen issues! Oops, 20 year old issues.

The new ac/heating unit goes in today. So time to get a shower before they get here!

Have a great day!


----------



## mikamah

I hear ya, *Rose*.  Not enough time in the day sometimes.  Hope the 20 year old issues aren't too serious, and you have a very smooth week.

*Lisa*- Have a fabulous time at the cabin!!  Please, take me with you.

Had a hard time getting on the dis.  I went to bed at 8:30 with michael and got up at 6.  Felt great.  Starting a new camp today, sports mania, and i'm heading to work early, so hope to catch up for real tonight.  Sorry I'm not doing many replies.  

Hugs and good wishes for a fabulous week ahead for all the princesses and lisabelles!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Lindsay,* so glad that you had a great run and great time yesterday!  

*Kathy,* sorry for the crankiness.    Boys are so darn broody!  I do have to say that I thought that things are progressing if it was known there were no electronics without having to say so!    We had no computer here last night.  I think we are getting to that let's all be cranky and stressed before we leave stage.  

*Nancy,* glad that you had a nice visit with your friends yesterday.  How nice that Thomas has different "hats" to choose from now!  

*Rose,* good luck this week!  Guess Tom wants to be sure that you don't miss him too much when he leaves.  

I will leave you ladies with this the recipe for the famous Okoboji margaritas.  My MIL had a different recipe that she used for years but this one is from a guy who worked in the CIA and she likes it better.  Really after the first few sips I can't tell much difference anyway!  

JOHN CLARKS MARGARITA RECIPE

Mix together:
Two parts:   Cheap Tequila (not the expensive gold kind)      
One part:     Controy, Cointreau or Triple Sec *   
One part:     Fresh lime juice 
                  (Optional: a dash of orgeat syrup)
Ice:              a bit stirred in and more added to glasses.

Rub glasses with cut lime and dip rim in plate with salt
before pouring drink, if desired. 
*All orange based liqueurs or Licor de Naranjas. Controy is sold only in Mexico

Nancy, you can get John to make you a pitcher of these after the baby is born!  

I'll say farewell for now in case I don't get on again before I leave.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Wow, looks like I missed today completely....I really hope *Lisah* reads this before she leaves, because I want to wish her an awesometastic vacation! 

*Kathy* -- I hope Michael is enjoying his new camp. Ben is very glad to be home. He's working on his summer reading and an algebra packet he has to do. He did his  from last week today. That is one nice side effect of him being older -- he does his own laundry! There have to be some good points...sorry about the attitude you got this weekend. I wish I could say that's going to end...good thing patient, you are 

*Rose* -- How was the bday? I have a bad feeling 20 yr. old issues are like the teen issues, they can just drive and make money now  Are you loving your new ac? It turned cool here and it's pouring now. I'm not going to complain, it's much more comfortable for running.

*Nancy* -- HP was a big hit. I was a little disappointed in the ending, I guess I wanted to see something a little different, but all in all it certainly was a fitting ending to the series.  So, I didn't exactly do 12M, or any M yesterday. It was still warm, I was tired, it didn't happen.  I did pop up and do 3M today, so I consider that progress. I'm also trying to eat less, and trying to figure out how to make my diet more low carb friendly. Not low carb, just trying to pick the fruit with less sugar to start. That means I'll be trading my clementines for apples after this week. I'm not sure what to replace my cherries with, maybe nectarines or peaches since they're in season. The Mickey outfit is totally cute, I can see why you couldn't resist! He is going to be a little doll! 

*Lindsay* -- It sounds like that run was just what you needed  And it went really well! I am so glad you were able to get out and enjoy it -- all part of the process of getting it back! 

 to *Lisa and Taryn!*

So, tomorrow I get Christmas in July going -- I meant to do it today, but had to leave early to go to a meeting at the state house. Christmas in July means I go to FlyLady's website and download the Christmas Journal. I record everyone who needs a gift, what I intend to buy and spend, and I can keep track of when I get things and have them wrapped. I can also keep track of menu and recipe ideas, travel plans, everything you might need to survive from Christmas to New Year's. Not that I mean to be a commercial, but even when I dropped the rest of her system I've been using this for several years and I'm always pleased because it helps me stick to a budget and not buy things last minute that no one actually wants 

This year I know I need a new card tracker, so I'll have to order it from Current. I haven't ordered from them in awhile, since I've been so loyal to my Hallmark buddies 

Speaking of the holidays -- would you guys like to do an ornament exchange or some such thing?  I think it would be possible with a small group like ours. I did it once on a Universal thread and it was really fun. Of course I was the one who got the Canadian poster, but I still figured it out  Anyway, just a thought. I don't want to put undue stress on anyone, only if you would consider it or something like it fun 

I'm going to have to take the plunge and get on FaceBook. We're going to let Ben get an account, which means I have to get one to monitor him. I plan to be extremely low key, not posting or updating or whatever it is you do 

We told Ben we plan to go to Montreal for a few days the last week of August. We need to get passports (renew ours and get a new one for him), and I need to keep looking at hotels. I need non-smoking with a swimming pool, located near the stuff to see and do. Any thoughts? 

Ok, getting close to my bedtime since I plan to get up and run again tomorrow. It's all part of my new weight loss plan (yes, I have a new one). Actually at this point it's more a new exercise plan. It includes one LR, two days of rest, and 4 days of 3M most weeks. I think it's doable and will help with weight loss, rather than messing around with a 4 and a 5 here and there, which I invariably wimp on. 3 is just more manageable for me, both mentally and physically. I rescheduled the 12M for Friday, so hopefully that will actually happen!

Have a good night, and a pleasant tomorrow 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hello ladies.

I wanted to just quickly check in.  It was a long crazy day...well now its back to the work week so what else did I expect right???  Well it just seemed like today was an obstacle course. 

I had everything packed and prepared last night for our day today.  I had ryans football stuff in a bag and all the kids clothes set out.  The morning went off without a hitch until I was half way to my moms to drop off ryan and I realized I didnt grab his helmet.  Luckily mike didnt leave yet so he grabbed it and I would have to figure out how to get it from him at work.  Then as we arrive at my moms Ryan asked if I grabbed his flags. umm nope.  So mike already left and now I had to plan to drive all the way home after work to get them. I dropped him off at my moms and made it to work.

I then had about 45 min to approve timecards which usually takes me at least 1 1/2 hours because I am anal.  I got that done and then one of my nurses came in as I was heading out to a meeting saying she got an email saying she couldnt work today because HR could not confirm her license online.  I had to make 5 phone calls to different parts of HR until someone knew what I was talking about and said the emails were sent out in error.   Then I got a call from my mom and i had forgot to leave ryans booster seat and she had to go to the dentist.  So now I had to drive back to her house and drop it off.  I got to my meeting 15 min late.

Then I had to rush from my meeting to Mikes work for the helmet and then I stopped at TGIF where I was picking up a celebratory lunch for the office.  I had to deal with a not happy worker there and it took 30 min to get the food I ordered.  

Had a bunch of issues at work including an ant infestation issue I had to deal with.  It was pouring and thundering so I thought football would be cancelled but since I hadnt heard anything I decided to leave early anyway.  I left work and the traffic was already backed up to even get on the highway.  It took me 50 min to get to my parents house when it normally takes me 15-20.  I got to ryan at 450 and I needed to get him changed, stop at home for his flags, and to the field by 530.  We live 30 min from my mom!  So he changed super quick we hoped in the car.  Drove to the highway(a different one) and guess what...TRAFFIC JAM.  Uggh.  I was so stressed but we made it home I ran in super quick and got his flags and got to the field by 540.  Signed him up for the camp and guess what.....he didnt even need his helmet and flags. 

They had practice in pouring down rain.  It ended about 40 min early because it started to thunder.  

I must say that even though my day was crazy it ended very well....Ryan had a huge smile on his face after practice and he said "I love this".  So that is all that matters.

So that in a nutshell was my day.  If you made it to the end of this post God love ya.  Im not sure why I just gave you a play by play of my day but it made me feel better.

I need to get my butt to bed, I am going to try really hard to get up at 530 and run before work.  I dont want to miss ryans practices yet because its so new and I am just as excited as he is.

Ok have a great night and sorry I didnt reply to everyone.....ok well here is a few.

Nancy- love the outfit...so cute.

Maria- I would love to do an ornament exchange.

Rose- I hope the 20 yr old issue wasnt to bad and that your A/C is working well

Lisa- Have a wonderful trip.

Kathy- welcome back...sorry michael was being a pooper.  Glad he was better after a nap....sleep makes a world of difference.

Good night!


----------



## mikamah

Good evening princesses!!   

*Lindsay*- I'm pooped today, but my day was nothing like yours.  I'm so glad Ryan loved football and it the day ended well.  I think michael is going to like it too.  He starts a conditioning clinic on wed, and next week gets uniforms, for real practice starting the 8th.   I think I'll watch this wed, and then think about leaving him and running the next night.  Good for you for planning to get up and run early.  It definitely starts the day off on the right foot. 

*Maria* -I love the ornament exchange idea too.  That would be fun.  Sorry you didn't get the 10 miles in, but it was another ickey, hot day.  I think your plan for 3 mile runs, and one long run is a good one.  I have my half plan written out. sort of a modified galloway plan, 2 short runs, 30 min at least, and one long run, varying length, and 2 days of cross training 30 min at least.  I have not been nearly as good as I was for the princess, usually only running 2 days, with maybe 1 cross train/wii fit.  It's better than nothing, though.  It is definitely easier to get the shorter runs in for the most part.  Are you getting excited for providence?  I was checking out the website, and it looks like so much fun.  You will have a blast, you will give it your all, do your best, and be proud.  I'm hoping you have a nice cool weekend like it is right now.  

*lisa*-Hope the crankies and stressed-outs leave your house asap, and you all have a wonderfully, relaxing vacation.  That's so nice your mom comes to your house, you get to visit for a bit, and enjoys her time there.  Now, I've been under the impression that the tequila hangovers are caused by the cheap tequila, so always buy the good stuff.  But now I'm thinking I may need to try it.  The gold gets expensive.  Enjoy every minute of your trip. 

*Rose*- Hope the week is a smooth one for you.

*Nancy*- Love the mickey outfit for the little one.  So cute.  Though I do imagine you'll pick up a few things in wdw this september too.    How exciting you were able to find the shrimp unlocked.  It's tough living in the big city, huh?   Really, I think I'm pretty lucky with michael.  He has his moments, but they are few and far between usually.  Thank god.  Funny though, this weekend, my friends 3 kids have various fights and another friend who has not children came up too, and at one point, she said to me and my friend, Anne, "thank you for reminding me how grateful I am to not have children".  So funny.  

This morning, Michael said to me, "sometimes when I'm mad at you, I call you names in my head".  I admitted I do that too, and gave him the example that I'd call him "a little stinker".   Not anything worse than that.  

Hello, Lisaliesel!  How is the running going for you with all this heat?  Hope you're doing well.

I'm off to bed now.  Nighty, night.


----------



## Rose&Mike

I'm in for the ornament exchange--though I have no idea what I am supposed to do. And you definitely need to do facebook, Maria. I think I have a whopping 24 friends. I am friends with Tom on facebook, though he has  blocked me--I can see his page but can't post on his wall--honestly, it's really kind of insulting. But how would it be if I "unfriended" my kid????? 

Long day, but the ac seems to be working pretty well. I was going to type something but I can't remember what it was. I'm slowly losing it. Oh yeah, Tom is getting major headaches from his meds and is upset and it's been pretty stressful. He's going back to the doctor tomorrow. He actually threw up after the run on Saturday and felt so cruddy he called off at work. I'm trying not too worry, but it's hard.

Ok, time for bed. Keep posting, cause even though I'm not doing replies I like reading what everyone is up to.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i hope *lisa* is having a nice time on vacation. the margarita recipe sounds great. although i have to say, booze tastes so much better when someone else makes it for me. kinda like salads. lol! one day i'll win the lottery and hire a mixed drink and salad maker 

*maria* i don't blame you for not doing the 12 miler! it was WAY too hot this weekend! i didn't spend anytime outside except to go in and out of my car and quickly show our visitors our beach (aka 10 minutes of outside time)

you should get on facebook. i admit that i'm on it WAAAAAY too much (when your house is basically one room you're pretty much always _at_ your computer!) but it has been AWESOME for getting back in touch with people! people start coming out of the woodwork! plus, it's good for stalking too. you know, like friending an ex-boyfriend and seeing all his pictures 

an ornament exchange would be nice! maybe we could get one that is specific to where we live? that could be fun. i'm in.

*lindsay* shoo! that's a busy day! so glad that ryan likes football. makes running around all day for helmets and flags worth it! and he didn't even need the helmet and flags! lol! isn't that always the way???

*kathy* "little stinker" huh? hehe. i've definitely called my son way worse and he's only two!  i hope michael enjoys football! i wonder what my kids will play. i really hope they will play soccer but we'll see what they want to do. i traveled the country playing soccer up through college and had such a good time. 

*rose* don't be insulted that you can't see tom's wall. i mean, would you really _want_ to know everything those 20 years olds do??  i have some aunts and uncles on facebook and i have to remind myself sometimes that they are on. i have a really crazy neighbor and over the winter i complained about her on facebook and dropped the F-bomb (it was very appropriate at the time!) and my aunt ann (you know, weight loss aunt ann) wrote on my status that i certainly had the family potty mouth. whoops! 

i hope tom's headaches go away. maybe he needs to start on a lower dose and move up? or, maybe his body just needs to get used to the meds and the headaches will eventually go away? that really sucks. here he is trying to help himself with these meds and they are making him miserable. boo. i remember when i started metformin back in '07 i had really bad side effects. so, not only was i having insulin issues and trying to get that under control the medication that was supposed to help was making me feel terrible. i feel his pain. 

***
good morning princesses! 

just checked the weather and it says it's only 70 out! supposed to get to 90 today but starting at 70 is much better than the last few days where we started at 90! john just left for work and i asked him to bring up my jogger from the basement for me. will have to get out for a walk for sure. only bad thing is now lately thomas has decided he doesn't want to be in the jogger.  he knows after each lap of maritime college if i go left that's home and if i go right that's another lap. so he keeps pointing left like he wants to go home and then spends most of the next lap crying and wiggling in the jogger. grrr. i give him granola bars, his drink, and some toys. doesn't this kid know i'd give anything to be pushed around for an hour and just stare out at the water??? 

i actually don't have anything planned today.  i need to go check the tide charts to see if we should go to the pool or the beach. i need to get thomas a haircut too. ugh. that's a nightmare waiting to happen. 

what's everyone making for dinner? i'm at a total loss about what to make. a dinner funk if you will. 

i think i'll play on the computer for a few more minutes then get my sneakers on. 

have a great day everyone!!


----------



## lisah0711

Whew!  I was afraid I'd killed the thread yesterday with the margarita recipe!  

Thanks for all the vacation wishes.    I'm trying to get that vacation feeling but still not quite feeling it, yet.    Maybe when I'm on that plane tomorrow with all those cheerful traveler types. 

*Maria,* an ornament exchange sounds wonderful.  I've never done anything like it but I would be happy to help any way that I can.  

Please friend me on Facebook when you get to that stage.   I was so happy that we have one more year before we have to do that, although, Robert knows he has to friend me to keep a page, too, so he is used to that idea.

*Rose,* I totally understand how you would feel hurt that Tom doesn't include you on his wall but I have to admit that I understand his point.  My MIL is one of my 14 friends and I am always conscious of that when I am posting.  Especially for a young man who might want to say some things to cute girls, you could cramp his style KWIM?   Hope Tom gets to feeling better soon!

And speaking of Facebook, it looks like Jude's husband has some kind of medical issue so if you get a chance you might want to pop over and send some good thoughts her way.  

*Lindsay,* what a horrible, hectic day.    I hate those kind of days where everything is just one mad rush from one thing to another.  Hope that today is better for you!  

*Kathy,* glad that Michael is feeling better.   Too bad about the camp but that is one of the good things about week long camps -- don't have to be stuck with those stinkers too long!  I usually by the one step up from the bottom tequila because the bottom of the barrel stuff kind of scares me!  

*Nancy,* can you reverse your loop and fool Thomas?    That's a toughie 'cause when they don't want to do things they can do such amazing contortions with their bodies.    Sandwiches are what is for dinner at our house.

*Lisa,* six months from tomorrow is our race!  

*Taryn,* hope that you are enjoying the last week of summer!  

Have a great week Princesses and Belles!


----------



## liesel

Hey, I'm still around, I've just been busy.  There's only 2 weeks left until the kids go back to school so I'm trying to enjoy the time we have left and I feel guilty if I'm on the computer too much.  I have been trying to read along with both threads.  I'm so grateful you all have let me jump on here, it really helps with my training!

*********

*lisah* Have a great vacation!  That's fantastic that you won't be checking in, a news blackout sounds like heaven.  I'm enjoying hearing about your running group.  I hope that guy in your group learns not to push himself too hard and gets some tech shirts.  Once DH tried them, he said he's never going back!  The lake pic you posted looks beautiful.  The Tink seems so far away and so close at the same time.  I'm sure it will feel much more real once the 18 week training program starts.  I'm very tempted to do W&D next year for the c2c also, but I don't think it will be in the budget.  Hopefully 2013!

*rose* Good luck to Mike on his interview this week.  Enjoy your trip to Florida!  I hope you enjoy spending time with Tom before he heads back to college (happy belated birthday to him!).  We will also be purchasing tires next week, good times.

*kathy* Sorry about the meltdown at the end of your camping trip.  Good job on holding your ground.

*nancy* Very cute pic of Thomas with his pail!  I'm glad the visit with your mom was OK, I can't imagine someone not wanting to be more involved with their grandchild.  Having lowered expectations definitely helps.  Even though things aren't fantastic between me and my parents, at least they love spending time with my kids.

*maria* Good luck on your 1/2 this weekend!  I'm sure you'll do fantastic!

*lindsay* Wow, what a day yesterday!  It does feel good to get it all out sometimes.  I'm glad your DS is enjoying football so far.

Hi to Corinna, Jude, and Taryn!

********
I had a nice week/weekend.  Thursday we took DS to see Harry Potter (loved it!), Friday I had to drive the 65 miles to my parents' house to pick up DD who spent the night, DH and DS had to volunteer at a community picnic for cub scouts on Saturday, and I took DD to a hair styling class on Sunday and bought her a new dress.  Lots of girly shopping fun!

I'm on FB too, along with my MIL and several underage nieces and nephews, so I definitely watch what I say!

Well, on this week's long run (still 3 miles) I learned that I need to have a bigger meal the night before.  I didn't eat much dinner, woke up starving, and quickly eating 200 calories was definitely not enough to sustain me.  I did do a better job of holding back in the heat and finishing the last half mile at a faster pace, but it was easier to hold back when I was starving!  My overall pace was 15:28, which I still should be happy about since its under 16, but I will make sure I'm properly fueled next time.  My legs weren't even tired.  DH's 5K is already under 30 minutes and he's only been doing this a month!  I think my next 5K will be Aug 14, so I have a couple of weeks to get ready.

Have a great day princesses and belles!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisa* i thought you were leaving today. duh. preggo+mommy brain is just bad. good luck with the flights tomorrow. i feel like when i'm flying for a vacation i always wind up way more stressed than i should be. john keeps reminding me that most people DON'T fly all that much so they just don't get it. 

have a safe flight and hopefully the car ride to the lake will be nice and smooth!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I thought Lisa was leaving today, too! Have fun Lisa!

I guess I should explain better about facebook and Tom. I was perfectly ok not being his friend on facebook. Actually I thought the Mom's of kids his age who were friends with their kid and their kid's friends were kind of weird. Then we were having a conversation this spring about facebook and he basically said--"I'll be your friend Mom, I really don't do anything on facebook anyway except chat with people and send messages." So, I thought ok, why not. Well when I got the message reminding me it was his birthday (like I would forget ) that said post on Tom's wall, I thought ok, it's his birthday, I'll post something. Well, low and behold I couldn't post anything on his wall--and this was the first time I realized that. It really kind of p'd me off because we'd spent most of the weekend dealing with drama issues over the add stuff and the meds and this and that....blah, blah, blah. So I was like, why are we even friends????? What is the point???? Then he said--I didn't want to not accept your friend request. Ok, but we didn't need to be friends in the first place, I was really fine with that. Anyhow, long story short, it just hurt my feelings. I would have rather just kept things the way they are. It's a stupid reason to get your feelings hurt, I know, but I'm a little strung out here lately and lots of things are hurting my feelings that probably shouldn't. So that's what happened. 

Lindsay--what a crazy day you had! I hope today was better!

Ok, I probably should be doing something productive. I'll be glad when all this is wrapped up so I know what's going on. Everyone at my house is a little emotional and starting to get a little snappy with each other. 

Have a nice night!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I have not actually fallen off the DIS, it just appears that way!

Only have a few minutes, so super quick -- I did another 3M this morning, so that's 2 whole days in a row! 

Eating is definitely going better. I love reading all the details of everyone's lives, so keep posting!

The way the ornament exchange worked on the other thread was we all pm'd our addresses to a coordinator, she drew names for each person, and then pm'd them the address of the person they had. We had a date to mail by, so everyone would receive them at roughly the same time. Then people (who could) posted a photo of the ornament. I promise posting photos is the next thing I will learn to do, right after FaceBook  We also set a value limit, so it was relatively even and not breaking anyone's budget. We could also pick a theme as was suggested -- where we live, Princesses, general Disney, whatever sounds like fun! We can put it on the backburner and set it up in November, if that sound good -- I am just assuming everyone celebrates Christmas, forgive me if that was presumptuous! 

Quick shoutouts:

*Lisah* -- Have a wonderful, fantastic, media blackout blitz, and enjoy a margarita or two for me! 

*Rose*--  Being the Mommy to a young adult is clearly no picnic. I think you are doing an admirable job! I really hope the headaches get better and Tom's meds are at the right levels. 

*Lisa* -- Sorry for the confusion -- My half is actually 8/7, I just talk about it like it's now! 

*Nancy* -- Dinner tonight was supposed to be salmon, but we still had plenty of turkey breast (we made a yummy butterball) left from yesterday, so dinner was turkey and a salad. Before you think I'm too virtuous, dessert will be a small frosted brownie square 

*Kathy* -- If I could have run Providence today I would have been all set. I am really hoping it will be nice and cool, that would be excellent. I think it's not a shaded route at all, so the sun will be a big factor.  I love the story about Michael's admission. If they only knew what we call them in our heads...they might behave better! 

*Lindsay* -- I am so with you! I get up at 5:30 when I run before work, too! Ok, so tomorrow morning think of me getting up and slogging my way downstairs, feeding the cats, and tumbling down to the basement to do my 3M -- and it will be like we're doing it together. You have to be there, you can't leave your workout buddy in the lurch 

Did you notice my quick shoutouts got longer as I went?  I seriously have to get off the computer. 

Everyone have a wonderful evening! I have a crazy schedule tomorrow with a scary meeting in the morning, so probably no DIS time. So I'll say have an awesome Wednesday right now! 

Maria


----------



## XIAOJIAO

is a good game !i very lile !best wishes for everybody !do you know china ?beautiful state!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

what the heck was this last post from xiaojiao????? wierd......

Hello all from the nutty world I call my life. 

Today was less of an obstacle course and ran more according to my plan which we all know is how I like it.  Work was work and then we had Ryans football camp from 6-8.  It was a beautiful evening warm but a nice breeze.  Nick has made some friends already and has just as much fun as ryan does while we are there.  So I mostly just can sit back and watch which is really nice.  One of my best friends from high schools son also plays so I sit with her.  Its been great to catch up.  Ryan said it was awesome again so Im glad he is into it because 4-5 nights a week plus every saturday could become torturous if he isnt into it.

I didnt get my butt up this morning to run I am just not a morning runner.  I also ended up getting chicken fries and regular fries for dinner from the snack stand.  I justified this because it was only 2.25 for dinner.  How dumb.  I need to get better with that too.  

I have a ton of work to do tomorrow at work so Im sure I wont get on again until evening.

Lisa- Have a great trip!!!!! Enjoy those margarita's.

Nancy- This weather is so much better isnt it?  I couldnt stand the stage of wanting out of the stroller.  uggh they just dont get how good they have it in there.  I hope he cooperates better for you tomorrow.

Rose- Sorry for the FB stuff.  Im sure the stress is getting to everyone.  Hopefully real soon you will get some answers and a plan as to what is going to happen.  I hope Tom feels better soon.

Kathy- Lil Stinker  thats funny.  I think it is so funny that he would even tell you that.  Did he say what he calls you????  That may make this story even funnier.  I hope Michael enjoys football too.

Maria- you need to get on FB!  I love the ornament idea and am so excited to do it.  That is going to be so much fun.  

Liesel- Isnt it so unfair how men just can get up and run quicker and here we are months in training and they still beat us.    My dh did the same thing.  Being the competitive person I am I was really annoyed.

Good Night.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses and belles!

I worked a short day yesterday and was very productive after.  I cut my lawn, which I hadn't done since july 2nd.  pathetic, I know.  In my defense, the front yard really didn't look too bad, and that's what I see, and the side yard that people walk by is partly dug up because of the street, so that's how I justified.  Then I cleaned the house, did laundry, grocery shopped, and met a friend for a 3.4 mile run/walk.  She is my friend who is doing the half with me in sept, and says she wants to stay with me for the race, so we were talking about what I was going to do for intervals.  I have been running longer intervals, 10ish minutes and walk 2-3 at times, and the other day i ran a mile straight, but I think for the half I need to start and stick with 4/1 or 3/1 to be able to finish.  For the princess I started 4/1, went to 3/1, and graduallly slowed down to more walking than running in the end.  I did like to run a bit even toward the end, as I feel it definitely make my legs feel stronger to go back and forth.  She can go much faster than I can, so I hope I don't push too hard, too early if she does stay with me.  I've told her she should run for her time, but she doesn't like to run alone for the long runs.  If she ran for time, she'd beat me by at least an hour, I think.  I still have plenty of time to figure it out.  I copied my princess plan over for this half, but haven't really followed it like I did before.  It's going to be a different race in many regards, that is for sure.  

*Lisa*- Those margaritas are calling your name!!  Perhaps you should start with one on the plane with all those happy vacationers.  Have a wonderful time!!!!  We'll miss you.  Hope you get some runs in on that beautiful lake too.  

*Maria*- Hope your meeting isn't too scary this morning.  Nice job getting out for 2 days in a row!!!  I ran sun and tues, so that's big for me.  Maybe this cooldown after all that heat is going to be good for all of us getting out there.  You should do facebook, and you can upload your pics there to share, and then link them to the dis.  I bet you would like it, with your camera phone.  Does you phone go online too?  If it does you can just post pic from your phone.  Nancy does that, I think. I envy that feature, but am too cheap to get a new phone just to post pics to facebook.  

*Rose*-  I hope ds is feeling better soon, and adjusts to the meds ok.  I'm sure it is a huge stressor for you, with everything else you have going on too.  Hang in there.  I hope you are able to relax a bit in florida too, and that MIke's interview goes well. a hug on the facebook thing.  We are friends with our niece and nephews on facebook, and they post "auntie friendly" things there, but my 16 yo niece has a twitter that occassionally I'll check out, but I don't like what I see there, and I know she's 16 and finding herself and all, but I think when michael is 16, I will want to follow what he is doing online more closely than her parents do.  

*Lindsay*- So happy that football is going so well.  It's nice to have other parents to chat with.  As the years go on in sports, you'll find you'll get to know lots of other mom's and I found it makes the games and practices a bit more bearable with others to talk to.  We had a lot of fun at baseball this year, especially before the coaches got all stressed out.  I didn't ask michael the names he calls me, thinking I didn't want to lie to him if he asked me what I call him. Hope you have a good day today!

*Nancy*-Nice work on the run/walk yesterday.  You really are inspiring, getting out there in the middle of summer and logging all those miles.  47 is impressive.  I just added up mine, and I've done 33 this month. I almost wrote only 33, because compared to pregnant you, it is an only, but compared to me any july before 2010, it's 33 more miles than I did then, so it's a positive!!  I wish I could say I've logged lots of hours on the wii fit, but really only did that 4 times.  You ROCK!!! So impressed.  Glad ds's haircut went well.  Michael never minded getting haircuts, and one day when he was about 3, he actually started falling asleep in the chair as she cut his hair.  I know it was on the other thread, you posted about the friendships we can make online, and it is so amazing, isn't it.  And all of you are such positive influences on me.  

*Lisa*- 2 weeks til school starts is so early.  I'm sure you have lots to do until then.  Hope all goes smoothly.  That's great you're getting your runs in, and it's fabulous to be below the tinkerbelle pace too. 

Michael just came in to wake me up, thought I was oversleeping.  Guess I need to get moving and make lunches. 

Have a wonderful wednesday!!


----------



## flipflopmom

So..  sometime or other I started a great, chatty, full of replies post.  Got interrupted, and it stayed in my toolbar for EVER.  My laptop battery died, so did my post.  And it's all pretty irrelevant now, just know that I love you all!

Nancy - if you ever come back to Wake, I expect a meeting!  (that's about all I remember with clarity.  LOL)

I  need a little vent, so you are my captive audience!

Dont' know if I told you guys that Sophie is starting pre-k at my school this year.  We have an all day 4 year old program.  In some ways, I am excited, I'll see her all the time, no more junk food and tv all day days at grandparents, and I'm sure she'll love being in there with all her friends.  This will be the only year that she and AK are in the same school, as AK will be in high school next year.  (Our elem is pk-7, h.s. 8-12) 

The flip side, cons are really emotional, and I am struggling to deal with them all.  Honestly, I didn't want to send her, but Brad is pretty adamant.  After seeing my cry last night, he did finally say I could pull her out, but she's excited now, we registered yesterday.  First, they switched up the teachers this summer and the one in pre-k is one of my least fav. people in the building.  But most of all, I am worried that I am letting her forgo her last year of "childhood" when she could be helping Papa in the garden and Granny with flowers and blowing bubbles, etc.   Plus, I am *really *worried about what this will do to Mom, since I know how much she looks forward to keeping Sophie to break up the monotony of being alone.  

Part of it is my realization that I feel like I have wasted so much of her childhood working on this stupid master's degre, mourning Daddy, and just being busy.  

I am honestly crying too hard right now to type any more.. BBL


----------



## Rose&Mike

Taryn--Here's what I have learned from parenting--there is no right or wrong way to do things. We can worry and worry and worry and beat ourselves up over what we perceive as bad choices, but the reality is you love your kids and they know you love them and at the end of the day that's all that matters. This has been a hard thing for me to figure out because I am still so angry at my parents about so many things, and so I expect Tom to be frustrated with us for our "mistakes." But the difference is, he KNOWS we love him and that we are doing the best we can. The only thing I would watch in all this is that you and Brad get on the same page. Mike and I argued about waaaaaaay too many things when it came to dealing with Tom--and this summer we found ourselves falling back into our old habits with everything that's been going on. And I don't want to do that again! Kids are hard on a marriage!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oh phooey, i just wrote out some nice replies and poof! grr!

*rose* you're leaving tomorrow right? when's the flight?

*lindsay* so glad that football's working out! and hey, sometimes you just HAVE to have those fries! they were cheap so like, maybe they don't count..right?? 

*kathy* what a productive day you had! it's a good thing we don't have a lawn to mow because i can guarantee that it would NEVER be done! 

*maria* didya get on facebook yet? i'll be looking to "friend" you  i have an iphone and i use it to post pics onto facebook. i probably do it almost once a day - like i said i have a facebook addiction 

*maria and lisa* i finished one for the money last night. i enjoyed it. it was a fast read. i felt like i needed a little more but it was good to not really have to think that hard. now, if i skip until the 10th book, will i miss anything? 

*taryn* how far are you from winston-salem? i was hoping to get down these for this football season i won't be able to travel after our disney trip. doc says no flying after 32 weeks and we're pushing it with going to WDW at 29/30 weeks. but next year i'd like to get down there. probably bring the little ones with me too. 

**********

we've had a nice day so far today. went on a 4 mile walk and felt good. had breakfast then went to the pool for a while. one of the moms from the neighborhood was there with her twins who are two months older than thomas. they are both speaking in sentences. oh, and she just potty trained them last week. my kid says car and like to wear buckets on his head.  oh well. the kids had fun playing in the baby pool and not sharing their toys. stayed until lunchtime aka when i started to fry. 

i HAVE to go grocery shopping today. i've had such a block on shopping and cooking lately. gah! someone is up and crying in his crib. love when they wake up crying!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Nancy--everytime you talk about Thomas and the pail it makes me smile. 

We leave tomorrow at 4:25. I am watching the clock so that I can go online to check in on Southwest. I didn't get a lot done on my day off, but I did color my hair, run 4 miles, and finally make a training plan for the w&d. It's about 10 weeks until the race. I think I can get up to 14 miles. My knees have been feeling great, my ankle is still getting a little sore, but not as swollen, so I am optimistic.

Tom filled his new lower prescription today. She told him if he continues to get so dehydrated and have such awful headaches he will have to try another med, but so far cutting the dose seems to have helped. She also told him to drink one glass of gatorade for every 2 glasses of water--it blows my mind how sweaty he gets on this drug. But his blood pressure was normal, so that's a relief. I really hope this works. We are working on finding him a primary care physician in Columbia--well actually he is working on it--we're just in the wings in case he needs help.

I am really looking forward to this trip. No matter what happens, it makes me so happy to see the ocean. We are staying tomorrow night at a hotel on the beach so I am hoping to get in a little run on Friday morning. 

Ok, almost time to check in online.

Have a great evening princesses and lisabelles.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hello Ladies! 

Just wanted to say hello.  Its 11pm so I dont have a whole lot to say.  I am really exhausted.  Ryan is getting a bit tired out too.  You could see it in him tonight during practice.  I hope he can hang in there for 2 more nights of practice.  My parents are taking the boys swimming tomorrow so I am not overly optimistic.

My life pretty much has been about work and football this week so not much else to report.  No running and eating has been blah.  Gotta figure this thing out.  

On a brighter note.  Without going into to many personal details... we had a positive thing happen on our financial front today that will lower our expenses.   That plus me hopefully getting the good salary increase gives us some wiggle room and most likely will allow us to get to disney in 2 years instead of 3.  Yes Im crazy I dont think about how much will go in our savings but when we will get back to my happy place.  Anyway it also looks like if all goes well we will be able to do a beach trip next summer too.  So that has brightened my day.  Now I just have to hope for no road blocks of unexpected expenses.

Taryn- Sorry for all the emotions right now.  Im speaking from experience (both my boys have been in daycare since 3 months of age) Sophie will be ok even if its not your number one teacher.  She will get a head start on learning to follow the rules of a class room, and she will start to build friendships and get comfortable with other kids her age.  Its completely normal to feel the guilt and anxiety but if she is excited than Im sure you are doing the right thing.  Its only 1 year early and she will have the summers to "be a kid".  I know how you are feeling because I have days like this too.  I have gone through hurrdles to find friends to watch ryan this summer because I felt like he needed time off and now that we are half way through the summer he wishes he would have gone to summer camp.  Whatever decision you make it will be ok I dont think either way is right or wrong.  Im sure your mom will understand and will adjust too.  

Rose- Have a great time in FL!!!!  Glad to hear tom is feeling better and that your legs are doing great.  Wow 10 wks to the W&D that is fast approaching.  

Hello everyone else!!!!!!


----------



## mikamah

Just a quick hello this morning.  Michael had football last night right after work, and of course there was traffic so we were late.  He seemed to have fun, though they work them hard the whole time.  It's a conditioning clinic for 2 weeks, then the 8th starts evaluations/practice in the uniforms, I guess.  I need to go pick up the stuff we need to buy, and next week they give him the pads and helmet.  

Lindsay- I can imagine Ryan is beat.  Michael was tired last night too.  Tonight we have the cub scouts over for a bbq.  We missed the end of year campout that was rescheduled, so I figured we'd have one last thing with them.  So happy for the positive financial change.  I totally get thinking about a vacation rather than savings.  I find vacation is so important for my mental health, more so than putting extra in the savings account.  It's a balance, and life is short and unpredictable, and we're not going to remember the memories of working extra and saving more, like we remember getting away and spending quality time with the family.  Disney in 2 years sounds fantastic!!  

Taryn-Hi Honey!!  Hugs to you on your decision with Sophie.  You will do the right thing, and it will be a positive experience for her.  I come from the same place as Lindsay, and with michael being in day care since he was 3.5 months old, I know that helped to mold his personality, and really make him an out going, go with the flow type of kid. 

Rose- Have a fabulous trip.  Good luck with everything.

Hi to everyone else.  I'm heading to work early and need to leave at 7, and ds isn't up, i haven' showered.  I got to get moving.  

Have a great day!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

A quick post now and hopefully a longer one at work...

Today is a rest day for me. I ran 3M three days in a row, which is more than I have managed in a very long time. I continue to eat a little better each day. 

Yesterday's meeting wasn't too bad -- but Monday's will be a doozy! I told my co-worker we are the cleaners who make other people's messes go away. 

This afternoon we have Ben's annual check-up. I'm going to leave the room when they get to the "boy parts" section. He is less than thrilled he's still going to have to go through that, and I told him no one likes it. 

Then we're going to take a look at what he has for school supplies, and try to figure out what he needs so we can plan. After that I'm going to fill out all our passport info online. We're mailing ours tomorrow and we both have to appear with Ben to apply for his tomorrow morning. 

I've been looking at Princess airfare since JetBlue is having a sale. It's at $315 right now, and I think I'd better jump on it. I don't think it will go lower? These are tough decisions. I'd hate to miss out, but I also hate to spend the money...I haven't even registered yet! I'm pretty sure I can get a spot, though. I haven't heard it's at 50% yet. 

Okay, gotta get everyone up and out -- in case I don't make it back on before you have your last DIS of the day --

*Rose* -- Have a wonderful, relaxing, energizing, exciting, fun and fantastic trip! We're sending you and Mike loads of  I think this is going to be great all around!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ah, nothing like an all out brawl on the phone to really start your day off right.  pretty much every possible nasty thing just came out in that conversation. talk about not fighting fair. 

sorry, don't mean to sound all trashy and nasty and talk about family fights - i'm just upset and hurt right now. i'd call up a friend but then sometimes i feel like it's more work than not to talk about it in "real" life. 

apparently all i do is complain all the time. i have the perfect life and the perfect husband and the fact that i have the balls to complain ever about anything when all i do is sit by the pool all day and get to stay home to take care of our son who i desperately wanted is just terrible and ungrateful. i mean, i get it. i shouldn't complain about being tired. i DON'T have to go to work. ugh. 

ok, buck up, nance. sitting around crying is going to do no good. i'm going to put some sunglasses on and head out for a walk. i would run but my supportive sports bras are being washed right now. feeling like  now. fresh air will do me some good i'm sure.

now if that didn't just kill the thread i don't know what will. thanks for letting me vent. nothing like publicly airing dirty laundry to make you feel...better? worse? we'll see.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Nancy* --  I am so sorry you had to deal with that this morning! It is true that you are blessed and fortunate, but we all have our crosses to bear -- and it is good to let something out that's frustrating you, much better than holding it inside. There was an entire generation of SAHM who were unable to express their discontent, and they ended up in a medicated fog. I don't think anyone wants that for you! Much better to let it out. What you probably encountered was jealousy and resentment, and thinking about themselves rather than you and your situation. Often all we can see is what we have to endure, and it's hard to put ourselves in someone else's shoes. On the outside, it looks like you have a sweet deal (and you do, and of course you know this!), but there are things that are not perfect in your life, no one's is. There is someone for everyone to compare themselves to who has an easier life. Always. You can choose to be resentful of this, or you can be grateful for your blessings and support your friends. It sounds like this person is not on the enlightened route 

So hang in there! And just don't do what my "friend" used to do to me. She was also a SAHM, the difference being they could not possibly afford it. She was on welfare and WIC (when the younger kids were under 5), and she flat out told me daycare wasn't good enough for her little snowflakes -- knowing that's where my little guy was from 3 mos until preschool. Anyway, she would call me up around 10:30 when I was at work, and tell me how tired she was, still in her pajamas and back in bed. No pregnancy, no illness, just on a permanent summer vacation. Her house was a disaster. I went over one time and there was a slice of bread hanging from a rocking chair. Her three kids were all in school -- and the older daughter got the younger two off in the morning. Then she would start on her litany of complaints, which pretty much centered around how her husband did not make enough money and she was tired of living like this. She married him knowing full well what his earning potential was, and both her kids were "accidents" -- or at least that's what she told him.  The older daughter was from a previous marriage of his, but basically raised by my friend, and a great kid. I won't go into more detail, but suffice it to say they were more roommates than married, and definitely not friends by the end last summer, when she decided she wanted a divorce. 

She told me that since they had agreed she wouldn't work when they had kids, she expected the judge to give her about 90% of his income, and then her life could continue as usual, but now she could date  So, imagine her surprise when she didn't get that at all, and she had to get a J-O-B. She was totally offended that her 12 years of volunteer work for the church didn't mean much to potential employers, and she couldn't find anything she felt suited her. No one would give her a chance at the jobs she wanted because she partied her way through a semester of college and then had to drop out because she lost all her scholarship funding. Ergo no degree. Anyway...are you distracted yet? Did you read this giant mess 

My point is as long as you aren't rubbing someone's face in your good fortune (and I'm sure you're not), they should not be criticizing you for acknowledging your life isn't perfect.  Of course you are tired -- you are pregnant and caring for a toddler! If you weren't it would be a miracle! I don't think having 2 under 3 is going to be a big picnic, either...that is very hard work, ma'am 

Drink some water, relax, hit that baby name book again and be grateful you don't have that person's life -- because it's clearly not making them happy. 

This is the place to vent, always. No one gave me a hard time when I had my company, and of course it would have been easy to do so. 

You are safe here, and we  You!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

thanks, maria. i really can't stand fighting with hubby (did i mention that the fight was with john while he was on his way to work?), especially when it gets ugly. i wasn't clear in that post that this was a husband/wife fight. not a friend! yeesh. i never fight with friends. i seem to only fight with hubby. 

john is stressed about his job. he really wishes he was his own boss. he's been working really hard on this side consulting business and really wants it to become his full time gig. and if that's the case i could help him do that. he works hard at his day job and then comes home and works on the side gig until late. then bed and does it all over again. i can see how me complaining that i'm tired and frustrated after a day with a toddler can seem a little ridiculous. it IS hard though. and it's not like i don't have previous work experience to base this opinion off of! in fact, when i stopped working i was making more money than he was. i was at work by 7am and never home before 8 or 9pm. and even then i was often on the phone with clients in japan into the wee hours in the morning. so it's not like i've always been someone who just stays at home and eats bon bons! 

oh and there's nothing wrong with daycare! i was raised by a sitter! but i will say that the daycares around here are not that great. and i'm glad that i can stay home with thomas. sure, we don't have a ton of money but we don't live large (except our vacations, hehe) on a daily basis so it's not too bad. but that doesn't mean by the end of the day i'm not spent. or at least to me i feel spent. blah.

i went out for my walk and thomas wasn't too thrilled. i still got in my 4 mile walk even though the last 1.5 was spent trying to get thomas to stop trying to get out of the stroller! oh well. i'm glad i got out and moved for an hour. i should get thomas down to the beach to play for a while. i'm just feeling in a real funk right now and feeling sorry for myself. 

thanks for letting me vent. i appreciate it. i know i should be more appreciative of things and just be "doing cartwheels in the street" as my husband says i should be doing. just feeling in a rut.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Wow, my post seems way off -- knowing it was a husband/wife tiff!  Ok, well keep that in your back pocket if you ever have any friends mouth off. Husbands are a whole different animal  

It's good that you can see he has a lot going on, plus the pressure of being the only breadwinner, now for 4 people instead of 3 -- the idea of adding BronxBaby to the mix is probably stressing him like it is you, but in different ways. 

We were really fortunate in that Ben was in a family day care until he went to preschool at 3, and then an in-school preschool at 4, so he was never in a big, rambly day care setting -- which would have been great for some kids, but wasn't really suited to his personality. 

Ok, here is my nugget of bliss -- I don't know why this never occurred to me before. I looked at the flight I want for Princess in frequent flyer points instead of dollars, and found out I was golden! I booked the exact flight I want, and it was $5.00!!!  I am so happy. And now I will not feel guilty in that moderate room, just 20.5 lbs to go  I think I'm going to book it and then I will feel to guilty if I don't earn it, so I will  I have to decide between tried and true PO, and CB. I like PO because I enjoy the boatride and it's nice to be close to DTD, which is where I will go Saturday. I've never stayed at CB, so there is the "new to me" factor. I also know I like the make your own pasta at PO...decisions, decisions! I'm going to wait for the AAA rates to come out soon, my decision may be made for me depending on when they come out and what is available. I admit I haven't been stalking the DIS this year to keep track, so I'd better see what's going on! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Maria! Hooray for the princess! We do everything in order to get miles! Which PO would you stay at? That's my vote as I've been to both POR and PoFQ and love them.  Wish I could do the princess this year. I'd totally do another solo trip if I could! 

I just got a text message from John: "would a kitchen sink help you feel better?" lol he is talking about the kitchen sink Sunday's from beaches and cream that we've been reading online about. The joke thing is pretty much our "I'm sorry". So that's that. I'm feeling better and actually posting while sitting on the beach. The tide is in and I can see manhattan so clearly (it's been so hazy the last week). Only problem is the 19 year old lifeguard in her bikini and her skinny friends making me feel lime a whale. 

On a bright note, 44 days til Disney. And I'm making taco salads for dinner tonight.


----------



## flipflopmom

Rose - toes in the sand, drink in your hand, have one for me!  Enjoy.  Glad the meds are doing better, I can honestly say I've never heard of the sweating thing, although AK gets nauseos (I know it's not spelled right, but I tried everything I could think of and nothing looked right. ) and battles headaches on hers at times.  Love the way you worded it about wings. 

Lindsay -  on the money!  THat is so freakin' awesome!  I thought we would have more not paying for preschool, but then we got braces, and the realization of school expenses for 2.   I get a small $50/month raise this year, first in 5 years, and I'll make about $2500 more a year when I finish my master's, so we do have a little more wiggle room.  I'm trying to think in terms of debt reduction, which isn't easy considering all the expenses. Like, I want to sell enough Pampered Chef each month to put a couple of hundred extra on cc debt.  But then, I think Christmas presents and the letter we got saying AK's 7th grade field trip to DC is going to be $200..  etc.  So I know about reserved excitement!

Kathy - ITA about vaca memories vs. savings.  Of course, some of that is why I have cc debt to pay.   But, we consider it an investment in our family.  We have enough savings to deal with a small catastrophe, no where near enough, but I think we need to concentrate on paying off debt before saving any more.  How sweet of you to do the bbq! Hope you all enjoy!

Maria - You are a wise woman.  I love your advice, no matter to whom it is directed!  I am so excited about your princess trip, and using points!  You are really on a great roll, and I am so proud of you!  Keep it up, I need the motivation!

Lisa - enjoy your trip!
Lisa - HI!

Nancy - First off, I can empathize a bit w/ your DH fight.  I get that every summer when I am off.  We had one the same night I was so upset about Sophie starting pre-k.  I was saying I didn't feel like I had a summer, I am too burned out to start the school year, yada yada, and he said "I had a week off, that you had with me.  I'm in a hot plant all day.  yada yada. "  My response is usually - "You could have gone to school to be a teacher".  And yes, even though I hate my job at times, I would do it again b/c it allows be a lot of time w/ my girls.  It's tough to walk miles in others shoes.

As for my Sophie issues - thanks guys.  I know I have been very fortunate in some ways to have grandparents to care for her.  All her friends will be in her class, she's mature and excited.  Part of it is that the teacher is the person in the building I like the least, but I talked the principal yesterday about it.  I'm not one to EVER complain about teachers, etc, but I told her that in the case, to expect it.  She, unprofessionally of course, told me that she had already put this teacher on a plan of improvement, and to please to come her with any issues because she needed to document it.

This particular teacher is a snob.  If the kids aren't in GAP or Hanna Andersson, etc., she doesn't "like them"  Every child that isn't making 100's she thinks needs special ed or medication.  She will NOT allow a child to touch her if he/she is dirty (we do have some that don't have baths, and it's obvious).  There were days she sent a child to the office for wearing teh same clothes 2 days in a row.  She INFURIATES me.  I dont' know how she will handle 4 year olds crying, snotty noses, and potty accidents.   I'm only putting all this out there so you not it's not a personal issue b/t us as colleagues.

TBS, I also realize that part of the emotion comes from the fact that my baby is starting school, and I won't have any more.  No, I don't want any more, but it's the end of an era.  I'm honestly, and this makes me sound horrible, worried about having BOTH of them with me 24/7.  I dont' usually get Sophie dressed or fed before we leave, and now I have to deal w/ 2 non -morning children, by myself since Brad is already gone.  WHich adds an hour to my morning before work schedule.  Unless I run at 4am., I wont' be able to until he gets home at 8 or 9, and I'm usually worn the heck out at that time.  They will go with me to work, and leave with me.  No transition time.
\
Good grief, talk about a thread killer.  I needed to get all that out, and I'm like Nancy, I'd rather do it here.

Sorry for the book.  I am going to try to clean the house for a while, girls are swimming w/ Papa and nana.


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*- Here's a hug, even though things are better and you may not need it right now.   I'm glad you are feeling better and able to relax on the beach.  On the stay at home mom thing, I've always envied those who are able to stay at home, but other days when I'm off and home and want to kill my little stinker, I'm grateful I have to work.  Neither is easy all the time, and we just do the best we can do to get through each day, and have enough money left over for disney!! 44 days is soooo soon!!!!!

*Maria*- I was going to say book it now, because that's a great price with the princess being on school vacation week, and see that you are booked!!  Whoo hoooo!!  I might have to pick up some lottery tickets and try my luck so I can join you.  I love Jet Blue too.  I like to take the 9am flight as my sister will drop us at the airport before work, and we often come home on the 6ish flight, get home at 9, not too late, but late enough we can do a park in the morning.  
So excited you have booked!!  You definitely should book the mod, and you will reach your goal to earn it.  I have faith you can do it!  

This was my short day and I got out at 12.  I did a 3 mile run, and I felt like i was dragging, and my legs didn't want to move.  It took me 43 min, so not awful time, but I think with the sun, and I hadn't drank much at work this morning that might be why.  I offered to pick up michael early from camp, but he wanted to stay til the end, since they were playing flag football and gladiator today, so I am in the midst of 4 hours of guilt free me- time.  I need to shower and do laundry, but did clean up the kitchen, and made pasta for pasta salad, but I think I'll make the salad after I pick him up, and enjoy my time alone.  

I still haven't got the eating under control, but to be honest, I'm not trying all that hard.   I'm maintaining, and am ok with that right now.  It's been a busy summer, and we've been doing a lot, so my plan is to not gain any weight between now and labor day.  On the week we're going to maine at the end of august, we're staying with my brother and fam, so I'll have no excuse to get out in the morning for my runs.  They are good too, and like to be active, so we'll hike one day, and kayak, and I think I can keep it a maintaining vacation.  I plan to pace myself with the blender drinks too.  That is 3 weeks away, and I know if i focused and watched what I eat, I could lose some then too, but I'm just not feeling it.  Maybe I'll come back from Maine this weekend with a new attitude and focus.  

Hope all you princesses are enjoying your day!!


----------



## mikamah

Hey Taryn!  Wish you could pop on over for tea.  I'm never on at this time, so it's good to see someone else.  

I think it's nauseous.  yea, that looks right.   

It is so emotional when they go to school.   Then end of an era, but the beginning of a new exciting one.  Sophie must be so excited to be going to your school.   Our neighbor is a teacher at michael's school, and her son is in K this year, and goes to fun club after school care and michael said he's famous because he's Ms. D.'s son.  I'm sure when they're AK's age, they might not love being in school with you, but I bet sophie will love it.  I'm sure you will get all of you into a nice little routine in the mornings.  I know you're worried about your mom, but maybe on half days, or teacher workshop days, she could still take the girls, or maybe a regular evening each week and you and dh could have some alone time.  I'm sure she will be ok too.  I truly believe everything always works out the way it's supposed to.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Holy Moly we are all falling apart  I think part of it is American life is just entirely too crazy. work work work and not enough time to rest.  Today I want to move to spain where they take siesta's during the day. (I think that its spain or is it mexico)  Anyway whether its staying home with the kids or working and juggling the kids, dealing with older kid issues or younger kid issues its all very stressful.  

Someone at work today said that in canada they give 1 year maternity leaves.  I said I am moving there and having five more kids. 

So  to taryn and nancy and if anyone else needs one today too.

Tonight was a bit of a mess at football.  Ryan hurt his ankle early on in practice but kept trying to play.  It doesnt seem severe and Im not really sure whats going on.  After this happened though he had a few emotional breakdowns.  One because a kid butt in line in front of him and then another because a kid was tapping him on the back.  Then he sat out the last part which was a tag game.  He decided it was too much fun to pass up so tried to play.  The first round he didnt get tagged but the second round he got tagged and then came off crying.  The coach asked him what was wrong and he said it was his ankle but I really know he was mad he got tagged.  It was just that kind night.

Im really hoping his ankle is ok but we will see how it is tomorrow.  We have one more night of camp and then monday starts the official practice.  I really hope tomorrow is a better night.  Oh and the other problem I have is my dh.  He really just needs to back off of Ryan with this whole football thing.  His testosterone is over flowing and you would think Ryan was trying out for the starting team for the Eagles.  God help me......

Well I hope everyone ended there night on a good note.

Rose if you are reading....I hope you have a great time in FL and good luck to Mike on his interviews.


----------



## flipflopmom

Nancy - less than an hour from Winston, North.  Lots of us shop there, dine, go to the hospital, etc.  Watching the G'boro/W-S news every morning. I live right on the NC line (literally less than 10 miles), so it's my satellite co's "local" channel for us. They are actually talking about WDW right now!  BTW, big news is that UNC fired Butch Davis, and their AD retired.  Dh is psyched!  If you come for a game next year, please let me know!!!!    Do you drive?  You could drop Thomas and Baby Bronx here with me and let my princesses spoil them while you go to game, and then we could hang out later. 

Lindsay - Does Ryan actually have to try out?  In first grade????  Or is this an everyone makes it kinda thing?

Morning all!  Gonna be another hot one. 98 Did some cleaning yesterday, not as much as I wanted, but I did get Sophie's closet and drawers organized so I can get her ready easier in the am's.  I counted, and as long as it stays hot and she can wear sundresses she can go 15 days without repeating!

I just read an interesting article, thought I would share.  Especially for you Maria, it was talking about fructose in fruit.  But he also had interesting points about sports drinks, too.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/07/29/foods-that-keep-you-thin.aspx?e_cid=20110729_DNL_art_1


Going to try to keep the cleaning vibe going.  Honestly, I've let my house go this summer, and it shows.   Have a great day!  Enjoy Rose!


----------



## mikamah

*Lindsay*- Poor little Ryan.  That's a lot of practice for a little kid.  Is it 4 nights a week or 5?  Michael's 3 nights a week for the summer, and I think that's how it will stay in the fall with a game each weekend.  I was thinking as I read your post, the first few nights are so new and exciting, and as the novelty wears off and he realized it's hard work too, I'm sure it's more draining.  
I remember when michael started kindergarten, I was so proud he went off the whole first week, hopped on the bus, loved it, without even looking back, and then the second week went through a phase he didn't want to go, didn't like it, and wouldn't get on the bus.  I remember thinking he thought it was pretty cool until he realized he was going to have to go every day for the next 13 years.   It's hard to be a kid too, isn't it?  A years maternity leave sounds great, but it would have to be 18 years leave for me to have more. 
I hope Ryan has a better night tonight.  
Michael's friend who did football last year is not doing it this year, and his mom said it's really more to spite his dad who played football and is all gung ho for him to play sports.  I'm sure your dh is trying to be encouraging but just not doing it right.  

Hang in there.  Good luck tonight.

Good morning princesses!!  

Not much happening here.  We had a fun cookout with the scouts, and michael got along well with Clifton, phew, and they all had fun.  On of the mom's brought a delicious dessert, sugar cookie on the botton with melted chocolate chips then marshamallows, and baked so they were toasty.  It was rich, and I only had one piece, and sent the rest home with her for her other kids.  phew.  

Otherwise, I've got 2 hours before I need to leave, ds is asleep, so I should go do some wiifit and watch the news.  But it's so easy to be lazy.  I'll go check the bl thread, and then do it.  

Have a great day.  It's friday!!  WHoo hoo!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy, taryn, lindsay, and maria* thanks for the hugs yesterday. i got over it quickly but at the time i was really upset. i have been a little short with john since the fight but it's fine. i know he feels bad about it too. he sent that text about the kitchen sink sundae and then later he sent an email with the link to this one beach club villas contract up for resale - 100 points for $85 per point. it's a pretty great contract but the last thing we need to do is buy more DVC (did i just say that??). he called on his way home to see if i wanted him to pick anything up. i told him no but appreciated the offer (especially since i really wanted to eat a tub of ice cream).

*kathy* i'm really impressed by your story of becoming a mom that you posted on the BL thread. i think that's incredible. it is SUCH a miracle all the different ways that we can get pregnant. was it an IUI that you had to do? no pressure to share, of course! i did a bunch of IUIs to get pregnant with thomas. 

michael may be a little stinker but i love him and so glad you went for it! i met him for 5 minutes and, i've said it before, he is just the sweetest. sure, there are tough parts but at least he can put on the charm in public! lol! there are lots of kids who just sit like lumps when they are around adults. it might be an only child thing - i feel like we onlies were able to talk to older folks alot more easily than our friends with siblings. or maybe he's just awesome!

*taryn* hey is neil mcneil still on nbc?? he was the local news guy for winston when i was in college. i used to work out in the morning (when i thought i was fat at 129 lbs, the first time i did weight watchers, lol!) at the school's gym and watched him. neil mcneil. lol! i read about butch davis! very interesting stuff! are you near rt. 220? that way north? or more like up towards/past pilot mountain? my dad and i used to drive down to wake at the start of each year. we are the most regimented people you will meet and had each meal planned out. our favorite restaurant is old country buffet (i know, i know). my mom never let us eat there so we always tried to go whenever she wasn't around. my old bf in college gave my dad a huge map of all the old country buffets once. hilarious. when i had soccer games up and down the east coast my dad and i would figure out where/how we can eat at OCB. _anyway_ there was one in roanoke (closed now) and we'd time it perfectly to get there for 6pm dinner. every year. in fact, by senior year some of my friends who were from roanoke would come and join us. mind you, my dad weighs 134 lbs so to see a little guy take down all that food is incredible! then we'd head down rt. 220 and onto wake 

i'm REALLY trying to go down for a game next year - maybe homecoming weekend. it'll be my 10th reunion next year. shoo! time flies!

any update on pre-school stuff? at our catholic school kids can go into preK at age 3. they put the 3 year olds and 4 year olds in together. the 3 year olds can go anywhere to full time 5 days a week to 2 days a week half day. 3 seems a little young for me, well, at least for my DS! 

*lindsay* poor ryan! no wonder he had a meltdown! that's alot of football and it's been hot! i hope today is better! i think canadians get anywhere from 6 months to a year depending on their jobs. new zealand i believe gets up to 18 months! john's cousins live in ireland and they get 9 months! and here i got 8 weeks. no wonder i couldn't go back to work!

*rose and lisa* hope vacation is going well!!

*maria* hiya! i had a dream about the princess half. must mean i'm jealous of your upcoming trip! i wonder if it would be possible to train for a half by the end of february if i pop out a kid at the end of november....and i wonder if DH would be able to handle two kids for a weekend...and i wonder...nah, i can't do it. but would so love to!!! 

****

well i've posted a book already today. sheesh. thomas was up at 10 to 6 this morning but john got him up and i just stayed in bed. i couldn't sleep as he thomas was playing and the bedroom is next to the living room but it was nice to just lay there for a while. it rained last night and i forgot to bring my jogging stroller into the basement! grrr! and i really wanted to get out for a walk. 

up to 153.5 this morning. and yesterday i did pretty good! the weight is coming on so darn fast! i have my glucose tolerance test next (ooo...15 min pause here, my aunt just popped in for coffee...where was i? oh, GTT) week. yick. thinking about seeing if someone can watch thomas that morning for me. might just take him downtown. he'll have to hang at the doctor for an hour extra but, eh, whatever. 

one last thing - i made taco salads last night including the taco shell bowl. take a big flour tortilla (should have done low carb i guess) and put it in the microwave for a few seconds to get it bendy. wiped both sides with olive oil (used my hands) and draped it over a cereal bowl. put two of them in the oven at 400F for about 10 min. came out so great! not the same as those fried shells but really good! definitely worth a try! you know, i put a can of olives on top of mine...perhaps that's what did me in but i have to believe it was healthier than getting taco bell or something!

have  great day everyone!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Big Sigh and all about me for a minute. 

The plan for today was to get up, go to the post office and apply for Ben's first passport, then Dennis and Ben would go have bloodwork done and I would go home and do my 12M. Well, the get up part worked fine -- but we didn't have any power! 

We decided it made for sense for them to go start with giving blood. So, here I was at home with no computer, no lights, no motor car, not a single luxury....if you don't get that you are too young!

Anyway, the later in the day it gets the less likely my run is. The power just came back on, and they are on their way home. I have a bad feeling it may be closer to noon by the time everyone is where they are supposed to be --and I guess I could run then, but it's doubtful. The thing is, it's so nice and cool, it would be really comfortable. I don't usually eat before I run, but I may make an exception today. I don't have anywhere to be until 4, so I could definitely make it happen...I would definitely like to be done with my last long run before the race and be able to really relax tonight...I may talk myself into it yet!

*Nancy* -- Naw, I don't think there is a Princess 2012 in your future. You will be far too busy taking care of all your Princes! I love that you made your own taco shell. It sounds delicious! The only problem with a can of olives is they are loaded with sodium. I know this because I'm a bit too fond of them, too 

*Taryn* -- I am totally going to check out that article, Thanks! You are going to have a scorcher. It has cooled off a lot here and it's not sunny. It's a really good day for a long run. Aw heck, I'm gonna do it! 

*Lindsay* -- I hope Ryan is peachy keen by tonight. Poor little guy -- it's a new situation, and my dh informs me football is the hardest sport to learn because you have to keep track of and practice so many plays. I absolutely agree about how busy our lives are. It seems like it passes in a blink. The funny thing is, when we moved to Boston from Missouri, I thought it would be hard to adapt, because the pace is just faster. I found that I did it with no problem, but now going slower is really hard 

Sorry, but my guys are home now so I gotta run. I apologize for not giving everyone a personal reply. Maybe I'll be able to come back later and report I did 12M! 

Maria


----------



## flipflopmom

Nancy - hmm.. I'll send you a pm with my address so you can google map it.  Not that I don't trust the other princesses, it's the lurkers out there.  Your driving story is funny!!!  Taco shells sound good!

Maria- I HATE not having power when it's hot!!!!!  I don't mind it so much in the winter, well, if i dont' have to do anything, but I hate being hot!!!Get that run in girlie!  I'm already sweating.  And I must be too young, b/c I don't get any specific reference in my mind.

Just wanted to share something w/ you I've been doing all morning.  I hope it will alleviate the stress for me.  I've been hearing about this site  cozi.com  and it rocks!  There is a family calendar w/ a family password, adn you enter the emails and mobile numbers.  Texts, weekly reminders, etc. So AK can be in charge of entering all her info, Brad his, etc. etc. and we all have access.  There is an app, as well as the website.  

Also to do lists, shopping lists, etc.  I made a generic "do this every day" list for each girl, and then I am working on family daily lists.  Once we get schedules of stuff like PE, cheer practices, etc. I can add that not only to calendar, but to the master lists.  I have a to-do list, and so does Brad.  I'm working on his honey do!!!    Added the girls' school supply lists so we can pull up when we are shopping.



Anyway, check it out.  You can also print the calendar w/ appts and such to post on fridge.  

Nancy and Lindsay, I know your kids are too young to imput stuff, but it might help you and your DH's stay on top of stuff! Brad asks 100 times a day what the plan is for the week.  I hope he'll appreciate this!  I'm going to print Sophie's and we'll find mag pics to help her know what to do from her list(teeth brushing, etc.)

I know the rest of you might benefit from having your kids enter stuff in so that you know what's going on their lives.  Even you Rose, he can put the college breaks, dr's appt, etc.  

You guys might already have something that works, but this is right up my OCD alley.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Ok,  and , I'm Back!

 Um, I didn't exactly run 12M. I started feeling shaky just after mile 9, and decided that was going to have to be my best effort for today. I quickly grabbed a chocolate milk, and that was that. Everything was so off, and I got started on my run so late, I'm actually surprised I did that well...Anyway, I've completed 5 half marathons, so I have to believe I can get another one in, even without a big long run the week before.  Heck, two of the five were this year.

*Taryn* -- FlyLady is big on the cozi. I haven't tried it yet, but you never know. You sweet young thing!  I actually, I watched this show in reruns after school, so it's not shocking you never saw it. Let me add a bit:

"No phone, no lights, no motor car, not a single luxury. Like Robinson Crusoe, it's primitive as can be. So join us here each week my friends, you're sure to get a smile, from seven stranded castaways, here on Gilligan's Isle."

Which brings me to today's random lyrics from my ipod -- just cause I'm weird that way --

Harmony and understanding		
Sympathy and trust abounding	
No more falsehoods or derisions	
Golden living dreams of visions	
Mystic crystal revelation		
And the mind's true liberation

Here's a big hint -- this is from a popular musical from the 70s which is in revival right now. Who will be the first to guess?! 

*Kathy* -- That dessert sounds totally yummy! I'm glad you enjoyed the cookout and everyone got along. 

So, ds is busy reading "The Glory Field", his second required summer reading book. I'm having a little lunch, then I plan to rest for awhile before I go to my hair appt. I was able to move it up a little, and it looks like it's going to pour later. 

I promised him we would watch the last Netflix disk of Season 1 of "The Big Bang Theory" tonight. I am going to relax and enjoy.

Everyone have an awesome afternoon and evening 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

age of aquarius! age of aquariuuuuuussss! 

great now that's in my head. 

*maria* 9 miles is 9 more miles than i did today! i have a feeling you're going to be just fine. starting out so late definitely will make it more difficult to get into a rhythm. at least that's what i think. i'm a morning, pre-breakfast runner/walker so i know what you mean about not wanting to start late. in fact, i don't think i will ever do the wine and dine half marathon. first because i'd rather run first thing (don't think i could wait all day) and secondly because i believe the race starts at like 10pm which is waaaaay past my bedtime! 

*taryn* that cozi thing sounds great! you're right, just putting stuff into the calendar so DH can see what we're doing would be nice. but that's assuming he wouldn't just ask me anyway. i can't tell you how many times i've emailed him and talked to him about the silver beach BBQ (silver beach is our neighborhood) that we have on sunday - and i guarantee tonight he will ask me what we're doing this weekend. 

today is drrraaaagggging. didn't get a walk in because of my soaked stroller. the weather has just been muggy and gross and i just didn't have the energy to go to the beach or anything. way too humid. thomas and i went to the diner with "Aunt T" who technically isn't our aunt but she lives around the corner and is close enough to family! we had a nice time getting a late breakfast. after nap we took a walk around the neighborhood but this kid is just not going to be happy until he's hit by a car so we came home. in fact, i wound up having to carry him like 4 blocks. i thought i was going to die after. so hot! 

i don't feel like cooking so DH is picking up pizza. i get a large salad (ok, with like a pound of fresh mozzarella on it) and once slice. i kind of want a calzone though. feeling piggish i guess!

looking forward to going to bed tonight. tomorrow i'm getting my hair done. it's been a long time.


----------



## mikamah

Good evening!

Home for a few minutes before football clinic.  It's sad that it's only his second day and I was hoping for a rain cancellation.   Oh well, I'm sure it will rain once we get there.  

*Maria*- 9 miles is great, and you will be just fine, I'm sure of it.  How many training plans only go to 10 anyway?  Look at your track record, 2 halfs already this year.  You're going to rock that rock-n'roll!!  Sorry the day didn't start off too well for you.  I definitely have more energy in the am too.  

*Nancy*-Thank you for your kind words.  I don't mind sharing.  I got pregnant with IUI, on the second month.  I was very lucky.  The fertility guy wanted to put me on pergonol, I think that's the name, to increase egg production, but I didn't want to do that since I had never tried getting pregnant, so he was going to let me do 3 months without any meds, and I'm so glad I did.  I was very fearful of multiples, and didn't want to increase that risk.  Nice job on the age of aquarius.  I didn't get that one, though it sounded familar, but after reading about 6 words of the other song, I was singing the gilligan's island theme song.  

Gotta run!!  Now I hope my rain wishes will hold off til 8.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hello Ladies.

Wow I have never been so thrilled to see Friday evening.  Its been a tough week at work and I really needed a breather.

Tonight was Ryans last night at football camp.  He was still limping on/off today but said it was better and he wanted to play.  He went through 2 drills and I made him stop even though he wanted to keep going.  He was limping and not even able to run at full force.  Im really not sure what is going on but I am guessing its just sore.  Maybe since he hasnt done much of anything and now all of a sudden he is running miles and sprints for 2 hours each night uggh duh what else could be bothering him.  I swear if it wasnt for him loving I would think I was being a crazy parent subjecting my 6 year old to this.

I was talking with a mom who her son is on the older flag team.  She said last year her son barely played in games and its only the coaches kids who get to do the good positions like run the ball.  She said a number of parents were mad and made a stink about it but they basically said too bad.  Umm and this is 5-7 year old kids.  Isnt it suppose to be about fun and learning at this age.   Its horrible to even think this but I can only hope that since we at least know 3 of the coaches that Ryan will be one of the kids who gets to play alot.  I hate to think like that but I dont want to have to see him sad because he doesnt get a chance to play in games.  

Anyway I am hoping that his ankle feels better by monday or else he will be on the injured reserve for the first night of practice.....I cant help to think that this wont be getting him to the top of the playing list anytime soon either.  Ridiculous that I have to even think about that but it is what it is.

Ok sorry I will try not to vent every night about football but I think I am just still blown away by all this.  Its crazy.

Taryn- Glad you sounded more like yourself today and thanks for the calendar tip Im going to check that out.  Ryan does not have to tryout but they might as well for the way they run the thing.

Kathy- Glad michael is doing ok at football.  I was hoping for rainouts the other night but guess what....they played in the rain. Glad michael and clifton got along.....I agree with nancy the name clifton just sounds like trouble.

Maria- Good job on getting that run in even if you did have to cut it short.  

Nancy- Im going to try your taco bowl on the next taco night.  Sounds like a good way to still have it but make it low fat.  Taco's plus olives....its probably just some water weight.  You will be ok.  Any names picked out yet?

********************************************************
Well tomorrow Mike has a golf tournament so I may take the boys swimming.  I want ryan to rest it but he informed me that he wont do jumps into the pool but he will just flop around like a dolphin so it wont hurt his foot.  umm ok Ryan whatever.  I love their logic about things at this age.  

I have to admit I called run disney tonight to see how much a princess trip would cost me.  It was a good price but the more I think about it I just cant leave the boys at home again.  I have to at least wait until after our family disney trip to go alone again...I dont want to be selfish.  So maybe next year....see if I at least can say that we will be there in a few months after than I think I can get away with it guilt free.  Will see.

Have a great weekend.


----------



## mikamah

*Lindsay*- I totally get you on the football thing.  A friend of michael's played last year, and isn't playing this year, but his mom said the same thing about the coache's kids getting played most of the game, and the other kids not so much.  I think it will be a rude awakening for michael because it's the first sport there are kids sitting out.   With baseball, they only had 10 kids per team, so they played the whole game, and michael pitched and caught a lot, so it will be so different for him.  He really is enjoying watching sports more now than ever, so even when he's on the bench, I hope he'll enjoy watching the game and cheering on his team.  We'll see.  
I hope Ryan's foot is ok.  Sounds like a sprain and maybe a weekend of resting will do it a world of good.  
I'll be a crazy football mom with you this fall.  Don't worry the rest of you princesses, football will be over by thanksgiving.

No princess trip for me, though I did see some free dining rumor dates for this year, and early december included.  Interesting dates, like a week at a time, and then skipping a weekend.  *Nancy* will know this if the free dining date ends 12/3, if I start a trip on 12/3, I would get free dining through the whole trip?  Not that it's in the budget.  yet.  but you never know. 

Well, I blew off the morning exercise, and wore my sneakers to football so I could walk the track, but just stood visiting with the other moms, so when we got home we watched a movie, and I did some watp type exercises while I did that.  Not much, but better than nothing.  I finally put my pics from my camera in my computer, and am uploading some to facebook.  Since my printer broke about 2 years ago, and I got this laptop last year, I don't organize the pics like i used to.  I should just print a bunch out and put them in albums, since I'll never scrapbook as many as I'd like to.  

We are heading to my sisters camp in the am.  It's halloween weekend there, so I need to find michael's costume.  Have a fabulous weekend!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

holy bad word i'm up another pound. what the heck am i doing to myself? oh i know, eating like a bad word pig. way to start the weekend off on a crappy note. i have my OB appt on tuesday and the weigh in will be brutal once again. i am really struggling with this. a friend of mine is a couple weeks behind me and told me she's only up 1.5 lbs! granted, she is overweight but now so am i! 

thomas has been up for 30 minutes and has been crying ever since. he says he wants to watch choo choo. so i put it on. then 30 seconds later he's crying for pooh. put that on. then plane. nothing is right and he's just screaming and throwing the stupid remotes at me. it's driving me insane and john's looking at me like, "what are YOU going to do?" why do i have to be the one to entertain him and figure out what he wants?? he's home, let him figure it out!! 

i was just reading a thread on the main theme park area and these people are talking about their pet peeves. of course some people are really ridiculous but all these i'm-better-than-yous are saying how they hate how crappy parents let their kids throw tantrums and how they MUST be terrible parents if their 2 year old breaks down. HELLO!!! do you THINK anybody WANTS that to happen?? 

on a bright side, it's saturday and dh is home so i will be going out for a walk by myself this morning. will be nice to not push the stupid jogger for once. i may let out a nice big scream while i'm doing my laps. 

*lindsay* that is SO frustrating about the coachs' kids getting first dibs on all the plays! thing is, that's everywhere and always has been. that's what makes it even more frustrating! and when those moms pointed it out to the coaches they were like, "too bad"??? wow! that's ballsy! hopefully ryan's injury is just soreness and he'll be good to go next week. maybe a weekend of some rest and relaxation will help. 

*kathy* best laid plans, right? i always have great intentions and they seem to fall apart by the end of the day. sometimes you need to just chat with the other mamas though! have fun camping. do the kids get to trick or treat?

hi to everyone else! 

ok, i'm waiting for my iphone to charge up a little more so i can track my walk and listen to music. want to get out soon though before it gets too hot!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I know it's only been two days, but I missed talking to you all!

Nancy--Mike and I had those kinds of arguments all the time. Sure it's awesome to stay home and take care of your kids, but the reality is, it can be really boring at times. Sometimes I felt like my brain was dying. Mike always would say--well you can go back to work anytime you want. Which is true, I could have. Mike is a good guy, but the reality is I would have probably made a quarter of what he did and I would have been responsible for everything involving Tom. I would have had to take off work when he was sick or out of school, had a doctor's appt, etc. Coming from a military background in his mind, he could just not miss work, period. I think if we had another one now it would probably be a little better. Anyhow, he could never understand my frustration or how when he came home from work I was burned out somedays, etc. How I missed having the recognition that came with a real job. When Tom graduated from high school, he thanked me. He thanked me for doing a good job with Tom. And this summer as we learn more about adhd he has thanked me again. And Tom has, too. It was not always easy, but I'm really glad I was able to do it. Would Tom still be a great kid if we did things differently, of course. Did I always like being a sahm, nope, but it was what worked for us. Anyhow, I just wanted you to know, I don't think those kind of arguments are unusual.

Well, that was a long 36 hour or so trip. Mike picked me up for the airport at 2:30pm on Thursday and we got home last night at 1am. I was so tired at one point I just started crying on the plane. 

So here's my mini trip report--doesn't there always have to be a trip report???

Our flight left at 4:30 so we were able to have a drink in the bar before hand, which is always a good way to start a flight, imo. We were flying through Birmingham to Orlando, but did not have to change planes. It was just a quick stop to let people on and off. I don't know what it is about Birmingham, but we have landed there twice and both times the landings have been really rough. We got to MCO on time--around 7:30 I think. It was a little weird to walk to the car rental place instead of the ME line. 

Mike took care of the car stuff and we found our little rental car and I thought we were good to go. We should have made it to the coast before sunset. But no. Mike left his leather portfolio somewhere. I thought he was going to have a meltdown. There was nothing in it that even mattered really, but he was a mess. So we tried Southwest but the plane had already taken off. we stood in line at their baggage counter and finally gave up and hoped they would call us in a day or so saying that they found it. So we walked back past the Hertz counter on the way to go back to the car, and guess where it was???? So an hour later, we were on our way. 

We got to the hotel around 9:30. It was a pretty easy drive from Orlando. We stayed at a doubletree in Indialantic. When we got to the room I was extremely anxious cause the outside of the room--the door, door frame, etc--was totally rusting. But the inside was really nice. I guess it's partly leftover from a hurricane a few years ago and partly has to do with the sea air in that area being particularly salty--I guess there have been studies done. 

We walked out to the beach for a few minutes, but it was late, I was tired, it was really dark (turtle nesting season) and the ocean sounded so loud to me. Usually I love the sound of the ocean, but I think I was on anxiety overload. So we went back in and shared a pint of ben & jerry's for dinner. I think we finally went to sleep around 11:30. I was chicken fried at that point.

Friday morning we got up at 6:00am and went for a little run/walk on the beach. It was just what I needed. The area is beautiful. It was the perfect way to start the day. We got showers and had eggs for breakfast. I made Mike come back up to the room and I re-ironed his shirt. It was bugging me.

He left at 8:00 and the real estate agent picked me up at 9:00. I really liked her. She seems to be a few years younger than me (but not too young) and had two kids. Another dis'er recommended her. We looked at 4 rental properties and and 6 or 8 houses, I can't remember. One of the houses had university of Louisville stuff all over the place. How funny is that! We only looked at stuff beachside (which is on the barrier island). Around 12:30 we had lunch and at 1:30 she dropped me at a Panera. Mike was supposed to be done by then, so I told her to not worry about it and go on to her next appointment. He didn't end up picking me up until around 2:40. By the end I was getting a little panicky. I just felt very stranded. We drove inland and looked at an apartment and a house on the landside and got to airport around 5:00 for our 7:00 flight--which was of course delayed. I loved flying home out of Melbourne. There was no one in line for security and they were so friendly. We ran into someone Mike knows in the Charlotte airport. Mike was still in his dress clothes and the guy started asking all these questions. Like were you all on vacation--Mike said yep, something like that. He still hasn't told the team who works for him about any of this and you never know who knows who. The plane from Charlotte to Louisville was delayed, but we finally boarded around 11:00pm. We landed after midnight. It was a really long day.

So for the big question--how did it go? Mike thought it went really well. The interviews went way longer than they had scheduled. He ended up talking to ~10 people. Some of the interviews were in groups. He ended up interviewing with 3 hiring managers. He did not find out until the end that the job he originally went down there to talk to them about is not going to be filled. But they are talking to him about several other opportunities which he is really excited about. One of them involved occasionally getting to ride around trains to test the stuff you are working on. What guy wouldn't like doing that? 

I really want this to work for him. But we are both trying so hard to not get too excited. His last interview was with the original guy he was talking to--who still is looking at trying to hire him--and they spent a lot of time talking about the area. They told Mike it could be up to 2 more weeks before they figure out what they are doing, but that if they are not interested they would let him know as soon as possible, so that's good. This has been going on since the beginning of June and it's starting to get tiring.

I really liked the area. I am still terrified of moving and the whole process. But there was nothing not to like. The weather was great--much better than here. It's a cute town with lots of cute shops and health food stores, local restaurants, etc. There are parks everywhere. We saw lots of people running. Everyone I encountered was friendly. It's a really easy drive to Orlando so if you want to go see a concert or play or the mouse, it's really doable. 

Now we wait. At this point I am going to be disappointed, but it is what it is. And I will be very disappointed for Mike. I can't remember if I told you this, but he had a mid-year evaluation before we left and his boss told him he will be happy if Mike stays--it was a good evaluation. So he doesn't have to worry about that. But I know he wants to do something different. 

The other thing that came out of this, is I had a lot of time to think while sitting at the Panera--I couldn't get my internet connection to work. Several years ago I had a lot of issues dealing with all the stuff with my parents. And I feel like in some ways it changed my personality a bit. I have been much more cautious and nervous about trying new things. And anxious. Some of that might have come from the gluten as well. A double whammy of sorts. Anyhow, I feel like I am in a good place right now. I have dealt with a lot of stuff this summer--this year really--and while I may not have always handled things perfectly, I think I'm doing pretty well. The fact that we are still dealing with this job stuff after two months and I have not just completely lost it, is pretty good. In the past I would have been so anxious I think it would have started to incapacitate me. Anyhow, things aren't perfect, but I am feeling much more confident about my ability to do things and make decisions. I don't know if any of this makes sense. But I feel like this is the right time for all this to be happening.

I am enjoying having the house to myself for a few minutes--Mike took Tom to get a new phone. Tom goes back on Wednesday. I love him to pieces, but it's time for him to go. I know, I'm a terrible Mother. Just call me Mommy Dearest.

Have a super Saturday!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

wow that was an exhausting trip! and yet the two of you managed to get in a run during all that! 

having to wait at panera for all that time i'm sure was a little annoying. BUT, when interviews go longer than planned that is ALWAYS a good thing! hopefully it'll be sooner than 2 weeks that they offer him the job. waiting to get hired is SO frustrating.

i'm glad you're feeling in a good place now. i know you've been going through alot of stuff lately. sounds like that little bit of time at panera was good - you had a second where you just had to sit and be with your thoughts - and good things came out of it! 

****
today's been pretty good. i wound up doing a 5 mile run/walk and felt good. i did a mile jog then would walk for a little, another mile jog, walk some more, then one more mile jog before heading home and finishing up the 5 miles walking. i was wondering if a run 1mi/walk 0.25mi would be a different kind of way to do the galloway walk/run thing. i wonder why he does times instead of distance? i might google that b/c i'd be interested. where's *lisa* when you need galloway info?? oh, right, drinking margaritas and relaxing 

i got my hair done today. took FOREVER but whatever. only problem was that i didn't bring a snack and my blood sugar was crazy low by the time i got home so i shoveled some food in my mouth and now i have a headache. oh well, hair looks good and i can probably get a good day or two out of it. that is unless i workout tomorrow morning then i'll have to wash it. and it'll never look like this again! lol!

i think that staying home has made me a little dumber. i decided to read wuthering heights. thought that going through the classics for a while would be good. well, i finished the first chapter and i have no idea what the heck is going on!! i'm so embarrassed that i no longer can read at a high school level b/c there are too many big words. don't tell wake forest university that i haven't read the classics. they will take away my degrees!

we're thinking about dinner now. you know, cuz that's what we do. maybe go out. have to show off the new hair!


----------



## flipflopmom

Morning everyone!

Rose - what a whirlwind!  Glad you liked the area.  Sounds like a good company, that they are at least keeping Mike informed as much as possible.    Did you have any particular attachments to any of the houses/apartments you looked at?  You sound so strong and together.  I am so very proud of you, lady!!!!  

Nancy - I am so sorry you are feeling, well, pregnant.  I hated those sugar tests, so  for that.  Are you worried that might be an issue?  Good for you taking time for you yesterday!!!  I hate those times when nothing seems to make the kids happy.  It will get easier as his language develops, somewhat.  Sophie is 4.5 and still has those moments.  I have worked in the last year or so at really having conversations to help her put words with her feelings, and she is getting it.  She sometimes tells me, but at least now we can talk and get to the heart of the problem.  Unfortunately, sometimes all we can figure is she's just grumpy, but hey, aren't we all.  

Hey everyone else!  Hope you are having a good weekend.

I am working on getting back in control.  In everything.  In someways, it seems a bit overwhelming to try to get everything under control at once, but I am realizing that if one area of my life is out of control, it snowballs mentally until they all are.  I need to fill 100% in control to tackle life.  

So, I'm in organizing mode.  First the calendar, closets, drawers, etc.  Started back with FlyLady, trying to get my house in order.  Tossing stuff, routines, etc.  When my house is in chaos, so am I.  And it is!

Also trying to regain some control over my eating and exercise.  I have hit the point where I am scared it's ALL going to come back on, so I'm trying to get that control, too.  Just did my "crazy" run, with 2 REALLY STEEP (straight up) hills.  I was sad that I had to walk for a few seconds on one of the them, but then I sprint the downside.  This run is only about 20 minutes, but it packs a punch.  I have to change my mindset a lot.  Last September, I was considering a half, and was in half mode, and was only about 5 lbs from goal. Somehow, I got in the midset that if I couldn't run 3-6 miles, it just wasn't worth it.   Well, 11 months later, I am much farther from goal than that. So my mode now needs to be regular exercise, however I can get it, and weight loss. 

Sorry for the book, you all know you are my therapists.  I hope you are all having a great weekend.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay*--I hope Ryan's ankle is feeling better.

*Kathy and Lisa*--I hope you are having great weekends!

*Nancy*--I often felt like my brain was dying when I stayed home, too. So did you show off the new hair? I didn't mind waiting at Panera, I just started getting a little anxious and feeling a little abandoned--I am definitely a worst case scenario kind of girl. The weather was great though, and I sat outside the entire time and drank a tea. Couldn't have sat out here for that long! Well, I could of, but I would have been cranky and hot.

*Taryn-*-I think getting any exercise is a good plan. You can only do what you can do. And I agree when my house is a mess, my whole life is a mess. The good think about anticipating this move is we have gotten rid of so much stuff--and it's kind of been freeing in a way. Some of the houses we looked at were so cluttered you couldn't see past it. Hello people??? Did you not get the memo that said you can't sell your house if it's a mess?? There were a couple that I liked, but we are seriously considering  leasing a condo for 6 months. That way we can make sure we find the house that we want to stay in, plus who knows how long it will take our house to sell. Anyhow, if anyone can get organized, you can!

*Hello to Maria and the other Lisa!*

Does anyone know what's up with Jude's husband? I saw something on facebook, but wasn't sure what was going on.

******
We ran 6 miles this morning. I am icing my knees and ankle. I thought Tom would come along--since he has all summer and this is the last time we would all get to run together before he goes back, but he didn't want to. He was pretty snarky about it too. We went out to dinner last night (to the same place we went a couple of weeks ago) and he was pretty snarky there too. Definitely time for the little chick to leave the nest. And while I'm complaining about him, a week ago I left him a list of stuff to do that he insisted was no problem and that he'd be happy to take care of and not only did he not do it, but there were dishes in the sink when we got from Fl! (That's a rule in our house--no dishes in the sink). He is acting too much like a visitor. And I am trying too hard to not rock the boat cause it's only a couple of more days.

Not sure what we are going to do today. We decided to take a little break  this weekend and relax a bit, but we're not very good at it! I do better when I have something to do!

Have a good Sunday!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Wow, I feel like I'm way behind...

*Rose* -- It sounds to me like the interview process went really well! I hope you can relax and just let fate take it's course now. You and Mike have done everything you can do... Yep, I do get it's time for Tom to go back. You are an awesome mom!

*Taryn* -- Starting back with FlyLady has really helped me. I feel like I am much more in control, and even if I'm flying sideways, much more is getting done than was before. Never quite managed to Swish 'n Swipe today, but I know I'll get it done tomorrow 

*Nancy* -- I could barely string two thoughts together by the end of my pregnancy! And they have done studies which prove your brain conserves itself for the important stuff when you are pregnant, so don't worry if "Wuthering Heights" is incomprehensible. I pretty much found it that way, anyway 

*Kathy* -- Hope you are having a wonderful time at your sister's camp! Halloween in July sounds like fun! 

*Lindsay* -- Part of the reason the solo Disney trips work for me is I'm the only one in my family who wants to go there  Ben is done of Disney for now. Rose tells me that may change in a few years, but as a young teen, it's just not hitting the "cool factor" for him like Universal does. If I were dealing with guilt, I wouldn't go...

*Lisabelles* -- Here's a 

Ok, so I finally bit the bullet and I have a FaceBook account. If anyone wants me to find them, please send me a pm -- seriously, I don't know anyone's last name  I know, pretty sad, huh?! 

I found out Thursday I have to meet with our CFO at 8am tomorrow, so I figured a workout wasn't going to happen. So this morning I jumped up and ran at Deer Island, outside for 3M! That was my last outdoor run before the Half. I ended up with 12:30 miles, so that is pretty good for me outside (I am the only one in the world who is slower outside, go figure). If I don't bonk, I should have a time I can live with. Heck, I'll live with any time as long as I finish at this point...

I have to finish up and get ready for tomorrow. This lower carb diet is ok on Day 1, but I think I'm going to get tired of it pretty quick. I'll have to look into some other substitutes for snacks and treats. I got a book from the library Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It friday, and I finished it yesterday. I'm giving it a try for a few weeks to see if it helps me. I'm not sure I really want to give up fruit, but I do see the sense in my fruit free for all not working to lose weight, so I'm going to try to be lower in my carbs for awhile. This may not be the best week in the world to start this. TOM just arrived, so I am fighting my normal cravings plus a little extra 

Everyone have a great night, and plan for a fantastic week -- tomorrow is a new month, and we can all have new attitudes, new success, and new joys -- we just have to keep the same  and  friends 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Hi Maria*! I hope your meeting goes well! Did you read the article Taryn posted a couple days ago about sugars? I thought it was interesting. Some of the stuff is hard for me cause I don't eat meat, so my protein sources are totally different. Have you heard of the Paleo diet? I was talking to someone about it when we were sitting by the pool at bwv in May. If one eats meat, it sounded pretty reasonable too. The girl was trying to convince me I HAD to eat meat again in order to be healthy, which is not going to happen, but it sounded like it is less grain focused and more protein/carbs from veggies, etc. I'm not sure about fruit and dairy. Anyhow, good luck!

******
Ok, a spinoff from Maria's name that tune. Name this artist. I have had this song stuck in my head for days.

The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you see one more card
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part

We had a good Sunday. I told Tom I didn't quite get why he didn't want to take our last run together and he said--it better not be our last run. You aren't going to be injured again at Christmas, are you Mom? Little turd, just too hard to stay mad at. He was off the meds yesterday and holy cow we can tell the difference! He couldn't sit still, his conversations were all over the place--which is how he has always been, but it's tiring! He is constantly moving when he doesn't take the meds. The lower dose seems to be working better--he's not getting such bad headaches so far and he doesn't seem as agitated on it. Mike spent a good chunk of yesterday composing thank you emails to the 10 people he interviewed with. You would think it would be easy, but it was not as easy as it sounds. So that's done, and now we wait.

I really wish I would have taken today off. I'm still really tired and Tom goes back to Carolina Wednesday. I have tomorrow off, so that will be good. Time to get going, I guess.

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mikamah

Happy August!!     Thanks for the reminder of the new month, *Maria*.  You are right, this is a new month, and we can all get back on track and stay there!!  

I am going to exercise 5 days a week, at least 3 run/walks a week for the next 3 weeks before my 2 week vacation.  We had a great weekend in maine, it was perfect beach weather, and it got us so excited to go back in 3 weeks for a whole week.  And then we'll be in a house and not a tent!  But I was reminded of all the food and drink that will be flowing, and I do not want to gain any weight.  We were the first ones awake yesterday, so I left michael in the tent, which is right beside my sisters trailer, and took a run/walk.  I went off on a side street which had a few small hills and then one doozy, so I made it to the top of that one, walked it, and back to the camp in 50 min and on the way home I clocked it at 2.8 miles.  My goal is to do that 4 times on vacation, and maybe my brother or sil might do it with me too.  My brother and I ran/walked it last summer to the top, and I definitely felt better this year, and I'm sure I was much slower last year.  I think I even rested on the way up last year.  

*Rose*-I"m so glad your weekend went well, though I should say your mini-trip.  You did so much in 36 hours.  I agree the longer interviews is a good sign, and will be keeping my fingers crossed for you and Mike.   I think it's perfectly normal to be ready for your darling kid to go back to school, and he's probably just taking a little advantage of you now, knowing you won't be there when he goes back to school and he'll need to do everything himself.  We need to cut them a little slack sometimes, just to keep the peace.  Michael was pretty good all weekend, til it's time to go again, and on the way home we drive by this beatuiful boys camp, so I wrote the name down so I could check it out.  Just wishful thinking though, it was 3000 dollars for 2 weeks.  I don't know if that is the going price for overnight camp around here or not, but he won't be going yet.  I guess that might come when he doesnt' want to vacation with me any more. 

*Taryn*-  Good job on the run this weekend.  I think august could be our month to get our focus back.  Summer is winding down, and we can do this!!

*Nancy*-I'm sure your hair is lovely.  I get mine cut today!  I don't think I have ever read wuthering heights, and did write down the authors you all were talking about to pick up some books for my vacation.  I don't read all the time, but always read a few books on vacation.  I don't remember if I said a sunday brunch sounds great when you're out this way.  We're happy to come down toward boston, whatever works for you.  The football schedule is the only thing that will prevent it.  It looks like we'll have a game on sat or sunday each weekend, so I'll let you know when I know.  Glad you were able to get out for a while on your own.  Toddlers are tough and very draining.  My sisters kids are 4 and 5 now, and at camp it seemed much easier this year.  And yes they did trick or treat, and if you have never tried a snickers peanut butter, don't do it.  They are delicious.  Another reason I got up and ran.  

*Maria*-Nice job on the 12:30 miles!!  I would think most people would be slower outside than on the treadmill.  I still am amazed how far you can go on the treadmill.   I just hated it the few times I did it, and preferred the cold, rain, heat, anything but ice is better than the threadmill in my book.  Yay on facebook!!!  I'll see you there.

*Lisa* - Hope you're trip has been very relaxing and you've regrouped, and are ready to rock august with us!!  Welcome home.

*Hi Lisa, LIndsay, corinna, Jude* 

Lisa mentioned Judes husband being sick but that's all I heard.  I don't think she knew what was going on.  I hope everything is ok with him.

GOtta get moving.  Have a fabulous monday!!


----------



## mikamah

*Rose* Tom is so cute.  Glad he's doing better on the lower dose.  Could you take a mental health day today?  I'm sure you never do that.    I knew the song and started singing the tune, but couldn't remember who sang it, so I had to google it.  Duh.  I'm not good at this game.  I'd definitely do better with some country.  
Hope you have a good day.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

rose - tom petty, BAM! now, off to read the rest of the posts...


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok i'm back. just went over to a friend's house for the morning. it was fun. i may or may not have eaten two chips ahoys and allowed thomas to have cookies for lunch 

where's *lindsay*??

*kathy* nice work on the run/walk this weekend! and i like your plans for exercise until vacation! i'm going to use you as my inspiration!

*maria* welcome to facebook! only problem is that your wall is blocked and i can't write on it! i was going to post on there welcoming you. but for now i'll just look at your cute profile pic 

*rose* little turd!  glad mike got the thank you emails out. they are so awkward to write and yet so important!! 

*taryn* hi! looks like a bunch of us are back on the band wagon with this new month. august will be a winning year 

how is everyone? when is *lisa* getting back? 

as a commitment to working out and being healthy, i'm going to do my own "walk to disney" ticker thingy doodle. 963 miles. obviously i can't do it by my next trip to disney in 40 days (woohoo) but the trip after that is in may with the new baby. so, that's 291 days. 291 days to walk 963 miles. i'm going to count running miles as well but since i'm mostly just walking these days i'm saying walking. i'll have to do 3 miles everyday to get to that goal. i think i'll be able to do it even though i don't walk everyday. most days i do at least 4 miles. and it'll keep me motivated after the baby comes (that and the fact that i want to do the marathon but may 2012 is much closer). so, that's my story. i did 4.6 miles already today! 

august is going to be a good month. i'm committed and it sounds like alot of us also are committed. 

tomorrow's my GD test. we'll see how that works out. basically it'll be another reminder to stay away from the crap. like i really needed another reminder.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Still singing that song in my head.....it's stuck there!

*Kathy*--great job on the hills!

*Nancy*--you are the exercising machine! Think how fit you will be when baby2 comes. And I was smiling about the committed comments--I feel like I should be "committed" lately! My brain is moving in too many different directions! Maybe I need to borrow some of Tom's meds. Really, just kidding. Good luck with the test tomorrow!

*Lindsay*--hope you are doing well!

Long day at work. I should have called in. 

Mike is working late and Tom is going out with friends tonight. Tomorrow he has his additional tests done and then we are going to spend the afternoon together. 

I accepted a friend request today from my first relative....One of Mike's cousins. He's actually a good guy. Buy you know me, I like things calm and drama free. So we'll see....

BTW--*Maria*, the cats are too cute!

I hope everyone is having a great Monday.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

oh my I feel like I have been away for weeks but its only been since friday.  I am just completely overwhelmed with life right now.  I just dont have the extra time in the day.  

Sat. I met my mom in the morning and we took the boys shopping for new sneakers and Ryans book bag for school.  I spent the afternoon at her house since my dh was in a golf tournament.  We then spent the evening at the horse track....the boys just love watching the horses.  

Sun. I went into work to try to catch up on some things for about 5 hours.  Then picked up the boys and took them to my nana's to play with their cousins.  Went grocery shopping and did not get back home from all of that until 8pm.  

Today was back to work and football.

Ryan made it through a 1/2 hour of football and then started limping.  He finished out the night with sitting out only for one drill but he was really favoring his leg.  He is not complaining now and didnt complain all weekend.  I have no idea whats going on.  We will take him to the doctor tomorrow and most likely he will at least be out the rest of the week.  He was so upset when I told him that.  Poor kid.  

I have been really stressed about work.  I have been asked to work on 2 huge projects as well as my own stuff and my office expansion.  I am really overwhelmed and overworked and my raise still is not in my paycheck.  I was told by my boss that most likely he will be moving me up to the next tier which is alot more money but he had to put together a plan for his boss and HR.  I feel like with all I am doing right now if he asks me to do something else I will use the line from jerry maguire. "show me the money"

So between work stress and ryan's injury I am just completely an irritable mess.  Im trying not to be but its so bad that I am having stomach issues and thats how I know its bad.  

I guess at least if he has to be out this week it gives me time to catch up on everything else...I should look at the positives right.

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

Rose- Glad you had a good trip and liked the area.  I will be saying some prayers for mike.  I know it will be so disappointing if he doesnt get it.  I hope you hear something soon.  Tom is so cute.  How could you be mad at him.  I dont think you are a bad mother at all for being ready to send him on his way.  Im sure he is ready to go back too.  

Nancy- ahh I love a fresh salon do.  I hope you got out to show it off.  I dont think I said it before but wanted to say that I think you Rock for being so selfless and giving up your career for the time being to stay home with thomas.  I honestly could not do what you do every day and I do think that thomas will be so happy and thankful for all that you do for him....He may not realize it until he is much older but someday he will.

Taryn- Glad you have a plan made for getting moving.  I need to do the same.  When do you go back to school?  

Kathy- I hope you had fun at the halloween day.  How is michael liking football?  I hope for our kids sake they are not having to worry about getting playing time.  I know its part of life as they get older but I think right now should still be about learning and fun.  

Maria- low carb on the start of PMS wow lady you are quite amazing.  That book title sounds quite interesting.  Oh and woohoo for getting on FB.  I accepted your request once I realized it was you.  I almost deleted it 

Ok I will try to get on here tomorrow.  I havent been on the BL board in forever I feel so bad.


----------



## flipflopmom

Well, ladies, it's my last day of freedom!  Can you believe I go back to work tomorrow??  Where in the lkajdsf;aldkjf;alj did my summer go?  The girls don't start until next Thursday, but still..  Sheez.  

I am really in clean out mode.  I worked in the den on some cabinets and bookcases yesterday.  We've been in this house 3 years now, and some of the stuff hasn't been touched since then.  Buh-bye!  I took out 3 bags of garbage yesterday, have a tub for yard sale, and a tote box to go out in the building.. I was not in a sentimental mood yesterday, so that helped. 

 Mom gave me 2 boxes she had cleaned out of her house.  Can you believe that one of them had every card I had ever sent my grandmother?  She passed away in Feb. before Daddy did in Sept, and Mom had all her stuff.  I mean, I loved my Granny dearly.  I did keep several cards from her.   But why in the WORLD did my mother think I wanted to keep ones I gave her?????

So I guess you know now why I had EVERY Orlando Sentinenal that had been delivered to our WL door on our honeymoon almost 15 years ago.    Don't worry, they are in the recycling bin now.

Worked from 6:00 until about 3, and then TOM decided to turn me inside out.  I spent the rest of the night on the couch, miserable.  Seriously.  Like, I think my cramps get worse the older I get!  I could hardly sleep last night. 

While I didn't workout per se yesterday, I moved a lot, which is better than sitting in the recliner, laptop in lap, writing papers.  Did really well with eating, other than a bit too much bread.  Trying to kick that carb addiction again.  

Today's to do list is immense.  I hope I can get through it all!!!  I would like to spend some snuggle time with the girls this afternoon for a bit, if possible. 

Don't know if I told you, but my principal called and wanted AK to work yesterday.  I let her walk there and home - only 3 blocks each way, but she felt really independent.  (Yes, she will be 12 in Sept. and I worry about her crossing the street!  Only because there is a TERRIBLE blind curve she has to cross right after, and it's hard to see stuff coming)  Anyway, she was loading chairs from the parking lot to courtyard, cleaning lockers, etc.  Principal asked her to come back Wed. and Friday, and will pay her Friday.  I am happy for her, she'll have some spending money outside of the necessities when we go school shopping Sat.   I need to rent her out more often!  


Enough about me already.  Sheez...
*
Nancy* - good luck with that sugar test!  Hated those.  Glad you were able to get out for a bit.  Love your walk to Disney plan. IF you are tempted to skip a day, just remind yourself how sad you would be next May to have to stay on I-4 in downtown Orlando for a week, the Bronx family on the side of the highway with a "I just couldn't do it, we're not going to WDW" sign.     Oh, back to the NC stuff (reminded because I just saw an ad for WF season tickets, holy cow they are cheap!!!) we watch wxii 12.  Think neill McNeill is on Fox 8.  Think that's his real name or he thought it would be good tv?

*Maria *- Are you following Atkins specifically?  I know low carb really helps take tummy off, and adding the carbs adds tummy.  I am trying to work out some sort of plan again.  When I did lose all my weight, I pretty much ate no sugar, some breads, but never really specifically counted carbs, just calories. My brother was diagnosed w/ diabetes last year, and has lost a LOT of weight following the diabetic low carb diet ( somewhere around 50 a day), I think the key is making that lifestyle, not "diet"

I'll try to remember to send you my FB name.  I have boycotted it this summer, just because I can get sucked in pretty easily and waste a lot of time, and that was one way to keep me focused on all those papers.  

Speaking of which, can you guys believe that I turned in a paper on June 18, THE ONLY GRADE FOR THAT CLASS, and still have not heard back from the professor????  Grades are due today at 10, so I should be able to see it soon.  

*Rose* - Hearing your comments about Tom reminds me of what someone told me when I had AK.  God gives us our children as babies to make sure we fall in love with them, and then turns them into teenagers so we are glad to see them go.    As AK gets closer to the teen years, I am beginning to understand.  Is he not planning on coming back until Christmas?  

*Kathy*  Good job on getting your exercise in on vacation, and I am so glad you had a good time!!!When do you go back?

*Lindsay* So sorry you are overwhelmed.  Completely understand the feeling, and I know that sometimes, just surviving is all you can do.  So be a survivor baby! I would definitely be saying show me the money if I had to work 5 hours on Sunday to get caught up.  Is there anything you can delegate to someone else?  Hope that raise comes through sooner rather than later!  Poor Ryan.  Is it his ankle, leg, achilles?  If it's a sprain, they can be tough to heal.  He may have to sit out for a while to really let it rest.  It's hard on kids, especially young ones, to understand they can do permanent damage if they don't rest an injury.  They just want to PLAY!  Here's ppd for a a food report today!  


Oh well.   Coffee's done, as is my computer time.  (Although I did do a load of  when I got up to refill my mug.  

Hope you all have a great day!  
Taryn


----------



## mikamah

Just a quick hello this morning, and a big group hug all around. Many of us could use it.  

I'm going to try and get the eating under control for the next 3 weeks.  No, not try, I am going to do it.  No excuses.  We aren't going away the next 2 weekends, so that will help a lot.  

Also going to exercise 5 days a week.  

Hope you all have a great day!  I need to go get everything ready for camp and breakfast, so I'm not yelling at michael when I'm running late.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy* i like your plan. you can do it! and WHEN you do you'll be so much happier when on vacation! 

*taryn* omg you had old newspapers from your honeymoon?? that is actually really cute! but, yeah, i think they can be recycled now! can't believe school starts already for you guys! we don't start around here til right after labor day!

*lindsay/B] aw, poor little ryan! that really stinks that his leg still hurts!!! hang in there with work. it is SO frustrating when you're given a billion things to do. it's like, "ok great you're giving me lots of work b/c you know i'm the best one to do it so how about coughing up some extra dough then too!??!" good luck getting it all done. i'm sorry about your stomach issues too. i tend to get belly issues when i'm stressed too. it's NOT good!

rose i have alot of aunts and uncles as friends on facebook. most of the time they are more scandalous than me! ever since my grandpa died my oldest uncle is much more open about being gay. i mean, duh, we all knew it. he's been with my "aunt" paul for 35 years! but it's funny now to see his ramblings on facebook from the gay pride parade and things like that. hehe. 

maria do you feel you learned anything from that why we get fat book? i have a feeling it has a picture of me eating the mcdonalds breakfast i had this morning with a caption that reads: "that's why" 

****

busy morning already today and i'm wiped. had my OB appt downtown this morning. knew i wouldn't get a walk in so i got up a little before 6 and went out for a 2.5 mile jog. i felt pretty good although it was very muggy out. i went slow though i'm not sure i could have gone faster even if i tried! at least i moved for 30 minutes today though. dropped thomas at my friend's at 7, got gas and was downtown by a little before 8. i actually found on the street parking...like, a REAL spot! woot! drank the nasty drink and sat trying not to ralph for an hour. got weighed in (155lbs, officially 20 lbs up, yeesh). doc came in and since i had a dress on i just pulled it up and he felt my belly and listened to the heartbeat. said everything's fine. i told him i'm exercising alot and he was happy but reminded me not to push myself. he was like, "you're not going out in this heat, right?" erm, well, yeah but i go early before it gets too hot. i expressed my worry about my weight gain. he didn't seem worried. said i could go see a nutritionist if i wanted. meh, i know what i need to do. i'm just eating too much.

oh and pulling up my dress to expose my belly was pretty awesome considering it's a JUNGLE down there and i realized afterwards that my underwear was on inside out. nice.

came back to the bronx, picked thomas up and heading to his pediatrician so he could get a shot that he was missing. he was good! i went to mcdonalds drive in and got breakfast for us. whatever, i worked out, i had a nasty drink, i wanted the darn mcdonalds. so, now we're home and fed and i'm pooped! 

talk to everyone later! *


----------



## Rose&Mike

I don't want to be gluten-free anymore. I have been trying for 2 days to find out if there will be any counter service locations open after the w&d or if any of the kiosks will have anything that is g-f and it is like banging your head against the wall. I have emailed both rundisney and disney dining. 

After telling rundisney that I needed to figure out what was going to available that was gluten free they informed me that they would have oranges, bananas and a "bread product" available for my "post race refreshments." Ok, obviously the person answering the email was beyond clueless, because I don't know how bread would be refreshing to someone who doesn't eat gluten!!!!! And really all I wanted to know was: are there going to be cs locations open and can you tell me what will be at the kiosks. Disney dining said they won't provide allergy info about the kiosks but I could talk to each kiosk individually. Yep, I'm going to wait in line for 30 minutes with a billion sweaty people to find out the food has gluten in it! I'm not ASKING you to make something special. I just want to know if the food you have is going to make me sick!!!!! Is this really an unreasonable request???? Don't they know what they are making? Shouldn't they have an ingredient list??? 

I'm sorry, I'm tired and burned out on life right now. I'm SICK TO DEATH of FOOD!!!! I hate food right now. Fine I can cook whatever I want at home but traveling or eating out is a major PITA. I have seriously thought about eating meat again just cause it would be so much easier, but I honestly think I would toss my cookies--oh except I can't have cookies. So nothing to toss. And tomorrow we have a staff retreat--guess what they are having for lunch? Pasta. Yum. So I have to pack a stupid lunch. I know it's just food, but I don't like it anymore.

I don't even want to run the stupid race.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok, rose, breathe. this is very frustrating, especially when you are asking ahead of time for their help. but maybe i can help. maybe emailing an actual person at runDisney instead of their general mailbox will help. i got a lovely email from a cast member when i asked about deferring the marathon for a year. i'm going to pm you her address as i don't think i'm allowed to just post it on the boards. she wrote me a nice email and when i wrote one back clarifying something she wrote back immediately and didn't just give me a generic response. 

maybe she can't help you but i'm sure she can at least direct you to the write people who can!

****
so, i have some news. i decided to nix the whole disney travel agent thing. it's just not going anywhere. i've booked a few vacations for friends but other than that i just can't drum up any business. it's hard in nyc b/c people either do it themselves or have a travel agent like liberty that they use. it's depressing actually. here is something i found i could do that i really loved and i'm a total failure at it! not only that but the agency i was working with was not helping me with leads. oh, and they would take like 4 months to pay me after each booking. oh well, it was fun while it lasted. *rose* i did suck it up and email the agency boss though and asked her for information on who to contact for gluten free options post-race. i got cut off of all the information once i told them i wasn't going to work with them anymore. hopefully she'll send it to me.


----------



## Rose&Mike

thanks Nancy. This is a really crappy disease for someone who hates to draw attention to herself to have because you are constantly having to ask for help/info. I think it's just a rough day period. I'm sitting in Tom's room while he packs up all his stuff, and I've been thinking about the fact that he might not come back to this house. I don't know why it's making me so sad today. Plus, I'm tired. I'm sure I'm over reacting. I shouldn't have tried to deal with it right now, I guess.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> thanks Nancy. This is a really crappy disease for someone who hates to draw attention to herself to have because you are constantly having to ask for help/info. I think it's just a rough day period. I'm sitting in Tom's room while he packs up all his stuff, and I've been thinking about the fact that he might not come back to this house. I don't know why it's making me so sad today. Plus, I'm tired. I'm sure I'm over reacting. I shouldn't have tried to deal with it right now, I guess.


----------



## Rose&Mike

So does it always mean they are shining you on when they tell you to "have a magical day" or do some of them really mean it? I really don't like being one of "those guests."

*Nancy*--I'm sorry the travel agent stuff didn't work out. I'm sure it's hard to not see it as a "failure", but sometimes things just don't work out. Easy for me to say, I know. Thanks for all your help. I emailed Meagan and she asked me if it had already been taken care of, and said if not she would be happy to help. She also said to have a magical day-- I told her I got a response but it consisted of a link to the kiosks (which tells you what country is there) and a mention of a bread product being available at the finish. And then went on to say, I hated to be a pain, but it's hard with this allergy (which it's not really an allergy, but that's ok) to just show up and hope food will be available. 

I think the reason I hate dealing with it all so much, is I feel like the whole thing is so out of my control when we are out. I'm sure it will get better.


Ok, enough pity party for one day. It could be worse. Mike said if I don't want to run I don't have to. But that we should take the trip anyhow, cause he thinks we both need it. I think I am going to have to suck it up and buy plane tickets. I was hoping to find out what was going on with the job, cause I guarantee if he is going to get an offer it will be the day after i shell out $600 for plane tickets.

No news yet, by the way, and I think no news right now is good news.

*Lindsay*--I hope you are having a better day.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

rose - if meagan isn't able to help you, try this: 407-824-5967 or email SpecialDiets@DisneyWorld.com. hopefully between meagan, the special diets AND calling you can get someone to help you! don't feel like you're being a pain. it's your health and it's important!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, I'm getting rid of my last post.  Meagan just sent me an email that said which counter service and kiosks are scheduled to be open (subject to change of course )

Thanks so much, Nancy!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!   

I missed all of you ladies the past few days!  

I did go back and read everything but it is kind of a blur so just smack me upside the head if it looks like I missed something important.  

*Maria,* congrats on snagging the fabulous airfare for the Princess!    I love the kitty pics -- even if one is a bit    I'm so glad that you are doing the Princess this year.  If I win the lottery I'll be there too.  And great job on doing 9 miles.  I know that you are going to totally rock your RnR this week-end.  I can't wait to hear all about it!  

*Nancy,* so glad that the OB appointment went well today and that you and the baby are doing great!    Kudos to you for keeping up your activity and if the doctor isn't worried about the weight then I guess you don't have to be so worried either.  Just do take it easy in the heat.   

I would just go to number 10 on Janet Evanovich.  You will miss some stuff but you can always go back.  And I would not feel bad about Wuthering Heights at all -- Bronte is hard to read not to mention all that moaning and groaning about Heathcliff is a bit depressing.    Do you like Jane Austen?  I love the dialogue.  I can never read Pride & Prejudice or Sense & Sensability too many times.  

*Lindsay,* glad that Ryan's leg is better.  Poor guy!    Woo hoo on the increase and promotion but it would be nice if they would actually give it to you instead of just talking about it.    Can you delegate some of your routine tasks to someone to help you deal with everything?  :flower3 

*Rose,* glad that you enjoyed your trip to FL.  Sounds like a nice deal for you all -- I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.    You know Southwest will let you use your airfare for a year if you have to cancel.  They are having a big sale this week for Fall airfare.  

*Taryn,* I can't believe that you have to go back to work already.    I hope that you get a good class this year but I have to admit that I miss the stories about the heathens!  

*Lisa,* thanks for keeping up the Tinker Bell thread!    I'm getting so excited about that race.  I bought my airline ticket today!  

*Kathy,* great job on keeping up the exercise and maintaining this summer.    I can't wait to hear all about your fabulous vacation on the beach.   

Hello to the rest of our princesses!   

Anyone see the new RunDisney merchandise?  I'm a bit disappointed that it looks like they are going to more generic stuff, like the parks, but hopefully there will be some good stuff at the Expos still that is more race specific.

We had a nice time on vacation but with all the family stuff it wasn't as relaxing as I was hoping.  Even the alcohol didn't always help.    I know I shouldn't complain but I can't help it.  With the airfare, car rental, and what we spend while we are there it worked out to be $600 a day for our five nights -- DH kept saying do you know how much fun we could have at Disney for that?!?   

Came home to find out that the neighbors next door had been burglarized on Saturday night.  Another neighbor thought it was just partying kids and ended up getting roughed up by the burglars.    Luckily my Mom didn't hear anything and the neighbors across the street kept an eye on her.   

Add me to the list of people who need to regroup and get their act together.  I know what I need to do but just need to actually do it, instead of talking about it.   

Anyone else listen to d-cot.com?  I'm listening to Soarin' right now.  I love that you can select whatever you want to listen to when you want to instead of listening to a canned program.  Disradio plays the same songs at the same time every day and I get a little tired of Splash over and over.  

I promise to be less cranky and tired when I come on again!


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> thanks Nancy. This is a really crappy disease for someone who hates to draw attention to herself to have because you are constantly having to ask for help/info. I think it's just a rough day period. I'm sitting in Tom's room while he packs up all his stuff, and I've been thinking about the fact that he might not come back to this house. I don't know why it's making me so sad today. Plus, I'm tired. I'm sure I'm over reacting. I shouldn't have tried to deal with it right now, I guess.



Rose, I'm glad that you were able to get the information that you needed.  I don't blame you for feeling frustrated and tired of dealing with things.    You know wherever you and Mike are will always be home to Tom.  

Was your medal last year silver or gold for W&D?  I saw a picture on Facebook and one looked like it was gold but another made it look like it was silver.  Silver makes more sense since it is Spaceship Earth.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

First let me say I really needed a good laugh and boy nancy you had me rolling in laughter (almost peed my pants) about your doctor visit today and how you had to pull your dress up....oh and about your aunt paul.  You just seriously crack me up. 

Nancy- glad the appt went good.  Well minus the whole pulling the dress thing up and you being disappointed with the weigh in.  I think by staying active you are doing yourself a great favor.  That weight will come up so much quicker...Im sure of it.

Rose- I am so sorry for all the food struggles.  That is so completely frustrating.  I am glad you got your answers.  I hope Tom gets off ok tomorrow and that saying goodbye is not to hard on you.

Kathy- Good plan. You can do it!!!!

Lisa- Welcome back.  Glad you had a good time.  Its funny you were saying about the headache of your family and the cost of the trip vs disney.  My parents are planning a week in ocean city, MD next year and want us to come.  Now my aunt, nana, and 9 cousins want to come too.  They want to get a huge house where we can all stay. ummm not my idea of a vacation.  I was saying that for the price of it all we can just take a long wkend in disney.

Hello Maria!

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

Well today I dropped ryan off at my friends then went back and got him at lunchtime and brought him back to my office to see the doctor.
She felt that he is very flat foot and from that his ankles pronate in.  She said that could be causing the tendonitis since it is being streched from the ankles turning in.  The cleats provide no support.  She referred us to see an ortho to get shoe supports or some kind of ankle support.  I was lucky to get a 430 appt with the only pediatric ortho is our area.  So I took ryan back to my friends and got back to the office around 145.  I then left at 330 to get him and take him to his appt.  

The ortho basically said that he thinks he could have over turned it while running on the uneven field.  He said that he also thinks the shoe could be rubbing him.  I said that he wears higher socks and had no redness or anything on his skin.  But he told me to get mole skin for that area and that he could try to keep playing. ummm what?????  I asked about the flat feet and ankle pronation and he didnt really even exam his walk or him standing.  He said thats nothing to worry about.  Ok well thanks for nothing.  What a waste of 30 bucks for my copay.

I know he is a specialist but with what our pediatrician said just makes so much more sense to me.  He has no swelling and said he doesnt remember injuring it that it just started hurting.  So we are using our best judgement to keep him out of practice the rest of the week.  I am going to try and stop by the running store tomorrow and see if they have any kind of arch support or cushioning pads for his cleats.  The next step would be to try different cleats but Im not sure that is the real problem.  I really hope we can fix him up.  He is already upset that he is missing practice.  The coach seems ok with it and asked what position we were comfortable with him playing.  We told him defensive line so hopefully this doesnt cause to much of a problem with him getting playing time.

It was nice to have a home cooked meal tonight! So there is my positive for the day.

Now Im off to bed to catch up on my zzzzzz's.


----------



## mikamah

Welcome home *Lisa*, we've missed you!!  Sorry your trip wasn't as relaxing as you had hoped.  It's hard to break family traditions, but it sounds like dh might be up for something different next year, like disney.  I'm glad I am not the only one who looks at the price of other things in comparison to disney world.   We can do this!!  We can get our act together.  I didn't quite get it together today, but I did start tracking the food, until the ice cream cone I had after dinner. C'est la vie.  Whoo hoo for buying your airline ticket!!  Soooo excited for you.  About this time last year, I think you and LIndsay registered for the princess.  These next 6 months will fly by!  

*Lindsay*- So sorry little Ryan's foot isn't better.  I hope he got it checked out and everything is ok.  I can imagine it is very frustrating not to see the increase in your pay yet.  You are right, they need to show you the money before they add any more onto your plate.  Michael had fun at the clinic last week, but I let him skip monday night.  This week is totally voluntary, and next monday starts official practice, so since he's missing the last 2 weeks of summer, I'll make sure he makes that the next 2 weeks.  I think he's going to like it, but I think it will be a big adjustment when school starts.  Hang in there. 

*Taryn*- I can't believe you're going back to school already either.  Though I remember I couldn't believe you were done so much earlier than we were.  We're the same as Nancy, and go back the wed after labor day.  We're one of the few towns around here that doesn't start before labor day.  But we got out june 28th.  Nice job on the cleaning out.  I have a hard time parting with stuff too, but my house is too small to save it all.  I only got ds to part with a ton of stuff with the promise of a yard sale in the fall.  Hope you have a smooth transition back to school!

*Rose*-  I'm glad to hear you finally got some answers about the restaurants and stands during f&w.  Sounds like you had a stressful, aggravating and emotional day.  I hope you are winding down tonight, maybe with a g-f beer.   Lisa is right and Tom's home will be wherever you and Mike are, but I'm sure there are so many memories making it tough for him to leave too.  I hope he has a smooth trip back to school, and all goes well with his meds and the treatment plan at school.  

*Maria*-Have you been sucked into the facebook yet?  Not to tempt you, but I do like to relieve a little stress with some bejeweled blitz.  Your kitties are adorable.  How's the lower carb thing going for you?  It's looking like a nice weekend ahead for your half.  Hopefully not too hot.  

*Nancy*- Glad all went well at the doctors, and since he's not concerned with the weight, neither should you be.  20 pounds really is not that bad, and you have been soooo impressively active this summer, I am certain you will lose it very quickly and be back to your non pregnant goal weight.  If you'll be nursing too, that usually helps get it off too.  Sorry the disney travel thing didn't work out for you.  I so wish I could have had you plan a trip for me.  I think with the internet, it's rare that people use travel agents much any more, and I don't know how many disney planners there are out there, but it seems like a lot.  I've met a couple as patients, and a friend of a friend also does it.   You had me  on the inside out underwear.  You are so funny.  Next time just skip the undies. 

*Lisaliesel*- How's the running going?  You must be getting excited too.  I'm so excited for both of our lisabelles.  And a little jealous too. 

Good evening ladies.  
I'm tired.  Michael's tired.  We were both a little cranky tonight.  I tried to act  like the adult, but I don't know how effective I was.  I know he's tired from camp, but I'm tired too, but he's asleep now, and I'm following shortly, and tomorrow I hope we both wake up with better attitudes.  Nothing major, just stupid aggravating stuff.  This week he's at Ocean Adventure camp, and is having a blast, but it's go-go-go out in the sun all day, so I need to cut him a bit more slack.  Especially since tomorrow he has football clinic after camp.  I promise to act like the adult tomorrow.  

I know, maybe if I exercised that would help.  But I'm too tired now, so I will tomorrow.  I'm sensing a procrastination pattern here.  But really I will.  

Hope you all sleep like princesses tonight, and tomorrow is a better day all around!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*rose* i'm glad the runDisney gal was able to help you! what time does tom leave today? how long is the drive for him? 

*kathy* how are you and michael feeling this morning? any less crabby than last night? i hope so! i was in a mood last night myself. i think the heat has alot to do with it. i get very snippy when i'm hot. so, you know, it'll be pretty awesome when i feel like i'm frying while in disney in september!  what is ocean adventure camp?? that. sounds. AWESOME! i want to go!!

*lisa* welcome back! we missed you! really! sorry about the family issues while on vacation but at least DH recognized them! my problem with the ILs is that DH just doesn't understand when his family is being crazy (which by the way is ALL the time but that's a whoooole other story). it's funny because people often say to us things about how disney is so expensive and really if you think about the cost of other vacations it's not that bad! and it's way more fun than dealing with ILs! 

oh and d-cot. i listen to that every so often. lately on my walks i've been listening to sorcerer radio. they have an app that usually works (lol!) and i like listening to it although sometimes they play things that i'm not crazy about. i like when they play soarin' but sometimes they play weird teeny bopper music that i'm not crazy about. they have been playing this hysterical song though by weird al called something like jungle cruise guide. it's worth a youtube search for the song. it's about how this guy went to juliard and wanted a career in acting and now he's just a "tour guide on the jungle cruise ride." it's funny! 

*lindsay* that is SUCH a bummer than ryan is out for the week. and what's up with that ortho doctor?? it is SO frustrating going to a specialist and they don't seem to give you the time of day. GRR!! how far is the next ortho doc? can you get a 2nd opinion? 

*maria* almost race time!!!

*hi taryn! liesel! everyone else!*

****

well it's only about 74 degrees out right now so i better get a move on and go for my walk. i keep trying to think of new snacks and ways to bribe thomas that he'll let me go for longer walks. 

yesterday was just a nonstop eat-fest after that stupid sugar test. i hate how i always feel like "ok, today i'm starting over." i've been saying that since the 8th grade! it's crazy! it never ends and it's exhausting. 

the longer i sit here on the couch the more i want to just sit here and sulk a little. need to get out and enjoy the day. 

i'm contemplating doing the race for the cure in central park next month. it's the day after we get back from disney. i did it last year - my first 5k as an adult. i mean, yeah, i'll be tired after getting in late the day before but it's not like we can sleep in anyway with thomas! i'll plan on walking it this time.

alright, gotta get moving. need some water and a tums. hello heartburn!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay*--I would have been so frustrated! Your experience is part of the reason I avoided dealing with the itbs so long--and part of the reason I am still living with the ankle soreness 2 months later. I hope Ryan is up and running around soon!

*Kathy*--I hope you have a less cranky evening!

*Lisa*--glad you are back! I'm sorry it wasn't as stress-free as it could have been! Would you believe we haven't bought our airline tickets yet for w&d! And you already have your tink tickets!

*Nancy*--You had me smiling yesterday with your ob story. When do you get the results from the gluten test? They never called me with the results from my first test and I showed up for my next appointment and all of a sudden it became a big deal that I had to go have the second test asap! Luckily I had no issues with the second one!

******
Tom got off ok today. He drove most of the way today (he's through the worst of the mountains) and is staying with a friend tonight. I was a mess last night and this morning but I'm feeling better this afternoon. Could be because I haven't had a period since mid-June again! I feel like I have a chronic case of pms. Someone said they skip theirs when they run 1/2s, so I'm wondering if the race in May messed things up. Who knows??? I feel good, so I'm not going to worry too much about it.

I have not had a volunteer yet to hostess the fall challenge. Hopefully someone will step up.

Have a great evening everyone! I think I'm going to take a catnap before Mike gets home. I will miss Tom, but it's nice to have my quiet house back.


----------



## mikamah

Good evening, Princesses!!  

Well, I'm less cranky tonight, but michael not so much.  We just got home from football practice, after a day at the beach kayaking with his camp, and had a little breakdown about showering.  I gave him an option of showering now and going to bed at 9, or showering in the am and going to bed at 8:30, and he just whined and moaned about it and finally decided to shower now, but said he just wasted 10 minutes trying to get his sweaty shirt off.    It was hard not to let him see me laugh.  

This weeks camp has been so much fun for him, but he's beat.  It's a Y camp, and there's a field trip every day.  Monday was a local beach where they build a survival raft and then tried it out, yesterday was a big beach for the day in gloucester, today another local beach for kayaking and tidal pooling, tomorrow is a different beach, and friday is a whale watch.  He is loving it.  I think it's his favorite camp so far, since he loved swimming so much anyway.  

*Rose*- Glad ds got off ok.   Hope you're able to enjoy the quiet time again, without it being too quiet.  Hope you got a nice nap in.   I sent you a pm about hostessing.  

*Nancy*- Did you get out for your walk?  It is so beautiful here right now.  I actually felt a bit cool at football practice.  I agree disney can be done for a decent price.  We've only stayed in the park, but when my sister went and rented a house with her inlaws, the house alone was the same price for her share we pay for the value resort, so add the car and parking, and in the park was cheaper.  

Off to put some laundry in.  I am on call tonight and tomorrow  night, just til 11pm, and I'll bring michael to my brothers if I get called in, but I just remembered my 16yo niece has her license, so if I get called in later, and she's home, I'm going see if she'll come here so michael can go to bed early.  That will be perfect.  I usually do my call on weekends, but with my vacation, I needed to pick up a couple more shifts.  

I didn't exercise yet, but am  going to do some wii fit now.  Hope you're all having a nice evening.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- You seriously are my hero for continuing to walk and run during your pregnancy and now you are considering signing up for a 5K...you are amazing. 

Rose- Glad your feeling better now.  Im sure as much as tom may drive you crazy when he is home....it will always be hard to say goodbye.  Im glad he made it through those mountains.  

Kathy- Poor michael! its tough being a kid and having so much fun all day long that you are miserable by night fall.  The Y camp sounds like so much fun and right up a boys alley.  Im glad he is having a great time.  Hopefully he can catch up on some rest over the weekend.  

Taryn- I hope your first day back was a good one.

I finally had a normal day where I didnt feel like my head was going to spin.  Work was not too bad and I actually got some stuff done.  Then my parents dropped ryan off at my office around 5.  We went to the running shoe store and I found him arch supports for his shoes.  The were 26 dollars and I have 30 days to return them if they are not working out.  I hope its what he needs and doesnt cause any other harm.  He is still a bit gimpy but he says its better.  One of the moms sent out pics from last nights practice and he saw the kids starting to work on blocking and going for the flags.  He asked why they were doing it without him and I told him practice just cant stop because his leg hurts.  He burst into tears.  I didnt expect that reaction so now I will keep any pics I see to myself.  I know he really wants to get back out there but its only one more night he will miss and hopefully he can get back into it on monday.

I got home by 6 and made dinner.  It was nice to spend a night at home instead of running around like crazy.  The boys are spending the night at my moms tomorrow so I am really looking forward to a quiet evening.  Maybe even getting in a run too.

I couldnt wear a pair of my size 12 dress pants today.  So I really need to get myself back in gear.  Im so embarressed and upset but I just cant seem to get it together for more than a day or two. 

Have a good night my friends!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy* poor michael is right! it ain't easy being a kid, is it? nothing worse than HAVING to take a shower after a long day of swimming and football playing!  i liked the options you gave him. i'm going to put that in my pocket for a few years from now! shower now and an extra half hour or shower tomorrow and head to bed early. makes perfect sense to me! 

do you often get called in when you're on call? that's rough - you can't really relax! but at least you have family nearby who can watch michael if you do get called in.

*lindsay*  i'm so bummed about those stupid pants for you. i think we have ALL been there. heck i'm there right now. i mean, sure i'm "supposed" to be gaining weight right now but it's coming on FAST and everything's getting bigger. there's no such thing as "all baby" for this pregnant gal. i find that the summer is harder to lose weight. you'd think it'd be the other way around but during the summer there is much less schedule and regularity to the day. during the fall and winter you get back on a schedule and can be more on track. at least that's how it is for me! you'll get back there! we all will! i got all re-committed to healthy living in august - it's the 4th and i need to re-re-commit!

aw, poor ryan - he must have thought they'd wait for him! i hope those inserts help!!

*lisa* how has getting back to work been? crazy?

*taryn* hope the first day back was good. 

morning everyone! i slept pretty good last night. first time in forever! john is getting thomas up out of his crib right now so he slept in a bit too. i even got half a cup of coffee in me before he got up! 

one of my uncles stopped by yesterday and dropped off three ginormous bags of toys, puzzles, books, blocks, etc. he and my aunt live down in manhattan and have a 5.5 year old girl. we are now completely inundated. look, i appreciate all the stuff but my house is 800 square feet! do you know how small that is? SMALL! i think i'm going to pick some things and then donate the rest to our mommy and me. omg and now we're going to have ANOTHER kid and all that baby stuff needs to come out - swing, pack n play, oh my! 

i want to thank everyone for motivating me to keep up the exercise and not just throw in the towel. i know i've been annoying about obsessing about the whole gaining weight thing. i guess it's just hard to turn that off when you've been working so hard to lose for a long time. i know i CAN lose weight, i just don't want to have to lose SO much again, you know? and i'm starting to stress out about the nursing thing. i just don't know how i'm going to nurse exclusively with a toddler around. and i really would like to get a break and have john give the new baby some bottles - he NEVER had to do that with thomas. but will i feel guilty? 

oh and i don't lose weight while nursing! i cling to it! the princess weekend was when i stopped nursing and in the few weeks after that, the final almost 7 lbs came off...AFTER i stopped. 

thomas is playing with his new blocks right now and he's happier than a pig in piggy poo! 

have a great day all! and thanks for reading my ramblings!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Holy cannoli batman--I got the deal of the century this morning!

I've been watching airfares--and found airfare to w&d for $248.00--that's 248.00 total for me and Mike!!!! Usually I hope to pay that much per ticket!

I keep thinking it's a hoax, so I printed everything in case there is a mistake! I wonder if someone loaded it wrong in the computer! It's delta by the way--which I usually try to avoid, but for that price--goodness!

So now we have tickets, and if the job works out and we are already there I won't be out very much. It was worth it to know I got the flights I wanted.

It will be a good day today, no matter what.

I got pm's from some of you this morning--thanks so much! You all are the best. I will get back with you this evening. I am out of time this morning.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- You are not annoying by any means and I can understand how you feel gaining the weight even though there is an excuse for it...you still just worked so hard to loose the weight.  I really understand how you feel because I am putting on some weight and I have no excuse.  It will be ok though!!!  Its just added work after the baby that you werent really expecting to have to do but you will get it all off yet again and we will be here to support you through it.  

As far as nursing.  Can you pump so john can give the baby a bottle.  Thats what I did and it worked out well.  I also found that I could do more with my hands while my 2nd one was nursing.  Ryan was 2 1/2 yr old at the time.  If he needed a cup openend or something done at least I had my hands to help him.  I only BF for 3 months and then shortly after returning to work I stopped pumping all together so I am not an expert but just thought I would offer my experience with having an toddler and an infant at the same time.  I found it harder to help ryan while I was bottle feeding.   

I too did not loose any weight while nursing like they say you should.  In fact I started WW at 6 wks post partum and my milk supply started to decrease so it made me think I should eat more....well we all know how that turned out.

Rose- Wow that is some good airfare prices.  That is a great way to start the day!

**********************************************************
Yes I am taking a moment during my day to say hello...so you know my life is slowing down a bit. Im sure it wont last for long but I am enjoying it while I can.

I am excited about an evening without the kids.  I feel bad saying that. I know I will miss them and be excited to see them friday after work.  

I also am excited because the new season of jersey shore starts tonight. I know I am even embarressed to admit it.  But I know you all love me just the same...even if I enjoy watching trash tv.

Have a great day!!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Nancy- You are not annoying by any means and I can understand how you feel gaining the weight even though there is an excuse for it...you still just worked so hard to loose the weight.  I really understand how you feel because I am putting on some weight and I have no excuse.  It will be ok though!!!  Its just added work after the baby that you werent really expecting to have to do but you will get it all off yet again and we will be here to support you through it.
> 
> As far as nursing.  Can you pump so john can give the baby a bottle.  Thats what I did and it worked out well.  I also found that I could do more with my hands while my 2nd one was nursing.  Ryan was 2 1/2 yr old at the time.  If he needed a cup openend or something done at least I had my hands to help him.  I only BF for 3 months and then shortly after returning to work I stopped pumping all together so I am not an expert but just thought I would offer my experience with having an toddler and an infant at the same time.  I found it harder to help ryan while I was bottle feeding.
> 
> I too did not loose any weight while nursing like they say you should.  In fact I started WW at 6 wks post partum and my milk supply started to decrease so it made me think I should eat more....well we all know how that turned out.
> 
> Rose- Wow that is some good airfare prices.  That is a great way to start the day!
> 
> **********************************************************
> Yes I am taking a moment during my day to say hello...so you know my life is slowing down a bit. Im sure it wont last for long but I am enjoying it while I can.
> 
> I am excited about an evening without the kids.  I feel bad saying that. I know I will miss them and be excited to see them friday after work.
> 
> I also am excited because the new season of jersey shore starts tonight. I know I am even embarressed to admit it.  But I know you all love me just the same...even if I enjoy watching trash tv.
> 
> Have a great day!!!!



lindsay - thanks for the insight! i am on the fence about pumping. i tried pumping with thomas and could never get anything out! i have ginormous ****s and had tons of milk but anytime i'd sit down and try to pump i just couldn't get more than an ounce! i think if we do the bottle it'll just have to be formula. even just saying that is making me break out in hives though which is RIDICULOUS because tons of people bottle feed for goodness sakes! i'll just have to do my best with the b@@b and the toddler. 

and, um, thanks for reminding me about jersey shore - i just DVR'd it.  i saw that there's a true hollywood story about snookie but i just couldn't bring myself to watch it. 

where are the boys staying tonight? i have yet to have thomas spend the night someplace else. i wish my parents would take him for a night but we all know that's not going to happen! enjoy your evening. RELAX! 

*rose* holy cannoli is right! the flight for our sept trip was $198 pp and i thought _that_ was a good deal. i know alot of people have issues with delta but i have to say i'm pretty happy with them. of course, watch, i'll get screwed by them but so far so good. when i was about 8 weeks preggo with thomas we flew delta to ireland to do some touring and also see john's family (who by the way are awesome and totally normal so of course they live in another country!). john went to the podium to ask if we one of us could be on an aisle seat since i was going to have to get up and move around alot. he comes back and tells me they are booked and they couldn't do what he wanted....instead they upgraded us to first class! OMG! and of COURSE we had both just slammed down a huge burger king meal and were too full for the fancy meal they give you. and of course i couldn't have the free booze too! oh well, relaxing was nice and definitely made me feel warm and fuzzy towards delta!

***

i'm about to lay the little guy down for a nap. he just had lunch and, you know, i had to finish half his grilled cheese for him. those calories don't count...right? 

it's absolutely gorgeous here today. we went for a 5.5 mile walk and even he was pretty comfy sitting there while i did it! came home, showered and went to the pool for an hour. came home from that and the stupid dog had helped herself to ALL the stuffed animals my uncle pete gave us yesterday.

our beach club is having a seafood feast with lobster on saturday. should be fun. i have to head over there this afternoon to pay for it and have to think about what kind of dessert i'm going to bring. hmmm....


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Just a quick post so you don't think I've fallen off the face of the Earth...lots going on at work, lots to do and we were just told today we are merging with another agency. I would actually call it "absorbing", since we are much bigger than they are, but of course people are nervous and tense -- since that is all the information they received. 

I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be for Providence -- gotta pack tonight and we are leaving tomorrow after Ben's orthodontist appt. in the afternoon. I'm working tomorrow morning, so I'm very hopeful I'll get one more DIS post in. 

Thank you so much for the hilarious, heartfelt, and thoughtful posts. I'm reading along and they've really brightened my day -- *Nancy* you made me laugh out loud with the Jungle! I have a funny feeling you normally have much more maintenance than I'm willing to do! 

Ok, one quick tidbit to share before I go eat my tuna salad and watch "Haven" -- I was watching "Toddlers and Tiaras" (see, I can judge no one!), and one of the moms said she wanted her daughter to do pageants because someday she'll be a wife and mother, and she needs to learn about taking care of herself and presenting herself with hair and makeup done because men need that in their lives...I'm afraid my poor Dennis may be suffering from a severe deficiency, because after 18 years there's only so much effort I'm going to make...

Maybe I'm inspired now and I'll actually read one of the magazines I subscribe to and make an effort  Well, maybe after the Half while ds is at camp, I'm bound to have a little more time for myself...

Everyone have an awesome evening, and a fantastic weekend just in case I don't make it back!

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--Have a FABULOUS race!!!! I was listening to The Middle during my workout and thought about you. Didn't you post the lyrics once? It's one of my favorite songs and always makes me smile!

*Lindsay*--enjoy your kid free night. I don't think you should feel guilty at all for wanting some down time!

*Nancy*--my milk never came in. Tom was actually failure to thrive. It was so awful. I should have never even tried to bf. I had way too many complications, one of which was life-threatening. I woke up from emergency surgery with two or three ivs and blood dripping into one of them from a transfusion. All this happened right after he was born. Anyhow, the ob begged me not to bf, the nurses guilted me into trying it. Should have listened to the ob. Tom was a formula baby--and a national merit scholar. Don't feel guilty no matter what you do. They can turn out ok even on formula. Of course he does have adhd. I'm sure some people will link that to formula. Oh, and you want a horrible mother story--my teeny tiny mother told me I couldn't bf cause my girls were too big--had nothing to do with the post partum hemmorhage or the million other complications. And she was worried about Mike and the fact that I was going to be "out of commission for a while." Seriously, not making it up. That was the beginning of the end for our relationship. Can you tell 20 years later it still ticks me off a little. 

Hi to Lisa, Liesel, Kathy, Taryn, and Jude (if you are reading along!)

I have actually worked out 2 days in a row, and I'm going to run in the morning! Too exciting! Mike is at a work dinner, so I am enjoying a quiet house! 

Oh *Kathy*, I bought The Help the other day, and I'm looking forward to reading it!

Ok, talk to you all later. Have a great evening.

Still singing that Tom Petty song, by the way.


----------



## lisah0711

Good luck, *Maria!* 

Can't wait to hear how your literally and figuratively rock it at your RnR half this week-end!  

 Hello to everyone else.  Will post more tomorrow.


----------



## mikamah

Good evening princesses!!  

*Maria*- Good luck on sunday!!    You are so ready for that race.  I had thought about trying to come down and cheer you and Cam on sunday morning, but I don't think I'm going to be able to.  I think michael needs a low key weekend to regroup, so we're just going to hang home, and sunday afternoon go to my nieces birthday party.  Have a fabulous time!!   It looks like it could be right up there with the disney races.  

*Rose*- I just bought Cold Mountain.  I went to the second hand book store the other night, and was trying to remember the authors you all were talking about here, and did remember stephanie Plum, and Evanowich, but they didn't have either in paperbacks.  They had some hardcover Evanowich, but so many, I didn't know which to pick and I found Cold Mountain.  I also picked up Michael J Foxes memoir, Lucky Man, and started that first.  The Help was an awesome book.  You poor thing going through all that after you had Tom.  What a nightmare.  When I worked ICU, postpartum patients made us all so nervous.  Most often if they were bad, they'd be transferred to Boston.  And shame on your mom.   Enjoy that quiet house tonight.  And amazing airfare deal!! 

*Lisa*-How are you doing today?  Getting back into the old routine, without those margaritas?  I hope the transition back to reality wasn't too tough on you.  Is Robert doing more summer camp, or does he go back to school soon?  Hope you're having a good week, and are back in the swing of things.  

*Nancy*- I too would not worry about what other people think about bottle feeding, and do what works for you and your family.  What ever will make it easier for you is the right thing to do.  You are amazing with the walks.  I on the other hand have committed to my exercise plan, so have had my 2 rest days, and only 1 exercise day, so I need to exercise today and the next 3.  Most of the time I'm on call I don't get called in.  I hear weekday evenings it very unlikely to be called in since most cases can wait til morning, but my fingers are still crossed.  It also seems to go in spurts.  For a while last year, I got called in a lot for the small amount of call I do, but the money is good if I get called in, so I truly don't mind either way.  
Do you have a basement?  My house is 925 sf, so I know how small your house is, but we have a full basement thank god.  I don't know about your uncle, but I give a lot of stuff to my sister, and I don't expect her to keep it all, if she doen't need or want it, she can just pass it along.  I actually got this house because the couple had one child, and was expecting a second, and needed something bigger.  Glad Thomas is enjoying the new toys.  Take a deep breath, you all will fit there when the baby comes, it will be nice and peaceful and cozy.  

*Lindsay*-So glad things are quieting down a little today, and you have a night without the boys.  No guilt allowed.  They are going to have a ball with your parents, and you can just relax and enjoy your husbands company.  Poor ryan when he saw the pictures.  They hate to miss anything.  I hope the inserts help his foot, and he's fine to play on monday.  Michael got his shoulder pads and helmet tonight, and sat we'll go to the store to get the rest.  He was all excited when he realized his last name will be on the shirt, just like his big cousin who played in high school.  I think it's going to be fun to watch, but my fingers are crossed I'll be watching him play not sit on the bench.  Sorry about the pants too.   It's sucks that we do this to ourselves.  I know we can get back on track and lose the weight for good.  My sil and I have exchanged clothes back and forth, as we've gone up and down in our weight.  We were remembering 5 years ago before our first disney trip we started around labor day, and we both did really well and lots a good amount of weight before disney in dec.  We'll be together for vacation in 2 weeks, and hope to inspire each other and do it again.  Gotta keep on trying.  We can do it!!

Hello there, *Liesel and Taryn*. Hope you're having good weeks!!

Michael came home from camp today on cloud 9.  They went to the beach and he had 2 slushes, and tomorrow is the whale watch from 12-7, but before that they are going to do the zip-line at the Y.  He chickened out last year, and he's so excited but he's also hoping he doesn't chicken out again.  I hope he does it.  I am sure he'll love it if he does, but I think the climb up the pole is a little daunting, and it's too easy to turn around.  

Bonus for me, is it's my 10-2 day, so I have from 2-7 all to myself.   Guilt free too!!  Mommy guilt is so overrated.  I plan to come home and take a run/walk, and that's all I have planned but I may just sit out on my porch and read, do nothing for the rest of the time.  5 hours does go by fast.  

Hope you're all having a nice evening.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i'm reading The Help now! i am the.slowest.reader.ever! so i'll probably finish it sometime in the next century. i'm enjoying it so far and in the first 20 pages there was mention of "nehis" which are sodas. when i was in college in NC it was like total culture shock sometimes, especially when i met my friends' parents. my one girlfriend comes from a very southern family. you know, she has the two name first name and all that. her mom came to visit and kept talking about nehis and they still laugh to this day because i told them they could probably just get a few pairs of stockings at CVS. you know, knee-highs! hehe. 

*maria* go maria! go maria! go maria!! can't wait to hear about the half! i'll be thinking of you! are you going to wear your WISH shirt? i meant to order one this last go around and forgot. boo. guess i'll wait til next time. i actually wouldn't mind a visor. have a great race! hydrate! i hope the weather is good. i'm going to go check weather.com to see! 

*kathy* enjoy your short day today. and it's friday to boot! nice! we have a basement but it's not finished. in fact, in order to get into the basement and do laundry i have to go outside and get down there through a storm door. it's SO annoying. we would like to finish the basement and get stairs down there that aren't outside but that's like a $50k purchase that we're not sure we want to do. we'd really like to move into a bigger house in silver beach but nobody leaves this neighborhood! that friend who said she's moving? haven't heard ANYTHING from her all summer. we may wind up just staying here and finishing the basement. i can't complain though - my aunt and uncle were next to us until last year when they bought and re-did my grandpa's house around the corner. the house was identical, except their basement was finished....and they had THREE kids! 

oooo! i hope michael does the zipline! but if not it sounds like he's still going to have a great time today. whale watching?? awesome! sounds like this has been a really fun camp. i mean, anything that involves not one but TWO slushies has my name written all over it! 

*rose* you poor thing! i wonder what caused all those complications?? my goodness how scary. oh and real nice about your mom.  my mom was pretty nasty post-baby as well. besides the fact that she never came down to offer to help, i think when thomas was about 4 or 5 days old i got mastitis (for the first time). i hadn't slept at all yet and had a fever of 103 or something. she called and i started crying...like alot. she said, "well for someone who wanted a baby so bad you'd think you'd be on cloud 9 instead of crying all day like a baby."

mind you, my mother went back to school at age 56 or so and became a nurse. so, like, she had to learn about all sorts of medical things including hormones and other post-partum conditions! AND, she had a kid! AND she had a kid with bad colic. instead of offering to help she tells me to buck up. rose, how did we end up with such classy ladies as moms???

*lindsay* how did last night go? did you enjoy your kid-free time? i hope so!! i have jersey shore taped and will probably watch it tonight...or, maybe at nap time 

*lisa* how was the training clinic? what did you do? you know, besides run your tushie off!

**
good morning friends! i'm up again today. i swear one of these days i'll just accept it. but after doing 5 mile workouts it's so annoying! i mean, i DID have carvel ice cream cake last night...oh, and mr. softee came to the beach club yesterday afternoon. forgot about that. 

holy COW thomas is standing against the couch and hanging his head in his poop stance. the smell just wafted over... back in a sec...

shoo! back. anyway, we had a really nice summer vacation day yesterday. pool in the morning, lunch and nap at home, beach club in the afternoon, dinner and aunt and uncles. we did a virtual birthday party for my cousin tracey who went to hawaii with us. she's in michigan at school. used our ipads. it was really funny. my aunt mary kept saying, can you see me? do i look thin?? lol! she just lost 28 lbs so she's feeling very good about herself!

oh and i may or may not have fought with a 4 year old at the pool yesterday.  thomas and this girl - amaya? anaya? some weird name - were the only two in the baby pool. she kept taking his ball and throwing it far away. whatever, no biggie. thomas got out of the pool and was whining a little and i asked him if he wanted a drink or a little snack. and don't you know this 4 year old comes up and tells me that "he can't eat in here. it's not allowed." and i looked right at her and said, "you know, nobody likes a tattletale." WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?? she's 4! i'm an adult! luckily he didn't want a snack so we just left it at that. i got made at a 4 year old for telling me the rules. nice, nance, nice.

looks like another nice day today! have a great one gals


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy-* Don't worry about it, it sounds like that 4 year old had it coming to her.  She'll learn who's balls she can mess with. 
You're not alone, my scale is going up too, and I'm not even pregnant!  I know what I'm doing, and not doing, and now am down to 2 weeks pre vacation to get it under control.  Today is the day.  I got to stop eating so much.  sheesh.  

Have a fantastic friday, princessbelles!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Rose,* congrats on snagging the fabulous airfare to the W&D!    Are you staying at the BWV?  I wonder if they will have the Halloween decorations up when you are there?

And a big  on the delivery and Mom thing.  What a piece of work your Mom is.    I'm glad that you have kept her out of your life.  

*Lindsay,* hope that you enjoyed your night last night without the boys.  Too bad it is a work day today.  I know that you will be happy to see them again tonight.  I'm sorry about the pants thing.    I know exactly how you feel.  That is one of the reasons I finally grabbed ahold of myself this week -- I was having to say "no, that will be too tight" one too many times.  

*Nancy,* you may be able to pump more this time around if you need to.  It won't be easy and it will take some time but I know that you will get things worked out.   

And, if not, you can tie your kids to the clothesline like your grandmother did!    Was there a swimming hole in the backyard?  That was funny story.  

I was another one who never quite got the BF thing down and ended up with a failing to thrive baby, an extra day in the hospital, and a kid who took off as soon as we gave him the bottle.  I just supplemented with pumped milk. 'Course turns out it was in BPA bottles but he's been in the 95th percentile all his life and is a smart wonderful guy.  I think we blame ourselves too much for all the things that happen to them when in fact they are all wonderful folks, in spite of us or because of us, you pick!   

*Maria,* interesting news at work.  I hope that you won't be affected by it.  I would be very surprised if the new outfit had anyone who writes as well as you do!  

Good luck on Sunday!    Can't wait to hear all about it.  

*Taryn,* hope that the first week back hasn't been too hard.  Just think of all those smiling faces you will see next week!  

*Lisa,* hope the last week of summer isn't too hectic.  

*Kathy,* enjoy your afternoon off!    Hope you get to hang out on the porch and maybe even take a nap.   

I think a relaxing, regrouping week-end is just what is needed!    We are going to do one ourselves, too.  The transition this week has not been a smooth one.  Every single person I talk to is tense as tense can be, myself included!   

We can get ourselves back on track together!   

I managed to lose 3 of the 3 1/2 pounds I gained on vacation so I will be posting a 1/2 pound gain today.  I'm pretty happy with that since I didn't get on track again until Tuesday and didn't run yet this week.

Yep, wimped out on running yesterday in the 93 degree heat so my 8 miles will be a bit of a chore on Saturday.  I'm going to run in the mornings when I know it is going to be hot so I don't have to worry if it is too hot to do my training group.  

Have a great day, ladies!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

um, lisa, i wouldn't exactly call it _wimping_ out when you don't run in NINETY degree weather! i'd call it making a wise decision! that's too hot. 

and, yeah, i just had to laugh when my uncle posted about my grandmother. for anyone who didn't see it...i posted on fb about how i'm getting thomas a swim bubble so i don't have to catch him every time he jumps in the pool. my uncle posted the following ("sena" is my uncle tommy's nickname - my dad is one of 10 kids and not one of them goes by their real name): "just to share- Grandma used to tie Sena to the clothes line cause he used to wander too much. No sh.t! If it happened today we would have been on Nancy Grace. Just reporting the facts "

LOL! when you have that many kids you need to do something to keep track of them! my grandma, god bless her, was a little bit on the crazy side and this was certainly NOT the craziest thing she did! 

****

well i went out for my walk but it was UGLY! i was SO SLOW and managed 3.5 miles. took me an hour to do it! i think i need a little break from the workouts. i'm 24 weeks today and need to not push too hard. my belly felt a little weird today too so i'm just gonna relax the rest of the day. well, as much as i can. maybe head to the pool for a bit but that's not exactly relaxing!

what i AM going to do right now is get thomas to stop jumping on me and try to do some DISing. let's go see what crazy things people are saying on the main threads... oh no! someone's using an old refillable mug! for shame!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Ok, now I'm really leaving for Providence...THANK YOU so much for all the good wishes! You know you guys and some Glee music will get me through the last miles -- hope it's not rude to have my ipod -- I just figure it's how I run! Hopefully I won't need it much because the bands will be awesome!

Everyone have a fabulous weekend! I'll definitely be chatting more next week when the race is behind me and the offspring is in NH!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Maria- We will be here cheering for you and awaiting your TR when you return....its a requirement.  Good luck you will do great.

Nancy- I to am a formula fed child and I think I turned out ok.  Do not feel guilty if you have to give the baby formula.  BF has some great benefits but the best benefit is to do whats right for your family...including keeping yourself and everyone around you sane.  So if that means giving more formula then so be it.  Anyone else who debates your decision just tell them to go pound sand.

One thing to consider with trying to pump.  Especially when you are really filled up with milk.  Try either hopping in the shower or holding warm compresses on your b@@bs for a few minutes prior to pumping.  Then gently massage them with your thumb.  That sometimes helps to open the milk ducts and to release the milk.  You may already know this but I thought any tips I can offer from my peds experience could be helpful if you hadnt heard it before.

BF is not for everyone nor should anyone feel guilty for not doing it.  Formula has been research to be made as close to BM as possible.  Gosh imagine if we were saying this stuff on some of the main threads...Im sure they would order my hanging.

Rose- Your mother was quite a trip.  Sorry you had to deal with her and that you did not have the support you needed from her.  

Kathy- I hope you enjoyed your short day.  I also hope michael was able to curtail his fears and do the zipline.  How cool about the football uniform.  I hope that he gets playing time too.  That is just so difficult to deal with.

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

Well my nice kid free evening didnt exactly go as planned.  I ended up having to meet with my physician site leader after work.  She wanted to meet and I figured it was better to do it without kids vs. missing ryans practice next wk.  Needless to say my dh wasnt to happy.  He was bored.  I didnt get home until 9.  So there went that.  It would have been nice to eat dinner together and just relax in our quiet house.  It is what it is!

Today was a blur.  Lots of stuff going on at work...including starting to give the flu vaccine.  Gosh I cant believe its starting to be that time of year again.  We only got our flumist so far but Im sure the flu shot is going to be at our office in the next few wks.  uggh I hate flu vaccine season.  

Tonight mike is going to dinner with his old coworkers.  One of the girls from his dept found another job and today was her last day.  They said the place is a complete mess and people are getting written up and threatened to be fired on a daily basis.  He is so glad he left.  Its great when you realize you made the right decision.

So its just me and the boys right now.  I am not sure what to do with them because I am completely beat.  We are going to have dinner shortly and then maybe a movie night...that way hopefully I can relax.

Pretty busy weekend planned.

Sat- Kids race in the morning (nick only as ryan is still "resting" the leg).  The we have ryans FB pics at 445 then a family fun night for the football players at the field.

Sun- Going to Eagles pre-season camp early in the morning.  There preseason camp is at Lehigh University which is 15 min from our house.  The boys are really excited for this.  Then my inlaws are coming over and she is going to make homemade fried chicken.  I have to say it is very good and she uses chicken breast not the bone/skin kind but the frying part...not so good.  


Well I will talk to you all soon.


----------



## emlydecia

Yes, i am totally agree with you.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning and a happy weekend to all of you!

Yesterday was a great day all around.  Michael did the zipline!!  He said climbing the ladder to the metal post on the tree was harder and scarier than actually riding the zipline.  He had tried last year and had a hard time climbing up, so he stopped.  He loved the whale watch, and they saw a bunch of whales.  He took 120 pictures, and maybe 20 were of the whales, boat and ocean.  There were pictures of eye balls, ears, ring pops, tables, and my favorite a strangers back pack covered in disney pins.  
He was wiped last night, but wanted to watch a movie so we watched Moby Dick, but he fell asleep, and it was the new 2010 version that wasn't very good in my opinion.  

I enjoyed my time alone.  I ran/walked 5 miles, but was walked a little over the last mile because I needed the bathroom.  I popped online for a few minutes, after my run while I drank my water, and then after a shower I sat on the porch and read my book, grilled dinner, and read some more til 6:30 when I went to pick up michael.  I'm really enjoying the Michael J Fox book.  I got a little choked up when he talked about his relationship with his Nana, and his Dad too.  They were just regular, hard working people, and it just brought back some memories of my child hood too.  I thought, jeez, I'm already emotional and he hasn't even talked much about the parkinsons.  I'll need some tissues for sure.  

We are heading to the uniform store at 9:30 for the rest of the football stuff, and may meet a friend for dinner, but otherwise, no plans today.  Tomorrow we have my nieces' birthday party.  I tracked every bite yesterday, and used my activity points, and 4 flex points, so that's one day on track so far!!

*Lindsay*- So sorry your night with dh didn't work out, and you had to stay at work.  It stinks to have to give that up, but that was the right decision, so you can be with Ryan next week when he goes back to football practice.  Oh, football pics.  Of course, another way to spend some more money.  They will be so cute.  I like to get a magnet, and team pic for baseball, and he wants the baseball cards, and that brings it up to 35-40 bucks.  I'd like to cut back to just magnets, but then I feel the pressure, and order more.  Enjoy your busy weekend. 

*Lisa*- I agree with Nancy, smart not to run in 93 degree heat.  Guess summer has finally hit you!  Just so you know it was only in the 70s here yesterday.  Guess we don't often hit the same weather systems at the same time.  Nice job getting back on track right away after vacation, and inspiring me.  We can do this again, I know we can.  We've done it before, and sucks that we backslide, but we will never give up.  Hope you all are able to relax this weekend and unwind.  It's so hard to come back from vacation, no matter what, but even harder if the vacation wasn't all you had hoped. 

*Nancy*- Do you have a clothes line if you need one?    Love your grandma.  So funny.  How else could she keep track of all of them.  Probably another reason people have fewer kids, you can't tie them up like you used to.  Listen to your body and don't over do it.  You have been getting so much exercise in this pregnancy, and are in great shape, you will be fine if you take some days off from walking.  When I was tired yesterday during my 5 miles, I thought of you and your motivation.  24 weeks!!  That's like 6 months!!  Our secretary at work is due the 18th, and she is looking so ready.  She has a 3 year old, who never slept for months, so she  praying this one's different.  

*Rose*- Hope you have a relaxing weekend planned, too.  

*Taryn*- Hope all went well getting back to work.

*Maria*-Have fun!!!

Enjoy your weekends!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

good morning everyone! it's 7:42am and i already am ready to kill DH. oh boy. this has the potential to be a loooong day. 

*maria* i agree with lindsay in that we need a TR for the race! 

*lindsay* thanks for the pumping info. i am SO not looking forward to that whole my-b@@bs-feel-like-two-rocks-ready-to-explode feeling. i AM hoping however that they will remember what it's like to bf and won't give me too many issues. 14 weeks of nonstop pain is just something i'm not ready to do again. but after that it was so easy! i will not be afraid to formula feed if need be. DH needs to do some night feedings. he got off so easy last time!! lol!

sorry that your kid free night didn't go as planned. boo! but it sounds like this weekend will be fun  i almost went to lehigh actually - they gave me lots of $$ and were going to let me pick my own curriculum but there were too many hills at that school!  i did go an visit for an overnight, met a guy, and we dated for over a year! he even went to my prom with me. he was so dreamy. 

have fun at the eagles training camp! sounds like fun. and that's coming from a giants fan 

*kathy* hope you have a nice relaxing weekend! so...any zipline stories?? how was whale watching??

*hi lisa!*

ok we're off to petco to drop the dog off to be groomed. then heading straight to the bronx zoo for opening aka get the employee discount on their breakfast. yes, we are cheap and often go to the zoo for breakfast!  we'll probably say hello and give a nasty look to cardboard cutout mickey if he's still here and check out the sea lions or something. home for nap and i have to go pick up a dessert for tonight. we'll head to the beach club for the seafood feast. 

i'm taking a break from walking today but i'm sure i'll manage a mile or two at the zoo so that's good. i need a break though. 

tomorrow we are supposed to go downtown to my aunt and uncle's to pick up a daybed that they're giving us. we might do a museum or park or something down there too. 

next weekend john will probably take thomas to his parents' house for the day. i just don't go there anymore. i don't want to see them and they just want to see thomas so might as well let john take him and i can go see a movie instead. maybe i can try to finish The Help by then so i can see that movie!

anyway, that's my story. have a great day!! be back on later


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oops i posted when kathy did. 

sounds like michael had an awesome day! and he conquered the zipline! woot! very brave!

lol i bet the pictures he took were a trip! kids are so funny with a camera! 

nice work on the 5 miles! i HATE having to pee when i'm out. during the princess i was so afraid of being swept that i must have peed 100 times before the race. my running capris are so tight that if i had to peel them off to pee there's NO way they'd get back on me! 

glad the MJFox book is turning out to be a good one. he seems like a really nice guy. anytime he's on TV i want to hug him.


----------



## mikamah

We were posting together.  Sounds like a fun weekend for you, Nancy.  Any discount on food that you don't have to cook sounds good to me.  Have fun at the zoo.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Uggh, I am forcing myself to post, cause I so want to be anti-social and hole up in my room until all of this stuff is resolved. Waiting for something to happen that you have little control over just sucks. Mike sent an email to the HR guy on Friday, just asking if they needed anything else and if they were still on track to make some kind of decision next week.  

Nancy--have fun at the seafood fest today!

Kathy--Woohoo for Michael! I really want to try a zipline, I can imagine climbing up is pretty scary!

Lindsay and Lisa--Have a good weekend!

My mom really is a piece of work. Those weren't even the words she used to express her concern for Mike. I am too embarrassed to even think about what she actually said. I know over the years I have said some things to Tom I have wanted to take back, but goodness, I don't think I've even come close to being that bad. And the reason I had all those complications has to do with the genetic disorder Tom has. It causes his skin to not exfoliate and also can cause labor and delivery complications. If I was in a regular hospital I'm sure they would have done a c-section way before it got to that point. But I was in a military hospital. But he was healthy--thank goodness--so I could live with the complications. It could have been worse.

Have a great Saturday. I'm sure at some point today, mine will involve bourbon of some sort. But not too much cause we are running tomorrow.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

At the Expo -- RunDisney has bags -- Score!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- I hope your day turns out better than the morning.  Enjoy the seafood fest tonight.  Yum!  Lehigh is quite a hilly campus and not necessary in the best spot of town either.  It is a great school.  

Rose- Whoever said patience is a virture must have never had to wait for a really big decision to be made that they had no control over and that would mean alot of adjustments would happen in their life.  Hang in there.  Hopefully no news is good news at this point.  I can understand wanting to crawl under the covers during this waiting process.....the stress is overwhelming Im sure. 

Kathy- Horray for michael.  Im so glad he did it.  Sounds like a really awesome camp experience this week.  I hope the two of you enjoy your laid back weekend.

Maria- Bags!!!! How cool.

Lisa- Wow that was great that you got those vacation pounds off so quickly.  I agree not running yesterday was being smart not wimpy. 

**********************************************************
Well I envisioned my morning going alot differently than it did.  The kids woke up on the wrong side of the bed.  Completely miserable.  I told Ryan yesterday he couldnt race because we wanted him to rest his ankle and he was in tears.  My dh and I talked it over and decided that it probably would be fine and that it may give him a little bit of warm up so he is not just jumping right into football again from scratch.  So this morning I tell him he can run.  He kept giving me the excuse that his leg hurt.  So when we got there i asked him to run a little and after like 5 steps he started limping...on the opposite leg that was injured and c/o pain in his thigh.  Ummmm sure Ryan do you think I was born yesterday.  So that got me aggrivated and I told him that if he was so injured that I am pulling him off the FB team because I am not wasting anymore money on it if he is going to complain about everything....Yep Real Proud Mom Moment today.  So Nancy when you felt bad about arguing with a 4 year old...no need we all forget our age every now and then.

Then it was time for races to start.  Nick lined up with the kids to do the warm up and began hysterically crying and saying he was scared. Really....So I told him there was nothing to cry about and that he needed to stop or we were leaving.  He stopped and then I walked him with the group to the start line.  He didnt want me to walk away and then started crying because he said the horn they blow was going to be too loud.  That was it...I had it so I gave him one more chance and he didnt stop crying so we left.  He cried hysterically all the way to the car.  My mom and dad were upset because they came to watch him.  Gosh what an embarrasing moment.  umm hello kids this is suppose to be fun.

Once we got home they seemed better.  Mike and I weeded our flower beds.  I did a few louds of laundry and stopped at the grocery store.  Shortly I will start getting everyone showered.  We have Ryans FB team pics and family fun night tonight.  Lets hope there is some fun in that. 

Yes Kathy....I agree another thing to spend money on.  We are getting the team photo, one photo magnet (I love those too), and 8 wallets for 21.  Not too bad of a price I guess.  

The FB organization is trying to get everyone to buy laces for childhood cancer.  I forget what the actual name of the charity is but you pay 5$ and get a gold pair of laces that the child wears on his left shoe.  I dont mind spending the money on this since its a great cause.

Ok ladies well I hope you all are enjoying the weekend.  TTYS


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Rain, rain go away...lookin' mighty wet today. Definitely running for fun!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oh no rain! i saw the weather forecast for providence just now. ick! well, it could be worse - it could be 95 degrees...or snowing! right? right??? have fun today. at least by the end of the day today you can say you ran a half marathon. me? i'll have done some laundry...maybe.

omg. you guys. you are all going to lose weight this week. because i, nancy, have eaten all of my allotted calories for the week AND all of yours. holy stomach ache! seafood feast was a blast yesterday. it was really windy and some of us even had sweatshirts on! the beach club is like a wind tunnel. as soon as you went out of the gate it was hot. anyway, it did start to rain but not until dessert so it was a great success. i demolished everything in sight. and subsequently i was up all night with a belly ache. 

and i just realized that i left thomas's brand new bucket, shovel, and watering pail that he got for his bday. it was really cute - the bucket had his name all nice and paintpenned on there and decorated. that thing probably flew away and is halfway out to sea by now. darn!

*lindsay*  i have to commend you though on your follow through. really! ok, yeah, it was annoying that the kids were being whiny but i think it is a sign of a great mom that you were like, "ok, kiddo, buck up or we're going home." AND THEN YOU DID! i can't tell you how many times i hear moms say things like, "you have to stop now or we're going home. if i count to three we're going home, don't do that. did you hear mommy?" and it goes on and on! one of the girls in my mommy and me class is SO BAD. she is always playing way too rough. she literally gets the look of the devil when it's instrument time and just HAS to have the drum. she will push and shove and hit...and then if she doesn't get it she goes insane! and the mom is just doing that stupid baby voice trying to get her to stop. she starts counting to three like a million times. one time i looked at the mom and said, "you know, now would be a good time to get to three and take her our of here." 

i don't know who was more shocked - the mother or me! but i couldn't take it anymore and the kids were getting hurt! she had to drag the daughter out and she was hanging onto the door! well don't you know she was perfectly behaved the next class??!!

i appreciate that you followed through and left and i know the boys will appreciate it in the long run too. i wonder why ryan is acting like his leg hurts? limping on the other leg?? oh man that's like out of a sit com! funny now but i'm sure not funny at the time!!

*rose* hope you're feeling better today. glad you came on to post but don't feel you have to. we'll just stalk you every day until you come back. you know, no big deal 

****

i just wrote a big long thing complaining about DH. but i erased it. let's just say the whole taking-care-of-two-children-when-i-really-only-have-one is getting really old. 

i miss drinking.


----------



## mikamah

Worfiedoodles said:


> Rain, rain go away...lookin' mighty wet today. Definitely running for fun!
> 
> Maria


I'll do the sun dance!  Hope you have a wicked fun race today, Maria!!

*Lindsay*- Sorry your day started out so rough yesterday.  We all have our proud mommy moments, and I just pray the kids don't remember them.  Hope football pics went better last night.  We got the uniform yesterday, and boy is that going to be fun to get out of on a hot summer night.   I already am envisioning a meltdown or two.  

*Rose*- I so hope you hear early this week.  The waiting is the hardest part.  Hope you didn't have too much bourbon and you have a great run today.

*Nancy*-Glad you had fun yesterday, and remember since you're not drinking, you saved on calories there.  I'm sorry you can't drink.  It just can take the edge off.    Dang that husband.  hope writing it all out was cathartic, and you're feeling better now.  I think you need a nancy day, and dh should take Thomas away for a day.  And thanks for trying to eat all my calories too.

Hello everyone else!

Hope you're enjoying the weekend.  It's raining her this morning, so I'm doing nothing, and michael is playing wii, and already I'm anticipating he'll spend too much time on the tv/video games today, just like yesterday.  Oh well, I got some me time yesterday.  I sat on the back porch and read for several hours again yesterday, michael came out and we had lunch and he read for a bit, and then he went back to the tv.  Oh well, that's his mental health method of choice.  We met some friends at panera for supper and then went to the Smurf's movie which was cute.  George Lopez is hilarious as these characters.  Had a nice salad for dinner, but then a big box of reeses pieces at the cost of 16 ww points.  We went to 5 Below for our candy and all the big movie boxes are 1 dollar, and the water was 2/1$ so the price was right.  Michael had a soda with lunch, and I made him get water for the movie and he was so mad.  If just the 2 of us were going, I wouldn't have gone.  I did make him go in the hallmark store with me as punishment for being a brat.  

We have my nieces' birthday party today, pizza and cake.  I need to make a plan.  Either 2 pieces of pizza and no cake, or one of each.  I guess I'll decide when I see he cake.  It's raining, so I think I'll do some wii fit, if I can steal it from ds. 

Have a nice sunday.


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> Rain, rain go away...lookin' mighty wet today. Definitely running for fun!
> 
> Maria



Might be rainy but your time is looking good!  

Here is the link to the live results -- you have to search by the last name.

http://running.competitor.com/live-results

 Go, Maria, go!


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> Might be rainy but your time is looking good!
> 
> Here is the link to the live results -- you have to search by the last name.
> 
> http://running.competitor.com/live-results
> 
> Go, Maria, go!



Thanks, Lisa.  This is awesome!!  Maria and Cam are both doing so well!!


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> Thanks, Lisa.  This is awesome!!  Maria and Cam are both doing so well!!



I know!  I'm so happy for them!    Their DH's are already done.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

On the way to NH, promise to post more tomorrow. I finished but my time was way off. Totally more hilly than I realized. 

The good news is I am determined to run some hills, get outside, and lose enough weight to make a difference.

I was with the WISHers before the race. Cam was llokin' like the BL she is!

I will do a real TR, and post photos on Facebook if I can figure it out. If not we'll have to wait on Ben to be home!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

nice work maria!!! congrats! hills...ew.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Great Job Maria.  I bet you fell so great now that the race is behind you.  I am going to try to capture some of your new found mojo because I need to hop back on the bandwagon too.  I saw cams pic of the medal and it looks awesome.  Im glad you had a great time.

Sorry about the rain but much better than 90 degrees with the blarring sun.

Nancy- Glad you had a great night at the beach club.  I have eaten enough calories today to get me through an entire pregnancy and I am not even pregnant.  Dont feel bad.  We all have those days.  Sorry about the belly ache though.

Thanks for the nice words about my parenting yesterday.  I admit I am one of those who sometimes gives them an extra chance. but thats only if they straighten up a bit.  I have a low tolerance for whiny screamy children. 

In my days before becomming the manager at my office I worked as a medical asst. and I gave the kids their Immunizations.  I can not tell you how many parents would try to sit and talk all babyish to their kids when they were completely throwing a tantrum about getting the shots.  I am a very compassionate person but I found myself so many times having to step in and be the parent.  They would say ok will wait until you calm down and are ready for the shot.  I would say no we are just going to get it over with because waiting is only going to make it worse.  Your going to be just fine.  You have a choice.  You can sit here still with your mommy and if you want to cry and scream its ok but you must stay still.  Or you can choose to continue to kick and scream at me and I will have the doctor come in and they will have to hold you down.  What do you want to do?   90% of the time the kids would choose to sit still on their own and I would quickly give them the shot and they would be like "that was It".  On the other hand there were those kids that dont listen to anybody and then it would take 3 of us to hold them down.  I am talking about 4 year olds and up here.   The ones that know entirely what they are doing.

Anyway so really long story short.  I dont mess around.

Rose- I hope you are doing ok today and keeping yourself busy.  I am praying you here something early this week.

Kathy- Part of having a down time wkend is tv and video games I guess.  Im sure with how busy the summer has been for michael he hasnt had to much screen time.  So count the hrs from yesterday and today and divide it by all the days of the summer that he didnt have any and you should still be at 2 hrs a day on average.  No worries.

Hi Lisa!!!!  Hows the running coming along?

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

Well we were up bright and early to go to eagles camp today.  We got great seats.  Sat there for 45 min until the practice started.  The team came out and did a few drills.  Then they got into running the plays.  Then they started to do a little scrimmage.  About an hour into it Nick announces that he has to pee so bad.  We then had to climb over at least 20 people to get out of the stands and that was it for us being able to see anything else.  Yay well thats life with young kids.  The kids played in the kids area.  Ryan tried kicking a field goal a few times and threw the ball at some targets.  Nick was afraid to try anything.  He must be going through one of those phases.

On the way out we got an eagles flag to hand outside on our pole.  We have been wanting one for awhile but never really felt like we had the extra cash to spend on it.  Well today we shelled out the 25$.   It looks great waving in the wind.  Especially since our neighbor has a giants flag. BOO! sorry Nancy.

Then Mike and Ryan got a pic with 2 of the cheerleaders.  They told Ryan he was so handsome and looked very cool in his jersey.  I never saw him that shade of red before.  Too cute.  I think my dh was sad they didnt tell him that.  Then nick told me I should wear an eagles cheer uniform for the games and I just cracked up at the site of that.

We came home and spent the day with my inlaws.  ate way to much!  I ended the night at my nanas where the kids played on the slip and slide.  

Tomorrow starts another nutty week.  We are back to football practice this week.  Hopefully no more ankle problems.

Have a great week Ladies!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

good morning everyone! i have NEVER been so glad for monday to come in my entire life! is that bad? i don't care! i am just so thrilled to have DH back at work. i almost did a little jig when he left. thomas didn't nap either saturday or sunday and ...ugh! enough of that. back to normal. 

a friend of mine asked if i wanted to join her at wee play (a kid's indoor play area) in rockland county today. as much as i'd love to go, they aren't going until 11 and i'm planning on being here at home around nap time! so, my plan for the day is to go for a walk - stomach feels a little weird today so we'll see how much i do. then i MUST plan my meals for the week and go grocery shopping. 

***

*lindsay* right on with holding those kids down for their shots! one of my friend's youngest daughter is 5. she has had to have her two front teeth bulled already because they were rotten (i love this friend but her parenting style is just NOT mine - the kids drink soda all day and only eat crap). well, the daughter screamed and cried before the tooth pull so my friend just said, "ok you don't have to do it" and they went back another time and put her completely under! when her kids have to take antibiotics she leaves it up to THEM to remember the medicine and every time i'm there i'm the one asking if they've taken their meds. and so many times one of the kids says, "nah i'm not taking it, it tastes bad." 

glad the eagles practice was fun! it sounds like a cool thing to do! my DH has no interest in sports. at all. it's SO annoying because i always loved sports but going to any sporting events or watching any game on tv is a chose with him. he would hate that practice thing! but i'd love it! poor DH, i've done nothing but poo on him all weekend on here! it's HIS fault i'm so hormonal!

how's ryan's leg this morning? better? practice back on? i'll be thinking of him tonight!

*kathy* loved your new pics on facebook. michael's whale pics are so cool! and that ring pop looked tasty. he is the opposite of me when it comes to feet though. i hate 'em! lol!

how is everyone else doing? *rose? lisa? * how are you feeling post-race *maria*??

off to put some exercise clothes on and head out for the walk.


----------



## mikamah

Just a quick good morning today.  Time's going by too quickly this am. 

Michael comes to the hospital for the Good Works day camp the volunteer dept runs, and he's very excited.  He'll get a scrub top they wear the whole week, and they visit different depts, and on friday they put on some type of show.  He had to choose between putting on the show or doing newspaper interviews/cartoons.  I'm sure it will be fun.  It will be nice to have him at work and only have one stop in the morning.  

*Lindsay*- Sounds like a fun day.  So cute Ryan and the cheerleader, and poor dh.   

*Maria*-COngratulations on your half!!!  So excited for you!! And the bling is beautiful.  Can't wait to hear all about it. 

*Rose*- hope you had a good run yesterday and are doing ok.

*Lisa*- Did you enjoy your weekend? Hope you all regrouped and reenergized.  

*Nancy*-Hello there.  Hope you didn't have to kill your husband this weekend.  Enjoy your day getting back into your routine. 

Have a marvelous monday!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

Congratulations, *Maria,* on finishing the RnR Providence Half yesterday!    It sounds like it was a very challenging race.  You should give yourself a big pat on the back for persevering and finishing in spite of all the hills and rain!   Can't wait to hear all about it.  

Did you get to use the VIP bathroom by Brooks?  Their catch phrase  was "pee like a rock star."  Well, who wouldn't want to pee like a rock star?   Really I need to get over my bathroom issues in my races so stuff like this isn't so intriguing.  

*Lindsay,* big hugs for a Saturday morning melt-down.    Some days are just like that.    Hope people stay off the injured reserve list this week.  

*Lisa,* you are doing a fabulous job coaching this week!   Enjoy that first day of school tomorrow!    We are right behind you in three weeks.  

*Nancy,* glad that Monday is finally here for you!    Some week-ends are just like that.    I remember being glad some mornings that I got to go to work.    Hope the tummy feels better soon.  Take it easy today.  

*Kathy,* camp this week sounds like fun but there goes your alone time in the morning.    Is it just one more week before vacation or two?  I loved Michael's pictures, too.  I think you both look great!  

*Rose,* hope that you had a good run yesterday and get some news this week!    So many things are going on in your life and in the world, I don't blame you for being quiet.  

*Taryn,* how is school going?  Hope that everything is going well.  

I had a nice run on Saturday -- just a bit shy of 7 miles.  Next week-end is 9 so I should be fine.  I actually kept my running group in sight for a long, long time so I am getting faster.  It was hot so I went out an hour early and did two miles before going to join the group.  That helped alot.  My hips are happy that I started running again -- they did not enjoy all that resting.  

Lots of family drama this week-end.  Umm, I thought we left that in Iowa.    Some bad behavior by people who should know better, a memorial service, and the icing on the cake, BIL (who just finished cancer treatment) fell and broke his hip.    When DH got up this morning he asked "did anything else happen?" 

I am keeping up on my journalling and planning.  Hoping for some good numbers this week.  

Have a great day Princesses and Tinks!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hm, i wrote a post after lisa's earlier today. did i just never hit submit?? duh.

*lisa*, sorry about the family drama. does it ever end? and BIL breaking his hip? ugh, the poor guy! brings new meaning to the term, "give a guy a break" huh?  i hope things settle down. 

*roooo--ooosssseeee*....where arrreee youuuuu???

*lindsay* i guess practice is going on right now - did our patient get to play? i hope so! 

*kathy* how was michael's new hospital program today? sounds interesting and fun!

*maria* feeling recovered? did you have anything extra bad-for-you to eat and/or drink after your race? my frozen margarita and nachose from mexico followed by my champagne and cheese plate and salad in france post-princess were the best things i've ever eaten 

***

not much to report today. talked to my mom on the phone for a while. it only made me 50% mad when i got off the phone. mostly she just talked and i just said, "mmhmm, wow, mmhmm" but then paid attention when she told me they had a bat in their house yesterday  gross!

i posted in the other thread about my poo fiasco. good times. 

gonna head to bed early tonight and read more of The Help. i'm really enjoying it. i wish i could finish it before saturday though. i think john is going to take thomas to his parents in the poconos. i usually like to go to the movies or something when they go and i'd like to see that. no way i can read that much that fast though. darn!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Can you guys handle one more totally selfish post from me? I promise to get back to being a good thread buddy tomorrow, but tonight I just need to vent. 

I wasn't really happy with my performance in this race, but I was living with it, until I saw my overall finish, and realized something was really off -- then I found out the race officials were pulling people who were too slow for the course, putting them on buses, and moving them up the course, dropping them off, and letting them finish with official times. Crowded busloads of people. So not only are they not doing the entire 13.1, they are nice and fresh from their bus ride and they get to sprint to the finish...I told Dennis I knew something just didn't seem right when two elderly (and I mean in their 70s) people passed me in the middle of mile 12, and literally were sprinting ahead. I had never seen them before, and they were totally booking it. But, I figured I must be just slowing down that much...they had to have been behind me, and all of the sudden they were doing 12 minute miles? Really? It just didn't feel right. And that kept happening. I'm always progressively slower at the end than the beginning, but that many people passing me just doesn't usually happen. Ok, my other five Halfs were at Disney, but I think it's fair to say I know when the field is faster than me, and this field as a whole I should not have been at the very end of the pack. I should have been in the middle. 

Dennis was shocked when he saw my overall finish, because he said there were many, many more people behind me than that. Well, there were....I know I sound bitter instead of cheerful and upbeat, but I don't think that was fair. They paid for the race and I'm sure they were doing their best, I don't care if you give them a medal, but don't put them in the official standings. 

Maybe this is how races normally happen -- this was my first non-Disney race and I don't know -- but I have no desire to participate in an event like this again. 

Ok, there it's out. I will work on a race report tomorrow and try to be a bit more positive. 

I hope everyone is doing ok, kids behaving, spouses supportive, and getting ready for a great week. This one is only going to get better for me, I'm not related to *Lisa* so it should be ok...(I really hope you take that with the joking, ironic spirit it was meant, I am so sorry your weekend was a dud, 'cause you are the BEST!)

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Oh, *Maria*, honey, that just sucks. I would be so po'ed. I think you deserve the rant and then some. It just leaves a really bad taste in my mouth--why would the race directors think that was a good decision? I am so sorry. I hope in time you can celebrate your finish.

*****
I'm here, I'm reading, but I have had a major crash, and I am just having a hard time pulling out of it this time. This year is catching up with me, I guess. Faking it just isn't working and you all really don't want to hear my whining. We even looked at going to wdw over labor day, but it's going to be more than we want to spend. My foot was hurting so bad after our run yesterday--the fatty pad thing, which I guess can be another celiac issue. And the knees were hurting, etc. Not a good day. Anyhow, I love you all, keep posting, I am here, just not very talkative.


----------



## liesel

Hi, I've been so busy trying to keep up with the main thread that I haven't even said hi here!  So hi!  

Maria, congratulations on running through rain and hills and finishing without a bus!  That really sucks, those people should not be in the standings.  It makes me think twice about doing a RnR if this is their policy.  I'm glad I'm only signed up for the tink right now.  So vent away, I would be upset too!  You know how hard you worked!  


Rose, I hope you can get some down time this week.    Waiting sucks.  I figured there are a lot of stressed people on our thread right now, which is why I decided to do the pet QOTD.  So feel free to scroll through and enjoy the pet cuteness.


Lisa, sorry about the family drama.  I hope things settle down for you.  I've got more than my share right now too.  DH mentioned last Sunday he can't believe my family sometimes.  I'm glad they didn't scare him away!  

Lindsay, the eagles training camp sounds like fun.  I'm glad you got to see them for at least a little while.  I haven't checked in here for a while so a belated congrats on your financial windfall and I hope you get the increase in pay you deserve!

Hi Taryn, I'm sure you're busy with school stuff like me!

Nancy, we all have those days and poop stories.  I hope you have a good week and  on getting 5 miles in today.

Hi Kathy, I hope you are having a good week so far!

I think I am doing a 5K on Sunday.  It may not be PR weather, but I would still love to beat my time from May.  I haven't gotten nearly as many runs in as I would have liked this summer, but that all changes tomorrow when the kids go back to school.  Have a great evening princesses and my fellow Lisabelle!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*maria* i would be really upset if i were you. i don't blame you one bit for being unhappy. i mean, look, none of us are doing these races to come in first place or break any records. BUT, you still want to see where you came in with regard to everyone else! there's a difference between middle of the pack and end of the pack! if somebody got picked up by the bus, that should have been it for them, at least as timing is concerned. sure, let them pick up someplace so they can continue to run if they feel up to it but they should have to take their timing chip off. 

just think about how they feel. i think a big part of everyone doing these races is that you actually complete the distance. their time and place is wrong! i'd feel pretty lousy i guess. people would be congratulating me on my great finish and i'd be forced to tell them that i actually RODE A BUS for part of it! 

write a letter. i'm the queen of writing letters. at least maybe they'll realize that that is a dumb move and hopefully not do it again.

still, YOU did the 13.1 miles! YOU have something to be proud about! 

*rose*  you are very much allowed to come on here and complain every single day, 5 days a week if you need to! what if instead of going to disney over labor day you come the following weekend?? and i'll buy you a gluten free beer! and then i will drool as i watch you drink it 

*liesel* where is the 5k? close to you? i can't believe it's back to school time for so many people already! school here doesn't start until after labor day! glad you can get into a running routine though when they get back!

morning everyone! nice day again today. i think it's supposed to rain later this afternoon so i need to make sure we get out in the am. hoping to walk, shower, then head over to the pool club before coming home for lunch and nap. 

i'd like to get some housework done today too. ick. 

have a great day everyone


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesse & belles!!  Sounds like many of us could use some pixie dust today.

*Maria*- That is just wrong that they did that and then posted their times.  I can't believe with such a popular race series that that could happen.  It is so not fair, but you did great, and deserve to celebrate your time in the rain and hill too!  I'm so proud of you.  I can imagine it was not easy, but you did amazing.  When I first saw the pic of the medal, I thought I'd like to do it next year, since it's so close, but now forget it.  That really is aggravating.  

*Rose*- I'm sorry you're having such a tough time right now.   Could you get away to someplace closer over labor day, out to a lake or something for the weekend?  I know it's such busy weekend, and things are probably booked, but it always feels so good to just get away.   Easy for me to say,  I know it's not as easy for you with the gf issue.  Hang in there.  

*Lisah*- Oh, your poor brother in law.  The guy can't catch a break.  I hope he does ok.  Nice job on the journalling and planning.  I'm back to slacksville again.  But holding steady at my new 212.8.   Oh well, maybe a new race to ONE-derland will help.  Ready, set Go!!  We have this week and next before vacation.  9 more work days!!  Though I have my name up to get next friday off.  I can't wait.  4 weeks til school starts here.   Keep up the good work!  Maybe I'll actually start sticking with it more than a day. 

*Nancy*-You beat me posting today.   I changed my routine, I'm all ready for work, lunches packed, breakfast eaten, and then I came on the computer with 30 min to spare.  That way I'm not here too long and rushing out the door.  And I have my coffee time while ds watches tv.  I haven't read the other thread, but am looking forward to hearing about the poo fiasco.   You still amaze me with all the walking you're doing.   As I sit around and do nothing, I think of you.  I don't always get up and move, but I think about it.  Keep it up!!  Hope Thomas is napping again. 

*LIndsay*- How was Ryan last night at football?  Michael had his first practice in uniform and they are darn cute.  But as I did the sweat soaked, stinky laundry last night, I thought, hmmm, if he keeps this up, I only will have 9 more football seasons of launtry to do.   At least he knew enought not to fight me on the shower.  He'd never admit it, but I think it actually felt good.   I can imagine that many times you need to step in and take over for the parents in the md office.  What a fun job that is. 

*Lisaliesel*- You're doing a great job coaching this week.   I hope to catch up there later today.  So excited for your 5k this weekend.  You are right, the heat may make you a little slower.  Don't miss those kids too much when they're back in school.

*Taryn*- Hi honey!!  Hope you're doing well.

Michael had so much fun at the hospital camp yesterday.  They got orange scrub tops they'll wear every day, and ID badges with their pics on them.  They went to the lab and saw all the blood samples, took an X-ray of a skeleton, made a mini-first aid kit, and are making a big banner to hang up for the show on friday.  He looked so cute.  I'll take a pic and post later this week.  Today he's thrilled they're going to the nursery to see the babies.  

We're going to a friends for dinner tonight.  My running friend.  She's doing the Falmouth road race this weekend and is very nervous.  She spent summers in falmouth and watched the race many times, so she's excited too.  

Otherwise, not much happening.  They're paving our other street today, so the jackhammers are going right now, disturbing my quiet, coffee, dis time.  The nerve. 

Have a terrific tuesday!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- Glad dh is back at work....of course than you had your mother to deal with on monday.  At least you were only 50% mad after the phone call.  I guess that is better than 100%. 

Maria- How frustrating.  I mean Its one thing to let them finish and get the medal but they should take the chips off and not get an official time.  Just not fair.  I would write a letter to.  Either way be proud that you did do the full 13.1 and your time was not affected just the place you finished.  Your awesome!

Rose- 

Lisa- Sorry for the family drama and for your poor BIL.  Thats just horrible. 

Kathy- Michaels camp sounds so great this week.  Im glad he liked football and I know they are just so cute in their uniforms.  

Lisa #2- Good luck with your 5K.  You are doing great coaching this week and I am really trying to get on their more this week than I have been.  You have had some great QOTD's.

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

Well practice went really well for Ryan last night.  No more ankle pain.  I was sitting on pins and needles as he was doing the warm ups and running the laps.  Then they got into their positions.  He is playing linebacker.  Well my kid is a beast.  "thats what the coaches are calling him".  To my surprise he was so aggressive and really was pushing the kids and blocking them.  I was a little unsure how he would do emotionally once it started to get physical but he is thriving off of it.  I actually felt bad and was a bit nervous about how rough he was.  The one kid that was playing opposite from him started crying and had to be put with a different group.  I asked the coach after if we should talk to him about calming down and not being so rough and he just laughed at me.  He said no way this is football and thats what we want.  He said they would tell him if he was doing something wrong.  My dh was embarressed that I even asked them.  I guess it was just a mom thing.
Ryan was loving it and towards the end I think he was realizing how much of a beast he was because after the one play where he knocked the kid down and then got the running backs flag he flexed his muscles and said "welcome to the gun show".  The coaches were hysterical but I had to tell him later that show boating is not appropriate.  What a kid.

So now I am not sitting on pins and needles worrying about his leg.....now I am worrying he is going to hurt someone.  I am thinking this is not going to be as much fun for me as I originally thought.

So thats pretty much all that is going on in my world.  I hope you all have a great day.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello Beautiful  and Lovely !

I am so happy to be back with you and making some time to post (shh, don't tell anyone I am posting instead of putting my nose to the grindstone) 

*Lindsay* -- I am so pleased Ryan is feeling better and doing so well in football  I am sorry about the kids race, but it sounds like you handled it perfectly. Being a mom is much harder than being a buddy! Eagles camp?! Ok, I admit I'm not a fan (being a Patriots fan and all), but you do have one of my favorite tight ends (which may or may not be his position  ) Assante Samuel. 

*Kathy* -- Hospital camp sounds like a ball, so much fun! And I love that Michael is starting to see the benefits of a shower  I hope that continues, it's a fight I'm still having...

*Nancy* -- How's that housework coming? I would have totally blown that off. Enjoy the nice day, I think you are getting rain tomorrow, I know we are :rain: I have to read back and find your poo story, I'd hate to think I missed that  Are you looking forward to the movies this weekend? Looks like I'm going to have a Tivofest of "Daily/Colbert". We are going to be 16 episodes behind, and Ben wants to spend his one night home between camps catching up.  You need a , too! Moms should not make us any % unhappy. I'm thinking back to Rose's fabulous advice, you can only control you, and you can't change others, and their actions may not be a reflection on you at all, it is a reflection of them 
*Lisa* -- You are doing a great job coaching this week 

*Rose* -- I am so sorry this is dragging out and you are having a hard time  It is no fun when you are injured and it affects your running. Just keep reading, and post when you feel like it. Sometimes that's the best we can do. 

*Lisah* -- Wow, you had so much going on this weekend -- I am really sorry it was pouring on you with more bad and ugly than good  You deserve a fabulous loss this week, and I fervently hope you get it 

*Taryn* -- How is the start of school working for you?  I know it is a big change for your family. I hope you are taking care of you in all of this. 

Ok, so I'd better get to the TR portion...

We left Boston later than we wanted, of course, but traffic wasn't completely horrible, just very slow because we were of course mixed in with the traffic going to Cape Cod for too long. We got to Providence and checked into the Westin. Nice hotel, the $18/day parking charge I could have done without, and it was $10 every time you left the garage. We elected to stay parked 

We got Ben situated with his dinner in time for him to watch the new Phineas and Ferb movie (he said he didn't care if he saw it, but it was obvious he did  ) and went to dinner at Joe's American Bar and Grill. I had a burger and only ate a few of the fries, which I considered a great accomplishment. We walked a little and went back to the room, I was sound asleep by 9:30. 

We slept in as late as we wanted (9ish) and then went over to the Expo. We picked up our t-shirts and swag bags (volunteer seemed surprised I was running ) and then went through the Expo. It was Princess sized, but didn't have speakers or presentations. I scored a couple bags at RunDisney, and asked them if the cancellation of ESPN the Weekend meant the Princess might move back to March in the future. They were not encouraging at all  They also didn't have the Tink, Chip n Dale, or special Donald medal, so that was a bummer. I wanted to see the Tink live! 

I saw Dan and Jackie (mother/son orange team) from the BL. They both still look really good, so I guess they are still doing well. Lots of free samples at the Expo, there was also a decent amount of race-specific merchandise, it didn't seem to be moving much. 

We then decided to grab some lunch and walk a little more. We went to Pizzeria Uno, and I decided it was time to really let some carbs in (we aren't going to talk about the HoHos I ate before bed). I had a whole wheat pasta dish in a tomato sauce with veggies. It was absolutely delicious! 

We walked over to the state house and took some photos. Nice building, looks like all the other state capitols I'm familiar with. 

We went back to the room, laid out our clothes for tomorrow, and Dennis went in search of ponchos in anticipation of the rain. He found one in the car, and bought a box of trash bags to make another one. Such a good husband, I got the real one  We had dinner in the room (who knew Popeyes was this far north?) Dennis went and got pre-bed smoothies from Panera Bread. I had a black cherry, it was absolutely yummy! 

I was in bed by 8:30, but of course not sleeping. Shrek was on tv, so it was nice to kind of listen along and it entertained Ben as he now gets the grown-up jokes. It was like he saw a new movie 

We were up at 5 and quickly got ready. Did I mention TOM was not done, and I could have made better decisions in my necessary choices? Yeah, that came back to haunt me at the end, but I almost didn't care about being embarrassed, I was so cold and wet...It was absolutely pouring outside. We waited as long as we thought we could, then went to our corrals, or what should have been our corrals. They had no separation, and they were very close together. People could easily move into whatever corral they chose, regardless of their placement  I was in the right one, luckily for me that's where a group of WISHers including *Cam* had decided to congregate. The race started half an hour late, so we had plenty of time to catch up 

The race finally started, and we were literally going up an incline at the beginning, it was a real hill. I assumed that must be to get us to the "top", but I was wrong....I think I counted another 4 or 5 good hills, which was a bit more than I had trained for (0). I took the poncho off between mile 1 and 2, it was getting really hot and I knew I was going to be soaked anyway. Anyway, there were bands at some of the designated places, but not all. I think they had no-shows. Even in some of the places where there were people, they weren't playing live music, it was from a speaker system like at Disney. There were cheerleaders along the route in various locations, it was nice to see them out in the rain. There was plenty of water and Cytomax and Gu at the designated stations. The volunteers could not have been nicer or more encouraging. I knew I was steadily falling off my pace (the hills really did me in), but I was smiling and having fun...I was a bit surprised when all those people passed me in the middle of Mile 12, but we won't go there again. To add insult to injury, the end of the race was literally up another hill. Seriously? I was not happy, but by that time I just wanted a hot shower. 

I finished, got my medal, and walked back to the hotel. The family reunion area was out in the open rain, so no WISHers at the W, of course! I got back, took that shower, and we hurried out of Providence to get home and get Ben to NH. 

Thank you so much for all the support you have given me in my whining, and helping me be proud of the best I could do that day. You guys 

I am glad to be done, and I don't know I want to do another RnR. Dennis loved it and would be happy to do it again next year, I need to figure out if I can live with the bus system and not let it bother me...

I'm resting most of this week. I went back to my lower carb diet yesterday, and I'm feeling pretty good. Not too sore, but I don't recommend riding in a car 4 hours after you do a Half. My poor legs barely got stretched, and I felt it much more yesterday. We won't make that mistake again. If we do this race, Ben is not going to camp that Sunday. 

I've got to start thinking up questions for my coaching week starting Friday. I'd better get on that soon!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

thanks for that trip report *maria*! it sounds like a tough race! and all those hills! i don't train on hills, like, at all. 

how did ben like the phineas and ferb movie? that show is pretty good! we aren't quite there yet but the few times it's been on i've definitely chuckled at some of the jokes  what kind of camp is ben at? 

*lindsay* i laughed out loud at ryan showing everyone the gun show!  sounds like he's feeling MUCH better!

*kathy* that hospital camp sounds awesome!!! what a cool thing to learn about during summer vacation! and he gets to go look at all the babies. fun! 

quick hi to everyone else!  i'm glad we got out this morning but it's pouring cats and dogs right now! i don't keep lights on in the house during the summer since it generates so much heat but it's pretty much black in the house except for my laptop and winnie the pooh on the tv 

spent some time at the pool today. thomas's swim bubble is supposed to arrive in the mail tomorrow and i can't wait. he wanted to jump in the big pool into my arms a million times again today and i'm exhausted!

i did a little sweeping and loaded the dishwasher. that's it for the housework today. good enough. 

gonna lounge for a bit then start dinner before dh gets home. 

today's one of those lather, rinse, repeat days. nothing thrilling. but that's necessarily a bad thing.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Maria- Thanks for the report.  I wonder if it would have been a little more exciting for you without the rain and maybe some more live bands.  Gosh with all those hills you probably could have used some extra excitement.  Like an army guy yelling at you to go faster.  You did great though and should be very proud of yourself.  I thought about doing the R&R in philly one year but I dont know if I could deal with the bus thing either.

Nancy- The jump and catch thing in the water is quite a workout.  Nick is still at that stage even with his swim vest because he is afraid to go under.  I cant imagine doing that while pregnant.  You are such a superwomen.  I hope the swim bubble comes soon.

Hello everyone else hope all is well.

Work was pretty calm today although everyone is getting a bit crabby with each other.....I have a feeling hormones are acting up.  In an office of 11 women and 1 man I guess we will have this.

Ryans practice had some drama tonight.  I think I told you about the kid that told ryan he was on his kill list????  If not remind me to tell you that story.  But anyway tonight this kid hauled off and punched another kid right in the face.  The coaches pulled him off the field and took him to his grandmom.  Then a little while later another child punched a kid in the stomach.  Yep and we are talking about 5-7 year olds here.  So the coaches had the parents gather around the kids at the end of practice and reminded everyone that hitting will not be tolerated and this is acting as a final warning because if any more instances occur the child will be immediately thrown off the team.  I dont even know why they are even giving these other kids 2nd chances but whatever.  

Not that I think ryan would ever punch anyone but I still read him the riot act.  He said he knows that punching is wrong and he would never do that because I would go to judy.  I was like whats judy...and he said the jail kids go to.  Juvy.  Gotta love it.  I dont even know how he knows about that.  Gosh I am really not ready for him to grow up yet.

Tomorrow is going to be a bit of a crazy day for me.  I have a zillion meetings to rush to and from so Im sure at least it will go fast.  Have a great hump day tomorrow.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lindsay* JUDY!!! LOL!! i can't! that is too funny!!  you MUST save that one in your back pocket and remind him of it when he's older! so cute!

i can't believe how the kids were punching each other! yikes! i guess i can only think that maybe these kids who have ALWAYS been told not to hit others are suddenly being told to push and get people to the ground. maybe they are confusing pushing/blocking/etc with hitting? still, not a good thing! 

that is a baaaaad ratio of women to me at your office. one of the things i liked about finance is that it's basically all men. i mean, the whole glass ceiling thing was hard and all but at least i didn't have to deal with the catty stuff. i heard it from alot of the assistants but usually i could just walk away from it and it didn't involve me. 

**

yeesh guys, i'm beginning to think i need a life! i'm on here way too much! just woke up and sat down to the DIS with my coffee. i hope kathy posts soon so at least i'm not ALWAYS the last poster! 

i made a really healthy meal last night but ate about 12 servings of it. and then last night i sat IN BED with my book with about 10 chips ahoy cookies. gross. i wolfed them down without even tasting them and then had a belly ache all night. there seems to be a pattern with me: eat well during the day, stuff myself in the evening, belly ache all night. wake up, do it again!

according to the fedex site thomas's swim bubble should come today. watch, he'll refuse to wear it!

ok, i'm trying to type while thomas is jumping right on my belly. ouch! will be back later! have a great day!


----------



## mikamah

I"m here, Nancy, but haven't made lunches yet and michael's still asleep, so I gotta get moving and I'll be back for a real post soon.  Just didn't want you to be lonely.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> I"m here, Nancy, but haven't made lunches yet and michael's still asleep, so I gotta get moving and I'll be back for a real post soon.  Just didn't want you to be lonely.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

Things seem to be quieting down a bit here finally -- yay!  

*Nancy,* glad that you are having a good week.  Hope that the swim bubble gets here soon.   

*Lindsay,* it sounds like Ryan is going to be quite a football player!    Good luck with all the meetings.  I think a full moon is coming, too.  

*Maria,* thanks for a great race report!    That whole "sag wagon" thing stinks, they could make it work if they cut off the tags when you got on the bus.  It looks like a lot of the RnR races have that feature.    That takes away my desire to do one for sure.  

Oh, and I had another one who was interested in Phineas and Ferb "but not really."   

*Kathy,* sounds like Michael is enjoying camp.    How were the babies yesterday.  

*Rose,* you know that we are always here to vent to whenever you need it.  

*Lisa,* you're doing a great job coaching!    It's kind of a crazy busy week on the main thread, too.  Good luck with your 5K this week-end!    Can't wait to hear all about it.

*Oh, and in case any of you ladies are rethinking the Tinker Bell Half it is now 84% full.  Sounds like they are only taking 10,000 registrations this round.  *

Have a great day Princesses and Belles!


----------



## mikamah

I'm back!!  Lunches packed, michael's dressed, watching a show and eating breakfast, (nothing like eating while watching TV to get the boy moving) I've got my coffee and  25 minutes to dis.  

*Lisah*-Glad thing are calming down at your house this week.  Ooooh, I'd so love to do the Tinkerbelle.  I could definitely use a future disney race to get me moving.  Though 2 and a half years I'll turn 50, and I really hope to do one then, but it's not close enough yet to get me out on those long runs.  I'm envying your motivation for the long runs for your sept half.  I hope it rubs off on me soon. 

*Lindsay*- Michael loved the Judy story.  So funny.  I remember a couple years ago, he came home and was talking about Juvy, and being shocked.  They here so much at school now.  You can't stop them from growing up though we'd like to.  I hope they follow through if those kids punch again.  I'm sure they would need to.  In Icu we had all women and only 2 guys and it was not pretty sometimes.  I like Endo where lots of our techs are guys and most of the md's so it's a better ratio.  Women can be so catty.  

*Nancy*-I hope Thomas will wear his bubble.  It will give him so much more freedom and maybe you'll be able to relax a little more at the beacy.  At the lake last week there was this 17 month old who had on his life vest, and would wander a little deep, fall under, turn around come back up and do it again, happy as a clam.  He was so cute and going to grow into a little fish, no doubt.  

*Maria*- thanks for the race report.  That a lot of hills.  Funny, when I think of providence, I think of the river there and would imagine it's relatively flat.  Guess in a car it's very decieveing.  But I haven't been there in a while.  My sept half seems relatively flat except for miles 4-7 that go around marblehead neck.  I hope to do the neck before the race and check it out.  So I'll know when to cry.  What camp is Ds going to?  I've been scoping out overnight camps to get a feel for what is out there. I've heard good thing about Calumet in NH.  Then I looked at baseball camps and there's a Nike one at Endicott COllege in Beverly where I work, so I'll look into that next year.  How old was ds when he went away?  

*Rose*- Hello there!   (g-f of course)  Hope you're doing ok.

*LisaL*-You're doing a great job coaching this week.  I'm sorry I haven't been there as much as I'd like to keep up. Thanks for coaching.  

*Taryn*- Hope school is good and you're not tied up by a bunch of hell-raisers this year.

Michael loved camp again yesterday.  There was only one baby in the nursery at the time they were there, but they got a tour and they showed them the baby class stuff, and taught them how to change a diaper.  They did some work on the show they'll put on friday, but he won't tell me anything about it.  Want's to surprise me.  Cute.  
We went to a friends for dinner lastnight, and stayed a little later than I had planned.  We both crashed when we got home.  Tomorrow and friday are my short days, so if they don't need me to work extra, I'll bring my book and sit in the garden at the hospital after I bring michael to camp and read.  

We have football tonight, and tomorrow night nothing.   Maybe we'll go mini golfing since we haven't been yet this summer.  

My time is up.  Have a fabulous day!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--so do they do the bus thing at all of the RnR races? I just can't get over the fact that they actually let people finish with a time! Ridiculous!

*Lindsay*--judy, juvie, too funny! I think you were right to get on Ryan with the reminder of not hitting. It would be awful if he was the one who got made the example of--not that I think he would hit, but you know what I mean. 

*Kathy*--enjoy your short days! Sounds like Michael is having a great week!

*Lisa*--Your poor BIL. I hope he is on the end and your week is getting less crazy.

*Nancy*--I hope that swim bubble comes today!

Liesel (Lisa)--Fabulous job coaching this week. I feel like I have abandoned you with a lot of drama over there, and I am really sorry. Thank you so much.

*****
I am feeling a little more human today. Thanks for not throwing me out of the club. Honestly, you all know how this year started--Nancy, you might not. Mike's sister died very unexpectedly on New Year's day--and I feel like that has just set the tone for the year. I have tried so very hard to stay positive and optimistic through everything that has been going on, but the last couple of days I just couldn't do it anymore. I think Tom sucked the life out of me this summer. And my knees and foot were so uncomfortable at the beginning of the week, which was not helping at all. Anyhow, Mike and I got up and went for a very slow run this morning and I am feeling much better.  I think I just needed a couple of days to be unhappy and sad and grieve some of this stuff. 

We are still looking at a trip for Labor Day. We can afford it, I just don't know if I want to spend the money. All the economic stuff this week has not been helping my mood!

Today is going to be longggg--this morning they are coming to fix my windows--they are already late and it's supposed to take several hours. At some point the guy is coming to do the inspection on our new furnace and someone is coming to give me an estimate on a new garage door. Did I tell you all that Mike hit the garage door trying to get around Tom's car?  The dent wasn't too big, but now it's starting to crack. Lovely. Not a great way to spend a day off, but hopefully they will all get done early enough so that I can have some down time. 

Have a great day ladies!

Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you all the other things going on this week that added to my great mood. I have now skipped 2 t.o.m. When I called to make an appointment the girl at the dr office asked me if I had done a pregnancy test. Yep, 2, both negative, thank goodness! And while getting reading for this data conversion for this big project at work the duplicate check found 5000 duplicate records that I have to clean up. Yes, that's right 5000!!!!! I don't think they have ever cleaned up duplicates. I want to move so bad just so I don't have to do the data clean up! I did have my review this week and it was very positive, so that's good I guess!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning  and !

I have 20 minutes before my conference call starts, let's see how far I can get...

*Rose* -- That data clean up is insane! And negative pg test or not, Dennis would be panicking right about now  You have had a very rough year, with so much going on, it's ok to take a minute, process, be a little sad, and then be ready for new things  I am learning that the sag wagon is apparently the RnR motif. I keep hearing reports of them doing the same thing in other races. 

*Kathy* -- Yep, I totally thought Providence was flat. Boy was I wrong! This was a seriously convoluted course, and that may have had something to do with it. Ben is at Camp Wanakee, it's a United Methodist camp which has a different focus every week. This week it's Sports Camp, with an emphasis on cooperation rather than competition. Next week he's going to Night Camp, where they stay up and sleep during the day. Then my little vampire will come home. I have to admit this is the first year he's done sleep-away camp. He just refused until this year, and Dennis wasn't really keen on it until he got big enough we wouldn't have to worry about anything untoward. Dennis's cousin had a bad experience with a boy scout leader (completely unrelated to going away to camp, but I know you understand), and he's been very hesitant to let Ben go away. I started going to sleep away camp when I was 9 and loved it, but we just come from two different perspectives. Dennis never went to camp, so he was more cautious. 

*Lisah* -- I so wish I could do Tinkerbelle, I know it will be so much fun! You just have to keep doing it until I make it out there --I know you want to!  I hope things are shaking out better with the family this week. Isn't it funny about how they have to be so grown up, but they really will be sad if they miss a tween/young teen movie? Ben also won't admit he's waiting for the new iCarly, but I saw it written on his calendar 

*Nancy* -- I was going to post a quick one this morning but Kathy beat me to it. It's comforting knowing that you might be here whenever we stop by.  You are our rock!  And really, I think you have plenty of life going on -- pregnancy, 2 yr. old -- Yep, you are busy! 

*Lindsay* -- omg I love the Judy! That is awesome. When Ben was little, like 2, we would watch the Disney SingAlong Songs, and one was about visiting Disneyland. The lyric was "I'm walking right down the middle of Main Street USA, It's the Heart of America - the Heartbeat of a Holiday" and Ben would sing the second part, "It's the heartbeat of an animal, the heart's beating every day". 

*Lisa* -- Thanks again for doing a great job on the other thread. It is really hard during the dog days of summer, and you are a coaching machine! Glad the first day of school went well! 

Ok, gotta call in. Really quickly -- I've been back on the lower carb since Monday, and it's working very well. Turns out I can lose weight when I don't eat chips, candy, cookies, cake....who knew?!  I'm also not back to running yet. I'm scheduled to do 3M Friday. I'm letting myself sleep in and rest in the mornings, which I think is also helping me recover more quickly. 

Hang in there *Taryn,* -- I'm thinking of you and all those bright, smiling faces! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Worfiedoodles said:


> *Rose* -- That data clean up is insane! And negative pg test or not, Dennis would be panicking right about now  You have had a very rough year, with so much going on, it's ok to take a minute, process, be a little sad, and then be ready for new things  I am learning that the sag wagon is apparently the RnR motif. I keep hearing reports of them doing the same thing in other races.


Seriously, the data cleanup is ridiculous! Some of it I can do through batches, but it is just crazy. Some of the batches go really quickly and one I did yesterday took an hour and 20 minutes! Of course I started this one 15 minutes before I wanted to leave. Uggh. I could have cancelled it, but I didn't have anything else to do. I got through about 350 records yesterday. I contacted someone at our national office to see if she has any suggestions, but honestly it just kind of sucks. I am going to have to do it in the background while I do my regular work. 

Tom started going to sleep away camp at the end of 6th grade. We had a really good relationship with him, so I felt like if there were even teeny tiny issues he would let us know. I can definitely see why Dennis would be nervous, with my background I was nervous, but Tom needed it, and we needed it. They get so much from sleep away camp--which I am sure you have figured out. It was one of the best and hardest things we did--sending him to camp.

*Kathy*--look at some of the local universities. Sometimes they have affordable camps. Tom did band camp through Eastern Kentucky University and it was pretty reasonable. They don't need a ton of bells and whistles to have a good time at camp.

And cute kid llyrics--Alannis Morrisette--it's a free ride when you're already there. Tom's version--it's a free ride on your own teddy bear. Still makes me smile.

Well the furnace dude was here. The window guys are part way done. They have to come back. They were missing a piece (we are having a ton fixed) and two pieces were wrong. It had to do with the grills. The good news is, they are going to order two more pieces to match the ones they replaced so more new window parts and it won't cost anything, except a couple hours on my day off, but I can live with that.

So I found airfare into Melbourne for pretty cheap, and a room at dtd at the Hilton for not too bad, so I am seriously debating a trip over labor day. My birthday is the 4th.....I'll be 44 on the 4th, how cool is that? Mike said we could always turn into a house hunting trip if they EVER get around to making a decision. His boss thinks this is going to drag out until October--some of the funding for the stuff Mike will be working on won't be signed for until then. This is what happens when the economy starts tanking--stuff keeps getting put off, etc. The guys who are fixing my windows have told me a couple times what a nice house we have, so that's making me feel really good about all my hard work this summer.

Ok, can you tell I'm bored today and feeling human again? TTYL!

ETA, ok so I would have to pay to replace the other two pieces to match the two new pieces. So back to the original plan, they have to fix them to match and I won't get as many new ones, but that's ok. Now I just need the garage door guy to come!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

swim bubble arrived today. as soon as thomas was up from his nap i dragged his cranky butt back to the pool to try it out. he wasn't crazy about putting it on (it's one of those floaty things that rests on the back and snaps around the waist) but once we get in the water he's happy. i let him go and.....


tip! front end under the water and feet up! gah! every kid in the darn neighborhood has this thing and of course it doesn't work for him.  i asked this one mom who has a 4 yr old boy if i had it one correctly. she is SUCH a snob! one of these days i'm going to say, "look, megan, there's no reason to be so snotty. you live IN SILVER BEACH! we're not in some fancy place up in connecticut!!" anyway, she was most unhelpful but did say that they need to be kicking for them not to tip. mmmkay. i've seen kids younger than thomas with the same floatie thing and i doubt they knew to kick. 

ah, the worries of a stay at home mom. sounds ridiculous, i know.

i loved camp! i went to day camp from age 8 til 13 on the upper east side of manhattan. when i started going we lived in the bronx and both my parents worked in manhattan so it made sense for me to go there. i used to do gymnastics at this place and they decided to do a summer camp. i was there for the inaugural year  there were 60 campers then and when i finished going at age 13 there were over 500! even when we moved to CT i still went to that camp. i used to take the train into the city with all the rest of the commuters  after that i did week-long sports camps at different places. *kathy and maria* i did basketball camp a few years in a row at holy cross. not boston but close enough  in high school i went to sleepaway camp for 6 or so weeks at a time. it was heaven. i mean, here i am, a kid whose mother is like, THE WORST and i get to LEAVE her for over a month?!?! could life GET any better?? that place was in PA and definitely not expensive.

i'm totally pro-camp. 

oh here's some good news. i think i mentioned that john and i have a side consulting gig (ok, mostly john but it's in my name since he has another job hehe). we just re-did the website and launched it yesterday www.bulldogms.com 

i almost done with The Help. definitely want to see the movie. i'm really enjoying the book! they mentioned how miss leefolt had some pregnancy tranquilizer. um, what is that and can i get me some??


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose- Glad to see you were more chatty and feeling better today I was getting a bit worried about you but I knew you would come around.  Glad the house stuff is getting done!  Thats a ton of work but nice to know that it is noticed by others.  Hopefully buyers will just eat it up when it comes time.  I hear ya on getting things pushed out due to the economy.  It seriously took me 3 years from the time I interviewed for the manager position to get the job.  I basically had to do the job anyway without the title too.  So I really can relate to the waiting game.  I hope they will at least give him a yes or no before then.  Gosh if you have to wait to oct to find out anything that would be horrible.

Nancy- I posted a tip for swimming gear on facebook.  I hope you dont mind the advice.  I sometimes feel like I am often giving out advice and I hope you dont take it as I think I know everything or do everything perfect.  I am just a misses fix it and when someone is having a problem I feel like I need to help them with a solution.  I am always paranoid that people will think I am a know-it-all.  Totally the opposite. 
The website looks great.  If I had a pet product I would definitly use you.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was so overwhelmed again at work today.  I felt a bit panic attacky.  Like lightheaded, heart racing, etc.  I knew it was just anxiety so I closed my door and just took some long deep breaths for a few minutes and that helped.  I just have so many big time consuming high profile projects that I am working on right now including my daily job.  I dont want to slack on any of these because I feel like so much is riding on me and if I dont do well I will fail and some people will be saying told you so.  I know my boss probably got some questioning as to why a brand new manager is working on such big projects.  I dont want to dissappoint him.  So I spent some of the afternoon really organizing myself even more because as we all know it just makes u feel so much more in control.

Then it was a race to get to ryans practice on time.  god forbid if we dont the poor kid has to run an extra lap.  Yep like its his fault!  If anything the parent should run the lap and actually I could use the kick in the pants to do that right now.  We havent been late yet though so thats a good thing.

They had the kids do kick offs tonight.  They then choose the top 8 kids and had them each kick 3 times.  Then they choose the top 3.  Well ryan made it.  He was pretty thrilled with that.  they dont make a big thing out of it and most of the kids probably dont even realize whats going on so there are no hurt feelings.  So ryan didnt even realize that he will sometimes be the kicker until we told him after practice.  So then he said he needs to practice all weekend so he can be the best and be the starting kicker.  ummmm guess who he takes after.

The coach told us tonight that he is there top line backer and gave us some things to work on with him.  

Have you ever been so proud of your kid that you want to cry.  Thats how I feel right now.  He is just surprising the heck out of me.  Sorry to brag and constantly be talking about football.  I actually dont brag like this in real life but I guess since this is whats on my mind you all get the brag session.

Anyway so that was it for my day.  Now tomorrow we do it all over again.  
Talk to you tomorrow!!!!!


----------



## flipflopmom

Hey everyone.  I really don't even have time to catch uip and read, maybe this weekend.  i've been getting up at 4 and mega cleaning trying to get my house back under control, working late to get ready for school, back to school nights, school supply shopping, etc. etc.  I banned myself from the computer as a distraction until I feel better, but Brad said Rose had posted on my FB (which I haven't been on all summer) so I thought i'd better check in. 

today is first day of school, my class looks absolutely unreal, 4 possible special ed referrals, 2 unintelligble speech, 1 completely non english speaking, 2 semi bililingual that dont' have command of either language, 2 major behavior issues, many that have never been away from home, several that still don't know their COLORS!!!!!!  yeah, i'm freaking out.  Wish me luck today.

sophie starts pre-k, I was really weepy about it yesterday, but too stressed this am to cry!

Ak had her physical yesterday, she's really gained a lot of weight since quitting gymnastics, dr had a nutrition talk with her (she's still okay, but poor kid is only on 38 percentile for height and 52 for weight, I'd like those numbers to be closer.  some is muscle, I know, but we are nipping in bud. she's a carb freak due to her texture issues and now braces that have cut out her raw veggies.


Send me ppppp[ppppppppppd that I survive today.

good news?  all this cleaning and going back on using protein shakes for lunch ang breakfast equalled a 6 pound loss over the last week or so!!1 

Love you all bunches and beedoooddles.


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*- Where are you?  Why haven't you posted yet this morning?  Sleeping in are you?


----------



## dumbo_buddy

good morning friends! 

*taryn* glad to hear from you. not so glad to hear about your class.  god bless you! how old are these kids? sounds like you're in for a tough year! nice job on the SIX pounds lost! wow! i guess that's what happens when you don't stuff your face nonstop, huh?

*oh lindsay lindsay lindsay* if you think you're giving me alot of advice now you don't even KNOW what you're in for once bronxbaby is born! shoo! you is in trouble girl! (lol, i'm reading The Help now and feel the need to talk like a southern maid from the 60s apparently)! i think i figured out how to give the bubble another try before buying something else. i think i need to fasten it around his chest and not his waist. i'll give it another try today. so glad to hear that ryan is having such a great time at practice! heck, i get proud when thomas says mommy so if he actually does something like kick a ball properly i'd probably cry for days!  good luck with all that work stuff. you will get it done. and sometimes you need to take a breather to reogranize yourself. 

**

just a few more pages left of The Help. could have finished last night but was falling asleep and wanted to finish it fresh. i have really enjoyed it. john is taking thomas to PA this weekend to see his parents. of course i have anxiety about it as they are just so crazy but it does give me a day to not have to do much. i'm thinking of maybe a double feature at the movies that day. i think it's supposed to rain. i really can't stand the ILs. i know i should just realize that MIL is nuts and doesn't realize what she's saying half the time but there's only so many times you can take her saying how horrible i am before you say enough is enough. but i get it, they are still john's parents. that doesn't mean i have to see them though! 

one month from today we leave for WDW!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> *Nancy*- Where are you?  Why haven't you posted yet this morning?  Sleeping in are you?



i was posting when you were!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Taryn*--I guess facebook does serve a purpose. Good luck with those little angels. I hope it doesn't end up being as crazy as it sounds!

*Nancy*--I looked at the website yesterday. Very nice! I hope you get the swim bubble working right today. And that girl--Megan--there's always one, isn't there? 

*Lindsay*--I am sorry you have been doing the panic thing. I have been doing it a lot lately, too. And I've been very weepy. I wish I had an office door to close at work. I just get up and walk outside for a few minutes. I'm glad football is going so well!

*Kathy and Maria and  the 2 Lisas*--

******
So the window guys come back Friday afternnoon. After the confusion yesterday about what they were going to replace, I thought maybe I was having brain fog and that I misunderstood what the guy was saying. Well the other guy who was working on the job pulled me aside and said he didn't know why he decided they had to charge me and that the whole thing didn't make sense. That made me feel better. At least it won't cost me any more money. It is frustrating that I am spending another day off dealing with this. We're going to have a new garage door put in and then hopefully that will be it for workmen for a while!

I had to read Tom the mini-riot act yesterday. He has been down there for a week and has made no effort to get the doctor stuff set up. Mike and I talked about it last night and decided this was not the thing to let him fail at, so we will keep on him. He needs a doctor, he needs the meds, yes he is an adult, but we feel as if he needs some successes after last semester. He is doing a good job with other stuff. He started his new job--he is teaching SAT prep for  Kaplan. He's already doing stuff for judicial council. For some reason his is missing the fact that this should be a priority.

Ok, guess that's all. Hope everyone has a great Thursday.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies!

*Taryn*-     God bless you.  It sounds like a tough year, but you are an amazing teacher, and you will make a difference in all those little one's lives.    Congrats on 6 pounds!!  Here's to a healthy school routine.  

*Rose*_ So good to see you posting more.  I hate dealing with workmen.  Hope it all works out, and the rest of the work gets done without any extras.  I think turning 44 on the 4th with 4 days in 4 parks would work beautifully.  GO FOR IT!!  You deserve it. 

*Lindsay*- Yay for Ryan!!  That is awesome he's doing so well.  Michael was a little surprised to hear he may never touch the ball during a game.  I think he'll be a lineman.  Not that I am sure exactly what that is.   I really should have paid more attention at my nephews games all those years.  My nephew got a ton of play time in hs, offense and defense, and I reminded michael that he never touched the ball either, he felt better.  We got a little talk from the head coach, who said to come to him with any issues, but he tried to explain how they put the kids into lines, and will have a couple offense and defense lines set up, and they use a rubberband system, so if the red band kids are up on defense, and the other team gets a touch down on the second down, they're only out for a couple minutes.  I think he was trying to help avoid the "my kids not playing enough" nightmare that I'm sure happens a lot.  
Hugs to you on work and stress.  I hate getting that panicky feeling, but sounds like  you did well calming yourself down.  

*Maria*-Nice work on the low carb!  It is amazing how it works, yet I just can't get there.  I'm not totally out of control, but not on the losing train, that's for sure.  That camp looks really nice ds is at.  I know how Dennis feels too.  We had a priest at our church as kids and it was all hush hush then, but I so hope this is a different generation of kids that will feel comfortable talking to their parents about such stuff.   I don't know when or if Michael will want to go away, and that's fine, but I want to know what's out there if he is interested.  Hope you're enjoying your kid free evenings.  

*Nancy* -Poor Little Thomas. I can just picture him tipping over in the water.  Michael had a little vest thing that had a circle of foam around the belly and a strap between the legs, and he swam like a fish in that.  I hope the bubble works better higher up on the chest.  Good luck.  Glad to see you didnt over sleep today.  Like that ever happens.  You definitely should give dh and ds some quality alone time with his folks, and go see the Help. 

*Lisa*  Hello there!!  Hope you're having a good week!!

*Coach Lisa*- You've done a fantastic job coaching this week.  It's been busy over there.  

Thanks for sharing all the info about summer camps.  I never went to summer camp, and I want michael to get some good experiences.  He has had a great summer so far.  Yesterday they did surgery on Bob the lifesize teddy bear who had gall stones, a rubber glove filled with jelly beans, and they left him in recovery.  I'm working 9-3 today and he finishes at 3:30 so we'll have a few hours before football to chill.  He could use it.  Little cranky yesterday.

I've been waiting for the gas company to put my gas back on.  They replaced my pipes yesterday and the guy in the morning said they would have it turned back on, but they didn't, so I didn't notice til they were closed, and now they haven't gotten here and I have to leave.  I'm so aggravated, just called back, and they can't guarantee some can come between 4 and 6 when I'll be here.  PITA.   A cold shower really made me cranky this morning.  

Oh well, take a deep breath, kathy and get your butt to work.  

Have a fabulous day.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Kathy,* I think this Michael going to work with you thing is working out nicely for you.    Next time you see a friend with a baby you should offer to have Michael test out his diaper changing skills and watch him go .  

*Rose,* it's so nice to see you chatting and feeling like yourself again!    Good job getting after Tom to get his appointments set up.  Sounds like he is glad to be back at school.

*Maria,* I would so love to have Robert try sleep away camp sometime but he has no interest.  You give me hope for when he is a bit older.    Hope that you and Dennis are enjoying your adult time.   

*Nancy,* sorry to hear the swim bubble wasn't a success right off the bat but hopefully it will work out better today!    I thought your website looked very nice -- those changes in the packaging for the products were amazing.  Just goes to show what good marketing can do for you . . . it's not all just playing golf and having nice lunches!  

*Lindsay,* so glad that Ryan is enjoying football so much.  
Maybe that toe of his can get him through college!    Here's some  for all those projects.  

*Taryn,* enjoy that first day of school today.  Your class sounds so challenging!  Here's some  for you, too.  It was so nice to see you!     Take some time to take care of you and stop by more often and a big woo hoo on 6 pounds!  

*Lisa,* great job coaching this week!  Tell us more about your trip to Hawaii next month.  

Don't know why but everyone in my house decided to get up at 5 am today.  I think I'm going to have to go to work to get some peace and quiet.  

Have a great day all!


----------



## liesel

Wow, its taking a lot of time to keep up with the other thread.  Thanks for all the coaching well wishes, I didn't know how busy it would be at the end of the summer challenge!  I thought that I might end up talking to myself for a week, so I'm very glad of the participation.


*Maria* I'm sure you'll do a fantastic job coaching this week.  How do you feel after your half?  Not too sore I hope.  How many days do you usually rest after a half?

*Kathy* That hospital camp sounds like so much fun!  I hope you get your gas turned back on soon, cold showers are no fun.

*Lindsay* Brag away!  I do hope that the work stress gets better.  I'm sure you are doing a fabulous job!

*Rose* Glad to see you back.  I hope Tom gets his med situation taken care of and your windows and garage door get done soon.

*Nancy* I love the website, very professional.  I don't blame you for not wanting to visit your inlaws.  Even with the realization that they are the ones with the problem, those negative comments are still hard to take.

*LisaH* Hi there!  Sorry about your BIL, what a tough time.  I hope you have a good loss this week, you worked so hard.  I saw that the registration for the Tink kids races was at 50%, so I went ahead and registered both kids yesterday.  They are very excited.

Our Hawaii trip is to Kauai for 8 days, which will fall during the birthday extravaganza that is DH, DD, and DS.  They each get to plan what we will do during their birthdays.  DH so far has chosen snorkeling and we will go out to a nice dinner since it is a special milestone birthday for him (we'll say 29 ).  DD has chosen to go tubing down the old sugar plantation irrigation ditches and wants to go snorkeling and see sea turtles.  DS wants to take surfing lessons.  We will also do plenty of swimming at the beach and hiking.  We are staying at a condo and will be cooking a few meals.  As a cook, I am especially looking forward to visiting their farmers markets and seafood markets and fixing some yummy meals.  Its our first time to Kauai (but our 4th Hawaiian island) and I can't wait!

I had a good run today and finally broke the 14mm barrier, coming in at 13:50mm.   This is mostly due to the fact that I have finally had a week where I got all my runs in, which is making a huge difference.  I have been OP with food, coming in under my calories all week, I got plenty of exercise, and as of today I am showing a gain!!  So frustrating, I hope its water retention from my increased activity, but I get really sick of working so hard with no scale results.  Well, I had better go get ready to go to school and help the first graders with their lunches.  Have a great day!


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> G
> I've been waiting for the gas company to put my gas back on.  They replaced my pipes yesterday and the guy in the morning said they would have it turned back on, but they didn't, so I didn't notice til they were closed, and now they haven't gotten here and I have to leave.  I'm so aggravated, just called back, and they can't guarantee some can come between 4 and 6 when I'll be here.  PITA.   A cold shower really made me cranky this morning.
> 
> Oh well, take a deep breath, kathy and get your butt to work.
> 
> Have a fabulous day.


I would be so unhappy about this! I hope it gets straightened out soon!



lisah0711 said:


> *Rose,* it's so nice to see you chatting and feeling like yourself again!    Good job getting after Tom to get his appointments set up.  Sounds like he is glad to be back at school.


Thanks for saying this Lisa. I question whether I should just let him sink or swim on this one. Actually I have really been beating myself up because we probably did way too much for him in high school as far as making sure he got stuff done, and if we wouldn't have maybe he would have had to deal with all this earlier. I don't know. It's been hard to come to term with, plus there's all that Mommy guilt. But he's a good kid, and he wants to be successful, so hopefully it will all work out in the end.



liesel said:


> Wow, its taking a lot of time to keep up with the other thread.  Thanks for all the coaching well wishes, I didn't know how busy it would be at the end of the summer challenge!  I thought that I might end up talking to myself for a week, so I'm very glad of the participation.


Congrats on the run! Your trip sounds great--is it coming up soon or is it next summer?

As for the main thread, it's been a strange summer. Last summer was really quiet. Just a core little group. This summer there have been a ton more people that have stuck around, but it's been kind of weird, I think. Not a lot of interaction, just a lot of "this is what I'm doing." Which is ok, just different.  It will be interesting to see what this fall is like. I am just glad someone volunteered to hostess!

****
I ended up running 3 miles this morning and went into work a little later. I've been going over my hours, so it worked out well. The weather is perfect here--mid 80s, low humidity (in the 60s this morning). I woke up this morning feeling anxious, so the run really helped. So now hopefully we can get back on our standard training schedule--run Tues, Thurs, Sat. 

Still no news on the job front. Mike is going to call the hiring manager tomorrow. He figures he has nothing to lose at this point. We keep reminding ourselves that this entire process has been very slow, so why should this part be any different. Can you believe he applied for this job at the beginning of June?

Ok, guess that's it. Hope everyone is having a nice afternoon.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

WOW! no posts at all yesterday evening! what? do the rest of you have like, lives?? 

*rose* hope mike gets some answers when he calls about the job today. i'm not surprised at all that they would take that long. any job i or john has ever had seems like it takes months to get. it's so annoying! especially when budgets are concerned there is a ton of bureaucracy that goes into just hiring one person. ick. i'm glad you're feeling better though! and it's so nice that the weather isn't so darn hot!

tom better get his butt to the doctor! i get it though - i was 20 once and in college. when you get there the last thing you want to do is pull away from your friends and go see a doctor. he'll do it. he's a good boy 

any news on the trip?? i still think you should go the following weekend  i love the 44 on the 4th thing! my favorite number is 4 so i always love when things are on the 4th or have to do with 4s. my bday is on the 4th too - just not til october 

*kathy* short day today, right? i can't wait to hear about michael's hospital camp performance! take pictures! i will have a nice little baby whose diapers will need some changing - you can just ship michael down to the bronx!  what happened with the gas company? how frustrating! i hate waiting on stuff like that. i need to get the cable company here b/c our internet isn't really working that great and i just KNOW they will say, "oh we'll be here between 8-2" which means 4:30.  

*lindsay* how did practice go yesterday? omg i had a dream about ocean city last night! weird, right? i haven't been there in so long but i guess it's been on my mind since you were there. did you watch jersey shore last night? i was in bed before then but it's DVR'd!  i feel like such a classy gal when i watch that!

*lisa* anymore 5am wake up calls? hope you got to sleep in a bit! 

*maria* i saw that you posted pics of the race on facebook. i need to go look at them. the wifi in my bedroom doesn't seem to want to work. so i'm going to do that after i post. how has your rest week been going? did you go out today?

*taryn* how's school going?

*liesel* nice job coaching this week! the group does seem different than the last challenge. it moves so fast that i don't catch up alot. 

i'm pretty bad about talking to the people on there too. i try but sometimes i feel like some of the people don't bother saying ANYTHING to ANYONE,  EVER! and because i'm not that nice of a person i don't talk back to them. 

ah, friday. which means tomorrow is saturday. which means john's taking thomas for the day. trying to not think about his stupid parents and just think about how i'm going to go for a nice walk by myself, take a shower without someone looking at me the whole time, head to a movie without rushing to get back, and just relax. i think it's supposed to rain tomorrow. maybe i'll see TWO movies! 

mom rant ahead: yesterday the mother calls me while i'm down at the beach and asks me if i have any interest in going with her tomorrow (today) to see my grandpa...IN PA! as in, a 4 hour drive. i told her that john's taking thomas to his parents in PA on saturday (they live in the poconos, a bit less than 2 hrs away) so i needed to be home. she said she was planning on just going for the day. ok so...she will drive 5 hours EACH WAY (she's in CT so another hour for her) to see her step-father for a few hours BUT she won't just drive ONE hour each way to see her GRANDSON?? mmkay. i told her i just couldn't put thomas in the car that long for one day. i mentioned that john will be away in phoenix mon-wed and that maybe we could go and stay overnight next week. well then all of a sudden she's not sure when she's working and blah blah. she is a nurse, works 4 days/week but never the same days. after i got home from the beach i realized that i can't go to PA next week b/c john will be gone which means nobody to walk the dog. i called and left her a message: hey mom, looks like i can't do next week after all but maybe we can plan another time? also, what if we plan another time and instead of you going to PA tomorrow you come here for the day - we'll go to the zoo or the botanical gardens or something and since we're members at both i can get you in for free. it's supposed to be nice out and thomas and i will take you out to lunch for your BIRTHDAY. call me back."

no call back. 

well anyway, today is shaping up to be a beautiful day. maybe thomas and i will go for a walk and then hit the zoo on our own. i'd take him to the pool again...maybe in the afternoon. i put the darn swim bubble on yesterday at the beach and he wouldn't go in the water. oh family friend (thomas calls her nana) was yelling at me yesterday that the bubble is stupid and i wasted money and i can't trust it and blah blah. i didn't buy it to just not watch him! and i'm telling you EVERY SINGLE KID in this neighborhood has it! they all took swim lessons together (silver beach is a little cliquey and i'm not in the clique) and were told to get that! 

it's august 12th. one month from today i'll be getting ready to check into our first character breakfast at chef mickeys 

this post would have been finished like half an hour earlier but thomas is already driving me insane this morning! he lost his shoe on the street when out with john walking the dog and we had to go looking for it (found it!) and now he wants me to move my right hand so he can smack my belly nonstop and just doesn't understand why i wouldn't allow that!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning everyone!!

I was not on last evening though I should have been because I was waiting for, fuming and calling the gas company until they finally arrived at 1135 pm.  I called at 345 to say I'm home, and they're supposed to call as they arrive, so I figured I'd just leave football for a few min to let them in.  No call. Called at 8, they're still coming and will be there.  10. They are on the way now, watch for them.  11 pm.  "I don't know what happens, it says here they called your cell at 10 and you said the gas was on.  I'll send them right over"  1130 I called to ask when should I expect them, and if they aren't here when should I call you back AGAIN.  They work til 1230, "if they're not there by then you'll have to reschedule in the morning."  I went ballistic on the lady.  No manager to speak to in all of National Grid.  I got in my pajamas and laid down, not that I was going to sleep, and they showed up.  Took all of 2 minutes.  I was sooooo aggravated.  But I only at a poptart through all of it.   So I guess that wasn't too bad.   The technician said they had the wrong address.  Hello, I"m in the computer under my phone number correctly.  Ah well, thanks for listening.  Like you had a choice. 

Had a nice hot shower this morning, thank god or I would have killed the poor man who came today.  

Football is going well for michael, but I'm rethinking the whole running while he's at practice.  A boy hurt his ankle last night about 20 min before it ended, and his parents weren't there and noone else came up or seemed to be responsible for him, and they iced it, and they ended up having the ambulance come since they couldn't reach his parents, and I felt so bad for him and the parents.  The mom showed up at 7:30, and took him in her car.  I made a pact with the other moms that they'd go to michael if I wasn't ever here and he got hurt, but I would feel so bad if that happens, I doubt I'll leave him.  He got his team assignment and is on with some friends from his school, and one of the dads is coach, so he's happy.  Clifton is on the team too, but I'm hoping it will all work out and if they have issues, they can push each other around during practice to work them out. 

*Nancy*-  on your mom.  She just doesn't think or care does she.  Ugh.  Her issues, not yours, but I know it's so hard on you.  You, like Rose, are an amazing mom in spite of the mom's your grew up with.  I wish you so much peace when you deal with her.  
On the bubble- that's the one our Y uses.  I bet he will get used to it.  If you want something so you don't have to watch him at all, that would be a nanny, but they cost some bucks.  Stick with the bubble.  

*Rose*- I think a trip labor day is perfect, and hopefully you'll be celebrating a new job for Mike by then.    Glad you got out for a run yesterday.  I'm so slacking.  It's been hard to fit it in this summer during the week.  I can't believe I'm supposed to do a half in sept.  

*Lisah * -Hope you got some peace and quiet at work.  Man, you were all up early yesterday.  It has been nice having michael come to work with me.  And yesterday and today I'mstarting early so I didn't have time to kill before work. 

*Maria*- Have fun coaching this week!

*Lisal*-You did great coaching for such a busy and emotional week over there. 

*Lindsay*- Hope your week is going well.

*Taryn*- Hope your school years starts off on the right foot.

Well, time's up.  Got a few extra minutes since camp is serving pizza for lunch today.  Yesterday they went to the ER and had casts put on their thumbs, toured an ambulance, and visited Bob after his surgery on the pediatric ward. 
He is excited for the show today.  I'll definitely take pics.  

Have a fabulous friday!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hi Nancy! It's just you and me here lately! Everyone else must be having fun! Still not sure about the trip. Depends on if Mike gets to talk to the hiring manager today. I have the money, especially if this move is not going to happen. But the reality is the w&d is only a month later, so we can suck it up and wait another month. We are just both really exhausted and burned out after this summer. We talked about going somewhere around here, but there's no where we want to go. The closest beach is 600 miles away and we are not lake people. We considered going to the mountains, and we still might. We go to Carolina to see Navy play USC on Sept 17, I think, so that's something to look forward to. 

Sorry the bubble still isn't working. I think Tom had a swim vest, if I remember correctly. And sorry for the Mom drama. One month until your trip! That is so exciting!

*****
So does anyone know anything about security on facebook? Can you make it so that certain individuals can only see certain things, like on a person by person basis? 

The window guys come this afternoon. The new garage door goes in on Wednesday. Hopefully that is it for a while!

Thanks to everyone who recommended the Help. I am really enjoying it. And it makes me so sad sometimes to read, even though it is really funny, too.

I have made it to within 3 weeks of maintaining for an entire year, but I am up today over a pound, so it's not looking good. We're running tomorrow, so it might still work--yes, I have used a "last chance workout" to stay within my maintain range. I'm trying to not get too upset about it. I am still 5 pounds below where I started maintaining last summer, so that's a victory. But I'm a pound and a half higher today than my current maintain weight. Could be the g-f cupcakes and chips I've had this week. Or maybe I am really starting menopause. It still feels like I am a little young. I have an appointment in a week, so we'll see what my dr. says. After all the problems this spring, I don't think she will be as upset as I am about my weight being up a pound or two. 

Ok, have a great day everyone! Hopefully Mike will hear something today.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Kathy--we were posting at the same time! Woohoo for the gas being on! As for the running during practice, that's a hard one. If you had a parent to trade off with being there, I think that would be great, but otherwise I would be nervous, too. I am so glad Tom played soccer instead of football!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Ladies.  I started posting last night and then I got sidetracked because nick woke up crying.  After getting him back to bed I just didnt feel like going all the way back down to the computer.  (its only a matter of 2 floors and 10 steps)  I was just a bit chicken fried as Rose would say.

Practice was a little rough last night.  Ryan had no attention span what so ever and they pretty much did the same thing the entire 2 hours of practice so that didnt help.  The started working on the offense.  Ryan is a lineman and when you dont have anyone to play against I can understand it being a bit boring.  All they do is get ready, set (into a 3 point stance), and then go.  Go meant just run 10 steps.  He wasnt the only kid not paying attention sometimes but it seemed that the coaches kept pulling the kids out to sit who were a little spacey.  He was standing in his spot but just swinging his arms side to side or starring at the birds.  So although being well behaved he just wasnt really into to it.  I just hope this doesnt affect him getting to play.  The coaches talked to them about this at the end of practice and said if they dont pay attention they wont play.  It really aggravates me that it is like this at the age of 6.  Kathy I like so much better what your coaches are doing with the kids and they are even older.  Ugggh!

So thats my football update....No practice until mon so you all get a break from my football talks for a few days.

I really have no will to be here at work today.  I really wanted to just spend the day in my bed.  

On a brighter note it is beautiful out today. sunny and a high of 80.  It actually felt like fall this morning with a crisp to the air.  

Taryn- Wow that sounds like quite a class roster.  I hope it went better than you can imagine and I hope sophie is doing well in PreK.

Liesel- Your hawaii trip sounds wonderful and how fun to celebrate bdays while there.  Congrats on breaking the 14mm.  That is so exciting.  You are doing so great and now are inspiring to me.

Lisa- Wow 5am.  I hope the day turned out ok after that early start.  I hope you got some peace and quiet.

Kathy- oh my that whole gas thing would have put me over the edge.  you handled it with such grace and only 1 poptart.  Im glad it is now all taken care of.  Glad michael had a great night and has some friends on his team.  Oh no I hope clifton stays out of his way. 
I cant wait to hear about michaels performance.  That sounded like an amazing camp.  our hospital doesnt do anything that fun.

Nancy- how frustrating your mom is....she is frustrating me and I am not even related.  I agree with everyone else.  you are a better person and a better mom because of her faults.    Oh and only 1 month to disney.  I am so darn excited for you......and a bit jealous to  I keep telling myself my time will come.  I hope the bubble works out better today and maybe now that he has the bubble you can be part of the silverbeach clique.  I wonder how far of a drive it is from where I am to the bronx.  I think typically it takes about 2 hrs to get to the city.  I have off the week of 8/22 but ryan has football every night except friday.  If it is not to much maybe we can arrange something if you dont have anything else going on.  I would love to come hang out in person.

Rose- I am hoping mike gets some kind of answer today.  I would also like to say that I agree the whole dr thing is not something you want to let tom fail on.  We have so many parents still call and accompany there child to the doctor even at 22.  There is a time to cut the cord but still be there to support and i think you and mike have that happy medium down pat.  Your a great mom and should never question yourself of that. 

Maria-  How is your recovery going.  I love the medal!!!!

Well have a great day I am counting down the hours until 5 oclock.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lindsay!  *come come come!! allentown is SO easy to get to and vice versa. you take 78E to 95 and go over the GWB. then just stay on the cross bronx all the way to the other side of the bronx, get off the exit towards the throgs neck bridge, take the last exit before the throgs neck bridge, left, right, left, right...my house! done and done! just a little over 2 hours  we can hang in silver beach or go to the zoo and then eat pizza and pretend it's fat free! 

too bad practice wasn't as successful as the night before. but the kids are 6! oh course they're not going to pay attention the whole time! heck i can't do that and not swing my arms and look at the sky! yeesh!

*rose* - i want to say don't worry about the extra pound over maintain but there's no way i can say that. i'm sure it's not easy but you'll get down! the fact that t.o.m. hasn't showed up in a couple months probably isn't helping - retaining water?? 

so who do you cheer for at the navy v. south carolina game??? 

you know, i'm not even gluten free but just the word cupcake has me drooling right now. i've been craving a chocolate cupcake with white icing for the last few days. as much as i want to say, "hey, don't eat that and you can have 12 of them in disney" i don't care...i want one now! 

*kathy - *are you KIDDING me with the gas co showing up at 11:30??? helllllllll no is that ok. and the worst part is that they know they have you. what are you gonna do, switch gas companies? overnight? grrr! our heat went on on christmas day a few years ago when we were hosting my ILs (nightmare x100000) and they had no problem taking their sweet time. 

*liesel *- i'm so excited about your hawaii trip! it sounds great!! can't wait to hear about it and see pics!!!

***
naptime now. i wish it would last 5 hours.  a certain toddler has been screaming/whining all day. the pool was a bust. only lasted 30 min. blah.

my friend from college just sent a bunch of cute things for bronxbaby from target. she knows i love elephants and she sent some blankets, hooded towls, burp cloths, and a sleep sack all with a cute elephant pattern on it.  very cute...except i thought...OMG burp cloths! i totally forgot about those! oh boy...6 months in and it hasn't hit me! haha

oh and remember "usher" my "friend" down at maritime college who waves at me every day. well for the last two days he's actually stopped and said hi and we talked about the construction going on around the school. today he told me he was really impressed how i get out all the time even when it's really hot or really cold. except he said it all in ebonics.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- that sounds like a plan.  Either the beach or the zoo whatever works for you.  I most likely will have both boys with me and I will need to keep it fairly inexpensive.  Let me know how much the zoo costs to get in and then maybe we can decide from there and obviously it will depend on the weather too.  Oh I am so excited.  Is that friday 8/26 ok for you.  and also do you know if there are any tolls on that drive?


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Nancy- that sounds like a plan.  Either the beach or the zoo whatever works for you.  I most likely will have both boys with me and I will need to keep it fairly inexpensive.  Let me know how much the zoo costs to get in and then maybe we can decide from there and obviously it will depend on the weather too.  Oh I am so excited.  Is that friday 8/26 ok for you.  and also do you know if there are any tolls on that drive?



The zoo would be free for you since we are members. So that saves you like $75 or so right there. And I have parking passes too. There is a toll over the bridge but that's just one way. There may be one when you get off 78 and onto 95 but it's not alot. The beach here is free too  Friday the 26th would be great!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

ok well the zoo sounds like it would be great.  the boys would love that.  Im going to say its a go and then we can finalize the details as it gets closer.  I am so excited.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

good morning friends! 

it's 8:08am and my day of freedom starts.....NOW! woot! john just took thomas and i hear them driving away as i type this. they left with me threatening his life if he doesn't stand up for me when they say nasty things about me. yeah, like that will happen. oh well. i don't have to see them, i don't have to see them, i don't have to see them. 

all my exercise clothes are in the dryer right now so i'll wait a little til i hear the buzzer and then go out for a nice walk. 

most importantly, i need to think about what kind of food i want to bring to the movies with me. 

how was everyone's friday night? we had pizza as usual and then my uncle eddie and aunt mary came over for a little to visit with thomas. he's starting to call her mimi. it's very cute  we watched the jersey shore episode from the night before and i may or may not have sent john out to get me an oreo mcflurry 

has anyone read Sarah's Key? i'm about 100 pages in - very good but a little depressing. and by a little i mean, dying-children-in-the-holocost depressing. 

anywho, i'm going to finish my coffee and wait for the dryer to buzz and head out. it's MUGGY out today!


----------



## Rose&Mike

So, Mike finally talked to someone about the job stuff yesterday. It's not dead, but it wasn't exactly encouraging. They decided he didn't appear to have enough technical skills. Uggh. If anything they tell him here he gets too technical and needs to see the big picture more. Anyhow, he sent the guy some stuff that he's done to look at and we'll see. This position is not a demotion--it's a lateral move--but he won't be managing anyone, so it's kind of frustrating to him that it's been this difficult. He thinks because the funding for the new project doesn't start until fall, the hiring manager has to work a little harder to convince people they want to spend money on someone now. So we continue to wait. At least now we know it will be slow and painful. It is a little frustrating that no one got back with him sooner. I think since they don't really need anyone at this very moment it's become a low priority. Who knows, I'm just guessing. While we're both disappointed, if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. And the kicker in all this--Mike's truck wouldn't start last night. It was an issue with the stupid key and it started when I took him the other key, so I guess that's good. 

For my mental well being I am going to list the positives that have happened this summer before I decide to climb up on my two story roof....Just kidding.

1. Through all this I have managed to maintain. Yes the scale was down this morning. Thank goodness! My eating has not been great--way too much g-f mac and cheese and g-f cupcakes and potato chips. But I am still mostly managing to hold it together!

2. I got really cheap tickets for our trip in October! Thank goodness I went ahead and bought them!

3. My kid seems to be doing ok and mostly seems to have his act together. He called me yesterday and we had a nice chat. 

4. I have a new furnace, windows that you can see out of and a very decluttered house. Most of the projects that we never got around to finishing are taken care of and our yard is looking pretty good.

5. I am still able to run, though my knee is flaring up a bit, it's still tolerable. 

Mike is taking our dogs to be boarded for the night. I know that probably sounds terrible, but they wake us up before 6:00am most days, and we are both really pooped and need a doggy free day. I told him to look at it like kids spending the night at grandma's except we have to pay for it.

*Lindsay and Nancy-*-I am so jealous that you all are getting to get together! If I were closer I would so crash your party!

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## mikamah

I wanna go to the zoo too!!  But I think it might be beergaritas at the lake that day, so I can't make it. 

Good morning ladies!

I ran/walked 3 miles this morning with michael on his bike.  My first exercise since sunday.  He wants to go for a bike ride with me too, so we will do that in a bit.  There are some new gravelled rails to trails paths we haven't checked out nearby.  I also need to go to the bike shop and get a rack for the back of my bike before our trip to the cape. 

I need to do some cleaning and yard work this weekend too.  It's a good weekend for it, and with football 3 nights a week, the evenings are limited. I'm on call today til 7pm, and michael has a birthday party tomorrow afternoon, otherwise, it's a low key weekend again, but I do need to be a bit more productive than last weekend.  Last night we met a friend at Salem Willows, a park in Salem on the water with arcades, and a beach, and had supper, and walked around.  There's a chinese restaurant who sells chop suey sandwiches for $1.83, so everyone goes there for them. Once it got dark, we saw about 6 skunks slinking around the area, so close to all the people, but none had sprayed and you couldn't smell them, so maybe they are babies.  There was a 3 yo in our town bit by a rabid skunk last week, it was a baby that came out from under their porch and just grabbed on the kids leg and the parents had to beat it off.  Awful.  As we were getting ready to leave we saw fireworks across the harbor that had been rained out last weekend, so that was a bonus and it ended up being a fun night.  

*Nancy*- Enjoy every minute of your day alone today, and your movies and movie feast.   That baby need the calcium of a mcflurry every once in a while.  

*Lindsay*-I hope practice gets better for Ryan.  I can imagine it's not easy to keep the attention of all those 6 year olds.  They're kids, and it's supposed to be fun, too.  Michael's 9, and really this year has made a big turn around as far as his interest in sports, and understanding of how the games work.  I know he's rather be tossing the ball around than doing all those drills, but at least they are older and it's easier for most of them.  

*Rose*- That is awesome you've maintained for almost a year!!  I hope the run helped keep your streak, but even if you're just a pound over, I know that will be gone tomorrow.  Really with the year you have had, you have done amazingly well keeping your eating under control, and reigning it back in when you start to stray off track.  I am so impressed with your resolve. 

Hello Maria, Lisa, Lisa, and Taryn!!  Hope you're all enjoying the weekend!! 

Oh, michael's show was very cute at camp.  One girl pretended to break her leg, and then they acted out what happens in the hospital and all the different departments.   I'll post some pics on facebook.  It was such a great program, and I was so happy he was able to go.  They came home with painted t-shirts, and frames they made with a pic of the whole group, and a lovely assortment of freebie hospital stuff, such as a disposable stethescope, gloves, shoe covers, hair nets from the cafeteria.  He loves free stuff, so he was in heaven.

I think I'll go have a cup of coffee on the porch and read a little before I get productive. 

Have a lovely day!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- Have a great alone day today.  I hope you get to relax and have some fun.

Rose- Sorry it wasnt better news with the job.  That is completely frustrating but I hope all works out in the end.  Im glad you listed the positves and your positives are great.  You have gone through alot this year and will only be stronger from all of it.  

You would definitely not be crashing the party.  I wish we all lived closer so we could all get together.  Although after spending a day with nancy and I, Im sure you would all be thankful that your out of the little kiddie phase.  Considering between nancy and I we have a 2, 4, and 6 year old Im sure we will have some great stories to tell after our day in the bronx zoo.

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.  I am on a cleaning mode today.  Got a few loads of laundry done.  grocery shopping done.  cleaned out kitchen drawers that havent been gone through since we moved in 5 years ago.  I think my family wants to do something so we are trying to decide what to do.  Its not to hot out today but there is some yucky humidity hanging around.


----------



## mikamah

*Rose*- Sorry about the whole job thing, and the waiting has to continue, but at least it is still a possibility, and it makes sense as to why it will take a while.  
Love your list of positives, and yay on the scale today!!  Enjoy your doggie free day and night.  You definitely deserve it.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi friends! looks like we're having busy weekends! we just spend the morning at the roosevelt field mall. went to the disney store - bought a little pooh and tigger and another set of pj pals for thomas. i don't even think he likes pooh and tigger all that much....by why else do you have a kid if not to buy them stuffed animals and play with them yourself? 

*rose *i'm bummed about the job update. how frustrating! all the more reason to go to disney if you ask me! all isn't lost though - sounds like they still really like him. they would have just blown him off if they didn't want him. 

*lindsay - *i'm looking forward to the 26th! all are welcome...but yeah, hanging out with three boys age 2-6 might be considered a fate worse than death for some! LOL! the ONLY thing i'm worried about that day is that you'll be going home on a friday....in the summer. so, the cross bronx/george washington bridge traffic has the potential to be a total nightmare. if you don't want to deal with that...could you come thursday? OR stay a little later on friday? like, leave after dinner? OR, you are MORE than welcome to stay overnight! i just would feel bad if you leave after a fun day and sit in traffic. that would put a damper on the day! 

*kathy - *michael's play sounds so cute! would love to see some pictures! do you guys have this nasty rain that we have right now? ick.

*maria - *loving your coaching questions! i'm going to go back to the main thread to answer them as soon as i'm off here. 

*hi lisah, liesel, and taryn!!* hope you are having lovely stress-free weekends 

i think we're going to put thomas down for a nap and all go into different bedrooms ourselves and lay down! not much else to do on this rainy day except for eat and sleep! i'm glad i got in a walk yesterday - it looks like it's supposed to rain nonstop for the next couple of days! it's really going to put a kink in my "walk to disney" plan. every day off means more walking the other days!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--I'm glad you liked the movie. I finished the book yesterday, and I really loved it. Especially with living in the pseudo south and having a son go to school in the south, I really identified with some of the stuff. I'm not sure if I want to see the movie though, I hate it when they change the book! I cried reading the book at times, so I can imagine what the movie will be like!

*Lindsay*--I enjoy other people's little kids. I am just really glad they are not coming home with me! Hope you got lots of cleaning done!

*Kathy*--oh, I am so glad we don't have a skunk problem! When does you vacation start?

Hello to the Lisas, and Maria, and Taryn.

We had a nice doggie free day.  They are back home now. We went to the game last night and were going to go out to eat afterwards, but right before the game started we had a horrendous t-storm come through. One of the worst I have ever seen. It turned out to be a nice night, but about half way through the game we started hearing reports about damage. The interstate near our house was closed. Over 100000 homes are without power. School is supposed to start tomorrow and 48 schools are without power. So we decided to leave and go home around the 7th inning. Thank goodness we did. There were lights out/power outages the whole way home. A teenager ran out in front of our car on one of the almost dark streets and Mike had to jam on the brakes. It was a kind of scary ride home. Luckily we had power and only minor damage, though I haven't really looked at my roof yet. Our swing was in our neighbor's yard. I'm kind of glad I wasn't home, cause I was scared at the stadium, I think I would have been more scared at home!

I am going to force you all to hear about my w&d trip, cause I need something to be excited about. I redid my dining reservations today.

Here's my itinerary:
*Thursday*: 6:00am flight arrive at MCO 10:30. Still not sure if we are renting a car. As of right now we are staying at AKV Thurs and Friday and switching to BWV on Saturday. We have a waitlist for Thurs and Friday and if comes through we will take ME, if not we will rent a car.
*Dinner Thurs:* Narcoossee at 8:30pm (we plan to watch Wishes from there!) I love, love, love Narcoossee.

*Friday:* maybe AK morning EMH. Go to the expo sometime that day. 
*Dinner:* Raglan Road 4:00pm, yep that's early, but I want to hang out at EPCOT that night.

*Saturday:* If we have to switch hotels, up by 7:00am. Check in at BWV by 7:30 and head to DHS for morning EMH. If we don't have to switch hotels, we can sleep a little longer. 
Breakfast: Captain's Grille at Yacht Club at 10:00am 
hang out the rest of the day. ice cream and snacks for lunch/dinner
PM-race and after race party 

*Sunday*--no big plans. Dinner at 5:00 at Boma. And I am having the desserts this time even if they are not vegetarian!!! Sunday evening--DHS emh. I have to ride tower of terror in the dark at least once!

*Monday*--no big plans. Dinner--Rose&Crown at 5:50pm. We know we will be tired by then and are really hoping they get the g-f thing! Monday night 38special is the Eat to the Beat band. So we are going to watch them. Go have dinner and then run back to see them again afterwards. We are planning Illuminations that night. 

*Tuesday*--check out. No big plans. Our plane doesn't leave until 7:30 so we have most of the day to hang out!

Mike is now talking about Marathon Weekend. We will be there for Christmas from the 21-27th. But he has wanted to do a marathon for a while now.....He's going to look at the point situation and see where we are at. I am still planning on Princess, though I have not registered yet. Not sure if I will run marathon weekend or not.

Then next October we told Tom we would take him and up to 5 or 6 of his friends for their fall break. We have been saving our BW points for a two br. It is going to be his 21st birthday present. I said I would buy tickets, provide the room, have food to eat in the room, and we could have one or two big meals out. So that should be lots of fun. Only children really get spoiled! 

I hope everyone is having a good Sunday! I need to do a meal plan so we eat better this week and I am not stressing about not being at maintain again next week!


----------



## Rose&Mike

dumbo_buddy said:


> *rose *i'm bummed about the job update. how frustrating! all the more reason to go to disney if you ask me! all isn't lost though - sounds like they still really like him. they would have just blown him off if they didn't want him.


Yep, it was pretty frustrating! It's like no one wanted to tell him, either. The HR guy didn't want to say anything, so Mike finally talked to the hiring manager. He thinks the guy likes him and is still interested, but with no funding and the rest of the team not quite on board it becomes a harder sell. So, we'll see. It could still all work out, unless they couldn't just come out and tell him they weren't interested, but he didn't get that impression. Interviews are hard, and reading people is hard. You just never know. I just hope if they finally decide no, that someone tells him so that we can move on.

Oh and get this. After Tom spent weeks saying it was no big deal about us moving, etc, etc, he tells me yesterday he kind of hopes we are here at Christmas cause he wants to come home. Ok.......Too many emotions wrapped up in all of this! I just want it to be over! I wish we could afford to just move and find a job later, but we can't. Well we could, but I think it would be a stupid move and financially irresponsible. That's something you do in your 20s, not in your mid 40s. I think...I don't know. I had another nice chat with Tom yesterday. He talked to Mike too. He really seems to be doing well, so that's a relief!

Enjoy your rainy day. I kind of wish we would have a rainy day. I think we might both relax a little more.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Its a rainy day here.  I went into work for 5 hours to get my employee evaluations done.  I have to sit down with them this week to go over them.  This is actually my least favorite thing to do.  

Now we are all just relaxing.  I got a lot of my backed up laundry done this weekend.  I still had winter stuff in bins that needed to be washed. and blankets and towels too.  I feel pretty accomplished and it seems like my house is finally starting to get organized again.  

Nancy- Of course I got a letter in the mail yesterday from Ryan's childcare at school.  Guess when the appointments for filling out new paperwork are...yep friday 8/26.  I am going to call this wk to see if I can arrange to do it another day that week and I am thinking they will be able to honor my request.  As far as the traffic.  Friday is the only day I could come because Ryan has football Mon-Thur.  I think it shouldnt be a problem to stay and leave around dinner.  What time do you think is a good time to leave?  I was trying to decide what time I should leave home to come to.  Any suggestions?

Glad you had a good day alone yesterday.  I was going to see friends with benefits by myself today after I left work because the theatre is right down the street but I couldnt get a hold of mike so I decided to just come home.  Of course 5 min after I passed the theatre he called me back but I didnt feel like turning around.  Now I wish I would have because my kids are being whiney and I could have used a few non-working hours to myself.

I hope everyone else is enjoying there weekend!!!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*rose - *aw, that tom, he really knows how to tug at your heartstrings, doesn't he? that's a whole lot of emotion going on down there! 

ok...about your itinerary...i'm so jealous!! but wait...saturday is the day of the race, right? it sounds like you're going to have a busy day before that race starts! i hope you can relax before doing all that running!

i've never been to narcooses but have read some dining reviews of it lately....yum!


*lindsay - *ah, boo! i hope you can still come! if i were you i'd shoot to get here early! the zoo opens at 10. we usually try to get there right when it opens because 1) it's before all the "other" people wake up and get their butts there and 2) they have discounted bagels and cream cheese from 10-11 at the food court  doesn't really matter though. i have to check the tide schedule but if the tide is later in the day we could do the zoo in the morning/early afternoon and then head back here and go to the beach for a while. then we can have dinner before you guys head out. i asked my uncle if he can get ryan and nick some FDNY stuff. 

*kathy - *what the heck is a chop suey sandwich?? have you ever done any of the witch stuff in salem? i remember in high school and college a bunch of my friends went up to salem for those tours - i was always too scared 

*lisa - *how did the long run go with the running group? DL half is coming up! i'd love to do that one day but it seems to be it's always on labor day weekend which is not good for me since the neighborhood has a big 4-day party each year that weekend. guess i'll just have to do the tinkerbell 

*maria - *how's it going, coach??  how was new hampshire?

not much going on here. john is leaving tomorrow morning for phoenix. he'll be there til thursday night. blech. i'm about to head to bed and finish up Sarah's Key (which, by the way, is a wonderful book and i highly recommend). yesterday he was gone all day with thomas and today we did the mall and just hung out. he went and bought himself a netbook this afternoon and is playing with his new toy. let's just say i'm a little annoyed that he's going to let me go to bed and not even think about how we won't see each other til thursday. not that i'm feeling all romantic or anything but the option would have been nice. 

bronxbaby has been really bothering me today! i forgot about how they get into positions that are completely uncomfortable for you and then STAY there no matter how many times you change positions, etc. little dude seems SO much lower than i remember with my last pregnancy. feels so...weird.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Just so you know I didn't totally fall off the face of the Earth...

Between coaching and multiple 2-hr drives each way to and from NH this weekend, I am spent. Not to mention Ben's flash in the pan visit, which was mostly good but of course he got surly when it was time to leave because he had it all planned out for packing and I kept interfering  He managed to destroy his watch, his digital camera, and his old ipod Nano at camp (interesting since the Nano wasn't supposed to go...). He quickly figured out I'm not replacing all of that, he should have been more careful. I put the camera and nano in a container of rice, but since I can see the water sloshing around in the camera, I don't have a lot of hope. 

We also squeezed in school supply shopping since it was a tax-free weekend in MA, and I knew he needed a ton of stuff. 

I promise to try to post some replies tomorrow. This thread is getting away from me! 

As you saw, I figured out how to post photos on Facebook. I got those from my phone, now I just have to figure out how to post them on the DIS...I'm coming along, though!

I'm sending a big  to everyone -- and hoping BronxBaby will resettle, Lindsay makes it to NYC on the 26th, Mike gets fabulous news tomorrow, Kathy has a great night, Lisa enjoys her new PR, Lisah is feeling strong and rested after her long run, and Taryn is having a great start to the school year! 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose I totally forgot to reply to you in the last post.  What the heck was I thinking....my kids probably were distracting me.

I dont think you have to force your itinerary on us at all.  I secretly was very excited to read it.  Sounds like a great plan and lots of fun involved.  That trip will be here before you know it.  

I love the plan for Toms bday.  You two are such awesome parents....and I agree when your an only child you get spoiled.  I was just talking to my mom about our shore trip for next summer and about how much I am willing to spend on the condo.  I told her to keep our portion within 1000$ and she said well if you dont want to pay for it, dad and I will.  ummm spoiled...no way.  Of course I said no way...we will have the money and we will pay for it.  She will spoil the kids enough while we are down there.  

Ok now I feel better that I didnt miss you, Rose!

Maria- Sounds like a busy weekend and Im so sorry to hear about bens electronics uggh that is frustrating.  I will try to get over to the boards to get a taste of your coaching.  I just have not gotten into the conversations lately.  

Nancy- Ok I am an early bird so definitely not a problem to get to you early.  What time should I try to get to your house by? 9-915?  The plan for the day sounds good.  I would love to see the beach in person to.  oh and to say we swam in the east river will be something to check off the bucket list.  My kids would love the FDNY stuff.  My friends husband, brother, and father are all city fireman here.  We have visited the station a few times and the kids love sitting in the trucks.  I am so excited I cant wait.  I am not worried about the paperwork for ryans school I am pretty sure they will let me stop in another day since he already was going there last year.  

Well I got a ton of laundry done today and made a decent home cooked meal.  It is still raining outside.  They want rain and thunderstorms tomorrow all day.  I am thinking football may get cancelled but I am not getting my hopes up.  They play in almost anything.  

I just want this week to go quickly because I am in desperate need of a weeks vacation.  I have so much going on at work this week that it should at least make it go fast.

Ta Ta for now!!!!


----------



## mikamah

Evening princesses!!

The weekend is winding down.  We had a nice weekend, pretty low key.  Did some errands, some yard and housework, and some relaxing.  Oh, a little exercise thrown in too.  A little too much eating also.  Only 5 more work days!!  I am on the fence about taking friday off too if I can.  Since I will have 19 days off total, it would be wise to bank the pto, but on the other hand, I'm scheduled for an extra 4 hours this week already, so I'd only use 4 pto hours.  But it would be nice to have a day to myself with michael at camp.  Though I will be able to get my run/walks in alone in Maine, and with his cousins there, especially Taylor who's the same age, I am sure I'll have plenty of relaxing time. Decisions, decisions. 

*Rose*- I love, love, love to hear about your disney plans.  And your future trips too, especially Tom's birthday.  Only's do get spoiled, but they deserve it, for all the joy they bring us.  I think it's a wonderful investment in their memories.  Your intinerary came just in time for me.  I was pricing out a trip for december, over michael's birthday which happens to fall in free dining, so for 5 nights, value upgrade to regular dining, and flights, I could get there for $1500.  That includes food.  I so want to do it, but I can't.  Not yet.  Yet I still find myself pricing things out.  It is an illness.
Those storms sounded so scary.  Glad your house seems to be ok, and hope the roof is ok too. 

*Nancy*- I hope John comes to his senses and comes up to bed with you.  Men and their toys.  Sheesh.  Do you mind being home without him, or is it a nice break?  A friend of mine loves when her dh goes away, it just makes the house a little less stressful and more relaxed.  Chopsuey sandwiches are just a white roll filled with chopsuey and the sauce makes the roll all mushy and you eat it out of the paper wrap with a fork.  I don't know why they taste so good.  We haven't done much in salem, really.  We did the House of Seven Gables tour with the cub scouts and they all really loved it.  I was expecting them to be bored, and trying to make a jungle gym out of this 400 year old house, but they were really good.  Michael's been a bit of a scaredy cat so we haven't done any of the witch stuff.  Before I had him we always took my nephew to the haunted houses they had in October, and they were scary.  We took him when he was probably 5 or 6, and michael wouldn't go near the places at 9.  Funny when it's your own kid it's so different.  He'll walk around but hasn't wanted to go in a haunted house yet. 

*Lisah*-You are the half training queen now.   5 weeks and you're right on track.  I'm so proud of you.  I hope to join you in some serious training after this week.  Hope you had a nice, relaxing weekend. 

*Maria*- great job coaching this week.  So did you bring him home saturday, and back up today?  That's a lot of driving.  I would be so upset about the electronics too.  I bought my self the shock proof water proof canon camera a couple years ago, and will let michael use it when he needs it.  I feel like there at least a little protection.  Oh yeah, I discovered Toddlers and TIaras on netflix lastnight while the boys were playing wii.  I can see where it could become addictive.  Some of those people are crazy.  It was the first one with the nutty father of a 2 or 3 year old who didn't win, and he was acting like it was her fault.  Crazy.

*Lindsay*- We're expecting rain too, and I was wondering about football being cancelled, but from what I've heard it will only be cancelled if it's lightning out.  So we shall see.  Evaluations are hard.  I was charge nurse in ICU for a while, and that was my least favorite part of the job.  I had a woman who was older, and lazy, and hers was so hard to do, but she knew it, and she was so good about it, but I hated doing hers.  Do you have all of next week off too?  Hope so, and I hope you will be able to get up to visit Nancy.  With summer vacations I can't imagine they wouldn't be able to accommodate you or anyone else who may have plans.  though you just reminded me I need to fill out the after school care paperwork for the fall.  

*Liesel*-  Congrats on your 5k this weekend.   Hope the official time confirmed your new PR!!

*Taryn*-Hope you're first full week of school went well.

I'm off to bed now.  Michael's back to the rec dept camp this week at a local school.  Lots of sports activities, and with the rain, they'll probably watch a movie.  The field trip this week is to COCo key indoor water park, so he'll love that.  

Sweet dreams everyone.


----------



## Rose&Mike

I should be getting ready for work, but I so don't want to get up and get going. All I have to look forward to at work is 4700 more records that need merged.  And that's just one of our databases. No, I'm not counting down or anything. It's probably going to take me all fall to do this. Uggh. If I didn't have such a vacation addiction, I would quit, but my salary (as pitiful as it is) pays for the trips.......

*Kathy*--I say take Friday off. Are you seriously thinking about a trip in December? Michael sounds like he has had a great summer!

*Lindsay*--You and Nancy are going to have so much fun! That's so great that you will do car trips with your boys. Tom traveled so well--my sisters kids, not so much. A beach trip sounds fabulous. That's part of the reason we want to be done with here--we both miss the beach!

*Maria*--that stinks about the electronics! I hope the rice works miracles. Tom had a phone once that went through the washer and the dryer. We had to replace the battery and the screen didn't look too good, but it worked and we were not in any hurry to replace it. Mike on the other hand is always misplacing his phone--he usually finds it, but not always. In the past month, he has left it at work twice and just yesterday left it at the dog boarding place and had to go back and get it!

*Nancy*--hope you had a nice night, and I hope this week is smooth sailing for you. I have mixed feelings when Mike is gone. I used to hate it. But now I don't mind a couple of days, especially if he's in the country. I get a little more stressed when he's out of the country. I hope that baby is cooperating today!

*Lisa*--congrats on the 5k!

*Lisah*--I hope you had a great weekend!

The first day of school is cancelled today because of the storm on Saturday. It was just crazy! I'm assuming my work has power. I am going to strength class today for the first time all summer. It could be ugly. 

We were planning out our dvc points and realized that dvc made a mistake with our last registration and did not leave enough points in our current use year for our waitlist for October--even after I heard Mike ask about it. I guess we should have double checked online. Uggh! I don't know why the waitlist was even allowed to stay in place. Mike is going to call today and attempt to get it straightened out. Still not sure what we are going to do next year. I looked at paying cash for a room for princess and holy cannoli it is expensive at that time! 

Ok, no more procrastinating. Time to get moving!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

good morning all! i didn't sleep hardly at all last night.  i think it was the cupcake i had for dinner instead of a real meal. too much sugar maybe. i don't know. but when i did sleep i had horrible nightmares. wah. oh well. whine whine whine! john left this morning a little before 5am.

the weather is still nasty out - thomas is actually still snoozing but i can see him moving around on the monitor so he'll be up soon. i would have stayed in bed until he was up but i wanted to come on and say hi (although my brain is fuzzy and i probably shouldn't be typing! haha) and i had to take the dumb dog out. our dogwalker is away on vacation this week so i have to take the dog out every single time until thursday night! 

*kathy -* i'm actually a pretty big scaredy cat too. i never used to go into those haunted mansions either! i like the disney one but that's about it! i can't do scary movies either. like, at all. only 5 more work days til you're on vacation!?! you know, i don't mind at all when DH goes away. i mean, having to do everything by myself is more difficult than when he's around in the evenings and can give him a tub while i clean up the kitchen or whatever. but no biggie. i'm an only child. i'm used to alone time. it doesn't bother me. i have a friend who acts like someone has died everytime her husband goes away. that's no way to live! 

*lindsay -  *oh good another bird! we are up so early around here! 9 would be great! if it's too early don't push it though! it's still a day off and no need to stress more than you need to  i just checked the tides. darn, high tide is at 9:45am. well, we can check out the beach before we go to the zoo. oh well. really looking forward to having you here! your kids will find out how small houses are here! lol! oh, and how messy 

*maria -  *how did that nano get in there? the boogie man must have put it in his bag, right?? major bummer all the stuff got trashed. ooo school supplies. i miss school supplies. i couldn't wait to get all my new stuff. even in college i was always the first person at the bookstore waiting to buy pens! lol. too bad it always seemed to wear off by week 2. 

out of time! little dude is up and saying, "mama! poo poo!" yay me! wow, he hasn't slept this late in months!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses!

*Rose*- I hope everything works out with the dvc points.  That weekend in feb is the end of presidents week vacation and it's so much more money.  I am thinking of december because it's michael's 10th b-day, he turned 5 on his first trip, the price is the best you can get, monday is a teacher workshop day so no school and wed is a half day, so he'd only miss 2.5 days for a 6 day vacation.  It's just the whole money issue/being responsible/braces in the future/work uncertainties things that are throwing me off.  I'd love to do it, but need to really wait and see what the fall brings at work.  

*Nancy*- that's so funny, Michael loves haunted mansion too, but no other haunted houses.  We have Canobie lake near us who has an old haunted mine ride and he still won't go on it.  It's like the pooh ride on the tracks, and really quick, but no go.  Ah, I miss the poo poo days. NOT.  

Have a fabulous day!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

Congratulations to *Lisa* on her 5K this week-end!    You so totally 

*Nancy,* it is going to be 105 and very humid this week in Phoenix -- it's monsoon season -- so maybe that will make you feel better about John being there.    My Mom says that you sweat just sitting in your chair.  I can always entertain myself when my guys aren't around, too.  

I agree the DL half on Labor Day doesn't do it for me either.  Not to mention the heat and smog.  Plus school starts the week before.  It's kind of hard to go off by yourself to DL on a holiday week-end immediately after the rush of school starting.    I'll be happy to see you at a Tinker Bell race someday!  

Sorry for the poo poo thing but at least you get informed now!    I know it feels like this stage will last forever but it won't.  

*Rose,* so sorry about the wait on the job thing.    Who knows maybe some fabulous opportunity will come up while you are waiting and make you glad that this took so long?  

I loved reading about your W&D plans.  In fact, I enjoyed them so much I kind of missed what you wrote about the big storm -- sounds scary!    Glad that everything was okay at your house.  

DVC seems to be pretty good about straightening out problems but they may be in disarray today with Jim Lewis being fired and all. 

*Maria,* considering the contraband that went into packing last time you can see how you would cramp Ben's style!    Hope things dry out!   

*Lindsay,* and *Kathy,* I am envying you, too, with your vacations coming up!    Can't wait to hear all about them -- especially the Bronx meet!   

I've been kind of quiet lately.  I'm reading but just a bit blah and not posting much.  We have company coming at the end of the week so lots to do to get ready.  We still have school supply shopping to do, too.  

My long run ended up being only 7 miles this week-end.  For some reason our trainer thought it would be okay to run a couple of miles on the triathalon bike course -- umm, NO!  So I cut my run short.  So far my training group is good to make sure I get my butt out there but not much else.  Oh well, they say showing up is half the battle or something like that, right?  

Have a great day all!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I should be heading to bed but I really miss posting with my peeps -- this coaching thing is taking away from my girlfriend time! 

*Lisah* -- You are so right, heaven only knows what he's got packed in there this time. Did I mention that when we picked him up we found out his camp name for the week was JT (Justin Timberlake)? And we literally walked away to give him a few minutes with the gaggle of 12 yr. old girls who rolled up to hug him goodbye. This was a church camp!  I understand how you are feeling a little quiet right now. It's hard to keep up with so much at the end of the summer. Sorry about the shortened long run, I totally get it. Biking and running are not a good combo 

*Kathy* -- I think I know the episode you meant -- and if that Dad wasn't gay I will eat my hat.  That was not the behavior of a heterosexual male. Stereotypes aside, I'm just not buying it. I think T&T is done for the season, which is probably a good thing. It's been a nice summer release, but it will be good to get back to scripted tv. I am seriously missing my dramedies and the cute men of Grey's 

*Nancy* -- Okay, I wanted to call you knocked up dwarf (I knew you would laugh), but I figured I might offend some of the other BL participants. And look how verbal the little guy is getting! He'll be able to alert you to all sorts of fun situations with Bronxbaby -- hopefully he won't cause too many of them  Hope you're doing ok without dh. I'm fine without him, but I certainly do miss him, particularly when his spawn acts like my spawn. Dennis has it correct when he says we are the same person so we egg each other on 

*Rose* -- How was strength class? Did you find any motivation at work? I agree, with the task you have I would be looking under rocks to find any enthusiasm  And I agree about rooms for Princess. I haven't booked mine yet but I should get to it tomorrow. I've decided to book a Value, and if I meet my goal and lose 20 lbs I get a new Vera bag instead of the upgrade, 'cause I would feel too guilty and I need that money for our family vacation later in the year.  And I really enjoy hearing your Disney plans, feel free to keep posting, it gives me something to smile about! 

*Lindsay* -- I'm also jealous of the fantastic fun day you and Nancy have planned! It sounds so wonderful, I know you will love it! 

 to *Lisa and Taryn!*

I did not get up and run today. My neck is so sore, and I took Aleve and then ibufren and applied biofreeze. I'm really hoping to wake up tomorrow and have it feel better. I'd like to run before I head over to the People's Republic of Cambridge  (so called because it's like visiting another country) I have to go to their bldg. dept. to get a copy of a jacket (the record of all permits for a property) for a bldg. we are interested in at work. Then I'm going to head in to the office and catch up coaching, and then I'll get to go home a bit early because Dennis needs to bring me home before his board meeting. I'll have the house all to myself, and Netflix has promised to deliver "Young Victoria", so it should be a lovely evening with the Queen of England 

Everyone have an awesome evening!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

A quick hello this morning.  Heading to work early, which means out earlier too, so I don't mind.  

Talked to my sil Beth last night and we made shopping list for maine next week.  I was proud of us we talked all about the food before the alcohol.    I went through my pantry and with the rain over the fourth of july, I have plenty of liquor and pina colada fixin's to bring, so I'm all set.  Gotta have plenty of options.  She also checked the drivein and smurfs and zookeeper are playing.  We've seen them, but we'll see them again for the drivein experience.  

Have a great day, princesses!   I'll catch up with you all later.


----------



## Rose&Mike

I have to go back and read what everyone wrote yesterday--it was a busy day! I actually slept until 7:30 this morning, which was fabulous!

I did work yesterday (yuck) then went to strength--which went great! I REALLY wanted to skip it and go home and eat gf brownies and ic, but I thought of you all and went straight from work. I did 1.5 on the elliptical and then the 50 min class. Afterwards we made a quick g-f  pizza and then went to the baseball game. It was a gorgeous night. I still ate kind of cruddy last night, but I am so glad to be getting back into an exercise schedule.

School is still cancelled here! Just crazy!

And the most important news--the guy wants to talk to Mike again cause he was happy with the specs he sent!

We are running tonight, but I should have time after work to jump on and catch up. Have a great day!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Hi everyone. Having a bit of a stressful couple of days. Got huge virus on my computer so using iPad now. Please forgive the typos! My friend came up last night. She is the queen of drama. Her divorce was finalized yesterday and she and her new bf (who we went to hs with) broke up. She makes me stress out so much. I can't take all the drama. She actually smells a little too. She has been living out of suitcase. I offered to donher laundry but she said no. She slept over but didn't go to sleep til after 3am. Tried to tell her that she needed to stop wandering bc the dog kept barkIng. Ugh. 

This morning she just wouldn't leave! But then I started cramping. Like a lot.doc had me come in and checked me. Cervix is closed and he did some preterm labor test that I won't get back til tonight. If positive have to go to hospital. So it's good she's here bc he wants me to lay down. But she is just making me nervous. She is really touchy feely too and it sleeves me out!!

Sorry this is written like an insane person but typing on this thing is ridiculous and I'm just blah, stressed. I want to tell her to go home but if I have to go to hospital than I need her to watch Thomas.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Oh *Nancy* --  It's going to be ok. You just relax and ignore your friend. I know that sounds weird, but let her watch Thomas and you take care of you! Tell her your skin feels weird/extra sensitive when your pregnant (mine did), and it would really help if she didn't touch you or get too close, you just need to be by yourself...and if she could just watch the baby while you lay down, that would be a godsend. 

Who is going to argue with that? 

You have a lot of stress right now, and you need to be one with the yoga mind  Find something absolutely mindless and watch tv. At 2, you can catch OLTL and marvel at the cuteness of two Todds  Watch GH at 3, and see the amazing Jason Morgan recover from yet another serious head injury.  See, good times, good times. 

Let the stress drain away. Picture it leaving your body. Mentally take yourself back to that beach in Hawaii and just Be. 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Aww, Nancy, .  Maria's advice is spot on.  All you need to do now is to relax and take it easy and get those stress levels down.  Do some deep breathing, listen to some music, watch tv or a DVD.  Maria, is right tell your friend the best thing she can do for you is take care of Thomas and let you rest privately.  

Maybe try an iPad application.  I downloaded one this week-end I read about in Martha Stewart called iPause.  It was $1.99 but has soothing music and a little dot that you follow through a labrinth.  I also got a guided mediatation app that was free.  It can't hurt.

I'm glad the doctor checked you out and will keep my fingers crossed for good results for you.  Hopefully it is just your body warning you to take it easy.   

Client just arrived so have to close.  Take care!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I still have to go back and catch up, but just wanted to tell *Nancy* that I am sending good thoughts your way. And no beating yourself up over anything! Just take the best care of yourself right now and hang in there. I'm thinking about you!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--I hope you can work out a way to book your trip. Being responsible stinks, doesn't it! I love visiting in December--I love the Christmas lights! You had me smiling with the comments about getting ready for your trip and planning the food first. I hope you all have fabulous weather!

*Lisah*--I hear you on the feeling blah thing. I am hoping I am finally over the blahs and that you are feeling better soon! We have thought about joining a running group, but never have. Mike was in one a few years ago, but ended up mostly running with a guy he knows from work. I still feel very self conscious and like a runner poser. I know that is kind of silly, but I still feel that way. 

*Maria*--thank you so much for coaching this week. It is really hopping over there! I smiled about the comments about Ben and the girls. Every time we picked up Tom from camp we had to drag him out! As expensive as those rooms are, we might do a value, too. I don't even want to use the dvc points! I hope your neck is feeling better and the visit to the Peoples Republic of Cambridge went well!

*****
So today was a good day. I merged more records. Uggh. I keep thinking--I went to college for this????????? But I have tomorrow off, so it was a good day anyhow!

Mike was supposed to be talking to someone from Florida this afternoon. Hopefully it went well.

And a little g-f vent. So I have been eating cheddar cheese quakes mini rice cakes, thinking they were g-f. But I decided to google it today, and nope they won't guarantee it. They aren't testing and there may be cross contamination. Oh well, my stomach has been a little funky, and I think it's cause I haven't been as careful. And I have had some brain fog. It's so easy to get complacent, and assume foods are safe. Snacks are the hardest! 

Ok, hope everyone has a great evening! TTYL


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*-  I hope you're doing ok, and you were able to get some rest and down time and have your friend help with Thomas. Sending good thoughts your way that everything is ok with the blood work.    Hang in there.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--how are you? I hope you are doing ok.

Uggh, I am so glutened. At first I thought I was imagining it but I have a big fat swollen stomach. Now if you bought a rice snack cake and carefully read the ingredients would you assume you could eat it if it didn't have bad ingredients? I went to the quaker web site and it said they would not label any of their products gluten free, blah, blah, blah. And one of the ice creams I have been eating may contain gluten too. Oh well, it's a learning experience. The only really bad thing is I have had some of my yucky tummy problems after running--not the nausea, though, so that's good. My doctor is going to want more tests, but I'm sure it's the food. Uggh! The good news--turkey hill chocolate peanut butter cup--gluten free. Thank goodness! Turkey Hill has a good website!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

not much time tonight but really quick wanted to say:

Nancy- I hope everything is ok.  That darn girl must have you in such a tizzy.  Try to relax and stay calm.

Rose-  I hope Mike had a good conversation today with the peeps in FL.

Lisa- Hope the training is coming along well.

Maria- sorry to hear about the neck pain.  I hope its getting better.

Kathy- good job for making food and not the alcohol the priority.  It must of been a good day. 

Football was good the past 2 nights.  They have a scrimmage with another team on thursday.  The coaches seem pretty good on Ryans team but not so much on the older team so I am glad we started him on where he is.  Ryan apparently will be mostly playing center on offense (the big guy who snaps the ball to the Qback)  I guess thats where they need the "beast"  Tonight the one kid the was lined up against him started screaming and ran the opposite way down the field as ryan chased him.  It was quite comical.  Even the other kids parents were laughing.  

I ran tonight during the last hour of practice.  It isnt the greatest spot for running.  Not many sidewalks and lots of busy traffic.  But I made do and I feel better for getting started again.  I am in a marathon relay on 9/11 and I am doing the 5.5 mile leg.  So I need to get my butt movin.  

Tomorrow is eval day.  Lucky me.  I spent 2 hours going back and forth figuring out how much of a raise to give everyone.  Its hard to put the personal stuff out of my mind.  Luck the one lady who always complains about not having money for groceries vs.  the young one who lives at home with her parents and blows money like its going out of style.  Anyway I am sure I wont get on here until late tomorrow.

Nancy- I hope your doing ok!!!!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Thanks for checking in everyone. Love you! 

I'm fine. Test for preterm labor was negative. I just need to relax. I am feeling a million times better now. My crazy friend is still here. She did help me out so I can't complain too much. I went into my room about an hour ago to read and go to sleep. Went out to pee and I swear it smells like booze  maybe she helped herself to the vodka in my freezer? Love her but she drives me insane. She took Thomas to the park so I could lay down and told the whole neighborhood that I'm not doing well!! Bah! 

Well anyway, tomorrow I have a mommy and me meeting so she will have to go home. Lol! 

Thanks for the kind thoughts. I'm so relieved all is fine. I knew it. I just got scared the the cramping was coming in waves this morning. Let's wait another 15 weeks for that!!

Xioxoxo

Will post more tomorrow!!


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*- I am so happy that everything is ok with you and the baby, and hope your friend goes home today.  It's hard to delegate but glad she was helpful with Thomas.  It sounds like you have nice neighbors so I'm sure they will be concerned and helpful if you should need anything in the future.  Hang in there.  

*Rose*Sorry you've been glutened.  It really stinks to be so sensitive to it and to have to be so strict.  Too bad about quaker.  I would think such a big company would be able to designate some plants to gf.  Hope the belly is feeling better soon.  Hope mike's phone call went well.  They really have you guys on a roller coaster.  I so hope it all works out for you.  Yes it does stink to be responsible.  I did the big credit card debt thing in my 30s once, and I will not do that again.  It especially makes me nervous now that the housing market is so bad that I'm pretty sure I have no equity in my house any more.  Before, I always had that as a backup thinking if I didn't have enough savings and something big broke I could do a home equity loan.  I guess now I could take a loan against my retirement accts, but I don't ever want to have to do that.  Oh well, responsibility sucks.   Yay for chocolate peanut butter. 

*Lisah*-Isn't it nice to have company so you get your house totally cleaned.  Seems like the only time I do a thorough cleaning. Hope they are fun, relaxing house guests coming.  You are the running princess this summer.  I really hope to get back into a routine starting with vacation.  I haven't fallen off completely, but 1-2 shore runs a week will not make me a halfmarathoner.  At least one that can walk after.  Hope the blahs are gone soon, and you have a fun weekend planned.

*Maria*- You're doing great coaching this week.  I'm sorry I haven't had more time over there either.  It's so nice to see the challenge so active toward the end of summer.  Now this week JT is at the up all night camp?  Should have one tired boy.  I'm so not ready for the girl thing here.  But michael seems ready for it already.    I like you plan for a new vera bag.  I hope they come out with a new pattern this fall that will make those 20 pounds just fall off by the princess.  And yes, that T&T dad was definitely gay.  

*Lindsay*- Football sounds like fun in your neck of the woods too.  The kid screaming and running away.   That is exciting Ryan gets to hike the ball.  I won't tell michael or he'll be very jealous.  They asked the boys what numbers they want on their shirts, so they try to accomodate all the kids.  Michael's first choice is 74 which was my 20 yo nephews number in high school.  I was so touched he wanted that.  Ugh on the evals and money.  That must be so hard.  The evals I did weren't directly related to the money, thank goodness.  Good luck with all of that.  Vacation is almost here!!

*Lisal*- Nice time on your 5k.  You are on a roll, and I bet you'll make a sub 40 min next time if you keep it up.  That's what I'd like to do also, 41:26 is my fastest, but I'm not putting in the time to see the time, like you are.  YOu can do it!!

*Taryn*- Hello there!!  Hope all is well!!

Ah, 3 more days of work, maybe 2.     A work friend is going to watch Fredward while we are gone.  Her dd is 8 and wants a guinea pig, so she wanted to do it and see how it all works, so they came for supper last night, sort of last minute.  Which was a great thing for me because I came home from work with 1 hour to spare and cleaned the bathroom, vacuumed dusted, cleaned off the kitchen table, and now I feel like I'm ready for vacation.  How I can do so much in 1 hour when I can dilly dally a day away cleaning not much more than that.  I definitely work best under pressure.  
Her dd goes to after school care with michael so they know each other, but don't really hang out together, but michael was so funny, being the clown, showing off for her, and she was giggling at everything he did and said.  It was so cute.  

On the work front, one of our docs is leaving us.  He's staying in his practice but is going to practice at Melrose wakefield instead.  He's one of my favorites to work with, so it's sad.  I think his last day is going to be while I'm away, so I'll say good bye to him this week.  We came at the same time to Endo, he was just finished his residency, and i had transferred from Icu, so we kind of got to know the ropes together.  We had heard rumors one of them was leaving, and we were all hoping it was one particular other doc.   3 of our nurses are planning to retire next year, 2 in february, so we don't think our staffing will be affected.  I've heard since the Lahey merger announcement that the local Lahey docs have started referring more pts to our docs, so fingers crossed it all works out.  We vote on our contract today, and I'm pretty sure it will pass.  We got the successor language we wanted most so that the new corporation will need to follow our contract.  

That's all happening here. Oh yeah, and I'm still eating like a cow, so no weight buffer for vacation.  I think when school starts, I'm going to get into my morning running routine.  I don't think I'll leave michael at football alone yet. 

Have a lovely day, Princesses!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Good morning friends! Still don't have my laptop back! I miss typing. I can't even figure out how to bold things. My fingers are too fat to make it work. Haha

Kathy- with that doc leaving and nurses retiring will that be a good thing for you? I mean, more work to do for you but better job guarantee... Right? Almost vacation time. The weight will come off. I think the summer is harder to stick to a plan. What is the beergarita recipe?

Rose- good luck w mikes job! Nothing like being strung along for months to make you want to eat! I hope you write a scathing letter to Quaker about getting gluten!

Lindsay- glad Ryan is doing so well. I love that he is the beast!! Nice job on the run! Very inspiring! Good luck w evals

Have to run! I'm late for our mommy and me meeting! Back later. Friend is sleeping on couch still. How do I nicely kick her out?????


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> *Lisah*--I hear you on the feeling blah thing. I am hoping I am finally over the blahs and that you are feeling better soon! We have thought about joining a running group, but never have. Mike was in one a few years ago, but ended up mostly running with a guy he knows from work. I still feel very self conscious and like a runner poser. I know that is kind of silly, but I still feel that way.



Sorry about getting glutened, *Rose*.   Your body is so sensitive to it, too.  I hope that as time goes on and your body adjusts to your g-f lifestyle that the reaction will be less, too.   

I have to say the running group thing is good for a degree of accountability but other than that I don't get anything out of it, except for shirt I will probably never wear!    And you are so not a runner poser, Rose.  If I can run out there with the Ironmen, you can run with anyone! 

*Lindsay,* someday I will see you on the Campbell's soup ads as mother of "The Beast" and remember that I knew you way back when . . .   Then we will all ask Ryan to get us tickets to his games!  

Great job getting out and running.  I know you'll do great at your relay!  

And a big  for those evaluations.  Did they ever give you your raise? 

*Nancy,* I'm so glad that you and Bronxbaby are doing okay.    Thank goodness for mother nature's warning system kicking in to tell you that you need to take it easy.   I bet you got to hear that little heartbeat yesterday.  When I had preterm labor I always felt better as soon as I heard that little thump-thump-thump.   

Do you think that Thomas could go to preschool for a few days a week to give you some more down time?  He might like playing with other kids and you don't want to find yourself in a situation where you have to go on bedrest -- didn't you have bedrest with Thomas?  

Take care of yourself!  

*Kathy,* only three more days until vacation!    Maybe two!   I know that you are going to have a wonderful, relaxing time.  Don't worry about any of that work stuff or financial stuff and just have a wonderful time with that handsome guy of yours.  

I hear you on the financial stuff.  I think the problem is that the pendulum swung so high when times were good -- ridiculously so -- that it really swung too low when it went to the low side, which is where we are now.  It will swing back to the middle and hopefully stay there for awhile if people can get their act together.  We are actually upside down on our house now according to the tax assessor.    We haven't been this bad on paper since we graduated from law school with negative net worth thanks to two sets of student loans.    It really will get better, it just may take awhile.   

*Lisa,* how are the kids liking school this year?  

Hello to the rest of our princesses!    I had a lovely chat with Princess Corinna this week while I was working on the BL Fall Challenge clippie.

Have a great day!


----------



## jbm02

Hi guys.  i've been a major MIA lately due to some family issues that resulted in a little isolation.  But I know that I need to take hold of my life and get back on track.  Planned a big start today with facing the scale (and I know it won;t be pretty because I am back in my "big" clothes) with anearly morning at the Y.  Overslept and batteries went on the scale.  Really?  But I am not going to let it derail my start.  I'll get batteries tonight and plan to hit the 11AM tabata class.
Thanks for being there.  Just knowing that you are out there gave me something to come back to.
Jude


----------



## Rose&Mike

Waiting for the garage door fixer guys to show up. Hopefully this is it for awhile. My dogs are unhappy in the basement.

*Nancy*--so glad everything is ok! I hope the meeting goes well! Did the doctor have any idea what was causing the cramps? Is your friend still there?

*Kathy*--I hear you on the credit card debt. We have no bills except our mortgage and and dvc membership dues (and really I could pay them all at once, but it's not big deal to pay them monthly). I worked really hard to get everything paid off and I just don't want to go back to owing anyone for anything!

*Lindsay*--I'm glad football is going well! I hope the evals go well!

Hi to everyone else!

The quaker thing was my own stupid fault, I guess. A lot of products will print on the bag/box if they may contain gluten. This didn't have it on there, but I didn't check the website. And the website clearly says under the rice snack part--we can't guarantee anything is gf, blah, blah, blah. So I ate them when we went to FL, but it was a little bag, and I didn't feel great anyhow with traveling. Then I bought some ice cream that I thought was ok, and I had that a couple of times. Meanwhile, I am having "issues" again. I'm sure you don't want the details. I thought I just was eating crappy. Sunday Mike got me a big bag of the rice thingies. I had them on Monday and Tuesday with my lunch and then yesterday after work I ate a lot (a little stress binge). My stomach didn't feel so good. I had issues after I ran and last night my stomach was big and swollen again. Uggh. It's a little better today. So it's back to being compulsive with the labels/what I eat again. The thing is even things that are labeled gf may have a little bit of gluten--there's an allowable amount. I think what I'm finding, is that if I eat too much of things that may contain a little bit of gluten, it all adds up and I start feeling yucky. Does that make sense? So, the answer--less processed, more meal planning.

So Mike had another 40 minute call with the hiring manager yesterday. They spent the whole time talking about specifications. Mike felt like it went well, but who knows. We have been talking about the whole interview process, and  we both feel like, if nothing else he has learned a lot about interviewing from all of this. And I think he feels like if this doesn't go well, he will be better prepared next time. It's just frustrating, cause this is really where we would like to go. I loved the area and he was excited about the work. The guy told him he would let him know today, but we are not holding our breath. Well, actually we are, but won't be surprised if it takes longer. I just really want it to be over--he applied for this job 11 weeks ago! Goodness!

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I was posting at the same time as Lisa and Jude!

*Jude*--I'm glad things are going better at your house. I'm glad to see you back!

*Lisa*--That stinks about the mortgage stuff. We are lucky in that we have been in this house for a long time, and housing prices did not take as big a hit here. Our investments though, uggh, I don't even like to look at them. And once again we made a poor choice and left Tom's college fund in the market too long. He isn't using it for undergrad, but will need it for law school, which isn't for two years, but we should have pulled it already. You'd think we would have learned our lesson in 2009! Oh well.

The garage guy is here and said it will take 2.5 hours. At least it will be done early!

Oh and did you all see that jennz posted on the BL thread?


----------



## Rose&Mike

Yes, I'm going a little crazy today waiting!!! 

The garage door is fixed and it looks good. We might have to eventually break down and get a new opener, but it's working fine now. 

Mike has still heard nothing, but that's not a big surprise. His HR person here thinks when the guy said today the best we could hope for is some time this week. Uggh! I am taking it as a good sign that he didn't just get a no this morning.

And our dvc stuff got straightened out Monday. We were able to get one day on our waitlist yesterday and the other day filled today! So we are at BWV all 5 days! I didn't mind staying at AKV--I really wanted to try it--but we do garden grocer for g-f lunch and breakfast stuff and moving the cold food didn't sound fun. I am starting to get excited about the trip, but a little nervous about the run. I have to work Saturday morning, so we might run Saturday evening (10-12 miles) just to get more acclimated. I have really been struggling with the evening runs lately. Last night we went 4 miles and it was rough. 

Ok, back to waiting......


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose - anything? When ever "they" say you will hear something tomorrow I feel like that always means at least next week! Fingers crossed!

Lisa - Thomas really can't start preschool until he is three and that's all private stuff. I think next year we may start him at maybe two or three half days or something, depending on how grown up he is. He is still so much a baby now - talking only a few words, diapered , sleeping in a crib, etc. We start mommy and me in sept so it will be good to get him around more kids ( tho he is a lot now anyway)

Ok I give up on typing on this. Still no laptop back and when I type on the iPad it takes ten clicks before showing up on the screen! Will have to do more personal typing later!

Friend left yesterday after I lied and said that I was going to have to go back to school in t he afternoon. I just needed her ton leave. She has since called me three times, texted nonstop, posted on my fb wall, mentioned me on Facebook and commented on my status. It's too much!! 

Today is back to normal - looking to walk today but going to have to take it easy now! John is coming home hopefully around 4 or 5. Just planning on calling geek squad today and that's about it!!

Have a great day hopefully my posts when I get my laptop will be better!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--I hope the computer gets fixed! Take it easy today! I'm glad John gets back today. The waiting is really getting old. My stomach is a mess--between gluten and stress it's not good.

I went to strength last night. I really didn't want to. I am getting the blahs again. We did a ton of arms and I feel beat up today! I keep telling myself it's worth it, but I forgot how sore I get afterwards.

Once again, it's Thursday, and once again I'm going to be fighting to eek out a maintain this week. We are eating better, but I am still having too many snacks/doing too much stress eating. The plan is to run tonight, and I know I'm going to be dragging myself there. Uggh. The only good thing I can think of, is it's supposed to be warm again, so maybe I'll feel so gross and hot afterwards I won't feel like eating.

Have a great day everyone!

*Kathy*--did you decide to take Friday off?


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   



jbm02 said:


> Hi guys.  i've been a major MIA lately due to some family issues that resulted in a little isolation.  But I know that I need to take hold of my life and get back on track.  Planned a big start today with facing the scale (and I know it won;t be pretty because I am back in my "big" clothes) with anearly morning at the Y.  Overslept and batteries went on the scale.  Really?  But I am not going to let it derail my start.  I'll get batteries tonight and plan to hit the 11AM tabata class.  Thanks for being there.  Just knowing that you are out there gave me something to come back to. Jude



*Jude,* so nice to see you.    I've been thinking of you and your family and hope that everything is alright.    It's always nice to see you and you know this is a good place to vent -- we've been doing it all summer!  



Rose&Mike said:


> Mike has still heard nothing, but that's not a big surprise. His HR person here thinks when the guy said today the best we could hope for is some time this week. Uggh! I am taking it as a good sign that he didn't just get a no this morning.
> 
> And our dvc stuff got straightened out Monday. We were able to get one day on our waitlist yesterday and the other day filled today! So we are at BWV all 5 days! I didn't mind staying at AKV--I really wanted to try it--but we do garden grocer for g-f lunch and breakfast stuff and moving the cold food didn't sound fun. I am starting to get excited about the trip, but a little nervous about the run. I have to work Saturday morning, so we might run Saturday evening (10-12 miles) just to get more acclimated. I have really been struggling with the evening runs lately. Last night we went 4 miles and it was rough.



Still waiting? Sheeze!   

Glad the garage door got fixed and the DVC points straightened out.  If you ever do have to move bell services will keep your cold stuff in a fridge that they have when they move your luggage.  We did that in 2009 at Christmas and it worked great.  We did have to get another delivery of booze but that is another story.   (It wasn't a bell issue, it was a travelling with family issue. )

*Nancy,* glad to hear that you are feeling okay and taking it easy.    Sorry about the computer thing.   

That is one of the things I don't like about my iPhone -- they just don't make those things so you can type like you do on a keyboard.  

Keep that kid in a crib as long as you can.  I still remember the day that Robert showed me that he could climb out of his crib . . . he was so proud and all I could think was "what am I going to do now?" 

*Kathy,* I, too, was wondering if this is your last work day before vacation.  

*Maria,* great job coaching this week!    If you have any extra questions I'd be happy to take 'em off your hands.  

Off to put the final touches on the cleaning.  Definately at the "who cares it is just going to be messed up again?" stage.  

Hello to the rest of our princesses and fellow Lisabelle!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Just went for a little walk. It was very slow and very short. My belly felt tight, heavy, and hard. Waahhhh! So now I'm sitting on the couch again feeling sorry for myself. I may ask my "aunt" T to take Thomas for an hour. 

This blows!!

What is everyone doing this weekend???


----------



## lisah0711

dumbo_buddy said:


> Just went for a little walk. It was very slow and very short. My belly felt tight, heavy, and hard. Waahhhh! So now I'm sitting on the couch again feeling sorry for myself. I may ask my "aunt" T to take Thomas for an hour. This blows!!
> 
> What is everyone doing this weekend???



Waahhh!   So sorry, Nancy, hopefully if you can take it easy for a few days things will calm down.    Hope that you can get your "aunt" to take Thomas for a bit.  Take it easy and try to relax.  

We have company coming for a couple of nights.  They are friends from law school with their two boys, one is a bit older and the other a bit younger than Robert.  We will go to the local amusement park tomorrow.  Our friends take the boys on the rides and DH and I hold down a cabana in the shade at the water park and drink beer.  Guess who has the better part of that deal?   

I'll be thinking of you and sending you good thoughts today!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

mikamah said:


> Talked to my sil Beth last night and we made shopping list for maine next week.  I was proud of us we talked all about the food before the alcohol. I went through my pantry and with the rain over the fourth of july, I have plenty of liquor and pina colada fixin's to bring, so I'm all set.  Gotta have plenty of options.  She also checked the drivein and smurfs and zookeeper are playing.  We've seen them, but we'll see them again for the drivein experience.



I'm glad you have all the essentials for your trip, and food, too!  The drive in sounds like so much fun! We used to go when I was a kid, but it's pretty hard to find one these days 



Rose&Mike said:


> I did work yesterday (yuck) then went to strength--which went great! I REALLY wanted to skip it and go home and eat gf brownies and ic, but I thought of you all and went straight from work.



I am so glad we inspired you to make the healthy choice! That happens to me all the time. We are eating at a new to us Mexican restaurant tonight (Fat Cactus on Route 1), and I am determined to keep the carbs low, because I want to show a good loss this week. I'm going to think of you guys when they bring the chips and salsa to the table 



Rose&Mike said:


> *Maria*--thank you so much for coaching this week. It is really hopping over there! I smiled about the comments about Ben and the girls. Every time we picked up Tom from camp we had to drag him out! As expensive as those rooms are, we might do a value, too. I don't even want to use the dvc points! I hope your neck is feeling better and the visit to the Peoples Republic of Cambridge went well!
> 
> It's hopping on the BL thread, but it's weird. So many people just posting what they did, with no answering QOTD, no chatting with anyone else, just posting like it's their blog  I have a feeling we'd better get used to the girls. Sigh. I'm going to make Dennis talk to him again about not doing anything he's not ready to handle in every way. I honestly don't think it's an issue, but better safe than sorry...My neck is a little better. Cambridge was so easy, I wish all my field trips went like that!
> 
> And a little g-f vent. So I have been eating cheddar cheese quakes mini rice cakes, thinking they were g-f. But I decided to google it today, and nope they won't guarantee it. They aren't testing and there may be cross contamination. Oh well, my stomach has been a little funky, and I think it's cause I haven't been as careful. And I have had some brain fog. It's so easy to get complacent, and assume foods are safe. Snacks are the hardest!



 From my few days of trying to feed Tristan (which let's face it, wasn't long), I have learned it is really hard to do g-f, particularly for snacks  I am so sorry the quakes were quacky!



Rose&Mike said:


> Uggh, I am so glutened. At first I thought I was imagining it but I have a big fat swollen stomach. Now if you bought a rice snack cake and carefully read the ingredients would you assume you could eat it if it didn't have bad ingredients? I went to the quaker web site and it said they would not label any of their products gluten free, blah, blah, blah. And one of the ice creams I have been eating may contain gluten too. Oh well, it's a learning experience. The only really bad thing is I have had some of my yucky tummy problems after running--not the nausea, though, so that's good. My doctor is going to want more tests, but I'm sure it's the food. Uggh! The good news--turkey hill chocolate peanut butter cup--gluten free. Thank goodness! Turkey Hill has a good website!



The last thing I want is for your tummy troubles to come back  good job realizing and doing what you need to do. Thank goodness for chocolate peanut butter cup. That could make a lot of things in my life ok 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Football was good the past 2 nights.  They have a scrimmage with another team on thursday.  The coaches seem pretty good on Ryans team but not so much on the older team so I am glad we started him on where he is.  Ryan apparently will be mostly playing center on offense (the big guy who snaps the ball to the Qback)  I guess thats where they need the "beast"  Tonight the one kid the was lined up against him started screaming and ran the opposite way down the field as ryan chased him.  It was quite comical.  Even the other kids parents were laughing.



That story is hysterical! It's like he's Shrek -- just the sight of him sends the townspeople running in fear 



dumbo_buddy said:


> Thanks for the kind thoughts. I'm so relieved all is fine. I knew it. I just got scared the the cramping was coming in waves this morning. Let's wait another 15 weeks for that!!



Nancy we love you, too! We were all so concerned, I am so relieved everything is ok. Just continue to take it somewhat easy. I know that is hard for you, but I also know you can do it. 



mikamah said:


> *Maria*- You're doing great coaching this week.  I'm sorry I haven't had more time over there either.  It's so nice to see the challenge so active toward the end of summer.  Now this week JT is at the up all night camp?  Should have one tired boy.  I'm so not ready for the girl thing here.  But michael seems ready for it already.  I like you plan for a new vera bag.  I hope they come out with a new pattern this fall that will make those 20 pounds just fall off by the princess.  And yes, that T&T dad was definitely gay.
> 
> JT is back at Night Camp this week, I hope he's enjoying it. His letter from last week arrived yesterday.  Is it wrong that I already have 2 of the new Fall patterns?  I actually only want 1 more. I'd like to repeat Safari Sunset in a Hipster. I have a 30% off coupon at my Hallmark. If I can use it on the bag, it will be mine.
> 
> Ah, 3 more days of work, maybe 2.



Did you decide about tomorrow? It's going to be rainy and a bit yuck, if that helps your decision...



dumbo_buddy said:


> Good morning friends! Still don't have my laptop back! I miss typing. I can't even figure out how to bold things.



I hope your laptop is up and running before you know it! 



lisah0711 said:


> I hear you on the financial stuff.  I think the problem is that the pendulum swung so high when times were good -- ridiculously so -- that it really swung too low when it went to the low side, which is where we are now.  It will swing back to the middle and hopefully stay there for awhile if people can get their act together.  We are actually upside down on our house now according to the tax assessor. We haven't been this bad on paper since we graduated from law school with negative net worth thanks to two sets of student loans. It really will get better, it just may take awhile.



I agree, and things are starting too look better. We're looking at a Refi for our house, and it's definitely going to appraise much higher than it would have a year ago. We just have to be patient and I have to vacation less...I'm not really thrilled about that, but no one said being a grown-up was going to be fun. It's not as exciting to make the decisions for yourself when you have to make ones that deny you what you want. 
 I think instant gratification is highly underrated 



jbm02 said:


> Hi guys.  i've been a major MIA lately due to some family issues that resulted in a little isolation.  But I know that I need to take hold of my life and get back on track.  Planned a big start today with facing the scale (and I know it won;t be pretty because I am back in my "big" clothes) with anearly morning at the Y.  Overslept and batteries went on the scale.  Really?  But I am not going to let it derail my start.  I'll get batteries tonight and plan to hit the 11AM tabata class.
> Thanks for being there.  Just knowing that you are out there gave me something to come back to.
> Jude



*Jude!* -- So very happy to see you posting here! We have missed you and we look forward to hearing from you. Don't worry about whining or venting. I have been the Queen of that this summer, you can be the , if you need to! 



Rose&Mike said:


> So Mike had another 40 minute call with the hiring manager yesterday. They spent the whole time talking about specifications. Mike felt like it went well, but who knows. We have been talking about the whole interview process, and  we both feel like, if nothing else he has learned a lot about interviewing from all of this. And I think he feels like if this doesn't go well, he will be better prepared next time. It's just frustrating, cause this is really where we would like to go. I loved the area and he was excited about the work. The guy told him he would let him know today, but we are not holding our breath. Well, actually we are, but won't be surprised if it takes longer. I just really want it to be over--he applied for this job 11 weeks ago! Goodness!



Wow, they are clearly really interested in him. They would have shot him down long ago if they weren't. You have to hold onto that. Even if this long, drawn out process is the pits 



Rose&Mike said:


> Yes, I'm going a little crazy today waiting!!!
> 
> Mike has still heard nothing, but that's not a big surprise. His HR person here thinks when the guy said today the best we could hope for is some time this week. Uggh! I am taking it as a good sign that he didn't just get a no this morning.



It is a very good sign! There are clearly quite interested. They may be trying to wrangle whatever they can to make this work. Give them time, the longer it takes the more invested they get in Mike! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> Thomas really can't start preschool until he is three and that's all private stuff. I think next year we may start him at maybe two or three half days or something, depending on how grown up he is. He is still so much a baby now - talking only a few words, diapered , sleeping in a crib, etc. We start mommy and me in sept so it will be good to get him around more kids ( tho he is a lot now anyway)



Ben started at 32 months (he started in Sept. and they agreed he could handle it), 36 was supposed to be the youngest they would take them, and they had to be potty-trained. I started that summer freaked out he wouldn't be potty-trained by Sept., but my mom came for a visit and she managed it in about a week. It was a marvel to behold  Earlier that April he flat out refused to sleep in a crib anymore, so at 27 months he moved to a toddler bed. Preschool was great for him because he was sometimes the only kid in his family daycare, and he needed the socialization.  

In your case, I think it would be a great break for you if you could hire a mother's helper for a few afternoons after school. Are there any enterprising tweens/young teens you know around you? That would allow you to rest as you get so near the end of your pregnancy, and Thomas would probably enjoy playing with a "big girl/boy". You probably wouldn't have to pay much, and if nothing else you could lay down. Just a thought...



Rose&Mike said:


> I went to strength last night. I really didn't want to. I am getting the blahs again. We did a ton of arms and I feel beat up today! I keep telling myself it's worth it, but I forgot how sore I get afterwards.



You are going to have awesome guns, just keep that in mind! Those strength workouts help your overall conditioning so much, it is worth it! Try not to let the blahs get you down. That W&D trip would be pumping me right up! 



lisah0711 said:


> *Maria,* great job coaching this week!  If you have any extra questions I'd be happy to take 'em off your hands.
> 
> Off to put the final touches on the cleaning.  Definitely at the "who cares it is just going to be messed up again?" stage.



You are too funny. I was totally scrambling for a QOTD for today. I figure I'm going to get a lot of "basic" or "simple". I figured I might get a few "country", "western", "ladylike", "bohemian"...I will fall over if I get a "sophisticated" or "modern"! The truth of the matter for most people, I suspect, is they are really either "collegiate" or "mom-on-the-go"...



dumbo_buddy said:


> Just went for a little walk. It was very slow and very short. My belly felt tight, heavy, and hard. Waahhhh! So now I'm sitting on the couch again feeling sorry for myself. I may ask my "aunt" T to take Thomas for an hour.
> 
> What is everyone doing this weekend???



Your belly is telling you to take it easy, and that's what you have to do. I know you can do this, you managed how many months of bedrest? You are made of strong stuff! 

This weekend we are picking Ben aka JT up from camp on Saturday morning. Yeah, another 4 hours driving to/from NH...and then I hope we are just watching sci fi tivo in the afternoon. That would be my dream. Sunday we have church, and unfortunately I have a committee meeting after coffee hour, which I'm hoping will be more like coffee minute  

The rest of the afternoon/evening I hope to get ready for next week and have some time to relax. I also plan to run outside before church Sunday morning. Time will tell...

I got up and did my last 3M for the week this morning, so I can sleep in tomorrow. I'm also getting my hair done before we go out to dinner tonight, I'm eager for my date 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Random thought -- in my work I see the Department of Homeland Security written alot. It's abbreviated DHS. Why is it every time I see that I think Disney Hollywood Studios?! 

How's that sparkly house coming, Lisa? Your company sounds like a ton of fun. These are not people who are going to go around testing with white gloves 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Hello ladies!! 

I am on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!!!

Not to make anyone jealous, but I am so excited!!  I'm off to get michael and take him to the eye doctor, then football, ice cream with a friend of his, and then I'll be able to catch up with you all here.  

Hope you're all having a great day!!

Hi Jude!!  Good to see you back.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Kathy!  woohoo for being on vacation!

*****
Can I just whine for a bit about my stomach? I feel awful today. It's not like a horrible pain, it's just so yucky and bloated. I probably need to give up dairy for a few days. Back to being compulsive about food, I guess.  

I think I'm going to try to take a nap.

Lisa--enjoy your company.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Lisa- sounds like a fun time! Have some beers for me!! Where do your friends live?

Maria- I just spent way too much time looking at Vera Bradley stuff!! Darn you! I have a Vb diaper bag that is so cute. Not functional as I prefer the backpacks but still cute!!

Rose- sorry about your belly you think it's dairy?? I hope not. How frustrating. Sounds like stress isn't helping the belly. 

Kathy- hurrah for vacation!! It's here! It's here!! Where are you going for ice cream??? I could go for a friendly's sundae. Do you have them?

Lindsay- anymore beast stories???

Hi Jude! Hi liesel!

Never called about my laptop today. Went to a friends to let Thomas play. John finally just got home. I may have to remind his to take Thomas so I can relax.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Nancy--I'm glad John is back.
I think the dairy and the stress is making the gluten issues worse. Those rice cracker thingies were so not worth it!

Still not sure if we are going to run tonight. I don't really want to, but I'm hoping it might help. What a whiner I am today!


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> Random thought -- in my work I see the Department of Homeland Security written alot. It's abbreviated DHS. Why is it every time I see that I think Disney Hollywood Studios?!
> 
> How's that sparkly house coming, Lisa? Your company sounds like a ton of fun. These are not people who are going to go around testing with white gloves



Disney Hollywood Studios would be my first thought on this one, too, Maria.  

Sparkly house is as sparkly as it is going to be.    Now I'm off the hook housekeeping to guest standards until October when my MIL visits!   



mikamah said:


> Hello ladies!!
> 
> I am on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!!!
> 
> Not to make anyone jealous, but I am so excited!!  I'm off to get michael and take him to the eye doctor, then football, ice cream with a friend of his, and then I'll be able to catch up with you all here.
> 
> Hope you're all having a great day!!
> 
> Hi Jude!!  Good to see you back.



*Woo hoo!  You're on vacation!* 

*Rose,* so sorry for the yucky tummy thing.    Here's some  that it feels better soon!



dumbo_buddy said:


> Lisa- sounds like a fun time! Have some beers for me!! Where do your friends live?



Glad that John came home and can give you a break for awhile, *Nancy*.    It's a big job taking care of Bronxbaby.  Don't you let him forget it!    I heard it was really hot in Phoenix this week.  

Our friends live about 200 miles south of us.  This is kind of annual deal for us.  We like to joke that I've actually known my friends longer than I've known my husband because my husband was in the class behind us.  

Have a great evening Princesses and Belles!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Maria - I used tonpost on this pregnancy community board when was trying to get pregnant with Thomas. And their acronyms used to confuse me. DTD means doing the deed, not downtown Disney! I always would get confused going from one board to another!!!

Also in finance we used a lot of acronyms that ga e me a giggle - ADR, CMs,etc. 

John has Thomas out for a walk. I may or may not have ordered him to Leave  

My uncle Eddie just poked his head in asking for tewy (Thomas's nickname). When I told him he was out with John he turned around and left! What am I?? Chop sUey??


----------



## mikamah

Good evening princesses!!  

Had a lovely evening knowing I'm off work for more than 2 weeks!!!!  Was thrilled michael did not need new glasses, which I don't remember if i told you he did find them at camp the day after he lost them, but before football he put them on the back of the car while he got his stuff on, and shut the door on them, and almost broke them.  Luckily they're the medal flexon and we seemed to have fixed them ok.  

Football was tough for him.  Lots of tackling, and one kid flipped him right over.  He looked pretty wiped midway, but the last thing they do is called snake in the grass and all the boys are on one end, and 5 boys start in the middle and they all run and the 5 boys have to tackle kids, and if you don't make it to the other side then you stay in and tackle the next time till most of the kids are tackling.  He loved that and finished up very happy, and then we went for ice cream.  Cherry Hill, a local creamery/driving range.  I got chocolate peanut butter yogurt.  Yummo.

I seem to be filling my day off tomorrow up.  I will start with a run/walk when michael goes to camp, and will do 5 miles.  at least.  more if I feel good.  Then grocery shopping, a few errands, laundry, packing, and clean out the car which looks like we live in it.  I could cut the lawn again, but it will wait til next week I think.  The front yard that people see looks fine.  I'd love to sneak away and see the help, but I think I'd rather do the errands alone than with michael.  His camp does a show at 2 pm on fridays, so I'll go to that and pick him up then.  I'm happy to be able to go, since I don't get to all the stuff like that.  Tomorrow night we'll watch the Perfect Storm.  I think michael will like it, and I'll see my heartthrob George Clooney.  I tried to stalk him when they were filming it in gloucester.  I'd bike down and ride all around the harbor loop where the filming was going on, and one lucky day we did get to meet him.  It was good motivation to take a long ride. 

*Nancy*- I hope you were able to relax now with John home to watch Thomas.  You're so much more than chop suey.  That sucks about the laptop.  I hope it's fixed soon.   I ran my scan today thinking about you.  We do have friendly's nearby.  Luckily the one around the corner from me closed a few years before I moved here.  They do make the best sundaes, though.  We grew up with Friendly's and Brighams.  I worked at Wendy's but many of my friends worked at the Friendly's and Brighams. 

*Lisa*- Have fun at the water park tomorrow.  Your job of watching the cabana is very important, and it's very nice of you to volunteer to do that.  I think I'd be good at that as well.  I bought myself a new beach chair today, and it doesn't have a cup holder, so I was planning to bring the cooler to the beach as a table.  I think that will work nicely.  Hope the boys all have a fun time tomorrow and get along famously.  They'll all get tired out at least.  I hear you on the upside down mortgage.  I don't want to know if I am or not, but probably am also.  Some things are better left to denial.   Enjoy your visit with your company and your clean house.

*Rose*- So sorry you're not feeling too well.  It's got to be so draining.  You are doing amazing maintaining and should feel so proud of that.  Nice job getting the strength training in.  

*Maria*- Hope you had a fun date tonight and enjoy sleeping in tomorrow.  The vera bags are calling my name, but I can't decide on one.  I have an old LL bean shoulder bag that the zipper is breaking on, so I do need a new bag, but just haven't found the right one.  Sounds like ds will need a relaxing sunday.  You've done great coaching this week.  I definitely haven't gotten over there as much as I'd like to.  I've not been to Fat Cactus, but we did Border Cafe a while ago and it was awesome.  Michael just asked my sister to go out on the first day of school to Acapulcos.  We went on the last day of school, so we want to make it a tradition. 

Hello Lindsay, Lisaliesel, and Jude.  Hope you're all doing well. 

Off to tuck the boy in.  Have a good evening.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hello friends.  Gosh i just realized I havent posted in a day or two, but it feels like weeks.

I have to try to keep it quick.  I need to get a ton of work done today since I am off next week.

Kathy-  Have a great trip!!!!  Glad michaels night ended on a happy night.  Our kids fall apart to as the night goes on.  There all tough and strong in the beginning and by the end every time they get knocked down they act like they broke something and the tears start to flow.  Its alot for these kids.  That snake game sounds tough.  Im glad he had fun with it. 
Enjoy the beach!!!!!

Rose- uggh sorry for the stomach nonsense again.  darn rice cakes.  I hope your feeling better soon.  take it easy.

Lisa- your weekend sounds like it will be great.  Oh and to watch the cabana while the others go and play, now thats a great job.  I hope you enjoy every minute of it.

Maria-  Enjoy your date night tonight and have a safe trip to get ben.  I hope you get some relaxing in this weekend to.

Jude- Glad to hear from you.  I hope you are doing well and we will get to hear more from you.  Are you doing the princess this year?

Nancy- You need to take it easy and let that belly rest.  By the way...any names yet????  Glad John is home to take the orders and help again.  Why do we have to order the men around.  I know they can figure it out on there own with out directions.  uggh so frustrating.

On a sadder note:  We found out at ryans game last night that group picture retakes are next friday at 6 and then they are having a pep rally.  He doesnt want to miss it.  So unfortunately I dont think I am going to be able to make it up to see you.  I am so truly sorry and disappointed.  I thought about just leaving early but I dont want to take the chance of getting stuck in traffic.  Plus I still have not been able to get ahold of the child care at school to reschedule the day to fill out paperwork to register him either.  Ryan does not have FB on mon. but they had a dentist appt sched.  I called this morning to see if I can move it to a different day but they didnt have anything avail until oct and they were actually due in july.  So I dont want to miss that either.  Again I am so sorry.  We will have to try to reschedule this because I definitely want to make my way up to see you at some point.  We are just too close not to.

**********************************************************
Last night was ryans first scrimmage game.  He did great.  It all went well.  the coaches were great and rotated all the kids through pretty evenly.  I hope the same thing happens in real games but we will see.  The good thing was ryan started on offense so hopefully thats a good sign for him.  Oh and the good thing was....he only made one kid cry.  There actually was a kid about a head taller than him on the other team.  He held his own though with him but I think it was a good lesson for him to see that there are other kids out there that he cant just push to the side.  

Also yesterday I had a talk with my boss about my increase.  He told me his plan of how he was going to try to get me to the next salary tier.  It was the same thing he said a month ago.  He told me it will take time.  I wanted to say well it will take time for me to do the extra jobs then....but that would not have been professional so instead I said I understand.  uggh so frustrating.  time in this place could be months.  

The brighter note is that at 5pm today I will be off for a week.  Cant wait for that.

Ok I stayed on longer than I should have so I need to get going.  Talk to you all soon.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Waaahhhhhh!!! Lindsay I'm so bummed you guys can't make it! Let's definitely reschedule soon!!! You will have to PM me your address so I can send the boys the FDNy tshirts I got for them. It's important for Ryan not to miss that stff - but we wll miss you!!

Kathy - I'm hoping you skipped all the chores and errands in favor of seeing the help!  

Maria - thanks for coaching this past week. I didn't get to respond as much as I would have liked bc it takes me forever to type on this. Need to get my laptop back!! It has my ADR itinerary for Disney on there!!!!

Lisa- hope your day with friends is a blast! 

Rose - how are you feeling?? I hope better!

Hi all! I'm feeling much better today! Went for a walk but went very slow. Like, 20 min/mile slow! But that's ok. And I drank a ton while walking too. Other than go for the walk we haven't done much today. Just hanging. 

Not much planned for the weekend either. I would like to go see Sarah's Key. It's playing at a theater in queens tomorrow. 

Ok I can't type anymore this is making me crazy. Xoxo


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay and Kathy*--I hope you both have fabulous weeks off! I'm so excited for you! 

*Nancy*--glad you are feeling good--but be careful! You need to get that computer fixed!

*Lindsay*--that just stinks about the raise! You are being very patient. Bummer that you can't go see Nancy. I'm glad football is going so well. We got all the sports pictures, and I'm going to be completely honest here, I am pretty sure they are all in a box somewhere. I had these great plans to scrapbook and write down season highlights, etc. Didn't happen. 

*Kathy*--I loved the Perfect Storm. Did you see the tv special/documentary they did on the real life people who the movie was based on? Mike got so mad at the people in the sailboat--that they put other people's lives at risk! Very cool that you got to see George Clooney--he is from KY--did you know that? Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed your day off and have a fabulous time at the beach!

*Lisa*--I hope you are having fun today being the cabanna girl. I need to go somewhere and be a cabanna girl--but I'm sick of gf beer, so I'm not sure what I would have in my cabanna. Anyhow, hope you had fun!

*Maria*--how was date night?

Hi to Liesel and Jude and Taryn!

*******
I am slowly but surely going flipping insane! Our insurance company denied the claim for Tom's adhd testing because they didn't get a preauthorization. Which is fine, I would have had to pay it anyhow, but hopefully they won't charge me the full amount now and will still only expect the allowed amount otherwise it's going to be a major pita! Tom STILL has not dealt with either calling our dr about a prescription renewal or found a new doctor or got things straightened out with the health center. I started crying when I was talking to him today, so hopefully the Mom guilt will work. I know, I know, I'm a terrible person. The biggest reason I wish we would have dealt with this when he was younger--I could have just done it! And it would be done. Part of it is he is just way laid back about everything. But I am going on record as saying I WILL NOT make a special trip on a work day to pick up his prescription to mail it to the mail order place. If it's late, it's late. Uggh!

The tummy is much better. I'm 1 pound outside of my maintain, but I am still hoping to see a maintain weight sometime this weekend.

And last but not least, Mike sent an email to the hiring manager, just bascially saying--still interested, I think I'm qualified, look forward to hearing an update. I was really, really hoping to hear something today. 

We ran last night--87 degrees and a million percent humidity, but I eeked out 4 miles. It was HARD! I am happy to say I exercised 4 days in a row this week--probably for the first time all summer! I am really proud of myself for hanging in there despite everything that's been going on.

Oh and before I forget--*Lisah*--I have been meaning to tell you how proud I am of you for sticking with the running this summer! You are going to be so ready for the Tink next year!

Have a good Friday!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good afternoon,  and 

*Rose* -- You are in a tough spot all around. Waiting for the position in FL, waiting for Tom to do his part, it's all very stressful  And all those merged records aren't helping either! I really hope you can do something fun this weekend. I don't care what it is, just something to take you away from your everyday life. 

*Nancy* -- It sounds like you are doing well, having an easy walk and drinking all your water :drinking2 A movie sounds like jus tthe thing!  "Doing the Deed" -- oh my goodness, I missed so much just popping up pregnant! Dennis was a bit disappointed when I told him I was pregnant and made me take the test again, he thought he was getting a year-long lovefest when we decided to try getting pregnant, but his little swimmers just got right to it. Don't get me wrong, I am so blessed I didn't have any difficulty conceiving, but it was kind of funny to see the look on his face  And no, you are not chopped suey, more like crab rangoon, I would say...

*Lindsay* -- I know you are frustrated but you are right to keep bringing it up to your boss, making sure it's clear you have not forgotten. I would regularly check in. Even if it's a long process, that makes it clear that this is important to you  I am sorry it is so frustrating, and sorry you won't get to meet up with *Nancy*! You guys could both use some fun! 

*Kathy* -- Our end of school tradition was Friendlys. We didn't make it this year, since I wasn't picking ds up from school and he wanted to hang out with his friends.  Next year I may just make it a new tradition where we do dinner somewhere of his choice. I missed it this year. You are on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!  And for 2 weeks?! You are going to come back rested, relaxed, and ready for September! 

*Lisah* -- Thanks for bringing us home with coaching on the challenge. Fabulous question today! I hope you are off having a great time at the theme park. When I told Dennis about your day he informed me that actually the dads would be doing the rides while the moms lounged in the cabana. I asked him how he knew and he said, "Life experience".  However it works out, I know you will have a relaxing day 

 to *Jude, Lisa and Taryn!*

Date night was....noisy and crowded and fun! We tried a Mexican place we hadn't been to before. The food was fine, the place was beyond hopping, the only flaw was that our waitstaff took our order, brought our drinks, and we never saw her again. Our food came out, she didn't check to see how it was. I actually would have ordered another drink, but she never came back. Dennis finally flagged her down for our bill. She had the tables all around us, it's like she just "forgot" us. And then we she delivered the bill she got all perky and told us to have a good night, hoping for a tip. Well, we did tip her because we always do, but I told Dennis not to give her our usual 20% because she ignored us. 

I thoroughly enjoyed sleeping in this morning until 6:42, when Spock decided he had had about enough of that.  

I'm at work all day today, which I don't often do on Fridays. It's good for me to be seen, and to catch up on my DIS threads 

And now I can finally tell you about my own vacation, which is now coming the last week of this month! We did an excellent job saving all summer, and we are able to take the trip we initially wanted but had resigned ourselves to missing. We're going north to Montreal for a few days! 

I've booked our hotel and done some research on activities. I went over my plan of possible things to do, costs, and sample schedule with Dennis over dinner last night, and he was onboard with everything! 

Our plan includes a trip up the Olympic Tower to look around (we get to ride in a funicular, just like on "The Amazing Race"!), a hop on/off bus tour, a visit to Notre Dame Basilica and the light show, JetBoating on the St. Lawrence River, the Biodome (zoo-like), walking through the Olde and Underground Cities, and the piece de resistance -- a tour of the Cirque du Soleil headquarters! When Cirque du Soleil first came to Boston, Dennis found them a site. Every year when they come we get free tickets  Dennis called his contact there to ask if the hotel I found was in an "ok" area  and he offered to give us a tour of their facility! 

This is weird because I usually have months to plan a trip, but I think we will have a blast. We've never driven that far in a car together (about 5 hours), so we'll see how that goes 

Ben is excited because he gets to cross Vermont off his list of states to visit, and he says he's the only one of his friends who hasn't been to Canada.   I asked him how many of his friends had been on a Disney cruise? It's not like we've been keeping him in a dungeon 

Ok, back to work for awhile...we're having a massive severe thunderstorm. I just had hail hitting my window on the 4th floor 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria--your trip sounds great! So exciting!

Well, Mike talked to the hiring manager and it was a bad news/ok news conversation. He decided Mike was not a good fit for the role that he is hiring for. (Which honestly the longer this went on the more I was starting to think that, too. I actually asked Mike a couple of times if he really wanted to do this particular job.) 

But the hiring manager did say, there are a couple of other things going on that look like they are more geared toward Mike's skill set and that he thinks Mike would make a good addition to their team. So he left it with he would pass on his resume. Mike is going to put in a meeting request with their hr person and see what's up before we get too far into this again. 

I am really disappointed, but a tiny bit relieved. Mike sounded very upbeat when he called--I think this just wasn't the role for him, and that's ok. And the guy sounded very positive about Mike, which made him feel good I think. So it's not really over, but it's slowed down a bit. There were actually some more jobs posted this week in other areas of Fl. I am still hopeful something might work out with Melbourne, but we will have to just wait and see I guess. Now if my kid would just do what he needs to do, maybe I could stop worrying about stuff for a couple of hours.

ETA: They already sent Mike another position number to post on in Melbourne. This is the most positive no, I think he has ever gotten.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Oh my where do I start.....First with replies to all you lovely ladies.

Nancy- Glad you were feeling better today.  Remember to drink, drink, drink!!!!  I know I am so sorry to back out on our plans.  I still feel so bummed.  It just seems like things are not working out for me this week...more to come about that in a sec.

Maria- Sorry your date night out was not more romantic.  At least you got to sleep in.  Your trip sounds so exciting.  Oh and poor ben has never been to cananda....what a horrible parent you are. Kids...Ill tell ya!

Rose- Great job on the workouts this week.  I always say things happen for a reason so maybe this next job they want mike to apply for will be exactly what he wants.  oh and Tom...I bet if he runs out of meds he wont let it happen again because he is going to realize how much they are helping him.  Sometimes you have to learn the hard way.  I hope it doesnt come to that and that he gets his act together sooner.  

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

Ok so I would have been very excited to come on here and say.  Yay Im on vacation.....well that would be if I had a normal job.....but nope not the case.

We had our expansion meeting today because we are adding another doctors space onto our current office.  Of course it has taken 2 months to get to the point of meeting with the architects and design team and now that we did its a rush against time to get the project started and moving.  So it was imperative that we meet next tues at lunch to discuss what specifically needs to be in each room and area so that they can price it out and get it approved by our senior management.  

So now I have to go into work on sunday to do some things that I couldnt get done today plus go in monday eve for a meeting witht he doc to talk about expansion stuff so we are prepared for the meeting.  Then I have the meeting tues so I have to find a babysitter for Ryan.  uggh I am beyond frustrated.  I really think I am going to take the following mon. off for the first day of school.  I initially felt bad doing that since I will be missing my monday meeting I have 3 wks in a row but at this point I dont even care.

So that got me in a crabby mood.  Then I get to my nanas to pick up ryan and he is laid out on the couch.  My mom just took his temp and he was running a 101 fever.  He said his throat hurt.  I took him into the office to get checked because I thought it looked like strep but nope just a virus.  30 more bucks down the tube....should have just waited.

So thats my day in a nutshell.  Sorry to be the downer of the page.  Just really frustrated tonight.  Thanks for listening.


----------



## mikamah

Aw, *Lindsay*, that just bites the big one.  So unfair.  I would be very mad and upset too.  You definitely need to take next monday off, no ifs ands or buts about it.  You deserve it.  I hope you will get to do some fun stuff the rest of the week when you're not at work.  Sorry you won't get to the Bronx either.  I was so excited for you and Nancy. 

*Rose*- Sorry this job didn't work out for Mike, but you sound really positive and it's nice there are possibly some other prospects.  It's been such a long wait for both of you.  I hope Tom realized how much the meds are helping and is able to step up to the plate and make sure he gets them.  It's got to be tough not to just do it for him, and have the peace of mind that it's done, but you're teaching him to be independant and take care of himself, no matter how much stress it causes you.  I have faith you'll be at maintain before the weekend is up.  I only did 4 miles today because it was brutally hot and humid, and I didn't want to feel crappy afterwards.  At least I feel like I got vacation off on the right foot.  

*Maria*-Your vacations sounds awesome, and it's about time you took Ben to Canada.  What have you been thinking?  I think first and last day of school traditions are nice.  For kindergarten and 1st grade for the first day of school we went with my mom to Danversport Yacht club for lunch, and after she died, we changed to dinner at Acapulcos with my sister.  But it is sad when the friends start to interfere with the traditions.  Yes, 2 full weeks, plus a few extra days.  With today off, it ends up being 20 days off.  We're only allowed 2 summer weeks, but laborday week is typically quiet, so I got tues and wed off for the first day of school.  I'm excited the Obama's should be leaving the Vineyard next saturday, and we hope to go to the cape the following monday for a couple days if the weather looks good.  I want to take michael over to the vineyard on the ferry to bike.  I love having the end of summer off.  

*Coach Lisa*- aka this weeks Biggest Loser!!!   Congratulations girlfriend.  So proud of you and excited for you.  You have done so well this summer.  Such an inspiration to me.  Hope you all had fun at the water park.  I'll pop on over to the bl thread before i leave tomorrow.  Maybe there will be a lovely sparkpeople article that will keep me on the straight and narrow next week.   Enjoy your weekend.

*Nancy*- I hope you get your laptop fixed soon. That Ipad must be so frustrating for you.  I miss your long, chatty posts.  Glad you're feeling better, but you must drink lots and walk slow.  I was dying today and thought of all the long run/walks you've done pregnant, and think you'd do circles around me.  I hope you get to see Sarah's Key.  After John being gone you deserve a couple hours of me time.  I did not skip the chores.  I actually enjoyed grocery shopping and doing errands alone, so it was worth it.  Our food is all set in bags on the living room floor, and the fridge stuff will fit in one cooler, I think.  

*Hello to Liesel, Taryn, Jude.*

We just watched the perfect storm, and I have realized that Michael is a movie talker.  I guess with the kid movies he picks I don't mind so much, but he kept talking during it, and he did this the other night when we were watching a Good luck CHarlie.   I'll need to break this habit quickly.  
Yes, Rose, that guy in the sailboat really pissed me off.  I did see some documentary on the crew years ago, but wouldn't mind watching it again.  We're only about 20 min from Gloucester, but we haven't been there much lately.  I'd like to bring michael down again so he can see what he saw in the movie.  

In the morning I need to change fredwards cage, and pack our clothes and bedding, and otherwise I'm pretty well set.  It was nice to have today off and have some relaxing time this evening.   

I'll probably be back in the am before we leave.  I don't want to leave much before noon since we can't check in the house til 3, so it will be nice not to rush. 

Sleep tight, princesses.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Kathy--Have a fun, fun week! 

Lindsay--that just STINKS! I would say definitely take the first day of school off. I hope Ryan is feeling better.

We went out to eat last night at the restaurant in town that does a good job with g-f. My weight is still up and my stomach still doesn't feel great, but we had a nice time. The g-f food takes longer to make, so it makes for a nice relaxing dinner.

Tom got his prescription set up, so I will pick it up Monday when I go for my appointment.

Mike has a phone meeting Monday with the HR manager from FL to make sure they really still are interested and that the guy he talked to yesterday wasn't just trying to be nice. Actually the guy said some really positive things to Mike and Mike is feeling pretty good about the whole thing. It sounds like even though he interviewed with a bunch of different managers when he was down there, they were all focusing on this one job. So we should have a better idea on Tuesday. His HR person here said if after Tuesday he still didn't know what was up, that she would call. Mike's HR person and his boss couldn't believe he didn't get the job. Hopefully whatever happens, it will not move as slowly this time.

I have to work this morning for a couple of hours and then this evening we are going to run. We are scheduled for 12, but I don't think that's going to happen. We are both tired.

Have a good Saturday!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning!!  

My name is Kathy and I am an overpacker.   It's not like I'm going to be so far from civilization, but I keep packing more stuff I might need or want.  

I'm waiting for the last load of laundry so I can finish packing the clothes, and then I'll pack up the car except for the cooler before I shower.  We need to drop michaels football shirt off to have his name and number put on it.  

I'll miss you all!  I'll toast you with some beergaritas tonight once the car is unpacked.  Have a fabulous week!!  See you next sunday!!

Ok, I'm going to shut down the computer now so I don't pop back in.  byebye!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Have a great time Kathy! We will miss you! 

I'm a very good packer actually!! We got to Hawaii with one big bag for the three of us and that was for two weeks!! Having laundry helps. 

Ok laptop supposedly coming back today. I hope! I'm realizing how much of a blabber mouth I am bc I'm getting so frustrated with not being able to chit chat more!! 

Rose - you and mike were the subjects of conversation last night. We were saying how frustrating this whole thing is. If mike looks into the other opportunity in Melbourne is it back to square one with the interviewing or can he skip some of the normal meet and greet stuff?

Lindsay - hugs. Poor Ryan. What a day for him to be sick when you just want to relax. Take off on Monday!

Hi Maria hi Lisa!!! Lisa how was your day with your friends????

John has Thomas. Took him for mcdonalds breakfast and they are at the zoo now. I'm watching tv now after a nice slow walk. Gonna head to the deli for some lunch to sneak into the movie theater. Looking forward to seeing the movie tho I know it will be depressing. 

My friend gave me "the kitchen house" yesterday. She said if you like the help then you will like this book. Looking forward to starting it though I've gotten very used to reading e-books. 

Ok I give up on typing. Off to go NOT put away laundry


----------



## jennz

Kathy!  I know I probably missed you but hope you have/had a great vacation!  

Well my doctor has suggested a low carb meal plan, but that's about all she said. I got a South Beach book today to check it out.  Any suggestions from anyone?


----------



## Rose&Mike

Nancy--I hope you enjoyed the movie. And the alone time! We have no idea if he will be starting from scratch in Melbourne. He did meet a ton of people, though not the guy from the new job posting. That's why he decided to schedule a call with the Human Resources guy. It sounds like there might be a couple of opportunities. We just don't want to waste any more time on this if it's pointless. We are cautiously optimistic. He  thinks the guy he interviewed with thought he could do the job, just that it wasn't the right job for him. There were lots of other really interesting things that they talked to him about when we were down in July. It's just been such a lonnnnnnng haul. Hopefully they will admire his stick-to-it-ness. I think I put the wrong date--the call is on Tuesday, so we just have to wait until then.


Hi Jennifer--Have you "met" Nancy? We met her at the Princess Half in February. We love Nancy. She fit right in with our group.  Mike and I did south beach several years ago, and really it's not a hard diet, but I stayed on phase one too long and ended up with some depression, I think cause I was not getting enough carbs and my serotonin was all out of whack. The interesting thing--my stomach felt great on south beach--probably cause I was eating no gluten during phase one. If only the light bulb would have gone off then I could have avoided feeling so awful this spring. Anyhow, there are a couple of people on the main thread doing south beach and there's a south beach thread. Lovetoscrap has been doing it for a while and she's a good resource. 

****
So I worked an event today--outside for 3 hours. It was a friendship celebration and I did the fitness booth. So I was doing jumping jacks and all kinds of stuff with the kids. It was so HOT! Mike cut the grass. So now we are laying on the couch trying to get up the energy to go for a run tonight. It's 90 and humid here so I'm having trouble finding the motivation. We are supposed to go 12 today, but I don't think that is going to happen. 

I'm still hoping to see my maintain weight sometime this weekend!

Have a good Saturday night!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Just a quick check in for me, sorry. Still no laptop. It is ready but I can't get up there til tomorrow. 

Heading to Brooklyn in a couple hours. Meeting one of johns old coworkers, his pregnant wife and their two year old son. We would be the same people John was Jewish and I was Asian!  we are meeting in our old neighborhood where we lived before we were married and bought the house back in the Bronx. Think we are going for Indian food. This place we always went. Haven't been since I was pregnant with Thomas!

Will catch up later! xoxo


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Kathy,* I know that you are long gone but I hope that you are having a wonderful time on your vacation!  

And speaking of vacationers, how are you doing, *Lindsay?*   I hope that you are having a good time this week and they aren't bugging you too much from the office.  I think it stinks that you have to literally get out of town for them not to bother you.  Especially since they've give you all this extra work and no extra money.  I don't blame you at all for being frustrated.   
Luckily your two companions this week are very good at comic relief!  

*Rose,* great job on the 12 miles this week-end!    Sorry about the foot but hopefully the new shoes will help.  What kind of shoes did you get?  Did you ever try any of the superfeet inserts or inserts from the PT?  I remember something about inserts but now that I am typing this I am thinking maybe they made things worse?  It's a bummer trying to figure all this out -- wouldn't it be nice to do a run and have everything just feel fabulous when you were done?  

I will keep my fingers crossed for you and Mike that this new position in Melbourne is a better fit for everyone!    It's amazing corporations get anything done really, they are so dang slow at deciding things.  

*Maria,* how did JT enjoy his camp?  Or did he come home with a new nickname?  

I think your vacation sounds wonderful and one tip from our travels to Canada -- be sure that your passport is signed before you try to get back into the U.S.  

*Nancy,* woo hoo the laptop comes back today!   Although I have to say that you have done an absolutely fabulous job keeping up with the iPad!   



jennz said:


> Well my doctor has suggested a low carb meal plan, but that's about all she said. I got a South Beach book today to check it out.  Any suggestions from anyone?



Hi *Jennz!*   Our own Maria has had some success this summer with South Beach.  And if you go on the main BL thread, pjlla and SettinSail (Shawn) have both done it.  I think LTS (lovestoscrap) does the SB thing, too.  It's nice to see you back with us!  

Hello to the rest of our princesses and *Lisabelle*!  

We had a nice time at the water park.  We changed the location of the cabana that we held down -- it was a bit more in the center of things and I had to spend a lot more time asking people to move.  Really? It was crowded and warm so I'm sure that had something to do with it.  

It's the last week of summer for us.    This morning I have to take Robert to get his middle school booster shots.  I'm going to try and get my flu shot while we are there so I can share the pain.  I will also excuse myself for the boy part of the exam.  

I found a whole series of texts being exchanged with a girl who refers to herself as "buffles the butternut squash" which explains some of the behavior going on around here.    Also, I can't tell if Buffles is the object of affection or if she is the messenger for another girl.  They are all going to have to survive being apart for a whole week.   

I'm pretty sure someone is not going to like being awaked at 6 am this morning.  I got a really good dagger look when I suggested it was good practice for next week.   

Have a great day, ladies!


----------



## jennz

Thanks Lisa - I'll check out those threads. 

Last week of summer - enjoy!!  Our school started last week, which also means 6 am wake ups for me.  Sarah is in 8th grade now and so far - 4 days in - it seems like it will be a good year.   Last year was her worst so she's due.


----------



## jennz

Forgot - Buffles the butternut squash huh?  Is this texting, fb or both?  Have you seen Buffles?  Where does the squash reference come in - does she like it, look like it...?    It sounds like the nicknames Sarah and her friends come up with.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> I found a whole series of texts being exchanged with a girl who refers to herself as "buffles the butternut squash" which explains some of the behavior going on around here.    Also, I can't tell if Buffles is the object of affection or if she is the messenger for another girl.  They are all going to have to survive being apart for a whole week.



Lisa you have me hysterical with this one.  How do you even keep a straight face with that. Jennz- I would like to know where the butternut squash comes from too.

Glad you had fun at the waterpark.  Enjoy the last week of summer...We are doing the same.

Rose- I hope the run went good last night.  Glad tom got his act together with the script.  I guess that mommy guilt works wonders.  I will need to make a note of that for future reference. 

Nancy- I hope you had a great dinner! Heres hoping your laptop is back today.

Hi Maria, Leisel, Taryn, Jude, and Jennz.

**********************************************************
Just a quick catch up!

Sat. was great....just relaxed inside all day because there were on/off thunderstorms.  The boys went to applebees for a pancake fundraiser for football.  I got an hour at home of free time. It sure went by fast.  I got a bunch of backlogged laundry done.  Now I am only down to 2 bins of winter clothes.  I feel like the first time in years I finally am getting this house organized.  whew if feels goood.  Oh and I watch something borrowed on dvd.  It was a really good chick flick.

Sun.- Went into the office for 2 hours to get some stuff done.  Then took Ryan back to school shopping.  Got some great stuff and some good deals.  I still need to find him a few pairs of jean shorts.  I hate to purchase them so late but all his shorts from the summer are now too small.  The kid grows like a weed.  I cant even make it through one season all in the same size.  He is a "beast"  We saw a nike sweatshirt that said "unleash the beast" on it.  He so needs to have that but it was on sale for 32$ and I just felt that it was too pricey.

Anyway now today to start my vacation.

The boys went to the dentist.  All is good.  Then we stopped at my office and they got their flumist.  Now we are home.  We are going to have lunch and then I am taking them to the tow path down my the river.  Its a 2 mile path that is very flat.  They will ride their bikes and I will run.  Hopefully it goes as smoothly as I am picturing it.  I will let you know how it turns out.

Then I have to go to work by 6 to meet with my lead dr. to discuss our expansion project.  I only have to worry about this today and tomorrow and then hopefully I can enjoy the rest of my week being work free.  I am going to tell the person I have in charge this week to not call me unless it is a complete emergency.  Today they called me while I was at the dentist to tell me the fire alarm was going off again.  It was something faulty.  Like I really needed to know that.

Ok well have a great day!!!!  Talk to you soon.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning  and !

*Lindsay* -- I'm sorry you have to spend any of your vacation thinking about work at all, but it's good it will be over with soon and you can really let the relaxation begin  I hope everyone has a great time at the tow path, that sounds like fun!

*Jennz* -- My Ben will start 8th grade on Sept. 8th. He did ok in 7th grade, but it was a big adjustment and definitely his least favorite to date. I think there's just something about the age and all the changes -- 8th grade is bound to be good!  Oh! And *Pamela *gave me some great suggestions for lower carb. I can't do real low carb, it makes me miserable. I have to have some veggies and fruit, I'm just careful about which ones I choose. Today I'm eating: scrambled eggs with diced peppers, onions, mushrooms and ham for breakfast; cobb salad for lunch (I also often have a single serve cottage cheese or hummus, and a couple of snack size bags of raw veggies); snack size bag of blueberries, babybel and 1oz. of cashews for a snack; turkey breast (we baked one yesterday) and a big salad for dinner; pre-bed snack of blackberries and one square of Dove caramel chocolate. I also usually have raspberries, but they didn't look good in the store. If I get hungry beyond this I'll have some cantaloupe, or celery filled with cream cheese. I had deviled eggs with my lunch all last week, but started to feel like it was too much food. I am definitely satisfied eating less this way, and I still feel fueled enough to run. 

*Lisah* -- Thanks for the passport tip! We just got new ones and I hadn't even thought of that. I'm sure it would have been quite the  JT aka Ben really loved Night Camp, especially the part where they did the zipline at night  This kid does not get his sense of adventure from me. Ben had his checkup earlier this month and I did the exact same thing! The doctor also informed us that starting at 14 they ask both parents to leave the room for awhile so they can speak with the kids confidentially about sexual activity and drug and alcohol use.  I know that's good, but it's scary to think he's getting to the age when I might not know if any of that is going on. I certainly hope not, but trust me, we will be vigilant  I shouldn't laugh at "Buffles", but that is just funny!  What a name! 

*Nancy* -- How was the Indian food? That sounds yummy! As long as I don't eat out I don't miss the carbs too much. Indian would put me under -- I'd need bread, samosas, rice... Your post reminded me of how much laundry I used to have just from the little guy...and now he does his own  I highly recommend it, that way when the only jeans he could possibly wear for whatever event aren't clean, it is not my problem  You may want to wait 9 or 10 years before you start that, though! 

*Rose* -- I think cautiously optimistic is exactly the right attitude  I know it was disappointing, but it sounds like there was a big 'ol silver lining, and this new position might be worth waiting for. This is really a case of the window opening when the door closes, I have to believe it's all good  Kudos to you for working a fitness booth!  What a great example you are, and I'm sure the kids had a great time!

*Kathy* -- I missed your departure, so I choose to think of you enjoying beergaritas, on the , running when you want to, and having a fantastic time!  Yep, once the Obamas get out of the way you can enjoy yourselves on the island! 20 days, 20 chances to nap, veg, and dream 

*Lisa, Jude and Taryn* -- I'm  at you! 

So, I finally had the talk with our new pastor and told her I was not continuing as the committee chair after December. She immediately tried to suck me into an even more time-consuming job, and I told her I wasn't interested. She asked me what I was passionate about, and I told her our family already has a big time commitment to the church (Dennis spends about 3 hrs. a week paying their bills and dealing with their finances), and that's what we're going to stick with. I don't think she was quite sure what to think or do, but that's too bad. I feel like a weight has been lifted. I didn't really want to be on the committee for the 3 original years, let alone 3 more as the chair. I think that I did one is going to have to be good enough. No one should be on a church committee for 4 yrs. It makes you surly  I'm passionate about not resenting having to go to church, at this point. 

Gotta walk for that salad!

Maria 

I haven't run since Thursday. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get up and go. I have so much to keep track of right now with the trip and making reservations for the activities, not to mention packing lists and cleaning the house (did I mention Dennis asked some friends to come over Sunday? ), that it's getting a low priority. He is emphatic we are leaving Monday morning at 7am. That means everything has to be done Saturday, if the company comes. I am practically crossing my fingers they have something better to do 

I also had too many carbs this weekend. I ate popcorn  Saturday and Sunday, plus twizzlers Saturday. This was not a good way to go, and I can actually see my bloat. I have to do a better job of not letting the weekends become carbotunities.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok so....the laptop is back! it's like a brand new computer except that all my files are in this little folder icon on the desktop. i hate change. i want it back the way it was! wah! and there's a checkmark box area at the top left of each icon that i can't figure out what its purpose is. will ask john when he gets home. maybe he has an idea.

at least it's back! 

oh but of course the DIS is taking a million years to load! wonder what's going on?

so, in honor of my ability to copy and paste things and type much more easily, i give you my 26 week belly:






yeah, i am definitely not one of those people who has a cute little belly. i'm just...big. i bought those jean shorts today from target. they were the only option that didn't have the fully belly panel. i liked those in my last pregnant but wearing something tight over my belly just doesn't sound good for a trip to disney in september in the HEAT! they were $25. not bad but a little annoying that they have those "cool" tears and frays already in them. psh. but i needed some other shorts b/c i have these light ones that really should be considered a cruel joke - pregnant women and light shorts...down there?? when it's hot?? yeah, can't wear them.

*rose* - 12 miles! woot!  how are you feeling today? and how's the belly ache feeling? do they have gluten free gu or gel block or anything like that? what do you eat on your long runs? 
so mike's talking to someone tomorrow, right? hopefully it goes well and puts him in a step in the right direction!

*lisa *- buffles the butternut squash??? what the??? buffles? butternut squash? i hope she doesn't resemble one! i'm picturing a skinny up top girl with no b@@bs but with a big butt. 

*maria - *so how does it feel to be a little bit more church free? i kind of get what you mean about not wanting to resent going to church or being an active member in the community. i teach the mommy and me at the catholic school. it's really a failing school unfortunately - tuition is expensive and people just don't want to pay for not-that-great of an education. the pastor put in the bulletin this week about how people aren't giving enough money during the collections and how we're a poor parish and blah blah. the mommy and me class gave the church $300 for christmas last year. it's not alot but it's something! the father sent a handwritten note to everyone that sent a christmas donation - but the mommy and me class didn't get one! he could have dropped in the classroom one day and said thanks. it's very discouraging. sometimes knowing too much about what's going on with the church and school is not a good thing. i hope this will relieve some stress for you!

i'm having a carb problem. if there is a carb, i eat it. don't know how i'll manage to go back to low-ish carb post-baby.

*lindsay *- how did the run go? in theory it sounds like a good time!  and good for you for not spending $32 on a t-shirt!  yeesh! 

anyone else miss *kathy? *waaaah! i miss kathy!! i also want a beergarita!!

hi jennz  nice to "meet" you. 

little guy is still sleeping but i'm going to have to get him up in a few minutes. i have a dermatologist appt. got this ewwy thing on my neck that i want her to zap off. gross. 

oh....indian last night was good. the other 2 year old was an angel and of course that means that thomas was...not an angel.  at least we were the only people in the restaurant - after a while i just let thomas run a muck. classy. the owners said it was ok if they played on the floor and we left when other people came in. food was good.


----------



## lisah0711

jennz said:


> Thanks Lisa - I'll check out those threads.
> 
> Last week of summer - enjoy!!  Our school started last week, which also means 6 am wake ups for me.  Sarah is in 8th grade now and so far - 4 days in - it seems like it will be a good year.   Last year was her worst so she's due.



Aww, poor thing!    Glad this year is off to a better start!  

Robert is 12 so it sounds about right for the nickname thing. I thought it was kind of cute.    She is a nice girl, if it is the one I am thinking of, and as I have tried to explain to Robert middle school things are very short lived so I doubt I will ever find out anything more about it.  It seems to me that all the girls at that age resemble bean poles more than anything.  

*Lindsay,* sounds like you got a lot done today.  Hope you can get that pesky meeting done and get them to leave you in peace for the rest of the week.  

*Maria,* glad that you were able to talk with the pastor.    I think your reply was excellent!  

*Nancy,* I think your baby bump looks cute!   

Hello to the rest of our Princesses and Belles!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

just fyi, i have cropped and resized that picture about 10 times in the last 20 minutes and it keeps coming up huge. so...i dunno.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok i think it worked. annoying!!!

*lisa -  *isn't it funny how it's all about texting now? it used to be all about spending hours on the phone. my crazy friend who wouldn't leave was telling me how she was up texting this guy we went to HS with until 2am. i thought, "why didn't you just pick up the phone????" but i guess it's all about the pithy conversation over texting nowadays!


----------



## lisah0711

dumbo_buddy said:


> ok i think it worked. annoying!!!
> 
> *lisa -  *isn't it funny how it's all about texting now? it used to be all about spending hours on the phone. my crazy friend who wouldn't leave was telling me how she was up texting this guy we went to HS with until 2am. i thought, "why didn't you just pick up the phone????" but i guess it's all about the pithy conversation over texting nowadays!



 Yep, who know what you will be having to monitor when your two boys get to be this age?


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- you have such a cute prego belly.  You look great.  and you are NOT BIG.  Glad the computer is back and running.

Its 630 and I am sitting here at work waiting for my Dr to finish with her last pt.  We were suppose to meet at 6. uggh.  In her defense she is dealing with a 17yr old pt that came in with a ? pregnancy.  Urine is positive but mom wanted bloodwork done.  Well if 3 urine test showed positive we all know what that means.  The poor girl.  This is a family from a wealthy upper class area.  The parents are good parents.  Involved with their kids etc.  So the moral is....this issue can happen to anyone.   Scary isnt it.  Apparently the mom had the girl on BCP but she forgot to take a few....oops.  

Ok well I also wanted to share semi good news.  I heard from my boss today (by email) of course because like texting......everyone communicates in email now.  He finally got my initial increase put through from my title change.  Its not huge but its something and it is retro back to May when it was suppose to be done.   So first hurdle accomplished.  Now to get moved to the next tier is my challenge for the next few months.  He says he is working on that.....I give him 1 month and then I will become a pest again.

Ok well I will catch up with you all later.  Sorry if I missed some replying.

Oh and more importantly I got in 3 miles.  Ryan was good but nick started complaining his legs were tired 3/4 of a mile into it.  It was slow but at least I got it done.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Holy Cannoli, Batman!

*Nancy, Jude & Lindsay* -- Are you ok? We were just evacuated after the bldg swayed for about 3 mins., and they told us NY was the epicenter....We don't get earthquakes here!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

totally fine. VA was the epicenter and it doesn't sound like they had too much damage. i have some friends who live in VA and they said everything's ok. phew! that sure was unexpected! 

thomas has decided not to nap today and let me tell you, that is WAY worse than any earthquake! 

we missed another go-see today. missed one yesterday b/c of a doc's appt. then today at 1:30 when he was screaming the talent agent lady called again asking if thomas could go for one today around 4. they are looking for a two year old to throw a ball at spike lee (like, the real spike lee) and scream out, "no!!" now, thomas is totally in a cranky yucky mood BUT the one thing he doesn't do when mad is scream out "no!" lol! oh well. 

ok, i should stop crying in my cookies about the no-nap and just go out with him and tire him out. maybe put him in the stroller for a little....


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

OMG! I really prefer less drama in my life.

the day was going just fine.  I had just finished my meeting which went really well.  and then our whole building started shaking.  the doors were rattling, the windows were shaking, it was just odd.  I really though there may have been an explosion near by or something.  We evacuated the building and then I started to get a bit panicked when I couldnt get an outside line to call anyone.  Gosh I could only imagine how people felt on 9/11.  Nancy

anyway it took us 15 min to have someone finally get on their internet (phone) to see there was an earthquake in VA.  I kinda was like well what does that have to do with us.  Then my Nana who had ryan called to tell me that my cousins that are vacationing in OC,MD felt the whole beach shake under them.  Then one of my employees got a text from one of their family members in boston saying they felt it.  I hate to say it but I had that overwhelming anxiety feeling like what was next.  Gosh I get a bit worked up with this stuff.  Glad everything was ok and there was not too much damage anywhere.  Whoo thats one to check off of my bucket list...well not that feeling an earthquake was really on it but you know what I mean.

Now we are at home and I will start making dinner before we head to football.  Oh and I before this whole thing happened I told the person I put in charge to only call me if a major emergency was happening like the building was falling down.  She joked and said does this qualify for a phone call.  So hopefully I will not be bothered anymore this week and I can enjoy my time off.

Nancy- I hope you get some down time with thomas today....or at least that he goes to bed early tonight.  I agree a non-napping toddler is worse than aftershocks of a earthquake.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Boy I guess I killed the thread. Where is everyone????  

Well today is my "rest" day.  Nick went to daycare because they were having a trike-a-thon and he didnt want to miss it.  So its just Ryan and I hanging out.  Not much to do today.  Ryan has a scrimmage game tonight.  

I hope you all are ok!!!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Lindsay,* I don't think that you killed the thread.    It's quiet on the main thread, too, between the end of summer and the earthquake seems like people don't have as much time for the Dis right now.    Hope they can leave you alone for the next three days so you can have a bit of a break!  

*Nancy,* hope that you can get some rest today and Thomas is in a better mood.  Maybe that amoeba soccer will help run off some of that energy.  

And BTW, *Rose,* amoeba soccer! 

*Maria,* only a few more days and you will be on vacation, too.  

Hello to the rest of you ladies!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*—I love your baby belly.

*Lindsay*—I hope you are able to enjoy the rest of your week off with no earthquakes or interruptions! BTW, some folks in a highrise in downtown Louisville felt the earthquake.

*Lisa*—thanks for taking Friday. I am chicken fried.

*Maria*—I’m so excited for your trip. We have a funny Canada story involving the US Border Patrol and ashes in our ash tray. He was convinced my straight laced naval academy grad hubby had gone to Canada to smoke something funny. This was right after we got married before Mike reported for active duty.  It was pretty amusing!  You are going to have so much fun!

So here’s what’s been going on. 
Saturday—worked in the morning—did too may jumping jacks, etc with the kids! Saturday night we ran 12. It was hot and my foot was pretty uncomfortable. But I did it.

Sunday—we both got new running shoes. I tried on a bunch, but ended up getting the Brooks Ghost again. They updated them and I really like the new cushioning they are using.  They are still blue—yuck, but have some sea green on them. I also got some gel pads for my old running shoes to help with the heel soreness.

Monday—worked a half day and then went for my fun annual doctor’s appointment. I may or may not be going through menopause. She still thinks I am a little young, and the missed periods might be coming from running/gluten/diet.  I can pretty much guarantee when I will get my next period—two days before we go to w&d. I skipped strength and took a nap. I think I was still tired from Saturday.

Tuesday—ran 4 miles with my new shoes. My foot and calf were pretty sore at the start of the run, but by the end I was feeling pretty good. No major issues yesterday or today, so that’s good! Called my kid to tell him to pay attention to the hurricane stuff, especially since he is living off campus. Worked at my horrendously boring job. I am so sick of duplicate data. I am half way through—but that was the easy half. Now I have to go through every entry by hand and do research to figure out if there is a duplicate.  Soooooooo boring. Came home and had a chip and dip binge. I’m a mess here lately. I started crying because I was so stressed the dip was going to have hidden gluten like the rice snacks—then I realized the dip I bought said gluten free on it. I lost it. I don’t know why, but I did.

And for the big depressing news, Mike talked to the HR manager yesterday, and for now things are pretty much dead. He encouraged him to apply if something came up in his band, and that they would also keep him in mind, but due to funding they are not going to hire for the position he is most qualified for right now.  Mike is going to talk to someone else on Friday about another position, but they have a strong candidate, so it’s more a conversation to try to understand that organization better. I am hugely disappointed. More than I thought I would be. And the grey, gloomy days are coming here, so I need to get my act together before the weather gets bad. This year has been a roller coaster, and I have held it together as long as I could, but I lost it yesterday.  Then we decided to go to Memphis for Labor Day weekend—trying to be positive, etc. Mike has a friend he graduated with who lives in Memphis. Well, I checked on facebook and they moved to Florida this summer! Uggh! Can you believe it????? That pushed me over the edge!  So we are going to do something for Labor Day weekend, but not sure what.

I raised my maintain one pound, so I am maintaining at 139. If I don’t get it together and stop eating garbage, I’m going to be in big trouble. For one thing I just feel like absolute crap today—chips, dip, gf mac and cheese, and bourbon do not make for a healthy dinner! And I did so good during the day yesterday. So in order to get them out of the house, I finished the chips today, uggh. Smart, huh? Great choice, I know!

Thanks for letting me get all that off my chest. I love you all. I think for the new challenge I am going to be a loser until w&d.  I need to get back in control. I need a couple of calm, no drama days--is that even possible?

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

ahh Rose.  You have every right to be disappointed.  In the end I am sure something else will come along and you will be thankful that this didnt work out.  I know it doesnt make how you feel now any better though.  Especially since you are currently completely bored and tired of your job.  Hang in there.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Thanks Lindsay. It will be ok--and that was not the right job for Mike. I had started asking him that a lot--are you sure this is the right job for you? He is still optimistic, but disappointed. I'm just mostly tired. 

So you know how I like to keep an eye out for cheap airfare--well, I found airfare to mco for labor day weekend for less than 200 a person with tax--so under $400. So I booked it.  We fly out of Lexington Thursday afternoon and come back Sunday night late. Lexington is an hour away, so not bad at all. We are both going to take a half day Thursday--and Mike has a floating holiday that he was going to take Friday anyhow. Hopefully my boss won't mind. 

Labor Day is the last baseball game of the year, so we will be able to go to that. It should be a good weekend. And hopefully I will come back ready to be a Big Loser again and get my act together. Now I have to figure out where we are going to stay. Pop is the cheapest, but after staying at All Star Sports once and wanting to throw my self off the roof, I swore I'd never do a value again. Mike says I am a HUGE hotel snob. But I think it's $300 less than a moderate. Saratoga Springs is the same as a moderate right now, so he might want to do that so we can walk to DTD to eat--ONION RINGS!!!! I am so excited! And I am going to wear a birthday button all weekend so that lots of strangers can say Happy Birthday to me. Who needs family to wish you a happy birthday when strangers at WDW will do it?

ETA--we got a last minute room on points at Old Key West!!!! So the room is free! Woohoo! This weekend won't end up costing as much as I thought!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Yay Rose!!!!  That sounds like a perfect getaway.  Sometimes it pays to be last minute vacation planners.  Good for you.

Ive mowed the grass today and made home made spaghetti sauce but otherwise I am being a bit lazy.  Ryan is getting bored but he's just going to have to deal with it today.  I think I may have him lay down in his room and try to nap since he has a game tonight.  I could really use an hour to veg on the couch.

I am trying to find inexpensive and not overly tiring things to do with the boys tomorrow.  Ryan has practice so I dont want to wear him out.  I was hoping cars 2 was still playing somewhere but no luck.  Actually it is playing at a cheap theatre but not until 730 at night.  So I am back to square one with no ideas.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

THIRTY THREE MINUTES! that's what i got out of thomas for a nap.  waaaahhh!!! i laid him down, ate a sandwich, unloaded the dishwasher, put his toys away, turned the air on in my room, laid my head on the pillow and i hadn't even closed my eyes and he started screaming. 

did any of you have that sciatica pain when you were pregnant? my left butt cheek is killing me.  is that sciatica? or did i just pull my butt?

kill me. just kill me now. 

*rose *- that's great that you're in WDW for labor day!!! sure wish you could have come the following weekend though!  and you were able to get a studio at OKW! awesome! you'll have to gently warn me about how hot it is down there! hopefully a little disney will help get your mind off of the job situation. what a bummer. still, it's better than him taking the job, you moving, and him royally hating it, right? 

*lindsay - *i love how you say you're feeling lazy even though you already mowed the lawn and made homemade spaghetti sauce! that's more than i do in two days! 

*lisa *- i laughed at amoeba soccer too! it's so true! when i was in HS i used to ref soccer games. i did a bunch of "F troop" games which were the 5 year olds. it was hilarious how they would all just follow the ball. sometimes they'd pick it up but i never had the heart to call handball on a bunch of 5 year olds 

*maria -  *i'm jealous of your trip to montreal. i've never been to canada. like your son, i'm soooo deprived! 

i need to go figure out something to do with this kid until his father gets home! i guess my options are the beach club or pool club but i reeeealllly don't feel like putting a bathing suit on. and the tide is low right now which is bad for swimming. wah. did i mention i'm exhausted??


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- You really deserve an award being pregnant during the summer and having to take care of a 2 year old all day long.  No wonder your exhausted.  I never had sciatica issues but for the last month or two of my pregnancy with ryan I had a horrible pain in my right rib and back.  He just always stayed in this one position and boy I did not get relief until he was out of me.  It was one of the first things I commented on.  Hang in there.  Try stretching the area.  I hope it is short lived.

Rose- I hope you had fun at the game tonight and I hope the pigs won. 

Ryans scrimmage was awesome tonight!  He is starting on both offense and defense.  He played almost the whole game.  I am thrilled.  He is improving more and more each day.  I am just so proud.

Im trying to get Nick involved in something since I feel like he is the neglected younger brother.  I dont want him to feel like he is in the shadow of his older brother as he grows up.  He really likes dancing and music.  I found a preschool hip hop dance class.  I asked him if he would like that and he said No thats boring.  I dont know I guess if he isnt really into anything I cant force him.  I was thinking of letting him try gymnastics.  He is constantly using my living room like a jungle gym so I thought that may be something he would like.  

Mike got 2 tickets to the iron pigs (minor league baseball) game for monday night.  Since ryan is back in school mike is taking nick.  I think he will really enjoy the one on one time.  Although when we told him he was sad his brother wasnt going.  They just love each other.


----------



## lisah0711

*Rose,* woo hoo for being at the WDW for your birthday!    I'm sorry the Melbourne thing didn't work out this time but I'm sure there is something better out there -- it just sucks getting to that point.    Who won the pigs or the bats?  

I'll be interested to hear about OKW.  I gave points to my neighbors to use in October -- 3 nights in a studio at OKW.  I am a little nervous about it.  They've never been, will be coming off a 21 day cruise, have no car.    I've given them an itinerary and I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed.  If you have any hints for me to pass along I would appreciate it.   

*Lindsay,* do you know how many times you will have to remind your boys that they really love each other?   Enjoy those times while you can!  

*Nancy,* is there no end to your torment?!?  Hope that sciatica flare up goes away as quickly as it came.    Did the sitting on tennis balls thing work?   

*Maria,* you ask about refreshments across the border and then disappear? 

I'm hoping that Kathy's vacation isn't going to be cut short because of Irene.  

Have a great day!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Ladies:

Its a wet one out there today.  We have had thunderstorms on/off all morning.  Did I mention my middle name is Irene.  Hopefully she will be nice to us and not bring us to many problems on the east coast.

I did some shopping today with the boys.  I found a pair of jean shorts for Ryan at Old Navy on clearance for 7$ and a few long sleeve shirts too.  We exchanged some lunch bag items at toys r us and I am glad we did.  We found matching phineus and ferb bottle and thermos.  They will match his P&F book bag and lunch bag.  They talked me into getting them this military play set.  I said I would only buy it if they promised to play with it quietly and keep themselves busy with it while I cleaned today.  Well.....we got home and they played with it for about 15 minutes.  Then they started to complain that they were bored.  I remember playing with my barbies for hours when I was there age.  I just dont get it.

I am suppose to work the snack bar tonight from 530-830p.  Not really looking forward to that at all.  I am really hoping for major thunderstorms with hail and lightening that last for at least an hour preferably from 6-7p if anyone can make that happen I would really appreciate it.

Talk to you later.


----------



## Rose&Mike

I just have a minute, but wanted to pop in.

*Maria*--Is the Canada trip still a go???

*Kathy*--if you are checking in I hope the hurricane doesn't mess up your vacation.

*Taryn*--if you are lurking, it's almost your birthday! Woohoo!

*Nancy*--I'm sorry about the sciatica.

*Hi to the two Lisas and Jude and Jennifer!*

All you east coasters, I said this before, but get batteries for a portable radio. The worst part when we had our wind storm and then later ice storm was not knowing what was going on. Cell phone coverage was spotty--and those cell phone batteries die quickly!

*Lindsay*--I have to tell you about the Ryne Sandberg lovefest that was going on last night. We had been warned a couple of weeks ago that this guy in our section was going to be like this. He's a HUGE Cubs fan, and an older guy with   A LOT of money. He's one of the sorta bigwigs in our little burg. Anyhow every play that was made last night, and I mean EVERY PLAY he had a comment about Ryne Sandberg. Didn't matter which team made the play, who was batting, fielding, etc. His friends were giving him crap and he just kept waving them off. People around us went and sat somewhere else because it kind of old after a while. I mean Ryne Sandberg seems like a pretty good guy, but OMG you would have thought he was Justin Bieber and the guy had Bieber fever! I'm guessing we have 3 more days of this. Mike was singing the "there's not enough alcohol" song last night. Do you all know that song???

Ok, times up. Have a great Thursday. I am off tomorrow, so it will be a good day tomorrow no matter what. Mike has another phone interview with someone in Melbourne. But I'm in a "whatever" mood. 

Oh, one more thing. I have very few friends on facebook, but one is this girl I went to college with in MD before I transferred to CA. And she's going to be at WDW next weekend when we are there and we are going to meet up at epcot! Too cool! See this trip was meant to be. Though I wish I could see you to, *Nancy*!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lindsay *- i hope it storms by you though it doesn't look good! oh man snack bars and me are not friends. i love all things snack related! nice work on the $7 shorts! 

that toy didn't last long, huh? doh! 

***

i started posting this about three hours ago but then got sidetracked with a very cranky kid. story of my life. we took a walk around the block and wound up at my aunt and uncle's for a bit. just got back home. john's home and he just took thomas and the dog out for a walk. seeing the three of them walk down the street is pretty hilarious. one goes one way while the other goes the other way! 

*lisa - *you are a VERY good friend to be giving your points away! i am a total points miser! they are going to have a blast at OKW. i haven't stayed there yet but i have read so many great things about it. we really like SSR and i think they are pretty similar. it'll be a really nice relaxing resort for sure! that's one thing i'm going to miss by staying at BLT. i'll get over it though  oh and even if your friends don't like OKW, i'm not going to feel bad for them - 21 day cruise?? WOWSA!!!

*rose - *how was the game? 

man, *maria,  *must have made a run for the border and hasn't looked back! 

people are really starting to freak out about the hurricane! gov. christie (NJ) declared a state of emergency. i'm wondering if they will do the same for the coastal communities here in new york? we live a block from the water! thing is, we're on a bluff that's pretty high so flooding potential is really low. but, we're kind of surrounded by water. so...yeah, going to have to get some supplies tomorrow!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

why do i set myself up for disappointment???

so....we are in "Zone C" for the evacuation and flooding area of NYC. but across the street is Zone A!  it's hard to get a real feel for how bad this is going to be. bloomberg is talking about shutting down all mass transportation, he's evacuating hospitals and nursing homes in Zone A. 

i can't figure out what we should do - if you do a google map of "poplar Ave, 10465" you will see we've got water everywhere around us! we are high up on this street though and don't usually have flooding.

i emailed my parents saying that john and i are trying to figure out if we need to evacuate. i said that since we have thomas we need to be more cautious and serious about it. i then asked them if we could come up if we need to evacuate or decide we want to leave. 

why did i do that? i know they will say no. oh, my mom has to work or some nonsense. i think it's time that i tell them to go BLANK themselves if they say no. 

sorry, needed to whine a little. i'm going to head out for a little walk. nothing big. then head to costco for some bottled water and maybe some canned tuna or something!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Lindsay,* hope that the office can get ready for the hurricane without having to bug you on your vacation!   



Rose&Mike said:


> Mike was singing the "there's not enough alcohol" song last night. Do you all know that song???



I don't know that song, *Rose,* but it sounds like one I need to learn!  

How fun that you will get to see your friend while you are at DW soon.  

*Nancy,* sounds like you might get to see Cam while you are at DW.  That would be so fun!  

Now that I think about it *Maria* probably got pulled off her to project to help get all the housing ready for the hurricane.  I'm sure there are tons of things to do because they serve a lot of people.  Hope that your vacation is still on!  

A long run and getting ready for school on the schedule for this week-end.  Our county fair is here but no one seems to interested in going.  Just as well as there might be some fair food to tempt me if we go.  

All of our Princesses and Belles stay safe this week-end!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning,  and !

I am still here, I've just been run ragged trying to take today off -- I started a new project Wednesday, and I really needed to have it at certain point before leaving for my vacation. I didn't mean to disappear, I just literally had no time to DIS at work, and when I got home I had to work on getting ready for our trip -- and I keep falling asleep at 9  so here we are...

*Nancy* -- Your baby belly looks wonderful! BronxBaby is already a cutie, I can just tell!  We're on a hill, too, but I can see the ocean from my bedroom. We're also on the backside of the hill, so I'm pretty sure my basement will have leakage. We just picked up some extra water, batteries, etc., and tomorrow afternoon Dennis is going to grab some food Ben will eat cold (he will eat chicken fingers at any temperature), in case we lose power. I'm really not that freaked out -- yet. We gathered the flashlights in a central location, we have portable radios (yes, *Rose,* we have extra batteries!), and I seem to own stock in Yankee Candle, so it's going to be a fragrant and nostalgic hurricane  I might like reading by candlelight.  No sciatica for me during pregnancy. Actually, other than having morning sickness every Friday evening like clockwork for the first 3 months , it was a very easy pregnancy -- and silly me, he was a week late and at the end I had convinced myself it would be easier and more comfortable to take care of him outside of my body than in. That was crazy pregnancy hormones for sure! 

*Rose* -- We still plan to go to Canada! We're just going to leave much later than we originally thought. Dennis wanted us on the road at 7, now we're thinking more like 11. We want to give the storm time to pass through up there and for there to be a little clean-up. We're going to keep tracking it carefully.  I am so excited for your Labor Day trip! What a wonderful way to celebrate ! I totally understand why your not jumping on the bandwagon to get emotionally invested in Mike doing another round of interviews. You need to recover! I totally understand your feelings about staying in a Value. I did it for Princess and it was ok, just ok. I really wanted to upgrade to a Mod for this year's Princess, but I can't justify the extra $400 for just me. If Dennis or Ben was coming too I would do it in a minute, but for just me...I can tough it out.  Loved the story about your border crossing! No ashtray in our car, so hopefully we'll make it ok 

*Lindsay* -- That would make me crazy when Ben would beg and beg and beg for something, I would cave as I always do , and he was done in 15 minutes  I agree, kids' attention spans do seem shorter today. I think it's because they're programmed from tv.  It sounds like you've had a decent week of vacation, I hope you are feeling somewhat rested...

*Lisa* -- Sorry about the disappearing act. I've been checking out all the resources helpful people pointed my way, and we've decided to leave the cooler and produce at home  Dennis promises me they have fruit and vegetables in Canada, it isn't one giant poutine fest all the time  I have a feeling at the very least *Kathy* is rethinking the visit to the islands. They don't seem like the best place to be for a hurricane  I'm sorry I haven't been making it to the main thread. I promise to catch up in a bit. Thank you for coaching as the tumbleweeds blow by, it is appreciated! 

The plan for today is I'm blowing off an imaginary meeting (it was cancelled, I neglected to mention it to anyone) this morning and staying home today. I'm going to do laundry , pack, get my hair done, straighten things up a bit, and watch Tivo with my teenage hormone. Even though I should have plenty of time, I will find a way to not get everything done. I'm talented that way 

I'm going to pop in on the main thread. I believe I have a quiz and some questions to answer!

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

dumbo_buddy said:


> why do i set myself up for disappointment???
> 
> so....we are in "Zone C" for the evacuation and flooding area of NYC. but across the street is Zone A!  it's hard to get a real feel for how bad this is going to be. bloomberg is talking about shutting down all mass transportation, he's evacuating hospitals and nursing homes in Zone A.
> 
> i can't figure out what we should do - if you do a google map of "poplar Ave, 10465" you will see we've got water everywhere around us! we are high up on this street though and don't usually have flooding.
> 
> i emailed my parents saying that john and i are trying to figure out if we need to evacuate. i said that since we have thomas we need to be more cautious and serious about it. i then asked them if we could come up if we need to evacuate or decide we want to leave.
> 
> why did i do that? i know they will say no. oh, my mom has to work or some nonsense. i think it's time that i tell them to go BLANK themselves if they say no.
> 
> sorry, needed to whine a little. i'm going to head out for a little walk. nothing big. then head to costco for some bottled water and maybe some canned tuna or something!



Aww, so sorry *Nancy.*   It's stressful enough trying to decide what to do without adding family drama on top of it.  I'll be interested to hear what the reply is, whatever it is.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Lisa* -- No hurricane prep at work for me -- but it is interesting -- the two people just below the President who are in charge of the housing are on vacation, one in the Grand Canyon and one in FL -- I'm glad I'm not in that department! You are right, it is massive. We have 35 separate houses and over 600 units of housing, so if nothing else making sure fragile (heck, most of them have some form of mental illness) people are reassured is going to be a full-time job! I got while the getting was good -- I also told my boss I wouldn't be able to check my Blackberry since we're going to Canada, so she thinks she can't access me starting today. She was confused about when we're leaving, and I didn't disabuse her of that notion....

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

*Maria,* so glad that you've made it to the home stretch of pre-vacation craziness and the vacation is still on!    Sounds like you have things all figured out -- are you still having people over on Sunday?  If you could get out of that then you would be sitting pretty.   

I think you are right about Princess Kathy having to change her plans.  I keep thinking since she hasn't checked in that maybe she came up with a Plan B.    Poor thing I think there was a hurricane around when she went on vacation this time last year at WDW.  

Have a safe and wonderful trip!


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> *Lisa* -- No hurricane prep at work for me -- but it is interesting -- the two people just below the President who are in charge of the housing are on vacation, one in the Grand Canyon and one in FL -- I'm glad I'm not in that department! You are right, it is massive. We have 35 separate houses and over 600 units of housing, so if nothing else making sure fragile (heck, most of them have some form of mental illness) people are reassured is going to be a full-time job! I got while the getting was good -- I also told my boss I wouldn't be able to check my Blackberry since we're going to Canada, so she thinks she can't access me starting today. She was confused about when we're leaving, and I didn't disabuse her of that notion....
> 
> Maria



Good job!   That is one thing to remember to switch off your phone at the border because you will get a message telling you that it is ridiculously expensive if you leave it on.  

Have a wonderful time!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

lisah0711 said:


> *Maria,* so glad that you've made it to the home stretch of pre-vacation craziness and the vacation is still on!    Sounds like you have things all figured out -- are you still having people over on Sunday?  If you could get out of that then you would be sitting pretty.




I am so happy to say our company thought better of the idea and they are staying home  Now I don't have to kill myself cleaning the house today  

Still, I'd better get a move on, I haven't left the  since I got up, it's been me and the DIS  

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

One more task to check off my list...I officially have a reservation for the Princess! 

Sigh. The only regular AAA rooms they had available were at All Star Sports, so I went there. I actually wanted to stay at Movies, but felt guilty paying more for a preferred room. Guess I can walk over to Movies and look at the icons...

Maybe if I sound sad enough when I tell Dennis he'll tell me to move to Movies...I am a grown up who should be able to decide if she's willing to spend $70 more for a preferred room, this is ridiculous! I keep thinking I promised him I would keep my Princess trip super-budget, and that amount would pay for my souvenirs and a few meals...it is pretty ridiculous to hear me arguing with myself, isn't it? 

I had a relatively close non-preferred room last year at All-Stars, and there is nothing stopping me from walking to the other All-Stars to enjoy their icons, I did it last year. I may even bop over to Movies and eat for a change, I've heard they have some other things in their food court...I am going to be satisfied and grateful, and not whine! This is a special treat for me, and I need to treat it as such 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Nancy-- I did the same thing for so many years with my Mom--kept thinking she would miraculously start acting like a Mom should--like you or I would. What a concept! Anyhow, never happened. I don't know what will happen with your Mom--but I want to tell you this: It is NOT about you. It is her issues. It is a lesson I need to constantly remind myself about. There's a book called The Four Agreements which really helped me to come to terms with some of this stuff. It's a quick read. Anyhow--Please be safe! We are a long way away, but we have a big house, and you are welcome to come visit us if you want to.

Lisa--I have never stayed at OKW before, and to be honest I am a little nervous (we are die hard BW fanatics), but I have read that it is the best DVC for relaxing and we could really use some relaxing. We talked about getting a car, but decided not to. It's a short trip, and I am really glad it's not a value! And didn't cost anything! We will have fun no matter what! The state fair is going on here, too. We're not going. They have fried Koolade this year--I've heard it's pretty good. But not gluten free.

Maria--I'm glad you are still going to Canada! I'm so excited for you! And woohoo for no company cleaning!

*****
I did a mile and half of the elliptical and went to strength class. But I did not make my maintain. I'm going to check again tomorrow. The frustrating part--I increased it by a pound, so I'm up a pound a half this week. Still hoping to see it tomorrow. The gluten free beers at the ball game are probably not helping. That and the chip binge earlier this week. Uggh. But I do feel like I am slowly getting back on track. I don't feel this constant urgency that I did earlier--cause the moving stuff is indefinitely on hold. Mentally I am in a much better place than I was even a week ago, so I'm  sure I can get the weight under control!

I'm going to hit the stores this afternoon and see if I can find anything cute for our trip.

TTYL


----------



## dumbo_buddy

well, as suspected, the answer is no. my father wrote an email back that started with "certainly. but....." and then went on about how we are up high and that the chances of flooding on poplar ave are so slim and blah blah. thing is, it's not the FLOODING i'm concerned about. it's the hurricane WINDS. he of all people should know how these houses are - he grew up here in silver beach! these are little bungalows built originally to be summer homes in the 20s! 

so at first glance i took that as a "yeah you can come but you won't need to." good enough. i'll take it. at least it was sort of an ok. 

off to costco i go. on the way my mother calls. "well, i talked to daddy and we agreed that it doesn't make any sense for you to come here. we might lose power. and if we lose power that means no water, toilets, or food." WHAT??? food? so i just was very short and said ok fine. i told her that i wasn't concerned about the toilets, i was concerned about my house falling down on my TWO YEAR OLD! their house is big! they have THREE toilets! so what if they lose power?? better to be safe with no power than not safe! 

look, it's probably going to be fine. and we can go someplace else i'm sure. it's just the principle (is that the correct spelling in this case?) that they had to make a f'ing excuse! 

so here i am sitting on the couch crying like a baby. think they are crying? no! they are thinking about how great they are, horrible i am, and carrying on with their day. shame on me for STILL getting upset. 

rose, i'm going to check out that book. thank you. and thanks for the hugs lisa. part of me wants to write some big email (if i called i would just cry and they stop listening when i cry) telling them i'm done. part of me wants to just not answer the phone anymore. and most of me wants to eat a whole chocolate cake. 

thanks for letting me "talk" about this on here. on the drive home from costco i told thomas that i was always going to love him and he is the most important thing to me. he looked at me like, yeah, can i have lunch now?


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Nancy* --   I have no words...*We Love You *to bits, and I am so sorry your parents are so narcissistic they can't appreciate the incredible woman you are, and the beautiful family you have created. 

You can always come to Boston -- We have plenty of room and you can camp in any one that takes your fancy 

I am so sorry...I wish I could give you a big hug right now, because you are worth it!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose- I was cracking up at the ryne sandberg fan. how annoying.  I hope he settles down for the rest of the games.

Maria- Glad your trip is still on.  Im glad you have your trip set for the princess.

Nancy- So sorry about your crappy parents.  You are so right.  They probably have no idea how you feel and they are moving on with their day.  Even if you did tell them how you feel or cry to them they probably will see it as your problem not theres.  That just sounds like how they are.  I know it must be hard for you.  

Lisa- I hope you are able to enjoy a nice relaxing weekend.  

I hope Kathy is still having fun despite all this crazy weather stuff.  

Hello everyone else!!!!!

Ok I dont know why but I am now in a panic about this darn hurricane.  I spent like 100 dollars on stuff today.  Water, candles, non-perish food, batteries, flash lights, etc.  I feel better being prepared though.  I am just hoping not to have an anxiety attack about it.  We are not in an evacuation area but I am more concerned about the winds. Our shed is old and we have been meaning to fix up the roof this summer.  Hopefully it doesnt blow off.  

Well I got to get back to my hurricane prep.  Talk to you later.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Nancy-- I wish I could fix it for you. I would if I could.  I hope you stay safe tomorrow.

Lindsay--glad you got all your hurricane stuff. And no anxiety attacks. When I was in college in MD and Mike was at Navy they had some hurricane that was supposed to push Inner Harbor miles inland and do all this massive destruction, etc. And it was a non-event. This doesn't look like it will be a non-event, but hopefully it will not be as bad as they are predicting. I will be thinking about you all tomorrow. The Ryne Sandberg fan was at the game again tonight, but he wasn't as bad. It really is comical.

Ok, guess that's it. Nothing much new here. I took a strength class today with a different instructor and it was brutal. I am going to be in major pain tomorrow, I can tell already. We're running 6 or so in the morning.

TTYL


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I am up way earlier than I usually like for a Sat but with a good cause.  Today is Ryans first official football game.  It was originally scheduled for 12 but they moved all the games up due to the hurricane.  So he has to be at the field by 8.  Last night was the pep rally.  It was so darn cute.  they announced all the kids individual as a team and then they ran through a sign that said Go Steelers while they played music.  The cheerleaders did some cheers.  Ryan was smiling ear to ear and it validated why I am putting myself through the stress of nightly practice and all the other stuff.  He was just so happy.  Afterwards he told me he was surprised that his cheerleaders were so little.  He said: "Those girls must be like 5.  I said yep 5 and 6.  He said that is too young for me.  The other boys like some of the girls but I said no way thats gross."  I can only imagine what the conversation was like with the boys on the field.  too funny.

Anyway he is up and super pumped for today.  He has a whole crowd of family and friends coming to watch him.  We are all so excited.

Rose- Glad the I  Sandberg guy was a bit calmer last night.  At least it is making the games comical.

Good Morning....Nancy, Lisa, Maria, Liesel, Kathy and everyone else!!!!!  

Nancy are you still at home??????


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Go Ryan!  I hope he has an awesome game! (Sorry, can't bring myself to type go _football team of Pittsburgh_) 

I'm up, I'm going to enjoy a cup of hot tea on my balcony and then start getting ready for the storm a bit more. We have to "button up" the backyard, do the final laundry before our trip, make sure everyone and everything is as packed as can be, and then I promised Ben we would do Sci Fi Tivo until Dr. Who. I'm really hoping that we have electricity this afternoon and tonight, otherwise he's going to be a disappointed young man. 

I may have splurged yesterday and bought myself a VB Hipster in Safari Sunset. It is the perfect size for touring, so I plan to use it in Montreal, Vegas, Orlando, plus local errands. I don't have any other bags of that size that are crossbody, so it's going to become an integral piece of my travel wardrobe.  

Ok, everyone have a great day -- West Coasters I hope you can relax and have sunshine, East Coasters let's get to "buttonin'", and if you're in the middle, you can dream about your birthday trip to the World over Labor Day 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

*Nancy,* so sorry about your parents.    They have a beautiful, wonderful daughter.    It is totally all their fault that they act this way.  The advice that Rose gave you yesterday was spot on.  

What did you decide to do?  Are you staying or going?  Stay safe this week-end!   

*Maria,* woo hoo for not having to do a bunch of house cleaning today!    You can have those folks over later when you aren't travelling.  

Isn't it funny how cheap we are with ourselves, when I suspect that if Dennis asked you if he should upgrade to a preferred roo for $70 for a race that you would say yes?  

I am sorry to admit that I, too, am a hotel snob so I would always go for the upgrade.  That's where the DVC helps out.   

*Rose,* enjoy that shorter run today.  Hope you aren't too sore from your strength class.    How is Tom doing in the storm?  Looks like his neck of the woods was just going to get rain.  

*Lindsay,* sounds like you are all ready for the hurricane.    I'm sure it is stressful being the strongest storm since forever.  Good think they got the games moved up!  I'm thinking "The Beast" is going to be quite the Romeo -- you poor thing!  

My poor kitty got very ill yesterday and had to be rushed to the vet.  Poor guy was dehydrated and had to get fluids, antinausea and B-12 shots, bloodwork and an x-ray to check for obstructions.  All which came back fine.  He just had a very bad kitty stomach flu.  I have to monitor him to make sure the he drinks and eats a bit today.  Also to make sure the dog doesn't drive him crazy as she did not appreciate the cat going on a trip and not her.  

I know that compared to you guys getting ready to weather the storm of the century this is small potatoes.  I will be thinking of you all and sending lots of  that you are safe!  Please do check in when you can here or on FB so we know how you are doing.  

Hello to the rest of our princesses and Belles!   Stay safe!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Worfiedoodles said:


> Ok, everyone have a great day -- West Coasters I hope you can relax and have sunshine, East Coasters let's get to "buttonin'", and if you're in the middle, you can dream about your birthday trip to the World over Labor Day
> 
> Maria


This totally made me smile. I guess I am the only one in the middle. I agree with Lisa--you should book the upgrade. 

*Lisa*--I hope your kitty is doing well today. One of our dogs has had pancreatitis a couple of times--similar symptoms. It's not fun. I think the hurricane was a non-event in SC. They do have a wind advisory today but only 10 percent chance of rain. I was a little nervous at the beginning of the week, but it seems to have missed them for the most part. Tom's been through a wind storm before, so I think he will be smart if it gets bad. 

*Lindsay-*-go Ryan! The game is probably over by now. Hopefully it was lots of fun and "the beast"  had a good time. That's cool that you have so many people to cheer him on. I think once or twice Tom had someone at an event other than me and Mike--a couple of neighbors came to a few things. It always made me a little sad for him. 

We ran 6 today. It was rough. My legs were so fatigued from strength yesterday. Six is the max I will run the day after taking that class. I am icing up a storm now. My foot is doing ok, so that's encouraging. A little pain, but manageable. I'm going to take strength again on Monday and maybe Wednesday before our trip cause I'm hoping for musclely arms for our pictures. 

The only bad part about our last minute trip--we are probably not sitting together on any flights. We don't even have seats yet for the first flight. I am hoping they can work some miracles at the airport. I hate being stuck between two people I don't know. But I will suck it up, and Mike keeps saying he is positive there will be time for a beverage stop in the Atlanta airport. This might sound silly, but before going g-f I would have skipped the trip if I knew the seats were that bad--I just wouldn't have booked the flight cause my anxiety would have been too high. So I have come a long way this summer.

Everyone stay safe today!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Almost forgot--bib numbers are out for w&d--I am 2324 and Mike is 2323. Hopefully that will put us in the B corral again.

Nancy--where are you today. I hope you all are doing ok.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisa - *aw, i'm sorry about your kitty! i hope he feels better! do you have to give him more meds while he's home? hopefully the doggie will give him a little break today so she can recover. it is horrible when the animals get sick - they can't tell you what's wrong!

*lindsay -  *how was the game? did you manage to stay dry? omg the cheerleaders story cracked me up! they are too young for ryan? he's into cougars already??? 

*maria - *good luck with the buttoning! ok...so...can you tell me what dr. who is and if i would like it? i've seen a few people post about how much they like it. is it an adult show or a kid show? *

rose - *almost time for disney! yay! sorry about the maintain - i bet the beer had alot to do with it. when i drink i'm always WAY up the next day and for a few days after! 

***
thanks everyone for the hugs. i know it sounds silly but i REALLY needed the cyber-hugs. sometimes you just NEED someone to tell you that you're a good person, you know? i was going to come on and post last night but i was too busy feeling sorry for myself all day. 

we decided to stay for the storm. our "zone" wasn't evacuated and we should be ok. we brought in everything that was in the yard into the basement and have plenty of food and water. i'm making a few things now that we can heat up if necessary. of course, if we don't have a working microwave that will be difficult but we have a gas stove so worse comes to worse i'll just heat it on the stove. 

the storm is supposed to hit in the middle of the night so we're going to put thomas in the pack n play in our room. his crib in his room is right by the indown and the room is so small that it can't be moved anywhere (his room is 8x8 i think). so, we'll put him in our room which is almost equally as small but at least he'll be a little bit farther from the window.

the projected path has irene going pretty much right over the bronx and long island. thank goodness this is a category 1 and not the 3 that it was.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Just in case something really annoying happens and we lose power and don't get it back in time for me to make a long post, I wanted to check in 

*Nancy* -- I am sure you will be fine, I bet Thomas will be quite pleased he's found his way back into your bedroom. He may like it so much he doesn't want to leave  Dr. Who is sci fi -- he's a timelord who travels through time and space with an Earth companion -- a great deal of his adventures take place in Earth's past, present and future. It's a British series that has been around for 40ish years, the most recent version rebooted about 5 years ago. It's on BBC America. While it is appropriate for older kids (scary monsters and stuff), I'm not sure if I would classify it as a kids' show. It has a spinoff called "Torchwood", which is definitely only for the grown-ups.  If you like sci fi, you'd probably enjoy it. If you don't, not so much. 

*Rose* -- I agree, not sitting together on the flights would definitely be a pain.  You may find some nice stranger who offers to move  Great job on the 6M! I haven't run in forever. I'm having a fresh, new start when we get back from Montreal. It will be a great time for me to mentally and physically get going again, particularly with the new Challenge! 

*Lisah* -- I hope Wally is already feeling better and enjoying a pampering day  Just don't run yourself too ragged playing nursemaid!  it is a good thing I don't have to clean because I am so not in the mood  

*Lindsay* -- Don't keep us in suspense, how did the Beast do in his first game?! Were the little cheerleaders at the game, too? That is so adorable! Are you ready for some  ?

Here's a big  for *Taryn, Jude, Jennifer, Kathy, and Lisa!*

Lucky me, Dennis agrees with you guys and I'm calling when we get back to switch to Movies and the preferred room. When I explained it would be closer to civilization and more secure (not that I'm really afraid at WDW, but still...), he asked me why it was even a question  I probably should have told him I would have ultimate security at the Poly, but somehow I don't think that would exactly fly 

We have laid in all the food we could want for tonight and tomorrow, we have water, we have a good supply of kitten vittles and litter, we put away everything in the backyard, my balcony furniture is in my bedroom, and I have more books and magazines than I could read in a month of Sundays. Now I just need to watch the weather and finish the  

We have to turn off our phones when we leave the country 'cause I cannot afford to roam that much , so I won't see any posts or be able to post for awhile. I'm going to miss you guys and I can't wait to hear what went on while I was "gettin' some culturalization", as my rural Missouri relatives would say 

Hopefully I'll be able to post tomorrow without a glitch 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Maria- Just in case we all loose power....Have a nice treat and enjoy getting culturalized.

Nancy- At least its down to a Cat. 1.  Its sounds like you are prepared as can be and will be fine.  

Rose- I have extreme flying anxiety and during the princess trip on the way home I had to sit by myself.  It wasnt as bad as I thought it was going to be.  Oh and a drink in Atlanta will definitely help.

Lisa- Sorry about poor kitty but glad it was nothing too serious.  I hope she is doing better already.

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

Ryan's game went great.  It started raining about 15 min after they finished.  I was so glad they started early.  He got one flag....actually it was considered a sack since he grabbed the quaterbacks flag before he passed off the ball to the running back.  He was very excited about that.  Overall he did really well and did exactly what he was told to do.  His team dominated and won 4 touchdowns to 1.  It was very fun to watch.  It was a Bowl Game that is a tradition to be played every year.  So the team wins a trophy to keep in their field house.  The kids loved that.  

Oh Maria----these are not the pittsburgh steelers...we dont cheer for them either  Our hometowns biggest company at one point was The Bethlehem Steel.  So that is how they got the steelers name.  We are black and silver.  But for the record I have yet to hear my dh say lets go steelers.  In fact Ryan wore an eagles wristband on his arm today for the game.

Our friends who came to ryans game came back to our house and we had hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill.  They just left a little while ago.

Ok well it looks like for our area this storm may be more of a pain than a threat.  The winds are now down to 30-50 mph.  Is it silly that I am actually going to be disappointed if we dont loose power.  I put alot of work into this preparation for power outages.  Really I am just kidding.  I hope we have nothing but a bad storm and that everyone else in her path stays safe too.  We shall see soon.  Looks pretty ugly in the outerbanks and VA.  and why oh why do those weathermen stand out on the shore during a hurricane....really we can tell how bad it is without seeing how hard it is for them to walk.  Thats just plain silly.

Talk to you all later.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok, there is such a thing as watching TOO much news! shoo! i think i'm going to turn it off. 

*maria - *i stayed at Movies for the princess last year. i didn't do the preferred but it would have been nice if i had! it was a loooong walk back to the room after the race! 

*rose - *hopefully you can get seats together on your flights. if not, at least you'll be in disney afterwards, right? i've flown so many times and used to fly ALOT for work that i'm ok with flying by myself. in fact, the flight i had down to disney for the princess was my favorite flight! lol! no baby and no husband to bother me 

*lindsay - *glad ryan's game went so well! it doesn't look like you guys really are going to be hit by irene but i'm sure you'll get lots of rain! adn you know what? BECAUSE you prepared that means you won't get hit. that always happens! is it raining where you are now? it's starting to come down here. 

*lisa - *how's the kitty feeling today??

**
i posted in the other thread that i heard the bullhorns telling people to leave. the evacuation zone is just down the block so that's why i can hear them. it is a very strange feeling hearing it! my one friend's husband is a captain in the nypd and he's not leaving his house even though it's zone A. probably not the best idea to be a cop and disobey but i kind of get that he wants to stay home. i'm so glad we're not evacuated! what a pain!

so...i had a voicemail around 7:15 this evening from my parents house. it was my dad. which is VERY bizarre. he never calls me. i think in the last 5 years he maybe has called me twice. it's always my mom who calls. his message was just basically hi just calling to see what's going on down there. call me back. didn't call back. not going to. it's a shame really. i have a feeling that my dad and i would have an awesome relationship if my mom wasn't around. oh well. 

anyway, i hope everyone has a lovely and relatively dry evening! we decided to put thomas in his crib in his room since the weather really isn't all that bad right now. if the wind kicks up a whole lot we will take him out. but for now we're just business as usual


----------



## lisah0711

Hope all our Princesses and Belles are safe tonight!  

I am keeping my fingers crossed that since we haven't heard from *Kathy* that she and Michael headed someone place safe and dry for the second part of their vacation this week.  

*Rose,* sorry about the seats on the flights.  They do have seats that aren't booked until the last minute so maybe you will get to sit together.  It's only for a bit and at the end of the ride is WDW!    Sorry for the sore run today.  

*Maria,* have a wonderful time.   Hope that the kitties don't mind the storm too much.  

*Lindsay,* glad that Ryan had a great game!    I'm thinking football scholarship here!  

*Nancy,* that would be weird hearing the bullhorns telling you to leave -- very surreal!    I don't blame you for being tired of waiting.  

Wally is feeling better but still not eating or drinking except for a tiny bit.  I hope tomorrow that he will feel good enough to at least drink more as I don't want him to get dehydrated again.  It doesn't help that it is the hottest weather all summer here.  

So I will be getting up very, very early and going for my 10 mile run tomorrow.  Then it's time to make sure that Robert is ready for his first day of school on Monday.  

Stay safe, ladies, and do check in here or on FB when you can so we know that you are safe 'cause we love you and worry about you!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Glad everyone is doing ok so far.

Thanks for the replies on the flying. I don't mind so much sitting by myself, I mind sitting in a middle seat surrounded by what I am sure will be two sweaty strangers who did not wear any deodorant that day. I am really at a good place with most things. As stressed out as I have been this summer I am a billion times less stressed than before I went gluten free. I can't explain it, but it's like things just aren't as edgy as they used to be. I still get stressed out and I've had a few mini panic issues, but it is so much more manageable. From what I've read it is not uncommon for people with gluten issues/cd to have anxiety depression issues for years that often resolve themselves when you go gf. I don't think they know why, but one theory I read is that the gluten doesn't digest correctly and what is left effects your whole body, including brain stuff, this is in addition to the damage to your intestine which causes the malnutrition, etc. It's such a systemic disorder! 

Ok, gonna call it a night. 

Lindsay--glad the game was fun!

Stay safe tonight everyone. I really hope this is a non-event.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> Glad everyone is doing ok so far.
> 
> Thanks for the replies on the flying. I don't mind so much sitting by myself, I mind sitting in a middle seat surrounded by what I am sure will be two sweaty strangers who did not wear any deodorant that day. I am really at a good place with most things. As stressed out as I have been this summer I am a billion times less stressed than before I went gluten free. I can't explain it, but it's like things just aren't as edgy as they used to be. I still get stressed out and I've had a few mini panic issues, but it is so much more manageable. From what I've read it is not uncommon for people with gluten issues/cd to have anxiety depression issues for years that often resolve themselves when you go gf. I don't think they know why, but one theory I read is that the gluten doesn't digest correctly and what is left effects your whole body, including brain stuff, this is in addition to the damage to your intestine which causes the malnutrition, etc. It's such a systemic disorder!
> 
> Ok, gonna call it a night.
> 
> Lindsay--glad the game was fun!
> 
> Stay safe tonight everyone. I really hope this is a non-event.



Gosh, this gluten issue is a nasty little you know what! Systems is right. I'm glad you feel less edgy about things but it must be very difficult. At least god made gluten free beer! Ok we are going to hope that not only do you and mike sit together but we will assume everyone will be properly bathed and deodorized!!! Stinky people are the worst!!!

Can't sleep anymore. Rain is nutso and I turned on the news. That was dumb!! Scary out there but so far so good here!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Nancy--I hope you got some sleep and that things are still going ok. We are watching good morning america right now.

Would you believe our power went out last night???? We didn't even have thunderstorms. Won't that be funny if i'm the only one who lost power this weekend. I'm guessing someone hit a pole. We have underground power, but when someone hits a pole on one of the streets nearby we often lose power. 

I hope everyone is still doing ok.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Well I am sitting at my computer desk with my legs crossed on my chair.  Why you wonder.....well my computer is in our basement and my basement has about 6 in of water in it.  uggh.  So I am taking a mini break from shop vacking to check in and say hello.  It is still raining horribly and very windy but that is about it.  The worst is over us.  Now its moving towards nancy.

The craziest thing was that our dog who is not at all bothered by weather had gotten me up multiple times last night panting in my face.  He has finally calmed down.  I kept checking outside and although it looked nasty everything seemed ok.  There was no thunder or lightning.  Im not sure what his deal was.  I wonder if he sensed the water in our basement.  It was bizarre.

I think I am going to event a shop vac that has a drain tube that you can just set in your sink.  It only takes about 30 sec to fill and then I have to lug the heavy canister up and over the basement sink to drain it.  What a royal pain in the butt.  I just yelled at dh to get his lazy but off the couch and come help me.  You would think I was the man in this relationship.  So annoying.

Ok well I hope all my east coast friends are hanging in there.  

I hope Kathy is enjoying her vacation somewhere dry....I cant wait to hear from her.


----------



## mikamah

Hello Princesses!!!!  I have missed you all so much.  I definitely had some dis withdrawal this week.  My nephew was up with us for part of the week and had his laptop, but the wi-fi connection from the store next to us was off and on, so I didn't get to come and dis at all.  Which is probably a good thing or I would have spend too much time on the computer. 

We had a wonderful week.  The weather was awesome, though we had a couple rainy days and one day we hung in and played games, and the other we went to an animal park/zoo for all animals that were either injured or rescued, all Maine type animals, bears, moose, foxes, wolves, fisher, and the most adorable possum we'd ever seen.  

How are our carolina dissers doing?  I thought of Taryn, Shawn, Nancy and Lindsay all right in the line of the storm, and hope you're all doing ok. I actually thought of you too Rose, since my geography is not the best, but came to the conclusion that Kentucky is inland, and hopefully you're all ok.  Hope they did ok through the storm.  It looks like we are not getting hit too hard here since it's sped up and moved more west.  My brother and fam drove home last night since they have a 4 hour drive from the lake, which was a good plan for them.  We stayed til this morning, and just got home now.  Driving was awful at times with heavy downpours, but overall could have been worse.  Our tv access wasn't the best, so we didn't really have current storm info, and yesterday we were all at the beach and thinking it would hit us tonight, so we were watching all the boats being pulled out of the lake, all the campers closing up their awnings, and someone said, "should we be more worried than we are?", and someone else said, "want another mimosa?", and so we chose not to worry too much.   My cousin was there from arizona and going to NH today, so we may have come home last night if she wasn't staying, but I am happy to be home now.  I got a bit stressed on the drive, so I'm relaxing with a big glass of sangria.  Gotta keep that vacation mode going.

I skimmed real quick the last page, but I'll go back and read more and catch up with you all.  

*Lindsay*-Ugh on the basement.  THat just sucks.  

*Nancy*- Hope you're all ok.  I didn't see a post from you today.  I'm thinking if you are still on the ipad, that may be it, or some power failure.  Hang in there. 

*Maria*- Have a fabulous vacation.  Hope your power is on still!!

*Lisa*- Thanks for thinking of me today.  Hope your kitty is ok.  I am home and we'll head to the cape either tomorrow or tuesday.  I'm on the fence now. We were going to go mon-thur, but the storm was supposed to stick around into mon, so I thought we'd go tues instead, but now it looks like monday will be beautiful too, so I think I'll need to see how much wine I drink today, and how much unpacking I do and then decide.  Nice job on 10 miles!!!  You are one motivated runner!!

I'll be back.  I missed all you guys.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

she's baaaa-aaaaack! hi *kathy! *we sure did miss you over here but so glad you had a good time! that zoo sounds nice! mmm and the sangria sounds lovely!


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> I think you are right about Princess Kathy having to change her plans.  I keep thinking since she hasn't checked in that maybe she came up with a Plan B.    Poor thing I think there was a hurricane around when she went on vacation this time last year at WDW.


You have the best memory.  We did have a big storm here at home while we were in wdw in august last year, but we had a miraculous 7 day wdw august vacation without one drop of rain.  It was amazing.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> One more task to check off my list...I officially have a reservation for the Princess!


Whoo hoo!!  So excited for you and doubley excited you are staying at Movies.  You are worth it.  I love, love, love the salad bar at movies.  You chose what you want and they make it in a big bowl for you and mix it all up with the dressing.  I know you can get grilled chicken or steak and they have so many vegies and stuff to pick from too.  Probably not good for the night before the race, but after for sure. 



Rose&Mike said:


> I did a mile and half of the elliptical and went to strength class. But I did not make my maintain. I'm going to check again tomorrow. The frustrating part--I increased it by a pound, so I'm up a pound a half this week. Still hoping to see it tomorrow. The gluten free beers at the ball game are probably not helping. That and the chip binge earlier this week. Uggh. But I do feel like I am slowly getting back on track. I don't feel this constant urgency that I did earlier--cause the moving stuff is indefinitely on hold. Mentally I am in a much better place than I was even a week ago, so I'm  sure I can get the weight under control!
> 
> I'm going to hit the stores this afternoon and see if I can find anything cute for our trip.
> 
> TTYL


Sorry you didn't make your maintain, but I know you will get right back down there.  You have shown such resolve this year, and I know you will do it.  Hooray for disney!!!  I'll read back more, but when are you going?  So glad you decided to do it.  You deserve a magical vacation.



dumbo_buddy said:


> well, as suspected, the answer is no. my father wrote an email back that started with "certainly. but....." and then went on about how we are up high and that the chances of flooding on poplar ave are so slim and blah blah. thing is, it's not the FLOODING i'm concerned about. it's the hurricane WINDS. he of all people should know how these houses are - he grew up here in silver beach! these are little bungalows built originally to be summer homes in the 20s!


 I just can't imagine them doing this to their own daughter.  Totally ridiculous, and I'm glad you didnt' call your dad back later.  He doesn't deserve it.  I'm so sorry they are like this, and so happy you have Rose who has been through the same thing, and I hope you will be able to make peace with it, and know that it is so their issue, and you are a wonderful person and mom, and you will not turn out like them.  
I just can't imagine them turning you down to stay with them during a hurricane.   
I hope you didn't eat a whole cake, maybe just a piece. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Rose- I was cracking up at the ryne sandberg fan. how annoying.  I hope he settles down for the rest of the games.
> 
> Maria- Glad your trip is still on.  Im glad you have your trip set for the princess.
> 
> Nancy- So sorry about your crappy parents.  You are so right.  They probably have no idea how you feel and they are moving on with their day.  Even if you did tell them how you feel or cry to them they probably will see it as your problem not theres.  That just sounds like how they are.  I know it must be hard for you.
> 
> Lisa- I hope you are able to enjoy a nice relaxing weekend.
> 
> I hope Kathy is still having fun despite all this crazy weather stuff.
> 
> Hello everyone else!!!!!
> 
> Ok I dont know why but I am now in a panic about this darn hurricane.  I spent like 100 dollars on stuff today.  Water, candles, non-perish food, batteries, flash lights, etc.  I feel better being prepared though.  I am just hoping not to have an anxiety attack about it.  We are not in an evacuation area but I am more concerned about the winds. Our shed is old and we have been meaning to fix up the roof this summer.  Hopefully it doesnt blow off.
> 
> Well I got to get back to my hurricane prep.  Talk to you later.





mommyof2Pirates said:


> I am up way earlier than I usually like for a Sat but with a good cause.  Today is Ryans first official football game.  It was originally scheduled for 12 but they moved all the games up due to the hurricane.  So he has to be at the field by 8.  Last night was the pep rally.  It was so darn cute.  they announced all the kids individual as a team and then they ran through a sign that said Go Steelers while they played music.  The cheerleaders did some cheers.  Ryan was smiling ear to ear and it validated why I am putting myself through the stress of nightly practice and all the other stuff.  He was just so happy.  Afterwards he told me he was surprised that his cheerleaders were so little.  He said: "Those girls must be like 5.  I said yep 5 and 6.  He said that is too young for me.  The other boys like some of the girls but I said no way thats gross."  I can only imagine what the conversation was like with the boys on the field.  too funny.


  So funny.  If Ryan needs any woman advice, he can call Michael.  He is 9, so maybe he can hook him up.



Worfiedoodles said:


> I may have splurged yesterday and bought myself a VB Hipster in Safari Sunset. It is the perfect size for touring, so I plan to use it in Montreal, Vegas, Orlando, plus local errands. I don't have any other bags of that size that are crossbody, so it's going to become an integral piece of my travel wardrobe.


 I was a hallmark last week again, perusing the VBs, but just can't pick one.  Maybe I'm afraid I'll get addicted, too. 



lisah0711 said:


> My poor kitty got very ill yesterday and had to be rushed to the vet.  Poor guy was dehydrated and had to get fluids, antinausea and B-12 shots, bloodwork and an x-ray to check for obstructions.  All which came back fine.  He just had a very bad kitty stomach flu.  I have to monitor him to make sure the he drinks and eats a bit today.  Also to make sure the dog doesn't drive him crazy as she did not appreciate the cat going on a trip and not her.


Hope your kitty is feeling better today.  Glad it wasn't an obstruction, and hopefully she's getting her fluids in today.



Rose&Mike said:


> Almost forgot--bib numbers are out for w&d--I am 2324 and Mike is 2323. Hopefully that will put us in the B corral again.
> 
> Nancy--where are you today. I hope you all are doing ok.


Yay!!!  Those sound like very lucky numbers!!!



dumbo_buddy said:


> the projected path has irene going pretty much right over the bronx and long island. thank goodness this is a category 1 and not the 3 that it was.


So glad you're doing ok, and so happy the storm was downgraded and the damage hopefully limited.  So scary what could happen.  We did feel a little irresponsible yesterday not coming home to button down the hatches, but all worked out.  

I figured I'd go back and catch up a page at a time.  2 pages, one glass of wine.    I think I'll take a dis break, and look for a place to stay on the cape.  It's supposed to be a beautiful week here.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy- so glad you are home safe and that this weather did not ruin your plans.  The vacation sounded so nice.  You even sound so much more relaxed.....well that could be the sangria and wine.

We can now see our basement floor again.  My husband new what was best for him and he came down and helped.  We took turns with the shop vac.  He filled it up and empty it 10 times and then it was my turn, etc.  After about 5 cycles of that we discovered that the drain seemed to be working again and the water was slowly draining.  So that helped.  Now we have our dehumidifier on and a fan blowing to dry it all out.  Whew I am just so glad I prepared for this because there were toys and all kinds of stuff laying around and on Friday I picked everything up and piled it on a wooden platform we have.  Hence the mess in the back of the picture if you saw my post of FB.  Its definitely not a remodeled basement but more of a storage area.  

Now we are in school preperation mode.  Ryan's first day is tomorrow.  I just cant believe I will have a first grader....where does the time go????

I ran out to CVS for some last min items I needed....oh I dont think I mentioned but CC Pm'd me and asked if I would be ok with her sending me some school supplies for Ryan...she asked if I had a list of the things he needed.  I thought she just had some things at home from when she was a teacher so I happily accepted.  Well she was so nice and sent him 2 packages of the supplies he needed.  She even got him a backpack.  She included a CVS giftcard for his sanitizer and mr clean eraser.  She is such a sweetheart and I just cant believe her generousity.  I just love her to pieces.

So we packed up his things in his back pack.  I am trying to get on the website to load money onto his lunch card.  I didnt have to do this last year since he only had half day kgarten...the daycare took care of lunch.  This year he has the ability to buy whatever he wants with the card.  this makes me a little nervous...I can see him buying junk and buying stuff for his friends too.  What happened to the days of heres your school lunch and thats your only option....not chips,ice cream, snacks, etc.  

We still need to pick out what he will wear on his first day and then I think he will be all set.  I still have off tomorrow so I am looking forward to some quiet time by myself while he is in school and Nick is in daycare.  

I guess you can tell I am a bit bored since I am so chatty huh.

Nancy and Maria I hope you are still doing ok.


----------



## mikamah

Rose&Mike said:


> [BMike talked to the HR manager yesterday, and for now things are pretty much dead.


 so sorry it didn't work out, and hoping something better comes along soon.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ryans scrimmage was awesome tonight!  He is starting on both offense and defense.  He played almost the whole game.  I am thrilled.  He is improving more and more each day.  I am just so proud.
> 
> I was thinking of letting him try gymnastics.  He is constantly using my living room like a jungle gym so I thought that may be something he would like.
> 
> Mike got 2 tickets to the iron pigs (minor league baseball) game for monday night.  Since ryan is back in school mike is taking nick.  I think he will really enjoy the one on one time.  Although when we told him he was sad his brother wasnt going.  They just love each other.


That is awesome Ryan played so much and is doing well.  How was the first game?  I don't remember reading about it with the hurricane and all.  Or maybe I missed it.  Michael did gymnastics in preschool and again in 3rd grade and really loved it.  We saw the Harrisburg Senators at our game in Portland last week.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I am suppose to work the snack bar tonight from 530-830p.  Not really looking forward to that at all.  I am really hoping for major thunderstorms with hail and lightening that last for at least an hour preferably from 6-7p if anyone can make that happen I would really appreciate it.


Did you have to work the snack bar?  Thanks for the back to school reminder.  Haven't done much about that yet.



Rose&Mike said:


> Mike was singing the "there's not enough alcohol" song last night. Do you all know that song???


 Luckily we never sang that song this whole week.  



lisah0711 said:


> A long run and getting ready for school on the schedule for this week-end.  Our county fair is here but no one seems to interested in going.  Just as well as there might be some fair food to tempt me if we go.


mmmmm, the county fair is so about the food.  Just not right.  We have ours in october and I go for the apple crisp.



Worfiedoodles said:


> I seem to own stock in Yankee Candle, so it's going to be a fragrant and nostalgic hurricane


Hope you have power, and are burning the candles anyway to creat the mood. 

Oh, I almost forgot Michael jumped off a cliff, about 15 feet high into the lake.  He was sooooo excited and proud.  I wasn't in the boat with him at the time, so I didnt' see it, but my sil took a video and she'll post it on facebook.  I had seen it before, and told him he could do it with his uncle if he wanted, and when they went by it there were lots of other families out jumping, so they decided to do it.  It was the highlight of his trip for sure.  I think he probably did better without me there.  I am nervous in the water, so I probably would have made him more nervous, but he loved it.


----------



## mikamah

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I guess you can tell I am a bit bored since I am so chatty huh.


I'm so glad you're here so I can catch up with you live.  I've caught up to tuesday I think. 

That is so sweet of CC.  She is so generous with the hh gifts too.  
We have the school lunch card thing too, and it's nice to through a 100 dollars on it once in a while rather than every day or week.  Your basement sounds so exhausting.  I have a sump pump, thank goodness.  Glad the water is starting to recede.  

I must go get some lunch for us.  BBl.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay--you might be able to put a flag on his account to keep him from buying junk, or to limit the amount of extras that he can buy. I know you could at our elementary school. Tom took pb&j EVERY day even through high school. Shoot even now. He would call Mike after the baseball games if he had to work later this summer and ask him to make him "2 open faced sandwiches." Mike makes better pb&j's than me.

Kathy--glad it was fun and glad you made it home safe. Very cool about the cliff jumping.

Lisa--how's the kitty?

*****
I must not have posted it, but I did see my maintain yesterday. (Without any extraordinary measures--like running 12 miles.) When I got up yesterday I was in the maintain range so I sent that weight to Dona. It's still up a tiny bit from last week, but I had already decided to raise it a pound anyhow, so that worked out fine. Now that's behind me and hopefully I can relax a little bit about the weight stuff at least.

It is cracking me up that I am the person who didn't have power last night!

I'm supposed to be making a food plan for today-Thursday. It's only 4 days, you would think it would be easy!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Im starting to wonder what I ever did to deserve this.... I try to take a week off for some peace.  It gets interrupted by meetings, earthquakes, and hurricanes.  Now I thought I would get one day of peace to recupperate and guess what School's Closed. 

So now tomorrow I will have to find some more things to keep my boys occupied.  Mike and Nick are going to the Iron Pigs game at night and I promised Ryan the two of us can do something special.  I also need to go grocery shopping but doing that with the two of them never is fun.  

Ok I am going to go wallow in my self pity.  

Im sure I will be more upbeat and positive in the morning.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

aw, lindsay that totally stinks! no quiet time!! booo! what are you going to do today? good luck. i hope the day goes smoothly!

i came on here to vent. i ate really badly this weekend and my weight is up to 160 which means i've gained 25 lbs. i told john that i was mad at myself about it and said that i really wanted to be under 160 for when we went to disney. and he said, "well you still have two weeks!" WHAAAT???? it took him a second and then he said, "oh i'm kidding." no he wasn't! he didn't think. uuggghhh i'm so sick of him not thinking. his first thought is that i can lose weight and then, oooh right she's pregnant. and he tries to play it off like he's kidding. 

i'm so crabby now. 

i'm hoping that some of the streets have cleared so we can get to maritime. but it's not looking good - they might not let us on campus if any trees fell. i really need to go for a walk.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lindsay and Nancy-- I hope today goes better.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning Pretty  and Terrific !

I hope you are off to a good start, well, ok some of you aren't, but the day can and will turn around! 

This is just about my last post on the DIS, I'll try to hit the main thread one last time too if I have time. You guys are the priority  

We are all packed and ready, I need to wake Ben up in a minute and Dennis is finishing up. I'm waiting for my eggs to cool so I can eat them. 

*Nancy* -- I am sorry about the gain,  I know you are really frustrated. Pregnancy is not for the faint of heart, there are all kinds of toughies.  I want you to focus on the most important thing -- BronxBaby is a healthy little bugger, and that is excellent! You know you can get off all the weight you put on, no matter how much or how little. You have done this before, and think how determined you will be! 

*Lindsay* -- I know this is not what you planned, but you have proven you are nothing if not adaptable. You will roll with it and still make it a good day! I am really sorry about your basement and the flooding. That stinks. Our ground is saturated and there is a carpet of green leaves over everything, but other than that we seem to have been quite fortunate. We have a beautiful, bright day of sunshine -- I hope you have the same!  We are fortunate in that Benjamin really doesn't have time to stand in line for the school lunch and doesn't really enjoy it, so he takes a lunch from home. It has chips, but I know for sure he got protein and a fruit. Plus, we have always emphasized how important it is to eat right to do well in school, so he pays attention to his breakfast and lunch, he really wants to succeed, at least so far 

*Rose* -- So happy you kept your maintain!  And without power, too!  I agree, it is odd you were the only one who lost it. I would not normally think of KY as the middle, but for this thread, it works  I won't get to chat with you again before, so ! I hope you and Mike have the kind of trip dreams are made of  Oh! And I'm going to be asking you a strategy question about DHS -- better EMH AM or PM for Toy Story Mania and Star Tours? I'm wrestling with the ticket options for Princess and I should figure this out 

*Kathy* -- Your trip sounds wonderful -- and a cliff jumper! Wow, they grow so fast, don't they? Ok, now I am already looking forward to that salad bar at Movies! By the time I get to my resort after I land, I will be ready for lunch. That sounds perfect! Dennis would agree with you that I'm addicted to the VBs. I think I am done for the Fall, my next bag (unless they come out with something new  will be a new bag I get for Princess if I lose those 20 lbs. When I lose those 20 lbs. 

*Lisah* -- 10M in the hottest weather of the summer?! You  Great job! I hope Wally continues to improve today. We are all wishing him a speedy and healthy recovery  Ooh! Forgot to wish Robert a fantastic first day of school!  Hope it goes well for Mom, too 

I guess I'd better get moving and hope I have time for that last BL thread post...you guys have a Fantastic week, in the immortal words of Tarzan's mom (or Phil Collins, more likely ) You'll be in my heart! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, princesses.  

*Lindsay*- I am so sorry about school being cancelled.  It is such a bummer when you have some alone time planned, and then it doesn't happen.  I hope those boys stay in line today and you have a special mommy and me night with Ryan. 

*Nancy*-Sorry about the number, but is is just a number, and that precious little baby needs that stupid number to keep going up.  Hang in there.  I loved the pic of your baby belly.  You look amazing and beautiful.  Hang in there.  And helloooooo, 2 weeks!!!  The dancing should be starting!!

*Lisa*- Hope you're able to get Robert up for school with out any issues.  Will the butternut squash be in his class?  That cracked me up.  So funny.  Guess there are more worrisome vegetable names though.  I'm happy to avoid the cell phone texting for a while longer.  Hope Robert has an easy transition back to school this week. 

*Rose*-Happy you're back to your maintain!!  Yay.  So exciting 4 days til disney!!  I hope you and mike have the most magical and relaxing vacation ever.

*Jennz*- So nice to see you back!  Can't believe dd is in 8th grade.  Hope the low carb is going well for you. 

*Maria*- You're probably on the road, so have a fabulous trip!  

Hello to all our other princesses and lisabelles. 

We are going to go to Canobie lake amusement park today.  It doesn't open til 11, so it's not a rush.  It's a nice park with lots of grassy areas, and it's on a lake, obviously, so it's pretty relaxing.  

Tomorrow we head to the cape for 2 nights.  I booked a hotel last night that was 25 dollars cheaper now than a few weeks ago, so that a bonus.  We're bringing out bikes and I think tomorrow we'll take the ferry to Martha's vineyard and bike there, then check in to our hotel late afternoon/evening.  Our hotel is right near the falmouth bike path, so thursday I'd like to be a no driving day, and we'll bike around the town and to the beach, etc.  The hotel has a pool too.  and wi-fi, but I think I'll leave the laptop home and finish my book.  I didn't read as much last week as I thought, so I'm determined to finish Cold Mountain and at least read another one before I go back to work.  

Off to get some breakfast going.  Have a fabulous day!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria and Kathy--have fun this week!!!

Lisa--I hope Robert has a great first day of school!

Kathy--are you liking Cold Mountain?


----------



## mikamah

Rose&Mike said:


> Kathy--are you liking Cold Mountain?


I am loving it.  I had a hard time concentrating reading on the beach this week.  I'm at the part he's with the old lady with the goats.  I have the Memory Keeper's Daughter to read next.  Has anyone read it?


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Maria- Have a great trip!!!!  I cant wait to hear all about it when you get back.

Kathy- Your next few days sound wonderful.  I love the idea of biking rather than driving.  Sounds so relaxing.  Have a great time at the park today.

Lisa- I hope Robert has a great first day at school.

Nancy- I understand the frustrations but it is only a number and you look wonderful.  Focus more on the fact that you will be in Disney in 2 very short weeks.  That should get your mind off of it.  I saw on Disney's FB page they have a new snack they are trying out.  Its a soft pretzel shaped as mickey.  You will have to try it out for me. 

Rose- Did you get your stuff in order for your trip yesterday.  How exciting last minute trips are....you barely have to wait until it gets here. 

well we are all still in our PJ's today.  I am feeling really lazy and the boys havent bugged me to do anything yet so I will just let them play until they start annoying each other and than I will come up with a plan.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I saw on Disney's FB page they have a new snack they are trying out.  Its a soft pretzel shaped as mickey.  You will have to try it out for me.



geez, fine, ok, i'll do what you say. but _only_ because you asked  
pj's all day sounds fun to me! it's a really nice day out today. maybe if they get bored you can go to that trail that you guys went to a week or so ago? 

i'm sorry guys for being all pouty about this morning. what i need to do is realize that i have a baby inside me and that's all that matters. if baby needs a little extra stuffing then so be it. i've lost it before, i can do it again. and i MUST be ahead of the game at least in a little way because i've been active. and even if i'm not, i'm hopeful that labor and recovery will be better because my legs are stronger from all the walking i've been doing. right? right. so stop complaining, nance! 

did everyone see *kathy's *new facebook profile pic? i just love it! it's so sweet. i hope when thomas and bronxbaby are older they will take a cute mommy/son pic with me. michael looks like such a happy kid.  cold mountain's a great book! i haven't read the memory keeper's daughter - please let me know how you like it! i'm slooowwwwly reading the lantern. it is SO boring! 

*maria - *i hope you have a fabulous trip and please take pics! since i'm deprived and have never been to canada (hehe), i'm looking forward to seeing what our northern neighbors look like! have a safe trip! and thanks for your positivity. it made me realize i'm being a debbie downer like for realz!

*rose -  *almost disney time! squee! and nice job seeing your maintain!! woot! that must have made you feel good  how's tom doing? did classes start?

*lisa - *how did your 10 miler go yesterday??


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Lindsay,* sorry that you didn't get to have the day off that you were planning today.    Maybe you can sneak a day off later this month just for you!    'Cause I totally think that you deserve a quiet, pampering me day.  

*Nancy,* so sorry that number on the scale was not one that you wanted to see.    But it is apparently what BronxBaby needs and you, my friend, are the only one in the whole, wide world who can give that baby what he needs right now -- how cool is that?    Talk about your motherly superpowers! 

*Maria,* safe travels!    We will miss you!  

*Kathy,* so nice to have you back and glad that you had a wonderful time.    Have a great time in the Cape.    I'll have to go checkout your new FB pic but I don't have to see it to know that Michael is one heck of a nice, wonderful guy that any Mom would be proud of!  

*Rose,* did you find anything cute for your trip on your shopping expedition?    I know that you are going to have a wonderful time.  

Thanks for all the well wishes for Robert's first day of school.    After complaining mightily about the end of summer all day yesterday this morning things went very well.  That may change when the homework for tonight is assigned.   

But I am sad to say that my run yesterday was an absolute and utter disaster.    I stopped after six miles.    I don't want to give  TMI but let's just say that I can't go beyond 1/2 a mile away from a bathroom.  So I have not gone beyond 9 miles and have a half marathon in less than three weeks.    This is the second week I've had this problem and the only thing I can think is that the Clif Gel that I'm using is causing some intestinal upset -- that is the only new thing I can think of.  It got so bad that my time during my "faster" intervals was actually slower than my walking intervals -- how sad is that?   

So by the time I was done I was ready to bag my half and just say I'm not ready.  Then I thought maybe I should see if I can switch to the 10K race.    I already have part of me worrying about being swept again at the Tinker Bell -- what if I got swept again in Sandpoint?    Maybe it's just a particularly bad case of the pre-race jitters?    Maybe I'm just losing my marbles?!?    Maybe I have kitty sympathy sickness?   Now I'm just going to go back to my old gel, wait for the cooler weather this week-end and see if I can get 10 miles in on Saturday in a decent time.  There will be time to decide what I want to do for September 18th.  (sorry hit the limit according to the smilie police).

Kitty does seem to be feeling better BTW -- thanks for all the nice kitty thoughts!  Internet is down at home -- Time Warner has a big outage here.  Lots of people have lost phone service -- even the school!

Have a great day!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

ahh Lisa sorry about the crappy run...no pun intended.  I would definitely go back to the old gels.  You have come so far and have been doing such a great job getting out for the runs dont bag it now.  The portapotties are not the most ideal but even if you have to stop a few times you can still do it.  I have lots of confidence in you.  You are even more stronger now than at the princess.  I know you can finish without getting swept.  I hope you find the culprit soon and can get back to some longer miles.  Hang in there.

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

Well I couldnt think of anything better to do so I took the kids to the McD's playland today.  It kept them busy and they really had a great time.  Now they are suppose to be laying down for a little getting some rest but I hear there feet romping upstairs so I am sure they are not doing what I asked them too.  Why is it when dh is home they take a nap but when i am home they do nothing of the sort.  I just dont get it.  

I really did enjoy my time off with them but I have to admit I sure dont feel rested and destressed like I would have hoped.  I really think the key is to go away on vacation and get away from reality for awhile.  Too bad there is nothing in the works until next July.  Ya well 11 months and counting.

I think I forgot to mention or maybe I did and just forgot.....I am thinking of doing the philly half marathon.  Its on Nov 20.  The mom I met through ryan's school is doing it with a friend and she invited me along.  We would stay over sat night and the race is on sunday.  Sounds like alot of fun.  There is also a marathon with it.  I am just trying to see if I can scrap up the money to register its 100$ and if I can prepare myself in enough time.

I will let you know what I decide to do.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> But I am sad to say that my run yesterday was an absolute and utter disaster.    I stopped after six miles.    I don't want to give  TMI but let's just say that I can't go beyond 1/2 a mile away from a bathroom.  So I have not gone beyond 9 miles and have a half marathon in less than three weeks.    This is the second week I've had this problem and the only thing I can think is that the Clif Gel that I'm using is causing some intestinal upset -- that is the only new thing I can think of.  It got so bad that my time during my "faster" intervals was actually slower than my walking intervals -- how sad is that?
> 
> So by the time I was done I was ready to bag my half and just say I'm not ready.  Then I thought maybe I should see if I can switch to the 10K race.    I already have part of me worrying about being swept again at the Tinker Bell -- what if I got swept again in Sandpoint?    Maybe it's just a particularly bad case of the pre-race jitters?    Maybe I'm just losing my marbles?!?    Maybe I have kitty sympathy sickness?   Now I'm just going to go back to my old gel, wait for the cooler weather this week-end and see if I can get 10 miles in on Saturday in a decent time.  There will be time to decide what I want to do for September 18th.  (sorry hit the limit according to the smilie police).
> 
> Kitty does seem to be feeling better BTW -- thanks for all the nice kitty thoughts!  Internet is down at home -- Time Warner has a big outage here.  Lots of people have lost phone service -- even the school!
> 
> Have a great day!



i hope the first day of school today was a success. hopefully he won't have homework on the first day!! i remember starting some AP classes and the first day the teacher gave us homework and i almost had a heart attack! WHAT?? you're giving me hommmeewoorkk?? 

ugh,  so sorry about the run. i don't know if this will help you or is the same but last few long runs i had before the princess sound very similar to your, ehem, experience. i wound up only doing 10 miles before the half and that was close to a month before the half since i couldn't go any farther than 7 after that. on one particular run i had...the runs (lol?) so bad and there was no way i was going to make it and i went into a STORE and begged to use the bathroom. i felt fine otherwise and i think alot of it had to do with nerves. i DID take imodium the morning of the princess race. 

don't give up on the halfs (halves) you have planned yet! you kicked booty at the half back in may. i mean, hello! check out this strong finish WITH A SMILE!: 






***
today is absolutely gorgeous. it's so cool that i put JEANS on! my friend sarah (the one in NC who i visited back in april to meet her baby) gave me a pair of maternity jeans that she never wore because they were always too big - yeah, she's like 5'7" and 120 maayyyybe even after a baby. they are from old navy and a size 6! they are a bit tight in the legs but they fit (because they are SUUUUPER stretchy) but hey, i'm in a 6 at almost 7 months pregnant and i'm so going with that! only problem is that i have a muffin top AND a baby belly so it looks a little strange. 

looks like everything is back to normal after irene. alot of cleanup around the neighborhood but still nothing compared to what could have happened. 

*lindsay - *how's the basement??? 

i'm SO looking forward to labor day weekend! silver beach does it up BIG time with a 4 day celebration. we have a parade down my street on friday evening for the kids followed by a movie. the theme of this year's weekend is luau. the following day are swimming races, scavenger hunt, triathalon, go cart race, a kayak race, steeple chase, and a longest drive that's in memory of my grandfather. they do it at the top of the bluff that overlooks the water and manhattan. no, my grandpa wasn't a golfer but about a year before he passed away he almost drove off that cliff and had to be rescued! http://gothamist.com/2007/09/25/bronx_seniors_p.php hey, we silver beachers have a sense of humor  anyway, sunday is running races, playground games, the parade of athletes, a big party with a DJ and catered food and they bring in rides for the kids. it's so much fun! my friend sarah has come up from NC three times for it and this year she's coming with her hubby and their baby jackson! i can't wait  

well, i typed too much so i better get moving since thomas is stirring after his nap. gosh, maybe it's not so great that i got my laptop back. talk about long-winded!


----------



## lisah0711

Thank you, *Lindsay* and *Nancy*!    

*Lindsay,* I think that you can definately do a half in November, especially a somewhat local one.   

*Nancy,* woo hoo for size 6 jeans at 26 weeks!    Thanks for the reminder pic, too!    Your poor grandpa!  Sounds like a very funny guy, though . . . I think I found a new mantra.   [he] recalled what was running through his mind when his car dangled a few feet over the water, "I thought I'm not happy about this, but what could I do?"    Thanks for the chuckle this afternoon!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lindsay - i missed your post about the philly half! awesome! you definitely have plenty of time to do it. and geez, your boss should give you the $$ to pay for it since you've been doing nothing but working lately, even on your days off!!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay*--I say go for it. You still should have enough time to get ready to run a half in November.  I hope the first day of school goes well.

*Lisa*--I am so sorry for the tummy issues. I can so empathize. I still have issues on occasion, but I have a much better idea why, now. My doctor said that I can take immodium before a long run/race. You might even want to cut back on the grains, specifically gluten before a long run. I've read studies that have said that as many as 30 percent of Americans may have some gluten issues and that a lot of people walking around with the diagnosis of ibs may actually have gluten intolerance. Anyhow, if switching back to the old gel doesn't work, it's worth a try. I've also heard that gatorade bothers some stomachs. It really is a pain in the you know what when you are trying to do something healthy and you have to deal with this. There are two halves here this fall, and because there were so few porta potties during the KY derby half, I am very hesitant to do one of them. I am still very paranoid about stomach stuff.

*Nancy*--I had one pregnancy and I wish I could do it again. I didn't really take the time to enjoy being pregnant. Mike was deployed and I just wanted it to be over so he would be home. Anyhow, enjoy being pregnant. It's one of the cool things about being a girl. I KNOW the weight is stressful. But you are one active pregnant chick and I know you will jump right back in the swing of things once bronx baby is here. He will be here before you know it. And I hope I don't sound preachy, I just want you to be happy. 

*Kathy*--I'm glad you are liking Cold Mountain. I just think the imagery is beautiful. I really liked the movie too. I hope you had fun today! And I love your facebook picture.

*Taryn*--Are you out there? It's almost your birthday! Since I won't be around on the 3rd, I hope you have a super duper awesome birthday!

******
So last night we made homemade corn tortillas and bean burgers. Yum! Tonight we had bean and veggie soft tacos with the leftover tortillas. I am on a cooking roll! Maybe I am finally getting the hang of this g-f thing.

We had a sub for our strength class tonight and it was even more brutal than Friday. I am going to be in pain tomorrow!

I hope everyone has a great evening.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

morning princesses and tinkerlisas!

a quickie post this morning. it's 6:53 and i need to wake thomas up in a few minutes (darn!) so i can head downtown for my OB appt. then i'm driving to queens to see my friend veronica for her bday. i'm going to take her out to breakfast. she actually lives in the same neighborhood that john and i lived in in queens when i first moved back to nyc. we only stayed there a few months before going to brooklyn and then less than a year later bought this house. 

anyway, i really wish john would get out of the bathroom and finish up his shower because i have to peeeeee!!!

be back on later to complain about my weight even though i told you i'd shut up about it. lol. but *rose *is right, i need to enjoy this pregnancy. i didn't enjoy the last one because there was always something wrong. so i should enjoy this one and appreciate when bronxbaby keeps me up all night practicing aerobics in there


----------



## mikamah

Another quick morning hello here. 

We had a great day yesterday at canobie lake, and stayed till closing at 10.  When we got there, I was really craving some disney because all the rides michael wanted to go on were the spinny bouncy things that make me queazy.  I'll do them one at a time interspersed throughout the day, but it seemed like that was all that's available. I need my philharmagic, great movie ride type rides.  But after we walked around a bit we did more, the log rides, and michael did the haunted mine for the first time, Nancy, I thought of you.  I read the story in the queue to him before, and he said he did get a little scared, and thought it was scarier than Haunted mansion.  It ended up being a very fun day.  No disney, but really nice just the same.  

We got home late, he's still sleeping, so we'll plan to leave at 9 for the cape.  I had hoped to leave by 7 and miss the Boston traffic, but once it hits 7, you're better off waiting til 9 to miss it.  So I have a little dis time, and then I'll pack up the car. 

*Lisa*-I'm so sorry you are having those issues while you're running.  I've had that happen to me too, and I don't know, but think keeping myself really hydrated before the run does help too.  I like the Immodium idea for the race.  I'm worried about my half also since I haven't done the training, but there's only portapotties at mile 4.5 and 7.5.  It's an out and back route.  I hope going back to the other gels will take care of things for you. I know that you will be able to do this.  You are one strong and resilient woman.  Love that finishline pic too.    Hope ds came home a happy boy.  Was the butternut squash in any of his classes?

*Nancy*- Your grandpa's story, had me  and .  He sounds like an amazing guy.  What a great honor for the longest drive to be named after him.  Your neighborhood sounds like a ton of fun.  Ok, get it out about the weight today if you need to.  You know those doctor scales are so inaccurate and add 5-10 pounds on everyone actual weight.  I hope your doctor tells you you are doing fine, just like all of us.  7 months!!  Whoo hoo!!  This is the home stretch now, and you are still so active, you should be so proud.  

*Rose*-In case I don't see you before you leave thursday, have a fabulous trip, and a very
 Happy Birthday!!!

*Lindsay*- Bummer you didn't have much down time yesterday.  I totally agree it's so good to get away for vacation to feel like you really had one.  It's just different at home with so much else to do, and I know I don't spend as much quality time with ds when we're home as when we're away.  Hope the first day of school goes smoothly for you all.  Today, right?  

Thanks for the comments on my facebook pic.  It was my favorite pic of us from our week.  It's not easy to get a good one of both of us together.  And on michael.  He is a pretty awesome boy.  I am so blessed.  He said about 5 times on the way home what an awesome night we had.  He's still sleeping, but I should get to packing. 

We'll come back thur afternoon, before rush hour, and for football practice, and then we have a low key weekend planned.  

Have a great week!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Lindsay,* hope your week at work passes quickly and uneventfully!    That sure was a nice date you had last night!  

*Rose,* do you leave on Thursday?  Starting to get that excited Disney feeling yet?    I am going to wish you an early 
*Happy Birthday!*  
so I don't miss it.  I hope that you have a wonderful, relaxing time.    Plus you'll be right back for F&W!    How are the WDW Halloween decorations?  And just think how strong you are getting with that killer class!  

*Nancy,* good luck at the OB today!    It's always fun to hear the pitter-pat of that little heartbeat.    He will be getting bigger in there soon and maybe won't have so much room to push around.  I'm sure that you will get a great report since you have been so active!  

*Kathy,* glad that you had a great time at the amusement park.    Safe travels today!    It will be nice to have a couple more easy days before getting back into that old routine.  We are taking it easy this week-end, too.

Thanks for all the tips on the tummy issues with the running!    I'm glad to know I can take Imodium because I'm thinking that may be what it takes, although I will switch back to my Hammer gel.  I like the flavors better.  But I will be sad if I have to give up my Clif Bloks.  I'm sure some of it is my frustration with my weight this summer.  

First day of school went well.  Robert seems to like all his teachers.  Had what he needed.  Got his homework done quickly.  It was all good except for a uniform violation for having shorts that are too long -- below the knee.    In growing 5 inches this year he seems to have lost 2 inches in the waist and the pants were a tad baggy.  Today he should be fine -- I even took this pair in.

Have a great day, ladies!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisa -  *does robert go to private school? the catholic school here (would love for thomas to go there but still not sure yet) is VERY anal about the uniforms and how long the shirts have to be, etc etc. can't believe he had homework already! so much for easing into the school year! lol! glad that the first day went swimmingly  i definitely recommend taking the immodium before the race. i think part of it was mental for me. like, "ok, i stopped myself up, i'm not going to have to poop." instead of "i think i can i think i can" i was thinking, "i won't poop i won't poop" hahah

*kathy - *nice work michael on the haunted mine! i'm pretty sure i'd skip it! i always feel like other amusement parks are let downs compared to disney. we are going to rye playland next saturday and i know i'll be like, "gosh i'm sooooo happy we'll be in disney tomorrow." plus, the clientele at rye playland are a little...questionable. we're just going for a friend's daughter's bday. where on the cape are you going? i used to go with my friend's family to cape cod three years in a row. they rented a house (ehem, HUGE HOUSE!) in north truro (sp?). loved it. i definitely will always remember going to P-town for the day or dinner and giggling at the...you know what..people. ah, the maturity of a 7th grader. glad i'm a little better than that now 

*rose - *almost time to go!!!!! i can't wait to hear about OKW. i am pretty sure that i would like that resort ALOT! 

*lindsay *- did the kids have school today? how was your dinner date with THE BEAST last night?? he is so cute!

*maria *- hope you're having a nice trip! how long does it take to get to montreal from boston?

OB appt was great. in and out. weight was even higher than anticipated but doc didn't even mention it. i told him about the sciatica issues and he was just like, "yeah, that sucks." he told me to try to get some help for thomas and to try not to lift him too much.  hilarious!! and to rest as much as possible and don't bend down and up every five seconds. he noticed that in the 5 minutes i was in with him i was up a million times because thomas had dropped something or wanted to be picked up or wanted a toy or whatever. um, yeah, well, that's not going to change. he did give me the number for a physiotrist? something like that. he said she is good in helping with the pain and can do trigger point injections. i may go see her, especially since we're going away and doing alot of walking. 

after that we drove to queens and took my friend to breakfast. the adults ate a ton. thomas? nothing. typical two year old. oh well, he ate a pb&j when we got home. i'm going to put him down for a nap (fingers crossed) and veg on the couch for a while. 

oh...by the way...my parents have no power and the town's not expected to get power back for probably a WEEK! karma???


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*rose! *i was just looking around on the dis and saw someone's signature said "our g-f adventure" or something like that so i clicked on it. *http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2772989

*i didn't read it all but she is gluten-free and they went to WDW and talks a bit about being g-f while there. maybe you've seen her before but i thought i'd point it out to you.


----------



## Rose&Mike

dumbo_buddy said:


> oh...by the way...my parents have no power and the town's not expected to get power back for probably a WEEK! karma???


Absolutely!

Thanks for the g-f link.

*****
Sorry I haven't been doing replies. Been keeping busy getting ready to go, trying to clean up the house, work and Tom decided this was the week he wanted to chat. I talked to him for about an hour this evening. He's doing well. BUT we finally convinced him to go online and check on his prescription--I mailed it in and it will be filled at the mail in pharmacy and sent to him. Anyhow, it was the wrong dosage. Uggh. Luckily we caught it before it shipped. So tomorrow he's going to see if he can get his doctor in Louisville to write another one so I can pick it up and mail it in. I'm sure they will want to call and make sure it was cancelled. Very frustrating but two good things came out of this. One he finally gets it that he needs a doctor down there. Two, I was worried that he would just say he would take the higher dose, but he immediately said he didn't want the higher dose, that he'd rather go without for a few days if he had to. So that makes me feel much better about things. The medicine is definitely helping him but it's nice to know he is not keen on being on high doses every day.

Thanks for the early birthday wishes. I'm not sure if I will make it on tomorrow. I'm going to work out in the morning. Then work for 4 hours. Then pick up Tom's prescription. Then finish last minute packing. Then going to the ball game for our coach's 1000th game with our team. Then Thursday morning last minute stuff, work for 3 hours and then drive to the airport in Lexington. 

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. We decided to not take a computer or running shoes. No computer, cause we both need a break, and no running shoes, cause my ankle is a little swollen again. I figure we will do enough walking.

TTYL!

Taryn's birthday is the 3rd. Make sure if she pops on to wish her a Happy Birthday from me.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Wishing you a VERY happy birthday Rose!!!! 4 is my favorite number so turning 44 on the 4th definitely calls for a great day and trip


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Rose* -have a wonderful trip and a very happy birthday.  I feel like 44 sounds  like its going to be a good year for you.  I can just feel it in my bones.

Nancy- Glad the appointment went well!  Your labor day celebration sounds so wonderful....I can almost picture it back in the 20's when people were there as vacationers and having one last summer horrah.  So cool and nostalgic....Im glad your neighborhood kept up with the tradition.  Oh and your grandpops quote....  I can tell where your sense of humor comes from.  I love it.  Oh and I was thinking since we refer to your bun in the oven as bronxbaby maybe you should just name him Bronx.  I mean there are lots of kids named brooklyn now...why not. 

Lisa- Glad roberts first day went well.  Uggh homework on the first night.  Never fun.

Kathy- I am so glad you and Michael had a great day.  Your comment about not spending as much quality time when your home is so spot on.  I feel like I do the same thing.  Too many things to keep me distracted from just spending the time with my boys.  I think part of my issue is we really did not get away much this summer.  I mean the only real family day with all 4 of us away was the one day at the beach.  We are hoping to get away for a night in Feb.  There is an indoor water park called Great Wolf Lodge that is about an hour away.  You get 2 days in the water park and a one night stay with a package.  I think it would be a great winter vacation so we probably will do that.  Otherwise it is next years trip to the beach that I will be daydreaming about.  Have a great time at the Cape.

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

Ryan had an awesome day at school today.  He seemed very excited about it when he got home and that was so great to see.  He had a good night at football too.   There was a parents meeting tonight and the president of the board came to talk with us.  Can you believe one of the kids on our team had their flags stapled on in the game on sat.  I guess the other teams coach noticed it when he picked it up off the ground.  Now our team has a bad rap with the league.  Can you say embarrassing.  Now there are some real ghetto parents on our team but what the heck would make you do something like that.  Apparently the parent said the flags kept falling off and thats why they did it.  I mean that is just plain stupid.  

Today was my first day on South Beach....well my version of it anyway I only did some internet research on it so I am no pro at the rules.  I did fairly well although I did cave and got one hashbrown from mc'd for breakfast.  I just cant get past those things. So frustrating.  

Ok well I am going to prepare our meals for tomorrow.  Have a great day.  Tomorrow is wednesday already.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lindsay -  *let me know when you think you'll go to great wolf! it's not far from here at all! my ILs actually live down the street from there. i've been avoiding great wolf because it means we'd have to see them BUT during the winter it might be a nice little escape and we can just do dinner or something with the ILs. anywho, people around here are always heading to great wolf and saying how great it is. i've been in there but just to look around with the ILs. we didn't go in the pool or actually have any fun while we were there 

morning everyone! it's slow on the boards the last few days! i still can't believe it's labor day weekend already! i'm really looking forward to all the festivities but still in denial that it's actually SEPTEMBER tomorrow!! time is moving a little too quickly for my comfort! 

went on a very slow nice walk this morning. i'm beginning to think that my "walk to disney by 5/19" goal might not be achieved. it's getting harder and harder to bang out the miles. i still have time and once i get back to running i hope to get some more miles in then. 

maritime college's classes are back in session and all the cadets were dressed in their dress whites for the big day. they look so cute. did you ever see dazed and confused? seeing the cadets at maritime reminds me of that quote matthew mconoughey(sp?) says, "That's what I like about these high school girls, I keep getting older, they stay the same age." lol! except i'm the cougar lady watching the 18 year old guys! 

off to try to get this child to eat something and then take the dog to the vet. good times!


----------



## lisah0711

Flying by here.    Internet problems at work and at home.  Two different providers so it must be atmospheric or cosmic conditions.  

I'm ready for a long week-end!  

*Rose,* safe travels.

*Nancy,* enjoy your Labor Day celebrations!

Love and miss you all!


----------



## lisah0711

Well, sorry to kill off the Princess thread here!   

*Rose,* safe travels and *Happy Birthday*!  

*Kathy,* hope that you are having a wonderful time at the beach!  

*Maria,* hope that you are enjoying your "culturization!" 

*Lindsay,* hope the first week of school is going well!    I think it's good to have a three day week-end to round it out.    The parents need it, even if the students don't!  

*Nancy,* enjoy your celebrations and don't do a bunch of housework before everything gets messed up again.    BTW,  I don't think that you are old enough to be a cougar but I don't blame you for looking!   

Anyone else get sucked into the thread about the bride that Disney wanted to move three weeks before the wedding due to construction?    It was on the community board with a link to the wedding forum (a place I don't normally go) but in the middile of reading both threads went "poof."    She would have been more sympathetic if she didn't think that she was entitled to a bunch of stuff for her trouble.  It seemed like maybe the wedding was getting to be more important than the marriage, too.    Ah, well, hope it all works out.    One of those little Dis mysteries where I may never know what happened.  

Have a great week-end, ladies!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

wait so was the thread closed, lisa? now i'm curious. i get sucked into the weirdest threads sometimes and they always end in fights. the whole every person in a wheelchair has a "hidden" disease thing tends to be the one i get sucked into the most. why do i read these things??? 

you didn't kill the thread lisa, don't worry. i meant to get on an post earlier. i have not been a good BL thread participant though so i wanted to make sure i posted over there first. and then i went out for my morning walk. 

i'm doing here and there cleaning and not much else today. things at home have been a little...tense. john and i have been at each other's throats every morning and every evening. not good. he's stressing about money, i'm stressing about the baby and all that jazz. and god forbid we talk about it instead of get nasty. 

i'm getting a little nervous about disney actually. i tend to get very punchy when there. i don't know - i guess i build up this perfecto trip and the second john says something annoying i flip, crack, blow up. i need to learn some breathing techniques or something since i can't take a xanax! basically i need to figure out how to not be such a witch with a b. the heat and the size of my mid-section will probably not help things. breathe. breathe. serenity now....


----------



## lisah0711

*Nancy,* ah, calm, peaceful thoughts. Is it working?   Sorry for the snarkiness.  Nothing like rushing around getting ready to have family fun to bring out the worst in everyone.   

The Disney bride thread didn't just get closed -- I have to admit nothing makes me want to read a thread like seeing one of those little locks next to it!   It got "poofed" -- there was even a thread about "where did the thread go?"    Just a little bit of Dis drama that makes you go "hmmmm!" 

But enough of that, please refresh my memory about your trip, *Nancy*.   Where are you staying?  Have any ADRs?  Character meals?  Guess you will have to wait until next time to check out the new Star Tours.  I think a WDW trip being preggo and having a little one is a perfect way to take it down a notch and just enjoy, like Rose!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

well since you asked....  our itinerary is as follows (of course, we'll be with a 2 year old so these ADRs may or may not hold!)

we flly out on the 11th at 7:05am and land at 9:51am  i love getting into MCO early because i feel like we can get some good park time on our arrival day. we're taking ME (we rented a car one time and never used it. that'll be our first and last time) to BLT. i made an ADR at via napoli for 2pm. this may or may not happen depending on what the little man does as far as napping. if it doesn't look good we'll cancel. if not, pizza! our first full day will start at chef mickeys! we have a 7:25 breakfast ADR! it'll be nice to not have to go far to make our breakfast. then we'll walk to MK and hang out there until our 11am appt at the harmony barber shop. thomas is getting his haircut AND so is john! john needs a haircut now sooooo bad but he's just going to wait til we get to WDW. and i wouldn't be surprised if he lets them put colored gel in his hair! that night i'm planning on making spaghetti and meatballs in the villa and then having leftovers two nights later. it should help with the $$$. 
tuesday: LTT at 4:25pm
wednesday: hollywood and vine at 8am - character b'fast with oso and handy manny! 
thursday: le chefs de france at 5pm. john's been wanting to go here for forever. and we'll celebrate his bday that meal. maybe i'll have them bring him a cake or something? he's actual bday is 9/20 but close enough. 
friday: raglan road at 5pm. we're missing the 6 months til st. patrick's day party there by ONE day! doh! i'm hoping during this meal i can get DH in the ireland mood and we can discuss our next trip there. i'd like to go there maybe this time next year. we haven't taken thomas there yet so his family needs to meet two boys now and we still need to meet his cousin's third baby. john's family in ireland is AWESOME - i wish they would move here and john's family here would move there. 
saturday: crystal palace at 8:30am and our flight home (boo) leaves at 6:50pm. we're big into leaving in the evening - same reason as arriving early. we like to get the most bang for our buck. 

there's a MNSSHP on tuesday evening. as much as i'd love to go i don't think we're going to bother. one because i'm too cheap and two because there's just no sense in trying to keep a toddler up so late. 

so, that's our plan for the trip. i heard on sorcerer radio this morning talk about the mickey shaped pretzel and i'm looking forward to having that. john wants to eat a cheeseburger at the liberty tavern in epcot. he likes that place alot for some reason - the food tastes the same as any other place! oh well. i think it's because they have good bathrooms 

we're going to have to take it much easier than our normal trips. heat, toddler, preggo...recipe for needing to stop and smell the disney popcorn! 

getting close now! really looking forward to living in luxury at BLT in a one bedroom. we are going to feel like rich people


----------



## lisah0711

Oh, your trip sounds like so much FUN, *Nancy*!    Thank you so much for sharing because we love to live vicariously through other people's trips, you know.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> well since you asked....  our itinerary is as follows (of course, we'll be with a 2 year old so these ADRs may or may not hold!)
> 
> we flly out on the 11th at 7:05am and land at 9:51am  i love getting into MCO early because i feel like we can get some good park time on our arrival day. we're taking ME (we rented a car one time and never used it. that'll be our first and last time) to BLT. i made an ADR at via napoli for 2pm. this may or may not happen depending on what the little man does as far as napping. if it doesn't look good we'll cancel. if not, pizza! our first full day will start at chef mickeys! we have a 7:25 breakfast ADR! it'll be nice to not have to go far to make our breakfast. then we'll walk to MK and hang out there until our 11am appt at the harmony barber shop. thomas is getting his haircut AND so is john! john needs a haircut now sooooo bad but he's just going to wait til we get to WDW. and i wouldn't be surprised if he lets them put colored gel in his hair! that night i'm planning on making spaghetti and meatballs in the villa and then having leftovers two nights later. it should help with the $$$. Did you ever read the Grandpa Mohawk trip reports on the DVC boards?  I think they do some very fun stuff with guys hair at the Main Street barber shop.  Robert used to like having green gel in his hair when he was little.
> tuesday: LTT at 4:25pm Yum, I love LTT!
> wednesday: hollywood and vine at 8am - character b'fast with oso and handy manny! I am sorry that I have to confess that I had to Google Oso because I had no idea who you were talking about.   But I did know who Handy Manny is -- although in our day it was "Bob the Builder."  Now the new favorite show here is Top Gear on the BBC -- fast cars.
> thursday: le chefs de france at 5pm. john's been wanting to go here for forever. and we'll celebrate his bday that meal. maybe i'll have them bring him a cake or something? he's actual bday is 9/20 but close enough. Ooo-la-la! You might want to pick something up at the bakery next door so you could take it back to your room for later, too.    Do they do Remy anymore there?  That is probably something that Thomas would like.
> friday: raglan road at 5pm. we're missing the 6 months til st. patrick's day party there by ONE day! doh! i'm hoping during this meal i can get DH in the ireland mood and we can discuss our next trip there. i'd like to go there maybe this time next year. we haven't taken thomas there yet so his family needs to meet two boys now and we still need to meet his cousin's third baby. john's family in ireland is AWESOME - i wish they would move here and john's family here would move there. Oh, I would love to go to Ireland some day!
> saturday: crystal palace at 8:30am and our flight home (boo) leaves at 6:50pm. we're big into leaving in the evening - same reason as arriving early. we like to get the most bang for our buck.
> 
> there's a MNSSHP on tuesday evening. as much as i'd love to go i don't think we're going to bother. one because i'm too cheap and two because there's just no sense in trying to keep a toddler up so late. Oh, but you will get to see the Halloween decorations.  If they are anything like the DL Halloween decorations they are really fun, especially at night.  I love all the Jack o'Lanterns.
> 
> so, that's our plan for the trip. i heard on sorcerer radio this morning talk about the mickey shaped pretzel and i'm looking forward to having that. john wants to eat a cheeseburger at the liberty tavern in epcot. he likes that place alot for some reason - the food tastes the same as any other place! oh well. i think it's because they have good bathrooms
> 
> we're going to have to take it much easier than our normal trips. heat, toddler, preggo...recipe for needing to stop and smell the disney popcorn!
> 
> getting close now! really looking forward to living in luxury at BLT in a one bedroom. we are going to feel like rich people  Would you believe the first time I stayed in a studio was in February when I was alone?  We stay in a 2 bedroom for three of us because it is nice to be able to spread out after a day of family fun!



Thank you so much for sharing!


----------



## mikamah

A quick princess hello!

Had a very fun couple days on the cape.  We got home around 4:30 after stopping to swim at michael's friends house.  Just enough time then for a quick supper and email/facebook check before football, and now I  promised michael we'd watch a movie together.  So I skimmed but am excited to come back later and live vicariously through Nancy's disney plans!!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses and lisabelles!!

The long weekend is almost here!! Whoo hoo for those of you who have been working and not living the life of liesure like me.  I still have 6 more days off. 

*Nancy*- Your trip sounds awesome, and how nice to be staying at BLT to be so close to MK.  I'm sure once dh gets his hair cut and some mickey glitter in it there's no way he'll be cranky.  You gotta go and enjoy every minute with only one toddler to chase around.  I'm sure you will have a fabulous trip.  Love the itinerary, and being flexible, letting Thomas sort of set the tone and speed will help.  A one bedroom will be awesome, too.  I'm so jealous.  
P-town is quite the place for people watching.  We went to falmouth and took the ferry to martha's vineyard for the day wed, so we didnt' get to P-town.  Michael was noticing lots of teenager making out at Canobie lake on monday, so i didn't want to introduce him to P-town just yet.
Ireland is on the list to take michael too.  We have second cousins there, and I've been twice, so I want to take michael one day.  Also my best friend Anne is from Ireland, I went for her wedding, and we've met most of her family when they've come here to visit, so I'd like to visit with them also.  

*Lisa*- I think it's great you stay in a 2 bedroom when you go to wdw.  It is so nice to have the extra space.  I always think about going up to deluxe for a couple nights, but then I'm afraid I won't be able to go back to the values.  Maybe some day.  
Glad Robert had a good first day of school, and hope the rest of the week went as smoothly. Amazing how fast they grow.  I noticed michael is really growing in the trunk the other day when he was laying on the couch. Any fun weekend plans?  How is the running going?  I hope things get better with the other gels.  
Interesting on the bride thread disappearing.  I haven't been brousing the dis much at all this summer.  I hope I'll have more time in the fall. 

*Lindsay*-- Go happy Ryan had a good first day of school and football is going well.  Michael did much better last night, and was a bit of a beast himself.  I think he just needed to get used the drills and he was tackling almost every kid he came up against, and when he had the ball, he only got knocked down a couple times.  He was very proud and happy.  He's going to be the noseguard.  A new term for me.  Who knew there were so many names to the positions.  Good luck with the southbeach.  YOu can do this!!  You need to have a little flexibililty with it too, with your busy life.  I am in the post vacation, no food in the house part of my plan.  It actually works pretty well.  I'll make us smoothies in a few minutes and then make a shopping list and stick to it.  It's a new season, and we all can be princess losers!!  I want to get back to my princess weight first.  

*Rose and Maria*- Hope you're both having fabulous vacations.  

We had a very fun couple days on the cape.  We stayed in falmouth right near the bike paths, so the first day we biked up to north falmouth, and I had brought a picnic lunch, so we brought that and sat near a little pond on the bike path.  It was really beautiful.  After lunch our room wasn't ready til 3, so we biked around the town, and found a very cool playground michael playe for a while, and I checked out the map to figure out where to go. We found the beach road, and biked along the beach, but after the hurricane, the side of the roads which looked like they usually had a good 3 feet for bikes were covered with sand, so the biking was not easy.  It wasn't too far til we got to a bike path again that took us back to our hotel.  We went out for a nice dinner that night, and then swam.  Michael loved having disney and nick on the hotel tv, with on demand, so I did some reading and finished Cold mountain, which was sooo good, and he got some tv time. 

Wed we took the ferry over to MV and biked all around Oak Bluffs.  There are these beautiful little gingerbread cottages in bright colors we biked around for a bit, and then we found this little dirt path through some woods that we followed for a while and that was fun but noone else was on it, and I got a little nervous, watching too much Criminal Minds, I think.  Or the woods in cold mountain got me thinking.  We came out and weren't sure which way to go, so we went one way to an intersection and figured out on the map to find our way.  We went back to the center of town locked our bikes, had a late lunch, rode the carousel,  and walked the main street with all the shops and some arcades.  We got back to the hotel at 8ish, swam a bit, and were tired, so we got some Milano cookies from the vending machine and stayed in.  We swam again yesterday before we left, and went in a few shops and had a big late breakfast at Ihop on the way home.  

It was a really nice couple days.  I need to get motivated and unpack now.  I just unpacked the dirty laundry, and still have stuff from maine in the big suitcase.  

No big weekend plans here, which will be nice.  I need to do some yard work big time.  Lots of leaves and sticks down, and my lawn is a big long.  

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

uuugghhh well when it rains it pours i tell ya. 

i think i've mentioned here and there about my crazy in-laws, yes? well last week my 70-something year old MIL went in for some crazy back surgery. the first surgery lasted something like 7 hours and then on monday she had another surgery which was 13 hours long! and all of this is elective! i asked john a few times what exactly is being done for the surgery. what is the procedure? he has no idea. and gets mad when i ask. apparently MIL told my mother at thomas's bday party that she was having rods put in her back. so now she's in the hospital in terrible pain and will probably go to a rehab center closer to where they live in the poconos. so now the woman will not only be completely crazy but also incapacitated due to her back. i don't foresee her doing the PT necessary to heal.

got a text from john about two hours ago. his sister kathleen has breast cancer. now, if someone told me i had cancer i'd first crap my pants and then i'd figure out how advanced, what stage, what are the next steps, etc etc. i asked him these things and he said he didn't know. he said she's in shock and wanted a "clear head" before calling anyone. ok...it's friday...of labor day weekend. if you wait then you won't get any calls back until tuesday! the woman is a 46 year old with terrible manic depression and on lithium! if she waits for a clear head she's going to wait a long time. 

and you know what's sick? i don't even know if i believe it. he told me the lab called her and told her. since when does a lab call and say, "oh you have cancer" and that's it?? and if i ask any questions john will just get pissy at me for being pushy and nosy. that family just doesn't handle medical things well at all. they blame everything on mental illness or their collective stomach problems - they all have crohn's.

sorry, none of this makes sense probably but i needed to vent! i'm not trying to sound heartless, i really am sorry that she is sick. but instead of figuring out next steps the whole family will just call each other over and over and say how horrible life is.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- I was looking at the prices for great wolf lodge after I posted and holy smokes is it expensive.  like 400-500$ for one night for 4 of us.  I mean it includes the water park but I still thought that was much for a 1 night trip.  My dh took his summer camp to sahara sams in NJ this summer he said it was awesome.  It does not have a hotel attached but surrounding hotels run packages.  We can stay one night and get 4 tickets to the park for 200$.  Not sure what we will do yet but when we decide I will be sure to let you know.



dumbo_buddy said:


> well since you asked....  our itinerary is as follows (of course, we'll be with a 2 year old so these ADRs may or may not hold!)
> 
> we flly out on the 11th at 7:05am and land at 9:51am  i love getting into MCO early because i feel like we can get some good park time on our arrival day.
> 
> I totally agree...we always have left super early to get the most out of our first day.  We have always been mid day leavers but I think next trip we will try to get a late flight
> 
> we're taking ME (we rented a car one time and never used it. that'll be our first and last time) to BLT. i made an ADR at via napoli for 2pm. this may or may not happen depending on what the little man does as far as napping. if it doesn't look good we'll cancel. if not, pizza!
> 
> I have been craving either italian or pizza all day.  So when i saw this I was like YUM!!! Now I will be thinking about Pizza and chicken parm for the next few hours.
> 
> our first full day will start at chef mickeys! we have a 7:25 breakfast ADR! it'll be nice to not have to go far to make our breakfast. then we'll walk to MK and hang out there until our 11am appt at the harmony barber shop. thomas is getting his haircut AND so is john! john needs a haircut now sooooo bad but he's just going to wait til we get to WDW. and i wouldn't be surprised if he lets them put colored gel in his hair! that night i'm planning on making spaghetti and meatballs in the villa and then having leftovers two nights later. it should help with the $$$.
> 
> We wanted to do the barber shop last trip even for the kids to just get do"s with gel or mickey shapes but the long was way too long.  I love that now they take reservations.  I cant wait to see the pics.  I hope John lets them do something fun.
> 
> tuesday: LTT at 4:25pm
> wednesday: hollywood and vine at 8am - character b'fast with oso and handy manny!
> 
> Thomas is the perfect age for this.  He will be so excited to see these guys.  Im assuming he watches the shows right?
> 
> thursday: le chefs de france at 5pm. john's been wanting to go here for forever. and we'll celebrate his bday that meal. maybe i'll have them bring him a cake or something? he's actual bday is 9/20 but close enough.
> 
> Such a cool way to celebrate a birthday.  Now I am thinking being thrifty here but I have heard those cakes are a bit pricey and Im sure the three of you wont finish a whole cake....well you should anyway right....so just a suggestion if you nix the cake you could always buy him a little gift and give it to him then.  Still a special moment of celebration.
> 
> friday: raglan road at 5pm. we're missing the 6 months til st. patrick's day party there by ONE day! doh! i'm hoping during this meal i can get DH in the ireland mood and we can discuss our next trip there. i'd like to go there maybe this time next year. we haven't taken thomas there yet so his family needs to meet two boys now and we still need to meet his cousin's third baby. john's family in ireland is AWESOME - i wish they would move here and john's family here would move there.
> 
> Oh this is perfect...he will already be in a good mood from the few days your already at disney and then to set the enviroment up...your a smart girl  I have never been to ireland and do not know anyone there but I bet it is lovely....and Im glad you enjoy his family there.
> 
> saturday: crystal palace at 8:30am and our flight home (boo) leaves at 6:50pm. we're big into leaving in the evening - same reason as arriving early. we like to get the most bang for our buck.
> 
> there's a MNSSHP on tuesday evening. as much as i'd love to go i don't think we're going to bother. one because i'm too cheap and two because there's just no sense in trying to keep a toddler up so late.
> 
> I would agree to save your money on this until the kids are a little older.  We loved MNSSHP and our kids made it until late in the night.  Ryan was almost 5 and nick was 2 1/2.  I would say if we just had nick it wouldnt have been as much fun.
> 
> so, that's our plan for the trip. i heard on sorcerer radio this morning talk about the mickey shaped pretzel and i'm looking forward to having that. john wants to eat a cheeseburger at the liberty tavern in epcot. he likes that place alot for some reason - the food tastes the same as any other place! oh well. i think it's because they have good bathrooms
> 
> we're going to have to take it much easier than our normal trips. heat, toddler, preggo...recipe for needing to stop and smell the disney popcorn!
> 
> getting close now! really looking forward to living in luxury at BLT in a one bedroom. we are going to feel like rich people
> 
> I am so excited for you.  You will have a good time and just keep it in your mind about taking it easy.  Lower your expecations and then if you can do more it would be icing on the cake.  I know you said you like to read the TR's.  I did one for our last trip and Nick was not much older than Thomas is now so if you want to read it I can get you the link.




Kathy- Your trip sounds right out of a nicholas sparks novel.  It sounds so peaceful and enjoyable.  I feel like all of our trips are so stimulating I would love to just take it easy like that and enjoy life.  Michael is going to remember these times with you forever.  How special  I hope you enjoy the rest of your relaxing time off.  Lucky duck.

Lisa- How is the running coming along????

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

Sorry I havent posted in a little while.  Last night we had open house.  I really liked Ryans teacher.  She seems very nice and warm and friendly.  He seems to be really enjoying her too.  One week down....how many more????
I am really looking forward to the long wkend break.  Not that I am going to get much time to relax but its still better than being at work.

No plans tonight.

Tomorrow football game need to leave the house by 3.  That will go to 5 or 6 depending how much on time they are.  So some relax time before and after that.

Sunday- I am working with my uncle at his italian stand at the garlic festival all day.  We serve bruschetta and roasted red peppers with fresh mozzerella, and meatballs on a stick. (people ask for the balls on a stick and I crack up every time) real mature I know.  Working for my uncle is like working a sweat shop in china.....there is no fun it by any means.  But its a little extra money.

Monday- We will take the boys to the great allentown fair.  this has been going on for over 50 years.  Its huge.  Its 3 blocks from my parents house so as a kid I would go to the fair 4 or 5 times during its stay.  Lots of great memories.  We may take the kids to the demolition derby they have every year.  We took ryan last year and nick decided he didnt want to go.  I think this year they both will be fine with the noise.  Its alot of fun to watch.

So thats the skinny on my wkend plans.  Speaking of skinny.  I am on my 4th day of a somewhat modified version of South Beach.  I have done fairly well except for the following.  I just couldnt give up my morning hashbrown from mcd's, I got a salad from cosi and it came with a piece of whole grain flat bread well couldnt resisit the bread, and last night I had a small run in with cotton candy my parents brought for the kids.  Overall still much better than I have been eating.  Today I have really been having bad thoughts about eating bad things and bad cravings.  Like I wanted so bad to get a really huge piece of greasy pizza.  I just feel like I want to eat everything today.  I have a feeling TOM is lurking around the corner. bloated + irritable + cravings....sounds like it to me.

Ok well I am off to figure out what to make for dinner.  Talk to you soon!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lindsay - please send me your TR!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2295347

Here ya go for anyone who wants to read it.  It was our best trip yet and I am just dying to get back with them.


----------



## flipflopmom

Hey!  Remember me?

I just have a second, we are getting ready to go to the VT vs. App. St. game, but I miss you all like crazy bad.  I will get back, I promise.  PROMISE.  I can do it.  I can.

Rose, I know your bday is soon, maybe the 4th?  Mine's Monday, and I was think you were day before or after, or something, but anyway HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Since I've been on last:  lost 5 pounds, got a sinus infection, my Uncle passed away, caught a stomach bug and lost 2 more, basically, I've been working late EVERY day trying to come up with stuff that will catch this crew up, and trying to sleep sickness away.  Gave a math test, half made D's, F's.  Well, N, U, but equivalent.  They are so... dense.  Sweet as honey, but I just don't think there is much there.  Like one question had a group of animals, and 1 SHOE, and they had to pick out what didn't belong, and most missed it!!!!!!!!    Another same, all fruit one hat, they missed it.  I came home and gave Sophie the same test, without the 2 weeks of individualized instruction, just to see if the directions I gave were unclear.  She did GREAT!  I even gave the test in groups of 3 or individually!!!

Oh well, things are hopping on the Master's end.  I found out I sit for my comps Oct. 21, and go back within a month to defend what I wrote.  LAST CLASS has started up.  So no stress there or anything.  

Sophie's loving school and is doing ballet class, AK's loving cheer and being in 7th grade - the oldest in our school.  We're rolling along, well, fumbling along.  But alive!

I miss you.  Did I say that?  I miss you!

We missed most of the hurricane, just nasty wind mostly.  The earthquake was FREAKY FREAKY scary, I thought I was having some sort of attack.  WE NEVER have earthquakes in VA!!!  One kid in my class was crying because I freaked out , the janitor was in the hall and didn't feel anything, I called him in my room to find out what was happening, he said I was having a stroke and needed to go to the nurse!  Then one of our male teachers came down to check on us and told me it was an earthquake!  LOL.

So that's my life for the past month in a nutshell.  Since I don't have to work Monday, one of my birthday gifts is to get caught up (I only read this page).

Don't take my absence as a lack of caring.  Promise.  Love you ladies!

HAPPY LABOR DAY!  GO HOKIES!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi friends!

last night started our labor day extravaganza. a great time was had with  our little parade around the neighborhood. a fdny ambulance led the way  followed by an OLD firetruck from the 1900s or something crazy like  that. it's an open truck and i swear every year i think it's that  thing's last. then they showed a movie on the grass. since it's luau  theme this year they showed lilo and stitch and seeing all the little  kids in their little camp chairs was SO cute. thomas even sat with my  cousins mary (10) and johnny (11) for a while on the blanket. we could  tell he must have been exhausted if he actually sat. considering he ran  the whole parade route i'm not surprise. he did manage to get a big  bloody lip while chasing his little friend erin. i brought him home to  clean him up and he SCREAMED "down! down!" so i'd put him down and he  could go back to playing. he stayed up til 9 which is SO late for him 

anyway, i'm late now and need to head to the airport to pick up my friends! i hope to get a chance to sign in over the weekend but if not, have a wonderful weekend and i'll catch up with everyone for personals later!

xoxo

ps, happy birthday rose! glad you're back taryn (so sorry about your uncle though), lindsay - i made it a few pages into your TR last night, hi kathy! enjoy the last couple of days off!  hi maria! or should i say bon jour?


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies,

*Nancy*-So sorry to hear about your mil and sil.  It must be so frustrating to not get real information about such serious issues.  I agree with you, if it was me told by a lab person (which is doubtful) then i would be right on getting more info and staging.  Makes me think about my sister and I both when we had our mammograms we got called back for more films, which made my sister very nervous and she never told anyone because she thought she was going to have cancer, but both of us were fine, so I wonder if it could be something like that.  Though even for that, my doctor called me not the lab, but I could see that the x-ray dept might call to schedule more films.  I hope she is ok, and maybe it is not cancer but something like that. 
I hope your mil surprises you and does what she needs to to recover.  Back surgery is no small potatos.    
Sounds like you had a nice night last night, and a fun weekend planned.  Hope you have a great time this weekend, can relax a bit.

*Lindsay*- I think you're doing great on south beach.  I am a firm believer in not depriving yourself totally, and if a hash brown every now and then is going to help to keep you on track the rest of the day, so be it.  If you compare this week to many other weeks this summer, I'm sure you're doing better and on the right track.  You can do this!!  Glad Ryan likes his teacher, and school seems to be going well.  I think there's only about 41 weeks left.   The demolition derby sounds like a blast.  Michael would love something like that, and balls on a stick.  Sounds like a perfect weekend for a mom of 2 boys.  I'll have some bruschetta please.  
Have fun.

*Taryn*-Sorry to hear about your uncle, and sending good wishes for your class.   Sounds like you've got your work cut out for you again this year.   

*Lisa*- Hope you are enjoying the long weekend, and ds had a good first full week.  

*Rose*- Love to see the occassional facebook post from you.  Enjoy every minute. 

*Maria*- Hope you had safe travels this week and are having a fabulous trip.

Well, I'm going to attempt to run/walk 10 miles this morning with my friend karen.  Her dh will watch michael and we do a 1.7 mile loop.  We'll need to go 6 times.  We'll see.   My half is 3 weeks from today.  I am so not anywhere near prepared as I was for the princess.  I am going to go and just want to finish.  Not last would be nice too, but I'll be very close to last according to last years times.  I doubt I'll even beat my princess time of 3:35.  I am going to run 3 morning a week when michael starts school.  Wed is his first day and I am off, so I can get a longer run then too.  If we make 10 miles today, I will go and do the hilly part of the race route so I will at least know what it is like. 

Have a nice weekend everyone!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hi Ladies!

A very quick "Hi!" -- We need to get Ben new sneakers and a watch before school starts and Dennis is adamant we are leaving at 10am to do it, so that leaves me with not much time...

I will do a mini TR later. Ben took hundreds of photos, so I'll have them up on FB eventually. 

I can't wait to catch up with everyone! We had a good trip, but if I never try to read another word in French it may be too soon...Bonjour, indeed! The next Bon I encounter better end in Jovi 

We went shopping after we got home yesterday, so I am all set to continue with my "lower carb". I'm not sure if it's technically SB, but I may look into that. I think I have a book, somewhere. I think I'm eating too much fruit (a few servings of berries a day) to be SB. 

I got up this morning and hustled over to Deer Island. I got there a little later than I would have liked so I encountered more people walking their dogs, but it wasn't too bad. I did 3M by the ocean with a view of the Boston skyline part of the way, so hard to complain about that. I came home and Dennis made me an omelet, now I just have to finish getting presentable so I can see the Mall public 

I'll be back later to chat, everyone have a fantastic day and I hope you're off to a great start for the holiday weekend!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hello Taryn!!!!!  We miss you too and I am so glad you checked in.  Have a great day at the game.  

Nancy- Have a very fun time this weekend with all the festivities.

Maria- Glad you had a good time I cant wait to hear about it and see pics.  Have fun shopping.

Kathy- Wow I totally forgot about your race coming up.  Thats the wicked one right?  Good luck with getting the runs in.  Im sure you will do just fine.

Sorry for the quickie responses today.  I am trying to get out running.  My goal is 5 miles.

Talk to you all later.


----------



## lisah0711

*Happy Birthday to our lovely Princess Rose!*  

and an early 

*Happy Birthday to our lovely Princess Taryn!*  

September is quite a month for celebrations in this group.  Our anniversary is next week-end and I believe that the lovely *Princess Maria* was also a September bride.  

I was impressed by what a bunch of running Princesses and Tinks we were yesterday!    

I did six miles yesterday -- was shooting for ten.  The good news is that it isn't the gel causing the stomach problems.    So it will be the Imodium for my run for me.  I'll test it out next week-end on my easy five.  My times are good so I feel confident I can do my race without being swept.  It is what it is and instead of boo-hoo-ing about my training not being what I WISH'ed, I will celebrate that this is the third half marathon that I am starting this year!  

*Nancy,* so sorry about all the family issues.    Hope that you can forget about them for awhile and have a great time with your friends this week-end!   

*Maria,* welcome back!  Can't wait to hear all about your trip.  Good luck to Ben as school starts next week.  Robert survived his first week.  

*Kathy,* you'll do fine at your half this month.   Is it the wicked one?  Sounds like some fun costumes to distract you!  

*Lindsay,* isn't your relay coming up, too?  

I know *Rose* has Wine and Dine coming up, too.  

*Taryn,* so lovely to see you!    Don't be a stranger!  Take a few minutes for a mental health break and come chat with us.  

*Lisa,* how was your vacation?  Congrats on being a superstar the last week of the BL challenge!  

Did you see our Tinker Bell Half training schedule starts September 20th?    Just two days after my half.    And it goes to 19 miles now if you're going for time.   Might as well start training for a full.    There is talk about turning the 17 miler scheduled for Christmas Eve into a virtual jingle bell run.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses and Lisabelles!!

Wow, can't believe the Tinkerbelle training will be starting soon.  So excited for you Lisa's!!

We didn't make our 10 miles yesterday.  Just did 5.  It was hot and humid, and we were both just not feeling it.  I'm going to take a page out of Lisa's book, and say it is what it is, and do the best I can.  I can go out wed when michael's in school, and will push for at least 8, go for 10.  I'm definitely not doing this half for time. lol.  I thought i'd beat my princess time of 3:35, but probably not, but that's ok.  I'll see how I feel that day, but right now I'm thinking I'll stick with 5k's around here, and hope to run the occassional disney half.  I'm just not into the training like I was for the princess.  And yes it is the Wicked half.  I wonder if there will be some costumes.  Hmm that would help.  Our bathrooms are at 4.5 and 7.5 miles at a beach before and after we do the hilly section of Marblehead neck.  Nice to know the bad hills are only 3 miles.  I hope that will be enough for me.  Hate to have to go in the bushes along the way.   

*Lisa*- Oh well, glad it's not the gel, but bummer you're having that problem at all.  I hope the immodium will do the trick. 

Hello everyone else!! michael's having a meltdown, so gotta run.  xo


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Happy Birthday, Rose!  

I hope you had a fantastic day, and all your "4"s are now in alignment for an awesometastic year!

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I promised you an mini TR, and if I don't start it will never happen...

Monday, August 29th -- We decided to wait until later to leave, to give the storm clean-up time to happen. Based on what we were seeing on the Boston news, it didn't seem so bad...(note, this impression was corrected when we started seeing the news in Montreal, they were much more concerned about VT). So it was a pleasant drive. We went up about 2 hours in NH, then another 3 in VT, and then about 45 minutes in Canada to Montreal. I had never been in VT for any appreciable time before, and I found it to be quite Green. Just miles and miles of green trees, green mountains, a lovely state. We decided to get something to eat in Montpelier, and the golden dome of the capitol just seemed to sit and shimmer in the forest as we approached. So, by the time we got to the border, we were ready to be done. We didn't have any issues entering, and were on our way up the farmland. Dennis said it looked like we were in IL, and I had to agree. If the signs weren't in French, I would think I was in middle America. 

We were very pleased with our hotel. We had a suite so Ben had his own space to sleep and watch tv in. Unfortunately there weren't a ton of channels, but we brought the dvd player thinking that might be the case. We were beat, so we unpacked (we had a small kitchen), and walked to the local Mall. We had some not so great takeout, but we also found the close IGA, so that was fortuitous. We went to bed pretty quickly, we had a busy day ahead.

Tuesday, August 30th -- This is the day we scheduled a hop on/off bus tour, so we could get the lay of the land. It was a double decker bus, so of course my adventurers had to sit up top. This was fine for most of the tour, until it started pouring  We were all glad we had picked this, we felt like we had a much better handle of where things were and what we might like to do. We also learned there apparently is a rivalry between Toronto and Montreal. Who knew?  We spent the morning on the tour, then got off and had lunch. We went to the Notre Dame Basilica in the afternoon (absolutely beautiful church, where Celine Dion was married), and then back there in the evening for a light show. We went to Old Montreal for dinner, and Dennis had poutine. None for me, thanks  Then Dennis decided to take a walk to see St. Catherine Street, since his co-workers had told him so much about it  He went about 2 blocks and came back. It was a bit raunchy for him, and he wasn't overly comfortable being solicited 

The next day we wanted to walk around the city a bit. We went to the Underground City, and enjoyed the miles of mall -- but didn't really see anything that caught our fancy, much. We had lunch, and then we had to grab a taxi -- we had a tour of the headquarters of Cirque du Soleil scheduled! This was a special treat, they do not do tours for the public. Dennis works with them to find their space when they come to Boston, so we were offered a tour. We could not take any pictures,  but I was absolutely amazed at what goes into a production. Of course they have the studios where they practice the shows, a gym, etc. What I did not realize is they actually dye the material for all of their costumes, and then sew them. They make or adapt all the shoes, and make all the headpieces. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say it was extremely impressive, and they also do a lot for the communities they appear in, as well as Montreal's poorest neighborhood. We went back to Old Montreal for dinner. It was my turn to pick and I wanted a crepe! It was more dessert than dinner, but my crepe had a ton of fresh strawberries and sliced banana covered in Belgian chocolate sauce, with sides of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. No, not exactly on any diet 

Thursday, September 1st -- This was our last day in Montreal, and we planned to take the subway out to the Olympic Park. We found the subway to be quick, clean, and pretty easy to maneuver. We went up in the Olympic Tower, which had a fantastic view of the City and surrounding community. One thing we quickly discovered was there weren't really suburbs that go on for miles like around Boston, once you get out of Montreal it seems to be pretty farmy. We also toured the Biodome, with 5 habitats found around Canada and the animals that go with them. We did some more walking around Old Montreal, and ended up having dinner overlooking the marina. We did our final souvenir shopping (I got a couple of great pairs of artisan earrings and plenty of maple products for family and co-workers), and that's when Dennis sprang his brilliant idea for our exit on me -- wouldn't it be great if we could be on the road at 6am instead of 7:30?! 

Friday, September 2nd -- So, up at 5am, car packed, and groggy me and Ben are ready to hit the road. We were very happy to be over the border when we would have been leaving, but still...When we got to the border the guard asked Dennis where he worked, who Ben was, it was a little intimidating  but, safely back in the U.S. we were able to relax and enjoy the Green. We got home in early afternoon, I started the , we made our grocery list, and started putting away things we had out for the hurricane that didn't hit us, we were so fortunate. 

I am pleased to say I started eating correctly right away, and I've run 3M Sat. and today. 

We enjoyed Montreal, but I was struck by a couple of things.

The Good:

The news anchors were so multicultural they looked like the United Nations. And the sports announcer we saw was a very healthy woman. I liked that! 

The people were polite, and we could figure out most things without too much help. 

The Surprising:

Everyone seemed to be smoking -- all the time. It was hard for me (I'm allergic to smoke), but there were not smoking at all in indoor restaurants, so that was actually good.

We quickly got the impression that speaking English was frowned upon, even for tourists. From watching the news, we also felt like English-speakers were second-class citizens. That may not be the case at all, it was just the impression we got. 

I did keep thinking I would have a better time if I were at Disney -- I think part of that was all the smoking, and part of it was things were unfamiliar and we had to work to figure them out. The taxes seemed really high, and figuring how much something really cost was a more math than I wanted to do. 

The Verdict:

I am really glad we went, but I don't see the need to return any time in the near future. I don't know where next summer will take us, but I predict it will either involve a cruise or another big city in the U.S. My guys got a taste of non-theme park vacationing, and unlike me, I don't think they want to go back 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Ladies:

*Rose* I got on you FB yesterday but missed saying Happy Birthday to you on here so  I hope you had a wonderful day!!!!

*Taryn* I hope you have a great bday today!!!  I hope you enjoyed the game yesterday too.

*Lisa* So sorry about the running issues but at least you can use the gels you like.  I hope the meds work.  I admire you for not letting this get you down.

*Maria* What a great report.  I would agree although your trip sounded nice and you did get that culture you were looking for....disney just sounds so much more magical and fun.  Sorry your boys were not on the same page with that.  Although a cruise still sounds nice and there are many great places to visit in the US too.  I would recommend Chicago, St Louis or Memphis.  I have spent a day or two traveling around those cities and they have a lot to offer in both fun and learning about history.  

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday weekend.  I never got back on here after saturday morning but if you saw my FB post on sat you will know that Ryan had a great football game.  His team won 18-0.  He played so good and hard that they coaches gave him player of the game.  I was in tears.  He is so darn proud of himself and could not stop talking about it all night.  He got a cool trophy too.  The only part I have got to tell you about in the game is that a kid from the other team actually punched him on two seperate occasions.  The first time Ryan was blocking him and pushing him out of the way and Ryan turned around to run the other way and the kid punched him in the back.  My dh told the coach and he let the ref know.  Then later in the game Ryan was blocking him again and the kid started punching Ryan and stratching him in the face.  The refs or coaches didnt see it.  The mom next to me was like oh my god look at that kid.  So I wasnt just over reacting.  I let the coach know again. and I think they told the other teams coach because they took the kid out for the rest of the game.  I was proud of Ryan for not hitting back because that is what is taught of them at football but man did I want him just to pop that kid one.  Ryan came off crying but quickly got it together and went back in a play or two later.  He actually has a scratch and puffy eye as war wounds.  poor kid.  

Yesterday I worked all day at my uncles festival stand.  It was long and I was never so happy when I got home.  I did splurge and got a piece of pizza that I had been craving. We also gave some of the vendors free food so then they would bring back there food for us.  I had one garlic perogie, a roasted corn, 3 bites of garlic kielbasa, and a small serving of garlic ice cream.  Along with a piece of bruschetta and a few meatballs.
 I didnt weigh myself this morning but I bet i went up again.  The best of all of that was the garlic ice cream....it sounds gross but it is oh so delicious.  My mouth is not tasting so good this morning though from all that garlic.

Today we may or may not go to the fair.  They want rain on/off all day so we are still trying to decide.  

Talk to you soon.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Kathy,* it looks like they have prizes for costumes for your half so it should be fun to see what people come up with.   

The Disney Halloween 5K looked like fun when it was in the MK but AK?   That isn't too Halloween-ish to me, especially in the morning.  I'm thinking I have DH convinced to go to WDW with me in October 2012 so I can get my C2C.  

Hope the meltdown passed quickly!   Have a little of that before school tension thing going on, huh? 

*Maria,* loved your TR!   Sounds like a wonderful, interesting time.  It would have been especially fun to see all the materials and things used for the costumes at Cirque du Soleil.   

I'm like you, though, I'd rather have my dosage of foreign culture Disney style!  

Hello to the rest of our Princesses and Belles!    Enjoy your Labor Day!


----------



## lisah0711

Looks like we were posting at the same time, *Lindsay.*  

Sorry about Ryan and that other kid.    Thank goodness Ryan did exactly what he was supposed, too.  These are little guys -- I know my nephew used to get pretty banged up in high school football.   

Yum, garlic ice cream?!?   I think I'll just take your word for it that it is yummy . . .    Enjoy the fair, if you go!

I forgot to say earlier, safe travels to *Rose.*


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses!!

I never made it back here last night either, but we had a very nice rest of the day after the little meltdown that cut my dis time short.  Ds had a friend over for a while and then his mom and brother came for lunch and we went back to their house later to swim.  We stopped to visit my brother for a while and michael swam there too, and when we came home we watched the movie Rudy.  I've been thinking michael needs to watch some football on tv, since we don't usually, so I figured I'd find some football movies for him.   Bad mommmy last week I made him watch the pilot of Friday night Lights, which started of ok, but ended up with the star quarterback in the er with a broken neck.  Not exactly the motivational football show I was hoping for.   He did take it all in stride, and we talked about learning the right way to tackle, and not using your head, etc.  When I was a sophomore a senior in my hs broke his neck at the thanksgiving game, so it does freak me out a bit.  Part of me wants him to love it, and it seems like he's going to, and the other part of me wants him to only play this year, and stick with band.  Our hs band is going to hawaii this year.  They do a big trip every other year, the Rose bowl many times, and so I hope he sticks with band.  For selfish reasons. 

*Lisa*- Thanks for looking up about my race and costumes.  I don't think I'll wear one.  But you never know.  I might wake up feeling princessey.  Ooooh, a c2c in 2012!!  How exciting.  That would be the wine and dine?  A dis meet with rose and mike is in your future I think.  That is great Ed will be going too.  Will the Tink be a solo trip for you?  

*Maria* -Welcome home!!  Love the trip report.  Sounds very interesting but just not disney.  Why does disney do this to us? We are thinking of doing Niagara Falls in April with my brother and family.  We love travelling with them because the kids have each other to entertain.  Too bad about the tv.  Michael loves hotels because they have way more channels than we have at home.  He caught up on the disney and nick shows last week in the cape.  I was thinking one summer maybe trying to see the Red Sox in some other city, Chicago, or Baltimore and seeing those cities.  We'll see.  Lots I want to do, but I don't always have the funds to back up my planning.

*Lindsay*- Ryan looks so cute with the trophy and he must have been on cloud 9, even with the bully on the other team.  It must have been so tough to watch him from the sidelines when that kid was being mean.  He did well, not to retalliate.  I bet you burned some calories in your uncle's stand in the heat to make up for what you ate.  Garlic Ice cream, hmmm, don't think I would like that.  

*Happy birthdays Taryn and Rose!!*  Hope you both had magical days!!

*Nancy*- Hope your enjoying your celebration this weekend!  You look marvelous in the pic on facebook your friend posted. 

Well, I just paid my bills and have to admit to myself that I can't go to disney in december.  So in going forward, I will say that I hope to do the 2014 jan half for my 50th bday.  That's just over 2 years away.  And that year we want to do a cruise in april, so I can start planning that next spring, 2 years out.  So for now, I think I'll peruse the Niagara falls websites.  

Though I'm on call today, so maybe the lottery tickets will come through for me. 

Have a lovely day princesses!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

We are home. I need to do replies and I'll do a little trip report, but we got a little shock this morning that I am still processing.

Do you all remember me talking about our friends that we see about once a month? They are a little older than us and really the people we are closest to in town. Well, we had a message from them when we got back and Mike called today. Our friend's dad has not been doing well, and they had to contact Hospice and they had to admit his mom to the hospital cause she is having some major problems related to her alzheimers/dementia. It was pretty bad this weekend. But the worst part--our friend had cancer a couple of year's ago and it is back. He is going to have to have radiation again. They are hoping they caught it in time, but it kind of threw us for a loop. If I could have picked my parents, I would have picked them. So send good thoughts our way, they have so much going on right now. 

So, I will be back on later today or tomorrow to catch up with everyone. We skipped the game this afternoon and took a nap instead. Still have to get together a grocery list.


----------



## Rose&Mike

I am watching the news and THANK GOODNESS we got cheap airfare and came back yesterday. I have a feeling we would be sitting in an airport somewhere tonight if we tried to come home today. It was 100+ here Saturday and today I'm not even sure if we will hit 70. Crazy weather!

*Lisa*--I am sorry the stomach stuff is still not going well. It really is not fun. I also found that consistently getting enough fiber really helped too. For me that meant lots of beans. Probably tmi, but when things are not moving the way they should during the week, they tend to move too much during runs, if that makes sense.

*Nancy*--I'm sorry about the crazy inlaws. My late sil was a doozy. She drove me insane. Everyone else loved her, but Mike and I got really tired of all her issues/plans/stuff. Your trip sounds great! You all are going to have lots of fun! The weather was in the low 90s/high humidity. We loved it--but we love warm weather. Definitely take the afternoons off--we were even hot and sticky in the afternoon. And drink lots and lots of water. Downtown Disney was an absolute zoo this weekend. It was very crowded. If you all need to do something relaxing, take the boat from dtd to Old Key West and check out the big pool. It's right near the boat dock. The boat ride was so relaxing. You can pool hop with DVC--so you could swim if you wanted to, but Mike and I are planning on taking the boat ride again in October, just cause we enjoyed it so much. We had breakfast at Olivia's at OKW and we really enjoyed it. They have another pool near the Turtle Pond bus stop which has a huge playground. That's where they played the reggae music. I'll post some pics later. The Halloween decorations on main street on fabulous! I'm glad you all had a great weekend.

*Lindsay*--I can't believe that kid kept hitting Ryan during the game! What a turd! Good for Ryan for holding it together--that's such a hard lesson to learn. Good luck with the SB this week. I love garlic--and I love ice cream--but I am having trouble putting the two together.

*Maria*--I think I said this on the other thread, but glad you had a good trip. I wouldn't have like the smokiness either. There was a girl smoking at one of the bus stops and it was so windy it was blowing all over everyone and I said something to Mike, basically that she might as well come just stand beside us and smoke, and her friend heard us and got very snarky. But I wasn't talking to her and she really should have minded her own business. I'm with you and Lisa--I am having to do my "foreign travel" at WDW.

*Kathy*--We went to Niagra Falls many, many years ago and really enjoyed it! Lots to do. I would totally go back if it wasn't so far to travel. Good luck with your runs this week! 

******
I'm sure I missed stuff. It sounds like everyone had a good weekend. It was such a relief to come back and see the new challenge up and running. Janis seems to have things under control, though I'm not sure what is going to happen with WIN.

Well, I found out this weekend, I am definitely not in menopause, yet. All it takes is a trip to WDW. I'm sure I will be dealing with it again for W&D. What a pain!

We skipped our run this weekend. The plan for this week--run tomorrow, some kind of workout Wed, run Thursday, off Friday, long run Saturday, off Sunday. I still haven't decided if I am going to be a Loser or Maintainer for the new challenge. The surprise this weekend does explain why I have been having so much trouble with my weight being a little up the last week or so. I have had pms all summer I guess.

*Happy Birthday Taryn*--I hope you had a great day!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Happy Birthday, Taryn!  

Hope you had an Awesometastic, Splendiforous day! 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

mommyof2Pirates said:


> *Maria* What a great report.  I would agree although your trip sounded nice and you did get that culture you were looking for....disney just sounds so much more magical and fun.  Sorry your boys were not on the same page with that.  Although a cruise still sounds nice and there are many great places to visit in the US too.  I would recommend Chicago, St Louis or Memphis.  I have spent a day or two traveling around those cities and they have a lot to offer in both fun and learning about history.



Congratulations to Ryan for his fabulous game! That is so awesome -- and even better because he ignored the rotten bully and played correctly  I have to chuckle a little at your recommendations -- I grew up in St. Louis county, visited Chicago a few times, and Memphis once. I agree, these are all good choices  Garlic ice cream...that would be a new taste for me. I will trust you that it is yummy. Hey, if they deep fried it I'm sure I would love it. Pretty much everything tastes good deep fried 



lisah0711 said:


> I'm thinking I have DH convinced to go to WDW with me in October 2012 so I can get my C2C.
> 
> That is excellent news! I keep warning Dennis I want to do C2C, and he just looks off into space
> 
> *Maria,* loved your TR!   Sounds like a wonderful, interesting time.  It would have been especially fun to see all the materials and things used for the costumes at Cirque du Soleil.
> 
> I'm like you, though, I'd rather have my dosage of foreign culture Disney style!



Yep, Epcot is really good enough for me -- although my Canadian DIS pal Vicky swears we would have more fun in Toronto...of course we would, Vicky's there! 



mikamah said:


> *Maria* -Welcome home!!  Love the trip report.  Sounds very interesting but just not disney.  Why does disney do this to us? We are thinking of doing Niagara Falls in April with my brother and family.  We love travelling with them because the kids have each other to entertain.  Too bad about the tv.  Michael loves hotels because they have way more channels than we have at home.  He caught up on the disney and nick shows last week in the cape.  I was thinking one summer maybe trying to see the Red Sox in some other city, Chicago, or Baltimore and seeing those cities.  We'll see.  Lots I want to do, but I don't always have the funds to back up my planning.



We have Niagara Falls on our list, too, but I'm not sure when we would go...Dennis hasn't recovered from this trip enough yet to start talking about the next one  I'm sorry about the Dec trip, I know that would have been a blessing -- but I give you kudos for being a responsible adult. That is hard at times, but you are setting a good example for Michael, and in the end you will be glad you aren't overstepping your means. That's what I keep telling myself, anyway  On the bright side, you have our fun   holiday ornament exchange to look forward to in December! I bet we will have a blast with that! 



Rose&Mike said:


> *Maria*--I think I said this on the other thread, but glad you had a good trip. I wouldn't have like the smokiness either. There was a girl smoking at one of the bus stops and it was so windy it was blowing all over everyone and I said something to Mike, basically that she might as well come just stand beside us and smoke, and her friend heard us and got very snarky. But I wasn't talking to her and she really should have minded her own business. I'm with you and Lisa--I am having to do my "foreign travel" at WDW.



I applaud you for speaking up. I think people can be so inconsiderate. I'm glad you had a good trip, and just think, you'll be back before you know it! 

 to *Nancy, Lisa, Jude*! Hope you had a wonderful long holiday weekend!


I saw a photo of myself from Jan WDW online and it was sobering. I looked so big to myself...I can tell I've lost weight since then. Not as much as I wanted, but I can definitely see a difference in how I'm carrying the weight, at least. 

I did 3M at Deer Island again today. Saturday my ifitness belt was slipping around my waist, so today I took it in a couple of inches and it stayed in place. I guess that's proof right there I am getting smaller -- or at least better distributed 

I am modifying my low carb to be Phase 2 of SB -- *Lindsay*, you have inspired me! It doesn't take much modification at all, and I feel better about eating leaner cuts of meat and a bit more fruit. I know I probably should do Phase 1 first, but I tried that for 2 days and it wasn't pretty, so I'm going to see if I'm "detoxed" enough to lose on Phase 2. I really, really want to weigh a lot less for Princess, and with the stressful work month I have coming up (Seriously, you guys may not see me much in Sept., but I will be reading along and do my best to post a little every day), I need to have something simple I can follow. Did I mention we are hosting an elderly convention this month?  Ok, not really, but my dad and smom are coming to go on a cruise to Canada (a gift from us for his 75th birthday!), and they're staying with us a few days before and a few days after. While they are on the cruise, Dennis's sdad and his wife are coming to stay with us for 3 days. It's going to make running on the TM virtually impossible, so this should be interesting. And I can't take much time off from work, because of the 80 zillion things I have to accomplish. 

I'm going to be up and on my way to work tomorrow at 6:30, so off to bed soon. 

Everyone have a fantastic week, Welcome to September!


Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i have a couple pages to catch up on but want to say a quick hello! i've missed not chatting with you over the weekend and i thought of you often  i chatted with a few people from the neighborhood about the princess half marathon and told them i met some really great people! they were surprised that i went down to WDW by myself and i said that if i hadn't gone by myself i wouldn't have met you  

we had a really nice weekend. i took some pictures but forgot my camera most of the time. doh! 

i'm going to finish my coffee and start in on cleaning the house today.  it's actually not that bad. my guests are like the NICEST and most considerate people ever. the guest room doesn't even look like anyone stayed there! 

ok, be back on the catch up on everyone's weekend!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria--Oh, I know where you can visit--you can come see us! Then we can do all the tourist stuff we never do! I hope this month is not as stressful as you are anticipating.

*****
So I started my trip report, but I wanted to tell you all what happened with my friend--that I probably won't put in the trip report. We had planned to meet at Epcot at 8:00. 

Mike and I had dinner at Kouzzina and hurried a little bit at the end so that we wouldn't be late. Do you see where this is going?  We got to the meeting spot at 7:55.  8:05, nothing, 8:10 nothing, 8:15 nothing. I had sent her my cell phone and I had hers and I was contemplating sending her a text when I decided to check facebook. She sent me a facebook message at 8:10 saying she wouldn't be able to make it cause they were doing a princess dinner at norway. Ok, really, she didn't know that earlier???? She couldn't send an actual text????? What if I didn't have facebook on my phone? Ok, whatever, stuff happens. But the issue for me--it triggered all my abandonment issues--I take things so personally--the whole if your mom doesn't love you, no one can thing. Anyhow, we still had a good night--which I will put in the report, but it was pretty frustrating.

It is so cool and yucky here. I guess summer is over. I am still hoping we get some more hot days. Time to go to work--back to data conversion. Have a great day!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, Princesses and Lisabelles!!

*Rose*- I'm so sorry to hear about your friends and all they have going on.  When it rains it pours, and I'll pray for peace for you all.  
Your friend was just plain rude and selfish to cancel that way.  I would have been so mad, and hurt too.  She obviously was just being thoughtless, and maybe the princess dinner was a last minute thing, but still she should have let you know earlier.  Very frustrating for you, but I'm sure it was nothing personal, though I would have felt the same way.    I wish I could have met you in Epcot!!  Can't wait to read your trip report.  

I just read the end of *Lindsay*s princess trip report, if anyone is interested!!  It was so nice to relive that trip through hers.  I wish I had done one myself.  I did do my little scrapbook, so that's something, at least, but maybe now with fall coming, I'll get moving on some other scrapbooking. 

*Maria*-  Hope work goes smoothly this month for you, and i love the Elder convention you're having.   At least it will make you feel young while they are there.  What a great gift for your dad to give him the cruise.  My mom always wanted to take a cruise, and she started planning one shortly before she got sick.  She was going to take us on the boston-bermuda the following summer.  I'm sure your dad and smom will have a wonderful time.  I was thinking about the ornament exchange the other day, and can't wait!!  That will be fun.

*Nancy*- Sounds like a wonderful weekend.  Was it the weekend of Oct  1st you were coming to Boston?  I got ds's game schedule, and he has a sunday 8:30 am game, so other than that, we'd love to come into boston and see you.  I can't believe it's almost fall already.  

Hello to Lisa, Lisa, Lindsay, Jude, Corinna, and taryn!!  Hope you're all having a good week.

It's michael's last day of vacation!  We hung out at home all day yesterday, played some games, read, a friend stopped by, had a really nice, low key day.  Now we're heading to drop his epipen at school, and go minigolfing.  I finished my book, The Memory Keepers Daughter.  It was great.  I couldn't put it down last night.  I enjoy reading, but normally don't get to do it as much as I'd like, mostly on vacations, but the past 2 nights michael's laid on my bed and read with me before he went to bed, so we decided that on school nights, we'd lay down at 8 and read for a half hour before bed together.  I think I bought 4 other books, that I didn't get to on vacation.  

I'm a running slacker.  It's raining, and I just couldn't get motivated.  Tomorrow I will though.  No excuses, rain or shine.  I hope getting a long run/walk in tomorrow will motivate me to stick with it.  I think I need to change it to walk/run, and maybe walk/walk.  Oh well, I'm going to go out and do the best I can for my half in 18 days.  It is what it is, right Lisa?  

Have a great day!!


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*-When I was into reading trip reports a while ago, I read this guy Nebo's and they always cracked me up.  He's got a new one, and he's there now, and will be at BLT next week, so if you see him and his wife smidgy, say hello.  I'm sure you've got plenty of time to sit around and read trip reports this week, but they are pretty entertaining. 

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2783378


----------



## liesel

I'm still around, I've just been very busy!  Hawaii is in 11 days and I can't wait!    I've been busier than ever with the kids in school.  Running errands, getting ready for our trip, volunteering at the school 2 days a week, and all that stuff that you don't usually have time for and just let go.  I threw myself into working out and completely overdid it.  I was finally getting in all my runs after struggling to make time for them over the summer plus I added an extra 1.8 miles a day walking the kids to and from school (and didn't count this as a mileage increase ).  After 3 weeks of this, my legs gave out!  My tendon has flared up and I have a lovely case of shin splints.  I haven't run in 9 days, but I have greatly improved during this time.  I hope to ease into some cross training this week (I was thinking swimming and eliptical-open to other suggestions) and start some easy runs next week.


I am trying to be good and stay focused on Tink training and do NO races until I am fully healed and back to training.  If I come on here and start babbling about doing a race this month, feel free to yell at me!  I also plan to get to the running store before Tink training starts and get my shoes checked out.  I might need new ones.

*LisaH* I am doing the beginner Tink plan, which starts September 13th (my anniversary! ).  The long runs are on December 17th and January 7th.  This plan has 3 mile runs on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's weekends, so I'll most likely only be doing 3 miles on Dec 24th, but I'm definitely in for a virtual jingle bell run!  With our crazy Colorado winters, I'll have to have some backup dates in mind for the long runs.  I am also thinking of doing a 10K race on Dec 17th (weather permitting) and I was wondering if everyone thinks its worth getting an actual 10K race under my belt, but maybe only getting one 13-14 mile run in instead of 2, depending on recovery, schedule, weather, etc.  I've done 2 5Ks and one four miler so far and might do our town's 5K turkey trot on Thanksgiving, but I don't have anything else scheduled until the Tink.  I think I'd feel better doing one 10K before then.  It sounds like your training is going well, I hope the tummy troubles are resolved!

*Rose* In case you didn't see the other thread, I hope you had a happy birthday!   to your friends and everything they are going through.  I'll definitely check out your TR.

*Nancy* It sounds like you have a great trip planned!  I can't wait for a TR!  I flew on September 11th 4 years ago and it was definitely less busy.  There was heightened security, but with less people it still took the same amount of time.  The pilot thanked us for choosing to fly on that day.  Your neighborhood block party sounded like lots of fun and I loved the story about your grandpa, what a guy!   for all the family drama.

*Kathy* I'm glad you had a great vacation, I've never been to any of the places mentioned, but it sounded wonderful.  I'm sure you'll do great on this next half!

*Lindsay* I can't believe your poor son got punched twice!  That's fantastic he was named player of the game!  There is a huge garlic festival in Gilroy, Ca and I know they have garlic ice cream.  I've always wanted to try it.  Someday, we'll make it there.  I've been told that you can smell the festival from quite a distance.  

*Maria* I haven't had a chance to read your trip report to Montreal, but I'll be sure to check it out.

*Taryn* Sorry about your uncle's passing.   Congrats on the 5 pounds, and sorry about being sick.  Good luck with your students this year, they sound like a handful.

Well, September is a crazy month for me, but I swear I'll be better about checking in.  Thanks for not kicking me out.  DH is traveling part of this week and part of next week, our anniversary is the 13th, and then we have our Hawaii trip to celebrate DH, DS and DD's birthdays.  DH has a milestone birthday on the 18th that he is not thrilled about, DD's birthday is on the 20th, and DS is on the 21st.  They each get to plan their special day, and I can post the details some other time if anyone out there is interested.  Have a great day princesses and belles!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Quick Howdy!

*Lisa* -- How did I miss that you are Hawaii-bound?! That is fantastic. What a blessing for your entire family  I would love to hear about all the activities for the special days, this sounds like fun! 

*Kathy* -- I love that you and Michael are reading together before bed. That is a wonderful habit and a great way to bond  Ben goes back to school on Thursday. I am expecting to find he has a clean bedroom when I get home. My expectations may not be met 

*Rose* -- I spent a week in Lexington for a training many years ago. I don't remember much, but I think it was sunny and beautiful  When we would visit my grandparents in southern Missouri, we would get the Paducah tv stations. I always thought that was amazing. I didn't get out much as a child  I am so sorry your friend did that, it was just wrong. And I get where you are coming from, my first thought would have been it was somehow my deficiency -- but that is just not true! I'm hoping I can make some plans with you and Mike for Princess weekend. Dinner at Boma was really nice -- and I loved seeing your unique desserts -- See, you are a special person! 

*Nancy* -- I'm glad you have such considerate guests! I'm sure I'll have a few stories to tell from our company. They always mean well, but we are determined not to let my smom try to cook dinner. It doesn't end well 

*Lisah* -- How is your tummy? I don't know how I missed it, I hope you're better now. 

So, I didn't run today since I just did 3 days in a row. I feel like a slacker, but I know my limits  I've decided to expand my TM workouts with time rather than intensity. I want to work up to an hour each morning. I've been doing 3M in 35 minutes, and I think if I do more I'll see better results. I've gone to 40minutes this week, and I'll keep adding 5 minutes at a time. I was surprised how much harder it felt -- but I think that's because I hadn't run in so long. 

I gained 4 lbs while I was away. Three of them are gone so far, I'm hoping to be back where I was before I left (ok, I'm really hoping to be lower). I'm determined not to get derailed by the wedding we have to attend Saturday. One of Dennis's friends is having a second marriage -- the wedding and reception are both at a bar/restaurant, so this should be interesting  I did have the sense to order haddock for my meal, so hopefully it won't be swimming in batter and will come with a salad. No wedding cake for me, unless it's carrot cake and then I'm having 3 bites. If I keep telling myself that, maybe it will happen. I will be totally nervous and out of my comfort zone and barely know a soul, so we'll see. Maybe I can be on my Blackberry and no one will notice  

I've been at work for 9 hours and I'm getting punchy. I need to do some writing, but I think it's going to have to wait until tomorrow. I am spent.

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- Your weekend sounded and looked like such a blast.  I love your fb post today about the jokes of driving off the cliff.  I just love your families sense of humor.  Your trip is so close you must be getting so excited.  Does thomas get the idea that you will be seeing mickey soon???

Rose- Sorry to hear about your friends how sad.  I hope everything works out for the best with them.  I will send my prayers.  Im so glad you had a nice trip.  I cant wait to read your TR.  and pooh on your friend...how horrible.  

Kathy- I just admire your relationship with Michael.  Reading together at night...how special and I agree with Maria...such a great habit.  I hope school goes well for him tomorrow.  Its back to reality.

Maria- sorry for the busy season approaching.  I am in the same boat so we can keep each other sane...well except I dont have a senior convention happening but I do have to deal with my nana and grammy on a pretty regular basis so Im gonna say I feel your pain. 

Liesel- Sorry for the aches and pains but you were smart to take a break.  No use in overdoing it!  I would love to hear more about your hawaii plans.

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

Oh I forgot to tell you my good work news.  I had my eval from my boss last thursday.  He confidentially told me I got the highest score out of all of the managers under him.  Only 6 total but still.  There are a few who have been in the same position for 20+ years.  I was very amazed and proud of what I have done.  I actually surprise myself because I think what I do is just ordinary but it was nice to hear all the good stuff he thought.  Now I just have to keep up the good work.  I am working on a few really really huge high profile things so I am really starting to feel the stress and pressure.  I keep telling my self I will not eat my way through this.  I think by the summer I will need a really long vacation.  I havent said much to my mom but I am not sure a week long vacation with my whole family is what I am looking forward...I need peace.  I am just not sure if going to the shore for a week with my entire family is what I want but I am afraid I will hurt their feelings if we say no.  Not sure what to do but I think there is still time to ponder on that before reservations need to be made.

Well tonights practice was cancelled due to rain.  thank the lord.

I have to get back to my boys now.  We are having a bow and arrow tournament tonight.  How fun 

Have a good evening.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> Good morning ladies,
> 
> *Nancy*-So sorry to hear about your mil and sil.  It must be so frustrating to not get real information about such serious issues.  I agree with you, if it was me told by a lab person (which is doubtful) then i would be right on getting more info and staging.  Makes me think about my sister and I both when we had our mammograms we got called back for more films, which made my sister very nervous and she never told anyone because she thought she was going to have cancer, but both of us were fine, so I wonder if it could be something like that.  Though even for that, my doctor called me not the lab, but I could see that the x-ray dept might call to schedule more films.  I hope she is ok, and maybe it is not cancer but something like that.



kathy - SIL was supposed to call the doctor today (tuesday). i asked john if he spoke to her and he said no. so, who knows. i still find it very strange that a lab would call and say, "you have cancer, call someone 4 days from now." but whatever. john did tell me that his mother said that it was the birth of our second child that kept her alive during her surgery. o.m.g. 



lisah0711 said:


> Did you see our Tinker Bell Half training schedule starts September 20th?   Just two days after my half.   And it goes to 19 miles now if you're going for time.   Might as well start training for a full.   There is talk about turning the 17 miler scheduled for Christmas Eve into a virtual jingle bell run.



lisa, do you think you'll get up to 19 miles for the tinker-half? that is like...SO MUCH! 17 miles on christmas eve! sheesh! santa better bring YOU the tray of cookies after that instead of him eating them all for himself!



mikamah said:


> Our bathrooms are at 4.5 and 7.5 miles at a beach before and after we do the hilly section of Marblehead neck.  Nice to know the bad hills are only 3 miles.  I hope that will be enough for me.  Hate to have to go in the bushes along the way.
> 
> *Lisa*- Oh well, glad it's not the gel, but bummer you're having that problem at all.  I hope the immodium will do the trick.
> 
> Hello everyone else!! michael's having a meltdown, so gotta run.  xo



what was michael's meltdown about? you mean they don't stop those at age 2? darn! 
did you have to stop to pee alot during the princess half? i was so afraid that i'd have to pee that i went 100 times before we started and didn't drink alot during the race. dumb. my running capris were SO tight that i was afraid they wouldn't go back on if i took them off to pee!  i remember at the princess half there were gals squatting in the bushes before the first mile marker! 



Worfiedoodles said:


> I promised you an mini TR, and if I don't start it will never happen...
> 
> Monday, August 29th -- We decided to wait until later to leave, to give the storm clean-up time to happen. Based on what we were seeing on the Boston news, it didn't seem so bad...(note, this impression was corrected when we started seeing the news in Montreal, they were much more concerned about VT). So it was a pleasant drive. We went up about 2 hours in NH, then another 3 in VT, and then about 45 minutes in Canada to Montreal. I had never been in VT for any appreciable time before, and I found it to be quite Green. Just miles and miles of green trees, green mountains, a lovely state. We decided to get something to eat in Montpelier, and the golden dome of the capitol just seemed to sit and shimmer in the forest as we approached. So, by the time we got to the border, we were ready to be done. We didn't have any issues entering, and were on our way up the farmland. Dennis said it looked like we were in IL, and I had to agree. If the signs weren't in French, I would think I was in middle America.
> 
> i always feel like different countries should look different but really for the most part the ones with similar climates look the same. ireland is very green and i remember thinking, hmmm, this could be connecticut during some parts of our driving. but then i'd see all the sheep and realize i was in no CT suburb!
> 
> We were very pleased with our hotel. We had a suite so Ben had his own space to sleep and watch tv in. Unfortunately there weren't a ton of channels, but we brought the dvd player thinking that might be the case. We were beat, so we unpacked (we had a small kitchen), and walked to the local Mall. We had some not so great takeout, but we also found the close IGA, so that was fortuitous. We went to bed pretty quickly, we had a busy day ahead.
> 
> a suite sounds really nice! having the extra room to spread out sounds perfect and i'm sure ben appreciated his own space!
> 
> Tuesday, August 30th -- This is the day we scheduled a hop on/off bus tour, so we could get the lay of the land. It was a double decker bus, so of course my adventurers had to sit up top. This was fine for most of the tour, until it started pouring  We were all glad we had picked this, we felt like we had a much better handle of where things were and what we might like to do. We also learned there apparently is a rivalry between Toronto and Montreal. Who knew?  We spent the morning on the tour, then got off and had lunch. We went to the Notre Dame Basilica in the afternoon (absolutely beautiful church, where Celine Dion was married), and then back there in the evening for a light show. We went to Old Montreal for dinner, and Dennis had poutine. None for me, thanks  Then Dennis decided to take a walk to see St. Catherine Street, since his co-workers had told him so much about it  He went about 2 blocks and came back. It was a bit raunchy for him, and he wasn't overly comfortable being solicited
> 
> john and i swear by hop on/hop off tour buses. it's the best way to see the cities you're visiting AND you can get an idea of where things actually are without getting too lost trying to find them yourself. when we go to ireland and stay in dublin for a few days we do the bus tour - it actually doubles as a great way to get to/from john's family. we have done the bus tour here in nyc when friends come and it's really good! when you live in a city you don't really do the touristy stuff so it was fun to actually see some things that i don't usually pay attention to! we've done the tours in paris and london and rome too (the rome one was terrible...everyone smoked on the bus!)
> 
> The next day we wanted to walk around the city a bit. We went to the Underground City, and enjoyed the miles of mall -- but didn't really see anything that caught our fancy, much. We had lunch, and then we had to grab a taxi -- we had a tour of the headquarters of Cirque du Soleil scheduled! This was a special treat, they do not do tours for the public. Dennis works with them to find their space when they come to Boston, so we were offered a tour. We could not take any pictures,  but I was absolutely amazed at what goes into a production. Of course they have the studios where they practice the shows, a gym, etc. What I did not realize is they actually dye the material for all of their costumes, and then sew them. They make or adapt all the shoes, and make all the headpieces. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say it was extremely impressive, and they also do a lot for the communities they appear in, as well as Montreal's poorest neighborhood. We went back to Old Montreal for dinner. It was my turn to pick and I wanted a crepe! It was more dessert than dinner, but my crepe had a ton of fresh strawberries and sliced banana covered in Belgian chocolate sauce, with sides of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. No, not exactly on any diet
> 
> oh man the special tour sounds amazing!!! how cool that you got to see stuff that normal folks don't get to see! the crepe sounds devine
> 
> Thursday, September 1st -- This was our last day in Montreal, and we planned to take the subway out to the Olympic Park. We found the subway to be quick, clean, and pretty easy to maneuver. We went up in the Olympic Tower, which had a fantastic view of the City and surrounding community. One thing we quickly discovered was there weren't really suburbs that go on for miles like around Boston, once you get out of Montreal it seems to be pretty farmy. We also toured the Biodome, with 5 habitats found around Canada and the animals that go with them. We did some more walking around Old Montreal, and ended up having dinner overlooking the marina. We did our final souvenir shopping (I got a couple of great pairs of artisan earrings and plenty of maple products for family and co-workers), and that's when Dennis sprang his brilliant idea for our exit on me -- wouldn't it be great if we could be on the road at 6am instead of 7:30?!
> 
> Friday, September 2nd -- So, up at 5am, car packed, and groggy me and Ben are ready to hit the road. We were very happy to be over the border when we would have been leaving, but still...When we got to the border the guard asked Dennis where he worked, who Ben was, it was a little intimidating  but, safely back in the U.S. we were able to relax and enjoy the Green. We got home in early afternoon, I started the , we made our grocery list, and started putting away things we had out for the hurricane that didn't hit us, we were so fortunate.
> 
> I am pleased to say I started eating correctly right away, and I've run 3M Sat. and today.
> 
> We enjoyed Montreal, but I was struck by a couple of things.
> 
> The Good:
> 
> The news anchors were so multicultural they looked like the United Nations. And the sports announcer we saw was a very healthy woman. I liked that!
> 
> The people were polite, and we could figure out most things without too much help.
> 
> The Surprising:
> 
> Everyone seemed to be smoking -- all the time. It was hard for me (I'm allergic to smoke), but there were not smoking at all in indoor restaurants, so that was actually good.
> 
> We quickly got the impression that speaking English was frowned upon, even for tourists. From watching the news, we also felt like English-speakers were second-class citizens. That may not be the case at all, it was just the impression we got.
> 
> I did keep thinking I would have a better time if I were at Disney -- I think part of that was all the smoking, and part of it was things were unfamiliar and we had to work to figure them out. The taxes seemed really high, and figuring how much something really cost was a more math than I wanted to do.
> 
> The Verdict:
> 
> I am really glad we went, but I don't see the need to return any time in the near future. I don't know where next summer will take us, but I predict it will either involve a cruise or another big city in the U.S. My guys got a taste of non-theme park vacationing, and unlike me, I don't think they want to go back
> 
> Maria



ah, typical french attitude, right? when we were in paris a few years ago we felt that whole snotty french thing....and we're from nyc where everyone's supposedly snotty! even the bodega guy was nasty to us. overall it sounds like a great trip. i felt the same way about paris - glad i went, don't need to go again. i'll stick to france in epcot. lol! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday weekend.  I never got back on here after saturday morning but if you saw my FB post on sat you will know that Ryan had a great football game.  His team won 18-0.  He played so good and hard that they coaches gave him player of the game.  I was in tears.  He is so darn proud of himself and could not stop talking about it all night.  He got a cool trophy too.  The only part I have got to tell you about in the game is that a kid from the other team actually punched him on two seperate occasions.  The first time Ryan was blocking him and pushing him out of the way and Ryan turned around to run the other way and the kid punched him in the back.  My dh told the coach and he let the ref know.  Then later in the game Ryan was blocking him again and the kid started punching Ryan and stratching him in the face.  The refs or coaches didnt see it.  The mom next to me was like oh my god look at that kid.  So I wasnt just over reacting.  I let the coach know again. and I think they told the other teams coach because they took the kid out for the rest of the game.  I was proud of Ryan for not hitting back because that is what is taught of them at football but man did I want him just to pop that kid one.  Ryan came off crying but quickly got it together and went back in a play or two later.  He actually has a scratch and puffy eye as war wounds.  poor kid.
> 
> Yesterday I worked all day at my uncles festival stand.  It was long and I was never so happy when I got home.  I did splurge and got a piece of pizza that I had been craving. We also gave some of the vendors free food so then they would bring back there food for us.  I had one garlic perogie, a roasted corn, 3 bites of garlic kielbasa, and a small serving of garlic ice cream.  Along with a piece of bruschetta and a few meatballs.
> I didnt weigh myself this morning but I bet i went up again.  The best of all of that was the garlic ice cream....it sounds gross but it is oh so delicious.  My mouth is not tasting so good this morning though from all that garlic.
> 
> Today we may or may not go to the fair.  They want rain on/off all day so we are still trying to decide.
> 
> Talk to you soon.



garlic ice cream???

aw, great job ryan! what a good boy for playing fair and right and not like that other boy! player of the game!! wow! i'd cry too!!! good for him. thomas starts soccer on saturday which is just going to be hilarious. knowing me if at any point he actually kicks the ball with his foot i'll probably cry! i played soccer for YEARS and traveled the country doing it so i will have to tone down my excitement and remind myself that it's a 2 year old! lol!



lisah0711 said:


> I'm like you, though, I'd rather have my dosage of foreign culture Disney style!



yeah, as much as i'd love to go to morocco, i think i'd be ok with just being at the one in epcot. my friend just came back from 2 weeks in morocco - i'll take his word for it how hot it was and how stinky the camels were! 



mikamah said:


> Good morning princesses!!
> 
> I never made it back here last night either, but we had a very nice rest of the day after the little meltdown that cut my dis time short.  Ds had a friend over for a while and then his mom and brother came for lunch and we went back to their house later to swim.  We stopped to visit my brother for a while and michael swam there too, and when we came home we watched the movie Rudy.  I've been thinking michael needs to watch some football on tv, since we don't usually, so I figured I'd find some football movies for him.   Bad mommmy last week I made him watch the pilot of Friday night Lights, which started of ok, but ended up with the star quarterback in the er with a broken neck.  Not exactly the motivational football show I was hoping for.   He did take it all in stride, and we talked about learning the right way to tackle, and not using your head, etc.  When I was a sophomore a senior in my hs broke his neck at the thanksgiving game, so it does freak me out a bit.  Part of me wants him to love it, and it seems like he's going to, and the other part of me wants him to only play this year, and stick with band.  Our hs band is going to hawaii this year.  They do a big trip every other year, the Rose bowl many times, and so I hope he sticks with band.  For selfish reasons.
> 
> ooo! hawaii! we met some people while camping in gettysburg who have kids who are in their hs band and have been to hawaii and disney! so cool! my hs band was so bad. we could barely march forward correctly!
> 
> i've heard friday night lights is a good show! i kinda sorta want to watch it. oh and rudy? gotta love that movie!
> 
> *Nancy*- Hope your enjoying your celebration this weekend!  You look marvelous in the pic on facebook your friend posted.
> 
> you are very sweet, thank you! i was happy that my friend only posted my head and not anything below. i'm getting pretty large and round! lol!
> 
> Well, I just paid my bills and have to admit to myself that I can't go to disney in december.  So in going forward, I will say that I hope to do the 2014 jan half for my 50th bday.  That's just over 2 years away.  And that year we want to do a cruise in april, so I can start planning that next spring, 2 years out.  So for now, I think I'll peruse the Niagara falls websites.
> 
> Though I'm on call today, so maybe the lottery tickets will come through for me.
> 
> Have a lovely day princesses!!



bummer about the no trip in december. darn! i'll see you for the 2014 race though! i plan on doing the wdw marathon in 2013 and what i'd like to do is make it a yearly thing - maybe not the marathon though - prob the half! 

did you check the lotto? winner winner chicken dinner???
 


Rose&Mike said:


> We are home. I need to do replies and I'll do a little trip report, but we got a little shock this morning that I am still processing.
> 
> Do you all remember me talking about our friends that we see about once a month? They are a little older than us and really the people we are closest to in town. Well, we had a message from them when we got back and Mike called today. Our friend's dad has not been doing well, and they had to contact Hospice and they had to admit his mom to the hospital cause she is having some major problems related to her alzheimers/dementia. It was pretty bad this weekend. But the worst part--our friend had cancer a couple of year's ago and it is back. He is going to have to have radiation again. They are hoping they caught it in time, but it kind of threw us for a loop. If I could have picked my parents, I would have picked them. So send good thoughts our way, they have so much going on right now.
> 
> So, I will be back on later today or tomorrow to catch up with everyone. We skipped the game this afternoon and took a nap instead. Still have to get together a grocery list.



well, i'm glad the trip went well but i'm sorry to hear about your friend. 



Rose&Mike said:


> Maria--Oh, I know where you can visit--you can come see us! Then we can do all the tourist stuff we never do! I hope this month is not as stressful as you are anticipating.
> 
> *****
> So I started my trip report, but I wanted to tell you all what happened with my friend--that I probably won't put in the trip report. We had planned to meet at Epcot at 8:00.
> 
> Mike and I had dinner at Kouzzina and hurried a little bit at the end so that we wouldn't be late. Do you see where this is going?  We got to the meeting spot at 7:55.  8:05, nothing, 8:10 nothing, 8:15 nothing. I had sent her my cell phone and I had hers and I was contemplating sending her a text when I decided to check facebook. She sent me a facebook message at 8:10 saying she wouldn't be able to make it cause they were doing a princess dinner at norway. Ok, really, she didn't know that earlier???? She couldn't send an actual text????? What if I didn't have facebook on my phone? Ok, whatever, stuff happens. But the issue for me--it triggered all my abandonment issues--I take things so personally--the whole if your mom doesn't love you, no one can thing. Anyhow, we still had a good night--which I will put in the report, but it was pretty frustrating.
> 
> It is so cool and yucky here. I guess summer is over. I am still hoping we get some more hot days. Time to go to work--back to data conversion. Have a great day!



who are the friends you were supposed to meet? how annoying! and to send a facebook message?? not everyone has a smart phone or even bothers to go on facebook while on vacation! grrr! 



mikamah said:


> *Nancy*- Sounds like a wonderful weekend.  Was it the weekend of Oct  1st you were coming to Boston?  I got ds's game schedule, and he has a sunday 8:30 am game, so other than that, we'd love to come into boston and see you.  I can't believe it's almost fall already.



so...my friend emailed me last night basically uninviting us to come up and stay with them for the BC/Wake game! well it's not as drastic as that. he told me that his grandfather's memorial was moved to that day (i think his grandpa died years ago so i don't know why they are doing one this year but no biggie). he said we could still come but i kinda felt like it'd be better for them if we didn't. oh well. 

i really wanted to go to meet up with you and maria. i guess we'll have to reschedule sometime!



mikamah said:


> *Nancy*-When I was into reading trip reports a while ago, I read this guy Nebo's and they always cracked me up.  He's got a new one, and he's there now, and will be at BLT next week, so if you see him and his wife smidgy, say hello.  I'm sure you've got plenty of time to sit around and read trip reports this week, but they are pretty entertaining.
> 
> http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2783378



oh yes! i've read some of their reports! really funny! i like their sarcasm. i'll have to look at a picture of them in case i see them at BLT! i'm going to read this new one tonight!



liesel said:


> I'm still around, I've just been very busy!  Hawaii is in 11 days and I can't wait!



11 days til hawaii!! awesome! 

************
ok i'm caught up but still feel like i missed some! i didn't do alot of the cleaning that i wanted to do but at least the laundry is done. and really, that's pretty important! i'm going to have john bring up the suitcase from the basement tomorrow morning and i'll start some packing for sunday! i have an OB appt tomorrow and have to re-take the sugar test. just the hour one again so i'm not too concerned about it. 

i feel like i'm still recovering from the weekend and i wasn't even drinking! it was a really fun time but i could definitely sleep for the next day. it's so weird - it was SO hot this weekend and today it's rainy and cold. i even wore jeans and a long sleeve button-down today. crazy. my friend jessica who lives around the corner dropped off a huge bag of maternity clothes. i have more maternity pants now than regular pants! 

have to sign off now - i have some paper work for mommy and me class that i HAVE to do tonight and i want to go to bed early. be on tomorrow! night night!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Oh I forgot to tell you my good work news.  I had my eval from my boss last thursday.  He confidentially told me I got the highest score out of all of the managers under him.  Only 6 total but still.  There are a few who have been in the same position for 20+ years.  I was very amazed and proud of what I have done.  I actually surprise myself because I think what I do is just ordinary but it was nice to hear all the good stuff he thought.  Now I just have to keep up the good work.  I am working on a few really really huge high profile things so I am really starting to feel the stress and pressure.  I keep telling my self I will not eat my way through this.  I think by the summer I will need a really long vacation.  I havent said much to my mom but I am not sure a week long vacation with my whole family is what I am looking forward...I need peace.  I am just not sure if going to the shore for a week with my entire family is what I want but I am afraid I will hurt their feelings if we say no.  Not sure what to do but I think there is still time to ponder on that before reservations need to be made.
> 
> Well tonights practice was cancelled due to rain.  thank the lord.
> 
> I have to get back to my boys now.  We are having a bow and arrow tournament tonight.  How fun
> 
> Have a good evening.



nice job lindsay!!! so nice to hear that you're doing a good job. and not just a good job but the best job! that must make you feel really good! you deserve to be told that!!

oh, and no, thomas has no idea. i keep telling him and he's just like, yeah whatever let me play.

and yes, my family is chock full of funny people. we all have pretty good senses of humor if i do say so myself  when my grandpa was pulled out of the car that night he yelled to my uncle, "hey burger, make sure they get my glasses!" LOL! (oh, burger isn't his real name, it's his nickname. it fits as he is a BIG guy). yeah, so grandpa just gets pulled to safety after having hung from a branch over the water and he's concerned about getting his glasses. what a guy. when one of the firemen got to him and said, "mr. tyrrell how you doin?" he responded, "i'm fine but get me out of here b/c i gotta take a piss." too funny.

congrats again on the great review! sounds like you deserve a nice glass of wine


----------



## dumbo_buddy

me again! good morning everyone! i don't have much to report since i posted last night! i slept pretty good. that's something worthwhile to report as it almost never happens! 

i've been looking at the other disboard areas since my trip is so close - you know, looking at the food  and checking out the disney for families area. i don't know why i do. people are nasty! i've posted about this a bunch of times but i get so annoyed with people who just come on to be nasty. one woman just asked how to entertain her 10.5 month old on her lap for the duration of her flight. well we all know where this went - that she was the devil for not strapping her kids in and did she know how dangerous it was?? did she know that flight attendants call lap kids footballs because they bounce around in turbulence? puuuhhhlease! my child has been a lap child on 4 trips to disney and one trip to hawaii and not once did a flight attendant even give us a second glance! should i post that we are, GASP!, planning on putting thomas on our lap even though technically he is over 2?? 

i just need to stay away...but it's like a trainwreck, i can't tear myself away from these threads! i wish i had seen that wedding one that *lisa *posted about. then again, i could get sucked into one of those 15+ page arguments for hours! 

i'm going to go look for *rose's *trip report. you'll have it done by the time i leave, right?


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, friends,

Not feeling very chatty.  Yesterday while we were eating lunch, michael had a focal seizure of his face.  It was the right side of his face, having spasms and jerking, and then his speech was slurred and he was drooling.  We spent the afternoon in the ER, and everything looks ok, but I'm waiting to hear from a neurologist to set up an eeg, and probably an mri.  It was pretty scary, and of course I've been googling too much, but most seizures never find a cause, and the type he had where he didn't lose conciousness is probably a benign focal seizure, and he may never have another one.  

It was hard to let him take the bus this morning.  I called and spoke with the nurse, and sent a note to his teacher, and the nurse will talk to her as well.  I didn't sleep well and once he got on the bus, I just lost it.  I feel like everything will be fine, but I'm so anxious and so hope they will get the tests done soon.  I'm glad I'm off work today.  The er doc spoke with the neurologist, and said his office would call me this morning.  I figured I'd give it til 11 and then I'll call them.  That way I can let work know when I will need to take him to the appts.  

He was so mad I made him ruin his last day of summmer vacation by going to the hospital, but once we got there, and he realized it was important, he got scared and and cried a little, but was such a good little patient.  They missed his iv the first time, but he took it in stride, and luckily they got it the second time.  One of the paramedics in the er kept popping in and putting stickers on his face.  We weren't there too long, about 3 hours, and they said he could go to football, but I didn't want him to, and he was fine with that.  I think he was exhausted from the stress of the er visit.  

So that's our story today.  Just waiting for the phone to ring.  Cross your fingers we'll get everything done quickly.  

*Nancy*- You did a marathon catchup here.  Very impressive.  I did read through it all, but didn't retain much.  My head's not in the game today.  Bummer you won't be coming to boston.  It would have been fun to meet up.  2014 will be here before we know it.

*LIndsay*-Congrats on your eval.  It must make you feel good, and remember that when the stress gets high.  You can not eat through the stress.  Hope the bow and arrows went well last night.  

*Maria*-Did ds surprise you with a clean room last night? Hope he enjoys his last day of vacation.  It's is so fall like right now.  If only it wasn't raining. 
We slacked on the summer reading this year, so I want to start the school year off right with the reading, and it's a good way to wind down for a bit before bed too.  I bet there will be plenty of young people at the wedding on their phones so you can too.

*Liesel*- So exciting, 10 days now til Hawaii.  Your trip sounds fabulous, and I'm glad your feeling better.  

*LIsah*- How's the second week of school going?  Is reality setting in that this is his life now?  Michael was so excited for school today.  Last night while I was in the kitchen he went in and picked out his school clothes and laid them all out for this morning.  So cute.  

*Rose*-Loved the first day of your trip report.   I hope you have another update for me this morning. 

Well, I guess I did feel a little chatty after all.  I feel a little better just writing it all out.  But man I wish the phone would ring.  Pita.  I might make it til 11 til I call. 

*Nancy*-Meltdowns haven't stopped yet, michaels almost 10, but they are definitely less often, and a bit ridiculous at times.  I think saturday, he couldn't get his socks on because his feet were sweaty.    Late nights of summer vacation can make him an impatient boy.  
I did pee a lot at the princess.  I think I stopped twice before MK, and then after MK just before the firemen, and maybe once more.  I drank a lot though, at every water stop. I wanted to make sure I didn't get dehydrated and ensure I'd feel good to have my margarita and mexico lunch.

Thanks for listening and helping me pass the time.  Enjoy the day!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Kathy--goodness, how scary! I would have lost it when I put him on the bus, too. And I would have been terrified to even put him on the bus. But I think you are doing the right thing--to not worry him too much and make it seem like a normal day. Tom had so many weird health things growing up, but it never got easier. Even when he was in the hospital in high school with the stomach thing I was terrified. He's your baby and you can't fix it. And you're relying on other people to fix it. I will be sending good thoughts your way that things go well and that you get really good news.


----------



## mikamah

Thank you, Rose.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lisa*--Very cool w&d 2012. Of course that is the one we might not be at! We are taking Tom and 5 friends to WDW for their senior fall break--or at least that's the plan. Now I'm trying to figure out how I can do both. I haven't told Mike yet that I'm trying to figure out how I can do both......

*Lindsay*--woohoo for a FABULOUS evaluation! Did you say--show me the money? And Kathy is right--you can't eat through the stress. It will still be there. Try really hard to get your runs in so hopefully the stress seems a little more manageable. Easy for me to say, I know, I don't have 2 little kids and a full time job. 

*Maria*--I hope the wedding goes well. I would be nervous too. I don't like new things. But I'm working on it. 

*Nancy*--Really the brussel sprouts were good. They weren't mushy--mushy ones are just gross. They were grilled with some kind of seasoning and cheese. Trust me, yummy! Have you started packing? 

*Liesel*--I have found that the elliptical is a really good cross training workout for shin splints--don't post that on the events board though because people will disagree and jump all over you. Anywho, the elliptical really stretches out my calf. Do you have the stick? It is really useful for tight calves as well. The key to shin splints--loose calves. BUT I've read you can over stretch and end up with some achilles issues. I fight soreness in my achilles tendon, so I have to watch it. It's a fine line. That's why I like the stick and the elliptical. Disney will take a 10k for corral placement--just throwing that out there. Have a fabulous time in Hawaii!!!! Too exciting!

*****
Thanks for the positive comments about my friend. The whole thing kind of ticked me off. I did not reply to her facebook message until the next day. Mike was kind of mad and encouraged me to not waste any more time on it that night. I haven't looked to see if she unfriended me yet. It's a whatever.  The biggest thing--why do I always go to it's a personal deficiency? And not just that she was being flaky. I need to re-read the four agreements. And I guess the other issue is, so what if she decided she didn't want to see us. That's ok too. I'm just glad we didn't let it ruin our day.

Have you all seen the coon dog on the news with the really long ears? That's what my Cara looked like. She died when Tom was in 8th grade. I still miss her. I keep thinking I need a coon dog....I think Mike would divorce me....She was the BEST dog ever. I would promise not to keep her in the garage when we went on vacation. Did anyone else catch that? Am I the only one it bothered? I am trying not to be snarky, but it really bugged me. Ok, that's all I'm going to say. I'm sure there are circumstances that I don't understand....

We ran last night. It is cool and rainy here. So I did not enjoy it. Please, please, please let us get some more hot temps. I would have rather it been 90 than cold and rainy. Yuck!

Ok have a fabulous day everyone! 

*Kathy*--keep us updated. I'll be thinking about you today.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

aw, poor *kathy!  *i'm so sorry to hear about michael's seizure! how scary! i'm not even going to google what that is because i know it'll freak me out - maybe you should stop googling too! i don't blame you for losing it once he got on the bus! good for you for holding it together until then! 

poor kiddo. the ER just can't be a fun place when you're a young kid. i hope this was just a one time thing and that it never happens again. did the neurologist call you? let us know when his appt is. we'll be thinking about you. 

*rose -  *don't let that "friend" bother you. easier said than done i know. do you think she will unfriend you?? that would be so dumb. people are just very selfish sometimes and don't think that they are inconveniencing others. and...ok, i'd _try _those brussell sprouts but only because there was cheese on it! 

i decided to cancel my OB appt. i have ZERO desire to drive downtown, pay a ridiculous amount for parking, drink that nasty drink and then spend less than 5 min with my OB. i was JUST there last week. i'll do the sugar test when we get back. i feel a little guilty for skipping and telling them that my kid was sick and i didn't have a sitter but oh well. it's rainy and yucky and i don't feel like doing much of anything. 

my aunt mary just stopped by for a cup of coffee and i was telling her that my cousin johnny who is almost 12 is really starting to be a bit of a curmudgeon. he is a big kid and is always complaining about some injury or something. like, when they came with us to disney in january, he was the only one who complained about their feet hurting. and he insists he twisted his knee on one of the rides. he didn't do the races this year because he said his toe hurt or he forgot his shoes or whatever. he just doesn't want to come in last. anyway....i should learn to keep my big mouth shut because as we're talking (and thank GOD i was talking low) who shows up at the door but johnny! omg! shame on me! 

but i had to laugh because he shows up and i say, "hey johnny nice haircut!!" he had a buzz cut for the first day of school tomorrow and he told me that the barber nicked him and it was bleeding alot! i asked him where and he couldn't find where it happened. anyway, the point is, keep your mouth shut nancy!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--heard anything yet??? 

*Nancy*--that would be me. I would say something and the person would be standing behind me.....when will I ever learn.....if you can't say something nice, etc.

I swore I was doing nothing today--maybe working out--but now I'm taking my car in this afternoon to get the tires changed. The rebate expires today. Uggh. We could pay for it today and do it Friday, but I'm just going to get it over with and then I swear Friday--doing nothing! Yes, I am being a bit whiny. I feel like I have spent the last 3 months spending every day off "fixing" something. 

I'm going to drop the car off and walk home and count that as my exercise for the day. Then when Mike gets home we'll go pick it up.

Ok, sorry for whining. 

Tom's prescription has been filled at CVScares and is in the mail to him. I got an automated phone call today saying it was being shipped. I called Tom and he confirmed it was coming to the right address. So he should have it in a couple of days. He said the lower dose is working really well and as long as he stays hydrated he feels good. He said he has had to force himself to eat a couple of times. We will have to load him up with food when we visit in a couple of weeks. 

I guess I'll get ready and take the car. I need to find an umbrella for the walk home.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Kathy* -- I just got into the office and saw your post. I have to get busy writing but wanted to give you a big  That is so scary, and you handled it just right. You are an awesome Mom! I bet you aren't told that enough, but it is true! Michael is lucky to have you, and whatever you find out, you will deal with it in a remarkable fashion, because that is just you! 

Now back to the drudgery, I mean source of income 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

just came back on to see if kathy heard anything from the doc yet. geez are we a bunch of worrywarts or what?? hope michael is having a great day at school! 

also came on to complain. i think it's the weather! lol! my mother called me twice today and left two messages. puhlease. "nancy this is my third phone call to you, please call me back before i go to work today." so now she wants to chit chat? it's been a week and a half since i've heard spit from them! she even called john! i just don't feel like calling. i don't feel like talking. i don't feel like being disappointed. why should i call and have to apologize for not calling back? where's my apology for her being a jerk for the last 30+ years??


----------



## mikamah

Well, I didn't wait til 11, I called at 10:30 and was told my pcp needed to call them, so called the pcp, and got that ball rolling.

I just called again now and he's on the urgent scheduling list, and someone will get back to me today or tomorrow.  They did get the call from my pcp, and that's the way it works.  I, of course called back and got a different person who confirmed that the urgent scheduler will be getting back to me.  But I think I'll call again in a couple hours.  The squeaky wheel gets the appointment, right?  

I'd like to know when it will all get scheduled but it might not even be this week.  Which I guess should be reassuring that most likely it will be a one time thing and it's not a huge rush for the testing, but I just want it done. 

He should be getting home from school soon.  No calls, so that is a good thing.  

I called work and will plan to work tomorrow.

Never posted this.  He is home, and was just fine in school.  His teacher called to let me know that also.  Ok, I'm a little more relaxed.  But still aggravated about waiting.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> Never posted this.  He is home, and was just fine in school.  His teacher called to let me know that also.  Ok, I'm a little more relaxed.  But still aggravated about waiting.



phew! glad everything was ok with school today. i'm sure you'll be watching him constantly since he's home now! i hope they call you back and get him scheduled sooner rather than later. so happy that today went well though - that HAS to be a good thing! thanks for letting us know! i know we are all worried about that big boy 

and kathy, you deserve a nice glass (or 12) of wine!


----------



## mikamah

Thanks for all the good wishes everyone. 

Thank you Lisa, for the phone call too.  It was so nice to talk with you. 

I just talked to the pcp's nurse, and she said they have everything they need in boston, and she confirmed my thinking on no football til this is resolved.  The er doc said it would be fine, but I'd just feel better if we wait too.  She thinks they'll get him in this week.  She gave me the name of the woman who should be calling me from childrens, so I think I'll give her a call in an hour or so if she doesn't call by then.  

I'm also thinking since I told work I'd be in tomorrow, maybe good old murphy will step in and I'll get his appt for tomorrow.  

Trying to post here is bringing me good luck.  They just called and have an md appt tomorrow, but are checking for an eeg tomorrow and are going to call back.  fingers crossed.  

Thanks for letting me blabber here and for all the love and support.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--So glad you got an appointment tomorrow. Now we just need an eeg tomorrow too.

And fwiw, I'm so glad they said no football until it's resolved. It will make it easier for you--one less thing to worry about. Hopefully by this time tomorrow you will have a better ides about what is going on.

*Nancy*--don't call her if you don't want to. And don't apologize. I'm not saying disown her, but move the relationship to your terms, not hers. And if she says why didn't you call--you say, I was busy and change the subject. You don't owe her an explanation. Especially if you are going to feel like you have to make excuses or apologize.

So I'm back from dropping the car off. And of course the tires are going to cost a $100 more than we thought. I thought about putting it off a little longer--at least to shop around a little more and the guy said--your husband agreed to the price. I turned and looked at him and said--yes, but he doesn't pay the bills, so it doesn't really matter what he agreed to. I think he got the message. He then spent about 15 minutes comparing prices and tires with me and I went ahead and agreed to the terms. 

Anyone else depressed from the doom and gloom weather? I am back to popping vit d again. My foot is really bothering me again and I'm still not feeling great. I read it can take up to a year after going off of gluten for some things to get back to normal. I have been so very tired and my stomach has been feeling off. I just don't know at what point I need to go to the doctor. I think some it is just left over stress from the summer. Mike brought up Melbourne again--there were more job postings. We almost had a fight over it. We never fight--unless it's about Tom. Anyhow, we have come to an agreement that he is going to let Melbourne go, and after w&d start networking with some other folks in energy and see where that goes. Mike is not liking the weather either. He's a pretty upbeat guy and I think he is dreading winter. 

*Lisa*--where do get your Merrells??? My foot is not doing well. I think it might be a pf flareup and something going on with the fat pad. Not good with a race coming up.


----------



## mikamah

I'm back!  

We have an 8 am eeg appt, and 11 am appt with the doctor.  So relieved it will all be done tomorrow.  

Fun part is he's supposed to sleep for the eeg, so we'll stay up late tonight, and get up really early in hopes he'll fall asleep for the test.  

Of course, now I'm more nervous they are getting him in so soon.  Sheesh.  

We are going out for supper at 5 with my sister for the first day of school.  Guess I'll hop in the shower now.


----------



## lisah0711

*Kathy,* glad that they are able to schedule an appointment for Michael tomorrow.  I think that it is more that it is a professional courtesy and to relieve a Mom's mind that they are getting you in fast.  They don't really know what is going on but obviously the ER doc wasn't worried about football playing so surely it is not that bad.  

Poor Michael, but especially, poor you.   

Hope that Michael had a great first day of school!    Try not to squeeze him so much that you drive him crazy.  

And thanks for keeping us posted because we all are thinking of you and sending good thoughts!   

It was nice talking to you, too.  

*Nancy,* a big hug for you, too, with the Mom thing.    I'd wait until you knew she was at work and just leave a message saying hello and that you've been busy with guests and getting ready to leave and will catch up later.    Unfortunately the only thing that you can change is how you react.  

*Rose,* I get my Merrell's directly from Merrell.  I did get a pair at a local outfitter here so I know how the sizes run.  I did a quick Google search and it looks like there are several places in your neck of the woods that carry them.  I wear the jungle mocs -- those are the best -- and flip flops and some sandals that are like Tevas.  I don't see either of them on the site now, of course, but there are similar shoes that look like they would work.

*Maria,* don't work too hard!  

*Lindsay,* congrats on the great review!  

*Lisabelle,* so nice to see you!    Take care of yourself.  

It is like crazy wild day here so will close for now.  Take care of yourselves!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--woohoo for a quick appt. When I wore the holter monitor they got me in really quick too for the follow up after seeing how crazy frequent my pac's were. It was a little scary--it was derby week here and I had an appt within a day of the monitor being read. Unheard of in these parts during derby. You have to be needing last rights normally. Ok, I might be exaggerating, but you get the picture. Anytime something unusual is going on, they go the better safe than sorry route I think. I will be sending good thoughts your way for good news tomorrow. 

Thanks Lisa! I am so tired of something always hurting. I keep telling myself--at least the itbs is under control.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Great news, *Kathy!*

I am apologizing because I am not being a good buddy today -- tomorrow should be better and I should get to express my thoughts and concerns for everyone. I have them, I just can't find the time to chat...but I'm thinking of you all:

Proud of *Rose* for standing up for herself with the tires 

Having a feeling *Lisah* is just as busy as I am 

Absolutely praying for *Kathy and Michael*, and so glad you are getting in tomorrow! 

Agreeing with the great advice *Rose* gave *Nancy* -- you will feel so much better if you take control of that relationship 

Looking forward to getting through this with *Lindsay*, and glad you got the review you deserve! You are clearly doing a phenomenal job, and I'm so pleased it's been noticed! Time for them to Show You the Money! 

Have a good evening, I am going to collapse in a heap again. I did run 3M this morning and I've stuck to eating what I brought to work, so life is good 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Wow this thread has been moving so fast I cant keep up. (that one was for Rose)

Kathy-  I am so sorry to hear about Michael...how scary I would have been freaking out too.  You handled it all so well.  Im so glad they got you in tomorrow at least you will get the answers you need and not have to ponder and worry about what is going on.  This is what I can say about them getting you in so soon.  At least from my experience here are the reasons.  1. This is a new thing...usually the peds neuro's keep openings for such.  2.  You called a handful of times so Im sure they sensed your concern and worries.  So dont worry about that.  Please keep us posted and I will be praying that all is ok and this was just some freak one time thing.

Nancy- You seriously had me laughing so hard with your grandpops sayings about the accident. oh and the cousin johnny story too.

Rose- I love that you gave it to the tire guy.  I would have said the same thing.  I am the bill payer in the house and I hate when others make assumptions that my husband is the one who makes the decisions.  I mean we mostly make them together ahead of time but there is still that thought that most have....mostly men that the man makes the decisions.  I want to tell them....."I make alot more money than my husband does"  so there  Ok sorry the whole ''girl power" thing gets me going.

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

So my real intentions were to come on here and vent but I think I feel better already.

PMS has arrived as will TOM any day now so I have been in quite a mood....it could be the weather too.

The 5 or 6 big projects I am working on at work all kind of blew up today with all sorts of issues.  I was completely overwhelmed and wanted to come home, get in bed, and pull the covers over my head.  I didnt........

Then I get home and there is a message from Ryans teacher.  I called and it basically was her just giving an FYI on some issues he is having.  He is behaving well but not paying attention or focusing.  He had to miss some recess yesterday and today to finish his classwork.  I just knew this was going to be an issue this year.  She seems really great and has some ideas of how she is going to try to help him.  I just feel so helpless at home.  Im not sure what I can do to get him to pay attention or focus.  Its so frustrating and it really worries me.  (Kathy I almost didnt want to post this after reading what happened to Michael because I feel like this is so lame compared to what in reality is something to really worry about)  But after getting off the phone I just cried.  Part of it is I have such high expectations for my boys and I want them to do good and do there best and I know he can do so much better.  It is just so frustrating.  

So then after the long day I had I topped it off with attending the PTA meeting where I was asked to volunteer for a million different things.  Sure why not.

I promise this is my last thing......

At the meeting 2 of my relay teammates were there and I got my shirt that we are wearing.  Its a nice aqua color running singlet.  I tried it on when I got home and I am so disgusted at myself for gaining weight back.  I feel gross and I feel like I look gross.  There is an entire school competition based on this and the kids are voting on who they think will win the mommies or the teachers.  I just feel that slow rolly polly me is going to loose it for our team.  I couldnt help to think that when they announced tonight at the meeting who was racing that the other moms were wondering how the hell I was going to run 5.5 miles.  I am just so down on myself right now.  I have that urge to quickly want to fix it and loose 15lbs in 2 wks.  Well we all know that is not how it works.

I dont know hopefully I will feel better tomorrow.  I have a full day of all kinds of meetings so will see.

Oh and thanks for all of the great comments about my eval.  The only area for improvement he felt I needed was to be patient about getting my salary increased and know that eventually if I keep on the path I am going I will be making more.  Ummm Ok so what do I get for all the extra I am doing now?  He said the ideal employee does the work and does it the best they can because they want to and not because they want to get paid more.  I wanted to ask him what world he lives in but most people I know want to get paid what they are worth.  I told him I understood and honestly it was the first time I ever "asked" for more and I gave him the run down of my past and how I was doing alot of this work but not getting any more money or the recognition.  He said he understood but I should try to unravel some of the bitterness I have.  and the funnier part is at the end of it I thought he just forgot to tell me what my increase would be...so I asked if I will be receiving an increase.  He said well I just wanted to mention again patience.  I really just thought he forgot to tell me but apparently he likes to wait until evals are over and then he makes his decision on what he gives to each of his employees.  oops...hopefully i didnt ding myself for that one.

Ok sorry I turned into a chatty kathy tonight.  Thanks for listening!!!!!!!!  I feel much better.


----------



## mikamah

*Lindsay*-Hug to you on Ryan.  It's a big deal, and I would be concerned also.  I so understand your worry, and hope it is just an adjustment phase for Ryan and things start to improve.  Sounds like he has a great teacher who is going to try and help him to do his best. 
I know the feeling of not being where you want to for your race, but like you tell the kids, it's not about winning, and you are one of the few mom's out there running, and should be proud of that.  It's that competetive streak of yours coming out, but I am sure so many other moms and dads will be so impressed that you are out there running 5.5 miles for the school.  I'm proud of you.  You should be proud of that, and I know you will do the best you can. 

*Rose*- I got new Merrell flipflops from Zappos.com.  First time I used them, and it was free shipping both ways if needed.  I love them.  I have a pair of merrell sandals I've had about 7 years with the ankle strap/ teva like, that i have loved, and they just broke last week.  I will splurge on another pair next summer.  So funny, getting the appt during derby week.  But scary for you too.

Thanks everyone for all the well wishes and thoughts on the quick appt.  I know it will be fine. 

We went to bed at 12:00 and he finally fell asleep at 12:30, and I just got him up at 4:30.  I hope he'll fall asleep during the test and they will be able to get it done.  He's watching a show now, and I'm going to hop in the shower.  I'll leave early, about 6ish, figuring we can get a bagel on the way in and I'll make him a smoothie before we go.  

We went out to supper last night with my sister, and talked to my other sister on the phone and her ds just started 1st grade, and had stopped eating after he choked a couple times on some popcorn.  He wouldn't take solids at all for a week, so she took him to the doc and then he saw a gi doc yesterday, and they think it's an anxiety reaction to the new school routine, so she was home drinking wine and so after dinner we stopped by there and riled up her kids for her before bedtime. 

Then we red-boxed Soul Surfer and Diary of a Wimpy kid and watched them last night.  

Oh well, I'm rambling.  Thanks again for all the prayers and support.  I don't know what I would do without you guys to vent to.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay*--on what planet does that guy live where he thinks it is ok to give someone a promotion and lots more work and expect them to not want more compensation? Where Mike works, they do not get pay raises at the the time of evaluations, it's more on a time thing. But they do usually know what the time window is for the year. For instance they knew in 2009 no one was getting anything. Then in 2010 they knew what kind of cycle they were on. If they switch positions then sometimes it comes with more compensation and sometimes it doesn't. BUT they know ahead of time. I think just saying to be patient is very ambiguous. But that's just me. And to tell you that you have to work on patience--?????? Maybe I'm not the one to comment on this, since I only work part time, but even at my evaluation they told me if they had more money they would pay me more. We're in the middle of a budget crunch. We got an extra day off instead. Anyhow, hang in there. 

As for Ryan, are you thinking ADD? What a great teacher that she is for suggesting trying some things instead of just saying he needs a pill right away. I hated those calls when Tom was growing up. Because you are right there isn't a lot you can do. And we got a bunch of those calls in first and second grade. We switched him to a different school in third grade where he could move around a little more and it worked better for him. I have read some stuff that said that some mild ADD issues can be managed with behavior changes--having to do with schedules, etc. And that might not even be what it is. I hope I am not freaking you out. I guess what I really wanted to say, is that the teacher really sounds on top of things. He's in first grade right? It will be ok. I got those calls/notes all the time and my kid was a National Merit Scholar. At one point I told Mike short of sitting behind him and hitting him on the back of the head when he misbehaved, I wasn't sure what she wanted us to do.

And I get the frustration with the weight and the wanting to fix it NOW. Hang in there.

*Kathy*--I hope it goes well today. I will be thinking about you. I can't check until I get home from work. So, I'm really hoping to come home to some good news.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy - *michael is going into his eeg in a few minutes. i missed saying good luck to him since we were up a little late and you guys were out the door so early but good luck! please let us know how it goes! hopefully after staying up late, getting up early, and nice carby bagel, and yesterday's first day excitement he'll be tired and fall fast asleep! 

*lindsay - *sorry about the focusing issues with ryan. i have no words of wisdom but am interested to hear about what ways to improve the focus the teacher is thinking about. also, i'm really wowed by the fact that she took the time to call you after hours. that's something you don't hear about too often around here (reason #4531 i need to figure out what the heck school this child is going to attend and how much it's going to cost us...byebye disney vacations!)

*maria *- don't worry about not having time to post! we know you like us  but i did get a giggle when you said about your thoughts: " I have them, I just can't find the time to chat" hehehe. hate when stupid work gets in the way of DISing. i remember when i discovered the DIS at home one weekend i was so pissed i had to go to work! 

*rose - *i've heard so many good things about those merrell shoes. i'd be interested to hear about what you think if you wind up getting them. do you have "the walking store" in any of the malls near you? they sell merrells by the boat load.

*lisa - *"you can only change the way you react." this is so true for SO many things, isn't it? i think i should enter it into my mantra and daily affirmations. i just need to start a daily affirmation too..hehe thanks for the tip.

*hi liesel! 

*good morning friends! it's been raining since monday and it's getting SO depressing! i tried to go to target to buy little travel things for the trip - i always overbuy those things and never wind up using them. lol! anyway, all the roads to get there were closed due to flooding! one is a major highway and one is this little back road that we take when the traffic is really bad. it was nuts. i mean, nyc traffic already is horrible and add CLOSED highways to that? ick. so, we turned around and just went to the local CVS. not as exciting but still wound up with lots of little tubes of things that i won't use but somehow just KNOW i'll need a teeny tiny thing of hand lotion (i never use lotion at home but will at disney? nah)

i posted this complaint on facebook - yesterday my friend's friend liz told me that my butt has gotten bigger and this mom in the 'hood told me that my face has gotten heavier. what is WRONG with people?? and here i thought i was doing pretty good. like *lisa* said, i can only just decide not to react poorly to it. whatever. they are both a little strange. the fat face girl is the one we are thinking of buying her house! she should have been sucking up to me! 

we have to go downtown to 19th street today. thomas has an audition for a commercial. i asked the agent lady what i needed to bring and she said to just bring thomas in a good mood. oh, sure! i'll just order up his GOOD mood! hey, it's something to do and it'll get us out of the house. i haven't walked in almost a week now b/c of having guests and this rain so now we have a little something to do. and i just know i'll have some stories about all the moms there freaking out over their kids. then there's me who had my kid laying on the floor last time in this big warehouse playing with his toys and eating non-organic fruit snacks. lol.

so, today we're downtown, tomorrow is open, saturday is soccer (weather permitting) and a little bday party for my friend's daughter, drop off the dog, go to bed, wake up, airport, disney!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> As for Ryan, are you thinking ADD? What a great teacher that she is for suggesting trying some things instead of just saying he needs a pill right away. I hated those calls when Tom was growing up. Because you are right there isn't a lot you can do. And we got a bunch of those calls in first and second grade. We switched him to a different school in third grade where he could move around a little more and it worked better for him. I have read some stuff that said that some mild ADD issues can be managed with behavior changes--having to do with schedules, etc. And that might not even be what it is. I hope I am not freaking you out. I guess what I really wanted to say, is that the teacher really sounds on top of things. He's in first grade right? It will be ok. I got those calls/notes all the time and my kid was a National Merit Scholar. At one point I told Mike short of sitting behind him and hitting him on the back of the head when he misbehaved, I wasn't sure what she wanted us to do.
> 
> And I get the frustration with the weight and the wanting to fix it NOW. Hang in there.
> 
> *Kathy*--I hope it goes well today. I will be thinking about you. I can't check until I get home from work. So, I'm really hoping to come home to some good news.



interesting stuff about the ADD "fixes" - i too agree that it's so great that the teacher isn't like, oh give the kid some drugs. and if some behavior changes are what's necessary that's great! hopefully that does the trick. plus, it's only been a few days...maybe the kid just needs some time to get adjusted to being in the classroom!

and hang in there with the weight. i HATE that feeling when you just want to rip off your clothes and throw in the towel...at least that's how i feel when i try on something that's supposed to fit. but we can all do this! i'll be in weight-loss mode soon so i'll be right there with you and we can kick our butts together


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Kathy,* sending prayers and  your way today.    Let us know how everything goes.  Hope that you can get some rest this afternoon.  

*Rose,* hope you can find some Merrell shoes that you like.  They do have great support.  It looks like there are lots of places to buy them in your neck of the woods.  

*Maria,* sorry for the crazy, busy week.    It's not a full moon until Monday, you know.    Hope things get better and you can get some rest this week-end.  How is school going?



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Wow this thread has been moving so fast I cant keep up. (that one was for Rose)



Does this mean we can complain about the weather now?    

Sorry about the call about Ryan.  Who knows if it is something that needs to be addressed or just six year old boy at the beginning of the school year thing?  Seems early in the year to tell but it's good that the teacher is on it.    Remember how all the kids were getting distracted at football?  Did you ask Ryan if he is getting bored? Can he see the board okay?  We had some behavior issues in the first grade and it turned out that glasses were needed.  Try not to stress and see what happens.   

But your boss is whole different story.   ITA with Rose on that one.   

I totally understand the frustration about the weight thing.    I gained this summer, too, way, way more than I should have let happen.    But I had a big talk with myself and decided I can learn from my mistake but my efforts are better spent moving forward again.  I did it once, I can do it again and so can you!   I  bet you can lose 5 pounds before your race!  Especially with TOM going away. 

*Nancy,* have fun at the audition this morning!   

I read about the snarky comments your acquaintances made.    Didn't anyone ever tell those folks that if they can't say something nice not to say anything at all?  Pay no attention to them.  It's a big job taking care of Bronxbaby and Thomas and John and all you do and I think that you totally rock!  

Hope that it is sunny and nice at WDW when you arrive in a few short days!  

Hello *Lisabelle*!  

It's been a crazy week at work -- really putting a damper on my Dis time.  

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## liesel

*Kathy* Sending lots of  your way.  I hope the seizure was just a one time thing.  Hang in there!

*Lindsay* Congrats on your evaluation!  I can't believe your boss said that!  Yes, people want to get paid what they deserve.  I'm glad that they are trying a few strategies with Ryan instead of immediately jumping to medication.

*Rose* Good luck with Mike's ongoing job hunt.  I'm sure the right opportunity will come along soon.

*Nancy*  for your mom and your snarky friends.  I don't know why people say things like that.

Hi *Maria*, I hope all is going well for you.

*Lisa* I hope your training is going well.

I've decided that I need to hit the running store tomorrow and get new shoes.  This was finally made clear to me when I took my shoes off yesterday and my tendon practically screamed with relief.  My shins are all better, I feel like I just need a good stretching routine and I'm good to go, but my tendon is still bothering me.  I've been walking in my shoes all during this rehab process and I think they are the tendon culprit.

On to better news, 9 days until Kauai!    So we are celebrating 3 birthdays, DH and the kids each get to choose the activities on their day.  The day after we arrive is DH's 40th.  So far he has chosen to go out for macadamia nut pancakes and go snorkeling.  I made a dinner reservation for us too.  I thought of you *Rose* when I made the reservation because they have an entire gf menu complete with rolls and actual desserts.  Anyway, DD's 6th birthday is two days later.  She wants to go tubing.  There is a tubing excursion that goes down the old sugar plantation irrigation ditches.  It sounds like fun.  Then she wants to go snorkeling in the afternoon and see a sea turtle.  DS's 10th birthday is the next day (so glad he wasn't born on September 11th, but I did have some really bad contractions that day and thought I was going to have him there for a while).  I am doing a surfing lesson with him.  DS and DD haven't chosen their meals yet, but I think they will have a better idea of where they want to go once we are there.  I need to go volunteer at the school, talk to everyone later!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

liesel said:


> I've decided that I need to hit the running store tomorrow and get new shoes.  This was finally made clear to me when I took my shoes off yesterday and my tendon practically screamed with relief.  My shins are all better, I feel like I just need a good stretching routine and I'm good to go, but my tendon is still bothering me.  I've been walking in my shoes all during this rehab process and I think they are the tendon culprit.
> 
> On to better news, 9 days until Kauai!    So we are celebrating 3 birthdays, DH and the kids each get to choose the activities on their day.  The day after we arrive is DH's 40th.  So far he has chosen to go out for macadamia nut pancakes and go snorkeling.  I made a dinner reservation for us too.  I thought of you *Rose* when I made the reservation because they have an entire gf menu complete with rolls and actual desserts.  Anyway, DD's 6th birthday is two days later.  She wants to go tubing.  There is a tubing excursion that goes down the old sugar plantation irrigation ditches.  It sounds like fun.  Then she wants to go snorkeling in the afternoon and see a sea turtle.  DS's 10th birthday is the next day (so glad he wasn't born on September 11th, but I did have some really bad contractions that day and thought I was going to have him there for a while).  I am doing a surfing lesson with him.  DS and DD haven't chosen their meals yet, but I think they will have a better idea of where they want to go once we are there.  I need to go volunteer at the school, talk to everyone later!



the trip sounds lovely!!! i hope hope hope you will show us lots of pics. in particular, i would like a picture of the macadamia nut pancakes.  i know, i know...but i LOVE them!!!

and good call on getting fitted for some shoes. i had an injury in november and decided to get fitted at a running store for shoes and it was amazing the difference they made!

****
dum dee dum....anything from *kathy*?? lisa, have you spoken to her maybe? 

today was a big waste of time for me. boo. i left the house a little after 9:30 and didn't get downtown til almost 11:30. i wanted to hurl myself out the window and i had to pee so bad. parked in a lot, waited in line to sign in for the audition and was given a form to fill out. i went to the bathroom line and while i was waiting started to fill it out. thomas decided to take off a million times and GOD FORBID anyone let the 7 months pregnant lady get back to her place in line!!!  at the way end of the form it asked if we were available for the following dates: all dates that we're on vacation. 

peed, went to the check in lady and asked to take my name off the list as we won't be there. too bad, so sad. $21 to park for not even 20 min. back in the car and home. grr! at least the traffic on the way home wasn't too bad. we were home at about 12:30. 

little guy is still sleeping so i may just have to go wake him up. my dad emailed me today again saying please call mommy and then told me how he ran 2.75 miles yesterday and that was the farthest he's even gone. said he wants to do a 5k. then said he didn't know how i ran so far. that's the only acknowledgement he's ever made pretty much of me doing the princess. nice. still haven't called. not ready, don't feel like it. in my head i wrote a big email back to them. but instead i laid in bed and cried. lame. 

i'll be back on to check if kathy comes on. xoxo


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon  and !

How is everybody doing? Are you enjoying days of endless rain and gloom -- you must be located near me 

Ok, got the stuff done I had to accomplish this week. Tomorrow morning I'm going to a meeting, then back to the office to tie up loose ends. Every once in awhile I have to spend a Friday afternoon at work. It's pretty rare, so I am a lucky ducky. 

I ran 3M this morning, but I think I just blew it downing mini candy bars like they were going out of style. I don't quite know how it happened, it just did  

It's Thursday, so that means whatever we had on the menu will get scrapped for takeout -- this is not without precedent . I may just have too many carbs, it's one of those days  After all, this is the week my BL weigh in doesn't count if it doesn't go down 

*Lisa* -- New shoes make a huge difference for me!  Wow, you and *Nancy* have dueling countdowns, how awesome is that?! It sounds like your bday plans for everyone will be a lot of fun. 

*Lisah* -- I'm feeling your pain with the work schedule! If things go like I think they will, I will spend a lot of time at my desk tomorrow afternoon with nothing I really have to do -- DIS time  Today was Ben's first day of school. I can't wait to get home to find out what language he was given (they get to put down their preferences in order, but no guarantees for # 1), how his day went, all the good stuff. And I better not get "Fine" for all the answers 

*Nancy* -- How was the audition? I hope Thomas was channeling his Happy Place  I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who's addicted to those little travel size toiletries  I actually do use a lot of them, but I have been known to take things that I really doubt I'll ever need. Apparently the people around you are insensitive morons.  Clearly you should ignore them as much as possible. Just think, while you are bouncing along with Pooh, they will be in the sludge and drudge of a saturated, smelly City. It's good to be you, isn't it?  

*Rose* -- Did I miss a TR from you? I probably need to go back and look a few pages. I want to know all about your wonderful b-day trip!  I can't believe W&D is so soon! Before you know it you will be lining up in your corral...I'm eager to hear if you think they listened and made improvements this year. 

*Kathy* -- I hope everything went well today. Ben spent three days in Children's when he was 3 days old (he was dehydrated, turns out he and I did not make a good breastfeeding team), and they could not have been better. Unbelievably excellent care. I bet you are spent.  There should be beergaritas in your Friday forecast  I am a huge Zappos fan. I order all my running shoes from them, because they always have the style I need and the color I want  I also like ordering other shoes, too, because they have a better selection than any shoe store, and I can tell right away if they have it in my size. 

*Lindsay* -- Um, I agree with everyone else. Your manager has a screw loose. That is a lovely speech to give to a teenager who doesn't know better. For a grown adult with skills and experience, it's a bit insulting. His ideal employee is SpongeBob.  I understand why you are concerned about Ryan. At Ben's second P/T conference in K (yep, we had one for Pre-K, too), his teacher told us she was very concerned because he talked too much. We heard this again annually -- he was making straight As, but he just liked to chat -- and he asked to many questions . I think sometimes teachers don't realize that it's rare for boys to be able to sit still and just do their work like girls tend to do. They have a lot of energy, and it has to come out some way. It's good you have high expectations, and he will live up to them -- it's also good the teacher is on top of things, but don't worry too much and let them shake out a little.  You are right that 15 lbs should not come off in 2 weeks! Just the fact that you are out there running -- I would never be that brave to do it so publicly. I'm an anonymous giant crowd of 17-27,000 kind of girl! You are amazing, and don't you forget it! 

Everyone have an awesome evening, somebody eat healthy for me 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Here I am.  A bit spent.  

EEg went well, he did so good and was able to fall asleep pretty quickly.  So I'm sitting in the dark and the tech and his student are watching the monitor, and I'm getting anxious every time he points something out to her.  I know it didn't necessarily  mean anything, but I wanted to know.  I had to just close my eyes and take slow deep breaths through it.  

We went to the neurologist, an NP who was great, went over everything with us, and was just waiting on the eeg report, but gearing towards the benign focal seizures of childhood, but they usually occur at night or early morning and his was during the day, so because of that she wanted an MRI too, but when the eeg results came in, she expected to see just increased activity on the left which caused the seizure the other day, but there was increased activity or irritability throughout the scan, meaning he is at an increase chance for seizures anywhere, not just from the one area.  Since he had a questionable small seizure earlier in the summer, he felt a similar spasm to tuesdays seizure, but it was much quicker, so never mentioned it until we were in the Er, she felt he should be treated with an antiseizure med.  She called it Simple Partial Seizures.  She had the neurologist come in and talk to us as well, and he agreed.  So they are sending that in.  I'm going to wait til tomorrow night to start it so I'll be with him for his first couple days.  They said some people do not want to put their kids on meds and it was up to me, but they both recommend it.  I've been thinking on that whole thing too, but feel that the risk of a seizure and him hurting himself during it outweighs the risk from the meds.  But I guess it will depend on how he tolerates the meds. This is when I wish there was another parent to bounce things off.  

He has his MRI scheduled for tomorrow morning at 7:15, and they both gave him the ok for football, even without the mri.  She doesn't think the mri will change any treatment, but they want to look and if he's had seizure activity sometimes it changes the way the cortex develops, and they would see that on the scan.  I guess that would just confirm that he's had the seizure like activity a while.  And of course rule out the stuff we don't want to talk about. 

So that's the scoop.  I'm ready for bed, but it's only 5 oclock. 

Thanks for all the good thoughts today.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--where are you??? I am anxiously awaiting an update. I would text you, but you don't do texts do you???

*Lindsay*--Forgot to tell you--I laughed at the thread comment. It was mostly moving fast yesterday cause I was on so much.

*Maria*--so what kind of mini candy did you have today? I just ate 4 bite sized snickers. Uggh. I hope Ben had a great first day.

*Nancy*--what turds--I can't believe people said that to you. The size of your butt is really notdb. Goodness. My mouth would have been hanging open. You will show them when you run the wdw full next year! What about communicating with your dad and ignoring your mom for a little while? 

*Liesel*--your trip sounds so amazing! I am so excited for you.
My trip report is on my journal. I have done Thursday and Friday so far. I will probably get to Saturday tonight.

*Lisa*--I hope your crazy week slows down soon.

*****
Ok, the weather here blows chunks! It was 60 and heavy drizzle on the way home. YUCK! 60 is below our normal low. I am not going to handle winter very well, I don't think. We are supposed to run tonight, but neither one of wants to get on the treadmill this early. Yes, I have become a hothouse flower.

So you know I said I finally had t.o.m. again--first time since mid-june. It only lasted a couple of days and last night I had some sharp pains in my right side.  What is up with that? I really don't want to go to another doctor. We'll see how the next couple of weeks go.

Ok, ttyl.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--I'm sorry it wasn't as positive as you had hoped.  Do they know what causes it? Are there side effects from the meds? I don't know what else to say, other than I love you and hang in there. Do you still have my number? Please call me if you want to talk. I hope the mri shows nothing new.


----------



## liesel

*Kathy*  Hang in there, I know its a tough decision with the medication but I am so glad they are taking action.  I hope the MRI goes well.

*Rose*  I had the pain in one side a couple of months after my miscarriage a few years ago, it was so bad I actually went to the ER.  The doctor thought it was because I had started to ovulate again.  Apparently if you don't ovulate regularly, when you do it is often painful.  I hope you can figure it out and get better.

*Maria* I completely forgot to mention I read your Montreal TR.  Sounds like a fun trip.  It won't be too long before you get back to Disney, though.  I loved your comment about Spongebob being Lindsay's boss' ideal employee.  


*Nancy* There will be plenty of pictures, especially of the macadamia nut pancakes, so I can look back and remember.   Sorry the audition was a waste of time.  Have fun packing!  I know I have trouble resisting travel sized toiletries at the day spa where I get my hair done.  I'm going there next week, so hopefully I can resist.

I'm off again to a PTA meeting, hopefully they will stay more focused this time.  I've been OP food wise 2 days in a row coming off a bad holiday weekend, but its been more difficult than it usually is.  I need to continue to be good if I'm going on vacation soon.  Talk to everyone later!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*maria - *so, we did the take out thing yesterday and even though i so want to order out again we're going even healthier by me making frozen chicken nuggets, kraft mac n cheese (my favorite food on earth), and frozen veggies. perhaps i can add a little salt to that??? lol! what are you guys going to order? i had one of those days today where i just ate bread. seriously. i ate two rolls. i guess one for each butt cheek. you ran 3 miles today though so it totally balances all the mini candy bars out...duh!

*rose - *i'd love to just communicate with my dad. but i swear he's afraid of my mother. he usually won't talk to me without her around. it's a really screwed up situation. meh. and yeah, the weather sucks. it's going to be a big change to be in a million degree heat and humidity in florida! 

*liesel -  *hey, 2 days OP is better than i can say for myself! nice job! and yay for pancake pics!  

*kathy - *wish i could come up there and give you and michael big hugs. how is he handling this all? is he a little scared? does he know that he has the ok for football? well, i guess the outcome of the eeg was pretty good. i mean, not perfect but the fact that they are ok'ing football just HAS to be a good sign. what are the side effects of the meds? what a long couple of days for you. get to bed early. have a little drink.  thinking of and praying for you.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I will need to catch up officially tomorrow because I have a million things to still get done tonight and Im beat but wanted to say hang in there Kathy.  Sorry it wasnt a simple dont worry about it thing but at least you got the answers quickly and hopefully he will adjust well to the meds to prevent anything more from occuring.  I am sending you a million hugs because I know it is quite a hard thing to deal with this on your own and it doesnt help the fact that your a nurse and I know from experience your medical mind travels to all kinds of horrible scenarios causing the anxiety to be even worse.  I had horrible anxiety when ryan was born because he had alot of bronchiolitis and wheezing as a baby and every time I was certain he would end up in the hospital with RSV and die.  I think our knowledge only makes it worse as a mom vs better.  Anyway you know I am hear if you need to talk and you could always call me too.  If you need my number again just PM me.  Good luck tomorrow with the MRI.  Send hugs to Michael too.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy -* did you get some much needed rest last night? i hope so! how did the MRI go? was it one where he lays down or was it the stand up one? i've had a few MRIs and as an adult i was a little afraid! i hope michael's went smoothly and you get results quickly. 

i don't think we've talked enough about *lisa's* upcoming half marathon next weekend! i can't believe it's here already. didn't you just do one??? lol! you are a half marathon junkie! where is it? how far from your house? what's going on with your tummy issues? what are you doing for nutrition and hydration? what are you wearing? i hope you'll do a race report!

good morning to the rest of you lovely ladies! finally we have a bit of a reprieve from the rain and i had a nice 3.5 mile walk this morning. slow but it got the job done. i need to make sure to keep drinking water. i think i've been running a little low on the water intake lately. 

thomas starts soccer tomorrow! we got an email from the super soccer stars program and it had the lyrics to the song they are going to sing. it's to the tune of if you're happy and you know it: 

I AM HAPPY TO BE A SUPER SOCCER STAR
I AM HAPPY TO BE A SUPER SOCCER STAR
I AM HAPPY TO BE PLAYING
I AM HAPPY TO BE LEARNING
I AM HAPPY TO BE A SUPER SOCCER STAR

YOU CAN NEVER TOUCH THE BALL WITH YOUR HANDS
YOU CAN NEVER TOUCH THE BALL WITH YOUR HANDS
YOU CAN KICK IT, YOU CAN HEAD IT
YOU CAN CHEST IT, YOU CAN KNEE IT
BUT YOU NEVER TOUCH THE BALL WITH YOUR HANDS

i am telling you right now i will be having more fun at this than thomas!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*  too funny! I am just picturing Mike (who coached soccer until Tom was 9 or 10) singing this song. 

*Lisa*--I didn't realize the race was so close! How is your tummy? I feel like I have been a slacker friend this summer. My brain was in too many places. 

*Kathy*--thinking of you today.

****
We ran last night. The weather was icky, but it was a good run. 4 miles in under 40, so I was happy. My foot is really not happy. But it's not typical pf. I am trying taping it so the fat pad is under my heel better and see if that helps. We are supposed to run 14 Saturday--not sure if that will happen. I'm also going in search of some everyday shoes today that will be easy on my heel.

The new challenge starts today--and I am not in charge. I needed the break. Nothing big going on around here, but I am feeling residual stress leftover from the summer and I just need a mental break. Tom is doing well, he's only called me once this semester with a mini break down. I've talked to him every couple of days, only one meltdown. He said the meds are really helping him. I'm trying to let go of the Mommy guilt that we didn't deal with it sooner. 

I hope everyone has a great day! It's gloomy here again, but I think it's supposed to get back to 80 this weekend. Woohoo!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!   

I'd done such a lovely reply to you all and then it went "poof."    I hate it when that happens.    This will be a little shorter 'cause I think I'm getting all "talked" out after doing a bunch of replies on our busy, busy Fall Challenge thread.  

*Kathy,* thinking of you and Michael and sending tons of prayers,  and .  Hoping you both can get some rest and relax this week-end.  

*Maria,* hoping that you can get some rest and relax this week-end, too.    How is JT liking school? 

*Lisabelle,* your trip sounds like so much fun.    Hope the PTA meeting wasn't too bad.  I was so happy when DS insisted that I skip that when he started middle school.  

*Linday,* hope you can get some rest and relax a bit this week-end, too.    It's good that you can give Kathy some help from the nurse's point of view -- everyone knows that the nurses know more than the doctors anyway.  

*Nancy,* thanks for helping me get the happy soccer song stuck in my head.    Now I'm going to have to listen to It's a Small World a few times.  

*Rose,* sorry the foot is still bothering you.    I hope that you can get some shoes that will help.    I was calculating the weeks until the W&D and holy cow, it's so close!    I'm so jealous that you get to see the Halloween decorations again.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> i don't think we've talked enough about *lisa's* upcoming half marathon next weekend! i can't believe it's here already. didn't you just do one??? lol! you are a half marathon junkie! where is it? how far from your house? what's going on with your tummy issues? what are you doing for nutrition and hydration? what are you wearing? i hope you'll do a race report!



Thanks for asking about my half, *Nancy.*   It's in Sandpoint, Idaho which is about 45 miles away.  Sandpoint is the home of Coldwater Creek.  One of the big features of the race is that you run across the long bridge on Lake Pend Oreille -- the largest lake in Idaho.  It's two miles long.  Here is a little picture so you get the idea.




It's an out and back course so I will be on that bridge for almost 1/3 of the race!   

Tummy is okay.  We will see how that goes on my easy 5 miles tomorrow.  I just want to finish in under 4 hours.  Since I walked my 1/2 in May in 4:18 I think that it totally doable.  Then it's on to Tink training.   

Have a wonderful day, ladies!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon  and !

Things have finally settled down, and I have about an hour before I'm leaving for the day -- it's DIS time, Baby! 

*Rose* -- I'm glad to hear the National Merit Scholar yay:, I know you are so proud!) is doing well this semester. It's hard not to think about things we would have done differently. But obviously you did much better than "good enough". Tom is a fine young man, and that is a credit to you and Mike! I'm glad you had a good run, that really change your outlook.  Yesterday I had Butterfinger and Baby Ruth -- and they aren't even my favorites. That's actually why I bring them in for the communal candy -- I figure I'll be less tempted to indulge. Apparently that is working so well for me. 

*Nancy* -- Well I am loving the Soccer Star song! That is so precious! I know you will be beltiing it out, too  We ended up ordering from the barbecue place, which didn't have to be bad. I could have had the bbq shredded chicken and green beans. Ok, I did, but I didn't stop there. I also had some baked beans and cornbread  Next time I will stop with the non-carby goodness. 

*Lindsay* -- You are having quite a week -- I hope you get some down time to relax this weekend. You have clearly earned it 

*Lisa* -- Ready to leave on that trip yet? Are you all packed? Honestly, when I read about Lindsay's boss I kept thinking of how he would like to see her standing there, with a spatula in her hand, jumping up and down, yelling, "I'm Ready! I'm Ready! I'm Ready!" 

*Kathy* -- I feel your disappointment because it didn't turn out as you might have hoped, but I have to think it's good to know and to go from there.  I hope the MRI went well. 

*Lisah* -- I agree with Nancy, I want to hear all about your plans for your upcoming Half! This is big news -- you are a running machine!  I hope you can relax after your busy week at work.

So, tomorrow I am going to Dennis's friend's wedding. I was trying to figure out what to wear, and found a dress in my closet I bought a couple of years ago, but never wore, because I bought it thinking I would get into it because of the weight that was going to magically melt off of me  I decided what they heck I'll try it on, and it fits! It is a deep chocolate brown polished cotton, if it looks decent I'll post a photo on FB. I'm glad to be wearing it, especially since it is a size I haven't seen in a long time on my bottom half, a 14. I'm not ready for jeans or pants in that size quite yet (no muffin tops! I want pants that fit but are not really tight), but I am making progress. This is progress! I also wore pants today and boots I haven't had on since last winter, and they went on with ease. I am getting better at the lower carb all the time, I just have to keep trying 

Off for my hair appt. so I don't scare the other wedding guests 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Afternoon  and !
> 
> Things have finally settled down, and I have about an hour before I'm leaving for the day -- it's DIS time, Baby!



Woo hoo for DIS time, *Maria.* But an even BIGGER *WOO HOO* for finding a "new" dress in your closet for tomorrow in a smaller size!    I am sure that you will look lovely.


----------



## mikamah

Hello friends,

I only have a sec because I'm at work, but I saw some emails from facebook for your posts, and just wanted to let you know the good news today.  MRI was done this morning, and is perfectly normal.  So that is a big relief.  

In talking to the np, there is a good chance that he can still outgrow the seizures, so that is also good news.  It's a little different from the other type, but in his situation, it could be similar in how it plays out.  So we'll treat with the med and hope he tolerates it well.  

I'm feeling much better about the whole football thing knowing that the mri is normal.  

Thank you so much for all the good wishes and prayers.   I am so grateful for you all.


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> Hello friends,
> 
> I only have a sec because I'm at work, but I saw some emails from facebook for your posts, and just wanted to let you know the good news today.  MRI was done this morning, and is perfectly normal.  So that is a big relief.
> 
> In talking to the np, there is a good chance that he can still outgrow the seizures, so that is also good news.  It's a little different from the other type, but in his situation, it could be similar in how it plays out.  So we'll treat with the med and hope he tolerates it well.
> 
> I'm feeling much better about the whole football thing knowing that the mri is normal.
> 
> Thank you so much for all the good wishes and prayers.   I am so grateful for you all.



That is great news, *Kathy!*   I know it is a big relief for you especially for the football thing.  I sure hope that you can take it easy tonight.  Rest and have a big old drink because you sure deserve it!   I'm so happy for you both!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Kathy--I'm really glad it was a good mri!

The foot has gotten bad. Who am I kidding it's been getting worse and worse over the last couple of weeks, I have just chosen to ignore it. I've been told I have a high pain threshold. A couple of weeks ago during our 12 mile run, I wasn't even landing on my heel during the last couple of miles....Yes, DeNile is a river in Kentucky.

So not sure what I'm going to do tomorrow. Maybe ride my bike while Mike runs. It's killing me. I could really use a break on SOMETHING!!!!!! I am really starting to think it's a stress fracture cause the pain never goes away.....And it's gotten pretty bad. It's starting to radiate up the back of my heel and my ankle is swollen most of the time. Another thing that may or may not be worse cause of the gluten/malnutrition thing. So Monday, unless a miracle happens I will be calling the sports medicine orthopedic clinic. I'm still hoping I can do w&d, but it's not looking good. Oh well, I can drink around the world while waiting for Mike to finish. That will still be fun, right???


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy- I am so glad to hear the MRI was normal.  What a relief.  How is Michael feeling????

Lisa- Wow next weekend already that came so quick.  That is one long bridge but looks like some great scenery.  I know you will do great.  You have been working hard.

Maria- Woohoo on the dress and the new size.  That is so exciting.  Have a great time tonight and I would love to see a picture.

Nancy- Love the song.  We tried Nick playing soccer at age 3 and he cried and sat on the sideline.  I hope thomas has a blast!

Rose- uggh so frustrating about your foot and I think denile is a river in PA too.  you would think we would learn by now but we dont.  Either way I hope you the docs can figure it out and form a miracle so you can run at W&D but if not the bright side is you are still going to be in Disney with lots of drink options surrounding you.

To follow up on your ADD comments.  If you remember we talked about it at the end of kindergarten and I was saying I was concerened because of his attention span and focus.  I mean we can barely get through a page in a book without having to redirect him.  I am not going to jump the gun but its in the back of my mind.

I figure we will see how the first month or two goes as he starts getting into new material...right now its just review.  If he is still having issues I think I am going to make an appt with the pediatrician.  I know he is young but I want to avoid that mommy guilt feeling of why didnt we address this sooner.  So will see.  But thanks for all your advice.

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

I took nick to his first hip hop dance class last night and he sat on the sideline and cried.  So that was that.   Im sure someday he will find his thing.  He kept crying on the way home because he thought we were going to be mad at him.  I wanted to say why should I be made your saving me 25$ a month. 

Today we have house clean up, car clean up, and I have to make a side for my after race party at one of the moms houses tomorrow.  Then Ryan has his game at 6.  

Tomorrow is my relay.  My leg of the race was derouted due to flooding so hopefully they didnt add in any big hills.  We are leaving at 530am so I need to make sure I get to bed early tonight.  

I need to make my way over to the new thread....only a day late.

have a great weekend.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses!!

It's been a whirlwind of a week.  I'm pooped, and I think Michael is too.  We just played some sorry sliders, and in 20 min have to go for football pics.  His first game is at 4.  In between I'm going to borrow my brothers bush trimmer, and do some much needed yard work.  I'm a pathetic homeowner, and I hope the lovely couple I bought my house from never comes by and looks at it.  It was so adorable when I moved here, but now the bushes are overgrown, all weeds, no mulch.  lol.

Michael started his med last night, and he did fall asleep about 90 min after while watching tv, but i think it was more the combination of the week, lack of sleep, and first full day of school/fun club/ football practice.  He's psyched for his game today.  He did fine at practice, and I'm sure he'll do fine today.  

The main side effects of the med are drowsiness/dizziness.  The most worrisome is personality changes/agitation/agression/anger/depression/suicidal thoughts.  You know, all the possible side effects of any type of psych med.  I only told him about being tired and maybe weak, and how important it will be to be extra careful for a few weeks to make sure he doesn't hurt himself.  He dreams of being a professional daredevil you know.  I'll hide the scateboard for now. 

*Rose*- I'm so sorry the foot is bothering you.  Glad you are going to get it checked out.  You are right????  We'll be waiting to hear.  Hang in there.   I hope you're able to do wine and dine.   I was thinking about you and ds and his meds that he takes, and how hard it must be to let him go off to school, and be in charge.  I think of michael, and hate to think of him having to deal with taking meds his whole life, and just want him to be carefree, and have no worries.  It's so hard, but I know that you are doing the right thing for Tom, and I know that I am doing the right thing for michael.  

*Lisa*- WHOO WHOO WHOO WHOO HOO!! One week til your half you half marathon maniac!!!!  So exited for you and I know you are going to be amazing and beat that 4 hour time goal!!!!

*Nancy*-DISNEY BOUND IN LESS THAN 24 hours!!!!  Is that right!!!  I'm so happy and excited for you and hope your trip is amazing and magical, and if you and dh have a little tif or two, it is brief, you'll laugh about it, and you'll get over it quickly and enjoy every minute of that trip!!

*Lindsay*- Poor little nick with the hip hop.  It sounds like so much fun too.  Good luck on the relay tomorrow!!!  You're going to rock it!!!

*Maria*- Have fun at the wedding this weekend, and congrats on the new dress!!!!  You are so on the ball!!  

Hello to everyone else.  Off to picture day!  But I'm only spending 20 bucks on a memory mate group and indiviual pic and one magnet!!!  I'll be strong!!!

Have a great day and weekend.   I'll be back later, I hope.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisa - *wow that bridge is beautiful. it would _almost_ make running something bearable for me! 

*maria - *have fun at the wedding! and AWESOME about the dress! pics please!!

*lindsay - *aw, poor nick. maybe he just got a little scared? will you try again? 

*rose - *ugh, sorry about the foot.  i really hope you can do wine and dine. how frustrating! i feel like foot injuries keep coming back. i've been having some pain in my foot lately and i thought i was all done with it after november's injury. major bummer. 

*kathy - *so glad the mri went well. phew! hopefully michael will adjust the medication and maybe eventually he won't need to take it? i hope his football game goes well! how did the pictures go? oh and yardwork? ew. i'm glad we have little to no yard. all we have are hedges that need to be trimmed and we don't cut them nearly enough. our drunk neighbor behind us cuts it sometimes for us. how embarrassing! lol!

***
well friends, this is a much shorter post/reply than i had planned. we've been out and about all day and need to leave in a few minutes. got up this morning and went to the diner for breakfast. left there and went straight up to westchester county where thomas had soccer. it was half fun and half disaster. there were 5 or 6 other kids and all their parents knew each other. and let's just say they were very hoity toity. look, i've been around my fair share of hoity toity (hello! i went to HS in fairfield county, CT for goodness sakes!) but it's just not me. anyway, pretty much every kid whined and cried. i was really frustrated because even though john was there, thomas just refused to let me out of his sight. "mommy! mommy!" ugggghhhh. i told john in a not-so-nice way afterwards that he MUST take him when he gets home from work every night for a walk or some sort of daddy/son time. thomas just HAS to be able to be without mommy for five seconds!!  

after we got home i did some laundry and went to jcpenny for a friend's kid's bday present, hit up kmart for moleskin (john insists he has a foot disease - it's a broken blister), and modell's for a replacement met hat since i can't find thomas's other one. back home, packed the dog up and we all dropped her off and "nannny and pappa's" house. now we're heading to friend's for cake for the little girl's bday. after that, finish up packing, showers, bed, wake up, cab, airport, disney! 

i hope to get on again tonight. if not, you'll probably catch me on fb b/c i tend to update alot while at disney   have a great rest of the day and if you get a chance tomorrow, say a little prayer in remembrance.


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!   

*Lindsay,* good luck with your race tomorrow.    You are totally going to   Can't wait to hear all about it.  

*Nancy,* safe travels tomorrow.    Have a wonderful, wonderful time and I will be looking for those updates on FB.  

  Hello to the rest of you!  I'm sorry but I am chatted out today after coaching.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--have fun, fun, fun! We have been watching abc's 9/11 coverage. A few tears have been shed, but I'm glad I watched it. The memorial fountains just look amazing. 

*Lindsay*--I hope the relay went great!

*Maria*--how was the wedding?

*Lisa*--goodness, this new challenge is as busy as a spring challenge. Thanks for coaching.

*Liesel*--thanks for sharing that about the pain after the miscarriage. I am thinking that probably is what it was. It only lasted about a day. I have had a cyst rupture before and it kind of felt like that, except didn't hurt as long. When do you leave for Hawaii??? Soon, I think! Too exciting!

*Kathy*--I hope you are feeling better about things. It will probably take a few days to digest everything. I know when ever we had some crisis with Tom I ran on adrenalin and then always had a little crash a few days later. Hang in there.

******
Soooooo, things are going good here. Mike and I decided we had a little virus this week cause we have both been feeling not so great and dragging all week. Yesterday my foot was feeling much better so I decided to run. After doing more research, I am back to thinking it is a soft tissue issue. I worked so much on my itbs that I slacked on the calves. So between very tight calves and a strained ankle all summer, nothing got better. Friday I think I just overstretched things and that's why Friday night it felt so miserable. We went 13.1 yesterday--was hoping for 14 but it was warm (80) and we were both pooped. I iced, stretched, foam rollered, used the stick and a compression sock over my ankle and I am feeling ok today. No swelling in my ankle--which is pretty much a first, and I am able to walk around ok in my merrell sandals that I bought on Friday. 

Yes, I probably still need to go to a doctor. But I am going to pool run this week. And do a nice little taper until the race and see how it goes. If I come back from WDW miserable, then I'll go see a doctor. Probably not the smartest choice, but I'm a little stubborn. On a different note, we went to see the Carolina game last night at a local bar, and I felt really cruddy. I definitely think we had a virus last week--just a little one. I'm going to try to get a flu shot this week so no one coughs on me in airport and gives me something else!

Hope everyone is doing well--it's gorgeous here! I think we are supposed to have nice weather for the next several days.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Ladies:

Nancy- I am following your trip on FB but in case you check here too.  I hope you have/are having a wonderful time.

Maria- How did the wedding go???

Lisa- 1 more week are you ready to go?????  At least you can look forward to and easier week of running...well until the weekend.

Kathy- How did Michael do at his first game?  He looked so handsome in his uniform.  

Rose- Im so glad the foot held up better yesterday.  I hope the mini virus is gone and that you feel much better this week.  

Well I did the 5.5 miles.....I actually finished faster than I anticipated.  I was think 1hr 15 and my time was 1:10.  Now normally I would be really excited about this but I was the 2nd to last relay team to finish.  The ladies on my team really wanted to beat the teachers from our school and I just felt a little disappointed in myself.  Then of course that led to disappointment that I am not thinner, not faster, not a stay at home mom, etc etc. (obviously all the other moms are all of the above so I sit and pity myself)  I just have so many issues. 

I dont know I was feeling a bit down today...I think partly it was because of 9/11.  It just doesnt seem to get any easier and its been 10 years.  It was just so horrifying and so sad.  I did not loose anyone I knew that day but I can only imagine how it is for those that did.  

I am really feeling like crap after todays run.  I felt as if I ran a half.  ugggh....   I think I am just going to go lay on the couch and watch football with my husband for the rest of the night and hopefully I will feel better both physically and emotionally in the morning.

Have a good night.


----------



## mikamah

*Lindsay*- I hope you are feeling better this morning about the race and proud of how well you did and proud for getting out there and running.  I bet Ryan was proud of his mama.    Yesterday was an emotional day for me too.  I was pregnant at the time, and it was overwhelming to think of what was happening to our country.  

*Nancy*- I thought of you a lot yesterday, being in nyc.    You are one amazing, resilient woman.  I love that you flew out yesterday morning, and are having a fabulous vacation!!

*Lisa*-Hope you had a wonderful anniversary yesterday and your hubby treated you like the princess you are.  He's lucky to have you.  18 years!!  Awesome!!  I'm sorry I haven't been on the bl thread much to take in your fantastic coaching.  I keep thinking tonight I will catch up, and then I don't get there.  I know you've been one busy coach.

*Rose*-Hope the foot is feeling better this morning.  I watched the show last night about the rookie firefighter too.  Unbelieveable coverage.  I honestly can't imagine how any of them could stay on the job after that.  

*Maria*- Hope you had fun at the wedding. 

I walked/ran 5 miles this morning, and felt very slow, and for a while thought I'd never make my half in 2 weeks, but I just took my time, and toward the end I was feeling better and coming to the conclusion that I would to the half, walk more, and remember DLF>DNF>DNS.  I decreased my intervals to more run 1-3 min, walk 1-2, and was surprised to get home and it took me 76 min, so 15:12 min miles.  I thought it was longer than that.  It felt good.  Not the whole time, but afterwards. 

Michael's off to school, and tolerated the med fine over the weekend.  He really seems himself.   It's my 10-2 day so I'll grocery shop after work before I pick him up.  And I actually wrote out a meal plan for the week.  

Hope you all have a marvelous monday!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello  and !

I wasn't sure I would make it on here tonight, but with those rotten Dolphins just scoring against my beloved Patriots, I guess I can find time for a quick post...

And the Pats come back to score...ok, this may be harder than I thought to get a post in 

*Lisah* -- You are doing a great job coaching! We are having an active BL Fall Challenge so far  Wow, the view of that bridge is gorgeous, what a beautiful Half you will have! How is the taper madness going? JT is happy with school so far. He will be speaking French for the next 4 years, he got his first choice of foreign language 

*Kathy* -- Fun is not how I would describe the wedding...but it's over now. It was the shortest ceremony on record, they were clearly intent on getting to the party. The theme of this wedding was "Irish" -- I think that says it all. Honestly, I ended up drinking and eating more for something to do. DH and his high school buddies were chatting it up. I had nothing in common with their spouses/girlfriends. Not to judge, but apparently not a lot of ambition in that group  I don't think any of them ever left Dover, NH. It sounds like the meds are going to work out just fine. That is a handsome future Patriot you have there 

*Lindsay* -- It is so hard being a mom, and the guilt, the pressure (even when we put it there ourselves) can be really tough. I am just now getting that not being a SAHM did not scar this kid for life. He is fine, he's better than fine, he is doing outstanding! Would he be doing better if he had been home with me? I don't see how. Parenting is tough and we all make the best decisions that we can based on our personal situations. We could not afford for me to stay at home and have the lifestyle we wanted to provide for Benjamin, so I didn't. But here's the funny thing -- I have also come to realize I do not have the personality to be a good SAHM, so actually, it did all work out for the best. Things do have a way of working out the way they should...but what I really wanted to say was I do hope you are proud of participating in the relay race -- that took guts and you are brave and a fantastic Mom! 

And the Pats score again! 

*Rose* -- I know you are modifying as you need to, and you know your body better than anyone else. I'm glad things are going well, you deserve some of that 

*Nancy* -- I usually say "Ride Space Mountain for me!" -- but that would not be fun for BronxBaby, so instead I will say, "Ride the Peoplemover for me!" 

*Lisa* -- Aloha! Hawaii 5-0 will be back on next Monday night. Just sayin'....Alex O'Loughlin sightings should be enjoyed  

I am not doing so well right now. I'm eating too many carbs, and my exercise is curtailed. I'm fighting a cold and under a huge deadline at work, so I have to get all the sleep I can. 

The elderly begin to arrive tomorrow. My dad and smom will be here about noon. No, the house is not as clean as it should be -- my Flying has been off, too. We're taking them to the L.L. Bean flagship store in ME on Wednesday. I can get my SIL's  present, so that will be one done. Saturday they leave on their  On the bright side, they did say they packed their passports in their carry-on, so we might get lucky and they'll have everything they need to board  My smom is the one who packed her daily medications in her checked luggage and it got lost...and my dad also told me "why would I need a carry-on for?" Maybe because you also have daily medication you need to take  Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to have them visit, it just boggles my mind how they prefer to travel on a wing and a prayer with virtually no planning. 

Ok, back to the game. Everyone have a great night, and a fantastic tomorrow!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Good evening Ladies.

Well TOM arrived so that explains my issues.  Maria thanks for your kind words about the guilt of not being a stay at home mom.  I guess I just still have that envy in me....  But I do realize that I am doing my best with the cards that were dealt for me.... My kids are well taken care of during the day and I am lucky to have good daycare and schools in our area.  I guess part of it was just the conversations that went on yesterday that really bothered me.

I didnt mention it yesterday because it bothered me so much I couldnt stand to repeat it but there were a few things.  During the one relay exchange we were watching and cheering for marathoners and the one mom said wow look at that lady she is heavy how can she even run that far.  I didnt say much but I know the mom who coordinated our team could tell I was upset.  Like just think before you talk "skinny b****"  oops thats the PMS talking.  Really otherwise the girl was a nice person.  Then we went to one of the moms houses for an after party and while we were there the discussion came up about peoples jobs.  One of the mom's works 2 days a week now at the running store from 10-3.  I told them what I do and the one mom said.  I am so glad I dont have to work because I would hate to know that I couldnt give my all to my kids and I would be half assing it.  Now Im sure she wasnt implying that I do that with my kids but I took it that way.  

I really need to just learn to not let what others say bother me.  Its really hard though.

Maria- Sorry the wedding wasnt more fun...  Good luck with the senior fest

Kathy- Im glad Michael is doing well.  Good for you for meal planning.  Your starting this challenge off on the right foot.

Hi Rose, Lisa, and Liesel!!!!!!

Taryn- hows life going?????

I hope Nancy is having a blast.  I saw her pic on FB of John getting some blue hairdo at the barber shop. 

Well I hope to feel more upbeat tomorrow and no longer a debbie downer.  I should really just not post during TOM it just makes me a wreck.


----------



## Rose&Mike

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I didnt mention it yesterday because it bothered me so much I couldnt stand to repeat it but there were a few things.  During the one relay exchange we were watching and cheering for marathoners and the one mom said wow look at that lady she is heavy how can she even run that far.  I didnt say much but I know the mom who coordinated our team could tell I was upset.  Like just think before you talk "skinny b****"  oops thats the PMS talking.  Really otherwise the girl was a nice person.  Then we went to one of the moms houses for an after party and while we were there the discussion came up about peoples jobs.  One of the mom's works 2 days a week now at the running store from 10-3.  I told them what I do and the one mom said.  I am so glad I dont have to work because I would hate to know that I couldnt give my all to my kids and I would be half assing it.  Now Im sure she wasnt implying that I do that with my kids but I took it that way.


Oh, Lindsay. I just hate that. So it continues--the sahm's saying stuff to prop themselves up and feel better about themselves. Then some not so nice working mom (not you of course) will say something nasty back. Will it ever end!? You love your boys, you sacrifice your time and sanity I might add, to make sure they have everything they need. You are a good Mom, just try to ignore it. What they are saying--or what anyone is saying for that matter--is about them. I feel like a broken record--now I just need to believe it. As for the other comment--that was just mean! Again, I don't know what is wrong with people! 

I've been thinking about what you said last night. You have such a crazy schedule and two small kids at home. Just hang in there! No quitting! FWIW, I love being in my 40s, but I hate it that I wasted my 30s being overweight and sad about it. You can do it Lindsay. It isn't fast and it isn't easy, but you can do it.

*****
I'm in a blue place today. Yesterday just sucked the life out of me. Then Tom wouldn't text me back which stressed me out. He was in elementary school 10 years ago, and I have very clear memories of that time, even though I have forgotten a lot of other stuff. Then we found out our friend's Dad died. So we will be going to the viewing tomorrow. This morning our garage door opener broke--so I will be spending my day off getting that fixed. Then today at work I sent out thank you letters for memorial gifts for someone who died suddenly in his early 50s. I have nasty runner's rash from my shorts on Saturday. My foot is sore. My calf was very uncomfortable today. Whine, whine, whine.

I got a workout in and it seemed to help stretch things out, so that's good. And I did get to talk to Tom today.  He said not to worry if we can't do the race, cause the party was really fun and we should just go to the party and skip the race.

I'm really looking forward to going to Columbia this weekend to see Tom.


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!   

Taking a little break here although I guess this isn't really a good hiding place . . .  

*Lisa,* be sure and tell us when we need to start doing the hula.  This is the best smilie I can find.  

*Kathy,* your football player sure is handsome!  

*Nancy,* loving the pictures and updates on FB!  

*Maria,* enjoy your guests!  

*Rose,* where's the bourbon?!?   So sorry about all that you have going on.  

*Lindsay,* don't you pay any attention to catty, stupid women.  

Can I just say how much I hate the mommy wars?!?    Really whatever happened to if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all?   

Maybe it's the full moon but I had so many crazy people at work I'm pretty much just numb now -- if you're not on fire or dying you will just have to wait.  

So as Jack Sparrow would say:  *Drinks all around!* 

Love you all!


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> So as Jack Sparrow would say:  *Drinks all around!*
> 
> Love you all!


Mike just poured me one. What a day!


----------



## lisah0711

Oops!  Almost missed it . . .

*Happy Anniversary tomorrow, Lisa!*


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> Mike just poured me one. What a day!



What a nice guy!  Relax and enjoy -- you totally deserve it!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I may need a drink if Terrific Tom doesn't secure a win...Mommy Wars are unnecessary and annoying. I think the participants (on either side) just aren't happy with themselves. Because, really, if I'm happy with my life, why would I care how you live yours?  One size does not fit all. 

Mean, catty women should be banned.  Now there is someone who is insecure and immature. 

This is why I shouldn't stay up past my bedtime. Now I'm rambly and incoherent.  Maybe it's the bleach fumes from Dennis cleaning the guest bathroom 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Oh darn, I missed the drinks last night.    That's what I get for going to bed at 8:30.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

It's ok *Kathy,* you can have a beergarita tonight to celebrate the dolphin that was in our chowder! 

Before I totally gross everyone out -- when the Pats play the Dolphins on Monday Night Football, the theme song has a line about New England wanting Dolphin in the their chowder tonight 

As soon as I finish my omelet I'm going to make up the guest bed, and finish getting ready to go to work. 

Here is what I'm celebrating (other than the return of my favorite spectator sport!) -- I have been known to not have the healthiest snacks while watching football. Last night I had a bowl of blackberries and drank citrus water. That is a long way from Tostitos bowl nachos 

Everyone plan on an awesome day today!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

*Maria*- That is a wonderful thing to celebrate, not easy to stick with a healthy snack during the game, I'm sure.  I need to start watching the Pats, but I don't have espn, but it looks like the monday night games are the only ones I won't be able to get, so that is good.  Michael has a game this sunday at 2:30, so I want to watch  the patriots with him afterwards.  Another sunday, I will let him watch with my brother, and maybe go to a movie on my own.  

*Rose*_So sorry about your friends dad and your tough day.  It's so hard.  I hope today goes much better for you.  It will be nice to visit with Tom this weekend. I'm so glad you have that to look forward to this week.  Oh, and my brussel sprouts were soooo good last night.  I was telling michael they taste like candy, but he wouldn't try them.  He's tried before, and they're not his thing.  That's ok, more for me. 

*Lindsay*- People just say the stupidest things sometimes.  I work with a woman now who always ends a compliment with something negative.  "oh, new pants, I like that top better with the green ones", "you got your hair colored, it's a little too bright", and my favorite about michael was "football will be good for him, it will help him lose the, oh I don't want to say baby fat,"  I just walked away.  These are just for me, she is like that with everyone.  But she's retiring next year!!!  So I know what it feels like, and it's hard not to take it personally, but you are an awesome mom, everyone does what is right for their families, and as long as you love those boys like you do, they will turn out just fine.  
Michael did great during his first game.  The other team was very small, all 3rd graders we heard.  It's a leagues for 3rd adn 4th, but each town does what they want to split the teams.  It was the second team for their town.  Our town splits the kids evenly by size into 3 teams, but I think this town must split by ability/grade.  Not sure.  He played a lot, mostly offense, but went out for some defense too.  He seemed to have no problem holding them back.  I still need to learn a bit more about the game, so I can tell you what his position was.  lol.  Second from the right mostly, and nose guard a couple plays. I think.

*Lisa*_ I hope you had a drink or two last night, too.  It sounds like a crazy work week for you, and you are doing such an amazing job as coach this week, as usual.  I have been reading over there, and then something comes up and I don't post.  I should just post there, and maybe that will get my eating back on track.  I bought ice cream yesterday.  That was my downfall.  Then I left it out by mistake, and when I noticed it, it was all soft and mushy, just like I like it, so I had a big bowl.  Oh well, it is what it is.  Are you ready for your half?  I was thinking about you yesterday while I did my 5 miles, and think the shorter intervals may be best to give my some more endurance.  I was a little sore yesterday, but feel ok now.  Can't imagine how I'll at 8 more miles, but I'm going to try.  DLF>DNF>DNS.  That is my motto for sure this time.  Hope the crazy's stay home and leave you alone today. 

*Liesel*-Happy Anniversary!!!  Have a lovely day!!  OMg, hawaii is right around the corner!!  So excited for you!!

Good morning ladies.  I'm heading to work a bit early, so I'll get out early and can bring michael home to get changed for football and have a quick bite for supper.  He seems to be tolerating the med fine, so we made an appt for february in follow up at the peabody office, and if anything comes up in the mean time, we can call the np or md we saw in boston and see them.  I will be easier to be followed up closer to home.  

Nothing else exciting going on here, which is a good thing.  Wish I was in disney with Nancy. 

Hope everyone has a peaceful, princessey day today.


----------



## liesel

Aww, thanks for the anniversary wishes guys.  I am cooking dinner at home because we are only at 4 more days until Kauai!!!    I have been busy with all our usual activities plus getting ready for vacation.

So I went to the running store and got fitted for new shoes and love them.    No more pain!  I really should have done this a long time ago.  I had a short run on Sunday and am easing back into it.  It really sucked to take 2 weeks off but I'm glad I had the time to heal.  My tink training program starts today, I can't believe it!

*Lisah* I hope you enjoyed your anniversary.   I am still reading on the other thread, I just need to jump in!  How is tapering going?  I'm so excited for you!  I don't think we'll be able to do W&D next year since we'll have DL aps through next Oct.  So I think I'll be looking at a C2C Tink/W&D attempt in 2013!

*Maria* Sorry about the wedding, have fun with all the elderly visitors!

*Kathy* Glad to hear Michael is doing well with the meds.

*Lindsay* I so hate the mommy wars too!  Congratulations on finishing the relay, most moms wouldn't even attempt it!

*Rose* I hope you are feeling better and can do the W&D.  Have fun in South Carolina this weekend!

*Nancy* I hope you are having lots of fun!  I need to find all of you on FB so I can see your updates.

Gotta fly and get the kids ready for school.  Then I need to go on my run and dedicate some time to the BL thread.  What an excited group!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Ok I am going to try to post this with my phone  we will see how well it works. I just tries to read thru the posts I've missed but will have to re-read to respond when I'm home. 
Traveling on 9/11 was no sweat. In fact the airport was totally empty and the flight was empty too! We are having a nice time. It is so hot! I'm actually lounging at the room right now while John has Thomas at the pool  felt a little crappy earlier.
Just HAD to share this little story from today: at DHS I saw an equally as big pregnant lady in the bathroom. She told me she was pg with her 7th child! Shoo! I said well take it easy and drink water! And she told me she was still a little shook up from riding tower of terror!!! Omg! My mouth dropped! I just said well don't do that again or you may deliver before November!

Oh and in case we didn't already know this - there are some really weird people in Disney! 

Will post more pics on fb  xoxo


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lisa--glad you are having a nice anniversary! So exciting about the Hawaii trip! Glad you found shoes that work.

Maria--enjoy your elder visit! Glad those patriots won. Great job on the snacking!

Kathy--I'm so glad the medicine working ok. You sound like you are in a good place with things. We had brussel sprouts last night, too! We are actually having leftovers tonight.

Lisah and Lindsay--I hope you had better days today.

Nancy--seriously that woman just pxxxes me off! I hate people like that--I can pop out 7 kids and ride amusement park rides in my third trimester, la, la, la. Yes the ugly side of me is coming out--not something I'm proud of. We so desperately wanted more kids and could we have another one, no. But she can pop out 7. Not fair! Sorry for the rant. I have been out of sorts lately. It sounds like you are having a really good time.

*******
So today is over. Phew. Work went well.  I have actually had some projects other than duplicates to work on, which has been great. We did the visitation at the funeral home and now we are just waiting for dinner to heat.

Mike's family attorney called about something stupid with his sister's will. Some timeshare in San Diego that the people she actually left something to in the will don't want. How annoying. So why would Tom or Mike want it? It's like the scraps from the dinner table. 

Tom called me today. He sounds like he is in a really good place. He is doing well in his classes--in his religion class the prof said his paper was the best one he read and in his math class he got a 130% on his quiz--the prof only records up to a 100, but still very good. He said he feels like himself again for the first time since high school. I almost cried, I was so relieved.

Ok, time for dinner. Have a fabulous night!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   



mikamah said:


> Oh darn, I missed the drinks last night.    That's what I get for going to bed at 8:30.



Phooey!  I hate it when that happens!   I think we all wish that we were in Disney with Nancy!   



Worfiedoodles said:


> Here is what I'm celebrating (other than the return of my favorite spectator sport!) -- I have been known to not have the healthiest snacks while watching football. Last night I had a bowl of blackberries and drank citrus water. That is a long way from Tostitos bowl nachos



There you go -- you have your woo hoo Wednesday answer all ready!  



liesel said:


> Aww, thanks for the anniversary wishes guys.  I am cooking dinner at home because we are only at 4 more days until Kauai!!!    I have been busy with all our usual activities plus getting ready for vacation.



Ooo, I love the single digit dance!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> Just HAD to share this little story from today: at DHS I saw an equally as big pregnant lady in the bathroom. She told me she was pg with her 7th child! Shoo! I said well take it easy and drink water! And she told me she was still a little shook up from riding tower of terror!!! Omg! My mouth dropped! I just said well don't do that again or you may deliver before November!
> 
> Oh and in case we didn't already know this - there are some really weird people in Disney!
> 
> Will post more pics on fb  xoxo



Loving all your pics and updates, *Nancy!* Thanks for sharing!  

*Rose,* glad that Tom is doing well and enjoying school.  It will be fun to see him this week-end!   

I'm as ready as I will ever be for my half on Sunday.  I put off my short run yesterday because it is very smoky here due to a bunch of fires.  Hopefully that will have cleared out some today.  My race update says the high will be 67 on Sunday -- not too bad.  Will probably be in the 40's for the start so I'll have to dig out the throw away gloves.  I'm definitely taking a page from Kathy's book and keeping the DLF>DNF>>DNS motto in my head.   

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies!!

*Lisa*- The temperatures for your half sound pretty good to me.  Better than overwhelming heat, that's for sure.  You are going to finish, and I predict a new PR for you!!  So happy for you that you're off to a great start with the challenge!!  I'm going to follow suit, really I am.  Such a busy week on the challenge thread, keeping you busy.  I've caught up by reading your multiquotes so I figure I caught all the highlights of everyone's week. 

*Rose*- I'm so glad Tom is doing well in school, and feeling really positive too.  Should make for a wonderful, much needed visit with him.  I can only imagine how hard it is to let them grow up and go out on their own.  Such a worry.  I really want to keep michael little and have as much control over him as I can.  I'm guessing he's going to grow up no matter what I do, so I'll have to deal.  Luckily I have you, Maria and Lisa to lead the way for me. 

*Liesel*-3 days!!!!  ALOHA!!!!  So jealous here.  

*Maria*-Hope you're having a good week, and not too crazy at work.  Michael's football practice is ending early this week because they found some mosquitos in town that tested positive for West Nile virus.  The mosquitos are pretty bad around here with all the rain, and his practice field is right on the river.  Are they bad where you are? 

*Lindsay*- Hope you're having a good week, and it's not too crazy for you.  How is Ryan liking football?  A friend from work has a high school sophomore and she's already freaking out because he only played for 30 seconds in the first game.  Our leagues first games were all this weekend, and we got the big email telling us not to approach the coaches after the game if we had a problem with their playing time, but to give it 24 hours to cool off, and then talk to the coach one-on-one without other parents there to hear.  I'm sure there was some issues this weekend.  I thought michael played a lot for his first year, and the other mom's I saw last night at practice felt their kids did too.  

*Nancy*- That pregnant woman is insane to to TOT.  Thomas is so cute.  I'm loving your facebook updates, but could use a few more.   I know you're busy having fun and all, but we're living vicariously through you.  But it's ok, we'll wait til you get home and post the whole scrapbook.  

Guess I should go make my lunch now.  Have a great day, princesses and lisabelles!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Ladies,

Im happy to say I am feeling better both yesterday and today.  Still having some blues about my weight and eating habits right now.  Im trying to figure something out that would work for my insanely nutty sched.  I mean its a bit difficult considering I usually am out of my house from 7am-830pm every night during the week.  but its not an excuse I just need to stop myself from using it as an excuse and become more creative.  I was so upset last night after trying to find a nice outfit to wear for a meeting I am attending tonight.  Nothing fit.

Anyway other than that life is good.

Ryan is absolutely loving football.  I have never seen such a desire in him to do something.  He is so motivated to do well and gives it his all even at practice.  He is getting a great deal of playing time but its nice to see that really all the kids are playing a good amount as well.  The group of coaches we have are wonderful.  They are stern yet supportive and loving at the same time.  I am so happy it is turning out well after all the horror stories I had heard.  You can totally see a difference in coaching from the older flag team.  I can see what the parents from last year were talking about.

Tonight I am attending a member meeting for the hospital network I work for.  It is mostly Doctors and senior management, chairs, CEO's etc.  I was invited to accept an award for my practice site.  We had the highest overall patient satisfaction score in our Peds Dept.  I am very proud!!!!  I had to put together the one thing we do best to talk about briefly but I am hoping my physician site leader will be willing to speak.  I get so nervous to begin with and to get up in front of all these prominent people would be more stress than I really need today. 

Rose- I am so glad Tom is feeling better what a relief I am sure that is for you.  I bet you are very excited for the weekend.  Sorry about your friends dad and the crappy stuff mike is still dealing with his sister's will.

Kathy- West nile virus.  Thats crazy.  I got bit up last night at practice.  I have one on my thigh the size of a credit card.  I will monitor myself for any neurologic issues. 

Lisa H- Those temps sound wonderful.  I know you are going to do just great.  We are all so proud of you!!!!!

Liesel- Happy belated Anniv. and woohoo on just a few more days to your big trip.

Nancy- I cant believe that lady rode TOT pregnant.  I dont care how many kids you have had that is just plain stupid.  Im glad your having a great time and how nice of john for him to take thomas to the pool to give you a rest.  I loved the pic of thomas sleeping.  There is just something about watching a child sleep....they look so peaceful and innocent.

Oh and I almost forgot.....So nick had this soccertots group come into the daycare yesterday to give a free class and then you can sign your child up for an additional fee to have this at school once a week.  Well from what mike said he absolutely loved it.  So I asked him last night how soccer was and he said all this great stuff about it so I said ok will sign you up and he says no thats ok.  I just dont get it.  I have one child who wants to sign up for everything under the sun and another who is just content going along with what life brings.  I can tell nick definitely must take after my husband.

Have a great day!!!!  I really should get back to working here.


----------



## lisah0711

*Lindsay,* glad that you are feeling better!   
I'm sorry about the clothes thing.    Every day this week I've put on something and taken it off because I just didn't like the way it looked or felt.    Sounds like Nick just wants to chill for now.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Probably wont' be on again for awhile, but just wanted to say:

Lisa--have a  great time in Hawaii!

LisaH--have a great race.


----------



## mikamah

*Rose*-Have a wonderful weekend with Tom!

*LIndsay*-Glad you're in a better place now.  Those are long days away from home, and it's hard to get organized and plan the healthy foods to bring for the whole day, but hopefully you'll be able to get into more of a routine with school/sports, and work it in.  You're not alone.  I can't remember when I last had the focus to stay totally on track.  Maybe January before the princess, I was pretty good.  Funny how kids are so different, and Nick is more low key.  I'm so happy football is working out for Ryan.  

*LIsah*-Sorry about the clothes not feeling good.  You're down 4 and I think fall is going to be your time to shine!!  Keep up what you're doing!!

*Lisa*-Aloha!!!

*Maria*- Hi there!!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Tinks!   

*Rose,* safe travels and GO GAMECOCKS! 

*Lisa,* have a wonderful time in Hawaii!    Can't wait to hear all about it!

*Kathy,* glad that you are having a good week!

*Maria,* the lob-stah roll sounded so yummy.  

*Nancy,* so, so sorry about the barf thing.    Hope that Thomas is feeling better now.  You, too.  

The clothes thing this week was little frustrating but a good reminder for me.  It's been awhile since I had that problem and the flood of bad emotions that come back just stinks.    I know it is a temporary problem and that helps a lot!  

We had a great time at middle school open house.  This was the first time that we had to do the class rotation.  They made it 10 minutes with 5 minutes passing time so we were gone almost 3 hours and got a good appreciation for the kind of long day Robert has at school.  He is enjoying himself and doing well, after a couple of big whoops thanks to poor organization.  I was asked to help with organization tonight so I think he is figuring it out.  

My coaching gig is coming to a close so I can spend the next few days getting ready for my half.  I am as ready as I am going to be.  The weather looks great.  I will be wearing my WISH shirt and have my Incredibles patch -- even though I think you are right Kathy that our team is no more -- and am ready to have a great time.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose-  Have a wonderful weekend!!!!!  Be safe and have lots of fun.

Lisa-  You will look great in your wish shirt this weekend and I agree I think our incredibles team folded.  I am part to blame I didnt get over there much.  At least we still have each other and I think that is incredible.

Im trying the myfitness pal app out today and I have to tell ya I am really liking it so far.  i think this may help alot.  Thanks for mentioning that Lisa.

This post was interrupted by a fire alarm being set off in our building.  Nothing like having to stand outside for 20 min in pouring rain to brighten my day. 

Tonight I am thinking of not staying for the whole football practice so I can clean up at home.  Its a bit of a wreck again.  Even better maybe practice will be cancelled due to rain....now that would really make my day better.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies,

It's been a busy week, and I'm happy it's friday.  Open house was fine, and today michael wore his football jersey to school.  I guess all the football teams wear their game shirts on fridays to get pumped up for the weekend games.  I know a friend's older son in middle school told her that some of the girls will ask the boys to wear their shirts, but noone asked him yet.  That will be a good reason for michael to continue with football.

*Maria*-How is your week going?  I figure with a hurricane named after you it could be pretty crazy.  Hope it's the opposite.

*Lisa*-Ds's open house sounds great to be able to see all the classrooms and meet all the teachers.  I think they do that here too for middle school.  Glad he's doing well, and getting that organization down.  I think that is a big part of middle school, and not always easy, but by the time high school rolls around, they all have it figured out.  Loving your positive attitude on the race sunday, and know you will get out there and have a blast!!  

*Lindsay*-Hope practice got rained out.  I saw pics from last thursday michael had missed practice, but the boys were completely covered in mud, from practice in the rain.  I have a feeling it will take a lot for practice to be cancelled.  I think we should pray for lightning.  They'd have to cancel then.

*Hello Rose, Nancy, Lisa, Taryn!!* 

TGIF!  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

TGIF is right, *Kathy!* 

It's quiet here with half of our princesses gone on trips.  

*Lisa,* I will add my aloha to the chorus!    Have a wonderful time!  Can't wait to hear all about it!

*Rose,* hope that you are having a great time with Tom!  

*Lindsay,* are you using the scan feature on myfitnesspal?  I love that thing!    I also thought that it was nice when I went over my calories (by a whole 50 calories) it just said I had completed my journal.    I sent you a friend request.  I use my other internet identity there 1313harbor -- I would use it for the Disboards but I don't want to lose my tags!  

*Nancy,* loving the updates!  

I'm spending the week-end relaxing and getting ready for my half on Sunday.  I haven't decided if I will drive up and get my packet tomorrow or wait until Sunday morning.  I'm a bit afraid I might freak myself out if I go up early.    I won't be setting any speed records but as long as I finish in under 4 hours I will be very happy.  

I'm getting into that introspective part of the pre-race program.    For the first time last night I realized that I've already raced over 25 miles this year so far -- 8 Princess, 5 Spring Dash, 13.1 CdA 1/2.  That's a lot!    And I still have this 1/2 and a 10K to go.  

My race doesn't start until 8:30 a.m. on Sunday.  So to all you ladies it will later on Sunday afternoon before I report in.  Thanks for all the encouragement!  I could never have done all this without you all!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy-  OMG we use to do that in high school with the jerseys.  That brings back such memories.  I remember it was a big deal of who's jersey you wore.  My girlfriends and I were not date the football player type but we were all best friends with the coolest and most handsome guys.  We often would wear there shirts and make all the girls that were ga ga over them mad.   Such dumb stuff we did as kids. 

Lisa- Have a wonderful trip.

Lisa H.  I saw your friend request and was wondering who it might be.  I will now accept.  I love the scanner....it almost made me want to only eat things I could scan yesterday.  I am really liking it.  You have really put a ton of miles in this year.  You should be so extremely proud of yourself.  Not only for doing all of that but even for not throwing in the towel after the princess.  You are truly an amazing women.  Is your race tomorrow or sunday?


Well practice was not cancelled last night but it did end at 730 rather than 8 since it was so darn cold.  I left with Nick once mike got there and thank goodness because I was sitting there shivering.  Mike brought his fleece blanket and bundled up in it and he said he was still freezing by the end.  I guess we just arent use to the cold/damp weather yet.  Such a drastic change.  I did get some cleaning done and was able to make dinner so that was good.  I ended up staying up until 1245am watching Dear John.  I just love that movie.  Now of course I am regretting it today.

Tonight I am going to the movies with my friend.  She just had her 3rd child a few months ago and needs a night out.  We are going to see the new sarah jessica parker movie...not sure of the title but really doesnt matter because I get a night out.

She wants to go to red robin afterwards so I am trying to decide what is something light that I can order since it will be late at night.  I really was going to say I didnt want to go to eat but I just feel bad as it seems she really wanted to sit and talk.  

Ok well at least we can say TGIF!!!!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Just have a minute to say -- *Lindsay* -- The title of your movie is "This is How She Does It", about an overworked, overachieving working mom -- it should be rather familiar for you! 

Have a fantastic time!

I'm snowed under with work, and when I'm not here I'm entertaining and feeding the elderly. 

They leave on their cruise tomorrow, so some time tomorrow afternoon/evening I will have 20 minutes to catch up with you guys! 

Maria


----------



## pjlla

mikamah said:


> Good morning ladies,
> 
> It's been a busy week, and I'm happy it's friday.  Open house was fine, and today michael wore his football jersey to school.  I guess all the football teams wear their game shirts on fridays to get pumped up for the weekend games.  I know a friend's older son in middle school told her that some of the girls will ask the boys to wear their shirts, but noone asked him yet.  That will be a good reason for michael to continue with football.



Just lurking over here, as usual, but had to comment.  Michael will have a girl asking to wear his shirt before you know it!  I know I've mentioned DS's girlfriend before.... well they have been a "couple" for nearly a year and a half now!  And they have already made plans to attend the 8th grade semi-formal together this spring!  I'm sure if DS had a football jersey she would be wearing it.  But he will ALWAYS have a special spot in his heart for Mom, right??  .........................P


----------



## liesel

Aloha, I am in a packing frenzy, its been a crazy week.  I barely remembered to send in my weigh in, and it was a decent loss too!  I'm off tomorrow and I'll catch you all when I get back.  I'm still not sure how much internet I'll be doing while I'm gone, its nice to unplug for a while.  Yes, I am bringing my running gear, I can't wait to run at sea level.  DH said when he runs at sea level when travelling for business he's about 2 min/mi faster!


LisaH-Good luck on your half!

Have a great weekend everyone!


----------



## mikamah

pjlla said:


> Just lurking over here, as usual, but had to comment.  Michael will have a girl asking to wear his shirt before you know it!  I know I've mentioned DS's girlfriend before.... well they have been a "couple" for nearly a year and a half now!  And they have already made plans to attend the 8th grade semi-formal together this spring!  I'm sure if DS had a football jersey she would be wearing it.  But he will ALWAYS have a special spot in his heart for Mom, right??  .........................P


Thanks pamela.  It does amaze me sometime how he has always "liked" a girl each year since kindergarten, but he get so shy in front of said girl, and that's ok with me. lol.  I think they always have a special spot for mom, don't you worry. How cute your ds already has a date for the semiformal.  You don't need to be a lurker here, we'd love to see you posting, anytime.  You are a princess too.



liesel said:


> Aloha, I am in a packing frenzy, its been a crazy week.  I barely remembered to send in my weigh in, and it was a decent loss too!  I'm off tomorrow and I'll catch you all when I get back.  I'm still not sure how much internet I'll be doing while I'm gone, its nice to unplug for a while.  Yes, I am bringing my running gear, I can't wait to run at sea level.  DH said when he runs at sea level when travelling for business he's about 2 min/mi faster!


Have a fabulous trip.  I never thought about the altitude, but that will definitely make you faster in disney too.  awesome.



Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm snowed under with work, and when I'm not here I'm entertaining and feeding the elderly.
> 
> They leave on their cruise tomorrow, so some time tomorrow afternoon/evening I will have 20 minutes to catch up with you guys!


Hope they get off ok on the cruise, and you enjoy a little quiet time today. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Kathy-  OMG we use to do that in high school with the jerseys.  That brings back such memories.  I remember it was a big deal of who's jersey you wore.  My girlfriends and I were not date the football player type but we were all best friends with the coolest and most handsome guys.  We often would wear there shirts and make all the girls that were ga ga over them mad.   Such dumb stuff we did as kids.
> 
> She wants to go to red robin afterwards so I am trying to decide what is something light that I can order since it will be late at night.  I really was going to say I didnt want to go to eat but I just feel bad as it seems she really wanted to sit and talk.


Lol on the football jerseys.  That is funny.  Hope you had a fun night last night, enjoyed the movie, maybe even got some pointers from sarah for your own life, and made some good choices at red robin.  



lisah0711 said:


> I'm spending the week-end relaxing and getting ready for my half on Sunday.  I haven't decided if I will drive up and get my packet tomorrow or wait until Sunday morning.  I'm a bit afraid I might freak myself out if I go up early.    I won't be setting any speed records but as long as I finish in under 4 hours I will be very happy.
> 
> I'm getting into that introspective part of the pre-race program.    For the first time last night I realized that I've already raced over 25 miles this year so far -- 8 Princess, 5 Spring Dash, 13.1 CdA 1/2.  That's a lot!    And I still have this 1/2 and a 10K to go.
> 
> My race doesn't start until 8:30 a.m. on Sunday.  So to all you ladies it will later on Sunday afternoon before I report in.  Thanks for all the encouragement!  I could never have done all this without you all!


I hope you're still in bed, since it's only 5:30 there, and are ready for a nice relaxing day today.  Your weekend sounds perfect for a race weekend, and you make sure those men pamper you today.  You have done amazing this year, and should be so proud. That's a lot of race miles.  I'm so proud of you and happy for you.  You have done so well sticking with this running thing, and through another summer!! 

Good morning ladies, 

I'm thinking what a beautiful fall morning, and how lovely it would be to get out for a run, but thinking and doing are such different thing.  I need to feed the boy and then will make him go with me for a short walk/run.  He can bike if he wants.  
I've actually contemplated not doing the half next weekend, but am going to do it.  I emailed the race director because they have walkers start 1 hour before runners so I thought maybe I should do that, but I do want to jog some, so I didn't know if that was kosher to start early as a walker and then run some.  She emailed back that the race has a 4 hour time limit, so if I start with the runners they will still be at the finish line 4 hours later, so I think I'll do that, and that way I can go with my friend Karen.  Then she can finish, go home, shower, get us coffee and come back and pick me up when I finish. 
I haven't been motivated at all to exercise.  I'm trying to count being on my feet all day at work as training, but it just isn't.  

I think we might go pick apples later today.  The past few years we've gone, it seems that it's been a really hot day, so today would be nice.  

Enjoy the weekend everyone!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   



pjlla said:


> Just lurking over here, as usual, but had to comment.  Michael will have a girl asking to wear his shirt before you know it!  I know I've mentioned DS's girlfriend before.... well they have been a "couple" for nearly a year and a half now!  And they have already made plans to attend the 8th grade semi-formal together this spring!  I'm sure if DS had a football jersey she would be wearing it.  But he will ALWAYS have a special spot in his heart for Mom, right??  .........................P


j

Pamela, you don't have to be a lurker here.  We would love to have you as a Princess!    Please chat with us any time!    I'm sure that Kathy is right and DS will always have a special place in his heart for his Mom.    What kinds of activities do you have this week-end?  You always have so much going on!  



liesel said:


> Aloha, I am in a packing frenzy, its been a crazy week.  I barely remembered to send in my weigh in, and it was a decent loss too!  I'm off tomorrow and I'll catch you all when I get back.  I'm still not sure how much internet I'll be doing while I'm gone, its nice to unplug for a while.  Yes, I am bringing my running gear, I can't wait to run at sea level.  DH said when he runs at sea level when travelling for business he's about 2 min/mi faster!
> 
> LisaH-Good luck on your half!
> 
> Have a great weekend everyone!



Aloha, *Lisabelle!*  Have a wonderful time!  I will be thinking of you doing those Tinker Bell training runs on the beach.    Keep that training effect in mind for the Tinker Bell because DL is definitely close to sea level.  



mikamah said:


> I've actually contemplated not doing the half next weekend, but am going to do it.  I emailed the race director because they have walkers start 1 hour before runners so I thought maybe I should do that, but I do want to jog some, so I didn't know if that was kosher to start early as a walker and then run some.  She emailed back that the race has a 4 hour time limit, so if I start with the runners they will still be at the finish line 4 hours later, so I think I'll do that, and that way I can go with my friend Karen.  Then she can finish, go home, shower, get us coffee and come back and pick me up when I finish.
> I haven't been motivated at all to exercise.  I'm trying to count being on my feet all day at work as training, but it just isn't.
> 
> I think we might go pick apples later today.  The past few years we've gone, it seems that it's been a really hot day, so today would be nice.
> 
> Enjoy the weekend everyone!!



Aww, *Kathy,* you are a week behind me on the half marathon freak out schedule.    I thought about skipping mine, too, or seeing if I could switch to the 10K, but now I've reached that zen place again -- it is what it is.    Next for you is the introspective part of the program.  And yesterday was the I need to spend some more money at the running store!    Maybe you can skip that one.   Luckily, today is just the I wish the race were today stage.  

I'll help you with the introspective part of your program by reminding you that you've raced a lot of miles this year, too.   There's the Princess and your 5K.  This is your second half this year, which will put you over the 25 miles raced mark!    And that doesn't include all the training miles!  It does make me wish that I would have done a better job of keeping track of the training miles.   You are so much stronger and healthier than you were this time last year.  You should be proud of all your hard work and accomplishments.    You can rock that half next week!   

*Maria,* the weather says 40% chance of rain for my half now.  Any tips for running in the rain?  I have my $1 poncho from Target.  I know I'll get wet, which I don't mind, but cold and wet is a bit worrisome.  Better than hot, though.  Uh oh, getting back to crazy now . . . 

*Lindsay,* hope the Beast has a good game today!  

*Nancy,* thanks for all the pics and posts!  Can't wait to hear more when you get home.  

*Rose,* hope your team wins tonight!  

Have a great day ladies!  And thank you so very, very much for all your support and encouragement!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Maria-  I looked up the movie online and just laughed.  Yep they have made a story of my life...well and your's and many others of us to.  I hope your day goes quickly and you get that break soon.

Kathy- I know the feeling of not being fully prepared.  Its funny that after we do our first half its kind of like a been there done that feeling that makes us think we can just run in our minds instead of actually doing it and still be ok.  You will do fine though and 4 hours gives you a good cushion even if you have to walk a good portion.  I bet it will be a cool experience too.

Lisa- In disney its nice to have a race on a sunday but at home not so much.  There is nothing to really keep you busy on sat to keep your mind off of it.  Good luck tomorrow.  I will be thinking of you and sending you good wishes.  Do your best and forget the rest.

Liesel- Have a great trip and have fun running there.  You will have to let us know how faster it made you.  


The movie was good last night and I really felt like minus the traveling for work it could have been the story of my life.  Actually it played off of the stereotypical roles of working moms and SAHM.  Some of the things were those that I was just talking about from the team of moms I had run with.  It was rather funny.

Now I say stereotypical because I know there are SAHM and Working Moms that are totally not like that.  Like our very own Nancy.  She has choosen to SAH with her children but has never made me or anyone else feel like we are wrong for not doing the same.  Love ya Nancy.

Anyway my friend that I went with knew I was trying to eat healthy so instead of the candy she was going to bring she brought us each a bag of grapes.    She is so sweet.  So it made it easy to go to Red Robin and I only ordered a cup of NE clam chowder and it was 347cal and I logged it in to MY fitness Pal.  So all in all it was a good night.

Today we have Ryans FB game at 3 we have to leave our house at 130 to get there by 215.  Then we are going over to our friends house afterwards for dinner.  Not sure what they are making which gives me some anxiety but I will try to have a light lunch.

It is a beautiful crisp cool day outside and I am loving it.  Fall is my favorite time of the year.

Rose and Nancy I hope you are both having a great trip.

Hi Pam!!!!  Thanks for stopping by like lisa said you are always welcome here.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning,  and !

I'm not sure how long I will have this morning -- the elderly went to Target and the bank, and Dennis is working on clearing out Irene. Yep, we're a little behind  We drop them at the terminal at 2, so I have a few more hours to fill with them.

This morning I got up and we went to Deer Island. I really needed to run (and so did Dennis, who has a Half in 3 weeks), so it felt good to get out there. All the casual "it's nice out" walkers and their dogs were gone since it's a bit chillier, but it was perfect for a run. 

Yesterday everything fell apart at work with an ITS glitch, and I was totally stressed and down to the wire -- it was a system error, rather than a "Maria" error (did I mention I was lunchless...), but finally I got to go home. Of course, now my crackberry will not forward or send. I'll have the nerds look at it Tuesday. Yep, I said Tuesday. We have company tomorrow after church, and that means I'm not getting a weekend -- so I'm taking a mental health day on Monday. My next big project is already starting, and I need a day for me to regroup. 

I did so well this week with HH, I wrote everything down and kept track, even doing a few more things than I would normally do. I have a loss of 3.8, which I'm really pleased with -- especially considering my nonexistent workouts! 

*Lindsay* -- Grapes sound like a fantastic movie treat! I have been known to sneak in baby carrots, grape tomatoes, even cut peppers. I honestly don't like the movie theater popcorn, it doesn't taste good to me after eating the homemade version . I think you had a great evening! Good luck to the Beast, I hope he has another awesome game! 

*Lisah* -- The rain in Providence was actually warm, so it was a blessing. You'll want to keep warm before the race as usual, definitely leave your poncho on to start the race. I shed mine between mile 1 and 2, when I started to really feel warm. I would suggest you just embrace it, and try to enjoy it. The rain itself was not bad for me. A visor can be a great thing in the rain. I think it's easier if it's not running right into your eyes.  I'm so glad you are in a zen place about your race! I know you are going to have fun and do your best -- and isn't that really what we're going for? I felt poorly trained for Providence, but I just did it. Your medal will look the same as the winner's  I need to echo Kathy, I am so proud of you for sticking to your running this summer, signing up for a fall Half, and giving it your all. You 

*Kathy* -- You and Michael are going to have a great time getting outside today! It is so beautiful, and just perfect to be moving!  I saw their ship from Deer Island this morning, so I know it's waiting for them  They have a couple of excursions they are planning in Bar Harbor and Halifax, so they should come back happy and a bit tuckered out, with any luck  Would you believe I have to go to the Mall later? Ben is holding us to our promise to do more school shopping today. I was hoping he'd forget. I want to pick up a few items at JCPenneys, so maybe I can leave the men together and go off on my own  Dennis will love that 

*Lisa* -- Wow, your vacation is already here!! Have a wonderful time. I am envious of those beach runs. I have a feeling your beaches will be a lot warmer and the sand will be a lot less rocky than mine!  We are expecting a mini TR when you return! Aloha!

*Pamela* -- There is definitely some Princess in you! You do such a great job with your workouts and maintaining -- I hope you will lurk less and post more here! 

*Rose* -- I know you are with Tom and having a wonderful time! I hope you have gorgeous weather and sunny dispositions all around 

*Nancy* -- I clearly need to make it onto FB more so I can follow your trip.  Hope you're having a blast! 

Ok, I'm going to at least catch up reading the BL thread. I need to know what I'm doing for HH this week 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Hi friends! We are home. Just got in about 45 min ago and I'm laying in bed hoping to fall asleep soon. I'm a little wired after the long trip (not long time wise but long toddler screaming - wise!). I will be catching up tomorrow when I get a chance but needed to come on to wish Lisa a fabulous race tomorrow!! Enjoy that beautiful scenery and that long bridge!!! Xoxo we will all be cheering you on in spirit!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Maria- A mental health day tomorrow definitly sounds like the way to go.  Sorry for your long day and lunchless.  Thats the worst!  I hope your day today is relaxing and that you enjoy your day tomorrow.  Great job on the loss this week.  That is excellent.

Nancy- Glad your back home safe.  I cant wait to hear all about it!!!!!

Good luck today Lisa!!!!  


Yesterdays game was good.  The team we played only had 1 flag team so there kids were 6 and 7 year olds and ours are just 5 and 6.  So the team was a little bigger and seemed pretty good.  Well our little guys are such fighters and they won 7-0.  The touchdown came in the opening kickoff so the rest of the game was a little boring.  Ryan aka The Beast had to really beast it up because the guy they put him on was like 90lbs.  He did really well and held his own, got a flag and broke up a few plays.  Then we went over to our friends house who lives right by the school we played at.  We had a nice evening!

Now I am getting the boys ready for sunday school.  Today is the first day.  Then we probably will hang out at my Nanas today.  We havent really spent much time there lately so I guess we will just relax there today, Even though I have a million things I could be doing at home.  The Eagles dont play until 830 and although I hate staying up late its nice to be able to sit and watch the game with just me and my dh.  Its like the old days.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Go, Lisah , Go Lisah , Go Lisah! 

Have a wonderful race in every way -- we are so proud of you!!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Worfiedoodles said:


> Go, Lisah , Go Lisah , Go Lisah!
> 
> Have a wonderful race in every way -- we are so proud of you!!
> 
> Maria



I ditto this 100%.  

Good luck Lisa!!!

I'm sending good vibes your way and we're doing the sunshine dance here and sending those vibes to Idaho.  Have fun!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

It would be so easy to blow off my run this morning...but in honor of *Lisah!*, I'm going to go hit the TM. Just 3M, and then I'm getting started on my regrouping day. Actually the run is integral to the regrouping process!

I printed Tracey's QOTD articles so I can read them and respond, I have loads of laundry ready to go, I have a list of things to get done and Flylady digests for 4 days, I am ready to get my day started! Now where is that TM?! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisah* - congrats on the half marathon! it feels like you JUST finished one and here you just did another one!  fabulous job! i can't wait to hear all about it. do you have any race pics? how big was the race? did they have any entertainment along the course? you know, other than the longest bridge known to man?? 

*lindsay -  *i'm late to this but sorry about the mommy wars crap. i just file all that stuff under "why i hate people, especially women"  people say nasty things because they aren't happy with their own lives. they need to put people down in order to make themselves feel better. and the answer to "to stay at home or not to stay at home" is simple: whatever you're doing is the right thing. i never thought i'd be a stay at home mom. and yet, here i am. sometimes i love it, sometimes i hate it. and i'm pretty sure working moms can say the same thing. and anyone who has something nasty to say can just shove it up their pie-hole! glad ryan's rocking football. and i agree with lisa, maybe nick just wants to chill out and explore his options before committing to an activity - wouldn't it be nice if all kids did that??

*kathy - *how is michael doing? i'm glad his first football game went well. i really don't know the football positions either. i never pay attention enough! my husband is not into sports AT ALL so we don't watch all that much - only the sports that i like  what's going on with the seizures? what kind of follow up does he need? how is he feeling on the meds? not operating any heavy machinery i hope 

*maria - *enjoy your mental health day today! sounds nice to me  i hope that means you'll actually relax and not try to do housework or any of that stuff - ew! i meant to ask  - how is the llbean store? how far is it from you? i'd like to go there one day. alot of the people i went to hs with in CT went north for vacations and they were always talking about the llbean store. 

*rose - *how was your visit? sounds like tom's rocking his classes! 130%?? wow! how much longer til wine and dine? how's the foot? what are the next...steps...for treatment? 

*liesel - *have a wonderful time in hawaii!

good morning princesses and lisatinkers! 

i can't believe the disney trip came and went already. i hate that. it was a really nice time but the heat was very intense. a few times i needed to stop what i was doing and find the nearest air conditioned seat. shoo! and the other problem with the heat was that i didn't feel like eating most of my favorite disney snacks! still, i managed to gain 4 lbs or so. cuz, you know, god forbid i not gorge myself at the buffets and restaurants. john and i did our usual disney trip fighting (you know, like, how we have been to disney together more than 10 times and he still has no idea where anything is or how i'd have to ASK him to go chase thomas who was running away since it was a million degrees and i'm almost 8 months pregnant and wasn't feeling great, etc) but i think alot of it had to do with the heat. we weren't the only couple fighting, that's for sure! i'm going to download my pics and start working on a trip report soon.

i need to get ready to leave in a few minutes - we were supposed to start our mommy and me class today. my leader partner graciously said she's set up the classroom last week since i was going on vacation. i didn't mean to leave her hanging - the principal said we couldn't get into the classroom any earlier. partner texted me on vacation telling me that the principal told her that not only can she not set up the room but she's MOVING our room to the 2nd floor!  so that means we have to completely set up a new room - decorate, organize, bring up the millions of toys, etc all before the class starts. why you'd ask a mommy and me class full of toddlers and babies to go to the 2nd floor with all their gear is beside me. it just makes everything so much more difficult. anyway, i'm meeting her a little after 9 to get the classroom ready for a wednesday start. yes, i get paid for this "job" but the 150 or so bucks a month i make at this does not warrant all this headache! oh well, at least there will be some toys for thomas to play with!

other than that, not much is going on. i have the back from vacation blues and feeling a little overwhelmed that really the next big thing in life now is the new baby. i hate to admit it but i'm feeling way more anxious, worried, and, if i'm being honest with myself, depressed about it. i know it's coming - i need to get a grip! 

ok, stop typing nancy. have a great day all!! xoxo


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hello! We are back, and I am tired and so do not want to go to work. It was a good weekend--the gamecocks won. So that was exciting. We had a really good time at the game. We ended up spending time Saturday afternoon with Tom and one of his roomates and his parents. Is there something wrong with me--the parents just drove me a little crazy. The mom is a new runner so we talked about that for a little--but in less than two hours she insulted me because I didn't work when Tom was in school, told me I only lost weight cause of gluten issues (because it's much harder for her to lose weight) and the husband basically came up with reasons for why we couldn't possibly want to live in KY--eewwwww----of all places. There was something else, but I can't remember what it was. Of course it was much more subtle than that. I was singing the "not enough alchohol" song in my head which means she probably thinks I'm a drunk. (We took a bottle of maker's mark to Tom's house--it was a tailgate for goodness sakes!) It's probably my fault cause I am too much of an open book!

Anyhow, we had a nice visit. There was some drama--there always is, but Mike thought it was the best visit yet, so that's good. I think sometimes it's about Tom learning to let us say what we need to say--and then ignoring it. And about us realizing he's his own person. We are a work in progress.

*Lisa*--I don't know how the race went, but I think I saw on facebook that you finished-- Congratulations!

*Lindsay*--When I saw the trailer for that movie I immediately thought of you. Woohoo for grapes at the movies! And I hope I fit into the Nancy category of SAHMs.

*Maria*--I hope you have a calm day today!

*Pamela*--I second Lisa. Please don't lurk. We'd love to have you join us.

*Liesel*--have fun in Hawaii!

*Kathy*--So Saturday my sister called, but I didn't take the call and she didn't leave a message. Then yesterday she sent me a text asking if we had a history of seizure disorder in our family. I finally talked to her last night. My almost 20yo niece has had two seizures in the last 3 weeks, one of which was a grande mal (sp?) which left her unresponsive for 20+ minutes. She is doing ok, and actually back at college and cleared to play soccer. They took her license and she is going to see a specialist at Penn. But how, crazy that Michael went through this and now my niece. Before last week I only knew of one person (a friend's niece) with seizure issues and now look. They live in Lancaster, but my sister has been working in CT so she had to drive 300 miles to the hospital. How scary! 

Anyhow, I'm so glad Michael is enjoying football! And I am glad you are going to do your race. 

Ok, I really need to get ready and go to work. Have a great day everyone!

****
Oh, *Nancy*. I just saw that you posted. I will catch up with you tonight!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses and lisabelles!!  

We had a fun weekend, not too busy, lots of down time, I sat reading on the porch and needed a sweater which I love.  It was such a nice fall feeling to the weekend here.  We didn't make it to apple picking, but michael biked and I walked and we went around a big cemetary in town and there a  little stream where we played Pooh-sticks.  Do any of you remember that from the winnie the pooh movies?  You drop the sticks off the bridge into the water and go to the other side and see who's comes out first.  Brought me back in time.  
Yesterday we went to church since we hadn't been in a while, like all summer, and then picked up sandwiches for lunch before football.  They got creamed. 36-0.  The coaches started the game off rather strictly, when the defense went out to play, the offense went to sit on the long bench by the field, and they told them this was football, not crocheting, get up and stand or kneel.   Guess they're trying to make men out of them.  The were a little too much during the first half when they started losing, but at half time gave the team  a nice little speech about doing your best, and don't worry about the scoreboard, etc.  So that made me feel better.  I asked michael if he wanted to take up crocheting when we got home, and he didn't even know what it was.    He's fine, and got over the loss probably better than the coaches. 

*Rose*- Your poor niece, how scary for her to be at school, and your sister must have been so worried.  I hope everything works out ok for her.  It is so hard to be her age and not be able to drive.  Did they put her on some medication?  I didn't know anyone personally with seizures either.  Sure I've seen plenty of patients, and since they usually have other issues, I try not to think about them.  I hope your niece's work up gets done quickly, and she is ok. 
Sounds like a nice weekend with Tom, except for the witchy woman.  Some people don't think before they speak.  Funny on friday a woman came in that me and another girl used to work with and she was always insulting everyone, so we sort of fought over who had to admit her, but I said to my friend, "does it make me a bad person that i'm happy she's fatter than me?", and we laughed because this girl always had the perfect life, husband, kids, better than any of us.  Some people. 

*Nancy*- Post vacation blues are the worst, and prebaby jitters, not fun either.  Everything will be ok. 

Sorry, I'm out of time, but 
Lisa- Congratulations on your half yesterday!!  I am so happy for you, and so inspired by you!! I hope you are able to get some rest today, and you're feeling good!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> Hello! We are back, and I am tired and so do not want to go to work. It was a good weekend--the gamecocks won. So that was exciting. We had a really good time at the game. We ended up spending time Saturday afternoon with Tom and one of his roomates and his parents. Is there something wrong with me--the parents just drove me a little crazy. The mom is a new runner so we talked about that for a little--but in less than two hours she insulted me because I didn't work when Tom was in school, told me I only lost weight cause of gluten issues (because it's much harder for her to lose weight) and the husband basically came up with reasons for why we couldn't possibly want to live in KY--eewwwww----of all places. There was something else, but I can't remember what it was. Of course it was much more subtle than that. I was singing the "not enough alchohol" song in my head which means she probably thinks I'm a drunk. (We took a bottle of maker's mark to Tom's house--it was a tailgate for goodness sakes!) It's probably my fault cause I am too much of an open book!



um...so where are these perfect parents that felt the need to insult kentucky from??? cuz i'm sure i'd have some good comebacks for wherever they live! ick. sorry they were such losers. like i said in my previous post - this can all be filed under: people suck! 

sorry about the little bit of drama with tom but it sounds like overall it was a fun weekend! was it parents weekend too? my aunt and uncle across the street are visiting my cousin who goes to michigan next weekend. i was texting her joking that she needed to hide all her booze hehe. she's the one who went to hawaii with us. she doesn't drink in front of adults and never even had anything while we were on vacation (she's only 20 but we were fine if she had a beer or something on vacation!!) but i know she parties in college and my uncle kinda sorta doesn't think she does! 

you brought booze to a tailgate?? what is WRONG with you??? 

so tell me - do people dress up for the football games down there? i will never ever forget my first football game at wake. people told me that everyone dressed up for the tailgates and i just didn't believe them. that is definitely something people do NOT do up here! so, i wore my WFU football tshirt and jeans and showed up to the tailgate with girls in dresses and guys in ties! let's just say this gal never really quite fit in down there 



mikamah said:


> We had a fun weekend, not too busy, lots of down time, I sat reading on the porch and needed a sweater which I love.  It was such a nice fall feeling to the weekend here.  We didn't make it to apple picking, but michael biked and I walked and we went around a big cemetary in town and there a  little stream where we played Pooh-sticks.  Do any of you remember that from the winnie the pooh movies?  You drop the sticks off the bridge into the water and go to the other side and see who's comes out first.  Brought me back in time.
> Yesterday we went to church since we hadn't been in a while, like all summer, and then picked up sandwiches for lunch before football.  They got creamed. 36-0.  The coaches started the game off rather strictly, when the defense went out to play, the offense went to sit on the long bench by the field, and they told them this was football, not crocheting, get up and stand or kneel.   Guess they're trying to make men out of them.  The were a little too much during the first half when they started losing, but at half time gave the team  a nice little speech about doing your best, and don't worry about the scoreboard, etc.  So that made me feel better.  I asked michael if he wanted to take up crocheting when we got home, and he didn't even know what it was.    He's fine, and got over the loss probably better than the coaches.



well, bummer about the game but overall sounds like a good weekend. i don't know about the pooh-sticks but i will have to rent the movie to see it for myself! sounds like a fun activity  

i had to giggle about you guys going to church - you sound like us. we took the summer off from church  and we HAVE to get back! summer's over so we don't have an excuse. 

***
phew, back from working on the classroom. let me tell you that was a b*tch and we still have to go back tomorrow morning! the room is almost all set up so hopefully tomorrow we won't have too much to do. 

i got home from the school and had a voicemail from...my dad. you may recall that i haven't spoken to my parents since the hurricane. i don't know, i just don't see the point. the day before we left for disney my dad emailed me telling me he and my mom were going to ocean city for the week and where they were staying in case i needed to reach them. also wished us a good vacation. and today's message was all happy "hi it's daddy call me at work i want to hear about your vacation." it's ridiculous really - just pretending nothing is wrong. part of me wants to call him and just lay it down why i'm not calling. tell him i'm done with the bs of them being terrible parents and grandparents. but then the voice of reason in me reminds myself that they just aren't going to change. so why bother? plus, there's no way i could talk without crying. i'm not very good at holding it together.

anyway, that's what's going on. i don't know what to do about the parents thing. blah. oh and john's sister has an appt today at sloan kettering cancer center. john's brother is going to take her. which is completely ridiculous because the two of them are both mentally incompetent so they won't get all the info they need. i even offered to meet kathleen there but that wasn't good enough - she wanted someone to drive to queens to pick her up and take her to manhattan! let's just say that makes no sense. she doesn't want to take public transportation so other people have to drive over bridges and fight traffic and pay for parking. whatever. i offered. can't do much more than that.

have a lovely day all. i swear one of these days i won't be a debbie downer...jussssst....not today


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!   

Thanks so much for all your nice comments about my half yesterday!  More on that in a minute . . . 

*Lisa,* hope you are having a wonderful time in Hawaii!  

*Rose,* glad that you had a good time with Tom.    So sorry about your niece.    Hope that the meds do the trick.

And what fun is a tailgate without booze?!?   Isn't that the whole point so you can drink and be safe?

I don't know what is up with people and what they say these days.  I try and give people the benefit of the doubt and assume that they don't mean to be rude when they say stupid things.  Or if they are being deliberately mean who cares what they think anyway? Maybe it's just one-ups-manship in the mommy wars college style? 

*Lindsay,* glad that the Beast had a good game and that you got to do a bit of relaxing this week-end!  

*Maria,* thanks for the good wishes yesterday.  I got to read them but didn't get a chance to reply as my friend, *Kathy,* had popped up in chat on FB in the nick of time before I headed out the door.

*Kathy,* thanks for your good wishes, too, and thanks for getting me through those last few minutes before I left yesterday!    Glad that Michael had a good time at the game, in spite of the results.  Maybe he would prefer knitting . . .   Loved the story about the Pooh sticks.  

*Nancy,* post vacation blues are the pits!    Anybody who tells you that they didn't get a crazy, panicked, "what the heck were we thinking?" feeling periodically during pregnancy is blissfully ignorant or lying.    You know that you are a wonderful Mom and while it will not always be a walk in the park or a bed of roses, it will be wonderful to have another little person in your life to love and take care of.  

I don't know what to say about your folks.  I mean they probably have no idea what is going on and, as you say, they aren't going to change.  So you have to decide if you can continue on with the relationship that you have, that is less than ideal, or not have a relationship with them for now.  Here is some  for you no matter what you decide, and you certainly don't have to decide anything today.  

Hope things go okay for John's sister.  

I had a good time at my half yesterday.  I didn't quite get the time I wanted in under 4 hours but I just looked at the results and I was 4:10 so I can live with that.  

It was cool and rainy when I woke up yesterday.  I was feeling a bit nervous about it but then Kathy chatted with me on Facebook for a few minutes until it was time to go.  There were about 700 people in this half.  They also had a 5K and 10K going on at the same time, which I, of course, was wishing I had signed up for instead. 

Here's a picture at the start:




Notice I'm at the back of the pack, yet remarkably close to the starting line.  

I did well at the start and was keeping on pace but even then I truly thought I was DLF but I was on time so I didn't worry about it.    I met people coming back all the way through the half way point so I knew I wasn't really that far behind.  

After I got through the half way point I realized there were about half a dozen people behind me.  I just kept going.   I got a bad cramp in my calf about mile 7 but thankfully I had a teeny, tiny pack of BioGel in my belt and that did the trick.  The course official on the bike talked to me for a few minutes about mile 9 and told me I was at least a mile ahead of the rest of the group.  That perked me up a bit.

But as I got to mile 10 I hit the wall and started getting asked repeatedly  "are you the last one?"  I would just say "no, ask the guy on the bike" and keep going.  A first aid worker said "oh, we were told the last ones had gone through so they closed the aid station."  Thanks, thank a lot.    Luckily I carried my own water.  It was a little long on the bridge on the way back.






But I thought of you all and that got me through.    The last mile was a bit better because that was where all the cops and firemen were and they were very nice and positive.  I was very glad to see the finish line   where they gave me one of these:






As you all know, these races tend to be a metaphor for your life as you log in the miles and hours.    I tried very hard not use that time to regret things, like the missed runs, the short runs and the amount of weight I was carting around.  It really was easier than the last one but a good reminder of how hard I am going to have to work if I want to make it to the Tink and have a good result.    I feel quite proud of myself for pushing through and doing it, even when I really didn't want to and was so dang tired.  I know that I feel strong and I'm glad I did it feeling is right around the corner . . . 

I think having the 10K on the 9th will be nice so I can see that I can keep my pace for at least the first half -- it's the second half that I have to concentrate on.  Of course the thought of running one single step right now is a bit painful.  Chafing, derriere, 'nuff said.    Thank goodness I didn't feel it until I got in the shower.  

I thank you all so much for your encouragement and kind words!    I could not do this without you all!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay*--I'm not a hundred percent sure what is going on with Nick--he's not wanting to do activities, is that it? Tom was so like that. He didn't want to do anything. He was such a homebody. He loved going places with us, but mostly he loved being at home or having friends over, etc. He's still like that to a certain extent. Anyhow, when he was in school (I know Nick is still in preschool), we told him he had to have an activity--wasn't optional. Either we would pick it or he could pick it. Sometimes we picked and sometimes he did. A lot of times after he tried something, he was happy to keep going back, like soccer and band. Sometimes we told him he had to try something for a certain amount of time--just for the exposure and sometimes cause we thought he would like it. Not just for one time, but for x amount of time. For instance in 5th grade we told him we wanted him to try an instrument. We didn't care which one. He did not want to, but he did it and he went on to play both french horn and trombone (two very different instruments) in high school. He was an all state jazz trombonist for 3 years. We made him try basketball camp one summer with a friend of his--it was a DISASTER--so we let it go, and never asked him try anything like that again.

We had to DRAG him to summer camp with the promise that we would pick him up if he hated it--he loved it! 

The point of all this--some kids, sometimes, just need a little push. We strongly believed that activities were important, especially for an only child. Tom's best friend never wanted to do anything, his parents didn't really encourage him and guess what, he never did anything. 

None of this is to tell you how you should or shouldn't parent. You know your kid, more just to give you an example of what we went through. Eventually he picked his own activities, but up until middle school, he would have been ok with doing nothing. And maybe we should have let him do nothing. But I was so worried about raising one of those uber-smart nerdy kids, that we really pushed him to do stuff. And he has thanked me for "socializing him well." He told me he is the only one in some of his computer science and math classes who can carry on a conversation and wears deodorant.

*Nancy*-- No words. I think I would be a little scared, overwhelmed and tired too. After all we went through, I was still having the "what have I done" thoughts when I got pregnant the second time, but then I had the miscarriage so it didn't matter. Hang in there.

*Kathy*--loved the Pooh sticks.  Just the story I needed today! And nope, you are not a bad person, I would have been happy she was bigger too!




dumbo_buddy said:


> um...so where are these perfect parents that felt the need to insult kentucky from??? cuz i'm sure i'd have some good comebacks for wherever they live! ick. sorry they were such losers. like i said in my previous post - this can all be filed under: people suck!
> 
> 
> you brought booze to a tailgate?? what is WRONG with you???
> 
> so tell me - do people dress up for the football games down there? i will never ever forget my first football game at wake. people told me that everyone dressed up for the tailgates and i just didn't believe them. that is definitely something people do NOT do up here! so, i wore my WFU football tshirt and jeans and showed up to the tailgate with girls in dresses and guys in ties! let's just say this gal never really quite fit in down there


People totally dress up for football games--the girls usually wear teeny tiny black dresses and either cowboy boots or flip flops and the frat boys wear bow ties. Tom usually wears khaki shorts and a Carolina shirt. It was cold so he had on jeans. The family was from MD. Really they were polite, it was just a couple of times I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. Who knows, maybe I was being obnoxious too! Parents weekend is this weekend coming up. We debated going down for it too, but we are pooped and need some rest before W&D!

*Lisa*--Congratulations! I am really very proud of you. That had to be so frustrating at times with the where is the end of the race stuff, but you did it! It takes me about a week to really process a race, and I have found that I learn something about myself every time. I'm glad you are not beating yourself up and instead celebrating the accomplishment. You can do the Tinderbell--you just have to put the time in--but I know you know that. I'm guessing that it kind of feels to you like the Kentucky Derby Half did to me--I really felt like all my other accomplishments would be pointless if I didn't finish that one race. And it was UGLY. Don't look at it that way. Look at it as just another race, that you can conquer! Cause I know you can. I want it to be a wonderful happy thing for you and not something that causes stress.

*Maria*--

*****
So about the weekend.

Thursday night we stayed in Gatlinburg. It was rainy but fun. We tasted Tennessee moonshine--very interesting. We bought a "jar". Not sure if we will drink it, but I thought it was really interesting and wanted to be supportive. 

Friday started off with drama in the car. 10:30 when we are almost to Carolina I get this text--can you come after 1:00pm I have to clean my house. Uh, no, we are almost there, you told us we were hanging out with your friend Jessica at 1:00 so we rushed to leave this morning. I asked him what he did Thursday night--nothing. Watched a season and a half of entourage--he was in a mood, so he didn't want to do anything. Whatever.

Friday afternoon we went shopping for stuff for his room. Then we came back to his house and helped him do some stuff and he threw a FIT cause I was sweeping the stairs--it was DISGUSTiNgly dirty. It's his house, and I'm being disrespectful for cleaning. OK.....We ended up going out for pizza Friday night and his roomate joined us. Eventually we worked out everything, but boy it was drama ridden.

Saturday we went shopping for food for the "housegate" party. The publix had nothing gf--one box of crackers that I found--it was a small publix. At that point I was on the verge of losing it. Too much drama and nothing to eat. We ended up going to this store called Earth Fare and it was amazing. Tons of gf stuff. I got way too much junk. Saturday afternoon we had the party. Then we took the University shuttle to the game. The game was fun. His roomate and parents were taking the shuttle back but we ended up walking. My foot hurts if I sit still too long, so I really wanted to walk. I think they might have been po'd that we didn't wait with them, but I didn't care at that point.

Sunday--we went to Target and bought Tom a vacuum cleaner. I was going to bring him our old one, but the roomate's parents said they would and they didn't. So instead of me getting a new one and Tom getting my old one, Tom got a new one. We spent a FORTUNE this weekend. More than we will spend at Disney on two trips, probably!

And as for the foot. It is doing ok. After not running at all last week--or working out for that matter, I am going to try a couple of miles tomorrow. We actually according to the pedometer walked over 8 miles Saturday. So I'm happy with how it's feeling today. Hopefully the race will be doable!

I hope everyone is well. I need to figure out what is for dinner.


----------



## mikamah

*Lisa*- Love, love the race report and the medal.  I am so proud of you for pushing on, and finishing, and I know you will be there with me in spirit next week.  Heck, I may even call you around mile 10.  Saturday, michael and i drove the route of my half, so I could see where the hills were, etc, and when we got to mile 2, I started panicking thinking it should have been so much further, but it's also a turn around so I only have to go 6.5 miles out and then we come back.  But even driving, 13 miles is very far.  I know you can set your mind to this and get your speed up there for the tinkerbelle.  I'm so happy you see progress and felt this one was easier than the May half.   Hope it wasn't too rainy for the race, and that bridge can get cold, I'd bet.  
We watched the Haunted Mansion last night, and at the end they are driving off over this very long bridge, and michael said, "wow, I wonder where they have bridges like that?" and I told him that you just did a half marathon that took you over and back a very long bridge over a lake, and he started singing the Idaho potato song.  Did you know there's an Idaho potato song?  I didn't and maybe he made it up, but he was singing it all evening.  So funny.  

*Rose*- Sounds like you had a few stressful moments, but overall a nice weekend.  Glad you were able to find a store with more gf stuff.  That has got to be so frustrating.  Kids are expensive, but it doesn't get any cheaper when they grow up, eh?  Glad the foot is holding out ok.  I know you'll be able to do the w&d, and hope you'll feel good enough after to enjoy the parks.  And those sound like some fancy football games.  I guess around here if you want to get dressed you'd go to a polo match.  Football is jeans and sweatshirts as it should be. 

*Lindsay*- Hope you're having a good week, and not too crazy.  The whole footbal thing consumes a lot of free time, doesn't it.  Glad the beast is doing well, and undefeated, right?  Impressive.  Nick may want to be more involved in things as he gets older too.  My thoughts on it, are once Michael's in middle/high school, I want to keep him busy after school, especially if I'll be working later than he gets home figuring he'll get in less trouble that way.  I'm lucky, he's like Ryan, and wants to do everything.  We aren't going to do cub scouts this year.  With football, and band practice, and school, it's just too much.  

*Maria*- Hope you enjoyed your mental health day and didn't over do it.  We watched your patriots sunday night.  Michael wasn't into it as much as I was.  It was a good game, and I thought he'd watch it more.  Lucky for him, I could point out all the good plays, and he watched the replay.  I was thinking of taking him to a college game, and wondered if you have any suggestions.  It looks like you can get tickets to BC online, but I wonder if you know do they sell out, or can you get them at the gate?  

*Nancy*-  These guys wish you were still with them, and can't wait to see you real soon.   Hope you're all adjusting to being home.  It's so unfair that we have to come home at all.  Now you can start reliving it by a trip report, posting pictures for us to all see on facebook, and scrapbooking.  I just ordered a bunch of pictures from the princess trip because I want to make a big scrapbook of that trip.  I figure it will help me as time goes on and i don't have a trip planned.   And here's a hug to you on the whole, frustrating parent thing.  Hang in there.  Hope today is a better day all around.  

At least I feel caught up here.  I'm a bad BL member this challenge.  Oh well, it is what it is, and unless they can increase our days by a couple of hours, I won't be able to do it all.  

Today I work 830-5, and get school michael will change and eat a sandwich in the car and have football 530-7.  

Have a fantastic day!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi all.

Lisa- Loved the mini TR of your race.  What doesnt kill you makes you stronger right.  I would have been so annoyed at those people thinking you were the last one.  I think you handled that with class.  What happened to the supporters being supportive.  Idiots.  Sorry.
I agree with your attitude of not beating your self up and thinking about all the didnt do's and wish I woulda's.  I have been doing that on my runs lately.  I ran twice now since sat. only 20 min each and they felt miserable.  I cant even type the things I was saying to myself.  I am so very proud of you though for signing up, completing it, and giving it your all.  You are one amazing women.

Nancy- I agree with whoever said you should do a TR and/or scrapbook.  That will help with the funk feeling.  Plus we all want to see and hear about it too.  Your dad must know something is up since he is calling you so often.  I agree they probably will never change and its not worth getting all upset and crying on the phone to them because they will still see it as your issue not theirs.  I know its tough no matter how you look at it.  Know that you are an awesome person and it is truly there loss.  About the baby stuff.....all those feelings will go away once that little baby is in your arms.  I had alot of anxiety too.  Like the oh god what did we do feeling.  Those feelings are so normal.  I will say it wont be easy but it will be well worth it.  Hang in there!!!!!!

Rose- Yes you are definitely in the same SAHM category as Nancy!!!!  I think I just thought of Nancy because she is currently in the moment of it.  
As we have both learned this past weekends people are just plain idiots sometimes.  Whether they truly mean the comments to be hurtful or not they just dont think.  I really hope I dont say things that upset people.  I try to be sensitive.
Oh and you know Tom is totally trying to be his own guy right now.  I remember being like that at his age.  I lived at home through college but I can remember going grocery shopping and reorganizing the fridge so I had one whole shelf to myself.  I wouldnt use any of my parents groceries and I made my own dinners.  I think I had to prove to myself that I could do it on my own.  Im sure he is going through similar things.  Dont worry in another 5-6 years he will be wishing you were there to clean his steps.
Glad you had a good weekend though excluding the bit of drama.

Oh and we laugh all the time when we go to sporting events and see people dressed up.  I would always say who the heck does that.  Now I know.  Never been to a game down south before.....but that is definitly not how they do things in Philly.  You could get beat up for something like that.

Oh and the whole Nick thing....I think right now its more of the parent guilt of Ryan being involved in so many things and Nick just watching from the sideline.  He seems totally fine with not participating.  He mostly has anxiety about it like if you remember my story from when he did the kids races.  He wouldnt even run by himself so I would run aside of him.  He would cry for the first half and be laughing and smile by the second.  So hopefully as he ages the anxiety will fade.  He wants to do tball this year but I am afraid to pay the money to sign him up and then he gets there and crys and wont participate.  We will see....its a year from now so maybe he will mature a little.  I can see him getting into music or dancing someday that is really what he likes.  Im sure he will find his thing and I agree sometimes they need a push and we will be there to push him.

Hi Maria and everyone else!!!!!

Wow Im a bit wordy today.  I got my flu shot yesterday and I am actually feeling kind of achy today....wonder if it is from that or running last night.  This week started homework for Ryan so that will throw a whole new wrench in my tight schedule I run.  My mom is getting him today and taking him to football so hopefully she can get him to do his homework.  Otherwise we will be doing it at 830 tonight.  

I would like to say that I love My Fitness Pal....Love Love Love it.  I was totally within my calories yesterday!!!!  and I have my day planned out today.  We are getting a lunch from wegmans for our celebration of our high patient satisfaction scores.  So now I just have to only eat what I logged in....thats the real challenge.  

Alright I better get back to working here!  Talk to you soon.


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!  

*Maria,* hope that you are not paying the price today for your mental health day yesterday.  Hope that it was a wonderful, relaxing day.  

*Nancy,* how's it going today?    I'm hoping to hear a bit about your stay at BLT when you are ready to share.  

*Rose,* glad the foot is doing okay!    8 miles is a lot of walking.    And about the housekeeping standards at Tom's -- it's probably better not to know.    Oh, and good practice for when you really have to bite your tongue when there is a spouse involved.  

*Kathy,* I'll keep my phone with me on Sunday so you can call me if you need too.    But I bet you won't need to.  You'll do great!    It does help to have it be an out and back -- you'll be surprised at what you missed the first time out.    I loved your message to Nancy.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> What doesnt kill you makes you stronger right.  I would have been so annoyed at those people thinking you were the last one.  I think you handled that with class.  What happened to the supporters being supportive.  Idiots.  Sorry.



Thanks, Lindsay, at least it wasn't as bad as "you know you're behind the pacer, don't you?"   

I, too, am absolutely loving myfitnesspal.    It tells me that I need to do much better in the fruit and veggie department.  Between myfitnesspal and runkeeper.com I really have no excuse for not doing exactly what I should.  

Hey I just figured out that the new BL starts tonight.  Should be interesting with new trainers.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I am so sorry I've been MIA -- I wanted to congratulate Lisah on the gorgeous medal, chat about my beloved Patriots, welcome Nancy back, weigh in on kids activities, and snotty college parents -- I'm totally chicken fried. I got up at 5am and I haven't stopped. I am beyond busy at work -- I'm working on 11 renewal applications and 3 new ones, all with a due date of October 3rd. I'm working as much as I can with my company coming -- so no weekend work this weekend. Dennis's sdad and his wife arrive tomorrow. My dad and smom will be back Saturday. I was supposed to be off Mon. and Tues. next week -- I don't think so. I'll be working the 1st and 2nd, and hopefully that will be enough...

Thanks for all the good thoughts. I am thinking of you all, too. I'm Tivoing BL so I can watch Glee with Ben.

Everyone have a great night!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i mean seriously *lisa, *you so totally rocked that half! love the pics, love the medal! sounds like a much different experience than the princess half which had a bazillion runners and water stations every 5 seconds. can't believe they just shut down the water stations. 

*maria - *good luck with all those work projects! i really hated when work got in the way of fun. did you watch glee? i watched it last night. 

*rose - *i suppose i get why tom had a fit when you cleaned. but still, you were just trying to help! heck, i'd love it if someone came and cleaned my house for me! and i'm jealous of his new vacuum cleaner! i giggled at lisa's comment about having to bite your tongue when spouses are involved. i wish my MIL would just bite her tongue OFF! 

*lindsay - *glad i'm not the only one with anxiety over baby #2. sounds terrible but i'm just not ready to give up sleep! and i hate that newborn stage! maybe this one will be easier than thomas though. at least i'll know more of what to expect. i got a flu shot yesterday too and my whole arm hurts! i usually don't do the flu shot but i guess pregnant people are supposed to get them. oh and isn't that funny about the dressing up for football games? i'm telling you i couldn't believe my eyes when i went to my first game down at school. i just couldn't get into the dressing up! i mean, people still tailgated big time but there's just something weird about shotgunning a beer in a sundress! lol!

*kathy - *michael's pics on facebook from football are so cute! cute is obviously not the right word but just don't tell him i said cute  so...tell us about YOUR upcoming half!!!!

good morning everyone! we've been kind of go-go-go lately and i haven't been a good thread contributor. the BL challenge has totally gotten ahead of me and i hardly recognize anyone. i better buck up as i'm coaching beginning on friday! 

yesterday was john's birthday and also my uncle eddie's who lives across the street. we went out to dinner with them and of course i stuffed myself to the point where i felt sick. you know, the usual  i got john the full series of the sopranos on dvd. found a great deal for it on ebay. he asked for it so it wasn't all that much of a surprise but, hey, when you turn 41 the days of big surprises are kind of over, aren't they? 

i have some good news and bad news to share - good news is that john's sister went to two different doctors this week and both are extremely optimistic about her breast cancer. she has stage ZERO DCIS. i didn't even know it went as low as stage zero. and apparently dcis means something along the lines of a tumor that is only in the ducts and not spreading. she will have a lumpectomy and some chemo. thank god. i don't think she'd be able to handle anything else. of course, she hasn't scheduled the lumpectomy or follow ups but whatever. the bad news is a little scary. our neighbor across the street was hit by a car on his walk to the bus stop two days ago! he's john's age and has a wife and 1 year old son. we see them and talk to them everyday. as of last night he is stable but will major head trauma. i've only been texting with his wife so it's hard to know exactly what's going on but it's very scary. people drive like maniacs around here. and he took the "safe" way that john always took (there are two ways to get to the bus and apparently i took the not safe way) and still he was hit. and so far it's a hit and run. i keep saying if they need anything to let me know. but i feel like i need to do something. you guys have any ideas???

oh and i had an OB appt yesterday that included getting retested for gestational diabetes. was there for an hour and 15 minutes and the parking was $23! ugh. i have to go every two weeks now. getting close! and i'm going to have a growth scan next friday just to check things out. should be fun to get a peek of the munchkin. 

running into the shower and getting some breakfast before first day of mommy and me today. should be interesting with having to get everyone to the second floor!

i posted some pics of our trip on facebook and will start a TR hopefully today. *lisa - *i have alot to say about BLT actually so stay tuned!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!   

*Maria,* sending good thoughts and tons of  for you for this busy time.    How wonderful that they think so highly of your skills and abilities to pull this all together on time and in spite of a computer that doesn't always work right.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> yesterday was john's birthday and also my uncle eddie's who lives across the street. we went out to dinner with them and of course i stuffed myself to the point where i felt sick. you know, the usual  i got john the full series of the sopranos on dvd. found a great deal for it on ebay. he asked for it so it wasn't all that much of a surprise but, hey, when you turn 41 the days of big surprises are kind of over, aren't they?



Eh, how the heck were you going to top the surprise gift of Bronxbaby this year any way?   

Glad to hear that the news sounds positive for John's sister.  

Sending you lots of  for your test results this week.   

I saw your pics on Facebook -- looks like you had a great time!  

Busy day here.  Still a bit sore from my race on Sunday.  Maybe taking the whole week off even though Tink training is supposed to start this week.  I'll start in around the 10K mark and should be fine.  

Have a great day, ladies!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

TWO emails from my dad today. TWO! and not one saying like, "hey, let's talk about what's bothering you." first email was subject: please call mommy and the body just said, "love daddy." the second email was subject: federal reserve and the body, "Do you understand quantitative easing or ‘Operation Twist?”  Some things I understand, but I can’t get my head around these." i know, it's hard to believe, but pre-thomas i was a huge finance geek. so this is exactly the type of question i could probably write a book about. maybe he's reaching? trying to see if i'd take the bait? 

i still haven't figured out how i want to move forward with them. of course neither called for john's birthday and no card. not that they normally do anyway though.

onto some good news - mommy and me class was a success! we had a great first day and i think everyone was happy. we did find out that two of the children have a peanut allergy. poor things. that totally stinks. i need to send out an email to the parents/caregivers to let them know to check things before bringing in food for bday parties. i don't remember anyone having peanut allergies growing up and now it's SO common. and peanuts of all things! i love my pb&js!

lisa - take that break! you don't want to push too much or else you'll burn out before you get into the juicy part of the training for the tink! hopefully the soreness will go away soon. i was VERY sore after the princess. sitting on a plane the same night as running a half marathon probably wasn't the best thing!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Quick post before shower and bed -- I'll do a real one by Saturday, I promise! 

Dennis's sdad and his wife (my MIL passed in 1999) arrived after 6 tonight. _She brought her own bottle of lime-flavored vodka._ You can't make this stuff up...

Going in at 6:45 again tomorrow. I am feeling much more in control today. I found out why I was having trouble accessing a system and was able to fix the problem. I've gotten just about everything out to the people who need to do things, now I can write and let the information flow in for most of my work. Still have one new application I don't have parameters for, but I should be ready to go when it's released on Monday.

Anyway, I hope everyone is having a good week, and a great night. I had an incident with pizza and chocolate cream pie tonight. Not exactly on the low carb poster...but I needed something to counter the shock of the vodka! 

I am thinking of you all and I have so much to say -- but I'm going to pass out if I don't go to bed. Here's a big  -- 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, princesses and lisabelles!!  

It's a muggy, rainy morning here, and looking like showers off and on til next wednesday.  Really?!?  Oh well, a good excuse to watch movies.  But the bad thing is the whole football rain or shine, right *Lindsay*?   I have a work dinner tonight, every 5 years of employment they celebrate with a dinner and you get a pin, and I've been there 25 years 26 now since they're behind on the dinner, so I get to pick a gift from a catalog too, and bring a guest to the dinner.  A friend from work is coming with me as my guest and theres about 10 of us from my unit going.  Michael wants me to get a trampoline if it's available as my gift.  My sister is taking michael to football practice for me and bringing him home.  I'm excited to go out, it's always a nice meal, and free to boot.  It's also fun to catch up with other people I used to work with.  

Of course, I didn't think I had anything to wear, my wardrobe is limited to scrubs and jeans, and a few nice things in various sizes, but when I looked I had a dress I bought for michaels' first communion 2 years ago that fits, so I'm all set. 

*Lisa*- Thank you so much for the offer of keeping you phone on.  I am sure I will be just fine, and if I do need to call someone, it will be my sister to come and pick me up.  How are you feeling today?  Getting some rest this week, I hope, and you are smart to take it easy on the tink training for now.  You just did a half marathon, you will be fine.  Isn't it 1 day of recovery for each mile run?  Or it could be 1.5 days, I seem to remember think after the princess i needed to rest for 21 days.  Rest and recover, and then you will start that tink training with a vengeance.    Did I see something on facebook from galloway, the training plan to increase your time?  Is that what you will be following?  I am so excited for you doing the inaugural race in your beloved DL.  

*Nancy* How is your neighbor doing?  How frightening, and his poor wife must be so overwhelmed.  I hope he recovers ok.  I think the offer to help is perfect, and I'm also one to drop off food, stuff that can be frozen is nice.  If I can I'll make a casserole in a disposable dish so they don't have to return anything, but if not, we have a few good store around that sell homemade meals that can be frozen.   
Glad your sil got good news on her prognosis, though it sounds like it won't be easy for her.  I hope she surprises you all and is able to handle the treatment well.
Oh, and your MIL, biting her tongue off.   You are too funny. 
Hugs on the mom and dad stuff.  It ain't easy, but whatever you do will be the right thing, and you will be ok.  Take care of you.  Do what you need to do to keep sane.  

*Maria* You mil sounds like fun.  Lime flavored liquor is delish.    That makes me think of last year, my sister and I were visiting my sil and brother and after a few drinks they went online and signed me up for a dating service, to find me a man, and the name they chose for me was Princess Limon.  Limon is the lime flavored run we were drinking that night, and I was getting ready for the princess.  Wonder what kind of men might have responded to that.  
Today is a new day, forget about the pizza and pie.  With the elderly convention in your house this month, a little slip is to be expected. 

*Lindsay*-Hope you're having a good week, and Ryan's doing his homework with a minimal battle.  

*Rose*- Hello there, hope all is well in KY!! 

Hello to everyone else!!

Oh, yeah, about my half.  I'm not freaking out about it anymore at all, and am going to just do the best I can.  I got a big email about it, and am actually a little excited.  I hope to finish within the 4 hours so I can get a medal.  I could start 1 hour early with the walkers but I noticed how dark it would be and have decided to just start with the rest at 7am.  I also figured if I started early, it could be very painful to have everyone passing me when they start at 7.  Though instead I'll probably be at mile 3 when they start coming back.  That could be fun too.  My friend Karen doesn't know yet if she will walk/run with me, or run for her time.  She hasn't done the training either, but even without training, I know she could finish at least an hour or 90 min before me.  I've made it clear to her that I will be happy to finish within the 4 hours, so she knows how slow I will be.  When we run together, she will often run ahead and circle back at times, so i don't know what she'll do.  Either way, I'm going to do my thing, and go out slow and steady.  
Ok, maybe I'm freaking out a little because there are only bathrooms at 4.5 and 7.5 miles.  I should be ok, but may take some immodium to be sure.  I'll drink some extra coffee friday to get as cleaned out as possible.  

 Michael's doing fine on the meds, and we'll double the dose starting friday, so fingers crossed he tolerates that too.  I talked to an old friend who's daughter went through this years ago, about the same age, and that was helpful.  I remember her being freaked out at the time, but didn't remember that they had put her dd on meds as well.  She was on them a few years and came off without any problem or further seizures.  She's in her 20s now. 

Oh, I almost forgot, *Maria*- Could you hear michael playing his saxaphone from your house last night?   He had his first band practice monday, and is so excited.  It's a beautiful instrument.  But I'll be needing some earplugs for the neighborhood. 

Well, I've been rambling.  Guess this is like the blog of my life.

Phew, hit the wrong button, but luckily it posted instead of poofing away.  That would have made me go searching for some lime vodka.

Have a fabulous day ladies!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- Im so sorry to hear about your neighbor.  I guess the stigma that is given to new york drivers is really true.  Very sad and I hope he recovers.  I agree with Kathy that a frozen meal is a great idea.  If he is missing work and depending upon any time of sick/disability benefit they may also be in need of money...so a gift card to a local store or gas card may be appreciated as well.  

Boy your dad must really sense something is wrong but why not just say it then.  Like a phone call message saying I can tell something must be bothering you since you havent returned our messages and please call so we can talk about it.  I can really understand your frustration. 

Kathy- Yep football in the rain...not so fun for us.  Ryan of course thinks its great.  He was mad they called practice early when it started pouring because he was hoping to get good and muddy.  Im glad Michael is doing well with the meds and that you had someone to talk to.  We are trying to set up a program at work called parent partners.  It would be a database of patient parents of children with chronic conditions.  When we have a patient newly diagnosed with a certain condition we would give the parent the email of a parent partner who has gone through the same thing.  I think sometimes just talking to someone who has gone through the same thing just really makes a person feel better.  I know it does for me anyway.  

Lisa- Definitely give yourself time to recover.  Next up is the TINK....that is so exciting.

Maria-  Needless to say she probably should have brought the bottle for you. for having to hold the senior fest.  Im glad you have things better in line at work...always is good to feel in control.  

Hi Rose how is it going being back home?

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

Well yesterday wasnt so good on My fitness Pal...I had a run in with Yocco's Hotdogs and that took about 1/2 of my calorie alottment for the day.  The rest was downhill from there.  Today seems better if I indeed can control myself through dinner.  I do plan on leaving practice early tonight to get home and run so as long as its not pouring or thunderstorming I should be ok.  My next 5K is on 10/15 so I am trying to get to the point where 3 miles feels good.

I spoke with Ryans teacher again yesterday to follow up on how he is doing.  She said he is improving but still has a really hard time focusing.  She has him in a small group in the morning to go over their sight words/spelling words because he cant focus when they do it in the group.  He is also in a group with a reading specialist.  There are 5 kids in the group and she said Ryan is the strongest out of the 5.  She said he is right where he should be with his reading but she feels he can do so much better and has him in the class just because of the focusing issues.  So I am really on the fence with doing an ADD eval.  I hate to start this so early but I honestly really feel he cant control it.  I dont think he is not focusing because he doesnt want to I truly feel like he cant help it.  So I think I am going to give it another month or so and follow up again with her.  She feels fine with that as well.  She said he is a great kid and very positive and friendly, doesnt distract others but is easily distracted.  So will see how it goes.  Whoever said parenting is easy.....Never had kids!

Also I have been talking with a friend of mine I went to college with and then worked with for years.  She now is a SAHM for her 2 year old and is on the verge of divorce.  She is calling me in tears and I feel so bad for her.  Her husband is verbally abusive and is now threatening to divorce her and take their son away from her.  She feels like she is only staying there for her son and doesnt want to be the one to file for divorce.  She cant eat or sleep and she looks horrible.  She is seeing a counselor and on meds.  I feel bad and dont even know really what to say but I am there to listen.  Any suggestions of what I can do or say to her?  I just feel so helpless.

Well I feel horrible that I havent gotten over to the main thread.  I will try to do that later.  I just cant find enough time in the day sometimes.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Rose,* how is your week going?  Are you starting to get excited about W&D?  It looks like there will be a lot of WISHers there.  I hope that you get to meet Cam and her DH.  There are quite a few people who are doing the Tinker Bell who will be there, too.  It looks like a lot of fun!

*Nancy,* looks like you are off to a great start coaching this week!    Lots of  and  for the parental unit situation.  When will you get to see Bronxbaby for the growth test?  I was laughing about your FB about "Wilbur."  I used to call Robert "Eggbert" or "Eggberta" long before we knew whether he was a boy or a girl.  For some reason it used to really make my sister mad.  

*Maria,* so did your houseguest bring the lime-flavored vodka for you?  Or she couldn't get through the visit without it?   Hope that you can get some rest this week-end.   

*Kathy,* you are so going to rock your half this week-end!    It's kind of fun to see people coming back and some of them may give you high five's, which is entertaining for a few seconds.  How was your dinner?  Has it really been two years since Michael's communion?  Where does the time go?   Glad that Michael is adjusting to the meds.  

*Lindsay,* guess it's more football in the rain for your this week-end.    Sounds like Ryan's teacher is working hard to help him and work with you to do what he needs.    It's good to give him some time to see if he adjusts.  And your poor friend.    You are listening and being supportive and there isn't much else that you can do.   You might suggest that she talk to an attorney so she can get a reasonable idea of what the process is and what she can reasonably expect.  It's a tough situation.  

I slept wrong and my neck has been hurting a lot -- even ibuprofen or aleve doesn't seem to help.  It is slowly getting better but there won't be any running this week-end unless it magically goes away as fast as it came.

The weather is going to be nice here this week-end so we are going to do the first part of fall cleanup.  There isn't much to do.  I feel a bit sad putting the plants and chairs away but in a week or two when it is cold, rainy and in the 30's, I'll be glad that we did it when it was nice.   The second part of fall cleanup will wait until after MIL and BIL are here in a couple of weeks.  That is when you leave the gate open and let the deer come in an eat everything down to a nub in the backyard for a few days.  Idaho entertainment!  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisa- Now that is something we dont see here in the city...deer eating things in our backyard.  We have rabbits and I swore the other day I saw a red fox (although my husband thinks I am crazy and it was probably a dog.)  But no deer.  The deer I see are dead on the road.  Anyway sounds like fun to watch.  It is sad to be putting away the summer things...boy it went so darn fast..I dont think I am ready for the blah days and nights.  Make sure you get some Moist heat on that neck either in the shower or a wet wash cloth as hot as you can stand it.  That will help to along with aleeve or motrin.  That is the worst.

I am so done with work for this week.....as rose says I am chicken fried.

Tonight is Ryans back to school dance.  I hope he learned last time that getting up and dancing and running around with friends is so much more fun than sitting at the table attached to your moms hip.  I think now that he knows more kids he should be ok.  I am helping out tonight at the craft table.  It should be fun.

Tomorrow is football but its been raining all day and is expected to last through tomorrow....now we know that does not mean much but hopefully the field will be so flooded they cancel.  Thats me praying for it.

Nick asked if he could have a sleepover at meemaws this weekend and I said absolutely.  The problem is he didnt ask my mom yet.  So I am secretly wishing she agrees and Mike and I can enjoy some quiet time together.  I feel like its been years since we have had that.  

Well I hope you all are doing well.  Have a great night/weekend.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--good luck this weekend! I can't remember which day it is, but I hope you have a fun race! Remember to smile for the finish line.

******
So I have been very mia, this week. Just not dealing with life very well. I haven't been feeling great, but I started taking a b-complex supplement this week and that seems to be helping. And I have barely been on the computer this week, which I think is a good thing, though I have missed you all.

I know in the big scheme of things we have had a good year, and really we have, but I am tired, and feeling very beat down still. The weather here has been very gloomy and gray already which is not helping things. 

Anyhow, I think I just needed a couple of days to feel a little sad, if that makes sense, and hopefully I am getting back to my old self. I have decided not to help with clean up the clutter on the fall challenge and to really just take a break from most responsibility for a little bit and deal with some of the stuff that I have been shoving to the background. This year seems to have been a lot about putting out fires, and not so much about fire prevention--I just finished reading a trashy novel about people who parachute into fires to put them out. 

Anywho , I am probably making no sense, but hopefully I am done being an absentee friend. 

I hope everyone is having a great Friday. I got in two fast 4+ mile runs in this week, but my foot has been sore today, so that might be it until the race. Those really unattractive Merrell shoes I bought and live in seem to really be helping. Tom said they look like old people orthopedic shoes. I told Mike he is carrying a string bag with my cute shoes on the trip so I can at least change when we get to a restaurant.

Ok, I guess I've rambled enough. Have a good Friday!


----------



## mikamah

hello ladies!  

having a hard time settling down to sleep.  maybe it was the pretzel m and m's I ate. 
Got the alarm set for 530, and we'll leave at 6 for the race in the morning.  I think I had every emotion about it today from fear, nausea, dread, to pride that I'm getting out there, and seem to have settled back into the it is what it is mode, and will go out and do the best I can.  Good news is my sister who lives in salem didn't go away, and I could always call her to come get me. lol.   I've watched the weather a hundred times, and it seems like the rain may move more quickly and we'll just have showers.  This morning it looked like the heavy downpours would be around for the whole race, so things are looking up.  

*Lisa*-Thank you so much for the support and your success last weekend has really inspired me and given me the courage not to bag this race tomorrow.  I also hope when I'm thinking along the miles tomorrow, not to think back with regret, but with a positive attitude of all I have accomplished.  Sorry to hear about the neck issue.  I hope you're feeling better real soon.  You should supervise the men with the cleaning this weekend.  The deer in the yard must be so cool to see.  We have the same deer around here that lindsay does.  

*Rose*-Nice to see you back, and good for you for taking a break, and regrouping, and taking care of you.    We totally understand when you don't feel up to posting, and know you are always there for us.

*LIndsay*-Good luck with the weekend football.  I'm a bit aggravated with it this weekend.  Luckily I got out of work early, and brought michael home to change and when I checked my email the coach had cancelled our 5:30 practice with an email at 5:08.  Normally I leave work at 5, and get michael, change in the parking lot and go to practice.  Wonder how many people showed up.  And our game tomorrow for 4 at home, has been changed to 4:30 30 min away for the artificial turf.  I'm so mad my nephews 21st bday is at 5, so my brother and sil were coming from western ma and were going to go to the game first.  And no we'll be that much later to the party.  Oh well, guess I'm not a real football parent just yet and don't want football to be so all consuming.  I love the idea of the parent partners.  I'm sure that will help so many people.  

*Coach Nancy*=I'll catch up with the other thread later, but hope you're having a good week so far. 

*Maria*-Hello there!  Any vodka left at your house?  

Ok, time to get back to bed.  Michael's sleeping at my brothers house, since I have to leave so early.  The race starts at 7, so I should be done by 11, and home by 12 to let you all know how I did.  thanks for all the good wishes!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Go Kathy!  Go Kathy!  Go Kathy! 

 The sun is shining instead of the rain, and I know you are racing your little heart out  I'm so sorry I didn't make it on last night to cheer you on, and I know you're reading this after your race...so rest up and we'll find you some vodka! 

I'm officially sending a ton of  your way! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--I hope you are having a good race!

*Maria*--I officially asked off for Princess. We have a lot going on with this data conversion stuff at the beginning of the year and it's our big fund raising season and we will have someone on maternity leave, so I'm not sure what she is going to say--I'm part time so I'm 98% sure it will be no problem, but wanted to make sure before I paid for anything. Anyhow, just wanted to tell you.

Have a great Saturday. I think we might test drive a car today. And we are going to a 40th bday party. And the Gamecocks are playing! Go Gamecocks! They are playing Vandy so it should be easy peasy, but you never know.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning,  and 

It is so good to take some time to chat with you! It has been a heck of a week and next week promises to be even dicier, so I'm making time before my dad gets back from his cruise this morning to chat. I'm throwing personal hygiene and the state of my home to the wind, you guys are more important for my mental health! 

I'd like to lie and say I bounced out of bed this morning and I'm writing this after a great run. The truth is I didn't sleep enough, I'm dragging, and there are two chocolate fudge poptarts (and a serving of blueberries) sitting in front of me as I type  

I think my hair scared Ben this morning, and I haven't washed any of the linens since Dennis's sdad left yesterday. Heck, I haven't washed me, either  Did I mention TOM arrived yesterday? I also might have ate mozzarella sticks for dinner...

The good news on the work front -- I got as much out of people as I could have expected last week, actually a bit more, and I'm not stressed going into the weekend. I know I've done everything I can do to prepare for next week, and I really can relax and get caught up at home. Plus, the one item I was hoping would be due Oct. 11th is due then, so I can have time to make it much better since I get home late on the 8th. I'll just be working on Columbus Day, which isn't a big holiday for me, anyway. I'm happier to make my own holiday later in the month or in Nov., when I can have a day totally focused on relaxing. 

The bad news on the work front -- A proposal I submitted (even though I knew it didn't have what was required, but our President insisted), was rejected and sent back without being read, because it was missing that item. I'm walking a thin line. I think I'm not going to bring it up again unless my boss says something to me -- I told the the VP at the time (Pres. was on vacay, but set this in motion before she left), that we did not have what was needed, she said we'd take whatever people would give us and send it in. So, I don't want to say "I told you so" unless I have to, but I also don't want to be thrown under the bus... Oh well, they can't fire me now they'd seriously be up a creek without me for the next three weeks 

Ok, I'm even sick of my tales of woe, so let's get this pajama party (hey, I'm in mine!) started!

*Kathy aka Princess Limon* -- I hope you are having a great race today! The weather is actually pretty decent where I am, I think I'd be happy for a run. And without company next year, I am going to be at that race with you! Mini WISH meet in Salem 2012  Saxophone, huh? Well, I'm sure it could be worse...there's not much more painful than a child learning a new instrument. He can only get better! 

*Rose* -- I am so happy to see you posting  I have missed you this week! Heck, I missed everyone, but I missed you more because I wasn't hearing about your life and approaching taper madness  Sometimes you do need to just take a few moments for you. If the BL thread was weighing you down, you did the right thing. It is hard to be upbeat and constantly thinking about other people when deep down you know you need to be helping yourself. Put that oxygen mask on and take care of you! Are you at the BW for W&D? We want details of this fabulous upcoming trip!  I really hope you end up coming to Princess. I'm starting to have buyers remorse, thinking I won't know anyone and I should have done marathon weekend -- even though I know this is a better, warmer race for me...I'm also feeling a little sorry for myself since this will be the first one I missed since 2008, when I started racing. I clearly need a shot of realizing how fortunate I am...

*Lindsay* -- How was the dance? Are you ready for some football? I'm not sure whether to hope for  for you or not!  I really hope you get your date time. That is absolutely precious. One of the best things about Dennis and I doing the WDW races since 2008 is that meant we had a week to ourselves to be with each other without life interfering. Dennis keeps mentioning the Disney Full in 2013 occasionally, so I'm hoping we'll get at least one more race there in together. We may have the sulky teen with us, but we should at least be able to get away for dinner. That's one nice thing about having said sulky teen now. We do go out once in a while for dinner without him. We don't go more than 15 minutes away, but we do leave the house! 

*Lisah* -- I had the same neck problem back this summer, and sad to say, the only thing that really helped was time. It seems like that shouldn't be an injury, but it is. You just ran a Half marathon, I think it's safe to take a week off from your training  I was not offered any of the vodka, which is fine with me. We were actually surprised they stayed for a shorter time than we thought they would. They arrived Wednesday after 6. Thursday Dennis arranged a tour of Northeastern University (where sdad graduated), which they really loved. They were driven all over on a golf cart, they gave them swag, and they had lunch in the faculty dining room, which I gather is quite impressive (or at least it was to them!). They got up bright and early Friday morning and left when we did at 6:45. They were trying to make it to VA yesterday. Fall cleanup sounds like a lovely way to spend your weekend! Deer are about the only thing we haven't seen in our back yard. After birds of prey, it's kind of anticlimatic 

*Nancy* -- You are rocking the coaching this week! I promise to actually answer some questions. Once Monday comes it will all hit the fan again, but I hope to sneak on a bit today and tomorrow. I am meh about the Glee. I hope I like next week better.  Happy Belated  to John! I got my flu shot Thursday morning. I do get one every year, and it does seem to help. If it wasn't literally from the employee nurse at work, I might not make the effort. I understand your ambivalence with the 'rents. On the one hand, what if this is the one time they could really hear you, reach out, turn everything around, and be great parents and grandparents? On the other hand, what are the odds of that, and should you really open yourself up to more hurt when it has become clear that just isn't going to happen? Not to speak in homilies or give advice, but I will say a leopard does not change it's spots... I am so glad Mommy and Me class went well! I hope everyone was kind and appropriate. Oh! And I'm going to miss Austin Ghoulsby on the Daily Show, you will have to keep me abreast if there's some economic voodoo I should understand! Right now Ben is saying he wants to study economics in college. Any suggestions for materials for an 8th grader that would be fun? We'd like to encourage this idea. It seems more lucractive than the last career goal he was passionate about, dancer at WDW parades (to be fair, he was 4...).  I saw the cutest new Thomas the Train station toy advertised. It had "Thomas Cullen" written all over it 

I'm doing Tivo catchup, when I can. I was so out of it last night -- and I couldn't use the family computer because Dennis was doing our finances and the church's. So, I watched 4 episodes of OLTL, the last AMC on abc, What Not to Wear, Haven, Toddlers & Tiaras, 3 episodes of GH, and The Middle and The Big Bang Theory with Ben. Yep, I was up way too late. I still have two weeks of SyFy, Grey's, BL, Body of Proof, Castle and Hawaii 5-0. Plus Boardwalk Empire will be back Sunday night, and Dennis isn't about to miss that! 

Okay, one more "Seriously?" moment. I finally screwed up my courage to speak to the new pastor, and told her I was not going to be continuing as the chair of the staff committee after December when one year was up -- i.e. finishing the term I committed to, but no more. Then about a week later I got an e-mail from her saying that both she and the district superintendent hoped I would pray about it and decide to stay until April. Dennis and I aren't sure what the significance of April would be, the terms are Jan. - Dec. Anyway, this really upset me as it had been hard to tell her in the first place, but I really, really don't want to do it anymore. Dennis convinced me I just had to tell her I didn't want to take the position in the first place and felt coerced, and it made me not want to go to church (all very true). So I sent back an e-mail with all that and that I would not be continuing past Dec. 2011, and she replied that she was glad I had given their request prayerful discernment, and she hoped I would find the church once again as a place for God and personal growth. This made me feel guilty, as I'm sure it was intended to do. I don't like singing nine songs every week, I don't like that she goes over an hour with the service, and I don't like the manipulation. Benjamin is supposed to go through confirmation this year, but I'm not sure he really wants to. I know if he doesn't do it now, it won't happen until he's an adult, if ever. The older he gets the busier he's going to be. They have it set up so they can't miss more than twice, and it's the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Sunday every month from now until June. That's going to be hard for the Davis's to manage -- it even includes Christmas!   I know, that seems appropriate on the surface -- if you don't travel at all to see your family. 

And to end on a happy note -- I finally called on my day off and changed my reservation to Preferred at AS Movies! That means, Dalmations, Toy Story, or Fantasia! I'm hoping for Fantasia, but I can be happy in any of those! 

I also did run 4M Monday and Tuesday, so the week wasn't a total workout bust. I plan to run again next Tuesday morning. It won't be practical until then -- and then there's nothing to stop me from a regular schedule (other than the short trip to Vegas) until my dad comes back in December, I should have about 10 solid weeks with no obstacles! 

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! I'm off to get mine started!

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

Thinking of Kathy this morning and how she did with her race.  I'm sure that she did great and is now enjoying a well-deserved witches brew post race drink.    Can't wait to hear all about it!  

*Rose,* looking at a new car? How's that taper madness thing going?   Just kidding!  I know you have been thinking about a new car for awhile.    It's looking like you will get to meet quite a few WISH'ers at the W&D.  Would you please give Cam a hug from me?  I see you've found the secret of the Merrell shoes -- your feet feel really good but don't look so cute.    It's a small price to pay to walk around pain free.  I hope that you get to go to the Princess and see our lovely *Maria*.   



Worfiedoodles said:


> Go Kathy!  Go Kathy!  Go Kathy!
> 
> The sun is shining instead of the rain, and I know you are racing your little heart out  I'm so sorry I didn't make it on last night to cheer you on, and I know you're reading this after your race...so rest up and we'll find you some vodka!
> 
> I'm officially sending a ton of  your way!
> 
> Maria



I second this!    In my mind your race wasn't until tomorrow and you were watching football in the rain today.    But it sounds like next year we may be cheering two of you on!  

*Maria,* glad to hear that the last of the visitors arrives today and that things are calming down on the work front.    How silly of someone to think that an application is going to get past first base if it isn't complete?    Seems like a waste of precious resources to me working on something that won't fly when extra effort could be made on complete applications.    Too bad that you have to keep working on things that you know won't fly even when the boss can't figure it out.  

Keep that Marathon week-end 2013 in Dennis' mind.  I'm hoping to do that week-end just to be a part of it as it sounds like so much fun.  I would do the half and scream teamin' -- which at times really sounds the most fun of all -- then we could cheer on *Nancy*.  

Do you have any exciting plans in Vegas?    Have you been there before?  

*Nancy,* you're doing a great job coaching this week!    Add me to the list who thinks of Thomas when they see stuff for little kids.  

*Lindsay,* hope that Ryan has a great game today! 

Well, off to do a little cleaning around here as I keep checking to see how Kathy's race is going.  I know that she is rockin' it!


----------



## mikamah

Hello friends!!

Just wanted you all to know, though I just posted on facebook that i finished much faster than I ever thought I would do with the hills and lack of training, but the weather was perfect, and I when the first 4 miles I was at 15 min pace, I  realized, I might actually be able to pr, and I did!!  3:28:30ish on the clock.  I'll write more about it later.  Just wanted to let you all know, and say thank you for all the wonderful support and friendship you all have given to me.  Like Lisa said last week, I could not have done this without all of you.  I so look forward to doing another disney race with my princess buddies one day. 

BBL. xo


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> Hello friends!!
> 
> Just wanted you all to know, though I just posted on facebook that i finished much faster than I ever thought I would do with the hills and lack of training, but the weather was perfect, and I when the first 4 miles I was at 15 min pace, I  realized, I might actually be able to pr, and I did!!  3:28:30ish on the clock.  I'll write more about it later.  Just wanted to let you all know, and say thank you for all the wonderful support and friendship you all have given to me.  Like Lisa said last week, I could not have done this without all of you.  I so look forward to doing another disney race with my princess buddies one day.
> 
> BBL. xo



Woo hoo, Kathy!  You did it!  A PR!    Congratulations!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

great job Kathy!!!!  That is awesome.  You totally rock!

Ok I hope you will bbl with a mini report.  I cant wait to hear about the race.  We are so very proud of you.

Lisa- How is the neck feeling today????

Rose-  I know how your feeling sometimes you just want to stay in bed with the covers over your head for a few days....a mini pitty party right.  I get the same way sometimes....its easy to tell yourself that life could be worse but it still doesnt make the stress and worries of everyday life any easier.  Know that we are always here for you when you need us.  Im glad you are feeling better.  I am already feeling blah from this weather too. 

When do you leave for W&D? I know we would all love to hear about your plans.

Nancy- I have to admit I have not gotten on the boards at all to take advantage of your great coaching skills.  I will try to get on at some point this weekend.  I hope you had fun at the mets game.  Im sure you saw my FB comment.

Well last night we got the call that the games were postponed until sunday and guess what.....It has not rained at all today. Go figure...it will probably poor tomorrow.  I was also annoyed because the team moms told me that we are not scheduled to work anymore snack stand dates and then I got a message saying I was scheduled to work tomorrow from 4-5.  They are so unorganized sometimes it drives me crazy.

Last night I stopped to get a pizza before the dance and my car wouldnt start.  After a few minutes I got it started and made it home.  Now I have to pray I can make it to the garage with it tomorrow so they can check it out.  I knew things were going to good.  Just as our finances are looking up something always happens.

The dance was a success last night and Ryan and Nick both had fun.  They ran around and chased other kids more than dancing but I guess thats what is fun for them at this age.

I just got back from dropping the boys off at my parents and now I am going to get ready for my date.  We are going to the new buffalo wild wings that has opened by us.  Its the only one anyone near us so we thought we would try it out.  

I also have to get my cousins daughter a bday present.  We are having a cake for her tomorrow morning after sunday school and before ryans game.  At least with it being moved to a sunday my family will be able to make it.  I think he will have a big crowd to watch him tomorrow and that will make him happy.

Ok well have a great night ladies.


----------



## Rose&Mike

I SWEAR IF I SEE ONE MORE COMMERCIAL WITH ONION RINGS I AM GOING TO LOSE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

Phrase of the day--suck it up buttercup.

First things first----

*Kathy!!!!!* I am so excited for you! There is nothing better than a good race! Woohoo! Can't wait to hear about it!

*Lindsay*--enjoy your night out! BWW was our favorite place last fall to go to watch college footfall. The Gamecocks are on at 7:00. And UK places tonight too! We still go there, but the only thing I can eat is a house salad, celery, and vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup. So I pretty much just drink now. They have some new stuff on the menu that looks good--good in a I really shouldn't be eating this, but I'm going to anyway, kind of way. And the fried pickles----YUM!

*Maria*--I will let you know as soon as I find out about my vacation. I have been on the fence about Princess. But the weather is already so craptastically yucky, that I know I am going to need a sunshine break! Surely my foot will be better by then........And fwiw--we are starting to talk about the marathon next year......I figure with all my injuries I will probably do one marathon in my life, so might as well make it Disney.

And did I tell you all Mike gets another week of vacation in January. He said he can't afford another week of vacation.

*Nancy*--I hope the game was fun! And great job coaching as always. 

*Liesel*--are you home yet???????

*Lisah*--taper madness is here. And I am already REALLY CRANKY! The foot hurts, Mike and I are totally snipping at each other. The weather sucks--have I mentioned that?. If my foot cooperates I could really have a good race cause I am going to be KEYED up by next Saturday. I hope your neck is feeling better. As for the car--we really need/want to get something. But neither one of us wants to part with the money. We're both getting kind of sick of flying and the drive to Carolina was uncomfortable in my little volvo, so we need to just pay up. The good news, we will get more for Mike's 2003 truck than we thought--we got it appraised at carmax. We have it down to a Ford Edge, Chevy Equinox or a used Lexus hybrid suv. But parting with the money is so painful........

*******
so I have my version of t.o.m. again which is not helping with the mood. We are supposed to go to a 40th birthday party tonight at a country club. The host is paying for one drink per person and an appetizer. Ok.......So I am in a mood, and Mike is in a mood. So we might have our drink and then try to find somewhere to watch the game. 

Thanks for asking about our trip. I will post tomorrow about our plans. I didn't know if you all really wanted to hear about it. Today I ordered my garden grocer food and set up my delivery for my owners locker. We have an extra knife set that I am going to mail down with some other stuff to add to our owners locker. Did I tell you all what happened over Labor Day. So our Owners Locker was outside all day at OKW--cause that's where they keep them and we got in late. I had to throw out the advil liqui gels. They smelled funky, from the heat I think. Then I had to throw out the extra bottled water cause it tasted like the laundry sheets we had in there. So I brought the laundry sheets home and will just take them down a couple at a time and I bought new advil--caplets this time. I hope the benadryl pills I had in there are ok. They were sealed. Hopefully when we open the owner's locker back up next week the laundry smell will be gone. I'd like to leave leftover bottled water if possible.

Ok, I'm rambling. 

TTYL.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi friends, 
i promise i will post tomorrow. i'm a little emotionally spent right now. my dad called and left a message. john and i talked and decided i'd call him back. just dad calling means my mom's at work (she works evenings) and i could just speak with him. my best chance of getting what i needed to say out was with him.

of course i immediately started crying. but i got it out. and it was good. i think. if you don't mind i'll write more about it tomorrow. right now i want to go emotionally eat some grapes. i'm taking a tip from my QOTD and choosing a fruit to eat instead of chips.

but i must congratulate *kathy* on her half marathon! way to go kathy! i hope you are recovering nicely! i'm so impressed.

thanks for being here, princesses. it's really lovely how much support some like-minded ladies can provide each other, even on a community board. thank you.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Love you *Nancy*.

Soooooo, I drank half a beer last night, after having a few other drinks. And not eating dinner--I really meant to take something along, but forgot. The nachos and birthday cake every one was eating looked good. It was not a good night. I mean the first part was fine, the second part, not so much. I am such a mess. Let me just say--this year has sucked. I have tried to be positive. But it has sucked, sucked, sucked.  Poor Mike, we had to have the long and boring, "but maybe I don't have gluten issues" conversation for the millionth time.  But I feel like I have had a little break through. So we'll see. So, thanks for putting up with me.


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*-I hope you got a good nights sleep and are feeling good about how your talk with your dad went last night.  We are always here if you want to vent or share.  I'm sure it was very emotionally draining, and after you have that baby, you so deserve many a night of adult beverages.  Hang in there.

*Lisa*- How is your neck feeling?  I hope you're taking it easy and giving it the rest it needs this weekend.  Thought of you many times yesterday and your dedication to this whole running thing.  I did think of calling for a ride home on occassion too, but didn't do it. Hope your enjoying the weekend. 

*Rose*- I so would love to hear all about your plans.  I didn't realize the race was next weekend.  Once school starts, it seems to just fly into october.  Glad the merrells are feeling good.  I did zappos.com and bought a cute pair of merrel flip flops grey with a blue flower on top, not too fancy, but not as ugly as the one's with straps.  Zappos does overnight shipping too, and since taper madness has hit, you deserve to treat yourself to something fun.  A nice pair of merrell flip flops for after the race. Excited for you and the possibility of the princess.

*Maria*-Wow, your parent visits don't leave you much down time this month.  Good for you for being strong with the pastor, I'm sure that's not easy.  Guilt is a terrible thing but we need to look out for ourselves and our sanity too.  I can't believe ds will have sunday school on Christmas.  Our church stops ccd the weekend before CHristmas for the winter, and starts back up the end of feb, more for snow removal/ice at the school.   It's held at the church school, not the church.  The first day of ccd is this morning, but I don't want to be too early because last year, another mom got there before me, and was guilted into being the ccd teacher.  I just don't think I have that in me right now.  I was excited to see you might be interested in doing the Wicked half next year.  Before the race, I was thinking that other than disney, this would be my first and last half, but during and after the race, I think I wouldn't mind doing more if the opportunity arises.  So if you're in, I'll be there. 

*Lindsay*-Glad the boys had fun at the dance.  How was football yesterday?  Michael's team lost 14-0, better than last weeks 36-0, but one coach said "we suck this week" to the team.  Nice, huh?  I tried to tell michael he was talking about his coaching as well as the team, but michael said, no, he meant us.  I actually told michael if he said something like that again, I would not punish him if he told him, maybe it's his coaching that sucks, and he said he wouldn't do that cause then he wouldn't play.  Sad that it's just going to get worse, but luckily by the time we got home, he was over it, and all was well.  

*Liisaliesel*- How is Hawaii!!!!????!!!!  Heavenly, I'm sure. 

Good morning, princesses.  Let me tell you all a little about my race. 

I was thrilled to wake up to no rain falling, but felt a little queasy and the stomach was upset, so that made me nervous.  I had a yogurt and banana, and some water, and luckily used the bathroom several times before I had to leave, so I was hopeful I'd be ok.  I picked up Karen just after 6, and we went to the race, got in the portapottie lines.  I had brought a minibagel with peanut butter, but didn't feel like eating it.  I had my little waistpack that held 4 gu's, my phone, and 2 tampons.  Yah, love that Tom came with me.  My car key I put in my pants pocket.  

We got in the start line, probably 10 min early, and looking around I felt like I was the biggest person there, and I really didn't let it bother me, but it is something I always think about.  Some walkers started early, but Karen thought she was going to run/walk with me because she wanted to go slow, but I don't think she realized how slow 15 min miles really is, and we started out, I ran a couple minutes, but was getting too winded, and started to walk and fell back, and she was trying to  push me to go faster, but I said I couldn't I needed to go slow, so she went on ahead, which worked out fine.  I knew I would be too slow for her, but I don't think she realized it til then.  

I did 1-2 min run/1-2 min walk and somewhere around mile 1, I realized the bike was behind me, and I was the last one.  It was a girl named Kelly, and we'd chat off and on, and she'd check on me, and really she was so nice.  She lives nearby, has 3 kids, and is good friends with one of my neighbors and michael's football coach.  (the nicest one).  At mile 2, we saw her mom, and I joked that she was breathing down my neck.  And she was at the same spot again at mile 10, and I told her her daughter was lovely except for the fact she wouldn't give me her bike.  I'd say it took me a mile or so to adjust to the fact that I was the last one, and for a bit tried to go faster, but knew I couldn't keep that up and finish too, so I settled down to about the 15 min mile pace.  I'd say til mile 4 I was at 15 min miles, and the slowed a little more.  

Around mile 3, we saw the leaders coming back, 2 men running right together with a police motorcycle escort.  That was cool.  I cheered for them, and some others, the first woman, etc, and some of them cheered for me too.  Mile 4.5 had bathrooms, and is on the beach in marblehead, and then we head over a causeway to marblehead neck which was a 3 mile hilly loop by some amazing houses overlooking the ocean.  Just beautiful.  And it was quiet.  It was the only place without traffic, so it was really peaceful.  As we come back at mile 7.5 I used the bathroom again, even though I ddn't really need to, but was afraid I stil had 6.5 miles with no bathroom.  THough there was a wendy's at mile 11, if I needed it. 

Coming back, around mile 9, it was about 9:20 I think but doing the math in my head I realized at 15 min miles, I had a spare 15 minutes to beat the princess time, and thought it was in my reach.  Around then, I started to get a cramp in my calf when I ran, so I stopped and stretched, and that helped, but I'd cramp if I ran more than a minute, so when I ran I'd stop with the cramp.  

At the mile 10.5 water stop there were 2 girls there I was going to pass, so I said goodbye to my friend Kelly on the bike, and she wished me luck, and told me to finish strong, and beat my disney time, but she showed back up a little later, and said they were dropping out, so she was back with me.   

The last mile, I could see the second to last runner up ahead, and I was slowly catching up to him, and as we neared the finishline, Karen was there, with another girl I knew and they were cheering me on, and yelling to finish strong, and to run and beat 3:30, so I ran and went past him and crossed the finishline at 3:28:45.   I felt awesome!

Some thoughts on the whole experience.

I am not a quitter.   I signed up for this race, and even though I didn't train as much as I wish i did, I went out and did the best I could, and surprised myself, at how much I can do if i set my  mind to it.  

Even though I didn't run as much as I did for the princess, getting out there 1 or 2 days a week still kept me fit enough to finish 13.1 miles. 

Dead last finish, beats did not finish, which greatly trumps did not start.  I thought of being a DNS, but decided against it.  In the early parts of the race, I knew I could be a DNF, if i needed to, but actually thought I needed to get past the neck to 7.5 miles first before I'd call for a ride, but once I was there, I was more than half way, and still standing, so realized, that maybe I could finish.  

I thought this race was the race for me to decide if long distance running was something I wanted to do, or if it was more about doing it in disney.  Before I did it, I had come to the conclusion it was about disney, and I'd never do another half except in disney, but as I went along those miles, and actually enjoyed many of them, I don't think it is just about disney.  I enjoyed pushing my body beyond the limits I thought it was capable of.  I am 12 pounds heavier than I was in feb, and did less than half the training I did for the princess, yet I was able to do the same distance in less time.  

Maybe I will do another.  I'm achey, but I feel great.   

I love you guys.  Thank you so much for all the love and support you have given me.  I would not ever have ventured into the running world without Lisa saying one day, maybe we'll run a race together in disney.  I never thought I would actually enjoy walk/ running 13.1 miles that did not go through the magic kingdom.  But yesterday I did enjoy it.  

Have I bored you all to sleep yet?  

Off to get breakfast for the boy.  Have a fantastic rest of the weekend.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

good morning all! the front door just closed and john and thomas are in the car and off to his parents in PA for the day. looks like his sister, brother, sil, and nephew are up there too. all the more reason for me to stay away! i really hate when they go there - one IL is crazier than the next and not in a good or funny way and i can't stand thinking of thomas around them. but i have to remind myself that they are still john's family and at least it's only a day here and there. right?

*rose - *um, DUH! we TOTALLY want to hear about your upcoming trip and race! this IS a disney board afterall!! sorry you and mike are getting snippy with each other. it's so exhausting, isn't it? and your thinking about the princess and needing a shot of sunshine is right on the money. i remember feeling so rejuvenated going down to FL and sitting by the pool in the sunshine at the end of february! 

oh and can we talk about the deep fried kool aid?? how does THAT happen??

*lindsay *- don't worry about not making it to the other thread. i'm afraid i'm being a totally lame-o coach so far. i'm finding it difficult to stay up on everyone and instead of just biting the bullet and getting to know all the participants i'm finding myself just glossing over alot of the responses.  plus i'm getting annoyed with some people who REFUSE to EVER write a little personal something to the other people. makes me not want to talk back to them! (mature, right??) i hope you had a nice time on your date last night! how was buffalo wild wings? i always see those around but i'm not a wings fan so i don't think i've ever been to one. i didn't get a chance to respond to the ryan school stuff. how are you feeling about it? it sounds like the school he's in is fabulous! they seem to really want to help the kids by contacting you, putting him in some special groups, etc. i'm really impressed. the schools around here (esp the catholic school) seem to let kids who may need a little something extra just fall through the cracks. 

sounds like ryan and nick had fun running around at the dance! gosh, next thing you know they will be dancing with girls! oh boy!!!

*lisa - *ooo! i hope you will do the marathon weekend 2013! i could use some support and it would be so lovely to see everyone!   how did the fall cleanup go? i really need to do a deep purge/cleanse ala *rose* but i'm way too lazy for that. how is your neck? there is nothing worse than that crick in the neck that just won't go away. i get that fairly often as i have herniated discs in my upper back and it's so annoying when it happens. have you tried icy hot? or, the doctor can prescribe lidocane patches that seem to take the edge off a little. i've tried everything for the back. you name it, i've done it!  so...how many weeks til tink?? 

*maria - *hrmph, sorry about the rejected proposal. bummer. and how frustrating. oh, and your post about washing the linens just reminded me that i haven't washed mine since we've been back from vacation.  ew! 

i'm so excited that ben has an interest in economics! i could nerd talk all day about it! there's a video i had about intro to econ that was really great and definitely geared towards high school (ben's close enough!). i will have to try to remember what it was called. my parents still probably have the tape. maybe once we're on speaking terms i can have them look econ was an awesome major to have (i doubled in politics) and you know, most CEOs have econ degrees! so, you know, me and the CEO of S&P. lol! 

*kathy - *how are you feeling this fine post-halfmarathon PRing morning? i hope not too sore and still on a high from your great race! i can't wait to hear about it. and how did the potty situation go??

**

well friends, i've managed to eat a pumpkin bagel with cream cheese while typing this post up. oh and in the last 4 days i've gained 3 pounds. i've basically thrown in the towel until the baby comes. haven't walked since we got back from vacation. i'm feeling huge and uncomfortable and the baby is so low it feels like i could push it out right now. gross, sorry, but i just feel pain now! and sleeping? forget it. it's been days. my back is killing me with this humid disgusting weather and i just feel all around ick. don't tell the folks on the regular thread though! pretend i'm not stuffing my face all all hours of the day. 

ok. so...i spent all last night crying my eyes out. it was sad and pathetic. first it was because of my dad. then i finished this book called firefly lane and holy geez it was a tear jerker for the last 50 pages. i highly recommend. then back to dad. 

i'll try to make the story short - 7:30 last night the phone rings and caller ID says it's my parents. decided not to answer as usual. thomas was getting ready for bed (bath, jammies, blues clues). john and i talked and he thought i should just get it over with. the fact that my dad called meant that my mom was probably at work. she works 4 days a week 3-11pm but it's different days so i never know when she's at home or not. so, john and i prepped what i'd say - short and to the point. and try not to cry. took some deep breaths and called. 

dad says hi and how are you and i said, "well, i'm ok. but the reason i haven't called is because i'm hurt and disappointed that you never see thomas." i got it out. and then i lost it. he said, "well we want to come on saturday." i said, that's not enough. one time. told him that i know he hates when i cry but it hurts so much. i told him that it doesn't matter what he and mom think about me, they should be in thomas's life. they are missing out. i told him that the fact that i can count on two hands how many times he's seen his grandson is inexcusable. i know i was with my grandma and grandpa all the time and i have great memories of them that will never go away. 

and he said..."i know. i'm sorry." when i tell you that he has NEVER just let me say what i needed to and then apologize, i mean it has NEVER happened. he told me he KNOWS he needs to do better. he said it's going to change. he changed the subject a little (it WAS awfully tense!) and he asked how i was doing. and he said he's starting to run a little. john was in the background like a director giving me the sign to wrap it up. lol. so i told him it was time for thomas to go to bed and he asked me to call my mom tomorrow. i told him that honestly i just didn't see the point. that i'm sick of the nonsense - plenty of people have full time jobs and still manage to see their grandchildren alot. i said i'd try to call. 

finally he said, "i've missed you. i love you, i love john, and i love that little boy. i really miss you." and told him i miss him too but things just have to change. it can't go on like this. it's not fair to thomas. and he agreed. i could tell he really meant it. he even got a little choked up. and THAT never happens either. he thanked me for calling. and finally we hung up. i cried and hugged my boy and then put him to bed. phew, so that's that. 

so there you have it. i don't know about calling my mom. i mean, i feel like my dad really came through and moved us forward and i'm 100% sure i will not get that kind of reaction from my mother. i'm on the good ole emotional rollercoaster and even though i haven't stopped crying since 7:30 last night i feel some relief and i don't want that to go away by calling dear old mom.

if you read this all, thank you. if you haven't, i don't blame you. needed to rehash it. you know, not like i haven't gone over it in my head a million times. 

ok, time to get off the computer. oh crap but i need to do a QOTD too. i'm exhausted but wired. i should try to sleep since i have the day to myself but i don't think that'll happen. ok, signing off. xoxo


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> Good morning, princesses.  Let me tell you all a little about my race.
> 
> I was thrilled to wake up to no rain falling, but felt a little queasy and the stomach was upset, so that made me nervous.  I had a yogurt and banana, and some water, and luckily used the bathroom several times before I had to leave, so I was hopeful I'd be ok.  I picked up Karen just after 6, and we went to the race, got in the portapottie lines.  I had brought a minibagel with peanut butter, but didn't feel like eating it.  I had my little waistpack that held 4 gu's, my phone, and 2 tampons.  Yah, love that Tom came with me.  My car key I put in my pants pocket.
> 
> We got in the start line, probably 10 min early, and looking around I felt like I was the biggest person there, and I really didn't let it bother me, but it is something I always think about.  Some walkers started early, but Karen thought she was going to run/walk with me because she wanted to go slow, but I don't think she realized how slow 15 min miles really is, and we started out, I ran a couple minutes, but was getting too winded, and started to walk and fell back, and she was trying to  push me to go faster, but I said I couldn't I needed to go slow, so she went on ahead, which worked out fine.  I knew I would be too slow for her, but I don't think she realized it til then.
> 
> I did 1-2 min run/1-2 min walk and somewhere around mile 1, I realized the bike was behind me, and I was the last one.  It was a girl named Kelly, and we'd chat off and on, and she'd check on me, and really she was so nice.  She lives nearby, has 3 kids, and is good friends with one of my neighbors and michael's football coach.  (the nicest one).  At mile 2, we saw her mom, and I joked that she was breathing down my neck.  And she was at the same spot again at mile 10, and I told her her daughter was lovely except for the fact she wouldn't give me her bike.  I'd say it took me a mile or so to adjust to the fact that I was the last one, and for a bit tried to go faster, but knew I couldn't keep that up and finish too, so I settled down to about the 15 min mile pace.  I'd say til mile 4 I was at 15 min miles, and the slowed a little more.
> 
> Around mile 3, we saw the leaders coming back, 2 men running right together with a police motorcycle escort.  That was cool.  I cheered for them, and some others, the first woman, etc, and some of them cheered for me too.  Mile 4.5 had bathrooms, and is on the beach in marblehead, and then we head over a causeway to marblehead neck which was a 3 mile hilly loop by some amazing houses overlooking the ocean.  Just beautiful.  And it was quiet.  It was the only place without traffic, so it was really peaceful.  As we come back at mile 7.5 I used the bathroom again, even though I ddn't really need to, but was afraid I stil had 6.5 miles with no bathroom.  THough there was a wendy's at mile 11, if I needed it.
> 
> Coming back, around mile 9, it was about 9:20 I think but doing the math in my head I realized at 15 min miles, I had a spare 15 minutes to beat the princess time, and thought it was in my reach.  Around then, I started to get a cramp in my calf when I ran, so I stopped and stretched, and that helped, but I'd cramp if I ran more than a minute, so when I ran I'd stop with the cramp.
> 
> At the mile 10.5 water stop there were 2 girls there I was going to pass, so I said goodbye to my friend Kelly on the bike, and she wished me luck, and told me to finish strong, and beat my disney time, but she showed back up a little later, and said they were dropping out, so she was back with me.
> 
> The last mile, I could see the second to last runner up ahead, and I was slowly catching up to him, and as we neared the finishline, Karen was there, with another girl I knew and they were cheering me on, and yelling to finish strong, and to run and beat 3:30, so I ran and went past him and crossed the finishline at 3:28:45.   I felt awesome!
> 
> Some thoughts on the whole experience.
> 
> I am not a quitter.   I signed up for this race, and even though I didn't train as much as I wish i did, I went out and did the best I could, and surprised myself, at how much I can do if i set my  mind to it.
> 
> Even though I didn't run as much as I did for the princess, getting out there 1 or 2 days a week still kept me fit enough to finish 13.1 miles.
> 
> Dead last finish, beats did not finish, which greatly trumps did not start.  I thought of being a DNS, but decided against it.  In the early parts of the race, I knew I could be a DNF, if i needed to, but actually thought I needed to get past the neck to 7.5 miles first before I'd call for a ride, but once I was there, I was more than half way, and still standing, so realized, that maybe I could finish.
> 
> I thought this race was the race for me to decide if long distance running was something I wanted to do, or if it was more about doing it in disney.  Before I did it, I had come to the conclusion it was about disney, and I'd never do another half except in disney, but as I went along those miles, and actually enjoyed many of them, I don't think it is just about disney.  I enjoyed pushing my body beyond the limits I thought it was capable of.  I am 12 pounds heavier than I was in feb, and did less than half the training I did for the princess, yet I was able to do the same distance in less time.
> 
> Maybe I will do another.  I'm achey, but I feel great.
> 
> I love you guys.  Thank you so much for all the love and support you have given me.  I would not ever have ventured into the running world without Lisa saying one day, maybe we'll run a race together in disney.  I never thought I would actually enjoy walk/ running 13.1 miles that did not go through the magic kingdom.  But yesterday I did enjoy it.
> 
> Have I bored you all to sleep yet?
> 
> Off to get breakfast for the boy.  Have a fantastic rest of the weekend.



well this just put me in a 100% better mood! thanks kathy! you so totally rock AND you had a sense of humor during the race with karen! i can't think anymore more than "i hate this i hate this i hate this" when i'm running! 

nice work kathy!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Kathy,* I'm so glad that you had a great race and a PR yesterday!    You really are a strong woman who can do anything that you set your mind to!    Sorry about the cramping in the calf -- we will have to look for those little packs of Bio-gel -- it really helps.    It is so amazing the whole array of emotions that you go through as you run these races -- it's very cathartic.    I'm so proud of you and one of these days we will do another Disney race together.  

Did you see any cool costumes?  Did you wear your tiara or your sparkle skirt?  

*Nancy,* so glad that you were able to talk with your Dad, even though I'm sure it was emotionally draining.    We are here for you whenever you need an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on.    Hope that you have a restful, peaceful Sunday.  

*Rose,* pish posh!  That taper madness must *really* is getting to you if you have to *wonder* whether we want to hear every, single detail of your trip this week-end.    Start spilling, girl!  T.O.M., taper and nothing good to eat -- that is a bad combination.    I'm glad that Mike talked you through it.  He really loves you, you know!  

Do you ever use those Purex 3-in-1 sheets for your Disney laundry?  I love them and sometimes you can get a coupon for them.  I can see how the laundry sheets might stink up an Owner's Locker if they were left in there all the time, even in a ziplock.  

*Lindsay,* how was date night?   Hope the car is something easy and cheap to fix.    Enjoy your family day today.  

Hello to the rest of our Princesses!  

The neck is feeling better -- thanks for asking!    I plan on running on Tuesday.  It was good to take this break as I've found a few things, like blisters I didn't know I had and some sore joints.  But I do recover faster each time.  When I did my first 5 miles race it took me over a month to recover -- now I'm doing a 10K in two weeks!  

Today we are going to see the opera Faust at our local community college.  Robert has to see some musical performance every quarter for choir.  

Oh, I see Nancy has posted, off to catch up!


----------



## lisah0711

*Nancy,* glad that you were able to talk with your Dad even though it was a hard and emotional conversation.    It sounds like you've made some progress and that he genuinely loves you and wants to be a part of your life and your family's life.  .  I'm sure it will take some time to get to where things should be.  Take a break today after all those emotions and take it easy.    You and Bronxbaby need your rest!   

Did you read Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich yet?  It's a spinoff from Stephanie Plum and it would be a good "bubble gum for the brain book" for a Sunday afternoon!  

I'll be thinking of you and sending  your way!


----------



## mikamah

We're back from CCD and there was a big 5k race at the school across the street from ccd that was finishing as I picked michael up, so we stayed and cheered everyone on, and who came up to the family next to us after they finished the race, but the girl on the bike, Kelly from my race yesterday.  So funny.  Two of the mom's of michael's friends were running, so we stayed to cheer them on, and they are friends of this girl kelly too.  Small world. 

I feel pretty good today.  Better after getting up and about a bit.  I was stiff this morning, and have a little cold, and everytime I coughed my head killed, but that's better.  And I didn't even take any motrin yet.

*Lisa*- I'm so glad your neck is feeling better and you have  your plan to start running again.  It is so amazing how much stronger each race will make us.   I didn't see any costumes.  Just one lady in a sparkle skirt.  I didn't wear mine, just capris and a pink shirt.  I got a long sleeve tech shirt, it's white with a big bat on it and it's a little loose, so it will be good to wear for halloween.  I don't like the white tech shirts, they show too many bumps and bulges for me, but this one isn't too bad.  We left my nephew's b-day party last night a little after 10, I was pooped, but I guess it went on pretty late, so we're hanging now, and when beth is going to call when they're up and ready and we're going to go get some apples and cider before they head back to western ma.  I did have one post race beergarita last night, but I definitely didn't feel as perky as I did in disney.  Though I do remember after we hung out in WS for a bit it was a long walk over to soaring, and I was never happier to get on the bus back to the hotel. 

*Nancy*-I hope you enjoy your day, and get some rest and much deserved relaxation.  I can only imagine how draining that was to talk to your dad, and he sounds like he really wants to make it work, and be a better grandpa, and I hope he will come through for you.  He should talk to your mom, and go from there.  You don't need to go through it all with her too, especially since it sounds like that would be tough.  Hang in there.    I know what you mean about some people not replying to anyone on the big thread too.  It is a big group of folks, and it's hard to get to know everyone.  I'm sorry I haven't been over there much either.  I feel like you guys here really care about what I'm posting here, and there, I think if i ramble too much it's such a big group, it gets lost.  But I miss so many people there from past challenges, that I want to post more there, and then the time runs out.  See, who over there would read all the rambling.  Pamela would, I know.  Hi *Pamela*, our faithful lurker.  Post here girlfriend, we know you're out there.  

*Rose*- The year has sucked for you.  I hope the wine and dine is the start of a fantastic rest of the year.  

Well, I guess I should at least go do the dishes.  I baked cookies yesterday afternoon to bring to my sisters, and the dishes are still in the sink.  The living room is a mess, football laundry is on the bathroom floor because the laundry baskets are full of clean clothes, and I don't want to do anything.  But I'll regret it if I leave it til tomorrow, so I'll at least do the dishes and laundry.  Maybe doing dishes while michael practices the sax is a good combo.  The running water will soften the music.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--I loved your race report! I agree with Nancy--just what I needed to read today. I am so glad it was such a fun positive experience! And too funny that you ran into that girl today. 

*Lisa*--those purex sheets are what made my owner's locker smell so fresh. I tried using multiple zip lock baggies. So I just brought them home and I'll take them down a couple at a time. This way our luggage will smell fresh. I'm glad your neck is feeling better.

*Lindsay*--how was date night?

*Maria*--I meant to say this yesterday, but I think that was kind of crappy of her to tell you to pray on it. Did she not think you had already put thoughtful consideration into it? We used to be extremely active in our church, but now we are just heathens.  Very long story. 

*Nancy*--I hope you are feeling better about the talk with your Dad. I am really glad you were able to get it out there and say what you needed to say. I wouldn't rehash it with your Mom--mostly because I know how much it will upset you. Maybe this will be the beginning of some changes.I hope you got some rest today.

*******
I feel like I'm missing somebody.....thanks for the hugs. Now, who would like to volunteer to be Mike's go to person to talk me down when I am INSISTING that it is a good idea to drink a regular beer??? I have felt horrendous all day. I didn't even drink the whole thing. How many times do I have to learn the same lesson? I keep coming back to maybe I would feel different if I had an official c-d diagnosis. But can you imagine--I would have to eat gluten for six weeks before having a biopsy. I'm trying to figure out why I care so much. I'm sure it's all somehow tied up in mommy issues. 

I have my box almost ready to mail to BW, but that's about the only productive thing I did today. I will talk to you all later.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> *Rose,* pish posh!  That taper madness must *really* is getting to you if you have to *wonder* whether we want to hear every, single detail of your trip this week-end.   Start spilling, girl!  T.O.M., taper and nothing good to eat -- that is a bad combination.   I'm glad that Mike talked you through it.  He really loves you, you know!
> 
> Do you ever use those Purex 3-in-1 sheets for your Disney laundry?  I love them and sometimes you can get a coupon for them.  I can see how the laundry sheets might stink up an Owner's Locker if they were left in there all the time, even in a ziplock.
> 
> The neck is feeling better -- thanks for asking!    I plan on running on Tuesday.  It was good to take this break as I've found a few things, like blisters I didn't know I had and some sore joints.  But I do recover faster each time.  When I did my first 5 miles race it took me over a month to recover -- now I'm doing a 10K in two weeks!
> 
> Today we are going to see the opera Faust at our local community college.  Robert has to see some musical performance every quarter for choir.
> 
> Oh, I see Nancy has posted, off to catch up!



i brought the purex 3 in 1 sheets on our last trip and they worked great! i did THREE loads of laundry while there! the only thing is that that i packed them in a big ziplock bag along with a bunch of sandwhich baggies and our pb&js tasted a little of detergent. don't really get how the taste got to the INSIDE of the sandwich baggies but oh well.

ooo faust! a little scary actually. i saw it as a kid and the villian with the cape scared the bejesus out of me  i love that jewel song (or whatever it's called). i hope you enjoyed it! did robert like it? i'm not a huge opera fan but i try to appreciate it.

glad your neck is feeling better! and a 10k a few weeks after a half? you are a pro runner baby!



lisah0711 said:


> *Nancy,* glad that you were able to talk with your Dad even though it was a hard and emotional conversation.    It sounds like you've made some progress and that he genuinely loves you and wants to be a part of your life and your family's life.  .  I'm sure it will take some time to get to where things should be.  Take a break today after all those emotions and take it easy.    You and Bronxbaby need your rest!
> 
> Did you read Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich yet?  It's a spinoff from Stephanie Plum and it would be a good "bubble gum for the brain book" for a Sunday afternoon!
> 
> I'll be thinking of you and sending  your way!


thanks for the book recommendation. i enjoyed firefly lane so much that i'm in the just-finished-a-great-book-and-need-something-to-fill-the-void funk. 

thanks for the virtual hug too. i needed it! 



mikamah said:


> We're back from CCD and there was a big 5k race at the school across the street from ccd that was finishing as I picked michael up, so we stayed and cheered everyone on, and who came up to the family next to us after they finished the race, but the girl on the bike, Kelly from my race yesterday.  So funny.  Two of the mom's of michael's friends were running, so we stayed to cheer them on, and they are friends of this girl kelly too.  Small world.
> 
> I feel pretty good today.  Better after getting up and about a bit.  I was stiff this morning, and have a little cold, and everytime I coughed my head killed, but that's better.  And I didn't even take any motrin yet.
> 
> *Lisa*- I'm so glad your neck is feeling better and you have  your plan to start running again.  It is so amazing how much stronger each race will make us.   I didn't see any costumes.  Just one lady in a sparkle skirt.  I didn't wear mine, just capris and a pink shirt.  I got a long sleeve tech shirt, it's white with a big bat on it and it's a little loose, so it will be good to wear for halloween.  I don't like the white tech shirts, they show too many bumps and bulges for me, but this one isn't too bad.  We left my nephew's b-day party last night a little after 10, I was pooped, but I guess it went on pretty late, so we're hanging now, and when beth is going to call when they're up and ready and we're going to go get some apples and cider before they head back to western ma.  I did have one post race beergarita last night, but I definitely didn't feel as perky as I did in disney.  Though I do remember after we hung out in WS for a bit it was a long walk over to soaring, and I was never happier to get on the bus back to the hotel.
> 
> *Nancy*-I hope you enjoy your day, and get some rest and much deserved relaxation.  I can only imagine how draining that was to talk to your dad, and he sounds like he really wants to make it work, and be a better grandpa, and I hope he will come through for you.  He should talk to your mom, and go from there.  You don't need to go through it all with her too, especially since it sounds like that would be tough.  Hang in there.    I know what you mean about some people not replying to anyone on the big thread too.  It is a big group of folks, and it's hard to get to know everyone.  I'm sorry I haven't been over there much either.  I feel like you guys here really care about what I'm posting here, and there, I think if i ramble too much it's such a big group, it gets lost.  But I miss so many people there from past challenges, that I want to post more there, and then the time runs out.  See, who over there would read all the rambling.  Pamela would, I know.  Hi *Pamela*, our faithful lurker.  Post here girlfriend, we know you're out there.
> 
> *Rose*- The year has sucked for you.  I hope the wine and dine is the start of a fantastic rest of the year.
> 
> Well, I guess I should at least go do the dishes.  I baked cookies yesterday afternoon to bring to my sisters, and the dishes are still in the sink.  The living room is a mess, football laundry is on the bathroom floor because the laundry baskets are full of clean clothes, and I don't want to do anything.  But I'll regret it if I leave it til tomorrow, so I'll at least do the dishes and laundry.  Maybe doing dishes while michael practices the sax is a good combo.  The running water will soften the music.



what kind of cookies did you bake?? and...wait...you baked cookies after running a half marathon? shoo! you are wonder woman! 

CCD is on sundays up by you? that's a whole lotta church in one day! it's on wednesdays here. it used to be that the kids needed to get their booklets signed every sunday in 2nd and 7th grade (the years they make their communion and confirmation). but now the pastor wants the kids to have them signed every weekend in 1st AND 2nd grade. yeesh. 



Rose&Mike said:


> *Kathy*--I loved your race report! I agree with Nancy--just what I needed to read today. I am so glad it was such a fun positive experience! And too funny that you ran into that girl today.
> 
> *Lisa*--those purex sheets are what made my owner's locker smell so fresh. I tried using multiple zip lock baggies. So I just brought them home and I'll take them down a couple at a time. This way our luggage will smell fresh. I'm glad your neck is feeling better.
> 
> *Lindsay*--how was date night?
> 
> *Maria*--I meant to say this yesterday, but I think that was kind of crappy of her to tell you to pray on it. Did she not think you had already put thoughtful consideration into it? We used to be extremely active in our church, but now we are just heathens.  Very long story.
> 
> *Nancy*--I hope you are feeling better about the talk with your Dad. I am really glad you were able to get it out there and say what you needed to say. I wouldn't rehash it with your Mom--mostly because I know how much it will upset you. Maybe this will be the beginning of some changes.I hope you got some rest today.
> 
> *******
> I feel like I'm missing somebody.....thanks for the hugs. Now, who would like to volunteer to be Mike's go to person to talk me down when I am INSISTING that it is a good idea to drink a regular beer??? I have felt horrendous all day. I didn't even drink the whole thing. How many times do I have to learn the same lesson? I keep coming back to maybe I would feel different if I had an official c-d diagnosis. But can you imagine--I would have to eat gluten for six weeks before having a biopsy. I'm trying to figure out why I care so much. I'm sure it's all somehow tied up in mommy issues.
> 
> I have my box almost ready to mail to BW, but that's about the only productive thing I did today. I will talk to you all later.



you'd have to go back on gluten for 6 weeks before they can test again? ugh, that doesn't sound like a good idea. god i hate mommy issues. they find their way into everything we do, huh?

**
kathy and rose both said the same thing - that maybe re-doing the phone call thing with my mom isn't the best idea. and i agree. i didn't call her. well, i called today at 6pm and acted surprised when my dad said that she was at work. i guess i'll try tomorrow. i don't know. i don't think he told her about the conversation but i'm not sure. i really don't want to re-hash the conversation for fear of a setback. we'll see. 

i've been in a real funk all day. i had a migraine for most of the day - i think it came from all the crying. i am surprised i don't feel happier. i mean, the conversation went as well as it could go. eh, who knows, i'll snap out of it. 

we had wendy's for dinner


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good Morning! We had thunderstorms and hail last night in the middle of the night. Our silly dog cried for about an hour. Just when it started settling down we had a power surge which set him off again. Silly dog. I might stop for coffee on the way to work today. I think I will go to the Y and either do strength class or ride the bike. No running or elliptical, cause while my foot is doing ok, it's still hurting a little and I know we will be walking a lot at the end of the week. I want to skip the workout completely, but I feel like I am turning into a slacker. We did nothing this weekend and I only ran twice last week--nothing else. I know if I do something I will feel better.

Nancy--I hope you are feeling happier today.

Kathy--I hope you are still feeling good after your race.

Maria--Is this week going to be calmer?

Hi to Lisa and Lindsay and Liesel!

Ok, time to get ready for work! Have a great day!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies,

*Nancy*, funny you mention baking the cookies.  They were m&m with chocolate chips because I didn't have a whole bag of either so I mixed them.  But I wished I had baked them friday night, but forgot.  So anyway, while I was baking, I gave michael a modge podge of lunch, the rest of the ham, a mini bagel, and I put a can of chicken noodle soup in the microwave, in a bowl, not the can, I wasn't that fried.  It was princess soup I bought as a joke, well this was saturday at 1ish, and last night he showed me his bookmark that is the fab 5 on one side, and the princesses on the other and that jogged my memory that he never ate the princess soup, and low and behold it was still in the microwave.   Whoops, guess I was a little chicken fried after the race. 

So I'm feeling better, and I know I did eat a lot this weekend, but my scale is up 5 pounds.  My eyes are puffy too, so I know it is fluid, but that's an awful lot.  I'm going to drink lots of water today and try to flush it all out.  We had bacon and pancakes for dinner yesterday, and leftovers for lunch at my sisters, chicken/broc/ziti, and I know that was salty too.  

I need to get my eating under control.  I'm almost back up to 220.  I know some of that won't stick around, but it is a wakeup call.  I didn't like seeing that number on the scale today.  Tonight I will make my shopping list, and meal plan for the week, and today I'll start tracking again.  If I can walk/run 13 miles, I can certainly control what goes in my mouth.  Imagine how much I could do once I get this weight off.  Next week, I will start getting out and running in the mornings again.  I think I"m going to pretend I'm doing the Tink with the Lisa's and that might motivate me to get the runs in.  

*Nancy*  Such an emotionally draining weekend you had.  Hang in there.  Can you and bronxbaby try to take a nap with Thomas today?  Don't you be doing no housework.  Just relax with your feet up and let thomas do whatever he wants.  John will clean it all up after work. 

*Rose* - Slacker is one word that does not describe you.  Some times you need to take a little break.  Hope you enjoy the gym, and if you decide not to go, so what.  Your doing a half marathon in disney this weekend!!!  When do you leave?  Do share more details please.  Any dis meets happening?  

 Hello LIsa, Maria, Lindsay, Liesel.  Hope all is well!!

Off to work now.  Have a great day!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Kathy,* hope that you got some rest yesterday!    How funny to run into Kelly again at the race.  I'm not a fan of white tech shirts either.  Too see through when wet.    Maybe that sax playing will help you keep up with your running -- you can run around the block a few times while Michael is practicing.    I was kind of relieved when Robert exchanged the violin for choir.  

*Rose,* sorry about the regular beer.    I could not imagine how terrible you would feel if you had to do gluten for six whole weeks before a test.  You would have a horrendous day every day the whole time.    I know that you feel so much better when there is no gluten in your life.   And the thing you were forgetting?!?  It was your trip plan!   

*Nancy,* sorry about the headache.    It was quite an emotional week-end for you and with the hormonal soup you have going on there -- it's the double whammy!    Take it easy today and enjoy yourself with Thomas.  Maybe he will take a nice long nap for Mommy!  

*Lindsay,* hope your relaxing, family day was fun!  

We had a nice time at the Opera.  It was interesting.  I'm not a big fan so I will be looking for a symphony or musicals for the rest of those assignments.    Robert seems like he might be coming down with the first bug of the school year so I am waiting to see how he feels in a few minutes.  He had a bit of a fever last night so I'm guessing he will be home today.  We will do a coin toss to see who takes which shift.   

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## liesel

Hi, I'm back from Hawaii!  We had a fantastic time, but are exhausted after taking an overnight flight Saturday night, I didn't sleep at all, too uncomfortable.  We got home yesterday morning.  I've managed to get the pictures loaded onto the computer, but that's it so far.  I'll do a mini TR later.  I have a very horrifying weight gain to report for this week.  I know part of it is water and the fact that I pulled an all nighter, but still!  I hope to get back on track this week, I need to resume Tink training tomorrow, so I think I'll just go on an easy walk today.

I am on vacation countdown again already, 22 days until DLR and our nephew's wedding.  We didn't plan on having 2 vacations so close together, but with this wedding it just worked out that way.  At least the kids will be out of school on fall break for this one.  So far I want to drive the Tink route while I am there and go for a run roughly 48 hours after arriving (around the same amount of time I'll be in Anaheim before running the Tink) so I can better gauge the difference in temperature and altitude and see what my pace is like.

I missed two halfs while I was gone, so congrats *Lisa* and *Kathy!*  I enjoyed reading both of your race reports, it just gets me excited for my own race.  You are both so inspiring!

*Rose* I can't wait to hear all about your trip this weekend.  Sorry about the rotten year and the gluten issues.  I totally understand the desire to have an official diagnosis, but 6 weeks of gluten would be so awful!

*Maria* I saw your earlier posts and that you are very busy with work right now, I hope you find time to stop in and say hi.

*Kathy* and *Lindsay* I enjoy hearing all about your adventures with football.  *Kathy* my DS just started playing trumpet, its very interesting hearing him practice!

*Nancy* I'm sure you are doing a fantastic job coaching, it seems like a very big group over there, overwhelming at times.  I haven't even posted on this challenge, I need to be more involved.  I'm trying to remember the people that personally reply and respond to them more, I've wasted a lot of time replying to people who only post what they are doing and then never hearing from them!   about your parents.  I hope things get better and that they want to take a more active part in your awesome family's life.

I need to get this out of the way before I talk about my trip later and post a few pics.  I am not happy with any of the pics that I am in.  I need to pick a couple to post on FB, but its going to be hard.  Especially the photos of me surfing.  I was so proud of how well I did, especially because it was physically demanding (and lots of fun!), but my legs look awful.  It didn't help that I had a funky shorts tan line that make my thighs look even worse.  Plus my back was to DH who was taking the pics in all the pictures, so not flattering!  But that is where I carry my weight, so it is what it is.  I'll look better and be even stronger next time I try surfing!

Have a good day everyone, I have so much to do!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Holy cannoli batman! I have a race in less than a week and I don't know what I am going to wear. I did get some new stuff for my hair that keeps the frizz down, so the important part--how will my hair look in the before race pictures--is covered. I guess in the back of my head I wasn't sure if I would actually be able to do this race, so I didn't plan very well. The foot is still not perfect, but I think I will at least be able to start--and giving how stubborn I am, I am guessing I will finish.

*Liesel*--I'm glad Hawaii was fun. I can't wait to hear about it. I'm sorry about the pictures--I really get it. I honestly don't recognize myself in older pictures. But I know I speak for everyone--we want to see the surfing pictures! So cool!

*Lisah*--How is Robert???? And thanks for the pep talk. I guess I have felt so cruddy for so long and the doctors always looked at me like I was a hypochondriac that I just feel without a "real" diagnosis that people still think I am a hypochondriac. Not Mike and not you all and not my doctor. So who else matters? I don't know why this bothers me so much. 

*Kathy*--I hate the "after race bloat." Hopefully it will be gone quick! You can do the food Kathy! You can do it! You can do it! Picture how proud of yourself you will be. Picture how fast you will be!!!!

*Hi to Maria and Lindsay and Nancy and Taryn and Pamela!*

*****
So I felt crappy all day--again. But I went to strength and I'm happy to say, sweating it out seemed to help. I am now icing my knees and foot. The foot is driving me crazy! But hopefully I will be able to do the race. 

I am going to be have to be the *itchy mom this week. Tom still doesn't have a doctor. I'm going to have to tell him I will pick up one more prescription and that's it. Uggn!

Ok, I promise a little pre-trip report later.  TTYL.


----------



## liesel

Ok, I have some pics on FB.  They are pared down quite a bit because there were around 350 of them!  If you want to friend me, you can either PM me or look on Lisah's list.  I also sent your friend request Rose!  I'll try to post some pics with a mini tr on here tomorrow, yes *Nancy*, there are mac nut pancake pictures!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning,  and !

We got up at 4:30 to take the 'rents to the airport, and now I have a few minutes before ds gets up and demands the computer to print the homework he inevitably forgot to print last night 

Ok, the super-busy continues at work, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have plenty to keep me busy, but if people actually start to get their stuff in a little early, I may only have to work one day next weekend. We shall see...

I am eating any carb that crosses my path, and exercise is a dim memory. Tonight I am going to bed at a decent hour, getting up and running, and then going to work. I am going to ignore the fact that TOM is being particularly evident (perhaps a side effect of no exercise and the crappy diet ), and just do it. 

Last night we had Ben's Open House. I was very impressed with all the Masters (teachers). He has a challenging year, but so much opportunity to educational and personal growth, I really hope he takes advantage of it. We'd better start saving, it seems that the French classes take a trip to the MotherLand during their junior year. Ooh La La! 

*Lisa* -- Now I'm going to have to go to FB and see if we're friends. I have 21, you could be on the list!  I am so bad about keeping up with that account or even checking, but I want to see these photos! 

*Rose* -- I have no doubt you will finish W&D, you are a get it done kind of gal! And I can't wait for the PTR. You have no idea what a nice read that will be for me, to dream along with you a bit.  I'm sorry the gf is getting to you -- I don't see how it couldn't, considering everything you have had and have going on. Taking some time for you is a good thing, I promise! Thanks for the support on the church thing. You hit the nail on the head, I didn't come to that decision lightly and I really resented her acting like I did. We go through cycles with our involvement at church. With Ben going through confirmation this year, we have to be there a lot. I need to not resent showing up all the time. I have a meeting coming up right after Columbus Day I need to prepare for, and I've done absolutely nothing. I guess I'll try to get to it soon. I definitely have fatigue and I need a break. I'm sorry she just got here, but I've been slogging it out for years and I do resent the constant demands for my time and energy. I only have so much, and I have to put my oxygen mask on first 

*Lisah* -- I'm with you on the opera. I've tried, but I just can't get into it. I would totally be heading for the musicals, I love them! Ben really wants to see "The Book of Mormon", but I'm not sure when we can make a trip to NYC and getting tickets is a whole other matter...I'm jealous *Nancy* has all the new shows right in her back yard! How is Robert feeling? Those first bugs of the year can be rough. 

*Kathy* -- Clearly we need to tackle this weight thing together. I am inching so close to the point where I said I would not go again, and yes, there is a 2 involved...so we are going to make a plan, follow the HH, and hit this thing hard. Do not let the post-race weight gain fluster you. That is temporary. That's what I'm telling myself about TOM -- Hey, have you guys noticed we seem to almost all be in sync with TOM --we must be in the same tribe!   Apparently my e-mail questioning the confirmation schedule was not the only one they received. We got a new e-mail with a reduced schedule (including no class on Christmas). I think they didn't think through the fact that people actually go to visit their relatives on holidays, and don't all stay home all the time. I also think people are more compliant with whatever they are told to do regarding church in the native countries of our pastor and youth pastor (the Philippines and South Korea), and they just expected we would not have issues with whatever they set. In their minds, what better than a class about becoming a church member on Christmas? The more I think about it, the more I think it is cultural. 

*Nancy* --  Oh my, you have had quite a weekend. I hope you give yourself a few days to recover emotionally before you start thinking too much and making decisions. You need to let yourself settle before you decide what your next move is. I am so proud of you for having that talk with your dad, I know it was really, really hard -- and you did it!  I am sorry I haven't answered a single one of your questions yet. I am not doing well with making it to the main thread this week. If I get a little time later today, I will just post something -- I do appreciate the work you put into the questions, and they are making me think! I also get frustrated with the people who use it as a blog and never say a word to anyone else. I get that way when I'm overwhelmed, but even then I try to at least  at a few people! 

*Lindsay* -- Ok, my "reach back" doesn't go to your last post, but I believe we left off with you about to have a day of footbal and bday partying. I hope it was a blast and the Beast had a great game! 

Okay, gotta get everyone moving and myself to work. 

Everybody have a wonderful week, I'll check in when I can. Sometimes I have to just take ten minutes, reply to a post or two and chill out...

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Liesel--great pictures!

*Maria*--Hang in there! Things have been so crazy for you! And I think you might be right--it very well may be a cultural thing. There were a lot of things that kind of put us permanently off the church thing, but one of the last straws was when they had their confirmation retreat. In the history of this church they always had an overnight retreat. Well Tom's class was the first class where they had public school kids and church school kids. (They started a school when he was in 2nd grade and confirmation was 8th. So a lot of the 8th graders went to private school and some went to public school for the first time.) 

Well some of the parents of the church school expressed some concerns about the overnight retreat--they didn't want their daughters around the public school boys overnight. We were LIVID!!!! Then they scheduled the retreat on the same day as the public school showcase of schools--the day when all the 8th graders can learn about the different high school choices. We told them Tom might miss a few hours and it did not go over well and I got a big old lecture. So fine, we go to the retreat and half the church school kids were missing because of a volleyball game. Seriously. Mike thought he was going to have to hold me down. I can't even tell you how angry I was. There were A LOT of other things, but I won't go into them. Mike was a mass rep and I did a lot of sewing and decorating for the church and after that we were done. I feel loads of guilt, but it was not a healthy place for us. Hopefully this new pastor will settle in and things will go well. The funny thing--we loved the priest. We just couldn't stand all the bs.

******
Ok, typing that out was oddly cathartic.

Today is my last day of work for 8 days!!! I am really looking forward to a break. I know I only work 3 days a week, but I feel like I cram a lot into those 3 days.

So here's the plan:

Work today. Dick's after work--my running shorts are kind of huge and I don't feel like wearing a skirt for the race. I haven't bought new running shorts since last summer--I was probably 25 pounds heavier. I know I am breaking the cardinal rule of "don't wear something new." I'm going to look for a new t-shirt too. Maybe the chafing will distract me from the foot issues.

Wednesday--rehem some pants and shorts and a pair of pants. Lately we have had so many things where the hem has come out. What is with that??? I need to make a trip to the library and pack. I also need to pack my emergency food. I hope to be packed by the time Mike gets home from work. Mike will take the dogs to the kennel when he gets home. They love our dogs. I'm so glad we found such a good place for them to hang out when we are out of town. One of our dogs is a shelter dog and he has some "issues."  The plan is to be in bed by 9:00pm. Oh, nevermind. Mike has a conference call with Korea or china or somewhere. Can't remember. Ok, in bed by 9:30.

Thursday--up at 4:00. Our of the house by 4:30. Airport 4:45. Flight 6:00am. Arrive MCO 10:30.  I'm hoping to be having lunch at ESPN zone or Mexico. I have been CRAVING a hamburger. I haven't decided if I am going to give in or not. I might wait until after the race. Thursday afternoon I am hoping the weather is warm because I want to sit at the pool and do nothing. Thursday night we have 8:30 reservations at Narcoosees!!!! We will be able to see Wishes from there. It is so wonderful. They pipe the music in and watching the fireworks over the water is lovely.

Friday morning we don't have any plans. Maybe sleep in and then go to the expo. If we wake up early we will probably hit a park for an hour or two and then go to the expo. Friday afternoon at 4:00 we are going to Raglan Road and then heading to Epcot for the evening.

Saturday morning I have planned am emh at DHS and then a 10:00am breakfast at Captains Grill at Yacht Club. But I'm on the fence. It's the 40th anniversary and I can't decide if we should deal with the crowds at MK. If it weren't race day......Saturday afternoon I might try to get my foot taped and we will have ice cream somewhere and watch Carolina football. Saturday night--race and party. Hopefully I will feel better at the party this year. Last year I was pretty nauseous and couldn't eat or drink anything.

Sunday--sleep in. We have Boma reservations for 5:00. DHS has evening EMH and we will probably head there to ride TOT.

Monday--Rose&Crown for dinner and then hang out at epcot. I have read that  R&C does a good job with gf.

Tuesday--I don't have reservations but plan on going back to Raglan Road for onion rings. Our flight is 7:30 pm so Magical Express will probably be 4:30pm.

Sometime in all this we will visit babycakes and ghiradelli. And get fries somewhere. What a junk food eater I am!

We are having Garden Grocer deliver breakfast and lunch food--so lots of healthy choices. I'm going to get a bag of gf bagels tomorrow to take along. 

So that's the plan. Very low key. We are planning on renting some kind of water craft this trip. We keep talking about doing it and we never do. And we might go to DTD and just ride the boat to OKW and back. I have been trading messages with Cam but haven't worked out anything yet. I still am hoping we can meet up with some Wishers, but I haven't worked real hard. Let's face it, I have been a little depressed. But hopefully things are looking up.

I hope I didn't bore you all. Thanks for reading!

**Please keep my niece in your thoughts. I emailed my sister this morning and  I don't think things are going well.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

good morning friends! i'm doing a quickie post and then going back and reading. i keep reading the posts and then don't get a chance to respond and then i wind up not getting back on for a while. i'll post back later hopefully during naptime. 

*rose - *i didn't get to read the pre trip report but i did remind myself that i have the maturity of a 13 year old boy because i giggled that you're going to Dick's today. what is wrong with me?? really excited about your trip! oh and i noticed rose and crown - i haven't eaten there in probably 12 years - looking forward to hearing what you think of it. 

*maria -  *4:30 wake up time? ew. that's only acceptable when you're up to catch a 7am flight to disney! sheesh. glad there's a light at the end of the tunnel with all this work crap. oh and you think YOU'RE eating every carb? not possible as i've crammed most of them in my mouth! 

*liesel - *i just friended you!  

*lisa - *how's robert feeling? still sicky? feverish? seems like kids get sick right when school starts, right? those schools are like big petry dishes of ick!

*kathy - *mmmmm i bet that princess soup was delicious the next day!! chicken fried is right! or, just mommy brain! i do stuff like that all the time. 

*lindsay -* hi!! i saw you were tagged in a nutcracker picture...what's the story there??? and ryan's team is undefeated?! woot! we need to start making BEAST t-shirts!

**

well i posted more than i thought! typical. yesterday i'm pretty sure the devil took over my child. my aunt came over in the morning for coffee and thomas took a HARD toy ball and chucked it at her FACE! she was bleeding a little. i felt horrible, embarrassed and pissed! she of course was like, "oh don't worry about it." yeah, ok. and it just kept going on from there. we are trying to now limit the pacifier ("gogie") to only at nap and bedtime and it is not going over well. and that's putting it VERRRRY lightly.

yesterday at 3 my mom called. i bit the bullet and picked it up. thomas was screaming for his gogie right when i picked up so we talked about that right off the bat. and we wound up talking for like 2 hours! and not once did anything about the last few weeks come up. i'm ok with that. i talked to my dad. he knows. and he's the reasonable and rational one. i know they at least talked a little to each other b/c my mom knew about how john went to PA on sunday (i had told my dad that). and she said they were coming to visit on saturday. i plan on saying something like, "i hope we will be seeing you more now" and then letting it go. i will be holding my father accountable though. in a couple weeks i'll remind him that thomas needs another visit.  so, that's that. 

i STILL have not started my trip report. one of these days...one of these days...


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, Princesses and Tinkerbelles!!  

*LisaL*- I friend requested you, and can't wait to see your pics.  Love the profile picture, guessing it's the hawaiian coastline, and can only imagine how beautiful it was to be there.  I hear you on the pictures too, but you were out there surfing!!  That is something to be proud of.    So glad you had a great time, and only have 3 weeks til DL!!  Phew, I've really got some vacation envy going now.  

*Rose*-So sorry things aren't going smoothly for your niece.  She will be in my thoughts and prayers.  It is so scary for everyone involved.  I hope they get the work up done quickly and a plan in place soon. 

Love hearing about your disney plans, as if any of us would be bored living vicariously through you.  The narcossees with wishes sounds so romantic.  Vacation is all about the splurges, have those onion rings as much as you can fit in. 

*Nancy*-No, you're not immature.  Yesterday I took a message for my charge nurse from our manager that she needed to do an eval on a guy we work with named Dick, so I wrote, "Linda, do Dick today.  His eval, I mean. " I wonder where michael gets it from. lol.  Glad your folks are coming to visit this weekend, and I hope the gogie thing improves.  Michael had his pacifier til his 3rd birthday when he was going to give it to santa for a new baby, but when we went to the mall, he changed his mind, so the binky fairy took it from him that night, and he got 10 dollars which we spent on a big rubber wrestling guy at the mall.    You have a lot of changes coming up with the new baby too, and for thomas, I'm one to think if it brings him comfort and you some quiet time, so be it.  I hope it is a quick adjustment, but if it's too much, it is ok to wait longer too.  I don't see any kids getting on the bus with their binkies, but some kids need it longer than others.  Guess I'm pro binky.  Good job coaching this week.  Sorry I've not been there as much either. 

*Maria*-Ok, let's do this!!  Let's get this weight off once and for all.  I was just saying to lisa why is it I can get up one day, like today and be all pumped, got my healthy shopping list, and i'm going to do this, and then in a few days, I'll find myself just gorged on thousands of calories of crap.  We can do this.  We have done it before.  That is funny about Tom.  Mine lasts so long now, it's easy to overlap with me.  Love getting old.  I need to do the hh too.  I feel like I don't have enough time in the week to keep track of it all, but I guess that is just an excuse.  My table is piled high with papers from school I need to go through.  I am going to commit to run/walking 3 days a week starting next week.  We can do it!!!

*LisaH*- Hope ds is feeling better this morning, and you'll be able to get to work and school.  Opera does not appeal to me at all.  We try to do a christmas show with my sister each year, we saw the Grinch, and Christmas Carol, and I saw the Rockettes are coming to Boston, so maybe we'll do that.  I don't know how much michael would enjoy that, so we'll see.  It will be here before we know it.  I did my pto tally to figure out what days we'll be closed and how many hours I'll have.  I'd like to take a couple long weekends off too.   Was today the day you were going to get out running again?  Good luck!!  Hope you're feeling fully recovered from your half. 

*Lindsay*-Hope you're having a good week.  You're probably being the responsible mom/wife and taking care of the house, family, work, instead of dissing like me and letting my house fall apart.  That is great that Ryan's team is doing so well.  We got a long email from our coach this week about some parents behavior.  Apparently there are quite a few monday morning quarterbacks trying to tell them what to do, and one actually said that losing is unacceptable.  Freaking ridiculous.  We're 1-2.  This weekend we did better 14-0 rather than last weekends 36-0, so I thought that was pretty good.  As long as michael's happy, I'm happy.  And he is.  He really doesn't let the losing get him down for very long.  Hope you're having a great week. 

Well, I was going to go check out Lisa's hawaii pics, but she's not my friend yet.  She's probably working or getting kids off to school or something less important than checking facebook for new friends.  Sheesh.  I guess I'll pop on the bl thread and try to catch up a bit.  

Have a perfectly princessey tinkerbelley day all.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Lisa,* so nice to have you back!    Looks like a wonderful time and you all looked like you were having a blast.    And you look lovely in your pictures!   

I will be interested to hear your report about the Tink route.    See this lovely outfit that *Kathy* found for us http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs048/1103343696052/img/82.jpg from sparkleskirts?

*Rose,* can't wait to hear what you find to wear for your race!  Loved the PTR.    And really who cares what other people think?  All you have to say is "my body doesn't tolerate gluten" and leave it at that.    Sending lots of  and good thoughts for your niece.  

*Maria,* hang in there!    Do you have something fun planned for yourself for when you get through this busy time?  A special book or movie? 

*Nancy,* glad that you had a good conversation with your Mom.    It may take some reminding to get them with the program but you can do it.    Oh, and I'm in the Kathy camp on the gogie.    You think these stages will last forever but they don't.  There are a lot of big changes coming in your house.  Whatever people need to get them through it.  

*Kathy,* loved the story about how the binky was traded for something that could be beat up.   

*Lindsay,* looks like the Beast is having a great season!  

Robert is home sick again today.  Can't shake the fever.  He was up at 4:15 am this morning.  Popped him in the bath and he is camped out on the couch now.  We make sure it is boring at our house when you are sick, no computer or Playstation games.  I tried to get him to watch some Playhouse Disney or Nick Jr for old times sake yesterday but was shot down fast.    So we watched Andromeda Strain and The Towering Inferno.  Looks like it is Voyager today.    You know that they feel bad when they really just want you right there with them -- just like the good, old days.  

Have a great day!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Ladies!!

*Lisa*-So sorry Robert was still sick yesterday.  It must be getting up time in your house soon, so I hope he's all better today.  Smart not to have the video games available so staying home if you're not really sick is not as enticing.  So funny, no nick jr for him.  He really is growing up.  During our vacation one morning, I came out and michael was watching Dora the Explorer.  Did you order the tink dress yet?  You and Lisa will look just adorable in them!!!  The towering inferno was one of my mom's favorite movies.  Hope he's better and you had some nice bonding time. 

Not much happening here.  I'm only up 2.4 pounds now.  So that is good.  I shopped yesterday, controlled myself at the snacks, so if I want chocolate, I'm not going to find it here.    

I know it's quiet at work today, so I may get out early, and with no football tonight, it will be nice to just have a relaxing evening.  Maybe we'll watch a movie.  

I guess the main person complaining about football is little Clifton's mother.  Big surprise there.  She is just out there.  She called me yesterday and asked me to drop him home after practice, but luckily she didn't get into it.  Clifton is not in michael's class this year, which is a great thing because the two of them together too much is not a good thing, and they are getting along just fine for football. 

*LIesel*- Your pictures are just amazing.  The view from your hike was breathtaking.  And I am so proud of you for surfing!!  I think you and ds looked great.  I for one don't think I'd even be able to get up on my feet.  Very impressive.  

*Rose* - In 24 hours, you'll be on the plane, the plane!!!  So excited for you!!  And so jealous too.   But even through my jealousy, I can't wait to hear all about it.  

Hello to everyone else!!  Maybe I'll have time to answer some of nancy's qotds.  

Have a great day!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy - *what's the deal with clifton? is he a bad kid? sounds like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree with him and his mother. nice work on controlling the snack purchases. sometimes they all just look _so_ good! 

*rose - *i love raglan road! i had the shrimp risotto last time and john had fish and chips. not that you're going to be eating their bread but the dip they had along with it was olive oil with a touch of guinness. and you know what? it worked! 

*lisa - *how's robert feeling? that's smart to make the house as boring as possible when he's home sick so he doesn't "enjoy" himself too much being home. poor thing though, high fevers are the pits. hope he got the rest he needed and he's on the mend! 

*liesel - *seriously, every single picture was beautiful! and YOU look awesome! you look so strong on that surfboard! you totally rock. and those views? they look fake! lol!

*hi maria! hi lindsay! how's work?

*i'm running out of time! late for mommy and me now. DISing is such a time suck sometimes, huh?

xoxo


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!   

*Kathy,* that Tink dress is adorable but I'm thinking Tinks are going to be a dime a dozen at that race.  They do have regular black running skirts now and you can do a WISH feather logo on it so I'm thinking that might be just the ticket for me.  I don't know a cute costume is tempting though.  

Glad that the race water weight is whoosing away like it should!   

Robert should be getting up soon.  He will be going to school today.  He was feeling better yesterday afternoon so was getting very, very bored.   

*Nancy,* have fun at Mommy & Me today!    Sorry that I've been missing your great coaching!  I'm reading along though.  

I have my running stuff so I can finally get out today.  Should be fun.  

Hello to the rest of our princesses and belles!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

So sorry I havent posted in days I am just totally "chicken fried"

I feel like I am just doing all I can to keep my head above the water.  

I dont have time for much replies...actually this is my 3rd attempt at posting in 3 days I just keep getting interrupted and never get back to finish.

Really quick though:

Rose- I loved your PTR and it is so much fun to hear about it.  I too am jealous but not in a mean way...I guess more envious.  I hope your foot doesnt give you much trouble and that you have a fun time.  Have a safe trip.

Nancy- So glad you had a talk with your dad.  I hope they wake up and smell the coffee.

Maria- I hope your days at work start to lighten.  I so know how you must be feeling.  Life should be more fun and less work.

Lisa- I sent you a friend request on FB.  Cant wait to see your pics.

Kathy- Uggh what horrible things for those coaches to say.  Im glad michael isnt bothered by that.  We have 4 games left and a total of 5 weeks of practice to go....not that I am counting down or anything.  As much as we are loving this I am so ready to have a normal evening life back again.  Although then I will complain about being bored.

Lisa H- I love the tink outfit but I agree there probably will be thousands of tinks there.  I saw a boat load of different tutu's at the halloween store this wkend and I thought about how if I do another princess race I will definitely try to dress up more this time.  I think the sparkle skirt with the Wish logo sounds like a great idea.

Im sorry if I missed some important things....I hate to be the friend who doesnt respond to things.  (I agree nancy there are certain people on the main thread that only ever talk about themselves and never respond/support anyone else)  That drives me so nuts.

Ok so my quick post is now getting lengthy but since Im on a roll I might as well update you on my weekend.

Sat was great!  The boys stayed at my parents and mike and I had dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings.  I absolutely loved it and we had a few beers which was so not our norm for our dinners anymore.  It was really nice to spend time alone.  I even put makeup on and did my hair.

Sun- It started off by driving to my parents to get the boys for sunday school.  I got off the highway and my car started smoking.  It overheated.  I made it to my husbands friends house who lived a few blocks away and they drove me to my moms.  I got my car towed.  Luckily it is already fixed.  Something with the thermostat and radiator cap.  It cost 300 bucks and that really sucked but it could have been so much worse.  

I got the kids home for a nap after sunday school and I took one myself.  I woke up just to watch the end of the eagles getting their butts handed to them by the giant.  Then I had to work the snack bar at football for an hour or so prior to ryans game.  It wasnt as bad as last time.

Ryan had a good game and their team won.  My whole family came to watch and that excited him.

Mon- I left work at 230 to get ryan so he had time to eat and do his homework before his game.  I picked him up from school and he was a "walker" so that excited him.  I chatted with the moms for awhile and they were talking about how they cant stand waiting to eat dinner for their husbands to get home at 6pm.  I said well it could be worse you and your husband could both get home at 6pm and then have to make dinner.  I have such issues I need to just keep my mouth shut.  Its not their fault I have to work but I just cant get over the resentment.  Its not that I resent them for being SAHM its that I hate to hear them complain about things that could really be so much worse.  I really need to work on this or I wont have any friends.

Ok so then we had ryans game.  It was against the other bethlehem team and they are big rivals apparently.  The other team usually wins.  Not this year.  We stomped them 28-0.  Ryan was a super beast and got 5 flags in the backfield (equals sacks if we were playing tackle).  He played so good and so did his whole team.  We were leaving and the one coach said "hoffman there was no stopping you tonight" and ryan said "Yep I was beasting it up tonight." He cracks me up.  I guess he hears us talking.   

Yesterday was more uneventful.  I left work early again to go to my eye dr appt.  Then we went grocery shopping and made dinner since we had a night off from practice.

Today is work and practice.

If you read this whole thing.  God bless you.  Sorry I guess I really just felt the need to catch up.  I missed you ladies.

Talk to you soon!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

drive by posting here! 

hi to everyone! 

*rose - *have a very safe trip tomorrow and good luck on the race if we don't get to chat before hand. i think you said you can get on facebook from your phone, right? post if you can!! 

*lindsay -* both of my teams beat the philly teams this past weekend (mets and giants). what a nice surprise for us, esp the mets! lol! the news the other day said, "it's official...this year's mets are even worse than last year's mets" it's not easy cheering for them year after year. glad bww was a fun time! you did your hair AND makeup!? you are way ahead of the game than me! i'm lucky if i see a brush everyday! (and i'm not kidding!) i still have those t-shirts for the boys. maybe you can PM me your address so i can send them??

*lisa -  *did you run today? do you just leave from your office to run? i used to workout during lunch when i was first working but then wound up taking jobs where there was no such thing as a lunch break. perhaps the reason why i kept gaining weight year after year!

*kathy - *hi! how was work today? oh, did you already have that dinner for your work anniversary? and did you get the trampoline?? 

***
i'm completely exhausted this evening. i think the half a tray of brownies may have done it for me. gross. i'm about to sign off and hit the sack. 

big news though : we put a bid in on a house this evening! it's about 0.15 miles from our house now haha. we'll see. it's bigger than our house now (not like that was hard) and pretty much all new. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. and it's two floors which is nice. i miss the idea of going "up" to bed. we offered $399. they were asking $439. if they counter we will probably go as high as $409 or 415. i'm trying not become attached to it. if it works out, great. if not, it's not like we NEED to spend that money. plus, we'll be poor for a while if we do get it. 

anywho, that's the story. i'm going to bed now to read and hopefully fall asleep. bronxbaby is not a fan of letting me sleep already


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

nancy- wow a new house!  I hope it works out for you.  Im sure you could use some extra room for all the new goodies bronx baby will bring with him.  Keep us posted.  I will PM you my address.  I totally forgot I am so sorry.  

I am unable to sleep so I thought I would at least catch up on things on here.  I started a new pair of contacts yesterday from the eye dr and my eyes are so irritated and burning it is bothering me so much I cant fall back asleep.  See I fell asleep on the couch around 9pm and woke up at midnight.  Its been all down hill since then.

Now its thundering and pouring out.  Hopefully the boys wont get woken up.

Ok well I better at least attempt to get back to sleep or I will be pretty miserable tomorrow.

Have a Great Trip Rose!!!!  You should be up pretty soon and heading to the airport....so exciting.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning! 

Michael just got on the bus, and I thought he wouldn't make it but he did.  Thought I'd try to teach him a lesson he had a lot to do, and my final warning was 11 min til he needed to go, and he was watching tv, and I figured I'd drive him, but with about 3 min to spare, he got his shoes on, took out the recycle and trash, brushed his teeth, and he made the bus just in time.  I'm thinking maybe I feel too stressed in the mornings and should just let him do his thing.  A friend of mine would say I'm overparenting when I give too many warnings.  Her kids went to montessori, so we joke about it.  So starting now, I'm the relaxed morning mom.  Today I don't go in til 10, so I wouldn't mind driving him, but on my 9 oclock day it would totally mess with my dis time. 

*Nancy*- Good luck on the house!!  That is very exciting, but nerve-wracking at the same time.  Nothing like shopping for a house 7 months pregnant with a 2 year old.  I bought my house when michael was 2, and it probably did help to narrow things down more quickly. 
  Clifton was michaels best friend in 2nd grade, but they got so close, they were goofing around way too much and getting in trouble, so we worked on that, and tried to separate them, and then they became enemies, and were fighting and picking on each other, and the 2nd grade teacher separated them for 3rd grade when they were buddies.  They are fine together for short time, scouts last year, and football this year.  But there have been issues with him with a lot of other kids too, and his mom is not the easiest to deal with. He's usually dropped off at most stuff, because she has 2 other kids too. 
We had our party last week, but no trampoline.  Michael wanted a telescope, but we decided on a cd player with ipod dock.  My cd player is so old.  It was a lot of fun, and we had a lot of laughs.  Actually as we were leaving, we decided to go downstairs for an extra drink, and were talking to the hospital president who I had never met in the 2 years he's been there, so I said you should come visit us in endoscopy, and he said, I think I'm coming next month.  So we were teasing him.  Sick, huh?  I'm taking that day off. 
For some reason I'm craving brownies today.  If I were you, it can go two ways, you can just finish the tray and be done with it today, or savor them slowly, or give them to your aunt and uncle.  Unfortunately I'd probably go the finish them route which is why I'm here. 

*Lindsay*- I hope you were able to get back to sleep.   I hate watching the clock when I can't sleep, and then hours later, wishing i had just gotten up and done something.  Hope you have a good, low key day today!!  Cause I know how relaxing a pediatricians office can be the first month of school.  
YOu made me count, we only have 6 games left!!!  It will be so nice not to have practice 3 nights a week, even though it is fun to watch the boys and he's really enjoying it, I'm looking forward to some more evenings home.  It's been so warm, I'm really looking forward to wearing a sweatshirt to a game soon.  At least it is supposed to feel like fall this weekend.   

*LisaH*-Glad Robert is feeling better and back to school.  Hope the rest of the fam avoided the bug.    I think you're right about there being lots of Tinks at the race, and the Wish running skirt sounds perfect.  I wonder if the wish shirts won't stand out as much with all the green tinks running.  How is your neck feeling?  Were you able to get out this week and run again?  I thought I'd go out for a short walk this morning, but that was last night, and this morning, I thought better of it.  It's rainy.  Just a few sprinkles, but enough that I didn't feel like it.  

*Rose*- Ahhhh, you're in the air, and will soon be waving to the big white gloves in the magic express line!!!!  Have a fabulous time!!!  Good luck in the race!!  And enjoy every single onion ring you can!!!

*Liesel*-Hope you're all settling back into the real world nicely. 

*Maria*-Hope your week is going well, and if not that your mil left your some vodka, but I'm guessing if there was any left, she took it with her.  
I signed michael and me up for a 5k on thanksgiving morning in Wakefield on the lake.  A friend and her son do it too.  We did it last year, and it was a fun start to the day, if you might be interested.  Michael's excited to do it again, and he actually said he'd like to do a half marathon one day.   I envision the disney half in his future.  Now just to get the funding. 

I had my evaluation at work yesterday, and there are still lots of unknowns as far at the doctors, but my boss seemed really confident that it will all work out, and if this group of 5 docs were to leave, which I find doubtful, with our Lahey affilliation, they will definitely get some other docs to fill the slots.  Our unit is pretty new and a big money maker for the hospital, so they are not going to let it die.  She is also hopeful that in the next few months, I should be able to increase my hours officially to 36 from 32.  The extra 4 would change my insurance price too, so it would save me more money.  It would be nice for when it's quiet to leave early once in a while without pay, but at 32 hours, I really need 32 hrs pay, so I have to use my pto when it's quiet, but with an extra 4 hours, I could swing it.  And once that's official I'd be able to plan my next disney trip!!!! 

Well, off to catch up on coach nancy's last day!  Have a fabulous day everyone!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

well I am unexpectadly home today.  Last night I think I couldnt sleep because my eye was bothering me.  As the night went on it got worse.  My one eye is so red and irritated and keeps watering.  It hurts and feels like something is in there but I cant see anything.  I think it may have something to do with my new sample contacts I put in starting tues.  I have an eye dr appt at 1130.  The only bad part is I have really old glasses and when donovan our lab was a puppy he chewed them up a little.  So they are crooked with a hole in one of the lenses.  I really cant wear these to work so now I am deciding if I should spend money for a new pair...lens crafters does 1 hr lenses....or if I should just use one contact in my good eye and suck it up.  Ugggh....this is not our month for money things.  Just as I think we are doing good stuff always happens.  So frustrating.

The good thing is I can still see the computer with one eye.  So I will check back in later with you all.

Kathy- Its hard to step back and let your kid be responsible but Im sure doing so will help michael in the long run.  Im glad your boss thinks things will work out and increase for you soon.  At least you will then have the wiggle room.  Too bad your not closer...I will have an RN opening soon for 40hrs. 

Talk to you all soon.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lindsay - *oh no! no sleep and now you can't see? sounds to me like you should get off the computer and lay down for a bit. try to relax and maybe even catch some of those ZZzzs that you missed last night! 

ah, puppies - they LOVE to chew everything, huh??

*kathy - *hmmm, that clifton situation sounds like a toughie. first they're friends, then enemies, sheesh! and here i thought only women were like that! a new CD player sounds nice! glad the dinner was fun and yeah, have fun when the president comes in for his check up! 

****
quick update since i'm still tired from being up half the night due to my brownie overload. i'm hoping to lay down for a few while thomas naps. i have some things i need to do though. 

this morning the folks whose house we're trying to buy texted me. it's hard b/c i'm friends with her so this whole thing is awkward. she texted saying they talked about it and the lowest they can go is $420. blergh. john and i had agreed that our TOP would be $415. $5k  doesn't seem like that big of a deal but it's the difference between finishing the basement and not. so, i think we might tell them tonight that $415 is all we can do and just leave it at that. part of me doesn't want to lose the house for $5k but part of me definitely doesn't want to overpay for a house (the price is already ridiculous!). btw, we are looking to pay over 400k for a house that is 1350 sq. ft! but hey, coming from 800 sq ft, that's like -a BIG difference! lol!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Lindsay,* sorry about your eye.    Hope you can get some rest tonight.  Those days when you don't have enough sleep are the longest days ever . . .   Maybe you can find some cheap glasses that aren't very stylish to use in a pinch.  Have fun at the casino!   

*Rose,* glad to see that you are on your way!    Isn't it funny how bunches of people are now "chicken fried" thanks to you!   I know that you are going to totally  the W&D!

*Nancy,* lots of  on the house thing!  It is a stressful process, as you know.  Would you be moving before Bronxbaby arrives?  That would be tough!   Add the "friend" thing -- oy! 

I tried to avoid my run by forgetting my shoes and workout clothes at home but I sucked it up and went for a 30 minute run at home so got that sucky first run after the race out of the way.    This summer I was running early in the morning and I really liked that but it is too dark to do that now.  Soon it will be too dark to run after work and we don't have sidewalks.  I have the perfect loop at my office so will try to do that early in the afternoon.  I have a hard time doing it at lunch because like you say, once you are at work you feel chained to your desk.    I have so much flexibility and freedom with my schedule compared to a lot of people I don't know why I make it so much harder than it needs to be.  I'm checking every darn box on this Tink training schedule come hell or high water so will just make it work one run at a time.  (Aren't you sorry you asked? )

*Kathy,* I hear you on the mornings.    We go through the same gyrations.  It's a boy thing.  Congrats on the great review and the increase in hours.    The price for the Princess goes up on October 1st -- just in case you are thinking about that . . .  

I typed this out this morning and then there was a homework crisis involving a paper that wasn't saved -- luckily I was able to email it to myself and as far as I know the homework is solved too.  I have to hang out here for about another thirty minutes.  Think I'll go look at pictures of MNSSHP.   

Hello to the rest of our Princesses and Belles!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

they accepted our final offer of $415k. omg! we're buying a house. we are going to be so poor! 

operation: get this house sold begins....now!


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*-Congratulations!!!  How exciting, and nerve wracking at the same time, but the extra room will be amazing.  I know the small house world you speak of.  Mine is 925 sq.ft. and my condo was 1050.  Michael's room is tiny and L shaped, and will only fit a twin bed, but for just 2 of us, it's just fine.  It's crazy how you pay for location.  My brother is 2 hours away, and he bought his house around the same time as me, and it's at least twice as big with a huge yard, and it was at least 100,000 less than I paid.  But I didn't want to leave the north shore.  I could have gone 20 min further and gotten more house and yard, but the convenience of being 2 miles from my family is what I wanted.  
I'm very excited for you and John!!  I hope everything goes very smoothly. 

*Lisa*-Yay for getting that run in!!!  It is hard.  My weight is down to 214, just up .4 from last friday, so I'm happy with that.  It is crazy how swollen you get after a race.   Now I can focus on that goal of One-derland!!  Here we go!!!  I'm setting a goal of losing 50 pounds by the time I turn 50.   That would put me at 175 and it's 20 pounds per year.  I did that before, and I know I can do it again.  I saw the princess email, and did get a little misty. Where was the epcot pasta party last year??   I don't think we'll get to disney again til 2014, which is just a little over 2 years away, and the way time flies, it will be here before I know it.  
Ah, the joys of boys.   Hope the homework crisis was averted.  I came on here after michael was ready and the back pack was packed, and started typing, and he was writing in the kitchen, and time got away and we heard the bus, so he ran and made it.  It was a little early.  I"m lucky it goes right by our house to the corner so he can run to catch it.  

*Lindsay*- I hope your eye is better, and you were able to get some rest last night.   A doctors office job sounds great except for all those snotty kids I'd have to take care of.   Pedi nurses are a special breed.  I probably could do it, but the serious stuff would make me so sad.  I never did ER because I couldn't handle the kid stuff, and whenever something horrible happened nearby, I remember why I do adults.  Football was rained out here last night, hope it was for you too.   We watched the Flintstones movie instead. 

Hello *Maria*, *Rose, LisaL* and all our other busy princesses. 

Not much happening here.  We had a nice relaxing evening.  After the flintstones movie michael practiced his Sax for 30 min.  I tried to listen from my bedroom, but he insisted i sit in the living room with him to get the full effect.    It's not terribly painful, and he's definitely getting the hang of the whole blowing thing, so there's not too many high pitched shreiks anymore.  One day I'll share a video on facebook for all to see and hear.

I never got on the BL thread yesterday, I headed over and read, and then checked my email where the disney store had a disney parks sale, so I perused the disney store online then found myself on amazon, looking for christmas presents, disney style.  There's a cute redsox mickey figurine I might get for michael, but i ended up ordering nothing.  Which was smart.  Cause then i paid my bills last night.  I spend too much money without thinking, and am trying to stop.  We thought of going to see the Lion King, but it was only in 3d, my ticket would have been 14.75, his 11.75, and then 5 bucks for illegal snacks, and I thought 30 bucks here, 20 bucks there, and there's where my disney money is going.  So I'm going to reign that in as well.  

I'd say I did well shopping this week, because when I went to search for a junky snack last night, nothing appealled to me.  I ended up with a bowl of lucky charms, which I bought for that reason.  It's better than chips or ice cream.  And I got some milk in.  

I think I'll head over the BL thread again.  Nice job coaching, Nancy.  

Have a great day, princesses and Lisabelles!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hey Pretty  and Trusty !

I don't have a big window of time, but I'm determined to check in a little...

I ran 4M Wednesday and another 4M this morning. I didn't manage Thursday, I was too tense about not getting to work early enough. Then I decided I had to get some stress relief and running was definitely justified 

My eating has vastly improved the last couple of days, hopefully that will stick 

*Kathy* -- Not that I could get DS to see The Lion King  with me, but I hear you on the theater ticket costs. It is crazy expensive to go the movies, and it's so much more comfortable to just stay at home...if it's for me, I pretty much only see Harry Potter-epic type stuff in the theater. If you do go to Universal and Sea World, you can use my not so secret Universal tip -- 10% off just about everywhere with your AAA card, even the food carts. 

*Nancy* -- Congratulations! With your growing family, you are going to be thrilled to have more space.  I know you will love your new home. It sounds to me like the chat with mom went as well as it could. Talking (about anything), is not a bad thing. 

*Lisah* -- I am so proud of you for getting that run done, no matter what!  I'm just starting to watch this week's BL, and one of the themes is working out at different times of the day. This is a good lesson for me, I'm so determined to only work out in the morning. I need to believe I can do it after work, and then actually make it happen. 

*Lindsay* -- I really hope your eye is better today.  I have been wearing contacts since I was 15, and sometimes there are issues. I had a terrible time with too much bacteria last summer, and I'm just now feeling like I have that under control (knock on wood!). 

*Rose* -- I hope your trip is going fabulously, despite a few hiccups. I know you are ready for the big event! I hope you feel like eating afterwards this year! 

*Lisa* -- I have to go on FB and check out your pics, I bet they are awesome. I never like myself in photos, I just accept I don't look like I think I do 

Ok, so I have 5 projects completely done, 5 ready to be reviewed, 3 I'm waiting for more information on, and 1 that I can't do anything with until the Department of Housing and Urban Development fixes their system. All but one are due Monday or Tuesday. I feel confident I will meet all my deadlines, I'm just going to have to be patient with myself and not rush into work Monday, because nothing is magically going to appear over the weekend.  I have plenty of time to workout before I start my work day. Tuesday might be more dicey, but I bet I will still have enough time. 

I have decided there is no point in coming in tomorrow or Sunday, so I'm going to spend my weekend getting in a couple of runs, catching up on the house , getting ready for my trip (I leave for Vegas Wednesday!), and watching the 800 hours of Tivo I have waiting 

I plan to try to catch up on some DISing (ok, pretty much just with you guys ) too. 

Everyone have an awesome weekend!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Ladies.

Yesterday my eye went from bad to worse as the morning went on.  I got into an opth. at 1130.  My mamma was so nice to take the afternoon off to give me some TLC...well be my driver too.  Apparently I have a corneal ulcer and a corneal abrasion.  I found glasses yesterday for 200$.  It only took them an hour so as we were waiting my mom treated me to lunch at olive garden.  We had the soup/salad/breadsticks deal.  That definitely made me feel better.  The Dr gave me drops to put in every 30 min for the first 5hrs and then I have been doing them every hour since.  That little bottle of drops cost me 40$.  I had to go back for a recheck this morning and the abrasion is healed but the ulcer looked worse.  I have to go again tomorrow.  He doesnt have hours but is meeting me at his office.  That has me worried.  I mean this must be worrisome if a dr would do that right?  Idk.  Anyway each time I see him its 30$.  I have another appt for mon too.  I probably will need another bottle of drops until all this is done too.  So as long as nothing else occurs my grand total for this problem will end up being.  400$.  It is more than fixing my car.  All for a darn eyeball.

I did make it in to work today and as the day is going on my eye is feeling a tiny bit better so hopefully its on the mend.  I have a flu clinic going on at my office tomorrow and i am nervous about having to leave for an hour to get my eye ck'd but im sure they will be ok.

Then we have ryans game at 430 and we are going to my uncles house for birthday cake for his bday after.  It is suppose to rain all wkend so who knows what will really end up happening.

Sunday I am suppose to go on a bus trip benefiting my high schools bball team.  The coach they have now was my city league youth bball coach.  I love him he is such a great guy.  My dad was originally suppose to go but my grammy who has alzheimers has been acting up lately so he didnt want to leave the area.  I told my mom I would tag along.  It is going to atlantic city casinos.  Just where I need to go after all this money I spent this paycheck.  Yeah well its a day away right.  I will miss the kiddos but Im sure they will love spending a football sunday with their daddy.

Nancy- woohoo on the new house.  I cant believe the difference in prices.  Our house is the same size and we paid half that.  I bet if you moved here you could live in a mansion.  I guess thats why so many people live here and commute huh.  Anyways good luck selling your house.  We moved with a 2 year old and I was 5 months pregnant.  So not fun.

Maria- Glad everything is going well at work.  I hope you get some nice relaxing time this weekend.  

Kathy- I cant wait to see the video.  I played the clarinet for awhile and Im sure my parents wanted to buy ear plugs.  Im glad he is picking it up quickly.  

Have a great weekend!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## mikamah

*Lindsay*- I hope everything goes well this morning at the doctoe, and he sees improvement in the ulcer.  Of course it makes you worry, but with eyes, there is always someone on call for emergencies, and he is probably the doc on call, so by seeing you this morning, he's hoping to see improvement, or change treatment and avoid things getting worse.  And he makes you think he's a great guy for getting you in, when he'd probably have to go for any calls anyway.   How's it feeling this morning?  I hope the drops are helping and the bills will not go any further.  It sucks to pay so much for medical stuff, but what are you going to do?  You must take care of yourself.  You'd not give it a second thought if it was for your kids or dh.  Sending good wishes there is big improvement today.  And good luck at the flu clinic.  Sounds like a blast, all those screaming kids coming for shots.  

*Maria*-Nice job getting those runs in during this crazy week.  I'm waiting to hear on a friend if she can run, if not, I'm going to do some wii fit.  It's not raining yet, but the weather isn't too promising.  I hope all your proposals work out ok.  It's got to be frustrating having to wait on others to get your work done.  Thanks for the tip for universal.  I really don't think I can swing it in january.  I'll see what my sil and brother book, and do the numbers, but without any extra hours right now, it's not looking too good.  But if I don't use it for january, maybe august.

I started vacation planning again.  I thought next summer my second week of vacation we would go see the red sox at another stadium, baltimore or chicago, but when I checked their schedule, they are in Anaheim the week before Labor day which has always been my second week where michael and I go somewhere just the 2 of us.  I'd love for my brother to come too, if they could, but their school starts earlier than us too, but we'll see.  So now at least I have a virtual vacation to investigate, and after the winter, and with the tax refund, maybe it will happen.  It's too soon to price airfare for that week, but for the week before, airfare with hotel for a week at a doubletree was only 1800 on expedia.   I'll see.  Maybe we'd do anaheim, disney, universal, and then drive up the coast to Oakland where the sox play labor day weekend.   Either way, I'll have fun planning, even if we don't go.  It is amazing just to be thinking about it really put me in a good mood yesterday.  I think barring any major appliance disasters, I will make it happen.  

We have a low key day.  I've just started with some laundry, and need to clean the bathroom.  Michael's friend has a football game at 10ish, so he'll come by after lunch.  With the rain, we may go see Dolphin Tale.  

Hello everyone else!!  Hope you all have a fun, relaxing weekend.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Rose,* good luck tonight with your race!    You are going to rock it and we can't wait to hear reports of onion rings, adult beverages and your race!  

*Maria,* so nice to see you!    And so very nice to hear your busy week is going smoothly at work.    Way to get out there and do those runs, too!   

Do you have any exciting plans in Vegas?  My parents honeymooned in Vegas -- at the Stardust -- and we went there many times over the years in the 60's and 70's.  

*Lindsay,* so sorry about the eye.    It's serious stuff when things are going on with your eyes and, as Kathy said, you wouldn't think twice if you were having to spend money on any of the men in your life.  Hope everything is improving again today!  

*Kathy,* a trip to Disneyland!?!   Hmm, if you took Michael to WDW for the Princess and then went to DL at Labor Day, you could get your Coast-to-Coast medal next year . . . just sayin' .  Check out the rates for Howard Johnson's on Harbor Blvd.  It is the best place to stay offsite at DL.  Close to the freeway so you could drive to Universal and other places.  You might want to explore getting a cheap flight to Oakland because it is a long drive -- like 400 miles, including scary California traffic.    Sounds like a wonderful, wonderful trip!   

*Liesel,* can't wait to hear your pre-trip report for your trip to DL soon!  

It is cold and rainy here this morning.  I think I get to go on a hot date to Lowe's this morning.  I will keep my fingers crossed that the weather improves so I can do my 4 miles tomorrow.  If not, I will go to the indoor running track.  Robert is feeling better, no homework, and a few home projects.  It's shaping up to be a nice week-end!   

Have a great week-end!


----------



## mikamah

Thanks, Lisa.  I knew you'd have some great advice on your DL!!

It's all just spinning around in my head, but if I hit the lottery, a coast to coast it is, but without the lottery winnings, I'm afraid it will be just one trip.  It's fun to plan, and now I can spend endless hours on the internet with a new focus.    I did think of the DL half, is it on the monday of Labor day?  I forget.  But I don't think I'd do it anyway.  Oakland is a thought.  I envisioned us in a convertible driving up the coast with beautiful sunsets, not sitting in california traffic.  Wonder if it's like boston traffic.  Or new york.  Now new york is scary.  I actually like not driving at all.  If we stay near DL, do a shuttle to Universal, maybe a hollywood tour, and taxi to Angel stadium, I don't need to drive.  Such decisions, decisions.  Now to make them all happen.  

Oh, and I thought of braces too after the talk on the bl thread.  Hoping michael's teeth havent' come in enough to need them yet.  that will throw a wrench in the whole plan.    Actually he goes to the orthodontist in november, so I hope that appt is before the time we need to put in for our flex spending money.  

Have a really fun date at Lowes, but don't do anything I wouldn't do.


----------



## lisah0711

I got so excited about Kathy's trip that I almost forgot something very important . . . 

*Good luck to Princess Corinna as she runs her first marathon tomorrow!* 

Also, I had a 4 pound "whoosh" so started off the month in my goal range after all!    Hoping for a really good week this week!


----------



## mikamah

Wow, congrats Lisa on the whoosh!!  4 pounds is awesome, you're going to be shrinking away!!!

Good Luck Rose and Mike tonight on the W&D half!!!!!

Good luck Corinna on your first Marathon tomorrow!!!  You're our first BL princess marathoner!!!!  Whoo hoo!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello  and !

I skipped my run this morning, just didn't feel like doing it and still trying to get more rest. I've slept 10 hours the last two nights, so hopefully I'm making progress on that front. 

I'm getting out all our Halloween decorations while I watch the Steelers/Texans game. I don't really care about the game, but it's nice to have background noise. 

I told dh this morning I think I've been bit by the cruising bug. We haven't been in 5 years. He responded by telling me we have $8 in our vacation account -- a direct result of me doing the Princess in a few months, so I cannot complain  He's also talking more seriously about marathon weekend in 2013, so I'm not going to push my luck. I really want to have him come back and do another Disney race with me! 

*Corinna* -- I hope you are enjoying a fabulous first marathon, it's PR time! 

*Rose* -- congratulations on W&D! I can't wait to hear all about it! 

*Lisah* -- Great job on the "whoosh"! I don't have any big plans, I'm just going to walk the Strip at night. I know that sounds bad  -- I mean after my sessions end (if I don't find some folks to hang out with) I will entertain myself by checking out the hotels and shops. I'm definitely going to the Earl of Sandwich in the Planet Hollywood hotel. I think there are some salads with my name on them!

*Kathy* -- Nothing wrong with vacation planning! My latest scheme is I'm going to check out short cruises out of Tampa. We could visit my SIL, cruise, and go back to SILs before going home. It's probably still out of our price range for the upcoming year, but I'm going to check it out nevertheless. 

*Lindsay* -- I hope you enjoy the bus trip! I am so sorry for the difficulties with your eye, but you know what a precious resource that is, and you have to do whatever you have to do to take care of your sight 

*Nancy* -- Any idea when you will be closing on the new house? You might want to carefully time your labor  I can't believe Bronxbaby is going to be here before we know it -- I predict another handsome young man with a great set of lungs 

Ok, gotta get back to decorating and getting ready for tomorrow. I'm trying not to think too hard about everything I have to do. I will get it all done, I'm just going to be a limp dishrag when I finish. That said, I am getting on the TM before I go anywhere 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

blergh, i'm exhausted after a really busy weekend. i really want to chit chat on here but still have a few things to do before i can sit down. and when i can do that i think i may just hit the sack. 

but i HAD to come on here to congratulate *ROSE* on her fabulous race! can't wait to hear all about it  

ttyl!! xoxo friends!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hello Ladies.

Horray for Corinna doing her first marathon!!!!  We would love to hear about it if you are still reading along!  Great Job

Rose- Yippee you made it.  Cant wait to hear how it went.  I hope you are having a wonderful trip.

Nancy- I hope you get some time to relax tomorrow after your busy weekend.  You should be in a recliner with your feet up eating bon bons right?  hahahah we know that is so not reality.

Kathy- I hope you enjoyed your low key weekend.  Did you get to see dolphin tale.  The boys want to see it but I wondered if it was to over there age level.  

Hi Lisa and Maria!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok I will try to make this update quick..... I just got back from Atlantic City and it was a fun day.  I didnt win any money but played on a small amount for quite awhile so that is ok.  Yesterday Ryan had a football game and the boys won again.  They are still undefeated!!!!  Ryan had another great game and had 6 flags.  He is really getting the hang of it now.

Ok big update on my eye and needing lots of prayers for this.

Yesterday I went to my eye dr.  He said the ulcer actually got just a little worse so he wanted me to see the corneal specialist.  That dr called and got me in a few hours later.  He explained that the concern was that on a strong antibiotic my ulcer is still progressing rather than clearing.  He said the concern was a resistent bacteria causing the problem such as MRSA or some of the other "super bugs" that are now around.  So he encouraged me to let him culture it.  I had to let him use a blade to scrape cells off of my eye.  So not fun!!!!  Then he started me on 2 more drops.  These drops were made special by the pharmacy and were made from IV antibiotics.  Of course they cost a fortune but at this point who cares right.  So I have now been using 3 drops every hour.  He originally wanted me rechecked today but then ok'd me to go on my trip.  I am going to see him tomorrow at 1130.  I am praying that this thing is getting better.  Next step if it is not is going down to will's eye hospital in philly to get done god knows what.  I dont even want to know.  I think it feels much better although I thought yesterday it was getting better too.  So I am really scared and anxious right now.  

I will let you know how I am doing tomorrow after my appointment.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Lindsay* -- You have my prayers and a big ol'  Eye problems are so scary, we're all hoping everything looks much better today.  I'll make sure I think of you and send up a couple of little "prayerlets" today when you have your appt. 

I got up today and did 4M of intervals. I haven't done intervals in a really long time, and it made me feel quite accomplished when I finished. I'm scarfing down some eggs and getting a load of  in, then it's off to begin the crazy-busy day. It helps that as I go I will take a few minutes here and there to read what's going on with you guys. I realize I am not the one having the ookiest day, and I need to be grateful I get to do this job I I love. 

I'm also grateful the more I think about it the more things I remember for my trip. I just recalled I need to pick up a disposable razor. I'm sure they have them in Vegas, but I like to be as prepared as possible. I haven't figured out what I'm packing in or what I'm taking as a carry-on yet. I have decided I'm going to buy my breakfasts. They are included in the conference, but they're pastries, muffins and some fruit. I'll plan to eat the fruit, but I also plan to arrive already having eaten some eggs. I'm also skipping the midday snack cookies and ice cream. I am going to bring my pre-portioned almonds, and I will have a plan to grab some whole fruit from that breakfast pile and eat that with the nuts for a snack. Everyone keeps telling me I have to try the pastries at the Paris. I've made a deal with myself -- if I manage to avoid most of the naughtiness, I can have one Friday night after my conference time is over. 

Oops, gotta get movin'!

Everyone plan for an awesome week, new month, new us! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

*Lindsay*-I'll be thinking of you today and praying for good news at the doctor.    Hang in there, take some slow deep breaths, watch some mindless tv till 11:30, if you aren't going into work.    I hope you get some good news today. 

*Maria*-You have a great plan for your trip.  Remember how good you did on your princess trip, and I know that you can do the same in vegas.  Remember those pastries have been sitting out at these conference too long, and are all dried out anyway.  They're not worth the calories.  Wait for the paris pastry.  I like your plan, new month, new us!!  We can do it!! A cruise sounds great,  my brother and sil leave today on a 5 day out of miami, I think, for her 40th b-day.  Their dd is 9, and they've not left her for more than a weekend, so they are both very excited.  I love vacation planning. 

*Nancy*-Hope your busy weekend was a good one and fun too.    You must have lots to do to get the house ready for sale.  Unless you're one of those fanatical housekeepers and your house is immaculate, and then it should be easy.  It would not be easy for me.  Hope you got a good nights sleep.

*Lisa*-Did the weather cooperate and allow you to get out for your run this weekend?   It ended up being not a bad weekend here, but yesterday's forecast was periods of sun and downpours, so we didn't plan much outside.  I did spend some time researching your beloved DL.  Are you a member of club 33?  That looks amazing, I wonder what it costs.  There was a trip report that someone went there.  My thoughts right now, luckily i have 11 months to plan, are to do 4-5 nights in anaheim, disney, universal and the redsox game, then maybe 1-2 in san diego for seaworld and the zoo.  All would be on the citipass too.  I figure one of our 3 dl passes could be a red sox game day too.  Anyway, it's fun to plan, and I'm happy to have my own little dl expert just a pm away. 

*Rose*-  COngratulations on your race and your awesome time!!  I hope the leg and foot are feeling good and you're having a wonderful time!!

*Corinna*- Whoo hoo!!  COngrats on your marathon!!  You are just amazing!!

We had a fun weekend.  Football sunday am in the drizzle, and then I ran/walked with Karen 3.4 miles.  It was slow, and I definitely need new shoes, but I've been putting it off.  Next month I"ll get my christmas club, and treat myself then.  Her groin was sore last weekend during the half and it started to bother her, so we walked more yesterday.  Which was fine for me.

My friend called her and her dd were going to see the Lion King, and I hemmed and hawed, and we decided to go.  It was really good in 3d, and michael and I both were expecting the elephants heads to spin around like in the circle of life show at epcot.  We've seen that a few time since we last watched the Lion king, so it was funny. 

We may go to the fair tonight, weather permitting, if not wednesday.  I already have the tickets, so we will go but just not sure when.  

Have a great day princesses and tinks!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Maria,* good luck on your busy day today!    Once you get through these applications, it's leavin' on a jet plane for you.    Good plan to walk with folks on the strip.  It is crowded down there but there are some scary people, too, you don't want a walk like Dennis' in Montreal!   I'm sending you some  to help you through your ooky day! 

*Nancy,* hope that you had a nice week-end!    Sorry it was so tiring.  Hopefully you and Thomas can take it easy today.  You should enjoy these quiet, peaceful days while you can.  

*Lindsay*, sending lots of prayers and  to you today with your poor eye.    Hopefully the culture will be back and they can tailor a treatment to it.  Please be sure and keep us posted because we worry about you.  

*Kathy,* I did get to do a little run this week-end.  I have my two short runs this week and then a 10K on Sunday.  Then I will be in week 4 of the 20 week Tink training plan so it all works out.  

Sorry I'm not a member of Club 33 but if you figure out some way to get in there, I will figure out a way to join you.    Even in the 60's and 70's it was impossible for us regular folks to get in there.  It is incredibly expensive and I've heard they don't even put names on the waitlist anymore, it is so long.  There is talk of a new Club 33 like place in Caifornia Adventure with all this remodeling but, of course, it would not be same as being in New Orleans Square above Pirates of the Caribbean!   *Liesel* will also be a good DL resource for you! 

Have fun at the fair!

*Rose,* loved the Facebook posts and pics!    I'm so happy you had a good race and can't wait to hear all about it.  I thought your outfit was cute!   And I'm glad that you got your Zebra Domes!  

Had a great time yesterday watching *Corinna* in her first half marathon.  You could track her the whole way and there was a live video feed at the finish.  She looked happy and strong!  

October is going to be a busy month.  I have my 10K next week-end as well as the finishing touches on fall cleanup and getting ready for my MIL and BIL to visit for a couple of nights.  Then it is their short visit.  The following week-end I am flying to Seattle to spend a couple of nights with my Mom and sister to celebrate my Mom's birthday.  The plan was to take the ferry to downtown Seattle and have lunch at the new Hard Rock Cafe by the Pike's Place Market.  But my Mom is having furniture delivered on the only day available so we will hang out and wait for that and go to eat in Gig Harbor.    Bless her heart, my Mom has a knack for bad timing on things.  

Have a wonderful day Princesses and Belles!


----------



## liesel

*Rose* Congratulations on the W&D half!  I can't wait to hear all about it!  I'd love to do that half someday.

*Corinna* Congratulations on your first marathon!  Your DL half report from last year was the first race report I read here on the boards when I joined last year's fall challenge (Rose's first half report was my second!) and I was so amazed by what you've accomplished.  You both have inspired me!

*Nancy* Congratulations on the new house!!  I hope you are able to sell yours quickly.

*Maria* Have fun in Vegas, its an interesting place.  We were there for a day during our road trip last summer.  There are still lots of people there, and some wear some pretty interesting outfits for a night out on the town.  Good luck with work.

*Lindsay* Sending lots of pixie dust your way for your eyes.  Congrats to Ryan for being undefeated!

*Lisa* Sorry to hear Robert was sick last week.  My DD was sick over the weekend, I hope she is better because I sent her back to school!  I hope Tink training is going well.

We haven't planned much for our trip, as DH pointed out over the weekend.  I countered with "we are going to CA, we can do this in our sleep," which he agreed with.  We are not making any dining reservations since we are buying APs and we like to do just counter service on the AP buying trip to save money, especially since all our Disney reward dollars are going to the APs.    There are 2 new CS places in DCA and several places have changed their menus since we have been there so I am excited to try the new food and figure out what I want to eat Tink weekend.  POTC is down for refurb, which is a bummer, but it should be running in January.  I want to ride the Matterhorn in case it goes down in Jan for its long rumored refurb.  I also can't wait to ride the new Little Mermaid and Star Tours.  A friend of mine might join us for a day so I need to figure that out.  DL has short hours the whole time we are there so no late nights for us!

*Kathy* I hope you can make it out to CA next year.  We have been deciding between labor day weekend and the DL half and our fall break in October next year.  I think we are going to do October so we can spend more time there and visit the inlaws.  We are getting APs on our trip in 15 days (!!) so we will go just before they expire.  I also recommend the Hojo's.  Its a short walk to the parks, has good rates, and a fun little water park area.  You can check out www.hojoanaheim.com.  They are also listed under my likes on my FB page, so I can keep up with their entertainment rate specials.  They don't serve breakfast, but we just get stuff from the grocery store and eat in the room.

DL is nice and compact, with DL, CA Adventure, and DTD all right next to each other.  If you stay at a hotel within walking distance, its so easy to get around!  No waiting around for buses!  Next year at DL should be fantastic, Carsland is opening in the summer, so it should be open by the time you visit.  I don't have any Club 33 connections, but a good friend of mine has gone there twice and absolutely loved it.  Definitely check out the DL section of the boards, that and WISH are the friendliest places on the DIS!

********

So I didn't have a great long run on Saturday, my shin splints suddenly started acting up after I thought I was all healed.  I did wear my old shoes for all the muddy hiking in Hawaii and then was walking around in flip flops a little too much when I got back.  I am now being good about wearing my nice new running shoes when walking to and from the kids' school.  I took yesterday off and am going to go to the gym and use the elliptical today.  I'll try a short run tomorrow and see how I am doing.  I am trying not to go too fast or push too hard, but I am also stressing about getting my mileage up for this training program.

I had a huge post vacation loss last week, so I only have one pound of vacation weight left to lose.  I'm trying to be really OP since we have another vacation coming up so soon (then Thanksgiving, then the Christmas holiday eating season!).  Have a great day everyone!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

only have a second...

wanted to let you all know that i am doing ok.  the ulcer is a tiny bit improved.  The doc thinks it is a really really bad bug but so far the culture is coming up negative.  He said that since I was on the antiobitic drops before the culture this could happen.  So we might not ever know what this really is.

The way he put it was that its a really bad army of bugs but this current regimen of drops is slowly bringing them to their death and eventually they all will throw up the white flag and surrender.  He is quite a guy but knows how to make his explanations plain and simple.

The good news is he thinks I am out of the woods for anything to go majorly bad.  I asked what would have happened if It wasnt better and getting worse and he said...corneal transplant.  Very scary.  So thank you all for your prayers because I am so thankful that this seems to be on the mend.

I am needing to continue the drops every hour and I will see my regular opth tomorrow again.  But for now all is good.

Thank you all for caring so much.  I love you ladies.


----------



## mikamah

*Lindsay*-Glad things seem to be improving.  Thanks for updating us.  I was thinking about you all day.  So scary.   pixiedust and prayers you are out of the woods now, and those bugs surrender completely soon.  You doctor sounds like a hoot.  

*Disneyland Lisa's!!* thanks for all the good dl advice.  I checked out the dl board over the weekend, and read a great trip report where I heard about the club 33.  I didn't realize it went back to the 60s.  I am sure it's quite a bit out of my league, so I won't get my hopes up.  After all I'm a value type girl.  

I had a fun afternoon at work.  The doc I work with just got back from his first wdw trip with his 4 and 5 yo, so I got to live vicariously through him.  I set his computer up with a castle screen saver before he came in.  He had an absolute blast, of course.  He's so easy going, we knew he would.  There are two other docs who are a bit anal and impatient, and they both went once each and hated it, so I love to share my disney magic with them, even though they don't get it.  

Off to check the weather and decide on the fair.  It's looking a little iffy. 

Have a nice evening everyone.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lindsay -  *an ulcer.....in your eye.....??? omg! ouuuuuch! you poor thing! i'm glad to hear the doc say it's getting better but ouch! that just can't feel good at all. please kill that bad army of bugs! ewww!

and wahoo for ryan's team being undefeated! how exciting! glad he's enjoying it! did nick decide on any activity that he wants to try?

*kathy - *a trip to DL sounds fabulous! i have to say that i totally was thinking, "get that coast to coast medal!"  but i get too that the running trips are totally different than the regular vacation trips. plus, the $$ is a big factor too. you'll just have to come down in 2013 to florida so we can see each other for a race then! i saw a pic of michael and his team on the field. tough lookin' group! (ok, i actually though, "aw, how cute!!")

*rose - *love your FB pics but need more! specifically, i want a medal pic and an onion ring pic! 

*lisa - *ah, furniture delivery, that always seems to mess up your plans. and i hate when they give you a delivery window of like, "between 8 and 2" and then show up at 5pm. grr. where is the 10k this weekend? you are a running fool and i love it! hopefully the 10k will seem "easy" compared to the half you just ran. 

*maria - *ooo i love vegas! and i'm not even a gambler  i looooove the people watching there. it's almost as good as at disney!

*liesel - *hiya! sorry about the shin splints but nice job on losing that vacation weight so quickly! i usually hang on to that for a loooong time!

**
busy weekend, busy day. and i'm tired. so basically ....same poop, different day. friday we discovered that the dog has fleas. awesome. and the best part is that somehow it's my fault. which is funny because john is the one who is in charge of her. he hasn't put frontline on her in MONTHS and i can't tell you how many times i've been like, "hey you should put that stuff on her." so, saturday morning we drove up to petco to get her a flea bath. from there up to westchester for thomas's soccer practice. left there early to go to rockland (across the tappan zee bridge) for a birthday party. after the party we came back to petco to pick the dog up. got home for thomas to take a nap around 2:30. i laid down for about an hour then cleaned for a few and my parents came around 4. 

parent visit was....ok. thomas was a perfect child. so sweet with them. how could they not want to see him more?? we hung out a bit, went for a walk to show them the new house (just the outside, owners weren't home), and came back here. we basically had to force them to go out to eat with us. and then WE had to pay. they offered to split it with us. SPLIT! here we are, one income, one kid and another on the way and we had to pay. whatever, i guess they didn't want to go out in the first place so it's ok. during dinner john invited them to disney with us in may where we will be staying at the treehouse villas. most people when invited somewhere, even if they have no desire to go say, "oh wow, thank you. let us think about it and get back to you." not them. they stared at john like a deer in headlights. it was as if we had asked them to join us in a death march. came back to the house and had cupcakes that my mom made. then my uncle eddie and aunt mary came over. at the door i heard eddie say to mary, "whoa, your brother is here." lol. i LOVED that they dropped in - it kind of showed my parents how they are missing out because they love to see him all the time. and they had all these stories to tell about him. and they could see how much thomas loves them. 

sunday was a bad day. just a bad day all around. john and i fought like cats and dogs. just alot of stress and john just can't handle stress well at all. it's going to be _awesome _when this baby arrives, let me tell you! 

anywho, that's my long story of the weekend. on a happy note, my mom called today and invited thomas and i to go apple picking with her on friday. that's two visits in one week! maybe they really did get my message when i didn't speak to them??


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> I had a fun afternoon at work.  The doc I work with just got back from his first wdw trip with his 4 and 5 yo, so I got to live vicariously through him.  I set his computer up with a castle screen saver before he came in.  He had an absolute blast, of course.  He's so easy going, we knew he would.  There are two other docs who are a bit anal and impatient, and they both went once each and hated it, so I love to share my disney magic with them, even though they don't get it.
> .



it's always so nice to talk to someone who LOVES disney, right? how fun you got to hear about his trip! did they do any special events or anything? i bet going to disney with a 4 and 5 year old would be super fun...and super tiring! lol!


----------



## lisah0711

*Happy Birthday, Princess Nancy!*


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Lindsay,* I'm so happy to hear that your eye is getting better.    I hope that it continues to improve.    That is scary stuff!  Glad the Beast continues to have a winning season, too.  

*Maria,* sending you good thoughts and  through your last busy day.  And then it's bon voyage for you!    Have a wonderful time!  

*Rose,* I know that you like to take a few days to process a race but just letting you know that we are thinking of you and ready to listen when you are ready to share!  

*Kathy,* your California trip sounds like a lot of fun.  Even though you might not make it in Club 33, you should take Michael to Blue Bayou for lunch.  It is the restaurant that is inside of the Pirates of the Caribbean.  http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/blue-bayou-restaurant/  He would like it a lot!   

What kind of shoes are you thinking about getting?  I liked my Sauconys but I really love my Brooks so you might want to try something new out.  



liesel said:


> We haven't planned much for our trip, as DH pointed out over the weekend.  I countered with "we are going to CA, we can do this in our sleep," which he agreed with.  We are not making any dining reservations since we are buying APs and we like to do just counter service on the AP buying trip to save money, especially since all our Disney reward dollars are going to the APs.    There are 2 new CS places in DCA and several places have changed their menus since we have been there so I am excited to try the new food and figure out what I want to eat Tink weekend.  POTC is down for refurb, which is a bummer, but it should be running in January.  I want to ride the Matterhorn in case it goes down in Jan for its long rumored refurb.  I also can't wait to ride the new Little Mermaid and Star Tours.  A friend of mine might join us for a day so I need to figure that out.  DL has short hours the whole time we are there so no late nights for us!



*Lisa,* woo hoo on getting that vacation weight kicked to the curb so quickly!   

Tink training is going slowly but I kind of expect that since it's only been two weeks since my half.  I'm looking forward to kicking things up a bit this week-end with my 10K.  I'm a bit nervous because I really want this to be at the 16 MM pace.    DH and I just switched our kid transportation duties around so that we can both make sure we have opportunities to work out after work.  I'm hoping to take a page from *Lindsay* and *Kathy's* books last year and run outside as many runs as I can -- there is a big difference between running outside and inside on the track.  

I think something will definitely happen to the Matterhorn sometime next year since I've seen pictures of the new cars.  Rose says Star Tours is fabulous!    Let me know what you find foodwise for the Tink.  That is one of those things I am a bit nervous about.  I was at AKL for the Princess and it was not ideal.  I won't have a car so I've got to bring from home or make do with what is at Whitewater Snacks.  

*Nancy,* you little stealth birthday girl, you!    Hope that you are having a wonderful day!    Sounds like a nice visit with your folks.    What did they think about your new house?  

Going to work early this morning so need to get in the shower.  Have a great day ladies!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Happy Birthday, Nancy!  

I was going to write in pink, but then I remembered Nancy prefers blue! 

Yep, busy day is just getting started. Yesterday 5 applications went in -- today it's 7, and I'm not kidding that when my boss informed me yesterday afternoon I had to do one more (we're taking over an agency's contract, and even though they have to be the applicant of record, they flat out said they aren't doing the renewal application -- yesterday, the day it was due), I almost cried. I also found out in the morning the other new application I have due 10/11 had to be radically changed...and I have to get a draft of it out today. So, we're just going to muddle through and make all these things work. Luckily the funder for the late one is familiar with the junk these people pull, that's one reason why we're taking over their contract...

So, there we are.

Everyone have an awesome day! I do hope to chat a little as the day goes on. 

So very glad to hear your eye is improving, *Lindsay!* I really was worried about you. 

In "Maria's going to do more local races" news -- I agreed to have Dennis sign us up for a Turkey Trot. I think I read *Kathy* is doing one, too! Mine's in Somerville...

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Hello princesses!!

Happy Birthday Nancy!  Hope you have a fabulous day and dh treats you like the princess you are. 

*Maria*-Did you survive the rains ok this morning?  My yard is flooded but it's not pouring into my basement as quickly any more, so I'm going to be ok.  I get so stressed, even though I've been through it before, but I just saw peabody is completely flooded again, so I really can't complain.  Congrats on doing a turkey trot.  Will Ben do it too?  Ours is in Wakefield, and we did it last year, michael's first one, and I want to keep it as tradition until I can.  Good luck with all your deadlines. 

*Lisa*-That restaurant looks great.  I'll put it in my planning book.  It's fun to plan.  I can't believe you're doing a 10k this weekend.  You are so inspiring, and I know you can do the 16 min miles. 
I've gotten the same saucony's 3 times now, but am planning to try some others out this time.  I haven't tried any others the past 2 times, so I'd like to.  

Hello to everyone else!!  I gotta run to work now.  Should have left a little earlier with the rain.  Oh well, need my dis time.  Have a great day!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

mikamah said:


> *Lisa*  I can't believe you're doing a 10k this weekend.  You are so inspiring, and I know you can do the 16 min miles.



Sorry I missed this! Lisah you are going to do great! I can't believe how often you are racing -- you are my hero! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> What kind of shoes are you thinking about getting?  I liked my Sauconys but I really love my Brooks so you might want to try something new out.
> 
> 
> Tink training is going slowly but I kind of expect that since it's only been two weeks since my half.  I'm looking forward to kicking things up a bit this week-end with my 10K.  I'm a bit nervous because I really want this to be at the 16 MM pace.    DH and I just switched our kid transportation duties around so that we can both make sure we have opportunities to work out after work.  I'm hoping to take a page from *Lindsay* and *Kathy's* books last year and run outside as many runs as I can -- there is a big difference between running outside and inside on the track.



last winter during princess training i had a foot injury - still don't know exactly what it was. but i took my feet to the fancy running store and just told myself that i'll pay whatever i need for a good pair of shoes (the famous footwear discounted ones are discounted for a reason i guess!)

one thing i did do right during my training (i think) was run every single run outside. i don't have a treadmill and i really didn't want to join a gym. so outside it was. and it was pretty miserable but i think it helped me get a feel for how long each of my distances were. also, i feel like it's easier than running on a treadmill or indoor track because the monotony of doing it inside would have driven me crazy!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Happy Birthday, Nancy!
> 
> I was going to write in pink, but then I remembered Nancy prefers blue!
> 
> Yep, busy day is just getting started. Yesterday 5 applications went in -- today it's 7, and I'm not kidding that when my boss informed me yesterday afternoon I had to do one more (we're taking over an agency's contract, and even though they have to be the applicant of record, they flat out said they aren't doing the renewal application -- yesterday, the day it was due), I almost cried. I also found out in the morning the other new application I have due 10/11 had to be radically changed...and I have to get a draft of it out today. So, we're just going to muddle through and make all these things work. Luckily the funder for the late one is familiar with the junk these people pull, that's one reason why we're taking over their contract...
> 
> So, there we are.
> 
> Everyone have an awesome day! I do hope to chat a little as the day goes on.
> 
> So very glad to hear your eye is improving, *Lindsay!* I really was worried about you.
> 
> In "Maria's going to do more local races" news -- I agreed to have Dennis sign us up for a Turkey Trot. I think I read *Kathy* is doing one, too! Mine's in Somerville...
> 
> Maria



getting work THE DAY IT WAS DUE was the worst! for me it would be when a japanese client would call me at 9pm and be like, "oh can you show me the returns of my portfolio for the last 12 leap years?" uuuggghhhh. hate that! i don't blame you for almost crying! i certainly have been known to go in my office, close the door, and cry. it's cool. now i just cry openly in my house when a certain 2 year old is driving me insane 

i want to do a turkey trot! when is yours? is it ON thanksgiving? gosh, i had one planned to do but obvs that ain't happening this year. next year though! oh and i know sommerville! my friend lived there after college and i visited her a few times. is that far from where you live? my boston geography blows. 



mikamah said:


> I can't believe you're doing a 10k this weekend.  You are so inspiring, and I know you can do the 16 min miles.



i know, right?? she is the wo-man!

****

morning all! of course thomas is yelling in his crib for me to get him RIGHT when i sit down to post. eh, story of my life lately. 

thanks everyone for the birthday wishes. it was a pretty lame-o day but honestly, the days of the partying bdays went out the door about 10 years ago! john had an event in central park last night so he wasn't home until late. i had an 8am OB appt so by the time it was 9:30 or so i had fought traffic downtown and fought it coming back - it was still early and i was tired! we went to the park for a bit then back home for lunch and nap. and then the best part of my day was the TWO hour nap i took. thanks thomas!! after nap it was back to the park then a little walk around the neighborhood and then dinner for thomas. my aunt and uncle stopped by with an entemman's cake. mmm. i actually made brownies again earlier (i was feeling a little sorry for myself) and of course i wind up with brownies, a cake and when john finally got home he had a carvel ice cream cake. 

something disney exciting: john got me a gift certificate to the saratoga springs spa! ok, yeah, i can't use it til our trip in may but i'm looking forward to it. it'll be a nice little way to relax and leave john with the kiddos. and he got me a ticket for the keys to the kingdom tour for one of the days of the trip too. nice, right? now i want it to be may! also, it will MAKE me have to get bronxbaby on a bottle (unlike thomas who never took one!)

ok, must run. mommy and me this morning and i have to run to the store to get apples for the class. we are painting with them today


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Taking off for the airport. Everything got done that needed to, more busy when I return. I'll try to check in a little on my Crackberry while I'm gone. Everyone have a wonderful rest of the week!

Viva Las Vegas!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Have a wonderful time, Maria!!  If you hit more than a million bucks, I hope you'll take all of us to the Princess with you. 

A quick hello.  Got to bring the car in before work since the check engine light is on.  Hope it's not too bad of a bill.   

GLad you had a nice birthday, Nancy.  Your gifts are just perfect.  Kudos to dh.   And thomas for letting you nap.  What a good boy. 

Lisah- loving my DL planning.  thanks for all the tips.  The hojo's webcam was awesome, and it looks so close.  I think that will be the place we'll stay.  It's 143 a night, not bad, but there might be more deals too.  I've got lots of time to plan.  

Have a great day, princesses!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Lindsay,* how is the eye doing?   Hope it continues to improve!  

*Nancy,* glad that you had a nice birthday!    That was nice of John to get you some Disney gifts.    Nope, don't think that you will be doing any Turkey Trots for Thanksgiving, although it may be crazy enough at your house that you want to run away.   

I agree that running outside is the best way to go -- it's most like what you do in a race.  The TM is the worst for me.  The indoor track wasn't too bad, I did my 10 miles on it, 110 laps, because I ran into people I knew all the time.  I'm thinking my big problem was that I never got to the pace I needed beyond 3 miles but I'm getting that down better now.  I know in my heart that it wasn't my day at the Princess and that half of it was things I couldn't control but half of it was things I could have done better.  Lesson learned.  

*Maria,* Viva Las Vegas indeed!    Safe travels!    I bet all your guys will miss you a bunch.   

*Kathy,* hope the check engine light is just a reminder about a tune up or something.    Glad that you are enjoying the DL planning.   It is different but not as hard I think because there are only two parks.  I think that you will have a wonderful time, especially with a ball game, Universal and San Diego.  

It's good to do this stuff now while Michael is younger and before you start to suck like Maria and I have . . .   Keep that in mind, Nancy, when Thomas insists on being attached to you.  

Hello to the rest of our princesses!


----------



## lisah0711

Oops!  Forgot to say

*Congratulations Lisabelle for being the BL this week!*


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, we are back. We got home last night around midnight. 

*Lindsay*--How very scary about your eye. I hope it is still on the mend? What caused it? My dad had laser eye surgery in the early 80s at the eye hospital in Philly--what's it called again? This was when it was still cutting edge. Anyhow, I hope you are doing well today!

*Nancy*--Happy Birthday! And a new house--how exciting. I hope you and Thomas have fun with your Mom--was it pumpkin picking??? I'm glad you had an ok visit with your Mom and Dad. 

*Kathy*--Definitely you need to go to San Diego if you go to Anaheim. We have lived all over the country and I think California traffic is the worst. Bumper to bumper at 70mph is just scary. But the drive to San Diego isn't bad. There is soooooo much to do in Southern California. I'm glad the review went well. I will keep my fingers crossed that you get 36 hours soon. What is Club 33?

*Maria*--Have fun in Vegas! We haven't been for about 20 years, but it is definitely a unique place to visit. That's too crazy about all your last minute grants stuff! I hope things calm down a little.

*Lisa*--I hope your shin splints are doing better. I am learning the hard way that you have to keep up on calf stretches, etc. No shin splints, yet, but lots of other stuff. Anyhow, I hope it's going better. woohoo for being the BL!

*Lisah*--You know I love 10ks! Too fun! I think (as much as I HATE cold weather) I am going to make a bigger effort to run outside more this winter too. It's just not the same on the treadmill. Though, I will probably still do more than I want on the treadmill, I am going to try to get outside more.

*Corinna*--if you are reading along--Congrats to you!

******
I don't know if I am going to do a trip report this time. So I will just give you all the highlights.

You probably figured it out from facebook--but I forgot SOOOOOO MUCH STUFF!!!! Uggh. The worst of which--the endurolytes. And no one at the expo sold them. Anyhow, more on that later.

So the trip down was great. Walked right on Magical Express and our room was ready. We were at BWV by lunchtime. We ate some stuff in our room (garden grocer delivery) and then went to Great Britain for some french fries. It was pretty warm, but so nice after how cool it has been here.

We had dinner that night at Narcoossees. The food was ok--mostly we went to see and hear Wishes. Well the sound system wasn't working right so we could see it, but couldn't hear it. I was beyond disappointed. The whole day had just been one little snafu after another--from the time we got up. Nothing major, but I was happy to see the day end!

Friday morning we went to the expo and tried to find endurolytes--no luck. But I did get another running belt which says--I know I run like a girl, try to keep up.  I got an xs race shirt, but it's a men's and still huge. I ended up buying another shirt which is cute--I'll post a pic later. We talked to a bunch of people and had a nice time. But, the princess expo was more fun. 

Friday night we went to Raglan Road for onion rings and then went and hung out at Epcot for a while. I could eat almost nothing at f&w. And it was such a pain, you had to wait in line at every booth just to ask if I could eat it. I was feeling pretty down in the dumps about the whole gf thing. We decided to try a Welsh Dragon. Anyhow, Mike went in to get it and I was starting to have a big old pity party--my foot was KILLING me, I couldn't eat anything, cue the tiny violins. So two guys stopped and told me to come in and they would buy me a drink--which made me feel at least a little better. 

Saturday we weren't sure what we were going to do--the foot did not feel well. We decided to go to the 40th anniversary celebration at MK. I am so glad we did. A couple times I had tears in my eyes. It was just lovely. 

We headed back to the room and hung out and watched Carolina play horribly and tried to get my phone to post to facebook better. I also had a little chip binge--not a good choice before the race. Oh, I forgot before we went back to the room we went to DTD and had ghiradelli ice cream. Yum! I love ice cream before a race. So we headed to the bus for the race around 7:15. We just missed the long lines. We hung out before the race with a few Wishers. Jen and Nicole from Team Ohana and Jen's husband Butch. There were some other people but I don't remember there names.

The weather was gorgeous--just perfect! Jen was in corral B with us so we inched as far up as we could. Mike had taped my foot and ankle really well and it was feeling ok--for the first time in days. The race went pretty well. I was really missing my endurolytes. I had some roctane--but once I get too hot I don't like to eat--which is when I really need the endurolytes. Not good. The first 8 miles went pretty well. We were around 10:15 pace at that point. Then my foot and calf started getting uncomfortable. Around mile 10 my knee gave out and I almost fell--it wasn't a pain thing--it was like a misfiring thing--the muscles weren't working right together. We walked for a couple of minutes and I stretched. Up until that point we had been doing run 4 walk 30. The last three miles we ran around a 12 minute mile without stopping. When we ran past boardwalk at mile 12 I REALLY wanted to go to my room and just take a shower and go to bed. The last 3 miles were tough. My foot was hurting, my knee was messed up and my calf was throbbing. But I finished. 3 minutes faster than last year. They said online there would be beer and wine at the finish--but they only had beer. That was a bit disappointing. I did eat a banana--but couldn't eat any of the bread products/clif bars.

I walked around epcot with ice taped to my knee--which really helped. I felt pretty cruddy at the end. I think cause night races are just hard and cause my electrolytes were messed up. But I didn't have any major issues--no porta potty emergencies. (Oh and I still had t.o.m. going on--yuck!) We went to Mexico and had gf nachos--which were yummy! We hung out for a little bit, but were both kind of chicken fried at that point. I hobbled back to the room and got a long shower. 

I couldn't sleep that night--I drank a coke at the finish, bad choice. And my calf/foot/ankle was pretty uncomfortable. We had breakfast at Kouzzinas--Fabulous! gf Mickey waffles with marscapone (sp?) cheese and nuts and honey. Yum! Then I took a nap! That afternoon we went to AK and saw the parade--we'd never seen it before. Then we had dinner at Boma! Yum. Afterwards we hung out at the lounge at BW and talked to this lady in her 50s who is a firefighter and just ran her first half. And had a couple of glasses of sparkling something or other.

Over all it was a great race and a great trip! I have been taping my foot and ankle and it has made a huge difference! It feels much better--still hurts, but not as bad as last week. Monday night we had dinner at Rose&Crown--yum! They made me vegetarian gf shepherd's pie! Delish. There was a little drama cause they weren't sure if the welsh dragon was gf--it was, I checked later. Then we tried to eat some chocolate at the Belgium booth--found out after waiting in line--not gf. But we had some more sparkling drinks and watched 38 Special--so it was all good. Tuesday we hung out at DHS--and had lots of fun!

Oh, and just wanted to share--we had our first Mickey bar--sooooo good! We never tried one before going gf. It's my new favorite. I'll try to post some pics later.

Thanks for being so supportive of me. I have been in such a slump. On Sunday my calf was so painful--I told Mike I'm done, I can't do this anymore. But I'm feeling better. So we'll see.  I got in a bad habit this summer of hanging out in my pajamas in my room on my days off doing nothing--the beginnings of depression for me. So, the laptop is staying downstairs and I'm going to work hard to "get to a better place." I still might end up going to the ortho, but I'm going to give it a couple more days. I should have been taping all summer. 

Ok, sorry for the run on report. I do love to run. It's been a hard year dealing with the gf and the injuries, but hopefully things are on the upswing. I would really miss it if I stopped.

Love you all to pieces. I thought about you all often over the weekend. When I run I take a little bit of each of you with me.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

just a quick post to share my new ultrasound pic 






looks just like thomas. technology these days is crazy, right?


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> just a quick post to share my new ultrasound pic
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> looks just like thomas. technology these days is crazy, right?


That is an amazing picture.  How beautiful.  He looks like he's going to be a good sleeper too.


----------



## mikamah

Welcome home, Rose.  Loved reading about your trip, and so happy you were finished the race and beat last years time.  That is just awesome with all you've been through.   I can't believe you just had your first Mickey bar.  I have at least one each trip, usually more.   Only one january when it was so cold the icecream and chocolate never even started to melt did I not enjoy it fully.  They are soooo good.  
Thanks for the SoCal tips.  San DIego really sounds like a good idea to me, for our first trip out there, too.  While reading a DL trip report, I came across the Club 33, which is from what I understand, a private club/restaurant in DL, there's a locked entrance you have to give a password, and it's looks like a very fancy meal, over looking New Orleans square.  There is a waiting list, but it's so long they aren't taking names to join any more.  There is probably much more to it, and our DL experts can chime in, but it sounds pretty amazing.  Definitely not in my value resort style price range, but it's fun to look.  

*Lisa*- I am loving all the advice, tips and links your sending.  I definitely want to make this happen, and there are so many things to do, I know I won't be able to do them all, so I will need to spend endless hours researching and picking where to go. 





> It's good to do this stuff now while Michael is younger and before you start to suck like Maria and I have . . .  Keep that in mind, Nancy, when Thomas insists on being attached to you.


This quote made me chuckle, and believe me, michael will tell you I suck at times too, but not as much as I will in a few years, I'm sure.  Hugs to you and Maria. Motherhood is not for the faint of heart. 

*Lindsay*-Hope all is well with you and the eye is continueing to improve.  

*Liesel*- Congrats to you, our biggest loser!!  Nice job getting back on track after vacation. 

Well, I was very happy when the mechanic called to tell me that nothing is wrong with my car, maybe the gas cap was loose.  He didn't charge me anything.  It's a new mechanic, near the hospital, and he seems pretty honest and this definitely confirmed that to me.  I went to the dealer while under warrantee, but wanted someone closer to work, so I'm happy.  

We need to go return our Redbox movie now.  It's convenient, but I can see how you can forget to return, and the days could add up.  It's only a dollar, and I could return it on the way to work, and how much gas will I burn going out?  More than a dollar?  Maybe.  Hmmmm, maybe I'll just put my pajamas on.   

Have a great night!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I am so sorry I am being a horrible friend lately.  I just am overwhelmed with life at the moment.  Work, Kids, eyeballs, sports, PTA, etc....

My eye is still on the mend.  I am still on every hour eye drops through friday.  Its getting really annoying.  I have another recheck on friday. cha ching.  Now that my eye is getting better thats all I hear when the doctor says to come back for a recheck.  At 30 buck copays a visit this is getting ridiculous.  I am going to need to refill my drops too another 140 bucks.  I think when all is said and done I will have spent almost 1,000 including my glasses I had to buy.  Insane.

Ok so again I totally aplogize for not being around I am currently in the middle of a pity party for myself about how my life is a mess and I am being pulled in 100 different directions.  I have a feeling PMS is lurking because life always seems harder around that time.

Real Quick-

Nancy- That baby is beautiful and wow that technology is amazing.

Maria- Have fun in Vegas

Rose- I loved the TR.  It seems like overall it sounded like a great time.  Great job on the race time and being faster with a bum leg is amazing.  You go girl.

Hi Lisa and Kathy!!!!

I will try to get back with better replies at some point this week.  Know that I think of you all every day even when I dont get on here.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*rose - *overall it sounds like a great trip! esp the onion rings! now wait...you had an ice cream the day OF the race? that didn't make you, um, have to go to the bathroom? sometimes dairy isn't my BFF. i read some of the reviews on the races/competitions area and people were complaining about the lack of entertainment and how dark it was. what did you think? also, what's a welsh dragon?? one of these days i'd like to stay at the boardwalk. looks like a fun resort! 

my princess time was 2:22 so i'm right where you are...but i'd like to try the run 4 walk 30 ratio. how do you keep your time? stopwatch?

that was a bummer that you had to wait in line to ask if something was g-f. you should have been allowed to just go to the front and ask the question and then decide if you were going to get in the line. hrrmph.

*lindsay - *so sorry about your eye. that really sucks. and a money suck to and $30 a pop. ugh. and don't worry about being a terrible friend. we all have stuff going on and not everyone has time to log on and say hi!! oh, and i only just saw your PM. i'm going to try to get to the post office today. i'm beginning to think the t-shirts aren't going to fit the BEAST but maybe they'll fit nick and nick's friend. 

*kathy - *wow, you don't hear too often of a mechanic being like, "hey, nothing's wrong, no charge!" nice! funny actually b/c the gal who runs mommy and me had a nail in her tire yesterday and i was going to pick her up from the gas station while it was being fixed and she didn't need me b/c the mechanic just pulled it out right away, fixed the hole or whatever and charged her only $10. it must have been honest mechanics day!!

oh and i love the mickey ice cream bars too but you know what really were good in sept? the mickey ice cream sandwiches. with the heat SO bad, they were easier to eat and i think they are bigger than the bars! lol! plus it's like oreo ice cream and that's just a recipe for yum!

*lisa - *um, can we go back to the 110 laps you ran indoors? how did you keep count? how did you not go crazy?? sure you ran into people but maaaaan, that was a mental feat of strength that is just amazing! 

*maria - *hope you made it to vegas ok. how was the flight? lots of bachelor/bachelorette parties being loud? whenever i had to go to vegas on business i always got a little annoyed with the party-goers because 1) i was tired from work and nervous about whatever meeting or conference i was going to and 2) i was jealous that i couldn't party. hehe. 

*liesel - *nice job on being biggest loser this week! way to kick that vacation weight to the curb!!! 

***
good morning friends! 

a certain little boy was up earlier than usual today. not too bad but i sure could have used a little more time in bed. i was up half the night tossing and turning. but i've discovered the k-cup chai latte and it has changed my mornings! if any of you has a keurig i definitely recommend picking up the cafe escaps chai latte. it's heavenly. and 70 calories. but totally worth it. 

yesterday around noon thomas was sitting in his high chair eating lunch and i was sprawled on the couch with my feet up when i hear a knock at the door and see my 6'7" cousin brian's head at the door (only he is tall enough to actually see through the little window at the top of the door!). "oh hey nance, my friend here wants to know if he can look at your house."  oh yeah, sure, no big deal. first off let me say that i made the beds yesterday morning and am SO glad i at least did a quickie clean that morning! i think the guy liked the house but honestly i don't think it's right for him. darn. he has 2 children. but, he's a fireman which means he has a bunch of fireman buddies who are probably pretty handy and he could finish the basement pretty easily if he wanted to. anyway, you have to start with someone looking, right? at least i can say someone has looked! keep your fingers crossed that brian brings more people over!!

mommy and me class today. this is the weird class - and also the one where people have not even paid for sept - and oct payment is due today. i hate telling people they need to pay. 

tomorrow is apple picking with my mother. oh boy!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--I'm glad the car wasn't anything pricey. Mike's check engine light has been on for years--it's not anything major, and not worth fixing. 

*Lindsay*--don't even stress about not being around. You have had more than your share of craziness. I am so glad the eye is on the mend. Hang in there!

*Nancy*--the baby looks so sweet! What a cool picture. Dairy doesn't bother me--only gluten. That was what was so weird--I should have figured it out a lot earlier that that was what was making me sick, cause we have consistently eaten ice cream the night before races. I even had sliced cheese and hummus the afternoon before w&d. Go figure. I don't even know what is in a Welsh dragon--but the Bols melon liquor is what they were worried about--and I googled it and it was gf. We love boardwalk. At Christmas we are staying at Beachclub--which I think is going to be very relaxing. They have great music by the pool! We stayed there when Tom first went to college--but I was stressed, overweight, already having gluten symptoms and didn't really enjoy it. So I'm hoping this time will be better. Good luck with the house! Are you all doing FSBO? We time the 4/30s with a garmin. Works great.

Hi to Lisa and Lisa and Maria!

*****
So about the race and the darkness, etc. I posted a review on the events board. I think it's a great race. A lot of the stuff that people are complaining about are just part of the race. Yes it's curvy and there are choke points--that's what you get when you run through the parks. I didn't mind waiting around before the race because you didn't have to walk 7 million miles to the queues like at Princess. They were right there. Yes, it's dark--it's night, duh. As for the people who are puking--part of the challenge of running at night is learning to balance speed/nutrition/activity during the day/the heat and humidity, etc. It's mentally challenging--but we really enjoy it. I did feel kind of cruddy at the end, but I didn't get sick and felt much better once I ate something. Overall, I think it's a great race. 

It's very sad about Steve Jobs--such a reminder that all the money in the world can't buy you health sometimes. And that life is way too short. 

So today is day 2 of get your butt out of bed and downstairs and it's working better. Last night I bought Tom's ticket for Thanksgiving. He's flying cause he didn't find anyone to drive with. I found a reasonable ticket into Louisville, which is great. A lot of times we have to drive to pick him up. 

Ok, time to get ready for work. Have a great day.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Maria,* hope that you arrived safely and are having a wonderful time in Vegas!   

*Nancy,* that is the cutest little baby!  I just want to kiss his chubby little baby cheeks.    It is amazing how much the technology has changed.  It won't be long now!    Nice to have some action on your house!  

Oh, for the the track, I just would count one mile at a time, 11 laps.  It was boring but it beat running outside in the snow and ice.  In hindsight it wasn't ideal training, though.  I'm hoping I can do better this time.  

My running group seems to really love Yak Trax for running all winter long.  They have a new group starting and the only rule is that you can't complain about the weather -- sounds like your kind of folk, huh, *Lindsay?*   Since I don't really run with them I don't know that I will do it much but it's out there if I need it.  

*Rose,* sounds like a wonderful trip and a great race report.    So sorry about the endourolytes.    I thought about offering to send you some but figured that they would be available at the Expo.  Now I'm sorry I didn't offer.    And I'm so happy that you found your earring!    How is the foot doing today?   

*Kathy,* glad that the car thing was no big deal!    It's so nice when that happens.  

*Lindsay,* so glad to hear that your eye continues to improve.    That was a scary experience!    Have the boys decided what they are going to be for Halloween?  

I have been informed that we are done with trick or treating now.    It's the end of an era!  

No school tomorrow so I am really going to take tomorrow off, instead of saying I do and working a couple of hours.  Have a great day all!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princesses and Lisabelles!!

I got my butt out for 4 miles this morning.  It actually felt pretty good after the first mile where I just wanted to turn around and have my coffee.    I feel motivated to eat well today, and quit goofing around with this weight loss thing.  No more excuses.  Onederland by the first of the year.  With you, Lisa.  Right!!!!????!!!!  We can stinking do this!!!
I was thinking this morning that I wish I had a disney race to motivate me to get out there more.  I'm going to try and get motivated to improve my time for the turkey trot, and pr, and perhaps beat that 40 min time that has been mocking me.  I need something.

*Lisa*-I've heard good things about the yak traks too.  I hope you have a mild, no snow, no ice winter so you can get out for all your training.  When we had a lot of snow and ice, I found a different part of town, with wide streets, and little traffic so I could run in the street.  Don't know if there's a development like that in your area or not.  You enjoy your day off tomorrow, no working allowed!!!

*Rose*-That's great Tom will fly in for Thanksgiving.  I can't believe it will be here before we know it.  It is sad about Steve Jobs.  I read a nice article about him, but didn't really know much about him beforehand.  Amazing he survived with pancreatic cancer so long, it's usually such a devastating illness.  Cynical me did think that his money probably did help him get a liver transplant with his diagnosis.  Still so sad, but it sounds like he lived his life to the fullest and knew what was importang.  

*Lindsay*-  The money sucks, but I'm so glad things are improving.  You never need to feel bad about not getting on here.  This is our place for support and friendship, and we all have busy lives, and we don't need to have one more thing to feel bad about.  We know  you're always here for us, and we are here for you.    Hang in there.  I can't help but look forward to all the free time we'll have once football is over.  

*Nancy*-  I hope the fireman fell in love with your house and puts in an offer tonight.  You never know, it might be the right time for him.  But at the least it's networking, and getting it out there.  Good luck at Mommy and Me.   Michael likes the mickey ice cream sandwiches better too, but I'm a mickey bar girl.  He usually gets an itzakadoozie, but often looks at the orange Donald popsicles and reminisces about the time he ate one on his frist trip and then threw up.    Ah the memories. 

Hi Lisal and Maria!!

Well, guess I should get to work now.  We are going to my nephews football game at 4, and the michael has practice at 5:30, so a busy afternoon.  If I get out of work on time, I will come home first and catch up on the BL thread.  I need to get more involved, and be better at the HH.  

Have a great day, ladies!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

THIS DAY SUUUUUCCCCKKKKSSSS!!!

WAAAAAHHH!!!!!!



when i tell you this child has done nothing but cry all day i mean this child has done nothing but cry ALL DAY. 

thomas is making my WORST clients look like angels! 

i wanted to stay home. i wanted to stay home. i wanted to stay home....

that's all. carry on with your day. i'll just be over here banging my head against the wall.


----------



## lisah0711

dumbo_buddy said:


> THIS DAY SUUUUUCCCCKKKKSSSS!!!
> 
> WAAAAAHHH!!!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> when i tell you this child has done nothing but cry all day i mean this child has done nothing but cry ALL DAY.
> 
> thomas is making my WORST clients look like angels!
> 
> i wanted to stay home. i wanted to stay home. i wanted to stay home....
> 
> that's all. carry on with your day. i'll just be over here banging my head against the wall.



Awww, poor guy!    Poor Mom!   Is he coming down with a bug or cutting teeth?  Did you try crying with him? 

I remember those days.  We used to joke about standing in the driveway holding the kid waiting for the other person to come home in our day.    Hope John comes home soon to give you a break.


----------



## liesel

*Nancy* Hang in there, I've had days like that too, where I felt like I'd rather deal with drunk guests at a catering gig than a screaming impossible to please toddler.  I hope you can squeeze in a nap for yourself.  I love the ultrasound pic!

Thanks for the biggest loser well wishes everyone, at first I didn't feel like they were deserved since I am convinced at least half of my vacation weight gain was water.  But DH pointed out that I was right back OP when we got back, ate really well and got my workouts in so I should be proud of that.  I kept losing and am happy to say that as of Tuesday all the vacation weight is GONE and then some!  I am so hoping that my body is finally responding to all my efforts.  Before vacation, I had some bloodwork done and found that I was still pretty Vitamin D deficient.  I have to take a megadose of Vit D once a week for 12 weeks.  For some reason my body isn't absorbing vitamins the way it should.  I'm being really good about taking them now, and I really hope this is the answer.  If not, the doctor wants to study my liver and kidney functions in March, so I hope to have really good results before then!  I've had a good loss before only to stall out quickly, but I am so hoping I'm finally losing this time.  It can be frustrating to eat the calorie intake and do the exercise of someone who weighs 140 and weigh much more.  Onederland before the Tink!

*Lisa* My kids don't have school tomorrow either!  I'm taking them to get haircuts so they'll look good for the upcoming family wedding and I was thinking since we have time tomorrow of letting them do the meal planning for dinner tomorrow and help with the food prep.  Good luck with the 10K this weekend!  I know you can do the 16 mm pace!

*Kathy* So glad to hear that your car is allright!  I think you can definitely do better than $143 for Hojos.  First, there is a 15% disboards discount.  They also accept AAA if you have it.  Mousesavers also sometimes advertises sales to their subscribers.  I've gotten the biggest savings through their entertainment rate.  Every few weeks, they release dates that this rate is available (using the card that comes with entertainment books-any book will do!).  It is $59 for a standard room (faces the freeway, not as nice), $69 for a deluxe pool view room (good size, refrigerator and microwave, looks at the garden pool, comfy bed), and $79 for a Disney view room.  I've actually managed to get this rate every time we've stayed there, 2 weeks from now being our 4th visit.  They've instituted a 30 day cancellation policy for this rate, much to the ire of many disboarders who often book this rate as soon as it pops up, not even sure if they are going or not.
I second the Blue Bayou, such a fun restaurant.  If you are looking at TRs on the DL side, you may see a few mention the Lily Belle.  It is a beautiful train car that Walt Disney used for him and his family.  It is only on the DL railroad certain times of day and you have to go to the Main St train station and talk to a CM to get a time to ride, but people really rave about the experience, especially if you get a CM who is enthusiastic and shares all about the history of the car.  Its definitely a "only at DL" experience.

*Rose* Congrats on the race, thanks so much for sharing your experience!  My shin splints are much better, I've been good about stretching and not running so fast!  I think I was just pushing too hard, I'm just aiming to finish my first half and feel good, not kill myself for a great time!

*Lindsay* I'm so glad your eyes are much better.  Bummer about the expense.  I just spent money to take my dog to the vet and she has allergies, so at least your money went to a good cause.

*Maria* I hope you are having fun!

I need to go get the kids from school so I'll chat with you later!


----------



## liesel

OK, I'm back from getting the kids and trying to get some stuff done.
A few random thoughts I forgot:

*Kathy* If you can't get into Club 33, I believe you can at least see it on the "Walk in Walt's Footsteps" tour.  I think there are a few reviews of the tour in various TRs, it sounds like an interesting tour.

*LisaH* Sorry Robert announced no trick or treating this year.  DS10 did the same thing to me.  I'm still trying to at least convince him to get a costume and do the trick or treating at the zoo, which is fun.  He says he doesn't really like candy (which is true, you should see how much candy I end up throwing out from parties, Halloween, Valentine's Day, and Easter-its crazy!) and doesn't really see the point.  Its making me nervous about Christmas.

Have a good evening everyone!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Checking in since I'm up at 5am -- not adjusting well to the time change. So much I'd like to say, limited by my thumb typing...

Flight long but ok -- people on the street seem more rude than I'm used to. Conference workshops are great, food is scary carblicious. Yesterday they offered only small pastries for breakfast. The coffee break did not include hot tea. Some meal failures, some victories.Last night I had a salad from Earl of sandwich -- with chips and brownies left over from lunch and the afternoon snack. I went to Walgreen's and got my bfast for today -- an apple and 2 cheesesticks. I can't bring myself to pay $13 for a serving of scrambled eggs in the cafe.

My hotel room is huge and amazing. I can't believe how much more built up the strip is than when I was here 6 years ago.

I'm going to the Hard Rock to get Ben a t-shirt, and Margaritaville to get me a Tervis tumbler after my sessions today. I'll be walking a good portion of the strip. I walked for 2 hours yesterday evening. I'm drinking more water, but I'm definitely dehydrated.

I love the chai lattes, I'm missing those and my Keurig. This is a great and specialized conference for me, but I'll be glad next year when it is in Indiannapolis. It is so bright and smoky here, I'm not lovin' that. And it is surreal to be walking to a session through the casino before 8 am and see people gambling, smoking and drinking. To me, it seems more desperate than fun.

Today's opening address is being given by the First Lady of Nevada. That seems funny to me because we never see ours -- she has mental health issues and doesn't do public appearances, from what I can tell.

Well, I guess I'll shower up. The mountains here are gorgeous!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies,

*Nancy*- Sorry you were having such a rough day yesterday, and hoping today is the complete opposite.  It is not easy, is it, and hard to believe when you're in the throes of the craziness that it will get easier, and they will grow up, and you'll miss thos days. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIBediEAcUQ  Don't know if this link will work, but it's you right now.  Trace Adkins- You're gonna miss this.   Hang in there!!!  In just 2 months you can have 9 months worth of grown up drinks to help.

*LisaH*- No trick or treating?  Sad, but it can only help your journey to One-derland.  They do grow up so fast, and I'm sure those little boy moments are very infrequent now.   Yesterday, michael took a bubble bath, it's been years since he's done that, and when he was in there, he called me to get him some of his "guys"  Ninja turtles actions figures, and he played in there for a while.  So cute, but I know these days are numbered.  He's still my little boy.  This morning on the other hand he's my -pre-tween pissed off because I made him wear a coat.    Only 9 more years til I'm crying he's gone off to college.  Sheesh.  
I am loving all the links you've sent me.  I am going to be so well informed when we get to DL.  

*LIsaL*-I'm so excited for you the weight is coming off.  Sometimes that vacation boost in intake and boost the metabolism too.  Hope it continues, and everything is ok with the vitamins.  You reminded me to start taking my vit D again.  I am so not good with the vitamins.  But I know it can help with weight loss too.  Thanks for all the DL tips.  I have checked out a few trip reports, and that's where I saw Club 33.  I found it intrigueing.  I won't be booking anything til spring, but when I had thought about dl 2 summers ago, there were some deals out there, but at the time wdw's deals were much better, so we did that.  But this time, I know dl will cost more than i could do wdw, but I am planning ahead for that.  

*Rose*- How are you today?  Hope your transition back to reality is going smoothly.  

*Maria*-How's vegas?   Did you win enough to bring us all to the princess.  The 7-11 where my nephew works and we buy our scratch tickets sold a million dollar scratch ticket yesterday.  Why oh why couldn't it have been me?

*Lindsay*- Hi honey, hope you're doing well.

Off to work now.  Then football practice, and tomorrow I'm on call, so I hope to just hang out and clean up the garage and yard.  But we'll definitely get our scratch tickets this week.  And maybe we'll be staying at the Disneyland Hotel next summer.  If that happens, we'll be scream teaming the Tink and Princess! 

Have a great day!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Kathy,* woo hoo for doing 4 miles yesterday!    Yeah, I hate that first mile, too.   

I will be ready to do the Onederland dance for you any time, my friend!  
We will get there!  We can do this!  

Onederland by the first of the year is going to be tough for me -- I think it's more like Onederland for the Tink.    Unless my fairy godmother comes along and zaps some pounds away for me.     I'm just about to get rid of my summer weight gain and start working on what was gained after the Princess.   Then in November I will be in new territory again.  

As you can see from one of my pics from my half I have a ways to go:





*Nancy,* hope today is a better day!    Aren't you going apple picking with your Mom?

*Lisa,* I was also informed that all that is wanted for Christmas is money.    I tell myself we would be sad if they didn't grow up.    Thanks for the reminder about the vitamin D.    Is it next week-end you will be at DL?

*Maria,* glad you are having a good time and staying away from the scary people.     Nice work getting the alternative, healthy breakfast!   

*Lindsay,* hope the eye is getting better!  

*Rose,* hope the foot and ankle are getting better, too!    Was W&D your last race for the year?

Hello to the rest of our princesses!  

I have to confess that when I was running yesterday afternoon in the rain and 45 degree weather that my resolve for outside training was not as strong as one would hope.  I did 2 miles.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Just a really quick hello with a huge promise to be back later for replies....I PROMISE.

I had a recheck for my eye today and it is doing good.  The ulcer is just about totally gone.  The wierd thing is my eye has been tearing and irritated feeling all day.  Not sure what that is about but I am thinking maybe the eye drops now that I have been using them for almost a week and they are so strong.  Not that I am rushing to get back into contacts after this whole debacle but I have been worried how I am going to run in these glasses because I feel like I am going to fall when I walk.

The dr assured me that I should be ok to at least wear the contacts for the race.  He does want me to wait awhile to put them back in on a regular basis but I can deal with that.  I have my 5K next saturday.  I also havent ran in weeks....

I too am ready to get back into it...this is my vow for the 400th time this year.  Really one of these times it will click...I know I can do it.  Just need to get there.  I swear I need hypnotherapy or something to change my brain.

I weighed in today and the initial loss number from last year is slowly getting smaller and smaller.  I am now only 10lbs away from my highest.  I dont even want to see a picture of myself because I know it will put me into a depression but I really should take one and post it side by side with my last one from months ago.  That might be what I need to kick myself in the butt and get motivated....or a disney race in my future.  The thing is I could afford to go this year to the princess by myself but I feel way to guilty leaving the boys behind again.  Darn kids.

My best friend and her family are on their way now to disney for 10 days.  I called her last night to wish her a good trip and Ryan said..."no fair they get to go" and I was like you got there a few years ago and we are going back in the next year or two....he said " I wish I lived with them and you could just be my stepmom".  Nice  Hes trying to get rid of me already.  What a kid.

Ok well we are heading out to the halloween store to find costumes.  Lisa- Ryan wanted to be a wrestler Ray Mysterio but we went on to order it last night and I had to veto it.  It was a costume with a mask and a bare chest with tatoos...one saying MEXICAN across the abdomen and then black baggy pants.  I just did not think that was appropriate for school.  I dont know what my husband was thinking when he told him he could be that.  Men.  So he said he didnt have a back up plan so we are going to the store tonight to look for plan B.  Nick changes his mind on a daily basis but he has been saying that he wants to be anakin skywalker so we will see.  

I will be back later with Replies.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- I hope you got a good night sleep after the day you had yesterday.  I hope today is nice and relaxing for you and that you and john are getting along and having a peaceful day.  If your weather is like ours today it should be a beautiful day outside!!!!  

Oh and you asked me awhile back about that firefighter nutcraker post on my FB page.  It was one of my employees and they joke with me because last year I was with my friend whose family is all city fire fighters.  We were at the station and I saw a dad who brings his kids to our practice.  He never struck me as an overly attractive guy when he comes to the office but he was in his pants with the suspenders and he had just a tshirt on without the big bulky jacket.  He was sitting in the truck and he leaned out and yelled hello to me.  I couldnt help but blush thinking how hot he looked.  So I shared this story with the girls as work one day at lunch and now they dont let me forget about that.    The funny part is my husband also asked why she tagged me in that photo.  I made up some kind of a story.

Lisa- I have to say that you look absolutely lovely in your picture.  You will get back to where you want to be one day....keep working hard!  I am still just so proud of you for all the running and racing you are doing.  Your are very inspirational.  Oh and the whole running outside thing....I definitely would try to get outside as much as you can during the winter.  You get use to it after a week or two.  I am surprised I actually miss it... and for the record even though I got out there and ran even in the snow....I complained about it alot.  I would have been booted off the team. Was your 10K this weekend??? or next?  

Kathy-  I hope you dont get called in today!  One of the gas stations near us has a sign out saying 100,000 ticket sold.  Its like rubbing salt into the wounds.  Heres hoping you get a big winner.

Rose- Glad tom is going to fly...Im sure that will take some stress off of you having to worry about him driving alone.  I think I may have already said it but just in case I didnt...I loved reading about your trip and am so impressed that you were able to better your time even with all the injuries and GF stuff you have been dealing with.  You are a super women  Hang in there with the emotional stuff and vent hear when needed...we will always be an ear to listen.

Lisa- Snow today at your house! Thats insane...I bet you are really thinking about Hawaii today. Congrats on your loss whether it was water or not it still was a loss and you deserve every bit of the credit.

Maria- Im glad you are having a good time at your conference.  I turned down going to the one in vegas this year.  I am holding out to see where next years is being held.  I would much rather go somewhere I normally wouldnt travel to on a vacation.  At least you are making the best of it.  I do have to agree that conference food is the worst.  All heavy and salty things and then your sitting around all day.  I always feel like vomiting at the end of those.  

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

So after 2 hours of searching the halloween costumes were finally chosen.  Nick is going to be a policeman (and he looks so darn cute I might add) and Ryan is going to be captain america.  The harder of the two was Ryan because now he has to make sure its cool and not something he will get made fun of.  

We all stayed up late last night to watch the phillies loose.  Its sad that they had the best record in baseball...even broke records and then they loose in the first round.  Thats philadelphia sports for ya...by now I should be use to it.

Today I cut the bushes that line our back yard and while I was raking all the branches up the neighbor from across the street came over with his 3 kids.  He asked if they could play.  I said sure and then he said OK just help them cross the street when they are ready to come home.  UMMMMM OK.  So for 4 hours this morning I had 5 Kids.  I guess we were like that as kids just hopping from everyones house in the neighborhood but today I thought people would be more leary about that.  I mean granite we lived her for almost 5 years but they really dont know anything about us.   Anyway the kids all played together great and I actually got alot of cleaning done so it was nice.  They invited the boys over later to play wii at there house and I guess I will trust that it will be fine. At least it would give me some quiet time.

Mike is out playing golf today...I guess its his turn for the break.  He took care of alot last weekend while I was gone so its only fair.  

The best part is no Football this weekend.  We have a bye week.  and I also have the day off on Monday since school is closed.

I hope you all are enjoying your weekend too.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses!!  My name is Kathy, and I am now addicted to Disneyland trip reports.  I can't stop myself.  Maybe it's the soothing green color of the disneyland board, i don't know.  
I just realized that Mr TOads Wild Ride still exists in Disneyland, and got soooo excited.  I always remember that ride when were on Winnie the Pooh at WDW, and I know Michael would love it.  So now that's another reason this trip must happen.  

*Lisa and Lisa*- I've copied and pasted all your tip and links to one email to myself so I will be all set when we go.  I am getting so excited, and looking at citipass- it's dropping the san diego zoo next year, and I wonder if a longer than 3 day disney pass would be better for us, and we can do the baseball games and disney on the same days.  One of the trip report's was a DL race one, and they did the 5k on sat am so that is another thought, if ds and I did the DL 5k together.  Oh so many decisions.  I am getting very excited for this.  

*Nancy and Rose*- Hope you too have just been busy, and all is well and you are having a good weekend.  

*Lindsay*-What, no football??  What a bunch of pansies down there in Philly.    We have a 3 o'clock game today the middle day of our 3 day weekend, in Marblehead, which you need to drive through Salem the crazy halloween city to get to, so allow lots of extra time for traffic.  Yeah, looking forward to that.  Church was smart, and we didn't have CCD this morning, but we tried to go anyway.     Oh well, at least we were up and at-em early.  Glad the eye ulcer is feeling better.  I bet those drops are so strong they must be irritating to the eye.  Enjoy your 3 day weekend!!

*Lisa*- Are you up and running already!!  GOod luck on your 10k today!  I know you will be awesome, and i hope the rain stays away, the sun is shining, the temperature is perfect, the joints don't ache, and you feel like you're floating on air through the whole race!!
Your earlier post about 2 miles in the rain, it's not easy, is it?  I think you will adjust, and as the Tink gets closer, it will become easier to get out in the colder, miserable weather because you will see the finishline of the Tink a little more clearly.  You're rocking the weight loss this challenge, and you're gonna rock the TInk!!

I think I"ll take a page out of Lisa's book and look at the weight loss in terms of how I just regained it all and go back month by month.  I was 215 at the end of vacation, and i'm just about still there.  July was 210, so I will get to 210 in nov, and princess I was 203, so I want to be at princess weight for christmas.  I know what to do.  Now I just need to do it.  I'm such a broken record.  

I have my best friends 50th b-day party today.  Her mom is here from Ireland, so she's having all her family over to see her, and he DH is somehow going to segue a surprise birthday party into the party, so it will be interesting.  Our football game is at 3, so I'll drop the food over before we leave, and come back after.  I figure we'll miss the meal, and get there for dessert.  I'm making chicken broc, ziti, so we'll have some here before we leave, and I'll make extra for tomorrow too.  I already made congo bars, and ate 2.  But I was dressed to go exercise when michael was at ccd, but there was no ccd, so I didn't but my intention was good.   

Off to the kitchen now.  No more sweets to make, and all the congos will go with us.  

Hope you're all enjoying the weekend!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hey--how are you all? I have been trying to pay more attention to real life lately and less attention to the computer. 

*Lisa*--I hope your 10k went great today!

*Lindsay*--I'm glad the eye is getting better.

*Kathy*--I think that's a great way to look at the weight loss--small goals. Slow and steady. 

*Liesel*--snow, seriously. OMG. It was in the 50s here when we ran this morning and I thought I was going to start wheezing. I don't think I need to remind anyone how I feel about snow.

*Hi to Maria and Nancy*.

****
Work was really busy Thursday. I'm still not caught up, but hope to catch up tomorrow. Friday I did a 70 minute strength class and 22min on the elliptical. Holy crud that strength class was tough. We did a bunch of plank/core stuff and my ribs/the muscles around my ribs feel like they have been punched. If I keep going to the class on Friday and the class on Monday, I should be in fabulous shape by Christmas.

Yesterday we actually test drove a car and went through the whole buy the car crappola and right at the end the guy just p'd me off and Mike and I went outside to talk about it and just decided, nope we could live without a new car. Basically he said they would match carmax for our trade in--well they were off by $500.00. And we weren't going to get one of the rebates cause we weren't taking there awful financing. So, he said well, since we aren't going to be able to give you that $500 how about we just let you put down $250 deposit instead of $500--kind of split the difference with you. Hello!????? How is that helping me pay less for the car. Do I really look like I don't have $500 to put down on this car???? If he would have just been honest and said, sorry this is the best we can do, I think we would have just gone ahead and bought the car. But no, he had to go and act like a sleazy car salesmen. And most importantly act like I am stupid and couldn't figure out that putting less down and getting less trade-in just means I have to pay more. Duh. Big mistake. Mike and I figured not counting what the trade in was, this car was going to cost us 100 plane tickets. Seriously, I will drive my car around here, save the car payment in a fund and rent a car when I need one. I don't know when I became frugal. Actually some things, I like to pay for, a new car not so much. 

Today we ran 4 miles. Things were a little sore, and my itband was talking at the end, but we finished in under 40, so I was happy. There is a 1/2 here in November that I am thinking about doing, but I'm going to take a few more runs and see how it goes before signing up. It looks like a great course--through the park we always run in along with some other interesting areas. My foot, as long as I tape it, is doing really well. The tape is keeping the ankle pain/swelling down and helping with what ever is going on with the fat pad. My calf was very sore during this run, so I have to continue to work on that, but to be honest I was kind of lazy this week. So the plan for this week--Monday-strength, Tues-run, Wed-off, Thurs-run, Fri-strength and elliptical, Sat-off, Sun-long run.

I am still up a couple of pounds from vacation--and outside my maintain, so I need to get my act together this week.

And Maria--we haven't signed up but I am 99% sure we are doing Princess.

Ok, I will talk to you all later.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Two posts in one day...

So Mike is going to go ahead and sign us up for Princess tonight. So that's exciting. Not sure where we'll stay, but hopefully in a dvc. 

Lindsay--I am making a big pan of carmelized onions. Every time I make them I think of you. Weren't you the one who had issues trying to make them once?

Lisa--congrats on your race! Don't you just love 10ks.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose- Yep that was me!  I hope yours came out yummy.  I hear ya on car salesman and paying for new cars.  Mikes car will be paid off in June 2013.  I am counting down the payments already...only 20 payments to go.  Counting payments vs. months makes it sound so much quicker.  Then I hope my car will hang in there for awhile so we can be car payment free at least for a little.  
Im so glad your foot and knee has been holding up after the run.  and  for signing up for the princess. 

Kathy- Showing up for something when it has been cancelled is something I would do.  Well at least it got you moving early.  I hope the party was fun.  

Lisa- CONGRATS on your 10K!!!!!  Isnt it funny that a 10K now seems easy.

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

Wow its sunday evening already....where does the time go??????

Yesterday was nice and relaxing.  I ended up sending the boys over to the neighbors at 4pm and mike got home shortly after.  I told him to get them around 530 if the neighbors dont bring them home sooner.  I went grocery shopping and got back at 7.  He had just picked them up.  Men....  Im still not sure how I feel about the whole sending my kid to the neighbors house I dont even know that well but the kids seemed to love it.  Mike said there back yard looked like a house from the hoarders show.  He said there were broken toys and junk everywhere.  they also have a pool which just makes me nervous.  

Today the boys had sunday school and then we went to my nana's.  I cut some coupons and went to the store to see what kind of deals I could get.  I got a bunch of stuff for 8$.  I think I saved 16$.  How exhilerating that was. 

Then we went to my inlaws.  They made dinner and we watched football.  There were some really bad words used during the eagles game today that I hope my kids do not repeat in school.

Now I am going to lay down and watch tv.  I am so excited that I have off tomorrow.  Now lets hope no one bothers me.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  Have a great week!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   :belle:

Quick post because it is a work and school day for us today.  Good thing we had Friday off! 

*Lindsay,* glad that the eye is getting better and that you are cleared to wear your contacts for your race on Saturday!    Sounds like a couple of good Halloween costumes were found.  Enjoy your day off today!    I know you can get back on track!  

*Kathy,* yes, Disneyland has Pooh and Mr. Toad!    It also has the Matterhorn Bobsleds, Alice in Wonderland and Nemo in the submarine ride.  Hope the party went well yesterday.    Sooner or later we will be in ONEderland for good!  

*Rose,* I think DVC and a bunch of airplane tickets sounds like way more fun than a silly old car!    Car salesmen aren't known for being too progressive or smart!  

Hello to *Lisa, Maria and Nancy!* 

My race was fun yesterday.  They are a US Track and Field group and very serious.  They were carrying signs "no headphones or you will be disqualified."   I just had my phone and could still hear the intervals.  

I would have been much closer to a Disney pace if I had not had to wait for over 5 minutes for a porta-potti at mile 3.5, even with Immodium.  I'm going to have to get some stronger stuff from my doctor.  I think it is a just a stress response but it is really cutting into my time.    If I took that out, then I was only 3 minutes over.  Otherwise it was a good race although being the shortest distance we got nothing -- no swag, no bling, and a t-shirt that you had to go to another place to pick up.   Now time for Tink training in earnest!  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## lisah0711

Dear Diary:
Well, it finally happened . . . today I killed the Princess thread.   Too bad 'cause I really loved those ladies.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lisa, you didn't kill the thread. I'm sorry about the tummy issues. I'm not saying that you have a gluten issue, but it might be worth just cutting back the day before a race/run just to see if it helps. I've heard it works wonders.

Busy day. Work and a double workout. I did strength for an hour and the elliptical for 32 minutes. Still 2 pounds over the high end of my maintain. But hopefully will get back down soon.

Lindsay--I would be so mad if my car was egged!

Ok, time to make dinner. I might be back later.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i'm here! i am! i promise. 

i've been really busy. well, not _that_ busy but busy enough that by the time i sit down i'm too tired to even look at the computer. so that means pretty busy for me 

i will catch up later but just wanted to check in quickly. i'm 33.5 weeks preggo and really feeling fat and slow. i'm up over 35lbs. it's gross. and i can't stop eating. oh well. i'll be all over the BL thread starting in december-ish.

apple picking with mom on friday. saturday was the zoo and friends over all day and out to dinner with them. sunday was a trip to white post farm on long island for the fall festival. today was shopping, park, playing, attempting to nap and getting 500 phone calls instead, blah blah. still trying to sell the house. 

so basically....i'm tired. and we still have ice cream cake from my bday in the freezer and i am going to attack it after thomas goes to bed.

and i still haven't gotten to the darn post office to mail lindsay's kiddos their t-shirts. no wonder they will be too small! 

miss everyone!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi all,

I have had a busy day off.  Got lots of house work done.  Now I wish I had a day just to say home and lounge.  We all know that is not reality so off to work I go tomorrow.  I only got about 15 phone calls from the office today.  Why oh Why does everything happen when Im off.  Anyway it was an enjoyable day....well minus the car egging.

Rose- I have to just laugh at stuff like that because I remember being a teenager and thinking it was funny to do stuff like throwing eggs at cars.  Not that I ever threw them but I have to admit I was guilty by association a time or two.  So I know it was just kids having a good time and thats why I laugh....plus my car is so old it gave the rust spots some camo for the morning.

Lisa- I have heard of runners diarrhea...dont know much about it but maybe something to google.  Wow and that is the first race I heard of that they actually enforce the no headphone rule.

Nancy- Dont worry about the shirts I know you are really busy and really pregnant right now.  If they are to small we can put them on their stuffed animals.  Its the thought that counts. 

Well tomorrow is my 8 year wedding anniversary.  I have a flu clinic at work so I wont even see my husband for more than an hour tomorrow.  Thats what happens after 8 years of marriage I guess....it use to be so romantic....maybe one day it will be again?????  Next year I would really like to make this a getaway wkend even with the kids to celebrate our anniversary.  Maybe head up north Kathy's way.  I hear its beautiful this time of year up there, and the other night we were watching a ghost thing on tv and mike said he would love to take a ghost tour.


----------



## lisah0711

Whew!  Glad I didn't kill the thread . . .   I would miss you all so much!  



Rose&Mike said:


> Lisa, you didn't kill the thread. I'm sorry about the tummy issues. I'm not saying that you have a gluten issue, but it might be worth just cutting back the day before a race/run just to see if it helps. I've heard it works wonders.
> 
> Busy day. Work and a double workout. I did strength for an hour and the elliptical for 32 minutes. Still 2 pounds over the high end of my maintain. But hopefully will get back down soon.



Thanks, *Rose!*   Nice job on the working and the double workout.  I know you'll get back down soon.  

I'll figure out the runner's tummy, eventually, it is just frustrating as I do.   My doctor is a runner so he will be supportive of doing something about it.  I kind of recall being tested for gluten at my last colonoscopy but I'll have to ask about it.  Thanks for all the suggestions!   



dumbo_buddy said:


> i'm here! i am! i promise.
> 
> i've been really busy. well, not _that_ busy but busy enough that by the time i sit down i'm too tired to even look at the computer. so that means pretty busy for me
> 
> i will catch up later but just wanted to check in quickly. i'm 33.5 weeks preggo and really feeling fat and slow. i'm up over 35lbs. it's gross. and i can't stop eating. oh well. i'll be all over the BL thread starting in december-ish.



It's a big job taking care of Thomas and Bronxbaby, *Nancy.*   And getting a house ready to sell and moving into another one -- whew!    Glad that you had a fun week-end.  Enjoy these times while you can because it is going to get a lot more hectic at your house very soon!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I have had a busy day off.  Got lots of house work done.  Now I wish I had a day just to say home and lounge.  We all know that is not reality so off to work I go tomorrow.  I only got about 15 phone calls from the office today.  Why oh Why does everything happen when Im off.  Anyway it was an enjoyable day....well minus the car egging.



*Happy Anniversary, Lindsay!*   I'm sure that you are still that beautiful bride to Mike, even though your life is crazy busy right now.   

Sorry about the car getting egged.   

I do think that you should keep track of the number of calls that you get on your day off.  It's one of those "atta girl" things that could be brought up at an evaluation about how you go above and beyond for your job.  

Hello to *Lisa* and *Maria* and *Kathy*! 

I was happy to see myself on the BL list for last week.  I need to keep getting on that list so I can get to my goal for the Tink! 

Busy week getting ready for MIL and BIL visit.  Choir concert one night and I might be coming down with a bug.    Looks like a typical week ahead!  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses and tinks!

*Lisah*-Congrats on your race, and being so close to the tink pace too is fantastic.  You've got more than 3 months to get there, and I know you will do it!!  I dreamt about you last night.  We were walking a half marathon together, it was partly the Boston Marathon route, part DIsney and part the route i did last month, and we were about halfway through and in Epcot so we decided to do some shopping, and then went on where somehow we ended up climbing up some big rocks and there was a wolf there, and that's where it ended.  It's a good sign we had time to shop, so our pace must be right on.  Bummer you had to work yesterday.  On the diarrhea, I know staying well hydrated can help too.  It's hard because you want to be well nourished and have energy, but the bathroom things sucks.  Hopefully Disneyland has as many bathrooms/portapotties as wdw for the race.  Is it a pretty flat course also?  I saw for the DL half you run through Angels Stadium.   How cool is that?  Is it the same route for the TInk? 

*Rose*  -Whoo hoo!!  You're going to the princess!!  How exciting.  I just got our fundraiser for football and it's 5 dollar tickets to win a new car from a local dealer.  Maybe there's something like that down there and you could win a new car and still have money for vacations.  I hate car dealers too.  They are usually so sleazy.  How is your niece doing? I was thinking about her last night.  I hope things have turned around and she is ok.

*Lindsay*- Happy Anniversary!!!  This is a great place to visit in the fall, and you could leave the boys here one night, and you and dh could have a romantic night out.  I'm sure there's ghost tours in Salem.  I only remember doing the haunted houses meant to scare the crap out of you, but if you were on a date, it was a good excuse to grab each other.   All my siblings got married in sept or oct too.  I think the romance will come back when the kids are grown.    Did you enjoy your football free weekend?  Michael's team lost again 26-0.  oops.  those poor coaches are having a hard time with losing, but the kids take it pretty well.  They played well the second half of the game and the coach said they were Beasts!!  We haven't had a home game since our first game, and we haven't won an away game, so I'm hoping next weekend, we might win since we'll be home again.  Gross on the egging.  There was definitely more egging when we were kids.  I remember my brother couldn't go trick or treating one year because my parents made him go to CCD, and he got egged while walking home.  Poor kid.  

*Nancy*-Wow, 33.5 weeks, that baby will be here before you know it.  Nothing like taking it easy the last 2 months, relaxing with your feet up every day, buying a house, selling a house, chasing a 2 year old.  You must be exhausted.  We miss you too.    Hoping all goes well and you find a buyer soon for the house.    Hang in there!!

*Maria*-Are you filthy rich?  How was vegas?  Hope you had some fun in between conferences.  

*LIsaL*-Did I hear snow!!  Ouch, that's a bit early for me.  I saw lots of people on my facebook that were at the beach this weekend, it was in the 80s.  Hope it was a quick melt and you will still have some fall weather left. 

We had a fun weekend, three days does go by too fast though.  My friends party was really nice.  We did make it back after football for the surprise, and it was cute.  She had an inkling about it, so it was easy to get her out back while they decorated the living room.  

Yesterday we watched my nephew for a bit while my sister took my niece to the doctor and then went to a farm and saw the animals, and ate the donuts. 3 cider donuts I ate yesterday, hot off the press.  Oh well, they're gone now.  They have a winery there and were doing wine tasting, so we tried a few, but I didn't like anything enough to buy a bottle.   We did go for a bike ride in the afternoon too, before dinner.  I cooked the chick broc ziti, so we'll have leftovers of that tonight, and I bet it will last 2 more nights.   I love not having to cook.  

Hope you all have a lovely day!!


----------



## mikamah

*Lisa- Congrats on being a top loser!!!! *
You are rocking this challenge, and I'm so happy for you.  I bet you'll be the biggest loser one week soon!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> So about the race and the darkness, etc. I posted a review on the events board. I think it's a great race. A lot of the stuff that people are complaining about are just part of the race. Yes it's curvy and there are choke points--that's what you get when you run through the parks. I didn't mind waiting around before the race because you didn't have to walk 7 million miles to the queues like at Princess. They were right there. Yes, it's dark--it's night, duh. As for the people who are puking--part of the challenge of running at night is learning to balance speed/nutrition/activity during the day/the heat and humidity, etc. It's mentally challenging--but we really enjoy it. I did feel kind of cruddy at the end, but I didn't get sick and felt much better once I ate something. Overall, I think it's a great race.



figuring out how to be out and about all day when you have a half marathon to run that night sounds very difficult to do. i like that the princess was first thing in the morning. i run first thing in the am whenever i can. if i wait any longer i will usually come up with a billion excuses not to run. plus, it's hot in florida at that time, even at night! 



lisah0711 said:


> I have been informed that we are done with trick or treating now.    It's the end of an era!



WHAT??? no!!! say it ain't so! i totally trick or treated until i graduated high school! lol! ok, maybe that was too old but my friends and i all dressed up and loved it. plus, hello! candy!



mikamah said:


> I got my butt out for 4 miles this morning.  It actually felt pretty good after the first mile where I just wanted to turn around and have my coffee.    I feel motivated to eat well today, and quit goofing around with this weight loss thing.  No more excuses.  Onederland by the first of the year.  With you, Lisa.  Right!!!!????!!!!  We can stinking do this!!!
> I was thinking this morning that I wish I had a disney race to motivate me to get out there more.  I'm going to try and get motivated to improve my time for the turkey trot, and pr, and perhaps beat that 40 min time that has been mocking me.  I need something.



you can do it! i'll be right there with you trying to lose in just a few short weeks! 

and, um, marathon weekend 2013? how's THAT for a disney race to look forward to??? do it! do it! do it!



lisah0711 said:


> As you can see from one of my pics from my half I have a ways to go:



lisa...you look beautiful. and strong. and happy! so...basically you look like what i want to look like: beautiful, strong, and happy. a goal for sure! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ok well we are heading out to the halloween store to find costumes.  Lisa- Ryan wanted to be a wrestler Ray Mysterio but we went on to order it last night and I had to veto it.  It was a costume with a mask and a bare chest with tatoos...one saying MEXICAN across the abdomen and then black baggy pants.  I just did not think that was appropriate for school.  I dont know what my husband was thinking when he told him he could be that.  Men.  So he said he didnt have a back up plan so we are going to the store tonight to look for plan B.  Nick changes his mind on a daily basis but he has been saying that he wants to be anakin skywalker so we will see.



some of the costumes out there are SO inappropriate! the bronx zoo has a Boo at the Zoo thing every weekend in october. the kids get in for free if they dress up. we were in line and this mother was with her two daughters, maybe ages 9 and 11. and they were dressed like straight up hoochies! like, hooker fairies! they had garter belts and heels on! omg. we all just stared. yeesh.



Rose&Mike said:


> Two posts in one day...
> 
> So Mike is going to go ahead and sign us up for Princess tonight. So that's exciting. Not sure where we'll stay, but hopefully in a dvc.



jealous!!



lisah0711 said:


> My race was fun yesterday.  They are a US Track and Field group and very serious.  They were carrying signs "no headphones or you will be disqualified."   I just had my phone and could still hear the intervals.



wow, that's hardcore. i really like running with headphones. i feel like if i hear myself panting i will psyche (that can't be the right spelling) myself out.

****

so...i'm not really caught up on the replies but i did read everything 

got a call from a woman interested in the house today. i emailed her some pics - hopefully she likes them and comes to look at the house. i ran into the mansion (where the silver beach offices are) today to drop off my co-op monthly payment and pick up my application for the new house. yes, we have to reapply and get interviewed even though we are already residents! in the past, you needed references from residents to get in. but there was a lawsuit last year saying that silver beach wasn't letting anyone other than white people into the neighborhood so they had to open up the interview process and allow non-resident references. no biggie, just annoying. one gentleman who works in the office told me that he knows someone who might be interested in the house. we'll see. i would like to avoid going to a real estate person. 

if anyone checked my facebook you'll see a pic of thomas in his pirate halloween costume. he looks like jerry seinfeld in his puffy shirt! lol! 

i ordered thomas's christmas presents today from toys r us. got some great deals and figured it's better to get them now then try to shop with a newborn and a toddler! i found this: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10822421&searchURL=true

it apparently was $75 originally but they had it for $50.99. only catch was that i had to pick it up. ok, no problem - party city (costume store) and toys r us are right next to each other. went in this morning to pick up the bike and the manager comes out with an already put together FLOOR model. um..no. he told me that was all they had b/c it had been discontinued. yeah...not my problem. apparently that's why it was on sale. i said no dice i don't want it and he canceled the order. another worker comes by and told me he was the one who fulfilled the order and he's sorry he didn't realize it was supposed to be in the box. well i played the pregnant card and thomas started crying and the combo of me looking miserable and him crying must have worked b/c i nicely explained that there's no way someone was going to buy that bike since it's a floor model and it's discontinued. second guy basically goes behind manager's back and gives it to me for $25.99. "you're going to love me now." "why?" "b/c everything on final clearance is 25% off". yep, i got that bike for $21.14 including tax. woot! it doesn't have the little bag in the front. all it really needs is a wipe down of the wheels and it's good as new 

ok, i wrote a book! thomas is still snoozing. must have been all that excitement from seeing the bike. let's just hope he forgets about it until santa can bring it for him 

once he's up we're heading to the park for a bit then i'm making shepherd's pie tonight for dinner. (fat free and calorie free of course)


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

Quick post here as the preparations for MIL visit are taking up my morning DIS time.  

*Kathy,* loved the story of your dream but don't you think if we had extra time at Epcot we might have stopped for a drink, too?!?  

I think the Tink course is fairly flat.  *Liesel* is going to drive it when she is in CA soon.  Sadly we don't get to run the bases at Angel Stadium like they do at the DL half.  I'm sure they are worried about the turf in the dead of winter -- although CA winters are very mild in comparison to everyone else! 

Sorry for the football thing.    Sounds like the kids take it better than the coaches.  Ah, the school of hard knocks, it's so dang tough! 

*Lindsay,* how cute is it that you and Mike picked the same card?    Was it the sentiment or the cake?  

*Nancy,* love your Seinfeld pirate.    When Robert was Thomas' age he was a dalmation.  Man, he hated it when the hood was up but was fine with the hood down.  Most of the pictures that year were of him crying or getting over crying.  Poor guy!  

Thomas will have a big event in his life between now and Christmas so I bet the bike will be forgotten.  

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that you can get your house sold without a realtor.  That would be great!  

*Maria,* I loved your career story.    Can't wait to hear all about Vegas.   

*Rose,* any home repair projects on the list today?  Or do you just get to enjoy your day off for a change?  

I was happy to be number two on the BL list this week *and* win the HH prize.  If only every week was so good!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

And my quest to catch up begins...



mikamah said:


> Have a wonderful time, Maria!!  If you hit more than a million bucks, I hope you'll take all of us to the Princess with you.



Sad to say, I was not a big winner. I'm sure the odds would have increased if I had actually gambled  



lisah0711 said:


> *Maria,* Viva Las Vegas indeed!    Safe travels!    I bet all your guys will miss you a bunch.
> 
> It's good to do this stuff now while Michael is younger and before you start to suck like Maria and I have . . .   Keep that in mind, Nancy, when Thomas insists on being attached to you.



I think they had a great time without me. Apparently they had takeout every night  Oh, yep, it is fun to be the mom of a walking male hormone. 



lisah0711 said:


> *Congratulations Lisabelle for being the BL this week!*



Well this is quite Awesome!



Rose&Mike said:


> *Maria*--Have fun in Vegas! We haven't been for about 20 years, but it is definitely a unique place to visit. That's too crazy about all your last minute grants stuff! I hope things calm down a little.
> 
> Over all it was a great race and a great trip! I have been taping my foot and ankle and it has made a huge difference! It feels much better--still hurts, but not as bad as last week. Monday night we had dinner at Rose&Crown--yum! They made me vegetarian gf shepherd's pie! Delish. There was a little drama cause they weren't sure if the welsh dragon was gf--it was, I checked later. Then we tried to eat some chocolate at the Belgium booth--found out after waiting in line--not gf. But we had some more sparkling drinks and watched 38 Special--so it was all good. Tuesday we hung out at DHS--and had lots of fun!



I hadn't been in 5-6 years, and I couldn't believe how much more built up it was. The brightness factor is astronomical. Yep, I do think you can see it from space  Corinna introduced me to Welsh Dragons. I found them to be yummy. I have some .38 Special on my ipod -- I think right now it's "Back to Paradise". I loved reading all about your trip, thanks for sharing!



dumbo_buddy said:


> just a quick post to share my new ultrasound pic
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> looks just like thomas. technology these days is crazy, right?



Bronxbaby is incredibly precious! I would be so anxious for the birth! Well, not the birth exactly , but to hold him 



mikamah said:


> Well, I was very happy when the mechanic called to tell me that nothing is wrong with my car, maybe the gas cap was loose.  He didn't charge me anything.  It's a new mechanic, near the hospital, and he seems pretty honest and this definitely confirmed that to me.  I went to the dealer while under warrantee, but wanted someone closer to work, so I'm happy.



I think this mechanic is definitely a keeper!  Great news, it is wonderful to have someone you can trust. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> My eye is still on the mend.  I am still on every hour eye drops through friday.  Its getting really annoying.  I have another recheck on friday. cha ching. Now that my eye is getting better thats all I hear when the doctor says to come back for a recheck.  At 30 buck copays a visit this is getting ridiculous.  I am going to need to refill my drops too another 140 bucks.  I think when all is said and done I will have spent almost 1,000 including my glasses I had to buy.  Insane.
> 
> Ok so again I totally aplogize for not being around I am currently in the middle of a pity party for myself about how my life is a mess and I am being pulled in 100 different directions.  I have a feeling PMS is lurking because life always seems harder around that time.



I have a huge  for you, *Lindsay!* It seems unfair when we get hit with unexpected costs, and they just seem to keep multiplying. Add that to the stress of everyday life...and no wonder you are feeling a bit down. I had a hard time deciding to bite the bullet and start posting again. Not because I didn't want to be here, but because I am so far behind, catching up is pretty daunting.  I'll just keep plugging along and be on the current day eventually. 

Right now I have to do some more of that pesky work, hopefully I can do another page soon. 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

dumbo_buddy said:


> *maria - *hope you made it to vegas ok. how was the flight? lots of bachelor/bachelorette parties being loud? whenever i had to go to vegas on business i always got a little annoyed with the party-goers because 1) i was tired from work and nervous about whatever meeting or conference i was going to and 2) i was jealous that i couldn't party. hehe.
> 
> tomorrow is apple picking with my mother. oh boy!



The flight was really full, but uneventful. A little turbulence, but I consider that a pre-ride. I even had a monorail to the main terminal after I landed  There were plenty of partiers, and I think that was what was kind of disturbing. Imagine yourself heading to Vegas with Thomas and newborn Bronxbaby, just hanging out in the casinos and hitting the slots. That is what I kept seeing  How did apple picking go? I'm glad she called you for an activity -- that's a good thing! 



Rose&Mike said:


> So about the race and the darkness, etc. I posted a review on the events board. I think it's a great race. A lot of the stuff that people are complaining about are just part of the race. Yes it's curvy and there are choke points--that's what you get when you run through the parks. I didn't mind waiting around before the race because you didn't have to walk 7 million miles to the queues like at Princess. They were right there. Yes, it's dark--it's night, duh. As for the people who are puking--part of the challenge of running at night is learning to balance speed/nutrition/activity during the day/the heat and humidity, etc. It's mentally challenging--but we really enjoy it. I did feel kind of cruddy at the end, but I didn't get sick and felt much better once I ate something. Overall, I think it's a great race.



I need to read your review. I'm looking forward to it  So glad Tom is coming home for Thanksgiving! 



lisah0711 said:


> *Maria,* hope that you arrived safely and are having a wonderful time in Vegas!
> 
> I have been informed that we are done with trick or treating now.    It's the end of an era!



Oh the humanity! It is so sad when the TorT days are over...if it's any consolation, ds has been going to Halloween parties the last 2 years, so we're still buying costumes  The difference is now I don't get to find some special treat in his bag I wouldn't buy myself  Vegas was fun, sort of. I never really adjusted to the time change, and I found the combination of conference and adult play zone to be incongruous and a poor match. I am officially an old fuddy duddy! 



mikamah said:


> Well, guess I should get to work now.  We are going to my nephews football game at 4, and the michael has practice at 5:30, so a busy afternoon.  If I get out of work on time, I will come home first and catch up on the BL thread.  I need to get more involved, and be better at the HH.



I hear you about the BL thread and HH. I have great intentions, but finding the time...well, I guess I will catch up on the BL thread this weekend. Tomorrow is taken up in meetings, and I have to present three of my projects to a review committee in Newton Friday morning, so I'm not going to have the DIS time one would hope for 



dumbo_buddy said:


> THIS DAY SUUUUUCCCCKKKKSSSS!!!
> 
> WAAAAAHHH!!!!!! when i tell you this child has done nothing but cry all day i mean this child has done nothing but cry ALL DAY.



Yep, they all have days like that. At least he's crying rather than snarking at you constantly and doubting your ability to function in society. Oh, maybe that's just my special blessing  Every stage has something fun. We need to rotten days to appreciate the good ones. I'm going to try to remember that the next time nothing I do is right. 



liesel said:


> [*Maria* I hope you are having fun!
> 
> I need to go get the kids from school so I'll chat with you later!



Ok, I had a great time walking around. I went to the conservatory in the Bellagio, and it was all decorated with the colors and scenes of Autumn. The air smelled like cinnamon. That was super relaxing and a great moment! 



mikamah said:


> *Maria*-How's vegas?   Did you win enough to bring us all to the princess.  The 7-11 where my nephew works and we buy our scratch tickets sold a million dollar scratch ticket yesterday.  Why oh why couldn't it have been me?



Yep, I just don't buy those things, so I can never win. You'd think I'd take a chance once in awhile...



lisah0711 said:


> As you can see from one of my pics from my half I have a ways to go:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Lisa,* I was also informed that all that is wanted for Christmas is money. I tell myself we would be sad if they didn't grow up.



You look Fabulous! I can totally tell you have lost since the Princess! I've heard the  money speech too, but he'd also like an iphone and an ipad. I doubt it. The only problem with giving them gift cards is then you have to take them to the Mall, and they want to pretend you are with someone else. That's always fun 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> The dr assured me that I should be ok to at least wear the contacts for the race.  He does want me to wait awhile to put them back in on a regular basis but I can deal with that.  I have my 5K next saturday.  I also havent ran in weeks....
> 
> I too am ready to get back into it...this is my vow for the 400th time this year.  Really one of these times it will click...I know I can do it.  Just need to get there.  I swear I need hypnotherapy or something to change my brain.



Yep, just strive for more good days than bad. I'm actually trying to put together one good one right now, but tomorrow could be the day 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Maria- Im glad you are having a good time at your conference.  I turned down going to the one in vegas this year.  I am holding out to see where next years is being held.



My conference is in Indianapolis next year. I would probably never go there on vacation 



mikamah said:


> Good morning princesses!!  My name is Kathy, and I am now addicted to Disneyland trip reports.  I can't stop myself.  Maybe it's the soothing green color of the disneyland board, i don't know.



I have had a similar problem, becoming addicted to Universal TRs, and the Food Porn thread. I had to step away from the Food Porn. It was not conducive to weight loss 



Rose&Mike said:


> Hey--how are you all? I have been trying to pay more attention to real life lately and less attention to the computer.



This is not necessarily a bad thing, trying to have more balance. When you figure that out, I'll be excited to hear your findings. I have a hard time keeping up with everything...

Ok, day is almost done, and I did most of my work. I still have a couple of large piles of paper sitting around, and they'll still be there Monday. 

Almost caught up with the  and !

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lisa*--how was staying at AKL/Kidani for Princess? I think that's where we are going to stay. We have never stayed there before. Did you find the transportation to be ok? And what did your friends think of OKW?

*Maria*--should I make a reservation for Boma for Sunday night after the race? 

I am trying to think as much as I can about the race today, so that I can somehow stay sane......


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, princesses and lisabelles!!

I never got on here yesterday.  I got up and was going to run/walk but then work called me in early, so I went in, and missed my morning dis time.  Work was busy, and when I got out I went to the second half of a pension meeting, before I left.  We got all our pension info, and my brother is coming out in a few weeks, so I'm going to go over it with him, and then go to another meeting.  *Nancy*, thanks for the offer to review it with me too, and if I have any questions, I'll let you know.  I know you have lots on your plate right now, but I think for me, the numbers speak for themselves, so I'll chat with my brother about it and see what he thinks.  I can start collecting my pension in 17 years!!!!  Wow, it doesn't seem that far away any more.  Not that I'll be able to afford to retire at 65, but you never know.  

*Rose*- I think disney planning is the very best therapy for everybody.   Boma sounds wonderful, too.  

*Maria*- Welcome home. Nice job catching up here.  Glad your trip was ok, and you had some relaxing time too.  It's different to go away for a conference alone.  I went once alone to Orlando, and had a really great time, but a friend from florida came over and visited so i wasn't totally alone.  Though I did go to Epcot by myself and wandered the countries and saw the Tapestry of Nations parade, and loved that.  I'm not looking forward to the future when I can't do any thing right.  Right now, when we're home alone, i'm still usually ok in his eyes.  It's all a right of passage, and we all will survive it, right Rose?  

*Lisa*-Are you all set for Mil yet?  I bet you don't have to prepare as much when your mom comes to visit.    I think your right, more likely we would have stopped for drinks in Epcot.  Congrats on the HH prize.  You're so good keeping up on the BL thread.  I haven't even read the past couple days.  And I could use it, for sure.  That's great Liesel will ride the route so you'll know the hill factor.  I hope it's pretty flat like wdw.  Have a fun visit!!

*Lindsay*-Just 4 more football games here!!  You must be down to 3?!  Or maybe not, you didn't have one last weekend.  It is getting chilly at the field, isn't it.  I'm hoping for a practice cancel today with all the rain we're getting, but it's supposed to stop raining this afternoon, so we'll see.  How is Ryan doing in school?  And the eye, is it back to normal?  

*Nancy*-How are you hanging in?  A mom from football had a 9 pound 7 oz baby boy the other day.  He's so cute.  Your little bronxbaby will be here before you know it.  I'm sure it doesn't feel that way but it will.  How's the house situation?  I hope you're able to sell quickly without a realtor.  Do you have a time limit on the new house as for how long you have to sell your house?  I almost bought a townhouse before I got my house, but couldn't sell my condo quick enough, and ended up with my house instead, so it actually worked out for the better.  I hope it all works out for you guys.  
Great score on the bike!!  
i started my christmas shopping too with this.  I couldn't resist.
http://www.bradfordexchange.com/pro...opping&utm_campaign=Direct&utm_term=904703001
 I can't believe we're talking Christmas already.  We trick or treated well into middle school here.  I can imagine michael will want the candy well into high school.  It's will be sad when he outgrows it.  I'm not sure where the Santa thing is this year.  Last year, I was sure he still believed on Christmas day, but I'm doubtful he'll still believe this year, but I'm going to deny it to the end. 

Oh well off to call the town about my street.  They paved it and it's not graded right and all the rain runs down the hill and into my back yard.  I called last week, but didn't hear back, so I figured i need to start calling on a more regular basis.

Have a great day!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Maria,* glad that you had a good time at your conference and are back home safe and sound with your guys -- who probably missed you more than they are willing to let on.    I agree that Vegas has a bit of a weird vibe -- kind of desperate and it probably is even more so now.  It's just not our kind of fun.

I got a chuckle out of this comment. 



Worfiedoodles said:


> I've heard the  money speech too, but he'd also like an iphone and an ipad. I doubt it. The only problem with giving them gift cards is then you have to take them to the Mall, and they want to pretend you are with someone else. That's always fun



My nephew used to walk at least 15 feet behind his Mom at the mall.  

But then I really started laughing at this one!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> Yep, they all have days like that. At least he's crying rather than snarking at you constantly and doubting your ability to function in society. Oh, maybe that's just my special blessing  Every stage has something fun. We need to rotten days to appreciate the good ones. I'm going to try to remember that the next time nothing I do is right.



 It's amazing that we lived long enough to give birth and raise these boys considering how mentally challenged we are at times!    Some day we will be smart again.  

Good luck with your presentations!  

How fun that Rose and Maria get to do the Princess!   Boma gets my vote for dinner!  



Rose&Mike said:


> *Lisa*--how was staying at AKL/Kidani for Princess? I think that's where we are going to stay. We have never stayed there before. Did you find the transportation to be ok? And what did your friends think of OKW?



I stayed at AKV/Jambo for the Princess and I liked it alot.  It's one of my home resorts, along with VWL, and the transportation was fine, especially to the Expo and the race if you get out there early when you are supposed to.  I know that's not a problem for you guys.    Splurge for the points for a savanna view because there is always something to watch with the animals and it is a good distraction. 

The only thing that I did not like was that there were not many race friendly food choices at the Mara IMHO, especially being a host hotel.  Since you get a grocery delivery that shouldn't be a problem for you.  Just pick somewhere else for dinner the night before the race.  

I had dinner at Sanaa one night at Kidani and it was delicious.    Even better than Jiko, which is not as good as it used to be.  I love Boma, too.  

I actually never stayed anywhere but VWL or AKV Jambo at WDW -- we need to branch out.

My friends arrive at WDW on Saturday.  I hope they like OKW.  They've been on a ship since 9/25 so I'm sure just being on dry land is a treat!  

Hope your cold gets better fast and that you are feeling better soon!  

*Kathy,* love the Mickey Mouse Red Sox figure.  I'm sure that Michael will love it, too.  

Phooey on the City for not grading the road right.    You might need to talk to the City Engineer or the engineer who was in charge of the project.  Keep bugging them because it will be snowing soon and it needs to be fixed before the spring rains.  

So are you going to go to the dangerous corn maze where you have to call 911 to get out?   

I'm getting to the "as ready as I'm going to be" point for MIL and BIL visit.  They aren't even going to be here for 36 hours.  I do actually clean more for MIL than I do for my Mom.  I can tell my Mom "don't be judgmental, I'm doing the best I can" but could never do that with MIL.   

*Nancy,* got a big chuckle out of your FB post yesterday.  At least he can tell you what is going on now!  

*Lindsay,* good luck with your race on Saturday!  

*Liesel,* safe travels!

Have a great day, ladies!


----------



## mikamah

*Lisa*-that was the corn maze we did with Jim, Beth and Taylor a few weekends ago.  I feel so bad for that poor girl who called 911.  How mortifying, but we all know how anxiety can get you.  It is a big maze, and we didn't even go the whole way because it was a very hot day, so we turned around and took a short cut out.  Bet the farm is happy with the extra publicity.  I can't believe it made the national news.  Must have been a slow day around the country.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Rose&Mike said:


> So Mike is going to go ahead and sign us up for Princess tonight. So that's exciting. Not sure where we'll stay, but hopefully in a dvc.



 So glad one of my favorite Princesses and her knight in shining armor will be there! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Then we went to my inlaws.  They made dinner and we watched football.  There were some really bad words used during the eagles game today that I hope my kids do not repeat in school.



Well, if you're going to watch the eagles...that was a rough game. I even felt bad for Michael Vick 



lisah0711 said:


> My race was fun yesterday.  They are a US Track and Field group and very serious.  They were carrying signs "no headphones or you will be disqualified."   I just had my phone and could still hear the intervals.
> 
> Otherwise it was a good race although being the shortest distance we got nothing -- no swag, no bling, and a t-shirt that you had to go to another place to pick up.   Now time for Tink training in earnest!



No swag and no bling?! That is just wrong  I'm sorry about the elimination issues. And no headphones would not work for me...I am just not that serious about my racing. Heck, I'm not racing, I'm just moving forward more rapidly than I normally do 



lisah0711 said:


> Dear Diary:
> Well, it finally happened . . . today I killed the Princess thread. Too bad 'cause I really loved those ladies.



You can't get rid of us that easily! We just pop up when you least expect us. We're kind of like Whack a Mole....



Rose&Mike said:


> :Busy day. Work and a double workout. I did strength for an hour and the elliptical for 32 minutes. Still 2 pounds over the high end of my maintain. But hopefully will get back down soon.



I know you will get it back down. You have worked so hard, even in adversity I know you can hold it together. You have to, you're my idol  Speaking of idols, David Cassidy (slightly before my time, I had Shaun) recently headlined at the "Seniors and Boomers" conference in Boston. Not that I'm feeling old or anything 



dumbo_buddy said:


> i will catch up later but just wanted to check in quickly. i'm 33.5 weeks preggo and really feeling fat and slow. i'm up over 35lbs. it's gross. and i can't stop eating. oh well. i'll be all over the BL thread starting in december-ish.
> 
> apple picking with mom on friday. saturday was the zoo and friends over all day and out to dinner with them. sunday was a trip to white post farm on long island for the fall festival. today was shopping, park, playing, attempting to nap and getting 500 phone calls instead, blah blah. still trying to sell the house.



Well of course you are tired. I thought it was bad enough to be that pregnant, let alone keeping up with a 2 yr. old  That would do me in...prioritize your rest, DIS when it's relaxing for you. We all get that you are making a tiny human! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I have had a busy day off.  Got lots of house work done.  Now I wish I had a day just to say home and lounge.
> 
> Well tomorrow is my 8 year wedding anniversary.  I have a flu clinic at work so I wont even see my husband for more than an hour tomorrow.  Thats what happens after 8 years of marriage I guess....it use to be so romantic....maybe one day it will be again?????  Next year I would really like to make this a getaway wkend even with the kids to celebrate our anniversary.  Maybe head up north Kathy's way.  I hear its beautiful this time of year up there, and the other night we were watching a ghost thing on tv and mike said he would love to take a ghost tour.



I totally have those days. I take a day off, and I work instead of relaxing. I am determined that the next time I do that (and I promised myself a day in November since I worked Columbus Day), I am all about the bonbons, good book, and nap. 

Congratulations on 8 years! It is very pretty up here. Salem in October is, um, well -- let's just say we won't be heading there, and it's 16 miles away...make your reservations now. I'm not kidding, they sell out a year in advance  There is definitely some romance in bonding together to face a common foe (i.e. your tween/teen), you will laugh together, because you cannot laugh in their snarly righteous faces 



lisah0711 said:


> I'll figure out the runner's tummy, eventually, it is just frustrating as I do.  My doctor is a runner so he will be supportive of doing something about it.  I kind of recall being tested for gluten at my last colonoscopy but I'll have to ask about it.  Thanks for all the suggestions!
> 
> I was happy to see myself on the BL list for last week.  I need to keep getting on that list so I can get to my goal for the Tink!
> Busy week getting ready for MIL and BIL visit.



I do hope your doctor has some good suggestions. That is no way to run  Congratulations on making the BL list! Awesome! MIL and BIL at the same time?! You are a saint! 



mikamah said:


> *Maria*-Are you filthy rich?  How was vegas?  Hope you had some fun in between conferences.



I wish I was filthy rich. Heck, I'd even settle for slightly mussed rich 



mikamah said:


> *Lisa- Congrats on being a top loser!!!! *
> You are rocking this challenge, and I'm so happy for you.  I bet you'll be the biggest loser one week soon!!!



What she said! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> and, um, marathon weekend 2013? how's THAT for a disney race to look forward to??? do it! do it! do it!



YES! Do it! I've got Dennis thinking in that mindset, and I'm going to keep him there. We are going to have a blast that weekend! And the Half is Saturday, which means Sunday is just for fun and cheering on the crazy people running the Full (especially if they are our spouses or Princesses!) 



lisah0711 said:


> *Maria,* I loved your career story. Can't wait to hear all about Vegas.



I'm kind of boring, but I hope she got the point that she doesn't have to decide everything for the rest of her life at once.  I don't really know what else to say about Vegas -- I kind of just walked around in my free time. Plenty to see, not quite as much to do -- but only because I wasn't going to shows. 



Rose&Mike said:


> *Maria*--should I make a reservation for Boma for Sunday night after the race?



I would love to have dinner with you and Mike again after the race! I plan to go back to my resort, rest up a tiny bit and shower, and then head to Epcot for lunch and the afternoon. It would be great to meet you guys at Boma! I'm not sure if I'll be up for more duelling pianos, but I definitely like the idea of a nice celebratory meal (and I know you won't notice if I eat 10 zebra domes ). I'm already looking forward to it 

Ok, one morning meeting over, one afternoon meeting to go. I think we are in great shape for our presentations. Next week I'm going to start to think about tackling the paper that has multiplied. It's so nice to be on a normal schedule again. I can run again Friday, and my plan is to hit the TM after the presentations. That should be a nice way to relax into the weekend. Low carb isn't exactly going well, I need to put more effort into not being exhausted and making poor choices. Getting up early to run will force me to bed earlier, and everything will fall into place. 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i promise i'm not this much of a flaky friend. for someone who doesn't work, i sure feel busy. the house stuff is turning into a big cluster....

i have a feeling that it's going to fall through. i'm trying not to get too upset about it but it's not easy because i really want that house. it's all a big long story of nonsense. too annoying to get into. 

running out the door to the mansion to ask them some questions about the application. so much for relaxing naptime. 

hoping to pop on again later.

also, i want to respond to rose's PM but i need time to do it! don't want to do a fly-by response on my cyber-hug!

xoxo


----------



## liesel

*Nancy* Here's another cyber hug.   I really hope the house works out, if not, I hope something better comes along.  I loved the ultrasound pic, bronxbaby will be here soon!

*Kathy* I can't believe the graded your street incorrectly.  That really sucks!  I hope you can get it fixed, a muddy yard is no fun.  I saw the other *Lisa* already answered your question about the Tink route, it is different than the DL half.  I think the only "hills" will be one or two "mt. overpasses," but I'll check it out next week.  I would really like to run the DL half route someday and run through Angels Stadium, I attended a few games there as a kid.  That route also goes on the Santa Ana River Trail, which I used to walk with my dogs all the time.  My childhood home is about 2 miles north of where the DL half runs along the trail.

*Maria* I agree about Vegas, there is a sad and desperate element to it, but I'm glad you had a good time and made it to the Earl of Sandwich.  We stopped there overnight on our big roadtrip summer 2010.  We stayed at a condo and the only things the kids saw other than the hotel pool were the buffet at the Rio and we drove down the strip at dusk so they could see the lights with less crazies out and about.  They think Vegas is fantastic and tell everyone how much they loved going there.

*Lisa* Congrats on the 10K and on being number two this week!  I hope your training is going well.  I'll see if I can stop into Whitewater Snacks and the new counter place at DLH and take a couple of pics of their grab and go coolers.  I'll post my findings on the Tink thread, in case anyone else is interested.

*Rose* Congrats on signing up for the Princess!  I say you and Maria have to go to Boma because that was my favorite restaurant from our trip 3 years ago and I need to live vicariously through you two!  Sorry about the car salesman.  One of the ways we save money for traveling is to drive our cars until they die.  In 14 years of marriage, we've only bought 2 cars together.  Trips are definitely more fun!

*Lindsay* Happy belated anniversary!  Enjoy the rest of football season.

I'm still here, I was in the middle of a reply yesterday, but my neighbor stopped by.  We leave in 5 days for the Disneyland/family wedding extravaganza!  I can't believe its here already, I'm barely recovered from Hawaii.  We are only spending 2 1/2 days at DL, which keeps shrinking because we keep making plans to meet people for dinner on those days.  I did start thinking today that we should try to make one of these dinners at DL since my BIL only lives 2 miles away and knows several CMs that can sign him in.  Our niece (from Ohio) is also meeting us and I think it would be fun to have dinner at DL and ride a couple of rides together.  We'll see how it works out, we need our DL time too!

My run last Thursday was very windy, Sunday was cool but at least the sidewalks were dry and our 3 inches of snow was melting, and this week was much nicer with temps in the 50s and 60s.  That I can handle.  This training plan and the prospect of my first Disney race is what is getting me out there on these not so nice days.  Have a good evening everyone!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I'm here. I ran 4 miles today. It was slow and painful. But good.

I think we need to make a pact--no more apologizing for being bad friends if we have stuff going on and we can't reply to every single thing. *Nancy*, you certainly don't have anything to apologize for! I love reading everyone's replies, but I really do understand if life gets in the way. I would rather know that you all are doing ok, than not hear from you at all because you feel bad about not replying. Does this makes sense? 

So *Nancy*, I say, hang in there. And let us know that you are doing ok. We'll be here when things are less crazy. That's what friends are for.

*Lisa*--thanks for the tips on AKL. I mostly eat my own food before a race--that whole pesky gluten free thing. Mike called today and there were 3 choices of 1-BRs available. We're going to take a 1BR and waitlist a studio, and if the studio comes through then we'll take that. Though I do love the laundry in the 1BR. We ate at Sanaa before I went gf and I just don't know if I am up for it yet--the bread was sooooooooooooo good. Some things I just can't sit and watch Mike eat yet. 

*Maria*--So glad we are going to do dinner! I don't know if we'll be up for the dueling pianos either, but if we do we are taking a cab back! That was a really long day. And assuming my foot continues to cooperate, I am going to do the full in 2013. Let me go on record as saying that will probably be my ONE AND ONLY FULL. Seriously. I just want to say that I did it. And then I will be happy to go back to my halves. And since *Nancy* is doing it in 2013, I thought, perfect! So we will have lots of fun next January!

*Kathy*--I hope your road is fixed soon! What a pain! And I liked the Mickey figurine!

Hello to Lindsay and Liesel and Nancy!

So, I have a little gf rant. Our grocery store is driving me nuts. They NEVER have the udi's bread instock. The last time they had bagels they were COVERED in mold. And I used a coupon they gave me for an Amy's bowl and it turned into this big dramafest! We're getting better at planning ahead, but we really just need to be done with the grocery store and shop at Whole Foods and the fruit/veggie market that I pass on the way home from work. So Mike went to Whole Foods tonight because it's been a crappy week and we decided to get this one gf pizza that we like and they are OUT!!!! Uggh. I hate being GF! The stores are not buying enough stuff to keep up with the demand! I told him I would start on the wine we are having tonight without him and that we'd just have gf mac and cheese and artichoke burgers. At least those were in stock. Ok rant over......

Some chick on wheel of fortune just said--war eagle (auburn) and go gamecocks in the same sentence. I'm sorry, but you CANNOT be an auburn and a gamecock fan. Someone needs to give her a talking to.


Ok, mindless rambling over. I love you all. Life is good, most of the time.


----------



## mikamah

Rose&Mike said:


> I think we need to make a pact--no more apologizing for being bad friends if we have stuff going on and we can't reply to every single thing.


I'm in on that pact, and I totally agree.  This should be our place to come and just be when we can, no guilt or pressure if you don't have time to do a lot of replies.  

And on that note,  just a quick hello tonight.  Football practice is cancelled so we're having movie night here instead, so I'm off to put my jammies on and snuggle with my boy who yesterday thought I sucked, but today he knows better.   Every time he gets that attitude, I think of Lisa and Maria, and know it will get worse.  

Hope you all had a good friday and are ready for relaxing, fun weekends.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Breaking News!

I was casually chatting with the walking hormone this morning about his friends taking the Catholic High School exam (which he would be doing if he wasn't all set after the taking study classes and doing very well on the Latin exam), and he told me he realized we would be making him do the same thing for the SATs (Yep, but we haven't really brought that up yet). Anyway the BIG news -- he said that this time after he does all the prep and takes the test, he wants to go to DISNEY! 

Now, Dennis and I hadn't discussed giving him another reward for the prep work, but you can bet now it's in my mind -- one more special mother/son trip before he takes off into the unknown -- I am on it! Dennis can come, too, but we all know he won't want to...And if I time it right, maybe we can do MNSSHP or MVMCP! I know it is ridiculous to be this excited over a trip he will probably change his mind about and that wouldn't happen for 2 or 3 years (not sure when they do the SAT prep? I took the ACT, so this is unfamiliar to me), but that just made my morning!

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

I should have run when I got up after sleeping in, but I just didn't feel like it. I know this is bad, but it's all mental. I got an e-mail yesterday after 4, telling me the City is funding the $1M proposal I had to get in Tuesday  -- but they want to fund another proposal, too, and they have $1M total -- so we're getting 55% of the funds. It's not bad or unexpected (they did something similar last year), but it means I have to rework the budgets (all 4) and narrative, negotiate with our partner for who's going to reduce what, and they want it all by Tuesday  so they have time to prepare the documents and submit for the national competition. That's right, the local communities pick what they like, and then submit it nationally. Depending on how the local community does in the overall competition, you may or may not get funded. Places like Boston and NYC are virtually guaranteed funding, smaller places like Newton or the North Shore could go either way. I can absolutely get this done, it's just I thought I was going to have this weekend to really relax and get back into my life, and now I find it won't be until next week. I can't help but think about everything I have to do, and I really can't start much without the input of others, which means I have to wait until Monday. 

On the bright side my presentations all went well Friday, so my 2 renewals and my new program for Watertown/Waltham (for *Kathy's* knowledge) will all be submitted for the national competition. 

I had just started on my holiday control journal when I got that e-mail. I was sitting at the computer with "Disney Channel Holiday" -- the one with they Cyruses, High School Musical cast and Cheetah Girls -- playing, and I'd figured out what I'd bought and a few things I need to pick up. I was in a Happy Place 

Honestly, right now I'm feeling like I never want to run another step. I think I am so mentally worn down, I can't even summon the energy to watch this week's BL, because it may make me cry because I don't have any motivation and I'm starting to feel hopeless about improvement. If I wasn't registered for the Princess with my airfare already booked...I just don't kow. I am totally psyched to see *Rose and Mike *again, I just feel like I'm in this endless holding pattern, and I can't seem to turn the engine over. We have our first day of sunshine after a rainfest, so that should help improve my mood. I also plan to do all the household stuff I've been too tired to tackle (or at least some of it) today. 

Earlier this week I made the mistake of telling Dennis that I really don't want to go anywhere else than Disney, and with all the races, maybe we should consider purchasing some DVC. He looked at me and said he was trying to figure out a way to buy new windows for the house.  Of course I knew better, it just came out. We're waiting on an appraisal, and if it comes through where we need it we will have a significant decrease in our monthly mortgage. He's plotting home improvements, I can't help but think about this increasing my ability to go to Disney races  I think we know which one of us is being the mature adult, and truth be told our financial planner told us we need to be setting aside an additional $11,000/yr for Ben's college  so it's not like we don't have something we should do with it if it comes through. I thought we were doing pretty well by him (My parents and Dennis's both saved $0 for us to go to college), and we've been setting aside at least $250/mo since he was about 1, we've increased as our economic circumstances allowed. Turns out we are not even close, and with our incomes, this kid doesn't have a snowball's chance in that super warm place of getting financial aid that isn't a loan, unless it's for academic merit. Trust me, there are no athletic scholarships coming our way  With his recent announcement that he wants to study economics, probably in Chicago (I know *Nancy* knows what that means!), it is becoming more real and I am reeling at how we are ever going to make this happen. I know we have 5 years -- and it doesn't seem like nearly long enough to save what he will need. Of course, that is if he even gets in where he wants to go. I am so glad we are not worrying about where to send him to high school right now, because I think if I added that I might burst 

I think the combination of the work stress and the reality of college (and I don't have any specifics, just generally we should expect to contribute almost $50,000 each year in today's terms -- plus he's already planning Grad School, too), are making me feel a little overwhelmed and powerless. 

Ok, so I started up and ended as Debbie Downer. I'm going to go back on an up note -- I think I'm just doing a mind dump (Sorry, guys!) but that generally helps me put things in perspective. It's not the end of the world if this kid has a few college loans, and my work stress will improve by Oct. 28th, when all these applications have to be submitted nationally. The only thing stopping me from working out is me. I can change that at any time. Putting out TMI makes me realize how fortunate we are. This kid is getting a better start than either of us did, and that's really all we can hope for. I was really fortunate and received a full academic scholarship, and there's no reason we should count him out for some of those. They might not be at his first choice school, but that will be a lesson in reality. Our neighbor's daughter got a full ride to BU, and didn't want to go there. Her father told her that was a shame because that was where she was going. She went, and now she has a good career...

I am going to go enjoy a half-full mug of chai latte. Let's make this a great day! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

I almost posted this yesterday, but I didn't. But I'm going to post it today for you Maria. Hopefully it will make sense at the end.

Hi, my name is Rose and I am a workout junky. It is the only thing that is keeping me sane right now. It is the only thing I feel somewhat in control of. When I do two works outs a day I feel strong--so what if I have to come home and take a nap afterwards. Yes, this cold is making breathing difficult, but I got in my 70 minutes of strength and 20 minutes of elliptical yesterday. 

Here's the thing, more and more I'm starting to figure out that there is so little control we have over most things. The only things I can control are the thoughts in my head, the food I put in my mouth and how much exercise I get (and sometimes injuries make that hard, but my favorite saying lately: suck it up buttercup. Yes, you might not be able to run today, but you can do SOMETHING.) So, I am working on the thoughts, working on the food, and working on the exercise. That's all I can do. That's all anyone can do, just keep working on it.

Maria--as for college, I worried myself sick about college. I wanted Tom at Columbia University. (He was on the waitlist there.) Instead HE picked the school that offered him a full scholarship that he liked and wanted to go to. He is so proud of himself and he is doing well. And we haven't spent a penny of his college money yet. I start to stress about law school and paying for it and he will tell me--Mom, you are not paying for law school. I am. And we would have been in the same boat as you--almost no financial aid. Tom knows Mike and I both paid for school completely by ourselves and that became important to him somewhere along the way. Do people look down their noses at us when we tell him where he goes--yep. Do I care anymore, nope. One of his closest friends at USC is going to UVA for law school. Not too shabby. There are a lot of really smart kids at the honors schools at some of these colleges--really smart. They are all the Ivy rejects. Anyhow, I can't tell you not to worry, but there are a lot of affordable alternatives out there. And a lot of academic scholarships. As for dvc.....have you looked at resale? You can mostly only use resale points on property now, but you can get a cheap SSR contract and if you stay in studios for the races the points go a long way--Mike keeps a spread sheet and they do pay for themselves pretty quickly. Just throwing it out there. 

I have found with the exercise/weight loss I had to give up the idea of will power and use one of my strengths. Stubborness. Mike will tell you I am one of the most stubborn people ever. So if I look at the exercise as--do I want to feel like a big fat failure cause I skipped a workout and some big out of shape MAN is going to be faster than me at the next race--it made it much easier to get off my butt and do something. You get the picture. I think will power is a recipe for failure. Being stubborn--and channeling my inner green army man to yell at me seems to be doing the trick.

Hang in there, Maria. You can do it. I know you can.

******

You know how every one is always up after a race (weight). Well Mike read that for every gram of glycogen your body is replacing/storing your body needs 3 grams of water. (I think it was 3). So that would make sense why your weight goes up after a race. 

My weight is up this week, and I have been craving carbs--but I think it's a good thing. This might sound funny--but I think by body is restoring some of the fat pads I lost when I was so run down earlier this year--all of a sudden I have a butt again (it was pretty flat for a while) and I am putting on muscle. I take this as a sign that I am getting healthier. Mike said I look thinner, even though I weigh more. I'd like to lose a couple of pounds, but I'm hoping it comes off my waist this time. And my heel is slowly feeling better--so hopefully the fat pad is being repaired. And I stopped taking the align. It only took 8 months, but I am starting to feel "healthy" again.  Now if only I could breathe. Stupid cold!

Ok, enough rambling. Have a good Saturday everyone!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

mikamah said:


> *Lindsay*-Just 4 more football games here!!  You must be down to 3?!  Or maybe not, you didn't have one last weekend.  It is getting chilly at the field, isn't it.  I'm hoping for a practice cancel today with all the rain we're getting, but it's supposed to stop raining this afternoon, so we'll see.  How is Ryan doing in school?  And the eye, is it back to normal?



Yes three more games.  I really will miss game day saturdays but not practice nights.  I am really starting to get to know some of the parents as nutty as some of them are...and I think I will miss the socialization too.  But I dont know what I am celebrating about because he is just moving on to basketball which will be 2 nights a week plus a game day.  At least the gym will be warm.

My eye is all healed thank goodness and thanks for asking.  I actually wore my contacts for a little bit for the race today and they felt good.  I am going to slowly build up to wearing them all day.  Even though I said I would never wear them again.  I just hate my glasses.



dumbo_buddy said:


> i have a feeling that it's going to fall through. i'm trying not to get too upset about it but it's not easy because i really want that house. it's all a big long story of nonsense. too annoying to get into.



oh that would really stink.  I hope it all works out in the end but if not I am sure whats meant to be will come along too.  Just sucks going through all the emotions Im sure.



liesel said:


> My run last Thursday was very windy, Sunday was cool but at least the sidewalks were dry and our 3 inches of snow was melting, and this week was much nicer with temps in the 50s and 60s.  That I can handle.  This training plan and the prospect of my first Disney race is what is getting me out there on these not so nice days.  Have a good evening everyone!



Ok Lisa this is just not right....3inches in OCT.  Im glad its warming up a bit for you.  I agree having the disney race is complete motivation to get out there in that yucky weather.  Have a great trip!!!!!



Rose&Mike said:


> I think we need to make a pact--no more apologizing for being bad friends if we have stuff going on and we can't reply to every single thing. *Nancy*, you certainly don't have anything to apologize for! I love reading everyone's replies, but I really do understand if life gets in the way. I would rather know that you all are doing ok, than not hear from you at all because you feel bad about not replying. Does this makes sense?



Totally agree!!!!!  We were starting to get like those who always say the thread is moving so fast.  Thanks for putting that out there rose!!!!

I didnt know Auburn and USC were rivals but I feel the same way with those who are cowboys fans but then cheer for the phillies, or yankees fans but then cheer for the Eagles.  It is just one of those things that annoy me.



Worfiedoodles said:


> I was casually chatting with the walking hormone this morning about his friends taking the Catholic High School exam (which he would be doing if he wasn't all set after the taking study classes and doing very well on the Latin exam), and he told me he realized we would be making him do the same thing for the SATs (Yep, but we haven't really brought that up yet). Anyway the BIG news -- he said that this time after he does all the prep and takes the test, he wants to go to DISNEY!



How exciting.  I dread the days my kids dont want to go to disney.  Glad you may just get one last horrah with him!!!!

I too would be thinking about spending that extra money on disney trips.  Its hard to be the mature adult when all we want to do is have fun.  I think you are giving ben a great start to a great education and his future even if you dont have enough to pay for it all.  Dont stress over it....it will all work out in the end.

I totally get what you are saying about feeling stuck...couldnt have said it any better myself.  You can do it and you havent totally given up and thats all that matters.



Rose&Mike said:


> I have found with the exercise/weight loss I had to give up the idea of will power and use one of my strengths. Stubborness. Mike will tell you I am one of the most stubborn people ever. So if I look at the exercise as--do I want to feel like a big fat failure cause I skipped a workout and some big out of shape MAN is going to be faster than me at the next race--it made it much easier to get off my butt and do something. You get the picture. I think will power is a recipe for failure. Being stubborn--and channeling my inner green army man to yell at me seems to be doing the trick.



This is what I think about too.  But instead of the big fat man...Im stuck on the fact that older people with grey hair are beating me.  I was just thinking about that today as I was running.

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

Oh my its been since monday since I have posted and I am NOT apologizing but just realizing how time really flies when your having fun.

This has been a fun weekend so far.  Last night Ryan and I went to the local high school football game.  It was Steelers night and the kids got to line up on the field at the start of the game and high five the players as they ran out.  The kids loved this.  It was like meeting professionals to them.  Then at half time they got announced as teams and got to run from the endzone to the 50 yard line.  Mike stayed home with Nick since he worked later than me and we didnt think Nick really needed to be out in the cold all night.  

This morning was the womens 5K classic.  I had gotten a team together from my work.  13 out of 95 people from our 6 offices participated.  Im hoping each year to have our team grow.  It was an amazing event and had over 5500 women running or walking.  There was a speaker (cancer survivor) before the race.  It was a tear jerker.  She was only 40 and 5 years ago was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  She talked about how she felt when she was diagnosed and how she got through it emotionally.  She said the hardest part was worrying that she would never see her kids grow up and all the milestones they would reach.  I was almost hysterical I was crying so hard.  Just makes you really think how life short can be and to really focus on all the positives in your life and not to sweat the small stuff.  

My time on the other hand was horrendous.  Partly because I am heavier again and havent run much but also because it was so crowded and there were times I wanted to run faster but couldnt.  I think I was in the 42 minute range.  My last 5K I did in the spring was 34. 

Ryan has his homecoming game this afternoon where he gets announced and we get to walk him out onto the field.  I hope I dont cry. Im feeling a bit emotional today.

Tomorrow the boys are handing out bookmarks at church in the morning and then our family is going on the farm tour.  There are about 15 farms in the area that have activities and things going on during the day.  We have done this every year since I was like 18.  The kids all have a blast together and we usually end up getting our pumpkins.

I hope you all are enjoying your weekend.  Has anyone been noticing how beautiful the sunrise and sunsets are right now.  Gosh it is almost breathtaking.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Now I'm Stronger than Yesterday, It's Nothin' But a Mile Away!

Hello Pretty  and Terrific !

Thanks so much to *Rose and Lindsay* for the encouragement. It was just exactly what I needed, how did you know?! 

I slept 12 hours last night. My primary reaction to too much stress is to go to sleep. Then I got up, and consciously decided I was not going to church. I took Ben last week and I was just miserable throughout the service. Just not feeling it, and resentful. This is not the way I want to attend. Instead I put on my workout clothes and got on the TM. I knew I wasn't up to a normal workout -- too much time off, but I did 2.5M, which I'm pleased with. It was long enough to hear the Brittany song (Glee version) quoted above, and get my feeling competent again. 

So now I took a machete to the jungle for *Nancy *, I showered and used the good lotion that came with the perfume, and I put on what I had that is clean and comfy. I'm wearing pajama bottoms (I'm not leaving the house), and my mindset is on what I can do for me today. I am planning a mani/pedi, some relaxation with a good book, and since Dennis had his play day yesterday (he left after 9am and came home just before midnight, playing golf and going to a hockey game at UNH), he is the parent on duty. Halloween costume, birthday party gifts, and homework are all his domain. I am going to work on making myself feel good about me and getting ready to tackle my tasks tomorrow. I won't be able to work out (I need to leave the house at 6:30 so I can get in and working early), but I can pack a great low carb lunch, and I can control my eating today. I made myself step on the scale, and if I'm vigilant, I can get back to my pre-Vegas weight this week. I am going to go over to the BL thread and answer the Fri-Sun questions. I am going to say "Hi" to *Pamela*, and anyone else who will actually answer me back over there  Yes, *Nancy*, I feel your pain. I am going to plan my exercise from mid-Oct to Jan, so it will include Princess training. 

I am going to do FlyLady's Cruise through the Holidays (starts tomorrow!), and this Christmas Eve when I sit down to watch the Patriots, I am going to be at peace and know we are going to have a fabulous holiday! 

*Lindsay* -- Congratulations on running your 5K yesterday! I am sorry your time wasn't what you wanted, but it sounds like you took away a great lesson about living the life you have now and letting the little stuff go. We all need that reminder  I am so proud of you for getting the people from your office involved, and planning to grow the group. That is fantastic, what a great gift you are passing on 

*Rose* -- I am so glad you are starting to feel healthy again. You certainly look fantastic! I think I forgot to say this before. When you spoke about how your family went away from the church and the decidedly unChristian attitudes about boys from public schools, I felt myself getting angry. I totally see why that wasn't working for you. In my case it's more a disenchantment with myself (I guess I can have a midlife crisis?), but asking me to do things I've already said no to is not helping. I feel like I need a break, and that's ok. Today renewing my spirit involved not going. Next week I might really want to go. Anyway, I didn't mean to turn my "Rose reply" into a religious diatribe. I wanted to tell you about a moment I had just before I got on the TM. I was telling myself that maybe I missed my window, and I'm just too old to get smaller. Then I said to myself, "You are the same age as Rose, if she found herself your size at this age, would she just give up?" Um, No, she would not. Rose would push herself and do whatever she had to, even with gluten issues making her running miserable , and find a way to take off and keep off the weight. And then I had an "Ah Hah!" moment. I have not been pushing myself at all. I do what's comfortable. If it's comfortable to eat a bag of Twizzlers, I do. If it's comfortable to run 3M, I do, why push harder? I realize there's a danger I'm prone to of pushing too hard too soon, but I'm also inclined to find a comfort zone and stay in it. 

So, after a long break, next weekend I am going to run 10M -- or at least attempt to. I haven't run that far since the Providence Half, and I don't think it will be pretty. But I think I mentally need to do it. Wow, I really can ramble once I get started...

*Kathy* -- The beauty of the early teen years is that when he does do something sweet, or makes a special effort, you really appreciate it. Yesterday Ben and I were alone together all day, which could have been a recipe for disaster (we are the same person ), but turned out great. He did what he needed to do, I did what I needed to do, we spent some time together and apart, and we both had happy days. 

*Lisah* -- How is that in-law visit going? I don't think I will have company again until my dad comes in December, so that is a blessing! I am so impressed with how you have incorporated running as just something you do, like laundry or making the bed. I'm determined to get there again. I am going to be leaner for Princess, and I will promise to post the photos to prove it. By the time we get to the 2013 weekend, we are all going to be the skinny princesses, and when I pick up my number, people will not assume I'm just with Dennis, because I couldn't possibly be running  The sales people in those booths will look me in the eye 

*Lisa* -- Are you packed for your trip yet? I belive you are going in just a couple of days now!  So exciting! Did you already give us a run-down on your activities? I might have missed it with being gone. Feel free to share any updates! 

*Nancy* -- I think I'm lost, where are you on the house(s)? I've told this story before, but hopefully it will give you confidence it will all work out. We bought our house in August 2001, and were ready to close on selling our condo 9/14/01. We all know what happened on the 11th. We live 5 minutes from Logan. Dennis was working at City Hall and was sent home, he went and picked up Ben at pre-school. He got home and was in the backyard, and saw (ok, heard more than saw) F-15s flying overhead. He called me and said I don't know how we're going to carry two mortgages, but I don't think we're closing in three days. And honestly, with everything going on (we lost members of our church family, in addition to the unbelievable shock and loss nationally), it was hard to care a lot, but we did care some...but even in that awful time, we were able to close on the condo. So it will all work out. It might not be exactly the way you think it should go, but everything that should happen will. 

Ok, I'd better stop typing and start doing all that girly stuff! I am going to lose this week, who else is with me?! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

We got a new crockpot today, so I am waiting, waiting, waiting for it to cook my dinner. Our old crockpot was 24 years old and was tossed when we cleaned this summer.

*Lindsay*--It looks like you all had a great day today. I'm sorry they lost yesterday. Very cool about getting that many people together to run. The Auburn/Carolina thing has gotten a little tense since the nasty SEC championship game and then some really bad officiating during the game this year. What can you do? I'm sorry the run didn't go better. 

*Kathy*--So what did you do at the Apple store?

*Nancy*--hope you are hanging in there.

*Lisa*--have the inlaws left?

*Liesel*--have a great trip!

*Maria*--I enjoyed your post today. I wasn't sure if I was being motivational yesterday or just pushy. There's a fine line sometimes. I posted this on the BL thread, but check out I <3 To Run on facebook. It has been the motivational kick in the pants I have needed. None of this frou frou motivational sayings--more like get your butt off the couch and quit whining. Which I really needed. But in a positive way of course. I did not push myself at all this summer either. And enough is enough. So I can't run as far as I'd like right now, I can do SOMETHING. I found that during the losing I spent the first 6 months or so thinking I will mess up again, I will mess up again. After that I started thinking, maybe I can really do this. Well, I am here to say, if I did it you can do it. I know you have a crazy schedule and a kid who needs you, but it is such a feeling of accomplishment. It is so worth it. Even a 1/2 a pound a week between now and 2013 is 32 pounds! A pound a week is 50+. Slow and steady. I am starting to get a little excited about trying to run the marathon--the only thing that will hold me back is if this foot thing doesn't get under control. Anyhow, I know you want this and I really want it for you.

*****
We ran 8 this morning. Around mile 6.8 we got in a HUGE argument. Which was kind of nice cause I was exhausted from this lovely cold and my foot/calf was talking loudly. So it made the last mile go pretty quick. My foot is sore, but really much better than it was before w&d. So I am going to stick with the icing/stretching/strength training, etc for a bit longer. I'm also going to see if I can find someone who does deep tissue massage. How on earth do you go about finding someone who does this????

Anyhow, tomorrow the plan is strength and elliptical.

Have a super Monday!

ETA: kept meaning to post this. Here is the link to our w&d pics.  My certificate still says I am a boy. Long story. We got the results fixed but not the certificate. 
http://www2.brightroom.com/75420/2324


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I am beat and heading to bed...to watch some tv, unwind and probably quickly fall asleep.  Wanted to tell ya Rose that those pics are great.  I love the close up where we can see Mike holding both water bottles....what a guy.  I also chuckled at the girl in the pink tutu and tiara...I think she was at the wrong race.  You looked marvelous girl!

Maria- Glad your feeling better today and doing you....you know you deserve it.

We had a great wkend.  Ryans team lost but it is a learning experience for them...as we all know you cant win them all.  They took it good and played there hearts out.  The team they played was huge...cant imagine all the kids are under 7.  Ryan had a handful of super big plays.  He has just gotten it down pat how to break through the line and sack the quarterback.  After awhile the other team figured it out and double teamed him with two huge kids.  That part was actually funny because the look on Ryan's face after he tried to run through and he hit the two kids like a brick wall was priceless.  That was a good humbling experience for him.  

We went to Red Robin after the game where nick had the melon as usual only this time he broke out in hives on his face and lips and his lips swelled up.  I was in a bit of a panic and grabbed him and left mike and ryan.  I drove over to target which was only across the street and got him benadryl.  The hives and swelling went away within the hour.  Very scary and now Im not quite sure what to do.  He had a hive like reaction on his face to peaches last week but they went away within 20 minutes without any meds.  I am going to talk to the doctor about it when I get back to work on tues.

Tomorrow I am off again.  Maybe this day will be the one where no one from work calls.  I am going to ryans school for periods throughout the day to observe.  Its american education week and tomorrow is the day for parents.  Wed is grandparents day.  This will be a busy week so hopefully it will at least go fast.  We have lots of fun planned for next weekend.

Ok well I am off to bed. 

Talk to you all soon.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Monday, Monday....

*Lindsay*--scary about the hives. I would definitely ask someone about that. I'm pretty sure I offered to carry one of those water bottles. We forgot our hydration belt and didn't feel like buying another one, that's why he was carrying water. I want to be one of the girls next year who is confident enough to run in a jog bra. There were a bunch of those at this race.

My motivation has left the building, but I am GOING to work out after work. I am GOING to get my 7000 steps in. I am GOING to make my pumpkin bean soup and have a healthy dinner.

Last night we watched Rapunzel on Netfix streaming. It was so cute. I, of course, cried at the end. 

Ok, everyone have a great day!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Rose* -- I am with you. I am commiting to do a short workout after work. I've been here for an hour and I can't leave until I'm done today -- but no matter, I can find enough energy to do a few miles. I saw the HH for this week was to do 15 minutes each day, and realized I really have no excuse not to do that! I'm not sure if I'll do more than 30, but I can commit to making that happen!  Oh, and I loved the photos! That is one cute couple 

*Lindsay* -- Oh my, the hives would have me concerned, too. I'm glad you had a great weekend, and I hope you have a wonderful day off. Do some relaxing for all of us! 

I went to bed right after _Boardwalk Empire_, but of course Dennis played wii basketball and had to swear at the game for another half hour  I still got a pretty decent night's sleep, even with Spock deciding he was cold about 3am -- this means he tries to get under the covers, which is interesting 

I popped up at 5:30 and got the day going. I'm feeling good about leaving at a decent hour today, and I'm hopeful I may even have time for a podcast lunch, but that might be WISHful thinking. 

Once I get through today, things will definitely settle down. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself. I'm already looking forward to laughing through _Mike and Molly_, so I guess I have a good perspective on my day. 

I've got my low-carb breakfast, lunch and snack with me, and we're having low-carb clam chowder for dinner. Dennis is going to make it after we get home, so plenty of time to hit the TM! 

Ok, let's go out and make this an awesome day! 

Maria


----------



## liesel

Good morning princesses and belles,

*Lindsay* So scary about the hives , I hope you can figure out what is wrong.  My DD used to break out in hives when we used sunscreen, luckily she has grown out of it (no hives on our trips this year! ) but we still carry Benadryl just in case.

*Maria* I'm glad you are feeling more like you are getting your mojo back now.  Is there another exercise besides running that you enjoy?  Maybe change things up a bit, try something new?  It is amazing how many halfs you have done and I know you'll rock the Princess, lighter than ever!  As for college, I've found it depressing watch the kids' 529s shrink before our eyes.  Hopefully things will turn around before they need them!  DH paid for college through the GI bill (Air Force for 3 years), a small loan, and he was a math tutor (pays pretty well!).  He did a really smart thing with the help of his dad.  When he got his GI Bill money, he put it in a mutual fund and lived very cheaply.  We then paid off his small loan before purchasing our first home.  He had enough GI bill money left after college to purchase my engagement ring, put a down payment on our first house, pay for appliances for that house (previous owners took everything!), and we just used the last of it almost 4 years ago to put a sizable down payment on a car.  That money really went far!


*Rose* Great W&D pics.  You have had quite the rough journey and remain inspring.  You all need to stop tempting me with marathon weekend 2013.  I'd love to be able to come and either do the half and scream team the full or the other way around!

*Hi Lisa* I hope you enjoying your houseguests.

*Hi Kathy and Nancy* I hope everything is going well.  *Kathy* I saw you Apple store post and I just crossed over to the world of smartphones and texting in August and there's no going back!  I love my new phone.    The fact that it was free was a bonus (buy one get one free phone+$100 off through DH's work plan+$200 rebate for old basic phones-mine was destroyed and we also got them for free through DH's work=free phones plus $50 to spend on accessories!).  DH's work also contributes to our monthly bill, which helps.  If they want him to be plugged in they need to chip in.  



I had a good long run on Saturday, the husband, kids and dog came with me to an outdoor track, did some running, and cheered me on.  It was only the second time I've gone 4 miles, and I finished strong, the last mile being my fastest.  I took it easy and still finished under 16 mm pace.  Sometimes I look at the training plan and start to panic when I see how the miles just keep increasing.  You've all been so inspiring, seeing how all of you have done this before and I hope to do well too.  I've had to shift my schedule for this week since we are leaving for CA and Disneyland(!) tomorrow (oh, and the family wedding).  I am running today, traveling tomorrow and walking lots around Disneyland, running the streets of Anaheim for the first time Wednesday morning then putting in lots of walking at DL, walking at DL on Thursday, long run on Friday at my inlaws' house, wedding on Saturday (maybe a short morning walk), then rest day/travel home day on Sunday.  I don't want to fall behind of my training again, I just caught up from our last vacation!

I can't believe we'll be walking down Main Street tomorrow, the kids are so excited!  Well, I better go pop in on the main thread and do a reply that no one will respond to.  Have a great day everyone!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Tinks!   

Had a nice visit but have sinus infection with the worst headache ever.  

Love you all and miss you lots!    Hopefully will be back tomorrow to catch up!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

lisah0711 said:


> Hello Princesses and Tinks!
> 
> Had a nice visit but have sinus infection with the worst headache ever.
> 
> Love you all and miss you lots!    Hopefully will be back tomorrow to catch up!



Feel better,* Lisah*! We miss you, too! 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Quickly reporting for accountability, I need that -- I did 15 minutes on the TM, but it wasn't pretty. I had a cramp in my foot from practically the first step, and couldn't seem to find enough coordination to run. I ended up walking, but at least I was moving for a mile...

I also realized TOM is just about to make an appearance, so trying to run after being up over 12 hours might not have been the smartest move. On the bright side, feeling good that my hardest time is basically over, and tomorrow will feel like a normal day (or at least I hope so!). 

Have a great night -- I have Terra Nova and Mike and Molly, and I'm tivoing Castle and Hawaii 5-0. Vegetative state on the couch, here I come!  

Hopefully tomorrow I will wake up well-rested and ready to run 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i'm here. i'm not apologizing. so...i'm NOT sorry i haven't been on (even though i am, shhh!)

these last few weeks have been so busy and stressful and i just haven't had a chance to even sign onto the DIS!

the house situation is somewhere between stagnant and falling through. i showed the house yesterday and again today. and on saturday some guy just knocked on the door and asked to look at it. of course, all our furniture and belongings were all over the place b/c we were steam cleaning carpets and treating for FLEAS (thanks, fiona!) so he won't be back. we need to put a contingency clause into the contract that we didn't think we'd need at first (thought the bank would let us have two houses for a while but nope) and the sellers are trying to buy a house asap in CT. so they may drop up and try to find another buyer. anyway, i don't even feel like typing more about it. 

i'm frustrated and stressed about it. you know, the usual. bronxbaby has been giving me a very hard time the last 5 or 6 days. having those braxton hicks contractions ALOT and a TON of pain down there. i have my OB appt tomorrow and i need to have john come with me so i can actually concentrate on the questions i want to ask the doctor instead of trying to wrangle thomas while the doc tries to listen to the baby's heartbeat. i want to talk to him about postpartum depression. i'm not sure if i had it with thomas. but what i was feeling just wasn't right and this time i just can't let it go. from what i understand it's very common and god forbid i find myself going down a bad path i want to have talked to the doc about it beforehand before i'm in some deep dark place.

anyway, there's more going on but i'm boring myself with this post so i'm going to stop and get thomas bathed and in bed. i'm exhausted. i've been up since 2:30am and i just can't wait to go to sleep tonight...though i want to watch dexter. what a tough life 

love you all. miss you! will be back soon with better news. promise. just not tomorrow when the OB tells me that i'm up 40 lbs already. yep, 40.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lisa*--feel better!

*Liesel*--have a great time! Don't stress about the training. Just stick to your plan. Oh, and Lisa--that comment about the other thread, sorry to say, made me laugh! I am a terrible person! 

*Lindsay*--Hope you enjoyed your day off!

Hi *Kathy*!

*Nancy*--hang in there. The weight will come off. I'm sorry the house stuff is rocky. I think it's great to talk to the doctor about postpartum depression--especially with winter quickly approaching. Can you take a vit d supplement when you are breastfeeding? I am a big fan of vit d in the winter to help with mood/etc.

*Maria*--Great job getting in the exercise. Babysteps. Have a great run tomorrow!

****
I made it through Monday! I muddled through my workout--50 min strength and 20 min elliptical. We had a yummy soup for dinner with grilled cheese. And I talked to Tom tonight. He seems like he is in a good place. So on tap tomorrow--4 mile run. Probably on the treadmill cause I think it will be cold and rainy. And I'm still trying to find a sports massage therapist.

Ok, have a great Tuesday!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses and Lisabelles!!

So much to say, so much exercise to put off until tomorrow so I can chat here.   

I did pop on at work yesterday and saw *Maria's and Roses*- pact to do some exercise after work, so when I came home I put my exercise clothes on, we ate dinner and made an apple pie, and then ate some pie with ice cream while we watched a suite life on deck, and then went to bed to read at 8, and was asleep a little after 9.  In my exercise clothes that I never exercised in.  But if I can finish posting in 10 min, I have no excuse and I can do at least 15 min of wii fit. 

We had a fun and busy weekend.  Sat we had football, and I actually cleaned the house, some friends came with pizza for an early dinner before we went to the amusement park Canobie Lake for their halloween party, which ended up being wicked fun.  Michael and his friend are such chickens but they both got the courage to do the new upside down roller coaster, and were so thrilled.  I went with them and his friends sister.  The mom had whiplash and a concussion recently from a car accident so she couldn't go on.  I did try to let the kids chicken out before we got to the ride, and it was very scary.  Sunday I was on call, and we visited my brother and sister, and ended up walking both mall for quite a while, but didn't buy too much, just a few necessities.  Eating's not been great, but it could be worse.  I did a very healthy grocery shop sunday am, so really, other than the pie, there's not that much to binge on.  

*Lisah*-Sorry you're feeling so lousy, and I hope you're on the right medicine, and are feeling better real soon. Get the rest that you need to recover from this, and I'm sure you're thinking of your training plan, but you need to be healthy to run, so take it easy, and you will catch up when you are better.   How was the visit with mil and bil?  Is he doing well with his treatment?  

*LisaL*-Have an amazing trip to DL and fun at the wedding!!  Sheesh, so jealous of your travelling.  We're playing with the Ipod touches, and think I'll get one for michael for bday/christmas.  I was playing with the Ipad, and was thinking that might be better to get for both of us, but i think the touch is more what he wants.  On the phone, I want to get ds one for 5th grade graduation next spring, so if i had thought I would have upgraded mine last spring for free, with a new contract, and then got his free next year, so I think I"ll just wait til next spring unless my phone dies before hand and get us both new phones then.  I don't need anything fancy, but a keyboard which is probably standard in all phones now.  My pretty pink Razor is a novelty now.

*Maria*-Good job getting on the treadmill last night, however painful it was. You are going to be thin and fit for the princess!  You can do this!!  I know you can!! I think you are doing great with the college savings, and I am way behind you.  I guess my thinking on it is I'll be 56 when he goes to school, so I hope to be able to work more to pay for college at that time, and right now when he is young, and wants to be with me, (usually), I want to work as little as possible to get by.  With vacation.  It's hard to be responsible.  How exciting Ben wants to go to disney again.   I hope it all works out and he doesn't change his mind.  He might try, but don't let him, he really probably wants to go but might not want to admit it all the time.  Oh and in my quest to not spend more, I bought my first Vera Bradley bag at the North Shore hallmark store last weekend.  It was 40% off discontinued, adorable big pink daisies with the orange centers and navy background.   And I love it!!!  It was a necessity if you could see my gross 10 year old black ll bean bag I had been using with the broken zipper.  

*Rose*-I need to go look at your pictures too, but I just want to say you so inspire me.  I think of you often as I sit here and don't exercise, and know that i can get up and move, and get out and run again.  I know the little things I do help me from blowing up and gaining another 30 pounds back, but I can and need to do more.  So thank you for being you and for sharing your journey with me.    I laughed at your positive attitude when you had an argument with Mike and that made the rest of the run easier.    Hope it was nothing. 

*Nancy* -  Forget about the weight gain.  You will lose it when bronx baby is here.  Hang in there.  Smart to talk to the doctor about your worries about depression after.  My sisters youngest are 15 months apart, and she had a hard time after her last was born and did go on an antidepressant for a while.  I think she felt alone and embarrassed about it and never talked about it until after my mom died, and I so wish she let us know so we could have been there for her.  I am a firm believer in the fact that things always work out for a reason, and though the house is bringing you some stress, it will all be ok.   Hang in there.  and knock that sorry right out of your mind, young lady.  

*Lindsay*-You're a good mom, basketball right after football.  YOu're making me look bad.   Michael's thinking about gymnastics again, but he'd probably love basketball.  I think I might need to look into that for him.  I'll have to check the Y catalog.   Sorry about the hives, it is so scary.  I'd definitely talk to your doctor, which I'm sure you already have, and have him tested.  Michael had a lot of food allergies and has outgrown them all but tree nuts, but we carry benadryl and an epipen.  Congrat on the 5k this weekend.  I know you weren't as fast as you'd like but you were out there running, and should celebrate that accomplishment.   I am trying to remember how motivated we were last fall with the Princess in the future and trying to get that motivation back.  I know most of these princesses are thinking marathon weekend 2013, but i don't think that' in th cards for me, but 2014 is the year I turn 50, and that might be.  That's just over 2 years away, and I know you had thought about it too, so maybe that's the motivator we need.  I know what you mean about the football sociallizing.  I've enjoyed it also, and met some really nice people.  I've become facebook friends with some too, to share pics and stuff, and michael definitely want to play again next year, so that's good.  Even with their 1-5 record, and not having scored a touchdown since his first game, he want to play.  Phew, at least he gets its not about winning.

Well, now that I've chatted through my exercise time, I'm off to shower.  I'm heading to work early today, so that's my real excuse.  But after work, the exercise clothes will go on, and I will exercise for at least 15 min during biggest loser tonight.  I'm committing.  Actually catching up with you all here is better for my soul than getting yelled at by the wii man for gaining weight.

Have a great day princesses!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

I missed you ladies over the week-end!  

Visit went well.  They left Sunday -- just as I was coming down with a killer sinus infection.  The headache is incredible.   I went home early from work yesterday and am staying home today since I have a fever.  I think it's viral so wouldn't get any antibiotics even if I went to the doctor.  I have a physical on Thursday so the doctor can give me something if he thinks I need it.  I'm guessing no flu shot for me this week.  I'm a bit worried about flying on Friday.    Compared to a lot of stuff people have going on this is small potatoes!  



Rose&Mike said:


> I think we need to make a pact--no more apologizing for being bad friends if we have stuff going on and we can't reply to every single thing. *Nancy*, you certainly don't have anything to apologize for! I love reading everyone's replies, but I really do understand if life gets in the way. I would rather know that you all are doing ok, than not hear from you at all because you feel bad about not replying. Does this makes sense?



I think this is an excellent idea, *Rose!* 



mikamah said:


> And on that note,  just a quick hello tonight.  Football practice is cancelled so we're having movie night here instead, so I'm off to put my jammies on and snuggle with my boy who yesterday thought I sucked, but today he knows better. Every time he gets that attitude, I think of Lisa and Maria, and know it will get worse.



Well, at least you know what to expect, right? I thought he looked like a high school kid in one of those football pictures.   



Worfiedoodles said:


> I was casually chatting with the walking hormone this morning about his friends taking the Catholic High School exam (which he would be doing if he wasn't all set after the taking study classes and doing very well on the Latin exam), and he told me he realized we would be making him do the same thing for the SATs (Yep, but we haven't really brought that up yet). Anyway the BIG news -- he said that this time after he does all the prep and takes the test, he wants to go to DISNEY!



Yay!   Any Disney trip is something to celebrate.  They just did the PSATs last week here for the sophmores or juniors.  Sounds like MNSSHP time!   



Worfiedoodles said:


> Trust me, there are no athletic scholarships coming our way  With his recent announcement that he wants to study economics, probably in Chicago (I know *Nancy* knows what that means!), it is becoming more real and I am reeling at how we are ever going to make this happen. I know we have 5 years -- and it doesn't seem like nearly long enough to save what he will need. Of course, that is if he even gets in where he wants to go. I am so glad we are not worrying about where to send him to high school right now, because I think if I added that I might burst



Aw, *Maria,* no athletic scholarships here either!  I always tell Robert you can go to any school that you want to, as long as you figure out how to pay for it.    He knows that we will pay for state school, undergrad.  Last I heard there was going to be grad school, the word PhD was mentioned.  
We both worked and went to school at different stages of our undergrad careers.  We were more invested in it as we got older and footed the bill.  When we went to law school we each had loans.  So when we were married we had not one but two sets of student loans for grad school to pay off.    But we did in less than five years and still bought a house, had a car payment and a baby a year later.  

One of the best things that I did was pay my interest on my student loans during school.  That kept my loans from growing exponentially, like DH's did while he was in school.  That would be something that you could do for law school, *Rose*.    Or that you could do for Ben, *Maria*.  I think as an "older" parent you really feel the pinch of the pull of your resources for college and retirement.  Your kid can get a loan for school, you can't get a loan for retirement.  

And I know that you will find your motivation again soon.    You've been so busy and had so much going on.  When you stop taking care of yourself, it's hard to get back into that habit.  But you can do it!  



Rose&Mike said:


> Here's the thing, more and more I'm starting to figure out that there is so little control we have over most things. The only things I can control are the thoughts in my head, the food I put in my mouth and how much exercise I get (and sometimes injuries make that hard, but my favorite saying lately: suck it up buttercup. Yes, you might not be able to run today, but you can do SOMETHING.) So, I am working on the thoughts, working on the food, and working on the exercise. That's all I can do. That's all anyone can do, just keep working on it.



I like that no matter what else is going on in your life, *Rose,* that you don't let it affect your healthy lifestyle.  You are doing great!  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> This is what I think about too.  But instead of the big fat man...Im stuck on the fact that older people with grey hair are beating me. I was just thinking about that today as I was running.
> I hope you all are enjoying your weekend.  Has anyone been noticing how beautiful the sunrise and sunsets are right now.  Gosh it is almost breathtaking.



*Lindsay,* glad the eye is better and your race went well.  I hear you on the times.    And don't feel bad, just about everyone passes me!    I tell myself at least I'm out here running!    

Thanks for the reminders to enjoy those beautiful sunrises and sunsets!   

I loved the pics of your cute boys on FB.  As I was waiting for Robert at school last week the SUV in front of me had "Nick is a Beast!" written in the dust and I thought of you -- just what you need two beasts!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> I was telling myself that maybe I missed my window, and I'm just too old to get smaller. Then I said to myself, "You are the same age as Rose, if she found herself your size at this age, would she just give up?" Um, No, she would not. Rose would push herself and do whatever she had to, even with gluten issues making her running miserable , and find a way to take off and keep off the weight. And then I had an "Ah Hah!" moment. I have not been pushing myself at all. I do what's comfortable. If it's comfortable to eat a bag of Twizzlers, I do. If it's comfortable to run 3M, I do, why push harder? I realize there's a danger I'm prone to of pushing too hard too soon, but I'm also inclined to find a comfort zone and stay in it.
> So, after a long break, next weekend I am going to run 10M -- or at least attempt to. I haven't run that far since the Providence Half, and I don't think it will be pretty. But I think I mentally need to do it. Wow, I really can ramble once I get started...



It is easy to settle for "enough," *Maria,* especially when things get so crazy, busy in other areas of our lives.  I was having a similar conversation with myself that revolved around the statement "what's so exciting about the couch anyway?"    I don't think we've missed any windows -- because if it's hopeless for you it's really hopeless for me.   

I'm going to have to do the 10 mile thing next week, too.  I'm going to use the Jeff Galloway method of catching up on your training -- I will walk the first 4 or 5 miles and then run/walk the rest, not worrying about time or pace, but just getting the distance in.  *Then* I can pick up my training plan where I left off.  I didn't worry about last week with missing a 2 mile speed work long run for my 10K recovery.  I'm a little more worried about missing the 7.5 mile long run but I can't really run when even coughing hurts my head. 



Rose&Mike said:


> We ran 8 this morning. Around mile 6.8 we got in a HUGE argument. Which was kind of nice cause I was exhausted from this lovely cold and my foot/calf was talking loudly. So it made the last mile go pretty quick. My foot is sore, but really much better than it was before w&d. So I am going to stick with the icing/stretching/strength training, etc for a bit longer. I'm also going to see if I can find someone who does deep tissue massage. How on earth do you go about finding someone who does this????
> Anyhow, tomorrow the plan is strength and elliptical.
> Have a super Monday!



Well, that's one way to distract yourself on a long run!    I'm sure you were right and Mike was wrong.   

Maybe your chiropractor could refer you to a massage therapist or did you go to a PT?  They might know of someone.  You definitely want someone who knows that they are doing.  You are an exercise machine, *Rose*!   

Okay this is catching me up to where I was yesterday when I was trying to reply.  I'll BRB and see if I can finish catching up the rest of the way!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

Oops! Never made it back on the computer yesterday.    I spent the whole day watching Pan Am and Netflix and taking it easy.    I have to work today though so it's a good thing the fever is gone.  

*Lindsay,* did you make it through your day off without any phone calls?  So sorry about the hives.    It's so scary when something happens out of the blue like that.   

*Rose,* Tangled was one of the things I watched yesterday after your recommendation.    I thought that you looked so cute and strong in your pictures!  

*Maria,* do you think Spock remembers the wonders of the electric blanket?   I was just thinking the other day that I need to get mine out and ready for the winter.  Hang in there!  I know that we can do this!  

*Liesel,* I hope that you are having a wonderful time at Disneyland!    Can't wait to hear all about it.  And don't worry about the training.  Still lots of time and you are doing wonderfully!  

*Nancy,* how did the doctor's appointment go yesterday?  Take care of yourself and take it easy.    House stuff is stressful anytime but add being preggers and taking care of a 2 year old and oy! 

*Kathy,* so glad that you had a good time at the Canobie Lake.  You are a brave Mom to go on the scary roller coaster with Michael!    Do you guys do the Tower of Terror and Rock n Roller Coaster?  

Friday I will be heading off to Seattle to see my Mom and sister for a couple of nights.  I think the boys plan on leaving a trash can in the middle of the family room and watching a bunch of tv.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## liesel

Lisah- 2 hills in the first mile!!  We run over the 5 twice in the first mile and they are overpasses.  The slope is pretty gradual at least.  DL doesn't open until 9 today so I had better get out there and run a little.   Have a magical day everyone!


----------



## Rose&Mike

liesel said:


> Lisah- 2 hills in the first mile!!  We run over the 5 twice in the first mile and they are overpasses.  The slope is pretty gradual at least.  DL doesn't open until 9 today so I had better get out there and run a little.   Have a magical day everyone!


Don't think of them as hills--just little Disney slopes. You girls run real hills out west, I'm sure! You will be kickn some major butt on those sad little overpasses. There is nothing cooler than passing people going uphill. Channel your inner green army man!

*Maria*--are you hanging in there? Go Maria! Go Maria!

K*athy*--did you get some exercise yesterday?

*Lindsay*--how are the hives?

*Nancy*--how are you?

*Lisah*--glad you are starting to feel better. Did you like Tangled? Have fun with your Mom! Thanks for the positive comments yesterday. I have been channeling my inner "fake it til you make it" abilities this last week. Sometimes all you can do is put on a smile and keep moving forward. And the idea about paying the interest on the loans is a good one.

*******
I am so enjoying my day off. No exercise today! The cold last week took a lot out of me and I am still tired.  I did run 4  slower than normal miles yesterday. The foot seems to have settled into this low pain point. Just enough to be annoying. So I'm going to keep taping, keep icing, keep doing the foam roller, and keep stretching and hopefully things will keep improving. 

I still haven't decided if I am going to do a local half on 11/12/11. The weather has been cruddy here lately and I've already had to dig out the thing I put over my face so that I can breathe without wheezing. I will try not to complain too much this winter about the cold. Mike and I had a big discussion yesterday about how running on the treadmill really isn't that bad......

So, time to get busy. My house is a mess and I really need to get things under control. Oh, almost forgot. Tom finally saw a local doctor today and he really liked him. The doctor had a former doctor partner who wasn't diagnosed with adhd until med school, so he understood what was going on with Tom. 

Have a great day! I will probably check in later, cause you can only clean so much!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Precious  and Training !

*Rose* -- Enjoy your day off from both work and exercise! I am absolutely hangin'. I'm now in the stage of making some final edits to projects, and getting my life back  I am so glad Tom liked the local doctor, that will help tremendously! It is true, you can only clean so much. I don't think I've ever naturally reached that threshold, but I'm sure it's there  I tend to wander off and do something else instead 

*Lisa* -- That is just wrong, 2 hills in the first mile -- I hope it's all downhill after that  What could be better than a run at the Mouse House?! Hope you are having a Magical Day! 

*Lisah* -- I am so glad you took yesterday to recover and relax. You've earned it, and it sounds like your body insisted. I admit it, the electric blanket is already in use. This is the compromise we reach because we're trying not to turn the heat on until Nov. 1st. I just can't sleep well if I'm too cold. I can't sleep well if I'm too hot, either. I'm kind of a "Baby Bear" in that regard, it needs to be "just right"  Enjoy your getaway with your mom -- and be grateful they plan to use a trash can   

*Kathy* -- I know that pattern! Your first VB bag is in the "Loves Me" pattern, what a great choice! Never feel guilty about buying something that will make you smile, especially at 40% off, fantastic deal 

*Nancy* -- Did you get another peek at Bronxbaby yesterday? I totally understand about the PPD. Kudos to you for being prepared. I had a mild and short case of it. I think it's normal. Especially with the first one. You have so many expectations, and the reality is rarely what you've convinced yourself it will be.  Kind of like when you realize marriage isn't going to be all _Bewitched_ or _I Dream of Jeannie_ (maybe that was just me, see how I literally expected magic?!). Definitely magical moments, but much less madcap and much more "Did you take the trash out?" 

*Lindsay* -- I hope yesterday was a truly "Lindsay's Day", and you had a great time!   (A couple of jumping Beasts seem appropriate!) 

Thanks to everyone for all the support and reason regarding my minor collegiate melt down. I don't know why it just hit me like that, but overwork and overtired do not generally turn out well in my world 

Yesterday I did not manage to get up early and run, so I made myself run after work. I did 30 minutes, which was ok. I was asleep before 9:30 and up at 5 today, so I was able to do my normal workout before work. I can't tell you how awesome it felt to be "back to me". I am eager for my 10M on Saturday, but I'm going to take *Lisah's * advice and not beat myself up if I don't run all the way. The important part for me right now is the distance, not how long it takes to get there. 

My eating is better. Not as lower carb as one would hope, but I'm doing a little better each day. I'm finding it challenging to switch over to "warm" eating at lunch. I think we're just going to make a policy that Dennis cooks a bit more at dinner so I can have leftovers. I'm good at breakfast (hard to mess up eggs at home), and dinner is obviously easy. Lunch is tough, and so is resisting the siren call of popcorn after dinner. I made Dennis promise that no matter how much I begged, he wouldn't make me popcorn this week until at least Saturday. He makes it on the stove with olive oil, and it is so good  I figure one week without it, and that will be progress 

Ok, ladies, it's Wednesday, let's make it Wonderful (*Kathy* and I will also be Wet)!

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

liesel said:


> Lisah- 2 hills in the first mile!!  We run over the 5 twice in the first mile and they are overpasses.  The slope is pretty gradual at least.  DL doesn't open until 9 today so I had better get out there and run a little.   Have a magical day everyone!



I would much rather have hills at the beginning than later in the race, especially since they are on the way to the part of the run through Disneyland!   How is Disneyland?  Any new, exciting Halloween decorations?  Did you spot the Monkey Bride in the Haunted Mansion?  



Rose&Mike said:


> Don't think of them as hills--just little Disney slopes. You girls run real hills out west, I'm sure! You will be kickn some major butt on those sad little overpasses. There is nothing cooler than passing people going uphill. Channel your inner green army man!



Hope you are feeling better and taking it easy.    This is a pesky bug for sure!  

I thought Tangled was cute.   

I was thinking about the little green army men for the Disneyland hill this morning, *Rose!*  

How's the cleaning going?  Is this the second week in a row that you haven't had any repair projects?  You're on a roll!   



Worfiedoodles said:


> Enjoy your getaway with your mom -- and *be grateful they plan to use a trash can *



You are so right, *Maria!* 



Worfiedoodles said:


> Lunch is tough, and so is resisting the siren call of popcorn after dinner. I made Dennis promise that no matter how much I begged, he wouldn't make me popcorn this week until at least Saturday. He makes it on the stove with olive oil, and it is so good  I figure one week without it, and that will be progress



Oh, man, good luck on resisting the siren's call of popcorn!   I have a Presto microwave popcorn popper and it uses no oil -- just popcorn in the microwave.  I season it with lemon pepper.  I think it was *corinnak* who used to drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil on her popcorn to get her WW healthy oils in.  

Hope your day is going better than earlier in the week!    Sounds like you are doing a great job on the diet and exercise!  

My wagon is draggin' a bit this afternoon.  I will be leaving in about 90 minutes to pick up Robert from school.  I get to find out how my neighbors liked Old Key West, too.  I feel bad for those poor animals in Ohio.   

Have a great evening!


----------



## mikamah

Good afternoon ladies!!

Just back from michael's dentist appt, for a cleaning, and all is well.  We go next month to the orthodontist, but I think he still will need a couple more teeth to fall out before the actually braces would start, at least I'm hoping.  I did get up for 30 min during Biggest Loser last night and did some watp type exercise with handweights.  It felt good, and then I ate 2 congo bars i made for the volunteers at work today.  They were celebrating volunteer week and one of our volunteers has given us 5500 hours.  That's over 2 and a half years of full time work.  Just amazing. 

Home now and michael is watching some tv, and then he'll do his homework and practice his sax.  Figured I'd give in and get some dis time too.  

*Maria* -I think after the big storm 2 weeks ago, this rain won't feel too bad at all.  It's a nice excuse to come home and get in your pjs.  Good work running yesterday.  30 minutes is 30 minutes!  I agree with lisa to get the distance and not even think about the time, and take those walk breaks.  

*Lisah*- I hope you're feeling much better soon and can enjoy your visit with your mom and sister.  Is it a relaxing, visiting weekend, or do you have work to do?  I agree with getting the hills over with earlier in the race is better.  I remember with the Galloway the long runs were supposed to be more about distance and not speed, and you'll always be faster on race day.  I have done rock n roller coaster, but michael hasn't.  I paid michael 20 dollars to do TOT with me when it was just the 2 of us, and he was terrified, and I felt awful.  Not a good mommy moment.  Oh well, he got over it and had bragging rights that he did the ride once, and I wouldn't be surprised if he never does it again.   He's pumped to do california screaming and any other roller coaster in the world now that he conquered Untamed.  Funny, in august there's a smaller corkscrew coaster he debated and debated on doing but never got the courage, but being with his friend definitely gave him the courage, and maybe his friends sister helped too.  If she was doing it, they surely could.  That is so sad about those poor animals in Ohio.  How tragic.  

*Rose*-Sounds like a nice relaxing day for you.  I give you credit for doing the treadmill.  I think it's the most awful thing invented, but I'm sure where the cold bothers you it will be the better of 2 evils.  After all you must get the princess training in through the winter again.  I loved the video of the finishline and that they say your names.  How cool is that?  I could only see the pics as thumbnails, but the first one of you two running together looks so awesome.  Of course you could have crazy faces, but I couldn't see them that close up.  That's so nice Tom is happy with the doctor, and he's someone who can really understand what he's going through.  

Hello to *LisaL, Lindsay, and Nancy*!  Hope you're all having a good week. 

Guess I should get some laundry in.  I'm happy I grilled chicken last night, and we have plenty of leftovers for tonight, so dinner is easy.   

Like maria said, have a wonderful wednesday.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

another me-me-me post. getting sick of it yet? i just sat down with a piece of pizza and will be shoving it into my mouth quickly and then getting thomas in the bath. 

i don't even work and i'm busy and exhausted - how does that happen?? this is the first time i've had a second to get on the computer all day except for this afternoon when i needed to look for a picture of thomas for our class. found some cute ones that i forgot about. 

doc appt went well yesterday and i'm really happy i talked to the doc about PPD. now i know i can be comfortable talking to him about it in case it happens this time. i'm hopeful it won't but as prepared as i can be in case it does!

the house situation....it is what it is. we'll leave it at that. 

on a disney note, we renewed our APs yesterday (the last possible day to do so). we're going to book a sept 2012 trip - you know, just to make sure we get our money's worth out of the AP. so i've got 3 disney trips on the horizon! may 2012 at the treehouses, sept 2012 at beach club probably and jan 2013 for the marathon. don't know where we'll stay but probably at SSR or BCV. or...maybe someplace new. 


*kathy -*what's a congo bar? whatever it is, i want one. that volunteer is really impressive! 

*lisa, liesel, and rose - *ick all this talk about running hills is making me tired! i just don't train on hills at all. i should. but...ick. 

*maria - *so is ben going to be a "chicago boy" or what? he probably isn't interested enough yet but i did a faboo thesis on the chicago boys and their impact on the chilean economy and relationship with pinochet. i wanted to go to grad school at the u of chicago when i lived there but depaul was cheaper so i did that. i made it through half of a graduate degree in economics but realized it wasn't for me - i didn't want to teach it and i didn't want to pursue a doctorate. 

*lindsay -  *i loved the pics you posted recently of ryan and nick. they are so handsome. 

***
oh one more thing - my dad started running a few months ago - he thought he had asthma and the doc wanted him to push himself to see if in fact it was. it wasn't but he kept going. he is an avid golfer and figured that being in even better shape would only help his game. my dad is the most disciplined person..ever. he is 5'7" and weighs 134 lbs. if he overeats one day he goes right back to his strict diet. it's so annoying! anyway....he ran his first ever 5k last weekend and did it in TWENTY FIVE FREAKING MINUTES! i mean, seriously. almost 59 years old and faster than me. my fastest 5k was 28 minutes and that's only because i'm pretty sure the course was too short. i know i should be proud of him but i just am so jealous. 25 minutes!


----------



## Rose&Mike

One more month *Nancy*! You can do it. It's almost over. It's downhill from here. I'm glad the doctor's visit went well.

I am not in a very good place. Last night was terrible. Mike and I argued the whole night, mostly cause I was a raving (fill in the blank.) Though to be honest, he really wasn't helping things either. I dared to wear normal shoes yesterday--not heels just regular shoes with jeans so my feet wouldn't get wet and cold. By the end of the night my foot was so uncomfortable. Time to go to the doctor. I can only wear the merrel sandals or running shoes or I am miserable. I have to tape my ankle continuously or it swells. And since a run or two before w&d my calf has been cramping up during runs. I almost fell during w&d it was so bad--did I tell you all that? Anyhow, time to deal with it. It's just very scary to me because for a year and a half our lives/weekends have revolved around running/getting ready for races/working out. Mike is supposed to be getting ready for a full in January and I am already pretty resentful about it. Which I know is terrible and selfish and petty. But I am sick to death of being positive and I am just in a crappy bad place right now. Maybe it's the chronic pain. The weather is not helping--high in the 40s and rain. Yuck!

I can't believe you all haven't turned on the heat yet! Our heat is on. It is just too yucky here.

so that's where I'm at. I'm not feeling like a very nice person or very good about myself. I hate going to the doctor. so not looking forward to that either. But enough is enough. My weight is slowly creeping up, so I need to get that under control quick or I'm not going to have any clothes that fit. That's not really helping my mood either.

The only good thing--I found reasonably cheap tickets for our Christmas trip. So that's good. Though Tom only has a ticket home from Florida right now. He wants to go see a friend in Denver, so not sure where he is going to be when. We thought about driving, but decided it just wasn't worth it. 

At least it's almost Friday!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

aw, *rose, *hugs! 

those fighting nonstop nights are really the worst. and i bet there wasn't just one thing - just the culmination of a build-up of stress...right? i hate that. how are things this morning? better? 

i can understand the whole feeling of just being bitter about mike being able to run and train for the marathon and you're feeling like you're on the sidelines. i don't have an injury but i do have a "condition" where i can't run and train like i'd like. and then after the baby comes i'm wondering if i'll really be able to get out for my training runs - will i come up with excuses? will i be able to find someone to take both kids so i can do my weekly runs? 

it's like when my dad emailed me to tell me about his training and about how he just trained "methodically" and "stayed disciplined" and that's why he was so fast. you know, cuz i didn't do that when i was training? as much as i wanted to be happy i was still jealous.

you must go to the doctor and get your foot fixed. i know you don't like doctors but being in pain for this long is just not good for your physical and emotional health. so go. there. i said it. that's my tough love. 

oh and the heat on? no way! i have my fans going and the windows open. the mugginess is crazy. it's been rainy and yucky but still need the windows open. we'll have plennnnty of time with the heat on so i try to avoid it for as long as possible.


----------



## Rose&Mike

thanks Nancy. You nailed on the head with what you said about your dad. I just keep getting that "if only you'd try a little harder feeling....you obviously don't want this bad enough." 

It will definitely be a challenge for you with two little ones, but you can do it! And the harder it is the more wonderful the feeling of accomplishment, I think.

I have an appointment with my pcp tomorrow morning. She's not in on thursdays. So I'm leaving the tape off my foot and wearing regular sandals today so we'll see how swollen it all gets. Might as well lay it all out there. I know which orthopedics practice I think I want to go to, but we'll see what she says. And sometimes I think going through a doctor gets you in faster.


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!  

I'm thinking we need some extra    around here.

*Lisa,* hope you are having a wonderful time at Disneyland!  

*Lindsay,* hope the eye is totally healed and you are having a fun week.  What are your fun plans for the week-end? 

*Maria,* hope that the rest of your week is going okay!  TGIF, right? 

*Kathy,* I'd forgotten the TOT story.    You are so not a bad Mom -- you were teaching Michael to test his boundaries!    He will like California Screamin' -- the upside down part is very short.  I personally close my eyes during most of the whole ride.  I remember when we went to DL with my parents in 2003 Robert was about 3.  I was hoping to get out of doing Screamin' since Robert was too little -- but no, you have to ride if your 70 year old parent does -- my Dad would not let me get out of it.   



dumbo_buddy said:


> i don't even work and i'm busy and exhausted - how does that happen??



Aw, *Nancy*, it might have something to do with being very pregnant and taking care of a little guy all day long.    I know at this stage you feel like you have been pregnant forever and that you will never feel like yourself again.  But trust me, someday the pregnancy will only be a vague memory so enjoy it while you can!  Easier said than done, I know.   



Rose&Mike said:


> thanks Nancy. You nailed on the head with what you said about your dad. I just keep getting that "if only you'd try a little harder feeling....you obviously don't want this bad enough." I think going through a doctor gets you in faster.



I'm so sorry that you are in a really bad crappy place, *Rose.*   I don't blame you for being cranky and frustrated.    It really sucks when you can't do what you want to do, what you need to do.  I hope that your pcp can help you find someone to get you all healed up.  I know the issue isn't that you aren't trying hard enough -- it's that you have an injury that needs to be treated.    Think of all the things you've accomplished and don't ever think that you don't try hard enough because that is so not true.   

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

Sorry guys but I have to do a little happy dance here since I had another "whoosh" and am now down 14 pounds for this challenge.    All I have to do is lose 1 pound between now and the end of the month to be on track for ONE-derland at the Tink!  

Off to my physical this afternoon.  Hope the doctor has some good ideas for the runner's tummy.  

I'll be reading along this week-end even though I can't really post on the iPhone very well.  Have a great week-end!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose and Nancy- so sorry for all the blah feelings.  I totally understand what you are saying.  

Rose- get that foot checked out!

Nancy- I had the same PPD stuff untreated with Ryan and by the time he was 9mth or so I felt better.  I was scared of going through it again with Nick so I talked with my OB about it before he was born.  Basically she said just see what happens and this time ask for help even if it is counseling vs. meds.  Well of course with Nick I was fine.  Its better to mention it ahead of time so there not surprised if you do need to call.  Ryan was born in the winter and I think that had alot to do with it.  Make sure you use us as a support system....everyone I talked to at home just told me I was being ridiculous and my family laughed about how crazy I was being.  I had more the anxiety which I think led to the depression because who wants to feel anxious all the time right?  So at least we are here for you and some of us having had similar feelings too.  I would have loved to have you all around back then.  Hang in there girlfriend.

Lisa- 14lbs.  Wow you go girl  That is awesome.

Maria- Homemade popcorn would be hard for me to turn away too.

Kathy- Well at least you exercised and had conga bars...it would have felt even worse if you just ate the bars right?

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

wow its thursday already.... this week has flown by.  Monday was great.  We got to see Ryan in action during school.  I thought he did really well in school and on occasion can see the focus issue occuring but it doesnt seem all that bad.  We are still just keeping an eye on it.  It was nice to see what he is doing all day.  I only got called once in the afternoon and it was a needed phone call because we had people out the following day.  Overall it was a nice day off and it was beautiful weather too.  We also signed Ryan up for basketball that night too.  So football ends on Sun 10/30 and bball starts on Mon 10/31.  Hahahahah no break for us.

the rest of this week has been uneventful.  We had off from practice last night due to rain.  It was nice to get the kids to bed by 8.  I have been so tired lately and Im sure it is from weight gain, not running, and poor nutrition.  Im not even going to say it because I am getting tired of hearing myself.  I am now just following Nike's motto of "just do it". 

My eye is all the way healed and I have been wearing contacts for a limited time each day to get my eyes use to them again.  Its amazing I can see so much better with contacts.

This weekend we have a football game at 2pm on Sat and then my aunt is having a kids halloween party at her house at 530.  She has gone all out for this party.  She has a scary story to tell and then will have differnt rooms set up at different areas like the hallway is a forrest and she will have crepe paper handing down from the ceiling.  Each room will have something they have to feel and guess what it is.  Things like gooey eyeballs, mushy brain, etc.  She is dressing up like a witch and my dad like a ghost.  She has been putting so much time and creativity into this I hope it goes off as planned.  Im afraid my kids will see the lights dimmed and hear the scarry music and not even want to go in the front door.

Then sunday we have sunday school in the morning.  Ryan now has an impromtu football game at 3 which mike will take him too.  Nick and I are going to a fall festival party at the Dr's house I work for.  

So that is my busy fun weekend we have planned.  I cant wait till tomorrow is over.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisa - *FOURTEEN POUNDS!?! that's AWESOME! you are kicking some major bootay this challenge! what's your secret? tracking everything? point counting? eating in moderation? running a boatload of half marathons and other races?  you're inspiring me!

*lindsay - *that you for sharing your experience. if it's ok, i will definitely be using you guys to "talk" to. i was just so...lost...when i had thomas and cried alot. and my mother YELLED at me - "how dare you cry when all you wanted was a baby? you should be so happy and thrilled." so...yeah. the support system here is pretty non-existant. i'm glad i spoke to the doctor ahead of time. maybe just talking about it will help! i'd prefer not to go on any meds but will if it gets bad.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Can you gain back 46 pounds in one week? Notice I didn't say 50, cause I am already up a couple of pounds. Hopefully I will get my mojo back soon. I didn't tape my foot today and I wore regular shoes, so it's hurting and my ankle is swollen. At least my doctor won't think I'm a hypochondriac.

Thanks for the pep talks today. I really needed it. I'm not in a good place. But hopefully it will be better soon.

*Lisa*--Congrats on the 14 pounds!!!!!! That's so exciting! Have a wonderful weekend.

*Lindsay*--I'm really glad your eye is better. Your weekend sounds great! 

*Nancy*--your Mom and my Mom should get together and compare notes. They could compete for the title of "who has said the meanest, crappiest thing to their daughter." 

I didn't work out today. I debated just running anyhow, but I stayed at work late instead. I am swamped with end of the year stuff already. But at least it's a nice distraction from duplicate reports.

Ok, have a nice evening.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hi Ladies!

Super quick because I am seriously about to sleep...

I ended up writing the performance measures for the entire Brookline/Newton/Watertown/Waltham (two good size cities and two good size towns) area for a national application today. This is usually the job of a consultant, but I guess I look gullible  Anyway, that took all my DIS time and more. 

Tomorrow I have to work all day (wahh!). I have to spend the morning adding and checking $8M spread among about 100 letters, making sure the amounts are all correct. I should have done that today, but I had to drop everything. Tomorrow afternoon I'm giving a tour with my boss of one of our newest properties. It's an old convent converted into 28 units of affordable housing. It's nice, but a long way from my house...so I'll probably be home later than I want to. Benjamin has a halloween birthday party tomorrow night. He's wearing camo and face paint. If you ask him he says he's a "covert operative". The twin girls next door are turning 13. I'm not entirely sure we should celebrate  

I will be in bed early, and then up for that long run. I'll be thinking of you guys to get me through 

*Rose* -- You are having a rough time, my friend  I almost wrote my fried friend, I think there's some of that going on, too. Just so much to think through right now, and the injury is not helping.  I'm sorry the work stuff is starting to heat up. Our Devo staff is not allowed to take any vacation between Halloween and New Year's. I'm glad I'm not in that dept....

*Lindsay* -- I am so glad your eye is healed, and you have a great plan for the weekend. The haunted house sounds fabulous!  Maybe you'll be really lucky and the Eagles have a bye...but I doubt it because the Pat do.

*Lisah* -- 14 lbs?! You are awesome  I am so glad, because no one deserves it more than you do. You are getting all your runs in, doing all these races, and still cheering everyone else on. I used to say Tedy Bruschi was the heart of the Patriots, you are the heart of the Princess/Tink collaborative!  Good luck with your doctor, I hope the solution is just waiting for you. 

*Nancy* -- I totally get it about your dad. Dennis is awesome, but he has no problem not eating something when he's trying to lose weight. He just works out every day and doesn't eat anything he shouldn't -- he says he's going to do it, and he does. I feel like I have a personality flaw because I can't seem to get that right. Like with running, I will make goals and work toward them, but I never just execute a plan with precision and no deviation. 

*Kathy* -- We haven't been to Canobie Lake this year. We went last year and the year before for the Screamfest. Ben and his friends had a great time. I'm sure he'll want to try out the new coaster. How nice of you to make congo bars for the volunteers! You're a good egg, you are  Thanks for introducing us to the Nebo TR. I am loving it! Should you want to laugh when Michael is not in the room, check out the "Real Housewives of South Boston" on YouTube. Definitely not kid appropriate or politically correct, but I could not stop laughing. 

Ok, the sandman is calling me. I'm bummed because despite the fact I'm doing better this week and I should be back to where I was before I went to Las Vegas, I'm going to be up about 3 lbs because of TOM. I get it's logical, I just don't want to report it -- or be excused for the 3rd week in a row  I guess I'll just go with it. I'm bound to have a loss next week, if I can stay away from the  and chocolate...

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses and Tinks!!

It must be something in the air I've been a little cranky and overwhelmed this week too.  Nothing major, just too much to do and not enough time to fit it in.  Tom does not help the mood either, and last nights mud bath at football practice was so not as cute and fun as last week.  He's supposed to be able to wear his dirty uniform tonight, but when it's like that, he just can't so I had to clean it all up last night, and will do it all again tonight.  At least his game is saturday morning, so we'll have the afternoon to chill, rake some leaves, cut the grass for the last time, I hope.  We want to stop by my friends and say good bye to her mom who'll be going back to Ireland on monday, and then my brother, sil and niece are coming to visit. Michael is very excited to show them all he's learned on the sax.  We have an anniversary mass for my dad on sunday, and will get lunch with the family after that.  I can't believe he's been gone 16 years.  So busy enough weekend, but should be relaxing and pretty low key.   I'm happy I cleaned last weekend, so I don't have to do any housework.   

*Lisa*-You so totally ROCK!! 14 pounds is fabulous, and you will so be in Onederland for the Tink, and I'm pretty sure you'll beat me to it too!!  I am so happy for you, and *Maria* said it beautifully, you are truly the heart of our little group, always so positive and so supportive.  I can not wait to see your picture as you cross the Tink finishline!!  Have a wonderful weekend with your mom and sister.  

*Rose*- Hang in there, honey.  You will not gain that weight back, I am sure of it.   Take it one day at a time.  You've got so much on your plate.  I hope your doctor will have some ideas about your foot and can get you on the road to a permanent recovery.  

*Nancy* -Hang in there.  You must be exhausted.  Remember the last time you were 8 months pregnant, you could just do what you had to do and rest the rest of the time, not chase a 2 year old around every minute of the day.  I'm glad you talked to the doctor about ppd, and I hope, like Lindsay, you will be just fine this time.  I think if you can find a way to get out and run it will definitely be a big help for your mental state.  It will be tough, but you will do it, you've got a disney race in 2013 to run.   Congo bars are a chewy chocolate chip bar, easy to make, butter, box of brown sugar, flour eggs, and they taste yummy.  Hot. with a little ice cream on them.  mmmmm.  now why am I not losing weight here?  

*Lindsay*- Glad the eye is all better.  Sounds like a really fun weekend you have planned.  It's looking like perfect fall weather this week too.  Yay!

*Maria*- I'll be thinking of you tomorrow morning as I sit with my coffee watching michael's game, knowing you will be running your 10 miles, and knowing how good and accomplished you will feel when you are finished.  Slow and steady, don't overdo it, it will be a beautiful morning in new england for a run.    Will I see you on the real housewives of South Boston?  Sounds pretty funny.  Have you seen the Long Island Medium?  I haven't but a bunch of girls at work are talking about it, and how funny it is.  Good luck with the 13 yo girls.  It's all part of growing up, we can't stop it, can we?  I have to get back over to the Nebo trip report too.  They are so funny over there.  

*LisaL*-Hope you're having a blast!

I should go catch up on the bl thread a little.  I saw some corn maze chatter happening over there.  

I hope the work day flies by and the weekend is long and and relaxing for all of us.  Except for your 10 miles *maria*, I hope that flies by.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hello, hello, hello!  How is everyone. The sun is out here, so it will be a good day no matter what.

I ran 3.5 this morning in 37 min, did a mile on the elliptical and lifted weights. Such a stress reliever! I was starting to feel like I couldn't breathe, I was so stressed. I went to see my doctor and she was nice as can be, just like always. She sent me to for an xray and assuming that comes back ok, gave me a referral for pt. She did say she usually is pretty aggressive with sending people for pt for ankle injuries--meaning I should have come in a lonnnnnnng time ago. 

She said the place she'd like me to do pt does a great job with getting female athletes back on the road. That could possibly be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. I'm tearing up just thinking about it. I don't know if anyone has ever called me an athlete before--well maybe Mike, but he doesn't count. The rad tech said she didn't see anything on the xrays, and they would be read today. So hopefully, I will know something by Monday. I'm not even going to think about what this is going to cost. We have the worst health insurance. If I can walk around in regular shoes again without pain and run again it will be worth it!

*Kathy*--sounds like you have a great weekend planned too! I would so not be liking the mud. When Tom played soccer we basically made him strip down to boxers in the car so he didn't get mud everywhere. He covered up with a blanket and and I brought extra sweats along so he wasn't naked! I totally understand the overwhelmed and cranky thing. Sometimes you just have to be a little cranky.

*Maria*--good luck on your run tomorrow! I hear you on the t.o.m. I still have no idea when it's coming--but I'm craving carbs, so I'm guessing soon! I hope today goes by fast for you. I would not like it if we couldn't take vacation until Jan. Our office often closes down between Christmas and New Years--we won't know for a couple more weeks if we are going to this year. It has to do with goals, etc. My boss did tell me yesterday she wanted the list for the annual report right after the first of the year and I told her it was going to take a few days. Last year it took me about a week to catch up after the holidays. I'm glad we are busy now--it's a nice distraction with everything else that's going on.

Hi to the Lisas and Lindsay and Nancy. I haven't been sleeping well--so I think I might take a nap. Enjoy your Friday!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi all.

I was at our annual employee forum today.  Our president/CEO of the hospital network is amazing.  He just took over this past year for the one who retired.  I am loving the new things he is doing.  The postives coming out of this meeting are that our network of over 10,000 employees is going strong and doing well, I got a nice insulated lunch bag with a tumbler (both with our networks logo), and it gave me an excuse to call it a day alot earlier than I normally do on a Friday.  The really great thing that I want to share with you is something that he spoke about which is part of our new strategic planning efforts called Mission Possible.  He said reframe your mom and how you think.....find the positives or the possiblilites in things instead of picking out the flaws.  If you believe it will happen. 

I just thought we all could use that in our daily lives as I think just about everyone of us has been overwhelmed, cranky, moody, sad, etc lately.  I guess its like yes my life is crazy and I wish I had more money and Im tired of running around and feeling like everyones slave and I want more time for myself but that is finding all the flaws in my life.  So today I am going to say this:

I am so happy to be alive, healthy, and happy.  I have two wonderful healthy children and I am so thankful that they can be so active because there are those who are not as fortunate as them.  I may not have money to go where I want to right now but I do have money to put a nice roof over our head, and food in our mouths.  Today I am greatful!!!!!

Rose- I am glad your appt went well and that you sound so much better today.  You may just be fakin it til you make it but if thats all you can do right now than that is ok.  We love you either way and we are always here to listen...its hard to always think of the good when life is so overwhelming.  Hang in there and soak some of that sun in today.

Kathy- uggh the mud.  I would be annoyed too.  once is funny but twice...not so much.  I hope you enjoy your family low key weekend.

Maria- wow that was alot of work to get done.  I hope you can really enjoy your weekend and have some nice relaxing time.  The Eagles are on a bye to so hopefully my husbands fantasy team does well and then we can have a celebratory sunday

Nancy- I hope you are doing ok today.

Lisa H- Have a great trip visiting with mom and sister.

Hi Lisa!

Ok well now that I am home early I dont know what to do with myself.  We are just waiting for Mike to get home and then we are going to the halloween store to see if Mike can find a cheap costume to wear to work.  The whole daycare dresses up so he doesnt want to be left out.  Oh and can you believe they moved Ryans football game from 2 to 4 tomorrow.  My Aunts party starts at 530 so now Ryan will be late.  So annoying.  Our organization is not organized at all it drives me completely insane....  This is one of the only reasons I am glad for football to soon be over that and sitting out at night during practice in the freezing cold is getting a little old.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning lovely princessabelles!!

Sounds like friday was a good positive day.  I picked michael up at fun club a little early, and he told me it was the halloween party at school last night, and wanted to skip football practice to go.  I found myself encouraging him to go practice with the game today and feeling guilty if he skipped, but then he was so sad, and I decided to just let him skip practice.  He's 9 for crying out loud.  I don't know why I felt so bad about him missing practice.  Stupid.  I'm just a rule follower, and don't like to break the rules I guess.  He had a fun time at the halloween party, and was glad he did it.  Of course we didn't have a costume yet, so he wore the cave man/woman costume that was mine, and when he looked in the mirror he thought he looked like a girl, so we covered him with brown eye shadow to look like dirt, and off we went.  We'll leave for his game at 9 this morning, so I made two apple pies to have with my bro and fam, and one to bring to my friends house this afternoon.  At least I have people to share with today.   I talked to my sil last night and we're going to walk tomorrow morning while michael does ccd.  I definitely need to get more focused and get some exercise in.  I need to make a plan for 2 more days this week to get out and walk/run and stick to it.  

*Rose*-I'm so glad your doctor is so good to you and listens to you.  Of course you are an athlete!!  But I'm sure it felt great for a professional to say that too.  It bites to have to pay for pt, but if it will help then every penny will be worth it.  I just got the copay bill for michael's er and mri visits.  I was surprised the mri is 400$, they never had a copay before, but i think maybe it's to deter people from getting them needlessly.  

*Lindsay*-I loved reading all that you are grateful for, and it made me cry, in a good way.  I too feel so blessed, and lucky for all i have in my life, especially when you see how so many have it so hard.  I felt it so strongly when Micheal and I were walking around Childrens Hospital last month, to see what some kids and familys are dealing with, and to know how lucky we are.  It is so easy sometimes to forget that, and let the little things bother us.  Thanks for the reminder.  Enjoy your weekend!!

Off to shower.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hey Ladies!

Well, I had a good workout. I pushed myself like I haven't in a very long time. As a matter of fact, I was pushing so hard Dennis made me stop at 8.5M...apparently pale and shaky is a sign.  I'm a bit disappointed I didn't get 10 in, but I do feel good about what I accomplished. I haven't run that far since the Providence Half in August, so I was asking a lot more than I have in quite awhile. It was also good because it helped me see what I need to get used to again. I ran the last Princess so well and happy because I was in the best conditioning I had ever had. I plan to do the same again next year, so it's time to start in earnest. 

After my run I took a shower and had lunch with Benjamin. Dennis went to Foxborough for a UMASS/UNH football game (that's where the Patriots play). Yep, that's two weeks in a row he's off playing with his friends. It's all good, tomorrow after my latest church debacle I am going into complete relax mode. And really, Ben has so much homework, I can kind of be that way today, too. I'm going to DIS, read a book, catch up on Tivo, and think about what I should be doing -- , , maybe I'll get to some of that, but if I don't, I don't. 

*Kathy* -- I bet Michael had more fun at his Halloween party than Ben had at his! I think you made the right choice. Let him go enjoy it while he can. It is a special event. Ben's party of 12/13 girls and boys (next door, trust me I was occasionally checking through the windows and Mom and Grandma barely left the room and never at the same time) didn't keep his interest. He left before it was over. They played a couple of games, then sort of left them to figure out what to do. Which sounds good in theory, but  I think they actually need planned activities more at that age.  Anyway, the apple pies sound wonderful! If I'm feeling frisky later maybe I'll make an angel food cake with cherry pie filling. Or maybe not, my knees seem to be pretty happy staying on the 2nd floor 

*Lindsay* -- The Forum sounds great, very inspirational. I'm so glad it put you in a happy place  Enjoy your Bye, I know I am. It's nice to be able to fall asleep during an afternoon game  Yes, the moments I'm looking forward to now revolve around napping.  It was a crazy-busy week, and I can only take so many of these in a row. I really should be finished for good with the nonsense next week. I am certainly hoping so. I'd really like it if the rest of the Fall could be uneventful and I could feel like I have the energy to focus on me. I know that sounds so selfish, but I feel like I started things out of control between vacation and all the company, and I just want a "return to normalcy"...bonus points if anyone can recall who this phrase is associated with -- hint: it's a U.S. President!

*Rose* -- I get the reason the Devo staff can't take vacation is this is such a huge time of year for them, but really, that's a bit much. I do count my blessings not to be part of them, they also have a dress code and various rules. They must take all agency holidays off, they are not allowed to come in and work if they want to. Really? We have an earned time bank, so for instance theoretically if someone is Jewish and they want to take off Yom Kippur instead of Christmas, it's no big deal. Unless their in that scary dept...anyway, I'm so glad the visit with your doctor went well. You are absolutely an athlete, and you have medals to prove it!  

I'm going to head to the main thread to reply to *Pamela*. I need to start paying attention over there since I'm coaching next week 

 to the *Lisas and Nancy!*

Then it's me and a nice nap.....

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*rose - *when does PT start? sounds like you and the doctor are on the same page. and her wanting to get you back in running form is awesome! i found a doc like that last year when i had my foot injury and i was so pumped after the appt b/c i felt like he actually WANTED to help me. did the doc mention anything about getting an MRI? maybe that would show something that the x-ray wouldn't? just a thought. x-rays don't show my back injuries but put me through an MRI and lo and behold i have herniated discs and all other issues.

*kathy - *glad michael had a good time at the halloween party. it's hard i'm sure with kids that age to both be a stickler for rules AND let them have fun. i mean, yeah, he committed to football and that means all practices and games. but he's a kid! he should be allowed to go to halloween parties too. it all changes once they get older and on teams so might as well let him enjoy now! i missed so much in HS because of soccer, basketball, and golf. BUT, i chose it so it was ok  i could really go for some apple pie now 

*maria *- nice work on the 8.5! although i agree with dennis - pale and shaky is not exactly the best way to end a run - be careful! enjoy your day of relaxation today. what shows do you have tivo'ed? oh and return to normalcy....harding, right?? his campaign promise or something like that...right? speaking of presidents - did you know i can name all the presidents in order? washington, adams, jefferson, madison, monroe, adams, jackson, van buren....NERD!! 

*lindsay - *thanks for telling us what you're grateful for. i need to sit and think about that more often myself. i've been doing NOTHING but complaining for...forever..and it's getting old. i have plenty to be happy about. just remind me of that in january-ish when it's cold and i'm stuck in this little shack with two kids. oh boy!

*lisas! - *how are you? where are you?

***

hi gals - this is my "relax" day. lol. i laugh because yesterday was supposed to be that and it definitely wasn't. but today i'm making it one. john took thomas to soccer yesterday and i stayed home. i took a nice long hot shower. that itself was nice because i didn't have a certain 2 year old watching me and flushing the toilet causing the water temp to change every five seconds! i blow dried my hair which for the first time in MONTHS, put on some mascara and my very best mickey maternity t-shirt (lol!) and started to head out to get my toes done. and....no wallet. john had it in the diaper bag. F*$%!!!!! so i did a little laundry instead. not fun. and not relaxing. john got home with thomas and had to jump in the shower and head downtown for a client meeting. we hoped that thomas would take a big nap since he took one for 3 hours after soccer last week and i could at least lay down. nope. an hour. john was gone for like 4 hours and i was left chasing the little boy around. so much for a relaxing saturday. 

BUT today is pamper time and that's just the way it's going to be. john is taking thomas on errands and they just left. and i booked myself a prenatal massage! my first ever! it's $130 for 50 minutes and i'm just fine with that. i deserve it dammit! i'm going to have a little breakfast and then head out to find an open nail salon to do my toesies too. 

the massage is at 12 but i need to leave the bronx by 11:15ish to make sure i get there in plenty of time. it's up in white plains but traffic could be bad. 

afterwards it's home and cleaning a bit and a real estate agent is coming by between 3 and 4 to check out the place. we're going to list with her. wanted to skip that but we need to get this house sold. 

i have other stuff to chit chat about but i'm going to pop off and have my breakfast and quick shower and head out. maybe a little stop over at dunkin donuts too for second breakfast


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

I have 10 minutes until everyone needs to get up and get their morning started so I will be quick! 

*Lisa,* welcome back!  Sounds like you had a wonderful time from your post on FB and can't wait to hear the details!  

*Rose,* so glad that you had a good prognosis and that the doctor is putting you on PT.  You sounded more like yourself in your post and I don't think you are having to "fake it" so much.   

*Lindsay,* loved your inspirational post!    Looks like the Halloween party was a success in spite of the game being moved.  

*Kathy,* I'm glad that Michael had a good time at the party.  I don't think that missing one practice is a big deal and hopefully the coach felt the same way!   

*Maria,* great job on the run.  You'll be back up to 10 in no time.  Glad that Dennis made you stop.  Hope you got some rest this week-end!    Is this the last of the crazy weeks?  Here's some extra  for you!  

*Nancy,* how was the massage?  Did they have a special table for your preggo belly?   I laughed when I read of your talent for the President's -- I can still name the 50 states in alphabetical order from a song I learned in the 
4th grade.  

Had a good time with my Mom and sister.  People here seemed happy to see me even though I wasn't gone long.  Still dragging a bit from the bug last week.  But no matter.  Tomorrow I will do a slow, short run and get back on the Tink training.  Have to dump a couple of pounds this week I picked up in the Puget Sound that I think are from travelling so I hit that magic number by the 1st of November. 

Out of time so will wish everyone a happy day!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

morning all! slow on the thread lately. hope everyone had a lovely monday. my mom actually came down. she made cupcakes for my mommy and me halloween party tomorrow. she was supposed to come down today but while thomas was napping she called and said she was coming yesterday (monday). alright. whatever. i guess i'll take what i can get. she stayed for dinner actually. maybe that's because i suckered her into cutting up a butternut squash for me. hehe. those things are a big pain in the butt! 

my massage on sunday was really nice! the bed had a hole in it where i could put my belly - very funny but comfy  

we met with a real estate agent on sunday and signed with her. the house is now listed on realtor.com so hopefully we'll get some bites. 

it's tuesday which means no mommy and me. i need to figure out something to do today. usually we'd go to the zoo but the thought of walking more than 10 feet frankly makes my crotch hurt. 

have a wonderful day everyone! *lisa - *hope you're feeling better - gonna run today??


----------



## Rose&Mike

Enjoy your day *Nancy*. I agree, those butternut squash are hard to cut up!

Glad you had a nice visit *Lisa*.

I am still faking it a lot, but it's getting easier. My xrays did not show a fracture. I wondered about an mri *Nancy*, but I'm ok that she didn't suggest it. My guess is that if things don't improve that will be the next step. I start pt tomorrow. So that's exciting. And is making me a little nervous. But I really, really, really want to be running again. I rode my bike while Mike ran on Sunday, and I'm just not cut out to be a bicyclist.

Hi to Kathy, and Lindsay, and Maria and Lisa. And Pamela if you're out there.

Have a great Tuesday!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

Hi *Nancy!*   Glad that you had a good time with your Mom and that you enjoyed your massage!    Good luck with the house sale thing.  No doubt everyone will want showings during nap time, when you are trying to rest, etc.    I think that you need to take it easy these last few weeks and take care of yourself, Bronxbaby and Thomas! 

I don't think I will be running today.  My bug has moved into my lungs and I had to use my both of my inhalers several times yesterday, which I hardly ever have to do.  I need to let things calm down a bit.  Apparently I have some heartburn issues that are affecting my respiratory system.  My doctor was not as helpful with the runner's tummy thing as I was hoping as he was too busy getting the GERD thing analyzed and starting me on cholesterol medicine.    So I have to give myself another couple of days to get to feeling better and then there will be no stopping me!  

*Rose,* good luck with the PT tomorrow.  I'm glad that you are feeling better and are still able to get out and do something.  I know that you need that!    Once they get that foot fixed up there will be no stopping you!  

*Nancy,* you asked my secret for losing 14 pounds -- which is my total again  -- and the secret is *FEAR*!   Mind numbing, heart pounding, wake you up in the middle of the night, fear.    Because getting this weight off is key to getting my speed up for the Tink.  And making it through the Tink without being swept is the only way that I will be able to justify making the trek to WDW in January 2013 for the Donald and to watch you and *Rose* run your marathons.    It also probably doesn't hurt that I am covering old ground.    The real challenge will be in November and December keeping things up.  But I can do it!  

Hello to the rest of our gang!  


Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies!!

I got cancelled today because I was scheduled for extra time this week, so it's a bonus.  Kind of nice to have an alone day.  I'm going to take a walk in a few, and then go to a pension meeting at the hospital.  It's at the other hospital in my town, so it's not like I'm going into work.  I had my brother look over everything with me, and he agrees with me that the best deal is to stick with the old pension plan, and add 2 percent of my money to that.  The monthly difference is huge, but I'll go to the meeting and make sure I understand it all.  Which I think I do.  After I might just sit on the recliner and watch a movie before michael gets home from school.  There's lots of yard work to do, but it rained last night so that's my excuse for not doing it today.  

*Lisa*-Glad you had a nice visit, but sorry you're still not feeling well.  Do you have bronchitis and did he put you on an antibiotic, or does he think it's all viral?  I hope you're feeling better soon, and you are back out pounding the pavement without wheezing.  Definitely a good idea to take a break while you're not up to par.  I know you will find a way to get out there in december and january.  Little Tinkerbell will be on your shoulder sprinkling you with pixie dust all along the way.  Hope you're feeling better real soon.

*Rose*-Happy to hear you didn't have a fracture, and I  hope PT goes well for you.  It is reassuring to know the center you're going to has a good track record with athletes like yourself and they will get you back out running as soon as possible.  Good luck tomorrow.

*Nancy*-Sounds like your mom is trying, so that's good.  I hope she doesn't let you down, or you dont let her let you down.   Good luck with the house.  And I don't blame you for not wanting to walk around the zoo.  So glad you had a nice relaxing day and a massage.  What a nice treat.  I think dh should be giving you nightly massages before bed for carrying his little bronxbaby.  

*Maria*-8.5 miles is awesome!!  You should be very proud.  It's not easy to get back out there, but you did it, and you are on your way to feeling great at the princess.  jeez, that 12/13 age is so awkward, isn't it.  It will pass, and from what I've heard and seen, we are so lucky to have boys. 

*Lindsay*-Hope you enjoyed your fun filled weekend and are having a good week, too. 

*Lisa*- hello there.  Loved your california pics on facebook.  Looks like you all had a fabulous trip. 

Well, off to get some exercise.  I'm planning to do 4 miles.  Then go to the work meeting at 11:30, then maybe hit red box for a fun movie.  I'm trying to stay current on the bl thread, and do Pamela's challenge to stay on track 80% of the time til Thanksgiving.  If I don't get it under control now, I know the holiday season is good for 5-10 pounds, and I just can't do that.  My goal is to lose 5.4 by thankgiving and be under 210.  

Have a princessey day ladies!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning  and !

Well, I was supposed to run this morning, but that would have required getting up and out of my bed, and it just didn't seem meant to be. I will run when I get home. Not sure how far, but I will do my best 

I have really got to pull this together. My scale keeps going up, and my impetus is not moving towards doing the things I need to. I have to stop eating mini candy bars like, well, candy in the afternoon. I have to actually get up so the workouts can happen. I'm really hoping that when I finally catch up on this sleep deficit -- I am hours away from the endless projects being finished! -- everything will fall into place. I could fall asleep right now. I am doing my best to deal with the stress, but what's happening is I'm disengaging from work and life. I know it's just temporary and yes, I'm still a happy person, but I will not be so happy if I get to February and I'm running at an even higher weight than August! 

*Kathy* -- Enjoy your day off! I hope the 4M goes great. Ok, I'm going to get with it and accept your unwritten challenge. I am going to commit to getting back under 190 by Thanksgiving. More Fun for the Turkey Run! -- that is our motto! That will be a big stretch, but if I would just do my training and stop eating crap, I know it could happen.  Benjamin went apple picking in Tynsborough Sunday with the church youth group. He didn't bring any apples home to us because he thought we wouldn't want any 

*Lisah* -- I'm glad you mentioned fear as a motivator, because mine is starting to kick in!  Yes, you definitely need to rest and let yourself recover. You are wise to recognize you need to take care of yourself. I see cups of hot tea and good books in your future  I'm glad you had fun with your mom and sister. One thing I miss about my mom being gone is I really don't have female relatives to hang out with. Even when they were all around here, Dennis's sisters would plan things for them, his stepsister and their cousin, but I was never included...anyway, I do get along great with Dennis's sbrother's wife, so we do things sometimes, but usually we have the fellas along. We took a cruise to Bermuda together a few years ago, and she and I went shopping one day while the guys snorkeled. That was a great day I will always remember.  I guess you guys are my substitute electronic "sisters" -- I hope that doesn't sound too weird?! The friends I grew up with or went to school with are pretty far away, and we don't have much in common anymore. 

*Rose* -- You have a fantastic attitude for your PT, I know it is going to be just the thing to get you moving as you want to again  I am really starting to think about marathon weekend 2013. Dennis keeps talking about it and as long as I can keep him engaged and not push too hard too soon, I'll be able to make those reservations!  A delicate balance, I must walk 

*Nancy* -- Your mom is totally making an effort. She did hear you (through your dad, but she did get it).  I barely wanted to move when I was that pregnant, I don't blame you. The massage and pampering sounds wonderful, I'm so glad you were able to take some time for yourself. Congratulations, you are are correct about Warren Harding! I am so impressed you can name the Presidents in order. I am good from Washington to Jackson, and Hoover to the present. In between I'm as lost as Millard Fillmore  My Tivo is a scary place -- I think this weekend I watched: OLTL, Hawaii 5-0, Castle, BL, Body of Proof, Brad Meltzer's Decoded, Grey's, Person of Interest, Sanctuary and Bedlam. I deleted Toddlers and Tiaras and The Little Couple from the season pass. I just decided it was time 

*Lisa* -- I'm looking forward to hearing all about your trip 

*Lindsay* -- Hope the fantasy picks went well and you had an awesome weekend! 

*LurkyLoo aka Pamela* -- Don't use up all the good questions this week, some of us are going to be burning the midnight oil to come up with a coherent thought next week! 

Time to eat my healthy lunch (left over grilled chicken from last night with raw veggies), and just say no to the candy bars...

Maria


----------



## liesel

Hi everyone, I'm back and trying to catch up on everything.  We had a nice trip, it seemed so short since we are used to spending more time out in CA.  The Tink trip will definitely seem like a whirlwind.  My first order of business was to get my pictures up on FB, we had several nieces and nephews (we have 12!) who couldn't attend the wedding and were dying for pics!  We have a niece who has lupus and has spent most of the last 2 months in the hospital dealing with various issues (her medications have supressed her immune system).  She has been through so much since age 19 including many lengthy hospital stays, almost dying, and a double hip replacement.  The way she keeps going and has such a positive attitude is so inspiring to me.

Disneyland was wonderful as always, we rode the new Star Tours 5 times and the new Little Mermaid 4 times, plus tried some of the many new food offerings that are there since our last visit.  The kids enjoyed the Halloween decorations and I was forced to tell them about MNSSHP when they saw everyone in costume (the party was the day we arrived and after being up since 5AM mountain time to get to the airport, there was no way they would make it to midnight, or even close!).  I told them that we would consider doing a party next year, before our APs expire.

CA Adventure has lots of construction walls at the front of the park.  It looks like we will be running down at least part of this corridor for the Tink and it really doesn't look that bad (fairly wide, no sharp turns), I think sections of AK could be narrower.  I was pointing out to DH, at least we will all be going in the same direction!  On one of my runs, I decided to run around the perimeter of the resort.  If someone had told me 2 1/2 years ago that I would do this in the morning and then do a full day at the parks, I would have told them that they are nuts.  The perimeter covered the first mile of the half plus a small section at the end (it looks like most of the end will be through CA Adventure, though).  There are actually 4 hills.  The course starts on a downhill, under the pedisteran overpass to DTD, the goes back uphill (this one's pretty small, not too bad).  Then there's another uphill as we go on a ramp to Ball Rd.  Then there are 2 freeway overpasses, back to back.  These were a little harder, they looked much easier when we were driving it!  Then its downhill into DL.  I didn't get a chance to drive every street after that, but it looks pretty flat.  I'll just have to focus on not pushing too hard that first mile, I want to make sure I enjoy running through DL after that!  I got a better idea of the increased humidity there (more sweat and I needed more water, just like I do at this higher altitude here at home) and my pace was about 1 mm faster than at home without any additional effort thanks to lovely lovely sea level.

I did my long run on Saturday (wedding day) instead of Friday, because we logged so many walking miles Tues-Thurs, we really needed a recovery day.  So I did my first 5 miler ever in the very hot desert of Joshua Tree, elevation 3000 feet (piece of cake living at 6500 feet!).  I got my first real taste of how mental running that far is.  I've seen everyone's posts about this, but I really experienced it for myself.  The first couple of miles were hilly and I didn't think I was going to make it to 5, I really had to push myself mentally (and remember that none of you would quit!) but I am so proud I did it and I was under pace!  I then capped off the run that evening by dancing the night away.  I was a little sore the next morning.

I got so many excited reactions from people when I told them I'd be back out in January for the Tink.  Some are going to come see me race.  I was so touched, I was almost crying at times.  It was the complete opposite reaction from my family here, who is pretty indifferent.  The outpouring of love really reaffirmed that DL is the right place for my first half.  One of my nieces recently announced that she is doing the full at WDW in Jan and I wish we could be there for that too, but she'll just have to do it again in 2013!

OK, enough of a book for now, I have some food porn that I might post in the DL dining thread and I need to catch up on the main thread.  It looks like Pamela is doing a fabulous coaching job as always.  I'll try to be back and do replies later.

Oh, I almost forgot, it looks like we might get 6 to 12 inches of snow tomorrow.  I might have to hit the dreadmill later in the week-lets hope not!


----------



## pjlla

Rose&Mike said:


> I am still faking it a lot, but it's getting easier. My xrays did not show a fracture. I wondered about an mri *Nancy*, but I'm ok that she didn't suggest it. My guess is that if things don't improve that will be the next step. I start pt tomorrow. So that's exciting. And is making me a little nervous. But I really, really, really want to be running again. I rode my bike while Mike ran on Sunday, and I'm just not cut out to be a bicyclist.
> 
> Hi to Kathy, and Lindsay, and Maria and Lisa. And Pamela if you're out there.
> 
> Have a great Tuesday!



I'm always here, lurking in the shadows!!  Good luck with the PT.



lisah0711 said:


> I don't think I will be running today.  My bug has moved into my lungs and I had to use my both of my inhalers several times yesterday, which I hardly ever have to do.  I need to let things calm down a bit.  Apparently I have some heartburn issues that are affecting my respiratory system.  My doctor was not as helpful with the runner's tummy thing as I was hoping as he was too busy getting the GERD thing analyzed and starting me on cholesterol medicine.    So I have to give myself another couple of days to get to feeling better and then there will be no stopping me!



Feel bettter soon!  ANd you're right... then there will be NO stopping you!



Worfiedoodles said:


> *LurkyLoo aka Pamela* -- Don't use up all the good questions this week, some of us are going to be burning the midnight oil to come up with a coherent thought next week!
> 
> Maria



Yup.... here I am!!   ................P


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hey Ladies!

I am so pleased to report when I got home I ran 4M on the TM! This was my scheduled distance, I am so pleased  You know how hard it is for me to do an evening workout, I just buckled down and did it. Dennis made salmon and an avocado for me for dinner. Trying to get back on the lower carb wagon...I think I will make it to bed without a scary snack. I just need to get up and do my run tomorrow, to start the day off on the right foot. 

Everyone have a great evening, tomorrow is going to be Woohoo Wednesday 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princessabelles!!

*Maria*-Great job getting on the dreadmill last night.  It is not easy to do, believe me we know that here.  Good for you.  And you can see 190 by Thanksgiving. Rememeber last years motivation of the princess.  You're getting it back.  I like the motto, More fun for the Turkey Run.  When football is over, Michael and I will start some earnest training for the run.  He did the Mickey Mile in 11 minutes, so he wants to do better than last years 43 minute 5k.  His friend is doing it too, so we'll see how hard they push.  Either way, I'll be the last one because I know they can push themselves way faster than I could and they won't want me to beat them. 

*LisaL*-Nice job getting out there on your vacation and getting the runs in.  Especially the 5 miles on the day of the wedding.  That show true dedication.  The pics were beautiful.  Your poor niece with Lupus, but she sounds like an amazing girl.  Here's a big fat hug for the snow   I'm not envying you that.  I just took my a/c out and had the heat serviced so it's ready, but not on yet.  

*LisaH*-How are you feeling today? I hope you're getting better.  I figure you're probably getting up now, it is about 5 am, and will be posting soon.    Glad the men were happy to see you home after your trip.  

*Rose*-Good luck at PT today.

Hello *Lindsay, Nancy, and Pamela*

I only got a little over 2 miles yesterday because I needed the bathroom, but then I did some wii fit.  I did jog a little and the first time, I thought omg, I'm right back to where I started 2 years ago, but the second jog was easier, and the 3rd even easier, and I went about 4 min straight, and was fine.  So even though I have slacked big time the past few weeks, there is still some underlying fitness still within me.  
I tracked all my food yesterday, and know that is a huge thing for me to keep on track.  I did join the my fitness pal, but i haven't used it yet.  I think because I'm not always on the computer, it seems like more work for me, so I'll stick with my paper and pen for now.  Until I upgrade to a real phone, then maybe it will work.  

Off to make lunch.  have a great day!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Maria,* great job on running 4M after work yesterday!   That is a big accomplishment, especially considering the day I'm sure that you had at work!   

Happy Woohoo Wednesday!    I love Woohoo Wednesday! 

And here is a big bunch of  to get you through the rest of the week!

*Kathy,* hope that you enjoyed your day off yesterday and got to do something just for you!    Great job on the extra exercise!  

I think that you are right that we are lucky that we only have moody adolescent boys.  

Speaking of boys, mine has a dance coming up on Friday.  Except they don't call it a dance -- it's called a "lock-in."  And it's from 6 pm to 8 pm and you have to be signed in and out by your parents -- talk about a buzz kill!   I have not heard if he is going this year or not.  

I think my bug is viral, which is a bummer because otherwise I could just take some antibiotics and get over it.    Apparently it lasts for awhile according to the pharmacy.  Today is the first day that I feel like I might actually get over it sometime in the not too distant future -- ugh!  On Saturday I will try to do my miles not matter what, even if I just walk them.  

*Lisa,* loved your FB pics from your trip -- especially your enthusiastic son on IASW!  I also thought "Wow!  She's going to have a big cheering section at the Tink!"   Thanks so much, too, for all the info about the racecourse.  I feel alot better knowing what to expect.    Let us know when you post your food porn!   And good luck with the snow!    Wasn't it in the 70's there on Monday? 

*Pamela,* so nice to see you delurk!    You know that you are an honorary princess and welcome to chat any time.   

*Rose,* how was that PT?  Hope they have a great plan to get you back on the road soon!  

*Nancy,* I saw on your FB that you bought your Halloween candy.     I will get a bag but we will be lucky if we have two sets of trick or treaters.  I loved it when we lived in a neighborhood with lots of trick or treaters.  Hope that you are taking it easy!  

Speaking of trick or treaters, *Lindsay,* are your boys getting excited?  

Have a wonderful day princesses!


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> I only got a little over 2 miles yesterday because I needed the bathroom, but then I did some wii fit.  I did jog a little and the first time, I thought omg, I'm right back to where I started 2 years ago, but the second jog was easier, and the 3rd even easier, and I went about 4 min straight, and was fine.  So even though I have slacked big time the past few weeks, there is still some underlying fitness still within me.
> I tracked all my food yesterday, and know that is a huge thing for me to keep on track.  I did join the my fitness pal, but i haven't used it yet.  I think because I'm not always on the computer, it seems like more work for me, so I'll stick with my paper and pen for now.  Until I upgrade to a real phone, then maybe it will work.



Hi Kathy!  Of course you still have lots of fitness left!    I always feel like I'm going to keel over when I first start running.    Good job with the tracking!  I think that you will like myfitnesspal -- it's still plain old tracking but feels more exciting because it is something different!   I sent you a friend request but it is from my "other" internet id 1313harbor.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Man, this thread moves fast!

How are you all? Well, I had my pt this appointment this morning. Since then I went to the gym and rode the bike and did some hand weights and had a little mini pity party--including a gf cupcake and ice cream for lunch. Now I feel kind of sick. Maybe a cause and effect thing. I liked the physical therapist. She is a former runner who can't run anymore because of a bone defect--she told me what it was, but I can't remember. Basically she had a hole in both her ankles but still ran cc, etc until she finally had stress fractures in both shins. That's when they found out about her ankle. Anyhow, she really seems to get it about wanting to get back to running and said she really has a special passion for feet and ankles. 

So that was the good news. The bad news, my foot is pretty messed up right now. Nasty PF AND a pretty good fat pad injury. Plus the ankle thing, but she isn't even worried about that right now. We'll work on that down the road. I have decided I have a very high pain threshold, because she asked me multiple times if it was too much pressure when she worked on my foot and honestly, it was not nearly as bad as running and walking on it. And I still managed to do that until this week. It is pretty sore this afternoon, but she said that would happen. And you all should see the kt tape. It goes the whole way up my calf now. Maybe I'll take a pic and put it on facebook.

She thinks that some of the lingering itbs in that leg is coming from the foot stuff along with the calf pain, so hopefully once the foot is fixed, I will be good to go. I'm not supposed to do any kind of exercise where I'm putting lots of weight on my foot or jumping/running, etc. Basically I can ride the bike--but no spinning or I can swim--and we all know how good I am at that. I can do upper body weights. And that's it. I'm also supposed to be working on stretching my calf/hamstrings more. I need to ask her if I can do the exercises for itbs that don't involve your feet. I go twice a week for pt for 6-8 weeks. 

In 4-6 weeks I hope to be able to do the elliptical and spin and hopefully in 8 weeks will be able to start running again. Which is right about Christmas. I'd love to be able to run around the BW while we are there at Christmas. I KNOW it could be worse, but I'm pretty bummed. And *terrified* that I am going to put the weight back on. I have been slowly creeping up since we got back from w&d. I am proud of myself for riding the bike for an hour today. I took a book and just read the whole time. And turned my headset up loud so I didn't have to hear anyone else. 

In the past, I so would have used this as an excuse to quit, throw in the towel, get fat........and it's going to be hard. I don't do winter very well. But I really want to do the Princess--even if I am much slower than last year. And I will be slower, if I can even do it. I can't wait to see 2012. I am so ready for this year to be over. 

Ok, enough about me....

*Lisa*--I'm sorry you are having such a hard time with the cold/virus/gerd.  I hope you are feeling better. Take care of those lungs if the air is cold. And I'm sorry about the tummy stuff too. As for the weight--you can do it. You can. It's hard and it sucks sometimes. But it's doable. Jen (from Ohana) was commenting at w&d what a HUGE difference losing has made on her running. Whenever you get discouraged picture me cheering for you--go Lisa! go Lisa!

*Liesel*--great job running on vacation! Did I tell you my DS is going to be in Denver for a week in December? He is visiting his BF from USC who moved to Denver with his family. Hopefully he won't have any problems coming back cause he is flying from denver to mco to meet us for vacation!

*Lindsay*--Hope you are having a good week.

*Nancy*--

*Kathy*--I said this on the other thread--great job tracking! Good job getting in those miles! I think you will get your fitness levels back fast! You definitely aren't starting from where you were a couple of years ago.

*Maria*--good job running after work! Are you going to wait for me at the W tent when I hobble across the finish line at Princess? Ok, hopefully no hobbling, but maybe walking slowly by the end.

*Pamela*--if you want, send me a facebook request. (But it's totally ok, if you don't.) Glad to see you popping in.

I think I am mostly caught up. I have been up since 5:00--Mike was loud this morning. I think I am going to read my book for a few minutes and take a cat nap.


----------



## liesel

Ok, my food porn post is up on the DL dining thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=43064602&postcount=2810

*Kathy* This thread has some great food pics to give you an idea of DL dining.  There's not as many great themed restaurants as WDW, but there's some good stuff.  I didn't take that many food pics, sometimes I just forgot and started eating.  The thread hasn't been as active lately.


*Lisa* Congrats on the 14 pounds!  That is amazing!  I'm up 2.4 from the week in CA (see food post above ), and hope to get back down soon.  You'll be in great shape for the Tink!  Get well soon!  Not everyone in my FB pics are living in CA, they are a little spread out.  It's all DH's family.  So far besides DH and the kids my MIL, FIL, one BIL, and a friend are coming.  Everyone kept asking how early the race starts!    I said they should just track me at home and then just come see me at the finish line.

*Rose* I'm so sorry about the issues, but I'm glad you are taking action and are getting PT.  My DH had a shoulder/neck injury and 4 weeks of PT did wonders.  I didn't know Tom was coming to Denver.  December is usually a fairly dry month in terms of snow, but we often get these horrible Artic cold fronts.  Or it could be sunny and 50 degrees, you just never know around here.  Monday it was 80, today we have a bunch of snow!

*Kathy and Lindsay* Hi, you two sound busy with football and other kid stuff.  *Kathy* I'm glad you are getting your street fixed!

*Maria* Great job on getting the running in, especially after work.

*Hi to Pamela* I hope you are doing well.

Yesterdays run wasn't as much fun, readjusting to the altitude.  I ran 2mi in the same amount of time, I was just feeling more out of breath.  Luckily this snow isn't sticking to the roads and sidewalks as much so I'll be back out there soon.  Have a great evening everyone!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Super quick before I go to sleep -- real post tomorrow, I promise!

I got up and ran 4M intervals this morning. I was really proud because I cranked the incline up another .5, I also ran a bit slower than usual. These were the first intervals I've done in so long -- it felt really good. I get to go in later tomorrow, so I can sleep in and still run! Then I'm taking a rest day Friday before the big 10M attempt again on Saturday. 

Everyone have a great night, we are going to get there!

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria--woohoo for a good run!

Liesel--I'm sorry the altitude got to you. I am avoiding your food pics at this point.... I'm afraid those calories will jump off of the page.

****
Mike woke up before 4:30 and tossed and turned and woke me up so I went to the Y and got the pool run over with. It ended up being ok. One lady shared my lane and she was very nice. And when I finished 3 ladies who were swimming told me they were all runners who were fighting injuries--though they are still running. They had all pool run at some point and knew what I was doing. We talked about my tape and everyone's injuries, etc for a little bit. I was glad I got up and went in early. Everyone was very supportive and it was a pleasant experience. I did 40 minute of pool running in the deep end--so my feet didn't touch the ground. I had a float belt on, but my legs still felt jello like when I finished. So I guess it was ok. I miss feeling like I'm sweating, though. So I am going to aim to bike/lift weights 3 days a week and pool run 2 or 3 days a week.

Everyone have a super Thursday!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   



Rose&Mike said:


> Man, this thread moves fast!



You forgot to complain about the weather . . . 

*Rose,* your poor foot and poor you.    I'm glad that there are things that you can do and that they are encouraging you to keep active, even if it isn't the thing that you want to do the most.  Kudos to you for getting up a o'dark thirty this morning and doing a workout that you don't even like!    If anyone can work their way through this injury, it's you!  

*Lisa,* I enjoyed your food porn pics.  I don't remember ever seeing sweet potato fries at DL before.  Did you see any kitties at Hungry Bear?  ITA that the food offerings at DL are not as plentiful as those at WDW.  Sorry for the sucky run.  How is the snow?  Hope it doesn't stick!  The next time your running at DL will be at the Tink! 

*Maria,* nice job on running intervals yesterday.  You will be so ready to run again on Saturday!   

I got a bit off track yesterday after a run-in with some Halloween candy -- this is why I wait until the last minute to buy it.    It wasn't too bad calorie wise and my stomach didn't appreciate it so I'm glad that is behind me!  Onward and downward!

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon,  and !

After sleeping until almost seven this morning , I got up and ran 4M. I felt really good on the TM, and it's a good thing because "pouring" would be how I would describe today  I do feel kind of spent, so I'm glad I'm taking tomorrow off. I'm looking forward to a nice, long run on Saturday. Benjamin decided he'd rather work on his school projects than go shopping, so my afternoon is now free. Of course, I'll probably get a frantic text one day next week that he needs dress clothes the next day for declamation, but what can you do? 

*Lisah* -- I agree, waiting as long as possible is a good strategy for the Halloween candy. I've also been known to not open the bags, or rebag everything in those little individual bags -- but that takes a lot of effort, and there is the danger of having some because you are working so hard  We will probably get ours Saturday. I'll leave it in the basement kitchen so I won't have to look at it.

*Rose* -- You deserve a major  Your poor foot, and your poor brain, trying to deal with your poor foot!  I'm so glad the pool running went well. I think you have a good plan to keep things going while you are in recovery  I will be stunned if you don't finish the Princess before I do. Even injured or walking your speed is so much better than mine! Do not despair, of course I would wait for you -- but I won't hold it against you if you're miserable so you head back to your resort. You need to rest up for dinner at Boma! 

*Lisa* -- I cannot wrap my mind around the fact that you have snow. I think if I saw snow in October I would just give up  I'm going to check out your food porn, even though that can be dangerous! 

*Kathy* -- Yep, we are going to drop some lbs, and have "More Fun for the Turkey Run!"  Great job tracking your food! I know how hard that is, but we are going to excel in *Pamela's* challenge -- I can already see your smile as you cross that finish line. 

*Pamela* -- You used one of my questions! I was going to ask about Halloween costumes...that's ok, now I'm just going to put on my creative hat and try to ask something people will want to answer that won't make them sad --- I have noticed that this challenge the most innocuous questions have people needing therapy --- so what can you do?!  Just keep sewing! 

* to Nancy, and Lindsay!*

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

just a quick check in, gals. i miss you! 

things have been so busy! i am 36 weeks preggo tomorrow! and i'm really feeling it big time. i find myself losing patience verrrrrry quickly with thomas. need to get that in check. we had a halloween party for the mommy and me class at the old folks home. it was really nice but kind of stressful to set up and clean up after and just all the stuff that comes along with old people and kids together. like...i woke up today feeling terrible. hope i'm not getting strep throat. 

today's party was easier and in the classroom but cleaning up after was a pain. the parents just leave the messes their kids make for my partner and i to clean. 

had someone look at the house today. someone else tomorrow and someone else on saturday. hopefully one of them will bite. between cleaning the house every five seconds, chasing thomas, being pregnant and getting sick, my DIS time is non-existent. 

hoping to get some time to chat more tomorrow though!!

xoxoxo


----------



## liesel

*Nancy* I completely spaced and forgot to reply to you yesterday!  Lots of  for being 36 weeks pregnant.  Good luck with the house, it sounds like the deal is not totally dead since you listed the house.  I can't believe the 600 bags of candy!!    We definitely don't have that issue at my house.

OK, Colorado is a lovely state.  The Rockies are breathtakingly beautiful, the weather can be pleasant at times, the people are friendly, we have a great group of neighbors who have regular get togethers, DS and DD are in a wonderful school with a science teacher who just received a Presidental Math and Science award, there is lots of my family around so we are never alone for the holidays, as crazy as they can be sometimes.  BUT: at our house it can snow 10 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR!!!  I enjoy all 4 seasons, but here fall and spring are very brief and we get 5 months of winter.  The trees do not bud until May, we can't plant our vegetable garden until the end of May, and everything is brown and dead longer than it is green and blooming.  Its driving me crazy already and its ONLY October!  Ok, its going to be a long winter.  So no, DH and I aren't settling here forever, but we are trying to enjoy the things we love about the state while we are here.

On that note, my run today is best described as freezing (low 40s).  Last night's high was 18 (Kudos to all you who hold out turning on the heat until Nov 1, but it ain't happening here!) so I waited until the middle of the day to run.  I just need to get used to this again, I've been to too many sunny and warm places lately (oh how I miss them!).

Extra Kudos to *Maria and Rose* for getting your workouts in today!  You two rock!  So far I'm planning on doing our town's turkey trot on Thanksgiving, weather permitting.  I'm not going out there if its 16 like last year!

Have a good evening all!

PS Vacation weight is gone!


----------



## mikamah

Worfiedoodles said:


> I cannot wrap my mind around the fact that you have snow. I think if I saw snow in October I would just give up


I am totally blaming you for jinxing us with the forecast.  Though if you went to bed early last night like i did, you would not have actually seen the snow fall.  Just a dusting on the garage roof here, but some lovely ice crystals all over my car. Thanks maria!!!!

Good morning ladies, 

Just a quick post right now while my car warms up and the ice melts.  *LisaL*, I do not envy your winters one bit.  but i love your positive attitude about enjoying everything you love about where you live.  The heats still off here, but I don't know if i'll make it through the weekend without turning it on.  It's fine when were working and at school but sunday we don't have any real plans, so I won't sit home and shiver.  

Actually, thinking on Lindsay's post last week about seeing the positive and being grateful, when I sat in my car to turn it on, the ice on the windshield is just beautiful, it looks like a snowy mountain range.  I took a picture, but unlike you ladies with the fancy phones, I won't be able to post it til later.  I need to run to target and pick up a few things for some halloween goodie bags.  The phantom ghost visited us last night, it's like a chain letter, and we need to give 2 goodie bags out with the letter to 2 neighbors to get rid of the jinx.  It's very cute, and Michael is excited to do it.  He got some glow sitcks, pencils, and candy.  They left it on the porch and rang the bell and ran.  Then you hang the ghost on the door so you don't get it again.  

Other than that, all is fine here.  3 days tracking every bite, and yesterday I only used 2 flex points.  That's big for me.  My scale battery is dead so I need to get one today.  The wii fit said I was down 1.5 from last week, so I hope the real scale agrees.  

*Rose*-Glad you had a good experience at the Y yesterday.  I am sure it's nice to know you are not alone, and you will be running again like those other ladies.  Hang in there. 

*LisaH*-  I hear you on the halloween candy.  I usually have consumed a few bags on my own by now, but am determined not to buy any til monday after work.  Today for the goodie bags I figure I'll get a box of gummy candies.  I vow right now not to buy any dove.  That is my down fall.  Is your cold better yet?  We've both had it this week too, but luckily no fevers so pseudaphed is our friend, and we haven't needed to stay home.  Gotta save that pto time for vacations.  Hope Robert has fun tonight at the lockin.  Poor kids today, where are they going to sneak away to to make out if they can't get out of the building?

Hello to everyone else.  Off to target now, and hopefully will catch up more later.  

Have a great day!!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Quick post before I head out to a morning meeting - Don't forget to head over to the BL thread (shameless plug) to answer my QOTD -- I posted almost an hour ago and not a soul has had a comment -- this could be a long week of coaching! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Maria,* I hope that you have some fun, relaxing thing planned for your day off of rest today.    A new book?  Some Tivo? I'm sure you are going to do great on your run tomorrow.    No working it too hard, okay?  

*Nancy,* having your house ready to show is the pits.    Having it show ready, with a 2 year old, and being 36 weeks preggo.   Hope that you are not getting strep throat on top of it all.    Take it easy!

*Lisa,* you are a trouper and will be so ready for the Tink!    Congrats on getting rid of the vacation weight so quickly!    Did you get the email from RunDisney about the Tinker Bell Half yesterday?  Nothing new or terribly exciting but at least we know our names are on the list! 

*Kathy,* sorry to hear that you have the crud, too.   Loved the phantom ghost story -- it's fun to be in a neighborhood where they do that.    Is Michael sticking with the cave man this year?  Nice job being on track!    You can do it!   

Hello to *Lindsay* and *Rose*!   

As of yesterday afternoon Robert had decided that he didn't want to go to the dance after all.  That might change today, but if not, no big deal.  They would really have to sneak away to do any smooching because at Robert's school there are no PDAs of any kind allowed.   

I was a samer this week, which wasn't really a big surprise.  I do have to watch myself to make sure I go down into the next decade before the first of November to keep on track for my Tink goals.  I'm thinking I can do the indoor track tomorrow and just see how far I get in 2 hours.  It's not the same as running outside but probably all I can handle at this point because I don't think I can do breathing a bunch of cold air yet.  

Have a great Friday princesses!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

dumbo_buddy said:


> i am 36 weeks preggo tomorrow! and i'm really feeling it big time. i find myself losing patience verrrrrry quickly with thomas. need to get that in check. we had a halloween party for the mommy and me class at the old folks home. it was really nice but kind of stressful to set up and clean up after and just all the stuff that comes along with old people and kids together. like...i woke up today feeling terrible. hope i'm not getting strep throat.
> 
> today's party was easier and in the classroom but cleaning up after was a pain. the parents just leave the messes their kids make for my partner and i to clean.



Wow, that is an ambitious schedule for someone so far along -- you are doing great! I would say I'm surprised people leave their kids' messes, but we all know better.  I hope you are prioritizing getting some rest. You need to nap as much as Thomas and Bronxbaby will allow 



liesel said:


> OK, Colorado is a lovely state.  BUT: at our house it can snow 10 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR!!!



That is just wrong. I don't think I could make that mental shift. 



mikamah said:


> I am totally blaming you for jinxing us with the forecast.



I think if everyone who posts on the BL Princess Thread all won $1M in the same week I would just give up. 

I'm afraid I don't have enough magic to Make It So, but I've given it my best shot...



lisah0711 said:


> *Maria,* I hope that you have some fun, relaxing thing planned for your day off of rest today.    A new book?  Some Tivo? I'm sure you are going to do great on your run tomorrow.    No working it too hard, okay?
> 
> As of yesterday afternoon Robert had decided that he didn't want to go to the dance after all.  That might change today, but if not, no big deal.  They would really have to sneak away to do any smooching because at Robert's school there are no PDAs of any kind allowed.



Well, it was mostly a day of rest from running, rather than from work. I had an endless meeting this morning -- but I'm home and now I can relax! I watched a Poirot I had from Netflix, I'm taking care of my coaching responsibilities, and now I'm going to watch Hawaii 5-0 on Tivo and put away my  Yes, it is an exciting life I lead  I am definitely feeling the "sore", so I'm going to try to just take it slow and easy and make it 10M tomorrow. It definitely takes some of the pressure off since I won't have to take Ben shopping afterwards. 

Ah, the wonders of the Middle School dance...Ben went to a few at the end of 6th grade, but skipped the early ones. He was intimidated and didn't know what to expect. They don't have them at his current school, which is fine with me. Your post almost inspired me with a Q for the BL thread, but I'm afraid someone might get upset so I'll just post it here, 'cause I know you ladies are all past this point  

BL  and  QOTD (don't get any ideas, this is a one-time phenomenon): When was your first kiss? Do you remember that irresistible hunk of dreamy manhood?

I think I remember some of the younger ladies have not yet had a boyfriend, and I definitely don't want to cause anyone else social anxiety! 

Maria


----------



## liesel

*Maria* I married my irrestible hunk of dreamy manhood so I remember him and my first kiss quite well!  I was 20 when we started dating (he was 24), looking back I can't believe how young we were!  Great job coaching so far!  Thanks for trying with the 1M wish, then I could come scream team at the Princess and celebrate with you and Rose at Boma!


*Maria and Lisa* I do not envy you two parenting the middle school phase, but I'll be there soon enough!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I went to physical therapy today. It was not painful on Wednesday. It was horrendously painful today. I could feel the lump of scar tissue she was working on and it was huge. Hopefully next week walking will be easier. I did an hour on the bike and lifted weights before pt. Hopefully that will offset the chocolate rice pudding I made today and am currently eating.

I hope everyone is doing well. I am feeling kind of lazy tonight, but I just wanted to say hi and wish everyone a happy weekend. Tomorrow Mike and I are working the water station at a 5k that the non-profit I work for is a beneficiary of. It's going to be in the 30s--uggh. I am going to dig out my winter coat. TTYL.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses and tinks!!

I'm home alone and enjoying my coffee and computer from my bed this am.  I'm was on call overnight so michael slept at my friends house, and I'm covering for another girl til 1pm.  He's supposed to call me when he gets up and I'll go get him, but he may just turn on the tv when he gets up and enjoy having real cable and forget about me.  I figured I'd catch up here, and then do some wii fit.  It's cold here too, *Rose*.  I'm going to clear off the radiators so I can put the heat on later.  I'm pretty warm in my fleece jammies and socks though, but it's supposed to rain this afternoon and michael's football game is at 3:30, so I think we both might come home wet and cold.  

*Rose*-Sorry pt was so painful yesterday.  All I can think of is that awful saying, No Pain, No Gain, and I so pray every bit of pain she causes you brings you 10 times the healing.  Hang in there.  Hope you have fun at the 5k today.  I broke out the gloves yesterday for football practice.  I guess winter is here a little early but fall should be back again later in the week. 

*QOTD*-His name was Shawn, and he was a hockey player, and my friends are I were like little groupies and we'd go to all the games and cheer on the team. My friends mom was a seamstress and she made us all cheerleading dresses we'd wear because it was before all the youth sports had real cheerleaders.  I think I was in 8th grade.  When there wasn't a hockey game on friday nights the ice rink had Disco on Ice, and we'd all go and we'd sneak out into the woods beside the rink to hang out/make out.  Though we didn't need to sneak, there wasn't any rule about going in and out.  I actually took care of this kids mom a few years back, and he was living in florida, married and doing great according to mom.  Very fun question, Maria!!  I forget we have some youngsters in the bl challenge. 

*Maria* -are you ready for the storm????  Have you got your groceries, water, rock salt, sand, and liquor?  I'm staying away from the grocery store today, I'm sure it will be insane this morning.  We are right on the line for snow/rain, so we'll just have to wait and see.  I should probably clean up the porches and bring out the shovel just in case.  And thanks for the jinx, I'm definitely going to get my "On Call" lottery tickets this weekend.

*LisaH*- 3 days til Nov 1.  You can do it!!    Maintaining is under-rated, and you've been doing so well this fall, you were due for a maintain week.  Thanks, I'm feeling much better this morning, my head feels back to normal finally.  The phantom ghost thing was fun.  We delivered last night, and michael loved doing it.   he said "it was like playing ding dong ditch with a bonus".  Him and a friend rang the doorbell of our neighbors and ran once and she came over and let me know, so he did enjoy that naughty aspect.  Good luck on the track today.  I'm procrastinating here, but think I'll go out for a walk in a little bit.  

*LisaL*-Very cool you married your irresisitable hunk of manhood.  

*Nancy*- Hang in there.  You have so much going on, and the others are right, get the rest you can when you can, and don't forget to take care of you.  

*Lindsay*-Hope your week went well, and you have another fun weekend planned.  Are you getting snow too or just rain?  2 more football games!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gotta go catch up on the BL thread now.  Heard there's a fun and feisty coach over there this week. 

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--I can't believe you still haven't turned the heat on. It was 32 here this morning. Brrrrr. The race went fine. Mike and I did the water station. It was shady and really really cold. There was a smaller crowd this year (for a lot of reasons) and I think  I would have been at the front of the pack if I would have been running. I hope you all don't get too much snow.

I am up 4 pounds this month. Four. Pounds. Up 7 pounds from my lowest this spring. So not good. I feel like all I do is eat carbs. I might actually go back to eating some meat for a little while, just cause I feel like I am just on an awful track with the carbs and just can't seem to get things under control. And then there's the bourbon.....And the fact that my foot is very uncomfortable today, so I'm off my feet a lot. It's actually worse than when I ran on it. Hopefully this will work, cause the pain is getting old. And did I mention 4 pounds in one month!???! And you know it will take a lot longer to take off than it went on. I just keep thinking that the only reason that I could lose it last year was because I was really sick. Mike keeps saying that I was exercising a huge amount last year and that once my foot is feeling better things will fall back into place...hopefully he is right. I just can't seem to stop eating the garbage. I know I know what to do. So what is wrong with me? I feel like I am self sabotaging and trying to fail. Just so I can beat myself up and call myself a failure again........

Ok, thanks for letting me whine a bit. I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.


----------



## liesel

*Kathy* I forgot to mention that our neighborhood "boos" each other too, its fun the see the kids running around leaving gifts for each other.

*Rose*   I remember when DH had PT for his shoulder/neck injury he was miserable with pain the first 2 weeks and wondering if it would ever get any better.  By week 4 he was feeling great.  I hope the same holds for you and you will be feeling better soon.  I didn't know you until last fall's challenge, but I do remember from your postings about what you ate and how much you exercised you definitely worked hard for every pound that you lost!  If eating a little meat will help you get back on track I wouldn't worry about it.

I'm well overdue for my hummus/veggies/string cheese afternoon snack so I'll talk to everyone later!


----------



## lisah0711

Good evening Princesses and Belles!   

This is what happens when you sleep late and go running first thing in the morning . . . you don't get on the computer until after dinner! 

*Maria,* how did your run go today?  You are doing a fabulous job coaching the big thread this week!   

First kiss was a neighbor kid when I was 13.  I thought he was hot stuff then but in retrospect he was really a jerk.   

*Lisa,* that is a sweet story about your DH.    Definately enjoy this stage of childhood because it will help as time goes on!   And 90 short days until our race!  

*Rose,* so sorry for the tough PT session.    Great job getting on the bike and weights before they started working on you!  I'm so sorry that you are having a tough time finding your mojo again with eating.    But I do know if anyone can pull it together and get back to where they need to be it is you!  You are so strong and determined.  I wish I had the magic potion that would help us all do what we need to do all the time.   

*Kathy,* how is the storm?  Thank goodness you were on call earlier before it started.  Hope the game in the cold wasn't too bad and that your team was a winner!  

*Nancy,* hope that you are taking it easy this week-end! 

*Lindsay,* your boys looked like were having a great time in the snow on FB. 

I'm happy to report that I ran for 2:08 today at the indoor track.  I didn't cough any more running than I do hanging around so I was glad to be moving again.  Runkeeper does not track right on the track and I stopped counting laps after the first hour.  I did one 15 minute mile just to show myself that I could and took the rest more slowly.  I called it 7 miles.  I'm going to have to get another pair of running capris as these are apparently too big in spots and cause chafing.    I have sore feet, ankles and hips but not as bad as you would think after not running for 3 weeks.  No more breaks for me until after the Tink.  

There is talk of watching a movie tonight if we can agree on a title.  We are feeling Halloweenish.  

Have a great evening!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princesses and Tinkerbelles!!

I am very lucky to have weathered the storm last night.  They just said 615,000 people in MA are without power and 250,000 in NH.   My bro and sil, Jim and Beth are in the 12-20 inch area of snow, so I'm guessing they don't have power since there were no facebook posts from that way.  Hope they're doing ok.  I'll try to call them later.   They have a lot of woods and tall trees in their back yard.  We just got a few inches of snow since we're only a few miles from the shore, and we have our own town electric department, and I think in stoms like this with such widespread damage, that's a huge plus.  I didn't lose power at all.  What crazy weather.  Looks like Tracy and Pamela were hit hard.  

Michael and I are reading a book called The Prince of Fenway Park.  It's about these magical creatures who live under fenway park and are cursed since the 1918 curse of the Bambino, and this boy comes to live with his father who is a creature and he is the one to break the curse during the 2004championship games against the Yankees.  He is going through the curse which is a poem, and came to the last part and when we read it, I thought of all of us and our weight loss journeys, and the obstacles.  The last line is *May you be close enough to taste the win but always, truly, lose before you even begin.* 

The boys says, "there's only one way to lose before you begin" and his dad asks how's that, and he said "You lose faith. You give up.  and we're not going to do that."  And they all promise not to lose faith, and of course we know the outcome of that year.  

But we all must not lose faith, and we must never give up.  We can do this, we can have the win, reach our goals, overcome injury, lose the weight, cross the finishline.   Never lose faith, never give up.  

*Rose*- It sucks to see the scale go up, but you have had so much going on, and I know you will be able to get it under control and lose that again.  It's awful how much slower it will come off, but it will come off.  I have faith in you.  If you need to eat meat again to get more protein and less carbs, so be it.  Whatever it takes.  Do you eat a lot of nuts?  I know they are high in fat too, but a friend of mine diagnosed herself with a sugar addiction and last year, cut out all sugars/ processed carbs and finally lost the weight and got her goal, and now she'll have them occassionally, and is fine, but if recently she had a cookie one day, and a brownie another day, just a few more than usual and found herself craving the sugar again so she went back to no sugar for a while and when she does that, she eats a lot of nuts for snacks.  Hang in there.  

*LisaH*- Nice job on the track yesterday!!  I have faith in you and your training, and you are going to rock the Tink!!  In your wonderful home of Disneyland!!  I bet you did more than 7 miles yesterday, and isn't it amazing how you could do that after 3 weeks without running.  90 days!!!  How exciting!!

*LisaL*- The neighborhood boo-ing is so cute.  The kids love it and are so excited.  

*Maria-*  Hope all is well with you in the big city.  I'll pop over to the bl thread later to get some of your awesome coaching. 

*Lindsay* -Love the snow and pumpkin pic on facebook.  Can't believe how much snow you all got. 

*Nancy*-How are you doing?  Hope you're not snowed in.   Just what you'd need now.  

Oh, and I did turn on the heat yesterday before football, and it is nice and warm in here.  I actually got a little hot during the night because I forgot to turn it down at bedtime.  Michael was frozen after the game.  He played hard, and played the entire game, offense and defense.  For the first time, he heard his name announced twice for his tackles.  Very exciting for him, although they lost 28-0, they did play hard.  Not their worst game, and they got some good runs, but just not good enough.   Next week is the last game, and it's a home game as well, so that is nice.  

Have a great sunday!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning  and !

I am kind of caught up in the coaching this week. It is an interesting range of responses, I don't know why it seems more pronounced to me this time than in previous coaching experiences -- you have the people who respond to everyone and always have a great comment, the people who respond to a few friends, and a few people who just post updates on their lives like it's a blog, never answering QOTDs or speaking to anyone else who is posting 

I feel like I'm saving my best QOTDs for early this week, so hopefully people will be chatty. 

*Kathy* -- What a great book! Dennis turned on the heat briefly yesterday to take the chill off the house. I am all for not freezing. Snow on the ground means I have a good case!  It sounds like you are reading a great book, wonderful advice to share. I loved your first kiss story. 

*Lisah* -- I am so pleased I had a really good 10M! Yes, I did the whole run  I shook up things a little with spacing my clif bloks, and it really made a difference. Plus, I think running the week before helped tremendously. I hit every workout I had planned last week. That is a really good feeling.  You ran 7M after being so sick?! That is a championship effort! I am so proud of you, I know that took real determination 

*Rose* -- I know the gain is psyching you out, and add that to the injury  In all sincerity, you are one of the strongest people I know. That seems like a lot all at once, but it will come off quickly. I really think Mike is right. Once you get back into your normal routine, everything will fall into place. For now you just have to do the best you can each day. If you are doing that, no regrets allowed! 

*Lisa* -- What a wonderful story about your dh, that is so romantic  I'm glad your hunk really was one, I just looked mine up on Facebook and not so much...

Today is a rest day for me, so I'm going to do , keep up with the DIS, read a good book, and watch my beloved Pats! I also think I might really like the new show on abc, I watched the premiere last week and it seemed good. It breathed some new life into Snow White...I'm having a planned sick day tomorrow. I just want a day or two to myself to rest and relax. I think I've earned them...

Ok, so my first kiss -- I was also 13! I went to the movies to see "On Golden Pond" with my good friend Paul and his good friend Greg, who I had a total crush on. I hope the movie was good since Paul saw it by himself  Greg and I spent the entire movie kissing  The romance lasted about a week. Greg set a high standard, he was a great kisser! I just looked him up on Facebook and he's posing with his 2 daughters at Busch Stadium in Cardinals regalia. They all look happy, but he is distinctly less hunky now  

Oops, Dennis needs the computer before church...

Maria


----------



## mikamah

*Maria*-I just checked out my first kiss hunk on facebook and he's not very hunky any more either.   Though he is with a pretty blond, definitely younger than him woman.  Too funny.  On Golden Pond doesn't seem like a middle school type movie, but guess our choices back then weren't as plentiful as they are now.  I'm sure you enjoyed it more than Paul. 
Nice job on the 10 miles!!  You are on and going to reach your thanksgiving goal, I can feel it!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

liesel said:


> *Rose*   I remember when DH had PT for his shoulder/neck injury he was miserable with pain the first 2 weeks and wondering if it would ever get any better.  By week 4 he was feeling great.  I hope the same holds for you and you will be feeling better soon.  I didn't know you until last fall's challenge, but I do remember from your postings about what you ate and how much you exercised you definitely worked hard for every pound that you lost!  If eating a little meat will help you get back on track I wouldn't worry about it.


Thank you so much for saying this. It is exactly what I needed to hear. My foot has been so uncomfortable and I have really been questioning whether it is worth it. I got up this morning and it felt better for a couple of hours, so that's and improvement, even if it is hurting pretty good again now. I will just work on my patience.


*Lisah*--great, great, great job on the 7 miles! I'm sure the indoor track is tedious, so good for you for putting in the work! I hope you are feeling very proud!

*Kathy*--thank you for sharing the quote. I can't believe the snow! How crazy! Leaves on trees and snow at the same time! I'm glad you didn't lose power. I'm glad you turned the heat on! And I'm glad Michael had a good game even if they didn't win. I definitely think my carb addiction is rearing it's ugly head again. But I kicked it before, so I know I can do it again.

*Lindsay*--the pictures of the boys on facebook are too cute. 

*Maria*--We really liked Once Upon a Time! Can't wait for tonight. Tom watched it and he liked it too. So great to be taking a day off! And woohoo for getting the running mojo back.

*Nancy*--how are you feeling?

******
Thank you all for propping me up AGAIN. You all knew exactly what I needed to hear. I had a little epiphany yesterday afternoon. I spent some time looking at my exercise/weight journal for the almost two years. When I was really losing I was getting between 1400 and 1900 minutes of exercise a month. Lately I have been between 900 and 1100. Add that to the fact that I am eating too much junk and eating too much like I am getting more exercise and what do you get--weight gain. I haven't even been recording my weight in my journal very well, so even though I know what I weigh, I have kind of stopped holding myself accountable.

Sure I can't do what I really want to right now, but I can still get the exercise. It will just be a little harder. Once I can start back on the elliptical and with strength class it will get easier. But for now I will just do the best I can with the bike and the pool and the free weights. I can't do push ups or planks, but I can do pullups and ab work. So I am committing to an exercise goal of 1600 minutes in November, though if I complete 1400 I will consider myself successful.

And yesterday I got rid of all the gluten free treats and carbs in the house except for my pretzels and the bread (which is frozen). I still have potatoes in the pantry, and they might have to go to, but we'll see. If it's not here I won't eat it. Next weekend if I do well and I'm craving a sweet we will go to the bakery that's on the other side of town for a gf treat. And I have found that as long as I don't overdo it I can tolerate french fries from bufflalo wild wings, so that will be my go out treat next weekend. During the week, I am going to work really hard on cutting out the sugar and useless carbs--including chobani yogurt and the occasional soda that I've been having. I'm going back to plain yogurt with some cereal or nuts and black coffee if I really really need the caffeine. Sugar just does me in. And the more I eat the more I want to eat.

I'm going to tell Sue that I am going to be a loser for November and December. I hope to lose 2 pounds in November and 2 pounds in December, and depending on how that goes, 2 in January. Which will put me back around 138. The worst part about all this is the mom voices that were getting back into my thinking--you know where she tells me I'm big, etc. I hated that. I felt like such a failure--again. I'm not a failure, just injured and a little off track. I'm very sad that I am injured, but I know I can get a handle on this again. For goodness sakes, it's only a few pounds. I can do this, right?

Ok--love you all. Have a great Sunday and thanks for listening.

So that's my plan.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisa H. - Great Job on getting that long run in even while recovering from your illness.  That is sheer determination if you ask me.  You go girl!

Liesel- I am so impressed with your 40lb weight loss.  So inspirational.  Keep up the good work.  You and Lisa H are going to rock the tink!!!!!

Kathy- Im so glad Michael had a great game.  I bet with all those losses that was what he really needed to give his own ego a boost.  Good for him.  I bet you were so proud.  Maybe our boys could be Beast 1 and Beast 2.  Im glad you all missed the horrendous snow.  This is just absolutely ridiculous.  I hope your brother and SIl are ok.

Nancy- I hope you are feeling well today and crossing my fingers some of these lookers you had this weekend turn into takers for your house.

Rose- You can do it Rose.  I think you have a great plan for your modified exercising and getting rid of the treats.  You have had a rough year but look at how wonderful you still are through it all.  Gosh most of us would have thrown in the towel a long time ago.  Here you are still fighting, getting to the gym, ridding your house of the goodies, and making plans/goals.  Your an amazing person!!!  Just believe in yourself and it will happen.

Maria- A sick day tomorrow sounds like such a great idea...wish I could join you on that.  I hope it is all you want it to be.  I bet you are doing a great job on the BL boards this week.  I need to catch up on there and make it a routine again.  I think part is I am so busy and the second is the weigh loss plan has been slim to none and I almost feel guilty posting.  Like Im a hypocrit or something.  But love the QOTD for our little group.  

My first kiss was in 6th grade at our first dance of the year.  I was young like 10 I think (I started Kindergarten when I was 4).  I had a crush on this boy and he asked me to dance.  While we were slow dancing he asked if I wanted to kiss him...I said yes (peer pressure)  So he told me to follow him to the bathroom.  I did...along with a bunch of other kids who I guess thought this was entertainment.  We went in the bathroom stall and kissed...then I realized a bunch of kids were in the bathroom watching.  Everyone cheered.  How immature and embarrassing.  I dont think I ever talked to him again. 

My more mature real first kiss happened in 9th grade.  It was so much better and more memorable.  I recently saw this guy at the mall a few months ago.  I think he is still single and probably still a ladies man if I would have to guess.  I will say though he looks even hotter now than when we were in high school. 

Thanks for the fun question today Maria!

Well the snow is slowly melting and I am so glad we never lost power.  My parents and my nana have been without power since early yesterday.  We ended up with about 8 inches of snow.  The neighbors tree lost a bunch of huge brances which are all over the place but luckily there is not to much clean up for us.  I am going a bit stir crazy but there is really nothing to do.  The kids are napping right now so I thought I would catch up with you all here.

Not sure what we will do later.  I thought of taking them to Toys R Us to make a christmas list. 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend


----------



## mikamah

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!

Just a quick hello!!  Off to work early this am, but michael wants to stay at fun club even though I get off early because they are having a halloween party, so I hope to be back before trick or treat. 

Have a fun day everyone!!


----------



## lisah0711

*Happy Halloween Princesses and Belles!*  

*Kathy,* nice that Michael is so excited about Halloween that he wants to stay for the party after school!    Glad that your power stayed on this week-end, too.    Did you tell those guys who are going to fix your road that they have to keep their shirts off? 

*Maria,* so glad the 10M went well this week-end!    I agree that it does help that long run when you hit every workout the week before.    You are going to be so ready for the Princess!   

I enjoyed Once Upon a Time, too.  I just watched the pilot yesterday so already am a bit behind.   

I hope that you have a wonderful, restful day today of doing nothing but taking care of you! 



Rose&Mike said:


> Which will put me back around 138. The worst part about all this is the mom voices that were getting back into my thinking--you know where she tells me I'm big, etc. I hated that. I felt like such a failure--again. I'm not a failure, just injured and a little off track. I'm very sad that I am injured, but I know I can get a handle on this again. For goodness sakes, it's only a few pounds. I can do this, right?



Sounds like a great plan, *Rose!*   Could you ask your PT about modifying push ups and a plank?  I'm thinking wall or girl pushups and a modified plank on your knees or using the big exercise ball?  

And if you hear that nasty, old voice in your head talking about your size then I suggest that you look at your cute W&D pics and remind yourself that voice is a big, fat liar!   (I like those sayings that Tracy Goggin has been posting on FB).  

Of course you can get a handle on this again!  

*Lindsay,* hope that your boys have a great time trick or treating tonight!    Glad that the snow is gone!

*Nancy,* love the new costume although I have to say that Jerry Seinfeld pirate shirt was very edgy! 

*Lisa,* hope that your kids have a great time tonight, too.  

Woo hoo our training plans have short runs this week!     I'm going to use this time to work on my speed.  My training plan goes up to 15 miles by the end of the month.   I'm going to have to look at my notes from running school to remind myself why it's important to go that high . . . the reason is escaping me now.  

I must go and search for my Kirk's Folly Halloween pin since I have court this morning.  It is a jack o'lantern with dangling ghosts, witches hats and other Halloweenish things -- very princess-y.  I hope it is on a jacket hanging in the closet at work.  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## pjlla

Just coming on to say *HAPPY HALLOWEEN *to my friends who I don't see on the other thread!!  I miss you all, but I know where to find you when I need you!  

BTW....  all of your first kiss stories had my cracking up!!.......................P


----------



## mikamah

Happy day after Halloween!!

Hope you all survived the holiday with a little more grace than I did.  

Actually, I wasn't horrible, and I had fun, and today is a new day!!  On track for November!!!  Wow, where does the time go.  

We had a fun night, our friends came for dinner, and the boys were crazy so we started drinking wine, and when we went out to start trick or treating, some of our neighbors had their "coffee cups", so I put the rest of the wine in some disney refillable mugs for our trick or treat adventure.  Made it a lot more relaxing.  There were tons of trick or treaters out and about, it was such a nice night.  

Tonight it's back to football practice, only 3 practices left, saturday is our snack bar duty day, and final game at 3!!!!  I said I could work whenever, so hopefully the coach will make a schedule and I won't be there all day.  They have another team cover during our game time, which is nice so we don't miss the game.  The team won their first game, and haven't scored since then, so we're hoping for the last game they might get on the board at the very least.  

*Pamela*-Feel free to share your first kiss story, too.

*Lisa*-I think when they fix the road in November, they'll probably have shirts on.  bummer. 


> My training plan goes up to 15 miles by the end of the month.  I'm going to have to look at my notes from running school to remind myself why it's important to go that high . . . the reason is escaping me now.


 I'm sure there's a very good reason, but remember if you don't get to the high miles, there is many a half training plan that does not take you that high, and still gets you to the finishline.  Aim for the 15, but listen to your body too.  Enjoy your short runs this week. 

I'm running out of time again.  Hello to everyone else!!  Welcome November!!  I guess winter will really come now.  Have a great day!!


----------



## lisah0711

*Congratulations to Kathy and Lisa for making the superstar list this week!* 



pjlla said:


> BTW....  all of your first kiss stories had my cracking up!!.......................P



I agree with *Kathy,* where is your story, hmmm? 



mikamah said:


> *Lisa*-I think when they fix the road in November, they'll probably have shirts on.  bummer.



Well, darn it all!  



mikamah said:


> I'm sure there's a very good reason, but remember if you don't get to the high miles, there is many a half training plan that does not take you that high, and still gets you to the finishline.  Aim for the 15, but listen to your body too.  Enjoy your short runs this week.



You're right, it will be fine.  This Galloway plan that I am doing for time improvement -- which is one of the "official" Tink plans -- goes all the way up to 19 miles -- on Christmas Eve!   There are still something like 13 weeks left before the Tinker Bell so I'm not too worried.  I am a bit more worried about not getting into my lower decade today but it's only a pound away so I will just have to work that much harder at the end.   

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Happy November! I am happy to say that I had a few hours this afternoon where my foot only hurt a tiny bit , which is the first time in so long that it wasn't pretty uncomfortable. I took some ibuprofen for a headache and realized later that it actually worked on my foot. I was able to walk around at work without feeling it too much. In the past the ibuprofen really didn't seem to do any good. So progress. I did the pool running for 45 minutes. I can really feel it in my muscles after doing it, so it must be a good workout even if I don't feel like I'm sweating. Tomorrow is the bike and physical therapy. My itbs is acting up a little so I have to ask her about it. It might be the bike....

And I joined myfitnesspal. Did I tell you all that? It really is making tracking easier and helping to keep my somewhat honest. I told Sue I am going to be a loser for a bit.

*Congrats to Kathy and Lisa on being Big Losers!*

*Lisa*--enjoy that short run this weekend and good luck getting to that next decade! Remember the time is not so important on those really long runs, the point is to finish to get up the endurance levels, I believe. Thanks for saying that voice is a big, fat liar.

*Hello to Lindsay and Lisa and Nancy and Pamela! I hope trick or treating was fun last night!*

*Kathy*--sounds like you had a great night last night! I hope those last couple football practices aren't too cold.

Tom is having a rough time. He told me he has been a bit sad lately, but he's only been calling me when he's happy so I wouldn't know. Uggh. Hopefully it's not the medication. His best friend moved this semester, so I think that's part of it. And part is that he just really needs something else to do. His schedule isn't too tough this semester, and since he's taking the meds he's getting through his work pretty quick. Which is leaving him with a bunch of free time. Hopefully he will figure things out soon. There's really not anything I can do for him, but worry about him. And that's really not very much fun!

Ok, have a good evening.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi ladies!!!!

Kathy- Mike carried a book bag with jackets for the boys if needed and bags to dump their buckets in if they get to full.  We said next year we will make room for a six pack and carry mugs and drink beer as we trick or treat.  I thought he was crazy but I guess others already have tried it and proved it to make it much more of a good time so we may just have to do that next year.  Glad you had a good day!!!!!  Hope you are keeping warm during these football nights...I cant say I miss sitting out in the cold. 

Lisa- Wow 15 miles!!!!!  Did you do this plan last time?  If I remember right we did similar runs so I am thinking no.  I will be so interested to see what this does for your time.  If it works I may have to try it....I will let you be the geinue pig.  No matter how far you end up going you are doing some great work and should be very very proud of yourself.

Rose- Glad the foot is making some improvement.  Running in the pool is no joke.  I remember when I was in highschool my sophmore year I played volleyball.  We started practicing in August and we were told to meet at the pool.  I had no idea what we were doing but the coach send we had to do X # of laps by running in the water.  I thought it was a bit ridiculous but holy moly I couldnt feel my legs when I was finished.  That is an excellent workout. I do hear what your saying about the sweating.  When I was running last winter I felt like I wasnt working as hard because I wasnt sweating....well I would sweat after I came inside but couldnt feel it while my body was frozen.  But still I get what you mean with that.  I hope Tom feels better soon.  Im sure it is so hard being far away from him and not being able to help or fix his problems.  

Nancy- Saw your halloween pics.  So cute!!!!  I hope your feeling good today and just busy.  Hang in there it is almost over and then the fun will begin.

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

Ok well apparently I am a bit virtually chatty tonight.

I have been dealing with TOM for the 2nd time this month.  Had it just 2 wks ago.  Not sure what that is about.  I was feeling blah over the wkend and now I know why. 

Schools were closed yesterday due to power outages so Ryans first night of bball was cancelled since its at a school gym.  Tomorrow will now be his first practice.  Im excited to see how much he improved since playing last winter.  We might have to find a new nickname for him for this sport.  I dont know if its possible to be a beast at Basketball.  Well I guess if he gets all the rebounds it will be fitting.  Will see.  

Tonight I had dinner with my friends mom.  The one I had told you all about before.  She is 32 and has a brain tumor.  She is a divorced single mom of 2 kids and recently she has just lost her job and medical insurance from reasons beyond her control mostly due to missed work due to siezures she has from her illness.  Its truly so sad.  Her mom is organizing fundraisers for her medical expenses....she currently is going through chemo and takes for 2wks every month for a total of a year.  I think she has 6 mths to go.  So you could imagine the cost of it all.  I am helping to coordinate a pasta dinner for her.  

I have a packed sched for the next few days so not sure when I will be back on posting.

Wed- BBall at night/ PTA mtg if I make it.
Thur- Mike having dinner with old coworkers and I have to find a way to get the kids and get to the costume store by 530. (see why on sat agenda)
Fri- Having pizza with ryans tball coaches and their kids.
Sat- Flu clinic in the morning and then we are going to a murder mystery dinner party at a friends house.  I am  marylou gibson a southern belle from the 1920's.  I have to find a costume to wear.  Mike is juan pinto a latin lover.  We need to work on his costume to but I think finding a pair of tight black pans and a bolero hat will do.  It should be interesting to say the least.
Sun- Sunday school then I am taking Ryan and his brother and cousins to chuck e cheese for ryans bday.  Then we will go back to my nanas for dinner, cake, and presents.  His bday is next wed.

Ok so in case I dont get back on thats what I will be doing.  Now Im going to stop talking...typing.  God bless you if you made it to the end of this post.

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


----------



## dumbo_buddy

seriously people, why is it so hard for me to get on here and post? you just wait til the baby's born and i'm posting at all hours of the night! 

i am running out as usual but wanted to check in while i suck down my coffee. i have to get a key made then go to mommy and me then back to give thomas some lunch then get in the car and drive to times square and attend a special event at the disney store showcasing the top 10 toys for christmas 2011. have you ever read *********.com? it's a disney blog. anyway, i've been asked to be a writer for them and my first article will be about the event. thomas will be there so it will be fun and stressful trying to take pics, take notes, and make sure he doesn't get too far. 

i'm 37 weeks tomorrow. i've had several emotional breakdowns over the last few days. 

and that's all my time! gah! i miss everyone...like...alot. xoxo.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oops. just saw that the site was blocked. 

chip and co dot com


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses and Lisabelles!!!

I need to catch up here for real, because tomorrow I'll be coaching on the big thread, but that also means that my last football game is saturday!!!!  Whoo hoo!!  I'm so ready for it to be over, and not to rush after work again.  I need to make a plan for dinners for next week too since we will be home and I can cook more normally.  Plus I've been off track the last 3 nights, so I only have 3 more days to slack before thanksgiving.  I need to get it back together again.  It's amazing how easy it is to slide back into bad habits.  Today's the day.  Back on track!!  And staying there!!

*Rose*-I'm so glad you're seeing some improvement in your foot already.  I'm sure the pt will be able to help with the itbs too.  I'm sure you compensate a lot for the foot pain with the knee and irritate the itb at the same time.    A hug for you for tom too.  You are there for him, and he knows that, and hopefullly he'll be feeling better soon.  Worrying is not fun.  

*Lindsay*-I definitely recommend the alcohol on halloween.  It was much more relaxing for me, not worrying so much about all the crazy children running into the streets.  I didn't try to corral them as much as in the past, and they all survived.   I was so cranky tuesday night after the mud bath practice again.  I just pray the field has dried out a little bit today.  I bet you really miss it.   It's ok, you can admit it here. 

*Lisa*- I bet you'll be in the lower decade tomorrow for weighin!!  You can do it, get that water in today.  A little asparagus it a good diuretic also.
19 miles!  I guess he knows what he's doing, but I hope santa brings you a hottub to recuperate.  After 19 miles, 13 will seem like nothing, and do I predict you may be running the disney full with Nancy in 2013???  

*Nancy*-37 weeks!!!!!  Any time now, girllie.  Will you pm me your address?  I'm terrible with cards, but I do have good intentions.  We miss you too.  Have fun at the disney store today, and let us know when your story is up on that other website.  I think I've been on that in the past, but not lately.  

*Maria*-Nice job coaching this week.  I guess I'd better start thinking of some questions today.  

*LisaL*-Hope you're having a good week, and halloween didn't derail you. 

Our boss asked us all to put in any requests for changes in hours, and it looks like it should all go through in the first of the year.  I did the math and am happy with the change.  I'll get the extra 4 hours pay each week, but my insurances will decrease by 60 dollars a week too.  That's huge.  It definitely makes disneyland next august feel like more of a reality now.   We are looking at going to Niagara falls April vacation, and there's a fallsview Doubletree resort there, so we could get one suite with my brother and fam, like we did in nyc, and it was reasonably priced, too.  I love to plan vacations. 

Have a great day everyone!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Rose,* so happy to hear that the foot is feeling better!   You will be rocking the Princess before you know it! 

Sorry that Tom is feeling bad lately.    I think it is very tough to be a 20 something person these days.  The semester will be winding down soon and you will be together for the holidays.  I'm sure he is looking forward to that!  

You are right, I don't worry much about speed during the long runs but I do during those short runs.    I have to deal with it one way or another as it will continue to hang over my head until I finish the Tink.    I have a surprising new running partner this afternoon -- DH asked if he could go out with me.  This could be interesting! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Lisa- Wow 15 miles!!!!!  Did you do this plan last time?  If I remember right we did similar runs so I am thinking no.  I will be so interested to see what this does for your time.  If it works I may have to try it....I will let you be the geinue pig.  No matter how far you end up going you are doing some great work and should be very very proud of yourself.



Thanks, *Lindsay!*   This is a new Galloway plan for me, *Lindsay.*  It's the improve time for the Tink and I like it so far.  I try not to worry too much about the longer miles yet.  

Can't wait to see some pics of you and Juan Pinto!   Sounds like a fun night!  

*Nancy,* nice to see you!    Your in the home stretch now -- take it easy on yourself 'cause that baby will be here before you know it.  I cried at the drop of a hat the last few weeks of pregnancy.    I'll check out your new blog as soon as I can figure out where it is!  

*Kathy,* you can stick to the plan from now through Thanksgiving!    Hope that last game day isn't too cold.  

*Lisa,* hope that you are doing well!  j

*Maria,* great job coaching this week!  I always love your fun questions.    Sorry work turned out to be hectic.    It's good to be needed, though.  

Hello to the rest of our princess if you are out there!  

Keeping my fingers crossed for my new decade this week!  princess

The poof fairy tried to poof my post and then it turns out that you were all posting while I was typing so I will be back some time today to catch up!  Love you all!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello  and !

It feels like forever since I last posted here. Honestly, coaching has kicked my heiny this week. I'm more than happy to hand those duties over to *Kathy* later! 

I did all my short runs this week, too! I did intervals yesterday, a little faster than the week before. I can really tell when I've run 4M three days in a row...I have 7.5M for Saturday, so that should be pretty pleasant 

*Lisah* -- I will bend myself into a pretzel crossing things and wishing for that new decade for you! 

*Kathy* -- Congrats on the end of football season! And the new hours sound fantastic, anything that lowers health insurance is a boon!  Additional income is also always welcome 

*Nancy* -- You sound awfully busy for someone who is about to deliver  I hope there is some rest in your future! I hope we get to read your Disney store report, I'm looking forward to checking it out.  I wouldn't mind a PM with your address, too...

*Lindsay* -- It is so wonderful you want to coordinate a pasta dinner for that poor woman!  As busy as you are, you are willing to make time to help someone in great need. 

*Rose* -- I'm sorry Tom is having a rough time. I'm sure that just adds to your frustration with your foot -- but it sounds like the PT could really be doing the job -- I think pain is actually a good sign  Progress, not Perfection 

*Pamela* -- Congratulations on the NHS induction for your lovely dd! That was one of my proudest moments, we even had a dinner and dance. I was so happy to dance with my father. Yep, I have always been a major geek! 

*Lisa* -- How's that snow coming?  You are a brave soul. 

I hope I'm not getting ahead of myself too far here -- but I guess it's time to start talking about our ornament exchange! I thought we could:

1) select a theme (or no theme)
2) determine a price limit
3) select a date by which they absolutely, positively must be mailed 

No pressure, participate only if you want to!

Then everyone who wants to participate can send me your address via pm. I will cut little slips of paper, and draw a name for each person. I'll let you know who you have with their address. Any other ideas? I'm happy to run it, and I welcome great suggestions from you very bright ladies! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Let me just start by saying.....I'm a Loser! I'm a Loser! After going up so much lately, I am down 1.8 pounds this week! I was hoping for .5, so I'm thrilled! Hopefully, it's not a fluke. If I can take .5 off every week between now and mid December, I will be back to where I was this spring. I LOVE myfitnesspal. Makes it much easier to track, and even though I still probably ate too much junk this week, at least I stayed under my calorie limit!

*Lisa*-- I hope you see that new decade! So how do you feel about running with your DH? 95% of the time I like running with Mike, but we don't work together. He has said some snarky things (yes, he is a man) that I have had to later call him on, but for the most part it's been really good for us, and part of what I'm missing so much right now. I think the longer mileage is a great plan. And I got all my speed work (though it was informal) for Princess on the treadmill--mostly it was me running faster so I could get off!

*Maria*--I forgot about the ornament exchange. Too exciting! Are we making ornaments or buying ornaments? I've never done this before, but I'm really excited about it! I'm so glad your runs are going well!

*Nancy*--I would like your address too!

*Lindsay*--that party sounds like so much fun! Hope you have a great weekend!

*Kathy*--woohoo for lower insurance! And for getting back on track! As for the grown-up drinks while trick or treating--we've been know to do that--you know back in the stone age when you had to pretend you were carrying a coke and weren't really walking through the neighborhood with beer.

*Lisa*--how is the snow? 

*****
I went to pt Wednesday. The foot was so sore yesterday. And the itband. But I do feel like it's getting better. My ankle is feeling stronger. And some parts of my foot are feeling much better--including my achilles tendon. I think the itband is rebelling because I cranked up the biking so much. This summer I didn't do much besides run 3 days a week. All of a sudden I'm back to working out 5 days a week--doing stuff I haven't done in a while for extended periods of time. I decided to take today off, which I think is a smart thing. My body is feeling a little bit worn out. I will get a workout in tomorrow, which will put me at 5 for the week. I wanted 6, but I will be happy with 5.

I have physical therapy today, and then I think I'm going to do some shopping. 

Have a super Friday!


----------



## mikamah

*Rose*-I'm so excited for your loss!!  Way to go, girlfriend!  I know you can do this!!

Got to run to work now, but I'm excited for the ornamant exchange, and am up for anything.  I like the idea of in the mail by a specific date.  That will help me mail some cards to Ireland that I usually never get to doing, too.  Bonus. 

Have a great day princesses!!  Hope to pop on later, but if not, see you all tomorrow!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!    

*Nancy,* loved your pics from the Disney Store yesterday on FB!  Thomas is going to be a real ladies man!    Would you please add me to the PM list for an address?  I'll check out your article some time this week-end.  It won't be long now until Bronxbaby is here!    Do rest and take it easy as much as you can.  

*Kathy,* woo hoo for the last game of the season!    Hope the weather cooperates for you.  I'll be going to check out the other thread in a few here. I will be happy to cheer on our marathon princesses in 2013 -- but I will do the Donald.  Enjoy your busy day!  

*Maria,* woo hoo for getting all your short runs done.    You are going to be so ready for the Princess!  

Thanks for being our ornament exchange organizer!    I'll send you a PM.  It would be nice to have a list with everyone's addresses so we could do Christmas cards, too.  I'm up for anything, but remember I am so not creative. 

*Rose,* woo hoo you are a loser!    Great job!  And it's not a fluke . . . it's your hard work paying off! 

I don't know how I will like running with DH.  We didn't get to go yesterday because we each had things come up at work.  We spend so much time together a little part of me was like " but that's my time!" when he first mentioned it.  Then, of course, I felt bad for feeling that way.    I have mixed feelings about it but I think it would be wonderful to have him come along on these Disney running trips and I wouldn't mind someone with me on my longer runs since it is kind of scary when you are a woman running by herself outside, even here.   

I'm glad that the foot is feeling better.   I'm sure as you heal things are going to have to adjust because you probably compensated for the foot in other places more than you realize.  Good job listening to your body and taking a break today.   

*Lindsay,* enjoy your outing with Juan Pinto tomorrow!    You are so nice to organize a dinner for your friend.   

*Lisa,* hope that you are doing well and the training is going well!  

And I am happy to report that I made it to my next decade today!    I will definately be in new territory (finally) by the end of the month.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

This is what happens when I try to post from the crackberry....I spent all of today in a conference, and as soon as Dennis gets home we have to go to Ben's school to see his Improv show. What I was trying to post this morning --- I think if someone wants to make an ornament that is awesome, but I won't be subjecting anyone to my appalling lack of artistic talent! 

I have Lisah's address, and I'm happy to send a list to everyone with all the addresses when I get them, if everyone is ok with that. 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria--sent you a pm. 

How are you all? Physical therapy was soooooooo painful yesterday. (Are you all sick of hearing me talk about it?) And despite taking ibuprofen, I was very uncomfortable for most of the day. Today is much better, so that's good. We added in some strength stuff for my ankle. One of the things I had to do was stand on the bad foot and throw a heavy ball at a trampoline that was tipped up in the air and have it come back to me and catch it--30 times. Phew, it's harder than you would think. It's crazy how weak that ankle is, but it is starting to feel better. So that's good. 

Anyhow, all the ankle stuff engaged my core, glutes, legs which wreaked havoc on my already sore itband. Uggh! Then this morning while pool running it really started to get uncomfortable after only 30 minutes. So I thought about my form for a minute, because I really couldn't figure out what was going on. Pool running is supposed to be rehab for itbs! And I realized I was pool running with my legs out wide. They were landing under me, but hip width apart. Which was stretching my itband over my hip tight and causing it to hurt at my knee. As soon as I fixed my form it started feeling better and I did another 20 minutes! What a relief! I was really starting to get stressed out. It's pretty sore still, but I iced it good, and hopefully it will get better quick, once I remove the stressor!

I hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday. Enjoy those runs this weekend. I am so jealous!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Posting quickly before I collapse in bed -- promise to be back tomorrow with replies!

I received pms from Rose and Lisa, so I have three of you! 

The 7.5M today went great. I felt good the entire time, and it was nice to be done earlier than usual. Shopping with Benjamin went well, too, and of course I enjoyed my Hallmark time! They had VB 100 handbags in the Fall 2011 patterns for $29, I went ahead and got three for my nieces. Now I just need to pick up 6 things to go in the pockets -- lip balm, hand cream, antibac, tissues, mints, and something else I think of -- I'm open to ideas! I want to get i-tunes gift cards to go in the outside pocket. I may come up with something for the large interior section, but it has to be fairly inexpensive and not something that will melt or spill, since I'm shipping to FL. 

I also got a buy 2/get 2 coupon from Yankee Candle today, so I finished up my smom and smil. Well, almost finished. I need lip balm, etc. for them, too. I'm waiting for the Black Friday sale at B&B, so I can get their special bag for $20, which I'm keeping for me!  

I also committed to Dennis to go back to following WW. It's the only thing that seems to work for me, and even when I get frustrated and quit, I'm ahead of where I was before. Not sure if I'll go back to meetings, but I am going to go back to online. I just need to be judicious with my fruit and veggies, because unlimited didn't seem to be working well for me...

Ok, now I really have to sleep. Sweet dreams, lovely ladies!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princesses and Tinkerbelles!!

Hope you're all enjoying your weekends.  We had a fun day yesterday.  I worked the football snack bar in the morning, and michael went to my sisters house.  They had said not to bring your kids to the snack bar, so I didn't, but everyone else did, so now I know for next year, he can just come with me.  Duh.  Their game started off bad, 22-0 in the first half, but the second half the score never changed, and we got a couple of good runs in, and almost a touchdown, they were on the 10 yardline, and so close, and they even let them continue after the clock was out because they were so close.  They had fun, and really ended the season on a positive note, and after those first few losses, the coaches really did seem to turn around their attitudes.  Of course, I think they push the win a little too much, but they were much better after the last few games losses.  
They had a pizza party after and the boys had a blast.  They were loud and crazy, and it was a good end to the season.  There's a banquet next week, that we go to, but it's really about the 8th graders who are playing their last year, but the whole league goes, so we're going to that.  The boys sit together with the coaches apparently, and the parents sit together so I'm sure it will be fun.  

Eating wise, after my 3 days off track, I did seem to get it together, and have tracked everything, and am within my points.  We are going to friends for the patriots game this afternoon, so I'm sure there will be some challenges there.  The dad is a chef, and he said he's making lots of different appetizers.  Which I know will be delicious.  I'm going to walk/run this morning, and hopefully that will motivate me and I'll keep my control.

on the *Ornament exchange,*, I'm up for anything.  I'm not too creative either, so would rather purchase than create.  What are we thinking for a theme?  princess, tinkerbell, disney, something from our local area, running, sports, santa. or something silver or gold.  I like the idea of a mail by date. 

I put our halloween stuff away yesterday and brought out my mom's Santa Claus.  He's just beautiful.  Just so you know, 7 weeks from today is Christmas.

*Maria*-Nice deal on the VB bags.  It's amazing how now that I have one, how many others I notice out there.  I was thinking scarf or gloves to add to the bags, but then I saw the ship to florida part.  what about fun socks or holiday socks.  I know they're not the usual purse thing.  Nice job on the 7.5 miles!

*Lisa*-I hope when DH comes running with you, he's as good as Rose's Mike.  Utilize him, let him carry your water, clif blocks, etc.  And kick him to the curb if he aggravates you.    Whoo hoo for the new decade!!  So excited for you!  You are working so hard, and I know you will reach your Tink goal.  You can do it!!

*Rose*-So glad the ankle is starting to feel a little better.  Standing on one foot and throwing a ball does not sound like fun, but I can imagine it really does strengthen that ankle.  Glad you realized what was aggravating the itb in the pool.  You must be getting so in tune with every part of your body now.  I am so amazed at your resolve and dedication to get through all this, and how much exercise you are still getting in.  I hope you continue to see improvement every single day.

Hello to *Nancy, Lindsay, LisaL and Pamela!!*

It was nice to have the extra hour this morning.  Usually we need to rush out the door for ccd.  I'm going to run/walk while he's at ccd, and then make michael go to the grocery store with me.  I don't need too much so it shouldn't be too painful for him.  

Hope you're all enjoying the weekend!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

sorry guys, i'm just so incredibly exhausted i can't even function! i've been posting on facebook but that's about all i can handle. thomas has just stopped sleeping. full stop. and apparently it's all my fault. you know, cuz i don't want to sleep or anything. 

john just took thomas to soccer and of course complained the whole time about how he has stuff around the house to do instead. i'm going to just in the bath and hope it relaxes me a little and try to nap. it won't happen but i'm going to try. 

be back hopefully later to catch up. xoxo.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

This is my favorite time change -- an extra hour of sleep!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> What I was trying to post this morning --- I think if someone wants to make an ornament that is awesome, but I won't be subjecting anyone to my appalling lack of artistic talent!



 I totally have a lack of artistic talent as well.  



Rose&Mike said:


> How are you all? Physical therapy was soooooooo painful yesterday. (Are you all sick of hearing me talk about it?) And despite taking ibuprofen, I was very uncomfortable for most of the day. Today is much better, so that's good. We added in some strength stuff for my ankle. One of the things I had to do was stand on the bad foot and throw a heavy ball at a trampoline that was tipped up in the air and have it come back to me and catch it--30 times. Phew, it's harder than you would think. It's crazy how weak that ankle is, but it is starting to feel better. So that's good.



Bummer about the physical therepy being so painful, *Rose.*   Don't be afraid to tell her how much it is hurting since she probably remembers your high tolerance for pain.  I'm glad that the ankle is getting stronger!  It's good that you were thinking about your form and that fixed the problem.  I think that we do adjust our bodies in weird ways to compensate for stuff and when it is fixed we are still somewhat twixt up.    I don't mind hearing about your PT stuff.  I like to hear that you are getting better! 



Worfiedoodles said:


> The 7.5M today went great. I felt good the entire time, and it was nice to be done earlier than usual. Shopping with Benjamin went well, too, and of course I enjoyed my Hallmark time! They had VB 100 handbags in the Fall 2011 patterns for $29, I went ahead and got three for my nieces. Now I just need to pick up 6 things to go in the pockets -- lip balm, hand cream, antibac, tissues, mints, and something else I think of -- I'm open to ideas! I want to get i-tunes gift cards to go in the outside pocket. I may come up with something for the large interior section, but it has to be fairly inexpensive and not something that will melt or spill, since I'm shipping to FL.



That sounds like a very nice gift for your nieces.    How about some socks or slippers for the inside of the purse?  Or a scarf or one of those small fleece throws rolled up?  Okay, I just read what Kathy said about this so I have to say great minds think alike!  

Glad that you had a good run.  Isn't it kind of funny to think 7.5M isn't that big of a deal anymore?  



mikamah said:


> Hope you're all enjoying your weekends.  We had a fun day yesterday.  I worked the football snack bar in the morning, and michael went to my sisters house.  They had said not to bring your kids to the snack bar, so I didn't, but everyone else did, so now I know for next year, he can just come with me.  Duh.



Silly you for actually following the rules . . .   Grrrr! 



mikamah said:


> Just so you know, 7 weeks from today is Christmas.



Yowza!  That doesn't bother me too much for Christmas but it's the proximity to the the Tink that gave my heart a little skip this morning. 

We should all be so lucky to have someone like Mike run with us to take care of us and carry our stuff.    I will have an opportunity to train my DH for that but for now he's proven to be better at thinking of excuses not to go that even I am!    So today I am going out by myself and because I am a wimp and it is in the 20's, I will go to the Kroc Center since it is a short run.  Of course now that I am running close to a bathroom all the time so far my runner's tummy has disappeared!    Hope it stays that way!   I'm pretty sure it is the new medicine and not psychosomatic.  

*Nancy,* I'm so sorry about the no sleep thing.    There is absolutely nothing harder for me to deal with than sleep deprivation.  Something has to be going on for it to start all of a sudden.  Hope it passes as quickly as it came on.  His little world (and yours) is going to be rocked big time pretty soon.    I'll be sending good thoughts your way.    John is probably exhausted and cranky, too.  Maybe see if you can get someone to take Thomas for awhile so both of you guys can get some rest.  

*Lisa,* I can't believe how much snow you have had already!  I hope it is typical Colorado snow that appears and disappears or that at least it is sunny. 

Hello to the rest of our princesses!   

Off to do some running and some .  Pretty exciting stuff! Have a great day princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hello, hello, hello! How are you all today?

*Nancy*--I hope Thomas decides to sleep soon. Could it be allergies/ear stuff/sinus stuff? Tom was a good sleeper except when he was having allergy flareups--which was unfortunately too often! I agree with Lisa, you all need a babysitter/Auntie to step in and give you a little break. Hang in there, you are almost done being pregnant.

*Kathy*--I hope you have a good run. And you too *Lisa*! It would never even occur to me to run outside if it were in the 20s. That is cold! Good luck with the tracking--both of you. And I'm glad that tummy is cooperating!

*Maria*--woohoo for 7.5! Good luck with weight watchers. What a good aunt you are! I send everyone giftcards. I have given up trying to figure out what to buy them. And I can't decide on a theme, but I like the idea of something local, or maybe a disney theme. I don't know....

I have probably said this a million times, but I am loving myfitnesspal. They even have gluten free weird food in there already! I eat this one artichoke burger which I have only found at whole foods and it was preloaded! I am underestimating, I think how much grown up drinks I am having--which I really need to stop, but with not running, I am finding it to be my only stress relief right now. Does that mean I have a drinking problem? Anyhow, tracking is helping to keep me somewhat honest.

*****
I am supposed to be cleaning--Mike is doing yard work. This afternoon we are going to look at a few houses. We had the kitchen work up done yesterday. We just can't decide what to do......But I think we need to do something.

My foot is feeling really good today. I'd say only a .5 or maybe a 1 on the pain scale. No workout today, but I have to do my ankle exercises/stretch/ice and roll it on my pink golf ball. Thanks for the positive comments. We do talk about how much it hurts when she is beating me up, but I figure it is for a short period of time and if it means I can get better sooner, then it is worth it. There is still a huge lump of scar tissue in my foot that needs to go, but it is slowly getting smaller and less inflamed. I am really proud of myself for not quitting and for not just staying in bed permanently with the covers over my head. I bought some new Merrell walking around shoes yesterday, not my usual style, but oh well. Mike kept saying, they're cute, and I kept looking at him like he borrowed some of Tom's adhd meds, or something stronger.

Happy Sunday!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hey  and !

Checking in before my beloved Pats game...I hope they play in a fashion that deserves my devotion 

I have *Kathy's* address now, too. 

*Rose* -- Honestly, I like shopping for the three girls. With not having one, it's given me a chance to buy those cute things I really wanted to get, but certainly couldn't give Benjamin  Since I don't have siblings this is my only shot at being an auntie, and I like it. My other SIL doesn't have kids, and she's so cheap, she doesn't get the girls things they really want. The older girls are adopted, and she showed up at their party with a used pogo stick she got at a garage sale for the middle one, and nothing else. She would never buy something brand name for them. Don't get me started, I'm waiting until the holiday season starts in full force to begin the "why Denise is a constant PITA" posts  They have one aunt on their other side, but they have a lot of financial constraints. I'm their best chance at "Auntie Spoiling"!  I am so glad the scar tissue is decreasing  We all know this is not fun for you, but I know you have the moxie to see it through! Did I congratulate you on being a loser? I know how hard you worked for that! 

*Lisah* -- I'm doing  today, too. Our social lives are just whirls of excitement, aren't they?  It is really nice to think that 7.5M is a break! I can remember when that just would have seemed like too much and too long to be running.  The  is just around the corner, so I know you are gearing up and staying on track. You are going to be where you want to, because you are keeping those goals at the forefront of your mind. No "eating asleep" for you! 

*Nancy* --  You sound so worn, honey. We worry about you -- so don't worry about posting here (well, if you want to pm me your address, I can make sure everyone else has it ), just try to get as much rest as you can. I'm sure Thomas senses something is just about to happen, and he's trying to process, which of course being 2, he can't understand. I'm sure there's lots of talk about "when the baby comes", which he doesn't really understand. He will eventually get too tired and have to sleep. Because, you know, he's 2.  It will happen, I just hope sooner rather than later. 

*Kathy* -- You are doing a great job coaching! Awesome questions. I know you are glad football is finally over. The banquet sounds like a nice event. I hope the grocery shopping went well and you are ready for some football!  The trip to the mall was uneventful. I didn't realize Santa was arriving yesterday, but we managed to miss him completely 

* to Pamela, Lisa and Lindsay!*

I decided to go ahead and do 4M this morning, since I wasn't too sore, and that will really help with breaking up next week. The TM repair guy is coming tomorrow. The fan is not working and we're late for our annual checkup. The belt needs to be re-aligned, too. Anyway, this means I can rest tomorrow, run Tues. and Wed., rest Thurs., and take advantage of not working Friday to do my LR then, particularly since it's only 5M (big cutback week). Saturday I can wake up without a care in the world, other than the house opening I have to go to for work. 

I'm taking the ham out of my egg breakfasts, so it will be 6 ww pts. I may cut that back further, but it's a start. I need to point the bean burritos Dennis is making for dinner. I'm going to slip back into counting points this week, and then try to get inline with the number I'm actually supposed to have daily. I also have to watch the fruits and veggies, because unlimited fruit is really not my best strategy 

I ordered our Thanksgiving pie this morning. We order from a local agency called Community Servings. They deliver meals for people who are critically ill or homebound. They're made in local bakeries, so it's better than I would make and also better than Stop and Shop.  We're going with apple this year. It's a good choice because it's not a favorite for either of us. We'll eat it, but we won't eat it in an inappropriate way 

Ok, gotta get set up for the big game. Everyone have an awesome afternoon and look forward to a fantastic week! 

Maria


----------



## liesel

OK, just a quick post here because I need to do  too and I am procrastinating.

*LisaH* My beginner training schedule has long runs on opposite weeks from you (no long run on Dec 24-just 3 miles ) so today I did 7 for the first time.  After reading these posts I can see that you can all knock out this distance in your sleep, but for me it was huge, my last long run was 5 miles 2 weeks ago and this is the first time I've done this distance.  I was so proud I stuck through it, especially since it was freezing out (upper 30s low 40s) with crazy gusting wind.  All of that (plus the usual altitude) and I still came in at a 14:55 pace, which I know is slow, but its under 16 and I am so proud!!  

I should get going, hello to everyone!  *Rose*, I'm glad your PT is going well, *Kathy*, sounds like a great end to football season, *Maria*  on your long run, *Nancy* I hope you and Thomas can get some good rest soon, *Lindsay* Hi I hope you are doing well.  Whew.  Hello to anyone I missed, I'll try to be on and catch up on the main thread tomorrow!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lisa--Congratulations on your first 7 miler! Do you feel strong and proud? I hope so!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I am exhausted to say the least but wanted to stop by and say HELLO.  Im glad it sounds like everyone is had a great weekend....well except our poor nancy.  I have been there done that with babies not sleeping and oh it is so not fun especially adding in being 9 mths pregant.  I hope it gets better soon. Nancy.

I am very excited for the ornament exchange and I was thinking that getting something that has meaning from where we live would be fun, that way every time we get it out each year we can remember who gave it to us and why.  Just a suggestion.  Maria I will PM you my address now.  Thanks for organizing this!

Ok well I will have to catch up soon but for now I must sleep.  Let me just say friday night I got home after having dinner with friends around 10pm and I had to prepare papers and patient lists for the flu clinic the next day....well I ended up taking all night and never going to sleep...left my house at 5am to go to the office then stayed up all day and finally got home last night and crashed around 930.  I am still feeling the effects of that today.. So not fun.

Talk to you all very soon.


----------



## liesel

Rose&Mike said:


> Lisa--Congratulations on your first 7 miler! Do you feel strong and proud? I hope so!



Yes, I feel strong, proud, and a little sore!  I was so proud of sticking with it even though I always have a moment on every long run when I want to quit.  Between the wind and TOM, it was definitely a challenge!  I'm going to take a nice easy walk today before we get hit with snow AGAIN!

So life has been a little stressful this week.  We've always talked about possibly moving back to California (we are thinking northern) in a few years.  After our CA trip in October, DH mentioned that we should go back after the CA economy picks back up and there are lots of engineering projects out there.  Well it seems that time is sooner than we thought because last Monday he emails me (while I'm volunteering at school!) and says there is a project there starting next year and his boss (who is in CA) thinks he would be good for the position.  DH's boss has wanted him to relocate to CA for a while (he is interested in having him be his eventual replacement) and this would be a good opportunity.  They haven't won the project yet (50% chance) and we most likely wouldn't know until January, which means going through the holidays with this uncertainty.  I'm not really telling people yet since this is so theoretical, but DH told his parents about this possibility and they are so excited, that stresses me out a little, I don't want to get their hopes up.  There is also another potential project next year and DH's boss says that anytime we want to move out there, they'd find a place for him.

I'm a little divided on this, I love the area (we both went to college there) but I'm not sure I'm quite ready to leave Colorado just yet.  The kids are in such a great school and DH knows that if we moved it would have to be to another great school district.  The increase in housing would mean my return to the work force (I want to go back anyway, I just feel a little uncomfortable needing my income to make ends meet instead of having it be extra savings, like for vacations!) and a smaller house.  I just need to let it go for now and keep going with my decluttering projects and if we move at the end of the school year, I'll be ready.  I really would like to have an answer by the Tink, so I'll have something to tell friends and family there.  The kids would love to move to CA, but they are envisioning living by the beach, having a pool, and going to DL every weekend.  I'm trying to show them a map of CA (and explain how expensive beach communities are!) and tell them that there would be more beach and DL but not quite as much as they think!  It would also be nice to be closer to DH's parents, his parents are in their late 70s and it would be fantastic if they could spend more time with the kids.

Thanks so much for letting me vent guys, even if you don't get through all that.  Have a great day!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Now I have *Nancy's* address! We are looking good, I think that's everyone! (send me a pm if you want in, too, Pamela, but not an issue at all if you don't!) Ok, I've heard a couple of votes for a local-theme to the ornaments, any other last minute ideas? I read that Dec. 16th is predicted to be the busiest day at the post office this year. I was thinking a good deadline for mailing would be Dec. 15th, so hopefully we avoid that date, and there's plenty of time to receive all our goodies, even if they're going from MA to ID -- wow, we do span the country, don't we?! 

Once we settle on the mailing date, I will do the drawing exactly one month ahead (Dec. 15 = Nov. 15th) so we all have plenty of time to plan and shop. Not that this should take much time to plan for, but I know how busy we all are! 

I am probably the first coach in BL history to post a gain the week she coached. Sigh. Gain seems to be all I can do lately. Hopefully I will see a turnaround this week, but I'm not going to hold my breath. 

*Lisa* -- Congrats on the 7M! Yes, that is an awesome accomplishment! And wow, so much to think about with possibly moving...feel free to just post away here. We listen and we'll be supportive no matter how frustrated you are feeling 

*Lindsay* -- Wow, I have just about lost the capacity to pull an allnighter! The closest I came was the Princess  last year, When I got up at 3:30am, ran, went to Epcot, went to dinner with *Rose and Mike (and Corinna!)*, went to JellyRolls, and didn't get back in my room until midnight! That was all fun, though, I don't think I'd want to do it for work! 

* to Rose, Nancy, Lisah, Kathy, and Pamela!*

Tomorrow I'm scheduled to do 4M of intervals. I'm feeling tired and less than enthusiastic right now. I woke up at 4:38 this morning, my body does not adjust well to Daylight Savings, even when we're falling back. I am definitely, unless there is a crisis du jour, taking the Spring Daylight Savings day after off! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

my foot hurts today. a lot. the ankle this time--it's purple today. Mike said it's been purple before, but I could never see it. today I can see it and the heel hurts too, but the ankle is worse.  I heard a wounded warrior commercial on the radio today, and it really did put things into perspective, but the pain all the time is getting to me a bit. Ok, a lot. 

Lisa--moving stress isn't fun, but hopefully it will all work out the way you want it to.

Lindsay--you need a day off! goodness!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Okay, bear with me, I just need to get this out...I saw some photos of me from the Providence Half, and I just want to cry. I cannot believe how big I look, how big I am. It's just heartbreaking. I'm visibly larger than I was at Princess, and I am so upset. So disappointed in myself. So defeated. I have been trying to lose weight for so long, and I clearly just don't get it. I'm starting to think I never will. I should just accept this is the size I am going to be, and buy some muumuus when I get bigger. Okay, I'm not quite ready for a muumuu, but I also don't seem to be able to sustain even the 15 lbs I had lost earlier this year. I wish I wasn't registered for the Princess, with my airfare already set. I wish I could just never run another step again, never leave my house again, and oddly enough, the last thing I want is food right now. Ironic, isn't it? I know I'm supposed to take this feeling and use it whenever I want to eat something that is not nutritious. I know I should just buck and get a clue. People lose this weight all the time. I haven't posted on my team thread in a long while because they all just took off their weight and now they run fast (no offense *Rose*, you are a great part of that group -- and I don't by any means mean that it was easy, I just mean I am incapable and as a failure, don't really enjoy posting there anymore). I just feel like I don't belong, which again ironically, is how I ended up here in the first place. Not feeling like I belong and eating myself into happiness. Okay, now I am crying. Thanks for letting me just get that out. 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Following the pity party with a positive post, 

Let me be the first to Congratulate *Rose*, our BL for the week! 

You so !

I am so proud of you, you set a goal and you are doing it, even injured! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

*Maria*- Oh, honey, I can feel your pain in your post, and I hope you feel better this morning, and can look back on all that you have accomplished.  You are so not incapable and so not a failure.  And I can not see you sitting on your couch in a muumuu eating bonbons.  You run half marathons, for crying out loud.  You are an amazing mom and wife.  It just plain sucks that you can work so hard, and the weight does not come off.  I wish I had some magic words and powers to put us all at our goal weights, but we all know dedication and taking it one day at a time is what we need to get there.  It's hard to lose the weight and to keep at it when the scale goes the wrong way, but it would be harder not to be working at it, and not to be in shape at all, and to pack on another 40 or 50 pounds.  I do know how you feel.  I wish I could get back that feeling of power I had when I did the princess.  I put the hours in to train, and I did it.  But since then, it's been off and on.  Up 12 pounds.  I was always so motivated by Corinna first and second half pictures, and the change in her physically, and thought that would be me.  But it's not.  Every single one of us's journeys are our own, individual.  Some reach a goal weight quickly and their journey continues to maintain, some take years to reach a goal weight, but maybe make a little progress each year, some are more like a roller coaster, up and down at times, and frustrating as all hell some times, but it is our journey that makes us who we are.   Maria, you are one strong woman, and I know that you can do this.   We must never give up.  We are not muumuu type ladies.  Unlss Vera Bradley makes muumuus, I will not ever see you in one.  Hang in there, vent away, we are here for you always.  

*LisaL*-Congrats on 7 miles!!!  You are going to be just fine for the Tink.  Great time too!!Pixiedust to you and the family with all the big decisions you have coming up on the move.  Remember it's about you, dh and your kids, and what's most important for you 4.  

*Rose*-COngrats, your are the biggest loser!!!  So excited for you.  I hope your foot is feeling better today. Hang in there.

*LisaH*-When Maria wrote that we go from MA to ID, I thought who's in Indiana?   Hope you're having a good week, and enjoying being in that new decade.  I'm feeling a little back in control.  I so want to finish the pjlla plan on track thanksgiving day.  Hey, what kind of turtle do you have?  Michael wants one bad, so I think I'm going to give in.  But a tortoise I think, dry, not wet.  I did remember that, right you do have a turtle?  If not, it's my dementia setting in. 

*Lindsay*-You are a young whippersnapper, aren't you, pulling an all nighter.  I bet it's still catching up with you.  How's BBall going?  

*Nancy*-Hang in there honey.

I had michael's teacher conference this morning, and he's doing great, no issues at all.  Not that I expected any, but you always worry a little.  He's so cute he said "when you tell me mrs fitzgerald told you I was a terrible student, I'll know you're lying."  So yeah, he wants a turtle.  He's wanted one for about a year, every time we go to the pet store, we look.  He was going to get an Ipod touch for b-day/xmas, but he'd rather have a turtle.  Just so happens our neighbors had an aquarium with a nice wooden stand on the curb last weekend for free, so we cleaned that up, and we're going to organize our play room, and after Thanksgiving, get a new pet.  The store recommended the russian tortoise.  I've got to do more research.  The wet turtles have high salmonella risk, so I didn't care for that.  But of course the pet store man could have just been trying to sell us a 100$ tortoise over a 20$ slider turtle, so we'll see.  I'm wondering if it would be easier to just break down and get the dog he's always wanted.  

Oh well, I'm off to work now.  Have a great day everyone!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Thanks Maria.

I'm sorry you had such a rough time last night. I'm glad you put it out there. Selfishly, it really helps me to hear the good and bad. I don't think we talk enough some times about how HARD it is to make the healthy choices, do the right thing, get out there, do the exercise, eat the right food, etc. FWIW I have wanted to quit posting period because I feel like such a loser for dealing with yet another injury, that I am some how deficient to all these people who just go and go and go. When I started the weight loss thing AGAIN in 2010, I was an empty nester who was overweight and out of shape. And I assumed I would always be that way. I EXPECTED to fail AGAIN. I still do a lot of the time. I see the injury as a failure and the beginning of the slippery slope back to fat me. It's a struggle every single day. I'm not going to pretend it isn't. Some days are much easier than others, but some days are really, really hard. 

I had to decide I didn't want to be that person anymore. I still don't know how to define myself, but I didn't want to be huge and miserable. And I still hear the mom voice--you're big, you're big--but I have been beating it down with a stick lately.

I didn't mean to talk so much about me, but the point was to tell you--You can do it Maria. You can. It's not going to be easy. But believe me---It really is worth the work. It really, really, really is. You are strong and smart. You deserve to be healthy and fit. You deserve a body that you feel good about it. 

Have you been to the doctor recently? Could there be anything going on that is making it more difficult to get a good start? Just a thought.

Anyhow, I hope you are less sad today. I hate to think of you being so sad. Love you.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

Good thing there is an endless supply of this stuff 'cause it seems like we are needing a lot of it lately!   

*Maria,* bless your heart, girl.    You are so worth all the effort.  Rose is right, we need to talk more about how hard this is, how boring, how frustrating, how it takes forever, and how some days we just want to throw our arms up in the air and yell "I've had it!"  This might be a good week for you to give yourself a break and take it easy until you feel more like yourself again -- I bet your body is trying to tell you something.   You'd better not give up, girl, one of the reasons that I keep doing this thing is because you inspire me so.  I'm not doing this without you!  

*Rose,* a big congratulations to your for being the BL!    Where is your fabulous clippie, girl? 

And thank you for saying it would never occur to you to run if it were in the 20's 'cause I was feeling a bit wimpy for not doing it after making a big deal about how I need to run outside (which I do).  

*Nancy,* try and get some rest, even if you can't sleep.    Your life is going to get more hectic soon so you've got to get those batteries charged.  

*Lisa,* congratulations on your first 7 mile run!    That is so exciting and a double woo hoo for you for doing it in the weather!   Your pace is spot on so all you have to do is get up to the distance -- I know that you can do that!    You are going to be so ready to rock the Tink! 

And a big  on the moving stress issue.  We moved all the time when we were growing up for the paycheck -- three times in my junior year.  It was hard but looking back I realize that it made us more resilient and adaptable.  

*Lindsay,* you wild woman pulling an all nighter!    I couldn't even do that when I was younger.  

*Kathy,* my vote is for the dog!   We do have a red earred slider turtle.  He is a wet turtle but we always wash our hands when we handle him and never had a problem with salmonella.  Did you know they live to be about 50 years old?  The tortoise -- about 100.  Are you up for that?  'Cause it will be your turtle ya know?  Boys and dogs are good thing or how about a kitty?  I'm thinking Fredward isn't going to like whatever you bring home no matter what.

Here is a little sparkpeople article that I found that might help us all 'cause you know there is a sparkpeople article for everything!  http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivation_articles.asp?id=188 Love you all bunches and bunches! 

Have a great day princesses! 

P.S. Neener, neener poof fairy!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

You ladies are so awesome! Thank you so much, I needed to read each and every word you wrote  So much truth, about the difficulty, about each journey being different, and about just hangin' in there. 

I like *Kathy's * comment -- we are not muumuu type ladies. No we are not. None of us would really be happy just sitting on the couch watching our hips and waist expand, myself included!  

Dennis asked me this morning if it was TOM, since I am not myself. No, I just let those photos throw me for a loop. I was actually fairly happy and ready to keep going with my plan. I wish I would have never opened that e-mail...I think I just had a "No Princess Left Behind" moment, 'cause I read what you guys wrote and I want to be with you, not in a Cheetos fog! I've come to the conclusion I actually need to post more, get my food plans out there, and think things through better. If I had to post every time I ate a mini Twix, far fewer of them would go in my mouth in the afternoon  

I'll just add that I did do something positive this morning. I did not wake up feeling particularly motivated, and I slept through my workout window. But I did go to WW Online (haven't been there since July), and put in my breakfast, lunch and snacks for today. I also downloaded a WW recipe for mac and cheese, definitely one of my favorites. DH is making grilled chicken with brown rice and veggies for dinner. I have to get through the scary "First Time" Glee with ds tonight (I am not looking forward to this, who wants to talk about losing virginity with a 13 yr. old boy?! But I feel like I have to, making sure our values get communicated while he's watching this). Maybe I'll celebrate afterwards (yes, celebrating it's over!) with a sugar-free dark chocolate jello pudding. I do happen to have a stock of those in the fridge...

*Lisah* -- Thanks for the sparkpeople article. You can always find a good one!  Thank you for telling me to be gentle with myself. It does not come naturally, and I need to be reminded from time to time that beating myself up is counterproductive. 

*Rose* -- I'm always happy to hear about you and struggling (not that I want you to struggle or be injured! ) -- for me too it is a good reminder that other people aren't snapping their fingers and just being where they want to. It takes hard work and commitment, and it's not easy. I have started over so many times, when Dennis told me I just have to start over, it just seemed pointless. I know it's not in my head, I'm just feeling pretty vulnerable right now. I'm definitely emotional like TOM is about about to appear, who knows, maybe I'm going to start peri-menopause or something?  I think a big part of my problem is I have it in my head I should lose a lb every day. Yeah, how unrealistic is that? And then it doesn't happen and I get frustrated...maybe I am weighing too often. I'm just afraid I'm going to miss that one day when my weight gets lower...I know that is weird logic, but it's how my mind has been working. I promise I am less sad today, and I will be even less sad tomorrow. I am going to do something more every day this week to get good results. 

*Kathy* -- I promise you that even if Vera Bradley starts to make muumuus, I will not buy one!  I agree with *Lisah*, I vote to skip the reptile and go right for a kitty or dog. I don't do reptiles or rodents, so I'm a bit biased. I figure if I'm going to go to all the work of having a pet, I want one that will occasionally acknowledge my existence 

Ok, I'm going to do some work now. I thought about leaving work early and taking a nap, but there's a webinar I really want to see this afternoon I can read a good Nebo TR over lunch 

Maria


----------



## liesel

*Maria*   I have the same struggle, my efforts don't always show up on the scale and I feel so frustrated sometimes.  I even cried at my last doctor's appointment because of this and my doctor's incredibly condescending lecture (trying to explain how hard I work, much more than the 15 pound loss I was showing).  It was humilating.  I know that I'm really not going to give up because I'm NOT going back but I've given myself permission to feel frustrated sometimes because it is an unfair situation, I get it out and then go right back to being OP and reaching for my goals.  And it is hard to hear about people who lose with little effort.  I know everyone here has worked hard for their goals and it wasn't easy.  I so admire you and everyone here for all that you've done.  I've gone from thinking that doing a half is impossible to believing that I can do it, but I still get nervous before every long run especially as the distances increase.  I know Team Ohana is lucky to have you and none of them would feel that you aren't an important part of that team.  You are definitely worthy, you've done, what, 5 halves?!  That's amazing!

When I get frustrated I try to focus on the things I can control.  I try to get enough sleep, take time to destress, exercise, eat well, and take my Vitamin D (I discovered I was deficient and I think this is part of why it is harder for me to lose weight-I don't absorb nutrients well).  I feel much better and stronger, even if the scale is doing its own thing.  I hope you are feeling better and are having a good day.

Lindsay:  Wow, an all nighter for work?!  You rock!  I'm getting too old for that, I pulled an all nighter coming home from Hawaii, but that was not intentional.

Rose:   for all the hard work and PT you are doing!  I hope the foot/ankle is feeling better today.

Kathy: Thanks so much for coaching this week.  I vote for a dog too, its wonderful to have a pet who is always happy to see you, even though they are a bit more work and you have to make arrangements for them every time you leave town.  My dog is sleeping next to me right now!  15 days to the Turkey Trot, I've decided I'm still in, even if its cold!

LisaH: How many miles are you doing this weekend?  Wow, after that plan, 13.1 is going to feel easy!

Nancy: I hope you are finally getting some more rest and that Thomas is sleeping better.  Won't be long now!


So in the spirit of posting the struggles as well, I have to say that I really had to force myself to run yesterday.  It was below 40 (kind of my threshold right now, I'm hoping to better acclimate to the cold) so I opted for the treadmill and hated every minute of it.  I thought I had made peace last week with the fact that I will not be able to do every run outside, not with blizzards that bring a foot of snow.  So much for that.  At least that's better than skipping out entirely.  The only thing that got me on that treadmill was the fact that I didn't want to put "didn't feel like it" in my training log.  I hope everyone is having a good day and I'll try to catch up on the main thread.  Thanks so much for being so supportive of this half newbie!


----------



## Rose&Mike

did you all hear that thud? It was me falling off the wagon for a bit today, but I think I have caught back up. No real reason, just stress, life, etc. It's funny, bad eating now is very purposeful for me--especially since I got most of the crud out of the house. But I am going to try a gf cookie recipe today and I was having a pity party so I thought I'd get some chips. Then I thought I'd get some gf pretzels--but they stopped carrying the kind I like. So I bought the chips. But I stopped at two servings. I might throw the rest out. Haven't decided yet. 

I had physical therapy today and she told me I need to actually take some days off where I do nothing except stretch. (Meaning I am resting my foot completely a couple of days a week.) Uggh. There's a new arm thing at the Y which is supposed to be good cardio, so I guess I will get someone to show me that. I just don't want to stop exercising completely! The foot is sore, but not as bad as some days after therapy. 

*Liesel*--I think being nervous is perfectly normal. I was so afraid before running the w&d last year that we did a practice half in September. Do you cover your mouth/nose when it's cold? I found that helps a lot in the cold temps. My body warms up quickly, but I really mind the cold air on my lungs. And whatever it takes to get that run in. I have had lots of workouts that I wanted to skip, but didn't cause of stubborness alone. I think that's what messed me up a little with maintaining recently--no big goals--no real exercise goals, too much cheating with the food.

*Maria*--I so get the feeling like you should lose a pound a day. I never had those huge 3&4 pound losses that some people see. And I always thought I was doing something wrong. But I feel like the turtle pace has served me well. And starting over is not pointless--I don't even know if I would look at it as starting over--because that implies failure. And while things have not gone perfectly lately, you still ran a 1/2 this summer. You had already got your exercise moving in the right direction again. Look at it as re-adjusting your habits to get them more inline with being super healthy! 

*Lisah*--The 20s are VERY cold in my book.

*Kathy*--Congrats to Michael on a great conference! The only thing with dogs--in my opinion--is that boarding is EXPENSIVE! We pay $35.00 a day to board our dogs when on vacation. And Tom loved having a dog--but did very little to take care of them, unless we nagged him. Just throwing that out there. Having said that, we have always had dogs--since Tom was 2. Not trying to discourage, you might have someone to help you when you're out of town. And Michael might be the perfect kid with helping out. Dogs do give you a really good reason to exercise!

*Hi Nancy and Lindsay!* 

I have been craving bread. Craving it! I actually started crying the other night cause I wanted a piece of real pizza and to be able to run! Oh well. 

That same day I heard a Wounded Warrior commercial on the radio. It kind of put things in perspective. Mike and I talked about it and he said (he's former Navy, went to USNA) to remember all these wounded warriors who look so strong and confident have pity parties too. That of course they are upset and frustrated about their limitations. That it's ok to be frustrated about your limitations, and even mad, sad, etc. But that limitations aren't a reason to quit. I've been trying to remember that this week.

Have a good Wednesday!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princesses and Lisabelles!!

Thank you all for the advice on the pet thing.  I'm seriously considering getting a dog.  We've talked about it before, and I'm giving myself through Thanksgiving weekend to decide in my head, and then I will tell michael.  I know how much work they are, and I know it will change our lives and our lifestyle.  It is so nice to just be able to get up and go off for the day or weekend, and have no worries.  But Michael has wanted a dog for years now, and I've always said where I work full time, it's not fair to him to be home along that long, but most people with dogs do work full time.  That's why there are lots of dog walker/pet sitter/doggie daycare's out there.  There's day care near here for 26 dollars a day, but I don't want to do that.  I think I could find a dogwalker to come in once during the day.  My sister and bil had a dog before, and they think about getting one too, but he's retired and they travel a lot, so we have joked that we could get one together and dog share. I am going to talk to them about it seriously, and I know they would watch the dog when we go away, because they do it for my brother, and my sisters inlaws, just because they love dogs.  So I do think I would have a lot of help.  My brother who has a dog, is also a possibility, but that of course would depend on how the dogs got along.  

I know michael would just love to have his own dog, and i get filled up when I think of it.  I am discouraging the turtle right now, and he's ok with that, because he already has it in his head he's getting a dog when he's old enough to come home from school alone.  I'm going to write out a list of pros and cons.  Really, looking on the past year, the weekends we've gone away, usually to my brother's in western ma, but we could probably bring the dog there.  The week in Maine, no dogs allowed on the beach there, camping allows dogs, but we couldn't leave him or her and go to the beach for the day.  So lots to think about.  The more I read about turtles/tortoises, the more I wanted a dog. lol.  And a dog isn't going to be found dead in the terrrarium because i forget to feed it.  It's going to let me know he's hungry.  

So thanks for all the advice.   You guys are the best.  Oh, and michael's allergic to cats or we'd already have one.  That would be the perfect pet for us.  He was tested last year, and is not allergic to dogs.  I'll keep you posted. 

*LisaL*- I hear you on the treadmill.  I hated the treadmill the few times I used it, and therefore I got used to doing my training out in the cold.  We had a rough winter here last year, lots of snow and ice, but after some big storm where my usual route's side walk was not plowed, I found a new route, quiet streets where I could run in the street.  With your eye on the prize, running across that DL finishline, you will be able to get your training in.  
I do not like your doctor.  15 pounds lost is fabulous, and he should have been more encouraging.  Most people are gaining weight every year.  

*Rose*- I didn't hear the thud.  We all have those days. Throw those chips out, if they're any left.  And if there are some left, that you are a success.  It's not easy.  It's hard to throw them out too.  Believe me, I tend to just eat them all myself.  Hang in there.  Love the reference to the wounded warriers.  We all have our days. 

Hello to everyone else.  Michael's show is over, it's not raining yet, so we are going to take a run/walk.  Be back later to catch up more, since I'm off for the next 4 days!!!!!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!  

*Maria,* hope that you are feeling more like yourself again and have been able to get some rest.  Some of the problem might have been that horrible month catching up with you.    You are strong, you can do this! 

*Lisa,* I have 11 miles on Saturday.    I'm thinking it may be on the indoor track but the trainer suggested I could break it up by running outside on the nearby Centennial Trail if it was getting too boring. I'll have to see how I feel about the weather and the runner's tummy.  She is also showing me a weight circuit for cross training on Saturday after my 11 miles so we will see how that goes. 

*Rose,* I didn't hear a big crash so hopefully it wasn't too much of a bounce off the wagon.    I'm thinking it was the PT telling you that you had to rest some to heal.  I know you hate that!   Have you been watching BL this season?  They have an arm thing that looks like you are pedalling a bike with your arms that they seem to be using alot.  Maybe that is what they have at the gym?   

It is kind of nice to have a tour every once in awhile and see how things have changed.  They were showing me exercise bikes that were much, much nicer than the ones I had used at my old gym.  Also, a stretching machine that is super easy and you can get some great stretches after your workout by following along.  

*Kathy,* a dog would be a lot of fun for you both.    They are great companions and give you unconditional love.  As Michael gets older he will need more of that and maybe not always from Mom.  The neighbor thing would be great.  Our neighbor has a dog that is just a few weeks older than Sadie.  They take Sadie on walks on the week-end and we let their dog play with Sadie in our backyard which is suitable for romping -- their's is on a hillside.  We take turns letting the dogs out if we will be gone for awhile.  We go home at lunch and let her out, although sometimes it seems more like waking her up from her nap.

The turtle can communicate with you.  Peple is quite a beggar and waves his little turtle arms whenever he sees me -- whether he is hungry or not.  He always has some "remodeling" project going on in his tank, which is a big 55 gallon tank because he is much larger than he is in this picture. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			
		
		
	


	




  We love all our pets.  

It might not hurt to check Michael again for the cat allergy in case he outgrew it. 

Hello to *Nancy* and *Lindsay*! 

So the trainer meeting was interesting.  She had someone shadowing her and spent over 2 hours with me just going over things.  I think I have two more sessions, which won't be so long, before I have to decide if I want to pay for them.  She doesn't expect me to change from the Galloway plan, which is good, just maybe run a bit more to pick up the speed.  She also wants me to add two days of cross training to help reduce my body fat percentage and build some muscle.  That would be a circuit (like Curves) or biking or swimming or doing a stretch and tone class (similar to Yoga).  Also adding in stretching which is an area I could use some help in as I am not terribly flexible.  Most of the time I agreed with what she said.  A few times I was a bit more skeptical but I hate it when people hire me and then don't listen to what I tell them so I am trying to be a good client.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mikamah

*Lisa*-Peple is very cute.  The red sliders are what michael has been visiting every time we go to the pet store, and they are very cute.  The tortioses, not so cute, and dirtier, so I did like the look of the slider more.  I think I have our friends little cocker spaniel to blame for this.  During the  patriots game last sunday, she sat on my lap and snuggled with me and was so sweet.  Maybe if I go visit my friends big drooly Newfoundland, I'll change my mind.   I talked to michael about the turtle, and thinking maybe it's not the best pet for us, especially since we've talked about getting a dog when he's in middle school, and he was pretty ok with it.  I promised him I'd get him something special for his birthday, and am thinking if we do get a dog, we'll go to the shelter after Thanksgiving, but I might go talk to them there one day alone. 

That's good the trainer isn't recommending a change from your galloway plan.  I guess it is their job to push, and try to get the best from you.  Be sure you don't overdo it with the cross training, and hurt yourself.  You are a good client.  I'm sure you see lots of people who don't listen to you and get in trouble.  

We didn't walk/run this morning, michael didn't feel like it, so I did some much needed yard work, raking for my exercise for 90 minutes.  I think that was better than listening to him whine as we walked. 

Thanks for the pic of Peple.  He is cute.  And he was rechecked last spring for the cat allergy and all the household pets, but still allergic.  bummer.


----------



## liesel

Hey everyone!

*Lisah* Good luck with 11 miles this weekend!  I'm doing 3 on Saturday, originally I wanted to run it at 5K pace in preparation for the turkey trot, but looking at the plan, I see that I'm scheduled for a MM time trial, so I'm going to do that, then slow run to get up to 3 miles.  It will be good to see how much progress I've made.  I got the Galloway "Half Marathon" book and he does encourage more cross training, especially for fat burning.  The half plans there also have an additional 30 minute walking session once a week that is not on the Tink plans, so I'm getting that in too.  I'm trying to be better with getting my cross training in, tomorrow I think I'll do something fun and go to a Zumba class.  I'm glad you had a productive session with your trainer, what kinds of things were you skeptical about?

*Kathy* That's great that you have people that could look after a dog when you are away.  We board our dog and its also $35 a night, just like Rose.  Its part of the reason we've never stayed onsite at WDW or DL, we have to pay for a room for the dog too!  I would look at breeds that generally get along with other dogs, of course the individual dog's temperment is important.  I think the shelters are busier from Jan-spring as people often get rid of dogs that were Christmas presents.  And yes, our dog never lets us skip out on a run or walk either!


*Rose* I need to find something to cover my face when I run.  Its not the cold as much as the wind chill.  Yesterday morning, with the wind chill it was 9!  After the blizzard last week DH has decided that he hates the treadmill too and would rather stick it out in the cold.  Its become harder for me to adjust to the cold in the last year, I think part of it is the weight loss, I'm losing my insulation!  The other part right now is that in the last 6 weeks I've been to 2 very warm places and I just need to readjust to temps here.  It has also been cooler than normal.  I'll definitely be adjusted by January.  I see your myfitnesspal posts, it looks like you are doing great!  I totally forgot to say congrats on being the biggest loser!  You rock!  Oh, and if you start making kitchen plans, I'd love to hear them.

One more pound down, 8.5 to go to my tink goal.

Well, the next 3 days are going to be in the 50s  so I'm going to go out there and enjoy it.  Hi to *Lindsay, Nancy, Maria, and Taryn, Pamela, Corinna, and Jude if you are still out there!*


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Evening  and !

*Lisa* -- Sounds like a nice break in the weather for you, I hope all your runs and outdoor activities are fantastic!  Thank you so much for the kind words. I am so sorry about that doctor , I had a similar experience and it's why I just won't go back until I lose weight, barring something really serious that I can recognize. Yes, I know that is not a good approach. 

*Kathy* -- Sounds like you enjoyed your day off! I'm about to have 4 in a row, and I'm so pleased! It is going to be really nice to have time to think and just get some things done.  A dog is a lot of work, but I do think they are worth it. One thing we do rather than board the cats when we go away -- our vet has a senior vet tech who will come to the house and do whatever pet care you need while you are away. She charges $15/day, which I think is pretty reasonable -- and allows your pet to stay in their home. You might see if there is a similar situation with the vet you end up with -- I gather it's pretty common for the vet techs to make extra money this way. You have the peace of mind of knowing where they work -- and of course they don't want anything bad to get back to the vet! Plus, if they pet has issues (like my poor Worf), the sitter is able to make determinations about whether they really need to go to the vet or not. Not that you would have those issues for a very long time with a puppy!  Oh! and Congrats on Michael's great teacher review, that is awesome! 

*Lisah* - I love that Peple waves his little turtle arms at you, that is precious! I honestly didn't realize they would do that! It is awesome you are keeping an open mind with the trainer. It is true, and advice we all need to hear that when you pay someone for their advice, you should listen to it!  Good luck on your 11M tomorrow! I have a major cutback week, so I'm just doing 5M. I was supposed to do 4M today, but I slept through it again. I agree that maybe everything is just catching up with me. I had my employee review yesterday, and it went very well. But, there was definitely some stress attached to it. I don't know why, it's really just an opportunity for my boss to give me more work and new overarching tasks, salary increases are not tied to it at all. Either the entire agency gets an increase, or no one does. 

*Rose* -- I think the "thud" you heard was actually more of a soft landing to the rest of us  I think you briefly touched down with your toes, and then you pushed off and you're back in zero gravity. Yes, I said it. You are Defying Gravity  I don't know what tomorrow holds, but this morning I had a lower weight than last week, so I'm either worrying myself crazy or doing something right. I think it's probably a combination of the two...

*Lindsay, Pamela and Nancy* --  Hope you guys are hangin' in there and having a good week!

So, my day yesterday ended up being very different than I would have envisioned. Our upper kitchen fridge has been having issues all summer, making some awful noises, but we just decided to use it into the ground, because we could put everything in the downstairs (aka beverage) fridge when it went. It went Tuesday night. We both took Wednesday afternoon off and went fridge shopping. At the third place, we found the best deal, and we were done. Our new fridge (we have space constraints due to our older house and the alcove where it fits) is black, with the freezer on the bottom and french doors. I really like it, and it will be delivered Saturday morning. Which is good, because my guys and I are already finding going to the basement for milk, etc., annoying. We are lazy people 

Since we were at the mall anyway...we went to the Disney Store and I picked up the Toddler Tiana doll for Dennis's assistant's granddaughter. The Animator's toddler dolls are all so cute! Seriously, if you have a little girl in your life that is the right age, you can't go wrong with any one of them.  The cast member was taking ornaments out of the wrapping when I checked out. I might have to make another trip there  Oh! And this year they have their holiday jammies right in the store, in both kids and adult sizes. The mall also now has a Newbury Comics (novelty) store. I got a spinning Tardis there for Ben. He will be excited to open it. This mall is closer to me, and I was surprised it has changed a lot since I declared it deficient and we stopped shopping there. Disney store, B&Bodyworks, Miss Vickies, Dick's Sporting Goods, Yankee Candle. American Eagle, Aeropostle, Pet Store -- It's shaping up to have most of what I go to the mall for, so we may be stopping there more often. 

Tomorrow we have our family dental appt., which is one of my least favorite times. I got the newest Transformers movie from Netflix to watch tomorrow night, slightly appeasing my snarly teen. Said teen came home with a report card with more As than Bs, so no complaints on that front. 

Sunday we are having another one of those church events I don't enjoy. Sigh. This is a joint worship with the Brazilian church we rent space to. They are lovely people, but it's just too boisterous for me. Our new pastor has a habit of sticking the microphone in your face, and scheduling a ton of singing, and expecting people to roam around and hug each other, and it's just not for me. I'm also not looking forward to the group lunch afterwards, I'm sure it will be a caloric minefield. Maybe I'd make a better Episcopalian than Methodist! 

Monday I pack the fellas back off to work and school, and the house is mine all mine! I'm going to organize our Christmas gifts, read, watch some tivo, do a little cleaning, and just enjoy being at home. I'll also run my 4M, after I sleep in as late as I can. 

That's my weekend plan -- hope you all have great ones for the long weekend (I hope most of you have a long weekend!) too!

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Ok, can't leave the thread with that number of posts, just creeps me out. I know, it's just a symbol for Nero, but I guess my superstitious self is coming out...

I really should go to bed. Morpheus calls...

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Rose,* how did you do on your day of rest yesterday?   And, more importantly, how does your ankle feel? 



mikamah said:


> And he was rechecked last spring for the cat allergy and all the household pets, but still allergic.  bummer.



Bummer! Well, it was worth a try!   We boarded our dogs for years and years.  They board at the vet and they always take very good care of them.  Our old dog, Charlie, was such a favorite they would take him out on breaks and everything.  

Thanks for being our coach this week on the big thread!    You had some great questions and kept people talking!   

Hope that you are enjoying your long week-end off, you lucky girl!  



liesel said:


> The half plans there also have an additional 30 minute walking session once a week that is not on the Tink plans, so I'm getting that in too.  I'm trying to be better with getting my cross training in, tomorrow I think I'll do something fun and go to a Zumba class.  I'm glad you had a productive session with your trainer, what kinds of things were you skeptical about?



Thanks, *Lisa!*   I'll have to look for that book.  I have the marathon book because it was on sale when Borders went out of business.  I do know I need to be more active on my "off" days and every day actually.  How was Zumba?

There were just a few things that made me go "huh?"  One was a big discussion about eating protein during a run right after I had explained I could not eat anything during a run due to the runner's tummy.  Another was talking about pumping your arms vigorously when I had just listened to Jeff Galloway tell me on my training not to waste my energy pumping my arms.  The biggie was that I would be running 5 minutes at a time -- umm, no.  But I think that was just from her own experience and not having a chance to review the plan.  She's sent me an email and asked me some more questions after she saw the Tink training plan so I'm sure she will have some more ideas when I see her on Saturday.  I know I can use a push between now and the Tink.  



liesel said:


> One more pound down, 8.5 to go to my tink goal.



  You are so going to make your goal!  Maybe even by the end of the year!   That doctor doesn't know what he is talking about!   Enjoy those outdoor runs!  

*Maria,* nice job on the review!  Of course, they are lucky to have you!   I do love my shorter mileage weeks.    I have someone who would like a Tardis -- I will have to keep my eyes open.  And really I don't think it is fair to deal with Brazilians in a group unless you are at WDW.    Enjoy 
your "me" day and turn that phone off so no one can find you!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> Ok, can't leave the thread with that number of posts, just creeps me out. I know, it's just a symbol for Nero, but I guess my superstitious self is coming out...
> 
> I really should go to bed. Morpheus calls...



You are so funny! 

*Nancy,* hope that Thomas is sleeping at last and that you are feeling good!  

*Lindsay,* hope that you are okay and not being affected by all the happenings in your neck of the woods.   

I know from Coach *Kathy* that I shouldn't let the scale affect my emotions too much but I have to say that I am a happy, happy camper today because I am down 3.5 pounds and within 5.5 pounds of my goal for November.     New territory is just around the corner.  So I'm glad that I am starting this little push with the trainer because I need it to get out of my comfort zone and make sure I am where I want to be.  

We are working for a bit today since Robert has school and we will be taking a 5 day week-end for Thanksgiving.  

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning,  and !

Just wanted to report I did my 5M today, so I am so pleased! My plans are changing a bit for tomorrow, so I'll probably take it off and run Sunday and Monday, getting a good start on next week so I have to get up early fewer days. 

Tomorrow morning I'm going to the official Opening of our new veterans housing. It's been full since Sept., but this is the chance to pat all the funders on the back and get some media coverage. I was going to skip it, but I think I should go. Then Dennis surprised me by getting us tickets to a comedy show tomorrow night! Dare I call it a date?! It's at the BU arena, so we won't be too far from Ben, who won't stir from the tv anyway...It's hosted by Dennis Leary, with a bunch of local comedians. It's a fundraiser for the Cam Neely (famous Boston hockey player) cancer center for kids, so you can't feel bad about going to that 

*Lisah* -- I can't believe Robert has school!  Veterans Day isn't an optional holiday for school around here. I applaud the week off at Thanksgiving, though. It's important to make sure you get some real breaks so you can relax 

I had hot apple cider, 12 frosted mini wheats and blueberries for breakfast. Too lazy to go to the basement to get milk, and I just finished what Benjamin left in the box. I have that fun dentist appt. coming up, but then I plan to hit Target and get some bins to make Monday's organization of the items I've been squirreling away possible. 

Ok, I'd better make the bed and start some , I need to have a somewhat productive day!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

oh my have I missed you all.  I have read a few times over the past week but everytime I started to type and reply I had to stop to do other things.  I am starting to realize that this is just my life and its not going to get any better so now I need to just find a way to deal with being constantly busy and pulled in many different directions.  I am starting to get a handle on it all but unfortunately computer/distime is lacking.

I wanted to reply to all the things you all have been talking about but I feel like it will take too long and then my post will never happen tonight.  So I am going off of memory of most of this.

Maria- Your post about how you have been feeling, I could have also been the author of that post.  I feel like you crawled into my brain and wrote exactly how I have been feeling.  So thank you for being honest and putting it all out there for us to see!  Thank you all for responding to her as it also helped to bring me out of my funk! and most of all I am there with you sister!!!  We can overcome this and we will overcome this.  We can do it together!!!!!!  

Rose- I know there are people worse off with things like loosing limbs, becoming paralyzed, etc.   Even though you can put your pain in perspective it still doesnt help the fact that you still have to go through it every day.  I really hope it feels better and that you can get back out there running soon!  Im also so glad to hear that you were the BL at some point (I havent been on the boards in forever so Im not sure which week it was).  Great job!!!

Lisa H- Your turtle is so cool!  You are doing such a great job with your weight loss.  Keep up the good work!  I hope the trainer works out for you. 

Liesel- Wow making those decisions and big moves does sound very stressful.  I hope you are able to get an answer sooner than later.  If its one thing I hate is not having a plan especially with big life changing things.  

Kathy- what the heck you go from a turtle to a dog????  We have a chocolate lab and although the first few puppy years were quite challenging, he has turned out to be the best dog ever.  He is home some days 8-10 hrs by himself.  I feel horrible about it but he doesnt seem to mind anymore...he is just use to our lifestyle.  

Glad football is all finished up.  We just found out next year 7 year olds no longer can play flag and they are making a 70lb tackle team  Im not happy about it at all.

Nancy- I cant believe you are nearing the end of your pregancy. Where did that time go?  I know easy for me to say Im not the one pregnant.  I hope you are feeling as good as can be expected.  I loved the pic of thomas throwing the leaves around today.  He is such a cutie pie

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

Ok so last weekend was fun.  Saturday's murder mystery dinner was a blast.  Mike and i were the most dressed up but what the heck we either go big or go home.  I would post the pic but then you will all see how much weight I gained and I would rather keep that a secret.

Sunday was a great day too.  We had the parents vs. kids flag game.  I didnt play because someone had to watch nick but the real reason was I am a bit embarressed right now of myself.  It felt safer to sit on the sideline.  We then took Ryan, Nick, and there 3 cousins to chuck e cheese for ryans bday.  We had dinner and cake back at my nanas and of course he got lots of cool gifts.  One of the things he got was the beyblade set and arena.  Kathy this may be something michael would like.  I actually think it is cool and I play with it more than he does. 

The rest of the week was a blur....work, basketball, cleaning.  Oh but I did forget to mention I had off on tuesday.  Ryan was off of school.  We went shopping for bday gifts for this weekend and Ryan had his check up at the Dr.  My mom ended up getting out of work early so we went and had lunch with her.  It was a nice day!  

The great news I have to share is that we are going to join the community center near our house.  It has a bball court with indoor track, indoor/outdoor pools, weights, cardio, sauna, etc.  We are going to do a 3mth family pass.  Mike and I both really need to get ourselves moving again and eating healthy.  Hopefully this will help.  We are going to sign up next weekend since that is the next time we are free.  I am very excited.

I am hoping joining the gym will help me to plan our healthy meals.  I think feeling like I am doing something to be healthy again will encourage me to join in on the BL boards again too.  I feel like maria....Im a hypocrit so why should I post on there and help others to be healthy if I cant even do it myself.  

Oh and I have to say I am so excited for the ornament exchange.  Did we decided on the theme?  I have the perfect one if we end up doing something representing where we live.  

We are having my in laws over tomorrow for Ryans bday and then we have Mikes god daughters bday party to go to.  Sunday we have a baptism to attend out of town.  I hope to make it on here more though this week.

Have a great weekend.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, princess buddies,

I hope to be back later tonight with more replies.  I've been organizing and cleaning and purging and don't want to lose too much of my momentum.  I'm actually still feeling in pretty good control eating wise too, and staying on track.  It definitely helped to start a new ww week yesterday, because i used a bit of flex points but i wrote it all down, which I know is key for me.  

Still thinking lots on the dog thing.  I am so grateful for everyone's advice and for sharing all your experiences.  I am so on the fence right now, but definitely vascilating toward getting one.  I spend way too much time on the 2 shelter websites.  Lucky labs and Northeast Animal shelter.  I think that's where Maria got her kitties.  I might go over to northeast monday after work alone. I'm thinking if I could find a young dog, 1-2 years, versus a puppy might be better.   If that dang boy wasn't allergic to cats, I wouldn't be in this place. 

Hope you all have a wonderful saturday.  I'll be back later to catch up.


----------



## lisah0711

As my friend *Rose* would say, I am so chicken fried.   That was a bad, bad idea to do 10 miles and then see the trainer.   Off to pick up surly kid from choir activity . . . that will be the icing on the cake no doubt.    Be back later Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lisa--so how was the trainer today? I would have been pooped too!

I am kind of chicken fried myself today. Mike was off yesterday and we did an hour in the pool in the morning. He was pooped so it must be a better workout than I thought. Then I had physical therapy. He got the oil changed in his truck and the brakes fixed. Then some other stuff came up with the truck--which might mean more repairs. So today we looked at cars again, and found a new 2011 Jeep Patriot for a really good price. It gets pretty good gas mileage and seemed to have good reviews/reliability. We also looked at some Nissans. They made us a good offer on the trade and I can pay cash for the remainder so we went ahead and bought the Jeep. We paid $12000 less than the car we were looking at a month ago--not as many bells and whistles, but we are really happy with it! 

Now it's time to start saving seriously for law school.

My physical therapist is gf and she told me about a pasta place that does gf pasta and we had dinner there tonight after buying the Jeep. It was pretty good. And so nice to eat out. 

Our dog has been getting up before 5:00 every day. It is getting really old. He just cries and whines. We are exhausted. It doesn't matter when we put him to bed. We tried putting an extra blanket in their crate in case they are cold. Mike put them by the dishwasher last night and away from the big picture window. Honestly, we are both so tired! I am going to have to board him next weekend so I can get some sleep.

Hopefully I will be back tomorrow with some comments. I am a slacker tonight.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning, Princesses!!

*Lisa*-You must have been chicken-fried, 10 miles and the trainer?  You are amazing.  Hope the boy came  home from choir in an non-teen like fashion and surprised you with a happy positive attitude.   I thought I said it before, but I guess not, Congrat on 3.5 pounds gone!!!! You ROCK!!!!I am so happy your hard work is paying off on the scale, and not letting the scale get to your emotions is only for when the scale goes up.  When it's down, scream and celebrate like crazy!!!!!

*Rose*-Congrats on the new car.  That is always exciting.  And how nice you found a new gf restaurant you can go to.  Glad it was good.  And a big hug on the pup not sleeping.   It's like having a child.  I am taking all doggie info in and forming my pro/con lists.  I ran/walked with my friend yesterday, and was checking out all the dogs, and she said, I was like an expectant mom and nesting.   

*Lindsay*-Wow, you had a crazy week.  Yeah, turtle to dog.  The dog thing has been brought up many times and I think it is inevitable, and many people with dogs work full time too.  I'm working out logistics in my head, and have a few friends who have offered to help.  The tackle football was hard to watch at first, but I did get used to it.  I was also secretly happy that michael was too big to carry the ball, so he wasn't ever in the situation of 5 big guys jumping on him.  That's for the little guys.  
I'm really enjoying no sport right now.  

*Maria*-Nice job getting those runs in.  How was your date with dh?  Hope the comedy show was fun, and the dentist was not too painful.  I hate the dentist.  I post poned my cleaning til the new year since my insurance cap was reached.  I hope you're enjoying your 4 day weekend.  Mine has been great, and today's the last day, but it's not too bad because tomorrow I get out at 2.  I'd love to take a day to myself too.  Enjoy it.  I might try if it's quiet at work later in december, but on the other hand, it's nice to get the days off when ds is home.  But as the pre-teen eye rolls come more frequently, I might change my mind on that. 

*Lisal*-Congrats on one more pound gone, and being so close to your goal.   You and Lisah are doing just amazing with the wieght loss.  That Tink is a big motivator.  I hope you have a mild winter so you can get out there and run.  It's been so warm here, this fall for the most part, I wish I could send the warmth your way.  

*Nancy*- Hope you are doing ok.  Hang in there.  

Well off to shower before I take ds to ccd, and after ccd we're going to meet pamela at the Y for a visit.  Very excited to meet her.  I feel like I'm getting together with an old friend, even though we've not met before.  

Have a great day!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisah- holy moly I would be chicken fried too.  I hope you are reccuperating well today.  You go girl

Rose- congrats on the new car!  and see the good coming out of your injury is meeting your PT who is gf and finding a new resturaunt to go to.  I hope it was a good yummy meal.  

Kathy-  Have fun meeting pamela!!!  Thats so exciting.  


Hi Maria, Nancy, and lisa!

Yesterday was busy with all the celebrations we had to go to.  We went to the mall at 730p to get a gift for nicks bday party he is going to today.  Let me tell ya thats the last time I go to the mall at night.  Walking in we see a guy get arrested/put in handcuffs and frisked.  I think he had gotten into a fight with another guy.  We literally had to walk right past it steps away from it all happening.  Of course my kids werent traumatized because we watch cops at home so they thought it was cool to see it in real life.  Then inside the mall there were a ton of security gaurds and 3 seperate times we heard one of them saying about an incident that just occured and the person they were looking for.  It was a bit ridiculous and scary at the same time.  I from now on will be shopping in daylight.

I need to get going and get ready.  Taking the kids to sunday school, then we will head off to the baptism that is an hour away.  

Talk to you all soon!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

Ah, what a difference a day makes . . .  Anyone have any suggestions on how to fuel up better before and during those long runs without aggravating the runners tummy?  The Clif Bloks alone are not cutting it.  The trainer was talking about liquid protein.  

*Lisa,* how was your run yesterday?  Did you do your MM?  This is really a fun time in your training because when you do those long runs you are running more miles than you ever have (and sometimes maybe than you ever thought you could ).  Your 14:55 pace sounds wonderful.    That will give you a bit of extra time for pictures and stops, if needed.  I figure once we get to mile 11 and are in DCA then we are home free and no worries about the sweeper! 

I've been looking at the DL forums a bit more to get ready (watch out *Kathy* ) and found that they now have Cadillac Mountain lit up.  http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=43211130&postcount=1  It looks pretty.

There is no question in my mind that you will be at your goal for the Tink! 

*Maria,* you are totally rock n' rolling your runs lately!   How is the new fridge?  It sounds like a clean slate and you can fill it will all sorts of tasty, healthy food.    Enjoy your restful day tomorrow!    Are you watching Once Upon a Time?  There will be a new episode to watch tomorrow.  

*Lindsay,* your days are all so busy!   But sounds like lots of fun, not to mention those cute boys to entertain you.    Hope Ryan has a fun day today!  

Sounds like a wild night at the mall!  Robert has really been into Mall Cops on Netflix.  It's about the Mall of America in Minneapolis -- over a 100,000 people through there a day so it's bigger than some cities.  It's Mall Cops and Parking Wars (set in Philadelphia) that are on the favorite list now, along with Top Gear.  See what you have to look forward to?  

Your community center sounds wonderful!  I just joined our and I'm really liking it.  There is a lot going on and lots to do.  I haven't had a chance to try the hot tub yet.

*Rose,* nice job on the great work-out!   A new car sounds like fun and a better experience overall than the last time.  I wonder if the newspaper comes around that time or there is something else going on waking the dog?    I swear our newspaper delivery people have the loudest cars.   

The trainer was okay.  She gave me a little weight training circuit to do to build some strength.  It's not too hard and it isn't going to take too long or leave me exhausted on my "off" days but is enough to give me some more activity, which I need.  I am going to take a stretch and tone class once a week, too, that is kind of like yoga.  That will be enough for cross training.

Tuesday we will work together on the running part and see how that goes.  I could tell that she'd read the Tink training plan by some questions she asked me, but I could also tell she'd missed the whole point of the Galloway method when she told me I should be running the whole time for my 45 minute short runs.  Ah, no.    We had quite a discussion about it and then I finally used my lawyer voice on her.     After Tuesday I will be at the end of my free session and will decide what I want to do.  The runners around here just don't like the idea of running less to run better.  

*Kathy,* you lucky girl getting to see *Pamela* today!   Give her a big hug from me.  That will be a lot of fun, and of course, you know she is going to love seeing that wonderful son of yours, too.    You guys can talk about "lob-stah" and "pah-king that cah." 

*Nancy,* how are you doing?    That precious little baby will be here any day now! Loved Thomas' picture on FB.

I'm going to do my usual take it easy and do  Sunday.  Maybe even a nap! 

Have a great day, ladies!


----------



## mikamah

*Lisa*-You're too funny, using your law-yah voice on the trainer.  I guess some people won't ever get it, but one day you will be run/walking past them before the finishline.  I think if you need to use your lawyer voice, maybe she isn't the trainer for you.  There must be someone who gets the galloway plan and will support and encourage you through the plan your way.    

It was so nice to meet Pamela in person, and like when I met you in wdw for the princess, it didn't feel like the first time, it was like we've known each other for years.  Funny you mention parking the car, the parking lot attendants for the swim meets are pretty serious about their jobs, and I got yelled at for going around a rubbermaid crate that was in the middle of the road to park my car, and he came over and was like, "you'll need to go back out and come around and park right, I was yelling at you, didn't you hear me?", Um, no, the windows were up, and if you want to block off a parking area, put the crate so cars can't go around it.    Serious business, pah-king cahs in massachusetts.  lol.

Share those DL plans away, I love to hear them.  I'm still hoping we'll be going next year.  

*Lindsay*- Isn't that scary to see, never mind the kids seeing it.   We had a murder in our little town yesterday.  A son murdered his dad, and he went into his neighbors house and was paranoid and told them the aliens are murdering people here, so they neighbors helped to bring him home to his dad, and found the dad dead.  Just awful.  Luckily Michael wasn't watching the news when it came on.  Though I'm sure someone at school will share the information.  

Well, my 4 day weekend is coming to a close, and I was productive, stayed on plan, and exercised.  So it feels good.  I was on call today and didn't get called in, so we went to the mall for a shirt and tie for michael for the football banquet wednesday.  He picked a purple shirt and striped tie at Kohl's, and of course they didnt have his size, and he has his heart set on purple, so I'm going to go to the next closest kohl's after work tomorrow, it's about 20 min away, and see if they have it.  Red is his second choice.  He does like to get dressed up, but we don't do it too often.  For my mom's wake he picked black pants with a black shirt and a blue/black striped tie, and looked so handsome.  Of course I'll have to pull out the iron this week. lol.

Hope you all had a nice weekend.


----------



## mikamah

*Lisa*_forgot on the fueling, how about bananas and peanut butter?  I always did a banana and chobani yogurt before the most runs, and peanut butter with half a bagel for longer runs, and would have the gu's along the way.  Bananas tend to be binding but the yogurt might not be good for your tummy.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Maria- Your post about how you have been feeling, I could have also been the author of that post.  I feel like you crawled into my brain and wrote exactly how I have been feeling.  So thank you for being honest and putting it all out there for us to see!  Thank you all for responding to her as it also helped to bring me out of my funk! and most of all I am there with you sister!!!  We can overcome this and we will overcome this.  We can do it together!!!!!!



We are all in this together! How are you enjoying the gym? I've been toying with the idea this week. It is going outside my comfort zone, but I'm starting to think more seriously about it...



mikamah said:


> Still thinking lots on the dog thing.  I am so grateful for everyone's advice and for sharing all your experiences.  I am so on the fence right now, but definitely vascilating toward getting one.  I spend way too much time on the 2 shelter websites.  Lucky labs and Northeast Animal shelter.  I think that's where Maria got her kitties.  I might go over to northeast monday after work alone. I'm thinking if I could find a young dog, 1-2 years, versus a puppy might be better.   If that dang boy wasn't allergic to cats, I wouldn't be in this place.



We lookd at Northeast, but they didn't have any kitties last January. We ended up getting ours from the Quincy Animal Shelter. Speaking of which, :chewie:'s birthday is today. We know because he was born in a house, they caught his mother and she gave birth, then they farmed them out to foster parents. He had a relatively cushy life before he came to be our kitten. 



lisah0711 said:


> As my friend *Rose* would say, I am so chicken fried. That was a bad, bad idea to do 10 miles and then see the trainer.  Off to pick up surly kid from choir activity . . . that will be the icing on the cake no doubt.   Be back later Princesses!



Wow, you know how to schedule yourself for maximum workout in a day! But, at least the trainer got to see you are a serious runner. Yes, *Lisah*, you are a serious runner! 



Rose&Mike said:


> I am kind of chicken fried myself today. Mike was off yesterday and we did an hour in the pool in the morning. He was pooped so it must be a better workout than I thought. Then I had physical therapy. He got the oil changed in his truck and the brakes fixed. Then some other stuff came up with the truck--which might mean more repairs. So today we looked at cars again, and found a new 2011 Jeep Patriot for a really good price. It gets pretty good gas mileage and seemed to have good reviews/reliability. We also looked at some Nissans. They made us a good offer on the trade and I can pay cash for the remainder so we went ahead and bought the Jeep. We paid $12000 less than the car we were looking at a month ago--not as many bells and whistles, but we are really happy with it!



Congrats on the new vehicle, it sounds like just what you guys needed!  And those pool workouts look pretty tough to me. You are a trooper! 



mikamah said:


> *Maria*-Nice job getting those runs in.  How was your date with dh?  Hope the comedy show was fun, and the dentist was not too painful.  I hate the dentist.  I post poned my cleaning til the new year since my insurance cap was reached.  I hope you're enjoying your 4 day weekend.  Mine has been great, and today's the last day, but it's not too bad because tomorrow I get out at 2.  I'd love to take a day to myself too.  Enjoy it.  I might try if it's quiet at work later in december, but on the other hand, it's nice to get the days off when ds is home.  But as the pre-teen eye rolls come more frequently, I might change my mind on that.



The date was amazing, I will get to that in a little more detail later. No, not that kind of detail  I do not love going to the dentist, but ours teaches at Tufts and she's really good. I heard her on the radio doing an ad for some company, and I was duly impressed  I am looking forward to my day tomorrow. After I run, organize what we have for Christmas, and get some more  going (it never ends!), I'm going to watch a netflix movie. I have a choice of "The Devil Wears Prada" or "Paul". It could go either way, we'll see how I'm feeling 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Yesterday was busy with all the celebrations we had to go to.  We went to the mall at 730p to get a gift for nicks bday party he is going to today.  Let me tell ya thats the last time I go to the mall at night.  Walking in we see a guy get arrested/put in handcuffs and frisked.  I think he had gotten into a fight with another guy.  We literally had to walk right past it steps away from it all happening.  Of course my kids werent traumatized because we watch cops at home so they thought it was cool to see it in real life.  Then inside the mall there were a ton of security gaurds and 3 seperate times we heard one of them saying about an incident that just occured and the person they were looking for.  It was a bit ridiculous and scary at the same time.  I from now on will be shopping in daylight.



Ok, that would have freaked me out! I'm glad the kids weren't traumatized. 



lisah0711 said:


> Ah, what a difference a day makes . . .  Anyone have any suggestions on how to fuel up better before and during those long runs without aggravating the runners tummy?  The Clif Bloks alone are not cutting it.  The trainer was talking about liquid protein.
> 
> *Maria,* you are totally rock n' rolling your runs lately!   How is the new fridge?  It sounds like a clean slate and you can fill it will all sorts of tasty, healthy food.   Enjoy your restful day tomorrow! Are you watching Once Upon a Time?  There will be a new episode to watch tomorrow.



Before a really long run or a race I usually have a banana, if it's a race I add a Kind bar, and and FRS drink. Right before I run I eat 3 clif bloks, and then 3 more every five miles. That works for me, but as you know YMMV. 

The new fridge is awesome! We are still getting used to it, and we think we may actually have a bit less fridge space, but I think it will work well for us. I tivo'd Once Upon a Time tonight, it was on at the same time as my Beloved Pats, who have once again earned my love in defeating the Jets!  I'll get to watch it tomorrow on my "Me Day".  Oh! And I've already heard the Beauty and the Beast episode is amazing, I'm sure it will be! 



mikamah said:


> It was so nice to meet Pamela in person, and like when I met you in wdw for the princess, it didn't feel like the first time, it was like we've known each other for years.



I love that you had a mini DIS meet! I'm definitely in for the NE BL Meet! 

Ok, yesterday -- We went to the opening of our new housing, where one of our U.S. Senators, Scott Brown, explained to us how important it was because it created jobs. Can you tell he's not my favorite? His daughter was a failed AI contestant, and his wife was a local reporter. You might have seen his mostly naked spread in Cosmo...no, not a big fan. Anyway, the opening went well, but I found it really stressful. Way to many important people and I get so tongue-tied. I came home, ate lunch, and napped. Yes, I was that stressed. Then we had the delivery window for the fridge, and it came on time and the guys were great. We had plenty of time for dinner before our date. We went to a local Mexican place. I did have shrimp fajitas and not use the tortillas, so that was good. I also had 2 sangria margaritas, nachos, and chips and salsa, so not so good...afterwards we went over to the comedy show. The arena holds 6-7,000, and it was full. We learned about this and decided to do it at pretty much the last minute, so we were in the second to last row and far from the stage. I was just taking off my coat when we were approached by an employee of the major event sponsor, and he said because this is such an important event, they wanted to do something nice for some attendees. We received a goody bag with sweatshirts, and were upgraded to the front row!  Yep, I was 10 feet away from Denis Leary, Dom Irerra, Artie Lange, and a bunch of others I can't remember,  but there were all pretty decent. This was an amazing evening, and a much better date than Dennis had planned!  We got home so late, I knew I wasn't going to make it on the TM this morning, and I didn't.

I did get up in time for us to go to church. It was a lovely service, the 7th Day Adventists who rent the church had their choir performing, and they were incredible. It made our sad little choir look pretty pathetic. It was nice to see the Sanctuary full between the 2 congregations. We did leave after 2 hours, and didn't stick around for lunch. They weren't even done with the service yet, and I know that we should have stayed, but it just wasn't happening between Dennis and Ben. 

Today was a scheduled rest day for me, so I don't feel too bad. I was just going to get a workout out of the way so I could get up early one less day this week. Tomorrow is also a scheduled rest day, so at least I'll be ahead one day. 

The fridge is packed with healthy goodness, but I did have a DD pumpkin spice muffin today. Tomorrow I am back to eating healthy. It will probably take until Wed. to flush all these carbs out of my system.

Oh, and *Pamela!* -- I forgot to congratulate you on the fabulous robotics win! How wonderful that you dreams for your team came true! 

I think I missed *Nancy and Lisa* -- Hope you guys are hangin' in there! Oh, and *Lisa* -- I've actually done 6 Half Marathons, thank you for reminding me -- 4 Donalds, 1 Princess, and 1 Rock n Roll Half! 

I've been thinking a lot about complacency and making myself do hard things lately. I'm hoping once I finish processing I will be at a new place mentally and perhaps I'll have a weight loss epiphany. I think I'm due 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Hanging in there. That's exactly what I'm doing right now. It's 2am and I've been tossing and turning for two hours now. I open end up my iPad to catch up on the thread. 

Lindsay - what did the toothnfairy bring nick for his first tooth? How exciting!

Maria - I'm late to this but just wanted to add that none of us on here is a muumuu wearing type gal. Being at the wrong weight is really tough and I will be struggling with that myself very soon. You inspire me with all your races. You are very strong and incredible. Plus, who else could stomach that glee episode with a 13 yr old boy??

Rose - sounds like PT  is effective. Congrats on your weight loss too! I would like to start using myfitnesspal

Lisah and liesel - tink is getting close! Sounds like training is going well. And a 15 mile training run? Sounds like someone oughtta sign up for WDW marathon 2013 with me!

Kathy - could Michael be any cuter? Love your recent Facebook photots. And congrats on a great parent teacher conference! What did you decide about the dog? 

----
Speaking of dogs, Fiona our bulldog is moving to Ct next weekend. She is going to live with a nurse that my mom works with. It's the best thing for all of us. We just can't give her the attention she deserves. Anfd like forrest gump, that's all I have to say about that (or else I will cry here in bed at 2:12am). 

On a happy front, my mom is making a great effort. She came down last Monday and is coming down tomorrow. And my dad came to trick or treat on Halloween. Mom had to work. This is more visiting than the previous 8 months! 

My dad was in the hospital the weekend before Halloween. He was at home and taking vitamins when he choked on one and wound up aspirating pieces into hislungs. Yikes. He has follow up appointments but seems to be fine now thank god. 

Things are very stressful around here. House stuff is going nowhere. Dog is leaving. Thomas is not napping and night time isn't great (better though that I'm wearing ear plugs and can't hear him crying). I feel awful. Can't breathe. Can't move. Everything hurts. Definitely didn't have this with Thomas. I guess it's just the regular end of pregnancy stuff but man it's exhausting. I'm huge. Up over 45 lbs which is sure to bring me down after baby is born. Wah! I'm chicken fried with the pregnancy and yet so not ready for a newborn. 

I wish I could sleep. It will happen eventually - like when the kids are teenagers


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*- I just want to give you a great big hug and steal that little boy away for a night so you can sleep.  You poor thing.  You sound exhausted, and I'm sending prayers and pixiedust that you have the easiest delivery known to woman and that the stars and moon realign and your precious Thomas starts to sleep.   So sorry about your dog.  Nothing is easy for you right now.  I'm so glad you caught up here, we are here for you anytime you feel like venting, we're happy to listen, and are sending good vibes your way.  
I'm not committing to the dog til Thanksgiving weekend, but am thinking we will do it.  Ds has wanted one for so long, more than disney vacation, more than weekends away, so I know my pretty carefree life will change, but I have a lot of dog friends, and know that once I set my mind to it, I will do it right.  A friend offered to help and come let the dog out during the day for me.  There's lots of dogs in the neighborhood, so I want to find out about local dog walkers too, so I don't need to take advantage of a friend.  I haven't gotten a dog to this point, thinking we aren't home enough, but really just work, 32 hours a week is when we need to be away, and all the other times we're out and about will change, and we'll be doing more doggie friendly things, hikes, walks, etc.  We're visiting my brother and sil for t-day weekend, and will chat with them about it and unless they convince me of some reason I haven't thought about not to do it, I'll probably tell michael that weekend, and we'll go to the shelter when we come home.
Keep on hanging in there, Nancy.  

*Maria* - Sounds like a fabulous date night.  How cool you were in the front row.  It was your lucky night.  And no, we don't need any harlequin type details.  Hope you enjoy your day today.    We definitely should have a new england dis meet.  There are a lot of us here.  Maybe after the holidays.  

Good morning ladies,

I was up early and did some wii fit, and don't want to wake michael yet with the shower, so I figured I'd pop on here first and wish you all a marvelous monday.  I wish we could all have a marvelous Maria monday and not have to go to work.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy - *if you can find a dog walker to come take the dog out while you're at work and michael is at school, that would be really helpful to you. we have a dog walker (yes, even though i'm home, we just didn't have the heart to tell them not to come since we are so close to them). when we were both working, it was nice to know that if we had to work late that fiona had been out.

we are dog freaks and this decision is so hard for us. but i really think it shows how much we love her that we want her to have a better life. the family taking her is so excited to have her. and they already have a bulldog so they really know what a pain in the butt they are. 

when you get your woo-woo (as thomas calls them), i hope you will send me your address. john works for a pet product company and i will send you some fun toys! oh...have you thought about getting a crate for the dog? i guess it depends on how old the dog is but it's something to think about 

****
morning all. i'm up....again. i think i fell asleep around 4. ugh. baby #2 was kicking the potatoes out of me last night after i posted. glad to know he already has his days and nights mixed up! 

i wrote another article for the chip and co dot com disney blog but it hasn't been published yet. it's entitled, "is disney's beach club resort right for you?" and i'm working on another one about saratoga springs. i probably shouldn't have committed to this blog writing but i need my disney fix. 

thomas is running around and tearing the house apart and all i can do is sit here and watch. oh well. i'm going to finish my coffee and get showered and dressed for mommy and me. 

i've missed everyone! xoxo


----------



## liesel

Good morning  and fellow Lisabelle!

*Maria* Sorry, wow 6 halves!!    I must have seen the 5 stat before your Providence RnR.  I'm glad you had such a fun time on your date, we got upgraded once at a baseball game and it was fantastic!  I would love to see Dennis Leary perform in person.  I thought your description of Scott Brown was funny.  I used to work for a catering company that did lots of high profile events and I had to get used to seeing important people.  My funniest experience was seeing Dan Quayle, it was at a dinner in his honor.  As soon as I saw him every joke ever said about him came rushing back to me and I had to run away to keep from laughing in front of him.  Its a good thing I spent most of my time managing the kitchen instead of hobnobing, I was so not good at it!  Just let me deal with the food.  Yay for the new refrigerator!

*Kathy* I'll be looking forward to seeing pics and hearing all about the new dog soon!  I loved your pics on FB, it looks like you have had a busy fall!

*Rose* Congrats on the new car!   Our dog has been whining at us at 5AM every morning last week too, for us it was a time change issue, she was thinking that we were late taking her out for her run!  She finally stopped on Saturday, but I was so over it by then.

*Lindsay* I don't blame you for not wanting to go to that mall at night!  Yikes!

*Nancy* More .  I remember going through a phase like that with DS when he was also 2, he would wake up every night crying and it would be so hard to get him back to sleep.  It eventually ended, but it really sucks!  That's fantastic that your parents are more involved.   for Fiona too.  We had to give away DH's dog early on in our marriage, we were living in apartments and just couldn't keep him.  It was so sad, but he did go to a home with 2 little girls who spoiled him rotten so I know he had a good life.  You must be close to your due date.  Are you counting the days?

*LisaH* Congrats on the 11 mile run and an extra   for the 3.5 pound loss!  You are on fire right now!  So every Friday I try to get to the gym to do Zumba, strength, ellipitical or pool and every Friday something happens!  This week it was DS getting sick and having to stay home from school (yes, we have school on Veteran's Day here).  I was going to go for a quick stroll around the neighborhood, I figured I could at least leave him alone long enough to do that, but I was feeling a little rundown too.  Luckily I'm feeling better, but now DD is sick and home from school today, so my only option today is the dreadmill in the basement.  I postponed my 3 miles with MM to yesterday, we had hurricane force wind gusts on Saturday.  I did my MM in 12:08, which is OK, I went out too fast and need to work on my pacing a little better.  Its been such a long time since I've done one, I wasn't running fast during my shin splint/tendonitis recovery.  The next one should be faster.  The Jeff Galloway MM race predictor says that I am finally ready to do a sub 40 minute 5K, hopefully I will on Thanksgiving!  I just need to work on pacing and run a little faster, I'm getting so used to long slow runs!

I like the half marathon book, they didn't have it at Borders when we went for their liquidation sale, just the 5K/10K, which I already got from the library.  I did pick up the Runner's World "Performance Nutrition for Runners" there, I'm going to look over it a little more this week, especially since I'm doing 8.5 on Saturday!  

I hope everyone has a good week, I've got cabin fever from being home with 2 sick kids, one after the other.  We did go out for lunch yesterday during the 2 hour window when both kids were feeling OK.  I'm really paying for this off plan meal, I only had 2 off plan meals the whole week (which is my goal), but now I'm up 2 pounds!    I'm hoping its mostly salt and water from the burger and running.  I'll have to be very good this week!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Checking in on my lazy day! I guess it's pretty much over now, much as I hate to admit it. The surly one is home, and Dennis needs the computer tonight to work on church finances. 

*Lisa* -- I realized after I wrote it, I hope I didn't offend anyone with my description of Scott Brown. Much like any other politician, he just seemed slimy to me. Our mayor acts so "folksy", he doesn't quite come across as that slick, but I do realize he's working it like the rest of them. Speaking of catered events, I was at a local fundraiser for an affordable housing producer, and Barney Frank (another of our illustrious Congressmen), was the keynote. We couldn't help but notice, he was literally shoving food into his mouth in the food table areas. I mean with scraps dangling out and everything. It was disgusting!  Wow, those sick kids have been running you ragged. No wonder you have cabin fever, I'd want out, too! 

*Nancy* --  I know you are having such a hard time right now with pet issues, house issues, Bronxbaby -- I am so glad your parents are stepping it up. You deserve it, and here's a bit of  for your dad, that sounds so scary with his lungs! 

*Kathy* -- With my luck, people will want to do the DIS meet while I'm at the Princess...I've never organized one of these things, I'm not sure exactly how we would do it. I guess figuring out a location would be a good first start  Think we could con them all into coming to Salem since it's a destination? 

I'm happy to report I had the day I planned. I got up and ran 4M which felt great, and then organized all the  goodness. I have so much done, and really not that much else to accomplish, as long as I take it in little chunks. I have a big need for stocking stuffers, but knowing that now I can pick up things as I see them, rather than raiding the CVS in late December  

It's back to Trudge and Toil Tuesday tomorrow for me. Plus I get the added fun of emptying my e-mail inbox, which I know is overflowing because I get them on my Crackberry, too. 

On the super wonderful side -- tomorrow is our Drawing for the Ornament Exchange!  I'm going to make slips with everyone's name and draw tomorrow after work. Then I will send  each person the selected victim, er recipient for them. If no one objects (just pm me if you do, I won't out anyone), I will also send out a list of everyone's mailing address, so we can exchange holiday cards, if we choose to do so. No pressure! This is to add fun, not stress to our December!

Question -- I assume we all want to be surprised by where our goody comes from, so I won't post a list of whom has who unless that is not the case. 

This is going to be so much fun! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Been singing the not enough alcohol song a lot lately.....crazy weather tonight, crazy day of work and I am SICK TO DEATH of having foot pain. The stress is driving me crazy. I KNOW I would feel better if I could just take a little, tiny run...And now we might have tornadoes tonight. Uggh! I thought I was going to the gym after work, but I am so far behind I ended up staying at work too long. The only good thing--the dog did not whine this morning, so at least I got a little sleep! Hopefully this is a new trend. What a whiner I am! 

*Maria-*-I love, love, love Dennis Leary. He is so not my type, but I find him oddly attractive, which is just wrong when I really think about it. Sounds like a fabulous date night!

*Nancy*--It's almost over. A new baby is about the coolest thing in the world. It will get better. But sleep during the teenage years--doesn't really happen. Maybe when they go to college. 

Ok, that's all I got tonight. I don't know what is going on with my foot the last couple days, but hopefully, it will get better soon. 

Keep your fingers crossed that we don't have bad storms tonight. The winds are estimated at 60-70mph in these storms.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Just another manic monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drama...Drama...Drama....today at work.  I swear the hardest part of my job is keeping the 10 women in my office from killing each other.  If I had to hear one more time today about this one did this...and this one did that....I swear I was going to cut off my ears.  Its either the risidual full moon or everyones time of the month because they are all filled with drama this week.  Lets hope tomorrow is better.

Ryan lost his first tooth yesterday after months of being afraid to even wiggle it.  It basically just fell out on its own.  He then was afraid to put it under his pillow because he didnt want the tooth fairy to come into his room.  We had to put it in a baggie and hang it on his door.  What wierd children I have.  The fairy brought a dollar and I think that is good enough.  People at work are saying they gave there kids 5 bucks for a tooth but I think thats crazy.  Especially considering he has 3 other teeth that look like they are going to fall out any day now.  I need to save those dollars for the braces he is sure to need soon.

Tonight was Ryans first practice with his bball team.  He is one of only 2 1st graders and all the other kids are 2nd -4th grade.  He seemed a little nervous at first but by the end grew more confident.  The coach is pretty tough but very encouraging.  I think it will be ok.  They are the blue devils.  Any duke fans here????  He practices Mon at 6 and thur at 715.  This goes through March .

Maria- I am very excited to get my PM tomorrow.  Thanks so much for organizing this I think it will be great.  We did not join the gym yet.  Doing so this weekend.  Im very excited to join.

LisaH- I agree with Kathy if you are using your lawyer voice already with your trainer it probably is only going to get worse.  I would see if there is anyone else to choose from that may be more familar with galloway and the training that you are already doing.  

Liesel- Im sure those 2lbs will come off quickly.  I hope the kids are feeling better.

Nancy- Sorry about fiona but I think you are making such a great unselfish decision for her.  Im glad to hear about your parents being more involved and oh my gosh thats quite a scare for your dad.  Glad hes ok.  I so completely can remember the pain and discomfort you are feeling right now.  Hang in there your almost to the finish line.

Kathy- wow that guy took his job as parking attendant to whole other level.  We began the construction on our expansion project at work and the superintendant on the job was talking to me.  He asked me where he can park his cah.  I said "oh are you from boston" and he said yeah got a problem with it.  I absolutely love him and his accent.  It makes me think of you.  How exciting for Michael to have a banquet to dress up for.  I hope you find the shirt for him in purple.  Ryan has a purple dress shirt and he refused to wear it yesterday to the baptism we went to.  I am not liking the year of 7 already....when did he form an opinion.

Rose- oh I hope those tornados stay far away tonight.  Just grab the bourbon and head to the basement.  Sorry for all the stress today.

Alright ladies I will talk to you all soon!!!!!!!!!! Take care


----------



## Rose&Mike

The storms didn't end up being too bad--the nasty stuff stayed on the other side of the river. I made it to the gym today, and I am going to track my food. I haven't tracked since Friday. The foot is not too bad today, and I did the krank thing for 20 minutes. Holy cow that's hard! I actually got tired out for the first time in a while! I also rode the bike for 37 minutes. 

It was however only a one day reprieve from the dog crying. He was back at it again today. Uggh. 

Ok, I am running late again. I hope to pop back in this afternoon.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princessabelles!

*Rose*-Glad the storms weren't too bad, but bummer on the pup.  It's making me think.  I thought of you this morning on my run/walk, and when I wasn't feeling it, I thought Rose would kill to be out here running, so get your butt moving, and just do it.  And I did.  I hope the foot starts to feel better soon, and the time passes quickly til you can run again.

*Lindsay*-What is it with these boys developing minds of their own?  It's just not right.  I got the purple shirt in and 18, a little long, but fits pretty good otherwise.  He so wanted the purple, little Mr. Fashion.  I hate the drama between women at work.  Usually we're not too bad, but some days, it's is not pretty.  Hope it's all better today.  Love Ryan's tooth story and the baggie.    I agree, 1 dollar.  I did give michael a 5 once when he lost a tooth on his birthday.  He knows there's no fairy now, so his last tooth I left him a penny. 

*Maria*-Looking forward to the ornament exchange!!  I've got my Boston Red Sox ornament already picked out if I get Nancy.  And if I get Lisa, I'm going to make hers out of a potato.   This is going to be fun.  Hmmmm, Rose, I could use my old cowboy boots and make yours.  Thanks for organizing this Maria.  It's should be so much fun.   Hope you enjoyed your day off, and hope today isn't too crazy at the zoo.

*Lisah*-Are you recovered from your long run and training session?  I hope you're having a good week, and glad you know that little gain from the long run is to be expected.  

*Nancy*-I did read the blog on the disney store event, and loved it.  I'll watch for your next postings.  I'm sure I can join and follow along somehow, but didn't have time that day.  I'm sure the disney beach club resort would be perfect for me if I could just find someone to pay for it.  Hope you got a little sleep last night.    One of michael's football teammates has a new baby brother and his mom is posting the cutest pics on facebook, and soon we'll be seeing bronx baby there too.  

*LisaL*-Hope the kiddos are feeling better today.  Wow, a 12 minute mile is awesome!!   You will be below 40 for sure on Thanksgiving day.  I'm in the throes of my intense 2 week training plan for our turkey trot.  Hoping to finish in under 45.  It is what it is.  At least I'm out there again.  

Hope you all have a lovely tuesday!!


----------



## liesel

*Nancy* I forgot to mention that I read your article too and am looking forward to more!  I hope you are getting some much needed sleep.

*Rose* I'm glad the storms didn't head your way.  Wow, tornadoes in November?!  Our dog hasn't whined at us at 5AM since Friday, so I think she's adjusted to the time change now and knows that we WILL take her out for her walk/run.  Hopefully your dog will stop bothering you soon.

*Lindsay* I hope your office drama gets better.  I can't believe basketball goes all the way until March!  I hope they get Thanksgiving/Christmas breaks off.  I know some coaches like to schedule practices during school breaks.

*Maria*  funny story about Barney Frank.  I've found public figures usually don't eat very much at events, so that cracks me up that he was just going for it!  I'm looking forward to the oranament exchange.  Are we giving one that represents where we live or where the recipient lives?  I've still got a pile of snow in my front yard if anyone is interested, its taking a little longer than it usually does to melt, its been cool lately.  I hope the transition back to work isn't too crazy!

*LisaH* I've been browsing the DL side again too, especially since we were just there last month!  A couple of people have posted some refurb schedules that have been sent to Disney travel agencies, it doesn't look too bad for January.  Matterhorn is on there and Soarin' may be closed the day after the Tink.  I still haven't bought airline tickets yet, I'm waiting for the next credit card billing cycle so I don't have 2 DL trips on one bill!    We did buy APs last month, its cheaper than 2 sets of 3 day parkhoppers, but wow its expensive to pay for it all at once!  I think we'll be there Friday morning through Monday evening.  We are not doing the 5K since it is so late on Friday and expensive!  The kids will have their races Saturday morning.  I've been dreaming about the race, the last one I had a fantastic race, this one I forgot my bib!

*Kathy* That's great you are getting out there for the turkey trot, no matter the time.  I really want to be under 40 but will be very happy with a new PR.

You are all really tempting me with marathon weekend 2013, it would be so much fun to see everyone!  I have to finish paying for 2 expensive vacations 2 months in a row, then the Tink, and I don't know if we are going to move!  I'd be up for the Donald, I can't even think about a full right now, I haven't even done my first half yet!

DD is still sick, so I am still stuck at home.  I really need to get out and do some errands.  I think I'm going to have to hit the treadmill today, there's just no time to go out for a run after DH gets home.  DS has a concert tonight, he'll be rockin' his trumpet, I'll try to get some pics on FB.  Have a great day  and


----------



## mikamah

*LisaL*-The ornament exchange will represent where we who are giving it live.  I was just being silly with the potato.  But a potato the shape of Plymouth Rock might work.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

mikamah said:


> *LisaL*-The ornament exchange will represent where we who are giving it live.  I was just being silly with the potato.  But a potato the shape of Plymouth Rock might work.



From what I can tell, Plymouth Rock is about the size of a potato...I was so disappointed when we moved here and I made Dennis take me to Plymouth. It was less than impressive! 

Quick break in between webinars -- I am so excited to get home, do the drawing, and send everything out. I'm going to have Benjamin help me with the drawing, so I can't peek at all!  

I love kicking off the holidays BL  and  style! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> *LisaL*-The ornament exchange will represent where we who are giving it live.  I was just being silly with the potato.  But a potato the shape of Plymouth Rock might work.



 And if I got your name, *Kathy,* I would make yours out of a lob-stah!


----------



## liesel

I forgot to say congrats to Maria and LisaH for making the BL top ten list!

Sitting at home with a sick kid hasn't been good for my weight, and then I stress about what's not getting done AND my upcoming 8.5 mile run this weekend.  I just need to calm down and refocus!


----------



## lisah0711

Good afternoon Princesses and Tinks!  

I should be working now but I only have about 1/2 an hour until I am leaving and I just don't have time to get into anything now . . . that's my story and I'm sticking to it.  

*Nancy,* glad that you are hanging in there.    I'm sorry that the sleeping thing is still a problem.  Maybe Bronxbaby will be one of those babies who sleeps the night through right off the bat.    I'm sorry that doing the thing that is best for everyone is so sucky sometimes.    I will definately be happy to scream team for you at the full marathon in 2013.  

*Lisa,* sorry about the sick kiddos.    A 12:08 minute MM is fabulous!   I know it's hard not to worry about that 8.5 mile run this week-end, especially since you've been stuck at home, but you will do just fine.  You will feel so happy and accomplished when you are done and remember, Jeff Galloway says that you can't do your long runs too slowly.    I'm sure that you are going to totally rock the Tink!  

Southwest seems to be having a sale every week lately so you should be able to find a good fare.  I'm flying into SNA since there are no nonstop flights to LAX from Spokane any more.  If I have to change planes, I might as well fly to the closer airport.  I arrive around noon on Friday and leave Monday morning. 

And you have more than a year to save up for the January 2013 trip! 

*Maria,* thank you so much for being our Christmas organizer!    I'm so glad that your day off went off exactly as you hoped.    Congratulations on being #4 this week!   

I wouldn't worry about offending this group, especially talking about politicians!  

It sounds like maybe there is talk of a DIS meet when the Earl of Sandwich opens.  

Now that I think about it, I could make your ornament from a lob-stah too! 




Rose&Mike said:


> Been singing the not enough alcohol song a lot lately.....



I'm going to want to hear you and Mike sing that song next time I see you!   (Not because I want anything frustrating to happen, I just have no idea what it sounds like!)

Glad that the storm wasn't too bad.    I liked *Lindsay's* idea of taking the bourbon bottle to the basement!   

Take it easy on the foot.  Is the rest helping? 

*Lindsay,* sorry for the work drama.    I still remember before I went to law school all the fussing and fighting that went on -- I swear they would wait for me to come out of the bathroom so they could complain in "private."    Did Ryan lose any more teeth? 

I think that you and *Kathy* are both right about the trainer so after my last free session today I will be going to "plan B."  

Have a great evening Princesses!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Ok Ladies -- all PMs have been sent! 

Just a reminder:

We are keeping our recipients a secret! 

The ornament you send should reflect your neck of the woods

If you are creative and you want to make it yourself, feel free. Those of us who are artistically challenged will be purchasing 

Please mail by Dec. 15th to ensure we can all open them Christmas morning (or sooner, I guess we didn't discuss that one yet!)

We didn't set a minimum or maximum value -- I think we can all use good judgement.  This is about doing something fun, not breaking any banks 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Congrats to all our Big Losers this week! Too exciting! 

*Nancy-*-I'm sorry about Fiona. But it sounds like it was a good decision.

*Kathy*--kept meaning to tell you this. I know lots of people have different opinions, but here is our experience with shelter dogs. We have had 4. One we got at 6 weeks and she was amazing. Best dog ever. Loved her to pieces and she was so loyal. We had to hand feed her she was so little when we got her. One we got at around a year and even after obedience training she still kept attacking our other dog. We eventually gave her back to the humane society and I am guessing she was put down. She was really aggressive--none of which we saw at the shelter. The other two we got around a year old also (one of which is my current dog who is crying all night!) They are/were both good dogs, but had major issues--both had anxiety problems, food issues and needed major obedience/training. This is not too discourage you from an older dog, but rather to say, if you get a dog that is older than 4-6 months  obedience training is a MUST. You will not see their real behavior in the shelter. Puppies need training and are a HUGE amount of work, but you are able to socialize them to your environment/schedule. With older dogs alot of their patterns are "set" and harder to retrain. Not that it can't be done, just might take a little bit of effort. There are some amazing shelter dogs, and we will always have a shelter dog, but they do often come with a few challenges. Just my thoughts.



mikamah said:


> G I thought of you this morning on my run/walk, and when I wasn't feeling it, I thought Rose would kill to be out here running, so get your butt moving, and just do it.  And I did.


Good. I'm glad you got out there! And yes, I would kill to be running.

*Maria*--Barney Frank is quite the character! Congrats on the 4 miles!

*LisaR*--congrats on the magic mile! And snow. You all know how I feel. We get   tornadoes this late sometimes cause of the huge swings in temperatures. It was in the 70s yesterday. Of course, I was inside working all day! Tomorrow on my day off it's going to be cool and rainy. 



lisah0711 said:


> I'm going to want to hear you and Mike sing that song next time I see you!   (Not because I want anything frustrating to happen, I just have no idea what it sounds like!)
> 
> Glad that the storm wasn't too bad.    I liked *Lindsay's* idea of taking the bourbon bottle to the basement!
> 
> Take it easy on the foot.  Is the rest helping?


Mostly it's me singing it in my head. Lately it's been to the tune of Farmer and the dell. Sometimes it's to Camp town races. 
The foot is feeling craptastically awful. The nerve has been burning a lot. On the other hand, my ankle is getting much stronger. I did the ankle exercises yesterday and have no ankle pain today--which is great. It usually hurts the day after. I'm supposed to be getting inserts for my foot this week. I guess I am now suppinating...crazy huh? I was running in shoes for pronation in January--that's probably where all this started. I talked to her about barefoot running--just to see what she thought. When things are healed, I might try the Merrell barefoot shoes, but honestly, I am afraid it is never going to be better. I keep thinking of LTS, and wondering if I really waited too long to get treatment and now I am stuck....



Worfiedoodles said:


> Ok Ladies -- all PMs have been sent!
> 
> Just a reminder:
> 
> We are keeping our recipients a secret!
> 
> The ornament you send should reflect your neck of the woods
> 
> If you are creative and you want to make it yourself, feel free. Those of us who are artistically challenged will be purchasing
> 
> Please mail by Dec. 15th to ensure we can all open them Christmas morning (or sooner, I guess we didn't discuss that one yet!)
> 
> We didn't set a minimum or maximum value -- I think we can all use good judgement.  This is about doing something fun, not breaking any banks
> 
> Maria


Thanks Maria!

I have a clarification question--the ornament is about where we live, not about where the person we are sending it to lives? 

*Lindsay*--too exciting about losing that tooth! I "had" to pull a couple of Tom's teeth. He wouldn't let Mike do it and kept insisting it felt awful and I had to pull it out. Uggh--I did not like doing that ! Totally grossed me out! I hope the office drama slows down.

******
I had a productive day at work. Finally! I am feeling more in control of things and not as stressed out. I was further ahead on one of the big projects than I thought, so that's a relief.

I am however getting stressed about my foot. We go on vacation in 36 days and unless things DRASTICALLY improve, I will not be able to walk around and do the stuff we usually do. So frustrating! I am going to be one of those people pushed around in a wheel chair where everyone assumes there is nothing wrong with them, and why don't they just get out of the chair and walk already! What is most frustrating--I did not exercise for 3 days in a row. But during those 3 days, I only half heartedly did my stretching etc. And now my foot feels worse than it has in a week or so. So frustrating!

On the happy front--Mike and I are going to see Bob Seger (sp?) in concert on Thursday. I am more into alternative rock, but we both thought this would be a really fun concert. so I am looking forward to a night out. It's downtown, so hopefully we won't have to park too far away--you know the whole walking thing.....

I hope everyone has a good night. I have rehab at 8:00 tomorrow--too early! Someone took my 11:00am slot!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hi *Rose*!

I know this is starting to be confusing  -- the ornament is about where you live, not where the recipient lives. This way when they see it on the tree next year, they will think about you and your hometown.  It will be like having a lovely little "*Rose *reminder" for the holidays  

I'm so sorry about your continued pain and the ever-changing issues with your foot  I know this is so rough, but I know you are going to get through it. Just keep telling us how you're feeling, and we'll keep thinking of ways to support you.  

I did another 4M this morning, slower intervals and at a higher incline. Tomorrow is a "straight" 4 day, so that will finish me up until 9M this weekend. I shot myself in the foot by eating mini candy bars this afternoon. I don't know why I do this, but hopefully they won't stay around too long. I think it's because TOM arrived and that seems to be my cue to shove my face full of whatever is at hand. Note to self: find a way to cram more veggies in that lunch sack! 

HUGE congrats to *Lisah!* Fabulous loss, BL List, doing 10M like it's nothing, you are on Fire!  

*Lisa* -- We will be running roughly the same distance this weekend. I will think of you when I start thinking I'd rather be on the couch. If *Lisa's* doing it, the least I can do is keep her company! 

*Kathy* -- I was explaining the exchange to Dennis earlier today, and I told him I would be kind if I got Lindsay and not send her a Patriots ornament, because it might not be appreciated!  He said it's a shame none of us are from Roswell, because then we could receive an ornament that would draw down the aliens who could transport us to DL or WDW!  I think he thinks we're a bit of a different species anyway 

*Lindsay* -- Sorry, I read right over the part where you don't have time to join until this weekend. What with all the nocturnal visitors, I understand! I agree $5 for every tooth is pushing it. We did a dollar or two for the smaller baby teeth, and a bit more if something special was going on. Ben lost a tooth on the plane on our way to WDW one year, so he did get $5 that night. It was great, I told him he could spend it any way he wanted -- and the entire next day he didn't ask for anything, because he was going to spend his money on his souvenir. It was awesome, and a great bargain for us! 

*Nancy* -- Tomorrow I promise to make it over to the website to read your first article. I've just been swamped, but I'm making time tomorrow.  I hope you get a good night's rest tonight. 

Ok, gotta go to bed if I'm actually going to get up and run tomorrow. It could go either way, I could just do it Thursday instead...

Sweet Dreams,  and !

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Worfiedoodles said:


> From what I can tell, Plymouth Rock is about the size of a potato...I was so disappointed when we moved here and I made Dennis take me to Plymouth. It was less than impressive!


 It is a bit of a letdown, isn't it.  I just asked michael what he thought of Plymouth Rock, he went last year on a field trip, and he said, "there's a rock there?"   Guess I need to take him.  He was probably throwing rocks in the water. 



lisah0711 said:


> And if I got your name, *Kathy,* I would make yours out of a lob-stah!


 Hmmmmm, you've got me thinking, maybe I need to have lobsta soon and recycle the shells with some glue and glitter for my poor ornament victim. 

Good morning princessabelles!!

I'm heading to work early today so figured I'd catch up here first.  We went to NH to visit my aunt and uncle yesterday after school/work with my sister, and got a little lost, they're in a new rest home, so we got back late, almost 8 and we hadn't eaten, so we went to Texas Roadhouse, and I ate wayyyyy too much.  I got a burger and chili instead of fries, but ate a bunch of peanuts too, and a big glass of delicious sangria.  So I've only got one more day off from the pjlla plan.  Tonight is the football banquet.  I'm planning a light lunch so I can enjoy the stuffed chicken breast at the yacht club which is always really good.  The classic wedding meal there.  

*Maria* and *Lisa*-Congrats on being in the top 10!!  You ladies are doing great, and inspiring me!!

*Maria*-I think Lindsay or Nancy would love a Patriots ornament so it will remind them of how much better the Patriots are than the Jets or the Steelers.   Merry Christmas!!!  I like Dennis's way of thinking with the Roswell ornament.  I'll take one.   An earl of sandwich meet would be good for me.  I wouldn't mind the NH meet but it's on Michael's birthday and we'll be having the family over that day.  

*Rose*-Hang in there, honey.  It has got to be so hard to not see the progress you want, but it's is still early in your therapy too, just a couple weeks, and it will take time. I hope and pray that it will get better, and you will run pain free again one day.  
 Thanks for sharing your shelter experiences.  I've recently heard of people being turned down at the shelter here because they work full time.  We'll go with that in mind too, but i have  a friend who said she would come over and let a dog out for me, and have a couple people getting back to me with some dog walkers names and numbers.  I know michael would love a puppy, and initially I thought an older dog would be better, but now I'm thinking younger might be better, and I know it would make him happier.  I'd hate to think I'm going to try and make his dream come true, and get an older dog, and he'll still crave the puppy experience, and then I'll end up with two.   I'm a big planner, so I'm doing my research, and I'll be as ready as I can when the time comes. 

Hello to everyone else!!  Gotta get moving!  Have a great day!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

is this a joke?? i just came on here to see if anyone responded to my post. and my post isn't there! are you KIDDING ME????

i wrote a post that replied to EVERYTHING from the last two days. did i not hit submit?? 

really, just shoot me now. i finally had the time to sit and reply and nada. grrrrrrrrrrrr

well, a quick update is that i have a feeling i won't be making it to thanksgiving before bronxbaby comes. doc said i was 2cm yesterday. i know plenty of people who walked around at 2cm for weeks but today i just feel....lousy. crampy, tight, pressure, etc. we shall see.

now i'm going to go cry in my cookies that my post is gone. wah!


----------



## lisah0711

dumbo_buddy said:


> is this a joke?? i just came on here to see if anyone responded to my post. and my post isn't there! are you KIDDING ME????
> 
> i wrote a post that replied to EVERYTHING from the last two days. did i not hit submit??
> 
> really, just shoot me now. i finally had the time to sit and reply and nada. grrrrrrrrrrrr
> 
> well, a quick update is that i have a feeling i won't be making it to thanksgiving before bronxbaby comes. doc said i was 2cm yesterday. i know plenty of people who walked around at 2cm for weeks but today i just feel....lousy. crampy, tight, pressure, etc. we shall see.
> 
> now i'm going to go cry in my cookies that my post is gone. wah!



Darn that poof fairy anyway!   But it sounds like the stork will be here any day now.


----------



## liesel

*Nancy* You are not alone, I was in the middle of a long reply as you were posting, it froze, and poof!  I'm now starting over.  2 cm, won't be long now!  You tend to spend less time walking around dialated with your second.  I felt like that too with DD for a while though.  Have you decided on a name yet?

*Maria* You will most likely be doing your run before I even get out of bed on Saturday with the time difference, but I'll be there in spirit.  We went to Roswell on our road trip this summer.  We went to the UFO Museum, which was hilarious because they took their subject matter very seriously!  We had a lot of explaining to do to the kids, that's for sure.  I think they might have had oranaments there, I remember being tempted to buy one.  DS bought an alien that was covered in some sort of goo, when we got home he built a spaceship for it.  For days, everything was being "abducted."  The gift shop didn't allow photos (boo!), so I snuck one from the outside:







This was also there:






Here are a few downtown shops:











All the downtown lamposts look like this:






We stopped at this McDonalds for drinks and I was so grateful for the indoor playground, which was super cute, it was 110 outside!  It advertises itself as the only UFO McDonalds in the world.






It was an interesting diversion on our trip down to Carlsbad Caverns (which were amazing!), I was suprised how much the kids loved it.  Sorry I haven't learned to resize photos yet.

*Kathy and Maria* I've always wanted to see Plymouth Rock, now I'll know what to expect.

*Rose* I hope your situation is not as serious as LTS, gaining strength is a good sign.  I fractured my foot 5 weeks before our big UK adventure and was rehabbed enough to still have a good time.  I did slip on some wet cobblestone in Dublin, which put me out for the evening.  I would suggest watching your step!  Where are you headed for vacation?

*LisaH* The flights that I am looking at arrive in SNA around 10AM Friday and leave Monday evening.  We'll just miss each other Friday morning.  We have to go to the expo Friday since the kids races are on Saturday morning.  I'm not sure if we'll go to Newport Beach for lunch first or just go straight to Hojos and the expo, last time the kids just wanted to go straight to DL!

I want to do well on my long run on Saturday, I'm going to a jewelry party on Sunday and am going to get a necklace that I've been eyeing for finally making it to 40 pounds lost!  I'm finally trying to reward myself better for what I've been doing.

DD is home sick again, I really hope this is the last day.  I feel bad for how much school she is missing and I really need to get out there and get some errands done, especially since DH is going to Kansas for a long day tomorrow.  I got a treadmill run in yesterday (blech) and have lost my run water retention/burger weight from the weekend.  I do feel a bit more human now after getting in a workout.  I hope to be back outside tomorrow (please let DD get better!).

On a sad note, DH's aunt passed away last night.  She's been ailing for a while.  I'm bummed we can't make it out to Orange County (CA, not FL!) for the funeral.  DH is going out next month for work (jealous, he might get to see DL at Christmas, my favorite!) and we'll be out in January for the Tink, it sucks that she passed away before we could go see her.

I hope all the Princesses and my fellow Lisabelle have a fantastic day.  *Maria*, thanks again for organizing the oranament exchange!


----------



## lisah0711

Good afternoon Princesses and Belles!  

*Maria,* thank you so much for organizing our ornament exchange.     Sounds like you are doing great with your eating and running this week -- yay you!    Some days a girl just needs chocolate.  

*Rose,* so sorry that the foot is still feeling craptastic.    I hope the inserts help.    That was probably the number one thing that helped me turn the corner when I had PF a couple of years ago.  Have a wonderful time at Bob Seger.  Should be fun!    I tried the crank thing at the gym yesterday and it is hard -- even the stationary bike seems harder than I think it should after all this running.   

*Kathy,* Texas Roadhouse happens.    Enjoy your banquet tonight and I hope to see some pictures of that fashionable date of yours.  

*Lisa,* so sorry that your DD is still feeling poorly.    And sorry about your DH's aunt.  

I loved the pictures from Roswell.    The lamposts are my favorite.  You are so totally going to rock your long run this week-end.  
I'm glad that you are rewarding yourself for all your hard work.  

*Nancy,* everything will be good as soon as you have that little baby in your arms.  

*Lindsay,* it's almost Friday! 

Robert lost a tooth once while we were at WDW.  I had the tooth fairy money and was waiting for Robert to fall asleep so I could put it under the pillow.  Ed was watching tv in the other room.  The problem was that I was really sleepy.  I thought Robert had finally fallen asleep so I tried to slip the $5 under his pillow.  He popped up like a vampire coming out of his coffin, turned on the light and yelled "what are you doing?!?"  I had the money in my hand and stammered that it was the tip for the maid.  Yeah, even the 7 year old didn't buy that one.    Robert grabbed the money and marched into the other room and asked Ed for a piece of paper.  He then proceeded to write down the serial number for the $5 bill (he knew about the serial numbers because like the good Mom that I am I had taught him how to play Liars Poker) and did compare the numbers the next day when he woke up -- thank goodness we had another $5.  That kid was a little too smart for his own good.    

Have a great day Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*LisaR*--loved the Roswell pictures. Looks like it would be a really fun place to visit! We are going to Fl....again. 

*LisaH*--that krank thing is hard! My pt was impressed that I did it for 20 minutes. I get my inserts on Friday. They are semi-custom. She injects something in them and cuts them to fit my shoe and they mold to my foot. Or something like that. Anyhow we had a long talk today about the rehab stuff and she is still optimistic. Too funny about the serial numbers. That would be my son doing that as well!

*Kathy*--I have a dog you can have....He works as a backup alarm clock. As long as you want to get up between 4:00 and 5:00am. Burger and sangria--yum!

*Nancy*--It took me twelve hours of pitocin cranked up to the max to get to 2cm with Tom! (I had major complications.) I hope everything goes spectacularly! Hang in there!

*Hi to Lindsay and Maria and Pamela and Taryn if you are out there!*

****
We had a t-storm at 4:15am so that's when the dog got up. I am exhausted. We were supposed to meet with the kitchen person tonight, but cancelled cause we are both pooped!

So busy day. I did the pool before pt--I was already awake, so why not. We talked a bit about the burning pain in my foot yesterday and she said it sounded like where it was located was coming off the fat pad. We also talked a lot about my need to be patient. 

Remember last week when Maria mentioned complacency. I know you didn't end up talking about it, but it got me thinking. I have really become stagnant lately. Not doing the things I want to do, not moving forward. Spending my days off doing not much of anything besides pt and working out. So ever since I lost the weight I wanted to go somewhere and have someone show me how to put makeup on. I was very nervous about this--I don't know why. I'm guessing mother issues, not feeling good enough, etc. This afternoon I went to the Sephora at the mall. The girl was sooooo nice. The perfect person for me. She didn't push me to get stuff I didn't want, but really showed me how to use the stuff I got. It was a very positive experience and I learned lots! She encouraged me to call her or come in if I have questions. It was a great experience. I had already decided that even if it didn't go well, I would find somewhere else to try, but this worked out great!

Then I got some sad news. Poor Tom. He has had to learn such a hard life lesson and I really feel bad for him. This is a continuation of the stuff that went on this spring. In the big scheme of things, he will be fine , I'm sure. but I just feel really bad for him. He is very frustrated. We keep telling him he needs to channel that frustration in a positive way.

I guess it's time to ice the foot. It's pretty uncomfortable tonight, but she beat up on it pretty good today. 

Have a good night.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> Darn that poof fairy anyway!   But it sounds like the stork will be here any day now.



i mean really, that poof fairy is ridiculous! be gone! before i drop a house on you!

ah, the stork...if it were only that easy, right??



liesel said:


> *Nancy* You are not alone, I was in the middle of a long reply as you were posting, it froze, and poof!  I'm now starting over.  2 cm, won't be long now!  You tend to spend less time walking around dialated with your second.  I felt like that too with DD for a while though.  Have you decided on a name yet?
> 
> I want to do well on my long run on Saturday, I'm going to a jewelry party on Sunday and am going to get a necklace that I've been eyeing for finally making it to 40 pounds lost!  I'm finally trying to reward myself better for what I've been doing.
> 
> On a sad note, DH's aunt passed away last night.  She's been ailing for a while.  I'm bummed we can't make it out to Orange County (CA, not FL!) for the funeral.  DH is going out next month for work (jealous, he might get to see DL at Christmas, my favorite!) and we'll be out in January for the Tink, it sucks that she passed away before we could go see her.



i keep wondering about dilation and how much it could change without me feeling it! a friend of mine went to her OB appt and was FIVE cm! and no labor! wow!

i loved your roswell pics. john (DH) is into alien things and i'm such a witch about it b/c he's always watching those shows about them and i'm always telling him to watch something about REAL history!! but i have to admit, those pics look pretty cool! the lamposts especially!

i think treating yourself to some jewelry is perfect! what does the necklace look like? 

sorry about your hubby's aunt. were they very close? it's always hard to lose someone 



lisah0711 said:


> Robert lost a tooth once while we were at WDW.  I had the tooth fairy money and was waiting for Robert to fall asleep so I could put it under the pillow.  Ed was watching tv in the other room.  The problem was that I was really sleepy.  I thought Robert had finally fallen asleep so I tried to slip the $5 under his pillow.  He popped up like a vampire coming out of his coffin, turned on the light and yelled "what are you doing?!?"  I had the money in my hand and stammered that it was the tip for the maid.  Yeah, even the 7 year old didn't buy that one.    Robert grabbed the money and marched into the other room and asked Ed for a piece of paper.  He then proceeded to write down the serial number for the $5 bill (he knew about the serial numbers because like the good Mom that I am I had taught him how to play Liars Poker) and did compare the numbers the next day when he woke up -- thank goodness we had another $5.  That kid was a little too smart for his own good.
> 
> Have a great day Princesses!



oh my! that is a great story! what a smart kid robert is! at 7 he thought to check the serial numbers??? that is great! good thing you had another $5 - i feel like i never have five dollar bills! i can't believe he woke up. i often think about that. knowing thomas he'd be wide awake in a second too. i think you handled yourself pretty darn good considering he caught you red handed. lol! the maid. you really make her work for her tips!!!



Rose&Mike said:


> *Nancy*--It took me twelve hours of pitocin cranked up to the max to get to 2cm with Tom! (I had major complications.) I hope everything goes spectacularly! Hang in there!
> 
> We had a t-storm at 4:15am so that's when the dog got up. I am exhausted. We were supposed to meet with the kitchen person tonight, but cancelled cause we are both pooped!
> 
> So busy day. I did the pool before pt--I was already awake, so why not. We talked a bit about the burning pain in my foot yesterday and she said it sounded like where it was located was coming off the fat pad. We also talked a lot about my need to be patient.
> 
> Remember last week when Maria mentioned complacency. I know you didn't end up talking about it, but it got me thinking. I have really become stagnant lately. Not doing the things I want to do, not moving forward. Spending my days off doing not much of anything besides pt and working out. So ever since I lost the weight I wanted to go somewhere and have someone show me how to put makeup on. I was very nervous about this--I don't know why. I'm guessing mother issues, not feeling good enough, etc. This afternoon I went to the Sephora at the mall. The girl was sooooo nice. The perfect person for me. She didn't push me to get stuff I didn't want, but really showed me how to use the stuff I got. It was a very positive experience and I learned lots! She encouraged me to call her or come in if I have questions. It was a great experience. I had already decided that even if it didn't go well, I would find somewhere else to try, but this worked out great!
> 
> Then I got some sad news. Poor Tom. He has had to learn such a hard life lesson and I really feel bad for him. This is a continuation of the stuff that went on this spring. In the big scheme of things, he will be fine , I'm sure. but I just feel really bad for him. He is very frustrated. We keep telling him he needs to channel that frustration in a positive way.
> 
> I guess it's time to ice the foot. It's pretty uncomfortable tonight, but she beat up on it pretty good today.
> 
> Have a good night.



first off, sorry about the sad news for tom. hope it's nothing too serious and he'll be ok. hugs!

i'm glad your physical therapist told you to be patient. i think it's important she's telling you that. your foot isn't going to heal overnight. just keep at it. do the crank, get beat up by the PT, ice it. lather, rinse, repeat. it'll get better!

ugh, pitocin. hate that stuff. i wish i could do this labor without it. doubtful though because it seems like doctors always give that stuff to hurry things up. 

***********************
good morning all! 

ah, tylenol PM, you are so wonderful. i slept last night! hurrah! sure, i woke up to pee a few times but actually being able to go back to sleep was wonderful. my only problem now is the incredible down-there pain i have every time i change positions. i think something is pressing on a nerve or something because...ouch! oh well. i just hope that goes away post-baby. we shall see. 

i'm so bloated and puffy and fat. i mean, yeah, i get it, i'm pregnant. but i'm up just under 45 lbs and this baby's not even that big. it took me so long to lose it with thomas. i hope i can do it again. i'm already starting to worry about the whole nursing thing. i'll do my best but with another kid to take care of, i just won't have the luxury of sitting around all day and nursing like i did with thomas. thankfully, my new pediatrician is totally on board with "whatever makes your life easier." my last one wanted me to nurse til thomas was THREE! (ew).

leaving in a few for mommy and me. probably the last time i see my thursday class before i have the baby. omg! 

did i tell you guys i've hired a high school kid to come over tues, wed, and thurs to help me out. basically now she's just playing with thomas while i rest or go to the store or something. i wanted her to come before the baby so thomas will be used to her. once baby comes it will be a help for her to either play with thomas, hold the baby, let me take a shower, and eventually watch them while i go for a run. $10/hr. not cheap but worth it i think. 

fiona is moving to CT this saturday. she has done nothing to make me regret this decision this week. she has been eating anything and everything and just being a real PITA. sure, i know i'll be crying when she's gone but it's the right thing to do. i just don't have the time for her.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning  and !

I didn't get up and do my run this morning, so I'm thinking about trying to fit 2M in this afternoon. I have to go home at noon and I have a meeting I need to leave for at 1:45. I think 2M and a shower are manageable, anymore than that and I probably wouldn't have time to grab a quick bite. I was thinking why bother, but then I decided even if it doesn't move the scale, it will definitely help me feel energized and in a good mood for my afternoon meeting, which is not a bad thing. 

*Nancy* -- I am so happy you have the Mother's Helper. That is going to be tremendous once Bronxbaby makes his appearance! I know you feel awful right now. This is the point where I convinced myself it would be easier to take care of the baby outside of me rather than inside  I do think it won't be long, and then we will all be so amazed at the perfection of a newborn baby  It really doesn't get any better than that! 

*Rose* -- Here's a  for you, and another  for Tom, and heck, why not, Mike probably could use a , too. Complacency. I need to talk more about it. I am so glad you went to Sephora and had a wonderful experience! I need to challenge myself more in a lot of areas, definitely in my commitment to eating right and getting the workouts in. This week I've been trying to make myself do one small additional thing each day. It's a start. I've been accepting "good enough" for awhile. I think I can do better. 

*Lisah* -- That smart apple did not fall far from the tree! I cannot believe he checked the serial numbers -- right then I would have thought, "Houston, we have a problem". This kid is going to be a challenge. A fun challenge, but no complacency for you! 

*Lisa* -- Love, love, love the Roswell photos! Thank you so much for sharing, that made my day!  I am so sorry about dh's aunt 

*Kathy* -- You are a troublemaker for sure! No sports craziness allowed in this thread -- although I'm probably one of the few who even cares  Earl of Sandwich would be really easy for me, I will make that one if I possibly can. We're going to be in Portsmouth on the 3rd, no way we're driving to NH 2 days in a row so we won't make the Muppets -- although it does sound fun! I'm going to be at North Shore Mall tomorrow afternoon to pick up the Bruins photo Dennis wants for Christmas. I'm also going to Toys R Us to pick up his new Wii basketball game. I should make a list, I'd like to think I won't have to keep driving up there. I need to go to Target to get the new Glee Christmas cd, and see what else catches my eye. All this is after tomorrow morning's meeting in Malden. I'm just going to be out and about tomorrow! I'm hoping I will get enough done that when it's close to Christmas I can have a little time to bake and relax. I always seem to run out of time just when I would get to those points 

*Lindsay* -- Are you getting excited about the weekend? It's almost here! 

Ok, back to do a little work this morning. I am starting to feel like a run would exhaust rather than energize me. I guess we'll see when I get home 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

oh my gosh you got to be kidding me.  I had this huge long post I thought I posted last night and now I realized its gone.  Is someone messing with us nancy.  I even replied by multiquoting to everything that has been said for the past few days.  This was my first poof.  I guess Im really not immortal.

Ok well unfortunatly now I dont have time to type much but wanted to say hello and thank god tomorrow is friday.  Today was looking to be a good day until a 4mth old came in for an ear recheck and the dr noticed the whole ear was bruised and the mom broked down and was hysterical saying she thinks the dad is doing it.  Horrible Horrible way to end the day but unfortunately allow far and few between this is one of the not so fun things about this occupation.

Mike and I meal planned for the next two weeks...starting monday.  Nick and I are going grocery shopping tonight while Mike takes Ryan to bball practice.  Then I have to make italian wedding soup for the teachers at ry's school tomorrow.  Its souper day for teacher appreciation.  Busy night ahead of me so I probably wont be back on.  But know that I love you all and Nancy I have a feeling you are going to push that baby out on thanksgiving...hey maybe you can name him Turk E. Just kidding.  I know..... Im corney.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> oh my gosh you got to be kidding me.  I had this huge long post I thought I posted last night and now I realized its gone.  Is someone messing with us nancy.  I even replied by multiquoting to everything that has been said for the past few days.  This was my first poof.  I guess Im really not immortal.



i wonder if it's a multi-quote thing? my big poof was after doing a butt-load of multi-quoting. i think i'm going to just go back to bolding everyone's names and writing to them. how annoying!!! 

Turk E. lol! sounds good!

***
i'm trying to hold off as much as possible but every time i move i'm in PAIN! i started packing a hospital bag finally today. i know, i should have had that done ages ago. oh well. i was supposed to go down to times square for another disney store event tomorrow but i think that might just be a bad idea. however, at least i'd be downtown which is where my hospital is! 

we showed the house this evening and i couldn't get a feel for what the lady thought at all. it's so frustrating because i spent so long cleaning the house (in PAIN!) and because the house is so darn small she was in and out in like 10 min. oh well. 

have a wonderful night everyone. i'm hoping for some sleep (tylenol pm might be helping again) and hope to be able to just lay around as much as possible. we shall see. 

oh and as far as the name i think we are pretty sure about matthew john. just don't tell facebook. i'd rather surprise folks.


----------



## Rose&Mike

It's 6:20 and I have been up for well over an hour. The dog.....I thiink the dog might need to join Fiona. His name is Petie. I'm sure they would get along great. It wouldn't be so bad if we went to bed early. But 11:00-5:00ish, sometimes 4:00ish, is not a good combo.

The concert was ok. We left before it ended. It was so grossly smoky that I'd had enough. I dared to make a comment about it and this girl in our aisle got really po'd. So at 5:00 this morning after the dog woke me up I got a shower and washed my hair twice to try to get the smoke out. The city does have a smoking ordinance, but people don't seem to care. The bathrooms were full of smoke and the arena was gross. So frustrating.  Add in the fact that I haven't had t.o.m. issues since w&d, until yesterday of course! and it made for a long day. Sure it's nice to not have it so often, but I am pretty miserable while it's happening. 

To quote Lindsay--Calgon, take me away!

*Lindsay*--I'm sorry about the bad work day. I hope the Mom and baby get some help. Good job on the meal planning.

*Nancy*--I hope the baby just pops out! I like the name. And I think it's great that you have some help. 

*Maria-*-have fun with all that shopping!

Ok, I think I am going to get up and change the sheets--they are smoky too! And try to go back to sleep. I am starting to feel catatonic all the time....not  good! At least pt isn't until 3:00 today.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*rose -* ew! smelling like smoke when you wake up in the morning is so gross. i used to smoke and i'm SO glad i stopped. it's really nasty. i remember waking up after being out at the bars all night and i smelled like an ashtray. a friend of mine is a smoker and smokes in her house sometimes. granted, she only does it in the kitchen and blows the smoke out the window but i always seem to smell it on me when i leave her house. ick. and just think it wasn't that long ago that EVERYONE smoked in their house and everyone always smelled like it! 

how's the foot feeling today?

***
one more day with fiona. i know i'm going to be crushed when she's gone but right now i can't wait for her to leave! she's been such a pain this last week! 

i'm going to chance it and head downtown to the disney store. they are unveiling some virtual thingie outside the store. i could probably write about it without even going but hey, might as well. i'll just drive down and park close and put thomas in the stroller and walk slow! better get dressed. 

have a great day everyone!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

psh, nevermind. it ain't happening. i just took a quick shower, didn't even wash my hair and i'm winded. i'm not going anywhere. i just emailed a couple friends to see who can walk by times square for me and take a pic. 

i may be able to convince my body to drive us to the diner though for some breakfast...


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princessabelles!!!

I do not like the poof fairy, but feel lucky I just didn't get to post yesterday rather than make the time and have it disappear.  Very frustrating. 

*Nancy*-Oh my gosh, doesn't it seem like yesterday you just found out your were pregnant?  Probably not for you, but it does for me, the time seems to fly by a little too fast lately.  I'm sending good labor vibes through the airwaves, and hoping you have a labor like mine.  I worked til lunch time and went to the doc for a check up at 1130.  It was a horrible day in icu, and I was in charge, so I left another girl in charge and said I'd be back, and she looked at me and said, no you won't.  Like she had esp.  My blood pressure was up and there was protein in my urine, so he did an internal and I had a little bleeding after, so I came back to the hospital for a non stress test, which was fine, so 2 hours later he came back to check on me, said I could go home, and would bring me back to induce me in a couple days after I got rid of some fluid, but he didn't like the bleeding, so he checked me again, 7 cm.    So I got an iv, he broke my water, and it was almost immediately that I needed to push, and I didn't need to push long.  I hope you have a quick and easy labor, and everything goes smoothly and you're snuggling little bronx baby before you know it.   That's awesome you have a mommy's helper for Thomas, and I don't think you can get a sitter for much less than 10 bucks here either.  Love, love the name.  

*Lindsay*-That poor mother and child.  It is just awful.  I hope she is able to get away and everything works out ok for her.  It is an awful thing to have to deal with, so stressful for all of you involved.  Hope you have a better day today.

*rose*-Poor you, poor Petie, poor Tom, poor Mike.  I think a weekend at the spa for Petie is a wonderful idea.  You all could use a few good nights sleep without your alarm clock waking you up.   I am thinking I'll tell michael next weekend that we can get a dog, and get him involved in the whole process, and go over pros and cons of puppy vs young dog, and we'll visit the shelter and some doggie day cares together.  I know I'll do most of the work, and am accepting of that, but I want him to know how much is involved in having a dog too.  Yuck on the smoky hair.  It is disgusting.  I hate giving back the clothes to patients who smoke.  They just reek.  Good luck with PT today. 

*Maria* -Hope your meeting isn't too bad and you have lots of fun shopping.  Wish it was my short day, I'd meet you at the mall.  I won't be home til 6ish.  It is nice to get the shopping done early, and not be rushing around, though I have found if I shop too early, I end up spending too much.  Before I had michael I loved going shopping on Christmas Eve and people watching.  I'll probably take my 2 o'clock day the week before Christmas and shop after work.   Did you get a run in?  2 miles is 2 miles more than none, but I know what you mean if you then have to shower again.  It's so nice to get it out of the way in the morning.  

*LisaH*-Love Robert's tooth fairy story, and can just picture his face jumping up and scaring the wits out of you.   That's so funny about the serial numbers, I don't think michael knows anything about them.  Hope you don't have a crazy day today. 

*LIsaL*-Love the pics of Roswell.  Looks like a very cool place to visit.  Sorry about dh's aunt.  It's hard not to be able to be there.

Good morning ladies,

Feels good to catch up.  Michael had fun at the football banquet and the boys all were so handsome dressed up and not covered in mud.  The food was good, we got the stuffed chicken breast, and the kids got chicken fingers and fries.  The teams all sat together, and I sat with some other moms and dads, and we had fun.  I decided to use up my last pjlla plan day off track for a rum and coke, and the stuffing.  Worth it.  Now I just have 6 days to stay on track, and maybe I'll see 2 more pounds gone thursday and have reached my goal, and be under 210 again.   I ran/walked sun and tues, and did wii fit today.  I hope to run/walk with michael in the morning, or I will make him go to the park so I can run the track.  

TGIF!!!  Hope you all have a great day, and the weekend is long and relaxing.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Rose,* here is a big  and ton of  for you.  What a rough week you've had with Tom, Petie, your foot and TOM to boot.    No wonder you feel drained.  Hope that you can get some activity and rest in your week-end.    I must say that you are doing an outstanding job if you are faking it because you looked wonderful in your picture last night.    I don't think that you are having to fake as much as you think you do -- you look genuinely happy and very pretty.   What kind of makeup did you get at Sephora?  



dumbo_buddy said:


> ah, the stork...if it were only that easy, right??



The stork, Calgon -- if we had our way the world would be much easier for sure! 

*Nancy,* I know it will be a tough week-end for you but you are doing what is best for everyone.   

I'm glad that you have someone to come and help you out now.  That will make a big difference so that you can have a break.  I think that it one of the toughest things about being a stay at home Mom -- you can't even find peace in the bathroom for a few minutes some days.   

Sorry about the pain.    Someone's little behind must be pushing on a nerve or something. 

I'm going to miss calling that baby Bronxbaby!  One of my nephews is Thomas and the other is Matthew so I like your name choice.   Do you have a girl name picked out just in case?  

*Maria,* how was your meeting?  Did you get a run in?  It sounds like you are running several days a week so it's no big deal if the moon and stars didn't align like you'd hoped yesterday.  Some times you need a rest especially if other areas of your life are busy.  

Are you and *Kathy* doing the same Turkey Trot next week?  That will be fun if you get to meet up.    Are your guys doing the Turkey Trot with you?

*Lindsay,* that poor little baby.    It's good to work in a place where people can get help but so tough on the people giving the help, too.  I bet you hugged your guys extra hard when you got home for sure.   

Great job on the menu planning!   It's nice when you have help.  

And Turk E.  

*Kathy,* thanks for being my virtual nurse yesterday!  

I had a gastroscopy yesterday and it showed that my tummy troubles are settling down since I started this new medicine.  I was really excited because my resting heart rate was in the high 50's -- it's never that low.   

I know that you and Michael are going to rock that Turkey Trot.   He is going to be beside himself when he finds out about a dog.   

*Lisa,* hope your family members are feeling better and that Mom doesn't come down with the bug, too.  

A little work, a little running, a little trip to the grocery store on deck today.

*Nancy,* I'm glad that you decided to stay home.  

Have a wonderful day Princesses!


----------



## liesel

Good morning  and 

DD went back to school yesterday  so I've been frantically trying to get things done.  I had to volunteer at the school this morning.  The kids brought their dads (or a significant man in their life) to school for breakfast today, always a crazy day!  Long run is tomorrow, still nervous, but also anxious to prove to myself that I can do this.

I'm also quite frustrated because I'm having more scale troubles this week.  I have gained 3.5 in the last 2 days after being OP and getting one run in.  Its weeks like these that make me feel like giving up and that I'm never going to reach my goals.  I even look more bloated and huge, and no, its not that time.  I would be so happy if my work is reflected in the scale, its so hard when its not.

Thanks for all the well wishes with DH's aunt, we weren't really close.  She had a hard life and made some very poor decisions.  Very tragic.  Her passing this week has made us all reflect on what could have been.

*Nancy* It sounds like you are getting close.  I love the name Matthew John, I have a nephew with that name.   to you and Fiona.  Maybe you can visit sometime.

*Kathy* That was a fast labor you had!  The women in my family tend to have short labors, but wow!  Burgers happen (and sangria too!).  My off plan lunch Sunday I had a cheeseburger, salad, and half a shake, but it was so good!  I'm glad you and Michael enjoyed the banquet.  I'm still in for the Turkey Trot next Thursday.  Good job following the Pamela plan!

*Lindsay* I'm sorry you got poofed, I was wondering how you were doing.  Very sad story about your patient, I'm so sorry you have to deal with that in your job.  I hope you have a great weekend.

*Maria* I hope you are doing well, I got in a little over 2 miles in yesterday too.  That's fantastic that you are in good enough shape to be energized by a run.

*Rose* Yuck, cigarette smoke!  I hate being smoky, so does DH.  We are definitely not casino people.  We were at a Dave Matthews Band concert a few years ago and the person next to me was smoking pot.  The seats are so small, he was practically smoking it in my lap!  I was nursing at the time too.  I eventually got him to move a little further away.  I'm so glad you went out and learned to apply makeup and had a positive experience.  I just got a few things over the summer too.  I think its a great idea to talk about complacency more.  I consider myself to be slowly evolving, but at least there is change going on!

*LisaH*  I loved your story about Robert and the tooth fairy.  What a smart kid!  We only pay out a dollar around here, but I was told by several moms at the school (you all know the type!) that the going rate for a first tooth around here is $20.  Whatever!  A couple of months ago, DD lost a tooth when DH was out of town.  I always have a hard time with her, she wakes up so easily and DH is much better at playing tooth fairy.  I got the money under the pillow but could not for the life of me find the tooth!  She was waking up so I got out of there.  I tried a little later, still no success.  I was going to sneak in first thing in the morning and try one more time, only to find her awake with both the dollar and the tooth wondering why the tooth fairy wouldn't take it.  She still tells everyone that the tooth fairy wouldn't take her tooth!

I had better go be productive today.  Have a great day!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Nancy,* a big hug for you today.    Bronxbaby will be here any day now.  

Good luck to *Maria* and *Liesel* on their long runs today!    You ladies will rock it! 

*Lisa,* sorry about the frustration on the scale.  I'm sure being stuck at home all week had something to do with it.  Don't be frustrated more if you see a little bounce in the scale still after your long run -- it takes me about five days to see that loss.  Really I don't know why we gain after we do something so good for ourselves.  It's just not fair! 

I keep forgetting to mention that I love your new DL Christmas signature pics! 

I have 6x800 m runs on my schedule today so it will be fast.  Then off to the grocery store -- at least DH is meeting me -- which should be interesting!  

Have a great day princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Yesterday did not go as planned. I did not go to pt, cause I ended up getting sick pretty much all day. Mike had to come home, I felt so awful. I have not been taking very good care of myself--well compared to the average population, I probably have, but considering I still think I have some leaky gut stuff going on, have stopped taking my probiotic, am eating waaaaaaay too much sugar, and drinking on occasion, not sleeping, etc. Anyhow, it all caught up with me yesterday. It was horrendous. Oh well, hopefully lesson learned. This has been a rough year, food wise, and my body just really beats me up when I don't do the right thing. 

*Lisah*--I am glad your tummy stuff is going better. Is that what's effecting your running? I bought eye shadow, liner, mascara, foundation and blush. Most is sephora brand. I have been pretty happy with it so far.

*LisaR*--I'm sorry about the scale. It can be pretty frustrating at times. I am always up after a long run, so keep that in mind. Your body needs the fluids to flush out the crud.

*Kathy-*-sounds like a great banquet!

*Nancy*-- Hang in there today. You are doing the right thing, even though it's hard. Tom had severe allergies to our cat (blood coming out of his eyes) and we had to find a new home for her. We had her since we first got married, and it was really hard. But we had to keep her in the basement to keep her away from Tom. We tried everything, and it just didn't work. Anyhow, hang in there. Hugs to you and John today.

*Maria--how are you? You too Lindsay? And Pamela and Taryn!
*
******
Part of me is beating myself up for getting so sick yesterday--poor choices, not taking care of myself, etc and I paid for it in a big way. But you know what this year has been hard! And I'm tired. (The dog was up again this morning....) I can either except the fact that I need to eat better and take better care of my health or I can walk around miserable. Not a difficult choice.  There are a lot worse things. Life is too short to be miserable, girls. It really is. I am reminded of this every time I think of Mike's sister--which has been pretty frequently lately. It's so corny and has been said a million times, but tomorrow is not promised. Tomorrow is a gift. So take care of yourselves. Love you all.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies,

I'm going to get back in the basement and do some organizing soon, but just wanted to catch up here first.  Took michael to the doctor this morning for a cough that wasn't getting better and he was getting more congested, and he probably has the beginning of a pneumonia, so he's started an antibiotic, and hopefully he'll just get better now.  I think I tend to push things off, and rarely do I take him to the doctor, since usually it's viral, but I'm glad I went today.  We wanted to go to my niece and nephews football games, so we'll see if he wants to go.  He's been drawing disney characters, and we just looked through all our old animation academy drawings, and had a few good laughs.  Glad he can laugh now,  because I remember in one of the classes he had a little meltdown.  It is one of our favorite things to do. 

*Rose*-It sure has been a rough year for you, and it's just not fair how you are punished for not eating the right things.  I hope you are feeling better today.  Thanks for the reminder to treasure every day.  Life is short and you just never know. 

*Lisah*-I'm happy to be your virtual nurse anytime.  If I was your real nurse, I'd slip you a little extra medicine to keep you nice and relaxed all day.  Good luck with your runs today.  Is that a speed type workout, run the 800 as fast as you can?  

*LisaL*-Good luck on your long run today!!  And a big hug for the darn old scale.  Don't let it derail you, you're doing the right stuff, and hopefully after you recover from the long run, you will see a big swoosh.  It is so frustrating when our hard work is not reflected on the scale. 

*Maria*-How was shopping yesterday?   Did you get lots done?  I think I need to make a list and get myself organized.  The older nieces and nephews are gift cards with a little something, so they're easy.  I think I might get out next weekend with sil for a while, and get the younger kids.  Good luck on your long run this weekend!!

*nancy*-  Just a little bit of all good wishes for you today, whatever the day brings.    Maybe we'll be singing happy birthday to baby Matthew later!!  

*Lindsay*-Hello there!!  Hope you're having a fun filled weekend.

*Taryn*-If you're out there, congrats on finishing your last class!!  So exciting and we hope to see you here more!!

Time to get moving.  Have a great day everyone!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hey Ladies!

A quick post -- I don't have time to say what I want to, but I want to send extra  to *Nancy and Rose!*

Shopping yesterday was great! Toys R Us had buy 1 wii game get one at 40% off, which was great since I needed 2! I saved $20, and it was just luck walking in the door. The sale is through today, if that helps anyone. Mario and Sonic at the 2012 Olympics was just released, and I got that for Ben. I got Dennis's Bruins photo (with the Stanley cup, of course!), and I got him Wii NBA2K12. That's the only basketball he's going to see this year...I had $10 off $30 at B&B plus a free travel size item, so I went ahead and picked up the holiday antibacs for my kitchens and bathrooms, and little ones and lotions for my nieces bags and SMIL and Smom. I got it all for $20, not bad. Now I just need to order their lip balms on BF, and I can get the special bag for $20, the products inside are definitely worth more than that. Plus, I feel like I participated in BF, even if that is my only purchase  

My run today felt fantastic! I think I have finally found the optimal interval for me with the clif bloks. Every 3 miles seems to be perfect. I felt wonderful all the way through. I'm a little sore now, but feel good. I also seem to do better if I rest the day before. Duh. We just have to run more errands, and I promised Dennis I would hurry up...

Maria 

Have a great day,  and


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

We were faced with a hard  decision to make last night.  We are really trying to spend our money responsibly lately because we are finally digging ourselves out of a very large hole that mikes job changes and paying ridiculous amounts of money for daycare has caused us to fall into the past few years.  We are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel so I want to make sure that we really only spend money on the things we really need vs the luxuries.  

So I made our budget for xmas shopping and Mike and I decided that instead of buying gifts for each other we would put the money to a family gym membership for 3 months.  Then last night we saw the black friday adds for best buy.  There is a Sharp 42" tv on sale for $200.  We pondered back and forth for awhile but in the end we made the right decision and are not getting the tv!

I could never be happier because we went to the community center today and signed up.  A piloxing class was starting so I took that while the boys played bball in the gym.  It was so great and I am feeling so motivated now to get back on the wagon.  I am really excited about the classes they offer but will mostly be taking zumba or piloxing because they are the only ones offered later or on a sat.  

We all went and had lunch together at salad works.  It has been a really nice day so far.  Ryan has a party to go to at 3 and mike will take him.  Nick and I are going to the grocery store again.  My MIL is not cooking this thanksgiving because they are going to spend it with my FIL's family (he is mikes stepdad).  So we decided to cook turkey dinner at our house on saturday.  I never did this before so it should be interesting.  

Ok enough about me.

Nancy- I hope your parting with fiona went as good as it could today.  I know how rough it is but Im sure once the baby is here you will be so glad not to have to run around after her stealing dirty diapers.

Maria- Im so glad you had a great run today.  Oh and those deals were great.  My parents bought the kids an xbox for christmas and she got 2 games yesterday to with the same deal.  

Kathy- I bet Michael is going to be so excited when he knows you are letting him get a dog.  I admire the way you really have thought this through and are going to show him how to do the same.  That will give him a great life lesson.

Rose- oh that dog...I would ship him off too.  I am sorry the concert was not what you had imagined.  My mom smokes in her house and I cant stand to be there.  I dont know how I lived there for so many years.  I hope you have a great day and I liked your last post about cherishing every day and no time for being miserable.  I have kind of been feeling like that alot lately.  I hope the belly is feeling better today too.

LisaH- I hope you are able to find a little be of rest time today too.  Hope the grocery shopping wasnt to painful with dh.

Hi Lisa and anyone else that may be reading along!!!!!!!!!!!

I am now off to make a reunion with the BL boards.  I havent been on in months.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> so he checked me again, 7 cm.   So I got an iv, he broke my water, and it was almost immediately that I needed to push, and I didn't need to push long.  I hope you have a quick and easy labor, and everything goes smoothly and you're snuggling little bronx baby before you know it.   That's awesome you have a mommy's helper for Thomas, and I don't think you can get a sitter for much less than 10 bucks here either.  Love, love the name.
> 
> 
> Feels good to catch up.  Michael had fun at the football banquet and the boys all were so handsome dressed up and not covered in mud.  The food was good, we got the stuffed chicken breast, and the kids got chicken fingers and fries.  The teams all sat together, and I sat with some other moms and dads, and we had fun.  I decided to use up my last pjlla plan day off track for a rum and coke, and the stuffing.  Worth it.  Now I just have 6 days to stay on track, and maybe I'll see 2 more pounds gone thursday and have reached my goal, and be under 210 again.   I ran/walked sun and tues, and did wii fit today.  I hope to run/walk with michael in the morning, or I will make him go to the park so I can run the track.
> 
> TGIF!!!  Hope you all have a great day, and the weekend is long and relaxing.



wait wait wait....were you contracting that whole time? the first time you got checked you were 7cm?? mamma mia can i have that???? wow! 

you know what though? the real problem i feel is the post-delivery recovery. shoo! that was rougher than labor. sitting on a donut for weeks was sooo not fun. i'd have a harder labor if it meant an easier recovery!

glad the banquet was nice. sounds like you made some good choices. ooo and a rum and coke? sounds heavenly  i had a guinness last night at dinner and it was delish! i hope you make it to your goal by thursday. you know, then you can chow down without any guilt 



lisah0711 said:


> What kind of makeup did you get at Sephora?
> 
> The stork, Calgon -- if we had our way the world would be much easier for sure!
> 
> *Nancy,* I know it will be a tough week-end for you but you are doing what is best for everyone.
> 
> I'm glad that you have someone to come and help you out now.  That will make a big difference so that you can have a break.  I think that it one of the toughest things about being a stay at home Mom -- you can't even find peace in the bathroom for a few minutes some days.
> 
> Sorry about the pain.    Someone's little behind must be pushing on a nerve or something.
> 
> I'm going to miss calling that baby Bronxbaby!  One of my nephews is Thomas and the other is Matthew so I like your name choice.   Do you have a girl name picked out just in case?
> 
> I had a gastroscopy yesterday and it showed that my tummy troubles are settling down since I started this new medicine.  I was really excited because my resting heart rate was in the high 50's -- it's never that low.



ok what exactly is a gastroscopy? was it painful? i'm glad that the results were good though and the meds you're on are helping. phew! and hurrah for a nice and low resting heart rate. running sure does pay off, huh?? nice work!!

if this baby turns out to be a girl i will never look at an ultrasound ever again! we've seen his dinkle a few times now! but i guess you never know. and yes, we did have a girl's name. we had it since i was pg with thomas. molly elizabeth. oh well, guess i'll just have to suggest that name for my granddaughter 

i was looking up name meanings and read that when matthew is mentioned in the New Testament, he is sometimes found paired with thomas. thought that was a nice little sign.

oh and there is NEVER peace with my child. in order to, ehem, go to the bathroom, i often have to bring stickers with me and often thomas will want to sit on my lap! 



liesel said:


> Good morning  and
> 
> DD went back to school yesterday
> 
> I'm also quite frustrated because I'm having more scale troubles this week.  I have gained 3.5 in the last 2 days after being OP and getting one run in.  Its weeks like these that make me feel like giving up and that I'm never going to reach my goals.  I even look more bloated and huge, and no, its not that time.  I would be so happy if my work is reflected in the scale, its so hard when its not.



glad DD is finally on the mend! 

sorry about the scale. i HATE when that happens. i know what you mean about wanting to give up when that happens. it's so frustrating. but it will come off. you'll have a nice loss next week i bet!



Rose&Mike said:


> Yesterday did not go as planned. I did not go to pt, cause I ended up getting sick pretty much all day. Mike had to come home, I felt so awful. I have not been taking very good care of myself--well compared to the average population, I probably have, but considering I still think I have some leaky gut stuff going on, have stopped taking my probiotic, am eating waaaaaaay too much sugar, and drinking on occasion, not sleeping, etc. Anyhow, it all caught up with me yesterday. It was horrendous. Oh well, hopefully lesson learned. This has been a rough year, food wise, and my body just really beats me up when I don't do the right thing.
> 
> Part of me is beating myself up for getting so sick yesterday--poor choices, not taking care of myself, etc and I paid for it in a big way. But you know what this year has been hard! And I'm tired. (The dog was up again this morning....) I can either except the fact that I need to eat better and take better care of my health or I can walk around miserable. Not a difficult choice.  There are a lot worse things. Life is too short to be miserable, girls. It really is. I am reminded of this every time I think of Mike's sister--which has been pretty frequently lately. It's so corny and has been said a million times, but tomorrow is not promised. Tomorrow is a gift. So take care of yourselves. Love you all.



life is too short to be miserable. yes yes yes! and yet, why is it so hard to live by that? hang in there. i hope you feel better.



mikamah said:


> Good morning ladies,
> 
> I'm going to get back in the basement and do some organizing soon, but just wanted to catch up here first.  Took michael to the doctor this morning for a cough that wasn't getting better and he was getting more congested, and he probably has the beginning of a pneumonia, so he's started an antibiotic, and hopefully he'll just get better now.



yikes! pneumonia? i hope he gets better asap! poor guy. good luck with organizing the basement. sounds horrible! lol!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Hey Ladies!
> 
> A quick post -- I don't have time to say what I want to, but I want to send extra  to *Nancy and Rose!*
> 
> Shopping yesterday was great! Toys R Us had buy 1 wii game get one at 40% off, which was great since I needed 2! I saved $20, and it was just luck walking in the door. The sale is through today, if that helps anyone. Mario and Sonic at the 2012 Olympics was just released, and I got that for Ben. I got Dennis's Bruins photo (with the Stanley cup, of course!), and I got him Wii NBA2K12. That's the only basketball he's going to see this year...I had $10 off $30 at B&B plus a free travel size item, so I went ahead and picked up the holiday antibacs for my kitchens and bathrooms, and little ones and lotions for my nieces bags and SMIL and Smom. I got it all for $20, not bad. Now I just need to order their lip balms on BF, and I can get the special bag for $20, the products inside are definitely worth more than that. Plus, I feel like I participated in BF, even if that is my only purchase
> 
> My run today felt fantastic! I think I have finally found the optimal interval for me with the clif bloks. Every 3 miles seems to be perfect. I felt wonderful all the way through. I'm a little sore now, but feel good. I also seem to do better if I rest the day before. Duh. We just have to run more errands, and I promised Dennis I would hurry up...
> 
> Maria
> 
> Have a great day,  and



nice job on the shopping and the running! what a productive day!!!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> We were faced with a hard  decision to make last night.  We are really trying to spend our money responsibly lately because we are finally digging ourselves out of a very large hole that mikes job changes and paying ridiculous amounts of money for daycare has caused us to fall into the past few years.  We are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel so I want to make sure that we really only spend money on the things we really need vs the luxuries.
> 
> So I made our budget for xmas shopping and Mike and I decided that instead of buying gifts for each other we would put the money to a family gym membership for 3 months.  Then last night we saw the black friday adds for best buy.  There is a Sharp 42" tv on sale for $200.  We pondered back and forth for awhile but in the end we made the right decision and are not getting the tv!
> 
> I could never be happier because we went to the community center today and signed up.  A piloxing class was starting so I took that while the boys played bball in the gym.  It was so great and I am feeling so motivated now to get back on the wagon.  I am really excited about the classes they offer but will mostly be taking zumba or piloxing because they are the only ones offered later or on a sat.
> 
> We all went and had lunch together at salad works.  It has been a really nice day so far.  Ryan has a party to go to at 3 and mike will take him.  Nick and I are going to the grocery store again.  My MIL is not cooking this thanksgiving because they are going to spend it with my FIL's family (he is mikes stepdad).  So we decided to cook turkey dinner at our house on saturday.  I never did this before so it should be interesting.



good job making a tough decision. i would probably have gone for the tv  but the gym membership sounds great. piloxing?? that sounds fun! and it's nice that the boys can do something there while you work out. i know the new york sports club has babysitting services but the membership fee for that is ridiculous so i won't be doing that. 

********************
morning all! john and thomas left a little while ago for soccer practice (lol) and i'm just laying on the couch and trying to move as little as possible. i AM going to take a nice shower though since i won't have an audience if i do it now. 

john dropped fiona off in CT yesterday and the lady has texted me no less than a zillion times to let me know that fiona is having a great time. still, i miss the pain in the butt dog. it's so quiet without her. thomas hasn't even noticed! that's better than the alternative of him crying for her. it's all for the best. once baby comes i'll be so glad she's not here. 

not much to report on baby front. i've been having some contractions here and there but nothing that seems to be anything but false labor. i will go in tuesday for my next appt. i really wonder if i've made any dilation progress! still hoping to hang on til after turkey day. we shall see! 

saw the new twilight movie last night. oh boy was it bad. at least i got out for a little and the bologna sandwich i sneaked in was delish 

have a great day everyone!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--I'm so glad Fiona is doing well. Is that baby out yet????? We should have had a baby pool--guess when bronxbaby is coming into this world.....Hope you are having a good day!

*Lindsay*--Woohoo for a new gym membership! Too exciting and very motivating. Sounds like the entire family is going to enjoy it!

*Kathy*--I hope Michael is doing better today!

*LisaR*--are you feeling better?

*Lisah-*-so glad the tummy is doing better. Stomach stuff stinks.

*Maria*--Woohoo for good runs! I optimistically "preordered" a WISH princess bondiband. Still really hoping to be running again by Christmas!

*****
I am feeling much improved today, but still not great. I debated all weekend whether this was all from food/lack of food/grownup drink choices, etc on Thursday or whether it was a virus. I am starting to think it was a combo of the two, because Mike's stomach wasn't feeling great yesterday and someone from my work went home early Thursday. Anyhow, I have really been beating myself up, but I need to stop doing that and move on. Have I already said that?

Anyhow--I bought a new probiotic today--which was supposed to be gf, but had wheat grass in it. Instant stomach ache. (Wheatgrass can be contaminated if they don't harvest it early enough.) So that went back to whole foods, and I have another one to try tomorrow. I drank some plain kefir today and have made good food choices. Hopefully things will start to improve and I will stop craving sugars so much. 

And we changed around the sleeping arrangements for the dogs last night and let our whiner sleep out of the crate and we actually got some sleep. As long as he doesn't tear the house apart I guess we keep trying this. Cause we are both still really tired.

Does anyone watch the Good Wife? It looks like it is really going to be good tonight.

Tomorrow I have pt at 8:00. Hope to do a little bit at the Y after work, and then we are going to another viewing. Our friend whose Dad died in September lost his Mom this weekend. It's going to be a long day, I think.

Have a good Monday.


----------



## mikamah

Just wanted to say a quick hello,


 Michael is much better today, still that deep cough, but it seems to be loosening up.  Nothing else too exciting here.  Did some basement cleanup, and brought 4 bags of michael's clothes to my sisters house.  Work the next 3days and then 4 days off!!  I think every weekend should be 4 days off.  Last weekend I felt like I got so much done, and still had plenty of time to rest.  This weekend, I feel like I didn't get as much done as I should have, and I didn't have enough down time.  

Hope you all enjoyed your weekends!  Hope to catch up more in the am.


----------



## mikamah

Rose- So sorry about your friend.  That is too much too soon.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- Glad you got some "me" time in this wkend.  I have been hearing alot of people say the movie was bad.  I have never watched any of them I know Im an odd ball.  Im glad sending fiona off went well and that she is having a great time at her new place.  BTW I think I said it in my poof post but since you didnt get to see that one I wanted to tell you how much I love the baby's name.  Matthew is such a good solid name.

Rose- Glad the foot is a bit better today.  When Donovan our choc lab was a puppy he was so horrible sleeping in the crate.  We ended up moving the crate in our bedroom and he slept great.  Im not sure where your crate is????  So if its not there and he starts chewing theres an idea for you.  Although at this point I bet your willing to let him chew a few things in order for sleep right????  I know I would be.

Kathy- Glad Michael is feeling better!  I agree a 4 day week is so nice.  I have a half day tomorrow and tues, a full day on wed. and then Im off the rest of the wk.  I can not wait.

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

Well my health kick only lasted through lunch time yesterday.  My mom called and her and my dad offered to take us out to buffalo wild wings.  I had boneless wings and a big ole beer....I really needed the beer after the week I had.  Today was not horrible with my eating but definitely went over the calories I should of had.  I originally planned to start tomorrow anyway so Im not going to beat myself up.  I am going to use my fitness pal again starting tomorrow and see how I do.  

Ryan lost another tooth today but I think this time he swallowed it down with some tortilla chips he was eating.  So he wrote the tooth fairy a note to put in the bag on his door.  I didnt have any 1's so I am giving him 4 Quarters.  Just cant see forking over a 5 especially for no tooth.  I really hope he looses his other front tooth because then we can say all he wants for christmas is his two front teeth.

Well I hope you all enjoyed the weekend.  I need to get upstairs and see how the eagles are doing.  Mike has been quiet so I have a feeling its not good.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princessabelle friends!

Hope you all had a good weekend!!

*Maria*-Heard on the news about a 7th grader in boston with meningitis, and thought of you guys.  I hope ds is ok, and not been exposed.  It is such a scary thing.   Sounds like a successful weekend, great shopping deals, great run!!  What more could you ask for. 

*Lindsay*-Wings and beer happen.  Kinda like burgers and sangria.  Today is a new day and we must just move on.  How were the wings?  A buffalo wild wings just opened up at our mall, but we haven't been yet.  The tooth fairy has left coins here too.   My friends husband left a 20 once since that was all he had, and she almost killed him. 

*Rose*-Glad you are feeling better.  It does sound like you had a bug.  I went to watch the Good wife last night, but it wasn't on yet, some bizarre show about body builder all dressed in little orange bikinis.  I haven't been watchign the good wife but did see it once a while ago and it was good.  I watched the old BL shows on netflix.  I think I started watching bl with the 3rd season, but I don't think I've consistently watched any season.  I was shocked in the first season, there was one girl starting at 167, and one at 176.  I like it more now with my head in denial that I'm too small to be on the show.  

*LisaH*-Can I just say again, you ROCK!!  20 pounds is so fabulous.    I'm betting you'll be in Onderland before the Tink, for sure.  

*Nancy*- I wasn't even contracting or couldn't feel them, the cervix was just dilating.  Strange for sure.  I think I had an angel on my shoulder.  I think my dad watched over me.  Michael was conceived on St. Patricks day, and my dad was a true irishman, and I've always felt he is our guardian angel.   Sorry the twilight movie was no good.  I only saw the first one, and was very dissappointed, so never saw the others.  Loved the books though.  I would watch them if they come free on netflix one day.   Glad Fiona is doing well in her new digs, and I hope you enjoyed some alone time.  Hope you got some sleep last night, and all is well.  

*LIsaL*-Hope you and your family are all feeling better soon.  Don't worry about missing an occassional run on your plan, you will be just fine.  I think when I missed a long run, the next one, I did a little more than the run I missed, and less than what was due, like made the 6 and 8 mile runs into one 7 mile run.  You are doing great with your training, and will be just fine. 

Well, off to work now.  I am really looking forward to a long weekend off, and visiting my brother and family.  It's nice to get away from all that I could and should be doing at home.  

Have a great day!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

Happy Thanksgiving Week!    And can I say how very, very thankful I am for all of my Princess and Lisabelle friends!  

*Rose,* so sorry to hear about your friends Mom and your illness.    Sounds like you might have caught a bug.    I know that you are looking forward to Tom coming home tomorrow!    Hope that the weather gods cooperate!  Hope the PT isn't too hard on you today.  

*Kathy,* glad that Michael is feeling better -- poor guy and poor Mom.    Funny that he is into drawing the Disney stuff now -- we've had a couple of major meltdowns after Animation Courtyard, too.   I loved the football pics, even though it looked cold!

The 800 meter runs are speed workouts.  They are part of the Galloway for time plan.  I had 6 x 800 runs on my schedule that I would have treated as a 3 mile run trying to get below the 16 mm.  But instead it was much more than what I would usually do but good to let me know that I need to work harder.   You run 30 seconds less than race pace so they are hard and fast.  I had four different intervals to try out.  It was an emotional and tiring workout but I know I will get stronger and faster.

I actually have a slightly different training plan now for the rest of the time before the Tink because I have a new coach.  I don't know why I feel weird telling you all this but I have ecoaching with Jeff Galloway now.  It was just a bit more than what I was planning to spend on the local trainer through the Tink and takes me all the way through the Coeur d'Alene Half in May.   I am very excited.  Part of me is a bit embarrassed thinking that if everyone else can do it on their own I should, too, but then no one else was swept so obviously I do need something more.    It should be interesting! 

*Maria,* so glad that you had a great run and found some bargains!  

*Lindsay,* nice job on going with the community center!    I read that people are already lining up for those tvs at Best Buy and I don't think you want to stand out there for 9 days!   Smart girl sticking with the $1 a tooth -- we regretted the $5 precedent for sure.  

*Nancy,* how are you feeling?    Hoping that you have a great no labor/labor like Kathy and pop that baby out on Friday like you want.  

The gastroscopy is where they stick a camera down your throat and look at your esophagus and stomach.  It's not as horrible as it sounds because they give you enough drugs that you really don't know or care what they are doing to you!   No one really knows if it caused the runners tummy but since both the stomach and runners tummy are better no one is putting much thought into it anymore -- except for me worrying about it.   Kathy works in the unit where they do them so she can probably tell us much more about them than we want to know.  

*Lisa,* hope you and all your family are feeling better now.    Don't worry about the long run.  On your next long run, just walk the first 4 or 5 miles and then finish out the rest of the scheduled mileage.   

I like the baby pool idea -- I vote for Thursday night.   

Hooray for a short week!  Robert doesn't have school on Wednesday so it could be a five day week-end.  Don't know if we can manage especially because 5 days of teen angst could do us all in.  It is at a record high the past few days! 

Have a great day princesses!


----------



## lisah0711

Hmm, no *Nancy* here or on FB since yesterday . . . maybe Bronxbaby is here!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi princesses!

*lisah* - i'm glad the tummy issues seem to be getting better but it's frustrating not knowing what caused the issues! camera down the throat - sounds suuuuuper fun! 

*kathy - *i'm irish so that means i get an easy labor, right? i mean, most irish people have like a billion kids so they have to have something be easy, right? my grandmother had 10 children. all i keep thinking these days was, "she was nuts!"

*lindsay - *i'm cracking up at your line about how you're not shelling out 5 bucks for no tooth! lol! too funny!!!

*rose - *how are you feeling today?

hi maria! hi lisa! 

still pregnant but maaaaan i'm feelin' like poo today. nothing like having every mom and grandma at mommy and me tell me i look like poo too! lol!

my MOTHER is coming down AGAIN this afternoon. that THREE MONDAYS IN A ROW!!! wowza. something surely clicked during that time of no contact i guess. or, my dad must have have some doozie of a talking to with her. anyway, whatever it is, i appreciate her coming because i'm just so exhausted. i just laid thomas down and his naps have been getting shorter and shorter so i better lay down asap or i'll miss any opportunity to rest. 

fiona is happier than a pig in poop at her new home. the new lady keeps sending me pics (which, i almost wish she wouldn't because it's making me miss her more) and she's having a ball. she's allowed on their couches and has even taken a liking to their CAT! it was the right decision.

omg...really??? they are blowing leaves now outside. just my luck. talk to everyone soon! 

oh and that baby pool??? nobody is allowed to guess anything before thursday NIGHT (we're talking after dinner, night)!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi ladies.  I am really enjoy my half a day off. actually I took a short break to get ryan and have lunch with him and my dad at subway.  Then I did some more work from home.  Now I am breaking for dis and hopefully will not get any more calls from the office...although I know there is one thing still open for today that I will have to close the door on.  It so frustrating sometimes not to be able to leave and take my personal time but on the positive I am very thankful to  have such a great job....and even though I complain sometimes it is a job that I truly love.

We have parent teacher conference tonight.  I am hoping for at least a few good comments.  I am already prepared to hear about the issue of paying attention.  

Nancy- I pick friday!!!!!  I hope you have your shopping done.

Lisa- Well my parents have been wanting a new tv for a long time.  They still have the big huge one thats really wide.  So I have decided to wait in line for them.  I am going with my husbands best friend.  He has talked me into it.  I am not camping out and I refuse to go before 730pm.  So we are going to give it a shot.  They start handing out tickets at 10pm for the amount of items that they have so we should know by then if we will get one.  If not we can leave then.  If yes we have to wait until midnight.  I think I have really lost my mind.

Kathy- Buffalo wild wings is so good.  I wish it really wasnt because it would save me lots of calories.  I like the boneless wings.  I have tried spicy garlic, asian zing, and garlic parmesean.  They were all so good.  There fried pickles are good too.  I plan to not go there for awhile I think we had out fair share lately.

Ok well have a great monday ladies.  talk to you all soon


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I want Saturday in the Bronxbaby pool! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

I pick Thursday after dinner too....Actually, I was going to pick Wednesday, but we aren't allowed to pick Wednesday, so I pick Thursday before midnight.

I am pooped! Long day. Therapy went well. I have my new inserts. Today she did the arch, and then next time she will deal with the suppination. They feel pretty good. I was only supposed to wear them for a couple of hours, but I was too lazy to walk out to my car at work and get the other insoles, so I still have them in. I think I will like them in my walking around shoes, not sure about running in them, but I will try it. No pain today, so that's pretty amazing. It really hurt during therapy.

And the tummy is better but not great. They told me at pt that the receptionist was sick over the weekend, her kids were sick and a couple of patients cancelled. So it was a virus, but I seem to have had a really nasty case of it--too much fun on Thursday I guess--and really the concert wasn't fun, so too much unfun!

I'll be back later or tomorrow to catch up. As soon as Mike gets home we are going to the funeral home. And then I'm coming home and plopping!


----------



## liesel

OK, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are gone already!!  I think I'll take Sunday then.  My initial thought was Wednesday night, but I know you don't want that.

 I love you guys so much!  How did you all know I spent the weekend moping and stressing out about missing this long run?  I'm still sick, I just can't seem to shake this.  I think if I am better I will do an easy run tomorrow, then the turkey trot on Thursday.  If my recovery from that goes OK I was thinking of doing a "bridge" run Sunday or Monday, longer than 3 but shorter than 8.5. Maybe around 5 or 7 depending on how I am feeling, so it won't seem so tough to get to 10.  This is the first run I've missed in 2 months and I know I have a good base now, I just really want to get some longer runs in so I won't be as nervous.  I'm going to start working on practicing a 2:1 ratio more, since that is what I'll be doing for the race.  I think that will be good for me since its my first half and I'm just aiming to finish!

*Nancy* I hope the next few days go well for you and I can't wait until Bronxbaby is born!

*Kathy* I'm glad Michael is feeling better.  You sound like you've been very productive lately.  4 day weekends would be great!

*Rose* I'm glad your tummy is feeling better, there's been so much illness going around lately.  Good job on sticking with the PT, that does take some mental toughness as well!

*Lindsay* That's great that you are getting back on track, Buffalo Wild Wings aside.  I'm sure it will help you to feel so much better in no time.

*Maria* You are quite the shopper!

*LisaH* I agree, I am so thankful for all of you and your advice and support through all of this!    and a definite  for the 20 pounds you lost so far this challenge!  That's amazing.  I can't wait to finally meet you at the Tink.  There will definitely be some celebrating after this half!  Thanks for your comments on my DL Christmas pics, they are from our trip 2 years ago, which is still our favorite trip.  I love DL at Christmas! 

I better go and get more stuff done, its just that time of year.  Talk to you princesses and tinks later!


----------



## mikamah

Just another quick hello to you all.  It's not that this thread moves too fast to keep up, but the rest of my life does.   I beat the crowds at the grocery store this morning with my dis-time, so I might just have to make a point to come on tonight and really catch up.  

*Lisa*-I think that's awesome you have Jeff as a coach, and you so deserve it.  Who better to help you through the training with the walk/run than the one who made the plan, and you know he's not going to try and make you run a straight 45 minutes.   Maybe he'll even run the tink with you!!  I am so happy for you that you are doing this for yourself.  We don't always do enough for ourselves, when we should, so good for you. 

*Rose*-Safe travels to Tom.   Hope he's home safe with you very soon.  

Hello everyone else!!  I'll take monday for bronx baby.  My adorable niece Emily's birthday.  

Have a great day everyone!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

*Nancy,* how are you feeling today?    I'm sure that you don't look like poo -- those silly people don't recognize the *glow* of motherhood.    I'm so glad that your Mom has been helping you.  I obsessively check the Disboards and FB several times a day to see how you are doing -- so please keep us posted when you can.  That Bronxbaby will be here before we know it!    (but not before Thursday night).  

*Lindsay,* nice job getting Ryan to do the C25K with you!   You are a good daughter to brave the Black Friday crowds for your folks tv.  I saw where people were already lining up at some Best Buy stores.  

How is your week so far, *Maria?*   All ready for the Turkey Trot?  Are you and Kathy doing the same one? 

*Rose,* hope things went okay last night.    Did your PT say you could wear your inserts when you run?  Mine are too hard so I don't wear them running.  I use some Superfeet inserts.  I'm glad that they make your feet feel better already.    Safe travels for Tom today.  

*Lisa,* hope that you and everyone else are feeling better.    You don't lose fitness for several weeks so concentrate on getting better and take it easy since you have a big race on Thursday.  Can't wait to hear about your PR!   

My Mom called me yesterday to tell me that a close family friend died suddenly.  He was 54.  He stayed home from work with a cold.  His wife went for a walk and he was dead when she came back 40 minutes later.  He was an ER doctor so obviously had no inkling that anything serious was going on.    As my Dad used to say "life is hanging by a string." 

Enjoy your day ladies and hug the ones you love!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

A couple of "catch up" posts coming...



mikamah said:


> *Maria* -Hope your meeting isn't too bad and you have lots of fun shopping.  Wish it was my short day, I'd meet you at the mall.  I won't be home til 6ish.  It is nice to get the shopping done early, and not be rushing around, though I have found if I shop too early, I end up spending too much.  Before I had michael I loved going shopping on Christmas Eve and people watching.  I'll probably take my 2 o'clock day the week before Christmas and shop after work.   Did you get a run in?  2 miles is 2 miles more than none, but I know what you mean if you then have to shower again.  It's so nice to get it out of the way in the morning.
> 
> Oh! We should plan to meet up there one day -- that would be so much fun! Toys R Us was a madhouse. People are already  I do spend more than I mean to sometimes, but what I'm finding is I tend to wait until I find what I really want rather than just buying something, so it's a good trade off for me. Sadly I did not get a run in. I decided it was just cutting it too close. The meeting was intense, but I always enjoy going to Newton. I like going the opposite way of all the Pike traffic
> 
> Feels good to catch up.  Michael had fun at the football banquet and the boys all were so handsome dressed up and not covered in mud.



I'm sure the lack of mud was key!



lisah0711 said:


> *Maria,* how was your meeting?  Did you get a run in?  It sounds like you are running several days a week so it's no big deal if the moon and stars didn't align like you'd hoped yesterday.  Some times you need a rest especially if other areas of your life are busy.
> 
> Are you and *Kathy* doing the same Turkey Trot next week?  That will be fun if you get to meet up. Are your guys doing the Turkey Trot with you?
> 
> Kathy and I are not doing the same Turkey Trot, but I will be thinking of her! Dennis and I are running. Ben will be asleep or stuffing himself with Honeycomb while he watches SpongeBob...
> 
> I had a gastroscopy yesterday and it showed that my tummy troubles are settling down since I started this new medicine.  I was really excited because my resting heart rate was in the high 50's -- it's never that low.



This is excellent news! I am so glad. 



liesel said:


> *Maria* I hope you are doing well, I got in a little over 2 miles in yesterday too.  That's fantastic that you are in good enough shape to be energized by a run.



Bless you for saying that! I tend to think of myself as in not very good shape at all, but yes, running a short distance does leave me with more energy. 




lisah0711 said:


> Good luck to *Maria* and *Liesel* on their long runs today!    You ladies will rock it!



I am so glad the 9M felt good...I really did feel like I did a good job and accomplished something, and I'm going to try my new 3blks every 3M strategy tomorrow 



Rose&Mike said:


> This has been a rough year, food wise, and my body just really beats me up when I don't do the right thing.
> 
> It's so corny and has been said a million times, but tomorrow is not promised. Tomorrow is a gift. So take care of yourselves. Love you all.



Rose -  It has been a rough year for you in many ways, but you just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep going. You are doing great. We all eat and do things we shouldn't from time to time. I think that's just human  And thanks for the good advice, we can all use a reminder.  



mikamah said:


> *Maria*-How was shopping yesterday?   Did you get lots done?  I think I need to make a list and get myself organized.  The older nieces and nephews are gift cards with a little something, so they're easy.  I think I might get out next weekend with sil for a while, and get the younger kids.  Good luck on your long run this weekend!!



Well, I am doing pretty well on the list, but I still have plenty to pick up. I think this weekend I'm just going to get a couple of gift cards, rather than brave any stores. I love the grocery store for that. I have to go there anyway, might as well pick from their huge display  Would you believe Benjamin still hasn't given me his list? He keeps promising me it's coming. He's emphatic that all he wants is an ipad, I think he thinks if he puts it off long enough I will just buy it to have something for him 

More coming after lunch...but in the meantime I did do my 4M this morning. I'm going to miss one workout this week, because I don't want to run the day before my race. That's ok, I need all my energy for the Gobble Gobble Gobble -- the name of my Turkey Trot! 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisa- I know how it feels to do so well and then miss one of the long runs.  I did the same thing towards the end of my training.  I think it was an 8 miler.  I cant remember if it was a schedule problem or if I was sick but either way I can honestly say it will not cause you any damage or hiccup in your stride.  Just try to get your runs in this week even if they are not long ones.  You will be fine and will do an awesome job.

Lisa h- oh how sad and scary about your family friend.  Your right you just never know when its your time so just live life to the fullest and dont leave behind any regrets.  

Oh and I forgot to say how cool it will be to have Jeff as a coach.  Dont feel bad about needing or wanting the help.  Whether you do it alone or do it with a trainer either way you are doing it and thats all that matters.  Your not cheating just because you have someone giving you advice.  Dont feel guilt about that at all.

Kathy- I think beating the crowds at the store is a much better choice than being on here.  We will always be here and going to the store at a less busy time probably saved you from high blood pressure for an hour.  See always thinking about our health in mind.

Maria- Thats a cool name for a thanksgiving day race.  Im kinda sad I didnt sign up for the turkey trot here that I did last year.  It was not organized well and was a bit boring plus adding in that I havent been running much I decided to not participate.  I will just have to be here virtually cheering all you other running gobblers for the day.

Rose- I hope the weather subsides and that tom makes it home without delay.

Nancy-??????????????????hope the bun is still in the oven.

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

I left the office at 11 and have not heard anything yet so I am hoping all is well and that I can just relax for the afternoon.  Ryan and I had lunch and then got the turkey prepared and in the oven.  I am making turkey bbq for mine and mikes work tomorrow.  It started out that mike signed up to bring it into work for there pot luck lunch but the smallest turkey I could find was 16lbs.  So now my work is getting a free lunch too.  Gotta love my husband he signs me up for things that always require so much work.  I think after this time he will know to ask before commiting me.

In a short while I am going to go to the hospital I work for because Jaindl turkey has donated certificates for free turkeys to our network staff.  Its a 12-14lb turkey so that will be good enough for me to cook on saturday when we are cooking turkey dinner for my in laws.

Then I have to pick up the pie order from ryans school at 5pm.  They did a perkins pie fundraiser.  Then we will rush to the gym where I would like to take zumba at 530.  So I have a busy day of fun!!!!!

oh and I know I am getting ahead of myself by getting excited but I got on the scale today and I am down 3lbs from friday.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

A very quick hello - Bronx baby is still baking. Doc said I'm still the same as last week. I could really go without those cervix checks. Ouchie!!

A speech evaluator is coming shortly for Thomas. His new pediatrician recommended it. I'm not crazy about the idea but it's free and can't hurt. Plus it might help to understand what the little boy is saying! 

Have to clean up some toys before she comes but I will update later!! Xoxo


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I probably bit off more than I can chew trying to get all these responses in before my webinar, but I'm going to fly through them!



lisah0711 said:


> Happy Thanksgiving Week!    And can I say how very, very thankful I am for all of my Princess and Lisabelle friends!
> 
> I actually have a slightly different training plan now for the rest of the time before the Tink because I have a new coach.  I don't know why I feel weird telling you all this but I have ecoaching with Jeff Galloway now.  It was just a bit more than what I was planning to spend on the local trainer through the Tink and takes me all the way through the Coeur d'Alene Half in May.   I am very excited.  Part of me is a bit embarrassed thinking that if everyone else can do it on their own I should, too, but then no one else was swept so obviously I do need something more. It should be interesting!



Yep, I am so Thankful for all of you, especially the heart of our little group, *Lisah*!  Do not be embarrassed, I think it is fantastic you are getting that level of support! You should be excited, we are all pulling for you and your svelte self! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> my MOTHER is coming down AGAIN this afternoon. that THREE MONDAYS IN A ROW!!! wowza. something surely clicked during that time of no contact i guess. or, my dad must have have some doozie of a talking to with her. anyway, whatever it is, i appreciate her coming because i'm just so exhausted. i just laid thomas down and his naps have been getting shorter and shorter so i better lay down asap or i'll miss any opportunity to rest.



You are restricting us with those choices, but we're honoring your wishes...I also meant to say I think the name is wonderful, and I'm sure Bronxbaby will approve 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hi ladies.  I am really enjoy my half a day off. actually I took a short break to get ryan and have lunch with him and my dad at subway.  Then I did some more work from home.  Now I am breaking for dis and hopefully will not get any more calls from the office...although I know there is one thing still open for today that I will have to close the door on.  It so frustrating sometimes not to be able to leave and take my personal time but on the positive I am very thankful to  have such a great job....and even though I complain sometimes it is a job that I truly love.



There is nothing better than having a job you love. I complain too much, but I really do enjoy what I do. It is annoying to have work follow you home, but look on it as job security 



Rose&Mike said:


> And the tummy is better but not great. They told me at pt that the receptionist was sick over the weekend, her kids were sick and a couple of patients cancelled. So it was a virus, but I seem to have had a really nasty case of it--too much fun on Thursday I guess--and really the concert wasn't fun, so too much unfun!



Sorry about all that smoke. I couldn't stand that and would have had to leave, too. I hope you are feeling better now. I'm so sorry about your friend, too. This time of year seems to be really rough. 



liesel said:


> I love you guys so much!  How did you all know I spent the weekend moping and stressing out about missing this long run?  I'm still sick, I just can't seem to shake this.  I think if I am better I will do an easy run tomorrow, then the turkey trot on Thursday.  If my recovery from that goes OK I was thinking of doing a "bridge" run Sunday or Monday, longer than 3 but shorter than 8.5. Maybe around 5 or 7 depending on how I am feeling, so it won't seem so tough to get to 10.  This is the first run I've missed in 2 months and I know I have a good base now, I just really want to get some longer runs in so I won't be as nervous.  I'm going to start working on practicing a 2:1 ratio more, since that is what I'll be doing for the race.  I think that will be good for me since its my first half and I'm just aiming to finish!



You will be fine! Sometimes you just miss a longer one..it's happened to me before and I just kept going with the next week. I have faith you will be wearing that Tink medal with pride! 



mikamah said:


> Just another quick hello to you all.  It's not that this thread moves too fast to keep up, but the rest of my life does.   I beat the crowds at the grocery store this morning with my dis-time, so I might just have to make a point to come on tonight and really catch up.



Great job getting the groceries! I think we are pretty much all set on that front. Ben is pleased because we found a new product -- an oreo ice cream cake roll. It's the little things. He doesn't like pie, so this is his special dessert. 



lisah0711 said:


> How is your week so far, *Maria?*   All ready for the Turkey Trot?  Are you and Kathy doing the same one?
> 
> My Mom called me yesterday to tell me that a close family friend died suddenly.  He was 54.  He stayed home from work with a cold.  His wife went for a walk and he was dead when she came back 40 minutes later.  He was an ER doctor so obviously had no inkling that anything serious was going on.  As my Dad used to say "life is hanging by a string."
> 
> Enjoy your day ladies and hug the ones you love!



I'm ready. Sigh. I thought I was going to get out of it -- it's going to be in the 40s, so I told Dennis if I can't fit into the long running tights I bought for the 2010 WDW Half, I'm staying in bed. I tried them on last night and of course they fit -- actually much better than they did for their debut! Honestly, I've never done this before and I'm hoping I won't regret it, but I'm going to go out there and try to enjoy it...

I am so sorry about your family friend, that is much too young.  More good advice, we need to do the things we enjoy now. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Maria- Thats a cool name for a thanksgiving day race.  Im kinda sad I didnt sign up for the turkey trot here that I did last year.  It was not organized well and was a bit boring plus adding in that I havent been running much I decided to not participate.  I will just have to be here virtually cheering all you other running gobblers for the day.
> 
> oh and I know I am getting ahead of myself by getting excited but I got on the scale today and I am down 3lbs from friday.



I'm going to give it a try and see if I like it. I don't blame you for skipping after that experience. Congrats on the scale, that seems to bode very well! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> A very quick hello - Bronx baby is still baking. Doc said I'm still the same as last week. I could really go without those cervix checks. Ouchie!!



 Well, that doesn't sound like fun. It's been so long I've forgotten, which I think I'm happy about  I hope you continue to bake, per your wishes...and I hope Thomas's evaluation goes well. 

I'm almost out of time -- hopefully I'll have more time tomorrow morning for another post. Still working on tweaking my diet, and reading The Happiness Project. Maybe we'll have a new me next year!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princessabelles!

One more day of work then 4 maybe 5 days off.  I signed up to get cancelled monday, so I'll know today.  It's my 4 hour day, and I figured what the heck.  I definitely will make a big dent in the basement if I get cancelled.  Michael's b-day is 12/4, so if we at least got it cleaned out enough to start setting up the play area he could take the kids down there.  I'm also planning to go to the shelter on sunday with michael, and am afraid that I could come home with a dog.  I hope not, I'd like to wait til the following friday, but I've heard that sometimes they won't let you take a dog out of it's cage unless you're planning to take a dog home that day.  I am sure it depends on the employee, and either way I am sure it will all work out.   I hope to sneak to the pet store and pick up a how to care for your dog book for Michael and give it to him on saturday as an early birthday present.  I figured that way we'll enjoy our last weekend away without the commitment of a dog. 

Made my pumpkin pie last night, and tonight I'm making a chocolate mousse pie from an old Hershey's cookbook I found in the basement.  The great thing about pie is you can't sample it before you bring it somewhere.  Much safer than cookies. 

*Maria*-Nice job catching up here.   Our turkey trot is at 9.  I'm hoping to beat 45 minutes.  My original goal that I had for my first one ever.   Oh well, it is what it is.  maybe I'll surprise myself.  Yours is 4 miles, right?  I'll be thinking of you while we run too. 

*LisaH*-I'm so sorry to hear about your friend.  So sad.  It is true, you just never know and need to live life to the fullest every day.  I hope your mom and family are doing ok.    Michael is getting excited for the turkey trot tomorrow.  He is much better but still will have a nasty cough once in a while, usually in the morning.  I doubt I'll be able to get him to take a nice steamy shower before the race and again after, but I'm going to try.   

*Lindsay*-That's nice you got a turkey from the hospital, and very nice of your dh to sign you up for bbq turkey, which sounds delicious.  Maybe you and Ryan can do a turkey trot next year.  It is a fun way to start the day.  We did it first last year, and prior to that we'd go for breakfast at a private club, where they could smoke, and I hated that part, but most of my family would go.  Michael would eat a pile of bacon, play some video games and then we'd go to the football game.  I like the race better.  That's great you and Ryan went running together.  Kids are amazing.  I was so impressed with michael and my niece doing the disney 1 mile race in 11 minutes.  I've never done that, so don't be surprised if Ryan's running circles around you.

*Rose*-Is Tom home safe with you?  I hope his trip wasn't to awful.  Such a worry to travel with the bad weather.  Glad the inserts feel good, and hopefully you will continue to improve.  It has been a tough year for you.

*Nancy*-Hello there!  Sorry there was no more progression.  I'm sending those vibes, but maybe bronx baby wants to kick around some turkey and pie from inside you this year.  So nice your mom's been coming regularly.   I hope she is realizing what she has been missing, and has made a permanent change.

*LisaL*-Are you ready to run!!  Good luck with your turkey trot tomorrow. 

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> Just another quick hello to you all.  It's not that this thread moves too fast to keep up, but the rest of my life does.   I beat the crowds at the grocery store this morning with my dis-time, so I might just have to make a point to come on tonight and really catch up.



this thread hasn't been all that fast but you're right, sometimes it's just hard to keep up with everything else that is going on - silly responsibilities!

nice job going shopping in the AM! that's hardcore 



lisah0711 said:


> My Mom called me yesterday to tell me that a close family friend died suddenly.  He was 54.  He stayed home from work with a cold.  His wife went for a walk and he was dead when she came back 40 minutes later.  He was an ER doctor so obviously had no inkling that anything serious was going on.    As my Dad used to say "life is hanging by a string."
> 
> Enjoy your day ladies and hug the ones you love!



hrrmph, that sad news gave me the chills. i'm really sorry to hear that. stayed home for a cold. i wonder what it really was? my friend's dad went in a similar way. stayed home because he had a headache. took a nap and never woke up. turned out to be some super acute form of leukemia. how very sad. hugs to you, lisa. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I left the office at 11 and have not heard anything yet so I am hoping all is well and that I can just relax for the afternoon.  Ryan and I had lunch and then got the turkey prepared and in the oven.  I am making turkey bbq for mine and mikes work tomorrow.  It started out that mike signed up to bring it into work for there pot luck lunch but the smallest turkey I could find was 16lbs.  So now my work is getting a free lunch too.  Gotta love my husband he signs me up for things that always require so much work.  I think after this time he will know to ask before commiting me.
> 
> In a short while I am going to go to the hospital I work for because Jaindl turkey has donated certificates for free turkeys to our network staff.  Its a 12-14lb turkey so that will be good enough for me to cook on saturday when we are cooking turkey dinner for my in laws.
> 
> Then I have to pick up the pie order from ryans school at 5pm.  They did a perkins pie fundraiser.  Then we will rush to the gym where I would like to take zumba at 530.  So I have a busy day of fun!!!!!
> 
> oh and I know I am getting ahead of myself by getting excited but I got on the scale today and I am down 3lbs from friday.



that is so much turkey cooking! you are the woman!  i have NEVER cooked a turkey. ever! and you're making like 12 of them in one weekend!

what kind of pies did you get??

oh and i saw on FB that you enjoyed zumba! tell us about it!



mikamah said:


> .  I'm also planning to go to the shelter on sunday with michael, and am afraid that I could come home with a dog.  I hope not, I'd like to wait til the following friday, but I've heard that sometimes they won't let you take a dog out of it's cage unless you're planning to take a dog home that day.  I am sure it depends on the employee, and either way I am sure it will all work out.   I hope to sneak to the pet store and pick up a how to care for your dog book for Michael and give it to him on saturday as an early birthday present.  I figured that way we'll enjoy our last weekend away without the commitment of a dog.



can i give some advice? or at least share my opinion? you MUST make them take the dog out of the cage if you are considering taking the dog. you HAVE to be able to play with the dog for a good amount of time. in fact, the shelters should let you play with a potential adoptive dog for as long as it takes for both you and the doggie to feel comfortable!

that's all. just don't let them feed you any bologna about not being allowed to take them out of the cage. that's phooey!

***********
late for mommy and me! i need to start moving 20 min earlier these days or else i don't make it. no baby yet but maaaaan, this gal is in pain! so close to that darn turkey though! i'm gonna make it!!!

have a fabulous day everyone!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello  and !

My snickerdoodle cookies are made and I have a few minutes before I told Ben we would watch the Tivo's _Terra Nova_ -- nothing like a few dinosaurs to make you really thankful! Nostalgically, I remember when we used to have to (and could), name several different varieties of dinosaur. I miss stepping on those plastic monstrosities!  See, something for *Nancy* to look forward to. 

*Nancy* -- I am so impressed you are still doing Mommy and Me! I would have punted long ago. Your poor body. I hope you have some help when you come home from the hospital so you can heal and rest 

*Kathy* -- Yep, our turkey trot is at 9am and 4M. We're going to park downtown, take the T to Somerville, and then take it back downtown. Just not enough parking, and you can't park in the municipal garage  I am starting to think this is not my best idea ever, but I did have a good 9M Saturday, so maybe it will be ok. At least I don't have TOM, so less to contend with on that front.  I don't have a time goal. Honestly, I just want to finish and not freeze to death in the process 

*Lindsay* -- I am impressed with all that cooking! Wow, you are a great wife -- well, we knew that, but you are also a very generous one with your time 

*Rose* -- I hope Tom made it home without any issues. I hope you are even now resting up for Turkey Day and enjoying having him home. 

*Lisah* -- How are you doing today? I know you are contemplating mortality. That's not bad, but don't let yourself become morbid. You have plenty to celebrate, Ms. I Lost 20 lbs! 

*Lisa* -- Are your little cherubs home and helping you prepare yet? I'm actually glad I'm not trying to do anything too strenuous today. It's hard to focus, even when my only big activity tomorrow is the race 

I'm going to set my clothes and things out for the race soon. I like to have it all there so I can see if I'm missing anything. 

I usually make snickerdoodles from scratch, but I saw a Betty Crocker mix and decided to give it a whirl. I think they came out pretty much just as good, and they were so much easier...I'm going to see what other varieties they have. It's a lot easier for me to gather butter, water and an egg than a whole pile of spices and ingredients. Less gathering = more fun baking and happier fellas 

Oh! I keep forgetting to mention -- we closed on our refi Monday night, so now we will benefit from great savings! I immediately started thinking about what Disney races I wanted to do, which was met with zero enthusiasm from Dennis. Sigh. Guess we'll be responsible, too, but now there's now way he can weasel out of marathon weekend 2013!  

Off to enjoy an afternoon with my surprisingly unsurly teen (must be in a good mood since he only had a half day of school )

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good afternoon Princesses and Belles!   

Good luck to our Turkey Trot participants tomorrow: *Maria,* *Kathy,* and *Liesel!*   We are routing for you all and can't wait to hear how you did!  

*Maria,* yum snickerdoodles and a nonsurly kid -- what could be better than that?   I like to have all my stuff out before race day, too.  Plus with a shorter race you don't have to pack so much stuff so you will be faster!  

Don't forget about stepping on Legos, too.  Those were my favorite. 

A little mortality pondering but not too much.    Right now I'm having a glass of double chocolate stout which tastes remarkably like soy sauce and then a little nap is on tap.  I feel like I deserve it since I was running at 6:15 am at the track this morning before conquering the last minute grocery shopping.  

And marathon week-end 2013 -- I am totally there!  

*Lisa,* hope that you are feeling better and ready to rock n' roll tomorrow!   

*Lindsay,* hope your day goes by fast!    You are such a good wife to do all that extra cookin'.    And a big  woo hoo on the 3 pounds down!  That is one of the nice things about a "do over" -- the pounds do seem to come off a bit easier the second time around.   

*Kathy,* I hope that you and Michael have a great run tomorrow, too.    I think that you are right and two showers in one day may be a tad optimistic.    You do have the dog to bribe him with.   

*Nancy,* it's sounding like you are going to hang on at least through dinner tomorrow!    I hope that you aren't doing any cooking tomorrow and that you let everyone wait on you hand and foot! 

*Rose,* hope that Tom arrived safely and that you are all having a wonderful time together.    After this visit the next time you are all together will be at WDW.  

I am really enjoying my new and improved training.  I did three miles this morning and the _slowest_ was 16:09.  I am still testing out intervals but they are all short 10/40, 15/40, 15/30.  Saturday is 12 miles but all at 10/40 and no faster than 19:00 each.  I've never looked forward to a long run so much!  

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you ladies!  I am so thankful for each and every one of you!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Happy Almost Thanksgiving!

Tom made it home with not too many issues. He did have to run through the Atlanta airport--and they pretty much closed the door behind him, but he made it.

*LisaR*--I'm with everyone else, don't stress too much about missing a run. Just keep moving forward! I hope you don't have terrible weather this weekend.

*LisaH*--I hope the new coach works out! That's very cool. I wouldn't be embarassed or feel bad--whatever it takes is my motto. If you can afford it, then it's not really anyone's business. I actually think it's pretty cool. I asked her about the inserts and running and she said she wants me (once I am used to them) to wear them as much as possible including workouts and runs. They are designed to last about 8 months. So we'll see. I think I might have to get different ones for my running shoes, because they were fitted for the merrells and they are bugging me a little in the toes of the running shoes. But I'm going to wait and see.

*Lindsay*--You are becoming the exercise queen! So glad you are enjoying the new gym. Have a good day off!

*Maria*--Have a great run tomorrow! I will be thinking of you when I am in the pool slogging away. Hopefully the weather cooperates.

*Kathy*--ITA with Nancy--spend as much time playing with the new puppy as possible. If that means you come back a couple of days, then so be it. Our shelter encourages as much interaction as possible and even has a room you can take your perspective pet in to hang out for a while. Remember, you won't see their 'true' personality for a week or so, until they are used to their new environment. Have fun at your brothers!

*Nancy*--enjoy that turkey! I hope you are feeling ok. Won't be long now.

AFM--I am icing, icing, icing. We did a lot of strength stuff in physical therapy and my ankle is very very sore. I asked her about the elliptical, and she said "not quite yet", but I think we are getting closer. There was a new guy there today to help with pt and he was asking about my injury and when I told him what was going on--4 things in one foot, and yet I kept running--I really felt like a junky. A running junky--just wouldn't quit I couldn't walk, but gosh darn it, I got a run in the day I went for xrays. I guess it's a sickness. Kind of put things a little in perspective for me. Then he asked me what I do besides run--and I couldn't come up with much. Anyhow, made me really think about things.....

Ok, that's it for now. Have a great weekend if I don't get back on!

I am really am thankful for all of you. You have helped to keep me somewhat sane and rational to what has proved to be a challenging year. Have a lovely thanksgiving.


----------



## Rose&Mike

I forgot *Kathy and LisaR* are running tomorrow too!

Have fun everyone!


----------



## liesel

Thanks for all the well wishes!  I'm all registered for tomorrow, the 5K turkey trot is at 9:30 AM and its actually supposed to be nice .  I'm still a little under the weather and I haven't run since last Thursday, so no time goal for me.  My normal 3M runs are about 44-45 minutes, we'll see if I just end up doing that pace or if I try to go a little faster for a PR (current one is 42:32).  I'll just have to see how I am feeling.  I do like that this race is making me get back out there tomorrow, I still have the Tink to think about!

*Nancy and Rose* You have both been so inspiring and I know you'll both be back out there outrunning me soon!

*Nancy* You definitely deserve some pampering.  I'm sorry you are in so much pain, hopefully Bronxbaby will make an appearance this weekend!

Good luck to my fellow turkey trotters *Kathy and Maria!* 

*Lindsay* I'm glad you enjoyed Zumba, its a lot of fun!  Wow, sounds like you are cooking up a storm!

*LisaH* I think its awesome you are doing ecoaching, I can't wait to hear more!  It sounds like this will help you even more, so you'll have time for more photo ops at DL!  I'm so sorry to hear about your family friend.

I need to post this on the main thread since a couple of people were asking, we did get our repaired Wii back Monday and they were unable to recover any of our data.    That means any of the games we played we have to start over.  It also means that since I weigh in with Wii fit, all of my weight loss data is gone too.  I've made peace with it, it was nice to look back on how far I've come when I'm frustrated, but I know what I've done.  So its a new beginning for me, I weighed in Tuesday morning and I'm up less than a pound from being sick and not exercising for a week (you were all right, that 3.5 wooshed over the weekend!).  It has forced me to stay really OP food wise, but I can't wait to get back to some exercise.  Its going to be quite the gain for Friday's weigh in, I've never done a race and then had Thanksgiving dinner in one day!  Oh well, we'll all get right back on track Friday!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning and a very happy thanksgiving to you all, my wonderful friends.  I too feel very blessed to know you all, and appreciate all you have done to help me in tough times, and cheer me on in good.  I love you guys. (*Pamela*, this means you too.) 

*Maria and LisaL*-Good luck on your runs today!!  It's looking cold out here and I'd rather stay in my pajamas, but since we're getting picked up at 7:45, I guess we'll go.    I'm drinking my coffee now in hopes that I'll go poo before we leave.   TMI, I know, but I know you all know what I mean.  

*Rose*-I loved your facebook post.  Enjoy every minute with Tom this weekend.  

*Nancy*-Happy Thanksgiving!!  Good luck if you're in labor, if your snuggling with Bronx baby, or if you went to the hospital and came back home with baby still on board.  Hope everything goes smoooooothly!!!

*LisaH*-Happy Thanksgiving!  Enjoy your day with your men, and rest up plenty so you will be rocking that long run on saturday.  I'll wish you good luck now, but I'm sure I'll be checking in from Jim and Beth's house. 

*Lindsay*-Happy Turkey day to you and the men!!  Hope you can stop cooking today!!

I bought the book Puppies for Dummies yesterday and am going to wrap it and give it to michael on saturday.  I figure that way I'll enjoy my last couple days with no puppy talk, and he won't drive us all crazy before saturday, and then he and Taylor can look at the pups on the local shelters before we go on sunday.  I am so excited, and he will be so happy.  Thanks for the shelter advice, and there's no way I'd adopt a dog straight from the cage.  I think it was two teenage girls who they wouldn't let take the dogs out because they weren't going to adopt that day.  

Happy Thanksgiving Princesses and Tinkerbelles.   Love you all.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, we've lost one Gobble Gobble Gobbler. Sigh. I woke up sneezing left and right with chills and a low fever, and enough drainage to sink the Mexican navy (a small but proud force  ). Dennis will not let me do the race. He's leaving without me. I want to insist, but I sort of don't. It's 32 degrees, and standing around waiting for this race, and then the time it will take out in the cold to get home, do not seem like a good combination. 

Ben is treating me like I'm four, telling me how much fun it will be to stay home with him and watch the parade  This is much better than surly and sulky....

I took some medicine, and I'm going to light my holiday candle in the living room and move to the couch. This is not the day I planned. I am going to do lots of reminiscing about our Thanksgiving trip to Universal today, and be grateful for my many blessings. Not doing this race is not a big deal in the scheme of things, and I have two huge projects coming up and I cannot afford to get really sick. Something nasty has been going through my office, so if I can keep it under control, I'm going to. 

Off to rest. Everyone have a Blessed, Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

happy thanksgiving!!! and good luck to everyone running today! *maria *sorry you're under the weather. ugh! and on thanksgiving. what a bummer! 

*kathy - *puppies for dummies. hehe. this is exciting! i will live vicariously through you and michael when you post about your pup! i miss my fiona. she definitely doesn't miss us though! you should see the pics the new owners are texting us! she is very happy.

*lisaR - *sorry about the wii stuff being lost. argh! how frustrating. i know several people on here who have been using myfitnesspal to log in weight and food info. maybe try that. but maaaan, i remember when i was losing weight i really liked looking at the graph of the weight going down (or up, depending on the week). 

*rose -* glad tom made it home ok. i have done the run-through-the-airport thing to make it home for turkey day myself. something about being a college student and having to be late for everything....  i giggled at your FB status update about tom and mike chit chatting about stuff you had no clue about! lol!

*lisaH - *double chocolate stout...tastes like soy sauce...hmmm...started out sounding good but then sorta backfired, huh? i'm glad you're liking your new training. that has to really add some zing to your step, right? anything to make running just a little bit better is a great thing in my book!!

*lindsay - *how was the turkey BBQ??? 

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

gobble gobble everyone! looks like what i thought was the real deal last night was just false labor. i feel silly for not knowing if i'm in labor or not! i've done this before, you'd think i'd know! i'm trying to remain horizontal for the remainder of the day. i might just go back to bed and make john watch thomas all day til it's time to leave for my uncle's. yeah, right. like that'll happen. 

so, dum dee dum, just sitting around and waiting i guess! it would be soooooo convenient if baby would come tomorrow on his due date. so we all know bronxbaby won't cooperate! 

have a great day everyone! if anything changes i'll post on facebook!


----------



## lisah0711

*Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
* 

*Nancy,* great job keeping Bronxbaby in the oven for a bit longer.    Keep yourself parked on the couch and let everyone take care of you.   

Rose and I are sending you good vibes for tonight so we can win the baby pool.    But not until after dinner.

And I wouldn't worry about not knowing whether you are in labor or not.   It is such a blur it's easy not to remember the details.  It's so annoying when our children have a mind of their own when it is us trying to get them to do something.  

But do remember to keep us posted 'cause we are all cheering for you! 

*Maria,* so, so sorry that you are under the weather and missing your run today.    You are smart not to push it.  

Isn't it funny how our guys want to be so grown up but then are so happy to not be?  When it happens, you have to play it cool, too, even though inside you are going .  

When you are feeling better I would like to hear more about your holiday candle. 

*Rose,* glad that Tom arrived safely and that he and his dad were enjoying their nerd talk.   Have a wonderful visit and and enjoy your week-end! 

The PT might be able to "adjust" the inserts for your running shoes -- one of my adjustments was a little trim with scissors so you might want to ask.  But if it is width and it is rubbing the bottom of any toes then it may require another set.  If you can do what you really want and need to do then it is worth it!  

*Lisa,* I'm sending you good vibes for your turkey trot today.    You start in about an hour I believe.  No worries about PRs today.  Just have a good time.    And come back and tell us all about it!

That is a bummer about the Wii.  I second Nancy's idea of using myfitnesspal or sparkpeople or some online program as backup.  You know how well you've done and you will be at your goal for the Tink and you don't need the Wii to tell you that.  

*Kathy,* hope that you and Michael enjoyed your Turkey Trot this morning.   

You are probably almost to Jim and Beth's by now.   Have a wonderful time!    Tell Beth and Taylor I said "hello."  And Michael, too, of course.  

*Lindsay,* hope all that turkey cooking is behind you now and you can relax and enjoy your Thanksgiving with your guys!  

*Pamela, Taryn,* and our other Princesses we are thinking of you and sending good thoughts your way!  

I'm down another pound this morning.  Think I will take that for my weigh in this week.  The good news is I'm getting my 40 pound clippie back and will be in new territory after this!  

Love you all!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Good Morning Friends!  Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families.  I hope you all have a wonderful day and very enjoyable day with your families.  

Maria- I am so sorry that you woke up sick.  Of all days!!!!!  I hope you feel better as the day goes on and that you are still able to enjoy the day with Ben and Dennis.  How sweet of ben to treat you so nice when you are sick.  See inside of that teenage body still lies the cute little boy you once knew.

Kathy- I hope the race went well today!!!  Such a great way to start the day for you and michael.  You are setting such a wonderful example for him.  I cant wait to hear how excited he was about your decision to get a doggie.

Rose- I loved your post on FB about not having a clue what mike and tom were talking about but being happy that you all were in the same house.  I hope Tom is cooperating and that you still have that happy cheerful feeling today.  We all know how 20 year olds can be.  Have a wonderful day!

Nancy- Well maybe you will get to have the turkey today after all.  Hang in there the end of the pregnancy is no fun at all.  Dont feel bad about not knowing either....With Nick I had 2 doctor visits and went to the hospital twice before I was actually in labor.  The funny part is once I was in "real labor" I was like duh now I remember what labor is.  I had really quick labor with Ryan so I was so paranoid I was going to deliver at home if I waited too long.  I hope you go tonight after you are able to enjoy a wonderful meal with your family.

Lisa- I hope you had a fun time at your run.  I cant wait to hear how you did.  Enjoy your family today!

Lisa H- Wow being excited for a 12 mile run...you are the woman  Im glad your new training is going well.  I hope you have a great day today with your family.

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

So I had last posted about going to take zumba at the gym.  I have to say I absolutely loved it.  I am so glad I joined the community center.  I am going to try to take classes on sat and tues.  Then on Sun, Wed, Fri run on the track and maybe some weights.  I think Sundays I will do outdoor runs.  Thats my plan and I am sticking to it.

My turkey BBQ came out great and I think everyone enjoyed it.  It also was low calorie too. 

I am thrilled to have off now until monday.  I am on call for our group but normally nothing really happens or is needed unless there is bad weather like snow or flooding.  It doesnt look like I have to worry about that. 
I am already feeling a bit tired because the boys were up at 630.  They were so excited for thanksgiving.  I need to get a nap in if I am going to stand in that line at best buy tonight and then go out shopping around 5am tomorrow.  Only a few hours of sleep in my future this evening but a penny saved is a penny earned so Im going for it.

Have a wonderful thanksgiving and I too am so thankful to have all of you here.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok i'm going to just call it. i willed this baby to wait until after thanksgiving and as punishment he's going to just stay inside for as long as possible. watch, i'll be induced next week. 

how was everyone's thanksgiving? any black friday shoppers? i'd like to personally call *lindsay *a crazy shopper woman! standing in line at 11:30pm?? but hey, it sounds like it paid off because you're almost done shopping and it's not even december yet!

just got back from the movies and i think you all should run, not walk, to see the muppets. it was so good! and classic! they did a great job. also, it probably seemed so much better because the last movie i saw was that piece of garbage twilight movie! 

i'm back from the movies, john's out sweeping the leaves, and thomas is taking a little snooze (by the way he was screaming alot last night, ugh) so i'm going to put my feet up and veg out. 

hope everyone's having a great day.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

dumbo_buddy said:


> ok i'm going to just call it. i willed this baby to wait until after thanksgiving and as punishment he's going to just stay inside for as long as possible. watch, i'll be induced next week.



Methinks somebody spoke too soon! Check FB for a photo of our newest DISer with his Daddy! 

And if I'm not mistaken, I won the baby pool! Touchdown Dance! 

I didn't want to say anything and I wasn't sure it would work since I'm not really in physical contact with *Nancy*, but I'm known in our family for predicting genders and due dates...I literally told Dennis, "I'm pregnant and it's a boy"...

But enough about my little odd quirk....

We have a Baby!  

*Nancy* -- I hope your delivery went well, you are feeling good, and the Bronxbaby is doing fantastic. I can't think of anything better than a sweet newborn to snuggle.  Oh, and Congrats to Daddy and the newly-made Big Brother, too! 

Great job, Mommy! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

*Congratulations Princess Nancy! Welcome Bronxbaby and congratulations to Dad and Big Bro, too!* 

Who had Saturday night in the baby pool?   (Can't read from the posts I can see here with my reply).  

*Lindsay,* sorry that you didn't get the tv for Black Friday.    You were a BF shopping superstar at Toys R Us though!    Sounds like you had a wonderful week-end with your guys.    Hope that you didn't get called in.  

Your community center sounds great.  I like that your indoor track on takes 10 laps to get to a mile!    It looks like it has a nice surface, too.

*Maria,* hope that you are feeling better and that those guys treated you like the Princess that you are!   

Is there a Jingle Bell run you could try?  Or maybe it is best to wait for the Princess?    Not to mention Donald/Mickey 2013 will be here before we know it.  

*Lisa,* looks like you had a great Turkey Trot!    Hope that you and everyone in your family is recovered now.    

*Rose,* how was your week-end with your guys?    In just a few short weeks you will all be a WDW together again!  

They told me my inserts would last about a year but I think they are on year 3 right now.  Mine are pretty rigid though.  I think you will know when they are starting to go.  I know that I am hyper-sensitive to any foot issues and the first twinge makes me go  "I'm getting PF again!"  

*Kathy,* how was your week-end with Jim, Beth and Taylor?  How did Michael react about the dog thing?  Do you have a dog now? 

12 miles is a long way!   Some silly little part of my brain at the beginning of the run toyed with the idea of going ahead and running 13.1 since I would be so close but my friend "the wall" talked me out of that idea on mile 12.     I decided it was best to stick to the plan.    Actually that wasn't such a bad idea since it was only the third time I'd gone that far -- the other two times were in races.  I like my new training so far -- I'm not so freaked out all the time.   

If any of you ladies want first dibs on a coaching day for the holiday challenge let me know.    I'll be posting about that some time today.

Have a wonderful day ladies!


----------



## mikamah

*Congratulations Nancy, John and Thomas on your perfect little addition.* I hope you're feeling well, Nancy, and that little prince is a sleeper. 

Good morning ladies!!  

Well, it's official, we're getting a dog!!!  I gave michael the book yesterday, Puppies for Dummies, and he opened it and smiled and said thanks.  I had to say "do you know what it means?, it's not just the book."  He figured it out, but kind of like the surprise disney trip, wasn't quite sure I was serious, kept saying really, really we can get a dog????  I'd say I got more hugs and thank yous yesterday than I've gotten in a long time.  We went on the two local shelter sites, and checked out the dogs together, and we're going to go to one this morning, maybe with our friends Karen and max.  I think next friday I'm out at 2, and off through monday, so that would be a good day to get one.  I'm going to go to the local doggie day care which is just down the street from michael's school, and talk to them.  They have a dog walker too, so depending on the age of the pup, I'll figure out if we should send him to day care for a while, or if we should crate train at home, with a mid-day walk, which is what I'm gearing towards.  

*Lisa*-Nice job on the 12 miles!!  I am so impressed with your drive, and so happy the training is going well.  How are you feeling this morning?  

*Maria*-Hope you are feeling well.  Bummer you couldn't do the turkey trot.  It was stinking cold.  You didn't miss much.  Michael had a terrible run.  He was cold and whiney and we walked more than ran.  I felt like it was going to be longer than an hour and the timers would have been gone by the time we finished, but it was only 51 minutes.  I was not the best support for part of the race, but I turned it around, and we finished.  Not like there was a shortcut back so really the only option.   We talked about good runs and bad runs, and by the time we got hot chocolate at starbucks, he agreed to do it again next year, sort of as the tie breaker, if it's horrible, I won't make him do it again.    Does your magical prediction skill work for dogs?  Could you let me know if we get a girl, boy, age, and when we bring it home?  If you're thinking today, I'm gonna kill ya. 

*Rose*-Hope you are enjoying every minute with the precious little boy of yours. 

*Lindsay*-Impressive black friday skills.  We talked about going out, looked through the fliers thursday evening, but really there wasn't anything we needed or wanted.  So we had another drink. 

*LIsaL*-I hope you had a good turkey trot!!  The massachusetts ones were a bit of a bust this year.  

Off to do some cleaning!!  After the shelter, we have the Santa parade and then my nieces birthday.  Lots of cleaning before we can really bring a dog home, too.  My friend has 2 different size crates we can use also.  Ohhh, my  what have I done?  Mostly I am very excited, and know that it is the right thing to do for us as a family, but there is this little part of me that will miss my freedom.  

Hope you're all enjoying the rest of the weekend!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Congrats Nancy & John & Big Brother Thomas!*


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good afternoon,  and !

Just sitting here sipping some dark chocolate hot cocoa made in my Keurig, after taking the last batch of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. Life is good 

*Kathy* -- Congratulations to you, too!  I am afraid my wacky talent does not work for animals. I just get these feelings. I was once told that meant I was too intune with the occult and too far from the omniscient one upstairs  Let's hope not! it sounds like you have a great day planned! 

*Lisah* -- I am definitely feeling better. I really do think I was fighting off the office bug. Hopefully it will have dispersed by tomorrow morning  12M?!  You are totally awesometastic! 

So, yesterday I woke up and put on my workout clothes, then discovered my ipod was not charged. I knew that wasn't happening , so I went grocery shopping with Dennis instead. I wasn't about to miss my LR this week, so I got up this morning and did 10M. That meant I blew off church, but honestly, I don't feel too bad about that. I had plenty of time to contemplate my spirituality on that run 

Friday we got up and got out most of the Christmas decorations, including putting up the tree. Other than some chewing, the kitties were doing ok. We waited one more day, and decorated it yesterday afternoon. Again, they seem to be ok, but the true test will be what we find when we get home from work Monday 

I looked at the scale and looked back a year ago. I'm 5 lbs lighter. It doesn't seem like much. I did lose 10 lbs last December, so that's my plan again this year. I just have to make that, then add some for Jan., and I will be running my next Half at my lowest weight in years. 

In the true spirit of "Let's Make the Holidays Crazy", I have not one but two big projects I will be working on next month. I know I sound like I'm always complaining about my work -- I'm not, if these were coming out in Jan., I would be psyched. It's just this is the month when I try to relax, catch up, go through files, etc., kind of a "fresh start" at work for the new year. I just don't know if that will happen this year. Maybe I can just take 15 minutes each day and work on it.  But, I am still going to take several days off while my Dad's here, even if I have to work a couple of weekends to make up for it after he goes home. I wasn't able to take much time when he was here in Sept., and I know I have to make a better effort. I'm afraid that probably means less DISing and more getting work done while I'm there -- but I'm still determined to check in most days, and to keep things going in the right direction with exercise and eating right next month. 

On the bright side, I have done most of the shopping, the decorating, and now I just need to do cards -- which haven't arrived yet. I was pretty disappointed yesterday to find that Benjamin still had the envelope for his school pictures. Yep, this is the first year I won't have them. I know I can still take him somewhere and get photos made, but 1) it's more expensive 2) I'll have the fun of telling the photo people "No, I only want this package", and 3) I'm not sure I will have them in time for cards to arrive before Christmas. I don't even know when I can take him to get them made, we are pretty booked...I am tempted to take a photo and just get copies at CVS, then take him to a photo studio in January for his family/close friends photos. I know that sounds lazy, but honestly, I don't think I can face trying to add that back in...

Anyway, it's almost time for my Beloved Patriots, so I'd better finish up and think about the tasks I still need to do before tomorrow. 

Everyone have an awesome evening, we are going to have a fantastic week -- how could we not with our Awesometastic new addition?! 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

CONGRATS TO NANCY AND JOHN AND THE CUTEST BIG BROTHER THOMAS!!!!  GREAT JOB NANCY I CANT WAIT TO HEAR ALL ABOUT YOUR SUSPENSE FILLED DELIVERY DAY.  SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS QUITE AN ADVENTURE

Maria- For a few minutes I thought I would be able to come on here an gloat about how my Eagles beat your patriots today but then came the 2nd quarter and we know how that turned out so I guess I will remain silent.  I bet you enjoyed that game.  Glad your feeling better and even got your 10m in.  

Lisa H- ah I guess you checked out the website.  I have not tried the indoor track yet since its been nice out this week but Im sure one day soon I will be checking it out.  The gym is just wonderful I cant say enough good stuff about it.  Great job on the 12m run.  That darn wall.  Im glad this training plan has you feeling so much more comfortable this time around.

Kathy- What an exciting surprise for Michael.  That is funny that you had to explain it to him.  Enjoy your last week of freedom.  I dont remember seeing you post about the turkey trot...how did it go???

Lisa- How was your turkey day run too????

Rose- I hope your enjoying your weekend with Tom.  


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

You can call me crazy black friday shopper lady but I am almost done!  I didnt get the tv but got lots of other things for great prices.  We also had a nice evening at our cities tree lighting ceremony.  My parents came with us this year.  We then had dinner at Red Robin.  Nick and I then went out shopping and didnt get back home until 930pm.  Maybe when he is older he will be my black friday shopping partner.  

Yesterday I made Thanksgiving dinner for my in laws.  It came out good and was a nice day.  We ended it by driving through lights in the parkway which is near us.  They have a xmas barn at the end with santa in.  The kids didnt want to wait in line so we will take them to the mall another day.  We have yet to get a nice picture with santa because one of them was always afraid.  Hopefully this year will be the year.

Today we did sunday school and church and then had a cake for my aunts birthday.  I wanted to get back home early to put out my xmas decorations but the kids were having to much fun playing with their cousin so we stayed all day.  I ended up having my cousin who is a hair dresser cut my hair.  I got 8 inches cut off.  It was getting too long and straggly.  It looks much better.

Well its back to work tomorrow!  Where does the time go when your having fun????


----------



## liesel

*Congratulations to Nancy, John, and Thomas!*

Man, when I went to bed last night I thought I had the baby pool in the bag!  I thought you would go into labor during the night and the baby would be born in the wee hours this morning!  Congratulations *Nancy*, I hope you are getting some well deserved rest.  Sorry about the no drugs!  

*Lindsay* Great job on the shopping and all the cooking!  Post a pic of the new haircut on FB when you get a chance.  

*Maria* I am so sorry about getting sick.  Rest is definitely for the best, I am on day 10 of being sick!  I forgot to mention that we are watching Terra Nova and Once Upon a Time too, I am finding them both interesting so far.

*LisaH*  on 12 miles.  You are doing so well!  I wouldn't worry about hitting a wall at mile 12 today, we still have 2 months to go.  At mile 12 we should be in DCA, I think!

*Rose* Safe travels for Tom, I hope you had a good weekend.  If you don't mind sharing your Tday menu, I'm curious what yummy creations you made!

*Kathy* Bleh runs happen that's for sure!   and  for getting out there again after taking a break.

So my turkey trot wasn't quite what I was hoping for, but what could I expect?  I was still pretty sick and hadn't run for a week.  I could see from the Garmin that I was just slower than my usual pace, but I finished strong and bounced back from the race like it was a regular run day.  I finished 42:56, 24 seconds slower than my PR.  It was a lovely day and it was for a very good cause.  The volunteers were very enthusiastic, there was a good energy.  I think after the Tink I'll do one of Galloway's time goal 5K plans and do a couple of 5Ks in the spring.  I think that will be a managable goal and something easier and less time consuming after the half.  I'm still sick and this cold has really settled in my chest, which means no long run this weekend.  I've got time for 3 long runs plus my 10K race which is in 19 days    Once I get better (soon, I hope!) I was thinking of doing 8.5, 10, and 11.5 as my long distances since I will need to regain a little fitness.  I think I can go the distance as 11.5 as my longest run, I definitely have an altitude advantage training here so that should help too.  I will feel much better once I get some more longer distances in.  *LisaH* it looks like I will be doing 10 on Christmas Eve, so I'll be virtually jingle bell running with you!  

Thanks for all the advice on storing my weight info online, I have a sparkpeople account, I just need to use it more.  I was down on my Friday weigh in, a post Thanksgiving weight loss!    Have a great OP week everyone!


----------



## mikamah

Just a quick hello to my princess friends.  

Isn't little Matthew the most precious baby ever?  He is just perfect.   

I've been trying to organize and get ready for the potential puppy we may bring home thursday.  We spent a while at the shelter yesterday and our friends came with us, and we had a meet and greet with 2 different pups, one kaiko who has been adopted was very calm, mellow, and sweet, but I didn't like that he didn't interact with michael too much.  The other was a lab mix, Annie who was completely out of control and off the walls.  It was very hard not to bring a puppy home for Michael more than me, but we talked a lot about it last night, and read in the book, and he seems to get the fact that we need to be patient and find the right dog for us.  We thought we'd meet with Kaiko again if he was still there, but realize Annie was a little too active and would need more exercise than we could give her.  We are definitely going back thursday night, and might go over wed night too, but don't want to bring anyone home til thursday.  They had a bunch of adoptions over the weekend, and have 38 more dogs ready to be adopted today, so they'll be moved out to the front.  It is amazing the amount of dogs they are able to place.  It's Northeast Animal shelter if any of you want to check them out.  We stopped at the doggie day care right down the street from us, and checked it out.  They don't need a commitment, it's a drop off as needed, and on the way out I ran into a guy I used to work with and talked with him about the day care.  And he's doing the disney half this year, so we talked about that too after he saw my sticker on my car.  It's 26$ a day which I didn't think was too bad a price.  And they do overnight for 45$ a day, so I'll keep that in mind too.   

Sorry, I'm rambling.  I feel like an expectant mother.  A little anxious about the unknown and new routine, but I know it will all be ok.  

*LisaH*-I'm up for any day of the holiday challenge, after Christmas would probably be better.  Plug me in where you need me.  I meant to say your clippie looks marvelous on you.   So happy to see how well you are doing.

*Maria*-5 pounds lighter this year, is great.  Remember this is a marathon not a sprint.  I know you can do this.  I say take your own pic, and send them in the cards.  What a pain.  I'm sure people expect them too.   

*LisaL*-Congrats on your turkey trot!!  That is a pretty good time considering you had been so sick.  

*Lindsay*-I thought of you at my nieces party with the Patriots game on sunday.  I mentioned you and my brother told me that your phillies are getting our pitcher Papelbon.  I'll look for some clearance red sox shirts with his name on them for your boys.   The race wasn't too fun.  Michael was slow and whiney, but it is what it is, and he's going to try again next year.  He took it in stride when we were done but it was hard to get to the finishline. 

*Rose*-Hope you are doing well and had a good holiday weekend.  

*Nancy*-Welcome home.  Hope you all settle into your new routine with lots of sleeping boys. 

Hope you're all having a good week!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi all!

just a quick hello. we have been home for about 4 hours. so far so good. thomas was a little upset but that had nothing to do with the baby. he didn't get a nap in and had a bit of a meltdown because of it. baby pretty much has been sleeping and eating since we got home. it's almost time for thomas to have his bath and go to bed. then the fun begins because you know little matthew will wake up and scream for the remainder of the night. oh well, it doesn't last forever and will keep reminding myself of that. 

i can't believe he's here. i can't believe we almost didn't make it in time! i will be on later (you know, probably at like 3am) and when i get some energy i'll give you the whole story. i guess there isn't much to say - at first i didn't have a baby, then i did. haha.

thanks for all the well wishes everyone! 

oh but you know what really sucks? the baby was just under 7 lbs. got on the scale - i've lost 6lbs. how the HECK IS THAT POSSIBLE??? ugh. better get my chunky butt over to the main thread asap...just as soon as i finish my two cheeseburger meal from mcdonalds...


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisa- Sorry the turkey trot was not what you had wanted but doing it with your current illness and only being seconds slower than your PR sounds victorious to me.  I really hope you feel better soon.

Kathy- oh my gosh I can just feel the excitement and anxiety through the computer.  Getting a dog is a big commitment and you are doing all the right things to make sure you are ready.  It will be so fun to have a little friend in the house.  I cant wait to see pics of the one you choose.  Do you/will you keep the name the dog has???  Not sure how that works.

Nancy- Baby Matthew is just so cute and precious.  I hope he sleeps well through the night for you.  Glad thomas hasnt wanted to send him back quite yet.  I was cracking up at your post about mcdonalds.  You are hilarious.  I would chalk the weight up to water retention.  

**********************************************************
Hello all.  I just got home from Zumba.  I was loving that class until tonight when she pulled out the mirrors to the front of the room and I got to see myself doing the moves.  Lets just say I have alot more jiggle than I would like in my moves.  Im workin on it!

Tonight we are going to watch the Grinch and Shrek the halls.  I want to stop on the BL thread and say hello so I best be going.  Im the coach starting friday so I guess I should make a few appearances this week so people know who I am.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!    

I think we need to give ourselves a big  and  for taking up 1/3 of the superstar list this week with BL Princesses and Tinks!  Congrats to *Liesel* and *Lindsay*! 

Whew!  Been a busy week at work -- I have to get up at 3:45 am to catch up on this thread.    Actually I've been waking up early again and not able to go to sleep.  I can get a lot done in the morning though! 

*Nancy,* how is your precious new baby and the all nighters?    He is just as sweet as can be!    What does Thomas think of Matthew?  Is the charm of gifts and special shirts wearing off yet?  

Can't wait to hear more about how you almost didn't make it to the hospital in time -- aren't you supposed to do that the first time?   John must have been going crazy thinking he was going to have to deliver the baby! 

And what is with getting on the scale less than 48 hours after giving birth?   Pshaw!  You don't have to worry about that sucker until your first doctor visit at least.  I retained water like crazy for days after Robert was born -- I could feel it "sloshing" around in my ankles when I walked.  It's like you just ran a race and you need to give your body days to recover and assess where you are.   

*Maria,* how are you feeling?    Hope your R&R paid off and you were able to chase that bug away.   

Congrats on the 10M and being down 5 pounds down this year!  Any year that I end the year weighing less than I did at the start is a winner in my book.  

I hope that you can find a shot of Ben that you can use for your cards that you already have.  Robert's school pictures haven't been that great because of the closed smile for braces that looks a lot like a grimace.  I'm thinking of using a shot that Ed's Mom took that shows how tall he is now.  It sounds like you've done a great job getting your holiday chores handled so you can relax and enjoy!  

Good luck with those work projects! 

*Lindsay,* I did look at the website for your center because I had to find out what piloxing was!   Sounds like you are really enjoying Zumba.  It's nice when the whole family can go together and you can run some of that boy energy off in the cold weather!  You are really on a roll, girl!  

Anyone at your house getting excited about Santa yet? 

Great job with the BF shopping and almost being done!   Ooo, yes I would like to see your new haircut, too, please!  

*Liesel,* hope that you are feeling better and everyone in your house is staying well!    Take it easy and give yourself time to recouperate because we still have 60 days to get ready.    It's good to get this stuff out of the way now!  

I think your plan sounds great.  I have three more long runs to do, too.  My running track will be closed on 12/24 and 12/25 so I may be outside.  Maybe we should try a virtual jingle bell run for the Tink thread 'cause it's awfully quiet over there.  

Congrats on the post Thanksgiving loss!   

*Kathy,* sounds like everyone at your house is excited about a new dog.  It is worthwhile looking around to find the dog that is right for you and Michael.    I looked at the website and there were several cute dogs -- lots of adorable puppies.  When we were adopting our dog, Charlie, he was barking like crazy when we walked in.  I thought to myself "I'm not taking that yippy dog home" but of course, I did and he was the best dog and my faithful companion for 15 years.   

Lots of times I think that pets are much easier than children so you will be totally fine!  

Thanks for volunteering to coach the holiday thread -- I put you down for 12/28, which is a Wednesday.  The schedule is wide open so let me know if that day doesn't work for you.  

*Rose,* I know that you are out there!    Are you processing after your fun week-end?  Busy at work?  A bit of both?  Come say hello -- we miss you!  

Busy week, missed a run, but will definately make it up because I would hate to report a skipped run -- that might be worth the coaching right there.    My speed is picking up and it is because I am doing shorter running intervals.  In fact because my long run last week-end was too fast at first, I will be doing 10/50 intervals for my long run, which just seems crazy.

On deck today is a change of copiers at the office.  It is shaping up to be a time consuming disaster but I am trying to be positive.    I keep reminding myself we are saving money.    

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning busy princessabelles!!

I guess it's one of those weeks where work and life interferes with our dis-time.  Just not fair.  Hope everyone is doing well and just busy. 

Not much new here.  We'll visit the shelter tonight and tomorrow and maybe come home with someone tomorrow.  We shall see how it goes.  I think Michael does realize we want to make a good match for us, and the shelter does too.  I'm guessing it will be less busy on a week night, so I'll be able to talk more with one of the counsellors.  

I'm not exactly on track.  Oh well, today is a new day, I've got chili for the week, and I'm going to start fresh yet again.  

*Nancy*- Sending good wishes your way, and hope to see you posting that those precious boys have decided to sleep through the night.    Hang in there.  One day these days will seem like forever ago.  

*Rose*-Hope you are doing well and you had a nice visit with Tom. 

*Maria*-Did your decorations survive the kitty's home alone?  

*Lindsay*-Glad your enjoying Zumba.  My sisters MIL works for a big pediatrician office here, and she was sharing all her office drama, and it reminded me of you.  It's no different anywhere you work.  I definitely think more men in the mix makes for a better environment.  I don't know if we will change the name of the pup.  depends on the name, I think.  Annie we would have changed because that's my sisters name, but we did like the name Keiko.  So we'll see.  I want to meet Mya and Hailey this week, both names we like.

*Lisa and Lisa*-You must both be getting so excited for the Tink.  Tomorrow's december 1st, which means you'll be able to say the tink is next month!!!!

Guess i'll get moving and be on time for work.  It seems I'm always a few minutes late.  Bad habit.  

Have a great day!!


----------



## mikamah

Aw, that whole being on time for work thing is over-rated.  I'd much rather spend a few minutes reading your post, *Lisa*.  I can imagine I would not want to report a missed run to Mr. G. either.  I'd say that's a perfect reason to have him as your trainer.  How cool you were too fast on your long run!!  You are doing such a great job with your training.  So proud of you. 

Well, I guess I'll go now, and might be on time.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--I hope you find the perfect puppy.

*LisaR*--I am glad you are feeling better. Remember, I ordered good weather for your area for the 15th and 21st when Tom is flying.

*Nancy*--Hope you are enjoying your new addition.

*Lindsay*--You sound really happy to be back on track!

*Maria*--Hope things are not too crazy for you and that you are hanging in there.

*LisaH*--I wouldn't want to tell Coach J.G. that I skipped a run either. I'm really glad it is working so well. You are sounding much more confident. To be honest, I would be nervous, too. So I really hope the coaching is helping to alleviate some of your concerns. It really should be fun, and not stressful, so I hope you are starting to have some fun.

*******
I am so not in a good place. I want to be, and I'm trying to be positive, but it's just not working. And no hugs please, I'm just sick of hearing myself whine. So that's part of the reason, I just haven't been posting. I have absolutely no reason to feel this sad and lethargic and just unhappy, but I just can't seem to shake it this time.

We had an ok visit with Tom. The short visits are a little hard on all of us, and there was some drama. I said the wrong thing (and really I did, should have saved it for another time) and he was very, very unhappy with me. It needed to be said, I think, but maybe not at that time. Hopefully the December trip will be better. He is home around the 10th I think, for 4 or 5 days, and then goes to Denver. Then we will all meet up in Fl, then he will be home for another week and a half or so. We ordered him a new computer while he was home, so that was a good thing. The thing is, I never really learned how to be a parent from the crappy example I had, and I don't think Mike's Mom was much better. So we still make a lot of mistakes, but I guess that's part of being a parent. He just expects us to do better--and I guess that's a complement to us that he loves and wants our opinions. He just kept saying to me, you're my mom, you aren't supposed to think that about me. It just broke my heart. Enjoy those little ones, because believe me, I am not enjoying this in between kid and adult phase at all.

Mike and I did a lot of talking about stuff this weekend, and we came to some decisions about what we are going to do about "things." We are giving up on moving to Florida. Just not meant to be, and really probably not the right place for us. We're not in any big hurry, but his company has a big division in Atlanta, so he is going to start watching for something there. But we really aren't in a hurry. We did go ahead and put in an order for our kitchen cabinets. I think we have a plan, and even if we end up moving later, it will really help the house sell, cause our stuff is just old and beat up. The installer came today and we have to make a few adjustments to the order, but hopefully it will be ready to be installed in early to mid January. Then they will order the countertop. I really like the installer and she was empathetic about the fact that we HAVE to use our kitchen during this process.

I continue to be extremely frustrated about the food situation, and part of the reason we are looking at Atlanta rather than a small city. We need a real grocery store. I really get it that there are a lot more gf food choices than there used to be. And I am grateful for that. But, the stores that are starting to carry the stuff are so hit and miss. I had a big discussion today with someone at the Kroger near our house today (it's 1 mile away). Basically, they carry stuff when they think there is room for it. WTH!!!!!!!! Really????? So if you have gluten issues you can have bread and other staples when some other big holiday isn't going on??? What a joke. This is one of the biggest grocery stores in the county. The guy even pointed out to me that there was another kroger which always had the stuff in stock. I pointed out to him that I had to drive PAST the Whole Foods to get there, and if that was the case, I would just shop at Whole Foods. The guy wasn't a manager, and was really, really nice, and I apologized about 10 times for being so frustrated. He said, basically, yep Kroger is saying they are carrying this stuff, so we need to carry it. So we'll see. Maybe I just need to learn to make bread at home. 

So, I'm here. My foot still hurts. She pushed on the fat pad today, and I thought it was getting better, but it was so painful. None of this is earth shattering, I really do get that. Really. But I'm so tired of it all. Somewhere along the way I got glutened again, cause the brain fog is bad this week. Mike is finishing my sentences again, and I messed up the time on two places I was supposed to be this week. I feel like I am slowly losing it. 

Aren't you all glad I came back to whine. Really no hugs, I just need to "suck it up cupcake." Or "suck it up buttercup." 

Ok, I think I'm going to take a nap. The sun is shining through my picture window, and I think I'm just going to enjoy it for a bit.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello  and !

Happy Afternoon! I have to post or I'll just stop, and I don't want to do that...I'm not feeling like she who I will not hug, but I will say have a nice nap   I'm just overwhelmed, but I think I should get used to it. Sigh.

*Rose* -- I don't dare hug you, but I will say I get it. And I think it doesn't matter if your parents are great or crappy, it's hard to transition your child to adulthood  I think I was probably the easiest I could have been, and I still got mad at my parents, argued, felt like they didn't get it, was disappointed, and disillusioned. I think it's just what happens, and you should just live through it and know it will get better eventually as his brain catches up to his body. Remember, we cannot reason like adults until our brain is fully mature around 22. 

*Kathy* -- Decorations are hangin' in there, literally!  I've decided to take the cotton batting from under my Christmas tree skirt, because it's not staying there anyway. They both love to lay under the tree on the skirt, and it keeps moving with them and not covering. I think you are going through a great process with the shelter, and are sure to get a good match for your family  I can't wait to see photos of your new addition! I bet you're glad you don't have feed this one the way *Nancy* has to feed hers! Or maybe not. I think I am in the bf failure Hall of Fame, so I probably don't know of which I speak 

*Lisah* -- Well, it's too early for the verdict for Jan - Dec., but I am hopeful I will be lower much lower than I started. I had a great December last year and managed to lose 10 lbs., of course I had the WDW Half at the beginning of Jan., so I know that helped. We'll just have to see how I do without that, but with more and better runs...If I had your coach, I wouldn't be skipping runs either  I hope the copier upgrade goes off without a hitch. 

*Lindsay* -- I don't think I ever said -- I don't know how you hold it together when you encounter a child abuse situation, particularly involving a 4 month old. I would be a wreck. You are made of strong, sturdy stuff -- as I'm sure people can see in the Zumba class -- I bet you don't jiggle half as much as you think you do! 

*Nancy* -- Um, you can't seriously be annoyed with yourself that less than a week after birth you are not at your pre-preg weight?!  Give your body time to recover. You had a trauma, and it will start to whoosh it's way out as your body adapts to no longer supporting another human life. Trust me, we (or at least I), will still be here trying to lose weight whenever you are truly ready  Oh, and I have to say again what cuties you produce! Beautiful, precious children. You should be one proud Momma! 

*Lisa* -- I like Terra Nova more and more. I have a bad feeling the soldier who wants to "make Maddy his wife", may be a casualty. I am eagerly waiting to see "Belle" on Once Upon a Time. I've heard it is an excellent episode 

So, on the health front -- I ran 4M yesterday, and did 3M of intervals today. I just felt sluggish, and I think it's because I should have taken today off, after running Sunday. Too late now, but I'm resting tomorrow and Friday, and doing 8M Saturday morning. Plus, I'll definitely get some exercise Saturday night. We are going to Portsmouth, NH for their Victorian holiday stroll. There are a ton of historic houses decorated for the holidays, crafts demonstrations, musical performances, sleigh rides...it's going to be a lot of fun. We're going with the BIL and SIL we really like, so even better! I have been in control and reining in my eating very well this week. I don't want to jinx anything, but I think I might have a decent loss. 

On the  front, the same BIL and SIL offered to have the family holiday party in their home this year! This means we don't have to make any arrangements. I'm going to ask her this weekend how she wants to handle it -- sit down potluck, everyone bring appis and desserts, etc. I'm going to try a new type of cookie this weekend to see if it's a good idea. I'm using Betty Crocker pumpkin spice cookie mix, and adding chocolate chips. It sounds good in my head  Plus, the scary relatives may not come at all! It's Dennis's cousin's family. If the good cousin doesn't come, I doubt her brother will show up. He brings his freeloading self, Baby Momma and the young adults they "raised" to enjoy the free food and gifts, with not even a token effort to buy a gift for the kids (which is what we all do). As the hosts we have given hostess gifts to adults, but not this year. I'm skipping it! I did still do goody bags for the kids, but they are much smaller and not a present in themselves this year. Did I mention they also bring their 5 yr. old, literally conceived so they could continue to stay in public housing in their unit because their youngest older one was aging out?  If there was anyone in our family that should not reproduce, it's these two. Good cousin's husband got so upset this summer -- because the 5 yr. old informed him he couldn't wait until he was older so he could get drunk and do illegal drugs like his older brothers...Okay, probably TMI, but the truth is other than good cousin, nobody wants to be subjected to these people. They are drunk or high most of the time, including the party. I guess we should be happy for the entertainment factor, but who wants that around their kids?!  Who wants to admit these people are part of their family?! I know, I sound like the Grinch. I've been putting up with these people since 1996 when we moved out here, and they are leaches on society who have no interest in improving their lives, or encouraging their children to consider a different way of life. 

Wow, if you stayed with me through that you get a gold star. I have to get that out about once a year, and there it is 

To end on a positive note -- we rearranged our living room, and I couldn't be more pleased. At the same time we opened it up, and made it more cozy. I know that sounds like a contradiction, but it is an oddly shaped room. We are all really enjoying it, and having our holiday candle (nothing special *Lisah*, just a Red Berries and Cedar Yankee Candle) lit every night. 

Have a wonderful evening, and here's to looking forward to a fabulous December!

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

I'm icing my foot and waiting for mike to get home. Thank you *Maria* for not hugging me. And thanks for the kind words. Those are some crazy relatives! I think everybody has a couple of whack jobs in their family. I know we do. And I'm with you on the bf hall of fame failure. Tom ended up failure to thrive. I should have never tried, but I kind of got guilted into it by the nurses (nothing against nurses Kathy--these were just some doozers.) Anyhow, my doctor didn't want me to even try cause of all the complications, but the nurses kept pushing it and I was young and stupid. And then my mom told me I couldn't bf cause they were too big.....Lovely experience, I must say.

I would like to thank myfitnesspal for showing me that if I did not work out today, I could not have dinner, cause I was out of calories at lunch time. And I would like to thank the guy at the Y who got on the treadmill on the end, cause I had convinced myself that at the end of 33 min on the bike I was just going to do one teeny, tiny little 12 minute mile on the treadmill IF the treadmill on the far end was still open.....So he saved me from myself without knowing it. So I did 48 min on the bike and 20 minutes of kranking. Sounds like a nasty drug, doesn't it?

Ok, thought you all might like to know, since I got nice and sweaty, I am feeling a little better. I was crying a little on the bike, cause I was just so unbelieveably frustrated, but a good workout helps at least a little.

Have a good night.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

omg! Dennis called the nurses the "BF Nazis" -- I know that is harsh, but they were so insistent, and it just wasn't going well...one even said to me, "Well, he's not the greatest little bfer I've ever seen", that should have been my first clue. But I felt so guilty, I was determined I was going to make this work. Instead I ended up with a 3 day old baby in NICU because he was dehydrated.  I vowed then and there that if he would take a bottle he was getting one. And he loved it! You could just see how happy it made him. Poor little hungry thing! I wish I could have been a success at it, and it took me so long to come to terms with it -- I felt like I was a failure almost from his birth -- but he seems to have turned out ok, so I'm going to let it go 

Going to bed now. Yep, I am so beat. I need a good night's rest before my 2 scary meetings tomorrow. I'm so glad I feel like I can go to bed early, what a treat! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

A quick good morning to you all. John went back to work today so it's just me and the kiddos. They are both asleep but Thomas is stirring so I wanted to say hi quick before I get up and moving. Last night was ok. John is giving Matthew a bottle of formula around 3am which is giving me about 3 hours of sleep. The rest if bf'ing. That one bottle and three hour stretch is really nice. Of course during that Thomas decided to get up and scream for half an hour but I stuck ear plugs in my ear and just tried to relax. 

My fellow mommy and me teacher is taking Thomas with her to class today which is like so awesome and amazing bc we both know he won't be all that well behaved! My mom is coming down too (wow!) and I'm going to hopefully get some rest. 

I'm writing up a birth story for my birth board that I belong to and I will forward the link whe. I'm done. It's a little TMI but you know, you gotta share!

rose - I'm not hugging you and in f act I'm taking away my last cyber hug  it sucks to be in a bad place. I know. But you will have to just try to figure out how to move on. Or, figure out a way to make yourself feel better, even if just for a little bit. And if that means whining over here then do it! We won't get sick of listening and we will give you tough love if that's what you need! 

Maria - yikes to the crazy family! I mean we all have our fair share of the crazies but when a 5 year old is looking forward to becoming a social pariah that's a problem!!! Your cookie recipe sounds yummy! BF nazis! Too funny. My nurses were pretty good this time. The nurse I had on my discharge day was terrible but the rest were good. I'm losing interest in terra nova. I really want to like it! Maddy's boyfriend is way too good to be true I'm afraid. 

Kathy - really looking forward to hearing more doggie news!! What is your chili recipe?

Lisah- sounds like the training is coming along swimmingly. How did the copier delivery go? Those things are so annoying. Remind DS me of that s nee in office space where they destroyed the fax machine. 

Lindsay - I just saw a commercial for zumba and thought of you. It looks like fun but I am just so not coordinated!! Oh and I saw you played basketball last night - I played too growing up! Loved it but got cut junior year - I was too short and my parents weren't big enough donators to the booster club. But I did play in other leagues that traveled around and made the all-state team too. Loved to play!!

Lisar- a post turkey day loss? That's unheard of!!! Sorry about the trot but it doesn't sound like a fail to me! You did more than most people do on turkey day!!

--------

About getting on the scale when I got home. It was more out of curiosity than hoping for a big loss. But seeing a loss that was less than the baby's weight(and let's not forget placenta!) I was kinda bummed. I'm not going to start dieting for a while. It's all about healing and survival mode right now. I don't lose a lot during bf'ing like so many either. It wasn't til after I stopped that I dropped the last bit of weight. Once I'm healed I will focus on wise choices and fitness and let the rest fall into place


----------



## dumbo_buddy

here is my birth story. it's long but kind of exciting 

http://www.pregnancy.org/bulletinboards/showpost.php?p=8809581&postcount=1


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Nancy* -- I loved your birth story! I know of which you speak, my epidural wore off just as it was time to push...but hey, being done in a push and a half is amazing! Great job, Mom! 

I'm off to my last meeting of the day. The morning one was ok, but we'll see about the fallout come Monday...

I'm going to run out and do a quick shopping trip tonight -- just trying to pick up a few things for Ben from Target. I have his list mostly complete. I informed Dennis he is responsible for the "City of Boston" merchandise Ben has requested.  Maybe I'll get lucky and spot a few more stocking stuffers, too 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Hello ladies!   

Love you, miss you, chicken fried! 

Hope to catch up tomorrow.


----------



## mikamah




----------



## mikamah

Well, I had a nice post written, not too long, but enough to piss me off when I couldn't get it to post after I copied my pic from facebook, soooooo I'll be back tomorrow with more detail on the puppy adventure.  Poko is very sweet, and already sleeping quietly in her crate.  We met the husky next door, and she did great, and michael is so happy.  

Love all you guys too, and just because you said I can't hug you, *rose*, I want to hug you all the more.  So instead i"ll send you wet puppy kisses.  

I got tomorrow off, so we have 4 days to get to know each other, and really doggie proof the house a bit more.  

See you all tomorrow.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Rose*- No hugs, I promise even though Im a hugger.  I was glad to at least see that after some exercise you were feeling better.  You know we never get tired of hearing the whine.  Although I have had the same feeling of getting tired of listening to myself.  Hang in there!

*Maria*- Yes it is hard to hold it together when those types of things happen at our office but its the nature of the beast.  Fortunately there are so many more happy and inspiring/fullfilling moments than there are sad.  Otherwise I think it would be alot harder.  Great job on the eating/running this week.

I hope you got some great things while you were out shopping.
*
Lisa H*- Oh man it must have been a long rough day for you.  I hope tomorrow is better and that you will get a good night sleep and feel refreshed.

Nancy- I know it wasnt funny to you at the time and maybe not even now but I seriously was cracking up at your birth story just thinking about what it must have been like.  The reason I find it humurous is because that is exactly how I was with my delivery of Ryan.  I went to fast and could not get the epidural and my dr was not even in the hospital when I insisted I needed to start pushing.  I was screaming so loud my mom heard me in the waiting area.  I was cursing and threatening everyone that if they didnt let me push I was just going to do it myself and didnt need there * * help.  Wow after the fact wasnt that so completely embarrasing.  I was mortified at how crazy I got but man that pain does it to you.  I also tore and needed stitches.  When the dr went to numb me he didnt tell me and I was like what the H**** and the nurse said oh hunny he's just numbing you like when you go to the dentist and get a cavity filled.  I screamed at her and was like um I think thats a little different lady.  But now we laugh about it all and you know what thinking back on it I am like it really wasnt that bad.  Its so funny how we forget that pain.

Anyway thanks so much for sharing.  I think going that way is much better than having a prolonged super long labor.  The good thing is he is here and healthy and so are you.  I hope you got some good rest today while your mom was there.  Glad she and your dad are coming around I am so happy for you.  Oh and yes I played basketball in middle and highschool.  I was fairly decent and it was my star sport.  I also played field hockey and softball.  I probably could have played in a lower division college but I choose to go to community college with the fear of getting home sick if I went away....gosh if I could rewind time.  I absolutely love to play and had a bunch of fun by myself shooting hoops last night.  Although the lady at the desk asked me to repeat myself when I asked for a basketball.  I guess not many 33 year old women make that request for themselves.

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

Lots of ups and downs happening in my brain today.  Good things at work then bad things so I am still trying to decide if I had a good day or not. 

Ryan had basketball tonight and I am really not becoming to fond of his coach.  He is very hard on the kids and expects ryan and the other younger one to know everything and gets mad when they dont.  Its bothering me a bit and Im not sure what to do.  I am not big on switching things or quiting things we start and ryan seems ok but I feel like ryan is not being taught and this guy really is not making it fun.  This will be a really long season since it ends the end of march.  The guy to me is just so cold to these kids.  I just dont want him to hate the sport because of a coach he had when he was young.  I realize as he gets older this stuff will happen but I feel like I can still somewhat protect him at this age.  Not sure what to do????

Ok then the other thing going on is: My grammy who is 98 was placed in a nursing home yesterday because my aunt (the one who was at the princess with me) just couldnt handle her anymore.  She has progressively worsening alzheimers and is often very combatative, up all night, and threating to my aunt.  It was a very hard decision for her and my dad to make but they felt it was time.  She was good when they took her there yesterday and was happy when my aunt and dad left.  This afternoon they got a call that they were taking her by ambulance to the hospital.  She was up all night last night combative and off the wall and didnt get to sleep until 4am.  Through the morning they thought she was just tired so they let her go awhile but then by mid afternoon could not wake her and she wasnt responding to pain.  At the hospital her heart rate has been fluctating between 30 and 40's and her BP is very low.  The dr said her heart is just old and starting to fail.  They decided to give her some meds to see if it will increase her heart rate but that is it.  If that doesnt work they are going to take her off all her meds tomorrow and put her in hospice.  I feel very sad but yet I think it is a blessing for her.  The past few years have been rough with her dimentia and she is not even there much anymore.  It is no way to live.  She has had a very very long life and has been able to enjoy many things including seeing me grow up, get married, and have a family.  I am her only grandchild.  So I think its just a matter of time.

So I need to get myself over to the BL boards now and post the QOTD for tomorrow.  I probably wont make it on until lunch time and I dont want to keep anyone waiting.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy oh my poko is so adorable and I love the smile on michaels face.  He is just gleaming.  Have fun getting to know her.....The adventure begins.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


>



I love her I love her I love her!!!!! Congrats on your new addition!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I only have a minute -- have to head out to a conference in Needham today --

*Kathy* -- That is one happy-looking boy with his dog! Congratulations, she is a beauty!  I know you are going to enjoy really getting to know her, and what a blessing for her to find your wonderful home! 

I hope this conference is good. My boss is attending too, so I can't DIS from the Blackberry or just go into my own holiday dreamworld too much 

Yesterday's meetings were not bad at all, a little uncomfortable, but with luck my life will actually get easier and we will not be the lead agency on the application where we shouldn't 

I am looking forward to my 8M tomorrow. Honestly, at this point anything less than 10 feels like a "free" day!  

I'd better finish turning myself into a beauty  

I am in awe of our high school atheletes! I didn't do anything that resembled a sport after I met my gym requirement, which I did through marching band and individual sports -- I was a loner even then...

Everyone have a fantastic day and a great weekend! I hope to come back for awhile this afternoon and chat. I have to at least post my Christmas list! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--I hope Poko slept well last night and that you all are enjoying becoming a family. Too cute and very exciting!

*Maria*--Have a good conference! 

*Lindsay*--I am really sorry about your Grammy. It's really hard when they get to this point and you don't want to have them not around, but you hate for them to suffer. Good luck with the coach situation. I don't miss that stuff at all--the mean parent stuff. Tom had a cubscout leader who was very snarky and I thought somewhat mean, and I really think that's part of the reason he didn't want to do it anymore. I agree with you, I'm not a big fan on quitting, but on the other hand, you don't want him to be turned off by the situation. I guess I would just take my cues from how Ryan is handling the whole thing.

*Lisah*--I'm sorry about the chicken fried day.

*Lisar*--Are you getting snow?

*Nancy*- You looked so happy an hour after delivering. What craziness in the hospital! How would they have felt if you delivered in the hallway! From the pics on facebook, it looks like everyone is doing well at home.

*****
Well the day started off with no heat. We turn it down to 62 at night, but in the morning it comes back on and warms things up. Mike is testing a new thermostat for work and there was an issue and I just kept getting colder and colder. Finally I went to check and it was down to 60 in the house. Thankfully he fixed it and things are improving.

Thank you for the no hugs. I just needed a big old pity party this week, I guess. Shhhhh, don't tell my p-t, but I got on the elliptical for 20 minutes yesterday. Honestly, it felt pretty good. I think that will hold me for a little while. I don't think my cardio will be a problem when I can finally run again, so that's a relief. And I did the krank thingy again. And yes, *Lisa*, I am getting some fabulous arms out of this. Arms, shoulder, upper back. Worth the torture, if I do say so myself. Hopefully it will be sleeveless weather in Florida!

I am really glad this week is over. I was on the front desk a lot this week, and I got very little of my regular work done and it was aggravating. But our admin assist is back next week and I can go back to my little desk, so I am happy about that.

Congrats to Lindsay and Lisah on their losses this week--I saw it on myfitnesspal. I am down for the week, but still up a pound for the 2 week period. I ate a BOATLOAD of crap over Thanksgiving and was actually up 3 pounds at one point. So I am happy to be within one again.

Time to get ready for physical therapy. Hopefully, I don't have to go too much longer. Have a great Friday!


----------



## mikamah

this new motherhood thing is keeping me very busy, but if I start to feel sorry for myself, I'll be thinking of you, *Nancy* and be grateful i can just leave little Poko in the crate for a while.    Last night went great.  She didn't whine at all, went in at 9, I heard her at 4, so I took her out, but she didn't pee or poop, so she came back in and at 6 was still dry, and we went out for a # 1 and 2.  I hope it's a sign of good things to come, today she's a little whiney in the crate, and barking a bit, but over all pretty calm and friendly.  We met a few neighborhood dogs and she was awesome with then, which bodes well for her getting along with her doggie cousin, tracey, and maybe doing sleepovers there one day.
Michael has 2 friends sleeping over tonight, and I want to get some cleaning and move some stuff downstairs so they can hang in the play room, and I'll hang with Poko.  I ran some errands this morning and have another quick trip out.  I want to leave her alone, and see how she does for short periods this weekend.  I dread the thought of her crying and whining all day in the crate while I'm at work, but so far she whined a little and then is quiet.  

*Lindsay*-I'm so sorry about your grammy.  They are doing the right thing, and hospice is wonderful and will make sure she is comfortable and at peace. 

*Rose*-Glad you snuck a little elliptical and are feeling better.  

*LisaH*-Hope the chicken fried feeling doesn't last too long.

*Maria*-Hope you have fun at the conference.  I'm guessing the Christmas list must be the qotd, or are we supposed to send you gifts this year since you were the ornament organizer.  

*LisaR*-I hope you are feeling better, finally. 

*Nancy*- I definitely want to read your delivery story.  I hope things are going well with those beautiful boys.  They are just adorable.  

Hope to catch up more later, but if not have a great friday and we'll see you tomorrow!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy -* how old is your little girl? do they know? she's so cute. crate training is the best thing. she will love her crate. hope tonight goes just as well (well, i hope she doesn't get you up for the fake pees. fiona did that all the time)

*rose - *how do you "friend" someone on myfitnesspal? i just signed up for it.

*lindsay - *so sorry to hear about your grammy. it's wonderful that you got to have her around for so long but it doesn't make it any easier, even at 98 years young, to know that she's not doing that well. 

*maria - *8 miles is a free day? yeesh. that's just crazy talk!!! how are the work projects going??

*lisah - *hi!! any less chicken fried today???

*lisar - *how's the tink training going? how many more days? 

***
evening gals. 

today was a pretty good day. i was worried about being all alone all day but it turned out that my mommy and me partner took thomas to stew leonards and then some other places and wound up having him from 11am-4pm! it was awesome! lol! he had a great day playing with her kids and i got to relax a little with just matthew who was a great boy all day. my friend mary who has been one of my best friends since the 6th grade came down for the evening and thomas just loves her. we got pizza and hung out. she just left so now i'm waiting for thomas to wake up for another feeding (my milk came in so i may wind up waking HIM! ouch!) and then i'll move us into my bedroom and hope that we'll get some sleep tonight. he basically slept all day so he will probably be up all night. ah well, that's newborn living for you.

ok so i have a question about the ornament exchange. since, you know, i just had a kid, would anyone be insulted if i shipped the ornament directly from the website to them instead of going to the store and shipping it myself? i know what ornament i'm getting and i found out you can order it online. 

i sent my birth story to a friend of mine and she read it while i was on the phone with her and i think i scared her. lol! she's having a baby in april. hahaha i reassured her that naaaaah, it wasn't that bad. i was just being overdramatic (yeah, sure, right)

have a great night all!!!


----------



## mikamah

Good evening princessabelles!

We've really had a good day.  Poko is doing well, and is snoozing in her crate with the door open.  So happy about that.  I left her in it earlier and went out, and then later, she got whiney and was barking in the crate so we let her out.  I initially had just put a towel in thinking she might have accidents, but put the fluffy sheepskin bed in now figuring it's more comfy and I can just wash it if needed.  We had lots of company today, and one friend from work and her dd brought a bag of goodies, and she had a kong with treats and loved it, and after that she started playing with the other toys we bought for her.  I got lots of exercise today, and met a bunch of neighbors and their dogs on our walks.  Poko is so sweet and friendly.  She was absolutely fine with every dog but one who growled first.  And that was a big German shepard.  He met a mastiff mix, lab, cocker spaniel, golden retriever, and a beagle.  In talking to one neighbor he told me one of the baseball fields is totally gated, so we're going to go there and let her run free tomorrow.  I had thought about going to the field and figured we could station ourselves at each gate, but we won't have to.  

Michael has 2 friends for a sleep over and we just had pizza and cake, and they're doing fuse beads.  Little plastic beads you put on a peg board and make shapes, and then iron them together.  We did go to the park for a while earlier.  If they want, I'll take Poko for her last walk and leave them alone for a bit.  I think they'll be excited.  

I was on the BL thread earlier, and wanted to reply to people, but got distracted, and don't remember what I wanted to say, but I do remember, *LisaH*- Another 3.5 pounds!!  YOu are just rocking this challenge, and a huge, huge congrats on being below Princess weight!!  That is phenomenal.  I'm so excited for you and know you will be in ONE-derland for the Tink!!!

*Nancy*-I just read your birth story, and OMG, you poor thing.  Sounds crazy.  It did remind me that the night before I had michael I went to a stupid Pampered Chef party, and my friend was making fun of my puffy ankles, and I was being a b-tch.   I'm so glad you had a good day.  I hope you have a good night too.  How is Thomas sleeping lately?  They are so adorable.   I think it's just fine to order your ornament and have it sent directly.  Goodness knows you're busy enough.  Poko's 10 months they think.  She came from tennessee, and was in salem just for 2 weeks, and only out on the main floor for a couple days.  I am still amazed how many adoptions they have there, cats and dogs.  Thursday while we were there, 2 other people were adopting dogs.  I'm hoping she will love her crate, and right now, she seems happy in it.  

I need to go to the post office tomorrow.  Michael brought home his timer from the race last week, and I just re-found and remembered it.  I'll have to check my credit card and see if they really do charge you for it. 

Oh and Poko met Fredward, and they both just sniffed each other through the cage.  I was very impressed.  

Oh well, I'm going to get the boys sleeping bags set up now.  I said 11 is lights out, so I'll do that and then take poko out.  

Hope you all have a fun weekend.


----------



## mikamah

ok that was weird. I just posted, and it posted above yours nancy.  but you supposedly posted at 1010, and it's only 959.  There are ghosts about the dis.  oooooooohhhh


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy -* it's still showing up that i posted after you! queue twilight sound music!!!
how was the sleepover? 
what kind of food are you feeding poko? how did she sleep last night?

***

good morning friends! check out my night: fed matthew at 10pm, 12:30am, 4:00am and 7:00am....so....NOT TOO BAD! i actually wound up not even getting john to give matthew a bottle. i figured if he got up around 2am i'd feed him and then switch with john but since the baby didn't get up til 4 and thomas would probably be up at 6ish i just let him sleep. and i don't feel terrible today!  
my ****s aren't too happy right now but nursing is going so much better than it did with thomas. i'm still going to make sure he gets at least one formula bottle each day because it will give me freedom i didn't have with thomas. so, yeah, besides my broken ladyparts i'm doing pretty good 

ok gals i need ideas - what are you getting your lovely spouses for christmas? we aren't big gift givers to each other but i need to get john SOMETHING!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

This "ghost in the machine" thing makes it hard to do replies!  

*Nancy,* now that I read your birth story I understand why John looked a little shell shocked in that picture holding Matthew right after he was born.    But you got a perfect little baby to show for it all.  

I didn't get an epidural either because they worked on me for over 2 hours with the pitocin cranked up the whole time and never could get it started.  The Chief Anesthesiologist was called to come in and give it a try but by then my old fashioned doctor (who had just returned from vacation that afternoon) arrived and gave me a paracervical.  It didn't stop me from feeling like Robert had decided to bring a souvenir with him and I had the forceps delivery, too, along with the biggest episiotomy.  

I love the pictures of the boys.  They are so cute and Thomas seems to be getting used to things.    I was looking at the Princess pics the other day and I think your face looks the same.

I agree with *Kathy* do whatever is easiest for you with the ornament.   

*Rose,* how did PT go yesterday?  Are the inserts starting to work?  You are managing to be an exercise machine in spite of not being able to do what you really want.  You will soon.    (see no hug!)

I did think of you when I was at the grocery store as I was looking at the GF food section.  I thought this looks like a decent selection until you realize that this is all that you get day after day. I think being in a larger city is a good idea because at least you have a shot at variety.  The baking at home thing isn't a bad idea.  Have you ever had a bread maker? 

Thank you for reminding me that running is supposed to be fun.    I do have a hard time remembering that some times because I am usually so  freaked out about my pace.  I have speed work today so we will see how I feel after that.  

Oh, and on the Tom thing, parents are the ones who always love you regardless of what they think of you and/or your behavior at the moment.  

*Maria,* enjoy your 8 miles today!   

Sounds like you can use a little decompression after the wild week.  Are the scary meetings over?  It's not too fun to have to tell people that something won't work.  

How is the tree holding up?    We are going to do a real tree this year because Robert has never had one.  Between Wally the kitty and Sadie and the wagging tail of doom it may be an interesting Christmas.  

We also did the failure to thrive thing and stayed in the hospital an extra day due to BF issues, too.    Considering that he is now 5'10" and wears size 11 men's shoes it looks like he did just fine in spite of us! 

*Lindsay,* you are a workout machine, too, and on a roll!    Especially during the holidays!   

How is your poor grammy doing?    It's so hard when they get to that stage of their lives.  

I don't know what is going on this week -- it's not even a full moon.  It was crazy at work here, too.  I was at my desk at 6:30 am two days.  That makes for a very long day.  We didn't even get the copier yet!  Apparently it takes a village to install a copier -- a couple of techs, the sales guy, their network guy, my network guy and me.    I wasn't up for that this week anyway.

*Kathy,* sounds like Poko is getting adjusted to her wonderful new home.    I'm glad the meeting with Fredward went well.    Poko is a cutey and it will take her a few days to really get used to things.  Travelling from Tennessee and being at the shelter is stressful for her I'm sure.  I think she is going to be a great family member for you and Michael.

Sadie does bark and whine in her crate when we get home.  She wants us to hurry and open the door and let her outside.  We have the crate door open when we are home.  She just hangs out with us wherever we are when we are home.  But in the mornings when we are getting ready to leave she will run to her crate and sit there because she wants a treat!  Now even the cat comes running when he hears the door to the pantry open in the morning.  

*Lisa,* hope that you are feeling better and that no one in your family was blown away by the big winds in CA this week!  

Time to get ready to do my running at the Kroc Center!  Have a great day ladies!


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> I did think of you when I was at the grocery store as I was looking at the GF food section.  I thought this looks like a decent selection until you realize that this is all that you get day after day. I think being in a larger city is a good idea because at least you have a shot at variety.  The baking at home thing isn't a bad idea.  Have you ever had a bread maker?


Thank you so much for saying this. As silly as it sounds it's one of the nicest things anyone has said to me in so long. For some reason the whole world seems to want to tell me how many gf choices there are now, but in the big scheme of a huge grocery store there is not much there. But it's all good. Yesterday I spent some time online and found a couple of places that do gf pasta--raviolis, gnocchis, etc. I have been CRAVING pasta (and not just corn spaghetti.) lately. It's kind of pricey to order it and have it shipped, but I think we're going to try it. One place even had gf butternut squash ravioli--yum!

Thanks for sharing what is going on with your training and how you have shortened your intervals, etc. I think I am going to be doing some very short intervals when I start back up, so it's nice to know that you can still improve your time with short intervals.

*Nancy*--Definitely order that ornament online! Sounds like things are going ok at your house.

Myfitnesspal--there's a friends tab and you can send a "friend request." You can either send me your email or I can send you mine. Then once we are friends, you will see Lindsay and Lisa can click on their posts and invite them to be your friend, too.

I love myfitnesspal. Last night I wanted ice cream and the only way I could have it and stay in my calorie range was to get off my big booty butt and go for a walk. So we walked the dog and I got my extra calories and had my ice cream.

*Lindsay & Maria*--I hope you are having a good weekend! 

*Maria*--enjoy those 8 miles!

*Kathy-*-Sounds like things are going well with your new puppy! Do they have any idea what she is? 

*****
I am back to my pre-Thanksgiving weight! Woohoo! One of the good things that has come out of this foot injury (yes, I said good ) is that I am learning I can take the weight off and maintain at this lower weight without running. It takes a big effort, but it's doable. I do find myself silently cursing myfitnesspal for making me feel so accountable. But it's a good thing.

Yesterday I had pt. And it went great! No pain when she was working on my foot--which is a first. She kept asking me if she was killing me and I kept saying no, so she kept digging harder--and still didn't hurt. There is still scar tissue but it's getting better.

In the afternoon I did an hour in the pool. I enjoyed the first half, the second half there was a ms swim team in the pool. Uggh. But I did it and it's done. Today we went for our longest walk since my xrays--2.3 miles. A long way from 13 for Princess, but it's a start. My foot felt great during the walk, but it's a little sore now. 

Mike looked up the Galloway plan--and I should be at 8. Uggh. But all I can do is the best I can do. Mike is putting together a plan for mileage. I still can't run, but I am going to start walking more on the weekends at least, as long as the foot holds up. I am cautiously optimistic.

And on the Tom front--one of his roomates decided not to come back next semester. More uggh. I think he is fine with--sounds like there are some issues. But last night when I talked to him there was more drama--money stuff. I was so stressed out when I hung up. Then I had a dream about it. Anyhow, we decided to put the kitchen project on hold for now. They hadn't ordered the cabinets yet, so we are able to do that. The design is ready, when we decide to do it. Right now, I would rather have a nice Christmas, give Tom money for his Denver trip, and be able to pay for his internship at Georgetown next summer in cash if that's what he ends up doing. I just don't feel like having drama over money. I can live with the kitchen I have for now.

I hope everyone has a good Saturday. We are watching basketball and we're going to do some decorating.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- Glad everything seems to be going well with your recovery and with the BF.  I hope Matthew will have another great night sleeping.  The funny thing was as I was reading all the times you got up I was thinking it was horrible and hear you were saying how great it was.  I forgot (maybe intentionally) how rough it is at night with a newborn.  So how has Thomas been sleeping now that the baby is here?

Lisa H- wow that must be one awesome copier.  I am really hoping to have some down time in the office over the next few weeks.  We do sometimes get a little bit slower through the holidays.  Usually because everyone is so darn busy that they dont have time to worry and obsess about every runny nose and green poop there child has.

Rose- Congrats on shedding those pounds.  I love my fitness pal to.  The funny thing is that it takes me so darn long to figure out what I am going to eat now.  Last night when we went to the diner it took Mike and I like 20 min to decide because I had to keep searching things to find out the calories.  I think the waitress was getting annoyed but to bad.  Sorry for the stress with Tom.  I agree stressing over money is no fun and the new kitchen would not be as enjoyable knowing you could have spent the money on other things.  I hope it all works out for him.

Hi Kathy, Maria, and Lisa.

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

Well my grammy is stable but was pretty out there mentally today.  I ended up not going and visiting.  I am internally arguing with myself for that.  I dont know that I can hold it together seeing her so aggitated and combative yet I feel bad not going too.  Just not sure what to do.  I am considering visiting tomorrow and am leaning to even if I go for awhile I will feel better and if she does pass on in the near future I will not hold onto the regret of not going to see her.  Its been a number of months since I have visited since she was living with my aunt over an hour away.

My friends fundraiser went very well.  She was totally surprised and speechless.  She felt a bit embarressed to but I think got over that.  We raised about 1,000 dollars for her. 

I am completely exhausted and have to make sure I get the boys to sunday school tomorrow to practice their christmas pageant.  I really just want to sleep in.  Maybe an afternoon nap tomorrow would be good. 

Ok well I am going to head to bed.  I hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning,  and !

Sshh. Don't tell anyone, I'm playing hookie from church. I'm a little tired after all our adventures yesterday, and I need the time to get things done before my Beloved Patriots play at 1. 

*Lindsay* -- I am so sorry about your Grammy. It is rough, even though you know she has had a wonderful life. It's some consolation, but that doesn't really make it any easier.  The fundraiser sounds fantastic, what a wonderful effort on your part. You are a great friend!  And I agree, I had forgotten how often those newborns eat  I know I haven't been making it to the big thread, but I plan to at least answer questions today. It can get lonely being the coach over there 

*Rose* -- I'm so glad the pt went well! And you sound in good spirits even with the drama with Tom. I have an old-fashioned kitchen, but I don't see us ever deciding we can't live with it enough to upgrade...so I totally get putting it off for other things. As you said, you have the plans so you can do it anytime if you choose. 

*Lisah* -- Yes, looks like the scary meetings are done for awhile! I will probably have another one next week, but I won't be on the spot like I was for this past week's meetings. I actually get to leave work a bit early on Tuesday. I have a meeting downtown at 2, and afterwards I'm going to nip around and do a tiny bit of shopping, then I'll get home before it's really dark, hopefully! The tree is holding it's own. We had a live tree every year until last year, and the kitties are doing ok with our fake tree. If it were real, that might be a different story.  I look back to when I was a relatively young mother when Ben was about 2, and I had a "friend" with a 1 yr. old she were still breastfeeding. She made me feel horrible because I "should have tried harder", now "he's going to have so many disadvantages". Well, he could not be doing better academically, he's in the 90th% for height and 50th% for weight, and knock on wood, he's never sick. We really only take him to the dr. once a year for his check-up. Those other kids (she quickly had 2) now have asthma, weight problems, and are not only behind in school, they are discipline problems. BF is wonderful if you can do it, but your kid can still turn out ok if you don't. 

*Nancy* -- Speaking of BF being wonderful, you are doing great! That is a killer schedule -- plus having a 2 yr. old to deal with 24/7!  Not to mention those poor lady parts...please take any rest you can get  I'm sure we are all amazed you are able to send an ornament, no one expects you to physically go to a store! 

*Kathy* -- Ah, our other new Mommy! Poko sounds like she is a joy, and everyone is loving her  You took on a new baby and a sleepover?! You are indeed brave like Mulan! 

 to *Lisa!*

So an update for me -- The conference was not bad, I left a bit early to get Ben to the orthodontist. Grocery shopping Friday night went well, we even spent less than usual  I'll take it! Yesterday's run felt really good. I did all 8M, and wasn't too sore after. Almost as soon as I finished showering we had to run a couple of errands and then head up to NH for the Vintage Stroll. I had never done this before. It's a grouping of historic houses and buildings called Strawberry Banke, and they are decorated in different periods, with costumed cast members who play the roles of real people who lived in the houses. I think we hit 1818, 1870, 1945 and 1950, with a few others thrown in. Anyway, you just move yourself along the path at your own pace, and you can interact with the historic interpreters. It was so interesting, I asked the young lady in the 1945 house what she wanted to for Christmas, and she said a scarf. I wish I could get by with that now! You really got a sense of the deprivation of WWII. The 1950s teenage girl wanted Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas" record, but she wasn't sure if her parents would let her have it because he was too wild. Oh! And grandma baking cookies in the 1950s house had a cocktail she was working on while she rolled out dough  They also had the house of the first Jewish family in the area. That was early 1900s, and they were celebrating Hannukah, and cooking latkes on the stove. They smelled so good! It was really fun. 

So, weekends tend to be hard for me foodwise, because like everyone else I'm out of my normal routine. Yesterday I had a quick small banana muffin prior to my workout, and 100 cal Nesquick right after. Then I had half a turkey wrap and apple slices in the car on our way to NH, then we had flatbread pizza (veggie) for dinner. I tried to eat a reasonable amount, I think I did ok. I had hot apple cider and one ginger snap at the event, and when we got home Dennis made me popcorn. I got on the scale this morning and I was up less than a lb., so I'm feeling good about that. I vow to hold it together today. I'm at my lowest weight of this challenge (which isn't saying much, I've had a ton of fluctuation), and I'm determined to keep that trend going next week. I just had a bowl of frosted mini-wheats for breakfast (discovered Dennis had thrown away my cereal which had 1 serving left ), and I'll have the other half of the turkey wrap and more apples for lunch. We're having steak with peppers and onions for dinner, and I'm already planning a snack of blueberries and babybel while I watch Boardwalk Empire. I did really well last week having soup for lunch a few days, so I'll do that again this week. 

I'm also going to be busy with tasks today. I have to do , wrap gifts and prepare packages for mailing, generally straighten this messy house, and I just started reading V is for Veangance, so I'm going to want to fit a few chapters in! 

Tomorrow I plan to run my 4M, so I can give myself the cushion at the end of the week of two days rest before my long run on Sat. I really seem to do better overall when that happens. 

Oh, yes, *Kathy* -- Lindsay asked about our Christmas lists on the BL thread.   And in that vein, I've been working it into conversations that I expect to go to WDW at Christmastime at some point, but not specifying when. Honestly, I don't think it will be for a long time, but I am definitely going to make it happen at some point. 

My SIL and BIL who we meant yesterday mentioned they'd like to cruise with us to Bermuda again, so that may be on our list for 2014, I think. Dennis is already telling me not to plan something big for 2012 or 2013 if I want to go to marathon weekend 2013, and I DO! 

Everyone have a wonderful day, and let's look forward to a fantastic week! I'd better get up before I spend my entire morning on the DIS 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hehwoah? Great, now I have to report on the threadkillers that I've managed to finish another one...

Just a very quick check-in after dinner. I'm going to have a lovely bath with a Lush bath bomb, finish making my bed, and clear my dresser. This will set me up for tomorrow. Dennis is making homemade healthy mac and cheese for my lunch tomorrow and for other days this week. He really is a gem!  My Beloved Patriots had another lovely win, and I got an e-mail from the president at work, my huge ugly project is definitely going away and I'm no longer responsible.  I should actually be able to relax and enjoy this month a bit more. I have an application to work on tomorrow, but I should definitely have some DIS time. 

I'm off to get the water started for my relaxation time...and yes, I will have time to just enjoy my tree during the commercials for Once Upon a Time 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Maria- that sounded like an awesome experience at Strawberry bank.  I would have loved to do that as well.  My favorite ride at MK is Carosel of progress because I love looking back at how people use to live.  I sometimes wish life was much simpler again and a scarf would be the only expectation at christmas.  Glad you did pretty good with eating too.  Up less than a lb is not bad at all for a weekend when you are out doing things.  Good Job


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Got the kids up and made it to sunday school on time today.  They got their parts for the christmas play that is on Dec 18.  Now we have to get Nick to memorize his and help Ryan with the reading part he has.  I really wish they were better organized because having this a few weeks ago would have been much better and would have given us alot more time to practice.

Then my mom and I were going to go to the mall but the kids begged to come along and she said ok.  Then when we were leaving Nick had a meltdown because his other cousins had just gotten there and he wanted to play barbies with them.  My mom flipped in the car and said she just couldnt take them today and she wasnt going.  Then the boys cried even harder.  I sat there like you got to be kidding me.

So it was a big mess of tears and screaming until I got them in my car and we left.  It kinda ticked me off of my mom to do that but then on the other hand there is sometimes I cant take my kids whining and crying either so I guess I shouldnt be mad.

I ended up taking the boys with me anyway and it was actually a nice day.  We went to the mall and after 6 stores finally found nick a suit to wear for xmas and ryan a sweater vest.  I am still so annoyed that there are a million dresses out there for girls and I can barely find a darn black pair of dress pants and a red or green dress shirt anywhere.  If I wanted a purple shirt or tie It would have been much easier.  I know you can all relate to this since we all have boys.  It is just so annoying.

Now we are winding down for the night and are going to watch a movie.  Ryan wants to watch a dvd called holidaze but Nick and I want to watch The christmas story.  I said we will pull the name out of a hat.  I am considering putting the christmas story on both papers.

I need to quick check in on the BL thread since I havent been on all day.  I will talk to you all soon!


----------



## donac

Hi guys.  I just happened to stumble onto this site and just read Nancy's birth story.  

I have to tell you that you were faster than I was.  I went into labor about 11:30 one night and finally got to the hospital at 1:30 since the person who was supposed to be watching kevin was out.  Sean was born at 2:45 

I just wanted to say I would love to join you at the 2013 Princess but I don't think dh would think I could do it with my bad  knee so I think it is out. 

Congrats to all of you who are able to do it.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*dona - *i guess fast labor is the way to go over slow labor but maaaaan, there IS such a thing as TOO fast when you can't get that lovely epidural! oh well. baby's here. that's what matters.

have you done much walking? you could walk the marathon or half marathon as long as you maintain a 16 minute mile. it's certainly not easy but definitely doable with enough training. i hope you'll join us. i say phooey to what your DH says (well, unless he is right and your knee really is that bad!)

*maria - *how was your tubby? that's what we call baths in the cullen household. i've never bought any of those bath balls but have been in a lush store. my mom gets so mad at that store. lol! she complains that she just wants to go in there, smell all the big bath balls and maybe buy one or two without being hounded the second she walks in there. 

strawberry banke sounds like a real life carousel of progress! i'd like to go there one day - might make for a nice holiday weekend trip.

people are really annoying about bf'ing. the ones who are into it are REALLY into it and act like formula is the worst thing in the world. and the funny thing is i bet all those people were formula fed! nobody bf'd back then! that other community i belong to, pregnancy.org, has a bf'ing section and the people are just completely ridiculous on there. one lady is going out to a wedding and plans on being gone for 4 hours and people are freaking out at her about how she should pump before, during, and after. she should make sure the baby has a bm bottle. and i wrote back, "have fun! have the sitter give the kid a pre-made bottle of formula and don't think twice" shoo! you'd think i said something about wanting to kill babies!

*lindsay - *you crack me up! i hope you put christmas story on both pieces of paper!  
sorry your mom wasn't very understanding today - she couldn't deal with them? sheesh, nice ma. like you want your kids to have meltdowns?!?

*rose - *double yay! one for pre-turkey day weight and the second one for a pain free PT session! woot! sorry about the tom drama. ick. what's the georgetown internship?? i interned in DC the summer before my senior year at wake and it was awesome! what a supercool experience 

*lisah - *ouchie! your birth story sounds...terrible!  "they" tend to not do episiotomies anymore but instead let your tear b/c "they" say you can heal better from them. either way, it's a cut down there that just shouldn't be there. ouch!!!

how's the tink training going? i feel like your running lately has been pretty good and very positive! color me jealous! 

*kathy - *i'm pretty sure i wasn't the only one whose heart totally melted at your lovely status update earlier. ah,  glad you had such a nice time with your little boy, er...big boy! is he excited to be in the double digits now??

hi *lisar!!!

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

*evening gals. i'm super tired tonight which you KNOW means a certain newborn will be up all night. john may have to take over with a bottle or two for me. 

thomas had soccer today and then john left for a meeting with a now client out on long island. meeting went well because the guy gave him a check and now he's a client. woot! my friend lauren came up around 3 or so and stayed for a few hours. she helped us decorate our tree. thomas helped too which was a bit of a nightmare but he had fun. 

while john, lauren, and thomas were decorating i decided to jump in the shower. (tmi alert) afterwards i was blotting "down there" with some toilet paper to dry it and noticed part of a stitch came out onto the paper.  didn't think too much of it and went into the bedroom to get dressed.  um, let's just say even though i know i'll be bleeding for a few weeks, the amount that came out was ALOT. yuck. spoke to the doctor though and she said that it's not that big of a deal since i'm 8 days post partum. phew! 

other than that, i've been eating my face off. i'm planning on taking thomas and matthew to mommy and me tomorrow. i think it should be fine. i'll feed the baby right before and hopefully he'll sleep. i'm not looking forward to having to wear maternity clothes out in public. i will live. 

ok, gonna feed the baby in a few minutes and hope to get a little rest. so...that means i'll be on in like an hour!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princessabelles!!  

*Nancy*-You sound like you're doing really well, and I'm so glad things are going good for you.  Hope you got some sleep last night.  I remember when ds was almost 3 months and he'd go 3-4 hours twice each night thinking that I'd be fine going back to work, but thinking back on it now, it's like, yeah, I'm fine to work sleep deprived taking care of your critically ill family members.     Mommy and Me will be an adventure, but good for you for getting out.  You can tell it's your second kid, with the first, you probably wouldn't go anywhere near a room of germ filled toddlers.  Thomas will have fun, and hopefully little Matthew will snooze for you.  

*Dona*-  hello!!  I don't think I'll be at the 2013 princess either, but you could really think about it.  You do a lot of walking, and many people do walk the whole thing.

*Maria*-Congrats on the good 8M run!!  The strawberry Banke thing sounds awesome.  I'll have to remember that for next year.  My sister, michael and I always do something Christmassy each year, and go out for dinner.  THis year, we're doing the Salem Christmas Carol Trolley tour, which I've heard is awesome.  It's a travelling interactive show, and scrooge and other characters get off and on the trolly and interact with you, and it stops at several places for shows.  I'm looking forward to it.  It was a busy weekend, and the sleepover and family party was planned way before the puppy, but it worked out really well.  The dog is really very social and sweet, and loves meeting people.  

*Lindsay*-SOrry for the pre-shopping fiasco.  Not really fair to the kids to cancel, but good for you for taking them anyway.  It's is hard to find nice dress clothes for boys, and it is unfair how many adorable sparkly girls clothes are out there.  My niece got adorable Ugg-type boots in pink glitter.   Michael needs black pants and a white shirt for the chorus/band concert, so I need to go shopping again.  How is your Grammy doing?  Hope she's calm and comfortable at the very least. 

*LisaH*-How was your run saturday?  Hope it was great.  I remember that anesthesia story.  It's always the lawyers who you have problems with.  THanks for sharing Sadies routine.  It was a busy weekend, and overall she did great.  I like having the crate in the kitchen, but she's doing great on the toileting, I think since this is her 4th day here and she hasn't had an accident, I can say she's trained, so I feel comfy letting her wander the house.  We put freddie in my room for the party yesterday, and am going to leave him there for the week.  Poko loved to just hang out where we are, but I don't know if I want to put the crate in a bedroom yet.  I'm afraid if it put it in Michael's, she'll still bark, and then he'll be up.  I think I'll give it the week and see how it goes.  I did ignore her last night for the most part and she would bark for a few minutes, whine a bit, then settle for a while, then do it again.  She's sleeping so comfy now.  I guess it's rather have her up and barking when I'm home at night, than all day while I'm at work.  

*Rose*-Congrats on the weight loss!!  That must be such a great feeling!
So glad the foot is getting better too, and 2.3 miles is a great start, and I'm sure gradually you'll be up for training for the princess.  Sorry for the stress with Tom.  Hopefully he'll be in a better place soon, and it will all work out.  Glad you're able to hold on the kitchen to help him out.  My boy is half way to your boy's age now.  And remind me how fast the next 10 years will go?  And how much harder they will be than the first ten.   At least I'll have my dog walks to burn off the stress. 

*LisaR*-How are you feeling?  I hope you are finally better.  Too many people I know have that viral thing with the lingering cough.  No stressing on any missed training.  You've been doing so great before you were sick, you will be able to catch up and be fine for the Tink.  You still have 7 weeks left, right?   

No school today and DS is sleeping late, which is great.  I'm going to shower now, and leave poko out and see what happens.  She is snoozing now.  I'll take her out around the yard while michael's sleeping, but she needs to go for her long walk soon, and has a vet appt at 9:30.  We can walk to our vet which will be nice.  I used to take my cats to this vet and loved him, but he's semi retired so we'll meet his partner.  Lots of laundry to catch up on too.  I ran out of time yesterday and didn't put the clean laundry away, so the dirty laundry that was on the bathroom floor is in the tub.  

Hope everyone has a marvelous monday!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy - *i've been thinking about the whole germs thing at mommy and me. if i weren't the teacher i would probably wait a little longer but i really don't want to stick my partner noreen with all the work. it's actually hard work when you're running the show by yourself. at least with me there i can do a few things here and there. i plan on just keeping the baby in his car seat (hope he doesn't mind!) and i have one of those mesh cover things that will go over it so nobody can touch him. there are two other babies that sit in their car seats so their moms can be with their old siblings. the other kids don't pay attention to them so i'm thinking we'll be ok. 

yeah, i just needed to write that out for myself to justify that it's ok to bring him. we'll see how it goes. thomas really enjoys getting out and he needs some mommy time. 

**
i got some sleep last night. only problem is that i've had a splitting headache since yesterday afternoon. wah. maybe because i haven't been outside in days??? baby ate around 10pm then 1am then 4am. in fact i got HIM up at 4am - he seems to only eat from one side at each feeding so lefty was literally the size of a bowling ball. i kept the lights off and just put him there and he sort of did a "dream-feed" - ate and went right to sleep and then was up at 7. ate again and back to sleep. not bad! 

big brother is playing in his crib right now. having the video monitor is so cool. yesterday morning he was holding his special agent oso doll and feeding him his gogie (pacifier). he now has his little disney buses lined up and appears to be counting them. kids really are fun sometimes, aren't they???

remind me i said that when i come back on later after the witching hour wanting to kill myself....

have a wonderful day everyone!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning! It's raining, it's pouring--again! Fourth Monday in a row. We will probably break the record for the wettest year on record today. But at least it's not snow!

*Kathy*--I'm glad you all had such a nice weekend! One thing Tom's pediatrician and allergist told us about the dogs--no dogs in the bedrooms, period. Sounds harsh, but Tom was very allergic to cats and did ok with the dogs, so they strongly discouraged us from having dog dander in his room. The thoughts on this might have changed, but we didn't want to chance it. Petie is doing really well with sleeping out of his crate at night--which means we are getting sleep, but I put him in during the day. I just don't know what he will do when we are gone for the day....

*LisaR*--hope you are doing ok.

*Lindsay*--sorry about the kid/Mom drama yesterday. I hear you on the no boys clothes. It did get frustrating. And I always thought they made the boys clothes look so grownup so fast.

*Maria*--We love CoP too so your day sounds perfect! Sounds like you all had a really time. I think we would have really enjoyed that! I'm glad things are going to be slowing down for you at work. 

*Nancy*--I hope things go well on your outing today! When Tom was little I had him and I watched two kids. So I had Tom (~20 months) and a 26 month old and a newborn. It was quite the adventure. But we went places and did lots of fun things. 

*Hi Dona!* I think a bunch of us are going for marathon weekend in 2013. You could look at walking the half that weekend....

Hello to *LisaH!* 

******
I am officially not exercising today. Yesterday I rode my bike in the park while Mike ran. We avoided the big hills. My foot is feeling good. A little sore, but no real pain. What a relief. BUT, the injury saga continues. I did something to my shoulder/neck--I have no idea what--and it is really, really uncomfortable. I can look right to left but can't look down. Hopefully this is a short lived thing. I had trouble with my bike yesterday and when shifting my chain came off and I kind of got jerked around, so I'm wondering if it's a little whiplash--from the bike. Only me, that's all I'm going to say. 

I bought my ornament yesterday for the ornament exchange.

Ok, time to get going and get ready for work!


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> *kathy - *i've been thinking about the whole germs thing at mommy and me. if i weren't the teacher i would probably wait a little longer but i really don't want to stick my partner noreen with all the work. it's actually hard work when you're running the show by yourself. at least with me there i can do a few things here and there. i plan on just keeping the baby in his car seat (hope he doesn't mind!) and i have one of those mesh cover things that will go over it so nobody can touch him. there are two other babies that sit in their car seats so their moms can be with their old siblings. the other kids don't pay attention to them so i'm thinking we'll be ok.


I hope I didn't offend you.  I think it's perfectly fine to bring the baby, and it sounds like a great setup with the carseats, and he will be just fine.  Hope it all goes well.  And yes, they really can be fun, can't they?



Rose&Mike said:


> Good morning! It's raining, it's pouring--again! Fourth Monday in a row. We will probably break the record for the wettest year on record today. But at least it's not snow!
> 
> *Kathy*--I'm glad you all had such a nice weekend! One thing Tom's pediatrician and allergist told us about the dogs--no dogs in the bedrooms, period. Sounds harsh, but Tom was very allergic to cats and did ok with the dogs, so they strongly discouraged us from having dog dander in his room. The thoughts on this might have changed, but we didn't want to chance it. Petie is doing really well with sleeping out of his crate at night--which means we are getting sleep, but I put him in during the day. I just don't know what he will do when we are gone for the day....
> 
> I am officially not exercising today. Yesterday I rode my bike in the park while Mike ran. We avoided the big hills. My foot is feeling good. A little sore, but no real pain. What a relief. BUT, the injury saga continues. I did something to my shoulder/neck--I have no idea what--and it is really, really uncomfortable. I can look right to left but can't look down. Hopefully this is a short lived thing. I had trouble with my bike yesterday and when shifting my chain came off and I kind of got jerked around, so I'm wondering if it's a little whiplash--from the bike. Only me, that's all I'm going to say.
> 
> I bought my ornament yesterday for the ornament exchange.
> 
> Ok, time to get going and get ready for work!


Thanks for the info about the bedrooms.  I hadn't thought of that, but it is definitely a good idea, especially with michael's other allergies.  I may move it into the play room which has the doorway to where the bedrooms are.  I picked the kitchen initially to keep him away from the rugs, thinking he may have accidents, but so far so good.  
Sorry about your neck.   Whiplash from the bike is definitely a 2011 Rose thing.  It just hasn't been your year.  Hope it's feeling better soon.  
I'm going to buy my ornament today too!!  I have something to return, so figured I'd try to get everything together for one post office trip.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*rose -  *that's interesting about the no pets in the bedroom thing. it makes alot of sense. plus it keeps the bedrooms cleaner. aw, i miss fiona. but not that much. lol. i get a pic of her like every day from the new owner so it's ok. 

the bike thing _totally_ is a rose thing. eek!!! 

it's not raining here but it was super foggy!

*kathy - *me? get offended? honey, i'm from the bronx. i don't get offended at anything! of course you didn't offend me. you're totally right - with thomas i don't think i left the house for a month! 

***
mommy and me was a success! well, at least with the newborn it was. thomas was pretty much a nightmare. he just laid in the middle of the room on his belly with his hands over his face and whined. ugh. after class noreen took him to go pick up her mom and daughter. she asked if he wanted to go with her and he started jumping up and down yelling "noreen car! noreen car!" basically noreen is my favorite person in the whole wide world. that's three week days in a row she's taken him! she is a saint  her mom loves thomas so it's nice for her to see him too. 

i'm having some oatmeal and then hoping baby will nap and i'll try to snooze too.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy- Im glad the party went well and that poko is being so good.  Have a fun time at the vet today.

Nancy- pregnancy is such a miracle but the healing that comes after is not so much fun.  I remember after Ryan I had this big blob (size of a golf ball)   come out when I was going potty.  I went downstairs and told mike about it and he was like shouldnt you call the Dr.  I was like nah I will see how I feel.  In hindsight I think they must of put gauze in there when i ripped and needed stiching and forgot to remove it.  Gross and sorry for the TMI.  Not sure why I feel the need to share some things.  I hope your outing goes smoothly to the mommy and me class.  If its only for an hour or so and no one will be really touching or hovering over him he should be ok.  I know with the second I was out and about way earlier too.  How have you been feeling emotionally????  Things better this time around??? 

Rose- You just cant win can you?  Maybe it is just a pulled muscle or sleeping wrong.  Sounds like you sprained your sternocleidomastoid muscle.  Take motrin and apply warm compresses or stand in a warm shower a few times today.  I hope it is short lived and feels better soon.

*********************************************************
My desk is under piles of stuff right now and I feel like I dont even know where to start....so what do I do take a lunch break and come on here.  I am really going to have to keep marathon weekend 2013 in mind since so many of you are going.  Not sure if we can swing it but I am thinking if we have a disney trip planned for summer 2013 I can justify coming alone in Jan.  I would love, love, love to.

I still need to get my ornament.  I have a very specific store I need to get it from that is not around anything I usually go to so I am going to have to plan out when I can get there.  I will be the one shipping it on our deadline...I am a finish right on deadline kinda girl.  Are we going to post pictures and say who our secret ornament sender was once we all get them?

an update on my grammy:  Her heart rate has been staying in the 70's thanks to albuterol.  It is a med used for asthma but also increases the heart rate.  They thought if she would be getting more o2 to the brain it would help with her mentally but unfortunately it is not the case.  She is very out of it and quite combatative mostly in the evenings.  They are now going to give her some meds to keep her pretty much sleepy and not completely alert.  The nurses had a very hard time handeling her and they feel the nursing home will as well.  I just really play she will close her eyes and go peacefully so that she no longer has to suffer.

Ok well I have to get back to work.  Have a great day!


----------



## donac

Kathy, Our dog's crate is in the living room.  It has a big lip to it so that if she does have an accident it is container.  Out bedrooms on on the second floor.  She will go up to ds1's room but doesn't go into the other rooms.  

If we fall asleep and forget to put her in she puts herself in and sleeps there.  She is comfortable there.  She is in there all day when we are at work. 

Lindsey as the mother of 2 boys I can understand how disappointed you are with the selection for the boys.  

I would love to go in 2013 but we have a big trip in 2012 planned (BLT with MK view)(dsis' DVC points for a 3 bedroom) so I don't know maybe I should plan for 2014 and use it celebrate my last year or two teaching.   That will also give me more time to convince dh that I am serious about doing it. 

Nancy I know where Kathy is coming from.  Many people around here isolate their newborns for up to two months.  I think I would go crazy. 

Rose I can't believe you have another injury.  You probably jus slept wrong.  That happens to me all the time.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hoping to have time to do a real post tomorrow...

*Dona* -- So great to see you here! I think you could definitely walk the Princess! It is a wonderful atmosphere, and not a "competition" kind of race. 

*Lindsay* -- I have a specific store for my ornament, too. Hoping to make it there Thursday...dressing boys up is a pain. Ben has to have two dress outfits for declamation, and it's so hard to find at this point. He is so close to men's sizes, but not quite there yet. I agree, I won't be sad if some day I can buy a little red velvet dress for a cutie, it will be fun! 

*Kathy* -- I'm putting the Salem tour on our list for next year, I'll be sure to check in the beginning of Sept. before all the good dates sell out! 

*Nancy* -- Glad Mommy and Me went well! Hey, 50% of your kids did great. Half of anything with regards to people is usually good!

I'm  to *Rose and the Lisas*, dinner is served! Have a great night, and don't forget the new Prep and Landing on abc at 8:30 -- Ben is actually going to watch with me! 

Still plugging away on the eating -- doing ok so far. Ran 4M today, finished 2 minutes faster than usual. Yep, I was crankin'. I hope I can move at all tomorrow! 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- how great to have a friend to take thomas for a little.  That is so wonderful of her to give you a break.  

Dona- Your trip sounds like it will be great in 2012.  My princess trip was actually a gift from my parents.  I had to convince them first that I was serious and I could do it.  I can honestly say I dont think my mom thought I could complete it even up until race day.  I proved her wrong.  So if you are serious and your knees will hold up dont let dh discourage you.  Its hard to believe it sometimes until you really see it.  even if it is 2014.

Maria- woohoo on the 4miles.  You are doing great girl.  I too hope i have granddaughters some day to dress in such adorable clothes.  Until then I just buy really cute bday presents for my friends and cousins daughters.

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

My boys are upstairs watching charlie brown and then they will watch prep and landing.  They keep yelling at me to get them cookies and I am determined not to do it until one of them marches down here and asks nicely.  What the heck do these kids think I am????

Mike is at the gym now and as soon as he gets home I will go.  Just cant stop now Im on a roll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## mikamah

Just a quick reply this morning, since it's my first day of work after my 4 day dogternity leave.

Little Poko was very lethargic last night and wouldn't walk for me, and I was getting worried, but then remembered she got 2 shots so it was probably them.  She did finally go but Michael had to come with us.  She seems fine this morning.  Last night she started crying/ barking again at 1230, for 15 min, then quiet til 130 and again about 15 min, and I ended up bringing a comforter and my pillows in and laying on the floor near her.  She saw me and never made another peep, and settled back to sleep.  I'm going to do the blanket over the crate tonight, and sit in here for a while when she goes to sleep, and see how that goes.  

Hope you all have a great tuesday!!!


----------



## mikamah

That top ten list was very princessatinkabelley this morning!!  
Congrats Lindsay, Maria and Lisa!!    You guys ROCK!!!

And Lisa, this is multiple weeks for you!!  How many?

You too Maria, right?  

Congrats guys!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Nancy- pregnancy is such a miracle but the healing that comes after is not so much fun.  I remember after Ryan I had this big blob (size of a golf ball)   come out when I was going potty.  I went downstairs and told mike about it and he was like shouldnt you call the Dr.  I was like nah I will see how I feel.  In hindsight I think they must of put gauze in there when i ripped and needed stiching and forgot to remove it.  Gross and sorry for the TMI.  Not sure why I feel the need to share some things.  I hope your outing goes smoothly to the mommy and me class.  If its only for an hour or so and no one will be really touching or hovering over him he should be ok.  I know with the second I was out and about way earlier too.  How have you been feeling emotionally????  Things better this time around???
> 
> *i really think god should give us women SOMETHING for going through the birthing process - zero recovery, no stitching, no bleeding, flat belly immediately (heck, i'd even let Him take a week to make it flat again), a full night's sleep - SOMETHING!
> 
> ah, the passage of a big blob must have been grrreeeeeatttt during your recovery  don't worry, not TMI...i just told you about my popped stitch!!!
> *
> *********************************************************
> My desk is under piles of stuff right now and I feel like I dont even know where to start....so what do I do take a lunch break and come on here.  I am really going to have to keep marathon weekend 2013 in mind since so many of you are going.  Not sure if we can swing it but I am thinking if we have a disney trip planned for summer 2013 I can justify coming alone in Jan.  I would love, love, love to.
> them?
> 
> an update on my grammy:  Her heart rate has been staying in the 70's thanks to albuterol.  It is a med used for asthma but also increases the heart rate.  They thought if she would be getting more o2 to the brain it would help with her mentally but unfortunately it is not the case.  She is very out of it and quite combatative mostly in the evenings.  They are now going to give her some meds to keep her pretty much sleepy and not completely alert.  The nurses had a very hard time handeling her and they feel the nursing home will as well.  I just really play she will close her eyes and go peacefully so that she no longer has to suffer.
> 
> Ok well I have to get back to work.  Have a great day!



oh i hope you can make it to WDW marathon weekend in 2013! i went by myself to the princess and i did it pretty cheaply! i stayed at the all stars and only stayed friday-sunday. coming home the same day as finishing a half marathon was a little exhausting but i was so high on awesomeness that i managed. i hope you can swing it. you SO deserve it!!

i'm sorry about grammy. it is just SO hard because you want them to be comfortable and happy and stay with us forever but at the same time you hope they will go peacefully and not suffer. we are in the same position with my grandpa. he is 87 and still living alone. he is the one who lives outside of york,pa (we pass by you on the way down there). he has no business living alone and his mind is going big time but there really is no convincing him to go to a home. it's so hard to want to do what's best for them but also keep them happy. i'm glad they could control her heartrate better - did you decide on going to visit her?



Worfiedoodles said:


> Hoping to have time to do a real post tomorrow...
> 
> *Dona* -- So great to see you here! I think you could definitely walk the Princess! It is a wonderful atmosphere, and not a "competition" kind of race.
> 
> *Lindsay* -- I have a specific store for my ornament, too. Hoping to make it there Thursday...dressing boys up is a pain. Ben has to have two dress outfits for declamation, and it's so hard to find at this point. He is so close to men's sizes, but not quite there yet. I agree, I won't be sad if some day I can buy a little red velvet dress for a cutie, it will be fun!
> *
> ok i have to admit it - i'm SO glad i have two boys. SO SO SO glad. i can't stand frilly dresses! i actually LIKE that i have limited choices for boy clothes because i am the WORST when it comes to fashion. my friends yell at me all the time for dressing like a boy (read: slob). i like that when i go to the store i have like three choices in clothes instead of a million.
> *
> *Kathy* -- I'm putting the Salem tour on our list for next year, I'll be sure to check in the beginning of Sept. before all the good dates sell out!
> 
> *ooo! we'll come next year! *
> 
> *Nancy* -- Glad Mommy and Me went well! Hey, 50% of your kids did great. Half of anything with regards to people is usually good!
> 
> *hey when you put it that way...not bad!*
> 
> I'm  to *Rose and the Lisas*, dinner is served! Have a great night, and don't forget the new Prep and Landing on abc at 8:30 -- Ben is actually going to watch with me!
> 
> Still plugging away on the eating -- doing ok so far. Ran 4M today, finished 2 minutes faster than usual. Yep, I was crankin'. I hope I can move at all tomorrow!
> 
> Maria



nice job on the fast run! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Nancy- how great to have a friend to take thomas for a little.  That is so wonderful of her to give you a break.
> 
> Dona- Your trip sounds like it will be great in 2012.  My princess trip was actually a gift from my parents.  I had to convince them first that I was serious and I could do it.  I can honestly say I dont think my mom thought I could complete it even up until race day.  I proved her wrong.  So if you are serious and your knees will hold up dont let dh discourage you.  Its hard to believe it sometimes until you really see it.  even if it is 2014.
> 
> Maria- woohoo on the 4miles.  You are doing great girl.  I too hope i have granddaughters some day to dress in such adorable clothes.  Until then I just buy really cute bday presents for my friends and cousins daughters.
> 
> **********************************************************
> 
> My boys are upstairs watching charlie brown and then they will watch prep and landing.  They keep yelling at me to get them cookies and I am determined not to do it until one of them marches down here and asks nicely.  What the heck do these kids think I am????
> 
> Mike is at the gym now and as soon as he gets home I will go.  Just cant stop now Im on a roll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



oh heck no. i hope those boys came down and asked nicely! what are you, the maid? wait, don't answer that. cuz, you know, the mom of the house is the maid too 



mikamah said:


> Just a quick reply this morning, since it's my first day of work after my 4 day dogternity leave.
> 
> Little Poko was very lethargic last night and wouldn't walk for me, and I was getting worried, but then remembered she got 2 shots so it was probably them.  She did finally go but Michael had to come with us.  She seems fine this morning.  Last night she started crying/ barking again at 1230, for 15 min, then quiet til 130 and again about 15 min, and I ended up bringing a comforter and my pillows in and laying on the floor near her.  She saw me and never made another peep, and settled back to sleep.  I'm going to do the blanket over the crate tonight, and sit in here for a while when she goes to sleep, and see how that goes.
> 
> Hope you all have a great tuesday!!!



dogternity - cute! 

what kind of food are you feeding poko? 
dogs always seem to be lazy when you need them to walk and full of energy when you need to sleep. yep, you basically just bought yourself a baby! at least your baby can go to the bathroom outside  i hope she gets more used to the crate. do you have a towel or old blanket in there for her? she might be more comfy AND if it smells like you she might be more calm. just a thought. 

*****

morning all! had another decent night last night. baby ate around 9:30, 12:30, 3:30 and again at 6:15 or so. each time he ate pretty fast and went to sleep almost immediately. he kind of grunted and worked out gas for a while around 4am when he was done with that feeding which i couldn't sleep through but still not bad. i'm SO much calmer with the second and i really think that is helping. with thomas i'd jump every time he fussed but this guy i let fuss and he seems to work things out on his own (not always but a decent amount of the time). 

i would like to have john get up and do a feeding but instead he's been getting full night's sleeps every night! not his fault since i haven't gotten him up in a few nights. my ****s are just SO full that if i skipped a feeding to sleep instead i'm fairly certain i would explode. once the ****s figure out how much milk they really need to make i will have him do a feeding.

my ILs are planning on a visit on saturday. all of them. mil, fil, john's brother and his wife and kid and john's sister. they are all completely nuts and i am dreading seeing them. i haven't seen them since thomas's bday party in june. i told john they can come but they can only stay an hour. i have to give time cut offs otherwise they would just stay for hours and hours. thing is, they don't visit like other people. i just had a baby and they will expect me to entertain them. john's already talking about what food we should give them and i'm thinking, NO! when you visit someone who had a baby YOU bring the food!! of course i told john they can only stay for an hour but after an hour there's no way he's going to kick them out. and i'm sure john's brother will hit him up for money like he always does. good times. and then they wonder why i never want to see any of them....

well, thomas is up (he's been playing in his crib for a while now, good boy) so i'm off to get him. tuesdays is free storytime at the library that i think we'll go to. need to do something with this active toddler!!!

have a great day all and congrats to all of you who made the top 10 over on the other board! nice work!  i hope to be joining you in that department soon....ok, soon-ish.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

*Lisa,* hope that you are okay and just busy with your Christmas stuff!  

*Rose,* how is the shoulder today?   I hope that it is just that you slept wrong on it and not anything else.  

Sounds like the PT is going better and that you will be able to run soon.  Just take it easy -- you don't want to reinjure it by overdoing.  I know you are hard to hold back once someone gives you the green light.  

*Lindsay,* it is so nice to hear you on and ready to do whatever it takes to take care of you!   You are doing super!    

That is one of the nice things about a do over -- it seems to go faster the second time around.  

So sorry about your grammy but it sounds like they are able to make her comfortable.  That might have had something to do with how your Mom was feeling this week-end.  

*Maria,* I loved hearing about your visit to NH this week-end.    Ed and Robert enjoyed hearing about it, too.  

And you are rocking with your running, girl!    I think the 8M might have had more to do with the number you saw yesterday than what you ate 'cause it looks like you were pretty darn good to me!  

Glad that work is going to calm down a bit for you and the scary meetings are over.  

Hi *Dona!*   Nice to see you!   I think your WDW trip this year sounds fabulous.  You could try for a Marathon week-end and do the 5K and scream team people if the knee isn't up to a longer race.  

*Nancy* so glad that motherhood the second time around is less stressful  for you!    I hope that your body adjusts to the BF schedule so you can give John a bottle every once in awhile.  Poor Thomas has had his world rocked pretty hard and it's not an easy thing for a 2 year old to adjust to -- can you tell I was the big sis and my DSis was 2 1/2 years behind me?  It's my first memory!   

We did the switch off thing, too, Ed took the early part of the night and I had the later.  Except I swear he would bring Robert to me earlier and earlier -- like at 10 pm claiming he didn't want to wake him.  Now I can't get my kid out of bed!  

Bummer about the IL visit but you can see why they want to see all those special men in your life.    Maybe you can suggest that John take everyone out to eat after they've been there for awhile and you can stay home with the baby.  



mikamah said:


> Just a quick reply this morning, since it's my first day of work after my 4 day dogternity leave.



Sorry you have to go back to work today after your "dogternity."   Sounds like Poko is adjusting very well.  You can tell from the birthday pics that Michael is enjoying her so much.    (Too bad no one has a good time at your house! )  I wonder if something is waking her up at 12:30 pm then she wakes up and gets a little scared.  Maybe a fan going for some white noise would help.  Don't worry, Momma, your baby will sleep through the night soon.  



mikamah said:


> That top ten list was very princessatinkabelley this morning!!
> Congrats Lindsay, Maria and Lisa!!    You guys ROCK!!!



Thanks!  I was thinking we are doing a good job of keeping that list nice and Princess and Bell-ish!  

Tink training is progressing.  I have a couple of speed workouts this week and then 14 miles on Saturday.  I'm hoping the weather is nice and I can do some of my run outside -- the Centennial Trail runs right by the Kroc Center.  That way I don't have to freeze outside for almost 5 hours but won't get totally bored by the track.  My Zenzah leg sleeves arrived so I will get to try them out.  I'm feeling pretty good about my running these days and trying to stay that way.   

I have my ornament and will be shipping it this week.  I bet someone can't wait to get that big old sparkly tuber for their tree . . .  

Have we decided what day we are going to open them?  I like *Kathy's* idea of taking pictures.  

Have a great day, ladies!


----------



## liesel

Yes, princesses, I'm here, yesterday I told myself I would do my Christmas cards before DIS and when I finished I was out of time!  Plus the DIS seems to be very slow whenever I've been on the last few days, I've been having a hard time just catching up on reading, especially the main thread.  Mainly I've been busy with organizing and purging.  We had a big charity pickup Friday and I put out so much stuff!  Then I went through the basement some more over the weekend and yesterday and found even more!  My mom saves EVERYTHING and has been giving me boxes and boxes the last few years.  When I first got them I was very good about sorting right away, but lately we've just been throwing them in the basement and forgetting about them.  Bad idea!  Things will be very organized when I'm done though.  

I have to do something because the weather is driving us crazy.  3 snowstorms in one week with an artic cold front.  The high was 9 yesterday!  Its still so icy (and freezing!!) out there so no outdoor runs for me.  I am finally feeling much better and did 3M on Sunday on the treadmill.  It wasn't pretty, but I did it and am feeling much less like a bloated slug.  I actually felt energized the rest of the day, which is new for me.    As of yesterday I was up .4 from my lowest, which I think is great considering I did 2 workouts in 2 weeks and celebrated Thanksgiving.  A year ago I would have gained 4 pounds!

Lots has been going on since I last posted so I'll try to catch up:

You all were definitely representing on the BL list this week!  Congratulations *Maria, Lindsay, and Lisa!*

*Dona* I second Marathon weekend 2013.  I'm still not sure if I can go yet, I need to see how the next couple of months go, but it would be fantastic to have a big BL meet that weekend.  I hope your knee is doing better.

*Lindsay* Thanks so much for coaching this week, I'll try to check in on the main thread more.  It sounds like you are on fire now, congrats on joining the gym and making the BL list!

*Rose* No hugs, but just understanding that everyone needs to vent sometimes and it does not make you a whiner.  I think its ok to step back from a situation every once in a while and say, "this sucks!"  I think a big city is definitely a good idea.  Maybe if things progress you and Mike can visit for a weekend and see if its a good fit.  I used to live in Savannah a long time ago so my only memories of Atlanta are sprinting through the airport to make connecting flights.  Back then, everything from Savannah went through Atlanta.  I read Eat Pray Love a while ago and it talked about living in a place that fits you and where you are in your life.  I think its important and I hope you find your place.   for Tom's travels to Denver, DH is returing from CA (15 minutes from DL!) and Portland on the 15th so I really hope the weather is good that day.  We are supoosed to break out of this artic front by the weekend, so hopefully we will have good weather while he is here.  You just never know.

*Kathy* I love Poko!  She reminds me of my Molly.  I love  all the pics!   on your "dogternity" weekend.  I'm so glad you had a fun birthday weekend.  When DS turned 10 in September he was so excited to be in double digits and I just couldn't believe how fast it goes.

*Maria* I understand crazy relatives, I think we've all been there (and it looks like *Nancy* gets to "go there" shortly!).  DH's aunt that just passed away had a drug problem.  Her daughter is schizophrenic and has done time for attempted murder and her son has a major drug problem that he can't seem to shake and has done time off and on.  His low point was stealing their grandmother's TV and some other items.  And then there's my crazy family with lots of fights and people not speaking.  My FB page is filled with people who are mad at each other so I have to be very careful about what I write.   to you (I have to hug somebody!), you sound like you have a lot of patience.  I enjoyed the new Prep and Landing, very cute!  Way to go on the fast 8M!

*Nancy* I loved your birth story.  Matthew is such a cutie, I love the pic you posted this morning!  I did have time for an epidural with my second, but it didn't work, so at least it was quick.  I had formula as a baby and my parents started giving me solids when I was 4 weeks old (way too soon, there's now a link between adult obesity and givng babies solids that young), but I decided to BF.  When my parents were visiting they gave me a hard time about it, especially my dad, who kept telling me I was "starving" DS.  I couldn't believe it, it seems like you can't win either way.  Its such a personal decision, I hate it when people get all preachy, everyone is doing the best they can.  I did go out earlier with my second, mostly because the older one needs to get out too and I didn't want to keep DS locked up for 2 months.  I had also been on bed rest for 5 months and was ready to leave the house!  I hope you are getting enough sleep and I know you'll be on the BL list soon!


*LisaH* Wow, you continue to rock this challenge.    Congratulations on all your losses and good luck on your long run this weekend.  I'm doing 8.5 on Saturday, even if I have to walk a little!  My 10K is in 11 days!    How is the ecoaching going?

I had better get going with my day.  I'll have to run on the treadmill, but at least I am training again.  Have a good day !


----------



## Rose&Mike

*LisaR-*-Nice to see you back. I am sorry about the cruddy weather, but glad that you are feeling up to training again. Great job on not gaining while being under the weather! It's funny both Mike and I thought the other one didn't want to go to Atlanta, but in reality we were both ok with it. We've been there a couple of times. What's not to like--the SEC championship game is held there, MLB, MiLB, NFL, museums, parks, warmer weather, close enough for a long weekend from the beach and only about 450 miles from WDW. Now I'm ready to move!

*LisaH*--I hope the weather cooperates for you this weekend. And congrats on continuing to get rid of those pounds! That's awesome! I am finding that as I cheat on the elliptical (2nd time today) and have started walking more that my legs are still getting pretty tired. The bike and the pool just use different muscles, so hopefully the legs will slow me down a bit, cause you're right I do have a tendency to go out at 200%. Not always a good thing.

*Nancy*--how was the library? I liked Lisa's idea about John taking everyone out. That gets them out of the house and gives you a little break. Mike's sister was like that--she came over when Tom was a week or so old and plopped and expected me to wait on her. Then when Tom was ~2 months old she wanted me to take Mike's Mom (who had alzheimers) and take care of her by myself for a week--Mike was going back to sea. And I still had so many complications and was still feeling pretty awful--I had a post partum hemorrhage so I was anemic in addition to everything else and hadn't had the surgery yet on my tears that ripped open so I was still in a bit of pain. Anyhow, I had to put my foot down and tell Mike he HAD to deal with her. He just wouldn't say no to her. I knew he loved me, but he just didn't know how to deal with his family very well.

*Maria*--Hurray for being a Loser and Hurray for being so fast! 

*Lindsay-*-I hope those boys asked nicely! Congrats on being a Loser. You seem to really have gotten your mojo back. I hope things are going ok with your grammy.

*****
Thanks for the good wishes on the neck. It has been slowly getting better. I  don't think it was from sleeping, cause it showed up mid day on Sunday. But who knows what I did.

Today I did 30 min on the elliptical and took a 30 min core class. My foot felt great until about half an hour ago. It's started getting sore, but it does that sometimes at night. I think I might put the strassberg sock on when I watch tv, cause I'm wondering if things are tightening up when I sit and watch tv.

It's been another chaotic week at work. My boss is back east for a funeral and our admin assistant is still out. I haven't set at my desk for the whole day since before Thanksgiving. Hopefully Thursday!

Tomorrow is PT and I'm getting my hair cut. Tom comes home either Friday or Saturday, so I'm going to try to enjoy the calm and quiet for a bit tomorrow before the holiday busy-ness starts.

Have a good night!

ETA--I knew I was forgetting someone! I forgot Kathy! *Kathy*--I hope the puppy sleeps better tonight. Hang tough on making her stay in the crate--if that's what you want her to do at night. It will get better.  I hope your first day back after puppy leave wasn't too stressful!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oh phooey. i just wrote out some pretty awesome responses. nope, not the poof fairy this time. this time i closed the damn window myself! what an idiot. 

well, i'll try to get back on and re-do it. right now i'm going to sit and stare at the tv and enjoy the last few moments of quiet time before the boys get up. 

we did a photoshoot at the house today. my old co-worker's wife is a photographer and took christmas pics and newborn photos. it was fun...and exhausting. the baby was an angel and the toddler was...trying to be good (as my grandpa used to say)

be back on to chat later


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!  

*Lisa,* I'm glad that everything is okay and that you are just keepin' busy!    Doing 8.5 this week-end is going to help you rock your 10K in a few days.  Be sure and let us know when it is so we can cheer for you!  

Ecoaching is going fine.  I had a slow week last week but I expected it because everything else was so darn crazy.  I can't quite hit my pace reliably yet but I have hope that I will before the Tinker Bell.    Funny thing is with all this speed work I really look forward to the long runs where all I have to do is be slow enough.  I can *TOTALLY* do that!   

Hope the weather gets better there! 

*Rose,* hope the PT went well today.    And that things calm down at work and that you get to work on your own stuff soon.

I know what you mean about the legs and different muscles -- you'd think after awhile with all this different stuff you would have managed to exercise them all by now.    I know when I go outside this week-end some new muscles are going to be complaining because it is just different being outside.  I did love my Zenzah leg sleeves yesterday.  They feel a bit funky at first but my legs and feet felt really good.   

*Nancy,* sounds like you are adjusting to motherhood x 2 swimmingly.    I absolutely loved the picture of Matthew yesterday on FB.    And they say that infants don't smile -- pshaw!  Sorry about the poofed post.  

*Lindsay,* I'll head over the main thread and answer the QOTD.  You have some great questions.  

*Kathy,* how is dogternity and the work and school week going? 

*Maria,* I'm so envious that you can get Ben to still watch Christmas things with you.    We seem to be going through a "I'm too cool for everything" phase right now.   

Hello to *Dona* and *Pamela.* 

I mailed my ornament and first Christmas card today.    All I have to do is pick up Robert's electric razor and stocking stuffers and I am done shopping.  

I was thinking that we could open our ornaments on December 21st -- the solstice.  *Rose,* when are you leaving for WDW?  We should open them before you go.  

Tonight is Robert's Christmas concert for choir.  Then tomorrow I am going to a luncheon for a nonprofit women's group with my running friend.  (I will be interested to hear how she liked the Las Vegas marathon because I've heard it was a disaster).  It's a fancy, schmancy lunch at the Coeur d'Alene Resort so I have to dress up and look professional -- I will even dig out the mascara.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

HI all,

Thank you all for your kind words on my grammy.  Right about now she is currently being taken to the hospice unit at the nursing home.  Her heart rate is staying in the normal range but mentally she is out of control, They will give her meds to keep her quiet and comfortable, They will ask her if she wants to get up and move but if not will not force her, They will offer her the normal meds she takes but if she refuses they dont force it, They offer showers twice a week but if she says no they leave her go.  So I dont think it will be much longer, at least the doctor didnt think so.  In many ways it is very sad but I just pray she will go peacefully very soon to ease her and my families suffering.  But thank you all for listening and being here for me.  Love you all.

On a more peppier note:

Rose- Glad your neck is healing and the foot isnt too bad.  I hope you can get some work done.  I have so much to do too but between the construction we are doing at the office and all the staffs emotional issues I cant seem to get a thing done.  Its so frustrating.  Wow I cant believe Tom will be back home again soon.  Time really flies doesnt it.  Are you getting excited for the big christmas trip?

Lisa H- You are doing so well too.  What are those leg sleeves you are talking about?  I hope you have a great time tonight at Roberts concert. Oh an we have to wait to open our ornament...that is going to be very suspensful.  I always peeked at my xmas presents so this will be a challenge for me.

Lisa- glad your feeling better and able to get back to your running again.  Wow 9 degrees is a bit chilly.  I did one run 8 mile last year in 7 degree weather while it snowed....got a bit slippery by the end.  That was a one time thing.  Good luck with getting out there during your winter.  I think your winter is much more extreme than what I had to deal with here.  I dont blame you for resorting to the TM.  

Nancy- I cant wait to see your photos.  I really need to get a pic of the boys to do our xmas cards.  I always wait until the last minute so I end up doing CVS.  One year I will get organized.
Glad the boys are behaving.  I hope you are getting some rest.


----------



## Rose&Mike

How are you all? We had a little bit of the dreaded S word today, but it was short lived and just looked pretty for a few minutes! Thank goodness!

I have been craving carbs like a big dog and I have a pimple (just one ) so I'm thinking it's pms. I know that might sound strange but if that is the case I may actually be on a regular schedule and get it out of the way before WDW, and it also means my body is getting healthier every day. I am trying to celebrate the small victories.

PT went ok. She was ok with the elliptical as long as I take it easy and don't do it every day. She did ask how much I was stretching and told me to keep it up because that's very key at this point. It was a bit sore at the plantar part, but not pain just sore. I might take tomorrow off from working out....we'll see. I did the bike and the krankcycle today.

I got my haircut today and she said it looked like I lost even more weight and she almost didn't recognize me. I guess my face is looking very thin. But I think in a good way. Anyhow, I told her no the weight is just moving around a bit since I'm not running (mostly to my booty I think!). Anyhow, now I'm thinking again, maybe I don't need to get down to 135 and maybe I should just maintain at 140. I just still look in the mirror and see fat parts that I would like to go away, but maybe part of that is an age thing. I am definitely in the best shape of my life even despite the injuries. And I am getting really flexible! Anyhow, something to think about I guess.

***We fly out at 6:00am on the 21st, so could we do the 20th? The winter solstice is always one of my favorite days of the year cause it means even thought it's cold the days will be getting longer.

*Lindsay*-- I hope your grammy is as comfortable as she can be under the circumstances. Hang in there. I am getting exited for the Christmas trip. I was a little stressed about it with the kitchen project looming, but since we put that on hold, I am much more looking forward to it. We are trying a couple of new restaurants and are taking a tour!

*Lisa*--Have fun at the concert! Hopefully Robert will get his "inner child" back at some point. That's what Tom calls it. Tom wanted nothing to do with Disney or kid stuff like prep and ladder from about 11-15. Then it got better. Did I ever ask if your friends liked OKW?

*Hi to Nancy and Kathy and LisaR and anyone else out there!*

Maria--hope you are having a good week.

I made fudge tonight, but I'm going to send most of it with Mike to work. I guess I need to actually make some dinner though. I'm seriously considering a kefir smoothie and calling that good, but I don't know what Mike will think about that idea.

Have a good night!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning!! 

I'm sorry I don't have more time to post here.  It's been busy and I think Poko is playing me for a fool.  She does not like to get in the crate, but will get in for treats, and at night has been barking constantly, and I gave in the past 2 days and let her out and let her sleep on her dog bed in the living room, and I slept on the couch.  I feel bad her being in the crate all day while we're gone, and then all night too.  She does have a mid day walk, but still.  I'm going to try and leave her all night over the weekend since she won't need to be in much during the day.  She is very sweet, but will chew, so I had her leash on and hooked to a chair so I'd wake up if she did, and she went right to sleep.  We'll see what happens.  It's only been a week, and I know the crate would be nice at night too, but I wonder if we will end up with it only when we go out.  We are going to visit a couple doggy day cares too.  My hours go up in january, so I figure with the money I save on my insurance, I can do that a couple days a week, to make sure she is getting enough exercise.  

*Lindsay*-I know Hospice will do whatever is needed to keep your Grammy comfortable.  It's so hard to see her suffer.  

*Rose*-Does't is stink how our bodies change as we age.  I look at my niece and her perfect 17year old body, and think I was like that for a few months once.   She is real active, and I hope she continues that through her whole life.  So excited your disney trip is coming up. 

*Maria*-You're relatives sound like a load of fun.  I feel pretty lucky with my family, not too crazy.  

*Lisah*-I love the idea of pictures of the ornaments, but I didn't say it.   I can't wait to see the Sparkly tuber, and hope i see in on my tree.
I'm going friday to get mine, and am going to mail on saturday.  The 20th would be a fun day to open before Rose goes away.  I'm so happy that your training is going so well.  14 miles on saturday should be so much fun.   I can't even imagine doing that.  Hope you had fun at the concert!!
*LisaR*-Glad you were able to get out and run again.  Isn't it funny the kids are so excited to hit double digits.  Too bad we don't get excited to add more years on. 

*Nancy*-Glad things are going well for you.  It's so easy to bf during the night, and I'm sure as he gets a little older, you'll be able to give up a feed for dh.  I second the idea of sending your dh and thomas out with the family for a bite to eat.  Do not be waiting on them young lady.   After that hour take little matthew in the bedroom for a marathon bf session until you hear the door close behind them.

Well, off to walk now.  Have a great day everyone.  Any crate advise is appreciated too.  I did the blanket over, and he pulled it in and chewed it up 2 nights ago, and I put one of michael's shirts in too.  I know consistency is key, but with the work schedule, it's consistently inconsistent.  I'll take a page from lisa, it is what it is, and I'll do what works for us.  Thanks for listening.  I love you guys.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Kathy--sorry about the sleeping issues. Petie sleeps outside the crate now, but only after driving us insane this fall. BUT as a puppy/young dog, I would have not let him sleep outside the crate. He easily could have destroyed the house. The accidents I can clean up, but he chewed furniture. We had a new overstuffed chair in the house for a couple of hours, went outside for 10 minutes and he pulled a the huge back pillow down and chewed three holes in it. The dog weighs like 25 pounds. We don't even know how he got the pillow down....Anyhow, hang in there and be tough.

*****
Yesterday was my mom's birthday. I forgot until I kept hearing about all the Pearl Harbor stuff on the news. So add that to all the stuff that's been going on in my brain lately with feeling like I need to lose more weight, that I'm not thin enough, that I will never be thin enough, etc and it ended up being a confusing day. I wasn't going to talk about it, but when I got up this morning and started eating fudge, I decided--Houston, we have a problem. I am both self-sabotaging and beating myself up. Which is a bad pattern for me. I think it might be time to go back to maintain again. So I probably don't have single digit body fat, I think I am good enough. I have to keep reminding myself--I will never be 5 feet tall and weigh a hundred pounds. Never. That doesn't mean I am fat or not good enough. Uggh. Why can I not just get this? 

Ok, thanks for letting me get that out there. I need to eat something healthy and get ready for work. Mike took most of the fudge to work, and I might throw the rest out. Or I might not.

Have a good Thursday!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lindsay - * i hope grammy will be comfortable at the hospice. what a tough thing to deal with, especially during the holidays. hopefully you can spend some time with her and let her know how much you love her. my grandfather in york (we pass by you on our way there!) is really starting to lose it mentally but still lives alone and has no business doing so. it's very difficult to 

how's ryan's bball coach doing? getting any nicer? maybe the christmas season will put him in a better mood??

*kathy - *ah, poko you silly doggie, don't you know you should go to sleep?? with our dogs we would have them in the crate during the day (had a dog walker for the middle of the day) and then when we were home at night they were allowed to be out of the crate. it may be hard for her to know you're around but still be in the crate. can you give her a little more room but still confine her? like, can you get a baby gate and just let her stay in the kitchen or some other room? 

oh and didn't we say we aren't apologizing for not getting on to post?? tsk tsk, no apologizing!

a doggie day care sounds great for her AND you. when they get enough exercise they are less likely to chew and act out and all that. this whole thing is an adjustment period, it'll work itself out. 

also, i would like more pics of her added to facebook. thanks. 

*lisaR - *the first few workouts post-sickness are always the worst, aren't they? but soon after that you'll be in top form again and gearing back up for the tink! can't wait to hear all about our two lisas running the tink 

oh and HOLY FREEZING TEMPS BATMAN! 9 degrees? time to move! two days ago it was SIXTY here. i mean, that's crazy too but i'd rather err on the side of warm. 

*rose - *um, TOTALLY AWESOME about the hairdresser saying you'd lost more weight! woot!as far as your maintain, i think the difference between 135 and 140 is pretty small and it's not so much the number that matters but just how you feel. struggling to get to/stay at 135 and being miserable doesn't make much sense when you can maintain at 140 and be much happier and healthier. does that make sense? my goal is the 135-140 range too and i was FINALLY there 10 months ago! now i have 30 lbs to lose to get there again. eek!

sounds like PT is going well and you BETTER listen to your therapist when she tells you not to overdo it on the elliptical missy!! can't wait to hear about your christmas trip. ahhhhhh 

*lisaH - *hey, how's the new copier??

i've been meaning to ask you - what is your nutrition like during your runs? i'm so glad you're feeling good about your training and i will be looking to you when i'm back in the swing of things! i'm not good with nutrition and i wonder if that has something to do with my feeling of poopiness when i do my training.

glad you liked the smiling matthew pic. i can't believe i was able to get it right in time. it's so funny when they practice their faces while sleeping! 

*maria - *how's work going? still crazy busy?  so much for things calming down during the holiday season!

****
morning friends! i have just a min or two before needing to run out to mommy and me today. 

last night i had john take over after i fed the baby at 2am. he gave him a bottle and i slept in the guest room until 6. i was up alot during that time b/c my b@@bs were killing me! when i fed him at 6 the poor kid's head was like a little golfball compared to the bowling balls! lovely.

the IL situation is already getting annoying. they were going to come saturday but BIL's wife ann has to work (she cleans apartments downtown. gets paid under the table, doesn't pay taxes, don't get me started on how mad that makes me) and because SHE wants to see the baby they are now coming on sunday even though we already had a breakfast with santa to go to. so now we can't go to that. so now they are all coming at 11:30 and john has promised they will be kicked out after an hour. thomas needs to nap. i need to rest and get a break. an hour is enough. and if they were at all normal i would totally have john take them out. thing is, that means we'd be footing the bill for seven people and that's just a little ridiculous for a random sunday. i hate to sound cheap but...

reason 1: we took bill and ann out to a meal on city island years ago when we found out they were having a baby. bill ordered the SURF AND TURF! city island restaurants are expensive as is and the surf and turf?? forget it. he shoveled it down his throat and then got up and threw it all up. he does that all the time because he claims he doesn't know how to chew. 

reason 2: we took MIL and FIL to this fancy brunch buffet by us. it was like $50 per person. we sat down, ordered drinks and then went to the buffet. we all got food except MIL who sat back down and asked for a bread basket. she declared she hates buffets. um...couldn't have told us that BEFORE we went there when we said, "let's go to this brunch buffet" ???

the list keeps going from there but i'll leave it at that. though maybe it's worth it to spend the money on lunch if that means they will be out of here??

ok, totally late now! have a great day!! xoxo


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

*Lindsay,* I'm so glad that they are able to help your grammy in hospice at the nursing home.  Bless her little heart.    I know that it is very stressful for your family, too.  

The Zenzah leg sleeves are like compression socks but not the sock part.  They are something that JG recommended.  They feel a bit tight at first but then they start to feel really nice.  I got mine on Amazon for a very reasonable price and free shipping since I needed some books.  I think I am supposed to wear them after the long run, too.  

Hope the emotional stuff calms down at work after the full moon this week-end.  

*Rose,* uh-oh on the "S" word stuff.  Glad it didn't stick around.   

I'm glad that you decided to maintain for awhile.  You look absolutely fantastic. You are getting stronger every day.  You feel so good, you are even happy about TOM!  Who cares what that crazy voice says anyway?  (I know that is easier said than done. )

My friends enjoyed OKW.  They were able to see an amazing amount of things in the short time that they were there -- because of my fabulous planning, of course.    So I think it was a success.  

Are you still planning on being at Kidani for the Princess?    It will be different from being at BWV where you can walk to so much but I kind of like being away from the masses sometimes after a busy day at the parks.    You can just take the bus to Boma from Kidani and that is a good thing!  

*Lisa,* did you see on the DL blog that they put up Luigi's tower of tires at DCA?  It will be fun to see Carsland even if the ride isn't ready yet.  

*Kathy,* sorry about the doggie adjustments.    She is obviously well trained and probably just needs more time to adjust to being in her new home and feel secure.    I was going to suggest the same thing that *Nancy* did about giving her a bit more space at night.  We had to put up baby gates and that seemed to help alot with Sadie so she had a little more room.    

A 14 mile run doesn't sound too bad when you remember that the next two long runs after that are 16 and 18 miles.   

*Nancy,* good for you getting some rest last night!    Can you go to the Santa breakfast for awhile before the IL arrive.    You don't have to take 'em to a fancy place -- have John take 'em out for sandwiches and soup.  Thank goodness you have those cute guys to hang on to when you need an extra squeeze.  

The copier is turning into a saga.  It's so silly because really my little bit of business is not worth much to anyone so we get crappy customer service from both the old copier folks and the new ones. 

My nutrition on my runs needs some fine tuning, too.  I got rid of the runner's tummy by making sure there was nothing in my stomach except liquid.  I can do a few Clif Bloks but have to be careful, same for my gels (I use Hammer gels).  My coach says what you really need is glucose for your brain because anything else is just going to sit in your stomach and it's how you fueled in the days before the race that is what is going to help.  I think I need to try some sports beans.  I guess some people even do life savers or a pack of sugar.  It's a process figuring out what works for sure! 

*Maria,* our own personal Christmas Elf, how does opening the ornaments on the 20th sound to you?    You were so nice to organize this for us -- it's so fun!  Hope you are doing okay.  

The concert was a lot of fun last night.  They had the high school kids, too, and did a number with everyone that was great.  For those of you looking for nice pants for dressing up boys, we love the Land's End khakis -- they come in black and look just like dress pants but you can toss 'em in the washer and everything.  

I'm all ready to head off to work and my luncheon.  It wasn't too onerous putting some extra care in my appearance today.  Not that anyone here has noticed.  

Have a great day ladies!  

P.S. Neener, neener poof fairy!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Evening  and  !

How are we doin'? I wish I could say this will be long and lovely, but I have BBT with Ben in less than half an hour, and Ben doesn't like it when I'm late for the Shamy! 

Quick update on me -- doing well with exercise and eating this week, and so grateful to have made the list last week. I don't know why I do well in Dec., but I'm going with it! I'm actually taking three days off before my run Sat., instead of 2, my foot was a little sore, and TOM got off to a painful start, so no run Wednesday.

*Lisah* -- Opening the 20th is fine with me -- should we check in as we receive? Not to say where from, but just to make sure everything makes it coast to coast in case people mail the 15th? I bought my ornament today, so progress on the Elf front  I predict the sparkly tuber will be welcomed with open arms and hung with pride. Who doesn't love potatoes?! Trust me, if Ben hadn't volunteered for Prep and Landing, there would have been no way I could have talked him into it. Mind of his own, that one. 

*Nancy* -- I saw that smiling baby on FB, he could not be cuter! I don't blame you for being annoyed about the ILs, I would be, too. My ILs barely come here because they are terrified of the Big City (even though I basically live in a suburban area), which is fine with me 

*Rose* -- I can't hug you per your orders, but I will say I get it. Your mom's birthday just brings up memories and issues, and you react. It's not fun, but you did recognize it, you got your feelings out, and I think some clarity. There is no magic number that you must be. You need to be the number you can maintain and be happy at. And I don't think anyone would say 140 vs. 135 is unhealthy. Oh gosh darn it, I'm doing it anyway  There. And I am jealous of your S word! We are hoping for a white Christmas, it seems like one of the consolation prizes you should get for living in NE! 

*Kathy* -- Oh those aren't my relatives (but I do have plenty of crazy rolling around on my side, too), the lawbreakers are all from Dennis's side of the family. ILs don't have to count as your family unless they are awesome, I learned that from the Crazy IL thread on the Community Board  I think you are all doing an awesome job learning to be a family unit. It takes awhile to get used to a new member, not to mention Poko has to be learning as she goes  I will say it again, she is one lucky little girl!

*Lisa* -- There's a reason I don't do much FB, I'm afraid! I know censoring yourself takes too much thought and energy, but I get doing it. How is it that we are just regular people, but the crazy seems to be around?  You'd think evolution would get rid of some of that 

*Lindsay* -- I know this is such a hard thing with your grammy, especially at this time of year. I hope you are finding moments here and there to take care of you and do something you love -- zumba, a run, read a book, a bubble bath -- whatever it is just do a few things to reaffirm how special you are 

Ok, gotta run for BBT. Hopefully I can do a post tomorrow morning. It's our holiday party at work, and that's a whole other story...let's just say I'm friends with the accounting staff and I know what was paid for this party. The general consensus of everyone who knows is that the staff would have rather had a $100 bonus check 

That wasn't positive, gotta end on a positive note -- TOM arrived and I was up .2! That is a minor miracle, let's hope it holds and I have TOM with a loss, any loss! 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I had been handling everything going on at work/xmas shopping/grammy pretty well but tonight I am a bit chicken fried.

You will laugh when you here what pushed me over the edge because it sounds ridiculous but I was already at the end of my rope today to begin with.  

I had my parents get ryan from school (30min drive) from there house because Nick had a Santa meeting with cookies and milk at daycare.  That was nice, then we went to my parents and met up with them and Ryan.  We rushed through dinner and rushed through homework, pretty much rushed out of their house to get to bball practice about 25min drive.  I get to the gym and open the door and this chipper lady says are you here for the holiday shop?  I said no basketball.  Oh it was cancelled...didnt the coach tell you.  um no.  So needless to say I was annoyed.  She said her kid plays on another team in the league and they were told on Tues.  Then I asked if she knew when games started.  Apparently this Saturday.  Ummmm more information that would have been nice to know.  So the game is this sat at 9am.  We had already told Ryan he could go to the holiday breakfast with santa at his school at the same time on sat, and you know what he is going because I am all about priorities but I am completely annoyed with both the coach and this league. 

I really wish we could find somewhere else for him to play.  I do not promote quiting but I just dont know if I can deal with this for the next 2 1/2 months.   Thanks for listening.

Im now going to finish up my coaching over on the BL thread and go to bed.  I will try to catch up on replies tomorrow on my day off. Im sure by then I will be refreshed. Love you all.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Tinkerbelles and Princesses!!  I just realized how close both races really are, and am so excited to live vicariously through all of you running!!

We're doing pretty good here in Poko-land.  I think Poko is happy to have us home today.   Was gone almost 6 hours yesterday, and she was fine when I got home.  We had a busy evening, and I decided I need to get her to sleep in the crate, no matter what.  So we went to bed at 10:30 and she barked about 15 min, settled, and for a while would bark a bit, whine, then settle.  I think she settled and slept for at least 3-4 hours, but can't be sure.  She started barking at 445, so when she stopped, I got up and she barked after she heard me in the bathroom, so I waited til she stopped, and then came out and let her out.  When I'm in the kitchen and michael's not home or up, I'm going to keep the gate up and her in the kitchen.  When I do that she'll lay in her crate on her own with the door open.  She can come in the other rooms with us.  She's definitely more relaxed and exploring more, and chewing what she can.  Overall I'd say we're doing pretty good.  I think it's kind of like when you have a baby you think you know what it will be like, but reality is a bit of a shock day to day.  

We definitely will get into some type of training class.  She's pretty mellow, but again as she comes out of her shell, she's starting to jump more.  I don't want a jumper.  One of my pet peeves. 

Otherwise, eating not good.  We went to friends last night and had yummy chicken pot pie from this place in salem who had a thanksgiving pie with stuffing under the crust.  But I'm walking.  I've got leftovers for dinner, and will make a grocery list and plan for the week ahead.  

*Lisa*-Hope the weather is good in Idaho and you are able to run outside.   thanks for the lands end tip.  I need some black pants for friday's concert.  Kohl's didn't have michael's size.   I'm going to check lands end right now.  I bet they have husky too.  Good luck on your run today!!

*Maria*-That's great you do so well this month.  That's not easy to do.  What is BBT?  I know I should know, and will probably remember once i hit post reply, but just curious.  

*Rose*-Thanks for sharing about Petey.  I definitely want her to sleep in the crate, and am setting my mind to get her to do it.  The hard part last night was michael was going to bed at the same time, so he heard her crying and barking, but I explained why she needs to be in the crate.  If it doesn't get better through this week, I'm going to move her crate into the playroom so she's closer to our bedrooms and see if that helps.  Sorry about the fudge, and your mom's birthday.  And I need to send a hug.  I just feel so bad that your mom treated you like that, but so glad that you are a survivor and are alright in spite of her.  

*Nancy*-Good luck with the inlaws!!  The professional pictures on facebook are amazing.  SHe is so talented. 

*Lindsay* -That would aggravate me not being notified the practice was cancelled, or when the games were.  Football was cancelled one night 15 min prior to when it was to start, but luckily I was home and saw my email, but that was the worst for us.  Is Ryan enjoying playing?  How is your Grammy doing?

*LisaR*-Hope you have a good run today.

Well, I mailed my ornament this morning!!  Very excited.  I had to mail some cards to Ireland too, so that was good.  I often skip Ireland for CHristmas cards, but my cousin lost her husband this year, and my friend Anne's dad passed away too so I wanted to send her mom a card this year.  And if I didn't have the ornament swap, I might not have done it.  So thank you ladies.  There was noone at the post office either at 830.  I was shocked.  I guess next weekend will be the crazy weekend.  

I mailed a few cards, but need to do the rest, but I think I'm going to go get some christmas decorations out.  

Have a great day!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon  and !

I'm taking a moment to enjoy the fruits of my labor -- I finally made those oatmeal choc chip cookies! I was all set to do it when I got home last night, and we were out of eggs! Dennis purged the fridge, not realizing I was counting on at least one egg when I got home  Oh well, it freed up time to do a quick straightening in all my Flylady zones, so it was all good. So, I had two cookies and a cup of hot tea, pretty good for someone who has only had 100 cal Nesquick and clif bloks today 

*Kathy* -- Forgive my "geek speak", BBT is Big Bang Theory. We decided this summer it was ok for Ben to watch, and he is hooked, and so am I  Can I just say you have a totally precious Christmas card?! Love it  Um, that's on my list of things to do today, addressing our cards. Shall we take bets whether Dennis gets Ben's picture taken? To be fair, they are out shopping for my Christmas presents, so it would be pretty churlish of me to complain. Dennis had to curtail his usual Christmas Eve shopping. He has to run that morning, the Pats play that afternoon, and he knows it would not be pretty if he announced he was going to be out that night 

*Lindsay* -- I would have been annoyed, too. It is pretty thoughtless when parents don't get all the information. I hope that is the most annoying thing you have to deal with this weekend  

*Lisah* -- I know you are out doing that 14M! I am so proud of you, you are going to  the Tink! 

*Rose* -- I read your Rocky Raccoon story on the BL thread, and you gave me my laugh for the day. I know it wasn't funny when it happened, but I just pictured Tom sitting there and the raccoon poking it's head through the ceiling 

*Nancy* -- Is Santa all ready to come to your house? Does Thomas understand yet? Ben was almost three when Christmas rolled around, and he sort of got it -- sort of because his Christmas list consisted of bananas and "twizwahs". He didn't quite get the concept Santa would bring a sleigh load of toys...had I had some restraint that year, he might not think Christmas = Mom and Dad Clearly Must Be an ATM...

*Lisa* -- I hope your run today is all you are hoping for. Three snowstorms in one week would do me in  You are a hearty soul! 

*Pamela* -- I can't seem to make it over to the other thread. A bedroom calendar is just that, a calendar for my bedroom, so I can record my weight and workouts with some privacy, rather than in the kitchen for the world to see. Dennis tries to be cute, but I've asked to him to get me something I actually want to look at this year. 2010 was cow abductions, 2011 was goats in trees. No, I am not kidding...

So back to me -- after grocery shopping last night I was exhausted and starving. Why would I be starving? Partly my own fault for not making sure I ate more when I got home -- because the office party food was barely happening! When you walked into the restaurant you got two tickets, one for the veggie buffet, and one for the carving station. When we walked through the veggie buffet, there was barely anything on it. I took a spoon of the pasta, a spoon of the roasted veggie mix (skipping the mashed potatoes!), a good sized tongful of salad, and two small crostini. We got our table and my friend went up to the carving station. By the time she got through, I decided it wasn't worth the wait. She had skipped the turkey because it was too pink, and the roast beef had barely stopped mooing . They only had water or soda to drink and since I just don't drink soda, I had water. The dessert selection was cookies, and some anemic looking lemon and pecan bars. I passed. All in all, I consider it a success since I did not go crazy eating just because I felt out of place! 

Anyway, I got home and did the straightening, and then we headed out to grocery shop. It was after 8:30 when we got home, and my stomach was not happy. I should mention that isn't all I ate, I did have almonds, a Babybel, and a handful of Stacy's pita chips before we left. Anyway, Dennis went to the Mexican place and got me two cheese enchiladas with rice and beans. I had a Dove peppermint bark square and called it a night after watching Person of Interest and Brad Meltzer's Decoded. 

I was up at 7:30 this morning, and started getting ready for my run. I had been meaning to download a couple of songs, so I did that first -- and I have my new favorite! I  the Glee remix of "I Will Survive/I'm a Survivor"! Really peppy, and what woman doesn't love to mentally sing along with the Gloria Gaynor standard?! So anyway, my 10M went great! I'm a little more sore than I would like, but at least I don't have to go anywhere today. 

I got cleaned up and started the laundry, then baked the cookies. The rest of my day is more fluid. I should start those Christmas cards, do some wrapping, and I have enough Tivo to last me through the New Year  I also have a pile of books I really want to read, so life is good 

I have my ornament packaged and ready to mail, Dennis is going to take care of that for me Monday. Once I go through my holiday control journal and make notes, I will figure out what to do next. 

I hope you are all off having a wonderful Saturday! One more thing -- I am sitting here thinking how grateful I am to have all of you in my life! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi friends!

i have a second to post because i sent john to costco with thomas. neither is too excited about that but too bad 

*maria -  *oatmeal cookies and a cup of tea sound fabulous right now. i love oatmeal cookies. my friend came last weekend and brought chocolate and pecan cookies that she made the night before and they were ALL gone two days later 

nice work on the 10 miler! and the glee survivor song was excellent. i'm actually a huge michael jackson fan (like, obsessed crazy person fan) so people kept texting me after the show (we were dvr'ing it) saying, "nance, you MUST watch glee tonight!!" lol!

*kathy - *it sounds like you're practicing CIO (cry it out) with poko! we did that with thomas when he was older - made him stay in his crib at night even if he cried. it's hard but it works, even for doggies!  you are doing a great job. is there a petco by you? they do training there and i've heard good things about it. 

i wonder if you move the crate closer to you and she barks then she'll wake michael up even more? 

i didn't know what BBT was either when *maria *posted it. i obviously had a very hard time conceiving at one point in my life because i thought BBT was basal body temperature which is what you measure to figure out when you're ovulating! lol!!! totally the same thing as big bang theory haha

*lindsay - *how nice of the basketball coach to not let you know that the gym was double booked. nothing like trekking out somewhere for nothing! 

*lisa - *how was your long run?? you know, besides long? oh and nice tip on lands' end pants! i love ordering from there. in fact i have two windows open on my internet - the DIS and lands' end. i just got a box from them today. bought my dad gloves and a hat, a mitten ice scraper for john's stocking, a couple drapey-type sweaters for me to hide the butt and belly flab this winter, and a pair of shoes for thomas. i love their stuff, very high quality 

*rose - *i forget, when do you leave for disney? i haven't been on the main thread but now i need to go and check out the rocky raccoon story! you've had snow in kentucky and this past week it got up to 60 degrees up here! it's finally normal-for-december temps now...probably why we're all sick.

*****
hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far. i've really been doing a whole lot of nothing lately but i guess that's to be expected with a baby around. he is 2 weeks old already! and i'm finally feeling much more recovered. i can actually sit without pain now! with thomas i couldn't sit for about a month! maybe going natural had something to do with it? not that i'd ever do THAT again! 

i'm so pleased with the photos that the photographer took. she is SO talented! she is doing the christmas card for us too. ordered them last night and hope to get them by the end of next week. i'll have to turn them around quickly. they are costing an arm and a leg but hey, you only have this time in your life once, right? so i expect everyone to frame their cards when they receive them  

ILs coming tomorrow. blergh. i'm going to do my best to just go with the flow and not let them bother me. of course i will want to kill them when MIL complains that the baby is sleeping and she can't see his eyes or when he's hungry and i go into the other room to feed him because can't i just give him a bottle??  

my eating is horrendous. i have 18 lbs to lose before i'm out of the "overweight" classification according to BMI and then another 10 lbs after that before i'm back to my goal. eek. had mcdonalds for lunch today. so really i have no right to complain. i'm looking forward to getting back out there and running. i wonder what i'll be able to do - i could run 4 miles fairly easily most days of the week until i was about 6 months pregnant. then i walked most days for another month. but after that i did absolutely nothing and just gained weight steadily. i wonder if i'll need to start with the c25k program again. think i kept any fitness at all? i'm hoping that my body will at least remember a little bit of running so i'm not starting at square one.

have a great evening!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Worfiedoodles said:


> One more thing -- I am sitting here thinking how grateful I am to have all of you in my life!



i feel this way every time i log onto the DIS and come to this thread. the support, love, and friendship i've received from you on here has been wonderful and something i never thought possible from an online forum. we certainly are lucky to live in a time where it's possible for us all to have met!


----------



## Rose&Mike

The raccoon story was pretty funny. Tom said at one point one of his roomates was sitting in his room with a baseball bat in case he came back. I just keep picturing these big old 20 something year old boys not having a clue as to what to do. 

Tom made it home yesterday. We had a little drama last night, but it's my fault this time. I don't speak up when I want something and then when it doesn't work out I get my feelings hurt. I think it's a Mom thing--anyhow, it all worked out and hopefully that was our drama for this trip. Tom says we always have to have a little drama, so if that was it we will have a good visit!

I did 4 miles on the tm yesterday and I ran the last tenth. Shhh, don't tell my pt. My foot felt good--except for a minute or two when I was trying to walk too fast--I had it at 4.2. It was sore last night, but I really beat it up on the golf ball after the tm, so that was probably a lot of it. Today it feels good, so I am starting to get excited about the Princess! I actually think it will be a lot of fun, because we have absolutely no aspirations of a PR, so hopefully I can just relax and enjoy myself. I will have to get up and make sure my hair looks good for the pictures.

I have my ornament ready to mail! And I received mine, but haven't opened it yet! I won't share who it was from until we open--unless you all want me to.

I have a million things to do, so I need to get busy!



Worfiedoodles said:


> G
> I hope you are all off having a wonderful Saturday! One more thing -- I am sitting here thinking how grateful I am to have all of you in my life!
> 
> Maria





dumbo_buddy said:


> i feel this way every time i log onto the DIS and come to this thread. the support, love, and friendship i've received from you on here has been wonderful and something i never thought possible from an online forum. we certainly are lucky to live in a time where it's possible for us all to have met!



Me too.  

I do love my sisters, but we all carry so much baggage, that it often makes things difficult. We don't have baggage--we're just friends. It's been a true blessing in my life.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, seriously, I can't believe this. I was doing dis and Christmas cards. Mike was putting lights on a wreathe. The dog drug his bed into the sun and CHEWED a BIG HOLE in it and pulled stuffing all over the floor!!!! They have had the bed for years. And now he's going to cry tonight when he doesn't have a bed to sleep in! Uggh! Mike thought it was so cute that he pulled the bed into the sun. Normally he chews holes in his blanket--it's totally holey, but I can't believe he chewed up his own bed! Silly dog.

But wait, it gets better. I kept smelling something. Well, Mike forgot to put something on our overstuffed chair last night and he puked all over it! Uggh. I am not a happy pet owner today.


----------



## lisah0711

Rose I'll trade your dog for my kid suffering from no cable or Internet.  He has resorted to texting me his woes! :rofl:  Thank goodness for the iPhone!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

well the best part of the IL visit is that it's over! eek. i could have killed my lovely husband yesterday. he swore up and down they'd stay for an hour and he'd kick them out after. they arrived a few minutes early (that's not too bad - they used to come hours early. we hosted christmas one year and told everyone to come at 2pm. MIL and FIL showed up at TEN AM! i was sitting in a chair next to the garbage can peeling potatoes still in my pj's and no bra. they just sat there and waited the 4 hours til the rest of the guests come. no offer of help, nothing. i had to serve them food and drinks while they waited and i never did get that shower). MIL was dressed in one of those ridiculous christmas sweaters that would win any ugly sweater contest. but, whatever, she's old, who cares. john was like, "oh mom i love your sweater!" he is such a mama's boy. 

highlights include:
-i was sitting on the couch with matthew. i have a little stand next to the couch that has my laptop and phone and hand sanitizer. instead of asking them to wash hands i had the sanitizer out. i used some and handed it to MIL and said, "would you like some?" she said, "no thanks, i sanitized my hands at home" .....in pennsylvania...hours ago...before they had breakfast at some diner by them. uh, ok, whatever.
-john's sister kathleen (the one diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer a few months ago) was taken off lithium and put on something else. she has lost probably 35 pounds and looks terrible. the meds have her like a walking zombie. she just walked around the house and stared at different things. it was so awkward. i don't get it. she's on heavy anti-psychotics but doesn't see a counselor or psychiatrist or anything. how is that ok?
-john told me that he would explain to his family why we weren't seeing them on christmas (last year was a complete nightmare, yelling and screaming. every christmas is like that and i'm not doing it anymore) but when MIL asked us what was going on for christmas (she hinted that WE should have it. haha) he just said oh i think we're going to have our own b/c we don't want to travel with the baby. um...NO! that's not it! we're going to jersey for christmas eve - that's traveling! whatever. then they all look at me because obviously it's ME who is not "letting" john be with his family. 

ok, i'm done venting. i could go on but i won't bore you! i should write a book though!

have to get the kiddos dressed for mommy and me. it's cold out today!

*rose - *how did the dog do without his chewed bed??? dogs are so dumb sometimes! eat your bed, then you don't have it! duh! silly.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

*Nancy,* glad that you survived the IL visit!   Good for you sticking to your guns on the Christmas visit thing.  John can take the boys and see them and give you a little break -- once your ****s get on board with the whole BF thing.  

*Rose,* Ed says it's better for Moms to just not know about some of the stuff that goes on with guys in college.    Sorry about your pup.    (We are allowed to hug you again, right?) I wonder what is going on that is upsetting him and making him do all this silly stuff? 

*Kathy,* glad that Poko is adjusting to her new home.  Hopefully moving the crate will do the trick so she knows that you guys are around when she wakes in the night.  It's like getting your baby to learn to comfort themselves.    You can do it!

Any luck with the pants?  They do have husky and they hem them for you for free.    The pants that Robert gets are uniform pants and they have an elastic waist.  That was handy when he was going through his phase where his waist would grow then disappear as he grew taller.  Now he is string bean guy.  When I was measuring him for pants this fall I told him "don't suck in your stomach" and he said "I'm not."   

*Lindsay,* hope that you had a fun week-end with your guys!  
And that your staff gets over their emotional upsets now that the full moon has passed so you can get your projects done.  

*Maria,* sorry about the office party thing.    I don't really like those things anyway and to add skimpy food on top of it -- grrr!  Sorry I had to chuckle about your calendars -- those crazy guys!    Great job on the 10M!  You  and *Rose *are going to be so ready for the Princess!  

*Lisa,* great job on your run yesterday!   This is the fun part of training because you realize how strong you are and that you can really do this thing!   

I'm sad to say that my run did not turn out the way I expected on Saturday.  Only got to 11 miles due to a knee that would just not stop hurting.  I tried everything, slowing down, moving to the TM, and just walking.  I also rubbed a big blister on the bottom of my foot that I've never done before.  My shoes are from June so I am hoping that some new ones will do the trick.  Even with lots of Tylenol Arthritis and Aleve it is still hurting today.  I may get a referral to the PT that helped with my PF from my doctor just for peace of mind.  It's on the outside of the knee so I am thinking ITBS from moving to the track and going in one direction along with old shoes caused the problem.    At least the rest of my running was good so I won't have a totally sucky report to my coach this week.  

The good news is that we did manage to survive most of the day without internet and cable.  After the initial texting flurry Robert resigned himself fairly quickly and was happy to read books until it was repaired later in the day.  

The internet being down caused me to miss the Princess and Belle lovefest yesterday, too.    I do love you all and treasure our friendship more than you can imagine!   

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy- Good job sticking your ground with poko.  that is not an easy thing to do.  I think I ended up with post partum for a week or two after we got our dog so I agree it is like adjusting to a new baby.  I got your xmas card today and loved it.  Michael is just so adorable and I love the pets too.

Lisa H- oooh I hope your knee feels better soon.  Some PT sooner than later may be good to get yourself back in business before the Tink.  Good job for legging out the 11 though that is noting to blink at. 

Rose- Glad tom made it home safe and I hope the drama is now behind you.  Enjoy the time while he is home.

Maria- How disappointing your xmas party sounded.  Thats why I allow my staff to vote on what we will have or do....then they can only blame themselves.  Sounds like you had a pretty productive weekend.

Nancy- You seriously should right a book because your sense of humor just makes me crack up laughing so hard.  Mike probably thinks I am loosing it because I am down in the basement laughing hysterically to myself.  I cant believe your inlaws.  They sound even worse than mine and thats pretty bad.  Im glad there visit was kept short.  I get completely annoyed to with Mike....he just about rolls out the red carpet for his mom and she is a darn idiot.  It annoys me beyond belief.  I always joke with my mom that I have to clean the entire house and shine every door knob because the queen is coming to visit. Ok thats enough....I can go on for days too.

Lisa- I loved your hawaiian family photo xmas card.  I hope your running is going well and that you are feeling much better.

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

Ok its been a few days so prepare yourself for the book.

Saturday- Had a holiday breakfast at Ryan's school.  I volunteered to help set up and I loved how organized it was.  Mike and the boys met me there at 9am and we had pancakes and sausage for breakfast.  Santa came and the kids agreed to stand next to him for a picture....they will not sit on his lap.  They also made a holiday ornament.  It was lots of fun.  

Then we had Ryans first bball game.  It turned out to be just fine and the coach has seemed to calmed down a bit.  Ryan got pretty much playing time.  He did good once he figured out that he does not need to play defense on both sides of the court.  This is quite a learning process for him but he is quickly getting it.

Then we drove out to the tree farm to cut down the most perfect of trees.  This usually takes me awhile (remember I have a type A personality).  Well my husband told me this year I needed to not be picky so I allowed him to pick a tree fairly quickly.  I insisted I thought the trunk looked crooked but he said no way.  Then it took him 20 minutes to cut the darn thing down because somehow every year he picks a bad saw.  We got it home.  Grabbed lunch at subway and then started to get it set up.  There was more arguing about it than anything but after a few minutes we go to stand the thing up and it scraped our ceiling.  I had to trip half the darn tree off the top for it to fit.  Needless to say we do not have the star on top this year.  oh and guess what....the freakin tree is crooked.  It had a curved trunk....go figure.  After that fiasco I tried to vaccum up all the pine needles that came off...like piles of them.  My dyson clogged up.  It took me a long time to fix that, meanwhile the kids are getting antsy and whiny because all they want to do is decorate the tree.  So I get the lights out, check them, and string them on.  Go to plug them in.....yep you guessed it.  The lights didnt work anymore.  So out I drove to 3 stores that didnt have white lights.  I settled for multicolored.  Got back and got them on the tree.  Go to put the garland on....yep only enough for half of the tree.  Take that back off and decided to just let the kids put the ornaments on the tree where ever they wanted to...which meant about 60 ornaments all on the front bottom half of the tree.  But I was done.

Sunday- Sunday school program rehersal at church...got there and realized I forgot the cookies my mom and I baked on Friday for the shut ins.  Had mike drive them to the church, that was his pay back for getting the tree with the curved trunk.  Then I spent the day at my nana's where it was filled with lots of child drama....way more than I need on a weekend.  I ate entirely to much all day out of boredom.

Today was back to work and the full moon is still around because it was just insane.

We are basically taking it day by day with my grammy.  She is pretty much out of it.  Doesnt know any of us, isnt really talking or responding, just staring.  Its so sad.  She is on pureed foods now because she kept choking on solids.  I can only pray god would take her and ease her pain soon.

I have so much to do this week but my goal is to get to zumba tues, wed, and saturday.  I have a few holiday parties this weekend and I need to keep my momentum through this time especially.

I also want to get more running in.  I pretty much have been doing 2X a week right now.  I want to sign up for the local half I did last year which is at the end of april.  I believe training would start sometime in January.  

oh by the way.  I love you all too.  I was joking with Mike that we have not received any xmas cards from family or real life friends yet but I received 2 from my internet family.  Life wouldnt be the same not having you all here to talk to.

Have a great night.


----------



## mikamah

I just want to say I love you all too.   It's so great to have your unending love and support, through all of lifes ups and downs.  

My goal is to catch up for real today, but for right now, I was laughing at how much your husbands, (nancy and Lindsay) just love their moms, and wonder if my little Michael will be just the same way.


----------



## mikamah

Rose&Mike said:


> Tom made it home yesterday. We had a little drama last night, but it's my fault this time. I don't speak up when I want something and then when it doesn't work out I get my feelings hurt. I think it's a Mom thing--anyhow, it all worked out and hopefully that was our drama for this trip. Tom says we always have to have a little drama, so if that was it we will have a good visit!


Hope that's the only drama this whole time with Tom.  You must be getting so excited for your trip.  



Rose&Mike said:


> I did 4 miles on the tm yesterday and I ran the last tenth. Shhh, don't tell my pt. My foot felt good--except for a minute or two when I was trying to walk too fast--I had it at 4.2. It was sore last night, but I really beat it up on the golf ball after the tm, so that was probably a lot of it. Today it feels good, so I am starting to get excited about the Princess! I actually think it will be a lot of fun, because we have absolutely no aspirations of a PR, so hopefully I can just relax and enjoy myself. I will have to get up and make sure my hair looks good for the pictures.


I expect to see pictures of you with all the characters who's lines were too long for me to stop.  Especially all the princes's.  


Rose&Mike said:


> I do love my sisters, but we all carry so much baggage, that it often makes things difficult. We don't have baggage--we're just friends. It's been a true blessing in my life.


So nicely said, and so very true. 



Rose&Mike said:


> Ok, seriously, I can't believe this. I was doing dis and Christmas cards. Mike was putting lights on a wreathe. The dog drug his bed into the sun and CHEWED a BIG HOLE in it and pulled stuffing all over the floor!!!! They have had the bed for years. And now he's going to cry tonight when he doesn't have a bed to sleep in! Uggh! Mike thought it was so cute that he pulled the bed into the sun. Normally he chews holes in his blanket--it's totally holey, but I can't believe he chewed up his own bed! Silly dog.
> 
> But wait, it gets better. I kept smelling something. Well, Mike forgot to put something on our overstuffed chair last night and he puked all over it! Uggh. I am not a happy pet owner today.


oh bad petey.  poor mama.  Michael's learning not to leave his things on the floor here.  Nothing too important's been chewed, luckily.  We usually catch it quick.  



lisah0711 said:


> Rose I'll trade your dog for my kid suffering from no cable or Internet.  He has resorted to texting me his woes!  Thank goodness for the iPhone!


Poor Robert.  Hope it's all back up and running and life is good at your house.



dumbo_buddy said:


> *kathy - *it sounds like you're practicing CIO (cry it out) with poko! we did that with thomas when he was older - made him stay in his crib at night even if he cried. it's hard but it works, even for doggies!  you are doing a great job. is there a petco by you? they do training there and i've heard good things about it.
> 
> i wonder if you move the crate closer to you and she barks then she'll wake michael up even more?
> 
> i


We're practicing the cry it out, move the crate, just let me sleep method this week.  She's better in the crate in the living room, and last night I slept on the couch but she did bark so I went in my bedroom and she stopped, and when she started again it was 4, so I came back on the couch, not talking to her at all, and she was quiet for another hour, and then she just started moving and yawning, and it was almost time to get up, so I got up hoping to beat the barking, and show her that barking won't get her out of the crate.  We have met so many dog/owners this week, and so many share stories, and I feel so very lucky to have gotten this little puppy.  She is settling in really nicely, and mostly the only time she barks is when she's in the crate, she loves to meet people and other dogs, and will jump up on anyone, but she's so friendly and sweet, and I really feel like she is the perfect dog for us.  The neighbors I've talked to don't really hear her barking during the day either.  One said once her dog barks, she'll hear poko answer, but that's it.  So I do think she's pretty quiet most of the day.  We checked out the classes at petco and petsmart, both are close by, and after christmas will get into one.  OMG, thanks for asking, like you wanted to hear all that.  I guess I'm officially a dog person now.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> [my eating is horrendous. i have 18 lbs to lose before i'm out of the "overweight" classification according to BMI and then another 10 lbs after that before i'm back to my goal. eek. had mcdonalds for lunch today. so really i have no right to complain. i'm looking forward to getting back out there and running. i wonder what i'll be able to do - i could run 4 miles fairly easily most days of the week until i was about 6 months pregnant. then i walked most days for another month. but after that i did absolutely nothing and just gained weight steadily. i wonder if i'll need to start with the c25k program again. think i kept any fitness at all? i'm hoping that my body will at least remember a little bit of running so i'm not starting at square one.
> 
> have a great evening!


I bet you'll be surprised at how much fitness you have retained.  You were out walking way into your pregnancy, and keeping very busy right til the end.  Be patient with yourself.  THe c25k would be a good start, but you could modify it if you felt good and do a little more running.




Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Afternoon
> 
> I'm taking a moment to enjoy the fruits of my labor -- I finally made those oatmeal choc chip cookies! I was all set to do it when I got home last night, and we were out of eggs! Dennis purged the fridge, not realizing I was counting on at least one egg when I got home Oh well, it freed up time to do a quick straightening in all my Flylady zones, so it was all good. So, I had two cookies and a cup of hot tea, pretty good for someone who has only had 100 cal Nesquick and clif bloks today


Cookies sound delicious.  We need to do some baking this weekend.  Well not need to, but want to. I could really go for a gingerbread cookie with my coffee right now.



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Kathy* -- Forgive my "geek speak", BBT is Big Bang Theory. We decided this summer it was ok for Ben to watch, and he is hooked, and so am I  Can I just say you have a totally precious Christmas card?! Love it  Um, that's on my list of things to do today, addressing our cards. Shall we take bets whether Dennis gets Ben's picture taken? To be fair, they are out shopping for my Christmas presents, so it would be pretty churlish of me to complain. Dennis had to curtail his usual Christmas Eve shopping. He has to run that morning, the Pats play that afternoon, and he knows it would not be pretty if he announced he was going to be out that night
> 
> [ 2010 was cow abductions, 2011 was goats in trees. No, I am not kidding...
> 
> Anyway, I got home and did the straightening, and then we headed out to grocery shop. It was after 8:30 when we got home, and my stomach was not happy. I should mention that isn't all I ate, I did have almonds, a Babybel, and a handful of Stacy's pita chips before we left. Anyway, Dennis went to the Mexican place and got me two cheese enchiladas with rice and beans. I had a Dove peppermint bark square and called it a night after watching Person of Interest and Brad Meltzer's Decoded.
> 
> I


Very smart to not eat the yucky food at the party, and a nice mexican meal once in a while is good for the soul.   
I love BBT.  It is hilarious, but I don't watch it too often.  Oh, I should check netflix. Your calendars sound very interesting.  So funny.  We were at the mall a few weeks ago with 2 of michael's friends, and they went in the calendar store and were sneaking and looking at the girlie calendars.  Too cute.  THey had one boy look out for us mom's and the other 2 looking.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> well the best part of the IL visit is that it's over! eek. i could have killed my lovely husband yesterday. he swore up and down they'd stay for an hour and he'd kick them out after. they arrived a few minutes early (that's not too bad - they used to come hours early. we hosted christmas one year and told everyone to come at 2pm. MIL and FIL showed up at TEN AM! i was sitting in a chair next to the garbage can peeling potatoes still in my pj's and no bra. they just sat there and waited the 4 hours til the rest of the guests come. no offer of help, nothing. i had to serve them food and drinks while they waited and i never did get that shower). MIL was dressed in one of those ridiculous christmas sweaters that would win any ugly sweater contest. but, whatever, she's old, who cares. john was like, "oh mom i love your sweater!" he is such a mama's boy.
> 
> highlights include:
> -i was sitting on the couch with matthew. i have a little stand next to the couch that has my laptop and phone and hand sanitizer. instead of asking them to wash hands i had the sanitizer out. i used some and handed it to MIL and said, "would you like some?" she said, "no thanks, i sanitized my hands at home" .....in pennsylvania...hours ago...before they had breakfast at some diner by them. uh, ok, whatever.
> -john's sister kathleen (the one diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer a few months ago) was taken off lithium and put on something else. she has lost probably 35 pounds and looks terrible. the meds have her like a walking zombie. she just walked around the house and stared at different things. it was so awkward. i don't get it. she's on heavy anti-psychotics but doesn't see a counselor or psychiatrist or anything. how is that ok?
> -john told me that he would explain to his family why we weren't seeing them on christmas (last year was a complete nightmare, yelling and screaming. every christmas is like that and i'm not doing it anymore) but when MIL asked us what was going on for christmas (she hinted that WE should have it. haha) he just said oh i think we're going to have our own b/c we don't want to travel with the baby. um...NO! that's not it! we're going to jersey for christmas eve - that's traveling! whatever. then they all look at me because obviously it's ME who is not "letting" john be with his family.
> 
> .


OMG, Lindsay is right, you should write a book.  You have a fantastic way of writing.  Hilarious.  Glad the visit is over, and you aren't letting John be with his family on christmas, mean old sil. 



lisah0711 said:


> *Rose,* Ed says it's better for Moms to just not know about some of the stuff that goes on with guys in college.


Oh my I'm not going to do well with that.  I want to know EVERYTHING!!!



lisah0711 said:


> *Kathy,* glad that Poko is adjusting to her new home.  Hopefully moving the crate will do the trick so she knows that you guys are around when she wakes in the night.  It's like getting your baby to learn to comfort themselves.  You can do it!
> 
> Any luck with the pants?  They do have husky and they hem them for you for free.  The pants that Robert gets are uniform pants and they have an elastic waist.  That was handy when he was going through his phase where his waist would grow then disappear as he grew taller.  Now he is string bean guy.  When I was measuring him for pants this fall I told him "don't suck in your stomach" and he said "I'm not."


Yeah, I think Poko is going to be just fine, and after watching her go after a few things here and there in my totally not puppyproof home, I will make sure she becomes a crate dog when we go out.  She could get into too much trouble.  I saw the pants, but need them for friday, so didn't order them since I wasn't sure if the hemming took longer. We are going to sears tonight.  I love the pants with the adjustible waists too.  



lisah0711 said:


> I'm sad to say that my run did not turn out the way I expected on Saturday.  Only got to 11 miles due to a knee that would just not stop hurting.  I tried everything, slowing down, moving to the TM, and just walking.  I also rubbed a big blister on the bottom of my foot that I've never done before.  My shoes are from June so I am hoping that some new ones will do the trick.  Even with lots of Tylenol Arthritis and Aleve it is still hurting today.  I may get a referral to the PT that helped with my PF from my doctor just for peace of mind.  It's on the outside of the knee so I am thinking ITBS from moving to the track and going in one direction along with old shoes caused the problem.   At least the rest of my running was good so I won't have a totally sucky report to my coach this week.
> 
> The good news is that we did manage to survive most of the day without internet and cable.  After the initial texting flurry Robert resigned himself fairly quickly and was happy to read books until it was repaired later in the day.
> 
> The internet being down caused me to miss the Princess and Belle lovefest yesterday, too.    I do love you all and treasure our friendship more than you can imagine!
> 
> Have a great day ladies!


So sorry about the knee and foot.  YOu are wise to nip it in the bud and go back for some PT, just to make sure it is ok for the Tink.  11 miles is nothing to shake a stick at, and I have no doubt if you were in DL, you would have gone the next 2.1 miles and crossed that finishline.  Hopefully new shoes will help that blister heal and keep any more away.  How are you feeling now?  Is the knee any better?
Glad you all survived the internet/cable free day.  
Love you too Lisa. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Then we had Ryans first bball game.  It turned out to be just fine and the coach has seemed to calmed down a bit.  Ryan got pretty much playing time.  He did good once he figured out that he does not need to play defense on both sides of the court.  This is quite a learning process for him but he is quickly getting it.
> 
> Then we drove out to the tree farm to cut down the most perfect of trees.  This usually takes me awhile (remember I have a type A personality).  Well my husband told me this year I needed to not be picky so I allowed him to pick a tree fairly quickly.  I insisted I thought the trunk looked crooked but he said no way.  Then it took him 20 minutes to cut the darn thing down because somehow every year he picks a bad saw.  We got it home.  Grabbed lunch at subway and then started to get it set up.  There was more arguing about it than anything but after a few minutes we go to stand the thing up and it scraped our ceiling.  I had to trip half the darn tree off the top for it to fit.  Needless to say we do not have the star on top this year.  oh and guess what....the freakin tree is crooked.  It had a curved trunk....go figure.  After that fiasco I tried to vaccum up all the pine needles that came off...like piles of them.  My dyson clogged up.  It took me a long time to fix that, meanwhile the kids are getting antsy and whiny because all they want to do is decorate the tree.  So I get the lights out, check them, and string them on.  Go to plug them in.....yep you guessed it.  The lights didnt work anymore.  So out I drove to 3 stores that didnt have white lights.  I settled for multicolored.  Got back and got them on the tree.  Go to put the garland on....yep only enough for half of the tree.  Take that back off and decided to just let the kids put the ornaments on the tree where ever they wanted to...which meant about 60 ornaments all on the front bottom half of the tree.  But I was done.
> 
> Sunday- Sunday school program rehersal at church...got there and realized I forgot the cookies my mom and I baked on Friday for the shut ins.  Had mike drive them to the church, that was his pay back for getting the tree with the curved trunk.  Then I spent the day at my nana's where it was filled with lots of child drama....way more than I need on a weekend.  I ate entirely to much all day out of boredom.
> 
> Today was back to work and the full moon is still around because it was just insane.
> 
> We are basically taking it day by day with my grammy.  She is pretty much out of it.  Doesnt know any of us, isnt really talking or responding, just staring.  Its so sad.  She is on pureed foods now because she kept choking on solids.  I can only pray god would take her and ease her pain soon.
> 
> I have so much to do this week but my goal is to get to zumba tues, wed, and saturday.  I have a few holiday parties this weekend and I need to keep my momentum through this time especially.
> 
> I also want to get more running in.  I pretty much have been doing 2X a week right now.  I want to sign up for the local half I did last year which is at the end of april.  I believe training would start sometime in January.
> 
> oh by the way.  I love you all too.  I was joking with Mike that we have not received any xmas cards from family or real life friends yet but I received 2 from my internet family.  Life wouldnt be the same not having you all here to talk to.
> 
> Have a great night.


Glad the bb game went well, and the coach is chilling out a bit.  Love the tree fiasco.   I'm guessing you'll be picking the trees from here on out.  Our's is small, and we could get one this size much cheaper I'm sure already cut, but I just love sawing it down ourselves, and even more love the fact the needles do not fall off, other than the first few dead ones there always seems to be.  
Hugs on Grammy.  Sounds like she is comfortable, so that is good.  

Hello *LIsaR*-Hope you are well, and having a good week.  Love the card.  Kids are so cute, and I love the family pic. 

Off for another quick walk before work.  I think Maria asked, but yes I do feel like I'm getting way more exercise now.  We are walking about at least 60-90 min most days, more on weekends.  I have not had this consistent exercise in a long time, since the princess training, I think.  So it feels good.  Eating, not the best, but weight steady 3 weeks in a row at 211.  I'm trying to be better this week, and hope to get under 210 on friday for the final bl weighin.  

Have a fantastic day everyone!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lindsay -  *i'm glad ryan's coach calmed down a bit. and i totally lol'd at ryan playing D for both sides! i remember there was one girl when i was a kid playing who just ran around with her hands up. she never put them down. i think her dad must have told her to keep her hands up when playing defense and she just took it a little too literally. her name was becky. she will forever be known to me as hands-up becky. 

sounds like your tree experience is pretty on par for what everyone goes through. that's why we do a fake tree. i can't be bothered with going to pick on and dealing with needles and all that. our fake tree even gave us problems. day after turkey day we put it up and after we plugged it in we discovered that 2/3 of the pre-lit lights on the tree didn't work.  john had to go to home depot the following week and get a new one. and OF COURSE he bought one that's too short. our tree will forever be known to me as stumpy.

we had a breakfast with santa on sunday. thomas sat on his lap but only because he was getting a toy. i like that your boys stood next to him. they are so handsome! loved the pic! 

*kathy - *thank you for sending me a christmas card! michael looks so happy with his two furry friends. fredward cracks me up and i love that he got a place on the card too! and poko is such a pretty dog. i have to say i would have preferred the picture on the card to be the one where michael is INSIDE poko's crate! we used to put my cousin lillie in our crate when she came over. my aunt would get so mad when she came in and there she was with fiona playing in the crate. that was before i had my own kids 

*lisa - *welcome back to the lovefest! glad you could rejoin us in our cyber-hugs! i am sorry about your knee issues and the blister but i just had to giggle at the "i _only_got in 11 miles" comment. only 11 miles. imagine that! you are so killing it during this training. a PT referral might do the trick to get that knee back in ship shape and get you to that tink finish line. 

no cable or internet? eek. that sounds like a fate worse than death in this house! makes me think more about how we watch waaaaay too much tv up in this hizzouse. too much tv makes me talk like jay-z apparently 

*maria - *so...back to your oatmeal chocolate chip cookies....care to share the recipe? are they difficult to make? i sure could go for some right now. instead i'll settle on the steel cut oatmeal i just made - not the instant stuff, i just made the kind that takes 30 min to make. i guess that's one good thing about staying at home. 30 min oatmeal is doable.

*lisaR -*loooooved your christmas card! thank you for sending it! your kids are just too adorable! also it makes me want to go back to hawaii...too bad that won't be happening anytime soon! how's the training going???

*rose - *how is tom's visit going? drama still behind you? i hope so! and the foot? how's your foot? i didn't tell your PT that you ran on the treadmill but if you're not being careful and going easy i may be tempted to tattle! take it easy!!!

******

good tuesday morning everyone! john left this morning for florida  i almost pooped myself when he told me this weekend he had to go away for work but luckily he is going to be back tonight. flying to jacksonville, having a meeting, flying back. he probably won't be home til like 1am though. uggggh. at least it's just one day. he's going to be gone at the end of february for a week for the global pet show in orlando. i'm dreading that. hopefully baby boy will be sleeping for some longer stretches by then....hopefully. john's going to pick up our APs when he's down there - he will probably have some free time so might hit up some parks. lucky! i told him he should do all the thrill rides since he won't have to worry about baby swap and all that. 

i've been on a total binge fest the last two days. i think it's a combo of being tired, stressed, a tiny bit depressed (mostly b/c it's cold and even though i want to go out, both boys have colds) so i'm turning to food. i gained a couple pounds which puts me farther from goal. eh, whatever. i'm still SOOOO much better than i thought i would be. after thomas i was in a major funk for months. this time around i feel good and more alive. thank goodness. 

i do have to say though - i went outside to do my laundry (have to go outside to get to our basement, annoying!) yesterday and stood there and thought about getting out for a run soon. and the thought of moving just didn't sound like fun at all. getting back into exercising is going to be more difficult than i thought. perhaps the BL princess folks (cough cough, YOU PEOPLE!) can remind me once i can get out there to go do my exercising! i know once i get back to it i'll be glad i did.

baby's waking up and will be looking for food so i better go. poor kid is working on some major farts right now. we're headed to storytime at the library in a few. hopefully thomas will behave...not likely. 

have a great day all!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> We're practicing the cry it out, move the crate, just let me sleep method this week.  She's better in the crate in the living room, and last night I slept on the couch but she did bark so I went in my bedroom and she stopped, and when she started again it was 4, so I came back on the couch, not talking to her at all, and she was quiet for another hour, and then she just started moving and yawning, and it was almost time to get up, so I got up hoping to beat the barking, and show her that barking won't get her out of the crate.  We have met so many dog/owners this week, and so many share stories, and I feel so very lucky to have gotten this little puppy.  She is settling in really nicely, and mostly the only time she barks is when she's in the crate, she loves to meet people and other dogs, and will jump up on anyone, but she's so friendly and sweet, and I really feel like she is the perfect dog for us.  The neighbors I've talked to don't really hear her barking during the day either.  One said once her dog barks, she'll hear poko answer, but that's it.  So I do think she's pretty quiet most of the day.  We checked out the classes at petco and petsmart, both are close by, and after christmas will get into one.  OMG, thanks for asking, like you wanted to hear all that.  I guess I'm officially a dog person now.
> 
> Glad the visit is over, and you aren't letting John be with his family on christmas, mean old sil.



aw, i love doggie talk. i miss fiona so i will live vicariously through you. don't get me wrong, having fiona live in CT was one of our best decisions but we miss her dearly. 

it sounds like poko is getting the hang of things with the crate. she'll learn. and i bet the petco/petsmart will have some good tips for crate training too. 

i probably sound alot meaner than i am about the whole not-going-to-the-cullens-for-christmas thing. but after 6 christmases with them and every single one ending in screaming and crying and yelling and throwing things, i just don't want to do it again. we'll see them another weekend...maybe


----------



## Rose&Mike

Just skimming, so hopefully I didn't miss anything important!

LisaR--thanks for the card! I didn't get Kathy's yet (ok, I am making an assumption here), but I am just assuming it hasn't made it out here to podunk land yet.

I like hearing everyone's crazy relatives stories, cause it makes me feel slightly less guilty for the lack of a relationship we had with Mike's sister. I could tell you stories, but I won't bore you....Anyhow, when she died in January, I think I felt worse about not making more of an effort than Mike did.

Things are crazy busy at work and our AA and office manager are still out after going on a cruise and then coming back sick. The office manager has been in sporadically, but I spent 2+ hours again today at the front desk. Which doesn't sound like much, but when it's our busy time of the year and I only work part time, it makes my day a little crazy. My boss is being very understanding, but I feel so far behind from 2 1/2 weeks of doing this and I am starting to get stressed out. Oh well, what can you do? Nothing, I guess.

The foot is kind of being a little poopy, but it's only the pf and not the fat pad so that's good. Not pain, just sore a bunch. I am starting to wonder if I just need a break from pt--like it's just been beat up too much? 

I'll try to get back later to catch up. Hugs and kisses!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belle!  

Still feeling pretty darn chirpy today.    The copier is finally being delivered this afternoon -- hope this happy feeling continues.  

*Lindsay,* loved the pictures from the Santa breakfast.  It's so fun when your guys get so excited about everything.    I love the story of the Christmas tree and you know that you will always remember this tree for sure.    You are doing so well with your exercise even when you are crazy busy.  

We have Robert's first real Christmas tree this year.  Although Wally (our cat) thinks it is his tree.    So far everything is going well but we haven't put any ornaments on it yet.  We will also have to watch out for Sadie (our dog) and the wagging tail of doom.  Should be fun.  



mikamah said:


> My goal is to catch up for real today, but for right now, I was laughing at how much your husbands, (nancy and Lindsay) just love their moms, and wonder if my little Michael will be just the same way.



Yep, our guys better kow-tow to their Moms for the rest of their lives!   



mikamah said:


> Oh my I'm not going to do well with that.  I want to know EVERYTHING!!!



Well, you feel that way now but you may change your mind as time goes on.  

Kathy, I loved your Christmas card.  Poko is so pretty and you can tell how much Michael loves her.  

Thanks for asking.  The knee and foot are doing better.  Turns out that my orthotics in my regular shoe is the culprit for the blister.  I did wear my old shoes out -- it was so obvious when I put the newer shoes on.    Apparently the orthotics and Super Feet inserts that I was using in my running shoes started to over correct my feet.  So instead of overpronating (turning in) with the build ups I was suppinating (turning out) too much.  (Is this sounding familar to you, *Rose?*)  So now I have no inserts and removed my orthotics from my every day shoes.  I got two new pairs of shoes.  One the new version of what I have Brooks GTS Adrenaline 11 and the other is a Brooks Ghost.  It has more cushioning than any of my shoes have had and were great on the track this morning.  It didn't hurt to be done at 5:45 am this morning either.   

*Lisa,* way to represent the Princess and Belles on the BL superstar list this week!    

I loved your Christmas card, too.  I'll always remember your son's enthusiasm for It's A Small World when I see it now.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> baby's waking up and will be looking for food so i better go. poor kid is working on some major farts right now. we're headed to storytime at the library in a few. hopefully thomas will behave...not likely.



Thanks for reminding me of the phenomenon of amazing sounds coming from tiny, cute little baby bottoms! 

Aww, *Nancy,* you are the best of the best of dog owners because you cared enough about Fiona to put her in the best place for her, even if it wasn't best for you now.   



dumbo_buddy said:


> but after 6 christmases with them and every single one ending in screaming and crying and yelling and throwing things, i just don't want to do it again. we'll see them another weekend...maybe



I think that you are smart for skipping drama Christmas.  Just because some people think that is the norm doesn't mean that your kids have to.  

*Rose,* sorry that it is so crazy at work and you feel like you are getting behind.  Just remember that next week you will be at WDW and all will be right in the world.  

*Maria,* how's your tree hanging in there?  

I received my ornament today.    I have the box sitting in a safe spot until we can open them.  

And the only person who has a Christmas card from me is the person who received the ornament so don't worry if you haven't received anything from me yet.  

Have a great evening ladies!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lisa*--I run in the Brooks Ghost--it's a neutral shoe right? I love the cushioning. I could write the book on shoes/shoe issues/pronation/suppination/over correction, etc. I'm glad you figured out quick what was going on. I would say if you have any lingering itbs pain in your knee to make sure to use the foam roller. Hip to knee.  If you are having tightness in your hips there is a really good stretch where you lay on your back, bend your leg towards your chest and pull the bent leg/knee towards your opposite shoulder. It's one of my favorite stretches and feels so good. The rule of thumb for running with an itbs flare up is that it's ok to run as long as the pain goes away during walk breaks. If you have pain during walk breaks, then you should stop. Some people are a little stubborn  and tend to keep going even when there is pain during the walk breaks and then end up in therapy. Of course that wouldn't be anyone I know who would do anything so silly.....Hopefully you will have no lasting problems.

The whole m-i-l thing. I am terrified of some day being the m-i-l. I do have some friends who get along great with their in-laws, so maybe it will be ok for us too. And I got along good with most of Tom's gfs in the past. But oh the thought of the whole inlaw thing. Hopefully that's a long, long time from now.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hey Ladies!

I figured I'd better check in -- I hope to do a real post tomorrow. I stayed home today, but I was so busy I would have had more time to post at work! 

I got all our cards ready to mail -- no letters this year, we just went with the photo cards, as you will soon all find out!  Dennis took them Sunday after church and got them made the same day. I was impressed!

My ornament went in the mail today, Dennis didn't get to it yesterday. Cards go in the mail tomorrow.

I also wrapped a ton, watched a Christmas movie, and did general catch-up stuff. I didn't run. I do feel like someone is sitting on my chest. I could have made it to work, but why am I killing myself for no reason? There was nothing that couldn't wait a couple of days. I'm taking tomorrow off too, since I would have to get myself to work, and I don't feel like dealing with the subway since it's an hour-long commute. I have more sick days than I can use (ok, not really, but I do have plenty and I get 10 more Jan.1), so I'm going to relax, rest, have a really nice shower, etc. tomorrow, and run if I'm feeling more like it. 

I have the dreaded family party this weekend, and I'll be busy getting ready for it from tomorrow evening on. I might as well take one more day to help my sanity!  We are bringing a couple cases of soda and our Keurig and coffee. BIL and SIL do not have a coffee maker  I'm also going to make snickerdoodles and molasses cookies -- or maybe gingerbread. We'll see what mood I'm in Friday afternoon when I have to start baking. Tomorrow after work (for Dennis) we're going to shop for the last toys for the party. I have another little girl to buy for, and Dennis needs to get two gifts for younger boys, plus a Home Depot gift card for my FIL. He called Dennis yesterday to ask him about the party. Not only did he get an e-mail of his own, his wife already told us she probably can't make it because she is working. I guess they don't talk to each other  No, seriously he is a flake (this is the man who told 4 yr. old Ben cats used to be dogs at the turn of the century...), but I do think he's having memory issues based on some other incidents. He asked me if I've ever been to Missouri after his wife visited her brother there recently. Um, yes, not only did I grow up there, you came to your son's wedding there and stayed over a week with all the activities...I tried telling both Dennis and the good SIL, but I think they aren't inclined to think it's their problem. Considering how much interest he's shown in his children and grandchildren, I can see why they would take that position. 

I'm holding my comments for everyone for my post tomorrow. Has anyone else noticed we are the ones posting the QOTDs this week? No pressure, but I think *Nancy* might be up  Just kidding, but seriously, how great is it that no one had to tell us, we just start pitching in (ok, after *Rose* led the way)? There must be a little Disney  and  in all of us! 

Maria


----------



## liesel

I'm burned out on computer time right now, I'm helping to plan DD's holiday party on Thursday and have been trading emails with parents all day.  I guess its my turn to be chicken fried.    I'm still here, still reading, and will post more tomorrow when I'm not exhausted.  DH is in Orange County (15 minutes from DL!) and at one point this evening I was helping DS with his homework, having DD read to me, sorting laundry, and throwing a toy for the dog all at the same time.  Have a good evening princesses and belles!


----------



## liesel

*Maria* yes I noticed that this group was doing a fantastic job of posting the QOTDs.  I was going to suggest we end the challenge the same way the summer one ended, with everyone complimenting the previous poster.  I think that was a great way to end the challenge!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I just hate physical therapy. I hate it. I am so beyond sick of going. What I really want to do is just drop the f bomb about 500 times, but that is not dis appropriate. I honestly think I am just about done, irregardless. So today, I told her my ankle is pretty sore, no swelling. Which I have been saying since the beginning, but no swelling. There's been a knot in my ankle since I walked in the first time. We have been doing strength on it but nothing else, and now all of a sudden it's a big issue, and I need to cut back on my exercise, blah, blah, blah. Ok, really it has been sore the entire time, we just didn't work on it, I don't know why, but whatever. Then on top of all that they closed the office down where I go so I have to drive twice as far. It's the opposite direction of my work from my house, so on work days it's going to be a royal pita and I don't like the new assistant, who decided to lecture me about how I shouldn't have run all summer on my foot. I looked at her, told her I'd do it again without hestitation and I guess she got the message cause she shut up. And add to that I got my period today and my kid is driving me up the flipping wall with his 20 something year old crap. I just want to run away from home. My hormones are a flipping nightmare and I have been pretty much been crying for an hour now. Oh my god, I know it could be so much worse, but I am so tired of this. This year has just sucked the life out of me. So what did I do, I just ate 500 calories worth of chips (probably 600 with the dip) cause that is really going to make things better. Now I get to spend the afternoon shopping with DS who has decided we are "poor" though he hasn't said that, but since he now thinks all of his clothes have to have labels (very specific labels) and that he wants to live a better life than what we do, etc. And you all probably have figured out, we do ok at our house. We might not wear designer clothes all the time, but in the big scheme of things we are doing just fine. So now I have to figure out how to ignore these comments, cause it really serves no purpose to get into a big discussion about all this with him. But I feel like we are being judged for not being wealthier, etc and I am not liking it too much. Uggh. 

Thanks for letting me have a meltdown. I truly do not believe that I was overdoing it with the exercise. I have been taking days off. I have only been getting on the elliptical once or twice a week and the treadmill once a week. I have not run (I mean really that tenth of a mile doesn't count). I have done my stupid exercises, I stretch, I wear the fugly ugly shoes, I ice. I am just extremely frustrated that we waited 7 weeks to do any real therapy on the ankle and now it's an issue. 

Cause you know what, I am doing that stinking race in February. I have taped my ankle before to run, and I have no problem with doing it again. The plantar is just about better as is the fat pad. I am just such a flipping rule follower that I feel guilty for even thinking about disobeying the pt. 

Ok, off for a fun day shopping.


----------



## Rose&Mike

liesel said:


> *Maria* yes I noticed that this group was doing a fantastic job of posting the QOTDs.  I was going to suggest we end the challenge the same way the summer one ended, with everyone complimenting the previous poster.  I think that was a great way to end the challenge!


I think you should post this even if someone else beats you to it with a QOTD. And Lisa is the one who pointed out to me that we didn't have a coach, so I just jumped in.

I hope you are less chicken fried today.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok WHAT is my problem? i just wrote a bunch of fabulous and witty responses and when i hit enter the screen went back to the thread. hit the forward button and...post gone! sonofagun! there is some keyboard shortcut that i must be hitting that does this. i can't figure out what it is so i can stop doing it! phooey.

so...what was i saying? oh i started out by announcing the fact that i got on early to the main thread to post a QOTD (thanks for guilting me, *maria*...kidding!!) but dona had already posted one. she gets up almost as early as *lisa! *i'll get 'em next time.

*maria - *i hope you enjoy your day off today, especially that nice long hot shower. sounds lovely. oh...and is it so hard for your party hosts to buy a cheapy mr. coffee so you don't have to bring your own keurig? that just sounds silly! at least you know you'll have a good cup of joe post meal though! i love our keurig. bed bath and beyond sells these chai latte k-cups. what a treat! mmmm....

*lisaR -* you are the multi-tasking queen! how many hands do you have?? helping both kids, doing laundry AND entertaining the pooch??  you go girl! no wonder you're chicken fried. is your hubby going to spend any time at DL? my DH will be in orlando for a week at the end of feb and will probably get some park time. jealous! hope you got some rest today so you're less fried!

*lisaH - *it's amazing what a new copier can do to one's mood  hope it continues today! i'm so impressed by your awesome weight loss this challenge AND you're killer training. you are really an inspiration! 

*rose - *don't worry, we won't let you be a bad MIL. but i'm CERTAIN that you will be an excellent one! tom's future wife will be very lucky to have you!!  how is the foot? what did you decide about PT? 

*kathy - *how was poko's night? 

***

morning everyone! i started this post at around 7:30am and it's not 11:41am. had a nice time at mommy and me today. of course one of the moms gave my fellow teacher and i a ton of cookies and of course i ate about 5 of them without even thinking. and i told myself this morning i needed to eat better because i am wondering now if my crappy diet is what is causing matthew to be fussy. yesterday afternoon and last night he was just so unsettled and didn't want to sleep. perhaps a whole bag of poppycock in one day and a brownie for dinner wasn't the best for either of us. 

just made thomas a nice grilled cheese and he's refusing to eat it. this kid would go days without eating if he could. he'll eat eventually! baby boy is waking up now so i better get him fed before the screamfest starts. he slept the whole time during mommy and me so i can't complain one bit. 

have a great day everyone!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*rose -* i just saw you posted about PT so disregard my "what's going on with PT?" question - i typed that up before i left for mommy and me so didn't see your post. off to read it now


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i don't know how to say this politely, rose, so forgive me but.... if i ever had the attitude with my parents that tom is giving you, i'd get a smack across my face so fast i wouldn't know what hit me. you deserve a boat-load of respect and having to deal with the "20 year old drama" that you're dealing with is just total nonsense. he should be treating his awesome mom with lots of respect and kissing the ground you walk on for all that you've done for him! and he is complaining about you being poor?? oh boy. not nice. 

that's all. i just think you are putting up with more than you should. .he should only be giving you hugs and kisses and it's not fair to you that you have to deal with that on top of the other stuff (foot, ankle, work, gluten problems, etc).


----------



## Rose&Mike

dumbo_buddy said:


> i don't know how to say this politely, rose, so forgive me but.... if i ever had the attitude with my parents that tom is giving you, i'd get a smack across my face so fast i wouldn't know what hit me. you deserve a boat-load of respect and having to deal with the "20 year old drama" that you're dealing with is just total nonsense. he should be treating his awesome mom with lots of respect and kissing the ground you walk on for all that you've done for him! and he is complaining about you being poor?? oh boy. not nice.
> 
> that's all. i just think you are putting up with more than you should. .he should only be giving you hugs and kisses and it's not fair to you that you have to deal with that on top of the other stuff (foot, ankle, work, gluten problems, etc).


Thanks. It's not as bad as it sounds, I think he's just trying to find his way and fit in, but it's coming across as "I wish I had more." And I think he wishes he could buy it for himself, but when what we're offering doesn't appear to be good enough, it gets frustrating. We were shopping Sunday and he basically said I don't want this garbage. I really did handle myself very well, and we discussed what he really meant to say, but by the end of the day I was just exhausted from the stress/drama. (Ok so maybe it is as bad as it sounds and I'm making excuses...) I am trying really hard to see this as a phase, cause he has never been like this before, but you're right, I really don't need it right now and I feel like I'm walking around on eggshells. Which when your foot hurts, isn't very easy. I'm hoping he comes back from Denver in a better place.


----------



## donac

Finally I got this to go.  This is the 3rd time I have tried to answer




dumbo_buddy said:


> .
> 
> so...what was i saying? oh i started out by announcing the fact that i got on early to the main thread to post a QOTD (thanks for guilting me, *maria*...kidding!!) but dona had already posted one. she gets up almost as early as *lisa! *i'll get 'em next time.



I promise I won't post one tomorrow morning.  Yes I am up early  I leave my house between 6 and 6:15 so I need to get up early.  





Rose&Mike said:


> Thanks. It's not as bad as it sounds, I think he's just trying to find his way and fit in, but it's coming across as "I wish I had more." And I think he wishes he could buy it for himself, but when what we're offering doesn't appear to be good enough, it gets frustrating. We were shopping Sunday and he basically said I don't want this garbage. I really did handle myself very well, and we discussed what he really meant to say, but by the end of the day I was just exhausted from the stress/drama. (Ok so maybe it is as bad as it sounds and I'm making excuses...) I am trying really hard to see this as a phase, cause he has never been like this before, but you're right, I really don't need it right now and I feel like I'm walking around on eggshells. Which when your foot hurts, isn't very easy. I'm hoping he comes back from Denver in a better place.



Good luck.  With him being home so infrequently I know that you just want some calming time when he is there.

I know how it is with PT.  You get to a point where you just want it to end.


----------



## liesel

I had 25 minutes to post, but it took me forever to log in on the DIS, so now I am down to 15.


Thanks for all the compliments on the card, I was sitting funny and it wasn't that flattering, but I had to use that picture since everyone else looked so cute.  It was pointed out to me by my family that there is no picture of my dog, I told them that she didn't go to Hawaii.    My FB profile pic is of her right now, so there's your holiday greetings from my dog.


*Rose* Lately whenever I feel like dropping the F bomb, I listen to "Little Lion Man" by Mumford and Sons, that way I sing it!    They harmonize so well!  Sorry about stupid PT would be the understatement of the year for you, so instead I'll say that I hope you can get back out there running soon.  We should have nice weather here in Denver for the next few days for Tom.  Since his money issue is so out of the blue, I wonder if someone out there is influencing it, making him feel like what he has isn't good enough.
Oh, and about craving carbs, that happens to me too, especially since pasta is one of my favorite foods.  I once had a trainer suggest a square of good dark chocolate to curb carb cravings.  I thought he was crazy, what does chocolate have to do with wanting to down a huge bowl of pasta?  But I've been without my good chocolate for a couple of weeks now, our favorite is from Trader Joe's and since there are no TJs in the area, we pick some up when we travel.  And boy have I been craving my pasta, I even had Amy's mac and cheese for lunch today.  I don't know how true it is, but I have found that at least having a square of good quality chocolate helps with my chocolate cravings and keeps me from eating a high calorie chocolate baked good just to get some chocolate.  DH is coming home with some more chocolate tomorrow and I can't wait.

*Lisa* You are so rocking this challenge!    11 miles is still pretty awesome.  I'm so glad you got your shoe situation taken care of, hopefully things will be much better now.  I did see the post about Carsland construction, but I am also excited that they are going to open a Ghiradelli soda fountain in DCA next spring.    My 10K is on Saturday and I am not back to being as fast as I was before I got sick, but that's OK.  Its my first 10K and I'm just aiming to finish and have it be a learning experience for the Tink.  This race used to serve hot chocolate at the end, but this year they will be serving chocolate fondue.    Hopefully there will be some left for me, they are running the 5K first and based on last year's finish times, I will be among the last 10-15 people to finish the 10K.  There are some pretty elite runners from the area doing this race.  Its an out and back course so I'll at least get to see them in action a little.

Ok, now I'm realizing that this post is very chocolate centric.

*Kathy* Thanks for the Christmas card, very cute pictures!  It sounds like being a dog mama is going well for you.  I had to get black dress pants for DS too, he had a band concert last week.  I found mine at Kohl's but I saw they didn't have Michael's size there.  Its much easier than trying to find a dress for DD, that's for sure!

*Nancy* The pictures on FB of Matthew are adorable!  You are so organized getting all of that together so soon.  DH didn't have time to go to DL this time, he didn't even bother taking his pass.  That didn't stop the kids from being jealous, though.  I have to know what is poppycock?

*Hi Maria* I hope you are doing well, I admit to not knowing what BBT stood for either.  Sorry about the holiday party, I think a lot of people would just rather have the money these days.


*Lindsay* I would have been frustrated to go to practice only to have it cancelled too!

Time's up!  Sorry the responses got shorter and shorter at the end, I'll try to catch up more later.  Have a wonderful evening princesses and my fellow lisabelle!


----------



## mikamah

Good evening princessabelles!!

What is it about having a package in the house that I can't open til the 20th that makes is so enticing and I want to just have a little peek.  Noone will know.   I got my ornament today!!  But I won't peek, I promise.  Now if it was chocolate, I would have to sneak a peak and bite. 

*LisaR*-a 10k is exciting.  There doesn't seem to be too many of those around here, though I haven't looked too hard lately.  It will be fun and good for your training to have the longer race under your belt for the Tink.  I don't mind the chocolate talk one bit.  

*Rose*-  It's not always easy being a mom, is it?  My older niece and nephews seem to want the expensive clothes too, and I will have a hard time when Michael hits that phase, shelling out ridiculous money for what you get.  I'm sure one day, Tom will realize all you have done for him, and how much he did have in his life, even if he didn't get all the name brands.  It's hard to be a mom, and I'm sure it's hard for him to try and fit in, and you are the one who will love him unconditionally, through good and bad, and he knows that.  We drop the f-bomb at work quite frequently actually, and you can feel free to use it here, and we'll know what those little stars mean.    Just tonight at 4:30 a doc called and asked for the charge nurse, which usually means an add on case, so we all said, f***, and it was for tomorrow. Phew.  Thinking back to ICU, if we were at the desk and a monitor went off with something bad, most certainly that would come out of one of our mouths as we ran to the room.  So professional.  Oh, and I did send an ornament your way, so it should be coming. 

*LisaH*-Your happiness is contagious!  I love to hear it, and am so very proud of how hard you are working this year, and the success on the scale.  I know it's not easy to lose 29 pounds in a year, let alone a season.  You are doing so awesome.  Glad you seem to have remedied the foot issue with the new shoes.  I hope you're able to keep the dog tail away from the tree.  Poko was afraid of the tree when we first decorated it, and then he drank the water once, and bit one ornament, and pretty much has left it alone.  We minimized the breakable ornaments this year.  When I had cats, they loved batting the ornaments off.   

*Nancy*-You so did the right thing with Fiona.  I have never been a dog person, until now.  Poko is so dang cute, and such a good dog too.  Again, I feel so lucky we got her.  She had her first play date off leash this morning.  We do our 40 min walk shortly after she eats in the  morning, and then have an hour or so til michael leaves for school and then we go out again for a short walk.  We went to the field at the park where she can run off leash, and our neighbor was there with her beagle, Rondo, so they met through the fence and then we let them play for a bit, and Poko was so good.  She never even barked once, and the other pup got a little fresh and was trying to bite her and she didn't bite back.  And I was excited to come home to her in the crate with the crate nice and neat still.  I think she really is getting used to our schedules, and realizing that when we leave her, we are going to come back.  I dont really know her background, so I don't know what she's been through, but she is settling in nicely.  
You are not mean at all about the inlaws.  It's not easy, and sometimes you need to do what is right for you and your immediate family, and your sanity. 
It's is amazing how what you eat can affect the baby when you're breast feeding.  When michael was 2 months old he was in the hospital with rsv/broncholitis, and I ate an egg salad sandwich for lunch, and that boy screamed and cried for 3 hours straight, and I hadn't even thought about the fact eggs are very gasey.  It was awful, I just couldn't settle him, and I felt like such a failure.  Ah, those are the days.  Hang in there, Nancy.   

*Maria*-Did you take your day to yourself today, and get some R&R?  I hope you are feeling better soon.  There's been lots of lingering viruses out there.  I've been coughing and wheezing off and on for almost a month.  I did a Zpak 2 weeks ago, seemed a little better, but am a bit worse now, so made an appt for the doctor again tomorrow.  It's a pita more than anything else.  Ah wrapping, I haven't done any.  I need to get organized, and we will get to the mall this weekend and finish up the shopping.  I don't need much more for michael, some stocking stuff, and mostly gift cards for the nieces and nephews.  All that I've bought is in a corner of my room, and michael's is hidden in my closet.  

Hi *Dona*, Hi *Pamela*!  Hope to hop on over the bl thread later. 

I've put most of the decorations out I'm going to.  I have some byers choice carollers I put in above my kitchen cabinets and I think that will be it.  We have lots of stuffed animal/musicals and some other bigger decorations that go on the floor, but I think they would become chewtoys.  As I typed this Poko helped herself to one of the ornaments off the tree, so we'll have to be more observant.  
We are heading out now for a nice walk.  Have a great evening everyone!!


----------



## mikamah

*Lindsay*- Hi there!!  I knew I was forgetting someone.  I hope your having a good week!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

thank you all for being so sweet to me. *Nancy*, I told Tom what you said, well, I told him you said to stop being so mean to me, and I guess cause I was crying and kind of a mess, he seemed to feel at least a tiny bit of remorse. Anyhow, we ended up having a nice day. We talked about what was going on some more, and I think you all are right--some outside influences going on and he's not sure where he fits in. He went to inner city schools, so I know he gets how fortunate we are. But he told me one of his roomates (who seems like a really nice kid) was talking about how his dad was buying chick fil a franchises as a hobby. And the kid is 20 and he now owns part interest in a bar in Columbia....So not really making excuses for him, cause he was being a little ****. But I'm glad I have pretty much held it together the last couple days, and let him process and at the same time realize that he was acting like a turd!

*LisaR*--good idea about the chocolate. I used to do that with Ghiradelli squares. (Which aren't the best, but I know they are gf.) And I love Mumford and Sons. Do you like the Black Keys? They released a new song which I love, love, love! They were on Saturday Night Live a couple weeks ago.

*Kathy*--I'm so glad the puppy is doing well. I love dropping the f bomb. It's so unlady like, but always seems to make me feel better. 

*Nancy*--don't stress about the weight. You will hit a point when you are ready to deal with it. The holidays are so chaotic and stressful. Cut yourself some slack, eat as healthy as you can so you can take care of that baby.

*Lisa*--I love seeing that 40 pound clippie everytime I see a post from you.

*Lindsay*--how is Grammy?

*Maria*--Are you having a good week? Have you baked more cookies--weren't you baking? I have to take cookies for work tomorrow cause we make holiday baskets for donors (I'm guessing that's what I'll be doing tomorrow, which means more of my regular work won't get done) and I decided I'm buying them at Kroger--no one will know they aren't homemade, right?

*Hi to Dona and Pamela!*!

****
so like I said we had a nice day. I ate way too much garbage today, but I got through the day! I tried to find another pair of shoes, since the pt was frustrated with me cause I dared to wear regular shoes yesterday. I think I might check zappos in a minute. I saw some I liked at Macy's, but despite the fact that there was a sale sign on the merrell table, they informed me that merrells never go on sale--I politely pointed out to them that they need to take the sale sign off the table then. Ok, I probably was snarky, but I had a crappy day. But overall it was a nice day. 

Tom leaves for Denver tomorrow and he is so excited. I'm looking forward to a little bit of downtime. I'm going to go to pt Friday and then I think that is it for the year. I had an appointment for Monday, but I have burnout and I have so much to do at work, so I'm going to skip it. When we get home after Christmas, I will re-evaluate. Mike really wants me to go somewhere else. I looked up the ankle tendonitis--(which is called peroneal tendonitis) and boy it can be some nasty stuff. It's the only injury that I have that I probably should not have run on. I am extremely frustrated that despite the fact that I kept saying my ankle was sore, we just now started aggressively treating it. I feel like I just added 7 more weeks to my therapy, since that's how long it took to get the rest of the stuff under control. And honestly, I can't afford 7 more weeks at twice a week. So we'll see. 

Is it 2012 yet?

Have a great night!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

so what do we think the "holiday surprise from runDisney" will be??

i know alot of DISers were all pissy about the last surprise being a tink event but i think that was pretty cool (just wish i could be there!). think it'll be an event? i noticed there's a thread in the events area about it but after all the poo-pooing from the last announcement i don't think i want to go there.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi all.  I am on overload this week and mean so bad that I am having dreams about having to walk through my house with snakes all over and they are flying at me and I have to bat them down.  Then last night I woke up a million times worrying that I was going to not hear my alarm.  

I hope this doesnt give away who I have but I just wanted to let everyone know my ornament will be shipped in an hour or so.  Nothing like waiting to the last minute.  Of course I spent over an hour at work making sure it was packaged just right and looks presentable.  I have such issues.

Eating has not been to great this week.  Some good, Some bad moments.  I havent been to the gym since last wed.  Not feeling good about that but really I have not time this week and that is not an excuse its just reality.  I have a bunch of xmas shopping to do this wkend, plus wrapping, and throw in 2 xmas parties too.  

Tonight is Nicks big christmas concert.  They do it at a local church that has a huge alter/stage.  I am so excited to see it and for Nick to finally get some attention and recognition from everyone.  Of course Ryan has been moody about it.  You can totally tell he is the first born....god forbid he doesnt get all the attention for a few hours.

Tomorrow I have a manager/boss night out at a local sports bar.  Now this could get interesting because from what I hear my straight laced boss likes to throw down the drinks.

Saturday is ryans bball game at 9am then I hope to get to the gym, do xmas shopping, and my work xmas party is at 430.

Sunday is the xmas program at church and then more xmas shopping if needed and maybe cookie baking.

Grammy has been about the same.  Hasnt gotten out of bed for a few days because she is pretty much dead weight and hard to move.  Thanks for asking Rose!

So sorry for the no replies today but I only have a short time here at work.  I will try to get back on soon to catch up.  Miss talking with you all.


----------



## liesel

*Kathy* My kids had to learn not to leave any toys on the floor that they didn't want to get chewed.  Our dog is almost 4 and has been out of that phase for a while, so hopefully Poko will grow out of it.  The only thing we can't do is leave food unattended on the dining room table because sometimes that is too much of a temptation for her.  We even have a real tree the last 2 years with no problems so far, we just put our favorite breakable oranaments up high.  In a stressful job like yours, I don't blame you for dropping the F bomb.  I worked as a chef, and I'm sure you've all seen on TV what a foul mouthed group that is.  Even me, who doesn't swear often, learned that you gotta speak that language to get through to those people sometimes.  I remember when I was in culinary school, DH brought his parents to our school's restaurant the night I was running the kitchen.  It wasn't an open kitchen, but they said they could hear me screaming at my staff from the dining room!  I think they were very surprised to see that side of me.

*Lindsay* Have fun at Nick's concert tonight!  I keep forgetting to mention how sorry I am about your grandma and how you and she are in my thoughts.  When my grandfather was in a nursing home I cried myself to sleep every night of the weekend I visited him.  He was only there for 4 weeks.  He lost consciousness Christmas morning and passed away on Dec 28th, 2004.  The only good thing about this happening that time of year is that he saw almost everyone in the last couple of days before he passed away.  Im so sorry that your grandma is suffering and hopes she finds peace soon.  My grandfather had always made it clear that he didn't want to live in a nursing home and we weren't surprised that he went so quickly, he didn't want to live anymore, but he went on his terms.

*Nancy* I checked out the run Disney announcement thread and none of them have any idea what the announcement is going to be, just guessing.  A couple of them just couldn't resist taking a swipe at women's focused races.  At least we don't have too long to wait, another event at either park would be great, but who knows?    You recounting of the dreaded in laws visit was very funny.    How long were they there, I remember you mentioned it was longer than the appointed hour?  Laugh so you don't throttle them!?  I don't blame you at all for not wanting your kids to be in that environment and have that kind of Christmas.  Its so wonderful of you to make an effort instead of just cutting them off.

Sorry to sound so depressing today, I really am in an good mood, just tired from DD's holiday party this morning and its on to DS's party this afternoon.  DH is coming home late tonight and there is no school tomorrow!    Its starting to look more likely that we may move and I'm still not sure how I feel about that.  DH and I decided that we are just taking time right now to sit with the idea and see how we feel.  There are things that I like about Colorado and I do love our house, we won't be getting anything nearly as nice in California.  I also love northern California and know that we could be happy there.  I have had to get out a map of California and explain to the kids that we would not be able to visit Disneyland every weekend, but DD is still holding out hope.  I think I'm feeling settled, the kids have lived here all their lives, and I have a little fear of change going on right now.  DH and I have agreed that this isn't a good enough reason to not do something, so we'll see.  At least the company would move us so no doing it ourselves!

Ok, enough of the stressing, back to replies!

*Lisa* I forgot to mention that I watched the BL marathon last week and noticed Jessica was wearing leg compression sleeves.  Then you mentioned them being recommended by your coach  and I saw on the Tink program under Jeff Galloway's section that he wrote about them there as well.  I ordered myself a pair and they arrived on Tuesday.  I tried them out Wednesday and I liked them.  The real test will be using them on my 10K Saturday and see if they help with my recovery.  Thanks so much for the tip!

*Rose* I'm glad you had a good talk with Tom.  I'm sure he'll have a fun time in Denver, its a nice day today (low 40s is heaven here!) and may even get into the 50s this weekend.    You should tell him to try running here and see how he feels about the altitude.    At the airport I've heard people complain on the train into the terminal.  Its also very dry here, so that's something to get used to.  I just got the Mumford and Sons CD from the library (I'm cheap, I download them onto the computer, then to my Ipod) a couple of weeks ago and love it.  I'll be sure to check out the Black Keys, I did hear them on SNL and elsewhere and like them.  I hope you get a treatment plan that works for you.

I sent my oranament Monday, it should have arrived either yesterday or today.  I'd better go check out the main thread and get a few more things done before round 2 of the holiday parties this afternoon.  Dealing with some of the moms was  sometimes, but DD's party is done and I think it went pretty well.  Have a wonderful day princesses and belles!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Bells!  

Does anybody mind if I change the title of our thread to BL Princesses and Bells 2012/2013?  I'm open for suggestions.  (*Maria,* our princess  with a way with words )  I don't want to abandon our thread especially before the spring challenge starts but thought it was time for a little update.  Have you noticed that we actually have more views that the fall challenge thread? 



Rose&Mike said:


> *Lisa*--I run in the Brooks Ghost--it's a neutral shoe right? I love the cushioning. I could write the book on shoes/shoe issues/pronation/suppination/over correction, etc. I'm glad you figured out quick what was going on. I would say if you have any lingering itbs pain in your knee to make sure to use the foam roller. Hip to knee.  If you are having tightness in your hips there is a really good stretch where you lay on your back, bend your leg towards your chest and pull the bent leg/knee towards your opposite shoulder. It's one of my favorite stretches and feels so good. The rule of thumb for running with an itbs flare up is that it's ok to run as long as the pain goes away during walk breaks. If you have pain during walk breaks, then you should stop. Some people are a little stubborn  and tend to keep going even when there is pain during the walk breaks and then end up in therapy. Of course that wouldn't be anyone I know who would do anything so silly.....Hopefully you will have no lasting problems.



Thanks for all the great advice, *Rose.*   Sorry that you know so much about it from experience.   

My other pairs of Brooks are actually Ariels -- I think they still have some support component to them 'cause they are really like clodhoppers.    They have a lot of cushioning so maybe it's a variation of the Ghost that you wear.  I am a Brooks fan now.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> There must be a little Disney  and  in all of us!



I think that you are right my friend!  

*Maria,* how are you feeling?    Did you get to rest and get caught up on your Christmas tasks?  I'm hope so before your big week-end. 



liesel said:


> *Maria* yes I noticed that this group was doing a fantastic job of posting the QOTDs.  I was going to suggest we end the challenge the same way the summer one ended, with everyone complimenting the previous poster.  I think that was a great way to end the challenge!



It was you who made that great suggestion so I gave you both credit for it.  



Rose&Mike said:


> I just hate physical therapy. I hate it. I am so beyond sick of going. What I really want to do is just drop the f bomb about 500 times, but that is not dis appropriate. I honestly think I am just about done, irregardless.



I don't blame you one bit, *Rose.*  I liked how you spoke up and put that "helpful" person in her place at the office.  I agree with Mike it is time to find someone else, if you need it still after the first of the year.  I think that you should give the PT a rest and go have a wonderful time at WDW.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> *lisaH - *it's amazing what a new copier can do to one's mood  hope it continues today! i'm so impressed by your awesome weight loss this challenge AND you're killer training. you are really an inspiration!



  I don't think it was the copier.  I don't know why I'm so chirpy this week.  I wish I could feel like this all the time.  

I love all your cute baby pics, *Nancy.*  I would love to see a couple of Thomas' baby pics since everyone on your FB is always commenting about how Matthew looks like Thomas.  I'm not seeing the resemblance myself yet, although I do think that Matthew resembles Randy.    I love that you still have Randy around.    I still have my Yogi Bear from when I was little.  I can feel good just by giving him a hug still almost 50 years later.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> i don't know how to say this politely, rose, so forgive me but.... if i ever had the attitude with my parents that tom is giving you, i'd get a smack across my face so fast i wouldn't know what hit me. you deserve a boat-load of respect and having to deal with the "20 year old drama" that you're dealing with is just total nonsense. he should be treating his awesome mom with lots of respect and kissing the ground you walk on for all that you've done for him! and he is complaining about you being poor?? oh boy. not nice.
> 
> that's all. i just think you are putting up with more than you should. .he should only be giving you hugs and kisses and it's not fair to you that you have to deal with that on top of the other stuff (foot, ankle, work, gluten problems, etc).



 



donac said:


> I promise I won't post one tomorrow morning.  Yes I am up early  I leave my house between 6 and 6:15 so I need to get up early.
> 
> Good luck.  With him being home so infrequently I know that you just want some calming time when he is there.
> 
> I know how it is with PT.  You get to a point where you just want it to end.



How is your knee doing, *Dona?*  Are you still doing a great job getting in lots of steps each day? 



liesel said:


> Thanks for all the compliments on the card, I was sitting funny and it wasn't that flattering, but I had to use that picture since everyone else looked so cute.  It was pointed out to me by my family that there is no picture of my dog, I told them that she didn't go to Hawaii.  My FB profile pic is of her right now, so there's your holiday greetings from my dog.



I loved seeing your happy family, you look lovely and your dog is as cute as can be.  

Can't wait to hear how you do on Saturday with your 10K.  I know you are going to rock it!    Chocolate sounds like a great way to finish a race! 

*Kathy,* so happy to read that Poko is adjusting and getting used to sleeping through the night.    You really can't blame her for thinking an ornament looks an awful lot like a ball.  

How are you feeling?  What did the doctor say?   



Rose&Mike said:


> We talked about what was going on some more, and I think you all are right--some outside influences going on and he's not sure where he fits in. He went to inner city schools, so I know he gets how fortunate we are. But he told me one of his roomates (who seems like a really nice kid) was talking about how his dad was buying chick fil a franchises as a hobby. And the kid is 20 and he now owns part interest in a bar in Columbia....So not really making excuses for him, cause he was being a little ****. But I'm glad I have pretty much held it together the last couple days, and let him process and at the same time realize that he was acting like a turd!



Glad that things are better and hope that you have a quiet, relaxing week-end before going to WDW. 

Have to pick up Robert now so will be back later with the rest of my replies.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Evening,  and !

Oops, I did it again....I wanted to post today, but it took me all morning to catch up on my e-mail and the work from them, and I had a meeting this afternoon.

My ornament arrived today!  I am so psyched! I'm glad we said Dec. 20th, now I have a little mini-Christmas surprise to enjoy 

*Lisah* -- I certainly don't mind if you change the name of the thread, I agree we are due for an update. Plus, if anyone wants to join us, they may feel like we're more open if we have a future rather than a past name  It is so funny you mentioned that we have more views, I literally just noticed that when I logged into my CP! 

*Lisa* -- I totally get why you are torn. It's hard to leave someplace that is working for you, and CO clearly does work on many levels...I think deciding to sit with it for awhile is a great idea 

*Lindsay* -- I am staying far away from your nightmares  I hope you get a good, solid day to rest soon. I've heard there might be some opportunity in about 10 days, I hope that works out for you 

*Nancy* -- I don't think I have the stomach to deal with another surprise from RunDisney! After last year, I swore I would read and not post in those threads  I was drinking a Cafe Escapes Chai Latte when I read your post about the Keurig  I agree, it seems odd to me they don't have a coffee maker and it's easier for us to bring one from MA to NH, but what do I know?  At least it's at their house so if I get really annoyed I can tell Dennis I'm sick and we need to leave  By the way, your in-laws do beat mine, but I'm not sure that's a contest anyone wants to win! 

*Rose* -- I just have to point out that your "underprivileged" child is flying to Denver and then meeting his parents at WDW for Christmas. That poor boy! What else will he have to endure?!  I can easily see my Ben with the same comments in a few years. I keep telling myself their brains are not mature until they are at least 22, so we can't be surprised when they show poor judgement (and someone who is dependent on his parents complaining about the level of luxury they provide is clearly not thinking like a grown-up!). It is a good lesson for him to learn that not everyone has the same level of anything, and unless your last name is Gates or Buffett there will always be someone with more than you. Unfortunately, he's going to chafe at that lesson and you and Mike get to be the targets of his disappointment. It makes you want to take him somewhere people really don't have much and explain how very hard you and Mike have worked to give him the life he has, and that you pride yourself on making his life better than yours was, and it is very hurtful when he complains...just sayin'....

*Kathy* -- I have the most barren under-tree we have ever had! We spread out the tree skirt, the kitties push it around until it ends up in the corner. I put a package (not even wrapped just a box) under the tree, they start to chew on it. We are literally going to bring out the presents Christmas morning. I don't dare set anything up now or Christmas Eve. I'm going to set everything up, and then get Ben. His choice. He likes to come down to the unwrapped goodies Santa has left. We hang our stockings from our fireplace screen, so those can't come out until the morning, either. I know about 30 seconds after hanging them there would be a big crash 

*Dona* -- I knew we could count on you to post a QOTD!  You are such a faithful participant/organizer! If anyone deserves the title of "BL Royalty" it's you! 

*Pamela* -- 

I'm going to wrap the kids' gifts we bought last night, watch GH and OLTL, read a little, and call it a night.

I'm working tomorrow morning, and baking tomorrow afternoon. Then we have to get Ben to a youth worship and go grocery shopping while he's there. When I finally get home I'll have some takeout, then I'm going to bed. I'm skipping my LR Saturday morning. There's just no way to make it work unless I get up 6ish, and I'm not that committed this week. I have to do last minute party stuff and then we leave for the outlaws. I'm sure I'll find a moment to post Sunday afternoon to tell you the tales. I wonder if Dennis's cousin's baby mama has gotten teeth yet? For the last few years she's been missing many in front. Did I mention this woman is about 45?  

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Update on the ds stuff...
I think what bothered me so much about his attitude, was one that he was being so insensitive to how stressed out I was, and two, I KNOW he gets it that we live a pretty good life. He had friends in ms/hs that were homeless for part of the time, well over 50% of his schools were free and reduced lunch and he would be the first to say that he was the lucky/spoiled one. So the whole thing just seemed so out of character. I kept reminding myself about the immature brain thing, too. Anyhow, we had a very nice night last night. He asked me to sit with him while he packed and he said over and over what good parents we are and how grateful he was to get to go visit his bff. I know everyone thinks I was too easy on him, and maybe I was, but I feel like by talking it out slowly over a couple of days, he was able to figure out what was going on in his brain, and I didn't end up feeling bad for over reacting and screaming at him--which is what I would have done in the past. I have been working on channeling my inner voice of reason. I don't want you all to think he is a rotten kid, cause he really isn't, but boy he was being a turd. But I am starting to see flashes of the adult I think he is turning into, and I think it will be ok. 

*Maria--* I hope the outlaw visits aren't too crazy. Have fun baking! I had to load up the goody bags we take to donors today and I swear I got a sugar buzz just from smelling the cookies, etc.

*Kathy*--Are you feeling ok? I got the card today! Too cute! Thanks.

*Lisah/Liasr*--So I wonder if the leg sleeve thingys help with tendonitis after runs? I might have to google that. I am so excited for you all. The race is right around the corner!

*Lindsay*--hang in there! I hate work dreams. Have fun at your parties this weekend.

*Nancy--* There has been some grumbling on the rundisney announcement thread about women's centered races....I am just going to avoid that thread! Then people thought w&d would be cancelled. But I was sure they had already announced the dates. Then there was complaining about w&d....which is one of my favorite races....Runners sure are a complaining crowd.

****
I had a great day at work--very, very busy but I was able to be at my desk all day (woohoo!) and got a ton done! I am thinking about going in tomorrow for a couple hours, but haven't decided yet. I cancelled my pt appt for Monday. So I am going to go tomorrow and then take some time off. My friends at work think I should go somewhere else--that it's way too far to drive, and things are dragging out way too long. So I think I will go tomorrow. See how I feel over the holidays, and then maybe ask my dr for a referral closer if I think I need one.

I am just kind of so sick of myself, so I have been working on a new mantra when I start feeling sucked into the vortex of this year stinks....I have been saying--I choose to be happy. And it seems to be working so far. So hopefully no more meltdowns from me for a while. I just don't want to hear myself anymore. Life really is good, and I really am very fortunate.

Love you all.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Bells!  

Never made it back on last night to finish my replies.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> so what do we think the "holiday surprise from runDisney" will be??
> 
> i know alot of DISers were all pissy about the last surprise being a tink event but i think that was pretty cool (just wish i could be there!). think it'll be an event? i noticed there's a thread in the events area about it but after all the poo-pooing from the last announcement i don't think i want to go there.



I hope it's some new race that is a 10K or something less than a half or full.  I agree with all of you staying away from the snarky threads.  I think it is a sad day when WISHers can't be excited about a Disney race.    And really the Disney races are very well run compared to other races I've been in and read about -- look at the poor people at the RNR in Vegas a couple of weeks ago.  

*Nancy,* I can't believe how much Matthew has changed in such a short time!  Do you have one of those cute little baby Christmas outfits for him?  You know, the one that will last about two minutes before there is a spit up or diaper issue?  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hi all.  I am on overload this week and mean so bad that I am having dreams about having to walk through my house with snakes all over and they are flying at me and I have to bat them down.  Then last night I woke up a million times worrying that I was going to not hear my alarm.



Aww, *Lindsay,* sorry things are so hectic for you right now.    I have the same kind of dreams when I'm stressed -- I usually dream I'm under attack.    Hope that you can relax this week-end.  

Nick was just as cute as he could be in his Christmas program outfit.  You are so lucky to have all those boys to love you!  

I wish you, your grandmother and your family peace during this difficult time.   

I read on FB that Corinna's grandfather is in hospice now, too.  It seems a bit sad to me that you have to get to hospice before people stop making you do things that you don't want to.  I think we all need to work on that happening when we can actually enjoy it.  



liesel said:


> Sorry to sound so depressing today, I really am in an good mood, just tired from DD's holiday party this morning and its on to DS's party this afternoon.  DH is coming home late tonight and there is no school tomorrow!  Its starting to look more likely that we may move and I'm still not sure how I feel about that.  DH and I decided that we are just taking time right now to sit with the idea and see how we feel.  There are things that I like about Colorado and I do love our house, we won't be getting anything nearly as nice in California.  I also love northern California and know that we could be happy there.  I have had to get out a map of California and explain to the kids that we would not be able to visit Disneyland every weekend, but DD is still holding out hope.  I think I'm feeling settled, the kids have lived here all their lives, and I have a little fear of change going on right now.  DH and I have agreed that this isn't a good enough reason to not do something, so we'll see.  At least the company would move us so no doing it ourselves!



*Lisa,* it is stressful contemplating a move, especially one back to California.    Luckily you and your DH know what it is like to grow up there.  I don't miss those days of holiday parties with the mommy wars.  You know wherever you are that your family will be happy as long as you are all together.  

I have to admit I was a little  when you said that you would see me next month.  I've been thinking of it as "six weeks" so I feel like I have more time to get ready.    Actually once we get through the next few weeks it will be time for that most wonderful part of training -- taper!  Can't wait to see you soon!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm working tomorrow morning, and baking tomorrow afternoon. Then we have to get Ben to a youth worship and go grocery shopping while he's there. When I finally get home I'll have some takeout, then I'm going to bed. I'm skipping my LR Saturday morning. There's just no way to make it work unless I get up 6ish, and I'm not that committed this week. I have to do last minute party stuff and then we leave for the outlaws. I'm sure I'll find a moment to post Sunday afternoon to tell you the tales. I wonder if Dennis's cousin's baby mama has gotten teeth yet? For the last few years she's been missing many in front. Did I mention this woman is about 45?



*Maria,* I'm glad that you are feeling better and getting your Christmas tasks done.    I think that you are smart to rest up and allow your body to recouperate, especially with your week-end coming up.    I hope everything goes smoothly for you and I have to admit I am a bit fascinated to hear what stories you bring back with you.  We will be thinking of you!  

I think I will change the thread title sometime soon.  



Rose&Mike said:


> Update on the ds stuff...
> I think what bothered me so much about his attitude, was one that he was being so insensitive to how stressed out I was, and two, I KNOW he gets it that we live a pretty good life. He had friends in ms/hs that were homeless for part of the time, well over 50% of his schools were free and reduced lunch and he would be the first to say that he was the lucky/spoiled one. So the whole thing just seemed so out of character. I kept reminding myself about the immature brain thing, too. Anyhow, we had a very nice night last night. He asked me to sit with him while he packed and he said over and over what good parents we are and how grateful he was to get to go visit his bff. I know everyone thinks I was too easy on him, and maybe I was, but I feel like by talking it out slowly over a couple of days, he was able to figure out what was going on in his brain, and I didn't end up feeling bad for over reacting and screaming at him--which is what I would have done in the past. I have been working on channeling my inner voice of reason. I don't want you all to think he is a rotten kid, cause he really isn't, but boy he was being a turd. But I am starting to see flashes of the adult I think he is turning into, and I think it will be ok.



*Rose,* I think that you and Mike are wonderful parents and that Tom is growing up to be a man that any parent would be proud to call their son.   

Being an only child is different.  And when you have a smart boy who has been raised to speak his mind and interact mostly with adults I think some people are kind of surprised.  Not to mention that our good guys are so nice everywhere else that they have to let off some steam somewhere and that seems to be at home.   

I wish that it would have been an easier year for you this year but I can't help but admire you for coming through it with grace.   

The leg sleeves are supposed to help with blood flow and recovery.  They might help with tendenitis, too.  My friend who just did the RNR Vegas marathon and her brother swear by them but her sister who is a PT says they are snake oil (but she is preggers and hasn't actually tried them).  It might be worth a try.  My coach said don't worry if they seem too tight at first.  When you first put them on you think there is no way it is going to work but you do get used to them quickly.  There is probably not time to get some and test them out at night after a long day at WDW.

Speaking of which, please tell us what you are doing!    You know how we love to live vicariously through the travels of others!  

I had to do my annual gyn visit this week.  I took my medals into the office with me because last time I was there I was training for the Princess and I wanted to be sure I got my ERT renewed so I can keep my brain.    This doctor is 68 and does tris so he appreciates the effort that goes into these things.  He said the runners tummy is very common and what happens is that your digestive system just becomes a tube so everything shoots through as quickly as possible.    And the good news is that I got my ERT and have superior bone density.   

I've been able to do two short runs this week with my new shoes at 10/50.  I'm liking the get to the gym at 5 am thing.  It was so pretty coming out in the dark with the snow yesterday.  it's nice not to have to work it in at the end of the day, too.  I'm supposed to 10 x 800 m on Saturday but if anything starts to hurt I will walk for a mile and then do 10/50 for 2 miles.  For my long run next week I am back to 14, 4 miles walking, 4 miles at 5/55 and the rest at 10/50 if everything goes well.  It's quite an adjustment to concentrate on going slow and strong as opposed to fast and wrung out.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

If I were *Lindsay*, this is where I'd be for NYE! 

*PEEP Drop*
Bethlehem, Pa., may better be known as Christmas City USA, but it's also the home of Just Born Inc., the makers of PEEPS, those sugar-marshmallow concoctions that make their way to stores at Easter, Halloween and Christmas. Bethlehem's New Year's Eve celebration incorporates the famous treat maker's PEEPS with its New Year's Eve 25-pound fiberglass PEEP Drop. Families can enjoy PEEPS Fest from noon to 5 p.m. with live music, arts and crafts, S'mores, photos with the PEEPS Chick, movies and more. Bethlehem also offers a Family New Year's Eve Party from 1 to 3 p.m. at Musikfest Cafe with a kid-friendly DJ, crafts, face painting and bounce house. 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lisa--Have a WONDERFUL 10k tomorrow!!!! *


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> *Lisa--Have a WONDERFUL 10k tomorrow!!!! *



*Go Lisa go!*.


----------



## liesel

Worfiedoodles said:


> If I were *Lindsay*, this is where I'd be for NYE!
> 
> *PEEP Drop*
> Bethlehem, Pa., may better be known as Christmas City USA, but it's also the home of Just Born Inc., the makers of PEEPS, those sugar-marshmallow concoctions that make their way to stores at Easter, Halloween and Christmas. Bethlehem's New Year's Eve celebration incorporates the famous treat maker's PEEPS with its New Year's Eve 25-pound fiberglass PEEP Drop. Families can enjoy PEEPS Fest from noon to 5 p.m. with live music, arts and crafts, S'mores, photos with the PEEPS Chick, movies and more. Bethlehem also offers a Family New Year's Eve Party from 1 to 3 p.m. at Musikfest Cafe with a kid-friendly DJ, crafts, face painting and bounce house.
> 
> Maria



A peep drop!!  I'll have to track down pics of that!



Rose&Mike said:


> *Lisa--Have a WONDERFUL 10k tomorrow!!!! *





lisah0711 said:


> *Go Lisa go!*.



*Lisa* Blame *Kathy* for the whole "next month" thing.  At the beginning of December, she said that now we would be able to say our race is next month.  I read that and went  too, but now I'm getting excited.

*Lindsay* How can I keep forgetting to mention how much I  at your Christmas tree story!

I got my oranament yesterday and I can't wait until the 20th!

Thanks so much for the well wishes tomorrow!  I've just been exhausted from a busy week but I dozed off for a few minutes while the kids were watching "Twice Upon A Christmas" so I'm feeling a little better.  I need to head to the running store to go to the packet pick up so I'll see everyone later!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hello my princessbelles! How are you all? I had a good day--cause I just decided I was going to have a good day. Tom texted me that he is having fun in Denver. I went to work for a couple of hours and knocked out a project that I really didn't want to come back to in January, so Monday and Tuesday I just have to deal with any money that comes in and end of the year stuff.

*Maria-*-Is that Peep drop a new thing? I hope it goes well with the outlaws. Whenever I think about all this family stuff that everyone is dealing with I think of National Lampoons Christmas--I don't know why. I think that's one of Taryn's favorite movies. Anyhow, try to not go to crazy this weekend!

*Nancy*--the picture of the kiddos with Santa is so cute!

*Lisah*--thank you for saying the right thing. I might look into the leg sleeves. So are you running 10 sec walking 50? How is the itbs? Hopefully it was just a tiny flareup.

Hello to everyone I missed!

I went to pt today and there was a little confusion with my appointment time--though I looked at the reminder time on my sheet and there was no confusion on my part. Anyhow, they squeezed me in and I am done with that for the year! 

I talked with my sister this afternoon (she is an RN--might even be a phd now, not sure) anyhow, she has pf and foot issues and my nieces who play competitive soccer have had a lot of injuries. She said my niece sprained her ankle and tore a tendon and messed up two other tendons in her ankle and even after going through therapy it swelled for a long time during exercise. She thinks I should just try running and see what happens. 

So I am thinking about it for tomorrow. I was going to walk 5 miles, but I might try a really slow interval if I can figure out how to program the treadmill at the Y. Mike said you just have to stop if it hurts, and therein lies the problem. I am not very good at stopping......

We'll see. I am almost giddy at the thought of actually running......Mike really wants me to find a pt closer to home, but I'm not going to deal with that until January.

Since Lisa asked, here's our plan for this trip:
12/21 Mike and I fly down in the morning. We are staying at Beach Club Villas. Tom gets there in the afternoon. We are having dinner at Olivia's and we might watch college football that night.

12/22 Dinner at 9:40pm at California Grill! I am really excited about this, because I had one of my best gf meals there! We should be able to see Wishes from the restaurant!

12/23 Cape May Character Breakfast. No dinner plans--everyone is going to pick there favorite CS at epcot if the weather is good. I will be having Mexican.

12/24 We are going on the new Animal Kingdom Safari Tour! This is part of the reason we went ahead an cancelled out kitchen remodel. Fingers crossed that the weather improves cause it's supposed to rain--but I heard they give you "free" ponchos if it rains. They serve food on the tour and they are supposed to come up with something gf veggie for me. Part of the tour involves walking over the Nile Crocodiles. Tom is terrified of alligators/crocodiles--somebody kind of harassed him about alligators when we went to the beach in Alabama when he was younger. So this could be interesting. They take photo pass pictures and I believe the cd is part of the price of the tour, so I will share the links. 

We are having dinner at 1900 Park Fare that night, which I believe is a Princess dinner! We have not eaten there in years, so I am looking forward to it!

12/25 Breakfast at Kouzzina, Dinner at Raglan Road

12/26 Dinner at the Turf Club

12/27 We fly home at 7:00pm, so we will just wing it for food. 

We don't have any big plans, though I am really looking forward to the Osbourne Lights and finding the cat and I'd like to see the Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast and the AK holiday parade. 

Ok, now that I wrote it all down, I am getting excited! 

I am coaching tomorrow and I need to come up with a question!
Have a great night!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Lisa is going to fly through her 10K! We're all going to be there with you in spirit anytime you need a boost -- think of us telling you how proud we are of you! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

A quick hello. I'm dead tired and hoping the baby will fall asleep soon so I can follow suit. Will post more tomorrow!

Good luck Lisa! Have a great race!!

Santa pics are on Facebook. Went to the fancy mall because the legit Santa works there  I sneaked a toy in my sweater to have Santa give to Thomas so he would sit on his lap - worked like a charm. 

Ok fuss-pot is crying. Ugh. 

Good night my friends!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Maria- I loved the xmas card.  Ben is very handsome.  Thanks for sending one to me.



Worfiedoodles said:


> If I were *Lindsay*, this is where I'd be for NYE!
> 
> *PEEP Drop*
> Bethlehem, Pa., may better be known as Christmas City USA, but it's also the home of Just Born Inc., the makers of PEEPS, those sugar-marshmallow concoctions that make their way to stores at Easter, Halloween and Christmas. Bethlehem's New Year's Eve celebration incorporates the famous treat maker's PEEPS with its New Year's Eve 25-pound fiberglass PEEP Drop. Families can enjoy PEEPS Fest from noon to 5 p.m. with live music, arts and crafts, S'mores, photos with the PEEPS Chick, movies and more. Bethlehem also offers a Family New Year's Eve Party from 1 to 3 p.m. at Musikfest Cafe with a kid-friendly DJ, crafts, face painting and bounce house.
> 
> Maria



Well Maria that is indeed where we will be on NYE.  We have seen the peep drop for the past few years since they started it.  Our city does fireworks at 6pm and midnight.  They do the peep drop for both.  We go to the earlier one because the boys are usually dead to the world by midnight even though we try so hard to keep them awake.  Last year we didnt go into the peepfest because it was like 7$ a person and I didnt think that was worth it.  Of course this year they moved the whole thing to the new steel stacks area (at the old Bethlehem Steel if anyone is familiar) and now its free.  Cant beat that deal.  I will let you all know how it is and I will try to take pics of the peep but I remember last year it didnt get that great so you may have to just believe me how cool it is.  My boys LOVE it.  Its things like this that make me absolutely love where we live.



liesel said:


> I got my oranament yesterday and I can't wait until the 20th!



Me neither!  Can you believe that package is talking to me and telling me to open it.  Im not listening.



Rose&Mike said:


> Hello my princessbelles! How are you all? I had a good day--cause I just decided I was going to have a good day. Tom texted me that he is having fun in Denver.



I try doing this but someone always recks my plan. Glad you had a good day!!!!!!

I love your disney plans and  on getting a princess dinner.  I am hoping to do that on our next trip too.  Im sure the boys wont mind.  I also think it is completely justified to do the safari tour over the kitchen remodel.  Nice New kitchens are underrated.  That tour sounds so thrilling.  I hope TOM does ok with the crocs.  I have the same issue with worms.  My cousin stuck one down my shirt when I was like 7 and ever since I am deathly afraid of them.  Well I guess worms dont really compare to crocs but you get the point right.



Worfiedoodles said:


> Lisa is going to fly through her 10K! We're all going to be there with you in spirit anytime you need a boost -- think of us telling you how proud we are of you!
> 
> Maria



Good Luck Lisa!!!! I will be cheering for you.



dumbo_buddy said:


> A quick hello. I'm dead tired and hoping the baby will fall asleep soon so I can follow suit. Will post more tomorrow!
> 
> Good luck Lisa! Have a great race!!
> 
> Santa pics are on Facebook. Went to the fancy mall because the legit Santa works there  I sneaked a toy in my sweater to have Santa give to Thomas so he would sit on his lap - worked like a charm.
> 
> Ok fuss-pot is crying. Ugh.
> 
> Good night my friends!



I hope you are able to get some good sleep tonight!  I loved the santa pic and I agree he must be the real Kris Kringle for sure.


Lisa H- Im glad the appt went well and you got some answers/confirmation on the tummy stuff.  Not fun at all  Glad the new shoes are working out well too.

Hi Kathy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

My day was completely ridiculous at work but mostly because I just packed in more than I should have.  It started off fun because we had a managers meeting and our boss gave us each a barnes and nobles gift card so now I am excited to one day soon take an hour or so to myself and grab some starbucks and buy myself something that I can relax and do...read a book.

I had my dinner/drink party with the management team and our boss tonight and that was so much fun.  I had 2 beers which is a little unlike me but boy did I feel less stressed by the end of dinner.  Our boss paid the bill too.  He really is a great guy and I am lucky to have someone to work under that is so generous and greatful for the job we do.

Then I came home and tucked the kiddos in bed....couldnt relax because my mind was going over and over the list of things i still need...so I went out shopping.  Got about half of whats left to buy and finally got back home around 1130pm.

The one thing I am panicking over is Santa leaves xmas pj's every year under the tree on xmas eve while we are at church.  I have a pair for nick but I cant find anything in Ryans size.  I have been looking since black friday.  Not sure what to do.  I will probably have a nightmare about it tonight.

Well I better get some sleep.  We have an early bball game to get to in the morning.  Have a great weekend.


----------



## mikamah

Good evening princessabelles!!  I think a new name for the thread is a great idea, *Lisa*!  

Michael had his school concert today and I left work for a long lunch, and jokingly said, maybe I won't be back, and they said it's not that busy, so I didn't go back.  I did some errands, and picked up michael early. The concert was great, the band did Jingle bells, and I really thought they did amazingly well.  Not boston pops material yet, but maybe in the spring.    He does chorus too, and was up there singing his little heart out and really getting into it.  I'll have to post pics/video on facebook this weekend.  I picked up a couple pair of pajama pants that I can wear out walking with Poko in the mornings.  

I went to the doc because I'm still coughing, and also very wheezy, and he thinks/hopes it's viral, and gave me flonase nasal spray and a steroid inhaler, and some cough syrup with codeine.  I'm hoping it is viral, but am feeling a little nervous it could be asthma.  I am a little better with the new inhalers.  So if I'm not better next week, he'll do an xray, but otherwise, I'll use the inhalers for a month or so, and then taper them off and see how I do.  Last feb I had something similar, and did the flonase and it got better before the princess.  So fingers crossed it's goes away.  I'm good at denial, but I just can't deny this right now.  thanks lisa and rose for asking.  

Last night we did the Christmas Carol trolley tour, and *Maria*, it was so much fun, you should definitely do it next year.  It was very interactive, and the actors really did a great job making jokes and pulling everyone into the act.  Michael and another boy were asked to volunteer to be the guys who ask scrooge for money for the poor, so when they did it, they messed up a bit, and scrooge said, " money for the poor, or for acting lessons?", and little digs at many people on the trolley along the route.  There were 3 stops along the way where we got off the trolley and into some venues where they acted out part of the story.  

*Lisah*-So will you have a white christmas, or is it just a little snow?  Glad the morning runs are working out for you.  Did the blister heal up pretty well already with the new shoes?  Glad your doctor is supportive, and I'm sure all the exercise you are doing is doing wonders for your bone density.  Such a relief, that's always a worry.  Are you doing your 14 on Christmas eve?  I think you should take friday off, and do it then, and then have christmas eve and christmas to relax completely.  It's nice not to worry about speed on the long run, and that JG knows what he's doing.  

*Rose*-Love reading about your trip.  I think Prince Charming may be at 1900 park fare.  I think I saw that in a trip report before.  How fun.  One day I'll eat in the castle.  I think michael will probaby be all over the princesses in the next year or two. 

*Maria*-have a merry crazy christmas celebration tomorrow.  

*Nancy*-Hope everyone is sound asleep in your house right now and stays there til 8 am.  

*Lindsay*_The peep drop sounds awesome.  We are peep people.  Since michael had so many food allergies when he was young, he could pretty much only eat peeps and pez, so whenever the new peeps came out for the future holidays, my sister that works at kmart would drop a package in our door for michael.  Have any of you tried the chocolate covered mint christmas tree peeps???? YUMMY!!  Hope Grammy is doing ok.

*LisaR*-Good luck with the 10K tomorrow!! you are going to do just fine!!

Tomorrow cookie baking is on the agenda, as well as some basement organizing.  We're behind on the basement, but I hope to get a good size area cleaned out for the kids to hang out on christmas eve.  And a wake.  An old friends sister died.  She was sick for a while, but it's such a hard time of year.  The same day a woman I used to work with's son died.  He was 30, and had muscular dystrophy, and truly it was a miracle he lived past his teens.  Such a struggle for her all those years, but I can only imagine such a  tremendous loss.  I heard about him at work yesterday and started to read the obituary, but was losing it, so I couldn't finish.  Maybe I'll read it now, have a little cry, and hit the sack.  

Have a great weekend everyone.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

liesel said:


> Thanks for all the compliments on the card, I was sitting funny and it wasn't that flattering, but I had to use that picture since everyone else looked so cute.
> 
> *i loved the card - your family is just gorgeous! and you look great! so don't poo-poo my friend!*
> 
> *Rose* Lately whenever I feel like dropping the F bomb, I listen to "Little Lion Man" by Mumford and Sons, that way I sing it
> 
> *i need to look up that song! i have the worst potty mouth. i blame it on my surroundings - my neighborhood is full of cops and firemen and they love their f-bombs! swearing is addictive  (addicting? what's the right word there?)*
> 
> 
> *Nancy*   I have to know what is poppycock?
> 
> *lisa, if you don't know what poppycock is, perhaps it's best that i just not tell you! i ate two bags in a week.   it's a caramel (or something) popcorn with nut clusters and it is just delicious! don't ever buy it. *





mikamah said:


> Good evening princessabelles!!
> 
> What is it about having a package in the house that I can't open til the 20th that makes is so enticing and I want to just have a little peek.  Noone will know.   I got my ornament today!!  But I won't peek, I promise.  Now if it was chocolate, I would have to sneak a peak and bite.
> 
> *it IS a good thing we didn't do a cookie party type gift exchange or else i'm sure none of us could wail!!*
> 
> *LisaR*-a 10k is exciting.  There doesn't seem to be too many of those around here, though I haven't looked too hard lately.  It will be fun and good for your training to have the longer race under your belt for the Tink.  I don't mind the chocolate talk one bit.
> 
> *we don't really have many 10ks around here either which is weird b/c you'd think central park would have a ton. it's all 5ks or 10 milers!*
> 
> *Rose*- Just tonight at 4:30 a doc called and asked for the charge nurse, which usually means an add on case, so we all said, f***, and it was for tomorrow. Phew.  Thinking back to ICU, if we were at the desk and a monitor went off with something bad, most certainly that would come out of one of our mouths as we ran to the room.  So professional.  Oh, and I did send an ornament your way, so it should be coming.
> 
> *i used to drop the f-bomb every time i'd see on my caller ID at work when a certain few clients were calling b/c i knew they'd want something ridiculous like "oh can i have my returns going back since the 80s but only the equity part and can you break it down by calendar year and put it in a pie chart?" ick. F***!!! and forget it if japan called. that got a double F*** *
> 
> *LisaH*-Your happiness is contagious!
> 
> *YES! THIS!*
> 
> *Nancy*-You so did the right thing with Fiona.  I have never been a dog person, until now.  Poko is so dang cute, and such a good dog too.  Again, I feel so lucky we got her.  She had her first play date off leash this morning.  We do our 40 min walk shortly after she eats in the  morning, and then have an hour or so til michael leaves for school and then we go out again for a short walk.  We went to the field at the park where she can run off leash, and our neighbor was there with her beagle, Rondo, so they met through the fence and then we let them play for a bit, and Poko was so good.  She never even barked once, and the other pup got a little fresh and was trying to bite her and she didn't bite back.  And I was excited to come home to her in the crate with the crate nice and neat still.  I think she really is getting used to our schedules, and realizing that when we leave her, we are going to come back.  I dont really know her background, so I don't know what she's been through, but she is settling in nicely.
> 
> *i'm so happy that poko is such a good girly! and she was a good girl playing with that other dog! that's a really nice way to get them tired out without having to do too much. are there many dog parks by you?? our dogs always loved to play with other dogs  and then they slept forever!*
> 
> 
> I've put most of the decorations out I'm going to.  I have some byers choice carollers I put in above my kitchen cabinets and I think that will be it.  We have lots of stuffed animal/musicals and some other bigger decorations that go on the floor, but I think they would become chewtoys.  As I typed this Poko helped herself to one of the ornaments off the tree, so we'll have to be more observant.
> We are heading out now for a nice walk.  Have a great evening everyone!!



has poko helped herself to any non-dog toys? i do have to say it's kind of nice to let the toys stay on the floor now when i leave the house instead of having to pick everything up before fiona helped herself to thomas's trucks or something. 



Rose&Mike said:


> thank you all for being so sweet to me. *Nancy*, I told Tom what you said, well, I told him you said to stop being so mean to me, and I guess cause I was crying and kind of a mess, he seemed to feel at least a tiny bit of remorse.
> 
> *i'm not sure i was being all that nice but i did mean it! i'm glad you guys talked and i'm even happier he understood that he needs to be nicer to you!
> 
> the whole money thing is very hard. moving to hoity toity CT from (gasp!) the Bronx was very hard for me in middle school. i had a funny accent and didn't have nearly the amount of money that my classmates did. then in college i was definitely the one with the least. sometimes it was hard when people were all getting in their cars to go somewhere and i was the only one without one or they were going on vacations for spring break and i stayed on campus. but then i realized that on a larger scale i had waaaaay more than most people do! tom will realize that too. he probably does but it's hard not to be envious of the "richies" sometimes.
> *
> *Nancy*--don't stress about the weight. You will hit a point when you are ready to deal with it. The holidays are so chaotic and stressful. Cut yourself some slack, eat as healthy as you can so you can take care of that baby.
> *i wish i would get to the point where i'm ready to deal with the weight soon. i've been really doing poorly. i think once i go to the postpartum exam and get the ok to exercise i'll just HAVE to get to it. the holidays ARE hard. so easy to just indulge nonstop!*
> 
> ****
> Is it 2012 yet?



it almost IS 2012 and i just know you're going to have a banner year rose!!!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hi all.  I am on overload this week and mean so bad that I am having dreams about having to walk through my house with snakes all over and they are flying at me and I have to bat them down.  Then last night I woke up a million times worrying that I was going to not hear my alarm.
> 
> *YIKES!!! i hate snakes!!!*
> 
> Tonight is Nicks big christmas concert.
> 
> *Nick looked so handsome all dressed up for his concert!!!! what a cutie!*
> 
> Grammy has been about the same.  Hasnt gotten out of bed for a few days because she is pretty much dead weight and hard to move.  Thanks for asking Rose!



 *poor  grammy. poor you. it's so hard dealing with an elderly grandparent who  isn't doing well. we are going through this right now with my grandpa in  PA and it's really frustrating b/c he is really unable to live on his  own but still insists upon it. *



liesel said:


> *Nancy*   How long were they there, I remember you mentioned it was longer than the appointed hour?  Laugh so you don't throttle them!?  I don't blame you at all for not wanting your kids to be in that environment and have that kind of Christmas.  Its so wonderful of you to make an effort instead of just cutting them off.
> 
> *they stayed for about 2.5 hours which doesn't seem like alot but it felt like an eternity!!!*
> 
> Its starting to look more likely that we may move and I'm still not sure how I feel about that.  DH and I decided that we are just taking time right now to sit with the idea and see how we feel.  There are things that I like about Colorado and I do love our house, we won't be getting anything nearly as nice in California



um, yeah, i totally would be trying to go to DL every weekend too if i lived in CA. my geography is terrible outside of the tristate area so i'd probably think about going all the time too. sure, sure, it's a zillion miles away 



lisah0711 said:


> Hello Princesses and Bells!
> 
> Does anybody mind if I change the title of our thread to BL Princesses and Bells 2012/2013?  I'm open for suggestions.
> 
> *good thinking!*
> 
> I love all your cute baby pics, *Nancy.*  I would love to see a couple of Thomas' baby pics since everyone on your FB is always commenting about how Matthew looks like Thomas.  I'm not seeing the resemblance myself yet, although I do think that Matthew resembles Randy.   I love that you still have Randy around.   I still have my Yogi Bear from when I was little.  I can feel good just by giving him a hug still almost 50 years later.



*there is a facebook album on my profile called  "thomas edward" and it has a TON of baby pics of him. you'll see the  resemblance i'm sure! 

aw, yogi bear is lucky to still be loved! i kept telling myself i'd put randy away but just couldn't do it. *



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Nancy* -- I was drinking a Cafe Escapes Chai Latte when I read your post about the Keurig
> 
> *mmmm i love the chai latte ones! so delicious!*
> 
> *Rose* -- I just have to point out that your "underprivileged" child is flying to Denver and then meeting his parents at WDW for Christmas. That poor boy! What else will he have to endure?!
> 
> *so true!!! i bet if you pointed that out to him he wouldn't really be able to complain all that much!!!! disney during the holidays?? so tragic!! *
> 
> I'm working tomorrow morning, and baking tomorrow afternoon. Then we have to get Ben to a youth worship and go grocery shopping while he's there. When I finally get home I'll have some takeout, then I'm going to bed. I'm skipping my LR Saturday morning. There's just no way to make it work unless I get up 6ish, and I'm not that committed this week. I have to do last minute party stuff and then we leave for the outlaws. I'm sure I'll find a moment to post Sunday afternoon to tell you the tales. I wonder if Dennis's cousin's baby mama has gotten teeth yet? For the last few years she's been missing many in front. Did I mention this woman is about 45?
> 
> Maria



so.....whatcha bakin'??? i really should make something fresh for a christmas party later today at our beach club. we were asked to bring a baked good. but i think whatever they have at foodtown is going to win out over the homemade stuff. too lazy.

ah, no teeth. we had a lady that worked at the deli across the street and she had no teeth. we called her toothless wonder. not very nice. but come on! get some teeth! 



Rose&Mike said:


> *Nancy--* There has been some grumbling on the rundisney announcement thread about women's centered races....I am just going to avoid that thread!
> 
> *it really IS sad that WISHers can't get excited about a disney race. who CARES if it's a women centered race! Mike ran the princess last year and he didn't look like he wasn't enjoying himself! i mean, seriously, you'd think some of the dudes would get excited about a women centered race - it's a pretty good ratio for them for meeting some ladies!! oh well. i'm just going to steer clear of that thread (ok, i'll probably sneak a peak) and wait for the announcement!*
> 
> ****
> I have been working on a new mantra when I start feeling sucked into the vortex of this year stinks....I have been saying--I choose to be happy. And it seems to be working so far. So hopefully no more meltdowns from me for a while. I just don't want to hear myself anymore. Life really is good, and I really am very fortunate.
> 
> Love you all.



i like the mantra!!!



lisah0711 said:


> *Nancy,* I can't believe how much Matthew has changed in such a short time!  Do you have one of those cute little baby Christmas outfits for him?  You know, the one that will last about two minutes before there is a spit up or diaper issue?
> 
> *we received a santa outfit from john's cousins in ireland that i'll definitely putting him in. very cute!*
> I had to do my annual gyn visit this week.  I took my medals into the office with me because last time I was there I was training for the Princess and I wanted to be sure I got my ERT renewed so I can keep my brain.    This doctor is 68 and does tris so he appreciates the effort that goes into these things.  He said the runners tummy is very common and what happens is that your digestive system just becomes a tube so everything shoots through as quickly as possible.    And the good news is that I got my ERT and have superior bone density.



hurrah for a great appointment and AWESOME that you got to show off your medals!! how cool is that?? 

it's good to know that the tummy issues are a normal occurrence...did he have any thoughts on how to help it? 



Rose&Mike said:


> She thinks I should just try running and see what happens.
> 
> *IF YOU FEEL PAIN, STOP! don't push too much! *
> 
> Since Lisa asked, here's our plan for this trip:
> 12/21 Mike and I fly down in the morning. We are staying at Beach Club Villas. Tom gets there in the afternoon. We are having dinner at Olivia's and we might watch college football that night.
> 
> 12/22 Dinner at 9:40pm at California Grill! I am really excited about this, because I had one of my best gf meals there! We should be able to see Wishes from the restaurant!
> 
> 12/23 Cape May Character Breakfast. No dinner plans--everyone is going to pick there favorite CS at epcot if the weather is good. I will be having Mexican.
> 
> 12/24 We are going on the new Animal Kingdom Safari Tour! This is part of the reason we went ahead an cancelled out kitchen remodel. Fingers crossed that the weather improves cause it's supposed to rain--but I heard they give you "free" ponchos if it rains. They serve food on the tour and they are supposed to come up with something gf veggie for me. Part of the tour involves walking over the Nile Crocodiles. Tom is terrified of alligators/crocodiles--somebody kind of harassed him about alligators when we went to the beach in Alabama when he was younger. So this could be interesting. They take photo pass pictures and I believe the cd is part of the price of the tour, so I will share the links.
> 
> We are having dinner at 1900 Park Fare that night, which I believe is a Princess dinner! We have not eaten there in years, so I am looking forward to it!
> 
> 12/25 Breakfast at Kouzzina, Dinner at Raglan Road
> 
> 12/26 Dinner at the Turf Club
> 
> 12/27 We fly home at 7:00pm, so we will just wing it for food.
> 
> We don't have any big plans, though I am really looking forward to the Osbourne Lights and finding the cat and I'd like to see the Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast and the AK holiday parade.
> 
> Ok, now that I wrote it all down, I am getting excited!
> 
> I am coaching tomorrow and I need to come up with a question!
> Have a great night!



awesome. jealous. awesome. i want to come. awesome. you better take a million pictures!!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> My day was completely ridiculous at work but mostly because I just packed in more than I should have.  It started off fun because we had a managers meeting and our boss gave us each a barnes and nobles gift card so now I am excited to one day soon take an hour or so to myself and grab some starbucks and buy myself something that I can relax and do...read a book.
> 
> I had my dinner/drink party with the management team and our boss tonight and that was so much fun.  I had 2 beers which is a little unlike me but boy did I feel less stressed by the end of dinner.  Our boss paid the bill too.  He really is a great guy and I am lucky to have someone to work under that is so generous and greatful for the job we do.
> 
> Then I came home and tucked the kiddos in bed....couldnt relax because my mind was going over and over the list of things i still need...so I went out shopping.  Got about half of whats left to buy and finally got back home around 1130pm.



wait...you went shopping AFTER a work party?! that sounds dangerous! lol!!!

glad it was fun and nice that you got more shopping done. i should probably think about finishing up too! 



mikamah said:


> Michael had his school concert today and I left work for a long lunch, and jokingly said, maybe I won't be back, and they said it's not that busy, so I didn't go back.  I did some errands, and picked up michael early. The concert was great, the band did Jingle bells, and I really thought they did amazingly well.  Not boston pops material yet, but maybe in the spring.    He does chorus too, and was up there singing his little heart out and really getting into it.  I'll have to post pics/video on facebook this weekend.  I picked up a couple pair of pajama pants that I can wear out walking with Poko in the mornings.



aw, can't wait to see the pictures of the concert! i'm sure they rocked it out to jingle bells! 

i hope you feel better! 

baking and organizing the basement? i'll take the baking part but not the organizing part 

****
well my lovely friends, i just opened two packages yesterday that were sitting in my house for a couple days - i thought one was my ornament so i didn't open it. then another had a note on it saying it wasn't my ornament...so i opened them. thank you sweet friends for the packages. thank you notes are in the mail!! 

speaking of ornaments - did a certain someone get their package yet? i sent it directly from the store and didn't get an email from the store saying that it had been delivered, only that it had been sent. maybe pm me to let me know you received it? i'm getting worried.

i just took FOREVER to type this reply. john just left with thomas to take him to wee play and i was going to finish this and have another cup of coffee and some breakfast. buuuuut, the baby's up and ready for another feed. oh well. i'll get to the breakfast after. not like i'd ever miss some food!

i had it out with john last night. he has been doing ONE feed at night with a bottle. ONE. he NEVER did ANY feeds with thomas. so i really feel that doing ONE is the least he can do. i need to rest. yes, he has to go to work. but you know what? i had a job too once. a good one. and a very busy and stressful one. but i still know that there IS downtime at a job. and you can function at work on being tired. you can go to the bathroom by yourself! so i just don't think it's a big deal that he does ONE feeding and gives me a little stretch of sleep. i get 4 hours a night. 4. it's not like i'm asking him to give me the whole night. well, my friend mary and also my aunt mary (way too many marys in my life) and uncle eddie were over last night and he made some comment about how i've been getting him earlier and earlier lately to take over.  i went ballistic. and of course i was the B*tch and all i do is complain and i have it so easy and he's doing the "most important"job which is bringing in money. HELLO! that's what everyone does! if they aren't staying at home, they work! does he want a medal for going to work?? something he's _supposed_ to do???

ugh, it's the same old fight everyone seems to have. but he really acts like he's a freaking martyr and i'm sick of it. taking thomas to wee play is not hard work. he can just sit there and play on his blackberry the whole time while thomas plays. gee, that's tough. vent over. 

we have a christmas party later today at the beach club. need to pick up a baked good from the store. hoping to feed the baby now and lay down for a little or just veg on the couch.

hugs and kisses! i hope my christmas cards arrive in the mail today so i can get them out!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i just had to go through and delete 15 smilies! psh.

here are the missing ones from my posts....



hehe


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Warning -- you may not want to read this all about me post, but I'm trying to write myself into a better frame of mind. 

I just had my annual "I have to go to Dennis's family Christmas party and I am fatter than everyone and I don't even like these people" cry. I was hoping I could avoid it this year, but Dennis went off to run errands, and I started thinking about how today would go. I usually hole up and talk to my SIL Kathy. Kathy is the hostess this year, so that is not going to happen. I'm going to have to interact with the SIL who really dislikes me (it's mutual -- she treats my kid like he's a stranger and goes nuts over our nieces), my FIL who once asked me if the homeless services agency I work for is "just a big scam", the toothless wonder and her equally charming family, and Dennis's cousins -- some nice but misguided -- one lectured me about how I was doing Ben a disservice by having him vaccinated and she would never do that to her children; and some not quite as nice -- wouldn't I like a salad today? Oh, it's a shame I only have one child. Having three children makes her so fulfilled. 

Ok, so that's the bad. At least this will be over after today, and I don't have to do it again until next year. Ben will get some presents, he may even like a few. Ben really likes this party, he cajoled us into starting the process this year. 

I really, really want to just stay home. I know I can't but I'm about to start crying again. I'm going to pull myself back together and get through this. I know in the big scheme of things it is not a big deal, but I am thoroughly miserable. 

On that cheery note -- maybe this will finally be the catalyst I need to lose enough weight I don't feel like an out of place loser at these things. 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

dumbo_buddy said:


> i just had to go through and delete 15 smilies! psh.
> 
> here are the missing ones from my posts....
> 
> 
> 
> hehe


 Too funny! Now I will probably go over!

Sorry about the argument last night. I think everyone has that argument. Our argument was always--well you could go back to work if you want to...Sure I could, if I wanted to be 100% responsible for EVERYTHING! Including the kid who was sick all the time. I think if we had a kid now--which would never happen--things would be different. And Mike actually thanked me when Tom went away to college for doing a great job. But, I get it, it's not a fun argument. I think maybe if I had to do it again I wouldn't argue with him, I'd just nod and smile, hand him the kid, and say--here's your kid, enjoy your quality time with him. I am really entering this zen place where I just don't want to argue anymore.

*Lindsay*--what a day you had! I hope you find the jammies and you didn't have too many crazy dreams! And I hope the bb game went well. Two beers--what a wild and crazy girl you are!

*Kathy*--I hope it's not asthma too. I would just cover up as much as possible in the cold air. My lungs have not been right since I had that nasty infection years ago, but so far I have avoided going back on an inhaler. So, Mike was looking at your card and I said that's their new dog. And he said--oh that looks like a guinea pig in the blanket. I said, uh, it is a guinea pig--and a dog. Maybe you had to be here, but I was totally cracking up!

*LisaR*--How was the race????

*LisaH*--How was the run? How are the new shoes?

*Maria*--Are you surviving the weekend?

*****
Mike and I had a long talk last night about what is a normal ache and pain when exercising and what is a problem. And how when he runs something ALWAYS hurts. That's part of being over 40. I think when you have one injury after another, every single little tweak becomes cause for a panic attack.

So having said that, I went 5 miles on the treadmill in 68 minutes. I ran 1/walked 2. And ran the last .4 under a 10 minute mile pace. No ankle pain. No ankle swelling. A bit of plantar soreness, and a little bit of itbs soreness. But all in all I was very pleased. I showed Mike how to beat up the scar tissue like the therapist does afterwards, and now I am icing. I had two ultrasounds last week on my ankle and it seems to be doing much better--imagine how good it would be if we would have started that a month ago.....Anyhow, I choose to be happy.

And someone at the Y told me I look like I lost more weight--which I have not. I really think things must be redistributing itself! But it's making me think I really don't need to go any lower unless I want to.

Ok, off to comment on the other thread!

Have a great day!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Aww, Maria. I'm sorry. I did everything to avoid Mike's family. Some of them were ok, but most were just mean and stupid (I know that's not a nice word, but they were!) I don't know why people say such crappy things and why people think that because you are related that they get to be so in your business. I hope it goes ok. Just keep telling yourself in xx hours it will be over. As for the weight stuff--don't do it for them. If you want to do it (and that's if you want to) then do it for you. Because when people act crappy they will always act crappy no matter what we do. 

You are a smart, strong, wonderful, happy, lovely person who cares so much about other people. And I know for me, I could just never understand why they "didn't like me." But like everything else, it's their issue--the being rude and not nice part. We love you, and Dennis and Ben, and your Dad and lots and lots of other people. Hang in there and I hope you make it through the day ok.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, one more post--then I'm going to the other thread.

Tom texted me that they are going snowboarding today.  I knew they were going, but didn't really want to know when. I like living on the River "deNile". I'm sure it will be fine, but he tends to be a little daredevil at times. (for instance he and his friends liked to play basketball on rollerblades......don't ask.) Luckily he only has enough money to go once so I only have to worry for one day. Thank goodness we are "poor."


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Rose&Mike said:


> Aww, Maria. I'm sorry. I did everything to avoid Mike's family. Some of them were ok, but most were just mean and stupid (I know that's not a nice word, but they were!) I don't know why people say such crappy things and why people think that because you are related that they get to be so in your business. I hope it goes ok. Just keep telling yourself in xx hours it will be over. As for the weight stuff--don't do it for them. If you want to do it (and that's if you want to) then do it for you. Because when people act crappy they will always act crappy no matter what we do.
> 
> You are a smart, strong, wonderful, happy, lovely person who cares so much about other people. And I know for me, I could just never understand why they "didn't like me." But like everything else, it's their issue--the being rude and not nice part. We love you, and Dennis and Ben, and your Dad and lots and lots of other people. Hang in there and I hope you make it through the day ok.



Thanks, *Rose* -- you have no idea how much I needed to read that  

Tom will be fine. Actually, he have a wonderful time and love it so much he wants to go all the time! 

We have to leave now. Why can't NH be closed?! 

I am going to keep track of things so I can tell you all -- that will definitely help me get through it. Gotta entertain my pals! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oh *maria *i know the feeling of dread all too well. after last weekend's visit it appears that BIL is having us over tomorrow for their kid's birthday! um, yeah, i'll be skipping that. john can go alone or bring thomas. 

just get through it today and then come home and drink yourself silly. ok, don't do the last part but definitely reward yourself with something (and screw it, if it happens to be a whole pie then that's ok!). i hope you can find someone to chit chat with and the time will pass quickly. my coping mechanisms for being with the ILs is to just keep a running commentary in my head of all the awesome comebacks that i WISH i could say to them. i also go to the bathroom about 100 times. i also have been known to take a valium when i knew i'd be with them  even the drugs didn't help though! 

just do what you can to get through it and don't let any of them make you feel bad. i also practice "smile therapy" which seems to help. when they are really pissing you off, just smile. smile smile smile even if you want to wring their necks. eventually the smile will help you a little bit! either that or the ILs will think you're crazy and steer clear...hey, whatever works, right???

*rose - *try not to worry about tom snowboarding! ha! yeah right! like that's possible! but at least try not to preoccupy your day  

nice job on the 5 miles - and no swelling! woot! how was the interval running? did you just use the treadmill to time your runs/walks?

i'm sure so many couples have the my-job-is-harder-than-yours fight but it's still so frustrating! sometimes i want to just leave for the day and see how he handles it. but i'm nursing so i can't. sure, baby could take a bottle but that's EASIER than nursing! john doesn't know how difficult it is to nurse and he never will! grrr!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

At the risk of being completely selfish with another all about me post...I can't even believe this, and I'm sure I'm probably giving you TMI posting it. I'm still a little shocked, so bear with me. 

I think I may be kicked out of Dennis's family, and I'm not really unhappy about that. 

This post could definitely be called "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly". The good was Benjamin generally had a nice time and really enjoyed seeing everyone. Plus, the toothless wonder and her crew did not show up, so I have an extra Barbie and set of matchbox cars if anyone is interested  The food was also delicious. My SIL either made or bought a bunch of goodies and skipped the pizza. It was very nice. 

The bad was the attire of one of Dennis's cousins (wife/girlfriend -- I don't think they're married because no rings, but their kids range in age from 14 -6). This woman is 42, and her skirt said "I'm 17". Seriously it was so short it barely covered her lady parts. Ben was embarrassed, and I just kept trying to look at her face. No tights or other hosiery, just bare legs. She had to be freezing! 

Now for the ugly. Ok, you know how emotional I was before I even left, but I don't think I'm blowing this out of proportion. It may be hard for some of you to understand why this upset me so much, but I spoke with an In Real Life (IRL) friend, and she assured me I had an appropriate response, as she comes from a similar perspective. 

We arrived and were getting settled in the living room with my evil SIL, my FIL and SMIL. SMIL started talking about football and all the fuss around Tim Tebow (he kneels -- and presumably prays -- he's a devout Christian) every time his team scores a touchdown. She said she didn't understand it when all the "colored people do big dances everytime they score." I looked at her and said, "Did you say 'colored people'?" She said, "Yeah, the whites and the colored people." I wanted to say something I could never take back, because believe me, it would have been a relationship ending comment. Instead I took a breath, got up and went outside of the house, and burst into tears. 

Since I was outside I didn't hear, but Dennis said he went over to her and told her that I'm bi-racial and that was a very hurtful and insensitive comment. She didn't know what to say. Then Dennis came out to see me. I feel bad because poor Ben just got left behind, but I couldn't be in there then. Anyway, Dennis eventually convinced me we had to stay. I wanted to leave right then. No one else heard what she said or knew why I was a basket case, they probably thought Dennis and I had a fight. While we were outside Ben came outside to tell us she had left. She left mind you, there was no apology or contact. 

I was pretty upset but eventually I stopped crying and got it together. This was about an hour into the party. Five hours later everyone else left (keep in mind the hosts are our buddies, so I knew we would stick around), and I told my SIL what happened and apologized for putting a damper on her party. She didn't know what had happened, only that I was upset. She told me that I didn't do anything and they knew SMIL was stupid. Well, we all do, but I still didn't expect to have to deal with that with this family, which I have theoretically, ok legally, been a part of for over *18 years*!

I am so hurt. I told Dennis I knew there would be comments about my weight, but I can always change that (ok, we know it's harder than that, but you know what I mean). I can't change my DNA. It brought up all the old feelings about not being accepted as a child, and thinking no one other than my parents (my adoptive parents) wanted me. I really think that I am generally in a good place and that is my past and I am a confident and competent person, but to hear someone who is supposed to at least accept or respect me (and she acts like she likes me, even if she is a flake) make comments like that just broke my heart. It was bad enough two years ago when she asked me to take her shopping at the "big girl" stores because I must know where to find Plus sized clothes, and her daughter (who doesn't speak to Dennis or his siblings), is a 0 and she wouldn't be able to shop with her...I know I was probably being too sensitive with that one, but it was embarrassing in front of Dennis's entire family...

Unfortunately this latest incident sent me into a tailspin. While we sat with my SIL and BIL at the after party I ate a ton of desserts from her 3-tiered tray of goodies. We were also sent home with a ton of food. I haven't had much of it, I had popcorn for dinner and then three more pieces from the tray that came home with us. 

I have to take Ben to church for confirmation class, since Dennis is staying home to meet a handy person who is doing some repair work for us. The last thing I want to do is sit in a pew by myself and try to be friendly to people when we greet everyone else. If I could stay in my bed today, I would. Sigh. 

Oh, and even my Beloved Patriots will probably make me cry today -- because we are playing Denver, Tim Tebow's team. I'm probably going to burst into tears when they score (and they will, our Defense is pathetic), and for all the wrong reasons! 

I guess on the bright side I'm pretty much assured the new tv I wanted for the bedroom for Christmas is coming  I think I could tell Dennis I want an ABD (Adventures By Disney) trip right now and he would agree  Of course, I wouldn't do that, but I might try to wheedle a couple of days at WDW out of our summer vacation. I think we're going to Tampa to visit the other good SIL, and I am really feeling the need for some  right now. I am trying to distract myself and not think about this too much anymore. 

Can I say I am really looking forward to the ornament exchange?!  I have to get ready for church, and Dennis is going to be on the computer this afternoon. I'll try to get back tonight and actually reply to everyone else! 

Thanks for putting up with me. You cannot know how much it means to me to have a safe place to come to talk about difficult things. 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oh maria i'm so sorry you had to deal with all that yesterday! gosh, your in-laws and my in-laws should be put in a big room together - we'll lock the door and just leave them alone...forever!

"colored" people?!?! oh geez. what is this, 1962 in memphis???!! my 87 year old grandpa says colored people but it's one of those things that you just let go because he literally doesn't know any better (he's got dementia).

so dennis's step mom just LEFT? like, an hour into the party?? b/c god forbid she just say, "hey sorry about that, i wasn't thinking" and have it at least be a little bit better. 

i totally don't blame you for indulging on the sweets. i find myself doing that even just THINKING of my in-laws. i don't even need to SEE them and i want to shove my face full of food. 

blergh, i don't know what to say about the old feelings of being accepted. sometimes those things just don't go away. it seems like you can bury them deep down for a long time but comments like SMIL made will bring them back to the forefront. but i guess the only thing you can do is to let them fill you up and them set them free (i promise i'm not a hippie). you are waaaaay accepted now. you have a super awesome hubby and a lovely young man for a son and sheesh, you've got some faboo ladies right here on the board who wish you lived closer so we could hang out because i'm pretty sure that we'd all get along swimmingly and have a blast being around you more often! 

the only bit of advice i have about handling crazy in-laws is to adopt the mantra that you just can't be rational with irrational people. no matter how mature you are and how hard you work to select the right things to say with them (meaning you choose not to tell them off when you really want to) it doesn't mean they will give you the same respect. they are going to say things that are hurtful and claim they didn't think it would be hurtful or you're just being over-sensitive or whatever. you just can't be rational with an irrational person. 

please don't apologize for the "selfish" posts. that's lame. we want you to be "selfish" if that means you can have a safe place to vent. that's what we're here for!! 

i will root for the patriots today. yep. i said it. because you need a pats win more than tebow needs a broncos win.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Nancy* -- Thank you. I needed all those hugs. And I get the love behind a born and bred NYer rooting for the Pats! Thanks for making me smile. You know, if she had just said when I asked her, "Oh, I meant Black" or "I meant African-American", I would have just smiled and let it go. Yep, she literally just left the party. She didn't know what to do. Honestly, if she had apologized I was so upset, I would have had a hard time accepting it right then. Dennis seems to think she will apologize now. He says he's going to call her in the next few days. He keeps telling me I can't hold her to the standard of a normal person because she is an idiot. Well, she is, but come on! Her faculties are all there. If she was 80, I would have let it go. She's not that old, she's significantly younger than my FIL -- I don't know her exact age but I think she may be turning 60 soon -- so no reason to not know that is unacceptable. 

Oh! I won't apologize again, but I will remember to comment on the spousal arguement. I think that is pretty normal, especially when you have two in diapers! It is really hard to put yourself in the other person's shoes, because you are exhausted, your spouse is exhausted, and there are these two completely dependent little people who cannot do anything for themselves, so there are no breaks  He thinks you can nap throughout the day, which even I know is highly unlikely. The odds that both of them will sleep for any decent amount of time at the same time -- well, that would be a lovely Mary Poppins moment, wouldn't it?! And yes, you are both doing equally important and taxing jobs. You would like him to validate that rather than make you feel like your contribution is less (it's clearly not!), and so that is frustrating and disappointing. 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

*Maria*-  Big hugs coming your way.  You by  no means overreacted and she was so out of line.  You are an amazing friend and wonderful wife and mom to that cutie, Ben, and deserve to feel loved and treasured by all in your life.  And she left?  How simple an apology would have been, but some people just can't even think that way.  I wish your day went better, and do not even worry about the treats, you are rocking december, and a little boost in your caloric intake one day should not hurt you.  Hope today is a better day all around for you and you take some time to relax and regroup.
Listening to you and Nancy talk about your inlaws makes me realize, I probably couldn't handle being married with inlaws.

*Nancy*- I can't wait to read your facebook post cheering on the Pats.  
And big hugs on the husband issues.  I remember when michael was a baby, my friend was telling me it was less stressful for me because when her kids were little, she added the stress of fighting with her husband over who was going to do what, or him pretending to sleep through a screaming baby and her being so frustrated.  Where as it was hard to be alone and do it all, but it was what it was, and she and you probably do most of it anyway, but shouldn't need to.  Hang in there, Nancy.  It is not easy, but before you know it Thomas and Matthew will be the surly teens that *Maria and Lisa *are dealing with. 

*Rose*_how was tom's snowboarding?  I agree, sometimes it's better to know after the fact.  Michael's a bit of a daredevil, and not that it's easy to watch him all the time but it's going to be even harder when he's off on his own.  I laughed out loud, fredward the new dog. 

Off to take Poko for a playdate with her cousin dog, Tracey.  Hope it goes well.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Bells! 

*Lisa,* congratulations on your 10K yesterday!    Your time was super!   There is no doubt in my mind that you will have lots of time in the Tink for pictures and just having a fabulous time!  

*Maria,* the things that you have to do for love.    I am so, so sorry that it was such a crappy time and that your FIL's wife is such an idiot.    Stupid is one of those things that can't be fixed but that doesn't mean she gets carte blanche to say whatever stupid thing comes to her mind.   

But you, my friend, are absolutely wonderful just the way you are.   You are smart, kind, funny, a great runner, wife and mother.  I am proud to call you my friend.    Plus you have outstanding taste in music.   

*Rose,* glad that you survived the snowboarding kid yesterday.  
And I'm so happy for you on the great run!   

I think that your WDW trips sounds absolutely heavenly.  Can't wait for those picture updates.  

*Lindsay,* the Peep drops sounds like a lot of fun.  It's nice that they have an earlier one, too, so you don't have to be out half the night.  Those of us who get up at o'dark thirty can't stay out late . . .   Hope that the jammies didn't chase after you last night.    Hope you find something soon.    How is your grammy?  

*Kathy,* glad the doctor could give you something to help battle that bad Boston bug.    It's gone on so long it's no wonder that your lungs are a bit inflamed.  Is it cold when you are walking Poko in the morning?  Maybe you need one of Rose's face mask things? 

We don't have much snow right now.  Just freezing fog and a horrible inversion.  We are supposed to have a White Christmas and some snow on Wednesday.  I would settle for some rain and wind at this point. 

*Nancy,* sorry about the drama.    Don't you feel like you are the only adult in a house full of babies.   

I loved the pictures from the Christmas party and saw Thomas' pictures.  I see more of a resemblance but really think Thomas looks mostly like himself.  There was one baby picture where it was like a preview of how he looks now.  And I don't know how you will ever top the "mini me" pose.  

I would quote your smilie post but I'm always in trouble with the smilie police so let me just say .

I had the best run ever yesterday.  I saw a shooting star while I was driving to the community center.  My shoes are working great and I just had a few twinges that were probably more left over from the week-end before than anything else.  I was doing 800m (1/2 mi) speedwork and actually did a 14:04 pace on the 7th interval.    Then I started crying.    Then I kept on going and did my 10th interval at a 12:18 pace just to show myself it wasn't a fluke, even if I know I couldn't sustain that kind of pace.  I really have trouble digging deep at the end when I am so dang tired but I think I've finally turned the corner. 

I have more to say but my men are a bit cranky today.  They don't seem too concerned about ending up on the naughty list. 

I'm looking forward to opening our ornaments on Tuesday too!  

Love you all!  Have a great day!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--You just gotta love stupid people. There are still a few people who say colored around here--but like Nancy said they are in their 80s and pretty much clueless. One of our neighbors used to do it and I would just say--I think you meant African American. Anyhow, I can't believe after Dennis talked to her she didn't apologize. Being a bi-racial family we have heard everything. Tom has had people tell him to go back to Mexico--when we were visiting Mexico and crossing the border someone told Mike that he bet that he had trouble crossing the boarder--and when we first moved here several people asked Mike what he was??? Oh, and then when Tom was a baby someone asked me if I was the nanny cause he didn't look like me. My dad asked me if I was sure I wanted to marry Mike because my kids would not be white. Seriously. As Mike likes to say sometimes....you just can't make this s*** up. What she said was just really stupid and mean. But here's the kicker, and the thing I struggle with over and over.....it has nothing to do with you. It's the one thing I got out of going to therapy. Sure it hurts and it was hurtful. And shocking, etc. *But it does not make you less of a person, does not make you unworthy and does not make you any less loved by the people that love you.* I know easy for me to say, and I often have to be reminded of this, but I just wanted to say it to you.

I've mentioned this before, but I read this book during therapy--The Four Agreements--and it really, really helped me gain some perspective and helped me to control my reactions to some of the stuff. I've read the book probably 5 times and Mike has read it too. Just throwing that out there again.

And please don't stress about the food. Just take care of yourself

And I say go Pats! I am not a Tebow fan.



mikamah said:


> I remember when michael was a baby, my friend was telling me it was less stressful for me because when her kids were little, she added the stress of fighting with her husband over who was going to do what, or him pretending to sleep through a screaming baby and her being so frustrated.


Seriously....????? It was easier for you because they couldn't act like adults and chose to argue????? I did it by myself when Mike was at sea and it was NOT easier.

I hope the doggy play date went well!



lisah0711 said:


> I had the best run ever yesterday.  I saw a shooting star while I was driving to the community center.  My shoes are working great and I just had a few twinges that were probably more left over from the week-end before than anything else.  I was doing 800m (1/2 mi) speedwork and actually did a 14:04 pace on the 7th interval.    Then I started crying.    Then I kept on going and did my 10th interval at a 12:18 pace just to show myself it wasn't a fluke, even if I know I couldn't sustain that kind of pace.  I really have trouble digging deep at the end when I am so dang tired but I think I've finally turned the corner.
> 
> 
> Love you all!  Have a great day!


I would have been crying too! Isn't that feeling of digging deep awesome. I love the rubber legged, I'm going to fall over and die, but I ran really, really fast at the end feeling.

We usually kick it hard for the last 4 tenths. The park that we run at has a 1.2 mile loop. From the place we start at to a certain park bench is .4 at the end. So we got in the habit of running hard for the last .4. We always say--run to the bench--for the last .4 no matter where we are, even on the treadmill. So, eventually you will figure out what distance you can really kick it for and it will become automatic and you will find the extra energy to "run to the bench". It's one of my favorite parts about running.

*****
I am icing my ankle cause it's a little sore. I tried on boots today and I think jerking them on and off was not a good thing. But I found a cute pair that are comfy and have a zipper.

Yesterday and today we did some shopping. I should have done all this a long time ago. I got so stressed out I didn't want to go on our trip. But we are mostly done now, the laundry will be done today and I just need to clean up around here and start packing. Mike is taking a 1/2 day Tuesday, so that will help.

So here's a funny story. I tried on these pants today at JC Penney and there was a security tag in the pocket that was open and the point/pin part scraped most of the way up my leg and left a nasty mark. Ok, fine. Things happen. When I told the salesperson about it she was concerned about which pants were probably stolen--cause where did the secuity tag come from....I looked at her and said, Um, I am not really concerned about your pants, I'm concerned because I have a big scrape on my leg and just wanted to point it out to you so it might not happen to someone else. I should have told her my attorney in Idaho  would be contacting her concerning the emotional stress it caused me and I would definitely not ever be able to try on clothes again cause I was too traumatized....

Ok, I guess the foot is done icing. Time to get busy being productive!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Forgot to tell you all...maybe I said it on the holiday thread---can't remember??
Anyhow, Tom survived snow boarding. He said it was fun, but his bottom is killing him. As long as there were no broken bones or head injuries, I am good with it.


----------



## liesel

It looks like its time for another round of hugs!

*Nancy*   I've definitely been there.  I think I realized that what I wanted was validation from DH that my job was hard too, and the emotional stress is completely different from going to work.  I've worked 14 hour days and staying at home with an infant is definitely harder!  You're right, they often don't realize the physical toll involved with BF.  It takes a lot of energy for you body to do that!  I hope things get better soon.

*Maria*  I can't believe how insensitive Dennis' family can be.  I'm so sorry you had to go through all that.  I thought *Rose's* post before the party sums up perfectly how I feel too.  I've got my share of drama and judgement too, but all I can do is live my life and be happy.  People tend to look at others through the filter of their own experiences and I think the rude behavior and comments your way says more about them then you.  I also know how it feels to be the fattest in the group and self conscious, but you are working so hard for you and how you feel and who cares about what they think?  I hope you don't let them take away from all that you've accomplished and I'm glad you have such a loving supportive husband and son.


*Rose* I'm glad Tom had a great time snowboarding.  I can't believe some of the comments your family has heard over the years.    I definitely didn't think you were being too easy on Tom, you are an amazing mother!  I think its wonderful that you took the time to sit down with him and find out what is going on.  Your WDW trip sounds wonderful and I can't wait to hear all about it.   at Fredward the mutant blanket loving dog comment!

*LisaH*    You deserve extra smilies for such a great run yesterday!  I guess the shooting star was a good omen.  I think the name change is a good idea, maybe we'll get some more runners in the spring challenge.

*Kathy* I'm glad to hear you had a good time at Michael's concert and a productive afternoon.  DS's band concert was Wednesday (he plays trumpet) and they played Jingle Bells too.  Too cute.

*Lindsay* I think an early Peep drop is an excellent idea, my kids have never made it to midnight.

First I have to confess to being a BRONCOS fan (not a Tebow fan, I'm indifferent to him and was quite concerned he wasn't ready to be a starter when he was given the job).  This team has given me too many heart attacks of late and I think the Pats are going to win today, I think Brady is going to show Tebow how its done.  I'm always curious to hear people outside of Colorado's perspective on this because as you can imagine, he's a pretty big deal here.  *Maria*, if you need to laugh about Tebow, I suggest the SNL skit from last night.  I was .  Yes, I was up way too late after my 10K and family holiday party that not the entire family is invited to because some of them are mad at each other and some just talk amongst themselves and aren't very approachable and who am I kidding?  It was a freakin' love fest compared to *Maria's* party.  It would have been ugly if everyone had been invited, though.

So, the 10K.  The course wasn't ideal, it was on a river trail.  Some snow had melted on Friday and refroze overnight.  There was ice in many places and a couple of runners were injured.  We also ran through mud on the gravel trail and lots of goose droppings that I am just not hard core enough to run through.  Two parts of the course were out and back.  They didn't cone the trail, just asked everyone to stay to their side.  You can imagine how well this worked, especially when I was going against the pack just before the second turnaround.  The trail was still open to the public so there were also many large groups of cyclists.  I told myself there may be large groups of women walking across the road at the Tink, but at least I won't have any cyclists or runners coming at me from the opposite direction!    I forgot my Garmin so I am amazed that my pace was so spot on my current ability level.  I paced myself a little the first couple of miles, there were only two groups of fast walkers behind me, one group was wearing shirts from various halves (including Space Coast!) they have done.  At the first water station, I passed a lady who looked like she was in pain.  I walked next to her for a while and found out that she is doing the Tink too!  She fell and hurt her wrist but still finished.  After that, I had a burst of motivation and decided to see how many people I could pass before the end of the race.  I ended up passing 3 more people.  I was so back of the pack, I saw the photographer at the 5 mile marker pack up before I reached him.  So I don't think there will be many pictures of me to look at.  On an uphill right before the end, someone passed me.  Once I got to the top of the muddy snowy hill I decided to sprint to the finish.  The guy behind me was gaining ground I was not going to let him pass me!  He got faster, I got faster, and we had a little battle to the finish.  I beat him by a second.    The volunteer who took my chip said, "wow, way to finish strong!"  I'm glad I still had a good kick at the end, but was fading a little nutrition wise after mile 5.  I didn't use any sports drink (they had gatorade and I've been training with Powerade since that's what they'll have at the Tink) and I think I could have used some or a Cliff Block.  I think that's the only thing I would have done differently, but otherwise a good race.  I learned a little more about pacing myself for a longer race and I can't wait for the Tink!  

OK, enough rambling, I need to break out some cookie recipes and figure out what I'm making (DH's list keeps getting longer and longer).  Have a restful Sunday princesses and belles!


----------



## liesel

Wow, I killed the thread by declaring myself a Broncos fan?!  Next I'm going over to the other thread and confess I've never seen Glee!


----------



## mikamah

liesel said:


> Wow, I killed the thread by declaring myself a Broncos fan?!  Next I'm going over to the other thread and confess I've never seen Glee!



As long at the Pats won, I think you'll be ok.  

Good morning ladies,

I got the day off, and plan to be very productive.  Want to go through all I've bought after ds leaves for school, and then get out and finish my shopping.  I need mostly gift cards for the older kids, and a few odds and ends.  Then I'll hit the grocery store for the major stuff so I only have a few things to get thursday.  And I want to wrap too, at least ds's stuff, and if I don't finish, he can help me with his cousins.  when he gets home, i'll hit the basement.  I haven't finished organizing everything like I wanted, but I am going to move what I haven't gone through and still make a good size play area for the kids by christmas eve.  Michael's really looking forward to it, and I will be nice to have more space upstairs with the dog too.  

*Maria*-Great idea to send the cookies for Ben's snack.  I will surprise michael today with some gingerbread cookies in his snack.  He'll be psyched.  I try to pretend I'm healthy mom and usually only send healthy snacks. Hope you had a better sunday.

*LisaR*-Congrats on your 10k!  It sounds like you did amazingly well, and had a fantastic time, considering the course.  Does not sound easy.  I had a big fear of slipping on ice last year during my training.  I just could not afford to be out of work, and thinking back, at my slow pace it's a lot easier to miss the ice than those fast runners.  So excited for you and the Tink.  

*LisaH*-What can I say, you are amazing.  I am so happy your training is going so well, and you are really getting fast!!   I love that you had the BEST RUN EVER!!  So exciting.  THough I am thinking of spongebob and the best day ever episode.   Thank you so much for Poko's gifts.  She loves them both, especially the hedgehog.  Though if I use my imagination, it looks like a potato with feet and a face.    You are so sweet.  Michael was as excited as Poko.  

*Rose*-My friend who is divorced now didn't have the best of husbands.  He had a lot of issues unfortunately.  It's great that it was harder without Mike home for you, that says a lot about Mike and your relationship.  He really is one of the good ones.  That jcpenney lady was something else.  I am sure your attorney will take good care of you.  I have the same one.

*Nancy* -I don't like to see you posting on facebook at 2 am.  I hope you did get some sleep last night.  

*Lindsay*-Hope you had a good weekend, and Grammy is doing alright. 

I hope everyone has gotten their ornaments.  Tomorrow is the day!!  I'm so excited.  

Off to wake the boy.  Have a great monday!!  I wish you all got cancelled from work like I did.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> Listening to you and Nancy talk about your inlaws makes me realize, I probably couldn't handle being married with inlaws.
> 
> *oh, you could handle in-laws. we got the worst ones on the planet so anyone else would be handle-able (yep, handle-able)*
> 
> *Nancy*- I can't wait to read your facebook post cheering on the Pats.
> 
> *well i couldn't possibly PUBLICLY declare that i wanted the pats to win - do you want me to get kicked out of my family?? at least SOMEONE i cheered for won though. it was a terrible day for NY football.
> 
> * And big hugs on the husband issues.  I remember when michael was a baby, my friend was telling me it was less stressful for me because when her kids were little, she added the stress of fighting with her husband over who was going to do what, or him pretending to sleep through a screaming baby and her being so frustrated.  Where as it was hard to be alone and do it all, but it was what it was, and she and you probably do most of it anyway, but shouldn't need to.  Hang in there, Nancy.  It is not easy, but before you know it Thomas and Matthew will be the surly teens that *Maria and Lisa *are dealing with.
> 
> *sheesh, people really are dumb, aren't they? and the thing is, this woman probably really thought she was being helpful with what she was saying. duh.*
> 
> Off to take Poko for a playdate with her cousin dog, Tracey.  Hope it goes well.



which of the dogs that you posted on facebook is tracey? looks like poko enjoyed herself! and she is so lucky to have you as her doggie mommy! she looks like a very happy little girl! 

i'm really impressed with your cookie making abilities! i've never made cookies that aren't drop cookies. i don't even have a rolling pin! were they gingerbread cookies? and i LOVE the mickey ones! very cute!

enjoy your day off today! sounds like a lovely plan you have - coffee, computer, some wrapping, and cookie eating. 



lisah0711 said:


> Good morning Princesses and Bells!
> 
> *Lisa,* congratulations on your 10K yesterday!   Your time was super!   There is no doubt in my mind that you will have lots of time in the Tink for pictures and just having a fabulous time!
> *yes! i agree! you BOTH are going to rock that race!*
> 
> *Maria,*
> But you, my friend, are absolutely wonderful just the way you are.  You are smart, kind, funny, a great runner, wife and mother.  I am proud to call you my friend.    Plus you have outstanding taste in music.
> 
> *yep! yep! and double yep! *
> 
> *Lindsay,*  How is your grammy?
> 
> *yes, how is grammy? *
> 
> *Nancy,* sorry about the drama.    Don't you feel like you are the only adult in a house full of babies.
> 
> I loved the pictures from the Christmas party and saw Thomas' pictures.  I see more of a resemblance but really think Thomas looks mostly like himself.  There was one baby picture where it was like a preview of how he looks now.  And I don't know how you will ever top the "mini me" pose.
> 
> I would quote your smilie post but I'm always in trouble with the smilie police so let me just say .
> 
> *which was the mini me pose? was that the one where i had him in his christening outfit?
> 
> the boys look very similar to me. then again, i'm staring at them all day long so they probably blur together after a while! lol!
> *
> I had the best run ever yesterday.  I saw a shooting star while I was driving to the community center.  My shoes are working great and I just had a few twinges that were probably more left over from the week-end before than anything else.  I was doing 800m (1/2 mi) speedwork and actually did a  14:04 pace on the 7th interval.    Then I started crying.    Then I kept on going and did my 10th interval at a 12:18 pace just to show myself it wasn't a fluke, even if I know I couldn't sustain that kind of pace.  I really have trouble digging deep at the end when I am so dang tired but I think I've finally turned the corner.



*so awesome!! i'm so pumped for you! nothing like kicking it hard at the end! i remember i put the pedal to the medal at the end of the princess and i'm pretty sure i was still going the same speed - i was so tired!

i can't wait for your tink race. i wonder if some of us could get set up to track yours and lisaR's progress during the race? my friend was set up to receive text messages throughout the race. so was john. he was getting texts while he was in church saying where i was in the race. lol. 

oh, and i think it's so great that you got choked up during your run. tears of joy while running?? i would love to get there someday! 
* 


Rose&Mike said:


> I've mentioned this before, but I read this book during therapy--The Four Agreements--and it really, really helped me gain some perspective and helped me to control my reactions to some of the stuff. I've read the book probably 5 times and Mike has read it too. Just throwing that out there again.
> 
> *maybe i should check it out.*
> 
> So here's a funny story. I tried on these pants today at JC Penney and there was a security tag in the pocket that was open and the point/pin part scraped most of the way up my leg and left a nasty mark. Ok, fine. Things happen. When I told the salesperson about it she was concerned about which pants were probably stolen--cause where did the secuity tag come from....I looked at her and said, Um, I am not really concerned about your pants, I'm concerned because I have a big scrape on my leg and just wanted to point it out to you so it might not happen to someone else. I should have told her my attorney in Idaho  would be contacting her concerning the emotional stress it caused me and I would definitely not ever be able to try on clothes again cause I was too traumatized....
> 
> Ok, I guess the foot is done icing. Time to get busy being productive!



you should right a letter to jcpenny! they got off easy. sheesh, around here if something happened like that it'd be all over the news! "vicious pants at jcpenny attack innocent shopper - nearly mauls women to death!"




Rose&Mike said:


> Forgot to tell you all...maybe I said it on the holiday thread---can't remember??
> Anyhow, Tom survived snow boarding. He said it was fun, but his bottom is killing him. As long as there were no broken bones or head injuries, I am good with it.



snowboarding is so fun and really great exercise. every muscle in your body hurts afterwards. you know, that's what i remember from doing it like 15 years ago! 



liesel said:


> So, the 10K.  The course wasn't ideal, it was on a river trail.  Some snow had melted on Friday and refroze overnight.  There was ice in many places and a couple of runners were injured.  We also ran through mud on the gravel trail and lots of goose droppings that I am just not hard core enough to run through.  Two parts of the course were out and back.  They didn't cone the trail, just asked everyone to stay to their side.  You can imagine how well this worked, especially when I was going against the pack just before the second turnaround.  The trail was still open to the public so there were also many large groups of cyclists.  I told myself there may be large groups of women walking across the road at the Tink, but at least I won't have any cyclists or runners coming at me from the opposite direction!    I forgot my Garmin so I am amazed that my pace was so spot on my current ability level.  I paced myself a little the first couple of miles, there were only two groups of fast walkers behind me, one group was wearing shirts from various halves (including Space Coast!) they have done.  At the first water station, I passed a lady who looked like she was in pain.  I walked next to her for a while and found out that she is doing the Tink too!  She fell and hurt her wrist but still finished.  After that, I had a burst of motivation and decided to see how many people I could pass before the end of the race.  I ended up passing 3 more people.  I was so back of the pack, I saw the photographer at the 5 mile marker pack up before I reached him.  So I don't think there will be many pictures of me to look at.  On an uphill right before the end, someone passed me.  Once I got to the top of the muddy snowy hill I decided to sprint to the finish.  The guy behind me was gaining ground I was not going to let him pass me!  He got faster, I got faster, and we had a little battle to the finish.  I beat him by a second.    The volunteer who took my chip said, "wow, way to finish strong!"  I'm glad I still had a good kick at the end, but was fading a little nutrition wise after mile 5.  I didn't use any sports drink (they had gatorade and I've been training with Powerade since that's what they'll have at the Tink) and I think I could have used some or a Cliff Block.  I think that's the only thing I would have done differently, but otherwise a good race.  I learned a little more about pacing myself for a longer race and I can't wait for the Tink!



great job on the race! and it sounds like you learned some things for the tink too which is great! i went into the princess without much knowledge - didn't know how to deal with a water stop, kept skipping them b/c i wasn't thirsty, didn't eat anything, didn't do any intervals so wound up walking a bit at the end, etc. now that i know about those things i hope my next races will be better. that is cool that you met someone doing the tink during the race. i hope her wrist was ok! there will definitely not be any ice at that race! 

when do you think you'd eat the cliff block? after the first 5k? 

you are going to kill it at the tink! can't wait to hear all about it!!



liesel said:


> Wow, I killed the thread by declaring myself a Broncos fan?!  Next I'm going over to the other thread and confess I've never seen Glee!



lol! no you didn't kill the thread. i didn't get a chance to get back on yesterday or else i would have posted 

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

*lindsay *- how was your weekend? how is grammy?

good morning lovelies. had a pretty decent night last night. the day on the other hand was a little stressful but eh, not too bad. baby was pretty fussy. john had thomas at soccer in the morning and as soon as i sat to relax matthew was up and ready to eat and fuss. then he finally fell asleep right before they returned. thomas played a little and i gave him lunch and he went to nap. and then the baby was up! lather, rinse, repeat. as soon as one naps, the other is up! 

john took thomas after his nap to his brother and sister in law's in brooklyn for their kid connor's birthday. it wasn't a party, just them and john's crazy sister were there. i didn't go - i JUST saw them last weekend! i have a newborn! why do i need to schlep around brooklyn to sit around and listen to all of them complain about their parents (which is priceless b/c they all complain about how crazy MIL when both billy and kathleen -john's brother and sister - are on big time crazy pills and have soooo many issues). 

as my uncle once said about the cullens - they take the "fun" out of dysfunctional  it is so true. *maria - *i totally feel your pain.

i have mommy and me today and am solo as the teacher  my fellow teacher's daughter has her pre-school christmas play so she can't make it. it should be interesting trying to set everything up and teach it by myself. luckily this is the good class so i'm sure most of the moms/grandmas will help me during the class. 

yesterday i made a chicken casserole and a lasagna (lean meat, whole wheat noodles, low fat cheese). feeling good for preparing at least a few meals for the week! i need to get on the ball with that. if meals are already made we won't go ordering chinese and pizza like we've been doing for the last THREE weeks. 

off to make some oatmeal. xoxo


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Bells!   



Rose&Mike said:


> I would have been crying too! Isn't that feeling of digging deep awesome. I love the rubber legged, I'm going to fall over and die, but I ran really, really fast at the end feeling.



I like that digging deep feeling, too, Rose.    But I have to confess the falling over and dying feeling is one that I try to avoid, which might be why I'm too slow! 

Sorry about the pants thing.    Maybe an email to customer service would get you at least a gift card or something?  There is no question that should have been handled differently -- really salesperson, you don't know that the customer is more important than the pants?   Glad that you are okay.   

*Lisa,* back of the pack is where it's at!   I'm so glad that you had a great race and really at that pace, you won't be at the back of the pack at the Tink.   



liesel said:


> Wow, I killed the thread by declaring myself a Broncos fan?!  Next I'm going over to the other thread and confess I've never seen Glee!



  Takes a lot more than that to kill off our thread for sure! 

*Kathy,* enjoy your day off!    When does school get out?  Do Michael go back on 1/3?  

That little hedgehog is similar to one that Sadie had -- it lasted almost a whole year, which is a record for big labrador mouth.    Sounds like Poko is a full fledged family member now.   



dumbo_buddy said:


> *so awesome!! i'm so pumped for you! nothing like kicking it hard at the end! i remember i put the pedal to the medal at the end of the princess and i'm pretty sure i was still going the same speed - i was so tired!
> 
> i can't wait for your tink race. i wonder if some of us could get set up to track yours and lisaR's progress during the race? my friend was set up to receive text messages throughout the race. so was john. he was getting texts while he was in church saying where i was in the race. lol.
> 
> oh, and i think it's so great that you got choked up during your run. tears of joy while running?? i would love to get there someday!
> *



Usually I just keep getting slower and slower, too, *Nancy.*   They are supposed to give us our bib numbers shortly so we will share them.  I hope they have runner tracking like they usually do.  But I also have very vivid memories of *Maria's* chip malfuntioning at the Donald last year and worrying about her and how she was doing.  I think it was before I had her number or I would have texted her.  It was all good, of course!  

Hello to *Maria* and *Lindsay!* 

Robert is off school and will be sleeping in late.  We will take turns coming home early.  In case any of you ever need to know how many texts it takes to set up a movie outing with three boys and two girls, the answer is *221!* 

I'm enjoying a relaxing morning but better start getting ready for work.  Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Rose*- I have to let you know...when I am feeling moody about something lately I think of you and your comments of I am choosing to be happy.  It makes me smile and then I choose to do the same.  thank goodness time made it safely off the mountain.  I am really really not looking forward to those days.  oh and thank goodness you are poor too and he can only afford to go one time. I hope you are continuing to get excited for your trip now that most of the shopping is done.  I can imagine that being stressful.  And a big yahoo for the running.  glad you got through it without too much pain.  So happy for you!

*Maria*- What a horrible comment.  You have every right to be upset by that.  Its a hard thing to do but you have to realize you can not control how other people think or speak.  You are a much better person than she is because you take other peoples feelings into account.  A person like that does not deserve your tears.  You are a beautiful and strong women and do not let anyone ever make you feel like anything different.  Im so sorry you had to deal with that.

*Kathy*- I hope you get lots of stuff done today on your day off.  I am jealous.  Glad poko had a fun playdate.  I hope you are feeling better too.  Do you think you could have fall/early winter allergies that trigger the wheezing.  If it happened last year around the same time it could be a possibility.  Next year you may want to start the flonase and inhalers a week or so before the season.  Just a thought.

*LisaH*- Wow what an amazing run....good for you and I am so so proud of how hard you have worked over the past year.  You are one amazing lady.  I hope those boys straightend up yesterday.  I guess the whole santa thing doesnt work after a certain age.

*Liesel*- Wow you kept pace with all those distractions/obstacles.  You go girl.  Glad you did it and made it successful.  You are going to be awesome for the tink!

*Nancy*- Good luck at the class today. Your dinners sound yummy.  Its always good to prepare ahead when you have some time.  It is way too easy to order out.  I think we did the same for months after having the boys too.  Its very hard to break the cycle but you can do it.  

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

Thank you all for continuing to ask about my grammy.  She is doing the same.  I still have not gone to visit her.  I am having internal battles with it but my dad keeps telling me not to worry because she has no idea whats going on anymore.  He said he would rather me remember her as she was and not as she is now.  Still I feel horrible and I know that most of my angst is that I have so much to do and not enough time and that is bothering me even more.  uggh.

I have so much to do this week to prepare for the holiday and I cant tell its going to come down to the wire.  I so bad want everything to be done by xmas eve so I can relax that whole day.  

Funny story- Yesterday I was making xmas cookies- Mike is doing a cookie exchange at work and wanted me to make something different.  I decided to try a mint chocolate chip cookie.  I had opened the bottle of wine I got as I was cleaning up and preparing to make the cookies.  I only had 1 1/2 glasses by the time I started.  I mixed together the butter and brown sugar.  Then in a seperate bowl I had to mix the dry ingredients.  I started to blend them all together and then I realized I forgot to mix the eggs with the butter.  It wasnt looking right at all so I ended up throwing it all away.  I started again from scratch.  This time I remembered the eggs but than stared to mix in the dry ingredients before I even beat together the butter mixture.  Fortunately it still worked out and they tasted good.  I was laughing at myself.  I now have realized that I should drink and bake. 

Have a great day everyone!!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon (ok, Morning for some of you!)  and !

*PSA* -- If anyone has not received an ornament, please let me know and I will contact your Fairy Godmother to see if her coach got mired in the primordial sludge of Shrek's swamp....

I am mostly back to myself today, so time to chat with my buddies while I digest my lunch and start to think about my  meeting this afternoon...

Before I start, please let me say that I have taken the comments to heart from each and every one of you, and I really feel like there were some incredible nuggets of wisdom there. Thank you so much for your caring and support. It does mean the world to me, you guys are the BESTEST! 

*Lindsay* -- I know it is so hard with your Grammy.  It is hard to know what to do, sometimes it's ok to listen to your parents. Your Dad is speaking to you as your parent when he's telling you not to go -- he's taking good care of you, and perhaps you should allow him to do so. 

*Lisah* -- You made my heart smile when you were speaking about your spectacular run! I am so proud of you, and so happy that everything is coming together so beautifully, you are going to have the race of your life at the Tink!  Ben is in school until Friday. He has grade-determining finals and presentations all week. I feel bad for him -- but on the bright side they assign very little homework over the break, the philosophy is that breaks should really be a break. This is a nice departure from his last school, when Break = Tedious and Involved Project Student Couldn't Possibly Complete Without Intense Parental Participation  Good luck with the movies, Ben hasn't asked to do anything like that and I'm not bringing it up 

*Nancy* -- Great job cooking! Has the gassiness settled? I would think that healthy and delicious diet would help the littlest guy. Good Luck with Mommy and Me! I know you don't want to teach by yourself with your newborn and his big brother, but I have faith it will all work out  Yes, my outlaws absolutely take the "fun" out of dysfunctional -- I mean, most families are on some level so it's to be expected, but I think we have reached new heights 

*Kathy* -- You could totally handle in-laws, most are not evil. My real MIL was amazing -- could not have been nicer or more welcoming to me. She even made my maternity wardrobe. Mine aren't actually evil, just terminally stupid. Plus, with luck you wouldn't have to see them all that often. That's one of the nice things about being the wife, your dh is usually smart enough to realize making you interact with his crazy relatives too much is not conducive to his happy life  Your baking sounds wonderful! I am eager to get back to doing some tonight. I didn't end up making the choc chip cookies yesterday, so those are up tonight. I really hope you enjoy your day off, how wonderful to take care of some chores, do some relaxing, and appreciate your newest family member, who I know will want to spend every moment with her Mommy! 

*Lisa* -- I loved your race report, and let me second the Back of the Pack is where all the fun happens! It sounds like overall it was a good experience, and will be helpful in preparing for Tink. I am terrified of ice, you did a great job! I recommend experimenting with clif bloks (if you plan to use them) before the race. I have finally figured out that if I have three every three miles, it's the perfect interval and ratio for me. Everyone is different, though. You are definitely allowed to be a Broncos fan! (Ok, it helps the Pats won...and I was also cheering for *Lindsay*'s Eagles -- sorry *Nancy*!) It takes more than football fandom to stop our little engine that could! 

*Rose* -- I ordered The Four Agreements from the library. I also noticed it has a workbook, which I will buy and do if the book "speaks" to me, which I suspect it will...I am such a "words" person, I really appreciate this suggestion and I'm sure it will be very helpful.  Thank you so much for sharing your own experiences. I know this sounds crazy, but it helps me feel like I'm not "alone", or the only one who has experienced this. I realize that of course that's not true, but it does help. I  the plans for your trip, and of course we expect a mini-TR when you return! You must be getting so excited, I am really starting to think we may have to plan a trip to the World not too far out for Christmas. Maybe 2013...Assuming the world doesn't end before next Christmas  The pants incident was just wrong! They are lucky you are a nice person. You could have given the manager an earful, and at the very least you should have received an apology! 

Ok, no run for me this morning. I did not sleep well. I can't run tomorrow because I have an early appt. for work, so the plan is to run Wednesday. My eating has improved today. My usual eggs for breakfast, soup, veggies and jello for lunch, and more veggies, almonds and a babybel for my snack later. We're having shake 'n bake with veggies for dinner, and I'll limit myself on the pre-bed sweet treats. 

Ok, I've put this off as long as I can, time to get ready to beard the dragon in her den...seriously, everyone is afraid of this woman because she's so harsh. One of my former colleagues said interviewing with her was the most demeaning and insulting experience of her life  (and no, she didn't get the job...). Just what I need after my weekend! I am going to have to grow a tougher skin 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

I had a crazy day at work! And tomorrow will be crazy too! Ick! Why is getting ready to go on vacation so stressful! The good news--we are mostly packed. Mike is taking a half day tomorrow, so hopefully he'll finish up most of it.

I don't even know if I have time to open my ornament tomorrow! Are we posting pictures to facebook? That's probably easier than photobucket and disboards, though I am up for whatever.

Ok, I woke up at 3:30 this morning, so I'm going to do a couple more things and then I'm going to bed! Hoping to have time for replies tomorrow.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I guess maybe we need some ornament parameters...how about we post photos to FB (mostly 'cause I know how to do that ), and are we opening at the beginning or end of the day, or whenever? I know we're all on different schedules with some different time zones -- should we just open and post at our discretion, with the agreement that before the end of the day tomorrow we will do our best to get a photo up? 

I have not heard from anyone they did not receive their ornament yet, so I assume they all arrived 

I am really excited to open a present tomorrow, this is going to be so much fun! 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose- Getting ready to go is always so stressful although it is eustress which isnt as bad as distress, so you should be ok.  It will all be over soon and you shall return to your happy place. 

Maria- I am so glad you are feeling better.  I hope this other lady didnt poo poo on your parade.  gosh there are some really crazy people in this world.  Im so glad were all normal.

I will be opening my present bright and early before work tomorrow because it has just been killing me to have it here and not open it.  I will post the pic on facebook.  I think that is fine and is very easy too.

I have no motivation to work this week.  I think because I have so much at home to do.  Today I pretty much read trip reports to pass the time.
I read one about the 3d disney dream cruise and now it has me thinking about that. 

Anyway than of course at 415p I rushed out of work and the craziness began.  Pick up Ryan, quick supper, quick changing, stop at CVS to pick up xmas cards. Get to bball practice, write out cards while ryan played.  Rush home to drop off the kids with mike. Grabbed the MP3 players I had bought for the kids because I decided to return them for an IPOD shuffle for Ryan.  I just was having the worst time trying to download mp3's.  got to toys R us for the return.  Waited for 25 min then went to the electronic section and they only had pink ipods.  Drove to best buy...they dont sell the shuffle anymore.  Drove to target, got the ipod, found nick another gift to replace the cheap mp3 i was going to give him.  Stopped at the atm.  Got home and downloaded some songs and charged the ipod so ryan can use it right away.  Now I am catching up with you all and going to bed.  tomorrow will be another long day.  I need to buy mike 1 more gift and get 2 gift cards and also do the grocery shopping.  Probably should wrap at somepoint too.

Well tis the season to be merry!


----------



## mikamah

Merry Christmas!!! PrincessesAnd Belles!!!!

I just opened my gift, and it is absolutely beautiful.  I'll post a pic on facebook before I go to work at ten.  *Maria*-Thank you so very much.  You went above and beyond, and are so sweet and thoughtful.  I love it.  

Have fun opening your ornaments!!    

I am so grateful to have you all in my life.  I so hope we all will meet again.  Hopefully in disney for a race. 

And a huge CONGRATULATIONS
to LISA H.  The biggest loser for the final week of the challenge!!!  YOU ROCK!!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I am also the proud new owner of a beautiful ornament! I will post a photo later tonight, after work. *LisaR* really outdid herself, it is truly lovely! 

and now we have yet more proof our *Lisah* is rockin' it! I can't think of anyone who deserves the title of BL more, you are doing it! 

Gotta run, I have site visits with the state all morning and I have to take the subway for an hour ride to get to the first one...

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

aw, merry christmas kathy! can't wait to see what maria came up with - sending something from boston to a boston gal was probably better than lindsay or i winding up with a patriots ornament! 

good morning everyone! 

*lindsay - *how ANNOYING having to drive around all those places for a stinking ipod shuffle. glad you didn't get the pink one though - i doubt the boys would have been happy with that. and that's so smart to put the music on there BEFORE they open it up on christmas! way to think ahead mama! 

*rose - *i remember the days at work leading up to vacation were always the pits. trying to anticipate what will need to be done while you're gone is such a pain. and yet, don't you find that many people aren't too keen on doing the same before they go away. grr! it's almost time for you to go to DISNEY!!! we need a whoooolllle bunch of pics, ok???

*maria - *let me know what you think about rose's book. i meant to look it up yesterday to see if it's available as an e-book but forgot. how was the scary meeting???

*lisaH - *221 texts?? sheesh. just think how much easier it would have been to smooth out the details if someone picked up the phone instead! but GASP! we can't talk on the phone anymore!

*lisaR - *tell us about your accident!! you poor thing, i hope you're ok. nothing like a $500 whammy to start off the christmas week right, huh? hugs! 

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

good morning everyone! last night should have been a good night but because of my own fault i couldn't sleep. i must have eaten at least 6000 calories yesterday. i've been on this crazy binge and i just can't seem to cool it. i had such a belly ache last night and couldn't sleep. i woke up today still full. that's gross. 

here's my daily husband rant: john is seriously going to lose his happy home if he doesn't start using his brain and helping out. last night i had matthew in my arms trying to calm him down and thomas on the other side of me being a real pain refusing to read a book with me before bed. there was HALF a bad of laundry sitting at john's feet. and instead of either taking one of the kids or folding the HALF a bag of laundry, he sat in his chair on his laptop. GRRRRRR!!!! the laundry sat there until this morning. john was again sitting on his computer with the bag still there at 6am. i plopped the baby in his arms and started folding. HELLO!!! do something!!!

i'm pretty sure john is getting me a garmin GPS watch for christmas so i'll let him hang around til i get that this weekend. 

good news and bad news really going on up there. yesterday i found out that my friend's father-in-law died suddenly of a heart attack. he lived next door to my aunt and uncle (the ones who bought my grandpa's house after he passed) about a block and a half away. i knew him very well and he was a great guy. ugh. i feel so sad for my friend and her hubby and their two little ones. HE was the GREATEST in-law! i used to always ask him to be my FIL. 

but here is some fun news!!! quick back story: my aunt and uncle (same ones as above) have friends that live in silver beach that we are friendly with now too. for the throgs neck st. patrick's day parade each year they have a big party (silver beach is a big party neighborhood!) before the parade. two years ago a couple that was there noticed our disney tag on our diaper bag and we struck up an awesome conversation about disney. we are equally big disney freaks! the guy is a retired cop and the wife is a court officer. they have college aged kids. yadda yadda, we've been keeping in touch and saw them last st. patty's day at the same party and that's when i told them i was going to run the WDW marathon. they decided they would go down then and cheer me on. well, of course the following week i found out i was pregnant. they are still going in january anyway and have promised to come the following year to cheer me on. we chatted the other day and i told them we're staying at the treehouses in may and casually said they should join us. well, for two or three nights, they ARE! we have plenty of room and it's going to be really fun! it'll be just the two of them and they are the same kind of disney people as we are. 

yay 

ok, thomas is up "mommmmmmieeeeeeeeeeee!! mommy! mommy! help me down!" - guess i have to get him


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Bells! 

I see the BL superstar list is populated again with Princesses!   Congratulations to *Kathy* and *Maria*, too, for making the list!    And, of course, I am  about being the BL for the final week.  You get to wear the clippie an extra week, too, so that should help me hang in there until the next challenge.  

*Rose,* sorry it is stressful at work but soon instead of feeling like this  little bits of  will fall upon you and you will travel to a magical place with the two men who love you the most  and have a wonderful Christmas.   (With a few thousand other people.)  Talk about magical! 

I can't wait to hear all about your safari so please take tons of pictures.  

*Lindsay,* I haven't finished all my Christmas stuff either so don't worry.  It will all get done somehow.    Did you find some pjs?  

Your poor family.    Grammy is heading to a better place but the stress is hard for everyone else, especially this time of year.  I think that you should listen to your Dad and remember her the way she was.    Maybe take a few minutes and look at some old pictures and think about her.  She knows that you are thinking of her and the way that she is now, she may be gone and I sometimes think it's just her body hanging around, KWIM? 

Eustress does sound better than distress! 

*Maria,* glad that you were feeling better yesterday.    I was thinking after your week-end a meeting with dragon lady would be like a walk in the park.  

Thank you so much for organizing our ornament exchange.  It is so fun!    Can't wait to see all the ornaments.  I've been keeping my ornament at work so it can be opened but left it behind yesterday so will open it as soon as I get to work.  Might be going to work early today.  

The movie thing went fine.  After the 200 plus texts, they saw the movie, and there were a couple of texts after and now nada.    I've heard there might be another movie next week. It's not too bad.  You get to practice your deep breathing and be thankful middle school romance is so fleeting.   

Good luck to Ben with his big test and presentation week.  That was last week for us and we all managed to survive.    No homework here either and it is nice! 



mikamah said:


> I am so grateful to have you all in my life.  I so hope we all will meet again.  Hopefully in disney for a race.



Aww, love you, too, *Kathy.*   Keep that January 2013 date in your mind! 

Edited to add *Lisa,* so glad that you are all okay after your accident yesterday.   Was the storm really bad? 

I will post pictures of my ornament when I get to work this morning.  Can't wait to see it!  Have to wait a bit though since some crazy person thought it would be a good idea to have a few neighbors over for happy hour tonight (me) so I have to finish getting ready for that.  Luckily it's only for a couple of hours and I'm getting pretty good at refusing to clean longer than the time for the event -- plus we can dim the lights.  

Have a wonderful day Princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Thank you Lisah! The ornament looks lovely on my tree! It really brightened my day to open it this morning!

I am a little nervous about my ornament that I sent. There is some unforeseen irony in it which I will explain later today. 

Woohoo to all you big Losers!

Ok, gotta get to work!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Boy it was like christmas morning.  I have to let you all know I went right down stairs to open the package even before I got in the shower.  I am such a kid sometimes.

Thank you so much Kathy!  The ornament is so cute and I got quite a laugh out of the pats ornament.  Nancy did you see that pic.  My husband was like "your not hanging that one on the tree, right?" 

That was so much fun and a big thanks to Maria for the great idea and for the coordination of it all.  

*Nancy*- so sad about your friends FIL.  Im glad your friends are going to join you in WDW for a few days.  Its always great to vacation with others that you enjoy being around.  and for the record Mike and I are constantly bickering over who is doing or not doing something.  I think it is just normal in a marriage when you have kids and a million things going on.  Hang in there.  And try to be merry at least until you get the present you want.

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

Ok I guess I need to actually do some work today.  Talk to you all later!


----------



## liesel

No time right now, just a quick note to say I'm here, I read all the replies and now I've got to go bake some cookies with a very anxiously awaiting daughter.  I'm good after the accident (but I'm starting to get sick) and I will give the gory details later.  I am proud to say that I unwound last night with a nice bubble bath instead of a bag of cookies.    Both kids are sick and DD is just well enough now to be bored and wants to be constantly entertained.  DS is just sacked out on the couch with a fever and watching a movie.

*Rose* I love the oranament and don't worry about the unintended irony!  I actually do like snow, its just the possible 10 months out of the year thing I'm sick of.  Have a wonderful vacation if I don't get the chance to reply again before you leave!

*Maria* I'm glad you liked the oranament!


----------



## lisah0711

Thank you, *Nancy,* so much for my two beautiful ornaments!  

I need *Kathy* or some other FB savvy person to show me how to display the ornament pictures side by side instead of one behind the other.  

I so suck at FB that I just sent the exactly the same message to both Princess Jude and Princess Jen.    Yes, I did apologize.  



Rose&Mike said:


> Thank you Lisah! The ornament looks lovely on my tree! It really brightened my day to open it this morning!
> 
> I am a little nervous about my ornament that I sent. There is some unforeseen irony in it which I will explain later today.



Can't wait to hear the story!  

Glad you liked the ornament.  It said "Rose" to me.  Not to mention that we never could find a sparkly potato.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Boy it was like christmas morning.  I have to let you all know I went right down stairs to open the package even before I got in the shower.  I am such a kid sometimes.
> 
> Thank you so much Kathy!  The ornament is so cute and I got quite a laugh out of the pats ornament.  Nancy did you see that pic.  My husband was like "your not hanging that one on the tree, right?"
> 
> That was so much fun and a big thanks to Maria for the great idea and for the coordination of it all.



*Lindsay,* too funny that *Kathy* got DH with the ornament!  

ITA on the marriage thing.  Men just don't think the same way that we do.   John would probably not even remember that there was laundry sitting there if you told him about it.  I will just pick two things that need to be done and ask which one DH wants to do -- even though it still steams me that only one of us needs direction at home.  

*Rose,* safe travels if I don't get back on before you leave.  Can't wait to see those updates!  

*Maria,* thank you so much for organizing the ornament exchange!  It was a blast!  

I loved Ben's picture, too, much better than a more formal picture for sure!

*Lisa,* you poor thing!    Glad that everyone is okay and so, so sorry that you all are getting a bug.  That stinks.    But thank goodness you are getting all this stuff behind you before the Tink.    It's a short run for you this week-end, isn't it?  So it's all good!   

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*So could you all see the ornament that Lisa sent me on FB? I had trouble finding the post. If no one can see it I will repost it.* 

So, by now you all should have figured out the tiny bit of irony in that I sent *Lisa* an ornament that said "Let it snow" and she opened it right after her accident and commented about how much "fun" winter has been this year. Just look at it this way Lisa--when you move to CA away from all that snow, the ornament will be your reminder that it snows too much in Colorado! 

*Lindsay*--I felt the same way this morning. I was very excited to open my box. Thanks *Maria*, for suggesting this!

*Lisah*--I hope happy hour with the neighbors was fun!

*Kathy*--how was phone shopping?

*Nancy*--I'm sorry about your friend. You will love your garmin! So make sure you don't kick John to the curb too soon!

*Maria*--I hope you like the book. Of the four agreements, I can only consistently remember the first two. (Too much brain fog I guess). Anyhow, it really helped me to deal with my wacky family and Mike's too!

****
Work was CRAZY! But it's done. I didn't get everything done, but that's ok. I think we are pretty much ready to go. Our plane leaves at 6:00am, so we will be getting up early. We are only 15 min from the airport--so that's good! 

I plan to do a trip report, but not sure if will I post it until we get home.

I will probably get back on sometime this week, but if I don't please know that I love you all to pieces. I hope everyone has a wonderful, relaxing, stress free holiday.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Merry Christmas, Rose! We will miss you, have a Wonderful, Splendiforous Christmas at the World!

More posting tomorrow afternoon, I promise! Last big scary meeting tomorrow morning, and then I can eat lunch and relax -- here's hoping I don't get assigned any fun chores from the meeting 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

The ornament exchange was so fun, and I loved going on and checking out everyone's ornaments.  Thank you *Maria*, for the great idea.

Well, I got my new phone, it's a basic samsung with a slide out keyboard, and I tortured a few people with texts last night, but somehow hit quick reply and sent my sil that I was in a meeting.  I know I will like it, and it's about time.  No more confusing banners with bears.  

Gotta head out for my walk now.  The week seems to be going by a little too fast.  If I can, I'll take tomorrow off to get ready.  I wasn't feeling stressed til the phone broke and it was one more thing to do, but I did get over it.

*Lisa*-I don't know for sure, but i think if you post pics as an album, then 3 will show up side by side.  

*Maria*-Good luck at the meeting today.

*Rose* -I'm sure you're ready or boarding the plane right now. A very merry Christmas and Vacation to you, Mike, and Tom! 

*LisaR*_Glad you werren't hurt in the accident.  So stressful though at this time of year to be without a car. 

*Nancy*-Loved the bronx zoo ornaments.  Perfect. So sorry to hear about your friends fil.  So very sad.  My heart goes out to them, and to you. 

*Lindsay*-Ryan's so cute without his front teeth.

*Pamela*-It's been a busy week, and I miss you.  I haven't even been reading on the alumni thread.  I hope work is quiet so I can catch up with you over there.

*Dona*-Hi there!!

Hello to any other lurkers out there.  

Have a great day all!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Sorry Rose I wanted to get on late last night but got caught up in my wrapping.  Have a wonderful trip and a very Merry Christmas!!!!!!

Well as most of you saw I had to add another thing to my list of playing tooth fairy last night.  Ryan finally lost that big snaggletooth he had.  He had injured his teeth when he was two and that one tooth came down but didnt fall out.  That darn tooth annoyed me for years.  I almost wanted to throw a party last night when it came out. So now we were singing all I want for christmas is my two front teeth.  Ryan was so excited because he didnt think it would come out until after the holidays.  He got 2$ for this one.

I got my grocery shopping done and half of my presents wrapped tonight.  I am starting to feel a bit more in control.  Tonight will be baking some more cookies for the teachers gifts, putting together their gifts, decorating a paper xmas tree that nick has to do for school, and wrapping the rest of the gifts.  Im getting there.

My grammy is quickly declining though.  The past 2 days she has not been awake for more than a few seconds here or there.  She is off all meds.  She hasnt eaten in 2 days.  So I really just think its a matter of days now.


----------



## mikamah

*Lindsay*-That tooth fairy better be careful upping the anty.  He is so cute without the front teeth.
So sorry to hear about you Grammy.  It's such a hard time of year too.  Big hugs to you and your family.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

the ornament exchange was so fun! i looooove my ornament! so pretty and classic. everyone really did a great job picking out their ornaments. i should have taken a picture of lindsay's wrapping! the whole box was decorated! of course, i ripped it open before truly appreciating it but i did take the time to look at it and say, "awwww!!"

MERRY CHRISTMAS ROSE! hope you have a great trip! sounds like it's going well already with your lack of traveling far from gate to gate in atlanta!

we have our mommy and me christmas party today. having it at the old folks home again (like we did at halloween). we have a guy coming to sing and play instruments. we have had him the last 3 years. he emailed YESTERDAY about a scheduling conflict, asked if he could come earlier. we told him no (the kids need to arrive and the old people need to be brought downstairs) and he never wrote back. he better show up!! i can't keep a tune so we're in trouble if he doesn't show!

today is the wake for my friend's FIL. he lived next to my aunt and uncle (they are just around the corner). the sergeant had come to the FIL's house on monday looking for his wife. she was at work so he stopped in and spoke to my aunt. my aunt is a retired NYPD sergeant so knows the whole spiel about what they need to do to tell someone that their loved one had passed - she'd done it so many times. ugh. so sad. monday was his wife's FIRST day back at work after having surgery. and her husband died. ugh. anyway, the wake is today and i'm going to try to see if i can find someone to watch the kiddos for me for an hour so i can go. 

on a happier note, my cousin who lives across the street from us is coming home from college today! she is the one who went to hawaii with us. she's a junior now. can't wait to see her. she hasn't seen baby matthew yet - she left to go back home the friday after turkey day and matthew was born saturday. 

whoa...i just hit some button and i left the page. thought i'd lost my post but luckily when i hit back again it came back! i'm going to take that as a hint to get off here and get back to trying to fix these stupid bells that we're going to have the kids play when they sing jingle bells. yeah, it's going to be a disaster!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Really??? You're going to let me kill the thread? Don't you people know how hormonal I am?? This could send me off the deep end!!!

Hope everyone is just having way too good of a day to get on the computer! 

Rose - we need pics of the trip, stat!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

It's ok, *Nancy* -- if my idiotic inlaws couldn't kill this thread, nothing will! 

Hey Ladies!

I am literally falling asleep at the computer, but wanted to check in quickly. I got up and ran 4M this morning. It had been awhile, but it felt good. My dad arrived safely and now we are all caught up on the intrigue at the Lodge...I love my dad, but it is funny to hear about all the political infighting among the old men club. 

I'm home with my dad tomorrow, planning to run and then take him out for lunch. Ben has one more day of school. 

I made ranch oyster crackers this afternoon. Tomorrow afternoon I plan to make fudge. 

If I were a devoted wife, I would make one more trip to the mall for a couple of things for Dennis. Honestly, I just don't know if I can face it. We'll see how tomorrow is going. It means taking my dad with me, and I know it will be a zoo, with no close parking...I just don't think it's going to happen. Maybe I'll run downtown Friday morning while Ben entertains my dad. That could be just as productive, and I could take the subway and skip the parking...

Have to sleep now. Everyone have an awesome night!

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Bells!  

*Rose,* hope that you made it safely to WDW and that you are having a wonderful time.  

*Maria,* glad that your Dad arrived safely and that the scary meeting is behind you!    Are you done working for the week? 

Is there something that Dennis really wants or do you need to even out the presents or something?  If you do have to go out, hope it's quick and painless!

We each have one token gift under the tree.    It's taken a lot of pressure off for both of us.  



mikamah said:


> No more confusing banners with bears.



  Just keep an eye on those text and data charges to avoid an unpleasant surprise.  

*Lindsay,* glad the tooth fairy arrived in the nick of time for this Christsmas pictures!   

So sorry about your Grammy.    It sounds like she is much more comfortable and resting.  

*Nancy,* looks like you got quite the haul at your Christmas party!  :love



dumbo_buddy said:


> Really??? You're going to let me kill the thread? Don't you people know how hormonal I am?? This could send me off the deep end!!!



 It would take alot to kill this thread.  I think everyone is just scrambling on these last minute Christmas things.  

*Lisa,* hope that you are doing well!  

Had a good time at our neighbor happy hour on Tuesday.  Between staying up late and drinking wine I was feeling a tad slow yesterday.    Got the last of the Christmas cards out yesterday.  Today we will do the last bit of grocery shopping.  Work has to be squeezed in there somewhere and then I will start the week-end off Friday with a 14 mile run.   

Have a wonderful day Princesses!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Nancy*- Im glad you liked the ornament.  I felt like it was plain but has great meaning to where I live.  I decorated the box at work.  You know I have my priorities straight.  Im just glad it got to you on the 20th. 

I hope everything went as good as it could at the wake yesterday.  That is just so sad.

At least you had your cousins homecoming to brighten your day.  I hope you get to spend some quality time with her over the holiday before she returns to school.

I thought of you last night when I had to ask Mike to give the boys a bath because I was busy trying to clean the kitchen and bake cookies for the kids teacher gifts, this was after making dinner, cleaning up, and entertaining the kids.  I got the "I guess" response and I really just wanted to wack him with the frying pan I was drying.  Men!!!!!!!!!!!!  

*Maria*- I hope you enjoy your time with your Dad.  I too need to get one more thing for Mike but I just cant bring myself to braving the mall again.  I know the longer I wait the worst it will be.... 

*Lisa H*- Doing the one token gift is a great idea and alot less pressure.  I tried using the gym membership as our gift to each other this year but my husband is like a 4 year old and was pouting that he wouldnt have anything to open on christmas morning.  Sometimes he is worse than my children.

Just in case I dont get back on....Good luck with your 14miler.  That is just so impressive.

*Hello Lisa and Kathy and any other friends reading along.  Rose I hope you had an uneventful trip and that your time is starting off magically.*

I am almost done wrapping. Need to get more adult paper today.  I almost just wrapped everyones gifts in phineus and Ferb paper but decided against it.  Hopefully I can finish that up tonight.  

Tomorrow I am providing lunch to my staff for christmas.  So tonight I am making italian wedding soup and grilling the chicken for the salad.  I dont think that will be too hard.  I feel like things are slowly coming together and everyday I am feeling alot less stressed about it....or it could be the glass of wine I am now drinking every night.

Today was Ryans last day of school before the break.  Today was PJ day and he was up bright and early and got dressed without us even having to ask him.  That was a treat for us.

Tomorrow my in laws are watching the boys and taking them to see alvin and the chipmunks.  I will be holding my breath all day that they return in one piece.  Then my MIL said she would make dinner for us at our house.  Ummm thats a nice thought and all but guess who always ends up having to clean the kitchen.  Apparently they are making fried tacos.  So not only will my stove and ateries be a mess but my house is going to stink like fried food.  But god forbid I do not act excited about the idea of my MIL wanting to help out.  I would be the worst wife ever if I even batted an eye at this.

Ok vent over.

Well now I need to work I guess.  No motivation this week to do anything of the sort.  Have a great day!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning  and !

I ran 4M, I had an apple and 2 Babybels for breakfast, and I'm enjoying some lovely hot tea while I type. I have to get up in a minute and get ready to take my dad shopping and to lunch. It will be lovely to go out and chat over lunch, the shopping not so much. The thing I'm least looking forward to is parking. I pretty much know where the things I need are -- these are last minute things Dennis just keeps adding to his list  and I have a hard time not getting him everything he even mentions in passing. He takes such excellent care of me, I just want to do anything I can to bring a smile to his face.  It's literally a tie, earmuffs, and a Patriots picture. I have to go to *Kathy's* mall to get the picture, which is a little bit of a hike, I don't mind that, it's just so hard to park close there, and my dad does not like to walk far. Not to mention walking in the mall...hopefully there will be a bench where I can park him. 

I am thrilled to have my dad here, but I had forgotten how warm he likes it. My run was like running in 80 degrees, and that made it harder to crank out. I'm going to have to give the basement time to cool down before I start on Sat. I cannot stand that for 2 hours 

*Lindsay* -- I would be thrilled to get a present in Phineas and Ferb paper! I don't know what you mean  I also know what you mean about having something to open on Christmas morning, the difference is it's me not Dennis  I like to get presents. They don't need to be expensive, I just like opening. I am a big kid! I know it is hard to feel like you are in limbo with grammy. I suspect she is at peace and resting. By the way, I consider coming to work this week a courtesy, and there should be no expectations of anything other than the basics.  Today is Ben's last day too, but no pj day  This poor kid has two tests and two papers due. He is going to be very happy when he gets home tonight. 

*Lisah* -- Yep, I am done working until next Wednesday!  It's a great feeling to have 6 days off in a row, and a little weird since we are usually going somewhere when that happens. Our calendar is actually filling up, this is going to be a busy holiday season! The neighbor happy hour sounds awesome, I wish I could have dropped in  I am in awe you are doing 14M Friday  So impressive! I'm also wondering -- did you pass a weight milestone and forget to tell us? It seems to me like there might have been one in there in all that amazing loss somewhere...

*Nancy* -- You have my deepest sympathy, what a very sad situation and especially at this time of year  I know your cousin can't wait to get her hands on Matthew! How wonderful to introduce him, spend time together, it's going to be a fest!

*Kathy* -- Isn't texting fun?  I've got to the point where I'm almost as bad as the kids, I don't talk on my phone very often. Texting is just faster since there's less interaction.  but I like that...

*Lisa* -- How are you feeling? You are getting everything not so lovely out of the way so you can go in totally confident and have an awesome race. I can feel it, you guys are just going to shine! 

*Rose* -- , Yep, I'm green with envy about your fantastic trip! Hope everything is going wonderfully and you are ending this year on a very high note! 

*Pamela and Dona* --  Hey Ladies! Hope you are enjoying the pre-Christmas festivities and things are moving right along! 

Everyone have a wonderful day, I'm off!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

uuuggghhhhh we are having a terrible couple of days here in silver beach. first my friend's FIL passed. i went to the wake yesterday and it was horrible. because it was such a shock there were so many people just outright hysterically crying. i actually took matthew with me while my babysitter watched thomas. i think my sitter claudia was a little scared at the idea of watching both. matthew was in the carseat and just like a really big purse 

i drove home after the wake and going around the corner saw cop cars instead of our neighbor's house. dead. he was old but not _that_ old. retired marine. so sad.

this morning on the news they said that 95 was closed right by here. a woman driver was going the wrong way at 3am and was hit by a truck. turns out it was a girl that lives around the corner. only 25. two of her sisters have babysat for thomas before. my cousin tracey (the one who just came home from college) is best friends with one of the sisters. this is so sad. who knows what happens or how she got on going the wrong way or if she was drinking. i can actually hear people crying from my house right now. i found the story online on the daily news and the ny post. the car was crumpled. and there are people writing comments on the story that are horrifyingly insensitive 

sorry for the debbie downer post. i'm just so...ugh...sad. and yet i just have to thank god that it's not someone closer to us.


----------



## lisah0711

Aww, *Nancy,* that is so, so sad.    I don't blame you for feeling down.  It's always hard when a young person dies and more so around the holidays.  Your little neighborhood does seem to be hit hard lately.   

It is a good reminder to enjoy every day and what you have because it can be gone so soon.  

Give your little guys some extra big squeezes!  

*Maria,* have a great day with your Dad.  Give him an extra big squeeze, too! 

No other milestone yet.  I'm yo-yo-ing right now.  I'm about 2 pounds away from changing my clippie to 50 pounds and really need to lose a couple more on top of that to hit my goal for the end of the month.  I know if I can buckle down that I can do it.  

*Lindsay,* enjoy your dinner tonight.  It's the thought that counts, right?   Maybe an extra glass of wine to smooth out the edges.


----------



## donac

Just wanted to stop on here and say HI to all my friends 

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Maria- Glad you are having a great day with your daddy. 

Nancy- Im so sorry for all the tragedy you have had this week.  That is so sad for your community.  We recently had a man in his 50's avid cyclist get hit by a car crossing one of our bridges.  He lived for a day or so but died once they took him off the vent.  He had a wife and two teenage kids.  People were putting such ridiculous comments on the news articles.  I just dont know how some people can live with themselves.  What happened to if you dont have nothing nice to say dont say it at all. 

Lisa H- Wow close to 50.  You are doing so great.  You will be in onederland very soon.  Great work!!!!!

Dona- Merry christmas and Happy new year to you too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I ended up leaving work at 1 today.  I just had too much other stuff at home to do.  Now I feel good because everything is bought and wrapped.  I just have to make the soup and bag up everything for tomorrows luncheon.  Then the only thing left is cleaning up and making dinner for christmas.  

I think I am going to go visit my grammy either tomorrow after work or sat morning.  Hopefully she will still be with us at that point.  My mom thinks it would be good for me to go.  I deal with things by avoiding them sometimes so I guess she is right.  

Good Night!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Just got home a little while ago from being with my grammy.  Shortly after I posted last I got a call from my dad saying she is now in the end stage.  She was struggling to breath and unresponsive.  They are giving her some drug I think either morphine or something like it to slow her breathing to make her more comfortable.  We stayed with her for awhile and I am blessed to have been able to say goodbye while I hope she was still able to hear me.  The hospice nurse thinks she will not make it through the night but we all know it is in god's hands.  I just pray that my family can get through this with the holiday being in 2 days.  Even when someone has lived a long long life and we have been prepared for this day to come it is still so hard to let go.  

Hug your family tight and enjoy every moment of your days together!!!!!

Love you all.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Thinking of you, Lindsay.  prayers for Grammy and your family.


----------



## liesel

*Lindsay*   I'm so sorry to hear about your grammy.  I'm glad you got to see her last night before she passed away.

*Nancy*  to your whole neighborhood.  I'm sorry there is so much tragedy going on there, especially during the holiday season.

*Rose* I hope you are having a fantastic time at WDW!  I also hope Tom got there safely, it looks like he left between storms.

*LisaH*  on being our challenge's biggest loser!  I hope you celebrate this accomplishment!  I'm sure you'll have your 50 pound clippie soon.  Are you doing 10 miles today?  I hope it goes well!

*Maria* Are you braving the mall?  I really should get DH another gift too, since I only have one under the tree and the other is going to be a paper IOU.  The IOU is a beer refrigerator (I got him a homebrewing kit 2 years ago and he is hoooked!).  He did specify one at Home Depot, then changed his mind and says he needs to do more research.  So now I don't know which one to get him.

*Kathy* I hope you have been enjoying your time off.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone, including *Dona, Pamela, Jude, Corinna, and Jen!*

DH and I are both sick, he even took off yesterday.  The kids are feeling better, of course, and stir crazy.  We also got 10 inches of snow yesterday on top of the 4 inches from Monday.  I was only well for 2 weeks before coming down with this illness, so this is frustrating.  I better not get sick anymore, the illnesses and snow have caused me to fall behind in my training again and I'm just tired of being sick!  At least this is a cut back week.  2 more long runs to go.

As for the car accident, I had to go meet my parents in Denver to pick up the kids who were staying with them for a couple of days.  They were late and by the time I got back to my town, the weather had really deteroriated.  I was going slowly down the freeway off ramp.  When I tried using the brakes, nothing!  DH thinks its because the tires couldn't get traction.  I was in the left lane, with a big wall on the left and no shoulder.  There were lots of cars in both lanes in front of me and nowhere to go but to hit a car.  I tried to go inbetween the two cars, but there was not enough room and I hit a car in front of me (a brand new car as it turns out).  That finally stopped the car.  The guy insisted on calling the police, so we waited and waited until they called back and told us to just exchange our info (which we had already done) and go (since there were no injuries and they were overloaded with accidents).  The car still was not handling well so I pulled over at the tire store, which was a couple of blocks away, and waited for DH.  I refused to drive the car until the tires were replaced.  The tires are replaced and the car handles much better now.  I can't believe the shock I was in, an hour later I was still shaking.  I couldn't believe it, I'm usually so calm when somehting happens, but this was the first time I every hit someone.  Our car was only damaged on a section on the front bumper that needed replacing anyway, so its not too bad.

DH is supposed to hear about his company's CA project today, so we'll see.  If not, it looks like we may be moving out there anyway.  *Nancy*, we'll be in Northern California, about a 7 hour drive from DL, so no we can't go there every weekend like DD wants.  I do know of people on the DL side of the DIS who make the trek every month!  I just told her we would go more often than we do now.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas weekend!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Sending giant  to *Lindsay and Nancy*...it is so hard to face losses like that this time of year...you are both in my thoughts and prayers. 

A huge  to *Lisah!* Congratulations on being the Fall BL! What an amazing accomplishment, especially since I know you did it the healthy way! 

*Lisa* -- That is so scary, I would have completely freaked out if I lost my brakes  I think you did great.  I really hope you feel better soon. 

 to *Kathy, Rose, Dona and Pamela!*

Ok, so I went to the mall yesterday and it was busy, but ok. Turns out the item I really needed was unavailable, so so much for that. Then I got home and there was an ink tag left on an item, so I had to take the subway downtown this morning and get it removed. I was not driving back to the mall store 

I made fudge and double choc chunk bars today to take to my neighbors tomorrow night, and we just finished watching Night at the Museum II. I'm headed for bed soon. I'm sitting here yawning and sniffling, but I'm determined that when I get my rest out, I have 10M on tap. I actually think it will feel good, and help with moving the sniffles along. 

Tomorrow's schedule includes my workout, the Pats game, visiting with my neighbor, driving around looking at Christmas lights, delicious Italian dinner (not takeout, but higher quality restaurant food we're bringing home), and "A Christmas Carol" with Jim Carrey. I still have an item or two to wrap, I have to stuff the stockings before bed but not put them up (kitten hazards), and then I can wake up on Christmas morning and literally set everything out. 

I am eager to hear everyone's plans for Christmas Day -- I'll be back to post mine tomorrow! 

Ben is adamant he is not going to "ruin" his Christmas morning by going to church. He told me, "Christmas is not about going to church, Mom"...yep, I guess he's pretty much missing the point of those confirmation classes  We actually aren't going because Dennis isn't about to chance missing the Celtics tip-off, but it is kind of funny to hear him explain how church attendance is unrelated to his Christmas agenda. 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princessabelles!!  

Well, it seems that in 5 weekends our little Tinkerbelles will be in their beloved DL!!!  I am so excited for you Lisa's!!  

*LIsaH*-Can I just say how inspiring you are.  You set your mind to get focused, and here you are the biggest loser!!  I am so happy for you and so excited and happy that you are going to rock the Tink.  How was your long run yesterday?  I am sure even if you fluctuate a little this week with Christmas, you will get right back on and lose it and run the Tink in ONderland!!!  Congratulations!!  Drinks with friends sounds like a nice evening.  I wanted a drink last night but was on call, so tried to wait til 10:30, but was too tired then to stay up and have one.  I'm going to do my cooking and cleaning this morning after my walk, and have that drink with my lunch. 

*Maria*-Glad you weren't at the mall when the supposed guy with a bomb strapped to him was there.  I don't know if it was real or not, but it was friday.  Sounds like you have a nice relaxing weekend planned and are enjoying your visit with your Dad.  Oh Ben.  I just want to keep michael little a little while longer.  He has really enjoyed ccd this dec and shared all the little religious tidbits he's learned.  I must confess we have not been good about getting to church each sunday, and he actually asked if we could go on Christmas.  He has jan and feb off from ccd, they lengthen each one by 10 min, and that way they don't have to cancel or do snow removal, so we said we'd get to mass more often.

*Nancy*-So sorry for all the losses in your little community.  It seems the tragedy's around the holidays are always so awful.  Hugs to you and your community.  I hope you're having some holiday fun.  Love, love the strawberry santas.  My strawberries will be boring this christmas.  

*Lindsay*-I am so sorry to hear about your Grammy.  It is so sad to lose someone we love, anytime of year, but Christmas time is supposed to be such a happy time.  I hope you and your family are doing ok, and that you find some peace and comfort in your good memories.    I know it doesn't feel like it now, but time does heal.  When i was 4, my grandparents died on Christmas eve and Christmas day, my dad's parents.  I don't remember that year, but every year after that we had a mass on the saturday morning before christmas and came back to our house which was their house originally for coffee and donuts, and some of my best childhood memories are from that mass.  Through the years different cousins would come, and as kids we all got out in the yard to play, and I have pics of michael at 3 weeks with my dad's brother and sisters who are gone now, too.  So anyway, I'm thinking of you, and know how hard it is, but pray that you have peace this holiday, and those darling boys of yours bring lots of smiles to your face between the tears.  

*LisaR*_Such a scary accident.  I'm glad you are ok, and got new tires and are good to go.  It sounds like CA is looking pretty good right now.  You are going to be fine at the tink.  Do not worry about having to miss some runs, you've got the speed, and after the holidays I'm sure things will settle down and you'll get those runs in. 

*Rose*-Merry Christmas to you, Mike, Tom, Mickey, Minnie and all the gang!!  

*Pamela and Dona*  -A very merry christmas to you both!!

Well, it's Christmas eve, and my house still needs some work, I need to take the dog out for his walk, do some cooking, and finish setting up the basement play area.  I spend a few hours down there last night, and hung some white lights from the ceiling, and it looks pretty festive.  I baked my last batch of cookies, and figured I'd take some time and catch up here and enjoy my coffee and spritz for breakfast.  I need to make chicken broc,ziti, spinach dip & pita chips, a trifle, 3 pies, 2 to bring to my sisters tomorrow, vacuum, clean the bathroom and kitchen, and then I'll be ready to party!!  We also want to get Poko out for a few good long walks to tire her out a bit before everyone comes over.  She has been doing well, but playing a little rough at times with michael, like he's one of her toys, and trying to nip a bit, so I want to prevent it from going any further.  Done lots of reading about it, and maybe it's a dominance thing, so Michael's trying not to lay on the floor and play, and is going to do all her feeding this week too, set things straight.  We signed up for training classes too starting the 7th.  

So that's about it for us. Off for our long morning walk, Poko and I.  I must say, I have not been watching what I eat one speck, and I am hanging in the 209-210 range, so all the puppy walking has been good for my weight, though it does interfere with my dis time. 

If I'm not back later today, I wish all of you a very merry Christmas!!  Love you all!!


----------



## lisah0711

Merry Christmas Eve to all my Princesses and Bells!  

I've always enjoyed Christmas Eve more than Christmas, even when I was a little girl it was as good as Christmas.    It's all the excitement and anticipation, and everything still looks nice before the mayhem of present opening and tons of activity in the kitchen.

*Lindsay,* I'm so sorry about your Grammy.  I'm glad that you got to see her before she passed away.  It will be hard these next few days with the holidays but thankfully you have two perfect reminders of the fact that somehow life does go on, even when you are sad.    There will be plenty of comic relief from your two I'm sure! 

*Nancy,* so sorry about about the neighborhood tragedies this week.    It's hard when they are all so close together but to add the holidays on top makes it even worse.   

I think your santa brownies turned out cute!    And I'm sorry but I had to chuckle when Aunt Ann asked who was going to eat them.   

It hasn't even been a month since Matthew was born.  Be kind to yourself and give yourself some time to recover before you work on that healthy lifestyle again.    And I would check out myfitnesspal before spending the money on WW unless you really like the meetings part.  As we have all learned different things work for different people and what worked after Thomas might not work this time.  It will be a process but with the marathon training I know that you will be rockin' it soon!  

*Kathy,* I had forgotten about your grandparents dying so close together during the holidays.    What a horrible year that was!  But I like how it turned into a special occassion for you to get together and remember them and that you have really good memories of that.    That is a true testimony of love of family and how they help you to live on long after you are gone from this Earth.  

It's just like old times following you around from thread to thread this morning!  

I know that you are going to have a wonderful family celebration.  Please tell Beth and Taylor hello and happy holidays from me.    I can't believe how much both Taylor and Michael have grown up since February.  

Oops!  Smilie police are after me . . . BRB


----------



## lisah0711

Wow!  Not only were the smilie police after me but apparently I was speeding by trying to post too quickly, too.  I'm gonna end up on the naughty list for sure! 

*Lisa,* I'm so glad to hear that you are safe after that accident.    Those slow-mo can't do a thing to stop what is happening accidents are the worst!    It's perfectly natural to have that shocked feeling after something like that.  

It really stinks that you are sick again.  You do keep your fitness for up to a month so you don't have to worry about that after your rocking 10K.  JG is adamant about not running when you have a lung infection so take it easy, get better, and we still have 5 weeks to go.  Lots of time!   

I've been studying the map and the race course breaks up into little chunks pretty easily.  By the time we get through DL and around the DL hotel grounds and hit Ball Road and DL Drive we will already be up to 5 miles!  Then its three miles through old downtown Anaheim (which hopefully is still picturesque) and on to Harbor and Ball at mile 8.  I always loved the intersection of Harbor and Ball because you could see the Matterhorn and knew that the next turn was the turn into the entrance.   Hopefully there will a lot of entertainment as we work our way down to Katella but once we are under the I5 overpass it's less than a mile to DCA and I feel confident that there will be no sweeper worries once you get there.  We can do little runs all day long!  

*Donac,* a very, Merry Christmas and wonderful New Year to you, too!    Don't be shy about coming back to chat with us!  You are an honorary princess!   

*Maria,* glad that you were able to get most of your things done.  Sounds like you can relax and enjoy your family as you have been planning for months!  

Good luck on your 10M this morning!    It will be nice to have that behind you and be ready to enjoy the next couple of days with all your guys.  I think taking it easy and looking at Christmas lights is a great plan!  

And Ben is right that Christmas is best celebrated in your heart and with your family, no matter where that is.   

Not to mention at this stage of his life nothing is worse than to look uncool and what is more uncool than being caught hanging with your family in a public place? 

*Rose,* I hope that you are all having a wonderful time at WDW and enjoying being together.    I love the pictures that you are posting!  Thanks for remembering us!  

Yes, I was very  to be the BL this challenge.  First time ever after 10 challenges.  And I noticed the Princesses and Bells were well represented on the top losers list.   

Thank goodness my friend, *Kathy,* taught me to never give up!  I'm going to hold the line here for another couple of days and then see how close I can get to my goal for the end of December and see if I can snag that 50 pound clippie.  Then it's the race to the Tink and ONEderland.   

I did 14 miles yesterday in 4 hours and 45 minutes -- because I can't go less than 20 m/m on the long runs.  I just chuckle every time JG says "you have to slow down, Lisa."    Because I had been burning myself out.    It was nice to start at 5 am and be done by 10 am.  Thank goodness you told me about those Pirates songs, *Lisa,* because that really saved me in those minutes leading up to hour 4.  Trans-Siberian Orchestra took care of a good two hours.  I felt like I do after a half for the first hour or so but as the day went on I actually didn't feel too bad.  This morning I am pretty much myself.   

We are going to do some cooking for our dinner tomorrow today.  Robert has announced that he is going to stay up all night waiting for the Christmas presents to come out.  He may be waiting awhile because they are coming out when I get up early.    Usually Ed is Santa but he says with Robert staying up later than both of us it will have to switch to the early bird.    I think that we are watching Jim Carrey's Christmas Carol tonight, too, *Maria*. 

Hello and Merry Christmas to *Pamela, Corinna, Jen and Jude!*  

Love you all!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

merry christmas eve!!

*lisaH - *i'm like you, i enjoy christmas eve much more than christmas! especially these last few years since we've spent christmas day with the cullens.  this year hopefully will be better now that we're spending it on our own 

i like how you break down the tink race. seems like it'll be easier to do if you think about it in littler chunks. i'll have to do that for the marathon. break it up into ALOT of little chunks. what are the pirate songs that you listened to? i'm going to have to download some good music soon 

congrats to you on being the biggest loser! that is such an awesome accomplishment and a fabulous way to end the year! it's great to already be on the losing side on jan. 1 instead of starting over on new years day like SO many of us do (i do it every year!). and nice work on the 14 miler! woot! 

let me know if robert sees santa tonight! watch, he'll stay up super late and then sleep in tomorrow morning and the presents will sit there. 

Merry Christmas to you, Lisa!

*lindsay - *i'm so sorry to hear about grammy. i'm so glad that you went to visit her when you did and i just know she was so happy to have you with her. what are the arrangements for her? this has been such a hard holiday season for so many. it's never easy to lose a family member, especially one that you're so close to. and at christmas too. ugh.  

are the kids excited for santa??? i wonder if ryan will get his two front teeth for christmas!!

Have a very merry Christmas, Lindsay!

OH! i forgot to say - i got your christmas card and i LOVE that you are in it with your princess medal!!! so awesome!!!!

*kathy -* sounds like you're all ready for a fun christmas eve! i bet poko will have a great first christmas with his new awesome family. he is so lucky to have you guys! when she nips, pull your hand back hard and yell "OUCH!" dogs tend to understand that they hurt you. we did that with fiona as a puppy and she caught on pretty good. with our dog before we just said NO! and she didn't get it as quickly. who knows. just something a trainer once told us. 

i wouldn't worry about the food being consumed right now...it's christmas and we'll all be back on the losing wagon soon enough! 

have a great time tonight and a very merry christmas tomorrow! xoxo

*maria - *yikes i just read kathy's post about the guy with the bomb at the mall! scary!

oh ben, too funny. i hope he doesn't have his christmas ruined by rejoicing in the birth of jesus christ! you know, growing up we NEVER went to church on christmas. i actually didn't even realize that was a thing to do until i was older. we never went on easter either. we went to church every single sunday without fail (even went on vacation in mexico...in spanish!) but we were always traveling on christmas and easter so we never went. haha. i guess my christmases were never "ruined" lol!

good luck on your 10 miler today and enjoy the rest of the day. i haven't seen jim carey's version of that story but maybe we'll dvr it! 

have a very happy and healthy christmas!! 

*lisaR - *so sorry about the accident. what a pain! and scary! so glad you got new tires and the car feels better. i'm sure it was really scary to know that your only option was to hit another car.  and more snow?? and more illness?? phooey! right before the princess i was sick 3 different times. and we also had a boatload of snow last winter. i feel your pain. but, the good part of that is that i still finished and kicked booty during the run! so that _obviously_ means you will too!! 

7 hour drive? yeah, that's not really doable every weekend. darn! but i could see myself doing it once a month! i mean, that's assuming i had the money to do that! still, at least it's closer, right?? did DH find out about the job??

have a very merry christmas lisa!!!

*rose - *um, i don't mean to complain or anything but you are not posting any pics to facebook! i'm assuming that means that you're having way too much fun!! my friend is there right now with her hubby and baby boy and they are having a wonderful time but have said it's very crowded. how are your boys enjoying themselves? and how's the food??  merry christmas rose!!

hello to all of our other lovely princess friends!!

*****
well my lovely friends, it's almost christmas! when did THAT happen?? i have a four week old baby..when did THAT happen? yeesh time flies, right? he'll be a month old on monday. shoo!

christmas eve is starting out ok. i didn't get much sleep last night. matthew just wasn't in the mood to sleep. ick. i can't complain because he really has been a good baby, thank God. would have been nice to be a little more rested before seeing people later today. thomas is all about santa claus and he will be getting lots of great things from him tomorrow including a mickey mouse bike! 

we'll be going to NJ later today. the tyrrells have had christmas eve for forever and it's always a great time. they are starting to have everyone at 1pm but we don't eat dinner til late and don't do the gift giving for the kids and the yankee gift giving for the adults until so much later. we're not going to get there that early. kids can only last at one place for so long! it will be the first time most people see baby matthew - it will be nice to have them all hold him and not me! my dad is one of 10 kids so there is always a bazillion people there. looking forward to it! my parents won't be there. they are going to spend christmas with my grandpa in PA who is not doing well at all. 

john is sick. and you know how DH's get when they are sick. he declared yesterday that he thinks he has pneumonia. seriously?? what a baby. he just went to urgent care and they said he had strep. they didn't even do a culture. whatever, i swear that he will be better just because someone gave him antibiotics! 

my goodness this week has been such a downer. people are just walking around like zombies around silver beach. the articles in the daily news and the post are so sad and the comments people are making are sick. the only things to do is to just not look at those things. we received some more bad news from friends and loved ones but i just can't take it anymore! too much!

anyway, back to happy things - tomorrow is christmas by ourselves and i can't wait. i'm making a breakfast casserole - got the recipe from sue (dcvcruiser) and it sounds yummy (and totally calorie free! go figure!) and for dinner i'm making beef stew in the slow cooker. it's not all that traditional of a dinner but it's what i know how to make well! and who doesn't love beef stew??

oh and want to hear something fun? john is currently on the phone right now putting in an offer for another contract for DVC! we'll see. we are going to lowball them b/c the contract is a little weird with banked and borrowed points and all that. it's at BLT. so we'd own at SSR, BCV, and BLT. we are nuts. we'll see. if it works out, then great. if not, no biggie. 

SQUEEE!!

ok my friends the baby is up and ready to eat....again. have a very merry christmas everyone!!!

ps - i don't know if my santa hats are going to survive the trip to jersey. i didn't think about how to cover them. duh.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

It's Christmas Eve,  and !

My 10M are in the book, and now I can relax and take care of my last minute tasks before the football game. I have decided to go a bit faster next week on my 4Ms and my 9.5M on Saturday. I feel like it's time. 

*Nancy* -- What a wonderful opportunity to introduce Master Matthew to his family! I think you are going to have a great afternoon, and your tomorrow sounds lovely, too!  I predict the bike will be a big hit. 

*Lisah* -- Would you believe Dennis made the sausage balls and pancakes for brunch tomorrow last night? He doesn't want to spend all day cooking, and we just don't have time tonight. My parmesan hash brown cups will be fresh and we're just heating giant cinnamon rolls we got at BJs. *Pamela* already took me to task for my naughty breakfast.  I promise I won't have another one until New Year's Day  I am so proud of you for doing 14 miles. I have never done that, what a fantastic accomplishment! 

*Kathy* -- Yep, I'm glad I went to Macy's downtown instead of at the mall yesterday. So scary  Why must people be  this time of year?!
You have quite an agenda today! All that cooking and cleaning -- but I know it will be well worth it, and you are going to enjoy the special time with your family so much!  It's not that I want to go to church every week (actually, I'd be perfectly happy a couple times a month), but the mandatory attendance for confirmation is starting to get to him. He can only miss two Sundays. He doesn't know this yet, but he's going to miss one for a birthday present in Feb., and he wants to skip on his actual birthday in January. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle that yet, I kind of want to make him go on his birthday, so we still have a Sunday in our back pocket if we need it 

*Merry Christmas to Rose, Lisa, Lindsay, Pamela, Dona and any other lovelies who may be lurking!*

So, the schedule for today:

1-4 Patriots
4 over to the neighbors with the fudge and choc chunk bars I made yesterday
5ish Christmas lights drive
6ish Italian dinner
7ish A Christmas Carol 

Theoretically we should also try to fit a puzzle in there, but I just don't know where...

Tomorrow's schedule:

7 up and setting up Christmas
Open stockings, then presents, then eat Brunch
12 Celtics/WDW Parks Parade (Guess who is watching which )
3pm Leftover Italian dinner (yep, we're not cooking again)
4pm Maria's nap 

Oops, just heard Dennis arrive home from his run. Gotta Fly Now!

A Very Merry Christmas to My Beloved Friends!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

looks like we're buying more DVC! the sellers accepted our offer. wow! we are buying 240 pts at BLT for $73/pt  that is a total low ball offer and i wonder if we will get ROFR'd (disney has right of first refusal in these contracts). we shall see. 

merry christmas to us! nothing like spending oodles of money that we don't have to cheer us up! 

*maria - *sure would love to know how dennis made the sausage balls. i just made the casserole for tomorrow and put it in the fridge. hurrah for make ahead meals!

i'm watching the giants/jets game right now. the whole family is in jersey right now watching but we're here - a toddler's nap trumps family gatherings! all the tyrrells are giants fans but pretty much all the "outlaws" are jets fans. kinda like how it is with the mets. we are all mets fans but it seems like everyone that married into the family is a yankees fan (dummies)


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Sausage-Cheese Balls 

These little appetizers make a big hit with any crowd. They continue to be one of our most-requested recipes! 

BEST OF 2010 Winner:


 PREP TIME 
20 Min 
TOTAL TIME 
45 Min 
SERVINGS 
102 

3 cups Original Bisquick® mix 
1 pound bulk pork sausage 
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (16 ounces) 
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
1/2 cup milk 
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed 
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes 
Barbecue sauce or chili sauce, if desired 

1 Heat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2x2x1 inch. 
2 Stir together all ingredients, using hands or spoon. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Place in pan. 
3 Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brown. Immediately remove from pan. Serve warm with sauce for dipping. 

We do make a double batch, and Dennis does not include the rosemary or parsley, as those are too "frou-frou"...we put maple syrup on them. We also get about half the servings, because ours are 2-in. Yum!

Painfully watching the Pats right now, having faith things will turn around...

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i like that it says "servings: 102" - what is that? for 102 teeny tiny elves?? 

thanks for that. my friend sarah made these once and they are so delicious! maybe new years morning i'll make them  you know, for me and 102 of my closest little friends! (or just me and john!)


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Good Morning everyone!

*Nancy*- Im glad you had a great christmas eve with your family.  Your santa hats were just so adorable.  I hope thomas was thrilled with all the gifts santa brought and I hope that helped take away some of the sorrow you and your neighborhood family have been dealing with.  Congrats on purchasing more DVC.

*Kathy*- I hope poko settles down a little with the nipping.  My first dog which is still living at my parents house was alot like that when playing.  as a puppy I thought it was cute and never addressed it with him and it continued on and as he grew it was so not cute anymore.  You are doing great training him.  I hope you had a wonderful christmas with Michael and your family.

*Lisa H*- I cant imagine the day when my kids dont race upstairs to get to bed for santa to come.  So what time did he get up in the morning for presents???  I hope you all had an enjoyable day.

Can I also just say you lady have totally amazed and inspired me this challenge.  From the running and races to your becoming the BL.  You are so awesome and great job on continuing to not give up.  The Tink is going to be your best race yet.

*Maria*- Wow what an annoying shopping trip.  Nothing is worse when you are trying to finish up your xmas shopping and things like that happen.  I was cracking up at ben's comment.  I asked my boys who was born on christmas day....can you guess what they said????  Santa Claus.  Then I reminded them about what we learn at sunday school and they said oh yeah right, Jesus.  you gotta just love these kids.  I hope you enjoyed your festivities on xmas eve as well as xmas day.

*Hi Rose I hope you are having a magical holiday at the world.*

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

Well it has been a whole ball of emotions here lately but overall we had a wonderful day yesterday.

On christmas eve I am happy to announced that I relaxed.  We went to church for 7pm and on the way I realized we didnt even have dinner first.  Thats how relaxed I was, I normally dont miss a meal.  Church was over at 830 so we decided to do mcdonalds drive thru for lack of other quick options.  It actually was fine all sitting with our tv trays eating dinner at 9pm while watching the christmas story.  Then the boys did there one million traditional things that we have incorporated over the years.  Hang the secret key on the door, throw out carrots for the reindeer, write a letter to santa, put out milk and cookies, etc.  

Christmas morning was as exciting even at 555am when the first child awoke.  They were thrilled with all the gifts.  Then we went to my parents for breakfast and presents.  The boys big gift was an XBOX and kinect.  Get this......you will now really know how spoiled I am......My parents bought us a 40" TV.  Gotta love them.  My mom felt bad that I spent hours outside of best buy all for them.  Shes such a trip.  

We then went to my Nana's and did the secret santa exchanges with the big family.  Overall my mom, dad, and I were able to put on a pretty good face for the day.  

We ended the evening with my in laws coming to our house.  We ate some more and then played dance central 2 on kinect.  I LOVE it!!!!!!!

Today I am heading over to moms...actually suppose to be there in 10min and i still am in my PJ's. We are going to order flowers and then shopping for something to wear to the funeral.  Services are on Wed.  We wanted them tomorrow but with the holiday it was hard to fine someone to dig the grave.  Apparently they dont realize that people cant hold off on dying for the holiday.  Anyway it will be fine.  We have decided to let the boys come with us.  I feel like this may help them to understand what happens after someone dies and my grammy was very very old and they were not really close to her so I think it will help prepare them if god forbid anyone else close to us dies.  Ryan is going to be a paul bearer and he of course is excited at his new call of duty. 

On the eating front I need to get myself going yet again.  Slacked off the past two weeks but this week I am going to get back to the gym and my fitness pal.  I feel disgusting!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Bells!  

Sounds like everyone had a lovely week-end and Christmas!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> i like how you break down the tink race. seems like it'll be easier to do if you think about it in littler chunks. i'll have to do that for the marathon. break it up into ALOT of little chunks. what are the pirate songs that you listened to? i'm going to have to download some good music soon



*Nancy,* your boys were so cute on Christmas!    Those matching pjs were adorable and I saw on FB that *Kathy* had given them to you.  Nice!  

The Pirates song that *Lisa* told me about was The Black Pearl (Radio Mix) by Scotty.  That is a great song.  It also leads you to lots of other mixes -- there are apparently a lot of them.  I'll look on my phone and see what else I downloaded.  I haven't deactivated my iTunes on my old computer so am doing everything on the iPhone now.  

I'm downloading Jesus Christ Superstar, Tommy and maybe Phantom of the Opera for my last long run before the Tink the first week of January.  That should kill a few hours at least.    It's okay for those songs to be slower because I am doing those at a slow pace -- if I had my way I would burn myself to a frazzle just to get it over with.

I read that you are doing a half in May on the big thread.  Where is it?  When is it?  That's a great idea to help you with your marathon training.  Can't wait for January 2013!  

One of my neighbors captains a freighter so I asked if he went to the Maritime Marine College by your house. Turns out he went to the nearby rival college.    But he knew alot about the college by your house and later Ed asked "how do you know so much about that place when you've only been to NYC once?!?" 

*Maria,* thank you for sharing the recipe for the sausage balls.  We thought your whole breakfast sounded pretty darn delicious! 

We had a hash brown quiche from a Paula Deen recipe that turned out well.  You could make it healthier but, of course, we used the original recipe.    It was just a few servings.  

We did almost all of our cooking on Christmas Eve and it made yesterday so much more fun and relaxing.  

Nice job with the 10M in the bag!  You will be so ready for the Princess.    It's nice that you can take this time to work on your speed.    I'll be interested to hear how you do that on the TM.  

14 was a ways -- I'd never been that far either!    I got a few blisters which I always do when I go a longer distance.  But actually by the next day I didn't really feel much else because I had gone very slowly.  I think the problem with these longer distances is boredom more than endurance.  :sad2

Saturday I tried on my fabulous new black running skirt with the sparkly green WISH feather.  I really like it and I think I may be able to avoid using my iFitness belt during the race because of all the pockets.  I also discovered that I can fit into my women's WISH shirt which made for a happy day!   

How long will your Dad be visiting? Sounds like you are having a good time together! 

*Lindsay,* sounds like you all had a great Christmas!    Yes, incredibly some day you will be waiting for your kids to get up so you can start Christmas morning! 

Hope the shopping trip went well today.    It is nice that you can help your folks with the planning details.  

I'm sure that you will prepare the boys for what happens at the funeral.  I was 10 when my grandfather died.  No one told me what to expect and I really remember how shocked I was when they opened the curtain in the family area and I saw him lying in his casket.  I sobbed the whole time.  

I noticed that last time I was on myfitnesspal it told me that you might need some encouragement since you hadn't been on in awhile.  It's probably saying the same thing to you about me now!    We can do it!  

*Kathy,* hope that you and Michael had a great Christmas.   

I think that *Nancy* gave you some excellent advice on the nipping thing.  Poko is such a good girl I'm sure she will get over that stage quickly.  

*Lisa,* hope you and all your family members are feeling better and had a great Christmas!  

*Rose,* hope that you are having a wonderful time at WDW!    Can't wait to hear all about it!

I managed to do reasonably well with the holiday eating.  The scale is up a smidge but everything feels like it is the same size so hopefully I can still get my 50 pound clippie this month.  Have to keep this momentum going!  

Have a wonderful day ladies!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Tinkerbelles and Princesses!! 

 The Tinks come first, since their race come first!!  I bet you both woke up now that Christmas is over, the next big day is the day of the Tink!!!  I saw Corinna's post on facebook about the Goofy, and felt very excited for her, but a little jealous too, thinking back to this time last year, and the Princess was on the horizon.  My hours go up january first, so I'll have to see how the budget goes through the summer, and once you all start planning your 2013 marathon weekend trips see where I am at.  I would love to go there, but will have to see.  I do think we are going to put our DL trip off a year, and try for august 2013 instead.  With the dog, we will want to do some camping/hiking trips, and am thinking about our trip to Maine, and if we do that for a week, I'd put her in a kennel, and I wouldn't do that for 2 weeks.  Plus, I want to do it right, and we can do wdw so much cheaper than southern cal, so for right now I think I might not be planning a disney trip for 2012.  I sound so spoiled. A year without a disney trip.  Oh whatever will I do.  I know, i'll live vicariously through all of you.  

We had a lovely Christmas and Christmas eve.  Poko was so well behaved on Christmas with everyone here.  I watched here closely when she was frisky with the little kids, and she seems to see me there, and almost behave better.  It may totally be my imagination, but I'll take it.  I ate and drank too much, and it was hard to stay awake to play santa. Michael didn't go to bed til 12, and asleep after 1230.   I forgot a red sox poster in my closet, so I think I'll sneak it out later and hide it behind the tree and pretend michael missed it.  Yesterday we had a low key morning walked to the park and let poko run, and michael played on some ice, and then I watched the disney parade while michael did some fusebeads.  I kept dozing off during the parade and after we went to my sisters which was fun and we got home around 7.  We took Poko for a nice long walk last night, over an hour.  I kept looping around the neighborhood, and waiting for Michael to ask when we we were going to go home, and he finally did.  It was a really nice ending to the day.  I didn't feel as much like a cow from all I ate and drank all weekend.  

Today is a new day, and other than finishing the chocolate mousse pie for breakfast, it will be a more in control day.  I had a banana too. 

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. 

*Lindsay*-Sounds like you had a really nice holiday considering all that's happened.  I hope everything goes smoothly this week for you and your family.  I'll be thinking of you.

*LisaH*-14 miles and feeling back to normal in the morning is awesome!!  You are going to be Tink-tastic!!  So funny, Robert was going to stay up late and you were going to do the presents in the am.   How late was he up?  and how late did he sleep?   I love how you have broken the race down into smaller goals, and I'm sure once you're back in the parks there will be no sweepers, not that you'll be anywhere near them.  You and your svelt Onderland body will be way ahead of them.  How cool that JG is telling you to slow down.  I am so happy for you. 

*Maria* -Love that you have your nap scheduled into your day.  I need to do that next year.  My bil brought those sausage ball to my house christmas eve, and they were delicious.  We needed sauce so we used maple syrup, and they were even better.  You still have a couple days off right?  Enjoy!!

*Nancy*-Thomas is so cute in the video on Christmas morning.  Made me think I should have videoed Poko's first christmas.  My camera has tapes, and I couldn't find any for michaels' concert so I used my little camera for video, and my big camera for pics, but I definitely should invest in a newer video camera again.  Congrats on the new DVC!!!  I should think with all the dvc you have, that disney couldn't turn you down.  That must have a play in it.  I hope it all goes through.

*Rose*_Hope you're enjoying the most magical place on earth.  I said to michael during the parade, "my friend Rose is there right now!"  He said you are soooo lucky.  I'll have to check facebook for pics.  I think Lisa said you have posted. 

Hello to*Lisa, Dona, and Pamela*!  Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!!  

I think I'll upload my christmas pics before we watch the movies.  Have a fabulous week!!!


----------



## mikamah

I'm following you today Lisa!!  Just like old times.


----------



## mikamah

*Lisa*-I am so excited that your womens' wish shirt fits!!  I know how very exciting that must be because mine still sits on my bureau waiting to fit me.  The skirt sounds adorable.  Is it from Sparkleskirts?  Love to see a pictures of it.  The wish color will be awesome for the tinkerbell race.  
And a smidge on the scale after Christmas is nothing.  I'm up 5 pounds this morning.  But that was bacon for breakfast and ham for dinner, so I hope it will be gone by 1/1/12!!  It's nice to have so much done ahead.  On Christmas eve when something wasn't done that i meant to do, I'd blame it on poor Poko.  Like I was going to knit scarfs for my sisters, but I got a dog instead.  The basement was going to be really organized and cleaned, but I got a dog instead.   I could go on and on, and if I didn't get poko, probably half of what wasnt' done wouldn't have been done anyway.   Are you home today?  Hope so and you have a great day!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi friends! happy day after christmas!

*lindsay - *sounds like christmas was nice considering losing grammy so close to the holiday. mcdonalds for christmas eve? sounds divine! i had a similar experience as *lisa -* i was 11 when my grandmother passed and seeing her in the casket put me in hysterics. i wish someone had told me what to expect. good luck 

um, totally AWESOME about the new TV!! 40"! wowsa! that's like, the size of my whole living room wall! enjoy it!

*lisa - *thanks for the pirate music info. i'm going to check it out. downloading broadway music is a great idea! my mom and i used to go downtown and get half price tickets to shows pretty often. maybe i will download joseph and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat, cats, and blood brothers. great music in those shows too! 

as *kathy *says, you are SO going to be tink-tastic! and that 50 lb clippie is so close!!

*kathy -* so glad poko was a good hostess during your christmas eve party! i'm SURE she knows that you're watching. dogs definitely know who their masters are and definitely know "the look" that tells  them to behave! i hope you'll be able to make it to marathon weekend 2013! hiking with the doggie sounds like fun!

hi to lisaR, maria, rose, and all of our other friends!

well, now i have the baby on me so i cab only type with one hand!! make it quick - christmas was nice and relaxing. the in laws called about 7 or 8 times to make john feel bad that we werent there. ridiculous.i got one of those gps watches and today used a gift card to get an ipod nano. all set to start the training! oh *Lisa -  *i'm going to do the long island half. it's only about 30 min away. the week after we go to disney so it's like disney will be my reward for running the half. that's funny about your friend knowing about SUNY maritime! i wonder where he went. if he's been there then he's been like a 5 min walk from my house! cool!!!

ok can't do any more one handed typing. night!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Good Afternoon Tinkerbells and Princesses!!!!

Nancy- that sounds like an amazing reward to completing the half.  I am contemplating running the local half here again at the end of april.  The training plan would start mid January and I feel like I am not quite prepared but you have motivated me to stop making excuses and just sign up already.  Glad you had a good holiday.  Sorry John's family continued to be a bunch of PITA's.  Im sure even with the phone calls your holiday was better without a visit with them.  

Kathy- your holiday sounded picture perfect.  Glad poko behaved herself for you.  I too would love to get to WDW marathon weekend 2013...Im trying to save my pennies. 

Lisa H- I agree the longer runs do get quite boring and I can imagine purposefully going slower must drag it out for you.  Glad you found some new tunes to keep your mind busy.  How exciting about the outfit fitting nicely.  That is such a great accomplishment.  I would love love love to see some pics.  

Hello to all my other friends too!

Today I tried to sleep in but my kids had other things on the agenda.  We opened up a few other presents some requiring extensive assembly.  By the time I got it together they were onto the next thing. We played some xbox and then I had to get ready to go to the private family viewing at the funeral home.  The boys stayed with my aunt and nana.  It only was a short visit.  The funeral director did a great job and my grammy looks very natural and just like I remember her.  Its amazing for 98 years old she looks just like she did when she was in her 60's.  I can only pray I age as well as she did.  Hopefully I have those genes.  Tomorrow is her funeral.  I am still nervous about taking the boys but thank you all for your tips.  I have prepared them for what happens but I will make sure to pay attention to giving them as much details as I can.   

I am really ready to get my eating and exercise back in order again.  It was horrible yesterday shopping for clothes and being back into a size 16 pants when I had gotten down to a tight 12.  I always thought everything in moderation was ok but I have really been thinking that I should really try to stop eating fast food all together.  Maybe that would stop me from this yo yo weight trouble.  

Well I hope you all are enjoying your final week of 2011.  I need to find the holiday thread and join in over there too.  I am ready to start the new BL challenge too!


----------



## lisah0711

Good afternoon Princesses and Bells!   

Sounds like everyone had a nice holiday.  

*Kathy,* Robert actually changed his tactics on Christmas Eve and went to bed around 10 pm.  He still didn't get up until almost 8 o'clock.  Ed and I both got up early and waited and waited for that kid to get up.    I read some posts on the Disboards about people begging their kids to get up at noon so it could be worse.  

Glad that you and Michael had a good time.      I wonder how many times you would have gone around the block if Michael hadn't spoken up?!? 

I've been wondering how I could bring up your going to Marathon Week-end 2013 instead of Disneyland 2012 after sending you all that info . . .   Seriously next year will probably be the last year you can get away with missing any school so you should take advantage of it while you can.    I bet Michael would love to do the 5K with you.   



mikamah said:


> I'm following you today Lisa!!  Just like old times.







mikamah said:


> *Lisa*-I am so excited that your womens' wish shirt fits!!  I know how very exciting that must be because mine still sits on my bureau waiting to fit me.  The skirt sounds adorable.  Is it from Sparkleskirts?  Love to see a pictures of it.  The wish color will be awesome for the tinkerbell race.



I'll post some pics of the outfit tomorrow.  I'll wait to show you what it looks like on me until this Christmas fluffiness has subsided.  

I bet those 5 pounds will be gone quickly with all that walking.    And Poko will give you a lifetime of unconditional love so a few missed projects are no big deal! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> i'm going to do the long island half. it's only about 30 min away. the week after we go to disney so it's like disney will be my reward for running the half. that's funny about your friend knowing about SUNY maritime! i wonder where he went. if he's been there then he's been like a 5 min walk from my house! cool!!!



It's a lot of fun to do a local half and sleep in your own bed the night before the race.  I bet you will like it and, of course, I know you will rock it!  :rockband

My friend went to US Merchant Marine Academy which is in Kings Point, NY.  Looks like it is right across the river from you.  He said you had to be appointed by your local congressman just like in one of the military academies.  I really don't know how an Idaho boy decided to be a merchant marine but they are very nice neighbors.   

*Lindsay,* I'll be thinking of you and your family tomorrow.  

I'm so sorry about the pants thing.  I so know where you are coming from.    But I have to tell you that it seems a bit easier to get things off on the do over so don't worry.  

*Rose,* welcome back!  Can't wait to hear all about your trip.  

*Lisa,* hope that you are feeling better.   One month from today we will be picking up our bibs! 

*Maria,* hope that you are enjoying your visit with your Dad.  

So did any of you see the snark I got on my FB Tinker Bell WISH meet event posting?  It was just one person but it was still very, very annoying.   

I'm wondering if we shouldn't start another thread instead of renaming this one if we are trying to be more inclusive?    

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## liesel

Hello  and !

I went off the grid for a couple of days, it was a nice break, but there were a ton of emails to go through this morning.  I'm glad everyone had a lovely holiday!

*Rose* I hope you are out there somewhere enjoying your vacation.  I can't wait to hear all about it!

*Nancy* Congrats on signing up for your first post bronxbaby half!  Just remember not to beat yourself up when it takes a little while to get back to where you were.  I can't believe you were sick 3 times while training for the Princess!  I seem to remember you had a pretty good time too.  I really hope I am done with being sick.

*Maria* Thanks for posting the sausage ball recipe, so tempting!  It sounds like your training is going well.  What did you eat for your Italian Christmas Eve dinner?

*Kathy* Congrats on your first Poko Christmas, I'm glad everything went well.  My DS is also 10 and some Christmas Eves it takes forever to wait him out to go to bed.  Our first doggie Christmas I picked up a dog stocking at a post Christmas sale for 75% off, so now is a good time for doggie holiday treat shopping!

*Lindsay* I think you win the prize for having the earliest risers on Christmas morning, although my kids were up and excited too.   for the funeral tomorrow and for managing to have a pleasant holiday despite everything.  I'm glad you've prepared your kids, like others have mentioned I had a hard time seeing my grandma in a casket too (I was 6).  I know you are going to have a successful spring challenge!

*My fellow Lisabelle* I can't believe we will be arriving at DL one month from today!   on the 14 miles and for not expiring from boredom.  I'm glad you liked the Black Pearl song, its one of my favorites on my playlist.  Thanks for the JG reminder about not running with a chest cold.  Looking back, I shouldn't have done the turkey trot the first time I was sick, the cold settled into my chest the next day.  DH is also reading JG's half marathon book and reminded me too.  Its hard to sit out, I've missed another week of training, but I was feeling much better yesterday and want to try a short TM run today.  I think I can pull out this race under pace, but I really want to get my 2 remaining long runs in so I won't be hurting as much after the race.  My next long run is 10 miles this Saturday.  I hope more snow will be melted by then, I'm sick of running over snow and ice!  I saw that the Tink thread is active again, I'll need to check in.

So I am finally feeling better.  I was sick for both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, and it was not fun to indulge on those days without the benefit of exercise.  DH and I both feel like slugs and are looking forward to getting back to our normal eating and exercise patterns.  Today DH signed up for his first half, a local one in April.  I am tempted to do this race too, but I want to wait until after the Tink and see how I feel.  The course support ends at 13:45 pace, so its a pretty fast field and I would want to be sure that I could be under that.  Right now I'm just focusing on staying under 16 mm!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!


----------



## liesel

*Lisa* Now we are posting at the same time!    I forgot to mention I'd love to hear more about this skirt, you had me at pockets!  I'll have to look at the WISH Tink meet FB posting, I can't believe you would get snark!  Either renaming the thread or posting a new one sounds good, hopefully posting in the main BL thread and seeing if there are any more BL runners out there would be great!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Evening  and !

I can't believe the  is so close! You are going to be tapering and packing before you know it!

*Lisa* -- I don't sign up for the fast field races, either. I use Dennis's time as my cue. He finishes in the top third at Disney, and for the Run to Remember he finished in the bottom third. That one is clearly not for me  I am glad you are feeling better and ready to train and enjoy some good nutrition. I agree, I am also feeling the same way! 

*Lisah* -- I didn't see the snark. But I will quote some great advice I read yesterday -- the snark was not about you and you should not take it personally. The snark is the other person's problem and perception, and you my friend, are doing a wonderful thing setting up a WISH Meet!  The women's WISH shirt fitting is excellent! I know how wonderful it feels to need a smaller WISH shirt. That is another goal I have to 2012 -- I want the bottom half of me to make a smaller size possible, because Lord knows the top is not an issue 

*Lindsay* -- My 16s are tighter than I would like, too, and I'm just tired of this being my level of accomplishment. I was so excited to get out of the "plus", and then I've stalled out and become complacent. I'm going to shake things up in the new year for a "new me". I am going to buy some new size 14 jeans in 2012 -- and they will actually fit. You will beat me there with your younger metabolism, but I will be slow and steady and "running my own race", I'm going to get there, too!  Want to hear something weird? I always thought sort of superstitiously that since I was born in an even year, I do better in even years -- so 2012 should be awesome! 2010 was the last time I saw a new low weight, so I'm due for serious progress!  I know tomorrow will be hard, but I also know you come from strong stock and you will do Grammy proud 

*Nancy* -- I am so proud of you for preparing to do your first Half post Bronxbaby! I wonder if Matthew realizes he was been born to a runner! Lucky Boy! 

*Kathy* -- I'm working tomorrow and Friday morning, which is more of a tease than an opportunity. My buddy is back from Vegas and my boss is on vacation. I have plenty to do, but we are going to lunch and will probably chat away most of the day. There's sure to be very little foot traffic on our floor, so she'll feel comfortable having a seat in my office -- at this point I'm hoping to clear out my e-mail and work on a few things, but not expecting great feats of accomplishment  It's going to be a lovely work day, but probably not a lot of time for DISing. Your holiday sounds lovely, like a wonderful evening and day. I'm so glad Poko was there to be a part of your family 

*Rose* -- I read The Four Agreements yesterday. I thought it was so powerful, and something I need to read more than once, so I went to Amazon and ordered a 3-book set, a companion book, and also The Fifth Agreement. I am really excited about putting these principals to work in my life. I can see how they will really change it for the better as I incorporate them more.  so much for suggesting this book! 

So, our holiday was also very nice. Christmas Eve went as expected, and Christmas Morning was great, too. We had calls from almost all the usual relatives. Nothing from my FIL and SMIL, which was fine with me. Did I mention I figured out we didn't get out "real" gift after she left? We got a generic batch of jam with an unsigned card with no name on it. I think she left with our real gift and this was one they had brought in case someone extra showed up, which has been known to happen. But, I am not going to take it personally, it is her problem not mine. 

I got all the things I really wanted (including a VB Weekender in Safari Sunset for my  trip!), and as a bonus, Dennis bought me a Kindle. I didn't even ask for it, I think it was a last minute addition when he felt bad for me... But, I'm looking forward to trying it out. I'm pretty attached to paper books, but my friend keeps telling me I'm going to love it, so why not give it a try? Plus, our library has 1,000 ebooks I can check out, so plenty of material I don't have to pay for to try it out! 

Dennis wrapped the Disney books I bought myself with a typical tag for him. One of the things we do to make it more fun is write something a little funny in the to/from on the tags. This one was to me from "You're Dreaming"  Yep, he still hasn't found the Disney Love. Ben is making noises about going back though, so you never know...

Yesterday I read a few books, and  basically didn't leave the 2nd floor. I just needed to regroup, and Dennis had scheduled 3 separate events with his friends and family. The second event was lunch with Dennis's cousin who sends us racist/sexist/politically incorrect e-mails. I thought it best I decline, and for once Dennis did not guilt me into coming to his family event. Anyway, I had a lot of time to think and process, which was really good. 

I saw a post from Christina on the Alumni thread that was really a great list of why to lose weight, but it really bothered me she said she wanted to do it so she could finally love herself. I wanted to give her a huge hug and make sure she understands she is worthy of that whatever her size. She is so brave and strong, I wish she could see herself the way I see her. Anyway, it made me think that I do love myself (yea, progress!), but I have not been showing it as well as I can. I am more determined than ever to be the person I want to be, keep evolving, and keep moving forward. We all deserve to feel fantastic about our lives, and I think I'm finally ready to do the emotional work I need to do to get to that point. My life is a cakewalk in so many ways, trust me I am not complaining -- just realizing that I can still grow and do and be more -- and I can't wait to get started! 

I am looking forward to making 2012 one of my best years ever, and I'm so excited to share it with this wonderful bunch of ladies! Please leave some time in your 2013 marathon weekend schedules for us to have our own meet/meal! I am already looking forward to something awesome, with great GF goodies for our *Rose!* 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

liesel said:


> *Lisa* Now we are posting at the same time!    I forgot to mention I'd love to hear more about this skirt, you had me at pockets!  I'll have to look at the WISH Tink meet FB posting, I can't believe you would get snark!  Either renaming the thread or posting a new one sounds good, hopefully posting in the main BL thread and seeing if there are any more BL runners out there would be great!



It really wasn't that snarky -- just annoying when it was the first reply.   

Here are some pics of my outfit:

The sparkly WISH feather -- it's on the bottom left hand side of the skirt when you are wearing it.





The whole outfit:





A little better shot of the skirt:





It is a Sparkleskirt.  Here is a link to the page.  http://www.sparkleskirts.com/sparkletech/ 
It's the solid black SparkleTech skirt.

There is a large zippered pocket in the front that will hold my iPhone, Carmex and probably my Clif Bloks.  There are also two large leg pockets.  I figure one leg pocket can be for the paper towel supply and the other could be a couple of gels and/or a small pack of Biofreeze.  That just leaves figuring out the water situation.  Also, I don't know if I will do the Bondi-band or a visor.  I kind of need the sun block of the visor but I also have to have two pairs of glasses, my sunglasses and my regular glasses.  

I do have the black diamond SparkleTech skirt that I got last year but it is a tad overwhelming with the lime green shirt.  It is cute with just about any color singlet though.  Even though some people will not be seen in public with me if I am wearing it . . . 

I love my WISH bondi-band but will probably look for a visor that I can wear.  

*Maria,* I'm sure 2012 will be the year that all your health dreams come true!  

More to say about that tomorrow . . .


----------



## liesel

*Maria* I forgot to thank you for your preChristmas advice about the cliff blocks.  I used them on my 8.5 mile long run and discovered that I need quite a bit of water to get them down, so I will most likely be using them at a couple of water stations.  I also learned that I can't take them right after drinking Powerade-too much sugar at once!  I didn't use them on my 7 mile run and figured I was good for the 10K, but I was running much faster and didn't have as many calories before the race as I usually do (nervous!).  I can only think of one word to describe your present from your SMIL-lame!  Its their problem, and I'm glad Rose's book recommendation is helping you, I may have to check out that book myself!

*LisaH* Thanks for posting the skirt info, I think they will have a booth at the expo and I will have to check these out in person for future events.  So far I have my WISH shirt, black shorts that have a lime green stripe across the top, and my newly arrived WISH bondiband.  Not very exciting, but I'm not sure I really want to deal with a costume for my first half.  I did see the FB post, and I don't get why anyone would post something negative on something meant to encourage others.  We'll just have fun at the meet!

Still not on the food and excersize wagon, need to get back on, only 1 month until race!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Good Afternoon Tinkerbells and Princesses!!!!
> 
> Nancy- that sounds like an amazing reward to completing the half.  I am contemplating running the local half here again at the end of april.  The training plan would start mid January and I feel like I am not quite prepared but you have motivated me to stop making excuses and just sign up already.  Glad you had a good holiday.  Sorry John's family continued to be a bunch of PITA's.  Im sure even with the phone calls your holiday was better without a visit with them.
> 
> *let's e-train together! we can keep each other accountable and make sure we get out for our runs! i'm going to need all the help i can get to keep going! i've been GAINING weight the last couple of weeks so now i have THIRTY lbs i need to lose to get to goal!
> 
> you're right, even with all the calls it was a MUCH nicer christmas! we may have to keep up this tradition!
> *
> Today I tried to sleep in but my kids had other things on the agenda.  We opened up a few other presents some requiring extensive assembly.  By the time I got it together they were onto the next thing.
> 
> *omg we had our first exposure to this. trying to put train tracks together and when it was finally done thomas was totally uninterested! *
> 
> We played some xbox and then I had to get ready to go to the private family viewing at the funeral home.  The boys stayed with my aunt and nana.  It only was a short visit.  The funeral director did a great job and my grammy looks very natural and just like I remember her.  Its amazing for 98 years old she looks just like she did when she was in her 60's.  I can only pray I age as well as she did.  Hopefully I have those genes.  Tomorrow is her funeral.  I am still nervous about taking the boys but thank you all for your tips.  I have prepared them for what happens but I will make sure to pay attention to giving them as much details as I can.
> 
> Well I hope you all are enjoying your final week of 2011.  I need to find the holiday thread and join in over there too.  I am ready to start the new BL challenge too!



will be thinking of you at the funeral today. i'm glad the viewing went well. 

i'm so ready for this new challenge too. we'll have alot of good competition because it sounds like ALOT of people are ready to lose! we'll have to make sure the princess peeps represent well during the challenge!



lisah0711 said:


> *Kathy,* Robert actually changed his tactics on Christmas Eve and went to bed around 10 pm.  He still didn't get up until almost 8 o'clock.  Ed and I both got up early and waited and waited for that kid to get up.   I read some posts on the Disboards about people begging their kids to get up at noon so it could be worse.
> 
> *we wound up waking thomas up to get his presents! we couldn't take it anymore! it was nice that he is in a crib still because we waited until the morning to put the gifts under the tree. we were too tired the night before.
> 
> when i was growing up i was never allowed to sleep in. of course, my parents were crazy strict. 8am was the cutoff of my weekend sleeping. ugh. i guess it was ok because i always had soccer games every weekend so i would have had to get up anyway. but man what i wouldn't give to sleep til noon. ok, not noon. how about 8? how about 7!
> *
> I've been wondering how I could bring up your going to Marathon Week-end 2013 instead of Disneyland 2012 after sending you all that info . . .   Seriously next year will probably be the last year you can get away with missing any school so you should take advantage of it while you can. I bet Michael would love to do the 5K with you.
> 
> *in my best chanting voice: "twenty-thirteen! twenty-thirteen!"*
> 
> It's a lot of fun to do a local half and sleep in your own bed the night before the race.  I bet you will like it and, of course, I know you will rock it!  :rockband
> 
> *the only thing stinky about a local race is that there's no super awesome entertainment like at the disney race. however, it will keep me motivated this winter/spring and also get me more ready for the full. i'm hoping in october to do the hershey half in PA (and hopefully get lindsay to go to that too!)*
> 
> My friend went to US Merchant Marine Academy which is in Kings Point, NY.  Looks like it is right across the river from you.  He said you had to be appointed by your local congressman just like in one of the military academies.  I really don't know how an Idaho boy decided to be a merchant marine but they are very nice neighbors.
> 
> *ah, yes, that's where i was thinking he went. kings point is literally across the water. a friend of mine from HS went to the merchant marines. the merchant marines is WAAAAY harder to get into than maritime.  *
> 
> *Rose,* welcome back!  Can't wait to hear all about your trip.
> 
> *me too!!*
> 
> *Lisa,* hope that you are feeling better.   One month from today we will be picking up our bibs!
> *one month!! omg!! yay!*
> 
> So did any of you see the snark I got on my FB Tinker Bell WISH meet event posting?  It was just one person but it was still very, very annoying.
> 
> *i wrote a big comment back to snarky mcnasty but deleted and just wrote, "yikes" - i'm hoping she gets the picture that she was nasty. probably not. very rude. a simple "decline" click would have sufficed.*
> 
> I'm wondering if we shouldn't start another thread instead of renaming this one if we are trying to be more inclusive?
> 
> Have a great day ladies!



a new thread would probably been noticed but a name change could work too. either way, i _suppose_ being more inclusive is the right thing to do 



liesel said:


> *Nancy* Congrats on signing up for your first post bronxbaby half!  Just remember not to beat yourself up when it takes a little while to get back to where you were.  I can't believe you were sick 3 times while training for the Princess!  I seem to remember you had a pretty good time too.  I really hope I am done with being sick.
> 
> *ugh yes i kept getting sick! strep throat with a 104 fever that just wouldn't go down for 4 days really knocked me out. then the flu and a few nasty colds. so annoying! i wound up finishing the race in 2:22 which was great because i was hoping for 2:45 or 2:50. all the entertainment and all the people really pump you up! i also didn't stop to pee (not a good thing b/c i was definitely dehydrated!)*
> 
> I think I can pull out this race under pace, but I really want to get my 2 remaining long runs in so I won't be hurting as much after the race.  My next long run is 10 miles this Saturday.  I hope more snow will be melted by then, I'm sick of running over snow and ice!  I saw that the Tink thread is active again, I'll need to check in.
> 
> So I am finally feeling better.  I was sick for both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, and it was not fun to indulge on those days without the benefit of exercise.  DH and I both feel like slugs and are looking forward to getting back to our normal eating and exercise patterns.  Today DH signed up for his first half, a local one in April.  I am tempted to do this race too, but I want to wait until after the Tink and see how I feel.  The course support ends at 13:45 pace, so its a pretty fast field and I would want to be sure that I could be under that.  Right now I'm just focusing on staying under 16 mm!
> 
> I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!



glad you're feeling better! you have been sick so much this season! really stinky! wow! that local race IS fast! you have to stay at 13:45 pace! that's tough for ALOT of people! i wouldn't be able to do that now. it's a good way to keep up the training though! 

good luck with your upcoming 10 miler!



Worfiedoodles said:


> I can't believe the  is so close! You are going to be tapering and packing before you know it!
> 
> *i know! so close! seemed like it was forever until the race and now it's right here! that whole time thing, it sure does fly *
> 
> *Lisah* -- I didn't see the snark. But I will quote some great advice I read yesterday -- the snark was not about you and you should not take it personally. The snark is the other person's problem and perception, and you my friend, are doing a wonderful thing setting up a WISH Meet!  The women's WISH shirt fitting is excellent! I know how wonderful it feels to need a smaller WISH shirt. That is another goal I have to 2012 -- I want the bottom half of me to make a smaller size possible, because Lord knows the top is not an issue
> 
> *yes! that snarky gal obvs have issues that have nothing to do with you and your meet! i wish i could go to it! going to the one before the princess was one of the best things i did all year (you know, that and having a kid, hehe)
> 
> i really want a WISH shirt. i think i missed the ordering window or something. i don't remember when i last saw a thread about ordering one. darn!
> *
> *Lindsay* --  I always thought sort of superstitiously that since I was born in an even year, I do better in even years -- so 2012 should be awesome! 2010 was the last time I saw a new low weight, so I'm due for serious progress!  I know tomorrow will be hard, but I also know you come from strong stock and you will do Grammy proud
> 
> *i have the SAME superstition. i'm very weird about even numbers. in fact i HATE that my kids were both born in odd number years BUT it's ok (in my head) because they were born on even number days. poor matthew has an uneven month but i like that it's a 1 and a 1 because it looks parallel...and even. i'm so OCD about numbers.
> 
> i think we ALL are going to drop some booty fat this challenge! woot!
> *
> *Nancy* -- I am so proud of you for preparing to do your first Half post Bronxbaby! I wonder if Matthew realizes he was been born to a runner! Lucky Boy!
> 
> *thanks! i need to sign up for something or else i'll slack. knowing this is coming up and telling myself that the disney trip is partly to celebrate the half i will be more motivated (hopefully)*
> 
> 
> *Rose* -- I read The Four Agreements yesterday. I thought it was so powerful, and something I need to read more than once, so I went to Amazon and ordered a 3-book set, a companion book, and also The Fifth Agreement. I am really excited about putting these principals to work in my life. I can see how they will really change it for the better as I incorporate them more.  so much for suggesting this book!
> 
> *well, now i need to read it!*
> 
> So, our holiday was also very nice. Christmas Eve went as expected, and Christmas Morning was great, too. We had calls from almost all the usual relatives. Nothing from my FIL and SMIL, which was fine with me. Did I mention I figured out we didn't get out "real" gift after she left? We got a generic batch of jam with an unsigned card with no name on it. I think she left with our real gift and this was one they had brought in case someone extra showed up, which has been known to happen. But, I am not going to take it personally, it is her problem not mine.
> 
> *jam? really? lame. *
> 
> I got all the things I really wanted (including a VB Weekender in Safari Sunset for my  trip!), and as a bonus, Dennis bought me a Kindle. I didn't even ask for it, I think it was a last minute addition when he felt bad for me... But, I'm looking forward to trying it out. I'm pretty attached to paper books, but my friend keeps telling me I'm going to love it, so why not give it a try? Plus, our library has 1,000 ebooks I can check out, so plenty of material I don't have to pay for to try it out!
> 
> *enjoy the e-reader! i love it! i have an ipad and use it mainly just to read books
> 
> * Yesterday I read a few books, and  basically didn't leave the 2nd floor. I just needed to regroup, and Dennis had scheduled 3 separate events with his friends and family. The second event was lunch with Dennis's cousin who sends us racist/sexist/politically incorrect e-mails. I thought it best I decline, and for once Dennis did not guilt me into coming to his family event. Anyway, I had a lot of time to think and process, which was really good.
> 
> *glad you had a nice day of relaxing. sounds heavenly! and best to skip the in-law nonsense!*
> 
> I saw a post from Christina on the Alumni thread that was really a great list of why to lose weight, but it really bothered me she said she wanted to do it so she could finally love herself. I wanted to give her a huge hug and make sure she understands she is worthy of that whatever her size. She is so brave and strong, I wish she could see herself the way I see her. Anyway, it made me think that I do love myself (yea, progress!), but I have not been showing it as well as I can. I am more determined than ever to be the person I want to be, keep evolving, and keep moving forward. We all deserve to feel fantastic about our lives, and I think I'm finally ready to do the emotional work I need to do to get to that point. My life is a cakewalk in so many ways, trust me I am not complaining -- just realizing that I can still grow and do and be more -- and I can't wait to get started!
> 
> I am looking forward to making 2012 one of my best years ever, and I'm so excited to share it with this wonderful bunch of ladies! Please leave some time in your 2013 marathon weekend schedules for us to have our own meet/meal! I am already looking forward to something awesome, with great GF goodies for our *Rose!*
> 
> Maria



i too felt sorry for that one comment about christina not loving herself. i don't know much about her except that she lost her husband and daughter and every time she mentions it i feel so sad for her. i hope that she can re-group and lose some weight. some of the numbered ones made me  and realize that i don't have it so bad. when i'm feeling down i just need to remind myself that i love myself too much to continue down an unhealthy road!



lisah0711 said:


> Here are some pics of my outfit:
> 
> The sparkly WISH feather -- it's on the bottom left hand side of the skirt when you are wearing it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The whole outfit:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A little better shot of the skirt:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is a Sparkleskirt.  Here is a link to the page.  http://www.sparkleskirts.com/sparkletech/
> It's the solid black SparkleTech skirt.



i love the outfit!! awesome!!!

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

ok it's 8:41 and i started posting this at 6:35.  our swing is broken and i keep having to get up every 2 minutes or so to swing it a little. when it stops, matthew cries. poor kid just wants to nap in that swing and it just won't turn on! we have a replacement piece coming and i pray it comes SOON! 

both boys have check ups today with the doctor. my cousin tracey is going to come with me. thomas will want to just play in the waiting area so i'll need her to keep an eye on him. hopefully it will go smoothly. 

i'm getting waaaay sick of complaining about my weight. it's the same thing every day. i do awesome for the first part of the day. then when/if the boys are both sleeping in the afternoon i sit and eat. i'm just too tired to do anything and i turn to food. i need to start going out when the babysitter comes and even just walk. if i can get matthew to go to sleep when she comes it will be easy for her to watch both kiddos. at night i shovel cookies and crap in my mouth. god forbid i say no! when i was losing weight a few years ago (40 lbs) i used to have a hot chocolate for dessert. it satisfied me and i got the low cal kind so it was a healthier choice. i have to get back to that. this challenge is going to be very good for alot of us, i think.

ok back to swing duty! argh!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay*--I hope today goes ok. I'll be thinking about you.

*Lisa*--It was snarky. Just a little bit. But Maria's right, it was definitely her "issue" and not yours.

*Maria*--I'm really glad you liked the book. I need to read it again.  It doesn't make all the hurt and sadness go away, but it really helps me to put things in perspective sometimes. 

I just skimmed, so I need to go back and read better so I can do replies.

We had a great trip. The weather was fabulous. The castmembers--outstanding.  I feel like there must have been something that happened down there recently--cause it felt like old times--folks happy to help, in a good mood, even handling cranky guests well. 

My anxiety on the other hand--not so great. I am really hoping it's cause I am not getting as much exercise as I would like. I just became fixated on things and couldn't get them out of my head. We had two issues--Christmas Eve and Christmas night. Both involved crowds. Christmas Eve was at MK. We got there at 8:30. It was so bad, they had an exit open through the off stage area, but it dumped you back on Main Street. It took us an hour to walk down Main Street, take a picture and try to leave. In the past when it's been that crowded they have set up paths on the sidewalks so traffic would keep moving. Well, no paths and people were NUTS! Using strollers as tanks to plow through, etc. So Christmas Night we wnet to DTD for dinner at Raglan Road and the entire city of Orlando was at DTD just walking around in laps like they were at the mall. There were no security guards to be seen, the place was PACKED, no one was spending money except the hotel guests, they were just walking around drinking out of red dixie cups having a good old time, I guess, but you could tell that some of the guests were a little uncomfortable. It was just so crowded with no crowd control visible. The server at the restaurant said he had never seen it like that before and he's been there 5 years. The stores were pretty empty cause everyone was just walking around. We had dinner and left. We went back to the hotel and sat in the lounge and watched football.

We have probably been at Christmas 10 times before, so I don't know why it bothered me so much this time. I think cause I showed up stressed out. The big thing is, I have been trying to figure out what upset me so much. 

To put it in perspective--The screen on Tom's brand new computer cracked while we were there, Tom's phone was also not working right (trust me when I say there was drama) and Mike's phone died and NONE of this bothered me like the crowds and lack of crowd control. Maybe I just don't like feeling unsafe.

So that's it for my complaining. We really did have a great time. The tour was so fun! We all went down the Pirate Slide at BC. We rode the horse trolley at MK. The decorations this year were the best I have ever seen! And even after dealing with the crowds those two nights, we had a great night on the 26th--went back to DHS to see the Osbourne Lights again. 

I will catch up on replies later, and post some pictures on my journal too.

TTYL.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisa H- Did you delete the snark comment?  I didnt see it.  People really do have issues.  I agree even without reading the comment it is them not you.

Lisa- I am so sorry for all the illness you have been dealing with.  I hope you are feeling better and can get back into your running groove soon.  Dont worry it comes back really quickly when you are only out of the game a few weeks.  Its missing months without any other exercise when it starts to fall apart.  You will do great at the tink.

Maria- Sounds like you had a wonderful xmas day.  Great gifts that you got too.  Im sure dennis new better than to even ask you to go visit his family.  I have a story that you may find funny since you are a VB lover.  My husband got me slippers for xmas and when I opened them he bragged about how they were 40$ but he got them for 12$ (he always has to tell me the deals he gets.) but then he goes there vera bradley slippers.  I started laughing and I was like close hunny but they are vera wang.  Men what do they know. 

Nancy- Ah not the swing.  That is pure torture.  I hope the part comes soon.  maybe get the broom so you dont have to get up every time and you can just move it with the broom handle.  or you can tie a long string to the bottom of the carrier part so you can just give it a little tug to get going.  I always can come up with ways to not have to get off the couch. Now we can see why I have a weight problem.
I will definitely be thinking about hershey in Oct.  I remember it was fairly cheap for a family of four for the overnight stay and it included park tickets, 1 half marathon entry, and 2 kids races.  I think it was in the 200$ range.  So I may very well consider it.  Keep me posted if you make a definite decision on it.  

Rose- I am so glad you made it back home safely and although some anxiety had a great trip.  I think I would have gotten a bit anxious myself with those crowds.  I hope tom's computer gets fixed without having to buy a new one.  

**********************************************************
Today went as good as it could have for being a funeral.  It was a very nice service.  When we went out to the cemetary it was so cold and windy.  I was happy that the pastor kept it short out there.

The boys did great.  They did not seem bothered by seeing my grammy in the casket and they were very proud standing up with me and my parents to greet the people that came.  When it came time for the family to say our last goodbyes we all were crying a little and Ryan started sobbing.  I felt so bad for him at that moment.  He started crying again during the singing of amazing grace and then after we came back in from the cemetary.  He kept saying he just felt so bad for grammy.  He broke my heart.  I still think it was good for him to go to.  It really shows that he has a sensitive and caring heart to be able to understand this all at such a young age.

Now Its back to work for me tomorrow.  I am coaching on the holiday thread so come see me over there.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Tinkerbelles and Princesses!!  

*Lindsay*-I'm glad it went ok for you yesterday, and poor little Ryan.   You must be exhausted.  I wish you had today off and could just relax and regroup.  When my mom died Michael was with us so to see her in the funeral home, she looked so much better and more like his grammy, so it was good for him to see her that way.  He put one of his beloved ninja turtles in the casket with her.  So touching.  Hope today goes by fast and you have a long weekend off. 

*Nancy*-  We are here to listen to you complain and celebrate, and I know in the new year we will be celebrating some weight loss with you, and you'll be running with a double stroller flirting with Usher again.  Hang in there girlfriend.  The first 3 months are so very hard and add a 2 year old on top of the newborn, and really it is amazing you are able to post here at all.  

*LisaH*-Our superstar!!  I love, love. love that skirt.  The wish feather is the perfect little sparkle.  I can't wait to see you in it with the holiday bloat gone.  But I didn't see your tinkerbell wings in the photo. Are they lime green too?  I hope they aren't too big so you're not knocking other runners off the race path.  Glad robert didn't keep you waiting til noon.  Yes, so I'm thinking about marathon weekend 2013.  Seriously.  I don't know if I'd run, or cheer you all on, but the 5k for ds and I would be perfect.  It's funny though once I start thinking and planning, I have a hard time planning a short weekend trip, since to add on days is so economical.  But I think if we left wed night, come home sun/mon it's only 2-3 days of school he's missing.  My other dream of 2014 disney half before my 50th bday is still in my head too.  I will get to DL one day and I'm saving all the info you've sent me. 

*Maria*-Glad you had a nice holiday, too, and you skipped dennis's cousins party.  It's important to do what makes us happy too.  Hope you have a nice relaxing couple of days at work.  What sept half are you planning?  I'm not planning anything yet, but am hoping as I lose some weight this spring I will get running again.  I need new shoes too.  

*Rose*_ Those crowds must be so anxiety producing.  One christmas we were in a crowd near rockefeller center where we couldn't move either way, and ds and dniece were only 6 or 7, and it was so scary that they would be crushed.  It was awful, and once we got out dsil and I just started crying.  Glad to hear you had a great trip and can't wait to read all about it. 

*LisaR*-One month from today what will you be doing?  Hope you are feeling better and the next month is totally healthy for you.  Does ds10 still believe?  I think my ds does.  He's had doubts for sure over the months, but again, I think he did believe on Christmas morning.  Maybe my head is in the sand and I want him to stay little, but I don't know.  

So, 2012 is going to be our year!!  Princesses and Tinks!!  Losing weight, getting healthy for the last time!!  

So funny listening to the even years thing, I had michael in 2001, the first person in our family born in an odd year for 3 year, all my siblilngs, parents, and grandparents were born in even years.  But someone had to break the mold, right.  

And the other thing is the clothes sizes. A few of us seem to be in similar size situations.  I have one pair of 16 jeans that fit good, a pair of black jeans 14 that I've worn to a quick wake with the zipper down under my coat since I can't zip them that I so want to get back into.  Multiple pairs of 14 capris that I bought for disney 3 years ago when I had lost 45 pounds, and I want them to fit this summer.  I need to lose 25-30 pounds for them to fit.  I even have some smaller that I bought on clearance then to work toward.  

We can do this!! Once and for all!!  2013 marathon weekend is just a year away!!  I can't wait to see the svelte pics of everyone at the dismeet, and hope that Lindsay and I are in them too!!!  And if I am there, I'll be in my wish shirt!!!

Have a great day everyone!  Off to hit the pavement with Poko.  brrrrrrr.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> We had a great trip. The weather was fabulous. The castmembers--outstanding.  I feel like there must have been something that happened down there recently--cause it felt like old times--folks happy to help, in a good mood, even handling cranky guests well.
> 
> *ah, that's what i like to hear! the DIS is chock full of "waaah, CMs are so mean and not helpful and waaaahhh!!!" that it's nice to hear that they were friendly and helpful, ESPECIALLY at this time of year when it's crazy busy!*
> 
> My anxiety on the other hand--not so great. I am really hoping it's cause I am not getting as much exercise as I would like. I just became fixated on things and couldn't get them out of my head. We had two issues--Christmas Eve and Christmas night. Both involved crowds.
> 
> *what's the anxiety trigger i wonder? crowds? you've been there during that time before so i wonder what it was. *
> 
> To put it in perspective--The screen on Tom's brand new computer cracked while we were there, Tom's phone was also not working right (trust me when I say there was drama)
> 
> *tom's an adult now - doesn't there come a time where he's not really allowed to have drama with his parents?? he's not allowed to rain on my friend rose's parade1*
> 
> So that's it for my complaining. We really did have a great time. The tour was so fun! We all went down the Pirate Slide at BC. We rode the horse trolley at MK. The decorations this year were the best I have ever seen! And even after dealing with the crowds those two nights, we had a great night on the 26th--went back to DHS to see the Osbourne Lights again.
> 
> I will catch up on replies later, and post some pictures on my journal too.
> 
> TTYL.



we reeeeeallly want to go in december next year, even if it's just for a weekend so we can see the decorations. i was there ALONE with thomas last december. i wound up getting sooooo sick. barfing nonstop with a 19 month old trying to get home to nyc was the pits. plus it was freezing the whole week and just miserable. john hasn't seen the decorations so we need a december do-over next year 

can't wait to see your pictures and i'm glad it was a fun time. 

i've never been on the trolley at MK! how fun! was there a long line to get on there? 

what did you eat at raglan road? i love that place!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Nancy- Ah not the swing.  That is pure torture.  I hope the part comes soon.  maybe get the broom so you dont have to get up every time and you can just move it with the broom handle.  or you can tie a long string to the bottom of the carrier part so you can just give it a little tug to get going.  I always can come up with ways to not have to get off the couch. Now we can see why I have a weight problem.
> 
> *great idea! i started using the swiffer to swing poor matthew. john came out of the bedroom laughing at me and took that video. i tried posting it onto the fisher-price website and of course they won't let me.
> 
> * I will definitely be thinking about hershey in Oct.  I remember it was fairly cheap for a family of four for the overnight stay and it included park tickets, 1 half marathon entry, and 2 kids races.  I think it was in the 200$ range.  So I may very well consider it.  Keep me posted if you make a definite decision on it.
> 
> *i'm definitely going to do it. need something to keep me motivated! if i do the hershey half in october it'll be perfect timing for my training for the full in jan. plus, um...chocolate!*
> 
> **********************************************************
> Today went as good as it could have for being a funeral.  It was a very nice service.  When we went out to the cemetary it was so cold and windy.  I was happy that the pastor kept it short out there.
> 
> The boys did great.  They did not seem bothered by seeing my grammy in the casket and they were very proud standing up with me and my parents to greet the people that came.  When it came time for the family to say our last goodbyes we all were crying a little and Ryan started sobbing.  I felt so bad for him at that moment.  He started crying again during the singing of amazing grace and then after we came back in from the cemetary.  He kept saying he just felt so bad for grammy.  He broke my heart.  I still think it was good for him to go to.  It really shows that he has a sensitive and caring heart to be able to understand this all at such a young age.
> 
> Now Its back to work for me tomorrow.  I am coaching on the holiday thread so come see me over there.



i'm glad the services went well for your grammy. poor ryan. it's alot for a little guy to handle. plus seeing everyone he knows crying must have been a little scary for him. what a sweetheart. hugs to you and for ryan!

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

good morning friends! i can't WAIT for this year to be over and to start fresh. i keep waking up every morning with a terrible stomach ache. why? because i have been night eating. it's gross. i'm hoping that the challenge will keep me in check. 

i have to make my 6 week post partum appt but i reeeeallly don't want to EVER see my OB again after the way i carried on having matthew. i keep cringing every time i think of the birth and the way i screamed like a crazy person and yelled the F word no less than 200 times. i'm sure he's heard it all before but i just don't know if i can look at him ever again. "nancy, stop screaming and concentrate on pushing." omg. 

the girl that was killed drunk driving (well, we assume drunk driving) was buried on tuesday. there were at least 10 fire trucks and ambulances out there. her father is a retired battalion chief so it seemed like the whole FDNY was at the church. so sad. there are SO many rumors going around about what happened and whether or not it was a suicide. it's terrible. bottom line is who cares what really happened, it's just a terrible thing that resulted from a really poor decision to drive drunk. 

not too much planned today - have to see if i can get thomas a haircut. but that requires getting dressed and getting the kids out the door. 

what is everyone doing for new year's? john just told me that his brother and sister in law invited us to an "early new years eve dinner". waaaahhh! i don't want to go. of course john's sister will be there and it's just so annoying be around them. the sister aka walking zombie is just so bad. and then of course listening to john's brother bill complain about not having a job and asking us for money is just super fun.  i don't know, maybe i should just say ok and go. otherwise then it'll be "oh you never let me see my family blah blah". nevermind that bill and ann and connor were just HERE on friday! and we saw his parents and the rest of them two weeks earlier! maybe after this it'll be enough and we can take a break. 

ok, baby's hungry and i'm hungry. thomas just ate half of a cheese stick. half. why can't i eat like him???


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> We can do this!! Once and for all!!  2013 marathon weekend is just a year away!!  I can't wait to see the svelte pics of everyone at the dismeet, and hope that Lindsay and I are in them too!!!  And if I am there, I'll be in my wish shirt!!!
> 
> Have a great day everyone!  Off to hit the pavement with Poko.  brrrrrrr.



YES YES YES!!! it IS our year! (and not just because it's an even number! lol!) 

give poko a kissy for me


----------



## Rose&Mike

dumbo_buddy said:


> i've never been on the trolley at MK! how fun! was there a long line to get on there?
> 
> what did you eat at raglan road? i love that place!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i have to make my 6 week post partum appt but i reeeeallly don't want to EVER see my OB again after the way i carried on having matthew. i keep cringing every time i think of the birth and the way i screamed like a crazy person and yelled the F word no less than 200 times. i'm sure he's heard it all before but i just don't know if i can look at him ever again. "nancy, stop screaming and concentrate on pushing." omg.


Loved the swing video! I am sure the doctor has heard it all before. The f word seems absolutely appropriate under the circumstances. 

We just walked right on the trolley--it was down by the castle and we rode it to the front. It was really fun!

The drama happened after the computer broke and then the phone broke and then it turned out he was stressed out after the trip to Denver--which we eventually talked about. (He had fun, just some stuff happened). Anyhow, I let him go for a minute or two (cause I would have been frustrated too) and then told him to either knock it off and act right or go back to the room by himself. Once I told him to quit it he did--obviously I am a drama enabler since he seems to think he can be the drama queen around me. We really did have a great trip.



mikamah said:


> Yes, so I'm thinking about marathon weekend 2013.  Seriously.  I don't know if I'd run, or cheer you all on, but the 5k for ds and I would be perfect.  It's funny though once I start thinking and planning, I have a hard time planning a short weekend trip, since to add on days is so economical.  But I think if we left wed night, come home sun/mon it's only 2-3 days of school he's missing.  My other dream of 2014 disney half before my 50th bday is still in my head too.  I will get to DL one day and I'm saving all the info you've sent me.
> 
> 
> *Rose*_ Those crowds must be so anxiety producing.  One christmas we were in a crowd near rockefeller center where we couldn't move either way, and ds and dniece were only 6 or 7, and it was so scary that they would be crushed.  It was awful, and once we got out dsil and I just started crying.  Glad to hear you had a great trip and can't wait to read all about it.


That's what I felt like--crying. It was just crazy. Add to that no one at dtd was speaking English--no one--and it stressed me out even more. 

I think marathon weekend would be lots of fun!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Today went as good as it could have for being a funeral.  It was a very nice service.  When we went out to the cemetary it was so cold and windy.  I was happy that the pastor kept it short out there.
> 
> The boys did great.  They did not seem bothered by seeing my grammy in the casket and they were very proud standing up with me and my parents to greet the people that came.  When it came time for the family to say our last goodbyes we all were crying a little and Ryan started sobbing.  I felt so bad for him at that moment.  He started crying again during the singing of amazing grace and then after we came back in from the cemetary.  He kept saying he just felt so bad for grammy.  He broke my heart.  I still think it was good for him to go to.  It really shows that he has a sensitive and caring heart to be able to understand this all at such a young age.
> 
> Now Its back to work for me tomorrow.  I am coaching on the holiday thread so come see me over there.


I'm glad it went ok Lindsay. 

*****
I am late for work...well not really. But the sooner I go, the sooner I can come home.

I still need to read back.

*Lisa and Lisa--getting excited for you!* 

Have a super day!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hey Ladies!

Just a quick hello before we head out. This is my last day off this week, we are taking a day trip to the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory, on well, Cape Cod. I'm hoping this will be worth the drive. We need to do something that doesn't require a ton of walking but gets everyone out and together. Ben is always bugging us because we've never taken him to the Cape, so there you go. I have a feeling this isn't what he meant! The dead of winter isn't really prime beach weather...

I don't suppose the Hershey Half is on Columbus Day weekend? Because then we could do it. We just can't run a half and then drive 7 hours home to get Ben back for school the next day...

The Half I'm planning for Sept. -- I thought it was with you, *Kathy!* I'm totally in for the Salem Half, as long as Dennis and I can get spots! 

Okay, gotta get a bagel and get going. 

I'm so glad things went relatively well, *Lindsay*, I was thinking of you all day yesterday. 

Oh! And I love, love, love your  outfit, *Lisah*! 

*Rose* --  The books I ordered Monday came yesterday, I'm going to start reading tonight! 

I think you definitely deserve a "do-over" Christmas trip, *Nancy!* And wow, even for Dennis's family that would be a lot of togetherness. I think I'd skip NYE, but that's just me. After 18 years, I am done...You're just getting started -- or maybe we could say you're in the middle!...Eek! 

I'm not going to leave you out, *Lisa!* -- I really don't think you should worry about losing too much conditioning. From one week to another is not a big deal. Like Lindsay said, it's months on end where you just lose what you had. I don't want to, but if I had to get up tomorrow and run a Half, I could manage it -- and so could you! 

Okay, really gotta fly now!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

tried to change my signature and photobucket won't change my picture to the small size no matter how many times i do it! grr! 

*maria - *it looks like the hershey half this past year was on oct. 16th which sounds about right for columbus day weekend, right? i can't find anywhere that tells me when the next race is but it sure would be nice if it was that weekend so you can do it too! 

where on the cape is the potato chip factory? i used to go to cape cod with my friend and her rich parents for a week during the summer.  a nice thing about living in ridgefield, ct was that most of your friends had loaded parents, even if you didn't 

*rose - *i'm glad you told tom to knock it off and he obliged. i actually told my thomas to knock it off this morning when he was crying about his percy the train not fitting through his car wash toy! lol. can't wait to read your journal to get disney trip photos 

*kathy - *yeah, if i were at roc center around christmas i would cry too! 

****

swing update: fisher-price sent the replacement top part! woot, right? yeah well i just tried to replace it and i don't have the right tools - one of the pieces has a special thingy that requires an alan wrench that they probably provided in the original box. grr! matthew's napping in it now so i'll wait til he's up to see if i can use a regular wrench.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi ladies.

*Maria* have fun at the cape.  I would love to go to a potatoe chip factory. 

*Nancy*- I think columbus day was the 10th of October last year so the hershey half would have been the following weekend.  Maybe this year by luck it will be different.  I cant believe you dont have the tools to replace the part. uggh.  Hopefully John can help you out when he gets home.  At least they got it to you fairly quickly.

*Kathy*- We are in this together too.  I have way to many clothes right now that I cant wear and I am determined to get back into them too.  I really hope we are in the 2013 pics.  It would be great for all of us to get together again.

*Rose*- I hope your day goes quickly at work.  Its always so tough to return after a disney trip.  I remember it took me weeks to get back into a groove.

*Hello to my Tinky Lisa's*.

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

Well back to work today.  I wish I had taken today off but I have way to much going on at the office.  Got more sad news today.  A mom of one of our patients passed away this week.  30 years old.  Has a 3 yr old daughter and was pregnant.  41wks along, got induced, ended up needed a CSection due to the HR dropping.  After the baby was delivered the mom coded.  She ended up having an amniotic fluid embolus.  So very heartbreaking and scarry.  Please send your prayers out for this family.

On a more positive note I am spending New Years eve with my inlaws....oh wait how is that positive?????? never mind.  We will go to the peep fest drop and fireworks and then go to their house.  I really hate to be out and driving late at night.  My husband said we should sleep over but I really just want to come home.  I am annoyed beyond belief because he made these plans and basically just told me thats what we will do and expected me to be all excited.  I will put on a happy face.  At least new years day and the day after new years we are off and can spend time at home.  I just feel like we have been going and going for months now and I really need a few days to unwind.

Ok well guess I should get back to work.


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> Well, I got my new phone, it's a basic samsung with a slide out keyboard, and I tortured a few people with texts last night, but somehow hit quick reply and sent my sil that I was in a meeting.  I know I will like it, and it's about time.  No more confusing banners with bears.


so how is the new phone? Are you turning into a texting pro?



lisah0711 said:


> Had a good time at our neighbor happy hour on Tuesday.  Between staying up late and drinking wine I was feeling a tad slow yesterday.    Got the last of the Christmas cards out yesterday.  Today we will do the last bit of grocery shopping.  Work has to be squeezed in there somewhere and then I will start the week-end off Friday with a 14 mile run.
> 
> Have a wonderful day Princesses!


Glad the happy hour was fun! And fabulous job on the 14 miles!
I am really liking the Tink outfit!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Tomorrow my in laws are watching the boys and taking them to see alvin and the chipmunks.  I will be holding my breath all day that they return in one piece.  Then my MIL said she would make dinner for us at our house.  Ummm thats a nice thought and all but guess who always ends up having to clean the kitchen.  Apparently they are making fried tacos.  So not only will my stove and ateries be a mess but my house is going to stink like fried food.  But god forbid I do not act excited about the idea of my MIL wanting to help out.  I would be the worst wife ever if I even batted an eye at this.
> 
> Ok vent over.
> 
> Well now I need to work I guess.  No motivation this week to do anything of the sort.  Have a great day!!!


Oh, I would so not want anyone (especially inlaws) cooking in my kitchen! That would not be relaxing at all! Did they end up coming over and cooking?



liesel said:


> DH and I are both sick, he even took off yesterday.  The kids are feeling better, of course, and stir crazy.  We also got 10 inches of snow yesterday on top of the 4 inches from Monday.  I was only well for 2 weeks before coming down with this illness, so this is frustrating.  I better not get sick anymore, the illnesses and snow have caused me to fall behind in my training again and I'm just tired of being sick!  At least this is a cut back week.  2 more long runs to go.
> 
> As for the car accident, I had to go meet my parents in Denver to pick up the kids who were staying with them for a couple of days.  They were late and by the time I got back to my town, the weather had really deteroriated.  I was going slowly down the freeway off ramp.  When I tried using the brakes, nothing!  DH thinks its because the tires couldn't get traction.  I was in the left lane, with a big wall on the left and no shoulder.  There were lots of cars in both lanes in front of me and nowhere to go but to hit a car.  I tried to go inbetween the two cars, but there was not enough room and I hit a car in front of me (a brand new car as it turns out).  That finally stopped the car.  The guy insisted on calling the police, so we waited and waited until they called back and told us to just exchange our info (which we had already done) and go (since there were no injuries and they were overloaded with accidents).  The car still was not handling well so I pulled over at the tire store, which was a couple of blocks away, and waited for DH.  I refused to drive the car until the tires were replaced.  The tires are replaced and the car handles much better now.  I can't believe the shock I was in, an hour later I was still shaking.  I couldn't believe it, I'm usually so calm when somehting happens, but this was the first time I every hit someone.  Our car was only damaged on a section on the front bumper that needed replacing anyway, so its not too bad.


You all need some sick free weeks! I'm sorry about the accident. Those slow mo accidents are no fun! We got really lucky that Tom flew out between storms. He got patted down at the Denver airport. Considering there is no "profiling" my boys seem to get pulled out for extra screening a lot!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Ben is adamant he is not going to "ruin" his Christmas morning by going to church. He told me, "Christmas is not about going to church, Mom"...yep, I guess he's pretty much missing the point of those confirmation classes  We actually aren't going because Dennis isn't about to chance missing the Celtics tip-off, but it is kind of funny to hear him explain how church attendance is unrelated to his Christmas agenda.
> 
> Maria


 That sounds like something my DS would say.



mikamah said:


> She has been doing well, but playing a little rough at times with michael, like he's one of her toys, and trying to nip a bit, so I want to prevent it from going any further.  Done lots of reading about it, and maybe it's a dominance thing, so Michael's trying not to lay on the floor and play, and is going to do all her feeding this week too, set things straight.  We signed up for training classes too starting the 7th.
> 
> If I'm not back later today, I wish all of you a very merry Christmas!!  Love you all!!


I bet the classes will really help a lot. Is she doing better this week?





dumbo_buddy said:


> *rose - *um, i don't mean to complain or anything but you are not posting any pics to facebook! i'm assuming that means that you're having way too much fun!! my friend is there right now with her hubby and baby boy and they are having a wonderful time but have said it's very crowded. how are your boys enjoying themselves? and how's the food??  merry christmas rose!!


Everytime I took a picture (or Mike took a picture) I thought of you Nancy.



dumbo_buddy said:


> looks like we're buying more DVC! the sellers accepted our offer. wow! we are buying 240 pts at BLT for $73/pt  that is a total low ball offer and i wonder if we will get ROFR'd (disney has right of first refusal in these contracts). we shall see.


Wow! Can't wait to hear if you pass ROFR.




Worfiedoodles said:


> Hey Ladies!
> 
> Just a quick hello before we head out. This is my last day off this week, we are taking a day trip to the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory, on well, Cape Cod. I'm hoping this will be worth the drive. We need to do something that doesn't require a ton of walking but gets everyone out and together. Ben is always bugging us because we've never taken him to the Cape, so there you go. I have a feeling this isn't what he meant! The dead of winter isn't really prime beach weather...


Too fun! They made Utz potato chips in the town I grew up in and we toured the factory a couple of times in school. I thought it was pretty cool!



dumbo_buddy said:


> *rose - *i'm glad you told tom to knock it off and he obliged. i actually told my thomas to knock it off this morning when he was crying about his percy the train not fitting through his car wash toy! lol. can't wait to read your journal to get disney trip photos


 I highly suggest training him early to avoid drama at 20. Though really, it probably won't do any good!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> On a more positive note I am spending New Years eve with my inlaws....oh wait how is that positive?????? never mind.  We will go to the peep fest drop and fireworks and then go to their house.  I really hate to be out and driving late at night.  My husband said we should sleep over but I really just want to come home.  I am annoyed beyond belief because he made these plans and basically just told me thats what we will do and expected me to be all excited.  I will put on a happy face.  At least new years day and the day after new years we are off and can spend time at home.  I just feel like we have been going and going for months now and I really need a few days to unwind.
> 
> Ok well guess I should get back to work.


Uggh. But the peeps will be cool right???

*****
Ok, I am somewhat caught up. I am sure I missed something. 

I was slammed at work today, which means lots of donations, but it will take me a while to catch up. I am only working a couple of days next week, since Tom goes back at the end of the week.

Tonight we went to Lights Under Louisville at the Louisville Mega Cavern. You drive through this huge underground cavern that they light up. It takes about 30 minutes. It was pretty fun.

Tomorrow--pt. I met my deductible for the year a week or so ago, so I figured I would squeeze one more visit in since it won't cost me much (20%). My foot is doing really, really well. I am going to ask her to do ultrasound on the ankle. We ran on Christmas day--I still have to download the Garmin, but even at a 1:1 pace we were under 12 minute miles. I think I ran the last .5 or so without stopping, which was nice.

The plan is to run on New Year's Eve--6 miles or so. I am not telling the pt--why get into a big discussion when I am just going to ignore her.

Have a great Friday!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning,

I decided not to make my coffee til after my walk this morning so that way I don't goof off here for 2 hours, only one.   We need to go to the post office and apply for michael's passport.  We are going to Niagara Falls in april with my brother, and they went for my niece Taylor's yesterday. This afternoon is a rec dept new years roller skating party from 1-4.  That's probably the excitement of our new years weekend.  No big plans for the new year.  Probably relaxing and a movie.  I'll fall asleep on the couch, and michael will wake me at midnight.  Gotta keep up traditions.

*Maria*-Ok, I'm in for the Wicked Half.  I looked it up, it's Sept 22.  I think.  How quickly my brain can forget details.  It will be so fun to see you there.  My friend karen finished in 2:30, so you two might run at the same pace.  I bet she'll do it again.  We had talked about doing it again, since we didn't train much, and seeing how well we could do if we actually put in some training.  This will be good motivation to get running again.  Poko would be a good running partner too.  I definitely need new shoes soon. That will be my new years resolution.  Hope you all enjoyed the potato chip factory.  In your honor, ds and I ate a bag of potato chips on the way home from market basket yesterday.  We were too hungry to go shopping.

*Rose* -That is great news your foot is doing well and feeling well.  The PT is there as a guideline, but you know yourself best, and I know you will listen and slow down/walk when you need to because you need to be in tip top shape for the princess. 

 Poko is doing better with the nipping.  Part of it is getting michael not to lay on the floor when she is playing with her toys.  We went to doggy day care yesterday, there are 2 nearby, and one has 4 big rooms, and the other is one big room with an opening to a courtyard, so all size dogs are together.  The one with 4 rooms has an evaluation process, so we brought her back for a 15 min eval where she met 2 other dogs, and then she can have a full day trial, so we'll do that next friday.  The woman said when she was trying to initiate play, she growls and bears her teeth, and she doesn't know if that would set other dogs off, so wants her to have the day and see how she does.  She does growl when she's running free in the field too, and at her toys, but her tails wagging and she is definitely just playing.  Funny, when I'm with her, she doesn't growl at the other dogs we meet.  So we'll see what happens.  She really is settling in nicely.  We are trying to let her on the furniture only when we invite her up, and that is going well.  It's so nice to sit and watch tv while patting her.  She is very snuggly.  I think the classes will be good too. She gets very excited and wants to jump on everyone she meets.  

*Nancy*-Did you get that swing fixed and is that beautiful baby snooozing peacefully.  Hope so. What a pita.  Loved the swiffer video.  Sleep deprived mommas need to be innovative.  Oh, I thought of you last night when we watched Four Christmases.  Have you seen it?  It was great, and I thought your inlaws might be a bit like vince Vaughns siblings.  lol.  It was pg, and a little inappropriate for ds at time, but oh well.  Some of it goes over his head.  I think.

*Lindsay*_So sorry about your patient.  How terribly tragic.  I can not even imagine what that poor family is going through.  We always hated to see post partum patients in ICU, and wanted them shipped to Boston asap, which was what usually happened.  Your Peep new years sounds great. 

*LIsaH*-Are you following me today?  I am going to walk now before I visit the other threads.   What's the running plan for this weekend?  It must be almost taper time!!!  I found myself perusing the events board, and wishing I was going to some disney race this year.  Maybe 2013 if we did travel with someone else I'd do the half.  Again, now that I'm making all these plans, it's time to hit the lottery. 

*LisaR*-Hello there.  hope you are enjoying having the kids home for break, and the are healthy again. 

Ok, I'm putting on my sneakers now.  See you all later.  I really could get used to this not working stuff.


----------



## mikamah

and *Rose*, I do love my new phone, and am pretty fast at texting.  I'm a fast typer, so the keyboard is nice.  I did send a few blank texts, and some quick reply texts at first.  I sent my sil that I was in a meeting.  she asked what kind of meeting. I said, I'm not in a meeting like she was crazy, not me.   But I don't think I've done that again. lol.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   



liesel said:


> *Maria* I forgot to thank you for your preChristmas advice about the cliff blocks.  I used them on my 8.5 mile long run and discovered that I need quite a bit of water to get them down, so I will most likely be using them at a couple of water stations.  I also learned that I can't take them right after drinking Powerade-too much sugar at once!  I didn't use them on my 7 mile run and figured I was good for the 10K, but I was running much faster and didn't have as many calories before the race as I usually do (nervous!).



I think your WISH outfit sounds very cute!    WISH is very Tinker Bell like already plus we will be comfortable and fast!  

You could eat just half a Clif Blok at a time, too.  It seems to depend on the day how much is too much but I'm getting to the point where less is better with everything, even water.  Even though I haven't had any runner's tummy for some time I still think every gurgle portends disaster.  

*Nancy,* did you get your swing fixed?  I loved *Lindsay's* ideas about the broom and the string.   

*Lindsay,* glad the service went well.  Bless little Ryan's heart -- he is a nice guy!   Hope your last day of work this year goes well and quickly!  

*Rose,* glad that you had a good time at WDW.  Just think next time you will be there you will be at the Princess with *Maria!*  

The caverns sound like fun!  

And don't worry about the PT -- this is your last visit so who cares what she thinks?  I know that you will be careful! 

*Kathy,* my wings are so fast that you can't even SEE them.     I think it would be wonderful if you could manage a trip to WDW in January 2013.  I'll still pick up some DL maps and stuff for you for future reference.    Wouldn't it be fun if Beth and Taylor could come again?!? It's never to early to start planning a Disney vacation. 



dumbo_buddy said:


> YES YES YES!!! it IS our year! (and not just because it's an even number! lol!)



You finance/numbers people crack me up!   

*Maria,* have fun at the Cape!    Hope it's all Ben was hoping it would be!   I think it will be fun if you and *Kathy* can do the Wicked Half.  Those WISH shirts go well with Halloween-ish colors too.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> tried to change my signature and photobucket won't change my picture to the small size no matter how many times i do it! grr!



Try saving it under another file name and then resizing it.  Photobucket does weird stuff sometimes.  

And when you and *Lindsay* do the Hershey Half you can dress up like a couple of Hershey's Kisses . . . 

Did my long run this morning because the community center is closed this week-end for the holiday.  It was speed work 12 800 meter intervals, which is 6 miles, but it still took two hours because you have to walk in between each interval.    Looking like my race interval will be 15/30 or 15/35 -- there isn't much difference in my time between the two.  Interestingly 20/40 is a bit harder for me (I think I slow down too much for the walking part).  I can hit my time with the little intervals.  I like them because it's not too much running and not so much walking that it is hard to get started again, even at the end of the run.  

But alas even though I am happy and chirpy and, as always, have more to say, I must go to work.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hello to you all! 2011 is about to bite the dust! Hooray! (Did I spell that right?)

Anyhow, I got up bright and early for pt at 8:00. She was very impressed with how well I was doing considering how much we walked. (We were over 20000 steps every day and several days over 30000). I did not tell her we are running a bit. Anyhow, she worked on my ankle a lot and while it is a bit sore now, it is feeling pretty good. I am going to go once next week and then twice the following week and then she thinks I will be done! I debated and debated switching, but if this is going to be it for now, then I will stick it out and if things flare up again I will find some place closer to home.

Tom's computer is supposed to come today, so we are kind of sitting around waiting for that. I think we might go see a movie. Tomorrow is a 6 mile run--which I am determined to slow down for.....I am not very good at slowing down. It's supposed to be in the 50s so we will go outside and I think Tom might come along.

Oh, and I don't think I told you all this....there is a girlfriend now. I saw a picture. This is the first girl he has told us about since going to school (well he got together with a girl from high school this summer, but that doesn't count.) I think that is where some of the stress from the computer AND phone breaking came from on vacation. We get to meet her in February when we visit.

*Kathy*--I hope you had a great walk!

*Lisa*--Great job on the intervals! I am getting so excited for your race!

*Maria*--What is the 5th agreement? I put the book in Tom's room and I'm hoping he will read it.

Hi to LisaR, Lindsay, Nancy and anyone else who is reading along!

Have a great Friday!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i just got on the DIS to chat but thomas decided to cut his nap short. wah. i need to clean up the house a bit. my mom and dad are coming down today to visit. we didn't see them over christmas so we'll exchange gifts today. this is a huge improvement with them considering the last two christmases they didn't even get thomas a gift!  

oh and it looks like we're going to bill and ann's (john's brother and sis in law) tomorrow for "early new year's eve". who knows what that means. i never get details like whether or not we will have dinner there or what. or what i should bring. and zombie kathleen (john's sister) will probably be there. guess that means we'll be shlepping around from brooklyn to queens to drop her off after before heading back to the bronx. wah! i still have a percocet leftover from having the baby -maybe i'll take it before going there to put me in a better mood 

*rose - *did you make it to the movies? what did you see? oh boy! a girlfriend! how exciting. NOW it makes sense why he was so upset that his phone wasn't working! 

*maria and kathy -* what are the details for the wicked half? where is it? one of my best friends lives in stoneham - is that anywhere near where the race is? maybe i could stay with her and do the race? she's a big time runner and maybe she'd want to do it (she's like, REALLY fast so i'd just meet her at the finish later)

*lisa - *photobucket is so weird sometimes. the siggy seems to work on my computer. hope everyone else sees it. i used to think that i'd never put my children in matching outfits but after putting them in those jammies that kathy gave me i have a feeling they may be in matching outfits all the time!

*lindsay - *lisa had a good idea about dressing as hershey kisses for the hershey half. we'd be some scrumptious looking runners! 

*lisaR - *how are you? how's training? how are you feeling? did you get the car fixed yet? 

ok, thomas is screaming "help me mommy" so i better run. and matthew's squeaking so he's probably hungry. 

xoxo


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy- How was roller skating.  Did you strap on the skates???  I like a low key NYE.  I usually am nodding off before midnight but I still beat the boys.  I think we may only have a year or two left of that though.

Rose- Yes my MIL made friend tacos last friday.  They fry the tortilla and then fill it with meat and toppings.  Sadly I missed out on the dinner.  We made the funeral arrangements on friday evening so I had dinner with my parents and my aunt instead.  I was pleased to see that she mostly cleaned up everything by the time I got home.  So I really shouldnt complain.  

Wow a girlfriend...now that explains the drama.  I guess it was only a matter of time.  Has he told you anything about her yet? or is it going to be a mystery until February?

Lisa- I have a silly ? but are your intervals your talking about seconds or minutes.  I used the 3min/2min intervals but wonder if shortening the times will help me get back into the long runs any quicker or at least make it more enjoyable.

Nancy- I forgot to say I would love to etrain with you for the next half.  When is yours again?  What training plan do you plan to follow?  Hershey kiss costumes could be cute.  Im thinking like a brown top, silver shorts, and silver ribbons in our hair.  My goal is to get skinny so I dont look like an overfilled hershey kiss.  Not sure where to find this attire but at the least we can wear silver ribbons in our hair. 
I feel your pain of having to deal with the inlaws tomorrow. Its only one day so hopefully you will get through it without much pain.  A percocet may come in handy thought.

Maria- How was cape cod?

Hi Lisa and any other princess or tinks reading along.

**********************************************************
Well the year is slowly coming to an end.  I was thinking of you all and your even numbers thing tonight.  I really dont have a superstition or strategy about the odd or even years but tonight driving home I looked down and noticed my odometer was 122222.  Yes I know I have alot of miles on my car was my first thought too.  But then I thought it was a cool number. 12 and lots of 2's can only mean something good right

Ryan has come down with a stomach bug.  In the middle of the night he vomited and has complained of feeling sick to his stomach all day.  He basically laid on my parents couch all day.  Tonight he had a low grade fever.  Hopefully he feels better tomorrow and no one else gets the bug.  Although it could give me an excuse not to go to my inlaws. 

I am looking forward to this weekend and hopefully purging some junk out of our house and getting everything organized and in order for the new year.  I also need to get to the grocery store and stock up on the good food.  One more day and I am going to rid myself of fast food.  I think tomorrow I will have one last mcdouble.  I have such issues.

Have a great weekend!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!   

*Kathy,* how was skating?    Robert was telling me about a dancing, roller skating movie from the 80's he was watching -- mostly it was a critcism of styles and interests of the time.   

Sorry the hedgehog didn't hold up better.  It obviously wasn't a quality pet product like the ones sold at JW Pet Products, right *Nancy?* 

*Rose,* the girl thing helps the lack of communication crisis make  sense.   Does Tom know about those old fashioned things called land lines? 

Can't wait to hear how your run goes today!    That was great news that PT is almost over!  

*Nancy,* hope that you had a nice visit with your folks!  
I think that you and *Lindsay* would look adorable in your Kisses costumes!  

*Lindsay,* have fun at the Peep drop tonight!    Yep, some day your boys will stay up way later than you.     Hope Ryan is feeling better.  

Yes, those intervals are seconds so you might want to try shortening your intervals.  Looks like you were using a 3/2 ratio but maybe start with a 1/1 ratio and then move up.  I used 30 seconds/30 seconds for my half in September and even that was too much because I was worn out at the end and might not have hit the wall at mile 10.  

It's a bit of a leap of faith to use the shorter intervals because it is counterintuitive but the best thing is that you feel so much better at the end of your run.  Even Galloway uses 30 seconds/30 second for the races himself.  The other thing I like about the short intervals is that you can really do some running when you know it's just for 15 seconds and the short walking interval is enough to recover but not so much that you slow down or don't want to start running again.  The best thing though is not being worn out at the end -- my official goal for the Tink to finish in the upright position, ready to celebrate.  

*Maria,* my lovely Mickey teammate, how was the Cape?  Sending you  for your evening.  

*Lisa,* how are you doing?   Is everyone feeling better at your house?  Getting those crazy pre-race ups and downs feelings yet?  Next is taper madness!  

I'm thinking that we are going to be having a little friendly Princess competition being split up on the teams.  This is going to be fun!  

And just so ya know, the Mickeys rock so much that we already have a cheer and a theme song so you Donalds better be catchin' up . . .  

*You know I love you all no matter what team you are on*!  

I said good-bye to my weekly BL clippie today with a little tear in my eye.  But then I got to replace it with this new WISH clippie so it was all good.  Woo hoo 50 pounds lost!    Next stop ONE-derland in time for the Tink.  I can do it!  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Tinkerbelles and Princesses!!

So the year is coming to a close.  It's really been a good year overall for us here.  I think maybe I'll go back and remember something special that happened each month with Michael, and look through all the pictures we've taken.  February may be my favorite month with the Princess trip.  He had a calendar he got last thanksgiving that he hung in his room and every single day he'd cross off the day.  We need to go pick up a new calendar for him.  Wish Santa had thought of that. 

*Lisa* -Very smart of you to get the really fast wings for race day.  That's great you are figuring out the intervals that work best for you.  I know you must have a little clicker or timer that lets you know when to switch, right?  I seem to remember reading that.   It would be great if Beth and Taylor could come if we go in jan.  It was awesome of them to come for the princess, but I think my brother would like to come too, but january is not a good month for him with tax season and all, so we'll see.  

*Rose*-Poor tom with a new girlfriend and broken computer/phone.  That must have been so stressful for him.  Hope you had a good run today in the summer-like weather.  It's pretty warm here too.  This was the perfect winter to get a dog so far, it's been so mild.  Thank goodness. 

*Lindsay*-Hope Ryan is better and the rest of you stay healthy.  Though if it's questionable at all, you might not want to possibly expose the inlaws.  Roller skating was fun but INSANE.  I did not skate.  Way too crowded, but Michael had fun.  He skated almost the full 3 hours we were there.  Good luck with the purging of the junk.  It is hard to throw stuff away, but better in the trash than on the hips.  Of course, we've pretty much eaten through all our junk.  

*Nancy*-one percocet never hurt anyone.  Enjoy the inlaw new years!!  The race in Salem is only about 15-20 min from Stoneham.  That would be so fun if you came up, and a good training race before the wdw marathon.   Hope you had a nice visit with your mom and dad yesterday.  How are those babies sleeping these days?   Are you getting any long stints of sleep yourself?  Michael was born 12/4, and I remember going on adrenaline through the holidays and somewhere around the first week in january crashing.  My friend Jane had us sleep over her house one night then, I slept in her bed, and she stayed up with michael and just brought him to me to nurse, and it was one night of real sleep that made a huge difference.  He was rather colicky, but thinking back when he was 9 months old we discovered all his food allergies, so it was probably all the food I was eating not agreeing with him.  I hope the little guys are letting you get some sleep these days. 

Hello to all our other Princesses and Tinkerbelles!!

Not much on the agenda today or tomorrow.  I'm on call 7a-7p both days, so it's a good excuse to just hang out.  I do want to put the xmas stuff away. I wish now I hadn't brought all of it out.     And we need clean Michael's room so we can move Fredward in there.  He's been in my bedroom since we got Poko.   I think I'll do some reading too, I found The TIme Travelers Wife I was reading a couple months ago, and never finished, so I picked that up again.  Ds plans include too much video games and tv.  That's what vacation is all about, right?  Poko bought me Wii COuntry Dance game that I haven't tried yet, so I think I'll make michael do that with me too.  Nothing says happy holidays like forcing your kid to play games with you. 

Hope you all have a wonderful New Years!!


----------



## mikamah

*Lisa*-Love, love, love that platinum 50 pound clippie!!!  YOU are rocking this!!  Onderland for sure for the Tink!!  I am so excited for you!!   Following you again today even though it's 4 hours later than usual.  What did you sleep in today til 6?

Oooh a mickey cheer and theme song.  I'm feeling some pressure.  Donald Donald, he's our man, if he can't lose it, noone can!!!   Maybe not.  I'll put michael on the job.  He started talking in his donald voice when I told him I'm on team donald. 

And do tell what movie Robert was watching?  Were they wearing leg warmers with stirrup pants?  Ah, those were the days.  The roller palace where we went yesterday was where I hung out in high school.  There was an ice rink on one side, and roller on the other.  The skates look like the same skates they had 30 years ago, but then the floor was new blue vinyl stuff, but now it's back to wood.  Guess the vinyl didn't stand up.  But I was more of an ice skating girl at friday night "Disco on Ice".  So funny.  Tell Robert people really dressed like that and looked good.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisa= Thanks I think I may play a little with the shorter intervals.  The only thing I really dislike about that is during races I feel so wierd stopping after just starting and than people behind me get annoyed because Im stopping.  That is nice to know JG also does that.  Next time I am feeling self concious I will just yell out that JG does it like this too.  It will make me feel better.  Woohoo on that beautiful shiny new clippy and the 50lbs loss.  Your are amazing and I bet you are feeling so strong and healthy right now.  I am so envious.  Oh and btw.  Mike just read your xmas card and asked if he should know about our trip in 2013.  I guess I didnt let him in on my secret quite yet.  The cats out of the bag now.  He really doesnt care because I am the money controller and he just goes with the flow.  He just asked if he was coming along this time and I said I wasnt sure yet and thats when I got the look.

Kathy- glad michael had fun roller skating.  I was laughing at your comments about the 80's styles.  The new Wii game sounds fun.  I tried country line dancing a couple of times. There was a country bar here that had dancing "lessons" every friday night.  It was fun the few times I did it but I found that I am a more zumba type of girl.  Not enough chances to really shake what your mama gave ya in country line dancing.

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

Reflecting on this past year!  The highlight definitely was the princess!!!!  I am sad not to return there this year but am excited to cheer on our tinks and princess's of 2012.

I am looking forward to getting back to being healthy again and hopefully making the changes in our lifestyle that will allow us to remain healthy.  I am looking forward in continuing our friendship we have made over the past year or two.  You all are so wonderful and will always have a special place in my heart.

We are having pizza hut for lunch.  Ryan is still laying around and not feeling well.  I guess we will still go to the peep drop and fireworks since that is only a half hour long and then we will go to my inlaws.  Ryan can at least lay on the couch there if he is not better.  

Enjoy your NYE.  Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Rose I know you were dying for this day to finally come.  Have a bourbon on me tonight


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--how was the visit with your parents? I hope the inlaw visit goes ok. We saw Sherlock Holmes--I really liked it, though I swear I didn't know what was going on half the time! I am a big Robert Downey Jr fan.


*Lindsay-*-I hope Ryan is feeling better. Does that mean you all are staying home tonight? Too cool about the mileage on the car. Mike and Tom love number stuff--so we are always looking for stuff like that. We have been doing a run 1/ walk 1 interval, and while I don't really like it, it does seem to be doing the trick. And I can go plenty fast at that ratio. So might be worth a try.

*Lisa*--So what movie was Robert watching? Congrats on the new clippie! Too very exciting! The whole landline thing on vacation would have probably cost me money, so I'm glad he didn't think of that. His phone seems to be doing better. 

I'm a little sad that we are all mixed up on the teams--but you know me, I don't like change!






mikamah said:


> And do tell what movie Robert was watching?  Were they wearing leg warmers with stirrup pants?  Ah, those were the days.  The roller palace where we went yesterday was where I hung out in high school.  There was an ice rink on one side, and roller on the other.  The skates look like the same skates they had 30 years ago, but then the floor was new blue vinyl stuff, but now it's back to wood.  Guess the vinyl didn't stand up.  But I was more of an ice skating girl at friday night "Disco on Ice".  So funny.  Tell Robert people really dressed like that and looked good.


I loved the 80s! Loved them! Call me crazy! 
I hope you don't get called in today!
I roller skated with Tom once in elementary school and fell and my ENTIRE knee was black and blue. It was crazy! And so very painful. Skating is fun, falling not so much!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Oh and btw.  Mike just read your xmas card and asked if he should know about our trip in 2013.  I guess I didnt let him in on my secret quite yet.  The cats out of the bag now.  He really doesnt care because I am the money controller and he just goes with the flow.  He just asked if he was coming along this time and I said I wasnt sure yet and thats when I got the look.


 Too funny!

*Hi Maria and Lisa R! *

*****
We are watch the Uk/U of L basketball game, which is kind of a big deal around here. Uk is winning--which is Mike & Tom's team--so there is calm and peace at my house for the moment.

The new gf is a sophomore from SC. Her name is Annie. I got to see a picture. I think she is like a sports/management major, or something like that. And that's all I got....We can't ask too many questions. We have to get our info in little bits and pieces.

We went 6 miles this morning and it went pretty well. No ankle problems, though the plantar is a little sore. We'll see how it does over the next couple of days. It's about the best I hoped for, so I am happy!

I hope everyone has a great New Year's Eve! I am really looking forward to the New Year!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I can't believe how quickly I get behind here...anyway...

Good Evening  and ! Whatever team you are on, I still  you!

*Rose* -- A gf sounds good -- I'm sure she's lovely. The Fifth Agreement is Be Skeptical, but Learn to Listen. That sounds useful, too! I'm reading the companion book right now. When I finish I'm going to go back and actually do the writing assignments. I'm looking forward to it. I can already feel some things starting to shift. I am trying really hard to not take anything personally! 

*Lindsay* -- I really hope Ryan feels better. Poor kidlet! Hopefully he will enjoy the Peep Drop. I just can't get over how cool that sounds. We have First Night here, but I don't think we've ever gone. It just doesn't appeal to us the way staying home does 

*Kathy* -- I am so glad you are "in" for the Wicked! I am really looking forward to it. I like that it's on a Saturday, which is my normal long run day  I will be coming in after your friend, that's for sure. I'd have to grow wings to hit 2:30! 

*Lisah!* -- I am so proud of you!! Congratulations on the Fabulous New Clippie! You earned every lb of that, and I have great faith this New Year is going to be full of even more awesome triumphs! 

*Nancy* -- The Wicked Half is in Salem, MA. I don't think it's too far from Stoneham, I'd definitely travel that far. It's on Saturday, Sept. 22nd at 7am. How fun would that be if you can make it? You know, if your friend is not interested, my guest suite is always available  As long as you aren't allergic to  or even if you are, it has it's own bathroom and kitchen...You and Dennis can wait around together for me to finish the race 

*Lisa* --Hope you are feeling well! 

* to Dona and Pamela, and any other lurkers!*

I started today with my planned 9.5M, then I baked 8 dozen molasses cookies. Surely they won't run out before Wednesday when my dad leaves 

We are having our usual NYE, which consists of a family Wii bowling tournament. We'll be doing that later. Dennis is at the gym now, and then he needs to prep the food for tomorrow, my BIL and SIL are arriving from FL, and they will stay to watch my Beloved Patriots, so we need a buffet 

Am I the only one disappointed because the parade is Monday? This throws off my "get back on track" schedule a bit. I'm not giving up my parade tradition, but I am modifying. I have a fruit platter and tiny cinnamon rolls. I'm going to limit the tiny treats, so hopefully that will help. We have one more dinner out Tuesday night, and then I can fully focus on eating well. Our fridge is already stocked with fruit and veggies, so No Excuses! 

On what I'm calling the bright side, I've gained less than 2 lbs since my final weigh in, and frankly with everything going on and missing some workouts (not to mention eating way too much of my fudge), I consider that a success 

I'd better finish up and check out the Mickey thread. I also need to sign up to coach...tomorrow I start a few new habits for January -- starting my day with a positive thought I'm going to write down, keep a gratitude journal, and consciously reacting positively to others. I'm trying to work on a few things each month for a year, like The Happiness Project. This actually fits really well with what I'm doing with The Four Agreements, so good timing. I did manage to set one new habit in December, I'm flossing pretty much daily. I know I should have been doing it all along, I just tend to drift out of the habit, and now I'm back! 

A Very Happy New Year to You All -- I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to the awesometastic year we are all about to thoroughly enjoy!!

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--how was Cape Cod? I have started checking out airfare for Princess! Too exciting! What is the Happiness Project?

*****
We have been watching football for most of the afternoon. I made a yummy stir fry for dinner and we got some champagne for later and some gf dessert from a local bakery. Too exciting! I could almost cry with relief that this year is finally over. I'm pretty emotional--it's a girl thing, I think.

So I wanted to thank you all for being here for me this year. I told Mike today, I feel like a different person than I did a year ago, and I feel like I wasted the last decade of my life being sick without even realizing it. It's hard to explain, but in retrospect I was just walking around all the time not feeling well. I was either depressed and sleeping all the time, losing weight and sleeping all the time or just plain feeling awful. I just had forgotten what it was like to feel good. It's still kind of hard to wrap my head around. 

So thank you all for being my cheerleaders when I just wanted to quit and for listening to me whine on the days I just couldn't be positive. 

Like Maria, I am looking forward to a positive, happy year, no matter what! I continue to remind myself that I am "choosing to be happy." And it's a pretty good choice.

Happy New Year to you all! Love you to pieces! I will be thinking of each of you when I have my champagne at midnight!


----------



## lisah0711

*Happy, happy New Year to my beloved Princesses and Bells!* 

I WISH you all a wonderful, prosperous and fulfilling 2012 where all your dreams come true!  

*Kathy,* I got a big chuckle out of Michael waking you up with banging pans for the New Year!    I'm reading the Donald thread but not posting 'cause I don't want to help your post count.   

I believe the roller skating movie that Robert was watching was Roller Boogie.  It was really from 1979.  It did not have leg warmers but I did get a good eye roll when I told what you said about looking good!  

I was thinking that you and *Maria* could continue the Kisses theme by dressing up as Kiss band members for the Wicked Half.  

*Lindsay,* sorry about letting the cat out of the bag about 2013.    I'm thinking spouses learned a bit more about the Princesses from reading the cards because apparently they don't think to read the thread like everyone else does.  

Hope that Ryan is feeling better!  

*Rose,* glad the run went well!    That was a great way to start off the New Year.

I loved the 80's, too.    That was a great decade for me.  I was in my 20's, pretty, skinny, had a fast car and my own place, dating a fighter pilot, good times!   

Here's a picture of me when I was about 20 in 1980 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			
		
		
	


	




 and another one with my friends drinking beer at spring training -- I'm the one at the back 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Thanks for doing the promotional BL announcements.    I couldn't help but chuckle when someone on the community boards thread started complaining about how fast the threads move.    I know how you like that!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> A Very Happy New Year to You All -- I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to the awesometastic year we are all about to thoroughly enjoy!!



*Maria,* nice job with the 9.5M run!    I'm sure that you will  send any extra cookies home with Dad!  Enjoy your IL visit and hope your team wins!  

It is kind of a bummer to have the parade and game tomorrow.  I don't know what they were thinking.  Course it would be even worse if you had to go back to school and work tomorrow like some of us do.   

*Nancy,* how'd it go yesterday?  

*Lisa,* hope the wind calms down so you can do your long run tomorrow.  One month from right now we will be running like the wind! 

As you may have noticed I changed the title of the thread and updated it for 2012.  With the new challenge and the Tinker Bell chatter increase I think this will work for now.  We can always do a new thread later.   

Tree removal and laundry on the list for today!  Have a great day ladies!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I have mentally written the Cape Cod summary 3 or 4 times, I just never seem to get it to the DIS. So without further ado...

The Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory is located in Hyannis, not far from the main highway that runs through town. It took us about an hour to get there, which is perfect for my dad. It's a self-guided tour, you basically walk through a long corridor with windows so you can see what is happening, and placards telling you what you are seeing. We saw raw chips go into giant kettles, cooked chips go through a conveyor and get salted, and then they went up to packaging which we could not see. They are a big believer in using local products, all their potatoes come from the eastern seaboard (sorry, *Lisah!)*. The day we were there they were using potatoes from New York. The tour took about 15 minutes, and emptied into their gift shop. You could get four good-sized bags for $10, so who could resist that?! I had chips all set for NYE. After the tour we went to the Hearth and Kettle, a restaurant attached to the Cape Codder Resort. This resort has an indoor water pool, so I've been thinking about doing a night or two here during the winter to break things up. It looks ok. Nothing fancy, but that would be fine. 

Ok, now that's out of the way...

Happy New Year! 

I hope everyone had a great evening. This morning I'm up and ready to do cleaning and straightening before BIL and SIL arrive from FL. I had blueberries and a babybel for breakfast, my lunch will be the sandwich buffet. I'm going to make one trip, carefully select, and supplement with plenty of veggies. Then I hope to enjoy my Beloved Patriots!

Everyone have a great day! I pm'd my weight to Sue (the final result was a whopping 5 lbs less than I started last year's challenge -- so plenty of room for improvement!), so here I go! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Nancy- I forgot to say I would love to etrain with you for the next  half.  When is yours again?  What training plan do you plan to follow?   Hershey kiss costumes could be cute.  Im thinking like a brown top,  silver shorts, and silver ribbons in our hair.  My goal is to get skinny  so I dont look like an overfilled hershey kiss.  Not sure where to find this attire but at the least we can wear silver ribbons in our hair.
> 
> *YAY!  let's e-train. i was thinking of following JG's training for the  princess and just back in the dates. the race is on 5/6 which i believe  is 18 weeks away so i'll just basically start his princess program at  week 2. i'm going to try to do 30-45 min 2 or 3 times during the week  and then build up my long runs. i kind of mixed the JG and Hal Higdon  programs when i trained for the princess. kept my short runs to 4 or 5  miles during the week (2 or 3 times) and then added on mileage for the  long runs that i did on saturdays.
> 
> maybe we can just wrap ourselves in aluminum foil for the race?
> *
> 
> Well the year is slowly coming to an end.  I was thinking of you all and  your even numbers thing tonight.  I really dont have a superstition or  strategy about the odd or even years but tonight driving home I looked  down and noticed my odometer was 122222.
> 
> *oooo i love that number! so many twos!  it's a good sign!
> 
> *Yes  I know I have alot of miles on my car was my first thought too.  But  then I thought it was a cool number. 12 and lots of 2's can only mean  something good right
> 
> Ryan has come down with a stomach bug.  In the middle of the night he  vomited and has complained of feeling sick to his stomach all day.  He  basically laid on my parents couch all day.  Tonight he had a low grade  fever.  Hopefully he feels better tomorrow and no one else gets the bug.   Although it could give me an excuse not to go to my inlaws.
> 
> I am looking forward to this weekend and hopefully purging some junk out  of our house and getting everything organized and in order for the new  year.  I also need to get to the grocery store and stock up on the good  food.  One more day and I am going to rid myself of fast food.  I think  tomorrow I will have one last mcdouble.  I have such issues.
> 
> Have a great weekend!



i hear you on the one last  mcdouble. i housed the THREE cupcakes that were leftover from my parents  visiting on friday. god forbid i just throw them out. chocolate cake  with white icing - my mom makes them homemade and i just _had _to eat them!  

good  idea about getting rid of the bad food and stocking up on the good  stuff. i will have to think about what to do with thomas's snacks. i  find myself eating them too much!



lisah0711 said:


> *Kathy,* how was skating?     Robert was telling me about a dancing, roller skating movie from the  80's he was watching -- mostly it was a critcism of styles and interests  of the time.
> 
> *love the 80s. love the  music. the style? notsomuch! lol. john is 10 years older than me and the  only time we really can tell the difference is when we talk about what  was in when we were in HS. john totally rocked the flock-of-seagulls  haircut when he was in HS! *
> 
> Sorry the hedgehog didn't hold up better.  It obviously wasn't a quality  pet product like the ones sold at JW Pet Products, right *Nancy?*
> 
> *speaking of, i need to remind john to bring home some toys so i can send them to poko. *
> 
> Even Galloway uses 30 seconds/30 second for the races himself.
> 
> *what  are his times like at his races? i'd love to see him doing the  intervals one day. you're right, it definitely is counter-intuitive.* *but so many people swear by intervals, it MUST work!*
> 
> I'm thinking that we are going to be having a little friendly Princess  competition being split up on the teams.  This is going to be fun!
> 
> *hey, if the competition means i'll lose some weight then BRING IT ON!
> *
> I said good-bye to my weekly BL clippie today with a little tear in my  eye.  But then I got to replace it with this new WISH clippie so it was  all good.  Woo hoo 50 pounds lost!   Next stop ONE-derland in time for  the Tink.  I can do it!
> 
> Have a great day ladies!



FIFTY POUND CLIPPIE!! AMAZING!!! what an inspiration for all of us!! 



mikamah said:


> *Nancy*-one percocet never hurt anyone.  Enjoy the inlaw new  years!!  The race in Salem is only about 15-20 min from Stoneham.  That  would be so fun if you came up, and a good training race before the wdw  marathon.   Hope you had a nice visit with your mom and dad yesterday.   How are those babies sleeping these days?   Are you getting any long  stints of sleep yourself?  Michael was born 12/4, and I remember going  on adrenaline through the holidays and somewhere around the first week  in january crashing.  My friend Jane had us sleep over her house one  night then, I slept in her bed, and she stayed up with michael and just  brought him to me to nurse, and it was one night of real sleep that made  a huge difference.  He was rather colicky, but thinking back when he  was 9 months old we discovered all his food allergies, so it was  probably all the food I was eating not agreeing with him.  I hope the  little guys are letting you get some sleep these days.
> 
> *sleep  is going ok. i wish i could get some more but i can't complain. the  only problem is that when/if matthew DOES sleep a little i'm still up  anyway because it feels like my b@@bs will explode. i wish they would  figure out how much they need to make because they are so big and don't  fit into any bras. i'm wearing a 32H (yes, H) and i'm busting out all  over the place. *
> 
> Hello to all our other Princesses and Tinkerbelles!!
> 
> Not much on the agenda today or tomorrow.  I'm on call 7a-7p both days,  so it's a good excuse to just hang out.  I do want to put the xmas stuff  away. I wish now I hadn't brought all of it out.      And we need clean Michael's room so we can move Fredward in there.   He's been in my bedroom since we got Poko.   I think I'll do some  reading too, I found The TIme Travelers Wife I was reading a couple  months ago, and never finished, so I picked that up again.  Ds plans  include too much video games and tv.  That's what vacation is all about,  right?  Poko bought me Wii COuntry Dance game that I haven't tried yet,  so I think I'll make michael do that with me too.  Nothing says happy  holidays like forcing your kid to play games with you.
> 
> Hope you all have a wonderful New Years!!



how nice of Poko to buy you a christmas present!




mommyof2Pirates said:


> Mike just read your xmas card and asked  if he should know about our trip in 2013.  I guess I didnt let him in on  my secret quite yet.  The cats out of the bag now.  He really doesnt  care because I am the money controller and he just goes with the flow.   He just asked if he was coming along this time and I said I wasnt sure  yet and thats when I got the look.
> 
> *hey, he was going to find out sooner or later that you'd be down! *
> 
> Kathy- glad michael had fun roller skating.  I was laughing at your comments about the 80's styles.   The new Wii game sounds fun.  I tried country line dancing a couple of  times. There was a country bar here that had dancing "lessons" every  friday night.  It was fun the few times I did it but I found that I am a  more zumba type of girl.  Not enough chances to really shake what your  mama gave ya in country line dancing.
> 
> **********************************************************
> 
> Reflecting on this past year!  The highlight definitely was the  princess!!!!  I am sad not to return there this year but am excited to  cheer on our tinks and princess's of 2012.
> 
> I am looking forward  to getting back to being healthy again and hopefully making the changes  in our lifestyle that will allow us to remain healthy.  I am looking  forward in continuing our friendship we have made over the past year or  two.  You all are so wonderful and will always have a special place in  my heart.
> 
> We are having pizza hut for lunch.  Ryan is still laying around and not  feeling well.  I guess we will still go to the peep drop and fireworks  since that is only a half hour long and then we will go to my inlaws.   Ryan can at least lay on the couch there if he is not better.
> 
> Enjoy your NYE.  Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Rose I know you were dying  for this day to finally come.  Have a bourbon on me tonight



the princess WAS a big highlight! 

hope ryan feels better! poor kid, being sick on winter vacation.



Rose&Mike said:


> *Nancy*--how was the visit with your  parents? I hope the inlaw visit goes ok. We saw Sherlock Holmes--I  really liked it, though I swear I didn't know what was going on half the  time! I am a big Robert Downey Jr fan.
> 
> *i love robert downey jr. he's dreamy.*
> *****
> We are watch the Uk/U of L basketball game, which is kind of a big deal  around here. Uk is winning--which is Mike & Tom's team--so there is  calm and peace at my house for the moment.
> 
> The new gf is a sophomore from SC. Her name is Annie. I got to see a  picture. I think she is like a sports/management major, or something  like that. And that's all I got....We can't ask too many questions. We have to get our info in little bits and pieces.
> 
> We went 6 miles this morning and it went pretty well. No ankle problems,  though the plantar is a little sore. We'll see how it does over the  next couple of days. It's about the best I hoped for, so I am happy!
> 
> I hope everyone has a great New Year's Eve! I am really looking forward to the New Year!



glad to hear about the run - how's the plantar? still sore? 

happy new year, rose! i'm sure you are welcoming 2012 with open arms!



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Rose* -- A gf sounds good -- I'm sure she's lovely. The Fifth  Agreement is Be Skeptical, but Learn to Listen. That sounds useful, too!  I'm reading the companion book right now. When I finish I'm going to go  back and actually do the writing assignments. I'm looking forward to  it. I can already feel some things starting to shift. I am trying really  hard to not take anything personally!
> 
> *i keep meaning to download the fifth agreement. my brain is so fried that i keep forgetting.*
> 
> 
> *Kathy* -- I am so glad you are "in" for the Wicked! I am really  looking forward to it. I like that it's on a Saturday, which is my  normal long run day  I will be coming in after your friend, that's for sure. I'd have to grow wings to hit 2:30!
> 
> *Nancy* -- The Wicked Half is in Salem, MA. I don't think it's too  far from Stoneham, I'd definitely travel that far. It's on Saturday,  Sept. 22nd at 7am. How fun would that be if you can make it? You know,  if your friend is not interested, my guest suite is always available  As  long as you aren't allergic to  or even if you are, it has it's own  bathroom and kitchen...You and Dennis can wait around together for me to  finish the race
> 
> *hmmm....a guest suite?  sounds tempting! maybe i'll just skip staying with my friend! i'd like  to do that race. i tried looking it up but didn't find any info about it  although i DID see kathy's name as a finisher last year!
> 
> my  friend finishes half marathons in UNDER 2 hrs. yeah, not me. my princess  time was 2:22 but i'm fairly certain that without all the entertainment  it would have been much longer.
> *
> 
> A Very Happy New Year to You All -- I cannot tell you how much I am  looking forward to the awesometastic year we are all about to thoroughly  enjoy!!
> 
> Maria



i like your plans for the upcoming year. i need to sit and write down my goals and how i plan on achieving them. 

omg  i haven't flossed my teeth in like 10 years. gross. i also haven't been  to the dentist since before thomas was born. double gross. 

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

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! 

i started this post around 7:30 and now it's 11:45! lol! 

i  got on the scale and had a little pity party for myself in the bathroom  but then threw on my sweats and went for a walk. i haven't had my 6  week OB appt yet so haven't been cleared to run (i'm sure i could,  everything's fine down there) so i walked. i walked for an hour around  maritime. i only managed two laps. everything hurt and i got a blister  on each heel. it was nice to be back at maritime after not having been  down in months. they added a speedbump. and usher wasn't there. i guess  he's off today. 

i need to get new running shoes. mine are  completely worn out and i think my feet are bigger after having a baby! i  have so many miles on them so it's probably time for another pair  anyway. 

last night with the in-laws....ugh. it's sad when i  start to think that Bill is fairly normal! i forgot to bring my happy  pill with me. darn! john's sister kathleen was a walking zombie. she has  zero manners and was just weird and annoying. bill and ann told us that  john's mother was complaining on christmas that our christmas card was  "terrible" and "inappropriate" because matthew didn't have any clothes  on in the middle picture. WHAT?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? what kind of sick  person thinks like that? it's not like i had his pee-pee hanging out for  the world to see! he had a diaper on! and everyone does naked baby  pictures! so, she wouldn't show any one the card because it was so ugly.  

i said, "well, that's fine and it saves me money because now i  won't ever send her any pictures!" and kathleen YELLED at me and said,  "you HAVE to send her pictures" blah blah to which i looked at her and  said, "i don't HAVE to send her $hit!" ok ok i didn't have to swear but  i'm sick of the nonsense. anyway, i could go on and on but it's over. i  wish john would say something to his mother. i know he won't. 

we  undecked the halls today. house is christmas-free. we need to go do  something outside since it's so nice out but it's close to nap time -  we'll do something after. 

have a great day everyone!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Maria*- great job on the run today and being 5lbs down from last years is better than being up right?  The potato chip factory sounds cool.  Enjoy watching your team today.  I would hang my lovely ornament in honor of you today but dh wont be having that.  Ryan said last night they he wanted to cheer for the packers and the eagles and boy did that kid get an earful.  I feel horrible for my kids.

*Rose*- So happy we could be here for you to help you through the past year.  thats what friends are for.  Cheers to 2012!!!!!! and choosing to be happy.  Im there with ya.

*Lisa*- I loved the pics.  The feathered hair is the best.  Thanks for sharing.  Love the new title, it did confuse me for a second but I then I realized what you did.

*Nancy*
Sorry the night wasnt better.  How annoying!  Your MIL is an idiot to think that about the card.  I thought it was beautiful and completely appropriate.  Im glad you made it out on your walk today.  

I think if I dont loose weight before the hershey half I will definitely just wrap myself in aluminum foil.

My training plan starts on 1/24.  I have a similar plan of doing 2 time runs during the week and long runs on the weekend.  I am going to do walk/run intervals.  I think if all goes well I may try to change things up a bit for the hershey half and try to run most of it.  I feel like I will need a new challenge to keep me going.  so thats the plan and if all goes well I will be able to do WDW half 2013 and that will be enough of a goal in itself to keep me going.

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

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was convinced all the numbers meant it would be a great year and then last night I got into mikes car to drive home after midnight and his odometer said 66666.  I am not even kidding you.  I almost considered getting out and sleeping at the in laws because I thought it meant we were going to die driving home.  Then I came to my senses and just began to drive.  Thankfully we made it home safe and so far the year has been great.

Last night was fine and the peep drop was cool.  We got free peeps!!!!  We didnt go to the peep fest before the drop because ryan still wasnt feeling well enough so maybe next year.  My inlaws were well behaved and actually the night wasnt too bad.  We ate alot, made a fire in the fire pit and roasted marshmellows and peeps Then we watched dick clark to bring in the new year.  The boys made it to midnight for the first time ever.

This morning I was up at 730am so I took advantage and went grocery shopping.  I weighed in and was surprised to see I gained 3lbs since yesterday.  My rings are so tight on my fingers too.  I think I am retaining way to much water so hopefully it will mean a good weight loss for week 1.  Got all the healthy stuff available to us now.  I did some cleaning and now have been trying to catch up with the threads.  Boy they move fast.

We will be off shortly to my nanas for dinner.  One more day off tomorrow and its back to the grind.  I am ready to start the winter and hopefully have it fly by so the warm sunny weather will be back again soon.  This year I am so prepared for snow for the kids.  New boots, snow pants, jackets, hates, gloves, under armor thermal underwear, snow toys, etc.  Now watch it wont even snow this winter.

Talk to you all later.


----------



## Rose&Mike

So do you think it's possible that Mike's sister is haunting us? It's a little windy today and we didn't have power this morning for a couple of hours. I still can't believe she died last year on New Year's Day. 

So since we had no power, we went to see a movie--The Descendants. I really liked it, Mike and Tom thought it was ok. The power was back on when we came home and hopefully it will stay on. I was bummed though, cause I wanted to make pancakes for breakfast, so I had movie popcorn instead.

Tom goes back probably on Thursday and I'm starting to get a little stressed out/sad. I feel like we hardly saw him this break, and I am guessing he won't be home for the summer this year. I'm probably just being too girly, but I feel big changes coming....and you know how I feel about change. I guess I should stop anticipating things.

As for my weight....I weighed in at 146 this morning--which is pretty high for me. I am doing t.o.m. so maybe that's part of it. I'm a Loser for right now, but Mike and I have decided to just put the whole thing on hold until Tom goes back. Which is not an excuse to eat everything in sight, but I just don't feel like stressing about food right now.

I'll be back later with replies.


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> They are a big believer in using local products, all their potatoes come from the eastern seaboard (sorry, *Lisah!)*. The day we were there they were using potatoes from New York.





We don't even do potatoes in our part of the state -- that's in the southern part of the state.  We're not even in the same time zone!  You know what we do up here? Blue grass seed!  

Sounds like a very nice trip, *Maria.*  Enjoy your visit! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> omg  i haven't flossed my teeth in like 10 years. gross. i also haven't been  to the dentist since before thomas was born. double gross.



Okay, *Nancy,* time to get out that floss.  I was just reading something that said you can add five years to your life by flossing every day.  You have a lovely smile! 

Great job on the walk today!    And a big  on the IL thing.

Galloway does about 12 min miles with the 30/30 intervals.  He did the DL half in 2:33 and the Wine and Dine at 2:51 -- please note that our own *Rose* did pass him and finished about 1/2 an hour before he did.  

*Lindsay,* I bet you will have a big whoosh this week!  

*Rose,* that goes for you, too.    I'm thinking your run yesterday has something to do with your number today.  

Hello to the rest of our Princesses and Bells!  

I'm going to the community center tomorrow morning so I may not have a chance to get on here in the morning since I'm coaching the Mickeys this week.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Uggh. I did not enjoy today. None of us really did, but I guess that's ok. We were all three kind of bleh and melancholy. I think all along I have kind of been looking at the new year as officially starting tomorrow. Then Mike's cousin that I talk to occasionally on fb posted a rip picture of his sister which kind of threw us for a loop. I guess I just wasn't expecting it. 

*Lisa*--have a good run tomorrow! We did see JG at Princess and the first w&d. I think he finished ahead of us at w&d and we finished ahead of him at Princess. It was kind of cool to run along side him for a little while. Great pictures, btw! Thanks for sharing. And thanks for the hug.

*Nancy*--I agree! Get that floss out and get yourself to the dentist! I skipped it for a year or so and ended up with some issues that I will now deal with from now on. I floss almost every day, and usually only skip it if I'm sick. Once you get used to  it, you will feel gross if you don't! Good for you for standing up to the sil I thought your card was lovely! Your mil sounds like a crankpot!

I hope everyone had a great day! I have eaten so much crap today, it is unbelievable. And I feel disgusting. I am definitely doing some self-sabotaging. But hopefully I will get it under control quick. At least there is a Once Upon a Time marathon on tonight. And thank goodness I took tomorrow off!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Rose*- I dont deal with change well either but Im guessing that Tom is at a time in his life now that he will have a great number of changes happening over the course of the next few years.  Im sure you will adapt just fine to the changes, the anxiety is the worse part.  Its a fear of the unknown or not knowing exactly what the plan is.  Us control freaks have a problem with that.  Just know that you are not alone and we are here for you when you need to chat or whine.  

Boo on the power being out too.  Im sure its just a coincedence.  Sorry the guys didnt think the movie was that great.  

Just think tomorrow is a new day.

*Lisa*- Have fun coaching this week.  Taking the first week is always a huge job.  

Today was a good start to the year.  Ryan is back to normal.  We got all our xmas stuff down and put away and the tree is out of the house.  I got the groceries and a clean kitchen.  tomorrow we will be getting all the clean laundry put away.  Currently we have a ton of bins full of clean clothes.  I cant stand it.

My stomach has not been feeling to well today.  Not sure if it was all the greasy salty food I ate yesterday or if I am getting a touch of the bug going around.  Or it could be withdrawl kicking in.  No soda or fast food in over 24hrs. 

I did take pics of myself tonight both a frontal and a side view.  Wow is all I can say....I knew I felt bad but never realized how bad it really was until I saw the pics.  Even more motivation.  I promised myself before I took the pic I would not sulk in misery about how hard I worked before and let it all come back.  So Im not.

Talk to you all tomorrow!!!!!


----------



## mikamah

Hello my friends.  I will be back to catch up properly but I need to walk Poko.  I didn't even post here yesterday, but I want to wish you all a wonderful new year, full of happiness, laughter, weight loss, and painless running!!  Love you.


----------



## mikamah

Worfiedoodles said:


> I can't believe how quickly I get behind here...anyway...now you know these threads move wayyyyy tooooooo faaaaaasst!   I'm going to try replying like this and see how I do.  I'm so not as savvy as you all are.
> 
> Good Evening  and ! Whatever team you are on, I still  you!lOL  Love you to Mickeys!!
> 
> *Kathy* -- I am so glad you are "in" for the Wicked! I am really looking forward to it. I like that it's on a Saturday, which is my normal long run day  I will be coming in after your friend, that's for sure. I'd have to grow wings to hit 2:30!
> I'm glad i'm in too.  It is good motivation.  I've been thinking about some run/walking goals for the year, and if I can lose the weight this challenge, I may break the 40 min 5k for my June Louise Rosetti race.  So that is going to be my first goal.  I came in just under 3:30, so either way you'll have some time to wait for me.  I told Karen last year she should go to starbucks after she finished and get us our coffee and then come back to see me finish. lol.
> 
> *Nancy* -- The Wicked Half is in Salem, MA. I don't think it's too far from Stoneham, I'd definitely travel that far. It's on Saturday, Sept. 22nd at 7am. How fun would that be if you can make it? You know, if your friend is not interested, my guest suite is always available  As long as you aren't allergic to  or even if you are, it has it's own bathroom and kitchen...You and Dennis can wait around together for me to finish the race The guest suite sounds lovely.  I'll offer it to my out of town cousins when they come to see boston.
> 
> I started today with my planned 9.5M, then I baked 8 dozen molasses cookies. Surely they won't run out before Wednesday when my dad leaves
> 
> We are having our usual NYE, which consists of a family Wii bowling tournament. We'll be doing that later. Dennis is at the gym now, and then he needs to prep the food for tomorrow, my BIL and SIL are arriving from FL, and they will stay to watch my Beloved Patriots, so we need a buffet
> 
> Am I the only one disappointed because the parade is Monday? This throws off my "get back on track" schedule a bit. I'm not giving up my parade tradition, but I am modifying. I have a fruit platter and tiny cinnamon rolls. I'm going to limit the tiny treats, so hopefully that will help. We have one more dinner out Tuesday night, and then I can fully focus on eating well. Our fridge is already stocked with fruit and veggies, so No Excuses!
> 
> On what I'm calling the bright side, I've gained less than 2 lbs since my final weigh in, and frankly with everything going on and missing some workouts (not to mention eating way too much of my fudge), I consider that a success That's a huge success!!  I was up 1.8 from my last weighin too.  So now it's onward and downward from here.
> 
> I'd better finish up and check out the Mickey thread.
> Don't rush over there, I hear the thread is moving too fast and you should limit your posting.
> 
> A Very Happy New Year to You All -- I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to the awesometastic year we are all about to thoroughly enjoy!!
> 
> Maria


here here!!


Rose&Mike said:


> So I wanted to thank you all for being here for me this year. I told Mike today, I feel like a different person than I did a year ago, and I feel like I wasted the last decade of my life being sick without even realizing it. It's hard to explain, but in retrospect I was just walking around all the time not feeling well. I was either depressed and sleeping all the time, losing weight and sleeping all the time or just plain feeling awful. I just had forgotten what it was like to feel good. It's still kind of hard to wrap my head around.
> 
> So thank you all for being my cheerleaders when I just wanted to quit and for listening to me whine on the days I just couldn't be positive. Thank you for always being here for us too.
> 
> Like Maria, I am looking forward to a positive, happy year, no matter what! I continue to remind myself that I am "choosing to be happy." And it's a pretty good choice.
> Happy New Year to you all! Love you to pieces! I will be thinking of each of you when I have my champagne at midnight!


Happy New Year!!  It's going to be a good one!!



lisah0711 said:


> *Kathy,* I got a big chuckle out of Michael waking you up with banging pans for the New Year!  : I'm reading the Donald thread but not posting 'cause I don't want to help your post count.  Of course don't want that.  And I'm guessing you've had to break up your posts into multiple post because of the smilies, right?
> 
> I believe the roller skating movie that Robert was watching was Roller Boogie.  It was really from 1979.  It did not have leg warmers but I did get a good eye roll when I told what you said about looking good! :
> 
> I was thinking that you and *Maria* could continue the Kisses theme by dressing up as Kiss band members for the Wicked Half.
> That's a great idea.  And then we could recycle the tin foil we used for our costumes and send it to Lindsay and Nancy for the hershey kiss costumes. lol
> 
> [Here's a picture of me when I was about 20 in 1980
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and another one with my friends drinking beer at spring training -- I'm the one at the back
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Love the pictures.  And the hair.  Do you still have your curling iron?  I had an awesome butane powered curling iron I bought to go to europe.  Those were the days.  But my bangs were a little more puffed.  Maybe that was heading into the 90s. lol
> 
> As you may have noticed I changed the title of the thread and updated it for 2012.  With the new challenge and the Tinker Bell chatter increase I think this will work for now.  We can always do a new thread later.
> 
> Tree removal and laundry on the list for today!  Have a great day ladies!


Now come do my laundry and tree removal.



Worfiedoodles said:


> I The Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory is located in Hyannis, not far from the main highway that runs through town. It took us about an hour to get there, which is perfect for my dad. It's a self-guided tour, you basically walk through a long corridor with windows so you can see what is happening, and placards telling you what you are seeing. We saw raw chips go into giant kettles, cooked chips go through a conveyor and get salted, and then they went up to packaging which we could not see. They are a big believer in using local products, all their potatoes come from the eastern seaboard (sorry, *Lisah!)*. The day we were there they were using potatoes from New York. The tour took about 15 minutes, and emptied into their gift shop. You could get four good-sized bags for $10, so who could resist that?! I had chips all set for NYE. After the tour we went to the Hearth and Kettle, a restaurant attached to the Cape Codder Resort. This resort has an indoor water pool, so I've been thinking about doing a night or two here during the winter to break things up. It looks ok. Nothing fancy, but that would be fine.
> 
> Sounds like fun.  We stayed at the Cape Codder once, and it was a lot of fun.  Michael was only 2 I think, and didn't do the water slides, but loved the wave pool.  It was winter too, and I remember walking the beach with snow on the ground.  Have you ever done a Coco Key?  I think there's one in fitchburg and one here in danvers.
> 
> Happy New Year!
> 
> I hope everyone had a great evening. This morning I'm up and ready to do cleaning and straightening before BIL and SIL arrive from FL. I had blueberries and a babybel for breakfast, my lunch will be the sandwich buffet. I'm going to make one trip, carefully select, and supplement with plenty of veggies. Then I hope to enjoy my Beloved Patriots!
> 
> Everyone have a great day! I pm'd my weight to Sue (the final result was a whopping 5 lbs less than I started last year's challenge -- so plenty of room for improvement!), so here I go!
> 
> Maria


5 pounds down is 5 pounds down!!  This is your year!!



dumbo_buddy said:


> i hear you on the one last  mcdouble. i housed the THREE cupcakes that were leftover from my parents  visiting on friday. god forbid i just throw them out. chocolate cake  with white icing - my mom makes them homemade and i just _had _to eat them!
> 
> good  idea about getting rid of the bad food and stocking up on the good  stuff. i will have to think about what to do with thomas's snacks. i  find myself eating them too much!
> 
> You make me want a cupcake.  I did turn one down at my brothers yesterday, but I ate chinese food and ate 6 mini hersheys.  But I tracked them all.  It's a start.
> 
> 
> how nice of Poko to buy you a christmas present!
> She is a very thoughtful pup.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the princess WAS a big highlight!
> Here too.
> omg  i haven't flossed my teeth in like 10 years. gross. i also haven't been  to the dentist since before thomas was born. double gross.
> 
> I am a sporadic flosser too, and get so mad at myself when I fall out of the habit.  And went back to the dentist a couple years ago and had some issues like ROse, so I know how important is is to floss.  But also, maybe you're young enough that your fillings you had as kids are small.  When we were kids they drilled the whole tooth out to fill, so when there's any decay under neath, you need a crown/sometimes root canal. Now with kids they only drill the bit of decay and fill as little as possible.
> 
> i  got on the scale and had a little pity party for myself in the bathroom  but then threw on my sweats and went for a walk. i haven't had my 6  week OB appt yet so haven't been cleared to run (i'm sure i could,  everything's fine down there) so i walked. i walked for an hour around  maritime. i only managed two laps. everything hurt and i got a blister  on each heel. it was nice to be back at maritime after not having been  down in months. they added a speedbump. and usher wasn't there. i guess  he's off today.
> 
> i need to get new running shoes. mine are  completely worn out and i think my feet are bigger after having a baby! i  have so many miles on them so it's probably time for another pair  anyway.
> 
> Good work getting out there.  and maybe Usher will be there next time.
> 
> last night with the in-laws....ugh. it's sad when i  start to think that Bill is fairly normal! i forgot to bring my happy  pill with me. darn! john's sister kathleen was a walking zombie. she has  zero manners and was just weird and annoying. bill and ann told us that  john's mother was complaining on christmas that our christmas card was  "terrible" and "inappropriate" because matthew didn't have any clothes  on in the middle picture. WHAT?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? what kind of sick  person thinks like that? it's not like i had his pee-pee hanging out for  the world to see! he had a diaper on! and everyone does naked baby  pictures! so, she wouldn't show any one the card because it was so ugly.
> 
> i said, "well, that's fine and it saves me money because now i  won't ever send her any pictures!" and kathleen YELLED at me and said,  "you HAVE to send her pictures" blah blah to which i looked at her and  said, "i don't HAVE to send her $hit!" ok ok i didn't have to swear but  i'm sick of the nonsense. anyway, i could go on and on but it's over. i  wish john would say something to his mother. i know he won't.
> 
> we  undecked the halls today. house is christmas-free. we need to go do  something outside since it's so nice out but it's close to nap time -  we'll do something after.
> 
> have a great day everyone!


I do not like you mil.  I think perhaps a naked picture of matthew as cupid for valentines day would do the trick.  Oh no, better yet one of your husband.  So ignorant.  Your card was absolutely beautiful, and very tasteful.  And you remind me that I sent a pic of michael for his 2nd christmas in a diaper and santa hat too.  Hope it didn't offend. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> *I think if I dont loose weight before the hershey half I will definitely just wrap myself in aluminum foil.
> 
> You will do it.  I have no doubt.
> 
> My training plan starts on 1/24.  I have a similar plan of doing 2 time runs during the week and long runs on the weekend.  I am going to do walk/run intervals.  I think if all goes well I may try to change things up a bit for the hershey half and try to run most of it.  I feel like I will need a new challenge to keep me going.  so thats the plan and if all goes well I will be able to do WDW half 2013 and that will be enough of a goal in itself to keep me going.
> 
> Sounds like a great plan.
> 
> I was convinced all the numbers meant it would be a great year and then last night I got into mikes car to drive home after midnight and his odometer said 66666.  I am not even kidding you.  I almost considered getting out and sleeping at the in laws because I thought it meant we were going to die driving home.  Then I came to my senses and just began to drive.  Thankfully we made it home safe and so far the year has been great
> 
> OMG, that is so freaky.  Glad you made it home safe and sound, and the year is off to a great start.
> 
> Last night was fine and the peep drop was cool.  We got free peeps!!!!  We didnt go to the peep fest before the drop because ryan still wasnt feeling well enough so maybe next year.  My inlaws were well behaved and actually the night wasnt too bad.  We ate alot, made a fire in the fire pit and roasted marshmellows and peepsThen we watched dick clark to bring in the new year.  The boys made it to midnight for the first time ever.
> 
> This morning I was up at 730am so I took advantage and went grocery shopping.  I weighed in and was surprised to see I gained 3lbs since yesterday.  My rings are so tight on my fingers too.  I think I am retaining way to much water so hopefully it will mean a good weight loss for week 1.  Got all the healthy stuff available to us now.  I did some cleaning and now have been trying to catch up with the threads.  Boy they move fast
> 
> That sodium will do that to you.  I thought I was going to be up today after taking yesterdays weight for my start weight, but I'm the same.
> 
> We will be off shortly to my nanas for dinner.  One more day off tomorrow and its back to the grind. I am ready to start the winter and hopefully have it fly by so the warm sunny weather will be back again soon.  This year I am so prepared for snow for the kids.  New boots, snow pants, jackets, hates, gloves, under armor thermal underwear, snow toys, etc.  Now watch it wont even snow this winter.
> 
> Talk to you all later.*


*
Enjoy your final day off.  I am trying to enjoy it and not feel too guilty about not being productive.  I'm down to planning to take the tree down, and do the other decorations next weekend.  


Rose&Mike said:



			So do you think it's possible that Mike's sister is haunting us? It's a little windy today and we didn't have power this morning for a couple of hours. I still can't believe she died last year on New Year's Day. 

It's eery sometimes how things can happen.  Hope Mike is ok with everything

So since we had no power, we went to see a movie--The Descendants. I really liked it, Mike and Tom thought it was ok. The power was back on when we came home and hopefully it will stay on. I was bummed though, cause I wanted to make pancakes for breakfast, so I had movie popcorn instead.

That looks like a great movie. 

Tom goes back probably on Thursday and I'm starting to get a little stressed out/sad.I feel like we hardly saw him this break, and I am guessing he won't be home for the summer this year. I'm probably just being too girly, but I feel big changes coming....and you know how I feel about change. I guess I should stop anticipating things.

As for my weight....I weighed in at 146 this morning--which is pretty high for me. I am doing t.o.m. so maybe that's part of it. I'm a Loser for right now, but Mike and I have decided to just put the whole thing on hold until Tom goes back. Which is not an excuse to eat everything in sight, but I just don't feel like stressing about food right now.

I'll be back later with replies.
		
Click to expand...

Good plan not to stress and enjoy the time left with Tom.  Change is hard, but change is good too. Hang in there ROse.  2012 is going to be a great year.  



lisah0711 said:



			I was just reading something that said you can add five years to your life by flossing every day.  

Thanks for this reminder. 

Rose, that goes for you, too.    I'm thinking your run yesterday has something to do with your number today.  

Rose, listen to this very wise woman.

Hello to the rest of our Princesses and Bells! 

I'm going to the community center tomorrow morning so I may not have a chance to get on here in the morning since I'm coaching the Mickeys this week.
		
Click to expand...

Have a great run today!  Sorry you're back at work today too.  You are always such a great coach the first week of challenges.  No wonder you're post counts are way higher than mine.  But I haven't seen Pamela on either team list yet, so if she comes to Donald, we may stand a chance. 



Rose&Mike said:



			Uggh. I did not enjoy today. None of us really did, but I guess that's ok. We were all three kind of bleh and melancholy. I think all along I have kind of been looking at the new year as officially starting tomorrow. Then Mike's cousin that I talk to occasionally on fb posted a rip picture of his sister which kind of threw us for a loop. I guess I just wasn't expecting it. 
Hugs for you all. The first year after losing someone is so hard, and that anniversary can be very emotional, even if you weren't close.
Lisa--have a good run tomorrow! We did see JG at Princess and the first w&d. I think he finished ahead of us at w&d and we finished ahead of him at Princess. It was kind of cool to run along side him for a little while.: Great pictures, btw!: Thanks for sharing. And thanks for the hug.
How cool to see JG, and to pass him.  Go Rose & Mike!!
I hope everyone had a great day! I have eaten so much crap today, it is unbelievable. And I feel disgusting. I am definitely doing some self-sabotaging. But hopefully I will get it under control quick. At least there is a Once Upon a Time marathon on tonight. And thank goodness I took tomorrow off!:s
		
Click to expand...

tomorrow is a new day, atcually that's today.  I know you can get it under control.



mommyof2Pirates said:



			Today was a good start to the year.  Ryan is back to normal.  We got all our xmas stuff down and put away and the tree is out of the house.  I got the groceries and a clean kitchen.  tomorrow we will be getting all the clean laundry put away.  Currently we have a ton of bins full of clean clothes.  I cant stand it.

My stomach has not been feeling to well today.  Not sure if it was all the greasy salty food I ate yesterday or if I am getting a touch of the bug going around.  Or it could be withdrawl kicking in.  No soda or fast food in over 24hrs.

I did take pics of myself tonight both a frontal and a side view.  Wow is all I can say....I knew I felt bad but never realized how bad it really was until I saw the pics.  Even more motivation.  I promised myself before I took the pic I would not sulk in misery about how hard I worked before and let it all come back.  So Im not.

Talk to you all tomorrow!!!!!
		
Click to expand...

It's tough to gain the weight back, but you are going to lose it again this year.  You are going to shine in the hershey half, and not just because you're wearing tin foil. lol.  This is your year.  We all are going to follow in Rose and Lisa's footsteps, stay focused and lose the weight once and for all.  Hope your tummy's ok today.*


----------



## mikamah

Well, my post worked.  But too many smilies so I had to go back and delete.  I know i could have copied half and split it in half, but I've been known to highlight my post and then hit a key accidently and it disappears.  Without the poof fairy.

I took my before pictures today.  I wore my wish shirt and capris, and my goal is to actually be able to wear them out in public for the Wicked Half.  I think a lime green sparkle skirt would be perfect with the outfit and for my next disney race I will splurge on that.  Although the black sparkle might be better and more versatile.  Oh I've got some work to do if I want to justify a new sparkle skirt.  

Poko and I had a nice walk this morning and I jogged a little of it.  She still just walks with my jog.  Maybe one day she'll be able to trot a little harder as I pick up my speed.  I definitely need new shoes, and plan to get some in the next 2 weeks.  I don't have a short work day this week, so probably won't get there til next week.  Poor me, worked only 1 day out of the past 10.  

Michael's getting a little mad since I haven't made his breakfast yet.  I think we're going to see the chipmunk movie at 1140.  Need to get Poko used to being in the crate during the day again. She has been really good at night. knock on wood.  

Happy New Year!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

OMG--this thread moves so fast. Oops, sorry wrong thread. 

Feeling a little snarky today. Mike woke me up too early when he got up to do his 14 mile training run for the full he is doing in April. Which kind of ticked me off cause I did not want to get up that early on my day off. We've been kind of trading snarky comments for the last couple of days. So I got up after a bit and went to the Y and did the bike and then ran 2 miles, all the time getting more and more frustrated with everything. I was so stressed out I couldn't even exhale--does that make sense? The two miles on the treadmill helped a little--at least I am more than ever convinced that these past 8 weeks didn't kill my cardio training. Anyhow, when he finally came home we had a little discussion, and I guess things are better. We'll see when Tom goes back. I feel like we are a little in limbo right now. 

But it's a new year! Woohoo! 

The foot is doing ok, sore but ok. I feel like I am finally turning the corner. Thank goodness, because I am just about at end of my rope with the injuries.

*Kathy*--good for you for taking pictures. It is really really hard for me to look at old pictures, but it serves a really good purpose. Besides everytime I see a picture of you, I think you look great! Always happy! I see pictures of me and think I look tired and sad--better now, but the old pictures I look tired and sad. My teeth are a mess--my parents spent their money on things other than dental care for us. Oh well. A lot of it is from bad dental care as a kid, a lot because I didn't do better as an adult. Hopefully I have caught stuff now, and avoided any long term permanent periodontal issues. 

*Lisah*--how was your run today?

*Lindsay*--did you get nice and organized today? If you can stay off the fast food for a couple of weeks, it will start tasting nasty too you. Trust me. Except for the french fries. They will never taste nasty. No beating yourself up over anything in the past--we are only allowed to move forward at this point. And yep, I am a control freak--though I am finding that is not working too well for me lately. If I didn't learn in 2011 that I can't control everything, I don't think I ever will!

*Maria & Nancy*--I think both your teams won yesterday! 

*****
I wish there was a race that we could all meet up at this year--no boys. I need a yaya sisterhood weekend. Have you all read that book? What about the KY Derby Half in April? I will kick Mike out and you all can stay at my house. I'm right in the middle of everyone.....just saying......And I mean it, I really would kick Mike out......

I am still on a big fat eating binge and it is kind of grossing me out. I am totally cutting myself some slack though. I think finally telling Mike today what was really bothering me has helped, that and I have been calling Tom on things, which is helping as well. And the power stayed on today, so I guess the sil is done haunting us.

Back to work tomorrow, then Wed I am off to spend time with Tom. He is going back early Thursday--I wanted him to stay until Friday--I took Thursday off too. I might go to work anyhow. So I might not be on much for a couple of days, but I am here.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy- Glad poko is sleeping well at night I have been wondering how she was doing since you havent talked about that lately.  I hope she is ok now that you are getting back to work.  

Rose- I hope you enjoy your last week with Tom home.  When is the kentucky Derby half.  I think Mike would be more upset about me coming to you during the Derby more so than Disney.  He said the KD is on his bucket list.  But I am up for considering anything.  I would love to meet up this year too.  

We were making an a** out of my aunt yesterday during dinner because she was telling everyone to eat there peas because it means you will have money in the new year.  Guess what Mike ate a big portion of peas and today bought a scratch off and won 50$.  Guess she was right.

I had a wonderful day purging and organizing.  I wish I could stay home all week just to do this in every room.  I hope my motivation lasts because I really want to keep going with this next weekend.  My basement looks lovely.

Im liking the new thread so far.  Everyone on Team Donald seems nice.  I do miss seeing what our Team Mickey friends are doing though.  I tried to read the Mickey thread a little today but it is a bit much to keep up with everything.  At least this challenge it seems like people are talking to each other and not just blogging about there day.

Alright well I am off to relax a bit before I head to bed.  Back to work tomorrow.  Although I am going to continue to clean and purge there too.  I am moving to my new office on 1/17 and it is bigger and has windows.  So I need to clean out and get rid of junk I dont need to move over.

Good Night!!!!!!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Evening  and !

Sorry this is another quick post, once I send my dad back to MO, I will have more time!

I ran my 4M this morning, my first workout of 2012! And I'm really glad that even with TOM, I was only up .4. Of course that could all change tomorrow, as I made friends with the barbecue chips tonight...I'm doing intervals and going slower than usual tomorrow, so we'll see how it works out. 

Tomorrow is my last day off, then I'm back in the work force with the bulk of you, other than *Nancy* who has that 24/7 job...

*Lindsay* -- When I was growing up in MO, the tradition was eating black-eyed peas, any other type didn't work. I'll have to keep that in mind for next year  That odometer would have totally freaked me out, like I wouldn't have looked for awhile just to make sure it changed  Glad you got home without incident! 

*Rose* -- I think it must be hard to be kind of in limbo with Tom home just for a short while -- lots of emotions, feelings and situations coming up. I bet it's easier when it's just you and Mike to figure out  I agree, it would be fun to meet up for a race. I'm not sure how we would make that work, but definitely something to consider. Showing my ignorance, when is the Kentucky Derby? Does JetBlue fly to Louisville?  

*Kathy* -- I love that you are already planning your Wicked Half outfit! Didn't you do the Beach to Beach last year in Gloucester? How was it? I looked at the race results and I was a little concerned I would be almost last, but then I figured almost last is still finishing I like that it's on a Saturday, which fits with our "pre-Confirmation" schedule. Once I get this kid good and "churched", I can go back to running races on Sundays!  I have never done a Coco Key, or any indoor water park. I'm interested to give it a try. I think Ben may actually be a bit too old, but it would make a nice change of pace, and you never know. 

*Lisah* -- Well, now we know the roots of your great beauty, you were lovely and now you're a knockout!  I forget that Idaho is one big state, you guys have room for an awful lot up there -- no reason potatoes should be in every corner! You are doing a great job coaching the Mickey's, keeping up the first week is a Herculean task! 

*Nancy* -- You are welcome anytime! Just keep in mind my "guest suite" is in the basement, which has mementos of the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins, and Red Sox, and although I think it's pretty comfortable, you do sleep in the shadow of the exercise bike and TM. But we also have our medals down there, so you can see how Dennis has done twice as many races as I have  Did I mention the bathroom has it's own heat lamp? You can put it on so when you step out of the shower it is quite lovely  I don't even know what to say about your MIL and the photo. Yep, I think that would be my excuse to be done sending photos. The way I look at it, it's Dennis's family. If he wants to deal with them it's fine, it's not necessarily my responsibility. Although I will admit, when Ben was little I felt responsible to give them access and make it easy, because I thought he needed to have a relationship with them more than I needed to be away from them. As you know, I'm revising that opinion...

* to Lisa, Pamela and Dona!*

The last page in the January issue of Woman's Day says, "Though No One Can Go Back and Make a Brand-New Start, Anyone Can Start From Now and Make a Brand-New Ending". Let's get going on those new phases leading to those Happily Ever Afters! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> I was thinking that you and *Maria* could continue the Kisses theme by dressing up as Kiss band members for the Wicked Half.
> 
> *LOL!!!! GREAT IDEA!!! who will be gene simmons? incidentally, gene used to live in my uncle's building in midtown. said he was a really nice and normal guy (then again, my uncle isn't all that normal so perhaps "it depends on what your definition of 'is,' is")*
> 
> 
> I loved the 80's, too.   That was a great decade for me.  I was in my 20's, pretty, skinny, had a fast car and my own place, *dating a fighter pilot*, good times!
> 
> *did you date the fighter pilot pre- or post- top gun????*
> 
> Here's a picture of me when I was about 20 in 1980
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and another one with my friends drinking beer at spring training -- I'm the one at the back
> 
> *love this! you look great! love the hair - how the heck did you get it like that? i'm so lucky that big hair isn't in because i don't do anything other than put it in a ponytail every day. *



thanks for updating the name of the thread. wonder if we'll get any new people?? 



Worfiedoodles said:


> The Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory is located in Hyannis, not far from the main highway that runs through town. It took us about an hour to get there, which is perfect for my dad. It's a self-guided tour, you basically walk through a long corridor with windows so you can see what is happening, and placards telling you what you are seeing. We saw raw chips go into giant kettles, cooked chips go through a conveyor and get salted, and then they went up to packaging which we could not see. They are a big believer in using local products, all their potatoes come from the eastern seaboard (sorry, *Lisah!)*. The day we were there they were using potatoes from New York. The tour took about 15 minutes, and emptied into their gift shop. You could get four good-sized bags for $10, so who could resist that?! I had chips all set for NYE. After the tour we went to the Hearth and Kettle, a restaurant attached to the Cape Codder Resort. This resort has an indoor water pool, so I've been thinking about doing a night or two here during the winter to break things up. It looks ok. Nothing fancy, but that would be fine.



my mom took my grandpa (who is really going downhill big time) to the pretzel factory in york, pa when she visited him a few months ago. he usually just wants to sit in the house and tell old pipeline stories but after hearing them a zillion times you just HAVE to get him out and doing SOMETHING. they had to wear hair nets and booties over their shoes because you actually went in to the pretzel making area. apparently my grandpa kept asking if the stuff coming off the belts were samples and tried to take them. makes sense to me...i'd do it 

cape cod chips are SO good. i remember my friend becky (who i used to go to N. Truro with every summer for a week) used to bring cape cod chips to school for lunch every day. i was so jealous. i wasn't allowed chips....or anything bad for that matter. and now we wonder why i can't seem to put the crap food down....



mommyof2Pirates said:


> *Maria*- great job on the run today and being 5lbs down from last years is better than being up right?
> 
> *agree!*
> 
> *Nancy*
> Sorry the night wasnt better.  How annoying!  Your MIL is an idiot to think that about the card.  I thought it was beautiful and completely appropriate.  Im glad you made it out on your walk today.
> 
> *the more i think about what MIL said the more pissed i get. she is so nuts!
> 
> * I think if I dont loose weight before the hershey half I will definitely just wrap myself in aluminum foil.
> 
> *yeah, i hear you on that one!*
> 
> My training plan starts on 1/24.  I have a similar plan of doing 2 time runs during the week and long runs on the weekend.  I am going to do walk/run intervals.  I think if all goes well I may try to change things up a bit for the hershey half and try to run most of it.  I feel like I will need a new challenge to keep me going.  so thats the plan and if all goes well I will be able to do WDW half 2013 and that will be enough of a goal in itself to keep me going.
> 
> *i don't do intervals but have been really thinking about it. i have a problem with starting and stopping and starting back up again so i don't know if intervals would work for me. i ran the princess up until mile 10 when i walked through the water stations because i was pretty sure i was going to die at that point.*
> 
> **********************************************************
> 
> Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> I was convinced all the numbers meant it would be a great year and then last night I got into mikes car to drive home after midnight and his odometer said 66666.


see, my crazy mind would be ok with this. the devil number is 666, right? and your number was 66,666 which is 5 6s. that's an odd number of 6s and therefore ok - if it was 666,666 then i would freak because that would make 2 sets of 666. 

i think about numbers way too much. OCD, much?



Rose&Mike said:


> So do you think it's possible that Mike's sister is haunting us? It's a little windy today and we didn't have power this morning for a couple of hours. I still can't believe she died last year on New Year's Day.
> 
> *that gave me the chills! *
> 
> So since we had no power, we went to see a movie--The Descendants. I really liked it, Mike and Tom thought it was ok. The power was back on when we came home and hopefully it will stay on. I was bummed though, cause I wanted to make pancakes for breakfast, so I had movie popcorn instead.
> 
> Tom goes back probably on Thursday and I'm starting to get a little stressed out/sad. I feel like we hardly saw him this break, and I am guessing he won't be home for the summer this year. I'm probably just being too girly, but I feel big changes coming....and you know how I feel about change. I guess I should stop anticipating things.
> 
> As for my weight....I weighed in at 146 this morning--which is pretty high for me. I am doing t.o.m. so maybe that's part of it. I'm a Loser for right now, but Mike and I have decided to just put the whole thing on hold until Tom goes back. Which is not an excuse to eat everything in sight, but I just don't feel like stressing about food right now.
> 
> I'll be back later with replies.



rose, can i please be at your "high" weight?? ugh, i have a ways to get back there! i wonder if i'll ever see the low 140s/high 130s again. wait. scratch that. i WILL get there dammit!

what year is tom now? a junior? it's pretty normal to not come back the summer before senior year since that's the big internship summer. i did an internship in DC that summer. i know you'll miss him though!  

i hate change too. but, for me, without change i won't get to where i need to be 



lisah0711 said:


> Okay, *Nancy,* time to get out that floss.  I was just reading something that said you can add five years to your life by flossing every day.  You have a lovely smile!
> 
> *ok, i get it, i'm gross. i need to floss. and i need to get to the dentist. i promise i do brush my teeth, usually 3 times a day (i have to in the middle of the day because i'm afraid of coffee breath!)*
> 
> Galloway does about 12 min miles with the 30/30 intervals.  He did the DL half in 2:33 and the Wine and Dine at 2:51 -- please note that our own *Rose* did pass him and finished about 1/2 an hour before he did.
> 
> *really interesting! does he run the rest of the way? what i think would be hard is to start off with the intervals. in my head i'd think, "really? i'm taking a break after only 30 seconds?" wonder why this DL half and W&D times were so different? *
> 
> I'm going to the community center tomorrow morning so I may not have a chance to get on here in the morning since I'm coaching the Mickeys this week.



what's at the community center? ours is a little house aka one little room across the street from the deli. there's a table and a couch. sometimes girl scouts meets there and sometimes mr. jack from the silver beach office does story time. i bet yours is more exciting!



Rose&Mike said:


> Uggh. I did not enjoy today. None of us really did, but I guess that's ok. We were all three kind of bleh and melancholy. I think all along I have kind of been looking at the new year as officially starting tomorrow. Then Mike's cousin that I talk to occasionally on fb posted a rip picture of his sister which kind of threw us for a loop. I guess I just wasn't expecting it.
> 
> *RIP pictures on facebook should come with a warning. like, "attention people: my next post is going to be of a dead person that you may have loved so watch out!" my aunt posted a pic of my grandparents right before christmas (my grandma's bday was early december) and it depressed me all day.*
> 
> *Lisa*--have a good run tomorrow! We did see JG at Princess and the first w&d. I think he finished ahead of us at w&d and we finished ahead of him at Princess. It was kind of cool to run along side him for a little while.
> 
> *was he doing the intervals? that is cool that you ran next to him! i'd have a hard time getting to him i think! my corral was D. don't know what they'd put me in now.*
> 
> *Nancy*--I agree! Get that floss out and get yourself to the dentist! I skipped it for a year or so and ended up with some issues that I will now deal with from now on. I floss almost every day, and usually only skip it if I'm sick. Once you get used to  it, you will feel gross if you don't! Good for you for standing up to the sil I thought your card was lovely! Your mil sounds like a crankpot!
> 
> *she's terrible and i can't stand her. and then she wonders why i never let her see the kids! it's fine to have an opinion about something but it's NOT fine to share it so that the person will find out!
> 
> i'm buying floss today.
> *
> I hope everyone had a great day! I have eaten so much crap today, it is unbelievable. And I feel disgusting. I am definitely doing some self-sabotaging. But hopefully I will get it under control quick. At least there is a Once Upon a Time marathon on tonight. And thank goodness I took tomorrow off!



what do you think about once upon a time? it's pretty good so far. getting better. i liked the last episode best i think. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Today was a good start to the year.  Ryan is back to normal.  We got all our xmas stuff down and put away and the tree is out of the house.  I got the groceries and a clean kitchen.  tomorrow we will be getting all the clean laundry put away.  Currently we have a ton of bins full of clean clothes.  I cant stand it.
> 
> My stomach has not been feeling to well today.  Not sure if it was all the greasy salty food I ate yesterday or if I am getting a touch of the bug going around.  Or it could be withdrawl kicking in.  No soda or fast food in over 24hrs.
> 
> I did take pics of myself tonight both a frontal and a side view.  Wow is all I can say....I knew I felt bad but never realized how bad it really was until I saw the pics.  Even more motivation.  I promised myself before I took the pic I would not sulk in misery about how hard I worked before and let it all come back.  So Im not.
> 
> Talk to you all tomorrow!!!!!



i had a headache all day on new years day and i'm pretty sure it's because i hadn't eaten any junk that day. is that gross or what??

good for you for taking before pics. it will be great to see the differences. maybe i should take a before pic...



mikamah said:


> Well, my post worked.  But too many smilies so I had to go back and delete.  I know i could have copied half and split it in half, but I've been known to highlight my post and then hit a key accidently and it disappears.  Without the poof fairy.
> 
> *i do the hit-the-wrong-key-after-a-long-post-and-poof thing all the time. it's so annoying! *
> 
> I took my before pictures today.  I wore my wish shirt and capris, and my goal is to actually be able to wear them out in public for the Wicked Half.  I think a lime green sparkle skirt would be perfect with the outfit and for my next disney race I will splurge on that.  Although the black sparkle might be better and more versatile.  Oh I've got some work to do if I want to justify a new sparkle skirt.
> 
> Poko and I had a nice walk this morning and I jogged a little of it.  She still just walks with my jog.  Maybe one day she'll be able to trot a little harder as I pick up my speed.  I definitely need new shoes, and plan to get some in the next 2 weeks.  I don't have a short work day this week, so probably won't get there til next week.  Poor me, worked only 1 day out of the past 10.
> 
> Michael's getting a little mad since I haven't made his breakfast yet.  I think we're going to see the chipmunk movie at 1140.  Need to get Poko used to being in the crate during the day again. She has been really good at night. knock on wood.
> 
> Happy New Year!!



yeah, i need to do some before pictures. it's so depressing to think that i'm yet again at the "before" stage. my BIL and SIL said something on new years about how i "used" to look really skinny when i was "doing that running thing" - so nice to know that i used to be skinny which means that i now look fat. grr 

i think i'd really like to do that wicked half! could be fun, right? what's the theme? i will have to practice saying things like, "this run is wicked haaahd" and "where did you paahk the caah?" hehe. good thing _i_ don't have an accent 

how was the chipmunk movie?



Rose&Mike said:


> Feeling a little snarky today.
> 
> *maybe you've been hanging around me a little too much? hehe
> 
> * *****
> I wish there was a race that we could all meet up at this year--no boys. I need a yaya sisterhood weekend. Have you all read that book? What about the KY Derby Half in April? I will kick Mike out and you all can stay at my house. I'm right in the middle of everyone.....just saying......And I mean it, I really would kick Mike out......



i think that would be really fun! i don't know if i'd be able to get up to a half by april though. plus, you know, leave with a still nursing baby. darn! i'd be allllll over coming to kentucky though! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> We were making an a** out of my aunt yesterday during dinner because she was telling everyone to eat there peas because it means you will have money in the new year.  Guess what Mike ate a big portion of peas and today bought a scratch off and won 50$.  Guess she was right.



lol! that's great!!



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Nancy* -- You are welcome anytime! Just keep in mind my "guest suite" is in the basement, which has mementos of the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins, and Red Sox, and although I think it's pretty comfortable, you do sleep in the shadow of the exercise bike and TM. But we also have our medals down there, so you can see how Dennis has done twice as many races as I have  Did I mention the bathroom has it's own heat lamp? You can put it on so when you step out of the shower it is quite lovely  I don't even know what to say about your MIL and the photo. Yep, I think that would be my excuse to be done sending photos. The way I look at it, it's Dennis's family. If he wants to deal with them it's fine, it's not necessarily my responsibility. Although I will admit, when Ben was little I felt responsible to give them access and make it easy, because I thought he needed to have a relationship with them more than I needed to be away from them. As you know, I'm revising that opinion...
> 
> *well, i might have to just leave a giants jersey in your basement by accident! lol! celtics i'm ok with (love larry bird and, well, i'm irish so it's cool) as well as the red sox (i'm a die hard mets fan so i hate them "yankee dogs" as my grandpa used to say). and the bruins? i don't follow hockey though i was happy to see the rangers beat philly yesterday in that outdoor game.
> 
> i keep trying to tell myself that thomas doesn't know that MIL is crazy and should be allowed to see her. well, he does. just not alot. john's nephew connor is 6 now and MIL is just nasty to him. sure,she'll play with him but then she'll make comments about how his hair is terrible (it actually is but that's not her place to say). she wouldn't sit next to him at church and wouldn't let him go up for communion with her like he always does on christmas because she was embarrassed that he didn't have a sport coat on. WHAT? he is 6. i would have flipped if i were there because apparently she was wearing one of her classic ugly christmas sweaters. how is that appropriate for anything other than the garbage??
> *
> The last page in the January issue of Woman's Day says, "Though No One Can Go Back and Make a Brand-New Start, Anyone Can Start From Now and Make a Brand-New Ending". Let's get going on those new phases leading to those Happily Ever Afters!



love this quote. excellent.

******

morning friends! i'm all caught up now. ok, i'll say it....this thread moves WAY to fast! 

back to the grind now. john's off to work and it's just the two boys and me today. we don't have mommy and me class and it's below freezing. need to figure out something to do. thomas is getting to be a bit of a PITA when we go places. at the zoo and the botanical gardens this weekend he was SO bad. first wanted to walk then didn't want to move then didn't want to sit in the stroller and we left the zoo with him strapped into the stroller but hanging off the side screaming "HELP ME! HELP ME!" meltdown city. of course we got some fabulous looks. 

anyway, my point is that i'd love to put the two kids in the stroller and maybe go walk around the mall but when i need to feed the baby i know thomas won't just sit there and i can't be chasing him with a baby on the b@@b. this sounds ridiculous to be complaining about, right? it's just that i HAVE to get out of the house with thomas. he is jumping on the couch next to me right now screaming "MORE CHOO CHOO MOVIE" and if i watch the polar express one more time i'm going to kill myself!!

anywho, i was inspired by *lisa* and the other wishers to do that 100 day challenge so i need to figure out how i'm going to move for 30 min today! yesterday i went out for another walk. put some new tunes on my ipod and did 2 laps around maritime. it was freezing but the music and the fresh air pumped me up. i wound up trying to jog. i managed one mile. and i felt like dying. my chest was killing me from all the heavy bouncing. one mile and i felt like death. jesus. talk about losing fitness. oh well. i'll get there. at least i was able to do a mile! 

we are currently still waiting to hear from disney about whether or not they will ROFR our contract for 240 pts at BLT. i'm thinking it's not going to work out because the seller agreed to a super cheap price and i'm sure disney will decide to buy them out instead. we're trying to plan out our points and thinking about jan 2013 already! i'd like to stay for 10 days that trip. do the marathon at the beginning of the trip and then have a nice long trip after. going on the plane a few hours after running the princess was the pits!

ooo! it's tuesday - i just remembered there's storytime at the library. woot! free!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Another quick Good Morning, since I doubt I'll make it back on today...

I did 4M of intervals (I am much less scientific, or well accurate, with my intervals *Nancy)*, which for me means I alternate two speeds every time the song on my ipod changes  It felt good, but I was up another .4 on the scale. I know this is TOM, it's just annoying...ok, TOM and the barbecue chips. Today is my last day of non-specific eating. My dad goes home tomorrow, and I have lunch and dinner out to get through. I think I can have soup for lunch, and I'm hoping for shrimp fajitas for dinner. Of course that means chips and salsa, too...Sigh. 

We will be playing games, putting away whatever I can in between (Christmas is mostly gone, but I have bins and items here and there), and that should take up the day.

Everyone have a great day! My positive thought for today (inspired by that non-stop Disney commercial) -- I am living a Good Life!

Maria


----------



## liesel

Wow, this thread moves so fast I guess I'll just have to quit running and totally give up on trying to lead a healthy lifestyle!  

The kids are back in school so I finally have time to catch up.  Plus my injured car is being repaired today so I am stuck at home.  Right now I'm struggling to keep up with the now finally active Tink thread, Team Donald, and here.  I at least PMed my starting weight but of course I am up now from New Year's salty foods binge and the 10 mile run yesterday.  Hopefully there will be a "whoosh" soon.  It looks like the BL competition is going to be stiff, lots of motivated people out there.  I do miss having everyone together, but hopefully we will be able to merge.

2012 is going to be a year of change, and I'm not sure how I feel about it either, so I am with you *Rose*.  Even when the change is positive, it is still scary.  I go from being excited about the possibility of moving, to being blubbery over stupid things, like "we can't leave the trees the kids picked out and planted in the back yard!"  A sign that it may be time to leave these winters: when *Lindsay* was talking about getting winter gear for the kids and being ready I was thinking, "wow, that's really late to get boots!"  I got the kids' boots in October and it was still after the first major snowstorm.  We've had snow on the ground since Nov 30th.  Most of it is going away this week, thank goodness.  

I went to two holiday parties in the last couple of weeks and got positive feedback about my weight at both and I am trying to better come to terms with the fact that my body is changing and I am physically different now.  I said this to my husband, and he said, "of course it has changed, you just ran a 10K!"  I still have a long ways to go and I'm just trying to make sure I am not sabotaging myself now that I have had some success.

For all the numbers people, I realized that all of us (including the dog!) were born in odd number years.  That's OK, we are an odd bunch!

*Maria and Lindsay* My dad is a Texan and we are always forced to eat black eyed peas on New Year's.  We went to their house on New Year's and I had one small bite.  So I guess maybe I'll have a teeny bit of good luck this year.  *Lindsay*, too funny about the scratch ticket!  I just noticed that our car hit 98000 miles the other day.  I liked your 122222 number!

*Kathy*  to you for taking before pictures.  My next goal after the Tink is to run a sub 40 minute 5K too.  According to JG's predictors, I should be able to do that already.  We will do it this year!

I'm jealous of those of you that can get together for the Salem and/or Hershey halves this year.  Sounds like so much fun!  *Nancy*,  at your "this half is wicked haaard" comment!

*Rose* The GF really does explain the frustration over the broken phone/computer problems.  I did get a chance to check out your new TR, I'll have to get over there!  We got a mini bundt cake for New Year's Eve (also the dog's birthday!) at this local bakery that also has GF goodies and they were giving out samples of GF pumpkin spice cake.  It looked more dense than regular cake, but I tried it and yum!  I hope you have access to some goodies where you live.  I really hope companies can get together and process more GF products in separate facilities, it seems like if the possible cross contamination could be eliminated, there would be more food options.  I'm so glad your health is much better now and that you have had some positive changes this year.  A girl's weekend is very tempting.

*Nancy* You'll get back there!  I had a really hard time coming back from bed rest and a trainer pointed out I could have been running marathons before and would still be struggling.  I had to look at your card again.  Yep, still precious.  Your MIL would have been horrified at my DS's refusal to wear a swimsuit when he was 2.  Just a swim diaper baby!

*Maria* A trip to the Cape (even for a day) sounds lovely.  I'm glad your running is going so well.  I'm trying to picture DH in your guest suite with all the Boston teams, that would be too funny!

*Lisa* 50 POUND CLIPPIE!!!  Congratulations!    I hope to join you this challenge.  I don't have any clippies, but I think I finally decided that once I hit 50, I'll get one (I'm at 43 right now).  I love your sparkle skirt.  I'm not ready to run in a skirt yet, but I hope to be there someday.  That would be very cool to see JG run, but right now I aspire to 12mm!  I loved your pics from the 80s and am intrigued about this fighter pilot!  What a past!

Thanks for putting up with all my rambling, that's what happens when you have time to think during a 10 mile run!  Have a great short week everyone!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles! 



Rose&Mike said:


> At least there is a Once Upon a Time marathon on tonight. And thank goodness I took tomorrow off!



Oh I love that show but I am so far behind since the XBox came into our lives it is very hard to get a turn on the tv.    Thank goodness we live in the age of being able to watch it online.  I tried to explain to Robert how you used to be out of luck when you missed a show and there was some crack about being old. 

I did the crank thing at the Kroc today in honor of you! 

*Lindsay,* hope the tummy is feeling better today.    Nope, no sulking.  Live and learn and remember to look at those happy smiley Princess pics to give you some inspiration. You will be there again sooner than you know.   

Yes, coaching the first week is a big job.    Between that and working out in the mornings my Dis time has been seriously reduced! 



mikamah said:


> I do not like you mil.  I think perhaps a naked picture of matthew as cupid for valentines day would do the trick.  Oh no, better yet one of your husband.  So ignorant.



I really love this idea!  



Rose&Mike said:


> OMG--this thread moves so fast. Oops, sorry wrong thread.



You forgot to complain about the weather, too, for *Lindsay* . . .

Sorry about the snarkiness.  The post holiday/post WDW letdown coupled with Tom going back and everything else going on can be a bit much for sure. 

The Derby Run would be fun!    Would we get to wear big, fancy hats?  I wish I could go this year.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> I have never done a Coco Key, or any indoor water park. I'm interested to give it a try. I think Ben may actually be a bit too old, but it would make a nice change of pace, and you never know.



Girls in bathing suits?  You might be surprised.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> i think i'd really like to do that wicked half! could be fun, right? what's the theme? i will have to practice saying things like, "this run is wicked haaahd" and "where did you paahk the caah?" hehe. good thing _i_ don't have an accent



Oh no!   Neither does *Kathy.*   Or *Rose.* 

I think I did the hair with a blow dryer and curling iron.  Actually that picture was in our camper so I probably did my hair in some campground bathroom 'cause I had priorities, ya know?  

And the fighter pilot dating was at least three years before Top Gun came along.    It was very, very fun -- those guys know how to have a good time.   



Worfiedoodles said:


> My positive thought for today (inspired by that non-stop Disney commercial) -- I am living a Good Life!



Yes, we all are! 



liesel said:


> Wow, this thread moves so fast I guess I'll just have to quit running and totally give up on trying to lead a healthy lifestyle!



 

Good job on getting through the long run.  You are so going to rock the Tink! 

Well apparently I have to make an emergency trip to buy a new battery for the remote for DH's car so the alarm will turn off so I must close for now.  The noise is causing our child to die of embarrassment.


----------



## Rose&Mike

http://www.derbyfestivalmarathon.com/

 you get to run through Churchill Downs--which I must say is pretty cool....


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

only have a few seconds.  actually I was suppose to get off of here 10min ago when I gave the kids the 3 min warning for bed

Rose I just checked out the minimarathon website.  It looks like it would be so much fun and quite the cool experience.  I researched some airfare from me to you and it looks like the cheapest I found was 500$ round trip.  Unfortunately it is a bit unaffordable for me right now but I would have so loved to make it a long wkend with you and doing the race.  It is a 12 hour drive from me to you and although the time in the car bothers me Im not sure I should make that drive by myself.  If you know of any way to search for cheap airfare let me know.  I only have ever flown to disney so Im not much of a flight searcher pro.  

I need to register for my half here that same weekend but im going to wait a week or two just incase I find cheap airfare or hit the lottery.  Otherwise our halfs would be the same day so we could do a virtual run.


----------



## mikamah

quick hello this morning!  My time goes too fast when I have to work. 

I'd love to have a girls weekend, but it's not in the cards for me right now.  Now, marathon weekend 2014, for my 50th I'd love to make that a solo trip, so keep it in mind. 

BBL to catch up for real.  Hope the year is starting off on a good note for everyone!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> quick hello this morning!  My time goes too fast when I have to work.
> 
> I'd love to have a girls weekend, but it's not in the cards for me right now.  Now, marathon weekend 2014, for my 50th I'd love to make that a solo trip, so keep it in mind.
> 
> BBL to catch up for real.  Hope the year is starting off on a good note for everyone!!



marathon weekened 2014 for kathy's 50th?? yep, i'm in!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> only have a few seconds.  actually I was suppose to get off of here 10min ago when I gave the kids the 3 min warning for bed
> 
> Rose I just checked out the minimarathon website.  It looks like it would be so much fun and quite the cool experience.  I researched some airfare from me to you and it looks like the cheapest I found was 500$ round trip.  Unfortunately it is a bit unaffordable for me right now but I would have so loved to make it a long wkend with you and doing the race.  It is a 12 hour drive from me to you and although the time in the car bothers me Im not sure I should make that drive by myself.  If you know of any way to search for cheap airfare let me know.  I only have ever flown to disney so Im not much of a flight searcher pro.
> 
> I need to register for my half here that same weekend but im going to wait a week or two just incase I find cheap airfare or hit the lottery.  Otherwise our halfs would be the same day so we could do a virtual run.



what about trying for tickets out of philly? that might be cheaper? 

and you've only ever flown to disney?? that's it - you need a vacation! how about europe??? we are thinking of visiting ireland in the fall with the kiddos so we can visit john's family. OF COURSE the normal people in his family live in another country across an ocean!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Another quick Good Morning, since I doubt I'll make it back on today...
> 
> I did 4M of intervals (I am much less scientific, or well accurate, with my intervals *Nancy)*, which for me means I alternate two speeds every time the song on my ipod changes  It felt good, but I was up another .4 on the scale. I know this is TOM, it's just annoying...ok, TOM and the barbecue chips. Today is my last day of non-specific eating. My dad goes home tomorrow, and I have lunch and dinner out to get through. I think I can have soup for lunch, and I'm hoping for shrimp fajitas for dinner. Of course that means chips and salsa, too...Sigh.
> 
> We will be playing games, putting away whatever I can in between (Christmas is mostly gone, but I have bins and items here and there), and that should take up the day.
> 
> Everyone have a great day! My positive thought for today (inspired by that non-stop Disney commercial) -- I am living a Good Life!
> 
> Maria



it's gonna be a good life! i really like that song. i downloaded it this weekend and went out for my first walk around maritime while listening to it. it really put some pep in my step. in fact, i started visualizing crossing the finish line of the marathon next year and it had me a little verklempt. (snl skit anyone?)




liesel said:


> I went to two holiday parties in the last couple of weeks and got positive feedback about my weight at both
> 
> *awesome! what a great feeling! i hope to have someone notice weight loss for me too...you know, after i actually lose some weight *
> 
> 
> For all the numbers people, I realized that all of us (including the dog!) were born in odd number years.  That's OK, we are an odd bunch!
> 
> *lol! john and i were both born in even numbered years (ten years apart, both years end in zero, LOVE THAT haha) and both the boys were born in odd years. so, that's an EVEN number of odd and even numbers....so it's all good. *
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for putting up with all my rambling, that's what happens when you have time to think during a 10 mile run!  Have a great short week everyone!



we love your rambling! 



lisah0711 said:


> I tried to explain to Robert how you used to be out of luck when you missed a show and there was some crack about being old.
> 
> *i remember my mother FREAKING out when we got a VCR because she wanted to go someplace and couldn't record general hospital. *
> 
> And the fighter pilot dating was at least three years before Top Gun came along.    It was very, very fun -- those guys know how to have a good time.
> 
> *oooo!!! sounds fun....and steamy! *
> 
> 
> Well apparently I have to make an emergency trip to buy a new battery for the remote for DH's car so the alarm will turn off so I must close for now.  The noise is causing our child to die of embarrassment.



those pre-teens and teens, they get so embarrassed by _everything_, don't they?? 

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

hi friends! 

i'm so proud of myself for not eating a cupcake at mommy and me today i think i'll just have to post about it on TWO different threads!  i just have GOT to lose weight, stat. i borrowed a pair of jeans from a friend who bought them after she had her second kid. she's back down to her regular size so she said i could have this pair. it's the only pair of pants that fits me other than sweats. my jeans won't even go over my thighs.  i know i just had a baby but there's no reason why i had to eat so much during pregnancy that my thighs doubled in size! 

so, it's only day 4 but at least that's 4 days where i've been eating healthily and moving more. i'm planning on going to a step aerobic class tonight at 7. i used to go with my aunt mary every monday and wednesday until i had thomas. then i was too afraid to leave thomas. not this time. there's no reason why i can't go to aerobics. john can watch the kids for an HOUR. sure, i'll be leaving right at bathtime and matthew's prime pissed off/cranky time but hey, i'm with them all day, he can do an hour! 

anywho, i'm looking forward to getting out and sweating. i will probably feel like dying but it'll be worth it!

ok, i'm off to try to clean up a little before matthew wakes up. thomas is screaming because his sweatpants don't have a pocket.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

holy jesus i just put on my workout clothes. my sports bra doesn't fit. there is blub hanging out everywhere! my huge workout t-shirts are tight! and you can see the on-top-of-the-bra blub through the shirt. 

it's going to be a loonnnnnng tough road!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles!  

I have so much to do that I don't even really know where to start so what do I do?  Get on the Disboards of course! 



Rose&Mike said:


> http://www.derbyfestivalmarathon.com/
> 
> you get to run through Churchill Downs--which I must say is pretty cool....



That race looks like a ton of fun, *Rose!*   We all need to win the lottery so we can just travel from race to race together having a good time!   Guess we will have to settle for WDW in 2013.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Otherwise our halfs would be the same day so we could do a virtual run.



That would be fun!   

Hope your office move goes smoothly -- congrats on the bigger office! 



mikamah said:


> quick hello this morning!  My time goes too fast when I have to work.



Yep, it sure does put a crimp in our chatting time.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> those pre-teens and teens, they get so embarrassed by _everything_, don't they??



Yep, it's so comical you almost do things on purpose just to watch them fall on their sword about it.   Well, maybe that's only the mean Moms. 

First, I want to give you a big  and  and  for resisting the siren's call of the cupcake even when some rude, inconsiderate person waved it under your nose.  And second, I want to give you a big  for the finding out your body parts aren't all where they used to be thing.  I so know how you feel.  Take a few deep breaths, give that little guy a big squeeze and know that you will be feeling like yourself again lickety-split! 

Oh, and I'll trade you the pocket tantrums for the texting at 3 am on a school night problem I will be dealing with this afternoon.  That phone will be mine for awhile. 

*Lisa,* did you see that there is going to be a Podcast group CHEARing at the Tinker Bell and a meeting at Tangeroa Terrace after the race.  Even Pete and Walter are going to be there.  Guess I should listen to a podcast or two.   

*Maria,* you so totally rockband: for getting up early to take your Dad to the airport and then doing your run today!  

I did my short run this morning, too.  It was so nice because I could just do my interval after I did my drills.  I really like those days!   15 miles on Friday.   

Have a great day princesses!


----------



## liesel

So my bib number has all even numbers and Lisah's bib number has all odd numbers, what does this mean?!  

I am feeling pretty awful, I'm still a little sore from the 10 mile run on Monday.  Then yesterday I get this random suprise TOM visit (after only 15 days!!) that seems to be sticking around.  The wierd hormone surge has made me a mess.  I've never had this happen before, the interval was short enough as it is!  I thought I was in the clear for the half, now maybe not so much, who knows what is happening!  I'm retaining so much water still, its finally going down today, but I just feel so bloated.  Sorry for sharing so much, its just so frustrating and I'm not quite ready to go posting all of this on the Donald thread.  I hope everyone out there is doing well and *Rose,* I hope Tom got back off to school OK and that you are having a good day.  Talk to everyone later.


----------



## mikamah

liesel said:


> So my bib number has all even numbers and Lisah's bib number has all odd numbers, what does this mean?!
> .



It means you're doing the TINK in a few short weeks, you are crazy like the rest of us, and you are going to be AWESOME!!!!  WHOO HOOOOOOO!!!!!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Drive by post here.  Should have a little more time to talk more when my coaching gig is over and I get this pesky 15 mile run over with tomorrow morning.

Did 40 minutes of walking against the current at the river walk in the pool at the community center this morning.  I've never been so hot, tired and thirsty after being in the pool before.    It was good for the legs though.  I can really feel it in my quads, which are ususally what squawks when I transition from inside to outside running.  

I am feeling a bit stressed.  I know that I am stressed because my one of my eyes keeps twitching.   

Have a great evening ladies!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lisa*--Enjoy those 15 miles tomorrow. I hope it goes quickly and is pain free!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Nancy*- Please dont beat yourself up about the weight gain.  You had a baby.  At least you have somewhat of an excuse I have nothing.  Maybe sympathy pregnancy lbs.  Does that work if I dont live with you?  Anyway what I am saying is hang in there.  You are doing good getting back on track and before you know it the clothes will get looser and looser.  My clothes look hideous on me too.  Its disappointing but its not going to help by picking out all weve done wrong.  Just try to see the future again of how wonderful and healthy you are going to be someday very soon again.

Lisa H- I was wondering what the river walk workout was.  Sounds like fun, I think.  Who knew you could sweat in a pool.  Good luck on your long run tomorrow.  

Liesel- I remember after I started running I was getting my TOM like every 2-3wks.  Everyone is different with that but if it is not normal for you and seems concerning make sure to call your GYN dr.  

Woohoo for the tink Bibs.  I dont really have a thought or a feeling about the numbers other than it means you both are going to be tinkalicious.

Rose- Glad tom made it back safe.  How are you feeling?

Hi Kathy and Maria!!!!!!!!!!!

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

I am surprised after the things that have gone on at work this week that I am still in a positive upbeat mood.

Yesterday we diagnosed a 4 year old with leukemia.  He currently already has had a blood transfusion and is on chemo.  They think his prognosis is really good and that was such a great thing to hear.  I feel horrible for the parents as there life was totally flipped upside down in a matter of an hour.  Please send prayers.

Today an older gentleman coming to his appointment at the family dr across the hall from us ran his car up over the curb and took out our garbage can and bushes and the handicap parking sign.  He ended up a foot away from the front door where a family of 4 young kids were standing just about to walk out the door.  The poor guy was so confused.  I went into the office and told the staff what happened.  The dr checked him out and thought he may have had a mild stroke.  He wife was with him and was so frail and scared looking.  Just the thought of them makes me want to cry.  Older people just touch my heart.  But that made for an interesting call to the police.

Then this afternoon I ended up working in the schedule because we had 2 staff out with stomach bugs and a 3rd came down with it tonight and will be out tomorrow.  

We also had a 2mth old baby come in with a rash and when we roomed them the nurse grabbed the dr right away because the baby was lethargic and dusky looking.  Here the baby was having an anaphlactic reaction to formula which is completely uncommon.  Apparently the rash started while the baby was drinking the formula and then the baby vomited.  Mom brought the baby to our office saying it had a rash.  We had an appt open so the girls brought him right back.  Thank goodness they did.  We called 911 and treated the baby in the office with epi.  He should be fine but very very scary.

So this is what I have been dealing with this week on top of Ryan being a complete bear every night too.  Through it all I have remained focused on my healthier lifestyle and I am 5 1/2 days off of soda and fast food.

Sorry for the long story but it really just helps to get it all out.  You ladies are the best.

Hope your weeks are going well.  I am anxious to weigh in tomorrow.


----------



## mikamah

omg *Lindsay*, what an horrific week you have had.  Bigs hugs to you and all your patients and coworkers, and prayers today is a better day. 

*Rose*-just a hug, if you're in the mood.  Hope things went well with Tom's trip back and you are doing ok.  I can only imagine what a mess I will be when I am in the same situation. 

*Lisah*_Good luck today, and whatever you do, do not go too fast!!  I don't want JG having to reprimand you today.  I hope there are little tinkerbell fairies all around you today and the 15 miles flies by without a pain.  

*Nancy*-I hope you listen to these very wise women who have posted before me and cut yourself some slack.  It takes time, and you will get those pounds off, and when we (hopefully me too) are cheering you on next january, you are going to look as amazing as you did at the princess!!  Patience is a virtue, and even though it sucks sometimes, we have to be patient.  

*Hello LisaR, Maria, Pamela, Dona, and anyone else out there.*

Oh, and one more thing, BOO-YEAH!!  We got Pamela on Team DOnald!!  Those post counts are just going to be flyine!!!

Off to get breakfast and today Poko is going to daycare!!  It's a free trial day/evaluation, and if she does ok and seems to like it, I'll probably send her once a week or so.  THere's a web cam if you are bored and want to check her out.  It's called northshore dog.  Here's the link if it works. http://http://www.nsdog.com/danvers-ma-webcams.htm

Have a princessey tinkabelly day!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy-  I thought of you this morning when I was talking to the construction foreman. (hes from MASS)  he was talking about the Caaah coming up on the sidewalk yesterday.  I hope poko likes the daycare.  Isnt it crazy that you can watch your doggie from a webcam.  Some days I wish I could see what my kids are doing at daycare.  Im sure my kids are glad I cant.

I lost 4.6lbs this week.  Pretty thrilled about it and then a mom of the patient congratulated me on being pregnant.  Ummm great!  She was so embarressed and normally this would throw me into a depression but given the fact that I did so well this week I was able to shrug it off.  

So far today has been better.  Crossing my fingers it stays that way.  this weekend there is not much planned.  Glad to hopefully have a pretty laid back weekend.  Of course basketball is back now that schools are open so we have a game tomorrow at 9am.  

For those of you who do pool running.  I think Rose and Lisa H maybe the ones I am referring too.  How long do you do that for.  Is 20 min in the water compared to 20 min of running?  Thinking about trying that at the gym one night.  

Have a great day Ladies.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning  and !

Today is a full day at work for me. I won't bore you with details, suffice it to say my week has been better than *Lindsay's*, but that kind of does not seem like much of an accomplishment 

However, I am not losing weight like *Lindsay!* You go, Girl! 

*Lindsay* -- My weekend is full of Football!  Four playoff games will keep us occupied -- that and getting everything done around them. I love this time of year, but it's hard on the "getting things done" scale. 

*Kathy* -- I used to be able to watch Ben at his preschool. I love that you can watch Poko! I would have to peak, what a great idea 

*Lisah* -- 15 miles?! I am so impressed. I know you are flying through it. This Tink is going to be Pixietastic!  You ladies are going to have a ball!

*Lisa* -- I agree, the bib numbers foretell a fantastic performance and good time being had by all! I am so excited for you -- you can count down to your race in the same month now, that is so near! 

*Nancy* -- Welcome, New  Coach! I know you may not be seeing the results you want quite yet, but it will all come out (and off) over time. Keep doing the right things, and it will pay off. I am suffering with TOM this week, and I think I'm posting a gain. Hopefully a small one, but not how I want to start a Challenge  

*Rose* -- Are things settling down now Tom returned to school? It sounds like you are listening to your body, being cautious, and it's working out just fine 

So, yesterday and today are planned rest days for me. I'm running 10M tomorrow. I was supposed to be home Wednesday, but a work situation changed that, and has me here all day today. 

Right after work we are going to go grocery shopping. I plan to buy a lot of soup for work and home for next week. A key part of getting back on track is a healthy, light lunch. I've had too many "eating out" lunches lately. 

After my run tomorrow I will do the household chores and get what I can done before football starts at 4, then 8. Sunday morning we need to go to church, then more football at 1 and 4. Plus, Downton Abbey is back Sunday night , so it's just going to be a whirlwind of tv for me this weekend. 

Oh man, that is a bummer for me  got *Pamela!* Not only will I miss her posts , their post count win is assured 

Ok, I have to do some of that work I'm supposed to be accomplishing. Everyone have a great day and a wonderful weekend! I admit to some withdrawal. This time last year I was at the Expo, picking out my new Donald merchandise  No Half for me tomorrow, and definitely no medal...on the bright side, at least I'm not trying to race with TOM 

Maria


----------



## liesel

With miserable early TOM I thought for sure I would be posting a gain this week, but luckily the long run "whoosh" finally happened and I am actually down a pound this week!    I'll most likely lose another 2 pounds once this TOM is over.  I am feeling much better today, the soreness has faded and I am back to my faster walking pace.  I haven't run since Monday, since I was so sore from the 10 miles I switched to walking this week.  It was really hard to take a break, but at least I felt like I was still doing something with the walking.  My body really needed the rest, but now I am ready to run 3 miles tomorrow.

*LisaH* I hope the 15 miles (on an indoor track!!) went well.    We have been working on getting the kids ready for their race, they are pretty excited and there's even been a bit of trash talking.  I did see that the podcasters will be at the Tink, we'll see how many DISers will be there!   for easily embarassed teenagers.

*Lindsay* First of all,  on your loss!  You are doing amazingly well!  I guess that mother doesn't follow the rule about not congratulating someone on being pregnant unless you are absolutely certain.   for all the work issues, it sounds like a pretty overwhelming week.  I'm glad the child with the leukemia has such a good prognosis.  Apparently one very early TOM isn't too much of a concern unless it happens regularly, its just interesting that it happened 2 days after my 10 mile run 11 months into running.  How long was it 2 to 3 weeks apart for you, I really hope this doesn't become a regular thing!  Good luck with basketball again!

*Nancy* Have a great week coaching the Mickeys and hopefully you have enough time to pop in and say hi.  You have a whole year to get yourself ready for this marathon and you are going to rock it!

*Kathy* I love doggie day care webcams!  The first time we left our dog was during our big WDW trip and we checked in a few times, we missed her so much!  Once she was just sitting there by herself and we watched a staff member walk over to her and pet her.  It made her so happy, it was good to see that she was being well taken care of.

*Maria* Sometimes if DH and I want fajitas, we order takeout without the chips and salsa.  If they are in front of me, I tend to munch!  I hope next week's work week isn't as crazy for you.  Sorry for the marathon weekend withdrawls.  Our niece is running her first marathon on Sunday and we wish we were there too!  Good luck on your run this weekend, the princess will be here soon!

*Rose* I hope the adjustment to Tom not being there is going as well as it can be and that your foot is feeling good.

My current stresses:
I still don't have a car!  Its been in the shop all week, I was supposed to get it back Tuesday!  I need my car, I need to run errands!  Being stuck at home all week is no fun.

Yesterday I discovered my camera is in the stupid car!  I hope I get it back OK.

DH still hasn't heard back from his boss on whether or not we are moving and now his boss is on vacation.  I feel like this thing is dragging out forever and I just want to get it resolved.  Then if we are moving I can move on to trying to sell the house stress and mortgage stress and interest rate stress and trying to find a house we like that we can afford in a much more expensive market stress.

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Maria- glad your week was better than mine but I agree that it probably was still bad if you are using my insane week as a judge.  Dont feel too bad for too long about missing the donald.  You will be there soon enough my princess.

Lisa- Glad you had a loss this week.  I hope the run goes well tomorrow and that is wonderful that you are feeling much better.  on the moving and house stresses.  That has to be horrible to not know what is happening.

Today we had the ambulance and the same cop at our office for another child.  This time a 3 yr old with respiratory distress most likely from pneumonia.  ugggh I was thinking what the heck is going on but someone said there is a full moon in a few days and now that totally explains it.  At least we are keeping emergency services in business.  The great part is the cop is not sore on the eyes. and even though my uniform of choice is fireman, this week cop is riding a close second. 

On a positive note my boss emailed me today about something I did and was commending the great job and that none of the other peds managers are even close to where I am with doing this particular task.  He said I am walking on water.  I asked mike if I should email him back and say "SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!" like in jerry maguire.  I figured after the last push for a raise I am happy now so I will keep those comments at bay for awhile.

Alright well I am off to the gym for a run.  Have a great weekend!!!!!!!  oh and apparently we will be getting together with my inlaws again.  Its really getting old.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Bleh! I quit life! Five and a half hour conference call today on the stupid project that has been going on since last year. And I ended up with all the action items.  Though I think my boss might be doing one of them. I am so far behind in my regular work. Uggh! I have decided I am drinking my dinner tonight. Add to that a little drama on the Donald thread and I am chicken fried. And the stupid foot is hurting. Calgon, take me away. 

On the happy side--I discovered Chambord on vacation and we bought some tonight, so I am enjoying my liquid dinner.

*Liesel*--between the running and c-d I never have normal periods. It kind of sucks, but I have discovered from reading online, that being abnormal is more common than you would think.

*Lindsay*--I pool run for 40-60 min. But when I started I barely did 30. It's really different than running in that the entire time you aren't sure if you are really working out, but I find myself sweating and breathing hard, so I guess it's working. Also, my cardio does not seem to have really suffered from this off time, so it must be doing something. I try to do intervals where I will go as hard as I can for a certain distance/time and then slow down for a bit. I actually ran in the pool this morning and there was sweat dripping off my head. Oh, and I only go in the deep end--I wear a float belt and my feet don't touch the ground the entire time.

*Maria*--I can't wait to see you in February! 

*Kathy*--too cool that you can see your puppy on puppy cam.

*Lisah*--so how was the run?

*Nancy*--no beating yourself up! But I do understand the frustration. 

****
Sorry for the sad little replies. Tom made it back ok. He told us Wednesday night that he was ready to go back, but not ready to leave us and he was really going to miss us. He told us he was going to better with communicating this semester and he actually called me tonight. We all made plans to see him about every 6 weeks or so. I think he was a bit depressed last semester, but seems to be coming out of it, so that's good.

Ok, back to my drink. Have a nice evening.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose- I really loved your post on the donald and than the fact that you edited it just shows how big of a heart you have.  I was so happy to see that you helped make so many peoples days brighter.  Sorry for the craptastic day at work....love that word by the way.  So sweet of Tom to say he will miss you.  I bet that is a bittersweet thing to hear from your all to fast growing up baby.  I cant even imagine what it will be like to send the boys off to college.  Although right now some days that sounds so devine.

As far as the pool runs, thanks so much for the advice.  I just thought it would give me something different to do every now and then but I was afraid I will look silly.  I thought about actually swimming laps but I am only good at the doggy paddle so that would probably make me look even more ridiculous.  I am so impressed that you do all that in the deep end without touching the bottom.  Impressive!

Well apparently I am a bit chatty tonight.  Who would have known eating healthy and exercising this week would give me so much energy.  Tomorrow will be 1 wk without fast food specifically mcdonalds.  I swear those hashbrowns were like crack to me.  I am amazed at myself for finally just stopping....now its a matter of making it last.  

Ok I am boring myself now so I will rid you all of the pain  I am going to go talk mikes ear off now....Im sure he will be thrilled.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay*--yes, craptastic is my new favorite word. I don't even care if it sounds like a potty word. It's got to be better than the f-bomb right? I'm kind of over the whole donald post thing. I just read it right when I first came home from work and it was such a very long and aggravating day.

I am so proud and happy for you for kicking the fast food habit.  I used to love love love bacon egg and cheese biscuits and hash browns. Then when I went veggie I would get egg and cheese and hash browns. Now I can't have any of it! But I am guessing the memory of how good I THINK it tastes is better than how it actually tastes. 
****
So my new favorite drink; guaranteed to put you in a better mood, especially if you have two.
2 parts Baileys
1 part Chambord
1 part skim milk  (we have to be diet conscious)
squirt of whip cream 

served over ice. Makes a yummy dinner!


----------



## mikamah

OMG, I love chambord, I love baileys, I have skim milk and some whip cream, I think I need to drink tonight.   I never would have thought to put chambord in the baileys.  I'm so excited to try this out!!  Thanks*Rose*.  Normally I'd do chambord with soda, or chambord in a mikes hard lemonade.  Yummy.  

*Rose*-Sorry for the drama on the donald thread.   I loved reading the posts from everyone who totally knew what you meant and you totally made their day.  And mine as well.  I knew I'd have a small loss, if I had one at all, and for me, 1 pound is a big loss.  Calgon, chambord and Baileys, hope you had a wonderful rest of the evening, and slept like a baby.  And your Tom is such a sweetheart.  That will be so nice to get to visit him every 6 weeks.  

*Lindsay*-I would not be pretty in the deep end trying to exercise either.   And 4.6 pounds!!!  You are freaking awesome!!  Or add the new england flair and make that wicked AWESOME!!  YOu must be feeling so good!  I am so happy for you and so proud that you are on and i know you are going to be on and lose this weight once and for all.  And I am pretty certain you lovely dh will want you to reward all your hard work with the 2013 marathon weekend trip.  Maybe they can come too?  I am going to price out a 4 night trip for us when it gets closer, and really want to make it work.  It's value season, the flights in jan are usually cheaper, and maybe we would only do a 3 day pass, and do some other stuff.  Gotta remember this when I want to leave work early or take a day off.  

*LIsaH*_ I hope you had a fabulous, tinktastic run yesterday and are doing well today!  What beverage will you be enjoying in DL after the TInk?  Have you got plans yet?  I think it's time we start hearing all the details.  I know you have a dismeet planned.  

*LisaL*-Good job listening to your body and walking more when you are sore.  Do you stretch too?  I did stop during the half and stretch a few times, and that makes a big difference.  THe other piece of advice someone told me for after the long runs, sorry I didnt' mention it earlier, was to lay down with your legs up against a wall or a headboard for 15min or so after the long run and that helps the fluids to drain back down from your legs, and it helps you from being so tight and sore.  I think it really made a big difference for me.  After the princess I went back to the hotel and laid on the bed with my legs up and made some phone calls, and really for most of the afternoon I felt pretty good.  I think I too some ibuprofen too, and definitely made sure I was well hydrated so I could have my margaritas.

*Maria*-I wish we were in disney right now cheering you on for the donald.  I found myself on facebook looking at as much race stuff as I could and dreaming about being there.  I can only imagine how much fun it is, and I wish you were there too, but in just 7 short weeks you'll be at the princess!!!  So you do have that to look forward to, and next year you'll be there.  Hope you enjoy the weekend.  It looks beautiful out there.  I'm just waiting for ds to get dressed to go walk the dog.  It's only taken about 30 minutes so far, but since I'm catching up here, I'm not yelling yet. 

*Nancy*  I miss you!  Are you busy posting on the Mickey thread?  I hope you had a good first week of the challenge, and maybe even saw that scale move a bit.  

*Dona and Pamela*-Hello there!!  

Well, i'm down 1 pound, and still have lots of room to improve my eating plan, so that's my plan for this week.  After doggy school this morning, I'm making a grocery list, and ds has a party, so I hope to leave him, and go to market basket and target for a couple things while he's there.  no crap.  I will buy no crap.  that is my motto for today.  no crap.  

Hope you ladies all have a fabulous weekend!!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Belles! 

I did try and reply to you all yesterday after my run but the poof fairy not only tried to poof my post but poofed the whole Disboards.    Luckily I had copied and was able to email my post to myself so I will just add to it.  Sorry if it sounds weird since half was written yesterday!  

Thanks for all the good thoughts for my run! I needed every single one of 'em.  Man, that was long.  Really the same amount of time as the 14 miles -- cause I went a little faster (but not too fast)  -- but just so, so long.  I had a bit of a Tink type tantrum in my brain and if the way I am feeling right now is any indication, it will be a cold day in you know where before I do 15 miles again.   I'm sure tomorrow I will feel better about it all but for now I am totally chicken fried to a crisp.  

Nope, it is now tomorrow and I still think 14 is plenty long enough to push the wall back for a half.  But I do feel pretty darn good so I will probably stop complaining about it by the end of the day -- ha!  (no smilies left)

*Rose,* hope that things are getting back to normal around your house.  How's the ankle? 

That of course was written before the Donald drama.  Talk about taking something personally that was totally meant in a different way?!?   Totally not your problem.   

Sorry about the craptastic day but thanks so much for the delicious drink recipe.  I will try that tonight.  Maybe this can be our new Princessy/Belle signature drink.  

*Lindsay,* absolutely fabulous loss this week!   
The river walk is part of what they call the lazy river that is part of the one of the pool areas.  It has a current that you walk against.  It's pretty tough.  Here is a link from livestrong.com that I found about the calorie burning thing.  http://www.livestrong.com/article/321319-calories-burned-when-deep-water-running/  I think that I may have overestimated the number of calories that I burned yesterday but it is good for your muscles and joints.  And it's a nice change!  That is one of the nice things about the community center there are lots of things to try.  I saw the Zumba class today during the last 20 minutes of my run.  It looked like a blast!  

Save that email in your "atta girl" file to use as a talking point next time the raise thing comes up for discussion.  It makes it easier for you to point out specific things that you did that added to the bottom line, and in turn easier for your boss to justify it to his boss, and we all know if you make it really easy for them it works a lot better! 

What a tough job you have!  

*Kathy,* I tried to check out Poko on the webcam but it was nap time.    It is nice to be able to check on them.
They had a camera at Robert's daycare in the office so you could watch that that the tantrum lasted only long enough for you to leave the room and feel better about heading off to work.   

And thank you so much for the adorable Tinker Bell.    Ed called and told me that I had some Tinker Bell mail.  I'll try to post a picture later.  I need to practice my posting to FB from my phone.

Enjoy doggy school this morning!

I don't know what I will be drinking after the Tink.  There is a podcast meet at the DL Hotel so I will have to check out the drink menu and get back to you.  I'll see if I can find one with a recipe so we can share virtually!  

*Maria,* hope your busy day went by quickly.   Good luck with your 10 miles tomorrow.  You'll be doing the Disney race thing sooner than you think!  

*Lisa,* that is rude and inconsiderate of DH's boss to leave your whole family hanging.    But maybe it is better to put off that stress until after your fabulous run.    Good luck and let us know how you do!  

*Nancy,* thanks for coaching this week!    Be kind to yourself and try not to get frustrated.  You still have that pea soup of hormones going through your body.   

I'm getting to the crazy part of my training.  Last night I was so tired and panicked about the race -- like how was I even going to make it up the first hill at mile 1?   This morning I am feeling better but now I'm all teary eyed 'cause I'm going to miss my Princesses at the race.    Note to self do not start new estrogen patch during taper.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## inkedupmomma

Hi, new here  when is the 2013 meet and what all does it entail? I'm thinking I may want to do this then


----------



## Rose&Mike

inkedupmomma said:


> Hi, new here  when is the 2013 meet and what all does it entail? I'm thinking I may want to do this then


Welcome! I am sure there will be lots of Wish meets for marathon weekend next year, but I'm guessing no one will firm up plans until maybe Nov/Dec of next year.

But in the mean time you are welcome to join us here if you would like to chat. We talk a lot about running, but we talk about a lot of other stuff. Six of us ran the Princess last year, two folks who chime in occasionally are on the Biggest Loser thread with a lot of us as well.

We have two members of our thread running the Tinkerbelle later this month and two members running the Princess in February.

So, if you'd like to join us, please jump in and introduce yourself.


----------



## inkedupmomma

Rose&Mike said:


> Welcome! I am sure there will be lots of Wish meets for marathon weekend next year, but I'm guessing no one will firm up plans until maybe Nov/Dec of next year.
> 
> But in the mean time you are welcome to join us here if you would like to chat. We talk a lot about running, but we talk about a lot of other stuff. Six of us ran the Princess last year, two folks who chime in occasionally are on the Biggest Loser thread with a lot of us as well.
> 
> We have two members of our thread running the Tinkerbelle later this month and two members running the Princess in February.
> 
> So, if you'd like to join us, please jump in and introduce yourself.



I'm an idiot and meant when is the marathon.. musta had dismeets on the brain! Which I also love!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

inkedupmomma said:


> I'm an idiot and meant when is the marathon.. musta had dismeets on the brain! Which I also love!!


 I haven't heard officially yet. You are still welcome to join us if you would like.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--Where are you????? Are you dissing us for your Mickey peeps??? I hope you are doing well.

*Maria*--Are you enjoying your football weekend? We are rooting (how do you spell that?) for Cincy this weekend, Green Bay overall. Though the guy who owns Houston funds the scholarship Tom gets at South Carolina. He's a pretty generous guy. So I guess we should be really cheering on Houston.

*Kathy*--I hope you like that drink! I first had chambord at Disney in December. Mike asked the bartender at the BW lounge to make me something with Bailey's in it and he put Chambord and ice cream in it too. OMG it was so good. Then later the bartender at BC made me a drink with Bailey's and chambord and cream. Yum! The skim milk really was just fine though. Baileys is so rich. I think next time I might put a bit more chambord in there. How was puppy training? And did you resist the call of the crap? I didn't completely. Can you believe we go to Whole Foods to buy g-f junk food. But I feel like I have it a little better under control than I did before Christmas.

*Lindsay*--I can't remember if I ever said this--congratulations on that great loss this week!!!! I am so happy for you!

*Liesel-*-hope you are doing well!

*Lisa*--woohoo for getting that run done! Isn't it funny how your emotions can be all over the place when it come to stuff like that. I often finished those really long runs crying--I was just so relieved and proud and overwhelmed sometimes. I am such a girl! That lazy river sounds really cool! Part of why I do the deep end is to keep me off my feet, but if I wasn't injured it sounds like it would be fun!

So, I have a question for you. How does your foot/plantar feel when you are not having a p-f flareup? Like on a day to day basis or after a run even, is it sore, can you feel it even if it isn't sore? I am one million times better than I was in October. I ran today with no pain. But I could feel it and it's a little sore this afternoon. My physical therapist seems to be of the mindset that it should not hurt or be sore at all. Period. Not even after runs. And I just question whether that is realistic. I am almost 45 years old with a history of p-f problems. In retrospect, the main pain I was having in October was coming from the fat pad injury and the ankle. I would not have even gone to the doctor for the amount of "soreness" that I am now having. 

Anyhow, just curious as to your thoughts.

~~~~
We went 4 miles (run) and walked another 1.3 miles. We used a run 2 walk 1 and it seemed to work to slow me down a little bit. So I think that's good. 

We are going to enjoy our quiet house and some college basketball/nfl football this afternoon. 

Have a great Saturday!


----------



## donac

Rose  I am sorry about the comment that person made on the Donald thread.  I know a lot of people are only losing a pound or two and would be discouraged after seeing so many others losing more.  I read that this morning and I got very discouraged and I did lose 5 pounds.  I hate negative comments and I hope it doesn't turn into that because I don't want to quit. 

Hi everyone.  Just stopping by to see how the race plans are going.  Good luck to all those planning on doing the Princess next month.  I hope your practice runs are going well.


----------



## Rose&Mike

donac said:


> Rose  I am sorry about the comment that person made on the Donald thread.  I know a lot of people are only losing a pound or two and would be discouraged after seeing so many others losing more.  I read that this morning and I got very discouraged and I did lose 5 pounds.  I hate negative comments and I hope it doesn't turn into that because I don't want to quit.
> 
> Hi everyone.  Just stopping by to see how the race plans are going.  Good luck to all those planning on doing the Princess next month.  I hope your practice runs are going well.


I don't think it will turn negative Dona, I think she was just having a really bad day. We have pm'd back and forth and it's all good. I feel bad that I was snarky back, and actually edited it out, but someone quoted me. So I was caught! I really think it was just a bad day thing, and not a sign of things to come. Congrats on the 5 pounds! That's fabulous! There will be no quitting! You have an exciting year coming up.


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> So, I have a question for you. How does your foot/plantar feel when you are not having a p-f flareup? Like on a day to day basis or after a run even, is it sore, can you feel it even if it isn't sore? I am one million times better than I was in October. I ran today with no pain. But I could feel it and it's a little sore this afternoon. My physical therapist seems to be of the mindset that it should not hurt or be sore at all. Period. Not even after runs. And I just question whether that is realistic. I am almost 45 years old with a history of p-f problems. In retrospect, the main pain I was having in October was coming from the fat pad injury and the ankle. I would not have even gone to the doctor for the amount of "soreness" that I am now having.
> 
> Anyhow, just curious as to your thoughts.
> 
> ~~~~
> We went 4 miles (run) and walked another 1.3 miles. We used a run 2 walk 1 and it seemed to work to slow me down a little bit. So I think that's good.



Glad to hear that your run went well today, *Rose.*  If you can be pain free by going a tad slower that's a good thing for sure! 

My foot/pf is always in the back of my mind.  I think after going through this you are much more aware of your feet and are much less likely to let things ever get to a point where you can't recover in a reasonable fashion KWIM?  I have things that hurt on and off all the time -- whether I run or not.  But it goes away either with ibuprofen, taking it easy, or putting my shoes on if I'm doing the bare foot thing too much, usually by the next day.   And it's not always the PF.  Sometimes it is my hip.  Right now my knee and ankle are sore and I smell funny according to some people because I put on some mineral ice.  I personally think it is unrealistic to think that you are never going to have any pain ever from any activity, especially running.  The important thing is to not let it get ahead of you too much.  

It seems to me that dealing with it is a lot like dealing with weight.  For a long time you are so afraid that it will all fall apart and you will be back where you started.  But in actuality you are so much stronger, know yourself so much better and would never, ever let yourself get to that point again.    You've done it with your very successful maintaining.  You have to trust that you will do the same with your injury.  

 inkedupmomma! It's hard not to be excited about the WDW Marathon Week-end for sure!  

*Dona,* no giving up and no quitting.  You can do this!    And congratulations on a fabulous loss!  

Maybe it's the full moon coming or something but we all need to working on BELIEVING in ourselves!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Rose*- Yep I think I had a bad day too and seeing that comment just got me so angry because like dona said no one is like that on our threads and we dont want to start now.  Plus you are the kindest soul I know and so if anyone calls you something your not it just hits a sore spot.  I get that she probably didnt mean it to come out like that either and probably should have worded things a bit different.  Its all good we are all still one big happy family.  I kind of feel bad too now getting all fired up about something that didnt need to be such a big deal.  Life goes on..............

I hope you and mike are enjoying your quiet day of bball.  Your drink sounds very yummy.  I actually thought of your bourbon the other day.  I saw a bread pudding receipe in cooking light magazine and I would need bourbon for the caramel sauce.  I dont have any and cant see buying a whole bottle just for the recipe....thats when I wished you were closer to share with.

*Lisa*- your riverwalk sounds pretty cool.  For a second when you said you saw zumba at the community center I thought you meant my class. kind of how we could watch poko at daycare.  I had a quick panic moment of oh my they can see how ridiculous I look online. Then I realized you were talking about your community center.  It really is alot of fun you should try it out someday.

*Kathy*- Yep I am going to look into pricing for all of us but what kills us is airfare for 4.  Plus the boys will miss a few days of school right after just returning from winter break.  So not sure how it will pan out but I would love love love to be there.  I am thinking if we will have enough to do our family disney vacation next summer than I can convince the boys that its ok for me to go in Jan alone because I wouldnt plan on doing much in the parks.  So will see.  I hope you were able to avoid the crap today.  We have been using that word on here alot the past day or two.  Such potty mouths.

Hi Nancy, Maria, Lisa, Dona, Pam and to our newcomer too.

I posted this on our team board but for those on the mickey team I still wanted to tell you about my crazy night.

So we went to eat with my inlaws who insisted that we go to this place that is a bar/eatery aka. hole in the wall dingy place that apparently serves the best burgers ever.  So we did, feeling a bit wierd taking my kids there but it was 4pm.  We ate and were sitting and talking but then I was kind of rushing us out of there because the bar was getting filled with some odd looking characters and this one couple was really 3 sheets to the wind.  So we paid the bill and left.

As we are walking to our car I notice the drunk couple getting in a car.  I couldnt believe that I saw this visibly drunk lady behind the wheel.  I almost went over to tell her to give me her keys but I guess I just couldnt get up the nerve.  So we tried to wait until they left.  We started backing out as they did so we backed way up the street.  This lady backed out fairly slowly and than slammed on the gas probably not know she didnt switch it to drive and slammed into a truck.  She then drove off.  We got her plate numbers.  Went into the bar and they found the owner of the truck.  We called 911.  Waited for like 25min because the cops I guess tried to find this car.  They finally showed up and unfortunately hadnt.  Apparently a bunch of people knew this couple but it was like no one really could stand them and only knew them from coming to the bars.  They said the couple was planning on bar hopping all night and were headed to the next bar.  So they told the cop where to look for them.  Now if/when they find her my husband will most likely have to testify that it was the women that he had seen visibly intoxicated and smash into the car.  Uggh.  Apparently the people who knew of them said the man no longer could drive because he has had dui's and has been sentenced for vehicular homicide while driving drunk before.  They think she had dui's as well.  I mean how stupid are you.  I know we did the right thing by calling the police but yet I hate to get ourselves involved in these things.

So that was my eventful evening.  At least it wasnt our car they crashed into I guess it could have been worse.

Of course the kids loved to see the cops and it made for an interesting call to the police.  "Yes we moved our car back down the road because we were concerned since we have two young children in the car"  This was after I just said we were eating inside of a bar. Great parent award tonight for me. 

I can just picture how circle time will go on monday at ryans school when asked what was exciting about your weekend. Nothing can be worse than when he told his teacher last week during a book about horses that we go to the horse races and last year he bet on number 5 and it won and pop pop bought everyone french fries with his winnings. 

Ok here I go getting a bit wordy again.  Im going to go play with the boys and then get them to bed.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hello my lovelies! i'm BEAT but just want to say a quick hello. hoping for some more time to post tomorrow when john takes thomas to soccer practice (they just called and told us he is the only one in the class. lol! should be interesting for the coach).

i just had to pop in and tell you that yesterday....

I SAW USHER! 

you know, _my_ usher. i took both boys in the double stroller for a walk around maritime. that thing is heavy but i worked it!

omg i'm so tired. long day today. will try for a nice long post tomorrow.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hey Ladies!

A super quick check in before I go to bed. I blew off my 10M today. I got up and realized I should have been at mile 9 at that time (if I was running the Donald), and it put me in kind of a funk. Actually, I never left my jammies. I read a book, I watched the week's accumulated OLTL, I watched two football games...and I did a lot of thinking. I have so much I want to change in my life right now, and I think I've been so focused on gathering all those things, that now I'm overwhelmed. I don't know where to start. Diet? Exercise? Attitude? Upkeep (you know, those mani/pedis/facials I never seem to get to)? Housework? I want to be doing better in all these areas. I guess I just need a plan. Right now I feel like it's so much, I need a life coach to tell me what to do first, second, etc., or if should be trying to do it all at once. Apparently, my reaction to that is to take to my bed 

During the past week I've contemplated going back to WW meetings, just using my online WW membership again, starting weight training at the gym, buying some new clothes and getting rid of others in my closet, clearing out my lipstick collection (I'm sort of a lip product junkie , decluttering my linen closet (which is also a jumble of toiletries), emptying the hope chest at the end of our bed (full of papers my DMIL and SFIL left), changing my long runs to more closely mirror the JG Princess plan, swapping honey for the Splenda I use, and a dozen other things. I feel like I'm on overload, and I know I need to do (or think more about doing) most of these things...I realize I should be able to figure this out by myself. Maybe I'm also just fried from a rough work week. I have two more football games this weekend, so who knows what thoughts I'll come up with by Monday morning 

Anyway, one more thing -- If I have to go over to the Donald thread and kick some hiney, I will. No one messes with my *Rose!*  I did go see what it was all about, and I could not have been more proud of *Lindsay* for setting people straight real quick. Unlike the real BL, we play nice! 

Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don't Let the Gremlins Bite!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies!

I am obsessed with facebook and marathon weekend, and I've never even been there but it looks so amazing.  I so want to go next year, and then the year after to run.  I'm already planning when we'll need to leave to get to the finishline to cheer you all on.  Hopefully michael will still be an early riser then.  My sil and the kids were at the fence right by the 13 mile mark, so I'll be there I think, so be sure and look for me.  As for *Nancy* and the full I think we should be able to cheer early on in the race, and again at the finish.  I think I'm going to increase my christmas club, and use that money for the january trip.  I used to do more of a christmas club, but when we went over to biweekly checks, I didn't change it, so it was cut in half, so I need to fix that. 

I resisted the call of the crap!!  The worst thing I bought was a half a buffalo chicken salad rollup which I ate for lunch, but the bread was soggy, so I put it on a sandwich thin instead.  I looked at the chips on the checkout and thought I'll buy some salt and vinegar which I don't like for ds, but then I thought of what *Pamela* has said before, and realized he doesnt' need them either, so I didn't.   I made a big salad last night with avocado, grapes and strawberries in it, and it tasted so good.  Today we have my nephews b-day party, the usual, chip and dip, pizza and cake.  I am going to eat something before we go, and then have one slice of pizza only.  That's my plan and I'm sticking to it.   

*Maria*- Big hugs to you.  It does seem overwhelming to look at all you want to change in your life, but truly you already do so much with the diet and exercise, and your flylady, and you do have an amazing, supportive, loving attitude, so I think you should totally take the rest of this weekend for yourself, every minute, do not do anything for those men in your house, and just relax, have a few beverages during the football game, and not think about how overwhelmed you feel.  Then tomorrow or later this week, break it down and take one thing at a time, work on the exercise, get back to your princess plan, maybe try the jg plan, play with different intervals on your next few runs and see what feels good.   I can only imagine how tough it is not to be at wdw for you this weekend.  I so wish I was there, and I've never even been there.   Hang in there, take some nice deep breaths and cut yourself a little slack.  Do you like baileys and chambord???   Very relaxing. 

*Rose*_Thanks for the drink suggestion.  We were watching merry madagascar last night and the beginning starts with the animals all on one end of the table and the little squirrel on the other end all drunk, and I jumped up and remembered, I was having a drink tonight.   It was soooo good.  I did the baileys and chambord, and did add a little more chambord to taste, and the skim milk was perfect.  Cream would have been a little too rich.  A little squirt of whip cream, and I was feeling special.  I can believe you go to Whole foods for gf crap because they just don't have enough gf anything at the regular stores for you.  You deserve good gf crap when your gonna have it.  Funny it's a slow new year for me too as far as getting back to the healthy eating, but I hope that since I've slowly come around this week, I will continue.  At least I know if I'm scouring the kitchen for crap one night soon, there's not much to find.   Glad your run went well yesterday, and Lisa is right, you will not let your injury get out of hand again.   

*LisaH*- Whoo you're on the taper!!!!!!  And 15 miles!!  Absolutely amazing.   What are you doing for taper, are you going shopping?  I so wish I could be there in dl to cheer you on.  Why oh why can't I hit the lottery big?   It would be so amazing to have the money to just fly to dl or wdw for the weekend whenever i wanted.  Oh well, I will be cheering you on from here, and I will be watching as you reach the milestones, and can not wait to see your smiling face crossing that tink finishline!!  You are right, we all must believe in ourselves.  We are so strong and can do anything we set our minds to.  I think web cams must be awesome for baby day cares too.  I was lucky, I was the first to drop off michael when I went to work, so in my imagination, he was the only baby at day care with two teachers pampering him all day.  It must be hard to be the last and drop your baby in with 8 other screaming babies.  Hope you have a relaxing day ahead of you, and the baileys/chambord definitely could be a princess/tink drink.  You deserve one if you didn't have it last night. 

*LIndsay*-How scary that drunk driver.  Great that you got the license plate number, and maybe since they have that, it won't have to go to court with your dh.  What a pain that would be.  Love the horse race story.  So funny.  Michael won 50 bucks on a superbowl football square one year, and I thought, please don't tell at school.   Don't worry, you're not the only good parent out there. 

*Nancy*-Good to see you again!! I didn't realize you'r coaching Mickey this week, so you are forgiven if you can't post here.  But I expect you back here with your full-on funny posts by friday young lady.  Whoo hoo for Usher!!!  There's some walking motivation.  Think about how strong your arms are going to get pushing that stroller.  Is it a side by side so Thomas can see Matthew and maybe be more entertained along the walk?  You know try to feed the baby, steal his pacifier, pinch him.  Whatever it takes to keep him quiet for the walk.   Enjoy your time coaching.  I say I'm going to pop over there but then my time runs out on the dis, so I'll see you back here.  I do expect if there is anything we need to know about you'll update us here. 

*LisaR*-How are you doing?  Did you take your last long run yet and are you enjoying some taper madness?  I can remember how exciting it is and how overwhelming and nerve wracking it is at the same time.  I hope you are doing well, and remember, you have put in the miles, and you are going to be amazing!!  

Hello and welcome to our newcomer- *Inkedupmomma*!  

Hello *Pamela* and *Dona*!!  

I have to say, Poko did so well at doggy school yesterday.  We are using a clicker to teach her and we worked on watch me, using hand gestures to have her look up to your face and focus.  And sit, which she had already been doing, so she did look like the star pupil.   I'm so proud.  You know, I didn't know how much I was going to really enjoy having a dog.  She is so sweet, and snuggly at night, and really is fitting nicely into our life.  She has not been nipping much any more either, and I think now I am absolutely certain is it just with play when she was doing it, but before was maybe a little unsure since the whole dog thing was new to me.  We all took an hour long walk last night and it was so nice, Michael was very chatty and sharing all kinds of stories from school and telling me all about the book he is reading, and I thought I wish I could freeze him right here, and not let him grow into that surly teen that I know is coming. 

Oh well, I think I'll make my coffee now, and then catch up on the Donald thread.  I have not been very active over there.  My coaching week is at the end of the month, so at least then I'll get to know everyone a little better. 

Have a great sunday everyone!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lisa*--thanks for the foot peptalk. I think my biggest fear is that I won't slow down if I need to...Remember I ran on the day of my xrays. Not one of my best choices. I do think it is unrealistic to think that if I am going to stay active that it is never going to hurt. I just need to be careful. Mike thinks part of the problem is that the p-t is a former runner, who because of a lot of reasons can't run anymore. So she just has different views on things. 

*Lindsay*--Good for you all for calling the police. What a mess! I hope they caught the people last night before they could cause any more damage, and I hope you all don't get drug into it. Thanks for the kind words. I'm afraid at work lately they think I am just a big whiner and not a kind soul. I have not been enjoying work lately. I'm going to work on my attitude. Mike thinks I internalize a lot of things and I am probably really not coming out as a negative as I think I am, so that's a good thing.

*Kathy*--The only bad part of that drink--too many calories. It's like drinking dessert. I'm so glad you are enjoying Poko.

*Nancy*--woohoo for seeing Usher! How was the double stroller?

*Maria*--You sound like me. I get so overwhelmed when I think of everything I think I should be doing to be a better person/to improve myself, etc. But it's all a process. And really, it should be somewhat fun, when you think about it. Kind of like yard work vs. gardening. Yard work does not sound like fun. But if you call it gardening doesn't it sound relaxing and fun? Try to look at all of this as a process of discovery and try to enjoy some of the discovery along the way.

Now if only I could listen to my own wise life lessons.

I HAVE to meal plan today.....now to find the fun in that.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

*Lindsay,* I'm sure that you look better out there on the Zumba floor than you give yourself credit for!   It does look like a ton of fun and I will definately be trying it after the Tinker Bell.  

Good for you for reporting the drunk driver.    99% of cases settle before they go to trial so I wouldn't worry about the testifying thing.  In fact having a good, credible witness makes it more like that it will be settled.  And, really, I'm sure that there have been much worse things said at school than Ryan's stories of gambling and hanging out in bars.   



dumbo_buddy said:


> hello my lovelies! i'm BEAT but just want to say a quick hello. hoping for some more time to post tomorrow when john takes thomas to soccer practice (they just called and told us he is the only one in the class. lol! should be interesting for the coach).



*Nancy,* glad that you had a good day!    That takes a lot of effort to go out and push around that big stroller with your two big "rocks" inside.    Think of all the extra calories that you are burning.  

I'll be heading over to the Mickey thread to do my replies.  I'm not too fond of the posting war because I think it discourages us from cross-thread posting.  I like *Rose's* attitude that we should all get back to what got us here in the first place.  

*Maria,* I so totally do not blame you for feeling like you are missing out with Marathon Week-end.    I'm like *Kathy* I'm missing it and I've never even been.  Couple that with the full moon and all the other things going on in your life and you need a little time to rest, regroup and plan.  

I think it's good to step back and think about things.    It gives you time to reflect on your priorities and decide what needs to be done now and what can wait.  'Cause you know you don't have to do everything at once -- and you will burn out big time if you try.   

Anyone else at your house worried about closets, lipsticks or the general condition of the house?  You just had guests, it's probably not as bad as you think.  That would be something I would put off -- okay, really that's what I'm doing so I think you should too.  

I would put the Princess training at the top of the list 'cause it's hard to beat the motivation of a race.    Schedule those personal maintainence items for before the Princess so you feel like your beautiful, princess-y self before you leave for WDW.  The attitude -- it's there, I know it is, when you are rested it will appear.    Be kind to yourself.  

*Kathy,* I wish we all could hit the lottery and jet all over the place for races!   Wouldn't that be fun?

I am obsessively checking the FB and the RunDisney site following our WISHers.  Looks like everyone is doing great.  Howard Keener is already done.

*Rose,* I have confidence that you will not let yourself get so injured again.    Really stuff hurts more when I am not active than it does not to mention that I feel so much better overall -- who wants to give up that feeling? 

When you get tired of meal planning maybe you can do the next installment of your TR -- maybe you already have?

*Lisa,* how are you doing?  Are you getting excited? 

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> Bleh! I quit life!
> 
> *NO! don't say that! what would life be without our sweet Rose! (i know the feeling sometimes. bleh is right)*
> 
> On the happy side--I discovered Chambord on vacation and we bought some tonight, so I am enjoying my liquid dinner.
> 
> *ok, i'm sorry to admit this but what is chambord? is that the red stuff? i have to look it up. my drinking doesn't much go past bud fat (you know, NOT bud lite), guinness, and baileys *
> 
> *Lindsay*--I pool run for 40-60 min.
> 
> *my friend is a big runner and recently hurt her foot and was in a boot for a while. she is now doing pool running. she wears a weighted belt and then just sprints back and forth. *
> 
> *Maria*--I can't wait to see you in February!
> 
> *jealous!*
> 
> 
> *Nancy*--no beating yourself up! But I do understand the frustration.
> 
> *thanks, rose. i'm trying not to beat myself up. it'll happen. it's just so frustrating knowing how hard i'll have to work again to get back down. yeesh.*
> 
> ****
> Sorry for the sad little replies. Tom made it back ok. He told us Wednesday night that he was ready to go back, but not ready to leave us and he was really going to miss us.



aw, tom is so sweet. i'd miss you guys too! i hope he has a good semester! maybe the new girlfriend will help 

oh, my two cents on the donald drama: bleh, sounds like she was having a bad day and chose to e-take it out on you. i consider 1 pound loss a big loss! i'd give anything to get down just one pound right about now! glad you guys worked it out. it was really nice of you to reach out, especially when she kind of lashed out. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Well apparently I am a bit chatty tonight.  Who would have known eating healthy and exercising this week would give me so much energy.



that's the best part, isn't it? having MORE energy!? i'm looking forward to that. first i need my baby to sleep through the night. well, at least sleep anything more than 3 hours! 



Rose&Mike said:


> *Lindsay*--yes, craptastic is my new favorite word. I don't even care if it sounds like a potty word. It's got to be better than the f-bomb right?
> 
> *i don't know, i reeeealllly love the f-bomb! then again, i am one classy broad!
> 
> * So my new favorite drink; guaranteed to put you in a better mood, especially if you have two.
> 2 parts Baileys
> 1 part Chambord
> 1 part skim milk  (we have to be diet conscious)
> squirt of whip cream
> 
> served over ice. Makes a yummy dinner!



when thomas was an infant and was starting to have a bit of a longer stretch of sleep (like, 9-2) i would have a glass of baileys every night to relax me. i was going through bottles of it! we have received so many bottles over the years as christmas gifts. i loved it. then i ran out and started having to buy it myself. and _then_ i saw the price tag and started having a beer at night. love it though! there's a lady around here who makes her own and gives it as gifts. it's so good. 



mikamah said:


> After the princess I went back to the hotel and laid on the bed with my legs up and made some phone calls, and really for most of the afternoon I felt pretty good.  I think I too some ibuprofen too, and definitely made sure I was well hydrated so I could have my margaritas.
> 
> *my whole training for the princess revolved around the margarita i was going to have after the race! since i was leaving that evening i had to rush back to my room, shower, and get out. i headed to epcot and shuffled my feet straight to the mexican pavilion. in fact i even took a picture of my margarita and nachos and took a picture of it! mmmm.....sooooo doing that again after the marathon. except after that i'll have 2 margaritas and probably even more nachos!*
> 
> *Maria*-I wish we were in disney right now cheering you on for the donald.  I found myself on facebook looking at as much race stuff as I could and dreaming about being there.  I can only imagine how much fun it is, and I wish you were there too, but in just 7 short weeks you'll be at the princess!!!  So you do have that to look forward to, and next year you'll be there.  Hope you enjoy the weekend.  It looks beautiful out there.  I'm just waiting for ds to get dressed to go walk the dog.  It's only taken about 30 minutes so far, but since I'm catching up here, I'm not yelling yet.
> 
> *i hope we'll all be there next year! just think of all the e-training we can do together until then and how much fun we'll have when we get together! and this time i won't be nervous about meeting everyone!! *
> 
> Well, i'm down 1 pound, and still have lots of room to improve my eating plan, so that's my plan for this week.  After doggy school this morning, I'm making a grocery list, and ds has a party, so I hope to leave him, and go to market basket and target for a couple things while he's there.  no crap.  I will buy no crap.  that is my motto for today.  no crap.
> 
> Hope you ladies all have a fabulous weekend!!



no crap - good motto. that's been one of mine too. i just need to stick with said motto!



lisah0711 said:


> Thanks for all the good thoughts for my run! I needed every single one of 'em.  Man, that was long.  Really the same amount of time as the 14 miles -- cause I went a little faster (but not too fast)  -- but just so, so long.  I had a bit of a Tink type tantrum in my brain and if the way I am feeling right now is any indication, it will be a cold day in you know where before I do 15 miles again.   I'm sure tomorrow I will feel better about it all but for now I am totally chicken fried to a crisp.
> 
> Nope, it is now tomorrow and I still think 14 is plenty long enough to push the wall back for a half.  But I do feel pretty darn good so I will probably stop complaining about it by the end of the day -- ha!  (no smilies left)
> 
> I'm getting to the crazy part of my training.  Last night I was so tired and panicked about the race -- like how was I even going to make it up the first hill at mile 1?   This morning I am feeling better but now I'm all teary eyed 'cause I'm going to miss my Princesses at the race.    Note to self do not start new estrogen patch during taper.
> 
> Have a great day ladies!



lisa i think it's safe to say that we all WISH (hehe) we could be there to cheer you (and lisa R) on at the tink at the end of the month. i don't know if it's the estrogen patch or not but before the princess i had the same feelings of panic and cried...like...alot. the hard part about the training is that you build up to it and then you actually have to go and run the race. it's not like losing weight. you work hard to get to your goal weight and then you're there. training for a half means you work hard to get to the race day and then you have to go and run it! it's alot! makes ME want to cry! 

i'm so impressed by your 15 miler. that's amazing! and you are going to run the poop out of the tink. you think she has spunk? she ain't got nothing on you!
 


Rose&Mike said:


> *Nancy*--Where are you????? Are you dissing us for your Mickey peeps??? I hope you are doing well.
> 
> *psh, no dissing here. busy/tired...you know, life with a 6 week old and a toddler!*
> 
> 
> *Kathy*--I hope you like that drink! I first had chambord at Disney in December. Mike asked the bartender at the BW lounge to make me something with Bailey's in it and he put Chambord and ice cream in it too. OMG it was so good. Then later the bartender at BC made me a drink with Bailey's and chambord and cream. Yum!
> 
> *ok, i need this. baileys...ice cream....oh boy. yum!*
> 
> ~~~~
> We went 4 miles (run) and walked another 1.3 miles. We used a run 2 walk 1 and it seemed to work to slow me down a little bit. So I think that's good.
> 
> We are going to enjoy our quiet house and some college basketball/nfl football this afternoon.
> 
> Have a great Saturday!



nice job on the running and walking! hope you're feeling good today 




mommyof2Pirates said:


> So that was my eventful evening.  At least it wasnt our car they crashed into I guess it could have been worse.
> 
> Of course the kids loved to see the cops and it made for an interesting call to the police.  "Yes we moved our car back down the road because we were concerned since we have two young children in the car"  This was after I just said we were eating inside of a bar. Great parent award tonight for me.
> 
> I can just picture how circle time will go on monday at ryans school when asked what was exciting about your weekend. Nothing can be worse than when he told his teacher last week during a book about horses that we go to the horse races and last year he bet on number 5 and it won and pop pop bought everyone french fries with his winnings.
> 
> Ok here I go getting a bit wordy again.  Im going to go play with the boys and then get them to bed.



wow that's something else about your night!!!

so tell me....was the burger worth all that??? lol!!! dive burgers usually are soooooo yummy. great. now i want a burger.



Worfiedoodles said:


> During the past week I've contemplated going back to WW meetings, just using my online WW membership again, starting weight training at the gym, buying some new clothes and getting rid of others in my closet, clearing out my lipstick collection (I'm sort of a lip product junkie , decluttering my linen closet (which is also a jumble of toiletries), emptying the hope chest at the end of our bed (full of papers my DMIL and SFIL left), changing my long runs to more closely mirror the JG Princess plan, swapping honey for the Splenda I use, and a dozen other things. I feel like I'm on overload, and I know I need to do (or think more about doing) most of these things...I realize I should be able to figure this out by myself. Maybe I'm also just fried from a rough work week. I have two more football games this weekend, so who knows what thoughts I'll come up with by Monday morning



 sometimes life really CAN be overwhelming, right? i feel the same way sometimes, especially when i sit here posting on the DIS with a load of laundry next to me needing to be folded, about 5 crackers-worth of crumbs on the floor, etc etc. 

what did you come up with from your contemplating? think you'll go back to WW? the gym? 

oh and what about splenda v. honey? trying to go a more natural sweetener? i've been using a packet of the pink stuff to sweeten my oatmeal. i have honey but knowing me i'd put a cup of it in there.

enjoy the football! i know you'll be cheering on the giants. hehe.
 


mikamah said:


> Good morning ladies!
> 
> I am obsessed with facebook and marathon weekend, and I've never even been there but it looks so amazing.  I so want to go next year, and then the year after to run.  I'm already planning when we'll need to leave to get to the finishline to cheer you all on.  Hopefully michael will still be an early riser then.  My sil and the kids were at the fence right by the 13 mile mark, so I'll be there I think, so be sure and look for me.  As for *Nancy* and the full I think we should be able to cheer early on in the race, and again at the finish.  I think I'm going to increase my christmas club, and use that money for the january trip.  I used to do more of a christmas club, but when we went over to biweekly checks, I didn't change it, so it was cut in half, so I need to fix that.
> 
> *me too! i'm obsessed! friends of ours are down there now - they were originally going down to cheer me on but we know how that worked out. they decided to go down anyway and the guy called me at 6:30 this morning (i was up of course) and said it's just so awesome down there right now. i told him he better go next year too!
> 
> i can't wait to be down there too!
> *
> 
> I have to say, Poko did so well at doggy school yesterday.  We are using a clicker to teach her and we worked on watch me, using hand gestures to have her look up to your face and focus.  And sit, which she had already been doing, so she did look like the star pupil.   I'm so proud.  You know, I didn't know how much I was going to really enjoy having a dog.  She is so sweet, and snuggly at night, and really is fitting nicely into our life.  She has not been nipping much any more either, and I think now I am absolutely certain is it just with play when she was doing it, but before was maybe a little unsure since the whole dog thing was new to me.  We all took an hour long walk last night and it was so nice, Michael was very chatty and sharing all kinds of stories from school and telling me all about the book he is reading, and I thought I wish I could freeze him right here, and not let him grow into that surly teen that I know is coming.
> 
> Oh well, I think I'll make my coffee now, and then catch up on the Donald thread.  I have not been very active over there.  My coaching week is at the end of the month, so at least then I'll get to know everyone a little better.
> 
> Have a great sunday everyone!!



what do you think about the clicker training? we never did that but it always seemed like a good idea. 



Rose&Mike said:


> I HAVE to meal plan today.....now to find the fun in that.



my QOTD is about planning today. i need to do that!!

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

good morning friends! gah, it took me so long to post this. that'll teach me to not get so behind. i didn't even get a chance yet to welcome *inkedupmama *or say hi to *dona....* hi!!

we've had a nice weekend so far. the zoo yesterday was beautiful and i had a salad instead of the fries and chicken tenders i'd normally have. disney on ice was SO good. only problem is that i had some, ehem, tummy issues during it so i wound up missing parts. oh well. feeling better today. 

it felt so good to see usher on friday. i know, that sounds ridiculous. but it meant i was back. we have a double stroller that is a side-by-side one. it's the citi mini - you see them everywhere in disney. it's great! but we have to car seat adapter thingie on it for the baby and it's HEAVY! still, gave me a good workout. yesterday and today i tried running. oh man. it was ugly. i think the most i went at a time was a mile. and it was slow and painful. i wound up moving for about 3 miles each day. i tried not to get down about my fitness level. my body did it for me before, it'll do it for me again. 

the giants are playing today at 1. we have tickets to see thomas the train at the botanical gardens at 3. ugh. i really want to watch the game. seriously, i'm the man in this marriage, i swear. i don't even think john knows the giants are playing!  what tomboy marries a guy with no sports interest? me.

have a great day gals!!! love you all!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Thanks for all the encouragement! I'm back with just another quick update -- I've been called to duty! 

Ben spent most of the night and this morning battling a stomach virus. Not to be too graphic, but the virus is winning.  We have three bathrooms, and I am on a permanent rotation disinfecting them all. 

Honestly, my next sit-down break will be to watch the Giants!   for *Nancy!*

When I went in his room to get his sheets, and put away the clothes he washed last weekend , I discovered it was a complete disaster. I do let him have autonomy in there and don't go in much, my only rule is there is supposed to be a path I can walk through the room. Well, he has so many dirty clothes, his dresser is absolutely bare. I made two more loads, and I'm sure there's still another on the floor and under the bed. Sigh. I am going to take this opportunity to catch up this kid so he won't be going naked 

Ok, another moan from the peanut gallery. I'd better go check on him. Is it horribly wrong it made my day very early this morning when he asked me for a hug? Poor kid. He is rarely ill, and this is a "both ends" doozy...

I just realized I haven't eaten anything today. Maybe Ben's illness is a good diet for me 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

*Maria,* hope your guy gets to feeling better very soon! 

And for all of us good news from NPR for us this morning -- teens who talk back may have a bright future!    Our kids are well on their way! 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/201...-future?ft=3&f=111787346&sc=nl&cc=es-20120108


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> *Maria,* hope your guy gets to feeling better very soon!
> 
> And for all of us good news from NPR for us this morning -- teens who talk back may have a bright future!    Our kids are well on their way!
> 
> http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/201...-future?ft=3&f=111787346&sc=nl&cc=es-20120108



gosh i wish i had this when i was 15! maybe my parents could have laid off a little! 

*maria - *hope ben starts feeling better soon! poor thing. but i AM glad he asked for a hug...i just hope that hug didn't rub any germs on you!


----------



## donac

Maria, It went through my house this week.  I hope it doesn't last long  Good luck


----------



## mikamah

*Maria*-I hope Ben is feeling better soon, and you and Dennis stay healthy.  So not what you needed today, but maybe being needed is what you needed.  If that makes sense.  Hang in there. 

I meant to tell you, last sunday I got called into work, and it was a lady in her 80s having a procedure around 2pm, she came down to the unit and first thing she tells me is the Patriots are losing 21-0.  First question when she wakes up from the sedation- "How are the Patriots doing?"  Hilarious.  A die-hard fan for sure.  Glad they turned it around for her, but if she watched the rest of the game, she probably didn't remember it. 

Looking like might be a little competition with Lindsays team next weekend.  

*Nancy*-The clicker training is going to be good for us, I think.  You click right before you treat after she does what she is supposed to do, and teach her gestures first, and then add the verbal commands.  I think she's a pretty bright dog except for the whole squirrel thing.  She sees a squirrel and tries to drag me to the squirrel who runs up a tree, but once said squirrel is in the tree, she's looking all around for the squirrel, every which way but up the tree.    Kind of funny.  I do notice my kitchen floor is much cleaner than before we had her.  Sorry you don't have fiona to help you anymore.  Though I do vacuum more often which should get better when she's destroyed the last of the stuff/cloth toys.  I could just throw them away, but she seems to love them so.  

*Lisa*-Great article on how successful our boys are going to be.  I know I need to keep a calm/level head when the boy gets argumentative, but it's hard sometimes.  Since poko we've been really good about eating at the kitchen table so that's also an indicator of kids doing less drugs.   It all scares me.  Keep them busy with activities, right?  Less free time to get in trouble.  I can't believe in 3 short weeks I'll be checking the active website following you and Lisa along in the race.  I can't wait.  In honor of you all tapering, I'm going out wednesday to buy some new running shoes and a bra.  I haven't bought either in a year, so I'm overdue.  

*Rose*_ I was just thinking about your niece and wondering how she was doing.  I have been having a little anxiety about michael and his seizure disorder after I heard that a local boy fell off a ski lift and died, and they think he had a seizure first.  I think I've been in a little denial about the whole reality of it.  Just thinking about all michael wants to do, adventure camp, rock climbing, and thinking about the what if's.  I know I can't live like that, but it's a worry.  I hope your niece is doing ok.

Hello to everyone else!!  Off to bed now.  Have a lovely night and marvelous monday.


----------



## liesel

Good morning  and 

I finally got my car back on Friday and my camera was there and not broken!    Two less stresses.  Time to go back to stressing about the Tink and possibly moving.  We ran some errands and got some running gear for the kids.  They are getting very excited about the kids' races and going to DL!  It also snowed about 3-4 inches on Saturday, and now the sidewalks are icy again.    Training in the winter is getting old.  I'm trying to keep up with my cardio and trying to maintain my fitness level for the race.  One more long run on Saturday (hopefully) and then I'll taper.  I'm not quite where I want to be training and weight wise, but I did do the 10 mile LR at 16:49 (at altitude!) so I hope I'll be fine.  I'm working very hard at staying OP so I can lose a couple of extra pounds before the race.

*Kathy* Um, its MY team that is playing the Patriots next week!  Too funny about your Patriots patient.  I'm glad Poko is fitting in quite nicely.  It is fun having a dog (you know, besides all the extra work!).  We did notice our floors were much cleaner too, one day soon after we got her, I went to sweep under the table and there was nothing there!   to you and Michael with his seizure disorder, it sounds like he is doing well with the meds.

*Maria* I really hope you DS gets better soon, sounds nasty!    My DD had a cold again this weekend, but that's not nearly as serious (and messy!).  Looking at your list of what you want to accomplish as a whole it looks very overwhelming.  I've been decluttering and organizing for a while and it is so much easier to break it down into small tasks (like, I'm going to just focus on this one closet today, etc).  It will take a while, especially when you are trying to fit it in with everything else that needs to get done, but you can definitely do it!  It looks like we are doing this Broncos-Patriots thing again on Saturday, hopefully it will be a little more interesting this time.

*Lindsay* Sounds like an interesting dive bar.  It was really great of your family to step up and do something about that drunk driver.  I agree with the expert (lisah) that it is highly unlikely that it will go all the way to trial.  Great job on saying no to fast food and soda!

*Nancy* Very cute pic of Matthew on FB!  We took a similar pic of DS (no Giants gear, though!) at his first superbowl.  We also put a beer next to him, we are such bad parents!    That is funny that you have more of an interest in sports than John.  My DH likes sports, but not nearly as much as the "watch nothing but sports all day" kind of guy.  My tomboy superpower is that I am better at video games than DH, he'll be the first to admit it too!

*Rose* You had me at Baileys!  While your drink sounds amazing, I am currently saving myself for a post Tink drink, not sure what its going to be yet.  Sorry for the craptastic day (another fan of that word!) and the mini drama on the Donald thread.  As someone who also lost one pound this week, I totally got what you were saying.  Yeah, at the beginning I would be proud and then get on the challenge thread, see some huge losses and think, "I can't do this, I'm such a loser (and not in a good way)."  But I can happily celebrate everyone's accomplishments and know that slow and steady is what my body does and that doesn't mean its time to give up!

*LisaH* 15 miles on the indoor track, to quote everyone on the Tink thread, !  I'm trying to think of what I'm going to do during taper, besides some more cleaning and organizing.  I haven't been to a non kids movie in such a long time, that's sounding good to me.  It sounds like this podcast meet may be quite the gathering.  Now my DH isn't sure about going if its going to be crowded.  We are thinking the hotel restaurants and DTD are going to be crowded after the race, we shall see.  My in laws may be going to the race expo with us on Friday afternoon, should be fun!  As for not hearing from DH's boss, the news of this project has to go through several engineers before reaching him and then finally DH, I'm not surprised its taking so long.  Its also difficult for them to talk, being in 2 different states, they have to schedule phone calls to keep in touch!  I just don't want to think about it right now.

Have a good week and welcome to our newest member!


----------



## inkedupmomma

A few questions, if anyone can help me out.  For the full marathon, can it be co-ed, or for women only?

Has anyone done the family 5k?  I have NEVER ran at all, and I think this is a better option than a half marathon in just one year.

Also, if you have done it, what ages were your children, and how did they train? I currently have an 11 year old and 5 year old. They would be 12 and almost 7 by the time of the race and I would love to do this as a family!

How busy is it that time of year at WDW?  As much as I want to make this my goal, we have decided Feb would be our new annual trip time due to low cost and crowd levels... 

Does the money for the race go to any charity?

I think that is my last question.... Running is very intimidating to me, but if anything would get me to do it, it would be a disney trip 

Thanks for all of your help!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

inkedupmomma said:


> A few questions, if anyone can help me out.  For the full marathon, can it be co-ed, or for women only?
> 
> Has anyone done the family 5k?  I have NEVER ran at all, and I think this is a better option than a half marathon in just one year.
> 
> Also, if you have done it, what ages were your children, and how did they train? I currently have an 11 year old and 5 year old. They would be 12 and almost 7 by the time of the race and I would love to do this as a family!
> 
> How busy is it that time of year at WDW?  As much as I want to make this my goal, we have decided Feb would be our new annual trip time due to low cost and crowd levels...
> 
> Does the money for the race go to any charity?
> 
> I think that is my last question.... Running is very intimidating to me, but if anything would get me to do it, it would be a disney trip
> 
> Thanks for all of your help!



!

All Disney races are co-ed, but you will find many fewer men running the Princess and Tink Halfs. 

My BIL and SIL did the Family 5K a couple of years ago, and there were definitely kids there. It's a very friendly "race", it's not timed, and I don't think it would be a problem to do it with kids. I would recommend having the family do a local 5K first, so you know what to expect. Look for something with "fun run" or something like that in the title -- that should be family friendly, and you can always ask the race director. 

January is traditionally a very low time at WDW, as long as it's past New Year's. But you will find it a bit more crowded on "Marathon Monday" in the MK, that seems to be where most runners go. 

Unless you raise it yourself, the money from the race does not go to any charity. This is a for-profit venture. You will see people running from Team in Training or other charities, those people have raised money for the organizations, who then take care of their arrangements and provide training for the race. 

Please don't be too intimidated. Many people have had a lot of success using the Couch to 5K (C25K) program. With a full year to train, you could try that first, and then decide if a 10K, or a Half, might be realistic for you. Also, we all started out not having done a race -- some of us have been at it longer than others, but we all have decided this is fun! 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> And for all of us good news from NPR for us this morning -- teens who talk back may have a bright future!    Our kids are well on their way!
> 
> http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/201...-future?ft=3&f=111787346&sc=nl&cc=es-20120108



Ok this may mean Ryan may be our future president because he is only 7 and has already got quite an attitude forming.  Yesterday I finally told him if he talks back to me again I am washing his mouth out with soap.  Then I was even more mad because it made me feel like my mother It did curtail the attitude for the rest of the day.  For the record I wouldnt really do this to my kid.  dont report me.  Usually the threat alone works wonders.

Nancy- I will need to get over and join your journal I see you started.  I need to start updating mine again too.  Glad we are friends now on myfitnesspal, now that I know its you.  It looks like you had a good weekend and woohoo for seeing Usher.  Dont let yourself get discouraged about where you are now with running compared to where you were.  I did that for the past 6 months and it has gotten me know where.  I finally had it sink it that its ok and not to dwell on it and it already feels better.  I think running is so mental it is so easy to syke ourselves out.  You will get there.

Maria- So sorry you are feeling overwhelmed lately.  Try making a written list of things you want to work on and then pick one thing first, once you get that under control then move onto the next.  That has often helped me when I am overwhelmed.  Of course heading back to be works too.  I bet the illness isnt helping any of your feelings.  I hope Ben is better and that you and dennis dont catch it.  

LisaH- I agree I think the post counts started off as a friendly competition to get the board going but also created a bit of tension between the teams.  I am sure it will fizzle out....at least it seems to have died down on our team.  I loved your cumbyahh thought.  I do that at work sometimes.  Well I dont make them sing it I just say we are having a cumbyahh meeting. 

Rose- I bet you are not coming off negative at work but I know what you mean.   Its hard to remain positive all the time especially when you really just dont want to do those certain things anymore.  I hope it gets better soon.  Just think before you know it you will be back in your happy place.  

Kathy- Glad things are going so well with Poko.  I never was a dog person either but my doggie just melts my heart now too.  Michael is just so darn cute and seems like such a wonderful happy boy.  I cant imagine he will ever give you a hard time as a teenager.


Lisa- Glad the camera was safe and sound.  I would have been freaking out about that.  Uggh I remember those days last winter of constant icy/snowy sidewalks and roads.  Its no fun.  I hope you can make it through it for the next couple of weeks.  

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

I thought I posted on here yesterday but I must be getting confused.  I am trying hard to keep up with the team board.  I guess today I really dont have much to say.  I came to work early to get some stuff done but everyone needs an answer to a question so I am not getting as much done as I would like.  I guess thats my job. 

Eating is still going really well and I just feel like I am in that frame of mind.  I just really hope it lasts but I feel confident that this time it will.  I am just pictureing myself on the beach in july and I think about if I look like I am now how unhappy I will be with myself.  That seems to help.

I had a great 3 mile run yesterday.  Thanks to lisa H's great tip I tried the 1/1 ratio and actually held a pace of 12:40 which isnt great but considering I was at a 11:30-12:00 minute pace this time last year thats not too bad.  Plus I didnt feel like I was going to die.  I actually ran with my ipod which was the first time I did that while running outside.  I actually think it helped especially while I was approaching the two hills during my run.  the first one was approaching and I was like oh my gosh I cant run up that hill, and then as if it was planned eye of the tiger began playing.  then another song in between and as I was starting up the next hill we will rock you started.  I mean I couldnt have planned it any better myself.

Tonight is basketball practice and then to rush home and do homework, bathtime, clean up and bed.  Day in the life of a mom.

I guess for not having much to say my post still was long.


----------



## liesel

inkedupmomma said:


> A few questions, if anyone can help me out.  For the full marathon, can it be co-ed, or for women only?
> 
> Has anyone done the family 5k?  I have NEVER ran at all, and I think this is a better option than a half marathon in just one year.
> 
> Also, if you have done it, what ages were your children, and how did they train? I currently have an 11 year old and 5 year old. They would be 12 and almost 7 by the time of the race and I would love to do this as a family!
> 
> How busy is it that time of year at WDW?  As much as I want to make this my goal, we have decided Feb would be our new annual trip time due to low cost and crowd levels...
> 
> Does the money for the race go to any charity?
> 
> I think that is my last question.... Running is very intimidating to me, but if anything would get me to do it, it would be a disney trip
> 
> Thanks for all of your help!



I am currently training for my first half, the Tink in 20 days, and I started running 11 months ago.  Prior to that I had been working out for at least 3 days a week for a year.  I started on the BL challenge thread and was so inspired by all these ladies and what they've accomplished that I wanted to do a Disney race for myself!  To get ready, I've done 3 5Ks, 1 four miler, and 1 10K.  I've heard of people going from couch to half in a year, it just depends on your fitness level.  You can check out the runDisney calendar and see what races appeal to you, there are many during off peak times.

My kids are 6 and 10 and they are going to be participating in the one mile kids' race at the Tink and are very excited.  My DS10 has also completed a kids triathalon and he's been on a summer swim team.  I thought this would be a good place to start for them and the 5K tink weekend is at 10:30 at night and I thought this would be too late for them, especially since we are flying in that morning.  If we go to marathon weekend next January, I would love us all to do the 5K together, but I may do a local race with them first so they can get a good idea of the distance.  There are lots of young runners out there!

I've seen that at the DL races they donate a portion of race proceeds to charity, usually in Anaheim, but I'm not sure about WDW.

I found running intimidating too, but last week I did 10 miles, so it can definitely be done!  I use Jeff Galloway's run/walk method.  I started with C25K, but quickly switched over.  All these ladies have run at WDW and can tell you how much fun it is, I can't wait until my first Disney race!


*LisaH* About the first mile of the Tink, I ran it in October and the hills are very gradual, they just look scary.  From the few races I've done, I've found that if I go out too fast and the first mile is hilly, its so much harder to recover.  On the 10K, I took it easy the first 2 miles and ended up passing people!  We'll be holding back a little in the first mile anyway so we can finish strong!  Plus after the last one on Harbor, its downhill into DL!

*Maria* I don't blame you for having race weekend withdrawls, it looks so awesome.  I've never been and am having withdrawls too!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Glad we are friends now on myfitnesspal, now that I know its you.



wait i don't have any friends on myfitnesspal! i think that might be a different nancy? lol!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Rose&Mike said:


> Bleh! I quit life! Five and a half hour conference call today on the stupid project that has been going on since last year. And I ended up with all the action items.  Though I think my boss might be doing one of them. I am so far behind in my regular work. Uggh! I have decided I am drinking my dinner tonight. Add to that a little drama on the Donald thread and I am chicken fried. And the stupid foot is hurting. Calgon, take me away.



Oh my, that is way more than any one person should have to deal with in one day  I totally get drinking your dinner. I have decided I am going to get something fruity and not good for me to drink at Boma next month. I have earned it! I don't care if I end up being poured into a cab to get back to my resort (ok, pretty unlikely, but it's fun to say! ). Lightweight that I am, even I can handle one WDW cocktail  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Well apparently I am a bit chatty tonight.  Who would have known eating healthy and exercising this week would give me so much energy. Tomorrow will be 1 wk without fast food specifically mcdonalds.  I swear those hashbrowns were like crack to me. I am amazed at myself for finally just stopping....now its a matter of making it last.
> 
> Ok I am boring myself now so I will rid you all of the pain I am going to go talk mikes ear off now....Im sure he will be thrilled.



I am so proud of you for ditching the fast food! It is not easy, particularly when you are hungry! I wouldn't be surprised to find those hash browns have some crack in them -- they are ridiculously addictive! 



Rose&Mike said:


> --yes, craptastic is my new favorite word. I don't even care if it sounds like a potty word. It's got to be better than the f-bomb right? I'm kind of over the whole donald post thing. I just read it right when I first came home from work and it was such a very long and aggravating day.



Well, it certainly is a good use of vocabulary -- I mean, who doesn't know what it means?! 



mikamah said:


> *Maria*-I wish we were in disney right now cheering you on for the donald.  I found myself on facebook looking at as much race stuff as I could and dreaming about being there.  I can only imagine how much fun it is, and I wish you were there too, but in just 7 short weeks you'll be at the princess!!! So you do have that to look forward to, and next year you'll be there.
> 
> Well, i'm down 1 pound, and still have lots of room to improve my eating plan, so that's my plan for this week.  After doggy school this morning, I'm making a grocery list, and ds has a party, so I hope to leave him, and go to market basket and target for a couple things while he's there.  no crap.  I will buy no crap.  that is my motto for today.  no crap.



*Kathy* -- Thank you and everyone else for your patience with my whining about marathon weekend. I am so fortunate I can go to the Princess, and that I can plan to be there next year. I am very lucky, and I need to reflect that in my attitude  I am very proud of you for being down a pound. It is good, it is steady, and it's about the best I can hope for, too!  Buying no crap should be the motto for my life. My living room looks so bare with all the Christmas stuff gone, but I really like it. Less to dust, less to deal with. I try to buy things that won't become clutter. That's what I have to remember! 



lisah0711 said:


> Thanks for all the good thoughts for my run! I needed every single one of 'em.  Man, that was long.  Really the same amount of time as the 14 miles -- cause I went a little faster (but not too fast)  -- but just so, so long.  I had a bit of a Tink type tantrum in my brain and if the way I am feeling right now is any indication, it will be a cold day in you know where before I do 15 miles again. I'm sure tomorrow I will feel better about it all but for now I am totally chicken fried to a crisp.
> 
> I don't know what I will be drinking after the Tink.  There is a podcast meet at the DL Hotel so I will have to check out the drink menu and get back to you.  I'll see if I can find one with a recipe so we can share virtually!



That is a really, really long run. I am so proud of you!  The podcast meet sounds like a blast, I know you will have a wonderful time! I don't listen to the DL podcast very often, but when I do they seem to be having fun! mickey:



Rose&Mike said:


> *Maria*--Are you enjoying your football weekend? We are rooting (how do you spell that?) for Cincy this weekend, Green Bay overall. Though the guy who owns Houston funds the scholarship Tom gets at South Carolina. He's a pretty generous guy. So I guess we should be really cheering on Houston.



We were rooting for Cincy, too! We would have been happy to host them  Don't worry about Houston, they did ok...



donac said:


> Rose  I am sorry about the comment that person made on the Donald thread.  I know a lot of people are only losing a pound or two and would be discouraged after seeing so many others losing more.  I read that this morning and I got very discouraged and I did lose 5 pounds.  I hate negative comments and I hope it doesn't turn into that because I don't want to quit.
> 
> Hi everyone.  Just stopping by to see how the race plans are going.  Good luck to all those planning on doing the Princess next month.  I hope your practice runs are going well.



No quitting, *Dona!* You are a treasure, and we're not letting you go that easily! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I can just picture how circle time will go on monday at ryans school when asked what was exciting about your weekend.Nothing can be worse than when he told his teacher last week during a book about horses that we go to the horse races and last year he bet on number 5 and it won and pop pop bought everyone french fries with his winnings.



I bet Ryan has the most interesting tale at circle time. He is going to be unique and memorable! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> hello my lovelies! i'm BEAT but just want to say a quick hello. hoping for some more time to post tomorrow when john takes thomas to soccer practice (they just called and told us he is the only one in the class. lol! should be interesting for the coach).
> 
> i just had to pop in and tell you that yesterday....
> 
> I SAW USHER!



Awesome! Just as long as you aren't trying to give birth again or when/where Beyonce does, you should be fine  Ooh! a private soccer lesson for Thomas. He's going to be a star! 



mikamah said:


> I am obsessed with facebook and marathon weekend, and I've never even been there but it looks so amazing.  I so want to go next year, and then the year after to run.  I'm already planning when we'll need to leave to get to the finishline to cheer you all on.  Hopefully michael will still be an early riser then.  My sil and the kids were at the fence right by the 13 mile mark, so I'll be there I think, so be sure and look for me.  As for *Nancy* and the full I think we should be able to cheer early on in the race, and again at the finish.  I think I'm going to increase my christmas club, and use that money for the january trip.  I used to do more of a christmas club, but when we went over to biweekly checks, I didn't change it, so it was cut in half, so I need to fix that.



I'm so glad Poko did well in doggie school. She is a good girl!  The WISH crew usually sets up for the Full outside of DHS. I can show you where  We are going to have a blast! It is so much fun to hand out twizzlers, and cheer super loud when you see a WISHer -- honestly, I had no idea it would be that much fun! 



Rose&Mike said:


> *Maria*--You sound like me. I get so overwhelmed when I think of everything I think I should be doing to be a better person/to improve myself, etc. But it's all a process. And really, it should be somewhat fun, when you think about it. Kind of like yard work vs. gardening. Yard work does not sound like fun. But if you call it gardening doesn't it sound relaxing and fun? Try to look at all of this as a process of discovery and try to enjoy some of the discovery along the way.



Very wise life lessons. I definitely prefer organizing to cleaning...but for me it's often the same thing 



lisah0711 said:


> I'll be heading over to the Mickey thread to do my replies.  I'm not too fond of the posting war because I think it discourages us from cross-thread posting.  I like *Rose's* attitude that we should all get back to what got us here in the first place.
> 
> *Maria,* I so totally do not blame you for feeling like you are missing out with Marathon Week-end.  I'm like *Kathy* I'm missing it and I've never even been.  Couple that with the full moon and all the other things going on in your life and you need a little time to rest, regroup and plan.
> 
> I think it's good to step back and think about things.   It gives you time to reflect on your priorities and decide what needs to be done now and what can wait.  'Cause you know you don't have to do everything at once -- and you will burn out big time if you try.
> 
> Anyone else at your house worried about closets, lipsticks or the general condition of the house?  You just had guests, it's probably not as bad as you think.  That would be something I would put off -- okay, really that's what I'm doing so I think you should too.
> 
> I would put the Princess training at the top of the list 'cause it's hard to beat the motivation of a race.    Schedule those personal maintainence items for before the Princess so you feel like your beautiful, princess-y self before you leave for WDW.  The attitude -- it's there, I know it is, when you are rested it will appear.    Be kind to yourself.



Excellent advice! And I am taking it. I have decided to focus first and foremost on getting ready for the Princess. That means eating better, and getting in all my runs. I am toying with adding the weight training, and will probably do it after the race. I know I need to do it, but now is probably not the time to start something new.  You are also so right, no one else in my house has a clue the closet is an issue  So obviously it's functional, and good enough for now. 



dumbo_buddy said:


> sometimes life really CAN be overwhelming, right? i feel the same way sometimes, especially when i sit here posting on the DIS with a load of laundry next to me needing to be folded, about 5 crackers-worth of crumbs on the floor, etc etc.
> 
> what did you come up with from your contemplating? think you'll go back to WW? the gym?
> 
> oh and what about splenda v. honey? trying to go a more natural sweetener? i've been using a packet of the pink stuff to sweeten my oatmeal. i have honey but knowing me i'd put a cup of it in there.
> 
> enjoy the football! i know you'll be cheering on the giants. hehe.



Actually, I was cheering for the Giants. No dog in that hunt for me, so why not cheer for *Nancy's* team?  You have won the honor of going to Green Bay. I wish you luck! 

I am going to start tracking on WW online. I'm paying for it, I might as well use it. I just keep my membership, because I always end up coming back. Months go by when I do nothing, but it's easier to just keep paying rather than set up a new account each time. 

I used honey in my tea this morning. I'm not sure if it worked, it's supposed to help with not feeling more hungry from using artificial sweetener. I'm going to try it for a week and see what I think. 

Okay, let's see if I can avoid the smiley police...

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

lisah0711 said:


> *Maria,* hope your guy gets to feeling better very soon!
> 
> And for all of us good news from NPR for us this morning -- teens who talk back may have a bright future! Our kids are well on their way!



Yep, these kids are all going to be major successes!  Ben woke up 100% better. He still had a slight headache, but he looked healthy instead of like kermit the frog . So far so good -- I think I do have a touch of the virus, but it's been managable. Let's just say I'm making sure no one forgets to turn off the light in the bathroom  It's all good -- hopefully this will help with my weigh in this week 



dumbo_buddy said:


> *maria - *hope ben starts feeling better soon! poor thing. but i AM glad he asked for a hug...i just hope that hug didn't rub any germs on you!



Yep, by the time they get to this age, it melts your heart to be called "Mommy" again. But I will say one thing -- when he was little I used to say I wished I could be sick for him, and I meant it. I still say it, but I don't really mean it anymore 



donac said:


> Maria, It went through my house this week.  I hope it doesn't last long  Good luck



Thanks, *Dona!* I am sorry you were ill, especially when you were trying to send your son to Africa! I am hoping it is gone for good 



mikamah said:


> *Maria*-I hope Ben is feeling better soon, and you and Dennis stay healthy. So not what you needed today, but maybe being needed is what you needed.  If that makes sense.  Hang in there.
> 
> I meant to tell you, last sunday I got called into work, and it was a lady in her 80s having a procedure around 2pm, she came down to the unit and first thing she tells me is the Patriots are losing 21-0.  First question when she wakes up from the sedation- "How are the Patriots doing?"  Hilarious.  A die-hard fan for sure.  Glad they turned it around for her, but if she watched the rest of the game, she probably didn't remember it.



It makes perfect sense, and I did need to be needed, and get some perspective. The lipstick/gloss collection can wait  I love the Pats 
Fan, what a dear! It was a great, classic Brady comeback game. 



liesel said:


> I finally got my car back on Friday and my camera was there and not broken! Two less stresses.  Time to go back to stressing about the Tink and possibly moving.  We ran some errands and got some running gear for the kids.  They are getting very excited about the kids' races and going to DL!  It also snowed about 3-4 inches on Saturday, and now the sidewalks are icy again. Training in the winter is getting old.  I'm trying to keep up with my cardio and trying to maintain my fitness level for the race.  One more long run on Saturday (hopefully) and then I'll taper.  I'm not quite where I want to be training and weight wise, but I did do the 10 mile LR at 16:49 (at altitude!) so I hope I'll be fine.  I'm working very hard at staying OP so I can lose a couple of extra pounds before the race.
> 
> Um, its MY team that is playing the Patriots next week!



Great news about your camera! I'm so glad you have your car back.  And I love that your kids want to run -- that is so not the case in my house  I think you sound like you have the Tink prep well in hand, and you are going to be ready. Last year I woke up before the WDW Half, and as I was getting ready I just knew I was going to have a great race. I was well-trained, I had dropped some more weight, and I felt good. You and *Lisah* are going to wake up with that same feeling! 

We are getting out the welcome mat for the Broncos. Don't worry, we will be very hospitable and yell loudly every time they have the ball! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Maria- So sorry you are feeling overwhelmed lately.  Try making a written list of things you want to work on and then pick one thing first, once you get that under control then move onto the next.  That has often helped me when I am overwhelmed.  Of course heading back to be works too.  I bet the illness isnt helping any of your feelings.



I am such a listmaker! I have to be careful, or I will spend all my time "listing", and no time "doing"  But you are right, it is a great tool. The illness was not helping me feel like I was accomplishing anything, but I was doing what needed to be done -- and now I have three shiny bathrooms, and all of Ben's clothes and sheets are clean (6 loads of  later!)

Great job on the 3M, you are off to a fantastic start! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

dumbo_buddy said:


> wait i don't have any friends on myfitnesspal! i think that might be a different nancy? lol!


 Lindsay--who did you friend???

I need to come back later and do replies, but needed to put this out there cause I think it is part of the reason I have been feeling so aggravated the last couple of days.

First, did everyone get the Christmas card I sent? If you all didn't get it, then I might need to rethink my reaction to this. 

On the same day I sent the cards, I sent my sisters (three of them) cards and gift cards for their kids (4 nieces, 1 nephew). Ok fine. I have heard nothing from any of them. I even sent them an email asking if they got the card/gift card and no one replied. I know everyone is busy. I get it. But really is it that difficult to respond to an email? It's been about a week now sent I sent it.

No one sent Tom anything. Which is fine. It's a whatever. But what drives me insane is that if I talked to them at least one of them would complain about how they don't like it their inlaws spoil their kids. Really, they complain to me about this, the person with no inlaws. I did trade texts with my one sister that I am closest to at Christmas, but she never said if they got the gift cards either. I don't need a thank you really, but it would be nice to know if they got them, especially when I asked. 

Would it really occur to any of you all to not thank someone for a gift you received in the mail? I know, it is not about me. I get that. Really. But I can't help but feel--am I so unimportant to them that they can't even reply to the email?

Ok, that's all. Hopefully now I can get over it. I let myself be a little sad, which I think I needed to do.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Rose* -- The Thank You cards for our gifts went out last Tuesday, so I wasn't exactly prompt in getting them out -- or making Ben write his, either. 

However, yes, if I had received an e-mail asking if things had been received, I absolutely would have responded. Maybe they are embarrassed because you gave gifts and they didn't? 

Some people in the family stopped buying for my older nieces once they left high school -- maybe that's the case? I feel like I only have 3 nieces, and if I'm going to send a gift to their younger sister to be opened when they are all there at Christmas, I'm going to do it! Maybe I'll change once they get married, but for now I'm still sending them a Vera Bradley 

I loved your Christmas card, I think it was the perfect photo of your family! 

I'm sorry this is bothering you. Remember, they have their own "dreams", and you have yours  Do Not Take it Personally 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Maria--thanks.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

dumbo_buddy said:


> wait i don't have any friends on myfitnesspal! i think that might be a different nancy? lol!



are you fooling with me????  I got this friend request and accepted it thinking it had to be someone on here.  Then this person asked a question on a comment and I said who is this I dont recognize your user name.  They responded with Im princess nancy from the disboards.  You are the only princess nancy I know so it has to be you.  Im so confused????? although it doesnt take much.  Im sure its you though.



Rose&Mike said:


> Lindsay--who did you friend???



some lady that refers to herself as a princess.  (see above comment)

I agree that a return email would have been appropriate and even if they felt bad for not sending tom anything they could have said that in an email.  I agree with what maria said though.  Dont sweat it or take it personally.  I however did receive your card with the lovely picture and it hung on my wall until just the other day.  So thank you for making my wall a bit nicer looking for the holiday.  Plus the boys enjoyed seeing everyones pictures.

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

This is our last week of major construction at work and the project is suppose to be finished by monday.  It is a bit stressful and not that I was planning to but I now know for sure that I will NEVER build my own house.  We did have a nice looking gentleman (well actually young guy) hanging countertops today.  I think he was even more attractive because he was all muscular and then had a tool belt hanging around his waist. Of course my two younger single girls were all gaga over him.  I had to talk to him about a few things and he seemed as dumb as a door nail and he had the personality of the wall.  I told the girls that but they didnt seem to care. 

I just cant wait to be in my new office.  Did I tell you all I am planning to make it disney decor.  I have a window looking out into the office so I am going to the fabric store to pick out some kind of disney possibly mickey fabric and my mom is going to sew me some curtains.  I figure its a peds office so no one will think I am wierd.  I dont have too many other items but I will try to collect things over time.  Anyone know any good site to get disney office stuff?  I looked online at the disney store and I really didnt see much.

Alright well I am going to bed early tonight.  I am trying to get into work early everyday this week to help stay caught up.  

Good Night.


----------



## mikamah

*Rose*- I did receive your card, and love that picture of the 3 of you, by the way.  I don't remember if I said it before, but if I received a gift for ds in the mail, I would have him call right away to say thank you, because I am not very good about thank you notes.  I think it's rude of them not to at least reply to your email.  I would be upset too, and I think I would rethink sending the gifts, but on the other hand by next christmas, I would probably change my mind and want my nieces and nephews to have something from me.   It is not too much to expect an aknowledgement at the very least.  You are very important to us here.  We love you and are here for you always. 

*Lindsay*_I think there's a PrincessNancy who has been on the bl challenges before, maybe she is now.  Not our princess DumboNancy.  Lol.

I'll be back!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Princess Nancy is on Team Mickey -- I haven't resorted to calling *our* Nancy "BronxNancy" yet...but I have it handy in case I need it 

More from work later. I didn't get up this morning and run. I'm going to walk to BL and Dolvett  tonight, so I can still say I got my workout in. 4M is 4M in my book...

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

Quick post trying to catch up.  I'm looking forward to a long week-end to really catch up on things.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> lisa i think it's safe to say that we all WISH (hehe) we could be there to cheer you (and lisa R) on at the tink at the end of the month. i don't know if it's the estrogen patch or not but before the princess i had the same feelings of panic and cried...like...alot. the hard part about the training is that you build up to it and then you actually have to go and run the race. it's not like losing weight. you work hard to get to your goal weight and then you're there. training for a half means you work hard to get to the race day and then you have to go and run it! it's alot! makes ME want to cry!




Thanks for saying this, *Nancy!*  

*Kathy,* glad the clicker training is working.  I've never done that either.  But Poko is such a sweet and smart dog and she loves you both so much I'm sure she'll do anything to please you.  



liesel said:


> *LisaH* 15 miles on the indoor track, to quote everyone on the Tink thread, !  I'm trying to think of what I'm going to do during taper, besides some more cleaning and organizing.  I haven't been to a non kids movie in such a long time, that's sounding good to me.  It sounds like this podcast meet may be quite the gathering.  Now my DH isn't sure about going if its going to be crowded.  We are thinking the hotel restaurants and DTD are going to be crowded after the race, we shall see.  My in laws may be going to the race expo with us on Friday afternoon, should be fun!  As for not hearing from DH's boss, the news of this project has to go through several engineers before reaching him and then finally DH, I'm not surprised its taking so long.  Its also difficult for them to talk, being in 2 different states, they have to schedule phone calls to keep in touch!  *I just don't want to think about it right now*.



I don't blame you!    It's hard to feel like you are in limbo for sure!   

I remember when my dad got transferred to Arizona I found out when I came home from school and saw the "For Sale" sign in front of the house.   My Mom said they didn't think it would go up so fast.  

 I'm going to PM you my phone number.  I'll be at the Expo on Friday wearing my WISH shirt so if you see me come and say "hi!"  It would be nice if we could get together sometime during the week-end but I understand it's hard when you have the family, too.  I think it will be crowded at DLH after the race but this is probably my only shot at a podcast meet.  I haven't really listened much to the podcast.



inkedupmomma said:


> A few questions, if anyone can help me out.  For the full marathon, can it be co-ed, or for women only?
> 
> Has anyone done the family 5k?  I have NEVER ran at all, and I think this is a better option than a half marathon in just one year.
> 
> Also, if you have done it, what ages were your children, and how did they train? I currently have an 11 year old and 5 year old. They would be 12 and almost 7 by the time of the race and I would love to do this as a family!
> 
> How busy is it that time of year at WDW?  As much as I want to make this my goal, we have decided Feb would be our new annual trip time due to low cost and crowd levels...
> 
> Does the money for the race go to any charity?
> 
> I think that is my last question.... *Running is very intimidating to me, but if anything would get me to do it, it would be a disney trip *Thanks for all of your help!



Running for Disney is what got me running!   As time goes on I do it for myself, too.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I had a great 3 mile run yesterday.  Thanks to lisa H's great tip I tried the 1/1 ratio and actually held a pace of 12:40 which isnt great but considering I was at a 11:30-12:00 minute pace this time last year thats not too bad.  Plus I didnt feel like I was going to die.  I actually ran with my ipod which was the first time I did that while running outside.  I actually think it helped especially while I was approaching the two hills during my run.  the first one was approaching and I was like oh my gosh I cant run up that hill, and then as if it was planned eye of the tiger began playing.  then another song in between and as I was starting up the next hill we will rock you started.  I mean I couldnt have planned it any better myself.



Glad taking it easier worked for you, *Lindsay!* Some of us (me)would love to run a 12:40 so if that is where you are starting from again, you're doing great! 

Your Disney office sounds like fun!  Have you ever noticed my tag?   I think I've shared pictures before.  A lot of my stuff came from disneyshopping but they don't seem to have as much as they used to.  There is also something called Disney Living I see on FB -- I never know if my friends really like what it says they liked or not.  

And speaking of friends, that is Princess Nancy from Team Mickey on myfitnesspal.  She is very nice and has been on challenges before.    



liesel said:


> *LisaH* About the first mile of the Tink, I ran it in October and the hills are very gradual, they just look scary.  From the few races I've done, I've found that if I go out too fast and the first mile is hilly, its so much harder to recover.  On the 10K, I took it easy the first 2 miles and ended up passing people!  We'll be holding back a little in the first mile anyway so we can finish strong!  Plus after the last one on Harbor, its downhill into DL!



Thanks!  I'm going to walk around DL on Friday afternoon so I see what it is like.  In my mind it is a big, dark, looming hill which I know it's not but I'm freaking myself out nonetheless.    I'll be glad when this stage of taper madness is over.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> Well, it certainly is a good use of vocabulary -- I mean, who doesn't know what it means?!



 

Glad that Ben is feeling better! 

I've read that honey has lots of antioxidants and also gives you immune support, especially if you use local honey.  I always have honey on my toast after a long run.  

Hope you don't get the bug, too.  

*Rose,* I think someone should have replied to your email but then again lots of people don't even check their email once a week.    I think *Maria* said exactly the right thing to you.    It's not a reflection on you or how they feel about you, it's just the way they do stuff.  

I was hoping to run outside this afternoon but I see it has snowed.  I'll bring my outside stuff anyway and if it's too much, I'll just go back to the track.  I'm really not wanting to go back to the track.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello  and !

I meant to make it back here much earlier, but life interfered...

Dennis is not feeling well, so he left work early which means my ride left work early and I did, too. I had just put on my sneakers to do office laps when he called. Wonder of wonders, all the Devo staff were out at a dept. event, my assistant is out, and my boss went to a meeting and wasn't coming back -- I had the whole floor to myself!  But, then he called and I had to go home. Ok, no office laps, but even better, now I can make up the run I missed this morning! 

I started out at my normal pace, and quickly realized it wasn't happening. Guess I'd already expended too much energy today...so I slowed down, and still ran 4M! I am proud of me for not coming home and joining Dennis in bed. There was a minute on the TM when I was thinking about it 

The best thing is now I can Tivo BL, and I won't have to watch it live. I just don't need all that repetition, I like being able to FF 

*Lisah* -- I hope you're able to run outside today! We had snow when I woke up, but it's gone now. Not enough to hang around. I wish I could have looked at it and appreciated it more. I'm sure we'll have more soon, right *Kathy?*  Did you know Karen Gillan is leaving _Dr. Who_? That means we're getting a new companion...

*Lindsay* -- The new office sound Fabulous! You can't go wrong with the Mouse! 

* to Lisa, Kathy, Rose, Nancy, Pamela, Inkedupmomma and Dona!*

I'm off to watch the Dr. Who Christmas special (yes, we are that behind) with Ben!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Ladies.

Ok I was thoroughly confused with the whole princess nancy thing but now I finally got it and know who you are talking about.  I just thought our own bronx nancy was pulling my leg which just makes the whole thing even funnier.  I mean Im such an airhead sometimes.

Lisah- I do remember your pictures of your disney office.  I will have to start searching the internet to find some things.  I use to collect disney figurines and then when we bought our own house I sold them all at a yard sale. not sure what I was thinking.  I sometimes think I have the disease opposite of hoarding.  I get rid of everything that I am not currently using.

Maria- I hope dennis is feeling better soon.  Glad you were able to get a 4mile in today.  

Kathy- I forgot to say that I took my dog izzy that lives at my parents to doggie class and we used that clicker.  It worked well and we joked when the kids were toddlers and would start to get into something that they werent suppose to instead of having to constantly get up and redirect them that we should just use the clicker and train them to stop.  Glad poko is the star student....I knew she would be.

Hi everyone else too.

Same stuff a different day here.  Work, zumba, catching up on dis, kids bedtime, watch BL, and bed.  Nothing too exciting.  I am still doing good off of fast food and diet soda. 10 days and continuing.  Tonight ryan was begging for a happy meal since we had to leave quickly to get to zumba.  I gave in and was a bit nervous to go through the drive thru.  I ordered his and thats it.  I am amazed that I finally am doing it but still fearful at how long I can make this last.  I am trying to look at it like I have become a vegetarian and no longer am eating meat.  Maybe I can form a new word fastfoodarian maybe???????  That way hopefully it tricks my brain into not changing its mind.

Alright well these kids need to get to bed.  Talk to you all tomorrow.  I miss you Team Mickey folks on the BL thread but love talking with those of us who became quackers as Maria put it.


----------



## Rose&Mike

lisah0711 said:


> I'll be heading over to the Mickey thread to do my replies.  I'm not too fond of the posting war because I think it discourages us from cross-thread posting.  I like Rose's attitude that we should all get back to what got us here in the first place.


I'm not a big fan of the posting war either, but it seems to have died down. I'm not a big fan of teams, though it is very necessary at this time of year. I just feel like it doesn't always bring out the best in people.



dumbo_buddy said:


> when thomas was an infant and was starting to have a bit of a longer stretch of sleep (like, 9-2) i would have a glass of baileys every night to relax me. i was going through bottles of it! we have received so many bottles over the years as christmas gifts. i loved it. then i ran out and started having to buy it myself. and then i saw the price tag and started having a beer at night. love it though! there's a lady around here who makes her own and gives it as gifts. it's so good.
> 
> we've had a nice weekend so far. the zoo yesterday was beautiful and i had a salad instead of the fries and chicken tenders i'd normally have. disney on ice was SO good. only problem is that i had some, ehem, tummy issues during it so i wound up missing parts. oh well. feeling better today.
> 
> it felt so good to see usher on friday. i know, that sounds ridiculous. but it meant i was back. we have a double stroller that is a side-by-side one. it's the citi mini - you see them everywhere in disney. it's great! but we have to car seat adapter thingie on it for the baby and it's HEAVY! still, gave me a good workout. yesterday and today i tried running. oh man. it was ugly. i think the most i went at a time was a mile. and it was slow and painful. i wound up moving for about 3 miles each day. i tried not to get down about my fitness level. my body did it for me before, it'll do it for me again.


I used to be a Bud Light girl--then the whole gluten thing....now I am trying to figure out what kind of girl I am! I read something on a g-f forum that people make their own Baileys. It really is expensive, so it might be worth looking into. Great job on the salad! I would like to see Disney on ice someday. And I bet the fitness level comes back fast! And imagine how fast you will be when you aren't pushing the boys! You are doing strength and endurance training at the same time!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Ok, another moan from the peanut gallery. I'd better go check on him. Is it horribly wrong it made my day very early this morning when he asked me for a hug? Poor kid. He is rarely ill, and this is a "both ends" doozy...
> 
> Maria


Tom was always a hugger. The biggest hugger. And he didn't hug much during middle/high school. Some, but not much. He is back to being a big hugger. He even hugs Mike. I love it that he is so affectionate. Though I have noticed that he will let me kiss him on the cheek, but he will not kiss me at all. When he was little he had an imaginary friend--Darry--who made the hugs and kisses. Sometimes we had to wait for a hug cause Darry hadn't made them yet. Oh, my I am crying. I am so lucky to have such a sweet boy.



mikamah said:


> I meant to tell you, last sunday I got called into work, and it was a lady in her 80s having a procedure around 2pm, she came down to the unit and first thing she tells me is the Patriots are losing 21-0.  First question when she wakes up from the sedation- "How are the Patriots doing?"  Hilarious.  A die-hard fan for sure.  Glad they turned it around for her, but if she watched the rest of the game, she probably didn't remember it.
> 
> I have been having a little anxiety about michael and his seizure disorder after I heard that a local boy fell off a ski lift and died, and they think he had a seizure first.  I think I've been in a little denial about the whole reality of it.  Just thinking about all michael wants to do, adventure camp, rock climbing, and thinking about the what if's.  I know I can't live like that, but it's a worry.  I hope your niece is doing ok.
> 
> Hello to everyone else!!  Off to bed now.  Have a lovely night and marvelous monday.


Too funny about your patient! It's got to be scary with the seizures, but if he is doing ok on the meds, then you just have to hope for the very best. If I have learned one thing, it's that you can't slow boys down. And didn't they think he might outgrow it? How will they know?



liesel said:


> Good morning  and
> 
> I finally got my car back on Friday and my camera was there and not broken!   Two less stresses.  Time to go back to stressing about the Tink and possibly moving.  We ran some errands and got some running gear for the kids.  They are getting very excited about the kids' races and going to DL!  It also snowed about 3-4 inches on Saturday, and now the sidewalks are icy again.    Training in the winter is getting old.  I'm trying to keep up with my cardio and trying to maintain my fitness level for the race.  One more long run on Saturday (hopefully) and then I'll taper.  I'm not quite where I want to be training and weight wise, but I did do the 10 mile LR at 16:49 (at altitude!) so I hope I'll be fine.  I'm working very hard at staying OP so I can lose a couple of extra pounds before the race.


Woohoo for the camera still being there. And boo! for the snow! We are supposed to get snow on Thursday--.5 inch I think. I am dreading it!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I had a great 3 mile run yesterday.  Thanks to lisa H's great tip I tried the 1/1 ratio and actually held a pace of 12:40 which isnt great but considering I was at a 11:30-12:00 minute pace this time last year thats not too bad.  Plus I didnt feel like I was going to die.  I actually ran with my ipod which was the first time I did that while running outside.  I actually think it helped especially while I was approaching the two hills during my run.  the first one was approaching and I was like oh my gosh I cant run up that hill, and then as if it was planned eye of the tiger began playing.  then another song in between and as I was starting up the next hill we will rock you started.  I mean I couldnt have planned it any better myself.


We've been doing 1:1 too. Sometimes I do 2:1 cause it slows me down a little more. I am so happy to see you so motivated!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Oh my, that is way more than any one person should have to deal with in one day  I totally get drinking your dinner. I have decided I am going to get something fruity and not good for me to drink at Boma next month. I have earned it! I don't care if I end up being poured into a cab to get back to my resort (ok, pretty unlikely, but it's fun to say! ). Lightweight that I am, even I can handle one WDW cocktail
> 
> I used honey in my tea this morning. I'm not sure if it worked, it's supposed to help with not feeling more hungry from using artificial sweetener. I'm going to try it for a week and see what I think.
> 
> Okay, let's see if I can avoid the smiley police...
> 
> Maria


Don't worry Maria, we are staying at Kidani. So if you get too crazy you can sleep on our pullout couch. I made the reservation for 4 people. Is anyone else coming, do you know?

Kept meaning to say about the honey, Mike eats a spoon of LOCAL honey everyday and is just about completely off claritin. It has really helped with his allergies. But you need to look for local honey. We get it at Whole Foods. The theory is that the bees are pollinating native plants. And I am a big believer that artificial sweeteners cause sugar/carb cravings. I was a diet coke addict, big time. For years. I have been off it for 2 years. Now I will have regular coke if I really want one (very rarely) or plain coffee.



Worfiedoodles said:


> Yep, these kids are all going to be major successes!  Ben woke up 100% better. He still had a slight headache, but he looked healthy instead of like kermit the frog . So far so good -- I think I do have a touch of the virus, but it's been managable. Let's just say I'm making sure no one forgets to turn off the light in the bathroom  It's all good -- hopefully this will help with my weigh in this week



I'm glad Ben is feeling better. I hope you and Dennis don't get sick!


mommyof2Pirates said:


> I just cant wait to be in my new office.  Did I tell you all I am planning to make it disney decor.  I have a window looking out into the office so I am going to the fabric store to pick out some kind of disney possibly mickey fabric and my mom is going to sew me some curtains.  I figure its a peds office so no one will think I am wierd.  I dont have too many other items but I will try to collect things over time.  Anyone know any good site to get disney office stuff?  I looked online at the disney store and I really didnt see much.
> 
> Alright well I am going to bed early tonight.  I am trying to get into work early everyday this week to help stay caught up.
> 
> Good Night.


I think your Disney office sounds great!



mikamah said:


> You are very important to us here.  We love you and are here for you always.


Thank you Kathy.



lisah0711 said:


> I was hoping to run outside this afternoon but I see it has snowed.  I'll bring my outside stuff anyway and if it's too much, I'll just go back to the track.  I'm really not wanting to go back to the track.


I hope you got outside! Yuck snow!
Are you getting excited!!!!!????



Worfiedoodles said:


> I started out at my normal pace, and quickly realized it wasn't happening. Guess I'd already expended too much energy today...so I slowed down, and still ran 4M! I am proud of me for not coming home and joining Dennis in bed. There was a minute on the TM when I was thinking about it


Great job Maria!!!

****
Phew! Caught up!

Thanks for the nice words yesterday. I asked if you all got the cards, cause I was thinking maybe there was a problem with the mail and no one got anything I sent that day. We had a bill payment once that got half burned in a mailtruck fire. It showed up 6 months later after I paid the late fee, interest etc! So I don't always trust the mail! Anyhow, feeling better about things today. Thank you all.

I am slowly catching up at work. I am happy to say I can see my desk surface again so that has helped my attitude immensely! My p-f has been bothering me a little, but I have decided I have had enough of physical therapy. So two more visits and I am done for now. It's not bad, maybe a 1 on a 1-10 pain scale, but I can feel it. I think it might be because I was so active over the holidays and now I am plopped down at work all day and things are tightening up. 

Tomorrow I have p-t and in the afternoon I think I am going to pool run. Have a great night!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hello to my lovely friends. you know what's weird/awesome? i haven't posted on here really for a few days and i miss my friends so much. it's "weird" because i probably talk to you guys more than anyone else and "awesome" because it just means i've found some pretty amazing friends. thank God for technology 

i feel like i'm running on fumes the last few days. i haven't been keeping up on my coaching duties. and of course it's 8:30 and i need to be out of here in 10 minutes and nobody is dressed and thomas just smushed egg on his head.   eh, just one of those weeks. it will get better. plus, being busy is better than being bored! and they say SAHMs just sit around eating bon bons all day. 

ok, now really running low on time but i HAD to get on here quickly to say hello to everyone and i wanted to quickly respond to *rose* - i DID receive your lovely card. the lack of acknowledgement for the gifts on the part of your sisters is a shame but in no way reflective of you. i'm sorry that your one sister is dealing with her things. but the other ones could have at least sent a quick email. i also haven't had a chance to respond to your PM but i've been thinking about you.  

must run! egg is everywhere now!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--I was cracking up thinking about Thomas with egg in his hair. Though it probably wasn't fun for you. Was it cooked egg at least? Take care of yourself Nancy. There is tons of time to get ready for the full in January. If I have learned anything over the last year, it is that healing takes a little while. And even though you had a relatively easy pregnancy and delivery (easy for me to say), the baby still sucked a lot of your body's resources. So try to be patient. I know it's hard. I still have new hair growing back in, which is a constant reminder to me when I look in the mirror that my body was hurting and it is going to take a little while for things to be completely healed/better. The point being, if you are running on fumes, you need some rest. Is your mother's helper coming in so you can get a break or a nap even? I wish I lived closer. Mike and I would happily take the boys for the afternoon--and happily give them back. Hang in there.

*****
Ok, I just spent an hour trying to book airplane tickets. I have been watching prices, and while I still paid more than I wanted, I got the flights I wanted for a price I can live with. So first I tried booking using google chrome. Which I always use. For some reason the delta site wasn't liking chrome today. So it locked me out. Then I spent 15 min on the phone with a delta rep who was going to book my same flight, but it was $25 more per ticket. Then I spent time with their tech support who was USELESS! Of course delta's standard response--there's something wrong with your cc. And I couldn't understand the tech support person either! Then I called my cc company because my online page was showing 3 pending charges to delta (of $0). So she suggested (and I had already decided this) to try using internet explorer. And of course the flights weren't there and the flights that were, were more expensive!!! So I waited 15 minutes, checked again, and success! Got my tickets and my cc worked. *So I guess I am running the Princess.*  Through all this I kept thinking--we shouldn't go, we should drive, we should this, we should that.....You get the picture. I really am burned out on flying, but this is such a short trip (Thurs-Tues) and it's a 13 hour drive, so I hated to either take more time off work or waste vacation time driving. I booked an earlier flight home--we get home at 9:00pm instead of our ususal midnight, so hopefully that will help. That late night flight is exhausting.

I went to pt today and it went well, I think. Mike was rubbing the p-f scar tissue last night with a golfball (yes it hurt) so she didn't do much on that today. But she worked on my ankle some more. She said the soreness/tightness I have been experiencing is probably coming from increased activity. But she did ask about the running and was pretty positive about everything. She does want me to come in next week, but we talked about the fact that I am now paying cash(deductible starting over, low balance in hsa) so we are going to play things by ear. The most I want to pay for right now is once a week (after this week which is twice).  Plus honestly, I am tired of going. Mike has been massaging the scar tissue every night, and I guess maybe that isn't a good idea. So I did learn something today. I have to let it actually heal a little. 

I think I am going to get in the pool this afternoon and run a little. I don't want to, but I really need to stick with the workouts if I am going to finish this race!

TTYL!


----------



## crmrrsn28

I am new here (just found the boards a few days ago), but I am running both the tink and princess this year.  I'm excited and very nervous!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Nancy* I hate to admit it to but I was laughing picturing thomas with egg all over him, the baby crying, you needing to get ready and rushing to get everyone together.  The only reason I found it funny is because I can so remember those days and quite honestly some of them were not that long ago.  But when we are not in the moment of them you know you have to see the humor to get you through it right.  I hope your day got better.  A SAHM's job is not an easy one.  I know I would never be able to do it.  I think you are doing an amazing job and your boys are going to really appreciate you someday (probably once they are over the age of 20)

Rose- What a fiasco on booking those flights.  Its so frustrating dealing with technology and people who have no idea how to help you.  Glad you got the flights you wanted and for the right price.  
I seriously was tearing up reading your response about Tom being a hugger.  

That is so cute.  tonight nick said "I want mommy to put me to bed so I can give her a million kisses".  I mean if that didnt melt my heart I dont know what would.  I just love huggable sensitive boys.

On the whole PT thing.  Isnt there exercises you can do at home????  by now she should be able to give you the things to continue and how often.  Its only my opinion but I think sometimes they keep telling you to come back just to keep themselves in business.  Anyway I am glad the pain is getting better and that hopefully you are getting to the end of all the nagging injuries you have had to deal with.  Princess here you come.

Hello Kathy, Maria, Lisa, Lisah and anyone else reading along.  Hope your new year is continuing to be a good one.  We spoke about the even numbers but we didnt talk about the fact there is a full moon in the same week at friday the 13th.  Minor oversight on our part.

Ok well I just need to send a big thank you out to Rose tonight.  Why you ask????  Well TOM arrived today and I was feeling exhausted and whiney and really really did not want to go to the gym to do my 30 minute run.  So I remembered what Rose always said.  commit to at least doing 5 minutes and then stop if you still dont want to do it.  So I drove myself there and those first 5 minutes felt horrendous but I kept at it and finished the full 30.  Im feeling good that I did.  So thank you rose for those wonderful words of wisdom.

Have a great night!


----------



## mikamah

crmrrsn28 said:


> I am new here (just found the boards a few days ago), but I am running both the tink and princess this year.  I'm excited and very nervous!


Welcome to the boards!!  Wow, 2 halfs in 2 months!! That's aweseome.  Have you done any disney races before?  Feel free to tell us a little about yourself and we all love to hear about your disney plans.  6 of us met at the princess last year, and it was the first half for 4 of us, I think.   We have 2 gals here doing the tink, and 2 others doing the Princess this year, so you will be in good company.  I, myself am not doing either, so I'll be cheering you all on from afar. 

Good morning everyone!!

I am waaaaaay behind on the dis this week.  If only I was a rich stay at home mom with nanny and housekeeper, then I'd be all caught up and chatty.  On the other hand, I am doing pretty good with eating, and saw 209.2 on the scale today, so plan to keep it up.  I bought new running shoes yesterday and a new running bra, and am ready to start running again.  I figure it will help with the envy of all my friends and family heading to disney.  My brother Jim, sil Beth and Taylor leave on saturday for orlando.  They are going to MK on saturday, and then doing seaworld and universal.  It's for taylor's birthday.  I wish we could have gone with them, but it was not to be this year.  We'll be doing Niagara falls with them in april. 

I sent Poko to daycare again today, and I think it's a good thing for both of us.  Tuesday she was with the big dogs and came home exhausted, so we had a quiet night, and instead of our long walks, I caught up on laundry and dishes.  It's raining here, so we just took a short walk but since I committed to 100 days of moving, I will need to take at least a 30 min walk tonight.  

*LisaH*_How's that taper madness going?  I forgot it was a 3 day weekend, and I did take monday off, so I'm psyched now.  What's on the running agenda?  How many more long runs?  I think I tapered to 8 then 5.  OMG, it is almost here!!!  I am getting so very excited for you!!  I'm on call that morning, and my fingers will be crossed I don't get called in so I can track your race.  

*LisaR*-How's the madness in Colorado!!  Taper and Football!! It will be fun to watch the game saturday night.  That Tebow is all the rage now, and I saw on the news he's the most popoular ball player right now.  I think poor Tom Brady may be a little sad.   I forgot the kids are doing the races too.  They must be so excited, and will have a blast.  Michael and my niece Taylor did the Mickey Mile princess weekend, and it was awesome.  I had painted them t-shirts and they wore them at the race, bright green and yellow, and it was great they wore them because it was a sea of white tshirts that they gave out for the race, and they really stuck out.  It would have been hard to see them otherwise.  Their pics are in my facebook photos.  I just painted swirly mickey heads.  I actually painted quite a few shirts, as part of my taper madness.  Or if your kids wanted to paint their own for the race, it's a fun project.  Michael's painted some too.  

*Rose*-Whoo hoo!!  You are running the princess!!  That's a long drive, I'd much rather fly too.  So worth the extra money and less aggravation.  I agree with lindsay, you know what they've been doing at PT, and could probably do it at home now.  It stinks to have to pay out of pocket. 

*Nancy*-Oh the egg in the hair.  Those were the days, not.  I agree with Lindsay, I don't think I could have been a stay at home mom either.  Still some days it's great to go to work.  Hang in there, these days to fly by though it doesn't seem it now.  Nice job coaching on Mickey.  Not that I've read anything over there, but I know you always do a great job.  Don't worry if you don't have enough time there, it's so busy, it's fine not to reply to everyone.  Hope you have a great end of the week, and you get dh to give you a little "me" time this weekend.  You deserve it.

*Lindsay*-Great job getting to the gym and sticking it out, even though you weren't feeling it.  It's a sign you are so on the right track to reaching your goals.

*Maria*-At least it's rain not snow, right?  Hope the bug has left your house once and for all.  Nice job getting your run in.  I love fruity drinks, and I wish I could share one with you all at Boma after the princess this year.  Having you all going to your races really is motivating me to get my butt in gear and start running again.

Did you hear me say the f word, i hit something accidently and thought I lost this post, but luckily it posted early.  phew.  Hope you all have a fabulous day!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

crmrrsn28 said:


> I am new here (just found the boards a few days ago), but I am running both the tink and princess this year.  I'm excited and very nervous!


Welcome! Two of us are running Princess this year, two are running Tink, and we are all on the Biggest Loser threads. You are more than welcome to join us here to talk running and life. We talk a lot about running, but we talk a lot about other stuff too! So if you'd like to join us, jump in and introduce yourself.

Lindsay--yeah, I do the exercises at home, it's more about the ultrasound and the electrical stimulation. Both are controversial--some people think they don't work, but honestly my ankle did not start feeling better until they started to u/s it a couple of weeks ago. So as much as I hate it, I will probably go once a week for a week or so. It went from very lumpy and very sore and painful to no pain during running and just a little sore after doing the elliptical and the p-t exercises. We'll see. I need to look at my finances. I agree, I feel like it's a business more so than a doctor's office sometimes. Great job on the exercise. I had to drag myself to the pool yesterday too. I really, really, really wanted to skip it. Why oh why did I sign up for that 100 day challenge. Don't you love those days when the boys are all kissy.

Ok, need to get to work. The snow advisory is up to an inch starting this afternoon. The problem is is gets extremely icy around here. There was a 40 car pile up in a nearby county a week or so ago from less than an inch. We get rain first, then it snows a little and everything turns into a skating rink.....Driving this afternoon should be fun! At least I have new tires!

*Lisa and Lisa*--getting very excited for you!!!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Where is my post from this morning? Did I not hit send? I'm on my iPad now feeding Matthew and don't see my post. Have to go check my laptop. I'm an idiot.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose, Lindsay - I was in PT for YEARS after a car accident left me with a crap back. U/s, massage (the painful kind, not the spa kind), and Stims helped. I actually have my own tens machine that I still use sometimes


----------



## dumbo_buddy

YEP, i forgot to press submit earlier. here's what i typed at 8:30 this morning. fyi i made it to mommy and me on time and had lunch with noreen. had a salad...with shrimp...and croutons...and full fat french dressing..and a piece of garlic bread....and maybe had one of her kid's mozzarella sticks...and i'm still hungry. back to my original post:



Worfiedoodles said:


> I am going to start tracking on WW online. I'm paying for it, I might as well use it. I just keep my membership, because I always end up coming back. Months go by when I do nothing, but it's easier to just keep paying rather than set up a new account each time.



i'm beginning to think i should go to the WW meetings. maybe if i have to get up there on the scale in front of someone i'll lose some weight? who knows. 



Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm sorry this is bothering you. Remember, they have their own "dreams", and you have yours  Do Not Take it Personally
> 
> Maria



yes! this!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> are you fooling with me????



 too funny! nope, not me. that would have been funny if you started talking to "other" nancy and asking her questions about thomas or something! lol!!



mikamah said:


> DumboNancy.


i should have really picked a better screen name. i originally signed up on intercot.com and picked a ridiculous name because i was embarrassed that i was signing onto a disney forum. i didn't want anyone to know it was me. LOL! and here i am 5 or so years later onto a bigger and better site (DIS) and i'm meeting people and sharing life info! so much for privacy!  i do like dumbo though...



lisah0711 said:


> Thanks for saying this, *Nancy!*
> 
> *i mean it!
> *
> 
> Running for Disney is what got me running!   As time goes on I do it for myself, too.
> 
> *same here!*
> 
> Your Disney office sounds like fun!  Have you ever noticed my tag?   I think I've shared pictures before.  A lot of my stuff came from disneyshopping but they don't seem to have as much as they used to.  There is also something called Disney Living I see on FB -- I never know if my friends really like what it says they liked or not.
> 
> *wait what is this FB page? i need to look it up*
> 
> And speaking of friends, that is Princess Nancy from Team Mickey on myfitnesspal.  She is very nice and has been on challenges before.
> 
> *yes, she IS nice!! most nancys aren't! *
> 
> 
> I was hoping to run outside this afternoon but I see it has snowed.  I'll bring my outside stuff anyway and if it's too much, I'll just go back to the track.  I'm really not wanting to go back to the track.



i cannot _believe_ how close the tink is!! i'm so excited for you and lisa! it's going to be great. take lots of pics, ok? ok.



Worfiedoodles said:


> I started out at my normal pace, and quickly realized it wasn't happening. Guess I'd already expended too much energy today...so I slowed down, and still ran 4M! I am proud of me for not coming home and joining Dennis in bed. There was a minute on the TM when I was thinking about it



great job getting those miles in, especially when you didn't want to!! woot!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I miss you Team Mickey folks on the BL thread but love talking with those of us who became quackers as Maria put it.



quakers! hehe



Rose&Mike said:


> *Nancy*--I was cracking up thinking about Thomas with egg in his hair. Though it probably wasn't fun for you. Was it cooked egg at least? Take care of yourself Nancy. There is tons of time to get ready for the full in January. If I have learned anything over the last year, it is that healing takes a little while. And even though you had a relatively easy pregnancy and delivery (easy for me to say), the baby still sucked a lot of your body's resources. So try to be patient. I know it's hard. I still have new hair growing back in, which is a constant reminder to me when I look in the mirror that my body was hurting and it is going to take a little while for things to be completely healed/better. The point being, if you are running on fumes, you need some rest. Is your mother's helper coming in so you can get a break or a nap even? I wish I lived closer. Mike and I would happily take the boys for the afternoon--and happily give them back. Hang in there.
> 
> *****
> Ok, I just spent an hour trying to book airplane tickets. I have been watching prices, and while I still paid more than I wanted, I got the flights I wanted for a price I can live with. So first I tried booking using google chrome. Which I always use. For some reason the delta site wasn't liking chrome today. So it locked me out. Then I spent 15 min on the phone with a delta rep who was going to book my same flight, but it was $25 more per ticket. Then I spent time with their tech support who was USELESS! Of course delta's standard response--there's something wrong with your cc. And I couldn't understand the tech support person either! Then I called my cc company because my online page was showing 3 pending charges to delta (of $0). So she suggested (and I had already decided this) to try using internet explorer. And of course the flights weren't there and the flights that were, were more expensive!!! So I waited 15 minutes, checked again, and success! Got my tickets and my cc worked. *So I guess I am running the Princess.*  Through all this I kept thinking--we shouldn't go, we should drive, we should this, we should that.....You get the picture. I really am burned out on flying, but this is such a short trip (Thurs-Tues) and it's a 13 hour drive, so I hated to either take more time off work or waste vacation time driving. I booked an earlier flight home--we get home at 9:00pm instead of our ususal midnight, so hopefully that will help. That late night flight is exhausting.
> 
> I went to pt today and it went well, I think. Mike was rubbing the p-f scar tissue last night with a golfball (yes it hurt) so she didn't do much on that today. But she worked on my ankle some more. She said the soreness/tightness I have been experiencing is probably coming from increased activity. But she did ask about the running and was pretty positive about everything. She does want me to come in next week, but we talked about the fact that I am now paying cash(deductible starting over, low balance in hsa) so we are going to play things by ear. The most I want to pay for right now is once a week (after this week which is twice).  Plus honestly, I am tired of going. Mike has been massaging the scar tissue every night, and I guess maybe that isn't a good idea. So I did learn something today. I have to let it actually heal a little.
> 
> I think I am going to get in the pool this afternoon and run a little. I don't want to, but I really need to stick with the workouts if I am going to finish this race!
> 
> TTYL!



thanks, rose. it's hard to take it easy because i'm feeling so blah about the extra weight. i guess it's just depressing knowing how LONG it took for me to take off after thomas and i'm starting higher than i was with him. i'm doing great with logging and exercising and yet i'm still the same as i was 4 weeks ago. just so frustrating. oh well. i'll get there. 

yay for the princess! annoying about the flights but hey, tickets are purchased and you're going!!! yay!



crmrrsn28 said:


> I am new here (just found the boards a few days ago), but I am running both the tink and princess this year.  I'm excited and very nervous!



hi and welcome! tink AND princess! awesome!!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> *Nancy* I hate to admit it to but I was laughing picturing thomas with egg all over him, the baby crying, you needing to get ready and rushing to get everyone together.
> 
> *if you don't laugh, you'd cry, right???
> *
> 
> That is so cute.  tonight nick said "I want mommy to put me to bed so I can give her a million kisses".  I mean if that didnt melt my heart I dont know what would.  I just love huggable sensitive boys.



awwww, what a little lover! so sweet! makes all the stress totally worthwhile. i'm still "training" thomas to tell me he loves me. sounds like, "yoyo mommy" i'll take it.

****

well, lesson learned from the egg fiasco yesterday. no eggs on mommy and me days. thomas woke up and hasn't had a single thing - hasn't even had any milk. i don't know how this kid functions. he could go all day without eating or drinking. why can't i be a little like that?? i got him dressed right away so i just have to get dressed and the baby dressed (might wait til i get to mommy and me to change him) and out the door. it is SO nasty out. 

after mommy and me noreen (my teacher partner) and i are taking our kids and going out to lunch. we'll probably go to the clipper where she works two nights a week. they have a nice salad there.  we are both trying to lose weight so it's not like i'll be seeing her wolf down a burger while i eat some rabbit food. 

the scale hates me. i'm convinced. i ran 2 miles around maritime (13 min/miles...eek. i was under 11 min/miles in the princess. yeesh) AND went to step aerobics. felt exhausted afterwards but happy that i worked out. and i woke up UP a pound. the scale is a jerk.

alrightyroo, i'm off to shovel some oatmeal down my throat and get dressed. rainy weather makes it totally acceptable to wear sweats, right? good because i still can only fit into my sweats


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Aaaaaaand I just housed a third of a box of wheat thins. Nice,Nance. Nice.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Same stuff a different day here.  Work, zumba, catching up on dis, kids bedtime, watch BL, and bed.  Nothing too exciting.  I am still doing good off of fast food and diet soda. 10 days and continuing.  Tonight ryan was begging for a happy meal since we had to leave quickly to get to zumba.  I gave in and was a bit nervous to go through the drive thru.  I ordered his and thats it. I am amazed that I finally am doing it but still fearful at how long I can make this last.  I am trying to look at it like I have become a vegetarian and no longer am eating meat.  Maybe I can form a new word fastfoodarian maybe???????  That way hopefully it tricks my brain into not changing its mind.
> 
> Alright well these kids need to get to bed.  Talk to you all tomorrow.  I miss you Team Mickey folks on the BL thread but love talking with those of us who became quackers as Maria put it.



Great job going through the drive thru! We deliberately plan that Ben's dinner is not ours on Friday nights. We get his, and then we order from a real restautrant for ours. I guess it's technically still takeout, but at least it's not fast food  I think you should just call yourself a healthy eater, because that's what you are doing 



Rose&Mike said:


> I'm not a big fan of the posting war either, but it seems to have died down. I'm not a big fan of teams, though it is very necessary at this time of year. I just feel like it doesn't always bring out the best in people.
> 
> Tom was always a hugger. The biggest hugger. And he didn't hug much during middle/high school. Some, but not much. He is back to being a big hugger. He even hugs Mike. I love it that he is so affectionate. Though I have noticed that he will let me kiss him on the cheek, but he will not kiss me at all. When he was little he had an imaginary friend--Darry--who made the hugs and kisses. Sometimes we had to wait for a hug cause Darry hadn't made them yet. Oh, my I am crying. I am so lucky to have such a sweet boy.
> 
> Kept meaning to say about the honey, Mike eats a spoon of LOCAL honey everyday and is just about completely off claritin. It has really helped with his allergies. But you need to look for local honey. We get it at Whole Foods. The theory is that the bees are pollinating native plants. And I am a big believer that artificial sweeteners cause sugar/carb cravings. I was a diet coke addict, big time. For years. I have been off it for 2 years. Now I will have regular coke if I really want one (very rarely) or plain coffee.
> 
> Thanks for the nice words yesterday. I asked if you all got the cards, cause I was thinking maybe there was a problem with the mail and no one got anything I sent that day. We had a bill payment once that got half burned in a mailtruck fire. It showed up 6 months later after I paid the late fee, interest etc! So I don't always trust the mail! Anyhow, feeling better about things today. Thank you all.
> 
> I am slowly catching up at work. I am happy to say I can see my desk surface again so that has helped my attitude immensely! My p-f has been bothering me a little, but I have decided I have had enough of physical therapy. So two more visits and I am done for now. It's not bad, maybe a 1 on a 1-10 pain scale, but I can feel it. I think it might be because I was so active over the holidays and now I am plopped down at work all day and things are tightening up.



The teams are rough. I don't like being split apart with you guys, I want us all on the same team, but then again, I guess we sort of have our own team going right here 

Ben is a good hugger, but he has to be reminded sometimes. The ratio has gone way down since he became a tween/teen. He's been really good since he was sick. I'd like to think it's because he appreciated the excellent care he received, but I think it's more because he's been waiting on our answer on a field trip 

I will look for local honey. The batch I have now is Canadian, so no allergy benefits, but good. I would love to see the last of the Claritin! 

I don't always trust the mail, either -- but our mailman is excellent! Paul will chase us down the street to give us our mail or a package. He's a keeper for sure 

I know you are feeling better finally getting back to your work. Between feeling snowed under there, and the p-f, no wonder your attitude needed a little boost! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> i feel like i'm running on fumes the last few days. i haven't been keeping up on my coaching duties. and of course it's 8:30 and i need to be out of here in 10 minutes and nobody is dressed and thomas just smushed egg on his head.   eh, just one of those weeks. it will get better. plus, being busy is better than being bored! and they say SAHMs just sit around eating bon bons all day.



The egg everywhere made me smile, too! Coaching at the beginning of a challenge is tough! There are so many new people, and just keeping track of the names is a challenge for me. Thanks for your fun questions! 



Rose&Mike said:


> .*So I guess I am running the Princess.*



 We are going to have so much fun! I arrive Friday morning, and I am going to be ready to hit the Expo and get this party started! 



crmrrsn28 said:


> I am new here (just found the boards a few days ago), but I am running both the tink and princess this year.  I'm excited and very nervous!



 Wow, two halfs in two months -- sounds like fun! Please introduce yourself if you would like to chat. We are all levels and sizes of runners from all over the US, and we are all BL thread participants. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hello Kathy, Maria, Lisa, Lisah and anyone else reading along.  Hope your new year is continuing to be a good one.  We spoke about the even numbers but we didnt talk about the fact there is a full moon in the same week at friday the 13th. Minor oversight on our part.



Yep, this is quite a week we have going. Plus, I am sad because it is the end of OLTL. I'm always a little sad when something I watch ends, but this is really the end of an era....



mikamah said:


> I am waaaaaay behind on the dis this week.  If only I was a rich stay at home mom with nanny and housekeeper, then I'd be all caught up and chatty.  On the other hand, I am doing pretty good with eating, and saw 209.2 on the scale today, so plan to keep it up.  I bought new running shoes yesterday and a new running bra, and am ready to start running again.  I figure it will help with the envy of all my friends and family heading to disney.  My brother Jim, sil Beth and Taylor leave on saturday for orlando.  They are going to MK on saturday, and then doing seaworld and universal.  It's for taylor's birthday.  I wish we could have gone with them, but it was not to be this year.  We'll be doing Niagara falls with them in april.
> 
> I sent Poko to daycare again today, and I think it's a good thing for both of us.  Tuesday she was with the big dogs and came home exhausted, so we had a quiet night, and instead of our long walks, I caught up on laundry and dishes.  It's raining here, so we just took a short walk but since I committed to 100 days of moving, I will need to take at least a 30 min walk tonight.
> 
> [*Maria*-At least it's rain not snow, right?  Hope the bug has left your house once and for all.  Nice job getting your run in.  I love fruity drinks, and I wish I could share one with you all at Boma after the princess this year.  Having you all going to your races really is motivating me to get my butt in gear and start running again.



I have a feeling you are doing a great job with the eating, and exercise is coming along as well! New running shoes and a bra -- what could stop you now?!  I sympathize with the trip envy. I have plenty still left. But, we all have to live our own lives with the good and the bad, and the fact is we all do have good lives, so it's ok to say "wouldn't it be nice", and then go back to the 

I bet poko loves daycare. She gets to make new friends, and play, and just be a happy girl 

We've been saying we're glad it's rain and not snow all morning, but honestly, I'm a little sick of the sideways rain. It is nasty out there! We will make a plan to share something fruity after the Wicked Half. I'm not sure what or where, but we will definitely hang out and celebrate -- even if we have to meet at the Mall (or nearby -- I'm not as familiar as you are!) the next day, we will take some time to chat and celebrate our success, and the new smaller us I know that we will be seeing by September 



Rose&Mike said:


> Ok, need to get to work. The snow advisory is up to an inch starting this afternoon.The problem is is gets extremely icy around here. There was a 40 car pile up in a nearby county a week or so ago from less than an inch. We get rain first, then it snows a little and everything turns into a skating rink.....Driving this afternoon should be fun! At least I have new tires!



Hate is a strong word, but I hate ice. It is evil, awful and scary, and should not be allowed.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> Where is my post from this morning? Did I not hit send? I'm on my iPad now feeding Matthew and don't see my post. Have to go check my laptop. I'm an idiot.



No, you are a sleep-deprived mother of two babies. It happens  

Ok, so not even sure where I left off anymore, but I did 4M of intervals yesterday morning, and a regular 4M this morning. This means I hit all three of my short runs for the week! I have also gone all week without eating candy at work. Yes, this is an accomplishment for me  Now I just have to get through the last OLTL episode without pigging out, and do 11M Saturday morning. If I do that, I will see a loss this week. I know because I'm back to my pre-TOM weight from the first weigh-in today, so it will only go down with 11M and eating right. Yep, I do my WIs on Saturday. I am not a Friday kind of girl 

It's another big playoff weekend for me (ok, for most of you, too!), so I'm going to create a plan to get through this better than last week. I do not want to see a big gain Monday morning 

Here's a tip I read in a magazine -- try snacking with your non-dominant hand. It does seem to be slowing me down 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

crmrrsn28 said:


> I am new here (just found the boards a few days ago), but I am running both the tink and princess this year.  I'm excited and very nervous!



 *crmrrsn!*  I'm running the Tink, too, with my fellow Lisabelle. Hope that you can make it to the WISH meet on Saturday at 4 pm at DTD by the fountain at the entrance to the Grand Californian.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> *Nancy* I hate to admit it to but I was laughing picturing thomas with egg all over him, the baby crying, you needing to get ready and rushing to get everyone together.  The only reason I found it funny is because I can so remember those days and quite honestly some of them were not that long ago.  But when we are not in the moment of them you know you have to see the humor to get you through it right.  I hope your day got better.  A SAHM's job is not an easy one.  I know I would never be able to do it.  I think you are doing an amazing job and your boys are going to really appreciate you someday (probably once they are over the age of 20)



I totally know what you mean, *Lindsay.*  There were days when Robert was little that I was happy that I got to go to work that day -- bad mom, but true! 

Great job with the fast food and soda!    You are rockin' it this challenge!  



mikamah said:


> I am waaaaaay behind on the dis this week.  If only I was a rich stay at home mom with nanny and housekeeper, then I'd be all caught up and chatty.  On the other hand, I am doing pretty good with eating, and saw 209.2 on the scale today, so plan to keep it up.



Woo hoo on the new number on the scale!    Your hard work is paying off!  

I'm just a smidge above you at 210.5.  One-derland is going to have to wait until after the Tink but I need something to look forward to after the race anyway!  

I'm behind on my Dising too.  

*Rose,* I'm loving your trip report!   I haven't read the installment for the safari yet -- need to do that when I am on the computer instead of the iPhone so I can fully appreciate it.  

Hope the snow and ice aren't too bad.    Ice really is the worst! 

*Nancy,* you're lucky that the poof fairy didn't nab your post from this morning!  

You need to cut yourself a little slack and give your body time to get with the program.    And maybe get rid of the Wheat Thins.    That's my theme for this week -- be kind to yourself! 

*Maria,* I think you and *Rose* definately need to figure out what kind of fruity drink you will be drinking at Boma after the Princess so we can find the recipe and toast you virtually! 

*Lisa,* how are you doing?    Hope you're not on the "I'm so crazy freaked out about the Tink" train like me.    We're there, we're ready and it's time to trust the training now.  

It's just been a crazy week for me this week.  I was at the  part of my training but I think that is getting better.  I've been so dang tired all week that it is hard to be my usual practical, calm self.    DH is coming down with something and I think I might be right behind him.  At least I will get it out of the way before I leave for sunny CA.  

Have a great evening and I will catch up some more tomorrow!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Let me start by saying the weather here sucks! It was in the 40s this morning and raining and now its ~23 and snowing. And icy! Yuck!

But here's the exciting news.....I am done with physical therapy for now! Is everyone doing the happy dance with me? So I called to cancel my 8am appointment for tomorrow, cause I think the roads are going to be a mess. The highway I have to drive on to get to their new office is called the Gene Snyder and the nickname is the Gene Slider. So not worth it. They asked if I wanted to reschedule and I said sure, how about next Wednesday. Well....my p-t is going on early maternity leave starting Tuesday!!!! Why does this make me so happy? Of course they said I could see someone else, but honestly I was trying to ween off of it not start up with someone else, who I am sure will want to see me for more than a time or two. So I talked to my pt and told her I thought I'd just take a break and see how it goes. Her response was--I hate to see you backslide, and I assured her if there were problems I would make an appointment. I feel so liberated!!!! Crazy, I know. My foot is definitely not perfect, but I feel like I am in an ok place to deal with it at home, and if it flares up, I will make an appointment.



mikamah said:


> I sent Poko to daycare again today, and I think it's a good thing for both of us.  Tuesday she was with the big dogs and came home exhausted, so we had a quiet night, and instead of our long walks, I caught up on laundry and dishes.  It's raining here, so we just took a short walk but since I committed to 100 days of moving, I will need to take at least a 30 min walk tonight.
> 
> Did you hear me say the f word, i hit something accidently and thought I lost this post, but luckily it posted early.  phew.  Hope you all have a fabulous day!!


 You made me laugh this morning Kathy! And I am questioning why oh why I signed up for that 100 day challenge! I walked at the mall today.

Don't you just love new shoes!

*Lindsay*--meant to say, if your arch is bothering do not run without new shoes!!!! You so do not want a plantar fasciitis flareup cause it sucks! I don't want anyone else to have to deal with this!



dumbo_buddy said:


> Rose, Lindsay - I was in PT for YEARS after a car accident left me with a crap back. U/s, massage (the painful kind, not the spa kind), and Stims helped. I actually have my own tens machine that I still use sometimes


Years....I can't even imagine. The massage on my foot was so bad at the start I had to put my face in a pillow. It was horrendous. Is the tens machine what they use to do the estem and u/s? I didn't know you could buy those? Or is it something else?

So is the pcos making the weight loss stuff hard? Are you back on the meds you have to take? You did this before and I know you can do it again!



Worfiedoodles said:


> We are going to have so much fun! I arrive Friday morning, and I am going to be ready to hit the Expo and get this party started!


Hmmm....should we wait and do the expo with you in the afternoon?  The snacking with your non-dominant hand idea is actually a pretty good idea! And I was very sad when ATWT went off the air, so I get the sadness that OLTL is ending. I still kind of miss it. Great job on getting your runs in!



lisah0711 said:


> I'm just a smidge above you at 210.5.  One-derland is going to have to wait until after the Tink but I need something to look forward to after the race anyway!


I hope you aren't getting sick Lisa! I'm glad you are liking the trip report. I am really enjoying it. It is helping me to write things out. My brain is working better than it was a year ago, and doing stuff like remembering when things happened and writing things out like that seems to be helping. I'm sorry you aren't going to see onederland, but you have done so good and are so close! 

*LisaR*--Hope you are well!

******
I am almost giddy with happiness that I have absolutely NOTHING I have to do tomorrow. Well, I need to stretch and do my rehab, but I have nowhere I have to be!

Love you all! TTYL!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

I'm making John take over for the night. I need sleep. I'm so tired and subsequently eating like crap and have no energy to move. He is just going to have to give the baby a bottle or two of formula and I'm going to try not to feel guilty about it. Nothing wrong with a bottle here and there, especially if it means I feel rested.  

Kathy - I haven't been able to see poko on the webcam yet. But the doggies are all so cute

Rose- yep, years. Should still be in it but I couldn't take it any more. The tens unit is a mini stims thing. If you get the doctor to prescribe it you can probably get your insurance to pay for it. I will look up the model number for you tomorrow. 

Lisa- poof fairy tried to poof my post but before hitting submit I copied the whole thing. I got an error message so started a new post and pasted. Ha! I foiled the poof fairy!

Typing on iPad and it is really annoying. Have only one hand bc feeding the baby. Be on tomorrow hopefully after some solid sleep!!

Xoxo


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> :I'm just a smidge above you at 210.5.  One-derland is going to have to wait until after the Tink but I need something to look forward to after the race anyway!
> 
> OOOOOh we are so close together.  I bet we can get to Onderland together, maybe in celebration of Rose and Maria running the princess at the end of february!!  Hmmmm what shall we drink to celebrate Onderland??
> I'm behind on my Dising too.
> 
> We can't do it all, can we.  Maybe you need to take some of that freaking out energy and put it into the dis.  Does Ed know you should not be expected to do any type of housework or cooking while you taper.  Dis-sing and shopping must be your priorities.
> You need to cut yourself a little slack and give your body time to get with the program.    And maybe get rid of the Wheat Thins.    That's my theme for this week -- be kind to yourself!
> 
> Totally agree.
> 
> *Maria,* I think you and *Rose* definately need to figure out what kind of fruity drink you will be drinking at Boma after the Princess so we can find the recipe and toast you virtually!
> 
> Yes, yes, I am in for virtual drinking anytime.  That of course is my birthday weekend too, so I'll have one for Rose, one for Maria, and one for Me.   I was just thinking next year the princess would be on my birthday, but with leap year, it skips it. Phew.  That would have been really depressing.
> 
> It's just been a crazy week for me this week.  I was at the  part of my training but I think that is getting better.  I've been so dang tired all week that it is hard to be my usual practical, calm self.    DH is coming down with something and I think I might be right behind him.  At least I will get it out of the way before I leave for sunny CA.


I hope you are not getting sick, but you are right, at least you still have 2 weeks to get better.  Listen to your words to LisaR.  You have done the training, you have put in the hours, the miles, more miles than any of us before our halfs, YOU ARE GOING TO BE AMAZING!!  You have it in you.  Believe in yourself, and your dream will come true!!  IN just 2 weeks!!!  WHoo hoo!!!

*Rose*-  hooray for no more PT!!!  I think you are going to be just fine, and happy that Mike is there to help with the massaging too.  Ice is so scary.  I hate it.  I don't mind a little snow, now that I have new tires especially.   I'd been procrastinating, but wed got new tires and new running shoes.  I'm all set now.

*Nancy*-Hope you are feeling refreshed this morning after a little more sleep.   It's hard but patience is a virtue, and that freaking scale is evil.  Do not listen to it.  You are doing the work, it will follow when your body is ready.  Hang in there.  Poko seems happy when I've seen her on the web cam.  Tail is up and wagging.  She was in with the big dogs this week, and definitely came home more tired.  I think it's good for her and me to not feel so guilty about the crate.  Though she's doing great with the crate.  Last night our routine is we watch tv on the couch til bedtime, so I got up and said, "ok poko, time for the crate," and go get her a treat, and when I came out of the kitchen she had gone in the crate on her own.  Such a good girl.  And my statement was maybe not that stiff, more of a "ok little poko, my precious little girl, time for bed, time for the crate, who's a good girl, who's a good girl" in a talking to a baby voice.  

*Maria*-I didn't realize it was so bad yesterday.  We have no windows to the outside in our unit, so we live in a little weather denial at work.  It wasn't too bad when I left at 530.  Thanks, I think I am doing pretty well and feeling motivated to kick this weight to the curb once and for all.  I think emotionally I'm in a pretty good place right now, and I know it won't fly off like when I was 20, but if I can have a slow, steady loss, 20-25 pounds a year for 2 years, I could be at 160-170 for my 50th bday.  Realistically, i'll be thrilled to see 180s, and then go from there. 
A fruity drink after the wicked half would be wonderful.  We are right next to salem, so you and Dennis would be welcome to come here and shower too, and then we all could go out for lunch and drinks.  mmmmm.  
Sorry about OLTL.  My mom's favorte was GL and ATWT.  We joked that GL went off the air right after she died, just couldn't survive without their biggest fan.  You are doing great with exercise and eating.  No candy!! Whoo hoo for you!!  This is going to be a great year for us all. I have a feeling. 

*Lindsay and LisaR*-Hope you're having a good week!

Hello to everyone else reading along.  

I ran about half of my walk this morning, a couple time ran 5 min straight, and it felt really, really good.  I love having new shoes.  It is amazing how much of a difference it makes.  I love them so much, I ordered another pair on line.  In a pretty pink/black.  The store only had white/blue.  Poko didn't like my running at first, and wouldn't go and tried to chew the leash, but then I used my alpha voice, and she did come along.  She really is a good little doggie.  

So now off to the donald thread that I've been neglecting.  

Have a great day everyone!!


----------



## mikamah

I forgot, *Rose*_I loved visiting my mom during some ATWT.  She always taped the shows incase someone visited and she could catch up later.  I loooooved Frankie Andropolous.  He was a hottie.


----------



## liesel

Yes, I'm still around, yes I'm starting to completely freak out!    My run on Tuesday I kept doing calculations in my head, if I run at this interval at this pace, will I get swept, etc. etc. instead of just running.  I think I did decide to do a nice easy 1:1 for the first part of the race and work up to a 2:1 towards the end if I have the energy.  I forgot my Garmin for the 10K and still finished strong 58 seconds before JG's race predictor and felt good with no pain the whole race (at 13:48 pace).  DH keeps telling me that shows that my body knows what to do without the watch and I'll be fine.  The reason that the "you've done the training" reassurance isn't helping me right now is because I missed 3 1/2 weeks over the course of training due to being sick and every time I restarted I had to regain ground.  So I didn't improve as much as I was hoping.  I know I finished the 10 miles with a 16:49 pace and did my fastest running at the end and I am about 1 mm faster at sea level, and I've got race day adreanaline on my side but I still worry!  OK this rambling really shows how scattered I am right now!

My last long run is tomorrow 11.5 miles.  I am disappointed that I had to shorten my longest runs at the end since I missed so much time, but hopefully this will get me to the end.  It snowed again Wednesday (the northeast's current storm), so it is icy again and I am so over this!  I haven't been able to use the outdoor track since mid November and my neighborhood is really hilly so a flat course at DL will be a huge relief.  So, yes the 16:49 pace is over hills too!  I just want to run somewhere that's flat and not icy!

My other freak out is my weight, I was really hoping to lose more before the race, but its not happening.  I am being really good with nutrition and exercise right now, but the weight just doesn't come off me very fast.  I keep thinking, why am I doing this race when I am still so huge?!  *Kathy and LisaH* I am right there with you, this morning I weighed in at 206.6.  So I may not see onederland at the Tink, but it is my goal for the challenge.  Hopefully we can all get there before the princess and celebrate.  We can do this!

In other news, DH's company did not get the CA project, his boss will be in town in 2 weeks and they will discuss other options for him.  His boss is still interested in having us relocate to CA.  This meeting is 2 days before we leave for the Tink, hopefully I will have more news by then!  I had a large charity donation on Wednesday so I was busy getting that ready, it felt good to get rid of so much junk, but there is still lots more to go.  I was busy at the kids school this week as well and keep getting sucked in to more and more projects.  Apparently I can't say no!  I'm so busy with this stuff, I don't have time to find a job!

Bless you if you put up with all the taper madness, and if anyone has a good frivolous book suggestion, I'd appreciate it!

*Nancy* I hope you got some much needed sleep last night.  I was laughing at the egg everywhere story too, as a fellow SAHM, I have plenty of those too.  I know you will reach your goals, our niece who just did her first full at WDW also has PCOS.  She was so inspiring and I know that will be you next year!

*Kathy and Maria* OK, they showed a clip of the mayor of Boston on the news last night and DH and I could not understand him!    I will concede that Sam Adams beer is better than Coors, but Colorado also has some fantastic microbrews, some of the best in the country (we think he was talking about beer!).  I would also take lobstah over beef any day.  The entire newscast tonight is going to be dedicated to Tebow and the Broncos, so I think we will be skipping it, we are suffering from Tebow overload (I really didn't need to know his favorite foods and food vices).  Tom Brady's place in NFL history is definitely secure, he doesn't need to worry about that, but he is not the young guy anymore, that's for sure!  I think they are going all out in case this is the last Broncos game of the season (I think that's likely!).

*Maria*  Good luck on the 10 miles tomorrow!

*Rose*  Woohoo on no more PT and running the Princess!    Sorry about the airline ticket hassle.  I had trouble booking my Southwest flight to the Tink since I was using a voucher from our trip in October.  They only accept 4 forms of payment at a time and 4 vouchers plus one credit card does not compute for them!  Luckily they had fantastic customer service and booked my flights for me with the online rate.  So much better than the fiasco that was United customer service when we went to Hawaii.  I got your card since it was enclosed with the oranament and it was much appreciated.  I think it is rude not to AT LEAST reply to the email, but Maria was very wise in pointing out that it is their problem.

*Lindsay* Hope the no fast food is still going well for you.  I'm looking forward to seeing pics of the new Disney office!

*LisaH* I am understanding the taper madness right now, I remember when you were all preparing to run the princess last year and I kept thinking why are they panicing, they are going to be awesome!  I get it now!  You have put in way more miles than anyone else and are going to be great!  I'll send you my number as well, I hope to see you at the expo.  The inlaws want to spend lots of time with us, so I'm just going to have to get my BIL to get someone to sign them in because we want some park time too!

I better get going with my day, I'll ramble at everyone in a paniced incoherent manner later!


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> I am almost giddy with happiness that I have absolutely NOTHING I have to do tomorrow. Well, I need to stretch and do my rehab, but I have nowhere I have to be!!



Hope you enjoyed your day today, *Rose!*   Isn't it funny how a day with nothing to do sounds so wonderful?!? 

Good job coaching Donald this week!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> I'm making John take over for the night. I need sleep. I'm so tired and subsequently eating like crap and have no energy to move. He is just going to have to give the baby a bottle or two of formula and I'm going to try not to feel guilty about it. Nothing wrong with a bottle here and there, especially if it means I feel rested.



So, so glad that you got some rest last night, *Nancy!* 

You did a great job coaching the Mickeys this week! 



mikamah said:


> This is going to be a great year for us all. I have a feeling.



You got that right!   

Glad that your running companion got with the program.  Bless her sweet little doggie heart.  I keep forgetting to check the webcam to see if I can see her.  



liesel said:


> My last long run is tomorrow 11.5 miles.  I am disappointed that I had to shorten my longest runs at the end since I missed so much time, but hopefully this will get me to the end. I better get going with my day, I'll ramble at everyone in a paniced incoherent manner later!



 

11.5 miles gets into DCA and well past any chance of being swept.    Just relax and enjoy your run tomorrow.  

*Maria,* good luck with your 10 miles tomorrow!  

I am a slacker -- I'm only doing 12 x 800 speed work.  

*Lindsay,* TGIF!

Have a great evening ladies!


----------



## Rose&Mike

dumbo_buddy said:


> I'm making John take over for the night. I need sleep. I'm so tired and subsequently eating like crap and have no energy to move. He is just going to have to give the baby a bottle or two of formula and I'm going to try not to feel guilty about it. Nothing wrong with a bottle here and there, especially if it means I feel rested.
> 
> Xoxo


I hope you got some rest Nancy. The formula is not going to kill Mathew, I promise. Tom was a formula baby after I almost killed him trying to bf. And I think he turned out ok. Hang in there.



mikamah said:


> *Rose*-  hooray for no more PT!!!  I think you are going to be just fine, and happy that Mike is there to help with the massaging too.  Ice is so scary.  I hate it.  I don't mind a little snow, now that I have new tires especially.   I'd been procrastinating, but wed got new tires and new running shoes.  I'm all set now.
> 
> more of a "ok little poko, my precious little girl, time for bed, time for the crate, who's a good girl, who's a good girl" in a talking to a baby voice.
> 
> 
> Have a great day everyone!!


 Laughing at the doggie baby talk.  Woohoo for new shoes! And new tires! It sounds like Poko will be a good little running partner once she gets used to it. 

I am definitely ready for all these onederland parties and these celebratory drinks! 

I want to do the Wicked Half! When is that again?



mikamah said:


> I forgot, *Rose*_I loved visiting my mom during some ATWT.  She always taped the shows incase someone visited and she could catch up later.  I loooooved Frankie Andropolous.  He was a hottie.


I loved Dusty Donovan and Jack Snyder.

*LisaR*--I think it would be abnormal to NOT be having prerace jitters. Just keep saying--I can do it, I can do it. I am so beyond tired of hearing about Tim Tebow! (Not from you, I mean on the news, the paper, the internet, etc.) You have to remember he was in the SEC before he became a pro, so I feel as if I have been hearing about him FOREVER!!!! Guess who I am cheering for this weekend? But I'm sure it is very exciting in Denver. I'm sorry the job stuff is dragging on. It really is stressful. I hope your run goes well this weekend!

*LisaH*--I hope you have a good run too! I am enjoying coaching so far. I feel like I am in a good place right now, so it's a good time to be coaching!

****
I am down again this week, but still higher than when we went to FL. But that's ok, i'm back in maintain range if I decide to go back to maintain. 

I did not get out of my jammies until Mike got home and we went for a walk today! It was great. I ended up doing some work I brought home all on my quest to get caught up at work. 

Our office manager is on bed rest for back problems right when we are starting our big fundraiser--it lasts a couple of months. It's making me nervous, because if she doesn't come back soon, I am afraid I am going to get sucked into helping with the money and they do it on Saturday and Sunday nights (from like 2pm to 8 or 10pm). I don't mind working weekends. But I don't want to do this. It's going to be interesting. Hopefully it won't come to this, but I don't have a very good feeling about it.

Almost forgot--

*Lindsay*--have a good run tonight!

*Hi Maria!* How are you? They did a special on the View today about OLTL. Are you going to see Beauty and the Beast?

Ok, TTYL!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- I hope you got a wonderful nights sleep last night.  My kiddos were mostly formula fed and I think they turned out ok.  I was going to say normal but thats still in question. 

Lisa H- I hope you are not coming down with any illness.  Try to make sure you get your rest.  The HH this week should help with that. 

Lisa- Dont worry the panicky feeling will fade and I know its hard to say trust in the training when you missed some but really in the grand scheme of things 3 weeks is not the end of the world and although you would have liked to be lighter and have more long runs you will be just fine.  You and Lisa H are going to rock the tink.

Im sorry for the continued uncertainty with the job/move.  I bet right now with the snow and ice you are not second guessing moving to CA.  The winter is nice except when you want to train for a half marathon. 

Rose- Glad you had a nice relaxing day at home today.  I love a good PJ day.  woohoo for being at maintain again.  Thanks for coaching this week on the donald.  I hope your manager gets back soon so your work life can get back to normal.  

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

Well its not over yet and I dont want to jix it but this friday the 13th turned out to be A OK.

Work was work and nothing out of the ordinary went on.  I guess we got it all out of our system last wk.  I had lunch with my dad today and I thought we were going out for my birthday but my dad really had a huge surprise for me in store.  He is receiving a large inheritence from my grammy and he and my mom decided that they would love for us to all go to disney in October to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary.  They are paying for everything and all we need is spending money.  My mom was talking about it the other night and I had a suspicion that they were going to do this but I thought that was just my mind dreaming again.  So we are planning our big family trip in October which means the chances of me being able to make it to disney marathon weekend are pretty good.  Of course I still have to run it by my husband  It looks like we decided to cancel the beach trip this summer because mike will not have enough time accrued to take 2 wks off so close together.  So I think we will do a long weekend at the beach instead.

So thats my big news for the day.  I am just jumping out of my skin with excitement because I really thought our big family trip would not be for at least another 2 years or so.  

I am also thrilled at how fast the weight is coming off so far.  I am down 8.4lbs in 2wks.  I keep preparing myself that it will slow down but I am happy to see so far it hasnt.  I think ridding myself of diet soda and fast food is really helping.

I went running at the gym tonight and once again was annoyed by people really not following the rules on the track.  Everyone went the right way tonight but there was this group of people walking 4 in a line blocking the track and I would have to say excuse me every time I needed to pass them which was alot.  They had there 5 kids running around the track and they would run in front of me and then stop and a few times I almost ran right into them.  Yeah well I guess I got it done and I should just stop complaining about it.  It is what it is.

Tomorrow I will do zumba in the morning and do some house cleaning.  We have ryans football banquet tomorrow night.  Its a family style dinner and awards assembly.  It should be fun seeing the other parents and kids.  I cant believe how much I miss football.

Ok well I hope you all have a great weekend.


----------



## mikamah

*Lindsay*-Congrats on the big loss again this week!!  8.4 pounds in 2 weeks is fabulous.  I'm so excited for you and your disney trip this october!!!!  That will be so much fun, and so nice your folks will be paying.  I'm sure you grammy would want you all to have fun with the money she left.  I got a little money after my mom passed, and have probably blown through more of it than was smart, but I know that she would want us to use it for the fun stuff.  

*Rose*-oooh, ooh, come do the wicked half with us!!  It's in the end of september, the 22nd I believe a saturday morning.  That would be so much fun.  I know Maria has a guest suite, but you would be welcome to stay here too, but it's not a suite, but an air mattress in the playroom.  Our house if rather small, but always room for a friend. 

*Lisa and Lisa!!!*-I so remember the anxiety before the princess, the excitement and anticipation, and the OMFG, what the heck was I thinking that I could do a half marathon.  You are both going to be amazing.  Slow deep breath, slow deep breath, slow deep breath.  YOU CAN DO IT!!  BELIEVE IN YOURSELVES!!!

*LisaR*-I had hoped to be in Onderland for the princess and got down to 203ish.  Came home at 208. lol.  But had a lot of fun.  We will get to Onderland and soon.  I think princess time is very doable, and great motivation.  Good luck on your last long run tomorrow!!  

*LisaH*-Poko won't be going to day care this week coming since i have monday off, but I'll let you know when shes' there again.  There's another dog looks just like her, and when we went to pick her up the first time, we were watching this other dog on the monitor in lobby saying how much fun she was having and then we saw her come into view.  I didnt' even know my own baby.  Enjoy your speed work tomorrow, and enjoy your long weekend.  

Hello to everyone else!!

Poko and I took a little nap on the couch this evening while michael watched a movie, so I'm up for a bit but now I'm feeling tired, so I'll go to bed after the news, and catch up on donald tomorrow.   Enjoy the weekend!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon,  and !

I am so pleased to report I have completed 11M this morning, my longest run since the Half I did last August! 

I have earned the reward for this week -- a self-manicure if I did all 4 runs and did not eat candy at work all week!  Now I just have to find the energy to give myself the manicure  I need to come up with a new reward for doing the same thing next week, too. Maybe I'll get crazy and do a pedicure. My toes are woefully neglected in winter 

*Kathy* -- I'm perfectly willing to divide up the hosting duties -- anybody wanna come in Sept. and do the Wicked Half? I'll pick you up at the airport... In the immortal words of the Black Eyed Peas  "I Got A Feelin" -- 2012 is going to be a Good, Good Year! The Wicked Half mini-Meet is On! 

*Lindsay* -- Wow, 2012 is off to an awesome start for you! You've lost a small cat (Worf weighed 8 lbs), and you are going to WDW!  

*Rose* -- I really, really, really do not enjoy fundraisers, I don't blame you for not wanting to do it! I used to have to coordinate and work telethons when I worked for the Girl Scouts, and it was the least favorite part of my job. Yuck! I saw _The View_ yesterday. I really find the hosts annoying, but it was nice they devoted the show to OLTL. I admit it, I used to watch ATWT when my favorite OLTL actor came on as Paul Ryan. He had a nekkid scene in the last show yesterday, and he's going to GH at least for awhile, so I will get to enjoy his chest for a bit longer  I'm not going to see _Beauty and the Beast_ in 3D, I do own it at home though  I am looking forward to _One for the Money_, which comes out 1/27. I already informed Dennis it was a date and not optional  Totally Awesometastic you are done with the PT! Oh, and if you guys want to wait for me you can -- but don't feel like you have to. My Expo trip will include buying a new pair of earbuds in addition to my Princess merchandise and number pick-up. Last year during marathon weekend Dennis and I got a set which had one set of Bose earphones and two sets of buds, one size 7 and one size 5 -- it just worked out perfectly he was a 7 and I was a 5. He got the good earphones.  I decided I would like the good earphones as well, so I'm going to buy myself a pair  Anyway, I think with ME, I should be settled and headed for the Expo around noon or so -- we could do the Expo and then go have lunch somewhere, if you guys want to...you could even talk me into an ADR...

*Lisah* -- I hope your speedwork went well. You are so not a slacker, Miss I Ran 15M! I hope illness passed you by and you are feeling better. Those pesky dh's, they seem to become ill and pass it along at an alarming rate...

*Lisa* -- Well, now you found out why we call our mayor "Mumbles". He is very difficult to understand. I am flabbergasted 43% of Americans think God is on Tim Tebow's side. Seriously?! Wow, I really hope God is answering prayers about things that are more important than football!  And as I told my husband, it looks like he's fond of Tom Brady, too. Has a baby with Bridget Moynihan, married to Giselle with another baby, wins 3 Super Bowls. Doesn't exactly seem like the life of Job...

*Nancy* -- I hope you got some rest. As another mother of a formula baby, I second that it's ok to give the kid a bottle sometimes and get some sleep! 

Since we are all in confession mode, I am at 194.0. That's 3 lbs above my Princess weight last year. I am determined to run at a lower weight, so I'm going to be very focused until then (ok, maybe a slight splurge for the movie and Valentine's Day, but not too much!). It took all I had to lose 1.4 so far this Challenge. I was up last week for TOM (at the peak I was 199.2 ), so I'm not particularly impressed with my success. I'm going to have to start working harder at cutting down on the food. I ate a ton of soup this week, I just ate too many calories at night. I cannot have a "pig out" weekend just because there are playoffs  It takes me too long to recover. I did not have breakfast, just an energy drink and nine clif bloks during my run. Ok, I'm calling that breakfast. I just had celery, peppers, grape tomatoes, 100 cal Nesquick, and 2 babybels for my lunch. I'm going to round that out with some blueberries. I'll plan on having leftover Mediterranean pizza (black olives, peppers, mozzarella -- I leave off the eggplant) for dinner, and then popcorn for Pats game. If I feel "snacky" during the early game I'll have more raw veggies and almonds. I know I need to start pointing my food w/WW, I just haven't quite gotten that far yet.

Yesterday was surreal for me. I stayed home and in my jammies until after the final OLTL. I finished Turn Right at Macchu Picchu, watched _The View_, and then took way too long to place an order to replace my undies. Ok, here's an NSV. It's been at least a year and a half since I did a big "replacement" order like that. I measured and everything  I went down a band size and up a cup (ok, I may send these back if the cup is too big, but I am optimistic ), and down a size in undies. Defnitely progress! And, I had two gift cards, so not too much damage to the wallet. 

I also ordered more tea for the Keurig, I tend to drink more when it's  out. Winter is here, again, Oh Lord...

I'd better get up and get moving again, I don't want everything to seize up. 

Have a great day, Ladies! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Way to go, *Maria* on the 11 miles!!  You are ON!!!  Too bad Dennis or Ben won't do the manicure for you and you could just relax.  Maybe you could talk them into the pedicure next weekend.  I thought it was a mani/pedi at first and could not imagine bending down to get my toes after an 11 mile run.  I thought of you at lunch yesterday because the view was on in the break room.  It looked like a pretty good show, but I'm not too fond of the view ladies either.  They all get talking at the same time and too loud for me.  I'm 6 pounds above my princess weight.  We will get there.  I'm just tracking right now and not doing the points, and I find that is more positive for me.  I know what to do, and know how much I should be eating, and I think the past few times I've done the ww points, I get too negative when I go over the points, so I figured for as long as it works, I'll track every bite, and then if I stop losing, then I'll do something else, probably ww.  Congrats on the new sizes!!  

Have fun tonight!  Well happily watch from the warmth of our living room.  I haven't seen my next door neighbor who has seasons tickets leave yet.  Man it's going to be cold.  And did you see the necn interview with 2 salem witches talking about Tebow.  I guess they didn't hex him, but they are sending all their spirits to help brady.  I thought it was rediculous to put on the news.  Crazy.  

Ok, it's time to stop procrastinating, off to pack the decorations away.  I knew I shouldn't have brought them all out.  Why don't i listen to myself.  I'll be so happy when I'm done and my house is clean.

Enjoy the weekend!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

mikamah said:


> Way to go, *Maria* on the 11 miles!!  You are ON!!!  Too bad Dennis or Ben won't do the manicure for you and you could just relax.  Maybe you could talk them into the pedicure next weekend.  I thought it was a mani/pedi at first and could not imagine bending down to get my toes after an 11 mile run.  I thought of you at lunch yesterday because the view was on in the break room.  It looked like a pretty good show, but I'm not too fond of the view ladies either.  They all get talking at the same time and too loud for me.  I'm 6 pounds above my princess weight.  We will get there.  I'm just tracking right now and not doing the points, and I find that is more positive for me.  I know what to do, and know how much I should be eating, and I think the past few times I've done the ww points, I get too negative when I go over the points, so I figured for as long as it works, I'll track every bite, and then if I stop losing, then I'll do something else, probably ww.  Congrats on the new sizes!!
> 
> Have fun tonight!  Well happily watch from the warmth of our living room.  I haven't seen my next door neighbor who has seasons tickets leave yet.  Man it's going to be cold.  And did you see the necn interview with 2 salem witches talking about Tebow.  I guess they didn't hex him, but they are sending all their spirits to help brady.  I thought it was rediculous to put on the news.  Crazy.
> 
> Ok, it's time to stop procrastinating, off to pack the decorations away.  I knew I shouldn't have brought them all out.  Why don't i listen to myself.  I'll be so happy when I'm done and my house is clean.
> 
> Enjoy the weekend!!



Um, I don't think I want a manicure that would be the work of my fellas  But it was funny to think about! 

I like your theory about counting the points. I agree, it just makes me feel guilty, and believe it or not, more hungry 

We're watching from the living room, too! omg, you made me laugh out loud with the Salem witches.  That is hysterical!  It is sad what passes for news these days 

You have to put the decorations away before we get to the next holiday Monday -- I know you can do it! 

Ok, back to relaxing before the game. I've decided I earned it! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisaR* did you manage the 11.5 mile run today? i want to chime in about the pre-race jitters. you've done an excellent job in your training. you trained despite being sick like 5 times this season! you're going to do great!

*lindsay* you are KILLING it this challenge! nice work! *maria* said you've lost a cat but i was thinking you lost a newborn! lol! in fact, you lost more than a newborn already! i need to lose about 3.5 newborns 

*maria* a self-manicure sounds more like torture to me than a reward!  i cannot paint my nails - never looks good. i think your fellas would do a better job at painting nails then i would! lol! nice work on the 11 miles! you are going to kill the princess. and your weight now is _awfully_ close to last year so you'll definitely be back to it by then if not lower. and i'm reeeeally thinking about that wicked half with you and *kathy*! 

*rose* so how was it not going to PT?? i love staying in my jammies! i can't remember if i wrote you about about the TENS unit or just dreamed it. i'm losing my brain apparently. you can probably get a TENS unit paid for by your insurance. i had a doctor write me a prescription for one. i also had a big traction unit too (the thing that holds your neck in place while you lay on the floor and can't move) that i don't use. this is what i have: http://www.empi.com/empi_products/detail.aspx?id=154

*kathy* poko may need to be a test doggie for this new leash that john may be working on. it's a leash/harness thingie. only one made so far. he's trying to figure out the sales and marketing aspect of it. we might need to send one to you to try it out. john just tried it out with a bunch of dogs in the neighborhood and it's pretty cool. did you get your decorations put away?? the guy across from us (he just died a few months ago) used to have christmas wreaths in his front windows all year round. someone asked him once why he didn't take them down and he said, "i like the way they make me feel" 

*lisaH* i'd like to see pictures of your disney office - i remember seeing them once but can't really remember past the lamp thingies. are you back to your usual, calm self yet?? 

****
john and i are going out to dinner tonight  we went out to dinner when thomas was 8 weeks old. we went with my aunt mary and uncle eddie (same ones we're going with tonight) who live across the street. my cousin watched thomas. that was the last time we went out to dinner alone.  my mommy's helper claudia is going to come babysit. we're going out to eat on city island (yep, same as the movie) so not far. i'm nervous. the baby is kind of cranky right now. in fact, i'm typing this as i simultaneously push the bouncy seat up and down to keep him happy. meh, we'll be gone no more than 2 hours. we need to get out.

my friend mary from high school came to visit yesterday and aunt mary and uncle eddie came over last night and we had pizza. i had one slice. i usually can put down 3 so that was a win  not to mention we had friendly's for lunch yesterday but i ate off the under 500 cal menu and only ate half a sundae (which was still like a million calories!). meh. baby steps. 

i'm going to go brush my hair and try to find that thing of mascara i have. wonder if it's dried up? 

xoxo


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay*--8.4 pounds! Holy cannoli Batman! That is fabulous! I hope the banquet is fun! Too exciting about the trip in October. That is so cool that you are making a power point for the kids. What music did you put to it? So when are you going to be there? We are there for Tom's big bday bash in October. It would be cool if we could just get together for a sec just so I could give you a hug!



mikamah said:


> *Rose*-oooh, ooh, come do the wicked half with us!!  It's in the end of september, the 22nd I believe a saturday morning.  That would be so much fun.  I know Maria has a guest suite, but you would be welcome to stay here too, but it's not a suite, but an air mattress in the playroom.  Our house if rather small, but always room for a friend.


I'm thinking about it...Are you sure you all want me? I am kind of a pita when it comes to food. I have to wait to see when parents weekend is. We skipped it last year, but this will be our last one. So we don't want to miss it. When does it usually sell out? And what airport???


*Maria*--The pounds will come off! You can do it! You are doing what you need to do. 11 miles is great! The whole Tim Tebow thing....as someone who was abused as a child, I hope and pray that the higher power has better things to concentrate on. 

So, let's see. Where should we eat? Do you want to do dinner or lunch? What sounds good to you? 

Have you all thought about looking at portion control as opposed to points? There are some books on slow eating and portion control out there. I am more of a portion control kind of girl. I also have found that myfitnesspal works for me, cause I know if I want to eat something then I either have to not eat something else or I have to get off my butt and exercise. But it's tracking calories. So let's say I want icecream. But I only have 150 calories left. But I really, really really want the ice cream. I can either have 150 calories worth, or I can exercise. The nice thing is--everyday it starts over, clean slate. I don't think I would like the whole activity point thing, and saving points, etc. Every day is a new day. And every day ends at the end of the day!

And I don't mind the fundraising. I hate counting the money. I just really really don't like it. I kind of brought it up today to my boss and she was basically in the "we'll make do mode." Fingers crossed that the office manager is back next week!



mikamah said:


> And did you see the necn interview with 2 salem witches talking about Tebow.  I guess they didn't hex him, but they are sending all their spirits to help brady.




*Lisa R and Lisa H*--how were those runs???? And how is that taper madness???



dumbo_buddy said:


> *rose* so how was it not going to PT?? i love staying in my jammies! i can't remember if i wrote you about about the TENS unit or just dreamed it. i'm losing my brain apparently. you can probably get a TENS unit paid for by your insurance. i had a doctor write me a prescription for one. i also had a big traction unit too (the thing that holds your neck in place while you lay on the floor and can't move) that i don't use. this is what i have: http://www.empi.com/empi_products/detail.aspx?id=154


Have fun at dinner!!! Not going to pt was bliss! I actually did work instead. I would rather do work that I brought home than go to pt--what does that tell you? Thanks for the link to the tens unit. If my foot acts up, I am going to find a pt closer to home. I just hate starting over again. But hopefully it won't come to that.

So what is the leash? Petie is the worst puller on the planet. He strangles himself the whole time. And he is such a weird body shape--jack russell/dachsund mix.

Have you made your postpartum appt? I know you are dreading it.

*****
I did my 8 miles on the tm after work. Mike did 17. He started before me and we finished at about the same time. It's cold here and snowing, so I'm glad we had access to the tm. I ran 2 walked 1. My legs were beyond sore at the end--can you say woefully undertrained???? At least my cardio is good. I had that weird muscle misfiring thing again right at the end that I had at the w&d. It was so hot in the Y. Mike thought it might be an electrolyte thing cause I did not have endurolytes for w&d--left them at home...So that kind of makes sense. I am going to add a 2-3 mile weekday run in next week along with the pool and the bike. That will put me at a whopping 2 runs a week!

The foot feels ok. The ankle is good. The plantar scar tissue spot is a little sore, but not bad. We'll see how it does tomorrow.

Have a great night everyone.


----------



## PRINCESS VIJA

does anyone have a guess as to when the princess 1/2 marathon will be in 2013?  I have to ask off of work at the beginning of February for next year already, so I need an idea... anyone guess?


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*rose* when is mike's marathon? 17 miles on the treadmill? that's nutso! i mean like, in a good way  and you did 8 on there? i hope you had some tv to watch or something! john's leash thingie that he's working on seems pretty cool. it's supposed to help with pulling. he only has one made so far - it's a $650 sample! crazy how expensive it is to put an idea to work, right? have you tried a gentle leader collar with your dog? that might work since he is shaped funny. the gentle leader collars go around their noses. they work well from what i hear. we had two bulldogs so we couldn't use that kind of collar/leash since bullies don't really have snouts!

*princess vija* my guess is the princess will be the last weekend in february. 

********************
didn't work out at all this weekend and have been on a binge. eek.

i have my post partum check up tomorrow  i've been avoiding it but i need to get it over with. if the doc brings up the birth i'm just going to tell him i don't want to talk about it. i'm still so embarrassed. when i tell you i screamed F*** no less than 200 times in the 25 minutes i was in the hospital room before matthew was born, i'm not being sarcastic in, like, the least bit. omg.  oh and add to the fact that i need to tell him about....ummm...some TMI bathroom issues i've been having that may or may not involve hemorrhoids i think i might just die of embarrassment. 

it's almost time for *BIG BLUE*! i reeeeally wish i had some nachos right now for the game


----------



## donac

Nancy  I hear you about the no nachoes during the game.  My dh is watching the game (He is a Giants fan but has been a long time Packers fan too) and he can't eat anything.  He is having a colonoscopy tomorrow and is on liquids and jello. 

PLease send him some PD he has been having some stomach problems but I can't take any more bad news.  We had 4 relatives of faculty members die in the last two weeks.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi ladies

We celebrated my bday today at my nanas. It was very nice and i am currently typing and posting this from my new android tablet that my parents got me. Yes i know i am so spoiled 

Maria and kathy you must be so excited. That was such a good game last night. I guess brady put tebow in his place. we are predicting a patriots giants superbowl.

Nancy congrats to you and your giants too. 

Maria great job on the new sizes and for getting your run in and eating good this weekend

Nancy i hope u had a great dinner out last night and that the kiddos were good for the sitter. I loved the pic on facebook of matthew.

Rose glad the foot and ankle held up through the run yep baby steps. Dont do too much too fast. Wow 17 for mike. Good for him. We are planning to go to disney the wk of 10/8. That would be great to see u. When is your trip?

★*******★*************************************************************

So funny story to share. I got money from most of my family so figured i would  to get new running shoes. I was at the store and saw a pair i liked and they were on sale. I guess i was a bit excited because i set the box on the bench and went to sit down and fell flat on my butt. Apparently i thought the bench was longer than what it was. I was so embarresed. A guy came over and asked if i was ok. luckly the shoes wwere perfect. I left there as quick as i could. The not so funny part is i really hurt my tailbone. It eels like i broke it but im sure its just bruised. I hope it doesnt stop me from running. I ran for a little when i got home but now it is feeling worse. I am such a bonehead.

Tomorrow i am off and i have lots of cleaning up to do. So i will be a busy girl.


----------



## mikamah

Worfiedoodles said:


> You have to put the decorations away before we get to the next holiday Monday -- I know you can do it!


No worries, decorations were away house dusted and vacuumed before the game last night.  Today I put all my other stuff back out.  What a game last night, huh?  Michael was cute, he made a goal post out of pencils and during the commercials we had a contest shooting paper footballs through the goal.  He won, 8-3.  There were a lot of commercials, so we did every third commercial.


dumbo_buddy said:


> [*kathy* poko may need to be a test doggie for this new leash that john may be working on. it's a leash/harness thingie. only one made so far. he's trying to figure out the sales and marketing aspect of it. we might need to send one to you to try it out. john just tried it out with a bunch of dogs in the neighborhood and it's pretty cool. did you get your decorations put away?? the guy across from us (he just died a few months ago) used to have christmas wreaths in his front windows all year round. someone asked him once why he didn't take them down and he said, "i like the way they make me feel"


Poko would love to try anything new out.  I bought her a little coat since she's so thin and she seems to be getting used to it.  She doesn't like the cold at all.  She is a pretty good walker, occassionally does the walking in front of me trying to trip me, but is not usually a puller unless there's a squirrel or cat in sight.  Decorations all away.  Your neighbor reminds me of a friend when I was growing up.  Whenever we'd drop her off, my dad would tell her her wreath needed to be down by good friday and that's about when she did it.   How was your night out?  Hope you had a relaxing time, and the boys were little angels for the sitter. 



Rose&Mike said:


> I'm thinking about it...Are you sure you all want me? I am kind of a pita when it comes to food. I have to wait to see when parents weekend is. We skipped it last year, but this will be our last one. So we don't want to miss it. When does it usually sell out? And what airport???


We'd love for you to come up.  No worries on the food, the alcohol is more important.  I've got chambord and baileys.  And I wonder if beergaritas are gluten free.  I'll figure it out. I know last year it said it capped the race off at a certain number, maybe 1000, but if I don't think it sold out.  And I thought the support on the route was great, plenty of water/gatorade stops, and bringing up the rear, there was plenty left.  But the year before it was very hot, so they were running out I read.  Logan Airport in Boston is the closest.  But manchester NH isn't far if it's much cheaper, I'd be happy to come up there to get you.  




Rose&Mike said:


> I did my 8 miles on the tm after work. Mike did 17. He started before me and we finished at about the same time. It's cold here and snowing, so I'm glad we had access to the tm. I ran 2 walked 1. My legs were beyond sore at the end--can you say woefully undertrained???? At least my cardio is good. I had that weird muscle misfiring thing again right at the end that I had at the w&d. It was so hot in the Y. Mike thought it might be an electrolyte thing cause I did not have endurolytes for w&d--left them at home...So that kind of makes sense. I am going to add a 2-3 mile weekday run in next week along with the pool and the bike. That will put me at a whopping 2 runs a week!
> 
> The foot feels ok. The ankle is good. The plantar scar tissue spot is a little sore, but not bad. We'll see how it does tomorrow.
> 
> Have a great night everyone.


Nice job on the run!!  I'm glad the foot is feeling ok, and I like your plan for 2 runs a week.  You don't want to overdo it before the princess.  I brought my medal back out and hung it back up in the playroom, and put a pic of me and michael after the race in a frame near it.  I'm using that as my anchor to keep me on the right path.  I also found my running journal, and finished writing about the princess, and made some goals.  Portion control is sort of what ww is about too, but it uses the points to keep track, and after you've done it many, many times, you get to know the points.  Tracking for me is a huge part of my success, and I've even thought of starting a journal here, just to post my food journal, and putting it out on the internet would definitely keep me accountable.  



PRINCESS VIJA said:


> does anyone have a guess as to when the princess 1/2 marathon will be in 2013?  I have to ask off of work at the beginning of February for next year already, so I need an idea... anyone guess?


Hi Vija!!  How are you doing?  I'd guess the last weekend of feb, the weekend after presidents day.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> i have my post partum check up tomorrow  i've been avoiding it but i need to get it over with. if the doc brings up the birth i'm just going to tell him i don't want to talk about it. i'm still so embarrassed. when i tell you i screamed F*** no less than 200 times in the 25 minutes i was in the hospital room before matthew was born, i'm not being sarcastic in, like, the least bit. omg.  oh and add to the fact that i need to tell him about....ummm...some TMI bathroom issues i've been having that may or may not involve hemorrhoids i think i might just die of embarrassment.


I am certain your doctor had heard and seen it all, and I'm sure you were not as bad as you think.  I remember going up to see my sister in labor while waiting for her epidural, and she was screaming to get that f-ing doctor in here so she could get her epidural.  Bummer on the hemmorrhoids.    Motherhood is not for the faint of heart.  Did I read that here or were we talking about that at work.  I think it was work and it was getting old is not for the faint of heart, but it works for mothers too.  Good luck tomorrow!!



donac said:


> PLease send him some PD he has been having some stomach problems but I can't take any more bad news.  We had 4 relatives of faculty members die in the last two weeks.


So sorry for all your coworkers.  Good luck to dh tomorrow.  I'll be thinking of you both, fingers crossed all is ok.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Maria and kathy you must be so excited. That was such a good game last night. I guess brady put tebow in his place. we are predicting a patriots giants superbowl.


that would a an awesome superbowl!!  


mommyof2Pirates said:


> So funny story to share. I got money from most of my family so figured i would  to get new running shoes. I was at the store and saw a pair i liked and they were on sale. I guess i was a bit excited because i set the box on the bench and went to sit down and fell flat on my butt. Apparently i thought the bench was longer than what it was. I was so embarresed. A guy came over and asked if i was ok. luckly the shoes wwere perfect. I left there as quick as i could. The not so funny part is i really hurt my tailbone. It eels like i broke it but im sure its just bruised. I hope it doesnt stop me from running. I ran for a little when i got home but now it is feeling worse. I am such a bonehead.
> 
> Tomorrow i am off and i have lots of cleaning up to do. So i will be a busy girl.


Happy Birthday!!  When is it?  How morifying to fall off the bench.  I hope  your tail bone is ok.  Imagine what the guy thought, and this girl is going to run.  Enjoy your day off tomorrow!!  I'm so happy to be off again too.  

*Lisa and Lisa!!!!!*-How are you ladies doing with the taper madness?  I saw the Tink program on facebook today, and it was so fun to read through.  Kind of nice to go through dl right away, and the dca at the end of the race.  I forgot about the expo having speakers and stuff.  It would be nice to go to a race alone and do some of that stuff.  But even if I was alone, I'd probably want to get to a park.  I did see the date for Marathon weekend Jan 10-13th 2013.  It's in the back of my mind.  Ah but 2 weeks from now, you'll probably be finishing up at the parks after sporting your shiny tink medals for the day, and heading back to your hotels for the night.  Or you've gotten your second wind and you're dancing the night away at a DL jellyrolls type place.  Whoo hoo!!!!

We are having a good weekend, relaxing, not too much going on.  My sil sent me a couple texts from MK today.  They are having such a great time.  I sent a pic of michael and Poko in our tyedye mickey shirts with our stuffed mickey and minnie and said we were with them in spirit.  I'm so happy I got texting on my phone.  It's great to hear from them and get a little disney magic text once in a while.  They are staying out of the park, and just doing 1 mk day, and then doing universal and sea world.  

Tomorrow we might go swim with friends at their gym's pool.  She hasn't been feeling great so we'll see in the morning.  I'm happy its going to warm up tomorrow.  Our walks have been short this weekend, so I did some wii dance today.  

Hope you're all enjoying the weekend.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mommyof2Pirates said:


> So funny story to share. I got money from most of my family so figured i would  to get new running shoes. I was at the store and saw a pair i liked and they were on sale. I guess i was a bit excited because i set the box on the bench and went to sit down and fell flat on my butt. Apparently i thought the bench was longer than what it was. I was so embarresed. A guy came over and asked if i was ok. luckly the shoes wwere perfect. I left there as quick as i could. The not so funny part is i really hurt my tailbone. It eels like i broke it but im sure its just bruised. I hope it doesnt stop me from running. I ran for a little when i got home but now it is feeling worse. I am such a bonehead.



ouch! that sounds like something i would do. when i was a kid i broke my tailbone during a basketball game. it took months to heal.  i hope it's just a bruise. they should have given you a discount since the benches _obviously_ were at fault!! 

happy birthday! i can't believe you still get presents from all those family members! why don't i get to have that only child benefit?? lol! how do you like the android phone?? john has one and seems to like it. i have an iphone so pretty similar. i like taking pics on my phone...alot of pics 



donac said:


> Nancy  I hear you about the no nachoes during the game.  My dh is watching the game (He is a Giants fan but has been a long time Packers fan too) and he can't eat anything.  He is having a colonoscopy tomorrow and is on liquids and jello.
> 
> PLease send him some PD he has been having some stomach problems but I can't take any more bad news.  We had 4 relatives of faculty members die in the last two weeks.



how did your DH feel about the game? of course i'm thrilled 

ugh i'm sorry about all the faculty members losing family members. how difficult. this has been a really bad winter for so many people. i hope the colonoscopy goes well. think it's crohn's or colitis or something? hopefully nothing too serious.  sending prayers to NJ.



mikamah said:


> Poko would love to try anything new out.  I bought her a little coat since she's so thin and she seems to be getting used to it.  She doesn't like the cold at all.  She is a pretty good walker, occassionally does the walking in front of me trying to trip me, but is not usually a puller unless there's a squirrel or cat in sight.  Decorations all away.  Your neighbor reminds me of a friend when I was growing up.  Whenever we'd drop her off, my dad would tell her her wreath needed to be down by good friday and that's about when she did it.   How was your night out?  Hope you had a relaxing time, and the boys were little angels for the sitter.
> 
> *looks like the leash won't be out in mass production for a while but i'll send you one. lol, you're such a softie with poko and her coat. you do know that doggies don't actually need coats, right?  take a picture of her with her coat on! they are so cute! oh but you know what you do need to be careful of? when it snows, make sure you check her paws after her walk. they can get snow/ice stuck in between the pads on their paws and that is very painful for them. our last bulldog before fiona used to lift her paws every time we came in from a walk when there was snow on the ground. what a princess!
> 
> dinner was nice. ate like a pig. boys were great for the babysitter. the baby is easy as long as he is fed. claudia (the sitter) just needed to plug him with the pacifier every so often. otherwise he just hung out in the swing the whole time. ah, a no-colic baby. they sure are alot better than colic babies! *
> 
> We'd love for you to come up.  No worries on the food, the alcohol is more important.
> 
> *lol!! who needs food when kathy has booze!! i'm SO in for the beergaritas. gluten free beer works too, right??
> 
> rose could fly to nyc and we could carpool if it was cheaper*
> 
> 
> We are having a good weekend, relaxing, not too much going on.  My sil sent me a couple texts from MK today.  They are having such a great time.  I sent a pic of michael and Poko in our tyedye mickey shirts with our stuffed mickey and minnie and said we were with them in spirit.  I'm so happy I got texting on my phone.  It's great to hear from them and get a little disney magic text once in a while.  They are staying out of the park, and just doing 1 mk day, and then doing universal and sea world.
> 
> Tomorrow we might go swim with friends at their gym's pool.  She hasn't been feeling great so we'll see in the morning.  I'm happy its going to warm up tomorrow.  Our walks have been short this weekend, so I did some wii dance today.
> 
> Hope you're all enjoying the weekend.



did you wind up going swimming today? 

texting is great. so easy to keep up with people without having to commit to a phone call.  plus sending pics is fun too! 

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

back from my OB appt. it wasn't too painful. he didn't mention the birth...at all. just asked me how matthew was and how big he was. then nothing. i don't know if i spoke about the hemmie problem enough or maybe it really is that common because he was just like, "yeah, that happens, just keep an eye on it and it'll clear up" - then of course i get home, go to the bathroom and, yeah, grossness. 

i know he didn't meant to make me feel bad but while he was checking me out he was like, "so, you're 161.5 now. looks like you still have a ways to go to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight (134). how are you planning on losing this weight?" uuuggghhhhh. really dude? like i don't know EXACTLY how much i weigh and EXACTLY how far away i am from my pre-preg weight? he said, "you know, saturated fats and a sedentary lifestyle attribute to weight gain." WHAT? ok, maybe he just says that to everyone at these appointments but i wanted to smack him. i know what i need to do. leave me alone. men. 

anywho, it's 9:21 now and we don't have anything planned for the day. i feel a cold coming on. yuck. i'm going to go to kickboxing tonight at 7. i need to figure out something for us to do today but i'd much prefer to sit around and sulk.

did you know today is known as BLUE monday? no, not because of the giant win last night - today is historically the most depressing day of the year - it's when the christmas bills are due, post-holiday blues, cold weather, etc. makes for a depressing day i guess. at least most people are off though, right???


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belle! 

The Dis is so dang slow this morning so this will be quick.  I'm thinking it is a sign from the cosmos that perhaps a little more housecleaning and bit less Dis'ing is in order today.  



Rose&Mike said:


> I feel like I am in a good place right now, so it's a good time to be coaching!



I'm so glad that you are in a good place, *Rose!* 

Tell us about your new shoes!  

Thanks to all my posting of pictures about shoes on FB I think that I will be able to post some fun DL pictures in a couple of weeks.  

Did you try 1:1 or 90seconds/1 to see if that helps anything?  I know it is really hard to slow down when you want to go, go, go!  

*Lindsay,* *HAPPY BIRTHDAY!*   

Sounds like you had a great day!  Sorry about the tailbone.    Hope it's better very soon.  

You are totally rocking the weight loss!  

And I got a big chuckle out of you saying that you missed football.  The rain, the cold, the mud . . . time truly does heal all! 

*Kathy,* the weather will be warmer soon and Poko will be happy!  

You are very philosophical about family being at WDW without you!    I can't wait to hear more about HP.  That is definately on our stop next year.  

*Maria,* how did your manicure turn out?  I bet it is fabulous.   And way to go on the 11M!  

I'm always so impressed when I see what you are having for lunch and breakfast.    I wonder if adding a little more protein might help shake things up a bit?  It's supposed to help with lean muscle mass.  I'm trying to get my protein up and although I am a maintainer this week I am seeing things about my body I kind of forgot about -- like my old knees.  

I'm seeing a lot of chatter about the Princess starting!  

*Nancy,* big hugs for getting that post-partum check out of the way.    You should have mentioned your half-marathon and marathon training -- that would have shut him down quickly.  

Yep, I am feeling more like myself.  I got some rest and seemed to avoid the bug.  I hope it stays that way!  I had some negative thoughts pop up when I was doing speedwork but now I just tell myself to "get over it!"    I have two weeks to get these confident neural pathways all set! 



PRINCESS VIJA said:


> does anyone have a guess as to when the princess 1/2 marathon will be in 2013?  I have to ask off of work at the beginning of February for next year already, so I need an idea... anyone guess?



*Vija,* so nice to see you!   

My guess on the Princess is the last week-end of February.    I'll see if they give us anything about the Princess at the Tinker Bell in a couple of weeks.  Unfortunately they can change the dates, even after they are announced, like they did with the Wine and Dine this year.    



donac said:


> PLease send him some PD he has been having some stomach problems but I can't take any more bad news.  We had 4 relatives of faculty members die in the last two weeks.



*Dona,*  and good thoughts to you and your DH.  Too bad *Kathy* can't be his nurse.  



mikamah said:


> We'd love for you to come up.  No worries on the food, the alcohol is more important.  I've got chambord and baileys.  And I wonder if beergaritas are gluten free.



Yeah, we've got priorities!   I bet beergaritas are g-f if you use g-f beer.   

The Wicked Half sounds like a ton of fun.    Two trips across the country in a few months would be tough but if I win the lottery in the mean time I am all over it.  

*Lisa,* so glad your last long run went well!  You are going to be so ready to rock the Tink!   Now it's time to obsess about the weather!  

Have a great day ladies! 

PS The Dis sped up a bit while I was typing but the poof fairy and the smilie police showed up -- thank goodness for copying!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning!  

Well, I was feeling good today, but now I'm a little blue.  Thanks *Nancy*!!  Just kidding.  It sounds like your doctor was just saying his blanket weight loss statement to you that he uses for everyone.  If he wanted to be more personal, he could have looked into your eyes and seen your determination and envisioned you at goal next january running the Disney marathon.  Men just do not get it.  But we do.  And maybe Usher does.  You will get there.  

So you don't think dogs need coats?  She so skinny, and short hair, and I just feel bad for her.   It was 0 degrees yesterday.  I only put it on her for the long cold walks.  I figure if it's near 30 she's ok.  But thanks for the advice.  

*Lisa*-I hope you win the lottery and can come for the wicked half.  That would be awesome.  Have you thought of relocating to the northeast so these east coast trips would be more feasible?  Guess not, so the lottery it is.    I got a text from Beth as we went into the grocery store and I was going to go right up to the lottery counter and buy some tickets so we could go to disney this year, but the line was 6 people long, so I skipped it.  Someone else probably got my winner and is planning their disney trip right now.   Glad the dis sped up, which means you should not be doing too much housework today.    How is the weather in dl this time of year?  I'm so excited you can post pic from your phone too so we can enjoy your trip with you.  Refresh my memory on your trip details when you have time during your housework today.  When do you leave?  What park plans/ dis meet plans do you have?  And when do you fly home after the race?  
How are the men about your going solo again?  Do you have a family trip in the works too?  
I think about my dream to go alone for my 50th, but don't know how michael will feel unless we have something planned.  Hopefully a cruise.  Luckily i have a couple years to worry about it.

I guess I should get moving.  Michael's in the tub.  He's been taking bath's lately with his old ninja turtle action figures.  So it's time to kick him out so I can shower.  

Have a great day!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

How are you all? I have been busy being the Donald coach and dealing with a nasty case of pms. I guess it's not actually pms, since it started Saturday right before I went running. I have spent the whole weekend alternating between wanting to scream and wanting to cry. It's really, really bad. And I have been popping ibuprofen too. I feel like a teenager. Very annoying! But as usual I am trying to see it as another sign that I am getting better. And we won't even talk about what I have been eating......

I'll be back later, maybe even tomorrow, with replies. Love you all.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Evening  and !

I had a good day. Not a productive day, but a good one! 

*Rose* -- I know you are doing a great job coaching -- and it is really hard to post and coach, I think we all know that! I'm up the 20th on Mickey, guess I'd better start thinking about those questions and paying more attention to the thread  I am so sorry you are not feeling well. I get it, sometimes we just fall into malaise.  And I second what *Kathy* said. No problem with the g-f! You definitely know what you can and cannot eat, so not hard at all to make that work! I do have plenty of room -- guest suite, couch in the playroom, heck, even my attic is finished with a futon in place. Come on down (yes, I know technically it's up, but that's how I learned it in Missouri)! I could definitely be talked into dinner Friday night, that sounds nice. I ate with Corinna Friday night at the Wave last year, and we had a great time. I am not picky at all -- and my plans are completely flexible right now. Let me know if there is a good place for you to get a yummy g-f meal we can go. I haven't eaten at too many restaurants on property, and I'm always up to try something new  Just don't pick anything too romantic  I know I can count on you not to share a piece of spaghetti with Mike -- although that would be a cute photo! Aw heck, go ahead if you want to! 

*Kathy* -- You inspired me to take a tubbie! I whipped out the vast LUSH stash Dennis got me for Christmas, and had a candy mountain bubble melt bath  It was lovely, all the bubbles, I felt quite girly. I'm going to recommend it! Did you enjoy the Brady skills clinic as much as I did? He really is terrific when he gets going  I am ready to enjoy next week's game. He is the prettiest, Baltimore is just jealous 

*Lisah* -- Would you believe I'm just now getting to the manicure? When I'm done my nails will be a sparkly lilac shade called Play Fair. It's good to have something to do while I DIS  I think more protein is a great idea. That's the reason I switched from a banana muffin and yogurt for breakfast to eggs. I usually do have more protein in my lunch, I just went really light because I knew I was having the unhealthy dinner. My work soup this week is a bit more hearty. I'm going with lighter versions of chicken noodle, chicken and dumplings, NE clam chowder, instead of tomato and veggies in broth. I think that may help with the afternoon hunger. I looked at the calorie count, and I think it's going to be a good trade, and will ward off the desire for the afternoon endless buffet. I've done well with reigning it in, but it would be better not to be that hungry in the first place 

*Nancy* -- I'm really proud of you for going to the OB. I agree with Kathy, that was just his standard speech, and not aimed at you. If anything, you'd think he would note how you lost all the weight after your last pregnancy, and be telling you he was confident you would do it again. I know I am very confident you are going to be smokin' hot at marathon weekend next year. 

*Lindsay* -- I am so sorry I missed your Big Day!  I'm glad you were able to get some new shoes, what a funny adventure you had getting them! 

Ok, so we don't forget anyone else -- everyone pm me your birthday, and I will send out a pm list -- no years unless you feel compelled - but you know you want to be on this list! 

*Lisa* -- So glad your last training run went well. You guys are getting so close! I can almost see the  in the air! 

*Dona* -- Did you enjoy the game? I was cheering for the Giants. As long as they aren't playing the Pats, I can do that. 

*Vija* -- I asked the RunDisney rep at the Providence Half in August if the end of ESPN the Weekend meant the Princess was moving back to March, and she said not to count on it at all. There is no telling when it will be next year. I personally am hoping for a move back to March, so the rates will come down...but as *Lisah* said, there's no telling when they could move it, like they are doing with Wine and Dine this year....

So, yesterday we did church and then the games. I was kind of sluggish because I woke up from a creepy nightmare. I never felt quite "right" througout the day. Today I decided to take 2 days of rest after the 11M and just relax. I finished a book, read another book, caught up on some Tivo, and put a few things away. Definitely did not accomplish much, but that's ok. Tomorrow it's back to the world. No, not that World, then I would be  

Dennis told me I should stop going to church because of my body language. Apparently I physically cringe when they sing. I was fine before when there were three or four songs total. Now we sing three or four songs before the service even starts. I just don't react well to all that singing. Anyway, I think he's right, I clearly need a break, even though I hadn't been since before Christmas  I'm skipping next week. I'll go the week after that since the youth are doing the entire service, and I have to support Ben. 

We were informed Friday our work merger is definitely going through. The other agency is much smaller, and they don't have anyone who specifically does my role, so I'm not worried. I know there will be change, but I'm confident I will come out of it still employed, which is the important thing. I'm not particularly fond of change, but I would be sweating a lot more if I were employed at the smaller agency who asked to merge with us 

I'm looking forward to my 4M tomorrow, and a new Glee -- mostly because I'll probably find new songs I want to run to  Seriously, that is the silver lining in the Glee-watching for me. New music is always good 

Ok, I have to stop rambling and reply on some of the other threads I've been neglecting...

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

I am pretty sure Lindsay's bday is Wednesday. I think they might have been celebrating early. So I don't think we missed it yet.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Rose&Mike said:


> I am pretty sure Lindsay's bday is Wednesday. I think they might have been celebrating early. So I don't think we missed it yet.



Whew! The last thing I want to do is miss a  bday! We should all feel like the special, beloved ladies we are on that day!

Maria


----------



## liesel

All right, it was ME who ate nachos while watching the Patriots-Broncos game(?) on Saturday night.  I justified it because I was OP all day and did that 11.5 mile run.  Oh well, they were sooo good.

*Maria* Congrats on the 11 miles!  I hope the work merger works out OK for you.  I saw that nationwide Tebow poll and the news followed up with a local one where the percentage of people believing that God was on Tebow's side was MUCH lower.  I couldn't believe that either.  There are definitely more important things to be concerned with!  I think people are forgetting how lucky the Broncos were to even make the playoffs and how far they still have to go, this is supposed to be a rebuilding year!  One last random Tebow fact, they were talking about him on the news so much last week (must have been a really slow news week) and revealed that his favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla.  Really, vanilla?!  I think it says a lot about him.  


*Dona*  to you and your family.

*Nancy* I dozed off during the Giants game, but I'm glad they were successful without me!    Our dog Molly pulls on her leash too, it drives me crazy!  We did try the gentle leader, but DH said it didn't work so well.

*Kathy* We did clicker training for Molly too, but I think we should have pursued it more, she can be a handful sometimes.  She is getting better at listening, finally.  She did steal half my sandwich today so she is in the dog house with me!   

You are all so tempting with the Wicked half, but unfortunately that weekend is during my birthday marathon of DH and the kids (Sept 18, 20, and 21).  No way I can go anywhere without them!  I'm still hoping about marathon weekend next year.  Our niece is interested in going again too, maybe it will help my case to DH if some of his family goes too!

*Rose* Congrats on the 8 miles and thanks so much for all your help and imput.  I was in a hurry Sunday morning, DH and I didn't have the kids (at my parents' for the weekend) and we were going out to brunch and I wanted to make sure I properly thanked you for all the advice.   

*Lindsay* I'm so excited for you that you are going to WDW in October!!    I hope your tailbone feels better, ouch!

*LisaH* Hi there my fellow Lisabelle.  I am dreaming of a post race drink from Trader Sam's.  Too bad its on the other side of the resort from Hojos, I told DH I'm tempted to go there in my race gear!  The kids have chosen mickey mouse pancakes from the Riverbelle Terrace for their post kids race celebration Saturday morning, now I just need to convince my inlaws and get my bil to get some people to sign them in.  The race is getting closer!

Sorry I've been so busy, its taking forever to get through reading and then reply.  We had a nice weekend without the kids, I figured I'd be so tired from the 11.5 miles that they were better off having fun with the grandparents.  DH and Molly the wonder running dog joined me for part of the run and I feel much better than after the 10 miles.  We had Mexican food (the aforementioned nachos) and watched a very unexciting football game Saturday night and went to brunch and the running store on Sunday.  Maybe I will survive this!  Have a good evening  and !


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi all....no worries you still have time.  My bday is indeed on the 18th.  We get together as a family for everyones bday usually on either a sunday before or after.  It has just been a family tradition that no one seems to want to break.  It does get a little crazy once march comes because we have a bday almost every other weekend.  But its really fun when its your birthday

So thank you all for the early wishes and for the worries that you missed my big day.  You all are so sweet.

Nancy- glad the appt went well and was over with quickly.  You probably did get the normal conversation he has with everyone about the weight.  Dont let what he said bother you.  You will get it all off dont worry.  

Rose- sorry you are dealing with PMS this week.  Your doing a great job on the donald board. 

Maria- I dont like change either, especially big changes like that.  At least you are feeling secure and thats all that matters.  Have fun on your run tomorrow.

Lisa H- loved the pic of your new shoes and I am equally excited that you will be posting pics during your trip.  Yep its about that time to worry now about the weather.

Lisa- Not only will you survive you are going to do so good you will surprise yourself.  Enjoy the last 2 wks of preparation before your big day.  

Kathy- I would love to see poko in her jacket.  How cute.  Oh and my kids have been taking baths and playing with ninja turtles this week too.  How ironic.

**********************************************************
So I had today off since Ryan had no school and what did I do.....cleaned all day.  I am happy to have a shiny clean house but am now disappointed because I am exhausted and now have to work tomorrow.

This week is going to be crazy at work.  The new expansion side was finished up over the weekend so now it will be moving everything in and getting it ready.  

I have been still eating on plan and for two weeks in a row I was either the same or less on a monday than I was on the friday prior.  So that is a plus.  I hated before when I would do so good all week and then gain over the weekend.  

Ok well I need to check in on the donald thread and then I am going to cash in on my 15min back massage that my husband said he would give me for cleaning the house.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

4M done! I'm off to a great start today. We have snow! Just enough to cover everything and be pretty. Plus, I peeked at the scale and it's already lower than last week  Nowhere to go but down, you can bet I will be careful with my food this week 

Everybody get psyched, this is going to be a great week!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning friends.  

I'm up for a cry if you want to join me, *Rose*.  Fredward died during the night.  I'm so sad, and poor michael is heartbroken.  He wasn't eating much or drinking much over the weekend so we were hand feeding him and trying to get him to drink, but he was really failing.  I noticed on saturday he hadn't eaten much, and then thinking back to when I changed his cage wed, it wasn't that dirty, so he must have been slowing down.  I went back and forth on taking him to a vet, but in researching it sounds like by the time guinea pigs show signs of illness, it's pretty advanced, so we just gave him lots of loving, and hoped for the best.  He didn't seem to be in pain at all.  But of course I feel the guilt that I should have taken him just in case something could have helped.  

So that's where we are at.  He was such a cute little piggie, and I know I said before, I was surprised at how much I grew to love him and his little squeaks.  

I'll be back later with replies.  Thanks for being here for me always.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Oh, *Kathy!* -- I am so sorry!  It is absolutely heartbreaking to lose a member of the family. I wish I had some good platitudes. Just know that we love you, and we are thinking of you and Michael and hoping you will have some peace. And it is good that he wasn't in pain. Do not second guess yourself. It is so easy to do when we lose a pet - but really, you did what felt best, and that is the best you can do. It sounds like it was his time, and you made his passing as comfortable as possible. You did good, Mom. I know it's hard, but you are a wonderful mother, and Michael is lucky to have you to guide him through this. 

We're here for whatever you need 

Maria


----------



## liesel

*Kathy*    I'm so sorry to hear this!  I think you did great too, its good that he was at home and got lots of love.   to you and Michael today, its amazing how we get so attached to our animal family members.  Give Poko an extra hug today too for us.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

so sorry to hear the sad news kathy. poor michael and poor you. how old was he? don't think about what you didn't do or anything like that. you did the right thing. with guinea pigs you are right, once they exhibit issues there's not much to do. poor fredward. big hugs to you, michael, and poko.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--I am really sorry. Fredward was so cute.

we survived the tornadoes. It was pretty crazy around here today. Today might be the day I fall of the 100 days of movement challenge. I haven't decided yet. TMI--I am still having cramps (4 days now) and the whole thing is really gross if you get what I mean. Uck! It's sucking the life out of me. Poor Mike. I was a raving bwitch last night. I just couldn't help it. Well I guess I could, but I just lost it. 

I still need to go back and do replies. I am off tomorrow, so planning on doing it then.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I only have a sec but wanted to say im so sorry about fredward. I hope u and michael are doing ok. He was such a cute guinea with a great name. Sending my love to you and michael kathy.


----------



## mikamah

Thank you all so much for the kind words, thoughts, and hugs.  Fredward was 3 and a half.  I went to work, and had composed myself, and when i walked into the nurses station, burst into tears with my news.  They were all so good though, and Kerrie my charge nurse, who by the way did the WDW college program 20 years ago, gave michael a card with 2 movie tickets.  Michael said he did ok in school and told his 2 best friends, but when he got to funclub got teary, so they had him draw a picture, and he drew a beautiful pic of freddie with all his favorite foods.  Now if I could eat like freddie, I'd be at goal.  My sister left a card here too, and she wrote "I'm sure grammy is going to enjoy him up in heaven.  I think she always wanted a guinea pig."  So cute, so we got a chuckle out of that.  

*Rose*_OMg, tornadoes!  How scary.  It sounds like you could use a day of rest.  And no guilt about it.  99 days out of 100 will still be fabulous.  Hang in there.

*Lindsay*_Hope you enjoyed your massage last night, and your week is not too crazy.

*LisaH*-Thanks for the text this morning.  I can't wait for a text when you are sporting that tink medal in 12 days!!!!!

*Maria*-You are ON girlfriend!!  Keep up the great work, and it will rub off on all of us!!!  That Tom is quite pretty, isn't he.  I did enjoy the game and am looking forward to this weekends as well.  Glad the work merger should work out for you.  It is stressful, isn't it.  Our merger with Lahey is still in the process, and we are pretty much in the same place as about a year ago with the docs, still trying to make an agreement with them.  As a staff nurse, I think it will all be ok, but management I'm sure does not have the same confidence.  

*Nancy*-Thanks, I know I did the right thing.  I talked to 2 friends who had guinea pigs too, and one had gone to a vet and it was a teeth issue, and he died anyway, and the other had several, one she took to the vet, and again it did not make a difference.  I think over all it was ok.  Michael spend lots of time with freddy over the weekend, and last night before bed, he was pretty frisky while michael was holding him, so that was good.  

*LisaR*-I think you should go for that drink right after the race in your race attire, if it's close by.  I bet there will be lots of people there right after the race.  

I"m off to watch bl.  *Rose*_You're doing great coaching, and I'll catch up there tomorrow.  

Have a great night!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

wah, i have a cold, matthew keeps spitting out his pacifier and gets pissed, and thomas is in his crib calling for me and i KNOW he has a poop and i don't feel like changing it. (we need to start potty training but he has no desire to pee or poop anywhere other than in the comfort of his huggie) oh and the scale is being a royal pita a$$ this morning. jerk. oh and i have an actual pain in my a$$ that i can't seem to get rid off 

what are your go-to remedies for colds? i wish i was one of those people who loses their appetite when i get sick. oh well.

ok, baby crying and toddler crying, must run. be back to complain, er, i mean, chat with everyone later!


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> wah, i have a cold, matthew keeps spitting out his pacifier and gets pissed, and thomas is in his crib calling for me and i KNOW he has a poop and i don't feel like changing it. (we need to start potty training but he has no desire to pee or poop anywhere other than in the comfort of his huggie) oh and the scale is being a royal pita a$$ this morning. jerk. oh and i have an actual pain in my a$$ that i can't seem to get rid off
> 
> what are your go-to remedies for colds? i wish i was one of those people who loses their appetite when i get sick. oh well.
> 
> ok, baby crying and toddler crying, must run. be back to complain, er, i mean, chat with everyone later!



Ah hon, I wish I was closer and could come over and change that poopy diaper for you and take those babys for a walk to see Usher so you could sit in a sitz bath and relax.  
I'm not a big medicine person, but usually will use pseudophed when I'm wicked stuffy, and mucinex for chest congestion.  Hang in there!  These days will pass.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles! 

*HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS LINDSAY!*  

Hope that you have a wonderful day and those boys treat you like the princess that you are! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Yep its about that time to worry now about the weather.



  Thankfully we are having this whopper of a storm this week instead of next.  I'm ready for a little warm weather and .



Worfiedoodles said:


> Plus, I peeked at the scale and it's already lower than last week  Nowhere to go but down, you can bet I will be careful with my food this week
> 
> Everybody get psyched, this is going to be a great week!



I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready! 

Congrats on the scale going down, *Maria!* 



Worfiedoodles said:


> We're here for whatever you need







Rose&Mike said:


> we survived the tornadoes. It was pretty crazy around here today. Today might be the day I fall of the 100 days of movement challenge. I haven't decided yet.



I'm so glad that you are all okay.    Hope that hormonal stuff passes you by quickly.  It really is hard to be your normal, cheerful self and do you regular stuff when your body is making you feel like a raving lunatic.  

Tornados in January are as crazy as thunder snow!  



mikamah said:


> My sister left a card here too, and she wrote "I'm sure grammy is going to enjoy him up in heaven.  I think she always wanted a guinea pig."  So cute, so we got a chuckle out of that.



I'm so sorry about Freddie.    It was good for him to be at home where he was comfortable.  He may have left a few little squeaks behind so don't be surprised.   

I'll definately be texting and posting on FB when I am done with the Tink! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> wah, i have a cold, matthew keeps spitting out his pacifier and gets pissed, and thomas is in his crib calling for me and i KNOW he has a poop and i don't feel like changing it. (we need to start potty training but he has no desire to pee or poop anywhere other than in the comfort of his huggie) oh and the scale is being a royal pita a$$ this morning. jerk. oh and i have an actual pain in my a$$ that i can't seem to get rid off



Aww, *Nancy,* hope you are feeling better soon.    You have a tough job trying to keep all those guys happy -- some of whom are not always rational and calm.    And to not feel good on top of it is the pits.  

I'm sure you've already heard that potty training for boys can be a challenge.  Don't let people pressure you into to starting before he is ready because it will just be a frustrating experience for all of you.  You're not really in a position to drop everything and run to the toilet every few minutes right now with Matthew attached.  I think the folks who tell you it was a snap and had their kids trained before age two have faulty memories.   

*Lisa,* I think a drink at Trader Sam's after the race sounds lovely.  It's good to keep moving after the race anyway!  

Alas, it is time to get kid off to school -- second day of finals. The next big storm is supposed to arrive later today.  

Have a great day!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Lindsay* -- Massive, Huge  Wishes for a wonderful Birthday!

*Nancy* -- My mom came to stay with us for 3 weeks when Ben was about 27 months. She had him potty trained before I knew what was happening....hey, I'm sure your mom would love to take care of that for you!   We had an incentive because he had to be trained before starting preschool, and he started at 32 months. I had been lamenting that I needed to get this going, and she just showed up and did it. It helps she basically raised her 11 younger brothers and sisters -- and most of those got trained to use the outhouse, because they didn't have indoor plumbing when she was young... Don't worry and don't rush it. If he's not interested it is not going to happen 

Gotta run to a meeting, back later with more replies!

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--Mike is going to run the Kentucky Derby Festival full at the end of April. I am going to do the 1/2. We had the gentle leader for our bigger dogs, but haven't tried it with Petie. He really doesn't like people touching his face. I think the key might be better training. I have been working on putting him in a sit stay and walking all over the house before I release him. Mike lets him get away with murder--that is the problem! Congrats to the Giants--my boys were a little bummed. I texted Tom and asked him if he was going to watch Once Upon a Time Sunday night and he told me he was too sad to watch it. I'm glad the kids did good with the sitter! Now you need to plan to do it more often! Why are doctors so clueless when it comes to weight. And why do they say such dumb things? I think their momma's didn't socialize them well! Colds stink! I take claritin. After the heart thing, my whole family avoids psuedophed. And drink hot water. Hope you are feeling better! Thanks for offering to pick me up at the airport!

*Dona*--how is the foot? did your DH hear about his biopsy?

*Lindsay*--*Happy, Happy Birthday! *I "sang" to you on the other thread, so I won't do it here! How is the tailbone. I fell off a slide once and it was so excruciating! Woohoo for a clean house! Did you get the massage?

*Kathy and Maria-*-As long as there is booze, cheese sticks, eggs and fruit I am usually good to go. I told Mike that if it works out with parents weekend that I would like to go....and he was good with it. If you use gf beer then beergaritas should be gf!

*Kathy*--I think it's great that you got your medal back out! I was laughing about what you said about Lisa relocating to the Northeast! I think we should all relocate further south where it's warmer! How about atlanta everyone???? They have baseball, football, a major airport and are withing driving distance of the beach and WDW! I bet your Mom is enjoying Fredward.

*Lisah*--I did 2:1 on the treadmill. And Monday 3:1. I probably should be doing 1:1, but it is driving me a little crazy! I really miss just running 4 miles. I hope to be back to that by the summer. My new shoes are just the pink form of the  Ghost 4 that I have been running in. I went to a different running store, since I knew that I needed to be in neutral shoes. Two girls helped me and both have had multiple injuries so we shared war stories for a while. I bought a pair of over the counter inserts as a back up arch support for if my custom ones get wet. My custom inserts have a small piece of rubber on them to help with the suppination, so they said even though it's small, I might really miss it if it isn't there. I'm glad you are feeling more positive! Less than two weeks! When do you leave???? I hope you don't get too much snow!

*Maria*--I am going to try to come up with somewhere for us to eat Friday night today! I'll let you know what's available! I have been having kefir smoothies for breakfast. I mix fat free plain kefir with frozen fruit and a few nuts. YUM! High in protein and probiotics. I hope the merger goes ok! Are you still enjoying the snow?

*Liesel*--How are you??? How is the tendon? I hope I wasn't driving you crazy with all those stretches. I am so glad the run went well. Are you getting excited??? Vanilla ice cream---seriously??? That is pretty boring!

*****
I'm sure I missed something, but I feel somewhat caught up!

There are already 5 confirmed tornadoes in the area from yesterday. I think they are looking at a couple of other areas. One was 2 miles up the road from my house. I am really glad I was at work! My boss lives very near there--haven't talked to her yet today to see if they had damage. Mike drove by that area on the way home and there were trees down all over the place and it looked like a tornado went through. Lovely!

I am feeling much more human today. I had a half a beer last night (gf of course) and then walked for 30 minutes on the treadmill. So still in the 100 day challenge!

My foot is doing really well. I ran 3.1 on Monday and did the strength on my ankle. We ran outside Monday and it was cold and raining! Yuck!  But it was nice to be outside. I can feel the p-f scar tissue, but it's not painful. And my ankle is a tiny bit sore, but not swollen. I kind of wish I was still having ultrasound on the ankle, but not enough to go back to pt!

My weight is up 2 pounds! Uggh! I am still hoping to pull off a maintain this week, but it's not looking good! Do you think it could be all the CRAP I ate the last 5 days????? I did eat healthy stuff too, but way too much junk!

Ok, I will talk to you all later!

Can you believe we are supposed to get snow tomorrow! Tornadoes and snow in the same week! Crazy!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy- Glad everyone is doing better today.  I posted to you on donald too but just want to say again how amazing you are for what you do for michael.  You are a great mom.

Nancy- Ryan wasnt potty trained until close to 3 and that was only pee.  Poop was close to 3 1/2.  That darn kid would hold it until nap time when we would put a pull up on him.  Then he would poop.  The one day he decided he would try to change himself and rub poop all over his room.  That was fun.    Moral of the story is boys are slow with this but they will get there on their own timeline.  I hope your feeling ok.  I am not a medicine person but mike often uses musinex and says it really helps.  I used affrin once and after 2 wks had to go to rehab for it.  boy it works wonders but it also becomes addicting too.  Loved Loved Loved the run disney jacket John got you.

Maria- Im so glad you are doing good this week.  It will be a great week for you I can feel it.

Hi Lisa's- How is the tink training coming.  Almost there in that sunny weather.

Rose- Gosh that is so scary with all those tornados being so close to you.  Glad you are safe and the house is ok too.  Wow and now snow.  This weather is crazy anymore.  
Great job on the 100 day challenge.  GF Beer is like the new gatorade right?

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

Thank you all for the wonderful happy birthday wishes today.  It was an ordinary day in my neck of the woods.  You know work, make dinner, homework, gym, and now dis.

I think everyone knew it was my birthday tonight because I had the whole track at the gym to myself.  I was in heaven.  Well it also could be the new years resolutions for some are wearing off.

My tailbone is still killing me but I am able to do zumba and run.  It is very painful when I bend down to touch my toes or squat.  I sit very slowly and lean forward when I am sitting.  I think its going to take a while for this to clear up.  I am still annoyed at myself for being such a clutz.

Good news on the school front for ryan.  he told me tonight that he passed a reading test and no longer has to go to his special reading class.  It would have been nice to get a note home explaining it but I am believing his story because he hasnt brought the books home.  I am happy at the progress he is making.

Ok well I am off to bed.  Another busy day tomorrow at work.  Talk to you soon.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> Thank you all so much for the kind words, thoughts, and hugs.  Fredward was 3 and a half.  I went to work, and had composed myself, and when i walked into the nurses station, burst into tears with my news.  They were all so good though, and Kerrie my charge nurse, who by the way did the WDW college program 20 years ago, gave michael a card with 2 movie tickets.  Michael said he did ok in school and told his 2 best friends, but when he got to funclub got teary, so they had him draw a picture, and he drew a beautiful pic of freddie with all his favorite foods.  Now if I could eat like freddie, I'd be at goal.  My sister left a card here too, and she wrote "I'm sure grammy is going to enjoy him up in heaven.  I think she always wanted a guinea pig."  So cute, so we got a chuckle out of that.
> 
> *aw, that is so sweet of your coworker and sister who sent cards. i'm sure fredward is in furball heaven chomping on a big carrot right now. how is michael holding up? losing a pet is SO hard!*
> 
> *Rose*_OMg, tornadoes!  How scary.  It sounds like you could use a day of rest.  And no guilt about it.  99 days out of 100 will still be fabulous.  Hang in there.
> 
> *scary is right! i think we've had one tornado warning ever up here and everyone freaked! hope they continue to stay away!*
> 
> *LisaH*-Thanks for the text this morning.  I can't wait for a text when you are sporting that tink medal in 12 days!!!!!
> 
> *jealous!*
> 
> 
> Have a great night!!



how is biggest loser without jillian? i haven't watched in a few seasons.



mikamah said:


> Ah hon, I wish I was closer and could come over and change that poopy diaper for you and take those babys for a walk to see Usher so you could sit in a sitz bath and relax.
> I'm not a big medicine person, but usually will use pseudophed when I'm wicked stuffy, and mucinex for chest congestion.  Hang in there!  These days will pass.



sitz bath. i need to do that. my mom keeps saying "oh just sit in the tub" - yeah, ok. like that's easy!!!

i've been trying to stay away from the meds but i did take nyquil the night before last. mostly because i just needed to sleep. i have read the sudafed cant cause your milk to dry up. not that i couldn't do with a little drying up - i'm pretty sure i could feed most of the bronx with b@@bs! ew! thanks for offering to change thomas's diaper. now THAT is the definition of a true friend!!! his diapers are scary! 

i miss usher. i haven't seen him in a week. hoping i'll see him later today too! my babysitter isn't coming today but i'm hoping my friend's daughter will 



lisah0711 said:


> Good morning Princesses and Belles!
> 
> *
> 
> Thankfully we are having this whopper of a storm this week instead of next.  I'm ready for a little warm weather and
> 
> it's getting so close now! hope that storm isn't too bad. i've been following it!
> 
> 
> I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready!
> 
> WOOT WOOT WOOT!!
> 
> I'll definately be texting and posting on FB when I am done with the Tink!
> 
> sooooo can't wait to follow you and lisaR along your tinkerjourney!
> 
> 
> Aww, Nancy, hope you are feeling better soon.    You have a tough job trying to keep all those guys happy -- some of whom are not always rational and calm.    And to not feel good on top of it is the pits.
> 
> thanks, i'm feeling much better today and as the day went on yesterday i was feeling better. you know how you always feel sicker in the morning? that's right when i was doing my e-complaining. i should have waited a few hours and i wouldn't have felt so sick!
> 
> I'm sure you've already heard that potty training for boys can be a challenge.  Don't let people pressure you into to starting before he is ready because it will just be a frustrating experience for all of you.  You're not really in a position to drop everything and run to the toilet every few minutes right now with Matthew attached.  I think the folks who tell you it was a snap and had their kids trained before age two have faulty memories.
> 
> we brought out a CARS potty and have offered to let him sit on it. he sat on it for me and just giggled and kept "flushing" it b/c it makes a car sound. ha. yesterday he sat on it before his bath with john and john said he farted while sitting on it and john made a big deal about it.
> 
> Alas, it is time to get kid off to school -- second day of finals. The next big storm is supposed to arrive later today.
> 
> Have a great day!*


*

wait...finals??



Worfiedoodles said:



Lindsay -- Massive, Huge  Wishes for a wonderful Birthday!

Nancy -- My mom came to stay with us for 3 weeks when Ben was about 27 months. She had him potty trained before I knew what was happening....hey, I'm sure your mom would love to take care of that for you!   We had an incentive because he had to be trained before starting preschool, and he started at 32 months. I had been lamenting that I needed to get this going, and she just showed up and did it. It helps she basically raised her 11 younger brothers and sisters -- and most of those got trained to use the outhouse, because they didn't have indoor plumbing when she was young... Don't worry and don't rush it. If he's not interested it is not going to happen 

Gotta run to a meeting, back later with more replies!

Maria 

Click to expand...


ok, i'll just have your mom, the potty-whisperer, come stay with us! 

it'll happen. we're not going crazy about it. just offering to let him sit on the pot if he wants. we aren't too into it right now anyway. of course, we're always thinking about disney (duh) and think that it might be easier to just have thomas still in diapers when we go in may and then train him over the summer. we have til september. he has to potty train by then when he starts a 3 year old program at this little pre-school. nope, not sending him to the catholic school in september  too expensive and there are FORTY kids in the pre-k (3 and 4 year olds!)



Rose&Mike said:



Nancy--Mike is going to run the Kentucky Derby Festival full at the end of April. I am going to do the 1/2. We had the gentle leader for our bigger dogs, but haven't tried it with Petie. He really doesn't like people touching his face. I think the key might be better training. I have been working on putting him in a sit stay and walking all over the house before I release him. Mike lets him get away with murder--that is the problem! Congrats to the Giants--my boys were a little bummed. I texted Tom and asked him if he was going to watch Once Upon a Time Sunday night and he told me he was too sad to watch it. I'm glad the kids did good with the sitter! Now you need to plan to do it more often! Why are doctors so clueless when it comes to weight. And why do they say such dumb things? I think their momma's didn't socialize them well! Colds stink! I take claritin. After the heart thing, my whole family avoids psuedophed. And drink hot water. Hope you are feeling better! Thanks for offering to pick me up at the airport!

wow the full! go mike! poor tom, i feel his pain - when my teams lose (which they usually do - i'm a met fan, lol!) i'm usually pretty bummed for the rest of the day at least. 

i hope the wicked half works out! 

Dona--how is the foot? did your DH hear about his biopsy?

yes, i was just wondering the same thing dona! how's DH?


There are already 5 confirmed tornadoes in the area from yesterday. I think they are looking at a couple of other areas. One was 2 miles up the road from my house. I am really glad I was at work! My boss lives very near there--haven't talked to her yet today to see if they had damage. Mike drove by that area on the way home and there were trees down all over the place and it looked like a tornado went through. Lovely!

I am feeling much more human today. I had a half a beer last night (gf of course) and then walked for 30 minutes on the treadmill. So still in the 100 day challenge!

My foot is doing really well. I ran 3.1 on Monday and did the strength on my ankle. We ran outside Monday and it was cold and raining! Yuck!  But it was nice to be outside. I can feel the p-f scar tissue, but it's not painful. And my ankle is a tiny bit sore, but not swollen. I kind of wish I was still having ultrasound on the ankle, but not enough to go back to pt!

My weight is up 2 pounds! Uggh! I am still hoping to pull off a maintain this week, but it's not looking good! Do you think it could be all the CRAP I ate the last 5 days????? I did eat healthy stuff too, but way too much junk!

Ok, I will talk to you all later!

Can you believe we are supposed to get snow tomorrow! Tornadoes and snow in the same week! Crazy!
		
Click to expand...


glad you're feeling better. bummer about the 2 pounds. i hate that! this whole challenge i've been so sure that i'll be down and i keep going up! it's so frustrating. 

it's too bad you can't go JUST for u/s without the rest of the PT stuff. i always thought it worked for my back.



mommyof2Pirates said:



			Thank you all for the wonderful happy birthday wishes today.  It was an ordinary day in my neck of the woods.  You know work, make dinner, homework, gym, and now dis.

I think everyone knew it was my birthday tonight because I had the whole track at the gym to myself.  I was in heaven.  Well it also could be the new years resolutions for some are wearing off.

Click to expand...


i'm glad you had a nice birthday! and the track to your own? woot!!

thanks for the kind words about potty training! i'm sure i'll be complaining to you as we go through this!  luck you! 

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

well, i'm out of time! hi lisaR how are you feeling??

mommy and me today and that's about it. trying to see if i can have my friend's daughter come over so i can go meet usher 

a little celebration: i fed matthew at 9pm, went to the guest room to read a little and fell asleep around 10. a few minutes before 6am john got me up. he said, "he slept through to now, no formula. he's hungry now so i figured i'd get you." yep. 9-6! wow! i think the fact that i'm NOT in the room is helping because he doesn't smell me. 

omg. thomas just said, "mommy! poo!" in his crib and as soon as he said that matthew just let out a big one in his diaper. lucky me! simultaneous pooping brothers! gotta go change them!!!*


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princesses and Lisabelles!!  

I believe the Tink countdown is down to single digits!!!!!   How are our lisa's doing?  Hope you're both in your zen/tink place, knowing full well you have done the work, and you are both going to be amazing!!

*Lindsay*-So glad you had a nice birthday yesterday.  And how nice of them to clear the track for you for your birthday.  Isn't is nice I can tell you are so on track, and so in the right frame of mind for success when you say you were in heaven on the track!   Not in heaven with an ice cream sunday, but running the track on your birthday!!  You go girl!!

*LisaH*-Funny you said that about the squeaks, I could have sworn I heard him squeaking yesterday.  Hope the storms aren't too bad or maybe just bad enough you can't go to work.  Do share more trip details.  Remember this is my year without a disney trip, so I NEED to live vicariously through all yours.  

*Rose*-You are doing a great job coaching this week.  It's still so busy over there, it's great to see the motivation, but it is moving a little too fast for me to keep up.  Drink that water and hopefully you'll flush those 2 pounds away by the end of the week.  I weigh on fri or sat, if I don't like friday, I'll do saturday.  I'm with you on the junk this week.  We can kick it.   Oh, and nice job getting your 30 min in.

*Maria*-Are you ready for the big game?  And the snow?  At least the snow appears to be well timed for work, not so much for the game.  Oh well, it won't be snowing in my house.  How sweet of your mom to come and train Ben.  

*Nancy*-On the potty training, I'm of the wait til their ready club.  Michael was just over 3, as was 2 of my nephews.  One nephew woke up one day probably a month after his 3rd b-day and said " I want to wear big boy pants"  And he never had an accident!  He's still a good boy at 21.  It's tough when you need them trained for preschool.  I like your idea wait til after disney in may and then deal with it in the summer, when it's not so cold, and there are less clothes to change too.  Heres a hug for the matching poo.  Oh, and I looove your new jacket!!  So sweet.   Made me go looking online, I'd love a new jacket too, but am too cheap right now.  Maybe for my birthday.  

*LisaR* -Hope all is well with you in taperland!

*Pamela*-Thanks for the good wishes and hugs.  We are doing much better now, and very happy we have Poko to keep us occupied.

We had a little funeral for Freddie yesterday and burried him in the yard.  It was sweet.  We are going to make a garden stone and put it over him.  Michael wondered what would happen if we ever moved.   I reassured him we'd be here for a very long time, and not to worry about it now.  

I ran a bit yesterday and when I was barefoot last night, my foot started hurting.  That happened before, and I know I just can't be barefoot.  It's fine in my running shoes or danskos.  Poko is at daycare, so today we just did a short walk.  Tonight we'll either walk or I'll do some wii dance for my 30 min.  That 100 day challenge is really good to keep me moving.  And a little competition.  If rose didn't give in and skip a day, I certainly can't either.

Thanks again everyone for all the lovely comments, love and support.  I don't know what I would do without all of you.


----------



## donac

dumbo_buddy said:


> mommy and me today and that's about it. trying to see if i can have my friend's daughter come over so i can go meet usher
> 
> a little celebration: i fed matthew at 9pm, went to the guest room to read a little and fell asleep around 10. a few minutes before 6am john got me up. he said, "he slept through to now, no formula. he's hungry now so i figured i'd get you." yep. 9-6! wow! i think the fact that i'm NOT in the room is helping because he doesn't smell me.
> 
> omg. thomas just said, "mommy! poo!" in his crib and as soon as he said that matthew just let out a big one in his diaper. lucky me! simultaneous pooping brothers! gotta go change them!!!



Congrats Nancy on the good night sleep.  I hope it keeps up.  

The bit with the poop made me chuckle.  You are a lucky one.  Just what every mother wanted DOUBLE POOP.

My foot seems to be okay as long as I wear just plain flat shoes.  The walking shoes that I bought in Oct bother my foot.  

Dh won't get the results from his biopsy until Monday.We shall see what happens.  

Just wanted to stop in and say hello.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Nancy* oh my gosh I was cracking up at the double pooping brothers.  I know it was funny for us but not you.  Thanks for giving us a laugh though.  I hope you were able to meet usher today.  Did you wear your new jacket?

*Kathy*- I loved your response about the 100 day challenge.  It is quite motivating when others are doing it to.  I missed the memo but will just cheer you all on from the sidelines.  GO GO GO

*Dona*- I hope everything is good with dh's test.

Hi to all my other princess and tinkerbelles too!

I am a bit blah tonight and am going to go lay down and cuddle with nick.  We are going to watch a movie while mike and Ryan are at bball practice.  Hopefully that makes me feel better.

Tomorrow is weigh in day and I hope its a good number.  It was coming down all week but for some reason I feel bloated today.  I drank like 100 oz of water so not sure whats going on.

Goodnight.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I'm going to hold my breath and not post anything witty until I get pms with birthdays...I'm just sayin'...

Seriously, not necessary, but I for one would like to make sure I don't miss anyone's special !

Lindsay is exempt because her's is this week...c'mon, you know you want to hear all about My Beloved Patriots! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm going to hold my breath and not post anything witty until I get pms with birthdays...I'm just sayin'...
> 
> Seriously, not necessary, but I for one would like to make sure I don't miss anyone's special !
> 
> Lindsay is exempt because her's is this week...c'mon, you know you want to hear all about My Beloved Patriots!
> 
> Maria



It took me a minute, I'm thinking did Lindsay have something funny happen because she had PMS on her birthday.    I'll pm you, but you can miss my actual birthday this year because you will be romping all over disney world the day before the princess!!  I will be dreaming about being with you on that day.  Gotta get those lottery tickets. 

OK *Lisabelles!!!*  What will you be doing one week from right now!!!!?????  Inquiring minds need to know!!!

Hi *Dona.* fingers crossed for ds's results.

*Lindsay*-Hope the scale is good to you today.  I have not been eating well, and the scale has been down a little, so I figure today it will show my real punishment.  Maybe I'll use yesterdays weight, or just get my a$$ in gear for real today.

*Rose*_Thank you for getting me through my 30 min yesterday.  Poko did day care, so she didn't need the exercise, but I made her go any way, thanks to the 100 day challenge.  I thought of you several times and kept on going.

*Nancy*-  Was looking for a poop hug, but couldn't find one.  Those days can be exhausting.   Hope today is better and you get some me time this weekend. 

Off to walk poko.  Have a great day!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*LISAH* ok can we talk about your injury (that's not really an injury, just a scary thing pre-race...that's what i'm sticking to). what happened? seriously though, are you in alot of pain? ribs are a toughie. hopefully the x-rays show that it's nothing and they can give you some good drugs! how frustrating! sounds like just another reason for you to move east (you know, so you're closer to all of us!) well, you'll have to move to florida to avoid the snow but i bet that would work out swimmingly! i hope you feel better. what time is your appointment? will the doctor take you right away or are you going to an urgent care place?

*lindsay* if you don't laugh at the poop, you'll just cry. like, alot. what movie did you watch with nick? how is ryan liking basketball? i hope you're feeling less blah today. bloat - could it be pms? ah, the good stuff. not.

*kathy* thanks for the potty training advice. you're right, we just aren't going to push it. my friend didn't bother trying til her kids were 3 when they seemed to want to try it themselves. and it wasn't a very stressful thing for them. we have the potty sitting in the bathroom but definitely think waiting til after our trip is the way to go. 

*maria* my bday's 10/4. did you know that 10/5 is the most popular birthday in the u.s.? why?? new years.  oh but my parents weren't married til 1/26? yep, honeymoon baby...i was born 3 weeks early. i am the ONLY person who can actually say their parents only did "it" one time. on their wedding night. and then there was me. lol!!

*lisaR* helloooo!!!! how are you hanging in with just days til the tink? when are you flying down? how long are you staying? 

*rose* how's the foot? did you get out for a run yesterday? what about the tornadoes? are they gone??

**************
good morning gals! 

dr. oz is telling me on the today show how being exhausted and tired makes me crave carbs. duh. 

speaking of doctors, my endocrinologist is being a huge PITA. i haven't seen him in forever but he doesn't actually DO anything. just blah blah blahs forever after making me wait over an hour to see him and then writes my prescription for metformin. i tried to just have the pharmacy call him to get it refilled and he denied it because i haven't been there! i'm so annoyed - i don't want to go there and get on the scale and hear him tell me exactly how much weight i need to lose. i know dude. i know. i don't want to hear about how hard it is to lose weight because of the pcos and all that crap. I KNOW! wah! i think i'm going to call him and just talk to him about it. explain that i don't have the $275 to go down there and pay for parking and a sitter just to get a prescription! it's not like i need a painkiller or something! 

anywho, i got my friend's daughter and her friend to come watch the kiddos so i could run. didn't see usher though. oh well. i did see all the cadets walking around so that was nice. kept me from slowing down - you know, have to keep up appearances! i ran 3.2 miles without stopping. took me 37 minutes though  but i'll take it. i felt awesome after it was over. the cold air was so invigorating! my running gear is SO tight on me. i had flab pouring out of every area possible. i miss my semi-flat stomach. but i ran and that was great. i wore my new rundisney jacket too! it's awesome. it is a size large and it is definitely small on me. i don't even think it's because i'm all that big, i think the sizing is just crazy!

nothing planned for today. hate these days. maybe a trip to stew leonards. might be a nightmare with the two kids though. hmm.....

xoxo


----------



## mikamah

Lisaaaaaaa!!!!         And tons of pixie dust coming your way!!!  Facebook needs smilies, so I come here and can't get the second page of pixiedust smilies to come, so big hugs, pixiedust and angels on your shoulder coming at you.   XO
  Oh look, I stayed on long enough for the pixiedust to pop up.  Here it comes, all the way to Idaho!!  Hang in there.  Good luck!!  

And *Little Miss Nancy*-3.2 miles in 37 minutes 7 weeks after having a baby is absolutely amazing.  You go girl!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> Lisaaaaaaa!!!!         And tons of pixie dust coming your way!!!  Facebook needs smilies, so I come here and can't get the second page of pixiedust smilies to come, so big hugs, pixiedust and angels on your shoulder coming at you.   XO
> Oh look, I stayed on long enough for the pixiedust to pop up.  Here it comes, all the way to Idaho!!  Hang in there.  Good luck!!
> 
> And *Little Miss Nancy*-3.2 miles in 37 minutes 7 weeks after having a baby is absolutely amazing.  You go girl!!



i'm going to have to quote kathy's post now instead of a multi-quote later because you KNOW that smilie police officer is just chomping away at his donut ready to throw the towel in at anyone who wants more smilies in a post! 

good luck to you lisa! we hope you feel better as soon as possible. i actually called tinkerbell herself and she's wizzing over to idaho (you know, cuz she lives in the tinkerbell shop at MK) to drop a whole ton of pixie dust on your house and your office and pretty much wherever you go today!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Lisa--
Oh my gosh! I hope it goes well at the doctor! 

I told you all snow is evil!

Sending lots of good thoughts your way that you are feeling great by tommorrow! 

I know you are going to have a wonderful time at the Tinkerbelle Race!


----------



## lisah0711

Thanks for all the hugs and good wishes guys!  

I don't mind talking about it here, *Nancy.*  The Disboards have been so slow lately it was easier to use FB first.  

It was just a silly accident.  Our driveway goes up at a slope and then flattens out before it gets to the garage.  I tried to get up the hill and the van got stuck.  I put the car in park and told Robert this was as far as we were going.  He went in the house.  I thought I could shovel two little paths for the tires and get the car into the garage.  Got the shovel.  Shoveled two paths.  Tried to get up again and got stuck again but this time slid partially out in the street so I had to at least get the car out of the street.  Was walking up the hill to get the sand and fell.  It knocked the breath of out me but it was apparently harder than I realized and my ribs hit where the slope changed.  Still I was able to get the sand, get out of the driveway, drive around the block and tried one last time to get up the hill but got stuck again although out of the street.  Left the car where it was and called Ed to tell him to watch out for the van when he came home.

It wasn't until after I had gone upstairs to change that I realized that I was hurt.  I thought I was just banged up and took a couple of Aleve.  But then I started to realize that there was more to it.  I took a Percoset I had left over from my hysterectomy.  Robert followed me around for quite awhile asking if I needed to go to the hospital.   I figured if I was more worried about my $5,000 deductible than how much things hurt then I would feel better today.    It woke me up several times in the night and is worse today.  

Something is really wrong.  What it is or how bad it is I won't know until I get to the doctor this morning.  I'm going to stay positive about the Tinker Bell until someone tells me otherwise.    And 'cause it really hurts to cry.  

I'll keep you posted.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Omg *Lisah!* -- Oh Sweetie, I am so sorry this happened. Nothing but  coming your way...and maybe a prayer or two. No use speculating until you know what has happened. We are positive people, we are thinking positive thoughts, and hoping you have excellent treatment and relief from that pain asap.  I hope you know our hugs reach all the way across the country for you. Hang in there, we are all thinking good thoughts for you 

Maria


----------



## liesel

It just took 25 minutes to load this page!

*LisaH* Sending tons of  and  your way, I really hope its nothing serious.  When I took my surfing lesson, the next day I felt like my ribs were bruised, its pretty common for first timers.  It really hurt the day after my lesson, but by the next day I was all better!  I really hope its the same for you.  Then we can get back to stressing about the weather.

*Nancy* 3.2 miles in 37 minutes 7 weeks postpartum is fantastic!  You'll be back to your old self in no time.  Having potty trained both a boy and a girl, the girl was definitely much easier.  I got A LOT of flak from people, especially my mom and mil about how long it took to train DS, but neither of them could do any better!  I tried every method I ever heard of, and it is definitely best not to rush them before they are ready.  I agree with Lisa that people must be having faulty memories, its not that easy for everyone!  DD was trained about a month before our WDW trip and hadn't had an accident in 2 weeks.  She had 2 accidents on our 2 week Florida trip, which I thought was pretty good considering the drastic change in schedule.  Luckily one of the accidents was at our condo and not messy.  The other one was a bit of a disaster at the gift shop for the Figment ride at Epcot, but I was carrying spare clothes.  Whatever Thomas is ready for, I'm sure you'll have a fantastic trip!

*Maria* My bday is May 23, I really don't want to hear about the Patriots!   

*Rose* Thanks for all the tendon exercise advice, its really coming in handy, especially since DH is having tendon pain for the first time.  On my run yesterday, I really focused on my form and I think it is a big help.  I just need to keep it in mind for the race.  Sorry about the Packers.  Wow, tornadoes in January is scary, I'm glad you are OK.

*Kathy* I'm going to hold off on discussing my Tink plans until we hear back from Lisa, she WILL be racing!  My DH's friend has backed out, she has other commitments that weekend now, which is a bummer that we won't be able to see her and her family.  Sounds like you and Poko are having a great 100 day challenge!

*Lindsay* I wished you a happy birthday on FB, but wasn't on the DIS on Wednesday, I'm glad you had a good, but ordinary day.  You are doing so fantastic this challenge, keep it up!

*Dona* I hope DH's biopsy results are good.  

The kids are off school today (another inservice) so we are meeting DH for lunch.  Then I need to do a little reading and come up with my nutrition plan for the week.  If anyone has any favorite half week meals, I'd love to hear them.  I also need to work on my ipod playlist.  And all the boring housework stuff.  And do 3 miles tomorrow and take the kids to the track to practice (they are progressing well in a small amount of time!).  I am bloated and crampy and miserable and have no idea when TOM will arrive since everything is so out of whack right now after that last 15 day interval.  Right now I am scheduled to have my worst day the day of the Tink, so I'm really hoping that changes.  So I am up in weight and frustrated since I have been working hard.  How long before the long run woosh?  I had a mini woosh today, I hope another is coming soon.

I'll check in when I get back from lunch to see how Lisa is doing.  Have a great day  and belles!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Rose&Mike said:


> *Kathy and Maria-*-As long as there is booze, cheese sticks, eggs and fruit I am usually good to go. I told Mike that if it works out with parents weekend that I would like to go....and he was good with it. If you use gf beer then beergaritas should be gf!
> 
> There are already 5 confirmed tornadoes in the area from yesterday. I think they are looking at a couple of other areas. One was 2 miles up the road from my house. I am really glad I was at work! My boss lives very near there--haven't talked to her yet today to see if they had damage. Mike drove by that area on the way home and there were trees down all over the place and it looked like a tornado went through. Lovely!



I promise we have all of those -- Dennis even asked me what kind of liquor you want  

Wild and wacky weather! Tornados are nothing to mess around with...I'm glad you are okey dokey 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I think everyone knew it was my birthday tonight because I had the whole track at the gym to myself.  I was in heaven.  Well it also could be the new years resolutions for some are wearing off.



Is it safe to go back in the gyms yet?  It is funny how people start off with so much enthusiasm, and then when they don't lose 10 lbs week 1, they give up. I am so glad none of you ladies think that's a good route. We are in this for the long haul! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> how is biggest loser without jillian? i haven't watched in a few seasons.
> 
> ok, i'll just have your mom, the potty-whisperer, come stay with us!



BL is not the same, but it's ok. I miss Jillian, but I like Dolvett. Anna Kournikova was a big bust, imho...

Oh *Nancy*, I so wish my mom could come train Thomas. She would do it in a minute, she was that kind of person. She passed in 2002, so now we just have the good memories...



mikamah said:


> *Maria*-Are you ready for the big game?  And the snow?  At least the snow appears to be well timed for work, not so much for the game.  Oh well, it won't be snowing in my house.  How sweet of your mom to come and train Ben.



We are ready! I've got my shrimp ring, my Bruschi jersey, and I'm good to go! Not to put too much pressure on the guys, but if they win, I get a big cookie with frosting and nachos for the Super Bowl...I'm just sayin'  If they aren't in the Super Bowl, no outlandish goodies. 



donac said:


> My foot seems to be okay as long as I wear just plain flat shoes.  The walking shoes that I bought in Oct bother my foot.
> 
> Dh won't get the results from his biopsy until Monday.We shall see what happens.
> 
> Just wanted to stop in and say hello.



 *Dona!* Okay I will add a prayer for dh's results to my list. I hope you can find shoes that will support you and be comfortable. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Tomorrow is weigh in day and I hope its a good number.  It was coming down all week but for some reason I feel bloated today.  I drank like 100 oz of water so not sure whats going on.



I hope your bloat floats away  and you have a great number! The scale should reward you for all that drinking water! 



mikamah said:


> It took me a minute, I'm thinking did Lindsay have something funny happen because she had PMS on her birthday.



Sorry! Bday list coming soon, Thanks to *Kathy*! She had everyone but me...I'll get that out this weekend, promise! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> *maria* my bday's 10/4. did you know that 10/5 is the most popular birthday in the u.s.? why?? new years.  oh but my parents weren't married til 1/26? yep, honeymoon baby...i was born 3 weeks early. i am the ONLY person who can actually say their parents only did "it" one time. on their wedding night. and then there was me. lol!!



This reminds me of a weird co-worker I used to have, who (at my boss's birthday celebration) asked her if she celebrates her day of conception  I don't think many of us know that -- except for our girl *Nancy!*



lisah0711 said:


> Thanks for all the hugs and good wishes guys!



We've got nothin' but  for you, *Lisah!* Hope you are getting some rest and relaxing! 



liesel said:


> It just took 25 minutes to load this page!
> 
> [*Maria* My bday is May 23, I really don't want to hear about the Patriots!



The DIS is unbelievably slow lately. I gather they are doing some work and if we are patient, this free website will soon be back up to speed. Can't complain too much 

I get it, *Lisa*, I promise no long tomes about them. 


So, when I got up today, I knew the 12M wasn't happening. I'm not even sure what I last posted. We were going to run the last 10M of the Boston route today, but we found out it would be snow and slush covered, so bagged that. Then I was going to do 12 inside, but when I woke up I knew that wasn't in the cards. I rested today, and I plan to do the 12M tomorrow. I am looking forward to it, after I sleep in and get all the rest I can handle. 

I'm coaching Mickey this week, assuming people don't just desert in droves because my questions aren't fun and interactive enough. Apparently if they aren't, next week will be much better  Okay, that was snarky, but something over there really bothered me today. I know, it's not about me, and I need to let it go. I wish there was a zen smilie  I'm going to post tomorrow's QOTD tonight before I go to bed, since I plan to be on the TM after my sleep-in. 

I'm going to watch _Brad Meltzer's Decoded_, and then check back. 

Everyone have an awesome night!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Just thought you all should know that I just went to bed with a devil dog and about 20 saltines. Yeah, it's been one of those days. 

Lisa, toss me a percocet, will ya??


----------



## ::Snow_White::

Hello everyone! I'm not doing any races in Disney (I wish! We won't be there for any), however I needed some advice or opinions. Wasn't sure of where to turn, but I thought this thread was as good as any!

I found out there will be a 5k/half marathon run near me in the middle of May. I've become very inspired to really get in gear and a 5k has always been a dream for me. I started running about 2 years ago off and on (treadmill), and got from only being able to run 30 seconds and at one point I could run at 5mph for 20 minutes. That was big. I stopped and finally got back to it in August.

Anyway, I've been running about every other day, usually 1.5-2 miles (still on treadmill). I can do a 5k on the treadmill in about 43 minutes. I have to stop and walk a bit, and I am a little slow, but I can do it. I can run a complete mile nonstop in about 12 minutes.

My question is, do you think 17 weeks is too short of a time to be able to train for the half-marathon? I need to register by March, and I found a 12 week half-marathon program. The last 5 weeks I planned on switching to pavement and work from there. It's such a big deal to me and it would be amazing if I could complete it, but I just want to make sure it was doable before jumping in and registering. I really don't want to be picked up, I just want to finish (although if I am, at least I tried!).


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> Just thought you all should know that I just went to bed with a devil dog and about 20 saltines. Yeah, it's been one of those days.
> 
> Lisa, toss me a percocet, will ya??


Well, in the whole scheme of things, it could have been 20 devil dogs and 1 saltine, so I think you did pretty awesome.  I myself took the crockpot off the pantry counter and found half a bag of hershey's kisses the other night, and ds and I polished them off through the week.  I hope today is a better day for you Nancy.   It's a new day.  We can do this!!  

*Maria*_ I posted some shoes for you on facebook, but couldn't tag you or put them on your wall, but I think you need them. lol.  I don't celebrate the day I conceived ds, but I know it because it was st Patricks day.  I had a good luck piece of irish marble that looked like an angel a friend had give me, and am pretty sure my irish dad in heaven may have had a part in it.  It was the one and only time i went out on St patricks day sober, and was amazed, appalled, shocked at really how drunk and obnoxious we get on that day.  I lived within walking distance of the Irish pub we'd go to and stumble home from.   I like your plan for the super bowl, and I hope they come through for you.   Oh, and since I'm coaching next week on Donald, maybe I'll just steal all your qotds.    Lisa's hippie smilie is pretty zen, maybe not all natural though.

*LisaH*-Hoping you got a good nights sleep, and are feeling better this morning.  Make sure you take lots of good deep breaths even if they hurt, that's what the meds will help with.  Don't want to end up with a chest infection.  

*Rose*-Thanks for coaching donald last week.  I feel like a shmuck and just haven't been over there.  I just said I'm going to say a quick hello here now, and then go over there and catch up with everyone, and then I start chatting here, and don't get there.  It will be good for me to coach next week and get more involved.  Hope you are doing well, and are you rooting for the Pats again this weekend???????  

*LisaR*-Hang in there with the scale.  It doesn't always show what we deserve, but those healthy habits do make a difference.  It stinks to have you period during a race, but at least there are lots of portapotties along the route.   What do you mean you don't want to hear about the Patriots?  Just kidding.  Poor Mr. Tebow.  How is he doing?  Hope you don't mind a little teasing.  

*Lindsay*_Hope you enjoyed the rest of your birthday week, and you had a good week.  You are so on the right track, and I need to follow you. 

Hello to everyone else. 

I'm up .2 this week, really not bad at all considering.  Yesterday was the first day i didn't track every bite, so today I'm getting back on that.  I tried to run some with Poko this morning but she was not having it.  It was snowing a little, so I just gave up trying, thinking maybe she just is looking out for me and doesn't want me to slip.  

Off to shower, then doggy class, and a wake with my sisters.  An old friend of our parents passed away.  Then Michael has a bday party, so I will go grocery shopping, and i want to get some pictures organized, and clean the house.  The dog is good for my exercise and my housekeeping.  You just can't go more than a week without vacuuming.  

Have a great weekend everyone!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

::Snow_White:: said:


> Anyway, I've been running about every other day, usually 1.5-2 miles (still on treadmill). I can do a 5k on the treadmill in about 43 minutes. I have to stop and walk a bit, and I am a little slow, but I can do it. I can run a complete mile nonstop in about 12 minutes.
> 
> My question is, do you think 17 weeks is too short of a time to be able to train for the half-marathon? I need to register by March, and I found a 12 week half-marathon program. The last 5 weeks I planned on switching to pavement and work from there. It's such a big deal to me and it would be amazing if I could complete it, but I just want to make sure it was doable before jumping in and registering. I really don't want to be picked up, I just want to finish (although if I am, at least I tried!).


Welcome! I think it's doable, as long as your goal is to finish and you don't stress too much about the time. We have a 1/2 here at the end of April and the training programs always start around here at the beginning of January. 

Have you looked at Galloway plans--he advocates run/walking intervals and that might be a good place to start. Remember the goal for your first half is to finish upright and smiling, since no matter what your time it is a personal record!

If you don't mind my asking, where is the race?



Worfiedoodles said:


> I promise we have all of those -- Dennis even asked me what kind of liquor you want


OMG, am I getting a reputation????
You can coach me anyday cause I think you always have great questions and great responses! Did you get the 10 miles in (or was it 12?)

*Liesel*--I hear you on the t.o.m. I got mine again last saturday after a lovely 2 week break and it was horrific! Ok, maybe I am exaggerating, but it blew chunks. I was so cranky!!!! And you're right the worst part--who knows when it will happen again! I just wish it would get back to a schedule! Are you getting excited??? *We need details about the trip!!!* 

*Lisah*--how are you today???? I am really hoping you are waking up saying, ahhhh, I feel so much better today!!!

*Nancy*--great job on that run! I know for me coming back from the injury, being slower is so mentally challenging. But you will get it back!!!! By summer you will be running all over town pushing that double stroller! When is Matthew big enough to ride in there?

*Kathy*--how's that 100 day challenge? Is it over yet? Why oh why did I sign up for that???

*Lindsay*--how are you? Did you chase those blues away? I had to take vit d this week, really struggling with the winter blahs!

*Dona*--hang in there! I hate waiting for test results!

*****
AFM, I had a week this week. I have one every once in a while when I throw an internal temper tantrum about food. Elizabeth Hasselback (who I am not a big fan of) was on the Chew yesterday and she talked about the disconnect you feel when you are g-f and it really summed it all for me. 

I had decided enough pity party. I really miss cooking/baking. So yesterday I found a reasonably easy recipe for lemon gf poundcake and I made it last night and I must say it was pretty good! The problem with a lot of gf stuff--it just isn't good!!! And the ingredients are crazy expensive! So this morning I am having lemon poundcake and coffee for breakfast.

And I am moving my runs around. Our last long run before Princess was going to be the weekend we go see Tom and I don't want to do that. The foot is feeling pretty good so, I am going to go 10 tomorrow. It's going to be in the 50s.  Which is awesome, but we are going to have severe t-storms again. Uggh. But I will take a couple of hours of warm!

Speaking of Tom--he told me he broke up with the gf. I asked if she was upset and he said yes, but it wasn't going anywhere, so he ended it before it got too messy. Oh to be a boy. I guess he was being thoughtful.....

Have a great Saturday!


----------



## ::Snow_White::

Rose&Mike said:


> Welcome! I think it's doable, as long as your goal is to finish and you don't stress too much about the time. We have a 1/2 here at the end of April and the training programs always start around here at the beginning of January.
> 
> Have you looked at Galloway plans--he advocates run/walking intervals and that might be a good place to start. Remember the goal for your first half is to finish upright and smiling, since no matter what your time it is a personal record!
> 
> If you don't mind my asking, where is the race?
> 
> Have a great Saturday!



Yes, I would just like to finish and not be picked up! I don't mind being last, I just want to be able to finish.

I will have a look at the Galloway plans. I've checked it out before, but never really started. Jeff Galloway is actually going to be there as a guest speaker! My only goal is to finish and then I continue to climb and get faster and eventually do a marathon. Some of my friends will be coming to do the 5k.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

dumbo_buddy said:


> *lindsay* if you don't laugh at the poop, you'll just cry. like, alot. what movie did you watch with nick? how is ryan liking basketball? i hope you're feeling less blah today. bloat - could it be pms? ah, the good stuff. not.



I think with bball he can take it or leave it.  He doesnt complain about going and seems to enjoy himself while hes there but he surely is not disappointed when it is cancelled or he doesnt have practice.  Unlike football...the one day the game got cancelled he was in tears about it.

PMS was last week but it sure felt like it was PMS and now I feel like I am tired and retaining water too.  IDK maybe is PMS (post menstrual syndrome)

and I agree with the others running 3.2 in 37 is still awesome girl.



lisah0711 said:


> It was just a silly accident.



Lisa I hope you are feeling better today.



liesel said:


> Right now I am scheduled to have my worst day the day of the Tink, so I'm really hoping that changes.



I had the same thing happen to me at the princess but you know what It made no difference.  The adrenaline and excitement that you have will totally wash those feeling right out the window.



Worfiedoodles said:


> I rested today, and I plan to do the 12M tomorrow. I am looking forward to it, after I sleep in and get all the rest I can handle.



I hope the run went good today.  Im sure you are doing an awesome job coaching team mickey.  I will now have to check out the thread to see what you were talking about yesterday.  Im a bit nosey if you cant tell.



dumbo_buddy said:


> Just thought you all should know that I just went to bed with a devil dog and about 20 saltines. Yeah, it's been one of those days.
> 
> Lisa, toss me a percocet, will ya??



OH man.  I hope today is better and like kathy said...it could have been worse 20 devil dogs.



Rose&Mike said:


> *Lindsay*--how are you? Did you chase those blues away? I had to take vit d this week, really struggling with the winter blahs!



I am feeling a bit better today.  Is your vit d a pill?  I am thinking of trying that.  

You know I always say every now and then a good pity party is in order.  it gives you a release and then you can move on.  Nothing wrong with that.  Glad you got over it and made some yummy pound cake.  Oh and the drama with tom....got to love the boy's heart...at least he didnt drag her along.  Im sure the poor girl is devastated.  I remember that age when a break up was like the end of the world.

You did an excellent job coaching this week.  Thanks for all your great questions and advice.

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

Well we have 3 inches of snow and everything is cancelled.  You can tell its the first snow fall of the season because everything closes quickly.  Basketball was cancelled already last night.  Zumba got cancelled this morning.  I was disappointed but will try to do dance central kinect later.

Got to go to the inlaws tonight.  They wanted me over for my birthday and are making wings.  I asked them for something healthy and MIL said she would make sure to get celery.  What an idiot.  Anyway I guess it is rude to tell people what they should make you so I will just allot calories for dinner even though I will not eat alot.  Im sure that will be a big deal tonight too.  Uggh 

Anyway I am going to enjoy my day being "snowed in" for now.  The boys were already out once playing for awhile.  I am so glad they are both old enough now to go out and play on their own.  I can just watch from the windown in my warm house and in my comfy PJ's.

Have a great weekend ladies.


----------



## liesel

Worfiedoodles said:


> Is it safe to go back in the gyms yet?  It is funny how people start off with so much enthusiasm, and then when they don't lose 10 lbs week 1, they give up. I am so glad none of you ladies think that's a good route. We are in this for the long haul!
> Gyms around here stay busy until March!  I am tired of being out of my favorite healthy foods at the grocery store.  I can't wait for some people to fall off the wagon so I can have them all to myself again!
> 
> BL is not the same, but it's ok. I miss Jillian, but I like Dolvett. Anna Kournikova was a big bust, imho..
> I agree!
> 
> 
> We are ready! I've got my shrimp ring, my Bruschi jersey, and I'm good to go! Not to put too much pressure on the guys, but if they win, I get a big cookie with frosting and nachos for the Super Bowl...I'm just sayin'  If they aren't in the Super Bowl, no outlandish goodies.
> 
> I hope you get your goodies!  For the past few years DH and I do a regional theme for the Super Bowl and make dishes from the areas where the teams are from.  My favorite was when I made shrimp etouffe when New Orleans was in the Super Bowl, so I was a little disappointed when they lost.    In the past I've made clam chowder for the Patriots, if they are in this year, I'll have to get some more ideas from you and Kathy!  I think for Baltimore I would make crab cakes and salad, but it looks like no one here is rooting for them.
> 
> 
> The DIS is unbelievably slow lately. I gather they are doing some work and if we are patient, this free website will soon be back up to speed. Can't complain too much
> 
> I get it, *Lisa*, I promise no long tomes about them.
> 
> Don't worry about it!  I haven't been a Tom Brady fan for a few years now, but I get how excited you are for your team!  I've been feeling hormonal and snappish lately (day 4 of cramps!), and I hope I didn't come across that way, I was just joking too!
> 
> So, when I got up today, I knew the 12M wasn't happening. I'm not even sure what I last posted. We were going to run the last 10M of the Boston route today, but we found out it would be snow and slush covered, so bagged that. Then I was going to do 12 inside, but when I woke up I knew that wasn't in the cards. I rested today, and I plan to do the 12M tomorrow. I am looking forward to it, after I sleep in and get all the rest I can handle.
> 
> I'm coaching Mickey this week, assuming people don't just desert in droves because my questions aren't fun and interactive enough. Apparently if they aren't, next week will be much better  Okay, that was snarky, but something over there really bothered me today. I know, it's not about me, and I need to let it go. I wish there was a zen smilie  I'm going to post tomorrow's QOTD tonight before I go to bed, since I plan to be on the TM after my sleep-in.
> 
> Good luck coaching Mickey, I'm sure you are doing an awesome job.  Sorry something about the thread bothered you, I hope you have a great week coaching.  Good luck on the 12 miles!
> 
> Maria





::Snow_White:: said:


> Hello everyone! I'm not doing any races in Disney (I wish! We won't be there for any), however I needed some advice or opinions. Wasn't sure of where to turn, but I thought this thread was as good as any!
> 
> I found out there will be a 5k/half marathon run near me in the middle of May. I've become very inspired to really get in gear and a 5k has always been a dream for me. I started running about 2 years ago off and on (treadmill), and got from only being able to run 30 seconds and at one point I could run at 5mph for 20 minutes. That was big. I stopped and finally got back to it in August.
> 
> Anyway, I've been running about every other day, usually 1.5-2 miles (still on treadmill). I can do a 5k on the treadmill in about 43 minutes. I have to stop and walk a bit, and I am a little slow, but I can do it. I can run a complete mile nonstop in about 12 minutes.
> 
> My question is, do you think 17 weeks is too short of a time to be able to train for the half-marathon? I need to register by March, and I found a 12 week half-marathon program. The last 5 weeks I planned on switching to pavement and work from there. It's such a big deal to me and it would be amazing if I could complete it, but I just want to make sure it was doable before jumping in and registering. I really don't want to be picked up, I just want to finish (although if I am, at least I tried!).



It sounds like you have a great base and will do well.  I had a similiar base before starting my 18 week program and am doing my first half, the Tink, next weekend!  I would just recommend doing a 5K or 10K race to help practice race day and build your confidence.  I've done 3 5Ks, 1 4 miler, and 1 10K in preparation and have learned something from each one!



mikamah said:


> *Maria*_ I posted some shoes for you on facebook, but couldn't tag you or put them on your wall, but I think you need them. lol.  I don't celebrate the day I conceived ds, but I know it because it was st Patricks day.  I had a good luck piece of irish marble that looked like an angel a friend had give me, and am pretty sure my irish dad in heaven may have had a part in it.  It was the one and only time i went out on St patricks day sober, and was amazed, appalled, shocked at really how drunk and obnoxious we get on that day.  I lived within walking distance of the Irish pub we'd go to and stumble home from.   I like your plan for the super bowl, and I hope they come through for you.   Oh, and since I'm coaching next week on Donald, maybe I'll just steal all your qotds.    Lisa's hippie smilie is pretty zen, maybe not all natural though.
> 
> Wow, I could not imagine even standing in those shoes!
> 
> *LisaH*-Hoping you got a good nights sleep, and are feeling better this morning.  Make sure you take lots of good deep breaths even if they hurt, that's what the meds will help with.  Don't want to end up with a chest infection.
> 
> *Rose*-Thanks for coaching donald last week.  I feel like a shmuck and just haven't been over there.  I just said I'm going to say a quick hello here now, and then go over there and catch up with everyone, and then I start chatting here, and don't get there.  It will be good for me to coach next week and get more involved.  Hope you are doing well, and are you rooting for the Pats again this weekend???????
> 
> *LisaR*-Hang in there with the scale.  It doesn't always show what we deserve, but those healthy habits do make a difference.  It stinks to have you period during a race, but at least there are lots of portapotties along the route.   What do you mean you don't want to hear about the Patriots?  Just kidding.  Poor Mr. Tebow.  How is he doing?  Hope you don't mind a little teasing.
> 
> I'm not really worried about the period per se, just the particular day that it may be, the one where I run to the bathroom every 45 minutes, if its not that day I'll be fine!  I don't mind teasing at all, especially about Tebow!  Did they share on the news in Boston that he actually got hurt in the 3rd quarter of that game?  There was mass panic around here, but he's going to be fine and he has the entire off season to recover.  Right now everyone is obsessing over a rumor that Trader Joe's may be coming to Colorado, but our whacky liquor laws may stand in their way.  The closest TJ's is 5 hours from our house in Santa Fe.  I really hope they come here, I miss them!  It will most likely be right when we move, knowing our luck!
> 
> *Lindsay*_Hope you enjoyed the rest of your birthday week, and you had a good week.  You are so on the right track, and I need to follow you.
> 
> Hello to everyone else.
> 
> I'm up .2 this week, really not bad at all considering.  Yesterday was the first day i didn't track every bite, so today I'm getting back on that.  I tried to run some with Poko this morning but she was not having it.  It was snowing a little, so I just gave up trying, thinking maybe she just is looking out for me and doesn't want me to slip.
> 
> Off to shower, then doggy class, and a wake with my sisters.  An old friend of our parents passed away.  Then Michael has a bday party, so I will go grocery shopping, and i want to get some pictures organized, and clean the house.  The dog is good for my exercise and my housekeeping.  You just can't go more than a week without vacuuming.
> 
> Sorry to hear about the family friend.  We really need to vacuum every other day for our precious shedder, but I think its a victory if its every 5 days or once a week!
> 
> Have a great weekend everyone!!





mommyof2Pirates said:


> I think with bball he can take it or leave it.  He doesnt complain about going and seems to enjoy himself while hes there but he surely is not disappointed when it is cancelled or he doesnt have practice.  Unlike football...the one day the game got cancelled he was in tears about it.
> 
> PMS was last week but it sure felt like it was PMS and now I feel like I am tired and retaining water too.  IDK maybe is PMS (post menstrual syndrome)
> 
> and I agree with the others running 3.2 in 37 is still awesome girl.
> 
> 
> Lisa I hope you are feeling better today.
> 
> 
> 
> I had the same thing happen to me at the princess but you know what It made no difference.  The adrenaline and excitement that you have will totally wash those feeling right out the window.
> 
> 
> 
> I am feeling a bit better today.  Is your vit d a pill?  I am thinking of trying that.
> 
> You know I always say every now and then a good pity party is in order.  it gives you a release and then you can move on.  Nothing wrong with that.  Glad you got over it and made some yummy pound cake.  Oh and the drama with tom....got to love the boy's heart...at least he didnt drag her along.  Im sure the poor girl is devastated.  I remember that age when a break up was like the end of the world.
> 
> You did an excellent job coaching this week.  Thanks for all your great questions and advice.
> 
> **********************************************************
> 
> Well we have 3 inches of snow and everything is cancelled.  You can tell its the first snow fall of the season because everything closes quickly.  Basketball was cancelled already last night.  Zumba got cancelled this morning.  I was disappointed but will try to do dance central kinect later.
> 
> Got to go to the inlaws tonight.  They wanted me over for my birthday and are making wings.  I asked them for something healthy and MIL said she would make sure to get celery.  What an idiot.  Anyway I guess it is rude to tell people what they should make you so I will just allot calories for dinner even though I will not eat alot.  Im sure that will be a big deal tonight too.  Uggh
> 
> Anyway I am going to enjoy my day being "snowed in" for now.  The boys were already out once playing for awhile.  I am so glad they are both old enough now to go out and play on their own.  I can just watch from the windown in my warm house and in my comfy PJ's.
> 
> Have a great weekend ladies.



I take Vitamin D every day, I was deficient and am trying to get my levels in the normal range, I am being retested in March.  It really does help.  I can't believe this is only your first snowfall of the season!  I really need to move someplace warmer.  The track is finally clear since November (some puddles, but I can live with that) so I am doing my 3 miles somewhere flat finally!  I've had enough of hills for now.

*LisaH* Get better, I'm looking forward to seeing you at the Tink!

*Rose* I know I multiquoted you, but I don't see it here.  You are definitely entitled to a pity party, it must be tough, I can't imagine!  Sorry things didn't work out with the girlfriend.  Ah, young love.  I don't have really a lot of firm plans for the Tink since so much depends on the people I am visiting, but this is what I have so far.

Friday-arrive, meet the inlaws for lunch, race expo with inlaws (hopefully seeing LisaH there!), hopefully seeing at least one speaker, then the usual get settled stuff:check in and trips to the grocery store and Trader Joe's (we always have a car when we go to DL since we used to be local and like to visit people and favorite restaurants).  We will most likely meet the inlaws and my BIL at his place (2 miles from DL) and go out to dinner.  Early night for the kids, they are racing on Saturday!

Saturday-kids races are at 8 we need to stage by 7:45, so we'll leave our hotel around 7 and meet the inlaws and whoever else wants to go.  DH is going to run with the kids, when I told him that parents were allowed to run, he was all over that.  He wants to run through a park too!  The race is at DCA.  Afterwards, we'll head over to DL and eat mickey mouse pancakes at the Riverbelle Terrace (where Walt used to have breakfast) and then enjoy DL until the WISH meet at 4.  The inlaws did not purchase hoppers, just 2 day 1 park passes, so I have to rethink my park strategy, its so easy to park hop here!  After the meet we are having dinner offsite at a friend's Italian restaurant, then relaxing at the hotel.  We are staying at Hojo's in a kids suite, they have a separate room for the kids with bunk beds and is POTC themed (and there's 2 bathrooms! ).  That way I can get ready for the race without bothering the kids.

Sunday-my least planned day, I'm not sure what we'll do after the race.  I am leaning towards Trader Sam's and the restaurant next door (these are at the DL hotel), even though the podcasters are meeting there, it should be fun.  Plus a friend of mine may be at the finish and she doesn't have DL tickets, so outside the parks would be best.  I know I have to get all the way back to the hotel for a shower, that's going to be a pain!  I'd like to spend some time at DCA this day, we'll see.  I didn't make any ressies because I wasn't sure if we would have park time with the inlaws, so we'll most likely just be doing counter service for dinner, which is fine with me.

Monday-sleep in, parks don't open until 10.  We have ressies at Blue Bayou (the restaurant inside POTC) at 11:30.  DD and I may hit Pixie Hollow first thing for pictures with Tink.  Then we'll just hit whatever must do rides we haven't done and leave late afternoon for the airport.

I am looking forward to it, we've just been so busy, its hard to get excited.  I'm most looking forward to the warmth!  I had better start my day, have a great weekend everyone!

ETA: Stupid smilie police!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon  and !

It is a good afternoon, because I can say I successfully completed 12M! That's the good news. The bad news is I am never doing that on a TM again unless I have to in training for a race. Painful, I tell you!  It's just too long for me to be on there. 10 is good, 11 is sketchy, 12 is not for the faint of heart. I think that's good enough before my race. I'll finish up with 10Ms until I start my taper. I was going to go to 13, but I don't see the need to torture myself that way. Honestly, If it were warm and I could have run up and down the beach, I think I would have been fine. I will do 12 and 13 before Providence, since I can be outside. 

*Lisa* -- You didn't sound snappish at all. I get it. If *Lindsay* was going on about her Eagles in the playoffs and they had knocked off my Pats, it would not be fun to hear. But we know that would never happen  (I am asking for it! ) I think you' regional meal for the Super Bowl contestants is a fabulous idea! No, nobody around here is rooting for Baltimore  Honestly, they have a rep throughout the NFL for playing dirty...

*Lindsay* -- I should have kept that to myself, at least I didn't post it over there...I'm working on being able to let things like that just go. 

*Snow* -- One thing my friend *Kathy* taught me was to look up the race results from last year. Then I can gauge when I might finish, and if I think it's a good race for me. Remember the WISH motto, which includes, "Dead Last Finish Greatly Trumps Did Not Start, WISH gave me the courage to start!" I have finished last, and I could not have been happier. It was my first race, a 5K, and I was so proud I got out there and did my best 

*Rose* -- The lemon pound cake sounds wonderful! I know g-f is really hard  I got an eye-opener when we hosted Tristan, and that was only for 2 days! Sounds like Tom is not upset by the break-up, so I guess that's good  I have been that poor girl too many times to count , so I know he is right, if it's going nowhere, better to get out before it get's messy! 

*Kathy* -- I'm happy to share my QOTDs with you! I need to get over this issue I have with intellectual property. It is a website, for goodness sake! I admit, I was a bit floored when someone else used one of the questions I trot out every challenge last challenge, but there you go...in the end I decided I should be flattered  So sorry about the family friend 

*Nancy* -- I agree with everyone else. Your devil dog/saltine ratio could have been a lot worse  It is hard when the scale is not doing what you expect. Just hang in there. Over time you will see the results you are working so hard for 

*Lisah* -- I hope you are having a wonderful, relaxing, comfortable day. Hopefully you will feel much better tomorrow! 

I just promised Ben I would watch an SNL with Daniel Radcliffe with him. I guess it's good since it will require little movement on my part, I just have to make it downstairs  I'm going to check in on Mickey afterwards. 

Oh! And in  news, I am back to my Princess weight! Ok, now I just have to keep it up and keep it moving down. Dennis offered to buy me a new tv for the bedroom after Christmas (it's the only one in the house with a giant box in back), and I told him I wanted to wait until I lose 10 lbs, so it will have an extra meaning. 6 lbs away, I think I could be enjoying it for Valentine's Day! 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Oh good gosh, I've killed the thread 

Everyone must be out (or in!) having fun. Enjoy the weekend!

Maria


----------



## liesel

Maria, I'm still around!

I had a horrible run today, I think I was feeling so good Thursday I ran too fast and got a little shin splints.  I also ran a little yesterday with the kids, even though I was only planning to walk.  I cut the run short today and am resting and icing.  I could tell the compression sleeves were helping, though, so at least I know they work for me!  I'm taking the next 2 days off and most likely only doing the mininum on Tuesday and Thursday to keep me healthy for the Tink.  Its just so frustrating, every time I try to go faster, my body rebels!  I'll have to take it easy at the race, even if I really want to run faster!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

liesel said:


> Maria, I'm still around!
> 
> I had a horrible run today, I think I was feeling so good Thursday I ran too fast and got a little shin splints.  I also ran a little yesterday with the kids, even though I was only planning to walk.  I cut the run short today and am resting and icing.  I could tell the compression sleeves were helping, though, so at least I know they work for me!  I'm taking the next 2 days off and most likely only doing the mininum on Tuesday and Thursday to keep me healthy for the Tink.  Its just so frustrating, every time I try to go faster, my body rebels!  I'll have to take it easy at the race, even if I really want to run faster!



Methinks someone has taper madness!  Seriously, only doing the minimum is just right, and at the end of your taper is not the time to try to go faster!  Making sure you get plenty of rest before your race is a priority. You will be glad you did! Honest, when you start your race fresh and ready, the training you have done will kick in, and your body will do what it needs to, and even surprise you.  

By the way, I love your plans for the race, sounds like a lot of fun! 
We're getting down to just a few sleeps before you leave 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

Thank you all so much for the   and good wishes!  I appreciate it and love you all! 

I do feel better every day so I am hopeful.  Today I'm going to get some KT tape to see if that helps make things feel like they are staying in place and see if that helps with taking several deep breaths in a row.  They don't bind you up for days like they used to because they want you to take deep breaths and keep your lungs clear. (Thank you Nurse *Kathy*! ) But I can do it for a few hours at a time.  The next thing is to see if I can wear a sports bra and take deep breaths.  Then I will try the Kroc Center tomorrow.  Ed told me I should just go to the race even if I only start and run three steps!   One good thing about smacking your ribs is that you don't worry about those aches and pains in your feet any more! 

*Dona,* sending you good thoughts and  for your DH's test results tomorrow.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> I promise we have all of those -- Dennis even asked me what kind of liquor you want



He knows the Princesses have priorities!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> Just thought you all should know that I just went to bed with a devil dog and about 20 saltines. Yeah, it's been one of those days.



 Sorry for the bad day.  Looks like your guys were out and about yesterday so hope you got some rest although I'm sure that you still had Matthew.  



::Snow_White:: said:


> Hello everyone! I'm not doing any races in Disney (I wish! We won't be there for any), however I needed some advice or opinions. Wasn't sure of where to turn, but I thought this thread was as good as any!



 *Kayla!*  A race to finish in the upright position in May is doable IMHO since you've got a good running base.  You might want to check the race website and see if they have a suggested training plan.  Good luck!  And let us know what you decide to do.  

Darn you smilie police BRB.


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> I posted some shoes for you on facebook, but couldn't tag you or put them on your wall, but I think you need them. lol.



*Kathy,* do you and *Maria* have your special Patriots shoes all ready to go for the big game today?  

I loved the pictures of Fredward you posted on FB.  He had such a variety of accessories!    He didn't seem to mind either.  He was a good companion.  I'm not surprised he left a few squeaks behind -- all the animals I've had left little sounds behind.  

*Rose,* hope the run was fabulous yesterday!   You and *Maria* are going to be ready to rock the Princess soon.   

Funny thing about those pragmatic, logical guys -- I know some day some girl is going to lead mine around by the nose, at least for awhile.  I try to prepare Robert but, of course, he knows so much more about it than I do about this subject, just like everything else.  

I'm glad that you are finding more things that you can eat because I know that is very, very frustrating for you and I totally don't blame you.    I hope that your pasta is fabulous! 

*Lindsay,* sorry about the PMS/water retention thing.   

You can tell it's been a mild winter if three inches of snow shuts stuff down.  How was your healthy celery?   There is someone who just doesn't get it but you aren't going to change them at this late date.   



liesel said:


> I am looking forward to it, we've just been so busy, its hard to get excited.  I'm most looking forward to the warmth!  I had better start my day, have a great weekend everyone!!



*Lisa,* your DL plans sound great!    I love an 11:30 a.m. seating at Blue Bayou.    I hope that we can have some frou frou drink at Trader Sam's after the race.  I know it's tough juggling all your peeps!   One week from now we will be standing in our corrals!   The weather looks just about perfect for race day -- 68 for a high and 44 for a low. 

And good planning getting that TOM stuff out of the way before the race! 

Listen to the wise words of *Maria* about taper! 



Worfiedoodles said:


> It is a good afternoon, because I can say I successfully completed 12M! That's the good news. The bad news is I am never doing that on a TM again unless I have to in training for a race. Painful, I tell you!  It's just too long for me to be on there. 10 is good, 11 is sketchy, 12 is not for the faint of heart. I think that's good enough before my race. I'll finish up with 10Ms until I start my taper. I was going to go to 13, but I don't see the need to torture myself that way. Honestly, If it were warm and I could have run up and down the beach, I think I would have been fine. I will do 12 and 13 before Providence, since I can be outside.



Great job on the 12M on the TM, *Maria!* That is a heroic effort.  It is a long time to be doing something in one place.   But now it is behind you and you are ready for the Princess! 

And a big woo hoo on being back to your Princess weight!   No place to go but down!  

Of course you didn't kill the thread!  

So in the excitement of last week I forgot to mention that I had a 5.5 pound whoosh on Thursday -- I was due since I had maintained for almost two weeks so I am just two pounds away from that 60 pound clippie.   

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mikamah

Aw, *Maria,* I don't think you could kill the thread even if you posted a pic of Tom Brady.  You might lose a couple posters though.  

*LisaH*_So glad you are feeling better each day, and I love Ed's attitude.  Good idea to try the KT tape.  Have you used it before?  And lol on the rib pain keeping you from thinking about the foot pain.  Good luck at the Kroc center, and with the bra.  If you need help with the bra, you will certainly be able to find out how amazing the Disney Concierge is at your resort.   There is still a full week before race day, and lots of healing and pain relief can happen in that time.  Keep taking those deep breaths.  And the percocet.  I'm sure both will be a big help.  Thanks for the fredward support.  He was a good piggy, and it was fun to look back and find the pictures.  I ordered some prints and we're going to make a scrapbook together.  And then I can start on my nieces hs graduation scrapbook. OMG, this year is going to go by too fast.  Oh, and AWESOME WHOOSH!!!  58 pounds is fabulous!!  You go girl!!!

*LisaR*_I agree with Maria, tow the line, and don't try to speed up.  You've had the speed during your training, and you will be faster on race day normally.  It's all a part of the fun Taper madness.  Instead of trying to increase your speed of running, increase your credit card bill with shopping for some new running gear.  What are you wearing in the race?  And after the race?  Love the sounds of your race weekend plans, too.  Hang in there.  You will be awesome! 

Hello everyone else.  Enjoy your sunday!!  Go Patriots!!!


----------



## ::Snow_White::

liesel said:


> It sounds like you have a great base and will do well.  I had a similiar base before starting my 18 week program and am doing my first half, the Tink, next weekend!  I would just recommend doing a 5K or 10K race to help practice race day and build your confidence.  I've done 3 5Ks, 1 4 miler, and 1 10K in preparation and have learned something from each one!



Thanks! I'll see if I can find a 5k or shorter race to participate in. I volunteered for at a marathon race last summer so I _kind of_ understand, but I can always use more experience!



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Snow* -- One thing my friend *Kathy* taught me was to look up the race results from last year. Then I can gauge when I might finish, and if I think it's a good race for me. Remember the WISH motto, which includes, "Dead Last Finish Greatly Trumps Did Not Start, WISH gave me the courage to start!" I have finished last, and I could not have been happier. It was my first race, a 5K, and I was so proud I got out there and did my best



Thanks! That's a good idea to look up the results. I see that the slowest (I think) was about 3:33 at a 16 minute mile pace. Mine is 12 right now and I think by the time I get done with my training, I can make it to at least that! I have no problems being last, I just don't want to get picked up!



lisah0711 said:


> *Kayla!*  A race to finish in the upright position in May is doable IMHO since you've got a good running base.  You might want to check the race website and see if they have a suggested training plan.  Good luck!  And let us know what you decide to do.
> 
> Darn you smilie police BRB.



Thanks! They have a few listed. If ya'll could help me pick one you think would be most helpful. I have about 16 weeks. I understand each person's different, but from your experience, which seems more doable.

http://www.halfmarathons.net/training_tips_schedule_beginner_runners.html This one is 12 weeks long.

http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/half_marathon.html 
Jeff Galloway's is 19 weeks long.

Then I found another one on a fitness website. It is 8 weeks long and goes as such. Days seperated by commas
Week 1: Rest, Walk/run 2 miles, xtrain, walk/run 2 miles, xtrain, walk/run 2 miles, walk/run 2 miles
Week 2: Rest, walk/run 3 miles, xtrain, run 2 miles, xtrain, walk/run 2 miles, run 3 miles
Week 3: Rest, walk/run 3.5 miles, xtrain, run 2 miles, xtrain, walk/run 2 miles, run 4 miles

And eventually it just keeps increasing each week until the last week goes: Rest, run 5 miles, xtrain, run 5 miles, xtrain or run 3 miles, rest, and then the half marathon on a Sunday.

For the 8 week, I could always do each week twice if I need to. The marathon sponsors are having a 10 week training program based on Galloway's but they haven't put anymore information about it up. Thanks for the support and answers!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*lisa*
yep it was our first snowfall unless if you count the snow storm we has over halloween weekend.  This week it is going to be in the 40-50's so it will melt quickly. I am so thankful for the unusually warm winter we are having.
your plans sound wonderful. My boys would love staying in that suite with the bunk beds.
you definitely need to get a pic with tink with your medal around your neck.
try to rest those legs. No need for speed. You put in the training and it will get you to the finish line.

*maria*
i started to write some smack about your patriots yesterday but i was afraid you or others would not take it in the joking nature i intended it so i deleted it. Then tonight there you are busting on my eagles. I know you are thanking god you dont have to face us in the superbowl. 
great job on getting back to your princess weight. That is a good incentive you set up for yourself.

*lisa h*
im glad your ribs are feeling a little better each day. I bet by next weekend you will be able to move better. You definitely need to at least start the race you have worked so hard.  
Wow and that 5.5lb loss this week was amazing..great job. I feel like you just got your 50lb clippie. Boy you are on a roll

*kayla* forgot to say welcome to our group. I followed the marathon for mortals plan and i liked it because they had different plans for eithr running, walk/run, or run/walk. My training starts tomorrow for the half on 4/29. I use the run/walk plan

*hi rose and kathy and all of our other readers too*

Last nights dinner was nice. My MIL had cut up all kinds of veggies for me. I felt really bad since i was bashing her on here. She really is a nice person just a bit simple minded and sometimes she just drives me nuts. I did go over my calories wit a bite sized piece of cake and a small scoop of pb ice cream. but i was pleased to see my weight was a lb less this morning, go figure

Today i made an excuse not to run because it was cold and snow covered. You know that it is not even a valid excuse because last year i was out there running in worse conditions and for longer mileage too. I feel like a bit of a slacker this week so far. I will need to step up my game this week. 

I did go to the mall for something to do and perused the disney store. I bouht a minnie mouse stationary set. It has two boxes for paper clips and then a big cube of post it notes with minnie on it. Its hard to describe so maybe i will post a pic. My new office furniture is coming tomorrow and i am so excited.

Alright i am getting the kids to bed so we can watch the rest of this game in peace. Im silently rooting for the giants. Not necessarily because i like them but it will make for a fun superbowl discussion between our resident princesses.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

liesel said:


> Maria, I'm still around!
> 
> I had a horrible run today, I think I was feeling so good Thursday I ran too fast and got a little shin splints.  I also ran a little yesterday with the kids, even though I was only planning to walk.  I cut the run short today and am resting and icing.  I could tell the compression sleeves were helping, though, so at least I know they work for me!  I'm taking the next 2 days off and most likely only doing the mininum on Tuesday and Thursday to keep me healthy for the Tink.  Its just so frustrating, every time I try to go faster, my body rebels!  I'll have to take it easy at the race, even if I really want to run faster!



don't do anything crazy this week. you have plenty of time to work on speed AFTER you get that tink medal. here on out it's just about taking it easy and staying hydrated! can't wait to hear all about it. your plan sounds great - make sure to do enough stuff for YOU! it's YOUR big weekend -  i would like to see pics of that fancy drink you have with your medal!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Methinks someone has taper madness!  Seriously, only doing the minimum is just right, and at the end of your taper is not the time to try to go faster!  Making sure you get plenty of rest before your race is a priority. You will be glad you did! Honest, when you start your race fresh and ready, the training you have done will kick in, and your body will do what it needs to, and even surprise you.
> 
> By the way, I love your plans for the race, sounds like a lot of fun!
> We're getting down to just a few sleeps before you leave



yes! ditto what maria said. rest rest rest!



lisah0711 said:


> Good morning Princesses and Belles!
> 
> Thank you all so much for the   and good wishes!  I appreciate it and love you all!
> 
> I do feel better every day so I am hopeful.  Today I'm going to get some KT tape to see if that helps make things feel like they are staying in place and see if that helps with taking several deep breaths in a row.  They don't bind you up for days like they used to because they want you to take deep breaths and keep your lungs clear. (Thank you Nurse *Kathy*! ) But I can do it for a few hours at a time.  The next thing is to see if I can wear a sports bra and take deep breaths.  Then I will try the Kroc Center tomorrow.  Ed told me I should just go to the race even if I only start and run three steps!   One good thing about smacking your ribs is that you don't worry about those aches and pains in your feet any more!



how are you feeling now? that's interesting about how they don't wrap you anymore. makes sense of course. did you get a sports bra on? how's the breathing? i hope that you can get down to that race and run more than three steps! i'm glad the pains in your feet are feeling better (lol)



mikamah said:


> Aw, *Maria,* I don't think you could kill the thread even if you posted a pic of Tom Brady.  You might lose a couple posters though.
> 
> * nah, even a pic of that phooey boy tom brady couldn't keep me away. in fact, he is awfully good looking so i'd take a gander. my cousin's husband looks like tom brady. lucky girl!*
> 
> *LisaH*_So glad you are feeling better each day, and I love Ed's attitude.  Good idea to try the KT tape.  Have you used it before?  And lol on the rib pain keeping you from thinking about the foot pain.  Good luck at the Kroc center, and with the bra.  If you need help with the bra, you will certainly be able to find out how amazing the Disney Concierge is at your resort.   There is still a full week before race day, and lots of healing and pain relief can happen in that time.  Keep taking those deep breaths.  And the percocet.  I'm sure both will be a big help.  Thanks for the fredward support.  He was a good piggy, and it was fun to look back and find the pictures.  I ordered some prints and we're going to make a scrapbook together.  And then I can start on my nieces hs graduation scrapbook. OMG, this year is going to go by too fast.  Oh, and AWESOME WHOOSH!!!  58 pounds is fabulous!!  You go girl!!!
> 
> *great words here kathy! *
> 
> 
> Hello everyone else.  Enjoy your sunday!!  Go Patriots!!!



loved those fredward pics. michael is such a cutie too. he really loved his little piggy. great memories! 



::Snow_White:: said:


> Thanks! They have a few listed. If ya'll could help me pick one you think would be most helpful. I have about 16 weeks. I understand each person's different, but from your experience, which seems more doable.
> 
> http://www.halfmarathons.net/training_tips_schedule_beginner_runners.html This one is 12 weeks long.
> 
> http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/half_marathon.html
> Jeff Galloway's is 19 weeks long.
> 
> Then I found another one on a fitness website. It is 8 weeks long and goes as such. Days seperated by commas
> Week 1: Rest, Walk/run 2 miles, xtrain, walk/run 2 miles, xtrain, walk/run 2 miles, walk/run 2 miles
> Week 2: Rest, walk/run 3 miles, xtrain, run 2 miles, xtrain, walk/run 2 miles, run 3 miles
> Week 3: Rest, walk/run 3.5 miles, xtrain, run 2 miles, xtrain, walk/run 2 miles, run 4 miles
> 
> And eventually it just keeps increasing each week until the last week goes: Rest, run 5 miles, xtrain, run 5 miles, xtrain or run 3 miles, rest, and then the half marathon on a Sunday.
> 
> For the 8 week, I could always do each week twice if I need to. The marathon sponsors are having a 10 week training program based on Galloway's but they haven't put anymore information about it up. Thanks for the support and answers!



hi kayla! i think you TOTALLY can do a half! an 8 week program seems awfully short but you do have a good base going. and yes, you can do it twice. and by that i mean maybe do each week twice and then move on to the following week. kwim? i did a galloway/hal higdon combo when i trained which basically means i ran tues/thurs for about 45 min and then my long runs just increased a mile each week. good luck!!! i'm shooting for a half marathon in may so we can e-train together. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Last nights dinner was nice. My MIL had cut up all kinds of veggies for me. I felt really bad since i was bashing her on here. She really is a nice person just a bit simple minded and sometimes she just drives me nuts. I did go over my calories wit a bite sized piece of cake and a small scoop of pb ice cream. but i was pleased to see my weight was a lb less this morning, go figure
> 
> Today i made an excuse not to run because it was cold and snow covered. You know that it is not even a valid excuse because last year i was out there running in worse conditions and for longer mileage too. I feel like a bit of a slacker this week so far. I will need to step up my game this week.
> 
> I did go to the mall for something to do and perused the disney store. I bouht a minnie mouse stationary set. It has two boxes for paper clips and then a big cube of post it notes with minnie on it. Its hard to describe so maybe i will post a pic. My new office furniture is coming tomorrow and i am so excited.
> 
> Alright i am getting the kids to bed so we can watch the rest of this game in peace. Im silently rooting for the giants. Not necessarily because i like them but it will make for a fun superbowl discussion between our resident princesses.



oooo minnie stationery! that sounds cute! perfect for the new office. nice work on eating healthy and just having a little piece of cake and ice cream. i ate TERRIBLY this weekend. couldn't help myself. had a weekend-long pity party. back to the grind now though. 

no need to _silently_ root for the giants. you can sing it out loud: "GO BIG BLUE!" 

*rose* your facebook update about the skipping had me rolling yesterday. sounds like if we have a princess meet for the wicked half we'll have some excellent talking points when we drink your gluten-free beer!!

***********************
well this was a great weekend for many of the princess football fans!  can't believe both games were basically decided with a field goal kick. i feel terrible for billy cundiff (ravens kicker). i mean, i'm glad the pats won since i love you gals and it'll be a fun superbowl for us to watch but my heart breaks for him. it's funny - i bet most dudes aren't even thinking about the kick and i bet alot of women are still feeling bad for him. would love to give the guy a hug!

i watched the end of the giant game on my ipad in the guest room while silently cheering and trying not to make any noise since everyone else was sleeping. that was hard!

my grandpa passed away in august 2008. he was a huge giants fan and we joked that he waited for the giants to win the superbowl before he passed. his favorite thing to say (well, besides "ah $hit") was "Eat em up, Giants!" i think we're the only people that say that. Giants/Pats in the superbowl makes me think of him. 

yesterday i ran 3.2 miles again. i was a little slower but there was snow and ice on the ground and i was trying to not kill myself! it was a cold run but i'm glad i got out. tonight i'm going to kickboxing. i'm still really trying not to get discouraged with the weight but i'm back up to where i started on jan. 1. i need to get to my endocrinologist. it's such a hassle! 

have a great day everyone! SO excited for LisaR and LisaH - tink is coming up!

oh by the way did i mention that my parents are in disney right now? yep. we keep asking them to go when we go but nope. yesterday they were stuck at the top of splash mountain and had to walk down. my mother's knee is very bad and she wound up having to be wheeled to the entrance.


----------



## mikamah

::Snow_White:: said:


> Thanks! They have a few listed. If ya'll could help me pick one you think would be most helpful. I have about 16 weeks. I understand each person's different, but from your experience, which seems more doable.
> 
> http://www.halfmarathons.net/training_tips_schedule_beginner_runners.html This one is 12 weeks long.
> 
> http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/half_marathon.html
> Jeff Galloway's is 19 weeks long.
> 
> Then I found another one on a fitness website. It is 8 weeks long and goes as such. Days seperated by commas
> Week 1: Rest, Walk/run 2 miles, xtrain, walk/run 2 miles, xtrain, walk/run 2 miles, walk/run 2 miles
> Week 2: Rest, walk/run 3 miles, xtrain, run 2 miles, xtrain, walk/run 2 miles, run 3 miles
> Week 3: Rest, walk/run 3.5 miles, xtrain, run 2 miles, xtrain, walk/run 2 miles, run 4 miles
> 
> And eventually it just keeps increasing each week until the last week goes: Rest, run 5 miles, xtrain, run 5 miles, xtrain or run 3 miles, rest, and then the half marathon on a Sunday.
> 
> For the 8 week, I could always do each week twice if I need to. The marathon sponsors are having a 10 week training program based on Galloway's but they haven't put anymore information about it up. Thanks for the support and answers!


Hello Kayla, and welcome to our little group.  I like the idea of Jeff Galloway's plan, mainly for the rest days.  Not that I'm lazy, but I do think rest is important.  John Bingham is another one to check out.  When I trained for the princess half last year, it was my first half, and I do run/walk, I made my own plan up and sort of merged the Jeff Galloway with John Bingham.  I did 3 days of run/walk, 2 short ones, and one progressively lengthening one, and then 2 days of rest, and 2 days of cross training, which did wii fit or biked.  I tried to get the 3 run days first, and would miss a cross train day occas.  I also kept it flexible, so I could fit the run/walk days in, not necessarily set on mon, wed, fri, but varied each week depending on what else was going on, and on the weather.  
I agree with the others too, you already have a good base of fitness/running, so you should probably be fine for a half in may.  I started couch to 5k just over a year before the half, and it was really fine.  I think being careful, listening to your body and definitely allowing for rest days for the muscles to recuperate is very important.  Good luck. 

Good morning Ladies!!

So it looks like the Superbowl is going to be very fun this year!!!  I must say, I've never been really big into sports, but I seem to be becoming a Patriots fan.  I'll share this embarrassing story, *Maria* will be appalled.  When I was new at the hospital 20-25 years ago, I was taking care of a patient and he had 2 guys visiting and he introduced me to them, one being Steve Grogan, the patriots quarterback at the time, and I said, "oh, hello, nice to meet you", and walked out and asked the other girls who he was because I knew I had heard the name, but didn't know who he was.  My father was absolutely appalled, and loved sharing that story.  I have come a long way, and certainly would know who Tom Brady is if I ever meet him.  Ds and I really enjoyed the game last night, and I am really excited for the superbowl.  My neighbor who has seasons tickets said he'd keep me and michael in mind next year when he heard of extra tickets, so maybe I'll be able to get michael to a game.  He would love that.  I took my nephew to a game once years ago one cold december.  So even though I didn't know Steve Grogan, I did bring my nephew to his first Pats game. 

Still at the 100 day challenge.  It's easy with Poko because the only day I'm tempted not to bring her for at least 30 min, is day care day.  

Hope everyone had a nice weekend!  We enjoyed our first real snow too, *Lindsay.*  It really was just enough.  

Have a great monday!!


----------



## mikamah

Hey *Nancy*,buess i'm following you.  I just saw Lisah on facebook, it really feels like I'm having coffee with my girlfriends this morning.  Lisa will be by here soon, me thinks.   Your Grandpa sounds very cool.  I love that you follow through his eat em up Giants tradition, except too bad it won't work this year for the superbowl.  I agree, this is going to be lots of fun.

Speaking of Pats fans, how's *Maria* this morning.  I thought of you a few times, wondering how high your blood pressure got during the game.   Very exciting you can plan your superbowl menu now.  We have a jar of brownie mix my niece made and gave us for christmas, so I think we will bake that for the superbowl sunday and have superbowl sundaes.

Bye again!!


----------



## ::Snow_White::

dumbo_buddy said:


> hi kayla! i think you TOTALLY can do a half! an 8 week program seems awfully short but you do have a good base going. and yes, you can do it twice. and by that i mean maybe do each week twice and then move on to the following week. kwim? i did a galloway/hal higdon combo when i trained which basically means i ran tues/thurs for about 45 min and then my long runs just increased a mile each week. good luck!!! i'm shooting for a half marathon in may so we can e-train together.



Thanks! Yes, I know what you mean! I had to do some of the c25k twice. 



mikamah said:


> Hello Kayla, and welcome to our little group.  I like the idea of Jeff Galloway's plan, mainly for the rest days.  Not that I'm lazy, but I do think rest is important.  John Bingham is another one to check out.  When I trained for the princess half last year, it was my first half, and I do run/walk, I made my own plan up and sort of merged the Jeff Galloway with John Bingham.  I did 3 days of run/walk, 2 short ones, and one progressively lengthening one, and then 2 days of rest, and 2 days of cross training, which did wii fit or biked.  I tried to get the 3 run days first, and would miss a cross train day occas.  I also kept it flexible, so I could fit the run/walk days in, not necessarily set on mon, wed, fri, but varied each week depending on what else was going on, and on the weather.
> I agree with the others too, you already have a good base of fitness/running, so you should probably be fine for a half in may.  I started couch to 5k just over a year before the half, and it was really fine.  I think being careful, listening to your body and definitely allowing for rest days for the muscles to recuperate is very important.  Good luck.



Thanks! I'll check out John Bingham! I think I will just look at all of them and kind of mesh them together into something that I like. I  have a boxing wii game and pilates that I love so I may just use those on TTHs. I go to our college rec center with a friend on non running days so I'll just keep those visits to using the weight machines. I'll definitely be paying attention and skipping days when I'm a bit too tired.

Thanks! I hope you don't mind me popping in a few times since I'm not doing a Disney marathon. I didn't see a general marathon thread!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  



::Snow_White:: said:


> Thanks! That's a good idea to look up the results. I see that the slowest (I think) was about 3:33 at a 16 minute mile pace. Mine is 12 right now and I think by the time I get done with my training, I can make it to at least that! I have no problems being last, I just don't want to get picked up!



If you are doing 12 minute miles right now then you don't have anything to worry about with being picked up.  That seems to be a feature of Disney races -- alot of the local races here don't do that and have a longer time to finish, like 4 hours.  Definately do some races before you do your half to get used to the whole race thing and figure out what works for you.  You can do it! 

*Lindsay,* isn't it amazing when you go off plan and then show a loss the next day?    I think that is sometimes our bodies saying "oh, okay we're going to eat more now so I don't have to hold on to everything."  

Good luck with your office move! 

*Nancy,* nice job on the run yesterday.  You've have TONS of time to work on speed so please take it easy with the snow and ice.  

Sorry for the endocrinologist but I bet that you would feel better when your hormone levels are a back on track.    I think you can get around the lecture by carefully explaining right off the bat that you are training for a full marathon and did a half last year.  

I have been going to Disney all my life and have never been evacuated from a ride yet.  

*Lisa,* here is a link to the menu at Trader Sam's.  http://allears.net/dlr/din/menu/men_tsam.htm
I'm thinking a mai tai 'cause of course I want a souvenier tiki glass. 

Yep, I'm following *Kathy* around this morning! 

Hello to *Rose* and *Maria!*  

Oops!  Time to go to school.  Will be back later today to report on the run - too chicken to go out at 5 am.


----------



## liesel

Congratulations to the Giants and the Patriots!  Since I like to plan my Super Bowl menu based on the teams playing, I'll need lots of menu imput from *Nancy, Kathy, and Maria.*  Last time these two teams played I wanted to do a battle of the chowder (New England vs Manhattan), but didn't get the chance (my parents have very definite menu ideas).

*Lindsay* I'm glad you had a good birthday dinner with your family.  I saw your post on the Donald thread, but didn't get a chance to respond.  My parents usually don't have too much in the way of healthy options at their house.  I usually bring a vegetable or salad.  Then I have a small serving of the healthiest protein they are serving (my Dad is a Texan and this usually involves lots of BBQ!), with some salad and any other vegetables that people have brought.  There's often some fruit too.  Then sometimes, if I feel like it, I'll have a small portion of something unhealthy, if its worth the calories!

*Maria, Nancy, LisaH, and Kathy* Thanks for all your support and imput about my failed run.  I was actually only going the pace that I was shortly before my 10K and before I got sick for the second time.  Thanks to my illnesses and my inability to do a quality speedowork workout on the treadmill, I am actually finishing this training program one minute per mile slower than when I started in August.  I was panicing because my longest run that was under the 16 mm pace was 8.5 miles.  My 10 and 11.5 mile long runs were between 16 and 17mm.  I know I can't regain all that ground in a week and I promise I'll take it easy now.  For the race, I'll start with my slower ratio and run more towards the end if I have the energy (run more instead of faster).  I just haven't been feeling very confident the last few days, hopefully I'll settle down again.

*Kathy* I'd love to engage in retail therapy, but I don't have the funds right now.  We are still recovering from Christmas!  I am saving up for the expo, though!  DD and I did get some Tink green nailpolish yesterday, its called "Grass Slipper."  So my fingernails are green and ready to go!  Way to go on the 100 day challenge!   for not knowing the Patriots players way back when, but you know them now!

*LisaH* Yes, I looked at the Trader Sam's allears menu yesterday when I was trying to find their hours.  The drinks with the tiki mugs are appealing to me too!  I really hope your run goes well and you are feeling better today.  4 more days until warmer weather!

*Nancy* I loved your skipping picture and your little Giants fan!  I'm sure your Grandfather is thrilled about the Giants being in the Super Bowl again.


*Kayla*  The ladies here have given me great running advice.  Feel free to jump in.  We also do the Biggest Loser challenge here.  The thread has both people who are looking to lose weight as well as maintainers who have reached their goal, if you are interested.  There are also some race specific threads on the events/competition side of the board and I think a general discussion thread.  It would be awesome if you decided to do a Disney race someday, I am so looking forward to my first one in only 6 days!

I was back to maintain as of yesterday, but had a horrible eating day yesterday (pizza!) and am planning my menu now so I can have a fantastic healthy nutrition filled week leading up to the race.

Well, DD and I braved the cold and went door to door selling cookies yesterday.  We only went to people we knew (which is pretty much everyone, we have regular neighborhood get togethers) and still got lots of rejections.  She only sold 4 boxes and was a little discouraged.  Especially since the troop gave us 100 boxes and are expecting us to sell them all!  I think its overwhelming to do that to a kid, especially a 6 year old!  I just keep telling her not to worry, she's doing a great job.  Then I checked FB this morning and so far I have orders for 8 boxes in CA, which means we will be hauling running gear and lots of cookies to CA this weekend!  Now I have to rethink my packing strategy.

2 more runs until the race and yes I will take it easy!

Have an excellent day  and


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good afternoon  and !

I have to go out for a meeting, but just wanted to check in! I am giddy with joy today! I had serious heart palpitations last night, but all better now! 

*Lisa* -- I orderd 5 boxes from a co-worker. Our boxes are $4 each, so it seemed like a good, easy amount to remember to bring in  100 boxes per girl is indeed a big order. Are the girls planning a big trip? Usually that would reflect a troop that was raising money to do something, or saving for a big adventure in the future. At 6 years old, I'm just wondering 

*Lisah* -- Nope, I wouldn't have been out at 5am either  How is that resting coming? I saw the photo of the medal *Lisa* posted, it is gorgeous! 

*Kathy* -- Ok, I'm trying to think of ways I can have a treat and be healthier. I'm going to get a Legal Seafoods shrimp ring, which will be my dinner (no one else will eat it). Maybe I'll skip the nachos, since they are time-intensive for Dennis. I am getting a dessert treat, but I think maybe frosted brownies instead of a big cookie, since unbeknownst to me, Dennis purchased one for yesterday, and he brought it out after the big win. Like I was going to say no to a piece of that  Oh! And I am not appalled at all. I came to my football fandom late. I grew up with the football Cardinals and....well, no one really followed them so they moved to Arizona  Yes, I do recognize Patriots when they point them out on tv at Celtics games, so progress! Oh, and I  those Patriots shoes! Awesome!

*Nancy* -- I know it's not funny, but I would be thrilled to be stuck at the top of Splash Mountain. I do not like the splash down part at all. If I could just ride along and then exit, I would be perfectly happy  I'm sorry it was difficult for your mom. Maybe she should go with you, I bet you never get stuck  I'm just gonna say "May the hottest QB win" 

*Lindsay* -- Aww, I'm glad MIL came through with the veggies! That was really sweet. I know you are a great DIL! 

*Kayla* -- I'm a Bingham girl, too. I knew I was oh so mortal, so a perfect fit for me! 

*Rose* -- Guess I'll have to check in on FB to read that funny post you made! What do you think about the "experienced" WISHers gathering at the DTD Carousel Sat. at 4pm? Definitely appeals to me more than the GF one...I admit it, I am going to have an early, light dinner and be in bed. I stayed up too late last year (worked out fine, but still), especially since I plan to be at HS for EMH Saturday morning. 

Ok, so I'm almost recovered from the games yesterday, and back at work with a veangance. Lots of things going on, but nothing taxing me too much today. 

My former baby will be 14 Sunday, other than church I'm not sure what we're doing. He has to go because it's Youth Sunday and he's doing a reading. He's less than thrilled  He says by the time he can take the day off for his birthday again he'll probably be an adult. Life is hard that way sometimes. 

I'm not being a very good coach. Every time I think I want to go over there and do replies, I see another post that annoys me. I am clearly not in the right mind frame for this  If I get some time later this afternoon, I'll do a few. Might even catch up all the way tonight. I'm unveiling a new question later this week, so stay tuned 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

waaahhh!! my little baby toe on my left foot hurrrrtsss...it was bothering me during my run yesterday and i just put on my running shoes and OUCH! i put on other sneakers and it still hurts. i wonder if it's broken? i don't think there's much you can do for a broken toe. we'll see how it goes with kickboxing. waaaahhh.

ok, shush nance. it's a toe. and the baby toe at that. 

ooooo *lisaR* - superbowl party menu based on the teams playing?? i love the chowder idea! boston baked beans! seafood! yum! then there's pizza, bagels...how about hot dogs and pretzels (thinking of things you can buy on any street corner)

ok, horn just honked. aunt mary's driving me to kickboxing.....


----------



## Worfiedoodles

-- Guess who's Magical Express docs arrived today?! I'm buying my park ticket tomorrow! 

Oh! And the Wicked Half registration is open! I'm signing Dennis and I up tomorrow  

And as if that isn't enough -- my co-worker and I are walking up to the mall for salads and a quick stop at VB tomorrow. I'm exchanging the Tune-In (ipod case) I got for Christmas for my favorite Safari Sunset pattern, which just came out in that item! 

I'm just happy tonight! 

*Nancy* -- hope your toe feels better. I've had a broken toe before, and no, there was nothing they could do...

Everyone have an awesome night!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi everyone.

Lisah how did the run go? Are the ribs feeling any better?


Kathy maria and nancy....those were two nailbiters yesterday.  

Nancy i bet grandpa john was smiling down on you last night. I loved matthews pic with the giants onsie. He is so cute

I am torn as to which team to cheer for in the superbowl. I think i may remain nuetral.
I get the horrible parent award again. Ryan was supposed to have bball practice.i left work late and it would be a rush to have gotten him there on time, plus it was cold and rainy so i told him we could skip it. I am feeling guilty. I mean its not a competitive school league and ryan really didnt care either way but i still feel guilty. It was great to stay home in my warm cozy pj's

It was quite a day at work with all the changes going on. Plus the doctor i work for is so particular and is picking apart everything im ordering for our new space. I really wanted to tell her she should have done it herself but instead i just took a deep breath and 
smiled

Well hopefully tomorrow will be better. Did i mention my budget for next fiscal year is due on friday too. If i can survive this week i can survive anything. I may need to crack open another bottle of wine


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Maria!! Yay for ME docs!!!love when they arrive!!! I looked up the wicked half. There were pics from last year and I think I see Kathy. It was like where's Waldo with all the people though. 

Lindsay- it's nasty out. Too yucky to go to practice. You were being a good mom by keeping Ryan nice and cozy at home!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Massive  and CONGRATULATIONS for Team Mickey's Biggest Loser, our very own LISAH! 

We could not be prouder -- what a role model and inspiration you are! 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

way to go LisaH


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles! 

The Disboards are ridiculously slow today so we will see how far I get.  



mikamah said:


> Aw, *Maria,* I don't think you could kill the thread even if you posted a pic of Tom Brady.  You might lose a couple posters though.



 

You and Poko are doing a great job on the 100 days challenge!  



::Snow_White:: said:


> Thanks! They have a few listed. If ya'll could help me pick one you think would be most helpful. I have about 16 weeks. I understand each person's different, but from your experience, which seems more doable.



I would start any one of them now and be prepared to repeat a week or skip a week as needed.  You may get sick or injured or busy so it's good to have some extra time in there in case you need it.  

*Lindsay,* wow a move and a budget in the same week.    That's a lot!  At least you get it over with all at once and it might be better to get that budget in before the last of the bills from the remodel come in and everyone forgets all the stuff they added during the remodel.    PJ days rock!   

*Lisa,* deep breaths, deep breaths.    Soon we will be in warmer weather.  That has to help a lot.    You've done so well with your training, I have no doubt at all that we will be celebrating at the finish line on Sunday!   I might have to do some research on the Trader Sam's drinks on Friday.  

That's crazy to expect someone to sell $350 worth of cookies, especially someone as young as your DD.  

*Maria,* I got a chuckle out of your "baby" wondering when he can take a day off again for his birthday.    My "baby" was just lamenting that he was going to have homework until he was almost thirty because of planning to go to grad school.     These guys are long range planners!  

I think it is wonderful that people love your QOTD so much that they want to use them for their thread.    I've always admired your wonderful way with words.    Can't wait for the new QOTD. 

What a great day -- ME docs and registering for the Wicked Half! 

*Nancy,* how is the toe today?    Sorry that you banged it up somehow.  I don't think they do anything but tape it to another toe.  Hope kick boxing wasn't too hard on it.  

*Rose,* how is the foot after your 10 miles this week-end?   Lots of time to recouperate between now and the Princess if anything flared up a bit.   

I loved the second installment on the safari.  

I did not run yesterday or this morning.  By the time the afternoon rolled around things were pretty uncomfortable between sitting in the desk chair most of the day and tylenol wearing off.  I'm going to do a better job of keeping the non-RX meds going today and try for tomorrow morning if the ice situation improves.  I'll do my last short run before the race at DL doing the first part of the course.    I'm taking it easy, taking deep breaths and just going with the flow.  

I was very happy to be the BL for Team Mickey this week.    That's a nice boost before the race especially since I didn't hit my goal.  I don't think I've been this close to ONE-derland since before I was married so I am very happy.  I know I will be there soon.  

Thanks for all the congrats and have a wonderful day my lovely princesses!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Bleh, still here. Just cranky, again....I have been popping the vitamin d, so hopefully things will improve. Same story different day--tired of the injuries, tired of the food, tired of being tired of everything. And not really tired, just bleh. So rather than whine, whine, whine, I have just been hibernating a little. 

The foot is doing ok, though not as well as I would like. I feel ok about the p-f, but the ankle I'm not so sure about. It's not swelling, but very beat up. We'll see. And I think I am bagging the 100 day challenge--I just need a day off. Not mentally, but physically. My foot needs a break. I did go to strength class yesterday--and loved using those muscles, so that was good.


*Nancy*--I hope the toe is ok.

*Lisa and Lisa--not sure when everyone leaves, but in case I don't get back on before you go--I hope you have wonderful races and a magical trip.*

*Maria*--I think the meetup Saturday will work. Hopefully I will be less cranky be then.

Have a good week.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Evening,  and !

All about me tonight -- tomorrow I am looking forward to totally catching up the Mickeys (yep, I'm about 4 pages behind), and here and few other places as well. It just takes so long for a page to load, when I multi-quote at home, it's a nightmare!

I have to sign Dennis up for 3 Boston Athletic Association races (5K, 10K and Half) tomorrow morning, but other than that I think I can DIS. 

I made myself do 4M when I got home today. It was not pretty. I probably won't get another chance until Thursday afternoon, I'm definitely going to have one 4M that's a casualty this week. 

So here's my dilemma. I signed us up for the Wicked Half today. It's Sat. Sept. 22nd. We just got an e-mail about the Boston 13.1 (with cool spinning medal!), which is Sun. Sept. 16th, and literally in my backyard. It starts and ends at the race track my bedroom overlooks (ok, not closely, but I can see a section). The route is the beach route we run, although we generally will separate it into two runs, but I know every inch of this route already. We could walk to the race. Actually, we would walk to the race...

So, Dennis thinks with proper training, I can make this work. I also note that the time limit for the Wicked is 4 hours, so I could walk if I have to...I want to sign up, this would get me to the 4 Halfs I'd like to do in 2012. Plus, how can I know this race is going on outside my window.  I will hear the Start! What do you think? 

I'm going to go watch the Castle I tivo'd last night and relax. I'll check back in a bit. It's going to be an early night for me, I'm getting to work a little after 7 tomorrow...

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisah i just love the positive attitude you are taking. I am wishing so hard for a speedy recovery for your race.

Can you ladies post your bib #'s again and tell me how i can track you. It will help my virtual cheering i will be doing.

Rose the winter blahs just stink. I hope the vit d helps and im going to put in an order for some sunshine to be sent your way.

Maria that half sounds awesome. Most people could not pull off two half a week apart but yo have been training consistently for so long i think you can totally do it. Even if you run the wicked slower.

I am at the pool watching ryans swim class. He is looking a bit bored and getting a bit antsy while waiting his turn. But hopefully this helps him learn to swim without a bunch of floating devices.

Well class is over got to run


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oh boy the DIS is loading SO slowly! don't they know i'm on a time crunch aka get my DIS-on before tewy boy wakes up??



lisah0711 said:


> Good morning Princesses and Belles!
> 
> The Disboards are ridiculously slow today so we will see how far I get.
> 
> *seriously!*
> 
> I would start any one of them now and be prepared to repeat a week or skip a week as needed.  You may get sick or injured or busy so it's good to have some extra time in there in case you need it.
> 
> *agree *
> 
> *Lisa,* deep breaths, deep breaths.   Soon we will be in warmer weather.  That has to help a lot.
> 
> *ah, take in that warmer weather for all of us! (ok, can't complain as yesterday hit 50ish! but you know what i mean! the only advice i have since i've only done one half marathon in my life is to make sure you hydrate alot! that's where i missed the boat. it will be much warmer than what you've been training in so makes sure to keep drinking water. coming from training runs in the 20s to racing the princess in the "heat" i really should have had more water! felt a little poo-y after the race. *
> 
> That's crazy to expect someone to sell $350 worth of cookies, especially someone as young as your DD.
> 
> *that IS crazy! i just bought a few boxes from our neighbors then got the guilt trip for not buying from TWO other of my friends' daughters. i think i  wound up buying a TON of boxes. my one friend's daughter is in her senior year and is raising $$ to send boxes to soldiers so i will donate a bunch to them (minus a box of thin mints )*
> 
> *Maria,*  I've always admired your wonderful way with words.
> *
> yes, me too. i've always wanted to be a witty and smart writer. mostly i just represent david sadaris's book cover "me talk pretty one day" haha*
> 
> 
> I did not run yesterday or this morning.  By the time the afternoon rolled around things were pretty uncomfortable between sitting in the desk chair most of the day and tylenol wearing off.  I'm going to do a better job of keeping the non-RX meds going today and try for tomorrow morning if the ice situation improves.  I'll do my last short run before the race at DL doing the first part of the course.   I'm taking it easy, taking deep breaths and just going with the flow.
> I was very happy to be the BL for Team Mickey this week.    That's a nice boost before the race especially since I didn't hit my goal.  I don't think I've been this close to ONE-derland since before I was married so I am very happy.  I know I will be there soon.
> 
> Thanks for all the congrats and have a wonderful day my lovely princesses!



great job on the loss! you are doing SO well! i hope those ribs hold up to get you across the finish line of the tink with the least amount of pain. you should treat yourself to a double cocktail with a percocet chaser afterwards (only half kidding! )

when are you leaving??



Rose&Mike said:


> Bleh, still here. Just cranky, again....I have been popping the vitamin d, so hopefully things will improve. Same story different day--tired of the injuries, tired of the food, tired of being tired of everything. And not really tired, just bleh. So rather than whine, whine, whine, I have just been hibernating a little.
> 
> The foot is doing ok, though not as well as I would like. I feel ok about the p-f, but the ankle I'm not so sure about. It's not swelling, but very beat up. We'll see. And I think I am bagging the 100 day challenge--I just need a day off. Not mentally, but physically. My foot needs a break. I did go to strength class yesterday--and loved using those muscles, so that was good.



 wait, are we supposed to tough love you or give you hugs?? i'm going to go with hugs.  it's winter, it's crummy out, it's no wonder you are feeling BLAH! i think alot of us are right now! at least you're skinny! lol! 

instead of whine whine whine, how about some wine wine wine??  ok, drinking's not the best idea when you're feeling down but maybe a little?? 

i wouldn't worry about not completing the 100 day challenge. i think that we move enough. the body needs to rest too. 

do you think the extra vitamin D helps at all? i wonder if i should take some. i probably should to make sure the baby gets enough? hmmm....



Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Evening,  and !
> 
> All about me tonight -- tomorrow I am looking forward to totally catching up the Mickeys (yep, I'm about 4 pages behind), and here and few other places as well. It just takes so long for a page to load, when I multi-quote at home, it's a nightmare!
> 
> I have to sign Dennis up for 3 Boston Athletic Association races (5K, 10K and Half) tomorrow morning, but other than that I think I can DIS.
> 
> I made myself do 4M when I got home today. It was not pretty. I probably won't get another chance until Thursday afternoon, I'm definitely going to have one 4M that's a casualty this week.
> 
> So here's my dilemma. I signed us up for the Wicked Half today. It's Sat. Sept. 22nd. We just got an e-mail about the Boston 13.1 (with cool spinning medal!), which is Sun. Sept. 16th, and literally in my backyard. It starts and ends at the race track my bedroom overlooks (ok, not closely, but I can see a section). The route is the beach route we run, although we generally will separate it into two runs, but I know every inch of this route already. We could walk to the race. Actually, we would walk to the race...
> 
> So, Dennis thinks with proper training, I can make this work. I also note that the time limit for the Wicked is 4 hours, so I could walk if I have to...I want to sign up, this would get me to the 4 Halfs I'd like to do in 2012. Plus, how can I know this race is going on outside my window.  I will hear the Start! What do you think?
> 
> I'm going to go watch the Castle I tivo'd last night and relax. I'll check back in a bit. It's going to be an early night for me, I'm getting to work a little after 7 tomorrow...
> 
> Maria



i think you're doing a faboo job coaching the mickeys! it ain't easy to keep up! also difficult to be shiny and happy all the time, especially when people don't necessary converse with each other but instead blah blah about when they farted each day. 

i've only run one half EVER but you've done like a million and your fitness is great. i don't see why you wouldn't be able to do both races. just don't "race" both of them, right? take it easy and listen to your body. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Lisah i just love the positive attitude you are taking. I am wishing so hard for a speedy recovery for your race.
> 
> *yes! i think we could all learn a lesson or two from lisa's 'tude. it's a good one!!  i think i've started my last 800 posts with "wah!"
> *
> 
> Can you ladies post your bib #'s again and tell me how i can track you. It will help my virtual cheering i will be doing.
> 
> *yes! pretty please??*
> 
> Maria that half sounds awesome. Most people could not pull off two half a week apart but yo have been training consistently for so long i think you can totally do it. Even if you run the wicked slower.
> 
> *ditto!*
> 
> I am at the pool watching ryans swim class. He is looking a bit bored and getting a bit antsy while waiting his turn. But hopefully this helps him learn to swim without a bunch of floating devices.
> 
> Well class is over got to run



how was swim class? thomas just started swim class two weekends ago at maritime college and apparently he loves it! i really want the kiddos to be confident swimmers. i love the water but i'm not a great swimmer. being so close to the water it's important that they know how to swim. 

where does he take the class?

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

oh boy alert the authorities! demi moore is in the hospital for exhaustion! stop the presses!!

really? _that's_ the news? reason #456,123 why i can't stand celebrities. 

i just saw *kathy* on FB so i wonder if we're posting at the same time? considering it takes an hour to load the DIS i wouldn't be surprised. 

i had success with going to my regular doctor and getting my metformin prescription! it was so easy. i just said, "yeah my endocrinologist is downtown and not in my plan. i need a new one up there and i'm hoping in the meantime you can give me a prescription." "yep, no problem!" ha! it's amazing what just telling the truth and asking for what you need can get you. he gave me 6 months worth! hurrah. maybe i'll start to feel a little better when my hormones start getting back in gear! 

doctor also started pressing on my toe and it's definitely not broken because it really didn't even hurt!  the only issue is that he was pressing down lower and that bothered me  i am going on saturday to get new sneakers from the running store and hopefully that will help. 

other than that, things are going pretty good. i'm really not getting alot of runs in but hope to get out today. can't go to step aerobics because john has a late meeting downtown. so when claudia comes (babysitter) i'll try to get out then to run.

i put my BRAND NEW ipod through the wash yesterday. i'm so mad at myself  i ALWAYS check pockets. ALWAYS. of course the one time i think, "nah there's nothing in that sweatshirt" sure enough, my ipod was. stupid stupid stupid.

buuuuut on the plus side, disney decided to let us pass ROFR and we are just a few weeks away from being owners at BLT! woot! the contract is crazy! 240 points for SEVENTY THREE a point! it's a little weird b/c the 2013 pts are already banked and need to be used by 2/13 (hello marathon weekend! woot!) and we won't get points in 2013 but for $73/point who cares! 

ok, enough writing! i'm boring myself.

have a wonderful day everyone! xoxo


----------



## mikamah

Hello ladies!!

Just a quickie post and hope to catch up later.  I was posting on Donald while you posted here, I think, *Nancy*.  Congrats on the new dvc!!  That is so exciting, and I bet new shoes will help you.  Great your pcp gave you the prescription too.  

*Rose*-Big hugs to you.   I know it is not easy all you have had to deal with, and it's good to step back and chill for a while sometimes.  Hang in there.  Love nancy's comment, at least your skinny.  Hope you had a chuckle. 

*Maria*-I agree, you can't not do the race in your back yard, and if anyone can do 2 halfs 2 weekends in a row, it is you.  You can do the wicked with me at my turtley pace, and get to know the lovely girl on the bike who brings up the rear of the race.  

*Lisa and Lisa*-Weather looks amazing for the tink weekend!!  I am so excited for you.  I hope you're ribs are still feeling better every day, LIsaH.  When do you leave, I think LIsaR said friday, what about you, LisaH?  Love to hear more details about your trip, and can't wait to follow along in the race.

*Lindsay*-No guilt on skipping practice. He's 7!!  It's not the NBA.  He will be fine, and probably needed the rest.  But I've had the guilt myself, so I know it's easier said than done, but no guilt young lady.

Off to take Poko to pee.  I just passed some gas myself.  Just kidding.  Or am I??????  You'll never know.  Guess that's what so great about the internet. 

Have a fabulous day Tinks and princesses!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

I was finally able to get to the Mickey page and saw that our own *Maria* was #4 on the BL list last week -- congratulations my friend!   

*Maria,* I think you are doing an excellent job of coaching Mickey.  I will be heading over there later to answer the new QOTD.

I think if anyone can do two halfs in a row it is you!    You are strong.  You are an experienced runner.  And the Wicked is going to be a fun run so you can relax and enjoy!  

*Rose,* I don't blame you for feeling cranky.    I hate this time of year.  Not to mention the horrible weather you've been having lately.  Thank goodness it won't be long until the Princess! 

*Lindsay,* Lisa's bib number is 4886 and mine is 5971.  The address for runner tracking is http://www.xacte.com/templates/disney/tinkerbell/  You sign up and then have to reply to an email for each person that you are tracking.  Hopefully it works as I know there were problems with the various marathon races.  I think I followed along through the rundisney.com website.

Thanks for the good wishes.  I feel better every day.  I haven't been able to get to the track to run yet but will today or tomorrow.  Everything pretty much is what it is now and I know that when I'm out there I know in my heart I've done everything that I can to make sure that I have a successful race.  

Sounds like you are all really enjoying your community center membership! 

*Nancy,* glad that you passed ROFR!   BLT just in time to make those January 2013 reservation!  Glad the doctor could give you your meds.  I hope it helps you to feel more like yourself.  I know the tiniest adjustment of my thyroid or estrogen can make a big difference to me.  Bummer about the iPod.  

Oops!  Look at the time! Hello to the rest of our Princesses! 

I'll come back later and tell you my Tinker Bell plans now that I feel I can excited about it!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--I'm glad you got your meds! I think Vit D makes a huge difference. I can usually tell within an hour of taking it. I just feel not so drug down. There are different forms, and one is supposed to be better than the other, so maybe google it. Glad the toe is ok!

*Lisa H and Lisa R-*-the weather looks great! I am so jealous! Don't forget your endurolytes! 

*LisaH*--I am so glad the ribs are cooperating!

*Maria*--I think two 1/2s in a row is doable!

*Hi to Kathy and Lindsay!*

****
It is raining, raining, raining here. Ick! No severe weather this time. I am feeling a little better. Thanks for the hugs. Letting go of the 100 day challenge was very hard for me. I don't like feeling like a quitter. But it was the right thing to do. I took yesterday and today off. My foot is not feeling great, but it is slowly getting better from the weekend. The injuries are just draining. Not horribly painful, just draining. At least the itbs seems to be better! And at least I am skinny. Thanks *Nancy*! Though I am up a few again, and need to reign it in before it gets out of control. The other thing that happened yesterday--I got an email from one of the sisters about a spa weekend which annoyed me. I told them I can't make it. I emailed my sis that I am close to and she emailed me back that my niece had another seizure last week. What a flipping nightmare! The whole thing is so awful I can't even wrap my head around it. 

So that's what is new. Sorry to be the cranky friend again. Life is good--you all know I know that. I've been singing Santa Monica (Everclear) a lot lately and thinking about palm trees and sunshine.

Have a good Wednesday!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Now who killed the thread???

Nancy--meant to say--excellent price on those BLT points! Too exciting!

Maria--how are you???? We just sent our flight numbers to DVC so hopefully our Magical Express docs will be coming soon. After our last couple of flights I am really not looking forward to flying, but hopefully it will be ok. Our flight down last time was really good, but the ones back where they kept canceling flights and we had to run through the airport--not so fun. I don't know why I am thinking about that this morning! So excited about seeing you!

Kathy--how are you too??? I loved reading about what your sister said. No junk food! Good for you! 

Lisa(s)--you got to be getting excited!

Lindsay--sorry the tailbone is bothering you again.

****
My gf pasta is supposed to arrive by fedex today! So exciting. I hope it is tasty. I enjoyed taking two days off, but I'm planning on going back to the gym after work. Still not sure what I am doing. I would like to just run for a couple miles, but I don't know if that is such a great idea. We'll see. Tomorrow I am going to the pool for a bit.

Have a great Thursday!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

Finally the Disboards seems to be moving again. 

*Maria,* I loved your new QOTD yesterday, even though I could never get on to answer it.  

*Nancy,* that was a cute picture of Matthew and Thomas on FB yesterday.  You can fondly think back to these days later when they are whaling on each other and telling you how terrible it is to have a sibling. This was a complaint that I made often to my parents, who were both only children.  

*Rose,* I'm so, so sorry about your poor niece.    It is such a scary thing for your whole family.

Thanks for the reminder on the Endourolytes -- I thought about you and Mike helping me at the Princess when you mentioned it.  

And don't worry about the 100 days challenge thing -- it's more important to take care of yourself.  You are so NOT a quitter.    I know with your active lifestyle that you move purposely every single day, even on rest days.  

*Lindsay,* I know that you will be glad when this crazy, busy week is over!  



mikamah said:


> Off to take Poko to pee.  I just passed some gas myself.  Just kidding.  Or am I??????  You'll never know.  Guess that's what so great about the internet.



 You are so funny, *Kathy!*

*Lisa,* ONE MORE DAY!   It's going to be so much fun! 

Since you have been asking here are my plans for this week-end:

Tomorrow my plane lands at John Wayne Airport at noon.  I will take the Super Shuttle to the Grand Californian.  Hoping my bag makes it because I have a tight connection in Oakland.  I will be wearing my shoes and WISH shirt and have my running skirt and zenzahs in my carry on just in case.  I'm in a DVC studio at the Grand Californian.  

Hoping to hit the Expo by around 2 pm and run into Lisa depending on things are going for her.  She has a whole family to keep happy.   I'll pick up my stuff, do some shopping and say hello to Galloway.  Coach Jenny is speaking at 5 pm, Galloway at 6 pm.  May go walk the first couple of miles of the course and go to DL and DCA and catch the talks on Saturday.  They seem to have lots of cute stuff at the Expo from what they have posted on FB.  If I go to DL I will ride Pirates.  DCA I will ride Little Mermaid if the line isn't too horrible.  Will see what catches my eye for dinner. DL closes at 8 pm and DCA at 9 pm because of the 5K.

One of the things I'm looking forward to checking out is the Lunar New Year Celebrations by It's a Small World.  It's fun to check out ElecTRONica at DCA, too.  

Saturday is a Magic Morning where we can get into DL at 7 am.  The original plan was to hot foot it over and ride the new Star Tours.  I'll see how the ribs feel -- might need to save that for after the race.  Same for Indiana Jones. I will check out the new Jolly Holiday Bakery and may end up at Riverbelle Terrace for breakfast, too, Lisa.  I always like it there early in the mornings before things get crazy.  I will park hop until the big WISH meet at 4 pm and then get something to eat and try to get some rest. 

After the race on Sunday I will meet Lisa at Trader Sam's for a drink and go to the podcast meet.  They are giving away a big trip so it will be fun to see what that is.  I'll spend the rest of the day at the parks doing anything that I might have missed and finish with dinner at the Napa Rose lounge.  My plane leaves Monday morning at 10:20 am so I can sleep in a bit -- ha!  And wander around the resort and DTD.  

It looks like the weather is going to be great.  A little warm but I packed my bathing suit.  I'm almost done packing.  I am taking the computer but only the iPhone for my camera.  I'm hoping to run without my iFitness belt because I think it contributes to the runner's tummy issue.  I have three big pockets on my running skirt so I should be fine -- I can even carry a small water bottle.  I'm as ready as I will ever be.  

I thought of you all when I read this email from sparkpeople yesterday:

If you have one true friend you have more than your share. - Thomas Fuller, English clergyman & historian

_The value of friendship

We all have a handful of acquaintances--those people with whom we work or see at the store and casually say hello to and move on. But a friend is someone you confide in, bring over for an afternoon cup of coffee, invite to your wedding, or cry with when a loved one passes away. You just feel a sense of safety with a friend. Don't wait until a rainy day to express how much a good friend means to you. Often we are unaware of how much we mean to others until they speak up, and likewise we never know how much another person might truly need to hear such affirmations. An approving, cheerful word of encouragement can thrill a heart. Be sure to always say kind words before you part, show sympathy during hard times and affection during wonderful ones. Life would not be the same without positive friendships. Express your gratitude to someone today who has made a difference in your world! _

Every time I stand at the starting line for a race I am always so thankful for all of you!    I would never, ever have started down this road and travelled so far without the love and support of each and every one of you.    I know that no matter what is going on in my life I can count on every one of you for support, love and laughter.    We might be far apart geographically but in spirit we are always together.    I love you all!


----------



## liesel

I just got poofed for the first time, can you believe it!  After I write such a long reply!!  And I was too lazy to copy and paste.

Here's the short version..blah blah blah...slow DIS...very busy, haven't even packed yet...HURT MY LITTLE TOE this morning...OW, dumb dog!...skipping run today so that toe can heal...inlaws keep changing plans on me, need to do something about this!...*LisaH*, I'll be at the expo at 2, I want to go to the speaker that's at 2, still trying to figure out how to fit a JG session in there...trying not to panic, but am finally getting excited!...OH, need to PM my weight!!...DL half is already at 51% after one week, what's up with that?!...*Rose* is a skinny babe!...*Maria* is a running stud and I'm sure you can do 2 halves in one week!...*Nancy* So sorry about your Ipod, that sounds like something I would do!...*Kathy* I'm just going with a WISH shirt, shorts, and leg sleeves for the race, maybe I'll do more next time!  I have my WISH bondiband, but I reserve the right to get a new one at the expo...Wow, the expo merchandise looks very tempting!



Here's the important part:  Thank you so much for all your help and support these last few months, it means so much to me!  I would have never have gotten as far as I have without all of you.  Each and every one of you are so inspiring and I hope to get the chance to meet everyone in the new future!

Have a wonderful, fantastic day!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Awww, you two Lisas have me crying! I hope you have so much fun! You have both worked so hard! Remember--running is fun! It's hard, but it's fun too! Have a fantabulous time! I wish I was there with you! But if it gets tough and you are struggling, I am there with you whispering in your ear, saying cmon lets go! You can do this! And no matter what happens (though I KNOW it is going to be FANTASTIC) you started! And starting is the hardest part! I am very proud of you!

Love you all!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Ditto what *Rose* said, the *Lisas* have me verklempt! 

I am so proud of both of you -- different journeys, but both so determined and committed  This is the culmination of a lot of work, and do not forget you have put in the miles -- now just let your bodies do what they know to do, relax, and start this race with big smiles on your faces -- because you know we will all be smiling and cheering  thinking of you!

I can't wait to hear your mini TR and race reports  I am smiling just thinking about your "mini Meet"! 

Have a magical weekend, and an awesometastic race! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Aw, you Lisa's are so sweet and I am so touched by what you wrote also.  I love you guys, and am so very excited for you both and so proud of you!!  You have done the work, you will do the race and be amazing. 

*LisaH*- I loved reading all your plans, and if I wasn't on call sunday, I'd have a drink at the time you will be having your post race drinks.  How exciting, to be there in your special Disneyland, for an inaugural race!!  I can only imagine that the excitement will be palpable.  You have worked so hard, and shown such determination, and I am so proud of you.  You will shine this sunday, I can feel it. 

*LisaR*-You're doing your first half in disneyland!!  How exciting, and you will be so happy to see how proud your family is when they see you cross the finishline.  The kids races will really get your kids into the spirit of the weekend.  Good luck!!

I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back, and hope there will be a few pics posted through the weekend to tease us, but totally know how quickly the days will go by.   Glad we got the bib numbers, so we can track you guys.  

Have a fabulous trip!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Travel safely and have a fabulous race. You both are such an inspiration to us having trained through illness and almost broken ribs!!

Can't wait to hear all about it! PICTURES PLEASE!!!

Xoxoxoxox


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I was all teary too. Lisa's you are such amazing women and are such an inspiration to mme. Enjoy every minute of your trip and the 13.1miles.  I am so excited for you both. Have the time of your lives.

Kathy i was cracking up about your flatulence talk.

Rose i feel the winter blahs too. Hopefully spring will make an early appearance. I  will let you know what  the groundhog says

It was another long day today but tomorrow is friday. I hope the scale is good to me in the morning. I could use a pick me up.


----------



## mikamah

Today is the day!!!

Disneyland, here you come!!!!
I'm feeling so excited for you, it's nearly as good as going myself.  Maybe not quite, but I can't wait to hear all about it. 

Safe travels to both of our Tinkerbelles!!!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

first thing i thought this morning was that it's time for DISNEYLAND! 

SQQQUUUEEEEEEE!!!!!!

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

it sounds like we're all pretty happy for the week to be over. the january/winter blahs are everywhere!!

we are having some major drama at mommy and me. yes, mommy and me. i just tried to type out the condensed version but it still wound up being over three paragraphs so i deleted it. it's really ridiculous that a catholic school class has to deal with deadbeat trashballs. i really can't stand people sometimes. 

why can't all you ladies just move to the bronx?? 

running question: i know rose runs with mike alot but what do the rest of you do? i run alone. i am not sure i could actually run with anyone. when i first started training for the princess i was _supposed_ to train and run it with my friend but she had a mental breakdown (yeah, ugh) and i wound up training by myself. she has since gotten help and doing great and has been hinting about doing the marathon with me. she's a really great runner and has done a bunch of marathons already. i'm not sure i can start running with someone, especially knowing that i'm holding them back. she does like 8 min/miles! plus if i hear her telling me "you can do it!" or whatever i'm afraid i might punch her!  do any of you who mostly train on your own ever run with someone? how is the transition? i feel like if i train by myself and then start trying to incorporate talking into the run i might not be able to do it!

anywho, off to have another cup of coffee and get thomas out of his crib. he is cuddling with his woody doll in there right now  he has so much energy and is a little bit driving me insane but he is a good boy. and baby matt is a dream! gosh all babies should be like him! even if he started being a fussy baby from here on out i still wouldn't be able to complain because he's made the first 2 months such an easy transition! 

this was a total me me me post. thanks for reading. xoxo


----------



## Rose&Mike

So after a couple of days of taking Vit D and b-complex I am feeling human again. I had the worst day at work yesterday--one of those find a place to sit and cry for 5 minutes days. But it got better by the end. I went to the gym after two days off and ran 3.1 in 30:24. Nothing like some stress to make you nice and speedy! It was awesome! Mike told me I looked so happy when I got home. That's because it was the first time since October that I got those "I am sweaty and absolutely exhausted from running hard" endorphins going. It was just lovely! The plantar-fasciitis felt pretty good. No issues. The ankle got a little hinky around 2 miles and I thought about stopping but it stopped hurting and it is feeling ok this morning. Maybe I am *finally *on the upswing! And my pasta came yesterday! I will be having some this weekend!

I have decided to go back to maintain, though I think I might still be half a pound over my maintain range! That's a small problem. I am not quitting, but I give up. I do not want to put in the work to be 135 lbs. I am healthy. I look ok in most clothes. It's going to be good enough. I will never be 100 lbs and 5 feet tall like my Mom. But I am not doing so bad.

******
So now that I have told you the me, me, me story how is everyone????

*Lindsay*--we are supposed to see the sun today!  I'm sure it will blind me. It was raining so hard when I came home last night that I couldn't see the lane markers! Have you tried the vitamin d? I hope you see a loss this week!

*Nancy*--How's the toe? I am really sorry about the ipod! I washed my pedometer once, which doesn't sound like much, but we get paid through Mike's work for how many steps we take, so while I waited for a new one to come in the mail all I could think is--I am losing money! The picture of the boys was too cute yesterday!

*Maria*--have you survived coaching? I am starting to get excited about the trip! I just want to see the sun! 

*Kathy*--so since you are coaching donald this week are we not going to see you? At least it finally seems to have slowed down a tiny bit. 

*Lisah*--I loved reading what you wrote yesterday. I am going to bookmark that page for when I am having a crappy day and need a little pick me up. Make sure you get a picture with JG!

*LisaR*--Have fun! I hope the kids have great races too!

Did I miss someone?

Ok, I will talk to you all later! I am going to try to add to my trip report. The next part is our dinner at 1900 Park Fare. It was HYSTERICAL! I was almost peeing my pants. It's a character dinner. Picture 2 stepsisters and my very handsome (if I do say so myself) 20 yo son.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> We might be far apart geographically but in spirit we are always together.



LOVE


----------



## Rose&Mike

Nancy--I think runners world has articles about running with a partner. I would not do every run together. Sometimes it's nice to be alone. And sometimes even when we run together we don't talk. And sometimes we fight--it's got to be interesting for people running near us. It's only happened a couple of times but we had a big old fight once or twice. And I have also had to tell Mike to tone down the pep talks on occasion. 

From everything I have read, when you are running with someone, the slower person should ALWAYS set the pace. So if one person is faster and they want to go faster then they should run alone. This avoids injuries. It isn't good for you to try to keep up with her pace if it is significantly faster than what you are used to. 

Having said that, there are days when Mike has told me that he has felt that I pushed the pace and went much faster than he would have that day. He usually sees it as a good thing. And there have been a few times when he has asked me to slow down. And a few times he has TOLD me to slow down because I was going to hurt myself!

I like having someone to run with on the long runs. It's a great distraction. And I think even if I didn't run with Mike anymore, I would look for someone else.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> So after a couple of days of taking Vit D and b-complex I am feeling human again. I had the worst day at work yesterday--one of those find a place to sit and cry for 5 minutes days. But it got better by the end. I went to the gym after two days off and ran 3.1 in 30:24.
> 
> Ok, I will talk to you all later! I am going to try to add to my trip report. The next part is our dinner at 1900 Park Fare. It was HYSTERICAL! I was almost peeing my pants. It's a character dinner. Picture 2 stepsisters and my very handsome (if I do say so myself) 20 yo son.



nice time! wow! i can't wait to get back to those kinds of 5k times. it'll be a while though  i bet cranking out a 5k like that felt really good. 

mmmm...pasta.... 

looking forward to the update TR! i bet the stepsisters were alllllll over tom!

oh, and the toe is ok. it's definitely not broken because it doesn't hurt to put weight on it. i think it's just the sneakers. hopefully that will be solved tomorrow when i get fitted for new shoes. i think maybe i need a wide shoe.


----------



## mikamah

Yeah, Rose, I guess I won't be here as much.  And I have so much to say!

though I did tell Michael that I need to be on the computer more each night since I'm coaching, so I hope to catch up more!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

sooooo, I decided to get bangs cut into my hair today. I know you girls will understand this. I don't want bangs. They are too much work. They look craptastically awful when you get hot and sweaty. They don't do humidity well. They don't work well with a bondi band.

Having said all that I have so much hair growing back in it looks like I have inch long bangs anyhow! It is really very unattractive. It won't stay pushed back and it looks like a fringe across my forehead. Lovely! And more little hairs are popping up all the time! Which is a really good thing, but it is driving me crazy! I really lost a lot of hair last year. Crazy!

I'll let you know how it goes....


----------



## mikamah

Good evening Princesses!!  And Lisabelles if you are popping in!  I am loving the facebook photos and posts, and can't wait for more!  We're heading to bed soon, so I think when i get up there might be a pic of Lisa and her Coach Jeff!!!!

I was down 2.8 pounds today!!!  For 5 pounds this month.  I haven't been this low since last feb before the princess.  I am at 206.6, and for the princess I was 204, so getting close to new territory again.  I really want to be in Onderland when Maria and Rose are running the princess this year.  I think I'm going to have a hard time not being there.  It was such an amazing weekend last year, and I would love to be able to do it every year, but know I just can't do that.  So I want to at least be thinner than I was last year, to help me get over it.  

*Maria*_Whoo hoo for ME papers!!  I love getting that mickey mail before a trip!!  I expect we'll see you here more now that you're done coaching Mickey.  I do like to respond to all the posts when time allows, and get to know some of the newer members better.  I'll be checking over the rest of your qotds, to potentially borrow some.  Looking like a beautiful weekend here!  Anything fun on the agenda?  

*Rose*-Sorry for the sucky day at work, but glad it ended with an awesome run!!  It is amazing how good those endorphins make us feel.  I have been eating really good this month, and wonder if part of it is the fact that I'm getting out every day and exercising.  I read an article about having a dog, and how it is good for your health and just patting a dog will bring your blood pressure and stress levels way down.  I believe it.  I am still amazed at how much I am loving having Poko.  

*Nancy*-I have run with my friend Karen.  She ran with me on most of my long runs before the princess, and when we started running together, I made sure she knew how slow I was, and felt a little awkward at first, but realized I needed to do my training at my speed, and she really, truly didn't mind going at my speed and run/walk intervals, and was happy to have the company.  We used to laugh, because she would chat away, and if I was running, I wouldn't be able to talk and answer til we were walking again.  I did find I would push myself harder on short runs with her, than if I was alone, and that probably helped my speed and endurance.  We did the wicked half together, and she thought she was going to run/walk with me, and I told her, I didnt' think she should, that she should go for her own time, but she really thought she would stay with me, but when we started, I knew I needed to go slow and pace myself, and she was trying to get me to run faster, and I just couldn't if i wanted to finish, so she went on ahead.  She finished an hour ahead of me, and her and another girl I knew were waiting for me to finish.  I really did love having her company on the long runs especially.  I think if you talked up front about it with your friend, about your speed, and needing to go at that, and be frank about what kind of encouragement you were in the mood for, it might be nice to have company for some of your runs, especially for marathon training.  Those will be some long runs, I"m sure. 

*Lindsay*-How was your day?  Did the scale behave itself?  If not, forget about it.  You have been rocking this year, all the exercise and weight loss so far, and I know you'll be losing again next week!  

Have a great night Princesses!!  In just 4 weeks we'll be checking facebook frantically looking for pics from the princess expo, and whatever fun dinner you all plan.  Ahhhhhh, heaven!


----------



## mikamah

*Rose*-How did the hair come out!!  Hope you're happy with it.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

so excited for our Lisabelles You two looked amazing in your pic and I am so excited that you were able to meet up.  

Nancy- I run alone! I ran one race with my friend.  It was a 5.3mile and she wanted to stay with me because she never ran that far.  She is tiny and petite and I knew she could go faster.  I was worried about it the entire time.  I really dont think she minded at all, honestly it was her choice but it is just my confidence thing.  I ran with mike for a 1/2 mile at a race we did last st patty's day and he annoyed me too.  He kept looking like something was wrong and I have anxiety about my loved ones dying so I was concerned he was having a heart attack.  Im totally nuts but Im just giving you the honest truth here.  So he ran ahead and I felt better being in my own little world.  I did wish a few times at the princess that I would have had someone there to enjoy everything with.  Instead I felt like I was running with a cheesy smile on wishing I had someone to talk to but otherwise I am very happy by myself.  

Im so glad matthew is a good baby for you.  He is such a doll and thomas is such a cutie too.  

Rose- Hope the haircut went well.  Im glad you are feeling much better and awesome job on the run.  I have not tried Vit D yet.  The sun shined for about 30 seconds while I was in my office with windows today.  I am trying to beat the winter blahs with planning my trips for the summer and fall.

Kathy- I agree I will feel a bit sad that I am not at the princess too.  It was just an amazing time.  I hope you and I will both get back there for marathon wkend.  Keep buying those tickets.  I will get over to our team thread in the morning to catch up.  Great Great Great Job on the weight loss this week.  You are back on the wagon and on a roll lady.

Hi Maria.  Hope your coaching finished up drama free for you.  How are things going???

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

The scale this morning showed a loss of 1.6 for a total of 11lbs lost so far this month.  I am thrilled but still have that feeling of being fat.  I keep telling myself in another month or so I will start to notice changes.  I remember before it took close to 20lbs before I really noticed my clothes getting big.  Im hanging in there and being patient but it really is hard. wah wah wah (thats my pity party)

The only not so good thing is I went to lunch with my dad and had a small cheese steak.  it was at a resturaunt and not a greasy one and it really was small.  Then we went out to dinner at perkins and I had a grilled chicken sandwich with veggies on it and a few fries.  Not a horrible day but still went over my calories.  I guess its ok to do that every now and again.

I am annoyed beyond belief that ryans bball schedule said he played at 9 tomorrow but the coach told mike on thur that the schedule was wrong and we play at 10.  I really wish I could just pull him out of the league but I am not a quitter and I wont show he its ok to just quit either.  Its one of the things I strongly believe in.....so sorry but I will just have to complain on here until march when its over.  The reason I am so annoyed is because I wont make it to zumba at 1030.

My parents signed us up to go here a disney presentation at AAA in the afternoon.  I told my mom I probably know about everything they are going to tell us but she insists we go because the TA goes to disney 3X a year.  So even if its all stuff I know at least it will be an hour about disney so who can complain.  Plus maybe my mom and dad will learn something too because Im sure by now they just tune me out.

I got ryans report card tonight and overall he did well.  All average grades which I guess I should just be happy with.  Of course everyone wants there kids to be above average right.  I will just accept that he does well in school and is above average in sports....nothing wrong with that.  The only thing that is still bothering me is that there are comments again about him having focus issues.  Not really paying attention stuff but things like some days he is focused and does amazing but other days he doesnt want to be bothered.  She said he is very inconsistent.  So as a parent what else can I do about this?  I was also irritated because last marking period he got a plus in homework and this time he got a check.  I am taking it personally because I have him do his homework everynight and I check it.  We read every night and we study spelling words every night.  So I will talk with her about that at our teachers conf on the 6th.

Ok you deserve an award if you made it this far.  I guess Im a bit wordy tonight. 

OK I will leave you with a gross but its so ridiculous your probably going to laugh MIL story.  Nancy I almost wonder if our in laws are related.

yesterday my in laws got the boys from school.  I didnt get out of work until 645 so I stopped at the gym to pick up nick so he didnt have to sit through ryans bball practice.  He gets in the car and I asked how he was and how his day was.  I said how was grammy and pop pop.  He tells me grammy pooped.  Im like ok nick thats gross why do I need to know about that.  He said no, she pooped in her pants.  I was like what????  He said yep she pooped in her pants and had to borrow your underwear.  I called mike and he said apparently after they ate dinner at a pizza place she had a GI issue and didnt make it home to the bathroom.  I was like well why the heck didnt she just wear her pants home without underwear.  He said I dont know she went in your draw and got a pair of yours.  I knew I had brand new ones in there with the tags on so I said well good thing I had new ones there for her.  He said oh no she didnt want to use them on you so she just took an old pair.

I mean that story right there just sums up what I have to deal with.  Its so freakin ridiculous.

Ok well I am off to bed.


----------



## mikamah

Oh, *Lindsay*, that mil story had me rolling.  I hope she doesn't return the underpants next time she visits.  
11 pounds in a month is truly awesome. Congratulations!  Too bad it can't come off magically.   I feel like the more times I've lost and regained the slower it comes off when i try again, and am thrilled with 5 pounds a month.  If I could lose 15-20 pounds by summer, and maintain over the summer, I will be thrilled.  I think it takes a good 20 pounds for me to really notice it too.  I lost 40 pounds before I went down a size in scrubs, so when I lose 10-15 more pounds I'll pull out my old scrubs. 
I'd be aggravated with the bb coach too.  You deserve to go to zumba too.  
Have fun at the disney thing.  It will be good for your parents to get more involved in planning the trip too. 

Happy saturday!!  Off to the Donald thread.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> sooooo, I decided to get bangs cut into my hair today. I know you girls will understand this. I don't want bangs. They are too much work. They look craptastically awful when you get hot and sweaty. They don't do humidity well. They don't work well with a bondi band.
> 
> Having said all that I have so much hair growing back in it looks like I have inch long bangs anyhow! It is really very unattractive. It won't stay pushed back and it looks like a fringe across my forehead. Lovely! And more little hairs are popping up all the time! Which is a really good thing, but it is driving me crazy! I really lost a lot of hair last year. Crazy!
> 
> I'll let you know how it goes....[/QUOTE
> 
> pics please! i bet bangs would look faboo on you  i feel like bangs make thing hair look much more full and thick. i like bangs! how will you style them? straight across? side swept? you have a nice face for bangs. my mother (ready for this?) told me that i HAVE to have bangs because my forehead is too big. nice.
> 
> 
> 
> mikamah said:
> 
> 
> 
> I was down 2.8 pounds today!!!  For 5 pounds this month.  I haven't been this low since last feb before the princess.  I am at 206.6, and for the princess I was 204, so getting close to new territory again.  I really want to in Onderland when Maria and Rose are running the princess this year.  I think I'm going to have a hard time not being there.  It was such an amazing weekend last year, and I would love to be able to do it every year, but know I just can't do that.  So I want to at least be thinner than I was last year, to help me get over it.
> 
> *5 lbs in a month is great! down is down, right?? that's what i'm telling myself! and you're this close to being in the 100s you'll be there very soon. i know what you mean about the princess. i wish i was going down this year too. i'm pretty sad that i'm not. of course i know there's a 10 lb reason why i'm not there (baby matt) but still, i wish i was there and i think if i was at least thinner i'd feel better about not being there. i get it. i was 140 at the princess last year. this year? notsomuch. *
> 
> *Rose*-Sorry for the sucky day at work, but glad it ended with an awesome run!!  It is amazing how good those endorphins make us feel.  I have been eating really good this month, and wonder if part of it is the fact that I'm getting out every day and exercising.  I read an article about having a dog, and how it is good for your health and just patting a dog will bring your blood pressure and stress levels way down.  I believe it.  I am still amazed at how much I am loving having Poko.
> 
> *dogs are awesome. i miss fiona. isn't it great how close you can feel to a dog? they just want to make you proud all the time! wait til poko goes out and brings you back a hunting souvenir!  and i bet poko can take some credit for your weight loss too since you HAVE to get out to walk her everyday! did i already ask you - what are you feeding her?*
> 
> *Nancy*-I have run with my friend Karen.  She ran with me on most of my long runs before the princess, and when we started running together, I made sure she knew how slow I was, and felt a little awkward at first, but realized I needed to do my training at my speed, and she really, truly didn't mind going at my speed and run/walk intervals, and was happy to have the company.  We used to laugh, because she would chat away, and if I was running, I wouldn't be able to talk and answer til we were walking again.  I did find I would push myself harder on short runs with her, than if I was alone, and that probably helped my speed and endurance.  We did the wicked half together, and she thought she was going to run/walk with me, and I told her, I didnt' think she should, that she should go for her own time, but she really thought she would stay with me, but when we started, I knew I needed to go slow and pace myself, and she was trying to get me to run faster, and I just couldn't if i wanted to finish, so she went on ahead.  She finished an hour ahead of me, and her and another girl I knew were waiting for me to finish.  I really did love having her company on the long runs especially.  I think if you talked up front about it with your friend, about your speed, and needing to go at that, and be frank about what kind of encouragement you were in the mood for, it might be nice to have company for some of your runs, especially for marathon training.  Those will be some long runs, I"m sure.
> 
> *great response, thanks. i'm going to plan to mostly run by myself since that's what i'm used to. the reason i prefer to run on my own i guess is that running for me is so mental. sure, my body hurts but it's all in my head usually. only i can get myself across the finish like, kwim? my friend tends to a little flaky and i don't want to depend my long runs on her. during the super long runs though having someone around might be good just to kill some time. plus, if i go downtown we can run around central park. she's just SO fast. but you know, she talks NONSTOP so maybe just having her blah blah blah would be good...or maybe i'd scream at her to shut up! *
> 
> Have a great night Princesses!!  In just 4 weeks we'll be checking facebook frantically looking for pics from the princess expo, and whatever fun dinner you all plan.  Ahhhhhh, heaven!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 4 weeks! wow! i can't believe it's almost been a year since the princess!
> 
> 
> 
> mommyof2Pirates said:
> 
> 
> 
> so excited for our Lisabelles You two looked amazing in your pic and I am so excited that you were able to meet up.
> 
> *i loved that pic too! i want to copy and paste a pic of myself next to you two. there's a little room to stick my head in there, right??*
> 
> Nancy- I run alone! I ran one race with my friend.  It was a 5.3mile and she wanted to stay with me because she never ran that far.  She is tiny and petite and I knew she could go faster.  I was worried about it the entire time.  I really dont think she minded at all, honestly it was her choice but it is just my confidence thing.  I ran with mike for a 1/2 mile at a race we did last st patty's day and he annoyed me too.  He kept looking like something was wrong and I have anxiety about my loved ones dying so I was concerned he was having a heart attack.  Im totally nuts but Im just giving you the honest truth here.  So he ran ahead and I felt better being in my own little world.  I did wish a few times at the princess that I would have had someone there to enjoy everything with.  Instead I felt like I was running with a cheesy smile on wishing I had someone to talk to but otherwise I am very happy by myself.
> 
> *i had the goofball smile on my face the whole time too. when i finished i got all choked up i kinda sorta wanted someone there to hug. but instead i got my medal and said, "i did it!" to the lady who gave me the medal. and maybe less than 30 seconds after i finished my cell phone rang and it was my friend lauren (the friend i'm thinking of running with) calling to congratulate me. those texts they send people really are real-time! so it was nice to have someone i know immediately tell me i rocked that race.*
> Im so glad matthew is a good baby for you.  He is such a doll and thomas is such a cutie too.
> 
> 
> Kathy- I agree I will feel a bit sad that I am not at the princess too.  It was just an amazing time.  I hope you and I will both get back there for marathon wkend.
> 
> *yes! yes! you have to come next year! *
> 
> Hi Maria.  Hope your coaching finished up drama free for you.  How are things going???
> 
> **********************************************************
> 
> The scale this morning showed a loss of 1.6 for a total of 11lbs lost so far this month.
> 
> *huzzah!!!! 11 lbs in a month!!! OMG!!!! that's fabulous! you just keep that right up girly!*
> 
> OK I will leave you with a gross but its so ridiculous your probably going to laugh MIL story.  Nancy I almost wonder if our in laws are related.
> 
> yesterday my in laws got the boys from school.  I didnt get out of work until 645 so I stopped at the gym to pick up nick so he didnt have to sit through ryans bball practice.  He gets in the car and I asked how he was and how his day was.  I said how was grammy and pop pop.  He tells me grammy pooped.  Im like ok nick thats gross why do I need to know about that.  He said no, she pooped in her pants.  I was like what????  He said yep she pooped in her pants and had to borrow your underwear.  I called mike and he said apparently after they ate dinner at a pizza place she had a GI issue and didnt make it home to the bathroom.  I was like well why the heck didnt she just wear her pants home without underwear.  He said I dont know she went in your draw and got a pair of yours.  I knew I had brand new ones in there with the tags on so I said well good thing I had new ones there for her.  He said oh no she didnt want to use them on you so she just took an old pair.
> 
> I mean that story right there just sums up what I have to deal with.  Its so freakin ridiculous.
> 
> Ok well I am off to bed.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> ok well i totally would write back about ryan's bball coach and grades and all that but after the MIL underwear story how can i even go there? lol! omg! she is nuts! old underwear?? i would DIE if anyone saw my undies! and she wore them?? who goes into someone's drawers like that!?!? the BEST is going to be when she tries to give them back!!!
> 
> 
> 
> mikamah said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, *Lindsay*, that mil story had me rolling.  I hope she doesn't return the underpants next time she visits.
> 11 pounds in a month is truly awesome. Congratulations!  Too bad it can't come off magically.   I feel like the more times I've lost and regained the slower it comes off when i try again, and am thrilled with 5 pounds a month.  If I could lose 15-20 pounds by summer, and maintain over the summer, I will be thrilled.  I think it takes a good 20 pounds for me to really notice it too.  I lost 40 pounds before I went down a size in scrubs, so when I lose 10-15 more pounds I'll pull out my old scrubs.
> I'd be aggravated with the bb coach too.  You deserve to go to zumba too.
> Have fun at the disney thing.  It will be good for your parents to get more involved in planning the trip too.
> 
> Happy saturday!!  Off to the Donald thread.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> imagine if the weight COULD just come off magically! wow! that would be so great!
> 
> ****************************
> 
> oh sheesh i've run out of time. that's lucky for you b/c i can't write a novel! i managed to have a loss this week. it may or may not have been solely because i was stuck on the bowl practically all day yesterday  that only puts me at a 4.5 lb loss for the month. better than a 4.5 lb gain! so much for that breastfeeding burns 500 calories a day nonsense. phooey.
> 
> thomas has swimming today then i'm getting new running shoes today. after that john's going to queens to see his sister who had a mastectomy on wedesday. MIL and FIL are staying with her but i'm not going over there and not taking the kids there. 1) i don't want to see them (duh) and 2) it's not really appropriate for little kids to be around a healing woman. thomas has a cold and i'm sure kathleen doesn't need the extra cooties around.
> 
> so, i'm down this week. 158. trying to just be happy about being down and trying not to think about how i was 140 at the princess and 135 a month later when i found out i was pregnant. if i could just get to 145 when we go to disney in may i'd feel ok. i think.
> 
> running yesterday was CRAZY! i only went 3.2 miles but it took me FIFTY minutes to do it - THAT'S how strong the wind gusts were. i was practically sprinting but barely moving forward!
> 
> have a great day everyone! thomas is sitting on top of me and i can't even see the screen to type more!
Click to expand...


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning  and !

Sigh. I should be on the TM right now. Yesterday I starting seeing signs of approaching TOM -- I'm tender and bloated and I feel cruddy. I have a date  this afternoon, so I just want to rest up. I decided the 10, 8, 5 I have left for the next three weeks will be sufficient. 

I know this is not the attitude of Champions, I think everything just sort of wore me out yesterday. I had to go in for an 8:30 meeting about the merger. It wasn't anything bad for me, but of course it was stressful. Then I had to leave it early to walk downtown (in the pouring rain) for another, tense meeting. Again, not affecting me personally, but just being in a room where people are that angry...

Dennis did the grocery shopping by himself last night. I seem to be in read and recover mode. Oh! Yeah. Another SMIL issue weighing on me -- this woman does not have the memory of an elephant, but Ben has convinced himself she will remember she wants to go to his next Improv show, which is next month. I want nothing to do with her. And honestly -- this is a very diverse school. I've seen the photos of Ben's friends on FB -- when I say they are every nationality and religion you can imagine, I am not kidding. Dennis said it's like he has his own UN going  The odds of her showing up and making an inappropriate remark are off the scale. So, it's not just about me, I don't want her to embarrass him, and say something he can't take back. Dennis thinks she will remember and I should suck it up so Ben can invite her. It's actually 2 shows the same day, so perhaps I could go to one and Dennis could take her to the other one. We haven't had a real talk about it yet -- but I know I'm going to come off as selfish if I say I don't want her invited. They take such little interest in Ben, it does seem a shame to keep them away when they actually want to see him. But I'm not imagining the probability of her saying something vaguely evil. She once asked my dad (who is a Mason -- the grand poobah kind, not the bricks and mortar variety), what is was like to be in a cult, and asked him to tell her where the Holy Grail is hidden. Completely seriously.  Yeah, I think we've found the root of why I'm feeling out of sorts....

Ok, and one more thing. I know this is a good thing, but...I've had 2 different people ask me in the last 2 days if I am losing weight. This just freaks me out, and then I eat too much and don't move. I know it's crazy. I like the praise (I think), but it's like I don't want anyone to notice me, and if I lose weight I seem to stand out, and I don't like that...the way my body works, when I'm hanging around getting to the 180s one of the layers of fat around my midsection retreats, and all of a sudden I look like I have more of a waist, and the girls are more prominent. I'm still big, so it's not like they're sitting on a stick, but I do look more feminine. And it freaks me out to have that noticed.  This happened last Spring, and I reacted poorly and just put the weight back on and more. I am determined not to do that. So I really do have to get moving and not descend into poor eating. I'm going to give myself today, since I have a date later with lunch and a movie, but then I'm going to go back to doing what I know I really want to do. I am determined to meet *Rose and Mike* at a lower weight than last year  The best I can hope for is a maintain for this week. I woke up yesterday 2.5 lbs heavier, but at least I can feel confident that was TOM approaching. I don't usually gain that much in a day! 

Thanks for bearing with me while I kind of worked that out by typing it...

Guess I could chat a little, since I've rambled along about me 

*Nancy* -- Congratulations ! I know you are proud of that weight loss  I know you are frustrated it isn't coming off quicker, but my goodness, your body is still healing, and is nourishing another human. I think your body is doing an amazing job! I can't wait to hear about the new running shoes. And I'm so glad Matthew is a good baby. He's just happy to be here with his wonderful Mommy! 

*Kathy* -- Good Luck coaching  this week! I know you will be fun, encouraging, and supportive -- all the elements of a great coach!  Please help yourself to any of my QOTDs you'd like  It is going to be a nice weekend for us! Today Dennis and I are going to lunch and to see "One for the Money". I'm going to start the conversation about summer vactioning. The only problem is, I haven't quite decided what I want to talk him into yet  I'm wavering between a week in DC, or short trips to Niagara Falls in summer and then NYC next autumn...then there's the issue of should we go to FL, because my SIL may be moving and this could be our last summer to hang by her pool, and honestly, they are the best hosts ever...Anyway, then we're dropping Ben at a practice for tomorrow's youth-led worship service, and shopping for him. My former baby will be 14 tomorrow! Since he has the church service and studying for some big tests to do tomorrow, he wants to celebrate today. We'll still do cake and presents tomorrow, but he wants to spend his day on the couch, watching Harry Potter movies in his pajamas. Hey, if that's what he really wants...

*Lindsay* -- 11 lbs?! You are on a "Lisah" streak! Great job! My coaching ended up being uneventful, which was good. I hope people had some fun with the questions. I sort of gave up on the "healthy" part and focused on flights of fancy.  That story about the underpants -- oh my goodness, my mouth is still hanging open. I can't believe she went into your drawers and helped herself...

*Rose* -- We are all atwitter waiting to hear about those bangs!  Do you like them? Sometimes it takes me a week or so to "grow into" a hair style. I am still processing that we are getting so close to our race, but not as close as two other ladies! 

*Lisah and Lisa* -- I hope you are enjoying today, getting plenty of rest, and relaxing. I am eager to follow along, so glad we have the bib numbers! I am so excited for you, our Lisabelles  are going to shine! 

Ok, I'd better at least get up and do a few things before I start getting ready for my big event. We don't do regular dates, unless you count the weekly grocery shopping  I pretty much have to announce we are going to have one, unless it's a date he can't possibly miss, like Valentine's Day or our anniversary....

It feels weird to leave Ben alone to celebrate his birthday, but it's what he wants 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, let's talk food here. I am coming clean. I am eating too much. Period. Stress eating, over eating, mindless eating. You get the picture. I am up ~6 pounds since Princess last year, 4 pounds since December. My clothes are all getting too tight and I don't have anything else that fits. I do not want to go down this road again, so after just over eating again, I am coming clean. I moved from being a loser to being a maintainer, thinking just taking the mental pressure off would help, but we came home from our run today and I have eaten to the point where I feel a little ill. I just don't know why I am doing this??? The foot is doing really well in the big scheme of things, the sun is shining, life is good. I don't want to go down this road again, but I am feeling very unmotivated to deal with it either. I don't want to track my food, I don't want to watch my calories. I sound like a 2 year old, but now I'm a 2 yo with a stomach ache.....

I think one of the biggest issues I am having is that we eat every single stinking thing at home. In theory, that should make things better, right. But if it means I want any junky food at all I am having it at home. French fries--at home. Potato chips at home. Desserts at home, etc. Before I just didn't eat junk at home, period. That and I just feel this underlying chronic stress that I just can't seem to kick. I think it is just leftover from spending 2011 worrying about everything, but I can't seem to get rid of it.

Ok, I am going to think about this a bit and see if I can come up with a plan. I know 6 pounds is not 50 pounds. And I know this is fixable--and it shouldn't even be that hard. I just have zero motivation to fix it......

BBL with replies....thanks for letting me ramble.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Morning  and !
> 
> Sigh. I should be on the TM right now. Yesterday I starting seeing signs of approaching TOM -- I'm tender and bloated and I feel cruddy. I have a date  this afternoon, so I just want to rest up. I decided the 10, 8, 5 I have left for the next three weeks will be sufficient.
> 
> *you have done PLENTY to prepare for the princess.(ooo, see my alliteration??) just rest up! what are you going to see at the movies? and i shouldn't ask this on a BL thread but...what are you going to eat at the movie theater??  *
> 
> Another SMIL issue weighing on me -- this woman does not have the memory of an elephant, but Ben has convinced himself she will remember she wants to go to his next Improv show, which is next month. I want nothing to do with her. And honestly -- this is a very diverse school. I've seen the photos of Ben's friends on FB -- when I say they are every nationality and religion you can imagine, I am not kidding. Dennis said it's like he has his own UN going  The odds of her showing up and making an inappropriate remark are off the scale. So, it's not just about me, I don't want her to embarrass him, and say something he can't take back. Dennis thinks she will remember and I should suck it up so Ben can invite her. It's actually 2 shows the same day, so perhaps I could go to one and Dennis could take her to the other one. We haven't had a real talk about it yet -- but I know I'm going to come off as selfish if I say I don't want her invited. They take such little interest in Ben, it does seem a shame to keep them away when they actually want to see him. But I'm not imagining the probability of her saying something vaguely evil. She once asked my dad (who is a Mason -- the grand poobah kind, not the bricks and mortar variety), what is was like to be in a cult, and asked him to tell her where the Holy Grail is hidden. Completely seriously.  Yeah, I think we've found the root of why I'm feeling out of sorts....
> 
> *our ILs all must be related. at least we know they are in their craziness. the holy grail?  seriously? let me guess...the one book she's read in the last 5 year was the davinci code and believes every word of it. duh. i don't blame you for not wanting her around. my MIL was horrified when my friend tamika came to my baby shower with thomas. i was just waiting for her to say something nasty. she wound up ruining the day for another reason but that's a whole other story. if there are two shows maybe you going to one and she going to the other is a good idea so you don't have to see her. *
> 
> Ok, and one more thing. I know this is a good thing, but...I've had 2 different people ask me in the last 2 days if I am losing weight. This just freaks me out, and then I eat too much and don't move. I know it's crazy. I like the praise (I think), but it's like I don't want anyone to notice me, and if I lose weight I seem to stand out, and I don't like that...the way my body works, when I'm hanging around getting to the 180s one of the layers of fat around my midsection retreats, and all of a sudden I look like I have more of a waist, and the girls are more prominent. I'm still big, so it's not like they're sitting on a stick, but I do look more feminine. And it freaks me out to have that noticed.  This happened last Spring, and I reacted poorly and just put the weight back on and more. I am determined not to do that. So I really do have to get moving and not descend into poor eating. I'm going to give myself today, since I have a date later with lunch and a movie, but then I'm going to go back to doing what I know I really want to do. I am determined to meet *Rose and Mike* at a lower weight than last year  The best I can hope for is a maintain for this week. I woke up yesterday 2.5 lbs heavier, but at least I can feel confident that was TOM approaching. I don't usually gain that much in a day!
> 
> *hmm,  this is a toughie. are you upset that people notice weight loss because they are looking at you and you're getting attention and you don't like attention? or because you feel like when someone notices your weight loss that you can slack off a little? hmm. how do we psychoanalyze this further?*
> 
> Thanks for bearing with me while I kind of worked that out by typing it...
> 
> Guess I could chat a little, since I've rambled along about me
> 
> *Nancy* -- Congratulations ! I know you are proud of that weight loss  I know you are frustrated it isn't coming off quicker, but my goodness, your body is still healing, and is nourishing another human. I think your body is doing an amazing job! I can't wait to hear about the new running shoes. And I'm so glad Matthew is a good baby. He's just happy to be here with his wonderful Mommy!
> 
> It feels weird to leave Ben alone to celebrate his birthday, but it's what he wants
> 
> Maria



just keep remembering that ben is 14 aka the time when boys are just really weird.  hanging alone sounds cool to him! heck, it sounds cool to me. you know we only children treasure our alone time! 



Rose&Mike said:


> Ok, let's talk food here. I am coming clean. I am eating too much. Period. Stress eating, over eating, mindless eating. You get the picture. I am up ~6 pounds since Princess last year, 4 pounds since December. My clothes are all getting too tight and I don't have anything else that fits. I do not want to go down this road again, so after just over eating again, I am coming clean. I moved from being a loser to being a maintainer, thinking just taking the mental pressure off would help, but we came home from our run today and I have eaten to the point where I feel a little ill. I just don't know why I am doing this??? The foot is doing really well in the big scheme of things, the sun is shining, life is good. I don't want to go down this road again, but I am feeling very unmotivated to deal with it either. I don't want to track my food, I don't want to watch my calories. I sound like a 2 year old, but now I'm a 2 yo with a stomach ache.....
> 
> I think one of the biggest issues I am having is that we eat every single stinking thing at home. In theory, that should make things better, right. But if it means I want any junky food at all I am having it at home. French fries--at home. Potato chips at home. Desserts at home, etc. Before I just didn't eat junk at home, period. That and I just feel this underlying chronic stress that I just can't seem to kick. I think it is just leftover from spending 2011 worrying about everything, but I can't seem to get rid of it.
> 
> Ok, I am going to think about this a bit and see if I can come up with a plan. I know 6 pounds is not 50 pounds. And I know this is fixable--and it shouldn't even be that hard. I just have zero motivation to fix it......
> 
> BBL with replies....thanks for letting me ramble.



ok well i gave hugs last time but this post deserves the tough love approach.

rose, i love ya but you MUST go back to tracking your food. 6 lbs isn't 50 but 6 lbs is enough to make you uncomfortable in your clothes and being uncomfortable in your clothes is SO depressing. (trust me, i know!) so this is what you're going to do. enjoy the rest of your weekend and have the snackies and junk that you want but today or tomorrow you're going to plan out the week. and you're going to get back on the horse. don't let it get out of hand. my aunt mary who lives across the street lost 30 lbs in the last few months. she is up about 5lbs right now and we just had this discussion. you have to just bite the bullet and cut the crap. (we speak harshly when it comes to our weight loss, seems to be the only thing that gets through our noggins)

this goes for all of us. it is SO easy to just keep eating once we start. i think a little tough love is what we all could use! well, at least i need the tough love. when i lost the weight before someone asked me what diet i went on. i told her, it's the get-the-donut-out-of-your-mouth-you-fatty diet. 

oh...and...  love you 

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

i got my running shoes! i went up a size! the running store guy actually thinks my shoes may have been to small to begin with, not really that my feet are bigger. he said i had waaaaaay too many miles on my shoes and that they were way over-worn.  oopsies. no wonder my feet hurt so much. i got the same kind as last time. nike volero. i also got a pair of nike pegusus shoes because i do alot of walking and aerobics classes and want to have two different shoes. 

john has TERRIBLE feet. he doesn't run or really exercise or anything but i had him get fitted for sneakers too since his feet are so flat and, ugh, just bad. he got some sauconies with extra support and the man is like a new person. he said they feel so good. maybe he might even start jogging? naaaahhhh.

he left about an hour ago to see his sister. thomas is snoozing after being a nightmare at the shoe store and matthew is snoozing away too. the poor baby hasn't pooped in going on SEVEN days. SEVEN! doesn't seem to bother him though. i'm not looking forward to THAT explosion.

and on that note, i'm going to zone out and watch bad tv until thomas wakes up


----------



## dumbo_buddy

duh, *maria* sorry. you said what movie you were going to and i forgot. i hope one for the money is good. now that i've read the book i'd like to see it!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Thanks Nancy.* That is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm going to put together a plan over the next day to be ready to hit the ground running Monday. I'm still going to stay a maintainer, but I am going to get my weight back at the bottom to middle of my maintain rather than the tippy top where it is now.  That would be the 4-6 extra pounds I am lugging around. I keep thinking of it in terms of butter sticks and it grosses me out!

Hopefully by the end of February there won't be a roll over my jeans! Mike and I talked about it a little, and if having things at home means we need to throw out some of it in order to not have the extras in the house, then so be it. I'm not a big fan of that, but I still have so little control sometimes. And maybe I will never feel completely in control. But I am doing the best I can. And that's all we can really do, right?


----------



## Rose&Mike

*2Lisas!* I am enjoying the pictures! Can't wait to congratulate you tomorrow!

*Lindsay*--oh wow, the underwear story. Holy cow. Too funny! Funny in a slightly horrifying kind of way--in that you know she will return them. And then I think about Mike's Mom--and the thought of her borrowing my uw. Even before she got sick that would have been a pretty awful thing! I would be frustrated about the coach too. That's the kind of stuff you deal with in high school (and it's aggravating then) not elementary school! I think if there are last minute changes that you don't know about, that it really is ok to miss....But that's just my opinion. I'm sure the coach is a volunteer position, but one of the coaches biggest jobs is to communicate. 

As for the homework--is it getting turned in? Tom had a big problem with that. Mike and I have talked a lot about whether we would have rather known earlier that Tom had adhd, or not. We decided it would have been ok to learn, but based on what Tom tells us about the meds and the side effects, I'm glad we avoided it until now. He has told us that he would not have wanted to take it in ele/ms/hs. Part of why I think we avoided it--we were pretty consistent (aka strict) about stuff like homework, bedtime, no soda, no video games during the week, etc. But I think that is what helped him. Hang in there. Depending on what the teacher says, maybe there is someone you could talk to over the summer about what's going on. Sometimes too, it's the teacher and their expectations. So next year could be totally different.....

*Maria*--Happy Birthday to Ben! I think going to a different show than the SMIL is a good idea, and I think if there are issues Dennis should deal with them. The problem is, I know Tom would want to tell me and that would stress me out even if I wasn't there. How does Ben feel about it? Does he want her there? Mike's sister had mentioned she wanted to come to Tom's graduation along with one or two of my sisters. I'm not sure if they would have come anyhow, but Tom wanted it to just be us and our neighbors. That's who he considered family. So we told everyone that. My dad ended up dying right before Tom's graduation. His HS awards ceremony was on the day of the funeral. I did not go to the funeral. I didn't want to go anyhow, but that made it much easier. Anyhow, I'm not sure that anyone would have come anyhow after that. Family is important, and Mike and I might not do a great job keeping up with extended family. But, over the years with all the crazy stuff we have to deal with, we have learned to redefine what family means. Family should not make you unhappy. They might embarrass you occasionally, but they should not make you feel bad about yourself. So if you need a break from her, then I think that is perfectly ok. Hopefully you can find a solution that you all feel good about.

As for the weight, I did not like it at all when people started looking at me at the Y or at the ballpark. Not at all. Some guy at Disney this time told me I need to smile more--I wanted to point out where Mike was and ask him if he wanted to say it again. I was having a cranky moment over food of all things at that time. Anyhow, I know part of the reason I let myself carry more weight is so that I feel ugly and fat--it makes me feel safer. I feel crappy about myself, but I feel safe. No words of wisdom. I still struggle with it a little. But you need to keep telling yourself--you are reaching your goals! You are getting where you want to be! Don't think about the end result, just think about the fact that you are getting healthier and give your brain a little bit of time to figure things out.

*Kathy*--how's coaching going? Woohoo on the great losses this week! Are you going to turn Poko into a runner? 

*Nancy-*-are new shoes not the bomb! I wish I could get new shoes every month! If I win the lottery I am buying new running shoes every month! I just decided that! Don't you think 15 pounds by May is totally doable? It sounds like a nice, steady, reasonable loss. I know as soon as the weather improves you will be pushing those boys all over the place! 

*****
I wanted to throw this out there about the marathon. Just something to think about....Corinna, Jen and Tracey all stayed together for the whole thing. It was Tracey's first full and I think Corinna and Jen were doing Goofy. We could decide at some point, that we were going to try running together. Just a thought. I have absolutely no expectations other than to finish upright and smiling. I just thought I'd throw it out there. I am not going to take it personally if everyone thinks it's a really bad idea, but you all are my sister friends, and I think crossing the finish line together on my ONE and ONLY full would be fun! 

I took a 3 hour nap--which I rarely do since going g-f, and I feel so much better! I still don't wanna track or deal with food, but I am going to! We ran at the Y this morning. I went 4 straight miles, which I was very happy about. My goal is to run the short runs without stopping and run/walk the long runs. It was a brutally, painful, slow 4 miles, but I did it! That makes 3 runs this week for the first time in a very long time! The foot is sore, but not bad. I am glad I gave up the 100 day challenge. I am happy with the 5 hard workouts I put in this week, and know that I really needed those rest days! So this week Sunday I ran 10, Monday I did strength, T&W I took off, Thurs I ran 3.1, Friday pool ran with weights (it was hard!!!!) for 45 min, Saturday ran 4 miles. Not too shabby!

Next weekend we are going 12 and then starting our long taper. I am praying it is warm enough to go outside!

Enjoy the rest of your Saturday!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> I wanted to throw this out there about the marathon. Just something to think about....Corinna, Jen and Tracey all stayed together for the whole thing. It was Tracey's first full and I think Corinna and Jen were doing Goofy. We could decide at some point, that we were going to try running together. Just a thought. I have absolutely no expectations other than to finish upright and smiling. I just thought I'd throw it out there. I am not going to take it personally if everyone thinks it's a really bad idea, but you all are my sister friends, and I think crossing the finish line together on my ONE and ONLY full would be fun!



first off, from what i hear it is awfully addicting to only stop at one mickey medal! so don't quite count out another one in the future.

i am in for the WDW full in '13. it will be my first marathon. it would be an honor to run with you. my only half was the princess and i did that in 2:22 which i think is fairly close to your times (if you don't mind slowing down a little). i think we could do it. though i'm fairly certain that running with a close friend, doing my first marathon, in disney world...shoo! you know i'll be crying the whole time! (where's the smilie icon for emotional basket case...maybe this one: )

ps - yeah i'm totally excited about my shoes. i have them on now walking around the house. my toe still hurts though. wah. and i think getting down to 145 by may is pretty doable since it's basically 1 lb a week. it won't be easy. but i will just tell myself that i want to look good in my disney pics!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I actually did have some success today with my eating! I had a Kashi bar for breakfast, and tomato pasta curry from Uno Grill for lunch, and I brought blueberries (and dark chocolate raisinets) for my snack at the movies. I had soup for dinner, and now I'm going to have popcorn. For me, that's a pretty successful Saturday. 

*Nancy and Rose* have given me a lot to think about, but I agree, I have to not do it quite so consciously all the time, instead focusing on what I'm doing, and letting some of that work get done unconsciously. I think that sounds weird, but I hope you know what I mean...

I replenished my soup supply, making sure I have plenty of the low-cal, heart healthy ones. I won't have time to run before church tomorrow, but I will run Monday morning. I'm definitely going to be doing laundry and housework tomorrow, so I will get some movement. I will also be pleasant and sing in church, I'm really hoping it isn't one continuous song...

Ok, off to read, relax and read some more of The Four Agreements books I bought. I think that will help with my "unconscious reasoning"...

Can you believe tomorrow is the Day?! I am so psyched to follow our ! I am so proud, I could burst! I know the Lisabelles feel all the excitement and support we are pouring their way! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good evening Princesses and Belles!   

Disboards still seem to be slow so this will be quick.  Hydrating, pacing and trying to unwind and go to sleep.  Still managing to keep my zen on for the most part. 

Had a great time at the WISH meet.  Met a lot of nice WISHers.  Many are doing the Princess so Maria and Rose have something to look forward to.  

*Lisa* I know you are going to totally rock it tomorrow!    Can't wait for that big old frou frou drink in a souvenir tiki glass! 

I can't say enough how much each and every one of you has helped me get to this point.


----------



## mikamah

GO LISABELLES, GO!!!!!
Have an absolutely, positively, amazing race today!!  Can't wait to see the pictures of you with your tiki cups!!

Actually, this whole time change thing is too much.  You won't even be starting for another hour and 45 minutes.  I'm going to go crazy.  Maybe you'll be posting on facebook from the bus and portapotty lines to entertain me. 

Good morning!!  Hmmmm, in 4 weeks *Rose and Maria *will probably running through the magic kingdom right now, depending on which corral you are in!!  Thank goodness I'll be in the same timezone for that one.

*Rose*-Glad that you are feeling better and have a plan to get back on track.  You are right 6 pounds is not 50, and I don't think you will ever give up this journey, but I know in the past most of us have and 6 can turn to 10 or 20, or 50, but you are not a quitter, and you are the one who got to goal, and is leading the way for the rest of us.   Tracking is so helpful, and even if you don't worry about calories right away, I know for me tracking makes a big difference.  
Coaching is going ok, I haven't killed the thread yet.  It is quieter over there, so that makes it a little easier.  I will be happy to be back with the Mickeys too, I miss seeing my old friends I don't see here.  
And I'm going to try and make Poko a runner, but I think she's like us.  One day she'll run just fine with me, and the next time when I start to run, she slows down and chews the leash.  When I'm going to run, I try to bring treats for her.  
and OMG, how did I miss that you are doing the 2013 full marathon!!!!  That is awesome!!  I so hope I will be there cheering you and Nancy on!!!!  Looking at the Mickey medal on facebook I thought is was so much nicer than this years Donald medal, and I can totally see why someone would want to do a full.  Not me, right now, but you never know when my boy is in college what could happen. 

*Nancy*- You are doing great with the weight loss.  I think a pound a week while nursing a baby is fabulous, and I bet you will get to 145 by may, that's 13 more pounds, and totally doable, especially as the weather gets better and you'll be out pushing 2 kids in the stroller.  
I'm feeding Poko Blue Buffalo dog food because that is what they used at the shelter, so I figured I'd keep it the same til she adjusted and I bought the 50 pound bag with a coupon and sale, so we still have a bunch left.  Funny, maybe the nurse in me, but it seems the milk bones made her too loose, so we've bought the old mother hubbard treats, and she is better.  We just bought some soft biljac treats for training, and some other organic company treat.  She was not the star pupil yesterday.  We were doing "come" and the teacher had her on the long leash at one end of an aisle, and we were at the other end, and when we called her, she didn't want to come.  The rabbit food and cages were more interesting than us.   She did better the second time, but we need to do more practicing.  
She already has a JW toy santa brought the holey cuz thing.  That and the Kong are the only things she hasn't destroyed yet.  Actually, she did destroy her first kong, but I think it lasted quite a while.  
Good advice to Rose.  You are going to be good with the tough love when you have 2 teenage boys.

*Maria*-I agree, and don't think you should go to the same show as Mil if she even comes.  It's got to be hard and I hope you and Dennis can come to some agreement, and she doesn't mortify Ben if she comes.  
Happy 14th to Ben too!!  Wow, he's getting older.  My nephew is 15 now, and really I'd say at 13-14 was when he kind of lost interest in playing with the little cousins and was more into hanging on the side walk with his buddies.  Before he was awesome and would entertain the little ones for hours in the yard.  He's still great with michael, but more video games and basketball than cops and robbers.  The teen years are a barrel of fun, i am sure.  
I sometime wonder why I haven't lost the weight and kept it off.  I think is it because  I don't want to be noticed by men and if I am, will I fall into a bad relationship like I have in the past.  I try to reassure myself that I am a very different person than I was in my 20s, and I don't think that I would ever let someone manipulate or control me, but I think that is still a worry.  I am feeling my head is in a good place right now, and I hope it will stay there.  I know I could go to therapy, but honestly I don't think I'd want to delve into some things in the past.  Try to take those compliments with a smile and thank you and realize your hard work is paying off, and you are a beautiful person, inside and out and deserve them. 

*Lindsay*-Hello there!!  Hope you are having a fabulous weekend!!!

Now I've finished with my replies, and there is still an hour and 13 minutes till the start of the race.  And I wonder how many corrals there are, so they might not even be starting for an hour and 45 minutes.  SHeesh, I'm right back where I started.  Guess it's time to take Poko for her walk.  

I'm on call today, and we have a graduation party for my friends son from 2-4.  He graduated from Maine Maritime, and is really doing so well.  I am getting filled up thinking about him.  I did this when he graduated high school because he was the first baby I knew to graduate.  But he's come through so much, his dad battled depression, and they divorced when Jeff was about 8, and a few years later his dad committed suicide, jeff was about 14, and really it is amazing how well he has done.  I'm so proud of him, and my friend Jane.  She is an awesome mom.  

So that's what on the agenda.  I was hoping my qotd would come to me while I posted here.  I'm trying to think of something Tinkerbell related in honor of the race.  

Have a wonderful sunday ladies!!  

GO LISABELLES GO!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Ok, I am so anxious, I looked up Lisa's kids' race results ...this is going to be fun tracking, but a little nervewracking, too. I am so glad Disney went to the bib chip, so we won't have any "foot" chip misfunctions...Lisah must have felt so bad for me when she thought I was done before 10K! 

Feeling good this morning, and thanking everyone for all the great advice. It helps to know I'm not the only one who has "getting smaller" issues! 

Gotta get ready for church, and make sure my 14 yr. old(!) is ready to do his reading...he's not happy to be spending his birthday this way. He had a  mindmeld with HP yesterday though, so that should help. 

Oh, and one more thing -- Gotta add some more  for our Lisabelles! That was an extra little push to keep them going strong! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

poo!!! i didn't sign up for tracking in time! i totally forgot. can someone update on here??

gah!! i'm an idiot!

go lisas!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

got a text from lisaH - she's on main street! woot!


----------



## mikamah

I didn't sign up for the tracking either, but their 5k times are up on the active website you can search results for the race by name or number.
http://live.xacte.com/tinkerbell/liveresults/

Go Lisas Go!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

got it. rose just directed me there too. thanks! this is exciting! 

(by the way, isn't it AMAZING how advanced technology is? i'm sitting on my couch in the bronx and i know that lisaR just passed the 10k mark in california!)


----------



## mikamah

And Lisa just passed the 10k mark too!!  

It really is so amazing to be able to watch so closely.  Go Lisabelles!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Hurray! For Both Lisas!!!! Too exciting!*

Are you crying! I am crying! Too happy! Was it awesome??? Are you doing the "I swear I will never do this again" thing? Don't worry, that will pass! Or are you so happy and ready to take on the next race?!

But seriously, I think we need to make a pact....No more west coast races. This was killing me! Thank goodness for active race tracking! 

******
So here's an interesting dilemma....Mike is sending his boss an email saying that if he needs him to stay here at the end of February he will.....They are in the middle of a HUGE project and Mike is the team lead on it. We didn't know when we booked the trip that this was going to be a big problem.

I might have a pull out sofa at Kidani available.....Maria or anyone else interested? The only thing that I am not happy about is, if I would have known I was going alone, I would not have picked AKL. 

His boss already said to go, and this is probably pointless to think about, but the stress is ratcheting up, and they have a new CEO. We'll see....

*Ok, you Lisas---are you smiling??????*


----------



## mikamah

Congratulations Lisabelles!!!

I am exhausted just following along online.  I am so happy for both of you and you look absolutely amazing in the picture.  You both are rocking those Wish shirts, and the bling is absolutely beautiful!  I am so proud of both of you.  

*Rose*_ I agree the east coast races are a lot easier to follow in the morning, so the pact is no more west coast races unless we all are going. 
That's too bad about Mike maybe not being able to go to the princess.  Could you bank the akl points and stay someplace less points, or even stay in a value with someone else?  Maybe one of the Lisa's is signing up right  now for the princess and will bunk with you.

We are off to the graduation party in about 20 minutes, so michael's walking Poko for a bit before we put her in the crate.  She ran pretty good with me this morning, we saw a few squirrels, so I'd sprint with her when she got excited.  We'll take another longer walk tonight.  

Have a wonderful rest of the sunday!!

Way to go Lisabelles!!  You made my day!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

congrats!!!! so exciting!!!

and i already told kathy but i have an awesome business idea:

little cameras for your hat (hat-cams) that streams real time you running your race. then people can log-in and watch while you're running. (obvs you can turn it off when you have to pee in the woods or whatever)

good idea, right?? 

can't wait to hear all about it!!!!! yay!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Sorry, I missed all the excited posting with Ben's Bday...

But  I am so proud of our Lisabelles! You ladies rocked it out! 

I can't wait to read your TRs. For now you can relax, stare at those gorgeous medals, and be satisfied with a job well done! 

*Rose* -- The last thing you need is more stress. Whatever happens with Mike, we will work something out. I'm not going to leave you alone or hangin' while I'm there (unless you want to be!), so you might have to tough it out Thursday and Tuesday, but other than that we can get totally girly  It sounds like Mike is probably still coming -- but if you discover he isn't, no biggie. I decided to punt on the DHS EMH Saturday morning, so I got a 2-day hopper for Sunday and Monday. No worries allowed -- either way you are going to have a great time! 

Oof! Gotta do more bday stuff...Again, absolutely bursting with pride in our Lisabelles! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Worfiedoodles said:


> Sorry, I missed all the excited posting with Ben's Bday...
> 
> But  I am so proud of our Lisabelles! You ladies rocked it out!
> 
> I can't wait to read your TRs. For now you can relax, stare at those gorgeous medals, and be satisfied with a job well done!
> 
> *Rose* -- The last thing you need is more stress. Whatever happens with Mike, we will work something out. I'm not going to leave you alone or hangin' while I'm there (unless you want to be!), so you might have to tough it out Thursday and Tuesday, but other than that we can get totally girly  It sounds like Mike is probably still coming -- but if you discover he isn't, no biggie. I decided to punt on the DHS EMH Saturday morning, so I got a 2-day hopper for Sunday and Monday. No worries allowed -- either way you are going to have a great time!
> 
> Oof! Gotta do more bday stuff...Again, absolutely bursting with pride in our Lisabelles!
> 
> Maria


Thanks! I am surprisingly not too stressed about it, I just want it resolved so that I can make some plans. This has been coming for a while, so it's not a huge shock. He just kept bringing it up or I would ask him if everything was ok, and finally today I asked him if he was feeling bad about going and he said yes. And Mike is so not a worrier, so for him to say yes, I knew he was stressing. We both really want to see Tom, too and he is taking the 10th off for that too. And neither one of us want to give up that trip. Though, I might ask Tom if he wants to fly home.....

We looked at airfare and for ~200-300 he could either fly down two days late or come home two days early. Which would mean he would only be missing two days of work. We are currently scheduled to be there Thursday-Tuesday. So if he switched it he could either come down Friday night or come back Sunday night. He sent his boss an email and basically asked him which he preferred--that he bag the trip completely, or that he cut two days off. I just don't want him to be stressed, so if he has to bag it the world won't end.

I told him I was ok  with whatever, I just wanted it taken care of early in the week so that we can get a new ticket while the prices are not too unreasonable.

So if you aren't going to do the parks on Saturday, do you want to do a late breakfast at Kouzzina on Saturday? And I guess the other question--I made Boma for 5:50 on Sunday. Is that too early????

And I think we will totally have fun whether he comes or not! I am planning some serious expo shopping! I just feel bad for him cause I know he was looking forward to it.

Sorry--everyone for hijacking the thread! If Mike doesn't go someone could come run as Mike! You have to pretend you are a boy and your time won't count, but other than that, it won't cost anything! We will contact them about deferrment tomorrow, but for some reason I think I heard 45 days.....

*Lisah*--That is so cool that your Mom and Sis surprised you! At least I think it is? Right?

Ok, I am supposed to be meal planning.......


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

oh my you ladies have been having way to much fun without me this weekend.  There is just so much to talk about.

I tried to post twice yesterday, 1st time I had to stop because if not ryan would have been late to his basketball game and the 2nd time was at night on my tablet and I was just about ready to submit this long post of replies and my freakin tablet froze and then shut off.  I was fuming.

So anyway here I am now...on my desktop and if anyone bothers me there going to get the evil eye.

Ok so I cant remember everything but will try my best.

Maria- Im sorry you feel so self concious about the weight loss.  Its crazy how our minds can be like that.  I think the ladies on here gave you some great advice about that and hopefully as time goes on it will get easier for you.  I hope Ben enjoyed his birthday this weekend.  You made some great choices on your date last night.  I hope you and Dennis enjoyed yourselves.

Kathy- I promise I will catch up on the BL thread next.  I am sure you are doing a great job coaching this week.  Funny how poko doesnt like to run much, our dog donovan is the same way, I tried running with him a few times and we get going for awhile and all of a sudden he stops to pee and almost trips me.  I guess we are meant to be solo runners.  I hope the grad party was fun.  What a great story about your friends son.  I am so glad that he was able to overcome those obstacles and is doing well for himself, such a great story.

Rose- Did you get that meal planning done????  I can understand what your saying about wanting the junk at home since you cant buy it out as a treat anymore and when its in the house it is so much harder to say no.  Maybe try having 1 treat in the house every shopping trip that way on a few nights you can have it but not tempted to eat the junky stuff all throughout the day.  Oh and I missed you running the full too.  You go girl  I am really hoping I could be there to cheer you on.  I was kinda thinking I may want to try it myself but I have this anxiety that I will die.  I have heard so many storys lately about young healthy people dying doing marathons and I just cant get it out of my mind.  Im so nuts with this stuff.  Maybe if I can get that out of my mind I will reconsider.  It definitely would be a great accomplishment and the only place I would want to do it would be disney.  

Nancy- Woohoo for the new running shoes.  I have the Nike pegasus.  My new ones I got are the pegasus 28.  I love them.  I hope poor matthew poops soon.  I know its normal for bf babies to go 7-10days but it just seems so long.  I bet that is going to be one massive diaper when it happens.  Maybe you can arrange it to be johns turn for that one.   Great job on the weight loss this week too. Im sure you will make it to your goal weight for May especially will a disney trip to motivate you.  It was really windy here today too.  I felt like there were times when I was trying to run and not going anywhere.  I loved your pic from maritime the other day.  That was so beautiful.  Oh and the pic of matthew today was so adorable too.

Lisabelles- I am so very proud of you both.  I was glued to my phone and I agree having that 3 hour difference was just too much anticipation.  I was in tears too once I saw the you both finished and then again when you posted your picture together.  I am just so happy for you both.  I hope you are having a great celebration right now as we speak. (although its only 315 your time) so you have a lot of time to celebrate still.

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

well it was a good weekend in my neck of the woods.  The sun was shining both days.  Yesterday Ryans game went well.  He got a decent amount of playing time so it was better than the last game.  He got a rebound on defense and the coach yelled go ryan go....so instead of dribbling it up the court he just ran with it all the way down, tucked it in his arm and looked just like a running back.  The crowd was cracking up.  Yep I guess football is gonna be his sport.

Then I went to the AAA disney presentation where the TA did a slide show of all the things you can do and see at disney, nothing I didnt already know but it was sure fun to sit and talk disney for 1 1/2 hrs.  My mom and dad enjoyed it and made them even more excited to go.  Oh and I answered a question right and got a jimney cricket pin.

Then we went back to there house and made plans for our trip.  We are going from fri. Oct 5 through sat Oct 13.  It will be my longest trip to the world.  The boys will only miss 5 days of school because that monday is columbus day.  We are also going to do MNSSHP and we are doing a day at seaworld.  We are going to book through AAA because we get a 15% off room discount through them plus I have a pin code for 20% off to use on top of that.  We are going to stay at CBR and we are going to stay in a pirate room if one is avail and my parent will stay in a preferred room.  I think we are going to go this week to book it.  I am  for joy.  The kids dont know that we are going for sure yet but once we book it I will tell them.  Not sure if I will do the slide show or not because they pretty much have heard us talking about it the whole time.  I just cant keep a secret.

Today I ran 3 miles and pretty much relaxed for the rest of the time.  Can I tell you that my kids are really driving me crazy this weekend.  I feel horrible saying that but my gosh they are just not listening to a word I say and I am tired of repeating myself 5 times.  I think it is the time of year when they start to go stir crazy from the weather.  Boy the only problem is we have awhile to go before it gets nice out.

Oh and Mike painted our living room and upstairs hallway yesterday.  it looks good and now next weekend we are going to get our new entertainment center and hang our new TV...just in time for the superbowl.

Ok I will talk to you all tomorrow.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Phew! What a day! Too much excitement for one day.

*LisaR*--how are you feeling? You completed your first half marathon! How exciting is that? I hope you had a really great day today and did lots and lots of celebrating!

*LisaH*--I am so very happy for you! What a day! I agree with Nancy. We need the hat cam! And with Kathy--no more west coast races unless everyone is doing one. (Though did I tell you all Mike and I are thinking about a race in Vancouver in August???) How are the ribs? Do you just feel this huge rush of calm/"zen"ness now that it's all over? 

*Lindsay*--we will just miss you in October. We get there on the 17th, I think. You will love MNSSHP. You HAVE to dress up. I am not one to dress up, but I made Woody and Jessie costumes and Mike and I had a blast. They were "homemade" costumes and the castmembers made a HUGE deal about them. People took our pictures. My weight was pretty high at that time, so I am not liking the pictures too much now, but I had a wonderful time. (I actually just looked at the pictures and they were a big kick in the pants to get back on the wagon.) Loved the football, uh, I mean basketball story!

****
So Mike is still not sure what he is doing, but his boss did email him back that it will never be a good time for him to be gone, so going now probably shouldn't matter. I guess things got really crazy Friday when they moved their schedule up. So we'll see. He has been doing work at home every night after dinner and is actually working now! I am guessing he will be working in FL if he goes. This doesn't happen too often, and he really likes his job, so it is no biggie. I don't mind going alone if that's what happens, I just really don't like not having a plan! I used to be a very spontaneous person, then I went in the hospital to have Tom and almost died and ever since then I have been a little more cautious and a little less spontaneous. 

Oh and *Lindsay*, I think that is a rational fear about the marathon. But MOST people complete it safely. Mike's dad was a runner and he died of a heart attack (not while running a marathon)--but he weighed more and he was a smoker....I worry more about Mike than me--and I am the one who has already seen a cardiologist! Go figure!

Ok, I have been very chatty today. Because I have been avoiding doing things like meal planning.....

Have a nice night!

Oh, kept forgetting. I am very happy with the bangs. She did really long, barely there bangs. It is hiding the hair that is growing in really well and I am able to push them out of the way. And, they look fine with a bondi band. My hair is really thin still right around my face, but she said a ton of new, fine hair is coming in. So I'm gad I can camouflage it!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

morning friends!!

oh lindsay, that little ryan gave me such a giggle picturing him running with the basketball. dribbling is SO overrated anyway.  

sounds like you got a great deal on your next WDW vacation! AAA is the best way to find discounts. when i was a disney travel agent for those like 5 minutes, AAA was the only place that ever could offer a bigger discount than me. it usually wasn't a huge difference but really any difference is good! my friend who runs mommy and me with me is going with her 4 and 6 year old in march and they are staying in the pirate room too! i helped her plan and those pirate rooms look AWESOME! we'll miss you by about a month. we are going down in sept. 

rose, i'm glad you like the bangs! how will the upkeep be? i always look so good after a haircut but as soon as i have to wash it again the hair goes right back in a ponytail. one of these days i will learn how to blow dry my hair...
sounds like mike's trip is still up in the air. how annoying. at least we know you'll be spending time with the super-awesome maria!  i wish i was going too. wah. silly babies being born and cramping my princess style

kathy - how was the bday party? blue buffalo is a GREAT food. we had fiona on that. actually fiona's new dad is a contractor in CT and he built the blue buffalo president's house. john's company is trying to do a cross promotion with blue buffalo. like, buy a jw pet toy and enter to win a year's supply of blue buffalo food. it's john's idea. what a marketing genius he is! blue buffalo's headquarters are in wilton, ct and he would love to get a job there. that would work for us b/c we are toying with the idea of moving to ridgefield, ct in a few years. anywho, blue buffalo is the highest selling dog food now. weird right? a few years ago nobody had heard of them. anywho, poko's getting the good stuff!

hey maria, how was the rest of ben's bday weekend? and how was the movie?

can't wait to hear from our tinkerlisas! 

mommy and me today. i'm also calling the sports medicine foot guy today. my foot is really bothering me. i ran 4 miles yesterday and my foot was really hurting for the rest of the day  i mean, could this suck more? here i am ready to get back on the horse and OF COURSE my foot hurts. i'm not waiting to see if it gets better. it's been bothering me for long enough that i want to nip it in the bud and see what the doctor says. maybe he tells me it's just a bruise and no biggie. that would be great. let's hope. my 4 miler was my longest since the baby was born. took me 50 minutes to do it.  meh, i'll get faster.

speaking of speeds - do you guys do those fartlek exercises?

and now onto important stuff: cullen family poop

matthew finally pooped yesterday morning at 3am. it was a doozie. that was seven days! poor kid. 

and thomas pooped on the potty! ok it was a TOTAL fluke but poop landed in the bowl! lol! he likes to sit on the pot and "read" a magazine. on saturday night we had my aunt mary and uncle eddie over for dinner. thomas got his bath afterwards and told john he wanted to sit on the potty. john left the room to get his clothes ready and heard thomas scream poo poo on the potty! i think he farted and had a poop surprise! it was just a little but he was so proud of himself that he tried to touch it. ew! lol! anyway he went running into the living room and told mary and eddie. he did like seven laps around the house screaming POO POO IN THE POTTY!!! it was pretty hilarious. 

and now you know more about my children and their poop than you would ever hope to know. you're welcome.


----------



## mikamah

I didn't really have time to post here, so I thought I'll read real quick and catch up before I go to work and post tonight, but I had to say thank you Nancy for that belly laugh out loud!  It's going to be a great day now that I know the cullen boys are pooping!!!!

Have a great day Princesses and Lisabelles!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

I have a few minutes here before my sister comes to take me to the airport.  They drove over here from Phoenix.  I know I have lots to read and reply to so this is short version.  

*Rose,* I'm sorry about the uncertainty with Mike's work schedule.  I'm glad to hear that was what it was because I was afraid that your injuries were flaring up again.  

*Lindsay,* got a chuckle of out Ryan -- people like it when you run the ball in football so why not basketball, too?  It's a lot faster!   Your trip sounds fabulous.

*Maria,* happy belated birthday to your "baby."   And a big  for you 'cause you know we wouldn't like it if they didn't grow up but sometimes you wish you could have their little selves back for a bit.  

*Nancy,* who doesn't get excited about poo poo in the potty?   

*Kathy,* thanks for all your messages and texts.   

That goes for all of you ladies!   I thought of you all so often while I was out there yesterday.

*Lisa,* have a great time in the parks today and safe travels! 

I'm getting ready to head home this morning.  I had a wonderful time and will give you more details later.  It was a fun race.  I was so, so happy to finish.  

And it was big surprise to see my Mom and my sister waiting for me.  They have been here since Thursday and my sister ran the Neverland 5K -- her first one, no training, crappy shoes, barely got there on time.  That was really astonishing.  

Thank you again for all your encouragement, love and support.  I would never had made it without you!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose- Glad you like the bangs and that it is working out for you.  I am so bummed that we will miss each other by not even a week. uggh I would consider changing if it wasnt our anniversaries that week.  thanks for the response on my fear of dying in a marathon.  I know its all in my head.  Im going to work on getting back up to completing a half and then I will reconsider.

Nancy- oh thank heavens for poop.  Boy that is one exciting day of pooping.  I love how excited thomas got and I was just smiling how cute that is.  Now my boys are constantly talking aka bragging about pooping and let me tell you its lost its cuteness.  So hearing thomas's story was so refreshing even if it involved poop.

I hope the foot checks out ok.

Lisa H- Words just can not express how excited and proud of you I am.  I cant wait to hear more about your trip.  I cant believe your sister and her 5K.  too funny.  Glad they were there to support you.

**********************************************************
today was quite a day.  I had 3 people out sick.  pertussis is going around our valley and they all had symptoms.  They went to their doctors and it doesnt look like they have it so all should be ok for the rest of the week.  It made my day a complete mess though.  I rushed out of there to get ryan and then rush him off to bball practice.  Tonight he was in the role to set a pick on a defensive player and he really was never taught how to do it.  So they started the play and he basically blocked the kid like he did in football and kept following him all around the court while the others just converted the play behind him.  He is kind like forrest gump (well except more intelligent) but when you tell him to do something he does it but goes to the extreme of completing his job.  Too bad he doesnt do this with his school work. 

So many people on facebook have been commenting about how their kids made honor roll and got straight A's on their report cards this weekend.  Im not saying they shouldnt post that they are proud of their kids because I do the same with ryans sports but internally I kind of feel sad about Ryans report card.  Then I really thought about it and yes he is having some focusing issues at school but he is still getting all satisfactory grades.  I should still feel thrilled about that but our society has not been set up to only feel like you are doing great if you are above average or exceeding the average ability.  Isnt that crazy.

So tonight I am counting my blessing for the amazing average child that I have whose personality and athletic ability make up for the areas that he may lack.  Nothing wrong with that right?????

Ok and on an even more positive note...tonight the trip is officially booked.  We just have to wait for airfare pricing to come out.  Nancy you will have to let me know what your friend thinks of the pirate rooms.  They are the furthest away from everything and my parents got a preferred room so we will not be close together.  I kind of went back and forth about booking it.  I should be happy I will have to walk an extra 10 min to walk off the calories I will be intaking on our DELUXE dining plan.

Ok well I am off to bed.  Talk to you ladies tomorrow.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I should be working on a contracts list, but I just don't want to, and I'm putting it off so...

*Lindsay* -- Just because people say their kids get straight As on FB doesn't mean it's true  I think it is hard for kids and parents with the unrealistic expectations -- not every kid is going to be a Rhodes scholar, and I'm certainly not raising the next Tom Brady (but maybe you are!)! I also wouldn't assume Ryan won't find a niche in school where he will excel. He is so young -- he may thrive when he hits biology, or algebra, or history -- heck, maybe he's the next Bill Gates! Once he finds something he really wants to learn, and he's engaged, he will do a stellar job. The fun part is you get to keep throwing things at him, and see what sticks. If it's athletics, that's great! Can you say college scholarship?! It is hard that our kids aren't going to excel at every thing they try. But it's good to keep them humble, too 

So happy your trip is booked! How wonderful  Those pirate rooms look like a ton of fun 

*Lisah* -- Wow, your mom and sister totally came through! How awesome is that?!  I hope you had a safe trip home, and you are resting a bit before getting back to work. Gotta say it again, so very proud of our Lisabelles! 

*Nancy* -- You made me laugh out loud with Poopin' With the Cullen Boys!  _One for the Money_ was about what I expected. I wanted Lula to be bigger, but Sherry Shepherd did a good job. I don't think I quite bought Jason O'Mara as Morelli, and...ok, yep, my biggest problem was the casting. Not bad, but just not who I pictured in my head. That's the problem when you've read so many books (18!), and you feel like you know the characters. The actors you have in your head are rarely going to be those onscreen...Ben had a great birthday. He got loads of cash and gift cards, so that made him happy. His big gift from us is tickets to see "The Addams Family" at the theater. It was a fluke, but we snagged the front row, so he's really excited. 

*Rose* -- Kouzzina sounds great! I haven't been there since it was the other restaurant, which name escapes me right now...A late breakfast is good since I plan on an early dinner, so I can skip lunch and have a carrot cake cookie snack  Hmm, not sure about 5:50. I'm looking at it two ways -- it's a good time to eat and should give me plenty of time at Epcot, and then afterwards I can go to JellyRolls (not sure if that's on the agenda this year?), go back to DHS for EMH, or go back to the hotel and sleep; or if we eat later, I can plan on JellyRolls or just calling it a night. Sigh. Ok, so thinking it through, maybe we should keep 5:50. I'll probably get to Epcot around noon, and I should leave a bit before 5 to make sure I get to AKL. That's plenty of time for me to wander around slowly...Guess it depends on what else you and Mike want to do that night? I think the only thing I wanted to try that weekend that I haven't figured out how to make work yet is Tonga Toast. I know it's only at the Poly, just not sure how to make that work...I might have to save it for my next trip! 

* to Lisa, Kathy, and other lurkers!*

Okay, now I have to come clean. Despite a great 4M run yesterday, I can't really call it a success. I just went a little crazy with eating. I had an abundance of snack size Reese's, kitkats, 4 frosted bakery cookies, tostitos, I was just eating everything in sight. I think it's for a few reasons -- Dennis told me he was sick of looking at the tostitos on the table. I was really proud I was making them last, but apparently the bag was annoying him ; TOM hit me so hard yesterday, I mean TMI, but like the opening for the Beverly HillBillies -- black gold, texas tea gusharoony levels ; I started to feel like I will never see the 180s (let alone anything lower), so I should just give up and accept this is my size; I was looking for any excuse, I'm freaked out and running scared. 

I didn't send in my weight this week, I blew off my workout this morning, and here I am....so at least I'm being honest. I know I will feel better once the hormones move along. Tomorrow is a lovely fresh start, and I do want to take advantage of it -- I just want to eat the other four cookies on the table first  They're taunting me! Dennis bought them for Ben, and he doesn't want them...

I had eggs for breakfast, and I have my usual healthy lunch and snacks today. We're having salmon, rice and veggies for dinner, so it's really just the evening that's an issue. Maybe I can have popcorn and be satisfied with that...

Ok, I have to stop rambling and do that work project. It will probably take half an hour, but I've built it up to be impossible in my head....

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Would you believe I just finished the work project? I definitely made that into more than it was, kind of like my angst and stalling out with the self-sabotage. 

You guys are great therapists! 

Ok, now I'm going to be responsible and post on another thread, or be really responsible and do some more work -- it's getting close to lunch, but I bet I could probably finish another task first  

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Phooey! I had a post for the first part of my trip that is missing.  I'm going to check at home and see if it is still on my computer so I will just do a couple of quick replies. 

*Kathy,* thank you for helping me out and tagging me in the FB photos.  Some day I will learn how to use FB.  

*Lindsay,* I don't think Ryan lacks at all.    I think he is having a super year with all of his activites.  He is such a sweetheart and an all around nice guy.  Grades are such a little part of a child's life.  He is happy and doing well that is what is important.   

*Maria,* sorry for the bad hormonal bout this week.    I hate that freaked out, scared, just plain crazy feeling.  Even though the rational part of your brain can even watch the crazy part it doesn't make it any easier.    I think it is a testament to your strength and determination that you can get on the TM and do 4 miles when you are feeling that way.  

I have a whole pile of stuff on my desk that I don't want to do and that is not as bad as I think it is -- you have inspired me to get to it!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok is it taking FOREVER for the DIS to load or what?? this is really annoying. now i don't even have time to type anything out. 

claudia is coming (claudia's the babysitter/mother's helper) any minute and i'm heading out to the foot doctor. of COURSE my foot isn't really bothering me much today. typical. but what happens is that it starts to hurt after i run like 2 miles so i'll just let him know that. 

hopefully the DIS will cooperate more so i can write out some good responses. 

*lisa* looking forward to hearing about your trip. sounds like the DIS is being bad for all of us. what's up with that?

*maria* hugs. big one. if it helps at all, you were in my dream last night! we were having coffee in some weird mall type thing. 

ok, claudia's here. be back later


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy how did the foot check out?

Maria. "Will have days like this, my mama said" i think we have all been there with those feelings and im glad you can type it all out on here. You will get back at it. The hormones shall pass.

Lisa i am so anxious to hear about the trip.

Ok swimming clasd is over but let me tell u in advance my life is going to be crazy until fri so if im not on here dont call the authorities...lol

Talk to you all soon.


----------



## Rose&Mike

How are you all today? I had a really good day! I had my review and it went really well--I felt very loved and appreciated at work. I got to run outside. Which was awesome! I tracked my food--before I ate it and will be under my calories. Though I had to choose between a g-f beer and a small amount of ice cream....Hard choice! I chose ice cream. And my foot is doing ok--the p-f is almost non-existent, the ankle is sore but ok. I am pretty much over worrying about everything but the ankle. It isn't swelling, but it is still lumpy and can get very sore. In the back of my head I still worry about tendinosis, but hopefully it is still on the upswing. Life is good.

*Lindsay*--so funny story. Remember your fear about dying on the full? Well I had a little freak out last night. Mike is running a full in May and I just freaked out. Ok, so today I got home from running and Mike was in the front yard. With a band-aid over his eye. He ran with a friend at lunch and ran into a power line that zigs over the sidewalk. They have a doctor on site at work and he didn't need stitches, so that was good. The doctor said he shouldn't have a scar, but he has a nice little cut. Mike said who would have thought that after that freak out last night that this is what would happen today! 

I hope your week is not too crazy!

*Nancy*--Boys and their poop, what else can you say? I hope the foot is ok! And I loved the Mickey picture!

*Kathy*--are you surviving coaching? I have not made it on there in a day or so.

*My 2 Lisas*--how are you? Are you having post race let down? Can't wait to hear more!

*Maria*--So I thought about you while running today. I was thinking about stuff--just things floating through my brain and I kept feeling like people were looking at my chest--and then I realized they were probably reading my W&D shirt....Around the World in 13.1 miles! Just brings up the whole Four Agreements thing--it wasn't about me, it was about my shirt! I'm sorry for the cruddy girl stuff! I just hope my t.o.m. comes on time so I don't have to deal with it at Princess. 
So for now I will leave Boma at 5:50 and try to add a Kouzzina for breakfast. I think they have fabulous breakfasts--better than Tonga Toast in my opinion so I hope you will like it! I'll send you a pm with the details! And if everyone is up for Jelly Rolls we are up for it. Just let me know if you change your mind about Boma.
*****
Ok, that's it for me. I hope everyone has a great night! Being outside even for a little bit has made me so happy! Spring is just around the corner, I hope!


----------



## lisah0711

Darn you poof fairy!   My post from this morning was gone for good.  

The Disboards speed seems to do better with Google Chrome so you might want to give that a try but the smilies don't seem to work  For some of us that is a problem. 

*Nancy,* hope the foot is okay!  

*Lindsay,*  that your week passes quickly and  for your bad day.

*Rose,* so happy to hear that you had a great run today!   Sorry about Mike's injury.    Spring is coming baby! 

I had such a great time meeting *Lisa* and her lovely family.  Your children are adorable and so well behaved, even when you know they really wish you would shut up so they can go to the park.   I was so glad to be able to see you each day that I was there.

I saw several WISHers at the Expo because of wearing my WISH shirt.  I also ran into a couple at DL on Saturday morning.  Even strangers do like that shirt -- it's fun to talk to people when you are travelling by yourself. 

I saw JG at the Expo who told me that I would be fine as long as I remembered to slow down.   

It was so fun to see all the WISHers at the WISH meet.  We had a good turn out for a DL meet.  There are lots of Tinker Bells doing the Princess.  *Maria* and *Rose* you have a lot of nice folks to meet soon! 

One of the highlights was meeting Wendy Sibley who was doing her 30th half in 30 states in 301 days -- the Tinker Bell was the final one.  Talk about inspirational.    She was also the one doing the up to the minute updates on FB. 

Really it's been good to have a couple of days to process things because it was a blur and for awhile the report would have had a lot more complaining in it.  

By the time I got to the W tent at before the race there were no WISHers to be found.  I did see Wendy as I was walking to the corral and then met up with *Lisa.* It was nice to be able to hang out together while we waited for the race -- like I did with you at the Princess *Nancy.*

They announced there were racers from every state except New Hampshire and Maine.  I think they said 11,000 racers but I'm not sure about that.

Really it's been good to have a couple of days to process things because it was a blur and for awhile the report would have had a lot more complaining in it.  

We were in Corral C.  They only did fireworks for the national anthem.  I didn't even realize that our corral had started that is how crowded and noisy it was! All I could see was a sea of bobbing heads.  

The first mile was a little tough with all the hills.  I never felt like I really hit my stride during the whole race until the end.  There were lots of people cheering on the way to DL.  We ran backstage a lot.  

I couldn't believe it when we were running up Main Street.  I just happened to see *Nancy's* text as I was running up Main Street and was able to quickly reply -- that was fun!

They had floats and cast members.  I never knew there were pirates behind It's A Small World.    One pirate was leaning on a barrel saying something like "keep running.  I'm going to sit here all day."  I did not stop for any pictures.  The good news is that I didn't have to make any potty stops either.  

Then it was time to run through Sleeping Beauty's castle. 

I remember seeing Nancy Johnson the podcaster in Downtown Disney and she yelled "Go WISH!"  

Just a few minutes after that was one of the highlights of the race -- there must have been 50 red hat ladies outside of the Disneyland Hotel.  They were cheering their hearts out.  Everyone loved them.  We should do that when we are too old to run.  

By this time the sun was up and it was getting hot fast.  I purposely did not wear my watch and kept my phone in my skirt for the most part.  I could tell by the clocks at the mile markers I was doing okay on my time.  I was glad I did that because I think I would have become more and more stressed as time went on.  

I knew that miles 5-9 were going to be the tough ones.  There were lots of people cheering but it was getting hot and the why did I want to do this talk was starting in my brain.  This was about the time I decided the Zenzahs were going to have to go but I couldn't find a medic on a bike or a medical tent.  I even asked a volunteer to have one of the guys on the bike catch up to me if they saw one.  

I saw a bus at mile 5 and another at mile 6 but no orange flags so I just thought "yikes" and went on.  Every water stop I poured water on my neck and visor.  Mile 7 was the first time I saw an orange flag but they said we were only a minute behind the pace.  I finally found a medical tent and stopped and used a pair of scissors and cut my Zenzahs off.    That helped a bit.  

This is getting long.  BRB with the rest of the report.


----------



## lisah0711

Sorry but the stream of conscious thing will probably continue.  

By the time I was at mile 8 I saw the orange flag again but was still only a minute behind the pace and they said not to worry but there would be a hard cut at mile 10.  I knew I was slowing down because the intervals were getting harder and the not so nice messages in my brain were getting more persistant.  I would say things to myself like "*Kathy say go!* *Maria is cheering for you!"* or *Rose* says you can do it and that helped.  

If you see that little snowflake I had hanging from my skirt in any of the pictures I would press that too.  It made a little pixiedust sound.    After awhile even the  wasn't helping.  

And I have to confess some times I thought we were all crazy for thinking this is a fun thing to do.  

At mile 9 they told us we were 3 1/2 minutes behind the pace and there would be a hard cut at mile 10.  I did my best to pick it up but I was getting worried I would be swept again.    It was so hot and I was getting so tired a little voice in my head was saying it won't be so bad.  I didn't know if I could pick up any more and I tried not to think that I wasn't going to be able to chase a sweeper at this point.  

But at mile 10 there were no sweepers, no busses, no orange flag and they said we were 3 1/2 minutes ahead of the pace.    I don't think I picked it up that much but I wasn't going to worry about it.  They told us if we got into DCA we would be fine.  And now I have to confess that the little voice in my head was a teeny, tiny bit disappointed that I wasn't going to be taking a bus ride.    'Cause you know it's amazing the silly things that you think while you are out there.  

It was about this time that my phone went out, too, so no more music.  I had not been paying attention to the beeps because I thought it was just more texts from RunDisney telling me I was behind the eight ball -- memo to self.  Turn off texting.  

A lot of the back of the pack folks commented on my shirt.  One girl said to me "I love your shirt -- it's the only thing that's kept me going this whole time."  Then she passed me and I never saw her again.

I finally made it into DCA and started to believe that I was really going to make it this time.    Right after we entered DCA there was the same pirate from behind IASW.  I gave him a high five and said "Hey, I thought you said you weren't moving from behind IASW today!"  He seemed happy that I had noticed 'cause remember it's more than 3 hours later now and blazing hot.  

Then we ran by Soarin'.  Now I'm realizing I'm going to make it for sure.  I'm thinking of all of you, and all I've done and I started crying.  I mean sobbing, not just weeping.  Except sobbing makes you light headed and I made myself stop because I didn't want to faint that close to mile 12.    This was also the time I was running right by the entrance to the Grand Californian -- yep, my hotel room was closer to me than the finish line.  But I wasn't sobbing about that I was just so stinkin' happy.  

Woo hoo, I finally got me some good endorphins but it was a bit more like delirium.    Really that last mile was so much fun.   There were no lines for the characters so I got to high 5 Buzz and a couple more.  There was a big group from the Luna bar folks with the music cranking and I high fived all of them.  One of the people on the bike said to me "I don't see any dead last finishers here."   I also saw a couple of people who were walking with others really hurting but still finishing.  That was very inspiring and I made sure to cheer them.  I'm going to really strive to have every mile that I race at Disney be as fun as that last one because it really made it all worthwhile.  

It was time to enjoy the finish line.    After watching my video I need to remember to my hands up instead of out because I almost took someone out at the finish.    I high fived Pluto and crossed the line in 4:02.  Yep, I was happy high fiving fool!  The photographer who took my finish photo was a Disboards guy.  

I picked up my stuff and headed to the W tent.  I was so happy and grateful to *Lisa* and her family for waiting for me after the finish.  It was so hot out there and no shade.    I got to meet one of Lisa's friends that we chat with on FB.  I borrowed a phone so I could call home and say I finished and that I would call later when I got my phone plugged back in at the room.  Lisa and I decided to meet up again at Trader Sam's for our celebratory drink -- I didn't really realize that it was only 10 am so I guess it was a bit early for drinking. 

Then as I was walking to the hotel I saw my Mom and my sister.  I was SO shocked.  Ed found out they were there when he called to tell them I had finished and would call when I was back at the room.      

I will be back tomorrow morning to tell you about the podcast meet.  

Again, I can't thank you all enough for helping me get to this point.  I never, ever dreamed that I could accomplish all that I have this year and I could not have done it without each and every one of you.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

well, if those above two posts didn't get the waterworks a'flowin', you have no soul.  ahhhhh,  oh, lisa, that was just awesome! running that far is awfully painful for the body but i really think SO much of running long distance is about keeping the mind sane. and that is not easy! for me, having you guys in my head cheering me on even on my little 2 mile runs really keeps me going. reason #45,134 why i love you all 

i love so much of you recap but some of my favorite parts include the pirate that you remembered from the beginning and the end of the race. he probably DID appreciate that you remembered him! also love the guy on the bike who said he didn't see any dead last finishers! woot! and of course wearing your WISH shirt was a great idea because i bet having all those extra people cheering for you was enough to keep your spirits high. 

what i can't wait to hear about is how gooooooood that celebratory drink tasted!!

*lisaR* loved your pics on facebook. i wanted to click like on all of them but i figured i better reign it in before i start looking like a crazy person. (psh, like i'm not already crazy) can't wait to hear more about your race! 

*our lovely lisas* thanks for making my sunday an exciting one. i had a great time texting with rose and kathy while we followed you online! i still think we all either need to do the same races or we need to do the hat-cams. it was so great to cheer for you and when i saw that you had both finished i was just as proud as the day i got my princess medal. and truly, i mean that. 

*rose* what's the update on mike and the princess weekend? i bet running outside was fabulous! i wanted to go for a run but couldn't because of the doctor's appt. i agree about what you told maria. it makes sense. i still need to pick up that book. how is the bang upkeep going? i ask this as my faux bangs are sticking up, in desperate need of a dye job, and getting more grays by the second. ick. 

*maria* how did the rest of the day go? sometimes coming clean on here is pretty liberating, right? like, ok. yes. i did that. let's move on. TOM is called a "witch" for a reason. no wonder you wanted to eat. BUT, you still managed to get that 4 miler in and THAT is great!
'one for the money' seemed to have weird casting too but that guy from terra nova at least is nice to look at  right? i'm not into katherine heigl. i used to like her but meh, notsomuch anymore.

*lindsay* hope the rest of the week isn't too crazy for you! we'll miss you if you're not around much. are you still planning on a half marathon at the end of april? i still want to do the one in may. haven't signed up yet though. should do that to force me to train harder. 

*kathy* how's coaching going? we miss you here 

**
good morning friends! 

great news! my toe issue thingy is just a bruise! holla! the dr. fit me with some supersoles (i think that's what it's called) insert thingies for my shoes. those seemed to help my feet the last time. i had an injury in nov. '10 and once he put those in my feet i felt better. so...great news! and yet part of me is thinking....great, now what's my excuse. if i had a broken toe or something then maybe i'd have an excuse to be this big. is that sick or what? i'm just having so many disappointing mornings getting on the scale. i'm back up to the weight i was last week which then puts me off the mark for my 1lb/week weight loss. yes, i'm nursing. yes, i just had a kid. but no, i can't wear ANYTHING. not even my "fat" jeans. being back where i was a couple years ago and KNOWING just how hard it was and how long it took to lose is so flipping depressing i sometimes feel like i can't breathe. it takes time. i know. but that doesn't mean i should be at a freaking standstiill all the time. hearing the doctor tell me how carrying an extra 20lbs is the equivalent of 75+lbs extra added pressure for my feet made me want to vomit. hmm, i think i might copy/paste that to my wish journal. i want to remember this feeling AFTER i lose the weight to remind me not to regain it again.

step aerobics tonight. i told one of the moms from mommy and me about it and i think she's going to come too. she just stopped bf'ing her 1 year old and is ready to lose weight. apparently she thinks she is big but i think she looks great! funny how we are just never happy with our bodies. and by funny i mean sad.  i should remind her that she better be careful because we all know what happened 9 months after i stopped nursing during the princess weekend  

thomas taking all his mickeys and friends over to the chair to watch tv yesterday morning was the last time he was cute and a good boy yesterday. omg. this terrible two thing is really tough. it's making me wish i was back at work. this too shall pass but maaaaan he is being SO bad. defiant, talking back, crying nonstop, etc etc. 

well that was nice and depressing. good job, nance. time to have my oatmeal and perhaps another cup of coffee. thanks for listening my friends. xoxo


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Well, for goodness sake...after reading *Lisah's* amazing RR, how can I not get my act together and waddle to the Princess start?!  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for posting your experience. You made me so happy! 

I won't bother with confessing the food sins of last night, suffice it to say today is a fresh start in more ways than one. 

As you know, I'm focusing on one area of my life each month for a year, my own Happiness Project. Back in November when I set this out, I made February my Nutrition month. Yep, I knew I would start to balk before my trip...so, for this month I am going to 1) track food daily 2) drink a bottle of water (in addition to my citrus water, just plain water) every day 3) not eat candy at work and 4) have dessert (not my one piece of chocolate before bed, I mean real dessert) only once a week. That means I'm done until Super Bowl Sunday, which is a good thing 

Still didn't make it up and on the TM today. I have two meetings out of the office, actually I'm barely going to be there. I have a 9:30-11:30, then half an hour walk to work; then lunch, then a 2-4, with half hour walk prior to get back downtown. Then I'm taking the subway home. So, not much DIS time at all. I should be getting ready, but I just wanted to talk to you guys...

I also decided that for this month, I'm going to stop weighing myself every day. I may regret it, but I'm just going to do it once a week, and see how that goes. Maybe if I'm less consciously aware of the numbers, and focused more on doing the healthy things, I can get closer to my goal and not really have to think about it too much. That sort of sounds like cheating, but I'm thinking it's a strategy to try 

I really have to get up and be productive now. Replies later tonight, if the DIS allows...

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Oh no, I haven't read your report yet, *Lisa*, because I just finished my coaching replies, and I don't have enough time to read it slowly and enjoy it, so my plan is to come home from work at 2, before I get michael, make a cup of tea, and relive your race with you.  I'm so happy for you, and am very excited to hear all the details.

Hello everyone!!  Miss you gals, but today's my short day, so I hope to catch up properly!  I don't think I've posted since the Cullen Family Poop Post!  They've probably pooped again since then!!

Have a wonderful wednesday!!!  xoxoxo


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--I am so glad the foot is ok! I know you love the tough love and we love you for it. But you have got to cut yourself a tiny bit of slack. You CAN lose this weight. YOU CAN! YOU CAN DO IT! But it is not going to happen overnight. I know, I know what you are going to say....Mathew was born in November. Yes, BUT you just got back on your meds. You are just getting back into exercise. It is doable and you can do it! It's not like you put the weight back on doing nothing. You just had a baby! In the past, I found that I was self-sabotaging a lot. I was purposely eating crap knowing I would fail. Knowing my mother was right, knowing I was crap....I'm not saying that is what you are doing. I am saying, if it is---stop it! You can do this! One bite at a time. Did I overstep here???? I hope not. I don't want you or any of us to beat ourselves up. Of course we have to own the mistake and take a hard look at things--which is why I am tracking again. But being down on ourselves is not the way to do this. Love you. I really hope I didn't overstep--I am not very good at this "speaking your mind thing."

*Lisah*--Wow what a report! I know I have had runs where my brain has been so oxygen deprived that I have had the strangest thoughts. It's amazing what goes through your head during the 13 miles. I think I can probably speak for everyone--I was crying when I saw on tracking you crossed the finish line. I was so happy for you. No matter what would have happened I would have been proud of you. But now that is checked off your list. I'm guessing it felt like a huge weight was off your shoulders! And think how fast you will be next time without that weight. I loved what you said about every mile should be like mile 12. I am going to try to remember that. Are you just walking around smiling all the time? 

*Maria*--Hang in there! I hope the weather is cooperating today for all those meetings!

*Kathy*--coaching just takes way too much time, doesn't it! I have kind of backed off the thread a little because I don't quite feel like a belong....does anyone who is just starting out really want to hear from someone who hit maintain and then put on a couple of pounds? Thank you for what you said this morning.

*Lindsay*--are you surviving???

*LisaR*--how are you???

****
I am off today! Not sure what I am going to do. I am thinking about trying to make a costume for the race....Since speed is not supposed to be the goal I am thinking a costume would be a good idea. Mike is going to come for the whole trip. I think he will probably do some work while we are there, but hopefully we will have lots of animals to look at from our balcony and I can relax with a drink while he works! Plus Maria is going to be there! And we will go to the Dis meet on Saturday! The bangs were the best decision. The little hairs are much less noticeable and my it's been very easy to fix. 

Except for some ankle soreness, my foot feels good after running yesterday. The plan is for 12 miles this weekend. I am very nervous about this for so many reasons....Plus it is supposed to rain a lot this weekend so we might end up on the dreadmill.....yuck!

Ok, TTYL!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

thanks, rose. i needed that. and don't apologize EVER for saying stuff that needs to be said. in fact, you could have been alot tougher! in fact, i'll pretend you said this all in a tough tone instead of the nice rose tone that i know you said it in. southern accents also make anything very hard to seem tough! just like pretty much anything my family says probably sounds mean!  you're right. it took 9 months to put on, it's not going to take 9 weeks to take off. it would just be nice if i could lose a pound a week, not like, a pound a month!

after my pity party i went to mommy and me. for the craft we (well, noreen my partner) made football and helmet shaped sugar cookies and the kids got to frost them with blue and red and white frosting for the Giants. it was a cute idea but really just a messy disgusting activity. kids liked it though. i did NOT have a cookie even though i really wanted one. oh and noreen and i watched all the children while the parents got to go downtairs to attend the pre-k open house (we teach at the catholic school). i am exhausted. one of the boys screamed bloody murder for 28 of the 30 min that they were gone. i tried everything to get him to calm down! poor guy. thomas actually was ok with me holding lucas the whole time. he was even trying to read him a book which was cute...and hilarious. anywho, i'm pooped. poop! my favorite subject!

speaking of poop, we have a leak in the basement and a plumber is coming in 5 min to take a look at it. which means he'll probably be banging around during naptime. greeeeat.

*kathy* we miss you! coaching does take alot of time. and i was terrrrrrible at responding to people when i coached the other week too.

oh...*rose* what did you decide for the costume??

ok there is some siren that keeps going off by my bookcase. i can't figure out what it is. every so often some siren goes off. i don't see any toy (like an ambulance or something?). maybe a book that has a sound? i can't figure out where it's coming from. it's driving me INSANE!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--I really was putting my tough, non-southern voice on when I was typing that...ok not really. Glad you are feeling better! Good luck with the leak.

*Lisah*--I am still thinking about your post. I think what I get from running no matter hard the run/race is, no matter how crappy I feel later, is this ability to be calmer in other situations. Those mentally tough runs are what make everything else much more doable. It was how I got through all the stuff going on last year without crawling into a hole and staying there. Your post made me realize that the ridiculous amount of stress I have been feeling lately--and yes it has been bad--will hopefully abate a little once I have been regularly getting those runs in again. I'm not even sure what it is you said, but thanks!

****
Ok, I spent today looking at dining reviews and trying to put together a plan for this trip. And I ordered a WISH bondi band. Time to get off my butt and do something. Picking a place to eat has taken on a whole new level for me--we have not gone out to eat since WDW, at least not that I can think of. We got takeout baked potatoes a couple of times and take out dessert, but that is it! No wonder I want my trip to be perfect! Then I read a rumor that Ca Grill might be closing for a while for repairs etc! Uggh! The only ressie I could find was for late on our last night. I have to see what Mike thinks. The food there for gf vegetarians at least is to die for!

So far I have:
Mama Melrose (Thurs night)--I have never eaten there but they do gf pasta and flourless choc cake

Narcoossees (Fri night)--with Maria to watch Wishes!

Kouzzina (Sat breakfast)-- I will be having the Mickey Waffles with marscapone cheese! Yum, Yum, Yum! And later in the day after the Wish meet I will be getting a Babycakes cupcake!

Boma (Sun night)--And yes I will be having the zebra domes even if they have gelatin!

????? (Mon night)--I am going to have to talk to Mike about this one.

Boma (Tues breakfast)--we are going home this day.

OMG--I am really becoming food obsessed!!! Ok, so I have thought of every possible restaurant for Monday night, but a lot of it depends on what we want to do that last night. I am thinking about Yachtsman Steakhouse or Captain's Grill. They will do a gf pasta dish. But then there's Cali Grill or a late dinner at Sannaa......Decisions, decisions! People laugh, but we really do only go there to eat. 

Ok, off to be productive!

ETA--let me just apologize for how many exclamation points I used in this post. I got a little carried away....


----------



## mikamah

Oh, *Lisa,* I am sooooo very happy and so very proud of you.  I just loved reading and reliving your race.  I also love how the longer you put between race day, the less complaining it had.  And the crying, I so remember that crying during the princess, but as I cried and got overwhelmed several times during the race, I'd have pull it together so I could breath and run/walk.  And very cool your wish shirt helping others.  You are such an amazing support to all of us here, and it travels whereever you go.  And you remembered the pirate, made his day I'm sure.  So cool your mom and sister were there too to celebrate with you.  Sounds like an absolutely amazing day, and you will be on cloud nine for a while.   

Glad you didn't mind me tagging the photos, I figured your facebook friends needed to see them too.  I didn't realize it had to go back to the person to approve.  Oh well, I'm not much better than you on facebook. 

*Rose* _Love that you are doing well, and having a good week, and running is good!!!  I am loving hearing all about your princess plans, and so wish I was going too.  Oh well, maybe another year.  

*Nancy*-Glad Rose gave you a talking too, so I didn't have to use my meany-boston, pats are going to kick butt voice.  You do need to be patient, and I know it is so freaking hard, but i know you will get this weight off and it won't be quick, or easy, but you will do it, and we will be here for you always when it is hard and to cheer  you on when you are successful. 

*Maria*-You will not be waddling to that princess start, you will walk there with your head up high proud of how hard you have worked to get there, and with a big smile on showing off the beautiful princess you are.  I hope less scale time will help too.  It's hard not to weigh every day, but I think it probably does help to keep you on the better track.  Hang in there.  Your princess weekend is going to be fabulous. 

*Lindsay*-I agree with the others, you never know what the truth is in what you see on facebook, or other places, and your Ryan is an awesome little boy, with a great personality, and he is going to be absolutely fine, and you should be one proud mama.   Hope your crazy week is more good crazy than bad.  So excited for your disney trip!!  The boys will just love the pirate room, I am sure. 

Hello LisaR!  Love, love the pics on facebook, and your kids must have been so proud of themselves too.  So cute.  Isn't disney amazing how they can bring the whole family into the race theme of the weekend.  I definitely want to do a 5k with michael the next race weekend we are there.  

Speaking of Disney races, my sil Beth and I were talking a couple weekend ago, and she like the rest of us is on the path to getting healthy, and is thinking about doing the c25k, and may even think about doing a disney race.  We were talking, maybe 2014, for my 50th, so we'll see what happens.  Marathon weekend alone was my original plan, but if it's her first she might prefer princess which is school vacation, so we could do a family trip.  Either one is fine.  I had figured I couldn't go to disney without michael on school vacation, so was gearing toward marathon weekend.  So we shall see.   A friend of hers did the marathon relay and said she never could have done a half in disney if it wasn't for her dh who did the other half, and then I realized the relay is a time for both of you, so if you are partnered up with someone fast, you can have more than the 16 mm time.  What a fabulous idea.  So anyhoo, that's about all that's happening here.  My sister is dropping her kids off while she goes to the dentist, and michael's setting up to give us a magic show when they get here.  

Off to ck donald's thread if I have time.  Coaching is fine, and it is nice to get to know everyone and see the peeps I don't see here, Pamela, Dona, Karen.  Sue has been so busy with weighkeeping she hasn't been able to post at all.  It will be nice to merge and all be together again.  

Have a great night!!


----------



## liesel

OK, it took me forever to load those pictures onto FB yesterday.  It only loaded half, froze up, erased all my tags, and I had to start over and load 5 at a time.  What a PITA, it took me half the day and when it was all done I had enough of the computer for the day.

I am also getting sick, I could feel it coming on yesterday and I feel so rundown today.  I'm happy that it waited until after the race, DD was sick before we left and DS started feeling a little sick on Sunday, but I have had it with being sick.  This is the 3rd time this winter, enough already!  I got through all my kids I had to work with at school this morning and then came home and collapsed.  I still have so much to do and am having a hard time getting back into the swing of things, post vacation letdown anyone?

I do have one vent, as we were getting our rental car on Friday, I got an email from the girl scout leader saying that this Sunday is the deadline for giving back cookies we don't think we can sell, otherwise we are financially responsible for them.  Are you kidding me, $350 worth of cookies?!  Then Saturday I got a second email saying that the deadline is tomorrow.  I did inventory yesterday and emailed the cookie mom saying that DD has sold 17, we'll keep 21 to sell, and the rest are going back.  I was then reminded that we have until March 4 to sell these cookies and did I really need to return so many.  Uh, yes!!  I can't keep all these cookies and risk being out the money for them.  DD has worked so hard going door to door, we've even had the door slammed in our faces a couple of times and these are people we know!  There are so many scouts in this neighborhood, its tough to sell.  I replied to the email saying that yes I need to return them, I was a girl scout for 11 years and never came close to selling 100 boxes, which I never agreed to do to begin with.  I hate being the difficult mom, but this is unreasonable.  I can't imagine being the only one who has failed to sell all of them.  Anyway, I'll have to go soon and return them, I don't want to do it with DD because I don't want her to feel like she failed because she didn't sell their high quota.  I'm not sure how I feel about this new way of selling, I don't like being financially responsible, I'd rather do preorders.

Anyway, bless you if you got through that vent!!  I promise I'll talk about the race next time, I had a blast even though the weekend was much too short.  The heat really bothered me too, I was just not prepared for it although it was wonderful when we weren't racing!  Thanks for all the posts and good thoughts, it meant so much to me!

*Nancy* Love a good poop story!  It sounds like you and *Rose* will be well suited to run the Mickey together!  I know you will get back there soon.

*Kathy* Thanks for coaching this week, I'll try to pop in.

*Lisa* It was so awesome finally meeting you!  When you finished the race, the kids really wanted to go to the pool and Disneyland and I was trying to figure out how to make everything work plus go to Trader Sam's.  We did fit everything in, but it made for a long day!

*Lindsay* I know people who lie about their children's accomplishments so definitely take FB with a grain of salt.  I always tell my kids that no one is good at everything, its about finding what you are good at and enjoy and doing that.  They sound like happy wonderful boys.

*Rose and Maria* If I had unlimited funds, I'd so be at the Princess with both of you, but alas, I haven't won the lottery yet, so I'll just have to enjoy it from home.  Now that I know how fun it is firsthand, I am getting so excited for the both of you!

I had better go and be productive, have a great rest of the day everyone!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Sooooo, there is glitter, uh, I mean pixie dust all over my house! 

I went to the fabric store and found a pattern for the no sew tutus. So I am making one that is two toned--pink with pixie dust and lime green! If it turns out ok I will add "jewels" to it. I have already spent $50 so hopefully it will turn out. Maybe I should have just bought a new running skirt. I hope to finish it this weekend and I'll post pics when it's done.

*LisaR*--I would so not be happy about the cookie sales! Can you just tell them next year you aren't taking that many? What a pain! I hope you aren't getting too sick! I enjoyed your FB pictures.


----------



## camnhan

If you all don't mind...i have kind of been lurking and read the TR from the race and first can I say "WOW way to go!!!"
second: Really?? if you don't keep up a 16min/mile pace they pull you off the course?!?! Some friends and I have been talking about doing a Disney race (have yet to run one but have walked a few 5k's..next goal is to run) and am already panicking that I won't run fast enough
I know I had read that you have to maintain a certain pace but didn't realize they would actually pull you off the course   do you not medal then??

Again..so sorry for butting into your group but it just peaked my curiousity.
Thanks


----------



## liesel

*Rose* The leaders said the girl scouts made them take that many cookies.  Returning them was not a pleasant experience.  They made us feel terrible for not selling that many, told us that everyone else has sold quite a bit more than us, and told us to keep going door to door.  I was crying by the end of it (it does not help that TOM is going on right now).  I just kept apologizing over and over and saying that I just can't take the financial responsibility.  I just have to let it go now, we did our best and its not my problem they are acting this way.

In better news, I can't wait to see your outfit for the princess!





camnhan said:


> If you all don't mind...i have kind of been lurking and read the TR from the race and first can I say "WOW way to go!!!"
> second: Really?? if you don't keep up a 16min/mile pace they pull you off the course?!?! Some friends and I have been talking about doing a Disney race (have yet to run one but have walked a few 5k's..next goal is to run) and am already panicking that I won't run fast enough
> I know I had read that you have to maintain a certain pace but didn't realize they would actually pull you off the course   do you not medal then??
> 
> Again..so sorry for butting into your group but it just peaked my curiousity.
> Thanks




I also completed the Tink over the weekend, the TR is forthcoming.  I had joined the biggest loser challenge thread and saw that many were completing half marathons and thought that there was no way I could do something like that.  Then I decided that I wanted to do something hard, something that I didn't think I could do.  I started training 11 months ago and didn't think I could do it in 4 hours, let alone 3:30 (16 mm pace).  I finished in 3:30, I started in Corral C and never saw the sweepers.  It was hot and I was a bit slower.  I also took it easy through the parks and really took in the experience.  I never felt like I was dying (just hot and my hip was bothering me a little from standing around too much the day before).  I didn't sleep well the 3 nights leading up the race either, including only getting 3 hours the night before.  I also got sick twice with a nasty chest cold during training and missed almost a month of running.  With all this, I still had a great race and I'm sure you can get there too.  Disneyland has to coordinate with the city of Anaheim for their road closures, I haven't done a WDW race yet, but it seems that DL was a bit more forceful with the sweepers.  Others that have been swept can share more about the experience, but from what I've heard, you are given ample warning and time to pick up the pace.  This race was so much fun, the entertainment and spectators really made the race and I highly recommend trying one someday.  There are many good training programs out there if you are interested that can prepare you for the half.  I've seen others post that you should not even attempt a race unless you know for sure that you can make the time requirement, but my DH pointed out if you only tried things where you were absolutely sure of the outcome you would never try anything.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> *Nancy*--I really was putting my tough, non-southern voice on when I was typing that...ok not really. Glad you are feeling better! Good luck with the leak.
> 
> *rose you are so sweet *
> 
> So far I have:
> Mama Melrose (Thurs night)--I have never eaten there but they do gf pasta and flourless choc cake
> 
> Narcoossees (Fri night)--with Maria to watch Wishes!
> 
> Kouzzina (Sat breakfast)-- I will be having the Mickey Waffles with marscapone cheese! Yum, Yum, Yum! And later in the day after the Wish meet I will be getting a Babycakes cupcake!
> 
> Boma (Sun night)--And yes I will be having the zebra domes even if they have gelatin!
> 
> ????? (Mon night)--I am going to have to talk to Mike about this one.
> 
> Boma (Tues breakfast)--we are going home this day.



i've been to wdw a gazillion times and i've never been to any of those restaurants!  and probably won't get to them for a while, at least until the kiddos are older. i've of course studied all their menus though and they all sound great. the only one i've really heard mixed reviews of is mama melrose. 

hmm, what about flying fish for monday night? 




mikamah said:


> You are such an amazing support to all of us here, and it travels whereever you go.
> 
> *this!!*
> 
> *Nancy*-Glad Rose gave you a talking too, so I didn't have to use my meany-boston, pats are going to kick butt voice.  You do need to be patient, and I know it is so freaking hard, but i know you will get this weight off and it won't be quick, or easy, but you will do it, and we will be here for you always when it is hard and to cheer  you on when you are successful.
> 
> *thank you, kathy. it IS so freaking hard!  *
> 
> *Maria*-You will not be waddling to that princess start, you will walk there with your head up high proud of how hard you have worked to get there, and with a big smile on showing off the beautiful princess you are.  I hope less scale time will help too.  It's hard not to weigh every day, but I think it probably does help to keep you on the better track.  Hang in there.  Your princess weekend is going to be fabulous.
> 
> *yes maria, listen to kathy! she is one smart lady!*
> 
> *Lindsay*-I agree with the others, you never know what the truth is in what you see on facebook, or other places, and your Ryan is an awesome little boy, with a great personality, and he is going to be absolutely fine, and you should be one proud mama.   Hope your crazy week is more good crazy than bad.  So excited for your disney trip!!  The boys will just love the pirate room, I am sure.
> 
> *kathy you are 3 for 3 on the great advice posting! woot! ryan's awesome and that's that. people are pretty full of it on facebook. someone just posted that their 12 week old is sitting up on his own! LOL!! she said, "he's sitting unsupported and also rolling all over the place!" yeah, don't think so.*
> 
> 
> Speaking of Disney races, my sil Beth and I were talking a couple weekend ago, and she like the rest of us is on the path to getting healthy, and is thinking about doing the c25k, and may even think about doing a disney race.  We were talking, maybe 2014, for my 50th, so we'll see what happens.  Marathon weekend alone was my original plan, but if it's her first she might prefer princess which is school vacation, so we could do a family trip.  Either one is fine.  I had figured I couldn't go to disney without michael on school vacation, so was gearing toward marathon weekend.  So we shall see.   A friend of hers did the marathon relay and said she never could have done a half in disney if it wasn't for her dh who did the other half, and then I realized the relay is a time for both of you, so if you are partnered up with someone fast, you can have more than the 16 mm time.  What a fabulous idea.  So anyhoo, that's about all that's happening here.  My sister is dropping her kids off while she goes to the dentist, and michael's setting up to give us a magic show when they get here.



how was the magic show?? any video of that??

sounds like there are some disney races you'll be choosing from soon. all i know is that after the tink, we need to know what everyone's doing so we can all plan accordingly! the princess in 2014 for your 50th sounds like a great idea. and i don't know about everyone else but i am inviting myself to THAT party! you run the princess and your celebration drinks are on ME!!!



liesel said:


> OK, it took me forever to load those pictures onto FB yesterday.  It only loaded half, froze up, erased all my tags, and I had to start over and load 5 at a time.  What a PITA, it took me half the day and when it was all done I had enough of the computer for the day.
> 
> *loved the pics on facebook. i could go for more!!! *
> 
> I am also getting sick, I could feel it coming on yesterday and I feel so rundown today.  I'm happy that it waited until after the race, DD was sick before we left and DS started feeling a little sick on Sunday, but I have had it with being sick.  This is the 3rd time this winter, enough already!  I got through all my kids I had to work with at school this morning and then came home and collapsed.  I still have so much to do and am having a hard time getting back into the swing of things, post vacation letdown anyone?
> 
> *no! not sick again! this has been a miserable winter for you. well, hey, at least you have a medal now, right?? *
> 
> I do have one vent, as we were getting our rental car on Friday, I got an email from the girl scout leader saying that this Sunday is the deadline for giving back cookies we don't think we can sell, otherwise we are financially responsible for them.  Are you kidding me, $350 worth of cookies?!  Then Saturday I got a second email saying that the deadline is tomorrow.  I did inventory yesterday and emailed the cookie mom saying that DD has sold 17, we'll keep 21 to sell, and the rest are going back.  I was then reminded that we have until March 4 to sell these cookies and did I really need to return so many.  Uh, yes!!  I can't keep all these cookies and risk being out the money for them.  DD has worked so hard going door to door, we've even had the door slammed in our faces a couple of times and these are people we know!  There are so many scouts in this neighborhood, its tough to sell.  I replied to the email saying that yes I need to return them, I was a girl scout for 11 years and never came close to selling 100 boxes, which I never agreed to do to begin with.  I hate being the difficult mom, but this is unreasonable.  I can't imagine being the only one who has failed to sell all of them.  Anyway, I'll have to go soon and return them, I don't want to do it with DD because I don't want her to feel like she failed because she didn't sell their high quota.  I'm not sure how I feel about this new way of selling, I don't like being financially responsible, I'd rather do preorders.
> 
> *ridiculous. seems like some people are totally missing the point of being a girl scout!!*
> 
> 
> *Rose and Maria* If I had unlimited funds, I'd so be at the Princess with both of you, but alas, I haven't won the lottery yet, so I'll just have to enjoy it from home.  Now that I know how fun it is firsthand, I am getting so excited for the both of you!
> 
> I had better go and be productive, have a great rest of the day everyone!



i wish we'd all win the lotto so we could go to all the disney races. no. scratch that. i wish we'd all win the lotto so we could just MOVE to disney and live there (and of course we'd hire the best teachers so the kids could get a good education - don't they say the schools around wdw aren't that good?).



Rose&Mike said:


> Sooooo, there is glitter, uh, I mean pixie dust all over my house!
> 
> I went to the fabric store and found a pattern for the no sew tutus. So I am making one that is two toned--pink with pixie dust and lime green! If it turns out ok I will add "jewels" to it. I have already spent $50 so hopefully it will turn out. Maybe I should have just bought a new running skirt. I hope to finish it this weekend and I'll post pics when it's done.
> 
> *LisaR*--I would so not be happy about the cookie sales! Can you just tell them next year you aren't taking that many? What a pain! I hope you aren't getting too sick! I enjoyed your FB pictures.



yay for glitter! a no sew tutu? that sounds right up my alley! (says the girl who stapled her home ec project together instead of sewed it  )



camnhan said:


> If you all don't mind...i have kind of been lurking and read the TR from the race and first can I say "WOW way to go!!!"
> second: Really?? if you don't keep up a 16min/mile pace they pull you off the course?!?! Some friends and I have been talking about doing a Disney race (have yet to run one but have walked a few 5k's..next goal is to run) and am already panicking that I won't run fast enough
> I know I had read that you have to maintain a certain pace but didn't realize they would actually pull you off the course   do you not medal then??
> 
> Again..so sorry for butting into your group but it just peaked my curiousity.
> Thanks



yes, the do sweep if you don't keep the pace. you do have a bit of a cushion as they start the 16 min/mile time from when the LAST person crosses the START line. so, if you're in a higher up corral you have that extra time. it stinks but they will pull you off the course if you can't keep up the pace. there are a bunch of training programs out there and with some hard work, i bet you can do it! and there is a TON of support on the DIS for runners and walkers of all abilities which is pretty awesome!



liesel said:


> I've seen others post that you should not even attempt a race unless you know for sure that you can make the time requirement, but my DH pointed out if you only tried things where you were absolutely sure of the outcome you would never try anything.



amen sister girl! 

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

good morning friends! 
i'm feeling less sorry for myself today. the weight is still the same but i'm not giving up. i went to step aerobics/weight training class last night. i always feel good after going to those classes. i'm doing the right things. i'm eating better, exercising...the chips will fall into place eventually.

today is one of those days, however, where i just wish the day would end already...and it didn't start yet! my partner isn't going to be at mommy and me so i'm teaching by myself...with a 2.5 year old and a 9 week old  it should be ok. just hope that my own kids behave at least a little. then i need to clean up the classroom on my own and head over to my aunt and uncle's house, feed the baby, and leave the kids there. i need to drive downtown to my OB's office. i have a b@@b thing that i need to get checked out. probably nothing. then back up to the bronx to get the kiddos and hopefully get thomas napping. claudia's coming at 3 and i have to take matthew to his 2 month appt at his pediatrician. i'm looking forward to seeing how much he weighs but not looking forward to the shots. aw, baby shots stink! and depending on what time we get out of there i'd really like to come home, get my running stuff on and at least get a lap or two in down at maritime. 

phew. so that's a day in the life of a stay at home mom in the bronx. on the plus side, my aunt mary (btw, i have two aunt marys, one that lives across the street and one that lives around the corner. irish catholic family much??) made us ziti last night so i already have dinner for tonight. i just need to make sure i don't eat too much of it!

xoxo


----------



## camnhan

Thanks. I just may give it a try, walking a 5k on Sunday so may just set a new goal for myself this year


----------



## Rose&Mike

camnhan said:


> Thanks. I just may give it a try, walking a 5k on Sunday so may just set a new goal for myself this year


Good luck! And please don't feel like you have to lurk. The more the merrier! We might "talk" your ear off, but we are a friendly bunch.


----------



## lisah0711

Good afternoon Princesses and Belles!  

*Lisa,* sorry to hear the you have the crud again.    I think flying really exposes you to all sorts of stuff not to mention being tired out and all.  Then a giant snow storm forecast on top of that.   You definately need to rest and take it easy for a few days.  

Sorry about the drama with the cookies, too.    I think those leaders and/or the Girl Scouts had totally unrealistic expectations and you should not feel bad at all about returning cookies.  ITA with *Nancy* that they are missing the point of being a Girl Scout.

*Nancy,* hope all your appointments went well today.    I'm still traumatized by Robert's baby shots -- him, not at all!  So no worries!   There's plenty of other stuff you can traumatize your kids for life with . . . like having a bug "spit" on your new shirt on It's Tough to Be a Bug when you they are three.   

*Kathy,* hope that the magic show was a great success yesterday!   I still think that you and *Beth* need to be thinking about the WDW Marathon Week-end in *2013*   That's close enough to your birthday.  

*Maria,* you are so NOT going to be waddling to the Princess.   You are going to regally be getting yourself to the starting line ready to rock n' roll.    Can't wait to hear all about all the fun that you and *Rose* will have.  I am totally suffering from Princess envy right now.  

*Rose,* how is the costume coming?    Can't wait to see pictures -- jewels and sparkles -- ooo la la! I think pink and green sounds very pretty.  That was one thing about the Tinker Bell green was every where! So how do you put that thing together if it is no sew?  

*Lindsay,* hang in there, baby, tomorrow is TGIF!   



camnhan said:


> If you all don't mind...i have kind of been lurking and read the TR from the race and first can I say "WOW way to go!!!"
> second: Really?? if you don't keep up a 16min/mile pace they pull you off the course?!?! Some friends and I have been talking about doing a Disney race (have yet to run one but have walked a few 5k's..next goal is to run) and am already panicking that I won't run fast enough
> I know I had read that you have to maintain a certain pace but didn't realize they would actually pull you off the course   do you not medal then??
> 
> Again..so sorry for butting into your group but it just peaked my curiousity.
> Thanks



 *Jen!*  They are particular about pace at Disney races but you will have lots of time to work up to that pace.  They do give you a medal if you are swept -- I was swept at the Princess last year but finished the Tinker Bell in the nick of time this year.  Good luck with your 5K!   Come back and let us know how you do! 

I guess I never finished telling you about the rest of the day on Sunday.    After I left the race area I was s-l-o-w-l-y walking back to my hotel when I saw my Mom and my sister and went .  That was a total surprise!  My sister had flown to Phoenix and they had driven over on Thursday.  They stayed at the Quality Inn and my sister ran the 5K on Friday.  They were so afraid that they were going to let the cat out of the bag that they had stopped answering my phone calls and would only send me texts while I was there.   

We spent the rest of the day together.  They went to the podcast meet with me and then we hung out in my room and had a nice dinner at Napa Rose.  

The podcast meet was a lot of fun.  Everyone was very nice and not scary at all.  I got to meet Pete Werner.  I went on and on about how I've made life long friends on the WISH boards and done things I'd never dreamed of because of the Disboards.  He speaks very highly of the WISH boards -- he thinks it is one of the best things to come out of the Disboards community.  I won a lanyard in the raffle and Lisa and I got to enjoy our post race drinks.  I had a mai tai and I'm not sure what she had but her souvenir tiki glass was the best one! 

This is where the smilie police got me so insert your own choice of smilie in your imagination after this. 

All in all it was a fabulous trip and I enjoyed myself so much, as you probably noticed.  

Since May I've taken 16 minutes off my half marathon time.  If I can keep that up I should be pretty dang close to Disney pace without sweating it out for the Donald in 2013.  I have a 10K in Phoenix on 3/3 and my next half is 5/27.   Ed and I are also doing something called the Krocman, which is like the Ironman, except you have one month to do each leg -- 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run.  So in addition to keeping up my training for my 10K I will be swimming 106 laps in the pool this month.  

Now I'm counting down the days until we see each other again in 2013!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Ok life is crazy but what else is new? my ribbon cutting ceremony was a succes last ight at work but then i came home to nick vomitin. I was mostly up all night with him. My mil came over to watch him today and he is feeling better. She also did my sink load of dishes. I was so thankful. I really need to talk nicer about her.

Well i am so sorry i dont have time for replies but i have a whole list of stuff to still do tonight and its already 840pm 

Love u all and i will catch up this wkend. I am coaching this wk too so i will be a busy bee.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay*--that was great that your MIL came over with Nick and did the dishes! I'm glad the ribbon cutting went well. 

*LisaH*--16 minutes off your 1/2 time for next year sounds very doable, especially if you keep making the BL list like you have been lately! So I have been curious, how did you feel about your mom and sis being there and you not knowing about it ahead of time? Or at least not knowing until after the race? Is Ed running too? Did I miss that?

*Nancy*--did you survive your crazy day?

*LisaR*--that whole cookie thing really bugs me! I can't believe they were so awful that they brought people to tears! That is just wrong. It would be really hard for me to get behind an organization that is that--rigid, mean, demanding???? Maybe if you all end up moving it will be a little better somewhere else.

Hi to *Maria and Kathy*. 

*****
People are starting to get a little cranky at my house. First it was Mike, and now it's going to be me since I have been up since 4:15. Mike does not sleep when he is stressed at work and that means no one else does either. He left for work at 5:15 and I'm guessing won't be home before 6:00. And we live 10 minutes from his work... It is what it is, and the working a lot is fine, it's the snarky, cranky behavior that gets old. I know he's tired and I feel really bad for him, but he's not a lot of fun to be around when he's like this. We had a big "discussion" last night and it wasn't pretty. I asked how long this was going to last and he said hopefully it will be done by mid-March. Uggh. 

so having said all that, i decided to take my long run by myself this afternoon. It's supposed to pour tomorrow and I don't want to go on the treadmill or wait until Sunday and hope it stops raining.  I am actually looking forward to it and kind of glad it worked out like this, because I don't feel like arguing for 12 miles. Running together is not always fun! I did a 30 minute slow run yesterday, which was probably not very smart....so I am nervous about how the ankle will hold up today. So through all this he is still planning on doing the full in May, which means he has to do 20 this weekend. I need to see if one of the Y's opens early tomorrow so he can get it over with--since he will probably wake up at 4am again!

Cross your fingers that my foot hehaves today!

And what do you do when someone sends you a friend request that you really just don't want to be connected to online? This is why I avoided facebook in the first place.  I mean I know what you do, you just click on not now. But then I will feel bad about it! Ok, I clicked on not now and now I feel bad! I am just not good at this.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> Good afternoon Princesses and Belles!
> 
> *Lisa,* sorry to hear the you have the crud again.   I think flying really exposes you to all sorts of stuff not to mention being tired out and all.  Then a giant snow storm forecast on top of that. You definately need to rest and take it easy for a few days.
> 
> *yes, flying ALWAYS makes me wind up with a little cold or something. it was the PITS when i used to fly about once a week when i was a consultant in chicago. i was always sick. are you feeling better?
> 
> oh and looks like colorado is getting pummeled with snow...again...bet you wouldn't mind that move to CA right about now! *
> 
> *Kathy,* hope that the magic show was a great success yesterday!   I still think that you and *Beth* need to be thinking about the WDW Marathon Week-end in *2013*   That's close enough to your birthday.
> 
> *double...not triple...no quadruple agree!! 2013 baby. it's an odd number year and you know i'lm all about the even but 2+0+1+3 = 6 and that's even so it's alllllll good!*
> 
> We spent the rest of the day together.  They went to the podcast meet with me and then we hung out in my room and had a nice dinner at Napa Rose.
> 
> *so...what did you eat? i saw the dessert on facebook but i needed a description *
> 
> The podcast meet was a lot of fun.  Everyone was very nice and not scary at all.  I got to meet Pete Werner.  I went on and on about how I've made life long friends on the WISH boards and done things I'd never dreamed of because of the Disboards.  He speaks very highly of the WISH boards -- he thinks it is one of the best things to come out of the Disboards community.  I won a lanyard in the raffle and Lisa and I got to enjoy our post race drinks.  I had a mai tai and I'm not sure what she had but her souvenir tiki glass was the best one!
> 
> *did you think the podcast meet would have scary people? what exactly is a podcast here on the DIS? i haven't been to that area of the DIS. a group that puts podcasts together? *
> 
> 
> All in all it was a fabulous trip and I enjoyed myself so much, as you probably noticed.
> 
> Since May I've taken 16 minutes off my half marathon time.  If I can keep that up I should be pretty dang close to Disney pace without sweating it out for the Donald in 2013.  I have a 10K in Phoenix on 3/3 and my next half is 5/27.   Ed and I are also doing something called the Krocman, which is like the Ironman, except you have one month to do each leg -- 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run.  So in addition to keeping up my training for my 10K I will be swimming 106 laps in the pool this month.
> 
> Now I'm counting down the days until we see each other again in 2013!



um, that krocman thing sounds awesome! how do you keep track of the miles and laps that you've done? do you go online and just mark it off? that sounds really cool and a neat way to "do" an ironman. my only problem is that i can't really swim. can you doggie paddle the laps?? 

where is the 5/27 half??



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ok life is crazy but what else is new? my ribbon cutting ceremony was a succes last ight at work but then i came home to nick vomitin. I was mostly up all night with him. My mil came over to watch him today and he is feeling better. She also did my sink load of dishes. I was so thankful. I really need to talk nicer about her.
> 
> Well i am so sorry i dont have time for replies but i have a whole list of stuff to still do tonight and its already 840pm
> 
> Love u all and i will catch up this wkend. I am coaching this wk too so i will be a busy bee.



a nice MIL? nah, i don't know what that's like. i'm glad she helped you! poor nick. it's friday though! you made it til the best day of the week (the end!)



Rose&Mike said:


> *****
> People are starting to get a little cranky at my house. First it was Mike, and now it's going to be me since I have been up since 4:15. Mike does not sleep when he is stressed at work and that means no one else does either. He left for work at 5:15 and I'm guessing won't be home before 6:00. And we live 10 minutes from his work... It is what it is, and the working a lot is fine, it's the snarky, cranky behavior that gets old. I know he's tired and I feel really bad for him, but he's not a lot of fun to be around when he's like this. We had a big "discussion" last night and it wasn't pretty. I asked how long this was going to last and he said hopefully it will be done by mid-March. Uggh.
> 
> so having said all that, i decided to take my long run by myself this afternoon. It's supposed to pour tomorrow and I don't want to go on the treadmill or wait until Sunday and hope it stops raining.  I am actually looking forward to it and kind of glad it worked out like this, because I don't feel like arguing for 12 miles. Running together is not always fun! I did a 30 minute slow run yesterday, which was probably not very smart....so I am nervous about how the ankle will hold up today. So through all this he is still planning on doing the full in May, which means he has to do 20 this weekend. I need to see if one of the Y's opens early tomorrow so he can get it over with--since he will probably wake up at 4am again!
> 
> Cross your fingers that my foot hehaves today!
> 
> And what do you do when someone sends you a friend request that you really just don't want to be connected to online? This is why I avoided facebook in the first place.  I mean I know what you do, you just click on not now. But then I will feel bad about it! Ok, I clicked on not now and now I feel bad! I am just not good at this.



phooey about mike being cranky. i hate that. john comes home sometimes in a "mood" that has nothing to do with me but all of a sudden the fact that he can't find his socks is a big disaster! annoying! although i have to admit that after a bad day with the kiddos i come very close to tearing his head off when he gets home. 

good luck with the run. 12 miles! woot! will you be doing run/walk intervals? be careful with the foot, etc 

ah, the ole non-friend friend request. gotta love them. here's what you CAN do to be nice about it. you can confirm them as a friend but change your settings for them that they can only see certain things. like, they can't see pictures or your wall or whatever. or, just don't accept them as a friend and don't think twice about it. that's the beauty of online. it's not like you actually have to look them in the face and say, "nah, i don't want to connect with you." now THAT would be awkward!

*maria* how's the rest of your week going? where are you watching the game on sunday?

*kathy* fiona used to love that yellow bamboo stick too. i thought it was so boring compared to the other toys but she loved it. guess it's a winner!

*lisaR* i ordered a few boxes of cookies from one of the girls down the street and i think they will be arriving soon. i almost wish i hadn't of ordered b/c i think it's stinky the way they are acting like selling a certain amount of girl scout cookies is an obligation for you. boo. i also wish i didn't have them because i will wind up eating them. i guess i will bring them to mommy and me and let the moms go to town on them 

*******

good morning!
i'm glad yesterday is over! it was a really busy day. mommy and me was a cluster-muck (replace "m" with "f") of grand proportions. we had three new kids come to "check out the class" and FOUR adults with them. huh???  the thursday class is $25 a MONTH! it's not like a huge monetary commitment! they really needed to check it out? oh and the children were SO badly behaved and the new parents just didn't even try to get them to follow along with the curriculum. we do circle time, prayer, singing, etc that involves the kids NOT playing with the toys. i actually had to ask the two men to please listen to the story i was reading!  and these adults were like gross "jersey shore guidos" - yuck. the one mom definitely dressed a little like snooki! add to that the fact that some of the moms went down to the pre-k open house and left their kids with me and three of the kids SCREAMED the whole time. omg. i couldn't wait to get out of there. 

kids did great with my aunt and uncle. baby matt slept the whole time and thomas just ran around the house. my uncle had his hip replaced two weeks ago but still managed to play with thomas  i made it downtown with no problems. turns out i have a very infected clogged milk duct. fever of 102. doc put me on an antibiotic and i need to keep a hot rag on it as often as possible as well as an ointment.  it hurts SO bad and looks horrible. if it doesn't get better by monday i have to get it "lanced" - that doesn't sound good. waaaaaah!

matthew's 2 month appt was awesome. he's such a good little guy. up to 11lb 3oz already and the 50th percentile for height, weight, and noggin circumference! all american average baby. AWESOME! thomas was always falling off the charts so to see the 50th percentile is a great relief.

that's my recap. doesn't seem like much but i was certainly tired yesterday. my bff mary is coming down today for a visit. no plans for the morning. i think i'm just going to hang here at home but i'm not sure how much thomas will appreciate that.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Nancy--how on earth are you walking around with a 102 fever????? My normal body temp is 97 and if I get up to a 100 I am in bed. I can handle anything but a fever. Feel better.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

well, it was 102 yesterday. i didn't take it today and i think it's probably lower. i don't feel nearly as flu-y as i did yesterday. the clog though is bigger than it was yesterday and really hurts. wah! i guess i had to have SOMETHING go wrong with the bf'ing since really it's been SO easy so far. 

on the plus side, i wasn't feeling good enough to eat too much yesterday. oh, i still wound up above my calorie goal but not too bad. i woke up at 156.5 this morning (158 yesterday!). probably just dehydrated but still, it was nice to see the scale go down. 

oh and you know what's awesome? having a nurse in our circle of friends! i texted *kathy* yesterday and she gave me the tip to take a probiotic while i'm on the antibiotic


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

*Lindsay,* sorry that Nick was sick.   Man, there is nothing worse than a stomach bug.   

Great idea on your coaching this week putting it together with the HH!    I don't think anyone has ever done that -- I salute you for coming up with a new twist on the QOTD thing!  



Rose&Mike said:


> *LisaH*--16 minutes off your 1/2 time for next year sounds very doable, especially if you keep making the BL list like you have been lately! So I have been curious, how did you feel about your mom and sis being there and you not knowing about it ahead of time? Or at least not knowing until after the race? Is Ed running too? Did I miss that?



It was nice having my Mom and sister there but I was glad that I didn't know they were there ahead of time because it would have put pressure on me to be the hostess when I really needed to be able to concentrate on getting myself ready for the race.    We spent a nice day together, although we didn't go anywhere, and it was very, very thoughtful of them to go to all that trouble.    They went to our old neighborhood and visited with friends so had a perfectly good time on their own.  

Ed talked about running with me but has been doing the TM on his own.  He is talking about doing the local 5K in May that goes on when I do my half and also Spring Dash which is a 5 mile run here in April.  We're going to see about swimming some of the laps together.  We can also try to get bikes next to one another.  It's not that we need to spend more time together 'cause we are together 24/7 but that we need to have some quality time together and/or a goal that is not related to our business or running the household.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> um, that krocman thing sounds awesome! how do you keep track of the miles and laps that you've done? do you go online and just mark it off? that sounds really cool and a neat way to "do" an ironman. my only problem is that i can't really swim. can you doggie paddle the laps??
> 
> where is the 5/27 half??



They have whiteboards where you keep track of your laps and stuff.  I don't swim very well either -- heck, I don't even like to get my face in the water!  So I'll do a sidestroke or a breaststroke or dog paddle.    The swim will be toughest part for me but luckily it's the first part.  

The 5/27 is the local Coeur d'Alene Half.  There is a marathon and a 5K going on at the same time so I don't have to worry about time, although I'm hoping to break that 4 hour barrier this time.  

Ouch, *Nancy,* on the duct.    Take it easy, take some meds and see if your friend can let you take a nap this morning.  I'm like *Rose* when I get a fever I am in bed.    that no lancing is required.  

*Lisa,* hope that you are resting and feeling better! 

*Kathy,* are we supposed to be calling Michael Mike now?  I will have to remember.    I had a heck of a time switching from Bobby to Robert.    But then I still want to call my nephew, who is 27 now, "Tom-Tom."  

*Maria,* you and *Rose* will be doing your long runs this week-end.    Are you ready? Are you pumped?   I know you can rock it! 

Thank goodness you ladies are doing this race because otherwise my post race let down would be so much worse! 

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## liesel

We are snowed in!  This turned out to be quite the storm, I'm so glad it was this week and not last week.  They think we'll be getting around 2 feet, its supposed to stop snowing tomorrow morning.  Speaking of, was I really sitting on the patio at Trader Sam's wearing shorts and enjoying my Krakatoa Punch last Sunday because it doesn't seem real anymore!

DH and I are sick, its not as bad as the last 2 illnesses, but bad enough.  I still haven't exercised since I walked around DL on Monday.  Hopefully I can be on the mend soon and get back to working out.

I think the Girl Scout organization was OK, its just these leaders that are giving us a hard time.  The email from the girl scouts said that you just need to return unsold cookies by next week and made it seem like no big deal.  If they can be returned then I don't understand why the leaders were giving us such a hard time about it.  I did girl scouts and it was never about the cookies, if you sold some great, if not, no big deal.  I'm so over it, I go out of my way to be friendly to these ladies, I just think that's how they are, nothing I can do about it and I'm not wasting my time worrying about them anymore.

*Nancy*  I'm so sorry about the milk duct problem, I hope you are better soon!

*Lindsay*  And I just thought you were busy with work, I hope Nick is feeling better and you can get some sleep and life will be back to its crazy normal self soon.

*Maria* I hope your work and training is going well.

*Rose* DH has a big project due March 15, he worked late all week leading up to the Tink and even worked from his phone during the expo!  When mid March rolls around I will celebrate with you!    Good luck on the 12 miles!

*Lisa* I enjoyed reading your race report and am really looking forward to doing another Disney race, it was so much fun!  I'm sure shaving another 16 minutes off your time is doable and will make the race less stressful for you.  I remembered this morning that we have 2 round trip airline tickets that we are saving for a cross country trip, maybe I can convince DH to use them for Marathon weekend?!

*Kathy* Thanks for coaching this week, I enjoyed your questions even though I was mainly lurking.  I'll try to be on more often.  I love the pictures of Michael and Poko enjoying the toys.  My dog is pouting right now because she can't go outside, the snow is way too deep!

I was up a pound for the week, but then I realized that TOM hasn't quite departed so that explains that.  At one point I was up 8 pounds after the race!    I've gotten back on track with my food the last 2 days, hopefully I can exercise again soon.   I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and good luck to both football teams!


----------



## mikamah

Good evening Princesses and Tinkerlisas!!!

I've done my first month doing the extra 4 hours a week, and I just paid the bills and was a little disappointed I didn't have any huge amount leftover.  Oh well, I'm going to try really hard to not eat out, not spend any extra this month, and see how I do.  I know once my brother does my taxes I will feel better, but right now I feel like one big thing breaking will throw me over the edge.  Fingers crossed it's an uneventful year in the home improvement dept. 

My sisters friend is running a 20$ biggest loser, for 3 months so I am going to do that with her.  We'll go weighin tomorrow, and then the first week of may, and the biggest loser get all the money.  Not sure how many people, but figured I'd give it a go.  I'm feeling determined to lose this weight.  I've been running with Poko about every other day, and she has been really good.  I've been doing run 4-5ish and walk 1-2 min, and I feel pretty good.  I think the exercise is key and the tracking.  

I enjoyed coaching this week, and hope to keep more active there, but there's not always enough time in the days to post here and there.  

Nothing else up here.  Happy it's the weekend, and I survived my week orienting the new girl. She is going to be great, and we had a few good laughs, about me teaching her how not to do it.  Like forgetting to put the oxygen on til the patient is sedate and her oxygen levels drop.  There were a few others.  Oh well, at least she is from CCU, and knows what the real world is like.   But my boss would be appalled. 

*Nancy*-How is the duct today?  I can only imagine it is very painful.  I hope the meds are helping, and it's starting to feel better.  Hang in there.  Poko is having a blast with her toys.  She's going nuts on the green baseball right now.  She is a good toy destroyer, and was getting some pieces off the bamboo, so I need to watch her when she goes at that.  She loves it though.  She is a big chewer.  What a fun mommy and me class. Some people are so rude.  So glad Matthew got a good bill of health and is the perfect baby.  Hope you had a fun day. 

*Rose*-How was your run today??  Now it is taper time, right?   Just 3 weeks til the glorious princess weekend!!  Ahhhhh heaven.  Hope you had a good run, and all body parts are feeling good.  It sounds like it was a good week to run alone too.  It sucks for the work stress to come home.   On the facebook, I wouldn't even worry about it.  I don't think they are notified when someone ignores you either, so just forget about it.  

*LisaH*-How are you feeling this week, physically?  Wasn't this your 4th half in a years time, right?  You are amazing.   Hope the segue back to reality went well.  Were the men thrilled to have you home and very proud of you?  You are good to have your races planned ahead for this year already.  And the Krocman sounds fun except for the swimming.  I'd like a noodle and definitley don't like my face in the water either. 

*Lindsay*-Howdy coach!!  Guess you won't be here much this week, but I'm gonna try to pop over there too.  Hope Nick is better now.  I left my sister a note cause she was coming today to walk Poko, and told her to feel free to do the dishes, but she didn't.  Oh well, it was worth a try.  I did them tonight.  I had big plans to vacuum and clean tonight so I could have the weekend to relax, but I don't feel like it.  I'll vacuum in the morning and clean off the kitchen table. 

*LisaR*-Wow, that's a lot of snow.  You've had quite the opposite winter than us here, but I am so proud of you and how hard you worked and got the training in and did your first half marathon!!  How cool.  Those girl scout leaders are being ridiculous.  Of course they can't make you sell that many.  I wonder how my sil is doing.  This is the first year they got all the cookies ahead of time too, rather than taking orders.  I'll see her next weekend with the cookies I ordered.

*Maria*-How are you doing hon??  Are you all ready to see your team win this weekend!!  Hope all is well and you're ready for the big game.  

Have a lovely night ladies!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*LisaR*--I am so sorry you are snowed in and sick! I'm glad to hear the GS thing appears to be with the leaders. But still, goodness! I will celebrate with you in March. I hate these projects with unrealistic deadlines. Mike hasn't had one in a while, so I can't complain. But it does get old fast when they are cranky.

*Nancy-*-I take a probiotic almost every day. I am a huge fan of probiotics.

*Lisah-*-kept meaning to ask you--how are those ribs????

****
I am icing my foot again. I ran 13.1 in ~2:34:14 this afternoon. Which is just under a 12mm and my goal for the run was 12mm so I was very happy. I felt good at 10 so I decided to just do the whole thing.

I know you all will appreciate this. At mile 3.4 I started crying--for no reason. At mile 5 I lost my baggie with my endurolytes. Someone in the park probably found them and thought someone was pushing illegal drugs in the park. I was running a 1.2 mile loop at the park so for one full lap I was looking for my baggie with my endurolytes. No luck. And somewhere along the way t.o.m. started. Uggh! It's been a whopping 21 days! Hopefully I will skip next month! Luckily I did not figure this out until I got home. 

I felt very strong and very tired at the end. But good tired, not pre g-f I am going to be sick tired. So I was happy. The foot is not great, but we'll see how it does tomorrow. I didn't really notice it much until the last mile and by then everything was sore and tired, so it wasn't bad. Hopefully it will be feeling good in the morning.

Thank you all for putting up with me over the last couple of months. It has been very hard to stay optimistic and positive. But you all propped me up the many times that I needed it. Which I know was a lot!

I had fries and nachos and a hard cider tonight. I skipped lunch, but I'm sure I will be up 5 pounds tomorrow!

Have a good night!


----------



## Rose&Mike

We have our bib numbers! I am 1875 and Mike is 4675. I wonder if that means they bumped the guys back to C this year like they did at the Tinkerbelle?

Last year I was 31xx (can't remember) and Mike was 41xx. We were in the same corral....

And forgot earlier. *Nancy*-- I was running 4 walking 1. I was pretty happy with that ratio. I'd like to get up to run 5 walk 1, but probably not until after the race. 

For the first time I feel like if I just sloooow down I will be able to complete the full next January. It is so nice to finish a long run and not feel pukey! 

*Kathy*--it is so nice to see you again! (I guess if I posted on my team thread I could have talked to you all week.). You sound like you are in a very good place with everything. I feel as if we are going to have some 'one'derland and new decade parties this spring!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi ladies.

I am so thrilled the wkend is here.

Rose- i am so happy for you having a good run today. I am so excited to cheer for you and maria in a few wks. I glad all your body parts are cooperating.  Im sorry mike is under so much stress with work so not fun for either of you.  

Nancy- i cant believe those parents at mommy and me how rude. I hope they dont become permanent for your sake. I hope the duct issues gets better and that you can avoid lancing. That is so painful...you poor thing. Are you getting pumped for the big game this wkend?

Kathy- i can hear the determination in you. You are doing so great. Having a bl challenge with a monetary reward will help keep you motivated. Ryan announced tonight that heis ceering for the pats on snday and i knew you and maria would be so proud. Of corse he said it while wearing his eagles jersey.

Lisa- omg 2 feet of snow you poor thing. I hope the illness goes away quickly. You have really had a toug winter. At least it didnt all hit last wk. Just keep day dreaming about the trip hopefully there is some leftover pixie dust to get u to spring.

Lisa h- i had to come up with something for the qotd after kathy stole my question. just kidding.  Actually i love how cc is doing hh this challenge i am just piggy backing off of her wonderful creativity.....and i was also at a loss for new questions
the krocman sounds like fun. I am not a strong swimmer either, i probably would be doggy paddling right next to you.

Hi maria hope you are doing well this week and that you are getting pumped for the game.



I am officially back into onderland as of today. Not sure if i will still be there tomorrow because we went out to eat tonight. I counted everything and went a little over but  then i forced myself to go to the gym to run.  Everyone is healthy in our house again. Nick is back to his normal nutty self. 

We are going ro ikea tomorrow for a tv stand coffee table and end table. The closest one is near philly.  My parents are keeping the boys so it wil be niceto have alone time with mike.

Oh and my tailbone has felt pretty good this wk but now i am feeling like i have shin splints in my left leg. The track at the gym has the same floor as my high school gym and every bball season i dealt with horrendous shin splints. Hopefully it wont get worse. I cant wait fo warmer weather and longer daylight so i can do all my runs outside.

Well enjoy the weekend laddies


----------



## mikamah

ONEDERLAND!!!Back *Lindsay*!!!!  Congratulations, Lindsay!!  So very excited for you, and i know even if you pop out for a day, you'll be safely there for good in a week or two.  I knew I justed loved Ryan!!  That is awesome and I know the Eagles will forgive him.  

*Rose*-I am so happy your run went so well yesterday, and I am sure you will be doing the half in 2013 right along with our skinny little *Nancy*. And you felt so good without your endurolytes, too!!  Awesome.  I am sure it makes a big difference to slow down, and to know it will help you get farther is key.  Yay for your race numbers.  That's too bad yours and Mikes aren't in the same corral, but I assume you'll start together no matter what.  I anticipate a few new decade celebrations and Onderland celebrations coming up too!!  Maybe even before you and Maria head to the princess!!  It is going to be an exciting year!!!!

*LisaH*-Yeah, I guess I'm supposed to be calling michael Mike now, but obviously I don't.  But I try sometimes.    He does want to be Mike, but after 10 years of Michael, it is hard to remember.  At least he doesn't get mad at me yet, I figure by the time he's the surly teen you talk about, I'll be getting daggers thrown at me if I call him Michael, so I'll probably adjust by then. 

I asked Mike   if he wanted to walk Poko at 7:30 with me, or at 8 and we'll each do 15-20 min alone and he chost 8.  That way I can get the vacuuming done and not traumatize Poko with the vacuum while he's walking her.  

Have a great saturday!!!  I think I'll pop on over to donald and see how Lindsays doing as coach.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy it looks like im following you today

How great of "mike" to walk the dog for you so you can get the house work done.  Such a great kid.

Thanks for the big congrats for onederland. You are awesome. I did peek back into the 2's today but i expected it after the dinner i had last night. Its only by. 4

Rose- i had a dream my family came to visit you but you lived in colorado in these big huge mountains. There were other people there to but no one i knew. Then we planned to go to ohanas for dinner and you came out in a ball gown and said everyone needs to dress fancy.  I only had jeans and  was freaking out about it. Then i woke up. weird huh??????

Ok well i need to get my day started. 1st up breakfast


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsay*--Woohoo! Congrats on ONEderland!!!!  That is awesome! Of course you are going to be there permanently soon--goodness you went to the gym last night! That's awesome!

*Kathy*--My Mike's family called him Michael his entire life. They just couldn't get with the program. His slightly annoying cousin still calls him Michael. I don't think he really cares. It's funny cause his friends from high school call him Mike--so I don't know why his family never got on board. His sister on the other hand was always Kathy. Then in her late 20s she wanted to be Kat for a while. Then in her 30s she went to Kathleen and she got kind of po'd off when people called her Kathy (meaning Mike). It was hard at that point to remember Kathleen! Good luck with the transition!

****
I slept terrible last night. I woke up a million times and I was so hungry! Today I was up by 5:30. I went to the Y this morning and did the pool for 45 min.  The t.o.m. might have been a false alarm. I had this last month too. Never a dull moment! I read it can be very normal if you have hormone issues going on, and given that it had been so crazy over the last 2 years I would say I have issues. If it keeps up I guess it's back to the doctor. The answer for everything seems to be go on the pill, which I am not going to do, but it would be nice to know it's not something more serious.

Mike probably has an hour and a half left to run at the Y (he's going 20) so I think I am going to try to take a nap.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*LisaR* colorado's snow has been all over the news! hope it cleans up quickly and you aren't snowed in for too long!

what was in the Krakatoa Punch? 

wait wait wait you guys have tickets to use?? sounds like marathon weekend is in your future!!

*LisaH* ah, the 5/27 half is the same one you did last year, right? awesome. i'm glad i'm not the only one who isn't a strong swimmer. doggie-paddling an iron man sounds right up my alley 

*rose* hurrah for bib numbers! hurrah for a great run yesterday! hurrah for nachos and hard cider. no hurrah for being up at night (probably due to the nachos and cider  ) oh and mike is doing 20 miles on the treadmill? wow! now THAT is commitment!!

*lindsay* NICE job on getting back into onederland! ok this is what you need to do next time you get on the scale...you have to SAY "bye bye 200s, i will not be seeing you again." i am a firm believer in saying things out loud to make sure they happen. is that weird? probably. congrats to you! you've been working really hard and you deserve to see a nice number  oh and so glad nick's back to his ole self!

*kathy* i wonder when thomas is going to start asking to be Tom or Tommy. it's going to be hard for even ME to call michael mike  where are you watching the game tomorrow? what are you going to eat? john doesn't like football but if i make good food and give him beer he will usually oblige and watch the game with me. 

*maria* waaaah! i miss you. come back to us! how was the rest of your week?

****
matthew just started crying so i'll make the rest of this quick. i did a 4 mile run today and it was really tough. the best part of it was when it was over! oh well, at least it's done. i made myself farina for breakfast and had two servings. wow. not doing that again. 440 calories?? thanks myfitnesspal for ruining my comfort breakfast! 

the b@@b issue is not going well. at all. but we won't go into the grossness that is going on with me right now. and how the antibiotic is killing my stomach. on the plus side, i saw 156 this morning. and i said, "bye bye 160s, i will not be seeing you again." hoping the loss isn't from spending too much time in the bathroom 

ok, baby's getting mad. have a great saturday


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles! 

*Lindsay,* a big  and  for being in ONE-DERLAND!   What a great way to finish your week!    You are having a great challenge for sure! 

*Lisa,* so sorry about being snowed in and sick ta boot!   It does seem like a long time ago since we were flitting around with our pixiedust.    So glad to hear that you have the transportation part of the January marathon week-end taken care of!  

*Kathy,* I will try to remember to call your sweet guy Mike.    It is so nice you have a running partner who is always ready to go and help you keep your pace.    Good luck with the Biggest Loser challenge!  I hope you win so you can add to your Disney fund. 

*Rose,* you totally rock going out and getting that last long run done yesterday!   Soon you will be a lovely Princess floating down the race course.   And what a great bib number -- I bet you are in Corral A.  Hope that the crankiness has subsided at your house.  

*Nancy,* so sorry that your parts are not feeling better.    Hope those antibiotics kick in soon.  Maybe add some yogurt to your probiotic regime.  I always hate it when the cure is as bad as the disease.  

*Maria,* Mah-ah-ah-ree-ah . . . I sure miss a girl named *Maria!* 

I hope that you had a great long run today and are getting rested and ready for the race.  

I am so jealous that *Rose* and *Maria* are having dinner with *Dagny* at Boma after the Princess.  She is an absolute sweetheart and very, very funny.  You will like her a lot!  

I didn't tell you all the story about the WISHer that I met at the airport going home.  I saw her at the podcast meet -- I didn't realize she was a WISHer then -- she came while we were sitting and eating and didn't stay long so I didn't get a chance to meet her.  I saw her at the airport -- she has long, long gorgeous hair.  I debated saying hello to her but I went ahead and did and she was so nice.  Her name is Kelly.  She is a long time WISHer who got sick and stopped running, didn't feel like she wanted to post when all she did was feel bad, wasn't running.  I'm surprised how many people at meets talked about feeling that way when really when you are feeling down and need some support this is the FIRST place you should be.  Not the last.  

So what is worse than the first run after a race? The first swim part of a triathalon.   And that's why I am here this morning 'cause I am feeling so pooped after my little swim this morning.  I swam 45 minutes -- 15 laps -- a whole .33 miles.    My hat is off to anyone who does triathalons 'cause I cannot imagine having to do a bunch of biking and running after swimming -- it was tough even going to the hot tub after. 

It's taking a bit to recover from the race.  I feel tired but can't sleep.  My ribs still hurt but it doesn't make any difference whether I do things or not.  I don't think I'm doing a very good job of eating a balanced diet either.  So I'm grabbing myself, again, and getting it together.  'Cause that's what I do and doing otherwise didn't work out so well anyway.  

Have a great day!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon,  and  (or should I start calling you Tinks "Donalds" now?! -- Yep, looking ahead to WDW Marathon weekend -- maybe not, because then we'll be calling *Rose* a "Winer" next month)

I have new motivation to be very strict with myself until the Princess.

C! -- with a bib # of 5816, I have moved up to Corral C! This is so exciting for me! I was in D last year, and I just knew I belonged in C. I finished with "C" people all around me last year, so now I have to keep up with the big dogs! Needless to say, this is my highest corral placement ever, I feel like I earned it. 

Let's just say that was great motivation when I did my last LR this morning of 10M. I was still struggling near the end, but I'm determined to lose every ounce I can before I get on the plane. 

This past week was not stellar by any stretch of the imagination. TOM did a number on me, I ate whatever crossed my path, and I didn't make it back on the TM until this morning. I have really lost interest in the BL threads. Sorry, but I seem to have nothing in common with my fellow Mickeys. Maybe I'll feel different next week.  I admit, a lack of *Lisah* has not helped (although the *Nancy* posts were of course fun to read ). It just has this weird vibe that isn't working for me...

*Nancy* -- Congrats on the loss, I know you are working hard for every lb! I am so sorry about the baby feeding tool. I hope that clears up quickly and the pain goes away even faster 

*Rose* -- I am so proud of you for getting that last long run in, and what a grea time! I have a bad feeling I am going to be in the deepest depth of TOM during the race. Now there's a cheery thought  I can't wait to see your cute outfit, I bet it's fit for a Princess! 

*Lindsay* -- The Onderland will stick, I just know it! I bet if you wait a week and then look at the scale again, that is what you will see. I promise not to look if you won't...let's just say that if I am really strict with my diet and exercise, add in some extra movement and work my tail off, I just might make the 180s before we leave -- and by that I mean 189.9, which I consider the 180s!  Next week will determine if I can get close enough to make it a possibility. Let's be extra vigilant this week so we can do Happy Dances! 

*Kathy* -- Oy Vey! I am also having the "I don't like my full name" issue right now. Benjamin is just not cutting it. It's Ben or nothing. He really loves it when I scream "Ben-Davis Green-Ellis", when he has a big carry (yes, I know that is not his real name, it's just something Dennis and I enjoy ). I can't figure out if I am more excited or nervous for the game. We went shopping last night. I have a shrimp ring, French onion dip and Ruffles, Colby Jack cheese and pepperoni, and Dennis will also make popcorn and nachos, with lasagna for dinner. Of course, we bought this all before I came home and saw I was in "C"! So, the shrimp ring is still in, I'm going to portion a bit of dip and chips, I'll have half my normal allotment of nachos, I'm going to skip the pepperoni, and portion the cheese. And I'll probably fill up on that and skip the lasagna. If I'm still hungry I'll have popcorn. I'm having a Kashi TLC bar for breakfast and soup for lunch. I think with that, it should not be too painful, and since I'm not looking at the scale again until next Saturday, I have time to work it out. 

*Lisa* -- Sorry about the ! We have barely seen a flake (ok, a few inches here and there, but nothing that really stuck), it's starting to feel like the winter that wasn't for us. I'd take a little of your snow, but I don't think it works that way  I am glad you realize it is the leaders not the council with that stance on selling. Again, those leaders decided something or other (like they could plan a big trip, or wouldn't have to charge dues next year, or they were going to sell more than any other troop), and they lost sight of the spirit of the sale. It's to give the girls the experience, and create funding for other experiences, not to cause that level of angst or bad feelings. I would ask them how the girls have planned to use their cookie sale money -- because it is supposed to be the girls' plan, not the adults! For girls your daughter's age, there is absolutely no need to raise that kind of money.  I hope this wave of illness passes quickly, I'm sorry this is turning into a  winter for you! 

*Lisah* -- I love it! You are already talking about a new PR for your next race! We have you well and hooked!  How are you feeling? I hope you are still continuing to heal. The Krocman sounds like a great way to get some good crosstraining in and ensure the lbs just fly away! 

So, nothing really new on the merger front. I've been asked to do some reconaissance (I just know that's not the right spelling, but I'm too lazy to look it up) tasks, and our President mentioned she has a list for me of all their programs I will be now preparing applications for -- I don't think it's too bad, and hey, that means I'm not going anywhere -- so it's all good! 

This afternoon Dennis and I are taking his Boston Marathon stuff to Michael's to arrange framing. It's his number, a photo of him crossing the finish and his medal -- and maybe some sort of certificate, I'm not really clear -- I just know we need to do it! I'm also using this errand trip to go to DSW. I have a gift card, and I want a pair of shoes to wear around WDW. If I can't find what I want there, then back to Zappos. Speaking of Zappos, I got my new running shoes Asics Gel Nimbus 13s, yesterday. I wore them for my run today. They seemed a bit tight, but I'm good with them. 

Ok, gotta get ready for our big adventure. Ben wants to watch the last Lord of the Rings movie tonight, so it should be a relaxing evening. 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, I know where I am going to watch the Super Bowl--*Maria*'s house!
Lots of yummy food! 

Congrats on C!!! Too exciting! I really think Mike is going to be in C. I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm going to wait until I see the actual corral I am in. In the back of my head I keep thinking--maybe A, but I kind of doubt it.  I keep thinking I need to lose a couple more pounds so I can eat more when we are at WDW. How terrible is that??

*****
I am icing my foot again....it feels really good considering 13 miles yesterday, but I would really love just one day where I didn't have to ice anything.

*Lisah-*-that's interesting that the Wisher that you met in the airport said that she didn't want to post when she was feeling bad. I totally get that. I had to force myself to stay somewhat active these past couple of months. I just kept thinking who wants to hear someone whining....Great job on the swimming! I hope the ribs are back to a 100% soon.

Ok, I think I have iced enough. Off to whole foods!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> *Nancy,* so sorry that your parts are not feeling better.    Hope those antibiotics kick in soon.  Maybe add some yogurt to your probiotic regime.  I always hate it when the cure is as bad as the disease.
> *thanks, lisa. i know it's going to be fine. i just need to whine about it *
> 
> I am so jealous that *Rose* and *Maria* are having dinner with *Dagny* at Boma after the Princess.  She is an absolute sweetheart and very, very funny.  You will like her a lot!
> 
> *who is dagny?? what is her screen name? i don't think i've "seen" her before. i want to be dagny because that means i'd be the one having dinner with rose and maria down there!*
> 
> I didn't tell you all the story about the WISHer that I met at the airport going home.  I saw her at the podcast meet -- I didn't realize she was a WISHer then -- she came while we were sitting and eating and didn't stay long so I didn't get a chance to meet her.  I saw her at the airport -- she has long, long gorgeous hair.  I debated saying hello to her but I went ahead and did and she was so nice.  Her name is Kelly.  She is a long time WISHer who got sick and stopped running, didn't feel like she wanted to post when all she did was feel bad, wasn't running.  I'm surprised how many people at meets talked about feeling that way when really when you are feeling down and need some support this is the FIRST place you should be.  Not the last.
> 
> *i hope the WISHer will come back and post here! maybe she'll join us? this really is SUCH a great place to get support. i mean, sure, some of the "pro" runners on the boards are a little...you know...but the rest of us are awesome *
> 
> So what is worse than the first run after a race? The first swim part of a triathalon.   And that's why I am here this morning 'cause I am feeling so pooped after my little swim this morning.  I swam 45 minutes -- 15 laps -- a whole .33 miles.    My hat is off to anyone who does triathalons 'cause I cannot imagine having to do a bunch of biking and running after swimming -- it was tough even going to the hot tub after.
> 
> It's taking a bit to recover from the race.  I feel tired but can't sleep.  My ribs still hurt but it doesn't make any difference whether I do things or not.  I don't think I'm doing a very good job of eating a balanced diet either.  So I'm grabbing myself, again, and getting it together.  'Cause that's what I do and doing otherwise didn't work out so well anyway.
> 
> Have a great day!



take it easy with all the activity, lisa. you just did a half marathon with almost broken ribs for goodness sake! 15 laps is only .33 miles? i don't even think i could do two laps! you are really working it! maybe a little rest and relaxation is in the cards for you. and don't forget to get back on the eating well wagon. you are kicking some major booty in the weigh loss department!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Good Afternoon,  and  (or should I start calling you Tinks "Donalds" now?! -- Yep, looking ahead to WDW Marathon weekend -- maybe not, because then we'll be calling *Rose* a "Winer" next month)
> 
> *lol! love it!*
> 
> I have new motivation to be very strict with myself until the Princess.
> 
> C! -- with a bib # of 5816, I have moved up to Corral C! This is so exciting for me! I was in D last year, and I just knew I belonged in C. I finished with "C" people all around me last year, so now I have to keep up with the big dogs! Needless to say, this is my highest corral placement ever, I feel like I earned it.
> 
> Let's just say that was great motivation when I did my last LR this morning of 10M. I was still struggling near the end, but I'm determined to lose every ounce I can before I get on the plane.
> 
> This past week was not stellar by any stretch of the imagination. TOM did a number on me, I ate whatever crossed my path, and I didn't make it back on the TM until this morning. I have really lost interest in the BL threads. Sorry, but I seem to have nothing in common with my fellow Mickeys. Maybe I'll feel different next week.  I admit, a lack of *Lisah* has not helped (although the *Nancy* posts were of course fun to read ). It just has this weird vibe that isn't working for me...
> 
> Maria



congrats on corral C!!! that's awesome! i think i was in D last year. what did you put as your projected finish time? 

i hear you about not connecting with the mickey group. i really have just given up over there. i really shouldn't as we all need to give and get support from each other. i keep going over to read and then just...meh. 

if i weren't a giants fan i'd be over your house for the super bowl! what kind of popcorn is dennis making?? sounds good! 



Rose&Mike said:


> Ok, I know where I am going to watch the Super Bowl--*Maria*'s house!
> Lots of yummy food!
> 
> Congrats on C!!! Too exciting! I really think Mike is going to be in C. I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm going to wait until I see the actual corral I am in. In the back of my head I keep thinking--maybe A, but I kind of doubt it.  I keep thinking I need to lose a couple more pounds so I can eat more when we are at WDW. How terrible is that??
> 
> *****
> I am icing my foot again....it feels really good considering 13 miles yesterday, but I would really love just one day where I didn't have to ice anything.
> 
> *Lisah-*-that's interesting that the Wisher that you met in the airport said that she didn't want to post when she was feeling bad. I totally get that. I had to force myself to stay somewhat active these past couple of months. I just kept thinking who wants to hear someone whining....Great job on the swimming! I hope the ribs are back to a 100% soon.
> 
> Ok, I think I have iced enough. Off to whole foods!



glad the foot is feeling good! keep icing! (says the girl who should be icing her foot too but i don't feel like it. it's too cold! )

************
omg. have you guys watched dumbo at all recently? it was on disney jr on friday and i taped it. we are watching it now while we eat KFC (  ) and it is SO depressing! i just want to cry the whole time! i haven't seen it in forever and it's so sad. can you believe it was made in 1941? 

today was a pretty relaxing day. my friend lauren was supposed to come up but she totally flaked out on me. i'm trying to not be mad but i'm annoyed. she's got a new boyfriend and she's already moved in with him! she got divorced last year and this is the second guy from high school that she's dated since then. long story short she had a meltdown over a year ago and i didn't hear from her for a long time. she was supposed to do the princess with me. i paid for EVERYTHING and then she just stopped talking to me. she got help, went to therapy, etc etc and it was ok and all forgiven. but now she's in loooooove again and best friend nancy gets the shaft again. i really am thinking of writing her an email telling her that my feelings are hurt. i actually was thinking of asking her to be matthew's god mother. ugh, i don't know. 

john took thomas to costco today. just to pick up a few things. and he came back with a 37" flat screen  our house is so small! the tv is practically in our laps. it's going to look ridiculous.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princesslisabelledonaldmickeywiners!!  Oh, and we can make that a little Wicked-Princesslisabelledonaldmickeywiners too!!!

I ate like a non-princess last night.  My brother and sil (steve and Debbie) had a mass for her mother and we went back to their house for supper after, and I started out ok, with my food journal in my pocket, and had some cheese and crackers, but wrote it down, but then it grew to 8 pieces of cheese and 8 crackers and 3 chips and dip.  Still a little much, but worth it- this was cranberry cheese my other brother and sil-Jim and beth give us all each Christmas.  So then I stepped away from the kitchen, the food they ordered was late- the caterer had the wrong date, so when my brother called, they took another hour, so they had finger sandwiches they put out which I declined, but when the hot food came, I had 1 chicken wing, cheesesteak, chicken broc ziti, pasta salad, a good plateful.  then went to throw my plate away and ate 3 more chicken wings, a congo bar, a brownie and a cup of coffee.  Not the healthy day I planned so I could splurge today.  And when I came home, my food journal, which is just a piece of paper for the week, fell in the toilet.    I think that was a sign of what would happen to my weight loss if I didn't turn it around.  

So today is a new day!!! I am back from an hour walk/run with Poko, we did play with some other dogs for about 10 min, but I ran a lot of the walk.  I had a banana and will make some scrambled eggs soon, and am going to get gas for the grill so I can grill steak with potatoes and roasted cauliflour for dinner before the game.  My game treat will be fruit, I have a fresh pineapple, grapes and strawberries I'll cut up for the game, and at half time we are having Superbowl Sundaes.  I have a brownie mix my niece Taylor gave us for christmas in a pretty jar that you add oil and eggs and we'll bake those, with moose tracks light ice cream, hot fudge and whipped cream.  Only one sunday, I promise.   

We are staying home for the game today and watching with Poko.  I don't like to have to put her in the crate much on the weekends since she's in it all week, and she doesn't like it either.  I make michael go out to the car a few minutes ahead of me when we leave together, and she goes in the crate better, but not as good when I'm going to work.  She seems to know weekends are family time, and she wants to be with us.  I don't know if she's really that smart, or if it's just my guilt, but it's also a good reason not to go out and spend money on the weekends.  

*Maria*-Whoo hoo!!  Congrats on corral C!!!  Very exciting!!!  Your game spread sounds wonderful.  Nice job getting that last long run in and now it is Taper Time!!!  And what an exciting way to start taper madness with your beloved Patriots in the superbowl!!  A girl from work was sending out texts during the last game and it was hilarious.  She is the most serious fan we work with, and she got tomorrow off.  After the game which should not be discussed today in 07, the surgeon I was working with the day after the superbowl was truly, completely depressed, and almost could not function.  I think she took tomorrow off too.  Have a fabulous day today and GO Pats!!!!

*Nancy*-Are you feeling any better yet?  It does suck that the treatment for one thing can make you feel like crap in other ways.  Only good thing is the weight loss.  Fun to have a new TV.  I bet 37 will look huge for a bit, but it's really not too big for a small house.  Mine is 32, and I could have gone bigger I think, so you will adjust.  I think my bil has a 70 inch or something, crazy massive.  That is too bad about your friend.  It's hard some friendships change when you have kids, and some friendships aren't too well balanced and you don't realize til you do have kids.  One of my best friends before I had michae is no longer a friend at all, and it hurt for a while, but looking back, it always had to be about her, and I went the extra mile most of the time to include her when I was with other friends, and once I had ds, she still expected it to be that way.  And it couldn't.  Tough decision on the godmother.  I'd definitely let her know you are hurt, and see her reaction.  She probably has no idea what she is doing is hurtful.  Enjoy the game today!!!Go Giants!!!

*LisaH*-Are you still on a Tinkerbelle high!!  I can't remember how long the Princess high lasted, definitely through the weekend after, showing off the medal, looking through pictures and reliving it all.  And I know I took about 3 weeks off from exercise, because I had read over 40 you need 1.5 days for every mile to recuperate after a race, so that was 21 days.  And 6 days after a half you are out swimming 15 laps at the pool!!!  You are amazing.  I'm guessing we will be celebrating your Onderland party soon!!! That's too bad some people don't feel comfortable coming here for support during the bad times.  Maybe part of it is the old adage, if you can't say something good, don't say anything at all, but I love how we are all here for each other, good times and bad.  I definitely am more likely to post the negative here, than on the BL threads, though.  Enjoy the day!!

*Rose*-So glad the foot is feeling good after 13 miles!!  You are ready to be a princess!!  Your no sew tutu sounds so cute, and I can't wait to see it.  Mike's sister was funny with the name change, huh.  My niece is Kathleen, had brirfly been Kat, never Kathy, but we will probably always call her kathleen.  I hope you get a full TOM before the princess.  I'm still pretty regular, but it last forever now.  I will  not be sad to hit menopause.  Crazy maybe, but not sad.   Enjoy the game today!!  And don't be afraid to cheer for the Pats, I know you really want to.

*LisaR*-Are you still snowed in?  I am so happy it is not here.  I could not have picked a better winter to get a dog.  Last year, would have been awful.  Hope you are enjoying some quiet family time, and you all are feeling better.  You have had a lot of illness this winter.  Are you still on your Tink high?  You are a half marathoner!!  How exciting.  What are you going to do with your medal?  My princess medal is hanging off a shelf in the playroom, and I need to remember to look at it before I start eating crap.  

*Lindsay*-Great job coaching the Donalds.  There is a really good group over there, lots of support and others replying to others, which is nice to see.  Enjoy the game today, and thank Ryan for his support!!!!  

Ok now I need your help.  My sil Beth is out there, lurking occassionally, so I told her she needs to sign up and join us, and then we'll definitely get her on board for a disney race.   So say a quick hello to Beth when you have a second and get her to join on in!!  She's already met Lisah, and I know she will fit right in.  

Hey Beth!!  Come on and post!!!!  Love you!!!

Have a wonderful Superbowl Sunday!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, I will bbl with replies, but wanted to show you my tutu. It turned out really well, better I think than the pictures even show. The pink has glitter in it and the green is shimmery. Now I need to find some black tights or shorts with pockets. And I ordered a Wish headband from Heather which is black with green lighting. The pictures might look big at first--sorry--but I did resize them.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oh beeeee-eeeethhhhh!!! come on in! the water's fine! 

hope you'll join us! we're pretty awesome 

***
i ran five miles today!  longest run so far since the baby was born. it was pretty rough. the "bruise" on my foot just doesn't feel like only a bruise to me. it really hurts! and the new shoe inserts i got for my shoes did a number on my foot. i have a HUGE blister on the arch of my foot. i mean HUGE! i kept wanting to stop but just kept on going. this foot thing is really annoying though. i'm going to give it another week and if it doesn't heal i'm going back to the foot guy. 

john took thomas to soccer today and i took matt to church. he was great, slept the whole time. he hasn't been sleeping that great at night lately and of course john is complaining about it. i have been sleeping in the guest room and john's been in with the baby. all he needs to do at night is plug him with the pacifier. he allllllways said that he'd have no problem taking over nights when thomas was a baby. so now that matthew's here and i say, "ok, take over" it's a new story.  now all of a sudden he can't deal with the lack of sleep (mind you, he doesn't feed the baby. he just gives him the paci and says "sshhhhhh" a few times). i'm sick of the my-job-is-harder-than-your-job fight. it's old and annoying. 

funny church thing though. the priest who said mass is pretty good. his homily is never more than 5 min  he started off today's homily saying "yeah so i have to start with this funny thing. someone once told me that today's gospel is actually the reason why simon peter denies christ three times...it's because in this reading, jesus saved peter's mother-in-law from sickness"  everyone chuckled a little and of course i let out a belly laugh. definitely got some looks. 

not sure what we're going to eat today but i'm sure glad i ran 5 miles in order to combat it a little


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hopping on really quick -- Dennis informs me he needs the computer all afternoon to do church finances. I am going to be so glad if he steps down as treasurer when his term is over next year. This is interfering with my DIS time!

I walked 3M this morning -- part of my effort to move more. And I'm really going to need it, because Dennis came home with lemon squares, brownies, and amaretto drops from the bakery. Seriously?! After I just told you I had to be strict with my diet?! Like I can resist any of that...

He also decided the lasagna wasn't what he wanted, so he got a large pizza with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions and peppers. Let's just say today is pretty much a lost cause, and tomorrow is a fresh start....

Oh! and don't be scared *Beth* -- we really are a fun group , I'm just grousing because I have no willpower! 

Maria


----------



## camnhan

ok I know I am hijaking again but you guys are so motivating that I just wanted to brag a little...

I WALKED MY 5K TODAY IN 44:20~~
Took 7th place overall in walkers and was under a 15mm pace!

Considering I have had my A-- on the couch since I blew out my patella tendon the end of Sept and have not walked farther then my front door to the care  I was thrilled with that...

Hinting to DH that this is the start of my prep to do a Disney race
so we will see...

Now on another topic: in regards to the blocked milk duct 
I had this with my last child...asked my OB at one point to just cut off my B@@B because I was sooooooooooo miserable...that said. Hot compresses before I would try to pump or hand milking while taking a hot shower did provide some relief......as painful as it was...once I could get the milk to start to flow it felt SO much better even though I was crying my eyes out because of the initial pain.... hope this helps a little....


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Beth*--how are you? I think I might maybe have seen you briefly after the Princess. Is that possible? We'd love to have you if you would like to join us.

*Jen* (camnhan)--Congrats on your 5k today!

*Maria*--I hope you are having a good superbowl. I am not finding these announcers to be very exciting.

*Nancy*-- Congrats on those 5 miles! Did you run/walk or run the whole thing? I am impressed either way, but if you ran the whole way I am very impressed! I am up to about 3.1 running without stopping.  If you hadn't worn the inserts much before the 5 miles your foot is probably really feeling it. I'm sorry the "my job is harder than your job" stuff is going on. 

*Kathy*--omg, when I got to the part about your tracking list falling in the toilet . We have had nachos every day this weekend....that's all I'm going to say about that! 

Hi to the *2Lisas and Lindsay*.

*****
I had a good day. Ate too much, but I have a plan for next week, so hopefully the weekend weight won't stick around.

Have a great night!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- great job on the weight loss im glad the scale is going down and your hard work is now paying off. I remember ryan use to watch dumbo at least 5 times a wk when he was little. It is a very ssad movie.  I would really tell your friend how you feel, thats pretty crappy the way she is treating you. Oh and i cant believe jon bringing home a tv, were you ready to knock him out? I can tell u with ryan we would argue about who was goin to do the feedings and diaper changes because we both wanted to do everything. With nixck it was all on me. It was so irritating. We finally over past yr or two have finally gotten into roles that we are both happy about. There are still arguments but less frequent. We still argue about whos job is more important on days when the kids are sick or need to be somewhere earlier than normal. Hang in there and try your best to communicate with each other. Well go giants.....its been a good game so far.
Ok i have to reply in parts. Ive ben trying to respond all day but keep getting pulled away. So i will be back wit more soon.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisa h- i remember it took a good 2wks to feel recovered after the princess. Give yourself a little bit of time.  I am not a good swimmer either and i would be doggie paddleing right there with you.


Rose- i absolutely love the tutu you made. You will look awesome at the princess. 

Jen- great job on your 5k. You walk almost as fast as i run.

Kathy- its so hard going to a party with good food. I know once i get started its hard to stop. But your right today is a new day and it sounds like you are right back on track. I hope you are enjoying the game...so far the pats are ahead but not by much. This must be a real nail bitter for you ladies. I am cheering nuetrally tonight so since i told nancy...go giants now i will tell you go pats!

Oh and beth....please join us we always love a new addition.

Hi lisa and anyone else reading along. Maria i will brb with your replies shortly.


----------



## camnhan

So am wondering from some experienced runners....what is the expectation for recovery after a race? I can tell you right now after literally coming off the couch and walking a 44min 5K today that I am not going to be able to move in the morning!!!!  I can fell my lower back tightening up already tonight (roads are so poor for running/walking because we there is a slight grade down to the right so water runs off and I could tell by mile 2 in my hip that I was walking so unevenly)....

I really want to keep up the work since I am one that if I miss one day that will turn into 2 and so on and before I know it: months have went by and I have put on 10lbs...

So wondering...what is a realistic expectation for recover and keep training after a race...


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Ok last but not least
Maria- horray for movin up to c! Im sorry your not digging your team this challenge, i kinda felt like that last year too. I think donald hs a good group. Feel free to come join in with us. 
Woohoo on being so close to the 180's. I already peeked at the scale but i will make the pact of having a really good wk so i can stay out of the 2's and you can enter the 80's
im glad you are getting projects from the merger at least it is job security.
i hope you are enjoying the superbowl. Although its 2 min left and the giants r close to taking the lead soo im pretty sure your probably freaking out right now.


Ugh this game is so close its killing me. What did u all think about the performances? I think kelly clarkson did an awesome job and madonna was so so. I really hate lip syncing.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

There is no joy in Mudville 

And that's all I want to say about it, other than "Congratulations" to *Nancy*. I hope you enjoy your victory. Oh! And great job on the 5M, you are going to be leaving Usher in the dust before you know it! 

What I actually ate tonight: popcorn, shrimp with cocktail sauce, small bowl of chips with dip. All things considered, not bad on that front. No heart for dessert, not a bad thing though 

I'm staying home tomorrow, I just don't have it in me to go to work. I've been planning this anyway, so I will be able to run, eat well, and catch up the 

I'm off to bed -- just quickly -- *Rose* Your Tink skirt looks awesome, and so do you! I can't stand Chris Collingsworth. He has always been biased against the Patriots, and it shows in his "announcing". 

*Jen* -- For me recovery time has gotten better as I've become more experienced. After my first 2 Halfs I had to go back to the room and take a nap, and didn't move a lot for a couple of weeks. Now I can take a shower, rest for a half hour or so, and then go (slowly!) all night. For my next half I plan to run 3M the following weekend, but walk a lot in between. I think you feel better if you do move some the day of a race. Just walking to help get the lactic acid out of your muscles, and then keep walking until you are ready to run again. You will know when you are ready, you will just find yourself starting to go faster  Great job on your race! Do let your body tell you when you feel more recovered. Your muscles need to get used to all that movement! 

*Lindsay* -- I agree, Kelly Clarkson was great. The others -- yeah, not happy with anyone else who performed today  I thought many of Madonna's moves looked ridiculous. Could be part of my bad mood, though. Tomorrow I will be back to my cheery self. You'd think I played in that game, or it affected me in any way 

*Kathy* --  That's for Mike, I know you are just ready to go to bed 

*Lisah* -- You swam for 45 minutes?!  You are going to be one fit Mama! 

One of my buddies on another thread told me today that I haven't been happy with the BL for awhile, and she didn't know why until I mentioned all the 1200 calorie a day people who aren't necessarily much for exercise. She brought to my attention that their paradigm and mine are so different, it's no wonder I feel like I don't fit in. Plus, I feel like the thread has kind of been taken over by a few people who have set a tone that isn't productive for me -- so no wonder I'm just not feeling it. I think I'm going to bow out, assuming ya'll will still let me post here...

Okay, to sleep, perchance to dream....

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Worfiedoodles said:


> Hopping on really quick -- Dennis informs me he needs the computer all afternoon to do church finances. I am going to be so glad if he steps down as treasurer when his term is over next year. This is interfering with my DIS time!
> 
> I walked 3M this morning -- part of my effort to move more. And I'm really going to need it, because Dennis came home with lemon squares, brownies, and amaretto drops from the bakery. Seriously?! After I just told you I had to be strict with my diet?! Like I can resist any of that...
> 
> He also decided the lasagna wasn't what he wanted, so he got a large pizza with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions and peppers. Let's just say today is pretty much a lost cause, and tomorrow is a fresh start....
> 
> Oh! and don't be scared *Beth* -- we really are a fun group  I'm just grousing because I have no willpower!



amaretto drops? please describe. the lemon drops i could skip as i don't like to "ruin" my sweets with fruit flavors.  but brownies? yeah, i'd have about a million of those.

i think today is a fresh start for ALOT of us trying to lose weight. it's just way too easy to shovel down lots of food...and beer 



camnhan said:


> ok I know I am hijaking again but you guys are so motivating that I just wanted to brag a little...
> 
> I WALKED MY 5K TODAY IN 44:20~~
> Took 7th place overall in walkers and was under a 15mm pace!
> 
> Considering I have had my A-- on the couch since I blew out my patella tendon the end of Sept and have not walked farther then my front door to the care  I was thrilled with that...
> 
> Hinting to DH that this is the start of my prep to do a Disney race
> so we will see...
> 
> Now on another topic: in regards to the blocked milk duct
> I had this with my last child...asked my OB at one point to just cut off my B@@B because I was sooooooooooo miserable...that said. Hot compresses before I would try to pump or hand milking while taking a hot shower did provide some relief......as painful as it was...once I could get the milk to start to flow it felt SO much better even though I was crying my eyes out because of the initial pain.... hope this helps a little....



you are SO not hijacking! come join us 

nice job on the 5k! 15 mm pace when walking? that's really great! i can't walk that fast at all. i think a disney race is definitely in your future!

thanks for the sympathy on the b@@b issue. i've had blocked milk ducts before and they are terrible. but this infection was nasty. it looked like i was growing a third nipple  it is SO much better now and you're right - hot compresses were the best remedy! i kept a hot rag on there practically all day and...even more tmi coming....managed to squeeze out a TON of puss  omg. it was disgusting and i almost passed out from the pain but it's improved and almost 100% shoo!



Rose&Mike said:


> *Nancy*-- Congrats on those 5 miles! Did you run/walk or run the whole thing? I am impressed either way, but if you ran the whole way I am very impressed! I am up to about 3.1 running without stopping.  If you hadn't worn the inserts much before the 5 miles your foot is probably really feeling it. I'm sorry the "my job is harder than your job" stuff is going on.
> 
> *yes, i did run the whole time except for when i stopped once to try to find a more comfortable position for my foot. ouch! i hope the blister heals quickly and doesn't get worse when i run again. i guess inserts need to be broken in too?
> 
> thanks for the hug. the stupid fight is so frustrating!*
> 
> *Kathy*--omg, when I got to the part about your tracking list falling in the toilet . We have had nachos every day this weekend....that's all I'm going to say about that!
> 
> *yeah, the toilet drop was a sign to just call it a day with the food. it's super bowl weekend. there's just no way to track all the stuff that goes into the belly!*
> 
> I had a good day. Ate too much, but I have a plan for next week, so hopefully the weekend weight won't stick around.
> 
> Have a great night!



the important part is that a plan is in place! i need to sit this morning and write out a list and a meal plan for the week, especially after derailing so bad yesterday!




mommyof2Pirates said:


> Nancy- great job on the weight loss im glad the scale is going down and your hard work is now paying off. I remember ryan use to watch dumbo at least 5 times a wk when he was little. It is a very ssad movie.  I would really tell your friend how you feel, thats pretty crappy the way she is treating you. Oh and i cant believe jon bringing home a tv, were you ready to knock him out? I can tell u with ryan we would argue about who was goin to do the feedings and diaper changes because we both wanted to do everything. With nixck it was all on me. It was so irritating. We finally over past yr or two have finally gotten into roles that we are both happy about. There are still arguments but less frequent. We still argue about whos job is more important on days when the kids are sick or need to be somewhere earlier than normal. Hang in there and try your best to communicate with each other. Well go giants.....its been a good game so far.
> Ok i have to reply in parts. Ive ben trying to respond all day but keep getting pulled away. So i will be back wit more soon.



i feel like the "job" fight is something alot of people have. it's just really annoying. it's not like either of us is going to say, "yeah, you're right. my life is super easy and yours is very hard. you win." psh, like that will ever happen! 

i spoke to my friend yesterday but didn't cover any of the things i wanted to talk about. she is kind of manic or something. she talks. alot. like, i could put the phone down, use the bathroom, and pick the phone back up and she'd still be talking about who knows what. i told her i was ready to watch the game and she just kept right on talking during the opening ceremony. finally at kickoff i was like, "oh no! thomas just spilled my beer all over the floor! gotta go!"  




camnhan said:


> So am wondering from some experienced runners....what is the expectation for recovery after a race? I can tell you right now after literally coming off the couch and walking a 44min 5K today that I am not going to be able to move in the morning!!!!  I can fell my lower back tightening up already tonight (roads are so poor for running/walking because we there is a slight grade down to the right so water runs off and I could tell by mile 2 in my hip that I was walking so unevenly)....
> 
> I really want to keep up the work since I am one that if I miss one day that will turn into 2 and so on and before I know it: months have went by and I have put on 10lbs...
> 
> So wondering...what is a realistic expectation for recover and keep training after a race...



don't they say something like 1 day recovery per mile of the race? something like that. it sounds to me like you need to be STRETCHING more! after the princess half last year i was SO tight and it's totally because i didn't stretch afterwards. maaaaaybe because i was just interested in my frozen margarita after the race  

keep loose if you can and recovery will be easier and quicker. easier said than done because i know i just want to lay on the couch after a run!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Ugh this game is so close its killing me. What did u all think about the performances? I think kelly clarkson did an awesome job and madonna was so so. I really hate lip syncing.



i thought kelly clarkson did great. the kids choir in the background is what i could do without. i have a thing against precocious kids. there were some kids in that choir over-acting with their facial expressions and it was annoying. lol. the weirdest things bother me. 

madonna...meh, love her but i thought the show was pretty boring. i missed where that singer m.i.a. gave the camera the finger. what is wrong with people? oh, i'm on national television, i think i'll flick everyone off. dumba$$.



Worfiedoodles said:


> One of my buddies on another thread told me today that I haven't been happy with the BL for awhile, and she didn't know why until I mentioned all the 1200 calorie a day people who aren't necessarily much for exercise. She brought to my attention that their paradigm and mine are so different, it's no wonder I feel like I don't fit in. Plus, I feel like the thread has kind of been taken over by a few people who have set a tone that isn't productive for me -- so no wonder I'm just not feeling it. I think I'm going to bow out, assuming ya'll will still let me post here...
> 
> Okay, to sleep, perchance to dream....
> 
> Maria



wait, you have OTHER friends besides us???? 

haha, just kidding. i agree with that friend though. in fact, during my five miler yesterday i was actually thinking about the folks on the mickey thread. i was thinking about how i could nicely say to them that walking 1 mile just wasn't going to get them anywhere without sounding really mean. look, i don't think they need to run 5 miles a day in order to lose but going to the mall and counting those steps as exercise just isn't going to cut it unless they are like 400 lbs which i don't think any of them are. so last night when i read your post i knew what you were talking about. i have been trying to keep my calories low but know that i need calories to fuel my training as well. anywho, don't feel bad about not being into the mickey thread. i'm not a big fan of it. i don't have too much to say in way of replying to people and i don't want to be one of "those people" who gives a blow by blow about every single thing they did today, "i took my kid to basketball and then i watched my kid play basketball and now we are home and i am going to do laundry and then i'm gong to fold said laundry and then we are going to watch some lame-o random disney movie and then we are going to watch something else and then i'm going to go to the kitchen and clean the countertop and then get out the ingredients for dinner and then i'm going to chop the ingredients and then i'm going to cook that dinner and then i'm going to clean up after dinner and then i'm going to look at my pedometer and see that i walked 4,000 steps today and then i will go to sleep in my pink jammies." ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz

i can only read so many of those a day. i like to hear about my princess and tinkerlisas days because i WANT to know. some of them? i just don't want to know.

.....says the gal who just shared WAY too much about my lady-parts. 

*kathy* did you wind up waking michael up or did he sleep on the couch. i know he's 10 and a big boy and all but he is so cute! what a precious guy. 

*hi lisas!*

****************
good morning everyone 

history was made last night. what? you think i'm talking about the giants win? nope. i'm talking about how even my husband watched the game last night with interest and even cheered at the end!  he actually asked questions and tried to understand what was going on! wow. i'm rubbing off on him! i think it was the new tv. it's a 37" which isn't like SO big but it's too big for the room. i asked john if he was planning on going full fledged ghetto and return the tv after the game   it was pretty funny at the end of the game when the two of us where jumping up and down and whispering our screams since the little guys where both asleep.

need to get back on the healthy eating wagon today. who is with me?? last night was pretty bad. meal planning today for sure and going to kickboxing later tonight. 

so which was your favorite commercial?? mine was the VW one that started with the dog getting in shape and then it cut to the star wars cantina bar scene. loved that one


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies, and congratulations *NANCY*!!!  Your stinking Giants ate 'em up.  And that's all I'll say on the subject because I feel for you *Maria*.

I gotta say, I have never been a big sports fan, enjoyed the occassional red sox game before I had ds, and took nephew to a pats game once, but this year, I have really enjoyed watching these games.  Maybe it was ds playing football, but I have not totally put my heart and soul into the Pats like many of my other family/friends, who I would not want to visit today.  Last night a couple times, Mike was talking to me during the game, and I'm like "hello, I'm watching the game.  You got me into this football, and you can not interrupt during this play"    He is ok with the outcome and fell asleep before the end of the game.  He had made a bet with a friend at school, if the Giants won, he had to paint his nails pink, and dress like a girl.  And I think he was a little happy about it.  Couldn't wait to put on my pink exercise pants, pink t-shirt with the princess tiara on it, and a princess baseball cap.   I don't think I should be worried yet.  He didn't borrow any of my underwear. 

*Maria*-Enjoy your day off, and take ample time to relax, read a good book, take a bath.  You did great with eating yesterday.  I ate a sundae big enough for two to make up for you not having dessert.    Today is a new day, and after you relax a bit, time to get back on the train to Princessville!!!!  

*Nancy*-What a night!!  I am ready to get right back on track this morning.  When I think about all I ate yesterday, I didn't do nearlly as bad as I could have, and we didn't eat any of the fruit I had cut up for the game, since we ended up eating dinner late at the start of the game, so I have that ready for the week.  Back on track, BABY!  We can do this!!!  Oh, and I did wake michael because he was on the floor because Poko and I were on the couch.   I'm such a good mama.  Congrats on 5 miles!  You rock!!

*Jen*-COngrats on your first 5k!!  THat is an awesome time!!  The major thing for me that helps after pushing really hard in a race is to stretch soon after.  I didn't stretch after my first race because I was so excited, and i was so stiff the next day.  

*Rose*-It is a good day to start with a fresh plan, isn't it.  I definitey do not feel as though I have been depriving myself.  My weekend weight gain was 1.8 pounds, so I'm determined to see it gone on friday.  4 days, we can do this!!  Oh and i love, love, love the tutu.  So cute.

*Lisah*-Have you recovered from your swim?  Hope you had a very nice relaxing sunday!!

*LisaR*-Hello there.  Hope all is well in your winter wonderland.

*Lindsay*-Hello coach!!  Great job over on Donald.  We do have a good group there. 

Have a fabulous day everyone!!!


----------



## mikamah

Oh, forgot to say Hi Beth!! Are you lurking today!!  Come on and post, you know you want to.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses, Belles, Donalds and Mickeys and whatever else we are calling ourselves these days!  

*Maria,* a big  and  for being in corral C!  I know that you are going to see that new decade before the Princess and have an absolutely fantastic time at the Princess! 

*Rose,* I love the tutu!    It's so sparkly and ethereal -- you will just be floating on air while you are running!  The WISH bondibands are great.  

*Nancy,* so glad that the parts are getting better!   And running 5 miles with a blister -- you are a trouper!    Take it easy and give yourself a chance to heal everything up.   

*Kathy,* hope you don't get a call from the school today about your child's attire!  

*Jen,* congrats on your 5K!    My advice for recovery is to rest but don't do nothing -- a little movement is going to help.   

Yoo hoo! *Beth!* Don't be shy!  You know that you want to join us and you and *Kathy* need to start making plans for WDW in January 2013!  

*Lindsay,* great job coaching the Donalds this week!  

*Lisa,* how are you feeling?   How's that post-race letdown? 

Mine's kicked in pretty hard and I have a lot going on this week at work.  So I'm in the wagon with *Nancy* and putting on my big girl panties and dealing with it!  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> Oh, forgot to say Hi Beth!! Are you lurking today!!  Come on and post, you know you want to.



*Beth! Beth! Beth!*

Come on! I want to tell you how beautiful and grown up your lovely daughter is looking when I see her pictures on FB as posted by her proud Auntie!


----------



## liesel

Good morning princesses, winos, mickeys, donalds, tinks, etc...wait, what's the name for people doing the DL half?  And the new TOT 10 miler?


*Kathy* Ok, you made me laugh  twice, once for your tracking paper falling into the toilet and again when you described Mike's bet with his friend.  Today is definitely a new day!

*Nancy* Congrats on your team winning, it was an exciting game!  I am glad the lady parts are doing better and your description of explaining the game to John made me laugh as well.  I hope you are enjoying the new TV!  Was there a really good deal at Costco?  I loved your detailed description of what some tend to write, I don't feel like going into that much detail on the BL threads either!  I definitely felt not a part of things during the summer when it seemed like there was a lot of that going on instead of conversation.  I stopped posting there for a while, but it didn't stop me from working on my fitness goals!  I'm so grateful to all of you for taking me in here, I've learned so much from all of you!  Way to go on the 5 miles, you rock!

I had to go back and copy the Krakatoa Punch description from the All Ears website, it was very yummy, not too sweet and not too strong (I don't think I could have handled something really strong at that point!).

Krakatoa Punch - There's no escaping falling in lava with this exotic eruption of flavor! 
-- Reserve and Spiced Rums, Tropical Juices, Orgeat (Almond) Syrup, Sam's Gorilla Grog, and Hibiscus Grenadine. Served in a souvenir Tiki Glass.




*Maria* (and *Nancy*) You could always join the Donald thread, we've got Dona, Pamela, Shawn, Karen, JenA, and some very fun new people.  I peeked on the Mickey thread and it looks like the Donald one is much more conversational.  It definitely moves fast, its hard for me to keep up sometimes.  I saw where people were discussing only eating 1200 calories a day, but then when they listed their food, it was definitely more than that!  I'm glad I have all of you around that are in it for the long haul!   for your team losing, I hope you have a productive day at home.  Congrats on corral C, you are going to rock the Princess!

About the cookies, this is a new troop, our first meeting was in December.  There have been no goals set like camp, etc.  We aren't even doing booth sales because they felt it would be too much for them right now.  They just feel that we should be doing better with selling cookies.


*Maria and Rose* You are going to have lots of fun with Dagny, she's a fun person.  I'm sorry I didn't get to spend more time with fellow WISHers over the weekend, what a great group!

*Rose* I love the tutu!  You look fantastic, you seem to look younger every time I see a picture of you!  I'm sure part of it is not feeling so cruddy anymore.  Congrats on the 13.1 miles, I'm glad you are feeling better.

*Lindsay*  on being back in onderland for good this time!  I hate the "who has the harder job" fight too.  I haven't done that one in a long time, but I realized that all I wanted was acknowledgement that I work hard too, being a SAHM doesn't mean I sit around all day.  A few years ago, Dan and I had a pedometer contest.  He is active at work, he takes the stairs, he has 15 people under him so he is walking around talking to them, etc.  His company also has 4 office buildings so he often walks between them visiting different projects.  He was convinced that he takes way more steps in a day than me, with two small kids that weren't yet in school, doing laps around the house.  We each wore a pedometer on one of our typical days and could not count exercise, just regular activity.  I beat him by over 1000 steps (I'm sure a few of those were carrying kids too!)!  He could not believe it.  I think that is what finally changed his mind about what I do all day.

*LisaH*  on swimming.  I hope your recovery is going well otherwise.

*Welcome Jen*  Great job on the 5K, you'll be training for a Disney race in no time.  I was sore for 4 days after my first 5K in many years last May.  My last 5K was on Thanksgiving and I felt fine the next day, just like a normal workout day, so you will definitely be less sore as your fitness improves.

*Hello Beth!*  Come and say hi!


I am down to 205.5, inching closer to onderland.  I purposely only purchased OP foods before the snowstorm so we wouldn't be snowed in with lots of temptation, which was great.  Then we went to my parents house for the super bowl and I had a small bowl of chili and lots of snacks.  We did have the yummy goat cheese salad for lunch yesterday (baked rounds of goat cheese dipped in a little egg and bread crumbs with mixed greens, walnuts, apples, and balsamic vinagrette).  I think I am still at the same weight as yesterday, but I think I am still losing some water from the race, travelling, tom, etc.  I am feeling a little better (stupid cold) and I want to ease back into exercise.  I feel like I'm only doing half the work without it!  I haven't been sore from the Tink since Tuesday and have been raring to go all this time.  I think I'm going to start with the Wii fit today and maybe do some elliptical and Zumba this week.  Its way too icy to run outside and it will take a couple of weeks at least for the sidewalks and roads to get better.  Yuck!  I may do a short TM workout this weekend.

I'm going to write about the Tink in a separate post, this one is getting too long and too tempting for the poof fairy!


----------



## liesel

I had a fantastic weekend!  I think I spent too much time being nervous about my first half and having to travel for it.  I really tried to make an effort to put the jitters aside and just enjoy the whole experience, but the nerves occasionally creeped in there.

We arrived Friday morning and went to the beach for lunch and some much needed ocean time.  Then it was time to drag the kids away to check in to the hotel and go to the expo.  When I called Hojo's the night before, I found out that our kids suite reservation had been accidently changed, most likely when I called to get a new rate-they have been offering 25% off to race participants on race weekends.  We were moved to the King suite, which was still 2 rooms, but much larger at 700 square feet.  The downside was that the kids had to share a sofa bed instead of having their own bunk beds and no POTC theming.  I said that we were disappointed, but we could make it work if they gave us a rollaway so the kids could sleep separately (trust me, its better for everyone if they don't have to share a bed!  ).  The GM gave us a rollaway for free and knocked our room rate down to $99 a night!    This is a $200 room so I was very happy.  Plus we had an awesome view of the fireworks!  The kids suite rooms face the freeway instead of DL, their only shortcoming.

With all that straightened out we headed to the expo.  We walked from Hojo's, which is on the other side of the DL resort, to the DL hotel.  This involved walking through security and not going into DL, which was tough for the kids.  We went through packet pick up and were listening to a speaker when Lisa arrived!  It was awesome to finally meet her!  We explored the expo, and just when I thought we could leave and sneak in some DL time, my MIL arrived.  We originally were going to have lunch with them, then they made other plans.  Then we were going to meet at the expo earlier, then they went to visit someone else (this becomes a theme).  My FIL was tired and opted to rest.  She really did enjoy the expo and all the samples.  We decided to sit down for a few minutes and let her rest.  Then the kids made signs to cheer me and themselves on and Dan had to check in with work for a few minutes.  By the time this was all done and we had posed for pictures, it was time to walk all the way back to the hotel and meet for dinner.  We trekked through security again without going into DL, put our bags in our room, and met them for dinner.  We opted to eat at a Mexican restaurant close to my BIL's church (he's a priest and his chuch is only 2 miles from DL).  The place is owned by a couple of his parishoners and every time he brings family to eat there, they don't charge us.  We leave big tips, though!  This time he wasn't with us so we paid ourselves, they are so great to us.  This was the most food I ate the whole weekend, my appetite diminished as the race got closer.


Saturday was an early day too, kids race time!  We walked across the resort, trekked through security AGAIN without going into DL, and lined up outside the side DCA gate in DTD to go through security AGAIN to get in to the park for the race.  This time security gave us a hard time for bringing signs with us, the ones we made at the expo!  They gave us the materials!  Anyway, the gates didn't open until 7:15 and the race started at 8:00.  We waited in the long line to get in.  We told my inlaws to just park in the parking structure because the tram drop off was right in front of where we were meeting and they wouldn't have to walk.  They didn't want to pay so they parked at DTD.  Only the first 3 hours is free, then 2 more with validation, after that its way more than the parking structure, plus they had to walk!  It ended up costing them $1 more than the structure, the CM took pity on them and gave them the validated fee since they did spend money there.  But they still had to walk all that way.  ANYWAY, they weren't where we were supposed to meet them, we called, they were running late.  It was eventually our turn to go through security and we said we couldn't wait any longer we needed to get the kids to the staging area.  They put the kids in line at Soarin' then took a group at a time and sent them on their way.  I quickly cut through the park and saw Luke run by in front of the little mermaid, then booked it to the finish in time to see him go by.  There were pirates cheering them on, including Lisa's famous pirate of 2 parks, he really was everywhere!  It was well organized and the kids had a blast!  Luke finished in 10:14 and Ella ran with Dan and finished in 11:12.  Luke barely broke a sweat, he was busy waving at the crowds, the brightroom pics are pretty funny.  They both said they want to do another Disney race.  I discovered the inlaws and BIL at the finish, they did make it in time to see them, which was good.  I had decided to focus on just watching the kids and enjoying the race instead of worrying if they made it.

After a rest and snack, we went over to DL, had Mickey Mouse pancakes, and enjoyed the park.  The inlaws decided to leave at 3, they wanted to go back to BIL's place and rest and they wanted to go to church at 5:30.  We told them we couldn't go with them since I had the WISH meet and I had to eat an early dinner and couldn't wait that long.  Looking back, it seems like a strange decision to go to church instead of spending more time with the grandkids you barely see, but Dan and I were expecting this, that's how they are, just gotta roll with it.

We went over to DCA and soon it was time for me to go to the WISH meet in DTD.  I had an awesome time meeting everyone.  We were standing, though, and my feet hurt from the parks.  I also had to leave so we could go meet a friend of mine for dinner.  I would have liked to stay more, everyone was so nice.  We were a little late meeting my friend, we opted to meet her at her mom's house so I could say hi to her too (her mom was my girl scout leader when I was young and way nicer than what I'm dealing with now!).  We opted not to go to our friends' Italian restaurant since it was farther away and I wanted to get as much rest as I could and instead went to a place closer to DL.  I had never been there before and it was amazing!  Unfortunately it came with a 45 minute wait, which ended up giving me a sore back from standing in one place for a while.  I should have sat in the car for a few minutes.  I had wanted to make a reservation for Saturday dinner, but couldn't since I wasn't sure what my inlaws would do, next time I will just make plans anyway, I was trying to be flexible, grr...  Okay, moving on!  I had a great visit with my friend, the nerves started increasing, I only ate half my dinner (yummy spaghetti and meatballs and salad), we went back to the hotel and got there just in time to see the fireworks.  Beautiful!  Then it was on to my sleepless night.

I'll continue this in another post.  Next is race day!

(this is my first TR, mini or otherwise so I hope its not too boring!)


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*LisaR* -- I am loving your mini TR -- it is great! I can feel your frustations with the ILs, like they just can't quite get it...but glad they got to see the kids race! 

Just popping on to say I did 4M, and now I'm focused on  What a great break to read about LisaR's race! 

I can hear Spock snoring across the room -- who knew cats could be so loud? 

Maria


----------



## liesel

On to the big day!  I slept about 3 hours, then tossed around for another hour until it was time to take my thyroid medication and then wait around some more before I can eat.  I got ready and was on my way!  When I stepped outside I immediately noticed that it was already warmer than my warmest run since I was out there back in October.  It was going to be a hot day!  A couple of runners were in the lobby asking about transportation.  Some places had listed the hotel as being a shuttle stop (it normally is) and some had said we were too close and had to walk.  No shuttle, so we were walking (I had planned for this, no big deal).  I walked slowly because I had practically sprinted to a race (and back to the car, and back to the start!)back in August in the heat and totally paid for it during the race.  So on the Tink thread we had all discussed a shortcut to the starting line, cutting through the GCH (Lisa's hotel).  When I got to the spot, there was a security guard making us all take the long way.  Curses!  I passed the red hat ladies, who were so wonderful and already set up along the race course and finally made it to the starting area.  No WISHers in sight, I checked my bag with my throwaway clothes-I was already warm, used the portapotties, then checked the time.  5:12 and they wanted us in our corral at 5:15!  I texted Lisa that I was on my way and she met me in C.  We chatted and looked at our phones and saw everyone's well wishes, it was so awesome to see all of that right at the race, it was like you were all there with us!  Lisa settled my nerves and told me that I would not see the sweepers, she was right as always.  Soon it was time to be off!

I knew on my first interval that I was going to have to go slower then planned, with all the illness, shin splins, then banging my toe on Thursday, my training hadn't been consistent enough at the end.  My hip was also bothering me a little, it never had before!  I think it was from the standing and walking I had done before the race.  I went at a pace where I felt comfortable the whole race and really got to take in the experience.  I also really wanted to make sure I had enough at the end.  I took it easy on the hills, ran past the hotel, and soon was in DL.  Lots of backstage, then we went down Main St.  I stopped and tried a few pics, but it was pretty dark.  I hit the 5K mat by Big Thunder, slowest 5K time ever!  There was a long line for Jack Sparrow, but just past him were 4 pirates with no line, poor guys!  They were yelling, does anyone want to take a picture with us!  I didn't want to stop at that point since I spent so much time making my way through DL, but I high fived them.  I thought of all of you out there tracking us and sent well wishes everyone's way every time I hit a mat.  Soon we were out to DTD, cheered on by Nancy and Tom (podcasters) and then the totally awesome red hat ladies.  

Once I was at about mile 5 and back out on the roads it was time to start picking up my pace.  This was the best stretch of the race for me, I was feeling really good and the crowds and entertainment was great.  I was starting to go though lots of water and powerade and was going through my water bottle faster than expected.  I decided to start taking more at the aid stations.  I did notice lots of people around me suffering at this point and was glad I didn't go out too fast.  Around mile 7.5 the heat really started bothering me and I was running low on water.  I called Dan to see if he had an extra bottle with him, I knew they were cheering me at around mile 8.5.  He didn't, but offered to run back to the hotel and grab one.  I told him not to worry, I would just stop at the next aid station and get more water.  I saw Dan and the kids at mile 8.5, which was wonderful.  I high fived them and was soon at an aid station.  I drank yet more water.  I know I had gels twice by about this point but I can't for the life of me remember when!  I continued on and was soon hot again.  The 15K point was the Cliff shot station and it was an extended aid station with medical aid, cliff shots, water, and powerade.  I hit the 15K mat, mentally said hi to my BL friends, then walked through the entire station taking my gels and this wonderful guy refilled my water bottle.  I also dumped water on my head, it took me this long to remember to do that!  By the end I was feeling better and ready to go again.

Entertainment highlights on this portion of the race included an army rock band (they were dressed in their fatigue pants and black t shirts) and hula dancers.  As we got closer to DCA, the crowds increased.  Since there were no spectators in the parks, the best energy was definitely just outside the parks.  At this point (mile 11) I started seeing people who had finished the race out there cheering, wearing their medals.  I know they meant well and it was so great to them, but I really didn't want to see the medal until I had finished!

Then it was onto DCA, the last aid station was at the entrance, and I had enough water to finish.  I ran past Soarin' and thought about my kids doing their race yesterday, then ran past the GCH, thought of Lisa, and hoped that she wasn't tempted to go straight to her room when she got to this point.  I then had this delusional mile 12 thought to abandon my interval that had been working well for me and walk 2 minutes and then run a half a mile.  No, it didn't go so well, I was actually slower, always trust Jeff Galloway!  During this part is also when I got choked up, I couldn't believe I was doing this!  As we exited the backstage area (after seeing the Luna bar people which Lisa did a great job describing-they did have great energy!), we came upon crowds of people almost at the finish.  I saw fellow WISHer Wendy, Dan and the kids, and I guess my friend was there but I missed her, I really focused on finishing at this point.  When I hit mile 13, I started my sprint to the end, rounded a corner, and hit a wall of ladies walking across the course.  I tried to get around a few people to finish strong, but it proved difficult so I accepted that I would be crossing the finish line a little slower than I had wanted and finished!

I'll continue more later, I need to be productive today too!  Thanks for reading!


----------



## camnhan

What a fantastic trip you had!! I sooooooooo can't wait to report in on a Disney race...we will see

Have been dying all day! I am so sore!! I knew I was pushing it the entire race yesterday but the whole 16 mm pace thing really had be freaked out so I wanted to see how far off I would be...i tried to get up from my desk every half hour to just walk someplace and about thought I was going to have to call one of the guys to help me out of my chair

On a bummer note: final WW weigh in was today...up another half pound my own fault because I have done nothing but eat everything in front of me until I am ready to puke!! Am up 12 lbs since Oct...dumb a!! Sad that they are not doing WW at work anylonger because when I really tracked and paid attention I was on a steady downward weight slope! Had lost 25 lbs....
So it is time to get over it and back on track....172 even today and all downhill from now on! 

Can't wait to get our TM back in place...we moved Jan 1 and are still waiting for papers to be finalized and the guy to get the rest of his stuff our of the house [long long LONG story]  as soon as we can call this home then the TM is back up and some serious walking can begin. 

So goal for the week....track points honestly and get back into sometype of an exercise routine.

Can't wait to do some serious training with you guys...have some local races that I am looking at doing so here we go!


----------



## camnhan

are you all tired of me yet

how far out did you plan to run your Disney race? Months? Yrs? Weeks?
just curious as it seems like a lot of planning for trip is required not to mention training


----------



## Worfiedoodles

camnhan said:


> are you all tired of me yet
> 
> how far out did you plan to run your Disney race? Months? Yrs? Weeks?
> just curious as it seems like a lot of planning for trip is required not to mention training



For my first Disney Half, I started training a year in advance. I knew I had never walked or run that far before, and I wanted to get in the best shape I could to try the 16MM pace (at over 200 lbs, I knew this would be a challenge), which also freaked me out! Now that I've been doing them awhile, I kind of do one and then figure out the next one. We've pretty much decided I can afford to do one Disney race per year, so that narrows my options. When it comes to the races closer to home, I have a lot more flexibility. I hear about a race coming up (I check on coolrunnings.com for something that will fit our schedule), and decide from there. It helps that my dh (Dennis) is a runner, so he is always looking for races and will suggest something to me. Or, one of my lovely buddies on this thread might suggest something they did previously, or think about doing in the future. 

As far as training goes, I've been at this for awhile, so I'm probably not the best example. My typical weekend LR (long run) is 10M, so it doesn't take a lot for me to ramp up to a Half. For my first, I religiously followed Marathoning for Mortals, and it was a huge help! I think the training schedule was actually 16 weeks?  Anyway, I used the months before that to get used to moving 3 days a week, do some crosstraining (which I've pretty much given up but really should do ), and read everything I could (that's the type of learner I am). The DIS was a huge help! I asked so many questions, I'm sure I drove people crazy!  But I still didn't ask enough, and made a ton of rookie mistakes. I won't make them again, so I think they were valuable lessons.  I still try to read whatever I can find, and if I don't know something, I ask  I have no illusions I am fast, it took me forever to get under 3:00 for a Half, and I'm sure I'll never see under 2:30. But that's ok, I'm not trying to win, I'm strictly doing this for me! 

I think the younger and fitter you are, generally the faster you can recover, and the less training you need before you start. Rose's college-aged son could probably throw a Half next weekend, and he'd be sore, but I bet he could do it. 

It took me a long time to learn about what works for me for nutrition, and racing conditions. It's so personal, you really have to experiment and learn as you go. 

But it is worth it and so much fun. I will say this -- I think Disney is the cadillac of Half marathons. They offer so much and it is so well-organized, I have yet to encounter anything else that has the incredible level of runner support. I think Disney is the perfect venue for a first time Half marathoner 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

hello ladies-

*maria and nancy* I really know what you are saying about team mickey I remember thinking the same thing last year too.  Like if I had to hear the play by play about the daily happenings I was going to scream.  Really I think before you totally give up come join donald...who cares if your hopping teams.  Kathy, Lisa, and I have a good group going over there.  Most everyone is chatting and replying to each other.  oh and nancy my day would not be the same if you didnt tell us about the poop in the cullen household or the issues of your ****s.  I definitely want to hear what you all are doing everyday but I agree other people just dont seem as interesting.  We just have a great bunch here.

*Rose*- I think you mentioned too how you dont feel like you fit in.  I think everyone could benefit from your experiences and how not easy it is to maintain but you are doing one heck of a job at it.

Ok enough of the BL commerical advertisment.....onto more important stuff.

*Nancy*- I bet your grandpop was celebrating last night.  What a game that was.

*maria*- I know how you feel being on the loosing end of the SB.  We did that a number of years back and it is just a horrible feeling.  I think i may have cried.  I hope by tomorrow you will be feeling better about it.

*Kathy*- I sure hope you took pics of Mike today.  That is so funny.  Glad he didnt borrow your undies.

*Lisa*- your trip sounds just perfect....minus the inlaw issues.  Why cant inlaws be normal??????  I cant wait to read the finish.

*LisaH*- oh the post race let down....it is always made worse adding in the disney let down with it.  I think i was depressed through may last year.  Glad you got on the big girl undies today...you will be back on the wagon before you know it.

*Jen*- sorry about the gain you had.  WW works so good but it is all about the tracking.  I hope that you are able to find another meeting or at least follow it on your own.  I know you can do it.  
I took about 9 months to train for the princess.  But I agree with maria who said it really depends on your current exercise status and sometimes your age as to how quickly you can get yourself up there in the miles.  

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

Had ryans conference tonight and basically he is still struggling to focus but the teacher is trying to help him by moving him to quiet areas when she sees he is having great difficulty.  We will continue to do more at home like smaller reading assignments so they are not overwhelming, keeping things structured, getting good rest, etc.  Overall he is doing satisfactory but this is the toughest time of year and she is afraid he is having trouble keeping up.  We are also going to try more positive reinforcement....he gets lots of it but we have been giving punishments for notes sent home of him not paying attention and I am thinking since it is very hard for him to control that is not the best approach.  This is quite the learing process and quite frustrating but we are doing our best to try to help him develop.

I tried to go online to do my taxes but I failed at my password to many times and now I am locked out of the system.  How irritating.  So I guess I will hold off on that until tomorrow.

Tomorrow is Zumba and since I havent been there the past few saturdays I have really been missing it.  I was doing moves at work today but the girls were looking at me funny so I cant wait to go tomorrow to shake my booty.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisaR* what a great weekend you had. and oh so typical of lovely in-laws to screw up the best laid plans. how fun for the kids to do the race! how old do they have to be to run? what an exciting and memorable thing for them and i LOVE the idea of getting the whole family involved for the race weekend! 

i'm so proud of you. you did great! and we were right there as you passed each 5k marker too cheering you on! how funny that you saw the pirate guy too! he's famous.

it's nice that you didn't have to take a bus to the race from your hotel but it seems like the walk was pretty far. i didn't like that about the princess race. i thought they should have added that walking distance to the 13.1 miles 



camnhan said:


> What a fantastic trip you had!! I sooooooooo can't wait to report in on a Disney race...we will see
> 
> Have been dying all day! I am so sore!! I knew I was pushing it the entire race yesterday but the whole 16 mm pace thing really had be freaked out so I wanted to see how far off I would be...i tried to get up from my desk every half hour to just walk someplace and about thought I was going to have to call one of the guys to help me out of my chair
> 
> On a bummer note: final WW weigh in was today...up another half pound my own fault because I have done nothing but eat everything in front of me until I am ready to puke!! Am up 12 lbs since Oct...dumb a!! Sad that they are not doing WW at work anylonger because when I really tracked and paid attention I was on a steady downward weight slope! Had lost 25 lbs....
> So it is time to get over it and back on track....172 even today and all downhill from now on!
> 
> Can't wait to get our TM back in place...we moved Jan 1 and are still waiting for papers to be finalized and the guy to get the rest of his stuff our of the house [long long LONG story]  as soon as we can call this home then the TM is back up and some serious walking can begin.
> 
> So goal for the week....track points honestly and get back into sometype of an exercise routine.
> 
> Can't wait to do some serious training with you guys...have some local races that I am looking at doing so here we go!



sorry about being sore and the weight gain. it's a total bummer. we're all trying to lose weight here so you're in good company. in fact, our *lisaH* was the biggest loser in the last challenge!

tracking everything is really the best way to lose. i know it is...i just need to make sure i do it too! 



camnhan said:


> are you all tired of me yet
> 
> how far out did you plan to run your Disney race? Months? Yrs? Weeks?
> just curious as it seems like a lot of planning for trip is required not to mention training



nope, not tired of ya 

i've only done one disney race so far. it was in feb '11 and i started running in june '10. i think i decided to do the race sometime in august '10. so, a few months. i am planning on the marathon in jan '13 and have been planning on doing that for a long time. in fact, it's almost 11 months away which means i'll be booking my DVC stay soon! 



Worfiedoodles said:


> For my first Disney Half, I started training a year in advance. I knew I had never walked or run that far before, and I wanted to get in the best shape I could to try the 16MM pace (at over 200 lbs, I knew this would be a challenge), which also freaked me out! Now that I've been doing them awhile, I kind of do one and then figure out the next one. We've pretty much decided I can afford to do one Disney race per year, so that narrows my options. When it comes to the races closer to home, I have a lot more flexibility. I hear about a race coming up (I check on coolrunnings.com for something that will fit our schedule), and decide from there. It helps that my dh (Dennis) is a runner, so he is always looking for races and will suggest something to me. Or, one of my lovely buddies on this thread might suggest something they did previously, or think about doing in the future.
> 
> As far as training goes, I've been at this for awhile, so I'm probably not the best example. My typical weekend LR (long run) is 10M, so it doesn't take a lot for me to ramp up to a Half. For my first, I religiously followed Marathoning for Mortals, and it was a huge help! I think the training schedule was actually 16 weeks?  Anyway, I used the months before that to get used to moving 3 days a week, do some crosstraining (which I've pretty much given up but really should do ), and read everything I could (that's the type of learner I am). The DIS was a huge help! I asked so many questions, I'm sure I drove people crazy!  But I still didn't ask enough, and made a ton of rookie mistakes. I won't make them again, so I think they were valuable lessons.  I still try to read whatever I can find, and if I don't know something, I ask  I have no illusions I am fast, it took me forever to get under 3:00 for a Half, and I'm sure I'll never see under 2:30. But that's ok, I'm not trying to win, I'm strictly doing this for me!
> 
> I think the younger and fitter you are, generally the faster you can recover, and the less training you need before you start. Rose's college-aged son could probably throw a Half next weekend, and he'd be sore, but I bet he could do it.
> 
> It took me a long time to learn about what works for me for nutrition, and racing conditions. It's so personal, you really have to experiment and learn as you go.
> 
> But it is worth it and so much fun. I will say this -- I think Disney is the cadillac of Half marathons. They offer so much and it is so well-organized, I have yet to encounter anything else that has the incredible level of runner support. I think Disney is the perfect venue for a first time Half marathoner
> 
> Maria



i'd like to get to your fitness level, maria. i'd like to get to the point where i do an 8-10 mile long run most weekends so ramping up for a half would be fairly "easy" for me. 

it's going to be hard to do a non-disney race having done one as my first.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Had ryans conference tonight and basically he is still struggling to focus but the teacher is trying to help him by moving him to quiet areas when she sees he is having great difficulty.  We will continue to do more at home like smaller reading assignments so they are not overwhelming, keeping things structured, getting good rest, etc.  Overall he is doing satisfactory but this is the toughest time of year and she is afraid he is having trouble keeping up.  We are also going to try more positive reinforcement....he gets lots of it but we have been giving punishments for notes sent home of him not paying attention and I am thinking since it is very hard for him to control that is not the best approach.  This is quite the learing process and quite frustrating but we are doing our best to try to help him develop.



hmmm...well, it sounds to me like the teacher is doing a really good job at trying to give ryan some extra help in working on his focus issues. you are lucky to have him in a school where they are willing to help! positive reinforcement is always a good thing. i need to do it more myself instead of just telling thomas no no no all the time! but sometimes, "yay, you're NOT jumping on the couch" seems a little silly. 

ah, motherhood. does it EVER get easier??

***
good morning everyone! i tried to see if i could take the kids to the ticker tape parade today but it's just not happening. i'd only take them if i could get some hook up with seats or something. my dad works for the gov't right at city hall but no good view from his office. my mommy and me partner noreen's hubby is the security guard/driver for roger goodell (nfl commissioner) but they used up their special seating tickets. oh well. the boys are too young anyway. it's really just me who wants to go  they will just have to win again in a few years so i can take them. so, we'll just go to storytime at the library and then watch it on tv at home 

had a great kickboxing class last night. of course i'm up a pound today though. hate that! i'm going to try to get out for a run today. i'm getting annoyed by this foot thing. i just don't think it's only a bruise. 

i WISH marathon weekend '13 was closer. i want to get together with everyone NOW! 

do any of you know where i can get a WISH shirt to run in? or a WISH hat?


----------



## lisah0711

Good afternoon ladies! 

*Lisa,* I am loving your TR!    I had sort of forgotten about a few of the things that you mentioned -- like the army band guys.  I think that you did a better job of keeping yourself fueled during the race than I did.  And I'm so glad that I got to see you so much -- I know it was really tough for you trying to keep everyone happy, when really they should have all been trying to keep you happy.    You should be so proud of yourself for all your hard work!



Worfiedoodles said:


> Just popping on to say I did 4M, and now I'm focused on  What a great break to read about LisaR's race!
> 
> I can hear Spock snoring across the room -- who knew cats could be so loud?



Glad you had a good day, *Maria!* 

Did your guys see the bit about "cat breading" on Steve Colbert?    Mine did.   I put the cabosh on the idea but they snuck behind my back and did in anyway.  Poor Wally!  So tell Spock and Chewie to beware! (For those of you who haven't heard of it, you tear out the middle of a piece of bread and put it around your cat's face -- he really didn't even look mad in the picture).



camnhan said:


> What a fantastic trip you had!! I sooooooooo can't wait to report in on a Disney race...we will see



It's very hard to beat a Disney race for sure!   You got some great advice from *Maria!* 

*Kathy,* how did Mike's day go yesterday? rotfl2:  I can't believe that Beth still hasn't delurked.  We will have to keep working on her.  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> *Rose*- I think you mentioned too how you dont feel like you fit in.  I think everyone could benefit from your experiences and how not easy it is to maintain but you are doing one heck of a job at it.



*Rose,* at the rate we are going there are going to be a lot more maintainers in our group before the end of the year so please wait for us.  The maintaining wagon is a lot harder place to be than the losing wagon at times, I think.    You're our big success story and we need you! 

*Lindsay,* first grade is a tough year -- you come in a kindergarteners and leave a 2nd grader.  There's a lot to learn in between.  It sounds like his teacher is doing a good job of helping to set him up for success.  

Does he like the Junie B. Jones books?  That girl had a lot of adventures -- Robert read those books over and over when he was in the first grade.  When you read about Junie B. Jones your kid sounds like an angel!  

Woo hoo for Zumba tomorrow!    You are an exercising machine!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> positive reinforcement is always a good thing. i need to do it more myself instead of just telling thomas no no no all the time! but sometimes, "yay, you're NOT jumping on the couch" seems a little silly.



  Plus you don't want to give them any ideas!  And, nope, motherhood does not get any easier -- sorry!    But it is still a wonderful thing for the most part! 

I think you can order a single WISH shirt from the vendor.  My suggestion is to order the longer one -- Tracy Goggin was the one who discovered that.  Also, they run small.  There is a WISH bondiband order pending now.  There will be more stuff as the summer goes on.  I haven't seen a visor or hat order for a long time.  I think sometimes they have trouble getting minimums.  

Hope the foot gets to feeling better soon.    That is so frustrating.  

I am one teeny, tiny half pound away from my 60 pound clippie.    And just 3.5 pounds away from ONE-derland.    Which I haven't seen for 20 years.   

I was thinking this morning that pretty soon we will all be in ONE-derland!


----------



## camnhan

WOW 60lbs! Way to go

So have committed to tracking points today and let me tell you...the 2012 change dropping my points to 26 is KILLING ME!!!! I had a slimfast shake for breakfast, WW 2pt snack at 10, 8pt Baja salad from Wendy's for lunch (although I don't do the dressing so probably not the full 8 pts) and a 2pt brownie for dessert...which only leaves me 9 points for dinner...DH made slow cooker roast, carrots and potatoe's for dinner (am I lucky or what!! he even does dishes AND laundry)....have not calculated out those points yet but am sure I am done for the day. Have drank enough water to drown a whale and have started in with a cold that has me soooo stuffed up that I can't even breath....
still pretty sore but better....

So onto another question 
for those in colder areas of the world....what do you do about training? I am always cold (even in the summer) so the thought of going outside to walk/run is not appealing...TM still in storage   have a gym membership but not a morning person to go before work and DH has started school in the evenings M,T,W so have to get home to kids (have I come up with enough excuses yet)
So really...do you get outside in the cold weather? Do you/your lungs get use to the frigid temp? always makes my lungs hurt!
Somewhere in the sea of boxes that are still sitting around I have a short Yoga DVD so am thinking I can maybe tackle that tonight...might be a good thing to stretch....
FINALLY
in my final WW flier there is a recipe for mini cheesecakes that are only 3pts each and made in cupcake pan....anyone interested?? I am going to make them this weekend..


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Go lisa go. Wow you are so close to onederland. That is awesome you are right we will all be there so soon.

Jen- i hate the cold but the half marathon training forced me to get out there last year. After two wks my lungs adjusted. I actually grew to like it a little too. This year i discovered a community center near me with an indoor track. So i do that in the evenings and i run outside on the wkends.

Im at the pool. My zumba class was crappy. It was a substitute teacher and it seemed like it was her first class. I didnt even sweat much. I am a bit crabby because tom arrived unexpectedly today and he is trying to sabotage me.

Im just a crank pot so i will spare you the negativity for tonight and just say c u tomorrow.

I need to put on a happy face quickly to check in on donald though....see u all get the real me dont ya love it


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Sigh. Why do I always have to be quick on here? Ok really fast and in no particular order --

*Lisah* -- Saw the catbreading and informed them it was not happening. Dennis refused to promise... Of course it would have to be , we don't think a piece of bread would cover Spock's head 

*Nancy* -- Amaretto drops or "kisses" (depends on the bakery) are a macaroon with an amaretto "chew" on top, covered in dark chocolate that is shaped like a Hershey's kiss, then cross-crossed with thin lines of white chocolate. Total yum. 

*Lindsay* -- You had me with a song stuck in my head all day, because I read your post and thought, "She's got the moves like Jagger"  Thanks, that was special 

*Jen* -- I am a major TM girl. I will brave the cold, and by that I mean the 50s or 60s, if I'm feeling it's needed for a race. Usually cold = ice around here, so I just stay safe. I am terrified of ice 

*LisaR* -- I loved your entire mini TR, it was just like being there! I am so glad you had a fantastic experience! 

*Rose* -- Have you seen the previews of the merchandise? Looks like blue is a big color. I wish I liked blue....but maybe it will make you happy? 

*Kathy* -- How 'bout them Celtics?  

Have a great night, ladies! I did 4M intervals this morning, we'll see if I make it up for a run tomorrow 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lindsay* we LOVE the real you! that's what we're here for - crab away! how is swim class going? bummer about zumba! there's not much worse when you set out to get a workout in and it doesn't go the way you wanted. 

*maria* mmmm drops, kisses, call it what you want just call it in my mouth! sounds delicious. 

*jen* i only run outside. i hate being cold. but i don't have a treadmill and since the races are outside and you never know what the weather conditions will be on race day i figure i should run outside in all sorts of weather. i've run 10 miles before when it was 17 degrees out and i've run pushing the jogger while 6 months pregnant in almost 90 degree weather. i'm pretty sure neither was smart! i wish i had a treadmill - apparently it's much better for your feet to run indoors or on a track or on a treadmill. 

**
speaking of running, i did 3.2 miles today. felt ok but my feet are really messed up. the blister on my foot really hurts. wah. i just need to get these shoes a little more broken in i guess. 

i'm going to a farmshare meeting or something like that today. i guess it's one of those crop share thingies where they bring in organic produce to one of the local community centers once a week. i'm hoping it will force me to make more veggies and eat more fruit other than frozen veg and apples. i cut up a honeydew and thomas and i wolfed it down in two days! (ok, i wolfed, thomas nibbled)

oh and you can totally call me nancy soprano because i was a total middle-man with the "hot" formula.  remember my "formula guy" who gets formula for super cheap aka stolen? well i ordered up some from him and gave it to my neighbor who just had a baby and decided that nursing wasn't for her. we were joking that the formula cases probably "fell off the truck"...that's actually pretty true though. 

we went to storytime at the library today and thomas screamed that he didn't want to go. i asked him where he wanted to go instead and he said "go to disneyworld see mickey in the castle"


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Awwww. Thomas is so cute!

I also forgot to say Congratulations to our Nancy, BL List Lady!

Maria


----------



## camnhan

after watching youtube videos of Disney races

that I am NOT going to be running a Disney Race since they start at some ungodley hour! I am so not a morning person..nor middle of the night

People actually get up an RUN at those hours of the night?!?!?!

I have a hard enough time getting up and WALKING to my car much less running 13.1 mies


----------



## Worfiedoodles

camnhan said:


> after watching youtube videos of Disney races
> 
> that I am NOT going to be running a Disney Race since they start at some ungodley hour! I am so not a morning person..nor middle of the night
> 
> People actually get up an RUN at those hours of the night?!?!?!
> 
> I have a hard enough time getting up and WALKING to my car much less running 13.1 mies



Well, it's not like you do it on a regular basis, it's kind of a fun adventure. The actual racing starts around 6am, it's getting to the buses by 4 that can be disconcerting -- but since most people don't sleep well the night before, not so impossible to get up...but don't worry, as of right now Disney does have a couple of night races, so you could sleep all day and then run  I have no advice about those, but our own *Rose* is a veteran of the Wine and Dine 

Maria


----------



## camnhan

a night race is more my style!! That is as long as it is done before midnight...you know Cinderella and all
i would hate to turn into a pumpkin!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i was on the BL top ten list last week and this week i'm UP a flipping pound. i've been really working out and making great healthy choices and when i got on the scale this morning i just felt my whole body sink. i hate this crap. 

reeeeally trying not to feel bad for myself. just watching a few minutes of the news is enough to kick my butt and remind me of how lucky i am and how happy i should be. 

as far as having to get up early for the race, it's really no big deal. you're so excited that you don't even really realize how early it is! plus it gets awfully warm in florida when the sun comes out so i think it's much better to at least start running when it's still dark and cool. 

off to get ready for the day. making valentine's day crafts at mommy and me. or, as my teacher partner says, "valentiMe's"  i'm so not in the mood to be all shiny and happy and elbow deep in hearts and stickers and glitter glue. 

have a good day, friends! xoxo


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princessabelles!!!  

I got mandatory cancelled today, but am not upset about it at all.  It was only a 4 hour day, and I haven't had to be cancelled in a long time, so I'm planning to relax and dis with my coffee, take Poko for another walk, and then I have a date at 1030 with George Clooney in the Descendants.  I was excited it i still in the theaters.  Then a few errands, and michael is taking the bus home so he'll be back at 240ish.  I debated on the Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close movie too, but I am afraid it would be too emotional and I don't think I want to go there today.  I meant to ask you, *Nancy*, how people in NYC felt about that movie.  I heard it was very well done, but I'm sure a lot of people might not want to relive it as a movie.  

*Nancy*-COngrats on making the big list!!  That is awesome.  I actually made it again this week too, but am certain I won't make it this friday.  I'm hoping to pull off a maintain.  DOn't worry about that 1 pound.  I wish I could be strong like *Maria *and not weight every day, but I just have to know, good or bad, but those daily fluctuations are so normal, and tomorrow you could be down 2 or 3, so don't get to frustrated.  And be careful with the glue and glitter.  Doesn't sound too fun with 2-3 year olds.  Heck it's not that fun with 10 year olds.  Hmmm formula that fell from a truck.  Interesting.  Actually, I meant to ask you if you lived near that big ol' house they busted last week full of marijuana plants in the Bronx.  A little of that would make mommy and me a little more bearable this morning.

*LisaH*-How are you doing with the post race letdown.  It sounds like you got right back on the stick and are doing amazing with the weight loss.  ALmost 60 pounds, and so very close to ONederland!!  I am so excited for you and can't wait to see you there!!!  Thanks to you and everyone else for calling out to *Beth*.  I'm guessing she hasn't had any dis-lurking time this week or she would have answered.  I'm going to call them tonight because they are coming out here this weekend, and I'll tell her to get lurking, and I'm sure she will post.   And OMG, cat breading!  Too funny.  I don't think I'll share that with michael or he'll be thinking up things to do to Poko.     Looking forward to seeing that clippie change real soon!!  YOu can do it!!  I bet you can be in ONEderalnd by princess weekend.  2 and a half weeks!!  Pave the way for me, baby!!  

*LisaR*_Loved reading your race report.  Wow, the kids did awesome.  Your little boy is very speedy.  Ds and my niece did the mile in just over 11 minutes last year.  Wasn't it so much fun to watch them?  Congrats to them and to you!!  

*Maria*-Yay, go Celtics!!  Actually, I don't follow that at all.  Or the Bruins really, but think I should pay a little more attention so ds knows what's happening.  I think it's awesome too that you do 10 miles most weekends, so you can amp up for a half pretty easily.  Did you decide if you will do both halfs in the fall?  I'll definitely do the Wicked again.  I have't signed up yet, but did sign up for the Louisse Rosetti 5k in june, the first one I ever did.  It's women only, and a wednesday night in Beverly if you're interested.  It would be better to have on a weekend.  Keep the bread away from the boys this week.  Protect those kitties. Now didn't it look like the medal was purple this year? so shouldn't they have more purple items at the expo.  I like blue, but for the princess I'd prefer more girly colors. 

*Rose*-How are you doing this week?  I hope the foot is holding up well after your long run this past weekend.  Time to taper, relax, and shop.  Hope all is well with you and Mike.  

*Lindsay*-It is hard to be a parent and know the right things to do at times, but I know you are a fantastic mom, and you are right on top of Ryan and as he gets a little older, hopefully things will get better on their own.  Hang in there.  Nice plug for Team Donald.

Interesting the difference in the two teams.  It looks like Donalds lose a lot more weight each week than Mickey's but the mickey's percentages are so much higher than Donalds.  So that must mean that the Mickey's overall are much smaller individuals than the Donalds.  Which is why some are only eating 1200 calories a day.  2 weeks ago, I tallied my calories for a few days, and they were between 1700 and 2000 each day.  This was the week I lost 2.8 pounds.  I also did an online calorie need calculator that said to maintian I'd need about 2500 calories.  Hard to know how accurate it is with the activity and all, but I found it interesting.   I could never survive on 1200 calories a day.  

*Jen*_I started C25K in jan 2010, and did the princess half Feb 2011.  
I had set a goal that if I could run/walk 7 miles under 16 min/mile by October 2010, then I would register and do the princess.  And I reached that goal, and it was amazing.  I didn't mind getting up early for the race, you're so excited it's hard to sleep anyway.  And my training was done mostly outside.  It was a tough winter here, and I did do some trial gym memberships to use the treadmill, but I hated the treadmill with a passion, so for my short 30-45 min runs if it was icy, I would run in my house, up and down through the kitchen, playroom, living room.  Just back and forth.  Sounds pretty boring, but so much better to me than a treadmill.  I also lucked out with my long runs, but had to find different roads that were quiet and clear because the sidewalks were all snowed in, but for most of my long runs, one of the weekend days was usually ok to get out.  I was nervous about ice and slipping, but as a slow runner, it's easier to be careful because you have more time to anticipate what is coming up ahead and can go around more easily.  I felt very lucky to have gotten my training in.  I did a second half last sept, after the princess, and I was not nearly as motivated and didn't train properly at all, was prepared to call my sister to pick me up, but I did it and finished, and actually beat my princess time by 5 minutes.  It was not as exciting as disney, and I didn't need to stop and take pictures, and I was very glad I did go through with it.  I'm going to do it again this sept, and hope to beat my time again.  A hug on the weight gain.  It is frustrating, and we all have been where you are, but we are all here right now, on the right path and will never give up from here on out.  We can do this!! 

Yesterday, I left the rest of the brownies out for my sister who was walking Poko for me, and told her to take them.  They were heading to Mohegan sun casino, but she forgot, so when we came home, we ate them.  All of them.  So now they are gone, at least.  Oh well, it is what it is, and today is a new day. 

I'm off to walk Poko, and then shower and get ready for my date with George.  I'll have to pop on Donald later.  

Have a great day everyone!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I got really far behind! I needed a couple of days to process something that happened Saturday night. Something is up with DS that I'm not going to go into online, and really it's ok, but it was a little worrisome for a day or so. 


So, no *Nancy*, (I think it was Nancy), it does not get easier.

Then Mike's bday was Monday. And yesterday I was just bleh from work, no excuse really. We have the national office coming next week and I am getting very stressed about it. It's going to be three days of complete agrravation (M-W). Then I'm off Thurs and Fri. Then I work M & T then I am off for a week. I decided to take the Wed off before our trip. Hopefully she will approve it, cause I am really needing it!

Thanks for the tutu comments. You don't think it looks like a clown skirt with the stripes? I do like it though, and I'm excited about wearing it! I don't think the pink will be as visible--I fluffed the pink for the picture. I ordered a longish pink running skirt for underneath if it's warm and it's cool I'll wear tights.

*****
*Maria*--I'm sorry about your team. Did you see the dancing videos after the game? That was some bad dancing! I think it was Gronkowski. I am really not liking the blue colors for the shirts--I finally get pink shoes! Go figure! We were thinking about going to the expo at the open, but since they have special D&B do you think it's going to be really crowded???? We found out we can get g-f onion rings at the counter service at Raglan Road! So we might do that Saturday afternoon before the meet. Yum, yum, yum!

*Kathy*--so did you get a picture of the outfit for the bet? That's the kind of picture you can use to bribe him with later. We got a tiny bit of snow today, so it might be headed your way. I had one of my special drinks last night and thought of you. Mike had a hard time getting the Bailey's open. It was very stressful!

*LisaR*--I am enjoying the TR. I agree with whoever said your inlaws/friends should have been planning things around you! But it is what it is. Next time you will know to just do what you need to do and if it works for them fine, and if not they can do something else. The church thing hit home with me. That sounds like Mike's family. I have slowly learned that it isn't about me--it's their thing, whatever. But it's still hard. I never sleep before a race. It's awful. I'm a bad sleeper away from home anyhow. The good thing is I am usually so jacked up from lack of sleep that it helps with my time.

*Lisah*--I am sorry for post vacation let down. It stinks! Especially when you come back to winter. Yuck! I really, really, really am hoping for a decent spring this year. But what a thing you have to look forward to--almost to Onederland!!!! That is so exciting!!!

*Lindsay*--I am sorry for the craptastic day. And the cruddy class. And the cruddy t.o.m. I think the positive reinforcement is a good idea. I know with Tom it just got to the point where we were fussing at him all the time. And the thing is, he wasn't doing anything that was really that bad! The thing with Tom though, we would start these charts and say if you get so many stickers you get xxxx. Well between his (undiagnosed) adhd and probably mine we never finished the charts. I should have made shorter goals.

*Nancy*--so what is up with the foot? Do you think it is still just a bruise? Did you put something over the blister? I'm sorry about the weight. I know it is frustrating. And I'm not going to tell you to be patient. But I am going to tell you to hang in there. Hormones do such crazy things to your weight. On Sunday I was up 3 pounds in 12 hours! That's the good and bad to weighing frequently. 

Too cute that Thomas wanted to go see Mickey in the castle!

*Beth*--

*Jen*--I would say maybe don't think about yet what time of day you want to run a race. Or don't make that a deciding factor. There are pluses and minuses to day and night races. When I first started running I didn't think I would ever be able to get up that early and run, let alone do well. But the reality is, once summer got here and it got hot and nasty, if I wanted to get a long run in I was either getting up early or going late in the evening. So you adjust and you do what you have to do. W&D has the advantage of not having to get up at the crack of dawn. But it starts at 10:00pm. You spend a lot of the day "waiting" for it to be time to run. And you have to really think about what you are going to eat that day. I think it's a more difficult race--the temps and the humidity can be tough as well as the time of night. But I really enjoy it. I will say, I saw a lot of people after w&d saying--never again will I run a night race. We were used to the humidity, etc, but it I think it caught a lot of northerners off guard. The good news, they are moving it to November. As for morning. I like to run early--then you are done and you have the whole day to do whatever you want!

******
I ran 4 yesterday in ~45 min. Slow, but I did the whole thing on the dreadmill without stopping. My ankle was/is sore, but I am watching it and will ice it lots today. The p-f seems to be under control--what a relief!

We signed up for the Derby half in May--does that mean I am going to get injured this week--since that seems to be the trend, sign up for a race--get injured!

And today I am off to the DMV to re-register all the cars. The boys OWE me for doing this for everyone!

Have a good day!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oh man...my friend picked up milk and a loaf of bread for me. she got wonder white italian bread. i haven't had wonder bread in...in...forever! i just HAD to have a wonder bread pb&j. heaven. now i want a wonder bread bologna sandwich. thank goodness i don't have any bologna. 

step away from the white bread. step away!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

dumbo_buddy said:


> oh man...my friend picked up milk and a loaf of bread for me. she got wonder white italian bread. i haven't had wonder bread in...in...forever! i just HAD to have a wonder bread pb&j. heaven. now i want a wonder bread bologna sandwich. thank goodness i don't have any bologna.
> 
> step away from the white bread. step away!!



When I was in 1st or 2nd grade, we went on a tour of the local Wonder bakery. It was amazing. At the end of the tour we all got a treat -- cupcake, Twinkie, Suzy Q or HoHo. How can you go wrong with something called a hoho?! 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Rose* --

-- Downtown Disney's Irish Pub, Raglan Road, has added some new menu items for guests with gluten-free diets. Look for Scallops, Fish & Chips, and Calamari & Pasta. 

I didn't know there was counter service at Raglan Road! I may have to give some more thought to my pre-race meal...

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Worfiedoodles said:


> *Rose* --
> 
> -- Downtown Disney's Irish Pub, Raglan Road, has added some new menu items for guests with gluten-free diets. Look for Scallops, Fish & Chips, and Calamari & Pasta.
> 
> I didn't know there was counter service at Raglan Road! I may have to give some more thought to my pre-race meal...
> 
> Maria


I still have that meat free problem..... 

I know, I am such a p.i.t.a.!

I think it's called Cookes of Dublin. It's right next door. I don't know exactly what they have there, but Mike called and they will do g-f onion rings--and I'm guessing g-f fish and chips from there as well. I'm pretty happy cause I didn't really want to go to Raglan Road this time but would love some OR's! 

They really do a good job there with GF. One of their server's is celiac and she has whipped everyone into shape and they take it pretty seriously and really want you to have a good experience. 

*Kathy*--I hope you are enjoying your day off! I really liked the Descendants, so hope you do too!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Rose&Mike said:


> I still have that meat free problem.....
> 
> I know, I am such a p.i.t.a.!
> 
> I think it's called Cookes of Dublin. It's right next door. I don't know exactly what they have there, but Mike called and they will do g-f onion rings--and I'm guessing g-f fish and chips from there as well. I'm pretty happy cause I didn't really want to go to Raglan Road this time but would love some OR's!
> 
> They really do a good job there with GF. One of their server's is celiac and she has whipped everyone into shape and they take it pretty seriously and really want you to have a good experience.
> 
> *Kathy*--I hope you are enjoying your day off! I really liked the Descendants, so hope you do too!



Well, that shows you how much I know -- I didn't know fish counted as meat, guess I was being to narrow in my definition! So, you guys will eat the Veg entrees at Narcoossees? 

Isn't Cookes where they make the deep-fried candy bars? I've heard of it, but I'll be honest, I've been making it a point not to get too close!

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Worfiedoodles said:


> Well, that shows you how much I know -- I didn't know fish counted as meat, guess I was being to narrow in my definition! So, you guys will eat the Veg entrees at Narcoossees?
> 
> Isn't Cookes where they make the deep-fried candy bars? I've heard of it, but I'll be honest, I've been making it a point not to get too close!
> 
> Maria


 I don't eat anything with eyes, except potatoes. That is probably why I am struggling with my weight lately! Tom likes to point out that scallops don't have eyes--I don't know how he knows that. But I don't eat scallops either. Mike on the other hand will eat fish and sometimes chicken when we are out, so he will probably have fish at Narcoosees. 

I have backed off a little on worrying about chicken stock and gelatin on occasion when we're out and there isn't much g-f choices available, but other than the occasional hot dog (I know, I know what a strange craving) I am vegetarian.

I didn't know about a fried candy bar--that does sound dangerous! I am going to have to look this up!

ETA--Ok, they do have a fried candy bar! I wonder exactly what that is about? They don't have OR listed on their menu, but hopefully they will make them for me with no hassle!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, no fried candy bar for me! Thank goodness! It is battered. And while I like the g-f batter, I don't think it would be good on a candy bar!


----------



## mikamah

Good afternoon!!

I did enjoy the movie a lot.  I love me some George Clooney, and though I did cry a tear or two, I really enjoyed it.  I imagined myself running along the beach with him.  Then I did my errands which included buying new house phones.  Our portable phone keys have been sticking for a long time, and the wall phone in the kitchen had a lot of static, and the other day ds was trying to call my cell, and had a hard time, so it was time to update so he will have my cell programmed in each phone.  Only $40 for the 2 phones too.  Not to shabby. 

I am sure I would enjoy a deep fried candy bar or anything else.  Though I had deep fried ice cream once, and it really wasn't that great. 

*Rose*- Glad everything is ok with ds.  I am sure you always worry, no matter how old they get.  Great time on the 4 miles.  That's a great time for me when I do 3.   And now that you've signed up for the Derby half, this year that means you are going to run it!!  No injury allowed.  This is our year, remember!?  
I did take Mike's picture, and will save it alongside the picture of him at age 2-3 in my nieces purple tutu.  He was working it, and so cute, and I just know it will look lovely on a birthday cake one day.  

Off to get supper started.  Have a lovely night ladies!!


----------



## camnhan

you guys all crack me up!!! 

YEAH FOR ME!!!
This cold has killed my appetitte which is a good thing because it was one of the girls bday at work and they brought in cookies loaded with caramel, little cheesecakes, dilly bars and a cake and I DID NOT HAVE EVEN ONE BITE!

have only had an apple, few veggies and a piece of salmon so came home and have been trying to avoid raiding the frig!! Have eated a few corn chips,, applesauce and a banana....time to get out of the kitchen!! 

Had hoped to hit the gym and at least walk today but DH truck died so he is off in my care to go to school so I am stranded at the house...UGH!

I am a daily weigher as well....I tend to find I do much better during the day if I have seen a decrease in the morning...kind of a motivator to keep it up

Off to help my daughter draw a picture of a metaphor?!?!?!?! who hands out these assingments anyway!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

fried candy bar?

you had me at fried.

rose, i laughed out loud when you said you were a vegetarian aside from the occasional hot dog. with all the (awesome) crap that's in hot dogs, you basically still ARE a vegetarian? not sure any of the stuff in there is real! lol! great, now i want a hot dog and some fried candy. any candy. just fry it. even a Haba bar, just fry it and i'll eat it. 

ok, no fried candy...i'm getting changed for step aerobics. we ARE getting chinese food tonight but i'm getting steamed shrimp and string beans with no sauce, brown rice.....and an eggroll....

kathy, i'm glad you liked the descendants. my parents saw it and loved it. and my mother hates everything.  you know, i would like to read extremely loud and incredibly close. it's on my list. i've heard the book, and subsequently the movie, is a little contrived. but...isn't every book like that?? i read a review of the movie that it was very respectful of us new yorkers and our feelings. i mean, sure, there are people who are going to complain that it was insensitive but that goes with pretty much everything. i would like to read the book and then see the movie...alone...so i can get a good cry out. i think it would be pretty cathartic. 

maria, raglan road is one of our favorites. they have this olive oil/guinness dip for the bread that it so good. and they always have a good guinness pour which is very important 

ok, almost late for class. aunt mary's picking me up in 3 min!


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*_ I saw the poster for Extremely loud and like the caption.  It said, "this is not a movie about 9/11.  It is about every day since then."  I am sure it would be tough for you to see, but maybe healing too.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Sick of me yet today? I am icing my foot again. Actually only my ankle. No pain anywhere else. The ankle is worrying me a little so I am trying to celebrate the small victories. 



dumbo_buddy said:


> fried candy bar?
> 
> you had me at fried.
> 
> rose, i laughed out loud when you said you were a vegetarian aside from the occasional hot dog. with all the (awesome) crap that's in hot dogs, you basically still ARE a vegetarian? not sure any of the stuff in there is real! lol! great, now i want a hot dog and some fried candy. any candy. just fry it. even a Haba bar, just fry it and i'll eat it.


How was class? I have to eat the "healthier" hot dogs to avoid the "extras" which have gluten in them. Veggie hot dogs all seem to have gluten in them. I haven't found one yet without it or I would probably try it! It's such a weird craving, I know. I think it mostly comes from the fact that it's easy and I can usually find one in a pinch when we are out. I was kind of relieved to hear I couldn't have the  fried candy bar.



mikamah said:


> Good afternoon!!
> 
> I did enjoy the movie a lot.  I love me some George Clooney, and though I did cry a tear or two, I really enjoyed it. \
> 
> *Rose*- Glad everything is ok with ds.  I am sure you always worry, no matter how old they get.  Great time on the 4 miles.  That's a great time for me when I do 3.   And now that you've signed up for the Derby half, this year that means you are going to run it!!  No injury allowed.  This is our year, remember!?
> 
> I did take Mike's picture, and will save it alongside the picture of him at age 2-3 in my nieces purple tutu.  He was working it, and so cute, and I just know it will look lovely on a birthday cake one day.
> 
> Off to get supper started.  Have a lovely night ladies!!


Everytime you say Mike, I think of my Mike! It's confusing me! That was a visually lovely movie, wasn't it. Makes me want to go to Hawaii. Thanks for the pep talk. 



liesel said:


> *Rose*  You look fantastic, you seem to look younger every time I see a picture of you!  I'm sure part of it is not feeling so cruddy anymore.  Congrats on the 13.1 miles, I'm glad you are feeling better.


I kept meaning to say thank you for this. It was just what I needed this week. I'm sure it's pms, but I am having one of those weeks. I do feel better. Thanks for the reminder.

*Lindsay*--Sorry about the cruddy cold. I hope you are feeling better tomorrow.

****
In all the excitement of the Super Bowl and Mike's bday, I forgot that Sunday was my 1 year anniversary of going g-f. I've heard from several people that the first year is the hardest, so here's looking forward to a better year. If I don't get on much have a good weekend. We're going to see Tom this weekend. (Did I tell you all that?) I'm hoping to go to Charleston Saturday and stick my toes in the ocean for a minute. And he asked to go to the zoo--which really surprised me! I'm off to google what's up with the Columbia Zoo.

TTYL


----------



## camnhan

Good Morning all...working from home today 
Amazing how productive I can be from my bed

Feeling slightly better today...at least my head doesn't hur from this cold.
Morning weight  however it is real easy to walk down the stairs and raid the fridge .... really hard to stay away but so far so good. Can't decide if I am bored hungry or truly hungry today. Was short of food yesterday because of cold and not wanting to eat so body is probably trying to make up for that

Hope all are having a great day! Going to walk somehow today if it kills me!! Will see how it goes..legs still feeling tight but think getting this cold right after the race has not helped with the recovery...

talk at you later...


----------



## ::Snow_White::

Hello everyone! Hope you're having a good week! 

I've been training hard for my half-marathon and it's been going really well. Thought I'd stop by and post a link that my friend sent to me today.

http://thecolorrun.com/

If anyone has any knowledge of the Hindu festival of Holi: "Festival of Colors", this is what I'd kind of compare it to! It is a 5k run/walk where you wear all white and pretty much get blasted with color so by the time you get to the finish line you are covered. It's not really a race, just fun. They are doing a tour this spring and my friends and I are planning to run it. I am really excited and thought I'd share.


----------



## camnhan

that looks like soooooooooo much fun. I linked to FB and then looked at the first blog about the run in the mud! What a day they had....will have to keep an eye on the Chicago race..


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies!!

Everyone must be busy this week.  I went into work early yesterday, and thus I didn't have my morning dis time.  Today Michael asked for a ride to school, and I said no he had to take the bus because I had lots to do around the house.  Like come on here.  Oh well, he'll never know.  I need my fix.  Two girls I work with are retiring this month, and two more will probably be going by summer, so when the new staff is up and running, I have the opportunity to move up to an earlier shirt, 8-430 instead of 9-530, and I think I'll do it when I can.  I'll probably get 1-2 earlier shifts now and all 4 of my long shifts moved earlier later in the year.  I was torn because I hate to rush in the morning, but love getting home earlier, and as I thought about michael getting older, and hitting middle school, not sure what will happen with after school but the earlier I get out the better if he is coming home alone.  

*Rose*-Have a great visit with Tom. How fun he wants to go to the zoo.  I thought you said Columbus first, and that is an awesome zoo, but don't know anything about Columbia.  Lol on mixing up my Mike and your Mike.  I doubt I'll become consistent with my michael being mike.  You are not missing much with the vegie dogs.  My brothe went vegetarian for a while and we tried a couple brands and they were so disgusting.  It is funny you crave a hot dog versus a big steak or lobster when you do.  Every now and then Michael will say he feels bad for the animals when he's eating meat, but it just tastes so good.  It won't surprise me if he does want to try vegetarian one day.  

*Kayla*-That race looks like a blast.  My ds would definitely love it, but there's not one nearby, so not yet.  Thanks for sharing. 

*Jen*-Working from bed in pajamas must be fun, but I think it would be too easy not to do the work.  Hope your cold is gone for good soon.  Seems like they have been lingering this winter.  

Hello to everyone else!!  Hope you're busy and active and eating healthy and just happy and busy!!

I was down 0.2 this week, so essentially lost my superbowl weekend gain, so very happy with that.  Now back on track, and I need to make a plan for the girl scout cookies that will be coming this weekend.  I want to save some for our april niagara falls road trip, but need to figure out where to put them so I won't think about them.  

We finished reading the first Harry Potter book, so we're going to watch the movie tonight.  

Have a great friday and a wonderful weekend!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi ladies. I took a sick day today. This cold illness has been quite a doozy. (Thats another one of my pa dutch words) i am feeling a little better but still weak and tired. Tom completely derailed my plan of loosing this week. I now know why men loose weight so much faster. They dont have to deal with hormones.

Rose- i hope everything is ok now with tom. Have a great time visiting this wkend. I hope you get to dip your toes in the ocean.

Kayla- that race sounds pretty cool.

Kathy- im glad your able to move your hours earlier. I bet it will work out much better with michaels school. Especially if he starts to do after school activities that you wont want to miss.

Hi maria, nancy, jen, and lisabelles

Im off to be a couch potatoe today.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles! 

I had just about finished a reply yesterday when it got poofed. 
  Can't even blame the poof fairy -- I think it was me this time.   

So sorry this will be a bit shorter and no doubt not as witty or insightful. 

*Lindsay,* so sorry that you have the crud.    Hope that you are feeling better very soon.    Get the rest you need and let those guys take care of you!  

*Jen,* hope that you are feeling better soon, too!   And don't be afraid to let your body rest up before you worry about exercise.  It's not even been a week since your race.  

*Rose,* have a wonderful time this week-end with Tom!   Stick a toe in the ocean for me, too.    I really miss the ocean.  

Glad things are okay.  Can you tell a difference in the ankle when you do the TM vs. outside?  

And a big woo hoo on being g-f for a year!   I know it is a total PITA at times but I agree with whoever said your pictures this past year look better and better (and no I don't mean you looked bad before ).  You've always looked marvelous, but now you have a glow about you and your happiness really shows.  

*Nancy,* you are rocking it with the activity!    And tracking is spot on and it is just a matter of time before the scale gets with the program.  I do wish you would cut yourself a bit of slack 'cause you know that 
this weight didn't show up in a few days so it's going to take some time for it to go.  You'll be running that marathon at your goal weight -- no worries! 

*Maria,* sorry that the Princess merchandise is so blue.  I really thought it would be your year for stuff 'cause the medal was violet.  I have to admit some hankering over the flashing blue tiara myself.    I know that you and *Rose* will have a wonderful time.  I can't wait to hear all about it.

*Kayla,* that does look like a fun race.    Thanks for sharing.  

*Kathy,* glad that you enjoyed your day off.    Your day with George sounds like fun but I hope Gary Sinise didn't mind.  

I think an earlier work schedule would be great.  Truth is as our guys get older they need us home after school more than ever.    When DS was in 5th grade he had to get himself out to the bus by himself in the morning.  There were dire penalties for missing the bus and I think he only missed it once.  You have to have a plan B available for that time when they inevitably will flub it.  Maybe your sister or a neighbor.  I think they enjoy the independence and they do rise to the occassion -- which is sometimes hard to believe.  

*Lisa,* how are you feeling?  How's that postrace let down?  It's sure hard to get back to reality.  

You know what the best cure for that is? Book your next Disney vacation!    I booked my room at AKL Jambo for the January Marathon yesterday.  I have a 1 bedroom savanna view 'cause DH tells me he is going but I doubt that he will when push comes to shove.  I arrive on Wednesday and leave on Monday.  So I'm all ready for that meal at Boma on Sunday night!  

Oh yeah, and in case you missed me going on about it on FB, I am in the Run Disney video of the Tink http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga-qnfitWkY for a whole second at 1:45.  I would have smiled, waved and run if I had realized they were filming -- I think at that point most of my brain was devoted to getting rid of the Zenzahs.  

I am the same as I was earlier in the week -- 1/2 pound from that 60 pound clippie, 3.5 pounds from ONE-derland.  I know I can do it -- I just need to do it and stop just thinking and talking about it.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## pjlla

lisah0711 said:


> Good morning Princesses and Belles!
> 
> I had just about finished a reply yesterday when it got poofed.
> Can't even blame the poof fairy -- I think it was me this time.
> 
> So sorry this will be a bit shorter and no doubt not as witty or insightful.
> 
> *Lindsay,* so sorry that you have the crud.    Hope that you are feeling better very soon.    Get the rest you need and let those guys take care of you!
> 
> *Jen,* hope that you are feeling better soon, too!   And don't be afraid to let your body rest up before you worry about exercise.  It's not even been a week since your race.
> 
> *Rose,* have a wonderful time this week-end with Tom!   Stick a toe in the ocean for me, too.    I really miss the ocean.
> 
> Glad things are okay.  Can you tell a difference in the ankle when you do the TM vs. outside?
> 
> And a big woo hoo on being g-f for a year!   I know it is a total PITA at times but I agree with whoever said your pictures this past year look better and better (and no I don't mean you looked bad before ).  You've always looked marvelous, but now you have a glow about you and your happiness really shows.
> 
> *Nancy,* you are rocking it with the activity!    And tracking is spot on and it is just a matter of time before the scale gets with the program.  I do wish you would cut yourself a bit of slack 'cause you know that
> this weight didn't show up in a few days so it's going to take some time for it to go.  You'll be running that marathon at your goal weight -- no worries!
> 
> *Maria,* sorry that the Princess merchandise is so blue.  I really thought it would be your year for stuff 'cause the medal was violet.  I have to admit some hankering over the flashing blue tiara myself.    I know that you and *Rose* will have a wonderful time.  I can't wait to hear all about it.
> 
> *Kayla,* that does look like a fun race.    Thanks for sharing.
> 
> *Kathy,* glad that you enjoyed your day off.    Your day with George sounds like fun but I hope Gary Sinise didn't mind.
> 
> I think an earlier work schedule would be great.  Truth is as our guys get older they need us home after school more than ever.    When DS was in 5th grade he had to get himself out to the bus by himself in the morning.  There were dire penalties for missing the bus and I think he only missed it once.  You have to have a plan B available for that time when they inevitably will flub it.  Maybe your sister or a neighbor.  I think they enjoy the independence and they do rise to the occassion -- which is sometimes hard to believe.
> 
> *Lisa,* how are you feeling?  How's that postrace let down?  It's sure hard to get back to reality.
> 
> You know what the best cure for that is? Book your next Disney vacation!    I booked my room at AKL Jambo for the January Marathon yesterday.  I have a 1 bedroom savanna view 'cause DH tells me he is going but I doubt that he will when push comes to shove.  I arrive on Wednesday and leave on Monday.  So I'm all ready for that meal at Boma on Sunday night!
> 
> Oh yeah, and in case you missed me going on about it on FB, I am in the Run Disney video of the Tink http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga-qnfitWkY for a whole second at 1:45.  I would have smiled, waved and run if I had realized they were filming -- I think at that point most of my brain was devoted to getting rid of the Zenzahs.
> 
> I am the same as I was earlier in the week -- 1/2 pound from that 60 pound clippie, 3.5 pounds from ONE-derland.  I know I can do it -- I just need to do it and stop just thinking and talking about it.
> 
> Have a great day ladies!



Which one are you??? What are you wearing???.....................P


----------



## lisah0711

pjlla said:


> Which one are you??? What are you wearing???.....................P



Pause it at 1:45 and I am on the right -- have a green WISH shirt on, black running skirt and black compression sleeves.  My visor is light blue -- matches my shoes.  (Really I couldn't find any other visor to wear so just went with what I had from the Princess).  My one second of fame!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Hi. I'm here. Just feeling tired and depressed that I'm up 2.5 lbs this week. I didn't even go crazy eating and did great exercising. Anyway, I'm exhausted and feeling sorry for myself. I will return to my regular self later. Promise 

Xoxo


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> *Kathy,* glad that you enjoyed your day off.    Your day with George sounds like fun but I hope Gary Sinise didn't mind.


Oh Lisa, you crack me up.  Gary and I have an open relationship.  Shhhhh.  Don't tell George.  After seeing him in that movie, I don't think he will be as understanding as Gary. 

I loved seeing you in the Disney Tink video.  That is awesome and I thought you looked mighty strong and you were walking at a good clip.  Isn't it fun to be on you tube!!!  Congrats on 3.5 pounds til ONE-derland!!!!   I'm 4.8 pounds away now.  And I'm afraid the girl scout cookies won't help me get there this week. 
Congrats on booking marathon weekend!!! I bet that helped a lot with the post race let down.   I am so excited for you, and am really hoping I'll be there too.  I was so envious of all the posts on Cam's facebook post about it.  I just don't know why George or Gary won't buy me my own dvc.  What is wrong with men these days.   



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hi ladies. I took a sick day today. This cold illness has been quite a doozy. (Thats another one of my pa dutch words) i am feeling a little better but still weak and tired. Tom completely derailed my plan of loosing this week. I now know why men loose weight so much faster. They dont have to deal with hormones.
> 
> Im off to be a couch potatoe today.


Hope you are feeling better today and enjoyed some of the couch potatoness yesterday.  I know you don't do that very often, too bad you need to be sick to day a day of rest.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> Hi. I'm here. Just feeling tired and depressed that I'm up 2.5 lbs this week. I didn't even go crazy eating and did great exercising. Anyway, I'm exhausted and feeling sorry for myself. I will return to my regular self later. Promise
> 
> Xoxo


  I hope you are feeling better soon.  Fricken scale stinks.  You deserve to see your hard work validated.  I think you need to sneak out to the movies with a baloney sandwich and have some alone time.  Should I call dh and tell him?  Hang in there, honey.  It will get better.  I am betting you'll be posting some of those whooshes like lisa had in the fall soon. 

*Maria*-Oh I can't think of a Maria song right now, but where are you??????  We miss you.  Hope you're well and just had a busy week, and are going to get some time to post today and let us all know how the taper madness is.  Perhaps you've picked up a new VB bag for race weekend?  Ah, 2 weeks from right now, I'll be burning up with jealousy of you and Rose.  I can't wait to hear all about your weekends.

*LisaR*_Hope you're well in all the snow!  We're getting a dusting here. Brrrrr.  

*Rose*-Hope you have a fun relaxing weekend with Tom!!

Hi *Jen, and Kayla*!!

Well, I told michael he had 11 minutes to pick up the floor in his room and then I'll vacuum.  11 minutes because i went down to put laundry in the dryer and it was off balance so it had 11 min to go once I fixed it.  So off to laundry, then vacuum, puppy school, our last class!!  I wonder if Poko will be valedictorian.  I probably can't spell it right, so probably not.  We are then going to see our friends dd in Fiddler on the ROof at the middle school, and Jim, Beth and Taylor are coming later in the afternoon.  We have an anniversary mass for my uncle tomorrow.  

Oh, and I ate 2 half packages of Girl Scout cookies yesterday.  I had thin mints and shortbreads, and gave michael a sleeve of each, and I took a sleeve of each to have but sat down and ate both of mine.  Duh.  Coach Pamela will not be happy.  (hi pamela- I'll be over to DOnald later to come clean).  Luckily the packages have gotten smaller and smaller over the years, so it was 600 calories of shortbreads, and 640 calories of thin mints.  So could have been worse.  And I swear I will not go try to steal any of michaels cookies. 

Have a great weekend everyone!!


----------



## pjlla

mikamah said:


> Oh, and I ate 2 half packages of Girl Scout cookies yesterday.  I had thin mints and shortbreads, and gave michael a sleeve of each, and I took a sleeve of each to have but sat down and ate both of mine.  Duh. * Coach Pamela will not be happy.  (hi pamela- I'll be over to DOnald later to come clean).*  Luckily the packages have gotten smaller and smaller over the years, so it was 600 calories of shortbreads, and 640 calories of thin mints.  So could have been worse.  And I swear I will not go try to steal any of michaels cookies.
> 
> Have a great weekend everyone!!



I'm like Roz from Monsters, Inc... "I'm watching.... always watching."   How did you know I'd be lurking here this morning to see this confession?   You came clean and counted it and you are ready to move on.  All is good.



lisah0711 said:


> Pause it at 1:45 and I am on the right -- have a green WISH shirt on, black running skirt and black compression sleeves.  My visor is light blue -- matches my shoes.  (Really I couldn't find any other visor to wear so just went with what I had from the Princess).  My one second of fame!



GOT IT! I had to go to full screen to see it.... our monitor is really old and square and you were cut off at first. WOOHOO to our FAMOUS RunDisney gal!!...................P


----------



## liesel

Good morning ladies!  This will be short since we are painting our office today, but I at least wanted you to know that I am still out there.


I finally went to Zumba yesterday (with poor Lindsay sick, somebody had to!) and had a great workout.  I saw my favorite instructor and she gave me great advice on incorporating some more cross training into my running.  The fitness director also told me about an indoor tri coming up in April that intrigues me, more on that later.

My DH had a fancy work dinner at a very expensive steakhouse last night.  We thought we would be limited in our choices, but this was a free for all you can have anything on the menu and they paid for it kind of thing.  I have never been to one of these before.  It was a nice place, of course the SAHM with no work wardrobe stressed about what I was going to wear and possibly being the fattest spouse there, but I wore my dress from DNephew's wedding in October and it was fine, most people weren't that dressed up (engineers!).  I am not a steak person so I had the scallops (no eyes Rose!), wine, dessert, a caprese salad, appetizers, it was crazy!  I am so stuffed and up 4 pounds today!    I am going to have to get my butt in gear.

I gotta get going, since our office is being torn apart today, I won't get back until tonight, but I have been following along.  Have a wonderful day and I can't wait to hear more about Rose and Maria's princess plans!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> You know what the best cure for that is? Book your next Disney vacation!    I booked my room at AKL Jambo for the January Marathon yesterday.  I have a 1 bedroom savanna view 'cause DH tells me he is going but I doubt that he will when push comes to shove.  I arrive on Wednesday and leave on Monday.  So I'm all ready for that meal at Boma on Sunday night!



woohoo for making your plans.  I am hoping to make a decision if I can go or not by early august.  I think that is usually when the pricing comes out for next year.  My aunt wants to come along again.  I kinda was hoping for a solo trip as the last time I felt like I had to be the tour guide.  I loved having my mom and aunt there but really just wanted a relaxing trip vs trying to tour all of WDW in 4 days ya know.  So we will see.  

I saw your video and you looked awesome!!!!  How exciting.  Now next race you will have to remember everytime you see a video camera you will need to ham it up in case it ends up on you tube.



mikamah said:


> Oh Lisa, you crack me up.  Gary and I have an open relationship.  Shhhhh.  Don't tell George.  After seeing him in that movie, I don't think he will be as understanding as Gary.



For a minute I thought I missed something and then I realized who you were referring too. You ladies crack me up.

Kathy- I would have been right there with you shoveling those thin mints down.  Gosh once you start it is so hard to stop.  Luckily I have deverted any purchases so far this year.  Mike bought some from a ladie at work and I told him he better keep them there.

I hope POKO was a star at her last class today.  Have fun at the play.



pjlla said:


> I'm like Roz from Monsters, Inc... "I'm watching.... always watching."   How did you know I'd be lurking here this morning to see this confession?







liesel said:


> I finally went to Zumba yesterday (with poor Lindsay sick, somebody had to!) and had a great workout.



Thanks Lisa Glad you had a good workout.  We can be virtual zumba buddies. 

Your dinner sounds so delish!  I get very nervous in situations like that too.  What to wear??? What do you say???? Glad it was a good night for you and woohoo on ordering whatever off the menu.  NICE

Nancy- Im sorry you are having a crappy day.  Just keep swimming girl because eventually those pounds are going to come off.  Your body has alot it is still adjusting too.  Just keep doing what you are doing and you will get there.  I agree with Kathy....a movie and a bologna sandwich may be in order.  Wish I was closer to join you.

Hi Maria and Rose!!!!!

I want to hear all about your plans too.  2 more weeks. 

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

I am feeling so much better today.  Ryan had an early bball game and then a bday party to go to.  So Nick and I went to the gym and he hung out while I did Zumba.  I got easily tired out today and about half way through I started to take it a bit easy.  I guess I am still a bit wiped out.

Tonight yet again I am having to hang out with my inlaws.  This is getting old.  My MIL bday was this week so we are taking her out to eat and then we are all going bowling.  This should be interesting.

Im sure I will have some kind of crazy story to report to you tomorrow.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I'm here! 8M -- Done! Yep, let the "real" tapering begin...

Ok, so my theory about not weighing seems to have not been overly effective, as I was down a whopping .4. I don't think the 180s are realistic at this point -- but that doesn't mean I can't try to lose. I think doing the same race at essentially the same weight but I hope fitter could still be good 

*Lindsay* -- I am so glad you are feeling better! And I know you are a good DIL, because of course I would be tempted to get MIL some new undies, and I know you aren't 

*Lisa* -- I'm glad it's not just me! I have a work wardrobe and I still worry about what I wear and being the largest spouse if DH brings me along...why do I care if I'm the largest? I mean, really, does that mean I'm the worst spouse?  Zumba sounds good, enjoy the painting! We desperately need to do something with our office, but I'm determined to get the entry hall and dining room painted first. We've had the paint for the entry hall for a very long time...

*Pamela* -- Oh, I'm in deep Pamela-trouble, too! I had two of the chocolate-covered pb GS cookies yesterday as "dessert" after lunch...but then I didn't have an afternoon snack, so I'm actually calling that a success 

*Kathy* -- You are killing me  I agree, at least one of those fellas should pony up some DVC! I keep changing my plans, I have a few more chapters to read in the 2012 Unofficial Guide and then I'm going to be "firm" enough to post. My arrival, meals with Rose, the race, and departure are the only things set in stone right now  I bet Poko is a shining star today -- she clearly has the best Mommy!  I won't lie, it is nice that we are home essentially when Ben is 3 days a week. He stays late twice a week for Improv, so he gets home a few minutes before we do. And then most Fridays I leave at noon, although with the merger I have a bad feeling I may have to give that up...the good news is they have plenty of home work, so the other days he's occupied. Anyway, maybe there are some clubs you could interest Mike in so he could arrive home closer to when you do, if you have some days when you can't be there soon...

*Nancy* --  I am sorry the scale is being a putz. You absolutely deserve better. It will eventually catch up to your good work. I have faith! 

*Lisah* -- Are we still allowed to post with our Hollywood starlet?! You are famous!  I still smile when I think how proud I am of you -- We are all going to look so gorgeous for our meets in January!  I'm glad you have that ressie -- you are going to be amazed at the Expo and the races! You pick up your number in one building, and then go to where the Princess Expo was for the Expo. It's so big, they devote the entire building to it! So much fun! 

*Jen* -- I hope you are feeling better now. You should absolutely give yourself time to recover from your race. It's smart planning 

*Kayla* -- That looks like a blast! If they come to Providence or Boston, we are so in! 

*Rose* -- I hope you are having a great time with Tom, enjoying the ocean (I so wish ours was warm enough to even put a toe in ), and relaxing before our big adventure!  I know this year of g-f has has a lot of ups and downs, but you have stuck with it and you feel so much better -- you are literally glowing with good health in your Princess skirt photo. You look amazing! 


This has indeed been a busy week. More work than I wanted, leaving early too many days, and next week there will be more work and less leaving early, so I guess that's good 

Anyway, Wednesday night was curriculum night at Ben's school. We found out 9th graders don't have a lot of choices. He will be taking English, Latin, World History, Biology, French (2nd yr modern language), and Algebra (he has the option of "advanced", but wants no part of it). They run in 6-day cycles, so he has PE two of those days each cycle. 

Ben has decided he is doing one week of summer camp, which of course starts the day he gets back from U.M. Army. My baby will basically be gone for 2 weeks straight  Now I have to plan everything else around that -- the good news is it does not interfere in any way with the Providence RnR, so I guess we are in for that! The annoying part is I have to continue with the "dance" I do around Dennis every year to plan our family vacation. I have to keep mentioning options, make spreadsheets, etc., until I finally back him into a corner. There is no reason it should have to be this hard -- we just view vacations differently.  I want them, he considers them a waste of money.  It doesn't help that I haven't firmed up exactly what I want to do...and I know he's going to push back since we are both going for marathon weekend...and Ben is going on a field trip to Quebec in May that is definitely biting into the vacation budget...sorry to go on and on, I realize I am so lucky that a yearly vacation is generally an option -- I just get frustrated because I spend so much energy getting him to agree -- why can't he just accept that he's going and say something he would like to do? 

He's back, so my rambling must cease. I'm finally going to try to regiser my Kindle, since he finally got the WiFi turned back on.  I really do adore my husband, even if it's hard to tell from my post. He is so awesome in so many ways, he just has a little too much parsimonious New Englander in him 

Maria


----------



## camnhan

So cool on the youtube video!! and that was one of them I had watched recently...

 stupids scales...here is to looking to next week for a loss for everyone!!!

Scale showed me down a few more ounces this morning but not a good eating day. We went shopping to the mall so had Aunt Annie's pretzels (only 2 sticks however instead of the entire cup so I will count that as a small win) then to Red Robin for dinner with the kids...trying to rationalize the fact that I really hadn't eaten anything other than the 2 pretzel sticks and cereal for breackfast to balance out the barbaque chicken wrap and fries I ate, along with chips and salsa and 2 onion rings

Cold better but still hanging on...heading into a nightmare week of work and if all goes well a closing on the house we are renting so I have a little more stability in my life (we know the guy buying it from another friend and he is a great guy so will be a weight off my shoulders knowing we will be renting from him soon instead of the idiot who we have been renting from that had not been paying his morgage and the house was going into forclosure!!!!!!)

DH is trying to plan a 4 day get away to DISNEY for just him and I in either April or May!!!! Have lots of mixed feelings on it...excited to be able to get away..just the two of us bit can't imagine going to Disney without the kids...anyone else done this??

I LOVE Zumba!! We have Zumba and Zumba tone at the gym I go to but the girl I really liked doesn't teach there anymore and not been thrilled with the others so had completely slacked off...Do have Zumba for WII and do like that...want to get Zumba 2 as well.....it is one heck of a workout! Trying Spinning class as well...my butt was sooooo sore after that but couldn't figure out how to stand and pedal. One of the girls after the class told me I had to really crank up the tension on the bike to be able to do that....would have been nice to know BEFORE class...they say it really build stamina for running so we will see.

Guess I better get something done around here since we were gone all day.


----------



## mikamah

Good afternoon ladies!!  

Had a fun weekend here but may have eaten and drank a little too much, and was even caught on facebook by *Lisah* posting under *Beth*s name.  lol. *LisaH*- We howled when we read your post, "friends don't let friends drink and fb."  Soooo funny.  

*Beth* had not been lurking this week so I showed her all the posts we had included her in, and I know she will be posting here soon, and I'm fairly certain we will be doing a half together in 2014, not quite sure if it will be the Donald, girls trip only or if we will do the princess feb vacation as a family trip.  Luckily we have some time to decide.  I think she would enjoy the princess as her first half more.  I know it was so nice having a womens race for my first 5k and half.  So we shall see.  I had always thought I'd do marathon weekend alone and then we all would take a cruise april vacation that year for my 50th, but honestly, I might rather do disney and the princess over the cruise.  So time will tell. 

Marathon weekend 2013, still in the back of my mind, and like lindsay, we'll see at the end of summer and probably decide by october.  

Niagara falls is out for April because the Maid of the Mist will not be running yet, so we hope to do something that week for a few days, and in August will do Niagara falls.  

*Maria* -Whoo hoo!  8 miles done, and serious taper time!  I definitely want ds to have something to do after school as he gets older.  I heard there is not much for 6th grade and they can't do some sports, so we'll see.  I have another full year before I have to seriously worry.  wow, 2 weeks away for ds.   That will be hard, but you will be ok.  That's too bad you and dh don't agree on the importance of vacation.  I think while planning our first disney trip 6 years ago was when I realized that life is all about the vacation.  You work hard to make enough money to take time off and enjoy it.  I love vacations.  Even if we don't go anywhere.  I'm debating if I should work some of april vacation now, but am gearing towards taking it off anyway.  It's nice to have a full week off, even with no big plans.   

*Lindsay*-Hope you had a fun night out with the inlaws and there were no bowling injuries or accidents. 

*Liesel*-your meal sounded fabulous.  I'm with you on getting back on track!!  It's hard after the race though, but you can do it!!

*Jen*- I haven't done disney without ds but may for my 50th for marathon weekend, but will probably have a cruise with him planned for april if it works out.  You deserve to get away with dh, and why not disney.  You wouldn't probably feel bad if it was to someplace else, would you.  It is a big decision though. 

*Nancy*-Hey Honey!!  How are you doing today?   Hope you had some relaxing time this weekend.

*Rose*-I love the pic you posted, and you look absolutely amazing.  Hope you had a fun weekend!!

Off to walk off some cookies with Poko!!  Have a great evening!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

you know what does WONDERS for your mental outlook? getting your hair dyed and cut.  i hadn't gotten my hair-did (missy eliot - remember when she used to say hair-did? now i can't stop) since way before matthew was born and the hair was just horrible. now it looks so much better. of course, as soon as i shower it will go back in a ponytail but at least for a day it looked good 

i'm working on having a better perspective right now. i was feeling blue for a few days but really there is no reason for me to feel that way! so i'm turning it around. nope, i didn't run either day this weekend and know i should have but i just needed a break. i have kickboxing tonight and having skipped the running is making me looking forward to the workout tonight. 

*2013 wdw marathon princesses (that means ALL of us, ok? ok!)* we just booked for marathon weekend!! yay! it worked out swimmingly...we had 60 pts on our BCV contract so i booked for thurs and fri nights (jan 10 and 11) using 58 pts at the 11 month window. and then yesterday was the 11 month window for the 12th of jan and right on schedule our new BLT pts that we purchased were in the system. great coincidence, right? so, we are booked right now for 2 nights at BCV and then 7 nights at BLT. at the 7 month window we are going to try to get a reservation for jan 10-20 all at one place. not sure which resort would be best for us for that long...sort of thinking about OKW. looking forward to a long vacation at disney! 

*maria and rose* so, 13 days til the princess? is that right? so exciting! maria, did you say where are staying? i'm jealous of you guys getting together that weekend! i hope you have fabulous weather and a fabulous time. can't believe it's been almost a year since i met everyone. 

*kathy* sounds like your weekend was fun! i agree that a women's race was a great first half marathon race. did you convince beth to join us over here? a cruise for your 50th? that sounds nice - i'll be there.  but you know which way we'll vote (because we all have a say, right?) DISNEY!

*lindsay* so....how was bowling?? if i were there i'd have a hard time not giggling everytime MIL bent over to get a bowling ball. i'd just be thinking, "hm, wonder if she's wearing my underwear right now" 

*liesel* glad your dinner was nice. i am so glad john doesn't have work functions that i have to attend. i would absolutely NOT want to have to get dressed up! scallops sound good - i really like them but never cook them. they always turn out weird when i try.

hi to everyone else! i'm running out of posting steam!

have a great day!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  



mikamah said:


> Oh Lisa, you crack me up.  Gary and I have an open relationship.  Shhhhh.  Don't tell George.  After seeing him in that movie, I don't think he will be as understanding as Gary.







pjlla said:


> I'm like Roz from Monsters, Inc... "I'm watching.... always watching."   How did you know I'd be lurking here this morning to see this confession?   You came clean and counted it and you are ready to move on.  All is good.



  I can hear you saying this, *Pamela,* in your best Roz voice. 



liesel said:


> Good morning ladies!  This will be short since we are painting our office today, but I at least wanted you to know that I am still out there.



Hope your office painting went well, *Lisa!* 



Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm here! 8M -- Done! Yep, let the "real" tapering begin...



Woo hoo for the "real" tapering!  

They had two floors for the Tinker Bell Expo, too, but I'm sure that the Tinker Bell Expo was smaller than the Princess Expo.  I can't wait to see the granddaddy expo of them all.  



camnhan said:


> stupids scales...here is to looking to next week for a loss for everyone!!!



Sorry about the smaller than expected loss, *Jen.* Any loss is a winner in my book!  



mikamah said:


> Had a fun weekend here but may have eaten and drank a little too much, and was even caught on facebook by *Lisah* posting under *Beth*s name.  lol. *LisaH*- We howled when we read your post, "friends don't let friends drink and fb."  Soooo funny. !



 Glad that you guys had a good time!  It will be nice to see Beth on here, too.  

*Rose,* hope that you had a great week-end!  You looked wonderful in your picture -- fabulous running form!  

*Lindsay,* hope that you will be able to come to WDW Week-end in January.  If your Mom and Aunt come along you should be able to take it down a notch since it won't be the "only" time.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> you know what does WONDERS for your mental outlook? getting your hair dyed and cut.  i hadn't gotten my hair-did (missy eliot - remember when she used to say hair-did? now i can't stop) since way before matthew was born and the hair was just horrible. now it looks so much better. of course, as soon as i shower it will go back in a ponytail but at least for a day it looked good
> 
> i'm working on having a better perspective right now. i was feeling blue for a few days but really there is no reason for me to feel that way! so i'm turning it around. nope, i didn't run either day this weekend and know i should have but i just needed a break. i have kickboxing tonight and having skipped the running is making me looking forward to the workout tonight.



Nothing like a little hair therapy, *Nancy.*   I'm sure it looks very cute and you can ditch the ponytail every once in awhile -- although a pony tail when you are a mom is a lifesaver!  

Trapped in the house with a couple of people hanging on you, who sometimes are not terribly rational or reasonable.  Dead of winter.  WDW vacation still way to far away.  Of course, you might get the blues.    But you are doing things to make it better and that is what counts.  

Slept in until 6:40 a.m. yesterday.  Apparently the dog was not feeling well and had an accident in the house (which has not ever happened since she was housetrained) that I discovered by slipping in it and falling. Again.  And about a second after I hit the ground it was like a switch was turned on and my lower back started hurting worse than when I was in labor.    It makes the ribs look like a walk in the park.  I went to urgent care and they prescribed some muscle relaxers.  I am staying home today.  Thank goodness for that good bone density.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## camnhan

just because this is our weigh in day for WW at work...always seem to have gained weight! Up a full pound from yesterday morning...still should be about a 3lb loss:  but really!

YUKE on the slip and fall because of the dog.....hope the muscle relaxents help.

I so agree: getting hair done has always been a mood booster for me as well. Holding off to see if DH gets our quick Disney trip actually planned and will do something with it for then. Wish we would find out if we can for sure pull it off because that will be a huge motivator to stay on track and loose some of the extra pounds! 

Well am supposed to be working  so better minimize this down and get something done today....


----------



## liesel

Taking a break from putting the office back together-a new decluttered version so its taking a while!  I did enjoy the work dinner Friday night, I am usually a little nervous about work functions since I don't know anyone, but there were a couple of couples closer to our age to talk to, which was nice.  Many were more interested in having general conversation instead of discussing work, which also helped.  I completely forgot to mention one more thing I ate that night-the project manager ordered lobster for the table!  No wonder I was waddling out of that place.

I had a good run yesterday, but I am a tad sore today so I most likely overdid it, I was just so happy to be feeling better.  I plan on increasing my running interval by 15 seconds a week to get back to where I was before all the illness started.  We are also going to start a little training program for the kids, we are going to do our first 5K as a family on April 28th.  They are very excited and can't wait to do a Disney 5K someday soon.  

*Lisa* Oh no, another injury!  I hope you are OK, I just can't believe this happened again!  I did see the segment on "cat breading" on Colbert, if you have pics I definitely want to see them.  I am surviving the post race/post vacation letdown, but being able to put another Disney half on the calendar would help, right now I am just hoping I can go to the DL half and/or marathon weekend.

*Nancy* Yay for getting your "hair did."  I am long overdue.  Another  for booking marathon weekend.  I really want to go, but I think we'll have to figure out this whole "to move or not to move" thing first.

*Rose* I hope you had a fun weekend with little DS drama.

*Maria* Congrats on reaching the taper stage!  I am very excited for you and Rose, especially now that I know how fun a Disney race is!  I hope you can get the vacation situation figured out.  I usually research our vacations and present a plan to DH, its easier to get him on board with something more concrete and he likes to go on vacations!  

*Lindsay* I'm so glad to hear you are feeling better.  I had forgotten how much I enjoyed Zumba, the Friday class fits best into my schedule so I will try to go to that one more often.

*Kathy* I also enjoyed having a women's race as my first half, there was definitely a fun energy.  I hope Beth does decide to come out of lurkdom and join us.  I saw the "friends don't let friends drink and FB" post and figured you were up to no good!  

*Jen* Wow, your landlord wasn't paying the mortage, I wonder what he was doing with all your rent money?!  Good luck with the move, I know they can be a pain.  It sounds like you had a good loss this week, despite the scale fluctuations.

I had better get back to work, I realize that I didn't finish my mini TR (post race stuff) and I'll get to that soon.  More inlaw drama!  I really didn't let it put a damper on the weekend, I know how they are and I've learned to shift my expectations so I don't waste time being upset over something that's not going to change.  They are nice people and they were very excited to be a part of the race weekend and were grateful that we made such an effort to include them.  I hope the TR didn't come off as whiny, I really had a wonderful weekend, and I think next time I won't be nearly as nervous about running the half.  I hope everyone has a marvelous Monday!


----------



## mikamah

Oh no, *LisaH*, I am so sorry you fell and are injured again.  Big hugs and pixiedust coming your way for a speedy recovery.  The low back is the worst.  You be sure you get plenty of rest and relaxation, and don't do too much.   Are you icing it too?  That can help keep the swelling down, and after a day or two, you could go back and forth with heat and ice, whatever makes it feel better.  Fingers crossed you are back to yourself in no time.  I'm glad you took the day off.  Sitting at a desk would not be fun.  Hang in there. 

*LisaR*-That's great you are already out there running again.  I loved your trip report and didn't think you were whiney at all.  I look forward to hearing the rest of it.  

*Nancy*-So glad you're feeling better and have a beautiful new hairdo!!  Yeah, I'm gearing more towards DIsney too.  The cruise was something I always wanted to do, since before the princess, but I loved the princess so much, I think I'd choose that over the cruise.  With the Princess being on the end of school vacation, Beth and I couldn't go alone, so it would be a family trip.  But who knows, the first princess was in march, so you never know what could happen.  Very exciting you've booked for marathon weekend, too.  we were talking at lunch about what we would do if we won powerball, and my first thing was to buy DVC at BLT, and book a 3 week vacation 2 weeks at disney and a week cruise.  Maybe 1 week at BLT and one at BCV.  See, I should have dvc if I know the initials.  Love to dream.  

We left work early because the afternoon was really quiet and all the patients were gone by 3.  I went to Target since I sorta forgot it's V-day tomorrow, so I picked up valentines for ds and a dvd, and some candy for him.  I got him a cute doggy card from Poko.  I hope he likes the valentines i picked so I don't have to go exchange them.  There's not too much left to pick from today.    That will teach me to be more organized.  Oh, then I came home to drop off michael's valentines stuff so he doesn't see it, and haven't gone to get him yet.  Oh well, what he doesn't know won't hurt him. 

I was watching Poko on the doggie day care webcam since I don't get to watch very often, and she was laying on one of the little cots, and a staff person was sitting with her, and I thought get up and move, you're supposed to be running around getting exhausted.   But she did get up and was running around again a little while later.  She does love to go there, and she does not like to get in the crate when we are going out, but she gets in the crate just fine when we go to bed, so I guess she just likes to be with us.  I'm thinking of trying to let her be loose in the kitchen this weekend for a little while while we go out, and see how it goes.  She does occassionally start to chew the furniture, but not often.  Part of me is thinking I shouldn't let her out yet, because it might be even harder to get her in the crate again.  So I'll see.  I'm so wishy washy sometimes.  

I guess I should go get the kids.  It's kind of nice to have total peace and quiet for a bit, though.  

Hello to everyone else!!  Hope you all had a marvelous monday!


----------



## camnhan

YEAH
officially down 3.8 today 
of course I am at work for an all night upgrade so you can imagine how much of that I am going to put back on tonight!!

Snowing here again  tired of the bitter cold already and we have had a pretty mild winter so shouldn't be complaining. Just really ready to get on with spring and see the sun again.

Well need to monitor the system and what everyone is doing


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


> Slept in until 6:40 a.m. yesterday.  Apparently the dog was not feeling well and had an accident in the house (which has not ever happened since she was housetrained) that I discovered by slipping in it and falling. Again.  And about a second after I hit the ground it was like a switch was turned on and my lower back started hurting worse than when I was in labor.    It makes the ribs look like a walk in the park.  I went to urgent care and they prescribed some muscle relaxers.  I am staying home today.  Thank goodness for that good bone density.
> 
> Have a great day ladies!



oh you poor thing! i hope the back feels better after some rest. hopefully the muscle relaxers do their work. i agree with nurse kathy that alternating heat and ice works wonders. the only phooey thing is that the ice is so cold!! i much prefer the heat! how are you feeling this morning? and yes! thank goodness for good bone density! yay calcium!



liesel said:


> Taking a break from putting the office back together-a new decluttered version so its taking a while!  I did enjoy the work dinner Friday night, I am usually a little nervous about work functions since I don't know anyone, but there were a couple of couples closer to our age to talk to, which was nice.  Many were more interested in having general conversation instead of discussing work, which also helped.  I completely forgot to mention one more thing I ate that night-the project manager ordered lobster for the table!  No wonder I was waddling out of that place.
> 
> I had a good run yesterday, but I am a tad sore today so I most likely overdid it, I was just so happy to be feeling better.  I plan on increasing my running interval by 15 seconds a week to get back to where I was before all the illness started.  We are also going to start a little training program for the kids, we are going to do our first 5K as a family on April 28th.  They are very excited and can't wait to do a Disney 5K someday soon.



mmmm lobster! love love love lobster. john doesn't really like it that much because he's lazy and doesn't like to do all the work to get the lobster out of his shell. anytime we go to a lobster bake or something during the summer i sit and de-shell his lobster. i'm so nice 

i think it is SO great that your kids are into running and exercising! it is SO important. i wish i had started running for fun at a young age. usually running laps meant i got in trouble at soccer practice so running always had a bad connotation for me. 

what's the 5k in april for? i need to sign up for a race to get my butt in gear on the training.



mikamah said:


> *Nancy*-So glad you're feeling better and have a beautiful new hairdo!!  Yeah, I'm gearing more towards DIsney too.  The cruise was something I always wanted to do, since before the princess, but I loved the princess so much, I think I'd choose that over the cruise.  With the Princess being on the end of school vacation, Beth and I couldn't go alone, so it would be a family trip.  But who knows, the first princess was in march, so you never know what could happen.  Very exciting you've booked for marathon weekend, too.  we were talking at lunch about what we would do if we won powerball, and my first thing was to buy DVC at BLT, and book a 3 week vacation 2 weeks at disney and a week cruise.  Maybe 1 week at BLT and one at BCV.  See, I should have dvc if I know the initials.  Love to dream.
> 
> We left work early because the afternoon was really quiet and all the patients were gone by 3.  I went to Target since I sorta forgot it's V-day tomorrow, so I picked up valentines for ds and a dvd, and some candy for him.  I got him a cute doggy card from Poko.  I hope he likes the valentines i picked so I don't have to go exchange them.  There's not too much left to pick from today.    That will teach me to be more organized.  Oh, then I came home to drop off michael's valentines stuff so he doesn't see it, and haven't gone to get him yet.  Oh well, what he doesn't know won't hurt him.
> 
> I was watching Poko on the doggie day care webcam since I don't get to watch very often, and she was laying on one of the little cots, and a staff person was sitting with her, and I thought get up and move, you're supposed to be running around getting exhausted.   But she did get up and was running around again a little while later.  She does love to go there, and she does not like to get in the crate when we are going out, but she gets in the crate just fine when we go to bed, so I guess she just likes to be with us.  I'm thinking of trying to let her be loose in the kitchen this weekend for a little while while we go out, and see how it goes.  She does occassionally start to chew the furniture, but not often.  Part of me is thinking I shouldn't let her out yet, because it might be even harder to get her in the crate again.  So I'll see.  I'm so wishy washy sometimes.
> 
> I guess I should go get the kids.  It's kind of nice to have total peace and quiet for a bit, though.
> 
> Hello to everyone else!!  Hope you all had a marvelous monday!



hmmm...letting the doggie have more freedom is a tough decision. you're not wishy washy at all! what if you let her just be free in the kitchen - hide your garbage can!! - but have the crate in there with the door open in case she wants to go in there. 

i'm sure you just caught poko when she was taking a break from all the playing 



camnhan said:


> YEAH
> officially down 3.8 today
> of course I am at work for an all night upgrade so you can imagine how much of that I am going to put back on tonight!!
> 
> Snowing here again  tired of the bitter cold already and we have had a pretty mild winter so shouldn't be complaining. Just really ready to get on with spring and see the sun again.
> 
> Well need to monitor the system and what everyone is doing



where are you that you're getting all that snow? near lisaR? we have hardly had ANY snow here in the bronx. it's so weird! the news talked about this HUGE snow storm coming and it was a dusting on the windshield on saturday. not that i'm complaining....

nice job on the loss! wow! 3.8 is a great number!!

***

i totally forgot about valentine's day. we even had a v-day party at our mommy and me and i just didn't even really think about it. i should get john a card i guess. i just really don't like valentine's day. i'm such a debbie downer, right? the one thing i did remember is to send thomas's first valentine to someone....nanny tighe. lol! nanny tighe is noreen's mom (noreen is the gal runs the mommy and me with me) and thomas LOVES her. he calls her nanny tighe and asks to see her ALL the time. i think it's because she gives him cookies every time she sees him. anyway, she's so sweet and so "thomas" sent her a dozen chocolate covered strawberries yesterday from edible arrangements. i just had to. he loves his nanny tighe so much. 

i had a mom freak out yesterday. i noticed a bump on thomas's neck that was about the size of a big pea and it was hard under the skin. i'm sure nurse kathy already knows what it was but i just kept thinking the worst. a lump on the neck? that can't be good. i took him in to the doctor and pretty much immediately he eased my nerves and said it was normal and just a lymphnode. what a relief. we saw the second doctor in the ped's office and he claimed to remember me from when i saw him as a child. maybe he remembers my name. anyway, i was totally freaked out all day until the appointment. thomas didn't nap and after the appt he was a total cranky terror. example: he always wants his shoes and socks off when we get in. i needed to feed the baby and he didn't want me to. he wanted me to take his shoes and socks off. so i settled down to nurse the baby and thomas jumped on top of us until i got his shoes and socks off. but then he started screaming that he wanted me to take his feet off.  it was one of those things where he is so tired he doesn't know what he wants. it was superfun trying to "take his feet off" while trying to nurse the baby. 

monsters inc is on disney jr right now (it's the one year anniversary of disney jr) and Roz just came on and i thought of *pamela* hehe

we are at 95 days til disney. i soooo want to go now. 

oh and *kathy* you should definitely own DVC. knowing all the abbreviations makes you a shoe-in! when we went to the info session for DVC john thought the guy was saying "bay lay tower" and not bay LAKE tower so we always write baylay in our emails to each other. wonder what the other BLT owners would about that!


----------



## mikamah

Happy Valentines Day Princessabelles!!!!

The slow dis is killing me, and now I'm late, so catch you all later.  Lots of love to you all!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you are all having a Happy and Pleasant Day! 

I don't know how much time I'm going to have (big meetin' early this afternoon, have to prepare with my boss in a few), but I have to get on here and at last 

*Kathy* -- I love you were getting valentines for Mike's class. I miss that -- I actually enjoyed putting the little packages of cards and candy together  I think Poko wanted to be well-rested so she could give you all her love and devotion. I hope you have another nice, quiet day at work. 

*Jen* -- Great job on the weight loss!  Where in the World is Jen? We'd love to know where you live, how many kidlets, what you do for fun and profit, etc. Here's a quick rundown on me -- I live in Boston, I have 1 snarly young man-child (Ben --14), married for 18 years to Dennis, who runs a lot more and faster than I do. I'm a grants professional for a large homeless services agency, and I've completed 6 Half marathons -- 5 at WDW and 1 Rock 'N Roll. 

*Nancy* -- Those are scary mom moments -- so glad Thomas is A-Ok! As of right now Dennis has a card, but no gift. I really don't think it's happening today. I would have to walk downtown, and I don't have time. He's just going to have to enjoy the gift of me being his lovely wife 

*LisaR* -- If there's anywhere that people can appreciate IL drama, it's here!  I'm glad yours aren't truly crazy or evil, we have plenty of that already  Looking forward to reading more of that TR!

*Lisa* --Nooooo! You are not allowed to have another injury! I want to think of you walking confidently around your home, without worry of mayhem.  I really hope you heal quickly. I know you are frustrated, and the "race letdown" is not helping. Maybe your sweet fellas will be extra attentive tonight for you 

*Rose and Lindsay* -- Hope you are also having a great day, with a great week planned! 

Ok, gotta get movin' -- I am really hoping for something peppy from tonight's Glee to add to my ipod -- but not too hopeful since it's the V-Day episode 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Wow i am so behind..... it was a busy wkend again and work is crazy too. Wanted to take a min to say hello while at swim class. I know im missing a lot but its hard to reply from my tablet.

Lisah i cant believe u fell again you poor thing. I hope you are feeling better soon.

Nancy a new hair do is perfect therapy glad it gave u the boost that u needed. Woohoo for booking the rooms for marathon wkend.

Kathy im so glad beth wants to do the race with u. I agree the princess was an awesome first.

Maria- i live for vacations and traveling so i can only imagine how frustrating it is to deal with dennis' outlook on it.

Jen- great weight loss this wk. I hope everything works out with the house.

Hi lisa......

Happy valentines day to all of my sspecial friends.....can u believe my husband got me a cake pop bake pan for vday. We usually dont exchange gifts but he had to run to walmart for red shirts for the kids last night and he decides to buy it for me. Ummm thanks i guess he trys to be thouhtful i guess 

Let me just tell u that ryan is giving me gray hair today. I picked him up from afterschool daycare and got an ear full about how he is saying the word s_x alot and has also been showing his middle finger. I am appalled at his behavior and so frustrated because i know he does not hear or see this at home. Apparently his friend seems to be the ring leader with this according to the teacher but that still is no excuse. I know he has no idea what the word even means but i am ready to pull my hair out.  He has lost all technology for the wk. I talked to him about it and not ollowing what others do if he knows its wrong. I just am so amazed that i am dealing with this in first grade.

Otherwise life is good. Zumba was awesome tonight and releaved a ton of stress. 

I hope to catch up even more with u soon


----------



## camnhan

Who is JEN???

Let's see...live in the corn fields of Illinois about an hour south of Chicago.
Married for 15 yrs to Thom who has NO interest in running (he says that is why they invented cars!!) He is a deputy coroner, firefighter/paramedic who is in school full time to get a teaching degree in math and special ed....

Have 3 kids Cam who is 14 and my athelete, Hannah who will be 13 in April and is a girly girl much to her mothers dismay (i was an athlete and tom boy) and then the light of our lives Zach who is 11 and has Down Syndrome. We are very blessed because we don't have all the medical issues associated and he is pretty high functioning when he wants to be 

I am a trauma nurse who currently is working as a clinical informaticist in our hospital. Love the computer work and human hours (other than nights like last night when I am up all night on a system upgrade)...
I will turn 45 in March (God that seems old) and am really wanting to get up and running. Have been doing WW for a little over a year and at one point was down 25 but have gained some back and am now and the downward swing again!! (that was until the all nighter at work last night and V-day snacks all day today  don't think I have eaten anything today that is not chocolate, candy or cookies!!!! so much for the 3.8lb loss this week!!

It is bitter cold here and we got about an inch of snow last night...so no running for me yet. Can't wait to get my treadmill back so I can get some serious workouts going...have not gotten a good schedule in place since everyone started back into school last month and show choir season started so my gym time has been ZERO...

Hope to meet you all at a race soon!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Happy Valentine's Day my lovelies! I hope everyone had a great day!

I apologize for being so absent. We got back Sunday evening in time to get somewhat organized for the week. I don't know if you all remember but our national office and a bunch of other folks are visiting this week to look at/test our data conversion. So that's going on this week--M-W. I will be off Thursday and Friday this week and will catch up then. It is going much better than I thought it would. I was so anxious about the whole thing I was making myself sick. Anyhow, one more busy day. 

Our run on Saturday was great! And today I went 3.1 after work. So far so good. The foot is doing great. Just a teeny bit of ankle issues. I could almost cry I am so happy about it. I honestly thought for a while there that I would never be pain free again. It has been going on in one form or another for over a year....so I am very happy!

*LisaH*--I am so sorry about your back! Goodness! I hope you are feeling better today. 

I will talk to you all later. Enjoy your evening.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies!!  

I hope I'm able to post this properly today.  Yesterday the dis kept signing me out while i was typing my reply, and I lost a big donald post, so I was a bit frustrated.  I had to renew my nursing license online this am, and register ds for his neurology appt online, so my dis time was cut into.  Tomorrow is my 10-2 day, so I'm hoping to catch up properly tomorrow morning.  

*Jen*-Good to hear a little more about you.  Trauma nursing must be so tough.  I'm a nurse too and did ICU for many years til ds started kindergarten and then went to Endoscopy.  I often thought about ER, and did EMT work for a while and als transfers for an ambulance company, but the thought of kids and trauma kept me away.  I just don't think I could handle that.  I actually really love endo and especially love the now weekends and holidays part.  I'm a single mom to my 10 year old ds Mike, and now a 1 year old doggy Poko that we got in december.  Hope today's a better day and the chocolate is all gone!!

*Rose*-I'm so glad your foot is feeling so good!!  It's going to be a fantastic Princess half weekend for you, I can feel it.  Cant' wait to live it vicariously with you.  
I gave up on the 100 day challenge too.  Last week when poko went t0 day care, I did 15 min in the morning and 15 in the evening, but didn't want to, even though I had said I would do the 30 min consecutively for the challenge, I figured that still could count, but this week, monday she went to day care, and it's really the only day I don't have to go out and do the long walks with her, so I didn't do them, and decided that I do need my day of rest once in a while.  Most day's I'm doing more than 60 min, so I'm trying not to feel bad.  But I don't like to be a quitter.  
Oh and not apologies allowed for not being here, remember???????

*Maria*-Of course dh should be thrilled to be you husband, and doesn't need any more than that I'm sure.   You're too funny.  Ben doesn't do valentines anymore, huh?  Michael made 2 hearts during fun club for two special girls, and the rest got the store bought ones.  Our school strictly does not allow candy so it was just the cards.  A friend of his gave out lollipops, so I need to harrass his mom on breaking the rules when I see her.  It's a combination of the whole childhood obesity and food allergies that made them go candy/snack free.  They don't do birthday celebrations with food either.  One week from today you'll be packing!!!  Whoo hoo!!

*Nancy*_Glad Thomas is ok.  What a scare it is to see lumps and bumps where they shouldn't be.  So, are you leaving John for Usher??????  Loved, loved, loved your facebook post.  Did you run without the kids?  Bay Lay tower!!  Lol.  

*Lindsay*-I am sure Ryan doesn't know what it means, but it is so stresful when they get in trouble for something inappropriate.  When michael was in 1st grade, him and 2nd grader were caught showing each other in the bathroom during fun club.  I was mortified, as was the other mom, and it's hard to remember it's all a part growing up, and prefectly normal when you are the parent, but it is.  I think that is what I did too, no media for a week.  It was the only time it happened, and hopefully this will be it for Ryan.  Interesting, though fun club doesn't let him and this boy go to the bathroom together still.   Hang in there.  This parenting thing is not for the faint of heart.

*LisaH*-Thinking of you and fingers crossed you are feeling much better today.  Hope all is ok, and you're healing each day.  

*LisaR*-I love lobster, and haven't had it since my mom died.  I've thought about it, and it was her favorite thing and I think I only had it without her once or twice, and I just get filled up when I think about buying it without her.  It is so good though.  

Hi *Pamela* if your lurking today!!!  

We got some very bad news at work.  The IS people told our boss we have had an unusually high amount of internet use from our unit lately, sooooooo, I can't be popping on the dis to check in during the work day.   Everyone was asking me if I was in withdrawal yesterday.  And I was.  Makes me think I will need an Iphone with internet access. 

Have a great day everyone!!!!


----------



## mikamah

Interesting.  I posted this morning, I saw it posted, and then it was gone.  So I came on now to say a quick hello and my post was here when I posted again, but it wasn't there before I tried to post again.  doo do do do, do do do do.  Does that sound like eerie music, because it's supposed.  Well, if you can read my prior post, great, if not, Hello everyone!!  Not enough time tonight to post more, and I'm heading to work at 8 tomorrow, so I'll miss my morning dis time.  

Hope all is well with everyone and the poof fairies aren't messing with your all too.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--that is really strange about your post. I didn't see it until a few minutes ago, but it's dated this morning. 

For everyone who is still having problems with disboards--have you tried using Google Chrome? It was slow for a while, but has been much better lately.

****
I survived the visit at work, but I am brain dead and chicken fried! I will talk to you all tomorrow.


----------



## camnhan

well got new shoes tonight and hit the gym for 2 miles on the treadmill...jury is still out on the shoes. My lower back has been sore and not sure why so trying to take it a little easy.

Our CMIO at work just bought our entire team tickets to our Heart Ball and it truly is a ball  Now I have until March 10th to drop a few pounds and find a gown to wear....really nice that he is taking us all..not something I would spend the money on although I have often thought it would be fun...we don't get to bring our DH's so should be a fun night 

kids yelling...gotta go


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Worfiedoodles said:


> *Jen* -- Great job on the weight loss! Where in the World is Jen? We'd love to know where you live, how many kidlets, what you do for fun and profit, etc. Here's a quick rundown on me -- I live in Boston, I have 1 snarly young man-child (Ben --14), married for 18 years to Dennis, who runs a lot more and faster than I do. I'm a grants professional for a large homeless services agency, and I've completed 6 Half marathons -- 5 at WDW and 1 Rock 'N Roll.
> 
> *snarly young man-child  love that! i will be using that in my daily vocabulary from now on! 6 half marathons - daaayuummm girl that is amazing!*
> 
> *Nancy* -- Those are scary mom moments -- so glad Thomas is A-Ok! As of right now Dennis has a card, but no gift. I really don't think it's happening today. I would have to walk downtown, and I don't have time. He's just going to have to enjoy the gift of me being his lovely wife
> 
> *sounds like a great gift to me!! ps thanks for the card! *
> 
> *LisaR* -- If there's anywhere that people can appreciate IL drama, it's here!
> 
> *amen, sister!*
> 
> 
> Ok, gotta get movin' -- I am really hoping for something peppy from tonight's Glee to add to my ipod -- but not too hopeful since it's the V-Day episode



what did you think of glee? i thought it was...meh. i need more sue sylvester. hate when her snarky comments aren't in the episode!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Happy valentines day to all of my sspecial friends.....can u believe my husband got me a cake pop bake pan for vday. We usually dont exchange gifts but he had to run to walmart for red shirts for the kids last night and he decides to buy it for me. Ummm thanks i guess he trys to be thouhtful i guess
> 
> Let me just tell u that ryan is giving me gray hair today. I picked him up from afterschool daycare and got an ear full about how he is saying the word s_x alot and has also been showing his middle finger. I am appalled at his behavior and so frustrated because i know he does not hear or see this at home. Apparently his friend seems to be the ring leader with this according to the teacher but that still is no excuse. I know he has no idea what the word even means but i am ready to pull my hair out.  He has lost all technology for the wk. I talked to him about it and not ollowing what others do if he knows its wrong. I just am so amazed that i am dealing with this in first grade.
> 
> Otherwise life is good. Zumba was awesome tonight and releaved a ton of stress.
> 
> I hope to catch up even more with u soon



ah, the ole here's-a-gift-that-actually-causes-more-work-for-you gift. so thoughtful!  i do admit those cake pops sure do look cute though!

oh no! not the s-e-x word in first grade! that is too early! i bet he doesn't even know what it is! ryan ryan ryan, behave little man! there is so much pressure on kids these days to be "cool" and that means being bad. how did he react when you told him he can't have technology for the week? did he understand that he can't do that? poor mama. i'm not looking forward to this stuff at all. thomas is doing this SPITTING thing now that is driving me insane. hugs!



camnhan said:


> Who is JEN???
> 
> Let's see...live in the corn fields of Illinois about an hour south of Chicago.
> Married for 15 yrs to Thom who has NO interest in running (he says that is why they invented cars!!) He is a deputy coroner, firefighter/paramedic who is in school full time to get a teaching degree in math and special ed....
> 
> Have 3 kids Cam who is 14 and my athelete, Hannah who will be 13 in April and is a girly girl much to her mothers dismay (i was an athlete and tom boy) and then the light of our lives Zach who is 11 and has Down Syndrome. We are very blessed because we don't have all the medical issues associated and he is pretty high functioning when he wants to be
> 
> I am a trauma nurse who currently is working as a clinical informaticist in our hospital. Love the computer work and human hours (other than nights like last night when I am up all night on a system upgrade)...
> I will turn 45 in March (God that seems old) and am really wanting to get up and running. Have been doing WW for a little over a year and at one point was down 25 but have gained some back and am now and the downward swing again!! (that was until the all nighter at work last night and V-day snacks all day today  don't think I have eaten anything today that is not chocolate, candy or cookies!!!! so much for the 3.8lb loss this week!!
> 
> It is bitter cold here and we got about an inch of snow last night...so no running for me yet. Can't wait to get my treadmill back so I can get some serious workouts going...have not gotten a good schedule in place since everyone started back into school last month and show choir season started so my gym time has been ZERO...
> 
> Hope to meet you all at a race soon!!!



nice to "meet" you, jen!  i lived in chicago for four years before moving back to new york. loved it there. i was an investment consultant there and alot of my clients were in the cornfields!  mostly the police and fire pensions of all those towns. 

nice job on the 25lb loss. i bet being active here on the dis boards will be motivating. there are lots of challenges to keep you going. bigglest loser, exercise challenges. oh and reading people's accounts of their disney race experiences definitely gets you going!



Rose&Mike said:


> Happy Valentine's Day my lovelies! I hope everyone had a great day!
> 
> I apologize for being so absent. We got back Sunday evening in time to get somewhat organized for the week. I don't know if you all remember but our national office and a bunch of other folks are visiting this week to look at/test our data conversion. So that's going on this week--M-W. I will be off Thursday and Friday this week and will catch up then. It is going much better than I thought it would. I was so anxious about the whole thing I was making myself sick. Anyhow, one more busy day.
> 
> Our run on Saturday was great! And today I went 3.1 after work. So far so good. The foot is doing great. Just a teeny bit of ankle issues. I could almost cry I am so happy about it. I honestly thought for a while there that I would never be pain free again. It has been going on in one form or another for over a year....so I am very happy!
> 
> *LisaH*--I am so sorry about your back! Goodness! I hope you are feeling better today.
> 
> I will talk to you all later. Enjoy your evening.



that's so great about your foot feeling so great!  i have a feeling the princess is going to be a great time for everyone! sure wish i was doing it this year. wah. i forget now...are you staying at the boardwalk?



mikamah said:


> Good morning ladies!!
> 
> I hope I'm able to post this properly today.  Yesterday the dis kept signing me out while i was typing my reply, and I lost a big donald post, so I was a bit frustrated.  I had to renew my nursing license online this am, and register ds for his neurology appt online, so my dis time was cut into.  Tomorrow is my 10-2 day, so I'm hoping to catch up properly tomorrow morning.
> 
> We got some very bad news at work.  The IS people told our boss we have had an unusually high amount of internet use from our unit lately, sooooooo, I can't be popping on the dis to check in during the work day.   Everyone was asking me if I was in withdrawal yesterday.  And I was.  Makes me think I will need an Iphone with internet access.
> 
> Have a great day everyone!!!!



the DIS was KILLING me the last couple of days! i couldn't get on and it nothing would load so i just gave up. 

what is going on with mike and his neurological stuff? is he still on that medication? how long has it been since he had that seizure? 

wait wait wait...your DIS time has been cutoff? wow. that just sounds like a fate worse than death!!! say it ain't so!!

i agree- get an iphone! they are addicting ....and calorie free! 



mikamah said:


> Interesting.  I posted this morning, I saw it posted, and then it was gone.  So I came on now to say a quick hello and my post was here when I posted again, but it wasn't there before I tried to post again.  doo do do do, do do do do.  Does that sound like eerie music, because it's supposed.  Well, if you can read my prior post, great, if not, Hello everyone!!  Not enough time tonight to post more, and I'm heading to work at 8 tomorrow, so I'll miss my morning dis time.
> 
> Hope all is well with everyone and the poof fairies aren't messing with your all too.



eerie music? it was so eerie i was afraid i was actually on the tower of terror! seriously though, the DIS is sooo slow. don't they know that disney people are probably THE  most obsessed type of people?? we need our fix! 



Rose&Mike said:


> *Kathy*--that is really strange about your post. I didn't see it until a few minutes ago, but it's dated this morning.
> 
> For everyone who is still having problems with disboards--have you tried using Google Chrome? It was slow for a while, but has been much better lately.
> 
> ****
> I survived the visit at work, but I am brain dead and chicken fried! I will talk to you all tomorrow.



i might have to check out google chrome. i'm on firefox and just cannot get the darn site to load. i wonder if this post will even go through...



camnhan said:


> well got new shoes tonight and hit the gym for 2 miles on the treadmill...jury is still out on the shoes. My lower back has been sore and not sure why so trying to take it a little easy.
> 
> Our CMIO at work just bought our entire team tickets to our Heart Ball and it truly is a ball  Now I have until March 10th to drop a few pounds and find a gown to wear....really nice that he is taking us all..not something I would spend the money on although I have often thought it would be fun...we don't get to bring our DH's so should be a fun night
> 
> kids yelling...gotta go



a ball sounds nice! don't worry about dropping the weight...that's what spanx are for!  

give the shoes some time to break in. usually they need a few miles before they start to feel good.


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

good morning! like i said i've been having some DIS issues so couldn't get in any updates. and that's why i just HAD to post on facebook about usher. some of my other friends are definitely confused because they think i saw the actual usher. well, maybe i did  lol! he rolled up next to me while i was chugging along and asked me how i was doing and that he was glad to see me out here. he must get off work around 4 because i've been running after 4 lately. tuesday i got out earlier and that must be why i saw him. it was nice when he wished me a happy valentine's day. the ONLY problem with this meeting is that it happened before i even had hit one mile. i could have used him at about mile 3 when i was hoping to do 4! lol. i actually only did 5k because i got some baaaaaad stomach issues. almost didn't make it home. ick.  hoping my body is just getting used to moving more and being on the metformin again. ugh. 

john mentioned that he wanted to take the boys to the poconos to see his parents on saturday. matthew is only going to be 12 weeks old and i have no desire to go. he said, oh just give me some bottles and i will feed him. nevermind the fact that it's not that easy for me to just skip a bunch of feedings (ouch!) but i don't know that john would feed him enough. plus the poconos is like a 2 hour drive each way! and i really hate the idea of my kids seeing those crazy people. i swear when they say jump john says how high. if they need to be with their grandkids so badly why did they move out to PA?? i should probably just let him take them but i hate letting them "win" with anything. john tells me that i need to just let my issues with them go. WHAT? why do i get to be told i'm the devil and i've ruined his life but i have to let it go. but god forbid he say to his mother, "mom, you don't get to act crazy and then be allowed to see the kids. you don't get to complain about the christmas card and expect us to go running out there to you." but nope. and it really makes me mad. and of course i sit and stew about it. 

wah, wah. i don't know what to do. maybe let john take thomas but not matthew. john said i could just go with him but i'd rather shoot myself. 

anyway, i'm rambling and just stressing myself out. time to make some more coffee and get thomas up.

xoxo

*lisah* what's going on with your back???? is it better now? i hope so!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

Thank you all for the good wishes, pixie dust  and positive thoughts about my back.    It gets a little better every day and I will be starting physical therapy next week.  There are no visible fractures on the x-ray.  Hopefully this is it for me for a long time!   I am very thankful that I was so active this past year because otherwise I think my recovery would be much longer.  

*Lisa,* glad you got to have a fun night out!   Sounds like the office turned out great.  Don't worry about the running.  You will get back into the groove sooner than you think.   

And since you asked here is the "cat breading" picture.  Actually the cat doesn't look too mad so it must have been fast.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			
		
		
	


	




*Jen,* congrats on the great loss!   Sending  on the house thing!

*Lindsay,* hope things calm down a little for you.    You are rocking and rolling with your exercise program for sure! 

*Rose,* sorry about the chicken fried thing.    Thank goodness you get to go to WDW soon!   And a big woo hoo  on the foot and ankle! 

*Kathy,* hope those mysterious poof fairies poof you a winning lottery ticket or something good.  

*Maria,* hope that you are doing okay and thinking about what you need to take to WDW!   Looks like nice weather while you are there. 

I always loved the Valentine's Day celebrations, too.  I remember putting so much thought into what card I gave to who and it taking hours.  Imagine my surprise when I found out boys could care less and just picked a valentine and put someone's name on it.  

*Nancy,* big hugs on the in-laws issue.    And big, BIG hugs on the runner's tummy issue.    Hopefully it was just a passing thing or your body getting used to running again.  Don't you wish that just for one day your body would feel and act the way it should? 

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

hi ladies!!!

today is my friday so I am thrilled and am wishing the day would go faster.

I have been working on loosing the 3lbs I gained from saturday to monday.  Not sure how that happened as I didnt eat that horribly but I think part is that TOM always does this the week after and part is I am running for longer timeframes now.  I really hope I dont maintain for long now that I am getting into longer mileage.  The same thing happened during the princess training and it was frustrating.  Although i wasnt counting calories then either.  I ate well yesterday and ran last night and than got on the scale thinking I was going to be close to last wks weigh in and instead I went up from yesterday.  I actually said "screw you" to the scale quite loudly this morning and Mike thought I was talking to him  He was like "what did I do"  Made me laugh anyway.

So thats where I am at mentally right now.  Im just back to feeling a bit sorry for myself that I am not thinner.  Im sure it could just be the gloomy weather but whaaaaaaaa.

sorry to be a downer.

Lisah- Im glad you are starting to get a little better.  You have now had your fair share of accidental injurys so I think that is it for awhile now.  and oh my gosh the breaded cat is completely hysterical

nancy- Im sorry you even have to deal with the whole inlaw crap.  I would feel uneasy about letting him take matthew for the day too.  Not that he wont take good care of him but the whole Bf thing is a pain when you are away from the baby all day.  

Rose- I hope you are able to relax a bit today.

Hi Kathy, Jen, and Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--I don't know what to tell you about the Poconos and the outlaws. Honestly, it's one of the few things we fought about in our marriage. I thought when Mike's mom died about 10 years ago that it would get better, but then more drama started with his sister. It was the same kind of arguments that you have too. I used to think it was mostly my fault, but they were not nice to me. Period. And Mike would do anything to avoid the drama with them. He really was between a rock and a hard place. I think if at all possible try to remove the emotions from the decisions. I think it is perfectly reasonable for you not to want to go, so the question then becomes--is this a good time for Matthew to be away from you. If all else fails, read the Four Agreements--and remember it's their issues, don't make them yours too. Remember at the end of the day, it is about you and your family. 

Try drinking a mug of hot water about an hour or so before you run. It really helps me to avoid potty issues.

*Lindsay*--Uggh, the potty words. Not a fun stage. Just throwing it out there but, with the other stuff that came up with the conferences--do you see this as impulse control or just experimenting cause the other kids are doing it and being silly? Tom had some MAJOR impulse control issues--probably his biggest adhd symptom. His biggest issue--he would not put his books down. I know that sounds ridiculous, but he read all the time. Had to finish his books. Would rather get in trouble than put his books down. We had to take the locks off his bathroom door and then threaten to take the door down cause he wouldn't get a shower. He had to do his homework in the dining room or he wouldn't do it--he would just read. And he wasn't a bad kid. He just had ZERO impulse control. Anyhow, sorry to get off on a tangent. I know the whole potty word thing is frustrating, and definitely needed a punishment, but pretty "normal" in the big scheme of things.

I hope you have a wonderful day off tomorrow! Do you have anything fun planned?

*LisaH*--I hope the back is in tip top shape soon! As much as I complained about p-t, it really did help and I learned a lot. 

*Kathy*--Sorry about the no more dis'ing at work. I don't dis at work--they monitor our computer usage, so it makes it easy for me to avoid it. 

Don't stress at all about the 100 day challenge. I felt guilty for about a week, and then realized I am a very, very active person who needs a day off on occasion. You have been doing fantastic with the activity this year. Don't beat yourself up!

*Maria*--How are you? Are you surviving your work week? Are you getting excited? 

Hello to everyone else!

******
I am really looking forward to next week, though I really wish you all were coming too! 

Who all is doing January???? We are booking our dvc in the next couple of days. I think we are only going to be able to do Thursday (after work flight) through Monday night. But we will be there!

My foot is doing so much better, I am beginning to think I will actually be able to do the marathon! So who is going to run with me and Nancy?????

I know you all are dying to know if there was drama in SC. Just a tiny bit, but honestly I kind of stirred things up, so I am going to take responsibility for this one. It was a nice visit, but boy that is one rotten only child who thinks that our lives should revolve around him. How on earth did that happen? I'm sure it wasn't my fault. DS is doing well in classes, but Mike and I are both very frustrated by his lack of motivation in finding something to do for the summer. He seems to always think everything is always going to work out perfectly at the last minute. And maybe it will. Anyhow, I don't want to deal with him right now, so Mike is going to talk to him. 

The work visit this week went well. I got tons of compliments about how much I get done in the amount of hours I work each week and about how prepared we were for the visit. I also got tons more work assigned to me.  I was exhausted by the time it was over, because it was 3 days of having to pay attention. There were three people from our office in the meetings, but I answered most of the questions, since I maintain our data base. So I couldn't even zone out cause every time I did they asked me something. It was really good though, cause I have struggled with the fact that I didn't work for so long, and I am now realizing that I am still pretty smart and capable. My boss gave me a ton of compliments and made me feel really good about things.

As for the foot--it is doing really, really well. Not perfect, but no complaints! I have even been wearing regular shoes and wore heels one day this week! I got my new skirt to wear with my tutu and ran in it on Tuesday. It's a little longer than my other skirts, so I think I can actually wear it out and about if I want to.

I hope you all are doing well. I really am a little sad that we will not get to see everyone next week. But I'm sure I speak for Maria as well when I say, I will be taking you all with me when I run.

Oh and one more thing--Mike and I are thinking about doing this race in Philly in May if anyone is interested:
http://www.oddysseyhalfmarathon.com/

TTYL.


----------



## camnhan

Nancy: Chicago is ok...i wish I lived someplace that the tallest point was not an overpass   these flat lands are so boring!!

Getting excited for all the upcoming racers...wish I could attend and cheer everyone on! Can't wait for the trip reports and pictures

on a side note:
THE HOUSE SALE WAS FINALIZED TODAY 
the idiot has 2 weeks to get his stuff out...not realy thrilled with that but at least the house is no longer in his name and the end is near!!!

Sorry to hear of the monster-in-law issues...I can SOOOO relate!!! Thank goodness my husband can't even deal with his mother any longer so I am not forced to deal with her. Kind of feel bad because we don't get to see his brothers and sister much because we avoid all family gatherings because all she does is make snide comments the entire time and we can't enjoy each others company.

talk to everyone soon! have a great nite...


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princessabelles!!  

Hmmmm just reminiscing about packing and painting t-shirts a year ago for our princess trip.  I went a little crazy with the fabric paint.  Ah, the taper madness.  

I'm so excited for you *Rose and Maria!!*

Not enough time this morning, so hope to be back tonight.  Poko's going to daycare today, so I can chill this evening.  

Have a fantastic friday!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I'm here, but no time for a real post -- maybe some snippets until I can really do you guys justice -- anyway, my taper madness purchasing had been limited to some socks, but now dh is taking me shopping for "whatever else I need" tomorrow afternoon, so who knows what will come to FL with me?!

I can't wait to catch up, forgive me if I do it in spurts...

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah0711 said:


>



bwahahhwhaahhaahhahahah!!!! that poor kitty! this is hysterical! cat-breading. i can't! 

make sure you keep up with the PT. it's SO important for your back. having back issues really stink but strengthening and being in shape really helps so i bet you'll be feeling better soon! an exercise that really helps is lay on your belly and alternate arms and legs...lift up one arm and the opposite leg like you are swimming. then switch. do that a bunch of times and it really helps to strengthen the lower back. after doing that you can switch it up by still laying on your stomach and pretend you're doing jumping jacks - arms out to the side then together then out to the side again. same with the legs.

after years of back PT, i feel your pain.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> hi ladies!!!
> 
> today is my friday so I am thrilled and am wishing the day would go faster.
> 
> I have been working on loosing the 3lbs I gained from saturday to monday.  Not sure how that happened as I didnt eat that horribly but I think part is that TOM always does this the week after and part is I am running for longer timeframes now.  I really hope I dont maintain for long now that I am getting into longer mileage.  The same thing happened during the princess training and it was frustrating.  Although i wasnt counting calories then either.  I ate well yesterday and ran last night and than got on the scale thinking I was going to be close to last wks weigh in and instead I went up from yesterday.  I actually said "screw you" to the scale quite loudly this morning and Mike thought I was talking to him  He was like "what did I do"  Made me laugh anyway.
> 
> So thats where I am at mentally right now.  Im just back to feeling a bit sorry for myself that I am not thinner.  Im sure it could just be the gloomy weather but whaaaaaaaa.



don't feel down - you are doing really great this challenge! just keep up the good work. what has your running routine been like lately? i'm trying to tack on more time and it's been rough! 

how's mr. ryan doing?



Rose&Mike said:


> *Nancy*--I don't know what to tell you about the Poconos and the outlaws. Honestly, it's one of the few things we fought about in our marriage. I thought when Mike's mom died about 10 years ago that it would get better, but then more drama started with his sister. It was the same kind of arguments that you have too. I used to think it was mostly my fault, but they were not nice to me. Period. And Mike would do anything to avoid the drama with them. He really was between a rock and a hard place. I think if at all possible try to remove the emotions from the decisions. I think it is perfectly reasonable for you not to want to go, so the question then becomes--is this a good time for Matthew to be away from you. If all else fails, read the Four Agreements--and remember it's their issues, don't make them yours too. Remember at the end of the day, it is about you and your family.
> 
> Try drinking a mug of hot water about an hour or so before you run. It really helps me to avoid potty issues.
> 
> 
> ******
> I am really looking forward to next week, though I really wish you all were coming too!
> 
> Who all is doing January???? We are booking our dvc in the next couple of days. I think we are only going to be able to do Thursday (after work flight) through Monday night. But we will be there!
> 
> My foot is doing so much better, I am beginning to think I will actually be able to do the marathon! So who is going to run with me and Nancy?????
> 
> As for the foot--it is doing really, really well. Not perfect, but no complaints! I have even been wearing regular shoes and wore heels one day this week! I got my new skirt to wear with my tutu and ran in it on Tuesday. It's a little longer than my other skirts, so I think I can actually wear it out and about if I want to.
> 
> I hope you all are doing well. I really am a little sad that we will not get to see everyone next week. But I'm sure I speak for Maria as well when I say, I will be taking you all with me when I run.
> 
> Oh and one more thing--Mike and I are thinking about doing this race in Philly in May if anyone is interested:
> http://www.oddysseyhalfmarathon.com/
> 
> TTYL.



thanks for the advice about the in-laws. he's not going this weekend. we had a big ole fight about it last night but...ugh, whatever. turns out we actually have a major plumbing issue in the basement so it's just not a good time for him to go anyway (not that he'd admit that)

where do you think you guys will stay for marathon weekend. i'm trying to think about what would be the best place for us to stay. we'll be there for 10 days (woot!) and i'm thinking that OKW might be very comfy for us all. then again, BCV or BWV might be nice since it's such a fast walk to epcot. i'm assuming transportation on race day will be easy no matter which resort we pick.



camnhan said:


> Nancy: Chicago is ok...i wish I lived someplace that the tallest point was not an overpass   these flat lands are so boring!!
> 
> Getting excited for all the upcoming racers...wish I could attend and cheer everyone on! Can't wait for the trip reports and pictures
> 
> on a side note:
> THE HOUSE SALE WAS FINALIZED TODAY
> the idiot has 2 weeks to get his stuff out...not realy thrilled with that but at least the house is no longer in his name and the end is near!!!
> 
> Sorry to hear of the monster-in-law issues...I can SOOOO relate!!! Thank goodness my husband can't even deal with his mother any longer so I am not forced to deal with her. Kind of feel bad because we don't get to see his brothers and sister much because we avoid all family gatherings because all she does is make snide comments the entire time and we can't enjoy each others company.
> 
> talk to everyone soon! have a great nite...



in-law issues abound here on this thread! what is WITH that dynamic that it seems to be more crappy than it should be? for me it's mental reasons as my in-laws are all certifiable (really, i'm not just exaggerating that one!).

congrats on the house!



mikamah said:


> Good morning princessabelles!!
> 
> Hmmmm just reminiscing about packing and painting t-shirts a year ago for our princess trip.  I went a little crazy with the fabric paint.  Ah, the taper madness.
> 
> I'm so excited for you *Rose and Maria!!*
> 
> Not enough time this morning, so hope to be back tonight.  Poko's going to daycare today, so I can chill this evening.
> 
> Have a fantastic friday!!



i loved your shirts at the princess for both the meet-up and the race! and michael's shirt was cool too!! i wish we were all going!



Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm here, but no time for a real post -- maybe some snippets until I can really do you guys justice -- anyway, my taper madness purchasing had been limited to some socks, but now dh is taking me shopping for "whatever else I need" tomorrow afternoon, so who knows what will come to FL with me?!
> 
> I can't wait to catch up, forgive me if I do it in spurts...
> 
> Maria



oooo what do you think you'll need? new shirt...running shorts...maybe a tiara...

speaking of, what ARE you planning on wearing?


****
morning friends. 

we have some major plumbing issues going on right now. as in...water main pipe is leaking. expletive! expletive! expletive! doesn't the universe know that all of our disposable income goes to disney and not pipes?? we had the DEP here last night around 9pm and they gave us a 3 day ticket or something that says we have to have it fixed in 3 days or else. awesome. 

the drama with john going to see his parents got pretty nasty last night. ugh. it's a fight that just will never end. i guess he will go when he gets back from his business trip to florida. he'll be gone for 8 days. waaaah. 8 days on my own is NOT going to be fun.

i ran yesterday. i did 4.1 miles in 45 minutes! not bad. i even did it while it was raining - not hard, just a drizzle. i felt really good for the most part but at mile 3 i slowed down because i had potty issues. i'm going to try the warm water trick that rose mentioned.

have a great day all!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Can you believe it's in the mid to upper 50s today, and we have an advisory for "accumulating" snow for Saturday night. Yuck! I heard up to 6 inches. Its one of those storms that gets nasty around here cause the moisture is coming from the Gulf and the cold air from where ever cold air comes from. When that happens we just get dumped on! One year we had 21 inches (over 3 days). Man I hope they are wrong and we get nothing. Have I mentioned I don't like snow?

Today I bought a pair of Clarks Daisy sandals. It's these in black:
http://www.bonton.com/shop/shoes/sandal-shop/clarks-daisy-glow-flip-flop_362744.html

I looked for some Merrel's but I didn't see any I liked in my size. These are really comfy and hopefully the foot will cooperate. So I am taking two pairs of running shoes, my not so lovely black merrel sandals and my new clarks. I swear I could pack a suitcase full of shoes! We like to do carry on bags only, so I am trying to rein it in, and the tutu takes up a lot of room!

I still need to find a new black running shirt. Nothing like waiting until the last minute.

*Nancy*--sorry about the plumbing and the fight. We argued so much about Mike's family. I really hope you are able to figure out something that works for you. We are staying at BWV. Friday-Monday. We might fly down Thursday after work. Not sure yet. We'll go home Tuesday.

The hot water kind of works like coffee for me. In that if anything needs to come out--that will take care of it. Gross I know, but it has helped me immensely! Really settles my stomach too. But don't do it right before you run.

*Kathy and Maria*--hope your days weren't too crazy! 

****
I went to strength today. Holy cannoli Batman! My arms and legs were shaking at times. We did sooooo many reps. I am going to be in a ton of pain tomorrow. My arm felt weak this afternoon when I raised it to put mascara on. 

Ok, off to check what's up with the snow!


----------



## liesel

I'm having computer problems so I better make this quick, I at least wanted to say I'm still here, just busy!

Apparently I can't use any of the fonts or smilies so this is going to be boring!  =) there, I just made one myself!


Jen-Thanks for taking the time to introduce yourself.  I hope having a new landlord goes much better for you.  Welcome to the inlaws issues club!


Nancy-Oh no!  I hope the plumbing situation gets resolved soon in a cheap manner.  Yay for booking your marathon weekend, I think if we can swing it-we'll decide at the end of the summer-we would most likely do Thursday-Monday, somewhere around there.  I'm glad the inlaw visit was put off for now.  I bfed too and would not have been ready to have my baby a 2 hour drive away for the day so I think you are totally entitled to have reservations on that front, no matter who the kids were visiting!

LisaH-Thanks so much for posting the cat breading picture-we all enjoyed it!  Is your local half in May the next race on the calendar for you?

Kathy-No, you got cut off from you DIS time at work?!  I forgot to mention how much I loved your George/Gary exchange.  I reserved the book "The Descendants" at the library and its finally in, I need to go pick it up today!  I hope its good.

Lindsay-I've gained a little too, my Superbowl/Vday gain is sitting at 1.3 lbs right now, the same weight I was the day before leaving for the Tink 3 weeks ago.  I know we can kick this to the curb and get back to new territory in no time.  I did go to Zumba today!  Sorry about the potty mouth trouble, no fun.

Maria-I'm getting excited for you and would love to hear your wardrobe plans too!

Rose-I'm so glad the PT went well and that you are ready to run next weekend.  I did realize with the time difference I think you will both be done with your races before I even wake up, so I'll have to look at your results then.  Hopefully a meet will be in our near future, it sounds like a pretty good crowd is doing that Pilla race in May.

I've got an uncomfortable evening ahead with Dan's brother's family (our SIL is a character, putting it nicely).  They never invite our kids to their kids birthdays and have finally invited them to a party tonight (the kid is turning 8 and it will be our first one).  We always invite them, but whatever.  This was a total afterthought on their part, we were sent the email a week after the other party guests, but at least they are invited.  I also have to take Ella to my cousin's daughter's party on Sunday, so party party!  Time to go put on my happy face that doesn't give away that I know to disregard everything coming out of my SIL's mouth.  Dan is doing his first 10 miler race tomorrow, so excited for him!  Of course he'll be finishing in much less time than it takes me to do a half (for now!).  I'll try to get on here later and do a proper introduction, but if the computer craps out on me again, have a wonderful weekend ladies!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose- i think ryans issue is more wanting his friends to think hes cool. He always seems to attach himself to the kids who cause trouble and he is such a follower. It drives me crazy. The race in philly sounds cool it is a month after mine here but since its so close i would consider it. Eve if i dont run i could still come meet up with you to visit. So let me know what you decide.

Nancy- uggghpipes breaking.....that really stinks. Sorry about the ffighting to
it sounds like your training is moving along well. I am at least getting in 1-2 40 min runs during the wk and the past 2 wkends ive done 4 miles. This sun i plan to do 5. I have been feeling pretty good and it all seems to be coming back quickly although i am a tad slower but im also 17 lbs heavier too.

Lisah- i hope your back is doing ok.

Maria- have fun shopping. And thanks for the belated bday card.

Lisa- more crazy in laws......we all have so much in common i hope the partys go well this wkend.

Hi kathy..

I am getting so excited for our princesses. I cant believe its been a yr already. I will miss being there with you but i will be cheering from home. I will get up early just for you ladies.

I had a nice day off today. My kids were relatively well behaved. Ryan is back in his glory because today he was allowed to watch tv again. Hope it helped him learn his lessonwe had our first disney movie night tonight. We are doing this once a mth until our disney trip. We pick a movie and then theme the dinner around it. The kids got really into it and came up with lots of great ides. My parents joined us too. Heres what we did:

Theme: cars 2

Dinner:
tires aka burgers
Dip sticks aka fries
oil aka ketchup
gasoline aka choc milk, diet ice tea, diet soda, water

Dessert:
Dirt race track aka dirt pudding

We had cars plates, cups, and napkins

While we watched the movie we also had popcorn. It was a fun time.

Tomorrow my parents most likely are letting the boys have a sleepover and i am pretty excited about that. 
Talk to you all soon


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

*Lindsay,* your theme movie night sounded like lots of fun!    Nice that you could get your folks over and help everyone get excited.  

Sorry that you are frustrated with your losses.  Sounds like a pattern.  It still is sucky but at least you know that's what it is and not something else.  

Hope that you have a fun week-end!  



Rose&Mike said:


> My foot is doing so much better, I am beginning to think I will actually be able to do the marathon! So who is going to run with me and Nancy?????



I'll be there Scream Teamin' for you and *Nancy*, *Rose,*!    I think I read on FB that Corinna and Jen B are doing the Goofy again.  

How's the snow thing?  If it was in the 50's hopefully the snow won't stick around too long.  

I think the flip flops look cute.  Maybe the Merrell spring shoe catalog will have some other ones that you would like.  No one is looking at your shoes anyway, they are looking at your happy, smiling face! 

*Jen,* hope that you are having a great week-end! 



mikamah said:


> Hmmmm just reminiscing about packing and painting t-shirts a year ago for our princess trip.  I went a little crazy with the fabric paint.  Ah, the taper madness.
> 
> I'm so excited for you *Rose and Maria!!*



Ah, I have Princess envy, too, *Kathy!*   I know *Rose* and *Maria* are going to have a great time!  

I was looking at one of my t-shirts the other day thinking it could use a bit of Kathy painting! 

So was that a picture of you when you were a baby that was posted on FB with the dog?  That sure was a cute, smiling baby no matter who it was.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm here, but no time for a real post -- maybe some snippets until I can really do you guys justice -- anyway, my taper madness purchasing had been limited to some socks, but now dh is taking me shopping for "whatever else I need" tomorrow afternoon, so who knows what will come to FL with me?!



Ooo, shopping!   Can't wait to hear what you found!  

I just signed up for runner tracking for you and Rose and Mike.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> make sure you keep up with the PT. it's SO important for your back. having back issues really stink but strengthening and being in shape really helps so i bet you'll be feeling better soon! an exercise that really helps is lay on your belly and alternate arms and legs...lift up one arm and the opposite leg like you are swimming. then switch. do that a bunch of times and it really helps to strengthen the lower back. after doing that you can switch it up by still laying on your stomach and pretend you're doing jumping jacks - arms out to the side then together then out to the side again. same with the legs.
> 
> after years of back PT, i feel your pain.



Thanks, *Nancy!*   It's amazing how much you use your lower back for everyday moving around.  I'll let you know what kind of treatment I get on Monday -- they are open even though it is a holiday. 

Bummer about the plumbing!   Hope it's not too much to fix.  



liesel said:


> I'm having computer problems so I better make this quick, I at least wanted to say I'm still here, just busy!



Enjoy your outings.   Hope you get to do something fun this week-end! 

Nothing too exciting going on here.  We will take it easy and hang around.  I wish I could go swimming since I still have 1.2 miles to go for my triathalon but I should still make it if they release me for some exercise later this week.  In theory I am supposed to be doing a 10K in two weeks.  We will have to see whether that happens, too.  There is a 3 hour time limit.  I think I could make that even now.  I just don't think my back would appreciate being on my feet that long.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## camnhan

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I had a nice day off today. My kids were relatively well behaved. Ryan is back in his glory because today he was allowed to watch tv again. Hope it helped him learn his lessonwe had our first disney movie night tonight. We are doing this once a mth until our disney trip. We pick a movie and then theme the dinner around it. The kids got really into it and came up with lots of great ides. My parents joined us too. Heres what we did:
> 
> Theme: cars 2
> 
> Dinner:
> tires aka burgers
> Dip sticks aka fries
> oil aka ketchup
> gasoline aka choc milk, diet ice tea, diet soda, water
> 
> Dessert:
> Dirt race track aka dirt pudding
> 
> We had cars plates, cups, and napkins
> 
> While we watched the movie we also had popcorn. It was a fun time.
> 
> Tomorrow my parents most likely are letting the boys have a sleepover and i am pretty excited about that.
> Talk to you all soon



That is such a cool idea!! I may have to try that sometime

Well it is official...DH and I are going solo to Disney April 18th for 4 days 

Not sure how or when we are going to break the news to the kids

So I know have 2 reasons to stay on track....Heartball at the hospital in March and Disney in April....I am sooooooooooo excited!!
off to change my siggy


----------



## mikamah

Rose&Mike said:


> I survived the visit at work, but I am brain dead and chicken fried!


Brain dead and chicken fried together.  Must have been rough.



camnhan said:


> Our CMIO at work just bought our entire team tickets to our Heart Ball and it truly is a ball Now I have until March 10th to drop a few pounds and find a gown to wear....really nice that he is taking us all..not something I would spend the money on although I have often thought it would be fun...we don't get to bring our DH's so should be a fun night


Sounds like a fantastic time.  lol on not bringing the dh's.  We have a retirement party coming up for 2 coworkers and some of the girls were saying the same thing about bringing spouses, it's  a lot more fun without them.  Not all of them though.  


dumbo_buddy said:


> what is going on with mike and his neurological stuff? is he still on that medication? how long has it been since he had that seizure?
> 
> wait wait wait...your DIS time has been cutoff? wow. that just sounds like a fate worse than death!!! say it ain't so!!
> 
> i agree- get an iphone! they are addicting ....and calorie free!


We are obsessed with the dis, aren't we, but I felt it easier to step away this week after a nice big post was poofed.  Time spent here on the dis is time well spent, but if the posts disappear it is a little disappointing.  

We went to the neurologist thursday.  Michael's been having these mini-seizures occassionally, it's nothing that I can even see, but he feels in his cheek a tingling, spasm type of feeling, and they only last a few seconds.  It was what he described after he had the one bigger seizure in sept.  So we met with the neurologist who drew a blood level of the med, and he's having another eeg in march.  They don't monitor the med levels any more because the therapeutic range is really high, like 5-60, so they usually just watch and treat per symptoms.  He's on the average dose, so if his level is in the low range he'd increase the med, if it's in the high range, he wouldn't increase this med, but depending on the eeg, and future seizures, discuss going on another med.  So, I did ok with all this, and then he said, see how this goes, and then consider another mri just to be safe, and of course that freaked me out a wee bit.  So we're keeping track of any of the mini-seizures, the eeg on 3/6, and go from there.  

On top of it all, our new insurance has 4 tiers, and Boston Childrens is the most expensive tier, but NEMC floating childrens is the 2nd tier, so not to make it about money, but god forbid anything serious occurs, maybe I should switch him now to floating, but I went on line to check out their neurology dept, and it's so much smaller than Childrens, and I really liked the doctor we saw, and they are in Peabody, the next town over there's a new boston childrens north, so for now, I'm going to stay put, and have the eeg done there, and follow up with this doctor.  His physical is the end of the month, so I'll discuss it with his pcp.  I mentioned it to the neurologist, and he gave me the name of someone at Floating, and said he'd help in whatever way I needed.  

And then the HH was think about the future this week, and I start thinking about him and what his future holds, and I get so emotional and worried.  He's got allergies, asthma, seizures, and I just wish he didnt have to worry aobut anything, and could live and grow up carefree and grow up and do anything he wants to.  And I know it could be so much worse, and most of the time, I'm ok and we'll just do what we need to do, but it makes me so anxious at times.  

thanks for asking, Nancy.  And thanks for listening too.  Sorry for the book, but it definitely helped me process too.   




dumbo_buddy said:


> i could have used him at about mile 3 when i was hoping to do 4! lol. i actually only did 5k because i got some baaaaaad stomach issues. almost didn't make it home. ick.  hoping my body is just getting used to moving more and being on the metformin again. ugh.
> 
> john mentioned that he wanted to take the boys to the poconos to see his parents on saturday. matthew is only going to be 12 weeks old and i have no desire to go. he said, oh just give me some bottles and i will feed him. nevermind the fact that it's not that easy for me to just skip a bunch of feedings (ouch!) but i don't know that john would feed him enough. plus the poconos is like a 2 hour drive each way! and i really hate the idea of my kids seeing those crazy people. i swear when they say jump john says how high. if they need to be with their grandkids so badly why did they move out to PA?? i should probably just let him take them but i hate letting them "win" with anything. john tells me that i need to just let my issues with them go. WHAT? why do i get to be told i'm the devil and i've ruined his life but i have to let it go. but god forbid he say to his mother, "mom, you don't get to act crazy and then be allowed to see the kids. you don't get to complain about the christmas card and expect us to go running out there to you." but nope. and it really makes me mad. and of course i sit and stew about it.
> 
> wah, wah. i don't know what to do. maybe let john take thomas but not matthew. john said i could just go with him but i'd rather shoot myself. !


So exciting to see Usher again!!  Sorry for the inlaw drama and fighting.  It's got to be so hard, but you 4 are your priority, and you need to do what's right for you guys.  Sorry to hear about the water main break.  Sounds awful and expensive.  I hope it's fixed soon, and not as painful on the wallet at you're expecting.  


lisah0711 said:


> Thank you all for the good wishes, pixie dust  and positive thoughts about my back.    It gets a little better every day and I will be starting physical therapy next week.  There are no visible fractures on the x-ray.  Hopefully this is it for me for a long time!   I am very thankful that I was so active this past year because otherwise I think my recovery would be much longer.
> And since you asked here is the "cat breading" picture.  Actually the cat doesn't look too mad so it must have been fast.


So glad there's no fracture and you'll be starting pt monday.  OMG that cat breading picture is priceless.  Giving michael some ideas for poor poko, but she'll need a bigger loaf of bread for sure. 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I have been working on loosing the 3lbs I gained from saturday to monday.  Not sure how that happened as I didnt eat that horribly but I think part is that TOM always does this the week after and part is I am running for longer timeframes now.  I really hope I dont maintain for long now that I am getting into longer mileage.  The same thing happened during the princess training and it was frustrating.  Although i wasnt counting calories then either.  I ate well yesterday and ran last night and than got on the scale thinking I was going to be close to last wks weigh in and instead I went up from yesterday.  I actually said "screw you" to the scale quite loudly this morning and Mike thought I was talking to him  He was like "what did I do"  Made me laugh anyway.


Sorry on the scale.  I'm right there with you, and too funny Mike thought the screw you was for him.



Rose&Mike said:


> [B*Kathy*--Sorry about the no more dis'ing at work. I don't dis at work--they monitor our computer usage, so it makes it easy for me to avoid it.
> 
> Don't stress at all about the 100 day challenge. I felt guilty for about a week, and then realized I am a very, very active person who needs a day off on occasion. You have been doing fantastic with the activity this year. Don't beat yourself up!
> 
> I got over quitting the challenge easier than no dis-sing at work.
> 
> I am really looking forward to next week, though I really wish you all were coming too!
> 
> I wish we were all coming too, but I'll be cheering you on from here for sure!!!!!
> 
> Who all is doing January???? We are booking our dvc in the next couple of days. I think we are only going to be able to do Thursday (after work flight) through Monday night. But we will be there!
> 
> Time will tell if I'll be cheering you and Nancy on in fla or ma.   Fingers crossed it's sunny florida in my lime green with Lisa, Maria, Lindsay and Lisa!!!
> 
> I know you all are dying to know if there was drama in SC Just a tiny bit, but honestly I kind of stirred things up, so I am going to take responsibility for this one. It was a nice visit, but boy that is one rotten only child who thinks that our lives should revolve around him. How on earth did that happen? I'm sure it wasn't my faultDS is doing well in classes, but Mike and I are both very frustrated by his lack of motivation in finding something to do for the summer. He seems to always think everything is always going to work out perfectly at the last minute. And maybe it will. Anyhow, I don't want to deal with him right now, so Mike is going to talk to him.
> 
> I'm thinking your Tom is really one awesome kid, and all of our "onlys" will probably have that world revolving around them issues too.  But it won't be any of our faults.  Hope it all works out.
> 
> The work visit this week went well. I got tons of compliments about how much I get done in the amount of hours I work each week and about how prepared we were for the visit. I also got tons more work assigned to me.  I was exhausted by the time it was over, because it was 3 days of having to pay attention. There were three people from our office in the meetings, but I answered most of the questions, since I maintain our data base. So I couldn't even zone out cause every time I did they asked me something. It was really good though, cause I have struggled with the fact that I didn't work for so long, and I am now realizing that I am still pretty smart and capable. My boss gave me a ton of compliments and made me feel really good about things.
> 
> As for the foot--it is doing really, really well. Not perfect, but no complaints! I have even been wearing regular shoes and wore heels one day this week! I got my new skirt to wear with my tutu and ran in it on Tuesday. It's a little longer than my other skirts, so I think I can actually wear it out and about if I want to.
> 
> I hope you all are doing well. I really am a little sad that we will not get to see everyone next week. But I'm sure I speak for Maria as well when I say, I will be taking you all with me when I run.
> 
> Oh and one more thing--Mike and I are thinking about doing this race in Philly in May if anyone is interested:
> http://www.oddysseyhalfmarathon.com/
> 
> TTYL.


SO glad it went well at work, and the foot is doing so well too.  I'm looking forward to running the princess vicariously through you and Maria.



Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm here, but no time for a real post -- maybe some snippets until I can really do you guys justice -- anyway, my taper madness purchasing had been limited to some socks, but now dh is taking me shopping for "whatever else I need" tomorrow afternoon, so who knows what will come to FL with me?!
> 
> I can't wait to catch up, forgive me if I do it in spurts...
> 
> Maria


Are you shopping now?   Can't wait to hear all abou the "whatever else you needed"  and hope the credit card had a big enough limit.  



dumbo_buddy said:


> i ran yesterday. i did 4.1 miles in 45 minutes! not bad. i even did it while it was raining - not hard, just a drizzle. i felt really good for the most part but at mile 3 i slowed down because i had potty issues. i'm going to try the warm water trick that rose mentioned.
> 
> have a great day all!


Awesome time!!  Sorry about the potty isssues.  That's a great idea, the warm water.   I'll have to remember that, but lately Poko and I go out pretty quickly after waking up.  



Rose&Mike said:


> Can you believe it's in the mid to upper 50s today, and we have an advisory for "accumulating" snow for Saturday night. Yuck! I heard up to 6 inches. Its one of those storms that gets nasty around here cause the moisture is coming from the Gulf and the cold air from where ever cold air comes from. When that happens we just get dumped on! One year we had 21 inches (over 3 days). Man I hope they are wrong and we get nothing. Have I mentioned I don't like snow?
> 
> Today I bought a pair of Clarks Daisy sandals. It's these in black:
> http://www.bonton.com/shop/shoes/sandal-shop/clarks-daisy-glow-flip-flop_362744.html
> 
> I looked for some Merrel's but I didn't see any I liked in my size. These are really comfy and hopefully the foot will cooperate. So I am taking two pairs of running shoes, my not so lovely black merrel sandals and my new clarks. I swear I could pack a suitcase full of shoes! We like to do carry on bags only, so I am trying to rein it in, and the tutu takes up a lot of room!
> 
> I still need to find a new black running shirt. Nothing like waiting until the last minute.
> 
> [!


Very cute shoes.  I always bring too many shoes on vacation, and usually end up wearing the merrels.  I need a new pair my strappy merrels broke last year, so I only have the flip flops.  I hope the forecast is wrong and the snow misses you.



liesel said:


> I've got an uncomfortable evening ahead with Dan's brother's family (our SIL is a character, putting it nicely).  They never invite our kids to their kids birthdays and have finally invited them to a party tonight (the kid is turning 8 and it will be our first one).  We always invite them, but whatever.  This was a total afterthought on their part, we were sent the email a week after the other party guests, but at least they are invited.  I also have to take Ella to my cousin's daughter's party on Sunday, so party party!  Time to go put on my happy face that doesn't give away that I know to disregard everything coming out of my SIL's mouth.  Dan is doing his first 10 miler race tomorrow, so excited for him!  Of course he'll be finishing in much less time than it takes me to do a half (for now!).  I'll try to get on here later and do a proper introduction, but if the computer craps out on me again, have a wonderful weekend ladies!


Hope you all had fun at the party.  I loved the movie, so I'd bet the book will be even better.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I had a nice day off today. My kids were relatively well behaved. Ryan is back in his glory because today he was allowed to watch tv again. Hope it helped him learn his lessonwe had our first disney movie night tonight. We are doing this once a mth until our disney trip. We pick a movie and then theme the dinner around it. The kids got really into it and came up with lots of great ides. My parents joined us too. Heres what we did:
> 
> Theme: cars 2
> 
> Dinner:
> tires aka burgers
> Dip sticks aka fries
> oil aka ketchup
> gasoline aka choc milk, diet ice tea, diet soda, water
> 
> Dessert:
> Dirt race track aka dirt pudding
> 
> We had cars plates, cups, and napkins
> 
> While we watched the movie we also had popcorn. It was a fun time.
> 
> Tomorrow my parents most likely are letting the boys have a sleepover and i am pretty excited about that.
> Talk to you all soon


What a fun idea for a countdown.  Did you take pictures?  Our first trip we made signs each month up to 7 months before that said stuff like, 6 months til tigger time, and michael was dressed as tigger.  My favorite, was 1 month til our first mickey bar, and we made cardboard mickey bars for michael and taylor to hold.  One month I made a sign and took him to the disney store for the picture.   So who's more excited, mom or the boys?



lisah0711 said:


> Ah, I have Princess envy, too, *Kathy!*   I know *Rose* and *Maria* are going to have a great time!
> 
> I was looking at one of my t-shirts the other day thinking it could use a bit of Kathy painting!
> 
> So was that a picture of you when you were a baby that was posted on FB with the dog?  That sure was a cute, smiling baby no matter who it was. Ah, princess envy, we all have it.  I have been wearing my disney shirts this week, guess to get in the mood for cheering on Rose and Maria.  The baby pictures were Michael.  Wasn't he cute?  And of course I was looking smart with my striped jeans and perm.
> 
> 
> Nothing too exciting going on here.  We will take it easy and hang around.  I wish I could go swimming since I still have 1.2 miles to go for my triathalon but I should still make it if they release me for some exercise later this week.  In theory I am supposed to be doing a 10K in two weeks.  We will have to see whether that happens, too.  There is a 3 hour time limit.  I think I could make that even now.  I just don't think my back would appreciate being on my feet that long.
> 
> Have a great day ladies!


Glad to hear you're having a low key, relaxing weekend.  I hope the pt is helpful and works quickly.  I know you are so right, if you haven't been in such good shape this year, it would be so much worse.  But you are right, this must be the end of your bad luck.  



camnhan said:


> Well it is official...DH and I are going solo to Disney April 18th for 4 days
> 
> Not sure how or when we are going to break the news to the kids


Whoo hoo!!  So exciting, and I vote for telling the kids where you're going about april 23rd.  

Well, I finally caught up here and on Donald, so I'm feeling very productive today.  Not that looking at my dirty house you'd know I was productive. 
I'm on call, but no calls yet.  I figured I'd do laundry today, and clean tomorrow, plus I have monday off too.  

Have a great night!!


----------



## mikamah

ACK!!!  I'm the threadkiller!!!!

I guess I need to revive this ol' thread!!  Though someone else may be typing as we speak.  

Hmmmm next weekend at this time I have a feeling we'll have been chatting away as we watch the live feed of our Princesses!!!  I think you'll all be done by now!!  OMG, I am so excited for you.  

I relived my trip on facebook last night and tagged myself in pics so when I go to facebook I see the princess trip on top of my page.  I'm such a dweeb. 

I ended up with just .4 gain this week, and did great eating yesterday, and today am off on the right foot.  No plans again, except for the ever exciting laundry and dishes this morning.  I do need to vacuum and the sun is shining, so I'll send Michael and Poko out for a walk in a bit. 

Hope you all have a wonderful sunday!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

a very quick post before i head to church with the baby. i have 3 minutes.

i just wanted to thank *kathy* for updating us on michael's doctor "stuff". i have been thinking about him and praying for him (does that sound hokie? well it's true). you are a great mama and very strong to deal with this! it's scary! but it sounds like you and the doctors have a good plan going. don't you HATE that insurance crap?? this isn't anywhere close to dealing with neurological stuff but when we were trying (and failing) to get pregnant we were on my insurance which was terrible. it cost me over $500 just to get clomid!  we didn't know how long it would take or how far into treatment we'd have to go (just clomid? injectables? iui? ivf? oh my!) so we changed to john's insurance which was RIDICULOUSLY expensive but covered infertility treatments better. luckily we didn't need it. isn't that the way? you pay more for something that you wind up not needing! 

*maria and rose* it's almost time!

*jen* hi! yay for adult only trip. do you HAVE to tell them you're going to disney?? couldn't you just say you're going on some historical retreat of old colonial homes?? 

*lisa* i still can't stop laughing at the cat breading. hehe. let me know how PT goes. 

*hi lisaR!!* how did dan's race go??? and he got the promotion?? so...are you moving?

**

ok i have 8 minutes to get to church  i ran 5 miles today. took me an hour. 

plumbing issue doesn't look good. will know more tuesday.

6 minutes!! ttyl!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning, good morning! I'm singing the MK park open song in my head this morning.

*Kathy*-- I know I said all this to you yesterday, but remember, it can get better. But I know it's very scary as you go through it. None of it ever really seemed to bother Tom--until high school. Then he started to get a little burned out with the skin stuff. Make sure you talk about it to your friends--don't be worried on your own. And insurance stuff just stinks! 

*Nancy*--loved that picture of baby Matthew this morning. So sweet. I wish we lived closer so we could watch him for you. I'm sorry about the pipes! That just stinks.

*Jen*--very exciting about the trip!

*Lisa*--good luck with the pt. The office I went to was rarely closed either. Which is good when you are trying to work it around work schedules. I would be very up front about the cost issues. I know I said this before, but it really did help me immensely. And I might even go back for some more ultrasound on my ankle.

*Lindsay-*-your movie night sounds like so much fun! Did you all get a kid free/ night out??

*Maria*--I keep meaning to ask you--when do you want to come see the animals? Maybe before we go to dinner Friday night? Just let me know what works for you. 

*LisaR*--Congrats to Dan! How was his race? How was the party?

****
We ran 4 miles in under 40 yesterday. It was rough--because like I was afraid, my legs were rubber from the strength class on Friday. Yesterday every muscle in my body HURT! We tried a 4min run 45sec walk interval, and I think I am going to stick with a 4:1. I could always start running earlier if I need to, but that 15 extra seconds really made a difference. And I think I can still get the finish time I want. My goal is under 2:20, which will be my second fastest half time, but slower than last year which was 2:12:36. I decided not to go to strength on Monday--not worth the pain this week.

My foot is a little sore, which is a reminder to me that I can't stop the rehab yet. She told me I would always have the lump of scar tissue in my foot but hopefully it won't usually hurt. Yesterday it was pretty sore--it feels like a small marble in my foot. (At one point it was the size of a grape--then it really hurt!) So good reminder to keep icing, keep stretching, keep doing the exercises!

And can I just say--there are not enough 80s in the forecast for this Princess trip. I know I am in the minority, but I like it warm. I might have to rethink my running outfit.

Ok, off to be productive! Have a good Sunday!


----------



## liesel

OK, I have a couple of minutes before taking Ella across town to yet another birthday party-this one is for my cousin's daughter-my side of the family this time!  After I posted on Friday I immediately realized that I forgot to thank *Maria* for the wonderful vday card, I'm so sorry!  I haven't had time to post, I'll try to get on this evening.

The race was fun, it was a rare opportunity for me to see the elite runners come in and their awards ceremony, something I had never seen before!  It was the state of Colorado's 10 mile championship race and there were some amazing runners there.  Dan had a good race, except for his knee bothering him starting at mile 7, he is rehabbing it now.  Long story short, Dan is a total Galloway convert now!  He did the run/walk ratio based on his MM pace, run 7 minutes, walk 30 seconds, and he couldn't believe how many people he passed during the race, many who had gone out well ahead of him.  He finished in 1:35 (9:35 pace), which was around his goal time.  Someone went down at the finish, passed out cold, which was scary.  They had to reroute the runners around him (it was just before the finish) until the paramedics could get him into an ambulance.  Thoughts and prayers are definitely with that poor guy.

Now I have to go, I'll post more later, it looks like we'll be going out to California next month to visit their Sacramento and Redding offices and decide where we are going to go.  I hope everyone is having a great weekend!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Can you believe it?! I finally get to do a post!  I'm saying a little prayer the poof fairy does not pay me a visit!

Please forgive me if I leave out something important -- at the time I read the posts I knew what I wanted to say, but like the comment I had for *Nancy's* new 'do, some are so beyond fresh at this point  I'm going to just do stream of consciousness and intersperse my stuff with comments, so enjoy the jumbled world of Maria's mind 

*LisaR* -- The race sounds fantastic! What a great opportunity. And I am excited you are going to check out the Cali offices. Hopefully you will see something in one of the communities that makes you sure it is right for you! 

This was Tranfiguration Sunday at church, and it was all about transforming ourselves by letting our divine side show through, like Jesus did. How timely! Even though I seem to be on the extremely long road, so long I'm sure everyone has pretty much given up I'll make any progress, I'd like to think I'm transforming in some way or other...

*Rose* -- Shopping yesterday has got me thinking about my schedule. I hadn't thought about seeing the animals Friday, but that would be great -- depending on what you guys are doing, I don't want to throw your schedule off. I'll pm you. I do think that might work better for me than Sunday, as I have a much bigger window to work with.  I'm glad the visit basically went well. I think you are in a very difficult stage of parenting, and you are handling it admirably. By the way, I've already told Dennis he won't be bored out of his mind at our Princess WDW marathon weekend events because Mike will be there.  He's hung out with *Debra's* husband at Team Ohana events and had a blast. It seems like the runners can always find something to say to each other.  

This makes me ask -- I know *John* will be there, what about our other Princes? If I remember correctly *Lindsay *is making a great guy-free escape, and George will probably be busy accepting more awards  Tell *Ed and Dan *we don't bite. Much. 

*Nancy* --  Those pipes are just big meanies! I hope they are put in their place and leak-free soon. I'm so glad you asked about *Michael*! I've been wondering how he is but I was too chicken to ask  Our *Kathy* is one strong princess! So sorry about the IL drama. I wish I could tell you it will get better or just go away. He is going to have to realize on his own that this is not good for his nuclear family. Hopefully it will take less than 18 years  Yep, a little bitter, but glad my guy finally gets it. 

Shopping yesterday was so much fun! But I'd better start with the beginning of my day. I ran 5M, and I'm so glad to be done with that! It was not as easy as I would have liked, but then I remembered I didn't eat anything before, and I generally don't do blocs for anything less than 6M. I just needed more gas in my tank. 

*Kathy* -- I'm on  patrol today, too. You'd think I would make a better effort to get started, but I promised myself I was posting before I did anything else today  There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Floating, but I would stick with Children's if you can. They just have more to offer. It may be a bunch of stuff you don't even need though, so something to consider. 

So, after my shower we started with a stop at the Hallmark. My Hallmark carries all the VB stuff, but doesn't necessarily stick with the VB stores promotions. There is a new bag coming out March 1, called Shoot From the Hip. It's on the back of the latest catalog. It's an adjustable cross body with a magnetic flap, an outside pocket, and a really small interior -- just room for cards, some money lip balm and sunglasses -- ok, does that not sound perfect to take into the Parks?! Yep, I am the proud new owner of one -- when it isn't even supposed to be for sale yet!  Score!

I think I'd better stop and post and pick up with *Jen* in a minute...

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Jen* -- Your trip sounds wonderful! My dh and I love to get away for little trips. I think it's good for everyone. It's ok to take a trip and leave the kids at home. Trust me, they will think it's ok to take trips and leave you at home 

It was after 1pm after Hallmark so we decided to have lunch at our favorite local Mexican place. We were the only ones there, which was fine with us. I treated myself to a glass of Sangria, I was just in that mood  Dennis told me he wants to get concert tickets to one of his scary people (Pink Floyd guy? something like that) this summer, and I could not have been more accomodating. Then I sprung my trap.  I told him Ben wants to go to Disney for our family vacation this summer (which he does!). I made sure to talk about visiting his sister near Tampa, and also my aunt who is almost 80 and not in very good health. He flat out told me he wasn't going, and then --- the piece d' resistance -- I asked him why he had to be so inflexible. He prides himself on his negotiating skills, so this was a shrewd move on my part. He had to back down. I started tossing out numbers for hotel, tickets, etc., and we ended with him saying he wasn't going to say yes right then. Cross your fingers, if I have enough patience this just may happen! Or it could backfire and I could be booking a cruise to Bermuda , either way I'm not going to cold, rainy Montreal this summer! (I'm sure Montreal is often lovely, but it wasn't my favorite). 

*LisaH* -- Yep, I would definitely play it by ear on the 10K. You know your healing has to come before your desire to race, as stinky as that is.  I hope the tracking works for you and I don't disappear this time! I'm definitely looking at near 3 hours, so don't worry if you see *Rose* has finished and there's no sign of me 

So, after we finished eating we drove to *Kathy's* mall first. I went to Macy's to see about a few more bras, so I could have something comfy to put on after the race. The ones I bought from VS are flattering, but not so comfy. They had a buy 2, get 1 free sale, so I now have three nice, comfy bras. Then I went up to get a pashmina in a lovely bright teal blue. I think it's going to go well with my weekend wardrobe. Even better, I had Macy's gift cards from Christmas, so I didn't spend a dime. 

*Lindsay* -- I am coming to your house to get excited about my next big trip, that sounds like so much fun! I love the menu, the theme, the whole plan. You are an awesome Mommy! 

Continuing through the mall, my next stop was Sears for Land's End. I knew I also needed a new pair of comfy post-race pants. I got a pair of Starfish pants in a medium grey. If it's too warm for them no big deal, but I wanted to have them. I used a Visa gift card from Christmas, so again, no money spent 

*Rose* -- Your new sandals are totally cute! You are going to look very stylish as you float around AKL! I hope you weren't snowed on. I can't believe this winter, we have barely had a flake! Last January Ben didn't have a full week of school because there was snow every single week. 

We were "done of" that mall, so we headed back South toward our end of the world. We stopped at Michael's to see if Dennis' Boston Marathon "collage" for lack of a better term, was ready, it was not. Then we made our next mall stop, and headed to that Sears to see if they had the shorts I wanted which the first Sears did not. This time, Land's End was on my side, new khaki shorts are going to FL with me! All out of gift cards I could use here, so I had to actually pay for these...a quick stop at Dick's for Gu for Dennis and we were on our way. They did not have the last item on my list. 

*Jen* -- I know you are so excited about the house sale! Hopefully this will lead to greater stability and less insanity!  Thank you for introducing yourself! It sounds like you have your hands full with kids and a stressful job, and a Disney race is definitely in order! 

There was one more thing I decided I needed. See, I always run Disney races in my WISH shirt. I just do. Then last year for the Princess, I barely saw any. And I started thinking about it, and I decided this year I'm going to run in something that isn't lime green (I think, I'll bring it so I can always change my mind race morning). Anyway, I'm still wearing my WISH visor, my WISH Princess headband, my black running shorts, my new Nike elite dry fit running socks (my taper madness purchase), my fairly new Asics nimbus Lucky 13s -- and my new purple running shirt with built-in bra! I also run with an ifitness pouch, which has tabs to hold my number. I stick my blocs, Key to the World, and money for a massage in there, and I'm good to go! 

Last night Ben and I watched a marathon of bad movies on SyFy. We had a great time. Oh! And Rachel Hunter (yep, the supermodel who was married to Rod Stewart) was in one of them, and she was bigger than I am. It was kind of stunning. When I told Ben she used to be a supermodel, he almost wouldn't believe me. 

After church we came home and watched "Tangled". I really liked it! I hadn't seen it before, and it was cute. Now I'm DISing, then I really have to start that pesky  I still have last week's "Once Upon A Time", three hours of GH, and "Merlin" to watch. Oh! And tonight is the Christmas episode of "Downton Abbey", so I will go to bed well-entertained. 

My Kindle is all hooked up, and I need to download some books to take with me on my trip. It's going to be weird not lugging the paperbacks I had picked out -- but it's also going to be nice not to need to! 

I need to pull out my trip clothes and see if I have any gaps. I have to check the weather again, too. Every time I do the the temp for Sunday goes up 

I'm going to float my tentative plans by *Rose* soon, then I can post my schedule -- in far more detail than you care about, and also likely to change as only a Disney trip can 

If I just weighed 10lbs less, I would feel like I was destined for a PR. Sigh. Well, I have plenty of time to get it together before my next Half in August...

I'm working tomorrow, and I should be writing continuously all day --ok, I'm calling until 2 or 3 a full day tomorrow. I may do little spurt check-ins, just to have some breaks. I am determined to get to where I need to be before I leave, but it's not going to be easy. Why is it that every time I try to go away my workload gets jammed? On the bright side, it is definite that the only way the merger is affecting me is to increase my workload. I'm choosing to call that a blessing! 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I forgot to say, "Hi!" to *Beth!* 

And *Rose* -- I meant to tell you I understand the stress from your visit from the national office, and you clearly did a stellar job! Where would they be without you? I know you are a smart cookie, I'm glad you got a little reminder! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Worfiedoodles said:


> I forgot to say, "Hi!" to *Beth!*
> 
> And *Rose* -- I meant to tell you I understand the stress from your visit from the national office, and you clearly did a stellar job! Where would they be without you? I know you are a smart cookie, I'm glad you got a little reminder!
> 
> Maria


Thank you Maria. The longer I am g-f the more I realize what a bad place I was in for a while and it scares me. This time last year I was still having trouble completing sentences, etc. Mike and Tom were constantly "talking" for me. It would just take me so long to get a thought out. And I think that's why I was so worried about this visit. I was so afraid of being thought of as incompetent. 

To top that off, when we were in SC over the weekend one of Tom's new friends asked what I did and when I briefly tried to explain it he said--oh, data entry is important. Seriously. Luckily I had already had half a drink cause I didn't rip him a new one. While I do enter the "data" my main job is maintaining our database and extracting donor information, reports, etc. It's not rocket science, but you actually have to have an occasional independent thought. I told two of the people I work with about what he said and they both said omg--what did you say to him????? So I walked into the meeting stressed, worried about talking, and feeling like a lowly data entry person. (Not that there is anything wrong with doing data entry.) But honestly, it couldn't have gone better. I have still been stressed all week, but I told Mike I think that is residual stress from being so worried about the visit.

Sounds like you had a fabulous shopping time! Did you see that the temps for Saturday night are now down to 49? I am SO NOT happy about this. I know we shouldn't want it too hot, but that is getting cold! We were scrambling today to find extra throw away gloves, etc. I hope it settles out somewhere in the 50s for the start.

And *Maria*--I have not given up that you will make progress. I could list a million "progressing" things about you and I'm sure everyone else could too. (I know that's not a word, but I couldn't think of the right one!)

****
The tutu and g-f snacks, and throw away gloves and shirts are packed and ready to go to UPS tomorrow. I am shipping them down ahead cause the tutu is a little glittery and a little puffy.

Once again, I am avoiding doing something productive, but we have already started packing, so I feel like I am ahead of the curve.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Ok only a few minutes to post.

I am meeting a friend to see the movie The Vow tonight and need to get in the shower ASAP.

Just ran 5 miles.  Not sure exactly how long it took me because the stopwatch app stopped at somepoint and I am not sure how much time lapsed.  I have been trying to just run and walk when I need it.  I think I am pretty much around a 12:30 pace which for me is not bad.  It felt soooo good though I might add.  I really think doing zumba is helping me tremendously getting back into the long distance.

Last night we were kidless and we slept in until 930 this morning.  Cant tell you the last time that happened.  It was great.  The sad part was last night we went to dinner and then to the casino down the street and we were home by 730 with nothing else left to do.  It gave us quite a chuckle.  We officially have no life without our kids.

I have so much else to reply to and I promise I will do so either later after the movie or tomorrow.  Im off tomorrow and have no plans so plenty of time to catch up.

Oh and even more exciting news.  We booked our airfare today. 236$ roundtrip out of philly.  Airtran is pulling out of our local airport so there is no more nonstop flights to MCO.  philly is about 1hr and 15min drive so we will do a park and fly and stay overnight the night before and leave our car there.  It will work out just fine.  

Oh and I cant wait to hear every detail of your trip plans rose and maria.

Ok I really have to go now.


----------



## mikamah

Thank you all so very much for all the love, hugs, prayers, pms, support and friendship.  It really helped me so much to talk about it here, and to know I'm not alone.  I did talk to Beth last night also.  I was going to run things by a friend at work on friday, but every time I started to think of what to say, I'd start to cry, so I just kept it in til chatting with you.  Not that I can't cry at work, but I just needed to think and process a little more first.  I have a history of crying at work.  Several of us do, and when somethings been happening with someone at home, mainly failing elderly parents, we often will share a end of the night cry, we call them a "5:30 cry".  It stinks when someone needs one and it's too busy, but usually we have some down time before we close up.  

We had a pretty fun day doing nothing.    I was on call, so we hung home, walked the dog to the park several times since it was so beautiful out, and this evening we played board games and then some wii games, and watched a movie.  Actually Michael watched the movie, and I fell asleep on the couch.  If George or Gary isn't in it, I just can't stay awake.

*Maria*-So glad your shopping trip was so successful, and the purple running shirt will look awesome with the little bit of Lime green from the wish accessories.  I can't wait to see pictures!!!!  Have you been practicing uploading to facebook from you Iphone like *Lisa* did?  I loved seeing the pictures througout the Tink trip.  You could practice with a pic of your new shirt and VB bag.  The bag sounds perfect for disney!!!  And I for one, will be thrilled reading your more detailed plan.  I so wish I was going too. 
I'm kind of feeling that way about Childrens hospital, just by comparing the web site neurology info.  And who knows what next years insurance will bring either.  Funny the flyer in the waiting room was all about how they are trying to cut costs so you never know.  Plus our hospitals pedi dept is affiliated with them too, and they are still the highest tier.  I think it's totally blue cross on that.  If we use any other beverly/lahey hospital it's the cheapest tier.   

*Lisa* _I hope you are doing well, and the back is healing.  Good luck at Pt tomorrow.   Fingers crossed you are on the road to recovery.  And thanks again for listening last night.

*Rose*-Thank you so much for sharing all that Tom has been through, and know what a comfort it is to know how well he is doing.  Michael right now is so easy going and it is so nice he's young enough to be with me or someone all the time, but as he gets older, I worry.  But maybe I won't have to worry either, don't need to jump the gun, but it is hard sometimes.  So glad you've found the run/walk ratio that works well for you, and can you believe how fast you are planning to run the princess when you think of where you were 6 months ago.  I am so happy for you, and I know you'll be posting pic throughout next weekend so we can live vicariously through you!!!

*Nancy*-I saw your friend Usher on the Justin Bieber movie this morning.  He is a hottie.  Michael was watching it, and it was pretty interesting.  Gave michael some hope, you just never know.  He liked seeing justin playing on the steps of a theater with his guitar bucket open for money, since he has that dream of playing in the subway.  Yeah, I hate the whole insurance thing too.  I was lucky when I had michael my insurance covered a lot of the fertility stuff.  Sorry about the pipes.

*LisaR*-Congrats to dh!!  How exciting and fun to see the elites.  It is amazing how the walk breaks can make you go further and faster.  

*Lindsay*-Congrats on the 5 miles and the great airfare.  Enjoy the Vow.  Girls at work were talking about it, and I think they liked it.  But I can't remember.  lol.

We're off tomorrow and may go to the Imax at Jordan's furniture to see Journey2.  And then michael's sleeping over a friends house and staying there tuesday while I work, so I'll have the evening to myself.  I put a quite a few movies in my netflix queue so if I can stay awake, I'll enjoy one of them with Poko.  

Off to bed now.  I love you guys.  I truly don't know what I would do without you.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy- i can only imagine how tough it is to handle the medical stuff with michael and especially all the worries that come with it. Hopefully most of this stuff he will out grow and will not have to deal with it as an adult. Stay positive and when you cant we are here for you to listen.
im so glad you had a nice wkend. I hope you can enjoy some of those movies tonight while you have the house to yourself.

Rose- awesome run yesterday! Im glad the foot is still doing well.  Thats awesome that you got so much praise for your work from your boss. I know your job is much moe than just a data entry and for someone to say anything differently is just rude. My dh gets that alot with working in childcare. When he was looking to switch jobs my aunt told him he should get a real job. Apparently directing a childcare center of 200 children is not being grown up some people just have no filter.  
I checked the weather for your wkend and it looks good but for your sake i hope it gets a little warmer in the morning. At least you are prepared.

Ok got to make bf for my kids i will be back with more replies.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles! 

Just waiting to go to PT this morning.  Luckily it is first thing in the morning.  So this may be a bit quick.  

*Kathy,* you are obviously NOT a threadkiller!   I'm glad that you and Mike and Poko got to enjoy your day yesterday and relax.  What movie are you going to watch tonight?  

Sending you lots of good thoughts and  for the test results.  I know it is so hard to be a one chick hen.    Cluck, cluck, cluck -- I'm here for you! 

I don't think you can do dog breading as easily as cat breading because the dog would eat the bread -- or at least mine would.  

*Nancy,*am I the only person who thinks it looks like your child is under attack with that pacifier holder?  All I hear is that line in Toy Story about "death by monkey" when I see him with that thing.   

Sending you lots of  for the pipe situation tomorrow.   Thank goodness that you don't have to have the plumbers working on golden time.   

*Rose,* I'm so glad that your run went well yesterday!   It is amazing what a difference a few seconds can make in your intervals.  I can't do 20/40 but I can do 15/35 all day long.  Can't wait to see your pictures with your lovely tutu!   

I got a bit of a chuckle when you said that you might want to go back to PT.  

*Lisa,* congrats to Dan on his promotion and great run!    He should email Galloway about his success with the intervals -- he loves to hear stories like that.  Hope his knee is feeling better.  

And how are you feeling?  Everyone in your house healthy again?  

*Maria,* I don't think anyone has given up on anyone on this thread nor will they.   That must be the taper madness talking.  

Sounds like a very successful shopping trip.   

I agree there just aren't as many scream teamers at the Princess as there seems to be in January so why not wear a snazzy new top?  

Can't wait to hear all about yours and Rose's plans.   Anyone going to check out some hunky baseball players?  

Yep, my 10K is on hold.  I'm not sure I could even sit on a plane to get down to Phoenix right now.  But in the back of my mind I think they did say you had to keep a 28:13 pace -- nope, not a typo.  

Oh, and I tried to post that pretty Princess medal on your wall on FB but I couldn't.  Maybe your tech guy can help you out so your friends can post on your wall?    I had a lot of fun FB when I was at DL.  



Rose&Mike said:


> To top that off, when we were in SC over the weekend one of Tom's new friends asked what I did and when I briefly tried to explain it he said--oh, data entry is important. Seriously. Luckily I had already had half a drink cause I didn't rip him a new one.



Pshaw!  Comments from the peanut gallery -- who needs 'em?    Didn't that kid read about Target and all the information they track in their database and how important it is this week?   

*Lindsay,* way to go on scoring the great airfare!    That is a coup for sure!  Airfare is ridiculously priced right now.  And a great job on your run, too.  

*Jen,* I'm with the camp of not telling the kids about Disney until you absolutely have to.  And especially not now so you don't hear the whining and complaining for the next couple of month.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Jen- how wonderful, a solo trip  you have some great things to look forward to.

Nancy- good luck on the plumbing stuff. 

Maria- sounds like you did some great shopping this wkend. Gotta love gift cards.

Lisah- wah on having to cancel the 10k that really stinks but you made a smart decision. Get yourself better and ou will be back in the swing of things soon.

Lisa- congrats to dh for the promotion and for the 10 mile race. How scary that must have been for that person who collapsed at the end.

Well im at the gym trying to let the boys blow off some energy. We did bball, air hockey, and now there onto some kind of pool game. Im really hoping after this they will go home and relax so i can get some house work done.

My weight is up. 8 today but i did go way over my calories last niht with some movie popcorn. I am really shooting for a loss this wk since the past 2 wks have been a little rocky.

Well the boys are ready to  head to the outside playground. Its in the 40s and sunny and they are only wearing sweatshirts. To them i guess it feels like summer. They wont take no for an answer and i am out of energy to argue with them so i guess outside it is. Ttyl


----------



## lisah0711

Woo hoo I'm cleared to walk or swim up to 15 minutes at a time!   

That's the good news!    The not so good news is that I will probably not be doing my 10K on 3/3 -- right now I can't even sit as long as it would take to fly down to Phoenix.    I don't really like to think about being DNS -- that is worse than DNF or DLF to me but I know in my heart it is probably not in the cards so I will deal with it. (As my friend, *Maria,* says it is more important to take care of myself ).  I should be okay to fly down to Phoenix for spring break at the end of March when we will see my Mom as well as Ed's family so it's not too bad.  

So to get a bit technical my injury is at the juncture where the thoracic and lumbar parts of the spine meet, which is apparently typical for a sitting type injury.  The big problem now is inflammation so lots of icing and no heat.  A few exercises, some TENS and ice plus a lot of education about how to sit, stand, lie down, get up.  I go back on Wednesday and Friday.  We did have a talk about my deductible issue.   

We also had a little talk about how I just have to put my training goals on the back burner and concentrate on doing what is needed to heal and that I won't lose as much conditioning as I am afraid I will so I need to be patient and do what I should -- anyone think this sounds familiar?   It will also be another week before I should really start to feel better so I have to be patient.  

*Lindsay,* grrrrr on the importance of childcare comment.  Taking care of our children, our future, isn't an important job, hmmm?!?  

*Kathy,* enjoy your evening tonight.  No housework! 

Thanks for listening!


----------



## mikamah

Dang it all, I was almost done posting and I poofed it when my finger slipped.  I hate that!!!!

So anyway, a briefer synopsis of my day.  Movie Journey2 was great, mikes here with 2 friends and i'll bring them home soon, go grocery shopping and then relax in my jammies with a movie.  Maybe a George Clooney- The peacemaker, Syriana, or from Dusk til Dawn.  Or Sleepless in Seattle or CIty of ANgels- my 2 favorite dvds.  

Oh, and I ate like crap.  Swedish fish and popcorn for lunch with a cheesesteak sub for dinner, large cuz I had a coupon.    Oh well, it is what it is, and tomorrow is a new day.  I'll have some raspberry tea while I watch the movie.  I love having tea when I'm home alone.  

*Lisah*_I'm so glad you got some good new with the not so good, and you are so right, you must take it easy and heal, and there will be plenty of races in your future.  I'm sure it's disappointing not to be able to fly for the 10k, but I know you know it's the right thing to do.  I hope the tens and ice help you to feel better real soon.    I'm glad it sounds promising you'll be able to go for spring break too.   Hang in there. 

*Lindsay*-Sounds like a busy day and I bet if the boys are anything like michael, you can run them ragged and they'll still come home with plenty of energy.  I'm with you wanting to get back to losing, but not quite putting the effort in yet.  My grocery list is made, and without Michael, I should be able to stick to it.  

Hello to everyone else.  Off to take Poko for a quick walk, and then get rid of these crazy boys!!!  Whoo hoo!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Uggh, so not to be too gross, but I have had some form or another of t.o.m. since February 3rd. Yes, you read that right. If we weren't leaving in a couple of days, I would call the doctor. If it is not resolved by the time we get back I promise to immediately make an appointment. I am sure this is just messed up hormones, but it is starting to wear me out. Hopefully, it will end soon. Given that this time last year I thought I might be going through early menopause, I am not too surprised by the craziness, but still!

Just a quick sec to say hi to everyone.

*Kathy*--don't beat yourself up about the food. You have a lot going on right now. Just remember--no quitting.

*Lisah-*-sorry about the race, but hopefully you will be back in the swing of things soon. I was the worst pt patient--in that I just didn't want to slow down. She actually had to tell me that I was doing the rehab exercises too much. She did say that I was not her only "over achieving" patient, but it definitely wasn't the norm. I have a love/hate relationship with my ice bags.   I hope you are feeling better quickly! As much as I hated going at the end, it really was a positive experience for me--now that I have some distance and perspective on the whole thing!

*Lindsay*--sounds like it was a good day off! And that was a stinky thing to say to Mike about his job. What is wrong with people?????

Ok, I'm sure I missed something, but I am really distracted tonight! I will talk to you all later.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy* swedish fish is my favorite. faaaaavorite. my freshman year of college i ate swedish fish every single day. my mother never let me eat candy. like, EVER. even as a high school teenager. so when i got to college i ate candy every day. swedish fish was my drug of choice  a movie sounds great! i would probably pick city of angels because i'm in need of a good cry 

*lisaH* i'm glad you're cleared for some exercise but don't push it! take it easy! ooo and enjoy the TENS. i love that part. see if your doctor can write you a prescription so you can get a TENS for home. i use mine alot. oh and yes, "death by monkeys!" goes through my head alot! but that monkey is the best! so much better than searching under cribs and couches for fallen pacis 

*maria* really enjoyed your stream of consciousness post! hehe. i LOVE lands end. what kind of khaki shorts did you get? i'm going to need a new pair for my may trip in disney because unfortunately i don't think my 8s are even going to fit over my thighs by then 

*lindsay* were the kids pooped after all that gym time? i love the idea of the disney theme night! that sounds AWESOME! and i love that the kids helped too  what's the next theme night?

*rose* i had to giggle when you said that 49 was cold. hehe. cold. as soon as that sun comes up it will be warm for sure!

*lisaR* how were the birthday parties? how how were the in-laws?? how's dan feeling after his race? really scary that someone passed out. i hope he/she is ok. what a terrible feeling! 

*jen* hi!

***

i did nothing but eat crap all day. i mean some serious crap. i've had some crazy anxiety today too. like, i could have really used a couple of xanax. it sucked actually. and i just kept eating and eating and the anxiety kept getting worse and i had to stand outside for a few minutes until i could calm down. sucks. 

we had fun today at this petting farm on long island. it was one of those places where it's cheap to get in but then they get you with all the extras - goat food, train rides, bird seed, etc. it was worth it. thomas had a blast. 

i'm off to watch a little tv before bed. maybe i will take a little happy pill....


----------



## camnhan

Hey Guys....I am getting so excited for your Princess weekend coming up!!! I can't wait to hear all about it! Who is the official "keep everyone posted" person????? 

Kathy: I can so relate about fears for the future. There is not a day that goes by that I don't wonder what the future holds for Zach and where he will go eventually...then I have to force myself to step back and just accept the day we have and be thankful we have all the blessings we do and not worry about what tomorrow may bring...


Fingers crossed that all the pipe issues get resolved quickly and painlessly!

Lisa..rest that back and let it heal...otherwise you are in for a life of misery! I am very impatient when it comes to rehab as well but have found that I just end up prolonging the recovery when I push it too much...

Have I mentioned how EXCITED I AM ABOUT THE RACE THIS WEEKEND!!!!

Started looking for a ball dress...UGH...I sooooo hate clothes shopping 
Was down another 2lbs today  would love to drop 15-20 by April but that is really probably unrealistic...so am going to shoot for 10. Hate the thought of shopping for that trip as well....

Trying to make dinning plans for our trip...any suggestions? I am thinking we are going to just do the basic dinning plan otherwise we will eat way to much!! Would really like at least one nice dinner....just have never gotten to do anything but kids meals while we have been there....

well, better get off to bed....had 2 rug rats in my bed last night so don't think I slept 3 hours!

SOOOO EXCITED ABOUT THE RACE!!!! So wish I could fly down to watch!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Despite the fact that I don't shake hands with anyone anymore, I wipe down all the carts in the stores, I clean the machines before I use them at the Y, etc, etc,---someone gave me a cold! Uggh! I was afraid of this over the weekend cause I have been feeling so run down. Hopefully it is very short lived. I'm sure it will be. I am thinking positively. I'm sure by tomorrow I will be 100%!!! It's not optional.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Rose&Mike said:


> Despite the fact that I don't shake hands with anyone anymore, I wipe down all the carts in the stores, I clean the machines before I use them at the Y, etc, etc,---someone gave me a cold! Uggh! I was afraid of this over the weekend cause I have been feeling so run down. Hopefully it is very short lived. I'm sure it will be. I am thinking positively. I'm sure by tomorrow I will be 100%!!! It's not optional.



omg, *Rose!* -- I kept sneezing yesterday and it totally freaked me out. I have no time for sickness! On the bright side, I always tell myself that the simple act of stepping into FL sunshine literally knocks the cold out of you, and you can breathe better 

Posting more later, hopefully. Don't these people know the last thing I want to do today is work?! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

Man, the Dis is poky today.    Hope I can get this posted before it is time to head out this morning. 



mikamah said:


> Dang it all, I was almost done posting and I poofed it when my finger slipped.  I hate that!!!!



I know the poof fairy seems to be working overtime these days.   

So how was your evening?    You had such a good time that you didn't have time to Dis this morning before work? 



Rose&Mike said:


> Uggh, so not to be too gross, but I have had some form or another of t.o.m. since February 3rd. Yes, you read that right. If we weren't leaving in a couple of days, I would call the doctor. If it is not resolved by the time we get back I promise to immediately make an appointment. I am sure this is just messed up hormones, but it is starting to wear me out. Hopefully, it will end soon. Given that this time last year I thought I might be going through early menopause, I am not too surprised by the craziness, but still!
> 
> Just a quick sec to say hi to everyone.



Ugh!  What a PITA, *Rose!* And now the double whammy of the cold.  Lots of rest and fluids.    Are you flying Thursday or Friday?  You may have to do the Afrin thing short term.  I'm sure our nurses will be on with some more suggestions.   

I will PM you about how that other thing went for me but don't worry about not calling this week 'cause it takes awhile to fix and they don't even get excited about it until you've had it longer.  

*Nancy,* I'm sending you lots of good thoughts and  today while the plumbers are there.  

So sorry about the anxiety.  I don't think there is a thing wrong with asking for help if you need it.    I know it's easy to think that our parents and grandparents managed all this stuff without help, we should be tough enough to do the same, but the truth of the matter is that we are assaulted every day with a lot more information and stress than they were.  It wears you down.  

And you need to tell the person who is bringing the crappy stuff to eat in the house to stop bringing it home.  



camnhan said:


> Hey Guys....I am getting so excited for your Princess weekend coming up!!! I can't wait to hear all about it! Who is the official "keep everyone posted" person?????



You can sign up for runner tracking through Run Disney and watch online while the race is going.  I'll be sleeping through the first part since I am on PST.  I imagine that we will be chatting on the thread as we get updates.  And *Rose* and *Maria* will take pity on us and post on FB or here to let us know, if their technology works.  That was a problem for me at the Tink my phone had died.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> Posting more later, hopefully. Don't these people know the last thing I want to do today is work?!



 Hope your day goes by quickly and no sickness! 

Time to take Grumpy to school.


----------



## lisah0711

Hey *Nancy* I see on your FB this morning that you didn't even need any tough love that you are on it -- good for you!


----------



## liesel

Slow DIS and I need to vent!

I had a bad lunch with my parents yesterday, they drove in to see our town's school art show-DD was in it!  They trashed the idea of moving back to CA.  It wasn't just the fact that they will miss the kids, they do this with every decision I make.  Then they tell me its all in my head.  Luckily I have Dan now who hears it too and knows what they are like.  It hasn't changed my mind at all-none of their arguements were based on any facts or anything that hasn't been already considered, but it hurts that they don't feel like I am capable of making good decisions based on what's best for my family.  I was trying hard not to alienate them, they are going to take the kids while we are gone, which is nice.  I was just so upset I shut down like I usually do with them.  Plus we were in public and the kids were right there.  Dan says it a wonder I don't sit huddled in the closet afraid to do anything.  Its a work in progress for me, I'm getting better about having the confidence to go out and do things, but they have definitely made an impact.  Now I'm remembering why I didn't tell them about the half until 3 months before the race.

I couldn't go run it out yesterday since the kids were home from school so I'll do that today.  I had to resort to my backup coping mechanisim-hot bubble bath.  I didn't post yesterday and then I remembered what everyone has said about that's when you need to be on here the most, so I am trying.

The party Friday was OK, we mostly talked to Dan's brother.  My SIL told us all about how she runs 10 miles every weekend without any nutrition!    Yes, she does crash hard at the end.  Dan talked to his brother about gels and taking walk breaks, he tried it Sunday and couldn't believe the difference!  Dan is feeling pretty good, much less sore now and walked this morning.  The guy who went down at the finish, he was out cold for a while, it was scary.  Several runners helped him right away and redirected the runners approaching the finish, it was nice to see how everyone pitched in right away to help.  Sunday's party was good too, but DD is exhausted from 2parties in one weekend!

The next race on my calendar was going to be a 5K on St. Patrick's day, but we are now going to CA that weekend.  I'm bummed, it sounded like my kind of race, packet pick up was at a pub!    I need to find something else to shoot for, I really want some new PRs, starting with the 5K.


*Lisa* I'm glad PT is going well and I'm sorry about the 10K, but at least you'll be getting all better soon.  Hopefully you can get down to Phoenix soon, I know I'd like some warm weather about now.

*Rose* I can't believe the "data entry" comment, how rude!  I'm glad the office visit went well and you had the opportunity to show what you can do!  So how much snow did you end up getting this weekend?  I'm really hoping the TOM and cold will clear up soon so you can have a great race weekend.  Vitamin C!

*Maria* I'm getting excited for you too, sounds like a great shopping taper madness trip.  I think its always good to stop and remind ourselves how far we've come, I feel like I've been travelling at a snail's pace too sometimes, but we are still moving forward!  We are all in it for the long haul.

*Nancy*  for giving up processed food for Lent.  I'm sure this will help get you to where you want to be for your trip.  I hope the plumbing repair is going well.

*Lindsay* You theme dinner sounded like lots of fun!  You are a running stud, I hope to get to a 12:30 pace in the next few months.  Wow, I can't believe the comment about Mike's job either!

*Kathy* Thanks so much for sharing about Mike, I'm glad to hear he is doing well and hope all the tests go well for you two.    It sucks to worry about your kids, my DS is very small for his age, he is growing normally, but it is still hard for him to be so much shorter than everyone else, he tends to get knocked down when the 4th graders stampede to lunch or recess.  But he is in great physical shape, he can definitely outrun and outswim me any day!

*Jen* A solo trip sounds like fun.  The only nicer restaurant I've been to at WDW was the California Grill with DH for our anniversary, we both love seafood and enjoyed it, plus there's the view of the fireworks from MK.  I also love the buffet at Boma.  Here's my brief intro: I'm Lisa, 36, married to Dan for 14 years, we have two kids, Luke (10-4th grade) and Ella (6-1st grade).  I'm home with them right now, but trained as a chef and hope to go back to work soon.  We live in snowy Colorado but may be moving to Northern California this summer, we should know next month (work transfer for hubby-potentially a really good career move).  We will find out more during our visit to CA next month.  I've been running for one year (today!) and the Tink was my first half (loved it!).

I had better get going, wish me luck with the poof fairy!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

BIG HUGS for all my Lisas!   

More later, I hope...but without further ado -- my schedule!

Marias Princess Schedule 

2/24  Friday
Fly to Orlando, First Monorail Ride to the Terminal
Magic Express to All Star Movies
Check In and go to the Expo
Pick up Park Ticket, buy new Earbuds, Running Shirt and Bondibands!
Bus to ASMo, Nap
Bus to Expo, Bus to AKL
Meet Rose and Mike for animal viewing from their fabulous room!
Possible DISMeet at GF
Dinner @ Narcoossees with Rose and Mike!

2/25 Saturday
Sleep In and Relax
Bus to HS 
Breakfast with Rose and Mike at Kouzzina!
Bus to DTD for shopping and people watching (carrot cake cookie, here I come!)
DISMeet @ Carousel
POR or Earl of Sandwich for Dinner
Bus to ASM to Relax
Early to Bed!

2/26 Sunday

WDW Half Marathon!
Back to ASMo to Shower, Snack and Relax
DHS/AK? 
Dinner @ Boma w/Rose & Mike!
Back to Epcot, HS or JellyRolls?

2/27 Monday

Sleep in and Relax, Pre-pack
Bus to Epcot
Chocolate Mousse in France, Caramel in Germany
Bus to ASMo
Relax, more pre-packing
Bus to MK, Late afternoon meal @ Columbia Harbor House
Magic Kingdom Evening EMH
Bus to ASMo

2/28 Tuesday

Magic Express to MCO
Fly Home


Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i'm throwing my hands up at today and declaring it a loss. between the food and the plumbing issue i'm totally chicken fried. and add to that thomas was up screaming at 4:30am. when i went to get him finally he had a huge poop in his diaper and i felt terrible for making him stay in it. and his whole diaper area is covered in a terrible rash. butt, front, legs, terrible. i even took him to the doctor because his dinkle looks really bad. fungal infection. he is walking with his legs straddled. it looks like he'd been riding a horse for the last 4 days. the poor little thing.

the plumbing issue is bad and it looks like the co-op isn't going to help us pay for any of it. we're going to have to start writing a ton of letters and all that nonsense to see if we can get the board to at least help us a little because we are talking $10k to fix it. 

wah. big wah. 

after today the cookies are gone. so is all the other crap. my woosh from last week is already gone from the last two days. farewell cookies, i will miss you. but i will not miss these next 10 lbs that i intend to lose so i can hopefully squeeze back into my clothes. 

back later to chat. i needed this poor-me post 

the bright side to all of this is that our pediatrician's office is absolutely amazing. we saw the other doctor in the office today and i remember him from when i was a kid. i can't say enough how well my kiddos are treated there


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Nancy* -- You need a  too! What a day! Poor little fella.

I really hope I can post tonight or tomorrow. I am running out of time to chat with my friends, and I don't like it 

Gotta watch Glee with snarly vacation boy tonight. Hey, you don't have to do any work this week. You'd think it wasn't too much to ask you to pick up the clothes you are stumbling over on the floor, particularly since they are yours!  See, the fun just continues as they grow 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

big hugs all around. 
I'm still here, eating like a pig, and after a good walk with Poko, I hope to be back and catch up with you all.  I'm sliding down that slippery slope, and I need to halt it.  If I'm not back tonight, I'll be back tomorrow night.  I'm working at 8 tomorrow, so I definitely won't be on in the am.   So I'd better get back tonight.  

Hang in there everyone!!!


----------



## donac

Rose&Mike said:


> Uggh, so not to be too gross, but I have had some form or another of t.o.m. since February 3rd. Yes, you read that right. If we weren't leaving in a couple of days, I would call the doctor. If it is not resolved by the time we get back I promise to immediately make an appointment. I am sure this is just messed up hormones, but it is starting to wear me out. Hopefully, it will end soon. Given that this time last year I thought I might be going through early menopause, I am not too surprised by the craziness, but still!



Hi everyone.  I just wanted to comment on Rose's post since I have been through this.  I was off and on for a couple of years.  Then I went a few months with nothing and then it hit me and I went on for over 4 weeks and then it was gone.  I am just like you Rose.  I had other things on my mind.  When my dr asked me why I didn't come in my reply was " I was busy planning my gf's retirement party.  I didn't have time to come in"  It is all the wonderful world of menopause.

One of the funniest shows I have ever seen in NY is Menopause the Musical.  If you ever see it advertised in your area, get some girl friends and go.


----------



## camnhan

liesel said:


> Slow DIS and I need to vent!
> 
> *Jen* A solo trip sounds like fun.  The only nicer restaurant I've been to at WDW was the California Grill with DH for our anniversary, we both love seafood and enjoyed it, plus there's the view of the fireworks from MK.  I also love the buffet at Boma.  Here's my brief intro: I'm Lisa, 36, married to Dan for 14 years, we have two kids, Luke (10-4th grade) and Ella (6-1st grade).  I'm home with them right now, but trained as a chef and hope to go back to work soon.  We live in snowy Colorado but may be moving to Northern California this summer, we should know next month (work transfer for hubby-potentially a really good career move).  We will find out more during our visit to CA next month.  I've been running for one year (today!) and the Tink was my first half (loved it!).
> 
> I had better get going, wish me luck with the poof fairy!



WOW a chef and Colorado....i am sooooooooooooo jealous! I would love to learn to cook like a pro...i can cook but not like that! and have always wanted to be in Colorado...I LOVE the snow when you can enjoy all the fun activities...Colorado seems to have the best of all the seasons! Best of Luck with the CA options....that would be exciting as well.

Nancy>>all I can say is OMG!! I would be leaping from the nearest bridge! Sending lots of positive vibes and prayers that the co-op lends a hand!

Maria: what a schedule! Let me know about Narcoossie's. That was one of the places I was thinking about for our trip. Just can't make up my mind because I want to do soooooooo much and we will be there such a short time!

How do you sign up for tracking on Run Disney (suppose I could go investigate this myself!!) Princess 1/2 and Oscars...what a day I will have

and for everyone else: STEP AWAY FROM THE KITCHEN!! and I will join you as soon as I finish the ice cream sundae from McDonalds' that I am having   just one of those days at work that started out bad and went downhill fast!! think I have used my weeks worth of play points all today but it is fat tuesday so I am going to use that as my excuse as well  

here is to a much better day for all tomorrow....and if it is not I say we all travel out to Colorado and drown our sorrows in some amazing food cooked by the resident chef!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

And the day gets more fun by the minute. So you all might have saw my "whine" on facebook, but I got glutened today. Fun! I had an Amy's bowl for lunch and within 10 minutes had a stomach ache. Ok, not too bad. I just ignored it and went on with my day. I did my last training run (and killed it 3.1 in 29:35). Mike and I went out for a drink and fries (which I have been tolerating from a restaurant near us) and within a couple of fries my stomach was all swollen again. A couple of fries would not have done that--my stomach was just mucked up from the lunch. Uggh. I can't even butten my jeans right now. I had read a while ago that some people have trouble with Amy's because they are processed in a factory that processes wheat, but I have never had a problem before today. I guess it was an unlucky day.

The good news--what I thought was a cold was maybe allergies--cause tylenol and claritin helped immensely--that and a big glass of oj. 

But here is the best news--I am now officially on vacation! So even with a bloated belly I feel happy. And I got compliments today from our CEO about the visit last week. So other than the allergies and the belly ache it's been a good day.

****
Thanks *Dona*! I'm sure it's a hormone thing, but this is getting a little silly this time. And of course I googled it and saw all the bad things that it could be.....I know, I know, stay away from the search engine! The long runs really seem to mess things up for me too and I did 13 miles a couple of weeks ago.

*LisaR*--I'm sorry about your lunch with the parents. I know I sound like a broken record, and I know I don't always follow my own advice--but it really isn't about you. It's their issues--whatever they are. Hang in there. Congratulations on your running anniversary!!!!

*Nancy*--I'm so sorry about the pipes. Sometimes you just need a cookie fest. And I'm so sorry about Thomas' diaper issues. My Tom had "toddler diarrhea"--that was the diagnosis they gave us for his chronic issues. And thus, had chronic diaper rash. It was awful. I felt so bad for him. I hope tomorrow is a better day. 

*Kathy*--Hang in there. No sliding down the slope. Look--I am walking down the slope with you and there is no sliding--just a little zig zagging as we make our way over to the wagon.

*Lisah*--How is the back??? I am assuming the tens thingy is the electrodes with the electricity thingy they do? I had that on my foot. My favorite though was the ultrasound. Are they doing ultrasound?

*Maria*--Can't wait to see you!!! I am trying to figure out if there is a way to get a g-f beer so I can sit and watch some spring training when we go to the expo.

*Jen*--We've been to Narcoossees a couple of times and really enjoy it. If you go plan it around the fireworks. We really also like California Grill--again plan it around the fireworks. We also really like Yachtsman Steakhouse, The Turf Club (at Saratoga Springs), Captains Grill (at Yacht Club) is good and a little less expensive, Boma, Saana. I'm sure there's more, but those are the ones that come to mind as fun places to go without kids.

*Lindsay*--how are you?

Ok, I'm off tomorrow and I have to pack. But you know I get distracted a lot, so I will probably pop in a bunch! Have a good night.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose- boo for the belly and woman issues but horray for being on vacation..

Maria- your plans sound awesome and i wish i was  going to be there to hang with you all too. Im so glad you, mike, and rose are getting together.

Lisa h- im glad pt went well for you. Sounds like you have a good therapist.

Lisa- sorry your parents are not beng supportive but you are doing what is right for you and your family and that is all that matters.

Kathy- ok its time to climb the mountain again so that we dont start slipping back done. We can do itt. Were in this together.

Nancy- holy crap 10k. I dont blame you for having anxiety you have a lot on your plate right now. I hope the with the letters you can get help. Maybe john can patent the hang a baby anywhere invention for some extra income. Matthew seemed to like it.

Our next theme night will be monsters inc. Any suggestions????? I may put my new cake pop pan into action and make ike wasowski pops, but im stuck on other ideas.

Jen- great job on the loss. You are doing great. Have fun planning your trip. I am enjoying making our tentative plans for oct but as i write down our adr wish list i can already feel the calories piling on. Deluxe dining is going to be rough for me. I think doing just the regular diing will work for you and make it much easier to stay on plan.

Question, i am starting to wonder if my fitness pal has mycalories wrong just from what othe people are saying there calorie total is. I am 5'7" and currently 198. I get 1200 calories a day and then i also eat the extra calories i get when i exercise. Can anyone tell me if this seem right and am i suppose to re eat the calories i burn?

I did zumba tonight and am really excited because i feel such a difference in how easy the moves and jumping around it has become since i first started. I just wish i could get this weight off a little quicker.

Im orcing myself to go to bed now so i wont eat anyting else. That seems to be my downfall the past two wks.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Belles!  

Wowza, our group is under seige.  Looks like we need a big dose of      

*Liesel,* sorry about the tough luncheon with your folks.   *Rose,* is totally right, it is their problem, not yours.  Of course you are more than capable of making good decisions for your family!   Do you think it would do you any good to speak with your parents?  And remember you can't change them, you can only change how you react to them.  

I will get to go to Phoenix the last week of March for a few days for spring break.  All of us are going for that trip.  We will stay at my Mom's in Mesa and Ed's Mom, brother, brother-in-law and hopefully, nephew will be staying nearby in Scottsdale, too.  It's a quick trip, just three nights, and mostly just to be with family.    It's amazing how fast you feel like you need a vacation when you just got back from one! 

*Maria,* love the schedule.  Looks very fun and relaxing.    Well, except for that racing part .  I think you have the WDW 1/2 on the mind.   I've never been to Narcosse's or Kouzzina so will be interested to hear how they are.  

*Nancy,* you poor thing!   And poor Thomas!   Do wrangle a bit with the plumbing issue.  Some people make it a habit to say "no" when they really should be saying "yes" 'cause if you get 25% of the folks to go away after the first "no" that means big bucks for you.    Maybe check with your insurance company, too.  In Idaho if the problem is on your property, you pay, but if it is out in the street, the provider pays.  I don't know a thing about how the co-op deal works.  Hope it is resolved soon! 



Worfiedoodles said:


> Gotta watch Glee with snarly vacation boy tonight. Hey, you don't have to do any work this week. You'd think it wasn't too much to ask you to pick up the clothes you are stumbling over on the floor, particularly since they are yours!  See, the fun just continues as they grow



I hear ya! My snarly boy lost his computer and telephone yesterday.  For awhile it looked like he was going for the trifecta of losing the tv but finally figured out his way wasn't working so well.  

When I was perusing the Community Boards recently I got a chuckle out of someone's signature that said "My son is amazingly more prepared for a Zombie Apocalypse than he is for his math test tomorrow."   

I see the smilie police hiding in the bushes waiting to come after me if I go over on my smilies so will stop here and BRB with the rest of my replies.  Nothing to see here, Mr. Smiliepoliceman.


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> big hugs all around.
> I'm still here, eating like a pig, and after a good walk with Poko, I hope to be back and catch up with you all.  I'm sliding down that slippery slope, and I need to halt it.  If I'm not back tonight, I'll be back tomorrow night.  I'm working at 8 tomorrow, so I definitely won't be on in the am.   So I'd better get back tonight.  Hang in there everyone!!!



Nope, nope, nope, no sliding!   See we are here hanging on the ledge with you!   Oh look, the wagon is right there!    And woo hoo ONE-derland is right here, too.   As Peter Pan would say: "Let's go!" And here is Tinker Bell in the nick of time!  

Hi *Dona!* Nice to see you!    Can't wait to hear more about your fabulous WDW trip this summer!



camnhan said:


> and for everyone else: STEP AWAY FROM THE KITCHEN!!





*Rose,* big bummer on the Amy's.   But a big, BIG woo hoo on the 3.1 time!   And thank goodness it is just allergies!  Maybe they will calm down at WDW.  How's the packing going?

The TENS is the electrode thing.  I imagine they will do the ultrasound at some point, too, they did when I had PT for my PF.  I go again this morning.

Yesterday I went to the track and walked very slowly for a whole 15 minutes.    It was nice just to be moving again.  Today I'm hoping to go hog wild and do river walking.  

*Lindsay,* can you make some fake shushi like stuff for your food?  Can't be too realistic or maybe no one would eat it?    Or some of those "treats" from the vending machine, like Primodial Ooze and Big Bite? http://www.flickr.com/photos/giddygirlie/6799857353/
Click the link for a reminder 'cause I can't post the pic.

You might want to play around with the settings on your myfitnesspal.  Mine was set to 1200 calories, too, and that was not working for me at all.  I'm at 1450 now and it is much more manageable, even though my exercise is pretty much nonexistant.  I could never hit my calorie goal unless I ran and ran.  I do sometimes eat my exercise calories and my fitnesspal says "the more calories you burn the more you can eat" so it seems like they want you to eat them like WW.    Are you friends with corinnak on myfitnesspal?  I know she and alot of the Ohanas have had great success with myfitnesspal so we might want to ask her about it.

I had an exciting moment when ONE-derland popped up on my scale but when I stepped off and tried again it was a bit above but a one pound loss.  Which makes me happy because the meds have really screwed up my system for sure.  So I'm hoping that as I can start doing more and my body gets back to normal that I will be in ONE-derland.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lisa*--woohoo, onderland is in your sights!!!! Soon, soon, soon!!!! Too exciting. I'm glad you got a walk in and I hope you enjoy the pool. I think I am most proud of the fact that I did not stop exercising through the physical therapy. It is such a sense of accomplishment to be able to say--I did not let this completely set me back. Hopefully you will be out running again soon!

*Lindsay*--myfitnesspal was set at 1200 as well. And I did eat my exercise calories most days, just tried to stay under the overall calories for the day. I think it picks the calorie range dependent on how fast you want to lose. If you are consistently staying in the 1200 calorie range AND running or working out I don't think that's enough food and that you need to eat some of those activity calories. That's just my opinion though. When I actually stayed in my range, I consistently lost, I just am a slacker when it comes to tracking. And most days I didn't eat all of the extra calories, just some of them.

****
I was too excited to sleep last night! I have been up since 6:00 (and didn't go to bed until 11:30). I fixed the hem on two pairs of pants, hemmed another pair, fixed the string thingy in Mike's carolina sweatshirt, and finished the laundry. I am on my third glass of hot water and I had a cup of decaf coffee. The tummy is still not happy, but it could be worse. Hopefully by tomorrow it will be better.

Off to be productive again. I'm sure I'll be back.


----------



## lisah0711

*Rose,* I totally don't blame you for being so excited you can't sleep!  I'm getting excited, too, and I'm not even going!   Can't wait to see all your pics and updates on FB! 

They did do ultrasound on me today as well as the TENS and ice and massage.  Things are feeling better now than they have since before the injury.   

*Lindsay,* look Corinna wrote a blog for you on MFP! 
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/corinnak/view/exercise-calories-215657

She uses 1200 as an absolute minimum and she is at goal and has been for some time, like our successful maintainer, *Rose.* 

Check out my shiny new clippie!   That was one of those head slapping moments later in the morning.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Lisa- Thanks so much for researching my question for me.  Your awesome.  I am not friends with corina on MFP so I will need to friend her before I can read her so appropriately timed blog.  It wont let me view it right now.  Im glad the therapy is helping your back and woohooooooo!!!!! for your new clippie and for being so close to onederland.  How exciting.  You have had some wonderful accomplishments this year.

Rose- Glad the belly is on the mend.  I hope by tomorrow you are back to normal.  How is the allergy/cold thing today?  Thanks for the MFP advice too.

I did some shopping at old navy over lunch.  I was in desperate need of some new jeans.  The pair I love that I bought this time last year currently does not zipper and close.  So I bought a new pair.  I refused to buy bigger than a 14 even though I almost had to lay on the floor to button them.  I convinced myself that in a few weeks they will be comfortable.  I also bought a new workout outfit, mainly for zumba.  I need to add a bit of spice to my look now that I have the moves like jager.  I also got 2 tshirts for the spring too.

I bought nick a cute swim set.  Its a superman swim top and superman trunks to match.  They will be part of his bday gift.  He turns 5 April 6 and that will be here before we know it.  So for once I am ahead of the game.
I also got ryan a pair of mesh pants and a long sleeve workout top for baseball which starts next month and Mike got a short sleeve button down shirt.

That was a fun way to spend my lunch hour.

They also announced that Runners World is having a race weekend in my city.  A 5K, 10K, and half marathon.  You can do all of them and it will be soemthing similar to the goofy.  It is the wkend after I come back from disney in October.  I am considering signing up to keep me on track and also to not let myself gain 20lbs on the deluxe dining plan for 9days.

Ok well I guess I should do some work.  TTYL


----------



## dumbo_buddy

my chicken? it's fried.

*lindsay* a Bethlehem half is super do-able for me! depending on how early the race starts i could drive there and home the same day. let me know if you decide to do it 

*lisaH* i'm glad you're feeling better after the PT. keep doing it! don't stop just because it feels better! thanks for the advice about getting the co-op to pay. just looked at the rules and it says they don't pay if it's a water main pipe that goes into our house. sooooo...even though the leak is OUTSIDE of our house, we still have to pay.  

*kathy* we both need to step away from the crap! no more eating bad stuff! back on that wagon! 4 day weekend - nice! poko will like the extra snuggle time. what movie did you wind up watching the other night? was that last night? i can't keep my days straight anymore.

*rose* sorry you got glutened! major bummer. ouchie. but on the bright side, it's almost disney time! and i'm so happy that what you thought might be a cold turned out to be allergies. phew! no getting sick before the race! and how is the foot hanging in? good i hope!

*liesel* how did you leave it with your parents? what were some of their reasons for wanting you to stay? what is UP with parents not being supportive of us? that really stinks. i'm sorry you had to deal with that AND you had the kids there. extra stink. oh and 10 miles without nutrition? don't you hate those people?? my friend lauren told me she never eats anything during a run unless she's doing FIFTEEN miles or more. WHAT??? oh, and she run like 8:30 min/miles and she weighs maayyyybe 105. yeah. must be nice. i haven't tried to run/walk even though i think i should. what intervals does dan run/walk?

*jen* lol! step away from the kitchen is right! i should print that little command out and tape it to my face.

*maria* i didn't know you were staying until tuesday! that's AWESOME! i really wish i could have stayed in WDW longer after the princess. i went home sunday night on a 6pm flight. i was so sore at mommy and me the next day. you are going to have a wonderful weekend. oh and i love columbia harbor house. i always get the hummus sandwich. that carrot slaw or whatever it is they put on it is so good. 

*dona* hi!! thanks for checking in on us! always nice to "see" you 

***

yeah, still chicken fried. i have more to say but i'm pooped. work started on the leaking water main pipe today and it looks like it'll be a few more days til it's done.  claudia the babysitter is away for the week and aerobics classes are canceled for the week too. i haven't gotten out for a run or anything since sunday. 

day one of no processed foods went ok. we ordered chinese for dinner and i had steamed shrimp with string beans and brown rice. we got veggie steamed dumplings and now i'm wondering if the the dumplings were processed. oh well. other than the dumplings everything else was a whole food. i'm also not going crazy on the rules. someone was giving me a hard time saying that cheese is processed, milk is processed, etc etc. gah! i mean that i'm not eating anything that has more than a couple of ingredients or things in it i can't pronounce, eg. mono-saturated-insta-fat. 

thomas's rash seems better. he has been such a handful lately. baby is great. i can't WAIT to go to bed.

OH MY GOODNESS I JUST ALMOST GOT POOFED. thank you poofy gods for not poofing me because my nerves just can't take any extra stress. better hit send before i test fate twice.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- i am like 99% sure im doing the half. It would be awesome if you could join me. I think it is an 830 start. You are more than welcome to spend the night here if you want and dont mind the couch since we dont have a spare bedroom. But it would be a  doable one day trip too. 

Is thomas teething. That is my guess. 2 yr molars are rough and a big yucky poop with that diaper rash is an indicator. Just a thought. Hang in there.

I did my 45 min at the track tonight. I really just wanted to veg on the couch but i didnt. 

Oh and ryan informed me his friend today said another bad word. I asked him what the word was and he said lesbian and then he asked if it was a curse word. I said no just not a word to use. I really just didnt want to get into that conversation at the age of 7. I was chuckling to myself while running thinking of all the wonderul things he has learned in first grade.

On that note i am headin to bed. Good luck to rose who i believe is traveling tomorrow. Have a wonderful trip!


----------



## mikamah

Good evening!!!

*ROSE!!!!!*-HAPPY VACATION!!!!!!  I'm so very excited for you!!  I hope the tummy is better and glad the cold doesn't seem to be hanging around.  I can not wait to hear all about your trip, and I for one will so appreciate every little photo you upload from your phone.
A facebook friend was in DHS today and posted a few pics, and that was why I wound up on expedia just checking out flights.  I wonder what I would have done if they were $250 dollars.   Sounds like you've been very productive and are ready to have an amazing vacation.  That tummy better be better so you can enjoy all your favorite beverages.  Have a safe trip tomorrow and good luck on sunday!!!!!!

*LISAH-*-You are so close to ONE-derland!!  I'm so happy and excited for you, and that 60 pound clippie looks marvelous on you!!!  I'm so happy you're starting to feel better, and that pt went well.  Nice work keeping it to a 15 minute walk as recommended.  You are on a roll with the weight loss, and I'm sure you probably wanted to go further, but you're being a good little patient and listening.    I was just remembering my wonderful birthday lunch you treated us to last year at 50s sci-fi.  In particular I was thinking about the beverages. mmmmmm, so good. 




Lets see if this worked.  Here we are, and I think I need a refill on that drink.  

*Maria*-Are you working tomorrow?  I hope not.  I just saw on the news that people are afraid to take vacation days at work.  What is wrong with people?  If I have vacation time, i want to use it.  Are you all ready?  Do the men have any exciting plans, just sit around, order take out and play video games?  I loved reading your schedule, and wish I was going to be there again this year.  You will have such an amazing time, and you are going to be fabulous on sunday.  Hope you're not working tomorrow and can get ready for the trip!!

*Nancy*_Oh, you poor thing with the freaking pipe issue.  That is way too much money.  I know a girl I work with had it happen to her, and they were responsible because it was in her yard.  I don't even want to think about it.  I hope you are able to find some assistance.  And a big hug on poor Thomas's rash.    You are an amazing mom, and those boys are so precious and lucky to have you.  Hang in there.  The race in Bethlehem looks great.  How far is it for you?  You inspired me with your Lenten commitment.  I am giving up chocolate.  Michael's giving up non healthy desserts.  They go hand in hand for me.  I must be pms-ing the way I've been eating, but maybe it's a little "i'm not going to disney and I really want to be" depression going on too.  So I'm climbing back in the wagon with all of you and planning to stay there.  We can do this!!  

*Lindsay*-9 days in disney sounds heavenly.  Deluxe dining also sounds heavenly, but if you're going to do some of the meals that take 2 credits, I think you will be just fine.  I love having the dining plan and having it all paid for.  1200 calories does not sound like very much to me.  I did some calorie calculator at 205 pounds, to maintain it said I needed 2500 ish calories, and the weeks I was so on track and losing, I figured out calories and was between 1700 and 2000 most days, and I lost 1.5-2.8 pounds.  That was with walking usually 60-90 minutes.  I wonder if you increase the calories if you might do better.  

*LisaR*-So sorry about the way your parents are reacting.  It's so hard when they don't seem to support you, but I wonder if they are scared and sad you'll be further away from them too, and don't know how to share those feelings.  Hang in there.  You will do the right thing for you and your family, and they will adjust.  

*Jen*-I am so excited for the race on sunday too!!  I haven't done the tracking thing, but once the race starts you can go to active.com and see results as they hit the 5k, 10k, and 15k and finish marks with their times.  It is very exciting to watch them.  Not quite as exciting as if we were there at the finishline, but it will have to do this year.  Thanks for sharing your worries about the future too, and I do know how much I have to be grateful for also, but have those moments.  

*Beth*-Hello there!!  I know you'll be joining us soon, and maybe I'll need to start posting pics of you til you come and post.  Not nice one's like the one above, but I think I have a few beauts from a six flags trip.  Oh, and sebago.  Definitely some fun sebago photos in my computer.  Hope you had fun skating.

*Dona*_Hello there! We love to see you pop in here too.

*Pamela*_If you're out there, hello, I hope dd is psyched for her trip and she gets off safe and sound.

Well, I think I'm back in the wagon, and have a big vat of roasted brocolli to help keep me there.  I know, how exciting, but for breakfast I'll have a broc and cheese omelette, and start the day off right.  I just hate that feeling of losing control, and seeing the scale go the wrong way.  I have been walking a lot, when michael had his sleepover, Poko and I walked over an hour in the morning, and she won't have a daycare day this week, so I'll be getting lots of walks in.  

I didn't end up watching a movie the other night.  I watched 2 broke girls, and 2 and a half men, and fell asleep on the couch with Poko.  She is so snuggly.  

So it's off to bed for me now.  Michael invited 2 friends to sleep over tomorrow night.  I figure it's school vacation, so he should have some fun, and a sleepover is cheap too.  So that means friday will be low key, overtired day, and saturday my b-day I just want to have a quiet day at home, maybe do some scrapbooking, and watch some movies.  I've got good food in the fridge, so all I need to to is cook it, instead of snack the days away.  Should be simple, right?  

Hope you all are sleeping peacefully now.  Though it's not even 9 o'clock in Idaho and Colorado, so maybe not quite yet.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i love that picture of *kathy and lisa* at sci fi! that's beth too, right? the kids are so cute up in the front there. we are going to the sci fi on our first night in may. we haven't been since one of the times that john and i went pre-kids. do you remember what you ate? i know you remember what you drank! hehe. 

i think the bethlehem half would be fun. the only thing is the hershey half is around that time too and maybe we'd make a weekend trip out of that. hopefully by then though i'd be trained enough that i could do both? i can get to bethlehem in a little under 2 hours, especially if i leave really early b/c the cross bx expwy will be empty at that time. hmmm...this might work! hey *lindsay* have you ever been to the land of make believe? it's kinda sorta in the middle of us. we should meet there with the kids sometime!

everyone is up about an hour earlier than usual this morning. the plus side to that is that it's starting to get light out earlier now so it doesn't seem so depressing to be up when it's still dark out! 

*it's almost princess time!!!* rose you KNOW i'll be looking for facebook pics!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Super quick -- hope to post again tonight before bed...

I have a ton of good thoughts for everyone, I am just sorry I doubt I have time to post them. I'm wolfing down my eggs now so I can head into work early.

I have a conference call at 9, when it's over at 10 I have to do everything that results from the call, then an appt. with my asst. to go over everything (and have lunch from 11-12:30, and I have a meeting for future funding downtown from 1-3. Then I'm taking the subway home. I have a hair appt. 5 (gotta get all prettied up for Rose!), then I get to do my packing, and get everything ready to leave. I am tired just thinking about it. 

I did just get off the TM, did my last 3M so I'm as trained as I'm going to get. The scale is not being kind. I'm definitely not weighing less than last year's race -- guess I have to go to WDW again to get that right! 

Tried the purple shirt this morning -- that's not happening 'cause it oshays my ipplenays! 

I'm either back to the WISH shirt, or wearing my 2009 WDW singlet, which is a lovely shade of purple...

Gotta run, everyone hang in there, step away from the cruddy food, hug your families, and Safe Travels for our Rose and Mike today!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Yes, *Nancy*, that is *Beth*, and funny that you ask, I do not remember what I ate that day, but when Michael and I went before, I had a burger that was good.  I think I might have has pasta, but when I looked at the menu, nothing looked familiar. It looks like a new menu in october, so it may have changes.  I bet *Lisa* with her remarkable memory will recall what she had, and maybe even what me and beth had too.  I do recall the  Space Monkey - chocolate shake, Malibu rum, and banana liqueur .  I do remember a couple of those.   I have had this drink a few times also, I think at 50s prime time-Magical Star Cocktail - Light up your celebration with X-Fusion Organic Mango and Passion Fruit Liqueur, Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, Pineapple Juice, and a souvenir Multicolored Glow Cube .  Quite delicious, and you get the light up star.  Of course, like me you'll have to have 2 so each child you're with gets a star.   Matthew will love it there.  

*Maria*-I hope everything runs smoothly today and we understand if you don't get back here too.  I'm sorry the weight didn't cooperate, but you have done the training, and I'm sure you are stronger and in better shape than last year with another year of running under your belt.  I'm still above my princess weight, but under my post princess trip weight.  I had put on 5 pounds that trip.  I remember how focused you were last year, and what wonderful healthy choices you made on that trip.  Have an absolutely amazing trip, and I totally cracked up on the "oshays my ipplenays".  A little duct tape will help.  

Hello everyone else!!  It feels like spring, so I'm off to eat a yogurt and banana before I walk with Poko.  Kind of nice to have nothing major to do, though I would rather be racing around getting ready for wdw. 

Have a fabluous thursday!!

Safe travels* Rose and Mike*.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses! 

I think in honor of *Princess Maria* and *Princess Rose* that we should all be Princesses this week-end! 

Just poofed a long post that I had worked an hour on so sorry that this will be a bit shorter.  

*Princess Lindsay,* I just posted a little question on MFP.  Corinna used to write some great blogs on WW so it's nice to see what she has to say on MFP.  She is like *Princess Rose* and has been a successful maintainer for a long time!

Sounds like a productive shopping trip yesterday! 

You are totally rocking the activity so I think *Princess Kathy* is right when she says you might not eat enough.  

*Princess Nancy,* that is such a big bummer on the pipe thing.    Glad that Thomas is feeling a bit better.  

I think that you are doing a terrific job getting back on track in spite of all the crazy things that are still going on in your life!    And really what are you going to milk a cow and start making your own butter and cheese in your spare time?!?  

Oh and you'll be in such good shape by October that back to back half marathons will be easy-peasy for you 'cause you'll be ready for your marathon! 

*Princess Kathy,* that was a fun dinner at Sci-Fi.  Heck no, I don't remember what we ate but I do remember that I had a Marsha's Martian - chocolate and vanilla shakes mixed with Bailey's Irish Cream and Kahlua   I think this might have been around the time we ordered more drinks and the kids had dessert 'cause there aren't enough glow cubes lying around.     Then we took our giggly selves off to Voyage of the Little Mermaid and the lovely *Princess Taylor* was a guest announcer because of your matching shirts! 

*Princess Maria,* yikes on the shirt thing.    I've used something called Nexcare Active Waterproof Abrasion Cover -- you get it with the bandaids -- for protecting that area and it does help with those light colored shirts and that problem.  

At least it sounds like your last day of work will go quickly!    Soon you will be at WDW and you can rest before your big race! 

*Princess Rose,* safe travels today!   Hope the tummy is back to where it should be and I'm really looking forward to those updates on FB!  

Hello to *Princess Beth, Princess Dona,Princess Pamela, Princess Jen* and any of other lurkers! 

Every day I feel a bit better.  It's not too hard to hold myself back on activity now because 15 minutes is about the max I can do anything -- that goes for sitting, standing, everything.  It's annoying but since I am feeling so much better I don't mind.  I have all my swimming stuff for today since I didn't make it to the community center yesterday.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## camnhan

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Question, i am starting to wonder if my fitness pal has mycalories wrong just from what othe people are saying there calorie total is. I am 5'7" and currently 198. I get 1200 calories a day and then i also eat the extra calories i get when i exercise. Can anyone tell me if this seem right and am i suppose to re eat the calories i burn?
> 
> I did zumba tonight and am really excited because i feel such a difference in how easy the moves and jumping around it has become since i first started. I just wish i could get this weight off a little quicker.
> 
> Im orcing myself to go to bed now so i wont eat anyting else. That seems to be my downfall the past two wks.



I can tell you from WW that your activity points (aka calories burned) are optional to re-eat but I never did as figured the point is not to exercise to burn calories only to eat them again but to have them help to increase my weight loss. Now with that said..we are also given 49 weekly points to use as we want though I typically did not eat those either...so maybe increase you calories a little and don't eat your burned calories....or if you are feeling satisfied with 1200 then just don't eat the burned calories

I hear ya on the late night binging!! That is one of my biggest weaknesses as well!!! I do wonderful all day and then get home and don't leave the kitchen for hours  That is my new focus...to NOT snack when I get home


----------



## mikamah

Hello *Princess Lisa!!! * 

I feel a little better that you don't remember what we ate but you do remember the drinks too.   But I am impressed you remember going to the Little Mermaid after lunch.  Those drinks may explain this photo.




That was such an amazing trip.  I think I'll be posting photos from that week throughout the weekend.  Might as well relive it here while *Princess Rose and Princess Maria* are reliving it there.  

Lol, I can just picture *Princess Nancy* feeding baby Matthew hanging off of her while she's milking her cow to feed Thomas.  She is one amazing mama.  

I hate that dang poof fairy.  Glad you were able to spend a little more time and repost.  Made me feel like a princess again.  Good luck swimming today.  

Ok, I guess I'll go be productive.  Just a little.  Laundry and breakfast.  Then it's back to doing nothing.


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> I feel a little better that you don't remember what we ate but you do remember the drinks too.



 Yep, we have our priorities!  

And I think you did the fish kissing picture because the kids were a tad worried that we were going to miss the next show when we all had to stop at the bathroom.   

Enjoy your relaxing day!  You've earned it for sure!


----------



## camnhan

I love the fish picture!!!
Please post more pics!! I would love to see all the fun you had.

Can't wait to hear all about this weekend from everyone..on a good note for me
Plane tickets purchased 
Room set 
still debating on the whole food thing...I have until tomorrow night to decide which dinning plan. Really would love to do the deluxe so that we can do some 2TS meals but when I tried to plan it out felt like we were tied to reservations and we are only there 4 days and that already has me in a panic because we have never done such a short trip!

Oh Well....57 days and counting


----------



## camnhan

So here is another question:
Multivitamins:

Do you take?
which ones do you like?

Thinking about going to GNC and trying there mutli paks...would really like something that supports weight loss or metabolism....am finally getting done with the generic ones I had gotten from Walmart and they make me so nauseated!!!


----------



## liesel

Good morning (still morning for me) princesses!  

I've been stuck with a sick kid the last 2 days, hence the lack of posting.  We were watching the news last night and they said there may be a small dusting of snow on the ground this morning, they didn't even want to mention it but don't be surpirsed if you see a couple of flakes.  Of course we woke up to 6 inches of blowing snow and a school delay.  There are so many variables here, the weather is really hard to predict, but come on!

Anyway, thanks for all the  about my parents.  This is definitely not isolated, they are this way about every decision I make, I was trying to give them the benefit of the doubt about missing the kids as well, but this is just SOP for them.  *Rose*, thanks for the , I know its them and not me.  I've been trying, especially the last couple of years, to accept that they are going to think of me what they will-my father is especially fond of telling me what I am thinking rather than actually listening to me-but sometimes it still gets to me and still hurts that they think of me what they do-Dan couldn't even get my father to say he thinks I'm a good person!  I agreed that we are doing what's best for our family-they just don't think I am.

So I did more number crunching yesterday-they are convinced we can't afford to move to California-and came up with the same conclusion as before.  Its more expensive (but not nearly as much as they think-they are thinking Orange County!) and we'll live in a more modest house (less to clean and maintain!), but I think the trade off (better climate, better schools, closer to Dan's family and his much older parents, more job opportunities for me, better garden-growing in Colorado sucks!, closer to more cultural and educational opportunites, potentially better speech therapy help for DS at the University, cheaper to get to Hawaii more often, more DL and I can do the DL halfs every year if I want to, longer camping season, the BEACH much closer, oh and did I mention the weather!!!) is worth it for us.  There is a cost of living pay increase, which will also help greatly.  Dan is finalizing plans for our trip next month with his boss today, we'll see how that goes.


Anyway, enough stress about all that, I usually hold back when talking about the things my parents say to me, but trust me, they are not good.  Then if I try to talk about these things and how it makes me feel, they say that I should know what they really mean and this is all in my head.  I need to snap out of this funk, that's for sure!

OK, on to better things like the Princess!    I'm so excited for you *Princess Rose and Princess Maria* and I can't wait to see all the updates.  Have fantastic travel/getting ready to travel days!

*Princess Nancy* I'm glad to hear the diaper rash is getting better.  I think you are doing fantastic with the no processed foods pledge.

*Princess Lindsay*  for all the things being learned in first grade.  The new half sounds awesome, I wish I lived closer to all of you so I can do some of these!  *Lisa* and I need to get on winning the lottery!

*Princess Jen* Your trip planning sounds like fun, I think keeping to ADRs to only 1 a day (maybe with a nice breakfast at some point in the trip too!) helps me feel like I'm not a slave to the ressie times.  Happy planning, I can't wait to hear all about your trip!

*Princess Kathy* Enjoy your 4 day weekend, I love all the pictures from the princess last year and it will be wonderful to hear all of your thoughts and reflections on this time last year.  And its almost your birthday!    Hi to *Princess Beth*

I weigh about the same as many of you and am also 5'7"-how funny!  I've seen the calorie calculators that claim that you can eat 2500 a day, but if I eat that much I gain like crazy!  My range is 1400-1500 with exercise.  I've found that this is the best compromise for me because its enough to feel like I'm not starving, I can't go much below without feeling hungry all the time.  My weight loss rate has been about 20 pounds a year at this level.  Its frustrating that its not more, but I'm at a lifestyle level of eating and exercise that I can live with.  I just need to make sure I am consistently getting my workouts in, I haven't been as good since I got sick right after the Tink.

I need to go check on DS, poor guy started crying when I suggested going back to school today.  He never tries to get out of school unless he is feeling really bad, so he gets an extra rest day.  Have a great day everyone!


----------



## liesel

2 replies I remembered while doing 

*Jen* I just take Vitamin D and calcuim on doctor's orders.  My vitamin D levels were very low.  I should get retested next month, hopefully they are doing better.  My DH takes a multivitamin.  I remember he switched brands once and started having heart palpatations.  He figured out it was when he switched brands and stopped taking them.  He immediately felt better, so I think different types can definitely have an effect!

*Nancy* Dan's MM was 7:15 (so jealous!) so based on that he does a run 7 minutes/walk 30 seconds ratio.  He really likes it, he feels like the break is just at the right time and the right length.  He says he thinks he was the only person he saw taking walk breaks at the 10 mile race, but he passed so many people!  One group he passed about 3 miles in and beat by 20 minutes!

Looks like I'll be burning calories by shoveling snow today!
Don't let me kill the thread princesses!


----------



## camnhan

go try on formal dresses
OMG! Beached whale coming thru!!!

most of what I found was for Prom..so not realy appropriate 
the one I did like because it had long sleeves looked horrible on me....I have 2 weeks and 30 lbs to loose  think I can do it????


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Evening to all the lovely !

I had texted *Rose* earlier this afternoon, and they were just getting on Star Tours.  That so made me smile! 

So, long hard day is pretty much over. I still need to take my lovely Lush (I love their products!) bath, put away three loads of clothes, do another coat of nail polish, and then I guess I'm ready for bed 

I think I may sleep on the plane, which would not necessarily be a bad thing. My flight leaves at 7, I'm getting up and to the airport around 5:30. 

I have decided when I get back, I am going to just start this year over, weight and organization-wise. I'm going to do what I say I'm going to do, and I'm not running another race weighing more than the last one. Although technically my last one was Providence, and I actually think I weigh less than then, but you know what I mean 

I am sorry I don't know how to post photos from my phone. It's a blackberry, so I don't think it's as easy as an iphone. I will be upgrading at some point, and then I promise to make that one of the first things I figure out  Frankly, I feel lucky when I get thing to post properly on the DIS from the phone 

I absolutely love the photos! What fantastic memories -- you guys look great and happy, even if *Kathy* does look like she belongs in Seussland.  

I think that I will kiss a fish
That one right there is quite a dish
I put my foot up with a swish
And as I kiss I make a wish!

Clearly I need to hop in that tubby and get those clothes put away 

Everyone have a fabulous weekend! I promise to at least pop on to say "Hi!" Tuesday after I get settled. 

Thanks so much for all the good wishes and encouragement, I really need it right now! 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good evening Princesses!!! 

I stayed in pretty good control today, and wrote everything down, so I am happy.  The scale looked surprisingly good this morning, so we'll see what tomorrow brings.  

*Princess Maria*-Hope you are safe at home and ready to go!!!  Thank you for the birthday card.  It was perfect, and when I got it my niece was here so she really appreciated it more than michael, though Michael and I both sang the princess song for a while after I opened it.    I wish I was a running princess in wdw this year too.  Have an absolutely amazing time!!  

*Princess LisaR*-Poor you and poor ds.  I hope he's feeling better soon, and omgoodness, you sure do get a lot of freaking snow.  I am glad the move to california is looking promising, and I hope if it all goes through it is a very smooth transition.  I love that the proximity to DL is a plus too.  

*Princess Jen*-Sorry the dress shopping didn't go too well.  Here's hoping you are able to find something you love on your body right now.  I don't know if you do this or not, but in the past, if I wanted something, and I didn't want to go up a size, I'd try the size I wished I was, but if it was too tight, I wouldn't try the next size up because I didn't want to be that size.  Does that make sense?  Dress sizes are so varied, and if you need to go up a size to find a nice fancy dress that fits, that's ok.  I know if something fits, it always flatters so much more.  I'll be happy to share more photos of our trip.  
On friday we met at the expo- Rose, Lindsay, me and LisaH.  Here is the picture as we waited for the expo to open.





I think Maria was flying in later that day.  Then on saturday afternoon we met Maria and Nancy at the dismeet at the Assp food court.  




Nancy and Maria are in the back row on the left.  We are holding our hands in the W shape for WISH.  It was so much fun to meet everyone in person after getting to know them here before the race.  

*LisaH*-I remember needing to use the bathroom now before the show.    How was swimming on your back?  Hope it went well.  

*Princess Rose*-Thanks for starting us off on our princess weekend vacation via facebook!!  Have an amazing time!!

Michael's sleepover didn't transpire, one boy was sick and the other's mom and dad were having issues, so he didn't come either, so we watched Mall Cop tonight.  Cute enough movie.  I think I'm going to make him watch sleepless in seattle with me on my birthday.  He might like it.  

Have a wonderful evening Princesses!!!


----------



## mikamah

The W pic won't come out, but this one is similar, but Nancy and Maria are 2nd and 3rd on the left back row.  Lisa and me back right, Rose in front Right, and Rose's Mike in the back.


----------



## mikamah

Worfiedoodles said:


> I absolutely love the photos! What fantastic memories -- you guys look great and happy, even if *Kathy* does look like she belongs in Seussland.
> 
> I think that I will kiss a fish
> That one right there is quite a dish
> I put my foot up with a swish
> And as I kiss I make a wish!
> 
> Maria


  If only Seussland was in disney, I'd be all set.  

Have an amazing time!!!! Run like the wind, Princess Maria, run like the wind!!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

This is my 4 th attempt at posting today and i hope this time i dont get distracted with other obligations.

I love your pics kathy and lisa. The fish one is hysterical. This will be a great wkend to reminisce while we cheer on our 2012 princesses

Have a safe trip tomorrow maria!

Nancy- i went to land of make believe as a kid. We have not taken the boys there yet. I will let you know once i have my wks off determined this summer. I was thinking my disney trip kind of screwed up my plan to meet you in hershey. Sorry but i had to side with disney  i hope you wil consider coming to bethlehem for the half. Back to back halfs should be doable by that point and it could be some nice nancy time away which is always refreshing.  

Lisa- i hope ds feels better soon. I cant believe you got all that snow. Thats crazy. I will agree that moving to better weather is worth any negatives in my book.

Jen- i hate dress shopping to. I bet the right one will come along.

I dont take any vitamins. Im just not a pill taker. Even thoughi know it would be good for me.

Thanks for all the advice on the calories. I think im going to keep the calories at 1200 with eating my exercise calories for the rest of the month. Maybe i am just at a plateau. If im still staying the same by next friday i may consider changing it.

I got to the gym and did another 45 min run tonight. It turned out my uncle was there reffing a bball game so i watched him while i ran. It made the time pass quickly.  It also got me thinking....out of my whole family i am and have always been the most active. Quite frankly no one else even exercises. Yet i am the only one thats obese. It just is not fair.  I guess it is what it is but its just so frustrating.

Nick has gotten pinkeye so tomorrow  my mil is coming to watch him. She has been such a help this past month. Then her and my fil are staying for dinner. My fil bday is on sun so we will celebrate that tomorrow. 

Ok well i need to catch up on the donald thread now. Ttyl


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I'm leavin' on a JetBlue plane...

I can't believe it's finally time to go. I'll be reading along, even if I can't post well or often. 

Tell me your favorite Princess so I can give her an extra smile as I run by!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

safe flight and safe trip maria!!! have a wonderful time! can't wait to hear all about it!!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm leavin' on a JetBlue plane...
> 
> I can't believe it's finally time to go. I'll be reading along, even if I can't post well or often.
> 
> *Tell me your favorite Princess so I can give her an extra smile as I run by!*
> Maria



Cinderella, Cinderella, all I hear is Cinderella . . . 

Oh, and please blow a kiss to Captain Jack Sparrow and the firefighter!  

Safe travels and text me if you can email photos 'cause I can post them for you! 

Going to swim this morning


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses! 

Here is a quick picture of 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


*Princess Lindsay* and *Princess Kathy* getting glittered on their way into the Expo on Friday.  Surprisingly that glitter didn't seem to get in your eyes or bug you but it did stay with you. 

Then you waited in line to get your picture taken with the Fairy Godmother
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




and then these guys





A big thank you again to *Princess Kathy* for my lovely tiara! 

Now I am really am going swimming.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

wait? kathy? what are you talking about? maria and i were _so_ there that day!






see???

yeah, ok. that took up all my posting time trying to do that. 

yucky day here in the bronx. need to find an indoor place to take the munchkins. probably wee play (an indoor playground thingie over in rockland county)

*lindsay* i'm going to really think about the bethlehem half. did i ever tell you i _almost_ went to lehigh? they gave me a big time scholarship and i even started dating a guy there who was a freshman when i went to visit.  wound up dating him for a year long distance. anyway, i got into wake forest and really wanted to go there. plus, lehigh had _way_ too many hills!  i wonder how hillly the bethlehem half will be??

off to make breakfast and get the day started....after another cup of coffee...


----------



## lisah0711

dumbo_buddy said:


> wait? kathy? what are you talking about? maria and i were _so_ there that day!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> see???





Oh yeah, you must have been a bit lost looking for the bear-ah instead of the ban-hah!


----------



## mikamah

Ahhhh a year ago right now, I was hanging by the banner in front of the expo waiting for my dis-friends who were looking for a bear!!!  Now that I text I really need to go back and do another race!!!!

I'm sorry, *Princess Nancy* I didn't remember that pic with you and Maria in it.  I love it.  Photoshop takes me way too long.  It's easier to cut the pictures up and paste them together.

*Princess Lisa*-Love the pixie dust photos and the footmen!!  Are you swimming yet?   mmmmm, Capt Jack and the firefighter.  They do know how to do it in disney, don't they.  

*Princess Maria*-I'm a cinderella girl also, but if you can only shoot one extra smile for me, give it to that beautiful firefighter who was dancing atop the hook and ladder truck and got me through mile 7 or 8.  That was amazing!!!!

I may have to go on my old computer where all my other photos are to find some more of the expo.  I probably only posted a quarter of the pics I took on facebook.  But heres this one.  It would cause you some foot pain for sure after a mile.





Hi *Princess Lindsay*!! The land of make believe sounds like so much fun.  Funny, we were talking about going somewhere over april vacation since we are putting off Niagara falls til august, and when we had gone to sesame place, we thought we should come back and do philadelphia another time, but when we were reconsidering it, all we could come up with was the Liberty Bell and cheesesteaks.    I think we were disappointed that we weren't doing niagara.  I know there's lots more to it though.

*Princess Rose* -Must feel nice to be waking up in wdw.  Have a wonderful day!

*Princess Jen*-Deluxe dining sounds amazing, and if you did just a couple 2 credit meals, it might not feel like too much.  I've only done the regular plan, but if I was doing the deluxe, i'm sure it would be easier to pick the more expensive restaurants for 2 credits.  Planning is so fun. 

We slept til 730 this morning!!  My niece and her cousin, are here while my sister takes my nephew to the doctor.  Michael's trying to teach them wii golf.  It's not going too smoothly. I suggested maybe a car racing one where they all can do their own thing, but he knows best.   I'll step in if there are any tears. 

Have a fantastic friday!!!


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> Oh yeah, you must have been a bit lost looking for the bear-ah instead of the ban-hah!



  It won't happen again now that I can text!!!  Unless there's a texting app that an incorporate my lovely boston accent.


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> It won't happen again now that I can text!!!  Unless there's a texting app that an incorporate my lovely boston accent.



I'm sure there is an app for that!   I was on a bus full of chattering Princesses so I just repeated what I heard to Rose.   I love you and your lovely accent!


----------



## liesel

Good morning princesses!  My computer is not letting me do smilies again!
OK, anyway, I hope you are having a smooth trip today Princess Maria

Princess Rose, I saw your expo pictures, I hope you are having fun!

I am enjoying the pictures from last year from Princess Kathy and Princess Lisa-with an assist from Princess Nancy!

I'm on day 3 with being home with a sick kid, no fun.  I also feel like I may be getting sick too, yuck.  I figured I'd try to wrap up writing about the Tink today especially since the next race is upon us!  

So I finished in 3:30, which I know is not bad for my first race.  I'm happy considering I stopped for some quick pics in DL, the heat, and the fact that I lost a month of training due to chest colds.  I felt a little claustrophobic standing in line for the after race pic, so many people!  My friend found me right away and I found DH and the kids at the reunion tent.  The kids had this "great, you're finally here, let's go" attitude when I saw them, not really realizing what I had just done and that I needed to recover!  A couple of WISHers came by and said hi but for the most part they were on the other side of the tent.  I saw them after I sat down and didn't have the energy to go over and say hi.  JenB and her husband even walked by, I waved, but they couldn't see me collapsed on the ground.  So my in laws weren't there.  The traffic was so bad around DL with the road closures, they couldn't get into the area close enough (they can't walk too far) so they gave up and went out to breakfast.  I would definitely recommend staying within close walking distance of the race start/finish!  Lisa arrived soon after and was ready for our post race drink.

I didn't have the energy to walk all the way back to the hotel so I thought I'd cheat and walk partway and take the tram to the parking structure with my friend and she could drop me at the hotel.  Unfortunately the traffic was a nightmare, they hadn't yet turned back on some of the stop lights.  Dan and the kids beat me back to the hotel by 20 minutes!  At least I was sitting with my feet up all this time.  By the time I got there I was so hungry.  I headed for the shower.  While I was getting ready I heard Dan talk to his parents on the phone telling them to come on over, they wanted to head home and stop and say goodbye first.  I thought that meant they would be here in 5 minutes (how far away they were), but I was wrong.  We sat and waited and waited.  I iced, munched some trail mix and waited some more.  Lisa texted me that she was on the patio at Trader Sam's with her mom and sister.  They finally came, we visited, they left, I ushered everyone over to the DL hotel an hour late, missing most of the podcast meet and starving.  I got to visit with Lisa and enjoy my lovely postrace drink, the krakatoa punch.  Yum!  She soon had to go, it was so fantastic to finally meet her and I hope to meet all of you soon!

The kids had bugged me about wanting to go to the pool and DL and I was wondering how I could manage all this.  We were going to go straight into DL after the drinks, but I was a little tired and decided that we should go back to the hotel, the kids could have an hour of pool time while I rested, then go into DL for some rides and dinner.  This worked out much better, but I was pretty tired at 8:30 so after a few rides at DCA we went back to the hotel and called it a night.

Monday was our last day and we spent it at DL.  We had lots of fun on the ridees, Ella rode Space for the second time and now loves it!  Our only hitch was getting in line for Star Tours, the sign said 30 minutes, but due to a partial ride breakdown which they did not inform anyone, it took an hour.  We were late to our Blue Bayou ressies (restaurant inside Pirates), but they took us in and had a lovely lunch.  We were able to ride Star Tours again later with FPs and had the same exact ride sequence as the first time, what are the odds?!  We had to leave at 3 to go to the airport.  Before going, we went to the new bakery and had abuleitas (Mexican hot chocolate-dark chocolate with cinnamon) and tried the flourless chocolate cake and the lemon strawberry cupcake.  Then it was airport and home.  It was a fast trip and we didn't do nearly as many rides as we usually do, less time and slow pace, but it was lots of fun.  I really enjoyed meeting so many WISHers and the race was a blast, I can't wait to do another one.  I am definitely hooked!

So for this year I want PRs in all my distances.  I am doing a back to basics approach and working on building my intervals up to more running and will start with shorter races, building back to a half again in a few months.  My next half time goal will be for under 3 hours, I was close on the race projections before I got so sick so I think this is doable.  I also want to drop another 20 pounds before my next half.  Wish me luck!

I really want to thank all of you again for your support and advice these last few months, I couldn't have done it without you!

Have a great day, go Princess Rose and Princess Maria!


----------



## mikamah

lisah0711 said:


> I'm sure there is an app for that!   I was on a bus full of chattering Princesses so I just repeated what I heard to Rose.   I love you and your lovely accent!


Aw, I love you too, even if you don't realize that the letter R is supposed to be silent.

Great rest of your report, *Princess Lisabelle!!*.  I am craving some disney racing this weekend, so am happy to read the rest of yours.  I may go and read Lindsays report on her journal of last years princess.  I sort of wish I had done one here too.  Oh well, maybe for my 50th birthday half, whichever one that is.  330 is a great time for your first half.  I was at 335 for the princess last year, and just under 330 for the wicked half in october with minimal training, so I think disney has so much more entertainment along the way, you will find you're quicker someplace else.  

We are going to bring poko to daycare for a half day and go to the movies and out for supper for my birthday.  There isn't much playing, but michael wants to see Journey2 again, so we'll go to that.  Plus we have passes for it, and since we'll eat after, we don't need snacks too.  I also have a few errands to run, so I can do that guilt free, and then tonight Poko will be tired and we won't have to walk her in the rain.  

hmmmm, we've covered the expo day, so here's Taylor and Mike during thier kids races on saturday.














They did the mile in just over 11 min.  I only dream about 11 minute miles. 

See you later, Princesses!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Kathy you are posting such wonderful pictures.  I think I may re-read my trip report too this weekend.  Yep this time last year I was touring the countries walking way too much than I should have been before my first half.

Lisa- Woohoo on finishing up your report it sounded like a wonderful weekend minus the stress of the inlaws.  Congrats on your time and for completing your first half.  My princess time was 3:12 or something like that.  I took pics and really just enjoyed every minute of it and I didnt worry about how slow I was going....well except to make sure I didnt see any sweepers.  I bet if you do another one with less entertainment your time will be even better.  My 2nd one was 2:48 and that wasnt due to any extra training it really was just the lack of characters to take pics with.

Nancy- Oh my gosh I was cracking up at the photoshop pic.  You are too funny.  I hope your day was fun at wee play.

lisah- how did the swim go????

Well I lost 1.2 this week.  Technically it was 3lbs since earlier in the week I was up but it was 1.2 less than last friday and is tied for my lowest weight so far during this weight loss segmant.  I am still 14.2lbs heavier than at the headache: but I am going to choose to be positive today and not think about that.

I am starting to lose focus at work this afternoon....I really have disney brain right now.  I need to leave at a decent time to stop at the store and buy dinner for tonight.  Tomorrow is a bit busy but we have NO plans for sunday...other than sunday school and my 5 mile run (oh and tracking our princesses).  So I am looking forward to the wkend.


----------



## camnhan

Worfiedoodles said:


> I'm leavin' on a JetBlue plane...
> 
> I can't believe it's finally time to go. I'll be reading along, even if I can't post well or often.
> 
> Tell me your favorite Princess so I can give her an extra smile as I run by!
> 
> Maria



OMG!!! Have a great trip and successful race! I can't wait to hear all about it.
I am sitting here watching 'my house goes disney' jealous as heck that it is not my house!


----------



## camnhan

Love all the pics! Looks like such an amazing time.

Lisa: wonderful to read the final instalment of your trip report! I can't wait to be able to do a report...well I guess I can report on my April trip but won't be near on as much fun

I want to go see Journey2! No one in my family wants to go see it with me so guess I will have to find time to go by myself 

Hope everyone has made it to Disney without issues...it is so cold and windy here...makes me want to be at Disney even more...

I can so relate on the weight loss...was down another half pound this morning (really working towards 1-2 lbs every week until we leave in April) but I had put back on almost 14 and have not lost all that yet so even a loss is still disheartening because I keep thinking where I could be had I not gained that weight back .... trying to just stay focused and keep up the with the little victories....

bought Jillian Michaels ripped in 30 and new yoga DVD tonight ...really need to get some serious exercise routines going and since our daily schedule is such that I have not been able to hit the gym after work I am hoping this will help (fingers crossed)

sounds like the boys are destroying the living room so better get down there and try and settle them down...hope everyone has a great weekend...thinking of our princesses and sending smooth running vibes their way!!!!!!

See you all on Sunday!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

happy birthday princess kathy!! 



what's on tap for today? michael's card to you was really cute. swellederly was my favorite 

good morning everyone! i woke up this morning feeling a little depressed that i wasn't at the princess. i mean, i get the whole just had another baby thing and all that but i really wish i was there. our neighbor across the street is actually down for the princess half. she didn't even tell me until last weekend that they were going. she is like so not into disney and when i freaked out (in a good way, all cheering and stuff) she was like, yeah whatever. i was telling her and her husband that crossing the princess half was one of my proudest moments ever and she was like, "yeah, i can run 10 miles pretty easily whenever i want so 13 shouldn't be too difficult."  well, whatever, i do hope she has a good time. they are "those" kinds of people who poo-poo everything but hopefully they will be willing to admit that the race was fantastic. these are also the people who weren't going to have a kid but told his mother that is she paid for an au pair that they'd have one.  needless to say, they don't really fit in with the sliver beach salt-of-the-earth mentality! eh, to each their own, right? (except when it's wrong, haha...kidding).

well anyway, i guess i just really wish i was going so when i hear someone who isn't a billion percent excited about it i wish i could take their spot! 

i hope our two princesses maria and rose are having a great time. what was on their itinerary for today? i will have to go back and look. 

here's my race report from last year: http://tiarathon.blogspot.com/2011/03/131-miles-of-disney-magic.html i'm going to read it again and dream....

john leaves tomorrow for orlando for business and he'll be back late friday. ugh. he's going to try to hit up the parks after the show (the global pet expo). tomorrow after his flight lands he's going to try to get to epcot for a dinner at the mexican CS. so jealous. he will probably see everyone with their medals! 

alright, have to get thomas in his bathing suit for swim class. the baby has been crying all morning. wah! hoping to do a workout tape while they are at swim if matthew cooperates. the wind is really strong today so i'm not going to run.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

happy birthday princess kathy!!!!!! Have a wonderful day


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses! 

I had texts from both *Princess Maria* and *Princess Rose.*  Princess Rose is having some technology problems posting pics on FB but a few are coming through.  They were both a little tired and stressed yesterday but fine and ready to rock n' roll.   We love you ladies and can't wait to cheer you on tomorrow!  

*Lisa,* loved the rest of your Tinker Bell trip report. That was so much fun.  I am realizing now how much easier that those of us who are racing had it than those who stay home.  

Did you see all the food offerings for One More Disney Day at DL?  They have lots of old stuff that I haven't seen for a long time.  

Hope that you guys all get to feeling better soon and are done with sickness for the rest of the winter!  

*A happy, happy, magical birthday to our swellderly Princess Kathy*!   

That Mike is a hoot!  Isn't it amazing how you were so totally cool just yesterday and now you are one foot in the grave.    Don't worry, though, 'cause you'll always be younger than me.  



mikamah said:


> They did the mile in just over 11 min.  I only dream about 11 minute miles.
> See you later, Princesses!!!



Nice shirts! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Kathy you are posting such wonderful pictures.  I think I may re-read my trip report too this weekend.  Yep this time last year I was touring the countries walking way too much than I should have been before my first half.



Oh man, I totally have Disney brain, too!    I'm going to re-read your TR this afternoon.



camnhan said:


> I can so relate on the weight loss...was down another half pound this morning (really working towards 1-2 lbs every week until we leave in April) but I had put back on almost 14 and have not lost all that yet so even a loss is still disheartening because I keep thinking where I could be had I not gained that weight back .... trying to just stay focused and keep up the with the little victories....
> 
> bought Jillian Michaels ripped in 30 and new yoga DVD tonight ...really need to get some serious exercise routines going and since our daily schedule is such that I have not been able to hit the gym after work I am hoping this will help (fingers crossed)
> 
> sounds like the boys are destroying the living room so better get down there and try and settle them down...hope everyone has a great weekend...thinking of our princesses and sending smooth running vibes their way!!!!!!
> 
> See you all on Sunday!



Great loss, *Jen!* 



dumbo_buddy said:


> happy birthday princess kathy!!
> 
> 
> 
> what's on tap for today? michael's card to you was really cute. swellederly was my favorite
> 
> good morning everyone! i woke up this morning feeling a little depressed that i wasn't at the princess. i mean, i get the whole just had another baby thing and all that but i really wish i was there. our neighbor across the street is actually down for the princess half. she didn't even tell me until last weekend that they were going. she is like so not into disney and when i freaked out (in a good way, all cheering and stuff) she was like, yeah whatever. i was telling her and her husband that crossing the princess half was one of my proudest moments ever and she was like, "yeah, i can run 10 miles pretty easily whenever i want so 13 shouldn't be too difficult."  well, whatever, i do hope she has a good time. they are "those" kinds of people who poo-poo everything but hopefully they will be willing to admit that the race was fantastic. these are also the people who weren't going to have a kid but told his mother that is she paid for an au pair that they'd have one. needless to say, they don't really fit in with the sliver beach salt-of-the-earth mentality! eh, to each their own, right? (except when it's wrong, haha...kidding).
> 
> well anyway, i guess i just really wish i was going so when i hear someone who isn't a billion percent excited about it i wish i could take their spot!
> 
> i hope our two princesses maria and rose are having a great time. what was on their itinerary for today? i will have to go back and look.
> 
> here's my race report from last year: http://tiarathon.blogspot.com/2011/03/131-miles-of-disney-magic.html i'm going to read it again and dream....
> 
> john leaves tomorrow for orlando for business and he'll be back late friday. ugh. he's going to try to hit up the parks after the show (the global pet expo). tomorrow after his flight lands he's going to try to get to epcot for a dinner at the mexican CS. so jealous. he will probably see everyone with their medals!
> 
> alright, have to get thomas in his bathing suit for swim class. the baby has been crying all morning. wah! hoping to do a workout tape while they are at swim if matthew cooperates. the wind is really strong today so i'm not going to run.



Bleh!  I had those "this is so boring but I'm doing it anyway folks" -- why bother?   

I loved re-reading your blog post!  You did so great for your first half!  

I was re-reading this thread yesterday, too, looking for more pictures to post.  Incredibly the race stuff is about at page 30.  We were so busy that we never posted while we were there!   I also saw *Princess Nancy's* debut post on the Princess thread as well as the announcement of Bronx Baby's impending arrival a few pages later.  Good times!  

Off to do my swimming now.  I have 42 laps to go and 5 days to get it done.  Hoping for 30 laps today.  

Happy Saturday all!


----------



## liesel

Happy Birthday to Princess Kathy!  I know its not WDW, but I hope you are having a fantastic day! 

I hope *Princess Rose and Princess Maria* are having fun right now!  I need to check the weather, is it going to be hot again like last year?

*Princess Lisa* As the only one left behind last year, yes I definitely noticed that you princesses didn't post at all during the weekend last year!    I'm sure you will all busy having fun.    I'm thinking they'll finish before I even wake up tomorrow, we'll see!

I've read *Princess Lindsay's* and *Princess Nancy's* trip reports several times, especially when I was training for my first half.  I'll have to check them out again this weekend, I really enjoyed them, you ladies are very inspiring.  

*Princess Jen* Woohoo on the weight loss, progress is good!    I hope you find a dress you like


I'm happy with my overall performance for my first half, its where I was physically at that time.  I am so glad I decided to go a little slower, I felt good the whole race and finished strong.  I was able to enjoy the whole race, I saw plenty of people who were suffering after mile 6.

I forgot to mention when we saw my inlaws my MIL said that she thinks that was their last trip to DL, it was pretty draining for them.  She said she also felt like the oldest person there.  I was sad to hear this, she loves DL so much and enjoyed taking all 7(!) of her kids there.  I don't want her to give up trips there, I was thinking of suggesting a wheelchair or ECV, she walked the park with just her cane, but I'm not sure she would go for it.  I already told Dan a while ago that he'll be pushing me around in a wheelchair if it comes to that.    Its funny, some of Dan's brothers and sisters hate DL and the crowds, I definitely married the DL lover in that family.  

Our CA trip is a go next month, all the arrangements are set.  That means I won't be here for St Patrick's Day, so no Denver race with pub crawl, pub packet pick up, and beer afterwards.    But I found a race in one of the towns we are considering living in that will be run on the greenbelts, I figure it will be a good way to see the town.  They are offering a 7K, 7 mile, and half.  I think I may do the 7K and Dan will do the 7 mile, I'm still trying to ease back into things.

I'll be anxiously checking here and FB for updates, have a good weekend everyone!


----------



## mikamah

Good afternoon Princesses!!!

Thank you for all the lovely birthday wishes.  We are having a nice day, relaxing.  I did a little scrapping this morning, and went through a ton of pictures that I've printed, and started a pile for my niece's graduation scrapbook.  Then our friends called who was dog sitting, so we took Poko and she had a play date, while mike played with his friend, and I visited with my friend.  And her dh made us some wonderful birthday guacamole.  It was delish.  But on the way home, I stopped at a market to pick up a couple cupcakes, but ended up with a small cake, and my favoritest cookies- almond macaroons, and chocolate chips for ds.  Oh well, I'm only turning 48 once, right.  I was going to cook tonight, but after polishing off those cookies, I'm not very hungry, so maybe later we'll order a pizza, and finish off the day right.  I'm not going to sweat it.  I will get back on track tomorrow!!!

I'm so wishing we were in disney right now, but really doing ok not being there.  I would love to go and do a race every year, but truly it's not possible right now.  I feel so blessed to have gone last year, and met all you wonderful princesses in person, and I am pretty certain we will meet again.  

But til then, a few pre race pictures!!! Where was Maria?  I don't remember.  I guess we just didn't catch up with her. 
I think this is waiting by the portapotties.




And before the trek to the corrals





Ahhhhhh, memories.  

Thanks for the update on our Princesses, *LisaH*.  I figure any pic that comes through from wdw is a huge bonus, and I know how exciting and busy and fun their weekend is and how fast it will go by too, and totally understand if they never get back on line.  I remember after the race I laid on my bed with my feet up to help prevent swelling, and made some phone calls.  Hope you had a good swim today!  That's a lot of laps you were planning.  Oh, and isn't it hard to be watching and waiting at home while our friends race?  You should try being on the east coast for a west coast race.  It was painful waiting til after 9 am for any sign of a 5k time!!!  I won't give you a hard time about being a few time zones before the race time since I know you are always up and posting when I am, so you'll have the same wait as we will over here. 

*Nancy* I hope your friend really does end up appreciating all that disney has to offer in a race, but we all know there are some people that will never appreciate the wonderful world of disney.  I wish you could have taken her place too.  

*LisaR*-That's too bad your mil thinks it was her last dl trip.  I hope she changes her mind and will use a wheelchair or ecv.  My mom went only once when she was 65, after my dad had passed and we got a wheelchair in the parks for her each day, and just walking from the buses to hotel, etc, she was exhausted.  She never would have done half as much if she was walking.  It would be a shame to give up on dl forever. I'm with you, ds can push me if I can't walk.

*Lindsay and Jen*-Hope you are enjoying your weekends.

*Princess Maria and Princess Rose*   thinking of you both and wishing i was at the wish meet with you right now.  Sleep tight tonight, and let sweet dreams of a swift and painless race fill the night.   We'll be cheering you on from Massachusetts!!!!

I'm off to make a cup of tea and read Nancy's blog and Lindsays report.  And then maybe I'll go back to page 30 and relive our anticipation and excitement on this thread.  OMG it was so exciting.  

Have a wonderful evening my princess friends!!!


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*-I loved your princess blog!!  I don't remember reading it last year after the race, but maybe I did.  I cracked up at the disney meanies and the epcot balloon.  I think that dang balloon fooled many a runner.  Love the pictures too.  One of my favorite pictures from the trip is of me, Beth, and the kids in front of epcot as we left the park that day.  You look beautiful there.  So happy and proud.  And didn't those margaritas taste devine? 




Here's Beth and I after dinner, and at least 2 margaritas, and as I recall, Lisa's tummy wasn't feeling well, so we finished her margarita too.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

I can't wait to wake up tomorrow and start tracking our girls!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I am not even going to discuss how bad i ate today. Lets just say i was celebrating kathys bda and princess wkend. Hats my story and im sticking to it.

I am so excited for our princesses! Cant wait to track them tomorrow. 

Lisa thats for giving us the texting update.

Nancy i read and loved your blog. 

Kathy im glad you had a nice relaxing bday. Oh that michael is too much.

Well we came home from the party with an extra child. My cousins daughter(my godchild) is sleeping over. She is 9. Her and ryan get along well. I have to say its also nice to have a girl in the house.

Ok i need to start the bedtime process so i cn get to bed and get up early for the race tracking


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> I can't wait to wake up tomorrow and start tracking our girls!!!



Me too, i'm so excited!!!!!  Sleep tight princesses!!!

Oh, and thank you *Lindsay* for celebrating with me!!  I've got pizza and cake leftover to celebrate the princess tomorrow, and then it's back on track!!  I swear.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Who is up?? I'm ready to track! Is it too early to start texting people???


----------



## mikamah

Hi Nancy!!  I am here!! 

GO MARIA GO!!!

GO ROSE GO!!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning my loveliies!    I'll go get my phone.   'Cause I was thinking I miss talking to *Princess Nancy* before the race this morning.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Looks like the princesses and the prince are doing great. I got a new phone this year and no longer have anyones cell numbers anymore. if you still have mine feel free to join include me on any text chains.

Meanwhile i am anxiously awaiting for updates on my phone.

Go girls go


----------



## mikamah

Good morning *Princess Lisa*!!  

I'd have to give *Princess Nancy* the title *Tiara of Texting* award this morning!!!  

OMG the active website was crazy and the 5k times were all off at first, but now they seem to be back to reality, but I almost had to take an ativan.  Just kidding!!  

All our princesses are doing amazing!!  

Rose, Maria, and Cam!!!  You ladies ROCK!!!  Keep up the great work!!


----------



## mikamah

GO PRINCE MIKE!!!
How could I forget prince Mike when he will be carrying my water in a disney race one day.


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> Hi Nancy!!  I am here!!
> 
> GO MARIA GO!!!
> 
> GO ROSE GO!!!!



Yes, our Princess Nancy totally deserves the texting tiara!  

Our chain doesn't seem to be working -- probably user error on my part!


----------



## mikamah

Oh well, we may not be amazing texters, *Lisa*, but we do know how to have a good time!

Congratulations Princess Rose and Prince Mike!!!  I am so excited for you both!!!!!  Now I'm just wondering what you'll be drinking tonight to celebrate.


----------



## mikamah

Congratulations Princess Maria!!!!  Hope there's some champagne waiting for you!!  So proud of you!!!


----------



## mikamah

Congratulations to Princess Cam!!  So very happy for you!!!


----------



## lisah0711

*Congratulations to all our Princesses!*

Can't wait to hear all about your fabulous races!


----------



## mikamah

Well, my exciting morning of watching and waiting for the princesses to finish is ending, and now what should I do?  Laundry, perhaps a shower, walk the dog. It's also the end of a lovely 4 day weekend, so I definitely need to get up and do something, other than eat cold pizza and cake for breakfast.  

I can't wait to hear all about our beautiful princesses and their races, but I know that is not going to happen till they return from wdw so for now, I'll just say how very proud and happy I am for you all.  I would have loved to have been there cheering you on or running along behind you, but by being home and cheering from here it really makes me want to make jan 2013 happen all the more.  

Enjoy the rest of your precious wdw time,  pretty princesses!!!!


----------



## liesel

Ahh, slow DIS!

Congratulations to Princess Rose, Maria, and Cam and Prince Mike!!  We are so proud of you

I hope you all have a lovely rest of the weekend and I can't wait to hear all about the race, especially having champagne at the finish!  Enjoy Boma for me!

I was up at the start of the race, Luke came into our room with an earache.  I got up at 7 and followed everyone on my phone, but you were all finished already, I know, I'm not a morning person!

Kathy, I agree, this makes me want to try to make Donald 2013-and scream teaming everyone doing the full-even more.  We'll have to see what happens with this move.  I'm glad you are having a fantastic 4 day birthday weekend.

I had better get in gear and get a workout in today.  We had a productive day yesterday of painting and organizing.  The house is really coming together, I'm trying to enjoy it while I can.  Have a good rest of the weekend !


----------



## donac

Congratulations to Princess Rose, Maria, and Cam and Prince Mike!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

congrats! Princess Rose, Maria, and Cam! And also to Prince Mike.

I agree it was fun to be able to cheer along from home but i missed being there and it has me doing calculations of how much i need to save so i can join everyone in january. I also need to convince mike to be ok with me going too, i havent crossed that avenue yet but thanks to lisah he already knows the thought is out there so it may be an easy conversation.

I will be smiling on my 5 mile run today thinking of all the great memories from last yr.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

um, yeah, i don't think it's all that good to win the texting medal! lol! 

a great big huge congrats to our friends rose and maria who got that fabulous princess medal! it was really exciting to track you guys and a huge stress that it wasn't working for the first bit!

i'm so thrilled for you guys! what a great accomplishment. i wish i was there to celebrate with you guys! 

i do have to admit that i was totally not thinking clearly when i went to look up mike's timing and i looked up "mike davis"  you don't mind the whole husband swap, do you?


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Mike is a gentleman and a scholar, and Rose is a lucky woman.

But I'll keep Dennis!

Maria


----------



## camnhan

CONGRATS TO OUR PRINCESSES AND PRINCE!!

I am so bummed that my phone was giving me headaches this morning and I missed all the fun but I was sending running vibes!!!

Can't wait to hear all about the weekend and the race....

Took a quick trip to Rockford to see my uncle who is in the hospital and see the newest addition to our family...Little cousin Addison!! What a doll she is! Ate way way to much and am terrified of stepping on the scale in the morning 

Can't wait to see pics of our Princesses and their new bling!!

Hope everyone else is having an amazing weekend!

Happy belated b-day Kathy!!  Hope you had a wonderful day! 
Lisa..how exciting that the CA trip details are coming together. Make sure to take time and just enjoy the trip..I know it will be stressful with the potential move and all but find the fun in it!!!

Well, kicked back in bed...skimming the net and waiting for the Red Carpet show to start!!! I love watching all the styles come across...maybe I can get some ideas for a dress HAHAHAHA


----------



## dumbo_buddy

good morning princesses! i'm so excited to hear all about our girls' races!

night one sans john went well. my friend mary actually came down and slept in the room with matthew so i got a good night's sleep once again so i really have nothing to complain about! she gave thomas his bath last night and just helped out SO much. then she left at 6am to drive back up to CT to work! what a great friend. 

john managed to get some park time yesterday! i'm really happy he did. he has to be in orlando for the global pet expo until friday night it seems only fair that he gets some leisure time! he got off the plane, waited for his bag and then got a rental car. he drove straight to the BCV where he parked. because he had his luggage which included an ipad that they'd be giving away at the expo he was nervous about parking. but i think going to a resort was pretty smart. he picked up our annual passes at the int'l gateway and did pretty great for only having a few hours. mission space orange , test track, chicken tacos and a lime margarita in mexico, maelstrom, germany for a beer and pretzel, soft serve at france, and then illuminations! i forgot how easy it was to do alot without kids! oh and he ate all that and he will still come back down a pound i bet! jerk.

*maria* isn't leaving til tuesday, right? 

how was boma with our friends *rose and mike*? when are they leaving? 

how is *rose's* foot?

*liesel* i finally finished reading the rest of your trip report. i was feeling frustrated for you. i am sure that my children would have no idea about what i just did too and i'd be mad that they wouldn't be like, "yay mommy!" and having to wait around for your ILs is just annoying!! grr! i'm beginning to realize that going solo to the disney races is a darn good idea! i will have to let john know that WDW marathon weekend he will pretty much be on his own. then starting monday i'm all his and will take the kids so he can do some solo stuff if he'd like.

**
mommy and me today and it looks like it's going to be 55 degrees here so i will have to get us all outside for some nice fresh air. mary has offered to come down again after work. i kind of feel like i'm taking advantage of her but i could really use the help!

you know my friend noreen? the one who runs the mommy and me class with me? she is going to WDW on saturday with her family! she and her hubby haven't been since their honeymoon and they have a 6 year old son and a 4 year old daughter. squeeee! i'm so excited for them! i helped them plan and i just hope they have a great time. she deserves it as alot of crummy stuff has been happening. her friend's 18 year old son passed away yesterday. her best friend's mother is on a ventillator. and there are too many "etc, etc"s. her kids are at such a great age too! DD is doing the bippiti boppiti and then lunch with the princesses and on another day both kids are doing the pirates league.  i'm definitely more excited than they are! haha!

well, i've got the baby on my lap sleeping while i reach for the keyboard and thomas is still snoozing so i'm going to take advantage of this little time and drink my coffee. nevermind, baby's awake. haha. 

hope everyone has a great day. love you all. these races really make me realize that i'm so lucky to have made such wonderful friends. thanks to you all for allowing me to hang with you on here, for being so supportive and so encouraging to me all the time even when i'm sure i sound ridiculous. i really can't explain how much i value this friendship.


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> love you all. these races really make me realize that i'm so lucky to have made such wonderful friends. thanks to you all for allowing me to hang with you on here, for being so supportive and so encouraging to me all the time even when i'm sure i sound ridiculous. i really can't explain how much i value this friendship.


I totally agree, *Nancy*.  We are so lucky to have found each other, and I feel so close with all of you even though we live so far away.  Believe you me, I never would have even considered doing a half marathon, or running at all without LisaH, the little instigator, and this group for support and advice.  

I found myself pricing a january trip yesterday too, *Lindsay*.  I've often looked at shorter trips, but to add on a couple days tickets is so cheap, we always go for 6-7 nights.  So I ended up looking at the 10 non expiring tickets and thinking if I add water parks too, we may only use 2-3 days marathon weekend, and the princess 2014 maybe do a split stay 2-3 disney days, and then seaworld/US.  So we could get 3-4 trips out of one 10 day ticket, but then you can't use free dining if its an option either, so I don't know.  Any way, I want to make it work.  But I'll want to run the half too, so I just don't know.  Now back to reality.  

I had fruit and yogurt for bkfst and tracked it, and am back in the wagon for real.  Only up 3.5 pounds today, soooooo if I do stay in the wagon as planned, that can be gone on friday.  But this is my 3rd week losing the weekend gain, and I've been in this cycle before, and I need to break it.  I'll take my photos next weekend in my wish outfit, and that should motivate me since at this moment I'm only down 3 pounds.  

I really loved watching the princesses through the race yesterday, but definitely had a little post race letdown.  That disney really knows how to hook you in.  Do you think it's a cult? 

I can't wait to hear all about the races too!!!  And see pictures when you all get back!!!!  Maria is coming home Tuesday, and I forget where she was going today.  I wonder if they ended up at jellyrolls last night dancing the night away.  

*Nancy*-Glad you had a good nights sleep, and John really did a lot in one evening in Epcot.  I'm sure he was wishing you were there with him.  Oh, now I'm thinking january weekend, he'll be with the boys while you do the race and dis meets.  Maybe he'll want Michael with him too.  He'll be 11 and a big help with 2 toddlers.   How exciting for your friend Noreen, poor thing has been through too much lately.  I'm sure she'll have an amazing time with you as her planner.

*Jen*-Thanks I had a nice bday.  Sounds like a nice weekend, it's always fun to hold a new baby. 

*LisaH*-Ah, a year ago today, you were heading back to Idaho, and I was at MK.  I remember waiting in line for space mt for michael and taylors first time ever, and he was getting nervous and anxious, and I was tired and sore, and I said, "Michael, if you want to go we'll go, but if you expect me to try and talk you into staying and doing the ride, you're out of luck because I'm very happy to go and sit on a bench and wait for taylor and beth."  or something to that effect.    I think I needed a Mickey bar at that moment.   How is your back doing?  And how did swimming go on saturday?  Hope things are moving along. 

*Lindsay*-How was your run yesterday?  I didn't run yesterday but did run a bit this morning, but it wasn't the same as disney.  I read through your trip report again, and loved reliving it with you.  Such an amazing time.  Well, I'm so hoping jan 2013 works for both of us, but if not, maybe princess 2014 will work.  It will be *Beth's* first Disney half!!!  Whoo hoo!!!

*Hello Princess Rose, Princess Maria, and Prince Mike!!*  Wishing you all a fun finish to your trips and save travels home.


----------



## Mom23WildBoys

Hi everyone!

My DH and I just took our three boys to WDW for our first family trip and loved it!  Now, in order to accomplish two goals at once, I want to 1) get in shape by taking up running and 2) GET BACK TO DISNEY! as much as possible, I've decided that best way to accomplish my goals is to sign up for Disney marathons (having NEVER run before, I'm thinking I can probably train to do the Princess and DL Half...).  I'd like to go ahead and book a room now at Disney for next years Princess Half (better to be at an Epcot resort?  is Bonnet Creek closer to the race start?), but I'd like advice about (everything!) how many days I should book for, etc.

My DH used to run full Marathons, so he knows about training, etc., and he says he'll run with me (although he's already informed me that his pace will be much faster than mine, so I'll likely be ALONE during the actual race!), but if anyone has ANY advice about Disney Marathons, please, send it my way!
Oh, and how much do the marathons cost anyway?  I'm sure DH would like to know. 

Thanks in advance, and I can't wait to start training for next year!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*mom23wildboys* hi! disney is a great excuse to start running! that's why i did it  just quickly thinking here... if you haven't run before i DEFINITELY recommend the couch 2 5k program. just google it and you'll find more details but basically it's a 6 (?) week program that starts you off doing intervals of running and walking and will build you up to running 30 min at a time. it's great! as far as where to stay...there are a bunch of "host resorts" that will provide bus transportation to/from the race. i would stay at one of those, whichever one fits your budget. i stayed at an all-star resort last year and i think our *lisa* stayed at AKL and *rose* was at boardwalk last year but AKL this year. 

*kathy* so, did you end the day still on the wagon? the 10 day non expiring ticket sounds like a good option. my aunt and uncle who went with us to disney last january used their non-expiring tickets and they wound up getting 3 trips out of it by not going to the parks some days and doing water park only days. not bad! 

disney is totally a cult. and i'm totally ok with that 

***

well hallelujah and praise jesus! last night was my first night without john or my friend mary and it went really well. i didn't sleep too much but that wasn't because of the kids. i was just nervous and anxious. matthew slept until 5am. thomas is up now in his crib yelling for me which is about half an hour earlier than i'd like but i can't complain...it's just taking away from my DIS posting.

my babysitter should be back to babysitting this afternoon so i hope to get a run in this afternoon. tonight we're going to my aunt and uncle's across the street for dinner. tomorrow my friend lauren (the friend who has kind of been hit or miss lately) is supposed to come up for the day and help me. i feel like it's going to be pretty exhausting to have her because she literally NEVER stops talking but maybe i can just tell her that i need a nap  john's setting up for the show today and hoping that if it goes fast he'll be able to get some park time in today. 

and now for a little giggle. thomas is in his crib yelling for me and telling me, "mommy! made a mickey mouse!" he still has pacifiers in his crib (i know, i need to get rid of them) that are the ones they give you at the hospital..those circle ones. he puts three together and says it's a mickey mouse. yep, consider my kid brainwashed


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Nancy- Its so great to know thomas is already a part of the cult. that is too cute.
I hope you enjoy your run today and woohoo for the time alone going well so far.  Is your friend noreen the one who is staying at CBR.  Didnt you say someone was doing the pirate room?????  If so I will need all the details of what they thought upon their return.

Kathy- Ok I decided that march 1st I am going to put both my feet back into the darn wagon again.  This first few days of the week is rough and I know that should not be an excuse but.....It is.  So I am going to recommit myself on the first just like I did in Jan. and hope that March is a much better month for weight loss than Feb.  Are you with me again?????

Mom23wildboys- Disney races are quite addicting and in a way we are cult like but definitely in a good way.  I did my first race last year at the princess and it was awesome.  We went from thursday night through monday early afternoon.  I thought it was just enough time.  The expo for the princess was on friday and saturday and we went for the opening on friday and I also thought that was great.  We were towards the front of the line and it was not overly crowded while we were shopping.  The marathon itself I think was $120 quite pricey compared to others but totally totally worth the money.

Well after our texting malfunction on sunday I have finally decided to get an iphone.  I have been thinking about it for awhile now since sprint got the iphone a number of months ago.  My dear husband has decided to let me use his upgrade to get it and he is keeping his old phone.  He has an android and actually likes it.  I have the same one and hate it.  So very soon I will join the iphone world.   This also means since he is being so generous I have to at least wait a little until I bring up leaving him and the boys again for marathon weekend.  So that causes a delay in my strategy but I think all will be good.  He is a very understanding supportive guy but I think it is my own guilty concious that feels bad taking another solo trip.  So will see.

Eating has been a bit horrific since sat.  I am back up to last wkends weight so all the hard work I did last week will need to be redone.  uggggh.  I am going to do zumba tonight, run tomorrow, friday 50min and 6 miles on sunday.  Possibly zumba on saturday too.  So with all that exercise and a little bit of pixie dust I hope to be at least a maintainer this week.  Then starting March 1st I am back to giving it 100% again and no excuses.  

Have a great day!


----------



## Mom23WildBoys

dumbo_buddy said:


> *mom23wildboys* hi! disney is a great excuse to start running! that's why i did it  just quickly thinking here... if you haven't run before i DEFINITELY recommend the couch 2 5k program. just google it and you'll find more details but basically it's a 6 (?) week program that starts you off doing intervals of running and walking and will build you up to running 30 min at a time. it's great! as far as where to stay...there are a bunch of "host resorts" that will provide bus transportation to/from the race. i would stay at one of those, whichever one fits your budget. i stayed at an all-star resort last year and i think our *lisa* stayed at AKL and *rose* was at boardwalk last year but AKL this year.
> 
> 
> disney is totally a cult. and i'm totally ok with that
> QUOTE]
> 
> Thanks for the advice!  I think Boardwalk would be a great place to stay too, and would fit all my kids if we decided to take them along.  What would we do with them during the race though, unless someone else came with us to keep them?  The kids clubs are all in the evenings, right?  Should I go ahead and book BW for Thursday-Monday and hope for a discount later?
> 
> Just for kicks, I tried running on our treadmill yesterday while my 2 year old was napping.  (I haven't exercised since October, and have never run.)  I ran/walked two miles in just over 31 minutes, without really trying for the first five minutes or so.  That's just fast enough to keep from getting pulled out of the race right?  So now I've got to add eleven more miles and get a lot faster, within a year.   Hopefully I can do it!!!
> 
> Thanks again, and I'm looking forward to reading and getting lots of helpful hints from all of you pros!
> ~Laura


----------



## camnhan

OMG the whole Thomas story is hillarious!! I love it!!

So has been a long week (and yes I realize it is only Tuesday)
Work has been soooooooooooo stressful and I typically eat my way through my stress but have really committed to NOT doing that which has increased the stress level 
Stayed about the same weight wise....started Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 yesterday....I am going to die! Not doing her diet plan so much just the exercises and trying to track points very closely..

ON a good note....everything but our park tickets are set and paid for~~~only 7 more weeks! Of course I have been stressing over the whole what to do about dinners and how are we going to do everything in only 3 days and what am I going to tell the kids and...and... and.....

It is TUESDAY...how about those trip reports!!! I can't wait to read all about the race and activities and dinners and FUN that you all had!!!

Hurry...hurry... I am a little impatient.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

claudia never showed up yesterday! grrr! she texted back to me later saying, "oh i thought i told you i have softball now until 4:30 everyday" um...NO! ugh i'm annoyed. no run for me yesterday. i actually wouldn't have been able to go for a run anyway because my stomach was really bad all day. but i could have used her so i didn't have to have both kids in with me while i sat on the bowl 

i don't think the may 6th half is going to happen. i've only run 5 miles twice in the last few weeks and i'm not sure i'll be able to build up to 13.1 by may. i don't know. what do you think? i'd really like to do the half before my disney trip as a little yay-me award. i just need to make sure i can get training runs in! once john is back and even if claudia only comes at 5pm twice a week i should be able to get the weekday runs in because it's been staying lighter at night. 

i suppose all the bowl time was ok since i saw 150.0 this morning on the scale.  my pre-preggo jeans i usually could squeeze on at 145. thing is, when i tried them on this morning (why do i keep doing that to myself?) i was definitely more than 5 lbs away from them fitting. my body has really changed since having the baby.

*rose* i was sorry to see your status update that the trip wasn't so perfect. i hope the fact that you had a GREAT race still ended everything on the plus side. how was your trip home?

*maria* how was the rest of your trip? i was giggling about how you were surrounded by "oobs-bay" at the beauty and the beast show. i guess alot of gals had a hard time finding a good place to sit and nurse.

hi to my other wonderful princesses. have a very happy leap year! i remember a guy i went to high school with was born on feb. 29th. i guess he must be turning 8 today


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning! I think I have a lot of reading to do to catch up.

I am sitting out a tornado watch--which I am sure will be a warning in a few minutes. Then off to work. 

I will do a race report--maybe--but I just wanted to say, I did look happy in the pictures, it was an ok time, but it was not a good race. Probably my second least favorite (behind kdf last year). 

I was in tears on and off for the entire 13 miles. I woke up at 1:20 (after not sleeping well at all leading up to it.) The day we left for the airport I was up at 2:00--couldn't sleep. Tom said he knew it was not going to be good when he saw I posted something on facebook at 1:30 am on the morning of the race.

But the worst part--at around mile 8 or 9 my knees started hurting--itbs--again. I am just burned out. I can handle the injuries. I can handle the food. I cannot handle either one when I am exhausted. Just can't. I wondered through all this what my "limit" was and I have reached it. My time should have been ~5+ minutes faster, but my knees were hurting so much during the runs at the end. I just had no reserve left.

So, I finished. I felt good--no tummy or gluten issues. And then that afternoon we went to Mara for dinner and they told me the food they gave me on Thursday was not gluten free and they had no idea what I ate.  At that point I LOST it. I had a stomach ache all the way through Saturday, and brain fog at the WISH meet. It took an hour to clear this up at Mara--until they figured out what I ate. 

Which turned out to be g-f. The chef used a new product that no one else knew about it. But I was horrified by my reaction. And so embarrassed and humiliated. I am crying about it just thinking about it. They ended up being very nice and comped our lunch (which was yummy), but the whole thing chewed up about 2 hours. It was just awful.

I can't deal with this stuff when I am this tired. I hate that I behaved so poorly. (Which really probably wasn't that bad, but in my mind it was.) 

Neither one of us liked being cold before the race either, Mike more so than me. So some of this stuff I could ignore, but compiled it made for a very unhappy couple of days for me. 

And maybe we will change our minds. I don't know. But it just wasn't fun. I think the constant drumming at AKL didn't help. Mike said the drums were not using their inside voices. 

So that's where I'm at. Exhausted. And getting ready to call the physical therapist--again. My life is great. It really is. But I am pooped. I was ready on Sunday and Monday to just quit running period, but Mike and I talked a lot about it over the last couple of days and we both agreed that the 2:00am wakeups are just not working with all of the other things we are dealing with. He said he has never come back from a Disney trip so exhausted.

The plan is to get the itbs under control (again) and maybe sign up for w&D. Or maybe just do local races. Or maybe just run for fun.

I am just really happy to be home.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I promise to post more later, right now I just wanted to get back on so I don't put it off -- and to agree with *Rose*.

This was not my best race, and I was really upset for a little while. I got over it and I feel good in general today, but honestly, I am exhausted. I am so tired. I think I am not able to do the race and then go, go, go for the next 2 days. 

I guess I was pretty vocal about my not enjoying my resort location, because when I got back I said to Dennis, "I am not staying in the All Stars again", and he replied, "I think we've established that". 

I took today off and I'm going to spend it catching up my house and , napping, and just trying to ease back into life. Mini TR is coming. I will say this -- if you ever have the chance to eat GF with *Rose*, go for it! It is so interesting to see what the chef's can do when they make an individual meal, and it's also really fun!  (GF dancing Banana!)

Definitely the best part of my weekend -- hangin' with *Rose and Mike!* And by the way, *Rose* looks just as great in person as you think -- she is doing fabulous as a Maintainer! Even in pain and Glutened, *Rose* is Awesome! 

One more thought I want to get out. We have 9 months (roughly) until marathon weekend. For those of us that need to, no reason not to give birth to a new us! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Still waiting out the weather....

I loved seeing all the pictures from the weekend. Especially the one that we were all in. Good job Nancy!

My pt is not back from maternity leave for 5 more weeks. (Who told her she could take such a long maternity leave.) I have an appointment with someone on Friday morning. If I don't like them, I am going to switch to somewhere closer to home. 

I really did miss you all this weekend. 

Ok, I think maybe I can head to work soon....at least this weather wasn't going on last night when we were flying!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--I am so jealous of your day off! I got a text from my boss yesterday that we have 2 conference calls scheduled next week for our project and they wanted to make sure I could be there. How did I get so important? That was definitely not my goal! Did you get caught in the rain Monday evening? Luckily we were right outside of Mexico. Can you say margarita???? We're glad you could join us over the weekend!

Ok, now really time to get ready for work!


----------



## mikamah

Welcome Home Maria and Rose!!!!

We missed you both around here, but loved following along online and the texts.  I'm so sorry the races weren't all you had hoped for.

*Rose*-  Big hugs for the food issues, and the stress and exhaustion of the day.  Waking at 1:30, running 13.1 miles, being told you were glutened, you deserve to have a big fat meltdown, and I'm sure you weren't as bad as you think.  I'm happy you're home, but sorry you're so important at work that you couldn't have a rest day today.   I hope work goes by quickly and you get a good nights sleep tonight.  

*Maria*-Glad you are home and have the day to rest, relax and do a little laundry.  Only a little, and don't  you be doing too much housework young lady.  It can wait for the men.  I look forward to hearing you mini-tr.  I bet you all had fun hanging out together.  I so want to come in january, too, and 9 months is a good long time for lots of change.  For crying out loud, I will be well in Onederland for marathon weekend 2013, whether I'm in fla or ma!!!  

*Nancy*-Sorry your friend wigged out on you again and you didn't get out for a run.  How are you holding up at night?  Whoo hoo for 150 even if the potty had to help.  I think doing 5 miles already, that you would be able to ramp up to 13 by may 6th.  Thats 9 weeks away.  Especially if you tried to add in some walk breaks, and see how it goes.  
I am still in the wagon, though I did consume half a box of white cheddar cheezits in the wagon last night during BL.  Duh!  Oh well, today is a new day, I wrote it all down, Poko and i walked for an hour, and I went grocery shopping and did not buy any devils food.  On to that new me!!

*LisaH*_Hello there!! Are you in ONEderland yet???  I know you are very very close, and I am ready to party with you!!!  Hope you're having a good week.

Hello Lindsay, LIsaR, Jen, and welcome Mom23wildboys!!  Love the name!!

Gotta run, Have a fantastic wednesday!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses! 

Quick post this morning.  Robert had some bug this week and missed two days of school but is feeling better today.  He will have a long day with a choir recital after school, a couple of tests and some make up work.  He is a tad tense. 



mikamah said:


> I totally agree, *Nancy*.  We are so lucky to have found each other, and I feel so close with all of you even though we live so far away.  Believe you me, I never would have even considered doing a half marathon, or running at all without LisaH, the little instigator, and this group for support and advice.



Isn't that the truth?    (But I still claim it was your idea )

Glad your back in the wagon.  Me, too.    I'm going to ONE-derland in March!    Care to join me? 

 *Laura!*  One good thing about running Disney races is that people seem to stop saying things like "are you going to Disney again?" 



dumbo_buddy said:


> disney is totally a cult. and i'm totally ok with that



Me, too.    This kool-aid is yummy! 

I think your May half is doable if you can accept training to finish in the upright position, ready to celebrate.  I'm looking at a 8-10 week training for my half at the end of May and it's still doable for me so if you are up to 5 now and just go to 10 before the half you will be fine.   



mommyof2Pirates said:


> Then starting March 1st I am back to giving it 100% again and no excuses.



 Yay! Lots of company in the wagon. 

*Jen,* trip planning is stressful but you know you will be back and you know you have to hit the highlights on a short get away.  Maybe try some things you never could do with the kids? 

*Rose,* hope those tornados stay away.    We have a big snowstorm.  Even the deer were covered in snow in the front yard a few minutes ago.  Sorry for the stress.  You did great and you looked marvelous! 

*Maria,* welcome back!    Enjoy that day and sorry things were a little rushed the past couple of days.  You don't need to reinvent yourself.    We you just the way you are!   I'm totally into a bit of self-improvement myself.  By my count we have 10 months -- March through December.   

I have more to say but it is time to go.  Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Good morning...soon to be afternoon for us east coasters.

Rose and Maria I am so glad you made it home safe and sorry the race and the weekend was not what you had hoped.  

Rose- I can understand you being frustrated and Im sure your meltdown didnt look as bad to others as it made you feel.  I can only imagine the stress all of this puts you under.  I would agree that if the early morning races makes you more miserable from lack of sleep and puts a damper on your wkend away then it makes sense to not continue putting yourself through them.  I hope the ITBS was only making a quick appearance and will get better quickly.  

Oh and I always say at work that I am going to start becomming an average employee because when you do good you just get rewarded with more work. Of course you know I dont truly mean that I am an overacheiver and being average is not in my vocabulary.

Nancy- that stinks that your babysitter didnt come over.  I think your race is doable as long as you are not looking to break records.  Even if you can get out once during the week and once on the weekend for longer runs you should be ok.  But if it is causing you more stress than I would just try to find a half that will give you some more time.  No use stressing yourself out.

Maria- I had to laugh at the comment dennis made about the resort. guess you got your point across.  It is so worth the extra money for a moderate vs the value's.

Jenn- I know its tough not to turn to food but if you did you would probably stress about that so I think you are doing the right thing.  Hang in there and try to enjoy your prep time and not stress too much.  You will have a great time and your kiddos will be ok.

Hi Kathy, Lisa H, and Lisa, and mommy23wildboys (feel free to give us your real name if you like)

It is a rainy sleety day here.  Luckily it started after we all were in the office so we didnt have to worry about the slick roads during the commute today.  It is just one of those days to curl up on the couch and watch movies.  To bad I am stuck working.

The doctor who retired over a year ago is bring us lunch today.  It should be fun to catch up.  He was a great guy and a one in a million type doctor.  He would still do house calls for his long time special needs patients and would spend hours talking to patients and parents when serious issues were going on.  He truly is the most caring person I know. He retired at the age of 78.

We got an email from Ryans teacher this morning about some more behavioral issues that she thinks are getting worse.  not paying attention to her and instead picking at fuzz, fiddling with his pencil.  talking when he is suppose to be quiet while walking to lunch/recess/etc.  calling out without raising his hand first.  She just asked that we remind him of these things every morning.  Which we do.  Last night he said his teacher was going to call us and he we talked about why.  He told me all these things and then said he tries to remember to not do these things but he only has one brain and its hard to remember everything.  God love him.  I just dont know what to do with him.  We are doing all the modifications at home to help him and he seems to be getting a little better at home but it seems school is going the opposite direction.  Its just so frustrating.  The biggest fear I have is that he will get held back and he is already the older child in the class.  Hopefully that doesnt happen.

Thanks again as always for listening.


----------



## Rose&Mike

we got lucky--all the tornadoes stayed south of here, a couple counties away. It's crazy how much destruction there is.

*Nancy*--I'm sorry about the babysitter. And I am really sorry to be the friend who bales on you. I really wanted to run together, I still do, but I really reached a very low point this weekend and it wasn't good. And I just don't think it is even remotely realistic to try a full now. Maybe not ever. I am starting to think I am going to be chronically injured. I need to google and see if this an issue people with gluten problems deal with. I just can't seem to fix anything without something else breaking. When does John come home?

*Lindsay*-- I can empathize on the school stuff. I hope the lunch was good!

*Lisah*--how is the back????

*Kathy*--it was a pretty bad meltdown. I had to walk away--twice. I hate feeling that out of control. 

Oh and it was Mara for lunch. We had dinner at Boma with some other Princesses.

Hello to everyone!

****
Good day at work, though I'm not sure what I did! I am hoping to sleep really good tonight.

My pt appt is Friday morning. Did I already tell you that? 

Nothing much new. Our fridge is really empty so I need to get up off the couch and wipe it down when there is nothing in it. But it seems so far away right now. Too far to walk I think.

TTYL.


----------



## camnhan

so sad to hear about all the dissapointment of the weekend...but remember...YOU RAN THE RACE AND WE ARE ALL SO JEALOUS AND PROUD OF YOU

I am the same way when I am tired.....have no control over my emotions! I remember our flight to Jamaica for our honeymoon...I had been up for 24 hours, had a few drinks  and the plane was sitting on the runnway waiting to take off for 2 hours i just started crying and demanding to be let off the plane ..I didn't care about our honeymoon and just wanted to go home!! Needless to say the stewardesses steered clear of us for the entire flight!!!
point being...don't sweat it...we can all get that way at times...

So I am wondering....if you don't eat breakfast and have 1 hard shell taco with little meat and lots of lettuce is it acceptable then to eat an entire bag of jellybeans racking up 900 calories  and it all goes downhill from there......

hoping when you have time you can post 1 or 2 pics....would love to see them

Love the "all star" story!!!! Sometimes it takes repetition to get our point of view across

Have freshman meeting tonight for eldest  so better start thinking about getting ready....

talk to you all soon.


----------



## jbm02

Hi everyone.
...time to admit it..I've been steathily stalking this thread since re-connecting with the DIS.  Hopefully I'll make it back to WDW for another race...
Rose, I'm sad that the race didn't live up to expectations..or rather, that outside influences kept it from being a better time.  I know how much you were looking forward to it.  But don't beat yourself up over it, please!!  OMG, I turn into a raving you-know-what when I don't have enough sleep (my DH reminds me that I am like the diva in the commercials who needs food to transform back into a "real person"...)  You dealt with all of that, plus an injury, plus GF issues - and still ran 13.1 freaking miles - and the last 1/4 of it was UPHILL!! (that darn cloverleaf!!) If you can do this, you can do anything.


Maria - I could just "hear" the inflections in your recitation about the value resort.   ...and I'm thinking about doing Providence this year!! (it's my 25 year reunion from there too...)

...thanks for letting me live vicariously through you guys!!

Jude


----------



## mikamah

Hello *Jude!!*  It's great to see you again.  I hope all is well with you and your family.  We'd love to see you more on this thread.  Once a princess, always a princess!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hi *Jude*! We'd love to see you around more if you have time! Thanks for the kind words.

Ok, all you east coasters--did you get snow? The sun is out here today. Though I guess more storms on Friday. 

I swore I was going to exercise today, but I am feeling very lazy. Might just go for a walk after work. I will not be a maintain this week, I don't think. But hopefully next week.

Have a great day!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

drive by post here to say good morning to everyone! can't wait to catch up a little later. 

had kind of a bad thing happen between my friend and me that i'm pretty mad/sad about and i'd like to "talk" to you guys about it. nothing huge or whatever but i need some girl advice. 

i am running out for mommy and me and then supposed to go to noreen's house to help her plan out her disney days! she leaves on saturday! yes, *lindsay* she's the one staying in the pirate rooms. 

john was at MK on tuesday and told me he just HAD to buy a pair of mickey boxers.  apparently he was one short for his trip. hehe


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  

*Lisa,* I think I missed you accidentally yesterday -- sorry!   Hope that DD is feeling better and your house arrest ended.    I only had one day of it so it wasn't too bad.

*Maria,* hope that you enjoyed your day off yesterday and didn't work too hard.   

I think one of the worst things about the All Stars is the buses.  When I left the WISH meet last year I had a terrible trip back to AKL Jambo through DTD -- called it the bus to you-know-where.    I am a resort snob and I am not afraid to admit it. 

So glad that you got to have a nice visit with *Rose&Mike.* 

*Rose,* so sorry about the bad food experience at Mara.    How did they even remember on Saturday what they served you on Thursday?  I know the meltdown was upsetting.   Hope your day at work went well and glad that the tornadoes missed you.  

Thanks for asking about my back.  It gets better every day but slowly.  Still not cleared for weight bearing activity over 15 minutes.  I am told that I just have to patient and let my body heal.   So I will be starting the biking portion of my triathalon tomorrow and see how that goes and do some walking, too.  It does not help that I am getting flooded with emails and FB posts about my 10K on Saturday.  



mikamah said:


> For crying out loud, I will be well in Onederland for marathon weekend 2013, whether I'm in fla or ma!!!



Of course, you will be, *Kathy!*   By then it will totally be a way of life for you!  

*Lindsay,* if you get an iPhone I recommend the Otterbox case for it if you are going to use it to run.  It is a big, hard case.  You can clip it to your belt or hang it on your belt.  It really protects your phone for when it hits the deck -- which it will, especially with two boys.  

Big  on Ryan.  I'm sure he is trying as hard as he can.  Is there some type of behavior specialist that he could work with short term in the school or outside?  I'm sure you have access to lots of resources through your office.  I know when Robert had his speech issues it got better quickly because we did private pay on top of the 20 minutes a week school could do.  If he is able to do the work then being held back shouldn't be an issue.  I would talk to the teacher about it so you don't worry the rest of the year.  He is a sweetheart!  



camnhan said:


> so sad to hear about all the dissapointment of the weekend...but remember...YOU RAN THE RACE AND WE ARE ALL SO JEALOUS AND PROUD OF YOU



Very well said! 



jbm02 said:


> Hi everyone.
> ...time to admit it..I've been steathily stalking this thread since re-connecting with the DIS.  Hopefully I'll make it back to WDW for another race...



Hey *Jude!* So nice to see you!    Please come and chat more often.  We miss you and Jen!  



mikamah said:


> Hello *Jude!!*  It's great to see you again.  I hope all is well with you and your family.  We'd love to see you more on this thread.  Once a princess, always a princess!!!





*Nancy,* sorry about the brou-ha-ha with your friend.    Sounds like John is missing you all in WDW but is bravely carrying on.    Hope your tummy is better now.  

Pretty much everyone in our house had a bad day yesterday -- we are all glad leap year only comes once every four years.    I talked to everyone that I don't really want to talk to yesterday so I'm hoping that the rest of the week will be better.    Had a couple of big storms come through and dump about 8 inches of snow and incredibly we also have a pollen alert for trees, which our allergies have started to notice.  I see a quiet week-end in our future.  

The good news is that I was able to book our return flights from MCO in June using miles.  That saved about $1000.  Still trying to figure out how to get to MCO.  The airfare prices are ridiculous.  They are going to have to come dowm though because the planes are not even 25% full right now.  I know there are way worse problems to have.  

Have a wonderful day ladies!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--I am sorry about the stuff with your friend, whatever it is. I hope you had a good day.
*
LisaH*--So glad the back is improving. When we went to Mara I pretty much asked for the same thing I had Thursday. That's when they informed us they had no such thing that was g-f. And when I freaked out the first time. Eventually they figured out they used a Udi's pizza crust (which I love) to make a pita sandwich. It was a very creative chef! He told me I could have the flat bread with it. Well the allergy chef who was there didn't know what Udi's was--and I didn't know that's what the other chef used. Long story, short, two or three meltdowns later it finally got straightened out and the head chef made me a yummy veggie flat bread. Start to finish this took about two hours and the remainder of my patience for the day. It's so funny, cause last year I had such a good time after the race. I think the key is to stay somewhere where it is easier to get more food options. All of the Princesses at Boma that night (we had a party of 6) looked a little strung out. It was just a long day!

And ITA--airfare is crazy right now! I forgot about June--this is a family trip, correct?

*Maria*--how are you???? Did you get some rest?

****
So I started typing up my tr/race report on my journal, but I just thought I would attempt to explain myself a little bit.

When Jen and then Lisa reposted the comment about everyone being proud and jealous my initial thought was--why on earth would anyone be jealous of me? I guess cause we got to run the race. 

Mike and I talked a lot about this stuff over the weekend. I am really proud that I trained through the injury and finished the race with a respectable time.

However, I am HUGELY disappointed that I was slower than last year and that my body continues to break. 

And after talking a lot and processing , I figured out--I don't want to run the races to finish. I want to run them full out hard and nasty to get the best time I possibly can, leaving nothing on the course. That is my personality. That is what makes me happy. That is why I continue to be so frustrated. 

It was kind of a relief to admit that/figure it out over the weekend. We also talked a lot about what that means as far as training/rehabbing, etc. 

I had to separate the part of me who hears her mom in the background saying--what did you expect, you're big, you're not an athlete, from the healthy part of me that likes a little competition. They kind of overlap a little bit sometimes.

But I have somewhat figured out that I run for stress relief and I race because I can and it's hard and I like pushing myself. 

It's all a work in progress. And I hope explains some of my frustrations and motivations. We are signed up to do kdf in April. Not sure what I will do. See what they say tomorrow at physical therapy, I guess.

TTYL.


----------



## camnhan

ok so you will LOVE this
talking with DH tonight and he is telling me that after school yesterday he had the 2 older ones help him with dishes...so while they were bonding  over the dirty dishes he asks them if they would be ok with us going away for a few days without them and they say SURE...so then he tells them that we are planning on taking off in April and they say OK so then my daughter says
"are you going to Disney!"  and he says "why would you think that?" and she says "because mom has been talking about Disney again for the past couple weeks" 

guess the cat is out of the bag and they don't care I think I need to trade them in for new kids!!

has been a rough day here as well...got in a big fight with my manager over stupid stuff...forgot the kids had a performance tonight so was running WAY late "hate being rushed!" ended up having burger and fries from Wendy's for dinner..not good...so not up to exercising...would love to just soak in a hot tub but went spray tanning for ball next weekend and can't take shower till morning...just want to curl up and go to sleep!!!!

enough whining!


----------



## camnhan

Rose&Mike said:


> Mike and I talked a lot about this stuff over the weekend. I am really proud that I trained through the injury and finished the race with a respectable time.
> 
> However, I am HUGELY disappointed that I was slower than last year and that my body continues to break.
> 
> And after talking a lot and processing , I figured out--I don't want to run the races to finish. I want to run them full out hard and nasty to get the best time I possibly can, leaving nothing on the course. That is my personality. That is what makes me happy. That is why I continue to be so frustrated.
> 
> 
> TTYL.


sometimes good just isn't good enough in our minds...i am glad you have figured it out for yourself.. hopefully it will allow you to find the joy and happiness you deserve to experience!! I think it is ok to be disappointed in our outcomes at times as long as we can take that deep breath and realize that our dissapointments can also be our joys!! Here is to finding joy in your next race regardless of the outcome!! (am I making any sense??)



dumbo_buddy said:


> drive by post here to say good morning to everyone! can't wait to catch up a little later.
> 
> had kind of a bad thing happen between my friend and me that i'm pretty mad/sad about and i'd like to "talk" to you guys about it. nothing huge or whatever but i need some girl advice.



I am having one of those momments as welll...talk away!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

after a day of stewing about what happened i've decided to just do my best to let it go. 

i just started typing it out and it's just a long story to get into but basically i found out that my so-called best friend said some hurtful things about me. she got mad that i told her that we needed to see each other more often (she has a new bf and has basically stopped doing anything except for with him. she just got divorced and shouldn't be forgetting about her friends) and then told her brother that all i do is sit at home, i have no life, i just sit on facebook all day and that i'm a jerk for expecting her to drop everything to see her. it's totally not what i meant when i said we should get together. it's happened before that she has "forgotten" about her friends and then when she hits rock bottom she comes back to me. there is way more to this but i'm just really sad and mad that she said those things.

i'm letting it go because i know that girls tend to say bad things about other people. it's not like i haven't complained about her to john. you just don't even want to have proof of it.

*****

enough of that. how about my running story from yesterday?? those cadets and i were all laughing pretty hard. they were so shocked when i was like, "throw me the rock!" i can't believe i caught it!! 

not only that but i wound up finishing that run (4 miles) at a 10:43 pace which was really fast for me.

*hi jude!!* so nice to see you here! i totally agree - once a princess, ALWAYS a princess! hope you'll join us more!

*jen * well, that was easy! all that stressing over telling the kids and they are totally ok with it? nice!! now go enjoy your time!

*lisa* what are your june plans for WDW? i can't believe how expensive those flights are! i still think Disney should work something out with the airlines to offer DVC owners 15% off or something. right?? 8 inches of snow. wow. we haven't even gotten that all winter! isn't that crazy? last year we had multiple storms of 12+ inches and this year? nada. fine with me 

*rose* i feel a little sad about how you feel about the race. but i get it. you're definitely at a different running level than i am. for me, i'm just happy to finish the races where you have done graduated to the racing for time stage. so when you don't get a time you wanted it's more frustrating. still, i just have to say that i'm really amazed and inspired by you. with all those injuries and the phooey year that was 2011, you really kicked that princess half's booty! and you looked good doing it (hello tutu and pretty hair!!)

WDW marathon weekend is still 316 days away. that means i have about 315 days to try to convince you to do the full with me.  not for time, just for a fun time and the mickey medal. 

*lindsay* i'm sorry about the email you received from ryan's teacher. what other solutions and strategies did she provide? ryan is such a good kid so i'm sure it's just so frustrating. but, he's only in 1st grade, right? what 6 or 7 year old kid can pay attention all day? i was one of those kids who could never sit still, talked to much, and always got in trouble and i turned out to be a huge nerd and went to a great college. so there! 

*hi kathy! maria!* where are you gals? did boston shut down or something? 

john's coming home tonight around midnight. thank goodness. i made it! baby was up at 3 today so i'm pooped already and it's not even 7am. thomas is up yelling at me so i better get moving. 

i did weigh in at 150.5 today. i remember after thomas it took me a long time to get out of the 150s. i have a gift certificate for a mani/pedi. i told myself that once i'm out of the 150s for a full week i will use it. i'm 5.5 lbs away from getting back into the "healthy bmi" range.


----------



## mikamah

I would just like to say I completely agree with every word that *Nancy *posted above me, and if I had the time, I love to chat more.  

Boston did not shut down.  Though some people think we should have after the winter of no snow, we got a few aggravating inches, and everyone is up in arms.  Well, not that bad really.

I had a retirement party last night, and it was a rush to get the kid, the dog, supper, etc before I went, but I had a really fun time, a few beers, lots of laughs, and let me tell you, the 2 ladies who retired this past month, look absolutely beautiful and so happy.  Now that's something to be jealous of.  Only 18 or so years for me.  

*LisaH*-What is this June trip!  I'm so excited for you!!!!  Tell us all about it, how many days, where are you staying, where are you eating, I can't wait to hear all about it.  The free dining email was in my box this morning mocking me.   Actually a girl I work with is talking of taking her boyfriend who's never been in sept, so I'll be able to pass along the info to her.  Nothing like getting excited for everyone else going to disney!! It is the next best thing to going yourself.  

*Nancy*- Sorry about the friend thing.  You are a good friend, and it sucks that your friend does not always reciprocate, and it really stinks that she will find a bf and then ditch her girlfriends.  It seems very immature.  I hope you can work things out, and be ok.  Yay for John coming home, and new mickey boxers.  Too funny.

*Rose*-I love how in touch with your feelings and emotions you are, and how you are able to work through and process things that have happened.  It is not easy to do.   I am totally the opposite runner as you, but imagine as I lose weight, and get faster, I could definitely be more interested in the time.  I don't really want to be last in a race, but second to last was ok.

*Maria*-are you all snowed in there?  What a long, drawn out storm.  I think it might have been better back in the days when they didn't talk nonstop about every little snow storm.  It was an icy walk this morning, but I hope it warms up and melts a little today.  How's recovery and back to reality going?  Hope all is well and the boys are happy.

*Lindsay*- Hang in there.  The girls had some good advice, and I have nothing to add but a hug, and to tell you that you are such a good mom, and you will do the right thing, and Ryan is an amazing little boy, and everything will be ok.   It sucks sometimes though.  and theres a drink cuz sometimes you just need one.  

Hello to everyone else!!  Times up!!  Have a fantastic day!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I had this great reply, and then had to close my browser and restart my computer cause I had this weird popup that made me nervous--no viruses!!!

*Nancy*--sorry about the friend drama--I get it, been there done that. So exciting about being so close to the 140s! Loved the football story yesterday--what a way to break up the run! Thanks for understanding about January. We haven't cancelled our reservation, but Mike did say he would rather go to Princess than marathon weekend. He was not liking the cool temps at all.

*Jen*--are you relieved that the kids know? What you said yesterday made total sense to me. Thanks! Do we have another "deep thinker" on our thread. I am proud and disappointed at the same time. I am trying to enjoy the greys and pinks in life rather than worry about the blacks and whites.....my weird way of saying things are not always cut and dry. 

*Maria and Lindsay and Kathy and Pamela*--how much snow?????

Did you all see on facebook that *Jude* might be doing Princess next year.....

More tornado watches for today...yuck! But no snow! 

Ok, time to go. PT and then work! 

Have a great day!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses!  



Rose&Mike said:


> When Jen and then Lisa reposted the comment about everyone being proud and jealous my initial thought was--why on earth would anyone be jealous of me? I guess cause we got to run the race.
> Mike and I talked a lot about this stuff over the weekend. I am really proud that I trained through the injury and finished the race with a respectable time.
> However, I am HUGELY disappointed that I was slower than last year and that my body continues to break. .



We are also proud of you, too!   You worked through a tough time, you did great in spite of all the obstacles, you looked marvelous, got to have a glass of champagne at the finish, and got to go the WDW!  

I'm glad that you worked through everything and are feeling better.    This running thing is so totally about the process, otherwise, we would all stopped after we finished the first race.  

I hope they can help you a lot at PT today.  

I thought of you yesterday when I was at PT and the therapist was telling me "oh, you should be feeling better in a month on so."   I said "a month! I have a half marathon in 90 days!"   He said "I know." in a tone that told me no more discussion.    Now to his credit this was also after we had a discussion about working out and alternating riding the bike for 15 minutes at a time for the Krocman and walking gently for 15 minutes at a time and going for an hour or two if I am up to it.  This is obviously at the stage of treatment where they are trying to keep you from doing more than you should and slowing down the healing.  I hate this part! 

Luckily I had a book from JG waiting for me at the office by John E. Sarno, M.D. called Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection.   It's very interesting.  JG talked about it at running school and has incorported some of the techniques into his newer books regarding retraining your brain for running.  The book talks about how pain can manifest itself in a variety of locations, and it tends to move around, particularly if something is being done about the disorder.  (People who have these kind issues also have the pain show up in their feet, ankles, hips, knees, elbows).  It talks about working things out in your brain to help your recovery.  Kind of reminds me of some of the things from the Four Agreements that you and Maria have been talking about.  I'll be done with it on Monday if you want me to mail it to you so you can check it out.  



camnhan said:


> ok so you will LOVE this
> talking with DH tonight and he is telling me that after school yesterday he had the 2 older ones help him with dishes...so while they were bonding  over the dirty dishes he asks them if they would be ok with us going away for a few days without them and they say SURE...so then he tells them that we are planning on taking off in April and they say OK so then my daughter says
> "are you going to Disney!"  and he says "why would you think that?" and she says "because mom has been talking about Disney again for the past couple weeks"
> guess the cat is out of the bag and they don't care I think I need to trade them in for new kids!!
> has been a rough day here as well...got in a big fight with my manager over stupid stuff...forgot the kids had a performance tonight so was running WAY late "hate being rushed!" ended up having burger and fries from Wendy's for dinner..not good...so not up to exercising...would love to just soak in a hot tub but went spray tanning for ball next weekend and can't take shower till morning...just want to curl up and go to sleep!!!!
> enough whining!



Sorry for the tough day, *Jen!*   Glad the kids took the news about Disney well.  Sounds like they are keepers to me! 

Darn you smilie police . . . BRB


----------



## lisah0711

camnhan said:


> sometimes good just isn't good enough in our minds...i am glad you have figured it out for yourself.. hopefully it will allow you to find the joy and happiness you deserve to experience!! I think it is ok to be disappointed in our outcomes at times as long as we can take that deep breath and realize that our dissapointments can also be our joys!! Here is to finding joy in your next race regardless of the outcome!! (am I making any sense??)I am having one of those momments as welll...talk away!



 Well said!



dumbo_buddy said:


> enough of that. how about my running story from yesterday?? those cadets and i were all laughing pretty hard. they were so shocked when i was like, "throw me the rock!" i can't believe i caught it!!
> not only that but i wound up finishing that run (4 miles) at a 10:43 pace which was really fast for me.



*Nancy,* that was a great story!    And I noticed that John thinks you still have it, too.   

Great pace on the run!   

Bummer about the friend thing.    I think that you are smart for just moving beyond it.  



mikamah said:


> I would just like to say I completely agree with every word that *Nancy *posted above me, and if I had the time, I love to chat more.
> Boston did not shut down.  Though some people think we should have after the winter of no snow, we got a few aggravating inches, and everyone is up in arms.  Well, not that bad really.



Glad that things are okay in Bah-stan!    It's funny what a little snow does to people when you haven't had much all winter.  Some one here is terribly, terribly disappointed that there may not be any snow days this year.   

*Lisa,* hope everyone is feeling better at your house!   That was a great quote on FB!

*Maria,* how's that post-race return to reality going?  Smoothly, I hope. 

*Lindsay,* hope you have something fun planned for the week-end!  

*Jude,* another Princess would be exciting.  

Spent all yesterday fighting with my computer which has a windows problem that will not boot or repair.  IT guy is coming at noon and can hopefully fix it. It can be restored but I'm just not sure if everything is backed up properly -- it is on Carbonite but not on the local backup drive.  I hate to lose stuff.   

Now my computer bad juju followed me home and had to the email my post to myself thing to save it and post from work so sorry if it looks weird.

Our June trip has a lot of maybes before I know whether it will happen.  We have six nights at OKW with just the three of us.  We are going to take it easy and do a lot of hanging out.  It's the first time we've ever been when it is hot.    No one even wants to go to HP or even the water parks.  They just seem to want to ride the boats.    I can't even get any suggestions on ADRs right now but I think that is more the tough week.

DS informed me that he earned a 30 minute detention for using the word "sucked" in relation to himself and his disappointment with his first solo performance this week.  He also was informed he did not make it into honor society because although he has the grades and character he doesn't have any service activities.    He is actually taking it all very well and has earned many brownie points for taking things maturely.  
I'm ready for the week to be over and spend the week-end doing a little Kroc stuff and resting up.  

Have a great day all!


----------



## liesel

All right, March is a new month and its going to be great!    I need to restart things too, all I did in Feb was regain the 1.3 pounds I lost Tink weekend.  I haven't been able to be OP and get my exercise in at the same time: I'm either not eating well (Super Bowl, Vday, date night with DH, that work dinner, and DH's post race celebration meal-that's way too many WAY OFF PLAN meals in one month!) or not having time for exercise (sick at the begining of the month then taking care of 2 sick kids, one right after the other).  But I am determined to kick that 1.3, get a new low, and keep going! 

Well, its no suprise we are all thinkers, this is a planning forum.    I've spent a lot of time lately thinking about our possible move, weighing everything over and over, and generally stressing about the whole thing.  I'm looking forward to our trip, I have lots of things that I want to research and I think we will go ahead and meet with a couple of realtors to see where we are at in terms of what we can afford and what's out there.  It will be a pretty jam packed working trip, but I know DH and I will sneak in some fun somewhere, we always have fun together.  It just won't be the weekend of wine tasting in Napa that we'd rather be doing.  

As for the weather here, we are now entering our snowy season.    March is the snowiest month of the year and April can be pretty bad as well.  We are already over our 62 inches a season average.  Apparently we were 2 inches away from the snowiest Feb on record, we got a small dusting after our surprise 10 inch storm last week, but alas it was not enough to break the record.  We also had a small dusting yesterday and last night, but that's not as bad as the hurricane force winds we've been dealing with.  It was so bad Monday and Tuesday, the kids didn't get to go outside for recess.  They also didn't get to go out yesterday since it was snowing.  We are a little stir crazy here.  The weather is going to be really nice Monday and Tuesday (low 60s ), I am so looking forward to it.

*Maria* I hope you are recovering from the race and getting back into the swing of things.  I can't wait to hear all about your weekend!  I hope the snow wasn't too bad.

*Kathy* I'm glad you had a good birthday celebration and a fun party last night.  I was mocked by the free dining email yesterday too, its just way too soon to afford a trip to WDW!  Besides no C2C medal with the TOT 10 miler, and that's the only race during that time.  

*Lindsay*  from me too!  I think different kids learn different ways and I hope you and the teacher can find what works for Ryan.  I hope you enjoyed Zumba this week.  I can't go today because both kids are at home for a teacher inservice day.  After finally getting them both back to school yesterday!

*Lisa*  I'm glad your back is slowly getting better, you'll be back to racing in no time.  Details about your WDW trip, you know we need them!    My DS is in speech therapy too, he has a unique stutter (he pauses in the middle of words).  We just had his annual review meeting this week and I think the 15 minutes a week they are giving him just aren't cutting it.  He is still having trouble reading aloud and finishing within their time constraints.  Then the speech therapist, who has admitted to me that she really doesn't know how to treat this kind of stutter, says that he will always be like this and that he needs to learn to cope with it.  I think we need to look into other options, both here and if we move.

I'm worried about the poof fairy, so I will finish in another post.


----------



## liesel

Hi Lisa, we were posting at the same time!  I hope your computer gets fixed soon.  I've been having problems too, I really hope the backup drive has been functioning properly.

I'm glad you liked the FB quote, I think we sometimes talk about doing halves like they are nothing, but it is a big deal!

*Nancy* I loved your Maritime story!  I think it would be awesome if we could all visit you in NYC and run there and see Usher.  Your pace is awesome!  Sorry about the friend drama, that's so high school.  I hope she does realize that all you were saying is that you'd like to spend time with her.  I'm glad John is having some fun down time in Orlando.

*Rose* I'm sorry about the aches and disappointment, I totally get it.  I love what Jen wrote too!  At least the marathon registration isn't until April and I think the training plan starts in June, that's lots of time to get assessed and figure out if you can do it.  I think you did amazing for being sidelined for so long.  I didn't really like the early start either.  Between having to get up early for the airplane ride on Friday, then not sleeping well the night before because I really dislike post 9/11 air travel, then up early on Saturday for the kids races, then not sleeping well the night before the race and only getting 3 hours of sleep, I was exhausted.  Only for Disney!  I will definitely try to do things differently in the future and get more rest.

Have you considered coming out west for a race?  Everything at DL is so compact, with the parks, DTD, the hotels (the expo is at the Disneyland Hotel), and the race start all right next to each other.  If you used DVC and stayed at the GCH like Lisa did, the corrals are right outside the hotel.  Walking back from the race, I walked through the lobby at the GCH and it was only a 5 minute walk from the finish.  No busses, no long walk to the start!  The DL half is labor day weekend, and usually quite warm.  The average temp for the Tink is 69 on race day, but we had 82!  I know that it would involve researching the food options there, there is a GF thread on the DL side, I'll have to check it out.  Just somehting to consider, getting your C2C someday would be fun!  If we move, I am looking forward to driving down for the DL races.

*Jen* I had that bubble bath for you last night, I needed it after taking care of sick kids for over a week!  I'm glad telling the kids about the vacation went well.  Have you made any ADRs yet?

*Kathy* I forgot to mention I finished the book "The Descendants" and really enjoyed it.  It was a very quick read.  I've got the soundtrack from the library right now that I am listening too.  It will have to go on my Hawaiian playlist.


*Jude* Come join us anytime!

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!


----------



## camnhan

well sitting here at work waiting for conference call that was supposed to start 10 minutes ago!!

Kind of mad at the kids for taking it so well....don't they realize we are GOING TO DISNEY for goodness sake 

Struggling to keep a good attitude today at work and sitting here at my desk while everyone else went to lunch because of this call that does not seem to be happening is not helping!

Yes I have made more ADR's than we will use at this point but was not sure what we wanted to do!! For sure we are going to do California Grill on Thursday night. Our ressie is for 9:20 so hoping we will get a good view of the fireworks. Tossing around the idea of ordering a cake for us...have been lurking on the wedding blogs and saw some really cute pics of some mini cakes that I think would be perfect..guess we will see.
We are going to do Raglan Road on Wednesday night and enjoy some of the night life at Boardwalk and/or DTD. Really want to go to JellyRolls so we will see. Tentatively planning breakfast at CP on Friday morning as well as San Angel that night. Not sure what to do about Sat...maybe just play it by ear.

We know we want to spend most of our time wandering the world showcase and really check out the countries. Outside of that and a trip to Magic Kingdom no real plans...

Hope everyone has an exciting weekend planned! Ours is busy as usual.
Talk at you later!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

So what's everyone doing? I am waiting out the storms. 

It was pretty scary this time. There are reports that 22 miles north of here a small town was leveled. Everyone left work early--tons of places closed early. The front is not through yet, so I don't know what else we have to look forward to tonight. There are currently 4 active tornado warnings in the area....a warning means there is a confirmed tornado. Kind of reminds you what is important.

*Lisah*--I would love to read the book. Mike and I talk a lot about what is normal aches and pains for 40somethings and what is a problem. You made me smile with your pt comments. It is no fun when they talk in terms of weeks! That's cool that you can alternate bike/and walk. Rehab is as mentally challenging as it is physically challenging. Sorry about the computer problems. And the Robert problems. Though it sounds like he is handling it pretty well. I think OKW is a great resort for hanging out.

*LisaR*--snow! yuck! And I would be looking for a new therapist. Just cause she doesn't know, doesn't mean someone doesn't! The Tink suggestion was a good one. DL is sold out for this year, plus we have a busy fall. But Tink is somthing to think about. I am excited for your trip. I would definitely at least look at a few houses--just to get an idea...
*
Jen*--Love California Grill! They have great desserts--in my opinion. Yum, yum, yum!

*Kathy*--sounds like fun last night! and I think sometimes I am toooo in touch with my feelings! 

****
Long day! People have been on edge around here all day. 

Physical therapy went well. I liked the new person. She did a lot of evaluations, but basically said my pelvic bones are out of line and the glute muscles are very tight. So every time I do the exercises to strengthen the muscles all it is does is pull on the itband and cause pain and problems. This makes total sense to me cause that is exactly what is happening! 

I have a ton of new stretches to do and a couple of exercises. She thinks it should only take 5 or 6 visits! How exciting is that?! And I can run a couple of miles, as long a I stop with pain. They did this new thing on me which is similar to accupuncture--just on one leg, to see if it works. It felt ok, a little uncomfortable.

What I really wanted to share with you all (and anyone else who is lurking) is a couple of comments that she made. We were talking about the pronation, etc and she made a comment that I was thin and kept my weight off so that was not in any way causing this problem. It made me feel great to not be told that---if I lost xxxxx pounds the problem would go away. We talked about how I pronated before I lost weight and she said it really isn't unusual to develop problems while/during/after losing weight. The simple explanation--your muscles/tendons/etc are used to doing things a certain way, and when you lose they do things differently. We talked about how I walk with my toes slightly out and she did not think I should try to correct that. 

It was a really positive experience. And what I took away from all this, yes it is very frustrating to deal with the injuries, but maybe it is not all that unusual. And that maybe when I fix things they will be fixed for good (or almost good.) I also took from this--don't let things go so long! And I did better with that this time. This is not always about being out of shape--which I think, we as former overweight people assume. This may be about your body changing and adapting. It is not a reason to not exercise, though! It is a reason to be smart.

I do not think I did anything wrong to cause this, but my instincts that something was going on with my glutes/hips/back was dead on. 

Hope all this made sense. 

Have a great Friday night!


----------



## Rose&Mike

wow the pictures from these storms....

They are thinking there were ef4 or possibly ef5 tornadoes. (ef5 is the strongest.) There is video of some of the actual tornadoes and they are monsters--they look so big that it is hard to believe they are real. The hail was so huge--reports of tennis ball size hail. 

Two little towns in southern Indiana were just wiped off the map. They think they got hit multiple times by tornadoes---2 or 3 back to back. So far 3 dead. There is just nothing left standing. 

This afternoon the weather warning was "threat of severe damage to life or property." I have never seen a warning like that before in the 18 years we have lived here. 

It was in the 70s today--which is why the storms were so very nasty.

Just a little overwhelmed tonight. Hopefully they will tell us what we can do to  help.

****FWIW, I think the threats are over for the night. so that's good. Just windy now.

Very sad and very scary.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

rose! so glad to hear that everything is ok down by you. the tornadoes and the damage look terrible on the news. that's really scary. 

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

oh man that wagon better pick my butt up tomorrow. today was a disgusting day for eating. we're talking bagelS (that's right, plural), soft pretzel, pizza, canoli, etc etc. my stomach is killing me. starting over tomorrow. gross.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Runner Girls! 

*Rose* -- I am so glad physical therapy went well! I know you were at the point where you needed some positive, helpful interaction, and it sounds like you got it!  The tornadoes sound terrible. I grew up with them, but I've gotten used to them being something far away (well, until the ones in western MA last year...). 

*Jen* -- Although I didn't make it this year, I had a fabulous time at JellyRolls last year. Definitely a highlight of the trip. I think you and DH would have a blast! 

*LisaR* -- We barely have any snow, certainly nothing to get excited about. I can't believe your snowy season is just starting, that is crazy!  You had a rough Feb., definitely time for a fresh, new month! 

*Lisah* -- Every once in awhile, I understand why wealthy people send their teens away to boarding school...well, hopefully ds got the idea he shouldn't refer to himself in that way. Ben is on a high right now, he found out two of his term 3 grades and they are up from B- to B+ and B+ to A, so we're pleased. He also got As in his declamation in three languages -- English, Latin and French, so now he's thinking diplomacy for his future. He needs to learn when to let an argument go with mom first  

*Kathy* -- You are so busy these days, a real woman in motion! I've been hunkered down, as I'll explain later. Suffice it to say that while Boston didn't shut down, I wish I could have 

*Nancy* -- Your weight is coming right down, that is great!  Girls, women -- we can be very mean. I at least finally got to a point where I just let the mean ones go. If you are not contributing to my life in a positive (or at least neutral) way, and you are not my family or co-worker, I do not necessarily have to deal with you. I think you have the right philosophy -- although sometimes I have to just get it out before I get there! 

*Lindsay* -- Poor Ryan! He is definitely a good kid, I think it is very hard for a 1st grader to be a model student.  I know that it may take some experimentation, but you will find a system that will help him do what he needs to in school. You don't have to get it right on the first try, you just have to keep trying. 

Would you believe I am out of time? Dennis wants to download some music before his 10M run.

I did run 3M this morning, my first attempt since the Half. I had to go slower, but it was ok. I think I could do the back-to-back Halfs, particularly if there is less of me. Speaking of that, I came back still under 200, so I'm calling that a victory. I have to get it together this week, I just don't want to be this big anymore.  The brightroom photos almost pushed me over the edge, I just don't think of myself as that size. 

I am going to do a mini TR, so I'll be posting more about my trip later. I will tell you about my frustration with the All Stars. It wasn't even too bad for regular park touring, but some longer waits than seemed necessary. The part that was just not cutting it for me was the wait after the race. The All Stars line (and of course it's one line for all three) snaked from the front of the port-o-potty gate where it began all the way back and around to almost the stage. It was ridiculous! I saw fellow WISHers and their nice, short lines, and that was it. This was my second WDW race in a Value, and my last. I am not dealing with that line again. My dh and I usually stay in a Mod, and that is where I'm going, unless I have a deal for a Deluxe -- or they make Pop/AoA a race hotel -- I would also consider that. After 13 miles I am chicken fried, and standing in that long line is just too much. 

I flew back Tuesday, and all day I was getting e-mails from senior management about a new proposal I'm working on. They continued Wednesday, but I stayed home as planned because I was so exhausted, I knew it would be worse to try to work. I spent Thursday and Friday just compiling my 40-page narrative. I'm halfway through my first edit, and I need to do another one before Monday, when I distribute the proposal for further review. It is due next Friday. It is going to be a rough week, with a ton of meetings plus getting this out. It is worth over $6M, and the most valuable opportunity I've ever applied for. I usually bring in about $10M annually (over 15 or so proposals), so this would be huge. I am nervous, stressed, and all the things one would wish not to be after a vacation. So, anyway, that is my excuse this week if I don't get back here like I intend to. Once this is over, I'm taking Monday the 12th off (I do not Spring forward well), and I'm going to relax and catch up with all my friends next weekend!

Maria


----------



## camnhan

I live for the day someone tells me my glutes are too tight!

Sounds like you have found a fantastic therapist! Amazing to me how so many of us can never let go of the poor body image even when we get to where we think we wanted to be....I was 128lbs at 5'5" and when I look back on those pictures I think "wow I had mondo thighs and look at that poochie belly!!"
so as much as I would love to way 128 again I would probably find flaws...

gotta go...the guys who used to own this house is here to FINALLY move out all the rest of his garbage!!! YEAH!!!!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Rose&Mike said:


> What I really wanted to share with you all (and anyone else who is lurking) is a couple of comments that she made. We were talking about the pronation, etc and she made a comment that I was thin and kept my weight off so that was not in any way causing this problem. It made me feel great to not be told that---if I lost xxxxx pounds the problem would go away. We talked about how I pronated before I lost weight and she said it really isn't unusual to develop problems while/during/after losing weight. The simple explanation--your muscles/tendons/etc are used to doing things a certain way, and when you lose they do things differently. We talked about how I walk with my toes slightly out and she did not think I should try to correct that.
> 
> It was a really positive experience. And what I took away from all this, yes it is very frustrating to deal with the injuries, but maybe it is not all that unusual. And that maybe when I fix things they will be fixed for good (or almost good.) I also took from this--don't let things go so long! And I did better with that this time. This is not always about being out of shape--which I think, we as former overweight people assume. This may be about your body changing and adapting. It is not a reason to not exercise, though! It is a reason to be smart.
> 
> I do not think I did anything wrong to cause this, but my instincts that something was going on with my glutes/hips/back was dead on.
> 
> Hope all this made sense.
> 
> Have a great Friday night!



Just wanted to come out of lurkdom and say it was nice to meet you and Mike as we were waiting for the corrals to open. Thanks for the foot advice- it held up well till mile 11- plus my quads were killing me by then -most likely from not running for 3 weeks prior to let the foot heal.  I finished with a time I am happy with just under my goal of 2 1/2 and had fun- I think you passed me somewhere along mile 7 and you looked like you were doing well at that point- i know you said you were really tired that morning. Hope to come back and chat with all of you in the future. I am definately running the Princess in2013 and am considering Marathon weekend in Jan- it helps living in fl and only 2 hrs from the mouse.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Yesterday they found a 2yo in a field after the tornadoes went through. I just heard on the news that her mom and sibling were two of the people found dead. So sad. I can't even tell you how lucky we were that this missed us. They are saying one path of tornadoes was 35 miles long. They have said some of the storms were definitely ef4s--if they would have gone through hugely populated areas I can't even imagine what the death toll would have been.

*Nancy*--are you on the wagon today? I think I saw on the exercise thread you did 5 miles? Great job!

*Lisah*--how was the Kroc center?

*Maria*--I hope the crazy week flies by! Those All Star lines were CRAZY! I really think we would have just found a cab....though I might not have thought about it at the time. Hurrah for being in onederland still! I see new numbers in your future! You can do it! It's worth the work!

*Jen*--you too can have tight glutes. It has nothing to do with strength or how much weight you are carrying. They are actually kind of weak--which I need to work on. It's more a physiology thing. Then when I try to strengthen them and do the exercises it turns into one big knot which does not feel good. Then it pulls on my itband which really doesn't feel good! Actually it all really hurts!

Today I tried rolling my glutes over tennis balls instead of the foam roller. OMG. Hurt, Hurt, Hurt! But really helped.

*CRUIZEN MAMMA*--I feel really bad, but I cannot remember your first name! It was nice to talk to you too. We should have drug you over with us when we went to talk to the other WISHERS. I'm sorry about that. Great job on making your goal! You are welcome to join us and chat if you would like.

*****
Ok, *first*--we are getting snow! Ugh! Only an inch  but still..... Monday morning. Yuck!

*Second*--are you ready for a shocker? My mom called today. At 9:00am. Our home phone never rings. We only really keep it cause of the dsl. So we didn't answer and Mike ran down to check the caller id. She left a message that she was thinking about us and worried after the storms. Ugh. I don't know what to do. I don't really want to talk to her. But I certainly understand what it's like to be a Mom who worries. The whole thing strung me out a bit today.

*Third*--I ran 4.35 in ~45 min. With no pain. By the end I could feel my itband at my knees--I am very in tune with it. But no pain. Hurray!

We have a 10 miler here March 31st which I am thinking about signing up for. We have a 10k earlier, but I am going to skip that one since I want to be healthy before my next race.  It was a cool, windy run, and I was very tired, but it went well.

Then I came back and took a 2 hour nap which was wonderful!

And *last*--we are debating skipping W&D (expensive time of year, right after Tomapalooza, etc) and doing Princess next year and Disneyland in September.  We will not have nearly as much going on in the fall of 2013 since Tom will be in law school--so no parents weekend, no fall break trip, etc. 

I know I sounded very cranky after Princess, and I was. Very, very cranky. But I think if we stay at Boardwalk it will solve a lot of problems. And then I can deal with the food and weather. And hopefully there will be no injury issues next year!

---One more interesting thing. Mike read something yesterday that they think a common cause of the tendonitis  I had in my ankle may be malnutrition and poor blood flow. Through all this I assumed I sprained it, but I cannot for the life of me remember exactly when. I think I rolled it in May--but at the time didn't think it was that big a deal. Anyhow--maybe another gluten issue? Nothing would surprise me. I feel like mine is just about recovered--tiny bit sore but only in one little spot which they are going to ultrasound next week. Mike is having some foot issues with the same tendon so he was reading up on it. I hope his is nothing major.

Ok, now that I have talked you all to death....Have a great night!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Rose&Mike said:


> Yesterday they found a 2yo in a field after the tornadoes went through. I just heard on the news that her mom and sibling were two of the people found dead. So sad. I can't even tell you how lucky we were that this missed us. They are saying one path of tornadoes was 35 miles long. They have said some of the storms were definitely ef4s--if they would have gone through hugely populated areas I can't even imagine what the death toll would have been.
> 
> *Nancy*--are you on the wagon today? I think I saw on the exercise thread you did 5 miles? Great job!
> 
> *Lisah*--how was the Kroc center?
> 
> *Maria*--I hope the crazy week flies by! Those All Star lines were CRAZY! I really think we would have just found a cab....though I might not have thought about it at the time. Hurrah for being in onederland still! I see new numbers in your future! You can do it! It's worth the work!
> 
> *Jen*--you too can have tight glutes. It has nothing to do with strength or how much weight you are carrying. They are actually kind of weak--which I need to work on. It's more a physiology thing. Then when I try to strengthen them and do the exercises it turns into one big knot which does not feel good. Then it pulls on my itband which really doesn't feel good! Actually it all really hurts!
> 
> Today I tried rolling my glutes over tennis balls instead of the foam roller. OMG. Hurt, Hurt, Hurt! But really helped.
> 
> *CRUIZEN MAMMA*--I feel really bad, but I cannot remember your first name! It was nice to talk to you too. We should have drug you over with us when we went to talk to the other WISHERS. I'm sorry about that. Great job on making your goal! You are welcome to join us and chat if you would like.
> 
> *****
> Ok, *first*--we are getting snow! Ugh! Only an inch  but still..... Monday morning. Yuck!
> 
> *Second*--are you ready for a shocker? My mom called today. At 9:00am. Our home phone never rings. We only really keep it cause of the dsl. So we didn't answer and Mike ran down to check the caller id. She left a message that she was thinking about us and worried after the storms. Ugh. I don't know what to do. I don't really want to talk to her. But I certainly understand what it's like to be a Mom who worries. The whole thing strung me out a bit today.
> 
> *Third*--I ran 4.35 in ~45 min. With no pain. By the end I could feel my itband at my knees--I am very in tune with it. But no pain. Hurray!
> 
> We have a 10 miler here March 31st which I am thinking about signing up for. We have a 10k earlier, but I am going to skip that one since I want to be healthy before my next race.  It was a cool, windy run, and I was very tired, but it went well.
> 
> Then I came back and took a 2 hour nap which was wonderful!
> 
> And *last*--we are debating skipping W&D (expensive time of year, right after Tomapalooza, etc) and doing Princess next year and Disneyland in September.  We will not have nearly as much going on in the fall of 2013 since Tom will be in law school--so no parents weekend, no fall break trip, etc.
> 
> I know I sounded very cranky after Princess, and I was. Very, very cranky. But I think if we stay at Boardwalk it will solve a lot of problems. And then I can deal with the food and weather. And hopefully there will be no injury issues next year!
> 
> ---One more interesting thing. Mike read something yesterday that they think a common cause of the tendonitis  I had in my ankle may be malnutrition and poor blood flow. Through all this I assumed I sprained it, but I cannot for the life of me remember exactly when. I think I rolled it in May--but at the time didn't think it was that big a deal. Anyhow--maybe another gluten issue? Nothing would surprise me. I feel like mine is just about recovered--tiny bit sore but only in one little spot which they are going to ultrasound next week. Mike is having some foot issues with the same tendon so he was reading up on it. I hope his is nothing major.
> 
> Ok, now that I have talked you all to death....Have a great night!



Rose, 
I'm sure you met several new people that weekend so I do not blame you for not remembering my name. So to refresh your memory and to introduce myself to the rest of your group- I'm Dottie- aka cruizen mamma- until recently i had mostly hung out on the DCL board. I've only been running since last May and the Princess was my first 1/2 marathon. I cant wait to do my next 1/2 but am trying to heal the foot completely before that happens. I do have a Wish list of races though one being next year's marathon and PRincess. Hope to get to know all of you better.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

good morning everyone  hope you're all having a nice weekend.

*rose* i saw on the news the story of the toddler found in the field. she is the only survivor of the family. that is just tragic. i hope someone will take her in. it's so sad. i'm so glad you guys are safe!

as for the tight glutes, i had the same problem when i was in PT! i'm sure i still have it but since i haven't been to PT in years i don't know for sure. during the "massage" part of the appointment, my therapist would have me lay on my stomach on the table and she would stand on a stool to get more leverage and just dig her elbow into my back and butt. it hurt! oh man did it hurt. i would try to make the therapist laugh during it to break her concentration and therefore give my butt a break. 

*maria* the long line after the race back to all stars was my biggest issue of princess weekend last year. i even put it in my race report when i wrote it! the line was out of control, two women cut the line and my bronx 'tude came thisssss close to coming out. if i weren't so tired i would have given them a pounding. oh and the bus's air conditioning wasn't working  one women ran off at the first all star stop and passed out on the ground  thank goodness there were like 5 nurses on the bus

*jen* isn't it sad that no matter what weight we are at we think we are fat? i remember in college i was 125 and thought i was huge. (i also have mother issues - she used to tell me that anything over 120 was fat...i'm 5'4" and am not a small build) oh to be 125 again...or 135...or 145! 

*dottie* aw how jealous am i of you that you got to hang with our girl *rose* before the race? how fabulous is she?  2 hours from disney?? LUCKY!!

*liesel* lisa, you should totally come out to nyc and we'll all run together and see usher. he would probably love it. you know, since i know him so well. haha. what's on the agenda for the CA move?

great idea to suggest running a DL race! the weather there is always so nice too. we should all do it. you know, since we all need to run our races together since tracking from home is just too stressful 

*lisaH* 30 min detention for saying "sucked"? thank goodness i don't go to that school now. my potty mouth is OUT. OF. CONTROL. bummer about not making honor society...can he reapply? 

i'm looking forward to hearing how you like OKW. we are really considering staying there for the marathon trip. what boats do they want to ride? the one to/from DTD? sounds peaceful 

*kathy* john's company's new dog toy won 2nd place for best new pet product at the global pet expo in orlando last week. once they start producing alot of them i'll send one for poko 

*hi lindsay* how is your weekend going? what are you up to? did you do a long run? are you still going to do that half in april?

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

something is seriously wrong with my stomach. i've spent the last almost 3 days on the bowl (sorry lurkers, i'm all about the TMI, ). and let's just say the last mile of my 5 miler yesterday was not pretty  i'm wondering if i should go to that stomach doctor i went to last year. or maybe it's just a bug and it'll be over soon. the runner's tummy has been going on for a while though...how do i fix that???

my friend noreen made it to disney yesterday. her 4 year old daughter puked on the plane and then again at the resort. i feel so bad! and today it is cold and rainy. bummer b/c she has a BBB appt this morning. she just texted me saying, "the man that fathered my children forgot to pack his underwear". john did the same thing last week and had to buy mickey boxers so i just had to laugh. men. dummies.

john is off to take thomas to soccer in a few and i'm probably going to take matthew to church. i'm having claudia the babysitter come around 5:30 tonight to watch the boys so john and i can go to dinner. it will be the first time since thomas was born that we go out to dinner by ourselves! it's going to be weird. and you know all we will talk about will be the boys...and disney


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies!!

I was on call yesterday and that doctor had the audacity to call me in for 2 cases in the afternoon, completely upsetting my dis time.  Funny, I said this on the Donald, but one of the pics of him I took at the retirement party his stomach looked way bigger than it is, and he wanted to delete it, but I took the camera back, and said, "you don't call me in this weekend, it's deleted, otherwise on facebook it goes".  Guess that's the last time I'll use blackmail.    Actually the money will be good.  We got our first flyer for summer camps, so that's what i was thinking about when I had to go in.  We went to friends for dinner last night, and had a lot of fun and laughs.  Today, a long walk with Poko, and we're picking up a friend of ds's at 12 to hang out, no longer play, then baseball tryouts tonight at 7.  I guess I'll put some laundry and dishes in there, and my kitchen table really needs to be cleaned off. 

*Nancy*- I think you should call the doc and send in a sample just to be safe. You were on antibiotics not that long ago, and I'd worry about c-diff.  Hopefully it's not, but if it is, you shouldn't wait too long.  Are you taking a probiotic still?  It stinks not to be able to go too far.  I'd love to come and run with Usher too.  He is a hottie.  
Congrats to john's company on the award.  Their toys really are sturdy, and Poko loves them.  So does michael.  He was just playing with the cuz ones with the feet the other day, and said they were really fun.  And our neighbor has a big scary german shephard, and when she saw the baseball toy, she said that's her dogs favorite toy and the only one he hasn't destroyed.  Good stuff. 
Enjoy your dinner tonight!!  It's so nice you and John are both fanatics together.  Disney and kids, what else would you need to talk about?  Although, last night a friend was there with her boyfriend of about a year, and he's from India, and they are obviously in love, and we were all joking a lot about it, and someone asked him what part of India he was from, and he said, "the horny part".    So there's always that to talk about.  

*Rose*-That poor little toddler.  Such immense tragedy and devastation.  Tough decision on the call from your mom too.  Too bad you can't text her you're ok.  Or have Mike call.  I hope you work it out, and do what is good for you.  And I am very excited to see you talking about what disney races you are planning. Phew, you had me worried for a bit. 
And wow, you ran 4.35 miles a week after your half, and no pain.  I'm so happy for you.  And inspired.  Aren't you supposed to take some recovery time off?  Or is that only for slackers like me.  

*Maria*- Sending plenty of pixiedust for your proposal.  I can't imagine dealing with those kind of numbers, and can totally understand the amount of stress that would bring.  I hope everything goes well this week for you, and that you come back to share your success!!  Nice job getting out there and running already.  Am I the only one who took 3 weeks off after the princess, and about 3 months off after the wicked half.   You 2012 princesses are amazing!!  I chuckled at the boarding school comment.    A extra hug for being the mom of a teenager. 

*LisaH*-Hope you are enjoying some downtime this weekend, and you and the boys are all regrouping, reenergizing, and relaxing.   And maybe even getting into some disney planning.  I'd say if they give you no suggestions for adrs, the choice is totally yours.  Or tell them you've booked the princess breakfast at epcot and the castle for dinner, and they might have a suggestion or two.   When we went in august, i was very surprised at how well I tolerated the heat, with all the indoor rides, shows and many queues being air conditioned, it really was not that bad.  Of course it was a very hot summer here, so you'll be heading down in june before you've gotten used to any heat yet too.  Happy planning!!

*LisaR*-I'm right here with you and the scale not doing much.  Just not being consistent I guess.  I know I can do it when I stay focused, but I just keep losing that focus.  Now, *Lindsay* paved our way to Onderland, I'm certain LIsaH is going to be there very soon, and we can too!!!
Ugh on the snow.  That is too much.  And it should be winding down now, not becoming your snowiest month.  I hope it's a backward year for you and the worst is over. 

*Lindsay*-Hello there.  Hope you're enjoying your weekend, too.  Looking like a warm up coming our way midweek.

*Jen*-So exciting the kids are a-okay with you and dh going to disney!! Now you can plan without worrying.  

*Dottie*-Welcome and a huge congratulations on finishing your first half!!  Last years princess was my first, and what an amazing race it was.  So much fun.  Hope the foot thing isn't serious and heals quickly for you.  And 2 hours from the mouse must be awesome!!!  Add me to the jealous list.

Hope you're all enjoying the weekend!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Mea culpa -- I just read over my ridiculously pretentious post, and I don't know what to say to that. I did not mean that I am indispensible, important, or anything like that in any way. But it sure came across like that! 

The truth is, I am one of a team. The people who are engaging the seriously mentally ill, substance abusing people are the ones with the hard jobs. I get to sit at my computer and tout the results of the people who are doing that hard work. My job is to explain what they do and how hard it is -- it needs to be done, but by no means is it the most challenging part. 

When I say I'm responsible -- I may be the point person with the govt., but I'm not really responsible. I'm just trying to make us sound and look good. The truth is if something goes wrong or just not quite right, no one is looking to me for answers. If I mess up, it's a shame, but that's it. If they have an emergency, it usually means someone isn't around anymore...so really, I do get that I'm the least important link in the chain, although my post made me sound like I have responsibility and control that are just not mine. I am a cog, and honestly, I do not think what I do is any more or less important than what any of you do -- believe me, if I need a procedure, I want a competent, cheerful professional nurse. I know the vital role Rose plays in keeping the kids in activities and out of trouble. I want Nancy and LisaR to raise little productive mouseketeers. And we all know Lisah and Lindsay have crucial jobs! 

I think we are all doing important, special work, and I am so grateful I have this group to come to when I get overwhelmed. I hope you understand I'm just trying to communicate my fear, rational or not, and that I trust you guys to know I'm trying to do my best, but part of my fear is that I really am not that responsible or important, so I don't have as much control as I might like...

I hope that made some sense. I'm going to crawl back in to bed and learn 10 Things I didn't know about Benjamin Franklin now. Have you seen this? It's a new series on History 2. Hopefully it will be distracting and entertaining. 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--not sure what you are apologizing for. I would be very stressed if I was responsible for funding for your agency. No apologizing necessary or needed. But fwiw I often feel like that about what I do. I am not working as a social worker, so I am not interacting with the kids or engaging the volunteers. But what I do is important in that it makes my bosses and our directors life easier so they can raise the funds to help more kids. At the end of the day we are all just cogs, but without all those cogs the wheel might not turn very well. And I often question why I get so stressed about my little part time job, but at the end of the day, just like you I want to do a good job and I want to make other people's lives easier. I am guessing this is where your stress is coming from too. It's the part of you that cares about others that makes you who you are.

*Nancy*--I don't know anything about the cdiff, but I think what Kathy said made sense. Don't wait until you feel awful again. Just get it checked out and make sure you're ok. Having said all that--are you eating too much of any one food--like are you eating a ton of dairy or a ton of wheat lately? Even mild  intolerances can cause stomach issues when you get a bunch of the food. Does that make sense?  And I highly recommend the tennis ball for the tightness. Made a huge difference. But be forewarned--it hurts! Have fun at dinner!

*Kathy*--I am sorry for the call-in. But that's great that it will help pay for camp. Remember, I am an overachiever--so I HAD to run yesterday. Actually it was a huge relief to know that the itbs was not here for good.

*Lindsay and my 2Lisas*--hope you are doing well!

Hi to everyone else!

We need some good thoughts for all these tornado victims that this bad weather they are calling for tomorrow falls apart.

*****
I did want say again, sorry for the drama over the "no more disney races." I really did feel that way at the time. Sunday was a pretty awful day for me, aside from the race itself. I am still embarrassed by my poor reaction at Mara. Oh well. And the thought of being injured AGAIN was more than I could handle. My knees were very uncomfortable after the race, it was cold and rainy, I was hungry and tired. The perfect storm of miserable crankiness!

And I told Maria this, but wanted to explain a little more about the cold. Mike had moderate/severe frostbite in 1994. He did not lose any fingers, but to this day he has problems with pain if the temps are below 50. His hands gets white/grey and it is very uncomfortable for him. I just don't like being cold! He really doesn't like it. So when everyone talked a lot over the weekend about how cold it can be at the marathon, and then we stood outside in the "cool" temps before the Princess, I think in his mind he was already thinking--why do we want to do the full??? So when I told him I had had enough, he was right there with me.

But I think we will do Princess again--just stay somewhere else where there are more food choices.

Have a good Sunday!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok, WHAT is with all this apologizing crap??? *maria, rose* i love you two. we all do. and we are ALL entitled to feel and express those feelings on here whenever we need to! you should always know that and never feel the need to apologize! do you hear me apologizing for telling you i've been on the bowl all day?? nope! 

maria - you didn't come off as pretentious at all. really and truly. that thought never crossed my mind and even when i went back and read it i still didn't see it. getting that proposal done IS stressful! and it's talking big money too!

rose - don't apologize for being cranky. geez we are all cranky sometimes! i would have flipped if i got "glutened" too. if my stomach felt the way it does right now because of being given something i told people not to give me i'd be pissed too!

ok? no more saying sorry? good. smooches!

ps - sorry if i came off as mean. 

LOL! j/k


----------



## mikamah

Thank goodness that little ol' *Nancy* posted her Bronx tough love to you ladies first.   Absolutely no apologizing needed or allowed.  We love you and are always here to listen, share and support each other, through good and bad times.  Like the BL show's no excuses, we need to be the Disboard thread of NO APOLOGIES.

*Maria*-I totally did not seen a speck of pretentiousness in your post, just you sharing about the stresses of your job and week ahead, and like Rose said, you are a part of a team and the funding you and your team get is so important to help so many, and every person is important and a part of that success.  I hope I didn't make you feel bad.  I want to apologize if I did, but apologies are not allowed here, so I'll buy you a drink the next time I see you.  

*Rose*-And I totally agree with Nancy, no apologies necessary for sharing about your good and bad times of the princess weekend.  And the thought of doing a half in disney like the marathon weekend a few years ago in the freezing rain and ice is not nice.  After I thought you might not be doing many disney races, and that made me sad, I realized you're a dvc-er, and even if we didn't meet in disney for a race again one day, there's a good chance we will meet in disney again at another time.

*Nancy*-As an endoscopy nurse and the mother of a 10 year old, bathroom habits are definitely not taboo here in my life.  Share away!!

Hugs to all!!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Nancy and Kathy ,
Thanks for the warm welcome and congrats!
Don't be too jealous that I live so close to Mickey,( you can however be jealous of my time with Rose) I don't get to see him as often as I would like Dh is a Disney resistor. I have converted him when it comes to cruising DCL and he does appreciate the impecible service Disney gives, he just doesn't like that Mickey charges top dollar. We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside and DH says we will only stay at a Moderate now and says that I can run the Princess every year if I want : maybe I should have gotten that in writing.

Rose please stay safe during the storms, we had one blow through FL round 5am and I was extremely thankful that The PRincess was not this weekend- there are downed limbs everywhere- extremely windy but the sun is shining now.
I ran a short 2miles Thursday and 6 yesterday, the foot was achy all day but feels ok today, planning a 4 miler for tomorrow.


Dottie


----------



## Rose&Mike

Hey--I thought you all might like to see a couple of pics from our trip to see Tom a couple of weeks ago. It was their coldest weekend all winter. Figures! I thought Tom looked great. And Mike was there too, but he was taking the pictures.

Friday we went to the zoo and for pizza at Mellow Mushroom. They have tasty g-f pizza. Saturday morning Mike and I went for a lovely run along the river in downtown Columbia. Then on Saturday we went to Charleston. Saw the beach, the dolphins and toured a fort (I believe it was Fort Sumter.) The history aspects of SC were very interesting. Saturday night we went out to dinner with Tom and two of his good friends.

The zoo had this really cool botanical garden--that I highly recommend visiting if you ever find yourself in Columbia, SC. It's a lovely walk through the woods out to the gardens and the gardens themselves were great. Overall, I just find Columbia to be such a charming little city.

This is on the walk out to the gardens. 





Beach










I am trying to look warm in this picture. 





Dolphins in the harbor in Charleston





On the ferry out to Fort Sumter





A picture from Fort Sumter


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Someone looks like a very proud mama, and rightly so! Awesome pictures, *Rose!*

Ok, no more apologizing. And no more weird posts. Tomorrow is another day. 

 *Dottie!* So glad you enjoyed a nice chat with *Rose and Mike* before the race! 

I am feeling particularly out of control right now, so I figure one crazy week, and after next weekend, I will be more with it.  I am going to plan to get up and run tomorrow, and I have a few other plans I need to put in motion. I'm lovin' this "new month, new us!" -- Let's Go, Girls! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose you look like you are in your 20s! I think it must be that fabulous smile of yours! Tom looks as handsome as ever


----------



## Worfiedoodles

3M, Done! I'm eating my eggs with peppers and mushrooms, and drinking my tea with honey. After I get dressed it's off for a jampacked day, filled with what I actually enjoy best, editing! 

Finally got the St. Patrick's Day  decorations out of the attic. Now I just need to dust and put them out, and put Valentine's Day away. 

My co-worker has decided to go to WDW with a friend in May, and wants me to help her plan her trip. I am ready to serve!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Great pictures *Rose*.  You look so beautiful and happy in them all.  

Good work on the 3 miles, *Maria*!  We walked 30, and are heading out now for another 15.  Michael forgot to take his pills in the rush for the bus, so I need to stop at school on my way to work.  

How was your date last night, *Nancy?*  Love the pic on facebook.

*Dottie*-I am jealous of your time with Rose.  I had so much fun meeting her and the others last year at the princess.  

Got to run.  Have a marvelous monday, princesses!! (the princess smiley has been moved to page two, and I don't have time for that.)


----------



## dumbo_buddy

my friend noreen is having a nice time in disney. apparently the pirate rooms are VERY cool! yay! *lindsay's kids* are going to love the room i bet! noreen's 4 year old got sick on the plane...and then again when they got to the resort on the first day. yesterday she did the BBB and loved it but then decided immediately afterward she hated her hair. and yesterday the 6 year old son got the runs. so basically it sounds like a typical disney vacation! 

last night's dinner was fun. some people posted on facebook how they couldn't believe that was only the first time we'd been out and i kind of felt like they were being a little snarky about it. so what if we never go out alone? we like being with our kids. plus we're not big go out people. anyway...the food was good. i had shrimp francese and john had shepherd's pie. and for dessert we split this bailey's tartufo that was out of this world! so....not really an on-plan day. 

my stomach is better. not 100% but better. the nice bowl-induced whoosh on the scale i had the last couple of days is gone. oh well. 

*maria* nice work on the 3M this morning and having a good healthy breakfast. i had irish soda bread  i haven't gotten any st. patrick's day decorations up. maybe next year. 

*kathy* i totally only pick from the smilies on the first page! lol!!!! 

gotta run too....teaching mommy and me solo today


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Bells! 

*Kathy,* sorry that you were called in this week-end but that extra money never hurts.  Apparently you have to think of a better deterrent than blackmail. 

And the  smilie is the word princess followed by : -- just so you know.  I'm not fond of trying to get to the second page either so I learned the html codes for a lot of the smilies I use.  

*Nancy,* glad that you had a nice time on your date.    I think some people don't like it when other people are happy with what they have KWIM?  

Glad the tummy is feeling better.    Kathy is the go to gal for stomach stuff so I would follow her advice.  

I got rid of my runner's tummy through a combination of things:  dexilant prescrption (like nexium) that generally calms my stomach down in general (I have a long, famiy history of tummy troubles); no running belt (even though it wasn't tight it was too much on long runs -- thank goodness the sparkle skirt has good pockets); nothing in the tummy before the run (this only works if you go out first thing -- no breakfast and just a tad of water); limit the Clif Bloks and water and gels as much as possible during the run, as always YMMV. And you never get over the fear that it might come back again.   

If you read about it, it is very common and no one seems to have much idea what to do except say "yeah that's a bummer."   I've asked my regular doctor, the GI doctor and my gynecologist ('cause he does tris) about it and no one was overly helpful except for the prescription.  I think mine is part of the primitive flight or fight response, my body says I don't know how much longer we are going to be running but maybe the lion won't catch us and we  will be done sooner if we get rid of everything on board.    

*Maria,* sending you tons of good thoughts and  for your busy, busy week.  Way to go on the 3M and starting your week off on the right foot!  

I sensed a little of that mid-western "uh oh, I said something nice about myself, I'm getting too big for my britches" stuff going on there.   

Robert is getting good grades, too, so I cut him a little slack.  Plus it takes a lot of courage to volunteer to stand up in front of people multiple times and sing your first solo when you are a 12 year old boy going through one of the most awkward stages of your life.   The big competition on Saturday went much better and everyone was happy.  He was a little bummed when I informed him he had to sing it once more when we are visiting his grandmas at the end of the month.  



camnhan said:


> I live for the day someone tells me my glutes are too tight!





Hope the move out of the stuff went well!  

 *Dottie!* Hope that your foot feel better soon!    Sounds like you are already back at it! 

*Rose,* you've had tornadoes and now snow this week so sun must be coming soon, right?   

That was sad about that little baby.  She is with her family now. 

Yep, when Tom is in law school that first semester he won't have time for anything.  They say the first year they scare you to death.  The second year they work you to death and the third year they bore you to death.    He should read the book "1L" if he hasn't already.  

*Lisa,* my in-laws called me from the Garden of Gods yesterday to tell me it was 62 there.    Guess some more snow is coming later this week, though.  Spring is coming, baby!  Hope this week no one is sick in your house! 

*Lindsay,* who is your "friend" that is posting your old report cards on FB?    Your pictures are lovely.    Who cares that you had a little bump in the road 20+ years ago?  Didn't we all at one time or another? 

I was happy to get to the Kroc yesterday and do a little biking and running -- okay they were five second intervals but it was running!    I'm going to my regular training schedule this week time wise.  Have to see what my coach says about miles.  He may just tell me to walk my long miles  this week-end and pick up my schedule where it is.  That biking is boring -- I'm going to have to find a movie or something.  At this rate it's going to be awhile so I have to find a way to make it fun.  

Busy week again this week -- hope it's not horribly hectic like last week.  Have a wonderful day ladies!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Thanks again ladies for all the welcomes, 

Lisa H- yep I'm back at it- after 3weeks of no running I felt like a caged animal- taking it slow but  for being back out and running.  I also have a 12 yr old son ,Jake,who started middle school this year- 2 and 1/2 more years of this may kill me he and I do a Jr. Run Club at our local park together after my regular running club finishes, he is also working towards his black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
Rose- loved the pitures of you and your son.

Gotta get back to work corporate seagull due in for the week- ( flys in squaking and pooping on everything then flys out)


Dottie


----------



## liesel

*LisaH* Yes, it was 62 here yesterday!!    The snow is gone from the streets and sidewalks and I had a nice outside run.  Then we went to the Denver Zoo and had a nice afternoon.  I can't remember the last time it was in the 60s here!  Its going to be 64 today and 67 tomorrow!  Then the snow returns.  I thought about Garden of the Gods yesterday, I saw someone with a shirt at the zoo.  Its been a while since we've hiked there, we'll have to go back soon.  I'm trying to enjoy all the things we love about Colorado before we leave.  Great job on your 6 minute mile!    I'm glad you could get some running intervals in.  I was trying to lengthen my interval, but since I had missed a few runs running my sick house, I went back to 1:1 was actually much faster.  I know JG would tell me this means I need to stay here for a while.  I'm good as long as I'm making progress.  It sounds like Robert is doing well, its hard to balance school and then have lots of activities on top of it.  I know I burned out a bit in high school with the crazy overachiever schedule I kept.

*Rose* I'm so glad you are OK.  Those storms were so unbelievably devastating.  That was the dusting of snow I was complaining about on Thursday, we were so lucky its too cold here for tornadoes right now and we are close to the mountains.  The storm looked nasty when it passed over us, I can't even imagine!  I loved your pictures, you looked happy and healthy!  I've never been to Columbia, we did live in Savannah for a few years when I was very little and I love that city.  One of Dan's good friends works at the university, it would be fun to go and visit sometime.  

Yay for thinking about the DL half!    I really wanted to do this year's but we needed to wait and figure out the moving situation and then it sold out on us.  It sucks being responsible sometimes!  We want to do next year's.  The course passes close to where I used to live.  I used to take my dogs on the Santa Ana River Trail, my entrance point is about a mile north of the race course.  It would be fun to run there, even though most people complain about that section of the course since it is narrow.  If we can't do marathon weekend next year, we'll do the Tink instead.  I hate that they are a week apart next year.  It will be a while before I can do the Princess, Dan really wants to do W&D first (and I do too!).  So I think either marathon weekend or W&D will be the first WDW race we do.

*Maria* I didn't think your post came off as pretentious at all!  Good luck with all the work stress going on right now, I'm sure you'll do fantastic!  

*Kathy* I noticed the other day the  smilie was gone from the first page too, I thought, "oh, forget it!"  The tink smilie is pretty far down, very annoying.  I think maybe I should just put a tink smilie in my siggie and call it good.  I loved your blackmail story.  When I took some extra shifts at the catering company I was working for before the kids, it was for a trip to the UK and Ireland.  I just pictured myself in the English countryside or enjoying a Guiness to get me through it!    Sounds like Poko is keeping you in shape.  I need to take my dog out this morning, she is currently moping around the house because Dan is nursing an ITBS injury and couldn't take her.  I'll make her happy and take her out as soon as I'm done posting.

*Nancy* I'm glad you got out and had a great time.  We have lots of fun together as a family too!  I think people get strange ideas of what other couples should be doing.  I was told once by one of Dan's friends that we had an unhealthy relationship because I didn't have a hobby.  By hobby, he meant collecting something.  No I'm not a collector of anything, but I have lots of other interests.  Apparently the cooking, photography, reading, gardening, and travel hobbies don't count!  He just didn't like that Dan and I have a best friends relationship and he and his wife don't.  Sheesh!  I hope the tummy issues get resolved soon.

I realized that I wasn't a ringing endorsement for having your family with you on race weekend, but it was great having them around.  I would have spent more time with fellow WISHers if they hadn't been there, which would have been great too.  I learned that during those times when you need to rest or eat at a certain time, have a plan for the DH and kids to be doing something else.  It worked really well when I had Dan take them to the pool for an hour the afternoon after the race.  They had fun and I got a break.  Of course I was sick of being in the room by myself after 45 minutes and went down to stick my legs in the pool and watch them.  What I would have done differently was make a ressie for dinner the night before the race.  I should have just made it for 7 people and then saw who was going to be able to make it.  Just rest when you need to rest, its tempting to play more and go on more rides with the kids there.  I should have sent them on their way right after the race instead of waiting for my cool down and snack.  Luke really wanted to go to the Lego store.  The mile 4 marker was right in front of it and that's what I was picturing when he said he wanted to go there.  I could have sent them ahead and caught up later, but I wasn't thinking straight right after finishing a half!  I've learned a lot for next time!

*Lindsay and Jen* I hope you both had a good weekend!

 *Dottie* You know I mean it because the welcome smilie is on page 2!  I'm so glad you got to meet Rose at the Princess.  I just did my first half, the Tink, in January, it was a blast!  I learned so much from these awesome ladies.

I had better go take the poor doggie out (she just heaved a big sigh!).  Poor Dan has an ITBS injury, it started at his 10 mile race and is still bothering him.  He is stessing since it is 6 weeks to his first half.  He is going to take 2 weeks off and we'll see how he's doing.  He has looked up some stretching and strengthening exercises and will try pool running.  We are reminded how important the cross training is, we are trying to be better.  I think my cross training the last 4 weeks is really helping, I just need to keep it up.  Have a great day everyone!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi all!  Sorry I have been missing this weekend, its not an apology though  Just a "I missed you guys" sorry.

Anyway---Im going to try not to miss anyone here but I am going off of memory of reading over the past few hours.

Nancy- Sorry for the tummy issues.  I had some yucky stuff going on during my run yesterday and I thought of you. Great thing to be associated with right.  Mine fortunately ended up being short lived and probably had something to do with the mcdonalds double cheeseburger I ate for lunch.  I hope you can figure out something to fix it quickly.
Glad you had a nice time out with John.  Sometimes you just need to do that and even if it is once every year or two so be it as long as its what makes you two happy.  One year for our anniversary we took the kids to see disney on ice and a friend had commented that we were ruining our marriage.  Um ok....the funnier thing is she is now divorced and we are still happily married.  So dont let those comments bother you.  

Lisa H- My cousin posted those pics.  We were going through old pics of my moms and dads at my nanas yesterday.  I had found a scrapbook of mine that had all of my great middle school/high school accomplisments and I was bragging about my 5 certificates of honor roll from high school.  Apparently after I left she found my freshman year report card which as you saw was not so good and thought it would be funny to post it.  As soon as I saw it I called her to delete it.  I have people from work on my FB page and try to keep it pretty professional.  She didnt realize the importance of that but deleted anyway.  She is a free spirited type of girl and often tells me I have no sense of humor and I act like an old bitty.  I take the comment as a compliment because it means I have grown up and she hasnt.  But thanks for not judging me after seeing my horrific grades.

Rose- Whew I am glad to hear you are not throwing in the towel for disney races.  Glad the PT is going good again and hopefully it will be short lived.  Looks good since you had a great run this weekend.  I hope mikes foot is feeling better soon too.....you too have so much in common
Sorry about the mom thing....that is a tough decision...do you have her email that you can just send a quick Im ok thanks for thinking on us so you dont have to talk to her.  
Speaking of those tornadoes....yikes that is so sad and so scary.  Im glad you made it through ok but how horrible it is for the families who didnt.  Just so scary.
I loved the pics of you and time.  It looked like a really great weekend and you look so wonderful.  Tom is looking great too.  

Maria- I agree you sounded just fine in your post and you do have one important job.  I often think I cant believe I have all the responsibility I do because sometimes I feel like a space cadet but in reality we are not and we are awesome and thats just being confident not pretentious.  I hope you learned alot of ben franklin.

Kathy- How dare that guy call you in. Well at least it pays the bills right.  Glad you had a nice weekend.  Baseball is right around the corner now isnt it.  Do you know who michaels coach will be?  Wasnt there one last year that kept yelling at the kids and making them feel bad?  Hopefully that guy isnt helping this year.  

Lisa- Oh that weather sounds lovely.  Glad you were able to get outside and enjoy it.  I hope your dh's ITBS is feeling better soon.  Ugghh running is tougher on the body than we think.

Dottie- Welcome to our group.  Im so glad although (jealous) too that you got to meet Rose.  I guess living far away from the mouse may be easier than living 2hrs away with a dh who doesnt want to go often.  Whats wrong with that guy. (Im totally kidding, Im sure he is nice)

Hi Jen hope you had a great weekend too.

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

I had a good weekend but it went way to fast.  

Friday night was a bball game for Ryan.  The highlight was he stole the ball, dribbled/ran up court and went for the layup and got fouled.  He got to shoot 2 foul shots and made 1. 

Saturday- I got to do Zumba and it was a great class!  I took nick with me while Ryan and Mike went to a bday party of a football teammate of Ryans.  Then Nick and I met up with them at our family friends sons bday.  It was a maria bros party and they had it themed really well and had awesome games and stuff for the kids.  It was fun....Ryan was quite a bear that day.

Sunday- Went to sunday school, hung out at my nanas with my family.  Ryan complained of being tired and having a headache....well actually that was his excuse when I asked him what his problem was multiple times that day because he was moody.  About 2pm I realized that he was running a fever....BAD Mom award goes to me again.  I took him home while Nick stayed at my nanas.  Ryan rested with Mike and I went out for my 6 mile run.  I would love to say it was absolutely amazing but I would be lying.  I felt like it was a half marathon....but I did it and thats all that matters.

So far today I am on plan and I have the intention of staying that way for the rest of the day.  I really need to give it all my focus again.  Im slacking.

My next run is a 5K on St Patricks Day Weekend (Sun).  It will be followed by a nice could beer at the irish pub.

Then I am registered for the St Lukes Half Marathon which is the local half I did last year.  That is on 4/29 and I feel like I should be good and ready for it.  Just would like to loose another 15lbs to make it a bit easier.

I am considering signing up for the dirty girl run on 5/5 in scranton, PA.  It is a 5K mud run obstacle course just for women and it looks awesome.  The only thing is its 75$ and I am trying to decide if its worth the money.  Feel free to google it and give me your opinion.

Ok sorry for being a bit chatty.  Like I said I missed ya's.


----------



## Rose&Mike

How about that snow? The only good thing, it's melting fast! I feel really bad for the folks in IN who have to deal with cleanup and snow. Yuck! We got ~4 inches. 

That Tom did look cute in those pictures, didn't he? And I don't know about looking like I'm in my 20s (thanks *Nancy*!) but Tom has told Mike and I both a couple of times we look much better now that when we were younger! Thanks for all the nice comments.

*Nancy*--people told us all the time all the things that are wrong with our marriage. The thing is, we liked doing family stuff. It wasn't something I got to do as a kid growing up. We probably should have worked a little harder on the marriage part, but we weathered it. I say as long as you all are getting along fine, phewey on everyone else.

*LisaR*--I'm sorry about Dan's itbs. It's the pits. Tell him to try the tennis ball on his glutes. I am 100% sure now that is where mine is originating from. The problem in the past--I was doing all the strengthening with tight muscles and it was making it worse. She told me today she thinks I am having a muscle spasm in my lower back along with out of line pelvis. Well, she worked on my back--holy crud it hurt! But it is feeling much better now. She also has me stretching my quads and hamstrings a bunch two along with hip flexors. As much as I hate it, I might brake down and go to yoga with Mike once a week. UGGGGGH! I don't like yoga anyhow (I am not a calm and quiet person) and they do it in the dark--really not fun. I don't get the dark thing. 

*LisaH*--I'm sorry you are not enjoying the bike--but I am glad I am not the only one who didn't enjoy the bike. Seriously--10 weeks of torture. Hang in there!

*Kathy*--Any more news on Mike's tests?

*Lindsay*--Great job on all that running! I am still considering that half in Philly at the end of May. I need to call my sister and see if they are going to be around.

*Maria*--hope the week is going well!

Hello to everyone else!

****
So I had pt today. I really like the girl I am seeing now--like even when my old one comes back, I think I will see her. But the guy who does the needling---I don't know. He will start a conversation, you will say something benign--like oh, I got my shoes xxxxx and he will go off on why that is wrong. And everything is like that. I left there very aggravated today. Then something came up about running and he informed me I was not ready for the 10k in a couple of weeks--uh, ok. I didn't sign up for the 10k. (And let's be honest here, I could so crank out the 10k, I did 4 on Saturday.) I keep telling myself--the needling seems to be helping, the needling seems to be helping. I don't think he was happy that I ran on Saturday--but you know what--I don't care. Ok, vent over.

I took another nap today. I feel finally caught up from Princess. I work Tuesday and Wednesday. Will probably bring work home Thursday, and then I'm helping with an event Saturday.

Have a good Monday!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies!!

We're up bright and early after only 4 hours sleep.  Michael has his eeg today at 10 so he could only get 4 hrs sleep so he'll fall asleep during the test.  It took a while last time, so I hope he'll fall asleep ok today.  He was harder to get up and moving this morning since we don't have to leave right away.  Last night he wanted to buy the back to the future dvds and watch them and we went to 3 stores but couldn't find them.  We bought the 1st one, but he had a little meltdown over not finding all 3.  We watched that and Mr. Poppers penguins last night.  I felt bad I kept dozing off during the movies, but he didn't seem to mind.  He was excited to stay up late, but waking up this morning was not so easy.  After they get the results of the eeg, and the blood levels of his med, I'll talk with the doctor about whether they should increase his med or add another one.  He's only had one of the little twitching episodes since we saw the doc 3 weeks ago.  He's watching an arthur video now.  I love when he watches the sweet and innocent shows he used to love. 

*Rose*-ugh, that is too much snow for you.    Those poor people dealing with the tornado damage and having the snow on top of all that.  My heart goes out to them.  So sad.  Glad you like your new Pt and things are feeling better.  That's too bad about the needle guy, but sounds like you need him now and need to deal with it.  Frustrating.  We have a new anesthesiologist at work who is a very agravating know-it-all, and one-upper.  Working with him yesterday with a doc who is a big biker, has done the tour de france, does a 350 mile bike trip in fla every year, and this guy says he goes further and faster, yada yada yada, but the kicker was when someone was talking about their neighbors house fire, and he says, my neighbor had a house fire, burned to the ground.  Really, you have to one up the housefire too?  Some people are so aggravating, but you just have to deal.  I tend to deal more with a bit of sarcasm with a sweet smile, maybe a little passive aggressive, but it makes me feel better.

*Lindsay* -The dirty girl run sounds like fun, but the price is a little steep.  Do you know anyone who has done it, and says it is worth it?  A girl I work with did a tough mudder last year and it was fun and challenging, but she said she wouldn't do it again.  She didn't think it was very well run here.  
I saw micheals coach from last year at the clinic, and he said he's not going to be a team manager, but may assist.  That would be fine.  I've tried to get michael on this guy Joe's team.  His wife was michaels t-ball coach, and he was his coach the next year, and he is really the best most patient coach I have ever seen.  I'm sure there are many requests to be on his team, so we will see.  I jokingly told his wife I'd bring the sangria to the games.  I'm sure it will be fine with whatever coach we get, and all the mom's tend to socialize now since it's been so many years they've played, and we'll joke around a lot during the games.  I just hope that he has a better coach and they do some practicing this year.  

*LisaR*-Sounds like you're doing great with the exercise.  I'm pretty much just walking the dog right now.  My back was a little sore last week, so I took a break from the running, but it is feeling better.  I hope Dan's itbs will improve for his half coming up.  It's got to be so stressful worrying about that.  I agree, it was great to have michael and my sil and niece with me for the race trip, but I would have loved to have more time for the expo classes, and dis meets.  After the race they went into epcot, and I felt like I could take all the time I needed to go back and rest before our ressie at 2ish so that was good.  I'd love to do a dl half one day too.  

*LisaH*-I can not imagine standing up and singing a solo at any age, never mind 12.  You must be so proud of Robert.  I'm sure it will make his grandma's day to hear him sing.  Glad it went better on saturday for him.  And way to go on running again no matter how short the intervals were, you were doing it.    Thanks for the  smilie hint.  You are the smilie queen, aren't you?  And the spark queen.  I thought of you when I got the binge eating email from sparkpeople.  I don't read them all, but I did read that one this week, and it was a good one.  Ah 62 degrees!!  Heavenly, and it looks like thursday here is supposed to hit 60.  I'd love it to linger into the weekend, but it's looking doubtful.  Oh well, we'll take what we can get.  Daylight saving is this weekend, and spring is on the way. 

*Nancy*-I'm glad you had fun and those snarky posters are probably just jealous.  I hate when people are like that.  I don't get out much without michael either, and I'm ok with that.  I'm pretty certain before I know it, he'll be grown and I'll be able to do whatever I want.  Occassionally someone will say something about my getting out on the dating websites and trying to meet someone, but honestly it seems like such a chore, and it might interfere with my dis-time.  Guess I don't really want it right now.  Life is good now, but my eyes are always open too.

*Maria*  -Hope your week is going well.

*Dottie*-Another mom of a boy.  We have lots of boys around here.  

*Jen*-Hello there. Hope all is well!

Ah well gotta think about getting breakfast and some laundry going.  I just took Poko out for a quick walk bathroom walk so far, so need to do that too.  

Have a great day all.  Fingers crossed we're not too cranky here with our sleep deprivation.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Got up and did my 4M this morning -- it took forever, but it's done. My ankle and groin were a bit sore to start, so I had to ease into a jog and stay there. I'm thinking if I have time tonight I might try to do intervals, but the odds aren't good. 

Yesterday went as well as could be expected at work. Honestly, once I get through today and tomorrow it will be stressful but not psychotic. 

Dennis contacted a friend who is a board member about getting us a tour and free week at the Y. Hey, doesn't hurt...Dennis said he will take me whenever I want to go (it's at the other end of the neighborhood, and not that easy to get to). This helps a lot, because once my enthusiasm wanes, having a ride will help keep me moving. I checked out the schedule, and there is a class I could enjoy every night at 5:30 or 6, so I need to just bite the bullet and cross train! The facility is only a few years old, so I suspect it will be a nice place to be. 

Quick shout outs --

Loved the cute photo of *Nancy and John!*

*Lisah* -- You should be very proud of Robert, he is a champ just like his mom! 

*LisaR* -- I hope Dan heals well and quickly! I'm glad you are enjoying the awesomeness of Colorado! Ooh! Does this mean someone's getting an Alcatraz ornament next year?! Forgive my CA geography, it's pretty atrocious!

*Lindsay* -- Thanks, you are right, our places of employment are lucky to have us!

*Rose* -- That is far too much snow for you, I can't believe you have it and we don't. Bizarre climate!

*Kathy* -- I know all the testing will go smoothly today, and you will have great results to assess with the doctor. If I had known there was sangria, I would have made Ben continue to play baseball after 3 years of T-ball, when he announced he was done.

*Jen* -- How is the dress hunt coming? Or is that over? Sorry, I sort of lost track....but I know you are busy planning your couples getaway!

*Dottie* -- Isn't Middle School fun? My ds14 is in 8th grade (January birthday, so he's always older than at least half the class), and he's already lobbying for how he expects his life to be different once he's in high school. He's going to have to finish 8th grade first...

Ok, gotta run. Everyone have a Terrific Tuesday!

Maria


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

mikamah said:


> Good morning ladies!!
> 
> We're up bright and early after only 4 hours sleep.  Michael has his eeg today at 10 so he could only get 4 hrs sleep so he'll fall asleep during the test.  It took a while last time, so I hope he'll fall asleep ok today.  He was harder to get up and moving this morning since we don't have to leave right away.  Last night he wanted to buy the back to the future dvds and watch them and we went to 3 stores but couldn't find them.  We bought the 1st one, but he had a little meltdown over not finding all 3.  We watched that and Mr. Poppers penguins last night.  I felt bad I kept dozing off during the movies, but he didn't seem to mind.  He was excited to stay up late, but waking up this morning was not so easy.  After they get the results of the eeg, and the blood levels of his med, I'll talk with the doctor about whether they should increase his med or add another one.  He's only had one of the little twitching episodes since we saw the doc 3 weeks ago.  He's watching an arthur video now.  I love when he watches the sweet and innocent shows he used to love.
> 
> Kathy, just wanted to pop on and say that I'll be thinking of you and Michael, and praying that he is able to sleep during the EEG and that you get the results you want to best treat him.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

we will all be thinking and praying for our michael today. i hope everything goes well. and we'll let him be a little bit cranky today since he has to do some big time tests today. but just a little cranky 

i'm pretty sure i have all three back to the futures on VHS - does he even know what that is?? you can also let him know that i want to give him a great big hug for wanting to watch those movies. they are some of my favorites! my cousin tracey who is 20 didn't know the significance of HOW COOL it was that there was a DeLorean parked outside our condo in hawaii last may! one point twenty-one jiggawatts!!!

omg thomas is screaming in his crib, "help! help! get me out of here! help!" yeesh. this whole being light out by 6am really stinks! have to make the rest of this quick...

*rose* it looks like YOU live in the northeast now! you had all that snow...and it's supposed to be SIXTY here on thursday! cold today but still! at least your snow melted right away. it's the worst when it stays forever and gets all black and dirty.

*lindsay* i say save the $$ for the dirty girl run, put it in the WDW marathon weekend kitty, and just do your own 5k in the mud!  i don't know...i kind of think that races are worth the money if it gets you training and in shape. i don't feel bad paying the super high price for the disney races because i just think that i'm paying for the training and if you break that price out into ALL the training runs that i probably wouldn't be doing if not for the race, then it's worth it. is that bad thinking, i dunno. if you want to race that and you will train for it then i say go for it 

*lisaR* you're so right - so what if we don't go out to dinner by ourselves?? that doesn't mean we have a bad marriage. i mean, hello! matthew was still made, right?? even though we didn't go out on a date...  
i think having the family with me for the race will be nice but i definitely will have to make it clear that i will be cheering all morning for the half marathon too and taking advantage of seeing as much of my WISH friends as possible until after marathon monday. 

*lisaH* bummer about the bike being boring but if you can watch a movie while you workout maybe that would be fun. or maybe buy and episode or two of a tv show that you like to watch? 
i'm a little nervous about my run today - hoping my stomach will behave. i can't run during the week in the morning so i will definitely have food in the stomach but i will try to eat some binding things and see if that helps. i don't eat anything while i run (at least not yet as my longest mileage has only been 5 miles). i was thinking of taking imodium but 1) i don't want to further screw up my stomach and 2) i'm not sure i can take that while nursing. blah. it IS a bummer that there doesn't seem to be a solution. 

*maria * how's the work week going? 

**
did anyone see that 60 minutes thing about parents redshirting their 5 year olds? they are holding them back from kindergarten in hopes that by being a full year older they will have a better advantage.  geez. i remember being in school and if you were super smart you SKIPPED a grade! this stuff is just crazy. can't kids just be kids and start school when you are supposed to? new york state doesn't let you. because kindergarten isn't mandatory, if you are 6, you start 1st grade, you don't start kindergarten so no staying back on purpose. 

i saw the 140s today! ok, so it was 149.5 but still.  probably from the stomach issues. but it means my 145 mini-goal is pretty close! the only bummer is that i'm pretty sure i'm going to have to buy new shorts for our may trip since my old ones still won't fit. that's the worst part of this weight thing. not having clothes that fit. 

ok, off to shower and get our day started. have a good one everyone


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Sending Pixie dust and good thoughts for Michael.  I hope the test went/is going well.  

Rose- That PT guy would have annoyed the heck out of me.  Good job keeping your cool.  Men like that I only hear "blah, blah, blah". 

Kathy- I bet that bribe of sangria will be enough to get him on the team with the coach you love.  We just found out Ryan is on the team of our friend.  He was the assistant coach for the tball team and is awesome with the kids.  Plus we became friends with him and his wife so it helps to have someone coaching that you also know personally too.  Again I hope Michael did well today and that he isnt too cranky tonight from it all.

Maria- Woohoo on getting the run done even if it wasnt speedy.  I have found that even doing zumba 2x a week has made my running much easier...well most days anyway.  I bet you will like having the change up in your routine.  I hope the Y is nice.

Nancy- I forgot to say yesterday that I was cracking up at your friends comment about her dh forgetting his underwear.  Only men can do that.  I feel horrible that she is having a rough time with the illnesses.  Is she finding the distant locations of the pirate rooms to be a problem?????  I seriously can wait for our trip.  Yesterday I printed off menus of where we plan to eat and I was circleing what I wanted to eat.  Mike thought I had totally lost my mind. 

That whole holding kids back to start school later is ridiculous.  Ryan is one of the oldest kids in his class and it still is tough for him.  What idiots!!!!!

Woohoo on the 145's today.  you go girl.  Your on a roll!

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

This morning was great at work and now I am in the midst of the afternoon from h e double hockey sticks.  Is it a full moon?  thats all I have to say about that.

I will be working out a bunch of stress tonight at zumba.

oh and an update on Ryans school stuff.  The teacher is doing a behavior chart for use.  It has 3 smiley faces , , and a .  It has 3 areas for writing, reading, and math.  Each day she will circle how he does and then comment.  

Yesterday he had a  in writing with an awesome work comment, but then got a    in reading for not focusing as well as he should have, and a  in math for not finishing his work.

So we talked about it with him last night and gave him an incentive.  If he has one day this week with all 3  He gets to go to 5 below and pick out a prize.  We are starting small and then as he does it we will increase the number of days that he needs all smiley faces.  This is our attempt at positive reinforcement to see if it will help.  The teacher didnt seem thrilled or overeager to use this because it adds more work for her but to bad.  I feel like she emailed me all things he is doing wrong without any solutions of how to help him so I came up with our own idea.  We are also going to have a formal eval with our pediatrician for ADHD.  Actually she is pretty sure of the diagnosis without even having the reports returned just from the history I gave her.  We are going to try to continue using behavior modification for the next month or so and if it is still not helping and he is still struggling we may try meds.  I really dont want to do it but I hate to see him struggle so bad and he seems to be starting to get a bit sad and frustrated about it himself.

Ok well I got to get back to the zoo

Talk to you soon!


----------



## mikamah

Thank you all so much for the pixie dust, prayers and good wishes.  They really worked well.  Michael was such a good patient as always, and I myself took a half an ativan before we went because I got so anxious last time, and I'm glad I did.  I takes so long, and just sitting there quiet in the dark watching the waveforms and wondering what it means is anxiety producing.  I am guessing that he still has some seizure activity, I'd see the spikes on the waveforms and it looks like the equipment then flags some red words with abnormalities.  Man, I wish I paid more attention when they were doing eeg's on my old ICU patients.   I didn't ask the technician what it shows because I know she can't tell me anything anyway.  And I don't know if his med decreases the eeg seizure activity or just the physical activity, and the tech didn't know either.  Some do both, some just physical.  I asked her that and she said i'd have ask the doc.  I figure I'll call the doc next week if I don't hear from him this week.  

We were supposed to meet friends but when I called them, the kid was not behaving well, so we cancelled, and that was nice.  We came home and watched mr Poppers penguins again, which I really liked when I stayed awake, and then we just got back from a long walk.  We went down to his school and into the woods behind it along the river, lots for Poko to sniff and great trees for michael to climb.  It was a very nice afternoon.  Michael's taking a bubble bath and then we'll have dinner.  I'm roasting brocolli, doing burgers on the grill and corn on the cob, and looking forward to it.   

*Lindsay*-I'm so glad you have a plan with Ryan, and hope the chart and rewards are helpful to you.  It is good to do the eval early and get any extra help that is available to you.  Hang in there. 

*Nancy*-You are right up there with LisaH and the great memory.  I do not retain details of movies like you do.  They are great movies.  We just ordered 2 and 3 from amazon, and hope to have a back to the future weekend.  Whoo hoo on the 140s!!!  I know you will be safely below the 150 mark soon and never see it again.  Unless you get pregnant again.

*Maria*-Depends on the assortment of mothers on the team of course, but sangria is not unheard of.  I think this year the games are later, and longer, so it may be necessary.  Plus, lucky for me I'm within walking distance of the field.

Thanks again everyone for all the good wishes.


----------



## liesel

*Kathy* More prayers and pixie dust as you wait on the test results.  Sounds like you had a good afternoon.  I love the Back to the Future movies too!  The first one came out when I was 10, and my 10 year old self loved them.  Still do!  We've seen bits and pieces when they are on TV.

*Lindsay* I know several women who did the Colorado Dirty Girl Mud Run and had a blast.  Lots of teams with costumes, like the princess and tink races.  I'm just wary of doing one since they are run in a field to accomodate the obstacles.  The one here was in a field populated with prarie dogs and a lady on my friend's team fell in a hole and broke her leg.    They said you can't run very fast, you really have to watch your step!  Hopefully critters wouldn't be a problem for this race.  I'm glad there's a plan for Ryan, these decisions can be so tough sometimes!

*Nancy* I did see that 60 Minutes was doing a story on redshirting, I didn't get a chance to catch it, but I've heard of it.  My kids have their birthdays one day apart in September, but the district moved the cutoff date for kindergarten after DS started school.  Even though they are 4 years apart in age (or 3 years 364 days as my mom points out), they are 3 years apart in school.  I have noticed lots of kids born in September in my DD's class are one year older, so I think it is becoming more common.  Congrats on the 140s and for being the BL on team Mickey this week!

Well Dan is home early from the dentist so I had better get some real work done.    Hello to everyone else, I'll catch you later!


----------



## camnhan

WOW
note to self: don't ever stay away longer than 24 hours again  I may never catch up!!

First off I have to say...i have went back through PAGES of posts and still am looking for the pretentious post !!  
I think that is the whole point of this group...to be able to post up and vent all the things that we would love to say to others but know it won't get us anywhere so we say them here and then feel better and we are off 

Love the new pics...and the siggy pic! 

Glad everyone is save and sound with all the weird weather...the wind is really picking up here so is going to be another interesting night!

Yes I have finally found a dress...it is ok I guess...and has my daughters approval so that says something  Dance is this Saturday and have mixed feelings about it....had a huge blow up with friend/manager and new director this Monday but it is kind of done and over so am really trying to move on...just don't think they understood my side and still feel like the expectations is that I fix this all and don't think that is right but guess I will just do it .... i know..kind of cryptic but would take a long weekend and a few bottles of wine to explain it all 

Had "bathroom" issues since last Thursday as well...nice to see the results on the scale but was really drained. Don't think I was able to tolerate eating anything for about 3 days. of course I get my appetitte back when my niece delivers 20 boxes of girl scout cookies to my house however I am pleased to announce that I have not eaten a single cookie.......yet!
Did through off my Jillian Michaels workouts...got the first 3 days in and then was down for the count. Guess I need to kick it back in and get busy...still want to loose 10 lbs before we leave for FL...

I think the mud run would be a lot of fun! can't realy comment on the cost as the only races I have done are small little local ones so not sure what the going rate is....just sounds like fun.

THE GUY IS ALL MOVED OUT!! and I can actually see my treadmill in the garage now..next step....get it plugged in and turned on! Was a rough weekend with him getting his stuff finally...he was a real A-- and Thom was at work so was kind of nervous being here by myself but it is done and over so onto making this my home...where to begin!

Sending lots of health and healing vibes to everyone ...seems like we have all been under the weather in one fashion or another recently...think it is cabin fever hitting everyone...good dose of warm sunshine would really help about now!

we have always used positive reinforcement with Zach...some days it works better than other and not always sure he "gets it" but it does seem to work. I agree...if the teacher has a better idea/plan than she needs to present it or just deal with what you put into place.

well there is a sink full of dishes I should do since Thom had dinner waiting for me when I got home....talk to you soon!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

WAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

the side of my knee hurts like a mother trucker!!! waaaah!!! *** is this?? is it that ITBS i keep hearing about? i ran 4 miles today and as soon as i stopped it killed. hurts hurts hurts! waaah!!!!

what do i do? when does it go away??


----------



## Worfiedoodles

No run today -- turns out Dennis didn't go to his early meeting, but I don't have 3 days in a row in me. I'm going to be fresh and ready for Sat.'s run! Tomorrow and Friday I have to go in early, so no chance there. 

*Kathy* -- You had an exhausting day!  Oh my, so hard to be the mom and just have to sit there and watch. I bet it's even harder because you are a nurse, so you have some idea of what is happening. I know we were all saying little prayers all day and thinking good thoughts for you and Michael.  I say go for the sangria -- how can you go wrong?! 

*Nancy* -- I don't know what that is but it sounds so painful  I am sorry, and I hope it goes away superfast! I had heard of redshirting, but honestly the only context I read about it in was holding them back so they would be bigger for football by the time they got to high school, which as the mom of a kid who would never be a linebacker, struck me as odd. I have not heard of it being done for girls. I was surprised to find out Dennis didn't go to Kindergarten. He grew up in NH, and K was not mandatory, as a matter of fact you had to pay for it. That wasn't happening in his family, so he didn't go. I think he's caught up now , but I had never heard of "optional Kindergarten" before. Of course, at that time I was only familiar with MO 

*Jen* -- It sounds like lots of good things are happening for you! I bet you are going to rock that dress  Great will power with the GS cookies. I immediately put them in the freezer, where hopefully I will forget them. It usually works for a few boxes...

*LisaR* -- 

*Lindsay* -- I think the behavior chart is a great idea. I hope Ryan really gets into it and it helps. I understand why you are frustrated when the teacher wants change, but hasn't given you guidelines to make it happen. He is a great kid, and you guys will figure out what works for him together. I have faith! 

*LisaH* -- I know you are frustrated with your exercise limitations, but I also know you are one of the most patient and positive people I know, and you will persevere! 

*Rose* -- I know you left PT and said to Mike about Mr. Needle, "Bless his little heart"...

Ok, got my friend booked into Pop for the last week in May with preferred connecting rooms with her friend. Her rate is $603 for 5 nights, and you know I wanted to tell Dennis I was going too.... Now I have to work on her dining and tickets. She wants to do a character meal with Mickey for lunch or dinner. I find Chef Mickey's to be kind of yucky (she also doesn't like buffets), so I'm thinking Garden Grille at the Land in Epcot. Any other thoughts? She's also allergic to seafood, so that's going to be fun, too. This is her first visit to Disney. She's single (but in a long-term live-in grown up relationship), early 40s, and looking to have a great getaway with another girlfriend (not that kind! I know this is MA, but geesh! ) So she doesn't have kids, but she wants to experience all the wonder. She told me yesterday she wants to ride Dumbo and get Mickey ears with her name stitched on them, and she plans to wear them. I'm going to have to adapt the touring plan I was trying to create.... 

Back to my scary, scary day. This is the worst one. I have a meeting with the VP for Programs we are all afraid of at 10:30, I have to travel to Newton (1/2 hour) for a 2:30-4:30 meeting this afternoon, and then I have a hearing downtown from 6-8. By the time I get home I will be totally chicken fried. And then tomorrow is an early day...I'm going to shovel in some food and go to sleep as soon as I get home. When I get really stressed, I'm going to remember to breathe and call upon my princessly qualities of determination (Tiana), hopefulness (Snow White) and bravery (Mulan). And if I get really stuck, I will dig deep to be like Belle and stick my nose in a book 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

I took a computer free day yesterday--and missed being able to tell *Kathy* that I would be thinking about her. Hugs to you Kathy.

*Nancy*--uggh. Go directly to a therapist. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. In my opinion, this is a hard one to fix on your own--and believe me, I tried.

*Maria*--sweet southern words did not come out of my mouth about that therapist.

Believe it or not the snow was gone yesterday and wait for it....It was 70!!!! I ran outside 4 miles without stopping, and an extra .5 in intervals. My knees feel good, my back feels tight. Back to pt on Friday.

Ok, I am running late, but I will bbl with more replies. 

Have a healthy, happy day!


----------



## mikamah

*Maria*-Good luck with all your meetings today.  Does not sound like fun at all, and you should definitely have some sangria with dinner tonight.  I chuckled at *Rose* saying bless his little heart about her needle man.  I'm sure she said something that meant the same thing.

*Nancy*Ow!  I'm sorry your knee is hurting.  I'm guessing it could be itbs.  If I understand correctly the itband runs around the outside of the hip down over the front of the thigh to the inside of the knee.  I think you can have pain at either end, but I am sure Rose will have a lot more knowledge on it.  When I'd have pain in my hip or knee, I'd try to do the stretch after running where you are standing holding a pole/doorway and cross one leg over the other at the knee and then go down into a sitting position to stretch the itband.  I hope you feel much better today.

*Jen*-I have 3 boxes of gs cookies left that I'm saving for april vacation when we're spending some time with my sil, bro and niece.  I figure if we split the box 5 ways, it's better than 2 ways.

Hello to everyone else!!

I'm off to take poko out now.  We have been leaving her out of the crate when we go out on our days off for short periods, which has been going great, but now she does not want to go in the crate for bedtime or when I go to work, and she has growled at me a couple times when it's crate time.  Of course the 1st time I rewarded her with a cookie and put her in the crate, and the other time I got the leash and she went right in.  So I'd like to leave her out all the time, especially since she doesn't going in, but I don't think she's quite ready for that.  Though we did leave her for almost 4 hours sat evening and she was fine.  I think I'll try leaving her out on my 10-2 day next week, and see how she does.  She really has only been chewing her toys lately, too, which is great.  And we haven't been the best about picking up everything at her nose level either, but she's left things alone-books, hats, wiimotes on the coffee table, so we have been lucky.  

Have a great day princesses.   (thanks for the smilie hint lisa) come to think about it, the only smilie I feel is important enough to go to page 2 for is the drinking one.   Oh and Tink was important too.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Bells!  

Had computer problems yesterday and emailed this to myself but never posted -- I'll try to merge.  Sorry if it sounds crazy.   (Or should I say crazier than usual?) 

*Dottie,* has your son heard of the new running app called Zombies, Run! ?  Here is a link to it on Runner's World http://news.runnersworld.com/2012/0...ok-_-RunnersWorld-_-Content-Blogs-_-ZombieRun  You speed up when the Zombies chase you.    This is one thing that actually might get my son to try running again after his mom ruined him for life when he has 10 having him do a race when we all weren't properly trained.  
Glad your foot is feeling better!    Being injured is no fun.

*Lisa* hope Dan's ITBS gets to feeling better fast.   Yay for no snow!   Your trip to CA will be here so soon! 

There have been a lot of articles about the importance of base building on runner's world and active on FB lately.  I think I need to work on that a bit this summer.  I, too, am convinced that cross training is an area where I lack -- after the Krocman, I'm thinking a little strength and a stretch and tone class at the Kroc.  Although I really, really want to try Zumba! 

We've always never let Robert have more than one outside activity at a time.  When he started at this school last year we cut it down to academics only.  I was shocked even in preschool how people were running their kids from one thing to another.   We had to be home and be bored and figure out how to entertain ourselves, so I think he should, too.   You only get to be a kid once. 

*Lindsay,* no judging here!   Been there, done that.    Even us crazy overachieving types have to stumble sometimes.  One of my FB friends is the County Clerk for a local county (their number 1 requested public records document is the marriage license of Walt Disney) and I am always very careful what I post on her page because she has her "constituency."  Just like I'm careful what I put on my FB 'cause I've got my MIL as a friend.    Hope Ryan is feeling better.  You are smokin' myfitnesspal with all your activity!  

*Rose,* big hugs on annoying needle guy.   Guess I'd be tempted to let that one kind of go since it is a short PT stint and I'd worry about revenge with the needle.   I discovered I can stream Netflix to my iPhone so that will make the bike a little easier to take -- I have real unlimited data.  I can always podcast, too.  I got scolded for running yesterday.  I'm sure they mean well.    I really don't think running 2 minutes total out of 30 is going to cause a big set back. 

Smilie police are after me . . . BRB


----------



## lisah0711

Foiled you again, smilie police! 

*Kathy,* sending you and Mike tons of prayers,  and good thoughts for the results.    I think our guys get a little nostalgic, too.  Don't tell anyone but someone watched Disney XD for awhile yesterday.      I'm glad things went well yesterday.  

 drinking1 followed by :  You have to have that one.  I love my smilies . . . couldn't post without 'em.  I really wish I could use them in my every day correspondence. 

Can you block Poko off in the kitchen while you are gone?  I can't begin to tell you how many Legos were ingested, those things some up every where!   Every once in awhile we have dumpster diving or some problem even now.   

*Maria,* lots of  and good thought to you, too, for your busy, hectic week.  Rose and Mike seem to enjoy their Y and Cam is always posting from the Y on FB -- she is giving our *Lindsay* a run for her money on activity this month.  Oy!  I get the freedom talks, too, but they get shut down quite quickly by the comparison of our lives to a Zits cartoon.    Then there is stomping and shutting of the door quite hard.    I really have no complaints.  He is a a good guy and it is so tough for kids to find their way in today's world.   

*Nancy,* some day that guy will figure out how to get out of that crib by himself.  He will be so proud and you will be like .  

Hope the knee is feeling better soon.  It is a bummer when you get one problem solved and another pops up.  

And a BIG  for being #1 this week on Team Mickey!    Are you sporting that clippie?

*Lisa* when I was reading about the dangers of prairie dog holes that made me start worrying that *Lindsay* might encounter groundhogs in her neck of the woods -- they might be more lively in May than they are in February. 

*Kathy,*  : followed by tink followed by : and  : followed by drinking followed by :  

*Jen* glad you found a dress!   Pictures please!  Flat Jen is a-okay, we do that all the time with our race outfits.  

I am now cleared for any activity that I feel I can do comfortably, keeping in my I still have some healing to do.  So I can resume my training schedule, with modifications.  We are going to see how March shakes out and re-evaluate milege for April and May. Then I have another half in September (the same one I did last year) and the same 10K I did in October.  Then the big question mark is Wine & Dine and the C2C?    I just mentioned I was mulling it over to my coach and he is all ready to put together a schedule.   If we have to cancel our June trip that will go on the schedule.  Then, of course, the Donald in 2013.    I made a reservation at VGC for Tink week-end just in case, too.  Not that I could afford all these plane tickets but it good to have options.  

It's a tough month for our group so remember we are all hanging in there together!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hello Ladies.

*Kathy*- So glad the test went well.  Now its the waiting game.  Hopefully the results are good and the med is the right dose.  Sounds like a great afternoon spent yesterday.  Some of the greatest days are just doing the simple things life has to offer.  FYI- It took us 6 years before we could let our lab out of the crate while we were gone.....so I think your doing the right thing by doing small increments of time first.  Even now we close of the downstairs, put the garbage can in the closet, and put 2 chairs in front of the window so when the mailman comes he doesnt pull down the curtains.

*Nancy*- Ice the knee and elevate it and if it is still bothering you today definitely call your doctor or go straight to PT if you dont need the doctor to right you a script or referral.  Like Rose said dont mess around.  Sorry you are dealing with another injury....by the way how has the foot been feeling?

*Jen*- Im so happy that you can now do what you want to the house and not have to worry about that guy anymore.  That must be a wonderful feeling.  The race cost around here is typically 20-30$ for 5K's and 50-60$ for half's.  So 75$ is a bit pricey.  

*Maria*-  good luck on your crazy days today and tomorrow.  I love the plan of channeling your inner princesses.  That sounds like so much fun to plan your friends trip.  I would want to go to.

*Lisah-* that zombie app sound cool.  Maybe I should try it to make myself go faster.  Yes I am keeping myself quite active but somehow the weight is not coming off.  I am getting so frustrated.  I guess overall I feel better and stronger so i should just feel good about it.  Your options for races sounds wonderful.

*Rose-* Whooo 70's that is awesome.  We are approaching a heat wave too.  Today in the low 60's tomorrow in the upper 60's and then friday back into the low 50's again.  Of course I am off on Friday and work today and tomorrow so I will not be able to enjoy much of it.  But at least things are starting to brighten up around here.  Glad you had a great run yesterday.

Hi Lisa and anyone else reading along.

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

As I said about I think I am going to not do the dirty girl run.  It was a hard decision but I just cant see spending 75$ and then gas money and tolls to drive to scranton (1 1/2 hr away).  Plus driving home muddy didnt seem to appealing either.  

It is a nice and sunny day out today and tomorrow will be even better.  I may bring some sneaks and get a walk in at lunch tomorrow just to feel the nice warm air.  I am so excited to have off on friday because it is the one day this year I am taking off and sending the boys to school and I have nothing really planned.  I am going to do the grocery shopping but otherwise I am going to relax and just do whatever the heck I want.  Ive never been so excited.

I have not been on the donald thread in awhile now but at night I have been focusing more on keeping the nighttime routine and spending quality time with the boys having some fun and doing lots of studying.  Nicholas now can right his name all by himself and can recognize all his numbers from 1-10.  He is working on his last name and letters.  I am so thankful that he already seems to have much more attention paying abilities than ryan has.  I dont think I could handle 2 children with these issues.


----------



## Rose&Mike

mommyof2Pirates said:


> I have not been on the donald thread in awhile now but at night I have been focusing more on keeping the nighttime routine and spending quality time with the boys having some fun and doing lots of studying.  Nicholas now can right his name all by himself and can recognize all his numbers from 1-10.  He is working on his last name and letters.  I am so thankful that he already seems to have much more attention paying abilities than ryan has.  I dont think I could handle 2 children with these issues.


It sounds like some nice evenings in your house Lindsay.



lisah0711 said:


> I am now cleared for any activity that I feel I can do comfortably, keeping in my I still have some healing to do.  So I can resume my training schedule, with modifications.  We are going to see how March shakes out and re-evaluate milege for April and May. Then I have another half in September (the same one I did last year) and the same 10K I did in October.  Then the big question mark is Wine & Dine and the C2C?    I just mentioned I was mulling it over to my coach and he is all ready to put together a schedule.   If we have to cancel our June trip that will go on the schedule.  Then, of course, the Donald in 2013.    I made a reservation at VGC for Tink week-end just in case, too.  Not that I could afford all these plane tickets but it good to have options.
> 
> It's a tough month for our group so remember we are all hanging in there together!


Hurray! Are you still training with JG? I really wish we could do w&d this year, but I think I need to let that one go. This fall is going to be too busy. But you could do DL in September next year for my bday and get your C2C that way.



lisah0711 said:


> There have been a lot of articles about the importance of base building on runner's world and active on FB lately.  I think I need to work on that a bit this summer.  I, too, am convinced that cross training is an area where I lack -- after the Krocman, I'm thinking a little strength and a stretch and tone class at the Kroc.  Although I really, really want to try Zumba!


I am convinced too that we (as runners) do not focus enough on flexibility along with the strength. Every time I go back to strength or start working on strengthening the muscles that are supposed to help with itbs I ended up in so much pain. In the strength classes at our Y they cram 50 minutes of strength with 2 minutes of stretching, add that to running and I just end up with a bunch of very tight, uncomfortable muscles. 

So I am determined to try the pi-yo tomorrow. It's at 10:30am, so even if it's "dark" it's daytime so it should be ok. 



mikamah said:


> I'm off to take poko out now.  We have been leaving her out of the crate when we go out on our days off for short periods, which has been going great, but now she does not want to go in the crate for bedtime or when I go to work, and she has growled at me a couple times when it's crate time.  Of course the 1st time I rewarded her with a cookie and put her in the crate, and the other time I got the leash and she went right in.  So I'd like to leave her out all the time, especially since she doesn't going in, but I don't think she's quite ready for that.  Though we did leave her for almost 4 hours sat evening and she was fine.  I think I'll try leaving her out on my 10-2 day next week, and see how she does.  She really has only been chewing her toys lately, too, which is great.  And we haven't been the best about picking up everything at her nose level either, but she's left things alone-books, hats, wiimotes on the coffee table, so we have been lucky.
> 
> Have a great day princesses.   (thanks for the smilie hint lisa) come to think about it, the only smilie I feel is important enough to go to page 2 for is the drinking one.   Oh and Tink was important too.


I let Petie out at night, and if I am in and out during the day, but if we are going to be gone all day, then he goes in the crate with Sugar. And he has to have a treat to go in the crate. Right now he is enjoying g-f pretzels. I think it's good for him to still be used to the crate for times when we need it.



Worfiedoodles said:


> Back to my scary, scary day. This is the worst one. I have a meeting with the VP for Programs we are all afraid of at 10:30, I have to travel to Newton (1/2 hour) for a 2:30-4:30 meeting this afternoon, and then I have a hearing downtown from 6-8. By the time I get home I will be totally chicken fried. And then tomorrow is an early day...I'm going to shovel in some food and go to sleep as soon as I get home. When I get really stressed, I'm going to remember to breathe and call upon my princessly qualities of determination (Tiana), hopefulness (Snow White) and bravery (Mulan). And if I get really stuck, I will dig deep to be like Belle and stick my nose in a book
> 
> Maria


I hope it went ok today, Maria!



liesel said:


> a lady on my friend's team fell in a hole and broke her leg.


Seriously, I am a tough cookie, but I will NEVER be doing this! 



mikamah said:


> -Depends on the assortment of mothers on the team of course, but sangria is not unheard of.  I think this year the games are later, and longer, so it may be necessary.  Plus, lucky for me I'm within walking distance of the field.


I think I would like to adopt a kid and be a Mom on this team.



mommyof2Pirates said:


> oh and an update on Ryans school stuff.  The teacher is doing a behavior chart for use.  It has 3 smiley faces , , and a .  It has 3 areas for writing, reading, and math.  Each day she will circle how he does and then comment.
> 
> Yesterday he had a  in writing with an awesome work comment, but then got a    in reading for not focusing as well as he should have, and a  in math for not finishing his work.
> 
> So we talked about it with him last night and gave him an incentive.  If he has one day this week with all 3  He gets to go to 5 below and pick out a prize.  We are starting small and then as he does it we will increase the number of days that he needs all smiley faces.  This is our attempt at positive reinforcement to see if it will help.  The teacher didnt seem thrilled or overeager to use this because it adds more work for her but to bad.  I feel like she emailed me all things he is doing wrong without any solutions of how to help him so I came up with our own idea.  We are also going to have a formal eval with our pediatrician for ADHD.  Actually she is pretty sure of the diagnosis without even having the reports returned just from the history I gave her.  We are going to try to continue using behavior modification for the next month or so and if it is still not helping and he is still struggling we may try meds.  I really dont want to do it but I hate to see him struggle so bad and he seems to be starting to get a bit sad and frustrated about it himself.
> 
> Talk to you soon!


Lindsay--I asked Mike if he thought it was ok to post this, cause I don't want to overstep, and he said to go ahead and say it, cause we would want to hear it. 

I think it's really great to try the behavior stuff first. I know the meds can really help and are really necessary, but from what DS has told us, he is not enjoying the side effects, and he is on a very low dose. He told us that he is grateful that we kept him on a strict schedule in ms/hs because he wouldn't have wanted to deal with the side effects as a teenager. He also said he knows how hard it was for us at times, but that he appreciates it.

Having said all that, there are times when they just really need the medications and I know the doctor will help you figure that out. 

But I wanted to commend you for seeing if you could find a way to manage things with out it. It is not always easy--actually it is very hard at times, but I think it was the best choice for us. At the end of the day, whatever you decide to do, I know it will be what is best for your family, but I think it is great that you are looking at all options.



dumbo_buddy said:


> i saw the 140s today! ok, so it was 149.5 but still.  probably from the stomach issues. but it means my 145 mini-goal is pretty close! the only bummer is that i'm pretty sure i'm going to have to buy new shorts for our may trip since my old ones still won't fit. that's the worst part of this weight thing. not having clothes that fit.
> 
> ok, off to shower and get our day started. have a good one everyone


Hurray for the 140s! 



Worfiedoodles said:


> Dennis contacted a friend who is a board member about getting us a tour and free week at the Y. Hey, doesn't hurt...Dennis said he will take me whenever I want to go (it's at the other end of the neighborhood, and not that easy to get to). This helps a lot, because once my enthusiasm wanes, having a ride will help keep me moving. I checked out the schedule, and there is a class I could enjoy every night at 5:30 or 6, so I need to just bite the bullet and cross train! The facility is only a few years old, so I suspect it will be a nice place to be.


I like the Y--but we are at the poor Y in our area---for lack of a better term. I can't think of how else to describe it. Some people from our neighborhood go to our Y and some people drive further to the newer rich Y. I asked Mike if he could think of a better way to describe it and he said no. Basically, it isn't full of very blonde (sorry Nancy, but you know what I mean), very skinny ladies, who don't eat. It is full of people who have jobs, and work hard, and it is very diverse compared to other Ys in our community. We have a lot of people on assistance at our Y and a lot of special needs people. So when I first started going there I did not feel yucky and fat and like I didn't belong. I felt like I fit right in. But there are other Ys where I would have felt very intimidated---including the one that a lot of people drive to....So I would just try it and see how you feel. I love the Y cause I feel like I belong, but I think that's cause I feel at home at the one we go to.



mikamah said:


> *Rose* Glad you like your new Pt and things are feeling better.  That's too bad about the needle guy, but sounds like you need him now and need to deal with it.  Frustrating.  We have a new anesthesiologist at work who is a very agravating know-it-all, and one-upper.  Working with him yesterday with a doc who is a big biker, has done the tour de france, does a 350 mile bike trip in fla every year, and this guy says he goes further and faster, yada yada yada, but the kicker was when someone was talking about their neighbors house fire, and he says, my neighbor had a house fire, burned to the ground.  Really, you have to one up the housefire too?  Some people are so aggravating, but you just have to deal.  I tend to deal more with a bit of sarcasm with a sweet smile, maybe a little passive aggressive, but it makes me feel better.


Seriously, that is exactly how this guy is! Drives me nuts! I would listen to my headphones, but I have to actually do things during the treatment. And he's inflicting pain while I have to listen to him! So not fair!

****
Long day. We had conference calls yesterday and today about our big project. Bleh! Sometimes I wish I didn't go back to work.

My back/glutes were so tight today it was crazy. So I am not doing any of the strength stuff today and I am going to suck it up and go to pi-yo tomorrow. Something has to give. This is exactly what happened last time when I went to therapy. The more I work on strengthening the muscles to support the itband the worse it gets. I sat during the conference call today with the tennis ball in my back. 

I hope everyone has a good evening.

Kathy--when do you get the results???


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Hey Ladies,

Sorry I have been MIA, dealing with a migrane for the last 3 days on top of everything else-no fun. I went for a run last night while Jake's church youth group met in the same park, i managed to log 4.5 miles but it wasn't pretty nor pain free- Nancy- feeling your pain literally- don't know which hurt more the foot or my knee on the same leg, and i kept burping up dinner( sorry if that is TMI from a newbie)  


Lisa H- had not heard of the Zombie Running app- but I will check it out- sound just like something Jake would love

Kathy-Hope you've gotten the test results back and wishing for the best for Michael. My Dh went to a spin class Tuesday night and a woman from the class passed out afterward and went into a seazeure- pretty scary-

Rose- speaking of Aps Jake has one where you get to beat up a doll and such he lets me play when I've had a bad day at work- you could use it and pretend it's your needle guy

Is it the weekend yet? 

Dottie


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy* i like that *lisa* told you the most important smilies:  and  hahah!! 
sounds like the testing was more stressful for you than for mike. isn't that always the way? what time did you guys wind up going to sleep last night? early? i'd be exhausted after all that. hope the results come back quickly and the doctor gets back to you soon. 

*rose and lisa* after this knee pain stuff, i'm realizing too that strength is definitely something i'll need to concentrate on as well as stretching. i pretty much never stretch and that of course is not a good idea. i just don't think of it. i've been taking a kickboxing class on mondays and step aerobics on wednesdays. the class is an hour - we do the aerobics part for about half and hour and now the teacher is adding in weight training for the second half. of course i am only using 3 lbs weight but i can always build up.

*lindsay* i have to commend you on being a great parent. i'm sure that the teacher at ryan's school has been frustrating you. i think it's great that you came up with a plan for him with all the smilies. too bad if it is giving the teacher extra work! 

*maria* hope your day yesterday wasn't too stressful! which princesses did you have help you through the day? 

***
running out of posting steam. still kind of shell-shocked from yesterday. john's doing ok and as usual is seeing the bright side. we are working on a press release today to talk about how we are expanding the consulting business. 

on the plus side, john came home and was like, "let's just go to disney now!" haha. i wish! we are still going in may. everything's paid for anyway. knowing us, we'll cut back on everything...just not our disney vacations 

mommy and me today. supposed to be almost 70 this afternoon  depending on the knee situation i will do a little running or maybe just a nice walk. 

have a great day all!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

dottie - i hope you feel better. migraines are the pits.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, coming on here to say I am going to yoga today. It's regular yoga, not piyo. I am going, I don't want to, but I am going to go.....Where is the grumpy smiley??????

Dottie--migraines stink. feel better.

Nancy--that video link the guy posted on your itbs thread was interesting.

Have a good Thursday!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Oh wait, I just realized that yoga pants are usually pretty cute....at least the ones I have seen at Dicks Sporting Goods.....Hmmm, does this mean I need a new workout wardrobe? I am "planning" on doing yoga regularly.....that means I definitely need some new workout clothes, right? Anything to get me through the hour class.


----------



## liesel

Dan itbs update:

He went to the doctor yesterday and discovered the cause-one of his legs is 1/4" shorter than the other!  This explains why one side is stronger than the other.  I can't believe he never found this out before-especially since he did cross country in high school and was in the air force.  He even went to a running store and got fitted for his shoes, ran on the treadmill and everything!  Anyway, he'll need to wear an insert in one of his shoes to balance it out.  No PT prescribed, just the insert, icy hot, anti inflammatorys, stretching, and strength.  He was given some itbs handouts.  My scanner is on the fritz, but if I can get them up I'll try to post in the itbs thread.

So it turns out his doctor (who I was thinking of switching to) is anti running in general.    He thinks Dan should switch to cycling.  Apparently the doctor is into it big time, he even competed in the senior olympics in Salt Lake City.  Then he tells Dan how he wiped out on a training ride there and got a concussion.  Yeah, sounds like a totally safe sport.  Dan actually knows of 4 people he works with who have been hit by a car while riding their bikes.    A couple of years ago the then current govenor was hit by a car while riding his bike to work.  Cycling is huge here in Colorado, but so is getting hit by a car!  

I have realized also that I need to keep up with cross training too, especially strength and stretching.  I was so much better at this before I started training for the Tink half.  I've also seen how much it has helped me in a short time.  Maybe we should all try to hold each other accountable for doing something other than running during our week.  I know I could use some tough love in this area!  

*Rose* I hope you enjoyed the piyo class.  Yoga definitely needs a new wardrobe.  When I was going last year, I felt pretty shabby looking compared to some of the outfits I saw.  I was also coming straight from a bodycombat class, so I was a little beat up too!  I'm very picky about my instructors, I need one that I can take seriously and that can transition well between movements.  If the whole dark class thing isn't your style, have you considered maybe getting a video and doing yoga from home?

*Rose and Kathy* I loved the one up stories.  Seriously, one upping a house fire?     It reminds me of the Saturday Night Live skit they sometimes do with Penelope, who has to outdo everyone.

*Kathy* Our dog isn't crated at night and she does well.  Her dog bed is in the office, but she usually likes to sleep in DS's room.  We put the dog bed in there and discovered that she would rather have it back in the office, so back it went.  I just learned to be sure that there isn't any food left on the dining room table, being awakened by a crash at 3 am wasn't fun!    I hope you get your results soon and that everything goes well.

*Lindsay* Sounds like you are having nice evenings with the family.  My DIS time is limited too, which is why my posting is more sporadic, I don't check my email in the evenings either.  Its good to unplug.  Although I am so far behind on the team threads, I'm trying to lurk and catch up a little.

*Lisa* I'm glad your PT is going well.  I'm going to have to check out that zombie app too.  The kids are all better from that horrible flu that was going around so we need to get to training them for their first 5K on April 28th.  I can also pretend I'm running the Derby half with Mike and Rose!  Its very easy to overschedule kids here.  Their school is from 9 to 4.  Getting out so late really makes it difficult to have any activities, plus homework, plus some decompressing "just be a kid" play time.  We limit them to scouts and 1 other activity.  Luke has had to make some tough choices this year, he wants to do everything, but its just not possible.  It sounds like Robert is an honor student, even if its not "official."  And major kudos to him for getting up and doing a solo.  I so wish we could have the funds to do the W&D in November, we are still in a holding pattern, which is frustrating for a person who likes to have at least a tenative vacation plan a year in advance, so I know how to budget for it and have something to look forward to!

*Maria* I hope you aren't too chicken fried and can pop in and say hi soon.  Sorry I haven't posted more details about where we may be moving, I trust you all but am sometimes wary of the lurkers.  The offices that we are looking at are in Sacramento and Redding.  If we went with Sacramento, we would move to Davis, which is where we both went to college.  Its a nice town with fantastic schools and a community atmosphere that we will have to pay for.  Redding is about 2 1/2 hours north of Sacramento at the edge of the central valley near Lassen.  Its far away from a major city, which I don't like and much cheaper and the schools are comparable to here.  If we lived in Davis we would be 20 minutes from Sacramento and 1 1/2 hours or less from San Fransisco, which is one of my favorite cities.  Oh, and 7 hours from DL and 3 hours from Yosemite!

*Nancy* Lots of pixie dust for the consulting business!  We'll cut many other things from our budget before we'd give up travelling too.  I hope Mommy and Me is going well.  Have you made any more plans for the May trip?  Details!

*Dottie* I hope you are feeling better soon, I've heard migranes can be nasty.

*Jen* I hope you have fun this Saturday!  We'd love to see a picture of the dress, like Lisa said, it can just be a "flat" picture!

I had better go be productive before I go in to school to volunteer yet again.  Have a wonderful, magical, OP day!


----------



## camnhan

Good evening girls!
well, i have sat here and ate 1/2 bag of jelly beans so that should clue you in on my day! and I have a house full of kids..mine and both my sister so that is not helping!

Yes, going to yoga class on a regular basis absolutely requires a new wardrobe! I am sure if you read in the fine print related to the class that they say it is a must 

I have one leg that is longer as well...never have worn the lift they adviced (maybe that is why I have so many issues). You can really tell when I wear something fitted at the waist/hips because it looks like I hip is wider than the other. When I went through PT in my 20's they found that out when I was avoiding surgery at that point. Figured I didn't have a career in sports so never did have the surgery...kind of regret it now but oh well....

I have a pic of the dress on my phone...will get it loaded and posted here in a little bit if I remember how!

Really had wanted to get back to my workouts tonight but feel like I want to puke with all the sugar I have eaten...ggggrrrr....maybe after my stomach settles down.

UGH there went a crash...not sure if I want to find out what that way


----------



## mikamah

Good morning guys,

I just have been a little chicken-fried this week, and obviuosly not able to keep up here, but just skimmed through and am so grateful for all the good wishes and thoughts coming our way.  Michael is a little chicken fried too, so since our lovely tuesday afternoon after the test, wed and thurs have been just the opposite.  I think we're both just a little exhausted.  I hope to catch up on our rest this weekend, and catch up here too. 

I talked to the doctor yesterday and we are going to increase his med a little.  He takes 2000 mg a day now, so he'll gradually go up to 2500 mg daily.  His level was 16 and the range is 5-60, so there is room to go.  He said the eeg was pretty much the same as september, still indicative of the rolandic epilepsy of childhood, though his seizure pattern doesn't really fit that totally, but a good chance that's what it is and he may outgrow it.  I asked about the med he is on and is is a mild spike suppressent meaning it may suppress some of the pre-seizure spiking on the eeg, but not necessarily, and the main goal is for it to suppress the actual seizure activity.  He had 2 mini-seizures yesterday for lack of a better term, and I was able to feel his cheek during one, and I could relaly feel his jaw jerking, so even though you can't see it outward, it felt stronger than I thought it was, so it made me think it's a good thing to increase the meds.  These little seizure aren't harming him at all, but the more he has the more risk for him to have bigger ones, so that's why they want to suppress them.  

He did not see anything on the eeg that made him want to do another mri, so that's good.  

So that's the scoop here. 

Thanks so much for listening and all your good thoughts.  I promise I will catch up more with everyone this weekend.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Kathy* --    I would so much rather have work stress than child stress! You have been a real trooper, and we all admire you and your strength. I know you chose to be a single mom because you have so much love to give, and Michael is so lucky to be your blessing! I do wish we could literally be with you to share the burden on the tough days. I am just a text away, remember that -- I am more than happy to come sit with you when you have one of these days  I know your family is close by, but if you ever need an extra boost of friend support, I'm your gal 


Almost made it through this nutso week. Already told my boss I am out Monday, and she's good with that. This is definitely catch up weekend. I promise to have some fun posts.  

I am reading along, but can't comment right now since we have to leave in 12 minutes 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> I talked to the doctor yesterday and we are going to increase his med a little.  He takes 2000 mg a day now, so he'll gradually go up to 2500 mg daily.  His level was 16 and the range is 5-60, so there is room to go.  He said the eeg was pretty much the same as september, still indicative of the rolandic epilepsy of childhood, though his seizure pattern doesn't really fit that totally, but a good chance that's what it is and he may outgrow it.  I asked about the med he is on and is is a mild spike suppressent meaning it may suppress some of the pre-seizure spiking on the eeg, but not necessarily, and the main goal is for it to suppress the actual seizure activity.  He had 2 mini-seizures yesterday for lack of a better term, and I was able to feel his cheek during one, and I could relaly feel his jaw jerking, so even though you can't see it outward, it felt stronger than I thought it was, so it made me think it's a good thing to increase the meds.  These little seizure aren't harming him at all, but the more he has the more risk for him to have bigger ones, so that's why they want to suppress them.
> :



shoo, that is scary and exhausting and i'm not even living it. does mike feel anything when he is seizing? was he able to alert you to when he was having the seizure so you could feel it?  or you saw it coming? does he have more seizures when he is more chicken fried? i hope the increase in the meds will suppress all those seizures. it's great news that the doc doesn't want an mri and thinks mike will grow out of the seizures. what a relief. does the doc say anything about sports? he is ok to keep playing football in the fall?

well if you don't deserve a drink after this week, i don't know who does! well, besides me haha.

thanks for updating us.  you've been on our mind!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Worfiedoodles said:


> *Kathy* --    I would so much rather have work stress than child stress! You have been a real trooper, and we all admire you and your strength. I know you chose to be a single mom because you have so much love to give, and Michael is so lucky to be your blessing! I do wish we could literally be with you to share the burden on the tough days.
> 
> Could not have said it better! Kathy glad everything went well and that your comfortable with the decision to increase Michael's medication.
> 
> 
> Migrane has finally subsided, looking forward to a quiet weekend, hoping to get a 6-8 mile run in tomorrow then a trip to the running store for new shoes- hoping that will help the foot -as i am in despreate need of new ones.!
> If anyone is planning to do Wine and Dine let me know- I'm still on the fence since DH is working that weekend but I'm sure Jake and I could drive over to cheer you on- TOT is out because DH will be riding the MS Shore to Shore- from ST.Augustine to Daytona and back for the 2nd year, running is harder on him but he does the occasional 5k with Jake and I( I'm faster than he is too
> Hope everyone has a great weekend.
> 
> 
> Dottie


----------



## Rose&Mike

I just have a couple of minutes before I have to get ready for p-t. Yuck.

*Kathy*--I'm sorry they are still seeing some issues, but I am sooooo glad the doctor still thinks he might out grow it. All this stuff is mentally exhausting, so please take some time to do something fun this weekend. Remember, I am thinking about you.

*LisaR*--There are a couple of people on the WISH team with the leg issue. And I know at least one who has gone to p-t to deal with some of the issues from it and it really helped her. That's one of the things they check me for every time. My hips are out of line, but I think everything is the same length. Anyhow, of the two people I can think of, at least one and maybe both, will probably be happy to talk about it if Dan has questions. I can either send them a message or you could post something on facebook. I just don't know if people are ok with me posting names on here. Just let me know.

*Lindsay*--Enjoy your day off! It's today, right????

*Maria*--one more day!

Ok, out of time.

I have p-t today and I am going to tell them no more needling. It has been a stressful week here with some kid stuff and some work stuff and my stomach is in knots. And this is the only thing I feel like I have some control over right now. I will just stick with the more traditional stuff and hope it works.

I did go to regular yoga yesterday (I was confused) and hated almost every minute of it, but my back felt great yesterday afterwards. So guess what I will be doing regularly. I have videos, but the classes just seem to push me harder, so I need to suck it up buttercup and get on with it.

TTYL!

****Oh, and *LisaR*--cyclists get itbs too. It is common in runners and cyclists. That guy was very biased. Mike and I have some strong opinions about some of the bikers around here who hog the roads in the parks. Why would I want to pick a sport where a concussion is a very real possibility???? No thanks!


----------



## pjlla

mikamah said:


> Good morning guys,
> 
> I just have been a little chicken-fried this week, and obviuosly not able to keep up here, but just skimmed through and am so grateful for all the good wishes and thoughts coming our way.  Michael is a little chicken fried too, so since our lovely tuesday afternoon after the test, wed and thurs have been just the opposite.  I think we're both just a little exhausted.  I hope to catch up on our rest this weekend, and catch up here too.
> 
> I talked to the doctor yesterday and we are going to increase his med a little.  He takes 2000 mg a day now, so he'll gradually go up to 2500 mg daily.  His level was 16 and the range is 5-60, so there is room to go.  He said the eeg was pretty much the same as september, still indicative of the rolandic epilepsy of childhood, though his seizure pattern doesn't really fit that totally, but a good chance that's what it is and he may outgrow it.  I asked about the med he is on and is is a mild spike suppressent meaning it may suppress some of the pre-seizure spiking on the eeg, but not necessarily, and the main goal is for it to suppress the actual seizure activity.  He had 2 mini-seizures yesterday for lack of a better term, and I was able to feel his cheek during one, and I could relaly feel his jaw jerking, so even though you can't see it outward, it felt stronger than I thought it was, so it made me think it's a good thing to increase the meds.  These little seizure aren't harming him at all, but the more he has the more risk for him to have bigger ones, so that's why they want to suppress them.
> 
> He did not see anything on the eeg that made him want to do another mri, so that's good.
> 
> So that's the scoop here.
> 
> Thanks so much for listening and all your good thoughts.  I promise I will catch up more with everyone this weekend.



I didn't see you come back on the Team Donald thread to post about Michael's eeg, so I came spying on you here.

Sorry that he is still having some issues, but hopefully with the increased meds that can be controlled better.  Glad that the news wasn't all bad. He is probably feeling effects from the mini-seizures more than he realizes.  I wouldn't be surprised if it made him more tired, crankier, more distracted, etc.  I would definitely keep an eye out for unexpected changes in mood, behavior, school work, etc.  No expert, of course, just my "mom" instinct. 

I will continue to keep Michael (and his Mom) on my prayer list.  



Rose&Mike said:


> I just have a couple of minutes before I have to get ready for p-t. Yuck.
> 
> I have p-t today and I am going to tell them no more needling. It has been a stressful week here with some kid stuff and some work stuff and my stomach is in knots. And this is the only thing I feel like I have some control over right now. I will just stick with the more traditional stuff and hope it works.
> 
> I did go to regular yoga yesterday (I was confused) and hated almost every minute of it, but my back felt great yesterday afterwards. So guess what I will be doing regularly. I have videos, but the classes just seem to push me harder, so I need to suck it up buttercup and get on with it.
> 
> TTYL!
> 
> ****Oh, and *LisaR*--cyclists get itbs too. It is common in runners and cyclists. That guy was very biased. Mike and I have some strong opinions about some of the bikers around here who hog the roads in the parks. Why would I want to pick a sport where a concussion is a very real possibility???? No thanks!



Sorry that it has been a stressful week.  Hope everything is okay with Tom. And I totally get the control thing.  

It is hard to "suck it up" and continue to do something you don't really want to do, even if it is good for you.  But hopefully you can come to enjoy the yoga more as time goes along.  

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

Sneaking back into lurking mode!...................P


----------



## pjlla

Worfiedoodles said:


> Almost made it through this nutso week. Already told my boss I am out Monday, and she's good with that. This is definitely catch up weekend. I promise to have some fun posts.
> 
> I am reading along, but can't comment right now since we have to leave in 12 minutes
> 
> Maria



HI!!  Miss chatting with you!!  .........................P


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Pamela*--It was not anything major. Just growing up stuff. But we spent most of Wednesday evening on the phone with him. Me for a while and then Mike for a while. I just think you never stop wanting to "fix" things for them. And some things you just can't fix.

****
Just wanted to tell you all the pt went well. I told her no more needles and she said ok and that was the end of it. I was really stressed about it. I am such a people pleaser! Anyhow, I told her everything that went on this week and she had me do some movement stuff to see how much I could bend in different directions and where it hurt etc, and I think we finally have gotten to the bottom of this. I think the clue came when I told her how much better I felt after yoga. I have said for a while now I thought it was an issue in my glutes, but it actually looks like it is starting in my low back and radiating down. My range of motion in my back is not very good. She explained technically what else is going on and what muscles are being effected, but of course I remember none of it!

So she did a lot of back manipulation, stretching, heat and e-stim and it is sore from the manipulation but overall feels much, much better. We talked about some of the weight lifting stuff and she told me what I should avoid and why. It was a really useful hour and I am feeling much better about things. My back/glutes were getting so uncomfortable again that it was getting a little depressing. All the strength stuff I did before the Princess set the stage for all the back issues. But I have a plan now. 

And the best part--No More Deadlifts!!!! I hate deadlifts! It messes with my back which messes with my running!

Mike and I have talked a lot lately about the difference between training versus exercising (working out). And I have decided I am "training" which means in my mind that I will do whatever I need to do to be a better, faster, pain free runner. And if that means doing yoga and not doing deadlifts  and other things that may effect my running then so be it!

*Nancy*--this is why I want you to talk to someone about the knee stuff. You just don't know where it's coming from. Could be like Dan--and be the leg length, or could be a pronation/suppination issue or a back issue, etc. I don't think it should sideline you for long--I can run through it this time. But last time I felt like I had a sledge hammer in my knee--it hurt so much! And I don't want you to get to that point. I hope you are doing ok.

****
I have to work tomorrow (we have an event) and I worked last evening too, so I am going to veg out this afternoon. Have a great Friday!

Sorry for the book today. Needed to think some of this stuff out!


----------



## Rose&Mike

I was obviously too chatty the last couple of days, and I killed the thread.....


----------



## dumbo_buddy

You didn't kill it. I've just been too busy cryin' in my cookies to post. Got a Disney package in the mail today so that helped even though I cringed a little thinking I shouldn't have spent that money so frivolously. Oh well. 

The throgs neck st Patrick's day parade is Sunday. Definitely looking forward to that!

Feeding baby now. One handed typing is too much of a pita so will chat more tomorrow!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Without further ado, let me post the first installment in my Mini TR! 

*Friday, February 24th  Day 1*

My awesome adventure began when I got up at 4:15. The alarm was set for 4:30, but I guess I knew I would need more time, I always do! After the usual last minute additions and checks and a final look at the DIS, we headed for the airport. It really is 5 minutes away, particularly at 5:30 am.

I had no problem checking my luggage, and I was smiling because I wouldnt see it again until my hotel room. I went to stand in an unbelievably long line at security, where a supervisor announced that other than him, it was all trainees working today. And it showed. 

I finally made it near my gate, and detoured to pick up a $4 bottle of water. I got the big one, cause I knew I would be happy to have it in my room at some point. I was in the front of the plane, so one of the last to board. The flight was pretty uneventful, other than the weirdness of a family. The woman toddler and preschooler were in one row, the husband was behind them, and I was behind him. Every time the kids produced trash, she would pass it back over the seat. Im not exactly sure what he was supposed to do with it?  I got to use my Kindle for the first time for any length of time, and I was hooked. How nice not to have books to carry around! I will still read print books at home, but Im definitely a Kindle girl for travel now. My flight was 7:10 to 10ish, so direct and easy.

Arriving in Orlando is so surreal. The minute I step into the terminal Im struck by how warm it is. Steamy! I quickly made my way down to ME, and got in line for ASMo. There were a ton of single or small groups of women travelling, many with very little body fat. Gee, whatever could have prompted this? 

I erroneously assumed my seatmate for the bus was not running, since she had a 1-yr. old on her lap. Kudos to her! Mom was coming to watch the baby while she and her friend ran the race. It was her first, so we chatted a little about it and all the fun in store. I approved her strategy of heading out for the buses before the race at 3:15. 

We parted ways at check-in, where I was fortunate to have a very considerate cast member, who surrounded by 20-somethings she had checked in for the race, was impressed with my experience with life. I did indeed get my ground floor preferred room, but it was on the backside away from the pool. Very nice and quiet, but still close to the buses and food court. She even called to get my room changed, because she wanted to make sure I had some peace at night. Loved her! 

I went to my room and got out my hipster to hit the Expo. By now it was noon, so I should have been hungry but I was too excited to eat. I left the room and stood there, then went back to get by race form. Yep, someone had already been up too long.  Getting to the Expo was quick and pleasant. I mistakenly went into the Expo before the race registration, assuming it was like last year. I bought my new earbuds and took a quick swing through the Disney merchandise, nothing really caught my eye. I want back to registration and took care of that  confirmed, I am a Corral C gal!

Then I went back to the Expo. Nothing was really exciting me. I bought 3 bondibands in different colors (I wear 2 everytime I run to contain my thick hair), and a white singlet. Way too much was blue, and I also thought the designs were fugly. I could have gotten over the blue if the designs were cute. 

I left the Expo and headed back to ASMo, getting used to stopping at Sports and Music before because that will be my life. I went back to my room to lie down for awhile, my luggage was there but I decided I needed a nap more than unpacking. Apparently I didnt quite nap long enoughbut thats coming soon.

I got a text from Rose (oh yeah, texted her when I landed and I think they were getting on Star Tours  or something equally fun!), that they were in their room at AKL Kidani whenever I wanted to make my way there. Here is where I really messed up. I took the bus back to the Expo, and asked my driver where I could pick up the bus to AKL, since I didnt see anything around me. He said there wasnt a bus to AKL, and I had to go back to the All Stars, take a bus to AK, and then AKL. Stupid me, I was so out of it I just nodded my head. It made zero sense, but there you go. I finally made my way to AK, got off my bus, and I kid you not the sign changed to AKL. That was good, I was finally on my way to Rose and Mike, who met me with hugs and huge smiles. Our Rose looks so beautiful  and I dont just mean because shes fit. Even being glutened, she was shining with an inner light of good health. 

We took the jungle trek back to their room (seriously, this was in another zip code), and I got to marvel at the DVC advantage. Their balcony had an amazing view of the savannah! I cant even remember everything I saw  giraffes (babies!), warthogs, gazelles, etc. It was incredible, and really fun to catch up with Rose and Mike in person! We walked up to Jambo House and also looked out on the savannah there. This is a really magical place to stay, Im just not sure I could get used to being so far away from everything but AK. After awhile we took a bus to the MK, then the boat  to the GF. It took some doing, but we found the tail end of the DIS meet. Meh. Then we went up and had a drink in the lounge. Rose and I had a sparkling wine, and it was delicious! Really smooth, not too sweet, just perfect! Im already planning another glass for January, if anyone wants to join us! 

We walked down to Narcoossees, and had an extensive wait for our table. Seriously. It was so long Rose needed a snack to keep her blood sugar from dippingit was worth the wait, but I still felt bad for her. So, we had a wonderful dinner, with a perfect table for watching Wishes. This was a magical experience! Oh, I almost forgot I got to see the water pageant for the first time, too, so that was really fun. After our amazing meal, we took the monorail back to the MK, and hopped on buses for our respective resorts. I thought about unpacking when I got back, but I was totally beat. I was in bed pretty quick, happy and excited to be on my adventure and after a wonderful evening with two great people. 

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning princess buddies!  

Again, thank you so much for all the love and support this week.  I really don't know what I'd do without you guys.

I'm feeling better today.  I let michael have a friend sleepover last night, and know I might regret that decision later today, but he was happily entertained last night, and I relaxed and read for a while, so it was nice.  But I know he'll be tired later.  They fell asleep probably close to midnight and Poko woke them at 6.  Maybe I'll try to get him to take a nap later.  
We are heading to the park shortly.  We got a pretty little dusting of snow and the sun is shining now to melt it quickly. 

*Maria*_Just what I needed, a trip report!!  Love hearing all the details of your first day!!  Hope your week went well.

*Nancy*-How are you doing honey?  Did you eat the cookies after you cried in them or were they too soggy?    Hope you're hanging in there.

*LisaH*-What's this possible c2c this year!!!!  How very exciting!!  I hope it all works out that you can do w&d.  How fun will that be.  Hope you're week went well too.

*Lindsay*-I'm going to try and be more active on Donald, and track more properly, and get the weight moving again, too.  We can do it!!  

*Rose*-Glad pt is going well and needle man is history.   Oh and I thought of you yesterday morning after I posted I was chicken fried, I had that song in my head all morning.  :Oh I like my chicken fried, cold beer on a friday night", and all I could think was a cold beer would taste sooo good if I wasn't going to work at 8 am.

*LisaR*-That's too bad the doc doesn't seem supportive of dh's running.  I hope he can find another who will be, I'm sure they are out there.  

*Dottie*-How often are you able to get to wdw living so close?  I'm sure it's not ever enough.

*Jen*-Is the dance this weekend? Have fun!!

*Pamela*-Thanks for finding me here and for the prayers.  You know you are a princess too.  We'd love to see you posting all the time here. 

Well, Poko is giving me the evil eye since michael and his friend are outside and she isn't so I guess I'm off to walk the dog. 

Thanks for sharing all you crate routines too.  I let her sleep out of the crate the last 2 nights, and she stayed in the living room, til 5-6ish and she came in my room and woke me up.  Which is actually a good time for work days, but on weekends, she could sleep later, silly pup.  

Enjoy your weekends!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ah, trip report. exactly what i needed when i sat down to DIS. thanks maria! sounds like a great first day. i still don't get it though - there were no buses from the expo to  AKL? or was the bus driver just nutso? how annoying! 

kathy - i know poko likes those dog toys we sent but just be sure to give them the stink eye when she plays with them. stupid jw pet. i definitely "unliked" them on my facebook. i'm mature 

things are a little stressful here but not too bad. i'm trying to be super nice to john and do things that i know make him happy. like take the recycling out  i've been moping floors and trying to organize the house a little. of course, that means taking things out and now they are all over the place 

john seems to be in good spirits and he's got two meetings set up this coming week already. i have a feeling everything's going to work out. 

***

on a completely unrelated note - do you gals bleach your kitchen floor? i have linoleum and no matter how many times i mop it, it seems dirty. i was thinking bleach or ammonia? i usually use lysol or vinegar. i started getting on my hands and knees and scrubbing the heck out of it but i only made about 1/64th of the kitchen before quitting!


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> kathy - i know poko likes those dog toys we sent but just be sure to give them the stink eye when she plays with them. stupid jw pet. i definitely "unliked" them on my facebook. i'm mature


Funny you mention that.  I was thinking last night as she was going nuts on the lime green cuz ball with the feet that it was John's boss and told her to give it heck.   The blue and pink cuz with the holes is going to be your mother.  Let me know when Poko needs to give it a good chewing.


----------



## mikamah

Oh and my kitchen floor is hardwood, so I just use vinegar and water pretty much.  I don't know if you can bleach linoleum, would it kill the finish/top of it.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

I just scrubbed the heck out of those floors. Vinegar and hot water. Not bad what a little elbow grease can do. 

I want everyone to know I will be eating like crap this weekend. Monday I will be at the wagon station. 

Now I'm going to go eat a shamrock cookie.


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Rose- as the newbie here I'm afraid I'll be the one that kill's this thread, you are well known and loved.

Nancy- hard wood floors here too, plus I make my son scrub them as part of his chores when they need it- his knees can take the punishment plus he actullay likes doing it- go figure.

Maria- loving your trip report- more please

Kathy- I usually can sweet talk hubby into a Disney trip for special occassions, we went to DTD and walked around Boardwalk for our anniversary in Dec, and for Jake's 10th bday we did get annual passes that year which I loved but sadly was unable to get Hubby to maintain, we have been on DCL now for 4 cruises- but he said I can run any Dis race I want whenever I want and Jake even mentioned the Tink and he said maybe  won't be 2013 though cause I'm considering the Jan marathon for the full and definately the princess again.

Well, I blew off running this morning, my legs from the knees down just constantly hurt and I had to help out for Jake's run club. we did a special smoothie day after the kid's ran the mile timed trial . Jake shaved a full min and a half off the last timed run and finished in 7.53.
DH took me to FIT 2 RUN to get evaluated for a new pair of shoes as part of my birthday present. I choose the Brooks Glycerin 9's- how'd I do? Before I started seriously running I just bought whatever shoe was on sale,and looked pretty- so I'm hoping I didn't get suckered into a pricey shoe that won't do the job- I really liked how they felt so we'll see.

Dottie


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--I love your TR! You had me laughing a couple of times. You forgot to mention that not only was our room at Kidani in another zip code, but it was in the middle of Screaming Child Land. I forgot to tell them I didn't want to visit Screaming Child Land when I checked in. And the food at Narcoosees really was yummy, but dang we had to wait along time. 

I offered Maria some of my emergency stash, but she said no. The good thing about hangin out with me is that I am like a mom with small children now--I always have food--just in case.

*Nancy*--how was the cookie? The wagon will always be there. I don't think I would bleach--might cause yellowing. But you could try baking soda for tough spots along with the vinegar--it should fizz nicely. There was a bus from the expo to AKL, but the bus driver was clueless (as were a lot of other Disney Castmembers that weekend) and by the time we got Maria's message, she was already on her way. But she made it eventually. We told the giraffes that they couldn't leave until she got there.

*Kathy*--I love that you have a chew toy for the mom too.

*Lindsay*--how's that new phone?
*
Dottie*-- needle guy informed me those were the shoes he bought last week. I love my Brooks. I run in Ghosts. I think the glycerins are similar, but with a little more padding in the front which makes them a little heavier. Anyhow, I think it was a good choice!

*Hello to the 2 Lisas, and Pamela, and Dona, and Jen and Jude and anyone else I missed.*

*Lisah*--did I see something about visiting onederland in the next couple of days????? That is beyond exciting!

I worked an event today from 12-5. It had a DJ and was soooooo loud. My brain feels like it is going to explode. But I really like the people I work with, so it was good. And some people from Mike's work participated and I got to meet a couple of people including his boss, who seems like a good guy.

My back felt great yesterday. For the first time in so long. Sore today, but I am stretching and using the heating pad. I am actually looking forward to going back to therapy next week. Especially since no more needles!  

We are going to run around 6 or so tomorrow. It's supposed to be a lovely day.

Tomorrow is my favorite day of the year--time change day!!! So I will be in a good mood all day! TTYL.


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Thanks Rose, I did try the Ghost too but actually liked the feel of extra padding in the Glycerins- cant wait to try them out.


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Bells!  

*Lisa,* I'm glad that Dan found out what his ITBS is all about and can start working on getting over that.  Isn't it funny when doctors think you should do something, not because there is any medical reason to do it, but because they do it?   

I know the whole cycling thing is a way of life in Colorado.  Back in his Boulder days DH thought nothing of doing a 100 mile bike ride before work.    He was never hit by a car but did fall and wake up in some strangers car outside the emergency room.  The doctor also make him look at his wound 'cause he wasn't wearing a helmet.   

It will be fun to go to CA and see what might work for your family.  I know it is a stressful time but hope you can have some fun, too.  

*Jen,* was last night the night of the big shindig?    Hope it was a fun time and would love to see the dress.   Hope that your tummy is feeling better!  

*Kathy,* so glad that you guys made it through the testing.  Sounds very positive and like a little medication tweaking will move things along until Mike outgrows them.  At the rate he is growing, that will be sooner rather than later!    You are such a wonderful mother and I know how tough it is to be a one chick hen.    We're here to cluck with you any time. 

*Nancy,* thank goodness this week is behind you!   I, too, was very mature and unfriended JW Pet, even before your post.    I'm so glad that you are still going to WDW.    That is one of the things that we've discussed many times since the economic troubles came along -- we are willing to give up many, many things before we give up our Disney trips or DVC.  

Sounds like you got your floor clean.    Is it vinyl or lineoleum?  We've had pretty much every single floor surface.  They vinyl does get dingy.  Now we have the linseed oil linoleum that is holding up like everything.  I hate doing floors but since I got a Shark steam mop, it is much easier.  I use it on my wood floors, too.  Just hot water.  I'm pretty laissez-faire about it -- if I miss a spot I'll catch it next time.  You have to do your floors much more often since you still have people hanging out on them a lot.   

*Dottie,* glad that the migraine went away.    Another Brooks girl here.    I have two pairs of the Adrenaline GTS 12 and a pair of the Ariels.  I really like the Ariels but they are clod hoppers -- guess that is what I need!   Our *Rose* can run like the wind so the Ghost is perfect for her.  Some day if I get all my parts fixed I would like to try those or the Glycerin.  I love me some good cushioning -- I even wear really cushiony socks. 

Oh, I know I was getting close to being in trouble with the smilie police but 82 smilies!   BRB


----------



## lisah0711

Whew!  I thought the poof fairy had poofed me for sure.  

*Rose,* glad the PT went well and yay for no more needles!   Just think how strong all our cores will be soon as we work so hard on them!  

I got a bungie and a couple of new core exercises.  The thing that really gets you is you have to balance on one foot to do them -- they are called push pulls.  The push pull part isn't so bad but the balancing lets you know that your core has a ways to go.   

Is Tom coming home for spring break? 

I'm glad that you like daylight savings!    I will think of you when the day is longer today.  

*Pamela,* so nice to see you!    Glad your DD is home safe and sound.  Stop lurking so much and post more! 



Rose&Mike said:


> I was obviously too chatty the last couple of days, and I killed the thread.....



  Nope, I don't anyone could kill this thread for good unless we get up to our page limit which will be coming up later this spring.  I think it's interesting that I started this thread in early 2011 before the Princess.  By the time we got to 30 pages the race was over -- now here we are still.    We are also one of the top viewed threads on the WISH boards.  

*Maria,* I absolutely love your TR so far!   I'm totally ready for sparkling wine in January!    I like that cheesy water pageant show.  I guess we have to wait a bit longer for our ADR window to open for WDW Marathon W/E.  

*Lindsay,* hope that you had a great day off on Friday!  

*Dottie,* I'm considering W&D to get my C2C medal.  I'll keep you posted.  

I'm kind of feeling like I should just go ahead and get it this year if I can -- what if something happened to me and I never got it?    That would be a disappointment.  Although I have DVC reservations that would let me get my C2C if I could manage back to back halfs in January 2013.  

This thrashing around trying to figure stuff out is pretty indicative of the way I've been feeling all week 'cause I am sitting here so dang close to ONE-derland, yet not moving forward.  It is very funny because I'm not OP but not too far off.  No matter what I do myfitnesspal says in 5 weeks I'll be in the lower 190s.    So I think I will just get there but maybe not til later in the week 'cause it is cold and rainy and I need to adjust to the time change and think about stuff one more day.  

A fire will be lit under my tail very, very soon 'cause I still have 100 miles to go on that bike in the next 15 days so I need to get that done.  My DH who rides at 20 mph is almost done -- I'll be lapping him next month on the run though.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Time for another update -- these take so long to type, I don't have time to do replies at the same time...anyway, back to WDW! 

Saturday, February 25th  Day 2

Despite going to bed at midnight and expecting to sleep in, I was up at 7. I used this time to unpack, make friends with Stacy again , and start to centralize my race gear. I had tucked everything but my shoes into a WISH sling bag, so it was just a matter of getting it out and setting up. If you can believe this, it is the first time I ever did that (the pre-packing all together), and I will definitely do it again. It helps to know that my 3rd package of clif bloks is hiding somewhere in that bag. 

I got ready and headed over to HS  we had a late breakfast reservation on the Boardwalk. This morning the buses were running really well (may have had something to do with EMH there), and I was there very quickly. I took a few photos of a  sorcerer Mickey topiary, and let Rose and Mike know I had arrived. They quickly came out of the Studios, and we had a very pleasant walk to the Boardwalk. We had breakfast at Cat Coras, and it was fabulous! I had not eaten here since it was Spoodles, and I thought the menu was great. I had French toast that was to die for, I literally ate every bite on my plate. I wont go into detail about Roses amazing GF food, but I will say my fruit side was diced cantaloupe, pineapple and honeydew, and that was the base of her fruit side, which had gorgeous strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries. I probably sound a little jealous, and I guess I would be, but honestly, seeing what she has to go through just to eat, Im pleased they make an extra effort for GF guests. They deserve some pampering. It should not be that hard to have a Mickey waffle

After breakfast, I headed back to my resort to rest for a bit, and they headed to AK (I think?)  anyway, they went to a Park. First I went out by the pool with the Kindle to read, and that was nice. Well, it would have been nicer if I had had the energy to take myself to one of the quiet pools. The yellow jackets (they are actually cast members, but as annoying as insects), were out in full force keeping the constant pool games going. It is not a good spot if you just want to rest and relax. After an hour, I went back to my room and I laid down for a bit and caught up on some sleep, which was an excellent idea. My rest concluded, I got up and dressed for the 4pm DIS meet. I headed over to DTD, and did a little shopping before the meeting at the carousel. I was disappointed because I didnt find a new Belle ornament, and I usually get one each time I visit. Actually, there wasnt much merchandise that was exciting me. I ended up with a pair of large Mickey-head earrings, and that was about it. I think with the switch to a great volume of cheaply made goods, its harder to find something special. Not impossible, but harder. I was also disappointed because the carrot cake cookies I love so were not in evidence at Goofys. DTD was not turning out as I had hoped. I was really glad I did go back and rest rather than try to spend 3 hours before the meet hanging out. 

The DIS meet was a great chance to connect with friends I hadnt seen in a year  several of my Ohana teammates (Mel, JenB -- who brought her friend George, Rose and Mike!), the ubiquitous Tracey, Carrie, and also meet some new folks, like the funloving Dagny. It started to get a little chilly, and I was determined to be in bed earlier this year. So, I headed back to ASMo for a pasta dinner and an early night. After I did a final check with my race gear I set my alarm for 2:45, ordered my Stitch wakeup call, and I was ready to get a good nights rest. 

Every year I learn a little more about my pre-race day. I know I need to keep it light with little movement and plenty of opportunity to rest. Its just really hard when you are at the Mouse as infrequently as I am, you just want to do everything! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Yep, that was my day :

Time for bed. Chat tomorrow. Xoxoxo


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I wish I had more time to catch up but I am just exhausted...a good exhausted but still. EXHAUSTED!

Maria- I am loving the TR and it sounds like a good start to your trip.  Cant wait to hear about the race.

Nancy- I know everything will work out for you . 

Rose- I am so glad you are figuring out whats really causing the issues and that your PT is not only helping but also educating you as well.

Kathy- Yep we can do it and get back on the wagon together for like the 7ooth time.  Never Give Up!!!!!!  

Hi Lisah, Lisa, Jen, and everyone else reading along with us.

This was a fun weekend but there was not much down time and with loosing the hour of sleep I am just beat.  I was suppose to do 7 miles this wkend but I stopped at 6.  Not because I couldnt continue but because if I would have did the last mile we would have been late to my cousins bday party.  So at least 6 was better than none.  It was an awesome run today....I kept a 12min pace the entire time which is good for me.  It was beautiful and sunny and I had on capris and short sleeves.  It was like heaven.  Then I decided it would be a great idea to roller skate with the kids....and now I am sure I will pay for that tomorrow.  My legs are so sore.  But it was lots of fun.  The boys hated it at first because you know they thought it would be easy but they kept at it and by the end they didnt want to stop.  

oh and Ryans bball team won the championships if you didnt catch that post on FB.  He was thrilled.  I thought we had a week or two break but we got a text today saying baseball practice tomorrow.  and life goes on..............

Luckily we got his new cleats and glove yesterday.

Ok well I am off to bed.  Talk to you soon.


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> Yep, that was my day :
> 
> Time for bed. Chat tomorrow. Xoxoxo


  I think you needed it and deserved it.  Hope today is a better day for you.

Good morning ladies!!

We had a very nice day yesterday, did some house work, put the rest of the outside winter decorations away.  I say winter because Christmas sounds so pathetic.  Mostly snowmen, pluto with a wreath, and a candy cane wreath.  Oh so yeah it was christmas decorations.  I think in MA we have til Easter to put the Christmas stuff away. 

Then we took Poko to the beach for a while, she was so cute, but afraid of the waves.  She also liked climbing through the rocks but that made me a little nervous, so she and I stuck to where there was more sand while michael went on the higher rocks.  It was a beautiful day, and the week is looking just as nice.  When we came home michael went over a neighbors house to play wiffleball, and I did the grocery shopping.  Our neighbor was his football coach, and they are really sweet, and he had fun. 

So I have a house full of wagon friendly foods, and am firmly seated in it.  Summer is coming, I'm trying to think bathing suit season.  We all can do it!! 

*LisaH*-I am ready to bake that virtual ONE-derland cake this week!!!  I have all the calorie free ingredients necessary, and am so ready to go to the smilie page 2 for this party!!!!  You can do it, girl!!!  82 smilies in 1 post!! You are the smilie and sparkly queen for sure!!!  I say if you can swing the w&d this year, you should do it!!  There is no limit on the amount of coast to coast medals you can get!!  

*Maria*-Loving your report, and it brings back memories of our trip last year.  I didn't rest as much as I should have either, but it all worked out fine.  What the heck on the carrot cake cookies?  That is just wrong.  I hope you were able to find one somewhere else or a good substitute.  

*Lindsay*-It's been nice not having a sport over the winter.  I joke with michael and say dog-walking is his winter sport this year.  The baseball clinic on sunday nights has been good.  Congrats to Ryan the champ!!  It is so exciting to see them do wall.  Not that it's all about winning, but I do hope Michael's team is a little more successful than last year.  

*Rose*-Daylight savings time is great in the evening, but it was dark again on our morning walk today.  Actually I'll be able to gradually see the sunrises again as the days get longer.  I'm excited to come home tonight and be able to cook on the grill in the light!!! 

*Nancy*-I hope those sweet angels of yours slept in this morning for you.    How is the knee feeling?  

*Pamela*-You heard Lisa, start posting more here young lady.  You really are a princess, Princess Pamela sounds particularly perfect.  Rminds me of mr poppers penguins.  In a good way.

*Dottie*-Congrats to your son. Wow, he is fast.  Do you keep up with him when you are racing together?  That is great dh is a supporter of you doing disney races.  I think all of your husbands must figure out how much happier you all are when there is a disney race in your futures.

*LisaR*-I hope some of this warmer weather will be hitting you soon too.  I was thinking of the movie CIty of ANgels when you were talking about the biking and the beautiful mountain road she was riding on when she gets hit.  I wondered if it was colorado, but just remembered it is Nevada.  Reno or Taho.  I forget which, but remember Nicholas Cage getting into the truck now.  Where you headed, Reno, I'm going to taho, I'm going to reno.  It's one of my favorite movies.  

Hello to anyone else out there. 

Hope the sun is shining where you all are today!!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

mikamah said:


> :*Dottie*-Congrats to your son. Wow, he is fast.  Do you keep up with him when you are racing together?  That is great dh is a supporter of you doing disney races.  I think all of your husbands must figure out how much happier you all are when there is a disney race in your futures.



Kathy,
Jake is usually faster than me in sprint work and in the mile, His lonest race was a 4miler with me, I can take him on longer distances (for now) I even beat my DH when he does the occassional 5k with us.

Took the new shoes out for a test run yesterday for 41/2 miles felt good-foot and knee held up- going to the Y today to do eliptical and some upperbody workout .
One more week for us till spring break, I've already gotta start looking into summer camps and Day Camps for Jake.
Have a good week ladies!

Dottie


----------



## liesel

Good morning/afternoon princesses and belles!

First off, I have to thank *Maria and Rose* for the wonderful postcard from WDW, I got it last Monday and completely forgot to thank you.  DD especially loved it.

*Maria*  for the mini TR!  It sounds like you did a much better job of getting the prerace rest you needed, unlike me.  I was wondering why the "meh" on the Friday DIS meet?  I am especially enjoying all the restaurant reviews, I've only been to WDW once as an adult and didn't eat at many places.  I love hearing about all the restaurants.  I hope you are enjoying your day off today.

*Lindsay* A big  for maintaining a 12mm pace for that long, you rock!  Congrats to Ryan for winning the championship and I hope he enjoys baseball.

*Rose* Thanks to the Itbs advice, I think I'll check out the WISH FB page.  I think right now Dan is frustrated that it is taking time to heal, he really needs to rest.  He's being very good about his exercises and doing the heat and ice.  I think I push much harder in a yoga class too rather than a video, I need to find a class that fits into my schedule and be better about going.   on the 6.2 miles.

*Nancy* I hope your knee is feeling better.  I was off the wagon big time too this weekend and having a salad for dinner last night doesn't make up for it!  It looks like you had fun.   for all the stess and if I had JW Pet on my FB page I would have unliked them too!

*Kathy* Now I have beach envy!  I'm glad you had a nice weekend.  I think it was Lake Tahoe in the city of angels, I love that place, very beautiful.  If we move, it will only be 2 hours away!   to you and Michael.  I'm glad he didn't need another MRI and that you have a good treatment plan for him.  I really hope and pray that he grows out of the seizures.

*LisaH* Dan's doctor's story also ended with him waking up in a stranger's car on the way to the hospital.    Sounds risky to me!  I think I'll just stick to some cycling for cross training.  I'm so excited that you are almost in onederland!    I need to get in gear so I can join you!  That is awesome that you are doing W&D, a C2C medal is too tempting right now.  I know I am doing either the Tink or the Donald, we'll see which one.

*Dottie* I saw on the Princess thread that you are contemplating doing the full in 2013!  There are several people on this thread thinking the same thing, the rest of us are thinking the half is more our speed right now.    I'd love to hear if you have any more Disney races on the calendar this year.  My first half was the tink last month.  I am taking this year to lose 20-25 pounds, work on my speed, and cross train more.  After that, I'll think about possibly doing a full!  I would want to do either the WDW full or the Honolulu Marathon-I'd really have to save my pennies for that one!

Hi *Pamela!* *Jen,* I hope your dance was fun!


Another busy weekend.  We gave in and bought a dining room set that we have been eyeing since last summer, it was on sale.  I also love that it will help us sell the house if we move and we get to take it with us.  We'll have to eat ramen on it for the next 2 months and hurry up and get our taxes done, but I love it!    Its actually the first dining room table and chairs we have bought in over 14 years of marriage.  We've had my old worn out set from college all this time since we'd rather go on trips!  So no spring break getaway for us, but that's fine.  I'd rather save some money and see what's going on with our moving situation.

My BIL is a PT and high school athletic trainer and our family's guru for all things fitness.  He's on FB and starting posting daily living room workouts for his DIL at her request.  They are awesome!  They are very similiar to what Bob does on the BL, cross fit type activities where you time how fast you complete a set.  I'm going to add these to my workout routine.  Our niece is encouraging all her friends to friend him (she has over 500!).  I'm going to ask him if I can repost.

I have lost 1.5 pounds this week and hit a new low, back on track to onederland!  The only thing I did differently this week was to eat a more substantial protein filled breakfast and it seems to be working for me.  I just need to take the time to cook in the mornings instead of grabbing a vitamuffin or whatever is handy.  I added up all my calories from Saturday and !  I'm not going to have a day like that again anytime soon!  I hope you all have a lovely OP day!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

liesel said:


> Good morning/afternoon princesses and belles!
> 
> *Dottie* I saw on the Princess thread that you are contemplating doing the full in 2013!  There are several people on this thread thinking the same thing, the rest of us are thinking the half is more our speed right now.    I'd love to hear if you have any more Disney races on the calendar this year.  My first half was the tink last month.  I am taking this year to lose 20-25 pounds, work on my speed, and cross train more.  After that, I'll think about possibly doing a full!  I would want to do either the WDW full or the Honolulu Marathon-I'd really have to save my pennies for that one!
> 
> I have lost 1.5 pounds this week and hit a new low, back on track to onederland!  The only thing I did differently this week was to eat a more substantial protein filled breakfast and it seems to be working for me.  I just need to take the time to cook in the mornings instead of grabbing a vitamuffin or whatever is handy.  I added up all my calories from Saturday and !  I'm not going to have a day like that again anytime soon!  I hope you all have a lovely OP day!



I hope you all don't mind, I'm going to try to answer posts directed at me as I see them, I'm still learning who's who and this will help- otherwise I'll have to take notes to keep everybody straight

Lisel-  for the weight loss! Way to go! As for upcomming races I have a wish list and a must do list. I'm taking it one day at a time till I'm pain free with the foot so nothing scheduled but a must do is a 5k in June- the Stop Drop and Run put on my our local firefighters- it was my first ever 5k and I HAVE To do it again to see how far I've come- I've lost 40lbs since that first race- I had two goals that race- finish in under 35 min and run the whole race- I finished in 32.48 and ran the whole race( after the race I did almost drop it was June in FL), The W/Dine is on the wish list and if I don't do that one I'm definately doing the St. Augustine 1/2- their 10k was my first 10k and was such a great course that I'm anxious to do the half there( my 10k time qualified me for Acorral at the Princess)- it is the weekend after the W/D and I do'nt think I'll be up to doing 2 halfs back to back nor can my wallet afford to hotels stays- DH may have a stroke.  Wish list is the DW marathon in Jan2013- I'm just not sure I'm up to a full,(i'd like to lose 10-15 more pounds by then) my longest run ever was 15miles and that was the weekend before I hurt the foot though most of my running buddies who are much faster than I( they've done the Goofy) say I could do it. If I opt out of the full then probably the Donald and a must do in the Princess 2013 as this was my first 1/2 and I want to do it again plus by the looks of things all of you will be there and I so enjoyed meeting Rose that I can't wait to meet the rest of you all and run together. WoW that was long hope I didn't lose ya

Dottie


----------



## Worfiedoodles

You've all been waiting for it....Race Day! 

Sunday, February 26th  Race Day! 

I was up with my alarm, no problems, so thats always a good sign. Stitch and Mickey wished me a Magical Day, and I got dressed, grabbed my food, and headed for the buses. It was 3:15, and I practically walked on without any issue. I always feel a little out of it when I dont have a bus buddy, but it was ok. Before I knew it we were at Epcot, no traffic nightmares like last year. Going out at 3:15 does make a big difference.  I went to the W tent, but it was overset with WDW Run folks, not a WISHer in sight.  I went through security and headed for the front gate area by the port a potties. I found Mel, Rose and Mike and Tracey camped out. It was a little chilly, I was glad I had my throwaway clothes.  I ate my breakfast of TLC bar and banana, and enjoyed the pre-race banter. Carrie joined us after awhile, she looked ready to run. Oh, and Roses tutu was spectacular! 

Finally the gates opened, and we headed for our corrals. Rose left us at C, headed for her superior slot in A!  Mike and I were joined by Mel, Carrie, JenB and her friend George as we waited. Here is where I made my first mistake. Everyone was standing around chatting, and I did, too. The chatting was fine, but I should have sat because it was too long on my legs. I have to remember I am not in the shape these other people are, and I require other things. Its not like I would have felt out of place, Carrie was stretching quite a bit, and there were plenty of other people on the ground. I will remember that for my next race. The other thing that was so interesting about the wait, was they entertainment. They kept interviewing pageant winner ladies with progressively larger crowns. Seriously, some of those must have been held on with duct tape.  It is great they were there and racing. Im not sure I would have necessarily called it inspirational, but Im probably not the target audience. 

After 2 fireworks displays and moving up, we were finally off! Now, I knew almost immediately that I was having issues. I could tell I needed a bathroom, and I knew a real one wasnt available until the MK, but it seemed like a good idea to wait for one. So, I had a pretty uncomfortable start. I knew I was slow, it didnt feel great, but I kept moving. After a 6 min stop at the bathrooms in Tomorrowland (way too long, but needed), I was able to pick up my pace and feel better.  The rest of the race was pretty uneventful. I saw a ton of photo ops, and one new one was the guys proposing with slippers (or a tennis shoe!), it was really cute. I realized that I had lost too much time to make my goal of under 3 hours at my pace, but there was nothing for it but to keep going. I was kind of demoralized, but I did try to go as fast as I could. 

I finished in 3:03, and headed for a massage. I really lucked out, I paid for 20 minutes, but got more like 40. She just kept working on me, and I greatly appreciated it. I left and met Rose and Mike at the W tent. I dont think anyone in our little group had a stellar race, although for George it was his first Half and he was smiling pretty big! He ran in a lime green long skirt for charity, so kudos to him! My mistake at the massage was not to get a heat blanket. I got in the unbelievably long line for the All Stars, and I was so miserable. I got lucky in that Kathy, another Ohana teammate did not want to wait at the end of the line, so she came up to me to wait together. Poor Kathy had been to the medical tent, so she had a heat blanket. They werent giving them out unless you had a medical need.  It was raining and cold, and I was getting miserable. Kathy pulled out a poncho she carried through the race, and gave me her heat blanket. I was so grateful, what a blessing she was to me! 

We rode back to the All Stars, she got out at Sports and prepared to spend a little time in the Parks before she caught her flight home. I continued to ASMo, and found my way back to my room and a shower. I was pretty disappointed, and feeling really down. I know I can do a half in under 3 hours, but my last 2 did not hold up that result. Im crying now just thinking about it, it was rough.  After a pep talk from Dennis, LisaH, Nancy, and Kathy (our Kathy) via text, I felt a bit better. Dennis pointed out my splits after the bathroom were very good, and once I got over my issue, I had a strong race for me. 

Refreshed and feeling better, I headed for DHS. I rode Star Tours  for the first time since the refurb, and I texted Kathy I went to Hoth! She had to look up where that was, I think my geeky was showing.  Then I had something to prove to myself since I didnt manage the race in under 3, I had to do something braveso I rode ToT for the first time. Maybe my last time, too, but I did it! 

Thankfully by then it was time for the Beauty and the Beast show, where I texted Nancy and LisaH while I waited for it to start. The mammaries were out and about, apparently this is a great place for lunch for out littlest mouseketeers.  The show left me smiling hugely, and I did another trip on Star Tours, this time ending up at Coruscant (thats the planet with the galactic congress and seat of power, for those of you who didnt eat, sleep and breathe Star Wars like I did at age 10 ). I decided I was done of the Studios, and took the boat to Epcot. I was just too spent to walk. Once I entered, I made a beeline for France, and helped myself to a chocolate mousse. Delicious! I also picked up a dark sea salt caramel at the shop in Germany. For me, this is the only reason to stop in Germany

I decided time was getting short, so Id better head to the front of the Park. I rode Spaceship Earth, and then exited for the AKL bus. I had another long bus wait, but it was looking good. I texted Rose I was on my way to the big post-race dinner at Boma! I made it there and we were a fun group  Rose, Mike, Dagny, Carrie and her friend (whos name escapes me, sorry!), and me! What a wonderful tradition this has turned out to be. It was a great time for everyone, and Im so glad I had another chance to hang out with the group. I ate too much too soon after barely eating all day, and I started to feel a little nauseous (I have a feeling I also looked a little green). Dagny offered to give me a ride in her rental car back to ASMo, and I wasnt going to turn that down  the bus transfers were getting old when I didnt feel well. So, after a fabulous meal we all parted company. I ended up back at ASMo and ready for bed, with a plan to sleep in and then do some serious Park touring the next day. 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

A few quick replies...

*LisaR* -- The "meh" was because we pretty much missed the meet, after introductions the group broke up. The WDW weekend meets usually have 50+ people, so I'm getting used to the more intimate meets at other events. I normally know more people, too. It also felt a bit odd...I don't know, maybe it was me and my intimidation at being at the GF, which is pretty spectacular. 

*Dottie* -- We probably forget sometimes that we do sort of know each other. Don't be intimidated at all -- I still sometimes take notes  Last year Nancy joined us online after the Princess, and we just adopted her. Seriously, who wouldn't grab Nancy up when given the opportunity?! I'm glad you've joined us as well 

*Kathy* -- I had a carrot cake dessert at the All Stars, and it was not the same. Not the same at all. I want my carrot cake cookies back!  I totally enjoyed the sunshine today, out on my balcony with some citrus water and a book. It was lovely! 

*Nancy* -- I see you got an early start on wearing, um drinking of the  Nothing wrong with that! Dennis cleans our floors, I don't even know what he uses 

*Lisah* -- I can't wait to start making plans for marathon weekend! What a great time we are going to have! I think we will arrive Thursday, our exit is still to be negotiated. Dennis found out he can probably get a bib next year for Boston again, so he wants to do Disney for training. Works for me! 

*Jen* -- How was the big event this weekend? 

*Rose* -- Why are you such a fan of Springing Forward? I am an odd duck, I prefer to Fall Back... I had forgotten all the fun you had with the Screaming Mimis. Take the nap people, take the nap 

*Lindsay* -- Congrats on your little star athlete, how wonderful for them! 

*Pamela* -- I miss you! More Princess posts, please! 

*Jude* -- Are you doing Providence this year? Looks like we're going to be there, and I promise to actually make the DIS meet this time 

I ran 4M this morning, and then I got to go to lunch by walking around the International Seafood Show. Amazing. The City has a booth every year that Dennis coordinates, so he gets me in. It's held in conjunction with the New England Food Show, which is really convenient because they let you pass from one to the other. This meant that after my smoked salmon, fried all the fish food fest, I was able to end my meal with a butter pecan soft serve cone. We call this a date. Hey, it works 

I did a ton of  today, and now I'm going to watch Once Upon a Time and get ready for tomorrow. I feel rested and ready to go back. Ok, I could use another day, but of course the next application is waiting for me to get started. This one isn't as high pressure, and hopefully won't be too complicated. In any case, I'm not whipped after a Half and I have a better attitude. 

Have a great evening!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

waaaaahhhhh! i said goodbye to the 150s last week but saw it this morning (150.5). my own darn fault. why must i sabotage myself? why do i eat when i'm stressed? why can't i be one of those people who doesn't eat when they have alot of stuff on their mind?? 

somebody give me a kick in the a$$. please!! i need it 

i'm really enjoying maria's trip report. i feel sad though that both maria and rose felt down after the race. i guess we all built up the race in our minds, even those of us who weren't running! maybe when it's not your first race you begin to have a number in your head and make it important to meet that number. i can see that. i did last year's princess in 2:22 and i'm positive that my next half will NOT be close to that number (meaning, like, 2:45 or more). and even though when i start the race i will know that i won't PR, i will probably still be a little bummed when i don't. 

i haven't been too chatty lately. i'm sure you guys get it. i'm stressed out, i'm eating...no..shoveling food in my mouth, i'm pissed at my weight gain the last few days. blah. i went to aerobics yesterday too and sweat a ton and seeing that gain anyway really stinks. back on that wagon...again...

hey kathy, how about driving that poko down here so i can snuggle with her??? i'm missing my fiona right about now. we even have a beach around the corner that she can play at


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*-  Here's a big ol hug and snuggle from Poko.  She would love to come down there and jump all over you and your little boys.  Before I got her, I never would have know how much you would miss Fiona.  I wish we were closer so we could come and hang out with you, and give you a little a$$ whooping.   You need to get up today, and make a food plan, maybe just start tracking your food again, no matter how bad it is.  Writing it definitely does help you to eat less.  You have so many reasons to feel down and want to comfort eat, but you have so many more reasons not to.  Like Pamela says, you can not control all that is happening, but you can control your reaction to it.  .5 over 150 is not bad really if you had the kind of weekend I think you had.  You can see that gone on friday for good.  The wagon is here.  I am in it for a whole 24 hours, but we can stay in it together.    You've got a disney marathon coming up in 10 months young lady!!  And you are going to be at your goal.  It's a rough time right now, and you can cut yourself a little slack too, but I know you will feel better if you get right back in this wagon, and just hang off the sides on special occassions.  Hang in there.  Post more.  the good and the bad.  YOu can't be eating while your typing.  Though maybe you can, you are very talented.  But eat fruit, no crumbs to get in the keyboard.  

*Maria* -I am so thoroughly enjoying your trip report.  I am thinking I would love to come down to providence and cheer you on for the rock and roll half.  I remember thinking about it last year, but the rain deterred me.  It makes me a little sad too that the race was dissappointing for you and Rose, but I can so totally see your points.  And the bathroom needs are so not fun to try and run through.  Boma sounds awesome, but what a bummer you weren't feeling well after, but nice you got a ride home.  I am so hoping I will be living and planning the jan weekend with you all in person, rather than virtually.  I can't wait either way.  It has been a beautiful week.  It definitely feels more like may than march.  

*LisaR*-Congrats on the new dining table.  I am going to buy a new couch and loveseat today.  I'm not going to spend a lot, with the dog and boy, but am excited.  My couch is 21 years old.  I bought it when i bought my condo and my recliner and a half is 8 yrs old, it got it when i bought the house.  Both have seen better days and the recliner doesn't recline anymore so it's time.  

Hello to everyone else!!  I'm running out of time, but am ok with that today because I am not going to work.  Verizon is coming between 1 and 5 to set up fios tv, and I'll be saving 40$ a month and have way more channels plus dvr.  It was my short day, so I took it off.  I'll only use 2 hours vacation time since I'll have some call in that check.  My friend Karen is coming over and we're going to walk/run with Poko soon.  It is still so warm though it's a showery day, but I'll take it.  

Gotta run and get ready, but I'll be back while I wait for the verizon guy this afternoon.  Hope he's cute.

Have a great day!!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Maria -loving the trip report- As a newbee I had very high expectations for my first 1/2 till the foot issues then I reevaluated my game plan, but I know that come next year it is all business and a goal of under 2 hrs.  You only missed yours by 3 measly min- taken into account the potty break you had it! 

Nancy- No butt kickings here, only a  & for a better week!

Lisa H- Talked with DH about the W/D last night, and how I still want to do another 1/2 the following weekend in St. Augustine- He told me to do Disney we'd work out the logistics and if I'm gonna attempt the Full in Jan  that back to back 1/2s would be a good test. So I'm a definate maybe

Kathy and all the other


----------



## camnhan

Have not gotten a chance to catch up with everyone...am working from home today so am hopeing to catch up 

Dance was very nice! Have finally had a chance to upload dress pic





and here is one of me and co-worker....





there was a cirque performance which was really cool...the food was amazing..we didn't stay for the dance part as I had to get home to get kids off bus from show choir competition and had to work that night because of daylight savings time...

as soon as I catch up on all the posts I will be back!!


----------



## camnhan

LOVIN the trip report! Living vicariously through you  keep it coming!!

Hope the medication increase helps to decrease/stop the seizure activity.

 to everyone battling back from injuries 
Hopefully with spring being in the air it will be a fresh and renewed start for everyone!!

Long/busy weekend and the scale is showing it  that and the fact that it is THAT time of the month doesn't help....

I am one that eats their way through stress as well....dang those people who loose thier appetittes! If I get the chance to exercise out stress it really does work better but much easier and more convenient to hit the kitchen!!

Am home today to avoid work more than anything however hubby is home working on a school project  someone remind me to NOT stay home from work when he is home doing a project...what a crab!!!

Have not gotten back into the workout routine after being sick..really need to as I have 36 days till Disney and would really like to be down another 10 lbs! envious at all your dedication...I really need to get some of that 

well better bounce back to work now...and get some lunch...and maybe a nap!


----------



## camnhan

ok, so since I got back into my photobucket account to load up my dress pictures I was looking at some of the other pics I had saved out there...this is my altime favorite memory from Disney....we were treated to private time with Cinderella...Zach toddled right over to her and she picked him up...i cried and cried....


----------



## Rose&Mike

Bleh! I had a craptastic run today. Rubber legs, tight back, 80degrees outside (yes, 80), just poopy, poopy, poopy. I love the warmer temps, but I felt off from the first step and never got into a groove. And can I say I am so flipping sick of having to stretch and ice afterwards. It is now adding almost an hour to my runs. Around mile 3 I told Mike I just wanted to quit. Why is everything so darn hard all the time??????  

Ok, thanks I needed that. The plan for Thursday is to cut back from 45 min to 30-35 minutes. That way we can keep our speed up and I can finish without wanting to die. I really want to run the short workouts without intervals and it was rough today. A couple times I was crying a little. 

I'll be back tomorrow to catch up. 

But I did want to say *Nancy*--I so get the stress eating. I really, truly do.  I was the queen of stress eating back in the day. But I don't want you to beat yourself up later. Maybe try to "plan" your stress eating. For me the carbs give me such a whoosh/calming feeling when I am that stressed out. And then I feel like crap about myself later. So if you plan in a time during the day where you can have a little "planned" carb binge, maybe that will help deal with things a little better. Just a thought.....Hang in there.


----------



## camnhan

So Rose I clicked on your G--F journal and the first thing I read was 
" i am 43, married to a college sophmore!" 
guess I missed the word MOM!!

Had to look at it twice before I caught the MOM...


----------



## dumbo_buddy

well with the way rose is looking these days, she could definitely pick up a 19 year old!!!

*jen* love your dress! pretty! i think you look great!  hope it was a fun evening! and could that picture of zach and cinderella be any cuter? how precious! what a wonderful memory! thanks for sharing with us. brightened my day for sure 

*maria* i was at storytime at the library yesterday and chatting with a mom (she has a 3 year old, 15-ish month old and is VERY pregnant...ugh no thanks) about disney. they go 2-3 times a year and we were talking about going while pregnant and then with babies. we talked about the baby centers and how great they are for nursing....and then she said that she liked to nurse during the shows like beauty and the beast! 

*kathy* thanks for the nice kick in the pants. just what i needed. i logged every bite yesterday and then pretended that poko was around to snuggle with me. at the parade on sunday there was a guy marching with a baby carriage...except there was a huge bulldog in the carriage instead of a baby!!! john and i were hysterical and talked about how fiona would never have sat in something like that. 

*rose* carbs. my comfort food. but also what makes me feel so crappy afterwards. with the insulin resistance i have big time blood sugarbswings with carbs and i really have to watch them. when i want to just binge eat i don't stop and think about that. but your post made me. last night i wanted to shovel massive amounts of crap in my mouth. instead i had one low fat devil dog (whoops, that's processed, oh well) and logged all 160 calories of it. it could have been much worse. 

do you remember i told everyone that a couple we met a few years ago is going with us to the treehouses in may? they are going to stay with us for 3 nights. he's a retired cop and she's a court officer. they have a 21 year old and 16 year old. really nice people and disney obsessed like us - meaning love disney but have a bronx 'tude as well  we saw them on sunday at the pre-parade party (where we met them 3 years ago) and i found out that katie has celiac disease. we chatted about GF diet and disney and she said how much she loves going to disney because they really do a good job at having alot of things to eat. i talked about my friend *rose* who also eats GF at disney. 

*lisaR* how is dan feeling? sounds like BIL's daily living room workout/stretching advice is something we could all use! i would become a fan of his! nice job on the weight loss...onederland here you come! can't wait to celebrate with you (and by celebrate i mean eat an apple, not a cake!). dining room table?? pics please! i'm jealous of people with big enough houses for a dining table. we don't have a dining room. just one room that is living room/kitchen and then a bathroom and bedrooms. that's it! so small! 

*lisaH* are you going to stay at AKL for marathon weekend or book someplace else at 7 months? we are thinking about OKW - from what i hear the 1 bedrooms are nice and big and i think a relaxing resort might be nice for all of us since we're planning on staying for 10 days 

who did i miss? i have thomas leaning on my right arm while i try to type so i can't think. 

can we twinkle-think (yep, i'm watching sesame street) about marathon weekend? just pretend to make some plans. like...when are we all going to meet? will we have a meal or two together? how about booze after the races? by the way, i'm assuming we are all going so we can all plan  i'm trying to think of some witty things for the signs i'll be carrying to cheer for the half! i wonder what time i should wake up on the day of the half to be able to see everyone. i'd like to try to see everyone twice. thinks that's possible?? i think john and the kids and i might do the 5k. we can just power walk with the stroller. sounds like fun!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Bells! 

Went ahead and registered for the W&D Half yesterday.  Coast to Coast here I come!  

That means that when I line up at the start of the Donald in 2013 I will have done 5 half marathons in less than a year.  I think I am crazy! 

*Lindsay,* sounds like a nice week-end!   Did you log those roller skating calories on MFP?  Buffy has been having incredible calorie burns with roller skating -- maybe even more than Zumba.  Congrats to Ryan on his bball win!  

*Kathy,* sounds like you enjoyed your day off!     It looked like a really nice day at the beach this week-end.   Was that the hah-bah 'cause the water looked very calm? 

*Dottie,* glad the new shoes are working well!   How exciting to be doing back to back halfs this fall.  

*Maria,* I am so loving your TR!    But I am very sad about the carrot cake cookie thing.    I'm getting excited about the WDW Marathon week-end too.    I think we will be arriving on Wednesday and leaving on Monday.  And a big  to Dennis for doing the floors -- he is a keeper for sure! 

*Rose,* I love your bangs in the FB picture.  You always look so cute and happy in your pictures!    But I am so sorry about the craptastic run.    If anyone can work through it, it is you! 

Thanks to you *Maria* and *Rose* for the very cute Princess postcard.   It was such a treat to get it!  

*Lisa,* I got a big laugh out of the doctor story.    I would never think to transport someone in my car but this was in the days before the cell phone. I think it sounds heavenly to be close to the beach. 

*Nancy,* boo hoo on the scale but a big  and  for pulling it right back together.  It sounded to me like you needed a little  and at least two .  We've all been there and know you can get through it and back to you goal weight.  Lots of time before May.  

*Jen,* loved the dress and you looked so beautiful!   Glad that you had a good time!  Loved Zach's picture with Cinderlla!  

Can't twinkle-think until I came back with a fresh smilie count. BRB


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i forgot *lindsay*. duh.  i'm losing my mind  will talk roller skating when i get back!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Just a quick minute because I have to get going to a meeting...

More TR coming tonight or tomorrow night, promise!

And remember the big DIS meet for marathon weekend is always at 4pm at Pop on Friday. We will want get a Princess picture with all of us! This is where the dh's come in handy -- just one present and we can have him use all the phones and cameras 

Oh! Remember when I was totally crazed because I had way too much work for one person last Fall? The two big applications I was working on were both funded yesterday -- it's over $750,000, which will translate into housing and services for 40 chronically homeless persons coming online this Fall. We just increased the size of our low threshold housing by 1/3! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, feeling a little better today. Yesterday was rough. I was having a major pity party and really really wanting real food--you know what I mean--bread, pizza, etc. None of this rice flour crud. Oh well. Mike said he didn't know what to say when I said I wanted to quit. I said--tell me it's ok if I do, but that you know I won't.

And has anyone seen the new Toyota commercial? I do not appreciate them acting like g-f is a trendy thing and that it is insulting to people who have to struggle to eat g-f for health reasons.. I wrote them a complaint email and they actually responded.

*Jen*--Loved the dress and the picture of your son and Cinderella. It looks like you had fun.
 After dealing with my 20yo and his friends and their issues, I really do not see the appeal in younger "men". Plus at this point it's a little creepy. So nope, won't be looking for a younger version of Mike. 

And *Nancy*--weren't you so sweet to say that. I forgot about the insulin resistance stuff, so sorry if that was a bad idea, but it sounds like you did good last night. 

So is your friend that is going with you g-f? You will get to experience the chefs coming to the table if you all go out. Just make sure you take snacks for the kids. Cause while it is awesome and I am ever so grateful that they do it, it is really slow sometimes. And sometimes, I have to break out my own emergency food.

My *2Lisas*--are we going to have 2 onederland parties coming up? That is too exciting!

*Lisah*--5 half marathons is very impressive! I wish we were doing W&D. I really, really do. But I need to be a grownup and reel in the expenses a little bit. Hopefully with the moved start date, the temps will be a little better. Are you going by yourself? Maybe I could convince Mike I really, really just need to go by myself....Hmmm.

*LisaR*--very exciting about the new furniture!

*Kathy*--glad you are on the wagon. Sounds like you had a great day yesterday!

*Maria*--loving the trip report. I'm glad you thought the Boma dinner was fun. You did not look like you felt well at first. And I just felt so stinking cranky I couldn't tell if anyone was having fun or not. Congrats on the funding! That's awesome! Are you just smiling and smiling?

*Lindsay*--how is baseball? I rollerbladed/skated a couple of times when Tom was young. It was a very painful experience! I'm glad the running is going well.

****
P-T went ok yesterday, though I am afraid this is going to drag out....and I need to have a talk with her, because our hsa is almost cleaned out. There will be more money later, but I will be paying out of pocket for a while, and I really want to avoid that.

Mike and I are tentatively planning a trip in May for our 25th anniversary. A couple days in the Keys and a couple of days at Disney. We will drive this time. But the catch--we still don't know what Tom is doing this summer.....

As for marathon weekend---I have not cancelled the dvc registration yet. But we are both leaning towards not going. I'll let you know what we decide. I do love to hear about the plans.

And would you believe I mailed those cards before the race? It took forever for them to get to you all! I'm glad you liked them.

Have a great day. I am off to yoga! (Which I still do not like!) I went Monday too--didn't like it then either!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria--I said this in my reply, but I think this merits its own post. Congratulations on the funding! That's phenomenal!!!! I am really happy and excited for you!*


----------



## camnhan

So you have all talked to much about MFP that I signed up today since WW at work is no longer available here 
at it says that i should be eating 2660 cal per day there is NO WAY I can eat that AND loose weight...
I said I wanted to loose 1 1/2 lbs per week and would work out 30 min 3X/wk

I can't believe that is right...did I set something up wrong???


----------



## camnhan

i figured it out....it had me 11 feet 5 inches tall!!! ok really you would think there would be a warning about that....

down to 1200 cal per day


----------



## Rose&Mike

camnhan said:


> i figured it out....it had me 11 feet 5 inches tall!!! ok really you would think there would be a warning about that....
> 
> down to 1200 cal per day



I'm sorry it's only 1200 cal per day, but that did have me smiling. The nice thing about mfp, is if you reach the end of the day and you really want that gluten free beer at least it's easy to figure out how many times you need to walk around the block in order to burn those calories off and still come out ok for the day. Not that I know anyone who had done that.....


----------



## camnhan

I guess that is a plus!

Can tell you already I am wanting to go back to WW...my snacks of fruit and veggies don't count towards my points for the day but on MFP they do 

Going to give it the week and see how the scale turns out. Am hungry so just want to eat anything right now...snacking on grapes but knowing that I have to count those calories (even though they are a small number of calories) 

Should be interesting...


----------



## liesel

I'm giving MFP a try too, I always add up my calories anyway, might as well make it official.    I am also curious because I haven't done anything differently lately except for having more protein at breakfast and I have lost 2.4 pounds in the last 9 days.  I really want to figure out what is going on so I can keep it up.  Is my metabolism finally functioning the way it should?!  I'm trying not to get my hopes up in case this is short lived, but I so love seeing a loss!

*Rose and Nancy* Carbs is my comfort food of choice too, I prefer the savory over the sweet: pasta and a good crusty french bread.    I even occasionally have an Amy's mac and cheese for lunch when I am especially craving them.  I really have to watch my serving size for these foods.

*Rose* I was perusing the WDW menus and daydreaming of someday going back and I saw that there is an all GF bakery in DTD (babycakesNYC).  Have you tried it?  I was curious if it is any good.  Another thing to add to my list.  I get how the gf food does not taste the same.  You can get used to it, but it doesn't make it the same.  When we were at DL for the Tink we all shared 2 desserts, one was gf and one wasn't.  Having them side by side you could taste a difference, as enjoyable as the gf chocolate cake was.   to you for being so strong.  I haven't seen the Toyota commercial but I can't believe they would do that!

*Maria* I love your trip report and can't wait for another installment.  When I saw your time on my phone, I gave you a virtual  because I knew you really wanted to be under 3 hours.  I hope you still had a chance to enjoy the race despite the tummy issues.  I'm a little embarrassed about my time for the Tink, but I am dealing with it.  A few snarky comments from people who have never run a half didn't help, but hey, I did it!

*Jen* I loved your dress, I'm glad you had a great time.  If only we could all eat 2600 calories a day, we'd all be at our goal weight for sure!  

*Lisa* A big  for signing up for the W&D.  I am so tempted right now, doing the Donald instead means missing the C2C by 2 weeks!  I'll still need to wait and see.  Part of me wants to do the Tink again next year, part of me wants to do the Donald, part of me want to do the W&D.  We'll need to save and see where we are at.  We could do W&D as our 15th anniversary trip and leave the kids behind, but I don't think they would be thrilled.  I swear I'm doing at least one of these races!  How's the bike riding going?

*Kathy* I hope you enjoyed your day off.  I need to check in on our Donald thread more, I've been using all my time just reading and I need to pop in and say hi.

Hello to *Lindsay, Dottie, Pamela* and anyone else out there.

I'm back early from volunteering at school, 2 of my kids were out which shortened things considerably.  I've got 12 kids I'm helping with their reading.  Now to get things organized for my mom coming this afternoon.  I keep coming up with instructions to get the kids to and from their activities, so I need to write everything down for her.  We are leaving tomorrow and the weather here is going to be nicer than in CA.  They are having a huge storm this weekend, actually 3 storms back to back.  It started raining yesterday and will continue through Sunday.  I guess I can take my gear and see what its really like to run in the rain, I've never done it before!  I'll try to pop in tomorrow and say hi before my trip, have a good rest of the day everyone!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello Princesses and Bells! 

Congrats to *Nancy* and *Lisa* for making the top 10 lists this week!  Those losers better be careful 'cause the Princesses will take up half the list once we merge!  

*Maria,* a big  and  for the big grant coming through.  What a wonderful accomplishment and to be able to help so many people.  

I'm really loving the trip report.  From the pictures it looked like there were more folks at the meet that you guys did than the one on Friday night.  And kudos to you for being the only person wearing a WISH shirt at the WISH meet!  

*Nancy,* sorry to see that Thomas got banged up today.  Poor guy!  Poor you!   That is one of those things he will never remember and you will never forget.   



Worfiedoodles said:


> And remember the big DIS meet for marathon weekend is always at 4pm at Pop on Friday. We will want get a Princess picture with all of us! This is where the dh's come in handy -- just one present and we can have him use all the phones and cameras



Yep, we did that for the Tinker Bell meet -- it was comical how many cameras there were!  

*Rose,* hope you enjoyed your day off today.    I hope that you found something that helped with that pizza craving.  

I was fortunate that I have the DVC points for the Wine & Dine and have some money on my airline ticket I didn't use to Phoenix.  I just really decided I wanted to get my C2C this year if I could.  I spent a long time last night researching ways I could do a costume with lights but it didn't seem like too many folks did that from the youtube videos I was watching.   I was starting to get a bit of the "what was I thinking?" freak out but really I have a 5 mile race, two halfs and a 10K before that one so there are plenty of other things to worry about for now.   

*Jen,* you might bump you targeted loss down a tad so your calories go up to 1450 to start with on MFP.  I find that is alot easier to live with than the 1200 which I never seemed to make anyway.  



liesel said:


> I'm giving MFP a try too, I always add up my calories anyway, might as well make it official.  I am also curious because I haven't done anything differently lately except for having more protein at breakfast and I have lost 2.4 pounds in the last 9 days.  I really want to figure out what is going on so I can keep it up.  Is my metabolism finally functioning the way it should?!  I'm trying not to get my hopes up in case this is short lived, but I so love seeing a loss!!



Congrats on the loss!    Have a wonderful time in CA.  Take a couple of trash bags to run in case it is raining so you don't have to use one of your Disney ponchos.  Not that I've ever done such a thing but I've read it works great.  

The biking is coming along slowly.  I have it all planned out so I know I will make it.  It will be more enjoyable now that my trainer told me about training runs you can do on the bike so I can ride through Seattle, by the beach, etc. while I ride.    Yesterday I rode through Joshua Tree and Death Valley.  

I think that you should do the Donald for sure no matter what but a C2C would be very cool, too.    I would totally love to have another post race picture with you this year!  

Hello to *Dottie* and *Lindsay* and any of our lurker princesses! 

Okay, I'm ready to twinkle-think -- who wouldn't be?   

I think that I will be doing the usual arrive on Wednesday, leave on Monday thing in January.  I can't get my folks excited about a June WDW trip so I'm thinking the January will be another solo trip, which is totally fine.  I'm booked at AKV Jambo house but will probably try to switch at 7 months.  OKW sounds good to me.  

I'm so glad that *Maria* has scream team experience so she can show us the ropes.  I'm also glad that she can use her wonderful way with words for some catchy signs.   

Besides the races, of course, the big WISH meet on Friday is a must do for me.  I've wanted to do one of those meets ever since I became a WISHer.  Maybe we can carpool or share a cab or something 'cause I really don't want to do the bus ride to he!& thing again EVER.   

I'm thinking that we will have to have at least one dinner where we get to consume adult beverages.    And, of course, as you say *Maria* a Princess pic is a must do!  

Have a great evening ladies!


----------



## lisah0711

Oh, and if I hang onto my number I might be having something a bit exciting to say tomorrow. . .   Come on, *Lisa,* are you going to join me before you head off to sunny CA?


----------



## camnhan

lisah0711 said:


> Oh, and if I hang onto my number I might be having something a bit exciting to say tomorrow. . .   Come on, *Lisa,* are you going to join me before you head off to sunny CA?



CAN'T WAIT FOR THE MORNING REPORT!!

So it was a gorgeous day here today and I was way to busy to enjoy it...other than taking the kids to DQ for dinner before CCD tonight  Milk is healthy!!! Should be doing Ripped in 30 but here I sit 

YEAH on the funding!! WAY TO GO!!! Your Amazing!!

W&D race...I would love to do that...well at least the W&D part 

Guess what came today??? MICKEY MAIL!!! I am soooooooooo excited! Of course I think all that was in it was the magical express tickets. We have never book outside a travel agent before...and booked a friends points..so should I expect more? Will I get anything more about our reservations? The number is in the system because it shows up on the disney reservation site....35 days and counting


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lisa-*-not trying to jinx anything, but I am so excited....ok shhhhhhh, waiting until tomorrow....

*Dottie and Jen*--we are all on facebook. Let me know if you want to friend me. 

*LisaR-*-Have fun in California!!! I am really excited for you. I have been to Babycakes. And it is pretty good. The cupcakes are good--very small. I am having an "I want real food pity party this week".  But my stomach is feeling better again and some of the mild symptoms I'd been having after the issues last month are finally going away. So time to put on my big girl pants and suck it up.

****
Now you all are making me sad that I might not be there in January....well not sad, no sad. But it's cold---having trouble getting past that one....I haven't cancelled the ressie yet....


----------



## liesel

*Lisa* I won't make it by tomorrow, I'm at 204.4 right now, but I'm getting there.  I just need to make it through this trip and TOM first.  I'm so excited for you, I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!    I know I don't usually use too many smilies, but I'll go crazy with them soon!

*Maria* I forgot to say congrats on your funding, that's so awesome!

*Rose* You could always do the half instead of the full on marathon weekend...

*Nancy* Dan is doing better, working below the threshold of pain and he is good about his stretching.  How is your knee doing?  I'm sorry about poor Thomas' fall today.

No PT updates from my BIL for now, his father passed away last night.  I may repost and do a workout from last week.  Dan will be calling his sister tonight to see how they are doing, so sad.  Our nephew's wedding that we went to in CA in October was his grandkid, I'm glad he got to see both his grandkids get married.

Off to put away  and get ready for the busy weekend.


----------



## mikamah

OMG, I have to leave in 10 minutes and *LisaH* hasn't posted yet!!  I hope I'll come home after work and be able to join the Onederland party!!!!

*LisaR*-Hope you have a great trip, see all you need to see and have a little fun too.

*Maria*-Congrats on the funding!  What a relief that must be for you.  Were you affected by the blackout at all.  I'm guessing not since you were posting, but how about the smoke?  It looksed awful.  Thanks for the card.  You are so sweet.  I need to be better with cards.  I have a box of cards I've never sent. 

*Rose*_I'm feeling a little sad about january to, and it's really motivating me to make it happen.  I'm thinking I'll put most of my tax refund away, except for what will pay for the furniture, and if it's all still there by sept, seriously think about going.  My car will be paid off in sept, so the 300 dollars for the next 4 months could pay for disney.  I so want to goooooo toooo!!!!  

*Nancy*-I like your thinking.  After race drinks are a big priority.  I'm up for them even if I don't race.

Hello to everyone else!!  Gotta run this morning.  I may have to take a quick illegal look from work to check on Lisa.  I hope they haven't blocked the dis yet.

Have a great day!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

To tide us over while we wait for *LisaH*, another short installment...

Monday, February 27th  Day 4 Part 1 Epcot

My plan today was to enjoy both Epcot and MK. MK had evening EMH until 1am, so I started at Epcot. It was just me and a family on the ride over, and the wife was about 6 mos pregnant. They had signed up for the Princess , but then they got pregnant quicker than they thoughtanyway, we were chatting about the race and how much fun it is. That helped me put it in perspective. 

I was in line for the Opening Ceremony, and I caught one of the streamers they shot out. I passed it back to a little girl who had caught the end. I made it through the turnstiles, and I was off! 

My strategy was to start at the Land. I grabbed a fast pass for Soarin, and then the line was so short, I rode it, too. Then I headed over to Test Track. Again, no line, on I went. I finished the trifecta with Mission Space (orange, of course!). And then pausedI walked up to Ellens Energy Adventure, but I still cant bring myself spending 45 minutes on a ride no one says is worth it, so it will have to remain a mystery to me. I rode Spaceship Earth again, I love trying out the various futures. I had some time, so I went back to the Land and rode the produce tour. I like it. For some reason I got off Living with the Land and I was starving! I ended up eating an entire bounty breakfast from sunshine seasons.  On the bright side it was 11:30, so that pretty much counted as lunch. Then I rode Soarin again. I decided to visit Nemo, as usual I was amazed at the stroller collection outside the pavilion.  Then I remembered we used to spend every Saturday morning at the NE Aquarium when Ben was a toddler 

By this time, the World Showcase was opening! I didnt have any interest in our neighbors to the North, so I walked back to Italy and started forward. I enjoyed the Italian statues, and thought about another stop in Germany, but I just wasnt feeling it.  I went to China and bought a 3-bag cosmetic set. Now I have something that was made in China. I know you are all jealous.  I rode the Maelstrom and the River of Caballeros (yes, that is what I call it), and then back to the front. 

Time to head back to AsMo for little rest. No issues with buses this time, and I was able to relax and have a quick read/nap. I probably should have napped longer, but it was hard enough to make myself take this rest. Next it was off to the MK! 

Maria


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Morning Ladies

Lisa H not so patiently waiting for your post- is there a foot tapping smilie?lol
I am almost 85% ready to commit to the W/D - I think I'm gonna drive over to Orlando Friday for Packet pickup but only stay the night Saturday- most likley at Carribean Beach unless they add POR as a host hotel. I'll keep you posted.

Rose - I am on FB -I'll pm you.

Nancy -hope Thomas is ok, I remember when Jake was only 4 he took a bad fall off the bar stool- I was a wreck, he only suffered a deep bruise,  now that he is older its not much easier, last yr he suffered a fractured wrist and a fractured shoulder- on two seperate occassions this is what mom's of boys have to deal with.

Maria- more trip report please and a big congrats to you!

Hi Kathy, Jen and anyone I may have missed.


Well last night I went out with my road bike for the first time with a WOWgroup (women on wheels) small group of 4 -which kind of made it worse since they all knew and rode with each other and I again was the newbee. I survived the 19 miles and kept up for the most part but boy was I spent at the end- I'll give it a few more trys but I'm not sure cycling is my thing-I'm trying so that DH and I can ride together- he's making an effort to run with me so the least I can do is try and bike with him.  Jake has TKD testing tonight and although he is not moving up in rank- he has to wait till fall when he'll go for his black belt -he is receiving a promotion to Jr. Training Instructor- shhhh he doesn't know yet. Proud MOM here!


talk to you all soon

Dottie


----------



## lisah0711

For the first time in over 20 years, I am happy to report I am now officially in
*ONE-DERLAND! *


I'll be back with more but I was feeling bad since I'm not on until 5:15 am and missed *Kathy*.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Let's Get This OnderLand Party Started! I am so Proud of You!!! Congratulations, you earned this!   

Maria


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

lisah0711 said:


> For the first time in over 20 years, I am happy to report I am now officially in
> *ONE-DERLAND! *
> :jumping:
> 
> I'll be back with more but I was feeling bad since I'm not on until 5:15 am and missed *Kathy*.[/QUOTE
> 
> I would have added more smilies but stupid computer wouldn't let me go to page 2.
> 
> Dottie


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lisa--that is too exciting!!!! I am so very, very happy for you!!! Can't even come up with words to say how excited I am for you!!! You have worked so hard, and stuck with it!!!!*--*Congratulations!!!!!*


----------



## lisah0711

Thanks, *Maria and Rose!*   It is almost surreal still even though the number has been around a couple of days now.    I thank you all so very, very much for your friendship and support -- I would never have made it this far without each and every one of you! 

*Jen,* you don't get a bunch of stuff from DVC, just your ME stuff and your confirmation printout.  They will give you stuff when you check in.  I think Disney is cutting back on a lot of what they give away.  Now instead of sending you a DVD, they let you put together your own custom video and they email it to you.  Mine is 2 1/2 hours long 'cause I picked everything, of course. 

And once you and *Dottie* friend one of us on FB, then the rest of us will spot you and connect.  



Rose&Mike said:


> Now you all are making me sad that I might not be there in January....well not sad, no sad. But it's cold---having trouble getting past that one....I haven't cancelled the ressie yet....



I think it is fair to say that we are all sad to think that you might not be joining us in January, even though we totally understand why.    I for one am still keeping my fingers crossed that it might work out some how, even if you don't run.  Boy, that would be a toughie but maybe not as hard as staying home while we were all there.  We love you and will totally support whatever you decide.  

*Lisa,* safe travels and you will be joining me here in ONE-derland very, very soon once you return.  So sorry to hear about your BIL's father.  I will be looking forward to more updates 'cause it won't be too long until I can do them again.  They look like great cross training.  

*Kathy,* I am so sorry I slept in to 5:15 a.m. today.    I'm just not used to the time change yet.  I sent you a little text so hopefully you will see that.  You'll be here, too, in no time!    It's amazing what a psychological barrier that 200 number is.

*Maria,* sounds like a wonderful day at the Epcot.    You will have to try Ellen at least once on a hot day or when you are trying to get out of the rain.  And orange on Mission Space.   I'm a green=go girl myself.  

*Dottie,* if you do decide to do W&D, I can pick up your packet for you on Friday.  I picked up a friends packet at the Tinker Bell and it was as easy as could be and they even returned the copy of the id to me so I could destroy it.  That would save you time and gas.  Keep that in mind.    Congrats to Jake! 

*Nancy,* hope that Thomas is okay today! 

*Lindsay,* you're still burning up the calories on MFP! 

I have a new running schedule now that takes me all the way through the Donald!  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## lisah0711

Thank you, *Dottie,* too!   You snuck in a post while I was typing.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

CONGRATS LISA:

I am so very proud of you and very excited for you.  You have worked so hard and have never given up.  I am so inspired!!! You are amazing


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Ladies!!!!!!

Jen- Loved the dress you picked and you looked great in it.  The pic with Cindy and your son is adorable.  Woohoo on being 34 days away from disney.

LisaH and Dottie- That is great that you registred for the W&D hopefully you will be able to meet up with each other.

Maria-  Congrats on the funding that is amazing for so many reasons.  You rock girl and should be so proud of the job your doing.

Rose- An anniversary trip in may sounds great especially getting in some beach time too.  I was laughing about your yoga comments.  I hope it eventually grows on you.  I am not a fan either.  oh and I didnt see the toyota commercial yet but what did they say in response to your email?

Lisa- Have a great trip.  I cant believe the weather.  I hope it turns out to be nicer than expected and running in the rain (warm rain) is great.

Nancy- Twinkle thinking  thats cute.  I will assume If I go, I will get there early thursday and leave monday.  I would like to stay at CBR again but the budget might be happier if I do POP.  I would definitely plan to be at the wish meet and also be there on sunday cheering on our Nancy and the other marathoners.  I think if I go my Aunt will come along but since the last time we squeezed in alot this time I would make it more relaxing and about the race.  I am considering if I cant do Jan I may try to do the princess again but it all still is up in the air.

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

Wow its been a busy week.  I cant believe it is thursday already.  I have been enjoying this wonderful weather we are having.  We have been at the park every night hence the reason I have not been on here much.  I have been very active but my eating is just not as good as it should be so I have been maintaining up a lb or 2 down a lb or 2.  I need to figure out something to get me jump started again because I need to keep going down.

Baseball was awesome and our team is great.  We have a great group of kids and parents and the coaches are wonderful so we are happy.  It is night and day from the basketball league we were just a part of.  I think I had as much fun at practice as Ryan did.  He is super into it and I feel like it has added some pep in his step.

I hope you all are having a great week.  Talk to you soon


----------



## liesel

Congratulations Lisa!!!  I am so excited for you!  I'm a little late to the party!

Smilie party time!

   

 You 

 This one's from my dog!

See, I'm really excited, I went to page 2!

I'm slowly working my way towards you, 203.9 today, 4 pounds to go!

I need to get going and finish getting ready for this trip.  I'm going to miss the kids so much, as much as I love my alone time with Dan.  Have a fantastic weekend everyone!


----------



## camnhan

YEAH LISA!!! 


ITS ALL DOWNHILL FROM THERE!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

WAAAHHHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!



way to go lisa!!!


----------



## mikamah

ONE-DERLAND!!!!!!

Lisa, my friend, I am so very, very happy and proud of you.  I am ready to party and get on the train to Onederland with LisaR and join the rest of you all!!  
         

    Here's the fat free, calorie free Onederland party cake I promised you.  It's a little small, so Hippie you and your Tinkerbell Pirate friend can enjoy it together.  



So excited for you.  Your text made my day.  I'm so glad I heard my phone in my locker beep when I was at lunch and got your text!!  You ROCK!!!!


----------



## mikamah

And the rest of the party!!  Can't be too many smilies for the smilie queen of ONderland!!!
arty:      

   

  XO from POKO and Michael!!!!!


----------



## mikamah

I just went back and read your post, *Lisa*, and hadn't realized it had been over 20 years!!  That deserves a few more whoo hoos!!!!
 

 So very happy for you!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok i really don't mean to be a debbie downer but lots of crappy stuff is taking up my DIS time! grrr!! waaaahhh!!!

john got the...ehem...snip snip...yesterday right about the time that poor thomas fell off a chair (he was standing on it! bad!) and clipped his chin on the corner of a table.  after taking thomas to the doctor where they steri-strip (*kathy*, help me out, is that what it's called?) his chin i had to drive downtown with the boys to pick john up. that was a big pain. after we got home i received the news that my aunt mary's dad passed away that morning. we were really close with him so that really stinks. 

anywho, it's taken me 3 hours to write this post and i have to go feed the baby...again!!

love you all to pieces xoxoxo


----------



## mikamah

Aw, *Nancy*, big hugs and love coming your way.  They are called steristrips, and they will just loosen and fall off on their own, or Thomas will hopefully leave them alone for a few days at least.  Sorry about your aunt's dad.  When it rains it pours, doesn't it.   How is John feeling?  I hope he's doing ok.  I'll share a funny story about an old friend of mine and her husband when he had his.  She worked in an open heart unit at the time, and after his, he was such a baby and she was so impatient with him, and she said at one point something like, "for crying out loud, people who have open heart surgery are moving around quicker than you are."
Some men are just babies.  I hope John isn't because I'm sure it won't be easy to have lots of patience this week.  Hang in there hon.  Look at those beautiful little boy faces, give them lots of hugs and kisses and they will help you through.

I'm also plagued by the not enough dis-time bug this week.  I'm working 8-430 again today, so while I love coming home an hour early, I do miss my morning dis/coffee time.  

Hello to everyone else!!  TGIF!!!  Looking like another warm weekend here!!!

Have a fabulous friday!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Bells!  

Thank you all so very, very much for the wonderful ONE-derland celebration!  

It is still very surreal and I'm working very hard to get down a bit more because I want to stay here on ONE-derland.  Plus when I get down to 186 I will be at the top of overweight and no longer obese -- that is a good goal to work towards next. 

I know I did the work but you guys were here and helped support all along, even when I was whiny, crabby and wanted to give up.  And that is why after 20 years I was finally successful, 'cause I have my WISH, and especially my Princesses, to help me.  

*Lindsay,* do you do any of that Japanese curvy hip dancing in your Zumba class?  It was on FB through Runners World that one of the Japanese Olympians was swearing by it.  It's supposed to be very good for your hips, waist and bottom.   Good job taking advantage of the nice weather and getting outside! 

*Lisa,* safe travels!  Thanks for the !   Your dog is super cute.    Have a wonderful time in CA and enjoy every minute with your DH.  Yes, your children will miss you, too, but they will be having so much fun their grandparents that it won't last long.    I'm ready for your ONE-derland party soon, too!  

Probably reached the smilie limit by now . . . BRB


----------



## lisah0711

*Jen,* thanks for the congrats!  I like your comment about it all being downhill from here!  

*Nancy,* thanks for your congrats, too!  I'm sorry that times are so tough at your house lately.    It's going to get better soon.    Your guys sure are banged up this week.  I realize it is a big deal to have things done with your manly parts but I agree with Kathy they don't seem to take it in stride like women do.  How about a spa treatment at WDW for Mother's Day?  

*Kathy,* thanks for the congrats and tell Mike and Poko the same! :thankyou:  I've got everything ready for you here.  Come on in -- the water is fine!   I felt so bad when I got on at 5:15 a.m. and knew you were already at work -- glad it was okay to text you.  This time change is messing with my early morning rising.

*Rose,* how are you feeling today?   I'm finally getting your book off today.  I hope the weather continues to be nice and you have some good running weather -- but not too hot.  

*Maria,* how is your busy week, my friend?  Hope you get to do something fun this week-end to recouperate.   

*Dottie,* thanks for finding me on FB.    I had to Google you to find you but once I found you I could not see where to send you a friend request on that silly timeline.  I am FB illiterate! 

Our plumbing issue with the toilet in the boys bathroom upstairs overflowing and leaking in the nook downstairs seems to have passed.  It happens once every 12 years.  I try not to know what goes on in there.  

The big plans for this week-end are biking, biking, biking and a 7 mile run.    But only at 5/55 so it will take awhile.  It is a nice change just working on my base and taking it easy.    I also have a lot of housework since my neighbor will be coming to take care of Wally while we are gone and things are definately not up to snuff.    Sadie will be going to the kennel but the kitty stays home.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Ladies!!!!

*Lisa* I am still smiling about your latest accomplishment of wonderland.  Keep going lady I am so proud of you.    Where are you going???  I think I might have missed this about a vacation or excursion you are having?

*Nancy*- I am trying to talk Mike into getting the sniperroo but no luck.  I hope John is handling it like a man.  Poor thomas and his boo boo.  Thats a boy for ya.  Hopefully he will keep those steri strips on long enough for it to heal.  Sorry for the loss of your Aunts Dad.

*Kathy* Isnt it horrible how work often gets in the way of fun. Life is not fair.

*Lisa* Woohoo you are getting close to onederland too.  Keep up the good work. Have fun this weekend.

Hi Rose, Maria, Jenn, and Dottie!!!!

We are having a dress down day at work today so I am enjoying being here in jeans.  We all purchased a st paddy's day shirt from our network that is benefiting the pediatric oncology dept.  So we all have those on.  I am also doing a fun crazy leprechan scavengar hunt for the pot of gold.  I love days like this at the office.

My eating is out of control again....like yesterday I ate 10 oreos after lunch and than had 2 chili cheese hot dogs for dinner and a thing of choc milk.  Never counted anything.  I really need to get myself back on track quickly.  I am getting into the feeling sorry for myself and this is too hard phase again.  I know that doesnt work so I need to get past it and get back to being good and positive again.  Maybe tomorrow.

Mike is away having a fun day today.  His best friend and him are spending a day in philly.  They currently are at hooters where some sports radio show is going on and then they are going to walk south street, have dinner at chickie and petes and then they have tickets to the sixers vs heat game tonight.  He is have a great time and I am happy for him.  He really doesnt get to do this often.

So tonight it will be a mommy and boys night at home.


----------



## Rose&Mike

so if you all could send lots of good thoughts my way in the morning, I am going to attempt 9-10 miles. Mike is running 23 getting ready for the kdf half at the end of April. I feel like this is make or break time. If it's my back causing the itbs, etc and I stretch it out, then I think I will have no problems. Plus if it goes well, then I am just about done with p-t. I went three miles last night before it started storming and it went well, so I am cautiously optimistic. This has been causing me way too much unneeded stress.

ttyl.
Rose


----------



## mikamah

Good morning Princesses, Tinks, and I think it's time to add, Donalds and Mickeys!!  Do we have any Goofys yet?!?!?!  Maybe 2014!!!!

Happy St Patricks day!!!!     

I don't think I'll be doing any of that drinking, but I will be wearing my shamrock socks.  I don't have much green other than a st pats day scrub top, so socks is as fancy as I'll get today.  Not much on the agenda.  New furniture is coming between 10 and 2, so we need to move the old stuff out at 9ish.  I hope Michael and I can do it.  I noticed my neighbors's son is home on spring break, so I could ask him for help, but he'll probably still be in bed.  I figured I'd have my coffee and dis time before Poko and I take our long walk. 

*Rose*-   My fingers are crossed you have an amazing run today!!  

*Lindsay*-Sounds like a fun day at the office yesterday.  Isn't it great when you can have fun at work?  Too bad it's not every day.  Hope you and the boys had a fun evening!!  You can do this.  You are worth it, and it will be worth all hard work.  I wish there was a magic pill to prevent the binge eating.  It's so hard if there is junk around, I can't control how much I eat sometimes.  YOu are not alone, and have come so far this year, I know you can do it.  Today is the day!!  

*LisaH*-I know right, how dare you sleep in until 5:15!!!  Are you enjoying the view from Onderland?  I know it is beautiful.  I have been there, and I can almost see it from here.  Though it's a little farther this morning than it was yesterday, but I'm going to go there.  That was the harbor we were at.  I'm so happy you spelled it correctly.  It's Beverly-Salem.  It's the closest beach, and Poko tends to get car sick so we didn't go too far.  Those little waves were too much for her, so if we went to Gloucester she would have freaked out.   I think we need to do that soon.  Maybe later this week if the forcast of 80 degrees holds out!!!!!! Is this spring break week or next for you?  Eek on the plumbing probs.  Glad it seems to have worked it self out.  Enjoy your biking and running.  Is 5/55 run 5 sec, walk 55 secs?  That seem like such a quick run.  How does it work for you?  I'd bet you are tempted to run more.  

*LisaR*-Looks like your enjoying some of your time in California!!  Fess up, how many of those beers did you drink????? 

*Maria*-Happy Weekend!!  I'm sure you ready for it.  Do you go and watch the St Patricks day parade?  Are you close to the parade route?  I can't remember if you live in south or east boston.   I've never been.  Before I had Michael we would go to a local bar and party the night away, and stumble home, but I honestly have no desire to do that ever again.  Hope you enjoy your weekend!!!

*Nancy*-Lol, I thought you were losing your mind getting a bunny.    How adorable and fun for Thomas to see and play with.  Hope John is feeling ok and healing quickly.   Poko destroyed the big red ball last night, I though of it as John's bosses head.  She chewed it up bite by bite and spit it out.   

*Jen* -Love the pictures.  You look just beautiful and the dress looks amazing on you.  So sweet the pic of your ds with cinderella too.

*Dottie*-Wow 19 miles is awesome on a bike.  Sounds like you did amazing to keep up with the others.  Ds finally got comfortable on his bike with gears last summer, and we did a lot of biking.  Now with the dog, we're walking more, but as she mellows out and we can leave her home alone more, we'll have to get our bikes out.  I used to love to bike, but it's been many years since I've done 19 miles.  Nice job!!

*Pamela* _Hello there!! 

I was looking up my weights to see when I was last in Onederland and it was just before my mom died.  I actually stayed in the 190s the month she was sick, and my first weight in July was 203.  That is coming up on 3 years.  It's time to get my focus and get back down there.  The year before I was 180s, and the 2 years prior to that I had started at 229 and lost about 20 lb a year.  So I know I can do it.  My friend Karen wants to get back into running again too, so we are going to get together tomorrow, and hope to make it more of a regular thing.  I haven't been running much at all, and I know that is key.  I think all my dog walking is just holding my weight steady through my not so stellar eating.  I tracked the past 2 days, so my goal is to keep up with that, no matter how bad.  

I guess I should walk the dog now, and then catch up on Donald while we wait for the furniture.

Have a  wonderful day everyone!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Bunny???? How could I miss a bunny??? What's the scoop? *

*Maria*--where are you? I hope you are having a good week.

*Kathy*--enjoy that new furniture! I am so jealous that you can visit the beach s easily. I think it is your year for onederland too Kathy! You can do it! 

Ok, just got a sec. 10 miles done. Went pretty well. Back was very tight before I started but I stretched for like half an hour before and no major issues. Having to stretch before, stretch after, ice and do rehab exercises is getting old, but hopefully it will get to the point where it is not as big a deal.

Mike texted me that he just finished 20, so 3 more to go. It's warm here, so I have been a little worried. We started at 9:00 this morning. I think training for halves is more than enough work for me!

Enjoy this beautiful weather!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok guys, i know we're not allowed to apologize and stuff but...i'm really sorry i haven't been to chatty on here other to talk about myself. and i'm sorry but i need more help from you guys....

waaaaaah!!! i'm really having some big time anxiety right now. john mentioned to me this morning that maybe i should start interviewing for jobs. i'm really having a hard time with this. i never thought i'd want to be a stay at home mom but the thought of leaving these babies is just too overwhelming. and i hate finance. it's too stressful. it's too nasty. and the hours are too long. it takes me an hour to get downtown on the bus (on a good day). at my last two jobs i had some pretty hoity toity positions which was great...when i didn't have children. i was always out the door by 6:30am and never home before 8 or 9pm. i won't ever see my children! 

there are no part time jobs in finance these days. heck, there aren't any full time jobs! how am i going to find one? i talked to my headhunter today and she has a job she wants to send my resume to. it would be my ideal job and big bucks. first off, i don't think i'd even get it but if i did...i don't even want it!

i'm trying to think of local part-time type stuff i can do just to bring in some money while john looks. i contacted three local catholic schools to see if they need any help. i found phone numbers to be a crossing guard (you work 20 hours a week and can get full benefits for you and your family!). 

what else? what other things can i do?? 

i'm typing this so fast because my nerves are totally shot. john is working SO hard at trying to drum up business for the bulldog consulting and also trying to find a full time job. but it could take forever! what am i going to do? what are we going to do?? 

on the plus side, i saw 145 lbs the last two days. i was shooting for 145 by our disney trip in may. (ps, thank GOD for DVC b/c our disney trip is already paid for! lol)


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Ok I'm back and more in control. Promise. Things always work out for the best and we have ALOT of things going for us. 

Went tommy aunt's dad's wake. It was sad of course but at the same time he was really bad for over a year and it's a blessing that he is in a better place. I will miss him though and miss haviing him always butting my balls. Lol!

Guess who I saw at the wake? Who I didn't know was coming? My parents! *** is wrong with them? They told me they went to mass at our old church (where we got married about a mile and a half away). So basically they were in the Bronx for hours and never intended on letting us know they were there (they live in CT 55 miles away). Whatever - their loss on not seeing my cute babies (well, at least I think they are cute!).

Three days in a row I've weighed-in at 145. That puts me out of the overweight category according to BMI. Ok so it's 24.9 but I'm stll out!! I'm happy with the progress but my body is still much different post baby #2. At 145 I usually can fit ok but tight in my old jeans but now at 145 those same jeans still won't zip up! Weird, right??

*Kathy* where were you with michael and poko where you got to see that gorgeous sunset?? The pics of the children's choir are so cute. I'm jealous of michael's height being in the back row. I was always the shrimp in the front!  Oh and you have to get back to running! The Donald half is 10 months away!! You can definitely get back  one-derland! Let's go! Oh and that steristrip stayed on for less than 24 hours!!so much for days! 

*Rose* how was the rest of mike's run? Think he has any tips for training for the full? How were you holding up after the 10 miler? I still havent damped up past 5 miles. Yikes. What has been going on in the aftermath of all those tornadoes? It hasn't been covered any more on the news up here and you can't help but wonder about everyone down there. I remember it said that a ton of tornadoes hit Kentucky. 

*,Dottie* hi new Facebook friend! Loved seeing all your pics. So nice to put a face to a name  sounds like your son is a great kid! Did you say you were thinking about the WDW full marathon??

*Lindsay* I'm pretty feminist I guess but I think the ole snip snip is only fair. We had two babies which involves so much more pain then a couple of days of blue balls! Lol. I just think it's much easier and much cheaper then other alternatives. Why do the women have to do it all?? But like I said I can't go on the pill and that would probably be easiest. Though lately I'd be ok with just abstinence 

*Maria * more trip report please!! 

*Jen* are you on Facebook?

*LisaR* did your dining table come with those blue chairs? That is such a fabulous way to decorate! I love it and love the blue color with the wood color of the table and chairs. What's new with the CA planning?

*LisaH* MFP says you burned over 1000 calories yesterday! Holy cow!! How do you feel after that burn??

I'm running out of steam typing on this iPad and I hear Thomas yelling in his crib and John isn't getting up!! 

Xoxo everyone!


----------



## mikamah

*Nancy*-  I am so glad you are feeling better this morning.  It's got to be overwhelming worry about what is going to happen, and even if you needed to go back to work, you will be a different person in that job than you were before you had kids, and you will make it a priority to get out at a decent hour, and see those babies.  It will all work out, and it's a worry and hard to believe but it will.  I worried what would I do when school started and I had to work at 7 and he couldn't go til 8, and my present job came up with different hours, and it all worked out.  Hang in there.  

And you had me rolling on the blue balls.  Remember if abstinance is your thing, you should wait at least till after he gets a follow up check. 

That's Lynch Park in beverly, the next town over from where we are now.  It's where I grew up, and the park is beautiful, big grassy areas, play area, 2 small beaches, pretty rocky, but it was a great place for little kids.  I saw on the signs that they have some early morning hours during the summer when dogs are allowed on the beach.  I was figuring we'd get Poko all comfy at the beach and when summer comes she won't be able to go anywhere to swim.  I bet Michael would love to swim with her too.

Yeah, I do need to run again on a more regular basis.  I may run with my friend this afternoon.  And I need to join you all in Onederland!! 145#    you are rocking it, Nancy.  It is funny how our bodies are different after kids, and even at the same weight things might not fit. 

*Rose*So glad your run went well!!  It is a pain to stretch before and after, and ice after, but it sounds like it must really be helping.  How is Mike after 23 miles?  That is just amazing.  As I sit here in my pajamas I just can not fathom wanting to go that far.  Even the mickey medal wouldn't do it today.  We are so lucky to live where we do.  It's 10 min to the beach, an hour or 2 to the mountains and lakes, so much so close by.  Poko really loved the beach.  Funny I thought she'd dig more in the sand, since she loves to dig in the yard at home, but she didn't.  Oh and Nancy posted a pic of Thomas and a bunny on facebook, I thought she had gotten it in a weak moment for keeps, but it was just visiting. 

Hello to everyone else!   Hope you are all enjoying the weekend!   It's supposed to be 70 degrees here today!!!!  Happy Spring!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Monday, February 27th  Day 4 Part 2 Magic Kingdom

After what seemed like a long bus ride to the MK  I was getting impatient with the distance of the All Stars away from almost everything, and the full bus of students did not help , I was finally at mecca!  I should mention that I had meant to charge my phone during my rest, because I had taken a lot of photos and the battery was going. Did I? Nope.  I sent quick texts to my family and told them to have a good night, Id call tomorrow. I also found out Rose and Mike were spending their last night in Epcot, which is always fun. I wished them a happy Illuminations and got ready to enjoy the House of Mouse. 

I noted a few things as I ran through, but really I was having issues and not very focused  this is my time to enjoy the MK in all it's glory. Unfortunately, I managed to arrive just before 3pm. Yep, we all know what happens at 3 pm.  I was going to go directly to Space Mountain and grab a fastpass, but I could not get to that side of the park. I walked all the way through the stores and came out at Caseys. Change of plans, Ill start in Adventureland! I passed the Dole Whips, but I wasnt feeling it. My first adventure was The revised Enchanted Tiki Room, which I had not experienced yet. I thought it was cute, and definitely more fun that the Iago version, which was the only one I had seen. When it was over, it was pouring outside.  How did I discover this? The people exiting in front did not move forward. I actually saw people park their strollers and take out snacks.  Um, we cant stay here. The cast members saw what was happening and got people moving along. I put my jacket over my head and hoped this meant the Park would clear out. 

Next up on my list, POTC! I love this ride, and I really just walked right on. Definitely a pleasant way to pass some rain. By the time I emptied out into the gift shop, the rain was pretty much over. On to Frontierland! I dont do Splash, and BTMR is closed for rehab. By this time I was hungry, and so pleased to find Columbia Harbour House was open! I ordered a lighthouse sandwich (yummy hummus and broccoli slaw on whole grain bread), a chocolate milk (post-race treat!), and I even took the chips for crunch.  The place was hoppin! I went upstairs and found a table. It was nice to sit and relax. I admit, it was a wee bit lonely though. I think I enjoy being in the Parks more when I have a buddy, particularly at meal time. I am such an odd duck  I also need time by myself, so you never know which side of me will come out! 

Anyway, meal finished it was time for the Haunted Mansion! It was dark by now, which added a fun twist. I love this ride. My only disappointment is I didnt really get to appreciate the que, and I couldnt read the tombstones on the pet cemetery after the ride. Ill have to go back in the daylight. I contemplated the Hall of Presidents, but I have seen it with Pres. Obama, and I decided Id rather keep moving and hit some of the rides I didnt do last year in Fantasyland. 

Unlike last year, I walked right on to IASW, I enjoyed that relaxing boatride. There was a 3 yr. old with her Grandma in front of me, and the little one thought it was very magical. Plus, Ive never been on this ride at night before. I could see more lights and special effects. It was a good ride. 

It was raining again, a good time to duck into Philharmagic, one of my favorite attractions. The theater was relatively empty which is always nice. I like being in the Parks the Monday after a winter race, because the crowds generally have thinned and reduced my wait times. I exited and decided to try to do Peter Pan, Snow White and Pooh , since I missed those on my last visit. Snow White is closing soon, so I had to get one last look. Turns out, Im ok if Snow White closes soon. Its ok, but the new mine train sounds like much more fun! In line for Pooh, I was behind another grandma and two toddlers. She kept calling their names, Oscar and Sylvia. I was marveling at the change in popular names since Ben was a baby. Back then every boy was Michael or Matthew, and the girls were Ashley, Emma or Courtney. Oscar and Sylvia sound like names from my grandmas era. When Ben was in 6th grade, there were 10 boys in his class, and 4 were named Matthew  I guess *Nancy* is keeping that trend going with her little cutie!

Anyway, as I exited Pooh Wishes was concluding. I stood there and enjoyed, then headed toward Tomorrowland. I dont do the teacups alone, so time for my space rides. I walked by Space Mountain (ok, by this time I was really tired, and I knew I didnt have the energy), and rode the Carousel of Progress. Its simple, but I like this ride. There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day  Then a spin on Buzz, and I ended with another one of my favorites, the peoplemover. I find it perfect for tired feet. 

I walked toward the front of the park, and looked back to take a photo of the castle bathed in purple light. I thought about getting something at the Main Street Bakery, but honestly, I just didnt have it in me. 

My wait for the bus was not too long, and I was off to ASMo for my last night. Despite the fact the park was open until 1am, I was on my way at 10:30. I was just beat. The race took a lot out of me  in a good way, of course!

I set my alarm and tumbled into bed. My flight was at noon, so I knew I would be able to enjoy a leisurely morning before I left. 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

dumbo_buddy said:


> waaaaahhhhh! i said goodbye to the 150s last week but saw it this morning (150.5). my own darn fault. why must i sabotage myself? why do i eat when i'm stressed? why can't i be one of those people who doesn't eat when they have alot of stuff on their mind??
> 
> somebody give me a kick in the a$$. please!! i need it.
> 
> i'm really enjoying maria's trip report. i feel sad though that both maria and rose felt down after the race. i guess we all built up the race in our minds, even those of us who weren't running! maybe when it's not your first race you begin to have a number in your head and make it important to meet that number. i can see that. i did last year's princess in 2:22 and i'm positive that my next half will NOT be close to that number (meaning, like, 2:45 or more). and even though when i start the race i will know that i won't PR, i will probably still be a little bummed when i don't.



Hi *Nancy!*  See how much progress you have made since you wrote this post? The weight is coming off! In my case, a number is about all I have left for this route. Honestly, this was my 6th time on the exact same route. Other than going faster, there really isn't going to be much new -- but I admit, I do like the familiarity. One year they detoured us to different restrooms in Adventureland than the ones right on the route, and it threw me for a loop!  Ever since then I only go in Tomorrowland, because I don't want to hike back to the race  I wasn't even looking for a PR this time, just back under 3. On the bright side, I am really determined that my next race, even though it is the hills of Providence, I will be there 



mikamah said:


> *Maria* -I am so thoroughly enjoying your trip report.  I am thinking I would love to come down to providence and cheer you on for the rock and roll half.  I remember thinking about it last year, but the rain deterred me.  It makes me a little sad too that the race was dissappointing for you and Rose, but I can so totally see your points.  And the bathroom needs are so not fun to try and run through.  Boma sounds awesome, but what a bummer you weren't feeling well after, but nice you got a ride home.  I am so hoping I will be living and planning the jan weekend with you all in person, rather than virtually.  I can't wait either way.  It has been a beautiful week.  It definitely feels more like may than march.



Hey *Kathy!* -- It would be fabulous if you could come down to Providence and cheer! Believe me, there are plenty of barren places along the route  We have another day of gorgeous weather, which is good because right now Dennis is running the Quincy Half! Notice I am at the computer typing...the field is much too fast for me. He finished in just under 2 last year, and was in the middle of the pack. He's been running more 2:10ish lately, and that would put him in the last 1/3. Can you believe that?! It sounds fiendishly fast to me 



CRUIZEN MAMMA said:


> Maria -loving the trip report - As a newbee I had very high expectations for my first 1/2 till the foot issues then I reevaluated my game plan, but I know that come next year it is all business and a goal of under 2 hrs.  You only missed yours by 3 measly min- taken into account the potty break you had it!



*Dottie!*  Thanks for the support! I am already looking forward to your W&D TR! My first half, I was really afraid I would be swept (and with good reason). I met a WISHer in the corral the morning of, and she (Daydreambeliever aka Ruth), honestly got me to the point I wouldn't get swept. Then I started realizing all the things I had to change to get faster, and I started changing them. When I look back, I realize I am still in that process, figuring out all the things I need to change  but also keeping some good things I learn from each race 



camnhan said:


> Have not gotten a chance to catch up with everyone...am working from home today so am hopeing to catch up :rotfl2
> 
> Dance was very nice! Have finally had a chance to upload dress pic
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Jen* -- You look absolutely gorgeous! And I am in love with your dress  Purple is my favorite color, and that particular shade is just lovely! Excellent choice, and I can tell a good time was had by all!
> 
> 
> 
> camnhan said:
> 
> 
> 
> ok, so since I got back into my photobucket account to load up my dress pictures I was looking at some of the other pics I had saved out there...this is my altime favorite memory from Disney....we were treated to private time with Cinderella...Zach toddled right over to her and she picked him up...i cried and cried....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well, he is a total cutie! What a wonderful memory
> 
> 
> 
> Rose&Mike said:
> 
> 
> 
> Bleh! I had a craptastic run today. Rubber legs, tight back, 80degrees outside (yes, 80), just poopy, poopy, poopy. I love the warmer temps, but I felt off from the first step and never got into a groove. And can I say I am so flipping sick of having to stretch and ice afterwards. It is now adding almost an hour to my runs. Around mile 3 I told Mike I just wanted to quit. Why is everything so darn hard all the time??????
> 
> Ok, thanks I needed that. The plan for Thursday is to cut back from 45 min to 30-35 minutes. That way we can keep our speed up and I can finish without wanting to die. I really want to run the short workouts without intervals and it was rough today. A couple times I was crying a little.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> *Rose!* -- Sometimes we just have those off runs. They can't all be stellar. It is so annoying when it happens, and I know you have had more than your share of "off" over the last year, but I do think your perseverence is a trait to be proud of
> 
> 
> 
> camnhan said:
> 
> 
> 
> So Rose I clicked on your G--F journal and the first thing I read was
> " i am 43, married to a college sophmore!"
> guess I missed the word MOM!!
> 
> Had to look at it twice before I caught the MOM...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Wow! I would have needed to re-read as well. Our *Rose* is beautiful, but honestly, she would not have the patience for all that drama. Her husband Mike is an unequivocal gem, Rose is doing so much better than a college sophomore!
> 
> 
> 
> dumbo_buddy said:
> 
> 
> 
> well with the way rose is looking these days, she could definitely pick up a 19 year old!!!
> 
> She could, but who wants to deal with that?! Not our clever Rose!
> 
> can we twinkle-think (yep, i'm watching sesame street) about marathon weekend? just pretend to make some plans. like...when are we all going to meet? will we have a meal or two together? how about booze after the races? by the way, i'm assuming we are all going so we can all plan  i'm trying to think of some witty things for the signs i'll be carrying to cheer for the half! i wonder what time i should wake up on the day of the half to be able to see everyone. i'd like to try to see everyone twice. thinks that's possible?? i think john and the kids and i might do the 5k. we can just power walk with the stroller. sounds like fun!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Ooh! I missed twinkle-think, but I love the concept! I think we should meet early and often! Seriously, I would love to get together -- just keep in mind everyone doesn't have an AP, so if we can meet outside the Parks, that would help  We definitely need to do some eating -- I vote for carrying on the tradition of dinner at Boma following the last race, so that would be Sunday night. I can't wait to see *Nancy's* clever signs -- you will keep me moving!  I think it may be possible to see everyone twice, it depends on who runs this race because we are at different speeds. For example (and I know this is not necessarily happening), if you see Rose in MK then scurry to the finish line, you obviously will not see me because I will be about an hour behind her!  So, you'll just have to think through your timing. We will all be glad to see -- whenever, wherever!
> 
> 
> 
> lisah0711 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Went ahead and registered for the W&D Half yesterday.  Coast to Coast here I come!
> 
> That means that when I line up at the start of the Donald in 2013 I will have done 5 half marathons in less than a year.  I think I am crazy!
> 
> Congratulations! And I think you are amazing, not crazy! My first three years I did One, yes 1! Half a year. Look how many you have cranked out!
> 
> *Maria,* I am so loving your TR!    But I am very sad about the carrot cake cookie thing. I'm getting excited about the WDW Marathon week-end too. I think we will be arriving on Wednesday and leaving on Monday.  And a big  to Dennis for doing the floors -- he is a keeper for sure!
> 
> If you all only realized what a lazy housekeeper I am....honestly, Dennis does way more than his share. I am indeed a fortunate  woman! Wednesday to Monday is good for you since I know you need to acclimate to the time change. When I finally do C2C some day, I'll have that issue!
> 
> Thanks to you *Maria* and *Rose* for the very cute Princess postcard.   It was such a treat to get it!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I have to come clean about the postcards -- all I did was sign my name. Rose had the idea, Rose purchased them, Rose mailed them. She was thinking of you all and how you might be a little sad not to be there. Rose is awesometastic!
> 
> Maria
Click to expand...


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses, Bells, Winers, Donalds and Mickeys!  

(Don't want to use up 20% of my smilies before I even get started )

*Nancy,* I'm so glad that you are feeling better.    It is a tough situation but it will work out -- love that attitude!  

If you do want to work part time then I think that you are smart to look for a job that revolves around the school schedule.  It will make things much easier for you when holidays and summers roll around.  The crossing guard job sounds great with the benefits -- might be enough to outweigh the stinky split shift.  There are pros and cons to any job situtation.  You will have now have expenses that you never had, like child care, that will eat into what you take home.  To the extent that you can reduce your transportation and wardrobe expenses, you will be ahead.  And you have to have a plan B because inevitably someone will be sick, your kid or the daycare provider, on the day that both you and John have something big going on at work.  

What about temporary finance work?  Or temporary other work?  Then if you found you just couldn't deal with it, there is no harm, no foul.  Plus you get to try out the job place ahead of time.  A job share thing would be ideal for you but that's tough to do without the right partner and employer.  Was it you *Rose* that had an unpleasant job share partner you were finally able to shake off?  I bet there are lots of way to spin that finance degree into other work, like actuarial work or budget analysis or something like that that requires a good numbers cruncher.  

Whatever happens know that your little guys will be just fine.    Robert always loved daycare and they did way more with them than I ever did at home.    There will be some sickness as everyone trades germs at the beginning but it does pay off when they get to kindergarten as they will have that out of their system.  And if John is the stay at home guy it will work out, too.  

I'm so glad that you are feeling better!   Hang in there!

And a big woo hoo on 145 pounds!    A few parts out of place is a small price to pay for those two wonderful little guys of yours!  And you didn't run marathons before your Momma's body came into being! 

*Lindsay,* looks like a fun day yesterday!    Your boys are always so happy!  Nice that Mike was able to get away for a guys week-end.  You are a good wife not to get upset that they were hanging out at Hooter's.  Apparently they were there for the free shirts.   

Sorry about the eating and not feeling good thing.    You are doing a wonderful job with your activity level regardless of how you feel!    I think that will help you get back on track with the food much more quickly.  And it is hard, and it's okay to feel that way, and even to say it sucks sometimes.  

We are going to Phoenix for 3 nights next week for Spring Break.  It is a total family thing.  We are staying at my Mom's and Ed's Mom, brother, brother-in-law and nephew will be in Phoenix so we are basically going to be hanging out with them.  It will be fun but short and hectic.  Hoping for nice weather. 

*Lisa,* hope you are having fun in California!    Loved the beer pictures!  

Hello to *Jen* and *Dottie*!  

BRB with some more replies and I see I have a TR to read too.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Rose&Mike said:


> Ok, feeling a little better today. Yesterday was rough. I was having a major pity party and really really wanting real food--you know what I mean--bread, pizza, etc. None of this rice flour crud. Oh well. Mike said he didn't know what to say when I said I wanted to quit. I said--tell me it's ok if I do, but that you know I won't.
> 
> 
> 
> And has anyone seen the new Toyota commercial? I do not appreciate them acting like g-f is a trendy thing and that it is insulting to people who have to struggle to eat g-f for health reasons.. I wrote them a complaint email and they actually responded.
> 
> I haven't seen this, but it sounds awful and insensitive. Obviously someone who isn't familiar with GF had that thought.
> 
> *Maria*--loving the trip report. I'm glad you thought the Boma dinner was fun. You did not look like you felt well at first. And I just felt so stinking cranky I couldn't tell if anyone was having fun or not. Congrats on the funding! That's awesome! Are you just smiling and smiling?
> 
> I think everyone was a little tired at dinner, but it was really fascinating to hear about how everyone approached their Disney trips, races and challenges. This is why I love DIS meets with people I know , I feel like they don't take one look at me and dismiss me. Honestly, I got that vibe from that DIS person's friends who came to the carousel meet. One woman actually looked me up and down, clearly decided I was deluding myself, and looked away. I know, can't take it personally...but the Boma dinner did not have that vibe at all, it was a happy meeting of people who like Disney and races
> 
> Mike and I are tentatively planning a trip in May for our 25th anniversary. A couple days in the Keys and a couple of days at Disney. We will drive this time. But the catch--we still don't know what Tom is doing this summer.....
> 
> As for marathon weekend---I have not cancelled the dvc registration yet. But we are both leaning towards not going. I'll let you know what we decide. I do love to hear about the plans.



Ok, you guys totally need to do something special to celebrate 25 years!! That is fantastic, and all the more so since you were a child bride! Ok, not really, but you look quite young and fit 

The thing with marathon weekend -- you just don't know what the weather will be. Our first year we went back inside and ditched our throwaway clothes, because it was so warm. Two years we needed the throwaways, but then it was the perfect temperature to run. Then there was the cold/sleet/snow year. I really hope that was the anomaly  So, I don't know that it will be cold, but there is a great chance. 



Rose&Mike said:


> *Maria--I said this in my reply, but I think this merits its own post. Congratulations on the funding! That's phenomenal!!!! I am really happy and excited for you!*



Thanks, Rose -- and everyone else who offered congratulations! This really was a big deal for me, and absolutely made my week. I hadn't expected both of the applications to get funded, so it was a very pleasant surprise. All in all it actually was an excellent week -- even if my DIS time was almost non-existent 



camnhan said:


> i figured it out....it had me 11 feet 5 inches tall!!! ok really you would think there would be a warning about that....
> 
> down to 1200 cal per day



Ah, *Jen* -- I'm glad you didn't eat that many calories and then figure out you were ridiculously full -- and massively over! 



liesel said:


> *Maria* I love your trip report and can't wait for another installment.  When I saw your time on my phone, I gave you a virtual  because I knew you really wanted to be under 3 hours.  I hope you still had a chance to enjoy the race despite the tummy issues.  I'm a little embarrassed about my time for the Tink, but I am dealing with it.  A few snarky comments from people who have never run a half didn't help, but hey, I did it!



Ok, we are officially not going to be embarrassed about our times. Dennis pointed out to me that he has races varying by 15 minutes, and he does a heck of a lot more halfs than I do. We trained for the race, we did the race, we are athletes!  Hope you are having a fabulous time on your trip!



lisah0711 said:


> Congrats to *Nancy* and *Lisa* for making the top 10 lists this week!  Those losers better be careful 'cause the Princesses will take up half the list once we merge!
> 
> Great job ladies, you are rockin' this out!
> 
> *Maria,* a big  and  for the big grant coming through.  What a wonderful accomplishment and to be able to help so many people.
> 
> I'm really loving the trip report.  From the pictures it looked like there were more folks at the meet that you guys did than the one on Friday night.  And kudos to you for being the only person wearing a WISH shirt at the WISH meet!
> 
> [COLOR="lime green"]I actually felt a little silly being the only one in a shirt.  I meant well...[/COLOR]
> 
> The biking is coming along slowly.  I have it all planned out so I know I will make it.  It will be more enjoyable now that my trainer told me about training runs you can do on the bike so I can ride through Seattle, by the beach, etc. while I ride.  Yesterday I rode through Joshua Tree and Death Valley.
> 
> Ok, I am not a biking kind of gal, but that does sound like fun!
> 
> Okay, I'm ready to twinkle-think -- who wouldn't be?
> 
> I think that I will be doing the usual arrive on Wednesday, leave on Monday thing in January.  I can't get my folks excited about a June WDW trip so I'm thinking the January will be another solo trip, which is totally fine.  I'm booked at AKV Jambo house but will probably try to switch at 7 months.  OKW sounds good to me.
> 
> I'm so glad that *Maria* has scream team experience so she can show us the ropes.  I'm also glad that she can use her wonderful way with words for some catchy signs.
> 
> Besides the races, of course, the big WISH meet on Friday is a must do for me.  I've wanted to do one of those meets ever since I became a WISHer.  Maybe we can carpool or share a cab or something 'cause I really don't want to do the bus ride to he!& thing again EVER.
> 
> I'm thinking that we will have to have at least one dinner where we get to consume adult beverages. And, of course, as you say *Maria* a Princess pic is a must do!



Well, this is just going to be a ton of fun! I am not at all sure where we're staying yet -- just that it will be a Mod!  Probably POR, we've stayed there for 2 other races and really liked it. CSR was nice, just so far away from the places we wanted to be...I like the boat access to DTD, I feel like I get a fuller experience. Of course in Jan., you never know how cold it will be on the water...Then again, if Pop has fridges in the rooms by then (and I hear they are coming), I would be willing to do that. Close to most things, dedicated buses, hopefully not the hoards of school groups, I think I could live with it. I do know I have to decide before the races open and the rooms fill. Since it's the 20th anniversary of the Full, I'm sure there will be a stampede for that special medal. 



Rose&Mike said:


> *Dottie and Jen*--we are all on facebook. Let me know if you want to friend me.
> 
> Oh, guess I'd better check on FB again. I am the worst...I don't get alerts on my phone, I just sort of have an account to check on my ds, but even that I don't do as often as I should...
> 
> ****
> Now you all are making me sad that I might not be there in January....well not sad, no sad. But it's cold---having trouble getting past that one....I haven't cancelled the ressie yet....



Rose, it would be a pleasure to see you again! Well, think about it some more...you can't register today even if you wanted to 



mikamah said:


> *Maria*-Congrats on the funding!  What a relief that must be for you.  Were you affected by the blackout at all.  I'm guessing not since you were posting, but how about the smoke?  It looksed awful.



No blackout issues for me -- except a bidders conference at the public library was cancelled. It was surreal to walk through the Back Bay and see the police directing traffic, though. I'm glad we are far enough into the South End at work it wasn't an issue. 



CRUIZEN MAMMA said:


> Well last night I went out with my road bike for the first time with a WOWgroup (women on wheels) small group of 4 -which kind of made it worse since they all knew and rode with each other and I again was the newbee. I survived the 19 miles and kept up for the most part but boy was I spent at the end- I'll give it a few more trys but I'm not sure cycling is my thing-I'm trying so that DH and I can ride together- he's making an effort to run with me so the least I can do is try and bike with him.  Jake has TKD testing tonight and although he is not moving up in rank- he has to wait till fall when he'll go for his black belt -he is receiving a promotion to Jr. Training Instructor- shhhh he doesn't know yet. Proud MOM here!



You should be a proud mom, how fantastic for Jake!  I think it would be hard to join a small group that had a history together -- but hey, you did that here and it's working out fine  Then again, we are friendly and not overly competitive, you might not have that with a cycling group 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Back again! 

*Kathy,* I think your new couch looks great!    Leather is very easy to take care of -- just wipe off the dust and use the leather cleaner every once in awhile.  

So fun to be able to go the beach so often and have so many choices!   They have doggy life vests so you may want to get one for Poko to help her feel more comfortable in the water.    It would be safer for Michael, too, if he knew that she couldn't get in trouble he wouldn't do the hero thing, and peace of mind for you.  

Can't wait to do the ONE-derland for good dance with you soon!    I have faith in you!  

Yep, my current intervals are run 5 seconds and walk 55 seconds.  It's not bad at all because it is enough to make you feel like you are moving but not so much that your back hurts.  I am really making it a point to enjoy myself these next few weeks in my training taking it slow and easy.  No complaining, lots of thinking about form and lightly touching, and best of all, no fear of being too slow.    I am retraining my brain.  

Yes, *Nancy,*I did burn over 1000 calories at the gym yesterday.  7 miles run at 5/55 and 11.5 miles on the bike.  It was just shy of three hours.  Only 83 miles to go on the bike!   Oh yeah, and an 11 mile run next week-end.  I do get to complain about the biking.    I'm hoping to do 2 hours on the bike today.  That would make the rest of my rides this week much better.  Hmm,  and housework or biking?  Oh biking isn't so bad!  

*Rose,* so glad that your run went well yesterday!    Not having to do 23 miles would help me alot.    Kudos to Mike for doing that! 
I totally agree a half is as much as I care to do.   

I hope that as time goes on the stretching/icing thing can be reduced or eliminated.  Did you see the FB quote on Runner's World about the Olympian who is fighting ITBS?  "Her description of it--"I hate everything. I want to hurt something."--is one all runners with recurring injuries can appreciate." http://rwdaily.runnersworld.com/201..._-RunnersWorld-_-Content-Blog-_-RWDailyDigest

And thank you for thinking about us with the postcards!  

You definitely have to do something fun for your anniversary!  

*Maria,* loved the TR!    It seems to me like you got a lot done after running a half marathon the day before -- you   And you hit all the big rides even in the rain! 

So glad it is a nice day for Dennis' run today.   

I heard on NPR yesterday that the first St. Patrick's Day parade in the U.S. was held in Boston in 1737! 

I'm definitely going to need your guidance on the potty locations on the Donald route.  I cannot picture where the bathrooms are in Tomorrowland at the MK -- all I see in my mind are the DL locations.    One of the things I am looking forward to in January is running down Main Street since they routed us behind Space Mountain at the Princess.  

Okay, time to get changed and get to the Kroc before I change my mind and stay home.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## mikamah

What a treat for me this morning.  I came on for a quick check and there's a wonderful trip report of my favorite park, and a lovely post from Lisa, and by the time I finished reading, there's another post from Maria, and by the time I finish this Lisa may have finished.  I may never get anything done this morning.

*Maria*_loving your trip report.  Our first trip, I left michael with Beth and Jim one night and went out on my own.  I went to the GF and watched wishes from the beach and then went to DTD.  If I had the chance again, I'd definitely go to a park.  I love Philharmagic and COP too.  Definitely 2 favorites and I think we hit them both every trip.  Maybe just sitting down for 10-15 minutes is why I love them so.  What do you mean we're not competetive????  I am so competetive with not being last in any race I do, and I haven't been yet.  Isn't *LisaH* just amazing- 5 halfs within a year.  I think she is going to be the next *Corinna*, and I hosey her Wish shirts when they are too big!!!  Does the rest of the country hosey things too?  We shall see.  

*LisaH*-How is Onederland?  All sunshine and smiles I hope.   You should have been a therapist, though as a lawyer, you probably are a therapist to many of your clients.  You always have the best advice and support for any situation.   Your trip to Pheonix sounds fun though it won't be relaxing.  My cousin is coming next weekend from arizona. She's in Tucson.  I have another cousin in Surprise.  Wherever that is.  Do you know them?  I know arizona is such a small state.

Ah january weekend.  I'm on track to go since I just got my federal refund.   Now to keep it in the bank and keep my house and appliances functioning, and I will be all set.  Summer camp is coming up, but I've got my flex money to come back for that.  Now how early do you think will Pop sell out of rooms?  I'd like to stay at Pop.  Hmmm, sounds like I'm going.  Fingers crossed.  Is it the thought of all those yummy little Boma desserts that has me going?  

Oh well, off to be productive now.  I think.    Have a great sunday!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Maria-  Congrats on the funding that is amazing for so many reasons.  You rock girl and should be so proud of the job your doing.
> 
> Nancy- Twinkle thinking  thats cute.  I will assume If I go, I will get there early thursday and leave monday.  I would like to stay at CBR again but the budget might be happier if I do POP.  I would definitely plan to be at the wish meet and also be there on sunday cheering on our Nancy and the other marathoners.  I think if I go my Aunt will come along but since the last time we squeezed in alot this time I would make it more relaxing and about the race.  I am considering if I cant do Jan I may try to do the princess again but it all still is up in the air.
> 
> Wow its been a busy week.  I cant believe it is thursday already.  I have been enjoying this wonderful weather we are having.  We have been at the park every night hence the reason I have not been on here much.  I have been very active but my eating is just not as good as it should be so I have been maintaining up a lb or 2 down a lb or 2.  I need to figure out something to get me jump started again because I need to keep going down.



*Lindsay* -- How did you like CBR? Did you find you had long wait times for the buses? How about the food court? I've heard it is really spread out, did that seem like an issue? I am trying to consider all my Mod options 

I think it is great you've been out with the fellas instead of in on the computer! You should spend time with your sons while they still openly appreciate you 

Good luck with the jumpstart. Sometimes it just takes awhile for your activity to catch up with the scale. 



dumbo_buddy said:


> ok i really don't mean to be a debbie downer but lots of crappy stuff is taking up my DIS time! grrr!! waaaahhh!!!
> 
> john got the...ehem...snip snip...yesterday right about the time that poor thomas fell off a chair (he was standing on it! bad!) and clipped his chin on the corner of a table.  after taking thomas to the doctor where they steri-strip (*kathy*, help me out, is that what it's called?) his chin i had to drive downtown with the boys to pick john up. that was a big pain. after we got home i received the news that my aunt mary's dad passed away that morning. we were really close with him so that really stinks.
> 
> anywho, it's taken me 3 hours to write this post and i have to go feed the baby...again!!
> 
> love you all to pieces xoxoxo



Wow, what a day! I hope Matthew didn't have issues, because all your other fellas needed you!  I am so sorry about your Aunt Mary's dad 



mikamah said:


> I'm also plagued by the not enough dis-time bug this week.  I'm working 8-430 again today, so while I love coming home an hour early, I do miss my morning dis/coffee time.



I think this was going around this week. I took Monday off, and then when I came in I had so much to do to get my next project started and take care of little ones I had put off, I barely had any DIS time -- and I used that helping my friend plan her WDW trip for May  So far they are booked at Pop in two connecting rooms, with dinner reservations at Boma, the Garden Grille, and Grand Floridian Cafe. I think we may add a reservation at The Wave on Monday. Now she has to look at the Parks and what she wants to do, so I can help her figure out an itinerary for each day. Then we'll buy her tickets. I hope I get a magnet out of this...



lisah0711 said:


> *Maria,* how is your busy week, my friend?  Hope you get to do something fun this week-end to recouperate.
> 
> Our plumbing issue with the toilet in the boys bathroom upstairs overflowing and leaking in the nook downstairs seems to have passed.  It happens once every 12 years.  I try not to know what goes on in there.
> 
> The big plans for this week-end are biking, biking, biking and a 7 mile run.  But only at 5/55 so it will take awhile.  It is a nice change just working on my base and taking it easy.   I also have a lot of housework since my neighbor will be coming to take care of Wally while we are gone and things are definately not up to snuff.  Sadie will be going to the kennel but the kitty stays home.



*LisaH!* -- It has been a good weekend to relax. I'm not accomplishing anything big, but that's ok. 

Sorry about the plumbing. My guys tend to use the bathrooms in the basement and 1st floor, and I tend to stay out of there 

Sounds to me like you have good plans for the weekend, well, other than the housework. I totally have a "not up to snuff" house -- so if anyone comes for the Wicked Half -- I will need notice! 

I can't mention it enough -- I am so proud of you for making it to Onderland! I hope I recognize you when I see you in January -- try not to hide behind any trees, I might miss you! 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> We are having a dress down day at work today so I am enjoying being here in jeans.  We all purchased a st paddy's day shirt from our network that is benefiting the pediatric oncology dept.  So we all have those on.  I am also doing a fun crazy leprechan scavengar hunt for the pot of gold.  I love days like this at the office.
> 
> Mike is away having a fun day today.  His best friend and him are spending a day in philly.  They currently are at hooters where some sports radio show is going on and then they are going to walk south street, have dinner at chickie and petes and then they have tickets to the sixers vs heat game tonight.  He is have a great time and I am happy for him.  He really doesnt get to do this often.
> 
> So tonight it will be a mommy and boys night at home.



It sounds like a really fun day at work, and a nice evening with your little guys. I'm glad Mike was able to get away for a fun day. I find it makes them more amenable when I want to go to WDW for a race if they've had fun, too  Seriously, it's good for everyone to have some time with your friends and relax. I know he came home appreciative that you kept everything running smoothly while he was away for the evening. 



Rose&Mike said:


> so if you all could send lots of good thoughts my way in the morning, I am going to attempt 9-10 miles. Mike is running 23 getting ready for the kdf half at the end of April. I feel like this is make or break time. If it's my back causing the itbs, etc and I stretch it out, then I think I will have no problems. Plus if it goes well, then I am just about done with p-t. I went three miles last night before it started storming and it went well, so I am cautiously optimistic. This has been causing me way too much unneeded stress.



Oh Rose, the last thing you need is more stress. I wish you could just have a week to do nothing but relax, knowing Tom and Mike also didn't have a care in the world, and you could let every worry that could possibly pop into your head go. If you find that place, could ya let me know? 



mikamah said:


> Good morning Princesses, Tinks, and I think it's time to add, Donalds and Mickeys!!  Do we have any Goofys yet?!?!?!  Maybe 2014!!!!
> 
> *Maria*-Happy Weekend!!  I'm sure you ready for it.  Do you go and watch the St Patricks day parade?  Are you close to the parade route?  I can't remember if you live in south or east boston.   I've never been.  Before I had Michael we would go to a local bar and party the night away, and stumble home, but I honestly have no desire to do that ever again.  Hope you enjoy your weekend!!!



No parade for us this year -- it's in South Boston. It's ok, but not anything I'm going to travel to Southie for  We do get the Columbus Day parade every other year -- we alternate with the North End. I'm not sure if it's our year in 2012 or not. I tend to find out the day off  I'm an East Boston girl -- but virtually the only one without a Madonna statue in my backyard. I think Ben was the only non-Italian in his early elementary years at Catholic school...



Rose&Mike said:


> *Bunny???? How could I miss a bunny??? What's the scoop? *
> 
> What bunny?! How could I miss a bunny?! Do tell!
> 
> Ok, just got a sec. 10 miles done. Went pretty well. Back was very tight before I started but I stretched for like half an hour before and no major issues. Having to stretch before, stretch after, ice and do rehab exercises is getting old, but hopefully it will get to the point where it is not as big a deal.



I am so glad it went well! I did send a little extra  your way! 



dumbo_buddy said:


> Ok I'm back and more in control. Promise. Things always work out for the best and we have ALOT of things going for us.
> 
> Went tommy aunt's dad's wake. It was sad of course but at the same time he was really bad for over a year and it's a blessing that he is in a better place. I will miss him though and miss haviing him always butting my balls. Lol!
> 
> Guess who I saw at the wake? Who I didn't know was coming? My parents! *** is wrong with them? They told me they went to mass at our old church (where we got married about a mile and a half away). So basically they were in the Bronx for hours and never intended on letting us know they were there (they live in CT 55 miles away). Whatever - their loss on not seeing my cute babies (well, at least I think they are cute!).
> 
> Three days in a row I've weighed-in at 145. That puts me out of the overweight category according to BMI. Ok so it's 24.9 but I'm stll out!! I'm happy with the progress but my body is still much different post baby #2. At 145 I usually can fit ok but tight in my old jeans but now at 145 those same jeans still won't zip up! Weird, right??



Oh *Nancy,* I am sorry you are having quite the weekend.  I don't have any better advice than what you have already received. I will say we do what we have to for our babies. Nobody wants to work, particularly when their babies are infants. It will all work out for the best -- because whatever you end up with, you will make the best situation for your family  

I am sorry about your parents -- you are right, it is their loss. If I was that close to my grandbabies, you could not keep me away. But I get it, Dennis's father is the same way. He could be in town for some horrid RV show, and it would never occur to him to see his grandson 

Congrats on the weight loss, you are doing great! 



mikamah said:


> Yeah, I do need to run again on a more regular basis.  I may run with my friend this afternoon.  And I need to join you all in Onederland!! you are rocking it, Nancy.  It is funny how our bodies are different after kids, and even at the same weight things might not fit.



So, I'm registered for the Wicked Half and I will be at the starting line -- will you be there with me?! I've never done this race so I'm counting on you to show me the ropes. You'd better get out there because there is definitely post-race alcohol in our future 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Ah...Now I can finally do the post I've been hoping for!

But first -- I forgot to congratulate *Kathy* on her fabulous new furniture -- such a great feeling! 

Other than work I've had a few things keeping me busy this week. First of all, I went back to WW meetings Wednesday night, and this time I got the monthly pass, to encourage me to keep going. I do so well when I actually follow the program, and if I'm honest, I need the accountability of the meeting  Anyway, I've spent a lot of time remembering the points plus values of different foods, figuring out how many points I'm really earning for exercise, etc. Plus, we had to find recipes for meal planning this week, then shopping...it's been a lot of work to get me set up for success. But, I do feel like I'm already lighter, so even if it's only psychological, I'll take it. 

I also ramped down my mileage. I'm going on the theory of more often for awhile, until I lose some weight. The 10M weekends are on hold. I need to be able to move more days more often right now. When I do a 10M, I'm useless for the next 2 days, sometimes 3. 

After Dennis recovers from his Half today, we're going to do our trial week at the Y, so probably in 2 weeks. I'm looking forward to it, I hope I like the classes. Rose, thank you for the Y advice. This one is located in the "changing" section of the neighborhood, which is a mix of Yuppies and immigrants in rental housing or condos. It's interesting to see the dichotomy. I live in the more established area which is primarily families in houses. I am hopeful I won't feel too out of place. I can't go to Dennis's Planet Fitness. I tried it and it was hot, sweaty and yucky in there -- plus no classes, which is what I am primarily interested in. 


I am very pleased that I can finally announce we are going to travel to FL at the end of August for our family vacation! We are going to visit my SIL in Tampa, and my elderly aunt who is not doing very well....I looked into booking us into a hotel at St. Pete Beach  afterwards, and found out the Republican National Convention is in town that week, and there are literally no rooms to be had. This is such a shame ...looks like we will have to head East for our family vacation...after much prodding and compromise, we are going to spend 5 nights at WDW!  

I am so excited, I can barely contain myself! And Dennis doesn't want to tell Ben yet, so I have to  But, we already ensured his sister's guest rooms are available, and I plan to book our flights this week. 

I have to figure out where we are going to stay. Dennis doesn't want to share a room with Ben for a week, but a BCV one-bed seems a bit much for our budget. His alternative suggestion was connecting rooms at Pop. Yes, he actually suggested a Value. I have to look into this, I guess I could live with it. Plus, there is free dining while we are there, so I have to figure if that makes any sense, i.e. would be better for us than a AAA discount. But, Dennis flat out refuses to go into any parks, so I'm not sure how much of a value it would be since we would eat his ticket  So, probably better to get the AAA. Then I think I should try to figure out renting points for a 1-bdr, but I have no idea where to start, and I don't know if that would work out to less than $345/night, which is what is on the Disney website 

Clearly, I have research to do 

Ok, I think I'm finally done posting for awhile. I'd better start my  and start getting out the Easter decorations 

Maria


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Afternoon Ladies- hope you all are having great weekends and beautiful weather. I'm fighting what I think is a sinus infection -dry cough,horsey thoat-but other than that a good weekend. Friday night we all went out for a celebratory dinner for Jake's promotion, Saturday morning I did 6 1/2 miles( felt fairly good no real foot issues- knees were another story) and then ran a few intervals with Jake at his Jr.run club and started some Spring cleaning, enjoyed a quiet night with DH watching -The Heist with Eddie Murphy and Ben Steiller- while Jake hung out with his buddies and spent the night. He'll be gone all next week for Spring Break to Grandma and Grandpa's so the house will be extremely quiet. 

Rose- glad you were happy with your run as well

Nancy- This time last year I had not even run a 5K, and was 40lbs heavier- now after just 1 half marathon under my belt, I am seriously considering the Full in January- the really  part is DH and friends are saying go for it- I am planning on registering for the W/D next week-just want that cc to kick over to the next month first,  I made the princess my first half so if ever I'm gonna do a full it has to be with Mickey -so why not on the 20th Anniversary!- If you'll be there I know we can get through it together!!!

To Rose, LisaH, and Nancy- thanks for Facebooking me and I hope the rest of you will find me through their links and be my friend too


Lisa H thanks for the offer of picking up my race packet, I think I still want to drive down Friday so we get a chance to meet and hang out longer- not sure we'll get that chance Sat- but we'll talk more as it gets closer.

Maria- the Bike group was welcoming, since it was small, the leader did give me some pointers and tell me how things go along the route, and when I wanted to call it and have DH just come get me they encouraged me to stick it out and finish with them -so it wasn't all bad. 
I just hate the feeling of being odd woman out even if its all in my head.

Gonna head outside and enjoy the rest of the day it's already too quite in here with out Jake this is gonna be a long week but I better get use to it Summer is just around the corner so he'll be gone to camps and Grandma's then too.


Dottie


----------



## lisah0711

Good afternoon ladies!

I still haven't adjusted to the time change so I'm not having as much time to Dis in the mornings.  That will change as the sun starts coming up earlier and earlier.  



mikamah said:


> and I hosey her Wish shirts when they are too big!!!  Does the rest of the country hosey things too?  We shall see.



Oooo, a new word for us!    We can get a bit gretzy if someone hoseys stuff we want before we get it.  I did not hosey or gretzy before I became a Princess!   But it sounds wicked!  

One-derland is great, *Kathy!* Can't wait for you to join me.    I was thinking that by the end of the year we will all be in ONE-derland.  



Worfiedoodles said:


> I think it is great you've been out with the fellas instead of in on the computer! You should spend time with your sons while they still openly appreciate you



So true!   (Except of course when they need money )



Worfiedoodles said:


> I am so excited, I can barely contain myself! And Dennis doesn't want to tell Ben yet, so I have to  But, we already ensured his sister's guest rooms are available, and I plan to book our flights this week.



Woo hoo at WDW trip!   A few days at WDW will be a perfect way to relax and get ready for the school year after family visits.    Can't wait to hear all about what you are planning.  

*Dottie,* hope that you are feeling better soon!    Good idea coming down on Friday as I'm guessing that the WISH meet will be Friday at 4 pm.  The offer for the packet pickup is a good plan B just in case.   

My DH is coming to W&D with me instead of coming in January.  I'm glad 'cause with that night race thing I may need some help.  

*Lindsay,* a big congrats on your 5K finish yesterday!    Come tell us all about it -- did you have green beer?  

*Nancy,* hope the funeral wasn't too sad today.    I loved the pictures of you and John that were posted on FB, you guys looked very happy! 

*Rose,* how is the ankle/foot feeling after your run on Saturday? 

*Lisa,* hope you had a good time in CA and didn't get rained on too much!  

Nope, nope, nope no worrying about times says the person with the 4:02 half. 

*Jen,* hope that you are doing well!  

Good news . . . I only have 71 miles to go on my biking!  But what is really good news is that I thought I had an 11 mile run this week, too, but it's only 3 so I'll be done on Saturday.  It will be nice to have that finished before we go to AZ.  It's good to find out that you can do alot more than you give yourself credit for even after an injury.  Oh, and if I ever say I'd like to do a triathalon, please remind me of this experience. 

I'm finishing up a continuing education class while I am waitingfor my lunch to digest and then heading out to do my 12 miles for the day.  

Have a great day all!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

lisah0711 said:


> If you do want to work part time then I think that you are smart to look for a job that revolves around the school schedule.  It will make things much easier for you when holidays and summers roll around.  The crossing guard job sounds great with the benefits -- might be enough to outweigh the stinky split shift.  There are pros and cons to any job situtation.  You will have now have expenses that you never had, like child care, that will eat into what you take home.  To the extent that you can reduce your transportation and wardrobe expenses, you will be ahead.  And you have to have a plan B because inevitably someone will be sick, your kid or the daycare provider, on the day that both you and John have something big going on at work.
> 
> What about temporary finance work?  Or temporary other work?  Then if you found you just couldn't deal with it, there is no harm, no foul.  Plus you get to try out the job place ahead of time.  A job share thing would be ideal for you but that's tough to do without the right partner and employer.  Was it you *Rose* that had an unpleasant job share partner you were finally able to shake off?  I bet there are lots of way to spin that finance degree into other work, like actuarial work or budget analysis or something like that that requires a good numbers cruncher.
> 
> Whatever happens know that your little guys will be just fine.    Robert always loved daycare and they did way more with them than I ever did at home.    There will be some sickness as everyone trades germs at the beginning but it does pay off when they get to kindergarten as they will have that out of their system.  And if John is the stay at home guy it will work out, too.



*Nancy*- I know what your going through has got to be so freakin stressful but hang in there because I do believe it will all work out in the end and you and John will make the right decisions to do what works for your family.  I think Lisa has given you some awesome advice above and I ditto what she says.  
Woohoo on keeping that 145 number.  You are doing great  I know what you mean about the body being a bit different after babies.  The price we pay.

*Kathy*- Love the new furniture and the cute pick of michael laying on it outside.  It looks like you two enjoyed the weather this weekend.  I am loving this spring and hope it lasts.  

*Rose* Great job on the run.  I am so glad it went well for you.  Is Mike training for a full soon????  I cant see me getting the time in for that either.  I think for now I am content with halfs too.  Are you enjoying march madness???  I was sad to see Lehigh loose last night but what a great story those kids have to tell there grandkids someday.

*Maria*- Lovin the TR.  It seems like you were able to make a good day at MK despite the rain.  Woohoo on getting the trip at WDW this summer.  So exciting!!!!!!  I loved CBR.  We got "upgraded" to a preferred room even though we didnt pay for it.  So we were right next to the FC.  The FC was good and adequate but I love the all stars better .  It serves the purpose though.  The buses were fantastic and we did not wait for any buses more than 5 min or so.  The resort can be a bit of a trek if you are not in a preferred room but it has nice walking paths so I dont think I would mind the walking too much.  Actually I will let you know in October after our trip to the pirate room.  It is the farthest room from the FC and pools.
*
LisaH* I am just still so darn impressed with your motivation even with your injury's you had to deal with.  You are my inspiration.  and yes I had no problem with Mike going to hooters.  They went there because a sports talk show they listen too was broadcasting live...hence the tshirt his friend won.  I texted to see how things were going and he texted back that he was at hooters and to check facebook.  I was preparing to see him with 2 girls with big hooters but instead I saw his friend and the tshirt.  He didnt even mention the hooters once.  Gotta love him

Hi Jen and Dottie (Dottie hope your feeling better soon.)

Well I needed a wkend from my wkend but no such luck it was back to work today.  The weather here has been just gorgeous.  Friday night we played outside until dark while mike enjoyed the sixers game.  Will Smith was there and he said the place was crazy.  Saturday we spent the day on a trail and walked about 5 or 6 miles.  We got into geocaching.  Anyone know what that is.  Its an app you can get and it is basically like a virtual scavenger hunt.  The boys love it and it gets us out moving and enjoying nature so I am all for it.  Plus its cheap.  We also stopped at BK and got free fries with green ketchup on saturday too but I dont want to put much enthasize on that since its unhealthy.  Moving on.....

Sunday we did our St Paddy's Day 5K.  It was great.  Lots of fun costumes.  For those who didnt see my FB post.  I was Lindsay O'Hoffman for the day.  I thought that was funny.  My time was 34:55 I think????  It was only 40 secs slower than last year so I was pretty happy since I am about 15lbs heavier.  It was a great race.  Lots of supporters and already drunk people screaming like crazy on the streets.  We followed it up by watching the parade.  The streets were packed and it was a really great parade and atmosphere.  It was just an awesome day and an awesome weekend.

Tonight we had baseball practice.  Nick was so into playing outside and riding his bike that he peed his pants and we had to walk home and change him.  He hasnt dont that since before he was 3 so I guess he was just having too much fun.  Then we got home after practice and I realized I left my keys at the park so we walked back.  Needless to say I got some good unplanned exercise tonight 

Oh and I hate to speak to soon but the new behavior chart we are doing for Ryan seems to be working.  The first week he had mostly straight or sad faces and a few smilies.  Last week he only had one sad and mostly smiles.  Today was a 2 smile and 1 straight face day.  So hopefully things are improving a bit and I can release a sigh of relief.  Sometimes I think he just needs that motivation to do good.  

Ok well enough about me.  I will talk to you all very soon.


----------



## camnhan

Hey Guys....
Sorry I have been MIA....

Rose and Nancy...yes I am on Facebook. Rose just sent you a friend request...Nancy..just PM'd you  Sure I will find the rest of you then!!

Kids are on spring break this week but I am in a mandatory class for the next 3 days  Weather has been really nice over the weekend so we got a little outside time.

Struggling with weight...seem to be loosing and gaining the same few pounds have stayed someone where between 1200-1500 cal per day so amazing how I can loose a full lb one day and gain it back the next...wonder if it is my scale?????

Need to go back a few days and catch-up on everyone but class is starting to better pay attention


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i just spent an hour at the police precinct....just to fill out a damn application to be a crossing guard. the police officer who is the coordinator blah blah blah'd me to death and just ignored thomas AND matthew both screaming! omg! i just wanted to leave! there aren't any positions available right now but she spent an hour talking about all that being a crossing guard entails. (entails? is that the right word? i say it alot but never spell it) b/c apparently it's  more than just crossing the street!  yeesh, that was exhausting! 

only had a min to check in and say hi to everyone. have to get kids fed and make some more phone calls to try to find a job. of course the high school that is walkable from here JUST filled two positions. like, last week. doh!

talk to everyone soon! xoxo


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Tuesday, February 28th – Day 5 See Ya Real Soon

I had no problem getting up before my alarm, I think I’ve just reset to be an early riser when I do it so many days in a row. 

I popped up, showered, and did my final packing. I had express checkout, so no need to visit the front desk. It was time to say goodbye to my fabulous room location and accept the trip was pretty much over. 

I brought my suitcase to the ME counter, and then went into the food court for breakfast. I don’t even remember what I ate, but I think it involved a small Mickey waffle, sausage and eggs.  I packed away my refillable mug for the last time into my carry-on, and went outside to wait for the bus. 

It’s fun and a little sad to watch the people lining up for the Park buses as you wait for ME. Anyway, I quickly secured my passage and was on my way. I used the drive  to MCO to reflect on my last few days, and the nagging feeling that something was missing – I think I got caught up in my race time, and I didn’t let myself fully experience the magic. I haven’t been to WDW without a race since our land/sea in 2007. I kind of wished I could just enjoy myself purely, without worrying about a race. Of course, I could do that if I stopped being so hard on myself about the time I roll in the finish line. 

I sat at my gate, and the people across from me looked very unhappy. Please don’t let me have to sit by them…boarded, and I didn’t have the unhappy people, I had half of a happy family on the bus the MCO – that apparently quickly degenerated into not a happy family. The man actually sighed and gave me a dirty look when I took my seat at the window. Seriously?!  Wow, the magic wore off of you folks fast! And hey, you came from the All Stars (they boarded with me at ASMo), so it’s not like you now have to associate with the riff/raff! Ok, so he was unhappy when I had to audacity to leave once during the 3-hr. flight to use the bathroom, even though he was up at the same time. So very happy to exit the plane, meet my loving Dennis, and get back to my wonderful DIS friends! 

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

camnhan said:


> Hey Guys....
> Sorry I have been MIA....
> 
> Rose and Nancy...yes I am on Facebook. Rose just sent you a friend request...Nancy..just PM'd you  Sure I will find the rest of you then!!
> 
> Kids are on spring break this week but I am in a mandatory class for the next 3 days  Weather has been really nice over the weekend so we got a little outside time.
> 
> Struggling with weight...seem to be loosing and gaining the same few pounds have stayed someone where between 1200-1500 cal per day so amazing how I can loose a full lb one day and gain it back the next...wonder if it is my scale?????
> 
> Need to go back a few days and catch-up on everyone but class is starting to better pay attention



I have been doing the same thing Jen and it is getting quite frustrating but we will get past this....I know we can.  Find me on FB I am on both Nancy and Rose's friends list.



dumbo_buddy said:


> i just spent an hour at the police precinct....just to fill out a damn application to be a crossing guard. the police officer who is the coordinator blah blah blah'd me to death and just ignored thomas AND matthew both screaming! omg! i just wanted to leave! there aren't any positions available right now but she spent an hour talking about all that being a crossing guard entails. (entails? is that the right word? i say it alot but never spell it) b/c apparently it's  more than just crossing the street!  yeesh, that was exhausting!
> 
> only had a min to check in and say hi to everyone. have to get kids fed and make some more phone calls to try to find a job. of course the high school that is walkable from here JUST filled two positions. like, last week. doh!
> 
> talk to everyone soon! xoxo



Oh my and you thought finance was difficult.  Wow.  Something (the right thing) will come along.

and I loved the video of thomas yesterday. CLAUDIA!!!!!!!!! that was too funny.



Worfiedoodles said:


> Tuesday, February 28th  Day 5 See Ya Real Soon
> 
> I had no problem getting up before my alarm, I think Ive just reset to be an early riser when I do it so many days in a row.
> 
> I popped up, showered, and did my final packing. I had express checkout, so no need to visit the front desk. It was time to say goodbye to my fabulous room location and accept the trip was pretty much over.
> 
> I brought my suitcase to the ME counter, and then went into the food court for breakfast. I dont even remember what I ate, but I think it involved a small Mickey waffle, sausage and eggs.  I packed away my refillable mug for the last time into my carry-on, and went outside to wait for the bus.
> 
> Its fun and a little sad to watch the people lining up for the Park buses as you wait for ME. Anyway, I quickly secured my passage and was on my way. I used the drive  to MCO to reflect on my last few days, and the nagging feeling that something was missing  I think I got caught up in my race time, and I didnt let myself fully experience the magic. I havent been to WDW without a race since our land/sea in 2007. I kind of wished I could just enjoy myself purely, without worrying about a race. Of course, I could do that if I stopped being so hard on myself about the time I roll in the finish line.
> 
> I sat at my gate, and the people across from me looked very unhappy. Please dont let me have to sit by themboarded, and I didnt have the unhappy people, I had half of a happy family on the bus the MCO  that apparently quickly degenerated into not a happy family. The man actually sighed and gave me a dirty look when I took my seat at the window. Seriously?!  Wow, the magic wore off of you folks fast! And hey, you came from the All Stars (they boarded with me at ASMo), so its not like you now have to associate with the riff/raff! Ok, so he was unhappy when I had to audacity to leave once during the 3-hr. flight to use the bathroom, even though he was up at the same time. So very happy to exit the plane, meet my loving Dennis, and get back to my wonderful DIS friends!
> 
> Maria



The departure day is always so depressing.  I also think you need a trip to just relax and enjoy without the stress of running.  I cant stand unhappy people on a plane.  We were split up coming home on our last flight and my mom had the window seat behind me.  The plane was packed and when it was time to unload it was taking people forever.  My mom gets a bit claustrophobic and started to have a panic attack about being in the inside window seat.  She started to get up and asked the people next to her if she could just step by them and stand in the aisle because she wasnt feeling well.  They completely ignored her and just stood there.  I thought my mom was going to start climbing the seats so i asked them again to move and had to repeat myself like 3 times.  The lady said "where do you want me to go"  I said just sit down so she can get past you and stand on the aisle.  You would have thought we were asking these people to parachute from the plane.  People are so ridiculous sometimes.

Anyway I enjoyed your mini TR.  Glad for the most part it was an enjoyable time for you.

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

Hi Folks!  (as our cute and adorable Thomas would say)

Ok I have been throwing a pity party for myself in my brain the past week or so.  I just cant get my eating together.  and now Im on the "why is it so difficult to be thin" page.  I need to get past this and just realize it is what it is and move on.  I need to go to the grocery store tomorrow night so I think that will give me a fresh start.  I plan to get lots of fruit and veggies and lean meats.  I do not want to be in our disney vacation pics looking like this and thats what I keep trying to tell myself.  ugggh!!!!!

Sorry to be the downer of the day.

Its still beautiful and in fact more summer like than spring right now.  I think it may get close to the 80's today and tomorrow.  It looks like the weekend will be more average temps again. 58-60.  This saturday we have a dinner dance to attend for mikes work and I actually have to get all dressed up.  Not looking forward to finding a dress to wear. ugggh ok I tried to make my post more positive but that snuck its way in.  Guess it is just one of those days in my brain.


----------



## mikamah

Good afternoon Princesses!!!

I definitely want and need to catch up here properly, and hope to tonight.  No excitement here, just work, mike, dog, and beautiful weather keeping me from the dis.  Oh, and that new wonderful thing called a dvr.  Omg, I have been watching the second half of 2 broke girls every monday after michael goes to bed, but this week, I dvr'd all 4 shows on that channel, and watched them after he was in bed in their entirety.  I'm afraid it could become dangerous.  Last night we dvr'd biggest loser to watch together, but dont know when, and I watched a movie on netflix-Original Sin. It was pretty good.  And you got to see Antonio Banderas naked. From the back of course. What's not to like. I caught up on donald this morning, so that feels good, but ran out of time to catch up here.  

I ran sunday with my friend and she pushed me which I needed.  We did 3.4 miles, and ran more than half I'd say.  Today did 45 min, prob 2.5ish miles with poko and did a run4/walk 1-2.  I am going to do that 3 days a week, and get the running going again.  I have a 5k in 3 months, and I'll never see a sub 40 min time if I never work at it.  

I'll be back later.  Hope you're all having a good week, and enjoying the warmth if you've got it.  I did notice the not so warm temps in idaho and colorado, so sorry LIsas, wish you were closer to us.


----------



## camnhan

Hey...I have the perfect dress you can borrow!!!

it has been such nice weather here and I have been stuck in a basement classroom everyday and of course by the weekend it is supposed to be cold and rainy...go figure!

on the up side...only 28 more days till Disney
on the down side...only 28 more days to loose 10lbs 

I know...pretty unrealistic.. especially because of the 2 lb rollercoaster I have been on lately....really need to figure out how to break below 160 and keep it there...I suppose getting off my a@@ might help a little!!

still need to go clothes shopping...don't have much of anything that I can wear..have really been trying to clean out all the ill-fitting clothes in my drawers and closet and although my husband is thrilled that I am getting rid of stuff it is so stressful because I hate the way I look in everything....would rather keep the old big stuff than go shopping for new...maybe that will change in 30lbs!!!

Loved the rest of the trip report...I so need to committ and join you all next year!! and people never cease to amaze me...you are on a plane..no one is getting anywhere fast so give a lady a break!!!

So has anyone else ever NOT checked a bag when they have traveled? Thom and I are planning on just keeping our bags with us and save the $50 since we are only packing for a couple days..just wondering how that will work with my flat iron??? I have the small travel bags for toiletry things and have bought a few trial size things to take along so think I am set on that. 

Have not had a chance to catch up on everyone...hope eveything is great!!!

Well DH wants to go for ice cream....ugh!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses and Bells!  

*Nancy,* I'm loving the pictures of your cute guys on FB!    I'm sorry about the crossing guard thing but I'm sending lots of  that it means something better for your family is just around the corner.    A couple of crying children is probably considered good behavior at the old police precinct.   I saw on MFP you had another loss, too!    Hang in there!  

*Maria,* thank you so much for your great trip report!   I'm not looking forward to my plane ride next week with a bunch of rude people going on spring break.    There are always at least of couple of people on my flights who are much too important to turn off their phones when they are supposed to.    How was your weigh in yesterday? 

*Lindsay,* I had not noticed the O'Hoffman until you mentioned it!    Glad that you had a good time.  And I'm really glad that you found something that is working for Ryan.  He is such a sweet guy.  We're still working on stuff here . . . like getting your a@@ out of bed without drama every morning.    Hang in there on the weight loss!    You're doing a great job on activity!  

*Kathy,* loving all the beach pics on FB!   That Mike is a brave guy if he is going to try swimming today.  Is this week your spring break or next?  It seems like you just had a break -- but there is never anything as too many breaks IMHO.   

I wish we could have some of your nice weather.  We are having 3 to 6 inches of snow here.  Tuesday night we had thunder snow, which is something I've never, ever seen here -- except on the weather channel.    Every day my Mom texts me the weather forecast for next week in Arizona.  

Darn you smilie police!


----------



## lisah0711

I'm looking forward to getting away for a few day but I know it will be a stressful trip.  I have to do taxes as well as see both families as well as keep my little family happy.  I told Ed yesterday I'm taking my stess show on the road.    I'm going to try to make it a point to enjoy as much as I can, even if I have to fake it.  Although I'm getting to be like *Rose* and getting a tad tired of waiting for the making it part of the fake it 'til you make it, baby! 

And speaking of the lovely *Rose,* how are you doing?  Don't be a stranger!  Come tell us all about your lovely anniversary trip.  

And speaking of the missing, *Lisa,* how are you doing?    Are you so sad that Tim Tebow is leaving Colorado that you can't even speak of it? 

Hi *Dottie!* 

*Jen,* bummer about being stuck in class during spring break.    Try losing 3 pounds before your trip and call it good.  It's more important to hang out with DH and have a good time.  He is obviously not as concerned about it as you are since he wants to go out for ice cream.   

Your flat iron will be fine in a carry on.  Just make sure your liquids and gels are in a quart size ziplock and in an easy place to get to as you have to take them out when you run the bag through.  Also any of your liquids or gels from your purse have to fit in the little bag.  I think it is definitely worth saving the bag check fees and helps me to really cut down on the old packing.  

59 flippin' miles to go on my biking.    That's five hours at 12 mph which is about what my speed is these days.  I'm so looking forward to getting that done this week-end so I don't have to work out on Monday.  I can easily do my running in Arizona.    I am trying to tell myself that this experience has been worthwhile so I know that I don't want to try a triathalon and can concentrate on my running.  

For the first time yesterday MFP told me if every day was like today I would weigh in the 180's.  That's a nice boost!  

I'm trying to get *Buffy* to come over here as she decided to do the Donald in 2013.    There is a new thread for the Marathon W/E on the Events side of the boards since the OP of the thread we were on decided she just wanted it to be Princesses after 25 pages.   

Sending lots of  and  and  to you all!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I have a lunch meeting I have to run today, so I'm busy getting ready for that -- but just quickly wanted to say "Hi!", and tomorrow morning I don't think I have to do too much, so it will be a great catch-up time!

On the weigh-in front, Dennis had a major crisis at work yesterday, and there was no way we were going to make the WW meeting. He didn't pick me up until 6:15...so I'm going tonight. Wish me luck!

I have been really good with my food and my exercise, so I admit, I am hopeful 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

And I'm back! Well, briefly. I just had to pop on to say after my first WW meeting weigh-in, I am down 9.4 lbs! No, that is not a typo. I am happily stunned! Now, the WW scale and my home scale are different, but things are definitely moving in the right direction! 

I cannot stop smiling! I have to get some things done, but hope to have a reply post tomorrow. I hope everyone is hangin' in there!

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi all.  I am still having a party for myself.  Its the continuation of the one I started the other day.  Just cant get over it.  

Im starting to think about the IUD I have in.  Its Mirena and I have had it now almost the full 5 years.  I need to make my yearly appt and also have it replaced and it got me thinking if I really want to replace it.  (definitely not because I want more kids but because of how I have been feeling).  Im not sure what my weight was when I got it in but I think it was  in the upper 180's.  So technically I have added about 20-35lbs on since that time.  I have very cyclic emotions...For instance:
Week 1 post menstrual- Feel all chipper and chatty and loving life
Week 2 "     "- Feel tired anxious/worried chest is sore (you know what parts I am referring too), bloated, miserable
Week 3 "    "- Irritable, bite peoples heads off, annoyed with the world
Week 4 TOM- bloated, tired, quiet, bored with life.

Now this just could be totally normal and part of aging but I really feel like this has kinda been like this and I have been complaining about this since I have gotten the IUD in.  It may all be in my head but I am also wondering if it is why it is so darn hard to loose the weight.  I mean there are times when i could eat better but overall its not horrible and I exercise a lot.  

It could all be non-relevant but I am really not sure what to do.  The good thing is Mirena is paid for by my insurance and I dont have to worry about remembering to take it.  

Just really unsure of what to do....any suggestions or comments?????

Im so sorry to make this post all about me and believe me I know otherwise in life I am truly blessed and so many other things could be wrong so I really am thankful for what I have but this whole mood thing is just bothering me and I think it really is having an effect on my weight loss.

Thank you all so much for listening.  You know I appreciate you all so much.

I have off tomorrow and my mom and I are spending the day together so hopefully that will knock the gloominess out of me.  I hope to catch up more with replies then.


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Hi Ladies -Good Friday Morning to you All,

Maria! AWESOME on the 9.4 weight loss- your scale and WW can't be that far off from each other, enjoy this victory!

Lindsey, I can't really weigh in on the IUD thing- I never liked the idea of putting something in "there" that long- Does it have hormonal side effects like BC pills?- My migranes are PMS related so they were always worse when I was on BC pills- when DH and I decided to only have 1 child after much debate he had the ole snip snip-I do think hormones play a nasty part in any woman's struggle with weight- Mother Nature has not been kind to me either the last couple weeks and I was very fusterated to see the scale go in the wrong direction by almost 3 lbs when I have increased my exercise and eating hasn't been to bad- especially since  I was side lined from running for 3 weeks before the Princess I maintained with no problems so I was really PO'ed. The scale was better the other day  but I just can't seem to break the under 145 mark. 

Nancy- I remember returning to work way to soon after Jake was born- it was only PT and for the first day I spent the whole day crying- I left early only to find my mom had taken him out to show him off- this was before cell phones- boy did I ever freak out on her- I literally grounded her from babysitting  for two weeks- I ended up staying home till he was almost 2 then found a great in home private daycare. You will figure out what is best for your family.


Hope everyone else is doing well- sending 



Went out with the Women's bike group again and it went much better- I actually wasn't exhausted afterwards and shifted gears- the first week I was just to nervous to bother. Jake finally comes home today and boy I have missed the little bugger-even when he has that pre-teen attitude. He and I have a date for Sunday to see Hunger Games with a friend-he's read the whole series - it is all he has talked about for weeks- he is a very avid reader and is never without a book in his hands-if he could run and read trust me he would other than that no big plans for the weekend- I still have a dry cough but I think it's really allergies no other symptoms. Hoping to run 8 miles this weekend,( pian free would be nice) in between puppy sitting for a friend.


Take care everyone!!!


----------



## liesel

Good morning!  I tried to post Tuesday and Wednesday, but the DIS was too slow and I ran out of time.  Then I got poofed yesterday  and didn't have time to repost.  So I am still around.

*Maria*  Lots of  for you today.  Congrats on the weight loss and the upcoming WDW trip.  I can't wait to hear all about it!  I've never stayed onsite, its one of the things that stresses me out about doing a WDW race, I don't know which hotel to pick!  I'll have to find out what everyone's favorite values and mods are.  I enjoyed the rest of your trip report.  Hopefully work is going well.

*Lindsay* I hope you can find a less hormonal birth control solution.  I'm not on anything anymore and yes the PMS gets worse with age, but its not that bad for me.  Congrats on the 5K, being so close to your PR is awesome.  I hope I can run a 5K that fast someday.

*Nancy* Going way back to your question about the dining room furniture, everything at Cost Plus is sold separately so we did a little mixing and matching.  I didn't like the bench in that set so we did all chairs.  I saw a picture online of someone doing chairs like the blue ones on the ends and loved it, so that is what we did.  I love how it turned out.  So I got tired of waiting for the hunger games books to come in at the library (its been a good 6 months!) so I broke down and bought them last weekend.  I read the first two on my trip to CA and finished the third one at home.  I loved them, I can't wait to see the movie!  I hope you are enjoying it this morning.  I am loving all your cute kid pics on FB.

I saw Lisa's post about working and it echoed what I was thinking.  The number crunching and finding something that works with a school schedule was spot on.  I may need to find something soon too.  It looks like we can qualify for a house in CA no problem with just Dan's income, but to have our mortgage payment be at a comfortable level for us, I'll need to bring in some money too.  I'm nervous about returning to the work force, its been so long!

*LisaH* I was  about your Tebow post.  There are some people that are really broken up about the trade.  I'm excited for Peyton, but am really worrried he is risking paralysis just to play again.  I hope he is OK.  So I am up .9 from my trip as of today, so I need to kick that and get back on track to onederland.  I can't believe its so close.  When I lurked on the mickey thread this week I saw that Buffy switched to the Donald!    That would be awesome if some more BL people could make that weekend.  I hope you enjoy your upcoming trip to AZ.

*Kathy* The weather in Colorado is improving, should be a nice weekend.  I'm jealous of Poko's trip to the beach, I really miss the ocean.  I hope you have another fun filled weekend.  How is Mike doing with his medication adjustment.

*Rose* I hope your week went well.  I'd love to hear all about your anniversary trip.  This fall is our 15th and we were discussing either going to the Keys, Boston, or NYC.  But now I'm thinking about marathon weekend, so we'll see.

*Jen* I hope you are having a good week too.  I'm on all of these ladies' FB friends lists.

*Dottie* I'm glad the headaches are better.  Enjoy seeing the hunger games this weekend, I really need to find a time to go.

Spring break started today for us which means more kid time, less DIS time.  I'll try to pop in often.  We had a good trip to CA, but it was overwhelming with meetings, looking at houses, and driving around neighborhoods to see where we would want to live.  You really have to pay to live in a top school district.    The timing of the move is still uncertain, I would really like to get that settled so it won't be hanging over us anymore.  Right now the two strongest possibilites are sometime this summer or at the end of the year (I know, right around marathon weekend!).  I hope they figure this out soon.

I need to check in on our merged thread sometime too!

The kids first 5K is getting closer, April 28, so we need to step up the training.  Especially me, I want to keep up with them!  There are several kids and parents from our school training, so it should be a pretty good group this year.  They are meeting Thursdays after school for a new running club (the teacher organizing it does a 20 min 5K!), we'll try to go to that a couple of times too.  I think it would be so much fun if I PR with my kids in tow, we'll see what their pace is like!  They can run a much faster mile than me that's for sure!  And Luke can already run a continuous mile.

Have a fantastic weekend ladies!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

liesel said:


> *LisaH* I was  about your Tebow post.  There are some people that are really broken up about the trade.  I'm excited for Peyton, but am really worrried he is risking paralysis just to play again.  I hope he is OK.  So I am up .9 from my trip as of today, so I need to kick that and get back on track to onederland.  I can't believe its so close.  When I lurked on the mickey thread this week I saw that Buffy switched to the Donald!    That would be awesome if some more BL people could make that weekend.  I hope you enjoy your upcoming trip to AZ.
> 
> *Dottie* I'm glad the headaches are better.  Enjoy seeing the hunger games this weekend, I really need to find a time to go.
> 
> The kids first 5K is getting closer, April 28, so we need to step up the training.  Especially me, I want to keep up with them!  There are several kids and parents from our school training, so it should be a pretty good group this year.  They are meeting Thursdays after school for a new running club (the teacher organizing it does a 20 min 5K!), we'll try to go to that a couple of times too.  I think it would be so much fun if I PR with my kids in tow, we'll see what their pace is like!  They can run a much faster mile than me that's for sure!  And Luke can already run a continuous mile.



Ok tread lightly when it comes to Tebow:love I hope he does well with the Jets kinda wish Jacksonville would have gotten him though:- Remember I live here in FL and we bleed Orange and Blue! Go Gators elite 8 in BB .

Hope all works out for the move to CA- Good Luck with the 5k - I bet you beat the kids -they may be faster at a mile but even with Jake I have him beat at anything further than 5K -he's beat me once at that distance and been right behind me at 3 others.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Lindsey*--When I took the pill back in the day....  I put on 20 pounds almost over night. And when I stopped taking it I lost it--not overnight, but pretty quickly. I know things have really changed since then, but my blood pressure was up while on the pill and I had thyroid issues. So, having said all that, I think the hormones can mess with your weight and mood--though I thought usually it was supposed to help with the moods. Have you googled it to see if other people were having issues? Hang in there.

*Nancy*--I second Lisa's thought about job sharing, though it's probably hard coming back to work. A lot of female engineers at Mike's work job share. I didn't mind job sharing. But the person I worked with was an underachiever and I am an overachiever. Just my opinion.

*Maria*--so very, very glad WW is going well. I know how much you want this.

*Lisah*--faking it gets old, doesn't it.

*Kathy*--Love seeing your beach pics And could Poko look any more comfy on that couch? 

*Jen*--we never check bags anymore. You can ups a package to the resorts too. I do this a lot and throw in snacks, etc. For most of the resorts there is no charge. For the resorts with a convention center there is a small charge. We also now have an owner's locker--which I love! Especially since I can't even use the toasters in the dvcs. I have a tiny george forman and an egg cooker in it along with a bunch of liquids, some booze, and some other "stuff" we need.

*LisaR*--glad the trip went ok. Mike has looked at going back to CA (we lived in San Diego for 5 years) and even though the salary would be higher I keep reminding him of the expenses. I think we have now decided we like the south. Enjoy Peyton. He is such a good guy. I have friends who cried the day they let him go. Are the kids running a full 5k? I know there are guidelines for distances for young bodies, but I haven't looked too much into them. Sounds like it will be fun!

*Dottie*--glad the biking went better. I appreciate your love of Florida and Tebow, but we are big UK and USC (Carolina) fans, so we do not feel the same love when it comes to Tebow. After 4 years in the SEC we just wanted him to go away! I wish him well in New York--and hope the hype dies down!

****
So I just don't know what to say. Nothing major going on, just mentally pooped from life stresses and I think from the chronic injuries/illnesses. Add to that the kid issues, work issues, food issues, weight issues, etc and I just needed a break this week. So for the first two days I didn't even turn my computer on. I tried hard to focus on my workouts this week and eating better. I am a half a pound outside of maintain, and I will take it. I went to piyo 3 times this week, strength class, ran twice, did the elliptical a couple of times and stretched and stretched and stretched. Hopefully Tuesday will be my last pt visit for awhile. She said I might have chronic back issues, but if I do, we will deal with it. 

We signed up to do a local 10 miler next weekend, so I am excited and nervous and annoyed. Annoyed because Mike informed me that his former boss who has only been running for a year and has a lot of other issues that I won't go into is targeting the same time as me. I just HATE it sometimes that guys don't have to work nearly as hard and are able to easily do what women do and then b-atch and b-atch about how we don't need women's races and it's all the same, blah, blah, blah! I have been thinking about this a lot lately. The other thing that I really need to come to terms with, is something Mike said to me before we found out about the gluten issues. My hair was falling out at that point, I was getting sick after runs, lots of brain fog and other issues. Anyhow, I said I just don't think I can do a marathon. And he said I didn't want it bad enough. I know he didn't know I was sick. I get that. But I just can't let it go. I worked so hard. And I was feeling so lousy (in retrospect). I didn't even know what it was like to not feel sick at that point. 

I think about the past year and a half and how hard I worked and how many, many times I wanted to quit. And still do sometimes. I just have to figure out a way to let this one go. I think this is all going back to the mom stuff and not feeling like anything I do is "enough". 

It's been a hard week. Mentally challenging. But in a good way, I hope. I hope to come out the other side of this all in a better place. I think this is what you do in your 40s. Your brain forces you figure this crud out one way or another.

TTYL. Hugs and kisses.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Uggh! There is a tornado warning. I don't even know where it came from. Ok, hopefully it will be over quick. I'll be back later. This is just crazy this year!

eta...ok it was a little baby spring time tornado not like those monsters a couple weeks ago. It was so weird. It was barely raining and the sirens went off. I thought maybe they were testing them, but it was a real tornado. There is damage, but more on the power lines down, shingles blown off kind of damage. And it never got too windy at my house. 

it was an ef1 tornado (ef0 is the smallest). The tornadoes a couple weeks ago were ef4s. This one lifted a house up and off it's foundation and set it down and there is some roof damage in that area. It's about 4 miles or so away. The whole thing was very unnerving cause no one was expecting it. No one was hurt--thank goodness! I am not enjoying the tornado season this year!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Rose I am glad your safe.  The tornado warnings and tornados must be so scary to deal with.  I hope you have a quiet evening with no more sirens.

Dottie- Thanks for your comments on the hormonal stuff.  It just gets so frustating sometimes.  I am running 8 this weekend too.

Lisa- The 5K with the kids should be so much fun.  I am still able to go longer and faster than the boys but I know its only a matter of time.  They run faster to start but still tire out quickly.  I am impressed by your kiddos.  Glad the trip went well.  That is so stressful I am sure especially not knowing the exact timeline.  Did you see any promising areas or houses????

Nancy- Loved the pics of the boys and the Dr visit.  Your boys are so precious and adorable.

Kathy- Looks like you are having summertime weather in your neck of the woods too.  I cant believe Michael was in his bathing suit in March.  Looks like you are having a great time enjoying the outdoors.

Hi Lisa H, Jenn, and Maria!!!!!!!!!!!

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

I enjoyed a wonderful day with my Mama.  We went to the salon and I got a pedicure and she got a mani.  We both got our eye brows waxed and the lady said we should get our lips waxed too.  I wasnt completely offended by her asking because I have noticed over the past year or so my little peach fuzz of a mustache is getting darker....I guess its hormonal with age.  Anyway I was however offended when she asked if she should wax my chin.  I mean like just dig the whole I have been in a bit deeper lady thanks. As if I wasnt feeling bad enough about myself.  Anyway...overall it was wonderful and I really enjoyed it.  We went out to lunch and did some shopping.  I got an outfit for tomorrows dance we are going too and I did not enjoy shopping for close one bit.  But I did it and I found something I should be comfortable in.

We also picked up our 9 game ticket package at the baseball stadium.  Only 10 more days until opening day.  Whoot Whoot.

Mike is having back issues.  He had a herniated disc a few years ago and is now having symptoms again.  He has the pain down his leg.  Of course he is being dramatic as men typically are when they dont feel well.  I just hope god will give me strength to deal with him.  In sickness and in health right???  I will just keep repeating those words when I am ready to ring his neck.

Ok well I hope you all have some great weekend plans that include some fun and relaxation.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good morning. We are finally having some spring like weather instead of summer weather and it is lovely. I am happy to see the temps back in the 70s for a few days at least.

I know you all will be thrilled to hear this thumbsup2)--we planned out our points for the next year or so and we went ahead and added thursday to the marathon weekend reservation at bw. I am still not 100% sure we are going, but it was available. I need to have a good race. We have the 10 miler next weekend--which I had a bad dream about last night. And the kdf half I think on the 28th of April. 

I do not think we will do Princess next year if we do marathon weekend. We might just go in March for a long weekend to see the flower and garden show/eat something.

The further away from the last Princess race I get the more I can think logically about it, and the reality the two biggest issues of the weekend were food and location of the resort. So by staying at bwv we have corrected both of those. Or at least made the food much easier to deal with. There are a ton more choices within walking distance of bw. I get a little cranky when I am tired and hungry. By taking those two issues out of the mix I think I can deal with the injuries (though hopefully there won't be any next year)/ weather/ lack of sleep.

Still not sure if I will do the full. But if I do, it will NOT be for time--there will be way more walking than running and it WILL be a ONE and DONE.

I am too competitive in my brain, and I know I don't want to do the work it takes to be the speed I want for a full. I will stick with my little short 13.1 mile races.

No work outs today--I need a day off. But we are going to run 6 or so tomorrow. 

*Lindsay*--I'm glad you had fun with your Mom. But I am sorry about the waxing comments.

Have a good Saturday!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies!!  I am here to catch up and the only thing that will stop me this morning is if I get called into work.

*Lindsay*-You had me  with the waxing.  At least she didn't ask you when you were due!  I am sure she was just looking for some more income.  What kind of dance are you going to?  I must have missed it earlier.  That will teach me to not keep up here.  It is not easy, but you can do it.  I definitely think you should talk to the doctor about the iud and hormone stuff.  Wouldn't hurt to have the thyroid checked out also.  I hope dh's back is better before it's your week 3 of your cycle.   I can only imagine how hard it is to be patient with him, when you know all that you would be doing if it was you in spite of the pain.  Hope you can have some of these at the dance.

*Rose*-Sorry for all the stress, blahs this week, and happy to hear you have a day of rest, and beautiful weather to go with it.  I can not even imagine how frightening it must be to hear the tornado sirens go off.  So glad that noone was hurt yesterday.  The weather has been so bizarre this year, I hope the tornado season calms down and winds down early.  And I am very happy to hear you will most likely be going to 2013 marathon weekend, and love your goal of doing the full not for time.  You can not change that way of thinking either.  I'm holding you to it.  You must walk, and enjoy, and have you picture taken along the way, and enjoy the ambiance of the race.  And if you are going too fast, you might not be able to see us cheering you along. 

*Maria*-OMG, 9.4 pounds!!!    I am sooooo excited for you.  You must feel so amazing.  So very happy, and proud of you.  I loved reading the rest of your trip report.  Cranky people are so irritating, and I love to be extra happy around people like that.  I am definitely in for the Wicked Half and will be running along behind you.  My friend Karen will be doing it too.  She finished about 2:30, and I was 3:30, but my goal will be to actually train for it, and beat that time.  Shouldn't be too hard.  I am definitely up for post race drinks too!!  Isn't that the main reason to do these silly races, to celebrate afterwards?     I think they need a margarita smoothie.  

*LisaH*-How are things in ONE-derland?  Lovely I am sure.  I can almost see you from here!!!!  Are you all getting ready and excited about the trip?  I know ds may not be too excitable these days, but hope there is minimal eye rolling, and he has a good time.  Sounds like your wiling away the miles on that bike.  I hope you have a great time on your trip, and the stress is minimal.  

Well, I lied, Poko needs to go out, so I'll be back to finish later.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi! i'm here. promise. 

i've been posting some things on facebook and putting a happy "face" on there but things are just sooooo stressful right now. it's all going to work out...just doesn't feel like it right now. 

thomas just got up from his nap and we're off to do some errands.

the last two weeks or so have been a real "when it rains it pours" type thing. you know my aunt whose dad died last week? well yesterday her two cousins were in the car going to visit their mom (my aunt's aunt) who is dying in the hospital and they were in a terrible car accident. one cousin is dead and the other is in critical care. i just saw them last week at the wake. so sad. 

on the bright side...i found a fandango gift certificate that a friend gave me for my birthday and saw the hunger games yesterday for free  loved it.

ok, will try to get on later to talk to everyone. miss you!


----------



## mikamah

I'm baaaccckkkk!

*LisaR*_So glad you had a nice trip to california, even though it was so quick and busy.  I hope you get a more definite idea of when you will be going soon.  There's got to be so much in your head of all you will have to do for the move, but be sure and make time to enjoy all of Colorado that you can before you go.  The race with the kids sounds great.  I bet you'll  run with the kids for the race, and they will sprint ahead of you for the finish.  The first 5k ds and i did, he ran with his friend just ahead of me, and we played a little cat and mouse chase to the finishline.  The last one, was not very good for him, and there was a lot of whining and moping, and we were very slow.  We only do the turkey trots, but this year, I better get him out more beforehand.  Good luck to you and the kids!!!

*Nancy*-I miss you.  How are you holding up?  I hope everything is going ok, and you have been busy and enjoying all the beautiful warmth this week.    I've been craving a soft serve since I saw thomas's picture this morning.    Sending pixiedust and good thoughts your way that a perfect job comes along for you. 

*Dottie*-Very exciting you are doing the wine and dine, and considering the full marathon in january!!  I am so hoping I will be there in jan to cheer you, and Nancy, and maybe Rose on!  I need to stop reading about it here and on facebook, and not get so excited until I am sure I can go. lol.

*Jen*-Hello there!!  Hope all is well with you!!

Hello to any other princesses out there!!

We are having a good day, no calls from the hospital.  I'm going to pick up a friend of ds's now, and am crossing my fingers I don't get called in.  I'll finish up laundry, pay bills, and clean up the kitchen, and that will be it for the day.  Then I may sit on my back porch, in a fleece though, and read for a bit. 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!!!


----------



## mikamah

dumbo_buddy said:


> hi! i'm here. promise.
> 
> i've been posting some things on facebook and putting a happy "face" on there but things are just sooooo stressful right now. it's all going to work out...just doesn't feel like it right now.
> 
> thomas just got up from his nap and we're off to do some errands.
> 
> the last two weeks or so have been a real "when it rains it pours" type thing. you know my aunt whose dad died last week? well yesterday her two cousins were in the car going to visit their mom (my aunt's aunt) who is dying in the hospital and they were in a terrible car accident. one cousin is dead and the other is in critical care. i just saw them last week at the wake. so sad.
> 
> on the bright side...i found a fandango gift certificate that a friend gave me for my birthday and saw the hunger games yesterday for free  loved it.
> 
> ok, will try to get on later to talk to everyone. miss you!


oh my gosh, Nancy, when it rains it certainly does pour.  I am so sorry for your poor aunt and her family.  My heart goes out to you and her, and I'll be praying for you all.


----------



## camnhan

Worfiedoodles said:


> And I'm back! Well, briefly. I just had to pop on to say after my first WW meeting weigh-in, I am down 9.4 lbs! No, that is not a typo. I am happily stunned! Now, the WW scale and my home scale are different, but things are definitely moving in the right direction!
> 
> I cannot stop smiling! I have to get some things done, but hope to have a reply post tomorrow. I hope everyone is hangin' in there!
> 
> Maria



WOW~~ that is spectacular
keep up the great work...I am debating on starting back up tomorrow...the hospital decided to bring back the WW at work and payroll deduct option since NO ONE signed up to continue on with the monthly pass option...I do like the program and do much better on it knowing that when I am hungry I can grab some fruit or veggies at no cost...

Hey everyone!! I am soooooooooo loving this nice weather...not that I have gotten out to walk/run or anything but have gotten a little yard work done and have been able to open up all the windows and let some fresh air in...

Still struggling with the same few lbs  and yesterday didn't help with a baby shower and then I grabbed a bag of jelly beans an literally ate them till I puked  am truly a mental case some days!!
So onto a new day...and new committments...however we are going to Hamada today for lunch so may have to wait until tomorrow!!

*Nancy:* sending prayers of strength, healing and peace to you and your family....

Need to find time to sit down and catch up on days worth of news from everyone...have been overwhelmed with work/class this past week and the kids being off..refused to come home and get back online and work wich was good for the home but just causing more stress at work for me...have to learn to not worry about it so much...

Disney is 24 days away!!!! Can't wait...I sooo want to get away but know it is going to be such a short trip...think I have our dinning plans finalized. Still thinking about calling to get a special cake sent to our table when we go to CG...

It is going to be a VERY busy April/May for us....Easter is only 2 weeks away and I have nothing planned for that....we go to DISNEY, Hannah turns 13 on the 27th, Cam is confirmed on the 29th...ugh and I just told DH to get tickets to Boston Bball game...YIKES>>>off to get yelled at...


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, , , , ! I hope I didn't leave anyone out -- I can't decide what to call our Wine & Diners that wouldn't just sound wrong  

I have to reply in fits and spurts today. I will totally catch up eventually...



CRUIZEN MAMMA said:


> I'm fighting what I think is a sinus infection -dry cough,horsey thoat-but other than that a good weekend. Maria- the Bike group was welcoming, since it was small, the leader did give me some pointers and tell me how things go along the route, and when I wanted to call it and have DH just come get me they encouraged me to stick it out and finish with them -so it wasn't all bad.
> I just hate the feeling of being odd woman out even if its all in my head.



Hi *Dottie!* -- I hope you are feeling much better, and I think I read later that you had a better experience with the bike group, so sounds like it is turning into a good experience 



lisah0711 said:


> One-derland is great, I was thinking that by the end of the year we will all be in ONE-derland.
> 
> Now this will be a huge celebration!
> 
> Good news . . . I only have 71 miles to go on my biking!  But what is really good news is that I thought I had an 11 mile run this week, too, but it's only 3 so I'll be done on Saturday.  It will be nice to have that finished before we go to AZ.  It's good to find out that you can do alot more than you give yourself credit for even after an injury.  Oh, and if I ever say I'd like to do a triathalon, please remind me of this experience.



Tris are on my list of things I have no desire to attempt, along with Mt. Kilimanjaro, swimming the English Channel, well, you get the picture  



mommyof2Pirates said:


> *Maria*- Lovin the TR.  It seems like you were able to make a good day at MK despite the rain.  Woohoo on getting the trip at WDW this summer.  So exciting!!!!!!  I loved CBR.  We got "upgraded" to a preferred room even though we didnt pay for it.  So we were right next to the FC.  The FC was good and adequate but I love the all stars better   It serves the purpose though.  The buses were fantastic and we did not wait for any buses more than 5 min or so.  The resort can be a bit of a trek if you are not in a preferred room but it has nice walking paths so I dont think I would mind the walking too much.  Actually I will let you know in October after our trip to the pirate room.  It is the farthest room from the FC and pools.
> 
> I am already looking forward to your TR! I haven't been able to think much about where we'll stay for marathon weekend. With the Values now having fridges, I guess I might find myself at Pop...No! I am going to stand my ground and tell Dennis we are staying in a Mod. I am not dealing with a nightmare to get back to the resort after the race again  Truth is, he won't fight me
> 
> Sunday we did our St Paddy's Day 5K.  It was great.  Lots of fun costumes.  For those who didnt see my FB post.  I was Lindsay O'Hoffman for the day. I thought that was funny.  My time was 34:55 I think????  It was only 40 secs slower than last year so I was pretty happy since I am about 15lbs heavier.  It was a great race.  Lots of supporters and already drunk people screaming like crazy on the streets.  We followed it up by watching the parade.  The streets were packed and it was a really great parade and atmosphere.  It was just an awesome day and an awesome weekend.



I love that you did this race, and had such a wonderful time, in all ways! Wow, that is a great memory to keep for days that aren't seeming as much fun 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

lisah0711 said:


> I'm definitely going to need your guidance on the potty locations on the Donald route.  I cannot picture where the bathrooms are in Tomorrowland at the MK -- all I see in my mind are the DL locations. One of the things I am looking forward to in January is running down Main Street since they routed us behind Space Mountain at the Princess.



I think Tomorrowland is a good choice, since they are pretty close to the route. Can you picture walking into Tomorrow land from the central hub, and Stitch is on your left? Go around the ride and past the store, and tucked into the wall are the restrooms. The other sometimes good spot is in Frontierland. The restrooms that passthrough Adventureland and Frontierland, if those are open. I was counting on them one year, and they weren't  They made us go way off the route and deep into POTC land to find them. I stick with Tomorrowland to be on the safe side 



mikamah said:


> *Maria*_loving your trip report.  Our first trip, I left michael with Beth and Jim one night and went out on my own.  I went to the GF and watched wishes from the beach and then went to DTD.  If I had the chance again, I'd definitely go to a park.  I love Philharmagic and COP too.  Definitely 2 favorites and I think we hit them both every trip.  Maybe just sitting down for 10-15 minutes is why I love them so.  What do you mean we're not competetive????  I am so competetive with not being last in any race I do, and I haven't been yet.  Isn't *LisaH* just amazing- 5 halfs within a year.  I think she is going to be the next *Corinna*, and I hosey her Wish shirts when they are too big!!!  Does the rest of the country hosey things too?  We shall see.
> 
> I hadn't heard of "hosey" until Dennis introduced me to it. I quickly learned he does not get to hosey! Ok, we are competitive, but were not serious about it  I continue to be amazed at our *Lisah!* She can do anything she sets her mind to!
> 
> Ah january weekend.  I'm on track to go since I just got my federal refund.   Now to keep it in the bank and keep my house and appliances functioning, and I will be all set.  Summer camp is coming up, but I've got my flex money to come back for that.  Now how early do you think will Pop sell out of rooms?  I'd like to stay at Pop.  Hmmm, sounds like I'm going.  Fingers crossed.  Is it the thought of all those yummy little Boma desserts that has me going?



I do know Pop sells out, but I don't have a sense of when. I didn't get to enjoy any little Boma desserts because I wasn't feeling great this year. Trust me, they are on my list for January! I will eat smarter next time 



camnhan said:


> Hey Guys....
> Sorry I have been MIA....
> 
> Rose and Nancy...yes I am on Facebook. Rose just sent you a friend request...Nancy..just PM'd you  Sure I will find the rest of you then!!
> 
> Kids are on spring break this week but I am in a mandatory class for the next 3 days  Weather has been really nice over the weekend so we got a little outside time.
> 
> Struggling with weight...seem to be loosing and gaining the same few pounds have stayed someone where between 1200-1500 cal per day so amazing how I can loose a full lb one day and gain it back the next...wonder if it is my scale?????



I am also on FB, but notorious for not checking it... It is frustrating to keep working with the same lbs  I should probably only weigh once a week, but I am not that disciplined. You can fluctuate a lot from day to day...



dumbo_buddy said:


> i just spent an hour at the police precinct....just to fill out a damn application to be a crossing guard. the police officer who is the coordinator blah blah blah'd me to death and just ignored thomas AND matthew both screaming! omg! i just wanted to leave! there aren't any positions available right now but she spent an hour talking about all that being a crossing guard entails. (entails? is that the right word? i say it alot but never spell it) b/c apparently it's  more than just crossing the street!  yeesh, that was exhausting!



Oh, *Nancy *-- I am so sorry! I know you did not want to even be there, and you didn't need the full rundown for a job that wasn't even available  I admit I peeked ahead and I know your week does not get better -- so this coming week is sure to be an improvement  Keep posting, even when it's not going well. We  YOU!

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

mommyof2Pirates said:


> You would have thought we were asking these people to parachute from the plane.  People are so ridiculous sometimes.
> 
> Ok I have been throwing a pity party for myself in my brain the past week or so.  I just cant get my eating together.  and now Im on the "why is it so difficult to be thin" page.  I need to get past this and just realize it is what it is and move on.  I need to go to the grocery store tomorrow night so I think that will give me a fresh start.  I plan to get lots of fruit and veggies and lean meats.  I do not want to be in our disney vacation pics looking like this and thats what I keep trying to tell myself.  ugggh!!!!!
> 
> This saturday we have a dinner dance to attend for mikes work and I actually have to get all dressed up.  Not looking forward to finding a dress to wear. ugggh ok I tried to make my post more positive but that snuck its way in.  Guess it is just one of those days in my brain.



*Lindsay * -- People are indeed  on planes. I just don't get it?  I always try extra hard to be accomodating. How are the healthy food choices coming? I am snacking on a plate of apples, almonds, blueberries and grapes. I also bought cantaloupe this week. Sometimes if you can pick up a "fun" healthy food it helps you get started and stick with the fruit and veggie patrol.  How was the dinner dance?! I bet you were gorgeous! 



mikamah said:


> Oh, and that new wonderful thing called a dvr.  Omg, I have been watching the second half of 2 broke girls every monday after michael goes to bed, but this week, I dvr'd all 4 shows on that channel, and watched them after he was in bed in their entirety.  I'm afraid it could become dangerous.  Last night we dvr'd biggest loser to watch together, but dont know when, and I watched a movie on netflix-Original Sin. It was pretty good.  And you got to see Antonio Banderas naked. From the back of course. What's not to like. I caught up on donald this morning, so that feels good, but ran out of time to catch up here.



The dvr is a dangerous thing! I have two Masterpiece Classics, 2 Being Human, Merlin, America's Book of Secrets, and 3 Universes waiting for me right now...and Friday night I watched an episode on History 2 about Zombies I would never have bothered with if it wasn't so easy to dvr...it's addictive! 



camnhan said:


> on the up side...only 28 more days till Disney
> on the down side...only 28 more days to loose 10lbs



Wow, you will just blink and it will be time for your trip! That is wonderful! Instead of focusing on 10lbs, might I suggest you just focus on making the best choices you can each day, and see what happens. If you do, you can feel good about your efforts, not matter the results 

I do not check a bag for really short trips, especially if I know I won't need much room for souvenirs, etc. I guess it depends on what you plan to bring back for the kidlets 



lisah0711 said:


> I wish we could have some of your nice weather.  We are having 3 to 6 inches of snow here.  Tuesday night we had thunder snow, which is something I've never, ever seen here -- except on the weather channel.    Every day my Mom texts me the weather forecast for next week in Arizona.
> 
> Darn you smilie police!



Thunder snow?! I've never heard of such a thing. That sounds creepy but fun to watch? 



lisah0711 said:


> I'm looking forward to getting away for a few day but I know it will be a stressful trip.  I have to do taxes as well as see both families as well as keep my little family happy.  I told Ed yesterday I'm taking my stess show on the road.   I'm going to try to make it a point to enjoy as much as I can, even if I have to fake it.  Although I'm getting to be like *Rose* and getting a tad tired of waiting for the making it part of the fake it 'til you make it, baby!



Wow, that does not sound like a relaxing getaway....but I know you will make the very best of it, and hey, we'll be waiting for you when you get back  I hope everyone puts on their cooperation hat, and makes a special effort to be amenable 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

mommyof2Pirates said:


> Hi all.  I am still having a party for myself.  Its the continuation of the one I started the other day.  Just cant get over it.
> 
> Now this just could be totally normal and part of aging but I really feel like this has kinda been like this and I have been complaining about this since I have gotten the IUD in.  It may all be in my head but I am also wondering if it is why it is so darn hard to loose the weight.  I mean there are times when i could eat better but overall its not horrible and I exercise a lot.
> 
> Just really unsure of what to do....any suggestions or comments?????



Sometimes we need a little "down" time, that's ok  I don't have a ton of suggestions. I would definitely speak with your ob/gyn about it (yes, this from the woman who basically won't go to hers ) I know they are always making advancements and learning more -- so why not see if there is something available that would better suit your needs? 



CRUIZEN MAMMA said:


> Went out with the Women's bike group again and it went much better- I actually wasn't exhausted afterwards and shifted gears- the first week I was just to nervous to bother. Jake finally comes home today and boy I have missed the little bugger-even when he has that pre-teen attitude. He and I have a date for Sunday to see Hunger Games with a friend-he's read the whole series - it is all he has talked about for weeks- he is a very avid reader and is never without a book in his hands-if he could run and read trust me he would other than that no big plans for the weekend- I still have a dry cough but I think it's really allergies no other symptoms. Hoping to run 8 miles this weekend,( pian free would be nice) in between puppy sitting for a friend.



I know you are so happy to have your little darlin' home! How was your run? Are you enjoying  puppy sitting? 



liesel said:


> *Maria*  Lots of  for you today.  Congrats on the weight loss and the upcoming WDW trip.  I can't wait to hear all about it!  I've never stayed onsite, its one of the things that stresses me out about doing a WDW race, I don't know which hotel to pick!  I'll have to find out what everyone's favorite values and mods are.  I enjoyed the rest of your trip report.  Hopefully work is going well.
> 
> Spring break started today for us which means more kid time, less DIS time.  I'll try to pop in often.  We had a good trip to CA, but it was overwhelming with meetings, looking at houses, and driving around neighborhoods to see where we would want to live.  You really have to pay to live in a top school district.    The timing of the move is still uncertain, I would really like to get that settled so it won't be hanging over us anymore.  Right now the two strongest possibilites are sometime this summer or at the end of the year (I know, right around marathon weekend!).  I hope they figure this out soon.



*Lisa! * -- Honestly, onsite is so much easier for a race, I highly recommend it! I would not suggest the All Stars as you know, but Pop would be a great Value choice, and certainly AoA! I've never stayed at CBR, but it worked great for Lindsay. CSR was good for the race, it's just far out to get to reservations, etc. POR and POFQ are my first choice Mods. I like all the transportation options, they have "make your own pasta" at the food court at POR (very yummy!), and they are fairly close to the Parks I am most interested in. 




CRUIZEN MAMMA said:


> Ok tread lightly when it comes to Tebow:love I hope he does well with the Jets kinda wish Jacksonville would have gotten him though:- Remember I live here in FL and we bleed Orange and Blue! Go Gators elite 8 in BB .



Well, I don't hope he does well with the Jets... I thought your comment was so interesting because Dennis said yesterday that Tebow should have gone to Jacksonville, where he could have been a big draw for the team, and also had learned how to be an NFL QB. 

Maria


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Rose&Mike said:


> So I just don't know what to say. Nothing major going on, just mentally pooped from life stresses and I think from the chronic injuries/illnesses. Add to that the kid issues, work issues, food issues, weight issues, etc and I just needed a break this week. So for the first two days I didn't even turn my computer on. I tried hard to focus on my workouts this week and eating better. I am a half a pound outside of maintain, and I will take it. I went to piyo 3 times this week, strength class, ran twice, did the elliptical a couple of times and stretched and stretched and stretched. Hopefully Tuesday will be my last pt visit for awhile. She said I might have chronic back issues, but if I do, we will deal with it.
> 
> We signed up to do a local 10 miler next weekend, so I am excited and nervous and annoyed. Annoyed because Mike informed me that his former boss who has only been running for a year and has a lot of other issues that I won't go into is targeting the same time as me. I just HATE it sometimes that guys don't have to work nearly as hard and are able to easily do what women do and then b-atch and b-atch about how we don't need women's races and it's all the same, blah, blah, blah! I have been thinking about this a lot lately. The other thing that I really need to come to terms with, is something Mike said to me before we found out about the gluten issues. My hair was falling out at that point, I was getting sick after runs, lots of brain fog and other issues. Anyhow, I said I just don't think I can do a marathon. And he said I didn't want it bad enough. I know he didn't know I was sick. I get that. But I just can't let it go. I worked so hard. And I was feeling so lousy (in retrospect). I didn't even know what it was like to not feel sick at that point.
> 
> It's been a hard week. Mentally challenging. But in a good way, I hope. I hope to come out the other side of this all in a better place. I think this is what you do in your 40s. Your brain forces you figure this crud out one way or another.



*Rose!* -- I am so happy to hear from you. You know the search party was about to go out  Nothing wrong with taking a technology break, and it sounds like you needed it. I love that you can just decide to sign up for a 10M next weekend, and off you go! You are in amazing shape ! I do know what you mean about how it doesn't seem fair that some things are just easier for men. Dennis will announce he's going to lose 5lbs, and the next week it's gone. Seriously?!  I don't know what to say about Mike's comment -- obviously you do want your fitness goals very badly, and you work so hard to achieve them. You do have to remember he did not know you were sick, and I am absolutely confident that he adores you, and was trying to motivate you. 

The 40s are interesting, aren't they? I do find myself deciding I have to deal with stuff, and so far so good. Ironically (and you can laugh at this one) I am more physically fit than I was in my 20s when I didn't leave the couch.  Yes, I still have a loooong way to go, good thing I have wonderful company for my trip 



mommyof2Pirates said:


> I enjoyed a wonderful day with my Mama.  We went to the salon and I got a pedicure and she got a mani.  We both got our eye brows waxed and the lady said we should get our lips waxed too.  I wasnt completely offended by her asking because I have noticed over the past year or so my little peach fuzz of a mustache is getting darker....I guess its hormonal with age. Anyway I was however offended when she asked if she should wax my chin. I mean like just dig the whole I have been in a bit deeper lady thanks. As if I wasnt feeling bad enough about myself.  Anyway...overall it was wonderful and I really enjoyed it.  We went out to lunch and did some shopping.  I got an outfit for tomorrows dance we are going too and I did not enjoy shopping for close one bit.  But I did it and I found something I should be comfortable in.



I'm so glad you had fun with your Mom! Sorry about the scary woman trying to generate more revenue for her chair  I can't wait to hear more about your evening! 



Rose&Mike said:


> I know you all will be thrilled to hear this thumbsup2)--we planned out our points for the next year or so and we went ahead and added thursday to the marathon weekend reservation at bw. I am still not 100% sure we are going, but it was available. I need to have a good race. We have the 10 miler next weekend--which I had a bad dream about last night. And the kdf half I think on the 28th of April.
> 
> The further away from the last Princess race I get the more I can think logically about it, and the reality the two biggest issues of the weekend were food and location of the resort. So by staying at bwv we have corrected both of those. Or at least made the food much easier to deal with. There are a ton more choices within walking distance of bw. I get a little cranky when I am tired and hungry. By taking those two issues out of the mix I think I can deal with the injuries (though hopefully there won't be any next year)/ weather/ lack of sleep.



I admit it, I really hope you come to marathon weekend! I think you would love the atmosphere and seeing so many WISHers! And I want to see you, too! I tend to agree, with your food issues it is best to stay where you know you can feel comfortable eating 



mikamah said:


> I am definitely in for the Wicked Half and will be running along behind you.  My friend Karen will be doing it too.  She finished about 2:30, and I was 3:30, but my goal will be to actually train for it, and beat that time.  Shouldn't be too hard.  I am definitely up for post race drinks too!!  Isn't that the main reason to do these silly races, to celebrate afterwards?   I think they need a margarita smoothie.



Margarita smoothie? I am so in!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> hi! i'm here. promise.
> 
> i've been posting some things on facebook and putting a happy "face" on there but things are just sooooo stressful right now. it's all going to work out...just doesn't feel like it right now.
> 
> thomas just got up from his nap and we're off to do some errands.
> 
> the last two weeks or so have been a real "when it rains it pours" type thing. you know my aunt whose dad died last week? well yesterday her two cousins were in the car going to visit their mom (my aunt's aunt) who is dying in the hospital and they were in a terrible car accident. one cousin is dead and the other is in critical care. i just saw them last week at the wake. so sad.



Oh *Nancy* -- you need like 30  What a week you have had. I am so sorry. I hope Thomas was a pleasant little fellow for your errands, and didn't yell "Help!" too much 



camnhan said:


> ..I am debating on starting back up tomorrow...the hospital decided to bring back the WW at work and payroll deduct option since NO ONE signed up to continue on with the monthly pass option...I do like the program and do much better on it knowing that when I am hungry I can grab some fruit or veggies at no cost...



Yep, those fruits and veggies can save the day! I like that even though I'm planning a treat for dinner, I've accounted for it and I don't have to feel guilty. I'm having a ham and cheese omelet with 1c. of hash browns and a glass of chocolate milk. Yep, that's a treat for me  

I'll be back later with an update on me, now I have to move some 

Maria


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Nancy, I'm so sorry for your loss-your family is in my thoughts and prayers

Rose: I know just how you feel with your runs and improving- I had a similar experience Saturday with my Run group, they are all much faster 7-8 min miles and if I keep up it's only for the first mile and then I burn my self out- yet I am faster than others and find my self running alone-I feel like I am starting from square one since the foot issue and I just was unhappy- then as the sun started rising I realized why I started running and just enjoyed the quiet and being alone-ran 6 1/2 miles fairly well -I'm being conservative in my milage hoping that will get me back to where I was, I don't want to not run at all -3 weeks drove me crazy. My FIL is a big Wilcats fan during BB season- I was disappointed that the Gators blew it in the last few min- but glad since that would have pitted you and I into a friendly rivalry.

Lisa H- As you probably saw on FB I'm in for Wine and Dine, haven't booked a hotel yet since I'm still going back and forth on 1or 2 nights. After a fairly good run Saturday I bit the bullet and registered. I'm gonna watch how fast the Jan marathon fills before I make my decision to go Mickey or Donald but I realize just completing it is a feat so why stress about time just go out and enjoy it.


Maria- I agree with your Hubby- Tebow would have been a big draw for Jacksonville- as for learning to be a good Quarterback- I think he's holding his own for a rookie but yes he needs some schooling and the media needs to get off his back and let him learn and not expect him to walk on water( pun intended)

Verdict on the Hunger Games from Jake was Good Movie, Better book! We had a great Sunday together -lunch, movie, and new sneaks for Mister Clown Feet- he's 12 and wears an 8 1/2 men's shoe already 
To everyone have a great week!


Dottie


----------



## camnhan

Good Morning all 

Well it is a Monday...cold and drizly here  and our email is down at work so I don't have a clue what I should be doing so I am surfing the net instead!!!

Had a nice weekend...went to eat at Hamada yesterday with family...was a great meal! Kids had a blast with the chef....and there was sooooo much food!! Was surprised to see that I only put on 2 ounces for the entire weekend 

My hubby and kids got me an iPad for my bday  totally took me by surprise! I can't wait to really get some time to play with it!! and it will be so nice to take that small thing on vacation and not have to lug the laptop around 

The new Run Disney shirt is out...can't wait to get one while on vacation!! going to be my motivation for the next few months! 

Still have not gotten a chance to catch up ....maybe today since there is no email!!


----------



## lisah0711

camnhan said:


> Good Morning all



HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEN!


----------



## lisah0711

Hello ladies!  

Hope everyone is well!   

This will be a quick post.  I am listening to Soarin' and trying to get that vacation feeling but I think it's going to take a drink or two to get there.   :

*Nancy,* sorry for the tough times.    Thank goodness you have those two adorable boys to squeeze.    Looks like you had a good run this week-end.  

*Maria,* hope that you are having another great week!   And I'll remind myself that you are all waiting here for me when people are making me crazy.  

*Dottie,* I did see that you signed up for the W&D on FB!   I have to wait for my 7 month DVC window to open to make my reservations.  I'm thinking it will be Saratoga Springs for me.  

*Lindsay,* hope your week is better this week, too!    My experience with bc was I felt like I gained weight but it didn't go away when I stopped.  I'm on thyroid and that has helped me to feel better but didn't do a thing for my weight, neither did HRT but I still can handle things much better and that is a good thing.   YMMV.  

*Lisa,* enjoy that spring break!  Hope you get some spring like weather.    Your 5K will be here before you know it! 

*Rose,* you are one of the hardest working folks I know.    If we had a dollar for every silly thing our husbands said we would be rich women!  

*Kathy,* so glad to hear that you and *Maria* will be doing the Wicked Half.    I'm totally up for some margaritas to celebrate with you ladies virtually.   

I had way too many things on my plate this month.    It has made me very stressed and cranky and some of it is my own fault.    I am taking many deep breaths and looking for my happy place.   

I rode 47 miles on the bike this week-end and still have 12 miles to go.   That will have to wait until Saturday.  I think the Krocman is a ONE and DONE.

Have a great week ladies!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hey Ladies!

Checking in before it all gets crazy and another week goes by...

*Lisah* -- It should be a decent week. I'm working on an application, but it's nothing too scary, and I have time to start working on some of those projects I was supposed to start in October  I'm sorry your week is so stressful  I am eager to track you ladies during W&D! It is going to be fun to have a virtual drink to celebrate your success 

*Jen* -- !! Sounds like it was wonderful -- I hope you have a great time with your new toy! 

*Dottie* -- Yes, I think being a rookie in Denver was not good for Tebow. All that media attention did not help matters. Perhaps he will find his footing, although I hope when he does it's in the NFC 

 to everyone else, posting and lurkers!

I ran 4M Saturday and Sunday. I can't run again until Thursday, yesterday afternoon I had my quarterly "hairpalooza", so no perspiring for three days. I'm home tomorrow morning, so I do plan to do an incline walk. A very slight incline, but I still feel muscles I didn't realize I have 

I have the dreaded second weigh in at WW Wednesday, and lucky me, TOM showed up yesterday. This should be interesting. I wonder if they kick you out if you gain week 2?  Yes, I know they don't really, but it does feel kind of ironic I did so well, and now I can literally see the water weight. I'm going to make a concerted effort to drink my citrus water tonight and tomorrow night, trying to whoosh some of the retainage away. 

I told Ben we are going to WDW, and he is really excited. But he did tell me he doesn't want to eat at Boma or the Irish restaurant. Guess I'll have to save Boma for my races  Well see how long I can keep the secret, I told him I want him to be surprised by our resort. I doubt I'll actually hold out very long. We have a reservation for a Finding Nemo suite at AoA. I may see if I can change that to Lion King, if they really are allowing you to book when we'll be there. There seems to be some confusion about that. I have to take a closer look at them and weigh it. Cars is definitely our least favorite, and we'd be perfectly happy with Nemo, but of the three Lion King is our fave movie. Dennis wanted a separate sleeping space for Ben, so we don't have anyone making anyone else crazy with too much togetherness. I'm hoping this will make it more bearable for him. I agreed to him not entering any Parks and no ADRs, and he's mentioned he would do a water park and mini golf, so by the time we actually go, I think we'll have a reasonable compromise so we feel like we had a family vacation. 

I helped my girlfriend make her ADRS for her end of May trip. She has Boma, Garden Grille and the Grand Floridian Cafe for dinner, and the Wave and Hollywood Brown Derby for lunch. Sounds good to me! She decided she wanted on the DIS, so I helped set her up with her login and start her first thread. Now she wants a signature. I told her  to the Cult! 

I'm going to watch another episode of the Universe and fall asleep. It is early for me, but I'm just tired. I hope everyone is having a great night, and looking forward to an awesome week!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

ok i'm way behind but i want to catch up at least a little...

*lisaR* i vote for NYC for your anniversary trip  i mean, it's not like you'll want to hang out with the cullens on your trip but we'd love to see you!

*lisaH* boo for the extra stress! it's a stinker, isn't it? 12 miles to go? that's great! you have gone so far! 

*lindsay* i can't take a hormonal birth control.  it throws my other hormones/functions out of whack like my insulin and my "normalizing" functions aka the things that keep me from going crazy.  maybe the iud is doing the same thing to you.  another vote for the snippy snip then!

*rose* good luck with your last day of PT! don't forget to keep up with the exercises. did you ever look into getting a TENS unit for yourself? i love mine.

*maria* nice job on bringing your friend to the dark side! our neighbor is going to disney in september for the first time with her THREE kids (twins about to turn 4 and the little one about to turn 3). we've been talking about her planning and i've sent her all sorts of links and things. she sent me a text the other day that said something about "should i plan on scheduling an ADR the day the MK has EMH?" i was so proud of her disney lingo knowledge 

*jen* hope your bday was fabulous. an ipad! nice! i like mine alot although i don't really use it for anything other than reading books. still, i use it every evening and in the middle of the night. an ipad is great when you have a baby. so...what are you going to do on your trip? give us a little sneak peak so we can pretend we're going with you  make sure you post a pic of the new rundisney shirt.

*dottie* good movie, better book is exactly how i feel about the hunger games too. i had an old gift certificate and saw it twice this weekend for free. as far as movies based on books go, i thought they did a good job. of course there were some changes. but still a nice way to spend the 2+ hours.

*kathy* the DVR is probably my most favorite thing in the house! lol! it's so great to be able to watch shows when you want AND without commercials! i love the pics you posted recently on facebook.  that mike sure is having a good time with poko 

**
ok it's almost 8am and i started writing this at 5:30am. we are having a make-up day at mommy and me since we didn't have class yesterday. the school was closed because the archbishop who just became cardinal gave everyone the day off - cardinal dolan day. haha. must be nice to be so powerful that you can be like, "meh, you all have the day off."

things around here are ok. i've been trying to find some part time work and there seems to be no such thing nowadays. job shares apparently are a thing of the past. there are people out of jobs who are willing to do the jobs for less money and longer hours just so they can get a job. miserable. john has been busting his hump trying to find business for the consulting firm and has a ton of leads which is great. 

yesterday was really a comedy of errors when trying to find that stupid easter bunny. we went to the westchester mall (the fancy one). the website said the bunny would be out at 10am. of course the bunny wasn't there and the mall people couldn't find the bunny people. went to another nearby mall. wasn't exactly sure where it was and we wound up parking in the wrong garage. of course we figured out it was the wrong one AFTER getting the kids out of the car seats and into the carriage.  back in the car again to the right mall. turned out to be great b/c there was no line and we could take our time with the bunny. thomas was THRILLED! absolutely loved him. matthew...well, he could care less what was going on as long as someone was holding him  i bought those ties a month ago on some crazy super sale. i just couldn't help myself. i was channeling my inner southerner 

my weight is pretty good. 144.5 today. i saw 142.5 the other day. it was a crazy fluke though i think but i'll get there hopefully in a few weeks. i need to be better with logging. my kickboxing class on monday is changing a little and she kicked our butts with a more boot-camp style of a workout and it was great! hoping to run today. i still haven't gone above 5 miles so the half in may i think is out (i don't want to spend the $$ on the entry anyway). that's ok. i'll do one soon.

off to dress the kids and get out of the house. freezing today. wah. 

have a great day everyone. xoxo


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hello PrincesstinkerMickDonnies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Nancy*- Im so sorry for all the tragedy you have been dealing with lately.  Faking it til you Make it is a good act but be sure to take care of yourself.  The job market is so bad right now but I hope those leads really pay off for John.  Hang in there.  On a good note you are rocking the weight loss 

*Kathy*- Glad you had a nice day off this weekend without getting called in.  We had an employee appreciation party for mikes work.  It was at a ski resort about 45min away.  It was very nice and fun and I did have a few drinks and it was a great night.

*Rose*- Im glad you got the extra day for marathon wkend if you go and I think staying at your favorite resort will help if you choose to do the race.  How was your last PT session???  your races are coming up quickly.  Im glad you are doing well.

*LisaH*- 47 miles on a bike woowza!!!  Good for you for sticking with it.  

*Maria*- I agree stick with your guns and do the Mod.  Im not sure what we will do or even if I will be going for sure but if I can swing it I would like to do the mod too.  Im glad ben is excited for your trip.  I think it will be great for you to enjoy your time there without the worries of racing.

*Jen* Im so glad you had a great bday and what a great present.  Have fun playing with it.

*Dottie*- Sounds like a nice day with your son.  Wow hes got some big feet.  My 7year old is a 4.5 so I think I may be in the same predicament too.  

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

Well so far the week is off to a great start.  It has gotten cold here again.  The poor daffodils look like they are on their death beds this morning.  We have gone from 80 degree weather to low 50's and very windy.  Baseball practice last night felt torturous. 

We have alot going on the next month or so too.  We have easter weekend and Nicks birthday is on good friday so we are having a little party for him the day before easter.  Then we have my 2 cousins and my dads bday in march which we are celebrating all on 4/15.  I have my half marathon on 4/29 so I am also working in my long runs during these crazy wkends.  Its just nuts.

Otherwise not much going on.  I am looking forward to the nicer weather coming back....hopefully it doesnt stay away for too long.  Oh and I did get my 8 mile run in on saturday and it felt great.  It was more laid back and I didnt push myself to keep a certain pace but just to complete it.   Now I just need to get my eating back in order....its still out of wack.  I said I would do a good grocery shopping to get some good stuff and plan out my food but I havent gotten there yet.  So hopefully tonight after zumba I will force myself to do it and get it over with.  I hate grocery shopping.

Oh and I must be feeling overwhelmed or anxious because last night I had a dream that I was at the airport and we checked in for our disney trip and I realized I forgot to pack our suitcases so I just planned on buying clothes when we got there.  Then I was in a car and a tornado came through our area.  Woke up and realized I was dreaming and just laughed.  We all know I would never forget to pack my suitcase.....I pack them weeks in advance.

Have a great day.


----------



## camnhan

guess I better start packing,,
Have been trying to do some shopping but just not thrilled with the way anything looks 
Weather had been so nice as is getting colder again so really bummed....

Had a nice bday but have had cake and ice cream for 3 days straight now!! 2 helpings am sure the scale is going to show it....ugh!

Job hunting is the pits  but things always seem to fall into place sometimes later than sooner but hang in there....

Every race I had wanted to do over the next 2 months has fallen through.... Really need to find one to have some motivation. Have really slacked off

Well off th try and catch up with everyone


----------



## Rose&Mike

I am loving all the pictures on facebook! Especially that smiling runner!

*Nancy*--I'm sorry about all the family sadness.

Just have a minute--done with therapy. Woohoo!  She suggested I start maybe regular massage for my back/legs. Not sure about that. There is a yoga class Friday evening that I might go to in order to get ready for the run on Saturday. 

For the record, still don't like yoga, but I like how it makes me feel.

Way too much to do at work, so I am going in tomorrow for a couple of hours. 

Feeling good and healthy. Fingers crossed this is an upward trend.

TTYL.


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Hey Girlies,
Well last night, we received a devastating phone call, my FIL has a rather large and fast growing mass on his lung- they are biopsing it today- This has thrown my DH for a loop and I am so dreading having to break this news to Jake. To say that he is close to his grandpa is and understatement- the Sun rises and sets in grandpa's eyes- he is Jake's super hero. The odds are not in Grandpa's favor and we should know more by Friday- we are holding off telling Jake till we know more, so we can better answer the questions he is sure to have. I really needed to get this off my chest so thanks for taking me into your group and being a safe place for me to vent. I hope to be back to catch up with everyone by the weekend.


----------



## mikamah

Oh, Dottie, my heart goes out to you and your family.  These days will be a whirlwind of emotions, doctors visits, tests for fil, and stress.  I will be praying for all of you and am always here if you need anything.  I went through it with my mom almost 3 years ago, and it is so hard, but truly the support here was such an amazing help.   More recently I heard about a organization called Lungevity.  There are many inspiring stories of survival, and I think there is probably a lot of information and support there too.  Hang in there.


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies!!

Not much happening here, walking the dog, eating too much, pms-ing, little tween-ie attitude, working, yada yada yada.  I need to get back to tracking.  I had a good loss last week, but will be lucky to maintain this week.  Why do I do this?  Stupid, i guess.  Oh well, today is another new day, and I'm starting fresh.  

Poko is doing great.  She had been barking in the middle of the night a few days, so instead of shutting the living room shades, i've left them open the past 3 nights, and not a peep out of her.  She's just snuggled down on her loveseat.  We are transitioning her to adult dog food now, and that's helped in the tmi area too.  Makes me think of *Nancy*.  How are your bowels doing, hon?

*Maria*-I am so happy for your ww weighin last week, and I hope today goes as well!!  A maintain would be great, but if you see a little gain, you know it is water weight, and you will not get frustrated, you will accept it, and see it gone next week.  You are rocking it!!  Good luck today!!
I'm ready to cheer from here for the w&d!!  Since its a night race, we should probably celebrate the beginning of the race with our first beverage, and then every 5k split.  

*Lindsay*-I am so impressed with your running. 8 miles is awesome, and I love hearing about all the races you are doing.  I'm only doing my june race, and the half in sept this year.  Trying to save enough money to make jan 2013 a reality.  

*Nancy*-The bunny search was well worth the effort when you see that adorable picture.  The boys are just freaking adorable.  Did you see alicia silverstone feeding her baby chewed up food from her mouth?  Have you thought about doing that for Matthew?   Might as well start early.  How bizarre.  Speaking of gross, you'll get a chuckle out of this.  Michael fell and hurt himself the other day, not bad, but he was lying on his back with his mouth open, eyes closed, crying and Poko ran right over and gave a huge wet kiss in his mouth.    Made him forget about his injury.  It was soooo funny.  I'm afraid he may count that as the first time he made out with a girl.  I hope John's leads are promising and he has some success, and my fingers are crossed for you both.

*LisaH*-47miles on the bike!!  You are amazing. Hope you are relaxing and having a beverage and into vacation mode.  I know it's only 530 am there, but on vacation you can start drinking when you get up.  That's why they invented mimosas and bloody marys.  Have fun!  I loved your race pics!!

*Rose*-Glad you're feeling good!!  I think the little touch of summer weather really helped, though I'm ready for it to come back now.  

*LisaR*-Hope you're enjoying your break!!

*Dottie*-3 weeks til vaca!!  How exciting!!

I feel like I've forgotten somethign important.  *Maria's* vacation!!  So happy that Ben is getting excited for it!!  Maybe dh not doing the parks will be ok.  You will only have one man in the park to keep happy.   The family suite is a good idea, and I hope it all works out for you.  I think the values are pretty awesome for the money, and it will be so nice to stay in a brand new resort!!

Hello to anyone else out there!!  Hope you all have a fabulous day!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Dottie-  I am so very sorry to hear about your FIL.  You are doing the right thing by not telling Jake until you know more.  You and your family are in my prayers.

Jen- Get packing girl  I am a nut when it comes to that stuff well only for disney trips really but I will pack my suitcase 2 or 3 weeks in advance just to make sure it will all fit right.  Then I take out the things I am still wearing and make a list to be sure it gets back in.  Its a bit ridiculous.


Kathy- Today is a fresh new day for me too.  When we you finally figure out why we keep on doing this to ourselves fill me in because I would love to know too.  Who would have thought the curtains being closed was making poko bark.  Good thinking!  

Rose- I am so happy for you.....You look so healthy and radiant now I am just so glad to hear that you are feeling that way too.  Hopefully all those injuries are in your past and you can move forward with all parts in working order.  

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

Ok today is my restart healthy eating take #700.  I will never give up so even if it takes me a million more tries I eventually will get this weight off and keep it off.  

I got to the store last night and stocked up on the healthy stuff.  I skipped the mcdonalds breakfast I had become addicted too again and had a great filling healthy breakfast.  I will have my grilled chicken salad and strawberries shortly for lunch.  It all is so delicious not sure why It is so difficult to just eat like this everyday.  I am back to figuring out how to eat to live instead of live to eat.

Have a great hump day.  I think I may venture over to the merged thread and say hello.  Anyone been actively over there or are we all drop outs.


----------



## liesel

*Lisa* Have a fantastic vacation!  Feel free to pop in whenever you need a break from the family.    I enjoyed seeing all your Tink pictures.  I haven't ordered any yet but at least I have a few of me running that Dan took.   for almost being done with the bike!

*Kathy* I  our DVR too, I especially like being able to pause the TV when the Daily Show comes on at bedtime (it airs at 9PM here), put the kids to bed, then resume.  We skip most of the commercials.  I'm glad Poko's sleeping arrangement is working out better for you.  I'm still having lobstah envy!  I like your 5K split drinking idea for the W&D.  At least this race will be easy for me to track.

*Nancy* Lots of  for you and your family.  I'm so sorry about the deaths in your family, how tragic.  I hope one of John's job leads works out soon and you have a smooth transition to the next job.  I am with you on the job stress, it sucks to have that underlying stress in your daily life.  How is your knee doing?

*Maria* A big  on your 9.4 pound loss, that's amazing!  I'm sure the water weight will be gone before you know it.  I'd really like to stay at a mod for my first onsite at WDW, but I have to be realistic about this.  If we can manage to swing this trip in Jan, it will most likely have to be at a value.  I can't wait to hear all about your stay at the AoA.  What type of rates do they have for the rooms and family suites?  I saw that the pool complex is going to be the largest of the WDW hotels, I can't wait to see pics of that!

*Lindsay* I'm glad you had such a lovely weekend and fun at the dance.  I saw BL last night (DVR of course!) and they took one team to a Zumba class.  The best part was discovering that Dolvett can dance!    It was a bright spot in a cast that I vote most likely to gain the weight back. 

*Rose* A big  for you too on finishing PT.  I hope your 10 miler goes well.

*Jen* I'm glad you had a fantastic birthday and  on the ipad birthday present.

*Dottie*   for your FIL's diagnosis and everything your family will be going through.  I'm glad you can come here and vent.  I hope and pray the prognosis is good.  I sent you a friend request yesterday in case you are wondering who the strange Lisa is.

Well I have fallen off the exercise wagon, which I do every time the kids are home.  I need to learn how to balance looking after them and still getting my workouts in, we'll be together this summer too!  I thought I had gotten better at this, I used to really neglect myself in favor of everyone else.  My eating has been good, I just need to set aside some time for exercise.  We had to take a break from their 5K training, there is a fire nearby in the foothills and the air quality has been bad the last couple of days.  This fire is so tragic, its a controlled burn that has gotten out of control.  The winds picked up to 70mph wind gusts Monday and just blew the fire everywhere.  I think 30 homes and at least 2 lives (a third person is missing) have been lost.  This is going to be our driest March on record, after the second snowiest Feb on record.  The weather has been unusually warm, which is nice, but we really need some snow or rain.  April is usually pretty snowy too, we'll see what happens.

I had better get going with my day, I hope everyone is hanging in there!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

OK PEOPLE LET'S REIGN IT IN HERE!!! i think we all need a little kick in the pants to get ourselves back on that wagon!!! (of course, i'm on my second cadbury cream egg as i write this ) 

perhaps we need to check out *lisa's* race pictures on facebook for a little motivation. not only were those pics like, um, AMAZING!! but did anyone notice how skinny lisa is looking?? the photo with you holding your medal (and powerade) really shows how much weight you've loss. everyone go look at that photo...NOW! and then put down the cream eggs (that's just pointed at me...)

*kathy*  poor michael's first make-out session and it had to be so slobbery!  oh and you know i love a good poop story - i hope the adult food does better for her stomach. still feeding her blue buffalo? if she is pooping alot just make sure not to give her too many treats. it's usually the treats that are the culprit. my stomach is ok. i called my gastro guy and he wants me to get a colonoscopy and an endoscopy. john is getting a colonoscopy tomorrow actually. trying to get the all clear saying he doesn't have crohn's. he was diagnosed with it a long time ago but if he has two colonoscopies that show he doesn't have it then the life insurance will be cheaper. 

*rose* check out brian kest's power yoga dvd's. he is really crunchy but the yoga itself has alot of push-ups and things like that so it feels less...crunchy.

*lisaR* i didn't know about those fires. just looked it up. how scary and sad   terrible news. how has the new dining room been treating you. cost plus world market? is that were you got it? there was one in chicago where i used to live and i got my apartment's dining set there!

*maria* 9.4 lbs! holy cow! that is so amazing. 

i was thinking....boston's not so far from here. do you or *kathy* ever come to nyc? a meet-up would be fun. or we could meet halfway and take in the lovely sights of my old state's capital, hartford!  ooo...or what about mystic...i hear they have a great pizza! hehe

*lindsay* good job starting over. i feel like i'm always starting over. one of these days it'll stick...right?? is nick excited for his birthday?? what is he asking for?

*dottie* oh dottie...i'm so sorry to hear about your FIL.  what terrible news. i'm feeling so sad for jake. it will be so hard to let him know. i'm sorry. please keep us posted and your FIL will be in our prayers.

*jen* ice cream cake three days in a row. is it bad that that sounds like heaven to me?

***

hope everyone's having a lovely day. i'm eating way too much chocolate but i'll be at step aerobics tonight so it kind of cancels out....right?? 

after mommy and me today john told me he had some awesome calls and one new client would like to sign a contract for 12 months! it's not enough to live on or anything but it's something! i'm still trying to find a part time gig. the botanical gardens is hiring in their membership department. i can so do that. a neighbor of ours works there so i might talk to him. 

it's naptime so i'm going to try to get some laundry and other cleaning done but wanted to jump on and say hi!!!

xoxo


----------



## Rose&Mike

Uggh, so ready for the final 4 to be over. It is a little ugly around here....This is a nasty rivalry (uk vs u of l) in the best of times, but add in the national championship and it gets really ugly.

*Dottie*--I am very sorry about your FIL. I hope that it ends up being something that is treatable.

*Nancy*--good luck with the botanical gardens. I'm glad John is getting some leads. I heard that they are predicting the unemployment rate in the 6% range early next year....so hopefully that is a sign of good things to come. Can't remember if I said this--loved those Ebunny pics!

*Kathy and Lindsay*--I still don't know what is the right way to do this healthy living thing. But I truly believe the key is support and to keep moving forward. And I think it took a big brain shift for me--that I could do it, that I was worthy of doing it. 

*LisaR*--I had a terrible time managing things when Tom was home. It sounds so simple to say you have to put yourself first in order to take care of everyone else, but that really is what it takes. But it is so hard! It's hard when Tom is even visiting! I hope you can get back to exercising soon.

*Maria*--I hope weigh-in went well.

*Lisah*--thank you for sending me that book. I can really identify with some of the stuff--especially the whole repressed anger thing. Not sure I believe that it is 100% to blame for back pain, but I do believe it could really be a contributing factor. *Where does JG talk about this kind of stuff*? I would like to read that.

Hi to *Jen*! And did I miss anyone????

****
I went to piyo today. I really like this instructor. I take a class from her twice a week and always feel good when I leave her class. 

Friday we pick up our race packets and then we're going to try to make an evening yoga class. Not sure if it will work.

That dry needling that I had done cost over a $100 a treatment (in addition to the regular pt stuff) and it is not covered by insurance and won't be applied to our deductible. I'm glad I stopped after three treatments! I really hope I am done with pt--I hate paying for it! Makes going to yoga easier when I realize it may be keeping me out of pt!

Ok, off to make dinner!

TTYL


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Evening, Fellow Athletes!

How is everyone? I feel like I have all these plans to post when I read someone else's post, then when I sit down to the computer, I don't have time or remember everything I planned to say...

*Rose* -- Wow, it sounds like you found the right time to stop the needles! And I'm glad you like the results of the yoga. I really miss it. One of the first things I want to do when we try the Y (coming in the next week or two!), is go to a yoga class, which I hope I will love. 

*Nancy* -- I admit, I've only been to NYC twice since we moved to Boston. We keep meaning to come, but it costs us as much for a weekend there as a week in FL or on a cruise...we did tell Ben we would take him (he's desperate to go and wants to see "The Book of Mormon"), so someday it will happen...but I agree, a NE meet is a great idea! I've been to Hartford and Mystic, both are  Love the Easter Bunny photos, so precious! You make handsome boys! 

*LisaR* -- I think AoA in general is a bit more than the other Values, particularly since right now they don't offer free dining or other discounts. It's new, so they don't have to offer the usual discounts (or at least they think they don't so far )The Little Mermaid rooms are the only regular rooms, and I think I read the price range is $94-$179 for holidays, and the suites are $249-$425 for holidays. Obviously, the lowest rates are the value season rates. If I remember correctly, marathon weekend rates are a bit more than value season, but not anywhere near the holiday rates. I bet Pop has a pretty decent rate for early January, and probably has AAA rooms available, too. The fire sounds absolutely awful, I am so sorry for those poor people. 

*Lindsay* -- What a great reminder, because really, who wants to live to eat?  I'm so glad you restocked and you are ready for your fresh start. I have had too many to count, but that's okay. I have a quote right now on my vanity mirror, something like "though no one can go back and make a brand-new start, it's never too late to make a brand-new ending". So, I'm focusing on my new ending. 

*Kathy* -- Thanks for the encouragement, I know that I cannot expect to lose weight every week at WW! I agree the Values are great (ok, I'm not loving the All Stars after a race), but other than that I had no complaints. The buses were fairly frequent, the food court was fine, and the giant icons are so much fun! 

*Dottie* --  You have gotten some wonderful advice here. I agree, it is best to wait until you have something more concrete to tell Jake. I will be sending prayers and  your way. 

*Jen* -- I agree, it does really help to have a race coming up to get moving -- I think for me it's just plain fear -- but I'm ok with that!  Yep, you'd better get packing! Before you know it, you will be on that first ride to the main terminal at MCO 

*LisaH* -- I actually stumbled onto FB for a little while today and saw the fabulous photo of Arizona weather. Looks like a decadent amount of sunshine to me! 

Okay, so I've put this off as long as I could. I actually was pleased with my weigh in. I was up exactly 1.0, which I consider pretty darn good with TOM water, and not running two days I normally would have due to hairpalooza. I did not eat more points than I had, but I ate all the daily points, I earned 35 activity points (when I couldn't run, I walked on the TM for an hour with a little incline), I tracked everything I ate and drank -- I followed the program as it is written not as it is in my head. I am confident that next week with being back to normal with my exercise and assuming TOM ends (hey, you never know ), I will see a loss. Actually, when I weighed in the hostess said it was just a little correction after my big loss last week, and I shouldn't get discouraged. I'm going with that 

Okay, so off to watch Body of Proof and have a snack (which I will count!). I hope everyone has an awesome evening!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies!

Arizona does look beautiful.  So glad you're having some nice weather, *LisaH*, and i hope you are having a nice time too.

*Maria*-I am loving your attitude, and so happy it was only 1 lb gain.  And I am so proud you stayed within your points with pms going on too!!  That is an amazing feat!!  You should be very proud of yourself.  Maybe I'll be hoseying your wish shirts when you outgrow them!!

*Nancy* -Good luck to John today.  I hope he can get rid of that crohn's diagnosis if he doesn't have it.  Will this be the second negative one?  Every now and then, like in november when the bill comes, I think I need to get back under 180# so my life insurance will go down too.  I think it's about 100 dollars more because of my weight.  Lots of good reasons to get back on track!!  I am feeling more in control and had a big salad last night for dinner, and packed the same for todays lunch.  My weight is only up .8 for the week, so I need to reign it in for sure.  We've been to NYC 3 times since my brother moved to western ma.  It's just about 2 hours from them.  One time we just did a day trip, but it was tiring driving home, so the second time we stayed in Stamford for the night, but instead of going in the city 2 days, we drove home the second day and visited IKEA on the way.  The 3rd trip was awesome, we stayed at the Doubletree suite in Times Square.  It was me and Mike, Jim, Beth and Taylor, so we split one suite, and had so much fun.  We stopped at the concierge to ask for directions to the Museum of natural hsitory in the morning, and how to get to the Empire State buildign for the afternoon, and the woman was awesome.  She was like you need to go to the Empire state now, it's early, there will be no lines, and we did what she said and we walked right on up to the observation deck.  We were also lucky enough to see the Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles up there for their 25th anniversary.  Michael has always loved them, so it was amazing.  Then one night, we got the kids mcdonalds and they ate in the room, and the 3 of us, took turns 2 at a time going out for drinks.   And on our last day we went to your zoo.  We probably only saw a quarter of it.  It's huge.  I would definitely love to meet up some day.  Meeting up with you, nancy will definitely be on my next nyc trip must do list. 

*Lindsay*-Glad you're back on track again too!!  We can freaking do this for crying out loud.  McD's is dangerous.  I know how hard a habit that was for you to break last time, and you did so well.  I know you can do it again.  Actually, tuesday was mcd's night school fundraiser, so my dinner was a mcfrappe, and a spoonful of peanut butter when we got home.    Salads are so good, when we make them, and they take a long time to eat too, so that's a plus.  I've been trying to pop on the bl thread but there isn't enough time most mornings.  I need to get over there today.

*LisaR*-So scary those fires. It has been quite a winter throughout the country.  Ok, I'm doing pretty good with the exercise, so I'm sending some good exercise vibes through the internet lines to you, and I'm taking your good eating vibes in return.  It is hard to make time for ourselves, but we are important too.  I know without Poko, I would not be moving half as much.  

*Rose*-So happy PT is over!!  That dry needling did not sound fun, but if it helped, it was worth it.  I only did Yoga once, pre-natal.  It was not pretty. lol.  I know it is an amazing workout for your core and mentally.  They have some yoga on wii-fit, but i haven't really tried it yet.  

Hello Jen and Dottie, and anyone else out there.  

Ok, healthy lunch is packed, and I'm going to pop over to the bl thread before I walk Poko again.  

Have a great day!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Nancy* thank you so much for the kick in the pants.  You seriously crack me up.  Did you put down the cadbury egg???????  Glad John has some good leads 

*Lisa* It is so hard to get the workouts in with the kiddos being home.  I find that I really have to plan my workouts otherwise it is way to hard to just do it when I get a chance....as we know there never comes a chance with kids.  Horrible about those fires.  I hope they get them under control soon.  Enjoy the warmer weather while it lasts.  This has been quite a year for some strange weather for us all.

*Rose* Holy crap thats alot of money for PT.  I can see why Yoga looks that much more appealing now.  Im so excited for your race on Sat....can we track you?  Just kidding but it would be fun.  

*Maria*- I love your new quote  I will focus on the same.  Glad the scale wasnt bad and I bet by next week you will see another great loss.  Glad the WW leader was supportive.

*Kathy*- I saw the mega millions is up to 500mil.  I am definitely getting some tickets this time.  I forgot about it until it was too late the other night, probably saved myself 5$ but you know no risk no reward.  and your right we can do this!!!!!!!

*Lisa H-* What a difference in scenery from idaho to arizona.  I am loving all your pics on FB.  I agree with Nancy you look amazing!  You are so inspiring and I think seeing your pic after your race the other day inspired me to get my butt in gear again so thank you  I hope you are having a great time!

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

Another Day Another Dollar!!!!  I am sorta having a disney daydreaming kinda day today.  On a positive note it is thursday already...anyone else feel like this week has flown by.  So only one more day tomorrow to work for me.  We do not have a jam packed weekend like usual so it should be nice to relax a bit for a change.

Oh and heres how bad I had been eating because I am blaming this completely on water weight and the fact that I was just eating way to much junk and garbage.  My weight is down 3.2lbs in 24hours.  That is just ridiculous.  My scale is pretty acurate because most days lately it was staying about the same.  I feel so much better already.....why the heck do I stop eating healthy and go back to my old habits when eating right feels so good.  I really hope I can remember this conversation if I fall back of the wagon again.  

Ok well off to eat my strawberries.  Have a great afternoon.


----------



## liesel

OK, I am going out for a run when Dan gets home from work, no excuses!!    Thanks for all the understanding, I am much better about taking care of myself.  I made the mental shift a couple of years ago and no longer feel guilt about doing something for me.  It was hard at first, but I'm so much better off.  Now I just need to work on scheduling!

Those pictures of *LisaH* don't even fully capture how radiantly happy she looked after the race.  I'm glad I got to see it in person.  *Lisa,* I hope you are having a relaxing vacation.

*Nancy* Thanks for the motivation!  I would love for our anniversary trip to be to NYC and of course we'd want to meet, but we may end up using those airline tickets for the Donald, where we would see you!  If we go to marathon weekend, we'd all do the 5K too, nice and easy.  Yes, the furniture is from Cost Plus World Market, love that place.

*Kathy* Thanks for the exercise vibes, healthy eating vibes are definitely coming your way.  I got a bunch of veggies at Costco on Tuesday, cut them up and am eating them with hummus and a  jalapeno yogurt dip.  I also ate an egg for breakfast today after not doing that for a week.  I've noticed a huge difference lately when I have more protein at breakfast.  I'm up 1.8 from my lowest after the trip to CA 2 weekends ago and celebrating my mom's birthday last weekend.  I need to lose that and then make the final push to onederland.  I can't believe I've been hovering so close for the last 3 months.  I want to be there in 8 weeks for my birthday, which is doable, but I need to stay focused.  We can so do this!

*Maria* Sometimes I am unable to read and reply in the same sitting too and I go from memory.  Then I read someone else's reply and think, "that's exactly what I was going to say!!"  Good thing great minds think alike.    Your pound of water weight will be gone before you know it.  Thanks for the info on the new AoA resort.  I'll have to see what rates they offer for marathon weekend and find out what everyone's favorite value is.  We will most likely have a car too.  I hope we get to go!

*Rose* Holy cow, needling is expensive!  I hope the yoga goes well for you.  I've been feeling stiff lately and need to do better with stretching.

*Lindsay* Can you recreate a healthier version of your favorite McD's treats at home?  This could help.  I'm not a McD eater but I do make a healthier breakfast sandwich at home, tastes better too.   for not giving up and recommitting to healthy eating!

I loved Maria's fellow athletes greeting so I will end with have a good afternoon/evening fellow athletes!


----------



## liesel

Wait, I forgot to talk about the important thing, the lottery!!  We didn't buy tickets on Tuesday, I was teasing Dan that he's just holding out for the jackpot to be 500 million and here we are.  I think he and the kids are going to pick some numbers today.  Wouldn't it be fantastic to be able to afford any race we wanted to do?!  Good luck to everyone who is playing!


----------



## liesel

Run is done!  I hope everyone out there is doing well.  Dan and the kids are off to buy the lotto tickets.  


  Dottie!  I hope you had a great day!


----------



## camnhan

Hello everyone!! I have my lottery tickets bought 
Well we all pitched in $2 at work and are getting a few and then Thom plays when it get up this high...oh what a treat it would be! Real motivation to get some serious run training in if I could afford all the races 

Dottie: send ing tons of prayers to you and your family
Cancer just S----S.....

Love the FB picks!! Those babies are adorable! I sooooooooo miss the days when I could dress mine alike and get those pictures taken.

Well weight has been holding steady...just really want to drop below 160 but those last 2 lbs just keep teasing me....

We bought the Xbox Kinect for the kids for Easter...can't wait becasue I am getting Zumba Rush to go along with it!!! I LOVE Zumba so much!! Of course the kids just sit back and laugh when I do it on the WII when they are around.

2weeks 6 days and counting!! I have started a pile of clothes..have not found the suitcases yet to start packing...need to so I can tell if I have everything I need....I would be happy with sweatpants, tshirt and my swimsuit but figure I should probably pack a few other things....

It so felt like Friday at work all day..I can't believe I have to go in tomorrow. Have way to much to do for the weekend...going out of town for a baby shower and have no one packed.

NANCY: Cadburry eggs are my FAV...you can never have just 1 

Rose: I really like yoga but the class is during the kids CCD class so I don't get to go unless Thom can take them  I did get a new DVD and need to find space to do it (the light/fan in the family room is so low I hit it everytime I raise my arms over my head!!)

Maria: YEAH!!! I never had a big loss on WW which was kind of disappointing when everyone else would come in on week 1 and 2 with huge losses and I would have less than a lb   being up 1lb after a 9lb loss is still way ahead of the game!! Keep that tracking....I was horrible the past few days..ok well all week...figured cake and ice cream for 3 days straight would toss me way over so why bother...poor attitude I know. Still have not really gained or loss this week so should get off my tail and pay better attention and make better choices if I want to get under 160 in the next couple weeks...

SO lets talk more about fitting in those runs....You guys are doing some amazingly long runs that I am guessing at times are taking over an hour...how are you fitting that in? I know a lot of it is just getting up and doing it but I am not a morning person so getting up and running in the morning would be like beating my head against the wall....after work I feel like I have to get home and spend time with family...I had for a long while been going to the gym after work but I leave the house before they get up and then I don't get home till pushing 7 so I feel guilty that I have not seen them all day and may only see them 1-2 hours when I get home....just like others I find it extemely difficult to find "ME" time regardless of how important it may be....

ok I better go get  done since Zach was laughing so hard he pee'd all over Hannah's bed  have a wonderful rest of your night and weekend if I don't get a chance to pop in......


----------



## camnhan

DOTTIE hope you had an amazing day!! I think I will have a piece of left over cake for you....that is just the kind of person I am


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

camnhan said:


> DOTTIE hope you had an amazing day!! I think I will have a piece of left over cake for you....that is just the kind of person I am



Jen, this made me- thanks I needed that. Tonight we are headed out to really celebrate my birthday- hard to do that during the week- I see a Sangria or 2 in the near future. Dh and Jake bought me a lovley pink safaire bracelet and a matching princess crown sterling silver necklace.  FIL made it through the biopsy ok- should have results and a game plan later today. Boy am I in hot water with Jake- there is a girl in his TKD class that I think he likes and she likes him but neither will admit it. The instuctor was teasing me about my bday and she defended me- the instuctor tells her she needs to learn to not get involved and I blurt out that she was defending her future MIL- well I dont know who was more embarrassed her or Jake- he shouts MOTHER!!!!!  - so then the instructor made the class sing happy birthday to me. it was all very funny. Blew off running tonight as a bday gift to myself but I did manage to drag myself to the Y and do 30 min on the eliptical.


I promise to be back and catch up later this weekend. Thanks everyone for the prayers, pixidust and birthday wishes.

Dottie


----------



## Rose&Mike

I am happy to announce that I am FINALLY back in maintain range. Only took a month! And I barely made it, but I will take it! I debated and debated raising my maintain range again, but decided against it. (FWIW, I am maintaining at 140 +/- 4 and I was at 144 today.) I start to feel a little yucky, bloated etc over 144, so I am glad I stuck with my guns and weighted to call it a maintain. Hopefully I can get closer to 140 as the weather improves. It's funny, cause Mike keeps telling me he thinks I look thinner than last year, and I keep telling him I weighed 6 or 7 pounds less last year....I think that I am putting "fat" back on in the fat pad areas, which is good and building more muscle other places. I am trying to see all this as a good thing--a sign that I am getting healthier since going g-f.

And we are getting some good news on the DS front. He has two part time jobs for the summer (one with the office of student conduct--he is on the judicial council, so this is a good thing) and an interview for an internship on Monday. He wanted to stay in SC for the summer and we really wanted him to have stuff to keep him busy. Fingers crossed that things continue to go well. And he is moving in May with some kids that I think will be good for him. The house is further from campus, but while his current roomates are nice, they are not overachievers. I feel like I have been holding my breath about all this stuff for a couple of months and that I can finally relax a little.

*Jen*--I am not a morning person either, but I found I just had to suck it up and do it for the long runs. In the summer we have been known to be at the park by 6:30 am or earlier. I hate doing it (really, really, really) but I am so happy when I am done. It gets wicked hot here so that is the only way we can make it work. We only do longer runs on the weekend. During the week our runs are in the 3-5 mile range usually.

*Maria*--that is just a tiny little correction! You are doing fabulous with the weight watchers! When do you start at the Y?

*Lisah*--I hope you are enjoying lots of sunshine.

*LisaR*--Woohoo for getting that run in! I think we might actually try to buy a few tickets. I never buy tickets, but that is a crazy amount of money! I have found that I need a little protein, carb and fat at breakfast or I am starving all morning. My latest--a piece of g-f toast with peanut butter and jelly. When I was just eating fat free greek yogurt and fruit I was getting so hungry. And when I was just eating cereal I was starving. 

*Lindsay*--I still crave bacon egg and cheese biscuits from Mcds. It's like crack, I think. You can do it Lindsay!!! Woohoo, cheering for you!! I hope you get in some relaxation time this weekend.

*Dottie*--hope you are hanging in there.

*Kathy*--Are still on the wagon! You all aren't getting snow are you? Why do I think I saw that on the news?

*Nancy*--that was an impressive sand box! How was John's test? How are you doing???? I used to love Cadbury creme eggs. But there is a lot of debate as to whether they are truly g-f. Tom loves them too. Ok, enough egg talk! Hope you are doing well.

*****
So I got 4 more eobs from p-t and they all have $114 that is not being allowed.  So it must not be just the dry needling. Uggh! So I called to have her look at it. That's over $700 out of pocket if all my visits have it on them in addition to the regular part I have to pay which is ~$700. And the out of pocket won't be applied to our deductible which is the most frustrating part. I called and she is going to look at it. She has only gotten back one eob so far. Last time I had nothing that wasn't allowed so this is EXTREMELY frustrating. Hopefully it can be straightened out. If this is not motivation to keep going to yoga an stay healthy, I don't know what is?

Ok I'll probably be back later. Got some of that prerace anxiety going today.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*dottie* Happy Birthday  I hope you have a very enjoyable celebration.  sounds like you got some really great gifts.  I will be sending continued prayers for your FIL.

*Jen* I was just reading an article about beware of the big lottery win.  It said many people go broke because they are not use the money and or miss their old lifestyles but it also talked about work pools.  It said be sure to write up some kind of contract with names and the amount of money that people gave with their signatures, I would even add those who didnt contribute with their signatures.  They say there is a high percentage of law suits that follow work pool winners.  Scarry....  So even though you have a better chance of getting attacked by a mountain lion It does seem like a good idea to cover yourself just incase.  I however will be selfish and I am only buying tickets for myself.  Good luck!!!!!!

Oh and on the topic of getting long runs in.  I do timed runs during the week because I find doing 45-50 runs during the week doable.  I usually go home and get dinner made, go out while the kids play with dh and then by the time I get back they are ready for homework, baths, and bed.  Its only twice a week so I have learned not to let myself feel guilty but it was a tough lesson to learn.  The long runs for me sometimes can take over 2 hours for the longest runs so I always save those for the wkend.  I usually go out mid morning or afternoon during a part of the day that we are not doing anything.  Its not easy sometimes but as long as I plan ahead it seems to work out.

*Rose-*  I hope those EOBS your getting are wrong.  holy moly thats alot of money.  Hopefully they can figure it out for you.  I feel with every pic I see of you look even more fit and healthier than before so maybe it is your body now recovering from being glutened for so long.  You are looking so great even with those few extra lbs.  Good job on getting back to your maintain range.  You have been rocking it.

*Lisa* Great job getting your run in.

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

Ok day 3 of my healthy eating initiative and its going well.  I think now that the warmer weather is coming it just makes me more motivated.  Actually Jan and half of Feb were good months so even though I ate horribly since then I am almost back to where I left off.  Only 3 more lbs to go to get there.  I had another motivator yesterday while I was browsing through old navy I saw some cute summer dresses.  One was kinda polynesianish and would be perfect for me to wear to our anniversary dinner at Ohanas in Oct.  So I really have a lot of motivators to loose the weight.

Ok well I need to get back to work.  Have a great friday and good luck to all the mega million players.


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, I fixed my fb timeline, and posted a bunch of pictures from the Princess Race. I think that is going to be as close as I get to a trip report this time. I love all the pictures, but those little fringy hairs that are growing back in are driving me crazy! I see them in every picture. I keep reminding myself that I am glad that my hair stopped falling out. 

*Lindsay*--yep, I think they are charging me a ridiculous amount this time for p-t. I hope it gets straightened out. I don't quite understand the code, but it looks like the insurance company thinks they are double billing for something. I can deal with paying for it, but I am not happy if it won't be applied to my deductible. Mostly because they didn't tell me ahead of time that some of it may not be covered. I am not very good at waiting, so hopefully she will figure it out soon. 

A new dress is a great motivator!

****
Here is our plan for May for our 25th anniversary. We will be gone from the 18th to the 26th.

18th--work half day (Mike); drive to south of Atlanta (about 600 miles)

19th--drive remaining 270ish miles to WDW. Visit Epcot for end of flower show. Hang out at pool. Have dinner. (not sure where yet. We have a room ressie at OKW, but hoping our BWV waitlist comes through).

20th--early breakfast. On the road by 8:15 am and drive to Key Largo. Ride glass bottom boat at John Pennekamp state park. Drive to Marathon. Stay in Marathon 3 nights (20, 21, 22)

21--drive to Key West. Tour Key West. I already found a restaurant that said they will do g-f. 

22--snorkeling and kayaking in the keys. I will be honest here--I am TERRIFIED of snorkeling. But Mike really wants to so I am going to try. We snorkeled at the sea world dolphin thingy and that was scary enough!

23--leave early and drive to BWV. Afternoon drinks by the pool. Anniversary dinner at California Gill at 9:30 w/ fireworks. I am so excited about this!

24--something at Disney--not sure what. Need to make dinner ressies.

25--DHS opening to see some Star Wars stuff! Late (or early) breakfast at Kouzzina. Leave early afternoon to drive to SC. Visit with Tom.

26--breakfast with Tom. Drive home.

I still have some planning to do, but I am excited.


----------



## donac

Hi guys I thought I would pop on here and say hello. 

I hope everyone is doing well but I wanted to comment on Rose's plan for Key West.

Rose, the best snorkeling is at John Pennecamp State Park in Key Largo.  We spent three nights in Key Largo and just visited Key West.  We did not kayak in the keys but we did take a glass bottom boat tour which was great.  When we went out snorkeling you could sign up for it and not get off the boat or stay really close to the boat.  There are some really nice hotels in Key Largo and it also cuts off about 1 1/2 to 2 hours the drive from Key West. 

Have fun.  We did it a couple of years ago and loved it.  We had three days and only had meat once.  We ate seafood every day and loved it.


----------



## liesel

Random rememberance of the week:
When *LisaH* was discussing thundersnow and *Maria* said that she hadn't heard of it.  We get thundersnow occasionally in Colorado, its pretty strange.  It happened several times last winter thanks to our kooky winter where the east got all our snow.  Once I was in the house and I hear a huge crack of thunder and think, I didn't know it was raining.  I look outside, and nope, its snowing!


*Rose* Good luck at your race tomorrow, I'm sure you'll rock it!  I can't wait to hear how you like the keys, its a place Dan and I were considering for our anniversary trip.  Have a big drink for me on the 23rd, that's my birthday and I'll be spending it at a cub scout potluck dinner, yay!  We'll need to do something fun that weekend, that's for sure!  I hope the insurance situation gets straightened out soon.

*Lindsay* I'm glad the healthy eating is going well, I'm sure those 3 pounds will be gone before you know it.  I've been hearing lots of horror stories about office pools too.  We've never done one and I don't think we will be.    This is our 4th time buying lottery tickets.  The kids really like picking numbers and are already planning what they will do with the money.

*Dona* Hi there!  If I went to the Keys, I wouldn't eat meat either!  Seafood all the way!

*Jen* I'm getting excited for you for your trip!

*Dottie* I'm glad you had a great birthday.   to your family, I'm glad the biopsy went well and I'm hoping for good results.  I agree with everyone that it is best to wait to tell Jake until you have more info.

*Nancy* Love the sandbox pic!

Hello to everyone else!

I'm just waiting for some garlic in olive oil to finish roasting in the oven (we use it on pasta, as a yummy base for salad dressing, and cook veggies with it).  Then I'll be walking to the park where Dan and the kids are riding bikes.  Dan's 11.5 mile run is tomorrow and then its taper time for him!  It will be interesting being on the other side watching someone else experience taper madness.

Have a wonderful weekend!  Good luck to the lottery players!  We opted not to play the numbers from Lost, I'm sure there will be many who do.  I've never even matched 3 numbers, that would make my day!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Rose* your plans sound wonderful.  I have a fear of snorkeling too.  I am pretty sure its a mind over matter thing for me.  I bet you will love the experience and if not you are a good wife for tolerating it for your husbands happiness.

*Dona*- Hello there.  I miss seeing what you are up to each day.  Any new projects or shows that you are working on.  I really really need to catch up on the bl thread hopefully I will get some time over the wkend.  Glad you popped in to say hello.

*Lisa*- oh I am a garlic lover and just thought of your garlic roasting is making me hungry for something with garlic, of course the thought of any food right now is making me crave it....  Im in the withdrawl stages but Im holding my ground.  When is your husbands race???

**********************************************************
No plans tonight which I know I looked forward to but guess what....Im bored.  Nothing really to do though and its nice and sunny out but cold so I guess were stuck inside doing whatever.  Mikes idea was to organize the family room and vaccum.  He has OCD....obsessive cleaning disorder.  I was looking for something more fun so we will see what happens.

maybe the boys and I will just read disney trip reports tonight.  I am so darn excited for our trip and we are still 188 days away.  The exciting thing is we can make our ADR's starting 4/8.  I already have out trip pretty much planned out but Im sure I will obsessively review the plans a million times before we actually go.

Kathy-Lisah-Nancy-Maria- Hello ladies hope your friday was a great one.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Hi all. Just time for a quick one-handed post while I feed the baby before bed. I'm so glad this day is over. Nothing big or anything happened, I'm just pooped. Saw 142.5 on the scale this morning but gorged myself all day today. Ick. My aunt Mary who lives across the street and I weigh they same. I suggested a bet today. Whoever gets to 139 first gets treated by the other person to mcdonalds. Lol! Not the healthiest reward but knowing us we will get there soon with the promise of mcd's! 

Baby's done eating and my stomach is killing me(need to schedule that colonoscopy!). Off to read and hit the sack. Talk tomorrow!!! Xoxo


----------



## mikamah

Good evening!

I loved the princess photos, *Rose*!  They really made my night.  I hope the insurance can get settled and you don't have to pay that much.  That is ridiculous.  Your trip sounds awesome.  I had to do the math, but looks like 9 days 8 nights away.  Awesome!!

*Lindsay*-Good work with the healthy eating.  I'm doing pretty good, but not perfect.  I didn't start tracking again and need to do that.  I don't know why it seems so hard this week.  I'm glad it's the weekend, and tomorrow I'll be able to hire my personal assistant with my mega millions to track my food for me.

*LisaR*_Michael had fun picking his numbers and tonight we had a good chuckle talking about what we will do with the money. He is going to buy a ladder so he can climb up into the attic crawl space.  We laughed so hard, 640 million dollars and I'll buy a ladder.    I'm looking forward to paying off my family's mortgages, and being able to commit to marathon weekend 2013!!!  

*Dottie*-Glad fil did well with the bx.  Prayer for some positive news and a plan.   How fun is it to embarrass our children.  Sounds like ds probably loved it a little too.

*Jen*- Love listening to kids laugh so hard they pee.  Even if its more work for you.   

*Dona*-Hello there! Love to see you poppin in over here too.

Hello *Nancy, Maria, LisaH, and all our other friends out there!!*

I was on facebook and the mom of a boy on michael's baseball team last year messaged me.  She heard what team her son is on, and michael's not on it.  It's kind of a bummer.  We had a fun time last year, making fun of our children, and then cheering really loudly when the coaches started being a bit negative later in the season.  Ah, good times.  I just hope his coach this year remembers that little old ideal of good sportsmanship.  I'm hoping for coach Joe M., and I'll be thrilled if he gets him. We should hear over the weekend since sunday is the final baseball clinic night.  I can't believe april 1st is here already.  

We are going to bed early tonight, so time to get the boy moving.  Have a great weekend everyone!!


----------



## mikamah

I knew I forgot something.  *Rose*, who am I supposed to cheer for tomorrow, Kentucky or Louisville?  It must be crazy in your neck of the woods.  I hope your team wins!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

mikamah said:


> I knew I forgot something.  *Rose*, who am I supposed to cheer for tomorrow, Kentucky or Louisville?  It must be crazy in your neck of the woods.  I hope your team wins!!


Kentucky.

Yep, a little crazy. The race starts at U of L's football stadium and I told Mike no wearing UK shirts tomorrow morning. The police have plans for handling issues after the game tomorrow. Be glad when it is over.

We actually bought $20 worth of lottery tickets. We never buy lottery tickets. I texted Tom to tell him we were buying tickets and he said he was too. And there is a pool at Mike's work. Just crazy. Mike and I were talking about what a ridiculous amount of money that is. 

*Dona*--we are staying in Marathon--which is between Key Largo and Key West. I don't eat seafood, but I know Mike is excited about it. We are both excited about this trip. We've been wanting to go to the Keys for a while. 

Ok, back to being stressed out about the race.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, PrinTinkaDonMickeys! 

*Rose* -- I can't wait to hear that you had an awesome race, I just know it's coming!  I imagine it is very crazy in your neck of the woods right now. I'm going to watch a sci fi movie and just avoid it altogether...for some reason college basketball just doesn't draw me in.  Your Princess photo album is awesome! I'm lovin' it!  Your anniversary plans are wonderful -- what a fantastic way to celebrate 25 fabulous years! 

*Kathy* -- Best of luck with the coaching situation! It is true that the coach can make a big difference. I admit I'm glad Ben is done with the organized sports. It is a shame because he has a runner's build, but he couldn't be less interested in running. 

*Nancy* -- hey, whatever gets you to your goal is good  I am so proud of you for sticking with it with everything you have going on right now. You are full of WISH spirit! 

*Lindsay* -- I made my Friday good. It was a pretty stressful morning at work, so I treated myself to watching a Jane Marple on netflix before my hair appt. in the afternoon. Unfortunately, I also treated myself to three small bags of chips, but that is another story (all accounted for, WW is helping me in that regard!). No boredom here, I just go to bed if I can't find anything better to do. I'm always tired enough to sleep, so not an issue  I'm reading a murder mystery, so that is keeping my evenings entertaining. 

*LisaR* -- What a lovely evening you had. That sounds so nice, roasting the garlic and then heading out to join your family...hopefully not in thundersnow! That is something I think I'd like to experience once for the novelty. 

*Dona* -- So great to see you post! How are the plans coming for your family trip? I believe you said BLT was going to be your homebase -- how exciting! 

*Dottie* -- Wow, hope you had a Happy Birthday -- 'cause you needed it after your slip at TKD  That is a great story, even when we aren't trying to embarrass them, somehow we manage to...sending  for your FIL's results 

*Jen* -- I pulled back on the LRs after Princess, I need to get some weight off, and that means being active more days, which I just can't do if I run 10M every Saturday. I run 4M before work three days a week, and then the LR on Saturday. I get up around 5 during the week, and I'm usually on the TM 8ish on Saturdays, for however long it takes. It's just a priority in my household. Dennis is doing LRs on Saturday mornings, too, so that helps. During the week I'm off the TM in time to say goodbye to Ben before he heads out for the day. He doesn't need us to get his breakfast or get him ready anymore, so that makes a big difference. You can fit them in, it took me awhile to find a schedule that works, don't be afraid to experiment until you find the right combination 

*LisaH* -- Couldn't forget you -- we're getting ready to watch our 2012 Disney planning dvd! I hope you are having as much fun as I am right now 

I slept through my workout yesterday. I had to get up at 2:30 and take a claritin, so by the time I was asleep again 5am was not happening. I think I needed the rest but I regret it because I ate far too much yesterday (all accounted for and I am far from blowing the week, but still...) I knew I had too many carbs when I woke up in the middle of the night hungry. I'm going to definitely curb them today so I'm back to my normal eating. 

I ran 5M this morning, and it was the first time since Princess I approached my normal speed. It felt good, but I could use a nap right now. Ben has a lock-in at church tonight, so Dennis and I are going to my favorite Mexican place. I can have shrimp fajitas (no tortillas), a serving of chips and salsa, and 1-2 glasses of sangria. I decided to be flexible with those points, we may have a drink in the bar before we are seated. They put so much ice in the glasses, I'm probably not getting the full points, but I'm still counting them 

We are skipping the traditional pancake breakfast at church tomorrow (no, I do not want to waste my points that way), and just going for church. I hope to walk for an hour on the TM tomorrow afternoon. I'm trying to get an hour of exercise in most days. 

I helped my friend purchase MYW tickets yesterday. It is becoming very real for her. She can't believe how much planning she has to do -- ok, wants to do. I told her should could go tomorrow and she'd have a great time, but she wants in-depth plans for the Parks, so I'm going to help her with those next. 

It is fun planning her trip -- but I wish I hadn't given her all my books, because I'd like to work on ours  

Have a great evening!
Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Race Report 
Papa John's 10 Miler; cloudy, ~60 and humid at the start

I was pretty anxious before this race. The last race I ran that didn't end up with an injury/ and or rehab was Princess 2011!

We picked up our numbers, etc the night before. If we do this race again i think we will just pick it up on race day since the expo was a non-event. I did see the needling guy from my pts office there, but I did not stop and say hi.

We got everything ready the night before and were able to sleep until 5:45. Which was awesome! I woke up a bunch, but fell back asleep. I had a half a piece of pb&j toast and some hot water and did some stretches. My back felt fabulous on Friday, and was stiff in the morning but I told it (my back) that it was not going to give me any problems today. Yes, I have resorted to talking to my back.

We left our house at 6:30 and were parked and ready to go by 7:00. It was about a 10 minute walk to the start. They were playing music and everyone kind of meandered in. We probably started up too far, but we were there so early we just wandered toward the front. I saw more women in full makeup here than at the Princess. I felt slightly under made up. Seriously this one chick who looked like a serious runner had on major eyeliner, etc. More makeup than I normally wear anywhere. It was impressive!

Ok, sorry off topic. The Papa Johns camaro (from the commercials, PJs started in Louisville) was the official pace car, which was cool. It was a very anti-climatic start. There were ~9000 people signed up for this race, but only 6912 had finishing times. I think a bunch of people went to NOLA for the game!

The first 3 miles were pretty flat. And fast. We didn't take the first two walk breaks cause it was so crowded. We were running ~9:15 pace and I knew I needed a break if I was going to keep that up. We were doing run 2:00 walk 30sec. I really, really like this interval. At mile 3ish we were at a 9:50 average pace. That is when we entered Iroquois Park. Miles 3-6 are rolling hills through Iroquois Park. It was rough. This one girl running near us kept leaning back on the downhills and I just wanted to push her forward--her butt is going to KILL her tomorrow! The Park was mentally tough. By the end of the park we were about .1 over the actual distance--we tried to stay to the outside for walk breaks.

Leaving the park is a nice downhill--where we skipped a walk break or two and then it's back the way you came--which was pretty flat. I was very nervous when we left the park that I was running out of steam and that my time was going to suffer, but once we got away from those hills I started feeling better. 

Mile 7-8 I did the traditional race day--why do I find this fun???--questioning. Mile 8 I started getting really tired/rubber legs. Mile 9 started with a BIG highway overpass down to Cardinal Stadium. It was hard. We took one walk break up the overpass and then Mike said--ok you can go the rest of the way without stopping. And I thought I could. 

But at about 9.6ish I started getting dizzy so we took a walk break. And I am really glad we did. This was right before we entered the stadium. We got to run around the football field--which was cool. But it was turf and very very spongy. I think if I would have hit that dizzy it would not have been good. I had rubber legs at that point and just wanted to be done! I ran across the finish line--but did not give it that usual hard push. Just kept running and was very, very happy to finish!

I had a banana and an apple (which was yummy) and some pb and gf pretzels that we brought along. Mike had a piece of pizza. They had bagels too but he didn't want one.

Overall, I was very pleased with this race. it was well run and interesting. The hills were challenging, but doable. Mike made a comment when we finished that maybe we went out to fast, but our splits were essentially identical, which I think is awesome and once he realized that he thought it was good too. 

It was SUCH a relief to finish with only normal aches and pains. I am definitely sore, and I left nothing out there. And I need to ice and stretch and show up for Yoga on Monday, but I truly believe that maybe I am on the mend this time.

Here's my stats. I am really pleased. We saw Mike's old boss when we left and he commented that he was surprised that Mike didn't run away from me. Yes, it was the day for inane comments. But I am happy to say that we beat him. Which made me happy. I will take my small victories wherever I can find them.

Thank you all for being my friends, and listening to all the pt/rehab/injury stories. Hopefully that is a thing of the past.
Oh--our final distance on my garmin was 10.17. I was aiming for below a 10:15 per mile pace, so I think if you add the extra distance, I hit it.

Distance
10M

Clock Time
1:43:15

Chip Time
1:42:44

Overall Place
3252 / 6912

Gender Place
1227 / 3793

Division Place
188 / 529

5Mi
51:14


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Maria*--have fun tonight! Enjoy that sangria tonight! I did not like college bb until we moved here. And I still prefer football and baseball, but they kind of breathe it around here. It's hard not to get sucked into it!

*Dottie*--love the embarrass the kid story. I still embarrass mine! Hope things are going ok at your house this weekend.

*Kathy*--I hope you get a good coach--or at least some other cool parents!

*Nancy*--I showed Mike that sandbox. He was very impressed! How's the tummy?

*Lisah*--nap today? 

*LisaR*--I need to roast me some garlic! i don't know why I always forget about that. yum!

*Lindsay*--are you relaxing at all this weekend?

****
Ok, I think it is finally g-f beer time! Have a good Saturday.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose- I will be getting to WDW on may 19th. Any chance for a meet-up??


----------



## donac

Good SUnday morning

Congrats Rose on your race.  I am glad that you had such a great run.  YOu have a lot to be proud of . 

I just wanted to fill you guys in on what I have been up to. 

We just finished two weekends of the local high school's production of ANnie get Your Gun.  It was a lot of fun and hard work on the costumes.  If you don't know I have been working with the local high school (not the one I teach at but the one my sons went to since it is 5 minutes from my house)  

The week after the show I then had to work on some costumes for the 50th anniversary show.  This was fun since it was all adults working on the show.  They were so happy with whatever we did.  It also helped that my son and his gf  and my friend's daughter were in it.  My son had no big parts but he was in at least 8 different numbers and got to perform with his gf.  It was a wonderful night with some great performances.  

I am in the process of planning my AUg trip.  I have 3 nights at All Star Music in a family suite and then there will be 5 nights at BLT MKV.  We have all our ADR's planned.  With just our family we have just one for SciFi.  With the rest of the family we have The Plaza (MK), Via Napoli, LeCellier and Trails End in FW. There is also a reservation for tea but I don't know if I am going to do that.  Most are for lunch or 5 in the evening so that we don't eat too late.  We don't usually have this many reservations but we have 12 people in the group so we felt we needed it.  Also I think with so many adults (My family and our two sons and their gfs, my sister, her dh, their two daughters and one of their friends and another sister.  There is only one person who will not be 21. )I think we are going all over the place and it will be nice to have one time to get together during the day.

I am looking at air fares and am not like what I see.  I have also checked autotrain but we need to see what is going on. 

I am also on the look out for a discount on my room.  I am hoping that this will come out this week.

I will be checking in every now and then to see how you guys are doing.

Have a happy and healthy day.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

hi dona!! so glad you popped in! sounds like the show was great! oooo and some trip planning...yay!  i'm curious about the all star suites - they look pretty cool. BLT MK view will be fabulous. we loved our stay there in september (just lake view though).

maria - how was dinner? i remember lock ins from when i was a kid. thinking about it now just makes me sleepy! 

kathy - i know my kids are going to want to play baseball and i hope we get good coaches who are into sportsmanship. my cousins are in the local league (one is 12 and the other is almost 9) and some of the coaches are crazy! how's poko??

lindsay - ok spill - what ADRs are you going for?

rose - not that your anniversary trip will be about seeing a crazy family from the bronx but....we'll be in disney from may 19-26th.. so....maybe we can catch up for a drink or something? being with two little boys is the opposite of relaxing so maybe just a fly-by hello? up to you! we only have a few ADRs in the beginning of our trip when that couple will be there with us (just til tuesday) and then the rest of the week is completely free except for the KTTK tour that i'll be doing on wednesday. i hope we can make something work! 

lisar - sounds like dan's run went well! when and where is the race? oh and thundersnow? we had that last winter and it was nutso! last winter was when we had like a billion inches of snow. when that thunder started i remember all the local people on facebook putting statuses on like, "WTH IS THAT?!?" lol!

dottie- how was your birthday?? and FIL? thinking about you!

jen - how much longer til the trip? did we get a full run down on the planning yet? did i miss it? i need to look further!

lisah - more arizona pics please!! 

*****

ok guys. so....things have just been so nutso lately. it's like one thing after the other. i know they say when it rains it pours but sometimes things can just get out of hand! we had a nice time at the easter egg hunt but my stomach was still hurting from the night before! i just felt so blah. thought maybe it was just the weather because it was cold and rainy. after we got home i started to feel even worse and ran out to the drugstore. i just had a feeling.....and yep....i'm pregnant.




can you believe it??! you can't??? good because....april fools day! hehe. just kidding! 

my stomach is actually still bothering me so i think i'll go in for that colonoscopy/endoscopy after easter. john's colonoscopy came back great by the way, don't know if i reported that. no sign of crohn's! woot! 

john is sleeping in because the baby didn't sleep great last night so i'm not getting in my morning run. darn. i think i will go after they get back from soccer. while john and thomas are at soccer i'm going to take matty to mass for palm sunday. can't believe easter is next week.

what are you doing for easter? what do you do for the kids? we are going to PA to the crazy in laws. ick. i've managed to stay away from their house for almost a year and a half so i guess i have to go. 

ok, need more coffee. xoxo


----------



## Rose&Mike

dumbo_buddy said:


> Rose- I will be getting to WDW on may 19th. Any chance for a meet-up??


OMG! Absolutely! We will be there the 19th, 23rd, 24th, and morning of the 25th! Too exciting!!!!

I thought you were going earlier in the month!!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Seriously Nancy, almost had a stroke.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Nancy, you win! 

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Rose&Mike said:


> Seriously Nancy, almost had a stroke.





Worfiedoodles said:


> Nancy, you win!
> 
> Maria



Isn't that the truth?!?


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning fellow athletes!  

This is the best greeting ever, *Maria!* 

I'm breaking things up into two short replies. I was reading along while I was gone -- just hard to reply using mostly the iPhone. 

*Dottie,* so, so sorry to hear about your FIL.    It is a tough row to hoe, for sure.  Jake may take it better than you think he will -- seems sometimes that the kids handle it better than the adults.  



camnhan said:


> SO lets talk more about fitting in those runs....You guys are doing some amazingly long runs that I am guessing at times are taking over an hour...how are you fitting that in? I know a lot of it is just getting up and doing it but I am not a morning person so getting up and running in the morning would be like beating my head against the wall....after work I feel like I have to get home and spend time with family...I had for a long while been going to the gym after work but I leave the house before they get up and then I don't get home till pushing 7 so I feel guilty that I have not seen them all day and may only see them 1-2 hours when I get home....just like others I find it extemely difficult to find "ME" time regardless of how important it may be.....



The good news is that the really, really long runs that take over two hours are only at the end of your training and there are just a few so it's not too bad.   I'm an early bird so that won't help you.  I think that you just have to do them and not worry about the guilt.  The truth is that your family will be better for Mom taking some time for herself to work on an important goal for her. Really! 



camnhan said:


> DOTTIE hope you had an amazing day!! I think I will have a piece of left over cake for you....that is just the kind of person I am



  It's amazing how close your birthdays are together!  

*Dottie,* embarrassing our teenage children is our right as parents! 

*Rose,* a big woo hoo  and  for being back on maintain. And a big  for the PT billing.  

*Maria,* another big  and  and  for your weigh in!  A one pound adjustment is fabulous and I know you will be seeing those numbers you are looking for on the scale very, very soon.  

*Kathy,* I did pre-natal yoga, too.  It was fun.   Actually I really enjoy yoga -- I'm really good at the part where you lie on the floor and do nothing! 

*Lindsay,* nothing says spring like a couple of pretty new dresses!  

*Lisa,* so glad that you are safe and far away from the fires! 

Thanks for all the nice comments on my pictures!   I was just posting them on FB 'cause I didn't want to make people's eyes glaze over by whipping out my Tinker Bell CD on my visit! 

I'm probably about to get in trouble with the smilie police so I will stop for now.  BRB.


----------



## lisah0711

Hello again! 

*Rose,* I'm so glad that you had a great race yesterday and best of all no injuries!    Your anniversary trip sounds so wonderful!   And a little BL Princess meet to add to it!  

*Lisa,* congratulations to Dan on his long run!  I thought it was very sweet of him to acknowledge how hard it is to carry on your normal activities after!   

I'd never heard of thundersnow at all until a few years ago.  Jim Cantore made it sound like it happened all the time back East -- I've never heard it ever until recently.   

*Lindsay,* hope that you didn't spend your Friday night cleaning.    Congratulations on being in ONE-derland again for good!    You are so rocking it with all your activity.  

*Maria,* how was the planning DVD?   Tell us all about what you have planned so far!  Hope your lockee isn't too cranky today.    Life is pretty sad here where it is the last day of spring break.  

*Jen,* have a wonderful time on your trip!  

*Dottie,* hang in there! 

*Nancy,* so sorry about the tummy.    But, boy, did you have me going for a few seconds this morning.    My mouth was hanging open and everything.  

*Dona,* airfares are crazy right now.    Does Southwest fly out of an airport near you?  If you sign up for their emails, they seem to be having specials every Tuesday.  I'm figuring those airlines are going to have to blink soon and have some better prices or their planes will be empty this summer.

*Rose,* loved the race report, too.  

I had just been talking with JG about pushing it at the end of a race -- you know in his books he says you can run the last few miles in a race if you are up to it.  I was asking if you ever trained to do that 'cause you know I never just run for any length of time.  I have my 5 mile race coming up here on 4/22 and I'm wanting to push it and come in below 80 minutes -- my first race was 1:48 and last year it was 88 minutes.  (I see our *Rose* did her 5 miles in 51 minutes but I'm not in her league).  His suggestion was to try 40/20, 60/30 and 90/30 intervals at the end of my short runs to see which I liked best.  He said those short walks will help you to run faster during the running parts.  Then he told me to be sure I didn't run any faster than 5/55 on my 8.5 miles today.    I'm going to give the faster intervals a try today.

I'm done with the bike portion of the Krocman!    It is cold, snowy and sleety here and I wish I could stay home and snuggle under my electric blanket but the thought of telling my coach I bagged my long run is getting me out the door this morning.  

I'll have to see if Ed took any other Arizona pictures because I didn't -- sorry!  It was a nice trip.  Robert really enjoyed it -- he must have told me a dozen times how much fun he was having.    It was stressful for me with both families.  No big drama or anything but just a lot of pressure, probably mostly put there by me.    My sister isn't speaking to me or my Mom so there was that to deal with, too.  Let's just say that I'm looking forward to hanging out by the pool at Old Key West with a pina colova or two! 

Have a great day ladies!  I missed you all!


----------



## liesel

*Nancy* Best April Fool's joke ever!!  Seriously, I hope your stomach is OK.   for John being Chron's free.

*Maria* I had a sangria yesterday too.  

*Rose* Thanks for the race report, I'm glad you had a good race.    Is someone contemplating a solo w&d trip, thus tempting me to do a solo trip as well?!

*Lisa*   for the bike portion being done.  Sorry for the family drama, I'm glad you still had a good trip.

*Lindsay* I know you'll be in onederland to stay!

OP eating and 3 mile run in the same day.    Its a miracle!  I've been doing one or the other lately and I need to get it together-7 1/2 weeks until my bday and I want to be in onederland by then.

I had better go to the grocery store, have a wonderful evening!


----------



## camnhan

****
Here is our plan for May for our 25th anniversary. We will be gone from the 18th to the 26th.

18th--work half day (Mike); drive to south of Atlanta (about 600 miles)


19th--drive remaining 270ish miles to WDW. Visit Epcot for end of flower show. Hang out at pool. Have dinner. (not sure where yet. We have a room ressie at OKW, but hoping our BWV waitlist comes through).

20th--early breakfast. On the road by 8:15 am and drive to Key Largo. Ride glass bottom boat at John Pennekamp state park. Drive to Marathon. Stay in Marathon 3 nights (20, 21, 22)

21--drive to Key West. Tour Key West. I already found a restaurant that said they will do g-f. 

22--snorkeling and kayaking in the keys. I will be honest here--I am TERRIFIED of snorkeling. But Mike really wants to so I am going to try. We snorkeled at the sea world dolphin thingy and that was scary enough!

23--leave early and drive to BWV. Afternoon drinks by the pool. Anniversary dinner at California Gill at 9:30 w/ fireworks. I am so excited about this!

24--something at Disney--not sure what. Need to make dinner ressies.

25--DHS opening to see some Star Wars stuff! Late (or early) breakfast at Kouzzina. Leave early afternoon to drive to SC. Visit with Tom.

26--breakfast with Tom. Drive home.

I still have some planning to do, but I am excited. [/QUOTE]



We are doing CG at 9:20 for our anniversary dinner !!!!!!!
Can't believe I am going to miss you both by a month  
Sounds like everyone had a good weekend.... I ate my way through it and can tell am up like 3 lbs  what an idiot I am!!! 
17 days till Disney and I am gaining weight

Good news, I have committed to a 5K the first week of may so need to get my butt in gear!

Well just wanted to check in real fast before I called it a night... Zachary slept foe 3 hrs today so I am only going to get to cat nap as he will be up for hours yet....


----------



## donac

Lisa thanks for the suggestion about SOuthwest.  They do fly out of Phillie.  We are thinking about leaving out of Phillie since my ds2 and his gf are at Rowan University and that is just outside of Philladelphia.  We can pick them up on our way to the airport.

Nancy nice APril Fools joke.  You had me going for a while.

I am going to miss Rose and Nancy at DW by 3 months.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose&Mike said:


> Seriously Nancy, almost had a stroke.





Worfiedoodles said:


> Nancy, you win!
> 
> Maria





lisah0711 said:


> Isn't that the truth?!?



 hehe silly me. it's funny....because it actually happened last year! 



lisah0711 said:


> Jim Cantore made it sound like it happened all the time back East -- I've never heard it ever until recently.
> 
> ok, am i totally crazy to admit that i love jim cantore?
> 
> I had just been talking with JG about pushing it at the end of a race -- you know in his books he says you can run the last few miles in a race if you are up to it.  I was asking if you ever trained to do that 'cause you know I never just run for any length of time.  I have my 5 mile race coming up here on 4/22 and I'm wanting to push it and come in below 80 minutes -- my first race was 1:48 and last year it was 88 minutes.  (I see our *Rose* did her 5 miles in 51 minutes but I'm not in her league).  His suggestion was to try 40/20, 60/30 and 90/30 intervals at the end of my short runs to see which I liked best.  He said those short walks will help you to run faster during the running parts.  Then he told me to be sure I didn't run any faster than 5/55 on my 8.5 miles today.    I'm going to give the faster intervals a try today.
> 
> wow lisa! 1:48 in one race and 88 min in another? that's such a great improvement! must because you're in onederland! what intervals does JG run at (with? in? what is the right preposition here?)? i love that he gave you such thought-through advice. he seems like a really good guy, right? what intervals did you use for the tink?
> 
> My sister isn't speaking to me or my Mom so there was that to deal with, too.



wait...what? what's going on there? phooey for family drama! 

i can't wait to hear about OKW. we might stay there in jan...



liesel said:


> OP eating and 3 mile run in the same day.    Its a miracle!  I've been doing one or the other lately and I need to get it together-7 1/2 weeks until my bday and I want to be in onederland by then.



you go lisa! onederland by your birthday sounds like a great goal! 

hey *rose*, lisa's birthday is may 23rd...sounds like we should have a cocktail together to celebrate  lisa, want to come join us??? 



camnhan said:


> 17 days till Disney and I am gaining weight
> 
> Good news, I have committed to a 5K the first week of may so need to get my butt in gear!



jen, get it together lady! no gaining before disney! i always use disney as a great way to motivate myself to LOSE! that way i can really indulge on the frozen margaritas and soft pretzels! keep the 5k race in your head and think about that before eating too much. summer is coming and we all need to squeeze into bathing suits soon! 



donac said:


> Lisa thanks for the suggestion about SOuthwest.  They do fly out of Phillie.  We are thinking about leaving out of Phillie since my ds2 and his gf are at Rowan University and that is just outside of Philladelphia.  We can pick them up on our way to the airport.
> 
> Nancy nice APril Fools joke.  You had me going for a while.
> 
> I am going to miss Rose and Nancy at DW by 3 months.



darn! it would have been fun to meet up! how far from philly are you? and newark is more expensive? have you checked out continental or delta out of newark? which is closer? i flew out of newark dec. '10 to mco because it was alot cheaper. also, have you signed up for airfarewatchdog? they send me an email almost every day telling me prices from LGA to MCO (lga is 15 min away from us so our airport of choice). you may catch a deal on there. 

*****

thomas slept his first night in a big boy bed and it was a success!  after we closed the door and turned off the light he screamed for about 15 minutes "get me out of here! mommy! daddy! help! get me out!!" but then fell asleep. he woke up this morning and just sat in bed until i got him and changed his disgusting poop. guess that's the next step...we'll wait til after disney to deal with the potty.

baby slept in thomas's crib and did pretty good. we put him in the guest room and now the house is full of JUNK all over the place from moving all sorts of clothes, linens, etc around. so much cleaning to do today! 

the gal that does mommy and me with me caught her son's stomach bug so i'll be solo today. hoping we don't get it. don't think my stomach can take anymore ick feeling! have to schedule that lovely colonoscopy

ok, time for breakfast, more coffee, shower, and "baby school". have a great day everyone!! xoxo


----------



## mikamah

Good morning athletes!!  Hello from me, the dog walker.  Not feeling very athletic lately.  

*Nancy*-You are evil and I loooove it.  So glad you aren't pregnant, but you stay away from that husband of yours til his post snip-snip check.  Don't want your little joke to jinx you.   I love Matty.  Do you call him that all the time?  So cute.  So happy John's colonoscopy went will and was negative for crohns.   I'm glad you are going to have things checked out.  Will they do the gastro and colon the same day?  Hopefully you can get it all done at once, and have everything checked out, and get you feeling better.  I'm sure nerves don't help in that department.  I'm so jealous of your wdw trip and meet up with Rose and Mike.  
Poko is good.  She really is such a good doggy.  I'm so lucky.  She hardly ever barks, have I told you that.  Occas out the window at a cat or dog walking by, but even if we are out walking and other dogs are barking and going nuts, she wags her tail and just smiles at them.  Now the jumping up on people thing, is really her worst trait.  But we're working on that.  Oh, and the occassional poop-eating.  She loves our new couches, and is only in the crate on work days.  It's nice to be able to run out for an errand on the weekends and leave her out.  
Just saw your post.  Sweet little Thomas in his big boy bed.  So glad he slept so well.  

*Rose*-Love the race report, and love, love how good you felt afterwards!!  I am so happy for you.  I'm glad you beat Mikes old boss too!!  Love that!!  What's next on the agenda for you?  Kentucky derby half?  

*LisaH*_Welcome home and back to reality.  Sorry the trip had some stress.  What's up with your sister?  Silly girl, here you are coming for a visit and she isn't talking to you.  Sheesh.  Hope she gets over herself, and things turn around.  When are you going to OKW?  I can't remember.  Is it a family trip.  I'm having a hard time keeping everyone's trips straight.  Except for mine which is not happening this year.  Whaaahhhh!  Funny michael was playing with his yeti-everest car this morning saying he was on Untamed at Canobie lake park, and I said, you must be on Everest, that's an everest car, and he said, "no, i can't remember everest it's been so long since we've been there."  What a heart breaker.  It's only been just over a year.  But man he knows how to pull the heartstrings.  I need to get him back.  asap. He can't remember everest.    I'm being really good with money, fingers crossed his memory will be jogged on marathon weekend.  

*Maria*-You and ww have totally inspired me to try ww again.  I pulled out my points plus book, and started ww yesterday.  I am going to do the points plus plan as it's written, not like I've done it before, if I didn't know a point value, I'd use the old ones.  It was hard to take 3 points for a light hamburger roll, but I did it.  And planning next weekend too, 3 points for light beer or 4 oz of wine.  I'd better get to earning some activity points.  Hope you had a fun night and enjoyed that sangria. 

*LisaR*-How's the exercise going?  I feel like the good eating vibes got here yesterday from you.  Gotta do it!!  Hope you had a good weekend.

*Lindsay*-Is it official?  Do we need to have another ONE_derland party?  I don't want to start partying til I get the official word, but I am ready!!!  

*Jen*-I agree with the others and it is hard to fit your exercise in but it is worth it in how it makes you feel.  Yay for a 5k!!!

*Dottie*-Hope you are doing ok.

*Dona*-Your disney trip sounds just amazing.  It sounds like meeting up for a meal each day is the perfect solution, and even if some of you might skip a meal or two, you have it as an option.  Remember this is yours and dh's vacation too, and you need to have fun together, and not make it all about keeping everyone else happy. 

Hello to anyone else out there!!  I feel like I missed someone. 

Well, I am a very, very happy baseball mom!  Michael got the coach I was hoping for, so I was thrilled and even more as I read the email, his assistant coach is the brother of my sisters best friend, so we know him well also.  Funny there is a disney connection too.  When my dad died in 95, my sister was planning to go to disney the following april with her best friend and her whole family, this coach included with his pregnant wife.  After my dad died, my mom, me, brother, and sister decided to go too. So in total there was more than 20 people there, but it was such an amazing time.  We had one nephew who was 5, but their family had I think 5 kids under the age of 7.  I think back and my mom had such an amazing time, and what a nice escape it must have been for her after losing her husband.  Soooo anyway, I am totally thrilled with the coaches!!  And his friend Max is on the team too, my friend karens' son, so it is going to be a fun year!!  And if there's an early practice, karen would be able to pick us ds for me from fun club.  

The weekend went by way too fast.  Now if the work week would speed by I'd be happy.  

I'm on 10-2 today and then ds has a orthodontist appt.  I'm hoping for a watch and wait again.  Marathon weekend depends on that.  

Have a marvelous monday everyone!!


----------



## camnhan

OK so I am tracking again.....26 pts a day! Here we go...AND am going to do either Zumba or JM everyday....only 16 days left dang it.....
Cant wait till easter when I can get the new Zumba Rush...do you think the kids would notice if I got their present out early and started to use it 

Problem with when it gets this close to departure date: I am USELESS at work  I spend most of my day planning and thinking about what I have to get ready and very little time working....

Tried to get up this morning to work out...yeah....that didn't work...am just going to have to committ to hitting the gym on my way home at night...I drive right past it....on gym days I think I am going to ensure that I only work an 8 hr day...that will get me out of the office around 3:30 and to the gym so I won't be home as late...only problem with that is that none of the group classes that I love are until 5 or later  

YEAH for the big boy bed!!! Maybe he can come teach Zach how to sleep in his...he sleeps on the couch every night!

Rose..loved the pics and way to go on the race! I loved the reports on FB...

Signed up for the 5k and came to realize this morning that Zach competes in Special Olympics that day in Bloomington AND I am sponsering a frieds daughter as she is confirmed that day as well  Story of my Life!!

OK will check in and catch up later...should really try and get some work done.


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Hi Everyone,  Lots to comment on so I hope I don't miss anything.

Rose- Awesome Race.  I bet it being so hilly has a bit to do with the rubber legs at the end.  You did awesome and I am so happy you were able to finish with no new injuries or nagging old ones.  Im so happy for you.  So when is the final game...or did that happen already???  College basketball is one thing I dont keep up with unless of course a local team is knocking off big names. 

Nancy- Yay for a successful night.  Thomas looked so adorable in his new bed.  Too bad I caught roses response to you on this page so I knew you must have played an april fools joke but that was a good one.  Your so funny.  I loved the pics of the egg hunt.  Sorry you are having to travel to the inlaws for Easter....I guess you can only avoid them so many times.  Just think after sunday you can stay away for another year or so.

Lisa H- Well Im glad Robert had a good time in AZ.  Sorry for the family drama.  What are your dates for disney???  We almost need a timeline for everyones trips...Im starting to have a hard time keeping up.

Kathy- Horray for getting the coaches you want.  That is so awesome and totally makes such a difference.  I will send some pixie dust for no new expenses as the orthodontists office.  Its only cosmetic so you can hold off until after the marathon wkend either way right??? Just kidding.  Ok I will give you the official word when I weigh in on Wed.  I was at 199.6 but it wasnt my official weigh in just my daily check.  I am hoping I will get to onederland and stay there this time.  Although it is fun having lots of parties.

Maria- I recently planned the doctor I work for trip too.  It is lots of fun to help others plan and even more fun when they come back and tell you how great of a time they had.  Im sure your friend will be so greatful.  

Jenn- Looks like you have a good plan put in place before your trip.  Wow you do have alot scheduled on one day.  Is there another 5K in May that you can sign up for?

Dona- Your plans sound great and lots of great ADR's.  It is nice to sit down and eat when you have a large group.  Im sure those meals will be very enjoyable.

Lisa- Great job on the eating and running this weekend.  You will get there!!!!!

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

Yesterday we spent hours going over our plans for our trip.  I am a bit anal when it comes to planning.  I really just try to think everything through and also to make sure we are not running ourselves or the kids into the ground so I wanted to make sure almost every day we have down time at the resort for either naps or swimming.  Of course I think I was driving my mom, dad, and mike nuts for sure.  They will appreciate it in the end.

These are the TS ADR's I am going to hopefully get (keep in mind we have deluxe dining).

Cape May Buffet
50's Prime Time
Hollywood and Vine Dinner Buffet (fantasmic package)
1900 Park Fare Dinner (I have never had my pic with cinderella so that is the purpose of this one  )
Sci Fi 
Fulton's Crab House
Tusker House Character BF
Hoopty Doo Dinner Show
chef mickeys BF
Teppen Edo
Ohana's Dinner and BF
Trex Cafe

Boy when I list it all it makes it look like alot of food.  Its a good thing we will be walking alot.

Tonight Ryan has baseball practice.  Its windy and in the upper 50's so I dont think it is going to be very enjoyable to stand around and watch.  I am missing the 60-70 degree weather we were getting.  What a tease.  Back to reality I guess.

Well thats all for now....I need to get working!!!!!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i just had a phone interview. 45 minutes about financial markets, asset allocation, ways to get alpha and beta. my armpits are soaked with sweat. how the heck am i supposed to remember this stuff when i've been doing the hot dog dance for the last three years???


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Wow, *Nancy!* -- I am proud of you for snagging that interview, and slogging through 45 minutes! That is excellent!

I am unfamiliar with the hot dog dance, but I do remember that Barney is a dinosaur from our imagination.  And if you are ever lost, you can call on your friend, who will sing for a minute and a half, "I'm the Map!", before he helps you find your destination in three easy steps, "Bridge, Rocks, Waterfall!". 

I'm sure it went very well, and I'm crossing my fingers for you that this is the right opportunity and situation. 

I'm glad Thomas enjoyed the big boy bed. It's sobering when they figure out how to leave the room. 

I was going to do more replies, but I can barely get the DIS to work, so I'll have to save my thoughts for tomorrow, unless you guys don't mind doing without the smilies, or just the ones on page 1 or I have memorized...ok, just a couple of quick (not all-inclusive) thoughts...

*Lindsay* -- Your dining plans sounds wonderful! I hope you get all your reservations. I can't wait to hear about your experiences, I know this is going to be an amazing trip! 

*Jen* -- I find the tracking really helps me. It's good to see on paper that I already had my treat for the day -- or I didn't, so I can pick up that bag of chips  You can do it, you are so close now, I know you can stay on track until you leave!

*Kathy* -- The sangria was delicious! I just ended up having 1 glass. I pretty much had a points blow out Saturday night, but I did write them all down, and I'm still ok for the week, so just have to be reasonable until Thursday. I should be ok as long as I keep the workouts coming, and think before I eat. Planning my points for the next day really helps.  Excellent news on the baseball front! 

*Dona* -- I agree about the airfares, they are crazy! But what can you do...I love the idea of the group meals for your trip. I think you will really enjoy the opportunity to spend time together. 

*LisaR* -- Yep, putting it all together is definitely the challenge. It's sobering for me to realize I really need to move an hour each and every day -- probably more,  but that's what I've got going right now. Add that to the reduction in treats, and it's easy to feel sorry for myself -- but really, I am doing this for me. To quote St. Elmo's Fire -- "Only you can do what must be done." Yeah. I keep telling myself that I have to do the work, but I am going to be so happy with the results, because this time I am making a brand-new ending! 

*Lisah* -- My lockee declared himself incapable of staying for Palm Sunday, and he looked so zombieesque, I agreed. We haven't planned much yet. I think we're getting 4-day hoppers, and planning a day at BB. Ben wants to do Cirque, but since we get in free once a year in Boston, Dennis thinks that's just a waste of money, and I kind of agree. The shows aren't that different. Apparently I am going to have to agree to ride EE, which we've never done before. I think I can make myself do it. RnR may be another story. Good thing he is old enough to go alone while mom has a refreshing lemonade  You so deserve a relaxing vacation! I am sorry for the drama with your sister  

*Rose* -- How are you recovering from your race? 

*Dottie* -- You need to come up with a good name for the W&D racers, I refuse to call you a Winer! 

    

So, today I just didn't feel like functioning. I don't know how else to put it. I ran for an hour, I'm eating my points and tracking, I just didn't want to go to work, so I called in sick. I actually am fighting a head cold, but I could have made myself go in. This merger is getting messy. It just became official, and it is resulting in a ton more work for me. My boss is completely frazzled, I feel like I need to have skills and talents I don't to make this work, and I know I am about to get hit with a lot more to do, no idea how to do some of it, and I'm very overwhelmed. Sounds like I need a good night's sleep, I'm sure. Unfortunately, I don't think that's the problem. I think I'm just not sure I'm up to what's coming, and I'm not sure what that will mean. Everyone around me is totally tense, frustrated, and snapping. I hope this day was enough for me to get my act together, because that's really my only option. I really wish we had won the lottery...

There's nothing really wrong in my life, no reason to be so blah or stressed, I think it was just one of those days. I should go to bed. As Scarlett O'Hara would say, "Tomorrow is Another Day". 

Bring on that Terrific Tuesday!

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, long and short today:
Tom now has  2 part-time jobs and a part-time internship for the summer. Can't even tell you what a load off my mind this is. Still some  things that need to be worked on, but we are in such a better place than we were this time last year. The internship is with the attorney generals office (I think--can't remember exact title) and one of the jobs is with office of student conduct. So both will look good on resume/applications. I could cry I am so relieved.

Mike is going to go to a conference at the end of August at.......wait for it.......The Swan!!!!! Guess who is going along? More details when I get them. Mike is really, really liking his job and got a fantastic review. He really likes his current boss.

The only bad thing today--we pay Tom's taxes since they are mostly on his scholarships, and Mike made a mistake and we owe $400 more than we thought. So that's kind of a bummer, but I still had it in the budget, so it's all good. We really can't complain.

Only one more day of work and then I am off until Tuesday.

*****
*Jen*--you can do it! Hop up on that wagon. I say do the zumba, they won't know.

*Lindsay*--1900 Park Faire will be fun! Sounds like you all will have such a good trip! Mike used to give me a hard time for planning so much--I have been known to laminate plans--but he usually ends up thanking me for being organized. I am waiting for the onederland party.

*Nancy*--so what was the interview for? Glad Thomas did well in his bed. I hope tonight goes well too! I'm glad John's tummy is ok and I hope they figure out what is going on with you. Stomach stuff stinks--not that I would have any experience.

*Lisah*--family drama sucks. No other word for it. But I'm glad Robert had fun. Is it ok if I mail the book back after Easter? I think as you keep dropping those pounds your speed is going to really pick up! It's amazing what a difference it makes. Hurray for being done with the bike!

*LisaR*--Can't wait for your onederland party, too!

*Kathy*--I'm so glad it is still going well with Poko! woohoo for getting a good coach! That makes it all so much better! I hope the orthodontist visit went well.

*Maria*--I hate work "chaos." Sometimes there is no other word for it. I hope today was enough to get you through the rest of the week. Great job sticking with the exercise and the weight watchers even with the stress!

****
Thanks for all the positive comments about the race. It really went well--it was hard, but hard in a good way. I am feeling great about the whole experience--it's all about learning something right?

I think with the probable visit in August, I am going to have to give up on the w&d. I really, really wanted to do it, but I have to behave like a grown-up. I have always wanted to stay at the swan or dolphin so I am excited about this! And I am really excited for Mike--cause it's some pretty interesting stuff that he is getting to do/learn about.

Ok, I will talk to you all later. Have a good night.


----------



## donac

Rose What are the dates for Aug?  I am going to be down there from the 16th to the 24th.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*kathy* how did the orthodontist appt go? braces? i think i was 10 when i got mine. the doc said he'd do both procedures at the same time. blech. i don't want to do the prep. but maybe after he knocks me out i will feel like i got a good night's sleep??? tempting! poor michael not remembering everest....sounds like you'll just have to go in january to remind him. we can all ride together and he can take advantage of the wonderful thing called baby swap aka when you have someone else with you they can ride along twice! i'm glad michael's on a good baseball team. those games can be soooo boring when you don't have people to talk to! we go to my two cousins' games and zzzzz....  

*jen* it's almost easter and you can use those new workouts! zach's on the couch? at first i thought  but then i thought, hey whatever gets you some sleep at night! bed...couch...floor...whatever! sounds like you've got alot on your plate the weekend of the 5k. what sport does zach compete in at the special olympics?  how fun!



mommyof2Pirates said:


> These are the TS ADR's I am going to hopefully get (keep in mind we have deluxe dining).
> 
> Cape May Buffet *yum, unlimited crab legs please!*
> 50's Prime Time *yum. meatloaf please*
> Hollywood and Vine Dinner Buffet (fantasmic package) *yum, casseroles please*
> 1900 Park Fare Dinner (I have never had my pic with cinderella so that is the purpose of this one  ) *never been but yum anyway*
> Sci Fi  *yum, light up cocktail please!*
> Fulton's Crab House *yum, crab cakes please!*
> Tusker House Character BF *jungle juice and cheese blintzes..mmmm*
> Hoopty Doo Dinner Show *hoop-dee-YUM!*
> chef mickeys BF *powdered eggs and brownies for breakfast please!*
> Teppen Edo *never been but love japanese!*
> Ohana's Dinner and BF *family style belly buster please!*
> Trex Cafe *dino nuggets!!!*



oooo! that was fun ordering all my food along with you on your trip! yay! i would add via napoli and raglan road to the mix as well as crystal palace before the park opens so you can get a family shot in front of the castle before the crowds roll in! mmmmm deluxe dining sounds awesome.

*maria* a disney jr lesson for you:

"Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog
Now we got ears, it's time for cheers

Hot dog, hot dog, the problem's solved
Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog"

miss having a toddler yet??  that's the mickey mouse clubhouse song. and it sticks in your head like bye bye miss american pie!

the interview was ok and if i wanted to go back to work then it would definitely be right up my alley. it was a little crazy when the potential boss started asking me about the law of active management and what the information ratio is. WHAT? um...uh....yeesh.

john thinks that things for him are looking up and i won't have to go back. alot of leads. so we'll see. i'm going to pursue this job though b/c you never know.

wait, when is your disney trip?

*rose* hurray for tom's summer jobs! nothing like locking in some good internships to sounds super fancy when he applies for jobs after graduation!

oooo the swan!! sounds dreamy! and it's close to your beloved boardwalk so it will still feel like home. fun trip! and maybe it's when *dona* is going! yay for meet-ups!

hello to my *two lisas* how is our non-east coast contingent this morning??

*****

i....i....don't have much to say today.  well isn't that the shock of the century. we're tired over here in the land of babies. the house is a disaster from moving everything around and i can't find enough spots to stuff things. 

mommy and me easter party today. hoping to get a run in sometime too, probably this afternoon. 

have a great day all!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

i'm here ladies, just a pop in, I promise to catch up more after we get the PET SCAN results tonight.
Maria, I'm not real good with catchy names - but Winer is better than Wineo! LOL I'll keep thinking on it.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

CRUIZEN MAMMA said:


> i'm here ladies, just a pop in, I promise to catch up more after we get the PET SCAN results tonight.
> Maria, I'm not real good with catchy names - but Winer is better than Wineo! LOL I'll keep thinking on it.



Ooh! It just came to me -- what about "Dining Divas"? 

Gotta run to work!

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning Princesses, Bells, Dining Divas, Mickeys and Donalds! 

*Dottie,* sending you lots and lots of good thoughts and  and .  Hang in there!

*Jen,* sorry for the little gain.    Hope it passes quickly! 

*Lisa,* I definitely think you should think about a W&D trip for your C2C!   But only if you can swing it and January, too.  

*Dona,* sounds like maybe you could see *Rose* at WDW.  That would be fun!  You might be ready for a break from your family by then.  

*Rose,* so glad that Tom has his summer planned and that you get an extra Disney trip, even if it means no W&D for you.    Please share that book with someone else who might enjoy it -- you don't need to send it back to me.   

*Nancy,* thanks for sharing the hot dog dance with us.    Without the music we should be safe from the old ear worm.  

But, *Maria,* I'm going to think of you every time I hear "I'm the map!" or "Backpack, backpack" in my mind today!  

*Nancy,* when you posted on FB about the monkeys I thought "I'm so glad I don't know who they are!" 

The reason I had that big old time increase in that 5 mile race is the first time I toed the starting line I had Robert and Ed with me.  We had no idea what we were doing.  Did not even know the course or how far 5 miles was.  It damaged Robert for life at age 10.    It took me six weeks to recover.  I must have decided to go the Princess already because I don't think I would have kept running otherwise.    So a year later, even after being swept at the Princess, I had a 20 minute time improvement.  I won't do that this year but I'm hoping to get under 80 minutes.  

*Kathy,* how was the orthodontist?    They take easy monthly payments and 0% interest here.  Glad to hear Michael got on the baseball team he wanted.  

If you can do streaming Netflix they have some great Disney travel promos.  That was the only thing that got me through the last part of that biking.   That will help remind him of the Yeti.

*Lindsay,* love the dining plans.    I know that you are going to have a wonderful time on your trip in October.  

*Maria,* glad that you could take a day for yourself.    Remember you are the one who said "I have to remember to take care of myself like I would a child?"  

Do you do Tower of Terror?  I tell myself RnR lasts only 90 seconds and I can do ANYTHING for 90 seconds.    I do love Everest but I don't think my Mom will ever go on it again.  They do have a single rider line.    Think how much fun your son will have being the brave one for you on the rides.  

Our trip dates are June 16-June 23rd at OKW.  We've never been when it was hot or the critters are out.    I think I've been reading too many snakes and 'gators threads.    Our little family has not been on a vacation with just the three of us since 2008 -- that is way too long.  

Actually my sister wasn't even there so I'm not sure how we managed to have drama with her -- it's a gift! 

Time to get to school.  Love you all!


----------



## camnhan

Hey guys!!!
Mental health days  I love them. Will probably be taking a few myself as I found out 2 of our build team are leaving with only a 2 week notice and they do the same build so we are going to be in trouble!!!! 
Good news is I am getting some type of raise... Don't know what or when (good friend is my new boss so I get a little inside info 
Bad news is I will probably have 10 times the work to do

Yep Zach sleeps on the couch....started when we took him out of his crib and he was sharing. Room with his older brother.. Cam never got any rest because Zach would climb in his bed and get up and play so we started keeping Zach downstairs and snuggled with him on the couch and he has slept there ever since... He does have his own room with a nice bed but he thinks the family room is his personal space!!! He never has had a regular sleep/wake cycle so tends to make overall nights easier letting him sleep on couch..

Not sure what all he is competing in this year at special Olympics last year was softball throw and 50 yard dash.... Took Gold in both but we were in DISNEY for state so he didn't get to compete at that level.  Hopefully he does great again this year and we make it back to state!!

Tracking has been ok but I have been eating horribly as soon as I get home  just being an idiot!!!!  

Sending  on the job fronts!!


----------



## mikamah

Just a quick hello!  One of those weeks without enough dis time.  I didn't even watch the results show for DWTS last night, so it's not only dvr related.

Ortho went fine.  Go back in july, waiting for 1 more tooth to fall out.  I probably should hope to start sooner rather than later, because then i'll know the price.  I am hoping when we do start they will take my 1000 dollars from insurance and then in january we can do flex spending.  

And the other thing I"ve been meaning to tell you guys was that michael has been on his goal dose of med for a little over two weeks and hasn't had any seizure activity since that weekend we increased the med.  So I'm very happy and relieved.  Fingers crossed it continues. 

BBL to catch up on you all.  XOXO


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Kathy*--very exciting about the meds! The worst part about the braces for Tom was the spacers. He was just miserable. Hopefully when the time finally comes it will be easy for Michael. 

*LisaR*--thanks for the recipe. Is there something you do with salt to zucchini to keep it from getting mushy? Why do I remember reading that or am I confused?

*Lisah*--I really wanted to make the w&d work. And I will be cranky and in mourning that weekend. We figured out if I (we) did w&d we would be in Florida August, October, November, December, and January and hopefully February for Princess. Just a tiny bit of overkill even for us. I think you will like OKW. Definitely go to the Turtle pool--can't remember the exact name. It's a nice size. Has a little bar. A shuffle board area. And seems to be a little quieter. They play excellent reggae music there. Hmmmm, maybe I need to go to OKW in June. We did see a gator by one of the ponds in September I think (maybe october) but it was a little gator and jumped back in the water pretty quick. I don't think they really like people that much. I have a friend at the Y that I will give the book to.

*Lindsay*--How are you? How is baseball? 

*Dottie*--thinking of you all.

*Jen*--whatever works with the sleeping is what I say. My DS did not sleep in his bed until he was 5 I think--maybe older. He had to stay in his room. But every night he would drag all of his bedding to his doorway and sleep in the doorway. There was a "line" he was not allowed to cross. He was a good sleeper at night (never napped--an early sign of adhd maybe) but he did sleep.

*Maria*--So excited! Mike informed he will be busy doing work stuff. And I told him to have fun with that. I told him I could find something to do to occupy my time. I would not have liked lockins. Lack of sleep triggered migraines in Tom. So we would have been dealing with a migraine Monday after school. Fun. Are you surviving the week?

*Dona*--we will just miss you all, it looks like we will be there the following week. You are going to have a great trip!

*Nancy*--I have no idea what you were talking about with all that financial stuff, but it sounds important. I'm glad stuff is looking up with John. Hopefully this will all end up being one of those "best things that could have happened." Though it is painful sometimes to get to that point. 

****
I don't know what happened yesterday, ok I think I am figuring it out. But at the time I didn't. But thank you all for raising your hands. I had a meltdown last night. I was not feeling great, my stomach was bloated and I was very anxious. When we went to Florida in Feb I took these pb minis. And at the time, I thought my stomach wasn't feeling great and I figured it was leftover from the glutening before we left. It isn't like when you eat a piece of bread, but more a subtle thing where over a couple of days things stop working right--trying not to be graphic here. Start getting a little brain fog. Start feeling bloated, etc. It kind of creeps up. Anyhow didn't eat any of the mini pbs until Saturday after the race. Felt ok after the race--nothing major but I figured it was post race stomach. Had another one yesterday--and I look like I am pregnant. Googled the pb---no gluten ingredients. Company will not say if there is or isn't a chance of cross-contamination. Uggh.

If I didn't live with Mike (who is the most practical person on the planet) I would think this is all in my head. But he is the one who says right away--throw it out, it is obviously effecting you. Is it cross contamination? Who knows. The response from the company online is ambiguous--no gluten ingredients, but that's all we're going to guarantee until the government makes the standards clear. Then I start thinking am I imagining this? Am I making myself sick? Luckily there are lots of accounts of other people having the same issues (with cross contamination, not with this product in particular) otherwise I think I would think I am going crazy! 

It's not like before. I don't feel that bad. I just feel gross and yucky. And frustrated. This is why so many people with gluten issues just give up and stop eating processed foods I think. 

I'm feeling much more positive today. It's only food. It is much better to feel better. 

I ran 4.3 yesterday and it went well. I am almost ready to say that I am recovered from the itbs!

I am off today, and in theory am supposed to be cleaning the house, which means I will probably be here a bunch, avoiding cleaning the house. Have a good day!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

mikamah said:


> And the other thing I"ve been meaning to tell you guys was that michael has been on his goal dose of med for a little over two weeks and hasn't had any seizure activity since that weekend we increased the med.  So I'm very happy and relieved.  Fingers crossed it continues.





*rose* any chance you have a little bit of a peanut allergy? 

*lisa* if i ever saw a snake at disney i'm pretty sure i would die of an instant heart attack. i hate hate hate them. i think when we're down in may i'm going to go on a couple runs and i'm going to run to OKW. maybe my fear of seeing a snake will make me go faster.

***
went downtown to the dentist today. took the express bus and enjoyed my little adult time. dentist wasn't too fun though. i have about $2500 worth of dental work that needs to be done like asap. 

i think i'm getting a cold. or maybe developing allergies? wah.

i never ran yesterday. too lazy. ate alot of crap today but i'm going to step aerobics at 7 so at least i'll be doing something healthy!  need to get back on the wagon, stat. i'm looking at my first gain week of this challenge. 

oh...thomas has been only doing mini-naps lately, esp since he's in his big boy bed. but today? when i had to go to the dentist? yeah, he took a 2 hour nap for john. all together now: "ooofffffffff course!"


----------



## liesel

First off I have to thank *Nancy* for getting the hot dog dance song stuck in my head, as well as *Maria* for Dora.  My kids watched both!

Wierd happening today.  I was walking the kids home from school only to find a strange car in our driveway-our dog was totally unconcerned of course.  It was a realtor.  At first I was thinking, no way, we are not even officially selling our house yet, no one knows, and besides my uncle is our realtor!  Turns out this lady has a couple who really want a ranch house in our little neighborhood (there aren't that many of them) and is going door to door to see if any of us are interested in selling.  They are willing to move anytime in the next year.  So I've got her card to pass on to my uncle-he's coming over for dinner on Easter Sunday.  I've never had anyone come up to me and ask to buy our house before out of the blue-wild!  Now I'd really like to have a moving timeline.

*Rose* I replied on your journal.  I'm so glad Tom has his summer figured out, that must be such a relief.  I hope you have fun this weekend!  Cross contamination really irks me, I'm sorry you got glutened.  I agree with Mike, if something makes you feel bad, throw it out!  Its not worth it.

*Kathy*  A big     for Mike doing so well with his seizure medication.  I'm glad you got a great baseball coach.  I hope he has a fun season.

*Nancy* It sounds like you did well on your phone interview and I'm sure that it will all come back to you if you need it to.  You are really rocking your weight loss!  

*Lindsay* I think its best if you just keep the image of you rocking Zumba in your head and ignore the mirrors!  I haven't eaten at most of the places you've listed so I can't wait to hear all about them.  We didn't do that much TS dining on our trip so I'll definitely look forward to your TR.

*Jen* I'm getting excited for your trip and can't wait to hear all about it!

*Dottie* I hope all is going well for your FIL.

Lisah- I hope your week is going well and you are adjusting to being back at work.  I tend to go all out at the end of a race too, I tried to train for it on my runs, but didn't count on hitting a wall of ladies when I tried it at the half!  The guy I saw go down at the finish of the 10 mile race wasn't sprinting and looked like he had been suffering for a while.  He could have used some walk breaks, that's for sure!

Maria-I hope you are having a good week as well.  Sorry for the work merger drama.

I had better go feed the kids and do our usual crazy Wednesday night whirlwind of activity.  Have a good evening!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

I am bone-tired, but I had to share -- I finally figured out how to download e-books from the library! Ok, I know that doesn't sound like a big accomplishment, but I am psyched! 

Not so good at WW -- up .4. My leader said I shouldn't worry because I lost a month's worth of weight in 1 week and shocked my system, but I don't want to gain it all back a pound at a time...really frustrating because I have been following to the letter and tracking every single thing. I think this week I'm going to try cutting back on my fruit and seeing if that is the magic prescription. I'm not giving up, I'm going to keep trying until I see another loss.  I did have a rebellious moment and ate a cup of rice pilaf with dinner, but it's covered in my activity points for this week. Tomorrow -- new week, less fruit. I can't consider more activity right now. 

I would love to post comments, but I am so beat. I'm literally going to bed now. Tomorrow I will make time for replies. I do just have to tell *Kathy* I am so happy Mike is doing well with his meds; *LisaR* that is amazing with the out of the blue realtor -- must be fate!, *Nancy* -- geesh, I hope you get codeine for all that dental work!, *Rose* -- I am so sorry you got glutened, yes, listen to Mike and throw the offender out!, *Jen* -- My ds sleeps on a futon in the basement every weekend, he considers it his "apartment", *LisaH* -- I did ToT for the first time after this Princess, and frankly, I wish I could skip it. I don't like rides that drop....*Dona* -- we are just going to miss you, too, we'll be there Aug. 26-31. *Dottie* -- just wanted to send a , I know I left out *Lindsay* -- so here's a  for you! 

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

I did some research on the pb thing, and while there is still a remote chance it was cc, another thing it could have been is the combination of soy and peanut. This particular pb has soy in it, I guess. They are both legumes and I guess some people don't react well. I eat pb every day and I eat tofu on the rare occasion that we go out, so I don't want to know if I have a legume issue, but I will definitely be avoiding that particular brand of pb. I still have a stomach ache. But it's all good.

Maria--hang in there with the ww. I know it is probably frustrating, but you can do it! Hooray for new books!

LisaR--thanks for the cooking ideas. Very cool about the house!

Nancy--Thomas was probably exhausted from not napping and that's why he slept for John! Good luck with the dentist stuff. Uggh!

We leave to go see ds tomorrow, and i have done little to get ready to go. I don't know why I am feeling so undermotivated. I started taking vitamins again so maybe that will help.


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Hi everyone,
Sorry it has taken me so long to get back on here, FIL did not get to have his PET scan till tues due to the machine being down, the results came in yesterday were not favorable The lympnodes are infected and he has opted not to try chemo/radiation This is a man who has not smoked in more than 35 years- my DH barely remembers his father smoking. The doctor gives him 2-3 months. We are planning to tell Jake tomorrow morning since we are all off for the day for Good Friday- though it will not be a good friday at our home. This will give him the weekend to process and if he wants to go see Grandpa tomorrow we can. We will be there Sunday for Easter, my MIL insisted she still wanted to cook, even though I offered to bring dinner there- she says keeping busy is helping her cope. I can appreciate that- they just celebrated their 50th anniversary in September and I am thankful that we all took a Disney 4 day cruise on the Dream in January. I am beside myself with thoughts of all the things FIL will miss with Jake- graduating HS, driving, getting his blackbelt in TKD.  its breaking my heart knowing I'm about to break his. Please keep Jake in your thoughts and prayers- I know all mom's say this but Jake is a great kid, loves his Grandpa and wears his heart on his sleave this is truely gonna be the hardest thing I have ever done.

I'll catch up with each of you soon I promise-

Dottie


----------



## Rose&Mike

I'm sorry *Dottie*. My son did not have that relationship with his gps but I have seen it with other families, and it is very special. If your son is anything like mine was at that age, he will probably not want to talk about it at first. And might not even seem upset as he tries to process things. He might even appear more (maybe even uncharacteristically) angry rather than sad. Hang in there. I will be thinking about you all.

****
Ok, I have made a batch of cold quinoa salad and a lemon cake to take with us. Going to the gym next to run and do yoga. Need to remember to boil some eggs.

My pb has soy in it too, so it that isn't the problem. I guess I will just avoid that other 
brand.

Have a good day.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Dottie* --    I am so sorry. My Ben is like that with my dad, so I know what you mean about his heart breaking, and yours too, of course. Check in as you can, and don't be afraid to come here to vent. I'll keep you entire family in my prayers.

Maria


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning fellow athletes! 

*Kathy,* I'm so happy the meds are working for Mike.    Lots of  for you that it stays that way for good! 

*Rose,* sorry about the cc.    That is so annoying! I'm dreaming of you inventing a whole line of GF foods, without any chance of cross contamination, and people some day will talk of Rose's, like they speak of Udi's or Amy's.   Safe travels and have a wonderful time with Tom!  

*Dottie,* so, so sorry that the news about your FIL is not better.    I will be sending lots and lots of good thoughts,  and prayers for you, Jake and your whole family.  

*Nancy,* bummer about the dental work.    And don't worry about the binky thing -- it only seems like this stage will never end.  It will!    Don't rush it or turn it into a battle.    It wasn't that long ago that his world was rocked by the fact that Matthew was there to stay! 

*Lisa,* having someone knock on the door asking to buy a house is very unusual in this day and age.    Wouldn't it be nice if the timing and price worked out for both of you?    It's a sign, baby.  

*Maria,* I would love to learn how to download e-books from the library.    I'm still pretty much a real book girl but for travelling and things like that it would be much easier to just cart around the tablet.  Being a net of 8 pounds lost in 3 weeks is a winner in my book.    I know your body is going to get with the program here this week, thank to all your hard work and then you will be 10 pounds down!   Get some rest, too, my friend.  

*Lindsay,* you are fly dancing girl in my head!   You never look as bad as you think you do so no worries! 

*Jen,* you're trip is almost here! 

They opened the registration for the WDW Marathon W/E early.  It is supposed to be for Disney VISA card holders but seems to be working for everyone.  It was $135 for the half which seems good to me.  I am registered now.   

I'm just  along here.  Going to take my 2 pound gain that took me perilously close to 200 and grab hold of myself for the umpteenth time.    I'm coaching the big thread next week so that should help.  I also have a short workout Saturday so I can do some housework -- that should help things not feel so out of control.  A little sunshine instead of snow would help, too.    I think I'll take a page from our *Rose's* book and be sure I have some Vitamin D this week, too.

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## liesel

*Dottie* I'm so sorry about your FIL.     Lots of prayers are with you and your family, especially Jake.  I hope your family gets to spend lots of time with him, it sounds like he isn't too far away from you.

*Nancy* I agree with Lisa, one big change at a time.  First the new baby, then the big boy bed, he is doing well.  I didn't have any binky issues, both my kids didn't like them so we didn't use them.  But I can sympathize with the toilet training.  DS was very difficult, sitting in a dirty diaper didn't bother him and that translated to underwear.  I got A LOT of flak from relatives, especially my mom and MIL, very judgemental.  I was on bed rest pregnant with DD at the time, which was a huge upheaval in our lives!  Both of them spent time with us during this time and were determined to toilet train him, neither were successful.  My mom actually declared "I give up" after 2 weeks!  All these things will come.  My DD was trained just before our WDW trip (daytime only, we still used nighttime pullups), which was nice.  She only had 2 accidents on our 2 week Florida trip.  One was at the condo we stayed at and one was in the Figment gift shop at Epcot.  The second one wasn't that pleasant, but at least we had a change of clothes with us.    Sorry for all the dental work.  


*Lisa* I seem to recall you were the BL of the week when you coach, so I'm sure next week will be awesome.  I saw the Disney Visa discount, they did that for the DL half too.  Alas, I still have to wait and see how this moving thing plays out.  I need to get it in gear too!

*Rose* Have a great weekend!


*Maria* I wish I could lose 8 pounds in a month!  You are doing great and I'm sure your body will adjust soon.

I need to get these kids to school and then do my run.  Have a wonderful day fellow athletes!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*dottie* i'm so very sorry to hear the news of your FIL. i will be praying for you and your family today. certainly not a good friday for you. how is FIL dealing with this? i hope you are able to spend time with him and help him through this. i hope jake deals with it as best as possible. i was thinking the same thing *rose* said. boys just deal with things so differently. my cousin johnny just lost his grandpa a couple weeks ago (my aunt's dad) and he's been a little....angrier..than usual. 

********

hi my friends. i've been up since 1:30am and am in no position to post nice and shiny happy things so i'm just going to say hi and wish everyone a blessed good friday.

i'm driving to CT in about an hour. i'm going to stop by my parents' house (should be interesting) and then head to the organic farm that my BFF mary runs. thomas will love it. i will not love the drive but oh well. we're going to have lunch with mary's mom and dad. her dad was my bball coach as a kid and her mom is just the nicest person ever.

haven't run since sunday. absolutely no energy. i did go to two aerobics classes this week so that's something. saw 140.5 this morning! i might actually win the bet with my aunt mary!


----------



## lisah0711

Fly by post here! 



liesel said:


> *Lisa* I seem to recall you were the BL of the week when you coach, so I'm sure next week will be awesome.  I saw the Disney Visa discount, they did that for the DL half too.  Alas, I still have to wait and see how this moving thing plays out.  I need to get it in gear too!



It's hard being in limbo for sure, *Lisa.* We are coming on the time in the school year that things start to move in super speed too.  Summer will be here before we know it.   

I'll keep my fingers crossed on the WDW Marathon W/E for you!   I need to have these races on the calendar to keep my behind from parking itself on the couch for awhile.    I have a 5 mile race in about 2 weeks!  



dumbo_buddy said:


> hi my friends. i've been up since 1:30am and am in no position to post nice and shiny happy things so i'm just going to say hi and wish everyone a blessed good friday.



Woo hoo on the 140.5, *Nancy!*  You were on the superstar list last week for the BL, too!    Sorry about the sleeping thing.    Hope this stage passes quickly.  And remember girl, at least you are skinny! 

*Dottie,* sending lots of good thoughts, prayers and  your way!

*Rose,* safe travels.  

*Jen,* your trip is almost here! 

*Kathy,* miss you! 

*Maria,* hope you got some rest.  

*Lindsay,* when I saw you were tagged in a Zumba pic I thought I was going to get to see your moves like Jagger! 

I am coaching the BL thread this week so come over and say "hi!"   

I already am down 1/2 a pound from the 2 lb gain I reported so that is a good start.  I just need to do some regrouping this week-end.  Thankfully it's an easy week-end and I should be able to do that.  

Have a great day ladies!  I am so thankful and blessed to have you in my life.


----------



## mikamah

Hello friends, and a happy weekend to you all!!  I miss you all!!  It's been a busy week, nothing special, but work has been busy, so there's been no cancelling or getting out early, which is really a good thing, but I'm feeling my increase in hours lately, especially now that baseball has started.  I've missed my dis-time, but think about you all the time.  

I want to wish you a happy, blessed, peaceful Easter sunday.  

Love you all.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Happy Easter to my dear, dear friends!!

we are really lacking sleep over here! even thomas woke up at 5am to see what the easter bunny brought. hopefully that means he'll take a little nap in the car on the way to PA. really not looking forward to seeing john's family. can't wait til i'm back home!

have a great day everyone. xoxo


----------



## lisah0711

WISHing you all a happy, peaceful, blessed Easter!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

For some reason, our internet was not working yesterday. I was thinking of you all, and wishing you a Happy Easter! 

Hope to post more later...did something to my IT band Saturday. Got 6M in (longest since the Princess!), but resting now until it's fully healed...sigh. 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

how was everyone's easter?

i actually can't really complain. it wasn't fun by any means but it could have been a billion times worse. john's sister kathleen is really bad. she had to stop taking lithium because it was killing her liver so now she's on something else that has turned her into a zombie. at the restaurant she must have said at least 35 times "i'm getting stuffed flounder. stuffed flounder. i'm getting stuffed flounder." that's what MIL does too. says things over and over and over. she's like rain man...except she's mean. "ruined john's life. ruined it. ruined.ruined his life" 

anyway, it only took me two beers to get through dinner. and thank god, the traffic coming home was nonexistent. i couldn't believe it. last year it took us almost THREE hours to go what should have taken 45 min. this year? nada. i think god gave me a little break 

my eating and subsequent weight gain has really stunk. back on the wagon again. my stomach is killing me and it's all my fault. i have the colonoscopy and upper endoscopy scheduled for 4/20. looking forward to the prep kit....

*dottie* i have been thinking about you. how did it go telling jake? how is FIL doing? hugs.

did anyone see that article *kathy* posted on facebook? places to go with your kids? i really like that list and want to plan some trips in the future. there are so many places on there i've never been to. i bet our group has been to all of them since we have people from all over the country. i mean, sheesh, i've never even been to ellis island! i was never at the empire state building until i left the bronx and moved to CT. haha

thomas has decided he wants to eat cereal with milk while holding the bowl in his lap and sitting on the couch. why did i allow this?? oh wait, i didn't. john did. ARGH!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Thank you all for the prayers and support. We sat Jake down and broke the news to him Friday morning, I explained it as best as I could, mostly I just held him as we all cried. Sunday we drove over to my inlaws home for Easter Dinner- they are about an  hrs drive away. My FIL is a man of few words, he and I could talk sports- Gators Football, College BB( Rose- he roots for the Wildcats even over the Gators ) He's a Cardnial's Baseball fan and golf- he is a Mikelson fan-so wish he could have seen him win another Masters. He is not the senimental type- in 20 plus years-  he told me the day I married his son -"welcome to the family", when I was pregnant with Jake and we decided to name Jake after my FIL he told me he was honored- and when DH and I had just started dating  and DH had stayed out all night with me -he told DH "well I hope you were not out shacking up with that girl!  I can laugh about that now- even then I knew where I stood with him- Yesterday he gave a speach that brought us all to tears-even my MIL said he has never given her that many compliments at one time.  We are a small family- Jake is an only child, as is my husband and my MIL- FIL lost his parents when he was very young and my in-laws are the only family I care to claim.  I know in the months to come that I will be "faking it till I can make it thorugh"  Thank you all for being there


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning fellow athletes! 

*Kathy,* loved all the FB pictures!  You look MARVELOUS -- you are so CLOSE to ONE-derland, I can tell.  Come on!  You can do it by the end of the month!  

*Nancy,* glad that it wasn't too horrible yesterday.    Poor John growing up in a house full of whacked out people.    Good luck with the endoscopy and gastroscopy.  I'm sure Nurse Kathy will have some words of wisdom for you.  

*Maria,* ouch on the IT band thing.    Do you have a tennis ball?  That is what the PT recommended for me.  Glad you are resting until you are healed.   

*Dottie,* so sorry that your family is going through this.    You can't control what is happening but you can control how you react.  Don't forget to take care of YOU while you are taking care of everyone else!   We're here to vent to anytime that you need it.  

*Jen,* looked like people at your house were having a good time this week-end! 

*Lindsay,* hope the boys enjoyed their toys yesterday! 

*Rose,* hope you had a great time with Tom this week-end! 

*Lisa,* hope that everyone enjoyed Easter at your house.   

We had a nice week-end.  Our Easter dinner entree was a big bust so don't have to worry about eating too much of that.    About every 5 years DH really wants ham balls with a glaze -- luckily I do such a horrible job he won't ask for them again for looonnng time.    It was nice to have a quiet family Easter after the big family celebration.

Robert decided to rock the tunes while Ed and I were at the Kroc on Saturday.    When I came home I could hear the music outside the house.   It was quickly turned down when he realized I was home.    He was very considerate, though, and had put the dog outside before he did it because he didn't want to hurt her ears.   

Looks like I will be at SSR for W&D.  I've never stayed there but it will be nice to be close to DTD.  I doubt if it would do any good to try and waitlist at BC or BWV -- what do you think?  

Have a great day everyone and don't forget to come say hi on the BL thread!


----------



## camnhan

Good Morning all....I have missed you!!!

Things have been crazy around here with girls quiting at work, one going on maternity leave and everyone trying to figure out how to keep things going. Easter was great fun....ate way to much....way way to much!!! had  5 LB GAIN  Now I know that I was carb heavy this weekend but really....5 lbs????? Good news is Kinect is up and running so getting Zumba Rush after work and hitting it hard.

We are in single digits today!!! 9 days until DISNEY!! I can't wait!! work is going to be a waste for the next week....still have not found anything to wear for our dinner out to CG and with a 5 lb gain I am NOT going shopping!

Sitting at work not wanting to do anything so think I will read back through the last couple of pages that I missed and catch up on everyone


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*lisaH* we are owners at SSR. i've stayed in a studio once (on the horrible trip that was just me and my 19 month old) and the treehouses once. it is a beautiful resort and i love it. we are staying there again in may (treehouses). the number one best ever cast member works at SSR in the lobby as a manager type person. she helped me so much on that trip because i became really sick on the day we were leaving. anyway, you'll love it if you don't decide to waitlist. some people complain that it is very big but i feel like those people must not exercise at all or really move that much in general. from the treehouses we could get to the clubhouse in less than 10 minutes!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies!!

*Maria*-So sorry about the IT band.  How are you feeling after a couple days of rest?  I hope it heals quickly and you are able to run again soon. 

*Dottie*-Sounds like things are going as well as can be expected, and your fil is coming to terms with things and at peace with it.  I remember the weekend after my mom was diagnosed, just our whole immediate family was there for a cookout, and she was so peaceful, taking in the beautiful sunshine, watching the kids play in the yard, and just enjoying every minute she could.  I hope you and your family have many moments like that in the weeks and months ahead. 

*Nancy*-Ok, so now that I'm crying, I'll move on to you and your bowels.  The prep, as you know is sooooo not fun, but the drugs are fabulous.  And remember to step on the scale in the morning, cuz the prep is good for a good 5-10 pound weight loss.   Glad to hear Easter with the in-laws went as well as can be expected.  I'm here if you have any questions too. 

*LisaH*-Thanks for the compliment.  Yes, I am very close to Onederland, and am feeling back on track today.  I can't wait to join you there soon.  I think the end of the month is a good plan.  What are ham balls?  I'm sure there were some chuckles about them.  We made cake pops and had lots of laughs dipping our balls in chocolate saturday night.  Glad you had a nice quiet easter.  You are doing great on the bl thread as always.  

*Rose*-Hello there!  Hope you had a nice visit with Tom.  I forget, are you still away?  

*Lindsay*-Cute pic on facebook.  Nothing like rocket launchers.  Hope none landed on the roof. 

*LisaR*-Hope you had a nice, snow-free easter out there!!

*Jen*-You must be soooo excited!!  happy packing!!

Good morning!  I've been a little absent, just busy, I guess.  Nothing exciting.  Baseball practice has started, and it's been busy at work, so that's good.  The docs finally signed the contract they've been working on for over a year, so we are hoping things will pick up and stay there for a while. A new doc is coming in july, so that's good.  
We have school vacation next week, so I'm scheduled to work mon and tues and took the rest of the week off.  I may get tuesday off too because 4 docs are off, so I'm up for cancel, but won't know til monday.  We're going to put poko in the daycare overnight for 2 nights and go to jim and beths for the end of the week.  Figured it would be good to try her out for a short trip and see how she does.  She loves it during the day, so I'm hopeful she'll just sleep like she does at home after day care, and be fine.  

It's good to be back, and catch up a bit.  I feel like there was more to comment on from last week, but I can't remember right now. 

Off to walk Poko and get to work.  Have a wonderful day!!!


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

*Dottie*- Im so sorry to hear about you FIL.  You and your family and especially Jake are in my prayers.

*Rose*- I hope you enjoyed your time with Tom.  

*Maria*- I think I jinxed you.  While I was running yesterday I was thinking about injuries and how lucky I have been to not had to deal with any really bad running injuries yet.  I was actually thinking about this around mile 9 when my hips felt like they were going to lock up and break.  I was thinking about all of you and how so many of our group has overcome so many different obstacles of injuries but yet we are all still determined to keep on going.  I was thinking wow I dont remember Maria really having any major injuries.  oops there it was the big jinx.  I promise I wont think like that anymore.  I hope you feel better soon.

*LisaH*- Oh yes Robert is at that age now isnt he.  I remember those days of feeling so cool while blasting the music.....now it would give me a headache.  Glad you had a nice quiet easter and way to go on getting right back on the wagon.  I will try to stop over on the BL thread havent been there in a long while.  I bet this will be a great week for you.

*Kathy*- I guess at least you can relax knowing that you have good job security.  Although more hours sounds good on paper or the check book its never really fun once you have to actually do it.  I hope you get some time off this week to enjoy.  

*Nancy*- Glad the day wasnt too painful on Sunday with the inlaws and now you can avoid doing that again for awhile.  I have been loving all the cute pics and videos you have been sharing on facebook.  Woohoo for the weigh in.  I can see a 130's dance in your near future.  When is the finish date for the bet with your aunt mary????

*Jen*- OMG the trip is getting so close you must just be bursting with excitement.  Are the kiddos still ok with you leaving?  

*Lisa*- Hope you had a great Easter!

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

Well its back to work today for me.  My kids were so well behaved for us this long weekend that it made it hard for me to return.  It probably helped that Mike was off with us.  Why do they always listen so much better when he is around????  It drives me crazy.

Nick had a fun bday party on Saturday and although I was pooped I made myself get up early to do online ADR's for our trip.  I got everything I wanted except found out the Hoopty Do is closed from Oct 1 through the end of the year for refurb.  So we are going to do Mickeys backyard bbq instead.  Im not sure how everyone will like it but Mike was sold when he heard they have beer included and I was sold on the unlimited Mickey bars.  We had to move our Ohana dinner to tuesday night because the BBQ only is on a thur or sat.  We are now celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary at the BBQ instead of ohanas.  

The kids got a lot for easter and we now have 3 bags of candy in our house.    It was an enjoyable day and we had decent weather minus the wind.  

Yesterday I did my longest run of the training plan.  10 miles.  It went well and I pretty much held a 13 min/mile pace so I am ok with that.  I would like to be closer to 12 but it is what it is.  

The brighter note is last week I did get back into onederland...over the weekend I went back up to 200.8 but today I was down again to 198.8 so hopefully I can keep going down.  My half is in 3 weeks and I would like to get as close to 190 as possible.  Last year I was 186 when I did this half so I am hoping to be within 5lbs.

Oh and I took the kids to the dentist yesterday and we need to take Ryan to the orthodontist because he has a crossbite and his teeth are a mess of different shapes and angles but also one baby tooth never came down and now the other teeth are crowding and it wont have room to ever come in.  They said most times the ortho will do a palate expander to make room for the teeth as a phase 1 and then eventually do braces.  So I am going to schedule him an appt for may or june when we are off and see what they say.  I guess there is a chance that they can also say that he needs that tooth to be pulled and that will not be fun at all.  I have a very strong feeling that I will not be making it to marathon weekend this year just way to many expenses coming in.  I am not counting it out completely yet but Its not looking too promising.

Ok well its back to work now.  Talk to you soon.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, Fellow Athletes!

My IT band is feeling better, and I'm walking with just twinges. I'm going to walk/jog on the TM tomorrow morning. The level of exertion depends on how it feels. I feel confident I can at least walk. 

Tons of merger drama (this time I got to participate ), but what else is new? It's going to be a fun year as we all settle in...

I'm happy to be going to WW tomorrow, but pretty sure it's going to be yet another gain. I didn't do great on Easter, and kind of had a mini-eating meltdown last night.  Sigh. I think I just needed to get it out of my system. 

I need to change our reservation to a LK Suite w/FD. I wasn't going to do it, then I got some great DIS advice, which told me I could take Dennis's 2-day ticket from his pass and add it to my new KTTW card in January, so it's like I'm pre-purchasing my admission, and getting FD! I was paying rack rate anyway, so why not?  We will probably do one TS meal, that I'll have to do OOP, but really, we mostly want to eat CS, and free is free! 

*Lindsay* -- No, you did not jinx me. I totally did this to myself. I knew I did not warm up properly, and I went ahead anyway. That is what I got. Not going to do that again  a belated  to Nick! I'm glad he had fun, and congrats on the ADRs! 

*Kathy* -- Your Apr Vacation plans sound like fun to me! We are not going anywhere. We'll both be off Monday (barring I have to come in, which could happen since I have a proposal due Tuesday...), I'm taking off Wednesday, and Dennis will be home Thursday. We'll try to do some fun things with Ben, but mostly he will be cleaning his play room and bedroom, and enjoying sleeping in. 

*Jen* -- I cannot believe it is so close to your trip! I would have lost all ability to focus by now. I bet you are doing a great job with your packing and planning! 

*LisaH* -- I love the story about Robert! I remember when I used to do that -- and the houses were close together. One night I had played the SNF soundtrack way too many times, and they neighbors all cheered and said "Thank You! We Loved the BeeGees" concert. Of course, that meant they were done of that!  I admit I've never had ham balls, and it doesn't sound overly appealing to me... but I'm sure yours are delicious 

*Dottie* -- I'm glad you got through telling Jake, and you were able to enjoy a nice family Easter. Your FIL's speech will be a special memory 

*Nancy* -- You did it! Every holiday you survive without homicide is a good one  I saw some very cute photos of adorable boys on FB! How wonderful to be surrounded by all that sweetness 

*LisaR* -- I don't know when I'm going to ever see another loss at WW, but I'm going to keep trying. Easter did not do me any favors. I really think at this point next Wednesday will be the day! 

Who did I miss? Oh *Rose!* -- I could never forget you! Here's another reason to come in Jan. -- the O'Hana cousins meet and B&C Saturday afternoon! You know you want some ice cream! 

Need to finish a few things at work. Is it wrong I'm already looking forward to the weekend? 

Maria


----------



## camnhan

I so have totally lost ALL ability to concentrate! 
NO packing done  freaking out because we are not checking bags so I have to figure out how/what I can pack to be "legal"
Still don't have any ideas of what to wear and not in the mood to shop...was down 2 lbs today so was thrilled based on the 5 lb gain but still have lots to go....and have drowned myself in chocolate tonight so  
Broke a tooth yesterday and the sharp edge keeps cutting at my tongue and the dentist is off this week on spring break and I am such a dental phobe...have an appt for 4pm next Tues...the night before we leave...I am just ASKING for trouble  should do wonders for my diet however because it is getting more difficult to eat...

Glad everyone survived Easter  "survived" being the key work!!
Work is really starting to get stressful as we get ready to pick up the work of those that are leaving...

did a short yoga session last night..felt good but not enough to be of much benefit...have not gotten Zumba Rush yet so can't weigh in on how much better it will be than the other Zumba tapes...


----------



## camnhan

so anyone know about any dress code for CG?? our ressie is for 9:20 and I had hoped to find a fun casual summer dress that would look nice for dinner but have hated everything that I tried on so.......don't have a clue what to wear....

OK


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Jen*--California Grill dress code:
Dress Code Guidelines: 
Men: Khakis, slacks, jeans, dress shorts, collared shirts.  Sport coats are optional.
Ladies:  Capris, skirts, dresses, jeans, dress shorts.
Not permitted in dining room: Tank tops, swimwear, hats for gentleman, cut offs, or torn clothing. While T-shirts are now allowed, the policy remains that T-shirts with offensive language or graphics are not acceptable.

My thoughts--You will see people all over the place up there including jeans and t-shirts. I would say a cute sundress with cute sandals would be perfect. But anything that looks a little dressy will work. Mike will wear golf shorts (fancy khaki shorts ) and a collared shirt and I will wear a dress with a sweater. It is always cold, so take a sweater. It is such a lovely evening, and I never understood the people who didn't make it extra special by dressing up at least a little. But I think I tend to be a little southern in that respect.

*Dottie*-- Thinking of you. 

*Maria*--ugh itband. I second the tennis ball. And for you too *Lindsay* on your glutes/hip. I hope you are feeling better and I hope the merger stuff goes ok. Great job on the free dining! Can't wait to see you!

*LisaR*--thanks for all the cooking suggestions. Are you getting snow? It got chilly here again and we have frost warnings. We got spoiled with our warm temps!

*Lisah*--Last week I had a great run on the treadmill and I decided that I just needed to do w&d. Again....But then this week I found out I am taking the LSAT, oh, I mean paying for the LSAT. And for other things coming up. I just don't want to be a grown up! Thanks for the suggestions for ds. I think it is worth waitlisting bw/bc. The short waitlists come through sometime and it is a while still until the race. 

*Lindsay-*-What day is your 1/2? I am thinking we might be on the same weekend. We can pretend we are running together! I hope you have kicked the 200s to the curb for good! I hope there is no tooth pulling!

*Kathy*--I think it's a great idea to try Poko overnight for a few days. Petie (who really should take xanax he is so anxious) has finally stopped peeing on the floor every time we drop him off to be boarded. Poko is used to going there so I am sure she will do great!

*Nancy*--glad you survived the outlaws. What's with the no sleeping? I saw the paci post on facebook, and I say let him have it if he needs it. I wish we would have let Tom keep his longer--there really was no reason to take it from him when we did. Good luck with the tummy stuff. Is that going to mess with the bfing too much?

****
Let's see what's new. Stomach is feeling better--no more of that pb for me. I ran a 9:03 mile today on the tm after doing 3 miles on the elliptical, so I was pretty happy with that. And without my inserts--I have been testing it out to see how my foot does. I had a lot of problem with my back this weekend--but I have decided it was from sitting in the car. I put some blankets under my bottom and sat differently on the way home yesterday and that helped a bit. When we flew last time my back was really aggravated too, so I have to pay attention to that.

The trip was good. Not too much drama, only a couple of tears--we were having trouble finding somewhere to eat dinner saturday and my family does not do well when we are all tired and hungry. All in all a pretty fun trip.

We got detoured Thursday night because of the highway collapse. Friday morning--another detour--not sure why this time. And Friday afternoon sat in a detour/traffic mess cause joe biden was going to kiawah and they closed the bridge. Uggh. 

We toured a tea plantation, drove down a dirt road to see the oldest tree on the east coast (very cool), toured the Yorktown (a retired aircraft carrier), walked over this cool bridge over Charleston Bay, went to the beach, walked around in downtown Charleston, saw a USC baseball game and walked around in downtown Columbia. We walked 15 miles on Saturday and a bunch on Friday and Sunday. Busy, but fun.

Our hotel lost power Sunday morning which was interesting. It was just one of those trips for weird things to happen.

Missed you all. I will ttyl.


----------



## mikamah

I think it's time to party with Lindsay!!!

ONE-DERLAND!!!!



Just a little cake and light beverages all around.  I am so happy for you, and I know you are there for good!!!  Congratulations!!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Lindsay!* -- You snuck into Onderland, didn't you?!

 I am so proud of you! Congratulations!        

Maria


----------



## Rose&Mike

Thanks for starting the party Kathy!

*Congratulations Lindsay!!!!!*


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

WAY TO GO LINDSEY!!!!! I needed a reason to party!!!


----------



## myweegirls

Hi! I'm new to this board - the current BL challenge is my first, and I'm also a *very* new runner. I've registered for the WDW 1/2 in January and am really excited about this new goal! Looking forward to learning about marathon weekend and definitely to meeting WISHers there!

XO
Liz


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Liz! 

We are at different levels of fitness and experience, and we're a friendly bunch! You are going to love the Donald and the whole marathon weekend experience, it is so much fun!

Maria


----------



## myweegirls

Thanks, Maria! I'm really excited to be here. I'm halfway through a C25K training series, and I really like it. When I hit the halfway point, I went for a stride analysis and came out with better shoes for my gait, so that's exciting. I'll be turning 40 this summer, so it seems like as good a time as any to try tackling something new and challenging!

DH thinks we should try and do the ToT 10-miler in September as we'll already be there that weekend...if we're crazy enough to do a half, we're crazy enough for a nighttime 10-miler, right?  The downside is the cost of the Disney races, but they are pretty special.

XO
Liz


----------



## Rose&Mike

One of those days....stress ate too much, but got a lot done. 

Welcome to *Liz*! The TOT will be fun. I ran w&d the last two years and loved it. It is pretty warm at that time of the year, but as long as you plan for that it should be a fun race if you decide to do it.

*Dottie*--hope you are hanging in there.

*Nancy*--where are we on the countdown?

I am mad at myself for not working out today--it's going to be hard to hit my goal for the month. But I spent the day feeling cruddy (allergies) and nauseous (stress). So I am going to cut myself a little slack.

Have a great night!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

WAAAAHHHHHH!!! 

i'm so sick of my stomach always hurting. ALWAYS! 

*rose* 38 days! yay!

*liz* welcome to the club. we are all pretty awesome. you picked a good group. hehe

*lindsay* alright girl, onederland is here to stay! keep workin' it! you so totally 

*maria* how was your last workout? IT band ok? when mine was acting up i found the butt stretches to help the most!

*jen* packed yet??

*dottie* how are you doing??

*lisaH* i've been a pretty lame-o BL challenge participant but have enjoyed reading your coaching posts. you are always so upbeat. no wonder why you totally rock at these challenges. when is wine and dine?? 

*lisaR* i love your cover photo on facebook. that medal sure does look good around your neck....wouldn't a donald (or a mickey!) one look good too.....  

*kathy* john told me he's going to go pick up my a$$ kit at cvs for my colonoscopy.  glad we can be so open about poop. i read a little about it and the whole blowing air in there sounds pretty horrible. john said after his he totally let a couple farts out while the nurse was in the room. i told him he should have apologized but he said he was so drugged up he thought it was ok because he thought the nurse was ME! gee, thanks.

***
so, i have an interview on monday. i need to go get a suit. none of my old ones fit properly. ugh. i really don't want to spend the money on a suit but i can't go in looking like a slob. how tacky would it be to keep the tags on? nah, can't do that. the firm keeps emailing my head hunter about my compensation history and bonuses. i guess that's a good sign. plus one of the girls that works there i actually helped get her that job b/c i introduced her to the head hunter. so i know i have a good recommendation from her.

i have a funeral in CT to go to tomorrow. bummer. the dad of one of my best friend's from college died. he was 76. sad. of course i'm sad for joe and his family but at the same time i'm looking forward to seeing three of my friends who are coming up for the funeral. 

uuugggh, my stomach hurts so much. what the heck??


----------



## camnhan

Way to go Lindsay so excited for you! What a milestone...

NO I AM NOT PACKED
I do really want to find a cute sundress but feel like a moose in everything so have not bought anything maybe this weekend

Only 6 days till I am in the most wonderful place on earth have been stressing about packing..of course Thom was nice enough to make me a packing list: let's just say there was not much on the list 

Sorry to hear about all the stomach pain  hopefully things will get straightened out soon

Gotta get kids to show choir practice so will catch up later


----------



## lisah0711

mikamah said:


> I think it's time to party with Lindsay!!!
> 
> ONE-DERLAND!!!!
> 
> Just a little cake and light beverages all around.  I am so happy for you, and I know you are there for good!!!



Woo hoo, Lindsay!   I know you are in ONE-derland for good now!  



myweegirls said:


> Hi! I'm new to this board - the current BL challenge is my first, and I'm also a *very* new runner. I've registered for the WDW 1/2 in January and am really excited about this new goal! Looking forward to learning about marathon weekend and definitely to meeting WISHers there!



Hi Liz!   Nice to see you!  



Worfiedoodles said:


> Liz!
> 
> We are at different levels of fitness and experience, and we're a friendly bunch! You are going to love the Donald and the whole marathon weekend experience, it is so much fun!



*Maria,* has done WDW Marathon Weekend before so she is going to show us all the ropes! 



Rose&Mike said:


> One of those days....stress ate too much, but got a lot done.



Sorry for the stressful day but a big woo hoo for giving yourself some slack. 

*Nancy,* so sorry about the tummy.    Hope they can figure out what the problem is soon.  Don't worry about the gas thing -- they have signs up all over the place telling you they won't let you leave until you do it.  I think Nurse Kathy will tell you it's just another day at the office for them. 

Could you get a skirt (or slacks) and a jacket instead of a suit for your interview?  That way you could make multiple outfits with the pieces.  Or a dress with a jacket is always nice -- and dresses are a little more forgiving.  I've seen your picture, you look lovely just the way you are.   

*Jen,* how's that single digit dance? 

*Dottie,* hang in there! 

*Lisa,* I agree with *Nancy* I love that picture of you all! 

*Kathy,* say hello to Beth and Taylor for me! 

There are some pretty amusing threads on the Community Board today with the big mixup from the server upgrade.  Posts that have nothing to do with the original post are mixed in -- it makes for interesting reading.  

Kind of chicken fried and talked out today -- who would think a lawyer would ever get sick of talking?!? 

Going to listen to Soarin' until it is time to head out of here.


----------



## camnhan

*Lisa* I wondered what was going on as I nosed about  I thought I was loosing my mind ready some of the threads!

*Nancy* great news on the interview  I hate shopping as well but  ya just gotta do it somedays

*Liz* welcome and way to jump right into those races! I have not gotten up the courage yet but hopefully soon 

*Maria* how did WW go this week? I am holding steady which is not what I want but better than gaining more so I will take it. Hope you are on the mend and the merger drama does not get to be too much

Wish I had it in me to jump onboard and reg for WDW but just not there yet  hopefully soon!!

Thinking I will officially join the BL challenges when I get back next week probably not a good plan just before going to Disney


----------



## mikamah

Good morning friends!

Welcome *Liz!!*  Like the others have said, we are a fun and versatile group here, and always happy to have other join us.  The price of the disney races is steep, but having done the princess half last year, worth every cent.  It is such an amazing experience.  Good luck with your training!

*Nancy*-You must, must, must pass the gas after the procedure.  It is totally necessary for you to recover and feel better.  Some people have more gas than others, and some have very little, but if you do not let it out, you will get more bloated, and nauseous, and feel awful.  Remember it is clean air, you're all cleaned out from your kit John so sweetly picked up for you, and there will be no odor at all.  Really the sound of gas passing is music to us nurses ears, it means you will feel good, sit up and go home.   Once when my mom was in the hospital, I took ds and my nephew to see where I worked, and my nephew was so excited to share with everyone that he got to see where daddys gets his bum checked.  Will bum be allowed or asterixed out.  We shall see.  I hope you are feeling better soon.

*LisaH*-You have done a great job coaching the bl thread.  I haven't been there much, but have popped on occassionally to read.  I can imagine as a lawyer, you must feel talked out at times.  I hope you have some down time this weekend, and can relax a bit.  In between all your running.  

*Rose*-I hope you cut yourself some slack for not working out one day.  You definitely deserve a break now and again.  

*Maria*-I hope things work out and you are able to have the extra time off next week.  It's nice for ds to have a relaxing week at home too.  Sat ds will have a baseball scrimmage, but the coach was awesome in his email and realistic, it's vacation, and no worries if you're not around.  I hope things improve with the merger.  It is very stressful at times.  Our hospital and Lahey's merger has been approved, but so far, it's not affecting us yet.  I think it will hit the management level first, and hopefully won't affect us too much, negatively anyway.  Is Dennis running monday?  It's looking so hot.  Make sure he is very careful and hydrates well.  

*Lindsay*-Ok, I thought of you this morning.  As I drove through mcdonalds and got a sausage egg and cheese mcmuffin.  Why?  I was hungry, I spilled my coffee on my car rug, and I just did it.  But I thought of you because you are in ONE-derland, and I know it was not easy to get there, and I need to do it too.  So keep it up girl!!  YOu're inspiring me. 

*LisaR*-I thought of you as the national weather map looked like snow out your way.  ugh.  We may see 80 monday.  Hope the snow is almost behind you.

*Jen*-Get packing!  Once you're packed, you can change to vacation attitude and just relax. 

*Dottie*-Hope you are all doing ok. 

Well, not much happening here.  Good morning america weather guy is in disneys AK.  So wish I was with him.   My house is a mess.  I plan to clean tonight and in the morning, and be done.  Tomorrow i want to get out and do some raking.  I've been procrastinating since they don't start picking up yard waste til next week, so I guess it's time. 

Have a fantastic friday!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Bleh. Ok, you are going to hear something from me you probably never thought you would hear. I am not looking forward to my long run. I really, really, really, really want to skip it. But after I gave Mike a lecture earlier this week about self defeating behaviors it's probably not such a good idea. The upcoming full is stressing him out, that and the bazillion hours a day he is working....

Last long run before the kdf and then I swear I am taking a break for May and just running for fun and not worrying about time, pace, distance etc for a few weeks. We will probably do the Bluegrass 10k again in July, so that will be my next race but c'mon it's a 10k, I can do that in my sleep practically.

Mike is running 20 tomorrow.  I am going to get off my bottom, have a piece of pb toast and go do 10-13 this morning. I ran 3 easy miles yesterday without walk breaks and I was tired, so not sure how this will go. I am doing laps in the park and not worrying about hills, speed, etc. 

Tonight is opening night (baseball) so I want to get the run out of the way so I can enjoy tonight. I will be back later with replies when I am less aggravated about the run!

xxoo


----------



## BernardandMissBianca

Hang in there *Rose*. You know if you skip it you'll regret it. Do what you can, once you get out there and get your mind in the mode, you'll be ok. 

DS15 takes breaks between seasons. We usually have 3-4 weeks off but about week 3 he's pulling his hair out and runs for fun around home.


----------



## BernardandMissBianca

Trying to get my brain in the right place today. Did well on breakfast, now to follow through for the rest of the day.


----------



## RemembertheMagic98

Well here you guys are!!!  I was missing you all and nosed my way over tot he race thread and here you are!  Wishing I was running with all of you 

Just popped over to say hello and congratulations to all of you for:
1. Having the courage to register
2. Doing all of that training
3. Arriving at the race ready to go
4. Sharing your journey and parts of your life with all of us

Thank you for being truly inspirational!!

Run strong princesses and tinks!!


----------



## liesel

Do we have any WISHers running on Monday?  I'll have to check the events side of the board.

OK, so that storm headed here to CO this weekend?  Dan's first half is on Sunday!!    We have been stressing about this all week, I can't believe it.  When he signed up for this, he was worried about the weather and I convinced him saying the chances were so low, I'm sure you'll be fine.    He has a great jacket to run in the rain/snow, but its going to be such a shock to him.  We've had an incredibly warm and dry spring, very unusual.  We are all used to the warmer temps now.  The only snow we've gotten was a few inches last Tuesday.  The storm is supposed to arrive Saturday and I'm praying it just blows out by Sunday instead of sticking around until Monday like they are predicting.

So this course is one way, they start in Littleton and take the Platte River trail and end in downtown Denver.  They have light rail tickets to get back to their cars.  I'm going to try to score a good parking spot at a light rail station so I can just take him back to his car afterwards so he won't have to walk.  We'll have to work this out.  I also need to not go crazy with the carbs since I am cooking a higher carb dinner tonight and tomorrow night, I'm not running this thing!  

*Nancy and Lisa* Thanks for the compliments on the cover photo, we need to get better at getting pics of all 4 of us.  That's pixie hollow at DL, I realized that those of you with boys may not make it there too often.    It was the morning after the Tink and I wanted a pic with her since she wasn't at the race!  I figured I wouldn't be the only racer there, but nope, it was just me and a bunch of little girls.  

*Nancy*  Sorry about your friend's dad, I hope you have a good time catching up with your friends.    Good luck on your interview, I'm sure you'll be fantastic!  I second all of Lisa's wardrobe suggestions.  Your body may not be exactly the same as before you had kids, but you've done a half, are training for a full, and I bet you are much stronger!

As for the 15 places to take your kids, we've only actually taken our kids to WDW and the Grand Canyon.  Dan and I have been to the San Diego Zoo, Alcatraz, DC, and Colonial Williamsburg (separate school trips for the last 2).  I think Dan has been to the Redwoods, I am looking forward to that if we move.  Maybe LisaH has been there and the one in Idaho?  We were planning a Yellowstone trip, but that's on hold for a while since we may be moving.  If the rest of you east coasters have all the spots there covered, then we've got them all!

*Kathy* I'm glad your work schedule is working out well for you.  I hope Poko has a nice doggy camp stay!  I'll join you in AK too.

*Maria* A big  for being in for the WDW half and to Dennis for doing the full.  Have a good weekend, enjoy the sangria for me.  That shrimp from legal seafood sounds so good, I really miss fresh seafood.  I'd love to see the Boston Marathon festivities someday!  I hope you can get your internet restored soon.

*Rose* I know you can do it!  Have a great run this weekend, no matter the distance.  It may end up being longer than you think!  Good luck to Mike on his long run this weekend.

*Lindsay* I hope your half training is going well.  Is it almost taper time?  Wow, you had a long day yesterday!  I hope you are recovering.

*Liz*  I joined this group last year when I registered for the Tink and these ladies were a huge source of support and encouragement for me.  I couldn't have gotten through my first half without them!  I went from no running to half in 11 months.  I had been working out regularly for a year prior to that.  You can do it!

*Jen* Disney races are a blast!  I hope you have an awesome trip.  DH and I went to CA Grill one night for our anniversary during our WDW trip 3 1/2 years ago.  We dressed up, but did see lots of shorts as well.  They took our picture and emailed it to us, which was nice.

*Buffy* Good to see you here!

*LisaH* Thanks so much for coaching this week.  It was a big help to get me back into a good mindset, even if I didn't always have time to post.  I hope you had a nice break from talking and have a nice relaxing weekend.

So I had a busy week.  I went on DS's school field trip on Wednesday, which meant I couldn't work with the kids in DD's class until yesterday and I also had to do my weekly volunteer session in DS's class yesterday.  Then last night I had to attend the PTO meeting and tell them I may not be able to do my job next year since we may be moving.  I was hoping to be more definitive, but I still don't know yet.  I wanted to give them a heads up because if I can't they will need to get a replacement for me at the last meeting of the year in May.  I am organizing one last event for them next month, which I need to do today.  They were disappointed since I am at school all the time, its nice to be appreciated.

So if I get to go to marathon weeknd (I'm twinkle thinking!) I was seriously tempted to do the full but I think I need to stick to the half for 2 reasons.  I want to be 25 pounds lighter for a full, I think it would help tremendously.  I want to train at this lighter weight, which means I need to lose it first.  I think it would really help with speed, endurance, and injury prevention.  I would also be brining my family since its been a really long time since we've been to WDW.  I'd want to enjoy the weekend with them and see a few things, including maybe Harry Potter at Universal, and a full would be too much.  I want to have some fun, see some WISHers, do an easy 5K with the family, do the half, and have some more fun.  Since I've done a half before, I have a better idea of how to prepare.  So I'll wait another year for a full.  I'd really like to do either the Honolulu Marathon in December 2013 or the WDW marathon in January 2014.  I need to get on that weight loss!

I am dragging myself to Zumba today.  Have a great weekend fellow athletes!


----------



## liesel

I was thinking we need some sort of race (and Disney trip!) calendar to keep track of everyone's schedules.

I think several of us are running the weekend of April 28-29.  Our first 5K with the kids is the 28th.  *Rose and Lindsay* are your halfs that weekend?


----------



## Rose&Mike

soooooo, 14.5 miles. 

It was pretty rough and I was so frustrated, but then I remembered I ran on the treadmill yesterday and I felt much better about it. I hit 13 miles at 2:30. I am really hoping for 2:15 or better for the half. All in all I feel pretty good. The ankle is NOT swollen. The itbands feel good. So that's about the best I can hope for, but I am feeling very beat up. It's interesting though. Before I stopped eating gluten when I was getting so sick, I would get horrible muscle cramps sometimes (electrolyte imbalance), but this is more like normal soreness, so that's a good thing. I started crying at the end again. Something about going over 10 miles that turns me into such a girl!

Thanks for all the encouragement!

*Nancy*--did you get to pee?

*LisaR*--poor Dan! I hope that silly snow cooperates!

Ok, I am out of time again. But I really will be back with replies later or maybe tomorrow while Mike is doing his 20. I am going to yoga tomorrow and actually looking forward to it! Who is that person who has invaded my brain.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

And I'm Back!

I can't try to repost my thoughts again, so I'll start from scratch and respond to new stuff.

*LisaR* -- I am so sorry about the snow. It is a huge bummer. My first half at WDW it was so warm, we literally went back in the room and took off our throwaway clothes. The next year we kept them, but it was comfortable. The third year it was snowing at the start, and sleeting the entire race. You just don't know what you're going to get weather-wise, but he's put in the training, and he will do great! It's PR time for him! 

*Rose* -- Ah, now you can relax and enjoy your taper. You are my hero, and I don't mean that lightly. Actually, all you ladies are my heroes! You keep me going, and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your support  

*Karen* -- So nice to see you! Thank you for all the encouragement! I miss the BL thread, I just seem to have too much going on, and it's better if I confine myself to basically 1 thread  But I miss you guys!

*Buffy* -- How did your day go? I'm pleased to say I am right on track for my snackapalooza later. I still have plenty of points for chips and chocolate later, so I will enjoy while I watch my block of "Ancient Aliens". Dennis laughs at me, but I find it relaxing and fun. Maybe I am not getting the intended message?  

*Kathy* -- I am all set for next week. As I posted on FB, Dennis will be running the 5K on Sunday. He will and my BIL run 9mm at the minimum, so they will be done and showered in plenty of time for us to drop Ben at church and go out for adult brunch. Could be a mimosa in my future! I may have more alcohol (counted, I promise!) this weekend than I've had since New Year's 

*Jen* -- I am celebrating a 2 lb loss this week! I am so pleased! It's helping me stay focused on counting my points when I'm injured and can't work out like I want to. How's that packing coming?  

*LisaH* -- I admit it, I am a Soarin' junkie!   I just love the soundtrack, I will listen to it over and over...I know, I really should get out more. 

*Nancy* -- My IT band is not my friend. I have come to the conclusion I'm going to have to stop resting one day and then trying. I'm going to rest until Monday. That's three full days. I am really hoping that will do it.  I hope you enjoyed seeing your friends today, and it wasn't too hard. Funerals are just sad occasions.  

* to Liz, Lindsay, Dottie, Dona, Pamela and other lurkers!*

          


So as I posted on FB from work -- I registered Dennis for the WDW Full, and me for the Half! So happy! I'm a little freaked out, but feel like this is going to be a good year.  I have three more Halfs scheduled before WDW, so I should be rocking it and ready to go 

Also, when I finally called today to change our AoA reservation and take advantage of free dining, I found out the Nemo Suites now qualify for the promotion, so it really is "free" for us! Buying the tickets from Disney rather than the discount place is $35 more, and I will use Dennis's ticket in January, so I'm pre-paying for it now. I feel like we are getting 5 days of free dining for $35, so not too shabby! 

Now I have to figure out where Dennis and I will stay in January. I'm leaning towards POR, but I should do some research. All Dennis said was "No Value -- we're not waiting 4 days for the bus after the race", and "I'm not paying $500/night for a room". That gives me plenty to work with  I guess he gets I was a little too fried after the Princess this year  

Everybody have a wonderful weekend! I agree, we need a "race chart". Dare I suggest this is a task for our indomitable LisaH -- you are the queen of organization!  

Maria


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

I am so sorry I dont have the energy for replies tonight but I promise to catch up with you all soon.  Ive read todays posts and am so proud of our Rose for getting out there and doing your long run....and 14.5 miles thats awesome.  Im so proud of you.

I had another long day of being out of the house at 730a and not getting home until 10p.  There was just alot going on this week.

yesterday our network held a "summit" at an arena in our area (actually the Lehigh University bball arena)  it was good but went from 730a-530p from their i went directly to the ball park for our 1st minor league baseball game of the season.  It was fun but by the time we got home at 10p I was exhausted.

Today was a normal work day and then I went straight to ryans school to volunteer at the basket bingo we had.  I just got home at 10p.  I am just pooped.  

So lots of fun stuff but just very tiring.  Tomorrow is opening day of little league.   They have an opening day ceremony, pictures, and the game is at 1.  So we will be at the field from 930a-3pm.  Not sure why Im cheering but its and exciting day for the kids so I guess thats what keeps me going. 

I hope you all have some fun this weekend too.  I promise to catch up with more replies soon.


----------



## myweegirls

Evening, everyone! I should be in bed, but instead I'm sitting here futzing around with all these little tasks I didn't get done during the week. !! So I'll check in here before I crash. 

Tomorrow I'll run in the morning - my next C25K workout. Yesterday's was great, and I find myself really looking forward to these runs. I'm at the point now where the walk intervals start dropping out, and I'm impressed with what I'm able to do when I pace myself and just focus on the present! 

I'm not sure yet where we'll stay in January. Since we'll be there without our DDs, we have different likes, so I guess we'll see! DH is running, too, so we'll definitely be looking at something near Epcot. 

We will be at Boardwalk at the end of September for Food & Wine, and I keep thinking I should sign up for ToT, too...crazy? Or a good step toward the half? I noticed that the course is listed as pavement, grass, and sand, which has me a little nervous about how I'd do on other terrains.

I'm enjoying getting my gear stash going - ordered a cap today and realized I'm going to need different sunglasses...my usuals are just not cutting it! I also ordered some better-fitting tech tops and bought some socks...my BL challenge success  means that most of my old workout tops are much too big. What a great excuse to d some shopping! 

Okay, time to stop and call it a night. Back soon, and thanks for all the encouragement!

XO
Liz


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Lindsay -wow that is a long week you had! Hope you get to rest up over the weekend! The little league here also is opening todaY and there is a parade. Two of my cousins play n the league and I will probably see a few games this year. Does nick play yet? What age do they start? How many days til your WDW trip? I've never done the backyard BBQ. Can't wait to hear about it!

*Maria* yeah maybe more resting is the way to go. Sometimes your body just needs it!! my only problem with that is on non exercise days I tend to want to eat everything in sight. 

*Rose* 14.5 miles holy moly!! Nice work! How often do you drink and eat on those runs?

*Kathy* lol! Yes I think bum is allowed. I'm planning on taking the bus home after the procedure - that should be fine right?

* lisaR* ugh I hope it doesn't snow for dans race but Maria is right, he has trained thru it all! I like your twinkle thinking! Whichever race you pick will be great and I can't wait to see you. If you wait til 2014 to do the full we ail still be there to cheer for you!

*LisaH* your coaching has kept you away from us! Wah! Hehe

Hello to everyone else! I'm on the iPad and running out of steam  the typos are crazy!

Funeral was sad and long so thank god I got to pee before! Took me 50 min to get there and 2 hr to get home. Sucked. 

Running today. Want to try to go for 6. Need to buy that suit. Interview at 3:30 on Monday  

Ok iPad stinks for the dis. Ttyl


----------



## Rose&Mike

good morning. My back is so uncomfortable this morning. I am going to yoga and we are going to go mattress shopping this afternoon. I am hoping that helps. I thought a mattress lasted longer--ours is 13 years old. I am waking up so much, and it just doesn't feel good any more.

Thanks for the positive thoughts on the run. The legs are sore today, but not bad. And *Lisah*--thanks for saying that if I don't sign up for another half that is it for that distance until December. I probably will sign up for one, but I needed to hear that today.

*Nancy*--after my colonscopy I was kind of loopy, but I don't handle drugs well. Maybe *Kathy* will have a better idea about whether the bus would work. Would it be crazy expensive to take a cab? And my stomach was extremely bubbly afterwards, so gas was not an option. I hope you find a reasonably priced outfit for Monday. Hope the run goes well!

*Maria*--very exciting about the Disney plans! I am sorry about the itband. There doesn't seem to be a magic bullet to fix it, but it is fixable. Do I remember reading 2 pounds down? That's great! Have fun with your company!

*Lisar*--good luck to Dan!!!!

*Lisah*--are you hangin in there?

*Lindsay*--have fun with the little league stuff!

*Kathy*--hope it is a good weekend!

*Liz-*-I think the TOT looks fun. Just keep in mind that the temps will probably be high and night races can be challenging, so while I think it is a good way to get ready for January, it's not like comparing apples to apples. Having said all that, if I were going to be there, I would do it. I think 10 miles is a great distance.

****
We (Mike and I) are going to be researching graduate school stuff. That's all I'm going to say. Life is good and I am sure it will all work out for the best.

Time for yoga! Have a good day.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*jen* just a few more days!! 

*dottie* how are you? i've been thinking about you and your family. 

*liz* you should totally do the TOT! i would love to be able to go down and do it. september is HOT so just be prepared for that. i ran two september trips ago (last sept i was ginormously pregnant and had stopped running about a month prior) and it was really hot and humid. i could be wrong (probably) but i think that when it says there is grass on the course it's just the grass that's on the side of the roads. you don't have to run in it if you don't want. i saw some people during the princess running on grass - better for your knees. i don't think there will be any off-roading...in the dark! 

*BAMB* i saw on the official race thread in the events section that you're signing up for the race - but which one? are you still going back and forth between the full and the half? 

*karen!!* hi! how are you?? i feel like i haven't "talked" to you in forever!  what's new? i drove by your area on the way to the poconos (took rt 80). 

**
just got on my laptop (both kids are up, thomas is already being whiny and just spilled cereal and milk all over the couch. awesome) so i figured i'd say hello again. but then the baby just pooped. story of my life 

i wanted to get on here to talk about upcoming races...i'm running one next sunday (4/22) in central park. a 4 miler. my friend lauren bought me a NYRR membership for the year and said she'd sign me up for some races. there is actually a bronx half in august! it's not near here but still closer than disney  she is offering to pay because of the $$ she lost me last year when she didn't run the princess with me (verrrrrrry long story). 

off for my run around maritime. i was going to venture out on the streets but nah, i will just do a bunch of laps around the school.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Morning, Fellow Athletes!

I'm up and when I saw there were new posts on this thread, decided to read them while I have my choc milk and banana (3pts) for breakfast. Dennis isn't up yet, so I have to wait to get the cleaning frenzy started. I'm actually looking forward to it. I scored some really cute pillows and a couple of throws for the living room yesterday, but I'm not putting anything out until the cleaning is over. 

Then I plan to have a nice bath, do a manicure, and get ready for my evening out with BIL and SIL. We won't be out late since the fellas are running a 5K tomorrow, but it will be nice to relax and have a grown-up meal. Ben prefers to stay home and watch his shows, so there will be sangria for me! I've only used 2 of my weekly 49 pts, because I wanted to have whatever I feel like tonight without guilt. Plus, since I know there won't be extra activity points from exercise for most of the week, I need to keep it simple so I can hopefully see a loss again next week. All this race talk is helping me focus on losing so I can go back to getting faster and going longer distances. Anyway, it is paying off. I am thisclose to declaring myself 180s Lady, but I want to be sure and solid before I do. Just the fact I feel confident it's coming (hey, it's been awhile since I felt like I could get over that invisible 90s hump and stay there), is a huge improvement.

Wow, so psyched we already have racers going next weekend! Enjoy the taper madness  

*Rose* -- I'm still comfortable on ours, but it's my understanding you are supposed to get a new mattress every 10 years. Yours went the extra mile  

*Nancy* -- It really helps that while I am resting today I will be cleaning like a banshee, no time to just sit and eat. Plus, I have our dinner to look forward to, and we'll probably go out for brunch tomorrow. I need to think of someplace to go. *Kathy,* of course the only brunch place I can think of is the Hawthorne hotel, but that is not a good idea, and we probably couldn't get reservations at this point, anyway. This is an amazing brunch with every delight you can imagine. I actually need a place with fewer choices, or maybe just to order off a menu....I'll come up with something. 

*Liz* -- I think ToT looks super fun! If I were there, I would do it!  Congrats on the smaller running wardrobe. It was a really proud moment for me when I had to order a size Large ladies' WISH shirt, because the XL was gaping. I'm still looking forward to the day when I can need a medium. I finally feel confident it is coming! Enjoy your shopping, there is nothing better than needing smaller clothes  

*Lindsay* -- You have had a heck of a week, Momma, and it doesn't look like your weekend is exactly restful  Even when it's fun activities, it's hard to be on the go all the time. Try to find a moment or two to rest -- and best of luck to your little athletes! 

 to all the other athletes -- out doing their runs and making me proud!

Maria


----------



## mikamah

Good morning!!

*Nancy*-Lol, I'm sure the bus will be fine as long as you have the bus driver stop at a pub so you can have a pint or two.    I guessed you were joking, but if not, like Rose said, a cab would definitely be better.  Being a mother of 2 small children, they should give you a little extra sedative just out of sympathy.  Glad you got to pee before the funeral.    Sounds like a long, draining day.  It's so tough.  My friend Karen, who I run with's mom was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer on thursday.  So heartbreaking.  She and Karen are just in shock.  I just think how hard and overwhelming the days and weeks ahead are going to be.  ugh.  Back to a positive note.  A race in central park!!  How exciting.  Is it your first one there?  There was a race going on the time we were in central park.  Such a beautiful place to run.  Good luck!!  

*Rose*- So proud of you and how hard you work to run.  That Lisah is a wise woman, and you definitely should follow her advice.  I wonder if via telepathy she told me not to run and I haven't been lately.  I'm sure everything will work out with the grad school.  And who knows, maybe if he does come home to live again, it will be different since it will be a choice he made, and I am sure he has matured over the past 4 years too.  

*Maria*-Glad you've been able to run a bit, but it sounds like a good idea to take a few more days off to rest.  I think I had read before to rest an injury for 3 days, try to run, if it still hurts, rest another 3 days, and then if it's still a problem to get to the doctor.  Be careful.  I am so excited for you and Dennis for the january races, and for your august trip.  I had such a great time when ds and i went in august.  It was 2 years ago, after that really hot summer here, so the heat was very tolerable.  And the lines were short, we did the water parks, and had lots of swim breaks, and free dining was the best.  So excited to see how the new hotel is.  I"m glad Dennis isn't running monday.  It's sounding scary with the heat.  Poko's friends mom is running her monday, her first marathon.  Funny, I'm meeting lots of new people through Poko.   I hope she is careful.  Enjoy your weekend, sounds fun. 

*LisaR*-Yikes, I just saw 24 inches of snow for s-w colorado?!  Is that what you are expecting?  I hope it's not that bad, and dh is able to do his race ok.   Ah, I"m still twinkle-thinking for january.  If we do go, it will probably just be me and ds, so I we might do the 5k, and cheer for the others.  You never know though.  I like your plan to wait on the full.  It will be hard to be active after a full, for sure, and if the family is going, the half might be a better idea.  

*Lindsay* -Enjoy opening day today!!  It is exciting for them, and for us since the sun is shining and it is warm today.  Michael has a scrimmage at 11 today, so Poko and I will watch.  Have fun!!

*LisaH*-Hope you have a good run this weekend, and are sceduling in some down time, and adult beverages to relax after your busy week.  

*Buffy*- So good to see you here!!  Do share what your race plans are.  I think I saw maybe TOT, or january half?  I've been slacking on keeping up on the bl thread.  

*Karen*-It's great to see you here too!!  And for what it's worth, I haven't been doing much running either, and that's ok.  We'd love to see you posting here anytime.  Thanks for the encouragement. 

Hello to Jen, Liz, Dottie, Pamela, Dona, and any other lurkers out there!!!  

Well, I'm practically on vacation this week!!  I was scheduled to just work mon and tues, but mon is very quiet, so I took it off.  And my name is still up to get cancelled on tuesday too, and I was debating if I would, but decided that I will.  I had to tally up the PTO time, and make sure I'll have enough for summer vacation, and I'm in good shape. 

So I vacuumed last night, and started laundry which is still going on, and I'm going to clean out my car now before I hop in the shower.  I'm picking up michael's friend for baseball at 1030, and I'll drop them and then come home and get the dog to walk back to the park for his scrimmage.  This afternoon I plan to get some yard work done. 

What color pillows and accessories did you get *Maria?*  I have the new dark brown couches, and was thinking of changing to red/burgundy/tan curtains/rug and pillows.  I saw some cute pillows at Kmart but they didn't have the curtains.  Maybe that can be my ONE-derland reward, and I'll finally get there.  

Have a great day everyone!  Good luck to all those running this weekend, esp, LisaR/s dh!!


----------



## myweegirls

*Rose, Nancy, & Maria*, thanks for the encouraging words - and for pointing out the potential pitfalls! The ToT is filling up, so I'll need to decide soon. The heat is definitely a factor - the race starts at 10pm, so I'm hoping that might help with the temps. DH and I will be staying at Boardwalk, which is even one of the host resorts for the race (it's like something is telling me I should do this!). But we'll also be there do to a hotel review with Pete & Walter from the podcast, and Food & Wine, so I know we'll be busy. Then again, Pete might want to do the Villains bash as part of the review...and what better way to balance out the indulgences of Food & Wine than with a nice long run?  I think I'll need to decide today given how much the race is filling up...

I ran my next C25K workout this morning - 5m warmup walk, 5m jog, 3m walk, 8m jog, 3m walk, 5m jog, 5m cooldown walk. So 18m jogging and 16m walking -  went 2.91 miles, and my pace was 11:41/mile. I'm almost to the 5K! And I'm still finishing the workout feeling like I could keep going. Bodes well for being able to crank out 13.1 miles in 9 months... 

Hope everyone has a great day today! We're headed to IKEA (madness on a Saturday, but it is what it is...) and to DD7's first piano recital tonight. It's a very low-key deal at our church, but that's good - it'll be a very supportive environment for her, and she's nervous!

XO
Liz


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--were you joking about the bus? If so that one went right over my head. Been a lonnnnnng week here. I take endurolytes every 30 minutes (I am a HUGE salt sweater and actually had white crystals all over my face when I finished yesterday) and I eat something every 15 minutes--but like one cliff block or one honey stinger. They were making me nauseous yesterday so I am thinking about switching back to just drinking gatorade and maybe taking a gu at  60 or 90 minutes. The big thing is the endurolytes. If I take them consistently I feel great at the end. If I don't I feel like I'm going to die. My legs were tired yesterday, but I did not feel puky, dizzy or nauseous, so that was good.

*Kathy*--I don't know what will end up happening, but I am wondering if someone won't be running the half (will be doing the full instead) who will not mind hanging with Michael? Just a thought. I still don't know what/if we are signing up for.

*Liz*--The w&d started at 10:00. I would plan on mid to upper 70s and humid. You're from Virginia, so you should be fine. We didn't mind it, but it slowed us down. The big thing watch your electrolytes and hydrate. I have heard more people say after night races "never again" than any other race. It really is a mental thing--slowing down for the temps, taking it easy during the day, watching what you eat and drink. If we didn't have so much going on this fall, I would probably be seriously considering it, since Tower of Terror is my favorite ride!

*Maria*--sounds like a good weekend coming up!

*****
Back from yoga. Poor Mike got caught in torrential rain again. Two weeks ago he was running during a hail storm--he said it made him tough! I just hope he had a plastic bag for his phone. 

Oh, and meant to tell you this earlier. Last night we saw one of our baseball friends and he lost 80 pounds! He said he has 20 to go. It was really nice to talk to him about it--to someone who gets it. I know a lot of folks around here who have lost 10 or 20, but I think there is something different about the big weight losses--40, 50, 60+ pounds. Anyhow, he is so proud of himself. And guys are so different than girls. He talked about how he doesn't recognize himself (I went through that) but yet he seems to be so much happier about it and even though he wanted to be a little further along, he seemed really positive. I don't think I (we) always give ourselves enough credit for how hard we have worked. Anyhow, kind of made me think about things a little. I am proud of myself, but I self criticize waaaaaaaay too much still. I need to work on that.

Anyhow, just wanted to share. Have a great day!

Have a good Saturday!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Quick post -posted yesterday at work but the poof fairy struck and I lost everything-so not what I needed so was to fustrated to post again .  Had a great run today- 10 miles and it felt GOOD! Rose thought of you - and the struggle just to have a pain free run- with everything going on got a little teary but it felt good to let it out. FIL lost 3 lbs in a week and is  already losing his appitite. Jake had Youth group Wednesday night at church and before they dismiss they ask for prayer requests-Jake asked his group to pray for Grandpa and our family. He even spoke with his pastor about it since they are close and he's known Jake since he was 5. I think he's dealing with this pretty good, and know it will get harder before it gets better. 

Cheaping out for W/D and just staying Sat night at a host value- so that we can splurge for Marathon Weekend and do Fri to Mon- at POR- I'm in for the marathon ! You and ME -Nancy!! and any one else for the full? Gonna run this and dedicate the race to my FIL! gotta run but will catch up with individual posts later- promised Jake I would take him to our public library -for an expo from local area author.


   hanging in there .
Dottie


----------



## Rose&Mike

We bought a new mattress and it is coming on Wednesday! Hurray!

Then we went home and looked at our old mattress and there are two dips in the middle where we sleep. It's pretty bad. We both just started laughing when we realized how bad it was! I really think this is going to help with my back--it certainly can't hurt!

Lisa--Hurray, Hurray, Hurray for finishing the Krocman!!

Maria--How is that new room looking?

Nancy--how was the run?

Dottie--

Lazy day. Too wet to do yard work and I am feeling lazy. We will go to the game tonight, so that will be good.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

i wasn't joking about taking the bus   the stop is only like 4 blocks from the doctor's office and is $5 each way. if i took a cab it would be like $45. no thanks. i remember i had an endoscopy a few years ago and my mom came to pick me up. afterwards she decided she wanted to stop in a store before taking the bus home. so...that was pretty worthless having her!

the run was good except i forgot water. ugh. i was really thirsty by the end. i did the 6 miles in 67 minutes. not bad. i feel a little sore today but not bad.

*dottie* awesome! another wish friend in for marathon weekend! we will have to talk training strategy soon!

*rose* i need to figure out when to eat and drink. endurolytes? i need to google that.

***

yeah, i'm up THREE and a half pounds this week.  need to reign that in, like, yesterday.


----------



## camnhan

I am right there with you Nancy....have so been stress eating this week  I am just not even going to think about it any longer till after our trip

Weather is so windy here you can't do anything, I am just worn out
Have a crummy cough that is making it difficult to breath, tooth has been really bothering me and we leave in 3 days I am just going to curl up for a little while and sleep!!!


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning fellow athletes!  

Looks like the Dis is recovering from the big switch.  I'm sure it will be nice to have the new servers. 

*Rose,* hope that new mattress makes your back feel better.   

Do you feel like the Endourolytes give your tummy any upset?  I'm getting to where I just need to keep my stomach empty of everything.  That works for short runs but I need something for long runs.  I know I had some issues on my 10 miles on Saturday and that was inside.  It would be ugly if I was outside.  I have to take the Endourolytes the day before or after the run.  I can tell as soon as they hit my tummy.

Drat the  smilie is now a page 2 smilie.  

*Dottie,* great job on the 10 miles this week-end!   It is amazing the emotions that get let go on those runs.   

*Nancy,* 6 miles in 67 minutes -- you are one speedy girl!   

*Jen,* single digit dance, baby!   Hope that you are feeling better.    Have a wonderful time!    Can't wait to hear all about it!

*Liz,* so sorry about the toe!   Is there a pool where you could do some pool running nearby?  You don't lose you conditioning for a few weeks so if you can keep up your activity it will help.  

Hello to the rest of our Princesses! 

Here is what I've come up with on our upcoming race schedules.  Please let me know if I missed you or messed up.  I'll do a link on page 1 but we are probably going to have to open a new thread some time this summer so we may want to do it sooner rather than later.  

Lisa Spring Dash 5 miles 4/22/12
Rose Derby Half 4/28/12 
Liesel (Lisa) 5 K 4/28/12
Lindsay Half 4/29/12 (oops forgot which one -- sorry!)
Rose Derby Half 4/28/12 
Lisa CdA Half 5/29/12
Maria Providence RnR Half 8/19/12
Lisa Sandpoint Half 9/16/12
Maria & Kathy Wicked Half 9/22/12
Liz ToT 9/29/12
Dottie & Lisa W&D Half 11/10/12

Donald 
Maria
Lisa
Liz

Mickey 
Nancy
Dottie

Seems to be a busy week here!  Have a great day all!


----------



## myweegirls

Hi, everyone!

So for those not on the BL Challenge board - I broke my toe on Sunday night (left pinky toe). It's the biggest break I've ever had on a toe (and I've had a few), but it's clean and shouldn't need pins or resetting, thank goodness.

I'm less bitter and upset today than I was yesterday, but I am feeling pretty frustrated at not being able to run for probably at least 4 weeks. I'm seeing an orthopedist tomorrow and expect to get some guidelines on what kind of conditioning I can do. It may be that I'll be stuck with the stationary bike in the interim, but at least that gets my heart rate up! I've noticed that doing that once or twice during the week in addition to my runs has kept the bike challenging, so hopefully it'll be a good way not to lose everything I've gained so far.

*Lisa*, would you please add me to the Donald list? I also did register for the ToT 10-miler - the day before I broke my toe.  Fortunately, both races are far enough off that I'm not worried about being up to speed by the time they come around. At least I didn't register for the 5K I was going to do this weekend!

XO
Liz


----------



## lisah0711

Oops!  Sorry *Liz*!   Have you added now.  

Four weeks isn't too bad with the toe.  The bike helped me a lot when I hurt my back, even though it was not my favorite.  The swimming was a big help, too.  Any deep water aerobics in your neck of the woods.  

Thank goodness you are in maintainence now!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Hello to all my virtual running buddies!
finally time to catch up on responses, every time I went to do it this weekend the DIS was down.

Jen- Let the countdown begin- it's pretty warm here in FL high 80's suppose to reach 90's by weeknd so maybe you haven't packed for good reason!

Nancy- How'd the interview go? have you heard anything yet?

Liz- I'm late to the welcome party -but glad to have you, I'm fairly new to the group too- I met Rose at this yrs Princess 1/2 and have been chatting with everyone ever since. I know how you feel being sidelined for 4weeks- I had hurt my foot just 3 weeks before the Princess- no running till the race and I thought I'd go stir crazy- I couldn't wait to get back out there- 

Lisa R- Congrats to Dan! on his half!

Lindsey- hope you were able to take a breather- us moms never seem to stop do we

Kathy- I'm so sorry to hear about your friend Karen's mom- I know what she is going through all to well. sending hugs to her and her mom

Rose- Hurray for the new bed, hoping you're having sweet dreams of Mickey and that your back is feeling better.

Maria- hoping the IT band is better - I try to suck it up and run through it to when I should just rest an extra day or two.

Lisa H- did not post on FB about 1 word when we met since we havent yet- but can't wait till W/D  I'm planning to do two 5ks before then. One on Mother's day to benifit a park dedicated to families that lost children and one in June for Local Firefighters battling Breast Cancer- this was my very first 5k last year 40lbs heavier and I'm hoping to smash my time of 32.48!

 and hi to anyone I missed.


Jake has FCAT- fl standerized testing all this week other than that not much going on - which for me is a good thing. Hope you all have a good week, I'm reading along even if I'm not posting much.


Dottie


----------



## dumbo_buddy

lisah - my race this sunday is "City Parks Foundation Run for the Parks (4M)"

i too prefer to run on an empty stomach but that's just not going to cut it as i build my mileage! what to do? what are you doing?

*dottie* i'm really excited about marathon weekend now! can't wait to have someone i know running it! nice job on the 10 miles by the way. i hope to get up there soon!

*liz* sorry about the toe. major bummer. but 4 weeks isn't too bad and you won't lose all of your conditioning. when i was training for the princess '11 i had a foot injury in november that had me out of the game for a few weeks but i was able to get back in and finish the princess. hope it feels better. poor toe.

*lisaH* you also forgot to add *kathy, lisaR, and lindsay* to the donald list and *rose* to the mickey list.  twinkle think! twinkle think!

got out this morning and did a 4 mile run. 44 min. i'm getting a little faster. still huffing it though. i feel just as exhausted after a 4 mile run than i do a 6 mile run. it just has never been "easy".

interview went well. if they like me i will probably have to come in for at least one if not two more interviews. ew. the interview lasted 3 hours and they never even offered me any water! good thing i had my own. 

headed BACK downtown for a dentist appt - cavity filled and a crown put in (i think). 

my weight is going up.  i haven't been tracking but i put in my breakfast this morning so at least i've done something! i actually saw 140.5 about a week and a half ago but 143.5 is what the scale told me today. darn. i will make a little wager for myself to try to get to 139 by disney in a few weeks. i don't think it will happen but maybe i can get close. this pcos/insulin resistance thing really doesn't let me cheat without big consequences! 

have a great day everyone!


----------



## lisah0711

Nancy City Parks Foundation Run for the Parks 4 miles 4/22/12
Lisa Spring Dash 5 miles 4/22/12
Rose Derby Half 4/28/12 
Liesel (Lisa) 5 K 4/28/12
Lindsay Half 4/29/12 (oops forgot which one -- sorry!)
Lisa CdA Half 5/29/12
Maria Providence RnR Half 8/19/12
Lisa Sandpoint Half 9/16/12
Maria & Kathy Wicked Half 9/22/12
Liz ToT 9/29/12
Dottie & Lisa W&D Half 11/10/12

Donald 
Maria
Lisa
Liz

Mickey 
Nancy
Dottie


Got your race this week-end added, *Nancy*!  

I debated adding people's names to the Donald and Mickey lists but I figured that I would let them chime in if they wanted to be added as "maybes"  -- fewer people mad at me that way!  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Hi Lisah* -- One more for me - Boston 13.1 Half 9/16/12

I cannot believe I am going to do 2 Halfs so close together, but I'm determined! 

Gotta get back to getting a proposal out the door -- looks like I have to come back after lunch, so I may be able to post then. I'm happy about that, but I was hoping to be home this afternoon. It is a beautiful day here!

Maria


----------



## camnhan

Hey Gang....will be heading out the door in about 13 hours 

Still have not packed but I do have a few piles sitting around. Have been absolutely unproductive today at work and am just sitting around waiting to leave because I have a dentist appt at 4pm to hopefully fix that dang tooth before I leave

I had to laugh Lisa because your first race list looked like this and I thought 
"wow Rose is going to run the race TWICE"

Lisa Spring Dash 5 miles 4/22/12
Rose Derby Half 4/28/12 
Liesel (Lisa) 5 K 4/28/12
Lindsay Half 4/29/12 (oops forgot which one -- sorry!)
Rose Derby Half 4/28/12 
Lisa CdA Half 5/29/12
Maria Providence RnR Half 8/19/12
Lisa Sandpoint Half 9/16/12
Maria & Kathy Wicked Half 9/22/12
Liz ToT 9/29/12
Dottie & Lisa W&D Half 11/10/12

As soon as I get back and can get my schedule set I will let you know what my plan is for races...I have one tentative the first weekend in May depending on when Special Olympics and Confirmation is and I will have another in Oct for sure...

Well: other than packing we are checked in for flights, boarding passes printed, checked in at the resort, food in fridge for the kids (though I am sure that will only last about 12 hours!!), work is all set to manage without me or put it off till I get back!

Sorry to hear about the toe..those are so darn hard to heal because they never get any rest! 

 on the interview! WOW 3 hours? Really? what could they possibly have to ask at a second interview 

Have not looked at the projected weather forcast...hope the rain stays away outside of a quick cooling shower...

Well next time you hear from me will be from Disney or maybe the airport!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Bronx Half 8/12/12 - i'm not registered yet but i'm going to do it. have to represent, right??

back from the dentist. my whole face hurts  unfortunately, that didn't keep me from eating a most delicious bagel with walnut raisin cream cheese.


----------



## Worfiedoodles

*Jen* -- Have a wonderful trip! I know this will be just the celebration you are hoping for. My dh always says you can pick up virtually anything you forgot, so don't stress too much about the packing! 

*Nancy* --  I'm so sorry you have a serious ouchie. The dentist is rarely a fun experience. You took care of it, and now you can heal. That was a marathon interview session -- I think surviving that was a test in and of itself! 

*LisaH* -- Thank you for the fantabulous race list! I know it was not easy to compile, and I appreciate the time it took to comb through the posts -- you remain awesometastic!  This is really embarrassing -- didn't post on FB because I don't know how to copy a post to my page, and so I could not follow instructions  

*Dottie* -- I still haven't gotten back on that horse, er, TM. My leg feels almost better. I'm going to give it a try tomorrow. I'm not working, so no reason not to fully rest, and then at least try walking again.  My niece in Wesley Chapel has FCAT this week, too. My SIL was talking about how they are careful not to disrupt her routine. 

*Liz* -- I'm so sorry about your toe, that is a major bummer. But keep your spirits up, you will heal  I am envious and expect details of your dining review experience with Pete and Walter! I listen to the podcast without fail, is it wrong I hope for a good "Pete Rant" on a regular basis?! 

*Rose* -- You should be so proud of yourself, you have achieved a major accomplishment! If it wasn't hard to lose a large amount of weight, everyone would succeed. It is very hard, and you are a champ! 

*LisaR* -- How is everyone feeling in your household today? 

*Lindsay* -- Do you have a countdown calendar until the Pirates are Ahoy? 

*Kathy* -- I hope you are out enjoying this fabulous day, it is too pretty to be inside working 

I was stunned to get on the scale this morning and see it was up 4lbs. Then I got busy working, took a break, and realized TOM was making an entrance. That explains why I just had to have popcorn last night 

I'm pretty sure tomorrow's WI is going to be a disaster, but I'm not going to let it make me crazy. I'm going to work extra hard to eat well, get back to moving, and by the following Wednesday, that less than stellar WI will be a distant memory. 

The next book in my pile is The Hunger Games. I don't know if I'll enjoy it, but like the Twilight books (which I actually think aren't too bad, much more enjoyable than the movies), I thought I'd give them a try. 

My friend did not return my Disney books today. I have a bad feeling I'm not getting them back until her trip May 20th. I would really like to have them, my own fault for loaning them out when I was sure I wasn't having a trip 

Everyone have a wonderful evening!

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

maria, the hunger games series is a ga-billion times better than twilight.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Liz*--Sorry about the toe! FWIW, I could not run from October 22nd until December 25th due to multiple injuries and I still managed to finish Princess less than a minute per mile slower than the year before. The big thing is to try to keep your cardio up. Pool running (in the deep end with a float belt--your feet don't touch the bottom of the pool) is a great cardio workout. I also did the stationary bike (no standing) and the krank cycle. I got back on the elliptical a couple of weeks before running. It was very mentally challenging but I learned a lot and overall it was a positive experience.

*Jen*--did you not know that I am uber talented and planned on running the kdf twice that morning? Have a fabulous anniversary and a great trip!

*Nancy-*-glad the interview went well!

*Maria*-- thanks for sharing the story about your Mom.

*Hello to Lisa and Lisa an Lindsay and Kathy and Dottie!*

***you can put me down as a maybe for Mickey. And that's all I have to say on the matter at this point.

The bed comes tomorrow! Can't wait. TTYL!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Rose&Mike said:


> *Liz*--Sorry about the toe! FWIW, I could not run from October 22nd until December 25th due to multiple injuries and I still managed to finish Princess less than a minute per mile slower than the year before. The big thing is to try to keep your cardio up. Pool running (in the deep end with a float belt--your feet don't touch the bottom of the pool) is a great cardio workout. I also did the stationary bike (no standing) and the krank cycle. I got back on the elliptical a couple of weeks before running. It was very mentally challenging but I learned a lot and overall it was a positive experience.
> 
> *Jen*--did you not know that I am uber talented and planned on running the kdf twice that morning? Have a fabulous anniversary and a great trip!
> 
> *Nancy-*-glad the interview went well!
> 
> *Maria*-- thanks for sharing the story about your Mom.
> 
> *Hello to Lisa and Lisa an Lindsay and Kathy and Dottie!*
> 
> ***you can put me down as a maybe for Mickey. And that's all I have to say on the matter at this point.
> 
> The bed comes tomorrow! Can't wait. TTYL!



Putting you down for the KY half twice wasn't a typo it is training for the Mickey!


----------



## myweegirls

*Everyone*, thank you so much for the healing wishes and words of encouragement! I'm feeling a lot better about getting back up to speed when I get the go-ahead, as frustrating as it is to have to slow up now. I don't have access to a pool, but I do have a good stationary bike. When I see the orthopedist tomorrow, I'll get the clear for doing that for my cardio. I usually do about 15km in 45min when I'm going hard on the bike, and it is a good workout. Just not as enjoyable as running outside, of course! Doesn't help that my Athleta order got here today - running cap and three new tops. They're taunting me, I can feel it... 

My plan for the morning is to run 30 Day Shred and do the non-cardio, non-plank pieces, replacing single-leg stands with squats on the strength. That'll at least get me some strength training in the interim, and I can still crunch!

I am so glad to be in maintenance, for sure - I re-attained lifetime at WW today, and lowered my goal by two pounds. Except for the lack of activity at the moment, I'm exactly where I've wanted to be since I had my beautiful girls! 

XO
Liz


----------



## mikamah

Good evening friends!

Just wanted to wish *Jen * and her dh an absolutely fabulous, romantic, magical vacation!!!  I'm so excited for you.  

We are off to my brothers in the am and will be back friday.  

*LisaH*-Thank you so much for doing the race list.  My heart skipped a beat when I saw myself up for the wicked half.   Then it motivated me to get moving again.  Well, running again.  I've got the walking down pretty good.  I'm not ready to be put up for the Donald.  You never know, but I'd hate to jinx any chance of it.  

*Dottie*-Thanks for the hugs for my friend.  It's so tough.  But they and you and your family will get through it and will treasure the time you have with fil now.   Hope you're doing ok, and Jake did well on his testing.  DS is only in 4th grade, and it doesn' seem to faze him yet.  

*Liz*-I hope the toe heals quickly.   And Rose is definitley a good go-to person for dealing with injuries.  Hang in there.  

Hello to everyone else!!  Have a wonderful rest of the week, and I'll see ya on the weekend!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Worfiedoodles said:


> The next book in my pile is The Hunger Games. I don't know if I'll enjoy it, but like the Twilight books (which I actually think aren't too bad, much more enjoyable than the movies), I thought I'd give them a try.
> 
> My friend did not return my Disney books today. I have a bad feeling I'm not getting them back until her trip May 20th. I would really like to have them, my own fault for loaning them out when I was sure I wasn't having a trip
> 
> Everyone have a wonderful evening!
> 
> Maria


I'm sorry about not getting your dis books back Maria. Mike just read the first Hunger Games book and he liked it.



CRUIZEN MAMMA said:


> Putting you down for the KY half twice wasn't a typo it is training for the Mickey!


 After that last 14 mile run, I can't imagine going 26. But Mike keeps saying---break it down into smaller goals....



mikamah said:


> *LisaH*-Thank you so much for doing the race list.  My heart skipped a beat when I saw myself up for the wicked half.   Then it motivated me to get moving again.  Well, running again.  I've got the walking down pretty good.  I'm not ready to be put up for the Donald.  You never know, but I'd hate to jinx any chance of it.


That's so funny that you said that Kathy. I feel like every time I even mention a race I get an injury! Hopefully that will not be the case this time. And hopefully you will be there in January!



dumbo_buddy said:


> i wasn't joking about taking the bus   the stop is only like 4 blocks from the doctor's office and is $5 each way. if i took a cab it would be like $45. no thanks. i remember i had an endoscopy a few years ago and my mom came to pick me up. afterwards she decided she wanted to stop in a store before taking the bus home. so...that was pretty worthless having her!
> 
> the run was good except i forgot water. ugh. i was really thirsty by the end. i did the 6 miles in 67 minutes. not bad. i feel a little sore today but not bad.
> 
> 
> *rose* i need to figure out when to eat and drink. endurolytes? i need to google that.


Ok on the bus as long as you promise to sit at the hospital a little longer if you are feeling loopy and you promise to text so I know you made it home ok. I totally get the money though....

Great job on the run. How is the itband?

Endurolytes are electrolyte capsules. They are gf and vegetarian. I have had really good luck with them and feel much better at the end of long runs when I take them consistently. I don't know if I am still having some mild electrolyte issues or I am just a huge salt sweater, but I seem to really feel off without them. Usually save them for 8 miles or longer. Will take for 10ks if it is warm out--like the one we do in July.



lisah0711 said:


> Do you feel like the Endourolytes give your tummy any upset?  I'm getting to where I just need to keep my stomach empty of everything.  That works for short runs but I need something for long runs.  I know I had some issues on my 10 miles on Saturday and that was inside.  It would be ugly if I was outside.  I have to take the Endourolytes the day before or after the run.  I can tell as soon as they hit my tummy.


I would say just the opposite and I feel puky if I don't take them. I did have to stop and use the potty on the 14 mile run, BUT I ate a piece of pb toast about an hour or so before because I was starting so late. I had slight tummy cramps at about 13, but I ate the entire pack of honey stingers....The big thing for me is not feeling nauseous. Have you tried sipping watered down gatorade? You probably have. 

*Lisa* this isn't for you, but for anyone reading along***I would suggest (after all I went through with the bloody diarrhea (yes, it was that bad) that anyone having trouble with tummy stuff during exercise look at  what they are eating the day/week before. It doesn't mean you have a food allergy or need to stop eating something completely--that's an extreme. It could just mean that there are one two foods that you have a mild intolerance to. Some of the common culprits--dairy, gluten, corn, night shades (onions, etc), artificial sweeteners and some regular sweeteners. It could be as simple as avoiding certain foods in the days leading up to a long run. The other trick that I still use--coffee. Either decaf late in the day on the day before a long run or that morning. I have also used hot water. It is not a fun problem to have, but I have found it is manageable, just takes a lot of trial and error. I feel like what I am dealing with now are normal runners issues--what I had before giving up gluten was over the top!

And interestingly enough, I do best with stomach issues on long runs on the weeks I eat a lot of beans and veggies--that is when I have the least amount of stomach issues while running.....go figure.  And the night before races, my dinner is usually hummus, an egg, and ice cream.....I had to figure out that my problem issue was the gluten.



Worfiedoodles said:


> *Hi Lisah* -- One more for me - Boston 13.1 Half 9/16/12
> 
> I cannot believe I am going to do 2 Halfs so close together, but I'm determined!
> 
> 
> Maria


You can do it Maria! So exciting!

****
Ok, I am off today and waiting around for the delivery people, so I am sure I will be back! Have a good day.


----------



## myweegirls

Back from the orthopedist...where they reset my toe. OWOWOWOW.  But the new x-ray was clearly better, so the reset seems to have helped a lot. This was an ugly break. :/ I go back in a week for another round of x-rays.

I'm definitely off of running for at least 4 weeks, but I have the go-ahead to use my stationary bike, with modifications for my shoe cast. It's something! I'm hoping I'll have time tonight to get in a workout on that. I'm feeling the lack of workouts for the last couple of days, and I'm trying to get my mindset in a more positive place (hey, I didn't break my leg!). I still have *plenty* of time to train when I can run again, and I certainly don't want to do anything in the meantime that might set the healing back, so I'm following instructions to the letter.

It's a cool, rainy day today - not helping my mood! But I had a nice lunch with DH after my MD appointments this morning, and that helped. 

XO
Liz


----------



## dumbo_buddy

4 mile race on sunday - i ran 4 on tuesday. today is when i'd normally run but b/c i have a colonoscopy tomorrow i can't eat anything today and therefore i'm not going to run. i'm sure i'd be fine but why push it. i'll already feel drained. 

i doubt i will run tomorrow after the procedure unless i'm feeling really good in the afternoon and i definitely won't run saturday before the race. 

think a race on sunday after not running since tuesday will be a big deal? i'll have some pretty well-rested legs!

look at all those different smillies!! i like this one:


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*rose* hehe ok i will text  IT band is GREAT! i've been making sure to do alot of butt stretches and haven't had any problems (knock on wood!)

*liz* omg...OUCH! hopefully that puts you on the road to recovery though!

i saw that *jen* was at jellyrolls yesterday. i've never been! i want to hear all about it!


----------



## liesel

I'm completely thrown by the rearrangement of the smilies!

*Jen* I hope you are having a fantastic vacation!

*Liz* I'm so sorry about your toe!  Ouch!  We all have experience with illness/injury and taking time off.  Rose did a fantastic job maintaining her exercise while she was rehabbing.

*Dottie* Congrats on registering for the full, I'm sure you will be fantastic!  I hope your family is doing well.

*Maria* I agree with *Nancy* I thought the hunger games was way better than twilight.  Dan is reading book 3 right now.

I ran today, 3 more runs until this 5K that I haven't been taking seriously.  I think when I don't do as well as I could have if I had been training more consistently it will help motivate me to run more.  I need to get some more races on the calendar too, this not knowing if/when we are moving is seriously interfering with that!

The kids are off tomorrow, I'll try to check in on the BL thread as well.  Just another busy day.


----------



## mikamah

Hello runner pals!!

Just on the tail end of a fabulous vacation week, and the sun is still shining even though it was supposed to be a cloudy rainy day, so I'll take it.  I'm on the back porch with an ice coffee, and at 6 my brother is picking up michael to go see The Three Stooges, all the guys are going, and a friend might come by for dinner and we may go see Bully.  If not, I got the Help from red box and I'll watch that here.  I think she already saw that.  But I am going to make a salad with grilled chicken for supper.  I made burgers for ds and a friend for lunch after baseball practice, and thought I'd have leftovers, but they both ate 2.  Growing boys.  

*Nancy*-How are you doing?  Hope you've fully recovered from your procedures and are ready to run tomorrow!!  Good luck at the race.  I think you will be just fine, just take it slow and listen to you body if you need to walk a bit.  

*LisaH*_you're up first!!  Are you feeling ready for your race tomorrow?  I hope so, and I hope you get your new pr!!!!  How's the weather looking out there?  Is this the one around the lake?  Or over the bridge?  I'll have to look it up.  You have run some very scenic races.  I couldn't find the race route, but I did see I can get right out to you in Interstate 90.  Very direct route, just under 3000 miles.  It made me feel so close to you.  We could meet halfway for coffee.  Maybe in Minnesota with Corinna!!

*Liz*_Hope the foot is starting to feel better.  I'm sure it was smart to have it reset, for the best chance of a smooth recovery.  

Hello to everyone else!!  Off to get some laundry done, and I want to walk the dog before michael leaves so I can enjoy my "me" time. 

Have a great rest of the weekend, and good luck to our runners tomorrow!!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Good luck to Lisa and Nancy this weekend!

Hope you have great runs!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Go, Nancy! Go, LisaH! I'm WISHing for fabulous races for you both!

Maria


----------



## myweegirls

Go Nancy & Lisa! I'm running with you in spirit!

XO
Liz


----------



## camnhan

we are home
Trip was great, it was nice to get away BUT I don't think I would do Disney again without the kids...I know, guess I am just to much of a mom!

With that said.....we had a great flight on Wednesday and got to our room and off to the parks by 11:00. Headed to magic kingdom and wandered around for a while. Rode a few rides that I had never gotten to do (haunted mansion, barn stormer) and shopped around. Made it over to downtown Disney for dinner at Ragland Road which was really good! Then went on the expedition to get to the boardwalk and Jellyrolls.I have to say this was the worst trip we have had for transportation ever! Not sure what the issue was but we waited for ever for buses the entire time we were there... LOVED Jellyrolls! We eve wet back on Friday night. Neither night was as busy as what I have heard but was so much fun. 
Had breakfast at Crystal Palace on thursday which was good then off to Epcot for the day. Loved being able o just wander around and browse though everywhere.
Had dinner at California grill that night and saw wishes from the restaurant ....was amazing!! They brought us a glass of champaign and our desserts had little chocolate signs that said Happy Anniversary...oh forgot...Thom had flowers sent to our room the first night! They were beautiful 
Friday morning we slept in a little and then headed off to MGM. We just kind of wandered around again rode TSM then headed back to Epcot for dinner where we got caught in a HAIL STORM!!!! Hung out under the bus stop for a little while then finally made it in to buy rain coats and then off to wander the counties a little more..had dinner at San Angels which again was amazing.... Thom's only request was to see illuminations but since it was still drizzling we decided to head back to Jellyrolls figuring they would not do the fireworks. Apparenlty they did as we heard the booms from inside Jellyrolls but do you think we thought about walking outside to watch them?? DUH,  maybe next trip!
Saturday we got up, packed  and headed back to wander MK until we needed to head to the airport 
Now we NEVER fly anything but non-stop but since it was the 2 of use we decided to opt for a connecting flight from Atlanta since it was $100 cheaper per person...we get to airport to see our flight to Atlanta is delayed....so I am freaking because they can't tell us how long the delay will be so we don't know if we will make our connection!
Finally took off almost an hour late and landed with 5 min till our connection ran to the gate and made it just in time!!
Got home to Zach being asleep in my spot with a soaked pull-up that has leaked all over  welcome home!!!!

So we missed the kids sooooo much that we are trying to figure out when to take them this year!!! Not sure if we can swing it but all I could think of was how much fun the kids would be having.
Coronado Springs: was nice but just not a real Disney feel. Wouldn't plan on going back there...nothing bad our wrong just not our style. Have gotten spoiled staying at Wilderness and Poly with the transportation options.  We will see.....

So with all the great food.....I hate to see how much weight I gained
Binging today for whatever reason but have to get back on track....tomorrow it all starts because I hate our pics from the trip and am not going back looking like that......

With that said...going to try and catch up with everyone!!


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Jen --  Back! It sounds like it was a good trip overall, and a special anniversary. I'm glad you had some time away, and I hope you are able to take the kids back for a trip! 

I admit, I am happy we will have a car for our trip this summer. I'll still have to take the buses to the parks, but we can drive to other hotels for meals, which will be nice. 

JellyRolls is so much fun! It's kind of a WISH tradition to go there after a race as a group -- I'm hoping we can do that in January! 

Maria


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Jen - even though you missed the kids it still sounds like a nice trip. Thank goodness you made that connecting flight! My DH has ben saying he would like to take a trip someplace just the two of us. I knw I'd  miss the kids too! but it's good to have time to reconnect. With DH home so much after getting laid off I almost feel like we need it even more! How did you find the "new" ( to you) rides? The ones you usually can't do? 

Liz- how is your toe??

Maria - we rented a car on our first trip when Thomas was a baby and never wound up using it. The cple that is staying in the tree houses with us for a few days are total car people. It will be interesting to live like car Disney people for a few days. They insist we will be hooked. I think my wallet days otherwise!

One day I will get to jelly rolls post-race. I'm afraid in January John will feel asif he has done a marathon too that day after wrangling a 3.5 yr old and 13 month old by himself all morning. Don't think e would be too into it!

My race was great. The first mile seemed like forever. My friend thinks they had the marker in the wrong place. A few hills that I wasn't thrilled with but managed ok. While running I saw a girl from my neighborhood running too. That was fun. The rain held out until after we finished! It was very cool and perfect and that's why my pace was a full minute faster than usual! Finished 4 mi in 40:57. 10:15 pace! 

Ok, it's 5am which means the baby's up and hungry. Took me half an hour to type this on the iPad! Sorry for crazy typos and autocorrects!!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Hello ladies,

Catch up first- 
Maria, I didn't think I'd like the Hunger Series either- loved the 2nd and 3rd books even more than the first- I think I tainted my read of the first by seeing the movie before reading the book. I just finished reading the 5th Kingdom Keepers -love the concept of "the magic continues after the parks close"

Kathy, Loved the rock wall climbing Picture- Way to Go!

Lisa H & Nancy- Congrats on your races

Jen- welcome back- today and tomorrow the weather here is suppose to only get into the 70's and low in the 40's for April usually we are putting the air on by now and dreading summer temps.

Hello to anyone I may have missed.


We had just enough rain to keep me from running this weekend,not that I needed the excuse cuz I really wasn't feeling it this weekend, but gonna try to get 6 miles in tonight since the weather is suppose to be cool the next two nights. 
We traveled to my in-laws yesterday to spend some quality time with them, I brought over homemade lasagna and meatballs so my MIL wouldn't have to cook. Jake and Grandpa played Scrabble and then we all played Uno together. Fil is looked weary but in good spirts, he is down about 8lbs since diagnosis- but he ate a big helping of my lasagna. We will see them in two weeks to celebrate Mother's day a week early since DH will be working that weekend. 
This week was tough a neighbor who I occassionaly run with lost her husband on Tuesday, he'd been fighting liver and Pancreatic Cancer for quite some time and a lady I was friendly with from serving togther at AWANNA, children's church group, died very unexpectantly Friday night, she was only in her early 40's and leaves behind a husband and 4 children- 3 of them are under the age of 10 and 2 are special needs. I'm still in disbief, I had just spoke with her the week before.
Jake has testing for FCAT again this week and has Book Bowl Competion as well. The team goes up against 9 other middle schools to answer comprehession questions on 15 books picked by the State each year for the students to read. The team is made up of 5 members, each responsible for 3 of the 15 books. This weekend we plan to go blueberry picking since the fields opened early this year and possible see Advengers at the movies.


----------



## myweegirls

Hi everyone! 

Jellyrolls after the half sounds wonderful in January! DH will be running the half, too, but he also has a DISDads meet that weekend, so we're figuring on doing some things apart (WISH for me, DISDads for him) and some stuff together that weekend.

Nancy, thanks for asking!  The toe is annoying, but I'm getting around. I have follow-up x-rays on Wednesday morning to see if the rest has held, and we'll go from there. DH and I leave Friday morning for a wedding in NY that we've been looking forward to for *ages.* I'm trying to focus on all the friends we'll get to see and not on the fact that I won't be hitting the dance floor! 

Exercise-wise, I've been hitting the stationary bike hard, as that's pretty much the only cardio I'm approved for these days. I did 10.4km in 30 minutes last night, and that felt great. I'm shooting for a good bike session every day this week until we leave; I probably won't be able to get anything in while we're away for the wedding.

XO
Liz


----------



## lisah0711

Good morning fellow athletes! 

*Jen,* so glad that you had a great time on your trip and that your family demonstrated how much they missed and needed you right off the bat!   When you look at your pictures think of the fun times that you had and nothing else. 



Worfiedoodles said:


> JellyRolls is so much fun! It's kind of a WISH tradition to go there after a race as a group -- I'm hoping we can do that in January!



Something to look forward to after a tough day of Scream Teamin'! 

*Nancy,* congratulations on your race yesterday and your new PR.  I don't think having a baby slowed you downat all!   You will be so ready to do the marathon in January.  Glad that you beat the rain! 

*Dottie,* big hugs for you with all the tough things you have going on now.    Hang in there!  Enjoy your bike ride tonight.   We don't watermelon until July and blueberries until August. 

*Liz,* so glad the toes are getting better.    I know how tough it is to want to do SOMETHING and not be able to.    I kind of laughed at myself about it because really I used to not even need an excuse to sit around and do nothing. 

This week-end we have 3 racers:
Lisa 5K
Lindsay Half
Rose Derby Half 

Am I missing anyone?  I'll try to finish updating the list this week.  

*Kathy,* glad you had a great time on vacation and way to go with the rock climbing! 

*Lindsay,* glad you had a good week-end! 

*Rose,* how is that taper madness going? 

I really enjoyed my 5 mile race yesterday.  Still waiting for the official results.  I think the clock said 83:29 when I crossed but I was having to run past some people who were just sauntering along yakking right before the finish line so I could be wrong.  My time last year was 88:47.  It was in the 70's and you run into the sun for the first half.  That wouldn't be so bad except this was the first day it had been in the 70's all year.   

The really big difference in this race was that I never hated it once while I was running.  I didn't like the heat but I just adjusted my pace and it was still faster than I did Tink, although I didn't know it at the time.  I had my watch this time but I didn't look at my RunKeeper at all.  It was a pretty day and it was just fun to be out and feel strong.    Several miles of my half next month follow this course.  

Where does the time go?  This morning has flown by!  Have a great day ladies!


----------



## camnhan

These are the flowers Thom sent to our room 





Us with Mickey & Minnie





Us at the castle:


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Quick Update.

In-laws had a Hospice RN come over and talk to them and left a bunch of brochures and such, MIL said things are going OK, FIL will continue to see his GP untill things progress and in need of more medical involvement. 
I'm offically registered for Mickey, after a fairly good run yesterday of 6.30 miles I  registered- the weather here the last few days has been absolutely beautiful- so when I went to pick Jake up from an afterschool activity I parked the car and he and I ran from the school to the YMCA- 3 miles, then he stayed at the Y while I ran back to get the car, This is my usual Saturady route run but we start at the Y and run to the school and back. 6 miles is only 1/4 of a marathon I must be cracked in the head 

Registered Jake for summer camps and he is going to stay with Grandma and Grandpa early in the summer so that they can enjoy time together.


Hope everyone is doing well. Good luck to those racing this weekend!


Dottie


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Good Afternoon, Ladies!

*Dottie* -- Congrats on registering for Mickey! I know you will enjoy the race. Ben starts his summer with a week at my Dad's in Missouri. It's good for everyone, that time with grandparents is very precious.  The 5th Kingdom Keepers was in Ben's Easter basket. He'll probably read it this summer. I admit, I didn't like the first chapter of The Hunger Games, but then I went back and read the entire thing in one sitting. I'm looking forward to the next 2 books, I am way, way down the list at the library. I think I'm #569 for Catching Fire, and they have 120 copies. 

*Jen* -- Love the photos! That is a happy, celebrating couple! 

*LisaH* -- I'm so glad you enjoyed your race!  It is wonderful you could go back and really see how far you have come -- you are a rockstar!

*Liz* -- Enjoy the wedding!  I know it will be disappointing not to be dancing, but seeing your friends will be awesome!

*Nancy* -- When we come for a race, we just use ME and Disney transportation, and usually it's fine. Since we are going to my SIL's in Tampa before we get to WDW, we'll rent a car and keep it for our entire trip. I admit, I like having the car if I'm trying to get to another hotel. They do not make it easy to get around from hotel to hotel! I have no idea what Ben will pick for sit-down meals, but if he wants to do them, I'm not going to let the QSDP stop us! He said he wants to do a character meal which really surprises me. It will be interesting to see what he picks. I'm hoping for something new we haven't done before -- or Ohana breakfast, which is unbelievably yummy! 

Good Luck to *LisaR, Lindsay, and Rose* this weekend! You guys are going to have so much fun, and fabulous races! 

I've been doing well with my diet and exercise. I am pleased to say I've broken into the 180s, and it is nice to have my weight on a downward slide again! 

I am determined to run my next race in August smaller, it is a great motivator (that and seeing my pals in January!).

Maria


----------



## camnhan

Ok so I have just seen the most depressing commercial 
It was advertising a PLUS size clothing website with sizes ranging from (are you ready for this)....12-28!

12???? Really? Now I realize that I am in a 12 and my BMI has me overweight but really....no wonder so many have issues with size. It is bad enough that clothing made over seas is at least one size smaller than they are here now you have to wear single digits....

Ok I am done


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*jen* phooey for that commercial. 12 isn't plus sized i don't think. plus, sometimes size just DOESN'T matter! i'm trying to realize that! i'm MUCH stronger and in better shape than i was when i weighed this much pre-babies. BUT, i seem to be more comfy in 10s instead of 8s. but i'm about the same weight. don't worry about the size. just focus on being healthy! 

you look wonderful and happy in your disney pics!

*dottie*  so excited to have someone i know run mickey too! we should cheer together for the donald! that would be fun!!

*maria* how are the 180s treating you? i'm wavering around in my decade. i come within 2 lbs of breaking into a lower decade but then (of course) sabotage myself. grr 

i'm signed up for a 10k on 5/12. looking forward/nervous about it. it's the same weekend that i had originally thought i'd do the half marathon but that was just WAY too much. i know there are superwomen who are out there running marathons a month after having a baby but that's just not me. so, i'll just do half a half 

a little over three weeks til disney! tomorrow is my 2nd interview and saturday is baby matt's baptism. so yeah, not too much going on


----------



## camnhan

Can I go with you to Disney?!?!?! I will babysit 

Can't wait to take the kids back...4 days was too short yet too long without the kids. Going to try and seriously look at a land/sea combo for July 2013....

We have a busy weekend as well, Hannah turns 13 tomorrow...don't have a thing for her  Cameron is Confirmed on Sunday, they both have choral competition on saturday, supposed to got so white vs red sox b-ball game in Chicago Saturday night.... I really need to go back to Disney 

Signed up for 5k next saturday however that is Zach's special olympics competition and I am sponsoring our friends daughter for her confirmation that day as well so guess I won't be running. 

the sandals I wore in FL have a really nice arch support in them HOWEVER my arches always feel swollen and bruised after the first day or so walking in them then they typically feel better...well left foot is still really sore...can't hardly walk flat on my foot...have been rolling it out. No tenderness to the heel so and it does not improve with stretching or walking so not plantar fascitis so not sure what is going on...has brought me to a screaching halt with any type of running or jumping at this point  going to give it a few more days and see what happens.

Good Luck to everyone racing this weekend!


----------



## mikamah

*Jen*-Love the pics.  You look great, and so happy.  Sorry about the foot.  Hope it's nothing serious and rest helps it improve.  Bummer on the race, but maybe not a bad thing with the foot issue right now.  Happy birthday to Hannah!!  Hope the teen years are smooth for you all.

Yay, good vibes smilie is back where he belongs. lol.

*Dottie*-WHOO HOO!!  You're doing the Mickey!!  Very exciting!  You can do it!!  Glad fil and mil have met with hospice and will have them available when the time comes.  It will be nice for Jake to have some time with his grandparents this summer.  Wow, summer is coming quick.  I've got to get moving on camps too.  

*Liz*-How's the toe doing?  Hope all is well with you. 

I've been busy, baseball suddenly consumes too much free time.  I did run a little with the dog tuesday, and it felt good, and I need to make a plan and stick with it.  I have a 5k in june, so still some time, but I'd like to get a pr and get out of the 40s' .

Just noticed the clock. gotta run.  hello to eveyrone else!! Have a great day!!


----------



## lisah0711

Crusin' through here! 

*Dottie,* congrats on registering for Mickey!    Lots of time for training and working yourself up to that distance.  We'll be cheering for you!   And so, so nice to have something fun to look forward to while everything else is going on.  

*Maria,* so happy for you and your new decade!    You are going to be doing your halfs this year at goal weight I just know it! 

*Jen,* you looked lovely and happy in your pictures!   Hope the feet feel better soon! 

Phooey on silly commercials -- it's just a sales pitch, nothing to worry about.  Quite frankly I will be thrilled to wear a size 12 later this year!   

*Nancy,* good luck with the interview and enjoy Matthew's baptism.  Your boys are such sweethearts! 

*Kathy,* lots of time to work on that 5K before June.  

*Rose,* good luck to you on your half this week-end and Mike on his marathon.  I know you will both do fabulous! 

*Lindsay,* good luck to you on your half this week-end!  You are going to rock it!  

*Lisa,* have a great time with the family 5K!  It's nice for everyone to get out together!  

And for all of our racers, don't spend one second worrying anything that you wish would have happened up to the time of the race ---- just celebrate how strong and capable you are and how much fun you are having! 

I have a sick kid today so we will take turns doing the work and home thing.


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Jen*--glad you had a nice trip. Loved the pictures. What did you eat at California Grill? We are experts at running through the Atlanta airport. It seems to happen every other trip or so. Sorry you missed your kiddos. I would ice that foot until it starts to feel better--couple times a day. 

*Dottie*--hope you are hanging in there. Congrats on signing up for Mickey!

*Lisah*--I am so glad your race went well! I hope Robert is feeling better. I loved what you said about your race! 

*Liz*--have fun at the wedding!

*Maria*--I know you will be running smaller in August!

***
Sorry to be so mia.  Been dealing with a stomach thing, but I think it is better. 

I have been thinking about this time last year when I was getting ready for the KDF half. I was so anxious, and so worried about feeling like being a quitter AGAIN with all the injuries and stuff. This probably makes no sense, but it makes sense to me. 

I am in such a better place this year. I know with all my grumbling this spring it might not seem like I feel that way. But other than being a little schizo cause of tapering, I am feeling very calm. I think it is very reasonable to expect a pr out of this race, and I am feeling strong and healthy. So different than last year. And I am so proud of myself for sticking with it through all the "stuff."

Now I need it to just not rain on Saturday! That's not looking so good. Fingers  crossed.

ttyl.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Rose I am so pleased to hear you are in a better place. Even I can tell you are from last year. Seriously! A little "schizo" lol! Aren't we all??

So everyone, rose and I are going to be in Disney soon!! I'm stressed out with the interview today, the baptism tomorrow, etc etc so I'm just going to twinkle think a little here, ok? I'm sure that anti-DIS site would have a field day with this since I'm on the WISH board and can't wait to splurge on lots od Disney snacks! I want one of those Mickey shaped soft pretzels in a bad way. And a frozen banana. Dole whips? Meh. They don't do it for us.

I'm up to 143 after a three day long binge. I'm so close to 139 and just totally sabotaging myself. Perhaps will Disney 3 weeks away I can use that as a boost. Save the crap eating for then. 

I have a massage AND the keys to the kingdom tour AND star wars weekends to look forward to!! Poor Thomas and Matthew. John and I are totally going to geek out to all the star wars stuff and they will just have to go along for the ride. Hehe

Didn't make a ton of ADRs bc we have the little ones but we will be doing sci fi with our friends for SWW. Crystal palace before the park opens one morning for a family pic (no pressure! Lol), raglan road as it is becoming a real favorite, oh and biergarten with our friends too. 

Not too many ADRs and we are going to force ourselves to enjoy SSR and the treehouse. I say this every trip and we never relax. But the heat and two kids may make us have to!

And what I'm really looking forward to is seeing rose and mike!! I've already given fair warning that the kiddos may be a nightmare! Hehe


----------



## Rose&Mike

*Nancy*--We are excited about seeing you too! Though Mike will not look excited--he doesn't ever look excited. It's an engineer thing, I think. I asked him if he could try to not act like a nerd (he's been hanging out with a bunch of programmers lately  ) and he said the word you are looking for is extrovert. Haha. I told him whatever, could he try to be social.  Actually I think everyone will get along great. I've been trying to think if there is a way we could sneak in a run, but I can't come up with a good way. We will have a car, but the only time that looks like it would work would be in the afternoon when it's really hot.....

KDF sent out a message on FB that some of the bibs were misprinted with 2011. I have one of those bibs....I am looking at it as a do over from my horrendously painful run last year. They said after the race we can order a new bib with the correct year, but really who cares. I want the bib I ran in and as long as the results are correct who cares?

Have a good Friday!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

oh don't worry, john will do enough talking for the both of them. i actually have asked him to let people say things every once in a while. he has been known to blah blah blah nonstop! 

i was thinking it would be cool to run together too! i'm much slower than you are though  if it doesn't work out we will just have to come up with another disney vacation so we can run together. oh wait, marathon weekend!!! hehe wink wink nudge nudge

doing mountains of laundry right now. going to iron my interview shirt, hope in the shower and fix up my hair a little. then i'm off on the 10:45 bus! 

wah.


----------



## Rose&Mike

N--does that mean if I run the full you will do intervals with me??? I am too old to run 26 without walk breaks.


----------



## BernardandMissBianca

I'm so jealous that you two are meeting up! I wanna go to Disneyworld!! (said in my best whiny 4 year old voice) LOL

Have a blast and save some Rice Krispy treats for me!


----------



## Rose&Mike

BernardandMissBianca said:


> I'm so jealous that you two are meeting up! I wanna go to Disneyworld!! (said in my best whiny 4 year old voice) LOL
> 
> Have a blast and save some Rice Krispy treats for me!



I'm pretty sure I can't have rice krispy treats so you can have mine. I am looking forward to a mickey bar. I might even eat a whole one myself.

Ready for the race to start....building up lots of pre race energy.


----------



## camnhan

I know I just got back but can I please please come with you??? Please!!!!


----------



## mikamah

Run, Rose Run!!  Have a fantastic race today!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

Have a great race, rose!!! We are all cheering you!!

If you do the marathon, I will think about intervals. It would be very hard for me mentally to Walk and then start running again. 

Guys, I haven't run since my race last Sunday. Ugh! I really should today but I think I will tomorrow. Must get back to it!!

Have a great day everyone. I will be back to post after the no-party party for the baptism


----------



## Worfiedoodles

What a great day -- Awesome racing for *Mike and Rose*, and Baby *Matthew's *Baptism!

Ran 6M this morning, feeling pretty good. Still took an ibuprofen after to help with ITB soreness. It's so much better, but still not 100%. 

Sounds like we should be seeing some plans soon for our WDW May group! I know you guys have posted some items, I just love itineraries! I've lost track -- will you guys be there May 31st when AoA opens? I just read you have to use your room key to enter the pool area. That should be interesting...

*Nancy* -- I cannot wait to hear about staying in the treehouses! They look like so much fun from the river! 

*LisaH* -- I agree with you, I will not be at all sad to fit in a size 12! My pants are definitely getting looser, I know the day will arrive!

Maria


----------



## camnhan

Good Monday Morning!
What a weekend we all had!!!

 for all our racers this weekend! Awesome job!!!

What sweet pictures of Mathew! and what an amazing family as well!!

Busy weekend at our home, Hannah turned 13 on Friday, Choral contest on Saturday and Cam confirmation on Sunday...we had a "no party, party" as well yesterday afternoon after the confirmation ceremony and with all the cooking and backing I did on Saturday the scale sure showed it this morning 
have been fighting this crummy cold for 3 weeks now, has been making any type of workout near on impossible...within 5 minutes I am gasping for air! It is all viral so just have to wait for it to clear up....may I should go back to Disney and some nice warm weather..that should help!!!!!

Heading into another busy week and weekend with Special Olympics regionals on Saturday as well as standing up with my friends daughter as she is confirmed...and soon the baseball tourny's will start. 

June is the 5k for GiGi Playhouse which is a Down Syndrome resource center so am looking forward to that...am going to commit to getting back on the wagon..even if I only walk it since it is so close....

Hope everyone is still on the mend and doing well....who do we have running next weekend for Everest??

Talk to you later...should probably start to get some work done now


----------



## mommyof2Pirates

Jenn- Sorry it took me so long to get on here to see how your trip was.  It looks like you had a very magical time.  I remember when I went alone all I could think about was gosh I wish the kids were here.....now I gaurantee when I go in Oct with my dh and the kids I will be saying wouldnt it be nice to come without the kids. 

Rose-you did so awesome on Saturday.  I am so happy that you are back to yourself physically and hopefully those injuries are just a figment of your past.  I would say Mike was very social and seemed excited when we met at the Princess...it could have been that you just gave him lots of good tips on what he needed to do.  Either way I would have not known the difference I would have loved to hang out more with you guys.

Nancy- Ok 3 wks to disney....that is close enough that you can give yourself a rule....no more junk until disney right????  You can do it and when you do you will be so thankful you did.

Hi to anyone else I missed.

Feeling a bit sore today but I finished my half marathon yesterday.  It was tough and my lack of training this time (missed lots of wkday runs and didnt run in the past 2wks) really showed up at about 8 1/2 miles.  I really do not recommend that.  I was still glad I did it and it has motivated me to work harder so that the next time I can be even more proud of myself that not only did I do it but I did it and felt great.  So that is my next goal.


----------



## liesel

Congratulations to Rose and Lindsay on their halfs this weekend!  You two rock!

I was DNS for this weekend's 5K, I got sick.    I hope to make it up to the family.  I found a nice family friendly 5K that is on 5/12.  The kids get medals and there is a pancake breakfast afterwards.  Best of all, DD6 is free!    I am still planning on going for my 5K PR on 5/19.  All I want for my birthday is a new PR!

Jen sounds like you had a fun filled busy weekend!

Dottie I hope your family is doing well?

Liz, how is the toe doing?


----------



## dumbo_buddy

a quick hello! thomas just snuggled up and asked to look at disney pictures. who am i to say no to that??


----------



## Worfiedoodles

Hello from me, too!

Did my 3M walk this morning on the TM, and upped the incline a little for Mile 2. ITband seems ok, so happy about that!

*LisaR* -- Hope you are feeling better  It's no fun to be 

*Lindsay* -- So very proud of you! I think it is a great goal to really enjoy your race because you are well-trained 

*Jen* -- You did indeed have a busy weekend, wow, that is alot all at once. You could use a Disney vacation 

*Dottie* -- How are you doing? 

*Nancy* -- Enjoy that snuggle time 

 to *LisaH, Kathy, Rose, and our lurkers!*

It is a  day for me, I wish I could have stayed in bed. But, at least I have plenty to do at work so hopefully I won't accidentally nap 

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Maria


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Thought I'd pop in and say a quick Hi!
Busy work week- board meeting and corporate big wigs buzzing around all week. Jake's Book Bowl team placed 2nd in the District- Proud Mom moment! he's already plotting next year's team! Had a great run on Saturday 7miles felt great- was glad since I had a  terrible ride on Wednesday- Fil is hanging in there- not sure if I mentioned it but the cancer is already spread into the rib cage and causing discomfort. They are comming over this weekend for an early Mother's day celebration.  Jake and I are going to make Blueberry cobbler for dessert with the fresh berries we picked over the weekend. I have to attend a retirement party for a former teacher who is also my oldest and most cheerished friend- which means not only do I need a new outfit I have to give a speach in her honor- not looking forward to either- even though I'm 40 pounds lighter than this time last year, I'm still about 10-15 lbs from my goal- and with everthing going on I'm lucky to be maintaining where I'm at. Jake and I are doing a 5K together on Mother's day morning- plugging along one day at a time.


Dottie


----------



## dumbo_buddy

*dottie* this can't be easy. poor FIL. i hope he isn't in too much pain. 

um, 40 lbs lighter than last year??? that is AMAZING!! you strut your thang at that retirement party! you are awesome!!

*lindsay* darn it, you are so right. why can't i just stay away from the junk til disney?? bad bad bad! 

i did have a NSV today at target when i was able to button without _too_ much sucking in a pair of size 8 shorts. i could have gotten the 10 but felt that the 8 would keep me more motivated


----------



## Rose&Mike

So here is my race report. I am giving myself 15 minutes to write it so I don't think about it too much.

We went to the expo on Thursday night before the race to avoid some of the crowds. It worked out well. The bondiband people were there and I got a new bb that says suck it up buttercup. Which I have a tendency to say on occasion. Other than that did not spend any more money. Though I was kind of hoping the shoe bling people would be there.

Friday I went shopping and tried to distract myself. Friday night I yelled at Mike a million times and we finally went to bed around 10:00. I did not sleep well, but did manage to stay in bed until 5:00 which is good for me.

We left our house around 6:00 to head downtown. I was armed with pretzels and peanut butter for after the race. We parked about half a block from the start and headed over to where Mike's work has a tent. I went with this girl I met to find a porta pottie--in theory we were supposed to use the ones near the start cause the ones we found were set up for after the event, but we chose to ignore the people telling us that. Us and lots of other people. Someone noticed my shoe bling. I love my shoe bling, makes me happy.

We headed towards the start around 7:00 and it was crazy crowded. They do not police the corrals like at Disney and it was hard to just get to a corral. Next year we will head up earlier. It stressed me out a bit. A little bit of pushing and shoving going on. I was in C and Mike D, but I'm not really sure where we ended up. Next year I think we will go back a bit further--I think we were in C, but who knows. 

There were 18000 people who ran this race. The 1/2 and full ran the first 9 miles together and then the full split off. 

We crossed the start about 7 minutes after the gun went off. By staying to the right we were able to do run/walks from the very beginning without too much problem. I was determined to not go out to fast. The first 3 we were sitting around a 9:50 average and at 10k I think right around a 10:00.

There is a lot of crowd support on this course and it really is fun. The weather was beautiful. It was a perfect day. It rained just a tiny bit around mile 7 and then the sun came out. Around 45 minutes in we passed the point where my itbs went crazy last year, so I was happy to run past that point feeling good. We ran near Brown-Forman and one of their employees was running near us and told his friends he had some coke and bourbon in his office if anyone thought it would make a good pit stop. LOL.

We ran though Churchill Downs and there were horses out running. Very cool. The tunnels at CD are steep and a lot of people were really braking going through the tunnels which made a challenge to keep from taking someone out. 

After we left CD Mike split off to run the rest of his race and I continued on. I was getting a little tired, but still doing well. The rest of the run was pretty non-eventful. I think if Mike was with me, I would have had a PR (only off by about 2 minutes) but I was leery to push myself too hard cause I knew I would be hanging out for a while waiting for him to finish. I still get a little dizzy sometimes at the finish.

About a tenth of a mile from the finish someone was down and there was an ambulance. It was very scary. The guy did not look too good, but I think he ended up ok, cause I haven't heard anything else. At the same time a wheelchair racer came through so between those two things it caused a bottleneck which probably slowed me down by 30 secs or so.

I finished at 2:14:10, which I was very happy with. I believe that is around 30 minutes faster than last year. The best thing--no pain, no dizziness. I felt pretty good. Tired, but good. 

Things came to a halt at the finish, which was not good, but I got a blanket, some water and a banana--couldn't eat anything else. I should have got Mike some sunchips because by the time he finished they were out. Not good!

I did have a bit of a tummy issue at the finish, but since it only happens after long runs in certain conditions, I am not too worried about it. I sat for a bit and ate some pretzels and pb and then went and found a spot to watch for Mike.

I watched people finish for about an hour and it was very emotional. I have never stood at the finish of a race for that long before. I think all these people who get all snarky about people messing up their races cause it is not an accomplishment to finish races at a slower time should stand at the finish for a bit and watch the tremendous effort being put forth by folks. There was a relay group of physically disabled folks that made me cry. 

By the end a lot of marathoners were coming through and that was emotional too. People were just physically spent but if you cheered for them they would smile. I am tearing up thinking about it. It was a very powerful hour  or so for me.

I was starting to get a bit worried about Mike. His phone had died and as it got warmer he slowed down a bit. I think he finished around 4:45. He had such a good attitude. I know he would have liked to be faster, but he was very happy to finish. It was really fun to see him cross the finish line.

All in all it was a great day! While I was really hoping to hit a new PR, I was more than pleased with my time. I am still feeling good, and other than some soreness from not stretching enough I feel good.

If you are still reading, I am impressed. Took me a bit longer than 15 minutes, but I don't think I over thought it too much.


----------



## dumbo_buddy

great race report! i'm sure seeing the inspiring runners was wonderful. it's like during my 4 miler when i saw the woman on crutches racing. it was just the kick in the pants i needed to stop complaining and get moving!

congrats to you and mike! job well done!


----------



## camnhan

Way to go Rose!!! Love the report.
Working from home today (sort-of  ) 

Nancy: Yeah on the single digit clothes! I love those NSV's!!!!!

Hope everyone else is doing well...just wanted to pop in and say HI
Beautiful day here today...would really like to be outside but have to get a few things done on the computer since I am taking a work at home day. Bad thing is I have had cake and ice cream for breakfast and beef dip and hawaiian bread for a snack  Not Good!!!!

was getting some cards yesterday to send out to a few friends and saw a funny one that read 
"don't forget...you are what you eat" on the inside it said "then I need to eat a skinny person!" 

Ok got to get to work!!


----------



## mikamah

Good morning ladies!!  I've been a dis-flunky and not posting here or on the bl challenge at all lately.  I definitely need to post here more, and get out running again.  I was in a bit of a funk, but feeling better about things, and got out the other morning, and ran/walked with the dog.  I felt pretty sore in spots after, so I know it's been too long.  I plan to pull out my old race training plans, and write up a new one for the half I'll be doing in september.  I think I'll register for it this weekend too, post it on facebook, and hope that will give me a little more motivation.  

*Rose*-I loved your race report.  How positive you are about it, and how inspiring it was to be at the finishline.  Sometimes when I'm running a race, I am so amazed as how supportive so many people are, people who are so thin and fit and fast, but still take the time to encourage me and other back of the packers.  You are one of those people.  You make me want to get out and do another race, and give it my all.  Thank you. 

*Dottie*-Glad you had a nice 7 mile run, and you must feel so proud to be down 40 pounds.  That is awesome.  Glad you have some plans for special time with Fil.  It is so hard.  I hope he's taking something for the pain and they can keep it under control.  Thinking of you.

*Jen*-I'll have one of those skinny people for lunch.   I've been right there with you on the awful eating, and the scale has started to show it, so I'm back in the wagon, and plannign to stay there.  Come join me.  Lots of good company in here.  We can do it.  

*Nancy*_Whoo hoo on the size 8!! That is fantastic, and you are going ot have so much fun in disney world!!!!!  One of the doc's I work with is going a week from next wednesday, and I'm so excited for him.  I've been teasing him because he took his first trip last sept, and it's only  been 8 months, so he's worse than I was.  lol.  His kids are 4 and 5, and his son is a star wars nut, so they plan to do the star wars weekend stuff.  I'm also jealous because last time they stayed at the contemporay and this time it's the Poly.  Ahhhhh, I should have married a doctor. lol.  When do you leave on your trip?  

*Maria*-So glad the IT band is feeling better.  It's been a rainy week, but the weekend is looking better.  Any fun weekend plans? 

Hello LIsa, Lisa, LIndsay, and anyone else out there!!  

Have a fantastic friday!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

jen - how proud are you of that young man of yours?? loved those pics from his races. like i said on fb, you better get him in the disney races! 

kathy - first contemporary then poly?? _i_ should have married a doctor too! lol! 

oh boy a body was found at churchill downs? yikes! that is sad. 

everyone make sure to check out the moon tonight. super moon!


----------



## camnhan

Very proud of him! Came out with a Gold and Silver medal so we should be heading to state competition next month!
Would love to have him do a Disney race! I think it will be such fun!

Stormy day here today and had lots of plans that are now out the window  guess I will just lay around and nap!!!!!


----------



## dumbo_buddy

my first 10k is saturday. i feel very nervous! i know i can finish that distance. i just don't want to go too fast and then run out of steam too early. i finished my 4 mile race last month with a great pace (for me) but i'm not sure i could keep that up for another 2 miles! 

the race is in central park again. it's funny, i've been to central park a bazillion times but i never know exactly where i am whenever i'm there! lol! i'd be lost if there weren't thousands of other runners!


----------



## lisah0711

*Nancy,* I didn't realize your 10K was coming up so quickly.  You are so going to rock it!   

*Jen,* loved the race pictures!  

I think the W&D 5K is going to be Christmas themed this year in case you were thinking of doing the W&D. 

*Dottie,* I'm thinking of you and sending lots of good thoughts and  your way.  

*Rose,* loved the race report! And the absolute best thing about it was no injuries, no sickness, just a lot of fun and a little bit tired.  Priceless! 

*Kathy,* I'm a dis-flunky, too, lately.  

*Maria,* glad that IT band problem is licked! 

*Liz,* I read on the BL thread that the shoe cast is going soon! 

*Lindsay,* do those cute boys have something fun planned for you for Mother's Day? 

*Lisa,* hope those bugs have left your house for good! 

I think the arrival of spring has taken the chat out of us!   I suspect we will be chatting more as our training for fall heats up.  

Have a great day ladies!


----------



## lisah0711

I posted the race schedule for us all in post 1 so please take a look at it and let me know if I missed something -- or am having race twice or anything like that.


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

I'm here! Last week was crazy busy at work and I had posted a long post earlier today when my computer decided to freeze up and poof gone so here I go again.

Rose- loved your race report -you were AWESOME

Nancy- you are gonna rock your 10k

Lisa H- I'm running a 5k with Jake on Mother's day that counts right
and i'm in for Mickey in Jan! I'm also doing another 5K in June STOP DROP AND RUN -this was my very first 5k last year-so I'm out to smash my time! I need to prove to myself where I was and where I am now- I still see myself as that 40lb heavier version maybe a PR will convince me I'm a happier, healthier me!

Lisa R- Hoping your big move goes smoothly- and maybe the new home will have an even prettier view!
 To anyone I may have missed- thanks for the thoughts, prayers and I could use all the hugs I can get so keep them comming!


We had a lovely afternoon with my in-laws Sunday, everything had to be perfect -in my heart I knew it didn't need to be but I wanted it- since I know this will be the last time my FIL will be able to travel to our home, He is noticeably thinner, only eating half of what he use to eat, it's hard to see such a strong man grow weaker.  We will be traveling to see them in the future-  He enjoys his desserts so I made blueberry cobbler with the berries Jake and I picked last week-and just enjoyed being together. I think that's what I'm gonna miss the most- FIL not there for those special events in Jake's life- HS graduation, marriage, children etc- I've asked MIL to get FIL to write a letter to Jake to be given to him on those occassions so that Jake will know Grandpa was thinking of him and will still be a part of that day. -I can't take credit for that idea -it was my running buddie's suggestion- she is great friend and now my own personal shopper,Thanks to her I found not one but two dresses for the retirement party I have to attend. I'll post pictures of both on FB soon since I still can't decide which to wear- the one was 60% off so I had no choice but to by both- that's the logic I used on hubby and I'm sticking to it!

Dottie


----------



## Rose&Mike

Let me go on record and say I still have not committed to the full...but I am seriously considering it. I've been having a little soreness with one of tendons in my ankle (same foot, but inside my ankle) and I am trying to figure out what's up with that. 

*Dottie*-- Sounds like a nice visit. And what a great running partner you have. 

*Jen*--congrats to your DS!

*Kathy*--I truly believe that if everyone who runs would just spend time at one of these big races cheering on the "back of the packers" or volunteering that there would be less grumbling about what is wrong with racing today and how annoying the run/walkers are (of which I am one), etc. It moved me to tears at times and I was honored to be able to do it. 

****

It has been interesting making the switch to these shorter intervals during the  longer distances. I am pretty solidly committed to a run 2/ walk 30 for half marathons and think I will eventually smash my record, and fully expect to be under 2:00 in the next 6-8 months if I stay uninjured. Having said that--I have heard so many people at races making negative comments about walkers. People moaning about people walking at the beginning, etc. 

Well, I guess what I am thinking about is, since I try really hard to take my walk breaks from the beginning, should I not start in the faster corrals and start back further? I stay to the right and I am very courteous to other people and if it's really bad will skip a break if needed. Just an interesting thing to think about. I know JG starts up at the front, but people expect him to walk. I think people are kind of surprised when someone else starts in the A or B corral and then walks early on.


----------



## myweegirls

Hi! Checking in as I should be running soon! I get to lose the shoe cast on Monday, and then I should also find out at what point I can start running again. Not long now, and I can't wait! The weather's been so beautiful lately - hopefully it'll stay that way until I'm back on the road. 

I had just gotten geared up before I broke my toe, so I have new running tops, a new running cap, and new sunglasses sitting there staring at me until I can get going. I'm starting to get really antsy to burn this shoe cast... Can you tell? 

Lisa, I'm signed on for the Donald 2013, too! Piling on the crazy...my first half!

XO
Liz


----------



## dumbo_buddy

LisaH - can you add my name to princess 2011 list on the first page?

I want to add the Bronx half but not sure of the dates. Nyrr's site isn't showing it.

I have a lunch downtown so I will pick up my race packet today. Just found out that Meb will be at tomorrow's race. So, you know, racing with the NYC marathon winner. No big deal


----------



## camnhan

Ok so those of you who have been to DL....talk to me!
I am going to Aneheim for a conference in Sept and we are looking at trying to figure out a way for Thom and the kids to fly out at the end and stay for a few days to do DL....would LOVE for Zach to get to see Carsland!!!

Don't know anything about DL or California Adventure so what can you tell me?
Is the meal plan worth it out there? Kind of confusing to figure out what it is all about.....
If the come in on Friday and we leave early Tuesday...will 3 days be enough time? too much??

Thanks guys.


----------



## lisah0711

camnhan said:


> Ok so those of you who have been to DL....talk to me!
> I am going to Aneheim for a conference in Sept and we are looking at trying to figure out a way for Thom and the kids to fly out at the end and stay for a few days to do DL....would LOVE for Zach to get to see Carsland!!!
> 
> Don't know anything about DL or California Adventure so what can you tell me?
> Is the meal plan worth it out there? Kind of confusing to figure out what it is all about.....
> If the come in on Friday and we leave early Tuesday...will 3 days be enough time? too much??
> 
> Thanks guys.



Ooo, *Jen,* I *LOVE* Disneyland.   

There is a ton of great info on the DL boards.  Here is a link to a thread called DLR for WDW Vets that is a good place to start.  http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599 

Everything is much closer together at DL than at WDW.  Lots of choices on where to stay.  I love Grand Californian but it is very expensive and I would not stay there if I didn't have DVC.  This is an aerial map of the parks and surrounding hotels.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			
		
		
	


	




Here is a link to a live webcam at HoJo's (Howard Johnson) which is an excellent place to stay.  http://www.hojoanaheim.com/take-a-tour/webcam

I would do park hoppers and skip the dining plan.  There just are not as many places to eat at DL.  

Have to rush off to school for now.  Hello to everyone else!


----------



## liesel

Hi Jen, Lisa and I are both DL vets, we both lived in the area (and the other Lisa is a former CM!).

I always stay at the Hojo's and get their entertainment rate.  They have a fun water play area and is a short walk to DL.  I think next time we will stay at the DL hotel, the kids really want to.  Since we are moving to norcal this summer we will be able to go there more cheaply.

The DL guide for WDW vets is a really good starting place.  And the DL side of the boards is extremely friendly.  That and WISH are my two favorite DIS areas.

Instead of ADRs, the dining reservations are known as PS (priority seating).  You can only make ressies 60 days out.  Dining ressies don't fill up nearly as fast as at WDW.  I have heard that the DL dining plan is not worth it.  There are not nearly as many TS restaurants at DL.  I would recommend the Blue Bayou, it is the restaurant inside POTC and is very unique to DL.

As you can see from the map Lisa posted (which brings back memories of running backstage during the Tink!), everything is within walking distance.  Its easy to park hop and its a short walk to DTD.  Since so many hotels are nearby its also easy to go back to the hotel for a nap or some pool time.

We are all eagerly anticipating the opening of Cars Land, especially us uberplanners who want to know how it will affect our touring plans.  We will most likely be going either in early June (if we win the annual passholder preview contest) or in August just before school starts, so I can let you know my experience.

*Liz* Congrats on signing up for the Donald!  I hope the toe is doing well and you can get back to your routine soon.

Since I know we are definitely moving, I think it is more likely that we will be able to do either W&D or marathon weekend.  I am leaning towards marathon weekend and maybe saving W&D for a year or two later.  The only downside is I really want to do the Tink too and I hate that they are a week apart next year.  If we stick to our housing budget and have enough money to get our house up and running (for me this includes purchasing a gas stove, I hate electric!) we should be able to save for it.  I should know more after we move.

I need to go register for a 5K this weekend, I really want a PR for my birthday!

ETA: I am definitely in for the DL half 2013 if anyone else wants to go C2C next year!


----------



## camnhan

Thanks guys
I am really trying to figure out if we can make the trip! I hate trying to plan for such a short trip but it is better than nothing. I have been told that I am getting a raise, hopefully significant because others that I am training are getting paid MORE than I am.... Hate having to wait it find out but if it is as good as I am hoping it will really make the trip possible.

Fingers crossed Lisa that you win the preview!! I sooooo want to find out about Carsland. 

Well hope everyone is enjoying some nice running weather.. It has been really nice here and I should be taking advantage of it but alas....I have been in the house cleaning  hopefully I will get things in order soon so I can get on with life!!


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

Just a quick pop in,

Wishing Nancy & Rose safe travels to Fl-my friends just spent a week at Disney and they had an amazing time.
Jen hope things work out for Disneyland, I have never been so no help there.
Lisa R- How goes the moving plans? Did that person that was interested in your house before you even knew you where moving pan out? 

Hi to Kathy, Maria , Lindsey and any one else I may have missed-
To those doing Marathon Weekend did you see the video laying out the course for the marathon- Rose does that tempt you to seal the deal for the full? 

My M.O.M.S (memories of missing smiles) Day 5K which benifits a section of the park Jake and I run at dedicated to parents that have lost their children, went pretty well. I was not out for a PR since I ran 6 miles the day before and the knee was a little sore, it held up but I'm paying for it this week and have not been able to run at all although doing bike and eliptical doesn't aggervate it- so I think it is just ITBS. I did place 5th in my age group out of 25 women running and Jake placed 2nd in his age group and PR-ed by 40 seconds. We had planned to cross the finish line together  but when I realized he would PR, I told him to go for it and he sprinted to the finish- I can't keep up with him when he sprints-he's just to fastand at that point I did not want to push it with my knee. We headed home and he cooked me a post race breakfast and spent a quiet afternoon at home since our celebration happened last weekend. 

I have finalized Jake's Summer Camp schedules -he's going to Camp Kiwanis for 1 week, Robotics Day Camp for a week, TKD Day Camp and Extreme Adventure Camp that includes caving, rock wall climbing and Kyaking plus 2 weeks with Grandma and Grandpa and the begining of the summer and we hope to take a mini vacation towards the end of August to St. Augustine depending on FIL's health. We are headed over there for a Memorial Day Cookout on the 28th and I have that retirement party to attend on Sunday so it is go go go for me for the next few weeks - what else is new


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

OMG I killed the thread! Where is everyone?


----------



## lisah0711

Nah, Dottie, you didn't kill the thread.  

Like you we've all been off running in a thousand different directions literally and figuratively.  This is also the first week on the Biggest Loser challenge.  I am coaching so that pretty much takes up my online time.  We're not even real chatty on FB right now.  It's that summer time thing.  

Since this thread has been going for so long we are thinking about starting a new one for the Fall and Winter Disney races.  What do you think?  I think we will get some of the new runners and well as some of the more experienced runners who maybe didn't feel comfortable breaking into this thread that was started so long ago and is so dang big.  

Let me know what you think please


----------



## CRUIZEN MAMMA

lisah0711 said:


> Nah, Dottie, you didn't kill the thread.
> 
> Like you we've all been off running in a thousand different directions literally and figuratively.  This is also the first week on the Biggest Loser challenge.  I am coaching so that pretty much takes up my online time.  We're not even real chatty on FB right now.  It's that summer time thing.
> 
> Since this thread has been going for so long we are thinking about starting a new one for the Fall and Winter Disney races.  What do you think?  I think we will get some of the new runners and well as some of the more experienced runners who maybe didn't feel comfortable breaking into this thread that was started so long ago and is so dang big.
> 
> Let me know what you think please



Hey Lisa,  relived to know you all are still out there somewhere .

I have not been running  since my MOM's run- sidelined with another injury- covered in bruises on my legs as I was learning how to "clip in" for biking. I'm still hoping to run my 5k next Saturday though.
 I'm in favor of the new thread - I'll be the first to admit it is intimidating to join a well established thread.  I'm excited that both you and Rose will be at the W/D and hope we can meet up before the race or at the after party. I hope to be in top notch running shape by then.

Congrats on your last race the course looked beautiful.


Dottie


----------



## mikamah

Hello there!!  

It's been way too long since I've been here on the dis at all.  Hi Dottie, Jen and Liz!!  I've seen the others on facebook.  I think it's a great idea to start a new thread for upcoming this fall/winter.  I think Lisa is right, just busy summer scheduling stuff. We've had lots of baseball, and my hours changed so I go in at 8 instead of 9, so my mornign dis time is gone, but the afternoon I get out earlier, but the time goes to baseball and makign dinner, so it's nice, but still short on computer time.  

I've written my training plan for the sept half, and done well with 2 short run/walks midweek, and weekend runs I'm planning to gradually increase, so those will be the ones I need to work on getting in.  I didn't run this weekend, and had planned 4 miles, but am off tomorrow so I will do at least 3 in the morning, maybe 4.  I did 4 a couple weekends ago.  

I have my 5k in 2.5 weeks, and am confident I'll be below 45 min, but doubtful I'll pr, and most certain I won't break 40, unless I miraculously find myself kicking butt and losing 10 pounds by then. lol. 

Dottie-How is fil doing?  I've been thinking about you all.  My mom's 3rd anniversary is the 26th.  I hope things are going as well as can be expected.  It's such a whirlwind going through it.  Congrats on the Mom's race.  You and Jake both did amazing.  That must have been an emotional race too.  Hope you are doing well.  

Liz-Hope you are doing well,and the foot is healed and you're able to run again. 

Jen-The Lisa's are a wealth of DL information.  Hope all is well with you.


----------



## Rose&Mike

I'm in for a new thread!

*Dottie* we definitely need to meet up for w&d! That will be lots of fun. We are still not sure if Mike is coming too. It's all coming down to finances. I hope you fil is doing well. What is the latest injury? Being injured just stinks.

***Ok, never mind, we just had a discussion and he decided to go ahead and register and be done with it. We both have quite a bit of money in our Virgin Healthmiles account to cover new shoes, Marathon wknd registration and W&D. But I am 100% positive if we want to do a girls only thing sometime over the weekend Mike would be fine with it.

*If you all want, I would be happy to start the new thread and post everyone's races on the first page. But Lisa, I certainly don't need to if you want to go ahead post the new one.*  

*Kathy*--so glad to see you running again.

I am doing well. Backed off on the mileage in May. And feeling pretty good. We ran 6.2 this morning--neither of us wanted to, but we did it. Feel like I am getting my mojo back, so that is a good thing.

I probably sound like a broken record, but especially for us over 40s, the yoga is helping me sooooo much. It is essentially doing a lot of the same exercises and stretches that they assign in PT for common injuries in a class setting. At the Y this week one of the trainers showed me how to do something for my lower back that I am going to start doing next week that is supposed to help strengthen it.

And in other news, Mike and I are going to both switch to Newton's. I'll let you know how it goes.


----------



## lisah0711

No worries, Rose, please go ahead and start the new thread!


----------



## Rose&Mike

Great! It will be good for me to be "responsible" for something. What should I call it???


----------



## myweegirls

lisah0711 said:


> Since this thread has been going for so long we are thinking about starting a new one for the Fall and Winter Disney races.  What do you think?  I think we will get some of the new runners and well as some of the more experienced runners who maybe didn't feel comfortable breaking into this thread that was started so long ago and is so dang big.
> 
> Let me know what you think please


Love this idea! I'll follow this group anywhere. 



mikamah said:


> Liz-Hope you are doing well,and the foot is healed and you're able to run again.



Thank you! I'm doing so much better. Six weeks post-break, I'm running again, albeit in short intervals. It feels great to be back out there, and the most I feel is a twinge or two in my toe - nothing painful, just something I notice. 

I restarted my C25K so that I wouldn't do too much too quickly, and that seems to be a good pace for getting back into the swing of things. Now that we have light until almost 9pm, I'm really enjoying getting out late in the day - just need to remember the bug spray!



Rose&Mike said:


> Great! It will be good for me to be "responsible" for something. What should I call it???


Thanks, Rose! I'm looking forward to the new thread. I'm not creative with names, but I guess we'd want it to be something people could easily identify when they're scanning the thread list. Maybe something like "WISH Disney Runs - Fall 2012/Winter 2013"? Like I said, not creative here.  Would you post a link here when you set it up?

XO
Liz


----------



## lisah0711

I would keep it with a BL reference to keep it on this side of the boards


----------



## Rose&Mike

Ok, here we go:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=45072688&posted=1#post45072688


----------

