Dee: Our lives are really in tune! How'd "hosting" the A/C man go? Haha... Today, I am hosting the insurance appraisal man! The insurance company isn't giving us the full replacement value of our house on our policy, so they are going to visit the island today! They're also having the Classic Car Show on the rock this weekend...did your hubby have fun at yours? AND I was a water girl at the 8.8K run this past weekend. A page from my book of "How NOT To Run in a Marathon" - lol... BTW, you are a BEAUTIFUL fluffy gal!

Marci: WHAT ARE YOU READING? I am reading "One Day"...I heard of it on NPR and it's a great escapist read. I laughed about your OCD - my DD says she has it - but I said if she REALLY had it, she'd call it CDO (putting the letters in alphabetical order.) :-)

Sounds like it's going to be a good year for you at school though.

I've been losing a LITTLE weight for the last few weeks....feelin' better.

We're deciding whether to put our 14 y.o. DD in another school this year to complete her high school years. We have 2 days to decide. YIPES!

Jen: YAY for you for turning down the sundae!!!! DOUBLE YAY!

Baby V's adoptive parents emailed and offered a visit in September. I am SOOOOOOOOOO nervous. I have been working on his Lifebook...lots of stories and pictures for him. Tears and Smiles....

CHECK IN, GIRLIES!

I'm here. Will weigh-in on Wednesday and add more then.

Hi all!

Jen! How great to see you post! I can't believe the girls are getting so big; time flies, huh? :)

Beeje, I wore my KY Colonels necklace today to school, and got lots of compliments on it. :) I'm so glad that you'll get to see V. His new parents sound awesome!

Well, test results. I did very well. 15 points up from the practice test that I took on the computer. (Studying nonstop for days probably had a part in that!) Thanks for all of the good thoughts--I am very sure that they helped!

Tikanis, you asked what th test was. It's kinda hard to explain, but it's like a general assessment test on math and science. When I originally started tis journey, the school policy was that if you had a bachelor's degree, then you didn't need to take this test, once you completely the prereqs (and met the grades required). While I was working on the prereqs, the school changed the policy, and required everyone to take this test. It was a bear for me since I hadn't had some of this material since high school umpteen years ago, so I got some old text books and started reading. And reading. And reading. The highest score I've heard, so far, is 3 points more than my score. So, I did very well. I'm pleased. However, competetion is fierce, and there is a lot of hateful people that is doing a bunch of pot-stirring, and things have turned ugly. It shouldn't be like this, but it is. My friends and I keep well away from this mess, and we continue to conduct ourselves with diginity and class. So, keep me in your thoughts! Also, microbiology is the class from hades. I can only hope that I can scrape enough money together to bribe the professor!! LOL! I'm kidding....maybe...I think. :)

Oh, and we got a new car. Well, new to us. We got a Toyota 4Runner, and we really like it. I normally drive a sedan, so driving this is like playing king of the road! LOL!

Hope all is well!

Hugs,

Maddie

Happy TUESDAY!

Good to see everyone is having a good week so far.

Maddie, continued good luck to you on your journey.

BJ, I'm excited for you that you are getting the opportunity to see Baby V again. I'm sure that he is slowly growing out of his "Baby" name, tho. ;)

Jen, I love seeing the photos of the girls! Good luck with your eating plan.

Make today count!
Dee

The countdown to school is on and as usual, I both dread the first day and look forward to the first day. It is always so nice to see my former students and see how they have grown over the summer. The unknown is all the new students and parents that I have to learn. It was a lot easier to remember everything before I got "old"! LOL

BJ - How great that you get to meet with Baby V's new family! I am happy for you. You asked what I was reading.
I just started a book called Double Take by Kevin Michael Connolly. Kevin was born without legs and this is his story of how the world has viewed and treated him because of his disability. I am not that far into the book and I can already tell that it is going to be an amazing story of an amazing young man.

Maddie - WTG on your test score!! I had nothing but confidence in you.

Gotta run, company coming in a few minutes and I am still in my PJs! LOL

Marci

Hi Everyone!

I know I have been MIA but have been on Facebook - that sucker is addicting! I have connected with (good) people I haven't seen in years.

Maddie, congratulations on your test score and your
new car. The first SUV is an experience - mine was in a Jeep and I loved it. Still do which is why I still drive an SUV :-)

BJ, how wonderful that Baby V's new family wants to see you. I am soooo glad. I know the scrapbook is a mixture of emotions for you but they are GOOD emotions.

Suzanne, glad you are doing well. I do miss checking in.

Ivamae,good luck tomorrow. However it goes, keep at it, you are doing great.

Marci, what are you reading? I am reading The Lotus Eaters, a fictional story about an American journalist and her Vietnamese companion/lover during the fall of Saigon. Very interesting!

Dee, we have chatted on Facebook so I know you are doing great!! Getting ready for another vacation - ENJOY!

I will really try to check in more frequently however I do lurk so I am doing my best to keep up with everyone.

Love and hugs to all.......Donna

Maddie~ Great job on the test!!!!! Glad you wore your KY Col necklace...I love anything from them! :-)

Marci and DonnaSNJ: The books sound good. I am going into winter reading season and am reserving books at the library already!

Well, my 83 y.o. dad is in the hospital. He has a staph infection in his "war leg" and it is fierce. I don't know if he'll make it through this one. So, light a candle, please, say a prayer, ...send him some light...

Thanks~

Rabbit! Rabbit! Hard to believe it's now September. The summer flew by, and now cooler temps are in the offing. Love it!

BJ, prayers for your dad and healing thoughts, too.

Marci, part of me is envious of your week-before-school planning of your classroom. That was always such an enjoyable time for me.

Donna, I was hooked on FB for the longest, to the exclusion of just about everything else, too. Since moving to Dallas and having limited access to the computer, my computer habits have completely changed. I'll go into my FB page in the morning and get my morning thoughts from God, then that's it until late in the evening. I must be weaning myself!

Maddie, you rock, girl. Way to go on the test! And, congrats on the "new" car!

Dee, I see yours and your hubby's happy faces when I check my home page at FB. They seem to think that I need to recommend new friends for you! LOL

Happy belated birthday, Tikanis! I'm sorry that it slipped past me.

Ivamae, hope the scale is kind to you today!

Busy day planned - dropping off new prescriptions and picking up filled ones, light grocery shopping, birthday card shopping (where is that card I so carefully purchased for my 11-yr. old DGD last month???), and dinner at one of my old-old favorite Mexican restaurants this evening.

Wishing everyone a Happy Hump Day!

Rabbit, Rabbit!!!!

[[[[[[[BJ and Dad]]]]]]]]

Everyone is looking busy this last week of summer. I have 2 more days here at the office, and then it's errands and packing for 2 days followed by a visit to the cruise ship for the next vaca. Working doesn't seem so bad when you have a vacation to look forward to....

"See" you all here or over at FB.

[[[[[SPECIAL HUGS]]]]]]]]] to those who need them.

TAKE CARE, EAT HEALTHFULLY, AND NEVER NEVER GIVE UP!
Dee

Dee: WHERE ARE YOU CRUISIN' TO THIS TIME???? Did I miss it?

Milkdud--- Yeah, I signed up for FB but was checking it all the time and talking more online than I was spending time with people around me, so I closed my account. I missed it for a while, but only ONE person emailed me, asking me about closing my account, so I figured my contributions were pretty insignificant. However, HERE, if you go MIA, people CARE and email! I LOVE IT!!!!

Maddie- I forgot to congratulate you on the new sled! YAY! I still LOVE my '98 FORD truck! What can I say? I can throw a sleeping bag and survival kit in there and I am set for the road! How many times have I done that? MANY. :-)

NHSuzanne, Besh, Jen, RAEANNE, Amy, John, George, Happyto, NJ Karen, PJ (you know who you are!), and LURKERS from everywhere...

Check in and let us know what you're reading, doing, planning, or what ever!

And...thanks for the prayers, etc for my dad...

I can't believe it!!! I forgot to weigh yesterday until after I was all dressed, so decided to wait unil this morning. I'm down 1 pound, so back to my 148 of a couple of weeks ago. I'm very pleased about that.

Wild chicken, praying for the very best for your father. Hope all goes well and that they get ahead of the infection and get it completely cleared up quickly. Hugs to you too.

Good morning!

First things first. Congratulations, Ivamae, on your 1 pound weight loss. I decided it's time to face the music (again!) I weighed after breakfast, so I'm sure it's not accurate - ha. Anyhow, I have gained 4 pounds since my all time low. Still at an overall weight loss of 57.8 pounds, but I can't let it get away from me.

I know mine is emotional, stress-related. DH has type 2 diabetes and several weeks ago his vision was blurred, went to the doctors, and his sugar was very, very high. They changed his medications and prescribed some eye drops that should help. They said it is temporary (thank God) but scheduled MRI's of the brain, neck, face, etc. Have not heard a final report yet, since they faxed the info to the doctor and he has to call. I thought after Katrina I had learned not to sweat the small stuff, but lately this hasn't been the case, nor is this "small stuff."

Then found out Tuesday that my 85 year old mom had been the victim of identity theft/fraud to the tune of $2100. So, we were busy helping her with that. Charges were made to an overseas travel agency, so hopefully the bank will be able to catch the culprit. The bank's been wonderful in handling the situation.

Anyhow, I need to get my journal out and start tracking again. I'm eating healthy stuff, just too much of it!

BJ, hope your dad is making progress and healing more and more each day.

Marci, I was interested in more info on "Double Take." After googling, I was fascinated by this guy! I will have to pick it up soon.

Milkdud, hope you enjoyed your Mexican meal!

I need to get busy around here. Hope everyone has a great weekend and to those of you in Earl's path, batten down your hatches and stay safe. We've got an eye on Gaston, to see what he ends up doing. Hopefully, they all fizzle out!

Hi all!

BJ, I'm sending many prayers and much love to your dad. I so enjoyed meeting your parents (and your aunt), and please tell your mom hi for me. She's in my prayers, too. (((((hugs))))))

Not much time here, but I wanted to check in. Thanks for the congrats; I hope that no one thinks I'm bragging when I share my good news. I promise that I'm not. :)

Speaking of FB, who on it here I'd like to gey on it, but I don't know what to do, or how to findpeople. Any suggestions?

Hugs,

Maddie

Wodka - If you don't mind waiting a little bit, I will gladly mail you my copy of Double Take when I am finished with it. I am taking it camping this weekend and hope to finish it then. I got it through the PaperbackSwap.com book club and since I share most of my books I get through them, I wasn't planning on keeping it anyway.

I am off to run some errands and get ready to go away this weekend. As far as preschool goes, ready or not, we are starting on Tuesday. LOL Actually, except for some paperwork I need to work on today, we are ready. The room looks like a schoolroom once again since we gave it a thorough cleaning and decorated the walls. So I plan on relaxing and enjoying the nice weather that is predicted. I have had enough of this 90º stuff!

BJ - Hugs to you and special thoughts going out for your Dad.

Maddie - Never thought you were bragging. You have every right to be proud of your accomplishments!! WTG girl!

DeeMarie - Have a great time on your cruise!

Hey to every one and have a great weekend.

Marci

marci, that is so sweet of you. I might take you up on it. Are you still enjoying it?

Maddie, I agree with Marci. And even if you were bragging (ha), you deserve to! Congratulations.

wodka - My first thought when I read about the author, was to feel sorry for him. But he doesn't feel sorry for himself in the least and so I quickly shed that emotion. His parents raised him to be as independent as possible and not think of himself as handicapped. He is a remarkable young man in my opinion and I am enjoying the book. I have been cramming in as much reading as possible this past month and this book will rank up there with the most memorable.

I'll let you know when I am done and you can let me know if you want me to send it your way. I love to share with fellow readers.

Marci

Hello and TGIF!!!

Maddie, and everyone else. This is a SUPPORT group, so we want to hear the good, the bad, the successes, the failures, the venting, the sharing....ALL OF IT!! That is why we come here, IMHO, for a comfortable place to lay it all out.

Congrats, prayers, and [[[[HUGS]]]] to those who want them.

Have a great night!
Hope to check in before we leave...weather looks like it's improving, and they have lifted any danger of the hurricane around here.

Make today count!
Dee

OK, our ship will sail tomorrow; but it looks to be coming in a bit late to pick us up. Our group is talking about going to the terminal the same time and just bring along a "party" (don't know what that means, but I'm in!) LOL!!!

Hope you are enjoying the beautiful weather.
Dee

Hello!!!! This week has been crazy!!!! Now it ends with Tara having the flu! Yuck and poor kid. She looks pitiful! Praying she is better by tomorrow.

I totally forgot to checkin on weigh in day. My results were 176. That's 30 lbs. since May 9 and 10 pounds on my six month bet. By the way, does anyone know to figure body fat loss? Hopefully Next week will be a good figure too. I had my first cheat today since Aug. 9. We had the family chowder and there was no picking out the potatoes and corn. I am hoping it dont throw things off too much. I bypassed all the desserts so I felt good about that.

Deemarie, have a great trip. I wish I could come with you!

Have a great weekend everyone! Gotta run, I am getting yelled at by Tara!