Being the audacious and forward kind of gal that I am, I (a Californian, Oregonian, Texan [Calgoniexan?]) am starting this month's chat thread in the Jersey forum. Ballsy? Maybe so. Get over it. :]

Good Morning Happy Bandsters!! How the heck is everybody? I hope there weren't any tragic chocolate overdoses last night.

Betty - Gracious!! Candy for 300 wasn't enough? That's one heck of a party!

Eileenie - how is the MIL? It's really hard for me right now - because it seems like only yesterday my Parents were - well, my Parents.... authority figures, larger than life. Now, in the last few years I have started to notice that they are old people. It's a hard mental transition, I tell you. Suddenly, the people who could always be counted on in times of need have needs of their own. I guess it's only fair - but it sucks, all the same.

Anyway, I hope that your doc can help you out with the coughing. What, did it never go away?? Or is this a new cold? Oh, and if you WERE feeling restriction with Water, I would be scared for you! You aren't supposed to have any restriction with water... :]

Lisa - you are a better woman than I if you can RELAX in the middle of a 500 acre girl scout camp surrounded by 13 little girls... Yikes!! That just doesn't sound like as much fun as it probably was - at least, not to me.

Ira - Was Zach all pumped up about the Fire Dept demo? Did he have a good time at the parade? What's up with you? How were the Halloween festivities?

JaLynn - Howdy!! Hope you are feeling better. There is not much worse than being sick in a house full of sick people that need you. ((hugs))

Pat - Fun with furniture... Is it comfy? I loved buying new furniture when we moved into our new house in Texas. It was the coolest thing ever. We avoided the Leather, though. It get's so hot here for so much of the year that we decided nice cloth upholstery was the way for us. I hope you enjoy it! Hope your mouth is all healed up and you are feeling energetic.

Cindy - Those little girls grow up sooooo fast. My Granddaughter just turned 11 and it seems like only a minute ago she was a todler.

Well - I have to get back to that thing we lovingly call "work". A little slow today, now that the month-end blitz is over, so I will have time to call and harass the insurance company. Yes, they have 30 days from October 12th to respond to my appeal. I have scheduled my first appt. with the doc for the 8th - ahead of the curve. I just need to get it all together so that I can have my surgery before T-Day. That is my goal... Of course, if the *&^(& don't approve me, I will be back to square one - but I am thinking good thoughts.

Everybody have a great day!!

Ohh Cindy I am so sorry to hear about your Grandma, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family!

Thank you, all of you. You understand so well.

Today i'm just getting all the stuff packed for everyone, and making sure all the clothes are ready for the rest of the week. DD wears a uniform at her school, so that is pretty simple. I've gotta go to the pharmacy and get a prescription filled...don't they always run out right when you're going out of town? This is something for migraines...which I rarely get anymore, but wouldn't want to take the chance of having one (stress) in Kansas, and not having anything to take for it!

My little DD finally broke down last night and cried for almost 2 hours. :think I'm not exaggerating. Losing her g. grandma only months after her precious Nana is really a lot to handle for an 8 year old. I just hug her and listen, and try to reassure her that this is part of life. I tell her about heaven, but she would rather they all stay here! Big concepts for a young girl.

Any advice is welcome.

Well, pals, you all are top-notch, and I am so glad we have our little chats every day!

I have attached a picture of Grandma, on her 92nd birthday this summer! Doesn't she look great?

I will send some pictures of our Christmas decorations, but we're geting a late start.

Oh Cindy, she reminds me sooo much of my Granny, same precious smile. May your memories of great times shared help you through these times.

Betty, enjoy your campfire tonight, and yes, it sounds soooo good !!! I don't have it all together, I'm just a maniac that can't sit still very long... oh and impatient too. LOL.

Cindy, have a safe trip. I have no advice to give you for your DD, from the sound of it your handling it like any good Mom would. Your G'ma looks so sweet, and she sounds like a wonderful lady with a wonderful family.

Where's Beanie ?

Good Morning Everyone !!!

I can't believe I have one more week and I have to go to work (dec 5th) where did the time go? I would like to drop 3 lbs b/4 I go back so I'm gonna work it this week, I'm even gonna get on the treadmill but I'm gonna go slow.

I ditched all the pies and goodies in the house the other day b/c every time I went in the kitchen I took a bite of something. Uhhh!!!! So mutha hubbard's cupboard is bare LOL.

Whats happening with you all today ?

Eileen, where is Beanie? Wasn't she going on vacation?

I got all my Santas out yesterday, my tree lady is suppose to be here at 10 this am to take care of the tree and stair railings. She works for a local, large florist and has probably put up 100 trees in the past month. My tree's only a three years old, but I'm ready for a new one, I want one of those that's "flocked", that looks like it's got snow on the tips.

I haven't left the house, other than going to son's house for Turkey day. Starting to get cabin fever now.

Hello Everyone!

Well I’m back from the holiday, my Thanksgiving was fun. We went to my cousins, that was great because then I did not have to deal with eating all the leftovers in the fridge. For the first time I did not overeat…I just had a little bit of everything. I had my fill last week (1cc) and only feel a little bit of difference I go for a second fill next week which I hope will help even more.

Yup, I was one of the nuts out shopping before the sun came up. For me I have no choice, it’s the only time I will be home before Christmas and have access to the malls and a car since I live in the city. As much as I hated getting up at 5am I got most of my shopping all done, the rest I will do online. People are crazy…at one store I got there at 6 and there was a 1 hour line to check out. No way! I walked out of the store…there is nothing I need that badly.

Cindy - I’m so sorry to hear about your Grandma. My thoughts are with you and your family.

Pat – I still can’t stop laughing about your cookies!!! Well you know what they say…if at first you don’t succeed try again! Of course you could always just buy pre made cookies and bake them up (we won’t tell!).

Eileen & Betty – sounds like you two win the prize for cooking! It sounded delicious!

Sorry to disappoint but no decorating here…. It’s not that I’m a humbug I just can’t fit anything else in my small apartment.

So did anyone else go shopping this weekend?

Hi Y'all!

Well, the campfire was great, lots of laughs! I have a great family, they are always so much fun to get together will, always laughing and eating. I don't even want to get on the scale for a while! My fridge is still full of stuff! Then the neighbor called us to come over for a Mexican breakfast this morning. I told them we already ate, but they wouldn't take no for an answer so needless to say we went.

I did some cleaning today, along with some laundry. I am tired from all the working cooking all week long. Nothing special going on here today. It is a beautiful day and I am just enjoying it now. The wind is really high though.

Pat - I agree, go buy some cookies and wrap them up! I'll never tell!

Beanie - When are you going to be home? Hope you are enjoying your vacation.

Eileen - That time off really does fly by. Gosh, it is even hard for me to imagine you have already been off that long.

Zan - Glad you had such a great time. Almost done shopping, wow! I haven't bought the first thing.

Cindy - My thoughts are with you and your family.

Well, I'm going to go get my work finished up. I need to start baking some Christmas cookies, but then I would eat some probably, so I better wait till this Thanksgiving is off me!

Catch you all later!

Good Morning,

How is everyone after that long holiday weekend?

I still can't believe I go back to work in 1 week. Sigh, I love being a SAHM. But I shouldn't complain, my job is good and the bennies are what counts.

Today I am just gonna tidy up the house and I have a truck load of laundry I need to do.

How about you ?

Beanie, you back?????

Good Morning!

I have lots of errands to run today, so I guess I will be gone much of the day. I did a lot of cleaning yesterday, so not much of that today.

I am so happy the holidays are over with, although I still have lots of junk here! I think I can controll myself though, I didn't eat much of it yesterday. And I will pitch most of it today!

I have to get started on some baking soon, I have tons to bake and little time to do it all in. I do most of the baking for the family here, so it takes a lot of time. I also give some to the neighbors

Well, got to get moving and get things done!

Catch you all later!

Happy Monday everyone,

We had a busy weekend, you can add me to the "all decorated" list. We decorated the house, the tree and all of the lights are up outside. I wanted to get done early this year becuse of my upcoming surgery.

I am now playing the insurance waiting game. I was supposed to have an answer on Friday and as of today it's "still pending". I have a bunch of pre-op things schedualed next week in Atlantic City (1 hour 20 minutes away) I don't want to have to get a babysitter, and go down there to hear...sorry your insurance won't cover it.

**I had a slap of honesty from my dd yesterday. I had decided to tell her about the surgery, she is a very mature, smart 8 year old and I knew if she found out about this another way or found out that I was in the hospital she would have been very upset that I didn't tell her. Anyways, I explained in watered down detail and even showed her a brochure of where the band was placed etc. I told her that I needed to do this to be healthier and so I can start doing some of the the things she does w/dh like riding a bike etc. I also wanted her to know why I wouldn't be eating for awhile, especially at Christmas time.

Well, she was very excited and happy that I was going to have it done. She said she wanted me to be healthy and to be able to go on a bike ride with her.

I could tell she still had something on her mind, so after some coaxing I found out that she was "embarassed sometimes that I don't look like other moms" she didn't say this to be mean. I teach her to be honest with me and that if something is bothering her, that she can tell me anything.

Well, it took all my energy not to cry. It made me so ashamed it was horrible, she must have noticed my face because she gave me a hug and told me she loved me no matter how I look. I know that is true, but I feel so horrible that I am at a size that would embarass my kid. I guess I never really saw myself as obese oh excuse me "morbidly obese"- such nasty words.

I guess you better be sure you want the truth if you ask for it!

Well sorry to ramble on and on, just had to get that out! Hope everyone else enjoys there day, laundry and cleaning for me!

Lisa, thanks for sharing, and yes, if you want the truth, (most of the time), ask a child. She sounds like a caring and thoughtful little girl who loves her mommie very, very much.

You weren't rambling, you needed someone to share that with and that's what's so wonderful about the members of LBT...(hugs)

Girls,

I had a situation come up last night and I'm torn.....

As you can tell by my ticker I'm inching closer to Lewis' party. I'm so totally excited because it's his very first real party with selected friends from school, neighbor kids and his brothers. In my divorce papers my ex and I agreed to split the cost of parties when we decided to have one. With such a momentus occasion I asked Lewis what kind of special party,and he said "A Golden one" meaning he wants things wrapped in gold just like Disneylands celebration. My ex has been good about coming on board with this whole process and when I purchased popcorn balls for 21.00 or the plates for 16.00 he said OK. Then this weekend he spraypainted popscicle sticks gold and made napking rings. When the boys were brought to me last night after visitation he strangely prodded Lewis with "ask mom your question"..... Lewis just shrugged and then Dan said "he wants trish and her son to come". Wow, I was shocked! All the kids have told me that they don't care for the step-mom or her son, in fact they tell me of their strong dislike for the boy because he is a bossy,self-centered and possessive. After Dan left I asked Lewis about his step-mom. Do you love your step-mom and want her at your party? He shook his head "NO". What do I do now??? In all honesty I'm not ready to hostess a party in my sons honor and to serve the woman who took my place. Interviewing the boys tells me that this idea generated from my ex. I can't be sure. Lewis is only 5 but my twins(13) tell me a different story. Am I obligated to invite these people? Is it really important for me to be uncomfortable at my own function because "its the right thing to do"? I already told him that I am not prepared for additional guests, but what if he brings them just to spite me? What was a blessed experience has now turned to dread. I hate being divorced and I didn't sleep well last night.

Betty, have fun running all over today What do you usually bake for the holidays? I never bake ahead of time but maybe I should start.

Lisa, i would have busted into tears. Being fat is something every overweight parent hopes their kid never realizes, but they do don't they. I gotta say that I remember being embarassed because my father was very big. I also remember never saying anything b/c i knew even then how much that would have hurt his feelings and I felt ashamed for feeling like that. Your daughter is sweet and its wonderful that she feels she can tell you the truth. HUGS to you !!!

Patty, if it were me, I would not want my Ex's wife there, or the kid. Just tell him (your ex) that you are not ready for such a move, not yet.... IF thats how you truly feel. Follow you heart... you know whats best for YOU and YOUR kids Good luck and sorry he is doing this to you. Be strong.

Thanks Eileen for the support.