TGIF NJ chat!

[NJChick 3]

Hi Kiddo's,

Well food is made for my low carb week..... we shall see. I made some mock fried rice, egg muffins (breakfast), coleslaw and acorn squash for the side dishes and I'll make some fish, ckn burgers for dinners. I am eating to many carbs...triggering me wanting more and more carbs.. so I'm crossing my fingers that I can even do this at all.

Other than that, my sore throat is still here... about a week now, and I'm just not feeling up to snuff...dizzy and weird. So... I'll go to the doc this week if it doesn't stop.

Bitch bitch complain complain moan moan LOLOL !!!!!! snort ~

Soooooooooooo whats everyone up to this week? any plans? any commitments?

[nightingale2u 42]

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Well... We sure did awaken to a winter wonderland here in Wisconsin!!!!! Beautiful! While I was out shoveling the back deck and a bit of the yard for the pups... I noticed how much fun Ava was having bouncing and digging and flipping in the snow... so... I joined her! We had a ball! Boy was I glad to have a warm house and a set of dry clothes to get into after!

Betty... yeah... the recipes in the book are a little NOT going to happen around here...lol. I am making an effort to add/change and make choices that will lead us in that direction though. I tried the whole wheat pasta... I've got to say... it left a little to be desired...lol. I do however love the whole wheat tortillas and bread... and I look at labels on everything. I made some wonderful muffins today with the whole wheat flour... bananas...raisins... dark chocolate chips... a very small amount of sugar... vanilla... etc... my DH DD loved them. Okay... I rather loved them myself.

Sherry... I tried to go to the virtual model site... but I couldn't get the screen to come up for creating mine??? I finally went to Levi's site and made one there but the only choice I had for clothes was jeans. *pout* One day they are going to have a wesite that lets us put a current pic of ourself in... and then through special effects will show our actual self at a lesser weight. WOuldn't that be awesome????

Eileen... Sorry you are feeling puny... try and stick to complex carbs iffin you can. I know you can do anything you set your mind to... strong lady that you are!

Kat... I bet you can eat off of your floors now! You probably burned 2,000 or more calories getting all of that cleaning done! I like working with the stability ball for ab exercises. Otherwise you'll never see this girl on the floor crunching away. :eek: I'm not sure what to do about our treadmill... I told CHuck what your hubby said and he has checked into that... he also called the treadmill doctor and the only thing really left for us to try is a new board... that would be another 100 bucks or so. Since I have a picture of a NEW sleek... sporty treadmill on my vision board... I am going out on a limb to say... he might want to let old Bessie go...lol.

Patty... Seriously... is everything okay... I really would love to see a post and hear what has been happing in your life. (((hugs)))

Pat... WHere the heck did those monkey take you anyway????

My FIL is having surgery this coming Tuesday. He has a spot on his tongue that is cancerous but is in the beginning stages. It sounds like it will still be a very difficult recovery as they are taking skin from his inner thigh for grafting onto his tongue and will also be taking as many lymph nodes out of the neck region as they can. Please send prayers or positive thoughts... or both...

Love you girls...

[SherryW 4]

Hello All...well had both crockpots going today. One with meatballs and sauce the other with minestrone Soup or as we call it here "Greg's special soup". It was my way of getting my son to eat veggies when he was little. I think I gave the recipe here before. We had wheat Pasta with the sauce and my mom, bil and sil are still here. It's nice to all eat together and even nicer when I'm not cooking over the stove the whole day for it.

Darcy - I think the wheat pasta has to be cooked just right in order to taste ok. I like it..it has a nutty taste to me but I know I had to find the right one. We use Ronzoni here...thin and penne. The thin helps. I can't eat much of it but, I can't tell the difference other than texture from the regular pasta. Sorry you wouldn't get the model thing to work. I know I had to play with it a bit myself. I tried to find one for DH but couldn't. He wanted to put it on his board too. Although...he's already lost 6 pounds by going lowcarb this past week. You're right it would be awesome if we could take an actual picture of ourselves and transform it smaller to see :eek: The body shape on my model isn't exact but, at least it help me see the difference too.

Eileen - glug glug heh heh. Sounds like you did a lot of cookin. I should prepare a bit more for myself too to make lunches easy. Right now I have meatballs anyway I can take for a couple of the days. I forgot to make egg muffins and I don't feel like it now. I did enough cooking for one day.Sorry your throat is still sore...did you get tested for strep?

Kat - I hope you're having fun with the party despite all the work you had to do. I had a party for my son's 1st birthday and it was a good size but only because so many relatives wanted to go lol. I would of had a small one at home but, my in-laws wouldn't hear of it. Between the senior aunts, grammy and sils it ended up bigger than I wanted. Eh we all had fun and everyone helped. Basically it was a family get together with birthday cake for dessert. I didnt' do the whole cake for himself thing but he did get his own special cup cake he could make a mess out of. Lots of pictures there lol. Hope you're relaxing and recouping from the party tonight.

Betty - I hear ya on lose skin...I'm going to need a TT when I finish losing the weight. I'm already having a slight rash happen around my bellybutton sometimes Terrible thought I know lol. At least I can see my bellybutton now though hahaha. So what are ya making for your lowcarb choices this week? Did ya get anything interesting? I bought some soy bean nuts to try. Have you had them? These were pretty tasty.

Diane - What finally got the apricots to move? Glad you're feeling ok.

Mandy - How you feeling? Any better? Geesh you've been sick a while. I hope you are on your way to recovering.

Bean - How is the low carb thing going for you? Any special meals that you plan that are low carb? I'm thinking I have to go the same route myself.

Quickies....hmmmm hahhaah Just saw that again and laughed.

Well....pampered myself a little today and it felt AWESOME. I went and had my nails done and a pedicure. I went for the spa pedicure today because the calouses (sp?) on my heals and balls of me feet were terrible. Summer time I keep up with it because of sandles but I kinda abuse my feet in the winter I guess. They feel so good now and it was just nice to relax and have it done. Of course the wallet didn't like it but, EH I needed the time for me today. Anywho...better get going....SIL/BIL are still here and the baby is crying. Can I say.....I don't miss baby's crying? Is that mean? It's been 17 years since I had a baby in the house...this takes some getting used to lol. He's adorable though and I love him to pieces...but the crying I can do without hahaha.

Well off to see the finish of the Nascar race. Hugs to you my friends...I hope you have a wonderful shrinking week!

[piercedqt78 658]

Just checking in, still sick, really sore throat today. I am going back to the dr tomorrow most likely. He was talking about going into the hospital for a day or so, for IV antibiotics and rest.

For the low carb thing, can you do spaghetti squash? I lived on it for a while, ate it with all kinds of sauces, some olive oil, garlic and Parmesan cheese. It's really versatile, I cook it in the microwave. ~Mandy

[mousecrazy 2]

Here I am!

Sorry, I just got buried in a couple of projects, which I'll explain later.

Mandy, i am really concerned about your health and well-being. I hope to hear from you soon, whether or not you are in the hospital, or if these antibiotics are working.

Eileen, sounds you have a good plan going into the week! I think carbs/sugar are the main issue for me, probably sugar. I do know if I can gut it out and break myself of them, I do not crave them. Good luck, sweetie! You can do it! Your food sounds delicious, and I wish I could share with you!

Beanie, be sure to check into all the alternative certification procedures out there...there are several types. I'll be happy to help you check into anything. Go to the TEA website for starters.

I read the posts very quickly, because as you know, I'm behind. What happened is that on Thursday, the receptionist at DD's school called to see if I could sub for her on Friday. I said okay, but I don't know how to do phone systems, but I would try. Well, I worked on Friday, and ended up doing all kinds of other things, like help the Headmaster with some technical things, give the Admissions dept. input on web design, talk to some salespeople on the phone, etc. By the end of the day, the administrative staff was saying stuff like they didn't want to let me go! They asked me to write a proposal for a part-time job. I had to think this over and talk to DH. So here's what I'm doing. I researched other private independent schools and found they all had a Communications and Media Director, which we do not have and need. I wrote a job description, and then an employment proposal, that I would work approx. 20 hours/week, offsite mostly, doing internal and external communications, publications, and website management (after it is designed...updating and writing copy, and stuff like that). We can negotiate salary, tuition offset or a combination. I can hardly believe it myself, and do not know what the response will be. If the Headmaster declines it, I will still do the newsletter on a volunteer basis. DH and I discussed it and decided I was doing a lot of stuff like this for them already, and I enjoy the work...might as well get paid for it. They are very focused on marketing and none of them have time to coordinate media message/communications applications, and I edit for the Headmaster all the time now. So, I'm planning on taking this proposal to them tomorrow. That's why I've been so busy...whatcha think?

Hope everyone is doing well...Darcy, how's the treadmill? Did I miss reading about it?

I'll try to be here more often, now that I've done the letter/proposal. It was hard, since I've had the same job for 29 years! I'm excited about this possibility, and then again, wonder if I know what I'm getting into. Kinda like I'm being lead to something inevitable. Whatever happens, I know it will turn out the way it is meant to be.

Hugs to you all,

Cindy

[piercedqt78 658]

Cindy, sounds like a perfect job for you. Since you are already doing some of the work anyway, and it would give you a chance to be more involved in dd school. I know I love being at Abi's school a few days each week even when I am not in her classroom. As for the meds so far they are not working, I am actually feeling worse today then I did wed when I saw the doc. I am going to call in am and see what he wants to do. The only problem is he is on staff at a hospital that is far away from my house. I am going to see if I can get my GP to coordinate with my band surgeon so I can go to the hospital that he is on staff with, it's close to my mom and sister's houses, and they will be taking care of Abi. Also it is closer to my house and in a much better neighborhood. Don't get me wrong both are excellent hospitals, but I prefer one I am familiar with. I will check in tomorrow and let everyone know what's going on. Night all, Mandy

[Kat817 19]

Well the party is over---thank heavens!!! It was nice, but there were sooo many people, and it was so chaotic! It wasn't segregated as I feared it would be---everyone was very civil---at least our family and DH's ex and her family that was here. DIL's family sat off to the side, and refused to mingle, and pretty much ignored us if we spoke to them---but they treat her horribly anyway---so I don't cater to them. My house is demolished---sad but true. Carpet sustained only one spilled drink, but my DS let the baby go on his cake in the middle of the kitchen, and there is sticky everywhere. The decorations got left up...paper shreds around everywhere, coffee cups...I should be cleaning but will do it tomorrow. I really think they would have cleaned up more, but it was decided to go out to dinner following the party, and it was already after 6, when everyone else left---so we headed to town, and then they went home, and I come back to the mess. Originally it was to be the son, DIL, and grandson, the DD's and the SIL, and b/f and kids going to dinner. Then a cousin on his Mom's side heard, and they wanted to go, and then another, and of course his Mom, and her bf....thrilled my ex!!! So we changed plans---and rather than go to Chilis we went to Fudruckers---where each group could pay their own as we went in and ordered. I don't mind paying ours and the kids---but damned if I am buying the ex's!!! Actually she was very nice, and her b/f has always been fun, so it wasn't too bad.

Mandy---have they drawn blood or cultured your throat, or anything that might tell them what it is exactly they are fighting? It worries me!

All you guys are doing so good planning and fixing your low carb goodies. I have nothing cooked, nothing left over (besides cake) to send in DH's lunch tomorrow---guess he will have to hit Taco Bell or Burger Kind---they are both right near his work. Tomorrow I will shop and cook---and TRY to get back in gear. I feel like I am up a couple of pounds--water weight, my rings feel like they actually fit better!!!

Cindy--hope it goes well with the job idea! Sounds fun! Has anyone heard from Cassie as to how her meeting went with her job?

Darcy---sorry about the treadmill---I will let you come walk on mine! I actually have mine in the room with the eliptical now, and can do one while DH does the other, and talk to him---except I am still always out of breath on the eliptical!!! It has the pre-programmed workouts, so it increases resistance, and maintains a set heart rate for you---I am so badly out of shape!!! You can also buy ifit cards for it, that are linked to a video or DVD of a personal trainer workout. Or hook it up to a video work out---so you can see people who can do it without wearing out in 5 minutes!!!!

Dianne--how is your stomach feeling? Of course I will say a prayer for FIL...along with MIL and the rest of you---what a time you are having....((((hugs))))

Sherry---after this party and screeching kids---I totally relate to the crying baby thing. Kinsey is 2, and has attacks of the whine's but seldom cries without hurting herself....and has no one but me to argue with most of the time---so get them all here today, and it was loud, and unorganized---stressful!

They had a pinata for small kids...instead of hitting it, it has multiple strings hanging off the bottom...each kid grabs a string and pulls---and the bottom drops. Kinsey's eyes when all that candy fell out were huge!!!! It was so cute!!! Connor got a little plastic wheelbarrow, he just wanted to put all the candy in the wheelbarrow, then dump it out...then load it again, he could have cared less about his gifts otherwise!!

Well I am going to try to get to bed...hope all you sickies feel better---no sore throats or anything new!!! And I hope all the low carb dieters, make it through without problems. Will catch the rest of you tomorrow!!

Kat

[Iluvharleys 15]

Good Morning Y'all!

Running extremely late today! Just couldn't get my butt moving fast this morning.

I fixed a really good broccoli salad yesterday, I just loved it! I am not a big broccoli eater, but can tolerate it occassionally. If anybody wants the recipe, I will post it for you. It is a low carb recipe.

Everyone have a great day and I'll catch you later tonight.

[SherryW 4]

Betty, I'd love the recipe when you have time

Good morning everyone. It's a snowy day in Eastern Mass this morning. I LOVE it...it's so beautiful...everything looks so clean...umm so far hahaha. Don't like it when the snow gets that yucky black, dirt color but, it's so beautiful when it's fresh Hope you all have a wonderful Shrinking day!

[NJChick 3]

Hi Kiddies,

Cindy, good to see you and good luck with the new job proposal

Betty, I have a great raw broccoli salad recipie that has bacon and red onion in it. Its the only way I can eat raw broccoli. I'd like to see the one you made

Cold Broccoli Salad

1/4 - 1/2 Pound Cooked Pork Bacon, crumbled (depends on your taste)

1 head fresh raw broccoli, cut into bite size pieces (I used only the flower part)

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

3 tablespoons white Vinegar

6 - 8 Pks Splenda (depends how sweet you like it)

1 cup Mayonnaise

3 Tablespoons Light Cream

3 Tablespoons Water

2 Tablespoons Bacon Fat

1 Teaspoon Salt

Mix all ingred together and then pour over broccoli, refrig over night and enjoy next day.

Kat sorry your house is a wreck...especially after all that hard work you did. People S-U-C-K !!!! My Inlaws do the same thing, they are not mean people but they congragate to one side of the room and don't mingle with anyone else.... (hate that but you can't change them ya know). I think my DH was adopted b/c he is not like them at all. Glad its all over with.

Sherry.... TTYL

Mandy, hope everything goes well at the hospital.. good luck hon.

Darcy wholey crap girlie, I feel so bad for your FIL... he is in my prayers golllly Did you know that playing in the snow counts as 1 mile how goes the dreadmill.

Well I really have to get some work done....yeah, thats what they pay me for so I'm told LOL. Achewweeee sniffle hack.... LOLOL talk to you later.

BEHAVE

PAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ReneBean 3]

Hi All.

Another glorious day in Mortgage Lending is well underway...

*yippee skippy*

I am eating Turkey roll-ups and fresh veggies with dip. Turkey roll-up are just that shaved lunch meat with Laughing Cow Light cheese inside. It's easy to carry, easy to count carbs/calories and pretty darned tasty.

My exotic veggie of the day is Kolrabi (sp?). It's a root like a turnip with the stems and the greens attached. DH made a lovely curry dish last night with some of the root and lots of the greens. Today I am eating the root with some lovely dip. It tastes somewhere between broccoli and radishes. It's very crispy/crunchy - very nice. I love finding new veggies. Variety is important.

Dianne - I hope you are feeling better. Keep that doc's appointment just to be sure you are ok. Was the fruit stuck? Or did you just have a bad heartburn reaction? If it was dried, it might have just swollen up in your pouch. HUGS!!

Eileenie - I'm no carb nazi - I eat lots of green veggies - I consider any green veggie to be an "unlimited food". Preparation is the key. When I did the low carb thing with my sis, we cooked on Sunday and ate for the rest of the week on our cooking. Now-a-days I mostly buy pre-packaged stuff, like the lunch meat & cheese to take to work.

Sherry - add some batwings and a hanging panni to that model, I will believe it... until then, I can only hope that I will look as good as that after PS. :] I really have to say that I am very spoiled. My DH cooks "meat heavy" meals and I eat the meat. He might eat rice with his, but I don't. All I have to worry about is lunches - and I mostly eat leftovers from dinner, or the lunch meat & cheese thing. I throw veggies in for variety and Fiber. For me, Low carb is about avoiding sugar, potatoes, rice, bread and tortillas. I don't really count too much - but I do read the labels when I buy things. Carbs hide in the most unlikely places.... Honey cured lunch meats for instance. Once I get the right stuff into the house, I don't worry too much about what I eat, when.

Betty - I haven't exactly been stellar on the exercise, either. We only went to the gym once this weekend - and right after that we went to CiCi's for pizza. (It was my cheat day). The cheat day is the only way I can make it through the week. I know that on Saturday, I can have pizza or nachos or whatever, so I am more able to resist during the rest of the week.

Kat - yeah, the trips to NY are nice - but I don't expect they will last too long, anyway. I am thinking high school, or Junior High at the youngest. My college advisors told me years ago that I wasn't suited to the younger kids. I believed them then, and I still believe it now. I would have been a teacher all along, if I hadn't been afraid of teaching high school. I was only 22 yrs old. I couldn't imagine teaching kids only a few years younger than I was... glad to hear you survived the party. :]

Darcy - we love the WW Pasta at my house. When we eat Pasta, we eat that. I can't quite get over to the WW tortilla, though. And no matter how much fun frolicking in the snow with a puppy sounds, I am NOT going to like snow... at least not until Noveber of next year! I am thinking good thoughts for your FIL. Hugs!

Mandy - I checked the count on Spaghetti Squash - it ranks right up there with zuccini - less than 7 grams per 100 gram serving size. If all your carbs are coming from Spaghetti Squash - you will be just A-ok. Hugs! Hope your doc can figure out what the heck is wrong with you and fix it!

Cindy - yep - if you are going to do the job, you might as well get paid for it. I know that "this is inevitable" kind of feeling. That usually works out well for me. ***Somehow I knew your retirement wouldn't last... Guess I will have to put that Cane I was whittling off to the side until you are really ready to settle down. :]

Well - Back to the old grind. I e-mailed Collin County Community College about the certification program. Their's isn't really very accelerated - it takes about a year - but it is very conveniently located (at Allen high school practically across the street from my house) and the classes are all evening/weekend ones. I can keep working for as long as possible while I get certified. I also want to look into a faster way, so I will probably be checking out more information on the website. In the mean time, I am signed up for an information session on March 31 and I will be taking the skills test prior to that.

So long as I can stay employed at my present salary range, I would be insane to leave the mtg industry - but if I were to suddenly find myself unemployed - I would go over to teaching as fast as I could get a job doing it. I don't have enough math credits on my transcripts to teach math - so I might have to get some additional math credits in. I really feel like I could explain the basic concepts - algebra, geometry - to high school kids in a non-scary way. And I think I could make it more interesting than any of MY teachers ever did.

Anyway - I am WAY over my lunch time. Gotta run!

hugs and love!

[mousecrazy 2]

Hi, gals!

Before I forget, Beanie, look into math (definitely) but don't forget there are courses in the business area, also, that you might like to teach. Check out that TEA website, or the Allen High School course offerings. I actually have a former student teaching at that high school, if you need any insider info.

My meeting with the Headmaster went very well today. I won't get any word on the possibility of being hired for a while, because adding a position will depend on enrollment/budget stuff. There is an agreement that this job needs doing, and that I would be good for it, so that's good right there, I don't care who ya are! (hat tip to Larry the Cable Guy). So, it's a wait-and-see thing for now.

That broccoli salad is yummy! I've made it before and LOVE it!

Mandy, please update us on your health...I'm really worried, and know we all are.

Kat, glad your party went well, all things considered. Sorry about the big mess, though!

I have a meeting up at school tonight, so will check in tomorrow!

Hugs, Cindy

[Kat817 19]

YEA! YEA! YEA! I come home lugged in all the groceries, looked at the bills (aka the mail), put the girlie down for a nap. Then so as to be quiet while she drops off, I sat down here---and I heard from Pat!!! She is ok---she misses us! She said she would be back soon! I am just glad she is ok, now if we would hear from Patty....I worry she go bad band news, or one of her boys is sick...but I also thought maybe her computer crashed....I dunno, but I hope she is ok too.

Sounds like you girls are doing really well on your low carb plan. I have more of an issue lately with sweets! I should have followed my Dads plan and gave them up for lent---but I am bad, and did nothing!

As soon as the girl is asleep good, I will finish getting my house back to normal. I had to take some paperwork in to Rick at work, and pick up my glasses (reading....Darcy he said I cannot do contacts at the place I am right now, he said maybe in a couple of years...dangit!). So spent too much time running around, to make a good plan for dinner tonight, so guess I will cook some chicken---I can always find something to do with it!

Weather here is wonderful---we went to town with no coats!!! The sun is shining, the wind is not blowing---I feel Spring coming!

Well I will try to check back in, I need to get things done while she is sleeping, or I will just sit here----I am so lazy!!!

BBL

Kat

[piercedqt78 658]

Praise the Lord and pass the ketchup, I too got a PM back from Pat, she is well. I sure do miss her. She said she would be back here soon, we can call off the Monkeys now.

I just got back from the doc, I have until wed to get better. My CBC came back better today then last week so it looks like I am on the mend. I have pulled the tendons in my neck from all the coughing, so I am on muscle relaxers for the next 10 days, that and a heating pad. I will check in later. gotta run and make dinner. ~Mandy

[Iluvharleys 15]

Here's the one I made:

Broccoli salad

2 bunches of crown broccoli

1/2 lb bacon cooked till crisp

1/2 sweet onion chopped fine

3/4 cup mayo

1-1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Tablespoon sugar sub.

salt & pepper

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

2 Tablespoons dried currants (or raisins)

I steamed my broccoli until it was tender.

Mix mayo, lemon juice, sweetner, salt and peper together. Mix onlion and currants to dressing. (I didn't use the currants because I didn't have any and it was still really good)

I crumbled my bacon and added it and the sunflower seeds right before I served it so they would stay crunchy.

I'll have to try yours Eileen, it sounds yummy too!