Healthy Choices Weekender 5/10-5/11

Good morning Gang! I'll try this again - maybe with this new internet I'll better success. I don't think we are going to get as warm today as they thought we were. Its about 52 right now and there is a cold wind blowing about 15 mph. We will leave later this afternoon to go to DS' demolition derby - I hope its not too cold sitting out there watching him.

Verna, thanks for the good information about the bathroom. The contractor & designer came yesterday. They had some good ideas. The designer will get them down on paper and get them to me next week so that we can look them over and make a final decision. I think the baking cart is a very good idea.

JoAnn, the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of the browns and blues in the bathroom. That way I  can do a brownish tile in the shower and floor. One thing we are going to have is a heated floor. I make the layered lettuce salad a lot - I like it because you can make it the day before. Enjoy your ddil's graduation today.

Barb, thanks for the pictures of your friends' home. It is beautiful. I would love to have a shower that big. However, the size of their shower is about the size of our whole bathroom right now.

I hope Viny was able to get next week off to do some landscaping and gardening.

I hope Marti is having a safe trip home.

My rhubarb is ready; so, I am making some rhubarb cookies to take to some friends. I think I will make a rhubarb crisp for dinner tomorrow, too. I think Dh is going to fix chicken on a throne for dinner tomorrow.

In case I don't get back before tomorrow - I wanted to wish all of you (and Viny's Pat) a very happy mother's day. You are all wonderful mothers and grandmothers and are a great inspiration to me.

Take care,

JoLynn

Hey Jolynn.  I can't believe us West Coasters are the first on here today.

I love the colors you are working with in the bath.  I like to go very neutral in the expensive things like tile and flooring and put the color in the towels etc.  I get tired of things to easily and need a change.

Yes, our friends home is really something.  They were able to use some trees they had cut on their property at Lake Cushman.  They used them for some of the beams and poles.  It's not a traditional home.  Everything is open as much as possible instead of having a bunch of small rooms.  And nothing is fancy, because they sure aren't.  Very rustic colors and wood everywhere.  Like a small lodge, actually. 

It's wonderful here today. Overcast but no wind.  Just warm enough but not hot. 

Marti will be glad to know the and I had our walk and Maureen will be happy to know I am going to work out in the yard.  As far as I know, there will be no kids here today.

I am hungry for potato salad so made one of those up this morning and got my laundry done.  I feel so much better mentally when it finally quits blowing and starts warming up. 

I noticed Fred Meyer has thir annuals on sale for $9.99 a flat.  I wasn't going to use annuals but I do need some color and I found a $10 gift Cert. from there that I thought I'd lost so might just go up there Mon. and take a look.  I think the sale starts tomorrow but the kids will be here all day and Freddies is in a town 20 mi. from here so will wait.

I need to get to gettin' and will try to come back later but....I don't always get here when I say that. So have a good day all.

Hello Jolynn & Barb,  I can't believe the NWestern's were here before,  I'm glad Jolynn can join us on the weekend post.   Jolynn, it is about 256 to the beach,  about a 5 hour drive, mostly interstates,  today's traffic was heavy, the annual Motor Cycle week was in Mrytle Beach and the Darlington race so that accounted for a large crowd.  Weather was very warm when we left this morning and we came home to very warm weather.

Barb, I'm so glad you are getting your exercise,   I havn't weighted and probably don't need to, and I know Viny far exceeded me on steps last week.  I think this is our last week away until fall so now I can get serious.  If I can work it out, I'm going to WW this week.  I'm fed up with clothes not fitting right.

I scanned yesterday's post but will go back and read later.   Viny, I hope you were able to get next week off to get some of your work done.  When in the world are you going to do with a garden that big?   Working that will drop the lbs.  I suppose we could all drive up for our veggies this summer.  Enjoy your week off

Shirley, how sweet of your doctor to not mention weight,  I'm glad she is encouraging you to have the knee checked.   You will probably do better to have it replaced now than  when you are older.  Don't put it off too long, listen to Verna.

Verna, you are a busy lady,  I read the things we need to do for a bathroom,   I'm going to think about these things.  I did ask for the wider doors. 

Maureen, have you started your garden yet?  I did hear that parts of the SW was having warmer days. 

Sue, those pickles you were talking about are from Mt. Airy, N.C., I think.  I'm not a big pickle fan, but like sweet or Claussen's if i eat one.  I do love beet and peach pickles though.

JoAnn, enjoy your DDIL's graduation this weekend and enjoy a nice meal with them.  I had to lol at the trips and their camera,  this will be interesting when they get the pictures developed to see what they have and how soon they earn money for the next camera.  It will be interesting to see who saves the most film for vacation.  

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY   To all my friends and Viny's Pat

Ok, time to finish unpacking and getting a meal together

Hello friends,

Wow, I can't believe I'm the forth one to post this late in the day.

Everyone must be busy doing yard work or planning Mother's day.

DD and I went to the DAWs bake sale this morning. I made a recipe from Reimans

"Lemon Bars". They are excellent. I made them using fresh squeezed lemon.

I made some for the Mother's day Bake sale at church tomorrow, too.

After the sale we went to Dons Nursery to buy the double Knockout rose to bush to plant in  front of the house.

I also bought some geraniums and blue saliva.

I'm getting started ~~at last.

I hope every one has a wonderful day tomorrow.

Shirley 

Good evening. I have been putting recipes on etools and enjoying that. I also did some yard work today and we took the Jeep in for the required emission test. DH also cut the grass and edged everything. When he came in I asked if he wanted to hire a lawn service, he said not yet.  The breast cancer walk is tomorrow morning then we are going to DD’s.

JoLynn, our weather is just like yours. We expect rain and wind tomorrow but we’ll walk anyway. Good luck with the bathroom project.

Barb, that’s a smart idea to bring in accent colors in the towels & accessories. I try to do that too after replacing some wall tile when I was tired of the color, what a mess! I decided to go with impatiens for my annuals, no deadheading like petunias. In previous years I spent about an hour everyday after work deadheading the darn petunias.

Marti, try the sugar free bread & butter pickles form Mt Olive. I found I like them better at room temp tho, is that safe? They are in the fridge now.

Shirley, I bet those lemon bars were fabulous with fresh lemon juice. People will probably fight over them!

I found a good site for restaurant point info. It’s easier to use than the WW books and gives points.

http://www.dwlz.com/restaurants.html

Happy Mother’s Day to all!

Have a great weekend, Sue

Hi - decided to check you all out and see what's been happening.   I have been outside all day working away.   I think I still feel awake enough to go out front and plant some annuals I have.

Peturnias are not getting planted in their usual spot this year either - they grow too wide and take over the walkway.   I'm putting lower growing plants and smaller - lobelia and some salvias behind them.   It is in a bed with a couple of roses and a few bushier plants, so it's only an accent, not the main focus.   I was able to work in all my fertilizer out front and get that watered in.   DH spent so much time mowing the back and edging - he's got to be a tired man.

I want some of Shirley's lemon bars, those sound so good.

Welcome back, Marti - I'm afraid you'll be tough on us now that you're hanging around.   I better shape up.

Sue, I remember that website (Dotti's weight loss zone), but since I lost all my favorites, now I have it again.

A VERY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OF OUR MOMS, GRANDMOMS AND ALSO TO VINY'S PAT.  HOPE YOUR DAY IS A VERY SPECIAL ONE.

We had a very nice day.  The graduation ceremony was so nice and when the trips were looking for their mom, I heard Dominic tell Gabi that their mom wasn't in this group because these were all of the artist and scientists and they had to wait for the school of nursing group to see their mom.  LOL  Oh, well, he was almost right. 

At dinner we toasted Judy for her accomplishment and then she turned around to toast us for all of our help with baby-sitting and said that she couldn't have done it without us, as her eyes filled up with tears.  I was very touched and it was all I could do to hold back a few tears of my own.  I have to give her credit, it had to be a real challenge to take care of being a wife, housewife, mother of triplets, active member of their church and prayer group and still be able to get her Masters.  She's been interviewing for several months now,  and announced at dinner that she accepted a teaching position at Notre Dame College and will also be working on a group research project.  She's very excited about the positions.  We're really happy for her.

We're taking my Mom out to lunch tomorrow so I hope the rain will hold off because she doesns't like going out when the weather is wet and windy now that she's using a walker.  She'll be getting company off and on all day, so that will make a nice day for her, now that she's more comfortable being at home.

JoLynn, your bathroom sounds like it will be so nice and with a heated tile floor.  When we put the ceiling light fixture in ours, I didn't think I needed the one with the heating element in it, and I've been sorry ever since wishing that I had gotten it.  Let us know what the designer says. 

Barb, your friend's house sounds really beautiful.   I like the lodge look if you have the type of house that you can decorate that way. it sounds like your weather was just perfect got getting outside for a while.

Marti, welcome back from vacation. So far Adam has the most pictures left for vacation. He's the conservative one.  Adam has to stay up on Sunday night till about two in the morning because he can only get 4 hours sleep the night before getting an EEG on Monday.  I gave him a game we have that he likes, to take home with him and told him he could call me on the phone at midnight, hoping that would help him stay awake.  He has had sever fainting spells.  They don't last long, but he just falls without warning.  They have checked his heart and now want to do an EEG.  The doctor doesn't seem to think there's anything to be too concerned about.  I hope he's right.

Oh, Shirley, Frank would absolutely love those lemon bars.  Lemon is his favorite flavor in any type of bakery.  I would love your recipe someday when you have time to type it. Your plants sound like they will be a pretty addition to your yard.

Sue, did you find it easy to use etools to get the points for your recipes?  That's one thing I'm looking forward to using again once I actually start WW.  I intended to start on Thursday, but was so tired at the end of the day, I didn't make it there. Thanks for the reminder about DWLZ.  That was always such a good site.

Maureen, did you know that the "wave petunias" don't need deadheading? The waves are best in hanging baskets, though.  They really grow beautifully.  I've never put them in the ground, so I don't know wht they do there. They make beautiful hanging baskets.

Well, it's the end of a long day, so I'm finally off to bed.  Back in the morning.  God bless. 

Jo Ann 

Hope you are all having a wonderful mother's day!   We have a beautiful day here.   It is also Antti's birthday.  He is working today, but will be home any minute.   Leo and I have done some yard work and gotten the big flower bed in shape and even planted.  Yesterday we did yard work at the cabin. 

We also had a nice walk to the Sibelius museum, where both of our boys work as guides in the summer.  It just opened, so Antti is working weekends until school is out.   Two retired home ec teachers run a little coffee shop there, and they make beautiful cakes.  You sit outside and have your coffee.  So Leo invited me there for my mother's day coffee.

I am going to look at my grades this evening and see if I can get motivated to start on that.  The part of teaching I hate most!

JoAnn, your DIL is really a super mom.  Good for her!

Blessings to you all on this special day!

lusi 

Good morning. The weather is so HORRIBLE that we didn't go to the walk. But the main thing was to raise money for breast cancer research and we already did that. Thank you to those who donated on my web page. It is so windy (gusts up to 40 mph) the new leaves are being torn off the trees and the rain is slashing at the windows, temp only about 46. I commend anyone who actually did the 3 mile cancer walk in this weather, an umbrella would be useless. Of course tomorrow will be 65 and sunny...it figures.

I wish we could plant our flowers now but it's too early for northern IL. Our average last frost is May 15 but I have seen frost on Memorial Day weekend.

OK, off to DD's now. The one who doesn't cook is making brunch. I think the fiance is helping her. Have agreat day, Sue

HAPPY MOM'S DAY FRIENDS.  I'M SURE OUR VINY WILL BE DOING SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR HIS LOVELY LADY.

Went to church this morning.  Hardly anyone there when the first song started and then the place filled up.  GD and her young man's family were all there with the baby.

The minister was talking about all Mothers have to go through to raise their children when a  little guy let out a big screaming cry  and his Mom had to take  him , screaming, out of the sanctuary.  Everyone started laughing at this timely young man's tantrum.  Pastor laughed and said, " He just made my point."

JoAnn, you must be so proud of your DDIL....in fact, the entire family.  I know she worked hard for her accomplishments.

My niece works at Notre Dame.  She did work in the same place as Lusi's friend which is the Newberry Library in Chicago.  Last year, she took a job at Notre Dame.  She bought a house there.  Boy things are sure a lot less expense there than here.

Maureen, I didn't do any yard work yesterday afterall.  Heather ended up here and I just felt she needed some one on one attention.  She wanted to spend time alone with her Daddy but he decided to work and then last night he sent her off with her sister and spent the evening with his GF.

Anyway, Heather and I shot hoops and did crosswords and puzzles. 

But I plan to go buy plants tomorrow.  Not sure what kind yet.  I forgot about all the dead heading with petunias.  Maybe grasses and geraniums is what  I'll get.  I love geraniums....Especially red and white ones. 

Whoops, Dh just said my timer went off so have to get off here. 

I'll try to come back.

Hello everyone...I never made it here yesterday.  Was sooo busy!!  We got the light kits changed out in the two purple bedrooms...and Shirley, we got the thingy that controls the fan speed so you can have the light with or without fan now!  When we took the old light kit off the fan in the office room, the fan was just gorgeous!  I can't even imagine why they used that ugly light!  And it gave out no light either.  Have a lovely new fixture in place and it works really well...lots of light there!  This room has a large tree in front of it that sort of blocks some of the natural light...it is just wonderful now.  Also put a light kit on the fan in the kitchen and relplaced the bulbs in the hanging light over the kitchen table...what a major difference...Shirley, it doesn't even look like the same room!  Emptied out the two large boxes left in my room and got all the extraneous bathroom stuff put away.  Really now all is left is getting the kitchen in better order and getting the remainder of the boxes unpacked.  Some of it is decorative stuff and some is utilitarian stuff...There's a couple of boxes of large framed pictures that need to get out and find a home.  I need to move the file cabinet and the hope chest to their new homes.  I still have NOT found the dang dishes.  Surely they are in the bottom of one of the kitchen boxes I have yet to tackle.  Either that, or they are just plain lost!  Tomorrow I will be calling Habitat for Humanity to come get the light fixtures etc...they have a resale store or could use them in the homes they build.  Also will call CCA to come get the old Roman shades etc....that should clean out the garage quite a bit.

DD invited me for homecooked brunch after church today.  I just got home.  She gave me some roses and an angel necklace.  She seems in better health and better spirits.  We talked a bit about her AADD...Adult Attention Deficit Disorder....and I've encouraged her to mention this to her doc...there is medine for that.  Also discussed that she probably needs a hobby of some sort...something that is repetitious but creative....to help her wind down in the evenings.  I am going to look at the craft stores for a latch hook kit where she could make a small rug or wall hanging.   She agreed that she needed some sort of wind down hobby.

It is hot and windy today....makes for a bad hair day...and mine was bad before I even left home!!  My magnolia tree out front is really full of blossoms that are half open...sooo pretty and smells so sweet. 

I think I am going to take it easy the rest of the day.  I was worn out last night...too tired to sleep well...but we were very productive yesterday.  Tomorrow I'll go to Home Depot and make a decision on the patio doors and get them ordered.  Then I'll get my lab work done and perhaps make a trip to Hobby Lobby for that latch hook kit....may even get me one! 

Guess I'd better go check out today's paper...the one from Sunday two weeks ago is still on the dining room table.  Happy Mothers' Day to all you lovely ladies and Viny's Pat.  Marti, glad you're safely home.  Jo Lynn, keep us updated on the bathroom.  Barb, did you send ME pictures of your friends' bathroom?  If so, I didn't get them...pebbles on the floor sound neat.  I'll check back later.

vammie

Happy Mothers Day to all my dear friends and Viny's Pat.   I just know Viny has done something special for Pat today.   Today has been a very restful day.  I didn't get my shower until afternoon and didnt get out to church this morning.   We had bad storms with lots of rain last night and a very cool day today.

Verna, I'm so glad you had Mother's day with your DD and I know you enjoyed it,  Rest this afternoon                                                                                                                       JoAnn, you have every right to be so proud of your DDIL,  What a wonderful accomplishment with all the other things that she is involved with and to have the Triplets to take care of. I'm so glad that she has found a job so soon.

Maureen, I agree with JoAnn, the wave petunia are wonderful,  I prefer the tidal waves since the grow larger, they do not require any deheading.  They grow very large in the ground in the southeast.  The first year I had one in the ground, it covered 15x18 space and I kept it trimmed back.  It was beautiful until late summer.  I use them on my deck where they can trail.  I saw lots of beds with them at the beach.

Sue, I'm sorry that you weren't able to walk but you are right, the raising money if the main event and you had already done this.  We just finished our relay for life last week.  Our church is very active in that.

I'm going to get the batteries in my camera so I can get a picture of the amaryllis.  I was pleasantly surprised,  I have a bed of red ones and a white one that I didn't know what color it would be.  All these are in the yard and now I have one in a pot all ready to bloom.  I'm going to transplant it to the yard when the blooms are finished.  Some do well in the ground here and some don't stand up to the cold winter.

JoAnn, here is a easy Lemon Pie that you might try for Frank

Lemon Pie

l (14oz) can Eagle brand milk

1(16oz) cool whip

1 (6oz) frozen lemonade

2 graham cracker crust

Blend together with mixer the eagle brand milk, cool whip and frozen lemonade.  Put in 2 graham cracker shells.  Refrigerate overnight.

Barb & Jolynn, I didn't intend to miss you.  Barb,  I had to lol at the baby crying at the perfect time.  What a wonderful Mother's Day you had with all the family at church with you

Jolynn,  hope you enjoyed the derby last night and have been able to rest today.  I found why we couldn't post on your post a few weeks ago.  I had my post typed, ready to send and at the bottom there was a block to check near the post and it said something to the effect that no one could post if you hit that.  I had never seen this before so I cleared mine and went back and started over,  this didn't show up on my next page, I can't figure how how it came up but I'm sure had I hit that it would have froze any further entries today.  Oh well,

Shirley, I hope you have had a nice day and I think FPat is at Lynn's and I wonder where NPat is this week.  Miss both Pat's

Good afternoon my friends,

Here is the link to the bake-sale lemon bars  http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Bake-Sale-Lemon-Bars

I stopped by to wish all the ladies Happy Mother's Day.

This has been a very peaceful day. Our church service was long because it included three baptisms. 

I took the lemon bars for the sale and came home with a cheesecake and some pecan bars.

I tried not to buy anything but just needed to support the ECW group. 

YDD stopped over after church and visited for a while. Her DH was busy doing his lawn service.

ODD is home with me. We expect her DD and DS to stop by later for dinner.

Phone is ringing again.

Catch you tomorrow.

Shirley 

Evenin' al....Happy Mothers Day..the children at church ths morning were handing out flowers and card to all the ladies as we came in..that was nice.

Just over a week till the cruise....I got my suitcase out and it's sitting open in the spare bedroom. It's going to be very difficult to work this week!

The kids' wedding pics are on the photographer's website, so if I don't get "real" pics this week, I'll send y'all the link and you can look that way...at all 16 PAGES of pics!!

Sounds like everyone is keeping busy. Y'all take care. Pat