Good Morning Swimmers, 10/25/13!!!

I don't think you can have "too much information" with this crowd - haha

Wow, so many responses- Hi gang!

Heather, you're such a good friend. I'll leave it at that.

Pats on the back mean so much, Kourtney. My previous ruled by intimidation, this one appreciates, It's a nice feeling, isn't it?

A new kitchen, Jen? Sooo cool. We put more into ours than any other area when we re-did and have never regretted it. We can actually do anything without bumping butts. Wait, what am I saying!!

Laurie- we're all so proud...

I guess I should have been a bit more modest, Carol, but I can't help it. After 44 years together I came home today on a Friday and just wanted to... well.

Kelly, A weekend at an Inn ... Vermont? So cool. Anyone who hasn't been in the Berkshires or Green Mountains, put it on your bucket list. I'm amazed, how did you score a reservation for leaf peeping, make it a year ago?

Jen & Laurie- I owe it to my wife and especially her Mom who let me in the door when there weren't many open to me in this town. She trusted me with her most prized possession, her daughter. Ahhh... too much info but somehow I'm comfortable here.

Maureen, stay with the weights, they work!

Gor- Don't spread yourself too thin

Carol- "...we are hopelessly in love and that's a nice place to be ; )" ,,,got that right.



Edited by: EASTENDCLAM at: 10/26/2013 (04:31)

Mimosas! Casie talking Martini's - haha.

Jen - I love the dress! It looks like it will be flattering on all different body types too! After ten years and still together it seems like you have figured it out. Both Tom and my parents were married for life, but my parents were very dysfunctional - haha, I used to say that together they almost made one whole person. It's true that if you know what you don't want, figuring out what you do want is easier. Our vows were about always working at keeping communications open and being actively supportive to each other...though truth be told, on our wedding day he did such a great job of telling me his promise that I totally lost it and couldn't speak my lines.

Blondie - A hike is such a great way to decompress, I hope you have a great one. You've got so many great places near you, too. Where are you going?

Kelly - Have a GREAT time at the inn - awww, so cute! Time will go quickly, I promise. People often say you're morning sick for three months, but it really typically isn't that long if you think about it. It usually starts a month or so in and almost everyone I know stopped having it after that third month. I had funny food aversions, but rarely had sickness so I was lucky with that. AND from the minute the little flutters and later kicks start...it's the most awesome thing, ever! Great idea to use the pregnancy as a reason to slow what you're doing on the weekends because once you have the baby you'll want that time for baby.

Maureen - At least there's no management meeting on Monday, so that helps! You're rocking your work outs and it's great that the diet is helping you feel good!

Goriana - I always feel that way too if I over book the weekend. I'm an introvert, so I kinda prefer less group stuff. Plus, I like time to myself on the weekends.

Laurie - Of course that's not horrible of you, you worked hard to pass that test. It's sad that they didn't and I'm sure they worked really hard too, but the test is not designed for everyone to pass.

When I was young I used to think that all relationship could work, if only people put enough work into them to make them work. Well, okay, I was only 17 when I fell for Tom, so I was perhaps a little naive. Over the years we've had friend couples that split up and a number of them were because one or the other took a different turn in life and was headed down a separate path. That's pretty hard to argue with. I'm just lucky that we are hopelessly in love and that's a nice place to be ; )

It's FRIDAY people!

Hey KKZMOM you snuck in while I was typing! Welcome to the team! Reading your home page I think you came to the right spot and here we are discussing our marriages and you did on your home page! See, we're a good fit for you. Come chat and get to know us, we love new people to join in!

Edited by: CALGALFOX at: 10/25/2013 (17:03)

hey all. brand new to this group, but not SP.

Mimosas! Hah! I've been thinking... I would really like to treat myself to another pedicure!!

Kourtney, I'm so glad you're finally finding some balance. Where are you hiking on Sunday? I do have another disc of Asylum to watch, as well as a new movie and a two books to read.

Jen, a juried art show? Cool! Good luck! I love that dress! Simple, yet elegant. Very pretty! I know you mentioned your colors in an earlier post, but I can't remember... what color are you choosing for the dresses?

Kelly, I thought I would cry and was surprised when I didn't. I feel for you on those morning nausea periods. The good news is that they often pass by the end of the first trimester. I know I felt great during my second trimester both times and not half bad during the last trimester, other than feeling big and wanting it overwith. But no sickness or anything like that. I hope that's how it works out for you! Happy, happy anniversary and enjoy your weekend away!

Maureen, ugh.... I hate having to fire people! Even though they bring it on themselves and they usually get plenty of warning, it's still horrible. You aren't doing it alone, are you? Cool that you're moving some stuff to Jacob's house. How close is he to where you live now? Glad your elimination diet is working for you!

Goriana, I hope you find some time for yourself somewhere in there!

I did swim this morning. I didn't feel pressured to do it; I just really wanted to go. So I went. It wasn't particularly long, or fast, or difficult. And I don't think I truly understood until this morning exactly how sane swimming has kept me for the last couple of years. I knew that it helped, because I would always feel better after a good swim, but today I was able to get in the water and my mind was completely empty. The water just takes all my stress and melts it away and I don't think I ever noticed it so completely before today. I guess I never had anything to compare it to. This felt soooo good, and so free, and so relaxing.

So.... yes, I am proud of myself. As bad as I feel for those other people, there's still some part of me that says "thankfully that's not me." Is that horrible of me?

It is interesting to hear about how Jon and Carol set such high standards for marriage and how your kids see that. I didn't set that kind of relationship standard, because we aren't together anymore, but I like to think that I (we) set a good standard for how to treat each other even if we can't stay together. We never treated each other with anything other than respect, and I also know that he would not allow anyone to say anything bad about me in front of my kids. Besides it isn't like I've been flitting from relationship to relationship; I was married for 17 years, and Dave and I have been together for almost 14 years. And I talked to my kids at length about my marriage and how we tried, but it fell apart anyway. They both now seem to have a healthy view of relationships. My daughter lives with her BF, but I don't see that there's any rush to get married, and my son hasn't had a girlfriend for several years. Neither one of them is a casual dater. (I really don't get the whole "friends with benefits" thing, do you? Seems to me like the quickest way to heartache.) Jen, even if you didn't have good role models for good relationships, you at least know what you DON'T want, so you will set your own standard, and you'll be good at it too.

Jen, that dress is so cute! I tried to choose something that my bridesmaids could hopefully wear again so they weren't spending the money for a one-time dress. What color are you thinking?

As for marriages, my parents and Jason's parents have both been married for almost 40 years, but I wouldn't look to either relationship as a model of a great marriage. My in-laws don't seem to like each other very much a lot of the time. My parents are so co-dependent and dysfunctional, it's ridiculous. So, I think it's good to see what you like in relationships and see what you don't like and then build your own. Since the two of you have been together for 10 years, it sounds like you've already figured a lot of that out. Not that Jason and I have a perfect relationship, but we respect and love each other and we're willing to work through problems.

Maureen, sounds like a rough day! I would send you a mimosa to take the edge off if I could ;)

Goriana, we have a very bad habit of overscheduling all weekend every weekend. I thinking I'm going to start using not feeling 100% with the pregnancy to make Jason slow the heck down and let us relax a little. I enjoy all of our activities, but sometimes I feel like I could use another weekend after the weekend!

Oh, what a good week on here. Congratulations Laurie!!!
And if your week wasn't great, it's FRIDAY and time to let go a little of the week's responsibilities and take it easy.

I have a few get togethers this weekend, and I'm kinda regretting accepting these invitations now. I have to be more careful and not schedule these kinds of things on both Saturday and Sunday. Oh well, I guess the weekend's chores can wait a week.

Enjoy a fabulous weekend everyone!

CONGRATS LAURIE!!!! I'm sooo happy for you!!!

Today is a hard day for me. I'm behind on a proposal but there have been so many issues at work I haven't been able to focus on it. Today I'm doing a termination and three suspensions. It's going to be a long long day....with again no time for my pet project. Sad! I have a few things to be looking forward too though like Casie coming back and Jacob moving into a new house! I'm going to move my basic apartment stuff to his house (kitchen stuff mostly) so I'm excite to start finally getting to settle in a bit into my lifestyle.

My elimination diet is going really well! I feel amazing. I have continued lifting weights and I feel strong and awake! I've been averaging pretty low calories so it's another indication that something in my diet was REALLY draining me. I'm not sure what that is yet, but we'll see when I start reintroducing.

Laurie I totally understand being exhausted, and sad about the others - but the test being difficult is why you were so nervous in the first place, take a breath and be proud of yourself, you did it :)

Carol I did find a very cute dress, it's a bit more expensive than I wanted though... blerg... cross my fingers for a sale or something. www.davidsbridal.com/Product_Sleevel
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It's interesting to me that you guys say your kids have really high expectations after seeing your own marriages... my parent's marriage fell apart with angry fervor, 14 years later they still don't interact very well, and I will probably never know what even happened to cause it. It made me feel very afraid of any perceived relationship problems, I'll be glad to go through the counseling with the reverend before the wedding - I hope I might gather some good perspective with it. Either way we've made it almost 10 years now, we did separate for some 4 months or so a few years ago during some growing pains shifting from highschool/college mentality to the 'real' world. I just hope we can be our own little shining beacon of relationship standards :-p

Laurie, I totally cried. And then I wanted a nap. You don't realize you've been holding all of this stress in you for 3 months until it's finally lifted.

Kourtney, sorry for the bad week. I hope you have a lovely restorative weekend.

Heather, that sounds like a good plan. You have someone to motivate you, but you're also responsible for your own success. Sounds like a good balance.

Maureen, congratulations on your studly strength training progress! That's so cool!

Jason and I are going to our favorite New Hampshire inn this weekend to celebrate our 6th anniversary. Tomorrow morning I'm getting a massage and tomorrow night we're having a fancy multi-course meal at the inn's fantastic restaurant. Everyone cross your fingers that my nausea will abate. It seems to be worse in the mornings and then wane as the day progresses, though today, I confess, I feel kind of awful. Slight headache and an uneasy stomach. I know it's for a good reason, so I'm trying to focus on that, and just getting through the first trimester.

Have a good day!
Kelly

I cannot believe I neglected to congratulate Laurie on here! Can you tell I must be exhausted?

Laurie - you are awesome and badass, and this is further proof of it. I am so proud of you. Remember - don't let others' hardships dampen your own joy. It's OK to be proud of yourself. You've certainly earned it.

As for exhaustion - I'd be exhausted too after the stress of that wait. Don't pressure yourself to swim - today should be focused on you! How about some AHS Asylum?? Or have you finished Ender's Game? What about a reading day with the pups and some coffee? You take care of everyone else all the time - let today be about you.

Hugs.

Laurie - Yes, CONGRATULATIONS! Exhaustion sounds right to me. After letting go of all the pent up emotions it makes sense that you are able to let go.

Jon - I know what you mean about modeling a good marriage. My daughter says she's hopelessly ruined for ever getting married or finding the perfect man. She says that having her father and brother be the best men she's ever met and seeing her father and I be so happy and supportive in our marriage makes it difficult for her to believe anyone can live up to those standards.

Jen - Did you find cute bridesmaids dresses?

Heather - Yeah, I never even considered that Laurie wouldn't pass, right?

Maureen - It is PERFECT and perfectly ridiculous to make Casie a silly, glittery sign! It's exactly Casie! ...and OMG she's already a terror with her new iPhone! Haha

Edited by: CALGALFOX at: 10/25/2013 (10:33)

Thank you thank you thank you! This is such a huge burden lifted. Thank you Heather for looking, and thank you all for your support!

It's funny, I got about 5 text messages and a phone call before I even saw the results, which Dave had pulled up on his computer monitor before I saw for myself. Plus Heather's message, and then texts from my old boss and a couple people I work with now. It's been a great morning, that's for sure.

A little sad though too, because there are at least 4 people whose names I was expecting to see on that list, and they were conspicuously absent, meaning they didn't pass. The pass rate for my school was 83%. Kinda tempers the joy a bit :-/

I really want to swim later, but right now I'm exhausted. Trying to anticipate how I might react, exhaustion was not a reaction I ever thought of. But I suppose it makes sense, a huge stressor lifted...

Wooo Laurie! I hope you are somewhere popping champagne corks!

I've got nothin that can beat that :)

Yesterday my friend was working on a curtain she was commissioned to make for a local business. The fabric had already been painted and she was working on putting some gathers in in and sewing the top seams to prep for hanging. I've been working on my little aluminum can lanterns and actually yesterday I spent most of the time looking for bridesmaid dresses... time consuming but necessary.

Today I'm waiting for the measure tech to come for the kitchen to take the final measurements for the cabinets and counter top. I'm off on a drive after that, I want to stop at the pool first but I need to take some artwork down to Havre De Grace Maryland for a juried show. I have no juried shows on my resume, and I've got a good chance at getting in to this one, so it's worth the 30 mile drive I suppose.

We had our first frost this morning... this cold weather stuff is getting real on me boo!

Hi all,
It has been a rough week. Thankfully, I've been rocking my job (and have been told as much by all of my bosses). But UGH I cannot WAIT for the weekend.

Mike and I are hiking on Sunday. We've both been doing nothing but work and sleep and been exhausted, so it'll be a nice breather.

I have to jump in the shower b/c I have to be in early for a case. xoxo

Good Morning!!!

Good news!!!! Laurie has been so stressed and was hoping someone else would check for her and I did and she PASSED THE BAR!!!!! I am SO HAPPY for you!!!!

OK, she already knows she passed, but I'm sharing it here!!!!!

What else can top that?! Not a whole lot!!! What a great week for our team!!!!

Have a FUN and ACTIVE day!!!!!!