General Diet Plans and Questions - Fall Plan - falling into patience

Welcome to our little corner of 3fc.

When you are as dense as I am (both literally and figuratively), you are learning the same lessons over and over. I thought I'd begin our fall plan thread with a couple of Dalai Lama quotes from my "The Path to Tranquility" daily wisdom book.

"Cultivating inner discipline is a time-consuming process. Having expectations of immediate results is a sign of impatience...."

"Time never waits but keeps flowing. Not only does time flow unhindered, but correspondingly our lives too keep moving onward all the time.

If something goes wrong, we cannot turn back time and try again. In that sense, there is no genuine second chance."

So those two quotes have been playing over in my head this week as I struggle with patience, regret, and finally hope and confidence that I can make a change.

Ledom. thanks so much like it. i loss 6 lbs this week. i was so happy with that. i hope your day is going good and yours to aleka. LaDean

LaDean, well I am happy for you to have that nice loss. I am sorry to hear you have been having such a hard time with an infection though. Here's wishing you a clean bill of health as the rest of your tests come in.

Another challenge tonight, the girls are coming over for an equinox celebration. Having managed to not drink at the last gathering I am not as worried that it will be a problem tonight. BUT, I must contain the food. I'll be eating a bar-b-q pork sandwich and cole slaw. Must eat only one and cut something else out during the day to compensate, wish me luck for tomorrow is weigh-in day.

TGIF!

ledom, I love the new Fall Title. Thank you for sharing the quotes. How true they are.

Just wanted to pop in to congratulate the both of you on your weight loss.
LaDean, 6 lbs. is fantastic!! :bravo: You must be so happy. Keep up the good work. Hope your infection has started to clear up.

ledom, I think you really found the "zone" :high: How did the equinox celebration go? I'm sure this time when you didn't have any alcohol was a lot easier. The first time is the hardest.

I also wanted to pop in to say good-bye. We're leaving first thing tomorrow morning. I will be able to check in, as my ILs do have a computer.

Take care and have a great weekend.

Hi, oh i know your going to have a fun trip aleka. does lacee go to??? i hope so. i am down another 2 lbs. this is 3 below goal. i have not been this weight since the 90's so i am a happy one. all reports are good. but trig are high and debetic. so work is out for me. i am in ratio of a could to be heart attack. so do not want that. my ultra sound came back good yesterday. so just got one test to come back the mammorgram. so i feel so good. infection is getting better. always takes awhile. well Ledom a fun nite for you. you always do so many fun things. you will do good i just know it. you did at last one and all. oh that sandwitch sounds so good and with the cole slaw. good luck to both of you and the new gal. LaDean

LaDean, yep, Lacee is going with us ;) After about a day of riding she won't be a very happy camper. I think the only reason my in-laws let us visit them is so they can see her. :lol: I have high triglycerides too plus high cholesterol. The Dr. has me on Lipitor. Glad that the results of your ultra sound were good.

ledom, I'm watching the WC. I see you could be in for some awful weather from Rita. Please stay safe. I'll be thinking about you.
Bye again!

Thanks Alice on wishes about the weather. Our weather is so hot and dry here that a break in the weather is very much hoped for - on the other hand 20" of rain is not what we had in mind. Let's hope that none of this will turn out as bad as it sounds now.

And you are so right on the easier not to drink second time around - it was so easy. We had a lovely time. One of my circle is the first grandmother among us and her daughter brought the baby (6 wks.) to meet us (the aunties) last night. My daughter was with as well. Just a very nice greeting of the season and a new little girl person. We are all nature lovers and enjoy celebrating the equinoxes, soltices, and full moons. We burned a smudge stick, sat outside on the patio and generally had a good time talking and listening to music.

Be safe on your trip. Be sure to check in and we look forward to having you back regularly.

Good morning LaDean, how was your weekend? Mine was uneventful. I stumbled on my eating a bit on Friday but was able to recover and ended up having a good weekend in that respect. Woke up weighing the same a Friday morning so I am happy about that and ready to lose some lbs. this week. Exercise has not faltered and I think it is making all the difference.

The weatherman is predicting fall like temperatures by the end of this week and I am really looking forward to that.

Ledom, hi well blew it this weekend. scales up some this am. do not like that. but will have to work at it. ha ha celebrated grandaughters 8th birthday yesterday and i had just a sliver of cake so that was good. but had subway sandwitches and i just over did. with my carbs. but hey off them few days and right back to schedule. glad your weekend was so good and your same andall. that is a great feeling to not have to lose and then lose after weekend. ha ha you are doing so good. proud of you. have a good and fun day... i am going to work at it hard rest of week. LaDean

Wow LaDean, I woke up this morning down 2 lbs. This is the overnight loss I have been dreaming of. We'll see if it holds! I am eating about 1300 calories a day and exercising 50 to 60 min. in the morning and taking a 20 min. walk in the evening. It looks like I have been losing about 1/8 lb. a day - until today of course.

Yeah holding the course is the challenge isn't LaDean. I think Friday's overindulgence was directly related to holding rein so tight the night before at our get together. Balance is not always obvious!

yehhhhhhhhh for you that is a great Loss. so happy you have found the plan for you and doing so good with it. you go girl..... my week has been good to. scales down this am also. we can and will do this... LaDean

Morning! How's everyone?

Things here are rocking along. Looks like I will maintain that 2 lb. loss through weigh-in day. I was hoping for more, but unless there is another big flush today, I don't think so. Anyway tomorrow will tell the tale. I believe I will make sure to drink a LOT of water today.

I have had some fantastic workouts this week. The new Oxygen magazine has a good shoulder routine which is divided into two days. I did the first half day before yesterday and I am still sore, will do the second half today. I did back yesterday and switched to some new exercises so my back and shoulders are feeling the effects of the last 2 days-in a good way of course. Still keeping with the daily 50 minutes of walking as well.

I am going to the farmer's market this morning for some winter squash. All the current magazines have recipes. I have been looking at them for the last month but they haven't tempted me too much. With the cool night we had last night though I believe I am ready. I have changed my menu up just a little this week. One does get tired of the same thing every day after a month or so!

Tuesday I visited work for an opening at the gallery. It made me nervous to go, but I felt very welcomed and like they missed me. I don't have plans to go back again until I have to though. My sabbatical is suddenly looking short. I have some serious work to accomplish in the next 3 months and must really start to descipline myself in that direction.

Alice, be sure to check in with us when you get a chance!

Ledom... so glad your day is looking good. i bet your down more and all. glad your liking your program and ex and all. it sure helps to like it i think. i loss .75 lbs last nite so a lb under goal. good for me. we are canning this am. went to store and got some things for plan. i am trying to plan my journal ahead daily and seems to be helping more. hey aleka yes when you can check in do.. miss you... glad your day at work place was fun and all. have a good day. LaDean

Planning your menu ahead of time is a good idea LaDean. I am not doing that very formally, but in the morning I go over in my head what I'll be eating during the day and that helps.

The people w/ acorn squash weren't at the farmer's market this a.m., but I found some other good things. I bought from the "hippie" vendor today. He had salad greens with herbs and edible flowers, mung and pumpkin sprouts, and these flax seed crackers. He also had a beautiful basket of little tomatoes so I bought those too. My salad today was different and delicious. Another vendor had new crop golden delicious apples. They are the best ever. I microwaved one this afternoon for a couple of minutes, added cinammon and vanilla and cottage cheese. Boy was it good, as good as butternut squash and easier. I am regretting that I didn't buy more - I'll try to get back for more on Sat. morning.

Ledom. the apples sound so good. my friend fixed them like that and said oh so good. i got to get some and do this. oh glad your day has gone good. yes i try to figure out what i want to eat for the day. today has been a to many carb day. but had some fresh homemade relish from neighbor and of course had to have hotdogs. haha oh well out of mind and thought. so tomorrow a new fresh day. get with it and stick to it. ha Hope aleka is having a ball. hope she gets near a computer while gone. i got some cottage cheese today to. cut up some cukes for tomorrow. if i prepare them then snack on them. Oh my the salad sounds so good and different. i love getting different things and all. i wanted spinach in lettuce today but out of it.. have a good tomorrow. LaDean

Well, I lost my 2 lbs. this week. I am down 2 1/2 really but can't show it on the ticker. I lost 10 lbs. for the month which is just right. I'll take it.

YEHHHHHH FOR YOU. I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU. JOB WELL DONE. YOU GO GIRL. LaDean

Thanks LaDean - it feels so good to be losing. This morning I did a yoga tape, just didn't feel like weights and tread. I am so glad I did, the tape is pretty difficult and it was an opportunity to stretch some really tight muscles + use/test some of the strength I am trying to develop. It must become part of the routine because it completes the routine. I'd like to shoot for twice a week. Thinking I might double my walk tonight just to make sure I get in enough cardio to keep the scale on my side!

Good for you. doing great there and i am so glad. i just walked beau this am. so never got any rain. that was good. nice and dry. i do not mind it but do not wanthim sick. I am really sticking to plan to. so have a good day. LaDean

Glad you are really stickiing to your plan LaDean.

My weekend has been good so far. Another night with the girls and no empty calories to report. Yesterday I picked up litter at the lake I paddle on so that was a bit of a workout on my rest day. I picked up 8 bags of trash and had to carry them a good ways. There were hotdogs for the participants and I had one. I planned for it all week. One hotdog and a handful of chips - so not a "diet" meal but one where I was really concious of portion control and it was a real treat. Didn't gain from it - didn't lose either.

Anyway, today I am back to it. Working legs and cardio today. I have to report on that yoga video I did. I am STILL sore from it. From top to bottom. When something makes you that sore, it has to have done you some good!

I am going to grill a pork loin this afternoon, it has been marinating since last night.

Ledom. your doing so good. i am so happy for you. yes i am trying got to get the rest of this wt off for sure. only I can do it.. I was sick yesterday so never ate much did not stay down what i did eat. this am better some. but scales are wayyyyyy down so its a careful day today to.. got to stick to that. ha ha your exercise sounds interesting different kinds and all. i got to get variety in mine when i get over this darn cold. i plan to. coming in and seeing how exciting yours is makes me want to get with it. had line dance last nite. so funn and i did good. till break and over did little bit not feeling good. so jsut sit and watched was not that long lefted. Hey my reno trip is in plans got it official now. go the 17th so that is something i look forward to. ha ha fun with sister in law our annual trip. well have a great day now. LaDean

Hey LaDean - wondered if you might already be on your trip. The 17th is the full moon. I have a camping/paddling trip planned for the 17 & 18 on the islands with a great paddling buddy that comes down once a year to do this. She is a naturalist - supervisor of a nature center and is so much fun because she knows so much about the things we see.

Well, I did shoulders earlier and I don't think I'll do cardio today until my evening walk. I can tell my right knee needs a break. Line dancing sounds like fun, I'd like to try that sometime.

I am retaining water this week, just one of those things. I am not expecting too much weight loss due to that, but next week watch out. I am refreshing my thoughts on being patient with this process because what choice do I have? It is going to take me a long time to get where I want to be. Also thinking about adding variety to workouts and menu. I don't want to get stuck in a rut.

Actually I am going to be camping this weekend as well. Fall is the best camping weather where I live. Food will not be as controled as I'll be with a group and sharing food. I have to really put some thought into how I am going to control my intake. And ACTUALLY I'll be camping mid week as well. I have 3 seperate trips planned that all run together more or less. It will be a challenge but the one constant will be a lot of paddling and probably some walks as well. Food - as I said I have to put some thought into this.

Looking forward to a trip report Alice. Hope you are having fun.

Morning. Well just finished a pretty good workout. I did shoulders 2, and 30 minutes on the treadmill. After my light workout yesterday morning I tried to make up for it last night. I did an abs yoga tape and walked a mile. For some reason I shortchange abs when I workout - the yoga tapes seem to give a good core workout so I am going to keep that in mind and try to work them in more often. I have a couple of 30 min. tapes and they really do go very quickly.

Busy in the darkroom for the rest of the day.

Morning Ledom. good for you. your doing so good. i love coming in and seeing how good your day is going. gets my day on good start. Hey last nite at tops i loss another week 3rd one in roll. loss 1.50 and i am lower then i have been in 14 years. i am so happy with me. do not want to get above in that 10 bracket again. so going downnnnnnn all the way to new goal now. i feel so good. yes know what you mean. my abbs are where my wt lies. so i need to buckle down and get back to my abb machine i use. so thanks for the daily reminder. it helps. i just got in from walking beau. early so good one. kinda nippy out there but i love it. sun is peaking through. getting ready to do some tomatoe juice today. those little tomatoes are still turning color out there. so neat. ha i am so thankful rash has gone away and i can eat them again. before they were all done. yehhhhhhh i feel so great today and sounds like you do to.
I hope your having a fun time and trip Aleka,... missing you lots.. LaDean

Hey LaDean, yeah I know what you mean about inspiration. I look for it and take it anywhere I can find it. DD and I ate out last night and I really worked at keeping what I ate to a reasonable amount. But, you know, I guess there is more sodium and calories than the normal supper I prepare at home. I am hopeful for a loss tomorrow but this might be one of those weeks where I stay the same. If that is the case, and I know I am obsessing a little bit, I just need to be grown up about it and realize the only thing to do is to keep on keeping on. I have decided I am vain about my arms. They are really responding to the workouts I have been doing and I am always happy when it is arm or shoulder day. Maybe it is a southern thing - it is impossible not to go sleeveless here in the summer. Maybe a gravity thing too - I'd say the top of my body looks better than the bottom. All the fat and cellulite seems to pool at the bottom!

Anyway, good for you!!! I am working hard to get to my low (about 6 more lbs.) and then there is no looking back. You are there now - that is wonderful. I think our motto here should be, lose it once and be done with it. I am so sick of relosing weight. I am through with that!

Just came on to shove the ticker down a pound for this week. Seems like I fought tooth and nail for that pound too!

Ledom,. good for you. your doing so good. i am so happy for you. i get inthusium from your doing good. thanks. i have had a good day. i added to my calories figured that way not hungry and wanting to snack. so seeing how it goes.. how many calories do you go for a day???? i think i will start at 1800 now. at my wt i have heard its a good amt to go for. so will see. can always drop some if not.. I walked this am. got other to do this evening. i may even practice some line dancing. hubby is gone for while so i like music Loud so go for it then. ha ha then got my abb's and my ex bike to get on to. so all in all its been a good day... have a good weekend. LaDean

Morning-Well I survived the weekend w/out a gain. Barely! Today is wild too - won't have a chance to workout as I have a busy out of town day planned. BUT, today will be low-cal to make up for high-cal yesterday. I'll be able to get back into my routine tomorrow. Camping was lovely, the weather was perfect and I got to be with good people. Hope you had a good weekend everyone.

Hi, so glad your weekend was so fun and nice. sounds like it. so glad you were not up this am. well i made up for the both of us. as my rings are tight so water i guess. but i am up couple lbs. did not over do guess the carbs. those get me all the time. all in hall a good weekend. so today a new day and going for it. monday i leave for trip so excited. still in the tomatoes. 3 batches of juice today. you would think its just the peak of season. ha ha the weather. warm nites still and not to awfully cold. oh well taste good this fall. have a fun day.

Aleka,..... hey hope your trip i going good and fun. know it is. mising you. LaDean

Morning LaDean, Alice (?),

LaDean I bet you are starting to get ready for you trip. Have fun!

Alice, where are you? I hope you haven't got stuck in the floods!

All is well here, but I didn't lose any weight this week. :-( I just have to accept it I guess but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't dissapointed. I am still on track with my diet and exercise - my period is late and I am blaming it on that. It is right now I am having to dig my heels in and stay the course. It is so much easier when you can actually see the results of the hard work! Yesterday I was down a 1/2 lb. for the week but it disappeared overnight. So maybe next week I'll get to shove the ticker down some more. Of course I am hoping for a BIG shove too.

Take care and have a good weekend everyone.

Good morning,

Sorry I've been MIA, but I've had nothing to report. I'm trying to get back on track after vacation, and I'm not having very good luck so far. The other morning I did go to the local mall to walk. I did 2 laps around the mall which took me 1/2 hr. I haven't been back since because these last few mornings I've had appts. and I have 2 appts. next week, 1 on Mon., and 1 on Tues. So, after that I'll go back to the mall and start walking again. On Mon. I'm having a root canal....Oh, joy! I have a tooth that is dying.

We did get out of New England before "the rains". The SW part of NH got hit pretty hard. There have been quite a few casualties. Luckily my friends and family aren't in that area of the state, but they had their own set of problems.

ledom, I'm sure your slow loss is due to your TOM. You'll see a big loss once you get it.

LaDean, you must be so excited about your trip. Have a safe trip and a wonderful time.

Enjoy your weekend, ladies!

Aleka, oh so neat your back. i have truly missed you. glad your vacation was a nice one. so happy your friends are not in the flooding area and all. i feel for all the people. its so sad. yes i am all excited. just few days now. can hardly wait. my daughter went and got me alot of new clothes to take. shes so sweet in that way. so now no problem of trying to figure out what to wear. its all there. ha so that was easy. i have been sticking to my plan. going to take my food journals along with me. found one that dr. phil has and i love it. takes time as have to figure or i do it all. but that is ok not eating then. just trying to eat what i want really now and watch the portions. since a debetic alot to understand and new to me. but getting more each day to remember of it. ha i rode ex bike 2 miles this am already. have started th e line dancing. 5 of us gals going dancing saturday nite. our teacher is there and another gal who teached us before. so nice fun and we love it.. we are car pooling so is nice. its a good exercise for sure. then alot of walking from monday till thursday in Reno. we are not renting a car this time. so i plan to get lots of exercise. then theres a fitness center in one of the casino's so may look it over. ha ha well hey you will get back to your plan and all. we always do. that is the most important thing we move forward and not backward. so go for it girl..you can do this. have a great day.

Ledom. hey girl you will get there you know it. mother nature does take her place at times. but we can move on. forward and that is the best. i do not have that anymore but there is times i still retain water. this week was one of them. got to many carbs in.. i gained 4 lbs but i am still in my leway so that helps me alot. have a good day to both of you. LaDean

Monday morning hi. hey girls i will be leaving at noon today. so talk to you thursday evening when i get in or friday am. have a good week now. i am taking my food journal with me and going to be a good girl. so now that is thinking right? ha my beau knows something is going on. ha ha but he gets so much love and is spoilt so he will be ok. first time leaving him though. haha well you 2 have a good day. LaDean

LaDean - have a marvelous trip. We'll miss you.

Alice, glad to have you home. How was your trip?

Last week I had such a hard time getting off square one. Not just weightloss but everything I put my hand to. I was just slogging through. I am hoping for a better week this week. I feel good this morning.

I have to admit to some frustrated eating this weekend, so not what I needed to do. Hopefully all is under control now. The good thing is that there is/was absolutely no junk food in the house. DD is even complaining about it. Just the way it needs to be though because what was minor could have been major given the opportunity.

I am up a couple lbs. this morning and this after several weekends of holding my own. I will not succumb to that as a way of life again. I screwed up, but it isn't what I want for myself. Will dust off and get my act together.

Reminder to self: My pet peeve is relosing weight. I have spent a lot of time doing that and I am through with it!

Morning,

Just an update to say hi and report that I am down 1 of those lbs. I gained over the weekend. I felt much stronger in my resolve yesterday. I am really hoping for a good loss this week. At some point I will need to reevalute my weighing behaviour. Some times weighing daily is a good thing, some times it is not. Like when I am working hard and not losing I have a hard time accepting it. Intellectually I understand, emotionally I do not. I bought a handheld calculator for bodyfat a couple of weeks ago so now I have another simple way to measure as well. I have lost 1 % bodyfat since purchasing it.

I have a love hate relationship with diet coke. Sometimes I give it up completely, sometimes I moderate my consumption and sometimes there is no moderation. I have reached that point now and don't feel right about it. For one it keeps me from drinking enough water so today I am going to start working on that. More water!

As the last few days I have been so much more hungry I added a little extra chicken breast yesterday and it seemed to do the trick.

If only the periods of time when I am in the zone could last forever! It is inevitable to have a fall, for me anyway, but hopefully I have put this current rough spot behind me.

Quick morning update - and yes I realize I seem to be talking to myself here. Body seemed to finally let go some water weight. I was down all my 2 lbs. + 1 this a.m. so am hoping for a very nice loss by Friday. At least encouraged to stay the course.

Sounds like you're doing great, ledom, Keep up the good work. :bravo: I'm still plugging along. I'm in the midst of dentist appts. this week and thankfully today is my last one for a couple of weeks. Had a root canal done Mon., cleaning on Tues., and today the tooth will be prepped for a crown. We're on pins and needles around here to see what Wilma is going to do. We're getting our supplies tomorrow and getting both our cars topped off with gas, plus gas for the generator. Keep your fingers crossed she misses us.
Hope your day is a good one.

OMG Alice - I didn't even think about you in regard to Katrina! Yes, my fingers are crossed and I will be watching with closer attention. I know you said before, but what area of Fl. are you in?

Poor baby, that sounds likes way too much dentist time to me. I know you will be happy to have all that work done.

Like your new ticker!

Hi ledom,
We're in SW Florida, about a 2 hr. drive, give or take, south from Tampa, and about 1 hr. drive north of Ft Myers. We're not very far from Punta Gorda where Hurricane Charley landed.
I don't know if I'd want to do have all my dental appts. 3 days in a row again. But, it's all behind me now except for getting the permanent crown, which I'll get in 2 weeks.

Hey and getting the permanent crown is a piece a'cake after the temporary gets done. I have a dentist phobia so I can relate to the horror of 3 days in a row. Glad it's over. Dang, I'm watching that hurricane for you.

Have you watched The Biggest Loser on Tues. nights? I am really enjoying it.

Have a good day - wonder if LaDean is winning a bunch of money!

Join me in remembering to drink a lot of water today.

Morning-

I had the best supper last night. I made turkey meatballs from the EFL cookbook. Instead of breadcrumbs I used oatmeal that had been blended. I used tomato sauce that I made this summer and had frozen and I ate it on spaghetti squash. I had broccoli on the side. Very yummy.

I hadn't counted my calories for a while so I wanted to do a check. I used fitday and my calories came in at about 1350. I am happy with that. In honor of weigh-in day I did a little extra cardio yesterday and was happy to be down 1 and 3/4 lbs. this morning. I hope this is an indication I am on my way down again.

On the news here last night it sounded as though Wilma might weaken before it gets to you Alice. Is that what you are hearing?

ledom, congratulations on your weight loss. :high: You're really doing fantastic. I've put oatmeal in meatloaf and it was really good. I've also used crushed Shredded Wheat 'n Bran, or regular Shredded Wheat for bread crumbs.

DH & I have been watching the WC to see what Wilma is going to do. She has slowed down and now they don't know when she'll hit FL or the intensity. We don't live in an evacuation area since we live farther inland.

Hope your day is a good one.

Hi, no LaDean never won a bunch. but won to play on. never spent all i took so that is great for me. I had fun that is what i go to have. ha we had good trip going and coming. have a 2 hour drive when we get back to airport. it was good. just perfect trip. we got in there monday nite at 6pm and ate , I was real good. then we started and we were up till 7 the next morning. i tell you just lose track of time when having fun. ha ha our room was on 5th floor so that was good. i hate the high ones. i was ready for a fun one and had it. was up only 2 lbs this am. got up had my walk with beau and good one. then canned 3 batches of tomatoe juice. picked what was out there. then its up with plants and tomorrow the garden is going to be plowed under for the year and all the top soil and we put mint on it for fertizler. so its done for the year. we was blessed for sure.. so now i can get into the kitchen first from one end to another. then rest of house. always get that done. then ready for crafts and all for winter. got wood in to. so we are ready... I am so glad Ledom your losing wt and your meals sound good. yes i have made it with oatmeal.. its good but hubby likes it without. I treated myself wed nite to snack. the only nite. so i was happy with me. aleka glad all is going good your way and all. good luck to both of you. have a good week. LaDean

Hey LaDean, it sounds like you managed Vegas perfectly coming home with money and all. So glad you had a good time - sounds like a blast. You also sound like a busy bee with putting your garden to bed. This is my very favorite time of year. We are still in a major drought here and are finally cooling down. After a small taste of cool weather a few weeks ago we are finally experiencing fall weather. But we really need a rain though still none in sight.

I had so much fun last night. My town hosts a documentary film festival and the opening night featured a documentary about the bluegrass band Big Smith. After the film they performed a 3 hour concert on the patio of the Beer Garten next door. The couple I was with and I stayed until the very end. There was much stomping, hootin' and hollerin' and everyone had a great time. It was well attended yet at the same time it was a small venue and not overly so. People kept buying me beer and I just held onto it until they finished theirs and then handed mine over to them. I am still a little amazed at how well giving up this particular habit is going. I know I had just as much fun and I was so pleased when I weighed less this morning than I did yesterday! I think I burned a few calories just tapping my foot and having fun.

Hey LaDean, it sounds like you managed Vegas perfectly coming home with money and all. So glad you had a good time - sounds like a blast. You also sound like a busy bee with putting your garden to bed. This is my very favorite time of year. We are still in a major drought here. After a small taste of cool weather a few weeks ago we are finally experiencing fall weather and it is most welcome. But we really need a rain though none is in sight.

I had so much fun last night. My town hosts a documentary film festival and the opening night featured a documentary about the bluegrass band Big Smith. After the film they performed a 3 hour concert on the patio of the Beer Garten next door. The couple I was with and I stayed until the very end. There was much stomping, hootin' and hollerin' and everyone had a great time. It was well attended yet at the same time it was a small venue and not overly crowded. People kept buying me beer and I just held onto it until they finished theirs and then handed mine over to them. I am still a little amazed at how well giving up this particular habit is going. I know I had just as much fun and I was so pleased when I weighed less this morning than I did yesterday! I think I burned a few calories just tapping my foot and having fun.

Hi, it was reno i went. like it better not as big. yes its good to always have fun. i need it so often. hey your nite sound so fun to. i know we can still enjoy fun our ways can't we. and then for scales to still be down always helps. mine was up only 2 so working to get that off by wed. i hope to. Yes got the garden put at rest now. got it plowed under this am and all ready for next year. hope we are as blessed with another good one then. hard work and not my love. but hubby loves it so i share and something to do together. make it fun. so thankful we are so blessed with health and all and can do it. we give alot to friends and neighbors sot hat makes us feel good to. nice out and sunny again today. rain they say is on way. had a nice walk this am. want to get in more exercise today..and start it daily again.. last of tomatoes so will have time for my thing. ha ha Glad your day is going good

Aleka, i forgot to also that your in florida. hope all is ok with you and all. i hate going to dentist to.. hope lacee is ok. beau is doing good.

Have a GREAT day to both of you. LaDean

Alice, Just wanted to say I am thinking about you this morning and post to let us know how you are when you can.

Hi ledom & LaDean,

Hurricane Wilma is over, except for some gusty winds and all is well. We're even seeing peeks of the sun. We were on the north side of the hurricane which had the least amount of destruction. We're about 80-90 miles to the north from Naples. To the south of us is another matter. We are very fortunate that we haven't lost our electricity....yet, anyway. The temp has dropped considerably, it's almost 60° and I'm freezing. :)

ledom, thank you for thinking about me.

LaDean, glad that you got back safely from your trip and that you had such a good time.

Have a good day.

Aleka, so happy that no destruction your way from the storm. was thinking about you and lacee for sure. i know its so sad the things it does to people and all there things. i think of them in prayer.. so sad... yes had a fun trip. ready for another one. talked to my friend this am. she loss her hubby 3 years ago. use to go to reno lots the 2 of them. so i know she misses it. shes almost like a sister to me. so i mentioned today lets go this spring. she loved the idea and will even drive. said she loved the drive and always enjoyed it. so i said ok i am for it to. so now 2x year vacation. haha hubby loved the idea to as hes a home body person. so if i go keeps me in a good mood. ha ha garden is over and all plowed under for the year. so we were truly blessed this year. all ready for winter now. has been so nice and warm here. love it. rain is on way it feels. i got line dance tonite so anxious for good work out. had a walk with beau this am. also got on exercise bike and rode it 5 miles with alot of moment with arms and music on ears. ha ha so worked up a good sweat... felt so good. then eating is good to. gained 3 lbs gone. but want to get it back off. felt like that was not much at all. Hope all is going good your way to... have a good day now..

Ledom. hey hope all is going good your way. you always have fun alot it seems. that is good. have some for me. haha LaDean

Morning LaDean and Alice. How's it going? This has been a busy week. My mother had cataract surgery on Wed. and is doing fine from it. She can already tell her vision is better which is great. I have been busy working and working out and the week just flew. I am starting to prepare for my next and last trip of my sabbatical. I will be leaving on Nov. 12. I am really excited to get to go back to New Mexico.

I have been doing a new workout this past week that seemed to shake my weightloss up again. 2 lbs. for the week which thrills me, it has been a while since that happened. I hope to reach my tracker goal by the end of Nov. May be a challenge with travel coming up but I will have a kitchen where I am staying so I should be in pretty good shape to keep up my diet.

Hope all is well with you both and have a great weekend.

Ledom. hey your trip as usual sounds so fun and all. I know you will do good. your with your program now and all. if we jsut keep working at it things will be good. i finally got mine all figured out now. this week is going great. doubling up on exercise also. have already this am rode ex bike 3 miles. did 6 miles yesterday and a walk and my abb thing. so trying to keep variety in it. seems to help me. not get so bored with it. my eating is going good to. got the old measure cup out and using it faithful. and you know i feel full. that is good. scales are going downnnnnnn so love it to.. have a good day and weekend the both of you.. LaDean

Morning all - how's it going? All is fine here and not much new. I am up a 1/2 lb. over the weekend. I know why too! On Friday I had a few treats but back in control on Sat. I think I'll be ok for the week. Happy Halloween and stay out of the candy!!!

Ledom. hey same here i am up about that to. i over did it this weekend with some snacking. but today a nice day. got line dance tonite.. so that is good. then i rode exercise bike 5 miles this am and walked beau a mile. so i got that all done. eating has been good. got with my plan so doing good. glad you are to. aleka hope all is good your way to. take care and HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO BOTH OF YOU. LaDean

Good morning, Did you guys have trick or treaters? After a month without one rainfall, it rained last night and we had none. Now I wish I hadn't bought candy. I'll bag it up and hide it from myself until I can find someone to give it to!

Hope you had fun last night LaDean.

How's it going Alice?

Hi , yes had fun last nite at dance. we had learn a fast one. just for fun he put on the fastest tune to it. i did it all the way. so happy with me. had a good work out for sure. and learn a new cute dance. which each week we do. i felt so tired later but a good tired. have been good today. but got into the halloween candy was not as good as you. we only had 31 kids not that many at all. daughter gave them lots. as she got for lots and so stormy and all not that many. so glad she gave them lots. hope aleka is having a good week and glad you are. have a good tomorow. LaDean

Yeah, well I had a candy "accident" too. But it is gone now - given away. I took a nap yesterday and when I woke up the first thought in my mind was "h" candy. It took me a little bit to regain my control. I skipped supper as I had already had my calories in chocolate and you know that is no way to live. Was very relieved not to see that I gained overnight. Hopefully it won't catch up with me on weigh in day. Otherwise all is well. I cooked last night as I had run out of everything I had made up. I made more turkey meatballs and healthy chili. I am set for another week now.

Hi, i also had a candy accident. ha haha guess i am a kid when it comes to halloween. ha ha but back on track. had tops last nite and loss 1.75 lbs this week and in leeway. so that is good. exercise is great adding to each day. already this am did my 5 miles. yesterday was 7 miles and a good walk. this am raining hard so no walk with beau yet. but watching and when i catch a minute its out for us. ha but a stormy day is suppose to be. so will try.. if not will get back on the ex bike. ha You have a great day now. its a new one given us. so i try to give all i got. ha ha have a good one/

Aleka...... Missing you girl... hope all is fine your way. hope to hear from you soon... LaDean

Hi LaDean, great job with your walking. You are racking up some miles. Where do you walk?

You might remember a vendor I mentioned earlier that I met at the Farmer's Market. Now that the F.M. is over for the year he is making home deliveries. He bags the most fabulous greens and he and his wife makes these flax seed crackers. I am not sure how but the base seems to be egg white to hold them together. They are basically just seeds. Anyway he made his first delivery today and also brought a sample of a salad dressing they are making. These are really "health nut" type people so even though I don't know the ingredients I suspect nothing bad in it. It tastes very nutritious and not oily or creamy but thick still. Next time I"ll ask the ingredients, I suspect some ground nuts and herbs and spices. Anyway kind of interesting and I did have a great salad for lunch.

Yes Alice, hope all is well with you. Do stop in and say hi if nothing else. I miss your posts.

Hi, oh that sounds so neat and good. i love different things to. yes might be a good idea to know what is in them. but i would not question it either. is ncie they do it. we give so much of our gardens away of year. people are so thankful to get it. i just walk in my neighbor hood. beau has his special little walk. but i want to start me walking out in it of evening to. as i would get more of a work out. ha ha he has learn to be a walker now and not a puller.ha ha so is a nice walk. ha i have my ex bike to and a abb thing and cardio glider. so tapes to. need to get with it all. your doing so good. i sure miss aleka hope shes back soon. well glad your day is going good. LaDean

I do like the idea of eating locally grown food, I want to support these guys so they'll keep up the good work.

I am really happy with my new exercise plan and think it is really making a big difference for me.

Will be headed to N.M. a week from tomorrow and have so much to do this coming week to get ready.

Morning, you always have such interesting trips and all. fun to i know. sounds like it. glad for you. yes we love fresh garden foods to.. wish someone was here like that to get from. but all gone for another year. ha ha yes your ex plan is doing its thing. you go girl. its great for you. i feel better doing mine more. oh scales up some this morning. the candy. so its up and away. no more. the stew to. it sometimes makes me gain. so today back to my vegies and fruit... have a good one...LaDean

Hi LaDean, I have had some really nice trips this year. This, I am afraid, is the last for a while as soon I'll be going back to work and do some serious paying off the credit card bill before entertaining more thoughts of travel. No regrets at the debt, but must realize the season for traveling is just about over for me for now.

DD and I are going shopping today. Ooops, more money required. But I am looking forward to it. DD moved out about a week ago, not far, just to my mothers. It has really been good for all of us I think. I know I sure enjoy her company more when I am not living with her and suspect she feels the same. We are at that tricky part of letting go of the child/adult relationship.

Well, see you later. Have a good weekend everyone.

Hi,well you have had alot of fun with your trips. is good to get things paid and all then go for it again. ha ha good time of year to do that then when weather is nice you will be ready to go again. ha ha i love to go. do not go all that much. but going to check into some trips the seniors take. and may go on some of them this fall. there fun. i have a friend who goes a nd we have a ball. glad things are working out for you and your daughter. it helps to be away for while at times. my day is going good. you have a good one. LaDean

aleka aleka. oh my where are you girl.... come back soon miss you..

Morning LaDean, Alice? I am feeling really good about the last couple months. I am starting to have fun going through my closet trying on things that I haven't worn in a while. I love getting to that point. I am finally wearing my 501 Levis that I bought a couple of years ago as goal pants. Feels great to wear them.

Hope all is going well with you guys.

Ledom.... YEHHHHHHH CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.... oh i know how you feel. i did the same way... at moments i could not tell that i had loss. but then i got pictures out to and oh my i could see it. what a great feeling to get into your jeans. great..... i know its fun to do that. now all my things are big and oh a great feeling as i still wear alot of my dresses to church, all tie backs so is fun to tighten that belt on them. love it. and have them not fit tight. ha ha oh aren;t we doing good. its fun to have a good friend like you and alice to work with this. and i am on several boards to. i love coming to them and sharing. that helps me alot. I got up early this am it was frosty out we had a hard freeze . so i rode the exercise bike 7 miles. layed back down with beau as knew it was to cold for his little paws. he got a new jacket so cute and he loves getting it on. anyhows got up and sun had peaked out so we had our walk. oh fun... i am going to do more tonite to. trying to exercise more and cutting carbs way down again and calories. gee keep it up girl.. Hey alice get back in here with us your truly missed. hope your ok... keep up the good losing LaDean

Hey LaDean, you'll have to buy Beau some little booties. Have you seen those for pets? We haven't even had a frost yet. It has been in the 80's this week, just too warm for this time of year! And still no rain. I know it is going to be cold in N. New Mexico - I am even hoping that I'll get to see some snow while I am out there.

Have a good day. Time for my workout.

Ledom. no have not seen them. will have to mention them to daughter. shes the shopper in family. haha cute idea yes. as we slept in this am or layed back down till it warmed up. sun is out now. but another frosty am. not as bad as one yesterday.. Oh your trip sounds fun. hope you get to see the snow. we just have to drive 2 hours and its there. and ocean is the other way 2 hour drive. so right in middle . oh it has been nice there. i know tennessee friend said its like that there to. we have had storms for few days. and now nice and cold and rain on way tomorrow. i am waiting till this freeze to get dalias up out of ground. but there still green. so will wait awhile yet. there the only thing outdoors that needs attention now. course leaves yes but waiting till wind is done for while then get them up. keep them off sidewalk and street gutters. so is good exercise. ha ha Oh glad your day is going good. mine is to... have a good one

hey alekaaaaaaa where are youuuuuu.... MIsssssinnnngggggg you.. ha COme back soon. LaDean

Oh boy, I hear you on the leaves. Mine are just going to have to wait. My neighbor started her leaf blower at 6 a.m. this morning. I'd like to go throttle her. I am seeing that my yard is the worst in the neighborhood and now I am leaving for a week and a half. I am sure they'll still be here when I get back ;-).

LaDean I have lost 2 more lbs. this week. This makes the 3rd consecutive week for a 2 lb. loss. I am just beside myself over it. It really helps my resolve to be good while I am traveling. Wish me luck on maintaining while I am gone.

Today I'll be involved in last minute preparations for an early start tomorrow. Take care and I'll talk to you later. I will have my laptop with me so will probably be checking in from the road.

YEHHHHHH FOR YOU GIRL...YOU GOOOOOOOO DOING GREAT. SO HAPPY FOR YOU... i will think of you while gone yes. you will keep it up. like a thing now doing so good. hey how are you eating/???? i am doing ok. was sick tummy last nite and throwing up. something i ate i guess. better this am.. have not felt like to much exercise yet. walked beau...its fun to get ready to go i think. i am ready to go again somewhere. ha ha i am happy your going . gee 3 weeks in a row your on aroll. yehhhhh. keep it up. have a good day. i am. LaDean

Hi LaDean & Ledom! Remember me JUDI (I had to sign on as Esteban because I forgot what email address I used before and so couldn't get my password)

Well, you girls are inspiring...shows what one can do when you stick to it! Ledom you are in your :carrot: skinny jeans! That is so wonderful and amazing. You too, LaDean you are so faithful.

The last time I posted I was on Atkins...I lost 10 pounds but you know the old story...gained it back and the only thing I accomplished (which is a VERY doubtful accomplishment) was to began eating meat again. So now I am STARTING AGAIN for the zillionth time...I am over at MyFoodDiary.Com. I have been on a diet for one week. I lost 1 1/2 this week...which is pretty good considering I had some major slips. I am doing this not even to look good anymore...I don't even care about that...I would just like to walk without having to make a major plan of attack of how I am going to go here and there. I am NOT even going to look at the long term...it is too long. Reading what you girls have accomplished is a MAJOR encouragement.

Where is Alice? I was glad to hear she wasn't hit by the hurricane...I was thinking about her.

My D. got married this year. It was very small and in our living room overlooking our garden. It was quite casual (with my husband and grandson talking thru out the ceremony). Let's see what else is new...we PAID off all our debts...that was happy day let me tell ya!!! I see now I can live more happily on a lot less.

We have our dog Marley (the Lhasa, he's 14) and two cats Ginzoni (Esteban) & Nala. Nala is a Himilayan (sp.) that was a rescue cat.

I sarted doing some photography again. I made calendars for gifts for Christmas this year.

That is all my news except I am DETERMINED to plug away at losing weight this year....

Love Judi

Hi Judi, what a surprise so happy to see you back on here. you have been missed so much. wondered. but so many come and go never know. is sad. ha but glad all is going good for you and your back. hey i have kept this off for a year this decemeber. but have not loss anymore really. went to dr. i am debetic now with the high trig's so its got to go more wt she says. so trying again. i think of getting back on atkins like i did yesterday. but then blow it. so figure hey jsut watch my portions and go for that. i do not want to be skinny either. i just want to get this health taken care of and it not get worse. i do not care my looks either. i have clothes i like do not want to go into the expense now of getting more. ha ha so may jsut get down 10 more lbs and call it quits.. ha ha so tired of just messing around with this. ha ha Oh so happy your pets are all fine . i got my beau and we just got in from walk. so foggy and cold. the fog is low. so cold on his paws so we took a short one. he has the cutest jacket so stays warm there. I do not know where alice is.. she has not been in for while.. hope she comes back. ledom is on a trip.. i envy her she does so many fun things. well hey have a great day. we will do this losing together we can do it. just go slow that is the way i look at it. if we are trying its good. LaDean

:hug: LaDean sorry to hear about the diabetes! Do you have to take shots?
I know what you mean about being tired off messing around with dieting but at least you have success at it. I am determined to lose the weight for my health's sake. I just PTL that I am in as good health as I am because I have not ever really exercised and never lost the weight AND kept it off. But I am trying now. My D. has about 5 pounds to lose so we encourage one another. She is doing WW.

Clothes wise...I don't think I have ever bought fewer clothes in my entire life than this last past year...I think I only bought one pants and one top...maybe I have bought less clothes when I was 10 years old and younger but this has been my leanest year 'clothes shopping'. It has been OK too because I have tons and even managed a closet sweep of clothes I won't wear again. I way over bought in the past.

Tonight we are going to a book signing and a little celebration of a friend's publication. I am having my main meal of the day mid afternoon so I won't be hungry... I don't want to be hanging around the appetizer table.

Is Beau your Boston? The one you had when I was posting a few months back??

Ledom do you still have your cats? I hope you are having a nice trip.

Hi, oh yes beau is my boston. so loveable. God sent him my way for sure. hes so good. Yes i have hung in there and kept my wt off. no not on shots or medication. she jsut wants me to be good so i do not have to go on either.. my trig's are so high so that is a concern to. with the debetic caused it to stay high. so i want to lose some more wt. playing with it as how much. as for wrinkles and flab hanging. ha ha so i will jsut lose it slow.. well hey glad to have you back on and is nice your d is watching it to. mine is to.. is fun to have someone to work with it and all. these boards help me so much and all my friends... have a good saturday.. LaDean

Hi LaDean! How is your Sunday going?

We are having a real break in the weather here...lots of sun (usually we get around 150 diff. types of rain) so hubby and I went on a slow hike. It was so nice...it made me wonder why I don't make the effort more often.

Have a good one!
-Judi

hi, sunday is going great. went to sunday school and church. first of all i got up and walked beau. had a nice cool one. was not frosty so that was good. so foggy though. real bad. but had cleared off some this am.. i felt so good about me. our t.g. dinner was at church today and i came on home. i just thought so many tempations and then i have to work to hard getting it all off. so came home and ate right. ha ha glad your day is going good LaDean

I love church dinners, especially pot lucks, everyone brings what they want and the dinners are always amazing.

I had an upsetting day, I had to fire my house cleaner of 5 years. She had been coasting on our friendship doing the work more and more sloppy. I pay her $20 an hour too and its not like I can easily afford it anymore since DH is retired, it used to be ok but I kept her on her on because she needed the job. Anyway I have to try and save the day by not eating off...so far I haven't.

Oh so sorry to hear that. I know you will do good and not eat.. yes know what you mean about retirement a person has to be careful. and where she was not doing the job you did the right thing i think. but know it was hard for you... I just rode exercise bike 3 miles. and when beau gets u p will have a walk. my scales are up. i do not want to go back to atkins but seems i cannot get to losing. so may just go for this goal and say thats it. seems to be where i am staying. ha ha Yes our church dinners are like that to. is why i never went. ha ha have a good day now. be good. LaDean

Three miles on your bike :carrot: wow! good for you? Do you have the type of bike that you can set the pedal tension on? How hard do you make it. I have a bike but if it isn't set on the easiest tension I find that it hurts my knees like crazy to pedal. I am mostly sticking to my treadmill.

I did ok calorie wise...I just didn't drink all my water. I have to get started early in the day on the water.

Yeah, it was disappointing with my friend doing my cleaning, mostly it turned out to be she just wanted her money and to talk to me and do the least amout of work and I was starting to feel just used. Mostly I feel bad about the friendship but I can't afford a friend if it is going to cost me $20/hr. I will get over it...I just have to make myself not think about it too much. :(

It is nice that Beau goes for a walk. Marley is getting kind of old now and can't walk too far (just like me). He also can't jump up on my bed anymore. He tried once and fell off and it wrecked his confidence and he just sits and whimpers until I pick him up. Poor old thing, he is so sweet and is such a wonderful dog.

Have a good rest of the day.

Hey ladies - I'm home. Judi, it is so good to see you back!!! I missed you! Alice, I am getting worried about you! I hope you'll hop on just to say hi at least~

So I am home from my traveling and feel a little let down as now it is time to get in gear to go back to work. I had such a good time on this trip. I love the southwest this time of year. The workshop I took was the best one I was involved in. I met some nice people and just had a great time in general.

Anyway, back to the routine. I really missed my workouts and my usual food. I was able to hold eating together for the most part though I don't think I'll weigh for a few days. Gotta get Thanksgiving out of the way - oh how I wish it didn't have to be such a big deal. I am cooking and plan to make it as low key and low cal as possible, but it is never easy to make it that way.

judi, that is great that you paid off your debts. That is my project now. There aren't many places that I can cut back it seems, but I am excessive when it comes to buying books and magazines and diet coke so I guess I'll start there. Got to pay off my travels of the last few months.

Hang in there LaDean. Your exercise sounds great and that goes a long way to meeting your goals.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Hi, HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU. so glad your trip was so good and fun. that always helps.. its so neat you have all these workshops you attend and able to attend them that is so neat. You will get back with your plan yes. you always do good doing that. i am hanging in there . yes i try so that is all i can do. what is meant to be is the way i figure it. just have quit fretting so over it and taking it as it is.. ha I am fixing dinner but yes its hard. i just try and fill up on turkey mostly. course when i cook i am not hungry for it when ready. usually later i eat more of mine and all.

Yes judi my bike i can fix the tension and i keep it on medium.. so not to bad peddling. i feel a good work out on it. that is all i got yesterday is the 3 miles. like to go 5 miles of day on it.. Oh my tuffy was like that for last 2 years loss his site and would not get up on things anymore. beau is 8 and i got him on a diet. ha ha hes more frisky and all to. cut down on his food is all. he had gained since we got him.ha ha so figured hey he can do it with me. ha ha yes its sad when they get where they cannot do what they use to and all. yes its not any use paying someone to do that if there not doing it. gee think of what you can do with the money. ha ha

Aleka, where o where are you. my hope you have a good thanksgiving to. hope all is ok your way and your back with us soon..

HAPPY THANKSGIVING... LaDean

I hope you are having a glorious day filled with family and good food (not to much though:D ), we had our Canadian thanksgiving last month.

Glad you are back Ledom! And it sounds like you had a great time but it always nice to be home.

Had a good day ...calorie wise, so far. I just have to get out of the eating while I watch tv habit...I know it is just a habit that can be broken because most of the time I am not even hungry when I do it. When I did Atkin's I gave up Boston pizza my absolute favourite pizza because the type I liked was made consistently the same from one Boston pizza to the next and I never thought I could ever live without pizza but even though I went back eating carbs I never once even thought about pizza.

Yes, I know what you mean about Diet Cokes...they are expensive if you get them one at a time. I always try buy them when they are $3.33 at Safeway for 12 or at London Drugs then it is not so much. I know what you mean about looking at where to cut and not seeing it. We took a big dip in wages when my DH quit consulting and went on disability. Do you know for an entire year I didn't buy shampoo, soap, lotion etc. I had bought so much stuff before. I know Suzie Orman says you have to resist buying something you would sort of like for something you really want. I spent a lot of money on buying multiples of things and that she says is a big waste. I don't do that anymore and at least I can watch Suzie and not feel guilty. It's ok...I have found a lot of satisfaction trying to get the most bang for my buck. But now we never go out eat...I mean never...we went to a steakhouse (I was on Atkins) to celebrate paying our bills and that was the last time. But at the same time it is so nice not to have bills coming and paying out huge chunks a month on them. I have thought a lot about and I think over spending and over eating are somehow tied together.

It has turned out my former house cleaner and I are still going to be friends so that is good.

Hmmm, LaDean maybe I will give my bike a try again.

Are you still on your Sabbatical Ledom?

I would like to hear from Alice too.

Well, enjoy the pumpkin pie
-Judi

Morning, judi yes I am still on sabbatical but it is dwindling. I go back mid-January. Good ideas on budgeting. My strategy is to stay out of the stores. I can spend a lot more than I need to on "bargains".

Thanksgiving was nice, but I am glad it is over. I did eat too much and want to get back down to business now. I did do my workout yesterday morning so one point for me.

LaDean, hope your celebration went well.

I shot lots of film on my last trip so will be working in the darkroom getting it all developed today. DD and I are going to see "Pride and Prejudice" tonight. I have watched the A&E production at least twice a year since it came out a few years ago. One of my all time favorites. Also on my list of movies to see this holiday is "Walk the Line." I recently saw "Shop Girl", that is already 3 more movies than I went to see last year I think.

Which reminds me judi, congrats on your DD's marriage. I know that made you happy. Things are going much better for my DD lately. She is moving out in a few days, I am so happy, and she just got cast in a play that is being produced during Christmas break so it shouldn't intefere with school. Just trying to get this girl out of school and gainfully employed!

Hi, so glad all is going well both your ways. yes when we retired had to cut down alot. but you know get use to it and its ok. then same with eating. i was on atkins to and so much i did without. then starting adding those carbs and bingo right back there eating them. so today girls its back to being good. leaving my SUGAR alone and taking it out of my life and all. i have to do this. did it before and was just fine. so its happening again.. I had a great thanksgiving. i was not hungry at all. never am when i fix the meal. so it was a bite of things to just see how they tasted. i did it myself for stuffing and pumpkin pies this year a first really. has been awhile anyhow. i got the boxed corn bread crumbs. to it i added some onions, celery, rasins, apples and carrots all cut up small and so yummy it went over so good. then my grandaughter i said hey i made your pumpkin pies so special for you. its not bought oh crust was.ha ha oh she was so happy she ate alot of it. ha ha so our day was a great one. glad yours was to. oh that is right canada has it before but glad yours was good. also Judi so happy that you and your housekeeper use to be can be friends. that is so neat. Ok girls its the christmas Holiday time. i have 12 lbs i have to lose. so join me and set a goal what ever you want it and lets all go for it.. we can and we will do this for our great christmas gift to us. if its just doing without a certain carb or what ever it be. lets do it... Oh alice i miss you lots.. hope all is going good yours and lacees way... come in sometime... Hey have a great day to all. LaDean

LaDean, I am with you. I'd like to lose 10 more lbs. before I go back to work. Yesterday was the holiday. Today it is back to business. On my workout plan this is rest day but back on my eating plan 100%, I'll be weighing in in a couple more days. I was on a roll before the trip and I plan to keep on as before. Glad your meal turned out well!

LaDean your cornbread stuffing sounds so YUMMY!

Yes, Ledom I was SOOO glad they got married. Even though it was very small, it was so nice. It seemed to give their relationship a boost too. My little grandson was over here for the night yesterday. He will be 2 in Jan. He had a new haircut and looked like such a little man. Even though my DD is 27 now she is still as demanding as she was when she was 12...I dunno it might be the way with only D's. She is SUCH a good mother though, always putting the little guy first and kind and extremely patient so I am not going to complain about anything else.

Well, I would like to join LaDean & Ledom in the pre-Christmas challenge but mine has to be more modest. I will try to lose lose 2 pounds before Christmas. But next year!! I have my plan all figured out to do way (weigh) better but it has to start on Jan. 1st. That marvelous day of NEW beginnings:carrot: It makes me jazzed just thinking about it.

Where did you girls get that weight loss "thingy" on the bottom of your posts? I will put one on.

Yes, I too am bitten by the "its a bargain bug". I also love stores like Costco or anything sold in case lots.

So were either of you out shopping on "black Friday"??

I took out the Christmas lights and soon as it stops raining we are going to go out and put them on. It was kind of an exciting morning I found a lot of Christmas things I forgot I bought...mainly because I bought them at 75% off after Christmas.

Another project of mine is ....clean out every nook and cranny of my house, go thru the filing cabinets and get rid of all stuff not needed (I have done quite a bit of that one). This summer I organized all my mom's photos into albums. She had taken photos all her life but never had time to organize them. She worked. So this summer I did that. My darkroom/studio/project room is filled with one big set of shelves loaded with photo albums and huge plastic boxes of photos from her life and mine. I have one massive album I especially like of my mom's life since she was a girl right up to her death five years ago...included cards she saved etc. It was really wonderful to do but in a sad way.

Are you doing any digital at all Ledom? For printing I mean? Not that I think that you should...I think the true artist is still in the darkroom. I have printed all my stuff digitally this year...just too lazy to do the other way. But none of my photos were "art/images" just "pictures" so that is ok. What do you feel about your sabbatical...happy it is ended or like it still to go on?

I can't believe tomorrow is Sat. already.

judi - if you will click on one of the ticker's it will take you to the page where you creater your own. Then down at the bottom of the page where it says Forum Jump, go the user control panel, chose edit signature from the menu on the left. More later.

Hey girls, day after thanksgiving was rough. DD moved out, but not as or when planned - somehow it turned into high drama that left me exhausted. I was more than ready for her to go, but not the way it went down. Ah well, I'll recover eventually.

I went to see Pride and Prejudice, alone, it was pretty but not as good as the A&E version. I had read a review that said not to expect that and it was right of course. The 2 hour version felt more like previews for the 8 hr version. And then Colin Firth will be forever Mr. Darcy in my eyes.

Anyway, I came home and weighed. Trip and thanksgiving only resulted in a 2 lb. gain at this point and for that I am thankful, hopefully by next Friday it will be gone w/ a little more so I can send the ticker on down closer to my first goal.

Didn't go shopping yesterday though from the looks of this mornings paper it was record crowds at the local mall.

judi, I have mixed feelings about the end of my sabbatical. For one thing I feel I still have a lot to accomplish before it is over. Also I know how wearing my job is. I think that if I didn't have the commute it wouldn't be so bad. Especially with early morning workouts, which are essential, I will probably be dragging before the first month is out so I don't look forward in that respect. On the other hand, I do like structure in my life and it will be good to be around people again. I do enjoy most of my students a lot.

The workshop I just attended was all about digital printing. We had state of the art printers and endless supplies of every kind of paper and teaching assistants to help us. That was a lot of fun. I worked from scanned negatives and came home with some really large prints, in the 23" x 23" category so that was fun. I am sure I'll be doing more and more digital printing. Photography is in such a flux right now.

Hope you are all well and have a great weekend.

HI, yes stuffing was good. hey girls glad all is going good and your joining me in the christmas goals. that is fine judi. a goal that is sensibly and all. good for you. i said each of us just set a goal we want.. so lets go for it. i am starting today. got to.. i would go less but i have to get under this one goal set before i start for my new one in tops see. the dr. said more has to go.. so its going. ha i am so concerned about my health. talk about cleaning i got rid of 2 small bags of things. but each one adds up. got more to do. so good luck. glad your thanksgiving was good. yes sometimes its best when kids are out and on own. now my d still is here but it works out so good. just a case where it does. lucky there for sure.. today is going good scales were down a bit. i only was un 1/2 after thanksgiving. so now this am got to get them down more. ha so lets do it girls. our gifts to us for christmas. i am here in anyway i can help.. good luck LaDean Oh my aleka where are you. i miss you so very much. just pop in someday and say hi...

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Falling into patience....I am going to need it.

Ledom: I am sorry to hear about the "high drama"...I know it is exhausting from personal experience but believe it or not in a few days she will be around again and it will be just like nothing happened. Maybe the seperation is easy for her when it is fueled by drama because really in her heart it is probably painful to leave her mom (no matter what she says or is acting like) especially for a long time there was just the two of you. I often say to my D. "Look if you want to go home early just 'GO' you don't have to work up a state so you can leave". It is way better than it use to be...maybe because she is older or maybe I don't take it so personally anymore. Honestly, things will be back to 'good' normal you won't even remember the dramatic exit (until the next time).

23" by 23" ...that is amazing!! How nice!!! Do they have big printers like that at your school? The best I can do with my printer is 8" by 10"...so that is why I am kind of nostalgic about the darkroom. To print really big I have to rent time in a darkroom in the city....and most of the darkrooms for rent are disappearing since digital. No kidding, photography is changing. I wish I could sell my old Hasselblad and by a good digital Nikon. I won't use the Hasselblad very much anymore but I know I will never get what it is worth. It was a 2nd hand when I bought it...but I am loathe to give the camera away for a few hundred bucks.

LaDean, half a pound after thanksgiving! That is so good:cool: As always you are an inspiration!! Does your doggie get turkey leftovers? My guy, Marley thinks he has died and gone to heaven ever since we started eating meat ... he was raised in the vegetarian years. Sometimes though when he is feeling "peckish" he will go into the pantry and get out a potato and start eating it...mr. carbo loader... I always take it away because raw potato can't be good for dogs:p Lot of good potatoes get wasted that way. lol

Ledom do you still have your cats? Who are they? Is Bea still with you?

Oh are potatoes bad for dogs. my tuffy loved them.. and beau likes them cooked but not to many does he get. as i lay off them to. ha ha not fair.. oh yes he loves this turkey. i do not know what will happen when its gone. yes hes in heaven to.. he loved the liver to. my tuffy did also. this is first thanksgiving with us for beau. he is so good. miised my tuffy to.. Oh thanks judi. you help me so much and encouragement and inthusium to. i just got out of shower.set hair for church in am. and oh my i am getting rest of this wt off first of year. ha ha i also cannot see that i have loss hafe of my wt. till i really reliaze it. so what i did i took my before picture and my after and i put it in a frame and sit it up in this room. so when i get down in dumps and all. i just come in here take a look and be happy with what i have done. start there and feel better. but dr. says more got to go. so going to get it done. i do not want a heart attack or stroke. or anything wrong. Yes ledom things do get better with daughters and all. we have gone through it to. this time around things are just great. lucky for us all. well got laundry to put in dryer. so better call it a nite.. take care and to all have a great week now.. we will reach our christmas goals for sure....Oh my how i miss aleka... LaDean

Morning girls - like your ticker Judi!
You know, I think falling into patience has been my most inspired introduction to a thread :-). I have to go back and read those quotes sometimes. It really sums up the experience for me.
Thanks to both on your kind words regarding DD. judi, your comments and advice are right on. Unfortunately, I didn't act much better on this go round. It was your typical, family goes nuts on a major holiday situation! Feeling better now though. She was at the door yesterday a.m. for the stuff she forgot and thanksgiving leftovers. She just stayed a little while, but I felt better after seeing her. I'm going to remember your words of wisdom "next time" and not take things so personally.
Well, I was down a lb. this morning, but still not to my low. I feel pretty good about things though and have the goal of meeting my ticker goal by Christmas. I'll add a new ticker then, I'm working in chunks instead of the whole amount for now!
Enjoy your Sunday ladies.

Hi, so happy she came by and all. and that it made you feel better. all will be ok.. oh your doing good. my scales are down a bit.. so got to keep them going down... we started meeting on thursdays now instead of the wed. so that gives me one more day. ha ha always helps. i jsut rode ex bike 2 miles and have walked. my leg i think i broke a blood vessel. it hurts and stings. so i got to looking at it and losing the wt can now see the veins. ha ha so its like i have. today has gone good with eating also. trying harder now. taking this debetic more serious then i have been. got to. have a great day both of you . your great. hey alice i miss you... come back with us.... soon..... LaDean

Hi! How do I make my ticker move? I am hoping I will lose a pound tomorrow (I doubt if it will be more but I am hoping for a pound).

Are potatoes bad for dogs?? Oh! Oh! I imagine the rush of insulin that the doggie pancreas must get when the sugar converts can't be good for them.

We bought new lights for outside. All the early Christmases we had colored this year I am going with white and blue (against DH's preferance).

Had a huge walkabout today. Sorry to hear about your leg incident today LaDean...that is too bad.

Ledom, honestly if I we didn't have a "typical family goes nuts holiday" I don't think I would feel like we were ACTUALLY celebrating a holiday. lol:dizzy: But I do "dream" and long for one where everything is tranquil and calm, people are filled with good will, where everyone recognizes how much work and time I have put into it, the food has turned out beautifully, all of it, the house is exquisitely clean and decorated with taste and style...lol....will it ever happen? I'm not holding my breath....:smug:

I am glad your D stopped by.

How will I move the ticker just one pound??? (if indeed I do lose a pound but I am hoping)

Hey, where is you ticker? At 9:43 p.m. I don't see it. BUT, when you lose that pound you just go back and do the same steps over with your new numbers.

Morning girls, I am up early today.

Yesterday I accomplished so much. I have a friend (woman) who is great at home repair. She came over and taught me how, and helped me fix my leaky kitchen faucet and repair the tiles in my shower. It was an all day proposition but I felt so proud of my accomplishments at the end of the day. We had a good time visiting while we worked. You just gotta love women.

judi, I still have cats but the names have changed. I lost both Brody and Bea since we last visited about the cats. I still have Tweeg, at least 17 by now. I also have Rosie and Buster. Rosie is just the sweetest, friendliest girl. Buster, well I am not sure how I ended up with him. After 2 years he is still wild even though he lives inside all the time. I can never just walk up and pet him, that only happens when he is extremely hungry or fast asleep. He's not much fun, but Rosie loves him and he loves her.

Due to my busy day yesterday I didn't get my workout in. Today was supposed to be rest day so since I "rested" yesterday I'll do yesterdays workout today. I did set my alarm for 5 yesterday a.m. in order to get it in but could not force myself out of bed. Gotta work on that as I'll HAVE to do that once work starts back up.

to have a ticker becuz I GAINED one pound and I don't know how...I haven't eaten all my calories these last two days and still gained...I am discouraged...maybe it is the water I didn't have it all....also I excercised more in these past two days than I have all month....what the heck:?:

Maybe I will make a new ticker and do it in 25 pound increments than if I did lose it would look like I was going somewhere...I will make it tomorrow, I will drink all my water today and stay within the limits and hopefully I will lose something.

Ledom, sorry about Brody and Bea. Tweeg is 17...wow...that is something.

Good job on your home repairs! I am so useless at anything like that and I hate it because then I am so dependent on someone else to do it...either DH or I have to shell out for a repair person. SOOO nice to be able to do it yourself.

Hi LaDean? What's up??:carrot:

We have snow....which is really early in the season for us.

Have a good day Ledom and LaDean....I am going to be very circumspect water and calories and I hope I will LOSE some weight tomorrow.

judi - don't let the scale upset you. As long as you are doing your plan you will get results, just be PATIENT! Yeah, I know what you mean about increments instead of the whole enchilada. Sometimes things like tickers work for me and sometimes they just stress me out. I think the trick is to recognize the times and adjust accordingly. For instance, challenges are generally a bad thing for me because if things don't proceed like I think they should I get rebellious and just undermine myself.

It's tricky.

Enjoy your snow, I'd love to see some.

How's it going LaDean? Alice?

its going fine here girls. i am walking and trying to stick to a eating plan. watching the carbs more. i deicded to take this debetic thing serious. and i have done good this week so far. got to stick to it. just eating food groups and watching portions measuring food again. and being good with that. lowering the carbs for sure. so far good. I am glad things are going good your way. no i long time ago decided that the scales are jsut #'s and that is all. i try not to fret over it. i just try change my ways and pray alot. that is all we can do really.. oh snow i am glad its there with you. had a wind and rain storm today.. cold to. had fire and it felt so good. we love our wood heat. so comfy.. i did get beau a walk this am and sun was out. so thankful for that. then this afternoon late took him out again just round the house here and on lot. it had quit now. tomorrow a nice day it says.. well hey have a good one. OH MY ALICE WHERE YOU BE/???????/ SURE MISSING YOU LOTS. HOPE YOUR OK AND JUST NO TIME FOR ONLINE AT THE TIME.. LaDean

Good morning,

Just wanted to pop in to say "Hi!" I haven't felt much like posting these past couple of months, posting just wasn't doing anything for me anymore. But I do come in every so often to see how you all are doing. You all are so determined and I'm hoping some of it will rub off on me.

Now that Thanksgiving is over with, we've started putting up our Christmas decorations. This year DH decided to put up multi colored icicle lights on the house. Everyone has all white ones, and I think the multi-colored are different. Around here people had their houses all decorated BEFORE Thanksgiving. They sure do start decorating early.

LaDean, glad that you and Beau are walking. Now that the weather has cooled off I've been taking Lacee around our block and she's enjoying every minute. I can't pick up my walking shoes now without her thinking we're going for a walk. Glad that you're doing so well with your diet and exercise. How is your leg?

ledom, glad that you had a wonderful trip. What an accomplishment on your home repairs! That must've made you feel good. Many years ago my cousin and I changed the door knob on her front door at her cottage in NH. We crowed about it for weeks. We did have some help though, I called my Dad and he walked us through it. When we were finished we had 1 part left over. But, it worked!

Judi, sorry that you gained 1 lb. It could've been that you didn't eat enough where you were exercising and ate below your calorie level. I know it sounds crazy, but different things I've been reading I'm almost convinced. My MIL just recently told me that on her first week on WW, she ate below her points and actually gained a lb. at her weigh in. Congratulations on your DD marriage. I hope they will be very happy. I can't believe your grandson is 2, it seems like he was born a short while ago. Glad that you still have your furry children. How is Bentley?

Take care.

Alice, it is just fabulous to hear from you. I sure understand how sometimes you don't feel like posting - it's just that I was WORRIED about you. Glad everything is as usual. No pressure here on losing weight, that is what I love about our little thread. I think of you guys as my friends first and foremost.

You have no idea how many times I have gone and stood in front of my shower to admire it this week! When I asked my friend to come do my home repairs she said she'd rather teach me how - very smart of her I think. I am empowered!

Morning to all. I am getting my hair cut this morning. Yesterday I went to work for a little while and the women all commented on how good I was looking. That made me feel so good! I am so very close to my first goal. Don't know if I'll make it by Friday but surely by next Friday. Also, I am into virgin fat loss, a new low for me by about 4 lbs. I wish I knew how long it has been since I was at this weight, a very long time ago though. DD is going out to dinner with me tonight and I am trying to figure out how to have something good w/out messing up my Friday weigh-in. Maybe I will be able to have a light lunch and skip one of my snacks. We'll see.

LaDean...GOOD for you being so determined about getting a handle on the diabetes. You are doing so well give yourself a pat on the back :hug:

Alice, it is so great to hear from you. Just post your every day news...it doesn't have to be about weight loss. Like in my case...there isn't any...:( Bentley is doing great... he cannot believe how we can look at the baby and go on and on over Nathan when "HE Bentley" is there...but he is very protective of the baby. I think since the baby walks around eating things and dropping them while Benltey gobbles them up , Bentley thinks of him as a major food source. The other day Marley started to follow the baby hoping to get the dropped tidbits but Bentley was ready to rumble over it and Marley (even though he is a Lhasa thug) backed off immediately. It was quite funny.

I think I am going to try to eat only one meal a day with just fruit or yogurt or cereal for the other two. It bugs me how I don't seem to be losing.

Congrats! on being so close to goal Ledom. That is wonderful! Have a good time with D. tonight.

We had power out most of the day yesterday because of all the snow fall. It was OK though. The snow was so beautiful. I took pictures.

Oh my aleka how great to see you in here again. i do understand not coming in but once in while now. i get into wanting to just do that on some boards i am on. so thanks for popping in today. so good to hear from you and see you in here. hey glad you and lacee are walking. it is fun. our daughter got beau the cutest jacket at walmart. he loves it. will sometimes go to it when he wants to walk. so cute.. tuffy did not let us do this. ha Oh i am glad lacee likes to walk to. oh your lites sound so pretty. i love the multi color ones to. and i bet there so pretty with all others white. some have them up around here to. i always put mine inside the windows. as all 3 windows face front of house. so looks like there out side. hubby is so worried about fire when to many so we do not put them on house outside.. i would love to. thinking about it. ha ha so glad all is going good your way..

Ledom and judi thanks so much.. yes i finally got to thinking about my health. this debetic thing so new. i do not want it getting worse. and its my choice. so going to take it and do my best. i am holding my wt is all. cannot seem to start losing... but guess i will if i jsut keep up being good. i always have a plateau. so just take it as it comes. i want to be below goal by christmas.. then first of year i am going for another 30 lb loss. dr. rules. ha ha have a good week to all of you.. the all of us in here now. that is great. Ladean

:grouphug: So good to see all you guys yesterday.

So here is what I have been thinking about recently. As time nears for me to get back into work mode I know I have to gear up to a higher energy level. Getting up mornings while on sabbatical have been the best luxury. Sitting w/ coffee and computer for a couple hours sometimes before doing my workout is about to come to a screeching halt. My workouts are essential, not something I can afford to give up when life becomes more rushed. I am going to have to learn how to move quicker in the mornings. It's going to be hard. I am already psyching myself for the change. I don't know if I should just go ahead and plunge into a simulation of that schedule or wait until I have no choice. It's definitely on my mind though.

Ah judi, if ONLY I were going to be reaching my goal soon. I decided to do my trackers in 25 lb. increments, there'll be at least 2 more to follow this one. On the other hand, this is the first ticker I will have fulfilled so I am excited about that.

You girls are so ahead of me on decorating for Christmas. I am planning to have some friends over the weekend before Christmas so that is my deadline. Every year I seem to get things out later and later. Is it weird for me to wish for a stage in my life when I can just ignore the holidays? Christmas every other year would suit me fine. I really need to think up a new way to honor the holiday because, after the disaster of Thanksgiving, what we are doing now is obviously not working. We are pretty dull and boring around here on the actual day. Because we need to spend it with my mother there is no breaking with conventions of the past. I am going to give this some serious thought though. There is going to be much less gift giving this year. DD is getting one very nice gift and a stocking. Probably the same for my mom.

Supper w/ DD was good last night. I don't know if I mentioned that at her new house her roomates are all guys. Yes, I know. She seems in her element though. Last night she said it was almost scary how well she like living with a bunch of guys. I am happy for her if it works for her. She is in the last 3 weeks of the semester, this is a tricky time. She often lacks the oomph to get through finals when she starts to get tired and weary. I avoided the same old lectures about "crossing the finish line" etc. She has heard it all before and either she's going to cope or she isn't. I don't want it to be my responsibility anymore.

Well, I hope I am not sounding down or negative. Just some musing before I finish my last cuppa and hit the basement. I woke up at 4 this a.m. so looks like workout may actually be done by 7:30.

Good morning everyone,

Lacee & I got back from our walk a little while ago. I had to wait until it warmed up a bit. Yes, you read it right. I actually had the heat on this morning. I think I've become acclimated to the FL climate. :beach:

I have discovered Kashi Go-Lean cereal and absolutely love it. It's the first cereal that stays with me more than 5 minutes.:D

LaDean, that's great you're taking control of your diabetes. Hopefully you'll be able to control it with diet and exercise. Beau must look so adorable in his jacket. We used to dress our other Boston, Shamrock, in jackets when winter came. Lacee inherited all the coats we had for Shamrock. But, now she doesn't need them.

ledom, I like your idea about decorating for Christmas. We have our's up for so long that on Dec. 26th take the majority of our decorations down. We just leave our ceramic tree up and a few other things out until New Year's Day. I think the older you get the less you want to decorate.

judi, glad that Bentley has taken to Nathan. They must look so cute together with Nathan dropping food and Bentley hot on his trail. Does Bentley still have his allergies? What are you doing now to lose weight, counting calories? Do you still have your WW books?

Enjoy your day, ladies.

I lost a pound! Finally! I am going to try to do a pound a week ... very modest I know. But I am encouraged. Maybe I won't let myself have a Diet Coke until I have had my 6 cups of water.

We are going out to put finsihing touches on the lights....we have the clear ones and now we are putting up blue on some trees. They are the new energy efficient one and they are so bright. We didn't do Christmas last year either Ledom because the child went with the other grandparents to Hawaii...but we were invited out on Christmas day to friends. (The Hawaii thing turned out to be a disaster for the other grandparents and DD and SIL...all concerned still haven't totally mended their fences....serves them right for not considering "ME":carrot: at Christmas time...lol)

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Alice, poor Bentley does have his allergies still...he takes pills for them. But he is such a greedly little bum....he shakes and trembles when food is around like he has St. Vitus Dance or something...and he eats ALL the time so it is not like he doesn't get anything. He is still very fit though which is kind of suprising...not overweight at all.

No, Ledom your musings don't sound negative at all...I like reading them.

Your windows and lights sound beautiful LaDean.

Time to go out in the snow...DH is waiting

I just put in the counter but in a clumsy place...sorry. I am happy about the weight loss. I will do it in 20 pound increments....that will be 5 increments and 13 pounds...a LONNNNGGG road:o

Judi you are doing great good for you. i loss 1/4 this week i am in leeway now so happy and surprised today with a loss. i loved it to. hey i did the same tracker as you and forgot how to put it on here. ha ha there neat i like them.. so justlefted my old one. ha ha i am going to keep these scales going down now. so join me and lets all do this.. we can and we will. i got things in from store today to eat. good things for me.. you all help me so very much.

aleka... yes beau does look cute in his jacket.. he lvoes it to. oh to warm there for them. ha but i would save them if i were you and knwo you are. i am a saver. ha ha got all of tuffys things. well hey say hi to laccee from beau... i saw in tonites paper 8 week ones for free. oh my tempting. they will go fast around here and people will sell them. its just the potty breaking i would not be able to do now. to old. ha ha well ahve a good day to all. LaDean

Judi - I am not sure why your ticker is in the middle of your post and doesn't show up everytime. When I do mine I"ll note each step and if you want yours at the bottom maybe I can help you figure it out. Anyway, down 2 lbs. - this will be my first weigh-in since before my trip.

So Alice and LaDean, my Land's End catalog came yesterday and on the front cover is a Boston w/ reindeer horns. It is so cute and it made me think of you two. I wondered if you got it.

I have to work today! There is an all day faculty meeting, the good thing is we have rented a resort room and everyone is bringing potluck so it'll be kind of festive as well as work related.

Take care and have a good day.

edited for judi:

1. after you get the ticker set the way you want it, copy and paste the top BBCode (forum code).

2. select user control panel from the forum jump at bottom of page.

3. select edit signature at top left of page

4. paste copied code into signature box

5. save signature and then it should show up everytime you post at the bottom of your post.

Ledom. oh no do not get that magazine. never heard of it. so cute.. oh my you hardly see these little fellows. have more this year on tv commercials then ever. i get calenders from daughter each year of them. puppies and big ones. so cute i save all of them. you might say this place looks more and more like the little fellows. last nite paper had free 8 weeks old ones someone moving. oh we looked up the number. but i got to thinking hey God gave me Beau when i needed one. so just have him. i am getting to old for taking care of one little one.. but would love to see them. now that is silly Huh?????? oh well a thought. I am so happy for you and your good loss. that is great. you go girl... the rest of us are right behind you to with losses. i loss 1/4 last nite and i took it with happiness as after thanksgiving and all. i am in leeway so hope to stay there till end of year. as in tops i am a kops keep off lbs. so i will be one a year the 31st. so going for that this year. then new years day i am starting towards the new goal and a newer me. ha ha good luck today to all of you. its a rainy stormy day here. LaDean Here is Oregon.

Morning, How's it going? LaDean, I know exactly what you mean about the puppies. I love baby kitties, I can't see one without wanting to take it home. But you know, the limit is 3. Actually the limit is 2. Somehow I am over my limit, but can't let it get even more out of whack!

This week has been very busy, worked 2 days, home repair 1 day, I don't remember the other 2, but today is the day I must get down into the darkroom. I haven't done anything with the santa fe pictures except develop the film and I am very excited about some of the images from the Santuario de Chamayo that I took on my birthday. Hey guys I had a birthday while I was on my trip. Anyway, one last surge of work required before returning to work in January is called for.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Good morning,

ledom, I got my Lands End catalog yesterday. But unfortunately my front cover was a winter scene with Santa and 3 of his Reindeer flying around a Christmas tree. :( I was so looking forward to seeing that Boston. Lands End must use different front covers. Wanna switch? :D It's funny, I got an e mail from my girlfriend in NH. She had gotten her NH magazine and there was a Boston on the front cover. It must be the season for them.

LaDean, that's something, 8 week old Bostons for free. I can see where you would be tempted. They are really cute as puppies. Glad that the scales are heading in the right direction for you.

judi, congratulations on your weight loss. That must've made you happy. Sorry that Bentley still has his allergies. Lacee loves her food too, especially her Good Girl Cookies, which we fondly call GGC's because she knows the word "cookie"

DH found an article in today's paper about a place not too far from us that caters to pets. They serve a doggy breakfast, lunch, & dinner, have a lot of treats and toys for them. The most important part is that pets are welcome in the store. We're going to bring Lacee there later this afternoon. It should be a treat for her.

Enjoy your Sat. ladies

We were posting at the same time, ledom.

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!! :woo:

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY LEDOM... GLAD YOU WERE ON A TRIP AND ALL. HAD FUN AND CELEBRATED. HA
Yes these puppies have been tempted. but God gave me Beau and free so hes such a baby we will just have him. oh if i seen these little fellows i would ahve them all. ha ha You can get calenders with boston bull terriers on them. i have one with adult ones and puppies to. get them every christmas. so cute. one for each month. i have never really seen a puppy. oh how i would love to see these. but i know i would not resist the tempation of taking them all. ha so best to let someone else enjoy them. ha ha
i love kitties to. beau had a cat i think. she said he loved the cats food. so i wish she would have told us or i had ask what kind. as he sees cats out and about and wonders why there not friendly to him. ha ha so cute. theres a cat free to. but i just do not want to get one. he may hate it. ha ha or it him. hes such a baby so will just have him..i can give him all of the attention and believe me he loves it. ha i bet lacee does to as well as the kitties. there babies to.. i just love animals. ha well gals my day has just began so it will be a good one. got potluck at church in am. have not gone to the last 2. so figured better get to this one. Let me be in control not the food. ha so going to go..allowing for. well have a good day to all of you.. we will lose for christmas. good luck. LaDean

Goodmorning! We are still snowed in at our place. The DH walked down the hill and someone picked him up for a work bee at the rectory...so I have the place to myself. Hmmmm, I think I will re watch Sunshine and drool over Ralph Fiennes. I am also baking a Christmas cake.

Thanks Ledom for the help with the ticker. I will print it off and refer to it.

I read Tammy Faye Messner's latest book...in it she talks about how she lost 35 pounds by drinking Slim Fast for 2 meals a day. I might try that in the new year. Slim Fast is the one and only thing I haven't tried. Just for a month to get out of the constant noshing habit. Have any of you tried it?

I can relate to you all about animals...I am always looking at the "adoptables" pages on the internet and thinking "OHHHH...I would love to take him or her!!" But I think I did see on tv somewhere that 3 is the top limit or each animal does not get the territorial space and attention it needs. Cats especially can be so easily accumulated....they are like potato chips or peanuts...you can never just have one...it is a temptation. I know my dog and 2 cats bring us so much pleasure by watching them and the funny and endearing things that they do. They are a real bond between my DH and I...if we can't think of anything to talk about because we are together 24/7 we can ALWAYS find something to say about the animals.

I ordered 4 Christmas gifts out of Land's End this year. I love that catalogue. I didn't get a Boston picture either.

How did Lacee enjoy her trip to the store?

Yes, Ledom belated Happy Birthday:hat:

Morning girls, Thanks for the b'day wishes. I was sure where I wanted to be this year when my birthday rolled around. I skipped it with family and friends so maybe it doesn't really count?

Not too much new here. I finally had to stop and cook some healthy food last night because I was out of my healthy stuff. I made a pot of chili and started a posole stew. I am not sure how "diet" that is, probably about the same as the chili. I just needed some New Mexico food. While I was out there I bought about 4 different kinds of chile powder from a produce store in Chamayo where they supposedly have the perfect climate for it and are famous for it. I used some in my pot of chili and it does have a wonderful flavor, BUT it is a lot hotter than what I have been using.

I should have saved my Land's End to send on to one of you but tossed it in a flurry of cleaning out all the Christmas catalogs I have been receiving.

DD has been totally out of touch with me this week since our supper. Kinda worried about her and on the other hand just trying to give her lots of space. Does it ever end? On the other hand my poor mother is becoming so fragile and needy.

Well, time to get going with my day. Got a workout to accomplish before I can really get on with things.

Happy Sunday everyone,

Hope you're all enjoying the weekend. The trip to the pet store with Lacee was really fun. They had little ice cream tables and chairs in the store where owners and pets could sit. The owner immediately came out with a dish of water for Lacee, then returned with a silver tray w/a doily and some treats for her to sample. She then told me that I could take Lacee's leash off and let her roam the store (it was small and a bit cramped), which I did, and she roamed her little heart out. Then she asked me how old Lacee was, and I told her that she'd be 5 on Dec. 7th. She showed me a birthday cake they make out of liver :p in the shape of a bone, frosted with a cream cheese mixture. Ya, I bought it. :) She decorated it with Lacee's name. She told me to put it in the freezer when I got home, which I did, and where it now sits. She also sent home a little party hat. The owner did tell us that she hopes to have a Santa in there next week so pets can be photographed with him. I looked around and wondered where on earth Santa would sit. :?:

judi, I tried Slim Fast many years ago. It worked for a while, but then one evening after dinner I couldn't stop eating. I figured I blew it and stopped using Slim Fast. But, that was my personal experience. As they say, everyone is different.

Hi ledom & La Dean

Aww Alice - how sweet. Sounds like Lacee had a great time. Looks like once again we were posting at the same time!

Alice thanks for the info on your experience with Slim Fast. I was wondering if anyone on this thread ever used it. I think I will give it a try in Jan. just for a short while to help me get down the number of times I feel I am hungry and have to eat in a day. One thing about Atkins...I never was hungry (but was always craving oranges).

The dog place sounds so cute...the cake sounds exactly the thing that a little doggy heart would desire. When is Lacee's birthday?

Ledom, where did you get that cute picture with the cat:) ? A week is not a long time for your DD not to contact you. She is ok, you gave her a very good upbringing and a LOT of love. Try not to dwell too much on it. You are an exciting woman with an exciting life...live it:hug: Your D will be ok and she will come around...especially when she herself becomes a mom.

I made two small fruitcakes yesterday and froze them.

We are going to try drive out today for mass. I am starting to go stir crazy at home here all week.

Morning, LaDean...how is it going?

Hi friends, my weekend was a good one. i did so good at church potluck today. so proud of me. yes ledom that kitty in chimney is so cute love it.. started to say oh wonder if its hers. haha Oh glad you got to be where you wanted to be your birthday. its our special day so do what we want. ha ha Oh your daughter will come around. they get moody sometimes. ha ha

aleka, oh sounds so cute and nice day for lacee. that is the neatest thing. and so sweet of them to do that with the cake and all. i bet lacee felt like queen of the day. ha its so nice to find people with shops that make out for our babies like this. beau would have loved it to..

Judi, i did slim fast once. but never lasted i have to have a cruchy feeling on something when i eat. so figured for amt of calories could just eat. but hey its worked for some. there should be a board for it. check it out maybe. but alot i know have done good with it and all. just need to do our thing and find it for us i think. so good luck with it. go for it girl you will do good

Hello everyone,

La Dean, glad that you did so well at the potluck at your church. Yes, Lacee really enjoyed herself. She'd keep going behind the counter where the food was, but she made sure she kept tabs on us.

ledom, I really love your avatar. Your D will come around eventually. This would be a good time for you to concentrate on you. Judi gave you good advice. Yes, we were posting at the same time again. Two days in a row!!

judi, Slim Fast does have a website. I went into it and the diet has changed since I did it. When I did Slim Fast, you had 2 shakes and a sensible meal, with a piece of fruit or something for a snack. There is a chart where you can find your weight and they tell you what you should be eating.

I made zucchini & carrot fritters last night for dinner. They really turned out good. The recipe calls for whole-wheat flour, but I used Spelt flour instead, only because I don't use a lot of flour and Spelt flour came in a smaller pkg.

Enjoy your day, ladies

Hey girls, the avatar is located at the user control panel here at 3fc.

Yeah judi and Alice, I know you are right about DD. And thanks for the advice. I don't really need to talk to her, I just need to hear from her. She didn't answer her cell phone all weekend - I know there could be any number of explanations. I just realized I don't have an emergency plan to get in touch with her though, I don't know her address, her roomates last names, etc. My imagination is kind of running wild, but I haven't sent out a search party yet. I hope that it's ok that I haven't.

In other news, well I am going to go for a hike this morning, though I might go back to bed first, not much sleep last night. Tomorrow I am going to help on the trail. I am on a volunteer committee that is building a trail at the lake I like to paddle at. It is a huge undertaking and I am only working a very little bit on it, but tomorrow is my day. It's cold here too. I'll have to bundle up.

Ya'll have a good day.

Ledom, you do need to know where she can be reached at all times that is for sure. She could have lost or misplaced her cell phone. Let us know when you hear from her.

How did the work on the trail go?

We are still snowed in here. I had some friends over for coffee yesterday and made a dutch apple cake with carmel sauce. I had the recipes in a cookbook we used in high school for Home Ec. "The Canadian Cookbook" it is called. It was published sometimes in the fifties. Has anyone ever got a cookbook and cooked all the recipes in it? I saw a guest on Martha who had done that with a Julia Child cookbook. Sounds like a fun project...I would have trouble with the sweetbreads recipes though.

Thanks Alice, I def. will look at the Slim Fast website. I have used Spelt to instead of flour sometimes. I like it. Now you can get a few cereals with Spelt in it.

Good for you LaDean resisting all the temptations at a pot luck.:carrot:

I don't know what to do with myself today...I keep playing around with the printer and printing out more Christmas cards than I actually need to send just for the fun of it...I guess I had better go iron or clean or cook...just wish I could get out with the car. I didn't realize how much I love being out and about shopping. I don't need anything...just want to get out.

Well, have a good monday everyone. Let us know when you hear fromDD Ledom.

-Judi

hi, glad all is going good here. me it is to. hey where do you get your cute christmas advatars???? they do not have any on the site.. just curious there so cute... well scales just up a hafe after weekend. so not to bad. got up early this am and rode ex bike 5 miles and walked beau. so has gone good. had breakfast and lunch together so now lite rest of day.. good luck to all and ha ve a great day. LaDean

LaDean - at the bottom of this page where it say Forum Jump, scroll to the User Control Panel, then select Edit Avatar from the left of that page. The Christmas avatars are there.

So girls, without going into any further drama, DD is safe and going about her business. You are right, I just need to get on with my life which I plan to do.
Trail building is tomorrow judi, I'll let you know.

Ledom. thanks so much. these are so cute. i am so glad all is going good with your daughter.. yes we just have to let ourselfes be us. i know my daughter lives with us and all is going good. but we are lucky.. hey have a good day to all. my day has been so good. good luck to all. LaDean

Cute snowman LaDean.

My trail building has been postponed until tomorrow. It may snow here tomorrow night! I hope it does. Though judi it sounds as though you might be ready for a break from the snow.

I have never tried slimfast - good luck with it and let us know how it goes for you. I think I read about that person that made every recipe in the Julia Child cookbook. What a cool thing to do. I am in love with the cookbooks of
Deborah Madison - just love all the information she includes in the very thick "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone". I think it'd take a long long time to make everything in that book. Madison lives in a small community south of Santa Fe which I made a point of driving through on my trip. I read another article that the artist Agnes Martin also lived there before she died. This is a really tiny, historic place, that I now have fantasies of retiring to.

Have a good day all.

Since you all have Christmas avatars, thought I'd change mine. I was going to take another photo of my Flamingos with Santa hats, but couldn't find any Santa hats that were small enough for their heads.

Lacee & I got back a little while ago from our walk. I'm getting both of us acclimated to longer walks.

ledom, glad that you heard from your D. That must have been a relief. Glad that you've decided to get on with your life. Have fun with your trail building. Do you still go kayaking? You never mention it anymore.

judi, it must look like a winter wonderland where you live. I agree, you can go stir crazy not being able to get out. I remember it so well. ;)

La Dean, I really like your avatar. You're coming along great with your exercise.

My eating went well yesterday. I stopped eating when I was full. Have to keep doing that so that it becomes a habit.

I heard on the radio yesterday that the Post Office wanted people to mail their pkgs. yesterday. I haven't even wrapped the gifts I'm going to send, nor have I written out my Christmas Cards. I've got to get a move on. I guess it still doesn't seem like Christmas down here.

Have a wonderful day.

ledom, we were posting at the same time again. :comp:

Hey Alice, we have the same morning routines it seems :-).

I am not going to do much for Christmas this year. To tell the truth I don't even know if DD will be here. I am trying to figure out how to spend time with my mother so that she doesn't feel lonely and still have a bit of self preservation along with it. If I had my druthers I'd be heading to a cabin in the wilderness by myself.

I like your avatar too Alice. Our whole little thread looks so Christmasy!

I do still kayak Alice, just not as often as before. I have a couple trips planned for the near future though. I plan to paddle with a group doing a bird count next Thursday. This will be on the bayou where the Ivory Billed Woodpecker was spotted and will be a new area for me. Then on New Years Day I plan to paddle with the same group who paddled on NYD last year. Maybe a bit of a tradition going here.

Hi so glad all is going good with everyone. yes i love these little christmas ones. hey aleka i debated on the one you have or the snow man. so my grandson loves snowmen so chose it.. yes this gets me in mood. Oh Ledom hope you get to spend some with your mother. wish i had mine to spend it with. i always take flowers to cemetary and that is my time with them. then my tuffy got to fix his little site up and all christmasy. he loved it so much. so cute i got lots of pictures. so hope beau does like it to. i will get pictures. I did get a picture of tuffy and i under the tree last y ear so i treasure that.. loss him jan. 5th so we had him christmas.. alot of m emories this time of year. but happy ones. hope your d comes around and you all. i love cabins would love to have one to go to.. so comfy.. well aleka yours and lacees walk sounds good. i had one with beau this am.. was chilly but not bad out. Oh the snow and all judi i know it makes it so holiday like. i am going to get my christmas things out today.. start getting in mood around here. ha ha i am up a bit on scales this am. over did yesterday. you all are doing great. we can and we will do it TOGETHER.. you all are the GREATEST FRIENDS. HAVE A GOOD DAY. LaDean

Our little corner does look Christmasy doesn't it!:gift2:

Glad DD is back, Ledom.

You girls sound like you are all doing good....excercise wise you all amazing. I really need to get this weight off, my hip is hurting when I walk.

Yeah, I think I will try the Slim Fast in the New Year. Maybe 2 meals a day and a reg. meal twice a week and then count calories the other ones. I should get a new hobby part of my problem is I love cookbooks and then cooking so I am always making something everyday. I missed the meeting of the newly forming camera club because of being snowed in...but maybe if I get taking photos again I will spend less time in the kitchen. I would get more exercise too,

I am looking forward to Christmas. I have done all my shopping (which wasn't much), mailed the cards (which seem to get less each year as people die or drift off somewhere) and am only left with the baking.

The picture with Tuffy under the tree must be so sweet LaDean. I have a picture of Parasha in a Christmas frame that I bring out every year. She was such a sweet good natured little dog...I really miss her.

I had fun making calendars this year with my photos. The software that came with my digital camera had some fun things to play around with. Do you use Photoshop, Ledom?

Yes, New Mexico is one of my favourite places. My first interest in it when I was reading biographies of Georgia O'Keefe and was so thrilled when I got to go.

Alice...flamigoes in Santa hats that would be so cute!!!

Time to go find DH...we are going to watch "War of the Worlds'...we still haven't seen it.

Wouldn't it be fun if the four of us could get together for a little Christmas coffee party? I would love that, don't you know we would have so much to talk about. We might even get around to mentioning our animal babies ;-)

My trail work was postponed until tomorrow so I'll be up and out early in the morning.

Judi, the workshop I took last was on photoshop. I was in a class that was way too advanced for me! Kind of a love/hate relationship going on with photoshop here.

Things are going pretty well diet wise. I noticed that I was sneaking an extra cracker here and there the last couple of days. Last night I also had a dessert, a big one. While the crackers were somewhat uncontrolled, the dessert I felt totally in control with. Like I really crave this, I have been thinking of this for days, I am going to have this and put this craving behind me. Anyway, these little indulgences were pretty obvious on the scale, not anything major but just enough to remind me. So today I was absolutely perfect. I am going to a little christmas party on Sun. afternoon and I'll wait until then to treat myself again, and moderately at that. Things are going so good now that I don't want to screw it up.

Take care and talk to you soon.

Yes it would be SO:grouphug: much fun to get together.

Ledom, if photoshop is to advanced for you it would be wayyyyy out of my league...I was just thinking about maybe getting it. I am having quite a bit of fun with the software that came with my camera.

Good for you on the control thing...with all those temptations all around too.

Hi LaDean & Aleka;)

Today we drove for miles and miles looking for a place we saw last year that made real Ukrainian homemade Kolbassa...if I am eating meat again might as well have the best. We found it too...I bought various types of perogies and 2 rings of the sausage and am going to save them for Christmas eve.

Well, we watched "War of the Worlds". It was ok, I thought but it didn't match the fear factor in the original "Cape Fear" with Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum that I caught on tv right after I finished watching the dvd. (Hollywood with its big budgets and special effects still can't match up to some of the old movies where the acting and writing does it all.)

I am going to go cook something...for the deep freeze.

judi - photoshp is too advanced for me because I don't have the patience for it. You would probably take right to it, also what I meant was the class I took was an advanced class and I am a beginner.

So today was fun. I painted the blazes for our new trail. I enjoyed it much more than the day I dug the trail. No blisters today. I had an interesting partner too who told me his life story as we worked. A retired jock who is still very much into working out, mountain biking, racing. I have met some nice people working with my citizens focus group. Too bad I am not retired, I would be the best volunteer ever.

All your christmas goodies sound so good. I have to make a sweet to take the christmas party on Sunday. I think I am going to make 2 things. Since I am way into my southwestern theme still I am going to make from the Nov. recipes of the New Mexico magazine. A pumpkin pinenut loaf and anise cookeis I believe.

My own get together is a week from Friday night and is now official as I have extended invitations. I'll be a cleaning and a cooking pretty much full time between now and then.

Hi oh your meats do sound so good. glad you found them and all. i am thinking strongly after first of year to get on atkins again.. i did lose on it. i was down .50 tonite so that was good for me. i want to have a loss every week lefted this year. so going for it. good luck to all of you also.. oh your plans sound good. and i am happy for all of us. have a great tomorrow. LaDean

OMG! Can you believe it!:carrot:

I finally reached a ticker goal. Since the first of September when I got back from Montana I have lost 23 lbs., the first 5 of that 28 that shows up on ticker one took about 3 months as well. I FINALLY got serious about all this.

So this week was a phenomenal 3 lbs. - I'll just have to let this 3 settle in for a while I bet.

On to the benefits. I have a new skip in my step. I am feeling really good. Yesterday I went shopping and am dipping into a new size. I found a great and stylish suit on half price sale which I bought! I am going to wear the heck out of it too, because you know what, it's going to be too big before I know it. How is that for positive thinking?

Anyway, I am very happy and celebrate today.

What an amazing weight loss Ledom...3 pounds...that is something you usually only get the first week of a diet:high:

You LaDean are always so good and consistent on your weight loss and exercise:cool:

I ordered the book on why French woman eat and stay slim. Its true ... the people in France are small and slim...well, except for the odd one but as a nation. I have been to France about 5 times and am always impressed with the food and how well ...chic...the people look. Yesterday I was dusting one of my book cases and found a whole row of brand new diet books NEVER EVEN read...I have all the Bob Greene books and journals...why do I ever buy him? He is such a hard a$$ at dieting and exercise. I did find some interesting ones though that I am going to skim read.

Snow is melting somewhat but not so much I feel I can drive in it...still have to have DH drive me around.

ledom, congratulations on reaching your ticker goal....:goodscale :cheer: That is really fantastic.

judi, is the diet book you're talking about, Why French Women Don't Get Fat? I have it and haven't read it yet. Like you, I have every diet book ever written and haven't read any of them through. As a matter of fact, I just ordered a new one yesterday, Calorie Queens.

LaDean, hope you have a loss every week until the end of the year. I'll be pulling for you.

Speaking about snow. Two of my cousins e mailed me, one lives in MA and the other in NH. They're both getting a snow storm today, and are expecting 6"-12". I am thinking of them, as it is 82° here and I'm wearing shorts. ;)

Hope you all are having a good day.

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU LEDOM.. THAT IS A GREAT LOSS. SO VERY HAPPY FOR YOU GIRL. YOUR GOING. YOU HAVE DONE SO GOOD. hearing this gives me encouragement to keep with it and i to can have a good loss hey we all can. oh so fun sharing such good news. this time of year especially. you go girl..... I just wish all of you a great day. I loss 1/2 lb last nite . 2 weeks in row now. so i want to get a loss for rest of year. and go out with a big bang. ha ha so join me and lets all do it. oh those books sound good. i will have to check some of them out. i always love reading new diet books. ha ha got lots of them. go back to them to.. in fact thinking of atkins now for again... oh my cousins in missouri have snow to.. i am going to get my things out today and up. get in mood round here. ha ha have a great day all of you.. thanks so much you all are the greatest friends. LaDean

Thanks guys. Congratulations to you too LaDean, 2 weeks in a row, that's the way to go.

I am pretty suprised at how well I have been losing. You know it is not that much different than when I wasn't, but I guess enough different. Slightly less food, slightly more exercise, but not radically different. I have found a formula that works for me and now I am going to knock on wood so I don't jinx it.

Judi, hope your snow melts so you can get out and about. Snow days are fun, but there is a limit to how long you can stay at home without going stir crazy. We have had VERY cold temperatures and even a little snow, but not enough to make the roads bad.

Today my mother and I did our annual pilgrimage to cut the christmas tree. Having some snow on the ground made it feel very festive.

I have been super busy today. I raked and bagged leaves, still more to go. I strung lights on the fir tree in our backyard. I leave the lights on all year round but this year they really needed to be changed and the tree has gotten very tall so that was a big job. Having to stop and go buy more lights was par for the course. But it is so pretty. The way our lot is situated it looks like a lighted tree in the woods from all the angles. I like it.

Now I have just taken my pumpkin cake out of the oven to take to my party on Sunday. I guess I am getting in the christmas spirit after all. At least today felt very domesticy and christmasy.

Alice, do you wish you were having snow? Or are you happy to be nice and warm now?

Ledom. oh your day sound so fun and nice. to have your mother to do that with is so great. wish i had mine here the holidays and all. we use to do things together and all. was so fun. but i have lots of memories and that counts so much. Oh your pumpkin cake sounds so good. how do you do it?? i have some pumpkin lefted and do not want a pie.. something different and the cake sounds so good. have you heard of the fruit coctail cake. oh i am going to do it for christmas.. my friend from tennesse i met online gave it to me.. Oh i bet the snow and all its really christmasy. i got in mood today to. i put few lites outside. would love to put some on my tree on lot. its a fir one to. so pretty and would be with lites. but dought i do it this year. i am going to next year though... so its looking more like christmas here in Oregon. lots have there things out and all. i got started on little things in house out and about to. got more to do in family room. going to bring some trimmings from trees to get the smell. we have a artifial tree get it done tomorrow. the wood heat and all it drys out so and i can never get it up early . so went this way.. i may get a small one and put in family room on table. thinking about it.. oh glad your losing good and that you found a plan that works. that is kinda like me now. its watching the portions and i am going to start exercising more to.. that is the way to do it i think. and if its helping stick to it.. good for you. hey have a good tomorrow to all of you.. LaDean

Hey Guys, As much as I loved having my ticker goal filled, my signature was unwieldy so I just added my new goal to the one ticker. When I get this one complete I will have arrived at onederland. You do the math! I feel as if I am finally in sight of it.

So, baking today. I threw away one whole batch of cookie dough. I forgot that I cannot make cookie cutter cookies. I do not know the trick and my memory failed me on that fact in the 10 years since I last tried. At a fairly early point I just decided not to frustrate myself further. I changed to a drop cookie recipe and they turned out great. I do not like making cookies at all though. Just not my thing. And then they are next to impossible to resist. These are to take to a potluck tomorrow and good riddance. Somehow tonight did not go well diet wise. Guess I had my treat night tonight instead of at the party tomorrow.

I am so excited. I am going to be a part of the Christmas Bird Count. I am going to be in my kayak on the Bayou DeView where the Ivory Billed Woodpecker was rediscovered last year. My friend who works for the Game and Fish Commission secured me a spot to participate. This takes place on Thursday.

Happy Sunday everyone,

Hope you all are enjoying your weekend. Mine has been busy running errands, getting my Christmas Cards mailed, and last minute shopping. I still have DH to finish, and I'll do that tomorrow when the mall will be less crowded.

Last night we drove around looking at Christmas lights. Some of the houses were really pretty, but a lot of them were decorated way..way too much.

ledom, the Christmas Bird Count sounds like a lot of fun. I wish I could be joining you. I love watching birds. There are a lot of different birds here in FL that we never had up north. It's funny, I do and I don't miss the snow. I miss it at Christmas, because to me, it isn't Christmas unless it's cold and/or snowy. But, on Fri., I was outside in my shorts, it was 82°, and I realized that at home, in New England, they were having a terriffic snow storm, and there I was in shorts. At that moment I did not miss the snow at all. I think I'm coming around to the FL way of life. ;) I'm so glad that you're doing so well in the diet and exercise dept.
Have a good time at you potluck.

Hey judi, LaDean

Enjoy your day.

Hi Gals!

Sounds like you all are doing good.

We put up the tree yesterday and decorated the house. It looks nice. I am a bit worried that the tree will drop its needles before Christmas. I guess I will just have to keep it watered and don't leave the heat turned up. Next Sat. I will have my little grandson all day and wanted everything up for him. My D. says when he is playing he pretends that we are in whatever he is playing he talks about "dooda's truck and baba's car". So cute...that is us...Dooda and Baba. The other grandparents are "Grandma and Grandpa", though he can't say that yet.

I haven't got on the scale this week. Not eager.

Let's BOTH try to read that "french women" book Alice.

Sounds like you are doing a lot of cooking Ledom. They do a bird count here on the island too. Wouldn't it be something to see an ivory billed woodpecker...a thrill of a lifetime. I get excited if I see a flicker. OMIGOSH you are in "one"derland Ledom!! You must be ecstatic. I can't do the math...just tell me.

You are in 82 weather Alice!! I can't tell my DH it is 82 anywhere...he keeps lamenting it is so cold and dark here and I am trying to be positive about it. Since we can't go anywhere anyway. He really misses the motorhome...much more than I do.

Are you in Oregon, Ladean? Did you get your tree up? So nice, eh? I went overboard this year on the decoration dept. (I guess to make up for last year). What does the doggie think? Marely can take it or leave it but the cats were very curious and had to go and sit under the tree after it had been thoroughly inspected from all angles.

Time to go and have a coffee. Have a super day everyone!

Oh no judi not onderland yet - I am at 223 - will be in onederland when I finish out my new ticker. So close, yet so far.

Today I am making something healthy. Yesterday wasn't so good. Left me feeling pretty bad about the holiday and being able to maintain what I have worked so hard far.

Enjoy your grandson and I love his names for you.

Hello everyone,

Ok, judi, we will definitely read that French woman book. I got a kick out of your grandson calling you Dooda. When I was about your grandson's age, I started calling one of my aunts Dooda. I called her that until the day she died. When I saw the name it brought back so many memories. Earlier this morning I was at the mall and went into a book store. I saw a book Marley & Me, and thought of you. I forget who the author is. I bet your house really looks nice all decorated. :ginger:

ledom, how was your party? Hope you had a good time. Don't feel bad about the holiday, they're meant to be enjoyed. You're back to eating healthy again.

LaDean, is Beau getting excited about Christmas? I've got Lacee's gifts all set. I'm sure she'll be amble to smell them under the tree, especially her cookies. :present:

Have a great day.

I am such a caffiene addict. Today I am trying to wean myself off of copious amounts of diet coke by drinking copious amounts of strong coffee.

I have shifted into overdrive to get everything done I need to this week. I had to stomp on some Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes last night to keep from eating them. It was empowering. I packed up the cookies in a pretty tin to give as a gift. My house is again a sugar free zone.

Did shopping yesterday. I am out of money so I guess I am through.

Cleaning and decorating today.

Hi! I can't sleep...so I am up and prowling around.

Good for you Ledom, that is SOOO close to 'one'derland...plus quite a bit of your weight is muscle and if I was at that point it would just be er..fat:barf:
Give your self a pat on the back...hey, are you still planning to buy jewellery?
Good for you for stomping on the cookies.

In looking at where I was last Dec. and where I am now...I am down 5 pounds. Not exactly record breaking but it could have gone up...now I realize there is no upper limit...I saw a special on tv about a poor guy who died and weighed over 500 pounds. That is so scary...to imagine you can keep gaining weight until you can't move and then your health is so impeded. That horrifies me.

I am looking forward to "that" book arriving Alice. The house does look nice. I bought a cute 'old timey' tin sign that says "Try our fruitcake 5 cents" and put it in my kitchen.

I am done shopping too...I did stocking stuffers today...the last of them. I shopped for stocking stuffers earlier but some of the stuff was so cute I decided to keep it for myself and had to go out and buy again.:o

I still have to make cookies but I don't want to make to early and have the temptation around.

Lacee is good not to root out her Christmas gifts...when I get anything for Marley he always knows it is in the house .... he can tell when "pet store" smell has come into the house and he will PERSIST until he either finds it or I crack and give in to him. I have to buy and leave in the trunk of my car until I am ready to give it to him.

Any of you hockey fans? Did you see the Vancouver Canucks beat the NY rangers:carrot:

Hi LaDean! How is it going?

Good morning everyone,

I can safely say that I am done Christmas shopping. I finished DH up on Mon. and all my pkgs that I sent out have been shipped. :elf: Now all I have to do is wrap DH's gifts and put them under the tree.

I had a good chuckle out of you stomping in the Little Debbie's, ledom. That must have been something to see. You must be getting excited about your bird counting.
I have just become addicted to Starbucks Coffee. In the past it was always too strong for me. But, when we were traveling, the only decent place in the rest area to get a cup of coffee was Starbucks. My first sip, I didn't care for, but the second sip got me hooked.

I've started reading "that" book, judi. The first thing you do is take an inventory of the food you have in your pantry. She has 2 soup recipes for leeks. One is you boil the leeks in water, remove the leeks, then save the broth. The other recipe, is more like a soup with added veggies, and you eat it as you would soup. You can make either recipe and for the first weekend, this is all you eat. You eat the soup every 2 or 3 hrs. or whenever you're hungry. I've never had leeks before. I haven't gotten beyond that point yet, so I don't know what you do after that weekend. That's really terriffic you're down 5 lbs. :cp:

Lacee has her own kitchen cabinet and she knows when I open the door to "her" cabinet. I can open any other cabinet door in the kitchen and she never appears, I just touch the door knob on her cabinet door and she's right beside me.:smug:

La Dean, haven't heard from you in a while. Hope everything is ok with you.

Have a good day.

Hi, all is fine here. just been busy. when its cold i am not in this room to much. beau sets and whines and wants me in by stove. had to take him for his shots yesterday afternoon. hes all in good shape. but ..... was told to FAT. so that means we both are going to be stricker on our eating. ha ha hes got to. small bones and not good for him. so hes doing ok 2 days with eating right now. i got him back on just his food. maybe a treat here and there. ha ha so that was good knowing all is ok with him. just been getting ready for christmas and all. got decorations and all done. i just have to get out and get my gift certificates and that is it. so not much to do. i want to bake some. sounds like everyone is ready now for christmas. i am glad. its so neat to come in here and share.. oh that book sounds interesting. i know i was once on the cabbage soup plan. loss and i love the soup. i have never had the leeks either. i have been real good. so scales are looking good for me to. that always makes me so happy. glad all is going good all of your way in that area to. keep it up. we will do it for sure. together and having fun that way to do it... have a great day all of you. LaDean

I have used leeks before in soups. You just use the white part, it is milder than onions. I still haven't got my book yet, I ordered it from Amazon but they said they sent it. I am eager to read it.

Alice, that is so darn clever about Lacee knowing the sound of her cabinet door opening. What a smart girl!!

I ordered 3 pairs of slippers from Lands End for gifts and they still haven't come and I ordered them about 2 weeks ago. Other than that I am finished Christmas shopping, wrapping, decorating but not baking.

LaDEan, they said little Beau was too fat!! Oh no...I bet he is a sweet cuddly guy. It is cute he wants you to sit by the stove...I mean why not?...they certainly know what is nice and cozy.

Most of the snow is gone here but it is cold.

Hi Ledom!

HI, Are leeks round little onions. i saw them in a soup i fixed dick. was wondering if they were onions.. never used them. glad your day is going good. hope the slippers come soon. one year i ordered alot of my christmas and not very much came. so i just never did it again. i am doing gift certificates this year. even ask grandaughter and she said that is what she wanted. so figured hey good for me. ha got tree and all up now. so its like christmas around here now. daughter has shopped alot. so got gifts shes wrapped under there. got beau a cute sock. i put tuffys sock he had on tree in memory of. then hubby won a turkey at elks lodge meeting last nite. so can have it after holidays.. or i may just fix it and have it to snack on and eat and no cooking. ha ha see how much kids have lefted over and all. oh its so cold here. it jsut does not warm up of day at all. really burning wood. Oh at tops tonite i turtled. so have not gained in 3 weeks and i am in leeway . so proud of me. have kept this off for a year now.. well have a good day to all. LaDean

Hey Girls, I have used leeks to make vegetable broth for cooking. LaDean, glad you and Beau are keeping warm in front of the fire.

Just a quick check in. Yesterday was Xtreme birdwatching. My friend, and another inexperienced kayaker took off down a river without fully realizing what we were getting into. Long story, my day started with moonset and ended with moonrise. We were on the water 8 hrs. and that was after a 3 hr. dirve for me and then back. Was dark before we got off the water. My toes were cold, we had to portage over a log jam, and some little shallow parts. What we thought was about an 8 mile paddle turned out to be more like 14. We were in the backwoods though with giant cypress trees, deer, and a nice array of birds. It was one of those experiences that while you are having it you only wish it would end, but once you survive it it is one for the record books.

Anyway I got home way later than I intended. I put on dry warm pajamas and fell into bed and slept for 3 hrs. Since midnight I have been cooking for my party tonight and my house is not clean. I feel like I am living life on the edge.

Know what you mean about holding off on baking the cookies judi - cookies are scary.

Ledom, so glad you got back ok:hug: (I have visions of 'Deliverance' going thru my head). Well, it is one for the books. Don't worry about your house...it is probably fine and if you have enough food no one will notice.

LaDean .... good for you on your weight this year. You are an inspiration:strong: I know what you mean about putting Tuffy's sock out for remebrance...every year I put out Parasha's photo in a little Christmas frame. It is nice to think of those pets that were part of so many Christmases in the past.

I spent the day in bed fighting of a cold and reading pot boilers. I am much better. I have to improve...my D wants a day with her husband and so they are bringing the little guy tomorrow for me to look after. I am also kind of eager for them to see the house in its Christmas splendor.

Hi Alice!

Have fun at your party tonight Ledom:goodvibes :xcheer:

Good Saturday morning girls.. oh hope your day is going good. mine is. scales are looking good to start the weekend off. then i just got in from a chilly walk with beau. always makes him frisky and playful. so is good for both of us. i wish all of you a good day. LaDean

Hi again. well we are getting ice rain tonite. may its slick out. i went to walk beau and oh edge of patio was shiny i thought oh now. and the bricks to lot out from back yard. so i walked on grass. this misty stuff is falling. ice. ha ha beau did not know what to think. but did his job. we stayed in the grass no going across road or out front. so glad its done. i hate this stuff. in fact hate the cold to. i am so wanting my good old oregon rain back... i love it. ha i rode ex bike today 2 miles may do more. been just lazy day. snacked some tonite with daughter in and that seem to be our thing. ha ha oh well tomorrow a new day. tis the season to be Jolly and i plan to enjoy everyone i have. haha does that tell you something about age. ha ha i hope all of you are enjoying it to... have a good tomorrow. LaDean

Hey LaDean, be careful in the ice. Sounds cozy at your house though.

judi - I know you are having fun this weekend. You will have to tell us about it when you get a chance.

Oh me, well I am back on plan today. More or less counting calories and back to the routine workout. I know today is going to be hard food wise but I am determined. Remember my motto - I don't want to have to relose what I have already lost. So time to get my focus on that thought now. I did skip the weigh-in this week. By the end of the week I want to be brave enough to weigh myself.

The party was so good. It turned out just like I wanted it to with a lot of very nice people meeting each other for the first time. I brought two groups of my friends together and they seemed to enjoy each other a lot. Yesterday was a day of recovery. My daughter called first thing in the morning and came to visit me for a while. It was so nice, we had a good visit. The rest of the day I kept a fire in the fireplace and read and dozed and petted the kitties. It was nice. So now I am about to do some cooking. I have leftover chicken and garlic that I am going to make into chicken noodle soup or maybe chicken and potato. I am going to make an EFL cheesecake and make up a pot of broccoli. I already have turkey and meatballs and spaghetti squash in the fridge. I have to fortify myself with good food so I can keep my focus.

So onward and upward. Back to normal as much as possible the week of christmas.

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend. It was awfully humid here yesterday, we ran the a/c until the sun went down and it cooled off. Today is a whole different story. It's cool and raining. What a difference a day makes.

Got all of DH's Christmas gifts wrapped. That was a job, and thankfully that chore is done. Now I have to wrap Miz Lacee's gifts. That should be fun with her smelling the bags of dog food and cookies. :rolleyes:

LaDean, I see that you have freezing rain. Hope your warm and cozy inside and your power stayed on. Lacee gets frisky when it's cold too. She starts running around the yard and she's still full of it when she comes inside. She likes to growl and bite our shoes as we're walking. Every year I have bought the Hallmark ornament where you insert your pet's photo. I have some with photos of both cats, Shamrock, and now with Lacee. I hang them every year on the Christmas tree.

ledom, you really had a full day when you went birdwatching. It sounds like you had quite an experience. Glad that your party was a big success. It's nice to get two different groups of your friends together. That's nice your daughter came to see you and had a good visit.

judi, have you gotten "that" book yet? It must have been a fun day with the little guy. Hope you were feeling better.

Have a wonderful day, ladies

:snowglo:

Hi! How is everyone?? I went out and got the last of the stocking stuffers and food so now I can just enjoy getting things ready for Christmas.

I was down 2 pounds this week:) not because I was especially good but because I was sick on the weekend and couldn't eat. I still feel kind of queasy around food...I hope it lasts for a bit. Dooda had to look after baby practically all by himself I was useless. It was fun though to have the little fellow over...he is changing week by week.

Weather is raining now but might change to snow. That is ok.

I have the house decorated, the presents out and it looks nice. I am going to start some baking this week.

Alice, I still haven't gotten my book. Your pet ornaments sound like a wonderful momento. I had to leave Bentley and Marley's treats in the car because Marley would persist until he found them. Bentley came over to stay on the weekend too, he is such a nice little guy.

Glad your party went off so nicely Ledom. Is D. coming over for Christmas or are you going to your mom's?

Have you got your Oregon rain back LaDean?

Enjoy the season:ginger:
-Judi

Hi all. oh yes first of all i am so happy. my oregon rain is here. and oh my how i wish for here till spring. i would really be happy. i snacked over the weekend. d and i watched movies and snacked. but i did it sensibly and never over did. proud of me. we had ice rain one nite. oh my i hate that. i just will not get out at all in it. walk on grass. ha beau did to. oh those ornaments sound so cute. i will ahve to check them out for sure. yes he was really frisky tonite to. theres a new dog in fence next to our lot. they have became friends through the fence. ha ha oh i am anxious to see beau this christmas. alice my tuffy did that to sniffed the packages out. so cute.. i know beau will be cute in his way to. hes doing good on his eating plan to.. has been a week tomorrow. he seems to feel better to and not so much wanting to sleep. he was 9 years old yesterday so had white little debbie cakes. loves those. but jsut a bit. ha then he just got his way the whole day having what he wanted. ha ha we had a fun day . we beat the rain this morning for our walk. so that was good. oh i bet the weather is changeable there and all. i know it can be here to. glad ledom your daughter was over and your party was good and all. and judi oh what fun to watch the little one. well hey have a good day tomorrow all of you. later LaDean

Morning ladies, judi hope you are feeling better. It sounds like everyone is about ready for Christmas. I am too, just a little bit of wrapping and then getting everything together for Christmas dinner.

I have fallen out of my zone and trying really hard to get back to it. Yesterday eating was much bettter and I did workout though not my regualr workout. I am up early this am and plan to have another good eating day and do the regular workout.

Just a quick check in. How is everyone doing? All is well here. Nothing too exciting, I am back to my regular workouts. Some treats are allowed the next few days I guess but I am trying to maintain some control. Will be making a big pot of healthy chili today to tide me through some less good choices.

Hi everyone!

Chili...now that sounds like a good idea...maybe I will make that today too.

All the snow is gone and we have rain and more rain...and wind...a tree just fell on our roof but did no damage PTL!

I still have the flu/cold...I went to the doctor yesterday and he must be the most popular guy on the island, everyone I knew was there...apparently a virus is going around. I had a flu shot too:?:

The upside is the 'eating' was wasy below par which is ok.

I got my book Alice and plan to read it today.

Glad you got your rain LaDean...snow is pretty but it makes it so darn hard to get around.

hi all. sounds like all are ok. i am to. yes love this rain. beau and i have missed a down pour and got a good walk in so far each day.. i am heading out this evening a friend and i to see some christmas lites. the seniors are taking a bus. and eat out. but a buffet so can be good. ha ha i am having my holiday treats all along. then back after that on none. glad you all are doing so good. glad the snow is all gone now. i know its the getting around in it. if i jsut sit in would love it. but we have alot of ice with it is what is so terrible. well its getting nearer christmas. how exciting. Hey ledom glad all is going good with your plan. chili we had it yesterday. was good. love it. have a good day all of you. LaDean

Morning all. Alice, are you ready for Christmas you've been quiet lately? Judi, so sorry your cold/flu has dragged on - it seems to be going around here as well. DD has had it from what I understand. How were the lights LaDean? I need to do something like that. Maybe tonight.

On Wed. night I got together with my girlfriends to welcome the solstice. That was fun. I was just thinking yesterday how I have greeted the solstices' and equinoxes' with them for so long now and how important this ritual is to us. We don't really do anything special, usually a light supper and visit and a nod to the new season. (Which by the way reminds me, I guess it is time for a new winter thread. I"ll think on that a little before I start it.) Anyway, I love those girls.

So tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I need to run out to pick up a couple of ingredients for dinner today and wrap a couple more presents but basically I am ready for it. On the 27th DD and I are going to see a production of "Beauty and the Beast" at the repertory theatre. I am looking forward to that. I will get to wear my new suit!

I have New Years planned as well if the weather cooperates. Camping with friends New Years Eve and paddling on New Years Day. That will be fun. We are going to camp at the area where the trail is that I have volunteered on so I look forward to actually walking on that trail for the first time when I can notice things more.

So I have really been thinking about what I am doing dietwise. I have had some very bad days sprinkled among some not so good days going on for 2 weeks now. I am very frightened by the loss of control. Last night I took out my current "bible" of weight loss Jillian Michaels "Winning by Losing" to reread the first 3 chapters where she talks about the reasons to do all the hardwork of diet and exercise - she is very convincing. I just got through the first chapter last night, but it was helpful. I also determined that I needed to use the mantra I did during thanksgiving. Christmas is just one day. It is a little late to be employing that, but if I can hold my eating to that for the next week I know I'll be ahead of where I will be if I don't. I want to splurge on New Year's Eve as well with a bottle of wine. After that I can't think of any more holiday excuses for not keeping it together until next winter!

I know I need to weigh but I am just not ready to do that. Today is weigh-in day and I didn't weigh last week either. I have got to just get myself geared for it. I can do this. Anyway, I really plan to do a perfect diet day today and I will report back on if I make it. I am thinking I will!

Okey Doke - just got up the nerve to weigh! OMG, will not go into detail except to say - I am glad I did because now I have the focus. Not weighing is not good for me, now I can't fool myself anymore about the cause and effect of Christmas goodies. Will just leave my tracker as is until I can ooch it down again but I will say some damage has been done.

Hello everyone, :clause:

ledom, it sounds like you're all set for Christmas. Your outing over New Years sounds like a lot of fun. Hope it stays warm for you. Glad that you had such a good time celebrating the winter solstice with your friends. You'll get back to your diet and exercise routine once the holidays are over with.

LaDean, glad that you're happy about the rain. A belated Happy Birthday to Beau. He & Lacee have birthdays in the same month. Her's was on Dec. 7th, Pearl Harbor Day, and she was 5. All that walking will help Beau lose weight too.

judi, how is the book coming along? I haven't read anything past the leek soup yet. I'll pick it up before the New Year and read the rest of it. I have discovered, I just have no interest in counting calories or anything.

This week before Christmas my eating hasn't been all that good. But, I usually take this week to indulge rather than indulging from Thanksgiving to Christmas. This way I only gain 1 or 2 lbs. rather than 5-10. :D

I want to wish you all a
:hohoho: Merry Christmas!!!:xcheer:

:gift2: [COLOR="RedMERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND A :newyear: [/COLOR]

So glad all is going good and everyone is ready for the holidays. i am to. oh neat both lacee and beaus birthdays this month.. yes so far no luck with beau losing wt. but hes eating right and that is what counts. wish i was ha ha i also just let go the holidays and do my thing. sometimes when i do this it helps me. i am not worry and fretting. instead being Jolly and having fun and enjoying. got the whole new year to get to new goal. and i will. oh your trip Ledom sounds so fun... well to all a nice christmas:candy: :tree:

Happy Christmas Eve!
I have been fooling around with my signature this a.m. I just feel better showing the original goal being reached and starting over on a new goal. Easier for me to keep track of. Was able to hold everything together yesterday with my diet and that has renewed my confidence some. I can do this.
Went hiking this a.m. and was strong for that.

Hope you all have a joyous day.

Morning girls - how is everyone this morning? I hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas.

I am well, I survived. It was nice. DD was home and we both were on our best behaviour - no Thanksgiving repeat thank goodness. We had a good visit about a lot of things. She had some big news, a boyfriend! She had been to meet his family - I know that he has liked her for about 2 years. Apparently he never gave up on her and now they're together. I have to say I am very happy for her. It's time for her to be getting on with her life. Though I only know of the bf, I believe he is a sweet kid that is going to be good to her. I'll be meeting him soon I suppose.

Anyway, my house is pretty much christmas treat free. I packed up everything for her to take home with her. There is a frozen concoction that we had for dessert in the freezer, but I do believe I can stay away from that. The only reason it didn't go home with her was the problem of transporting it. I'll have to invite someone over for dessert soon to get that taken care of.

I feel very ready to get on with my clean living now! I have plans to celebrate the new year with friends that include food and drink, not evolved enough to give that up, but that is a week away and I plan to have an excellent week with that planned splurge a week from now.

Merry Christmas to all and Happy Birthday to all doggies having birthdays:hug:

Nice to read of everyone's doin's these last couple of days.

We probably had our nicest Christmas ever. It was so much fun. My DH got a remote helicopter from our D and SIL so he and my hubby were out on the lawn all Christmas afternoon trying to fly it, it was fun to see DH having such fun. The baby was such a hoot too...he is learning to talk and is so pleased when he discovers a new word he can say.

I am glad everything is working out well for the D Ledom.

I wasn't too bad on the Christmas overeating because I still have a cold but I am staying away from the scale...I don't want to defeat myself mentally.

I have 3 new books to read ...all which I really want to read...the "French" woman diet one, "In the Vineyard of the Lord" (about Pope Benedict) and "How to Live Well on One Income"...a book I have wanted to read for a long time.

I am ready to get on with exercising and dieting and getting on with my resolutions.

I think I will leave the tree and decorations up for awhile yet, I am not ready to let go of Christmas. I did resist the temptation to go bargain hunting today.

:coolsnow: :rudolph:

judi - so glad your Christmas was so nice. It does sound like fun. It sounds like having a baby in the house makes everything more playful. That's neat about your DH spending the day outside playing with his toy. Everyone should have a toy for Christmas!

DD and I are going to a play of Sleeping Beauty tonight. I think I might have mentioned that already. Anyway, not much new around here.

Got back on track with eating yesterday. It was actually easy to do (knock on wood). I am ready to get back to the losing game!

Hi! I am up early I have to go for tests...no eating until so I want to get them out of the way.

I just bought Prevention's magazine (a special issue) on outsmart Diabetes...5 super foods for diabetes and walk the weight off/4 easy plans to manage your blood sugar. It was at the supermarket counter. It looks like it contains some good info.

I was up one pound over Christmas...not bad, still down 5 for the entire year. I hope to add a zero to that five number this year. That will be my goal.

We have had a lot of rain and alders have been falling down so we have had a few bouts of power outages. It is ok for me...I have a little book light so I always read in front of the fireplace and listen to my ipod. It is kind of nice.

Hope everyone is having a good week.

Hi all. wish that was all i was up was a lb. i am uppppppp way uppppppp. but today i am with it again. going downnnnnnn. already rode ex bike 3 miles. going to get on it all day and walk to.. and get with my atkins again. got to get with it. for my health. i have played around now all these weeks. now its back to business and get with it. so happy to hear judi you did so well over holidays and you to aleka and ledom. you set an example for me to get with it. so today is that new day moving forward and going to do it. i am going for my new goal. just lose and when i get to that stand still then a new goal it be. so have a great day to all. HAPPY NEW YEAR.. LaDean

Good to see you girls. All is well here, very quiet. I just finished my workout and after my shower will go buy groceries. Time to cook again. I haven't made meatloaf in a while so I guess I'll try that. I find I eat the same things over and over. Anyway, diet is so so still. I mean it is not as out of control as it was, but last evening a slip occurred. And of course I felt terrible about it this a.m. I put off my workout because I just can't do it very well when I haven't eaten very well. Anyway, I am still trying to keep my cheats in moderation and have given myself until Jan. 2 to get back 100%. Easy on myself, huh? Anyway, congrats judi - you did great. I am not claiming any extra lbs., as I read somewhere they are just some fluff that will be gone very very soon.

Hi everyone,

Glad that you all had a good Christmas. Mine was good too. We had planned on taking Lacee to a doggie beach, but as it turned out it wasn't a very good beach day.

I tried to start my diet on the 26th, but failed miserably. I got too many goodies for Christmas gifts and all week I was into them. I am starting Jan. 2nd, and I'm sending the rest of the goodies with DH when he goes to work.

All of you sound like you're really determined and are doing so well with your eating.

I am reading a book from Oprah's Book Club, A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. It's his story about what he went through in recovery for alcohol and drugs. It really is good and I can't put it down.

I want to wish you all a Safe, Healthy, and Happy New Year!!!!
:newyear: :snow4:

Morning Alice, To say this is not the diet season is an understatement! We'll get through this week and then maybe the sailing will be smoother. I made this fabulous christmas dessert. It is called Peppermint Seimifreddo w/ choc. sauce. The good thing is that you make it and pour it into 6 serving bowls so at least a serving is delineated, sorta - the choc sauce is served on the side and that can get out of hand. Anyway it is like a frozen peppermint custard. I ate the last one last night instead of my EFL Cheesecake. There is still half a chocloate bar in the freezer. I THINK everything else is out of the house now. Anyway, bought my groceries last night. My shopping cart was the cleanest, healthiest one in the store, it had to be. Lean protein, veggies and fruit.

Will be good today, will carry on like a fool NY eve and day, and then buddy I am getting serious! Promise!

Hi, all i am also going to be serious Jan. 2nd aleka... i got to. this year i just went crazy i think. but we got so many goodies and the neighbors brought us over some to. so its getting less and less. i am shoving it in front of the daughter and hubby. ha haha shes trying to watch it to. ha oh well this is the time to be Jolly and so i am. i will get serious my new year . the book sounds good. i need to get into reading more again

Ledom. good for you see your making the right move by getting your good food early and having it. good for you.. i have a turkey i plan to cook. that will help me get with it. going to cook him new years day... well so glad everyone is moving forward this Jan. we will do this together.. sensibly.. LaDean
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU.. HAVE A GREAT AND FUN ONE. we just stay in..

Ledom. Oh i am so very happy for you. go girl and lose that weight. we will work together. i have 20 more lbs at least to lose. so i am going to get with it the first of year. get on my plan and extra exercise and all. so we will all share our eating more ok. that helps and gives ideas to.. i think don't you. oh gee oregon... Have you ever been here ??? you will love it . so pretty and so much to see. but you have been so many places and all. if i may ask where in oregon???? just curious... ha oh so happy for you and you have a right to be on cloud 9. its so neat to share and all. so happy you did... have a good week now. we will do this.. LaDean

Thanks LaDean. And no I don't mind, he's in Eugene.

Well, going camping and paddling. Will see you all in the New Year and until then

:woo: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

:woo: :newyear: to all of you. have a happy new years eve. Oh that is close to me like 50 miles. neat.. i am so glad your getting to go and all. you will have so much fun... I am going to start my plan full blast the 2nd.. i got to. have eaten so much candy just feel uck.ha ha but i keep putting it in. ha ha well hey to all of y ou have a good day. LaDean:newyear:

:woo:

Ledom, that is good news, thank you for sharing...I remember a couple years ago you mentioned that there was someone special in Eugene. It is good to be on Cloud 9:cloud9: It should happen more often to all of us!!

Well, I lost 2 1/2 more pounds so as on today I am down 7 1/2 pounds from one year ago.

I am thinking of making some New Years resolutions. I have been thinking about them for about a month or so. This is what I want to do.

1. Spend an hour everyday praying.
2. Exercise at least 5 days out of 7.
3. Keep track of all the books I am reading (I did that when I was going to university).
4. LOSE FIFTY POUNDS this year!!!

I am going to be babysitting my grandson for the next couple of days which should be fun.

Well LaDean, Alice and Ledom I wish that this will be the VERY BEST of all years for you:cheers:

love judi

judi, what plan are you doing now. is it still the atkins. i am thinking of getting back to it tomorrow. got my turkey to fix and all. lots of vegies and all with it.. i got to do it. i have gained over the holiday. good for you that is great to lose at this time of year and all. i did last year. but this year got off it. guess i figured hey only live once. ha ha oh well got a new day tomorrow and a great new year so going for a new goal.. I wish you a very Happy new year to and also you ledom and aleka.. hey girls lets get this wt off this year. together we can and we will do this.. LaDean

New thread up.