Tina,
Welcome! Sandy said it well, this is a great group. Hope you like it here. Just a heads up for you and Kim...we were originally the Fabulous 40's...but then some of us headed into our 50's and couldn't bear to leave these wonderful friends, so we added the Fit 50's
I'm 51, married to Joe for 33 years, live in Chicago suburb. One daughter, 30, and SIL, 2 grandsons and one son, 26.
Thanks all for the warm welcome! I'm starting out slowly, but definitely eating a lot less and better the past 2 days than the past 2 years! :-)
I live in Colorado, we've got a big storm coming in tonight, I better get to bed so I can head to work early, I HATE driving on an icy freeway! ICK
I'm Dianne, 52, married with 7 children (yours, mine and ours) and 14 grandchildren (same deal ). Our youngest is 21 and she's graduating college this May.
I think you'll like it here - great women and lots of support. It seems we're all starting fresh for the new year - good luck to you both.
Tina, welcome I hate driving on icy roads! I'm very lucky to have a boss that understands. Right away she knows I won't be in. As a matter a fact that's what we're supposed to be getting tomorrow. I'm 50 years old. I have a 33 year old son. I've been married 24 years to a great guy. I'm a legal secretary. I've been a WW since the 80's. You're going to like it here.
Amiga, how's the house coming along? All unpacked? I have to pick up that magazine.
I went to work this morning but left 1/2 day. I caught a nasty cold.
Es - thanks for the welcome! I lived in Conn. for a few years. I remember icy roads! I learned to drive on them. Down here in TX when it's icy (which in Houston is almost never ) I stay off the roads. Hope you are feeling better. Colds are not fun. Being a teacher, I get them once or twice a year. Knock on wood, I haven't had one yet this school year. Hot tea with lemon and honey always cheers me up!
Hi Tina, I had to play hookey today. I'm not feeling well at all. Rather than to spread germs at the office I decided to stay home. What grade do you teach?
Sammy(my Pug) keeps looking at me. He knows something is wrong. Everytime I sneeze he jumps.
Es, sorry to hear you're not feeling well - take care of yourself amiga. The house is coming along well after some initial problems, ie., the upstairs bathroom stall was leaking and coming down in slow trickles into the living room. We had to have someone make a hole in the ceiling and put in a new pipe. So then, naturally, someone had to come and fix the hole and we'll have to paint. But I love it - and anyone who comes to visit remarks on how comfortable it is - I guess they're comparing it to the "box" we lived in in Howard Beach We have a brand spanking new dishwasher to replace the old one that was already there - believe it or not, its my first dishwasher ever and I haven't used it yet - I think I'm afraid of it Actually, I just forget its there.
Well, this is my 4th day on ww and so far so good. I've used 4 flex points every night so far, but that's not too bad. Hopefully, as I get used to less food, I won't have to use all my flex points, but I'm sure glad they are there for me right now. I've been exercising every night with the new ww dvd they gave out. Its light intensity, but when you haven't done exercise in months, it doesn't feel so light
How is everyone doing? Are we having a Valentine's challenge? What is the challenge, ie, how many lbs by VD? I remember someone mentioning it, but this is probably the first time I'm up for the challenge so now I'll need the details
Hi Jen, Terri, Sandy, Ruthie, Janie, Tina, and Kim. Linda - hope you're fully recovered and can come in and say hi - I miss you - and you too ZoeGirl!
Sitting here trying to talk myself to go in to work. I'm still not feeling well.
Amiga, I mentioned the challenge. I've been so sick I didn't think about it. Let's see who wants to do it. We'll start on the 1/14th till 2/14. Challenges motivate me that's why I figured we needed one right after the holidays.
Es, I hope you feel better soon. We really do suffer with colds. All that sneezing and the tissues, bleeach! I am sending you some cyber chicken soup and hugs. Dianne, good going getting started right away!
I am working my way back into the program this week. I vacuum sealed the leftover cookie dough yesterday with my food saver. I did so much baking over the holidays. We went to 2 family parties, 2 friend parties, and out to restaurants 3 times. We were lucky to stay healthy and we had fun this year. I am definitely back on track as of yesterday and will weigh in on Friday and find out the damages over the past 3 weeks. My challenge to myself is to lose 10 lbs by VD, but I am a really slow loser, so I will be delighted with 6lb.
I'll check in again later today.
Have a great day all,
Sandy
Es - Sorry you're still not feeling well - you should stay home. You have off tomorrow right - or are you working 5 days now? As for the challenge, is it 10 lbs. by 2/14? I'm a very slow loser so that might be a bit much for me in 1 month's time. But, whatever I lose will be fine with me.
Sandy - thanks for the encouragement! Glad to hear your'e back on track too I'm a slow loser like you too.
I'm back - someone sent this to me - its sad, but beautiful at the same time. Thought I'd share it with you:
Ladies -- This is long and it's not a joke but it really is worth reading.
As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her
students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did
not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he
constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when
she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be
around.."
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well
liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal
illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him.
He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his
home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show
much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes
sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of
herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."
After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to
teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she
worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her
that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote
that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best
teacher he ever had in life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things
had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs.
Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he
explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little
further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed,
Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that
spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He
explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's
ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for
making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy,
you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a
difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."
(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist in
Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)
I called my supervisor this morning & just by the sound of my voice she told me to stay home. I'm going in tomorrow.
Dianne, whatever we can lose is fine as long as we lose. I'm going to get daring. I'm going for 8 lbs. I read this a long time ago. It still made me teary eyed.
Sandy, thanks for the cyber soup & hugs. See I'm already feeling better.
Terri, where are you?
Pete wants me to give him a haircut. David gave him a hair trimmer for Christmas now he wants me to give him his haircuts
Hi everyone,
I've been fighting this cold for what seems like forever, even though I know it's only been a week. But you're right, Dianne, they're just icky..I hate the tissues, and the germs.
We were socked with lots of snow yesterday and today! Yesterday we received about 6 inches, then another 5 or 6 overnight last night. I won't let Joe shovel, due to his heart attack, even tho he insists his dr. says he has no restrictions, but yet he has not mentioned the words "snow shovelling" to the dr. , in which case I know the dr. would say absolutely not!
So, Joe said (back in August) that he would buy a new snowblower, cause ours is 20 years old and never wants to start.....but of course, he never got around to it...
So Jen is out there doing the stinking shovelling, and she is not happy, let me tell you! Especially when I have to get out there at 5 a.m. to do it, and the village plows the street, there's a huge pile of hard icy crusty snow at the end of the driveway.....oh well, I could go on and on but you get my drift (ouch! bad play on words).
After a week of no sweets, shovelling, and snacking on veggies instead of chips, etc., I had better show a loss!
Here's to a successful Valentines' Day challenge for us all
Jen, you guys need to get a snowthrower as soon as you can! I don't like to have my friend out there fighting a cold and crusty snow at the same time, even if it burns calories. I hope you have had a good week otherwise. for snackin on veggies. It is so hard to get started right away after the holidays. Dianne, That story is so inspiring for teachers, and everyone else too. I have to admit it made me teary eyed too. Es, I would be so afraid to cut Mike's hair, are you really going to do Pete's? When the kids were little we had a haircutting book and I used to trim their hair.
I really don't know about a quantity of pounds for the challenge. What I really want to do is build good habits, and stay focused for the duration of our challenge. I went back to WW to find out the damages over the holidays. It wasn't too bad, I was up 1.6lbs. I think I minimized the effects of all the partying because I was walking on our treadmill practically every day.
By the way Greg has another part in the High school musical this year. He will be playing Jack in Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods". I think he is managing his depression a lot better, still on meds, still seeing a counselor for now.
Terri, how are you? I hope your holidays were ok, even with the so recent loss of your dad.
Hi to the rest of the gang, we miss you all, drop in when you can.
and one son, 26. 
be back later.
I hate driving on icy roads! I'm very lucky to have a boss that understands. Right away she knows I won't be in. As a matter a fact that's what we're supposed to be getting tomorrow. I'm 50 years old. I have a 33 year old son. I've been married 24 years to a great guy. I'm a legal secretary. I've been a WW since the 80's. You're going to like it here.
) I stay off the roads. Hope you are feeling better. Colds are not fun. Being a teacher, I get them once or twice a year. Knock on wood, I haven't had one yet this school year. Hot tea with lemon and honey always cheers me up!
I'm a slow loser like you too.
I think I minimized the effects of all the partying because I was walking on our treadmill practically every day.
