This thread is a sub-set of the 300+ thread.

This group is for those dealing with the challenges of having a significant amount of weight to lose and being fit which becomes harder after 40. If you're an old or new friend and not over 40 and feel this is the place to post, jump right in.

Well, it's back to the health club for this lady. Sunday was a good food day, but this week is full of temptations. Tonight is th Bunco Holiday party, tomorrow the Christmas potluck luncheon at work, Thursday the weekly drug rep lunch and Saturday we are participating in the progressive dinner for the youth group at church. We are the first stop with the appetzers. Anyone got any easy finger-food recipies that teenagers would like?

Good Morning Ladies!

It was a long and upsetting weekend. Brought about mostly by balancing the checkbook and discovering yet another overdraft. I'm so incredibly tired of having to worry about money. I can't seem to get a grip either. One day we have money, the next we're overdrafted. And this is NOT the month to do it in! I get very insecure about money, or the lack of it, to be more precise...positively neurotic about it. My poor DH had to listen to my whining all day yesterday. Today I'm still quite depressed. All in all, not a great weekend.

It started okay. Went to a little open-house-party thrown by an old boyfriend's lady friend. Odd, I suppose. But we dated on and off (mostly off) for about 12 years...he could say the exact amount. Literally, he remembers the date we met on! I sure don't. It's really very flattering that he remembers little things like that. It's kind of like we dated each other when we had no one else. He was really a great boyfriend...except for the fact that he refused to be monogamous. Part of me always worries that he'll make a pass and ruin everything...he's very flirty, but it's kindof just his way. Anyhow, he and his GF and I and DH have gotten together a couple times to play cards and she invited us to her party. It was fun, although we couldn't stay long because we left DS home alone. Turned out we could have taken him since there were lots of kids his age there, but we didn't know that. I ate a lot of junk food, but had no dinner, so I'd say it was okay.

That was the hilight of my weekend, since we then balanced my checkbook on Saturday and I've been ever since.

Ah well...life goes on.

Elmay: Hope your visit went well. It's hard to not get on with family. I was estranged from my only brother for a couple years. Had to do with my first husband. A different situation, but still, estranged is estranged. After my divorce, we agreed to let bygones be bygones, yet we still only see each other about once a year, which is just ridiculous, since he lives 15 minutes away! Our boys are only a year apart in age and never see each other. As bad as I feel about it, it never seems to change.

Barb: As far as I'm concerned, not overeating at a holiday or family function, is a victory! I'm just awful when I go out somewhere in a social situation and I have way too many of them coming up! As for the teen food, I like veggie "pizza's". Take cresent roll dough, roll in out on a cookie sheet and bake it like a crust. Top it with ranch dip then a variety of veggies, like broccoli, tomatoes, onions, carrots, etc. Yummy! (And girls, at least, like the fact that it's veggies.)

Terri: You know, I get my exercise vicariously thru you! Do you think reading about all that exercise counts? I'm glad you had a good weekend.

PuffPuff: What, you haven't found that magic pill either??? God knows I've looked for it for years! But so far the closest I've come is finding this place with these wonderful ladies that give so much support, both when it comes to weight and otherwise! My only tip is to find a plan that works for you...I like weight watchers...and do your best to stick to it. Take it one day at a time, don't expect overnight results, and keep your spirits up. Don't think of it as a diet or a way to lose weight. Think of yourself learning a new way of life...because changing your lifestyle is what it takes. And don't give up if you slip up. You only fail if you stop trying! We're all here for you!

Michelle, 2 Cute, Thin, Marge,Ruth and Leanne: Hope this weekend was good for you and this week is terrific!

Well, I suppose I must go. I have a ton to do and no time to do it...same as always! Hope you all have a happy, healthy OP day!

Oh, Elmay, I'm with the crowd hoping it all went well. My boss is having to handle taking care of his mother this year, she's having depression and Alzheimer type problems. He had to arrange to put her in assisted living. And it's hard to tell when she's being manipulative (life long behavior) and is really in need. His only sibling, a brother, is in Arizona, and they've had struggles/fights about taking care of the mom. Very, very difficult situation. Definitely sending good vibes your way.

Lilion, do you have an overdraft account connected with your checking account? Maybe something like Quicken could help. There have been times when I've worked out a budget for a month, I write down everything I spend my money on then project what I'll need for the next month, that helps to keep me from feeling too stressed about where the bucks are going. I'm a dragon and a taurus, so I'm kind of money/banker/accountant oriented, heh heh. I do that for my boss too, mad spender that he is.

Barb, you have to feel good about getting up and doing all that exercise. I hear you about being on the fence re: baking cookies. I did munch on a couple, they're very hard to resist when they're in front of you. What keeps me more honest is that I'm giving them away for gifts, so I'm limited on what I can eat -- can't give away a box of crumbs for a present heh heh

Puff, do you have a plan of action?

Otherwise, my weekend was wrapping presents, finishing cards, shopping and baking. I went to the gym on Sunday and it was the most packed I've seen it. I think people are panicking about their holiday eating.

Just a quick note since I'm really supposed to be working at the moment .

Yesterday both brother and wife were AWOL. My dad was surprised that they weren't there when he and mom came home from church at 11am. I wasn't. Mom, Dad, and I ended up going to lunch/dinner around 2pm. It was a good visit with my parents. My dad has lost 15 pounds since his heart surgery this summer.

I wish my brother and I could talk, but I can't make him do so. In any case, there wasn't awful drama which I was glad for.

Thanks for the good wishes all!

Hello all.

An update: DH's student loan just arrived and I am now soooo much better. I hate being so neurotic about money.

Overdraft was perhaps a poor choice of word. The Bank thought we still had money. The checkbook showed us $200+ in the hole. So we had to empty our measly little savings account to keep it from really being an overdraft. It just makes me so mad when we had money and it just **poof** disapears!

Elmay: Sorry your visit was a bust, but at least you didn't argue if you didn't see them. Sometimes it's just as well.

OMG, my whole reply just crashed. CRAP!!!

I was almost done too. Nice replies and everything.

Well, the only thing I have time to recreate is the start of the annual Christmas Carole Sing-along. For you that are new this year, here's how it works. I will start a carole and the next poster needs to put in the next verse or chorus. When we've exhausted all the verses (or you want to move on) just post a NEW carole and we'll go on singing that one until someone starts a new one.

HINT: If you need help with the words, you can "lalalalalalala" OR you can go to christmas-carols.net and look up your favorite carole and it will give you the words AND play you the song!!! So, since there are only 12 days until Christmas, let's start here.

On the first day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
A Partridge in a Pear Tree.

Who's going to be next???

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.



Elmay... I hope your family finds peace by Christmas.
I hope EVERYONE finds Peace by Christmas.

I came early yesterday to post and wouldn't do it because I didn't know how to start a new thread, then I forgot to come back in and post. Way too much going on here at home. When I saw the carol thing I almost didn't post again LOL! I Haven't tried doing the color thing or bold letters, so if I mess up.

Ok That didn't work, so you are getting it in black and white. Ha!

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the thrid day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
three french hens,
two turtle doves, and
a pratridge in a pear tree.

sheesh, now I am too tired to write to all of you Thin, you will have to give me a lesson in posting in color. I just didn't have the patience to look further this morning.

I think things are going pretty well with the program. I am still trying to get those ten lbs off by Christmas, and I am sure I would have already done that if I had kept my mouth shut! Literally!!

My oldest daughter and her husband came down from Atlanta yesterday and had lunch with us (nice) brought our Christmas present..a new big screen tv.
Very nice. I guess they got tired of looking at our old tv with the 25 inch screen. LOL! (in the den). Never has bothered me enough to go out and buy a bigger one. I thought it was really nice of them though.

time to move on..lots to do today. See Ya! Ruth

On the thrid day of Christmas my true

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
three french hens,
two turtle doves, and
a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
four calling birds,
three french hens,
two turtle doves, and
a partridge in a pear tree...

Oh boy my muscles are so sore tonight. And what a day. It's now after midnight, and I have to get up in the morning to do it all over again, so I'm going to bed! I hope everyone is having a great christmas lead-up, and not getting too stressed!

*hugs* from down under,

Good Morning Ladies!

I look what I get to do!



On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
three french hens,
two turtle doves, and
a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
four calling birds,
three french hens,
two turtle doves, and
a partridge in a pear tree...

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Five Gold Rings!
Four Calling Birds,
Three French Hens,
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!

I'm thinking this is really, really long and we should just go with the next verse next, rather than repeat the whole song!

Mood better! Diet - Okay. Actually ended up with horrible chocolate cravings yesterday and ate 6 no-bake cookies. I'm telling myself they are relatively healthy as cookies go with all that oatmeal...but I know they are a no-no! Tomorrow is the Xmas luncheon at work. We're ordering out Chinese and then everyone is supposed to bring a dessert and we'll all share! That means there will be an entire cake, pie, dozen cookies, or whatever for every person in the office! I think we'll have a few too many sweets here! I was planning on a chocolate pecan pie - for two reasons. 1. I never make them anymore and I need to use the rest of my caro syrup. and 2. Chances are everyone here will like it and I won't have any to take home.

Well, not much to say in response to anyone else...hope you all have a great day!

(Is it really only 12 days until Xmas! )

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
three french hens,
two turtle doves, and
a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
four calling birds,
three french hens,
two turtle doves, and
a partridge in a pear tree...

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Five Gold Rings!
Four Calling Birds,
Three French Hens,
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Six geese a laying,
Five Gold Rings!
Four Calling Birds,
Three French Hens,
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!

I heard geese this morning.

Rob and I watched Polyanna (we taped it from a couple of weeks ago) last night (about a little girl who makes all the curmudgeons around her happy by getting them to focus on bright side of life). A little syrupy but cute, and it was filmed in the English countryside which is really beautiful (and looked a lot warmer than here heh).

One last thing to bake, a batch of Mexican wedding cakes, then my package goes off to my dad. Went to the gym this morning at about 6:30, so early it was dark outside. I could see Mars sparkling up above, very lovely.

Have a good one.

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
three french hens,
two turtle doves, and
a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
four calling birds,
three french hens,
two turtle doves, and
a partridge in a pear tree...

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Five Gold Rings!
Four Calling Birds,
Three French Hens,
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Six geese a laying,
Five Gold Rings!
Four Calling Birds,
Three French Hens,
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!

On the seventh day of Christmas, my Texan sent to me
Seven Jalepano
Six Ohh I forgot this is the real way, not the Texan way

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Seven Swans a swimming (Is that right?)
Six geese a laying,
Five Gold Rings!
Four Calling Birds,
Three French Hens,
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!

Ruth to post in color just highlight the text you want in color and click on the A with the underline (next to the word size) just chose the color you want the text to be and it changes to that color. An optional way is to click on the A chose the color, type what you want and then click on the A again to end the color. The same goes for whatever else you want to do.Change the font or size of fonts by clicking the triangle beside the words and make your choices. Do bold underline or italiac by chosing the letters under font. Play around with it for a while, it's fun.

Had a bunco party and our work potluck today, so eating has not been the best, but it hasn't been too bad either.

Well that's my exciting life. Hope everyone else has a great night

On the eighth day of Chirstmas, my true love gave to me
Eight Ladies Dancing

Seven Swans a Swimming
Six Geese a-laying
Five Gold Rings!
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a pear tree!

Yeah, I know, I didn't do the whole song...it's too darn long!

Well, it's 8:30 a.m. and I've already eaten eight sugared almonds and a piece of fruitcake. 'Tis the season after all and today is the office luncheon. We are ordering chinese. I got the chicken with snow peas. Shouldn't be too bad. We have an ornament exchange and then...desserts. I will try to be good, but I know myself well enought to know there is NO WAY I'm not eating something! I'm just hoping my pecan pie gets eaten so I don't have to take it home!

I did some shopping yesterday. Wrote a whole bunch of checks that (hopefully) won't clear before my paycheck hits at midnight tonight. Why any store in the state capital would have their layaway plan end on the 13th when they know state employees get paid on the 15th is beyond me! Went to pick up the layaway and remembered that I had the ornament exchange today, so I had to buy ornaments. Then I remembered we have the $10 gift exchange at the SCA party Friday. I have no intention of shopping again before then so I shopped for that...took me FOREVER! By 9:00 I finally tossed some stuff in the cart and left. I had left K-Mart for Target thinking I could get better quality gifts there...they had NOTHING! I would probably have done better at Wal-Mart. There are times I hate shopping. Got home and remembered the dessert for today so baked the pie until 10:30. I know getting to bed at 11 or so sounds early to most of you ladies, but I'm just not good without a solid 8 hours of sleep.

Of course, while baking I realized how out of groceries we are and DH reminded me the Wal-Mart layaway has to be picked up by the 16th...so tonight while I'm doing pre-cooking on my medieval food for Friday he'll be standing in the layaway line. I think I got the best of the deal. And, best of all, I get my new digital camera tonight!!! I'll have to take pic's of something to post.

The Mexican Wedding Cake remark reminded me of a fruitcake my parents got years ago from Mexican friends...or maybe Italian friends? It came in the mail to them from California and it was soaked in Rum...really soaked, the packaging was wet with rum and butter. I remember Mom telling me that the lady cooked it nearly a year in advance and it was kept and "aged" all coated in rum. It was not a fruity fruitcake, but more like a bread with nuts. Does that ring a bell with anyone? Okay, NOT OP...but I'd still like to find the recipe just the same. My mom used to make a wonderful cake at Xmas. It was called "Plum Pudding Cake". I looked 12 years to find the recipe after she died and found it on Allrecipes.com under the name "Old Fashioned Prune Cake." I intended to make it every year for Xmas like mom did, but it's Sooooo fattening!

I'm rambling. Sorry...I think the time of year and all the baking is reminding me of my mom and the way Xmas used to be. I miss it and I miss her lots this time of year. It's been nearly 20 years and I still get a pang now and then. Okay...I need to stop that now or I'll get all teary at work. I hate that.

Well, wish me luck on the desserts. Hope you all have a terrific day! Onward and downward!