Hi everyone, haven't been in much, well been here just lurking, no time to respond, just enough to be lazy to see what everyone is up to!

Ok let me start with the sex talk, (since that is more fun than dieting!) I am only 32, but with a 5 & 7 year old, it is worse than being young & worrying about your parents coming home early! Those darn little feet can come up those stairs quieter than a church mouse, of course these are the same children that get up at 6 every saturday & can't even get a bowl of cereal without waking the rest of the house! Then the fact that it is hard to...umm, perform should I say, when you cringe everytime DH runs his hand along the tummy! That is all getting better though with each week of some loss! Heck who knows maybe even in a month I will be daring & let him see me naked in the light, OK dim light, but light none the less! :lol:

Another hard week here! Was all happy yesterday, made it to 145, only 10 more to go to goal....today back up to 146! It has to be water though! 2 sodas & some fat Free Pringles at supper, gets me everytime! Hopefully it will be off in a day or 2!

Work today is walking the malls for 8 hours, so all that walking should help a little! Well better get moving if I want to do Pilates before everyone gets up! Have a good day everyone!

YoooHoooo..Anyone out there?????

Hey Girlies, Hope to send this without deleting first. Den, just consider me your prodigy!!!!
Ellis, your best friend who married in Scotland...any chance her name is Madonna...you're not holdin out on us are you...a private concert would be nice...and asking us to imagine dropping pubes on the lion-skin rug..
must we ??? You know how refined we all are...

Chris girl, maybe you shouldn't be getting weighed everyday. Once per week at the same exact time would probably be more efficient. What do the rest of you ladies do ?? I try to just do once time per week, every Saturday morning, in just a t-shirt, before breakfast, after pee.....once and awhile I jump on mid-week...getting weighed everyday can make you crazy because our weight naturally varies...up and down a few pounds, so it would be unusual for the scale to remain constant each day...what do you think??

Mauvais, I'm inspired...keep going...10 minutes on a new piece of equipment at the gym is great...really...155 is a beautiful number, I love the sound of it...
Hope you make the 5 pound goal.

Den, was it you who said the you think that you husband is starting to fear you!!!! That really made me laugh.

Shel, thanks for that quote, I loved it and told you so in the message that I deleted !!!

Ruth, see what you started with the kilt talk, you got them going...

Hey Kat, are you still away...when you come back you'll see that we were thinking of you. You'll have alot of reading to do...

My update,
haven't been to the gym this week, have been doing well with my eating, the contractor confirmed that they're starting on Monday, we decided to keep our old fridge because its fairly new but if we were replacing it I'd ship it up to you in Canada, Ellis.
My friend came and I didn't even think once about my size, and she looks exactly the same as she did when I met her a zillion years ago, she's tall, thin, blonde, Nordic looking, its genetics, can't begrudge her that, we really enjoyed watching our kids play together, it was fun. Shame they live all the way in California but we resolved to get together again next year, when they come in to see the Grandparents.

Talk to you soon lovies, Soozie

Soozie, Good for you for just enjoying your time with your friend and not fretting about the wieght! Just think of her reaction when she sees you next year and you are thin & even more beautiful than you are now!

I know that I should only weigh once a week! It is like an obsession though! I actually weigh every morning in the buff & then again at night just to see. I never worry or get excited about that weight knowing it is never accurate, but still do it! Plus I am using the Diet Power software, that adjusts your calorie budget daily based on what you ate the day before & your weight change from the day before. Weighing once a week kind of sends it out of whack. Well I need to get back to work, just finished lunch & STILL HUNGRY!!!:ink:

Hello!!!

Christina-I agree with Soozie about weighing once a week. (For me it is NAKED, after peeing, before breakfast!) If you HAVE to weigh every day you should try not to let it get to you so much. I got so addicted to weighing all the time that when my scale broke I just didn't replace it for two years!! Now it doesn't bug me so much (could be the meds though!!)

Soozie-Yep! It was me who said my hubby fears me. He also pouts at me. If you can imagine a guy with a 5 o'clock shadow (HEAVY) batting his long eyelashes at me over his glasses, while sticking his lower lip out, you have a good picture of him. His family are all nuts. They REALLY weigh themselves too much. They are naturally slender, so they don't have the same scale fear. His mother likes to run up and weigh herself after Thanksgiving dinner to see how much she gained in that one meal!! Other than her weight she is great though! Glad to hear that you had fun with your friend. It is hard when they live so far away.

Ellis-Juggling? Your family sounds like lots of fun!! We all went out for Thai food with my parents today. My 12 year old ordered a dish with squid done medium (which at this place was medium +.) The waitress was very surprised by his order, and even more surprised that he ate it all!! (Okay, except the eggplant, which I ate!)

Mauvairoux-GOOD FOR YOU!! You are exercising like crazy and losing weight!! I need to get serious again. I have NOT been exercising, and my eating patterns have been TERRIBLE lately. The only good sign was that today I couldn't finish my dish at the restaurant. Brought it home for breakfast though!!

Ruthxxx, Shel, Squeak and Kat-HOPE YOU ARE ALL HAVING FUN!!!

Hey girls! We got a new fridge! Okay, well actually it won't be here for 3 weeks, but at least there's an end in sight to my misery. I was feeling awful this morning, so DH said, "Let's just go and get a new fridge instead of trying to fix this."
I've got to run, but I'll be back later. Just wanted to share my news!
xo

I know, I know I shouldn't weigh everyday...I just can't seem to not do it! I just need to get over letting it affect me so much! I know that I have been lucky, getting this close & it just now getting slower. Hopefully it will pass quickly & I can shed these last 10 (or 15) pounds!

Ellis, So glad you got a fridge! Now you can fill it will yummy fruits & veggies!

OK need to go finish making the pies for the picnic tomorrow!

Hello everyone:wave:

I have been MIA for a few days as DH took the computer to work to do an upgrade, I am currently typing from a fetal position,with one hand and shaking from withdrawal symptoms:lol:

Hope all is well with everyone. And thanks to all for the encouragement with the exercising. DH and I walked over there on Saturday and spent 2 hours just working out, sitting in the hot tub and having an extra long swim. The pool felt so refreshing as it is very hot weather wise here. We were the only two people there so it was some great together time for the two of us.

I lost 2lbs this past week:D due to the gym and I was out clubbing last night and spent 3 hours on the dance floor:jig:
my calves are a little sore today though.

Ellis- Yay! A new fridge! What kind did you get?

Christina- I try to limit my weigh-ins to once a week so I don't obsess about it.

Well I have to go and put the groceries away now, and yes it is all good food, fruits, veggies, some lean deli meat and feta cheese. Great now I am making myself hungry! :o oh yeah I did have a buster bar from the Dairy Queen today, but it is ice milk so it's not as bad as ice cream. Yeah sure, I am justifying my splurge:lol:

Hope everyone had a great weekend !

Mauvaisroux:devil:

hey chickies!!

sounds like you're all doing great! i'm glad. :) not much news here.... walked all but one morning last week. (hurrah!) and i've been trying to eat better... not doing too bad!

soozie - glad you had a good time! old friends can be so fun to get together with.

ellis - yea! new fridge! :) glad the disaster is over for you!

mauv- you skinny thing you! i get all your tenacity when you're at goal and don't need it anymore. ;)

not going there with the sex thing.... been so long i don't remember!!

kind of a drive by again... hope everyone had a great weekend.

:spin:

*hugs*

S.

Hi everyone!

I haven't read all the posts that I've missed while I was gone, but I did read some. I left for my vacation on Saturday morning, and I had a blast. However, Thursday night, I got a message that my grandmother was sick. I was on vacation with my parents and boyfriend, and after talking to the rest of the family, we decided to go home early. We left at about 11:30pm, got to the hospital at almost 4am, and I didn't come back to my apartment until 10pm.

I feel like I have a lot to talk about regarding my grandma because of everything that's happened. Some of this I wouldn't share with people, but I feel like this is a good place to let some of it out. You ladies are so kind and supportive--hope you don't mind what I'm about to lay out for you!

My grandmother was like a second mother to me when I was growing up, but she has had a lot of problems in recent years. She was always sick--in fact, she has had her stomach, breast, spleen, and gall bladder removed. Every since her stomach removal (due to cancer) she has been in and out of the hospital, so this had been going on for about twenty-five years. She's a tough one, though! She always pulls through.

The bad part is that she became addicted to prescription medication. She started taking pain killers to ease some of her pain, but it grew into a nightmare. She had been through rehab facilities a number of times in the last six or seven years. My grandfather was always able to keep tabs on it by hiding her medication. However, he passed away two years ago, and her addiction has raged out of control. In fact, the grandmother that I saw for the last two years really isn't my grandma at all.

There was a bitter feud between my mom and one of her brothers when my grandpa died, and there was a HUGE, HUGE brawl at the hospital on Friday morning. However, they have calmed down and are actually talking and spending time with one another. It's still a little tense and uncomfortable at times, though.

I was VERY close to both of my grandparents. They lived about five minutes from me, so when I was a kid, I spent as much time at their house as I did my own. My mom tried to hide a lot of their illnesses from me because she knew I would be upset. That was fine when I was younger, but I was not prepared at all for my grandfather's death. My mom told me not to visit him in the hospital because he was being released soon. The next thing I knew, I was at his funeral. It was very confusing, but I promised myself that I would not be left out of the loop anymore. Since then, my mom has been much better with me about stuff like that.

I am happy to have seen my grandma over the past few days. The doctors don't have much hope for her recovery. She's on a ventilator to assist with her breathing, and her heart rate is very erratic. When I saw her yesterday, she looked better--sleeping peacefully. She hasn't been able to talk, but we have to believe that she can hear all of us. It's a "wait and see" situation right now, and we don't know what's going to happen. I don't want to sound crass, but I am hoping that she can finally be at peace and with my grandfather. Her life would never go back to what it was before, and they don't think she will change much more based on all the available evidence. I'm really okay with that because I feel good that I saw her, and I am comforted that she will be with my grandpa.

Thank you ladies for listening. I learned after my grandpa died that people are there for you when you need them the most. Now is a time when I have turned to the people that I love and they have surrounded me with love, wishes, and prayers. It's comforting and amazing to have that, and I want you all to know that you have given me that simply by reading my post. Thank you!

Kat

Hey darlings,

Shel, you are doing GREAT!!! Sounds like you're going to be the next skinny (after Mauvais and Chris). Keep it up, sweetie!!

Oh, Mauvais... no computer... how dreadful! Glad you've got it back. Congratulations on the 2 lbs!! I should have met you when you were fat. Now I'm going to feel like a fat lump when I see you.

Hi Chris! Hi Ruth! And Kat and Squeak!

Okay, my new fridge is black with stainless steel doors. The freezer is on the bottom in a pull-out drawer. It has a Brita thingy on the door for water. And the vegetable drawers are at hip level and are see-through. Maybe with a fridge like that I'll lose some weight.

Hey Mauvais, the gay pride parade is on right now! Did you go down? We went down briefly, but had to hurry back for the kids. Everyone seemed to be having a great time.

Sooz, I'm glad you had fun with your friend. And Chris is right, next year when you see her you are going to be a BABE again!

Den, your lunch must have been yummy! And not too bad for you, huh? Does the word MONDAY mean anything to you?

gotta run... watching an Abbott and Costello with the kids. And I know it's bad and I'm going to get cancer tomorrow, but I'm drinking a diet pop. I need some scratchy carbonation!!

'bye lovies...
xo

Kat sweetie... I must have just missed your post... I'm so sorry about your Grandma.
Yes, she can definitely hear you, so keep talking to her. She'll be so comforted listening to your voice and knowing how much you love her.
It makes me feel good to know that you consider us highly enough to share your grief. We DO love you !!! Even though you can't see us. :) We're here for you, honey...
I'll be saying prayers for you and your Grandma. You're right... she will be in a far better place... and with your Grandfather.
Don't let the rest of your family upset the love you have for your Grandma. All will be well.
take care Kat...
xoxo Love Ellis

Hi All!!

Kat-You are NOT being crass by saying that you want your grandmother to be at peace. You are being supportive and loving. It is really hard seeing someone you love fade away like that, and it sounds like she has been suffering, which I know is painful to see. I believe that it reaches a point where it is time for a person to go. My grandmother lived beyond that point, but luckily not by too much. I am sorry that your family is bickering, since I'm sure that that only adds to the stress everyone is feeling. You are definitely right about staying in the loop, and I'm glad they contacted you even though you were on vacation. We went through a situation similar to that you experienced with your grandfather's death, and it makes it HARDER not easier. Sometimes parents actually make things worse when they are trying to protect us!! You are lucky to have experienced such closeness with your grandparents, and you will always have their love and influence inside you. We're all keeping you in our thoughts sweetie.

To the rest of you-:shrug: I'll stop in again tomorrow.

Hey Girlie Girls,
Firstly I want to say to you Kat...hang in there, they say that hearing is the last sense to go when someone is nearing death so as everyone else has already said, yes, keep talking to your grandmother. The time that a person is near death is deeply sad but it is also deeply spiritual and even beautiful in a way. My mother died if cancer when she was 54 years old. It was tragic but her death was a really amazing time. She was able to die in her own bed with her family nearby. It was a gift to have those final weeks with her and to talk and listen and just be close. I also lost one close friend to cancer, likewise it was nice to be with her and to say our goodbyes and I do think that very much like being there when a child is born being there when someone is dying is a miraculous thing...and it does feel like a relief when someone you love can let go of their pain and this world and move on...especially when you see them suffering...so, don't question yourself...do what feels right for you. What a blessing that you got to see your grandmother with an expression of peace on her face!!!

To the rest of the motley crew, they're tearing apart my kitchen as we speak, the room is almost completely bare...outside wall is down to the studs...ceiling is gone...can't wait til they're finished because its going to take me days to put everything away once the new cabinets are in place.
Ellis that new fridge sounds sublime...as I already said we're sticking with the old one since it isn't that old, its just your run of the mill regular fridge, but, we're having the guys run the plumbing lines so the next refrigerator can have the filtered water on the door...ah, a life of luxury !!!:lol:

Haven't gotten to the gym...haven't exercised except for cleaning and packing and moving boxes...but, food has been under control. Once this whole thing is over and my dd starts school in the fall my schedule will be better for hustling to the gym more often...until then...maybe I'll get back on the paddle boat...haven't even made time for that...

And Ellis you didn't answer my question about your friend who got married in Scotland...so now I'm certain that you're holding out on us and it was Madonna who is your old friend...please let us know when we can expect a concert...Canada or the US would be fine...any venue...my house...your house...:lol:

Hope everyone is well...bye for now...keep up the good work on those hot bodies of yours...Soozie

I'm BAAACCCCKKKKKK. :)

Still in one piece and while the scale may not say so, I am feeling a little lighter.

But since I still have to unpack, I will go back and read all I missed a little later. Just wanted to say Hi! and I missed you guys. :)

:spin:squeak

Welcome back Squeak!! We missed you! Tell us all about your holiday...

Kat, how are you doing? Thinking about you, sweetie...

Soozie, alright alright... I admit... it was Madonna. :lol: No seriously, my friend's wedding photo is right here in front of me. She looks beautiful... a white dress with one of those tartan thingys across the front. And her hubby is wearing a kilt (they're both from the same clan... inbreeding!!).
The photographer took photos outside the castle too, and somehow he made it look like it wasn't raining.
Hey, you've got one of those cool fridges! Send it up!! uh oh, DH is here with dinner that I didn't make... back later!

happy monday, chickies...

Kat - while i can mostly just echo what the others have said, i will add this.... please, if there is anything that you'd like to make sure she knows, don't be afraid to tell her. i did a lot of really selfish things when my grandma was so sick.... it was hard for me to see her like that, so i tried to hide from it and lost time that i so desperately wish that i could get back. tell her how much you love her... both of you will be comforted by it. *hugs* hang in there, and hopefully this will cause your mom and uncle to see that things should be patched up as well. and we're always here for you. keep that in mind when it seems like too much.


ellis - you lucky girl!! the fridge sounds devine! very food network, look at my fabulous kitchen, and now i'll just whip up something very Martha-ish. *giggles*

welcome back, squeak... hope you had a wonderful time. now get some rest. ;)

soozie - no kitchen.... what a nightmare..... you do have your coffee set up somewhere close, right? i'd be lost without coffee... but look at the bright side - no kitchen means no dishes waiting!


sooo.... i took the plunge and broke things off with the bf.... he has literally no where to go, so we've agreed to be roomies on the condition that he's employed within the next two weeks.... this was decided thrusday, and things were dicy, but by friday night... god, so much ~pressure~ was off... we just kinda hung out and actually talked. like friends. it's an aspect of things that had gotten lost in everything else. i missed it. i'm glad it's back. :)

*hugs all around* you gals rock. still gotta see if we can't plan a get together.... i make a mean variety of party food. :devil:

:spin: (gotta stick that in somewhere. *G*)

S.

oooh! i have a picture now! *nods* face with the name, and all. :)

that's the office/warhammer part of the shop behind me, btw... :)

Shel! You babe you!! aaaaaaargh!! Your skin!! And your hair!! Dark!! I'm so jealous!!

I hope you'll forgive me for saying this, but I think you made the right decision with your BF. I was really worried about you. It's so easy to see things from the outside looking in. And I'm so glad that you've renewed your friendship with him. You're just going to feel so damned good about yourself now. And ****, you're intelligent, sweet, kind, strong and beautiful!! When you're ready (for sex etc, etc), they'll come knocking your door down.

Yes, my fridge will be lovely. Sigh. If only I could cook. :lol:
Oh... party food. I can make party food!! Let's have a party! Remember, my place is huge and ALWAYS available!!

Okay, where the heck is everyone else?
I'm having a "hang around the computer day", and I fully expect everyone to be signing in!!
xo Ellis

Hey Chickies! How is everyone doing! I have to say that I stayed on plan last week, kept my calorie count below the budget every day, did Pilates every morning, plus rode bikes with my son every night, & only lost .6 of a pound! UGH! We had the family picnic Sunday! My MIL, a/k/a The Wicked Witch of the West, actually had the nerve to tell my husband to watch out that I may be developing an eating disorder! Her basis on this is I only ate "those fake burgers", veggies & fruit! Luckily Hubby grew "a set" recently & stood up to her! Told her that just because I didn't eat all the crap that everyone else did, did not indicate an eating disorder. I can't wait until these pants are too big, so I can ask her if she wants them since they are too big for me!

:devil:

Ellis, your fridge sounds great! I so much wanted the stainless, hubby threw the cabbash to that though!

Soozie, we are heading to the cottage Wednesday for a long weekend at! You have inspired me, I have vowed to take that darn paddleboat with the kids everyday! Maybe I will actually find it bearable, and not despise every second out there, if I keep the thought going that it will help kick this weightloss into gear again!

Mavis, congrats on the loss this week! I may not lose any myself, so I can live vicariously through the rest of the gang!

Kat, I grew up with my Grandmother too, in fact she can take all the credit for how I turned out, since my parents lacked a lot in the parenting department! Anyway, short of my hubby & children, she was without a doubt the most important person in my life! She was in an accident 2 years ago this August, geez, seems like yesterday, still hits me like a ton of bricks when I ralize that she is not here anymore. Anyway, she was in a coma for a few weeks, on a ventilator as well for the remainder of her time. She did wake up & was able to communicate with us very little, but was in a great deal of pain until she passed away in December. When I went to see her that very first time without any family there, she was still in a coma, I did hold her hand & tell her how much I loved her & was grateful for everything that she did for me, especially when it seemed no one else would. I left there that day feeling much better, even if she couldn't hear me, I felt better just saying it out loud & felt that when she passed it would be OK & I would have no regrets. Well she hung in there for months, coming in & out of it, I soon found myself wishing that she would just find peace! Of course you are never fully prepared when it really does happen. While I knew in my heart she was better, I still wished that she could have hung in there for just a little longer. Hang in there though & know that I will include you & your family in my prayers!

Fluid..., Congrats on taking the step to do what is best for you! It must have been hard to make that choice to take that step away from something that is so comfortable!

Squeeker,....Welcome BACK!!!

OK I need to go pack for my weekend away! I'll check back later!

HAPPY MONDAY!!!!

Well, I finally started cutting back on the food again, although I did have a glass of wine with dinner (for purely medicinal reasons as you'll see in a minute.) I was trying to leave the house to go to work (wearing Birkenstocks) and the door passed over my big toe and ripped the nail most of the way out. I managed to pivot it back into place, and am going to the doctor on Wednesday to see what she can do for me, since I am supposed to be driving to Cleveland early next week with my Mom and the kids to see the Rock and Roll museum. I'm too afraid to even put on my shoes right now, since any pressure on the nail hurts. :( Hey!! I see that Mauv, Ellis, Christina and I are all on-line at once!!

Shel-I agree with Ellis. I now it was a difficult decision to make, but sometimes you have to let go of that "comfortable but not working out" thing in order to find something better!! I used to be REALLY afraid of taking chances, but every time I have it has worked out for the best!! If you are actually doing BETTER with him since you broke up, maybe you two were really meant to be just friends anyway!! Thanks for posting your picture; I like seeing what everyone looks like. You are a real cutey by the way!! But you make me feel OLD!!! ;)

Kat-Love you! Hope you are holding up okay.

Ellis-OKAY!! You said it! Party at your house! Actually, wouldn't that be fun? We could all move in for a month or two and drive you crazy!!!

Squeak-Welcome back!!

Soozie-Is your daughter starting kindergarten in the fall? How does she feel about that, and how do YOU feel about it?

Christina-Keep remembering that the last 10 pounds are the hardest and slowest! You are doing everything right, and it will work!

Mauv-Keep up the good work sweetie, you're doing great!!

Ruth-Off having a scotch with a kilted man? I am still drooling over that one!!

Hey chickies!:cool:

Kat-sorry to hear about your grandma. All that you can really do is pray for her, be with her and let her know you care about her.
I am sure she can feel your presence and hear you spiritually if not physically. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

Christina-good for you for sticking to your guns and making healthy choices, especially at a barbeque. I am glad your DH told MIL to back off. Why is it that people try to harass you and undermine you by making comments like that when you are just trying to make healthy changes in your life?

Fluid-congratulations on making this decision for your self. The two of you seem to have had problems for sometime now and taking this step may make you stronger and happier however it turns out. BTW great picture-you look beautiful! Stop using that smiley, it is making me :dizzy:

Ellis your fridge sounds great-I always wanted the ice-maker and water dispenser type fridge. Lucky you! I have not forgotten about our dim sum date but I guess we have to wait for that gad-about Ruthxxx to squeeze us into her busy social life! :lol:

Squeeker-Welcome back! Hope you had a fun trip and will post soon with the details.

Sooze- hope your kitchen reno goes well and we want a picture posted when it is done. Did I happen to mention that I am a home decor and reno junkie. I love before and after shots too!

Dentrassi-AAAARGH!!!! Your poor foot!

TiggerDiva and Ruthxxx hope all is well with the two of you, post soon so we can all catch up on what is going on with you both.

Goodnight everyone! :yawn:

Hi girls! :wave:

Kat - sorry about your grandmother. I know how you feel. My grandmother passed away in Jan. and I knew it was coming. It didn't make it any easier though. But my grandfather had died about 6 years ago and she was never the same after. There is a certain comfort to think of her with my grandfather again. Tell her you love her and hope for what she would want.

Congrats on all the weight loss going on in here!!!!!! You girls rock!

Vacation was a blast. I even tried hiking. We didn't get very far though. It had been cold in the morning so I had on a long sleeve shirt & jeans on, and way too much stuff in my backpack. Plus it was all up hill! We made it about half way and then I begged (more like demanded) that I wasn't going any farther. I did get my full body massage though. ;) We also went to a horse show, I went horseback riding which was thrilling and scary. The horse cantored (ran) up a hill. It was just an amazing experiance. We did a lot of walking. I did alot of touristy things, but had a great time. We went to the top of Whiteface Mountain (drove most of the way and then took an elevator up the rest). It was hazy because of the forest fire in Canada. - Squeak & Scribbles
It isnt the best picture but it is the only one of us together. I own the camera so I am not in the pictures. ;)

Went to the Great Outdoor Games. It is archery, dog agility, tree climbing, axe stuff, things like that. It was actually alot of fun to watch. Then we went to Lake George for a day & a half. It was a silly time. Very very touristy-cheesy. A ton of minigolf places & arcades. (I won the Skee-ball play off between the 2 of us :D).

We ate a lot of food. But I think I walked it all off! And while my scale hasn't budged my shorts felt much better.

All in all it was a wonderful, peaceful, relaxing time. And the best thing was to see the boy smile for like 3 days straight. He has been having a real tough time of things the last year, I don't remember the last time I saw him like that.

But that is a quite random post, but more or less how it went. My head isn't completely back from vacation yet. ;)

:spin:squeak

Hello fabulous femmes:D

Went to the gym again tonight. I was so hot from the walk there that I just decided that I would swim for an hour instead of both working out and swimming. I felt totally refreshed when I got home. Had a yummy dinner too tonight. A small salad and wholewheat pasta with homemade spicy sauce :T

Wow Squeeker! It sounds like you had a great trip! Good for you! Nothing like some time away from the usual routinne to recharge your batteries. It sounds like both you and "the boy" needed to have some time together. I can't wait for my vacation in August. :dizzy:

I have a question for all of you...my friends are getting married soon and have already made up their guest list but haven't sent the invitations out yet. In the meantime they have been invited to another couple's wedding reception who they are not close friends with and rarely ever see. Now the bride feels that they have to reciprocate with an invitation to their wedding even though she doesn't really want to or can afford to as this couple is paying for their own wedding. She is feeling really pressured to invite them and feels that if she doesn't she will "never hear the end of it". Any advice?

Hope all is well with everyone!

Mauvaisroux:devil:

Yeah, I have advice... screw it! We can't possibly avoid hurting SOMEONE'S feelings. People have different types and sizes of weddings... if friends/relatives can't respect that and be sympathetic to it then they'd better see an analyst.

Mauvais, you're doing great!! You hardly ever pig out anymore! You're becoming a skinny person.... yipeeeee!!

Hi everyone else! I'm just going to move an amoire and a couch with my DH. Does that constitute exercise?
xo

sorry Mauvais, I didn't mean to sound *****y. But if they're not close friends and rarely see them... I just wouldn't worry about it. If it's something that affects their relationship, they'll probably just drift apart ...

Hello again ladies!

Ellis-that is exactly how I see it, in fact a few of us are looking atthis one couple's various activities surrounding the wedding as a bit of giftmongering. They have invited a few people that they are not really friends with or know through other people and don't really hang out with that often. I was trying not to see it in that light but several other people have pointed it out and have said that they feel imposed upon or pressured by this situation both in time and financially. These people aren't even close enough to the bride that drifting is an issue, again she only knows them through other people.

And no, I don't think you were being *****y. And yes, moving an armoire and couch does count as exercise as long as you break a sweat doing it:lol:

Hey Girlies, Hope everyone is doing well. I have been holding up okay. Didn't do so well with my food today but didn't totally pig out. I bought donuts for the guys working on the kitchen so of course I had to eat one. And we had friends from out of town visit tonight...can you believe it...with the kitchen stripped down to the studs...and we served pizza...I ate it...and our friends brought us candy...I ate it...and still no exercise with all this chaos...

Overall, still feel okay...will get back on track with exercise after this craziness subsides.

Mauvais- is Mauvais your real name? How do you pronounce it? I have been taking before pictures and in process pictures of the kitchen. Only problem is I'm not too computer saavy... either I'll send copies of the pictures to one of you and you can post them somehow, somewhere, or I'll find someone with a scanner...???? I'm starting to get excited but can't wait until some of the new stuff goes in..they started framing out the new ceiling today and put in a new baseboard heater. Our range, microwave/exhaust hood, dishwasher, and the new flooring are in my living room!!

Den-doll - My chickadee is starting kindergarten this fall. Luckily she is going to go to kindergarten at the same place where she has been in preschool for two years. She already knows the two teachers that she will have, one was her camp counselor last year. The other she knows from saying hello in the hallway.

Our local public school only has half day kindergarten which didn't really work for us. The school where my daughter will be has two kindergarten classes. The classroom she will be in has 11 kids with two full time teachers and is full day. You can't beat that ratio. The kids get alot of individual attention.

So, I feel really comfortable about the whole thing and she does too. It does feel alittle incredible that time has passed so quickly. I remember when she was a baby adding up and figuring out that she would be starting kindergarten in the fall of 2002...it seemed like such a strange number and so far away.

She's getting so big that when I cuddle her she's all legs and arms...she'll be taller than I am so soon. But, of course in my heart she'll always be my baby. My nephew is a year old and I love to snuggle his fat little baby body and kiss his soft little fuzzy baby head. So, when I miss the baby days I just call my sister and ask for some snuggle time with her little one. I expect that she'll have another baby at some point so I'll have access for a quick fix if I start going into withdraw...and I can't snuggle my nephew too much in front of my daughter. She takes great offense to it and starts climbing on my lap and talking baby talk. Being the only child she's definitely used to having my undivided attention and being the light of my life. Boy, I'm rambling...

Chris - go girl with that paddle boat...and don't get discouraged, keep doing what you're doing, as long as the scale is moving in the right direction, even if it just inches along or stays the same some weeks, you'll get there eventually. And you seem to have such discipline...I know that you'll be successful...so don't despair.

Well alternachickquitas, I'm exhausted, what a week and its only Tuesday night. Sorry I didn't send personal messages to everyone but know that I'm thinking of all of you and hope that you all have a good Wednesday.

Love, Soozie

Quick fly-by post as I start into Day 2 of the three weeks of **** that are the week BEFORE the Fair, the week OF the Fair and the week AFTER the damned Fair! I assuage my *****iness a bit by reminding myself that I will not be doing this next year.

I think I have the website right now - www.deltafair.com.

I'll be lurking but not posting much. Pray for me :lol: and for the poor suckers that work with me!

Listen girls, Ruth rarely asks to be nurtured, so when she asks us to pray for her, you can be damned sure she needs it! Everybody... prayers for Ruth.
Ruth... can't get into that website. Restricted. Another reason for you to tear out your hair?
Just keep reminding yourself... this time next year you'll be sitting in a deck chair with a whiskey, a novel, and a big cigar... thinking about the poor sucker who's doing your job.

Soozie, where the **** is MY cute little message? I didn't see MY name in that last post! :lol:
I know what you mean about your daughter growing up. Because of the age gap between our children, my daughter looks to me like a lean and lanky grown-up, while my son still looks like such a baby. Everyone keeps saying, "Isn't he getting big?!", and I keep thinking, "NO!! HE'S STILL A LITTLE BABY!!" I'm sure if MY sister had a baby he'd suddenly look enormous to me.
Sometimes the best time for guests is during renovations. They have no expectations of a clean house or great food... they just want to see you. Once the kitchen is finished, they'll be expecting a perfectly coifed house and a gourmet meal. :rolleyes:

Chris, have fun at the cottage! Get on that paddleboat, girl!!

Mauvais, I hope your friend works out her "problem" okay. The right solution sounds so simple, but the whole situation can be VERY sticky at the time.
And yes, I broke a sweat moving the furniture. ;)

Den darling, how is your poor big toe? Oh, I just cringe thinking about it. Did you get it removed? You know, I think they should just be removed at birth. Toenails, appendix, tonsils, and a complete hysterectomy. :lol:
Party at my place? Listen, I wouldn't be able to stand all of you for a couple of months, but I'll let you stay for a week. How's that?

Kat sweetie... how are things going? Let us know how you are when you can. We're thinking about you... xoxo

Squeaker, what a riot you had!! Listen darling, I can't see your face in that photo. You've got lovely hair and you don't look fat at all, but I CAN'T SEE YOUR FACE!! The boy is very tall. I can't see HIS face, either. I'm glad he was relaxed and had such a good time. It's really hard to see someone you loved stressed, isn't it?

Shel, how are things going? Are you still feeling good about your decision? We're thinking about you, honey. Oh, and your store looks SO cool!!

I'm so ticked off. I went to use my "old" computer last night and the damned power supply blew. Crap. I spent an hour looking deep into it's depths ... hoping it was something simple like a faulty cord or a loose connection.
My sweet friend is going to "steal" me one from work. When the computers at his work get noisy, they just take out the power supply, chuck it, and put in a new one. What a waste!

We're going to Toronto tomorrow for a few days. To visit my too-funny sister-in-law. It'll be fun, but I hate driving down there. I'm convinced we're all going to be killed on the highway. So if you don't hear from me by Monday, you'll know I'm dead. I'd like to be buried with all my favourite books, a big bag of Doritos, and a bag of Bridge Mixture. Maybe you'd better throw in a bottle of water in case I get thirsty. Hmmm, but then I'd have to pee... Well anyhow, I expect to see EVERYONE at my funeral.

talk to you when I get back (knock on wood) :wave:

hello!
The is my first time in/on this thread. I just really, really need some support. I've been on this "reducing" wagon for about 2 wks. Lots of fruits,veggies,etc....walking,etc. I weighed myself for the first time last night. I gained 2 pounds!!! So yeah, this morn was already a pisser for me. Oh but noooo....could it turn around????
I think not! I set fire to my "low-fat" sandwich in the microwave at work, had to toss it in the sink and run water over it. Don't worry though, I replaced it with a vending cheesebuger,what else could I do?? Then finally I get a death stick break and I stepped in a hole,twisted my ankle and rolled down a hill. You know the single thing that upset me the most is....you guessed it...those damn 2 pounds..Anyone else having a day???
Whew....(normally, although I'm not normal,I'm not usually a raving lunatic either)
Peace and Peaches..
K

Quick drive by as I make dinner -

Ellis - try this one: Us Again (It was taken last Nov. And yes we were both slightly, uh, drunk at the time. We were celebrating our birthdays. Yes, we did have a designated driver.)

And yes he is very tall, but I am also short so it makes him look even taller. I am 5'1" and he is about 6'1". But I also out-weigh him.

And I really wish I was still there. Yesterday all I wanted to do was lay around, read my book, and wait for him to come home so we could go out to dinner, and have him eat half my fries. :)

Be careful in Toronto and dont get burried under all the garbage. At least I think the strike is still going on......

Welcome kahuna! And dont worry - raving lunatic is just fine.

Ruthxxx - good luck during the **** weeks. I will pray for your sanity ;)

Soozie - I am sure supervising all the kitchen stuff has to be some kind of excerise right????

Mauvais - Where are you going in August?

Hope everyone else is doing well!!!

:spin:squeak

Evening everyone!

Welcome Kahuna! :) Ranting and raving is definitely allowed here... hope your ankle is okay and I personally would have taken my sandwich burning as a sign from the diet gods to go get takeout:lol:...
and you are not the only one who had a :p day.
Mine was stress at work, stress at lunch, and then I got to the gym and worked out but when I went to take my hot tub/pool dip there were a bunch of little kids in the pool and about 10 of them in the hot tub and no room for me.wah:cry: So I got home and was all stiff in about an hour from having skipped the hot tub and had a raging headache, had a fight with hubby about money and being tired of getting pushed into social obligations by people and how I need a vacation from our social life and that for one lousy stinking weekend I would like to be left completely alone to my own devices instead of being pulled in three different directions all the time! Blah! I am currently sulking into a bowl of French Vanilla ice cream topped with grenadine syrup:mad:

Ellis-have fun in TO, hope you don't need a gas mask to breathe there! :lol:

Sooze-I am sure that when you have a lovely new kitchen the stress will have been worth it! Mauvaisroux is just my pen name, it is french and roughly translated means evil redhead. I guess the easiest way to pronounce it would be Mauve (like the color)-eh - roo.

Squeeker-did you post some pics? If so I can't see them here:?:
I am going to Milwaukee in August to a gaming convention, whee!
Your boy sounds like a sweetie:)

Ruthxxx-I will be praying that you don't lose your mind during those 3 weeks!

Dentrassi, Tiggerdiva, and Christina hope you are all doing well!

Goodnight!

Hi again!

Squeeker, thanks for blueing the pic words, I didn't realize that I had to click there to see them until you did that.
Tee Hee! It's lucky that I am cute:dizzy: if I can't be computer literate.

Anyhoo, the pics are great, you look thinner than you made yourself sound and look quite lovely too! Boy looks good too- tall, dark and handsome!

That darn spinning smiley of yours is making my head hurt:spin: :spin: :spin: :spin: :spin: :spin: :spin: :spin:

Hi everyone!
 

Hi all,
I am new here too! My name is Colleen and I read your posts from time to time. You guys are riots. Hope you dont mind me joining in. I have participated in a couple other threads and none seem as caring and supportive as this one. Although I am New to this. So how is everyone?
So I am in this weight loss battle with myself.
Do good for a month, bad for a month. It's a vicious circle with me. But I am going to win one way or another.
I am 31 Yrs old and want to lose at least 70 pds. I am a bridesmaid, in a yr from october, so I got to get down to business.
Love to eat and BF is no help, he loves it too!! HELP:)
So I just wanted to say hello to you all.
And will be in touch soon!!
take care everyone!
Colleen

Hi kahuna and colleen! Welcome :wave:
Yes, we are a freakin' riot. And anyone who can fall in a hole and roll down a hill is a freakin' riot, too.
New girls, what do you weigh? How tall are you? How much weight do you have to lose? oh... 70... Colleen. Listen, we need to know all the nitty gritty.
And we will nurture you to death. (just don't forget to nurture US, too. We may SOUND together most of the time, but we are just crying out for attention!)

Oh my gosh, my husband just bought me an Orangina and a bag of Cracker Jack. I'm in heaven. I'll let you know what the prize is when I get to it. Does anyone else like Orangina? It's wicked. Sparkling orange juice with natural pulp. Wicked.

Squeak, you're a babe. Just a babe. And you're one of those damned chubby girls who actually looks devine being overweight. I'm so jealous. You're curvy and sexy. I'm really NOT gay, Soozie. :lol: Listen, we went for a picnic on the weekend and there was this girl at the beach. She was a killer. A pale pink bikini, blonde hair, tanned, about 20 years old, and she had Pamela Anderson's body. Okay, NOT my type normally... I much prefer the athletic build, but I couldn't take my eyes off her! Fortunately my husband didn't see her. NOT that she looked better than me!!

Oh, I can't believe it. I got a sticker. A STICKER!?!?! What kind of a prize is that? What ever happened to rings?

Mauvais sweetie... I'm so sorry you had a bad day. Just remember this little prayer: "Thank God I don't have kids." That's it. All there is to it. I can't believe all those kids in the hot tub and pool! That's ridiculous. Listen, next time that happens you just march right over and say, "Excuse me, I've had a really really hard day, and if you don't get out of the hot tub RIGHT NOW, I will become quite violent. And besides, hot tubs are not good for little kids. You're all going to get yeast infections."
Another gaming convention!? You lucky girl!
I know exactly what you mean about obligations. Ideally, I'd like an entire week with no interruptions. No phone calls, people knocking on the door... email is acceptable. It's non-invasive.

Geepers, I've got to go...it's 11 PM and I haven't packed.

where the heck is everyone else?
ciao babies

Yo Ellis, here is your personal cute message...:lol:
Hi Ellis...I liked what you said about having guests now that the house is torn apart...and actually they did get the same treatment that they would normally get...pizza and a beer. :lol:

I loved the pics that you guys have posted...don't have a clue how you pulled it off though...and Squeak and Kat, you both are babes...and I am a lesbian Ellis...there Ellis, I mentioned your name yet again...:)

Welcome Kahuna and Colleen...this is a wonderful group of women...crazy, smart, and with amazing loving hearts...

Mauvais, thanks for the translation and pronounciation guide !! Are you a redhead ?

Ruth, I was able to access your web site. Wow. That is an intense fair. Hope all goes well...what a major undertaking. Sounds like alot of fun for the guests and a tremendous amount of work for you !!!

Chris and Den, Hi , I already wrote once today and mentioned both of your names but since Ellis, (there I mentioned your name again :smug: ) got me for not mentioning her I thought that I'd better not skip anyone. :lol:

Oh, and Ellis, the first time that I heard of Orangina was when I was in Israel in 1978...I did like it...since then I have seen it on occasion in the States but its not too common here. I like your requests for your funeral. Sounds like King Tut being buried with his treasures !!

goodnight ladie-o's. I may not be able to write tomorrow, long work day and supervising the kitchen, some of those guys are pretty cute by the way...
Love, Soozie

oh Soozie... how gauche of me. I'm sorry, we heteros use "gay" very loosely. Of COURSE you're a lesbian! Humble apologies.

Okay, a little tip for you girls. When you're leaving for a mini-holiday for four days for somewhere as far away as TO (6 hours away), it's really really important NOT to pack on the morning that you're leaving. Particularly if you're FAT!!! I wonder if my sister-in-law (the old lesbian :lol: ) would like to buy me a whole new wardrobe while we're there.

'Bye Den, Mauvais, Ruth, Chris, Squeak, Kat, Soozie, Kahuna, Colleen, Shel... phew! Did I get everyone?
Talk to you when I get back!
Love ellis

Hey Ellis, gay or lesbian is fine, I'm just ribbin you because you were commenting on women's attractiveness and then saying "and I'm not gay" so I was commenting on Kat and Squeak's adorableness and saying and I AM GAY. So, does being gay make me a better judge of girls' cuteness ? I don't know. Because with my meds and having a five year old and not getting enough sleep many nights and being fat, my libido is in limbo !!!!:lol: There's nothin doin down there.
okay, now I feel that I'm getting too weird and raunchy so I'll sign off before I offend Ruth and she has to drop her drink and bend over to pick up the glass and looses her perfect view up some dudes kilt....;) then again maybe bending down would improve the view......
Love, Soozie