Hey girls! I'm back and very tired :-) I'll pop in later to keep up. Hope everyone had a grand weekend!

I'm in funksville....struggling. Ate like crap last week and posted a gain.

Good Morning!

It is hot and humid here today, I feel like I could almost bathe in the humidity going on outside. Blech! Thank goodness for a/c or I'd be one miserable chick!

Kara, the one thing I hated about living in CA, the ANTS! They find ways into everything and I feel your pain. I hope you were able to fix the problem so the lil buggers stay out!

Melissa, all ready for a new week & a new beginning????? Inquiring minds wanna know!

Cathy, sounds like you are doing great with everything. You sure came prepared with WW stuff while away, that's awesome!

Heather, so glad you had a great time in Vegas!!! Did ya gamble at all? I miss Vegas so much, it was a yearly ritual for us for years but we haven't gone the last 3 or 4 years unfortunately. Was eating vegan hard while traveling?

Shelby, yay for family to help with kids!!! I'm really happy you guys are enjoying your time together. I know what you mean, being a SAHM, not leaving your kids with anyone and then finally getting some alone time, it's like heaven! Now my kids are old enough to be left alone for a few hours at a time so dh & I are able to steal a few hours away for date nights, it's so much fun! Enjoy the rest of your week!

Well, I managed to lose 2 pounds this week. I thought for sure I'd have a maintain as I lost 4 the week before, but I guess my body is feeling generous even with AF here! Maybe there really is something to continued exercise and AF and the scale moving?

Anywho, I'm off to the gym in a bit! I just dropped DD off at school to leave for camp for a week. I'm sure she'll be glad to get out of this nasty heat for a while, lucky girl! Now.....how to ship off my other two.......

Have a great day everyone!

Be good to you~

I played some slot machines and video poker. I was up $50 at one time but blew and ended up losing Not much though so all good :-)
Vegas is not very Vegan friendly, well not that I could tell anyway! I literally ate chips and salsa, some fries and raw fruit/veggies the entire time. My mom who is a definite omnivore was really surprised at just how much animal products are used and the ridiculousness of not having at leat one vegan option at some restaurants. Though in good news no weight gain!!

I'm going to risk it and use my last freebie this week -- kids are gone, husband and I have apparently been enjoying ourselves too much -- I gained at my weigh in -- but to be honest, I didn't really care too much -- we haven't been alone in 9 years, we went out gambling, out to dinner, drinking a little too much, etc. So, now I'm back on track today, we are going to chill out the rest of the week before the kids come home and I'll drop the weight -- but it was well worth the time we got to spend together.

Hope everyone is doing well -- that you do something for you today and enjoy it

wow yall have been busy...i'll have to go back a few pages to catch up when i get time. hubby is asleep still, didnt come home from the neighbor's house till about 3am, he thinks....need to get the kids downstairs for breakfast. i'm about to clean the downstairs and finish the laundry i started yesterday. i got busy baking a cake for hubby and making homemade mashed potatoes to take to the neighbor's last night for dinner (they smoked a turkey and made stuffing and all, like a thanksgiving meal) lol and i didnt finish yesterday's chores.
i weighed in this morning, 138.8 lbs, so i gained .8 lbs but i'm happy with that considering i am dealing with TOM and hubby leaves next sunday morning to drive to Maryland for school (BNCOC) for two months...so am trying to keep him happy lately with a clean house and clothes, etc......but nothign seems to work. he still likes to pick on me and down me in front of our friends, whether i'm standing there or not. so they know everything i do wrong. but when i confront him about it he gets mad and walks off (to hang out with them and i'm left here in the house with the kids)....go figure. he wants me to have more of a backbone to him and stand up to him but when i do, he gets mad, but then says (to everyone) how he wishes i would stand my ground, so seems either way i cant win, so i stop trying. i wrote all my feelings about things down last night in a notebook....but he'll probably never read it cuz he'd get mad....but its slowly getting it out of my system, i'm hoping if i write it all out (for myself) then maybe i'll feel like i'm doing something, at least till i think he'll listen without getting mad. he says anythign he wants to me (regardless of feelings) and expects me to take it happily and not cry (which i ususally do cry)....but i cant do the same to him.,...what a double standard. it feels like we're on a one way street instead of a two way.....oh well. maybe him being gone for 2 months will make him understand how i feel and maybe appreciate me more. i can hope, right?!
anyway. need to start my day before he wakes up and i dont get anything done.

Hi ladies,
just want to drop in and say hello. holding steady. feeling good with that since i am not sure i even weighed this little in high school.

ksk571 - i just want to encourage you to keep trying, keep going. it isn't about doing everything perfectly, just fairly consistently...and that you just keep going with it. .. i read that many people who successfully lose large amounts of weight had to try four or five times before they found the way that worked for them...so just think of this, as you are learning what actually works for you...you are going to find a way, and you are in the process of that right now.... keeping going...you are doing a great job on your journey..

Howdy Red team!! Sorry I didnt post this morning, but I stayed up too late texting with Danielle and just couldnt get my butt up and motivated this morning so I ran a little late.

Danielle...yep I've got my full head of steam this morning! I even went sugar free with the coffee this morning! Way to go on your loss!!! Its so exciting to see our results!

Karen...I'm so sorry for the struggle! Try not to be so hard on yourself though. Its just time to find the mojo thats all! You can do it! I know you can and I'm right there with you every step of the way!

Well...go figure my lunch is almost over and I had a million things to do so I'll have to come back later! Hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

Please don't shoot....

To all the members of the Red Team that I abandoned....I'm sorry. Had I known life would take me to Florida for two months I wouldn't have signed up for the challenge. My mother-in-law is still in hospice, but my father-in-law passed away 10 days after we arrived in Fl....didn't even know he was ill. This experience took so many twists and turns, I was there and can't quite believe everything that has happened. I should have blogged.
Needless to say I turned back to my old friend food while I was there and returned to Seattle 20 lbs heavier.

Again, I apologize for abandoning everyone in the challenge. I hope you are all well, I'm going to continue reading the Red Team posts....I hope that is ok.

Vanetta - I'm sorry life has been so difficult for you lately. We'd love to have you post here as often as you need to!

Shelby - glad you got to enjoy some quality time with the hubby!

Mandey - Hope you guys can work things out. Sounds like it's been rough lately, I hate that for you.

Vanetta - Wow girly I'm so sorry. Please take care of yourself now that you're back home. Please stay, post an do what you need to do.

Okay girls I know I just got back form a minivacay but I doubt I'll be able to keep up with personals for the next week or so. I have the financial portion of the CPA next Wednesday and need to hole up and study. I don't see a problem with keeping on track food wise but not sure how much I'll be hitting the gym. I'll pop in but doubt I can keep up with you chatty cathys :-)

Well I'm down a whole lb...woo hoo...lol. I really wanted to see more but I guess I'll take what I can get. I worked really hard this week, maybe it'll show on next weeks weigh in.

Vanetta- I'm sorry things got so difficult for you. You just need to take care of yourself, get to feeling better about all that has happened, and rejoin us next challenge. I hope you'll stick around and chat with us though, maybe we can help you get motivated again.

Hi Red Team! Sorry I've been MIA for a while. This weekend six of my college girlfriend came to my home for a little reunion. I haven't seen some of them in 15 years. We had so much fun together and stayed up way too late every night.

On the weight loss front, I'm still struggling. I just seem to bounce around losing a little, and then gaining it back. I went to the doctor today. She started me on a vitamin and mineral regimine because I'm low on some. She's also going to run a full blood workup on me to find out what is going on. Hopefully that will give us some answers and help me to progress on my journey to better health.

Vanetta--I'm so sorry about the sudden death of your father. It sounds like you have had a lot of struggles lately. Don't worry about the weight gain. Just jump back in where you are. Only you can take care of yourself and you can start today!

Mandey--It's so hard when there is a strain in marriage. It's too bad your husband has been dissing you to the friends. You don't deserve that. Is it regular behavior for him or is this out of character? If it's unlike him, then he may be stressed about something and taking it out on you. I hope the two of you can work this through.

Danielle--Great job on losing 2 lbs.

Heather--Sorry you lost it all in Vegas. My mom and dad grew up in Vegas. Whenever they took us kids to visit relatives, we would beg them to play the slots. My mom would lecture us on how you only lose money on slot machines. Then she would put in a quarter to teach us the lesson. She would always hit the jackpot and walk away with $15 to $50. The lesson never seemed to work out. Those memories make me laugh.

I just wanted to drop in and let you guys know I'm still around! I let myself go a bit on Saturday, but I'm back on track now, so no biggy. I really, really hope to drop to 175 this week.