Jasmine: I read you all too loud and clear. Growing up, my family was really poor. My dad was a single father with 2 daughters and 2 twin sons. He did an amazing job to keep us happy and I didn't know we were really poor until Junior High School. Growing up, counselors used to always ask me if my dad was touching me inappropriately, etc. As if because he is a man, and a single father, he would ever do that?! People can be FAR TOO presumptuous. It has always bothered me, and always will. The way I see it is you have 2 options. You can either talk to the school, make sure they understand your son's habits and situation, or you can not say anything. It all depends on your comfort level. I'm the type of person that will jump right in there and be like, "Assuming makes an *** out of U and Me. Got it?" Haha, but I'm a little b*tch!
I also feel your pain with the babies and the stroller and the potatoes. My sister and her husband used to have a physically abusive relationship (I'm glad to report that he has quit drinking, and really seems to be the model father... although I am still eyeballing him, and am ready to spring back in to action if need be), so she spent a lot of time in the women shelters. I went and "lived" with her there (aka: spent the night 6 nights a week). She worked full time trying to make a better life for her and her daughter, so I would take Alysia (my baby angel) to daycare, go to work, pick her up, feed her, and walk the floor with her all night when she couldn't sleep. I wouldn't do anything different, I enjoy the bond we share
However, living in the big city, taking a stroller on the bus during rush hour, the drivers more often than not made me HOLD HER STANDING UP while the stroller was folded. No one ever gave up there seat, so here I am on a packed bus, balancing a 1 1/2 year old, a folded stroller, a diaper bag, and my own backpack, all the while on my feet. Grrrrr. I hope the potatoes taste good! Hehehe. I would offer you my car, but I don't have a license, let alone a car
Melissa: I feel that a support group is REALLY important. To me, my support group is my safety net. They are 99% of the reason I bounce back after a slip up. And you can trust in us more
You guys are 98% of my support (my MIL is the other 2%). I come here, and rely on all of you to keep me going! We aren't leaving after the challenge ends! I am already geared with my sig tracker ready for the next one (which I fondly refer to as the Fat Smash Xmas Bash!, after it was suggested by one of the ladies here, hehe). I love coming here, and you especially are one of my favs! Even if I some day reach my goal, I will still be here day in, and day out, because I NEED you guys
. I hope that helps
And I would love to share some of my structure with you. If you ever want help planning some meals, making schedules, sharing low-cal recipes (I have a hoard of them!), or just talking about life problems, I am totally here! Usually I'm on MSN more often than not, so you can always get to me!
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Today was much better. I got to MIL's house to start working, and she sent me home, giving me a chance to catch up on all my stupid housework and laundry. Well, I am proud to say, for the most part, I got the nasty stuff out of the way. I just HATE going full steam 100% of the day. It feels like there is never any time to relax!
I wake up around 6ish, get the hubby off to work by 7. Then I make breakfast for myself, eat it, go to the gym at 8, work at 9, get home at 3 in which I clean, do laundry, visit the kitties, and make dinner. Then after dinner, I'm cleaning more, doing more laundry, and then I poop out here, then go to bed. My weekends are constantly bogarted by trips out of the city to go shopping (and not even the really fun clothes shopping kind!), or doing the heavier cleaning (cleaning the bathrooms, scrubbing floors, taking out garbage, cat litter, fridge, stove, and the list goes on). I just want to rip my hair out sometimes, and I think whoever made time really could have put in a couple more hours a day
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Anyway. I did really well today. I didn't follow my plan to a 'T', but I did hold myself accountable for all the things I ate (recording them). I only consumed a little over 1700 cals, and none of them were empty. I had to pry myself away from the fridge a couple times, but mostly stayed on track. I missed lunch time because I lost track of time, and that's what caused the perpetual hungry, heh. So I ate boiled eggs and carrots. I never though ever in my life that I would be proud to make a meal out of boiled eggs and carrots, hehe.
MIL bought us an early present
A tempur pedic mattress topper. We wanted to get the bed, and this will totally do until then! It's really comfy! The normal spring mattress hurt my hips so bad, but I slept like a baby last night!
I also had another idea about Xmas, but I will make a separate post because this one is getting REALLY long hehe.
Jasmine: Also with the crunches, I tried them on the floor onces, and it killed my tailbone, hips, and lower back! So I folded a bed comforter in half, and used that. Recently I purchased a cheap Yoga Mat from Wal-Mart. That works a bit better than the comforter, but the comforter always made it much easier than the bare floor! We have all tile and hardwood
. As for the stretchy band, you are right. It's for resistance training. The difference between resistance training and weight lifting is:
Resistance training: tones muscles without adding a whole lot of bulk
Weight training: primarily used to increase muscle mass rather than tone muscle mass
Doing lighter weights with more repetitions will give a smoother more toned look. Doing heavier weights with less repetitions will give you a more bulkier muscle.
Tisha: I posted a comment for you on the forum where your pics are located
Congrats again, I think you look great, and you can definitely see a big difference! Good on you
Oh, I almost forgot. I'm going to spend the weekend with my mom while step dad is in the hospital getting surgery in Calgary. Shaun and I were going to make the trek anyway. My mom is really upset with the whole thing. For the first time John showed her a copy of his will, and gave her funeral instructions etc, and even gave her Xmas presents early (as a just in case). So she's flipping out. On Friday night we're going to the Legion (yes, we're legioneres hehehe) for the meat draw (she ALWAYS wins!), then Saturday we're decorating the house, and she is taking me out for Chinese food, which I am not going to protest! I have done so well, and I think I can do it. I haven't had any "free" meals since starting, so this might do me some good! Then we'll probably get drunk and gossip around the kitchen table, hehe. Then Sunday we'll do some scrap booking, then I go home on Sunday afternoon. I love my mom. Wasn't around much growing up, so we're more like best friends rather than mother and daughter. She's great!
Anyway, on to the next post!
Nachos chips with cheese sauce, I had 2 bowls. Lasagna for dinner, two pieces, some toasted bread with butter, I even had 2 servings of stuffing when I got home! Cherry chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting, my absolute favorite! I LOVE whip cream frosting! They had vanilla ice cream too so I had about a cup of that. I did have an smoothie at breakfast time though. I know, not healthy! I am scared to try to add it all up. 
The next thing is your boobs look smaller. Have you gone down or are able to wear a tighter notch on your bra etc? The next thing is I can tell a difference in your belly. You have lost fat around there for sure! The ppart riight under your boobs. The butt looks almost the same but a little smaller. I think your arms look smaller too. You are looking great sweetie! I am so proud of you!! 
he got the gold medal I'm so proud of him he has done grate and even lost 34 lbs. He now even takes the time to look in the mirrors at home and wear clone when he goes to school
I have not worn size 10 since I was 20....... I'm so excited!!!!!
