Good morning!!!We went to the most fabulous Christmas show at the Baptist church-like Broadway. Alison loved it!!!She even filled out a card . I don't know what she checked off. Today she will hear if she got into the Shakesperean play she tried out for. And that Evan is so cute and he likes me. Tomorrow or Wed. we hear about the place we want. This trailer is so crowded. My brother is coming over today to visit. And then the onslaught of the kids on the 21st. Boy-is it cold. Brad is putting electric heat in the bedroom. We sure need it. I haven't gotten my shopping done-can't find anything. But getting there-bought some things online. Bye everyone. Mima
Glad everyone is having a good 'before' Christmas. Christmas is always over with so quick ... it's good if we can enjoy the weeks before. Yesterday was good ... painful, but good. Dinner was excellent (as I knew it would be ... John's cookouts always are!) ... then we went back last night to finish off the leftovers. I was stuffed ... as usual. I ate so much. Last night my friend and I had salt attacks. We were both craving salt. We ate Lay's chips, Ritz chips and popcorn. I figured I'd be so swollen I'd pick up 5 pounds this morning but ... I actually LOST 1/2 pound. I don't know exactly HOW I do that ... not with all I ate yesterday ... PLUS two huge pieces of cake. AND ... the dinner at hubby's aunt's Sat. and the Mexican dinner out Fri. night and popcorn and candy at the movie afterward!!!!!!! Shhhh ... can't tell hubby ... he'll have a cow with little baby calfs!
(Sorry Tammy ... didn't mean to make you hungry again!)
Meme- How on earth do you do that..I go out and eat something and I am in a state of fear knowing it will show up on the scale.. I went to a party today and I could not enjoy myself knowing I have to get on the scale Thrusday.I get on the t/m for 45 -50 min. everyday and it is all I am able to do lately to maintain.I hate it!!!I am glad you are having a good time. Really!
Hello everybody.Joanne
Anagram, congratulations on having the decorating and cards finished! I'm impressed (and jealous)!! Enjoy the lunches with your friends, I know that I always have a great time with mine.
Mima, the show sounds nice that you went to see. Did Alison get into the play?
Meme, I'm going to have to quit reading messages here! The food always sounds so good. lol
Joanne, my goal for the holidays is to keep a steady weight. I don't try to lose, but I try to watch most meals and then if there is a special thing that I want, I don't feel as guilty about eating it. I get so tired walking that long. How do you do it? Some friends of ours gave us a Healthrider that they weren't using. Bob has used it, but he said that he thinks it would kill me if I tried it. Maybe on a good day I'll give it a try.
Joanne ... I have no idea! Honestly!!! Last year at this time I was stressing out about the Holidays, too. I was worried about everything I ate - afraid I would gain back the 6 pounds I had lost. But now I can't gain weight if I try. I've had a couple of people suggest that it's the topamax but I had already been taking it for a year and hadn't lost hardly any weight on it so I don't think so. I think my metabolism has just changed and I'm scared to death that it will change back! My closets are stuffed with clothes and hubby said I should get rid of some of them but I'm afraid to. I'm afraid I'll gain all that weight back and need the larger sizes again! He keeps asking me all the time if I've lost any more weight ... he says he's not buying me any more clothes! He didn't ask me tonight so I ate some more cake after dinner ... maybe I'll gain that 1/2 pound back by tomorrow! I think I could stand to lose another 5 or 10 pounds but he doesn't agree with me.
Meme..I have never heard of a wrinkeling butt Sagging yes! I have heard taht topomax can cause weightloss too, maybe it took your body time to adjust to the meds? I would have thought the salt alone would put a pound or two on temporary anyway. Maybe somebody is messing with your scale and your head! I will send you some wrinkles for your face and neck..I can afford to share these days
Cleaned and ran errands..pooped and pained! More baking, DH's family get together this weekend so gotta have them ready.
I JUST LOST MY POST! Here is the condensed version-Al got in the play-chorus-brother came over-frig outside for drinks-frig inside very small-hope we hear about new house today or tomorow-shopped at Beall's outlet and got senior discount on Mon-still more to do. Going to get on scale-Is Eleni having her surgery? Mima-ps school must be crazy, Tammy.
Tammy- Four years+ ago I made a pact with myself to lose the weight.. I started walking because I really don't like exercise..Walking was the one thing I will do.. At first it was really hard to walk even a half mile. Then I started increasing it a bit every week. Finally I was walking up to 4 miles almost every day.Now, I have lost 72 lbs and still walk 2-3 miles most days.. It can be done in small stages.. My daughter was a great help to me.. She is a teacher in the school system here in Fl. for 20+ years. We walk together whenever we can. She makes it a point to get in an hour or more of exercise every day. I know your schedules are really large and taking home hours of work is a given..I joined Tops for their support . I will be their Chapter qween at srd this year..Yes ,I am bragging! But ,I really want to maybe let some know it can be done ,even with a busy life.. I am afraid of gaining back to where I was. That stays with me all the time..
Meme- I gave away all my big clothes..I still need to lose another 5 lbs.. I will . It justs takes me forever..
Mima- Eleni went into hospital yesterday.. When they took her in to do the testing they found out her potassium was 2.3 The Dr. said," well you have something going for you. You aren't dead." He said she should have had a heart attach and died with it that low. So they started giving her massive doses to get it up. If they get it up over 3.something there is a 50/50 chance they will do the test this A.M. and put in pasemaker/difib.She is a really sick girl.. Pray for her..I hope you get the house you want..We need to try and get together while you are in Florida..
Hello Everyone...Joanne
I hope you get the house you want, too, Mima. So you can get your frig inside!
I'm soooo mad. Somebody put a porn message in my guestbook. They put a link to a sex site and invited people there for sex talks and porn pictures. I had to go in and delete it. Thank goodness I can do that!
Eleni's potassium level came up to 3.5 and they were able to put in yhe pasemaker/defib. She is doing well ..
All my shopping and the presents are wrapped and under the tree.This is the first time in my life I have got done. I don't dare go back to the stores. I will see something else and buy it!!! I still have Grocerys to buy...for Christmas dinner..
Meme- There are some strange and sick people out there..
Hello Everybody..Joanne
Candice, we go to a little town called Metamora. It used to be a canal town, has a grist mill. Very quaint, and we love it. This was our 5th year down there. We already have our room booked for next Christmas season down there.
School has been a bit crazy. Today we spent the entire afternoon doing craft things for parents. What a hoot!! I have an aide who works with the 2 special needs kids in my room. She worked with one group, and I worked with the other on different projects. We are NOT crafty people, so it was hilarious. One of the other teachers came in. You could just see her trying not to laugh!! lol
Joanne, I guess I need to just start small and work up to it. I was at my family doctor for a checkup today. My BP and pulse were fantastic. He was impressed. I haven't lost any weight since I was there last, but over the past 2 years, I'm down about 45 pounds. He is still pleased with that, but he wants me to keep losing. I know I need to lose at least 30 more. I gave some of my clothes to a friend of mine. Other things I'm taking to Goodwill. Some things, I'm planning to put in a garage sale next summer. Prayers for your sister!
Meme, I would be totally ticked about that! The nerve of some people. I just don't understand so many things that go on in our society today.
Tam...I'm not crafty either but loved doing it with the kids when I taught..I was the one who had to came up the ideas between the two classes. Bet you had fun. Never heard of that town..need to look on the map I guess. I know a lot of people here go to that covered bridge thing every fall in Indiana..southern part.
Meme..that is awful..gald you were able to delete it..I hate getting that stuff in my email sometimes the spam filter does ot pick it up! Perverts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Praying for your sister's return to health, Joanne. Tammy, those little crafts are treasured. The first thing I put on my tree each years are the ornaments that still remain from those that were made in school when my kids were in the early years. Only one left for dd, three for son but up they go. Precious to me. And for the most part not real works of art. Your post could have been me - no loss since last visit but about 45 pounds over the last two years. No loss coming up in the near future either but hoping not to gain. And I'm not trying to do all the Christmas stuff and work. I should have been ready eons ago.
Candice, the nut rolls are nuts in a meringue rolled up inside dough. I don't use my MILs recipe which results in a more breadlike dough but mine comes out more pastry like. I've been handing it out like crazy and have to go check my inventory. A lot of ethnic churches make it to sell for the holidays (usually about $8/$9 a roll here) and it's one of the three things DH asked me to learn how to make for him (I managed 2 out of 3 in 46 years). Unfortunately he can no longer eat the nuts but we make him a version w/o them which he says is pretty good. Since he retired ten years ago, he helps make them (and is very proud of that) which is great because they are sort of labor intensive. We can get the first batch in the oven in about an hour with him grinding the nuts and cutting the butter/margarine into the flour and whipping up the egg whites. His mother's recipe would take a lot longer as dough needs to rise, etc. His family calls it "gibonica" (sp?). Others call it "povatica" but to him that's when it's made w/poppy seed. I've also made it w/cottage cheese filling for my dad and eaten it made w/apricot and/or cherry fillings but never usually do any but nut roll because that's what my DS and DH wanted to eat.
No scorn too much for the people who defiled your guestbook, Meme. If they choose to live in filth, so be it but those of us who choose not to should not have it forced upon us.
Hope the new place comes through for you, Mima. Sounds exciting. Must say I'm having a real ball w/Christmas this year though since I'm not also getting ready to leave for Florida for two months. Didn't realize quite how much difference it made. Of course, I don't have walking pneumonia this year (as last) and DH isn't just out of the hospital like the year before so I guess that all helps.
Lunch w/friends again today (after separate lunches w/friends yesterday). Dr. for dh tomorrow (and probably lunch out) then off to DDs on Friday to babysit for them to go out for her birthday (tomorrow). Then back down on Christmas Eve. Somewhere in between there DS and wife will be here on their way to her Mom's in MA. And they'll be back on their way south as well. Must just hang loose w/those two. I'll make a veggie lasagna and have it in the fridge for whenever they show up.
Neighbors brought their 2 and 4 yr old sons over last night w/plate of cookies, tangerines, goodies. Such a nice young family. The boys are dh's yard buddies for three seasons. You'd esp. like them, I think, Meme. They're very musical and she's music director for their church, etc. Taught music in elementary schools. And they're both judges for drum and bugle corps competitions (both had been in those and I think that's how they met). We have been so fortunate in our neighbors.
Well, I guess it's time to get another pill in so I can eat breakfast. Stomach doing better but wasn't careful enough at lunch yesterday. Naughty!!!! You must be losing my weight, Meme.
Don't come yet, Anagram-it went down to 39 last night. Luckily, Brad put electric heat in the bedroom. Haven't heard about the house yet. I am so happy for Eleni. We will pray for her. we are going to the prayer meeting tonight, course it's after the $5 dinner and wonderful music. Then we will have 45 minutes of the Bible and prayer. Love the churches in the South!!!! Went over to Mike's and took Evan for a long walk with that stupid jogging stroller that killed my back. Came back and used my umbrella stroller that Evan LOVED because he could see everything. He just babbled. Went back to Walmart and got a HAIRCUT!!!And bought a few things. Almost done. Need to get stocking presents for the kids. Sounds like people have some nice plans. We\are going to the boat parade on Sunday night at the other grandmother
s who lives on the canal. And it's going to be cold!!! Bye for now Mima
He didn't ask me tonight so I ate some more cake after dinner ... maybe I'll gain that 1/2 pound back by tomorrow! 
I think I could stand to lose another 5 or 10 pounds but he doesn't agree with me. 
