OMG, Katie......he looks like one of my DD's petshops!!!! Dangit.......you are giving me puppy fever!!!!! And I love what you said about Jillian....... :) So, check out this recipe for shampoo I found today:

Recipe for a gentle homemade shampoo:
2 pt. water
2 lb. 10 oz. olive oil
1 lb. 7 ox. of solid-type vegetable shortening
1 1/2 oz. glycerine
1/2 oz. alcohol
10 1/4 oz. lye
1 1/2 oz castor oil
1 lb. coconut oil
Mix all the oils in a container and set the container in a large pan.
Mix the lye solution with 2 pints of cold water and stir steadily. After cooling, pour lye solution into a glass pan and set in some large container. Bring both to between 95° and 98° F - this will mean pouring either cold or hot water into the pans, depending on the original temperature of the ingredients.

Mix this lye solution to the oils, pouring in a steady stream while continuing to stir. The mixture will turn opaque and brownish, then will lighten. It's ready when its surface can support a drop of mixture for a moment. The consistency should be like sour cream. Stir in 1 1/2 oz. glycerine 1/2 oz. alcohol and 1 1/2 oz castor oil. Add any colorants, scents you desire.

Now, you can pour the mixture into molds and allow to harden, then make the shampoo as you need it by shaving off flakes and boiling in water until they dissolve - about 1 pound of shavings per gallon of water. Or, you can add more water to mixture, boil, and allow to cool, then place in bottles for use.

Interesting, isn't it? My hair sucks so bad. I remember in my Anatomy class, my proffessor always talked about how commercial shampoos were detergent, and that it just destroys your hair. He said in the old days, when people made their own soaps out of fats and lye their hair was shiny and strong and beautiful. He said the same thing about commercial soaps and yoru skin. Oh, it is happening to me.....I am turning into a total tree hugger. I knew it was happening to me right around my 30th birthday when I started thinking about becomming a midwife. I told all of my friends that if I started wearing clogs and stopped wearing make-up they needed to stop me. Well, I wear crocs everyday.....but I still wear make-up........so I'm ok, right? :lol:
XOXO

UUUURGH!!! I just typed a novel here and then accidently erased it!!! D'OH!!!

Anyway.. It's been frantic around here with more and more fires each day and that's cutting into my web surfing!! :lol:

Seriously though.. Sounds like everyone's doing well and those who are struggling are staying the course.. Keep it up, y'all!!

Jillian.. Way to go on the 60 lbs!!!! That's fantastic work and you should be proud of your accomplishments!! You're DH is going to be WAY amazed when he gets home, with just how well you've done..

Debbie and Kim!! Look how far you've come.. Talk about success stories... All y'all serve as great examples to the rest of us regarding determination...

Ok.. Gotta get back to work.. Will check in later!

Katie- He's ADORABLE!! So tiny!

Nothing much going on here guys, my car is done and I am down $400, but I will have it back in a hour or so and that's worth it! I hate being without my car!!!

Have a great day!

Hello everyone,

I haven't been able to catch up on the threads. However, I did want to say CONGRATS to everyone that has lost and keep working on it to everyone else. I have been really busy trying to get ready for DD birthday party and my trip. I have also been working out during the day and at night and tanning. So, needless to say I have been fairly busy. I hope that everyone is doing great. I will try to check back later.

Hey ya'll! I know I know... who are you? Do we even know you on this board??? Sheeesh!

I put myself on timeout from the 'puter until I started moving again. It has been very effective so far! I have been to the gym everyday since Saturday and started doing my TBL DVD again. It feels really good! I also went into COD yesterday and signed up for the 6 Week Super Slimming Spring (whatever it's called..) Challenge thing, so I am super motivated right now! Let's just make sure it lasts! It's going better because I finally got DBF on my side. I told him he was getting a pot belly and now he's all about the fitness! Ha! He's a good 155 soaking wet, so pretty sure he doesn't NEED to be conscious about his weight, but it doesn't hurt to scare him into supporting me, right?

I think I am going to be a once a week-er now... so be good! I will do the same and keep each and every one of you in my thoughts! Have a great week!

Stars- You hang in there chickie! I lost a friend this past summer... saw him one day, the very next he was gone. It's tough, but I'm sure your friend wouldn't want you or anyone to be sad about it. Be happy that she is in a better place! :hug:

Jillian- You look great! I can't wait to lose 60 pounds!

Debbie- Woo hoo! You will be at goal in NO TIME!!!

Katie - Skippy is just adorable! I have been trying for months to get my DH to let me have another Miniature Dachshund, but he is being quite stubborn.

Jillian - 60 lbs is great! I like your new attitude. I have a friend who married a Merchant Marine captain about a year ago. He is gone for 3 months at a time. She says she misses him, but she is such a strong independent person that it gives her time to do the things she wants to do. Then, when he is home...it's all about him.

Nicole - You amaze me with your hobbies...where do you find the time?

OMG!! Puppy! I want one!

So flippin' cute

Hello Everyone!
I just wanted to stop in and say hi. Wow, this thread is a little overwhelming, I am amazed at how you keep up with everyone!
I had an okay day yesterday. I switched to decaf. coffee. I woke up with a headache, but I think it is from caffeine withdrawal. It should pass in a few days. It did keep me from the treadmill this morning though.
Today is okay so far. I just had my first water, so it will be a struggle to get all 8 in today.
Hope everyone is having a nice day!

Star - I am really sorry about your loss.

Nicole- That looks really good. I might get the stuff and try it. The stuff I made left my hair kind of greasy. I know what you mean about becoming a tree hugger. The other day my sister said, "So, survivor woman, what are making now, your own underpants?" I have seen a nice decrease on my grocery bill due to several changes that I have made, plus we are hauling out a lot less trash.

Amy- Glad your car is done and that it did not come to more than that.

DANGIT........I finally did it......what you guys meniton sometimes....

I typed out a tiny novel.......and blam, some dumb combination of keys erased the ENTIRE thing. So not cool.

So, I was laughing at the beginning of my previous post, but at the moment I am power pissed....so no laughing icon this time around. Anyhooooo, Katie......my family and friends laugh at me all the time......but I don't care. My sis got a good laugh this weekend when I told her our highlight of the weekend was going to be making laundry soap........WHICH I LOVE, thank you, Katie. I told her I just couldn't help but get excited, and she simply replied, "hey, whatever gets you through the day......" And that is exactly it. I think of the useful projects (and they are not all useful) I do on any given day......and most of the time it is just me trying to figure out a better way to do my job........which is my family and home. I am a creative person, but often times it is out of necessity........and because I like good quality things, and we have one income. If I worked full time outisde of my house, I am sure I woulnd't have the time to make money saving laundry soap......but because I do not work full time outside of my house, I have to find ways to save money..........and that, Paula, is how I find time. Time is money......right? lol. Also.........there are days like today.....where I am wasting time.....and lots of it............which is basically like throwing money down the drain.....and now I am starting to feel guilty........lol. No, not really.......I had 8 kids and 5 adults in my house friday through this a.m.....and I am simply tuckered out. It was great fun......but I have to admit that I am enjoying the quiet of just me and the little boys here today. they have watched wayyyy toooo much t.v. :)

wow.....somebody may have to settle down on the coffee..........i'm typing a mile a minute.

I have to go change the laundry now.....but I will be back.

Katie......I probably won't try the shampoo recipe until I run out....which will probably only be a week or two. I spend so much stinkin money on soaps, shampoos and household cleaners.......it would be so nice to cut back. With a regular household of 7 it is crazy expensive. Well............you feel it too with daycare. I always kept a much cleaner house while doing daycare. If you do the shampoo recipe before me, let me know how you like it ;)

blah blah blah....somebody shut me up. ok, really going now.

Help me.

Dan cover your eyes.

My TOM has returned w/ a vengence. I didn't have it for a really long time b/c of the weight gain. I had my first one in over a year last month and I was blessed again last night. This is a good thing, but...

I AM DYING

MY cramps are horrible. I seriously want to cry. I have taken 10 ibuprofen and a Vicodin and I'm still in pain.

Any advice ladies?

Hope it's not TMI, but this is just awful. I had forgotten that this is the reason I went on birth control.

Hey Jill, I too suffer from nasty cramps occasionally. Nothing makes me feel better. I basically lay in bed or on the couch and don't move until they go away... good luck!

Jill, I have bad cramps for about a day each month. I take prescription aleve Naprosen I think it is called and that helps more than anything, even vicodin. Vicodin just makes me not so upset that it hurts so bad. Really I sometimes take a day off from work they are so bad and all I can manage to do is go home curl up in a ball and wait for it to pass.

Katie, that puppy is so cute! I bet he would chase my kitties around. I did go and get a second cat shortly after my Shar Pei died in February. I think my other cat is about to the point where he is liking that we have another cat. The first couple of weeks his nose was totally bent out of joint.

Jillian, that is go great that you decided that you can be OK without your DH by your side physically (I am pretty sure he is there emotionally). Also the 60 pounds. It seems like you are on a sudden tear down again after holding stead for a time. I suppose we can all dwell on the things that have gone wrong in our life or our blessings, as we all have a set of both, but I kind of think whatever you dwell on you bring more of that into your life, so dwell on your blessings and you will see more of them. Or maybe it is just you notice and appreciate them more.

Work has been so busy lately! It is interrupting my time here! I've been eating a bit too much, as it is TOM for me too and between too much stress and that, well I need to get back on the straight and narrow and do better. I've also not been exercising as much. So the only thing to do is to go back to basics. I got rid of all my fat clothes, so now I just have to behave. OK so I have been blessed with plenty to do (better than being bored) and with an opportunity to prove to myself that I can maintain this weight even when it blips up again.

Hi Everyone,
I've been avoiding the COD this week as I ate too much and drank even more! It definately showed on the scale yesterday morning and I just couldn't bring myself to WI. I'm hoping to break even tomorrow though as I have been going to the gym regularily over the last couple of weeks and have spent the last 2 days eating OP. I won't appologize though because I had a darn good time this weekend and I very rarely drink anymore so once in awhile won't kill me.

Jillian, congratulations on 60 pounds! That's awesome! I' m completely inspired! I'm the same height as you and I got switched to plan 2 at 188lbs if that helps.

Hey Friends!
Jill - I feel for you. I used to have BAD cramps and was very irregular. If it's VERY unusual for you and it happens a couple of months, you should mention it to your Doc. I was on BC from the time I was 18 to regulate and relieve the cramping. I used to use a heating pad, that helped...and the ibuprofen should help. Just be careful not to take anything with aspirin in it. :-) Lay down, put your feet up and relax.

I was thinking last night. I started to think of weight in terms of something I could feel. Think of every 5 pounds as a bag of sugar (or something like that) and imagine carrying a couple of grocery bags full of bags of sugar. I know it sounds silly, but bear with me...now, imagine setting down those bags, one at a time, unitl the grocery bags are empty (goal met). When you think of it in those terms, it's easier to imagine or see the weight coming off.

Now, Jillian....you have lost about 12 bags of sugar...doesn't that sound incredible? That's 2 grocery bags filled with 6 bags of sugar each! Girl! THAT is a great feeling isn't it? ;-) Great job!

Now me, I hope to lose a few myself! Nite have a super day tomorrow all! Tami