[aleka]

We got a bit of rain early yesterday evening. It's been flurrying here this morning.

We bought a pre-lit 3' Christmas tree a few weeks ago. We put it up yesterday, and it's the sorriest looking tree I've ever seen. It almost looks like Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree We bought it at a Target Store, and it was very inexpensive. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

Su, what a horrible thing to have happen to your mother. I don't know what comes over people when there are good buys to be had. I did not venture near any store on Fri. But, DH & I went to Walmart on Sat. morning to pick up a few things, and we had the store practically to ourselves. Both of us were flabbergasted! I also have those Leslie Sansone walking tapes w/the weighted balls. I love them. I do the 2nd one most, if not all the time. I did try the 3 mile walk without using the weights. I keep telling myself to do the 2 mile walk with the weights 3 days a week, and do the 3 mile walk without weights 2 days a week. So far, I haven't done it. Do you have any other Leslie Sansone walking tapes? I have almost a whole library of them.

nikki, the only reason I could not do BFL is all the bodybuilding you have to do. I am not an exercise person. I don't mind walking, or doing a few exercises with hand weights, but to do it for a long period of time, is not my idea of fun. You have a good attitude about your cheats. To tell you the truth, going to WW I feel sooooo guilty whenever I have a cheat, and I don't like that feeling. Even when I go out to eat, I am terrified that I'm eating over my points. How many days a week do you work out? You probably needed that day of rest. Did you watch HSN last night? Colleen was selling absolute. There was a band ring to die for. If it wasn't so expensive I would've gotten it.

tazcat, I also have my share of books on exercising and dieting. I am reading through my Protein Power book I got over the summer. Hopefully I can pick up a few tips there. Have you got the exercise book 8 Minutes in the Morning? His approach to weight training & toning is different than BFL.

ANNE, how did the anniversary part go on Sat.? I hope you all had a great time.

Hi mauvaisroux & Jennifer

Enjoy the rest of the weekend ladies.

Aleka

[nikkic]

Su-what happened to your mom was just aweful. I went to the opening of a Target store 25 years ago and it was a stampede. I decided right then, no more crowds for me.
My plan right now is to eat a few potatoes and rice a couple of times a week, until the 1st of the year, then go back on Atkins induction for a couple of weeks. I've lost another pound in the last few days. I think I just needed to change things for awhile. I really think your body gets use to what your doing and settles in a pattern. I feel like I have to keep outsmarting my metabolism.

I've been working out 7 days a week, for 1 hour a day. Doing a variety of different things. Most importantly, it has to be fun and interesting to want to keep doing it. I don't feel like I really need a day off, most of the time anyway. Most of my day, I'm pretty inactive, so I feel my exercise time is just something most people with jobs get routinely. I was watching these 2 waitress yesterday when we ate out. They were flying all over the place and that's when I realized, I need to exercise, just to get up to some people's normal day without exercise.
Aleka, I think I know the ring you talking about, it was a big band ring for $299, if I'm right. It was a beauty. Have you noticed their Absolutes are getting higher? I really love them, but that's more than I want to pay. I could buy some pretty nice gemstones for that price.
It's a really nice day, for Dec. 1. Sun is shining and it's in the high 40's. I'm going to go out and get rid of some more leaves from the yard.

[ANNE D]

Hi Everyone:

Aleka, the anniversary was wonderful. It is so great that my
dad at age 71 is here with us for this day. Four lung cancer
sugeries since he was 56, who would ever believe it!! We are
blessed.
Every one had a great time and I must admit this is the first
time I have been off program since August!!! I really enjoyed
my food!!! Business as usual come Monday!!!

My brother brought over his new puppy, my kids went crazy
and so did I!!. I am thinking about bringing a puppy into the
family come the new year. I know the Christmas season is
not the right time. I love Basset Hounds, like Columbo's dog!!

Anne.

[aleka]

It's gotten awfully cold...seems more like Jan. than Dec. It's only 16 deg. here this morning. BRRRRR

ANNE, I am so glad that the anniversary party was a success and it is a blessing that your Dad was there to enjoy it. You're very fortunate to have your Dad around after all his surgeries. My Mom passed away from lung cancer 23 yrs. ago. A puppy!!!! How adorable! What kind of puppy is it? Basset Hounds are so loveable. A GF of mine had a Basset Hound many years ago. He was a character. I wish your brother many happy years with his puppy. My "puppy" will be entering the terrible 2's on Sat.

nikki, that's good you mixing things up, because from what I've been told by my Dr. & WW leader, that if you keep eating the same things day after day, your body get's used to it and is not very efficient in burning calories. I know it's easy to get in a rut especially when your trying to lose weight. I seem to eat a lot of this 0 point soup that I make. I think that absolute ring was around $300.00. It seems as though the price of everything is going up. Although, I can't get over all the fabulous sales going on in all the stores. I know it's to get people in to Christmas shop. That's great you had such a nice day yesterday. Did you get your leaves raked? Are you getting this cold that seems to have enveloped us?

Hi mauvaisroux, Su, & Jennifer.

Take care and have a great day.

Aleka

[nikkic]

Hi everyone,
Anne, congratulations to your folks on their 50th wedding anniversary. Sounds like a wonderful time and I'm glad you ate whatever you wanted and enjoyed it. I'm also glad your dad is feeling better. I want a new dog too, but I'm waiting til spring. I don't want to have to try to walk a puppy in the snow, let alone walk myself in the snow. A new baby brings all kinds of life into a house. I think our old tom cat will not enjoy it as much as I will.

Aleka, it is getting colder here. The low on Wed is going to be 9. We have some pretty nice days through Dec. usually. Every year is different. Some times it will stay in the 50's and 60's til the end of Dec., sometimes, it snows Oct. 10th and stays cold and wintery after that. I raked the leaves yesterday and got a little extra physical activity in for the day. It will be way too soon that I won't want to get outside and do anything.
I bought a Palmpro from HSN last night. It's a little cordless drill. I have waited for so long to have DH do some of the stuff in the house and I'm tired of waiting. We have a big drill, but everytime I try to use it, DH wants to take over, then complains forever about it. I just have a bunch of little things that need done, like hanging a curtain rod (I've had the curtain since spring, still in the bag), putting up a towel rack in the kitchen, a new ceiling fan in the dining room. I've put up 2 ceiling fans in other parts of the house and thought I'd let him do the dining room. But after 3 years of this one not working, it doesn't look like he's going to make a move for it. So that's my next project.

Well, hope everyone else is doing well. Talk to you all soon, Nikki

[ANNE D]

Hi Everyone!

We are in the deep freeze here in Toronto too! Makes you wonder, one year its like spring all winter long, this year we
are below seasonal values.

My stomache feels "off" today. I suppose when you are following
a program for so many months its a shock to your system when
you eat carbos again!

Today I am right back "on track". I think I will pospone my
weigh in until December 14. I don't want to see the carbo
gain on the scale

I am well on my way to finishing my christmas shopping. I just
hate in January when those bills come in!

Hope everyone stays warm today!
Anne.

[nikkic]

Mauvaisroux,
I just got my Taste of Home magazine today. It is pretty much worthless to me now, just makes me hungery looking at it. Anyway, there is one recipe in there that looked good. It's Smoked Salmon Cheesecake. I'm going to enter it in the recipe forum under misc. It really is pretty and looks very elegant, if you still need recipes for your Christmas party.
Nikki