Thanks for the concern guys. Sorry I didn't check in sooner. Me and my family and my home came through the storms safely. So did fiance's. We did spend about an hour in the basement of our local church with lots of other folks and their pets (Tootsie was such a good girl). The tornadoes were so big that they kept saying if they came your way to get below ground or leave. Might not survive in the bathtub, etc. I took them seriously and left. Some of the deaths were a mother with her babies in a tub. They are still searching for one of the babies today. Very scary. We are so blessed.

Here is something a storm chaser I follow on Facebook posted today. I know some of you are in areas that may be affected today. Please be weather aware, this guy knows his stuff.

Quote: "Will most likely be a deadly weather day in parts of Kentucky Tennessee Mississippi Ohio."

Take care, friends.

Havent been on 4 about 5 days or so saw the news last night and thought of you annie, said some prayers for you, glad to see you and your loved ones and homes are safe.

Thanks for checking up on me NP, I have been off since thursday and yesterday was a gong show and today busy at work. Yesterday morning got up extra early and drove my sons car to him where he is working. It was a 6 hour endeavor then I had to come to work. He had a rental and is had been on 11 - 12 hour night shifts in a row and the rental had to be returned.He was rear ended and the other drivers car insurance was paying for the rental and repairs of course.

It seems like everything got green over the weekend from my office window view, trees have lots of leaves and the grass is green, I am loving it, even went for a walk in the rain at lunch.

Food was bad most of the weekend but got back on track yesterday finally. Safeway is on my walk home from work and they have chocolate bar 4 packs on for buy one get one free and I keep being tempted to buy two packs. Chocolate bars in general cost way more here then the U.S so i don't often buy them so this is tempting it would equal 52 cents each. They are usually over a dollar each and at a corner store like 1.39. good incentive to stay away.

Have to run for now, once again Annie I am so glad you posted you are okay and I hope everyone else on here is safe too!

FL - one thing I noticed about you that is awesome -- you always get yourself back on track, you don't give up, that is awesome and inspriring too!

Penguin, - hope your week is going well too!

Ashley-I appreciate hearing that you prayed for us. I know God heard all of my prayers yesterday. Avoid the choco bars!!

I did 40min of yoga today, so I feel all nice and relaxed now.

Ashley- thank you, sometimes my determination takes a while to kick in, but then I get back on track.

Annie- Good to hear your all safe!

Such a nice day, spent most of my time outside pulling weeds & cleaning up. Also took a walk for 35min. All that made me extra hungry, only went over my calories by 150, had extra fruit. I never feel bad about that, as long as I go over with healthy food it's ok with me. Weight is coming down so slow, but I'm not going to let it get to me. I'm staying on track, even for memorial day. If I go over my calorie limit, it will be from eating more fruit or yogurt. Don't like grilled stuff and I'm not a big fan of potato salad. The only thing that could do me in is the sweets, so I'm planning on getting a watermelon and eating plenty of it. I get full real quick on watermelon, that is the plan!

Good morning.

I hit a rough patch, but I'm hoping I'm past it, or getting past it. I think I had a minor gall bladder attack from eating a heavy fat dinner--don't want to repeat that experience, or have one that is worse. So, I'm getting scared straight. I hope. Anyway, I'm back here on the forum.

Annie--glad to hear you all came through okay. The weather has been scary this year.

Okay, I need to get on with getting ready and doing some exercise. Have a good day, everyone.

PP - glad your relaxed from the yoga, I should try that out!

Kitteh - hope your gall bladder stays in check! Good for you for getting past your rough patch.

FL - my favorite thing is grilled 'stuff' and love baked potatoe salad the way i make it but hubby doesnt like it so I don't often make it. I had a banana for breakfast! Does fruit grow where you live? When I was in high school i lived in orchard country and we had fresh from the tree cherries, peaches, pears, apples, apricots I really do miss having that it was such a treat.

Food ended well yesterday and on track so far. Hope you all have a great day!

We had a huge branch {long but only 8" diameter} fall from one of our trees, bounce off the house, then land on the powerlines. I was home alone, and Hubby had to work late, of course. I called him in a panic but since the lines were fine Hubby told me to leave it alone unless the power went out, then assume the lines were broken but still live, and call the power co. He came home and we got the branch moved off the line just before it started to storm again. Sirens blew and we heard reports of two tornados touching down but both were false reports.

PP - that would be scary for sure glad all is well.

We had an odd thing last night there was a loud plane taking off type noise in the evening then we learned it was like 3 miles away and my sister lives on the street where this was happening and it was natural gas steam saftey valve venting off pressure. My sister said it sounded like a jet engine in her living room going off and the whole neighbourhood was outside not knowing what was going on. Poor kids were our playing soccer on the field by the natural gas 'house' and scared them half to death, they thought a bomb went off.

Interesting how situations that happend so fast like tornadoes and sunamies and such that can totally change our view of life and our thinking

I was a little worried about making it thru this afternoon without going off track with food and now I only have an hour and a half to go which somehow makes it easy. My phone wont stop ringing and it has sidetracked me from thoughts of sweet ymmy goodness food that makes me feel not so sweet and yummy afterward!

I did 33min Legs.

Hubby and I are planning dinner out and some shopping tonight. Dad decided he wanted a computer but can't find the same one at the same price, so we will see if we can get one like ours. He and Mom are currently in FL visiting my Sis and her family.

Ashley, I'm glad everything was okay. That would have scared me for sure.

Glad to hear that Ashely, Patchwork and Annie are making it through their weather and scary stuff. I'm just checking in and hoping to read back through messages. I really appreciate the sharing I've read from folks about their struggles with kids, life and such. I hope to respond more and keep up the support.

I had my niece visiting this past week (Wednesday to Wednesday) from Minnesota (my old home with all the family there). She took a little visit to my cousin's daughter in NYC for the weekend. The family is visiting each other more since my uncle's death (at about 80 after long illness). I flew home which was the first time I'd made it to a funeral or wedding in the family for over 25 years. I was always out of state for school or in the Peace Corps or something. Everyone's taking family more seriously these days. It's so nice.

I had some difficult days with my younger son (10 yrs) who is so much like me that we butt heads. I get so frustrated with him. My older son (12 yrs) just looks on but can sometimes point out the obvious and try to get us to leave off. The younger can "punish" me if he doesn't get his way and I have been attempting to put a halt to this. It's not right and he's done things like runaway for an hour or cross streets way ahead when we're walking (too busy streets in our area to do that). Argh. Wish there was some "if you're having this issue, then try this..." website. Like when the baby cries, swing in the car seat or put on the dryer.

I'm hoping to have four days in a row with a low cal day (1200-1400) to compensate for 2.5 high cal days. I just learned I have to stop exercising my arms to rest a chronic shoulder injury (thought it was arthritis so was exercising through the pain). So, I have to find some alternatives for aerobics. I already walk so much I have a "bunionette" on my little toe side. It's time to make changes so it's alright. Just have to figure out how to accomplish it.

Ashley- Fruits and veggies grow here and are ready to eat from spring to frost. Right now the strawberries are ripening, mine are almost ready to eat. During the winter it's shipped in from the south or other countries. So I eat lots of it all year long. You poor thing, I couldn't live without my fruit.

Really hot & sunny today, rather humid. That's just the way i like it!
Started jogging a little, want to build myself up to be able to go longer. My knees are stiff & tight, but I'm not going to let it stop me. I love it too much. Still eating healthy, no junk for 4 days & lost 3.7lbs so far. I'm detoxed from sugar now, so the Memorial Day picnic will be easy peasy! lol

Good morning, everyone.

Just a quick post to wish you all (in the US) a great holiday weekend. To everyone who is dealing with uber-nasty weather, glad to hear you're doing okay.

Hubby and I had a nice quiet evening out. No storms, sirens, or tornado watches! We went to a local BBQ place called Corky's, then did some shopping {I bought yarn!}; we did get Dad a new computer, too. Glutes are pleasantly sore, just enough to let me know they are there but not to make me waddle.

Happy weekend everyone!

Jaradajnos, it is always good to make it a point to visit with family, makes everyone feel special.
Sounds like you are having some challenging times with your son. Parenting is sooooooo hard, mine are grown but till last year my husbands young daughter lived with us for 4 years. She is mentally ill but that is another story all together. I do recognize your son is trying to manipulate and control you with the running away and the crossing the street. It would be good to have some consequences in place and stick to them everytime he does this. Kids need to know we are going to stick to the consequenses no matter what. You could come up with a few things as consequences to that like no Tv for a certain amount of time, no video games,so if he runs away he could not watch tv or play video games for the rest of that day, make him write lines such as , I will not run away from home or cross the street where it is not safe and have him explain why that is dangerous. There are many things at that age that can be used as correction or consequences. I have used all of those things but the hardest thing for us is to stick with it cause it is so much work. I was a single parent for most of my kids growing up years and it was hard. Best of luck!

Ate too much for dinner but I steel feel good cause I fought off temptation alot of the day and did not all out binge. Back on track today.

Happy WEekend!