Well it looks like we're getting the snow now - mounds of it - and driving to work was so slow this morning - but at least I got here in one piece!

Angela - glad to hear you got something for your ear infection and you will be probably be feeling better very soon!

Kim - way to go on the exercising - as Melissa said - one day is just a blip on the big screen of life - you are back on track!

Patti - hope you are not too cold up there? We are expecting more snow tonight as well!

Linda - glad you are figure out your own plan for continuing on core - good for you! Hope the protein focus works!

Sandra - good luck this weekend. Hope the roads are not too bad - and for goodness sake put on a hat when you go out (altho you really should NOT be going outside with wet hair in the first place!)

Vickie - hope the weather lets up a bit - I heard the news about the plan going off the runway in Chicago - very sad! Enjoy your dinner out.

Kathy - what a hoot - I was already laughing when I read blender and KFC as I knew what was coming - sorry it didn't work out so well! (imagine the possibilities!).

Quiet at work today as several people off SICK! My eating is "more" normal altho not entirely core - but I decided baby steps was good enuf for now! Altho last night dh and I did go out for dinner and movie (japanese) - so I did have some popcorn and diet coke!

We are off soon to meeting w/dd's therapist (without dd!) to discuss some of our recent escapades - then we all meet together w/dd next wed - hopefully she can provide dd with some strategies on how to cope when things are not going her way!

Have a bit of a tummy ache this morning? I think I was SUPER HUNGRY and on the way to work started having some mild stomach cramps - so I am now eating - so far not much better - but will wait and see!

DD home from school for 2nd day w/VERY BAD COLD - I keep thinking we should get her tonsils out as she has always had problems like this w/swollen tonsils each and every time - we tried to avoid it for many years but maybe a referral to a ENT dr is in order?

She is supposed to have a friend sleepover tonight? Not sure if this is a good idea if she is sick???

And after work I become a roadie again - going w/dd to pick up equipment at a downtown club, drop some off at music rental place and drive the rest home - and given the snow situation I am not looking forward to this - had very little sleep the past few nights and I am definitely feeling it now!

Later,

Frouf

Good Morning. I just got home and I'm starving. Will make my omelet and then rest for a while. I'm really emotionally drained. It took Jim a long time to clean out the snow. It was really bad here last night. I'm sure you all heard about the plane accident at Midway airport which is on the Southside where I live. 6 year old boy was killed. Very, very, sad.

Frouf, I hope your session with the Doctor goes well today. It sounds like your GP visit wasn't as bad as you feared. I'm SO very proud of you for continuing to try to stay on your weight loss journey. Lean on us. We'll do whatever we can to help. I hope you're not coming down with the flu.

Sandra, I hope you have a great trip! We'll miss you.

Linda, what great advice you got from the Leader. I think it's only natural to overdo on the carbs at first. I'm pretty balanced I believe. I'm excited for you and I hope this works. I got the impression that you were done with your 25 days already. That's why I asked how you did. So we'll ring in the new year together on Core. Works for me!

Patti, I'm not ready for the Christmas yet, but I'm getting there. All of the presents are purchased (although some haven't been received yet). I have all that I have in boxes with tissue. Nothing's wrapped. My cards are out. The tree is up and decorated but nothing else is out. No baking is done. I'm leaving that until the end. My whole house needs deep cleaning again. So....I have a lot to do.

Kathy and Melissa....where are you girls today? Hope all is well.

I'll be going out for an early dinner this evening and then I have to go to a home party demonstration. It's for Crayola. I guess it's new. I'm sure that I won't be buying anything. I don't need any more junk and I'm not crafty. My Niece IL is having the party so I'll get to go with my Sister and my favorite Niece (the one who's more my friend than my Niece) so that will be nice.

Speaking of my Niece....she needs to find plus size maternity clothes, probably about size 20/22 or a 1X. We've looked all over the internet and haven't really seen anything great. Any ideas or tips from those of you who were plus sized and pregnant? I may post a separate thread since I know some folks from other boards look over here now and then.

Ok, gotta go eat lunch. There's a good chance I won't be able to get back until tomorrow morning.

Love, light, and good Core eating to you all!

I'm planning another healthy day today. I'm getting ready to go to the gym for a little while and I've got my menu planned for the day which I'll post. I've got to work 7P-7A tonight. Hopefully there won't be a bunch of homeade sweets at work. It's too tempting at 3:00am.

Vickie-6-8 inches...WOW! I would love that!

Sandra-Have a great weekend!

LJ-I've learned that a protein focus works best for me also. I don't enjoy protein as much, but I stay more satisfied and I'm less likely to binge when I eat at least 100gr of protein daily. So what's the scoop on bananas. They are my favorite fruit and I eat them daily. I've heard conflicting things in regards to eating them though.

Frouf-Mounds of snow, huh. I'm jealous! Be careful driving on it.

Vicki-That is heartbreaking about the 6 year old boy. Get some rest and feel better!

Kim, come on to Chicago! You can frolick in the snow and get some fun exercise. Although, after you shovel about 6-8 inches you don't think it's fun anymore. Stay strong, GF. You can do it. I, too, try to eat more protein than carbs. I eat bananas whenever I want, which is usually ever other day. I think you could get away with one a day but I wouldn't push it beyond that. I don't have anything to base that rationale on though.

I'm here -- just busy. I've been at another computer across the room and it's just for authoring graphics, no internet or anything else. I came back over here for a minute to catch up and eat a spoonful of PB.

So guess what? Shaun has an interview this afternoon and it sounds like a really promising thing! I'm keeping my fingers crossed super-tight and hope hope hope like heck he gets it. It's basically the same thing he did at the other place for 4 years, but this is a smaller company. They go to smaller facilities (hospitals, nursing homes, etc.) and also more residences. They also have oxygen where the other place didn't. Anyway, it's medical supply delivery and set-up, etc. and the guy was very excited that he had lots of experience and knew people in all the major hospitals in Dallas and Fort Worth. That's a BIG plus right there.

I'll update later. But good golly, I'm starving today! I KNOW it's the cold weather.

Vickie, that news was just heartbreaking. How horrible for them all!

Kathy, I've got fingers and toes and feet and arms and legs ALL crossed. If Shaun is working you'll have less stress and be happier. So that's what I'll wish for.

Please explain cold weather in Texas for me Kathy? For goodness sake I thought I was warm there all year round? (note to file: do not visit Kathy in the wintertime!).

Kim - you are welcome to all the snow we have! It has stopped snowing finally but there are mounds of the white stuff everywhere - I know the skiers will be happy this weekend.

Vickie - my dh also spent part of the morning shovelling - at least it's good exercise? Have fun at the Crayola party - I think you should definitely get yourself a big box of new fancy crayons as a reward for all your hard work! (heck - go ahead and get a new coloring book too -splurge!)

Good luck to Shaun w/the interview - I also hope he gets the job - sounds like a good match!

Back from a big lunch (dh and I went out to The Works hamburger place - while I did not eat anything too bad - I know I ate beyond satisfied - still need to practice that skill!). Now all I want to do is sleep of course.

Meeting w/therapist went well - says dd is an "emotional" child - no kidding! Says she feels dd is trying to make a connection w/dh but doesn't know how - if she really didn't care about him - she would remain very neutral - e.g. ignoring him. She claims the fact that dd pushes his buttons is a sign - even tho it's negative.

I told her about our recent fiascos w/dd and she thinks it's great we are doling out the "consequences" (even tho I told her I feel like I am constantly punishing dd) and even agreed about not driving her to the concert - as I should not be expected to drop everything and go without having advance notice.

Anyhow - we are back next week w/dd - this should be interesting!!!

I shall try now to get thru the rest of the afternoon without falling asleep - ha ha ha

Frouf

Frouf, what a relief! It's nice to get positive reinforcement from "experts" that what you are doing is right. We can support you until the cows come home but you need to believe you're right.

Now I REALLY have to get in gear.

Frouf, I will attempt to explain our weather.

Last Saturday it was 90. This morning it was 15. In the summer (which can start as early as April and last until ... well, until last Saturday!) it's 100+ with high, high humidity. We have old home movies of me as a child running around in the yard on Christmas Day in a swimsuit. And then there are the ones where we have so much ice and snow that the place gridlocks. We, meaning residents AND cities, don't have equipment to handle it -- no plows or blowers, very few sanding trucks and they're only for the major highways, and we usually get more ice than snow, which can sometimes be worse. Everybody who moves here from up north just laughs themselves silly when school is cancelled during times like this, but what they don't understand is that it's more often than not due to heating demands. They keep schools closed in order to divert energy to places that can't close, like hospitals and nursing homes. We don't have basements and furnaces, just the regular a/c units that switch over from blowing cool air to warm air ... in other words, pretty ineffective in extended periods of cold weather. And since we get all that ice, it collects on powerlines and then the lines/poles go down, and then power is out, and then it's that much worse!!

So ... clear as mud? Or I guess in this case, clear as snow?

I'm here! But very, very busy today. I'm leaving work in about an hour and then I'll probably stop at Wal-Mart for some good buys I've heard about. Then we are going to a Christmas party tonight. Keep good thoughts : coming my way for self-control. I'm thinking about stopping for some wendy's chili on the way so that I won't be starving. These are good friends that we don't see often and IL's will be there as well so maybe visiting will take precedent over food, although I will have to at least taste things, since it is a food party of sorts.
OK, gotta finish my work. I hope I'll talk to you all later, if not, then in the morning!

I bet the snow would get old after a couple of days. It's a similar situation here in Arkansas as what Kathy explained. We get mostly ice.....not much snow.....and the city mainly focuses on sanding overpasses.

Melissa-Christmas parties are so hard. Our Sunday school party is tomorrow night and we're supposed to bring finger foods. I'm sure there will be lots of cookies and brownies, etc. I'm bringing a veggie tray. I might be the only one that eats on it, but at least I'll have something healthy to eat. I'm definitely eating some protein and probably some oatmeal before I go so I won't be hungry. I'll say a prayer for you for self control.

Hey you guys! We are too boring ... something's gotta give!!

Do you have a Walgreens near you? There is just the cutest thing in the sales paper this week and I nearly missed it. I saw it today and ran right there after work; got the last one at the second store I went to. It's a plate rack with three plates that look like Santa. The top plate is the head, middle is tummy, and bottom is rear end. So cute! Let me see if I can show you...

Well, nuts. I can't find it. I'll keep looking!

Finally! Okay, look at this: