Ruthie, congrats! Now the planning begins! I bet it is a huge relief to have that decision made, and I agree....if the #1 school treats you so indifferently, who needs 'em! Go where you're wanted!

Sheila, I see you've got yourself a two-headed gila monster. Yup...around 12 is when mine first appeared. I don't know what to tell you that might get through to her. Those are some serious accusations she's throwing around if they aren't true. Honestly, what is going on with kids these days? I know we were far from perfect...but the things they do at the ages they do them....*sigh*...I'm right there with you.

Punkin, I like the way you think. 65 hours sounds so much better than days!

Hey, I actually had an OP day! I'm focusing in on 10lbs. That's all. One day at a time. I'm staying off the scale, too...until at least April 19, one month from now.

Terri, by the way, congrats on your continued losses! Sorry it took me so long to say anything! You're doing wonderfully.

Sheila, I agree with Wildfire, 11-12-13 are awful ages. The kids are starting to have the balls to act outrageous, but don't yet have the brains to know when to draw the line. Good for you not giving in to the homeworkitis complaint -- an illness my DD continued to have up till this year. I finally got to the point where I told her -- look, face your own consequences, once you turn 18 I will throw you out if you don't act right and respect me, and if you can't do what you need to to get your butt in college, you're not living with me. Fortunately it worked, but your DD is still too young for that speech. Just stand your ground and keep telling her what she's doing is wrong -- even when you think she's not listening, she is, remember that. Good luck -- and come here to b*tch any time .

Wildfire, good for you on the OP day! I'm looking for just one for myself...let's get busy, girls, spring is here!

Amy, I remember that incident with your DD. Glad you got thru it. I have PM'ed you with info re the marathon -- and thanks for donating! I'm up for a challenge too -- 10 lbs. by June 2. Let's do it!

OK, everyone, LET'S GET BUSY!! Time for a new season, a new motivation, a new plan ... we can do this!

HAPPY SPRING EQUINOX!

For spring I've decided to come out of lurkdom--sorry about that, I haven't meant to be so unsocial!
Ruthie, that's great that you have the info you wanted! That feeling of 'pins and needles' is awful--I know you must feel so much better now.
Wow, so much is happening with everyones teenagers. I have friends who are just seeing the first indications of it and it's not pretty. I'm child-free myself but I had an encounter a few nights ago. I was working late and this teen conflict resolution group meets there sometime. I was in the kitchen and this young thing comes in and when she saw me her face almost slid off her head because she's used to no one being there! She asked if there was a phone she could use [as if she didn't know]. So she stood 6 feet away from me and made 2 calls. The first was obviously to her parents letting them know she'd gotten there okay, and the second to whoever she was meeting. And then she spins around and says to me "I'm out of here!" Why tell me? So I have no experience with this kind of thing but I know that my workplace houses this group and we're more or less responsible so I felt like I had no choice but to alert the leader of the group and he told me that he'd already had problems with her not showing up so he called her parents, etc. I remember so well being that age and thinking that I knew it all and nobody was on to all the stuff I pulled. It's embarrassing now! I wouldn't be that age again for anything even if I did have a skinney little weasel body!
Wildfire, that was quite a story you told the other day about restraining that girl! Yikes!
Punkin, I love that you're so handy and craft-y! [Come stay with me awhile?] How's that bagless vac working out for you? I've thought about getting one. How are they with cat hair?!
Venus, I'm glad you're back.
Lamorgan, let us know how the ritual goes. I don't have anything formal planned. It's raining here and the trees are being really sneaky--when the sun comes out in a few days they'll have leaves! The pear trees and redbuds are already blooming and horrors! the grass is getting greener and very soon I'll have to mow! Now when the hummingbirds make their appearance I'll know that spring is really here!
Flower, Take care of those feet! I recall working retail too--somedays I"d walk to my car in my stocking feet, I just couldn't bear to wear those shoes one more minute! But I was young and stupid then and wore heels all the time. What was I thinking?
I'll check in more regularly from now on. I'm in a good groove now as far as my program goes---it took me a few days to get over the shock of finding that I weigh 10 pounds more than I thought but I'm okay now!

Eydie

OK, I'll join in too. Luckily I was on program for breakfast, before I checked in here!

My daughter is 12, but a young 12 and so far life is still pretty smooth. We live in a small town, and I think that makes a difference. My friends in Toronto and Mississauga have more commercial issues to deal with with their kids... Here's hoping that things never get too crazy, but hey, I have 4 kids and they're bound to grow up some day!

Ruthie, that offer would be too hard to resist, congrats! What's Boston like anyway?? Never been further than Buffalo, Detroit or Bellingham in the US. I guess I'm just a border-gal...

My menses came around 4 days early, and today I feel very, very bletchy. Just want to crawl back into bed...

Wildfire ~ I love hawks too! We see lots of the red-tailed variety here, I think they look so cool when they are riding the thermals...

My next pay I'm investing in really good quality hiking/walking boots. I've worn out my good ones, wore out the crappy ones I got in November to get me through the season, and I have this fetish for really good footware. Strange, since everything else I purchase is used. I guess it evens out...

Well, must walk (some more) in the rain to the IGA to buy some soy milk and other stuff. We're looking after Evan's fried Kip for 3 days while his mom goes away somewhere warm...

Hello to everyone else I didn't personally say 'hi' to, and have a great

SPRING DAY!

Happy Spring!!!!

Amazing how a simple change of season can so dramatically change the weather, seemingly overnight. Last night we never even hit below freezing.... Time to plant soon!

Ruthie - Congrats on making the tough choice... The #1 school treated you like that on the phone, I wonder what they're like when you're actually there? They should care for their students (future or current) - not just give you the brush-off. Have a wonderful time in Baaahston and you'd better keep in touch!

Wildfire - Yes! One day under your belt makes the rest come a bit easier (you don't want to mess up "perfection"). Here's to a bunch more OP days!

Eydie - Yup, I'm a crafty girl. Actually I have an entire spare bedroom dedicated to it with 2 big tables and now my shelving (I scrapbook, stamp, crochet, paint, make cards...). I bought some blackboard spray paint for a 3x3 clip board a friend gave me. Did you all know you can spray your own blackboard????? Now gimme' some chalk! hehehehehe

The bagless vac is impressive - I got the Eureka Whirlwind. I just vacuumed on Sunday and last night to test out the vac after assembly I just zoomed around my dining room (not a used room) and the walkway from the kitchen into the den. I had a puff of "stuff" in the canister about the size of a golf ball!!! I was amazed that it pulled that much out of the carpet since I'd just vacuumed 2 days earlier! It was mostly cat hair and new carpet fuzz.

Last night I finished my house "tax return shopping". I went to WalMart and found 4 huge planter containers for my front and side decks and a huge jug of wildflower seeds. My stepfather's going to tractor over some "fertilizer" (aka horse poop) and dirt and this weekend I think I'll do some planting (and hammering, and installing and painting....) and possibly have my friends over for a late Ostara dinner. Crap, I'm becoming the Pagan Martha Stewart...

Back to work!

Terri

Hi my very bestest online fiends!!!!

Happy Spring Equinox. My b-day is Friday! I am in a chipper mood! I do wish I had 2 days off this week. I only had yesterday and my days are 9-10 hours each. My check will be wonderful.

I went shopping to Sears and not a single thing came home with me. Funny, the places I can get a discount at, there is nothing I want!!! I did buy a gothic dining room set. Second hand at Salvation Army. The chair backs are 4.5 feet tall!!!! Glass rectangular top. The chairs look like the Munsters met the Adams family. Iron w/ leather seats. Faux finished w/ a black base, gold and verdigree copper details. The seat backs are 4 thick wires. Completely comfortable but they look like something in an early electric chair model. I love it!!!!!!! It came with 2 bar stools too. We don't have a bar, so we are going to make a bar table for them for playing chess/card games at. We have the piece of glass already.

Well, I have to get my butt to work. I will be doing a solo ritual each night till my birthday. I need to get centered and reborn. (spring child that I am)

I got on the scale and realized I need a new scale. Just putting my feet 2 inches difference it varies by 25 pounds!!!!!! But I am in no hurry! ~flower

HI Everyone and Happy S P R I N G To youall!!
Well I am in a somewhat better mood although we are going to have snow for two days
I admit I been in a bit of a selfpiting funk.. I really havent been thinking to highly of myself (although I didnt run to any bad snacking) I decided to take the weight bull by the horns and fight it,since trying to be doing things the way I been doing them hasnt been productive..I have checked out a store online that is close to where I live (barnes&Noble bookstore) and they have the Leslile Sampson walking vidoe tapes I want for 20.99. Also I have to get my rear in gear on this house.. My ongoing saga with my daughter is on hiatus although I have to get tough on her.. I realized I was not a sweet innocent angel at her age, but one thing I didnt flub with was going to school.. ( I didnt start flubbing up school till I started high school at the age of 13.. ) But I need to reconnect to my inner teen so that I can remember how to be one step ahead of anything she does..Being married(among other things) at 16.5 made me grow up a little faster then most so that teen inside me hid a longggg time ago..
THANK YOU EVERYONE for letting me unload .Dealing with my heavy bouts with depression and having a two headed gila monster for a daughter ( My son I think is taking notes on how to push my buttons for futue referance) really made me want to hide away till it all blew over..
Spring is a new season so I have a better momentum.. Almost feels like a new year even though it started almost 3 months ago..Gotta end here DH is thinking I am rewriting the new testament
Take Care
Sheila

Flower ~ The table and chairs sound absolutely awesome!!! I love stuff like that. We collect some strange things (i.e. swords, battle axes, crests, dragons, wizards) one kids into it and the other kid is like flowers and kittens...Daylight and dark! It is a wonder that this household doesn't implode on itself...


I wish it would decide if it would rain or not I need to wash the pollen off of my truck... the yellow on the blue makes it this pukey shade of green!

I hate I have to work this weekend, I really need to work in the yard. We still have Christmas lights up outside I think that is why we never put them up because we know we never have time to get them down! I need to cut the dead off my heather it is sprigging out and the dead up top looks funny.

Gee! I just need to get off of this computer and go do something!

Flower I was going to tell you, I picked up some black slide on flats today at Wal-mart... They are made by earth shoes don't honestly know what they cost because I just needed some black shoes and picked them up but my point it I have been on my feet all day and didn't know I had on shoes. They have about a 1 1/2 heel and they are real cusshhy... As far as shoes goes most Wal-marts carry they same things you might want to check it out I know they were probably around $20.00... Just a thought~!

Hugs, It is 80 degrees out I have got to change into some shorts and go outside for awhile!
Amy

Pagan Martha Stewart Punkin, one of the requirements for when we finally buy a house is that I have a room all to myself for sewing and crafting. I'm restricted space-wise here and it's killing me.

Ruthie, you're on! 10lbs by June 2nd. I'm taking inspiration from you (and in turn, Venus, who inspired you) and setting my alarm for an hour earlier tomorrow. Now that it's light out earlier I'm going to try to form the habit of walking before I have to shower and get out for work. The downtown is very quiet here in the early early morning, and the lakefront is peaceful. I may not come back for work!

Eydie, glad you're back!

Lamorgan, someday I want to own some kind of hawk/falcon/BIG BIRD...many of them are protected, but I would adopt one that had been injured. I've always been in awe of them. We had many eagles near our bungalow (cottage in Ontarian) and I would sit in complete amazement watching them come into the nests nearby.

Flower, your table set sounds way cool!

Sheila, I keep telling mself that one thing I can count on is the passage of time. Eventually they HAVE to grow up!

Amyjo, you'd be right at home in my place....candles everywhere, dragons, swords, gargoyles, and some great Oriental pieces hubby picked up in Thailand, Du Bhai (sp?), Hong Kong, etc., while he was there with the Navy...samuri swords, statues, etc.

Another good day! 21 days to form a habit....19 more to go. I actually drank water instead of the diet coke I had on my desk this afternoon. I shocked myself!

Blessed Ostara! Happy Spring!

Wow, looks like a bunch of us are set for a 10-lb. loss goal. Unfortunately, yesterday I was still a sloth. You're all motivating me, though. Wildfire, I take it you're doing the 21 day challenge? I was debating it.

I'm jealous of all of you (except Sheila) talking about it feeling like spring -- it was coooooold here yesterday -- but at least it rained. NJ is having a severe to extreme drought (severe in the northern part and extreme in the southern). A good time to move, huh? There's that and the governor cutting the budget severely to extremely...

Yes, teenagers are a strange lot ... if they were adults and behaved like that, we would call them psychotic. My DD is staying at her friend's house for a couple days while the friend's parents and brother go on a short vacation (doesn't make much sense to me why they took the son out of school, but whatever). When DD asked me about it, I was kind of shocked the friend's parents would allow it, so I said DD couldn't stay there unless I talked directly to the parents, which I did and they were fine about it, although the mom said could they both stay here if they wanted, so I don't know if that was what they were angling for in the first place... At any rate, DD and friend are both 18, so if they cause mayhem no one can take me to court (that's been a huge source of anxiety for me for years, that I was liable for DD's boneheaded actions, and I am SO glad she's 18 now and responsible for her own self, and ironically enough I think for the most part it's made her more responsible).

Time to go walk. I've been a slug this week.

The wind is picking up here and I think we're going to get some snow... March is like that; pretty fickle.

I was out last night 'til 11pm and then couldn't get to sleep. That's hard when 5am rolls around.
I think I'm going to lie on the couch this morning and get a couple of hours of sleep.

First breakfast, though!

Have a good day to you all ~

L

Hey everybody!!!!!
I am in a great mood despite the fact my kids are total monsters.. The sun is shining and I have an idea I too can and WILL do 10 pounds by June2nd. I have to start taking Charge of this sch*tt !!!!! It doesnt come off by wishing it away..
I have done a bit of research.
Eat 3 light meals a day with 2 light snacks
I am gonna keep my sodium to under 2400
limit my caffiene instead of drinking pots and pots a day.
Keep my fats to 30 grams a day tops.
kep myself between 1500 to 2000 calories a day
Eat LOTS and LOTS of fruits and veggies
And dont eat or buy anything that has 6 grams of sugar per serving..
Keep control of portion size.
And drink water till my kidneys float!!!!!!!

To most of you that sounds easy but to me I hate eating breakfast lunch is just a passing thought but I eat at dinner time.
Basically the above mentioned is a diabetic diet. I had to go on that when I was pregnant with my last child . ( I was gestational diabetic) but I stayed on it after he was born . After he was born I weighed 317.5 (he only weigh a mere 10.4) by following that I got down to 286 within two months after my up and down Csection healed ( tranverse c-section I think it was called for which I wasnt healed for 2.5 months ) I didnt continue with that type diet only because those around me told me it wasnt good for me.. I have consulted a few nurses and a dietician at my doctors office and they all gave me the go-ahead telling me that it is perfectly safe to go by the guidelines of a diabetic diet..(One nurse asked me have I been checked for diabetes since the birth of my son, when I told her no she told me to REMIND my doc to check for that since I am in the high risk area since I am overweight and had history of gestational diabetes as well as my grandmom on my moms side was diabetic)
Also I checked out Barnes and Noble online and found out they have the walking videos from Leslie Sampson for 20.99 and I will be getting those since my hubby did put in overtime last night . I have a Barnes and Noble less then a mile away . The weather here today is GORGEOUS and BRIGHT and I am full of energy and I am in a really WONDERFUL state of mind today ..
I have NO idea why I am in such a great mood but dang it I am gonna get my @$$ in gear TODAY and get moving with this new beginning !!!!! Also I am QUITTING SMOKING once again !!!!! I start that Journey Tomorrow!!! Wish me luck .. I want to be Healthy as a horse and Light as a feather and I know I CAN And WILL do this .. Cause all you ladies are great and motivational whether you gals know it or not!!!!
Will write more later .. And I promise to say something to each of you ...
Take Care
Sheila

Hello all...

Well, the pissy bug bit me this morning and I've been in a mood all day. Could it have something to do with the fact that it was 60 yesterday and maybe 30 today???? Maybe... all I know is that I threatened my Mom to leave me alone or I was going to cry... sounds like a hot bath night with a cup of tea with brandy.
We also have freezing fog and ice all over everything. My 60 year old stepfather, who's not in the best of health to begin with (emphysema) decided to take a header at Home Depot this morning, so he's in bed trying not to hurt like ****. I'm going to go home and just go to bed, start again tomarrow...

Sheila - I think your plan sounds excellent. It's very similar to what my best friend's doing and she's down 8 pounds so far and loving her freedom to choose what she wants to eat.

I have to tell you that I did walk my 2 miles yesterday! I doubled my normal route. It was a little harder - but the worst part was the wind! I actually have wind burn on my cheeks and forehead. Sheesh... I am having a hard week I guess.

Spring had BETTER be here tomarrow!

Terri

Guys ~ The fact that obesity is up like close to 60% from 20 years ago tells us alot. I think that computer, television, processed foods and fast food has contributed to the increase. The scary thing is the fact that Type II (2) diabetes is so prevelant in obese people (raising at epidemic rates in kids) it ups the risk 10 fold. Births of children over 8 pounds and a history of GD increases your risk. An increase fasting blood glucose level and a 2 hour postprandial blood glucose increase in a good indication that you will eventually develop diabetes...

Fortunately like my blood pressure my blood glucose levels are usually LOW~ but the more overweight you are the higher the incident of diabetes. I am within the target range of my "height/weight" ratio... I am not a the weight that I want to be but I am below 25 on my BMI and compared to last year this time I am much more comfortable with my weight. Unfortunately I am having a really hard time controlling my bulimia at this weight than I did at my higher weight, because I just can't get these last 20 pounds off.

I talked to the director of Psychology at the school today, I am considering talking to my GP and getting him to prescribe the Medicine that I was on while I was in therapy and see if it will help at least until I reach goal weight or until I finish nursing school which will greatly reduce my stress levels~!~ I am so much more healthy now but I just want this layer of subcutaneous fat gone off of my butt, stomach and thigh which is where every woman has fat but I really don't like it very much! Well I have got to run~~~

Hugs,
Amy

I just reread this post if it doesn't make sense I have been at school since 8AM so forgive me~

Amy, if your BMI is below 25, are you sure you need to lose 20 lbs??? Maybe you should just focus on toning exercises for the areas you think are "fat." That will also take your focus away from food intake. I like the idea of consulting with your doc, though.

Terri, good for you doing your walk! Hope you're over your pissiness .

Sheila, I'm proud of your resolve to work on both your weight and quitting smoking. Good luck!

Lamorgan, that wind you described rolled in here last night -- it was incredible! All of a sudden around 8:30 the wind and the rain started. Now it's freezing -- and I didn't go out to walk b/c I'm a wuss about the cold.

My landlady died a couple of days ago. It's really incredible that she's gone. Although she had a chronic illness for years and years, she had a very sudden decline and was hospitalized like a week and a half ago, then came home to die a few days later. I feel so badly for her husband, and so helpless -- he lives downstairs from me, yet I don't know what I can do for him. They are having a "celebration of life" for her Saturday night, and of course DD and I will go.

I'm very tired today. I have a lot to do this weekend; I'm trying to put together a benefit concert for the marathon at one local bar and get a fundraising effort going at another, so apparently I have to stop in these two places to talk to the managers, which I'm not looking forward to b/c I don't go to bars anymore. But it's for a good cause...