Hi . . .

Yep . . . it is cold and it is icey and, just to obscure the ice a bit and make things even more dangerous out there, we have about 1/2 inch of new snow. Glad I don't have to go anywhere. At least we do have a little sporadic sunshine.

Working on day 4 and the silly scale- says I've lost three pounds in three days. Of course, it's just some water stripping out no doubt and will probably come back and leave again a few times before the month is over. BUT, it does make me feel good at least for the moment.

See you later . . .

Howdy my SB buddies. I hope ya'll are having an AWESOME day and if it isn't going too well right now I pray it gets better. It has warmed up outside to about 70 degrees. Perfect weather for getting some things done outside and here I sit.. That's okay when I get finished saying hello I'm going to search for a whole wheat sourdough recipe. My starter is ripe and ready to use.

I started taking my raw apple cider vinegar today so I'm looking up more information on that. It wasn't too gross. Had it not been first thing in the morning it wouldn't have been half bad. The house smells like spring. There are purple hull peas and okra cooking on the stove. I seasoned them with olive oil instead of meat drippings. I'm really trying to get back to cooking and eating healthy and quit making excuses. Tomorrow I have to make brownies for my son's birthday but they won't be a problem.

You guys are totally awesome and I'm so blessed to be able to come and read how ya'll are struggling as well as succeeding in your diet plans. Which by the way...WTG MEOWEE!!!! Three pounds is great. The last month I've been going the wrong direction or staying still depending on what day you ask..LOL

((Everybody))

God bless,
Crystle

Hi to All,

I have been reading the posts, but not replying. SPRING sure better come, we've had enough winter and snow..... It is slowly warming up here in PA, it has been sunny and that helps.

I have been keeping track on Sparkpeople, and they have a sight for Bellydancers. I have been exercising and doing belly dancing, that has helped to get me back on track. I took 3 years of bellydancing and it is fun. There are no classes around here, so just doing it for exercise and fun. I have been 3 days on program and exercising. I do have to stay stedfast.

Crystle, Solly was right about the food you fix....it really sounds good.

Hope you are all doing well, check in again tomorrow, and hopefully day 4 will be a success.

Blessings to all, Sue ; - )

Just wanted to check in.

Good morning

It is supposed to be in the high 60's today! Yipee! Made it to the gym this morning and got my wt training done. Now if it would warm up I could walk at night. Tonight I have to go to church to do the pies and slaw for the fish fry tomorrow night. So it will be too dark to walk when I get home.

Things have slowed doen here at work so I can breathe a little bit now.

Meowee, congrats on the 3 lbs. Any time the scale moves down is great no matter if it is only water. Hope it keeps you motivated.

Crystle, I tried the vinegar thing for a few days. It got old quickly. I can smell that break from here. Wish I was closer to share it with you.

Candoit, I track my food on Spark People also. It is a great tool. I have friends on the board there and they are trying to get me to post there but I can't get into the way they post. It is different than here and I am so used to this way. If I get more time, I may try to get into it more. Glad you found a spot there. Bellydancing is great exercise.

Guess I better get started. Have a great day.

I tried fishing this morning but the wind was blowing too hard. But it was nice to skip chores and go out to the pond and just reflect on all that God has given us. I'm such a blessed woman.

Solly...the vinegar is really good. It's a special kind of apple cider vinegar with the mother in it and I mix it with my morning fiber and at lunch with honey so it's actually very tasty considering. My husband is the pickiest person about sour things and he was able to take his this morning...of course he had about three times the honey as I use. He uses honey for his allergies. What I call tasty he says is tolerable. You amaze me at how faithful you are with your workouts...I wish I wish I wish I could get that motivated again. Maybe if my energy levels comes up from the dietary changes I'm making.

Sue..how cool that you belly dance. I think that is such an awesome dance.

((Everybody)) As we approach the weekend does anyone have any ideas for keeping the weekend on plan?

Love and hugs,
Crystle

Today was a pretty good day, withstood all the candy and good looking, bad stuff at the grocery store. I have been good with my plan for 4 days, thank the Lord for that... my exercising last night really did my arm in. I had a hard time sleeping because it hurt so much. Guess I will have to call the DR tomorrow and get it checked out

Crystle, fishing at a pond does sound relaxing and fun.
Belly dancing is fun even for an oldie like me, it makes me so mad that my shoulder is so bad. It is really hard to belly dance and not use your arms, I just have a hard time. isn't it something, when i get back into exercise that is fun and active, something goes wrong

Solly, glad to hear all is well. i certainly don't want to let me being on Sparkpeople stop me from being in touch with my Sugar Shakers this is my home site.

I will need prayers for strength for ice cream and cake tomorrow. It is my sons 36th birthday and his daughter (my grandaughter) 4 th birthday. I ordered the cakes, Quinlyn's has 3 princess' on it, and one lights up. She is in love w/princess' and she said she is not going to be 4, but 16.
David's cake is yellor with chocolate icing,,,,,,, doesn't sound as good as
Quinlyns, but thats his fav. I had the cakes made so I wasn't tempted to pick while I was baking....now I am setting my mind to just have a small dish of ice cream and not sugary sweet cake and icing.....
well that is the plan.

Meowee = yes congrats on your loss. Keep going on....

To all have a great day tomorrow.

Hi to Toni, hope all is well. Also Talitha, hope all is well with you and your family.

Sue

Sorry I haven't been around. A dear friend of mine passed away with cancer and its been a busy week. Hope to get back on next week.

A bit warmer around here today, but not exactly 'nice' . . . afraid it's going to be another few weeks before we actually begin to think Spring; no matter what the calendar says.

Don't have to bore you with my usual wailing about the evils of DST -- I've still got weather woes to complain about. It's been snowing in big, fat, heavy, wet, flakes jjust about all day.

Welcome to the mud season. Bleh. I love snow...I love summer...I just hate the in between blech. It rained here most of the weekend. My back yard is a disaster.

Shelley is on week five of school woes. She hasn't been to school except for Thursday and Friday of last week she made it till 4th period. She hyperventilates so dramatically. She takes Xanax to get over the episodes, but since it's a tranquilizer, it wipes her out. She's also just had her Prozac doubled as the 10mgs she was taking didn't really help much. I was posting for help on the Depression forum, but when I mentioned the place I was taking her to over the summer was really skeevey and the people that were there were kind of skirvvy, one woman made it clear to me that I was offensive and so I refuse to post there anymore. Seriously, one of the last times we went to that place, a kid was taken away in handcuffs by three cops!! It was scary...but this woman was offended that I was describing the place, so I won't go to that forum anymore for help. I have Shelley going to a new place and we like it there better. Anyone here know anything about meditation? I've read up on it and it says we have to make an altar? All I can think of is the Buddah shrine they have at my nail place.

Anyway...Shelley just convinced me to take her into school after I take Kyle in to school, which will get her in the middle of second period. Last Thursday and Friday I had to stay with her in school and hang out in the conference room so she'd feel comfortable. I just don't have time for this, though. Derek has to get Kyle ready for school when I do that and I just wish we could get things back to normal...I get up, get Shelley up, I make lunches, she gets on the bus, I watch the news until Kyle gets up, I take him in to his school and I either get to work cleaning the house, doing laundry or going to work. At this pace, I'm not even able to go to work...I have to stay at school or stay home to help Shelley....she doesn't like to stay home by herself because she doesn't like to be alone...

I dunno...I have to go get Kyle ready for school now...and we're all exhausted from the time change.

TTFN!! Wish I wasn't such a Debbie Downer.....

Good afternoon. i didn't run away, me and Zack have been ill. He is more ill than his mama. We found out that he has pnemonia. At least today I'm getting some food in him.

Tech...I'm so sorry to hear what Shelly is going through. I'm praying that things will turn around soon. ((hugzz))

((Everybody)) I hope today starts a GREAT week for you.

Love and hugs,
Crystle

Hang in there TECH . . . . . . hopefully stuff will get better for Shelley soon.

Nothing too exciting for me -- it's actually been sunny today but it is still pretty cold. Funny but I like Spring and Fall best, but I am willing to pass on the mud. The older I get the narrower my favoured temperature range becomes.

I am happy to say I'm working on day 9 of good eating and the scale showed me a 210.5 this morning. Hope I can continue to hold things together because I really, really want to get back into that lower decade that I glimpsed for a couple of days waaaaaay back last September.

See you all soon . . .

Hi to all,

Tech: hope things get better. You can meditate in a room where you feell safe and happy, just make it a special place where you can have quiet and be peacefull. Mine is in our living room with the blinds open to the outside and my favorite gooseneck rocker... Hope all goes well.

Crystle" Sorry to hear you and Zach were sick, Hope is pneumonia gets better.

Meowee = great news, you are such an inspiration and spring is coming...

I have been bad since Saturday, not eating on plan, not exercising.
Thursday and Friday my right arm and shoulder hurt terribly.

Went today to Ortho surgeon and he did xrays and MRI. Feels I have a torn rotator cuff. Will see him again Friday, hope therapy will help and don't have to have surgery. I had my left side done with lots of pain and 5 months physical theray. The doctor now as an orthoscopic? procedure that is not has harsh as old surgery and recovery is faster? I just hate to miss more work. Every year for the past 4 years, I have had to take time off for surgeries.......

Just wish I would get on track and stay there, and not this on and off stuff.

Sorry to be so down, but I do hope you all will be doing better

Crystle, hope you and Zach are feeling much better by now.

Tech, Wow that is a lot of school to miss. Will they have to hold her back a year b/c of it? Have you tried seeing a therapist to find out the root of the attacks? You school system should have one that is free.

Meowee, good for you. You are doing great. Now send me some of that motivation. Usually my week is good, but I am carrying over from the weekend.

Toni, I am so sorry about your friend. I hope she did not suffer too much.

Candoit, I seem to be in the same boat as you. Need to do something to get myself back on track.

Hope everyone is having a great day.