How come the only pictures that I can view, are Tina's, if anyone else ever post's a picture, all I get is a little red box, and it wont let me view the picture, any idea's.

Ok, I should be downstairs doing housework, but what the heck!

QB: What a nice pic. You are a very beautiful lady! Thanks for your support too. Regarding the walking: the funny thing is the person that has to take little tiny baby steps so that I can keep up never grumbles a single word and volunteers to walk with me every evening my, dh. The man is 6'2" and has these long long legs. It is funny walking with him holding hands though, I feel like a chimpanzee draqging my arm! lol

There seems to be a lot of childhood dysfunction here! I can see where we replaced love with food! I had an alcoholic father and a very controlling mother that was not affectionate at all. I also have a sister who is 9 years older and always treated the rest of us like she was our mother and still does. I would not admit this to people for years and years, but I sucked my thumb until AFTER I got married. Funny thing, the security I needed my whole life was given to me by my dh and one day a light bulb went on and I realized I had not been doing it for a long time and never did again. I was an emotional wreck as a child and very timid. I would make my younger sister go ask for ME to be able to do something because I was so afraid of the reaction. I guess I repeated the behavior of my mother somewhat because my daughter is telling me stuff about her jr high years that I never ever knew was going on with her.

Lucky: You hang in there. It is so tough to have to deal with a parent that is not able to "function" correctly for lack of better words. You don't load on the guilt, honey. You HAVE to take care of you and your family first and it looks like he would not be a good addition to your home. Understand though, that his anger and nastiness is a combination of anger, fear and frustration. Men especially don't like to feel helpless and he probably feels that way and lashes out at the one person he thinks could make it better, you. Just keep doing what you are doing. I have a friend who's motto is kill em with kindness and maybe that is all you can do here!

I really appreciate the sweet things you ladies say to me, but to make you understand why I "clue in" to a lot of this stuff is due to the fact my college major was psychology and my minor was social work. I am just one big couch! lol I never finished school because, a professor told me I would have to have a PHD to practice (I was 35 at the time just getting my bachelors) and I felt my family needed me more so I just dish it out for free! lol

Well, I need to get some lunch and exercise.
Have a wonderful day. Hope it is sunny your way cause it is gray and chilly again here. So much for meteorologists knowing what they are talking about. Donna

I just had major issues at the grocery store!!! Why is it skinny people look at you like you have some kind of disease? I had noticed this really tiny toothpick of a woman(all of size maybe 4) in front of me...getting slim fast drinks, but I said to myself maybe she lost all ther weight and she is maintaining....well then a few more isles over I see her again from afar chatting with this other toothpick, la la la la, I get closer to them and they both stop talking...so the first thing that pops in my head is they are starring at me and wondering why the **** Im in the chip isle and they are talking about slimfast and stuff.....I reach for the new baked Doritos, which is why I went in the isle in the first place and they continue to be silent. Then one says "why don't they make normal size bags of chips anymore, they are all huge? Not that she was talking to me, but I said right there is a bag of Lays regular size bag of chips and do I get a thank you? Nope she just stares at me like I don't know what, so I just said , have a nice day and gave a smile and walked away. Oh people make me so mad, am I not a human being with feelings? I just want to cry, they really hurt my feelings and there I am with all my ff stuff in my cart and fresh veggies and fruit.....I could have easily gone on a overboard trip here!!! But I did not!!! Someday I will be a skinny too and I will remember what it was like to be large. I will surly not stare or be critical of. We don't wish to be this way, we just are! We can't all be perfect.

Thanks for listening, I think I feel better and I am staying OP.

Hi folks...

I'm on the go again...just popped in to say "hi!" We have a party to go to tonight, so I need to pretty myself up. A few quick replies...

2cute, as always, you have a way of cheering me up and making my day! Thank you for the sweet sentiment!

Lucky, hang in there buddy. You are doing GREAT, despite your trials...I see that number going down, you modest girl you! See what that execise does for you! Will you come over and exercise with me? PLEASE?

Sandy...one thing I have learned is that you cannot control what other people say or do...so you just do what YOU know is best for yourself, hold your head up high, look the world in the eye and SMILE! You are doing great!

Tina...I'm so proud of you! I'm gonna chuck january out the window and start again with February...wellll, not ALL of January, maybe the last week or so...sheesh, I'm tired of starting over!

Baylee...thanks so much for your concern, it means a lot. {{hug}} How's the day shift working out for you?

Michelle, is cute little Andrew feeling better? I hope so. How's school coming along?

Duckie...thanks for keeping the tally for us! I'll give you some new numbers next week, Like I mentioned I didn't even get on the scale this week...gotta do some damage control before next WI. (not Wisconsin)

Mary...What's new, pussycat?? How's the job going with your son?

Thin...how've ya been? I'm a poet and I don;t know it! har har What's new on the movie scene?

Sara...what's happening with the kitty? I hope he's OK. Any word on the TOM front?? Stress CAN hold it off sometimes...keep us posted, hon!

Steph, congrats on the loss! You are doing great! I passed by the exit for your town last weekend and gave you a telepathic Did you get it? I didn't pass Michelle's exit this time, somehow bypassed 95 altogether, but I was still thinking about our get together! Come on, let's pick a date!

Okay, gotta run,,,I'm here WAY longer than I planned, but I feel a whole lot better, having connected with all of you...as always, thanks for being here! Dont know what I'd do without you all!

Hello my lovlies
How is everyone today
my sond job is going good and he got a car so I don't have to take him.
Work is going good but we need so many new books and our budget has decreased. Maybe some kind soul will donate some,( I can dream can't I)
We are having a childrens chinese festival tomorrow. it is the beginning of the Chinese New Year.
On the food front I am still holding at 195ish.
well I better go do my shopping list and I want to soak in a hot tub and watch my soap opera.Caatch you all later

Oh Mary, I have a TON of books that need a new home!!! Novels, children's books, video tapes too! I would be happy to ship them to you!! REALLY! I have a serious addiction to book club memberships...I'm a sucker for the old "Buy 5 Books for $1.00...commit yourself to only 4 more extravagently overpriced books!" Well, I used to, anyway...I have tried hard to resist the temptation lately...

Time for bed,,,I just had to respond...I AM serious about those books!

Nighty night!

Just a quick note to Kat... it is after 2am here and I am babysitting the grandbaby so she will be up in a few hours.

Anyway.... Kat... if the cost is too high to ship those books to Tenn. have you ever traded them at used book stores?? My oldest daughter LOVES to read and she exchanges them all the time and saves tons of money. Does your kids schools ever hold used book fairs. The churches around here and some schools do them all the time. They are great fund raisers. Also... even your own library.

I am NOT trying to talk you out of mailing them to Mary.
I just can imagine how much it would cost $$$$$
I hate mailing xmas gifts for that reason. LOL

Here I am 2 am and got woke up because my shoulders are killing me. I have a lot of that sort of thing and my dh will always get out the heat rub and it helps, but I don't want to wake him up so here I sit.

Duckie: I have decided not to spend money on a new scale when at the rate I am losing, the old one should become usable soon!lol So, hang in there and I should be able to include my stats soon. I didn't want you to think I wasn't participating, but we are "gestimating" my weight loss right now.

Mary: What a beautiful lady you are. Love those books! I can't ever get enough of reading. If we ever get to meet, I promise to donate books. I belong to a book club and only read books once and my dh doesn't read what I read so these are nice hardbacks. Unfortunately, I just donated 4 boxes of books when we moved in August so right now I wouldn't have tons, but they are all recent ones.

Sandy: If I have learned one thing and ONLY one thing about being my size is you cannot allow self centered small mind people get to you. I look everyone dead in the eye for one thing. If you shrink around they are sure to get a bigger charge out of talking about you. I also stop them dead in their tracks if you hear them say something about you. For example: At my 25 yr class reunion in 1997, a girl that had been fat her whole life (and still was at this reunion by at least 60 lbs) and had been my next door neighbor growing up and always a lot heavier than I, had the you know whats to stand with one of her former buddies from high school and talk about ME! I could tell by her body language. So, I excused myself from the table we were at and acted like I was mingling and came up behind her and stood. She kept on and on and finally I said, "Well, hello Jackie, did you want to talk to me about something? I saw you and Lorraine gesturing my way." If there had been a hole believe me she would have gone right in because she knew then I had heard what she was saying and people like that usually have the good graces to be ashamed of themselves even though they would never admit if for no less reason than getting caught. Also, think about what you may have and they don't even if they are strangers. In this case, the ole bat is a spinster and I have a wonderful dh and children. Almost always, people who are uncharitible in that way, almost certainly have something to hide themselves. You are scrumptious and gorgeous RIGHT NOW so don't you forget it!

Since everyone is printing a pic, I will too. Forgive me if I repeat myself, but I started a weight loss scrapbook and each month I do a page and put in a pic. This is my pic for February's page at my one month loss. The sweater is one my daughter bought me at this expensive store 6 years ago for Mother's Day and I wore it once. It was too tight then, but I was deteremined to wear it. We went to dinner last night and I thought, what the heck give it a try and it fit. Boy is that enough to keep you op.

You guys by the way are the best! I am so proud of all of you.

Donna

Good morning my fellow chicksters! How are you this glorious Saturday? What put me in this good mood you ask? Well, it's certainly not the fact that I am sitting at work right now, but I had a really good night last night. But before I give you the lovely details...here are my stats for January:

I have averaged 25 points per day.

I have drank 2416 ounces of water.
(lots of bathroom trips)

I have exercised 22 of 31 days.

Ok, now to tell you about my night last night. We decided to go out and eat first of all. I will be honest here. I did
splurge. I didn't go completely overboard and just gorge myself, but I definitely ate things I normally wouldn't. But you know what? It's ok. I've not lost control. I've not went off track. I just splurged. Big deal. It was one day and I deserve it. I have been an all month.

Anyways.... After we finished dinner, we went to the mall. Yeah, I know. Big deal....the mall. We enjoy it though. The mall in our town is kinda small, so we went to the big one in Chattanooga again. The kids took off in one direction (Brian didn't spend the night with his pal after all) and me and dh took off in the other. Ok....I need to backtrack on you, but don't get confused, we're still on the same subject........

I have been wanting to cut my hair for months. But I haven't because Ron likes it long. Everytime I mention cutting it, he says, "No! I love your long hair. " So, I've kept it, even though it is a mess to deal with. It has gotten very long, almost down to my butt. I am forever talking about my hair and wanting to have it cut in a shorter and more fashionable style.

Now, having said that, we're walking in the mall and all of a sudden, I notice dh is not by my side anymore. I look back and he is standing at the receptionist desk in Regis. Now, I don't know if any of you have a Regis hair salon near you....but around these parts....it is a VERY nice salon and VERY expensive, so I am totally wondering what he is up to. He comes out with a big grin on his face and says, "They have your name....go get your hair cut." Can I even tell you how much I love him for doing that? Now, don't get me wrong. My hair was never that much of a hardship....if I had truly felt very strongly and wanted it cut, it wouldn't have mattered what he said, I would have had it cut a long time ago, but he is my husband and I love him and it is important to me what he thinks, so I have kept it long. Anyways, I go in and my stylist was absolutely awesome!! She made me feel like such a . It has been such a long time since I've had anything done to my hair. We looked through books and found the best style for me. It is now just a little longer than shoulder length and it's cut towards my face and is very flattering. I love it!! I can't wait to get my picture made so you guys can see it. Hey!! How often do we want to have our pictures made? I think I am definitely making progress!

I'm going to go for now, because phones are a little crazy this morning, but I just have to say to Sandy: Don't let the way those old hens acted get to you. Who really cares? Bottom line is...it doesn't really matter what we look like. Someone will always find something to pick on about you. Chances are you'll never even see these people again and even if you do, you probably wouldn't even recognize them. Worry about what the people you love and love you think about you. They are what is important...with what YOU think, being the MOST important. YOU are beautiful...just the way you are.

Here are some words that my lovely hairdresser said to me last night. "True beauty shines through no matter what the person looks like on the outside. I have seen some absolutely beautiful people ruin themselves just by opening their mouth. What matters is what is true and felt from the heart."

Gee, she was not only a wonderful fabulous hairdresser but a philosopher as well....can't beat that, can you?

See you lovelies later!

P.S. A Big n Tasty was on the menu last night. (especially with the new haircut) It even came in a fancy lace wrapper!

Okay...new month, new year (Chinese)...new day...whatever, it's time to start anew...for me anyway...I think I'm like the Wolfman during the full moon...I just need to be put away for a few days til it passes, then I'm back to my jovial self! Scary, huh? Imagine my poor family. I think I'm okay to the kids...although, they might give you an argument there...but poor dh usually bears the brunt of my moods...he is so sweet, the other day he brought me home a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses "to cheer me up." It did! Sometimes, a reality check is in order to see how much I have and weigh that against whatever is bothering me...I am a lucky girl...

The party was OK last night...only thing was, we only know one other couple (and the male half of that couple was asleep at the table--Party on!) beside the birthday girl and her hubby. We lasted til about 10 and called it a night...dh had to get up @ 5 for work this am, so that was our "excuse." At least I missed the cake!

About the books...we have a 2nd hand book store not too far...I have tried to exchange there, I was told to "come back in a few months, she had too many books!" When I went back, they had changed their hours to weekends only....of course it was a week day when I was there! Our library take donations too, but they get a lot, so they look kind of annoyed when you bring in a whole slew more. (nice, huh?) So I'd just as soon donate to a place that would appreciate them...isn't there a book rate for shipping? Heck, I'd drive 'em down if you were a little closer, Mary!

Well, i'm off to scrounge up some breakfast... OOH! I forgot to post my recipe...gotta go grab my book, hang on...

This is for Turkey Chili...it's a little different from the usual, but my family LOVES it...even picky son...Makes about 12 servings... it comes out to about 3 points per cup.

Here goes...

Pam spray
3/4 lb ground turkey
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. chili powder
1 T cumin
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar last time I made it, I used Splenda cuz I was out of brown sugar...it was just as good, and 0 points!)
1/4 c molasses
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 T dry mustard (I never put this in, I don't have it!)
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can white beans
(drain and rinse beans)

Spray pan with Pam, brown and drain turkey. Add onions and garlic, saute til softened, add spices and rest of ingredients...bring to a boil then simmer about 1/2 hour or so...

Never any leftovers... Sorry I don't have nutritional breakdown...points vary depending on what ingredients you use...I have made it with just beans, no meat...mmm...just as good. I'd make it today if I didn't just make it last weekend!


Adios!

Thanks, Baylee...I knew there was a different rate for books! You and Tina snuck in while I was posting...

Chat tonight?

Tina, I can't wait to see your haircut! What a difference a new 'do makes!

Okay girls, Im ready to scream . I've been trying to upload a pic on here for about 1 hour now and no go!!!! Well I think I finally got it figured out. Oh puters do have minds of there own. Ok, in this pic you have to add about another 50lbs, its an older pic, I will post a current one when we get new ones back that hubby took of me for my journy.

Thanks all for the support about the incident at the store, think Im still overly sensitive right now, still time for TOM to be here and it hasnt come yet!!!! Not to worried though as 2 years ago I had one ovary and falopian tube out and the other is cut burned and tied. We tried to get prego for 2 years with each of our children we have and really really don't want anymore, but if the good lord decided we were to have one more who are we to say no way? I would not like the idea at first but we would deal with it, but still praying that its just a fluke and late.

TTYL and hugs to all.

P.S) I got this pic in an email today and died laughing thinking of myself and the scale......

Okay...WAY behind on reading and posting here. "Dad" thing is getting to me. Don't even want to talk about it now.

On my way to basketball games for the afternoon.

What time is chat?

Wanted you wish you all Happy Chinese New Year.