JanetMae:

Wow, it is great to hear your story. I have never been a size medium. That would be fabulous!

Been to San Antonio and had a great time about 2 years ago!

Any Utah members?

Good morning...just a quick check in to let you know that I lost 1/2 pound at weigh in this morning..

The girls got home almost on time last night, they had a great time with their sis in OK, but are glad to be home in sunny California. It was pouring down rain last night, but I think the sun will be out when they decide to get up today.
Have a great OP day!

bye
~~~~~
Joyce

Way to go, JOYce! Congrats on the half pound lost! Sounds like you're happy to have the girls back from OK; glad they had a good time. Remember your promise not to volunteer for any more work, now, ok? Keep focused on your journey; you're doing GREAT!

Stamps, thanks, it has been a really long time since I could wear a medium anything. It feels great! All through this long journey, though, you'll find yourself amazed at how many good things and surprises come your way. Breaking 200 was *such* a psychological boost; I think Texaslady and I did that nearly together. Each time you go down a size, or find you can fit into something you haven't worn in a long time, that's another "wow" moment. Or you'll get up from a sofa and realize you didn't have to push off with your hands. Or like yesterday, reading clothing ads, I kept looking for sales in women's depts before it occurred to me that I'm size 12 now, not 24. (Aiming for 10, though.) And if I can do it, I know that you can too! Glad to hear you enjoyed your visit to San Antonio; it's an interesting city, though not much fun in the summer heat. Re: closest members to Utah, that would be JOYce in California most likely; someone tell me if I'm wrong on that? By my count:
JOYce- So. Cal
Carol- Maryland
Janet- Mississippi
Patti - New Orleans, LA
Saara - Finland
Liz - New Jersey
Nancy- New Jersey
Nancy TC- Michigan
Rebecca- North Dakota
Hookedonstamps- Utah
Texaslady & Jan- Texas
Kendra - PA
Someone correct me if I'm wrong! Gotta run ... hope everyone's having a great op Sunday!
Regards,
Jan

Hello everyone! I hope you all have had an enjoyable weekend.
Ladies, the inauguration ceremony and celebrations for my friend were absolutely wonderful. She is obviously held in such high esteem by her colleagues and the students at the college, and rightfully so. She's an amazing person. The ceremony was most impressive, and the party and dinner afterwards for her friends and family were such fun! I saw people I hadn't seen in many years, including J's mother and brothers. We had cocktails at the rewly remodelled President's House provided to her by the college- it is absolutely gorgeous. The dinner we had was wonderful- couldn't count points because I have no idea what I was eating in some cases , but it was a wonderful 4 course meal followed by a sinfully delicious dessert, and tomorrow's another day! The dinner was followed by a fireworks display on campus- which we watched while leaving for home, because it was already late and we had a 1.5 hour drive. I wonder if the college realizes how lucky they are not only to have J as their president, but to have had her amazing teaching and administrative skills at their facility for the past 27 years. I took 2 pix of J and my dd, but no other photos- too much going on. Anyhow, it was a wonderful celebration, and I feel proud to have been included as one of her honored guests.
Texaslady, how was the Astros game? I hope you had fun!
Joyce, congrats on the 1/2 pound loss! I'm glad your girls got home safely. I know they must have been glad to get home! How nice that you and your great grandson will be "penpals"! My dd told me yesterday that she had come across a letter her grandpa (my dad) had sent her when she was about 16- she enjoyed rereading it so much all these years later!
H.O.Stamps, how thoughtful of your parents to pay for you to go to WW!!! What a special, thoughtful gift! I am 55, separated almost 6 years and have a 32 year old married daughter and a 16 month old grandson who live nearby. I started WW in Oct 99. I have lost 97 pounds and have about 20 to go, I started wearing a size 24 (sometimes 26) and now wear 12 to 14 depending on the style, and "large" is too big. It's such fun buying mediums and size 12's!! Not to mention how much better I feel physically!!Worth every struggle along the way! You're doing great!!
Jan, how did the shopping trip go? You mentioned you were also getting some meds for your dad- I hope he continues to do well. please give him and your dh my regards.
Saara, the college where my friend is president has exchange students from a number of different colleges including Finland.
Janet, WHERE ARE YOU???
Well, I'm sure I've bored y'all quite enough, so I'll close for now. Hi to everyone, and have a good op Monday!
Carol

Carol, What a fantastic day to remember!
I think it is great that you enjoyed your 4 course dinner, knowing that today is another day.
It's is so neat that we can occasionally enjoy some sinfully delicious dish, knowing that we don't have to feel totally deprived of good things!

I thought of you with your little sweetie, as I was enjoying my little great grandson...what a JOY!

I'm so pleased with a bargain I got! My neighbor was having a yard sale, disposing of some things that his mom can no longer use, and he was selling an electric cart, just like my mother has been looking for!
My sis is coming down next week to pick it up. Mother will be able to get to the activities at the Assisted living place where she is living now, so much easier than now....which hopefully means that she will participate more and meet more people.

Jan. we need to name your our Official Historian! You are so good at keeping track of our statistics!!
Thank you!
BTW, my girls changed planes in Utah, both coming and going to OK. guess that doesn't count.

TTYL

~~~
Joyce

Thanks for all your replys. What inspirations! I went to Lonestar Steak House this weekend, had steak, bloomin' onion, etc., and still stayed under my points. That is why this program is great!

I need a shorter name, eh?

Can't wait to hear about your weigh ins! Mine is Thursdays.

Thanks to all again!

Hello everyone!

I hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was OK, I worked and didn't do much else, so I got some rest too... which is good since next weekend will be parties after parties starting Firday and ending Tuesday... Tuesday is the May Day, which here is something like Labor Day would be for you guys, except that I think our May Day is a bigger deal. It still is the 'worker's day', but since in these post-modern days there isn't that many factory workers anymore it has become more just a crazy party day, especially for students. My roomie and I are hosting a party at our house on Friday. I'm also working almost every day, so I don't know when I'll have time to sleep, I guess next week... on Saturday I'll go see an opening of a play my ex-bf codirected w/ a good friend of mine. It'll be a busy weekend.

This week I'm taking a class by a philosopher from UCLA. She's really great, a huge inspiration! I'm thinking of maybe taking a few book exams on philosophy over the summer, if I feel like it. We'll see. Next week I'll be taking another short course by some visiting professor. It'll be about borders, comparing the US-Mexican border w/ German-Polish and Finnish-Russian borders. This is something that should also be very interesting. But I'll tell you more later...

About the exchange: still no news. Carol, I think that your friend's university wasn't in this ISEP program. I know I could've also looked for a place independently, but there's always so much more work, I just thought this would've been the easiest option for me. And maybe even the chepest too. But I guess it wasn't meant to be. Well, I can always apply for a post-grad places later, right? (If I still feel like studying after I get my master's done.) And I WILL come and visit. Also I have to look into the possibilities of doing an internship in the States, someone from here was just in the Finnish UN Embassy for several months last fall. Those are also hard places to get, but I can always try...

well, I'd better go home and clean (nope, my computer still doesn't work...), maybe I'll even get some old clothes from the attic and see if they fit... I think I have some cool spring and summer clothes. It's still not warm, maybe 40-50, but it's getting there... Have a great day everyone!!! Saara.

Hi Ladies,

Hope everyone had a great weekend!! I'm hoping for any kind of loss tonight. I've stayed OP but yesterday I had boiled seafood and I know I'm holding some water. I am going to drink as much as I possibly can before I have to go tonight to try and get rid of most of it.

Thanks for all of your kind words on my 10% loss, I'm still so proud I can't stand it.

I went to get my hair cut (oh - ok -- and colored!!) and I always hated sitting in front of that big mirror looking at my double chin which always seemed to look worse in that mirror. Well this time I could barely see it and my hairdresser said he could really see a difference. That made me feel pretty good!!

Jan - that asparagus dish sounds wonderful. I've never tried to cook them fresh before, but I love them in the can. Do you have to blanche them or anything before you put them in the oven? Or do you just clean them and cook them? I steamed 2 artichokes last week and they were wonderful.

HookedonStamps - Welcome! This is a great group. I'm fairly new myself and they have all welcomed me with open arms and hearts!! I also LOVE rubber stamping!! I also do dry embossing and scrapbooking. You are in a great state for it too! I know they have some great companies out of UT. Congrats on your 10%, it's a great feeling isn't it!!

We have our church fair this weekend and I can't wait for my niece's act in the Lip Sync contest. She is 11 and has been in it every year since she was 5. She has done some hysterical things. One year she was half woman and half man and did Elton John and Kiki Dee singing "Don't go Breaking my Heart". Year before last she had a little Monica Lewinski hair cut and she wore a beret and had another student dressed like Bill and did "Wedding Bell Blues" - (you know--- "Billlllll, I love you so, I always will, etc.....). That was really funny!! This year she is doing - WOMAN (I can bring home the bacon - fry it up in the pan........) It is really fun to watch.

Well, I have go on a bit too long here!!! I'll let you all know how I do. Thanks for all of you support ladies, it means alot.

Patti

Ok, here I go again...third times a charm...right?

Good Morning Everyone!!

Patti- Good luck at your weigh in. I am sure you will do great!! And good luck to your neice, sounds like she is a joy! Can't wait until mine is old enough to do stuff like that, right now she is just 9 months old.
And also, hooray about being at the hairdressers, I know that I hate looking at my reflection, it is getting better, but I still see all my faults. Oh well, soon I will see the "new me"!

Saara- Have fun rummaging through the attic for clothes. I can't wait to do that and find "new" clothes that were too small that will now fit! Fun, fun!!

JOYce- Congrats on your loss! And also on a great find at your rummage sale, I am sure that your mom will be glad that she can get out and meet new people.

Hooked- Shortened your name a little bit. Great job at eating out, that is always a hard time. Good job, keep up the great work!!

Remember when I was telling you guys how nice it was here? False alarm. Yep, it snowed all day yesterday. We got about 4-6 inches. One of the towns about 15 miles from us got NOTHING!! Argh!! At least we didn't get it as bad as some of the other places in the state. And then we hear that the weather people are predicting the high 70's for Wednesday. My husband said it isn't everyday when you go from snow to putting in the air conditioner.

I am finding myself in a funk that I can't seem to get out of. I know success is within my reach, but I keep sabatoging myself. I keep wanting potato chips...I dunno, sounds silly, but that is what is keeping me from feeling like I am on a rise to the top. Everytime that is what I want, I try to have popcorn instead and I don't feel satisfied. I am going to have the chips for lunch and see if that helps. I sure hope it does...

But all, I better go. You all have a great day, keep up the great work and remember that we are ALL success stories in the making.

Rebecca

Nawlinslady:
Great to see a fellow stamper! I love scrapbooking as well. No pics of me in there yet...I must look good first!

I am running the first ever County & State fair scrapbook competition so if you have any Utah friends, send them my way. If now one enters, I'll die! (Or gain weight!)

I hate to post again so soon, but I have to see if my pic showed up. If you don't see a pig under my name, it was a "no go"!

Good morning!
Patti! if you like asparagus out of a can, you will LOVE fresh cooked!
I just clean it, break off the tough ends, and put the spears in a baking dish, top with pats of Brummel and Brown (original recipe calls for pats of butter), and bake in oven for 30 minutes at 350!!Delish!
More recently I just microwave them with 1/2 cup water for a few minutes in a WW steamer thing I got a long time ago.
I really need a haircut too! I agree about that dreaded image in the mirror, I had forgotten!
We'll see!
Your niece sounds like quite the little actress! What fun! enjoy the fair!

Saarao, good to hear from you! What a bummer that your puter is still on the fritz!
Sounds like you have quite a weekend coming! be careful! OH! I forgot!!, I was young once and could party all weekend! Have a great time!
Have fun looking for your smaller clothes!
May 1st is a happy day. Our first child was born on that day 44 yrs ago!
And I remember as a child, riding down the country road on my bike with my sisters, to hang paper baskets of flowers on doorknobs! Aaahhh memories!
guess I better go take on this day, I lazed in bed too long this morning (just kidding, can one ever laze tooo long?)

Enjoy your OP day!

~~~
Joyce

WOW, Stamps!, Your competition sound like quite an undertaking! How exciting!
I used to do a lot of stamping, have a lot of stamps, and I think I have done 2 whole pages in the scrapbooks, no, 3! I did 2 in classes and one on my own.
Sorry that your pig didn't show up.

~~~~
Joyce

Rebecca, sorry you've got the blues; but I know you'll soon be feeling great, you just have such a great attitude! Re: the chips craving, would a baked potato help? Potatoes are very filling, and just 3 points for a pretty large one. Salsa makes a great 0 point topping, too, or that fake butter spray. But you're right, sometimes a craving just won't go away until you have a little of whatever it is.

Saara, sounds like you have a busy (but fun!) week ahead of you! Is your roommate going to cook stuff for the party y'all are giving? I usually have problems staying op when I give a party; I hope that's not one of your problem areas too. But if it is, something that helps me is to give away (in baggies), freeze, or throw any leftovers that I really like. Otherwise I'll graze on 'em for days! That seminar on borders sounds fascinating; it seems kind of strange, though, to think of y'all up in Finland discussing our little corner of the world! Since you work at a video store, you might want to see the movie "Lone Star," which is a very thought-provoking look at the border culture in Texas. Also, "The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez," based on the Amerigo Paredes book "With a Pistol in His Hand," offers insights into the history of this culture. (Much of that story happened here in our county.)

Patti, good luck at your WI tonight! I'm sure you'll do great. Re: the asparagus, I just cleaned it, cut it, sprayed it lightly w/olive oil (you could use Pam) and roasted it. Haven't had an artichoke in ages; thanks for reminding me, will have to try one again soon! What color are you using on your hair? Is it a change from what you had before? That's great about your hairdresser noticing the difference; that must have felt really good!

Stamps, wow, I'm impressed; it must have been hard to stay OP at a steakhouse! Good for you! You know, I still remember how shocked I was to see that l'il old t-bone steak in the WW booklet, marked "4 servings." No way, I thought! There's a local steakhouse that serves on huge platters, and even then the steak actually falls over the edges. Even the "small" sirloin I used to order (and finish!) was probably 6 ww servings. Then we'd have fried okra, loaded potato, etc. with it. Yikes!

JOYce, how wonderful that you found that electric cart for your Mom! I know she'll be thrilled with it. Assistive devices can make a world of difference for older people with disabilities; I know my Dad's life wouldn't be the same without his low vision aids.

Carol, your weekend sounds fantastic! Fireworks, even, wow! And your being able to attend, I'm sure made it so much more special for your friend J. Re: the shopping, got a new belt and 3 shirts, some pool toys (next weekend we're going to the beach w/Dad), some garden stuff, and some birthday gifts and such for relatives. Not a whole lot, but it was fun having a day to myself like that. And thanks, yes, Dad is doing very well; I was just picking up routine prescriptions and supplies for him.

Guess I'd better get back to work! Hi to Janet, Texaslady, Nancy, Nancy in Tc, and Kendra!
Regards,
Jan

Hi ladies!

Carol - What a wonderful week-end you had! Anybody do a double-take at your fantastic weight loss? I am so glad that you and your dd got to attend. I am sure that made it even more special for your friend, too.

Rebecca - SNOW! In late April??!! Do you know it was 75 degrees here this morning BEFORE daylight? What a difference a couple thousand miles makes!
You know I find when I have a severe craving that I just can't shake, I go ahead and have a portion of whatever it is and just be done with it. I think the trick is to give myself a good talking to beforehand and make sure I understand this is NOT the beginning of a binge -

Jan - I don't know. I don't just 3 shirts is going to get you very far......... And a belt! Ha! I cannot even REMEMBER when the last time I actually purchased a belt! I guess when I do that is when I will know I have truly arrived at being thin! Congratulations. I have a friend here at work who recently moved her Mom here from Arizona and she had a real vision deficiency. I thought about your Dad's vision aide that he wore during our visit, but I didn't know what it was called. I suggested she might check it out for her Mom.

Patti - You just hang in there. You have done so well! I am sure the WW scale will cooperate with you! What date is your son's prom? I know you told me but I have a bad case of C.H.S. Such a fun time for the Seniors!!

Joyce - Congrats on your loss, too. Every little bit helps, doesn't it! I know Melissa is getting excited about the prom. I hope you will be able to share in a bigger part of it now that you have cut back on some of your many other activities. Afterall, our kids (and grandkids!) grow up so fast - we shouldn't miss a minute of it!

Saara - Well, you are in for a big week! I didn't realize May Day was just a big holiday for you guys. Don't party TOO hard and keep your eye on the ultimate goal! Hope you turn up lots of goodies in your attic! Like Jan, its hard for me to think about you sitting in Finland studying our Texas/Mexico border problems. We sure seem to have enough of them. Jan's movie suggestions were really good, too. I hope you have those movies where you work and can watch them. Will give you a jump start on the discussion.

We had a beautiful day for the ball game on Saturday - too bad our Astros took such a beating from the Cardinals! But it was so nice outside and they even had the roof "open" on the new stadium. After 30 years of games in the Astrodome, I had forgotten how nice an open-air game can be! Sunday I spent most of the afternoon with my dd looking for drapery fabric for their new house. It still looks like they may actually close on May 1 - just a week away now. They are just waiting for everything to be processed by the various agencies and for all the pieces to come together.

Gotta go - about time for me to close up shop for the day. Will check in again later.

Hi everyone! We are having summer here- it went up to 90 in parts of our area today. The pollen count is outrageous- 750 for trees. I have this love/hate relationship with spring- I love the season, but my allergies sure don't!
Joyce, I'll bet your mom will really enjoy that electric cart!!! How nice that you found such a bargain! I'm glad you are relaxing and "lazing" the morning away a little- it's about time!!!
Saara, how many points in a May Day party? Have a good-but safe!-time!!! Your upcoming seminars sound interesting!
Patti, good luck on your weigh in! If you like canned asparagus, you must try it fresh. I usually steam mine in my microwave, then put "Can't Believe It's Not Butter" spray and fat free parmesan on top. I could live on the stuff! Your niece sounds like a sweetie!
Rebecca, don't let the blues get you down- this too shall pass!!! Spring is just about here, despite your snowfall! Have you ever tried the Lay's "WOW" potato chips? The fat free ones that are 1 point for 20 chips? I like them, and they satisfy the chip craving when I get it. I know they say some people get gastric symptoms, but I've never had any problem from them.
Hookedonstamps, you'll just HAVE to tell us your name or give us a shorter nickname to use for you! Didn't see a pig under your name- try again! Good luck with the planning of the scrapbook competition.
Jan, I had never tried salsa on a baked potato- I don't do salsa usually- but it sounded so good that I brought out the jar of salsa you gave me and put it on my baked potato for dinner tonight- and it was wonderful! Thnks for the suggestion! Sounds like you had fun shopping- but Texaslady's right- aren't you going to wear anything WITH those blouses?? I KNOW you must need smaller pants too- even if you do have a new belt!! Where will you all be going to the beach next week?
Texaslady, I'm glad you enjoyed the game. How exciting that your dd may go to settlement on her house next week! They must be tickled to death!
Janet, I know you are lurking- now you need to post!! We miss you!
Hi to Liz, both Nancies and Kendra. Come on back, ladies!
I've got some calls to make, so I'd better run. Have a good evening, everyone.
Carol
Well, I've got to run and make some phone calls.