Good morning everyone and hope you all had a happy 4th! Sorry I haven't been around - it's been quite a week for me! We had company for the 4th, I've been baby-sitting my 5-yr old (she's a handful!) - have been planting a lot of perrenial plants here and there and everywhere, moving furniture, and alas, nurturing a bad back .... also had a couple power outages this week to boot! I haven't been on the computer hardly at all because of all of the above but it's been too painful to sit on the computer chair so although I didn't post, I was thinking of you all. Hope everyone had a great 4th and are now back on track with their eating programs. I slipped a couple days but haven't been to bad - haven't weighed myself yet - think I'll wait until next Wednesday.

Kim:
Good job on your weight! I'm sure that made you feel great - and good luck on your July mini goal - keep us posted on your progress. YOU CAN DO IT!

Tami:
Hope you had a fun time on your camping trip. We used to camp a lot when the kids were home .. was fun! LOL on the computer and your hubby - doesn't he know that playing on the computer IS relaxing? hahaha ... Well, hope you and your family had a good time - and if by chance you didn't follow your good intentions for your diet - don't fret, just get back on track again! And if you're still at your same weight don't fret - and don't quit - you'll get those scales moving again!

Well - where is the rest of our posters - I won't mention any names cuz YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!! We miss you so get back in here and post!

Got to go ... talk to ya all later...
Love, CJ

Good afternoon ladies. Just got back from our trip, I didn't take the iBook with me (too much hassle and not much room for it in the Jeep). Hubby and the kids had a good time. We spent all day yesterday at the beach on Lake Erie. It was absolutely beautiful up there. Although it still smells like a lake.

I think I did ok on my diet, I broke down and had an ice cream cone yesterday, it was a small one LOL. Also had a few chicken sticks and about 10 french fries at the Big Boy restaurant in Napoleon OH on the way home. I made some Chicken with zuchini squash, yellow squash, onions, olive olive and cajun seasoning in a bag and took it on the trip with us. Then I put it in litttle foil packs and cooked it over the firepit. It was wonderful.

CJ- sorry about your bad back. That must be awful. Hubby has a bad neck and shoulder, not sure which one cause he's always changing his mind, LOL Bet you had fun babysitting!!! My five year old son was an absolute pain in the rear end on our trip.

Gotta finish unpacking here and go get my walking buddy (my dog) from mom's house. Hope everyone had a good weekend.

Hi y'all,

Hope every one had a good 4th. Not too bad on this end. Quiet though, as Hannah spent the holiday with her dad. I enjoyed the quietness of the house and used it for schoolwork.

I take classes online through Indiana Business College (double majoring in Accounting and Administrative Assistant). Anyway, supposed to start classes on the 26th of June, but couldn't log onto them. Kept getting a denied access screen. Didn't get a chance to get logged on till the Friday after, so I've been playing catch up ever since. But, the good news is, I'm caught up as tonight with the regular assignments. Now, just to keep up with the weekly work, and start on my portfolio project that I should have worked on the last two weeks. A lot or research and writing is what I'm in for. Hoping to do my week 3 work tomorrow and Tues. then spend the rest of the week (and probably weekend) working on the portfolio.

So, that has been my excitement for the past week or so.

CJ- sorry to hear about your back problems. Been there/done that and can sympathize. Not much fun at all. Hurts to sit, hurts to stand, etc. Take care and hope you start feeling better soon.

Tammi- glad you had a good time. It would be sooo nice to be able to go somewhere for a vacation. Won't be able to do that till after Jan. as I used all my vacation during my sick leave That's six loonnnggg months of having to go in every day. Oh well, I'll survive. Already looking foward to labor day and the three day weekend then. lol.

Gonna get off here and go to bed. Five a.m. is going to get here way to soon for me. lol

Kim

Where is everyone at???? Hello if your out there.

KimV- Wow you are ambitious! Working full time and taking classes to better yourself. I know you'll do well. I am thinking of going back to school this semester, I've done it many times before and always do well in school. Then something happens to my mindset and I quietly stop attending. I am thinking seriously about going to Brown Mackie next fall (not this year because of kindergarten hours) to finally become an LPN. Of course the only catch is it costs 21,000 for the course and we don't qualify for anything but loans as far as aid goes. I would love to get into IPFW or IVY Tech but the programs are near impossible to get into......and my math skills are a couple of decades behind the times, LOL

CJ- hope your back is feeling better now. I can't say as I've ever had back problems but my hubby has serious neck, shoulder and back problems so I do understand what you are going through. Hang in there.

Now for the good news.....after a seriously awful 3 weeks of no weight loss, I am down to 168!!! I am now "overweight" not obese, LOL LOL Like some arbitrary number really means much.....I just wish I could see the loss. To me I am still a "frumpy" little housewife with a few extra tires floating around my waist.

hello, I'm here!

I've been lurking. Hadn't really had much to say this week, but have checked in almost daily.

Hey Tammi, good job! I can't wait to get down enough in my weight to be classified as "overweight" and not "obese." Actually, I will be glad to get out of the 200's. but at the rate I'm going down (and that is not at all), then it will be this time next year. I got to add some exercise to my life, just not sure what to do. Can't walk right now, as the foot still bothers me too much. Seems everything makes it hurt way too much. Maybe I should break down and buy a swimsuit, and start going to the pool at the YMCA. That shouldn't hurt the foot much. Anyway, way to go!!

I feel like the world's worst mom right now. I had to disipline my daughter for lieing to me. She has a blow-up sword from her McDonald's happy meal, and she was playing with one of the kittens with it. Then she decided to hit Dusty with it a couple times. I didn't see it, just heard it. When I asked her if she hit Dusty with it, she stopped, and looked at me, and you could tell she was really debating about what to say. She then said "No way." I asked her again, and she acted really funny about it and then said she didn't know. I told her to put the toy up and then she told me yes she hit the cat, like if she told me that, then I wouldn't make her put it up. I decided going to bed was what she was going to have for her disipline for lieing to me. She then started crying like I hit her. And I feel like a creep. I know she needs to learn not to lie, and that if I changed my mind about it, that wouldn't teach her anything. In fact, in a couple other "little" lies (I know, no such thing as a little lie), she got off almost scott-free.

Oh the joys of parenthood.

Well, guess that's it. I think I will head to bed now. Hannah is in my bed tonight, so I will probably go in there and cuddle with her, and let her know how much I love her and that I still don't like that she lied, but doesn't mean I don't love her.

Now I understand what parents mean when they say things like "this is going to hurt me more than it's going to hurt you." Have a good (what's left of it) weekend!

Kim

Good Morning to All!!

Kim - don't sweat the small stuff!! I have 4 kids (well 3 at home still) and have been through the lying phase many times. It won't hurt her to have some disipline at an early age. My kids go to bed without dinner alot (they don't eat what I fix for dinner anyways normally). They forget all about it soon and love you more than ever.

You will get under 200!!! It will happen. So what if it takes awhile, you will stand a better chance of keeping the weight off. I made up my mind that I will never see 200 again. Heck I don't ever want to see 170 again! I want to be happy and healthy and sneak into my 13 years olds closet for something to wear. Kind of a torture thing, LOL Believe me, she is getting nervous as I inch down towards her weight

Yes by all means GO TO THE Y!!! I haven't done that in years, the one I liked to go to has closed its doors and sold the property to a charter school. I have a little 14 foot by 3 1/2 foot kids pool in the backyard and I exercise in that all the time. Did I mention I hate to exercise? LOL

Well gotta run now, I really have to go to the grocery store to get food for my little ones to go to camp this week.
My 7 year old (Holly) and my 5 year old (Nick) are going to Franke Park Day Camp from 8:45 to 3:30 pm all week. I have never been without my kids for this length of time, I can't wait. My 13 year old probably will be missing in action for the week as always and my husband only has Monday off. That leaves me "alone" for a bit this week. I don't know what to do!!! I guess its a good primer for when Nick goes to full day school in a year.

Have a great day

Good morning girls! It's me! Don't faint! lol ......... what a week it's been! My back, thank heavens, is getting much better. But, we've been on the go this past week as it was Alpenfest Festival in our town. So we've been up there just about every day - concerts, free dinners, etc. I'm sorry to say my food choices this past week were not the best - but it's over now and I got on the scale this morning (1st time in 2 weeks) and I have stayed the same! That is good but ... starting today I am going to get back in control and like Tami - get out of the 170's!!!!

Kim:
Kudos to you for taking online classes and working a full-time job - plus raising a child alone - that takes a lot of stamina and you should be proud of yourself. You're doing a good job.

I agree - you should go to the Y - that actually sounds like fun! Wish we had one near us .. I just might go too if we did ... I need to start getting in some exercise myself .. I am not an exercise person - will have to work on that.

Don't worry so on disciplining your daughter on the lying - you did the right thing - they need the discipline to learn right and wrong. I've been thru nine kids and if you ask them what the one thing I despised the most they will most likely say "lying"!! Even tho I caught them in many lies! You did the right thing so don't sweat the small stuff.

Tami:
Wow! Good job on getting into the 160's!!!!! I better get busy!!! You're passing me up (what am I saying - you already did)! But ... you have worked at it and you deserve the credit - me, I have to honestly say I haven't worked at it lately - but, starting today I AM GOING TO GET ON TRACK!!! Keep up the good work - you'll be in the 150's before you know it! Doesn't that sound great?

Enjoy your time without the little ones this week - even tho you will miss them, you will still love that "special time alone" ... I remember when my kids went to camp - As much as I loved them - I looked forward to that "special time alone" ... now that they have kids, they say to me "now I understand why you looked forward to us going to camp every year" .. lol

Well - guess I will get busy ... got to take my shower and wash my hair. I think I will go start a weekly food journal thread in case anyone wants to join me. I need to get responsible for what I put into my mouth! I ordered a nice 4-piece outfit from QVC yesterday and I purposely ordered it in one size smaller than what I wear! I'm going to hang it up where I can see it every day in hopes that it will entice me to work harder on losing enough to get into it comfortably so I can wear it this fall ... I CAN DO THIS!!!!!

Have a great day everyone! Talk to ya later...
Love, CJ

Hi guys, this is going to have to be a quick-yes quick, post. Sorry I have not been on in awhile, besides going to Las Vegas with my daughters last week, we had a tragedy. My dear wonderful brother who lives with us died Saturday night. I had to take him in for a breathing attack as I usually did about once a month or so. He usually pulls through it with maybe a night or so in the hospital. His COPD is pretty bad and the poor guy being mentally challenged is hard too. But I took him to the ER and by the time we got to the hospital, he wasn't responding when I was talking to him, even though I was rubbing his back and trying to get him to talk. I could tell he was slipping away fast. I ran in to get them to bring a gurney to my car and when they got there he had no pulse or heartbeat. They said it was probably heart related and his poor heart just stopped and he could only take so much.

I have been crying for days, and I can't believe my poor sweet brother is gone. I have been so busy making funeral arrangements, we decided to have the funeral in Mt. Clemens, Michigan where my Dad and some other family members are. He will be buried there next to our Mom and brother, Rick who was violently killed 6 yrs ago, he was married to my dear friend, Chrissy, who used to post with us. I am just glad this didn't happen last week when I was out of town with the girls. I was lucky to be with him during his last few minutes. I wish I could quit trying, it will be an adustment as I have been his care taker almost 5 yrs now, when he came to live, from Michigan to Indiana with our family.

Anyways, he is at peace and will not suffer anymore and is heaven now I am sure of it. I sure miss my bud Jerry so much, it is like there is a big hole in my heart and my life too.

I will write again when we come back from Michigan next week. We will be back on Sunday night.

The kids are all here, even our Air Force kids are too, Alan from California and Tracy from Illinois, Kelly and Dan are here too. It is nice to have the whole family together, just wish Jer was with us too. We will head to Michigan tomorrow. Love you guys, take care, Sharon

Sharon:
I am so sorry to hear of Jerry's passing ... He was such a nice person and I know you are going to miss him terribly. I just want you to know that you and your family are in Dick's and my thoughts - I left you a message although you probably won't hear it until you return home but just wanted you to know I'm here and thinking of you. We love you Sharon - keep your chin up and crying is good. Talk to you soon.

Much love, CJ

Sassy - I am deeply sorry for your loss. Please take care

Sharon,

You and your family our in our prayers. I'm sorry about your loss. And CJ is right, crying is good.

Love you,

Kim

Good Morning Ladies!!

Well sad to say, summer camp is over now and the little ones will be spending the next 4 weeks at home with me. School starts August 21 here so atleast I have something to look forward to, LOL

I am thinking about getting a job after 5 years of staying at home. We really could use the money right now as hubby isn't working overtime again. I just have no idea what I can do anymore, and finding part time work that will fit with my son's kindergarden hours seems impossible. Christmas is coming soon and of course that has me worried financially. I am a giver and am really sad when I cannot buy much.

On the weight wars- I am down to 166 today. The scale is slowly going down but I feel fat as ever. I thought I was fat when I weighed in at a whopping 120 pounds so I know its probably all in my head. When I look into a mirror I just don't see any loss. My clothes tell a different story but my eyes can't seem to get it.

Sorry for the depressing tone of my post, its just one of those days.....its a damn good thing I am not an emotional eater, LOL

Hi everyone,

Not much going on around here. Just thought I would pop my head in and say "Hi!"

Sharon-you and your family cont. to be in my thoughts and prayers. Please let us know how your doing.

Well, guess that's it for now. Going to head to bed. Five a.m. comes way to early for me.

have a good night,

Kim

Good Morning Ladies!

Thought I'd pop in and say hello this morning. I am currently keeping my little neice, she is 5, for a few days. Her mommy and daddy went to the hospital this morning to have they're little baby boy. My brother was going to have my mother keep her and then go get her when mom had to work later tonite. I told him that was silly for him to be going back and forth to get her when she could just stay with us. He needs to stay with his wife until this baby is born!! And my mother is 60 years old and gets worn out very quickly when Athena (the little girl) is around. Mom called to thank me for offering to keep her, LOL She just can't tell my little brother no.

Yesterday was my oldest daughters birthday. She is a whopping 23 now. God I can't believe it, only yesterday I was giving birth to her. Time flys faster now than it used to. Its funny, somedays I feel like I am really getting old and then other days I don't feel a day over 25.

Hope everyone is losing lots of pounds....I haven't weighed myself since Saturday so I have no idea where I am right now. My daughter told me my pants were too baggy. I laughed because the pants are the only ones I have right now that I thought looked good on me.

Sharon- Your in my thoughts every day. Hope you are all right sweetie


Have a wonderful summer day ladies!

Hi everyone! Sorry for not being around but we've just been so busy this week I have hardly been on the computer - plus, we've been getting storms and I don't like to even have my computer on when it's storming!

Tami:
Let us know when your brother and his wife have their new son. Hope all goes well. LOL - those 5-yr olds can keep a person hopping! I'm 65 and my 5- yr old Carley sure keeps me on my toes when I take care of her. She's better than the energizer bunny!

Kim:
Glad to hear from you - hope everything is going well for you.

Sharon:
Still thinking of you - you're in our thoughts a lot - hope all is well - as well as it can be. Let us know how you are doing.

Haven't weighed myself lately but am eating better - making better choices. Going out of town for a couple days so probably wont' hear from me until Sunday ... Then I'll start another food thread - hopefully will keep it up better this time.

Talk to you all later ..
Love, CJ