Only two days to get through to another long weekend!

Angela - Fabulous success to lose 2.2 over Christmas. You are one determined lady! Also great news about how close you are to being free. My hope is that by 1/10 (when our next WW at work session starts) I'll be back down to 179 dressed - my goal is 174 and I know my leader would let me slide without paying. I think its easier on her to have me not pay at all than to pay for the 12 weeks and then deal with a refund.

Vickie - you will do it this year, you are so close to your goal!!! Not that far now. I hope to be down at least 10 pds by spring. That will put me below my goal and close to the 160's -- my secret dream is to just once, weigh in at 169.99999.

Rhonda, no Swiss Chalet's in New England. Only last year did we get a Cracker Barrell and I've yet to eat there!

No plans for us on New Years, perhaps get some Lobsters and steamers. That would be about it. Even before kids we always stayed close to home on New Years - too many drunks on the road to take chances.

I do need to find some new recipes or pull out some old ones that I havent' made. I think if I make a couple of things this weekend and freeze some lunches I'll be in good shape for a few weeks. Yup, an exciting weekend planned!

I'm off to post my menu for the day.

New Year's plans? Dh's family always has a seafood feast on New Years eve. This year it's not at my house (thank goodness) but I think I will still bring some plain fish for me to bake or pan-fry, since most of the stuff they cook is deep fried. Eek! I love orange roughy, so maybe I'll splurge and get some of that. Plus, I can have shrimp cocktail, and veggies from the veggie tray. Hmm, with a little more planning I think I'll be OK.

Sandra, we saw Rocky Balboa last week, and I really enjoyed it. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I ended up really liking it. The premise seems so unbelievable, but they managed to pull it off without it being too crazy. I have a new respect for Sylvester Stallone both as a writer/director and actor. I mean, it's not Oscar material, but it was good, especially if you liked the original Rocky movie.

Time to bathe my girls and get them ready for the family picture.

Later,
Angela

Good Afternoon All:

It's a slow day here in Toronto. Grey skies, a little gloomy to me since I LOVE sunshine.

I think that Swiss Chalet is a Canadian venture. Basically, it's a bit like Applebee's, but with an emphasis on chicken. It's a safe spot for WWers.

I've got "real work" to do today I got a little behind with the events of the last month overwhelming me. So, I'll be grading papers, designing next term's course and starting a report that should have been done already!

Congrats Angela; that's a great loss you reported. Keep on going!

Rhonda

Vickie - your one comment "Paula, we can do this! I'm looking forward to some more great recipes from you." Has inspired me to look for some new recipes. I went to Barbos and found some intersting things to try this weekend - on is a spagehetti sqaush pie, another is a barley side dish.

I'll report on how they turn out!

Hey Chicks! We are back from our Christmas gift returning trip. Jim got 3 great sweatshirts and a wonderful light jacket to replace what didn't fit him from me at Christmas. And....it only cost me another $60!
Rhonda, you have to design a whole course?! Yikes! What exactly do you teach?

Goody, Goody, Paula. Jim won't eat spaghetti squash but I sure could use a barley side dish. I'm looking for something to go with balsamic mushroom chicken. That might work. Exciting recipes keep me on program. BTW, Paula I am NO WHERE NEAR my goal, I'm ashamed to say. I have another 125 pounds to lose. What I really need to do is kick my butt and get it in gear. First, back on program....then the exercise!

Angela, I might get some shrimp and cocktail sauce for NYE. I've got to double check cocktail sauce. I thought it used to be Core. I think you are going to do great. It's always easier when others are doing it with you, isn't it?

I'm STARVING!!! I just ate a banana for a snack to get me to dinner time. We'll be at the restaurant at 4:30. I'll go drink some water until then.

Vickie: Oh yes, I design courses do research and provide what is called "service" to the University. "Service" means committee work mostly. I do most of mine doing grievance work for the union.

But, designing courses is a big part of teaching. This next term I teach "Gender and Health" to graduate students in Public Health. I've done this particular course many times, but it changes every year with new topics and references.

I've been visiting the goal section of 3FC. Quite inspirational. We can do this, just like you said and Paula repeated. We can, we are and we will. NO doubt about it.

About cocktail sauce: I haven't researched it but surely the problem is that the commercial brands have sugar in them. So, couldn't you just make up your own with tomatoes and horseradish...no sugar and just add a little Splenda if you need sweetness????

Rhonda

Rhonda, your work sounds amazingly interesting and sure it helps distract you from mindless eating. I shall be doing some projects around here for the next few months to try to distract myself as well. I'm going to check out the horseradish situation now. That's the best part of a shrimp cocktail to me! I'm sure I could make my own if necessary. Actually, I have a whole jar here so I just might pay the point or 2. It can't be much for what I'd use.

Quiet here today. No Frouf or Sandra. I hope they're having fun. We just got back from dinner. It was Core and fabulous. If I get hungry later, I'll have a can of waxed beans. I love waxed beans. I tried to buy fresh ones over the summer and HATED them. I truly don't like canned veggies any more except for wax/yellow beans. It's SO funny to me that I don't like the fresh ones.

I'll be back in the morning. I've got to try to plan a menu for the next couple of days.

howdy, chickies. i'm home from a day of archery and shopping. i bought another jacket. i wanted to buy this one yesterday but just couldn't part with the money. all i thought about last night and this am was that jacket so i got it. it was $160 on sale for less than $50. i love it!! now i have 2 new jackets. life is good.

vickie, sounds like jim got a lot of goodies today. i'm ready for more recipes, too. rhonda's right: we can, we are, and we will.

rhonda, i hope you are finished grading papers and outlining the course. when does your next semester begin?

angela, seafood sounds good. you'll do well. and soon to be free? awesome! i'm happy for you and paula.

we're going to golden corral tomorrow for a pre-birthday dinner. (i wanted to eat there so i could have their carrot cake.) gc is closing down after this sunday. the car dealership next door is expanding. (sob)

i have wi tomorrow am. (sigh)

Sandra, a girl can never have too many jackets! I'm glad you got the one you really wanted. You would never have been happy if you had passed it by.

I did great tonight. I am STARVING! I'm always very hungry before TOM. I think it'll arrive tomorrow. I ate a can of waxed beans after dinner and had my second milk serving as a cup of hot chocolate made with milk. It was delicious and helped with the chocolate craving.

I did better than yesterday. Sometimes that all we can ask of ourselves. Now we are going to go to bed and try to sleep later than 3:45!

Tooooo quiet. It was nosier when we were busy with Christmas. I'll be back in the morning to check on you all.

Good Morning Chicks! I hope you all have a great Core day.

I guess I'll be back later when I don't have to talk to myself! I'll be making menu plans today to be sure that I don't splurge on NYE.

Good morning everyone. Started off the day with a good boost from my dd. I had my lunch packed on the table and Sarah wanted to know what I had. So I showed her my eggs, fruit (bf),veggies and chili. She said, "Mommy, thats very healthy. No sugar snacks. Very good!" It was hard not to laugh, but I'm proud that she is aware of healthy foods vs. sugar foods. She was my inspriation for getting to goal in the first place - I wanted to change my eating habits so eating healthy was just our way of life. I guess I'm succeeding....not to just get back to goal

Vickie - I guess I got you and Sandra mixed up. Sorry about that. I'm going to make 3 different recipes this weekend. I'll report on Monday or Tuesday how they turned out.

Not sure how much I'll be around today -- end of year is crazy here a work. Take care everyone.

Paula, no problem about the mixup! I wish it was me who was near to goal. No one to blame but myself though. It's wonderful that you are teaching Sarah good eating habits. With luck, she won't have to go through this whole process like us. I remember year end. Try not to work too hard! I can't wait to hear your recipe reviews! I LOVE new recipes.

Vickie! Are you the one who stole that truck with $50,000worth of broccoli in Chicago? I mean that is desperate!

I hadn't heard about that heist! I'd like some free broccoli though!

Weeell, Vickie and I didn't want to let you in on the secret so soon, but you smart people figured out our Midwest broccoli hijinks. You see, it's our goal to supply all us Core chickies with free broccoli for all of 2007...as an sort of incentive.

We were going to deliver it in person by jumping down from an authentic biplane wearing pink parachutes, but now that the secret's out, I guess that plan will have to go.

Angela