good morning!
Blyss glad to have you here!

Mouth is a bit sore and I have to eat soft food for a day but that's ok.
Chick fil a is catering lunch today for all the volunteers and workers with the dental bus and in the office. I called and said please send soup LOL maybe not the best for calories but I will live.
We are ending up having 2 BBQ's this weekend Sunday and Monday Sunday is at our place so I can control food and Monday is at inlaws and I can bring my own healthy stuff and no one will care.

The kids are going to Grams and Grampa's Starting tonight... for 3 whole nights ... (I'll miss them but they are only going 2 miles down the road) we are planning a real exciting weekend (cleaning off the back porch and cutting grass and yard work) and going thru rooms and getting rid of "I can't get rid of that even though I haven't played with it for a year" items..although my hubby is a romantic type and has been known to surprise me on occasion.
So what's everyone else doing this holiday weekend?? I hope having a good time- I am going to enjoy my 3 days off. and I have a half day today so thats not bad but I have to go grocery shopping....ARRGH!I have made a list and will stick to it and only to the list.

MistyDreamer- Diet is a four letter word the minute I tell myself I am on a diet I binge and Panic and basically lose my control over food..

I want to be able to wear a size 14 by Christmas so I can get a cute Christmasy dress. last year target has awesome dresses for the holidays and not one over a 14.. and summer.. all I want for summer is to wear a bathing suit in public and not feel funny about it. I haven't wore a bathing suit in public in years.

Radiodoll, you are right. We all still have our every day lives in tact, we are so very lucky. and I am so very thankful as well that we were not in that mess, nor none of our family and friends. I need to stop watching CNN because it is starting to depress me. But I just get so caught up in it I want to sit here and cry for those people.

My hubby is out in the truck, coming up from Florida, and he says the gas prices are starting to fall in Georgia and South Carolina. I'm going out to get the girl from preschool and will see if they are down here already...yeah!

Theresa

Theresa- I wish prices would fall here too! they say we may have to start rationing gas here in Fl - Flashbacks of 1979 (for those of us old enough to remember )
We have started collecting school supplies for those who are relocating to areas of florida - and are putting their kids in school- I can't imagine losing everything- homes, jobs,family.. we have 3 families now in the area who lived in Miss. and lost everthing -their homes were destroyed and all they have are clothes and a few pics. we have helped them with food and donations etc..they say they won't go back.. but of course we get hurricanes here too.
Be careful who you donate too- we get some weird calls here wanting $$$ and they are not legit charities. The red cross and Salvation army are two you know are real
I am off to eat soup
Have a great weekend all!

I am so jazzed to see everyone so excited and willing to dig in for our challenge for the month! The last of the water gain for me was gone this morning so now I am back where I was supposed to be and can work on getting to my September goal. We never do anything for the long weekend so it will be business here as usual unless Mom calls and wants us over on Monday. Kids are still so small and no way would I go camping by myself with the kids-just something about feeling safe with a fella around. I will more than likely try and get my son ready for school to start on Wednesday. If I can get Dad to pick up the lumber to repair my fence, then I will at least start mowing the lawn while he is gone and that will be some excersize for me. Shot hoops with my son for a bit last night-he thought that was so cool-lol. With all the errends and the girls empyting out dressers and closets, I need to get things put back yet again! I will be glad when they get over this stage.
Melissa

macdeez~Happy Birthday to you over the weekend! Enjoy yourself!

Welcome to the new member and hello to everyone else!! Sounds like everyone is doing wonderfully and also I think the challenge is going to be a great motivator to all.

I've been doing ok with exercise. Managed an hour of walking yesterday and an hour and a half today because school got out early. Calorie intake has really probably been lower than it should be for the past week at least. I have just been so busy all the time and I am finally past thinking about food all the time so I haven't been eating much. I am feeling so good about my lifestyle changes right now. It all seems to be habit lately and it's just been easy to stick with it. I keep worrying that I'm headed for a big binge because that's what's always happened in the past, but really I just don't even have the urge to overeat right now. It's a good feeling, that's for sure. I just hope it stays that way.

Will be heading back to school soon for our son's first varsity football game tonight! I am just a proud mama today and so excited for him. Our high school has 3 football teams, 9th grade, 10th grade, and varsity. Normally only juniors and seniors get to play on the varsity team(my son is a sophomore). He got the word yesterday that not only will he be a starter for both offense and defense for the 10th grade team....but he also gets to suit up and play varsity! He is so excited and nervous! I am really so happy for him but worried about injuries like any mom would be with a kid getting that much time on the field. Keeping my fingers crossed that he has a safe and successful season. He has worked his tail off in practice so far and spent so much of his summer in the weight room so he really did earn this.

Happy Birthday early, Mel! Enjoy that one piece of cake and have a great day! My Mom's birthday is today and my daughter's is on the 18th.

I also just feel sick when I watch the news. I can't even imagine what it's like for all those people. I am so thankful that I don't have loved ones down there. The people who do and are waiting to hear from them must be just sick with worry. How terrible.

I am amazed and stunned by what is happening in the Gulf. Can you just imagine being in the stadium. Bush and Co should be ashamed since they cut funds to maintain the levies, recinded legislation to protect the wetlands, which drain the water, and clearly appointed an incompetent to FEMA. He had to be told by CNN that the people in the stadium had no food water or sanitation. Secretary Rice played tennis and went to the theatre in NY Wed, and Cheney is on vacation. We did better helping the tsunami victims than our own. Luckily Americans are kind and raising to the occasion, but it is too late for some.

The oil companies will benefit. I paid $3.60 today. It cost $51.00 to fill my car. I will really be thinking now about whether I really need to go somewhere or whether I can combine trips. We live way out in the country and it's 10 miles to a supermarket, about 20 to a strip with lots of stores, so I will have to think before I go. This is such a small sacrifice in view of what other Americans are doing. Especially those with loved ones in Iraq, or Katrina's path, so I shouldn't be complaining about money. I am ranting and I apologize to anyone if I distress you. I just need to say it.

This is the longest I have ever stayed OP, with just a tiny nibble here and there, but nothing really serious. I really do think it's our group that keeps me straight. Thanks to everyone.
Laura

Well I am counting all the housework and yardwork I did today as my excersize. I swear I hardly sat down all day today. My kids I have determined are just pigs but I love the little piglets! Did awesome OP today and I am determined to at least hit my goal if not exceed it this month. Get out of the twenties and into the teens!

Gas prices here are terrible too. Almost 3 bux for the cheap stuff a gallon so needless to say, my trips all count right now and I do the loop thing.

I am so anxious to see how we all do by the end of the month. I suppose I should get my kids in the tub and then I am calling it a day. My tv night with sci-fi. It is just about all the tv I watch anymore and my angel cross stitch picture is just about half done and I am anxious to see that project finished. I have enough patterns to probably last me the rest of my life. I go for new glasses next friday so that will help me see again.

Keep up the good work!
Melissa

hi everyone. so much to catch up on, has it it been that long since i checked in i have been reading all the internet stuff about katrina so i haven't been here i guess. it is so terrible. when i heard an email on the radio the other day refer to the people leaving the gulf coast "refugees" i just started crying. i can't even walk through the grocery store without thinking how lucky i am that i can have fruit or bottled water, as much as i want, and people from the city where i was born have nothing, if they are still alive even.
well i had some good news.. i heard about my aunt who left n.o. yesterday and is safe. but her family lost their home (it was right next to a broken levee) and their 20-year-old parrot.
everything laurab said is right on the money. i am 2000 miles away from the disaster area and gas at a station here jumped 16 cents in 4 hours to 3.19. it is getting to the point of total theft. and the government is totally lagging. where are their priorities? i saw this in an article.. "in addition to 500 buses, let’s get 500,000 bumper stickers that say, “screw fallujah. save new orleans.” really!
anywho, sorry for the rant. (getting off )
i'm glad everyone is o.p. and committed to our september challenge. i continue to find ways to incorporate ice cream into my diet today it was mcdonald's soft serve. their nutrional info is very confusing, but i think without the cone it was 100 calories. but who knows
welcome to the group blyss!! i am so happy about how fired up you are about reaching your goal

Good morning all!

Wow...everyone has been busy posting! I'm really glad to see everyone excited about the new month and new challenge too! I don't doubt that we'll all be able to meet this new goal! I'm tried something new for me today...I exercised first thing in the morning...walked 30 minutes! It seems like if I wait until after dinner that something always comes up or I find some excuse not to do it, so maybe I'll do better if I get it over with first thing.

Just to let you all know...my youngest son deploys to Iraq on September 14th. I knew this day was coming and honestly thought I was prepared for it, but the closer it gets the more I'm beginning to think that there is no preparing for sending your son to war. Please forgive me if I seem distant or short with my replies...I'm really not myself these days.

well it is official- There are no open gas stations within a 30 mile or more radius in our area . all of the stations say no gas and businesses are closing for the weekend as no one may have gas to get to work. some places are low on groceries- the trucks can't get to the stores. We had to get a locking gas cap because people are stealing gas right in parking lots like at walmart or taking it from your home while you sleep at night. I know it's nothing like what is in the gulf area but it's still scary. I was out yesterday at 5:30 a.m. and got gas at one of the last places open it was still 2.89
I just don't understand the priorities of our gvt. seems a big mess to me. I know here they have a price gouging law and when some gas stations were charging 3.65 a gallon they were reported . last year after the 3 hurricanes there were people arrested and went to jail for charging 5.00 a bag for ice. And fema- what a joke these days.. last year they were giving out emergency food stamps to people in need after our 3 hurricanes and they were letting people who didn't qualify go and get them- I called to see what the income requirements were and they said, oh never mind just come in we'll qualify you. I was telling them, no I need to know what you require so I don't get them if someone else really needs them more. needless to say I didn't go even if it would have helped . they weren't even looking at guidelines just handing them out and now they are billing people to get the money back..
Ok I am done too off my I think ranting is healthy and keeps us from binging due to emotional overloads..

Suzymc- (((( )))to you, your son and family. he will be in my prayers for safety.
Sorry this was so long -it was either rant or eat .. and don't want to overeat.. I EXERCISED TODAY! I got up before hubby and exercised.. 40 whole minutes . plus we are doing cleaning and yard work today.. so I will get in a good workout there..
to all and have a good day- thanks for support- we can surpass our goal!

SuziMc
I hope that all of us Summer Starters can be part of your support system as your boy goes off. Perhaps this will be a place where you can unwind and say whatever you need to. Also, let us know if your boy needs anything, phonecards, computer programs, stuff, etc.
I know we are all here for you and will be happy when your boy is safely home again.
Laura

Well I have doen 2 hours of walking no Curves till Monday. So my walking is an hour a night and Curves is 30 min at least 3 times a week. So my goal is 25 hours of walking thats 25 day out of the 30, and 6 hours at Curves 1.5 hours a week for 4 weeks. My total Goal will then be 31 hours.
Curves =
Walking =
Goal 12 Curves
25 walks

Wow...what a stressful time for so many of you. You are all doing amazing to stay on track with the various things going on in your lives. Suzy I know your son will be in all of our thoughts and prayers. You must be so worried. My nephew was there at the very beginning of it all for the first 6 months, and now it is sounding like he may have to go back again. Enjoy the time you have before he leaves and then just keep thinking of what a wonderful happy reunion it will be when he comes home again.

Well....I spent my morning so far walking and now I must go clean my messy house. My brother and his family are on their way here this morning to spend the long weekend and we are having a b-day party for my Mom tonight here so I have lots of work to do.