Hi ladies...
Sorry I have been MIA for a while.
Hate to sound like a broken record, but things are crazy!

Kerry-Glad you had a nice trip..You needed the break! The pics are awesome!

Marie-I understand about the headaches! I have to have at least one-two cups of coffee per day otherwise I am sick with a headache all day long! I use to be a heavy regular coke/pepsi drinker and I have completely cut it from my diet. I do still have the occasional diet pepsi when I go out to dinner though. Hang in there...I gave up all caffiene when I was pregnant...tough but worth it! Wish I never went back on it.

Viva-Have fun on your trip! I have never been to San Fran, but have been to Vegas many times! It is my favorite vacation spot. Where are you staying there? I'm going to New York in October for a sales meeting at the Turning Stone Casino...That was the only way I would go since there will be gambling By the way I am from Pittbsurgh and still live close to the area.

Lori- Football in the heat we had last week???!!! Yikes! Tis the season I guess

Well girls, I got on the scale this morning. . . 141!! NOOOOO!!! I have been good today after seeing that - oh boy, now I have to get back on track. I can't believe 4 whole lbs. Sneaky weight

Hi, gals--

Just passing through to say hello! I'm settling into a new job, and all aspects of my life are much more manageable than they have been in some time. Thanks so much for your support, especially last spring. I gained a few pounds this summer, after being stuck for so long, but I'm feeling in control again. Back on my plan, going to Curves, found good long walks to my new office, signing up for a Pilates class that starts in September....the journey continues.

I probably won't be a regular on this thread, but I pop in to read how you're doing now and again, and I'm very proud of your progress. Keep it going, girls!

hugs--judy

Hey Gang!

Judy great to hear from you, glad things are going better!!!! You hang in there and keep up the progress!!

Kerry, I went through the slide show, I had to stop it a few time to catch the memos with the photos, but it was really good. Don't know if I'll ever get to SF in my lifetime. You know how I HATE the whole flying thing, but I enjoyed your photos!!!! Don't worry about the 4 lbs, just get back on the wagon. The fitness/diet wagon, but after all that wine you might need a booze wagon !!!!! Just kidding, somebody else would have to drive me to wine country, I'm such a lush when I start I don't know how to stop!

Julie, Yea I know all about crazy!!! We have another day time game this Sat. and it's supposed to be hot again! I'm getting real fed up with baking, my toes look dirty from the tan strip where my sandels were!!!

Viva, Vegas sounds like fun, but I have a gambeling problem, well maybe I do. If you can count strip tickets and scratch offs then yea I'ld be real dangerous with the big boys!!! I have a real obsession of not knowing when to say no, no wonder I put on weight like it's a sport (sure I'll go out for lunch, sure I'll have a piece of cake, sure I'ld rather eat out than cook)

Ok, I have to get some things done and get to bed, chat with you all soon!!!!

Hi everyone, today is going to be a fun one. I took the day off from work. My 2 day headache is starting to ease and we're going to Portland to the American Idol concert. It should be a fun day. Mainly, I don't have to work - I think a big factor in the long headache.

DS knows that his brother and GF are having a baby. That makes why remodeling the house less of a secret. I didn't agree with their reasons to not tell him, but it was their choice. Now he knows. I don't know if he's happy or not about being an uncle. He's a born again Christian and doesn't approve of premarital sex, so I think he's having a hard time with that. He'll be in basic training or tech school when the baby is born so I guess it's not too big of a deal.

That's it for now. I'll let you know how the concert is.

Good morning girls!!
Ok I am super stressed! Work has been weird, home has been out of control (don't want to get into it on a public message board) and I have no appetite whatsoever. I am trying to force the food on my menu down, but it is getting increasingly difficult! So as a result I lost 3.3lbs in 1 week....my jc consultant was not overjoyed with this...I wasn't either. Too much of a loss too fast! I stepped up the exercise to try to relieve the stress a bit, it helps at the time, but is only temporary. At this rate I will waste away. I did promise my consultant that I would make myself eat everything on the menu this week. And so far I am keeping my promise. So we will see what happens. The good news is I am officially in a size 6! Gotta love that!

Viva-Monte Carlo is nice...have not stayed there, but I have played there and Ate there a few times. You'll have fun! I'm so jealous!

Kerry-Don't sweat the gain! You're catching it now. That is what is important!

Judy-Good to hear from you! I'm thinking of joining Curves myself to try and tone a bit. I am wayyyyy to flabby! You'd never guess that I exercise for a minimum of 40 minutes per day. I think I need some professional help

Lori- You are too funny! Dirty looking toes from your tan strip. I have the same problem...unfortunately for me I am way too pale everywhere else so it makes things worse LOL. Although this has been a banner year for me in the tan department. I at least have some color this year! Haven't had any since I was a teenager, except for the farmer's tan on my arms from driving

Chat with you girls later.

Hey Marie-must have been posting at the same time...I seem to do that alot.
Have fun at the concert tonight! I'm sure everything will work out with your sons. He may have a hard time with it now, but it will work out!

Good Morning Chickies !!!

Marie, that's a long time for the headache to last. I remember when my thyroid was super over active. I had the jitters and heart palipatations (sp). I gave up coffee very easily at that time. Now that that is all fixed I drink coffee like it was not going to be around tomorrow! And if you look closely this morning, you can tell I haven't had enough. Words misspelled and I'm probabling not making sense! I have to give you a pat on the back though!! You bit off way more than I could handel at one time!!!! I'm glad the soon to be parents spilled the beans, even if other DS dosen't approve a secret like that is never a good idea! Keep your chin up and keep chugging along, your haning in there quite well!!!

Julie, please be careful to eat enough!!! 3 lbs in one week wouldn't be too bad, but your too far down on the scale to have a loss like that now. Just be careful and take care of yourself!!! Working out is one of the best stress reliefs I've ever found. Since your a little flabby I would suggest hitting the weights. If your interested in something at home let me know, I have tons of books and videos. I would be glad to give you a hand getting a work out toghether.. I wish I could get to a gym, but I have so little time already it would never work out! My all time favorite stress relief is going to the driving range. Something about smashing that little golf ball does wonders for me!!!

I went mad last night and spent way too much money on e-bay buying new bras. I'm down to 3 bras and 2 are black (and none are in good shape) so I was in desperate need of new ones, but I didn't mean to buy them all at once. Oh well, guess I won't buy anything else for a few months! Ok I have to run to work. Chat with you all later!!!!

Hey guys I'm here and I have been checking in and catching up...just not posting. I quess I just haven't had much to say. Work has been busy and DH was out of town last week and got home late Sunday night. We ate out alot while he was gone (bad, bad, bad!!!) Oh well, life goes on. We are starting WW back up on Sept. 1st so things should get back on track soon.

Well, I got off work early because I had a meeting to go to so I came home for awhile and so I'm off now to pick up the kids.

I'll check back later.

Hi everyone, the 4 day headache is starting to ease. I feel way better and think I might have had a bug. I know that I was finishing caffeine withdrawal, but I barely was on any (30 mg/day) when I reduced it to none. Hopefully I feel good tomorrow since I have to go to work and the people there were starting to drive me nuts. Just my close co-workers weren't. Tomorrow I will be tolerant of dumb questions because I truly don't subscribe to the idea that there are no stupid questions. Since I'm asked many of them, I know that there are.

I exercised today (I had hiked yesterday, too). Thirty minutes on the exercycle, situps and arm weights. Food wise I'm still being very good (except the cinnamon roll for breakfast - long story why that was chosen - but I made room for it in my calories so it should be okay). I've been drinking lots of water. Tomorrow is weighin and I have my fingers crossed - really they're not since I'm typing.

The Armeican Idol concert was good. Bo Bice wasn't there since he just had surgery, but the other 9 were good. They've gotten better and less nervous since the show. Carrie Underwood was great but the one that was so surprising was Jessica Sierra. She was awesome - I'd go see her in concert anytime. Anyway it was a good time.

Told my parents I cold turkeyed all my meds and they're supportive. I love not taking meds anymore. I gave up my allergy and asthma meds too, but that didn't work out so great. I'm back on the asthma drugs. I guess I can't be totally free.

Julie, I'm sorry about all your home life stress. One thing positive is that you're not reaching for food for comfort. That's good. I hope it all works out.

Paige, good luck getting back on track. It's a lot harder than one would think, but you can do it. Ask yourself when your choosing food, do you really want the food more than you want to be slender. Since I really internalized that, I've been able to say no to food. Good luck.

Kerry, where are you? I sure hope you're doing okay.

Lori, have fun with all the bras. Don't wear them all at once. Don't you just love ebay? I've been trying to stay away because I get addicted and buy too much.

Well, I guess that's it. I plan to go to be bed earlier tonight so I'd better go and get the vacuuming done before I write for a while. TTYL.

Hi Marie! I'm still here. I just haven't felt too great this week and haven't been logged on as much.

But I did manage to lose a pound! Yay! So I'm back at 140. I just started cutting out the junk I was eating too regularly and I'm sure I lost some of the bloat. I hope I can get back down to where I was quickly.

Marie - you have to stay on the asthma drugs or you could suffocate and die!! OK?

Paige - I ate out to much too and felt bad. It's just so easy. I hope things slow down a bit. It sounds like getting back with the WW is going to be good.

Lori - I want to go shopping so bad, but don't have the energy. Ebay sounds perfect!

Julie - I hope you're feeling better and eating what you're supposed to this week. We don't want you to waste away.

DH's birthday is on Sunday so I am sure we will splurge with a nice dinner and I'm making him sausage gravy & biscuits for breakfast. Uh-oh! We're getting the new Lazboy today and also putting up window treatments in the living room this weekend. Other than that it is rest and relax!

Good Morning Chickies !!!!

I can't believe I have to get so darn early on a Sat. morning!!!! We have football games today and they are away so we have to get up at the crack of dawn to get everybody ready!

Paige, I'm glad to hear they are going to WW at the school again this year. It's so convient for you guys and such a great idea! Just keep up the good work, and hey who dosen't eat out while their away!!!!

Marie, glad to hear the headache is easing up! I can't believe how well your doing with out meds. It's nice your feeling good with out them, but isn't it strange that the diet pepsi is making you not feel good after you drank so much of it before. I still take some of my allergy meds, but mine are only seasonal so I just need it from mid Aug. till about Nov., but I prefer the nasal spray over the pills. I just had to get some allergy meds for my poor boys, looks like they might have seasonal allergies too!

Kerry, E-bay was the ticket. The bras that I like are $40 from Vicky and I picked up the exact same ones for $10 a piece. I truley waited too long to buy new ones. The ones that I just loved Vicky don't make anymore and I just drug my feet about getting new ones. I need those darn "add-a-cup" bras and everybody either adds the gel filling to theirs (which makes you sweat) or they have the push up pad (that I lose in a matter of weeks) Oh well what are you going to do??? Any way sounds like the house is moving in the right direction and you'll always find something that needs done! The joys of home ownership!

Well the kids start back to school on Monday this weekend should be pure kaos, so maybe we can get back into a regular routine soon!!!! And I want to mention that I have been holding at 131 lbs for a week so I'm one pound away from my first goal. Which is great, but I still have the big old pooch belly going on. I'm not sure how I'm going to handel this, I really don't care if the number it's self don't move, but I would love to see my tummy flaten up. So I'm not sure how to go about this. It's still a big roll so I can't imagine losing it with out shedding a few more pounds, but the rest of me looks fine and I don't want to look too thin every where else. (thought I'd never say that agian) But anyway I'm going to have to re-vist my goals and see what I should do. (my mom is already freaking out telling me I'm thin enough)

Ok enough yacking I need to get everybody up and moving, I'll check back later!!!!

Lori Maintaining 131. That is just so awesome and only a pound away from your goal. Tell DH to give you a pat on the back from me. That is just so awesome.

Kerry, enjoy the new lazyboy. The are so nice and comfy. I was hoping the asthma would be reduced with the lack of meds and losing weight and exercising regularly. But alas, this so far isn't the case. I've been using the advair inhaler and then the abuterol pretty regularly so I need to add the singulair back in. I threw all my meds in the garbage and don't have any. I will call the pharmacy today. I promise.

DH and I are $14,000 richer on paper. Remember we did a 1st mortgage 6 months ago. We didn't take extra to pay off loans - stupid yes - so we're doing a 2nd mortgage to pay off everything and pay for the garage conversion for DS. Anyway, the same appriaser as 6 months ago came back 14000 higher. Housing prices are just astounding. They just are going up like a rocket.

Today is remodeling of the garage day. DH has worked on it all week - got it all empty and the window in (framed another for when we add another garage on next summer). He's been busy. Me, I haven't done anything for the conversion since last weekend. So I am guessing I won't have too much fun this weekend. Ah, the joys of home ownership - you can remodel, convert and change what you want. Only thing is that you have to do the work. Good think I have DH.

I forgot to tell you guys that I lost another pound on Friday's weigh in. I'm down 6.5 pounds since the cruise and getting off the meds. Four weeks - 6.5 pounds. I am so happy, I did the dance of joy after the scale yesterday. I had to be quiet because DH was sleeping so I couldn't scream. After 14 months of being pretty darn good, to see a lose without changing anything is so amazing. Those meds really screwed my up. But yes Kerry, some seem to be necessary.

I will chat at you guys later. Have a great day.

This will be short, cleaning house for DS birthday party this weekend! This full time working business really cuts into getting the house work done!

Well I was 130.5 this morning, I almost fell off the scale!!!! 1/2 lb to the first goal!!!! I'm going to refigure, but not till I hit the first goal.

Marie, way to go on the loss, your burning that fat now!!!! Keep up the good work!!!

Ok, have to go scrub another toilet, yea fun!!!!