Good morning! It's a bone-chilling 8 degrees here this morning with windchills at -15! Yesterday was pretty crazy with white outs and ice. Not my kind of weather at all!

The weekend went pretty well--was so busy in the kitchen for the raffle that I barely had time to eat. Had one piece of pizza so that was good. The kind they serve is a Tony's reduced fat pepperoni and I know from previous years that one slice is 4 points. I did get a lot of walking in (19,283 steps) and I was tired and achy by the time I hit the bed at 11 pm. I'm still a little sore this morning.

Overall I had a pretty good weekend. How's everyone doing??

Hi Ladies,

Melissa it's bone chilling here also hope it warms up soon. The wind last night was crazy!

I had a nice weekend. Met up with DH's college roommates and their wives for dinner in Cranston RI. The restaurant was terrific ..... Lori have you ever heard of Basta. I had gnocchi bolognase and it was the best I've ever had! Don't even want to think about the calories consumed that night. Much of it in alcohol!
Sunday was a quiet day due to the weather being so bad. Didn't even manage to get outside for a walk.

Lots of meeting this week so it will be a busy one. How's everyone else doing?

I had lots of reading to do from last week! All of you have been busy. I had a nice weekend. I went to a farmer's market with my sister and it was enjoyable. I bought some towels made out of bamboo! I can't wait to try them I also bought some new shoes from a new store by my DM's house that sells only large sizes (I wear 11 to 11 1/2). They're not frumpy shoes either. Food-wise, I'm not proud of myself. I ate whatever I wanted this weekend and it wasn't good. Start over!

Melissa, You did great with all of your walking. Sorry about your weather--that is way too cold for me.

Pam, Ooooh, gnocchi is one of my Italian favorites. Yes, high calorie though.

Tanya, Congrats on the loss! That is awesome--love the pic too. Your hair is very pretty. Just keep up the good work. My family is originally from Naples (on my mother's side) and I think my Nonno on my father's side was from the Abruzzi region. The bad thing was that they did not speak Italian around us because they were proud to be American and they strove to speak English.

Lori, I think it's great the your DH wants to stay home. If couples can work it out, I believe that children should have a parent at home. Daycare doesn't provide the same upbringing children need (IMHO). I'm glad you made it back to the gym.

Theresa, Yes, congrats to you for staying in 1's. I was also at Chico's this weekend, but I bought a necklace (no sizing there LOL).

I have tai chi class tonight and I'm looking forward to it as I missed last week. This Saturday is the filming of the movie I'm in; I'm getting excited.

Hello Ladies,

I am finally getting back to business as usual with Jackson finally recovered. Rick is coming home tomorrow for good! I am trying to get the house cleaned and laundry done for his return. I know he doesn't care but I think it's nice to come home to a clean house and I myself am more particular when it comes to the house being clean anyways.

Jackson and I finished making his Valentines last night and I am supposed to pick up Jello cups and make cupcakes for the class party on Thursday. I agree with Lisa for the most part about daycare vs home. I was home with Jackson for 2 years and struggled w. the decision to go back to work. I think that kids thrive at home, but the benefits of daycare (if you find a great place) are amazing. I looked at dozens of places before choosing the center we use. DS only goes 3 days a week and he is only there from 9-3. Jackson LOVES it and his sharing and speech abilities have made huge strides since he started. His daycare center is more of a play school atmosphere. They have an infant area, toddler room (where Jax is) and a pre-school center where he will move to at 2 and 9months. My mom was home with us and I loved having my mom home, so it was not my first choice to have Jax in daycare but I decided that I felt better about working and being able to better support and care for Jackson. I knew that going back to work would be harder on me than on him. I would rather work now and be home when he is older to help him with his homework and get him involved w. sports and extra curricular activities. He loves going to see his teachers and his friends I feel 100% comfortable leaving him in their care. I don't know a lot of people who are as happy w. there child care situations as we are so I know we are lucky.

Oh and speaking of going back to work... I may be. I have been out of work for a few weeks since the practice needs mostly admin stuff and I work more with the patients and doctors. I did my internship there and stayed because it was part time and I needed the experience. Oh and because it was OBGYN which is my preference. So anyways I have an interview on Thurs w. an OBGYN office affiliated with Beth Israel which is one of the best hospitals in the area. I am excited and nervous. The job is perfect, part time and close to home. I am keeping my fingers crossed and polishing my interview skills. Luckily I have some new interview appropriate clothing choices that fit!

Melissa, Yes it is very cold here as well. Yesterday was in the single digits and today is in the teens, but the wind chill is bitter. Good job on the walking! Oh and thanks for getting the thread started this week.

Pam, That gnocchi bolognase sounds delicious! I may have to convince DH to make a trip to RI for some. We have friends in Law school at Rodgers Williams so we could pay them a visit and get some dinner as well.

Lisa, How exiting that filming is starting soon!! I am eager to hear all about it. My dad is from Opi, which is in Abruzzi also! What a small world?! My whole family still speaks Italian and most are dual citizens. There are two types of Italian immigrants. Those who are so proud to be in America that they take on the whole culture and language as their own and somewhat leave the Italian culture behind. Then there are those who seem to forget they are in America, lol. My family is the ladder. I think there needs to be a happy medium.

I have been eating pretty well this week and working out a lot too. I have been alternating Freddie's class on m-w-f with 45min of cardio and weights on t-th and sometimes Saturdays, if I am motivated. Sundays I usually take a break or go "mall walking" w. my mom in the mornings. According to my mom's scale I am down 1# this week, but we will see what the WW scale says on Friday. Hopefully I can resist all the sweet on V-DAY! Any suggestions for resisting temptation or substitutions. I got my mom a bag of WW chocolates that is a variety pack w. three types. I had never seen the variety pack before but I have tried a few of the WW chocolates and they aren't bad. I hope DH didn't get me any turtles (my usual fav).

Oh, btw I must confess... I went to Mrs Fields yesterday to get my sister a cookie cake (her fav). She has been very sick and her dh had his wisdom teeth out, so my mom made them a pot of homemade chicken soup (SO GOOD) and I got them some sweets. Well anyways I had a coupon for 6 free cookies when you purchase a cookie cake and I got 5 for Jackson and my niece and nephews. Well I had one more and was prepared to resist and just take the 5 for the kids and they pulled out a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies w. walnuts, mmmmm. The cookies were calling me and I gave into the temptation. I ate one and savored every moment... it was still warm! I only had one and I counted it and I still only used a couple extra points yesterday so I am OK w. it. I was feeling guilty, but I had to let that go or it would sabotage me. Sorry if I am tempting everyone with all my sweet talking, lol.

Hello to Theresa and Lori

Tanya, Good luck with the job prospect! It sounds perfect. Sorry about your cold weather.

We have tornadoes in my county today--pretty scary stuff. We're being watchful.

I went to Tai Chi last night and that was good. I'm just about done with the first third of the basic form. Tonight I'm going to help a friend make some wedding shower favors--little shot glasses with M&M candies imprinted with the bride and groom's names and the date of their wedding. I thought that was pretty cool.

My eating today is good; yesterday was so-so. I was doing all right till I saw a scone--had to have it. I love scones.

Lisa,

Thanks! I need all the luck I can get. Beth Israel is one of the harder places to get a job and I am sure they are interviewing several candidates.

DH and I lived in KY for just over a year and I was always terrified at even the mention of a tornado warning. That is too much for me. I know people get used to the weather in their area, but I don't know how? Earthquakes and tornadoes frighten me more than anything. People in KY used to say "how can you deal w. the winters in the Northeast?" Are they crazy? It snows a lot, it's cold, you stay home from school, go sledding and have some hot chocolate! I mean there is the occasional blizzard that actually causes some serious destruction, but it's rare and we are prepared to deal w. that sort of weather. You can never be truly prepared for a major earthquake or tornado. Well, I hope your area isn't affected and please stay safe.

Not sure you saw the news or not, but a tornado touched down about 20 miles north of my home. It ripped the roof off two condominium buildings. No injuries, thank God! Today it may rain, but none of the nasty stuff.

Tonight I have a professional group meeting and workshop. Tomorrow night I have yoga as choir was canceled for V-Day. DH and I decided not to do anything on V-Day. It's too difficult to get in a restaurant. We may go on Saturday or Sunday.

Good morning! It's not as cold as it has been but it's only 23. Last night we had freezing rain so it made quite a mess. I cleaned my car last night so I wouldn't have to chip a lot of ice off it this morning. From the freezing rain we changed over to snow...the weather has been crazy. Tomorrow it's supposed to be sunny.

Tanya: Best of luck with your interview!

Lisa: I haven't caught the news the past couple of days--thank goodness you didn't have any damage! The storms pop up so quickly and disappear the same way. We aren't doing anything either for V-day. DH is working some overtime so maybe we'll go out over the weekend. The brew pub that we like to frequent is featuring a cherry chocolate stout that sounds interesting.

Pam: I hope you don't have the freezing rain that we experienced last night. The weather here has been so strange lately. Like you, I have a bunch of meetings this week.

Lori: I hope you find what's causing your problem--it's so frustrating to not feel good and not know what the root of the problem is.

Theresa: Hope you're enjoying the time off!

I'll check back later this afternoon. I'm heading to my WW meeting at noon and am hoping for a loss; I don't think I can take another gain!

Hello Ladies,

Quick post before bed...

Eating was way off today. I didn't totally pig out, but I ate way to many carbs and I ate when I wasn't hungry. My fruits and veggies consisted of chocolate banana bread and the lettuce on my sandwich, LOL. I went for a brisk 30min walk w. my mom but didn't come close to really breaking a sweat or getting my heart rate up. I think part of it is the stress about my interview tomorrow. I have NEVER been so nervous. I am just out of it and I am afraid my fear is going to sabotage my chances. I am not sure what's got into me? Oh well... wish me luck. Lord knows I am going to need it.

Jackson had an accident last night in his crib and I got upset with him and then felt horrible about it. He is doing so well and hasn't had an accident in about a month. I was too hard on him and then I felt so bad. I was crying, he was crying and it was a big mess. I am hoping it was a one time thing, but I brought him into my bed after so I am worried that he will wake up and think, "hmm if I pee in my crib then I can't sleep in it so I can go in mommy's bed". They pick things up so quickly.

DH is home and we are trying to get back into our normal routine. Jax does much better when things are somewhat structured, but that all fell to pieces these past few weeks. I am hoping to get us signed up for swim class. He just finished learn to skate and that was fun. I like to do things like that w. him but I don't want him to be an over scheduled kid. We do story time at the local library and we have "date night". I usually take him to chuck e cheese or another local indoor playground and we have pizza and play just the two of us. Silly, I know. Lately I skip the pizza and get a salad instead.

Hello and good night to all, I am off to bed. I need to study up on my interview skills.

Just a quick note to say I went to my meeting at noon and stayed the same. I guess that's good because it means I didn't gain again. I have my doctor's appointment tomorrow morning and I want to talk to her about the creeping weight. I've been reading info on hypothyroid and there's evidence that you need 2 different medications to get things back on track and I want to talk with her about it. I'm hoping she'll be open and let me give it a try!

Tanya: I think it's great that you spend one on one time with Jax outside of the house. I've done that with both of my boys and we enjoy the time we spend together. DS #1 is 23 and we still go out to breakfast and tonight DS #2 and I stoppped at Starbucks after running some errands...I love it and really look forward to it. His accidents at night might be because his schedule is a little crazy with your DH being gone and then home again--things like that can shake things up for them. He'll be fine.

It's chilly here this morning--40's. I went for my pre-dawn walk and it was cold! I had a pretty good day yesterday eating-wise. Today is already bad--ate some chocolate. It's Valentine's Day

Choir practice was canceled tonight, so I'm going to Pilates and Yoga class--I need it. Tomorrow is my off work day and I'm headed to My Delicious Dinners--I put together the entrees and put them in my freezer. We've had some pretty good meals there and the owner posts the WW points! On Saturday is the movie shoot--should be interesting. Then DH and I have tickets to see Bill Cosby. I saw him in the early 80's and laughed till I cried; I hope it's a good show.

Lori, Sorry you've been ill. I hope the doctors figure it out. Ovarian cysts can hurt.

Tanya, Of course, you're nervous--it's a big job and you know that it will be competitive. Take some deep breaths and be yourself. You know that you can do the job. Hopefully, you, DH and Jax will get back in the routine soon. I think it's great that you and Jax do things together.

Melissa, Hey, the big M is all right. It just may be your thyroid meds again--hopefully your doctor will be able to help. Your weather sounds awful. When I lived up north, I really did not like freezing rain. It's so treacherous, not only driving, but walking.

Hi, Pam, Susan, and Theresa.

Good Morning Ladies and Happy VALENTINE'S day!!

:v al3:

Sorry, I know this is a silly Holiday for most people, but I LOVE Holidays! Mostly because they are more fun when you have young children. I get a chance to see things through the eyes of someone more innocent. That and I LOVE the anything that gives me an excuse to be crafty. Last night we kept Jax up late and made valentines. I know I am harping about getting him back on schedule, but Rick got home at 4:00 and was in need of some time with his DS. We went to the grocery store for some last minuted valentines candy for my sisters and nieces and nephews so we didn't get home until 6! Jax is usually in bed at 7pm. Good news is he did not have an accident last night

Jax and I are baking and decorating sugar cookies this afternoon and also having a play date next door w. my older sister and her 3 kids. Jackson has a love/hate relationship w. my niece Vittoria who's 3. They play well together for the most part but he tends to get rough w. her. He isn't that way with any other kids. It's funny because she loves him unconditionally and even when he pushes her. He has been better with he lately so hopefully today goes well. My nephews... Orlando 9, and Justin 7, are the BEST! They play so well with Jackson and they always include him. It is rare for older kids to be so kind to babies/toddlers. They really treat him as an equal, and I swear Jackson has no idea that he is so much younger than them. He thinks he can do anyhting they can. It's amazing to watch my sisters kids and my child play together like we did.

Jackson is at his Valentine's party at school and he picked out 2 boxes of chocolates and special cards for his teachers. He is very excited for the party. Mostly for the cupcakes and jello, I think. He usually goes m-w-f, but they let us switch his days so he could enjoy the party and because I have my interview. They are very accommodating.

I need to go and iron my skirt, but I will post later on after my interview and reply to all of yours. Oh and Thanks for all the good luck wishes.

Hello again,

My interview went well. They have interviewed a few other candidates, but they asked me to come back next week and meet w. the Doctor that I would be working with, so that's good. The position is m-w-f, which is when Jackson is in daycare and the staff seemed friendly. Also they offer benefits and tuition reimbursement for part time employees.

Lori, I am sorry to hear that you haven't been feeling well. Fasting is so hard, especially when you aren't feeling well. I also try to eat every few hours, because once I get hungry it's over. Let us know how the testing goes. I hope you are feeling better soon.

Melissa, Good job on staying the same this week. I am sure you are eager to talk with your doctor about why you have stopped progressing the way you had been. Hopefully there is an easy answer with a simple solution. I love hearing about how close you are with your sons. I have a hard time thinking about Jackson all grown up and off doing whatever. People always say that boys take off and girls stay home near their mothers. I hope that even when he is on his own, we are still close and still spend time together.

Lisa, You are a busy lady! I think Bill Cosby is wonderful and I would love to see his show. I saw him and the "Cosby kids" on Oprah the other day. I still watch the Cosby show whenever I see that it's on. Good luck with filming this weekend, and be sure to keep us in the loop... this is so exciting!!

Hello to Theresa and Pam

Hi Mind if I jump in here? I don't go to WW meetings but I do WW @ home and have for 4 years. It took me about 2 years to lose 30 lbs and then the next 2 years to lose the last 8 lbs! Yes, I am very slow! I just feel like I need to join in with other maintainers so I won't find myself backsliding. I've been a sugar fiend recently and I don't like it!

A little bit about myself: I am 46 years old and live in southern Calif. I am married and have 3 sons, 23 yr old twins and a 17 yr old. My older boys are both off at college (different ones) and my younger son is a senior in high school so next year we will be empty nesters!
I am a police dispatcher and work very strange hours/schedules and we change shifts every 4 months. I really like my strange schedule but it can be tricky to keep track of. I work mostly nights and it has let me always be there for the kids and all their activities. I don't get alot of sleep but I've learned to deal with that

Ok, my goal is to check in here every day and chat with you all. Hope you don't mind me barging in Jane

Good morning! Another cold day here in NW Pennsylvania! We're supposed to get some more freezing rain and then it's supposed to turn into snow. The ice is the worst!

Tanya: Even though my DS is married he still calls me to talk and we get together--I truly believe you can have as close a relationship with your son as you could with a daughter. I was thinking last night about how hard it was for me the day before the wedding when he put his blankets, pillows and the last of his personal stuff in his car to take it to their new apartment and how now he's on his own and has his own life. Enjoy the time with Jax because it really does go by fast! It sounds like the interview went well and the fact that they asked you to come back for a second interview--good luck!!

Lisa: Your temps are definitely cold for you! No walking outside here because the sidewalks are way too icy.

Lori: I hope your test went well yesterday and that you're feeling better.

Jane: Welcome to our group!! We'd love to have you! You sound a lot like me, I'm 45 have a DS who is 23 and a DS who is 16. DS #1 graduated from college in May and got married in August so I'm a "mother-in-law". DS #2 is a junior in high school and is involved in football so life is busy with him. I work as a secretary at a private university and have been here for 26 years. DH is a meatcutter for a food service. We had weird shifts when we were first married, I worked days and he worked nights and after DS #2 was born he went on days (4:30 am to 1 pm). I've been a member of WW since 1999 and am a Lifetime member (July 1999) and have pretty much been able to maintain my weight loss up until this past year when my thyroid started giving me trouble. We're all at different stages of our maintenance.

I had my appointment with my doctor yesterday and we're trying a different thyroid medication--I told her my frustration about how my weight is still going up even though I'm not doing anything different and my activity level is good. I voiced my concerns that I really can't take it going up any more for my own mental well-being. She was great about trying something different so I'll have a follow up appointment with her in 6 weeks to see how this new medication is working. I told her my energy level still wasn't good--when I walk I get so exhausted that I need a nap! She also checked my shoulder (it's been aching really bad this past week) and she said there is a tightness in one of the tendons/muscles so she sent me for some x-rays and gave me a slip to go for PT. I'm going to get that set up today. She also told me that Advil liqui-gels work quicker/better than using Aleve for the pain so I picked some up last night.

No major plans for this weekend--I think DH and I are going out tomorrow to the brew pub that we like for lunch/early dinner. I'm working at WW tonight and Sunday and that's it. I really need to get some things done around the house that I've been neglecting.

Hi to Pam!!