Good morning everyone!!! Lets have a wonderful week!!

Good morning everyone

Trying to stay motivated....but it is so hard.

Hurricane Ike left us with quite a bit of flooding here in St. Louis. We are lucky, we live on high ground.......but there has been quite a bit of trouble here. I am just thankful we kept our power. Usually if the power goes out around here.......we are the ones.

My parents are coming to babysit me this weekend. . DH has business travel Wed through Sunday........some yearly meeting/playtime/training thingie in chicago. I sooo hate it when he goes, but this time it will be so much easier with my parents here to keep me company. I dont' even need them to do anything.......jsut be here, you know.

Ok, I have to do my monday morning chores........but I will be back later.......and there better be some more posts!!!!!

Hi Katie
XOXO

Felt like torturing myself this weekend, so I watched a special on TV about the greatest fried foods across the country. They had fried chicken, fried turkey, chicken fried bacon served with cream gravy, fried hot dogs, fried pickles, fried candy bars, deep fried burgers in grease that has been reused for many many years... I felt good because after watching that, none of it really looked good to me, ok, maybe the hot dogs...

I had a good weekend when it came to the eating, stayed on plan, but am still stuck... I need to do a take off, but I don't want to...

Other than the food, we got our chairs in for our new table and in the process of unpacking them, I chipped one! Just my luck! Now I have to email the manufacturer to see if they have a touch up paint... they are a wrought iron frame.

The kids had a blast with the boxes, they made a huge fort in the garage and were in there watching a movie - it was pretty hot and they were sweating - I was worried about them overheating in there, but didn't have the heart to stop their fun, I just made sure they came out often for fruit and water!

OH! Forgot to tell you guys about the absolutely greatest bumper sticker I've ever seen! I saw this on Friday on the way to work and want one! It read: "STOP GLOBAL WHINING!"

LOVE IT!

I LOVE IT TOO ... but I don't think it is going to ever happen ... too many men running the world (Sorry Dan) I tell everyone all the time, I don't whine ... I b#$%h

Hi All, Pretty good weekend, but did not end up going bike riding, instead ended up cleaning out the two rooms in the house that had been my DD bedroom and study room. At one point the office/study had just about every inch of space in the room covered with pictures and posters of Britney Spears, and we called it the Britney Shrine. So there was a lot of pulling of staples and tape off from the wall (she took down the shrine a couple of years ago). The painter is coming on Wednesday. I went to IKEA and bought a bunch of bookcases and am turning her former office into my library. So I'm excited to see it looking so much nicer.

ok...i'm here, but so exhausted that i've done nothing all day long.
and i've got a super busy week too. my sister's wedding is this saturday, so i'm helping her bake these mini brownie bites for her reception and then DD is the flower girl and has to go for one last dress fitting on wed and i'm getting a mani/pedi (a mother's day gift that i still haven't used!) on friday and my family will all be here on thursday night. ugh. and the rehersal is friday and since DD is the flower girl i've gotta be there...ick. and with me being so exhausted i'm just not looking forward to this week at all.

so yeah. there's my vent. but on the bright side, i did get a few cute maternity clothes and they are size large this time instead of size 2X and 3X like the last two times. so that made me really happy.

ok, i'll probably check in later this week...i hope!

Hey gang..

Actually spending some time in the office today, believe it or not.. I'll be sweating it all off tomorrow as it's Smokey Bear day at the Fair, and guess who'll be wearing the suit!

We got ourselves a new dog this weekend from an adopt-a-thon at the local PetSmart.. He's a nice 3 year old heeler named Pepper... I'm not big on the name, but I balk at changing dog's names if they're familiar with it, so I guess I'm stuck calling him Pep... Rocky, our other dog who is part heeler is adapting to having a housemate who is more active that our dearly departed Sam was. I think they'll get along well.. I've already caught them playing tug-of-war with a chew toy, so that's a good sign...

Hey Everyone,
I hope you all had a good weekend. I blew it! I gotta rein myself in. I do well during the week and then lose it come Friday. Back at it again today though.

Dan, congrats on the new pooch! I would love to get another dog but my fiancee is a cat person and won't hear of it. I on the other hand won't have a cat so we are destined to be petless I'm afraid!

Angie, I know how your feeling. I go through that same kind of funk from time to time for no particular reason that I can think of. That's usually when I hole myself in with a good chick flick and my comfy pj's and after a good sobfest I feel better. Hope your feeling better soon!

Hi, everyone. I was down another pound today which puts me at 4 pounds lost in my first five days on the program (this is my second time around). Today is my birthday and I managed to stay on plan, even though my two year old kept mentioning "cake" whenever he heard it was my birthday. I am hoping to lose 15 pounds in the seven weeks that I have left until my center closes.

Hello Everyone!

I had a great weekend, we went golfing, hiking and fishing! I ate decent Friday and Saturday but lost control again yesterday. Once I start eating junk I can't stop. Do any of you have a hard time controling a binge? I got right back up today but could not face the scale. Perhaps I should spend some time on the Chicks in Control board.

So glad you are okay Nicole! and have power! I hope you have a great visit with your parents.

Congrats on the new puppy Dan, he sounds wonderful!

I can relate to the funk feeling Angie. I also have a fixer DBF. He is great and tries so hard, but just can't understand when I can't tell him what's up.

I will check in tomorrow a.m. after I face the scale.

Hi everybody! I haven't checked in in a few days - had a crazy weekend. My SIL is getting divorced, and her B-day was Friday, so I told her I'd take the day off and go to the outlet stores with her. It was kind of a dreary day, but we had a lot of fun. Then Saturday we had a Night golf tournament - that was a BLAST. The balls had LED's in them, and there were glow sticks marking the hole. Each foursome could have one flashlight, and if you lost your ball you were done. (it was a 5 hole thing). I've never laughed so hard in my life. Then, on Sunday I had my in-laws over for a dinner for SIL's b-day. My CAMIL (crazy-A**ed MIL) did not bring the spastic Bichon like she normally does, so at least I didn't have to spend the evening cleaning up after it. After they all left I practically passed out in my la-Z-boy.

Then, yesterday on the way to work, I looked in the rearview mirror and my eye was all filled with blood. That freaked me out! Now, I had just put on makeup - didn't notice a thing. So, I get into work, Dr's office not open yet - thank God for the internet. Broken blood vessel. I look like Rocky Balboa. I called my Dr. just in case it happened due to blood pressure - and all is OK. I guess I just rubbed my eye the wrong way.

I want to sleep for a week!

Nicole - glad you are on high ground, Ike was a scary one. Doesn't Lea Ann live in Houston? I hope they are OK. I hope you have a good time with your parents. Do you ever notice that the weirdest things happen when the spouses go out of town? At least you won't be on your own.

Julie - all the money spent on kid toys - nothing ever beats a big box. I have loving memories of the weeks after my parents got a new dining room set. I made me a mansion in the basement! I hope you can touch up the chair. I love Food network, but sometimes it is a little too tempting.

Barbara - A library sounds great. I have so many books it is ridiculous. We are in the process of remodeleing a bedroom into an office and I have requested DH to build a window seat with two big bookshelves on either side.

Jillian - we want pics from the wedding! DD will look adorable, I'm sure.

Dan - Hyannis is a great place. They have salad, but they also have great seafood. Lobster - yum. Congrats on the new dog - I'm sure that the two dogs will make friends fast. Any Smokey the Bear pics?

Angie - I understand what you mean about being generally unhappy and having someone ask you about it. They mean well, but sometimes yu just aren't ready to spill the beans yet. DH always wants to help too, and doesn't realize that it makes me more stressed to have him constantly ask me "what's wrong". I know that it's important to keep him in the loop because - well, he's gotta live with me! So, sometimes I just tell him that I don't know what it is, but that I'm in a funk (just like you said you are) and he's OK with that. I try really hard not to let it affect our relationship - since I'd REALLY be in a funk without him. I hope that you get un-funked soon! The shopping was a good start - always works for me.

Fire drill - gotta vacate!

Angie - hey, I'd take the fixer guy any day... I could be mad forever and my dh would be totally clueless to the fact! Count your blessings!

Kim - you sound like my sister with her tennis! She plays constantly in any kind of tournament she can get into - this last weekend was a mother/son tournament. I'm content just to watch the kids play, later on I will play something and they can cheer me on! OH - I get these helpful tips of the day on wellness - today's read:"Today's Tip: Improve Your Golf Game Want to improve your golf game? Limit alcohol and caffeine. These substances can negatively affect your play. Alcohol reduces coordination. Caffeine can overstimulate you when you need to be calm.
For example, can you picture sinking a tricky putt when you have the caffeine jitters? Drink plenty of water instead to stay well hydrated and delay premature fatigue."
I thought this was hilarious - DUH alcohol reduces coordination??? So that's why I always fall when I'm drinking!!!

Last night I had to take all 3 kids with me to get a haircut... I had colored it myself on Sunday night, but then desperately needed a cut. Had no choice but to take them with me... I was so nervous, but they did ok. My hairdresser is great, he saw that it could possibly turn into a traumatic situation for me, so he did a quick cut in about 10 minutes! I love him! He also asked me why all the changes, the weightloss and the haircolor... then he asked me if I was getting divorced! Funny!

I also went to weigh in last night. The new manager said that they need to do something about this plateau, so she will be calling the dietician to get a plateau buster for me. In the meantime she has me doing take off with unlimited greens and protein, the juice and no bars. I will keep you posted as to what they come back with. She really seems to be on her game, she said she worked there 3 years ago and has returned from doing personal training. I like her, she's been really helpful.

Hi everyone! I have been on plan 10 days and have lost 5 lbs. SOOOO excited. We had DH's office for dinner on Friday. Wasn't exactly OP but far better than the past. I did notice it was hard to get right back on the band wagon. Am having a good day today. Relaxed and doing what I want. Worked out with trainer and then walked with GF for a couple of miles.

Hi Katie!

Nicole enjoy your visit with parents. DH use to do tons of international travel for weeks at a time. Always found the weekends so lonely.

Julie sorry to hear about the chipped chair. I am sure you will be able to get a paint tube from the company. We have wrought iron patio furniture and now it is an annual ritual to spray paint them each spring.

Barb enjoy your new library. I love to decorate and always feel so good when the project is completed.

Jillian sounds like you have 2 weeks crammed into 1. You must feel great about your smaller maternity clothes. Is that an oximoran? (sp?)

Dan how exciting to have gotten a dog. I always tell my DH that when our dog dies and we get another one, I want a "used" dog. They make great additions to the home.

Angie hope your funk is short lived. Sometimes just expressing what ever you are feeling, even if you don't know what that is, can help you figure out what you actually are feeling.

Tina, I know what you mean about not being OP. Could for you that you have committed to reigning it in.

Jean, HAPPY BIRTHDAY and congrats on your lose!

Kim, your golf outing sounds fabulous. Was it a benefit. I would love to know where the balls were found. I know several people who would enjoy something like that!

Hope everyone has a great day and week. Off to fold and put away laundry and plan dinner.

Betsy