Hi everyone!

I was talking to my brother this weekend about what we wanted to do for summer fun with the girls (we each have a daughter- 1 year apart, and we vacation together...both of us divorced/broken up with the other half of the equation)..

We already know we are going camping. But this year... I want to be able to take my daughter to a WATERPARK! Which means.. looking halfway decent in a bathing suit! I want to take her to sesame place, or actually there are several indoor water parks in this area.

I also want to take her to the beach.. and I want to be able to take her to a carnival or amusement park and not have my brother have to ride the rides with her!

It's not all going to happen this summer... because it's not like all my weight is going to magically drop on me. But I'm tried of waiting to do fun things with my daughter because my weight holds me back. Now I'm doing something about it.. and am ready to have some fun!

What about you guys? Dreaming of any activities for this summer?

LR

This summer I am doing a BIG MOVE - I've been living in Japan for 3 years teaching English, and I'm going back to America in August for "good" - not sure what I'll do there, but I know I'm going to have to hit the ground running since the job hunt will be challenging at best. I am likely moving to Texas (hometown is Albany, NY) and there is a tiny lurking possibility that my boyfriend will move to the Netherlands for a music career, in which case who knows what will happen?!

In terms of weight loss goals, I would ideally like to be at goal weight, which I believe is somewhere around 115 pounds. I have a very pitiful wardrobe at the moment and will be really eager to go on a mad-dash shopping spree as soon as I get back.

krampus- so you are teaching English in Japan now? Pretty awesome.. I'm assuming it's like ESL over here? So are you technically a teacher? :-/ If that is the case, much luck to you getting a teaching position here in the US. State governments seem to be cracking down on budgets and they have been eyeballing teachers. New Jersey (Where I work) governor is much hated by the teachers there because of all the budget cuts and teacher layoffs he did (and NJ had really great public schools)... I know there are a bunch of protests going on right now in the midwest because a governor over there is trying to pass some bill that will limit teacher's negotiation ability... some say he is trying to break up the teacher's union.

Haven't heard anything about Texas, but cuts are abound everywhere. Good luck!

On a side note.. I've been to the Netherlands... touring with an orchestra. Awesome people, awesome country side! Would love to go again! If your boyfriend moves there.. will you go too?

LR

Horo- Yea this winter has destroyed our back and front yards. I'm tired of looking at the mess, the brown-ness of it all, and what looks to be quite a few dead perennials (but who knows.. they could come back...)I'm sure being covered under 2+ feet of snow for a month was not helpful!

I've always wanted to do big brother big sister of America.. but I have a daughter now and it's like "free time? What's that??"

But it will be nice to take her to the playground and RUN around with her. not just be in close vicinity incase she slips off the jungle gym. It will be great! I hate the heat, but this winter here has been too long.. too cold, too windy and too snowy for me. And I LOVE snow. Bring on the warmth!

LR

I want to make it to the top of at least one of the holy mountains before October, so I'll be working towards that. I want to feel better hanging out on the beach with my friends here, and when I eventually visit home, probably in June, I want to be able to buy new clothes in smaller sizes. I'm working towards meeting by goal weight by the beginning of September.

I want to go camping, go to the beach in a bathing suit of some kind and not feel like a beached whale that i've always felt like.

We go to the waterpark every year, but there were a few rides I didn't get on because I was over the weight limit. I really want that to not be an issue this year!

Also:
White water rafting
Maybe running another 5k?
Rollerskating...

I never let my weight stop me from going to the beach so the second the water gets warm enough I'm heading out there unfortunately that means swimsuit shopping is in my near future. Not looking forward to trying to cover up my extra skin. Oh welll. Also hoping to start a garden in my backyard, have my friend from New York come down and visit, taking my niece to the park, visiting Bush Gardens and Sea World, and maybe try my hand at kyaking. Hopefully it'll be fun. I live in Florida so even though I can't wait for it to heat up I know I'm going to be whimpering about the heat at some point. lol!

ESL, well, sort of. I'm technically just a teaching assistant. Had no prior experience in education aside from Education 101 in undergrad and no future plans to become a teacher. I really don't know what I can expect from the world, but I've lived a very charmed life up until now and if my charm has run out, I'm willing to take some tough challenges.

Touring with an orchestra, that's INCREDIBLE! What were the circumstances surrounding your tour? I play classical violin but I'm not pro-grade by any means. Dutch people scare me because they're huge and blunt (no fake niceness factor like Americans or Japanese) but I would definitely consider at least hanging out for a few months and seeing what life is all about. I've only been to Amsterdam, which is hardly representative of the country at all.

I just bought myself this bathing suit, so my goal is to be able to go out and rock it. This picture is hanging everywhere in my house...my closet, bathroom mirror, the refrigerator....nothing is going to stop me from feeling amazing when I put this on.



My goal is to stay on track since I will be in maintenance mode by the spring. I want to look and feel my best because next December is my 10 year anniversary, my DH and I are going on a 10 day trip to Bora Bora.

**Sorry the pic is so damn big, lol**

Sport a rockin bathing suit body in April.
Have an amazing, life-altering experience in Italy in May.
Pass the bar with flying colors in July.
Find the perfect place to live in D.C. in August.
Prepare for a half marathon in September.

Be strong enough to happily carry a back pack 8 miles into the woods and then climb a mountain - by May. That gives me about 2.5 months. I might be down another 8-10 pounds by then which would be good.

For summer I want to hike at least 8 times, bike the 48 mile trail on Cape Cod to the beach with friends and then lie on the beach (and remember my swim suit so I'm not swimming in my bike shorts.)

I want to hike Mt. Washington again.

And I want my arms and core to be strong enough to get up into handstand!

hopeful - wow- that's a smokin suit! So cool!

Hopefully, I will be able to go home for a visit this summer and I want to look somewhat decent for my 25th birthday which is in July. There's this club my friend is going to take me too and I also want to take my godson to the beach and state park.