It's another icy morning here. I am really looking forward to spring even though I know I have to wait a few months for it. Our new yard has a lot of perennials in it and some beautiful shrubs and I can hardly wait to see what it looks like. I think it'll be theraputic for me to be out there after a stressful day at work. Things are going better at work for me. I'm beginning to understand the system. I love dealing with the customers who come in and wish I knew everything already so I didn't have to always be asking for help. I know that'll come.

The biggest challenge for me right now is to eat healthy when I get home from work. I don't get home until almost 6 and then have to cook dinner. Any ideas? I have no problem with lunches - still having the salad every day along with a sandwich or something like that. DH is only home every other night so I find that on the nights he's not home I tend to snack more instead of eat properly.

Have a wonderful day!

Good Morning EVERYONE!!!

How is everyone this morning. I think we are doing better. My DH is feeling some better after getting a steroid shot yesterday. The Drs all say it's a spider bite but he sure has had the problems from it. He's in less pain today and maybe can go back to work tomorrow.

I over ate yesterday, cause we went to a buffet place. I made good choices but just ate too much and of course, I had to try the homemade banana pudding. Yum! But ate a lite supper and so far am back OP this morning.

Wilma~ - Good to hear from you! Glad to hear you are liking your new job. It's always hard to learn a new job but then in a few weeks it will be second hand to you. I love a pretty yard too and yours should be a treat to see in the spring. I'm still "building" our yard since we got the new house. I got some done last year but have many things I want to get done this year. Maybe with my weight loss I will feel more like it too. As far as things to eat or fix. Something that works really well for me is using my George Foreman grill. I love it!! Within about 15 minutes I can fix a chicken breast or steak or pork chop, etc... while that's cooking I pop in the microwave a potato, and sometimes cut up zucchini and put on the grill with a little spray butter and seasonings on it. I usually eat a salad before any of that but you may not want to with eating one for lunch. But I use the spray butter which has no calories or fat. It's great!! But that's a healthy meal and quick which really pleases me. I also keep baby carrots, cut up broccoli, celery, radishes, etc. in the fridge and ranch dressing to cure the munchies. And Orville R.'s microwave popcorn which is good for the munchies but very low calorie and high fiber. Hope that helps.

Gary~ Zoe~ Joanne~ Sue~ Sami~ Lori~ Jennifer~ Amy~ Where is everyone? Let us hear from you soon!

Well, better go check on DH. Ya'll have a good day!!!

Hi LADIES--

Sorry I have not posted the last couple days-- and this will be short also We are going to a fundraiser dinner at Soup Plantation tonight for my Step-D and her high school soccer team. I just love it there all the soup and salad I can eat for one reasonable price!!

Wilma I am with Sherry on the George Forman grill-- we love it in our home (clean-up is kind of a pain). We eat alot of chicken and veggies-- my wife can make chicken sooooo many ways it is incredible-- and nothing she makes is difficult-- it's just finding those easy quick reipes. I get Quick Cooking but as you know the internet has millions of 'um.

Glad the DH is better Sherry and Wilma you sure sound alot happier that you did a couple of months ago from all the stress.

Gotta jam-- Hi to all of you, more later, Gary

Seems like forever since I stopped in... still a few names that are familiar. I'm wanting/needing to get back onto a healthy eating program. My mind knows it all but my body is in rebellion, or visa versa. Low thyroid, Diabetes and High blood preasure are my constant companions! And a lot of weight!

Weight has gone up and down, had lost another 20 pounds this year to a total of 62 pounds gone, until the Dr. told me I needed a knee replacement ASAP, and boom THERE WERE THE POUNDS AGAIN.

Fear of surgery - a definate possibility, two hemorages and a drug reaction could cause that! Being told to loose weight quickly by Dr has turned me into an worse emotional eater. With excuses of Christmas, work stress and worry over family.

I will weigh in at a local TOPS group tomorrow night as I don't own a scale. Determined to do this for me.

I need Gods strength because I have none of my own and I want to be accountable. Also the encouragement and prayer support of others is an important factor to success.

Hopefully I can return the encouragement and support back to others on this thread. Looking forward to getting to know you!

Good Morning EVERYONE!!!

Well, DH is back to work this morning. Whew! So glad he's doing much better. His head still looks awful from the spider bite but at least he's feeling better. Maybe things can get back to a little more normal now. LOL

TEAKI~ WELCOME!!!! I remember you from posting with you before, I'm not sure if it was on this thread or another but I used to post under a different name, Tinkerdove. Anyway, I'm glad to see you here. It's a wonderful place to be. I'm sorry to hear you are having health problems and have been told to lose the weight. I too, was told in Nov that I was in Diastolic Heart Failure and needed to get the weight off immediately. My Dr wanted me to have Gastric Bypass but my insurance has refused. So, I am losing on my own, and have lost 25lbs in 2 mos. I had wished for more but I am losing and hopefully losing it slower I won't gain any back. So, you can do this too. My concrete goal is at least one lb/week for a total of 52 in a year, but my goal I'm striving for is TWO lbs/week for a total of at least 104lbs/year. Persistance is the key. I'm going to stay with this all the way through this time and not get side tracked. I can't cause the Dr told me that my heart would eventually just quit working. Pretty scarey at any age but especially at 41!! Anyway, WELCOME!!!

Gary~ Glad to hear from you!! I hope your supper went well. Sounds wonderful! Yes, I am having an affair with my George Foreman. We meet regularly every night or two. He's super!!! Don't work TOO hard, post when you can!!!

Wilma~How's the unpacking coming along? Is everything in place at work yet?Have you started dreaming about your yard yet?

Sami~How are you feeling? Are you getting ready for the 7th? Remember you can come to us with anything!!

Zoe~ Where are you these days? I surely miss you! Get ready my friend, tomorrow the temps are going drop and put us in shock. Check in when you can.

Joanne~Sue~Lori~Jennifer~Amy~ EVERYONE~ missing your posts would love to hear from you!!!!!

Hope EVERYONE has a good day!!!! Post when you can!!!!

HAPPY HUMPDAY

How is everyone today? Welcome Teaki-- glad you stopped back in. You are on the right track by coming to this post-- ALL things are possible with God!!! You are so right to acknowledge that you need His strength .

SHERRY --Glad to hear your DH is much better and that you are still losing and feeling better. You are on the right track taking it a pound at a time!! Small losses add up in no time. The most important thing is maintaining your health for you and your family so keep up the great work!!! Right now it is your strength that is keeping this post going!!!

Pretty much have had a tough week but am getting some short days Thurs. and Fri. Have a physical on Friday, just my yearly check in-- hope all is well-- I feel fine so I guess that is good.

The nephew is wrestling today but I couldn't get off work in time today as I needed to finish a job for the next trade to work tomorrow-- I hope he does well-- he got beat by a girl yesterday and that hurt his EGO I told him the sooner he learns that the woman always wins the better

Well I am making chicken/oriental stew for dinner so I better hop to it---

IN HIS CARE-- Gary

Hello everyone ~

well, Wednesday is over and the weekend is in sight. Greg is leaving in the morning for a 4 day business trip to Vegas...poor baby. I am planning on looking at some of the houses we narrowed it down to and see if I/we can make a decision. Buying a house is stressfull. Ha!

Sherry ~ Yeah, it's soooooo cold now and going to be colder by the weekend.

Teaki ~ welcome back. It's been a long time.

On the subject of the George Forman grill ~ I have a Black and Decker grill that is the same as the George Forman with one difference.....the grills come off and you can put them in the dishwasher! It's great and MUCH more inexpensive.

Hi everyone else....gotta run. Have a great evening and a wonderful Thursday.

Patt and Zoe

Good BRRRR morning to EVERYONE!!!!

The wind is gusting here and it's so cold!!! I could handle the cold without those winds. How is everyone this morning? We are all doing better. I didn't eat well yesterday, stress ate. Lots of things going on on the homefront. And I didn't sleep well at all. I kept hearing a beeping. I would get up and go check everything that I knew would beep and could find nothing that had gone off, even my pager would not have any pages on it. ?? Plus DH was snoring, can you believe that? Anyway, about 3 finally figured out it was my pager going off probably due to a low battery but it didn't say anything. GRRR!!! Needless to say after I removed the battery it was quite the rest of the night except for DH.

Zoe~ Good luck with your house hunting. That is always exciting to me. I love it! Your B&D grill sounds great!! I would love it if the grills came off, cause I always wonder whether or not I'm getting the GF clean. But I love the foods those grills can turn out. Yum!!!

Gary~ Sorry to hear that you are having to work so hard. Having a little lighter days will be nice, huh? Sorry you are having to miss nephew's wrestling match. Beat by a girl, yeap, that can be bad for a big tough guy's ego. Hope your physical goes well.


Hope EVERYONE has a good day!!! I'll check back in later.

It's still a deep freeze out here too. At least the wind has died down. I'm finally starting to feel sane and in control again. I'm still waiting for the carpets to get cleaned so that I can unpack the rest of the boxes. I'm not in a big hurry though.

Mrs hummer: Don't you hate those little noises? This house has the loudest fridge. When it comes on at night it actually wakes me up.

Zoe: Have fun looking for a house. I enjoyed that part. It was the packing and moving I found stressful. I'll have to look for a grill. I keep hearing good things about them.

Gary: Could you come and give my DH some cooking lessons?? All he can make is grilled cheese and bacon and eggs. Now that I get home a lot later in the day I find that I eat too late if I cook a big meal. Luckily with Dh gone most evenings during the week I can eat soup or whatever I want. Hope that little bruised ego heals quickly. It hurts just as much to see your loved ones hurt.

Teaki: Good to see you back here! Take your weight loss at whatever pace you're comfortable with. It'll stay off that way. It took me 4 yrs to lose my 40 lbs but it's staying off. We're here to support you!!

Hi to everyone else! Have a super day!

HI LADIES-- Well I got home from work early and washed my very dirty truck. I don't wash it much in the rainy weather because of all the mud on the jobs--HOWEVER it is in the 70's here again today. We had some really windy and cool weather last week but obviously it has passed.

I even went to the store and got stuff for lasagna-- sorry not the low fat spinach one I make-- this one is full of meat and cheese!!! My wife will only partially kill me though because at least dinner will be made when she gets home.

WILMA-- A few years ago about all I could cook was what your DH can (and of course fast food) but then I got re-married and if you remember my story the wife got mad at me one night and MADE me cook 1 day a week since she works full time too and since then I just have progressed-- I will even read my cookbooks during the commercials in the football games

SHERRY-- BEEP-BEEP Sorry not too funny. I hope you get a better nights sleep tonight-- as far as the eating-- IT IS A NEW HEALTHY WAY OF LIFE-- NOT A PERFECT WAY-- just keep on keepin' on. And don't sweat the small stuff.

ZOE I forgot what it's like to house hunt-- I have been in this one for 23+ years. I bought my first one when I was 19 then 5 years later bought this one and that has been it. I have looked to move a fewe times but it just never seemed worth the hassle. Where is your DH staying in Vegas? I'll go join him I love it there ( as long as I only go once every 3 or 4 years ) it is only a 5 hour drive for us but we don't go often since we don't gamble much. We went this year and it was 4 years since I was there before-- boy alot changed! They are always up-dating. We are thinking about going again this spring.

Well Hi to all (SUE --SAMI--JOANNE are you all O.K.? Take care of yourselves-
Gary

TGIF!!!

I have a million and one things to do this weekend and with Greg out of town (again!), I will have time to do everything I need to. One of which is to try and narrow our house hunt down to 2. I promised Greg I would but it's no easy task. It's making me crazy.

Only 3 weeks from tomorrow and we leave for vacation. This cruise is long-awaited but I'm nervous about all the food. My goal is to be in the 150's by then so I just might make it since I'm at 163.6 ~ I wasn't 100% this week so think positive thoughts for me, K?

Gary ~ I was just looking at my car thinking that I need to go to the car wash. I never do it myself. Ha! It's black so it needs washing more often. There's nothing uglier than a filthy BLACK vehicle. Ha! Send some of that 70 degree weather this way. It's colder here in TX than I can ever remember. YUK!

Sherry ~ hope you're getting some rest now. Keep warm!

Wilma ~ You're right, looking for a house IS fun. I say stressful but really, it's not. Now that we've narrowed it down, I am just a little confused as to which one. We're buying NEW so it will have to be built. Good luck with your unpacking and stay warm too.

Teaki ~ come back ~ don't disappear again on us.

Hi Sami ~ Sue ~ Joanne

Have a great Friday everyone. Talk to y'all over the weekend.

Good Morning EVERYONE!!!

I am feeling much better this morning after a good night's sleep. It's amazing how well that pager works with a new battery. And DH is much better and that certainly helps me feel better too. I think the main thing I was stressing about him plus our teen DD with her dating choices. I've got to get serious with my eating though and pick up some exercise to help.

Wilma~ Maybe you can get those carpets cleaned soon and then you can finish the unpacking. I've lived in this house for a 1 1/2 years and still have some things I would like to do decorating wise but when I have the money, don't have the time, and when I have the time I don't have the money. And then there's so much I want to do in the yard this year too. I want to build a fountain and pond this spring and finish our rock flower beds around the house, so.......many to do things.

Gary~ Glad you got a little "off" time. I wish you would come wash my pickup, it surely needs it. I know I'm making the lifestyle of eating more healthy, but I really make poor choices when I'm tired/stressed/sick etc.. Ya know? And then when I think it about makes me mad at myself. Lasagna is a wonderful dish, once in a while it doesn't hurt to have the "REAL" thing.

Zoe~ Yes, I too am glad it's Friday. I have to work this weekend but my weekend's are normally less stressful! And when I'm home, I just kinda like to have all my family with me. Ya know? When we went looking a couple of years ago for house plans that we liked, I found several that I liked this on this one and that on that one, so I drew up my own and put on the features I liked together. We were going to have someone redraw it professionally but then we decided to get a double wide instead because, I was having so MANY problems with my allergies in the old house and found out that I was allergic to the house. (old 60 year old netted wallpaper that we could not remove, some of the woods in the house, etc... so we had to do something quick. I don't have any regrets about our house. I love it! I looked at many many models and plans before we ordered this one. We got in build in less than a month. Amazing how fast they can go. I had doubts about how the structure would be but they did a good job. Anyway, happy hunting!!!! Relax and enjoy this time!

Hello to EVERYONE!! Sue~ Joanne~ Sami~ Lori~ Jennifer~ Amy~ Hope EVERYONE has a GREAT weekend!!!! Post when you can!!! I gotta get with it and get ready. Hey Zoe~ I'm thinking WARM so I posted in WARM colors too.

It is so good to be reading the posts, but time is very short so will respond later. Weighed in on Wens night... up 8.5 pounds in the month... could of been worse with holidays, now I have a place to start from. No Resolutions, just practical living with changes. I know what need to be done just have to put it into practice and stick with it!!!

Between my work and helping my DIL "daughter in love" Chris get all the last minute things found and ready for her surgery on Jan 21 @ 7:30 a.m. PST. there has been little time to stop in here.

Chris is 28 and is having a total left hip replacement, they figure she was born with the proplem, there are 13 rings of calcium deterioation in the joint, equal to about an 80yrs old. You can imagine all the hassles and hoops she's been through for someone so young to receive this surgery. She will receive a new type of hip, just approved 3 months ago with a usage span of 25-30 yrs. uncemented in place, needs to be very very care for 6 weeks so it sets in place. She scared, but is trying to stay positive, my son is a big help and is available to be there full time with her. Temporarily unemployed. They keep saying that everything happens for a reason, we all believe and trust that God will guide and protect and strengthen her through this time.

Beautiful sunny day but cool, been lazy this morning as it's my day off , time to get dressed as the kids will be here so we can finishing sewing a nightgown for Chris's hospital stay. Busy, busy busy... better go have a healthy lunch now.

Thanks for listening, and keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.