Hi Everyone. Didn't see a chat thread, so I thought I'd start one for the week.

I've been doing pretty well on the diet front. Been pretty good about sticking to my 1800 calorie limit and managed to sneak in a few walks this week. I sure hope it show up on the scale tomorrow!!!!

Spent a good part of the weekend gardening. Finally got all my flowers in. I still have my mulch to do, but things are starting to look nice.

My mom and I took some flowers and planted them at my Dad's gravesite. I thought it was going to be really bad, but it was OK.

How is everyone else????

Busy with finals of course.

Pretty blach, I just want summer.

I'm getting really stressed out about Spain. We're trying to figure out how to do money while I'm there now. My dad is absolutely balking about getting a bank card, but I don't want to carry 600-700 dollars in CASH with me! DUHHH. And traveller's checks are so much trouble. GRR. Hoepfully the people at the bank will set him straight tomorrow.

My eating has sucked lately and I don't know why, but I have been exercising. Why can't I just get all the eggs in ONE basket?

how are you?

Amy Jo, I am just the opposite. Since I changed weigh day to Monday's I always feel like on the weekend I have to really watch it.

Apryl, how nice that you are going to get to go to Spain. That will be alot of fun. The money issue will fall into place.

Sandi, it is good to hear that you are doing so well on getting back on track. From reading the weigh-in thread it really paid off for the week. You are doing so well considering what you have had to go through recently.

I am doing better emotionally. My weeks are all about the same since my husband is deployed to Japan. I try to keep things really stable so the kids don't get to out of control. My 14 year old son really tests my patience. I know it is a hard age but sometimes he just pushes me to the point of just wanting to lock him in his room..hehe...I hope that everyone has a great week!

Ohhhhhh Spain.. JEALOUS! That sounds like so much fun! I did lots of gardening this weekend. I think I worked off a few calories so I treated myself to A Strawberry Sundae from Dairy Queen. Only 240 calories. I still stayed within budgeted calories for the day! It felt good to be bad (just a little bad). Hey, I still lost 3 lbs so its ok.. Eventhough my hubby says If I haden't eaten it I probably would have lost 4! Unlikely, but he is my "trainer"... he keeps me in line! (That is truly a love-hate situation ha ha ha).

Well this was one busy weekend for me. My son had his birthday party on Sunday. We rented a hotel room Saturday night and him and a friend spent the night and went swimming from 3-6 stopped long enough to eat and rest the stomache and back in till 10. Then I made them come in and take baths and go to sleep. That was around midnight. Then they were in the water from 9-11 and then back in around 1-5. Out long enough to open presents and eat cake. But I can say I enjoyed the hot tub on Saturday. My mom kept my daughter till the party on Sunday. Oh what fun. I was away from all the stress.

April--oh I wish I was you going to Spain but I also agree I would not want to carry cash around with me and travelers checks are so cumbersome.

Tammy--I hope all goes well remember we are all here for you.

Well I must get going take care all.

Got my bank card today!

Sometimes it is really nice to be Daddy's Girl...

hey guys, doing good over here. south beach is being good to me, and amazingly, i'm not tearing my hair out wanting carbs. i know that i can start havin them in less than a week (i'll be done with phase 2) and i'm very motivated by the jump start in losing it gave me. i plan on dropping consistantly now!

well, tonight is my night of relaxation (i'm home alone) so i'm going to take a bubble bath now. g'night!

Sandi, he will be gone until October or November. The days go by quickly though since I am constantly busy. It's really exciting for me to be loosing this weight so he can be so surprised when he comes home. Sandi, I know how bad it can be in making rational judgements. I have been doing really well. I am just the opposite. Even if I go over a little bit I start to freak and guilt myself.

Tamara, Since your weekend was so busy hopefully today you were able to rest and relax a little, but if your household is anything like mine those things don't come easy.

Apryl, Congrats on getting your bank card!

Gretchen, It's so nice to have a treat once in a while. Like you, when I treat myself I stay within my calorie range for the day. Have you been going to the gym faithfully? Just checking up to make sure.

Holly, it's great to hear that you are so back on track. Keep up the great work.

Edit: typos

Well-- I haven't gone to the gym.. IT CLOSED! we got the notice on Friday! Weird too. Luckily I have a few exercise machines here and some free weights. I have been working had in the yard too the past few days. I guess I will have to find another gym or get that walk away the pounds tape back out. YOY! I mean, its weird. All the sudden a sign that says May is the last month!

Well that is not cool Gretchen that they just up and closed. You can do alot of what you did there at home though. Maybe with just a little more inconvienance than the gym. Maybe they were going out of business. I thought that I needed to go the gym also, but I started looking online for exercises I could do at home that would be roughly the equivalent of what I would do at the gym. I just don't have the time to go with a baby to take care of. So, I am just going to start to do it at home. That way my son won't whine and complain when I want to go to the gym for an hour and him being stuck babysitting.

Yuck gretchen. That does seem a bit weird that they would just up and close like that. Personally I like going to a gym but that's one of the sacrifices I gave up by living in podunkville so I use my hubby's free weights and he has one band resistant contraption I try and use. If I had the option I would definitely rather do the gym thing. I know many of them offer free daycare too.

Tammy—it sounds like you have a great attitude about hubby being gone and you're right that's a super gift you're giving to him by losing the weight now.

Apryl—that's great you got the card. I know you won't have to worry so much about the money issue now.

Holly—I'm glad you found something that is working for you. You'll be at goal in no time now.

As for me, I'm feeling better now. I took my couple of days off over the weekend, fasted for most of the day yesterday (thank you for the idea Holly) and am back on track today. I even planned on eating at McD's today and am going to get one of those adult happy meals.

hi people

good to catch up on all your news.

apryl - where are you going in Spain? I lived there for 6 months last year, you will have a great time, especially now you have that bankcard!

gretchen - how strange, to have your gym close on you.....still you can do most of it at home, and it sounds like you're super-motivated...

Tammy - it must be tough, being on your own.....just hang in there!

As for me, I'm having a difficult time at the moment, my mum is very ill in hospital....but, she does, finally seem to be on the mend, and there is a chance that they might actually let her home at the weekend. A couple of days ago, she ate something for the first time in two weeks....that was a good moment!

Claire I am sorry to hear your mom is ill but I am glad she sounds like she is feeling a little better. I have a hard time when my mom has the flu I can only imagine what it would be like to have her in the hospital and not eating for 2 weeks.