Hi everybody! Welcome to the new thread. Don't forget to read all the posts on #27 before continuing here.

I keep thinking of Jenny's eyeball watching me, so I have been very good this week.
Jenny~~~ You are too funny. I've always heard the expression..."when pigs can fly" but now I have a visual to go with it.~ LOL~ You have supplied us with some great visuals(eyeball, china, flying pigs) thanks. And your last bumble-bee looked like he meant business)

I don't have a large pond but I have a small one next to the pool that has a few goldfish in it. But I do have 2 creeks that run along the back of the property. The problem is that I HATE snakes and we have found a few Cottonmouths in the past, so I don't hang out there much!
I can't even envision 7,000 acres to take care of

Dena~~~ Hang in there. Remember how easy it is to gain the weight but how hard it is to lose

Well, gotta go study some more. ~~~Sil

Ellie~~~Congratulations on losing 2 more pounds.

Habit is habit, and not to be flung out the window by man, but coaxed downstairs, a step at a time.
- Mark Twain

I don't know that this helps DENA ,but it speaks to me as I'm always tempted to think all or nothing when trying to make changes. I believe its better really look at the big picture and as long as we are moving in the right direction and have turned ourselves around we are doing well
I am tempted to think 'stuff it its Easter" too but I'm going to plan to have something, but lets not blow it .
Think how much better you will feel on Tuesday if we don't go overboard.

SIL Hope you do well in this test you have, is it tomorrow?
Your place sounds so nice ....except for the snakes yikes I would not fancy that one bit (im scared enough of crickets! )

In NZ we don't have anything to be afraid of ( evil people are as bad as it gets ) oh , we do have a poisonous spider but I'm not sure if you'd ever see one ,there not around here that's for sure.
I remember laughing once at someone posting about putting out the biscuits for the Racoons to eat. Good lord Racoons !!!! Are they cute and friendly?? And on TV we see you have , what is it wolves?! hanging around some neighbourhoods.
Well I got out in the garden for enough time to get quite a bit done yesterday (till I got blistered hands from the secateurs) which was just as well as today the weather is turning bad.

PAT how bout this reciepe you mentioned in your bio on the spicy pasta soup
I am so enjoying reading what everyone is posting and SHARON, we have had Dr Phil on Ophrah here lately ,must be about that book you are working though. Are you feeling it working and helping?

I'm off later with a friend for a meal and a movie as its my birthday on the 15th and we always do something together.

Oh and I dont have anything much to do with the 7,000 acres I leave that to the farmers (which I am not) 1/3 acre is enough for me. I tried beautifying my driveway with bulbs etc but they put the sheep in there and they ate them all as they were coming up
Here is DH on the tractor

Jenny~~~Pat's Spicey Pasta Soup is wonderful and extremely easy to prepare. You can find it posted under "Recipies" then "Soups". You may have to search for it. I will try to find it and pull it up to the top for everybody. I fix it often and I add things at times like Morningstar Burger Bits or extra veggies, etc.

Yes, my test is tomorrow. I've been taking the wriiten practice tests online and am taking a break for the moment. I will breath much easier tomorrow evening

Then Friday I will complete my taxes~~talk about waiting until the last minute

So, just in case I forget, HAVE A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND ENJOY YOUR LUNCH OUT WITH YOUR FRIEND.
~~~Sil

I just wanted to thank you, Sil and Jenny, for your great replies. Sometimes it's easy to lose perspective. I'm ready to go for it again.
(Hugs),
Dena

Good Morning All,

Dena hope you are feeling better.

I am still struggling to get back OP. I realized that this journey has been similar to my past experiences with dieting. I thought it was different because I was posting everyday and talking about dieting. But it's the same as in the past when I go on a diet for a month or two and then start letting it go. I have to say that though I say it is easier with the websites for support I still find staying on program just as difficult. Don't get me wrong I greatly enjoy the human connection and enjoy our group immensely. It definitely makes me feel better, sometimes motivates me to eat right and brightens my day when I'm home with the kids. I can talk all the talk and try all the solutions but the truth is I have to do it by myself and while my life goes on. Often I just don't want it very badly. Other times I do. I'll keep talking and working on it and hopefully the times I want it will outweigh the times I don't care.

Jenny-We don't have wolves but I know the bears are back since someone must have left their garbage out and it is strewn all over the backyard. Haven't seen them yet. I wonder if there are any cubs. Raccoons are cute but should never be assumed friendly as they are a wild animal and can carry rabies. As far as Easter I too plan on having a little treat but not going overboard.

Ellie-Congratulations on 2 more #s

Sil-Good luck on your test. I have a friend going to Cornell for her masters in Horticulture.


Well I'm not sure how much I'll be around today. My elderly uncle died so I'll be at the wake this afternoon and evening and the funeral tomorrow. I gotta get going here and get some paperwork done and the house straightened up. Alot to do for Easter. Have a good day.

Sharon~~~My sympathy and prayers go out to you and your family on the passing of your uncle. I hope he did not suffer.
Just try to do the best that you can and have more good days than not-so-good days. You can do it!!!

Well, I passed the exam today~hooray!!! It was 8 hours of testing on advanced cardiac life support and I am exhausted. I won't have to do it again for 2 years. I don't plan on using my brain for the rest of the evening~~LOL( watching tv tonight.)

I'll meet with all of you in the morning with my cup of coffee. Till then, have a great evening (or day~depending on where you are)~~~Sil

Jenny - My birthday is on the 15th also. I am gearing up for it - I actually love my birthday and look forward to it every year. I think I will adopt my hairdressers attitude when it comes to birthdays. She calls it birth week and celebrates for a whole week. Parties, concerts, dinners.....she says it helps her get through the rest of the year....

Sil - congrats on passing you test. That has got to feel good. I can't imagine 8 hours of testing though....that seems a bit intense.

Sharon - I am so sorry about your uncle. My prayers are with you.

Ellie - congrats on the 2 lbs. I can't wait till people are saying that to me on a regular basis. I keep gaining and losing the same 5 lbs over and over and over.....

Dena - I am so glad to have you back. Even if you are a little down I am still glad you are here.

Take care everyone....
Pat

SIL CONGRATULATIONS On passing the exam ...I knew you could do it
What a long stressful day though!
thanks for the birthday wishes and........
PAT fancy you sharing the same day ,neat! I don't think I could celebrate for a week though..Im pooped after yesterday...I feel like I have a hangover and I didn't even drink anything

SHARON I am so sorry about your loss. You say he was elderly so I hope everyone doesn't take it too hard.
You are right when you say all the support in the world isn't going to get us slim, it is only us that need to walk the walk at the end of the day ,nobody puts the food in our mouths and its a commitment we have to live everyday. Its sure not easy.
If only talking and thinking weightloss brought about results , wouldn't that be grand!

So hows it going DENA

im going to go and find PATS SOUP

once again WAY TO GO SIL

First of all, thank you girls for being so sweet. I really appreciate you asking how I'm doing and saying that you're glad I'm back. It means so much to me.

Sashe, I'm sorry about your uncle. Don't worry about how badly or not you want to lose weight, etc. You're doing just fine. You're human and humans aren't always perfect. That's all. Don't be hard on yourself. Just take it one day at a time. When I get down on myself I accomplish nothing. I just make it worse. I realize it's all about trying and not giving up.

Sil, congrats on passing your 8-hour long test! Wow!!! 8 hours!!!! Now you can really enjoy Easter. Fantastic!!!!

Pat, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I'm with you. I think celebrating for a week sounds wonderful. Thanks for your sweet words. You made my day!!

Jenny, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! And thanks so much for providing us with the most wonderful images.

Just to let you know, I'm doing a lot better. I started checking out other sites on the internet and found fitday.com to be helpful. Maybe I just needed a change from my regular routine. It's still dieting, only I'm fooling my mind into thinking I'm having fun with it.LOL Yesterday I even went to the gym and got on the treadmill for 50 minutes. Yaaaahooooo. Dena's back on track!

Here's wishing you all a wonderful Easter.
(((Hugs))),
Dena

Hi everyone, wanted to come in here today, don't think I'll make it tomorrow. I'm having the kids for Sun. dinner, want to rearrange my furniture, have to cook and mash the potatoes, and make my famous fresh broccoli salad. My d/i/l's will bring the rest.

I have been having really good days, sure hope I don't blow it on Easter. I plan to eat something of everything, and think I'll be OK

I hope all of you have a wonderful Easter, good weather, good food, family. That's what makes a holiday so nice.

TTFN HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE

Happy Monday Morning Everybody!!!!

I hope that you all enjoyed your Easter I was at work so it was just like any other day for me.

I'm doing my taxes this morning. Talk about procrastination!!! It's all organized, I just have to plug in the numbers. If I get a chance this afternoon I will add up the Easter Challenge weight loss and post it. Maybe even start a new challenge (Memorial Day). I hope I do better on the next one, though.

Dena~~~ I'm going to check out that website you mentioned. Thanks!!

Pat and Jenny~~~ I hope you both had a WONDERFUL birthday!!!! It's really not so bad getting older.

Hey everybody, Pippin started a Victoria Day/Memorial Day Challenge under Weigh-Ins/Countdowns.
Lets see how many of us can join in.The Easter challenge saw a total of 74.15 pounds lost. I'll bet we can do a whole lot better this time. I, for one, will do better if it kills me. Hope to see ya over there.~~~Sil

P.S. Got my taxes done today. I didn't have to pay the Feds as much as I thought I would. So I am doing the Happy Dance~~~~~

Sil - you crack me up. I like the funky dance...... Good for you getting your taxes done. I'll bet writing that check still hurt though.

I had a good birthday but ate way tooooooo much over the weekend. I am so embarassed that I have gained the weight back that I thought was gone for good. I need to start over this week because I am really tired of being a yo-yo'er. Got to do better.

Anyway just wanted to say hello and wish everyone well.

Pat

Hope this works
Pat

Here is me at my Birthday party -

PAT I love the pic I was a hog too

I dont think Ill be any good till all the chocolate is gone.
I feel quite sick

I joined the challenge SIL ...again (big sigh)