GOOD MONDAY MORNING EVERYONE!
Hi Everyone!
I'M BAAACCKKK!!!!!
Was I missed?? Did you all have a party without me this past week?
We had a
WONDERFUL time on our trip! Starting out with your plane trip at the crack before down was a good time to go. We arrived in Vegas at 9:30am, so it left us with the whole day to gamble. I played VERY conservative, and only lost about $65-I find that as the years go by and the $$$$ isn't there, I don't quite care about playing (and losing) all that much. Eli played conservatively as well and won little amounts here and there, but ultimately lost some $$ has well-but nothing to cry over, which was good.
We ate twice at a buffet, not my choice-but Eli does well there
We also ate at 2 Middle Eastern restaurants, one we knew about before, the other, which was WONDERFUL we discovered the following day-was able to stay OP throughtout all the eating out we did.
I was worried that I had gone off plan but found when I got home that I was okay-we found fresh figs, and I really went to town with them-even brought some home-they are like candy!!! I did eat way too many nuts, a problem when we travel as Eli loves his "TRAVEL FOOD", but again, they were SB LEGAL, just too much of a good thing.
Tuesday we headed out to Calif. We stopped at Outback for dinner before heading over to NANCE'S house as I was complaining I wanted some REAL FOOD! That was also my 17 month SB ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!
We were greeted by the family and Nance with her wonderfully infectious smile! Also, Nadia, her daughter, posted a really cute WELCOME sign. Faris gave up his room (and privacy) for us. Floyd "THE FARTING DOG" did NOT live up to his name!
NANCE is a wonderful woman! I hope you all have the chance to get to meet her one day. Words just can't describe what a wonderful person she is. She and DAN THE MAN definitely make a wonderful couple and you can see just how much in love the two of them are.
Yes, I got Nance out and walking! She could of easily told me to go to H*ll, but she got out there like a trooper! What a beautiful park she has to walk in-I'd give my eye-teeth for a place to walk around like that! Nadia even got out there with us and promised she'd try to get Nance out there 4 days a week (yes, she will be updating me with e-mails!).
Wednesday we went picking raspberries up in the mountain area-we definitely ate way more than we put in the baskets! Picked a few pears, but the raspberries was what I was more interested in! I was being a "DOOKIE HOUSER" and definitely needed the fiber!
It was a nice day up there, nice and cool-nothing like the heat just a few miles away. A great way to spend our 8 year anniversary!!!!!
We kidnapped her children on Thursday and took them to a little town called Julian and then to San Diego, nothing exciting for them-but a day out with the Floridians. Figured, since our kids weren't around, we'd spoil someone else's. Didn't touch the apple pie Julian is so famous for having! We went to lunch at a place I like in SD called DZ AKINS, a deli style place with hundreds (and I really mean that) of items on the menu-very hard to choose what to order there, but ended up having grilled chicken with Jack cheese, avocado & mushrooms on seeded rye-yummy!
Dan the Man got lessons in coffee from Eli. I'm hoping the bags of coffee he got will keep him experimenting! I think he learned a thing or two about coffee, and Starbucks!
Friday we took it easy and went to the movie like Nance said-then back to the house to have a scrumptious dinner that involved many cooks. I was happily surprised when we drove up to the house to find LDBLOND'S car in the drive way!
I was worried I wasn't going to get to meet Lara, but she came, and I really was happy to meet her as well-she looks wonderful-tall and thin-something I will never be!
We sat and talked and ate and talked-it was really nice!
Saturday morning, it was time to leave-it was all too short, where does the time go to? I really would love to be able to spend more time with Nance-I wish we lived closer! Now, it's her turn to plan a trip to Miami in the future!!! I hoped and prayed we weren't pains in the butt while we were there. I thank Nance and Dan for putting up with me on my quickies (okay, for me, they are quickies) to Trader Joe's! I thank the whole family for allowing us to feel like a part of their family for a few days!
Saturday as we headed back to Vegas we were running on gas fumes, so Eli exited, though taking a wrong way, we ended up on a main road just the same. Anyhow, we were driving down the street and came upon a place called the INTERNATIONAL MARKET. Well, of course, I just HAD to have Eli stop and boy was I glad he did! This place is not only huge, but it had thousands of items I have never seen in my life-most I had no clue what they were! They had foods from all over the world! Middle Eastern, German, Italian, Latin, Asian (the biggest variety), Dutch, Phillipino, English and I don't know from where else. I had a field day-we spent two short ours in there, not long enough. I actually didn't do as much damage as I could of done, we just bought some baba ghanoush, a brand hard to get down here and a few things for the kids that were very unusual. I was able to find a bar of SB LEGAL CHOCOLATE to add to my ever growing stash, from El Rey, 70%+ (also bought another brand earlier in the week, 1 bar to add to the stash). This place was just so unreal!!! Def. worth going to if you like finding funky and unusual foods!!!
ROSALIE-I even found canned SPOTTED DICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Afterwards, we hit the ME place for lunch-they had the BEST falafels I've ever had, so from going there before we left Vegas, I had my heart set on going there before our plane left. Afterwards, I dropped Eli off at one of the casinos and headed to Trader Joes (I lost count just how many times I went into one!). I bought a wide array of different cheeses along with 2 bags of the sweet potato fries and 2 boxes of the meatless chicken nuggets for Michael, as well as a bottle of their RF Greek Dressing, a loaf of sourdough and a couple other things-I had bought one of these insulated bags while I was with Nance, and had a gel pack that I froze in her freezer-everything came home nice and cold and survived the blistering heat of the car and the plane ride home-so I was happy!!!
So, now I am home, and I'm pooped! Of course, the first thing I did after hitting the potty for the umpteeth time (I am no longer a DOOKIE HOUSER, but more like a DOOKIE FACTORY!), I jumped on my old friend,
THE SCALE yesterday and saw that I was 125.5-can't complain! Now, it's back to being OP 100% and getting back to normal. Woke up this morning to find 125
I hope you all don't mind if I don't address you all individually. I just don't have the time with school starting today, being it's also Michael's 15th bday and all the crap I have waiting for me to do in the house. It's a new week, so I'll be back to normal from here on out. I was able to glance at some of the posts from the past week and was glad to see everyone! I'm sure I've forgotten to tell you some things along the way, but my brain it's all together here at this point, so if I remember, I'll post more!
It's
MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY , so here's my contribution for MM:
IMAGINE YOURSELF
Imagine yourself full of energy and enthusiasm, getting up each morning excited and positive about the day ahead. Imagine yourself being highly effective, able to achieve whatever you set out to do with confidence and ease.
In your mind's eye, see yourself working with discipline and focus, able to quickly and easily make the right decisions, always knowing what to say and do in every situation.
Imagine yourself being the person you've always wanted to be. Imagine living the life you've always dreamed of living. See it in detail. Visualize it with richness and intensity. Know you can have it. Know you can do it. Know you can be it, with absolute certainty.
Imagine yourself being the best you can possibly be. Make your image of yourself a positive one, and you'll program yourself for success. Imagine yourself at your very best. Hold that image firmly in your mind, day after day, moment by moment, and you'll absolutely find a way, and live the life, that will make it real.
-- Ralph Marston
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FRUIT, glad to see you back!
BOB, got your 3 bottles of TJ'S TOMATO SPLASH!
LDBLOND, found that Vogel Bread you mentioned-bought it. Seems good for toast
NANCE, THANKS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll e-mail you later! Good luck today at work!!!!
QUILTER, I see John Edwards' show will be on regular TV starting this morning-I'll be glued to the set!!!!
Gotta get ready to head out soon. It's the first day of school down here-the new parents go nuts out there so I try to get there a little early. I'm planning on getting a walk in between taking both the kids.
I'll check in with the board later this morning. I hope you all have a wonderful week! I missed you all!!!!
Debbie
194/125/129
SB since 3/22/00
Reached goal 6/10/01
). Housework will be done later, maybe tomorrow if I am still in the mood 
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.....WAAAAAAAAAAH.....Eli has a new COFFEE BUDDY......WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.....WAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
He can afford to eat like that with all the work-outs he does. He won't gain an ounce.