Good day all! I'm feeling all sorts of emotions with the past rearing its ugly head, so I've been away licking my wounds. I feel better about the future and I'm just gonna go for what I want, come **** or high water. I'm tired of playing nice! I want to achieve all God wants me to achieve before my time is up! Sorry for being so maudlin, lol.

Thanks Transporter!

Morning, ladies. This title is just right for me b/c I'm about to modify a Paula Deen recipe for chewy cake to make it SB friendly.

Hope you ladies are having a good day so far. I just got home about an hour and a half ago from a girl's movie night at the bestie's house. We watched Nights in Rodanthe (again) and cried a lot (again). It was fun, though.

Off to bake my chewy cake!!!

Good morning and welcome back, OKie. I realized you'd not been here for a week and wondered if you were OK.

Natasha, good luck with the cake. Modifying a Paula Deen recipe would be quite a challenge. (Actually cake in the house would be a big challenge!)

Had a slight misunderstanding about my sister's visit yesterday. She didn't arrive until late afternoon. I was assuming she would be here on her way to Kingston but was confused. Anyhow I pretty much had to stick around home waiting for her and did not get any shopping done. I did track down a Pet Vet game for my grand daughter and my friend Heather is picking it up for me this morning when she's in town. I also got a comprehensive menu and grocery list done so will be ready to roll first thing Monday morning.

Today's Village project is "Build a Food Mountain" which will pretty much fill up my afternoon. I'm hoping I can get out of working the Museum/Mill tonight. Spending four hours outside in the grocery store parking lot will be enough although it will be great to get more food and money for our Food Bank.

I have no idea why I'm up so darned early and may follow the dogs' example and hop back into bed for a bit and read. There's a busy week ahead so I need to pace myself.

Pop in for a chat and a coffee.

Good Morning

Your ears must have been burning, Okie, because not a half an hour before you posted it had really sunk in with me that you had been away for far too long! You were going to get a message from me today.lol I can't say how glad I am to see you back!. We just have to keep forging ahead, girl, or our old habits will surely overtake us. I am sorry you have been feeling bad. Here is the saying I have on my vision board;
"We cannot go back and create a new beginning, but we can start today and make a new ending."~M. Robinson
It hit home with me because I have alot of regrets about the past.
Cheer up, and lets get to beachin'!

Ruth, at least you got some other things done while waiting for your sister!

Transporter, Thanks for all the encouragement this morning!

Natasha, let us know how the cake turns out! I'm with Ruth...wouldn't know where to start.

Me, had a very long day yesterday...one of the dogs we brought in needed some medical attention. I had pooled and was headed back after buying a totally slick 2 drawer dishwasher at Habitat for Hum. thrift store for $35. ($1100. new) Kirk dropped me off at McD for a pickup and drive to the vet, then to a foster home, etc...We did travel but didn't get in until late AND I had to go to Moms to retreive her things for the boxes I'm mailing today. I have my 2 off plan goodies to make this AM and hopefully life will calm down after I get everything mailed....Well, that's my intention, anyway!

Have a great day everyone, I'll be in and out.

Good morning !!!! I have been MIA, but I am still here, not doing well, but my mind is still optimistic!

Baking days coming up Sunday and next week! I am making cheesecakes as gifts, and one sugar free one for MIL.

This is a drive by posting xoxo

Okie, count me as one of the ones who's been wondering where you disappeared to. I'm happy to see you back, and with a positive attitude about your future. Hang in there, God won't let you down.

A Paula Deen makeover? I'll have to check that one out, Natasha!

Morning, Ruth and Debbie!

Transporter, nice to meet you!

This afternoon is our cookie exchange, and I'm looking forward to it. It's really an excuse for the women in our family, plus a few friends, to get together and soak in the hot tub and gab all afternoon, with the bonus of taking home a nice selection of cookies for the guys. Most of the food there will be healthy, OP stuff, but there's bound to be a decadent dessert, too, knowing Gina. I'm vowing here and now to stick to the 2-bite rule.

Okie & Beloved - been wondering where you two were. It's good to see you both.

I'm done with the work part of the week and DW and I are off to Bosque to visit the birds today. She got a head start yesterday and has some gorgeous pics already. I am so looking forward to getting down there.

I'm sort of officially starting two weeks off but I do have one meeting Tuesday morning and a conference call Wed. morning Almost all vacation. Now I can panic about the holidays

Have a good weekend before everyone!

Good morning ladies! Christmas starts today at our house. We'll be spending the afternoon into evening at my husband's family gathering then our house guests will come home with us and stay for several days. Last minute cleaning this morning. Have a great weekend everyone.

Debbie, I look at you as an older sister who's got my back! I hate disappointing people, a curse and a gift, yeah you know how that is, but I'm here on this journey with you all for good or bad. I gotta go eat now, will be back. I'm eating my second meal of the day which was meat with stew, same as first. Today is my first day on plan. Phase I reloaded, lock and load! I love you Ruthie!

Good morning,

Okie - nice to see you back. You are a fighter so things will be fine.

Transporter - hi, and willpower back to you.

Natasha - a Paula cake being SB friendly is a first.

Debbie - I love your quote. Hope more things get crossed off your list. Those squares turned out great.

Ruth - you are one kind lady, working for the Food Bank in this weather.

BK - we will be watching you during the baking session, so just imagine us over your shoulder.

Cottage - would love to see you in the hot tub with family and friends, that must be so much fun and all those yummy cookies for the guys, of course.

Cyndi - hope you see lots of lovely birds today.

Karen - have a good time celebrating today.

me - rushing off this morning to one of the stores that is offering a meat grinder attachment to my KitchenAid at half price. I love mincing my own meat and that manual one is getting a little hard on our muscles. Having a nice supper with family tonight.
take care
Sophie

Thanks lady loves! I've been doing good with eating and drinking.

I'm glad you are starting back up and doing well, Okie. Welcome back!

Sophie, LOL, I will imagine my 3FC friends watching me in the kitchen as I bake lest I try to lick any bowls haha

Karen, have a great Christmas!!

Cottage, I love cookie exchanges, but they are bad for the waiistline if not done correctly. I always say I am going to get and give away, usually it partially works. I like the 2 bite rule. Good luck!

Cyndi, it sounds like you are having fun, keep it up and enjoy your holiday!

Debbie, I hope you get through this flurry o busy and get everything mailed so you cn enjoy the holidays.


Me? I am on my way to a party, I have a friend coming over to sit with my DD and I am not planning on eating.

I am a bit upset because another HPT was negative I plan on not eating my sorrows away Wish me luck!

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for the support and for yesterday's suggestions. It is true that when i eat some carbs, I just want more and more and not eating them removes the craving and i just don't want to eat them at all. I did a small revision on fat as I was not eating any at all really and so I did today and I feel fuller and happier. I didn't overdo it. It is just cold and snowy outside and I need that bit of energy. Or I might be wrong I don't know.

Something happened last night - I thought I could have "some" sweet stuff after dinner and I couldn't. As soon as I have some of it, it overtakes my everything and I lose it all. So this morning I threw away sugar, chocolate powder, coconut butter. I do have a small pack of nuts but that seems ok.

So today I started again fresh and I have had:

B-eggs, yogurt with curry powder and half a pepper.
L - (it lasted throughout the whole afternoon - cabbage soup with chicken (spiced up with red pepper, garlic, chilli pepper), few hazel nuts
D - went out to a restaurant and was still on plan!!! - chicken leg, ratatouille, haloumi cheese
S - some bacon with rosemary and salad

and I cannot tell you how good it feels to be on plan! I did not order a desert and I did not try from my friends! I am clean, I am happy, I am living a solution! I did it just for today and tomorrow again!

p.s I think I have lost weight, I feel firmer and some tummy fat seems to be gone! I will know for sure by end of next week!