Bandit and Princess,
Those encouraging words are great! We can do this!!!!!
Today I weighed in at WW's and had an unhappy surprise. I was up .6# and on my home scale I had lost 1#. So, although I knew this wasn't an every day fabulous week, I didn't expect to gain anything. However, I know this is a glitch, I can make this week count, and I need to stay off the scale. I am going to put it in my extra closet as soon as I get off this site. Promise! LOL.

I love the idea of setting a doable goal and I do well with that. I am still counting on you guys to pull my into onederland by the New Year.
Love,
Judy to quote Lauren, "ONward and Downward!"

Hi all. I'm back but in a bad sort of way. I started school today so I have so much to do...

SIL was back in surgery today. They had to remove her gallbladder. She had that MRSA infection in it too. My BIL bought her a new mobile home in a court not too far from our house for when she's out and on her own again. Hubby says it will be much easier to take care of her. I just don't know how we are going to do it. There is too much that needs to be done around here that we haven't been able to get to, money is super tight, and time is limited to a bare minimum anymore. There is NO family life around here. More like family strife. Everyone is grouchy and cranky with eachother and Kelly has no patience for the kids or me...and its a reciprical thing. I don't have patience for any of it either. Normal isn't coming back and I'm having a hard time adjusting to this all. His family is banded together so tight, I just don't feel like I'm part of it. Kelly doesn't ask how me or the girls are doing. He just comes home. I wish I had some say in it all. Kelly will do anything for his sister. I guess I'm just mad that he doesn't act like his family is important. The girls miss him and so do I. Trying to make him see that is hard.

Nuf complaining frome me. I have homework to do and dinner to get done. My niece is doing a play in church tonight and she wanted us to come watch her. So gotta boogie.

Chris

Dear Chris,
I'm sending you a because you can sure use it. Time will help you with all of this. Your SIL is going through such trauma and you dh is doing the best he can. Here's another so you can help your immediate family bond together to get through this ordeal. If you can, take one day at a time.
Best wishes and God Bless
Judy

Morning all!

Chris: I know how you feel... you and the kids should come first... everyone else should come after that... I know his sister needs him right now but that does not mean that everyone else gets tossed to the back seat in the mean time. "Normal" is hard... I am not sure that most of us know what normal is... is it real or just something that we all hope for?... Don't get me wrong, I pray it is something real but life changes every day and sometimes I think we just crave what used to be because constant change is hard to get used to. The In-Law family bond is a hard thing to handle also since they have that long history that you have not always been a part of and that is just plain tough... the whole thing has to be hard especially since it all could have been avoided by your SIL simply taking care of herself... my thoughts are with you!

Judy: you are doing great! Don't worry about .6, that could be a million things and none of them are important as long as you are on plan and exercising when you can.

Have to run, short day today, repair men coming to the house today to look at the stove and also having the winter service on the furnace.

Susan

Hello Ladies! Life has been nuts, nuts, nuts. I came back into town last Thursday, and of course, there was a ton of stuff to do at work (and the best time for me to post is at work, on lunch), so I didn't have any chance to post at all. I went down 1.5 last week, up .6 this week...though I know what happened this week -- I was on vacation M-W, and on Tuesday I went to the Melissa Etheridge concert (SHE WAS WONDERFUL! ) and bounced and swayed and bopped around to the music so much that I hurt my thighs...I made myself work out Thursday, then had trouble getting out of the car and the few feet to Taco Bell (2 tacos, fresco style, 7 points. ) So I took Friday off, then was out of town all Saturday, Sunday I had too much stuff to do, Monday was my special sewing day, planned for since the beginning of August...so, for a variety of reasons, I made it to the gym only twice, not my usual four. But I am back on track this week, and I've already been to the gym twice, so I am back on track.

Work has been mad, mad, mad, but tomorrow is Friday, so at least there's that.

Chrily -- sorry to hear about all of your troubles with your sister in law. It's hard for Kelly to be caught between you and his sister, and he does need to find more balance. No matter how difficult our siblings have been or even how self destructive, there is still a sibling instinct to protect them and help them if and when we can. But it is important to maintain balance. It sounds like things are very stressful...is there anyway your sister can pay for live in help, or part time help maybe?

It sounds like everybody else is working hard and sticking to it...I'm glad to hear it. I've missed you ladies, and I'll do my best to post more often, I just end up working through lunch often.

Ariana: Welcome back... you were missed!

Chris: How are things going?

Judy: What is new in your neck of the woods?

Happy Friday all! Best wishes for a wonderful weekend!

Susan

Princess -- thank you! That was very sweet of you.

Ladies: BTW -- I took your communal advice and I'm adding more protein to my diet. I'll let you know how it help.

I made it for another workout last night. Tonight makes 4, and I'll have met my goal for the week (also, my legs can't take more than 4 days of elliptical in a row ). I plan on doing house chores, food prep, etc., tonight so that I can relax Saturday, do some more sewing, maybe some organizing, then I'm going to see "The Illusionist" with a friend Saturday night, then breakfast with another friend Sunday (big temptation -- IHOP), and rummykub with her, then more sewing. It sounds like it will be a great weekend. do you guys have anything planned?

Have a great weekend, guys, see you on Monday!

Not much going on here. School is already hectic. Go figure! I'll handle it though. Keeps my mind off of life. I did tell Kelly what was on my mind last night. I told him I don't feel close to him right now and feel like I'm going it alone most of the time. He just agreed and said he hasn't been easy to get along with and all. But that's all. I just get so depressed, like last night Kayla's school had an open house and we weren't even there 5 min. when his phone rang and he talked to his brother. I talked to him about doing stuff as a family but even when he does, it doesn't seem like he's "there". I just don't feel strong enough.

My allergies are creating havoc for me lately too. I spend most of the time stuffed up and my chest hurting. We are pretty close to a bunch of wildfires so there is a ton of smoke in the air. CHOKE! CHOKE! CHOKE! I am craving some fresh air.

Gonna figure out what to do for dinner. Hopefully Kelly gets home soon. Tiana is having a skating party for her birthday tonight and I have to take her and 4 friends. I don't have enough seats in the van for them plus my littlest two. My first "baby" is 13 yrs old now. WAAAhhhhhhhh! Makes me feel so old.

Chris

Ariana,
so glad to hear back from you. You've got an awesome weekend planned!
for getting back into exercise with such vim and vigor.
Your weight loss is phenomenol. Weigh to go. Shows what exercise, time, and effort will do!

Princess,
Thanks for asking about me. This weekend will be much quieter than they have been. DD and fiance may come out tomorrow. Sunday we're closing up the pool. Think I'll mow the lawn tomorrow and straighten up outside a bit. I've got the house inside on the run and it feels good! Will also bake cookies for my dgrandbaby's 2 birthday and may also do Halloween roll out cookies at the same time to get them all done at once and then freeze them.

Chris, glad you had a brief chance to talk to Kelly. I can only imagine how hard this must be for you all. Do you have a church that can help or social services? I have a feeling there are services available for you sil that will enable her family to ease up a bit. Here's another because you know we're all pulling for you.

All goes well here. I am resisting all sorts of food and am making good choices when I eat. Right now I'm tired and I'm heading to bed because I'm afraid I might eat if I don't. Take care, be well and keep on keepin' on.
Love,
Judy

Morning...I've read the rest of my history chapter, my english homework, and my financial accounting chapter. Next I need to read 2 chapters for my Economics class...then its more homework. After my summer of doing nothing, this is a shock and "overload". I'll get my rhythm back in a couple weeks I suppose. I'll have to get a feel for how each of these teachers lead their classes and what their expectations are and then I should be fine.

Tiana had fun last night skating with her friends, while we went up to the hospital. They have my SIL in the rehabilitation area now and plan to discharge her in 10 days. From what I heard from other people, the hospital tries to get patients out of the hospital in 1 month. She's been in 3 weeks so far. Still haven't really gotten her a place to live. I don't know how she'll maneuver herself around. She says her arms aren't strong enough to use the wheelchair and she wants to try to use a walker until she can get a leg made. That takes an amazing amount of arm strength too. From what I gathered with our visit, she isn't really into helping herself out yet. I'm sure the rehab docs will get her up and around. She doesn't have a choice. They have her doing 3-5 hours of work a day. It al starts around 7 am. The patients have get themselves dressed and sitting on the edge of their beds by 7:30 for breakfast. They have to go to a communal dining room...no hiding out in their rooms. Then its therapy...occupational, physical, etc. for the 3 to 5 hours a day. I looked at her schedule and she'll even be doing stuff on the weekends.

ANyhow, I'm not going to pig out today. I will drink at leat 64 oz of water. (Fingers crossed) I will get some sort of exercise in today, even if it is only mowing the lawn.

chris

Hi ladies - just typed a big message & got kicked out, so will try & duplicate it.

Hope everyone is doing well & staying OP

Went to Ribfest last night with cousin & her husband & my bf (these are people I am going to Vegas with in Nov) & it was fun. Those ribs are so good & of couse, I had lots so trying to behave myself today.

Got to curves 3 times this week & signed up for the Breast Cancer walk on Oct 1st - they have a group going from curves so that will be fun.

Weather up here has been rainy for last couple of days, so I didn't go up to trailer - decided to get caught up on some housework & now that dd is back to school it is very quiet here, although I miss her already.

SO my goal this week is: curves 3 times - lose 1.5# - eat my veggies.

How about everyone else?

I finally got to change my ticker!!!

I'm down 1 1/2 lbs. Whether from stress or not, I'll take it! Well back to the homework. Just had to check in on you all.

chris

Chris, Congrats on changing your ticker!!! I don't know about anyone else, but in your shoes I'm afraid I might have gained 8 pounds, so for you for losing weight. Keep on keepin' on.,
Had a good weekend here and made good food choices. Am really hoping to lose weight on my WEd. WI.
Judy

W/I went fairly well, actually better then expected since it is that TOM... I was down .2 - I'll take it

The weekend was ok, got some house work done and the shopping... but that was about it. I did not get my exercise or any walking in. I really need to get back to walking around the neighborhood again. I liked doing that and I got way more walking in then just relying on getting to the gym so I guess that is my goal for this week... to get some walking in at home. I do start my pilates class this evening and I am really looking forward to that. I hear it is great exercise and also a good stress reliever so it should be a great hour every Monday evening.

Chris: Best wishes with the homework... I finished my degree about 2 years ago and that was one thing that I was so glad to leave behind... the homework!

Judy: You are doing great! Such a busy gal... I don't know how you keep up with everything and everyone!

Bandit: Great job on the food choices and signing up for the walk... that will be fun and you will get lots of walking in for that week

Ariana: How is your sewing/quilting going?

Have to run but have a great day all!
Susan

Chrily -- I know things are hard, and I'm sorry. <hug> But at least you lost weight -- CONGRATS! And I hope your allergies get better soon!

Judy -- thank you! I missed the movie, my friend had to cancel, so I got some extra sewing in, instead. Thank you! Exercise has really become a part of my life, I even have trouble sleeping if I don't. Thanks again. Whenever I feel frustrated with the slow weight loss speed, I remind myself that, when I weighed 206 pounds, I would have given ANYTHING to weigh 160. And, I've lost about 20 pounds since March, which averages to a pound a week, so even if I lose nothing for two weeks, then two pounds the next week, I'm still doing okay.

Oh, cookies. Temptation, temptation. You're stronger willed than I am -- I can't keep those in the house! So, did you have a good weekend? Glad to hear that you are staying strong, Judy.

Bandit -- I hate when that happens (when you type a long message, then get kicked out!) Life is all about trade-offs, right? You can have some ribs now, if you're willing to be extra good later, right, in compensation? It's all about tradeoffs and moderation. Good for you, going on the Breast Cancer walk. It's a good cause.

Princess: My quilting project is going well, thank you for asking. I made a miscalculation in my design, so I need to go out and get more fabrics to make up the missing blocks (oh, darn! ) That means a trip to SAS, a local store that sells fabric by weight (are they a national chain? I've only seen them in Phoenix and Tucson.)

It's hard to workout on the weekend, very hard, which is why I do mine M-T-W-Th. Walking around the neighborhood is great, if you can swing it -- it's still too hot here to be outside for long. We won't even be wearing jeans until mid-late October.

Hey, down .2 is good too! ;D

Ladies:
My weekend went fairly well. I missed the movie, my friend had to cancel, so I stayed home and quilted instead, did some organizing. Very relaxing. I knew that I was going out to IHOP on Sunday with a friend, a big point meal, so I switched my Super High Day (Wendie plan) of Saturday to Sunday, so I didn't go over. I was very proud of myself for doing that. Other than that, not much else is new. I'll talk to you guys again soon!