Good Morning Everyone! It's Monday and time for a new start! I will do my best to eat healthy and I WILL get to the gym this morning. In fact, I'm gonna try to get there earlier so I can be back. I think I'll shower there too. Since I have no hot water. I'm really gonna kick it up a notch on the challenges today too, so WATCH OUT ladies. It's gonna be a mega point day for me. No more of this woa is me crud.

Chris, to answer your question. I can crochet a little and I mean a little. I made Abigail a poncho for xmas. I took a class for all of 4 weeks and then it was just too much with my schedule. It was enough to give me the basics and be able to read instructions. It's more time consuming then I tought. I guess for a begginer anyway. I don't have the patience for something to take me days to do....lol. I made half of Abigails poncho in 3 -4 hours and the other half over a few days...lol. who has time to sit there that long when you have kids. Anyway, you can do it though. I know Spryng crochet's as well, but she hasn't been around for you to pick her brain. Anyway, keep us posted on what you decide to do.

Chris, hard to see in the pic, because it's dark, but here is the poncho I made. It's mostly red chenille with specs of gold and green in it.

Good Morning Supposed to be 55 degrees today, YAY maybe some of this snow will melt! Well I weighed this morning and still I am at 240, for 1 whole week now...I just don't understand it, I am really varying my calories but not going over 1500. I'm exercising and everything, just seems like I'm doomed to be fat. I don't get it, maybe I should have never started with Atkins, maybe I should have ordered my RS stuff and started with that. I can't believe how nothing is happening. blah

Melissa~ Your kids are just so dang adorable and they look JUST like you! I hope you have a wonderful time getting out and going to the gym and enjoy that hot shower while your there

Penny~Where are ya? Did you have a good weekend?

Roxy~Hope everyone in your house is 100% now.

Chris~Did I read that your in PA? I'm in PA also right near the Jersey border. How's everyone at your house, your little girl wasn't feeling well?

Michelle~How is Taylor doing? I hope her eye is doing better.

Jen~I hope this weekend was good for you. I am thinking of you.

Chelle~Good Morning! How are you today?

To whoever I missed I'm sorry BBL I need to go to the grocery store but will check in later on today.

Good Morning Ladies!! Yeah I'm up a bit early Taylor woke up and had to go potty so of course I had to take her Her eye seems to be doing better but I'm concerned about the blood in her eye because it is almost touching the colored part now We'll call urgent care or perhaps the eye doctor today and see what he thinks.

I plan to kick it up a notch today too! I'm excited! I ate bad after Taylor got hurt and now I need to kick it in gear!

Mel, I hope you have a wonderful day at the gym! I'm sure you'll get a great workout!

Chrissy, thanks for thinking of Taylor she's back to her mischeivous self I'm just concerned about her eye hoping there is no extended damage to her sight.

Okay girls I'm gonna lay down for a bit before Teagan wakes up.
Love to all!
Michelle

Good morning ladies! I too am back in the game and am ready to kick it up a notch. Today is a NEW BEGINNING for me and I am starting with my way to a healthy and thinner me. I plan on making many changes in my life and reaching my goal is at the top of my list. I know I can do this and I am ready to. I love the reflection part this week in the challenge! I will be giving them lots of thoughts. I know my kids need me more now than ever and I plan to do anything and everything to make sure they're secure within themselves and know that they are loved very much through this tough time for them. I won't lie, it's hard for me too but I am ready to move on and do something for me for a change. I've put my dreams on the back burner for him but I am about to fulfill my dreams and that makes it a little easier for me. I've always wanted to go back to college. I went to a Christian college in PA. They have apartments out there for people with children and married couples. I am applying to go back there today!!! He's trying to say that he won't let me leave the state with the kids so I have to go to court for that but I am really hoping I can. So, please be saying a prayer for me!!

Mel~ You Go girl!!! I'll be racking up points with you today too. Have fun at the gym. BTW, I love that poncho. I think you did great for a beginner. Alot better than I would do..lol

ChrissyL~ Thanks..It was a great weekend. It made it easier being at my mom's. Chrissy, Hang in there, be persistent and you will start to see changes. Have you taken your measurements?? Maybe you've lost inches. Hang in there, you can do it!! Have a lovely day.

Well I have to go tend to my son but I'll BBL!

Michelle~ I am glad your daughter's doing better!! I know how scary that must of been for you.

Good Morning Ladies!!
We are almost well! What a week! I have so much laundry to do, you wouldn't believe it! But I'm so happy that the worst of it is over! Marty was very sick! But he is much better now and almost all of my children are back at school. Yea! I have one that isn't because she coughed all night long and didn't sleep. She's better but she's the one that missed a whole week of school before, so she's a little week. I am really going to kick it in high gear for the challenge! I really felt crummy, not exercising when this all hit. No more, back on track for me!

Yo Mel!-Do you hear the music playing????? I do, "Gonna fly",see ya at the top!

Jeniqua- I sorry things aren't working out after all, Can't ya do some counselling or something? Those babies need you both. I'm so very sorry.
IM me if you want.

Michelle- I hope that Taylor is doing better, I did see those terrible pics! Have you thought about going to see a specialist? Fortunately, the eye heals itself well, when we had an eye injury the opthamologist said it is a delicate but quickly healing organ. Steven got a stick in the eye btw, and it scratched his cornia. He had to wear a patch for a while. It recovered nicely!
I liked the surprise! Thanks! Can someone IM me, I have a question about the msn site.

Chrissy-Hmmmm, well. I didn't look at your ticker before I am writing this, but haven't you already lost a good deal of weight? Sometimes we level off and then have to start again when are bodies adjust. I think I'm going through that now too. I don't know maybe, search around and get lil' tips from all over the threads and maybe one of them will do it. I haven't lost a whole lot of weight since I moved up on my exercise but I am losing inches! Still, The weight has to come off too.

Chris- About your crochet question, I do crochet and also thread crochet, I have lots of instructional teach yourself books and I also have 2 cd-rom instructional videos that show how-tos close up with the hands. 1 of those is knitting, 1 crochet. I like crocheting better, for some reason I have a hard time knitting, but my daughter can knit just fine! You are welcome to use them, they are dds but she will be happy to lend them to ya. Just let me know what you are looking for. I'll see if I have a easy ponch pattern, doesn't ring a bell, but there are plenty you can find for free on the internet! IM or PM me.

Hi to all of you other moms, I'll get personal later!
I better get cracking, I hear the music playing, I have alot of work to do today!!!!

Hi, everyone. Sorry I have been MIA. We have been sick, and then helping my mom move, trying to schedule some family time, and school, it's just been busy around here. Everyone sounds like they are doing fantastic. Good luck to you guys one the challenge. Not that any of you need it.
I too crochet. I can't read any of the patterns, but I learn by watching. I have done about 4 baby blankets this year, and a couple of full afghans for Christmas presents. I will probraly crochet more when both of my boys are in school. Anyway, I will get personal later this week. Have a great day everyone.

I'm BBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!

WHAT A WORKOUT!!!! I don't have a clue what the points are yet, but I did so much stuff it's rediculous. I really had to push push push. Thanks everyone for keeping me moving!

Roxy, i"m so glad everyone is well........finally. Sorry that poor Marty was so sick. Abigail had the flu once and had a 105.6 fever for 3 days and tylenol and advil alternating only would bring it down to 104. something. DH was away on business too. I was so frightened. Glad it's over for you anyway. I did hear you singing too. Gonna Fly!

Chrissy, It's beautiful here too today, so later that means a walk with the kids in teh wagon! YEAH. Fresh air. ENjoy it!

Ricci, sorry you were sick. Glad all is well now. Thanks for checking in!

Jeniqua, glad you have a new good view on everything. Still praying for you . Keep your spirits up. You deserve more!


Michelle, glad Tay is doing better. Let us know how the eye is. I would call the Opthmolgist and not bother with the urgent care. THey'l probably waist you time and then send you to one anyway. Poor thing! I feel like hugger myself! Have a good day.

Hey ladies!

We went to the eye doctor today and Tay's eye is okay he said the body will reabsorb the blood but no perm. damage was done. She was a little farsighted but doesn't require glasses at this point. I got a refill for my contacts I use the night and days cuz I hate taking them out and I sleep in them and I also got some colored contacts I can't wait they are so fun!
http://freshlookcontacts.com/html/colorselector.shtml
I got the freshlook radiance brand in the color EDEN.

Foxy Roxy, I sent you a IM on yahoo if you want to reply there about your question

I hope everyone really gets into the personal reflection challenge, I think it's important for us to talk about those things too as we move through our journey

Okay I'm off to workout. Love to you all!
Michelle

Hey ladies, just a quickie from me to say that I am still alive. Sorry I havent been here, I've been keeping track just so much going on over here. Bayley too has been sick yet again, I swear she was well for like a day and then got sick again! It's so nerve wracking! Especially since I have really been trying to get back to the gym everyday and I can't take her when she is sick. It's also hard with it being the end of the term and having lots of things to do and work on. I took my HUGE test on Saturday and it went pretty well, for those of you that don't know I am trying to get into the Masters in teaching program at my school and you have to take and pass the test to get in. I also got my provisional acceptance letter in the mail on Sat!!! That means as long as I graduate with my bachelors this year, pass the test and pass the Geo class I am in right now that I am in the program!!! I am so excited!! Anyway that's what's going on with me right now, let's just say that Mexico is going to be heaven so I can get away from it all for a week! I think I need it! Ok I'm sorry not to get personal but it was all I could do to steal this much time away! I need to get this house picked up so I can go work on my paper in an hour or so. Hope you all are doing well! I hope to be back soon to get personal, there's some things I want to say (not bad, don't worry! lol)

My stupid internet connection has been going up and down like a yo yo today. I kept my daughter home from school today because all she did the entire weekend was move from the bed to the couch and then back to bed. She slept in again this morning and then went right to the couch. Poor little thing.

Chris- I crochet (although I stick to mindless patterns), but I've never tried knitting. Last time I was at Michael's craft store, knitting was one of the classes they were offering, and it was fairly inexpensive.

Sorry I am not gettting personal with everybody, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time before this stupid thing dies on me again.

Jill, glad all is going ok with you. Sorry, poor Bay is sick again. I know what you mean about being frustrated about not getting to the gym. I was NUT there today. SO glad you are gonna get away soon. Wish I was you for just one of those days...

Michellej, dumn connection! At least it worked for a while anyway.

Ok Challengers. Here are the points for ending week two. Michelle is in the lead!

Chris 69.00 19.00 -1.00 2.50 0.00 89.50
Deana 26.00 1.00 0.00 3.50 0.00 - 30.50
Jeniqua 23.00 0.00 0.00 6.00 0.00 29.00
Jill 41.00 4.00 -1.00 2.00 0.00 ---- 46.00
Kristin 28.00 2.00 -1.00 0.00 0.00 - 29.00
Melissa 99.00 7.00 -3.00 -0.75 0.00 102.25
Michelle 91.00 27.00 -1.00 2.40 0.00 119.40
Penny 89.00 7.00 -2.00 1.00 0.00 --- 95.00
Roxy 56.00 4.00 0.00 3.00 0.00 --- - 63.00
Tabitha 41.00 14.00 0.00 6.00 0.00-- 61.00

Hiya Roxy, nope I am only down 8 lbs. that's all I have lost...sickening

Well I made my husband take a picture of me yesterday that when I looked at it I cried, I said damn I knew I was fat but OMG I look like I could hang out with Grimace! Well here I am, at least yall can put my name to my chubby face now.
I hope I do this right...let's hope anyhow

Ok I have no clue lemme try that again.