Morning!

Just a quick post to get us started! I am determined to post more since it helps me stay on track. Have a super Friday!

Good Morning Chicks - I hope all is well with you all today. Lots of rain commin this weekend here in central pa. Hopefully it doesn't rain too much - i didn't work out last night - the hubby and i went to dinner and then the book store - nice realxing evening - I NEED to work out tonight - I feel gross today and didn't even want to get on the scale - the mirror tells all!!!!

This is the last "free" weekend as my daughter says - school starts on Tuesday for her so not too sure what is up for this weekend.

Today's breakfast - egg beaters and ff sb approved lunch meat - and 2 waters - want to get back on track.

Hope you all have a bright and happy day.

HAPPY SEPTEMBER AND HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

I'm waiting for my DS to drop off Amber right now, she's coming along with the girls and I to the NJ Adventure Aquarium today. I'm just praying the heavy rain holds off until this evening, like the weatherman promised. I'm not real thrilled about driving on the expressway when it's pouring! But the girls have been looking forward to this outing, and I sure don't want to dissappoint them.
If my scale is right, I've dropped 5 whole pounds this week!!! Most of it must have been water, to lose that fast, but I HAVE been very good, with no cheating whatsoever, so I"ll take it.
Good Morning, Kiko, you're up bright and early!

good morning guys - I've been MIA this week because I've felt bad and tired. Finally feeling better now.

eating has been okay - exercise has been good....until yesterday. Rain did me in. I slept mostly and then worked and then slept again.

Today maid of honor and I were to go to Wilmington, NC to do cake tastings. I40 is flooded and we can't get there. Ernesto was an easy storm on NC but it happened to hit the one road I need. Oh well, Ernesto - thank you for your kindness to my home town......I DO appreciate it. Waiting to see if alternate routes are open today. Have to decide by 11:00 or cancel the appointments. I was so excited too. free cake

Good morning! Water! Water! Everywhere! I hope there's not too much damage from Ernesto and the associated rain. We are due to get his "dregs" for the weekend, the last long weekend of the summer. There will be a lot of disappointed folks in Delta as three days of frolic are planned over at the Park.

Kiko, yes, posting daily or more often does keep us on track and focused. Thanks for starting us up.

RMT, yup, it's the last "free" weekend. It always feels like New Year's Day when school starts.

Cottage, no matter whether it was water or not, it's five pounds and just give yourself a big hug! I hope you have safe driving with that precious cargo.

Little Grasshopper,when you are feeling down, come in and post even if it's just to tell us how you feel, It really helps. Beware of the cake, OK?

Weezle, get your butt in here and post - or else!

Well, I think my early wake-up schedule has changed. The Girls are not wakening as early and I'm even going back to sleep after my 4 AM potty run! I didn't get up until 6:30 this morning.

The day with three dogs went well and the Pypers were back in time for a good BBQ supper. Glen manned the BBQ, Margo sliced tomatoes and onions and I sat and chatted with the kids and played with the dogs. I love guests like that although the Hyper Pypers are more like family. Margo loaded everything into the dishwasher too and I ran it overnight.

I've got a list of "niggles" to do today but may leave some of them for tomorrow when it's going to rain and just enjoy this gorgeous day. There are not that many great days left but I refuse to get down about that. Fall activities are gearing up, fun stuff plus an election campaign.

Have a wonderful TGIF and plan some good things for the last long weekend of summer.

Sounds like everyone is doing well today

I made that breakfast smoothie w/ cottage cheese & SF Jello listed in the recipes section and I LOVE it- it's my new breakfast

Good morning, ladies. I hope life is treating everyone well.

Couldn't believe it was time to flip the calendar this morning! This year seems to be going by so fast. Maybe it's just because I'm getting older, but it's strange. I don't like my calendar picture much this month! It's a moldy log with some kind of plant beside it (free calendar from work!). But a nice reminder: "Remain in me, and I will remain in you" (John 15:4).

This morning is the pancake house outing for my sweet potato pancakes! All I've had this morning is a small apple--I am ravenous! Which is probably a bad thing. I am such a morning eater!

I am so ready for this weekend! Can't wait to see Mom and Dad and have them see our new house. We're going to have a ridiculously late dinner as their flight doesn't get in until 7:10 and then they have to get luggage, rent a car, and drive to our house (we're very near the airport, but still!). I am a 5:00 dinner kind of girl usually so it's hard for me! But I am sure I will have tons of stuff to do when I finally get home around 6:30 to prepare for them coming--mad cleaning!

Walking is on the plan for today at lunchtime even though my walking partner is taking off early today. Harder without her. But still need to move da body!

Well, I might need to go find some coffee...where's Schatzi with the pot??

Love,
Jessie

I'm here! I'm here! I made it! Whew. Had more emails this morning than I usually do so it took me longer to get here. But I'm here! And I'm gonna be good today!

Friday... I'm working 11-7 today and tomorrow, which really isn't bad. I don't mind that shift so much. The day usually goes by quickly. It looks cloudy out again today. Ugh! I loathe the cloudy days!

I woke up at 4:30 this morning with cramps. I usually get cramps during the beginning of my TOM, but they're not bad enough to wake me out of a sound sleep. Very strange this month. I'm hurtin today.

I think I'm going to go have a bowl of cereal. I also may have a Sierra Mist Free. Has anyone else tried that? I think I've become addicted. I'm not really a soda drinker because I don't do caffeine and most diet drinks taste icky anyway, but not Sierra Mist Free! SO good. Tastes like real soda.

Hope you all have a great day! Time for me to get a move on!

Lisa

Good to see you, Kiko! I do well too when I post more often.

RMT, it's good that you had a relaxing evening! Obviously we want to work out when we've planned it, and if we skip it every night it's not good for our health, but a skip every now and then won't kill us. And when you replace it when other activities that soothe your soul and re-invigorate you, it's definitely worth it! Just don't fall into the trap of feeling bad about yourself because of it. Okay? I skipped my morning workout to snuggle with DH this morning, and I know it's going to be a little hard not to fall into that trap myself. Let's both work on staying out of it, focusing on the positive and looking forward to our next workout!

Yay, Cottage! Good for you for being so OP and seeing such great results! YGG!!! Enjoy your outing...praying for dry weather until you get home!

Ah, LG, I hope you get to go! Sorry you've been feeling bad but glad you're back!

Beautiful Ruthie, I was thinking a visit from the HPs was overdue...glad you had fun! Did they appropriately ooh and aah over Lucy, the wonderdog? You enjoy this beautiful day! Don't get too down, though...Fall can be gorgeous! :

Emilie, your avatar always makes me laugh! Glad you have a nice new breakfast to look forward to! Isn't it fun to find something that you truly enjoy that's also OP?

Jessie, that is a nice verse! Hope you have fun with your parents! Hey, add some protein with that apple, chickie! Your blood sugar will fall too fast without it and leave you ravenous. Enjoy the visit and the fun!

Me:
Well, slept in late...after skipping the gym. I'm going to make up for it by going tomorrow and just relax today. Scale showed 195.5...my lowest weight since starting the diet...hit it once before, several months ago, but haven't seen it since! Really excited, but won't change my ticker until I see it three times in a row (that's my silly OCD-like rule! ). Got a couple hip belts at Target yesterday...both are chain-like and the one I'm wearing today has a bunch of beads and fake pearls on it. Very cute...and very scary to wear...I never wear belts! But I think it might distract from my still pootchy stomach...and it makes these super-long shirts that are in style look a lot more finished. We'll see what I think at the end of the day!

Have reading tutoring with a first grader today, then lots of work on the advertising for our upcoming Theology on Tap event. It's 9/20, so I need to get cracking! Hoping to meet DH for dinner in a cute town near us, but have plans to make a nice meal at home if we don't make it.

Have a great day, chickies, and stay dry (if in the East) and cool (if in the west)!

Just a quick fly by! Been a chaotic several weeks and I haven't been around much but I've been being sorta good OP-wise.

Lots of new faces, cool! Am trying to catch up on posts, will chat later.

Good grief, with all this mess, I forgot it was Friday! I thought you were nuts Kiko for doing a TGIF! DUH! Boy, I am going to HAVE to get with it!

I have my sit and cry until I can't anymore than I am over it and ok for awhile so I will be ok. You can't say there is anything good about a doctor cracking your husband's chest and messing with his heart, but since we can't take our trip now, I am going to start SB next week after I have been to the grocery store and cleaned out all my can't haves from the pantry and fridge. I am hoping our weather will stay where it is and not go back into the 90's so I can go out walking in the morning. We have a really nice treadmill, but I enjoy the walking outside more. Seems to be easier on my knee and this fat old body. I do pretty good actually and exercise is one of those things I don't have a problem with.

RNMOM: Good to meet you. I am the newbie with crazy life right now. It will be nice to get to know you better!

BGAL: Woohoo, isn't it nice to see you be in control of the old scale monster instead of the other way around! Nice going!

Lisa: You have to be young! Only someone young could stand bouncing around on a work schedule. Years and years ago, I worked graveyard at 7-11 and whooee that is tough. Hope you have a good day oops night at work. I am in peri menopause and I have the freaky menstrual cycle, either nothing with horrible cramps, nothing with breasts that really hurt or a light period. It is like a crap shoot and I never known what to expect. I thought I wasn't going to have one in August then this morning there you go. I am almost 53, have had periods since I was 10 and personally I think someone has a vendetta against me! I mean, COME ON, 43 years of periods please it is time for it all to go away!

Jessie: Have a wonderful time with your parents and their visit. I have one child that lives here and one that lives 600 miles away and I miss him and his wife terribly. I know your parents have to be so excited to you see you and your family, especially if you have kids. Nothing is better than being a grandma (well in my case a NONNY)
I give you a but I hate the stuff so much I don't even own a coffee maker!!!! I really should buy one as my son loves coffee and he will have to take a hike to Starbucks if he wants one in the morning while he is down here for his dad's surgery.

Emilie: That concoction sounds gross! It is really good, huh?

Ruth: You are my angel! You have helped me understand SB so much and I so appreciate it. How doggy one and doggy 2 today. My spoiled two are laying by the fireplace together like they are best buds. It won't be long until Butterscotch decides to go into chase mode and gives poor Fortune the run of his life. Good exercise if he would jump on his back, poor thing. Fortune will fight back but only when he has had enough. He is such a gentle little thing, rarely if ever barks unless he wants you do "listen" to him like a little toddler who pulls on your apron going "mommy, mommy, mommy."

Grasshopper: Hope you are drying out. We have had so little rain that everything looks like the sahara here. We finally got some, but we sure do need a lot more. Hope you are feeling up and at em!

Cottage: WTG on the weight loss! That is super!

I did personals backwards and I think I have everyone that has posted. It will take me awhile to learn everything about everyone!

have a super holiday weekend. We are shampooing carpets and getting everything done in the house I can't handle without a man! Poor Jack is going to wish they had kept him at the hospital!

Faye

It does sound gross, but I can't choke down another egg. It's good, really!! I just toss some FF cottage cheese, FF plain yogurt, 1/2 tsp. SF Jello powder, 1/4 c. whey protein in the blender & whiz it up until smooth and then stream in milk to make it drinkable. The cottage cheese kind of disappears in there and just gives it some "body" like a banana would normally do. It's good, I swear!! And it keeps me full all morning long I even added some Benefiber today b/c I've been a little backed up from all the cheese

Emilie: Yeah, cheese will do that and I can understand about the eggs. It just sounded too icky for words, but I may try it. Wonder if you could use the old style koolaid you mix sugar yourself in and use Splenda instead with a touch of unflavored gelatin if you can't find a jello flavor you like? It has been so long since I had little kids, I don't know if those packets even exist anymore. My grandson is not allowed soft drinks, koolaid, apple juice, and such so I am clueless in that department anymore. I know that you just started and hope you are having spectacular success! I am anxious to get started and am laying out the menus and grocery list this weekend. I have to juggle what I going to eat with what Jack is willing to eat so I don't have to cook two complete meals. Good luck, kiddo! Thanks for the info too!

You guys! Sorry I haven't posted this week. Still adjusting to the SBD. I'm doing well so far. But I have noticed that I'm so much more sleepy this week. But that could be due to the fact that it's that TOM. Who knows? Anyhow....Scales said 171 this morning...and I'm doing great as far as eating...and I'm glad that I'm not the only one that is sick of eggs after 3 days! My DH is on the diet as well...he's down about 8 lbs...and has cheated a little...I was up with him most of the night last night...he's had trouble going to the bathroom since he started the diet...but I haven't had that problem. Just wanted to check in...Hello to all the newbies/old comebackers that I haven't met yet! Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend! Be safe! Oh yeah...and this will be my 3rd trip to the grocery store today....anyone else becoming regs at their local grocery stores since starting the diet!?

PP

gma2one - I make Koolaid all the time using Splenda. My son and I both like it and it gives us more flavors than Crystal Light.

Priss - I've gotten to where I make a big grocery trip on the weekends and then plan to stop by in the middle of the week for a second produce load. For instance tonight is the Braised Kale with Black Beans and tomatoes and the kale just won't keep fresh that long. I've also taken to growing some of the herbs that I use a lot of. It makes it easier and cheaper.

I just don't have time to respond to everyone. Work has been crazy. If everyone will update the Aug Exercise thread, I will post the queen sometime this weekend.

Last night was our Join Scouting Night. We enrolled 30 new scouts. We already had 40 or 50 boys so this is a huge group of new boys. We still need some leadership for one den though so we are scrambling.