"come On Spring , Please"
 

A new month is a great thing . . . but actually seeing some signs of SPRING would be even better. :D

Don't know whether it's just this year or the fact that I'm getting older, but boy this Winter is really dragging. Actually so far the day is not all that 'lion-like' -- just a few flurries on top of the overnight freeze-up of all of yesterday's rain.

Definitely hope I get my weight-loss efforts back on track in March . . . I seem to have spent January and February in 'maintenance mode'. Could be worse, of course, but it could be a lot better, too. :lol:

Here;s to a great month for all of us, gang . . . :carrot:

We had a bit of tease last week with beautiful weather, now we are expecting a snow storm. I just want to get out and plant some flowers and get my yard back in shape.

I can't wait for spring.. To go bike riding again!!! so excited! =]

Snow is melting here. I've spent a lazy Sunday and loved it. I can't wait for spring here either.....

I don't know the exact temperature, but I just took a bag of trash out and my nostril hairs froze, if that tells ya anything....:shocksn:

Guess our lion arrived after all -- things are definitely looking all white and fresh out there -- a little too white and fresh for my tastes. :s:

At least I had a good OP eating day yesterday so that got the month off to a decent start. Hopefully I can string another one onto it today. :yes: I'm getting awfully sick of this "maintenance" rountine I seem to have been practicing so far this year.

Other than that -- nothing exciting for me -- guess I'll knit some socks. :lol:

Good morning ladies,

I'm more than ready for Spring, have been for 2 months now. We missed all the snow, got a blizzard of flurries but that was it. I was greatful.

Weekend eating was horrible. My weeks are perfect, but I totally blow it on the weekend. I have to find a way to get through the weekends OP. We love to eat out and I go wild.

Meowee, :balloons: Happy belated birthday.

Toni, glad you kept that snow there and didn't send it to me.

Crystle, rabbit stew? Glad I missed that meal. I used to fry the rabbit my Dh hunted but not now.

Tech, you crack me up.

:wave: to everyone else.

Have a great day.

Well sitting here having a cup of tea before I get busy on dinner. I'm making pork fried rice. Hope it comes out good. I love it when it turns out right. Need to get busy on housework stuff tomorrow. And also packing a box for my son in Iraq.

Tech- Now Tech that is cold.

Meowee-Wishing you luck on staying on SB.

Solly- I tried hard to sent you this snow but it was a no go. There's a big sheet of ice hanging from our roof. Hope it doesn't slide off and chop our cat up.

Okay off to cook.

Good evening
 

Howdy ya'll. Boy was it a long day. Plenty of spring things to keep me busy, plus I made the laundry soap before we totally ran out. :) Eating has been decent, not excellent but I'll get there. At least that is what I tell myself. It was cool today but the rest of the week looks pretty warm so walking should start back soon.

Solly...the rabbit gumbo is very good. It also has shrimp and sausage. When you find the tricks for making it through the weekend please share them. We have a bible study on Sat. night and there is always such wonderful food.

Toni...What kind of tea do you like? I love this green tea with lemon grass by Good Earth.

Tech...I'm laughing so hard thinking of frozen nose hairs....that is just way TOO cold.

Meowee...wtg with good eating to start the new month.

Ellen...how is that precious grand baby of yours?


Kalicat and JadeMarlen...hello, I don't believe we've meet before, nice to meet you.

((Everybody)) Time to start winding down for the day. I hope and pray each of ya'll has a FANTASTIC day tomorrow.

Love and hugs,
Crystle

Hi ladies,

It is as cold here today as it was yesterday. Brr. I am so tired of this. It is supposed to be 70 on Saturday so that will be nice except I will be stuck inside cleaningmy DD's house all day.

Got up and went to the gym this morning and did 30 minutes of cardio. I have to go back tonight for my trainer so I should get anothe 20 minutes of cardio in. Tomorrow will be hard to get up after being there twice in one day.

Eating was good yesterday. Stayed at my calorie level. I snacked a lot, but they were ok snacks and nothing bad.

Toni, glad you held onto that snow. Now send me some warm weather.

Ellen, I can't beleive how much snow you all got. Good thing it is melting. You all probably don't know what to do with it down there.

Crystle, you are just Little house on the Prairie. Making your own soap, growing your food, eating rabbits. I love that period of time, but don't think I would have survived.

Off to get started here. Have a great OP day. :hug:

Good afternoon. Having my last cup of coffee before I make breakfast/lunch here. Then I guess I'd better start the laundry. Tonight is leftover soup so I don't have to worry about dinner. I always try to have an easy dinner on Biggest Loser night. Steve gets home for his dinner at 7 right when they start. So if I have an easy dinner I can watch my program. I've had a battle with cookies. I should have never have bought them.

Crystle- I just love hearing what you're making. I love green tea with lemon also. Some times I will drink constant comment tea for a change.

Ellen- wow you're busy busy. Can't wait to hear how the cheese turns out.

Solly- Good going gal on the exercise. Man its so great you have a trainer. Can you tell a difference yet in how its working. There must be some good changes.


Well better cook before we starve here. LOL

Yeah... COME ON SPRING !!!

:wave: Ellen


Sorry didn't mean to interupt..... COME ON SPRING !!!

You are never an interruption Leenie, come and visit any time. :hug:

Oh Ellen, Sorry to hear that you got a bunch of snow. :s: Well not really, we do like to be able to share our Canadian bounty. We had nothing but flood levels of rain today. :yikes: It is due to freeze up overnight and the poor little Province will turn into one big skating rink.

Happy to say, the eating is still doing OK . . . hope to keep it up. :yes:

Good morning, just finished my pb toast and coffee for breakfast. i think it is one of my favorite breakfasts (other than bisquits & gravy, pancakes). I guess I should say favorite OP breakfast.

Did not go to the gym this morning. I woke at 3:00 to go to the bathroom and my leg and toe were killingme. The dog was lying on the blankets and I could not get warm or back to sleep. I moved him and before I knew it, he was right back between us hogging up the room. So I was too tired, plus I went there twice yesterday and I think my body had enough. It may be nice enought to take a walk tonight I hope.

Toni, What a twist last night in the BL. I bet Mike did not lose enought to put them over. I kept thinking they would make it as it was getting close to 10:00 and I knew there was not enough time to vote someone off, then they flash up to be continued. That was so sweet of Mike to give Audrey his groceries. I think this year all of the people are nice and they get along so well. Unlike past years. I couldn't stand it last year with all that fighting and turmoil. I think it is a good motivating show. Now if I just follow the examples they set.

Meowee, be careful if you go out today with all that ice. We are supposed to hit 70 tomorrow. Yeah, Spring is close!

To everyone else :hug: Have a great day.

Hi . . . :wave:

Yep . . . it is cold and it is icey and, just to obscure the ice a bit and make things even more dangerous out there, we have about 1/2 inch of new snow. :yikes: Glad I don't have to go anywhere. At least we do have a little sporadic sunshine.

Working on day 4 and the silly scale-:devil: says I've lost three pounds in three days. Of course, it's just some water stripping out no doubt and will probably come back and leave again a few times before the month is over. BUT, it does make me feel good at least for the moment. :lol:

See you later . . . :carrot:

Good afternoon
 

Howdy my SB buddies. I hope ya'll are having an AWESOME day and if it isn't going too well right now I pray it gets better. It has warmed up outside to about 70 degrees. Perfect weather for getting some things done outside and here I sit.. :) That's okay when I get finished saying hello I'm going to search for a whole wheat sourdough recipe. My starter is ripe and ready to use. :D

I started taking my raw apple cider vinegar today so I'm looking up more information on that. It wasn't too gross. Had it not been first thing in the morning it wouldn't have been half bad. The house smells like spring. There are purple hull peas and okra cooking on the stove. I seasoned them with olive oil instead of meat drippings. I'm really trying to get back to cooking and eating healthy and quit making excuses. Tomorrow I have to make brownies for my son's birthday but they won't be a problem.

You guys are totally awesome and I'm so blessed to be able to come and read how ya'll are struggling as well as succeeding in your diet plans. Which by the way...WTG MEOWEE!!!! Three pounds is great. The last month I've been going the wrong direction or staying still depending on what day you ask..LOL

((Everybody))

God bless,
Crystle

Hi to All,

I have been reading the posts, but not replying. SPRING sure better come, we've had enough winter and snow..... It is slowly warming up here in PA, it has been sunny and that helps.

I have been keeping track on Sparkpeople, and they have a sight for Bellydancers. I have been exercising and doing belly dancing, that has helped to get me back on track. I took 3 years of bellydancing and it is fun. There are no classes around here, so just doing it for exercise and fun. I have been 3 days on program and exercising. I do have to stay stedfast.

Crystle, Solly was right about the food you fix....it really sounds good.

Hope you are all doing well, check in again tomorrow, and hopefully day 4 will be a success.

Blessings to all, Sue ; - )

Just wanted to check in.

Good morning

It is supposed to be in the high 60's today! Yipee! Made it to the gym this morning and got my wt training done. Now if it would warm up I could walk at night. Tonight I have to go to church to do the pies and slaw for the fish fry tomorrow night. So it will be too dark to walk when I get home.

Things have slowed doen here at work so I can breathe a little bit now.

Meowee, :dance: congrats on the 3 lbs. Any time the scale moves down is great no matter if it is only water. Hope it keeps you motivated.

Crystle, I tried the vinegar thing for a few days. It got old quickly. I can smell that break from here. Wish I was closer to share it with you.

Candoit, I track my food on Spark People also. It is a great tool. I have friends on the board there and they are trying to get me to post there but I can't get into the way they post. It is different than here and I am so used to this way. If I get more time, I may try to get into it more. Glad you found a spot there. Bellydancing is great exercise.

Guess I better get started. Have a great day. :hug:

Howdy ya'll
 

I tried fishing this morning but the wind was blowing too hard. But it was nice to skip chores and go out to the pond and just reflect on all that God has given us. I'm such a blessed woman.

Solly...the vinegar is really good. It's a special kind of apple cider vinegar with the mother in it and I mix it with my morning fiber and at lunch with honey so it's actually very tasty considering. My husband is the pickiest person about sour things and he was able to take his this morning...of course he had about three times the honey as I use. He uses honey for his allergies. What I call tasty he says is tolerable. :) You amaze me at how faithful you are with your workouts...I wish I wish I wish I could get that motivated again. Maybe if my energy levels comes up from the dietary changes I'm making.

Sue..how cool that you belly dance. I think that is such an awesome dance.

((Everybody)) As we approach the weekend does anyone have any ideas for keeping the weekend on plan?

Love and hugs,
Crystle

Hi ALL,
 

:carrot: :carrot: Today was a pretty good day, withstood all the candy and good looking, bad stuff at the grocery store. I have been good with my plan for 4 days, thank the Lord for that... my exercising last night really did my arm in. I had a hard time sleeping because it hurt so much. Guess I will have to call the DR tomorrow and get it checked out:dizzy:

Crystle, fishing at a pond does sound relaxing and fun.
Belly dancing is fun even for an oldie like me, it makes me so mad that my shoulder is so bad. It is really hard to belly dance and not use your arms, I just have a hard time. isn't it something, when i get back into exercise that is fun and active, something goes wrong;)

Solly, glad to hear all is well. i certainly don't want to let me being on Sparkpeople stop me from being in touch with my Sugar Shakers :hug: this is my home site.

I will need prayers for strength for ice cream and cake tomorrow. It is my sons 36th birthday and his daughter (my grandaughter) 4 th birthday. I ordered the cakes, Quinlyn's has 3 princess' on it, and one lights up. She is in love w/princess' and she said she is not going to be 4, but 16.
David's cake is yellor with chocolate icing,,,,,,, doesn't sound as good as
Quinlyns, but thats his fav. I had the cakes made so I wasn't tempted to pick while I was baking....now I am setting my mind to just have a small dish of ice cream and not sugary sweet cake and icing.....
well that is the plan.

Meowee = yes congrats on your loss. Keep going on....

To all have a great day tomorrow.

Hi to Toni, hope all is well. Also Talitha, hope all is well with you and your family.

Sue :hug:

:wave:

Sorry I haven't been around. A dear friend of mine passed away with cancer and its been a busy week. Hope to get back on next week.

A bit warmer around here today, but not exactly 'nice' . . . afraid it's going to be another few weeks before we actually begin to think Spring; no matter what the calendar says.

Don't have to bore you with my usual wailing about the evils of DST -- I've still got weather woes to complain about. :lol: It's been snowing in big, fat, heavy, wet, flakes jjust about all day. :yes:

Welcome to the mud season. Bleh. I love snow...I love summer...I just hate the in between blech. It rained here most of the weekend. My back yard is a disaster.

Shelley is on week five of school woes. She hasn't been to school except for Thursday and Friday of last week she made it till 4th period. She hyperventilates so dramatically. She takes Xanax to get over the episodes, but since it's a tranquilizer, it wipes her out. She's also just had her Prozac doubled as the 10mgs she was taking didn't really help much. I was posting for help on the Depression forum, but when I mentioned the place I was taking her to over the summer was really skeevey and the people that were there were kind of skirvvy, one woman made it clear to me that I was offensive and so I refuse to post there anymore. Seriously, one of the last times we went to that place, a kid was taken away in handcuffs by three cops!! It was scary...but this woman was offended that I was describing the place, so I won't go to that forum anymore for help. I have Shelley going to a new place and we like it there better. Anyone here know anything about meditation? I've read up on it and it says we have to make an altar? All I can think of is the Buddah shrine they have at my nail place. :lol:

Anyway...Shelley just convinced me to take her into school after I take Kyle in to school, which will get her in the middle of second period. Last Thursday and Friday I had to stay with her in school and hang out in the conference room so she'd feel comfortable. I just don't have time for this, though. Derek has to get Kyle ready for school when I do that and I just wish we could get things back to normal...I get up, get Shelley up, I make lunches, she gets on the bus, I watch the news until Kyle gets up, I take him in to his school and I either get to work cleaning the house, doing laundry or going to work. At this pace, I'm not even able to go to work...I have to stay at school or stay home to help Shelley....she doesn't like to stay home by herself because she doesn't like to be alone...

I dunno...I have to go get Kyle ready for school now...and we're all exhausted from the time change.

TTFN!! Wish I wasn't such a Debbie Downer..... :(

Howdy ya'll
 

Good afternoon. i didn't run away, me and Zack have been ill. He is more ill than his mama. We found out that he has pnemonia. At least today I'm getting some food in him.

Tech...I'm so sorry to hear what Shelly is going through. I'm praying that things will turn around soon. ((hugzz))

((Everybody)) I hope today starts a GREAT week for you.

Love and hugs,
Crystle

Hang in there TECH . . . :hug: . . . hopefully stuff will get better for Shelley soon.

Nothing too exciting for me -- it's actually been sunny today but it is still pretty cold. Funny but I like Spring and Fall best, but I am willing to pass on the mud. The older I get the narrower my favoured temperature range becomes. :lol:

I am happy to say I'm working on day 9 of good eating and the scale:devil: showed me a 210.5 this morning. Hope I can continue to hold things together because I really, really want to get back into that lower decade that I glimpsed for a couple of days waaaaaay back last September. :crossed:

See you all soon . . . :wave:

Oh Boy its Monday
 

:dizzy: Hi to all,

Tech: hope things get better. You can meditate in a room where you feell safe and happy, just make it a special place where you can have quiet and be peacefull. Mine is in our living room with the blinds open to the outside and my favorite gooseneck rocker... Hope all goes well.

Crystle" Sorry to hear you and Zach were sick, Hope is pneumonia gets better.

Meowee = great news, you are such an inspiration and spring is coming...

I have been bad since Saturday, not eating on plan, not exercising.
Thursday and Friday my right arm and shoulder hurt terribly.:(

Went today to Ortho surgeon and he did xrays and MRI. Feels I have a torn rotator cuff. Will see him again Friday, hope therapy will help and don't have to have surgery. I had my left side done with lots of pain and 5 months physical theray. The doctor now as an orthoscopic? procedure that is not has harsh as old surgery and recovery is faster? I just hate to miss more work. Every year for the past 4 years, I have had to take time off for surgeries.......

Just wish I would get on track and stay there, and not this on and off stuff.

Sorry to be so down, but I do hope you all will be doing better :hug:

Crystle, hope you and Zach are feeling much better by now.

Tech, Wow that is a lot of school to miss. Will they have to hold her back a year b/c of it? Have you tried seeing a therapist to find out the root of the attacks? You school system should have one that is free.

Meowee, good for you. You are doing great. Now send me some of that motivation. Usually my week is good, but I am carrying over from the weekend.

Toni, I am so sorry about your friend. I hope she did not suffer too much.

Candoit, I seem to be in the same boat as you. Need to do something to get myself back on track.

Hope everyone is having a great day.

Another sunny and pleasant day around here and I spent most of it out and about. Happy to say I resisted all the off-plan goodies that were calling my name, including those darned chocolate bunnies that are sneaking into all the stores right now. :lol:

Howdy
 

Now that Zachary and I are doing better my other two guys have taken ill. My poor hubby came home from work yesterday. He NEVER leaves work but his fever was so high and he was so out of it he had to come home and go to bed. On top of that my mama is in the hospital. Hopefully they'll get to the root of her problems and get her back home.

Meowee...you are doing such a good job. I'm so excited for you that your numbers are coming down. Praying that you will continue to do well.

Solly....have you been able to get outside? The weather last week was beautiful. I hate that I didn't get to take advantage of it. After this upcoming cold snap I'm hoping to get out there and get moving.

Candoit...((hugzz)) I hope and pray that you won't have to have another surgery that they will be able to give you other viable options. Praying God will touch your shoulder.

Toni....how are you?

Ellen...Sure miss hearing from you.

Tech...I hope you and Shelly are having a good week so far.

Bob...do you ever sneak in and take a peek? If so ((((HUGZZ)))) You are also missed.

Talitha..how are you and your precious babies?

((Everybody))

God bless,
Crystle

:wave:

Still hanging in there gang but I'm having a 'hungry day' today. So far I'm resisting. Might be weather -- it was nice first thing this morning but is now heavily overcast and there's more wet snow in the forecast.

Hope everybody, including your Mother, gets to feeling lots better really soon, CRYSTLE . . . :hug:

Good afternoon. Waiting for the snow to come in. Hope it passes us by theres a good chance it will. Not much going on here so I'm rather boring. Eating is not good. Can't wait to grocery shop and get some healthy things in here to eat. Maybe that will help.

Ellen- sounds like this new doctor is good for you. Hope you keep seeing good results.

meowee- Stay away from those chocolate bunnies they're danger, danger....

Crystle- Hey gal.... Saying a little prayer for your family that they get well...

Solly- I'm trying to send you some snow.... LOL Hope you're doing okay....

Candoit- I hope things are going better for you.. Good thoughts.....

Well off I go.

Toni, now you just keep that snow your way. They said it will miss us also. Maybe a dusting on the grass. So far it is not doing anything here. I am totally out of all food in my house. Saturday will definately be shopping day for me.

Ellen, I'm glad you are seeing results from the new doc. The surgeon who did my breast reconstruction had a horrible bedside manner, but he was the best there was and that was all that was important. I wasn't going to live with him.

Meowee, I have those hungry days every day. Hope you do better than me.

Crystle, I hope you all don't pass that nasty bug to everyonme in the family. Hope your mama comes home soon. I got to walk 2 nights this week and now it is cold again. Plus I have plantar fascitis in my heel and I can hardly walk around.

Got to run, my legs are driving me crazy and I can't sit here any longer. Have a great evening :hug:

Okay...so, Shelley is off to school today with barely any hyperventilating at all this morning. She's been to school every day this week, but every morning, she's a total wreck and I have to really force myself to get her there and then the nurse takes over and takes her to class where she has learned to control herself and ends up having a good day. Today was the first day where she went in and didn't have to have me hold her up due to her week knees. Yesterday she had me up at 4am with her breathing and help her calm down, which she never did calm down, and then I had to take her in like that and leave her. I tell you...i was in tears every day this week once I got her into school and was on my way home. I hate leaving her there like that, but today was a total triumph. I couldn't be more pleased with her progress.

I got the Lucinda Bassett set from a friend yesterday. Everyone I've talked to that has Shelley's exact problem says this system really changed their lives...but its upwards towards $600 bucks...so I'm going to sit down today and take a peek at it and see how it all goes for me/Shelley. As for me, I'm just exhausted and need a nap desperately.

Okay...TTFN...happy Friday the 13th!!

Busy, busy day for me yesterday and that will be offset by a day of hibernation today -- not, of course, because I'm superstitious of course. :s:

It is the second day of nice sunshine -- but unfortunately very cold and windy -- definitely still Winter around here.

On the good side, I'm proud to say I'm still holding in there on the OP eating.

See you later . . . :carrot:

Good morning ladies,

Friday at last and Friday the 13th at that! watch out for black cats!

Didn't sleep much last night. I has sick at my stomach all evening and when I went to bed I could not go to sleep. I got up at 12;30 and took a sleeping pill and read for 30 minutes and then went back to bed. So I didn't get up and go to the gym today. But I was still nauses and didn't t hink I should push it. Feeling some better after 2 cups of cinnamon tea. No plans for the weekned other than getting my driver's license renewed.

Tech, I'm so glad Shelley did better this week. I think you are right in making her go. I wish you could get to the root of her problem for her sake. I have never heard of Lucinda Bassett. I assume it is for anxiety. Good luck to her.

Meowee, great job staying OP all week. :dance: Keep up the good work.

Toni, Could you beleive the Biggest Loser this week? That would be so me going way off plan like they did. Boy did they get yelled at. I thought sure the blue team would win.

Crystle, hope all of you are feeling back on top by now. Have a great weekend.

Ellen, how's that new grandbaby doing?

Got to run. Have a great weekend everyone :hug:

More thoughts on Shelley...The prozac is giving her really vivid dreams, so she's not sleeping well at night, which doesn't help. Lucinda Bassetts tapes are for anxiety/agoraphobia. I'm pushing her because what I've learned about agoraphobia tells me that it is a gradual thing and if not nipped in the bud as soon as possible, eventually, Shelley won't even want to leave the house to go to the mall or to walk near the river or anything. It's a gradual process. It started for Shelley in about 7th grade when she's sweat profusely from her armpits practically to her waistline. Then she started having shortness of breath and irregular heartbeats. Then the 'mondayitis' started to kick in in the form of crying herself to sleep on Sunday nights because she didn't want to go to school the next day. The pediatrician started to put things together as we took her in for each symptom and sent her to the psychologist and she was diagnosed with this phobia. Agoraphobia is the fear of being away from home and also the fear of crowded places. If you have ever been to Cape Vincent, it would be hard to think someone could be afraid of crowded places around here because its hard to just get three people even on the street at the same time, much less find a crowd! But! The other day I took Shelley to school to meet with a tutor and we ended up in the hallway where it was shoulder-to-shoulder packed with rude teenagers trying to get to class. And where is Shelley afraid to be? School. It all is starting to fall into place now and make sense. Derek still wants me to homeschool Shelley, but from what I've been told by the school nurse, letting her escape from this fear will only make it worse. The school nurse had Agoraphobia to the point that she didn't leave her house for a very long time for her fears. She knows what she's talking about. If anything, shelley NEEDS school as a tool to get passed what she's afraid of there. Otherwise, she'll never be able to go to college or get a job or be successful of anything if we allow this fear to take over.

Anyhow...its my day off and I'm supposed to be cleaning and here I sit at the 'puter gabbing away.

TTFN!! Will be back later once I feel like I've accomplished something... :s: