Good Afternoon:

I'm alive and kicking and OP!! I had a pretty busy day so only skimmed posts earlier, but had a few minutes to post now, so here it is.

I went to Sprouts for milk & chicken, and they had local cantaloupes (3 for $1.00)....not 3 #'s, 3 cantaloupes. I only got two though because they were so fresh. I will cut them in half and eat half for breakfast the next few days.

I am bringing dinner to my friend tomorrow (the one who lost the twin). I am making Chicken Enchilada casserole...not legal, but I'm going to make some for us too. I'll probably sub some La Tortillas for the corn tortillas in ours, and it will then be pretty close to legal. I will bring them some beans and some lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and guacamole too. I bought a carrot cake to bring along with the dinner.

I will be off and on the next few days; DH has the next 4 days off, but will be working in the yard. He is putting up a beehive fireplace and BBQ pit in our yard. He is going to be laying block this weekend for the walls. We have a huge delivery from Home Depot coming tomorrow a.m.

I am getting up at 4 a.m. to get to the gym tomorrow and then will go Saturday morning as well...that will be 4 days this week. I will be doing my Ab Scissor in a few minutes and then again on Saturday. So, I am eating good and exercising!! I've gotta make it through this weekend!

School is officially out after tomorrow and the kids are going to drive eachother crazy; they are screaming and fighting as we speak. I will have to find plenty to keep them busy.

GATOR: HAVE A FANTASTIC TIME AND A SAFE TRIP. YOU WILL BE MISSED AND THOUGHT OF OFTEN. WE HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU WHILE YOU ARE AWAY!!! THIS WILL BE AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME :grouphug: Try to watch your eating as much as you can, but enjoy some of the local goodies :hungry: :eating2: , and try to exercise when you can :tread: But most of all, just have FUN :dancer:

Teensy: A sprinker party is just when the kids run around and play in the sprinklers (to beat the Arizona heat), and eat lots of potluck type food and popsicles. It s/b fun. Best of luck with DH party; I'm sure he will be surprised and it will turn out to be a great time for all. Hoping for wonderful weather for you!!

Kids are screaming...gotta run!

Take care,
Nat

Well, I'm signing off for the night. It's good to see a few people posting. My DD and her BF came over for dinner tonight. Meat loaf, brown rice, brussels sprouts sauteed with sliced almonds, and salad.

All of a sudden it has really hit me that I'm gonna be gone from my great house and hubby for almost a month and I can hardly believe it. I have this weird feeling that I'm outta my mind. Kind of a nervous feeling. Hope I get over this and can sleep tonight.

I just got an e-mail from a friend in Haiti/Dominican Republic. The loss of life down there because of the flooding is bad. About 1000 Haitians in one area died in the flood. Terrible.

Today was Laura's graduation. Thankfully she couldn't see me weeping while they marched in to Pomp and Circumstance. That song always makes me teary. I don't have anymore high school students! No more school age kids! Just adult kids. I feel old! Everyone came back over here after the ceremony for hot dogs, hamburgers, and snacks. A group went swimming...I even took a dip in the pool since the air conditioner broke this morning! I called the ac guy and he came while we were gone to the graduation. When we got home, I expected to see it fixed, but instead it was all torn apart. He called tonight and told me it was the compressor, and it would be in tomorrow morning. I can't believe it...we just had that unit installed a couple years ago! He told me it was more like five...grrr...I hope its not outrageous to get it replaced. Everyone left at about 8 and went to a local restaurant where they have a trivia contest every Thursday. Laura's group of friends has gone two weeks in a row before tonight. The first week, they came in second, and the second week they came in first. I bet they place again tonight. The prize is $50 off your bill. Tonight, her older brother and his roommate went along. They all were happy to get out of my un-air conditioned house I think! :)

I feel pretty bad tonight. I ate chips and dip and had two hot dog buns. I am glad I feel crumby. I hope it is something I can remember clearly the next time I want to eat something I shouldn't!



GATOR: I hope you have a wonderful trip! What a great experience! We will miss you, and await hearing from you anxiously! Big hugs to you! I hope you have FUN! I will be praying for you..

A quick howdy...
 

Boy is it hot!!! I am so not ready for summer. I did so good with the eating yesterday until last night. :D No complaints though...I had fried green tomatoes and then I had fried green tomatoes topped with fresh red tomatoes..it was DEVINE. We are gonna be at mom's again tomorrow so I don't know if I'll get time to post but I'll try. I do read every day and you guys are such and encouragement.

I pulled a muscle to I'm off to soak in the tub after I finish posting. I picked up something too heavy and pulled something in the most odd place.

Jack-K...((hugzz))

Colleen...don't I wish we could walk together. We'd even have fun weeding the garden. If you could put up with me...I talk talk talk...oh and did I tell you I'm a talker....LOL

Monet...I hope the new medicine kicks in quickly and you start feeling better.

Gator...you are not crazy...have a BLAST on your vacation.

Heart...hey woman...you'll be in your goal pants before you know it. Remind me goal size again please..I'm forgetful ya know.

Poncho..wow three for a dollar is unheard of here..what a bargin.

(((Bob))) I'm so glad you are starting to feel better.

Sabrina...woo hoo on the two more pounds!!!!

Gotta run...Britt has her sugar gliders out and I want to take a peek.

Love and hugs,
Crystle

Good Friday Morning:wave:

It's early here, earlier than I have to be up, so I thought I'd get a quickie while I'm able.

Too much going on here and it's not going to let up as the end of school gets closer. The last day of school is the 9th, those last 3 days are early release, kids get out at Noon so not much I can do with those days.

This week ELI was off yesterday AND Wednesday - two days in a row, unheard of! He's going in late today which gives him the morning off - didn't know he'd be off like this til Tuesday, which screwed up my Thursday plans I had with my sister AND he'll be off on Sunday - guess it's a bigger surprise that we haven't killed each other yet;)

Eating sucks, can't stay OP at this time but trying to make it so I don't so screw up all the time. Eat good and stay OP when I'm able and when I have to eat at an event, don't worry about screwing up - after graduation, we have the party and then Vegas, after that, there will be NO excuses!!!

Had some kind of computer problems Wednesday. All of a sudden the computer kicked off line and rebooted. Each time I tried to get back on line it would do the same thing. I couldn't get on AOL to do anything! Kept trying - didn't find a virus with my Norton virus protector, friend thought I had the Sasser worm, finally after continual trying, miraculously got on, got the patch from Microsoft - no virus! She sent me another site and there was a trojan horse, not the problem as this brings up pop-ups, which has been happening for 3 weeks now, so that wasn't the problem - no virus or worm found. Have no idea what it was - it stopped and hasn't come back. Did remove the Trojan, but somehow it's come back - we got this when MICHAEL downloaded Yahoo instant msgr. Have to try to get it off - it's annoying AND it disrupts me. Just glad to be back on line!!!!!

Lots of stuff going on, too much, hate it. I have nothing to wear to any of these events - even let MICHAEL'S Dad take him to the breakfast yesterday - too many events and I have nothing to wear to more than one and I have 4 more to go to - have to try and find something - anything!!!!!!!!!:eek:

Well, I have to get ready to take the kids to school - I just LOVE:rolleyes: the morning task of getting LAUREN up - not an easy one!!!!

Hope everyone is well - miss you guys~

{{{HUGS}}}:grouphug:

Deb

Good Morning! I am waiting for the AC guy to show up. If he has to drive over to Marietta to get the compressor first, it will be a long wait. I am supposed to go to the church office to do worship guides today too. What a day this is going to be! argh! And I thought once the graduation was over, I would have a bit of a break! No way. At this rate, it will be constant until the wedding cake on the 12th of June.

I am feeling a bit better but it takes a few weeks for the medications to get up to speed, and for you to see much improvement. I zoned out last night, and I think my poor husband is the one who cleaned up all the condiments and stuff from the party. I came upstairs and sat here staring at the computer. I can't even remember what I was doing....I slept late this morning..did not get up until about 7:30, so I am a bit more perky this morning.

Off to get something done...gotta make the bed, and stuff. :)

Good Friday morning.

Glad it's Friday and a holiday weekend too.

My treatment went well yesterday. Did have to wait 1 1/2 hours to get it though. It was getting ast and I was getting worried as I have to wait 24 hours to get my shot and that means they have to be done before 5:00. Luciky, they finished at 4:40. It's a pain being there so long. Oh well. Only a slight headache today. So far no nausa. Guess my even numbered ones are the good ones. I am half way done. Can't believe it. Done with the first meds too.

We have been having such bad storm and tornado warnings. It has rained all week. Not a good prospect for the holiday weekend either.

I did get my TM in yesterday and my wall squats but no floor exercises last night. I was too drugged. Thouht I should not do the TM this morning as I didn't want to jostle my stomach. So I will take the day off today. Will take a walk tomorrow with DH.

Monet, sorry about your TSH. How does it get out of wack so bad? The Lord works in mysterious ways. And things happen for a reason. Maybe the offer was just meant for you. That song makes me cry too, especially when it's one of your and your baby. I bawled my eyes out at my DD's, even when the oldest graduated from collge. Just consider your binge comforting. Glad you are feeling better today.

Teensy, all you have been doing for the party and the rainy weather is enough to make you tired. You will love the cheesecake. I'm soure DH will love the party. Can't wait to hear all about it.

Tranquil, so glad everything went well with DS and ex. I know you had to be nervous about it. Those are some long hours. Hope you can snack during the day. Congrats on the 2 pounds.

Wood, enjoy your scrapbooking. I'm jealous.

Gator, I don't understand the pineapple thing. How can fruit be back for you. I know it is a high gi, but still. I hate a carry-on, much less it being heavy. Have a wonderful and safe trip. I know you will have fun and converse well with the French. Try to pop on for just a hi if you get the chance. We will miss you.

Heart, what a bargain and some great incentive.

Bob, glad you are feeling better. No, I don't know where Wickliffe is.

Nat, 4 days at the gym is wonderful.

Country, hope that muscle is better today. Maybe get some type of rub for it. I wish we lived close. we could walk and be great diet buddies.

Rosalie, so glad to hear from you. We have missesd you. Wow 5 lbs is great. Most people come back and say they have gained at least 10. So tht is an accomplishment. What is it about those fries. Through this whole chemo thing, that is what i have wanted the most. Go figure. Hope you continue to pop in.

Deb, Look at all that quality time you and Eli are getting. Preparing your for your trip. :lol: Just do what you can with your eating. it is better to eat OP and then off when you have to. The key is to get back on and no
t stay off. That's my problem.

Need to get busy. Should be back later.

Jackie

Good morning.
 

I should be walking but I am being lazy this morning. Hopefully with my nephew being at mom's he'll wak with his auntie this evening. :)

Rosalie...so good to see you!!! Minus 5 is great.

Jack-K...praying your day continues to go well. We would be great diet buddies. You are such an encourager.

Monet...so glad to hear you got a good nights rest. We went to bed earlier but we still woke up too early. The flies are horrible this year. I'm a light sleeper and they wake me up when they touch me. Farm life..*smile*

Deb...enjoy all your events. Getting OP when you can will help balance out the other. After your life settles down you can get back to what works for you...hang in there.

Hope ya'll all have a super fantastic Friday.

Love and hugs,
Crystle

Got busy and now I have to run get my $4,900.00 shot. :fr:

Country, flies, count your blessings. we have Cicadas. They are horrible in some areas. Especially the pool we go to. I scream everytime one gets near me (such a sissy).

Have a great holidayweekend everyone. Try to stay legal.

Jackie

Oh almost forgot.

Back to the idea for a challenge. I see our exercise is up to 2 pages which is good.

How about we go for 4 days OP. Any takers. I probably won't be on here Monday to start it, but if anyone is game?

Deb--Hang in there and things will soon simmer down. Just try to find a pace for life when Michael leaves for Yale, and let that gentler pace keep your days less hectic. We're pulling for you.

Thanks, everyone, for the good wishes. This time tomorrow I will be headed to Paris. Monday is a national holiday over there and I was thinking that maybe we'd have a day to get refreshed from the long flight and time change of 6 hours, but we actually have class. In fact, it is testing to see what level we will be in during the 4 weeks of classes. I am hoping that I will be a high intermediate. It would be a dream to be at a high level, but realistically, I think that I'm probably intermediate.
I'm still a little nervous now that the time is so close, and it's like a scary dream. When I get over there and get to my house and then to the school, I think I'll be able to relax then.

I thought and thought about what gift to take to the friends that I hpe to get to visit in Limoges. I decided to take key lime juice and sweetened condensed milk so I could make a key lime pie--a very Florida dish--as a gift. It would be something they wouldn't have, I think. The bottle of juice and the can of milk weigh a bit so I tried to think of something else. But nothing came to mind that I think is any better, so, I guess I'll still be toting that juice and milk. :) Guess I'll have to help them eat a little of the pie, too. :)

Just puttering around today. Got some hamburger meat and made it into patties for my DH for him to fix a quick hamburger dinner. He CAN do that. And some black bean soup from the cuban deli that everyone loves. So, he'll have BB soup this weekend. After all that, he's on his own.

Monet, Teensy and others--your veggies sound so great. I used to have a veggie garden and it was so fun. It was almost more fun growing the plants than actually picking them. But picking was also fun. Now we just have the flowers.

Monet, what do you think made your TSH go up so high? Your thyroid is working hard. Is it telling you that you need more T3? I have to say that even with my thyroid more under control, I don't lose weight like I expected to. It is still TOUGH!!! I guess it's a curse of women over 50. My dr. says lots of women have that same problem.

Well, I'm gonna go for now. Talk later.

Good afternoon:

I got up at 4 a.m. again to get to the gym. Good thing too since I blew it today. I had 1/2 of a Trioplex bar on the way to the gym and ate an apple on my drive home. On my way to Britt's "sprinkler" party, I ate a handful of grapes and a few bites of a Kashi Go Lean bar. BUT, once we got there and had been in the sun for 2 hours playing, I was starved and there wasn't anything legal, other than the celery and carrots I brought, but that would never fill me up. I ended up having a burger (with the bun), a few FF, and a brownie. Yep, I did! I worked out hard, and will go tomorrow, so hopefully won't affect the weight too much.

I have to bring dinner to my friend tonight, and will eat that too, which will be pretty legal, with a few exceptions in the ingredients. I'll add a lot of lettuce, tomatoes & guac to mine.

South Beach Diet has a new cookbook out, and I think a lot of the recipes would probably work well for SugarBusters. I might go by the bookstore, and check it out. I really would like to plan to make a new dish once or twice a week to try some new things.

Any ideas on how to prepare a zucchini about the size of my head? My Dh has a client that gave him one, and I have no clue what to do with it. I think I might cut it up like I would an eggplant and make a parmigiana dish out of it.

Rosalie: Congrats on the 5#'s! I splurge on McDonald's FF at least once every month or two, but I only get the small bag, and eat it by itself. Britt goes back to school the end of August, so three months off. I enrolled her in Bible study camp for a week (3 hours a day) starting on the 7th of June. That should keep her from getting too bored. We are heading out of town the end of June for two weeks, so she won't have too much time to get bored. I only go to the gym at 4 a.m. once or twice a week...that way DH is home with the girls and I don't have to drag them along. It is nice to drive there all by myself and not have to worry about my workout being interrupted. Good to see your posts again!!

Monet: Congrats to Laura! Hope your AC is fixed by now!

Country: People really eat Fried Green Tomatoes? :lol: . You can tell I'm a city girl. Sounds interesting; how do you prepare them?

Deb: Did you get your money back from the hypnotist? Good luck with all your outings. So glad you were able to check in!

Jack-K: Are the treatments different every time you go in? I wonder why you do good one time and not the next. I am definately in on a 4-day OP challenge, but really think we should start it on Tuesday since so many of us won't be around on Monday, and...let's face it, some of us will use the Memorial Day as an excuse to "cheat," and need a good challenge to get back on track on Tuesday.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I will try to check in periodically!!

Take care, and be careful out there!
Nat

Tgif
 

Hello Pals! I am so looking forward to the next three days off from work! Yeah!!!!!! Woke up to an incredible story recognizing women from WWII - a cameo of one woman, a nurse in the army, now 83, wife, mother, grandmother who survived the war -particularly the invasion of Normandy - it is just amazing to think that with all the history books, movies, etc. - her story and the others is not one that I have ever read or heard about until today - always romance of women falling in love, or being leaders of underground "railways" of getting the Jewish people in Europe out of danger, or Rosie the Riveter, but not women jumping off boats with soldiers in Normandy risking their lives to save our wounded....very good story....

Sef - That is great that you had a good visit with Mary and family...I am looking forward to seeing them very much tomorrow - Zach is too. I told him about her stuffed chicken and cooking - and he is chomping at the bit to get down there - he kept saying, will we be able to eat dinner with them too!!! hahahaha.... :D Tomorrow I am going to stop at the health food store and see if I can find some really interesting treats to surprise them Mary with... Hope that your physical therapy helps you soon - do you get to swim? I remember when I broke my shoulder in a really awful car wreck when I was a teen and visiting friend's house with pool - their father, a doctor, told me to get in that pool and start using that shoulder - and wow, it healed so fast - and that swimming felt so good...of course, I was 16, don't think I would be saying the same thing these days if something happened to my shoulder! OUCH!!!!! I had shattered it - impact fracture - still have a small bony lump where the bone healed funny. :o

JackK - WOW What an expensive - very expensive - shot - better be a good one too! Funny you mentioned the cicadas - first I am right there with you - I cannot stand those things, they give me the willy chillies and make me screach...Mom asked me tonight when we went for a walk if the sound she was hearing were cicadas - YEP!!!! I said sadly enough every year they are here - not like in NJ when they were the "every 7 year" bug...but they are very loud and surrounding her whole home...they were so loud it sounded like machines running - :lol:
Gator - Bon Voyage!!!!!! :wave: I hope that you take pics and share them with us!!!!!

Pancho - Zucchini, a few ways I like it - 1) sliced in flat long slices with some dashes of italian dressing and parmesan cheese baked/broiled 2) Rattatouille (sp?) recipes are great - zucchini, onion, tomatoes, etc ... 3) I just had a dish of zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, onion, olives and feta cheese and baked it all together for an hour (cubed the eggplant so it cooked really well) and it was a hit here! I know there were some great zucchini recipes on the board too... doesn't someone on the board have a really good zucchini lasagna recipe using the zucchini as the lasagna noodle? Making me hungry :hun: I know what you mean about slipping on eating something not very legal - time to walk, run, lift weights, whatever it takes - starting to get like that myself lately - if I even think I had something that might be too heavy, etc. - I am out there walking or trying to find some exercise to do to help...even if it is just cleaning the house or gardening...and it works!!!!

Crystle - sounds like you are having a good time with your mom....tomatoes - fresh summer tomatoes - yummy - Zach is growing some and it has lots of blooms right now - excited about it, cannot wait to try one when they are ready... Hope that pulled muscle heals up!

Rosalie - WOOOOHOOOO about dropping those 5 pounds!!!! :cheer: That is such a great thing to get rid of that plateau you have been stuck on!!!! Wishing you many more of those 5 pound surprises this summer....

Monet - I hope that A/C got fixed - and I believe you are correct, your a/c had problems in summer of 2002 - why I think this is because for some reason I remember it mentioned that you had to keep cooling off in the pool because it was so hot and the a/c was out of commission!!! Well I cannot blame you for tearing up over Laura's graduation - even if they did play that tear jerking/heart string tugging tune!!! I imagine it is a tearful thing - oh gosh, don't even want to think about my kidlet graduating - you know he is almost as tall as me - within the past month he went from being 5'3" - he is now over 5'4" - which is taller than my mother - 4 more inches and he will be eye to eye with me - when will that be, next month!!!! :lol3:

Deb - I was glad I got the chance to call you tonight and chat!!! You better relax and have some fun and "enjoy" some time -vacation - with Eli - you both deserve it - wish I could go too!!!!!! But, instead I think I will just send wishes that you and Eli have a "profitable" vacation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :wizard:

Well to everyone I have not posted to - have a great Memorial Weekend, a safe one too - meaning stay away from the crazy drivers, wear your seatbelts and don't get into trouble at bbq's and pool parties - enjoy, stay cool, and there seem to be quite a few good movies out this weekend too if you are trying to escape crowds and heat!!!!

Night, Sabrina