Shelley I agree with Gayle once again. I think that your neighbor must have low self esteem or be jealous of you. Poor Patty took the brunt of it. Your a great mom and that is all that counts. It doesn't matter what your neighbor says she isn't even a friend of yours.
Remember that you are on maintainace. We go up a bit and down and that is just life. We just have to catch it before it goes up to high though.

Gayle you can keep your snow. We have plenty and I don't want to see another inch. It has actually warmed up a bit now.
I am sure that you will need to go through some growing pains with your new business adventure. You will do fine just don't burn yourself out.
Even though you are busy remember to drink your water and you can buy a bagged salad for lunch and add some boiled egg or sandwich meat to it. I know you can do it. I remember when you use to count your sunflower seeds with your tomato juice for snack. Time to get rid of the cow. It is giving you subliminal messages. lol
How are your neighbors doing?

Janice did you get your daughter started on the cayenne pepper? I swear by it for warming me up. Just remind her to take it with a meal and a full glass of water.
It has been quite balmy here but I am ready to fly out of here.

Suzy why do you think that you are over eatting? Face what is going on in your life. Start journaling again. Do you have a before and after pic? If you do post them somewhere that you can see them. Don't give up. Like I said to Shelley on maintainace you go up and down but you have to catch yourself before you goup to much. I am at my top end of my personal goal but I am 5 pounds below ww's goal. I have to go down a couple of pounds so that I have some leeway for the holidays. I did drop a pound since my december weigh in. I am really going to give it all I have til I leave on vacation. I am hoping that jogging on the beach will keep my weight down.
I am glad that Allison doesn't mind her braces. They are soo in.

Allison I can't imagine getting up that early to exercise. I set my clock for 8:00 so that I can get to the gym by 9:00. I give you credit. Now after I said that tomorrow you gotta do it!
Maybe you need to shake up your eatting a bit. Try eating a few more calories. Sometimes our body gets use to what we are doing and just won't let those pounds go. Try changing up fyour food choices a bit. If you aren't journaling give that a try.

Cheryl try eating bran buds and drinking more fluids. You need fiber girl! I am sure that you must be uncomfortable. You could also try medimusal sp? It will work gently.

Another trip to the dentist today. At least it was for a cleanning and a fitting for a night appliance. I clench my teeth at night which has been causing pain and tooth fractures, hopefully this will help.
Tomorrow I am going to get my hair cut shoulder length. It is hard to tell how long it is in my pic but it is down to my bra strap in the back. It is just getting to long.
Dez lost her job today. They fired her for stealing. She swears that she didn't take any money from the til and you know what? I believe her. She suspects one of her managers stealing from her til. He has had a beef with her for awhile. He manages her til when she goes on break. When the upper management called her in today she told them that but they didn't believe her. I told her that when one door closes another one opens so just to have faith. She works at the bar at the beer vendor and the slot machines. It is a low life bar so she really needed to get out of their. I am just worried about her being able to support herself.
Larry is busy working on Dez's bedroom. I really want to call it the guest room if you get what I mean. ;-)
What do you guys thinK? Jay wanted to discuss our family membership at the Y. It is $55 a month. He pays a 1/3 we pay 2/3. Dez started to go with me in oct. She doesn't pay anything. Larry has only gone about 5 times since summer. I am not sure if Jay realizes this. I don't use it much in the summer nor for the 6 weeks that I go away. We could put it on hold while we are gone but Jay uses it so we don't. Anyways the issue is this. Jay doesn't like having to owe us $$$ every month. So he said that it is a family give and take situation. He wants us to pay the all of the membership because if Larry and I would have one it would be $55 a month. Dez said that she would pay 1/4 of the membership if that would help this issue. If I canceled the family membership Larry wouldn't get one because it is a waste of money. It would be only me and it would be $25. What do you think that we should do?
I feel that we should still get him to pay but maybe only a 1/4 of the membership even though I don't think that Dez will stick to it much longer. The way I see it, it is costing us almost $230 more a year because I would put it on hold a total of 4 months a year and would only pay $200 a year then. Right now I am paying $430. A 12 month memebership would only cost me $300 so even if I didn't put it on hold it still would be cheaper.
Jay has us by the balls right now because we want him to watch out little Amigo when we go away. Dez wants to watch him but I am not sure if the landlady will let her.
What is your opinion? Just remember what Jay is like. I know he holds a grudge and thinks we are always taking him for a ride which I really think it is the other way around. This year we are paying for the booze at his wedding, plus giving him some extra cash, buying a large silent aution prise for his social, buying shower gifts etc.... Never mind the money we spent on him and Ash for christmas......Time to get off my soap box. Do you think that I am wrong charging him for it or should we just pay for it?

Dee-I think you should go for the $25.00 per month personal membership for yourself if you are the only one that really uses it. Jay should get his own, and since Larry and Dez don't really use it, the argument for Jay would be over. He would be on his own and perhaps he and his wife will join by themselves after they get married.

Allison-I get up everyday at 4:AM. I wish I had time to workout in the morning, but I spend too much time on the computer before work. Besides, I would be sweaty even after my shower. The weekends are the only time I can get a morning workout. BTW, I used to get up at 3:30 to do weights when I was on Body For Life. Do you girls remember that? I was half asleep doing very heavy weights. I hated it.

Cheryl-I hope you feel better. You may want to try a suppository. I was addicted to them in my bulimic years, but they are get for getting everything flowing.

Allison, I am not a morning person! I admire anyone who can get up and get going. I get up, sit at the computer, do a few things, shower and then I feel alive.

Dee, I agree with Shelley, get the membership for yourself. The other option is getting the family one and then tell Jay and Dez it is a birthday (or whatever holiday)present.

Cheryl, hope you are feeling better! No other comments!

Gayle, any extra snow can be sent here! I really miss it! This year, we have had flurries and nothing else! I want a good storm! It is supposed to be really cold today and tomorrow, so I am hoping after that, maybe we will get something! Good luck with the new business! Just remember to take some time for yourself, so you don't burn out!

Today is my day off and I am spending it doing some laundry and a few other things around the house. A friend gave me five huge garbage bags stuffed with old clothes, she doesn't wear, doesn't fit or whatever. I went though them last night, tried on what I wanted and now washing them and will mark some for hemming and like that. The clothes I don't want are being donated to the local Thrift Store.

Okay, gals, it's been 2 days.....that I have failed to get up and exercise. Yikes, I can't believe that I'm giving in, but I just might be....I'll evaluate that later.

I have decided that this weekend, I am going to do a lot of soul searching and investigating (by way of my $100 gift card for Barnes & Noble). I'm going to do something and really change things up for the next couple of weeks to see if I can kick start myself back into losing. I don't know if it will entail a new low-fat or low-calorie cook book or a new diet book. It might be as simple as a really detailed eating plan that I put together for a couple of weeks rather than the fly by the seat of my pants approach that I'm employing now. I simply detest having someone tell ME what to eat, but if I make a 2 week menu plan, I'll stick with it.

Yummy, I made a batch of steel cut oats overnight. I had 1/4 this morning with some raisins and a tablespoon of honey. But here I am 3 hours later and I'm starving! Guess I'll eat that apple I brought.

All your talk of snow! I am so glad I don't have to deal with that any longer! DD has a four day weekend off of school and she and some friends went to Big Bear to go snowboarding today. That is as close as I need to be! Sure, I'd love to take a vacation and go skiing, but it only be enjoyable knowing that I can come home to my desert sunshine!

Everyone have a great day!

Dee ~ I don't know what my problem is, but the fact that it's winter may have something to do with it and then a little added stress besides that is probably part of the problem. I went through and cleaned out the refrigerator and cupboards again today and once again I'm going to start from scratch and see if I can get my eating under control. Like I said before, I know what I need to do, I just NEED to do it!

I'm sorry to hear of Dez's trouble...I hope she finds a new job soon!

By the way...I agree with everyone else, get the membership for yourself.

Allison ~ It's snowing here today and we have wind chill warning for tomorrow...it's going to feel like it's 20 below!

Debbi ~ How nice that you got all those hand-me-downs! I'm sure it helps with the wardrobe budget...especially while you're losing weight and sizes change so often! Enjoy your day off!

I hope everyone is doing great! I have been soooooooo busy, but loving every minute at the shop. My days there have been 8:30-5:00 just trying to catch up since they have went since Christmas time without a stylist. I am enjoying the residents and the staff is very considerate and friendly. I'm really happy with my decision to take over the shop. I am still working at the liquor store 3 days a week. I love retail sales and I like my job, just tired of some of the immature co-workers and their "know it all" attitude. I don't want to rush into quitting the store though until I know how the shop will work out for me.

Dee, I think you should just get your own membership and let Jay wing it. No point in paying for months you won't even be around. I like Debs suggestion too of if you do decide to pay for a family membership, you call it birthday etc. Could Dez stay at your house and watch Amigo?

Deb have fun "shopping" out of the bags! I have a cousin who send clothes to Allison a few times a year. Allison loves sorting & going through all the "new" clothes.

Hey Dee, whatcha think....is my gorgeous guy better then the cold cow???
I'm feeling ready for Summer, I'm hot, hot, hot!!! LOL!

Man Gayle you got me all excited.....I thought for a moment that we had a new poster boy! He sure does beat the cow.......lol You are so cool Gayle or should I say Hot Hot Hot!

Thanks ladies for your advice. I feel the say way that Jay should pay his own but I just wanted to know if you felt that I was being cheap or selfish. I know that Jay is going to be upset over it and he holds a grudge but what else can I do. He is getting a good deal if we continue paying for part of it like we are or like you all said he can go pay for his own.
Thanks again for the advise. I know that I can always count on you ladies.
Have a good night.

Gayle-Nice avatar!! Did I tell you we have a couple of seniors from one of the local assisted living homes come in and volunteer every Thursday? One of the kindergarten teacher's mom lives there and she arranged it. Even though 1 of them is very loud, it is so nice to have them come and read with the kids.

Allison-I am reading Bob Green's book now. It's so much like what I do anyway. I only wish I could stop eating 2 hrs before bedtime. I go to bed so early though. I also wake up during the night and have something. Lately it's been 2 sf popscicles to cool me off from the hot flashes. I really need to work on that.