Good morning everyone. What a nice way to start tthe day. I need a pat on the back. I almost decided not to go to the gym this morning. I was so tired and achy. But, at the last minute, I did go. EVen if it was just the recumbent bike, at least it was something. Now if I could just work on the eating

Lucky, I supervise group homes. I really like what I do. My horse is usually only bratty when I have been a bad mom. He is too darn smart sometimes. I find kickboxing very empowering. Start your kicks small, your balance would improve. A huge congratulations to you for saying no to cookies. I was pretty proud of myself for not going out of the house for chocolate last night. I wanted some pretty bad, but managed ot not go. By the way, if you are warped, so am I because I LOVE THAT CARD!

Chachee, everyone is missing I feel sad. I know how hard it is to admit your weight. I am tall, so people don't usually realize how fat I am, so it makes it even harder when they try to buy me something in a too small size. They don't realize what a porker I am. I would so like to not have to worry about it. Good luck with your weigh in. I hope it all goes well.

I will be at a conference tomorrow. Talk to you more on Friday. Have a super couple of days.

Good evening Ladies.

Hope everyone is just fabulous.

My weigh in is tommorrow also. I know that I haven't done very well.

Chachee I weigh more now than i did when I was 9 months pregnant. Its interesting because my doctor told me I really didn't need to gain much weight. When I got put on my diabetes diet I lost a little weight and the doctor said as long as my stomache was growing I could go ahead and lose a few pounds and all would be well. Doctors. I sure can't lose the weight now.

The diet that I was reading about was not the south beach diet, I don't know what it was called because my hubby did something with my womans world magazine but it looked quite healthy and was sort of along the same lines as a diabetic diet. When I find it I will post it.

Jolly - Wow what a special person you are to take the time to make that your job and put so much of yourself into it. Can I ask is a group home for handicapped or troubled teenagers. We have a group home for both around our neighborhood. I also have a little neighbor boy whom I love just like my own and he is autistic and what a great talented kid he is. He amazes me because it is like he is a little genius at some things, Eygypt and Hyroglyphics he is really into and can tell you amazing facts, but at other things he has such a hard time. You cannot tell by looking at him that anything is wrong and it is such a heartbreak when people point at him or say things about him. His mom says he will eventually (its up to him) will have to live in a group home if he wants to move out. It really does take a special person to make them feel great about themselves.

Happy, Hippy and Raven hope all is well.

Good night everyone
Kathy

Hi everyone,
Sorry I haven't posted though been thinking of you. It's been a really, really hectic week with both school and work and unexpected things happening that mess up your otherwise careful plans. And I just found out my mom is coming to spend the night on Sunday so on top of all of this I have to clean the house for company too. My mom's a real sweetie and actually she would clean the house for me but I can't let her do that. I am trying to get ahead of myself so we can have a nice visit Sunday night since I talk to her all the time but don't get to see her as much as I'd like.

So all I can say is TARZAN YELL AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Been trying to behave myself on food and water since exercise is out the window. Guess I will start points again come Monday when hopefully things calm down.

I hope to get back to you all on Monday, till then keep the faith, seems like it's a tough week for everyone. Must be something in the air...

Anyone heard from Raven? Not like her to be away for so long. Hope nothing is wrong.

Hello Ladies!

Raven?? pssst....raven??? Come in Raven......Janig......Hippy.. Where is everyone?

Jolly: Congrats on the gym!!! You did well! I know what you mean about the "being tall and not fat". See, I have a 40DD chest, and have had it since I was in 7th grade! I go in for a consult with a plastic surgeon in January for a reduction surgery. If I lose my chest, my weight is really going to show, so I need to get some of this off!!

Lucky: Sending good vibes for your weigh in! Let us know!

Happy: Welcome back! I know how crazy life gets! Check in when you can!

My hubby has orders from me to get the home computer working or get a new one! I'm tired of not having one at home. Grrr...

Okay, outta here!

Chach

Hello everyone. Sorry it took me so long to get here. I met with my managers this morning, and it took awhile to settle them down. Yikes. I need to have more regular meetings with them. In this line of work, you tend to get into "fire fighting" mode, and forget to keep on top of hte every day things when it is quiet. Chachee, good luck with the plastic surgery. I would need ot go the other direction - I have next to nothing Ah well. Grass is always greener and all that. I will try to locate Raven. I haven't heard from her either. Happy, glad to see you. How are you liking this weather? Also, how close are you to Chicago? Were you affected by the garbage strike?

Got to run. Lots to do. Have a wonderful weekend, and talk more on Monday.

Hello ladies.

Really quickly wanted to come on in and post a hello and wish everyone a nice weekend. I'm going to a craft show with my hubby and son. Will hopefully get out to see Kill Bill this weekend. My 4 year anniversary is next weekend. We are going to my fave restaurant and having blackened halibut and key lime pie. Yummy!

Jolly, I've had several friends ask for my leftovers from the surgery. Oh, if it were only that simple. I can't wait to have hopefully at least half of this chest gone in about six months!!

Chach

HEEEELLLLLOOOOOOOO Ladies! I have missed this place!!!
I had Jordan at home for a few days sick, he is better now. Now Gary is sick. I have worked extra hard on cleaning and degerming everything because I don't want it!!!

I haven't had a chance to keep up with points or anything but as of this morning I am down a pound! WOOHOO!!!! I started this journey in late August weighing 285. OUCH!! I hate to admit that! Now I weigh 264. That still hurts but I am on my way down!!! Going back to the South Beach Monday. I felt so much better when I was following that plan instead of the diabetic plan. The carbs do make me feel sluggish.

Lucky, I too weigh more now than I did 9 months pregnant. I think it's sad! I gained 13 pound when I was pregnant and can't believe I have gained so much weight over the years.

Gary and Jordan are off working today. I will be cleaning house, doing laundry, cleaning the patio and so on to prepare for Jordan' birthday cookout tomorrow. He thinks he's the big **** because he's turning 13! It breaks my heart but am glad to see him growing into such a great young man. I know to me he will always be my little boy!!!

Sorry for the long post and can't really remember what all I read that you all posted so I hope I haven't not commented on something that is important.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!!

Wow. Sorry for the major absence. My network at work has been having serious issues for the last week, and I've been really busy at home. Hard to keep up!

Chachee - Thank you for the birthday wishes. I actually had probably the best birthday I've ever had, and it was for one really simple reason. I have a horse. I know that's silly, and I know that I've had Arashi now for a few months, but I have never, ever been able to hang out with *my own horse* and ride *my own horse* on *my* birthday. I can't even begin to say how totally perfect it was. And my boy was an absolute angel. The only thing that would have made it more perfect is if my boyfriend had been with us, but he was home sick as a dog. Poor dear. All I can hope is that I don't get it as badly as he has it. Some throat, upper respiritory crap. I can feel it trying to get me, so I'm trying really hard to get enough rest and drink LOTS of water and not push anything. I have no sick leave left for the rest of the year, so I can't afford to get sick! How are those adorable puppies!? Have you decided you want to ship them to me yet? Oh, and my daughter is jealous that you're having surgery! She wants hers removed, too! Poor thing... she's 14 and already has a bigger chest than I do. I hope and pray it stops growing now, but I have a sinking feeling she's going to end up overly endowed. She absolutely hates it, and if there's anything I can do for her, I will. I know there isn't a doc alive (well, a good one anyway) who would touch her right now, but maybe when she's a little older and they've determined she has finished developing we can have some reduction work done.

My birthday is kind of a combination of last night and tonight... Tonight my daughter is going to cook dinner, though we're not sure what she's going to cook yet. And I'm making pudding pie for dessert. Yeah, I know... not exactly health food. My boyfriend got me this absolutely perfect set of glasses -

My New Glassware!

They're nice and heavy, and the fact that they're handmade is really nifty to me. I love them. I'm also getting black leather half chaps from my daughter, and a pair of breeches from my boyfriend. My son got me this totally adorable christmas ornament that I fell in love with while I was in Alaska. There is this whole set of ornaments of little bears doing cute things in the snow - this one in particular is of a bear making a snow angel. I had a feeling he'd bought it for me while we were up there, and he gave it to me last night. I want to get the whole set!

I plan on going riding again today as soon as the kids are up.

Jolly - I'll be writing you a horsie e-mail as soon as I can, I have so much to run on about. I too am curious as to what kind of care home you run. Is it assisted living for older folks, or teens, or .. ?? That's another subject rather near and dear to my heart lately. *sigh*

Lucky - Reading back a bit... and not trying to start a breed war here, BUT!!! I'd bet that bratty part of your pony comes from the arabian. QHs *generally* don't have that attitude, but I know Arabians and TBs sure do. It's not a bad thing at all, don't get me wrong. My daughter's TB/QH is a major brat at times, but she is as giving and as sweet is the day is long if she knows it really is important to you. And she usually apologises for being a butthead later. She just reminds me of a typical adolescent, they just never really seem to grow out of it. I love them all, for all their quirks. QHs have their own way of getting the point across, but it's usually a little more subtle and quiet, not the flaming attitude. Jolly, don't hit me, you know I'm right.

Happy - I think you're right, there is something definitely going on. For so long my life was this neat little predictable routine, then all of the sudden, it exploded. Sometimes I feel like I'm just spinning so fast I'm going to start losing pieces. I hope your visit with you Mom goes beautifully!! I still miss mine, it's hard not to be jealous. Enjoy her company, and give her a hug from me!

Sharla - Your house is a sick one, too, eh? My condolences. *sigh* I hope this one doesn't hit us too hard. You are doing SO well on losing. I know it is hard to admit where we started, but when you look at each pound lost as an accomplishment, look how far you've come! I know it's hard sometimes when we think about how far we've yet to go, but we have the rest of our lives to do this. Sometimes I forget that. Not that I want to just forget about it, but I do need to remember this isn't a quick fix, this is a lifetime commitment I'm making. Obviously this last couple months haven't been so good for me, but I know I haven't given up. Isn't it totally amazing that our kids are getting so .. OLD?? How did they do that!? My daughter will be 15, and my son is going to be 12... I'm not that old!! Am I? I hope he has a GREAT birthday!! We Librans ROCK!

I know I've probably missed important stuff, I'm sorry... I think, too, that in some regard I'm still mourning my father's illness, still trying to come to grips with what's happened. This might sound really stupid, but in some ways, it's almost more difficult than if he'd died. It's like.... I'm grieving for the loss, but he's not gone. I still cry too much, I think. Sometimes I just cry when I realize how grateful I was that he recognized me and the kids, and when he remembered my horsie dreams and was so proud and happy that we were riding our own horses now. And I cry for him. Because I know he knows what's happening. And I wish I could make it better, but I know I can't. But there is a beautiful thing here. And that is that I *can* cry. When my Mom died, I couldn't cry for over two years about it. I have to thank my boyfriend for that, he taught me that it isn't a weakness to show great emotion, it's a strength. I'll love him forever for that one. He taught me to face that emotion head on, not duck and run away from it. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh I'm rambling. I'm sorry! I suppose I had better get my butt in gear here and go do some more laundry! I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!!

Good morning,

Raven, first off... Happy Birthday! Sorry to hear you have sickness going on in your house also. It must be the same thing everywhere. Gary and Jordan both had sore throat, cough, runny/stuffy nose. I don't know how I have missed out on it and hope I keep missing out!!! My heart goes out to you. You seem to have alot to deal with here lately. I hope things get better for you.

Chach, you are still almost a newleywed!!!! I remember those early years!! Now we are settled!!! Been married for 13 years so we have a routine!!!! One of us will occasionally throw a kink into a day and make it not so ordinary! I love celebrating our anniversary! To me it's like making a big accomplishment every year! Couples go through so much together and it's just nice to see that our relationship has lasted another year!! I truely believe me and my hubby will always be together.

We are suppose to cookout for Jordan's birthday today and have it outdoors so we can throw horseshoes and play volleyball. It's very windy right now and kind of chilly. I hope I don't have to move it inside. We have a very small house and it doesn't hold alot of people very well. Guess we will see what happens! Where I come from grey tape fixes everything! Maybe I can somehow hide it under the tableclothes!!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!!

OH! Hi to everyone else and hope all is going well!

Hi all. Glad to see everyone. I apologize for not responding to each of you. I am a little over tired and out of sorts this morning. My horse had colic last night. He is better, but still . . . . . I will try to do better tomorrow. I have to do payroll now. As for what kind of homes, they are group homes for people with developmental disabilities.

Take care everyone, and i will try to write more later or tomorrow. And Raven, watch what you say about wonderful Arabians. Someone's QH has "lost" his rider more in the few months he has been with her, than someone else's Arabian has in the 7 years they have been together

Good Monday morning girls! Where is everyone?

The party was a success but I'm glad it's over! I had 1 hamburger, the smallest piece of cake and no icecream so I was proud of myself for not blowing it.

My friend with the jackass hubby came and I just ignored him, never knew I could be such a snob!!! I have never been a snobby person, don't like snobby people but thought it would be better than saying something not so nice!

My brother was here with his crew. I don't hardly get to see him or my nephew because his wife is a pure b*tch. He is getting ready to leave her and she knows it's coming so now she's trying to be all nice, she can forget it. ! have no time for her at all. I hate that he is going through this because he hates the thought of not being around his litle boy all of the time but I will be so glad when he is done with her. He deserves so much better.

Jordan's cold is gone but Gary seems to not be able to kick it. Maybe in another day or two.

I'm going to work real hard to get my points this week so I will post on that thread what I do.

Talk to you all later

Good morning all. It is good to see everyone. I have to apologize for a short and confusing post. My pony had colic last evening, and I spent most of it walking him and waiting for the vet. He is better now, but . . . . still very stressful. So, I am sorry I don't respond to each of you. I will try to do better tomorrow, or later today. I hope each of you is feeling better, and doing well with her goals.

By the way, Raven? I would watch the breedist comments. I seem to recall that someone's QH has managed to "lose" his rider more times in the few months she has owned him, then someone else's Arabian has in the 7 years they have been together Or am I mistaken, and he was just being kind and helping her dismount???? Those QH manners, right?

Good morning folks...

Jolly - Ah girl you know it's all in fun!! Besides, the fact that I'm a crappy rider has more to do with my being unseated than my stupid cow's spastic fear reactions. Yes, I still love him, but he got some major lecturing over the weekend. Please keep us posted on Chance.. I know colic is scary as heck. I will definitely keep you and your darling in my prayers. I'm so sorry both of you had to go through that.

Sharla - I don't think it's snobbish of you at all to avoid a conflict! I actually think it's better than I would have done! Congrats on doing so well with the party food! My boyfriend hasn't kicked his yet, as a matter of fact I'm afraid he's starting to sound like it's moving into bronchitis. Will he listen to me? Nooooooo. I'm still riding on the edge of it. Not really SICK, but not really healthy, either.

I've come to the conclusion that I really do miss working out. I was watching Nickie ride yesterday, and it dawned on me that both of us were much better riders when we were lifting. I think I just pushed it so hard that it became something I dreaded rather than the fun thing it used to be. I want to work it back into my life somehow - time is always the issue. But as someone pointed out in my journal, if it's something you want, you usually find the time.

Hope everyone's Monday is going well!

oh how awful am i??

HAPPY HAPPY Birthdayyyyyyy!!

Raven


Hope it si wonderful and lovely just like you!!

Sorry been out of touch

I think about ALL of you all the time and miss ya mucho!!

Tracy!!

I've missed you, girl! Sounds like you have so much on your plate right now, another victim of the merry-go-round spinning out of control. Take deep breaths and do what you can... remember we're here for you!

(((Tracy)))