Teachers Successfully Losing Weight!!!
 

SWIMMING IN THE OCEAN...SUNBATHING AT THE BEACH...READING TRASHY NOVELS...SLEEPING IN...GARDENING...BLOWING BUBBLES...ITALIAN ICE...FIREWORKS...S'MORES...FROZEN MARGARITAS...LIGHTENING BUGS... :cool:

In a couple short hours it will officially be SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SUMMER SOLSTICE...THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR..."I'M GONNA SOAK UP THE SUN. I'M GONNA TELL EVERYONE TO LIGHTEN UP..." :cool:

It is finally here...my favorite time of year... :cool:

Rock On!
 

Following our very wise Summer's lead...I will continue the song!
....

It's not having what you want
It's wanting what you've got
I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna tell everyone
To lighten up
I've got no one to blame
For every time I feel lame
I'm looking up


Today, I will
*drink my water!
*be aware of portion sizes!
*exercise for 20 minutes!
*THINK!
*write in my journal!

Each day is a gift! Untie the ribbons!


Take care!
HatterasMermaid

SUMMER SUMMER BO BUMMER BANANA FANNA FO FUMMER FEE FI MO MUMMER SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Robyn, thanks for picking up where I left off!!! Who knew there was a message beyond "chilling out" in that song...but you, my friend, found it!!! Yippee for you!!!

:grin: Its times like this that make me wonder WHY exactly, I decided to work at an 11-month program...

Oh well, I have 4 days off this week, 3 days off next week, and all of July 4th before I have to see my students again. ;)

And I'm caught up on all of my grad school stuff (even ahead! I don't have another paper to write until after Wednesday!). And yes, grad school is another sign that I'm insane: one master's degree just wasn't good enough for me. ;)

In a few hours, I'm going swimming... then off to grad school.

:mouse:

Welcome Anonymouse! Just think of it this way, 11 months is better than 12! I used to be a legal secretary with only 2 weeks off a year! I am beginning grad school in the fall. I'm a mommy of a 6 year-old, so I am needed home in the summer as well as the vacations during the year. I always knew I wanted kids, and I also knew that I wouldn't be one of the "lucky" ones who was going to marry a doctor or lawyer and be a "stay-at-home" mom. That was my number one dream. But when my number one dream didn't seem to be working out, I went with dream #2...to teach little ones and be home in the summer. We all have to find what works for us with what we have to work with! :cool:

Robyn, you sound very cheerful now. Hold on to that great feeling...revel in it! :cool:

Kerry, yoo hoo!!! I hope you find us!!! :cool:

I'd better be on my way. Tomorrow is graduation, and I need some rest. I'm a bit stressed. I just need my summer break to begin...now!!!

I have an idea which might help you water girl...have you ever tried ice-cold flavored selzer water with a twist of lemon or lime? I swore off diet soda because of a naggingly maternal coworker who daily told me that diet soda turns into formaldehyde in your stomach! "Do you really want formaldehyde in your stomach?" she would say over and over again. Finally one day I couldn't take it anymore and switched to flavored selzer. I'm so used to it now. I especially like it with a twist! Just a thought!

Today was graduation day. My darlings were absolutely adorable! They marched in to the instrumental love theme from "St. Elmo's Fire." They sang, "When the Rain Comes Down," "One Small Voice," and "Wave Goodbye." They sang beautifully! The parents went nuts! Then I gave parent volunteer awards to my 13 parent volunteers. They were not expecting this and were quite stunned. I gave out 4 young author awards, diplomas, and class awards, such as, "Best Personality" and "Most Likely To Be President of the United States." The principal said some words, and I ended with a poem sending them off to kindergarten. My voice only cracked a few times, and I didn't cry like I usually do...that will probably happen when I say, "goodbye" on Friday. I will truly miss these kids. They started out so undisciplined and immature in August and have become so well-behaved, sophisticated, and intelligent in June. A few of them I really love like my own. It is hard knowing that most of them I will never see again (they move on to other schools in the district.) So, even though I am thrilled it is summer, and I am really burned out, I am so sad to say, "Goodbye" to the majority of my students. :(

The gifts have already started pouring in. I got a dozen yellow roses, a teacher poem plaque, and some very cheap very awful cologne! Tomorrow is a pizza party and water balloons, then the faculty party after school.

DH is still miserable...constant diarrhea. :( He has a very bad infection, so he is being treated with two antibiotics.

Take care one and all! (Kerry, where are you?)

Hi Ladies,
Sorry I have been MIA. Last week I had to help out with my school's summer program. Had a couple ball games in the evenings to go to. Friday I had to go to the local waterpark with the kids from the program all day. Only to rush home, hop in the shower, change clothes and go sit outside for another ball game. Then Saturday I drove to my parents house to spend the weekend with them. I came back yesterday. Everytime I went to check in with you all, someone needed me for one thing or another. We went to our last ball game this season for the boy's. Now we only have one more softball game. Then maybe my eating can get back in control. I gained two pounds last week. So I called my family doctor to ask him about a weight loss plan or a nutritionist. I have to go in to see him on Friday afternoon. Wish me luck! Since this has been a nasty disagreement with my DH.
Well it off to the grocery store to get some food. Our cupboards and refrigator.
Take care,
Kerry

FORMALDEHYDE? I ask as I pick up my water bottle for another swig!!!!

My DD had her last day of kindergarten today. When she got home the phone began to ring, ring, ring. She got three calls in ten minutes...all from kids I'm not in a hurry for her to socialize with. Then she showed me the address book her teacher helped the kids make. They all wrote their names and phone numbers on the pages. What a cute idea! NOT! Her teacher is young, single, and without kids of her own...no wonder she thinks it is cute! She has no idea the can of worms she just opened. I had my own plan this summer to make playdates with kids we already know and get to know some new families that have nice children for DD to play with. There is a family from school that seem like nice people. Their daughter is in DD's grade, and they are friends at school. It turns out they live around the corner from us. We exchanged addresses and plan to get together over the summer. Once the parents have "checked each other out," the girls can take turns playing at each others' houses. My DD has been receiving and making calls all night inviting "undesirables" over and lying about her little sister named, "Elmo." (I only have one child.) So, it all escalated, I straightened her out..."Mommy arranges all playdates, and you don't have a little sister." DH overheard after all was settled, and he totally blasted her and upset her unnecessarily. AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What the heck are the tween years gonna be like?! Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy.

I got a giant order at school today from the early childhood dept. You wouldn't believe all the catty, jealous teachers who were interrogating me today about what I got and who paid for it...then again, you are all teachers, so maybe you would believe it. Why can't people just be happy for others? One of the teachers said I was lucky. I pointed out my accreditation plaque and told her, "No, I'm not lucky, I worked hard for this."

Okay, I'd better get off the computer. There must be a few kindergartners left waiting to call my DD and talk nonsense!

Hi Ladies,
Summer sounds like you are not going to have a peaceful house the next few days until the newness wears off about the phone books. I take it the teacher did not ask the parents permission to have have their addresses and phone numbers given out. I know that I would not like that one bit.
For the second day in a row, I have done good with my food intake. I am going to prove my insensitive dh wrong. He thinks that I am giving up on my weight loss plan. Little does he realize what it is like to have to watch his children and him eat different food then me at times. He keeps throwing it in my face, that it is all my fault that I am the way I am. But the other day when he was at the ENT doctor, she informed him that he needed to eat three meals a day. That only really eating one or two meals a day is not good for his body. He said that if he eat three times a day he would be fat. I told him that it is not true, he just needs to eat healthier foods. I told him that was why his 8 year old daughter is 114 pounds. Because she is not getting the proper nutrition. But once again, he is one of those people who always thinks he is right and never wrong. He can be a really great loving and caring person. But when it comes to my weight and working out, he can be a complete and utter as*hole.
I just hope that my family doctor will send me to a nutritionist. Then maybe when I have to make my meals, I can just squeeze some good food in for the whole family to eat. Keep your fingers crossed.
Have a great evening!
Take care,
Kerry

Today is the day of my doctor's appointment. Wish me luck! I am tired of being overweight. Help is on the way!
Have a great day ladies!
Take care,
Kerry

Kerry, Good luck with EVERYTHING....the doctor as well as your dh! Poor kiddo.... Doomed to wear Plus sizes and she isn't even close to being an adult! Good (heck...Better!) Nutrition / Exercise is hard to embrace when you are the only family member interested in it! Hang in there and don't get too frustrated by it all!

Summer, Was that teacher INSANE? I've got BIG kids who did NOT officially exchange contact info and I'm being driven insane by the phone with kids on the other end! Good gravy! Perhaps you should keep a log of the phone calls for about 2 days and then send it to the well meaning BUT CLUELESS teacher! I bet she truly has NO idea about what those cute little books are doing to summers throughout! What gets me with my kids as well as with your kiddos classmates....WHERE are the parents of the others? I mean do these kids have free use of the phones, etc???

Jimmy Buffett is on Today! How cool! Standing in Rockerfeller Plaza having a Tropical Party! I sure miss our ParrotHead Days! But trust me.... I'm singing loud here in UnTropical VA...in my pajamas! :) I like mine with lettuce and tomato! Heinz 57 ...sigh... Phins to the right! Sighhhh....

OOOOhhhhhhh....remember I told you that my oldest and I went on an archeological dig? WELL....a photo of Stephen and I is on the FRONT page....of our local paper....In living color! I'm definately back to dieting! The photo sadly looks JUST like me! I've already gotten 2 phone calls asking me for my autograph.... Yeah, everything was fine until the camera got below my neck and well....the truth is painful! Everyone else is so excited about the photo! :) I'll live! Stephen hasn't seen it yet as he has been gone nearly a WHOLE week to Boy Scout camp! This will definately help that water go down! :)

If I get a copy of the photo...or a link to the newspaper arrticle...I'll forward it to you all! I bet it will EVEN help YOU stick to YOUR plan! :LOL:

Take care,
meeee

FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...I FEEL FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE... :rofl: :crazy: :bubbles: :yes: :twirly: :cloud9: :dancer: :flow2: :flow1: :dance: :hat: :cp: :cool: :dizzy: :lol: :D :smug: :cp: :dance: :flow1: :flow2: :dancer: :yes: :bubbles: :encore: :sunny:

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

I feel great, knowing that I have seven weeks of freedom (somewhat...I'm still a mom, a wife, have to do housework and pay bills) ahead of me. But I feel like I didn't quite finish teaching my classes...like there was more for me to give them. I also shed a lot of tears during the last couple of days. Some of them, I will REALLY MISS. :(

But, all that aside, I AM QUITE THRILLED THAT IT IS MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR, AND I AM OUT OF SCHOOL!!!

The phone calls have died down, and I certainly am not bringing it up. I did mention to DD that we need to be selective about our play dates, and I need to get to know each of the parents. I just can't imagine letting my kindergartner play at a stranger's house. There are just too many weirdos out there now. Her teacher was just plain naive and clueless. I was gonna complain to the school, but I think I will just drop it.

Kerry, my DH is just like yours. :( Sometimes I wish I was alone so that I didn't have to listen to the complaining. I am so sorry for your stepdaughter. It is so tough to be an overweight child. And it is a very delicate situation because you don't want her to go the other way and become bulimic or anorexic. I would seek professional help for her before it is too late. I hope all goes well at the doctor for you and you get the support you need. FYI, when I was 13 I did Weight Watchers for the first time. I only needed to lose 15 pounds. My sister and mom told me I would never succeed, and I used my anger toward them to fuel my determination to lose weight. I lost all the weight, and didn't have a weight problem again until I was in my 20's when my mother died. Maybe you could use your anger to help you. It doesn't work for me anymore unfortunately.

Robyn, I LOVE JIMMY BUFFET!!! My DH and I drove to Florida on our honeymoon listening to nothing but Jimmy Buffet! I like my cheeseburger with pickles and ketchup. Oh, and VA is a lot closer to being tropical than CT! Being in the newspaper...oh boy...been there...last summer. DD and I were at a school bus orientation, and she refused to get on the bus. We were on the first page...her holding onto my leg for dear life! My large hips made it in the photo. :( I'm sorry that happened to you. And, I'm sorry for me...that I didn't lose as much weight as I had hoped to by now.

My dear friends, we need to grab the bull by the horns. We are all now relieved of our teaching duties for the next several weeks, give or take a week. This is our chance to buckle down, go to the gym, walk around the block, and do whatever is necessary to look how we want to look. The time has come.

LET'S DO IT!!!

Hi ladies,
Well my appointment went well. I think I surprised the doctor for coming to him for help. So I guess not too many patients have ever came to him asking for help on losing weight. He suggested that I might want to do the points from Weight Watchers. I could also even try the Atkin's Diet or The South Beach Diet. He gave me a script to see a nutritionist at the hospital. So I will wait to see what the nutritionist has to say. When I came home from my appointment, my DH was very caring and supportive. He wanted to know what all the doctor had to say and was a totally different person from the other day. It is a little freaky if you ask me. LOL. But I will go with it for now. Maybe he realized that he was being a insensitive pig and is trying to make up for it. I will keep you posted.
As for my stepdd, my dh is going to talk to her mom and she what her feelings are on the matter. I hope that she will agree that she needs to be seen by a doctor and treated for this now. I am also hoping that once I go to the nutritionist, I can start having everyone eat at least one or two meals with me a day. That would help her out so much. Not just her but me too.
So has your phones stopped ringing off the hook for now? I am soo glad that the kids don't little friends who constantly call our house. I can only image what it is going to be like in a couple of years though.:)
I know what it feels like to see a picture of yourself in the newspaper. I had my picture taken in college once while I was student teaching. Boy does pictures in the newspaper make you look bad. LOL.
So Summer how is your hubby doing? I hope he is recovering a little bit better now and sticking to his diet again.
Well I better go. I need to check my email before I go off line.
Take care and have a great weekend!
Kerry

Now, now, now...... I don't want to burst your bubble, Kerry, honey!
....but do you REALLY think that he "realized that he was being an insensitive pig and is trying to make up for it"? HA! Actually, I hope that he has! AND I hope that he continues to be kind and supportive towards you! At my house, my efforts (or lack there of) are NOT acknowledged....at all! BUT...he will comment in a few months!

That's right.........HERE I go! Bull firmly taken by the horns! I'm GOING to do this!
I've got 30 pounds to lose......and I'm going to do it! :)

Summer, congratulations for joining the ranks of us "free as a bird" folk! (RIGHTTTT...
as IF I am ever truly free...but...ya know what I mean! LOL) SOOOOOOOOOO........ what is your plan, Ms.TakeTheBullByTheHorns? When is your trip to Florida?
...and what is your favorite JimmyB song? I'll share my list when you share yours! hehee!

Okey....my oldest has returned from Summer Camp....bug bites, scratches, and all! He actually clapped when we drove into the drive way! He says that he enjoyed camp... but is happy to be home! He took one shower.... and then returned at my prompting to finish getting the dirt off of him.... neck, legs, ears, you know THOSE spots! We've decided that some of his clothes will just be thrown away, for real! It is so much easier than trying to get those horrid stains out! It rained for 4 of the 6 days. The boy has earned a couple of days of just hanging out in the house! He was thrilled, btw, by the photo in the paper. I took a copy with us today when we went to get him. He had to show all the guys!

okey... before I can log in again, I have to DO something to tell you about...ie, exercise! Soooo.....it's off to move my lard butt, I go! :)

Make a plan! Stick to it! Drink WATER! and MOVE that body!
take care,
meeeeeee

Hi Robyn and Summer,
My DH said last night that WE had to clean house. Like how I stressed we. This morning, he informs me that he didn't care when I did it but the house was getting cleaned this weekend. I asked him what he planned on doing. He said that he was going to be outside playing with his children. He cleaned up the house last weekend well I was at my family's. Funny when I got home the house looked the same as it did on Saturday morning when I left. So I think he was blowing smoke out his a**. But I decided that if I wanted it cleaned correctly, I had to do it myself. So his DD and I cleaned the kitchen, dining room and living rooms today. When I got to the bathroom and the two bedrooms, I said the heck with it and took her out to lunch at Wendy's. I was very proud of her. She asked for a junior cheeseburger, a side salad and a container of milk. I got a jr. bacon cheeseburger and a baked potato. I did splurge and had a glass of sweet tea. But I will work it off this afternoon. I plan on going for a walk or a bike ride. I got up this morning at 7, so I could go workout at Curves before they got to busy this morning.
Sounds like your son had fun at camp. It would not have been much fun camping and having it rain for 4 days though.
So have either one of you read any good books lately? I found out from my sister that I only have to read 6 books for her library's summer reading program. So I have read two. I am currently reading Another Man's Son by Katherine Stone. It is good so far.
Well I better get off of here and go outside and enjoy the nice weather.
Have a great weekend!
Take care,
Kerry

Okay I need to vent, before I get into a nasty huge disagreement with my DH. He left this afternoon at noon to go to the ball fields with his two boys to practice for the homerun derby tomorrow evening. Around 5, his little girl and I went over to the ball fields looking for them. I stood around and watched them play basebqll. At 5:30, when they showed no signs of stopping I went home. I cleaned the bathroom and mopped the floor. Washed the bedding on the kids bed and dryed. Even made the bed, went for a bike ride by myself and eat dinner by myself. They finally came home around 7:15. He asked what was wrong. I said that I had wanted to spend the afternoon with him and the kids. I thought we were going to go to the lake and walk around it. Plus the boys had wanted to go for a bike ride with me. So I said I hope you enjoyed your day with them. As I stayed home and cleaned house. He asked me if I had eaten dinner and was personally offended when I said yes. But he knows that I don't eat dinner after 7. So he made the kids and himself chicken nuggets. He then said that we could still go do something with them. Mind you they all still needed showers and they were crabby and tired. Like I want to go do something with cranky little children on a Saturday night. I don't think so. I think I will go for a walk to calm down and spend some more alone time with myself. It just ticks me off that my dh had the boys out in the sun and hot weather for 7 hours today and they didn't have sunscreen on. So guess what their little faces are sunburned.
Enough venting. I hope that tomorrow is a better day. Even though I have to go to a pool party with two of the kiddos tomorrow for a little boy on their ball team. I really don't know the people that well and my dh will be at the homerun derby with his one son. Believe it or not, I am shy around people I don't really know. So I am a little nervous.
Thanks for letting me rant and rave.
Have a wonderful Sunday!
Kerry

(((Kerry))) I'm sorry that your Saturday didn't turn out like you had thought! I'm proud of you for going bike riding alone as well as eating correctly during your stress! (I am SUCH a stress eater! I'd have eaten the house if I'd been "abandoned" that way! THAT is one area that I really need to "fix"!) Good luck at the pool party! Go in there like you own the place and know EVERYONE! Fake the confidence that you feel you lack! ;) :D ;) You can do it! :D ;) :)

Men and sunscreen... WHAT do they find UNCLEAR :rolleyes: about the directions to "PUT IT ON THE KIDS"? :rolleyes: Hope the kiddos will be ok!

:drill: Here is my report for the day..... :drill:

:yes: I have nearly finished my water for the day! I did have a Diet Coke earlier in the day with lunch and out of old habit. As I finished it, I realized WHAT I was doing! GEESH! When these sodas are gone, I will purchase NO more! That way THAT can't happen again!

:yes: My eating was in control! THAT is a huge feat for me these days! :)

:yes: I MOVED my fanny! I did one of my WATP 2 mile videos! Tomorrow I will move my fanny again! LOL

:snail: I did NOT journal....THIS will be a goal for tomorrow! THAT and the whole rest of my list!

Ya'll take care!
Make a plan, stick to it!
Meeee

Wow! I spend one day out of the house, and you guys have soooo much to report. I will start with my busy day and then reply.

We had my DD's best friend's birthday party on Saturday afternoon. In the am, there was still one present left to get, so we had to go to the mall. No biggie. DH decided that he could handle the party, so he had his official first day out of the house (not including the doctor or lab). He seemed a little shaky when we arrived, but before long, he was socializing. My friend (who always keeps everyone guessing what will happen next) informed everyone that the party's theme was a "carnival." So, she assigned us all stations. I was face painting and tattoos. Well, I've never done either. She assumed since I am artistic that I could handle it. The painting was interesting since the palettes couldn't keep still! Once I figured how to do a temporary tattoo, that was easy. It ended up being fun. The food was kid friendly...chicken nuggets and pasta, then homemade ice cream cake and cookies. Yes, I ate it all! DH ate carefully. DD slept over her friend's house for the first time (first sleepover at age 6!). DH and I braved the Chicago/Earth, Wind, & Fire concert. We had to walk 1 mile from the parking lot to the venue. I kept checking to see if DH was gonna pass out. but we took it slowly, and he did okay. The concert was phenomenal. Both bands opened together. It was quite beautiful to see the unity. They set an example that the entire country...no, entire world should follow. Then they flipped a coin, and E, W, & F went first. Spectacular! Then Chicago, outstanding! They ended with 6 songs sung together. I think I have permanent hearing loss! We walked the mile back to our car, called and checked on DD who was sound asleep. We didn't have to pick her up, which I expected since I used to get homesick all the time. DD survived her first sleepover and DH survived his first time out partying since the surgery.

Kerry, I will be interested in what your nutritionist says. It sounds like your stepDD respects you and wants to be like you. That is great for her to have you as a mentor. She is lucky to have you. Sunscreen? I swear, if I don't apply it, it won't be put on at all. I'm sorry your DH keeps on letting you down about so many things. Something I did long ago was to make myself responsible for my own happiness. I plan my days. If he wants to be part of them, he is welcome to join me, but I don't rely on him. What has happened is that we have switched places. Now, I live my life and he looks to me for what to do. It helps that I have only one child, and being a girl, she is always with me unless we arrange things otherwise. Just do your thing girl. Exercise, eat healthy, be busy doing what you want while taking care of those things you have to. Don't look to him for anything. I promise you there will be a shift in power as a result of "not giving a sh*t." He won't know how to handle it.

Robyn, my favorite JB songs are of course, "Margaritaville," "Come Monday," and "Why Don't We Get Drunk..." I just love him so. I'm glad your boy is back home. Did you check him for ticks? Up here in CT is where Lyme Disease originated, so we are paranoid. My sister, brother, and niece all have it. So far, my DH, DD, and I have been lucky. It sounds like you are really doing well.

I am psyched to take the bull by the horns tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Morning Ladies,
Hope everyone is well and having a great day today! Yesterday was okay. I went to the pool party and talked to a couple of the baseball mom's. Naturally they all showed up late. So I stood around and watched the kids play in the pool for the first 30 minutes. I was ready to leave when my dh got their with the other kiddo. But no such luck! We were there for 3 hours. I was getting bored and hungry. I had to stay away from the cake and chip table. I didn't eat anything there. I did come home and eat a few pieces of broccoli and califolwer. But I survived! Yeah!!!!!
I went to Curves this morning and made it around 3 times. I had only been going around 2 times. So I was proud of myself. Came home to a call from my doctor's office. I go to the hospital next Monday morning to see a diet tech. So I will share my news with you than.
I have learned that I go and do my own thing anymore where my dh is considered. I say this is what I am going to do. If you want to tag along fine, if not I really don't care. But he knew I had made plans with the kids for on Saturday afternoon too. That is why I was so pissed off at him. I left him deal with them to get a shower and get ready for bed. I thought I am not going to help him out by relieving some of the stress off of him. I sat back and watched and laughed to myself. Then he couldn't figure out why the kids were so tired yesterday. I told him that it didn't take a genius to figure that one out. Ball field for 7 hours = tired kids next day!
Sounds like you had a nice weekend Summer! Glad to hear that dd's first sleepover went so well. Did your dh have any problems yesterday from his big outting the day before? I hope not.
Robyn sounds like you are doing great getting back on track. I have the WATP tapes too. But am still waiting for us to go get our new VCR. Our new one that we bought in March broke. So we took it back to H.H. Gregg's. Their service dept. tried to fix it and couldn't, so we are just to pick up a new one. But when we do, I am going to start doing my tapes again. That seemed to help me along with going to Curves. Keep up the good work girls!
We will lose some pounds this summer and keep them off when we go back to school in the fall. I know we can do it!
Have a great day!
Take care,
Kerry

I just had to log in all over again...what's with that?! :?:

Well, I spent the day cleaning and doing laundry. I got soooooo behind between spending five 8-hour days at the hospital, then becoming a nurse when my DH was discharged. The last days of school were terribly hectic to say the least leaving me little time even to pee! So, now I am playing catch-up. I barely made a dent in the cleaning, but at least the laundry is mostly done if not folded. My house needs to be presentable by Thursday since I arranged a few playdates for my DD with school friends. Thursday, her school "boyfriend" who is a triplet (she calls them "tricklets") is coming over with his sisters and mom for lunch and to swim in our pool. Friday, DD's best friend (the one with the birthday sleepover) is coming over with her brother and my best friend. Saturday, DD's favorite school friend is coming over with her entire family for a BBQ. I love to entertain, I just hate to clean. But, it is worth it for my only child to have many kids to play with this summer. We are still getting bombarded with phone calls. We figured out if we put the phone on "speaker" that DD can't get into too much trouble saying the wrong thing or arranging her own playdates. I insist upon knowing the parents, not just meeting them. I just want to make sure that she is safe.

My DH and DD slept Sunday away because of all the activities and late night on Saturday. DH has energy to try to do more in the AM, but by lunch, he is sacked out on the couch for the rest of the day. So, he is definitely better, but not quite ready for returning to work. The doctor said July 6th, but he wanted to return tomorrow...not gonna happen!

Kerry, I am very proud of you. You didn't give in to temptation at the party, and you are clearly getting plenty of exercise. GOOD FOR YOU!!!

I think it is time I got back to the gym. My recumbent bike is good, but I think weights would really help me.

Hellooooooo, Girlies!
Sounds as if you both are doing well! :)

Glad to hear that your weekend was a success, Summer! I *WANTED* to go see that very show...they are going to be in Virginia Beach this coming weekend...or maybe it was this week...anyway, we are not going. For many reasons...the biggest being that concerts are just too much $$$. Rememeber...we went to a show in May...so alas... I've got to sit a few good ones out! The phone here is ringing off the hook also... our oldest ds has been discovered by the girls... oy! It is time to get some rules about being "on the phone"...we've never been this way before...so it is uncharted territory! ...and I'm not too sure what to do... these girls seem so fast and forward! YIKES! We'd better figure it out and QUICK! Glad to hear that your dh is getting some strength back!

Kerry, glad to hear the independance in your "voice"! :) I talk real big too! But, alas, underneath it all...I'm jello around my dh.... I don't know why...and this isn't always a bad thing... I guess after all these years... I still melt around him! Sick, huh?! It isn't always healthy...but well..... Keep the chin up and you will be successful with it! Glad to hear that your time at Curves is paying off and that you're making progress! Keep it up! 3 times around is great!

Today I spent the day with my dearest friend. I hadn't seen her since Thanksgiving. And I won't see her again for a while as she lives in Florida. (Her daughter is getting married in June... of next year...so unless we figure something else out... We said good bye today until next June...) I talk to her nearly every day but actually spending time together was wonderful! We spent hours at the Williamsburg Winery. Didn't try to "behave" with my food, and except for a BUNCH of wine...I didn't do toooooo badly with my food choices.... not great...but I certainly had a fun time seeing her! I'd never been to a fancy dancy wine tasting... I learned a LOT about wine.... and enjoyed hanging out with my dear friend!

Ohhh....I did my walking yesterday. Today, I didn't exercise. (see above!) Tomorrow will be another 2 mile day! AND I won't have the excuse of hanging out with my best bud...so I will be back to my plan! 30 pounds. 30 pounds! I need to take my measurments...cause I know that it isn't all about the scale! Summer, I agree! Weights! That will be added into my life on Thursday! (Thursday is my weigh in day.......and my "monday"...a new week begins!)

Well...I've surely typed enough for tonight. I'm exhausted from laughing! THAT is a great feeling! Last time I hung out with my friend, we got to laughing so hard and so much that she literally wet her pants while we were at the grocery store! Good news...or not.... the floor at the Winery were dry when we left...as were her pants!
Laughing till you wet your pants...NOW that is hanging out with a great friend! LOL

My favorite Jimmy songs: One Particular Harbor, Pirate Looks at 40, JollyMon, Pencil Thin Moustache....but wait there's more! LOL..... later!

take care...
make a plan and WORK it!
(((hugs)))
meeeeee

Morning Ladies,
Let me try this one more time. Last night I had typed a long post to you and went to post it and the computer had kicked me off line. So I was not to happy, so I just quit and went to bed instead. So I hope this one goes through.
My husband is back to be an insentive pig where my weight is considered. I told him to get off my back and let me lose the weight on my own. I must have been stressed out the day I asked him for help with losing my weight. I thought he would be a little more understanding and not like a food ****. He is like oh no you can't eat that it has too many carbs in it. Okay how many carbs are in it? I don't know, only though I think it is high. I am going to prove him wrong, I do know that one for sure. Enough about that!
Yesterday we took the kiddos on the bike path. We were able to take them a little further on it. Hopefully by the end of the summer, we can have them going out to the lake and back. That would be good excerise for them all and me too.
Sounds like we are all doing fine about the excerise. Robyn you worked out today. By laughing so hard with your best friend, you were doing stomach excersies. :) :)
Summer glad to hear that you are going to be busy with playdates for your dd. There are no little kids who live in our neighbor and all my friends with kids live too far away to play with the kiddos. So unfortnately the kids don't get to play with other kids that much. They play well with each other until they get mad at each other or tired and hungry. LOL.
Well I better go and get ready for the day. It is off to pick up our new VCR/DVD player. Plus we are going to go look at ball bats for next season. Yippppeeeee!!
I will let you know how my weigh in at TOPS went tonight.
Have a great day!
Kerry

Kerry, it really hurts when the person you love seems to forget about your inner beauty...the most important thing about you...what should have made him fall in love with you in the first place...and what should be keeping you together into old age, i.e., wrinkles etc. It breaks my heart every time I don't feel like I am being cherished for ME. It is unfortunate that the media focuses so much on our outer beauty which then trickles down into our relationships with our loved ones. Chemistry has little to do with appearance, so I don't even think it has anything to do with sex. I have stopped trying to please others, and am now focusing on pleasing myself by concentrating on GETTING HEALTHY. I have bad knees and assorted stomach problems. Losing weight would help those issues. Of course I want to look beautiful, but if my husband's love depends on me being thin and beautiful by media standards, then he may as well leave now. I played that game in my 20's. I am turning 40 in October, and I have come to learn that I MEAN A **** OF A LOT MORE AS A HUMAN BEING than my appearance does. I DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY. Whoever has something to say about it better take a look at themselves before they open their big mouth and mind their own business. That is how I have come to survive the cruel jokes and heartless coments. Oh, and by the way, the little bit of weight my DH needed to lose is gone as a result of his surgery and difficult recovery. He gets all the luck! Only kidding.

Robyn, I'm so glad you enjoyed being with your friend. It is so hard to have a close friend so far away. I only drink white zinfandel, so a wine tasting wouldn't be for me. But, a frozen drink tour, i.e., margaritas, pina coladas, etc., would be right up my alley!

Well, today we are taking a break from cleaning to go to the beach. DD needs to have some fun. Tomorrow, I will finish the house for company. Even though my body didn't cooperate and give me more than one child, and I am comfortable with that reality, there are times I wish I had a sibling for DD so she would always have a playmate. I guess that is why I am working so hard to make new friends with parents at her school. My neighborhood isn't particularly friendly (remember, I live in the northeast...no southern hospitality here) and except for my best friend, my other friends don't have children DD's age. So, I am forced to make new friends at church and at DD's school. It is good for me too. I love to socialize, and having single and newly married friends has hurt my social life. I can't exactly go out dancing and drinking with "the girls" anymore!

So, off to the beach for me...after I ride the bike.

Hey ya'll! Sounds like a mini Dr.Phil session in here! :) WHICH is alright! We ALL need it! I HEAR both of you about insensitive men and their insightful (ahem) and helpful (ahem again!) comments AS well AS needing to be the one you're trying to please with your life, efforts and other stuff! RIGHT HERE with you sisters! :)

Summer, I am also turning 40 come my next birthday. The thought of 40 doesn't petrify me like it once did...ie, back when 40 was "old"... BUT it does make the "BirthdayGirl" reTHINK life and stuff. I turn 40 in April. That is 10 months. I would REALLY, REALLY, REALLY like to be at my goal weight of 150 (or less...ok...so I can dream!)(150 is MY goal.... but for my height EVERYTHING says I should weigh MUCH less than that....) AND I would REALLY, REALLY, REALLY love to be "in charge" of my life, eating to live and not the other way around. I am also hopeful that in 10 months I will have found a way to make ME a priority! THAT is the trick around my house! To put ME and what is good for me before the rest of the STUFF. We will see! I WILL be successful at the weight loss! I am hopeful about the rest of it! :)

Today, the boys and I have taken a bike ride over to a friends' house and back. It is over 2 miles round trip...will have to take the car out to see how far it is for sure. The heat isn't outrageous today! Yippeee! BUT, we did get hot and sweaty! Tonight I will do my WATP DVD again. On Thursday, I'm going to start with my weights and my Firm Videos! (Thursday is my "Monday" for my LIFESTYLE calendar and journal! I refuse to call it a diet....hehehhehee) Journal...mentioned that word...WHY the heck do I find it so difficult to fit that in?! THAT is a piece that works for me....so why don't I pick up the darn pen?! Duhh...

Kar, the bats will be on sale at the end of the local season....maybe now! Will your boys play Fall Baseball?! Our youngest will. (The 12 year old has given up baseball for percussion and Boy Scouts...I know I've told you this! Anyway!) Our youngest has just inherited a "new to him" bat from his brother... They spend HOURS throwing and catching and hitting! Yahoo for baseball.....otherwise, he'd want to play football...and Momma can't even stand the thought of someone smashing her kiddo!

Summer, I am also a fan of what I call "Umbrella Drinks"! ;) I would have MUCH preferred to attend an "Umbrella Drink Tasting"! However..... Wine was what the winery was serving.....and I tried to NOT taste.... but am glad that I did it in the end! AND I got a great new wine glass with the Williamsburg Winery monogram on it to keep.... and now can drink my water in style....after all the WW of the winery is darn close to the WW of Weight Watchers! :lol:

So far my eating is in control.....I'll confess if I lose it and eat the fridge...but for now, I'm in charge! :LOL: Off to pay the monthly bills! Yahoo! My favorite thing to do....bleech!

KAR, drink a ton of water and potty before you weigh in tonight! My fingers are crossed for even a little loss...that way you can :p ! AND...if you're gonna do the carb thing.... Get a book with info....and don't go on what HE *thinks* ....but you know that! How did I get on this soap box? Sorry! (((hugs))) It is tough! I know! Hang in there!

take care,
MOVE THAT BODY!
meeee

I think I need to subscribe to this thread. I completely missed that the thread was still active!

I go back to school tomorrow: we were off for 4 days, and now have 21 days of summer school. My teaching assistant is having massive hissy fits: my school, although we're a private non-public school that does NOT get Title I (or really, any government funding!), has decided that we're going to follow NCLB. And not only are we going to follow it, we're going to implement it whole hog before its required! AND... that means that all of our paraprofessionals that don't have 60 credits, bachelor's degrees or have taken that stupid test get bumped from TA II to TA I. TA I's are paid less. Significantly so. My TA has been doing this for 30 years, she's due to retire this year (though probably wouldn't have but for this nonsense!), and other than my TA from my last inner city school, ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! She really knows her job, she knows how to teach and she's good at working with our population of mostly emotionally disturbed kids. But, because they dropped her from a II to a I, and this year they froze/reduced (we're not sure which) her salary, she says she's going to coast. That isn't going to hurt anybody but me and our students. We're starting a new program within our cluster... we are going to have all the incoming freshman for 'introduction to vocational skills' AKA survey. So I really need her on-board.
As if that weren't enough, despite my endocrine dysfunction, I usually have perfect or near perfect attendance... but the disorder has kicked in big-time.
Its caused my gall bladder to stop working, which is a new symptom. Up till now I've avoided surgery, but I can't anymore. The only way to solve the gall bladder issue is to remove it. Its not necessary for life, so I'm not upset...and I'm going to have the surgery during our 2 weeks off in August... but I have several doctor's appointments that are unavoidably during summer school. Doctors never seem to have office hours that match mine! My TA is telling me that if she feels like staying home, she will...even if I've told her that I won't be there, and that if I'm not there, she won't teach the class the way she's supposed to. This is endemic among TA's in our building, unfortunately.
So I need to deal with this health stuff, and I need her to be supporting to me, but its not going to happen. I'm so scared that she's going to decide that she has to be off the 2 days that I have to have my endoscopy, or one of the other multitude of appointments I'm going to have to do for the surgery.

At least, good news, I swam a whole mile today. I received a birthday gift of an mp3 player, and bought a waterproofing kit for it. The kit came today, so I got to listen to tunes while I swam my laps. It made that last 1/4 mile much easier. And, last week I'd freaked out over a sudden 2 pound gain despite eating less calories (the gall bladder thing is making me throw up lots) than I allow myself. My friends swore it was muscle, and I looked different, but I didn't believe them. So, I checked today, a week later, and I'm down 5... so it was definitely muscle gain! :)

I'm nattered on enough, but I'm going to subscribe so that future posts aren't so long!

:mouse:

Hi Anonymous, Robyn and Summer,
Welcome aboard Anonymous! We are glad to have you with us. Sorry to hear about your upcoming surgery. I know that I have a wonderful TA in my room. So I can just a image how you are feeling right now with your health and already being stressed out about that, you don't need her to not be there to help you.
Great news ladies, I lost 5 pounds last week. I don't know how I did it,other than being mad at my dh. But I was so pleased with myself. I am currently 209 and my mini goal is to be under 200 by the end of July.
I had to take my dh to the er tonight. He hurt his leg playing ball with a group of friends and his kids tonight while I was at TOPS. He could hardly walk from the field to his truck and then from the truck to the house. So I told him I was taking him to the ER. He bruised a muscle in his upper right leg. So the dr. gave him two shots and told him to stay off his leg for a few days. That is going to kill him since he is always on the go with his kids. I just hope they understand that daddy can't play with them for a few days. Atleast he will be off my back about losing weight now. It is a bad way for it to happen.
Well I think I am going to go to bed. I have to get up early tomorrow to go workout with one of my friends. Then I have to come home and go to the pharmacy and get my dh's muscle relaxers. Plus I will have to take the kids to the library for the summer reading program by myself. So I will really need to rest up. Since I will be the only one to play with them outside tomorrow.
Talk to you all later.
Take care,
Kerry

Just a short hello........as I am adjusting happily to not working!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Still busy up to my eyeballs, with getting kids (but this time my own) here and there- keeping them happy, getting all the stuff done around the house that never gets done while school is in session..........Hope everyone is ok, and I hope to get back here later.
Ginny

Well look who's back! We missed you Ginny! I'm so glad you are back!

Kerry, sorry about your DH. CONGRATULATIONS on your 5 pound weight loss!!! Woo Hoo!!! :cp: Go Kerry! Go Kerry!

Mouse, may I call you Mouse? I'm glad you found us again. IS YOUR SCHOOL NUTS?! Implementing NCLB when every educator and every state government in the country knows the law is flawed and underfunded! Holy Sh*t!!! All I can guess is that the school must be hoping that by doing this they will end up getting some funding. It all comes down to the almighty dollar. :?: I'm also sorry about your aide. My aide is phenomenal at her job but terribly unreliable. So, I can relate. Also, I had my gallbladder out 5 summers ago, in August as a matter of fact. I know the misery you are going through. Best of luck with the surgery and with the recovery. I ate a low-fat diet following the surgery for a full year. It helped me lose weight which was nice. It was a loooooong time before my body could tolerate anything fatty. Even now, I have to be cautious. A trip to McDonalds is risky business! I really hope you do well, and that you feel better soon.

Robyn, I hope I don't put my foot in my mouth, but I worry about our self-esteem. We are such wonderful women, and I want us all to be treated with love, respect, and the dignity we deserve! I'm right there with you. I want a lot of things for myself when I turn 40. I unfortunately don't have as much time as you do...only 3 months.

Well, I'm finally back on track. The weight I gained while my DH was in the hospital is almost all off...just one pound to go. Now I can get back to subtracting inches and pounds for Disneyworld. I've got three weeks before we leave. I shall continue to exercise and eat well so that I can appear in photos! No, I won't be as thin as was my goal. But, I will be thinner than I would have been if I just did as I pleased. So, I shall be proud of my accomplishments and forgive my failings. Time to move forward...

Hi all. You can call me Mouse. The other forum I'm active on, PCOS/etc they call me Mouse or Mousie. :) I could tell you all the story behind my name if you want, it kinda involved education.:grin:

Yes, my school is nuts. It won't get us any money at all: we're a private facility run by a well-known research hospital, which provides funding for a children's neurological rehab hospital. My city is true, so most of you can probably guess WHO I work for if not the specific site I'm at. I'm not sure why they implemented it the way they did: its like they've done this complete set of negative reinforcement. If I were them, I'd be rewarding the staff that are jumping through hoops EARLY since NCLB doesn't take effect till 2006. Instead, they are chasing away good staff and quality people. And they're ticking me off (I'd be the last one to say I'm a good teacher, even though I'm told I am... I see way more areas that I can improve and learn in to say I'm good). I wasn't going to plan to leave, becuase the concept of our school is fantastic... its exactly how I would set up my school if I could run one. I was really excited to get offered a job there, especially since the school is just now entering its 6th year, and getting ready to graduate its 3rd class. That is, to me, an incredible opportunity for growth, change and goal-setting. And the administrator that interviewed me was
really interested in what I've done in the past in my classrooms... But he has since left. :( And it seems like the usual clique is in place here, with groups that aren't interested... and the staff that kiss up the best, and look good (physically) get the rewards.

Anyway... I've been dealing with the endocrine dysfunction since 1999, but wasn't diagnosed until 2001. Its taken me from 2001 till very recently to believe that I didn't do this to myself, and its not because of what I ate or didn't eat, exercise or didn't exericse (though I certainly could have done more of that!). But, its really ramped up. Its hard to get through the day teaching, plus I'm going to graduate school for what may eventually be a doctorate (that's why I'm staying for now: they're paying 100% of the tuition), without eating... or eating so little.
Swimming is really what is keeping me going. Its so weird, I can eat better after I've exercised.

Congrats to the people who have shown losses... and thanks for the welcome.

:mouse:

Hiya, friends! Happy, um....Thursday, July 1st! :) (I LOVE having to look at a calendar to figure out what day it is! hehehe! Truly a symptom of being on summer vacation!!)

aBIG hello to our new friend, The Swimming Mousie! Glad to have you aboard, Mousie! :D What do you teach? ...and I have much esteem for those at hospital related schools! It was someone at a school of this sort that first helped us with my son and his special needs! The first ray of hope and sunshine for our guy! A very pleasant memory amid a bunch of frantic ones! :)

Hey, Ginny! Nice to see you again! :wave: Glad to hear that you are enjoying summer....or at least busy with what you want to be busy with! :D

Ker, yahoooooo and congratulations regarding your loss! THAT has to give you some confidence and a good dose of UMPH to keep at it! Way to go! Sorry to hear that your dh has hurt his leg. I'm glad that it isn't anything more serious! You will have to fill in for your dh with the kiddos! Ummmm...don't forget their sunscreen! :D :lol: :D

Summer, you always read my mind! Yep, self esteem and feeling that I'm worthy of my attention has been an issue....BUT I'm getting better with it / at it! It is so hard for me to balance things....TIME! and of course getting my list of "To Do's" in the order that actually includes ME! I'm making progress! You guys here help me keep my "head on" right!

Speaking of keeping my "head on".... I've done that this week! ANDDD...
Today is my "Monday"....I weighed in this morning ANDDD....
my scale says that today I weigh 2 pounds less than I did! :D

:D :cb: :cb: :D I'm so excited to be on the OTHER side again! :) I've been good about moving my fanny! I've been making a huge effort with my food intake! This week, journaling, WATER (all the diet soda is gone....and will not be replaced....) and changing the way I've been "moving" are my goals! I'm going to measure myself today. I know that this is about inches and not pounds! AND, once I add weights (today!) to the mix.... inches will change and the pounds might not! Thank you for your help, encouragement, "Dr.Phil sessions", and cheerleading!

I'm 28 pounds from my goal today! That is 2 pounds closer than last week!

(((hugs)))
Make a plan and then WORK it!
Take care,
Meeeeeee

Hi Mousie, Ginny , Robyn and Summer,
I am glad to see everyone is doing great.This must be the week for everyone to loss some weight. Let's keep it up next week to ladies! I was busy yesterday with my kiddos. I played with them outside and took them to the library. Then last night when I was going to mow the yard, for some strange reason I didn't have the engery or desire to. So I got up this morning and did it. My DH is feeling better today. He was able to go outside and sweep off the sidewalks for me. This afternoon I worked with my one stepson for a little bit on his letters and sounds. He is coming along. We had him to a specialist last week for his teeth. He had to have 6 teeth fixed that day. Ever since then he has been eating better and doing his work better. So I wonder if his teeth had a bit to do with his problem of learning in school this past year. Now I am going to go and get ready to go to water aerobics at the city pool. I will talk to you all later.
Have a great weekend!
Take care,
Kerry

Hi, all!
Congrats on the loss, Mermaid!
Kerry, glad to hear the husband leg is getting better. :) And yes, teeth or other health issues have a HUGE impact on school! As you probably know! I love water aerobics and lap swimming.
I'm firmly convinced that I work for a bunch of morons, though! I spent the day trying to convince our other vo-tech teachers that teaching independent living skills such as sorting CAN also teach job skills at the same time.
I am now teaching our 'survey' class, which is the introductory class to our vocational program. But the other teachers are firmly convinced that I must do this WITHOUT also teaching any independent living skills. I should only teach skills related to each of the 4 industry areas, and only specific to those areas, not any general job skills.
So if I do some sorting skills with our more severly involved kiddos, I'm supposed to have them sort specific to that industry: IE, for retail, sort products by category, for hospitality, sort foods, for IT, sort computer parts, for consturction, sort tools.
Which is silly... why not teach them how to sort, and THEN introduce job-specific skills?

:mouse:

Well let me tell you ladies water aeorbics was fun. Boy does it give you a great workout. But is also relaxes you too. I was a little nervous at first. Not only because I was trying something new, but because I didn't think I would know anyone there. I knew three people. The one lady works out at Curves and the other lady use to work out at Curves. Then one of the grandma's from the boys ball team was there too. Naturally I was the youngest there. When I got home my dh asked if it was fun. I told him I had a lot of fun. Then he asked if I would take his dd with me when she is here for a month. I said that I didn't think that was a good idea for her to go with me, since we do it out in the deep water. Plus I didn't want to be responsible for an 8 year-old while I was working out. Was that mean of me? He just doesn't seem to get that time is Kerry's Me time. I think that I do enough other stuff with her to get her body up and moving and don't need to take her with me everytime I go to workout somewhere. If she was a teenager, I might not have a problem with it. I think we might take them to the pool a couple times in July anyway so it is not like she won't get to swim at all this summer.
So how are the playdates going Summer? I hope you are enjoying your company.
Robyn doesn't it feel great to be closer to your goal weight. I have about 80 more pounds that I would like to lose. But I take it day by day and pound by pound.
Ginny glad to have you back. I bet you are glad it is summer too.
Mousie glad that you have found us and joined us. We are here for you. One thing you will found out from us is that we are a wonderful support group. We are all going through the same thing and can help each other.
Well ladies I am going to check my other forum that I post on. Then I think I am going to get off line and go finish my Karen Harper book. It is called The Baby Farm. I just got to a really good part in it. Has any one read any good books lately?
Take care,
Kerry

Books not related to school...right?! I'm sort of addicted to Janet Evanonovitch's Stephanie Plum books... They aren't exactly rated G....but they are a LOT of fun! If you read one of them...Read _One for the Money_ . It is the first one...and she just published number 10. (I'm on the waiting list for it!) I'm actually heading to the dentist (bleech) and the library (yea!) tomorrow to see what I can find! I have no idea what the movie is like, but I highly recommend the Nicholas Sparks book _The Notebook_...along with a box of tissues! Another fast read! (I started reading his books when my youngest was an infant...they were the "skinniest" novels I could find on the shelf closest to the door.... a GREAT way to pick an author....but I did enjoy several of his books! (Sappy but sweet! ...nothing like my prior recommendation!)

Anyway....

As I planned.... I kicked up my exercise a bit tonight.... I did one of my favorite Firm videos and used my weights! (AND didn't DIE!) I drank all of my water today...and then some! :) I controlled my food intake....nearly perfectly...I ate a piece of bakery bread with dinner that I shouldn't have....BUT...I'm getting better at it! When I log off of here...I am getting that #$%@ journal out! ;)

I'm going to call the gym (where I have a membership and have NEVER gone...) and ask about their water aerobics classes.... I once was a die hard water aerobics fan... yearrrrs ago! LOL (Back when I THOUGHT I had a weight issue! LOL) Anyway... I would love to do that again! I wouldn't want to take a child with me to those classes to try to keep track of...lifeguard or not...if something should happen ...dear me!

Mouse...I know NOTHING about what you're doing really...but SORTING is sorting is sorting is sorting....a very useful skill to know and use in many many aspects of ones life....hardly seems "right" to try to isolate instead of integrate the broad skill.... BUT, what do I know? I am only a first grade teacher! :) (But we *DO* sorting!)

Gotta go take a shower and grab that darn notebook!
Summer...hope your day was fun! We missed you! :)

Make a plan! Live it!
take care,
meeee

I also love to read... I just finished Wen Spencer's Ukiah Oregon series. I'm eagerly waiting the 4th book, but that's not out till October! :sigh: And I'm afraid its going to come out in hardcover, because her last new book did! Most of what I read is SF/Fantasy, and some of the more obscure authors aren't picked up by the library. But, I also like John Grisham, and John Lescroart (similar books: legal thrillers). And I read children's literature, I really like Margaret Peterson Haddix's books, especially the Shadow Children series (Among the Hidden, Among the Imposters, Among the Barons, etc). I also read social history: I have lots and lots of kids in foster care, so I tend to read about that topic to figure out how the system has gotten so screwed up, plus books about special education or children living in inner city environments. Oh, and I've also been reading books by Chaim Potok, who writes about Orthodox and Hasidic Judaism in NYC just after World War II.

:mouse:

Morning Ladies,
I just got back from Curves. I am so happy. According to their scales, I lost 4 pounds for the month. 1 1/2 inches from my abdomen and 1/4 of inch from my hips. So I am back in the losing game again there. It is a wonderful day to go to the bank to cash my paycheck, pay bills, go to the library to return videos. Then do whatever else the kiddos what to do for the afternoon. I have to pump myself up to go to my in-law's tomorrow for a cookout. They are all skinny people and don't have to worry about what they eat, so they bring fattening food to every family get together. So I will just have to watch what I eat tomorrow. Plus for some reason, my mouth seems to get me in trouble at these family get togethers. But then I wonder if it is because I have a college degree and know what is going on in the world somewhat and they just have a high school degree and work in low paying jobs. Wish me luck that I don't get into a fight with any of my in-laws. But I am also great to have around when they need something. Oh well.
Mousie, I also teach special education. Every teacher I work with has a different view on how to teach skills. So I just follow what my heart and head tells me to do. I think you will do fine doing the way you want to. You have to give your kids exposure to a lot of different things so they know what kind of job they would like to do. Does that make any sense to you?
Robyn I have read all of Nicholas Sparks books too. They are wonderful. I also like Richard Paul Evans, John Grishman, and my romance novels.
Have a great and safe holiday weekend!
Take care,
Kerry

Kerry: Congrats again. :) My own little bonus today was swimming 1.05 miles. ;) I just started lap swimming on May 20th, though I was doing water aerobics before that, and still do. I've been doing that for almost a year where I am now. Anyway, I started off only being able to do 8-10 lengths, then 18 (1/4 of a mile). Tuesday was the first day I swam a full mile, which is 72 lengths. Its been taking me about 2 weeks per 1/4 increase since I hit 1/2 a mile, so I'm really happy to be at 1 mile now.
I do take treading water breaks, because I can't kick, so I do it all with my arms... I need the break or my arms will really hurt!

I think that may be part of the problem, actually, Kerry... in the group I'm in, I am (and I'm pretty positive about this) the only special education certified teacher, and certainly one of the only ones that has come up from actual classroom teaching. The info tech teacher is working on a master's in special ed, and allegedly our retail teacher is working toward a degree in teaching as well. The construction shop teacher is certified in Tech ED and also a certified architect with a master's in computers in education... Anyway, I just have a very different outlook on what the kids I teach (although students are classified as mild MR, its really a moderate disability) have moderate to severe disabilities. Almost all of them are emotionally disturbed or multiply disabled, and really need lots of repetition and assistance. The best way to get them instruction without having to do huge amounts of scaffolding is to reach for what they know. ALL of my kids know some self-care skills, are familiar with parents getting money, working, paying bills, etc... or see it on TV... its not completely foreign to them. I just don't understand why everybody is so against this plan. It didn't make any sense at all.

:mouse: