Welcome all to a thread full of wonderful women taking on the responsibilty of raising a family and trying to take care of themselves too. Please feel free to jump right in a say hello and to all you regular posters I look forward to another wonderful day with you!

Good evening all!

Cindi that is so great about those 3#'s being gone! And the crocheting is going ok. I've started 3 different projects, lol. I just get started on one and hit a wall so to speak and then start on something else. But I did find a pattern today I will complete and it has a matching pillow, it's so cute. My dh's cousin (not the one I tan with but another one) is having a boy in october and everyone thought it was going to be a girl so they made girly blankets so I am going to make that pattern for her in a pretty blue.

Nikki that is great on the 4 cookie free days! LOL. And we are glad to have you part of our group!

Di, don't worry about being out of flexpoints. You can get in some extra exercise and earn activity pts if you like then you won't feel boxed in with your target pts. But this week is already going by so fast. Your WI day and new set of flex will be here before you know it. What day do you WI on again?

Melinda, that website is www.savingdinner.com , I just bought her book off of amazon.com and Leigh gets the email mailer. I think though I may look into getting the email too because Leighs dinners always sounds better than mine! LOL. A beach house sounds like sooo much fun! Glad JW had a blast.

Leigh, that jerk steak sounds good and spicy! I love mcD's burger and fries too.

Geri, sounds like you have been really busy today! My lawn got mowed today too, lol, just not by me. But it looks so nice tonight.

Ricci, congrats on the loan approval!!! How exciting! How is the plateau going? Are you mixing things up any? I hope it breaks soon.

Ginny I hope you had a great meeting and WI! Please fill us in when you get a chance!

Well my evening has been good. I watched Spartan, which I'm not sure I really liked. I like val kilmer but this movie was a little out there. But it was worth one watch I guess, lol. Now I can get to the movie I really want to see, Cold Mountain! I wanted to see it so bad tonight but the other one is due back tomorrow so I had to watch it tonight, I have cold mountain until sunday.
Dinner came out awesome! The kids ate it up too. I had chicken parmesan. Very tasty and filling. I'm under pts for tonight but I'm still full from dinner so I'm not worried about it.
Ok, I guess I'll get off here now and call it a night. TTYL!

'Morning!
Spryng- thanks for starting the new thread......I was thinking the same here and you beat me to it! 3 crochet projects at the same time?????? Wish I could keep track of just one! I have a cross stitch I have been working on for 4 years.........maybe 5.
You have come up with some great dinner ideas, though. The Mex lasagna sounds neat, I might give that a try. I wanted to pick up the Take Out tonight book by WW- the leader has been mentioning it and it actually has a recipe for General Tsao's chicken (restaurant version is something like 30 points a serving!) that I am dying to try... of course they have been out of it at the meetings........maybe ebay will have it.
My hats off to you, though for getting down to goal- no meetings.......and being so efficient about it (rather unlike your friend here in NY). I want to see Cold Mountain too.....love the Civil war stuff, and Nicole Kidman.

Diane- sorry about using your points.....make up for it with some increased activity, even just 15 minutes of walking/dancing or whatever a day will gain a point! How did the candle turn out?

Nikki- 4 days and no cookies!!!!!!! Good for you!!! What kind of program are you on?? You might want to figure out a way that periodically and within reason (portion control) you can have a cookie. Deprival usually backfires.

Cindi- school starts in a month!!!!!!!!! Augh! Is that regular school? I have only been off a week...so the thought of going back kills at the moment.

Ricci- congrats on the loan approval. What are you going to school for?

Geri- thankfully, it sounds as though the boys are being better for you! Hang in there and keep smiling.

Melinda, Crystal, Penny.......and all the others I missed.......I hope to get back later and be able to address each of you.

Got to WW yesterday- stupid me (actually burned out me) I got there too late for the 4 pm meeting, and too early for the 5:30! So I stayed for the first few minutes of the 5:30 meeting......and left. I lost 1.8#- and considering that TOM showed up this am, I am happy. Good to be back on track again. The meeting was about trying to find ways to defuse the really bad days we have......you know one of those days you wake up too late for breakfast and either skip it entirely or have 6 donuts or the triple cheese egg Mc Muffin......and then go on to blow it for lunch, feel bad about it so eat 4 chocolate bars as a snack and realize the day it shot so you eat Ben and Jerry's (the whole pint is yours!) for dinner.....how to get around those days, and get back on track. She talked about a "week one" mentality- remember the way you started out on your program, all gung ho......well go back and read the initial literature that got you started......refresh your memory and regain that energy for staying OP.
For those of us on WW, it includes the 8 basic steps, which I can type in here later if you do not have that literature.
Gotta go - Dd is up and probably wants breakfast! Have a great day!
Ginny

I found the cookbook on ebay.......hopefully noone will bid on it and the price will stay low. If not, I can check it out at the WW center tomorrow. I hear there is a deadly recipe for black bean and sausage soup in it too.
Ginny

Good Morning Ladies!!

I hope you are all having a great day!! I just dragged my butt out of bed and I don't really have anything too big planned for the day. I'm going to try and do my movie projects today. Work is going well and I like the people I work with, except the two ladies who are acting as General Managers, they don't know anything about running a hotel and its ticking me off Ugghhh!! Apparently one of them said I was hired just for summer help and never told me that little fact, so I'm debating whether or not to confront her! Another thing, the hotel was just sold and switches to the new owners on July 15, nice of them to tell us at the last minute. Ok ranting done lol.

Sounds like you are all doing well!!

Nikki stay away from the cookies!! I think I'm gonna nickname you "the cookie monster"

Ricci congrats on getting back to school that is wonderful!!

Geri How are the lil devils today? One of mine is still in bed so no fighting going on here....yet.

Melinda no way am I a supermodel lol but thanks so much for letting me think it for a few minutes You're such a doll!! How is JW?

Di I wouldn't sweat your points too much, girl I know you are doing well so if you go over a day or two, no biggie!! We're here for you!!

Spryng You sound like me girl!! I would have several projects going at once as well!! I never do end up finishing them lol. That mexi lasagna does sound wonderful!!

Well I need to get off here and get my butt in action lol. I will TTYL!!
Michelle

Good morning all!

I got a great nights sleep last night but for some reason can't stop yawning today. It's about to drive me nuts! LOL.
I don't have much planned for today either. Some housework and that is about it. Tonight I will go tan. Dinner will be beef and spinach pitas. What are you all having?

Michelle, I would definitely find out about if you are there just for the summer or not and if it's true that is very rude of them to not tell you when you were hired. Yeah I tried not to get several crochet projects going but if I got stuck on one pattern I would just start a new one. I just like to keep working, you know? It relaxes me. Well, when the pattern makes sense, lol.

Ginny, I have seen that cookbook! You can get it cheap on amazon.com too. I have it on my wishlist. You can read the reviews there about it and the majority of people loved the recipes so it must be good. Thank you so much about your kind words about me getting to me goal. I must say though I did slack off alot after I hit my goal weight. I still keep track of my pts and all that but when I hit my personal goal I'm thinking about quiting that part of it. I know you've been doing ww for much longer than me, do you get tired of writing everything down? I sure do. So I thought after I hit my personal goal weight I'd try maintaining on my own. Is that a very bad idea? I posted that question on the ww boards (at ww.com) and some people do that with no problems... but if they gain a little it's right back to counting until that weight gets off. What would you recommend? Congrats on the 1.8# gone!!! That is fantastic! Sounds like you are remotivated and I see you hitting your goal weight too before you know it. I know you can do this! And thank you so much for sharing what your meeting was about, I love hearing about it. Keeps me in line too, lol.

Well, guess I should get off here and get some housework done. I need to finish my morning routine and get some laundry folded and put away. I've been neglecting that lately. I've just been feeling so lazy. I hope that passes soon, lol. Ok, TTYL!

Good morning all.
I can't stay on long. Got to wash breakfast dishes and make my bed.

Welcome Valorie, I'm Crystal, 26 yo sahm of 3; almost 4. Alisa 5, Ally 3, and Andrew 19 months. I'm due in Feb. I homeschool my oldest, she'll be in 1st grade. Welcome aboard, hope you enjoy it here. I'm sticking around through this pregnancy. Trying to make it the best one, so far it's the worst.
Spryng, yes I'll get a sono on Thursday. He's done one everytime, we haven't see anything yet and he wants to badly. My guess is if we see something tomorrow I won't go back for a month this time.
Melinda, 12 weeks will end the first trimester, so if I'm 7 weeks, then I've got 5 to go. Sounds like forever.
Cindi, WTG on the loss.
Hi to everyone else.
Okay girls, I had a breakdown last night. Andrew was in bed, I put the girls in bed and dh was taking a shower. I broke down in tears. At night is when I really don't feel good. Actually it starts almost as soon as breakfast is over and lasts throughout the day, at moments it's less than others. Anyways, I just broke down in tears because I'm sick and tired of feeling this way. I'm tired of not being myself. I have NO motivation to do nothing. I'm afraid it will effect my motherly and wifely duties. Well, dh heard me and he came in here and asked what was wrong. He said is there anything I can do? I told him to go get fixed so I don't have to go through this again. He laughed and said is there anything I can do right now? And of course there wasn't. So he finished his shower and I fell asleep.
I don't know why I had to share this with y'all but I did.
Well, I'll talk to y'all later.

Crystal, I'm so sorry you are feeling so overwhelmed right now. I hope your second trimester comes fast and you feel that glow of pregnancy! But if I were you (this is just my 2 cents) I would get an appointment for your dh now, you know? That way he can get the procedure while you are pregnant and you don't have to worry about a backup method for 4-6 weeks, or whatever it is. Then once the baby is born your worries about another one will be gone and you will be able to enjoy being a new mother again and a wife to the fullest, you know? But that is what I would do and it may help you to feel better now knowing your dh cares and wants to help you out too.
I hope the day gets better for you! ((((((HUGS))))))

Michele- gee, how sweet of them not to tell you that this is just a summer job! (is the person that mentioned that reliable, or a mean spirited moron?) Maybe the new owners will be better......hang in there!!!

Spryng- well.........I have heard several leaders on the subject of points for life.......and what I have heard is that even if you are going to ease up a bit- slack off with how intensely you watch points you are stuck watching and at least keeping some sort of daily diary of points. Laura (my favorite leader) came dangerously close to losing her job (she is a full time WW leader)- she stopped journalling and put on a bunch of weight a year ago. We all noticed it- and she went back on program and is dealing with it. Denise (saw her last nite)- has been at goal 5 years and still journals.
BTW she looks great and I doubt has ever put more than a # or two back, if any.
Do something to make it more creative for you- buy a really pretty journal book. I will send you some extra flex points journals that I have (want them?) to see if maybe the change of format will keep you inspired. At the meeting 2 weeks ago, Laura mentioned that there are 3 ways to approach this summer- stay totally OP (and lose), sort of go "on hold"- still watching points but not so aggresively or going off program.
She has mentioned numerous times that this is a lifetime thing......and that these issues will be with us forever (somehow she said it in a much more positive light than I just did!). That inspires me, however........when I think I can sneak in a snack, I am reminded that she too faces this as a lifetime issue.......and walk away from the snack.
Let me know if you want me to send the flex journal to you, ok? I have an extra.

Crystal- sorry you are not feeling well. Big hugs to you. Post, vent, post. The unfortunate thing is most Dh's do not understand how miserable we can feel- they might understand us well, but our female issues we contend with all by ourselves.....you are not alone here!!!! I do hope you have a pleasant day- and that the kids behave.

Gotta go help my teary Dd find a bathing suit. See ya!
Ginny

Hey guys!!

Well funny thing about my job situation is that LaQuinta, another hotel, called me last night and wants me to interview so I'm going there this morning! The person who told me about the summer job is a reliable person I don't see why she would have any reason to make it up. Like I said though, the two women acting as GMs are not very knowledgable at all!!

Crystal - Hun I'm soo sorry that you arent feeling better!! I hope it passes soon!! Have you heard anything on your construction loan yet? Maybe, if you get approved, that will make you feel happy and excited and all the bad feelings will go away!!

Spryng I think you are doing great with your progress and such, hang in there girly, and I think that if you don't want to do points forever then dont, you already know what you should and shouldnt eat and in what portions. But I also know that for me personally, that keeping my journal holds me accountable, because everything I eat gets put down in writing!

Ginny- I'm so glad that you are back with us!! Its great to see your posts!! How is everything going?

Ok back to work!! I will check in in a little bit!
Michelle

Good morning...came down to look for a farmer's market and here I am!!

Have a great day and I'll check back in tongiht!!

It's me again! LOL

I have been one busy bee this morning. Got my entire morning routine done, scrubbed the bathroom from top to bottom, kitchen is clean (just needs to be swept but that is part of my night routine) and the zone for this week (today is the last day) was the living room and since I didn't do anything in it this week except for picking it up and vacuuming I got out the detailed cleaning list and went to work. The sad thing is it didn't even take the full 15 min and that was dusting, washing windows and pictures, straightening shelves etc. So it looks really good and didn't take very long. I also got two baskets of laundry folded and put away. So I feel productive. After I get done posting here I plan on getting my workout in, I'll just have to fight Tanner off me but that is ok. I know that if I don't do it while I feel I have extra energy I won't do it all.

Geri you have a farmer's market in your basement!? LOL... Glad you stopped by to say hello!
Michelle, is that job at laquinta a part time position too?
Ginny I knew you would help me see things straight, LOL. Have I told you lately how much I missed you? LOL. I know journalling is important. I used to write out a very detailed journal of everything I ate and now I just keep tabs of the numbers. I'm thinking it might be a good idea to buy one of those ww charm bracelets that keep tabs on your pts then I can get rid of the journal someday. But I'm still thinking about it. And dont worry about sending me those flex journals, I have a little notebook I love (it's my second one!) and I like being able to have it all together. But my biggest downfall is exercise. I so want to lose more inches but am so not in the mood to exercise anymore. I mean I have my moments and if I don't do it right then and there I won't do it. I used to do it after the kids went to bed at night but now once I lay them down and read their stories and all that I am exausted and head straight to bed too and I can't get up early to do it (my eyes refuse to open, lol) so I need to either give up my nap time (which is usually just my computer time and sometimes a nap) or do it while the kids are up. So I know it can be done I just have to do it. How are you doing on your daily walks?

Well, I think I will put on a tank top now and do my boot camp workout. TTYL!

oh Michelle I have a question for you...
My bootcamp dvd and my firm both are weight training videos and I know to rest the day after doing them and do cardio or something but I don't have any cardio workouts anymore so I was wondering if I do my bootcamp dvd in the morning can I do my Firm workout in the same day and then take the 24 hours off??? That way I don't feel guilty about not working out the next day, you know? ok, gotta go.

Hey There Everyone!

Crystal, I can totally relate to how you must be feeing right now. You've got soo much going on and it just must be overwhelming at times. When you aren't feeling good yourself, every other problem in your life is just magnified 100 xs. Just keep in mind that it will pass like everything else. It's not like one day waking up and saying "wow" I feel better, more like a fog slowly lifting, layer by layer. Watch for the signs of it lifting and in the mean time just keep trying to simplify everything you can in your life, to keep from overextending yourself and burning out every day. Big (((((((((hugs))))))))))) to you.

Spryng thanks for the advise on the points. I've been purposefully not counting exercise points for some reason, but I may have to re-think that strategy. My weigh in's are on Monday morning, to help keep me somewhat level headed on the weekend, so I got a bit to go, but I'm feeling good and motivated this week. Tom has not arrived yet, so I'm a couple days late. No biggie though, I'm not the most reliable person when it comes to these matters.

Ginny what an awesome loss even with TOM! Congratulations! I hope you get the book, it soundslike a good one. I like the way your leaders talk about the motivation. It would be fantastic if I could just bottle up that motivation that I had the first week and open it upwhen I'm feeling down. I'm such an emotional eater, so when I'm having a crappy day, it's sooo hard not to treat myself. I just need to find another way to treat myself, I know this, but food is so fast and convenient that it can be hard to pass up.

Michelle, I'd be ticked off too by the summer time help comment. It will be interesting to see what the other hotel has to say, let us know what happens. Is you computer all up to speed?

Well, not much planned today. I have to figure out dinner tonight, as I didn't plan my whole week out like I had wanted to. I'm in the mood for something spicy, big shock there! Perhaps the Mexi Lasagna will hit the spot? Off to play with the boys for a bit. Hi to all you ladies I didn't have a chance to get personal with, but I will check in later on today as well.

-Di

The threads have been very busy in my breif absence. Yesterday and today, Liam has been saying, "Ma-ma-ma-ma" a lot. I'm not sure he knows what it means (maybe just babbling), but I keep saying, "Yes, I'm mama." Went out for more errands and finally got Boca Burgers, so that will be for lunch today!!!

Melinda- ohhh, I envy your closeness to the beach. I love the beach. Can you tell I'm from Florida

Di - I know it's hard not having flexpoints for the weekend. I'm worried about our trip to WI because you can be sure there will be no low-fat items anywhere in sight. DH's family are big eaters Guess I can just eat smaller amounts of the food.

Nikki- Hi! Great job on being cookie free for 4 whole days! That's excellent.

Cindi- on 3 lbs down!! Whoo-Hoo Have a great day today.

Spryng- I can't wait to hear your review of Cold Mountain! Glad dinner came out good. DH is out of town tonight and tomorrow, so it's WW or Lean Cuisine for me As for working out, maybe you can do just 15-minutes at a time. Just say, "I can do anything for 15 minutes." Then, if you feel like doing more later in the day or whatever, you can add another 15, but don't feel like you have to.

Ginny- on the loss!!! Good for you. Those insights about losing motivation were good. My motivation has slumped a bit and I'm worried about that! So, reading the advice is good for me. Are the 8 steps and the principles the same? Also, thanks for the info on maintaining - that helps too.

Michelle- sorry about the job stressors

Crystal- I'm sorry you've been feeling down and I know it's so hard to feel crappy for so long. Just remember that we're all thinking of you and sending positive thoughts your way so you feel better ASAP.

Okay, Liam needs interaction TTYL.