[Summerlover]

Okay, now that I've vented my anger, I can take some time to respond to all of you.

Paisley, good for you that you didn't take any crap from your coworker. Unfortunately a lot of people think they can wrap up an insult in a pretty package and it will be okay...it's awfully "passive/aggressive." On the days I eat well it is because I packed up my food for the day the night before. I do great early in the week, and really suck at it toward the end of the week when I'm just plain pooped! You're not alone...in any of this. You just have better scenery!!!

So, Mouse, since you mentioned it, do you take 4 year olds? Or are you limited to the big kids. I'm sure the mom of the babydoll microwaver wouldn't mind him attending school out of state!!! P.S. I had the same bizarre weather on Friday as well. We didn't know how to dress ourselves. I ended up putting a Disneyworld poncho over DD's winter coat.

Kerry, I see you also had the weird weather. Keep up the exercise. You are great.

Robyn, Ginny, and Elana, Hope you are well.

Oh, I almost forgot my good news...The CEA Advisor came out. I'm not only the subject on an article promoting preschool, but I'm on the cover!!! I don't look too fat. Thank God I wore black. One of my coworkers called to congratulate me. But, my sister, who should have also received it in the mail, didn't call me. I haven't called her since Christmas because she was really rude to my DH. (She hates him.) But, I'm hurt that she couldn't put aside our differences and congratulate me. Whatever. I just wish my mother was here to share this success with me. She has missed out on most of the special times of my life. She didn't see me graduate college, get married, give birth, buy my first home, or get my first teaching position. I hope it is true that our loved-ones in heaven are watching over us. I hope she knows.
Well, my daughter knows, and she is proud of me.

More good news...my nephew is in Long Island with his fiancee. They will be coming to CT on Friday to spend the night. DD IS SOOOOO EXCITED. So am I.

[KAR73]

Oh My Goodness Summer you have every right to be mad at LMSH. I would of slapped her. She outs of her way to be rude to your dd. How does this make your dd feel? I hope that you can get this straightened out. If not are you going to put your dd in another brownie troop? Hugs go out to you this evening. Hope things get better for you.
I talked to my mom this evening and she was all upset. I guess my cousins who are staying with my grandma started stuff with my brother today. So there is a whole huge family agruement going on between my cousins', my aunt in Flordia, my brother and sister-in-law and my dad. My poor grandma who is 90 year's old is caught in the middle and I am hoping and praying that her heart doesn't start acting up on her. So please say a prayer for my family.
Well I better go and get some laundry done. Talk to you all tomorrow.
Kerry

[Anonymouse]

Evening everybody...
The leadership seminar went wonderfully! The students all had a great time. The group organizers broke our kids up with 1 student each in groups. The other teacher who came with me provided support to one student academically, and I helped with social skills for another student. The kids each learned one part of a leadership module, and will be presenting it in turn. One group each month for the next 3 months. And then, I think, they are going to present to National Headquarters in DC. I had one parent hug me today, and the other two thanked me again. I really think I needed all of that, because with the stuff that goes on at our school with the adults, I was having a serious crisis of conscious... as in, I really wanted out of that place.
Summer: Maybe we could take up a collection to put LMSH out of your misery? What a jerk! Has she ever considered becoming a school administrator?
And my particular school is a high school, but we have a lower school and a middle school in other buildings. Sounds like one of your kids really needs that help. We're not residential though, so mom still has to keep the kid when school is closed.
I did get to the gym this morning, too, but whoever was the manager on duty didn't show up, so the gym (and hence the pool) didn't open till 7:15 a.m... I only got to swim for 45 minutes. And I thought about going back when we were done, but it was even colder in the afternoon than it was in the morning! The weather forecast is saying there is a 30% chance of snow here on Sunday night and Wednesday night.
It'd better not snow on Tuesday or Monday night! I'd feel so bad if we couldn't get to Virginia to meet with Alton Brown!

[Paisley]

Mouse--I'm so glad to hear that your leadership seminar went so well! I hope the snow holds off.

Kerry--ugh! Family drama is so stressful. I hope you're able to get through that without being too stressed out!

Summer--Wow! congrats on your cover pic/feature article in the Advisor!!! and on looking good in the pic!! I cannot begin to believe how terrible that woman behaved! her behavior toward your daughter is inexcusable--how nasty and petty and just out and out horrid! I'm so sorry you had to deal with that.

Kerry--Congrats on navigating the pizza party so well, and on going to curves! It sounds to me like you made a really good choice with the disappearance of that device--I'm sure people prefer to have someone so thorough and pro-active because what if it HAD been stolen?

I'm up to 185 (from 182.4 last week, I started at 188). I'm sure this is because I went back to school and started my grad school class. So: less sleep, less exercise, less water, no breakfast some days, some chocolate. Next week is a chance to try again. I am taking 2 water bottles to work, and making myself finish one each block (refill at lunch)--that will be the same amt of water I drank over break. I need to figure out how to work in longer walks into my day. The new U.S. nutrition guides say 90 min. exercise for weight loss, and I'm getting about 40 in a day.

On the plus side, I haven't been to a fast food place, had caffiene, or drank soda pop since 12/31 , and I've kept my commitment to exercise each day. I feel better for eating more veggies/good foods. Part of me worries that I'm rationalizing about this. . .so if I'm still gaining next week and making these comments ("it's really ok, because. . .") someone can feel free to give me a reality check--please!

take care everyone

[ECmom]

Hi!
I am at my Dm's, just trying to get some stuff done for her. She is doing pretty well, just stiff from the skin graft. Boy do I miss it here! But this week has been so hectic, snow, kids stuff.....I would have had little time to post if I could. And my computer will not get to the shop for repair until maybe tomorrow, or Wednesday.
So I am here to say hello- hope everyone is ok. I sure do miss posting.
Anyone have Monday off??
Take care.........see ya when I get to the library.
Ginny

[KAR73]

Happy Sunday Afternoon to everyone!
Hope everyone is having a great relaxing weekend! My dh and I actually went out last night and he was the one who wanted to come home early. I had to beg him to stay a little longer. We walked down to the local bar to play some pool. Naturally he was able to beat me in every game we played, but I didn't care. We had a lot of fun until his old flame showed up. Then I was starting to get a little jealous and ticked off. Since she was the girlfriend right before me. His kids had met her and when my dh and I first started going out, his kids would slip and call me Danielle or they would ask where she was. I never held it against the kids about thier confused feelings but it was just weird being in the bar with his old flame making eyes at him and stuff. I had three drinks and then switched to water. I even had a guy try to buy me a drink and I politely told him no thanks. It was 10 minutes before closing time so I think he was trying to pick me up. My dh laughed when I told him that one of the bouncers tried buying me a drink. Today has been very cold here. We actually got a little bit of snow flurries. Went to my stepdd's ball game and watched them get slaughtered. They got 2 points in the last minute of the game. The score was 33-2. They were just not very with it today. They all showed up minutes before the game was to start and then wouldn't pay attention to my dh's advice or attempt to work as a team. So I think they are going to have a very fun practice come Wednesday night.
Paisley could your slight weight gain be that you are building up muscle. Sounds like you have a good plan set out. Keep up the good work!
Mouse glad to hear that your day was a success yesterday. I hope that you don't have snow on Monday or Tuesday night. It would be a shame if you had to cancel your fieldtrip to Va.
Summer Congrats on your cover exposure. That is awesome news! That had to make you feel good after the crappy birthday party mess. Enjoy your visit with your nephew and his wife to be.
Robyn how is your weekend going? Are you getting some of this lovely cold weather too?
Elana hope all is well with you. Did you figure out an eating plan so that you don't get too hungry by the time you get home from school?
Ginny, glad to see that you were able to drop in and say hi from your dm's. Glad to hear that she is doing well. We miss chatting with you. But we understand about your computer situation right now.
Well ladies I think I am going to go and heat up some leftover Chinese from last night for my dinner. I got chicken and steamed veggies. Talk to you all later.
Kerry

[Anonymouse]

Hi, all.
Okay, so I did absolutely nothing all day today. Okay, that's not quite true either: I have 2 whole class periods of voc-ed reports done. Only 4 more to go. I also did some communication boards for the mother of one of the Red Cross paid staff. But I didn't do the laundry. The cat hasn't done much all day either: he's pretty much slept on the futon next to me and the computer.

I saw the new guidelines for weightloss and exercise: What was the FDA thinking?? The food guidelines are fine, and make sense. The exercise guidelines are damn near insane. How many people have time for 90 minutes of exercise in their lives 7 days a week???? I already know loads of people who use the current/old guidelines of 30 minutes 5 days a week as an excuse not to do anything at all because they don't have time. I do about an hour or so at least 4 days a week, and this just makes me wonder, "why bother?" An hour isn't going to do anything.
And it just makes me feel more guilty when I only do 4 days a week instead of 5 or 6. This week is going to be impossible for me to do more than 5 days because I didn't go today, and I can't go Tuesday because of the field trip.
My guess for your weight loss/weight gain, Paisley is that what you lost that first week was mostly water. More than 2 pounds in one week is a lot of weight to lose.
So, I guess tomorrow I'm going to do laundry and go to the gym. I think it is snowing a little right now, but I can't be sure... its hard to tell from my window.

[Summerlover]

I surely needed this extra day off from school. I have so much cleaning to do with my nephew and his fiancee coming to spend the night on Friday. I haven't gotten as far as I'd hoped.

I taught Sunday School yesterday, and the subject was "healing the sick," so the class made cards for the lady in my church who has cancer. I hope this gives her comfort...we all know that children touch people's hearts in ways that adults never could.

Mousie, 90 MINUTES DAILY?!!!!! Who has that kind of time? What about overuse injuries? If I exercised that long, I would have to skip a day in between for my muscles to rest and repair. There is no way my body could take that. When I'm doing what I'm supposed to do, I exercise 5 days out of 7. When I've tried all 7 days, I've ended up with an injury. Let's not forget those of us who work full-time and have other responsibilities whether they be children, elderly parents, or a second job. 90 MINUTES A DAY IS NUTS!!! I like your comment about LMSH becoming an administrator...she'd be a natural.

Kerry, after Saturday, I asked DD if she liked Brownies. She said, "Yes." I asked her if she liked Mrs. H. (LMSH). She said, "Yes." So, she is young enough to have not noticed the subtle way LMSH has been picking on her. I will check with her after every meeting, and luckily DD has a big mouth and I'm pretty sure tells me everything. I'm going to speak with the mom who drives DD and see if she would be willing to change to a different Brownie troop next year. DD won't want to quit Brownies, so I would like to find an alternative. I would prefer her to never return again starting NOW. But, it would hurt her more to stop mid-year since she is oblivious to LMSH. And, yes, the cover of Advisor did cheer me up. Sorry about the old flame. When we were first married, every time I turned around, DH and I would run into a member of his ex-wife's family. I really felt threatened. Now that we've been married for over 11 years, I couldn't care less. I've learned that I can't control him or the situation...all I can control is myself, how I live my life, how I act, and how I look. Think about it...he chose you. You are his wife, not her.

Hi Ginny. I'm glad your mom is well. I miss you too.

Paisley, I don't think you need a reality check. You really are doing all the right things. Remind yourself that our bodies go in cycles. Sometimes you lose, sometimes you don't. Keep doing what you are doing and REMAIN POSITIVE!!!

Hi Elana.

Miss the sarcasm Robyn.

[ECmom]

I sure hope that everyone is doing ok....and enjoying their day off. Like Summer, I am hoping to get some laundry done, and cleaning. Today is Dd's last full day at home before the spring semester. Oh, and I am at the library, enroute to taking the computer to be repaired.

So I skimmed the posts, what were they smoking wanting us to excercise 90 minutes a day!!!! HUH??? I am lucky I get 30 minutes in a day, ok some more but most are just that. And on really bad days, I am happy with a 15 minute walk.

Sorry not to get personal with everyone, but I just do not have the time to spare. I did get 60 minutes of shovelling the snow in today......how does that fit in with the new excercise guidelines??
Miss y'all. I hope to be back to my normal gabby self soon. take care!
Ginny

[Anonymouse]

I'm not sure what they were smoking when they said 90 minutes a day. I'm not going anywhere today, and will be lucky to get the laundry done tonight. I'm seriously unfocused... I think the increase in the spironolactone finally hit me. I was having trouble staying focused on Friday and Saturday, and yesterday all I did was read fiction. Today is the worst, and so hopefully it'll be over. I knew it would happen, but I didn't want it today! I had major plans for the gym today, but I'm having a bit of difficulty staying upright when I walk, so I'm pretty sure driving is a bad idea.
I may go downstairs to the gym there and lift weights for a bit, but I ahte going down there: the only people I ever see are the thin ones or the police officers, and I feel stupid down there. Somehow, even though those people are at my gym, too, it doesn't matter. Maybe because the weight area is bigger up there and there are enough "others" around that it doesn't matter?
I cna't go to the gym tomorrow because of the field trip to Va, but I'll force myself to go Wednesday. I took half the day off Wednesday because of the field trip being so late on Tuesday night... I'm going in the morning and leaving after the kids leave at 1:00. And I will go right to the gym like a good Mousie, and swim for a few hours. I will need to hit the grocery store tomorrow morning (there is a 24 hour one near my school, fortunately!) because I'm completely out of diet soda... So, you can see, I'm really not avoiding anything, but just not going anywhere or doing anything. I need oatmeal and peanut butter too, that being the two things other than slimfast shakes I usually keep down for breakfast.
We had some snow here too, not much, but its REALLY REALLY cold. The wind is louder than the sirens from the fire department at the end of the block here. And louder than the parade too.
I had wanted to go to the parade because lots of my students were in it, but as much as I care for them, it was 4 degrees outside today when the parade kicked off at 10:00 a.m., and I just do NOT love them THAT much!
ARRRGH! I need to go do laundry and I can't get focused enough to do it! Geez!

[KAR73]

Evening Ladies,
This is the first time today, that I had a chance to check in with you all. It was a busy day off for me. I started to straighten up the house, went to Curves with a coworker who is thinking about joining, came home and picked up my dh and we went to get our taxes down and than made a trip to Wal-mart. While at Wal-mart, I put in lay-way a Body Scuplting stick and The Firm 3 in 1 Workout kit. Came home and got my stuff ready for school tomorrow. Plus the Open House stuff for TOPS ready. So now I have a few moments before I head off to bed. So I thought I would relax and unwind by chatting with you fine ladies.
Summer, sounds like you had a nice day. Even though you don't think you got very much done, you probably got more done than you realize. I will keep you and your dd in my prayers over LMSH deal. Hope school goes well for you tomorrow. My dh and I talked yesterday afternoon about seeing his old flame. He said that he show her for her true colors and dumped her since that was not the kind of lady he was looking for to share his life and kids with. That someone was me, so that was nice to hear him reassure his love for me. Thanks for you kind words. I think I was just going through a little low self-esteem after seeing what she looks like.
Ginny, loved your post about the 90 minutes of excerising and what are they smoking comment. I know what you mean about squeezing in the time now between work and family schedules. Glad to hear that things are going well for you. So how do you think you will do with your WI this week? I am hoping to be down a pound or two tomorrow night when I go to TOPS. I have to go to meetings for school tomorrow and they are feeding us lunch. But they usually do Subway subs or pizza, so I packed a salad and might just eat that so that my WI is a good one and not bad because of the pizza.
Mouse, hope you are feeling a little bit better. Did you make it down to the gym in your building to lift weights? I understand fully about the whole rather be at the gym idea. I use to belong to the local Y in the last city I lived it. I joined and went to the fitness room maybe 4 times over the course of a year or two membership. I just felt so out place with the skinny minis working out and the body builders that I preferred to walk the indoor track. Now I love working out at Curves, since the ladies who work out come in all sizes and shapes. I guess I can relate better to them and understand what they have been through and are going through. Hope it is a nice day for your fieldtrip on Tuesday. Plus that it warms up some. It is like 4 degrees here this evening. Very chilly! Too chilly for me to go for a walk outside. LoL
Hi Robyn, Elana and Paisley. Hope all is well with you! Miss chatting with you.
Have a great Tuesday everyone!
Kerry

[Christalynn]

Can a student in college to be a teacher join?

Hello, I'm Christina. I am currently in school for Elementary Education. I want to be a first grade teacher. I am on WW and have been very successful. I have about 85 pounds to go.I look forward to meeting you all.
Have a good night.

[Paisley]

Hi Christina, nice to meet you!

Hi everyone! I'm going to come back and post again after I read everyone else's stuff, but I had to tell you all---I made the evening news!

I marched in the MLK parade today with our teachers union, and when we started the line up, my friends and I were in the back. But, there was this school behind us who had taught their 40-50 kids 1 song, and I heard them sing it--it was about 1 minute long. Then, I heard the teacher say "ok guys, now conserve your voices, because you're going to sing this during THE ENTIRE MARCH"!!!! Facing the spectre of hearing the same song every other minute for something like 2 hours we hustled to the front of our group, and ended up holding the banner! I haven't seen it yet, so I'm going to watch the rebroadcast at 10.

We were the only teachers from the 3 schools on our side of the island who were there, so it's amazing that we made the news!

[Paisley]

Hi everyone!

Kerry--yea! I hope that curves was awesome and that you've converted someone to exercise! and hmmm. . .my weight gain attributed to muscle--(sigh) one can dream!

Mouse and ginny--I completely share your shock at the whole 90 minutes thing. I have no idea how I'll work that time into my day! Yesterday, I used time spent on the phone with one of my more talkative friends to walk about 90 minutes, but that was on a weekend, and I have neither that many talkative friends or phone minutes! Anyway, Mouse, I hope your field trip to VA is awesome.

Summer--I hope you had a really relaxing day off. That card project with thekids sounds like a great way to teach them to sympathize with other's pain. What a great project!

Take care everyone and good luck with the weight loss!

[KAR73]

Welcome Christina. We are glad to have you along for the journey of weight-loss. I just hope that when we talk about our not so good days at school, we don't scare you out of education. L0L. What year are you in your college experience? Look out it this way, you will be given wonderful inside information on what to do and not to do if you hang out with us. Once again welcome!
Paisley that is so awesome about the march and making the local news. Boy between you and Summer we have such a photographic bunch of ladies on this thread. LOL How much will your autographs be worth here in a few months or years to come? No all kidding aside that is great news. Plus what a great way to get some excerise in for the day.
I went to my inservice this morning with all the rest of the special education teachers in my county school district. I was dreading it and was surprised at how well it went without any long speeches from our supervisor. She was in a great mood. So then I came back out to my school and got some work done. Took about 20 minutes and went to the caferita for lunch with my coworkers. There were subway subs, chips and cookies. I was very proud of myself since I only took a little piece of a turkey, ham and cheese sub on wheat bread. My other friends tried talking me into eating some chips with them and I told them no thanks I have to go to TOPS tonight. So I did take a cookie and will eat it after I leave my TOPS meeting tonight. That is my little treat for being good this past week. Now I am waiting for my next workshop to start. It starts at 1 at the County High School. It is about Children in Poverty in Appalacha. So it should be a good inservice. Well I better go and get back to doing some work that I am not able to do during the regular school day or don't get the time afterschool even if I bring it home with me. But than I think you all know how that one goes too.
Hi Ginny, Robyn, Elana and Summer!
Mouse hope things are going great on your fieldtrip and it is a little warmer where you are than it is here. It is in the single digits here but the sun is shining.
Have a great day!
Will check back this evening and let you know how my WI goes.
Kerry