I'm here, I'm here! Friday evening, Jeff and I drove to my sister's in Va Beach. We spent the night there so I could attend her Pampered Chef party on Saturday afternoon. Then we drove back up here on Saturday evening (took about 5 hours to get down there thanks to traffic, but only about 3.5 to get back). Then yesterday, we slept in and ordered a pizza at noon for breakfast, then I left to go to my coworker's spa products party. I'm SO not girly enough for these things--we soaked our feet in mineral stuff, then applied foot lotion, did a lip peel and applied lip balm, did an "instant manicure" and applied hand cream, put soothing pads on our eyes...all entirely too much for me, considering I almost never wear any makeup and only clean my face occasionally with whatever soap and water I use in the shower :dizzy: I could never handle doing all this stuff to my skin all the time--the only thing I know I could use some work on is my feet (they feel like cement--thank you Ruby Tuesday!). Other than that, it's the economy-sized bottle of generic Suave lotion for whatever feels dry, and that's it!

Some sad news to announce--Pinch has moved on to the big toilet bowl in the sky. He made a suicide attempt on Friday morning (jumped out of his bowl onto my desk!), and he didn't look very well for the rest of the day, though he was still alive. sure enough, though, he was not so when I came in this morning. Ahh, well, 2.5 years certainly is a long enough lifetime for a fish!

Alright, this is a very strict buckle-down week! I need to lose the 10 billion pounds I gained over the weekend (people have great food at these home parties!), so I definitely need to up my exercise, too. I should be able to get in 4 days (Mon-Thurs) of at least 40 minutes on the elliptical, plus waitressing tonight and Wednesday night (I'm assuming Wednesday--haven't seen the schedule for next week yet).

Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend! I know I could still use about 10 more hours of sleep ;)

GoodMonday! Actually I can't guarantee that! I haven't decided about this day just yet, I'm hoping for the best, but it looks like TOM is here! The first and second days are always the worst, but with some fish oil pills and ibuprofen, I'll survive!

Vicky - I'm totally like that too, I wouldn't be sitting around at home in a different country.. too much to see and do!

Jill - I'm totally girly, I wear FAR too much makeup, spend FAR too much on it, both the bf and I have specialized shampoo, and specialized facewash. I think we spend more money per bottle, but use less, so it lasts longer. You should try a pedicure, they scrape off all the dead skin, moisturize, and it's really nice and relaxing. I had one girl give me a calf massage, and when you work retail? It's better than sex, or really anything I can think of! heh.

I gotta go jump in that shower.. bbl!

-Aimee

I'm pretty lax in the "beauty regimen" department, too. I am clean, but I don't generally primp a lot unless Howie and I are going out. Wintertime's more apt to see me in makeup since I won't sweat it all off in the heat! I use a generic of Cetaphil liquid facial cleanser that I just keep handy in the shower. As 40 creeps up on me, I'm thinking about using an anti-aging cream like Oil of Olay Total Effects or something...But not until I do some research to see which works best. So many cosmetics are just marketing hype without any hard science to back up their claims.

The weather's been cool and lovely...Monday's high was only 72°, and right now it's 68° with 89% humidity. We've had scattered showers and more are forecast. Oh, the rain is so welcome to our parched grass and gardens! I have a soaker hose for the veggie garden, but the rest of the gardens and container plants I do by hand and it's just not as efficient.

Howie's still at work...Long night, poor guy. Hope he's not hurting too bad after so many hours in an office chair. :( I'm heading to bed soon.

Oooh, I WISH our weather was more like yours, Kimberley! Yesterday was only one of 4 days in August so far where we did NOT have a heat advisory in effect. The heat index was only about 93, whereas it has been 100+ on most days. Today is supposed to only be in the 80s, so we're all excited about that :p

Pedicure? Heh, not likely. I don't even like my feet, let alone make a stranger touch them ;) I don't even let Jeff touch my feet. I paint my toenails, and that's about the end of that.

Well, the plan was to go to the gym between jobs yesterday as usual. However, I left the office, drove to the gym, and opened the back car door to get out my gym bag and realized my white shirt was not there! I need my white shirt for my shift at Ruby's, so I had to get right back in my car and drive aaaaall the way home to get my stupid shirt, then drive aaaaaaall the way back out to Ruby's. By the time I had grabbed my shirt and headed back out, I had to start my shift in 30 minutes, so no time for the gym :( Then my head started hurting like crazy--I was joking that it felt like there was an alien trying to burrow out of my head. I had a table, and this girl who was not scheduled to work came in to pick up a shift. Normally, the servers who were working double shifts would get first dibs to go home, but my manager knew I wasn't feeling well, so he told me I could leave. No arguments here! I went home and collapsed on the couch and napped for 4 hours. Normally, that would do the trick, but when I woke up, my head was STILL killing me! I took 3 Tylenol PM pills and went to bed--fell asleep by around 11:30. At least it was finally gone when I woke up this morning, but I nver got to working out yesterday. So, I'll do at least 60 minutes at the gym today to make up for it since I don't have to work at Ruby's :)

Wow you girls amaze me!! I use moisturizor everyday, with SPF 15 min in it. I'm exploring the idea of getting something with an SPF 30, or even a 60. Now is the time to protect the skin, I do this mostly so that I don't have to deal with sun spots as I get older. Josh and I have different face washes, different shampoo's and we DON'T share, heh. Is that odd? We don't have the same faces, or hair, so we just can't use the same products.. thats my theory anyways!

It's raining here today too, just a little drizzle, but the cool down is WELCOME! It's been some kinda crazy hotness out lately, and our heat is just INSANE. It's hard to describe... but it's unpleasant!

Well I am off to the mall, going to go shopping with my friend, see what I want for my bday from my brother! I'll bbl!

-Aimee

I had a bad headachy day yesterday, too...Maybe barometric pressure changes with the weather, eh?

Do any of you watch Anthony Bourdain's show No Reservations on the Travel Channel? He's so informative, irreverant and funny; the production is top-notch, too, with great filming. Don't know what brought him to mind, other than the fact that we just watched the show. ;) He was in Vietnam this time. Look it up -- bet you'll like it!

Hey, has anyone hear from Sarah (lessofsarahtolove)?

Kimberley - I haven't... I noticed a post Howie started.. has she been MIA for a while now? I sure hope things are alright on her end..

So I attempted to put streaks in my hair, it did NOT work, and now I have to fork over a few bucks to get it fixed and have PROPER colour in it. I suspect my brother will pay to get it done, it's like 95 bucks!! Insane, huh? But I have chunks in the back of my head which are just no good, so it's gotta be done. And that was my adventure for the day!

I just watched Along Came Polly, it was cute, very funny... some dirty humour, heh. Well I am off to bed now, have a good night! :)

-Aimee

Aimee--You're right...we ARE very different! Jeff and I use the store brand of dandruff-control shampoo (less than 2 bucks a bottle at Walmart!), and I use whatever conditioner I grabbed that happened to be on sale at whatever store I happened to go to when I remembered I needed it (walmart, grocery store, pharmacy, target...). I didn't even actually use conditioner this morning. I just forgot. That's how out of it I am lately. I scrubbed with shampoo, then rinsed, and that was that for my hair! Luckily, I don't actually do my hair anyway, so it shouldn't matter (I just brush it and leave it down to air-dry). I DO use sunscreen whenever I'm out in the sun for more than like 5 minutes at a time (minimum SPF 30, the water and sweat-proof kind for my body, the neutrogena for sensitive skin for my face) because not only do I agree with you that this is the best time to take care of our skin, but I also fry like an egg in the sun and have had plenty of super-bad sunburns in my life already (not usually on my face, but I remember one summer of having purple on the backs of my legs and another of blisters all across my shoulders/upper arms--can we say melanoma by age 30?). So yeah, my health and beauty products consist of cheap shampoo and conditioner, economy-sized Suave lotion, some wet 'n wild and Jane makeup (which I almost never use), and stick of Blistex :p

On the diet front, I've got bad news to report. I have been out of control! I have been eating graham crackers like there's no tomorrow. I don't know what my problem is! I know graham crackers really isn't the worst binge in the world, but seriously, I'll eat a whole package at time, which is between 5-600 calories :o I have eaten 3 packages in the past 2 days--that's a whole additional day's worth of calories! I sit down at home and watch tv or use the computer, and it's like this force, like I know they are there in the cabinet, and I an compelled to eat them! It's quite frustrating, because I know it's bad while I'm doing it, I feel guilty afterwards, and yet I can't just seem to say no. My scale at home has been saying 287 for the past few days. I know I haven't gained 7 pounds of fat this week (even having eaten fast food, pizza, and a milkshake this past weekend, I'm sure I haven't consumed 24,500 calories more than I have burned), but things are all off in me lately. My hormones are somewhat off--I took my pill later than usual a few days this week because I forgot to take it when I got up (which has lead to spotting, which is very unusual for me). I also know I am retaining water (my ankles tell all!), and then there's these mysterious headaches (though yesterday was okay and nothing so far today). I did hit the gym yesterday--I did 40 minutes on the elliptical (burned over 500 calories), then came home and ate a whole package of graham crackers, felt guilty, so I went for a little walk, but it started POURING while I was out, so I only walked about a half mile and came home SOAKED, so I put in my Advanced Tae Bo tape (couldn't find my Basic one) and only did maybe 15-20 minutes of that (I could hear the floor squeaking, and I didn't want my downstairs neighbors to think there was an earthquake ;) ). I just was SO close to getting below 280, and now it seems like that'll be weeks away, so I get frustrated and I eat, then feel guilty and workout...not a healthy cycle :( What bothers me most of all is that I have to weigh-in at TOPS tomorrow. I have jeans that I fit into that I haven't worn since college, and yet I have to announce my 6 or 7-pound gain to the group for the week. I love their support and everything, but I feel like a failure when I don't lose. Bah, c'est la vie--live and learn. I've survived worse.

I've had those days, too, Jill. Since I've gotten off the pill, it's like my TOM has saved up its fury the last 13 years and is cruelly doling out the worst of it each month now...it's heavy and it's painful. And the last two months I have craved carbohydrates something fierce! I've stayed within my calories or close to them, but too much of them has come from bread products on those craving days.

Sometimes it takes loudly and firmly saying "STOP!" when those thoughts come. I call it *****-slapping your brain. ;) Back on track, you. Me, too!

Well, it's been a quiet night in Lake Woebegon...Err, this thread.

My mom cleaned out her closet yesterday and gave me first dibs on some shoes and clothes she no longer wants. They were nice, dressy shoes, but heels which I know would result in my tearing a ligament again. :devil: No thanks! The clothes I liked were too big, and the things that would fit were not really items I'd wear anymore. I didn't realize until tonight how much my style really has changed. It's a good thing, but still kind of a surprise even to me.

I survived yesterday--I had strawberries, peaches, and pineapple all day and only water to drink. Then when I went to work, I had about a handful of onion tanglers (or onion straws or whatever you want to call them--thise skinny little onion ring string things), and that was it for the day. I drank water while I was there and had a glass of sugar-free kool aid when I got home. Well under 1000 calories--probably even under 750. I know that's not good for every day, but to get me back on track just for a day, I feel much better :) I feel like I have at least made an effort to compensate for my bad habits the past few days, plus I have proven to myself that getting back on track is not that difficult. Today, I will have eggs for breakfast (plain), a turkey burger patty for a snack, and a frozen fish thingy (stuffed sole--stuffed with crab and shrimp, so still very low in carbs) for lunch. For dinner on Thursdays, I always have Subway after my TOPS meeting. I still don't want to weigh in there tonight. I know I'm up a few pounds, which will likely be gone by next week (plus some, as seems to be my bi-weekly routine--up 3 pounds one week, down 6 the next :dizzy: ). My thing is that when people are trying to be supportive, they kinda hurt my feelings. When I announce that I had a gain, I can't tell you how many people say things like, "Oh, and you were doing so well..." WERE? I am still doing well--just because I had a gain one week doesn't mean I'm not still down nearly 30 pounds overall, which I would call well! And just because I had a gain doesn't mean I didn't learn something about myself and my body and my dieting needs this week, which I would call well! And just because I had a gain this week doesn't mean I'm not going to lose it and then some next week, which I would call well! Just because I had a gain this week doesn't mean I didn't do my cardio exercise to increase my stamina and better my cardiovascular system, which I would call well! Whew, how's that for a rant? ;) But I just try to keep in mind that they are going through the same struggle, so they do not mean to be offensive or anything at all. They are just there to try and help :^:

On a different note, I have a big ol' list of apartments to call today after I go to the gym after work. I even made a list of questions so I remember to ask all of them the same things (washer/dryer in unit, pets allowed, # of parking spots, income requirements...). I am hoping to find a place well in advance of our moving in October so that things aren't so rushed and stressful--last time I moved, I had 2 weeks to find a place, sign a lease, move in, and start my new job :p It was pretty hectic, but being in the area should make this transition easier :)

Hey Ya'll :wave:
Sounds like everyone is doing great.I have been busy trying to get everything done to start my job. I start training classes next week.The school buses here are like luxury tour buses and are driven by the Japanese. They must have an American monitor on the bus. It pays 12.50 an hr which is great here because the pay on base is low due to the fact that the Okinawans will work for less and they work harder.The hours will be 5 in the morning till 9 then I am off till 1 then I work till 4. So, If I or the boys need a doctor appt I can get it done in the middle of the day. There are also things that you can't do after 5.
Teus I started this step class that is run by this big muscle guy. It is an hour and I had it tonight too. I am soooo hurting but I have to work through it. This guy runs a weightloss boot camp for 500.00.I have lost 37 pds in ten weeks without paying someone 500.00. ;)
Well, Hubby comes back from Hawaii in two days and I have done great with my food this week. I have had a bad habit as a navy wife. When he would go away in the past I would eat to deal with it. No more of that.
Well,
My inlaws have thier tickets to come here of all days Sept.11th. It will be nice to see them and have them see hubby and me since we have lost weight.
Well,
TTYL,Vicki

Goodmorning!! I work today, but have tomorrow and Saturday off, and I'm looking forward to it! I'm spending the better part of my birthday in the salon, I'm getting my hair fixed/dyed/cut, and then am getting a manicure. The bf set this up on purpose because he has to work most of the day, and ALL of my friends are working... spending your birthday alone just seems wrong, yah know?

Kimberley - I sometimes look at old pictures of my different styles over the years, sometimes I cringe, or wonder HOW my mom let me out of the house dressed like that, and then there is the hair... oh my. Working retail has been interesting, I've learned a lot about style. Like, a colour that looks great on you NEVER goes out of style.

Jill - It's a good thing that being different is a GOOD thing, eh? ;) Sunscreen = good! I wear it everyday because a doctor once told me that UV rays can still come thru the clouds, and I'm really not into the idea of wrinkles. Glad to hear you are back on track, although your graham crackers have inspired me.... I've been eating digestive cookies with a chocolate coating on one side.

Vicky - Thats a pretty nice job! I don't know how you do it, being away from the husband, I barely make it a week without my bf. He's my best friend, so sometimes I feel lost without him. It sounds completely sappy, and I'm not normally like that.. it's amazing how love can change a person!

So this morning I woke up at 5am with a weird gurgling in my stomach, I thought it was hunger, so I ate a granola bar, and managed to go back to sleep for an hour before it woke me up again. I took some acidophlolis, and will continue that, but I also have this nasty headache. Seriously girls, my body feels like it's falling apart!! I feel like I'm constantly sick and complaining about it... infact, I'm starting to annoy myself with it!! I'll get this all sorted out, hopefully sooner than later. In the mean time, I am off to get ready for work! Have a great one!

-Aimee

We got some rain! :D Hope more comes through tonight.

Jill, good for you - back on plan like a trooper. I know what you mean about people saying un-encouraging stuff when you tell them you've had a gain.

Vicki, that would be good pay here, too. Are the busses for military families' kids?

Aimee, your day of pampering sounds wonderful.

Whew, getting back on plan certainly helped--I posted a 1.25-pound gain at TOPS last night as opposed to the 6-pound gain I was thinking it would be :p 1.25 is certainly easy enough to lose by next week (plus some, of course), so it doesn't bother me much--even makes me glad it was so much less than I had anticipated ;)

Vicki--37 pounds in 10 weeks is AWESOME! And worth much more than $500, IMO. You're smart to keep your money in your purse and stick to what works for you with no added fees ;)

So, I called a bunch of apartments that were listed in the Washington Post, but all of the ones I called were already rented out! So then I moved on to actual apartment complexes. After multiple calls to multiple rental offices, I know of at least 2 places we can afford that have units available in October and that have a washer/dryer in unit. This eases my stress slightly, though the floorplans certainly leave much to be desired. However, I did find another place online that I need to call today--they have a 1-bedroom with den that we can afford (we want a 2-bedroom), but there's no reason that den can't be a bedroom just because it doesn't have a closet. Still works for guests, as long as it holds a bed! So I will call them today to find out pricing (their price on their website does not include the optional washer/dryer in unit, which I REALLY want because I'm spoiled :p ).

Well, it's FRIDAY! Hope everyone has a great weekend (especially you, Aimee--a Friday AND a Saturday off in retail is AWESOME!)!

Hey!! I am having a great day, I got up super early, went to the salon for 4 hours and emerged with a new-ish hair colour, fancy french manicured nails, all over, it was great! I did wake up with a headache, which I just can't shake, hopefully with this tylenol it will go away completely! I got the presents from my mom today too, I unwrapped them all, didn't even space it out... hehe, I am greedy, but I admit it! Serously, birthdays are the best :)

Something odd happened on our way home though, we were at the lights waiting, and this car behind us wouldn't stop honking, it was fairly annoying. So we pulled out, and they fingered us, so of course, we did the same. Well, it only went bad from there, we were driving our regular way home, and they were going that way too... probably thought we were following them. Somehow we ended up ahead of them (they pulled over to fight I assume), and they followed us, it was pretty scary. Josh drove around for a bit, and when we stopped at a stop sign, a guy got out and came over and punched Josh!!! Lightly, it didn't even leave a mark... so being a man, Josh pulled the e-brake and was going to get out and punch him back.. and he ran off!! Which was just FINE for me, so Josh continued our way home. It was completely scary, and for some reason I'm mad that they hit Josh and he didn't get out to beat the little 17 year old up!! Ugh, what is WITH kids these days? We are safe, thats what matters... maybe with a little damage to the bf's ego.. he wouldn't have stopped to fight with me in the car anyways.. I'm just babbling.. it was such a weird experience!

Jill - Good job with the weigh in! I'm sure next week the pound will be gone! You are doing so great, I'm so happy for you (and secretly jealous, even tho I'm not even TRYING to lose weight these days). Keep it up girl!

-Aimee

Jill, hope everything works out great for you home-hunting. We're fortunate to live in an area with a fairly wide range of places available, but I have friends who are looking in busier locales like you are. Have you thought about putting an ad in the paper saying you're looking for a place? You might have an individual homeowner who is looking for a tenant.

Ohh, Aimee, I'm glad you guys are okay! There are some weird-a$$ people out there. One time I made the mistake of twirling my finger (like "whoopie") when a guy was hot-dogging on his motorcycle and cut in front of me. He was looking in his rearview mirror and saw me do it. He let me pass, then rode my bumper for miles. Very freaky!!

Just got home from a looong evening out. Nothing earth-shattering, just the farmer's market, coffee shop, grocery shopping and Wal-Mart. I tried on probably 30 bras there, but did one fit just right? Nooooo. :dizzy: It's so confusing, even after measuring and trying on what supposedly would fit. If I get the band size right, the cup size is funky - even trying various cup sizes in the same band size. I was looking at Playtex original comfort strap bras, which had the most support out of any. I think I need to go to a plus-size store and look. :P

We're going to a game night at some friends' tomorrow and I'm bringing -- you guessed it -- mango salsa. ;) They specifically requested it, so they must like it. I bought some white peaches at the farmer's market and find they're quite ripe, so I think I'd better use 'em up and make some peach salsa while I'm at it. Hope they eat it up, because it's not very good after a day or two.

Oh -- almost forgot, I'm down a pound now, in a new decade at 209. :D We bought a Taylor digital scale today, one that does body fat and water % (?). It weighed me dead-on with my MIL's scale. Howie wanted one that didn't wiggle between numbers like the analog ones do. I caved. ;)

Goooooooooood morning ladies! Well, Saturday we went and looked at 3 apartment places in Alexandria (where we want to move). I had called all 3 during the week to make sure they would have a floor plan we wanted available in October, which is when we want to move. They all did, so I asked if they had a similar floor plan they would be able to show us on Saturday if we stopped by, and they all said yes. Well, we got to the first place, and they didn't have one to show because someone unexpectedly showed up and move in on Friday, so we didn't get to physically see an apartment there, but the office was actually made outof an old apartment, so we got to see what the kitchen would be like--SO SMALL! As soon as we left I told Jeff I couldn't handle that kitchen. He agreed it seemed more like a closet with some appliances :p Strike one...

The second place we went to, they had said there were 2 different floorplans available in October (both 2-bedroom, which we wanted). One was much more expensive, so we decided to take a look at the cheaper one. Of course, upon arriving at the place, they told us that that one had already been rented out for October! Jeez, things go fast around here! Strike two...

So we went to a third place. We got to see a model--not bad. It had 2 bedrooms, L-shaped living/dining combo, a bigger kitchen, plus 2 bathrooms. The only problem was that there wasn't really any place for our computer desks--a major necessity! We put it in the "maybe" pile and called it a day.

Sunday, we went to look at a place that was a little more expensive, but still not unreasonable for the area. It had 1 bedroom and a den (which we would use as a guest room anyway--it just didn't have a closet). The living/dining area was a little bigger so (by my imaginary calculations) we would at least be able to fit Jeff's desk in the living room--I really didn't care if mine was in the bedroom (since I obviously do most of my computer stuff at work anyway ;) ). It was also in a really cute neighborhood--lots of trees and lots of people out walking and biking and even a "botanical reserve" right around the corner. They were garden-style apartments that backed to a lightly wooded area, so it didn't seem like we were in the city, which was nice. There was also a shopping center within walking distance that had a grocery store, CVS, Subway, McDonald's (not that that interested me ;) ), and Blockbuster. We had a new top contender!

Then we visited Tower 2000. Just sounds all futuristic and high-tech, doesn't it? :p Well, we almost didn't even go in to look because parking was SO ridiculous! All of the "Leasing Office" spots were full, so I parked right by the door and went in--she told us to park in the back. I told her we had already driven around in the back, and there were NO empty spots! So they gave us a swipe card to get into the secure parking lot for the residents. Upon returning to the building after parking, the lady at the desk gave us a few floorplans to look at and a price list, at which I gasped. Their "small studio" at 410 square feet was listed at $1105 per month :o We were looking for either a 2 bedroom or 1 bedroom with den. These were listed as starting at $1500 and $1350 (respectively). We had to wait for a leasing representative. Jeff and I contemplated leaving based solely on that price list. We were really trying to stick to around $1200 a month (I know, it's high, but normal for this area), possibly a little more (the aforementioned garden-style apartments would have been $1250). Well, wen the leasing lady finally came out, she told us that they were running a special until Tuesday of $300 off the rent. I asked if it was just off the first month, as this is usually what the specials are, and she said no, it's for the entire duration of the lease. Woohoo! So we looked, we loved, we got applications, we went home. I am calling this morning to make sure the one is still available for October, then I will go over there this afternoon to drop off the applications and application fee. Here's the one we decided on: it's a 2-bedroom called the Rembrandt. 2 bedrooms AND a den--perfect! Table in the dining area, couch/tv in the living area, desks in the den area, and guest room in the second bedroom! I am so relieved! It's oner 1,000 square feet and comes to $1206 per month plus water (which is capped at $35 per apartment per month). So, it's actually less even with water than the previous place we had looked at! Whew, what a weight off my shoulders! I was getting worried after Saturday's disappointments that everything for October would be filled by Sept. 1!

So that was my weekend--high-stress followed by relief and now excitement :D I also did pretty well food-wise until last night--I had made lasagna on Friday for dinner (one of my pplanned meals that day was pasta). I ended up haveing 2 pieces of it yesterday plus some of Jeff's pistachio ice cream :( However, I was so good for the rest of the weekend AND I am totally PMS-ing, so I didn't beat myself up over it. Even PMS-ing, I was down half a pound according to my scale this morning (down 1/2 a pound from my previous lowest, not from my gain on Thursday, so actually down 1.75 since Thursday, I guess--fruit and water work wonders ;) ).

Now, how's THAT for a novel :cool:

Hey! Phew, my birthday weekend is over... it should always be my birthday though. I was totally spoiled rotten by my brother, he bought me a ton of presents and THEN took me shopping to the Gap, where I bought a track suit, 2 3/4 sleeved sweaters for work, and a very nice purple tank top. I really do have the best brother in the world, he's going to order me some things off the Gap website, I just couldn't find my size in the store. I got an INSANE amount of makeup, which I love, most of it was from the bodyshop, but I also got some mascara and lip venom from Sephora. Thats about half of what I got, and I won't bore you with all the details, just know I'm a very happy girl! :) My brother and his gf came down for the weekend, and left Sunday, while I love having my family around... I'd prefer them not to be in the same tiny apt! My mother arrives on Sept 2nd, and we'll head to Seattle for a couple days (which I'll pass off as a birthday trip, hehe, I'm so greedy :( ).

Jill - you are totally become a scale wh*re!! I love it! Glad to hear you found a place, it's totally stressful trying to find something suitable, because no one (but me) likes to move. The second to last place you mentioned would have won me before, I'd love to live in a nice area with things within walking distance... living up a mountain SUCKS!

Kimberley - where are you?

Well, I better go eat some dinner.. my stomach has stopped being so sickly, and because of that I'm feeling more awake... that gravol (which is a drug which calms the stomach, prevents barfing) was making me SO sleepy all the time. I started in with these weird headaches though, I've had one everyday since Friday, so thats only 4 days.. but I just don't get headaches anymore (except sinus ones when the weather changes)... I swear, this 26th birthday has aged me!! ;) hehe Have a good night!

-Aimee

Yes, I absolutely am becoming a scale wh*re :D If it depressed me or discouraged me, I wouldn't do it, but I take it lightly on every day but Thursday (weigh-in day!), so I don't see much harm in it. It actually sometimes motivates me--like Good Lord, I gained HOW much over the weekend?! I better work my butt off during the week, then! ;)

I skipped the gym yesterday in order to go out to the new apartment place to drop off our rental applications. I get there, and the lady is like, did you both sign the addendum to allow us to pull your credit report? Excuse me? Addendum? Nobody mentioned any addendum to me on Sunday afternoon while we were there OR the two times I called yesterday to make sure it wouldn't be a problem to drop off both applications if Jeff couldn't be there in person! ARGH! So I had to call Jeff and make him drive over to sign the addendum after work, so instead of being able to run the applications for approval yesterday afternoon, they can't do it till this morning (Jeff couldn't get there till after the leasing lady left for the day). So now I still don't know if we will be approved (I know I have great credit, but Jeff has almost NO credit--only a car loan; no credit cards, no student loans, nothing). I'm pretty sure that's the stress that caused last night's binge on pistachio ice cream. :( I don't even LIKE pistachio ice cream, but it was there, ya know? I never have ice cream in the house, but I had bought it to make Jeff a milkshake over the weekend. I would have sent it home with him (like I sent him home with the last 3 pieces of lasagna so I wouldn't eat them!), but it would have melted in the 1.5-hour drive home. But, now the ice cream is gone, and I will get that call about the apartment at some point this morning (the leasing office opens at 10--2 more hours...), and I think I'm about done PMS-ing, so no more excuses for eating poorly!! Although I do have to skip the gym again today in order to go to the pharmacy to pick up a refill on my pills :^:

Hey, guys - sorry I've been scarce. It was a busy weekend and Monday found me running errands and once again attempting to find a bra that fits well. Hit Fashion Bug that time - still no luck, though I'm getting closer to knowing what I need in a bra.

Today was Howie's appointment at the neurologist's. Rather than reinvent the wheel, how about I just link to my post about it? Read it here.

Jill, the floor plan looks nice in that apartment! Hope it works out for you guys. Don't let the stress make you abuse your body and bring you down; there's so much in life over which we have no control at all, but what we eat, we do have control over. Look at it that way, and do yourself a favor by exercising control over the one thing you really can.

I don't always follow that advice to a T, but I know I feel better when I do. (((hugs)))

Aimee, you feeling any better? Glad your birthday was a good one. Nothing like stretching it out a few days, I say! When we got the distressing news about Howie's MRI on mine, I decided I'd better have a birthweek in order to salvage the joy, LOL.

Well, I worked my tail off at Ruby's last night! I started my shift at 4pm and was the only server on until 5:15, so I had a bunch (maybe 7 or 8) of tables to myself in that time. Then, the girl who was supposed to be my partner called out due to family emergency, so the guy who had bartended all day stayed and clocked in as my partner server. Well, he didn't feel much like working since he had bartended all day already, so he basically just clocked in so we could say that, yes, we were fully staffed for the shift. He didn't take any tables all night, so I had the whole section to myself. I was cut at 9pm, so I worked about 5 hours, and I made $102 (and that's after I tipped out the bartender, the salad bar attendant, and the hostess)! Yay money!! I need a new couch, so that's a nice start. I also was in a good mood from having just found out that we were approved for the new apartment, so I picked up some extra shifts. I'm now CLOSING tonight (which means I won't get home till about midnight--eek!) and working on Saturday morning (I NEVER work weekends!) AND working Tuesday night next week (even though I had requested it off because I am getting a filling at the dentist that afternoon). One of our servers has come down with mono, so all of his shifts needed to be covered, so I am happy to help, especially if I keep making the bucks like I did last night--I'll have that new couch in NO time! :D

Another thing that will help me save some $$ is that Jeff and I were approved "standard" for the apartment--that's what the lady kept telling me. Finally, I was like, what does that mean?? She said that means we don't even have to pay a security deposit. Woohoo!! More money to keep in our pockets!

Hooray on your apartment approval - and no security deposit! That's terrific! :)

Well, it's been a horrid headache day. I think I'll read in bed and sleep early. That's the plan, anyway. I need to be in good shape tomorrow to drive Howie to and from his tests.

Plan failed...I stayed up and waited for Howie to come home. Where are you guys? Quiet night on the old homethread.

:yawn: Okay, this time I'm really out of here. :tired: :faint:

All right, now - where is everyone? It's not even the weekend!

Hey Ya'll,
Just stopping by to say hey. I have been in training all day and at night this week for my new job. I'll post a long one this weekend. TTYL,
Vicki

Well, change of plans for this weekend. Jeff usually comes here and stays with me on weekends, but this weekend he can't, so I'm going over to his place instead. Why, you ask? Well, because someone smashed his car window and stole his airbags! Stealing airbags is becoming an increasingly popular trend, especially around the DC metro area. They are worth a lot more than even most car stereos (yeah, they didn't even take Jeff's radio, just his airbags!). So Jeff doesn't have his car for 2-3 weeks since there is a 2-week wait to get into the dealership just to have them look at it, let alone fix it. His car was towed to the dealership (since the steering wheel had to be taken apart to get the airbag out), so now it's just sitting there, I guess. In the meantime, Jeff's lucky his cousins have an extra old car (saving it for if their 17-year old son ever gets his license), so he can use that to get to and from work, but it's already got like 200,000 miles on it, so he's not about to try and drive it all the way to my place, and I certainly don't blame him. To try and cheer him up, I went to Border's yesterday and got him 2 books. One is a collection of stories by his favorite horror author (H. P. Lovecraft)--it's a really nice hardcover edition, and the other is a book I saw on the bargain table for 9.99: 501 Must-See Movies of All Time. He's ALWAYS finding these lists online of movies we just "have" to see, so I figure this way, it's more founded, since this gives reasons why they chose each movie, who stars in them, what awards they've won, etc. I think he'll like it :) It'll give him more stuf to order on his Netflix.

Other than that, things are going well. I lost 3 pounds at TOPS last night, which technically put me at 279.8 (under 280), but they record anything over .75 as rounded up to the nearest pound, so my book still says 280. That's okay--gives me .2 pounds to bank on for next week, right (says Jill as she finishes her McDonald's bacon egg and cheese bagel and hashbrown--a treat only once every other Friday morning) ;)

Hey, Vicki - Good to see you. Looking forward to hearing about your new job and life in Japan.

Jill, bummer about Jeff's car and that he has to wait so long for a repair. Does he have a sheltered place to keep it or does he have to go the duct-tape and plastic route? I never thought about airbag theft.

Howie's hurting today from those tests. He was up in his chair for a while, but just went to lie down. I hope there's something that will help him. He's glad it's only Friday and that he has two days off, that's a good thing. :)

Another good thing is that today is farmer's market day, always fun. Rain's forecast, so it might be a wet trip today. That's okay, I can deal with a little rain if we keep these wonderful days in the 70's!

Aimee, where you hiding? Come out, come out!

Hey, gang, been a long time
 

Hello, crew,

Guess it's been a long time, a few months anyway. Sorry I haven't checked in sooner. Lot's of stresses going on that I needed to work through.

At least I didn't drown myself in hostess ho hos. :lol:

I'm still going to the gym and even have a fair amount of mus-kels (as Popeye would say) now.

I do think I owe all ya all an apology for just dropping out. I know people depend on the threads for support.

Marge! Welcome back! :grouphug:

It's wonderful to see you, friend. :D

you skinny minnies!
 

Thanks :)

Boy, you ladies have gotten to be real skinny minnies since I've been gone!

Hey Gals! Whats going on? Do you realize it's one of the last official weekends of the summer?!? How scary is THAT! I was doing some reflecting on the summer, what I've done, what I haven't done.. etc. I realized I've actually stopped trying to lose weight since June, i've given it a little thought... but mostly I'm preoccupied with my health.

Marge - GREAT to see you, my American twin!! Things are less stressful these days? I am definitely not a skinny minnie, however Jill and Kimberley have definitely downsized!!

Jill - Wow, that REALLY sucks about Jeff's car! He can't get a rental car or anything? I know with my insurance if anything happens to my car I automatically get a rental, some shops also give those courtesy cars. At least you guys found a place to live though! I'm really into thinking positive lately.. I don't know WHY, perhaps it's some evil sickness ;) Even at WORK I'm starting to see things in a better light, crazy eh!

Kimberley - I'm here! Sorta... I've been busy lately.. plus I've been in a really horrible mood lately, and when I'm feeling like that I pretty much try and shut myself off from everyone. I get tired of being crabby, and if I hate being around myself, I can't see why anyone else would wanna be around that either. But I'm feeling more positive!

I am feeling better, I realllllly need to go to the doctor, so I will likely do that tomorrow. My body almost feels like it's shakey, and my stomach is still making some WEIRD gurgling feelings. I've switched to a low fat diet, because at the suggestion of my brother who has had his galbladder taken out, all of this might be related to that. I'm the only one with a galbladder in my family, I hope to keep it that way, so I'm going to have to watch that diet. Alright, thats my health update! Have a great day gals, and Marge, I look forward to hearing from you more!

-Aimee

Hey, all. I woke at 6:00am with a whopper of a migraine. All I had to take was some Ultracet, but it took the edge off enough I've been able to sleep off and on in the recliner.

Right now I'm really worried about my friends who live right where Hurricane Katrina is due to make landfall in south of New Orleans. :eek: My friend has numerous animals - goats, chickens, a pig, cats, dogs - and won't leave because they might not be able to return for weeks after the hit and her animals would be unattended. I'd hate to be in her position, but if it came to the threat of my house being under water from waves, I'd be out of there. But now it's too late for them to leave...They'd be stuck in traffic when it made landfall. I'm just beside myself about Lisa and her family, plus other friends who live down there.

Kimberley - all that worrying would definitely add to that headache, hope those drugs kicked in and you are feeling better. Hurricane's are amazing to me, I can't even imagine being in that position. I hope your friend is alright, and all her animals are as well!

I had a decent day today, spent some time with my friends, got a little laundry done, but mostly I relaxed. I meant to take a nap, but that didn't happen. I did alright with my diet, could use a little more veggies. Saturday I had 33 grams of fat, and today I had 35. I've been trying to watch those fat grams because if it really IS my gallbladder, I do want to avoid it being taken out. Alrighty, enough babbling, I'm going to hit the sack, I'm exhausted!

-Aimee

UGH, Monday...

I am tired and not looking forward to this week at all. I know I should be more positive, but I just don't have the energy to be positive at 6:16am :p I came in to find a Lesson of a WBT (Web-Based Training) module that we're writing on my chair with lots of markups. That means I didn't do a very good job on round 1. It's my first WBT, so I knew I'd have corrections/additions/deletions to make, but I'm really just not in the mood to have to do actual work today :devil: and of course, after I finish with the corrections to this lesson, I have another lesson to write, then a brochure and fact sheet about power wheelchairs to re-write now that new regulations were officially released on Friday, then add our internal SME edits to the wheelchair fact sheet, then learn the new Time Management database for the CMS contract (just installed on my computer on Friday, and now I'm supposed to be in charge of it, though I've never even seen it before), then get started working on the personnel section of the upcoming recompete for our biggest government contract...I'd really rather just curl up and take a nap :^: And, to top it all off, I have to work at Ruby's tonight, tomorrow night, and Wednesday night, so no napping till at least Thursday, and no more than 5 hours of sleep a night till then, either. Nah, I won't be grumpy all week or anything...:dizzy:

On a lighter note, I did eat a little better than I normally do on my planned off-plan weekends. That means I at least shouldn't have to play as much "catch-up" as I usually do after such weekends, which is good. I just want my TOPS weight book to actually say LESS than 280 (the scale said 279.8 last week, but they round up if it's over .75, so my book still says 280).

I had a KILLER headache on Saturday. I really don't know where it came from--I was fine when I got up in the morning, but then it just started pounding a little while later. I felt bad because I was really grumpy with Jeff, so I tried to sleep it of, but I only napped for about 20-30 minutes, and it still hurt when I woke up again. I don't think it was a migraine because it finally went away after a few hours, so I can't even imagine what you're going through, Kimberley! I also can't take anything besides Tylenol because I am allergic to Aleve, Asprin, Advil...anything other than acetominophen, basically, will cause me to go into a full-blown anaphylactic shock (it's happened once before--not pretty), so I don't have a whole lot of options for headache medicines. I normally just try to ignore the stabbing pain in my head :p and sometimes, I'm even successful.

Well, I think that's about enough whining/babbling for this morning--take care, ladies!

I did it!! I went to the doctor, but only because of pure desperation though! The way doctors hand out drugs, I was hoping this one would do the same... no luck there! Instead I'm going for a bunch of tests, an ultrasound to check my gallbladder, but not because of this pain, only because of my family history. I'm sure I've told you all that I'm the only one WITH a gallbladder in my family. I am mainly getting tested for an ulcer, things always come full circle, eh? Origionally we thought JOSH was the one with the ulcer, and turns out it might be ME! I'll find out for sure later this week though.

Jill - busy busy week ahead of you, sometimes that works out better because I know when I'm busy I tend to stay on plan better. Think of all those tips too... secretly I'd like to try doing the waitress thing.. but I know I don't have the personality for it.

Alrighty! I am off to the mall to shop with my bf's neice, she got back from her mom's house with almost NO clothes, which baffles us, because we buy her a lot! She needs to be outfitted for school, and I love shopping! Have a great one!

-Aimee