Ay, Dios mio,

what a day.

Aimee, maybe you can rent a car for a week and bop around town. You can get compacts for very reasonable rates. Maybe your bro would even cough up some of the cost for you. Beats feeling bummed out.

We had a storm last night and this morning more rain, now it's sunny and gorgeous! yahoo. I'm loving that spring feel too.

Ooo, Jill, clothes shopping sounds good. I may go to LB this weekend too.

Hi gals...has been busy busy busy! No time to surf, dangit!!

I made it to the April thread! Howie and I ate terribly this last week (it all started with S'mores by the campfire...Slippery slope that led to the whole bag of marshmallows, all that good stuff). But, here we are back on track again. We leave for Baltimore tomorrow morning and will be back Thursday night. This time we're staying with an ex-coworker of Howie's. Ben and his wife Shawna are neat people and it'll be nice to spend an evening with them.

Yay, Kimberley didn't get lost

Marge--we had a really bad storm the other night, too, and then yesterday was WINDY all day, even though the sun was shining. Now today, there are reports of snow in the area, and it's supposed to be in the mid 70s again by Friday

Well, Jeff's birthday is on Easter, and I just got hit with a lightning bolt of an idea yesterday. We were planning on going to spend a weekend in Philadelphia to go to the Franklin Institute to see the Body Worlds exhibit, which is only there until April 23. Well, since Jeff wanted to go, he was going to plan and pay for the trip. Then he ended up needing an $800 root canal, a $100 dental cleaning, 2 more trips to fill cavities, and another $800 crown within 6 months (see what happens when you wait 12 years between visits to the dentist?! He learned a painful and expensive lesson!). So, he cancelled the trip idea on account of his rapidly depleting funds. Well, I, being the wonderful and fabulous girlfriend that I am, am going to book a hotel in Philly for Saturday night and get tickets to the Franklin Institute for Saturday during the day. We'll hit the FI Saturday, spend the night, and then hit the aquarium in Camden, NJ on Sunday (they seem to have a big penguin exhibit, and Jeff and I both have major soft spots for the black-tie birds ). I'll have to call and book the hotel and buy the exhibit tickets today, and then we should be good to go! I hope to not tell him until Friday night

Goodmorning! Looks like it's going to be another sunny warm day here in Seattle, yay! I really do enjoy my little tan I'm sporting here.. even if it was unintentional!

Jill - what a great idea!! I don't know how you can hold out telling him for so long though, heh, I am so not good at those things.

Kimberley - you are alive! You and Howie are busy people! Nice to see you!

Marge - I am feeling less bummed today, I think it was the initial shock of Josh leaving. After a few days, I'm feeling better. There are TONS of places I can walk to, including the space needle, yet most days I pretty much get up, have breakfast, spend a little time online, read, workout, watch movies. I don't know if thats sad, or just relaxing. heh.

Today I am walking for 60 minutes, so it's a slightly easier day for me. Yesterday's run was HARD, phew, like I can feel it in my thighs hard. I'll walk today and stretch lots more. I've made my own little weight training routine, but I realize I have to change it, the walking and running is working my legs pretty good.. so I am going to focus on weight for my upper body. Give that lower body a rest... I wonder how easy it will be to continue with this workout stuff when I get back home.

I am off to read! ttyl!

-Aimee

Jill, did you get that same snow storm yesterday? wow, what a blizzard, then an hour later all the snow was gone. Bizzarro weather! Great idea to go ahead with the Phil. plans. I hear you about the dentist, my SIL did that and ended up having a couple of root canals (YIKES). My dad was a little fanatical about taking us to the dentist every six months when we were kids. When I got older (and had worse insurance) I stopped going so often, but make it enough times to stay on top of any problems.

Aimee, I say it's your vacation time so do what you want to do, ha. Your brother lives in Seattle, I'm sure you'll be visiting him a lot and can do any stuff you want to then. I love watching movies. When I go to the gym I watch the HBO movies -- I only get to see about half of them each time, heh heh. The gym yesterday was packed -- now I'm seeing the spring/summer need to look good crowd, ha. Lots more good looking women than usual (lots more women than guys). I've noticed that women tend to work a lot more on their lower bodies (they become focused on their rear ends and thighs).

Hey, Kimberley. A bag of marshmellows between two people doesn't sound like a catastrophe. Being outdoors always makes me hungrier.

Hey, Jen, how's things on your end?

Gotta go pay bills. It's supposed to rain here Friday into Saturday I wanted to go to the botanic garden (the magnolias, apple trees and daffodils are in bloom). Maybe we can go Sunday.

Take care, all.

Well, I made the hotel reservation and bought the exhibit and aquarium tickets online (will-call). We leave Saturday morning, and I just called the hotel to also request an early check-in time. Aimee, you'll be disappointed to know I couldn't wait, either--I told him about it last night He had no idea--I told him I had to give it to him this weekend instead of on his borthday, and he was pretty confused. He guessed a lot of things, but it was still a surprise. We're both excited to go

Marge--I didn't actually see any snow, but they were talking about it on the radio that there was some in the area. Then again, I get to the office at 7am and don't see the outside world again until 3pm, so who knows what happens (I'm in a cubicle and can't see ANY windows)

I'm going to my TOPS meeting tonight. My home scale still says 280-281 Better to face the music than to let it go any longer since I have skipped the past 3 weeks in a row. Tonight is also installation of our new officers, so I want to be there to welcome and support our new board

Hi! I am having a pretty good day over here.. after my scale being a total cow to me, she decided to let me weigh less! heh. I should name the scale. It's so motivating to FINALLY see something on the scale! I know I shouldn't let the scale affect my mood, but at least I'm not getting depressed about seeing higher numbers anymore?

Marge - The spring/summer crowd, thats cute. I admit I am starting to feel like summer is getting here.. everyonce in a while I panic, mostly because i don't want to spend another summer trying to cover up everything. I find I prefer to work my upper body, I mean, you can change that a lot easier than you can change your lower body.. and then it just makes you look smaller on the bottom when your top is more built. I wonder why women don't like being muscular, my friend thinks its "gross". I just don't get that. I'd rather be firm than flabby! My mom wrote me an email today asking me if I've made any decisions about my future while I've been here, eek! I forgot that I wanted to do that as well. I have been talking to my brother about things, it's been refreshing. He's easy to talk to, and understands my feeling of failure from not going to university, since thats what my mom wanted from us. It's nice.

Jill - I agree its better to get on that scale asap, maybe it'll get you a little more motivated? You were doing SO SO good lately! We gotta find your old motivation and bottle it for you to have now! 8 pounds isn't that much in the grander scale of things, you'll lose it. Heh, it's cute to hear you can't keep a secret either! It'll be a fun get away!!

Well I better go for my run! Have a good one!

-Aimee

Hi girls....work has been keeping me soooooo busy! I haven't been able to surf at work.

Went to Lane Bryant and got five bras, five pairs of panties and one top--nearly $200!! I actually got fitted for my bras tonight. All this time I have been wearing 44C's, but I should have been wearing 44 DD's!! It is the best fitting bra I have ever had!

Well ya know Jilly dear....we can always come to VA and give you a good swift kick in the pants if you need motivation! LOL! But I understand what you mean...

Wearing my new black bra with a really cute top from Lane Bryant. Also wearing LB stretch jeans and high heeled sandals. I must say-- I look CUTE ! I am getting second looks from co-workers and customers alike! Feels good and strange at the same time. This new bra must really be working its magic!

Alan will be home tonight from his son's graduation from Marine boot camp. I really miss him! I do think my new underclothing will cheer him up!

Jill, I will confess that after that 3 days with my friend the scale that Friday went up to 261.6 (back into the 60s, yikes!!). I was good this past week and it's down to 255.4 today. Tell me how that journaling what you eat works. Looking at my journal, I can see that I'm losing the weight, but not making the commitment I need to.

Aimee, boy, the scale can sure bring me up or down. I like the idea of naming it: how about Humphry? I figure any scale named Humphry couldn't really mean to freak me out.

I don't think muscular women are gross. There's a really fit woman I see at the gym and I feel like asking her to be my trainer, heh heh. She looks fantastic (and CUT). Wow, I hope no one writes me an email asking me what decisions I've made about my future! heh heh. Mom, let me have a break, heh heh.

Oh, Jen, you cutie, you. You've got me motivated, I'm going to LB tomorrow.

Wow, it's already 7pm, it's so light outside now that I feel discombobulated.

Have a good one, ladies.

Bra's sound good, I realllllllly need some new ones. But I just can't find any that fit good, I've tried on every bra in Lane Bryant, Victoria Secret, it's SO frustrating finding a bra for me. I'm wearing one I got from LB 2 or so years ago. Yah, it's not a good situation, I have to be SO careful with it.

Jill - 5.5 pounds is nothing! I bet some of that is water weight as well, you could lose that in 2 weeks easily!

Marge - Humphry? I dunno if I can even say that name..heh, my brother laughed at the idea of naming a scale. He just doesn't understand! That fit woman at the gym, you should totally ask her for some tips, pick a body part, say shoulders, and ask her how she got such definition, ask her if she has a trainer. Women are SO friendly to other women who are complimenting them. And if you get any good tips, pass them along to me! It's funny, I watched this girl I knew as she complimented girls ALL night at the bar, and at the end of the night she had all these new friends.. normally those girls would have been super snobby to her (she's... odd). Interesting notion though, I've tried it.. it does work.

Jen - It's amazing how great clothes can make you feel great, eh? Also a good bra beats everything, I might have said this before. I must add that comfy AND cute undies always help too

We are going to go shopping tonight, I am DESPERATE for new runners, my shins started hurting on tuesday after my run, and then again on Wed after my walk. I am overdue for new runners. Have a good night!!

It's a very rainy and gross day here in Seattle, I am thinking of taking the day off exercise, I felt something odd in my quad this morning. Excuses. To be honest, I have exercised 5 days in a row, so I am taking this much needed day off to recoop, and to feel stronger.

We went to Target last night and picked up some more hand weights for me, I am a little excited about that. I really need to change the way I'm doing weights, I'm planning to do more upper body stuff, get me all toned. I'd love an arm tuck thingy, heh, this instant gratification thing is hard to break, I just enjoy it so much! lol. You gals have any great workouts for the arms? I've been doing a little research online, but always need more input

We are off to do some grocery shopping, I eat far too much food these days. I suspect even my brother is shocked at how much I eat, food is good for you though. ttyl!

-Aimee

Aimee, it's dreary, rainy and cold here too. Perfect kind of day to recoop. Rob and I (and the cat) took another afternoon nap today. It felt pretty good.

We saw several good weight sets at Target. They had some clever ones, that you could add on extra weight when you're ready. Here's a link I have to an ab workout. Most of the weight work I do is with resistance machines. With free weights I do bicep curls, a tricep extension, lateral presses, an upward bench press, a shoulder curl, and one other I don't know the name of, ha.

We have great timing, yesterday I got new tennis shoes (my feet are glowing white now).

Gotta go have dinner. Tomorrow will be an outside, shopping day, yeah!