I forgot to tell you all, I had my tag sale yesterday. I am so excited, we made $288.00!!!!! We are using it for gas/spending money for vacation. HURRAY!!! Summer

Feeling crappy today...have a chest cold and croopy cough. Hope my kids don't get it!
But on a positive note I seem to be in a good eating groove. I haven't had any fast food this week and have tried to stay away from the junk. Water is getting easier too. Just wish I felt better to start getting some workouts in.
Everyone but the baby went to church so I'm going to go back to bed while Ian is napping. I'll check back later.
Emily

I am finally back and bigger than ever. I don't have time to chat right now b/c I have so much stuff to cath up with. I'll be back later.

Good Morning!! I dont know about you all but I am so READY to get back to eating right. I have been pathetic for the last 3 weeks. I am huge and I am ready to get back to normal. I am going to pick some strawberries tonight and I killed the bunny!!! No more Blue Bunny in the house. I cant have it around just yet. I need to get on track for a while and stay on track before I attempt snacks again. I wonder if I will ever figure out how to eat right and still have treats without going overboard. I hope so.

Anyone with me? Are we gonna do this??!! YES WE ARE!!!!

Emily, hope you feel better soon. Take some echinacea, mega doses of vitamin C, garlic, and chicken soup! Kempy, welcome back! Angie, I had every intention of getting my act together today...but after teaching vacation bible school this morning, I weakened and had a double cheeseburger, fries, and chocolate chip cookies from Burger King. I'm so mad at myself. I thought I was ready to do this again. I just want to get a grip before we leave for vacation on Saturday, because then I will really go off the deep end. What is a blue bunny? Summer

Hey Ladies, I'm baaaack! I had a wonderful time in Maui and I can't wait to go back. We stayed at the house of the family friend's instead of my friends house since it was in such a remote location, it wasn't feasible to drive back and forth...it was such a beautiful area anyway, once we got there we didn't want to leave. CHeck out this view from the house balcony! (I'm gonna attempt to post it, hope it works). The house is located on the north shore of Maui in a village called Kahakuloa. A beautiful place.

This is the view from the beach toward the house.

This is Ilio Mai (ee-lee-oh-my) the resident pug. Her name is Hawaiian for 'come here dog' (Ilio is dog, mai means come). She belongs to the owners of the house and greets visitors to the shave ice stand. She's a sweetie!

Summer, Blue Bunny is frozen yogurt. It is so good that you wouldnt believe it is fat free but I eat way to much in a sitting when it is in the house.

Noelle, You lucky dog!!!! I am so jealous!! I need to take a vacation somewhere. I keep trying to talk Jay into moving to Hawaii.

I just picked 11 quarts of red yummy strawberries. I put 7 bags in the freezer for this winter.

I have a plan for my diet. Me and Jay were talking and he thinks that if I exercise just like I have been and dont eat anything bad all week then I should be okay if I eat what I want on just Saturday. It sounds doable to me what do you guys think. I figure that I am at a comfortable weight right now so there isnt the diehard need to lose it fast. Do you think it would help me learn to maintain if I slowed the pace down and had a free day?

Angie, it sounds like an excellent idea to me. I wish I was closer to my goal. Maybe then it wouldn't seem so impossible to achieve my goal. Noelle, those photos are so beautiful! Talk about paradise! If you ever need company, let me know! On Saturday, I will be heading out for my version of paradise in the Northeast, Cape Cod. I've been going there every year since I was in my mother's womb. Now I take my daughter there every year. Happy to have you back. Summer

Hey gals, I'm winding down for the evening and have had a totally OP day . Walked 3.5 miles and made great food choices without too much of a struggle . I hope I can keep up with this trend for the rest of the week, then rest of the month. My 2 teenage nephews and BIL weren't able to join us on our Maui trip so we (me and a couple of my other sisters) may be going back in 2 weeks...we all loved the beauty and solitude of the place and we're sure they'll love it too. I know, it's a hard life I lead, but... I have another reason to stay on track and that's the trip to Bangkok, Thailand. I need to keep that in mind the next time i feel like reaching for some fattening chocolate or fried anything. In Bangkok they sell alot of "free size" clothes which means "one size fits all" -- the Thai people for the most part are so darned petite that even my 2 sisters at 5' 4" and 145 lbs was considered fat and XL, imagine what they must think of me ! Our tour guide was a Thai guy who told me that in his country, I was looked upon as "rich" since it was obvious that I had enough money to (over)eat. I do not want to be that way in November .

Angie I think your "plan" sounds like a good one. One day of free eating should be enough to curb any cravings and you wouldn't have to lay the guilt trip on yourself. You're a lucky gal to have your hubby's active support and encouragement in that respect.

Summer what do you plan to do while in Cape Cod? I would love to visit the East coast too. I've never been farther East than Chicago or New Orleans...

Hey Kempy how was your trip? Hope no new storms are brewing near you.

Sandy did you enjoy your camping weekend? I had s'mores this weekend too, but just one. I did however, just eat the chocolate separately from the graham crackers and the marshmallows. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, we also had strawberry and passion fruit margaritas they were to die for!

Emily sorry to hear your sick, hope you recover quickly.

Holly how was your weekend? Is your tooth doing better?

Well, I gotta get my son to bed since it's after 9 pm, I'll check you ladies out tomorrow.

Hi chicks,

Sounds and looks like Noelle had a wonderful weekend, I am envious!!! I only had one smore too.....and did not eat any other chocolate. But think I ate way to many potatoe chips (my major downfall).

Angie: Your plan sounds good to me. And I'm with Noelle, Jay supports you in all of this, and I think he is wonderful. He's a keeper!!!

Summer: Enjoy the cape!!!

Kempy: welcome back from your trip. Hope all is okay at your house.

Okay on to my weekend.(Major venting here, feel free to skip it)

We left on Thursday afternoon. My mil and I were ready to kill each other by Friday A.M. I have not a clue why she decided to snap at me all morning long? But, it ended with me in tears and she could have cared less!! Her sister who went consoled me a bit and told me that I should realize that she thinks the world of me and that she thinks hubby and I have done a great job in our lives. Well you know it would be nice to hear that once in a while. Seems like me and hubby, we do everything the way it is supposed to be done in her eyes but then we get the **** end of the stick. Anyway, we were at odds most of the weekend and just stayed clear of each other. Then I was pi$$ed because here I am trying to be on vacation too, and I get to do like 80% of the cooking at camp and cleaning!!! I was more tired when I came home then when I left. Then my fil had gone home Saturday to take a shower and came back and said they had unexpected company show up from Ohio, but they had brought a camper and where staying next door at another sisters. So alls I hear is about these people (who are nice) is that my mil dosnt want to go home and deal with them etc. Well we were home by 2:00 sunday and by 4:30 she was calling to say that we were having another cook out at the shore for these people and how wonderful they are and the kids are great....etc...blah blah blah, and that hubby and I were expected to come with our kids. As if I am not tired enough. So to keep peace we show. Guess who the **** got stuck cooking? Then she knows I'm tired and that I had worked but proceeds to tell my daughter that later we can go back to Nanny's for icecream and sprinkles and stuff!!! I jumped in and said "don't tell her that!!!" cause we arnt coming over. She looks like I slapped her in the face. Well I said I am tired and we have icecream at our own house. It's already almost 8:00 and my hubby has to get up at 3:30-4:00 to go to haul.

I'm sorry I like just majorly vented!!! Thanks for listening. Usually my mil and I get along fine? Don't know whats happening but she is always on my nerves lately.

Well gotta run,

Sandy

Sandy what a bad trip. When we go places I do have to help with the cleaning bvut all of the females pitch in so we get it done faster so that all of us can sit back and relaxe. What would happen if you just didn't do any of it?

Angie I don't know how you have made it this far without a cheat day. I have to have a least one a week. Otherwise I will go crazy on the foods thatI a trying to avoid. (pizza!) I am sure you sill succeed at this too.

Noelle that place is beautiful! I woud really hate for you to have to go back.

Not to much going on here. My FIl and MIL got a condo in Detsin, FL 8/2-8/9 and they want us to go. I am trying to figure a way to tell the boss since I just came back from one. I don't want to have a paid vacation I just want to be able to go on this free trip and hopefully it wont rain this time. Also our anniversary is 8/2 so it would be a great trip for Joe and I.

Summere Body Rx is a book that I have been reading. I heard about it on another thread. I like it because you don't cut out any type of food. You don't count cals or fat you just figure how much proetin and carbs you need a day based on your weight and go from there. If you want to know more I will see if I can find some links for you.

(((Sandy))) , I'm sorry your weekend turned out stressful. I gotta give you credit though, for doing it all despite the bad vibes. That really sucks when you're all set on having a good time and it just all goes to heck. I don't think I could ever spend more than a day with my in-laws *shudder and cringe* . You're a gem.

Kempy I was watching American Chopper on the Discovery Channel last night and they had a motorcyle expo at the Super Dome. I would so totally love to come back to Louisiana again... is Florida really different than where you live? I mean, you can reach the beach from where you are, can't you? A getaway for an anniversary celebration sounds nice.

Angie, how are you doing these days? Are the tourists keeping you busy? Do you make anything w/your strawberries or do you just eat them? I had one of the most delicious strawberry 7 up cakes this weekend, I bet you could modify the recipe to make it lower fat . Have you every had one? It's a yellow cake mix with 7 up instead of water, with frozen strawberries on the top with cool whip as frosting, so good.

Summer I hope you can relax some during your summer...

Emily and Holly, how are you two doing.

I think I got my groove back . I had a good OP day yesterday and feel like I can do another today. Nothing much going on here except for catching up on some paperwork, speaking of which, the mail just came in. I gotta go but I'll be back later.

Hi ladies!! I have not been doing so great food wise, but, have been exercising daily, and tried pilates for the first time Sunday night. I bought the JH Pilates based tape by Denise Austin. Let me tell you, I can REALLY feel where my abs are supposed to be now, lol!! I am beginning to feel where my pants are getting looser, but, no loss on the dreaded scales.

My MIL made me feel so awful today. She has had my boys since Friday, camping, and I called her this morning from work to find out when they are coming home! I miss my boys soooo much, and can't wait until they come home tomorrow night. Back to the evil MIL....She was telling me that someone from church gave her some clothes, but she does not want them. She offered them to me, so I said, what size are they? She said, well they are really huge on me, so, they should definately fit you. A blow to the self esteem, though might not have been intentional.

Angie,

The one cheat day plan sounds good to me! I lost 14 pounds last year that way. If I was good all week, I would allow myself a cheat day or cheat meal on the weekend.

Noelle,

Thanks for asking about my tooth. It is starting to feel better. I have such soft teeth that usually at least one aches anyway. Blah. Great pictures!! I hope to be able to see such sights some day.

Emily,

I hope you are feeling better. I had that yucky illness a few weeks ago, and it is no fun at all. ((Emily))

Summer,

I am deathly afraid of the dentist. Unfortunately I have teeth that need work at least every few months, so I cannot avoid him, though I would love to if it weren't for the toothaches.

Hi to everyone else...Kempy,Sandy, anyone else I missed.

Holly