i got all 4 today. and no eating again after 7... its becoming a habit! A good one at that. Faye, my son Hunter loves JOes crab shack... his grandparents in Cincinnati take them there...lol Glad you guys had a good time! It's been kinda of a weird day for me... its my brothers birthday today and i have been doing whatever i can NOT to think about that. but as the darkness falls so come the memories... Feeling kinda blue, and alone... guess i will just have to get a good cry out and move on...
I will talk to u all in the AM... have a good night! sweet dreams....

Sandy

Faye- glad you had fun...btw did he like the poem????

Sandy- From the little I can make out I guess your brother passed away? Please excuse me if this isn't so, but if it is how long ago??? My brother passed away 6yrs ago and I still struggle with it, especially because we were never clear on the cause of death. He was a private investigator in the end, but had also been involved with the govt before and well, you know how that goes. He was like my hero and I really looked up to him, thus crushing me for about two yrs completely...now I am starting to learn to accept it and move on, yet I can say I will never forget him and carry him in my heart every second of my life. I know such a loss is awfully hard...all I can tell you is to try to hang in there.

Yes happy, he passed away in August. He would hve been 43 today. I know hes with me and always in my heart but sometimes it just gets overwhelming... and you know... i couldnt cry today... i start then stop... i know i am not letting myself but guess it will have to wait til everyones asleep... i dont want the kids to see me. Dont think i will be getting to bed at a decent hour tonite... sleep is the farthest thing from my mind right now... guess i will lurk her a while and surf the net. Maybe i wilkl pop in later...lol if not cya in the AM...

Sandy

Morning Girlies! And HI LEE ANN

Well, it's pounds down Friday......but no pounds down for me. I did get 4 points for yesterday, but only because I'm counting 2 hours of gathering and stacking wood as my exercise. It wasn't strenuous, but as good as a walk.

I'm trying to figure myself out, like why I haven't lost in a couple of weeks. The 18th century weekend has something to do with it, I'm sure. But I've also not had a REALLY good sweat (ie, decent cardio session) in a long time. Also, I bought a new set of dishes from a potter at the museum last weekend. They are sooooo beautiful, but they are larger than the ones I normally eat from. Still, not as big as a normal dinner plate, but definitely bigger than my normal ones.

The visual amount of food I have on my plate makes a HUGE difference in how much I put on that plate, whether I go back for seconds, and whether I feel hungry later. When I started getting serious about losing last year, I bought some very small dinner plates, or very large desert plates, and have been eating off them. They are pretty and I love them, which helps. Guess I need to keep eating off them instead of the new ones for a while. I have banished the full size dinner plates to storage for a while. I may just end up getting rid of them.

I'm feeling like it's time to start strategizing for the holidays. Is it too early? I know I need a PLAN! Cuz I have kids and am a very traditional country person at heart (I know, a traditional country person who belly dances and wears armor ) I love to cook during the holidays. I cook for my family, I cook for gifts, I have dinner parties and bake cookies for the kids' classes. And I ALWAYS gain at least 10 pounds. CAN"T LET THAT HAPPEN ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!

So, any tips you gals can think of would be most welcome! Maybe we should start another thread along these lines, so everyone can benefit.....and give their ideas.

Well, gotta go. I'm helping a friend sew a Medieval gown today. It's probably gonna take a long time and she lives an hour away. So, I'll talk to you ladies tonight or tomorrow.

Oh, and since Lee Ann is being uncharacteristicly quiet about herself, I'll let you in on her scoop.........she bellydances and hits people with sticks too (but only if they're in armor.....usually )
Gee, I guess we are kinda strange. Oh well.

Love you gals! Stay strong today.....we still have a challenge to finish!

Julie

Good Morning Gals,

(a nephew, when little, grown now!!!!, where does the time go??, anyway he use to say to our collie, "come on gallon" ", same kid on a trip to New Orleans, hailed a cab saying "Maxi pad, Maxi Pad".....instead of taxi cab, get it??, oh, well it is cute to me anyway. ....so "gallons, lets shake a leg today"

pts for yesterday, back up on the old horse, and back in the proverbial saddle yesterday. All 4 pts!! 1 pt for exercise, got my 2 miles in, and 2 program pts, and 1 for my h2o!

Faye, where are ya this am, chickie?

Sandyb, my heart goes out to you....your brother will always be with you because of the love you two shared, and the love you still feel for him. Hugs coming your way honey


you too Dot, you will always miss him. My Dad would have been 71 tomorrow had he lived, he died about 7 years ago, with a heart attack (his third). There is not a day that goes by that I do not carry his memory close to me....and that song that Luther Vandross has out now, "Dance With My Father". beautiful!!and I would "love to dance with my father again". We never know when the last time we speak with someone, or the last time we see them, if it will be "the last time".....for me there are lessons in that...hold your loved one's close and let them know what they mean to you...I am ever grateful to have ALL of you in my life. You girls are the best!

Welcome Lee Ann! thrilled to have you join us! you will get more love and support here than you could EVER imagine!! Looking forward to getting to know you. "COME VISIT OFTEN"



SATINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WELCOME BACK, SO WONDERFUL TO HEAR FROM YOU, STICK AROUND A WHILE..............

Today, I am getting "re-focused", getting "Real", (a dr philism!), I have come this far, and I will never go back!!!! back to life as it was....NOPE I REFUSE TO LIVE THE REST OF MY LIFE BEING FAT! o DESERVE BETTER, (AS WE ALL DO!!)

TO remind me from which I came.....sw 356/June 5, 2003/cw 316-40 lbs gone forever! Next goal: lose 50 lbs, by 10/31, next goal: lose 75 lbs by 2/04, next goal: lose 100 lbs by 7/4, "My independence day"...Declaring myself (today), independent, and moving in a "forward direction", anyone care to join me????, I have to give myself a "reality check" every once in a while!, and get my #@*back in gear.........

later girlies

FRIDAY: Fabulous lbs down Friday. WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS DAY MORE IMPORTANT GIRLS! YOU KNOW WE ARE SLIPPING WHEN IT COMES TO LBS DOWN AND I DON'T MEAN JUST REPORTING THEM! I MEAN GETTING ALL 4 POINTS EVERYDAY!

OUR POINTS SO FAR:

Pam GOOD FOR YOU!
SandyB: EXCELLENT JOB!
Julie: SUPERB!
Me:

Ok, I think we need to have a discussion here. First off, always remember I am pointing at myself first and foremost. Everyone has a bad day from time to time, but we seem to be allowing ourselves more and more bad days don't we. We are getting sloppy and if we want to win this battle we cannot. 6-8 weeks ago a challenge like I put out would have been met with huge enthusiasm and a LOT of winners, but I am not sure how many will even end with the challenge. I know I didn't and I should be a BIG example here. You know I do not believe in beating myself up over stuff like this, but I am first and foremost responsible for my weight loss program and the blame falls on me!

**My promise to you is that I WILL get back to where I need to be in all aspects of my weight loss program. I sat down and made the grocery list for my menus last night and though I can't get to the commissary until Sunday, I am going to do my best until then.**

Dorothy: Since Jack's bday is today, I haven't given him the poem yet. I will let you know.

Pam: How adorable. I love it when kids say things all mixed up. THE MOTHER OF MY GRANDSON, just to show you it comes natural with him, when she was in kindergarten for show and tell, TOLD the class that "mommy killed daddy's electric fishies." (Jack had a vasectomy! We have never found out who told her that though! We didn't even explain to the kids what he had done when he went in) MAN DID I GET A PHONE CALL ABOUT THAT ONE!!!!!

We are taking stinker to the movies tomorrow to see Good Dog. Should be interesting as we have never taken him to a movie. Thank God for popcorn, which he loves.

Well, I need to get those morning chores done and get water and exercise going!

Faye

GOOD NEWS LADIES!!!! I am DOWN 3 lbs... since its pounds down friday i thought i would weigh myself... am i ever glad i did... I have a physical today fun fun... but thought i would just pop in and tell u the goodnews. Its JUST what i needed! Take care of u .. i love you all...


Sandy

Thanks for the welcome everyone. I have to admit I was feeling a bit nervous about jumping into your group. I was worried that I would just be an intruder.

Julie- LOL! I didn't want to spring that on them until I knew they wouldn't think I'm a Dungeons & Dragons playing geek (which I am.. oh well.)

Ok, so I'll admit up front that I AM a scale addict. Fortunately, I don't let the scales decide what mood I'm in for the day. I just like to know. That's it.

I have to admit that when my weight is a little higher I get serious about my program for the day, and when my weight is less I feel good about my program and stick to it much easier. It sounds dumb, but I lost 30 lbs last year (just before I got preg.) that way.

So yesterday (Thurs.) I got 3 points. I didn't do my exercising because I was so exhausted from the lack of sleep I got the day before. -- Maybe I should explain that. I work nights and take care of my baby days. I sleep when I get home at 3:30 and nap when she does. Yesterday she didn't take her normally hour long naps (she's 3 mos and takes 3 naps a day right now) instead she only slept 10-15min per nap. I was a Zombie!!

Needless to say I didn't have the energy to crunch or dance. I barely had the energy to keep up with Amelia.

Oops..
sw:160
cw:156 (it changes pretty drastically depending on if Amelia has just eaten or not..)
gw:130
Sorry.

Pam: I sometimes listen to WRVR when I am walking and that is a soft rock station and invariably they will play that Vandross song! I love it, but I look like an idiot walking with headphones on balling like a baby! It does it to me everytime. Both my parents are deceased, my dad for nearly 30 years now and my mom 7 and Jack's parents are both dead, his dad died a month before mine to the day and his mom died in 1989 on Valentine's Day. I also have a song that BJ Thomas sings called, "Mama". My son calls me Mama and when I use that CD to walk, the waterworks start. I always pray that no one comes at me on the sidewalk or they will think I am nuts!

LeeAnn: I am taking a big assumption and assuming by your comment that you are breastfeeding? If so, I you mightily! My daughter calls herself the breastfeeding **** because she believes in it so strongly. Thomas was breastfed for the first two years of his life. It took some getting used to on our part to get away from the stupid stereotype with breastfeeding, but I am glad we did. Thomas is so healthy because of it and he is a powerhouse 3 year old. YOU GET A: for points! Terrific job!

Ok, girls, time to move to the next thread so......


Faye

I'm Saweeee Faye, I didn't mean to upset you. You got it though. That was for 8th, thanks. Now for the 9th I got my water and exercise only. I'm sorry I'm letting y'all down.

Lisa