Good morning. It will be warm here today in Florida, but we're expecting some cold weather Wednesday (40s at night). I had an easygoing weekend. I walked a 5K for a wild bird sanctuary. They had owls there for us to see--they are the coolest birds. They have beautiful eyes and can turn their heads all the way around. Then I consignment store shopping with my friend. We also stopped in Macy's and I got a Ralph Lauren skirt for $8 (was $70). On Sunday, went to church and then went to one of those jewelry home shows. I love jewelry, so it was probably not good for me, but I bought a couple pieces that were interchangeable.

Except for some Chex Mix (right, Melissa?) I did pretty good with my food choices.

I felt like something was trying to get me yesterday (sore throat), so I took a nap and drank some Throat Coat tea. I feel better today. I refuse to get sick. I'm thinking positive.

DH is home for the next two days (off days) and I have restricted him to the house. He needs rest and he needs to get better.

I go back to the doctor today to have my incision checked and hopefully released.

Tanya, Love the dress--at least you have some decolletage! I don't have anything to put in those style dresses. I know that you don't want to hear this, but you carry your weight well. You are doing well. Make sure you update your signature to show the loss. It's on your ticker, but not under the photo.

How is everyone else?

I'm beginning to think that Tuesdays are storm days here--we're in the beginning stages of another snow event--we're supposed to get 4-8" this afternoon and mroe overnight and a total accumulation of 12" by the time it's done. I'm counting down the days to Spring!

I had a busy weekend--I don't want another one like that again. We did have a lot of fun with bowling, dinner and then the basketball game but it was too much in one day. Sunday was just as busy--I worked at WW in the morning, followed by a staff meeting, and then off to celebrate my great aunt's 92nd birthday. I was actually glad to get back to work yesterday!

My walking partner is bowing out again today so I'm going to brave the snow and head to the Wellness Center to get my walking in.

DS #2 is still not feeling great and I have an appointment set up for him with the doctor.

Lisa: I love a good deal and you definitely got one! There's a lot of different bugs going around up here so I've been really careful about washing my hands and getting my rest.

Lori: I hope you're feeling better and I hope you find out what's at the root of the problems you're experiencing.

Hi to everyone else!! Hope your week is off to a good start!

Melissa, Gosh your weekend sounded like one of mine. LOL Good for you for going to the Wellness Center even in snow. You sure have had the storms in your area this winter. I saw a stat yesterday that said this winter has had the most snow for the Northeast (not really where you are) since the 1960's! Hope DS is all right.

DH is home again and he called off the next two days. He never does that! He is so sick. I wish I could just make him better. He has walking pneumonia. I've not been that great either. I have a scratchy throat, but no other symptoms. I'm drinking lots of fluids.

Lori, Sorry about TOM. That's the way it used to be with me. If I got sick (rarely), I would just start feeling better and TOM would come along and wallop me. Sorry DH is not well. I'm glad he put the sink in. I think husbands are all cut from the same cloth. You said the sink was there for 6 months! LOL Why is it that we wives see the sink, but they don't???

A trip to California could be fun. Which area are you going to? Yes, it's always better to be with a coworker or friend. I'm going to Cincinnati in April for a conference and will be with a group of folks I know. That should be a good time.

Hello to Tanya, Theresa, Jane, Pam, Susan (hope I didn't miss anyone.)

Hi Ladies,

I have been SO busy the past few days and the weeks coming up are going to to be even more hectic. I have a couple of appts for my new job, including a employee health check-up, an photo and security badge meeting, and a benefits seminar. That is all in addition to the orientation w. I have to be at at 8am and it's in Boston, so that mean w. traffic I will have leave the house at 6am. I am OK w. getting up at 6am, but to leave at 6 means I need to be up by 5am at the latest. I am not one of those people who can roll out of bed and go to work. I need time to get up, shower, watch some news, play w DS etc. Although, he won't be up that early... I hope. I also have my annual exam, Jackson 2 1/2 yr check-up, and several dentist appts. Oh and did I mention company flying in this weekend for DH birthday party and my mother-in-law visiting on Friday. I really could use Friday to get the house clean and ready for company, but I can't say no to my Mother in-law. I LOVE her, but she is more work than help. I know that sound mean, and honestly I really do geT along famously w. my DH's parents, but they are very different from my family and it's taken a lot of getting used to. My family is all old fashioned Italians and when they come over they cook, clean, babysit, you name it. They aren't happy if they aren't put to work. My in-laws are very laid back and would rather mess up the house playing w. Jackson and order take out. Usually that is what I love most about our visits because they are so low-key and relaxing, but when life is this busy I need to stay organized or I will loose it:dizzy. Ok sorry, I am rambling on. I am just stressed, and to top it off I am breaking out! I mean I am 29yrs old, what is w. these stress breakouts. Isn't no more acne one of the benefits of again? I never had acne, but when I am stressed, or when TOM is here (which is right now), then I get a few little blemishes. They aren't bad, but I have an awful habit of picking at my face when I am stressed, and then it gets worse. Ok, again I am rambling. Sorry.

Eating and working out have been great! Actually I haven't been home and haven't had tome to snack, so it's been good. I have been to the gym everyday for 8 days! That isn't reasonable on a regular basis, but I have to fit in some "me time" and the gym is my only me time lately. If I am motivated I get ready and go right at that moment. If not it's hopeless. Today I just did a 20min uphill ride on the bike and some upper body weights. I am down just over 1# according to my mom's scale, but I don't WI until Friday, so we'll see?

Lori, I hope you are feeling better and you figure out what this is all about. I am so new w. this posting/blog thing, and I just now noticed your message. Oops. It is a shame that Yangtze closed, but we will find some place fun and delicious this spring! There is a Thai place downtown and also a new Asian restaurant, but I have heard it's pricey.

Melissa, You did have a busy weekend! I know what you mean about being relieved to get back to the normalcy of work. I am looking forward to it. I am totally w. you on the weather also. I love the winter, but I am ready for spring. It's been a lot of freezing rain, and too much snow in too little time. I am also looking forward to getting outside and walking the local pond routes w. Jackson in my new jogger.

Lisa, The bird sanctuary sounds fabulous. I am jealous of the weather you are having. I would love a night n the 40s right now. I can't believe the deal you found at Macy's. I love Macy's, but I never find deals there. My friends and and my sisters always do and I just don't have such luck. I like Marshall's and TJMaxx a lot, and I like Ann Taylor and their Loft store. Maybe they just don't have as many deals on bigger sizes? Oh and speaking of that--Thanks for the comment on my dress and the way I carry my weight. I do hear that a lot, but it doesn't bother me coming from someone who knows this whole weight loss struggle. It would bother me if it were my skinny 26yr old sister that said it though. I will say though that that pic is very deceiving. I don't think I look that thin in any of the other pics from that night. It was good lighting and a good pose. I have friend that say I am lucky to have a substantial chest, but I always associate big boobs (excuse my language) w. being overweight. I mean I would not be this size if I was at my ideal weight. I would be a large B or a C. I am a D now...uh is that TMI? I am a size 12/14. I have one size 10skirt that fits, but it's Old Navy and they run big I think. I would like to be an 8. I think I would be happy there and hopefully one day I will be.

Ok I am off to eat lunch and run some errands, while Jax is sleeping. Oh and CLEAN MY HOUSE!!

Hello to Jane, Theresa, and Pam

Good morning everyone. Not too much going on here. I feel really cold right now but the sun is shining brightly outside so I hope I'm not getting sick.

This is the start of my weekend (I'm off Tue/Wed/Thu nights this shift) I usually take one weekend day off if I can but that doesn't always work out. Hearing you guys talking about your busy weekends and then getting back to work made me thinkg that sometimes it's nice to have my weekend in the middle of the week because I do all the weekend things with my family on the real weekend (and just sleep....whenever ) but then when everyone else goes back to school/work it's my weekend

Lisa-sorry to hear your DH is so sick. Take care of him AND you!

Lori-I'm sure you're right that the 3 lbs. will go quickly. Hope you and your husband are also feeling better soon and that you get to make your trip to NJ this weekend. Count me in on TOM too and it's time for me to weigh in tomorrow. I wish I wasn't feeling so "snacky."

Melissa-12"????????? Is that a typo (hopefully?) Hope your DS2 feels better too. I didn't realize you work for WW (although you probably said so and I missed it), what do you do for them?

Tanya-You sound like you are crazy busy! How great that you are able to keep up with exercising and good eating even during the craziness. That's what it's all about though, making it a way of life that you can live with all through your life The picture of you and your husband is very cute! I am so technologically challenged I can't even begin to know how to put a picture on here!

Ok, I guess I better run. I got home early this morning (at 6am because I went in early last night). I only slept for 3 hours but that is ok because I will go to sleep like a regular person tonight! I am going to go exercise and then my son has his first tennis match of the high school season today

I will report in on my weigh-in tomorrow. I am thinking (hoping!) that I lost the lb. I gained last week but I am so bad at predicting this. Sometimes when I'm sure I've gained I lose and vice versa! Oh well, it keeps things interesting

Hope everyone is having a great week. Talk to you later. Jane

Good morning! Yesterday we got quite a bit of snow (7") and there's some more on the way today. Yesterday's accumulation was the wet/heavy stuff so the trees look something like a Currier & Ives postcard. The good news is that the roads weren't too bad this morning.

Jane: I work full time for a private university and my part-time (fun) job is being a receptionist for WW. I've worked at the university for 26 years and as a WW receptionist for 6.

Tanya: Sounds like you've got a lot going on! It's either feast or famine, isn't it? My sister-in-laws are the same way--they're always pitching in and doing something. I enjoyed the time I had with my MIL.

Lori: I am so glad that cramps are part of my past--I used to get them really bad along with being nauseous, headache and bloating. Ugh! Which part of CA are you heading to? DH and I were there for our honeymoon and were in the Los Angeles/San Diego area--we had a good time.

Lisa: We're right on the mark in terms of the snowfall for the year--I think we're up over 80" for this season so far and we still have 2 months that we can see snow here. I'm ready for sunshine and spring flowers!

I'll check in later on. Stay warm everyone!

It is chilly here today--30's. We may hit 60 by afternoon. DH is slowly improving. Last night he got through the night without a coughing jag (first time in about 10 days!) One of our birds is also sick, so we have him in a hospital cage. OK, enough sickness already.

Lori, That's too much working, especially after being ill.

Melissa, You have had so much snow. Yes, I would be ready for spring flowers, too.

Tanya, You are way busy. Hope your DH's birthday party turns out well.

Jane, So, how did your WI go? Let us know.

Good morning! It's a chilly 12 degrees here and I don't think we're going to make it into the 20's ; at least it's not snowing!

Lori: I don't think I could manage to stay here at work for 14 hours ..I hope you were able to relax once you got home last night!

Lisa: I'm glad DH is getting better--the coughing spells are horrible. There was a member at our Sun. morning meeting whose husband had a coughing spell while driving and ended up hitting a tree! I hope your bird gets better too!

Jane: Hope your WI went well.

I went to my meeting yesterday and was up .6 which is not bad considering I had a weekend filled with food & drink! I'll work at getting rid of it this week.

Melissa, Yikes, that is way too cold for me. The gain is not bad, especially when you expected it.

Lori, Are you sure you should travel having the flu? Perhaps you have a mild strain? Sorry if you have IBS; I've had it for 34 years. It's no fun.

Good afternoon. Well my WI did not go great yesterday. I stayed the same (well I was down 1/10th of a lb!!!!). I know it will come back off and I'm really not worried about it. It's just nice to see a loss!

Reading about the weather most of you have is making me cold! It's been beautiful here; warm and windy. I love it like that (not real good fire conditions though ).

Unfortunately, we routinely work 14-16 hour days at my job, once or twice a week anyway. We are just so shorthanded they wouldn't be able to do it without people working overtime. It really messes with my eating and exercising schedule but I usually do pretty well as long as I know ahead of time.

I was going to do personals but ran out of time. I have to go because one of dogs is having a personal obedience lesson today and I have to participate!!! He is a real handful. I'm hoping this will calm him down enough where I can take him for walks. It will be good exercise for both of us. He acts like such an idiot now I won't walk him, my 17 yr. old son has to do it and he just runs with him!

Talk to you later. Jane

Temps are slowly rising here...but there's an Alberta Clipper waiting in the wings to bring snow this afternoon (4-8").

Jane: I'd much rather stay the same rather than to have a gain at the scale! Hang in there! I have worked long days (going from my regular job to WW) and it's tiring--not something that I like to do a lot so I try to limit how many extra meetings I help with.

Lori: I'm glad you're feeling better and you're probably wise in not going out of town this weekend and getting some extra rest before you have to travel.

I took DS #2 to the doctor last evening--his ears are still "stuffed" as he puts it--and it seems that the ear infections are just not clearing up. The dr. said that you typically find this in young children and he's not had problems in the past. We being referred to a ear, nose & throat doctor. I'm thinking they're going to want to take out his tonsil & adenoids. DS #1 had the same problem (large tonsils/adenoids) and because of that the ear tubes weren't draining properly. We'll see what they say.

I did not have a good evening with eating--after the appointment I went from one thing to another so it wasn't great and this morning I was disgusted. Night time eating is bad for me!

Lori: DS #2 is 16; his brother had his taken out when he was 13 and I'm pretty sure his was done via laser.

It's starting to snow here...

Good morning everyone. I can't seem to get myself motivated here today and already my eating hasn't been that great today

I did manage to run out to the store for a few things I need but I want to get some laundry done and clean out my car & trunk. I drove quite a distance to work and back so I tend to "live" in my car. I have enough supplies/clothing/food/drinks, etc. to sustain life for about a month! I just need to thin it out a bit! I have to get to bed by 6 pm too to get some sleep before work tonight (it's my monday!).

Lori-I hope you feel better, esp before you travel next week.

Melissa-hope your son doesn't need surgery but if he does hopefully that will take care of his problem. Good luck.

I really am going to get up now, go fold a load of laundry and go out to exercise. I am at least going to do that today! Everyone have a great day. Jane

Holy cow! All this sickness going around! Hope you all (and your significant others) are feeling better soon. So far I've been pretty lucky this winter. Probably because I'm such an obsessive hand washer at work.

I'm finally starting to see a little progress on the weight loss front, dropping a half pound or so a week. It would be nice if it were faster, but I'll take what I can get. This morning the scale flickered at 149.8 before settling at 150.0 and I couldn't believe how excited I was. One of my friends at work called me on her day off to say she wants to hire me to be her personal coach. I would do it for free, so we're going to compromise and she can "earn" it back by the pound. When I originally started WW I paid myself $20/pound and by the time I left on vacation 7 months later I had almost $500! Sometimes when I was feeling weak, I just go to the "fat jar" and count the money. I'm so cheap that it would just kill me to have to take any out when I gained, so it was good incentive. This time I'm going for $100/pound since I don't have as much to lose to my personal goal, but I can't start collecting until I get by to my previous paid low - 4 more lbs to go.

Have a good weekend everyone! And for those of you in the frozen north, stay warm. I don't know how you do it. Three weeks of weather in the 30's at Christmas and I've had my fill. We're already starting to get some weeds popping up, my narcissus are blooming, and the azaleas are covered with buds. Stay strong! - Theresa

Yesterday was my off Friday, so didn't do too much with DH being so sick. I did take him to dinner with some friends and that perked him up. It was a very nice restaurant. Tonight I think we will try to go to a play. Many of my actor friends are in this show: Neil Simon's 45 Seconds to Broadway. I've never seen it, so I hope it's good.

On Sunday I'm going to a tea (wish you could come, Melissa,. It's put on our church ladies guild. I have a great dark blue hat with beads on it that I've been wanting to wear.

Eating wise, I've been so-so. Of course, last night's dinner wasn't exactly low cal, but the rest of the day was good. I made some 0 point veggie soup for today's lunch.

Lori, Glad you're starting to feel better. Hope your business travel is good. I know what you mean about getting on the scale. That's how I was in January--I was a big chicken. I can't believe that your tonsils grew back! That is really something.

Theresa, Interesting way to reward yourself for losing weight. How great that you can coach your friend. I've done that for a few people. They did well, but then "fell off the wagon" so to speak. One of my friends did very well on WW a few years ago and she has just let herself go. I cannot believe it's the same person. When I try to talk to her about it, she says she has no motivation to lose. Yet, every time I turn around she has more and more health problems AND she's in her 40's. She has high blood pressure and knee problems (guess why???) She's gone from size 8-10 to size 18.

Jane, Some of our plants are starting to bud, too, but we've had a few cold snaps. I'm waiting a little before I redo my flower beds.

Melissa, I can't believe you're getting more snow. What a winter! Sorry about DS #2. Tonsillectomies are tougher when they're older--it's pretty serious surgery, but once it's done, he should have relief. I know that I had mine out when I was about 12. The rest of my siblings had theirs out when they quite young. I used to get terrible sore throats and earaches.

Hello to Pam and Susan.