I found my weight-loss motivation this morning when I got on the scale and it said 170.4. Now some of that MAY be due to the fact that it is TOM, and some MAY be due to the fact that I had a lot of beer on Saturday night but either way I went into my old clothes in the basement this morning and had to pull out some pants. I thought it would be depressing, but it was actually super motivating. Lets hope that keeps up, because at this point I'm thinking of putting off TTC until I lose at least 10 pounds.

I actually took Friday and Monday off of work for my sanity. Friday I drove up to my parents, visited with them, went out with a friend Friday night, hung out with my parents again Saturday morning, went to go visit my grandfather at lunch (he's in a nursing home now ) and then drove home. Sunday DH and I bought and planted 6 green giant arborvitaes in the back yard. They are about 3.5 feet tall now, but grow 3 feet a year. In only 2 years they should block some of our view of the crappy parking lot behind us! Then we transplanted two bushes from the front yard to the back (they weren't growing well where they were). Then I planted two new bushes in the front and mulched the whole front.

Monday DH took off of work with me. We planted some more stuff in the back yard and mulched a couple of areas back there. I also bought some pots and annuals and filled the pots. We have one big tree we need to buy and plant in the back still. I think we are going to get a juniper, but I want to get it when its already super tall (like 10 feet). It will probably be expensive (around $150) but worth it. Oh and also yesterday I did all the rest of the grocery shopping that needed to get done. LOTS of fruit and veggies.

Hope you are all doing well! It is great to see everyone back and posting

Lori, Thanks for getting the thread started. Yep, getting into the old clothes would be motivating. Good luck to you. I, too, have been struggling lately. Went to WI last night and was up 4#--erased last month's wonderful WI. : ( There must be something in the air because DH and I are going to do some big plantings this coming weekend. I want to redo a flower bed and put in some annuals in the front. My oleanders that I planted last year to block my neighbor's crappy yard are now over my head!

Tanya, Thanks for the BD wishes. The Melting Pot was great.

Very busy at work--crazy busy.

Hello to all other Lifers.

Hi everyone! It's been gorgeous here with temps in the 70's. Saturday we broke the record with the temp hitting 84! The past few days are still above normal for us. The trees are popping and are a bright green as the leaves are starting to come out; lots of spring flowers and people are starting to cut their grass. DH cut ours yesterday.

I've been struggling with eating--I do well throughout the day and later in the evening I'm prowling and snacking. I've continued with my walking although over the weekend I was so tired that I took a nap on Saturday/Sunday. I think my meds are finally starting to kick in because today I actually felt refreshed and not bone tired. I really dislike that feeling! My muscles aren't aching like they were before either so things are starting to look up. Now to get the weight under control!

Lisa: Belated birthday wishes!!

Lori: I totally can relate about taking time off of work to regain some sanity. We're heading into our crazy time and I'm in need of a little time off as well. I have scheduled May 15 & 16 off but may need to take another day in there somewhere. My boss is off next week so it should be quiet around the office.

No too much else going on here; today is primary day for us and I'm so glad it's going to be over! It's been crazy. We've had Hillary, Bill, and Chelsea all here for visits--it's been crazy. Evidently PA is becoming highly contested. Barack was here as well as his supporters so we've had lots of activity at this end of the state.

Good afternoon Ladies,

The weather HAS been beautiful!! Tomorrow is supposed to hit 80 degrees and I am hoping being out in the sun will help Jax kick this cough. If it doesn't clear up quickly, we will have to postpone his Surgery on Friday. We have been doing a lot of work outside as well. My dad is getting the ground ready for the gardens and transplanting the fig trees was the big project this past weekend. Jackson was driving the bobcat w. DH on Sunday and digging up rocks in the garden w. Nonno (my dad). Jackson loves to work! He would rather be working than playing, but for him I guess it is like playing. He is talking soooo much now. I can not believe the things that come out of his mouth. He's so smart and sooooooo funny.

My eating was Ok today. I had a salad and some barley and lentil soup for lunch, but I had a PB n J for dinner and it was on nutty, whole grain bread, but it was a 9 point sandwich! I just crave PB n J sometimes and I use lite PB, but this bread was a good size slice and I had a glass of milk too. Mmmmmm, I have to have milk w. my PB n J. That's the best comfort food for me. I also ate half a cupcake at work today and it was dry and bland and so not worth the points. I haven't been to the gym at all this week, because I picked up extra shifts to cover one of my co-workers who had a family emergency, but I have been walking everyday and lifting my 10lb free weights at home. I think I will be the same this week at WW, and that's good I guess but I am just so close to being down 25# and I am anxious to make that goal.

Lori, and Lisa, I am so jealous of your motivation to get outside and do so much yard work. I am more of an onlooker when it comes to that stuff. It's great exercise though and just all together good for you to be so close w. the earth and the soil. I am not a natural when it comes to gardening and the like, but I am great w. harvesting. I can jar tomatoes and eggplant, shell beans and do all the cooking and picking, but I can't grow or keeps plants alive to save my life.

Melissa, My mom has been going through an ordeal similar to yours and has been exhausted lately as well. I hope your new med kick in soon and you are back to yourself. That must be tough, and especially with the warm weather. It stinks when you are to pooped to enjoy it. Hang in there.

Well yesterday was good with my eating until I got home... then I ate too much! Stuff that wasn't planned! I once again learned that I'm not ready for planning yet. So back to eating healthy things in normal sized portions when I'm hungry. I'm going to be at work late tonight so I packed snacks, lunch, and dinner this morning at the house. I wasn't thinking of points values when I did it. When I got in to work, I entered everything online just for the fun of it and it came to 24 points. My target is 22. So I guess when I don't plan I'm still doing pretty good with choosing the right type of stuff. Maybe I'm putting too much pressure on myself?

Oh and I saw my PCP yesterday and he told me that my weight should be between 160 and 75. The range according to the BMI chart for me is something like 128 - 164 and my WW target is 162. I always get told that I look like I weigh much less than I actually do. At this point, I'd be happy to get back to the 162 and not try to overshoot that (which is what I've been trying to do since September but hasn't been working and has actually backfired a couple of times). What do you think?

Lisa - I wish I could plant oleanders, but they wouldn't do well in the northeast! They must look gorgeous!

Melissa - You sound like what I must have sounded like for MONTHS. I'm sorry things aren't going well for you, health-wise. Maybe the nice weather will help make you feel a little better. I know it has for me - I have seasonal depression, so spring summer and fall are ALWAYS welcome. Actually, I've recently been thinking about moving to warmer climate....

Tanya - Poor Jax! I hope he feels better soon. I had to re-schedule an endoscopy in March until next week because I was sick. It sounds like he's at that perfect age right now too where he's talking, but not talking back I'm going to visit a friend in NH this weekend who has three boys 4, 2, and 8 months. I call them my nephews and I love them so much! I haven't seen them since before Christmas (like the rest of my family, but I actually got to see them the past 2 weekends, I'm playing catchup) and apparently they've been asking for me a lot. The oldest one says that when he's a "big boy" he's going to get "lots of colors" on his arm "just like Auntie Lori!" Its so cute

Went to a birthday dinner last night at a very nice restaurant and well...ate too much. It is so crazy at work--don't know what's going on, but many things that we've been waiting for months for something to happen are popping up.

Melissa, glad Spring is happening there--you had a rough winter. Also glad you're feeling better. I put away all of my winter clothes and took some stuff to the dry cleaner. Soon it will be summer!

Lori, glad you're feeling better. I too am struggling. Funny how you and I are told we look thinner than we weigh (that plays on my mind sometimes, too).

Tanya, How was Jax's surgery? I hope he's all right. Yes, when the little ones start talking a blue streak, it can be very funny. Well, you don't work in the yard, but I'm not one for canning, so you have your talent, too.

Hello to Jane, Pam, Susan and Theresa.

Today is a busy day. I have a few meetings and LOTS of work to do. I'm afraid some people won't show up to the big meeting I have because its "Bring a Child to Work Day" and I think some people forgot to tell me they couldn't make it because they would be bringing their child in.

Lisa - I was much better yesterday with my eating. I think the warm weather helps me. I never feel like eating a lot when its really warm out.

Good morning! Another beautiful day here in PA! It was a little cool this morning (46) but we're supposed to be in the high 60's/low 70's today. Tomorrow we're supposed to be in the high 70's. Next week does not look promising with temps plummeting down into the 40's for highs and maybe even some wet flakes! It kinds of figures because next week the students have their annual "Springtopia" and have an outdoor concert planned.

I went to my meeting yesterday and was up .2 which isn't bad considering I've been struggling with snacking in the evening. I got into tortilla chips last night and woke up around 1 a.m. with a stomach ache! I am trying to get more walking in although the tiredness is what sometimes trumps my good intentions. I feel like the meds are getting into my system because my ankles aren't swelling like they were--I just need to be patient and that's hard!

Tanya: I hope Jax's surgery went well and that he had no side effects. I have to admit I miss the cuddling with my kids now that they're older. I'm an onlooker too when it comes to outdoor work--I don't mind working in the flower beds but it's not my forte. I enjoy canning tomatoes and cooking with fresh produce from the garden. I can't wait for the fresh tomatoes!

Lori: I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself and it's so easy to beat myself up for not doing the "right" things. The weather really does help with my demeanor in more ways than one.

Lisa: I still haven't pulled out all my "warm" weather clothes--from what I'm hearing we're going to have a cold snap next week! I enjoy temps in the 70's with no humidity. Not looking forward to the humidity of summer.

I'll try and catch up a little more later on...

Just a quick note. I am so swamped at work--what gives??? My OP plan is good one day and bad the next. (Sigh)

Melissa, 40's? That's not good. It's a little late in the year, isn't it? Up .2? I wouldn't worry about that one--that could be a glass of water. : )

Lori, Keep plugging, that's what I'm doing.

Happy Friday!

Work is crazy again. At least this afternoon I get to leave early and go visit my friend in NH and her 3 boys. I miss them!

My eating yesterday was good as well. I had a snack when I got home (at 9:30pm) but my tummy was growling and it was only 2 points.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Melissa - Our weather sounds like yours. Its been in the 70's lately, but this weekend its supposed to be the low 60's Glad to hear your meds are kicking in.

Lisa - Sometimes I find if I force myself to stay on plan for a few days, I get in the habit. Its the "forcing" thing that is really hard to do!

I'm so glad the weekend is just around the corner! Work is gearing up and I have no ambition to tackle anything which is not good!

It's 78 and we're supposed to be getting some t'storms later on; my sinuses are kicking up (headache) so I'm sure once the temp plummets it'll be a full-blown headache! I didn't get out for a walk and I know that's part of why I feel so tired--I'm contemplating walking over the other building just to get out for a few minutes.

Lori: Have a fun weekend!

Lisa: Thanks for your support--it's been rough with the scale not budging and I'm just plodding along hoping that at some point some thing will kick in. I'm sure the gain was the donut I ate prior to going to my meeting

I hope everyone else is doing okay--it seems as if our board has been so quiet the past couple of weeks--Susan, Pam, Jane, and whoever else I missed we hope to hear from you soon!

Hi everyone. I've not been very good about getting in here. Usually even when I don't post I'm reading but I haven't even been reading this week. I tried to skim and catch up.

Melissa-when you say "wet flakes" are you referring to....SNOW???!!!! ....Oh my!!!!

Lori-hope you have a great visit with your friend and her sons. We had a few people bring their kids to work also although our mgmt. is very picky on kids coming in since they can hear some harrowing things.

Lisa-hope things are levelling off at work for you.

Tanya-did Jackson have his surgery? Hope everything went well if he did. Hopefully you got to get it over with.

Eating & exercising going good for me. I guess I'm just meant to be 131 since that is just where I've stayed for months. I still need to work on all my snackiness and the first thing I need to do is QUIT buying them!!!

I have to work tonight but then I have tomorrow night off. We are going to a birthday party tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully I will do good with my food choices (and not too many drinks ). Ok, hope everyone has a good rest of the weekend. Talk to you later. Jane

Hi Ladies,

Just a quick post, since things are hectic today. Thanks so much for all the support and well wishes. Jackson had his surgery Friday morning and is doing GREAT! The surgery went well and he did so good in pre-op, but of course the actual anesthesia part was harrowing for both of us. I was really shocked at how hard it was for me to watch. I mean I new it wouldn't be fun, but I just thought that working in the medical field would somehow make me a bit tougher. The whole thing took about 30min, and that's only because they had to run an IV because he was starting to cough while he was under and they wanted to have an IV line so they could avoid intubating him. He has some bruising on both hands and feet, because they tried 4 times to get the IV in. He has tiny veins and when they haven't had food or drink for 12+ hrs they are dehydrated and that causes veins to recess even more. The surgical team was amazing, they were so great w, him. Children's Hospital Boston is just such an exceptional place, and we are so blessed to have them so close by. I actually work in one of there off campus buildings. They share the building with BIDMC (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center), which is my employer. BIDMC and Children's are also right next to each other in Boston. They also share an off-campus Hospital in Waltham MA, which is where DS had his surgery. It's a full size hospital, they have day surgery, a bunch of other pediatric specialists. He is doing well, and was pretty groggy all day Friday. He has to have a telfa pad and ointment on the incision site for 10 days, so that is tough because he is potty trained so we have to check his undies every few minutes to make sure the dressing isn't slipping off. He can't have anything w. adhesive because they don't want it to stick. The surgery was on the inside of his #%$?!. The sutures are on the inside and they will dissolve.

I weighed in on Thursday and I am down 2#. I am now down 25.6# and sooooo excited. I did pig out on Thursday night and Friday, due to the stress of what was going on w. DS and the anticipation of the surgery, but I am making up for it and hopefully I can at least maintain this week.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!