Howdy Howdy all!!

Melissa -way to go on dropping that 1/2! You'll be at that goal in no time!

Lauren -Congratulations on losing that major headache. How fun to help a start-up. Sounds truly exciting. And many thanks for the prayers. DH had a call about a position in Sioux City -as in IOWA and another possibility in Boston. Exciting thing is he has a phone interview scheduled on Tuesday with a company he was interested in waaaaaaaaaay back when this first started. We'll see.

Gizzi -:):D Happy dance for you and all your hard work. Wish I could ride to work -only 4 miles, but way too dangerous. Way to work it.

My Pampered Chef party is over. Due to floods of rain, it was a small turnout, which suited me just fine. I did try the idea here of crackers with Neufchatel, horseradish, and apricot preserves. Yum! But I used much, much less horseradish and preserves. The plate would have been just swimming. It reminded me of a creamy sweet-n-sour plum sauce-red sauce. Sounds bizarre, but I liked it. (got loads left over, too);)
The Texas take on that appetizer would be the Neufchatel covered in jalapeno jelly. Same idea of sweet-n-spicy and the bright green jelly looks pretty cool.

Time for beddy-bye. Maybe I'll find time for a walk tomorrow. Gotta start over soon.

Dora, I'm glad you liked the neufchatel with preserves and horseradish. It *does* swim a bit when you put all the stuff on, but not too much (if you just use the little jars). I've rarely had much left over, though. So long as I don't tell people what's in it! I'll bet it would be awesome with the jalapeno jelly.

Gizzi (somehow I can't think of you as "Liz," but I'll work on it), woo-hoo on those 3 pounds -- and on riding the bicycle! Good job. It's those attitude adjustments that really make the difference, I'm finding. You're doing so well.

I've worked out five hours this week, and I'm finding it's really helping with the stress. The layoff was today, and while I'm glad to finally be rid of that awful company, I'll miss some of the great people I worked with .... and I'm forcing myself not to worry about money. A group of us (12 were laid off today) are going to the unemployment office next week together. We'll make it a bit of a party.

But hey, I'm staying within my points. Miracles do happen.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

--Lauren

Wow , you guys ,

Melissa I agree with you , I'll take a .5 loss over a gain anyday . It all adds up .

Lauren , next week you'll have a major loss , i'm sure . I bet you're having a very emotional time . A few years ago people got laid off where I work . I was actually called rif . My best friend was one . I got to stay as I had senority . She went to another option & eventually came back , but we stayed close through it all . It was tough though . It would be real easy to say to heck with it & blow it .

Dora , it sounds like you're doing well considering your potential move . Drama , I think you were meant for it . I'm having a home & garden book party . I had a party at home before , but didn't want to do that this time . I like to spread neuf. cheese & honey mustard in a tortilla , top with fat free lunch meat & sprouts , roll up & slice . I've done this for lots of parties .

Gizzi , good job on the loss & new positive outlook . It's hard work to stay positive , isn't it ?

Since I switched to mondays I don't have a meeting next week . Ta Ta Kathy

Howdy all!
My, we're a cheerful bunch here! Little rays of sunshine!:D

So, I won't be *****ing about WI at 7.6 more after two weeks. And every ounce well earned, not "water weight". I am buckling down a making a go of it again. Got to stop those old habits that are re-surfacing. Anybody else have to eat while reading the paper? :^:

Lauren - you are a champion! Way to live thru that mess and come out swinging! I love the "unemployment party"! Maybe a good time to get everyone's phone number for support and references. Money certainly is an object, but somehow we've managed very well these past months. The math doesn't work, but God is faithful.

My dad is back home after 6 days hospitalized.:eek:It appears he has a wisdom tooth still under the gum that is showing decay and may have caused this mess. While not delighted to have yet another surgery, at least losing that tooth will keep another infection away. (I sincerely hope) Maybe I can make up a Tooth Fairy package. What would y'all put under the pillow for a 68 year old man?:p

Kathy - Your tortilla roll-up makes me think of all sorts of Neuf-combos that would be yummy. Here a common one is tortilla, Neuf, salsa, chopped black olives, roll-n-slice. The grocery carries super-sized )and I mean HUGE) flavored tortillas expressly for this purpose. Spinach tortilla, anyone?

Anybody else heard of "wrapped pickles"? I love these things. Take a deli slice of ham, pat it dry. spread with Neuf, then wrap it around a whole pickle (patted dry, too) refrigerate til firm, then slice with a sharp knife. Very pretty and quite addictive. A friend does it with roast beef, Neuf, horseradish and pickle. Sounds yummy!

Mel -If you want to relax productively, come on down and do my yardwork!! After months of burning hot, we got about 6 inches of rain last week!! (most of it in less than 3 hours time!!) Now I live in a jungle that seriously needs mowing and edging. We discovered that our house has some flood issues and need to put in at least one french drain and rip out a landscape bed. Some folks do stupid things to their houses.Grrr.

Anyhow, Happy Labor Day!! Since my job is retail, I'm going to work. Probably not all day, though. On the 4th of July, my boss and I sat and looked at each other for a few hours before he sent me home. Hopefully we'll get lots of lookers today. To see what we sell, visit www.homeplacestructures.com

Ta ta!

Hey all ,

Dora , I can certainly sympathise with you . For some reason i've taken advantage of not having weigh in this week & pigged out . As if it won't catch up with me . Has anyone else tryed the new microwave kettle corn ? The one I got has sucralose (Splenda) instead of sugar . I'd tell you the points , if i'd actually bothered to figure it out . I hearby pledge to be a good influence on others & more conscientious about healthful living :o , Amen .

It seems that perhaps we should retitle this group . This is a group of people on a similar quest to improve their health & live on a humbler budget (i'm just kidding) . Has the coincidence hit anyone else ? Most of us in this group have gone through unusual changes in their lives that ultimately affect our pocketbook ? I've got my grandchildren , Lauren's job layoff , Dora's husbands job (& related issues) , etc....I know there are more of us . Dora I sure hope your dad recovers quickly . I know if that had happened to my dad , while he was still with us , he would get a kick out of a tooth fairy kit . Reading material , an icepack , popsickles , a funny card under his pillow with quarters in it ......

Lauren has it hit you yet ? Are you going to go job hunting right away ? You should take advantage of it , if you can afford it . Take classes , travel , do crafts you haven't had time for , that's what i'd do . Of course I don't know what's on your list .

Happy labor day . Kathy

Howdy, everyone.

Dora, why don't you give your dad caramels? :lol: He'd have to have quite a sense of humor for that one. I'm glad to hear the money is working out for your family; it's a good reminder. God is inded faithful.

Kathleen, you're right; I need to use this time to do something creative. This week we've got company, but after the weekend I plan to catch my breath and start thinking about what's next. I applied for unemployment today -- what a fiasco! I still have one more office I have to go to, too. They don't make it easy here in Michigan.

I'm down 2.4 pounds this week. That's nice, but it's not as big as it sounds; I gained 1.8 last week with TOM. So I'm really down slightly less than a pound. Whatever; I'll take it. I FINALLY lost the weight I gained after my vacation last May! So I'm a pound from virgin fat territory.

I worked out 5 hours this past week and banked 18 points (basically used all my regular points but not my exercise points).

The exercise is really starting to show in my measurements, though. And today, I went to Kohl's and on a whim tried on a size XL jacket (not in the plus size department). It fit beautifully!! I didn't buy it since I need to watch our spending, but it sure felt good! Last week I bought two pairs of pants in a size 18W. They were tight, but I plan to wear them on vacation so I'll remember to eat moderately. It feels so good to finally be able to walk into the Misses section and try something on and see it fit!! To go from a size 30 to a size 18 is just a wonderful feeling and VERY motivating.

Onward and downward,

Lauren
279/217.4/199 by Christmas (WW numbers)

such motivation
 

Howdy gals!

Lauren - I must say that your tale is motivating. I can't wait to get down to a size 18. I have been in a 30 top and I will be so happy when I get down to an 18. Uh, being able to walk into a Misses dept and being able t try anything on without looking ridiculous. Those will be the days.

I must say I am on my way tho. I am down 5# this week and that is very exciting. Again, I have no idea how I did overall during the week until weigh in. But at least it was good.

Have a good night all!
:) Melissa

Howdy all,

Lauren- you are quite inspiring, dahling! Isn't it a bit wierd to be in the Misses dept instead of the "WOMEN'S WORLD"? Sometimes I look around at the size of the other ladies, just to check.

Course, right now my shorts are all too tight, so I need to continue buckling down. Got in a bit more exercise this week and spent more time trying to catch myself in the act of sabotage.

oops, gotta go

Hey all ,

It's saturday in Buckley Washington & it's quiet in my house . It could be heaven . My son is with his girlfriend , & the kids are at their moms for the weekend . That does worry me . They were happy to see her , it had been 1 day shy of 3 months . I don't trust her at all .

I have been so stressed , & all i've done is snack . I'm really getting to hate myself . Plus my foot is still bothering me alot so I haven't walked in the evening in over a week .

Lauren , You are doing so great . 5 hours of exercise is terrific ! A little time off of work probably sounds wonderful to you , huh ? Do you have a time frame of when you need to have a new job ? I like my job , but it's scarey how dependant I am on it . I don't have hardly anything in savings to fall back on , etc...

Dora you have a great attitude , I hope it rubs off .

I did fix the tub drain & bathroom sink drain . Ick... The sink drain had a pair of earrings , a q-tip , & a razor head stuck in there . These were beyond the p-trap . Thank god invented wire hangers . Now that i've grossed you all out , i'll go read .

Kathy

howdy all,

Back again!:D

Kathy, kathy, kathy.. dint you know that disposable razors go in the trashcan? :nono: Hehe. My hubby just did both sink drains. He didn't happen to keep a list, though.:dizzy:

So much for intentions, I've pretty well blown thru points for yesterday and today. But did get some yardwork in. And tomorrow is our 19th wedding anniversary. Don't know yet if we'll go out or sit at home and look at each other adoringly...

I hear you on the snacking issue. Went to the store "for a few things" and came back with a cart of JUNK! Ergh. And my dd promised her class she would bring some homemade caramel corn for snack soon. That's another of those "best of intentions" kind of projects. I'm OK til I taste the first bite...

Kathy - I like your theory about our income vs eating status hereabouts.

Lauren - you still out there or too busy celebratingthe demise of the JOB?

Speaking of job,I just watched American Beauty where Kevin Spacey negotiates the end of his employment. What an interesting movie! I might just have to watch it again. But in no way, shape or form did I understand that show, Crouching Tiger, hiding Dragon. Or something like that. Took me way too long to realize that the girl was actually the major character. I think. Whatever.

Mel - You'll be in those 18s in no time. I was very surprised to get into some 16s at 190. (ok, those are the ones that are uncomfortable now...) That exercise really tightens things up.

I'm hoping for alot of activity in DH job search this week. Had a discussion about getting him a job flipping burgers soon. At least he could work at a retail computer store at night and weekends. Then he'd be available for interviews during the day. We'll see. Now he's pondering starting his own contracting work. That could be wonderful or could open a whole nuther can of worms. Looking for the Lord's direction there.

Y'all be good. I'm not!:devil:

Howdy, everyone. I'm petting the cat and listening to the rain pour down outside, bringing us some badly needed water and -- best of all -- a nice cool front after a steamy weekend.

I had company here this weekend -- a dear friend from Philly -- and let's just say I'm VERY glad I banked a lot of points earlier in the week! We went out for Sunday brunch today. I wore my size 18 jeans to help keep myself in line, and I literally had only one or two bites of everything. But still, if my calculations are correct, I packed away an awesome 26 points in a single meal!! Needless to say, I had a light dinner. I've been slightly over points the past three days, so no idea what the scales will show. Using banked points doesn't tend to work all that well for me.

Kathy and Dora, I'm plugging for you both and hoping the stress eating will come under control soon. I know you'll both feel so much better if you turn this around sooner rather than later. (If not now, then when?)

Kathy, PLEASE don't hate yourself. It's so pointless and self-destructive. It never helps. Talk nice to yourself, even when -- ESPECIALLY when -- you let yourself down. That's when you need tough love, not self loathing. I guarantee: self loathing will just lead to more self-destructive behavior and out-of-control eating. They go together.

Instead, make a list of all the things that are good about you. Look in the mirror and tell yourself good things about yourself. Focus on one behavior -- say, drinking 6 glasses of water -- and do that today. Ignore all the rest; just don't worry about it. Then congratulate the heck out of yourself at the end of the day.

Sorry if this sounds like preaching. I just feel so bad when I see that old viscious cycle starting up in someone I consider a friend.

Well, gotta go to a job-hunting seminar tomorrow and Tuesday. My ex-company is paying for it, and I've heard it's pretty good.

Have a good week, everybody.

--Lauren

Hello, everyone. I'm thinking of you and hoping nobody had loved ones in the nightmare that happened yesterday. I'm continuing to pray for anyone who might still be trapped alive in the rubble and for all the loved ones left behind by those who died.

I didn't go to my WW meeting last night. Everything around here was pretty much closed, so I figured there probably wasn't a meeting. I have a concert to go to tonight, so I'll go to a meeting tomorrow night.

I weighed in this morning, and I'm down another 2 pounds on my home scale -- 212.5. I suspect the WW scales won't show that loss tomorrow since I'll be wearing heavier clothing now that the weather is colder (I found out that my jeans alone weigh 2 pounds!), and also I'll have had sushi for lunch -- lots of salt. That's OK; I'm still very encouraged. Banked another 18 points, and worked out 5 hours. I think I've found my niche.

Yes, our weight-loss efforts seem insignificant in light of what's happened, but taking care of ourselves is never insignificant. Be good to each other, everyone.

Onward and downward,

Lauren
274/212.5/199 by Christmas (home scale, a.m.)

Howdy all!

Lauren - thanks for all the kind words. You always know just what to say. If not now, then when?

I came home from a very long, hectic day. Missed church (and the church dinner with those 5 point cookies that call my name) and decided to just take a short walk around the neighborhood. That felt good. All week I've turned off the alarm clock and not had that great morning walkabout. Wish I knew how to turn that into a gung-ho attitude like I had last year. it's even nice and cool now that we've had our floods.

Way to go in advance for the weight drop!:D:D 5 hours of work -works!! yeah, Lauren!

Hi Kathy, watcha doin?

i'm a loser
 

The world around us is chaos and I truly hope that all are well. My father works in the city, but not near the trade centers anymore so that is nice. He came home and I've been watching lots of tv. I've also been munching. But, I did go to my meeting tonight and I was very happy to find out that I lost another 3. Very exiting. It is hard to celebrate in times like these, but I find that even a short lived smile is a nice thing.

Take care to all!!!!
:) Melissa

Hi everybody ,

I , too , hope no-one here has any loved ones directly touched by the tragedy . There aren't any right words . Yesterday I was in disbelief , today the enormity has started to hit me . Melissa , how far is New Jersey from Manhatten ? My dad was stationed in Washington D.C. during the Watergate era , but we actually lived in Dale City , Virginia , which was considered part of Woodbridge , Virginia . I guess now it's considered seperate . Later I lived in Delaware & Maryland , but never really made it into New York . So I don't really understand the different boundries . You also have burroughs , don't you ? Isn't that like districts ? Or am I wrong ?

I'm worried about my son Anthony who's in the Army , in Korea :cry: . I believe most military personel are on alert , so I won't hear from him . I just hate not knowing . My younger son says they probably won't move the guys in Korea , because there's still unrest there . That didn't make me feel warm & cozey , either . And believe me I know the ultimate purpose of a soldier , I grew up in it . A mom has to be a mom . It wouldn't be any better if he was at Fort Lewis , here . They are all at full alert & the jets are all ready to go . My younger son has always wanted to go into the service & has taken the asfab twice , & passed . he didn't get to go in because of his unpaid fines . He has them paid & thinks he can go in , now . I told him he can't because he's the custodial parent . What is it with guys & their testosterone ? He & his friends want to go in together & protect our country , which makes me proud . But , one son in the military is enough , especially when they both have two children .

I did take my grandson to the fair . he had never been to a fair . I had a lot of fun , he was so enthusiastic about everything :lol: . You should have seen his face when he pointed to the big yo yo in the sky & realized there were two people in it . It was probably my favorite day of the whole summer , despite the tragedy .

Dora I really enjoyed talking to you . Afterwards I felt like I monopolised the whole conversation . I'm not always so self centered .

Have a great day . Kathy