Happy Wednesday!
 

Hello Friends!:wave:

I had a nice day off yesterday and enjoyed (what's wrong with me ?) cleaning house with the windows open. Took the dogs to the park for a romp, made a special dinner for my DH and watched the season finale of NYPD Blue.

Zoe, Wasn't the ending touching? I almost cryed! Lucky you to see Wayne Brady in person! He is so funny, charming and keeps it CLEAN (ok, so I'm a prude;) ). We laughed our heads off!:lol: When I'm trying to get back OP, I eat high end comfort foods that I really love and make me feel satisfied for the first day or two, using personal choices and extra calories (I'm on personal choice plan). Examples for me are:

1. Gorgonzola Pasta w/Mushroom and Pepper - 1 box of fresh sliced mushrooms, 2 oz. crumbled gorgonzola, 1 tsp. butter, 6 oz dry spagetti. Bring water to boil, add salt to taste, mushrooms and pasta. Bring to second boil and cook according to pkg. directions. Toss with cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
=3 bread + 2 pro + 2 veg + 1 fat (yummmmmm:T )

2. Spinach burritos with fat free all white meat turkey dogs, string cheese and sauteed veggies - Use butter flavor PAM to saute Videlia onions & green pepers until soft. Use fat free spinach tortilla (or whole wheat) and roll up sauteed veggies, 1 dog and 1 stick of string cheese. Microwave on low until cheese melts. = 1 bread + 1.5 pro + 1 veg (sauerkraut is also good if you don't have time to saute veggies.)

Anyway, sometimes planning, shopping and preparing favortie program foods makes it easier for me to get excited about being OP again.

Terri, You must be so proud of your children! Congratulations! They must get their intelligence from their Mom!:)

Jen, Are you in Chicago? We love Chicago! This was my first time to ride the trains and it was fun. School is out here tomorrow and, as a public librarian, I'm looking forward to a little break from school assignment questions!:cool: I'm still working on the spring challenge, and hope to make my 10%!

Hi, Essie!

JanieD, I think of CA. as being perpetually sunny and pleasant. I think this weird weather must be global! I'll keep my fingers crossed for your job.

Hi, Hollygirl!

Bye for now, everybody be good to yourselves and eat favorite OP food today!

Love,
Mel

Hi everbody,
Just a quick check-in between meetings today. WI this morning and lost .5 lb not as much as I would of liked but I'll take it. Every little bit counts. Been good about staying OP this week. Weekends are harder and this one is a 3 day.

Got to go,
Hugs,
JanieD
/179/147/143

Essie,
I hope your arm gets better. Poor thing.

Mel,
I love cleaning with the windows open. It is the best feeling.
Those recipes sounded good. Thanks for your kind words.

JanieD,
Congrats. .5 is great. It all adds up. You go!

Well, today is the first day of summer vacation. Bradley and Brittany were in her room making up math multiplication problems
on her dry erase board. They were solving them. Brittany said she wants to do that to keep him in practice for the 4th grade. :lol: I planned to do that but was going to wait a week.
I plan to read a chapter book (taking turns reading) every week with the boys. Also I want to have a half hour (no tv) of silent reading every evening. We all have our own book and read together in the living room. We did it last year and it worked out well. They actually wanted to read more during school.
Well got to start dinner in a few. Hope you are all having a wonderful hump day.
Terri

Janie, I'll keep my fingers crossed for the new job. Do you find it's easier to be patient now that you're in your 40's? I could never stand the suspense/excitement of waiting for something....waiting patiently was an unknown to me! I do find, as I mature (? ) that it comes easier. Good going on the loss! .5 is better than a gain :)

Es, I've missed you. :( I hope your arm is feeling better each day. Staying off the keyboard is a good idea.

Mel, I was born and raised in Chicago, on the NW side. We now live in a suburb about 18 miles nw of O'Hare airport. It's such a great city; we try to get downtown at least a couple of times a year. We've got friends who have a condo overlooking Navy Pier, and I love going to their place for the view!

Terri, too funny about the kids already doing schoolwork! I used to LOVE to play school when I was young, and remember starting right after school let out. The family reading is so important, it's wonderful that you've established the routine.

I've got a meeting this evening, so I made the Greek Salad hero sandwiches that were featured on the recipe page of this site. The "dressing" consists of cukes, tomato, garlic, feta and vinegar.....best part is the whole sub is only 5 points! They smell and look great, I'll eat after I post this.

Tomorrow is my birthday, and I've promised myself that I'll celebrate the next one (the BIG one!) in better shape than I am now. I've had two good OP days in a row. Tomorrow we're having dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant.......definitely not OP, but I'll just have yogurt for breakfast and salad for lunch.

HI :wave: Dianne, Myra, Zoe, Ruth, Sandy, Holly Girl....didn't miss anyone, did I?

~Jen

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!
You have to stay 49 forever now Jen because you are staying with us. I hope you have a wonderful time tomorrow. You deserve it.

Goodnight!
Terri

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEN!!!
Just popping in for a minute for Jen!

Hope you have a great day - enjoy your meal at your favorite restaurant! You've caught up to me now and I think Terri's right - we have to stay 49 forever so they don't kick us out of this joint! LOLOLOL!

Hi to everyone and I'll be back later when I can really "speak" - soooooooooo busy at work right now.

Hugs,

:hb: Happy Birthday Jen :hb:
Don't feel guilty...on WW you are supposed to enjoy once in a while. Have a great one. My DH will be 49 on Sat. I asked him if he wanted a big party since I know that this is the last birthday he will ever want to celebrate ;) He said no, cause he really hates being the center of attention...unless he is lecturing in front of a class that is.
I am still waiting regarding the job. The waiting really hasn't been too bad because I still really like the people that I am currently working with. I just feel the Lord is telling me it is time for a change. I have been in this division for 12 years.
Have fun opening up the pool this weekend.

Everyone,
Thank you all for the congrats. As I said, Every little bit counts.

Terri,
WHen do you leave for CO? Spending 6 weeks in the Mountains sounds wonderful. I was sorry to hear about your dad. Where is he? Do you get to see him often? I was thinking that Steve and my folks
are so far away. I don't know how we'll be able to take care of them when/if the time comes that we need to.
Dianne and Sandy, at least you guys are able to see your parents on a regular basis. That is such a Blessing.

Ruth,
WHat are you doing with yourself with no school. Enjoying every minute of freedom I bet.

Mel,
Today is your "Classic California Day". It is sunny, dry and warm. I knew there was a reason we moved here :lol:

:wave: to Essie, Myra, Zoe etc,

JanieD

Happy Thursday!
 

Hello, Friends!:wave:

I have to work Friday and Satuday, but will enjoy a two day holiday weekend! My brother and I have the same birthday, a year apart, on Memorial Day and will celebrate with our families in St. Augustine. I'll feel like spring chicken at only 47!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy 49th Birthday (and holding), Dear Jen, Happy Birthday to you! :hb: :spin: BTW, I love Navy Pier too, didn't get to go this time.


Terri, I admire your family time plan for the summer, such is the stuff from which memories are made! Some of my fondest memories are of my father reading to our family at night. Dickens, the English poets, Poe... wonderful seasonal prose at holidays. Even though he is gone, I can hear his voice and recall favorite verses and passages with great tenderness.

JanieD, Congratulations on your -.5 weight loss! I'll take a loss over a gain ANY day!:D Enjoy your classic California weather this weekend, Florida has rain, wind and cold weather!:lol:

Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend!

Love,
Mel

can I come visit?
 

JanieD -- can I come visit you and enjoy the beautiful California weather?!?! It's cold and rainy here (again) -- I haven't even been able to wear a sleeveless dress yet for fear of freezing!!

WI is tomorrow, wish me luck.

Happy Birthday, Jen!! I hope you have/had a wonderful day!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEN!!!!!

Have a wonderful, wonderful day!!!

Love,
Patti and Zoe :D :ink: :D

Happy Birthday Jen! :hb: Hope you had a great day!

JanieD,
Thanks for asking about my dad. My parents are in the same house I grew up in in Ohio. It is about 700 miles from here. We go up every Christmas. We have never missed one Christmas since we left in 1983. Wouldn't feel right. My kids looooove it. Everybody lives there on both sides. They get spoiled for 2 weeks. We also go up in the summer every other year. I cry every time I leave cause I think it will be the last time I see him.
His medicines are what is keeping him going.
We are leaving for Co. around the second week in June. We will stay until the first of Aug. The kids start back to school on the 8th. The Air Force wanted Bruce to stay there until the 15th but there was no way we would let the kids miss 1-2 weeks of school at the beginning like that. So Bruce said he would drive us back to Al. and then fly back if he had to. They wanted him to move there permanently but with Britts being a Junior next year we didn't want her to have to change High Schools. They are so fragile at that age. I think her world would end. :lol: Watch her fall in love with it out there, afterall there is the Air Force academy there. :lol: And then she will want us to move. We might have to kill her then. :lol: It will be an experience. We are taking a small U-Haul.
Hope your husband has a wonderful birthday.

Mel,
I love what you said about your dad reading to you. What a loving father. You will cherish those memories forever.
I love St. Augustine. We have gone there quite a few times when we lived in Fl. I hope you have a great time.

Tonight Bruce and I went out for coffee (him) and Tea (me).
We went out to discuss what we need to do to get ready for our trip and there was a band that came in and played. They were sooooo good. I wanted to sit there all night and listen. I am going to find out if they will be there next Thurs. and take Brittany. She would love them. It was so relaxing. Bruce got a dessert and I didn't. I wanted to come home and have a ww sundae for 2 points. He had a beer and I resisted. I shocked myself. :lol:

I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day!:T
Terri

Hi All,
Haven't got time to read all the notes, but I was wondering how that Spring Challenge is coming along with everyone? I'm weighing in at noon today. I've been walking alot and eating more salads.

Hopefully, I'll get time to sit at the computer and catch up with everyone.

Happy Long Weekend!

I'm back...just weighed in at 150.5. I'm happy enough with that for this week. I just got the journal out and wrote down my breakfast and lunch. I think it's just back to basics if I want to break that 150 barrier.

My daughter is home from college and working an unpaid internship. Son #1 fininshs classes today at his HS. Graduates on 6/4. Son #2 is a freshman at that same HS. We moved in Sept. to a smaller house/nicer area. But it needs lots of work and it's a little bit crowded when we're all here.

When it feels crowded, I'll just go out for a walk!

Longer letter over the weekend hopefully.

Happy birthday Jen :hb:

Welcome to the 49 and holding club!


I miss you all buddies, but I have been in the garden all week. It is an annual and perennial obsession this time of year. If I ever figure out how to post photos, I will.


Hugs to all,
Sandy

Congrats Pogo. Congrats to the graduate too.

Hi Sandy. I'll bet it is gorgeous. We aren't doing too much this year since we won't be around to take care of it.

I hope everyone has a great Memorial day weekend.

Terri