JAN, congratulations on reaching your goal weight -- that is fabulous!!! Being four pounds under the actual goal weight, you will have six weeks to keep it within 6 pounds over the weight you are right now to reach your Lifetime Status. That is just wonderful; you must be walking on air! :) DH is still counting points, thank you for asking. He is also on a plateau (as I still am--it's been about a week and a half now), but is keeping OP, bless his heart. I think that putting your and your dh's journals side by side is a great idea; it seems as if your dh is really serious about this--especially now, I would surmise; now that you are below goal.

CAROL, how exciting that your dd is expecting another sweetie. I am so happy for you! Still keeping you in my prayers, be sure and let us know what happens.

Gotta sign off -I'm calling my wonderful sister (the other one...) who is in London on vacation; today is her birthday! :) :)

Hello Ladies!

Lost my internet connection for a day - phone line was down. :( It's very aggravating since I do a lot of stuff online - banking, etc.

Linda - Have you ever heard of the Wendie Plan? It is something I found on one of the WW message boards. It is a way to get off a plateau - you vary your points daily. You never go below your lowest point allowance but you can go over the max because you bank. According to this theory, eating the same number of points every day will get you in a "stuck" mode. You have to do something different to get out of it.

JOYce - You make my mouth water with those pickles! Years ago I was a stay-at-home mom and I had a huge vegetable garden. I used to make bread and butter pickles, pickled green beans, salsa, canned tomatoes, and canned green beans. I also grew lots of corn and usually froze that. Now that I am teaching, I don't have the time to keep up a garden (and really don't like the intense heat in the summer!) I am hoping that when dh and I retire we will move to a more agreeable climate and I'll garden again.

Jan- I remember that Tel-Ed conference a few years back. I almost went to that one. I usually go to several workshops and conferences during the year. I will be attending workshops for two days next week. Our school is very big on technology. I have several multimedia computers in my classroom, internet, a CTV, a TV and VCR. We have a great computer lab at the school, too. The kids also do a morning broadcast. Most of our teachers have been INTEC trained. The past couple of years there has been lots of money to spend on technology. Hope it keeps up!

Carol - Glad your doctor visit went well. It makes such a difference when you feel you can trust your doctor. I'll be praying that your results are good.

Texaslady - Sounds like you are really enjoying your new job! Nothing like a new challenge! That's what I like so much about teaching. I used to work in an office setting and hated when everyday started to seem like a repeat of the day before. With teaching, nothing is ever the same! Always a new challenge. Happy (belated) Birthday!

Well, I had my WI on Wednesday - 2.6 lb. loss! I didn't expect any loss - just hoped I didn't gain. All that eating in Houston and the "picking" I have been doing and I still lost!

Have a great OP day!

Beth

BETH, thanks for the tip on varying my points. I haven't been doing that very often; I end up carrying more points over than I am allowed to eat (I mean that I am carrying over more than 10 points some days, so I'm just losing them) because I just haven't been very hungry and have been struggling to eat up to 20 points some days. I got on the scale this morning and I was the same as as I have been for so long. I am drinking *tons* of water -- I go through about a gallon a day (no exaggeration). I haven't been eating as many fruits and vegetables as I have in the past, maybe that will help, too.

To where would you and dh like to retire? I see you are in Louisiana. It will be nice when you can garden again.

I talked to my sister in London today -- I was practically floating, I was so thrilled to hear her voice! We get to pick her up at the airport in LA next Tuesday. Can't wait! She said that she has been having a wonderful time there, and that this was her very best birthday ever. :)

CAROL, thinking about you.



Happy weekend, everyone!

Hello all....

How are things going?? I thought I would write you all a short note seein g I havent since my upset on Tuesday :( .... Well, after I talked to you all I ended up going to the store and spend 60.00 on groceries on myself - Ugh.... But I stayed on the diet all week until yesterday - everyone wanted to take me out to dinner and lunch - ugh!! Today I am going to be really good (minus the drinking aspect) . I love having Birthdays :D .....

JAN!!! Congrads on making goal that is SO amazing... what are you going to do to celebrate?? I cant wait till I make goal... Thanks for the advice on the drinks... Do you think a cranberry and vodka would be bad?

Rymsh Yeah I love Dotties website it has just about everything!! I go on there a lot especially if I'm going out to eat gives me some low fat or point ideas.... You freaked me out on that cheesecake from the cheesecake factory - How can ever do the cheesecake thing again?!

Well, I better go... Hope you all are doing well on program.... Thank you all for all the support and advice - I was sure bumming when I left weigh in on tuesday and you all made me feel tons better :) .

Merri24

Happy Birthday, Merri! :) And thanks for the congrats; will be saving the celebration for making lifetime in six weeks, but haven't decided exactly what to do. Re: the cranberry juice, sounds good; they make a lite version that would save you points, and you could add club soda to stretch it out. And I know what you mean, it IS hard to stay on program when eating out, but after a while you learn strategies to cope with that too. I've been on so many failed diets in my life (I'm nearly 50) but this time, I haven't thought of the program as a diet at all, but as a revamped lifestyle. I think that's why I finally made it, and feel confident that I can keep it off forever. And you will too!

Beth, whoee, gal, 2.6!! Fantastic! You must have been more OP in Houston than you thought! Re: technology, sounds like you have all the latest and greatest in your classroom; that's terrific! Like you, I'm also hoping that the funding levels stay up for at least a few more years. It's just so important for the kids to have current technology to work with!

Linda, thanks, yes, I really am excited to finally get here; y'all have been a big factor in that, you know! Next big goal is to help dh trim down. Thanks for the moral support there! I'm sure both our dh's will make it, I just know they will. And re: plateaus, I agree with Beth, I've read about the Wendie plan and it makes sense. Maybe you should try eating the maximum now and then, to jolt that metabolism a bit?

JOYce, thanks for the tip on the cereal; will look for that. I love Kashi, but it would be nice to have something different. And as far as being "younger," well of course you're young! Anyone with the zest for living that you have can't ever think of herself as "older," you know. I think your idea of an apres-fishing trip dinner party sounds great; wish we could all come. Between your dh's incredible fishing skills and your cooking talent, I'm sure those events are really something!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! It's reached 100 here, but Dad, dh and I are staying inside and just relaxing. It's so great to finally have Dad home again! He was *so* excited to see all the organizing that dh had done for him; it's hard for him to do that himself, with his limited vision.

Hi to everyone; have an OP Saturday!
Regards,
Jan

Good evening, everyone! I hope you all are having a good weekend! Our weather is absolutely gorgeous- it went up to 80 today- just perfect! I feel sorry for Jan and her 100 degrees!
No word on the second opinion yet, and the doctor will be out of town part of next week, so I'll be in a holding pattern for a while again. I'm sort of getting used to it!
Texaslady, a belated happy birthday to you!! Hope it was memorable! I'm so glad you are enjoying the new job so much! I know it was such a nerve-wracking decision for you to make, and I'm so delighted that it's working out so well!! Whats new with the house and the wedding plans?
Jan, I know you are thrilled to have your dad home again- after seeing first hand the easy, genuine affection between you I know how much you two must have missed each other! I'm glad he liked the reorganization of his "chapel"!:lol: Have you ever tried the new Kashi GoLean Crunch? I haven't ever seen it anywhere but Trader Joe's in this area, but it may be in the stores where you are. It's great for filling a sweet tooth!
Linda, I empathize with the plateau- I can't get off mine, but at least am counting my blessings that at least I haven't gained with all the nonsense in my life lately! Varying your points would be a good idea- it sounds like you need to rev the old metabolism a bit, and that might help! Plus eating something (healthy like veggies or fruit!) every 2-3 hours always helps me- except now! :dizzy: Hang in there- you'll get back where you want to be, I know it!
Bethcongratulations on that wonderful 2.6 pound loss, even while travelling!:D You must have gotten enough extra exercise to compensate for any over indulgences!
Merri, Happy Birthday to you too!!! I agree- eating out is hard- especially portion control! I don't drink, so that's not a problem! I rarely eat out, but this week I did so 4 times!!! A friend wanted to go out to eat Tuesday, then another on Thursday, then the bosses took us all out for a belated secretary/nurses' day luncheon (buffet), and I just got back from dinner at the Olive Garden with my dd, dsil and my little sweetie! The buffet was fine- lots of veggies, and that's primarily what I ate-, Olive Garden I knew the points for what I ate and had no desserts anywhere- but the portion size weren't what I should have had on the rest!:eek: Oh well- I did enough lugging and packing of boxes this week to work off something, I guess!
Janet, where are you? Did you get my message? How's your friend doing?
Well, boxes beckon- I'd better run. Hi to all I missed, and I hope everyone has a great Sunday.
Carol

A bit of a tummy ache.
 

When I woke up this a.m. and saw that I still weighed the same as I have for over three weeks, I thought, "OK. This is IT." So when I went to the grocery store this afternoon I bought two king-sized Nutrageous bars (one for myself, one for dh who has lost another three pounds, making him seven pounds down now -- one third of his way to his 10 percent!:)). We sat out in the glider swing in the back yard and muched away, enjoying each and every point (I told dh that I thought that since he has lost so much weight so far, that he needed a Nutrageous bar to celebrate). So now, eight hours later, I still have an upset stomach because I just can't eat that way anymore; the fat in the candy was way too much for me. So even with that (12-point) candy, I am still within my range because I carried ten points over from yesterday. I really am trying to eat at the top and eat up some of my banked points (a la Wendie plan that BETH and JAN suggested)...but tonight, much to my dismay, the waistband of my jeans is tight--AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!! Foiled again. :) I am not going to give up; today was just a little fling and sort of experiment to see if eating more points will get me to start losing a little. The way my jeans feel tonight, I will have gained a pound by tomorrow morning!!!

TEXASLADY, happy birthday a few days late -- did you have any cake? :)

Merri, happy birthday to you, too-- hope you had fun eating out with your friends.

We are getting the *best* tomatoes off of our bushes this summer. This year I followed directions when planting them and planted most of them horizontally to the ground (with a few inches of the tip sticking up, of course:)), and I also mixed in a tablespoon of epsom salt into the hole I dug for each one. I don't know, but it seems as though the salt really made a diff (I have not fertilized them), because we haven't had such good tomatoes, ever. Anybody else ever done this?

Happy Sunday to all.

Grrrrr - I just HATE it when I lose a long post!!!!! Let's try this one more time.....

Thanks for all the birthday wishes and thanks for the cards, Carol & Joyce. That was so sweet of you. It made me :).

Jan - I know you are happy to have your Dad back home again. Did he even recognize his "chapel" after your dh cleared it out? Looks like he will have to find another "welcome joke" to tell everyone. I am positive he will have no trouble doing so. I was amazed at his wonderful dry sense of humor!

Carol - I can barely *see* you among all those boxes! It is such a pain in the posterior to have to pack everything up. But it is a good time to sort through stuff and get rid of the unwanted clutter. OK, OK, I am TRYING to look on the bright side (easy for me to say as I am not the one moving!).

Merri - looks like our birthdays are not very far apart! Guess we are both "cancer" crabs! I'm glad you feel like you have gotten back on the wagon again. You just keep on going down the right road and it will all come together. I just know it will.

Linda - Looks like no more Nutrageous moments for you for a while! Our bodies are very good at letting us know we have poked something in them we shouldn't have. Happens to me a lot since I have such a problem with some foods (dairy). Sure makes me stop and think before I do something I will pay for hours later!

Joyce - How's the living room re-do coming along? Is you dh through painting yet? What color are you going with?

Beth - That is a wonderful loss - especially considering you were on a mini vacation again! You are making me so jealous. You are doing so well with the program. Congratulations. Your students are going to be surprised to see the thinner you when school starts.

I went shopping for my gown for the wedding yesterday. DD and her fiance's Mom went too (she hasn't bought her either!). I lucked out and found something at the very first shop we went to and I bought it! I worried that it was too good to be true and I would find something else I liked better later, but I just wanted to be done with it. We hit three more stores after that and I still liked the one I bought the best! Sheila wasn't as lucky - she came home empty handed but she tried on a dozen gowns. So her search is still on. The one I bought is floor length. It's a black skirt with an attached short sleeved top along with a jacket. The top and jacket are covered with gold and bronze metallic designs (sort of chevrons). The gold looks good with my blonde hair - or at least that's what the others declared. The bridesmaids are wearing black tops with their blue skirts, so I think the black will be OK - even if it is a wedding. It doesn't even need altering except for the hemline. I can do that myself once I get my shoes - now THAT will be the real chore!! I can't wear heels anymore and I can't imagine what I can get to go with the dress that will look OK. Any suggestions?

DD was supposed to have her hair and make-up consult this am but the make-up artist called late yesterday to let us know that she had a family emergency and was going out of town. So that got postponed to next Saturday. One of the bridesmaids called DD a few days ago to announce she is pregnant. Now the skirt we bought isn't going to fit her in 3 months so we are having to order a much larger size and hope it works. Another bridesmaid (she lives in Missouri) slipped and fell last week and blew out both knees (she has had major multiple cartilege problems over the years) and is scheduled for major knee surgery on both the the first of Sept. The Dr told her she probably should not plan on trying to travel here and stand in the wedding so she has had to decline. (And no, we cannot return the bridesmaid dress which is already here). So now we are down to four bridesmaids - one of them will be 6 months pregnant. See, I TOLD you things were going way too smoothly! And DD calls to tell me that on Wednesday of this next week, it is officially less than 100 days til the wedding! Now, I really needed to hear that! I have about finished the veil. Just need to get it attached to the comb and it will be done unless DD decides she wants the pearl edging around it. She wanted to wait until I got the scattered peals on it before she decided about the edging. Oh, and the invitations arrived on Friday. Those need to be addressed and gotten out by the end of next month. NOT TO MENTION I still haven't got the centerpieces under control............. Oh well, it will all come together somehow! :dizzy:

Hope everyone had a nice week-end. Tomorrow is Monday again already! Oh, I forgot. Last Friday a little before 3:00 I was sitting at my desk just working away whe everyone started getting up and turning off their computers and picking up their stuff to go. I asked what was going on and they told me we always get off at 3:00 on Fridays! Well, no one had told me that! That was great news! Another perk to this job! :D Now if I could just understand what the heck I am supposed to be doing............

Forever Plaid
 

What a delightful evening! The performance is a musical comedy, with ALL the good old 50's songs performed by a very talented quartet.
It was fun celebrating our anniversary with friends at such a delightful gathering!
I chose a grilled breast of chicken and duck salad with oriental dressing. different than the usual oriental chicken salad, but nice.

We started the day out in church, where we had a bouquet of roses and stocks in honor of our anniv, then we went to brunch with friends.. Then we came home and we got the first corner of my new garden planted, it will be loverly! :D

I didn't get to weigh in on Saturday, was on the way out the door, and had a sick dog to deal with :(.. then I was ready again, when the phone rang. it was my son, excited about expecting a new grandchild. :D and it was such fun chatting with him, that I didn't get out the door! My home scales still show a maintain.

Carol, I can relate to your weeding things out as you pack, I'm going to be doing the same thing, as I move the dolls etc, back into the living room after the carpet comes. The painting is finished, just an off-white. Once things arein place you don't see much wall anyhow :lol:. I'll put the same 'country blue' curtains at the windows over the lace sheers. We went with a beige berber carpet, which seems to be all the rage these days.

OOPS! Must run again! this is Casies first day at her summer job, I need to take her..
more later...maybe...:lol:
have a great day..
~~~~~~~
:wave:
JOYce

JOYce, a belated Happy Anniversary! Sounds like you had a wonderful day; I'm so glad. Way to go on making good choices at the dinner theater, and maintaining your loss! And mucho congrats on the wonderful news; a new grandchild, how exciting! When is the baby expected?

Linda, thanks for the tips on tomato growing; we will try that with our fall crop! (It's hard to even think about gardening right now, with the scorched earth and 100+ temps outside, but fall has to get here one of these days!) Sorry to hear you felt bad after that candy bar; it's odd, isn't it, how our bodies adapt to healthy eating, and let us know when we change anything. Hope you're feeling better now!

Texaslady, my goodness, what a time you are having! I'm so glad you found your dress; it sounds absolutely lovely, and I agree with your DD, gold and black would look wonderful with your blonde hair and fair complexion. So sorry to hear about the bridesmaid problems, though! Knee surgery, wow, that's awful. But you have so many other things already taken care of or well on the way, and I just know it will all come together beautifully! Re: Dad's "chapel," he was so excited, he kept going back into the room to admire all that space. And of course, he joked about filling it all up again!

Carol, are you seeing boxes in your sleep now? How's the packing coming? Thanks for the reco on the Kashi Crunch; we did find that, and it's very good! Like you said, a bit sweeter than the Good Friends Kashi.

Everything's quiet down here. My cousin and her dh stayed with us this weekend, and dh (mine) was very inventive at coming up with vegetarian meals for them. It's a bit easier staying OP when doing the vegetarian bit, I think, though I don't think I could do that long term; too fond of steak & fish, I guess! DH fixed soy tacos, chalupas, veggie lasagne, and cheese enchiladas at the various meals, and everyone seemed to really enjoy it.

Hope everyone had a great Monday!
Regards,
Jan

Thanks Jan,
Yes everybody is excited about the newest great grand that will be born in April. (just beginning) I'm sure that it will be the longest 8 months that big brother has ever spent! he will be 7 when the baby arrives.

12 yr old dgd arrives tomorrow for a months visit. she is excited, it will be different since the girls are both working all day. We'll do lots of crafts, I suppose. she loves to paint..and I told her if she helps we with dolls etc, that we can shop for school clothes. We'll have fun....I'm sure that it is only coincidence that dh is leaving town for 2 days on the very day she arrives :lol:

guess I beter get to bed and get some rest!
~~~~~~
:wave:
JOYce

Good morning!
Linda, it is interesting how our bodies don't tolerate foods we used to down without a second thought. I'm sorry the candy bar made you sick, BUT, maybe that was a good reminder that using food as a reward is a definite :nono:! :D Your tomatoes sound wonderful! I could live on garden fresh tomatoes, corn and green beans!! I just love them!
Texaslady, your dress sounds lovely, and I agree that it should be perfect with your hair and coloring!! You asked for a shoe suggestion- how about (are you ready) black cowboy boots!:lol: (is your dd still wearing boots, by the way?) Seriously, I have the same problem due to my kness and back. Can you tolerate a dressy low heeled shoe? I managed that at my dd's wedding- wth a pair of comfortable shoes in the car in case of emergency!Or if not, a dressy pair of flats should be fine- after all, the eyes of the crowd won't be focused on your shoes, so be comfortable so you can enjoy the day!! Sorry to hear about the bridesmaid problems- but maybe having that setback now will assure you all smoth sailing the rest of the way! Isn't it unbelievable how much time, money and effort goes into a wedding- or a "4 hour party", as a friend of mine once said!:lol: But it's so much fun, and makes wonderful forever memories! I wouldn't trade a minute of it.
Joyce, your anniversary celebration sounds wonderful! Congratulations on your new great grandchild to be!!! Looks like our happy events will be taking place close to the same time- my new grandchild is due mid March. My dd dreamed that she had twins last night- poor kid is absolutely terrified and horrified at the thought! Dsil said "that would be all I'd need", to which dd replied "YOU??!!?? :lol:
Jan, how sweet of your dh to do the vegetarian cuisine for your cousin's visit! He is so thoughtful- you both are!! How are you feeling? Be careful not to overdo in all that heat! I'm sure dh is keping a loving watchful eye on you!
Janet, where are you? When do you leave on your "girls only" trip?

Have I mentioned that I HATE moving? :( I lot of the big stuff is moved out, but I swear the little stuff expands and multiplies to fill the space!!:lol: I picked up exdh at the airport last night- he'll at dd's place working in the area until after my move, so that will be a big help. It's getting hard to find things now, even though I've pretty well organized the chaos. Every now and then something's there that I really need here- but this too shall pass!!
Today I'm working 1/2 day, and then taking a 3 hour plus drive to meet a friend of mine for dinner- I've had some stuff of hers stored in my apartment that I need to get to her, and with her work schedule and mine, it's been impossible set up anything closer or sooner. Oh well- it'll be fun, even though I could do without the drive right now!

Hi to Beth, Patti, Rebecca, Saara and Merri Stamps ,Liz and Kendra, where are you??? Stop in and say hi. Hope I didn't miss anyone!
Have a great op Tuesday, everyone. Talk to you later.
Carol :wave:

So many thigs to take care of, and some of this stuff is driving me nuts. Somehow no one knows where my medical records are and I really need them so the doctor can write me proof of immunization... Utah requires 2 MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)vaccinations, and for sure I've had those, but this little card I have only shows one, so I've been calling around trying to locate my medical records, and it seems they have disappeared. And I talked w/ the university nurse today and she refuses to give me another MMR, I guess it wouldn't be healthy, but if I can't show proof that I have gotten them, they'll give it to me anyways in Utah. Gosh. Well, hope I get it cleared out tomorrow. I'm also going to Helsinki again tomorrow, after I go to the univ health care center. I'll visit my Dad again, so I get the credit card he got me... It's only for emergency use, but still a huge help.

I started to do a little packing, but it feels like I'm never going to be able to do it all... 6 more work days. Last of them being next Thursday. Time is flying by way too fast, but I'm also really excited about going. Lots of mixed feelings.

Well, I really have to run again. Just wanted to let you all know that I'm still around and thinking about you all! Saara.

BLACK COWBOY BOOTS! :lol: Good thinking, Carol! But no, I don't think so. And YES, dd is still planning on wearing those darn boots. She even took them to Boot Town last week-end to have then stretched. When she bought them, she forgot she would have to put super duper insoles in them because of her back. Consequently, they are now too small with the inserts so she is trying to stretch them out. I will have to get out and search for some low heel shoes pretty soon, I guess.

Saara - Sorry you are having trouble locating your health records. Hopefully you have found them by now. I wouldn't want to have any more shots than absolutely necessary!!! (Sorry, Carol!) I know things are hectic for you. Won't be long now before you will be flying over to our side of the ocean!

Joyce - Your anniversary day-long celebration sounds wonderful. Forever Plaid passed through Houston not long ago and I believe it was playing in Vegas the last time we went. I never did get to see it, but being a child of the 50's, I KNOW I would be humming along - they would be lucky if I didn't start jitterbugging in the aisle! Now THAT would surely be a sight. Congrats on the new great grandbaby. Wow, we are having a miniature baby boom on this thread! :D

Jan - You do know that you really did get a prize with your dh, don't you? There are not many men (at least not many that I know of) who are so sweet and accomodating. You really did get a "good one". And my yard is as dry as a bone and hot as a firecracker too. There's been some scattered showers around town the last few days but we didn't get any raindrops at my house. I have had to resort to sprinklers this past week or so. There goes the water bill!!!

Still struggling to adapt at the new job. The software is really getting on my nerves. But I know that this shall pass and there will come a time when I won't believe it gave me so much trouble to start with! But right now, I feel like a fish swimming upstream. But I am enjoying the challenge - I guess! :dizzy:

Take care everyone. Hi to Linda, Beth, Janet & Merri. What happened to Patti????? Stamps????? Liz?????? It's been a while. Please check in! We miss you ladies.

Had my WI yesterday. 1.8 lb. gain! :(
Oh, well, I figure all that eating in Houston and Arizona finally caught up with me. I have been having the hardest time lately staying within point range. I've been busy lately trying to get my classroom ready and going to workshops. School will be starting before I know it! I'm excited about this coming year - lots of changes at our school. Where has the summer gone?

Texaslady - I'm like you, I can't wear heels anymore. Guess I'll be looking for a pair of low heels to wear to a wedding before I know it!

Saara- Hope you get those records straight! When are you leaving for the states?

JOYce- Sounds like you had a grand time at the dinner theater. I haven't been to one of those in years. DH and I used to have season tickets to one here in New Orleans.

Carol - When is your moving day? Sounds like you've got it all under control. I hate packing, too.

Linda - I've done that trick with tomatoes before and it does make a wonderful difference. I used to have a really nice garden - sure do miss it. I just don't have the time or desire (in this heat) to take care of one anymore.

Jan - Send your dh my way! I love eating veggies! My dh will help around the house but doesn't do any cooking. I think I could easily become a vegetarian. I probably eat less meat than I should anyway. I recently found out that I am slightly anemic. I've been trying to eat more red meat and take a supplement.

Hope you all have a great OP Wednesday!

Beth