Biggest Loser 9 Spring Challenge -- thread closing -- see new thread Part 2!

[ShortyNBug]

I just have to tell everyone how excited I am! I spent and hour and a half on the phone last night booking our first ever disney trip. We will be going Dec 4-10th! Ok, I'm done now. LOL!

 

[mikamah]

Feel free to take it Maria!!! Anyone here who wants to use it is more then welcome. Hopefully it can motivate us to stay on track. I've been saying every day when I feel myself slipping back into old habits of putting everyone else first.

Thanks. I might do that. It is a good reminder to think of myself more, like that old quote, if momma ain't happy, then nobody's happy.

I would like to join the Losers on this challenge... I am trying to run the DPHM in 2011... I have tried other things to lose weight but never had the help or the encouragement from other people... this looks like i will finally get the help i need.

Welcome!! This is a great group, you can just pm your starting weight to luvbaloo, and join the gan. What is the DPHM? I'm guessing disneyland paris half marathon?

Monday QOTD: What is your favorite leisure activity?

Napping . I love naps. My five year old wont take one anymore so on the weekends we put him in front of a movie and go take a nap for ourselves.

I have a half a point left and the candy is 1 pt. Not sure if I will bother. (Yes, for those of you on WW, I know that technically I shouldn't have a "half" a point left, but I do some "fuzzy math" sometimes with some of the points and I do break things down into half points.)
P

I wouldn't worry about your fuzzy math. You've done so well, you obviously know what you're doing. I also have some fuzzy math, but lately, haven't been tracking, so know I've been way above my points. Gotta get back into it.

Tuesday QOTD: What are the obstacles you encounter on your journey of personal change?

I am my biggest obstacle, emotions, stress, exhaustion, laziness. I've been struggling lately, trying to be positive, and just having a hard time. My only savior has been the wii fit, at least I'm moving most every day.
Thanks for the wiifitpluss reccommendation. My son is hooked on the obstacle course, so we're in competition. He's also been getting a little heavy this year, and with the plus, he can do the free step while he watches a show, so he's been doing that. We have talked about being more healthy this year, and more active, and I've been better about buying snacks, but the winter is hard.

The biggest obstacles is me. Its easy to find excuses not to do what's necessary to lose the weight. Life is busy, but in reality the obstacle is fear of failure. If I am trying and not succeeding it feels like failure, but if I'm not really trying, I have reasons for not succeeding, so I'm not really failing. I have to remember that I am worth it, and that I CAN do it and WILL do it.


And this week, I actually planned a menu and we had a new dish tonight "pork apricot braise" it was a pork, peas, carrots, apricots stewed together with ginger, cumin, chili, & parsley & a bit of honey. It was sweet and a little spicy. I actually cooked it last night, so that today DH could just cook some rice in the afternoon, and then everything was ready to heat up and eat in the hour we had between activities this evening
Thursday, I'll be trying out a new recipe for a beefy orange stirfry
and I got 20 min of exercise in this evening, not a lot, but I really didn't feel like exercising so I'm that I at least got a little in!

Nice job on the menu for the week. YOu really described the fear of failure so well, and I can so relate. You are right, you are worth it, and we all are to. We can do it!!

3 miles done so far! DD1 aggravating me this morning. She is such a POKE! Drives me crazy and then I get GRUMPY!

I feel your pain. They can be so adorable and sweet, and then OMG, I need to lock myself in my bedroom for a bit.

I'll inspire someone to do C25k and then go for a Half! I finished in 3:11, and I felt stronger than I have at my two previous finishes. The weather conditions were extremely nasty, and a few years ago, I would have just stayed in bed. That's the mark of how far I've truly come, I am mentally much tougher than I used to be. I had hoped to finish much faster, the week before I did my 10M in 120 minutes. But the real world race conditions were not the same as my basement, and honestly, I was just happy to finish at that point. I also started my further back (many more people to try to get around), since my BIL was doing it for the first time and I started with him (and for some reason he wanted to start at the back of our corral). Still, he finished in 2:20, so it obviously didn't affect him too much.

Welcomb back, and congrats on finishing the halfmarathon!! I think your time is amazing, and you should be so proud. YOu have been missed around here, and it's great to see you back. Thanks for the voting reminder. Gonna stop on the way to work.

Have a great day everyone.

 

[mikamah]

I just have to tell everyone how excited I am! I spent and hour and a half on the phone last night booking our first ever disney trip. We will be going Dec 4-10th! Ok, I'm done now. LOL!

whoo hoo!! That is so exciting. I took my son on his first trip in early december, and it was awesome. The lines were so short, the decorations are amazing, and it hardly ever rains. You will have so much fun planning!!!!!

 

[jennz]

QOTD: My answer is the same as Luvbaloo and PeterPan - my biggest obstacle is me! The attitude of "one (more) won't matter" or "I'll just skip today"

I have noticed that although I still sabotage myself I have been much better than a year ago. Checking in on this thread helps a lot - when I start my sabotage-talk I think "oh so-and-so posted about a situation like this and..." and it helps me through it. Thanks everyone!

DD is still sick today So even though I didn't have to get up to get her ready for school I still got up to work out I hated it but did it - I don't have to love it all the time right? Otherwise I wouldn't have done it, working 8 - 1:30 and then I'll spend some time with my sickie.

 

[jennz]

I just have to tell everyone how excited I am! I spent and hour and a half on the phone last night booking our first ever disney trip. We will be going Dec 4-10th! Ok, I'm done now. LOL!

Woo hoo!!!! Where are you staying??

 

[corinnak]

1/19 Tuesday QOTD: What are the obstacles you encounter on your journey of personal change?

There have been many. There continue to be many. Today. I am going to list the one that I think is the biggest challenge for maintenance:

Complacency. Overconfidence. The idea, however small, that I might be "done" and can relax about what I'm doing. It's a slippery slope. I am going to need to eat more in order to maintain my weight, but honestly, it's not THAT much more.

I would love to sign up and prep for this - especially if I know there will be WISH supporters there. I hope that I would be ready for a 5K at that point. Even though I survived week one of the couch to 5K...it still was a challenge each day. Today will be Day 2 of Week 2 and I keep hoping it will get easier! I did look at the times and saw that there are many people who must walk parts of it as well so I think I would be okay.

Jen, there are people who walk the whole entire thing! There's no shame in walking part or all of a race. There is no shame in being the last one to finish (not that that is likely if you run ANY portion of the race). The WISH team racing slogan is:

"DLF>DNF>>DNS which means Dead Last Finish is greater than Did Not Finish which greatly trumps Did Not Start. WISH gave me the courage to start."

About the C25K being a challenge each day - that is how it increases your ability. It's going to continue to feel like a challenge each time, BUT you will be amazed by how much your capacity increases and how ready you are for each new challenge.

DD is still sick today So even though I didn't have to get up to get her ready for school I still got up to work out I hated it but did it - I don't have to love it all the time right? Otherwise I wouldn't have done it, working 8 - 1:30 and then I'll spend some time with my sickie.

Jen, My word, she is still sick? I sure hope she feels better soon. It's so rough when they don't feel good. Great job getting your workout done even with the challenge of a sick child. You are taking good care of both of you!

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

I just have to tell everyone how excited I am! I spent and hour and a half on the phone last night booking our first ever disney trip. We will be going Dec 4-10th! Ok, I'm done now. LOL!

How fun you are going to have a blast!!

 

[denise]

Tuesday QOTD: What are the obstacles you encounter on your journey of personal change?

WORK....it's just too many hours out of my day. By the time I get home and then start dinner, clean up, get lunchs ready for next day..the day is done then....there are not enough hours in the day for me...I feel that I just can't get everything done that I need to. Then I am tired so I really never get to exercise. My list of "to do's" just grows and grows...
I want to retire soon....today would be just fine with me!

 

[pjlla]

Tuesday QOTD: What are the obstacles you encounter on your journey of personal change?

My biggest obstacle is my own tendency to be lazy. Like this morning for example. I got to bed early last night, had everything packed and ready to go to the pool. Got a great nights sleep and even woke up a couple minutes before the alarm-however I STILL reset the alarm for 5:30 and actually got back in bed. Thankfully, I realized how ridiculous I was being and got my butt back out and went to the pool. Now that I did it I feel great...but it is SO easy for me to skip.

It is SO hard to overcome the pull of the pillow! But you did it and now that you did it today, it will be easier to do the next time. Just remember that "great" feeling you had when you were done and bring it up when you are tempted to hit the snooze again next time.

I just have to tell everyone how excited I am! I spent and hour and a half on the phone last night booking our first ever disney trip. We will be going Dec 4-10th! Ok, I'm done now. LOL!

There is NOTHING like the feeling of your first trip to Disney (assuming you are old enough to remember it!). The first week of December (in 1974 ) was my first trip and I truly remember parts of it like it was yesterday. I was in awe of the HUGE Christmas trees and all the beautiful decorations. You will have a SUPERB time. Have fun planning.... for me that is almost as much fun as the trip itself!

1/19 Tuesday QOTD: What are the obstacles you encounter on your journey of personal change?

There have been many. There continue to be many. Today. I am going to list the one that I think is the biggest challenge for maintenance:

Complacency. Overconfidence. The idea, however small, that I might be "done" and can relax about what I'm doing. It's a slippery slope. I am going to need to eat more in order to maintain my weight, but honestly, it's not THAT much more.

!

I know what you mean about that "done" feeling. I keep reminding myself that there is no real "finish" line in this journey. Sure, the journey gets a bit less bumpy (hopefully) during maintenance, but it is still an ongoing journey.

I am concerned that I will be depressed when I hit maintenance. I know it sounds crazy, but for now I like having a goal to reach.... a "project" to work on, if you will. I am the kind of person who really likes having a big project to work on (like planning a trip). I remember a HUGE feeling of depression and disappointment after my wedding because there was no more wedding planning to do. For TWO YEARS I spent every waking moment thinking about, talking about, planning for my wedding. And suddenly it was all over and I had NO PROJECT to work on. I'm kind of afraid I will feel like that when I finally hit my goal weight. So I just keep reminding myself that this "project" has no real end time and that maintenance will be a project in and of itself!

I think that continuing my running might be a good "project" for me to concentrate on when I hit maintenance. Maybe I could actually plan on running a 5K somewhere? I NEVER imagined that I would even contemplate something like that, but it would be another good "goal" to work towards. Something I will have to put in the back of my head and stew over for a while.

Well... after taking a pass on DD's room yesterday, she is off to mid-terms and I am off to tackle the disaster she calls a bedroom. I'm going to turn on her laptop and bring up DisRadio and try to make this task enjoyable. I'll be back after lunch to chat................P

 

[lisah0711]

Oh well, I did track it all. We played some wiifit plus last night, and watched some tv, and I read. It was a good mental health weekend.

Lisah- Hope you're enjoying your family day, and I'm sure you ordered a nice healthy lunch. You're right on track this year!

Yay for mental health week-end! Sounds like a lot of fun!

I was wondering if you were shocked by the size of shoes that you had to buy Michael recently? I swear I did not know boys feet would get so big so soon! Robert is wearing a men's size 9 and is 5'2" tall at 10!

We did have a nice lunch. I had fish and chips so I ate 1 piece of fish and 3 fries and boxed the rest so I stayed on track with no problem. I just am going to plug away at the 2 pounds every single weekuntil I reach my goal!

So my big news from the weekend is that I ran for 10 minutes non stop on the treadmill on Sunday! I have never been able to do this before so I feel GREAT about it! I also went to the gym the past 5 days in a row...I won't be going today or tomorrow due to work (I work a double today) and my ww meeting tomorrow.

Wow, Sarah! That is so wonderful! Great job! I bet a year ago you could not have imagined yourself doing that!

I keep telling myself, it's just a number, it's just a number. The good thing is, no matter where we stand on this scale we get the same answer, so that's encouraging. Hopefully I will see the 170's again sometime in early February.

Great attitude! You're absolutely right, it is just a number, it isn't who you are. And you do know that the scale at the doctor's office is still going to read heavier than any scale that you have at home, right?

Ok, I guess I've prolonged this as long as I can...time to come back to the thread! I left for WDW on 1/7, page 39 of this thread. I came back to page 75, and it was up to this page by the time I read through everything I missed. I can't possibly comment and won't try to -- some amazing losses, some introspective birthdays, and some encouragement is in order for everyone! Great job, you are doing great!

back, Maria! I've been wondering where you were! Sounds like you had a great race and got a new PR in spite of the horrible weather! And only gained a pound after a week at Disney. You should be proud of all your wonderful accomplishments!

2 days, no snacking!!! small victories!!!!

Woo! Hoo!

Thanks! Today was another binge-free day!

Woo! Hoo!

Ok, here we go. Accountability time for me. I've lost 6.1 lbs so far in our challenge. . .UNTIL this past weekend. We went to my parents' cabin for the long weekend, and I ate and ate and ate. I had packed (mostly) healthy meals, but I snacked, etc., and there was NO time to exercise! I fully expect to have gained back ALL of that, plus my not-so-friendly monthly visitor is on her way. This week may not be a great weigh-in, but I've got to get back on the bandwagon!! I had to come here and get re-motivated! My health is too important to let it go by the wayside!!

, StitchIsOurHero. Been there, done that. It's water under the bridge now so dust off those pants and run back to the wagon. Luckily those pounds won't stick around as long since they are short timer!

I would like to join the Losers on this challenge... I am trying to run the DPHM in 2011... I have tried other things to lose weight but never had the help or the encouragement from other people... this looks like i will finally get the help i need.

ladytink75! Thanks for joining our challenge! Please PM your starting weight to LuvBaloo if you haven't already. Also, you might want to check out the first few posts of this thread which has links that explain how the challenge works, a link to the current COW (challenge of the week), and other important info. Feel free to ask any questions on the thread or by PM and good luck!

I'm slowly but surely getting caught up on the posts!

Tuesday QOTD: What are the obstacles you encounter on your journey of personal change?

My biggest obstacle is me. Me not planning, me letting stress get to me, me not exercising and me just not doing what I should. That said, I have been working hard on my new habits and am starting to see some serious results so I am overcoming my obstacles, in spite of myself!

This is exactly what I wrote last year in March when we had a similiar question. The same thing hold true now but the difference is that I am overcoming those obstacles, I am seeing results, and it is just not as much of a fight with myself as it used to be.

It is exciting that there are so many WISH Biggest Loser Minnesota Runners! Of course it would be wonderful to see any of you at any upcoming race, but I'm going to propose that, schedules permitting, we should try for the Challenge Obesity 5K on April 17, 2010. It is far enough out that we'll all have time to prep for it, it is a race that has runners and walkers of ALL different levels. It is a relatively flat course, and hopefully it won't be too wintery! Plus, it honors people for weight loss. It's one of the more inspiring races I have participated in - some of the people running it have lost amazing amounts of weight. If there is some interest, I could start a smaller thread for us, too, so we're not taking up the BL bandwidth with our local plans.

A WISH meet in Minnesota sounds like a lot of fun. Be sure and let us know if you all decide to do this!

tigger813, hope your DD feels better soon. That incessant coughing is hard on a person.

I just have to tell everyone how excited I am! I spent and hour and a half on the phone last night booking our first ever disney trip. We will be going Dec 4-10th! Ok, I'm done now. LOL!

Details! We need details!

 

[lisah0711]

I know what you mean about that "done" feeling. I keep reminding myself that there is no real "finish" line in this journey. Sure, the journey gets a bit less bumpy (hopefully) during maintenance, but it is still an ongoing journey.

I am concerned that I will be depressed when I hit maintenance. I know it sounds crazy, but for now I like having a goal to reach.... a "project" to work on, if you will. I am the kind of person who really likes having a big project to work on (like planning a trip). I remember a HUGE feeling of depression and disappointment after my wedding because there was no more wedding planning to do. For TWO YEARS I spent every waking moment thinking about, talking about, planning for my wedding. And suddenly it was all over and I had NO PROJECT to work on. I'm kind of afraid I will feel like that when I finally hit my goal weight. So I just keep reminding myself that this "project" has no real end time and that maintenance will be a project in and of itself!

I think that continuing my running might be a good "project" for me to concentrate on when I hit maintenance. Maybe I could actually plan on running a 5K somewhere? I NEVER imagined that I would even contemplate something like that, but it would be another good "goal" to work towards. Something I will have to put in the back of my head and stew over for a while.

Well... after taking a pass on DD's room yesterday, she is off to mid-terms and I am off to tackle the disaster she calls a bedroom. I'm going to turn on her laptop and bring up DisRadio and try to make this task enjoyable. I'll be back after lunch to chat................P

Maybe as a reward for your hard work you can plan a Disney run -- you would get a run and trip to Disney!

 

[jennz]

I swear I did not know boys feet would get so big so soon! Robert is wearing a men's size 9 and is 5'2" tall at 10!

WOW!!! Okay doesn't it seem like kids are getting bigger feet? DD is 11 and is wearing women's 9 and is 5'2". Her bff is a few inches shorter than her, is 12, and is in women's 9 or 10! And get ready for this - her bff's brother is 18 but he's in a size 14 shoe!!! Where do you even buy those?! And it's hard to find 11 year-old shoes in a women's 9!

 

[my3princes]

QOTD: As I'm reading through I certainly see a common thread "ME" whether it is weekend eating, peer pressure, not wanting to exercise, not saying no, etc, etc, etc, it all comes down to me. Aside from physical limitations that someone might have it all comes down to our own mental strength as to whether we choose to succeed or not. We all have the power. So just like everyone else my biggest obstacle is me. I sometimes make poor choices like last nights cheesecake or not making time for exercise. I am responsible for me and therefore I am not only my biggest obstacle, but my only obstacle.

 

[princessbride6205]

Lynsey - Congrats on booking your 1st Disney trip. How exciting!

Corinna - I'm in for the Challenge Obesity 5k in April!

Maria - Welcome back! Congrats on finishing the half! Don't be embarrassed about your time - be proud that you're a half marathon finisher!

pjlla - I know what you mean about feeling depressed at the end of a project. That happened to me after my wedding, too. I'm very close to my goal weight and love that I have running as a new goal. It really keeps me motivated to exercise and looking forward to the day that I can run a Disney race.

Tuesday QOTD: What are the obstacles you encounter on your journey of personal change?
In my weight loss journey, food is the toughest part. I enjoy food and enjoy eating, and I can't just make that part of me go away. I try to make healthier choices overall, limit portions and allow some treats. But some days all you want is a giant dessert.
In the other parts of my life that I want to change (more sleep and a cleaner house, for example) - the biggest obstacle is lack of time. There are only so many hours in the day to work, commute, play with DD, run, vacuum, etc.

 

[lecach]

Tuesday QOTD: What are the obstacles you encounter on your journey of personal change?

There are many. But the main two are:

Food - I love to eat, especially food that isnt good for me. We love going on Cruises (going on one for our anniversary in April) and to Vegas in large part because of the food. I have pledged to actually make it to the fitness area on our upcoming cruise at least 4 of the days. Since I wake up before DH anyway it is doable. Plus I am pledging to eat a healthy breakfast at least 5 of the 7 days.

Family/work - I work full time and my son is 5 and in daycare near my office. So once I get off work I am busy with picking him up, dinner, getting him ready for bed, etc. I have maybe one hour to watch tv before bedtime. I've started getting up super early (5:20 a.m.) in order to do Wii Fit Plus before work. That is the only time I CAN do it.

 

[jbm02]

Just finished 7 miles for the day! I did all 3 WATP workouts (1m, 2m and 3m) plus did the EA SPorts Active and shoveled the driveway.



Will get up and do the 3 mile WATP before getting DD1 on the bus and then do the 2 mile after that. Hoping to get 2 miles in on the elliptical as well tomorrow. Didn't have time today but I think shoveling made up for that!

Tigger, this is EXACTLY what I needed to read today. I'm at work and was thinking about not going to the gym at lunchtime. Not any more - thanks for pushing me to go!!!

Tuesday QOTD: What are the obstacles you encounter on your journey of personal change?

QOTD: My answer is the same as Luvbaloo and PeterPan - my biggest obstacle is me! The attitude of "one (more) won't matter" or "I'll just skip today"

I have noticed that although I still sabotage myself I have been much better than a year ago. Checking in on this thread helps a lot - when I start my sabotage-talk I think "oh so-and-so posted about a situation like this and..." and it helps me through it. Thanks everyone!

Can I just say ditto?? My biggest "problem" time is right when I get home from work - before I can get dinner going. A handful of pretzels here, a few goldfish there - and yikes! before I know it I've eaten half a bag. It's a work in progress, I guess...

1/19 Tuesday QOTD: What are the obstacles you encounter on your journey of personal change?

There have been many. There continue to be many. Today. I am going to list the one that I think is the biggest challenge for maintenance:

Complacency. Overconfidence. The idea, however small, that I might be "done" and can relax about what I'm doing. It's a slippery slope. I am going to need to eat more in order to maintain my weight, but honestly, it's not THAT much more.

Ditto, ditto, ditto!!!


Jen, there are people who walk the whole entire thing! There's no shame in walking part or all of a race. There is no shame in being the last one to finish (not that that is likely if you run ANY portion of the race). The WISH team racing slogan is:

"DLF>DNF>>DNS which means Dead Last Finish is greater than Did Not Finish which greatly trumps Did Not Start. WISH gave me the courage to start."

What a great slogan. I printed it out and put it on my bulletin board at work.

After a rotten week last week, I relaxed a bit this weekend to simply spend lots of family time together. I really needed the "breather" and now feel ready to get back with the program. I attended a funeral last week of a friend who committed suicide. It has really shaken me. We lost touch (other than a few infrequent phone calls) since we left our former employment. It is so sad to realize that people can get into such a place of despair that there is nothing left for them. Had he been able to see the number of people who honored him at the funeral I think he would have realized how many lives he touched. I know that there is nothing we can do for him now (he had no family left at all) but in his memory, I am trying to make sure that I reach out to all my friends who have meant so much to me more often.

 

[maiziezoe]

I just have to tell everyone how excited I am! I spent and hour and a half on the phone last night booking our first ever disney trip. We will be going Dec 4-10th! Ok, I'm done now. LOL!

Woo Hoo!! Planning is almost as much fun as the trip! I will be getting to Disney the day you're leaving.

QOTD: My answer is the same as Luvbaloo and PeterPan - my biggest obstacle is me! The attitude of "one (more) won't matter" or "I'll just skip today"

I have noticed that although I still sabotage myself I have been much better than a year ago. Checking in on this thread helps a lot - when I start my sabotage-talk I think "oh so-and-so posted about a situation like this and..." and it helps me through it. Thanks everyone!

DD is still sick today So even though I didn't have to get up to get her ready for school I still got up to work out I hated it but did it - I don't have to love it all the time right? Otherwise I wouldn't have done it, working 8 - 1:30 and then I'll spend some time with my sickie.

HUGS for your DD. Poor thing. I hope she is feeling better soon!

Tuesday QOTD: What are the obstacles you encounter on your journey of personal change?


Taking time for me... especially at meal times. I want to eat my meals, without getting up 100 times, so I can concentrate on what I am eating so my brain will remember that I ate. I found that if I do that, I don't get hungry again for a couple hours, if at all. My little kids always need something as soon as I sit down and my youngest doesn't like daddy (or anyone else) to do anything for her. If mommy doesn't do it, it's not done right... that's how she thinks. That's one of my biggest obstacles. Oh, and drinking water. Ugh. I've never been a water drinker and it's hard to drink 8 glasses a day.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Tuesday QOTD: What are the obstacles you encounter on your journey of personal change?



My biggest problem is the all or nothing attitude. If I mess up and eat something bad then I keep that up for the rest of the day. What I have been trying to do is if I mess up stop it there and start fresh the next meal. Not the next day. This is how I sabotage myself. I am trying to stop this.

 

[pjlla]

Good afternoon all! I am done with DD's room except for remaking the bed.... but the sheets are in the washer and I will put them back on when they come out of the dryer. Most of the mess she creates is clothes and shoes and books. If she would just put dirty stuff in the hamper and re-hang clothes that she decides not to wear, her room would stay reasonably clean most of the time! Talk about self-sabotage! I'm sure she thought that the mess looked absolutely OVERWHELMING and she just couldn't wrap her mind around the cleaning job. But I used the "Federal Express" cleaning method and had the whole room cleaned up and vacummed in two hours. (The fed ex method, in case you don't know, is to put EVERYTHING in one pile and sort from there.)

Her suitcase is laid out and ready to be filled for her trip this week!! (Lucky girl!)

FOOD REVIEW: I bought some Sonoma Cheese Sonoma Jacks gourmet cheese wedges, original light. They look like and are packaged like Laughing Cow light cheese wedges. Plus they are the same points. Well... they are not nearly as good as the LC cheese. Much more "diet" tasting, not creamy like the LC cheese. Avoid these and stick with the LC cheese.



I'm going to make one of DD's favorites for dinner. It is a teriyaki chicken recipe. Probably many points because the teriyaki glaze is pretty sweet, but I can adjust my points for the day accordingly.

I'm going to go pack up one last box of Christmas stuff that escaped my notice until now and then I will get the chicken going for dinner. Talk to you all later..............P

 

[jennz]

After a rotten week last week, I relaxed a bit this weekend to simply spend lots of family time together. I really needed the "breather" and now feel ready to get back with the program. I attended a funeral last week of a friend who committed suicide. It has really shaken me. We lost touch (other than a few infrequent phone calls) since we left our former employment. It is so sad to realize that people can get into such a place of despair that there is nothing left for them. Had he been able to see the number of people who honored him at the funeral I think he would have realized how many lives he touched. I know that there is nothing we can do for him now (he had no family left at all) but in his memory, I am trying to make sure that I reach out to all my friends who have meant so much to me more often.

What a tough time for you! I agree, it so very sad.