Biggest Loser Alumni Holiday Edition: past, present and future participants welcome!

[bellebookworm9]

I hope to not have them de-clawed like I did with my last cat. I always regretted that after I had it done. But I am not sure; I've never lived with a cat with claws; will they tear up the house ???

This morning my FIL had an Xray appt to check out some back pain he had been having for 6 weeks. They found an 8 centimeter stomach aneurysm and he was taken by ambulance to the hospital.

The first three cats we had were de-clawed. When we got Miss Kitty in June 2009, she was already 2 and not de-clawed, so we didn't want to put her through it. She has destroyed a lot of furniture-doesn't like scratching posts, even the kind with catnip in them. We try to protect it by putting strips of packing tape where she tends to claw, and take her to the vet about once a month to keep her claws trimmed.

Sorry to hear about your FIL. Hope everything will be okay.


This evening we went to Target to exchange the shampoo/conditioner my mom got me, and picked up a few more items. Then we went to WalMart and returned the suitcase set and bought a few other things. Neither store was terribly crowded since it was later.

 

[SettinSail]

buying at least $200 worth of stuff for just under $20.

WOW, CC that is really impressive! I got some wierd gifts too. My MIL takes all the tags/plastic/etc off of our gifts so they are "ready to use".
They are also totally useless to return too if you can't use them. I received 4 calendars, in various forms. Can't use any of them. One appears to be an organizational/family chore calendar for Moms of toddlers

I'm still horribly out of shape, but I've worked up to being able to stay on it for 15 minutes at a shot.

- Laura

I was the same way when I got my elliptical Fall of 2010 but have worked my way up to 45 minutes at a time and I can do all the different hill programs although some of them are KILLERS! I now just use mine on weekend days when I give myself the day off the Y

OK, I've read backwards and am all caught up! CONGRATS to all our biggest losers from the Fall challenge And LisaH, you ROCK!!! I think I will challenge myself to match your percentage in the next challenge!!! I'm so disappointed in myself this past challenge; I've got to do better next time.

For everyone asking about my neice's present (almost 12) I did get it done and she loved it. Bootie slippers from Old Navy stuffed with peppermint patties, press-on nails, Celtic knot earrings (she does Irish dancing), small bottle of perfume and a Christmas rubber-type joke bracelet. It's hard to get just one thing when you only have one child to buy for (other than my DS)

Talk to eveyone tomorrow!

 

[SettinSail]

The first three cats we had were de-clawed. When we got Miss Kitty in June 2009, she was already 2 and not de-clawed, so we didn't want to put her through it. She has destroyed a lot of furniture-doesn't like scratching posts, even the kind with catnip in them. We try to protect it by putting strips of packing tape where she tends to claw, and take her to the vet about once a month to keep her claws trimmed.

Sorry to hear about your FIL. Hope everything will be okay.

Egads, I hate forgotten about trimming the nails DH used to do this for our last cat (just the back nails). I was thinking like you that if we do plan to de-claw, we need to do it when they are very young.


Thank you for the well-wishes for FIL

 

[jenanderson]

But I am not sure; I've never lived with a cat with claws; will they tear up the house ???

This morning my FIL had an Xray appt to check out some back pain he had been having for 6 weeks. They found an 8 centimeter stomach aneurysm and he was taken by ambulance to the hospital.

We have 3 cats....2 of them we had them declawed when they were really little and the last one we did not. I will say that he is really good about not tearing up things except he likes to sharpen his claws on my dining room chairs. The legs of the chairs had a lot of carvings in them for him to catch his claws on so he has pretty much destroyed those. Other then that, he is great.

Good luck to your FIL with his surgery. I hope that he recovers quickly!

Despite a few confusing gifts (that made perfectly logical sense to me ), they were very appreciative of my six months of hard work. I ended up buying at least $200 worth of stuff for just under $20.

CC - Sounds like you did great with your gifts! I had been doing great at using coupons but this fall kind of let it all slide. Time to get back at it though because we are in need of tons of things like toothbrushes, soap, razors, etc...all that I know I can get for really cheap if I get my coupons organized again.

At the tail-end of the Fall Challenge I purchased an eliptical machine for myself. I'm still horribly out of shape, but I've worked up to being able to stay on it for 15 minutes at a shot.

On the weight-loss front - today when I went to post a response on the Community Board, I got a message that my weight-loss ticker had expired since it hadn't changed in x-amount of time. I guess that is the Internet's way to tell me to get my butt in gear and get back to tracking and moving.

- Laura

Laura - Keep at the eliptical machine! It is great that you are moving and you will be amazed at how quickly you can move up....even a few minutes at a time will add up and soon you will be cruising on the machine!

I feel the same way about how it is time to get in gear! I am just dreading the tracking but know it has to happen.

--------------------------------------

DH and I did go out for a run before supper so I am happy about that. We ran 2.91 miles and I actually felt pretty good for most of it. Tonight we also took down the Christmas tree and that was a huge workout (it was 17 feet tall and very heavy). First we had to get all the ornaments, garland and lights off (many trips up and down the extension ladder). Then we had to unwire it from the wall and lower it to the floor. Getting it out of the house required a huge amount of lifting, pushing and other struggles but it is out and I have already cleaned up all the needles that came off in the process. I am feeling like we were productive today.

Have a great night everyone!
Jen

 

[pjlla]

Evening all! Read everything but too tired to do individual replies. Just want to say to Shawn that I will pray for FIL.

Today was Christmas celebration with DH's family..... 2 hour ride away. I woke up this morning feeling absolutely gross. Not so much that I overrate, but my normal diet is so low fat and high fiber that my Christmas splurges threw my system into wacko mode! I felt better by the time I had to shower, but did not make it to the Y.

Made better choices with my food today, until I ate a cookie at 10pm.....that was the exhaustion at work. I'm in bed now on my IPad and will be asleep soon. TTYL.........P

 

[jillbur]

I think the most appreciated gift this year was the posters that we had made of Chris' Street rod. Colby and Hunter gave them to DH and my mother gave him frames. He was so happy. I also had different size and type photo mugs made with the photo.

Colby is playing Disney Universe. It looks like a cool game

Sounds like DH had a good Christmas! And my DS got Disney Universe also, but we haven't played it yet. Have fun!

Got my walk in this morning and hope to get a run in after a bit. Eating has been all right but certainly not stellar, as I'm sure the scale would show, but I am not so foolish as to actually step on it!

Good job to all the biggest losers and especially lisa!!

Sounds like you're doing a good job with exercising during a very hectic time of the year!

Aloha - I just wanted to say that I am really looking forward to the January challenge. I had joined the Fall challenge, but I did not do well. I'm hoping to be more successful this time around.

Christmas was crazy! DD13 danced hula during the half time show at the Sheraton Bowl on Christmas Eve. There were almost 500 dancers from all over the island and it was beautiful. We were so tired from the long day and we had a very nice, relaxing Christmas Day.

Looking forward to our next challenge!

It sounds like lots of us are ready for the new challenge! DD hula dancing sounds like a great time!

DH and I were able to get out for a run on Christmas Eve. We ran 3.7 miles and then walked .8. I will admit it was a really hard run for me. We haven't been running all that much but are working at getting into it again. We did not run yesterday but I am thinking a short run tonight before supper would be good as well.

Today we did some shopping at the Mall of America (it is only about 20 minutes from our house). Found some good sales for the kids and it was not all the busy. I really wanted to find some running clothes but wasn't willing to spend that much money. We did stop at our favorite running store on the way home and I did buy some new running shoes because the pair that I am wearing is totally dead. Tonight I would like to do some more web surfing to see if I can find some running gear that I am willing to spend the money on.

I am looking forward to the next BL challenge. Two years ago I joined in for several in a row and was so successful. I have not been participating for a while and have decided that it is time to get back to what I know works. I am watching what I eat right now but know it is too much. I know that I need to get back on track with a regular exercise plan and hope that getting back into running will help as well. While I am not totally abandoning all healthy habits right now, I also know that realistically....this holiday week is not the week for me to totally get at it all again. I guess I will be one of those New Year's resolution people again. I did it very successfully 2 years ago and know that I can do it again.



QOTD: I don't know if I really gave anything that was extra special or really got anything that was extra special this year. I would say that both the gift giving and receiving was nice...but it was just one of those years.

Fluff QOTD: We did not watch the parade this year. Normally we do but this year we missed it.

Alright, time to do some other computer work and then maybe go for a run! Happy Monday everyone!
Jen

Good job getting back into the running. It can be so hard to motivate yourself over the holidays. And, I'm a *tad* jealous you live so close to MoA! I tried to convince DH to go there for vacation one summer. It didn't work lol.

Hello friends! Sorry I have not taken the time to check in for a few days.

Hope everyone is having a nice holiday. I got my dream gift of 2 kitties for Christmas !!! They are brother/sister and black and white "tuxedo" kitties.
They are currently named "Hermione" and "Norbert" but we plan to change their names to Luna and Klauss. We visited them Friday at their foster home and they should come home to live with us in about 2 weeks. They will be neutered/spayed and microchipped at the SPCA before we get them. I hope to not have them de-clawed like I did with my last cat. I always regretted that after I had it done. But I am not sure; I've never lived with a cat with claws; will they tear up the house ???

I forgot to watch the Disney Parade, waaaaaah! We went out to watch War Horse on Christmas Day. I thought it was just OK, way too long for me and a little too contrived and sappy but not completely horrible. It didn't help that some loud nitwit behind me talked through the whole movie....comments like "Oh, he can't jump"....."Oh, that's France", on and on and on. I gave him the stink eye twice but it didn't help. (I'm too POLITE to actually say something, ha ha)

After my Mom's Christmas Eve party, we opened presents Cmas morning, went to the movie and then went to my in-laws where they did the usual showering us with gifts that we mostly can not use (Ugh, I hate that they waste their money on us but I think they get such pleasure from it).
This morning my FIL had an Xray appt to check out some back pain he had been having for 6 weeks. They found an 8 centimeter stomach aneurysm and he was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Surgery will be tmrw or Weds, it will be the kind where you put a stent in through the leg to bypass the mass. I left DH up there to help out and DS and I came home. I feel so bad for DH; he may not be able to come home until Friday, his whole week off of work will be "wasted" but what can you do?

Looking forward to reading back to see how everyone is doing. I am WAY up on my weight and eating is out of control. Need to start reigning things in NOW instead of LATER!!!

Have a great evening all!

Congrats on the new kitties! I only have one cat and I had him declawed at 1 year old. He was my elderly neighbor's cat and he was moving due to his wife having a stroke and needing a one story small apartment. He asked if I would keep his cat. It was used to being in and out. But, when he was in while we were gone, he scratched up the walls next to the front door. So, I had him declawed and felt terrible. But he lived and still manages to hunt birds, mice, and chipmunks (mainly) and bring them home. Godd luck with whatever you decide.

Sorry to hear about FIL, but good thing they caught it! I hope surgery goes well.

I'll start with the parade. I have never watched it! Don't evict me for that either.

Despite a few confusing gifts (that made perfectly logical sense to me ), they were very appreciative of my six months of hard work. I ended up buying at least $200 worth of stuff for just under $20.

No evictions here! And great job on the savings! I would love to coupon, but have a hard time finding the time! How much time do you spend a week couponing?

OK, I've read backwards and am all caught up! CONGRATS to all our biggest losers from the Fall challenge And LisaH, you ROCK!!! I think I will challenge myself to match your percentage in the next challenge!!! I'm so disappointed in myself this past challenge; I've got to do better next time.

For everyone asking about my neice's present (almost 12) I did get it done and she loved it. Bootie slippers from Old Navy stuffed with peppermint patties, press-on nails, Celtic knot earrings (she does Irish dancing), small bottle of perfume and a Christmas rubber-type joke bracelet. It's hard to get just one thing when you only have one child to buy for (other than my DS)

Talk to eveyone tomorrow!

Sounds like you got your niece got some great gifts! And that's a great way to start a new challenge with a challenge for yourself!

--------------------------------------

DH and I did go out for a run before supper so I am happy about that. We ran 2.91 miles and I actually felt pretty good for most of it. Tonight we also took down the Christmas tree and that was a huge workout (it was 17 feet tall and very heavy). First we had to get all the ornaments, garland and lights off (many trips up and down the extension ladder). Then we had to unwire it from the wall and lower it to the floor. Getting it out of the house required a huge amount of lifting, pushing and other struggles but it is out and I have already cleaned up all the needles that came off in the process. I am feeling like we were productive today.

Have a great night everyone!
Jen

Great job on the run! And, a 17 foot tree? Holy smokes! That has to be a lot of work! Where do you put it up?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, we are officially done with Christmas now. It was a very long day at DHs granparents' house, but we had a great time. Tomorrow I am going to step on the scale . I need to regroup and head to the gym tomorrow. Although, we are supposed to get our first taste of winter tomorrow. We live in the snow belt area off of Lake Erie, but it's totally random as to how much snow we get. So the very nice weather man says possible freezing rain in the a.m. changing to snow. We are supposed to get anywhere between 3-8 inches which really translates to anywhere between 0-12 inches I'm hoping for the lesser amount! Well, I am exhausted, so I am off to bed. I'll catch up with everyone tomorrow!

Jill

 

[bellebookworm9]

This night has been awful. I just got back from the hospital where my mom is being held in the psych ward due to extreme depression and expression of suicidal thoughts. She'll be fine, but she has to wait for her psychiatrist to check in in the morning before they decide what to do with her. But I'm your coach for today, so I'm posting the questions now and hoping I'll be able to get back on at some point.

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO AVOID OVEREATING ANY HOLIDAY LEFTOVERS? DO YOU HAVE A FITNESS PLAN FOR TODAY?

Fluff Question: What is one movie you really want to watch right now? It doesn't have to be in theaters, it can be an old classic that you just don't see much anymore.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

This night has been awful. I just got back from the hospital where my mom is being held in the psych ward due to extreme depression and expression of suicidal thoughts. She'll be fine, but she has to wait for her psychiatrist to check in in the morning before they decide what to do with her. But I'm your coach for today, so I'm posting the questions now and hoping I'll be able to get back on at some point.

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO AVOID OVEREATING ANY HOLIDAY LEFTOVERS? DO YOU HAVE A FITNESS PLAN FOR TODAY?

Fluff Question: What is one movie you really want to watch right now? It doesn't have to be in theaters, it can be an old classic that you just don't see much anymore.

gretchen! my goodness that is terrible news. are you ok? we are here if you need to talk or need a little extra support. i hope your mom is ok and gets whatever help she needs.

take care of yourself and don't rush to get back on here.
****************

QOTD: funny you should ask about the holiday leftovers. i woke up this morning with a terrible stomach ache from the mountains of food i've been eating. i walked into the kitchen and chucked the rest of the pumpkin crunch cake that DH and i ate HALF of yesterday. goodbye cake. goodbye holiday crap! my babysitter gave me a bag of those lindt chocolates. instead of opening them and saying that i'd just have a few, i put the whole unopened bag in DH's briefcase and told him to take it to work. i simply cannot eat another thing with sugar!

FLUFF QOTD: i don't care WHAT movie i watch, can i just watch one uninterrupted?? no toddler jumping on me, no newborn who needs to eat or fart or cry or barf on me? that's not asking too much, is it? now, if i could have that, i'd love to watch gone with the wind (just b/c it's the longest movie i can think of, lol! ). i'd love to watch harold and maude again. it's one of my favorites and i haven't seen it in years!

 

[mikamah]

Just popping on to say a quick hello! I started catching up yesterday and said I'd be back to more properly reply, and never made it. I'm cotd tomorrow, so I'll definintely catch up then.

Gretchen-I am so sorry to hear about your mom, and pray she is able to get the help she needs and feel better soon. It is good she went for help.

Shawn-Prayers for you fil also. I haven't read back yet, but I hope everythign will be ok.

Not much happening here. I'm working today, and yesterday we chilled and had a Pirates movie marathon. I was falling asleep last night, so we're watching number 4 tonight. Oh and working on getting the leftovers out of our house, via my stomach.

Have a great day everyone!! Hugs to all in need.

 

[pjlla]

This night has been awful. I just got back from the hospital where my mom is being held in the psych ward due to extreme depression and expression of suicidal thoughts. She'll be fine, but she has to wait for her psychiatrist to check in in the morning before they decide what to do with her. But I'm your coach for today, so I'm posting the questions now and hoping I'll be able to get back on at some point.

Gretchen.... I'm so sorry that this is happening, especially now during the holidays. Take care of yourself and be there for your Mom and I'm sure everything will work out fine. Try to relax and appreciate that Mom is somewhere that she can be taken care of properly. Many prayers to you and your Mom today. Keep us informed of how she (and your) are doing and don't worry about us. We will take care of each other if you can't be here.

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO AVOID OVEREATING ANY HOLIDAY LEFTOVERS? DO YOU HAVE A FITNESS PLAN FOR TODAY?

Well.... I did pretty well with my food quantity management except for desserts. So the plan will be to bring all of the dessert leftovers to my Mom's house on Wed or Thurs. when we head there for the long weekend. Other than that I only have a few servings of lasagna and a few pieces of quiche left. Quiche is slated to be today's breakfast for the kiddos.

Today will be a minimum of three miles on the TM.... probably a walk/run combo.... tomorrow will be the same. I"d love to say it would be 5 miles, but believe it or not BOTH of my kids need to finish up handmade gifts that the are giving this weekend and they will need my help.


Fluff Question: What is one movie you really want to watch right now? It doesn't have to be in theaters, it can be an old classic that you just don't see much anymore.

Kids and I were supposed to have a "Potter-thon" over the holiday break.... I haven't seen the last 3 HP movies yet.... but this is going to be another busy week and I'm not sure if we will have time! Santa did bring the entire 8 movie set to the kids, so they are here whenever we do have the time. Other than that I've been craving The Sound of Music. It was on Christmas Eve, but I only caught bits and pieces. It is truly my #1 all-time favorite movie.

I'd like to see the new Muppet movie too, but again, time is slipping away from me these days.

QOTD: funny you should ask about the holiday leftovers. i woke up this morning with a terrible stomach ache from the mountains of food i've been eating. i walked into the kitchen and chucked the rest of the pumpkin crunch cake that DH and i ate HALF of yesterday. goodbye cake. goodbye holiday crap! my babysitter gave me a bag of those lindt chocolates. instead of opening them and saying that i'd just have a few, i put the whole unopened bag in DH's briefcase and told him to take it to work. i simply cannot eat another thing with sugar!

FLUFF QOTD: i don't care WHAT movie i watch, can i just watch one uninterrupted?? no toddler jumping on me, no newborn who needs to eat or fart or cry or barf on me? that's not asking too much, is it? now, if i could have that, i'd love to watch gone with the wind (just b/c it's the longest movie i can think of, lol! ). i'd love to watch harold and maude again. it's one of my favorites and i haven't seen it in years!

That "baby/toddler free" movie time will be here before you realize it. When DD was little I used to swear that if I had to sing the Barney good-bye song one more time I was gonna go mad!!

Good job with the sweets. I know how you feel about feeling Like I mentioned yesterday, it isn't that I've overeaten... it is just WHAT I've eaten. My body isn't used to the sugar and fat anymore and even a reasonable size serving of a "real" dessert is making me feel (okay... if you don't see the smilie it says "crazy" but I don't feel crazy.... I feel pukey!).

I essentially had one small meal (light quiche for breakfast) and one larger meal (mostly fish and veggies) yesterday. Then I had a tiny portion of "real" dessert and a small indulgence from the cookie tray and spent the rest of the evening feeling nasty. It just isn't worth it! I need to keep reminding myself of that when I am at my Mom's for 4 days surrounded by white carbs, sweets, and junk! (Mom is a super healthy eater for the most part, but it is hard with the holidays and all of the grandkids around and such..... and my DBrother and his family are not the healthiest influence.... too much southern influence.)

Just popping on to say a quick hello! I started catching up yesterday and said I'd be back to more properly reply, and never made it. I'm cotd tomorrow, so I'll definintely catch up then.


Not much happening here. I'm working today, and yesterday we chilled and had a Pirates movie marathon. I was falling asleep last night, so we're watching number 4 tonight. Oh and working on getting the leftovers out of our house, via my stomach.

Have a great day everyone!! Hugs to all in need.

Were you watching Pirates on tv or DVD? I noticed they were on ABCFamily channel last night... I feel asleep watching with my Ipad in my hand.

**********

Morning friends! We made it back from the Cape last night. It was a really nice day with DH's family. The Yankee swap was so much fun.... but I didn't think that the gifts were quite as creative as in the past. Probably because we included the kids this time and so the gifts needed to be a bit more "generic" and "G" rated.... no booze, no "adult jokes" etc. But there was still a good selection of fun and useful stuff. Unfortunately for me, we came home with DD's gift choice of an entire gift bag of large size bags of M&Ms! I think I"m going to insist that she take it to Rainbow Girls or someplace like that and share them. I can't have them here.... too much temptation. And I certainly don't want her eating them all herself!

Lucky for me, my DSIL who hosted yesterday is a super-duper healthy eater. The dinner selections were really great.... big salads, steamed green beans, roasted veggies, turkey, brown rice, fish, roasted potatoes. It was easy to make myself a nice big healthy plate of salad, fish, green beans, and roasted veggies. And I felt so lousy from the ride down (getting less and less tolerate of long rides the older I get) that it was easy to avoid the appetizers for the first few hours. As I said, my big indulgence was a small portion of "real" dessert and it left me feeling really icky. That it two times of feeling lousy after eating that dessert. Guess I've learned my lesson. Sadly, it was a terrific new Disney recipe I made (O'Hana bread pudding). But I won't be making it again.

Today is a sleep-in day for everyone. No one has to go anywhere until DD's swim practice tonight. She has developed a bad cold (no surprise there) and claims she will be sleeping until noon! DS didn't get to bed until about 11:30 pm or so, as he was finishing his Lego Supercar project, so I don't expect to see him anytime soon. I even slept until 8 am, which is SUPER late for me!!

Coffee is brewed, so I'm gonna go play with my new Ipad. Need to figure out how to do more with it than just play Solitaire and go on the Disboards! TTYL.......................P

 

[bellebookworm9]

gretchen! my goodness that is terrible news. are you ok? we are here if you need to talk or need a little extra support. i hope your mom is ok and gets whatever help she needs.

take care of yourself and don't rush to get back on here.
****************

QOTD: funny you should ask about the holiday leftovers. i woke up this morning with a terrible stomach ache from the mountains of food i've been eating. i walked into the kitchen and chucked the rest of the pumpkin crunch cake that DH and i ate HALF of yesterday. goodbye cake. goodbye holiday crap! my babysitter gave me a bag of those lindt chocolates. instead of opening them and saying that i'd just have a few, i put the whole unopened bag in DH's briefcase and told him to take it to work. i simply cannot eat another thing with sugar!

FLUFF QOTD: i don't care WHAT movie i watch, can i just watch one uninterrupted?? no toddler jumping on me, no newborn who needs to eat or fart or cry or barf on me? that's not asking too much, is it? now, if i could have that, i'd love to watch gone with the wind (just b/c it's the longest movie i can think of, lol! ). i'd love to watch harold and maude again. it's one of my favorites and i haven't seen it in years!

Good for you for throwing out/getting rid of that sugary food! Sorry that you aren't feeling so well from eating it though.

If I didn't live all the way across the state, I'd definitely come babysit for you!

Gretchen-I am so sorry to hear about your mom, and pray she is able to get the help she needs and feel better soon. It is good she went for help.

Not much happening here. I'm working today, and yesterday we chilled and had a Pirates movie marathon. I was falling asleep last night, so we're watching number 4 tonight. Oh and working on getting the leftovers out of our house, via my stomach.

Let me know how you like #4. I'm thinking of renting it on itunes.


******************
Mom just called, and she's being admitted. There are no more beds at the hospital she's at so they're going to move her to a private facility nearby. She doesn't know how long she's going to be there. I've made the phone calls to the people at her job saying she won't be in, and my grandma and I worked out plans to get my brother back to his house today. This is definitely not how I envisioned my last two weeks here to be, but I'm glad that I was home to basically force her to get some help.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

Coffee is brewed, so I'm gonna go play with my new Ipad. Need to figure out how to do more with it than just play Solitaire and go on the Disboards! TTYL.......................P

i read alot on my ipad. you can get e-books from your local library. or if you google the book you want and full text (like, "chamber of secrets full text online") you can often find a pdf or something of the whole book for free. then when you click on it the ipad will ask you if you want to view it in ibooks. click ok and there's your book. i've been reading alot of crappy books the last month during my nighttime baby feedings. i have a b@@b in one hand and my ipad in the other i've been reading the twilight books again. they are terrible but require no brain activity so after baby is asleep again i can go right to sleep.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

******************
Mom just called, and she's being admitted. There are no more beds at the hospital she's at so they're going to move her to a private facility nearby. She doesn't know how long she's going to be there. I've made the phone calls to the people at her job saying she won't be in, and my grandma and I worked out plans to get my brother back to his house today. This is definitely not how I envisioned my last two weeks here to be, but I'm glad that I was home to basically force her to get some help.

i'm so glad you're there for her gretchen. we'll be praying for her.

*************************

wait, there are FOUR pirate movies?? where the heck have i been??

 

[jenanderson]

Good job getting back into the running. It can be so hard to motivate yourself over the holidays. And, I'm a *tad* jealous you live so close to MoA! I tried to convince DH to go there for vacation one summer. It didn't work lol.

And, a 17 foot tree? Holy smokes! That has to be a lot of work! Where do you put it up?

Jill - It is so hard to get back into running. I think I totally overdid it with running this past year and once I finished my marathon in October...I pretty much stopped running. In some ways I question how much I want to really run but I also know that on days that I do run...it feels great when I am done, so I am going to try again.

I have to say that we always laugh about people who come to the MoA for their vacations! I think we just take it for granted that we can go whenever. I will say that it is a decent mall but nothing special to us.

As for the 17 foot tree...our family room is open to the 2nd floor so we have 18 feet worth of height to work with (and we have had an 18 foot tree before). It is a huge amount of work to get it up and just as much work to get it down. I am so glad that it is down and out already. The rest of the house is still really decorated so I am fine without the tree.

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO AVOID OVEREATING ANY HOLIDAY LEFTOVERS? DO YOU HAVE A FITNESS PLAN FOR TODAY?

Fluff Question: What is one movie you really want to watch right now? It doesn't have to be in theaters, it can be an old classic that you just don't see much anymore.

First of all...I am so sorry to hear about your mom but am so glad to read that she is getting the help she needs. Big hugs to you and your family as you go through it all.

QOTD: Today I will be throwing a lot of it. I will keep some of the special foods and finish them up but anything that I don't "love" will have to go. My fitness plan for today includes either a walk or a run. We ran Friday, Saturday and Monday so today might just be a walk.

Fluff Question: I guess I would not care what movie I watched. I would just like it if there were some old movies on that I could watch as I did laundry and cleaned today.

goodbye holiday crap! my babysitter gave me a bag of those lindt chocolates. instead of opening them and saying that i'd just have a few, i put the whole unopened bag in DH's briefcase and told him to take it to work. i simply cannot eat another thing with sugar!

Great job getting rid of the food and the sugar! I will be taking and putting a lot of the chocolates away (in little snack serving size bags) so that I can take out a small portion when I really want it but so that I don't just sit and eat without thinking about it.

Not much happening here. I'm working today, and yesterday we chilled and had a Pirates movie marathon. I was falling asleep last night, so we're watching number 4 tonight. Oh and working on getting the leftovers out of our house, via my stomach.

Hi Kathy! Enjoy POTC 4 tonight - I enjoyed that one. Your method of getting the leftovers out of the house is much like mine! I make lefsa only at Christmas and I totally plan on eating it until it is gone!

Other than that I've been craving The Sound of Music. It was on Christmas Eve, but I only caught bits and pieces. It is truly my #1 all-time favorite movie.

Today is a sleep-in day for everyone. No one has to go anywhere until DD's swim practice tonight. She has developed a bad cold (no surprise there) and claims she will be sleeping until noon! DS didn't get to bed until about 11:30 pm or so, as he was finishing his Lego Supercar project, so I don't expect to see him anytime soon. I even slept until 8 am, which is SUPER late for me!!

Coffee is brewed, so I'm gonna go play with my new Ipad. Need to figure out how to do more with it than just play Solitaire and go on the Disboards! TTYL.......................P

I love the Sound of Music and we actually watched it this year on Christmas Eve!

Sounds like you you have a nice relaxing day ahead of you. I hope that DD gets to sleep in until noon like she wants and that her cold goes away. My DD has been catching up on all her rest and it is so nice that they can get the time off right now!

Enjoy your morning! If you are looking for iPad app suggestions, let me know!

wait, there are FOUR pirate movies?? where the heck have i been??

That is how I feel most of the time...totally so busy I miss out on everything! Yep...there are 4!

-----------------------------------------------

Today I need to stay busy. I have a lot of things to get done and also want to be sure I spend at least 30 minutes exercising today.

Have a great day everyone!
Jen

 

[pjlla]

Poof fairy really likes my new IPad! I will save big responses for the desktop I guess.

Just wanted to tell you all about a great documentary I just watched on Netflix called "Forks over Knives". It's about reversing and preventing significant diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease by eating a plant-based diet. Makes me realize that I haven't done enough for my family in terms of teaching healthy eating habits. It convinces me further that the meat and dairy need to go, or at least be greatly reduced. We will definitely be making more changes around here after the holidays.

TTYL............P

 

[Disneywedding2010]

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO AVOID OVEREATING ANY HOLIDAY LEFTOVERS? DO YOU HAVE A FITNESS PLAN FOR TODAY?

Fluff Question: What is one movie you really want to watch right now? It doesn't have to be in theaters, it can be an old classic that you just don't see much anymore.

We are slowly eating leftovers from Christmas. I usually eat them for lunch. I've ate a couple cookies here and there but nothing majorly overboard. For the most part I've not gained anything this holiday season.

Movie I'd like to watch?? Um, hmmmmm good question. I liked the Muppet movie that was in theaters. I think when it finally hits PPV I'll order it so Alan can see it.

Fitness plan for the day: I'm going to get a mile in on the treadmill once my Prilosec kicks in.

 

[Disneywedding2010]

Gretchen, I'm sorry to hear about your mom. I hope she is able to get the help she needs.

Okay, so this month I've not been all that motivated between being out of town, all the food, depression from missing Josh and Maddie, etc. So, to motivate myself to get a fresh start in January I came up with a list: 75 reasons to lose 75 pounds in 2012. FYI: Its going to be LONG


75 Reasons to lose 75 pounds in 2012
1. So I can shop for normal size clothes
2. So I don’t feel like Shamu in a bathing suit
3. So I fit more comfortable on rides at Disney World
4. So I can walk a 5K without stopping
5. So I can climb stairs without being winded
6. So I don’t feel embarrassed at family gatherings
7. So I can feel confident
8. So I can feel sexy
9. So I can fit in my size 9 shorts again (I still have them)
10. So I fit comfortably on a plane
11. So my legs don’t rub together when I walk
12. So I don’t feel winded 24/7
13. So I can feel beautiful inside and out
14. So I can get up off the floor easier
15. So I can fit comfortably in a movie theatre seat
16. So I am at a healthy BMI
17. So I don’t have to worry about my body odor after doing simple things
18. So my health issues get easier to deal with
19. So I am not at risk for more health issues
20. So I can get pregnant
21. So I am not afraid to try new things
22. So I can try parasailing
23. So I sleep better
24. So I can do a workout DVD without wanting to stop midway through
25. So I can dress up for Halloween
26. So I can buy a sexy black dress
27. So I can sit comfortably in a restaurant booth
28. So I can enjoy having my picture taken
29. So I can get in and out of my convertible easier
30. So I can buy sexy lingerie
31. So I can start loving myself
32. So I will stop having negative talk go through my head
33. So I enjoy looking at my own reflection
34. So I can enjoy shopping again, any kind
35. So I can sit with my laptop on my lap, my stomach is to big now
36. So I can say I accomplished something I am proud of
37. So I can get professional pictures done and fall in love with them
38. So I can eat to live, not live to eat
39. So I won’t feel like people are judging me
40. So I can fit in a normal bathroom stall
41. So I don’t have to um, stand to wipe
42. So I can sit indian style
43. So I can do a normal push up
44. So I can do a plank
45. So my ring isn’t so tight on my finger
46. So I can start running
47. So I can wear sexy bras
48. So I can wear a necklace without it feeling like a choker collar
49. So shaving my legs is easier
50. So I can inspire my family members to lose weight as well
51. So I can get rid of all my fat clothes
52. So I have more “wiggle” room in my bath tub
53. So I can ride a bike (haven’t rode one since I was a kid)
54. So I will feel happy around family
55. So I can swim without feeling winded
56. So I can start a job and not feel exhausted after a 8 hour shift
57. So I can do household chores and not feel exhausted
58. So I can go to a water park
59. So I can get on and off a bar stool
60. So I can walk Lizzy
61. So I could try rock climbing
62. So I will enjoy s*x again
63. So I won’t feel like a fat cow
64. I’m doing this for me, no one else!
65. I deserve to be happy in my own skin again
66. So I can shout from the roof tops “I’M SKINNY AND HEALTHY AGAIN!”
67. So I won’t be afraid to set new exciting goals and actually accomplish them
68. So, I can run my first Disney 5K
69. So I won’t be afraid to live life
70. So I’ll be more active and stop being a couch potato
71. So I’ll be able to run circles around Alan, LOL
72. So I’ll be able to motivate Alan to lose some weight
73. So I’ll be able to motivate Alan to walk/run a 5K with me
74. So I can enjoy being at the beach
75. BECAUSE I AM WORTH IT!

 

[my3princes]

This night has been awful. I just got back from the hospital where my mom is being held in the psych ward due to extreme depression and expression of suicidal thoughts. She'll be fine, but she has to wait for her psychiatrist to check in in the morning before they decide what to do with her. But I'm your coach for today, so I'm posting the questions now and hoping I'll be able to get back on at some point.

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO AVOID OVEREATING ANY HOLIDAY LEFTOVERS? DO YOU HAVE A FITNESS PLAN FOR TODAY?

Fluff Question: What is one movie you really want to watch right now? It doesn't have to be in theaters, it can be an old classic that you just don't see much anymore.

I am so sorry to hear about your Mom. I'm sure the fact that you are leaving soon has added to her anxiety. Hopefully they can get her meds leveled out. Keep in mind that it often takes 4-6 weeks for psych meds to take full effect (I know from recent experience)

The leftovers are gone for the most part and what's left is sweet which I've had no desire for in a while. Tummy troubles will do that to you.

Movie...Hmmm...Dirty Dancing or My Cousin Vinny. Something classic and entertaining.

Gretchen.... I'm so sorry that this is happening, especially now during the holidays. Take care of yourself and be there for your Mom and I'm sure everything will work out fine. Try to relax and appreciate that Mom is somewhere that she can be taken care of properly. Many prayers to you and your Mom today. Keep us informed of how she (and your) are doing and don't worry about us. We will take care of each other if you can't be here.

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO AVOID OVEREATING ANY HOLIDAY LEFTOVERS? DO YOU HAVE A FITNESS PLAN FOR TODAY?

Well.... I did pretty well with my food quantity management except for desserts. So the plan will be to bring all of the dessert leftovers to my Mom's house on Wed or Thurs. when we head there for the long weekend. Other than that I only have a few servings of lasagna and a few pieces of quiche left. Quiche is slated to be today's breakfast for the kiddos.

Today will be a minimum of three miles on the TM.... probably a walk/run combo.... tomorrow will be the same. I"d love to say it would be 5 miles, but believe it or not BOTH of my kids need to finish up handmade gifts that the are giving this weekend and they will need my help.


Fluff Question: What is one movie you really want to watch right now? It doesn't have to be in theaters, it can be an old classic that you just don't see much anymore.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

Kids and I were supposed to have a "Potter-thon" over the holiday break.... I haven't seen the last 3 HP movies yet.... but this is going to be another busy week and I'm not sure if we will have time! Santa did bring the entire 8 movie set to the kids, so they are here whenever we do have the time. Other than that I've been craving The Sound of Music. It was on Christmas Eve, but I only caught bits and pieces. It is truly my #1 all-time favorite movie.

I'd like to see the new Muppet movie too, but again, time is slipping away from me these days.



That "baby/toddler free" movie time will be here before you realize it. When DD was little I used to swear that if I had to sing the Barney good-bye song one more time I was gonna go mad!!

Good job with the sweets. I know how you feel about feeling Like I mentioned yesterday, it isn't that I've overeaten... it is just WHAT I've eaten. My body isn't used to the sugar and fat anymore and even a reasonable size serving of a "real" dessert is making me feel (okay... if you don't see the smilie it says "crazy" but I don't feel crazy.... I feel pukey!).

I essentially had one small meal (light quiche for breakfast) and one larger meal (mostly fish and veggies) yesterday. Then I had a tiny portion of "real" dessert and a small indulgence from the cookie tray and spent the rest of the evening feeling nasty. It just isn't worth it! I need to keep reminding myself of that when I am at my Mom's for 4 days surrounded by white carbs, sweets, and junk! (Mom is a super healthy eater for the most part, but it is hard with the holidays and all of the grandkids around and such..... and my DBrother and his family are not the healthiest influence.... too much southern influence.)



Were you watching Pirates on tv or DVD? I noticed they were on ABCFamily channel last night... I feel asleep watching with my Ipad in my hand.

**********

Morning friends! We made it back from the Cape last night. It was a really nice day with DH's family. The Yankee swap was so much fun.... but I didn't think that the gifts were quite as creative as in the past. Probably because we included the kids this time and so the gifts needed to be a bit more "generic" and "G" rated.... no booze, no "adult jokes" etc. But there was still a good selection of fun and useful stuff. Unfortunately for me, we came home with DD's gift choice of an entire gift bag of large size bags of M&Ms! I think I"m going to insist that she take it to Rainbow Girls or someplace like that and share them. I can't have them here.... too much temptation. And I certainly don't want her eating them all herself!

Lucky for me, my DSIL who hosted yesterday is a super-duper healthy eater. The dinner selections were really great.... big salads, steamed green beans, roasted veggies, turkey, brown rice, fish, roasted potatoes. It was easy to make myself a nice big healthy plate of salad, fish, green beans, and roasted veggies. And I felt so lousy from the ride down (getting less and less tolerate of long rides the older I get) that it was easy to avoid the appetizers for the first few hours. As I said, my big indulgence was a small portion of "real" dessert and it left me feeling really icky. That it two times of feeling lousy after eating that dessert. Guess I've learned my lesson. Sadly, it was a terrific new Disney recipe I made (O'Hana bread pudding). But I won't be making it again.

Today is a sleep-in day for everyone. No one has to go anywhere until DD's swim practice tonight. She has developed a bad cold (no surprise there) and claims she will be sleeping until noon! DS didn't get to bed until about 11:30 pm or so, as he was finishing his Lego Supercar project, so I don't expect to see him anytime soon. I even slept until 8 am, which is SUPER late for me!!

Coffee is brewed, so I'm gonna go play with my new Ipad. Need to figure out how to do more with it than just play Solitaire and go on the Disboards! TTYL.......................P

It's funny that you are all sleeping in today. I went to bed at 9:30 last night as I had to be up at 4:45 today. At 2:11 AM I heard voices. At first I thought I must have been dreaming, but then heard more. I thought maybe one of the boys had had a nightmare. I got up to find the 16 year old and 9 year old still playing video games The 14 year old apparently quit at midnight. Needless to say they slept in today. Of course I never really got back to sleep. I'll be talking to them tonight about video game usage

Good for you for throwing out/getting rid of that sugary food! Sorry that you aren't feeling so well from eating it though.

If I didn't live all the way across the state, I'd definitely come babysit for you!




Let me know how you like #4. I'm thinking of renting it on itunes.


******************
Mom just called, and she's being admitted. There are no more beds at the hospital she's at so they're going to move her to a private facility nearby. She doesn't know how long she's going to be there. I've made the phone calls to the people at her job saying she won't be in, and my grandma and I worked out plans to get my brother back to his house today. This is definitely not how I envisioned my last two weeks here to be, but I'm glad that I was home to basically force her to get some help.

I'm glad that she is letting them admit her. That is the best place for her right now.

 

[glss1/2fll]

I'm gonna go play with my new Ipad. Need to figure out how to do more with it than just play Solitaire and go on the Disboards! TTYL.......................P

That is exactly what I have on mine so far!!!

Thanks, Nancy for the tip about books. I did make a bookshelf but it is empty! I have a nook but never use it. I really like the tactile-ness of a real book!

Gretchen glad you were there to help your mom and that she is in a safe place now.

Didn't run yesterday but ran this morning after my usual walk with my girlfriend. I ran it the opposite direction and the gentle slope I usually run down was a giant mountain I had to plod up! But my time was pretty good and I felt strong. Had new running pants (thanks DH for the Christmas present!) and they were great. It was windy but the new jacket I got for 10 bucks yesterday worked terrific. I am so, so happy to have new clothes to run in!

DisneyWedding--love your 75 reasons!

My walking partner lost 70 pounds last year and she is a new person! Drove me a bit crazy sometimes when all we talked about was food and exercise for days on end during the walks! But now that she's sucessfully maintaining we can solve the world's problems again!

DS2 stayed home from practice today because he's not feeling well. DS1 leaves for his game in 3 hours (once he gets out of bed!). Think I'll take a wipe and do a quick sanitize everything he may have touched recently run through the house. The babies (1 & 3) had tummy bugs our last night there. Hope they didn't share with us!

Hope everyone has a great day! Drink your water.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Gretchen, I'm sorry to hear about your mom. I hope she is able to get the help she needs.

Okay, so this month I've not been all that motivated between being out of town, all the food, depression from missing Josh and Maddie, etc. So, to motivate myself to get a fresh start in January I came up with a list: 75 reasons to lose 75 pounds in 2012. FYI: Its going to be LONG


75 Reasons to lose 75 pounds in 2012
1. So I can shop for normal size clothes
2. So I don’t feel like Shamu in a bathing suit
3. So I fit more comfortable on rides at Disney World
4. So I can walk a 5K without stopping
5. So I can climb stairs without being winded
6. So I don’t feel embarrassed at family gatherings
7. So I can feel confident
8. So I can feel sexy
9. So I can fit in my size 9 shorts again (I still have them)
10. So I fit comfortably on a plane
11. So my legs don’t rub together when I walk
12. So I don’t feel winded 24/7
13. So I can feel beautiful inside and out
14. So I can get up off the floor easier
15. So I can fit comfortably in a movie theatre seat
16. So I am at a healthy BMI
17. So I don’t have to worry about my body odor after doing simple things
18. So my health issues get easier to deal with
19. So I am not at risk for more health issues
20. So I can get pregnant
21. So I am not afraid to try new things
22. So I can try parasailing
23. So I sleep better
24. So I can do a workout DVD without wanting to stop midway through
25. So I can dress up for Halloween
26. So I can buy a sexy black dress
27. So I can sit comfortably in a restaurant booth
28. So I can enjoy having my picture taken
29. So I can get in and out of my convertible easier
30. So I can buy sexy lingerie
31. So I can start loving myself
32. So I will stop having negative talk go through my head
33. So I enjoy looking at my own reflection
34. So I can enjoy shopping again, any kind
35. So I can sit with my laptop on my lap, my stomach is to big now
36. So I can say I accomplished something I am proud of
37. So I can get professional pictures done and fall in love with them
38. So I can eat to live, not live to eat
39. So I won’t feel like people are judging me
40. So I can fit in a normal bathroom stall
41. So I don’t have to um, stand to wipe
42. So I can sit indian style
43. So I can do a normal push up
44. So I can do a plank
45. So my ring isn’t so tight on my finger
46. So I can start running
47. So I can wear sexy bras
48. So I can wear a necklace without it feeling like a choker collar
49. So shaving my legs is easier
50. So I can inspire my family members to lose weight as well
51. So I can get rid of all my fat clothes
52. So I have more “wiggle” room in my bath tub
53. So I can ride a bike (haven’t rode one since I was a kid)
54. So I will feel happy around family
55. So I can swim without feeling winded
56. So I can start a job and not feel exhausted after a 8 hour shift
57. So I can do household chores and not feel exhausted
58. So I can go to a water park
59. So I can get on and off a bar stool
60. So I can walk Lizzy
61. So I could try rock climbing
62. So I will enjoy s*x again
63. So I won’t feel like a fat cow
64. I’m doing this for me, no one else!
65. I deserve to be happy in my own skin again
66. So I can shout from the roof tops “I’M SKINNY AND HEALTHY AGAIN!”
67. So I won’t be afraid to set new exciting goals and actually accomplish them
68. So, I can run my first Disney 5K
69. So I won’t be afraid to live life
70. So I’ll be more active and stop being a couch potato
71. So I’ll be able to run circles around Alan, LOL
72. So I’ll be able to motivate Alan to lose some weight
73. So I’ll be able to motivate Alan to walk/run a 5K with me
74. So I can enjoy being at the beach
75. BECAUSE I AM WORTH IT!

This is a great list, and I am with you on almost all of it. But, please, please don't wait until you lose 75 lbs to start loving yourself! I guarantee it will be easier and more meaningful as each pound goes away if you are already loving the wonderful, strong person you are. You are absolutely worthy of loving the you that you are today. She is amazing, she is a survivor, and she deserves to know and feel that she loves herself -- therefore she can do anything!

Maria