Yum on the pumpkin bread pudding. I love it this time of year. My BIL texted me a pic of pumpkin flavored pop tarts that he found at Stop & Shop. He also found Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Spice Swirl bread there, and my brother found Eggo Pumpkin Spice waffles at Target. Tis the season for that stuff
I chuckled when I saw the pumpkin PopTarts.... if they weren't so terrible for you I'd love to try them! DS is allergic to pumpkin, so I can't even buy them with the excuse of buying them for him!
I should do self-exams...but I don't The worst part is, my DM is a breast cancer survivor and found HERS doing her self-exams. The doctors at the cancer center told her unless they knew where to look, they wouldn't have found it. There's no history in my family, so it was a little overwhelming. I will now have to start getting mammograms at 35 because of the direct history...but I really should be doing self-exams. I tell you what- I make a promise now to do my self exam this month (well, it will be next month, but) the week before my cycle. Promise!
As for a splurge...I would have to say any type of shoes or accessories. Clothes are difficult for me because of the weight loss, but I can wear a scarf forever! I just went shoe-shopping yesterday actually, and got a little pair of pink ballet flats with rhinestones and a pair of really cute mules/clogs. I can never remember what they are called!
My mom found hers on a self-exam too..... makes me feel extra guilty that I never bother to do them.
WOOHOO for scarves and shoes! They always fit, no matter what the scale says!
QOTD: About 20 years ago I hadn't done a self exam in a couple months and then went to the doc for annual check up and he found a lump the size of a walnut. I was super nervous because he was my first male doctor and I wasn't sure I wanted him examining me. But by the time everything was done and the lump was gone I felt like every male doctor in the county had seen/touched me! The lump was benign, but since then I've gotten one every year, although this year my doc said she didn't think I needed them so often, but their office policy was still yearly. So yes, I do a monthly exam.
SCARY! So glad everything was okay.
Fluff QOTD: One thing I splurge on (about a whopping $5 a month!) is a girl's night out. In fact it's tonight and I need to get "purdied" up and leave in 10 minutes! It's a group of moms that were in a babysitting co op together and then our kids got too old and we realized we missed the adult company! So we grab coffee/dessert once a month.
HOpe it was a fun evening!
So today I have totally done nothing. My girlfriend and I started on our walk and about a block into it saw a dead cat by the road. She thought it was her cat! So we turned around, I went home, she called DH, he came home, her whole family was crying and out walks their cat from under the couch! She called me and said, "Now I have somebody's dead cat in a towel in my garage!" DS2 was home sick today. I am getting a wee bit tired of his being sick! Is that mean? I think it's the meds for his acne. Whatever, he feels like he's going to be sick and crawls back into bed with a bucket. Big sigh.
Yikes. Now I only have 5 minutes to get gussied up!
Awww.... so sad about the kitty, but glad it didn't belong to your friend. Now she will need to bury it and find the owner I suppose.
Hope DS is feeling better.
QOTD - I should have had my first this past year, but lost my health insurance. As soon as I am working again and have coverage, it will be my priority.
Good girl. And if you don't get insurance soon, maybe you could qualify for a reduced-rate or free exam/mammo at a clinic??
Fluff QOTD - My first instinct was to say books - I love to read. But, I also have a "fondness" for Coach bags. Before I lost my job, I would buy at least two a year. Coach routinely sends me coupons - I currently have a $100 off coupon staring at me.
I'll bet you could sell the coupon to a Coach lover!
Dietwise - I've been totally on track since getting home from Vegas. My food choices have been great, I'm tracking my calories, drinking my water, power walking, etc.
I took a "sneak peak" at the scale this morning, and it looks like I've dropped 3 of the 5.5 pounds that I put on over the last two weeks. My official weigh-in won't be until Friday, but I'll be very happy if that 3 pound loss sticks.
- Laura
WOOHOO!
I had my baseline at 35, and then at 40 started every year to year and a half. It's nice to be able to schedule it and not need a referral anymore, I think most insurances in MA are that way, but i'm not sure. I do not do self exams regularly. Once in a while.
I'd say my computer time, and my wednesday nights with Criminal Minds. Thinking further, I'd say my Dansko clogs for work and play. I just got a new pair to wear with jeans, a marble patent black/blue color.
Ooooh.... are those the "oil slick" ones? I've been craving the oil slick style and haven't found it at a good enough price yet.
Another good use for a husband.
Well... at least they're good for something! :laughing:
What a small world. I sent you a pm about your boss and wife. Love them!!!
Michael did some classes at the Danvers Y, and does their summer camp, and for the location, and convenience, it's a nice place. The beverly Sterling Y has a lot more classes and activities, gymnastics which ds has done so he's a member there. I'm not a member anywhere. Last winter i did a weeks free pass at the North Fitness place to use the treadmill for my princess training when it snowed, and it's beautiful, and it has a womans only gym, which was nice. I'm sure they will give you a free pass so you both could check it out for a week. I'd think the Y would do that as well. I think convenience is key, to be close to home will make it that much easier to go there.
How close are you to that Y? DD is swimming there next month. I'd love to meet for a few minutes at least!!
Pamela-One day down on track. we can do this!! I have a 4 day weekend off veterans day, so I want to save my off days for then.
We can do it!!!!
Hello to everyone else. Did a run/walk yesterday but not as long as I wanted because nature called, so I did some wii fit boxing after. Had a nice day off, but it does go by fast. Tracked every bite yesterday, and have my paper in pocket to do the same at work today. That is key for me.
Have a great day everyone!!
WTG!!
IGreat timing! As it happens yesterday was my annual poke, prod and scrape which ends with orders for the annual squish and squeeze.
Lunch break!
As I was making my lunch I remembered a tip that I discovered this week.
First one I just discovered: Clean out the fridge right before you eat and you won't be as hungry!
So last week I was making a salad (I usually have one a day-- typically my lunch). I love Ranch dressing which is allowed on South Beach
woohoo
I am not very creative on my salads but I have been adding 2% cottage cheese to it to add some more dairy to my day. I realized I was adding less dressing because the cottage cheese adds more "moisture" -- I hate a dry salad. So I had an idea and added some powdered Ranch mix to the cottage cheese. Now the cottage cheese has that flavor I love so I can use it instead of dressing. Less fat and calories and a healthy serving of dairy.
Oh my heavens.... what a GREAT idea! I frequently put low fat cottage cheese on my salads.... especially when eating out at a salad bar (especially if there is no good choices for dressings). I absolutely MUST try this soon!!
I don't have a Nook or a Kindle, either. I would bankrupt us if I bought the books I read! I just requested the Happiness Project from the library. If it's good enough for
Pamela, it's good enough for me
I'm reading a Harlequin Special Edition for fun
I'm up to May in the Happiness book.... and this month is about friendship... so of course, I keep thinking of all of you!! But as much as I love you all, I really need to work on making some friends IRL.
I haven't read a Harlequin in YEARS.... but I must admit to being a member of the "book of the month" club type thing for them in the past! 
Maria
Maria, I FlyLady. I don't actively follow her anymore but I picked up so many great ideas from her that I do every day. I am a firm believer in routines to make things easier and taking a few minutes to do a task every day so you never have to take a long time to do it once a month. Too bad no one else around here believes in that
Most US libraries now have FREE books you can download on the Kindle
I had MORE drama with my family today. This time it involved money and really made me mad/sad. It's like something has been stirred up that will not rest now. DH does not want to go to Christmas at my parents house this year. I have never missed a year and don't intend to start but things are getting to the point where it is hard to get past this.
Sorry about the drama 
.... it reminds me how lucky I am though.
I bought a new sweater and new pants at the Mall today. Got into a size 14 pants If I can lose 11 more pounds I will move from the "obese" category to "overweight" Had a good workout at the Y tonight, 45 mins cardio
DOUBLE WOOHOO!!!
QOTD 10/25: I have not had a mammogram yet, but I'm only 20. I'll get one when my doctor tells me to. My biggest splurge for myself is probably my two Dooney & Bourkes...and also my Harry Potter book/DVD collection. They weren't cheap, but they are all (the bags, books, and movies) something I treasure!
QOTD 10/26: No, I don't really read labels. I will skim them occasionally just to check calories, but it's not something I do often. Scents...hmmm, that's tough. I used to like Bath & Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar, but I don't think they make it anymore. I'm actually allergic to a lot of scents...B&B normally makes my eyes and nose itch just walking past! Raspberry is especially difficult for me, but only in lotions/shaving creams, I'm not allergic to actual raspberries.
************
Today I dragged myself to the gym for the first time in about 3 weeks...since before Disney. I did 35 minutes on the elliptical and completed 2.8 miles I think. Not too bad. My eating was neither terrible nor great.
I saw a few people that had their interviews on Sunday got accepted today...I did not and so gave in and went to check my dashboard...no rejection, but no acceptance. I feel like I'm in "The Waiting Place" from Dr Seuss' "Oh, the Places You'll Go!"...everyone's just waiting!
Patiently waiting with you..............
I was on track for two days but fell off yesterday thanks to an unfortunate encounter with some Halloween candy.
Start fresh today!!
Are you a label reader (regarding food products)? Were you always or is it something new? Do you read everything or just calories? What are you learning about what you eat, as you read labels? If you DON'T read labels, do you think you should?
I read labels but mostly for calories and fat. I now need to add cholesterol and fat to that reading and pay a bit more attention to how things are balancing out after my physical last week. Really I am trying to emphasize fresh food without labels more, but it is so darn convenient!
Yup..... no label on the apples or lettuce!
[
I am a new label reader. I have had some big (not so good) life changes in the last four years and I have gained 40 lbs. On My recent doctors visit; surprise, surprise my new love handles came with a side of diabetes. So in an effort to avoid the meds, I'm on a weight loss journey. My new found love of reading ALL the information on everything I eat, cuts down on the time I have to eat anything. Humm...This just may work after-all.
Oh my! Sorry about the diabetes. Do they think that it can be reduced with weight loss?
Scents: I am not a big fan of fragrance, I am convinced everything reacts badly with my body chemistry However, I love the original Armani for women and Marc Jacob Daisy. I mostly smell like Coco Butter body lotion from Vaseline.
P.S. Reading the back of a frozen dinner now terrifies me *insert Psycho music here*
Yup.... label reading can be really scary!! Guess it was a good question for Halloween time!
Hmm. I didn't dress up much as a kid, most of my costumes were things I could throw together. My mother hated (yes, hate is a strong word) Halloween, and didn't help me with anything. I think it's because she was brought up in a very strict religion in a rural area, and they didn't trick or treat. I don't think she knew what to do, it was easier to just declare it awful than try. Plus, she hated to sew! 
When I was a kid in the stone age, a storebought costume would have been an unheard of treat in my house. My dad worked 2nd Shift and so if a friend's parent offered to take me along, I could go -- because she wasn't interested in getting out to take me around. Wow, it's interesting the things you remember. I sound kind of bitter -- I don't mean to, my Mom was awesome, this was just not her thing. My ds's most memorable costume was a lion for his first and second Halloween's. It's memorable to me because my MIL made it for him. She passed when he had just turned 1, so it's a keepsake.
Maria
I kind of get your Mom. I also have a big dislike (you're right... hate is a strong word) of this particular "event". Hence the reason why I instituted the "nothing gory, nothing scary, nothing evil" rule when it came to my kids' costumes. In fact, I contemplated for a few years just banning it all together. But alas, I caved into social pressures and let the holiday stand with my particular rules in place.
The lion costume sounds so cute! Pictures??
QOTD: I'm going to try and skip to having 2 shakes a day and lots of water. It does keep me full for several hours. I'm also going to only eat small amounts.
Ash and 2 of her friends are here. They worked on their project and did their homework so they are just being silly now! I've got another 90 minutes with them until I take one home and meet the other Mom and pick up at Izzie's school.
Cupcakes are all decorated and brownies made for Ash's Halloween Party at school tomorrow. We're ordering Pizza and Chicken Fingers for supper tonight.
Went into work and then my boss came in and said I could go do my errands since I didn't have anyone and was only going to be there for 90 minutes anyways. Gotta the rest of my grocery shopping done. Have a few more small things to pick up tomorrow.
Frustrated with my mail lady! She keeps leaving a package here that she insists is ours. I've left it in the mailbox for 3 days and left a message that it doesn't belong to us. She left me a note that it was my address. I knew it wasn't for us as my in-laws have been dead for over 5 years! Our mail lady is USELESS! I guess the fact that it was in the box for 3 days didn't mean to her that it wasn't mine even if all the other mail was gone and I even put up the flag to say there was something to pick up! She has been a problem for years!
Looking forward to a quiet night with my family enjoying Izzie's b'day! We'll be watching a Barbie movie while we eat pizza and then Ghosthunters!
TTFN
Be sure you are still getting enough calories when you reduce your shakes!
And the USPS wonders WHY their business has dropped off so much????
Oh my goodness pjlla, that Robot costume is AMAZING!!!! Waaaaaaaaay cool.
Thanks! In thinking about it, I actually have made several really cool costumes over the years!
I don't have a plan for the holidays. I started out not-so-good with our office halloween party today. (Did well with the food, but then just HAD to try some of the sugar cookies and peach cobbler... ugh...) I like what a PP said about just keeping busy so you don't even have time to eat - that's a good one! I also like to think of the critic from Ratitoulle (sp?) when he says "I don't like to eat, I LOVE to eat. If I don't LOVE it, I don't eat it." Store bought sugar cookies? I don't love them. Save the calories for some home made apple pie or cider.
Agree TOTALLY.... store-bought cookies are NEVER worth the calories! But a good cup of fresh cider.....YUM!!
I'm really struggling with DS halloween costume this year. He's 2.5. any good suggestions? (A little behnd the game, I know!) my favorite halloween costume.... humm... DH and I were pirates together a few years ago and that was really fun. Nothing too impressive...
For Thanksgiving and Christmas for the last couple of years I have been preparing the meals for both holidays, packing them into the car and bringing them to mil's so she doesn't have to travel. By the time I finish I am usually too tired to eat anything.
I remember your tales about this from last year! You have the patience of a SAINT! You are a WONDERFUL DIL!!!
Halloween in my house is special since it is dh's birthday. He was known for years for his costumes. I once made him a penguin costume. We have gone as Bert and Ernie. We had some great heads that you looked through the mouth.
My dh has had some great costumes but I don't have any pictures since he usually dressed at school. He went as a GS box of cookies. My friend had made it so he borrowed it one year.
The best were 2. He borrowed a field hockey uniform from a girl in the school. He gets home and then panics about what is he going to wear on his legs. I had to go out and buy my dh pantyhose that would fit him.
He once decided to go as a little old lady. He went to kmart and bought a cheap black dress, shoes, purse and wig. I think I bought him panty hose for this one also. The best part of this one was that he still had a mustache at the time so we decided that he looked like many of my Italian aunts so he called himself a little old Italian lady. He even borrowed a walker from someone for that one.
These sound great!! I love such original ideas!!
THis is very funny since I just made myself a cup of tea. I hardly ever make a cup of tea in the afternoon but it is such a damp and chilly day that it just felt right. I don't have anything to read but I will look at quilt magazine for inspiration when I finish typing this up.
Yup... we are moving into "afternoon tea" weather!!
School has been crazy. we only have one more full week before the kids on in for Mon and Wed and then the schools shut down on Thur and Fri for Teacher's convention.
I am making headway on my letters of reccommendations and hope to be finished by next week.
Off to cook dinner. Then yoga tonight.
Have a happy and healthy evening.
Hope you are well today!!
IT'S SNOWING IN MASSACHUSETTS!!!!!
Really bad at supper! Potato skin pizza! Then a really good Whoopie Pie from Maine and a drink with my hubby!
7 years ago today, besides holding my little Princess for the first time, the RED SOX won the World Series for the first time in 86 years! What a great day that was! Izzie even wore a Red Sox shirt to school today!
TTFN
How great that you have such a neat way to remember the WS and DD's birthday!!
Welcome to Healthy Habits!
Welcome to Healthy Habits Week 8: Peter Pan
Peter Pan is another one of my first Disney movies. Tinkerbelle has a place in my heart. I enjoy the story line and how it is recreated on Peter Pan’s Flight in Fantasyland. I always find something “new” when I ride this attraction. Most of the characters in the movie (aka not the villians) have strength, courage, smarts, and gratitude. In their honor…
I’m pretty sure that flying is considered exercising. I’m not sure that it’s the exercise I’d pick, however. 1. Your “Habit” is to exercise for at least 15 minutes.
What adventure wouldn’t be complete without water? 2. This week, your “Habit” is to drink a total of 64 oz. of water each day.
The “Lost Boys” ate just about anything. Well, our bodies deserve the best. 3. Eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies in total per day.
Wendy loved to read. It was her way of relaxing. 4. Each day, spend some time relaxing. Again, if you think it counts, it counts!
Mini-Challenges:
1. I am hoping to never have to walk the plank, but just in case, courage will come in handy. Do something you would not ordinarily do. (This does not have to be sky diving or running on the beach. It’s entirely up to you. My plan is to spend some time playing the piano for the first time since this time last year.) Note: We are all courageous people. I just think it would be fun to try something different. Thanks to donac for this idea!
2. It may not be the focus of the movie, but I have noticed that the non-villain characters are very thankful. Write a list of 10 things for which you are thankful.
Please, please feel free to ask any questions. You are welcome to PM me or post on the thread. I check my e-mail frequently.
Hope everyone has a great week!
You just continue to amaze me with all of the time and effort you put into the HH! I KNOW I appreciate it so much (even though I don't take the time to participate in the points, I always try to follow the habits!!).... and I'm sure everyone loves the ideas!!
Oy! What a long day! I was up at my usual 5:30 this morning and worked 6 hours, then had a hair appt and went to a 50th birthday party for a college friend of mine tonight. I hate to weigh tomorrow! Her party was at a steakhouse-I had a 6 oz ribeye, baked potato with ~ Tbls ea butter and sour cream, salad bar w/blue cheese dressing and chocolate cake!
And about 1/2 piece of Texas toast:scared1 I have not eaten like that in years! We were a large group of old cackling women having a great time. I heard the funniest line tonight about a lady who was dating a much younger man. The story went that when the lady found out the young guy had never heard of Elton John she "told him to pack his Scooby-Do underwear and get out". Oh boy we had a lot of laughs tonight.
Sounds like a fun night with friends! I'll bet it was well worth the calories!
OK, my holiday plan is as follows:
1. Work VERY hard in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. Hoping to lose 3 more pounds from my lowest in the challenge so far by then.
2. Not expecting to lose much at all between Thanksgiving & New Year's.
3. I will weigh every day and carefully monitor my weight to make sure I don't gain any before the end of the year. If I see myself going up one day, I have to work hard and cut back that day to immed take the weight off. I will keep up my exercise and drinking water and can have treats in moderation if my weight has not gone up.
You CAN do this!! I might even resort to some more drastic measures to be sure I am down a few more pounds before T.giving hits. Join me and Kathy on the 80% perfect days plan (AKA the "Pamela Plan"...).
Well, I don't really plan on buying any Halloween candy, so that's not a problem. I'm going home the weekend before Thanksgiving and it would be silly to come back to school for two days and then go back home again, so I'm just staying here (because you can stay over breaks in the townhouses), so no food to deal with then. And we normally don't do too much for Christmas. My aunt normally has a gathering on the Saturday after, but Mom has to work so we won't be going.
In first or second grade, Mom made me a really awesome M&M costume. In fourth grade, she made me a Statue of Liberty costume, complete with a felt torch.
The SoL costume sounds great! I love original things like that!
Yup, it was doing a horrible rain/snow thing here earlier, but wasn't sticking. I actually busted out the winter jacket today-and it's the first time I've worn it since losing weight-it was actually a little BIG!
I met with the Dean of the College today to discuss credit options if I get accepted to the college program. She has been friendly to me in the past, but two of my housemates have had issues with her. Today she was not outright rude to me, but it was like pulling teeth to get straight answers about anything. She was very sarcastic at points, and I just left with an overall bitter feeling about the administration here. The secretaries in her office were extremely unprofessional, yelling loudly about the art history/studio departments when a student from that department was in the office. Then this evening I got a very unprofessional e-mail from my department chair, that was meant for the secretary, not me (our last names start with the same three letters). That is the second time that has happened, and this time she was dissing a student. Lesson: Check who you are sending e-mails to before you actually send it!
Oh MY! How unprofessional! And how rude. Obviously she isn't a "people person". Sorry you have to deal with all of that!
Bwaaahaahaa! Welcome to Fearsome Friday! I am Maria and I will be your coach this week, following the Amazing Pamela (Thanks,
Pamela!) Let's get going with the QOTD:
SO VERY WELCOME!!
Fearsome Friday QOTD: What is the scariest movie you have ever seen? Were you a child, teen, or grown-up? (ok, some would say I'm not grown up yet, but I don't get carded anymore) Do you like to be scared, or do you prefer a "not so scary" experience?
Maria
As a rule I don't enjoy anything scary..... this includes haunted houses (Haunted Mansion is an exception, as that is "funny scary" not "wet-your-pants" scary). I have bad memories of some of the scary movies I saw in my teen years.... Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Children of the Corn, The Exorcist, Poltergeist, come to mind. I'm a bit afraid of my own shadow sometimes, so I am NOT a good candidate for Halloween "fun". I would much prefer to see princesses, construction workers, and Harry Potter coming down my driveway than any "Scream" masks, ghosts, ghouls, zombies, etc. I am really having a hard time with DS being a Death Eater this year..... it confirms my feelings about "NOTHING SCARY" being a house rule.
Thank you, Pamela, for coaching last week! Loved all your questions.
You're very welcome!!
How is the costume coming along? It was nice of your Mom to come help you. Did you ever say what your daughter's costume is? Maybe I missed it when I was following along on the iPhone. I loved the robot costume!
Costume is now DONE!! I finished it this morning!! Just need to work on the wig later. She is RAPUNZEL, complete with a frying pan!!
Coach Maria! I always love a Maria coaching week! Amazing Pamela is a tough act to follow but you are totally up for the job.
Maria is TOTALLY going to rock this week!!
I am a maintain for this week. It's not a big surprise since I have been sick and not exercising and had the run in with the Halloween candy. I do have to work it this week-end to make sure that I lose one pound to make my goal for the month. That is important to keep me on track for my weight loss for the Tinker Bell Half. I will do that.
YOu can do it!!! YES YOU WILL!!
Working on my day off today but hopefully only until noon. DH is working, too, so it's not so bad. It's good to be busy!
Have a great day all!
A quick good morning and a big Thank you to Pamela for coaching last week, and helping me to get back on track. 3 days of tracking every bite and staying within my ww points, is the most I have done since I don't know when. Thank you for inspiring me.
Awww... you're welcome!! WTG on three days on track! Keep it up!
Welcome Maria!! Thanks for coaching this week, and I know you'll be there to keep me in the wagon.
Good luck to everyone on weighin this week. My scale battery died so I'll weighin tomorrow, but wii fit was looking good.
Have a great day!!
ps. the peppermint/mocha creamer is already out at market basket. So worth the points.
Sounds yummy!
Lucky! I don't have a plan this season (nor do I any other season) but I'm going to try my hardest NOT to gain any!
Have you considering MAKING a plan???
Pjlla That robot costume is fantastic!!
Thanks!!
As for me, no workouts yesterday, had the intention but didn't BOOOOO to me
I'm dressed and ready for my workout now and that is where I am heading. 3x this week. I guess that isn't too horrible considering I'm coming off from several months of nothing.
Hope everyone has a good weekend!!!!
GOOD JOB on the workouts!!
[B
Pamela Thanks for coaching this past week! I loved the robot costume
for making it yourself!
DS had fun taking apart an old CPU and keyboard to use the parts on the costume. And I had fun (well, kind of) spraypainting and duct taping everything! I love how creative and "repurposing" the costume was!! And the light-up nose and pincher hand were a great touch that DS added!
ETA: I almost forgot to mention, I FINALLY hit 40 pounds gone! Having 2 vacations in the last month really slowed things down, but hopefully I'm getting my momentum back. I want to lose 10 more before the Tink.
Congratulations on 40 pounds!!!!!!
LisaH and Maria I agree with you guys about Anna on BL too! I think she is a wonderful athlete, but training is not her area of expertise and it shows! I loved the Halloween maze too.
Totally agree about Anna. I don't see her coming back next season.
I forgot to mention that our school is taking Halloween candy donations next week to donate to our troops. The dentist collecting the candy is giving the school 50 cents for each pound collected, which I thought sounded great until seeing that huge cauldron of candy on the BL! Hopefully our haul will be much bigger.
Have a great OP day!
What a great idea!!
Can I have some PD for my ds2. He is taking his professional engineer's license tomorrow. He has to take 2 tests one now and one in about 5 years after he has been working during that time. I know he will do fine. He has been studying for the last 3 months.
Off to get some things done around here.
Have a happy and healthy evening.
WEll.... belated prayers and PD for your DS. Hope it went well.
Hi everyone!
Sorry, I've been MIA for the past almost 2 weeks. However, we've had a lot going on. We liquidated our towing company and hopefully by the end of the weekend the tow trucks will be sold. Our house in TX is on the rental market right now. The housing market is so bad right now I wouldn't get anywhere near what I paid for my house right now. We're having a few friends take down the pool in the backyard along with the deck. The realtor said many people love the house but don't want the pool. Plus even if someone wanted it we would have to pay to maintain it, screw that!
I started using my Sparkpeople account again for weight loss (www.sparkpeople.com). If anyone is on the site my screen name is: LDHSFALCON. I've started back slowly with working out 5 times this past week. I've also drank eight 8 ounce glasses of water and tracked every bite I've put into my mouth. I realized I'm not eating many calories so I'm shooting for a 1200 - 1400 calorie day. The last two days i've hit my calorie count. Well, today being exactly one week from when I started I got on the scale to check my progress.
DOWN TWO POUNDS!
Alan is on this journey with me and he's lost 4 pounds. We went grocery shopping today and I caught him more then once reading labels on food . He really seems like he's trying to help me and support me this go around. My mini goal right now is to lose 10 pounds by Thanksgiving.
I've changed from the up all night owl to the in bed before midnight and up anywhere from 3a-6a. I didn't get up til 1030 this morning because I was up watching game 6 of the World Series. GO RANGERS!! I love the new change of getting up early. I was never a big breakfast eater but now I eat it every morning. I love cooking in this house and I've done it a lot lately. I've made a binder for the year where I include meal plan forms that I feel out for each week and I add recipes and workouts that I find on Sparkpeople. Its really keeping me motivated to have something where I can keep track of stuff and see my progress with eating healthier and such.
Oh, and our pool will be finished by the end of next week!
So super busy I see! Glad you have been able to stick to a plan. WTG with getting on Sparkpeople!
QOTDs: No concrete holiday eating control plans. Fortunately we're pretty much hermits, so it's not like we go to a lot of parties!
I don't like scary stuff. I remember being terrified of the flying monkeys in Wizard of Oz. Today's paper had a short list of scary movies; that was one of them! Also Fantasia! We always stop the movie before that last scary piece.
Now that you mention it, WoO was super scary to me when I was younger!
Had a good weigh in. hooray But I am not off to a good start of the new week. Haven't eaten anything bad, just not good. So far not a single fruit/vegetable has passed my lips! Didn't run today but will get one in tomorrow morning. So ready for it! Gotta make it a good one because we are having dinner tomorrow with a group from our church. I am making a brie cheese appetizer that is sooooo good. It will be hard to restrain myself.
Well, after waiting nearly a month, today we learned that DS2 made the honor choir in Seattle!! We are so excited for this great opportunity for him. It'll be 4 days in March. He'll learn so much, and the final concert will be outstanding, I am sure. To celebrate he wants McDonald's for dinner. ugh
DS1 wants me to watch the World Series with him. Have a super weekend!
Great news for DS! DIdn't he have a bad cold when he auditioned? Tell him McDonald's makes you sing flat!!
Pamela, thanks for being our coach last week and Maria this week!
You are welcome!! 
I was only up .4 this morning after my steakhouse gluttony last night. I did pretty well cutting back today but did have 2 homemade ladyfinger cookies someone brought into work. OMG, they were so delicious, I could have eaten 10 of them. Did an hour workout at the Y while DS was at Bible Study this afternoon. So proud of DS today, he made a 93 on his formative in Honors Geometry He only needs to raise his average 2 pts and he will have a B in there and he has an A in all other classes. I think his confidence is up now in Geometry. He studied off and on 7 hours the night before the test. He is not a natural at Math (me neither!)
Hope everyone is doing well and I confess I have not read back very far but will try to catch up reading posts while I am watching this game.
The .4 isn't bad!
Glad your DS is doing well with school. Not so much for my DS.... but it is about EFFORT rather than anything else.
My plan is just to keep tracking my food and exercise. I am not going to deny myself anything but I am going to watch portion sizes. My big problem is Christmas cookies. I LOVE to bake and between myself, my sister, and my mom, we usually make about 15 different kinds of cookies and we end up with a couple dozen of each (well, not my mom...she lives alone so she usually gets 6 of each cookie and freezes them). We freeze a bunch and take some to other people's houses for the holidays, but needless to say, I force DH to eat a lot of cookies. He doesn't mind, though
WIsh you could send me some. I decline invitations to cookie swaps and such because I absolutely HATE to bake.... and I'm NOT going to be the one to show up at a holiday cookie swap with a package of Oreos!!!! (Yup.... I've seen it happen!)
I remember my sister and I dressing as Indians one year. Oops, I guess we would be called Native Americans now. My mom made the costumes and we loved them. This year is the first year we are making a costume for one of our DSs. I am not a crafty person. I don't know how to sew anything. My DH sews small things if needed. He has banned me from all needles DS8 wanted to be a scuba diver, so DH is making his costume. I think he finished today. I hope it's easy for him to put on at school Monday!
DD was a Sea World Shamu trainer for Halloween one year. I had to make her a "wet suit". It wasn't too tough, once I found the right fabric. Love to see the scuba diver costume!
I am pretty upset with my scale I weighed myself this morning and it was the same as the last time I weighed. So I picked up something heavy and weighed my self with that. Then I reweighed myself and it said something completely different that the 1st time! So I tried one more time, and got a different number. So all in all, I weighed 3 different numbers in about 5 minutes and they span 1.5 pounds!!! Maybe it's time for a new scale?
Or maybe just a new battery? I'm thinking that is what my scale needs.
I also didn't eat very healthy today. I splurged on a cupcake at work and piece of cream cheese coffee cake I made for DH for school. I am working out much harder than ever, but I seem to eat more. I need to get my eating under control. I feel so blah and didn't work out today, either. I took my boys to see Puss in Boots instead. It was cute and worth it to hang out with my boys. I plan to get up early and go to the gym to run on the TM since our district CC meet is tomorrow at the park I run in.
Well, now that I've rambled on about myself...
Hope everyone has a good weekend!
Jill
GLad to hear you had fun with your boys. Enjoy them while they're young!
Diet-wise: I am so mad that I forgot to weigh myself this morning before I ate. I will have to submit my weight tomorrow. I think I had a really good week and am looking forward to seeing what the scale says.
My biggest victory this week - having over ten pounds of Halloween candy in the house and only eating 3 small pieces over the course of the week.
I was playing around on Picnik today and made this picture of my boys (who rarely pose anywhere near each other, so this was a fluke
- Laura
Awww.... love cute kitty pictures!
17 teaspoons in a 20 ounce coke. Which is the standard bottle size and less then the "new" medium at most fast food places. We have a running bet with the kids. If they can go soda free for a month, then drink it. and don't get sick then they win $50. The key is they can't feel like crap after. DS15 took the bet in a heartbeat, I say he'll get sicker than a dog!!!
It's been 5 days since I've had soda and I feel more alert and focused. I've just about gotten to the point that I don't crave it either. But the headaches are brutal.
Nice job dumping the soda!!! The headaches will eventually subside, I promise!
I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but up until about 12 years ago I would drink upwards of 100 oz. of Coke each day.
OMG!!!
One day, I just decided to replace it with Diet Coke. Since then, I've managed to wean myself down to just 1 can of Diet Coke a day (along with about 120 oz of water.)
WTG!!
Recently I was out to dinner and was served a Coke instead of a Diet Coke - with just one sip I couldn't believe how sweet it was - can't believe I used to drink so much of it. Laura
Be PROUD of how far you've come!!
Hey guys I just wanted to drop in since I've been MIA the last two weeks for the most part. I had my professional engineering test today so I've been up to my neck in studying. However it was wonderful to take a 8 hr test on a rainy day. So now the fun starts 10 +/- weeks of waiting for results on a multiple choice scan tron test. Anyway I'm going to try and catch up tomorrow, yall have a good evening.
Tim
Prayers and PD for good results on the test. I'm sure you studied hard and did great!!!
Hey everyone - been reading along, but really no time to post. I just finished up my 12th day straight at work - 7 more to go and I can have a day off. Thank goodness this only happens twice a year. I am getting too old!!!
Yikes! Take care of yourself!
I saw a little discussion about the BL show - am I the only one that really misses Jillian?? I follow Olivia (last season's winner) on Twitter and she recently had, what she referred to as "skin surgery". One of the gossip shows - can't remember which one - taped the whole process and she will tweet when the show will be on. I will try to look at Twitter more than the once a month I do now. LOL
I really miss Jillian. Sure, she can be a witch sometimes, but she knows her stuff about training and motivating!!
Jealous of the "skin" surgery! Wish I was brave enough (and rich enough) to have a much-needed tummy tuck. So glad I lost the weight, but HATE the "skin belt" I am forced to live with.
An early congratulations to all the losers and maintainers. I hope everyone is enjoying thier hayride to SUCCESS!!! Soon to be a sleigh ride in MA with the Nor'easter barreling in our direction!!!!
Remember - If you can dream it, you can do it!!
Janis
I love this idea. I think I need to try something like this with ds. We don't usually have soda at home, but if we're at my brothers the always have it and he's always saying how lucky his cousins are to have soda any time they want, and gets mad I'll only let him have one while we are there. But money talks, so I'll have to think on this. I think I'd start with 20 dollars.
Sounds dreamy. I'm guessing Mike might even have been there to hand you a drool cloth.
We ended up with tickets to Tim Mcgraw in the 3rd row once, and the guy I was with said to me, "do you need a cloth for all that drool?" So funny.
Thank you CC for doing all this. You are so creative with the hh. I love it. Now if I will just do it and keep it up.
I'm not a big scary movie person, maybe the Shining was the scariest. A year or 2 ago, my friend and I were going to see a movie while her teenage dd took my ds to a kids movie, but we hadn't looked up times so when we got there, the movie we wanted to see wasn't at the same theater, so we looked through the movie notebook to see what the available movies were about and decide on this one that was described as someone witnessing a crash on a race course, and surviving and feeling like he cheated death, and we thought is was going to be an emotional type movie, but it was called Final Destination. It was horrible. We had no idea it was a gory bloodfest. It was hilarious. My friend emailed me a while later when it came out in 3D to see it again. NOT!
UGh, I don't envy your snow. And no matter what we get here, I don't think it will be 8 inches, so I'll remember it's worse in colorado. Congrats on 40 pounds gone!!!!
I am on the Pamela plan to stay on track til thanksgiving 80-90% of the time, tracking every bite I eat. I started knitting a scarf so instead of eating while I watch tv at night, I'm knitting, and that is helping. My goal is to lose 5 pound by T-day, and enjoy the holiday weekend, then back on track that monday until Christmas weekend. Tracking every bite, except for the actually holidays.
You will be lighter AND have a pretty scarf to show for it!! Nice plan!!
Saturday QOTD:It's Sabado Gigante BL Style! 1)What is one thing you will do today to have a BIG impact on your healthy upcoming week? And for those of you willing to enter the Twilight Zone 2) The radioactive spider bit you, that nice Cullen boy bit you, you discovered there's Mayfair in your bloodline -- based on your personality, what kind of supernatural creature would you be?
Maria
I WILL make a food plan for the week. Even though DH will be gone away again, that is NO excuse not to plan my meals! And as it will be another crazy busy week, I see lots of crockpot usage in my future!!
Supernatural creature???? Hmmmm...... I am a super crazy CAT! Not Catwoman, but a real feline.... Like a real cat, I am a loner (very much me), independent (me again), but I like the occasional hug and pat! My super powers are the ability to make people feel better when I am with them and the ability to remove mice from the house without actually having to eat them!!
Have a great day everyone! I had a good weigh in this morning and am only up .4 from my lowest of the challenge! Ready to go forward and lose some NEW pounds
YEA!!!!
We’ve both been really busy today. I was up at 9:30, tracked my meals for the day, cooked breakfast, ate, played around on the internet for a few, showered, got dressed, and we headed out to Home Depot. When our house was built they didn’t install ceiling fans. We got 4 ceiling fans and 2 showerheads. Then after Home Depot we headed to lunch at Subway. After lunch we headed home. I played around on the computer some while Alan installed the fan in the exercise room. Once he was finished he went outside for a smoke break and I jumped on the treadmill and walked half a mile. Then he came back in and did the ceiling fan in the living room and our office. Once he finished the one in the office I jumped back on the treadmill and did a mile. That mile and a half brought my mileage for the week to: 4! I’ve done good with food & water consumption today. Breakfast was: English muffin with 1 scrambled egg, piece of Kraft cheese, and 2 pieces of Canadian bacon. I swear this has become my favourite breakfast meal, its quick and easy and half the calories of one at McDonalds. Lunch was a 6 inch roast beef with cheddar at Subway with 2 ounces of baked Lays, and a bottled water. I’m going to get up in a few and start dinner and drink my last 8 ounces of water for the night. We’re having a family recipe: hamburger noodle casserole. I’m going to eat a side salad and some baby carrots with it. Dessert will be a 100 calorie cup of cheesecake yogurt. I think I’m going to watch a movie tonight or rent an On Demand one. I heard “Zookeeper” was a funny movie.
We’re going to head to Wal-Mart tomorrow because we still need candy for the trick or treaters.
You've been doing GREAT! Keep it up!!
I apologize for not being around much today and tonight -- my dh is our church treasurer and has to complete several reports tonight. That pushes ds to the laptop, and me to...Tivo or a good book! Anyway, I will try to get the replies done I can before he returns with dinner and I'm back to entertaining myself....big Nor'easter blowin' through right now...
Maria
Totally forgiven! Are you here today? Do you have power? We consider ourselves VERY LUCKY that we have power.
I've pretty much given up soda. I used to drink regular, then diet daily, then I went to once a week, and now I don't seem to want it. I know it bloats me something terrible, and I just don't get pleasure from it like I used to.Great job, the headaches will get better soon
Ok, none of us are going to speak about what we ate or drank 12 years ago I used to think an excellent evening included a 2 liter of Mountain Dew and a big bag of Cheetos, preferably followed by a bag of twizzlers and a small mountain of Hershey's kisses
Okay.... just gotta say.....
Today I ran 10M! This is huge for me as it's my first run of that length since the Providence Half in August. It sets me up with a ton of confidence and will power to resist the goodies. I am not going to waste all that effort by filling up with junk!
WOOHOOO!!!
We miss you, too,
Pamela! That is awesome advice. You are correct, it just isn't worth it. I bought the smallest bag of candy corn I could find today. I know I will be satisfied with just a few because they are so sweet. I'm going to eat them, and then give the back to dh to eat or throw away, his choice. I'm saving my ration of dh's homemade popcorn for Monday night, and that is my Halloween treat. DS is not trick or treating, and I know we won't have leftovers, we never do. I may pick out one, and only one, piece to have post-popcorn, instead of my usual one piece of Dove each evening. I know I will report how I did to everyone here the next day, so it's all out there and I have to follow it
GOOD PLAN!!
We don't have our candy yet, either. I think it's best for my sanity not to have it too far in advance!
Maria
GLad I got mine early, even though it meant having to ignore it for a few weeks. I'd HATE to be out in this today trying to buy candy!!
I've been mia from the boards for a while. I'm really struggling this semester (and only taking one class). I am use to getting A's and maybe a B here and there, but I've only seen B's & C's in this class, then I failed my exam this past week (by 4 points) so I'm passing, but not with the grade I was expecting I'd get. Thankfully the food and exercise are going much better. I have been getting to the Y five or six days a week. I started doing another class (muscle pump) in addition to my cardio and weights and the scale seems to be moving again. It's going down a little each week. I had to go buy some new clothes because those I bought six weeks ago are too big. I've never had this problem. (and those were ones I had just bought after being 'stuck' in one size for a couple years). For the first time in most of my adult life I actually put on size 12 jeans and they fit, no tugging, no pulling, nothing, they fit! Blew my mind away, I had to actually stare in the mirror a couple times, I couldn't believe it. I even bought a sweater in a medium and I don't think I've ever bought a med. As the holidays approach, I am hoping to keep this up. I'm at 48 pounds off since the beginning of the year. Hoping to hit 50 before we go to Disney the 28th of November.
Sounds like you have been really busy. YOu can do it.... 2 pounds til disney!!!
Hoping to sleep in tomorrow so posting the QOTD now...
Snowy Sunday QOTD: Yep, the white stuff has fallen in my neck of the woods. Do you have special decorations for Halloween, indoor or out? Do you try to sneak any Hidden Mickeys or other Disney decorations into the mix? Ours are now covered in frosty goodness!
Maria
Well, as the self-proclaimed "Halloween Hater" here, I don't have much. I don't mind "fall" decorations, but I only have one or two legit "Halloween" items and I usually wait and put them out just for the day on the 31st. I have a tiny "Happy Halloween" sign that I put next to the door outside and a ceramic jack o'lantern.
For fall decor I usually put up grapevine and leaves, a few pumpkins, and some maybe some bittersweet wreaths or swags (as it grows on our property, it is an easy choice).
We have some cling ons in the front windows here, and I have a fake pumpkin that I carved two years ago. I can't find the flickering tea light that goes inside it though. At home we used to have the paper decorations to put in the windows, and my Mom made really cool ghosts that were in our front yard for several years. They were two different sized tomato cages, with white felt covers and black eyes/mouths. The cages had white lights wrapped around them, then the felt stuff went on top. Unfortunately, the dog ate the felt so they haven't been out in a while.
No hidden Mickeys, but the house 6 down from ours here at school has a pumpkin with a Mickey face stencil carved into it! It's really awesome.
I'm fairly certain our little Christmas tree is going up on Tuesday, and the Christmas lights are definitely going up in my room. One housemate and I are already listening to Christmas music!
Noooooooo not Christmas already!!
WOW! That is a lot of snow. Another reason I'm glad I live in FL. I hate snow.
That's awesome that you controlled youself enough not to overindulge on the pretzels. Chocolate covered pretzels are one of my many weaknesses . We will be getting Halloween candy later today and I'm allowing myself to get one small bag of fun size hershey bars. I will eat one a day as a snack and will be accountable in tracking it in my food tracker.
WEll.... he only brought home one tiny bag of the chocolate pretzels, so its not like I could do much damage with those!!
But they were delicious and really just enough!
***************
OH MY, MY! I'm caught up to here and now DD is bugging me for the computer. I'm going to go work on the wig! She had her entire costume on before lunch (sans wig, of course) and it fits pretty well and looks adorable! Not exactly as we had originally pictured, but so cute! I will post a picture Tuesday or Wednesday.
TTYL.................................P
Buffy is definitely supernatural -- she has special powers given to the chosen one! Not everyone can be a vampire slayer -- and if Angel was part of the deal, I'd be Buffy in a hot minute 
T-R-O-U-B-L-E 
Outdoors dh has a cage, sized for a large dog. Inside he hangs severed heads, and has a rat, skull and other scary paraphernalia. It is definitely the only one on the block! 
