Biggest Loser "Sizzlin' Hot" Summer Challenge

[myweegirls]

David Tennant YUM!

Best doctor EVER!!!

So true! The Tenth Doctor is *absolutely* my doctor. <3

XO

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Bungle]

Anyone else find it hard to resist temptation without seeming rude when at a friends house? I just don't feel tonight is going to be good for my waistline!

As for the QOTD
1. My camera
2. Cellular genetics book
3. Some dirt
4. a bottle of nail polish
5. A picture of my yard

Also, are we still sending our weighins to dvccruiser until the next challenge starts?

 

[leeandstacismom]

Anyone else find it hard to resist temptation without seeming rude when at a friends house? I just don't feel tonight is going to be good for my waistline!

As for the QOTD
1. My camera
2. Cellular genetics book
3. Some dirt
4. a bottle of nail polish
5. A picture of my yard

Also, are we still sending our weighins to dvccruiser until the next challenge starts?

WOW your box sounds too cool and smart. Now I totally envision you as this very put together scientist who has a fabulous garden and still has manicured nails.

 

[lmhall2000]

OK I understood everything but the Norman Rockwell. That one stumped me. What does it represent?

The one with tHem all at the table with all the generations eating turkey...that describes every fond memory I have of family...putting aside busy schedules to sit and love sharing a meal and memories!

 

[kollerbear]

I have something I pinned on Pinterest that is an overnight oatmeal "shake" type thing. I haven't tried it yet because I wasn't sure how I would feel about cold oatmeal. But I'll look it up if you are interested. I also posted an overnight crockpot steel cut oats recipe here last week if you are interested in HOT oatmeal.

I missed the quote, but I completely get what you mean about the food you enjoy being REAL food, not necessarily sweets or junk. I'm so lucky that I've ALWAYS loved vegetables--I'm hard pressed to find a vegetable that I intrinsically don't like. I am going to play around with my daily routines and see if maybe I could have half a shake portion as a snack when I get home to help fill the gap, but still leave me with an extra 100 calories or so to have REAL food with. I had the BEST velvety grits tonight made with creamed cashews, almond milk and vegetable stock, and I could have had another serving for only 130 calories!!

I'd love to get that recipe for the overnight oatmeal shake if you have the time to find it--when you get back from vacation--our tiny little apartment doesn't have room for another appliance (crock pot) just yet! Thank you!

Feeling really bloated today and VERY frustrated about that. I was feeling really flat-bellied about two days ago and LOVING that feeling! What happened?

Been there! I know the scale didn't end up working out, but hopefully you're back to normal and even a bit lighter before you head off for your vacation!!

Evening friends! Good news is that DH is returning from ME just in time to pick up DD at swim. Bad news is that it seems like I got nothing done with my "extra" 2 hours. Filled the gas tank (again!), talked with Mom, made dinner, packed up a few vacation items, worked on the packing list, did some dishes, ate...that's it.

I don't know--that sounds like a full two hours! Making a list (not to mention talking to Mom, as a PP said ) usually takes me a lot of time, but then everything else goes so much more smoothly--both after having made the list, and having gotten Mom's seal of approval.

I've been running the Galloway training program for the ToT 10-miler, and that's going really well so far. I went 7.2 miles last weekend - I *never* thought I'd be able to do that! And it definitely made me feel so confident about doing the whole race.

Congratulations! There is something about crossing the 6-mile threshold that just brings you to the next level--think about what percentage of people can say that they can do that!!! (I'm not talking about all these fit people here at the Challenge, of course... )

And oh yeah - I'll be 40 next Wednesday!

Happy Birthday! It's so exciting to cross that milestone in such good shape, like you said. What are you doing to celebrate?

It is funny you mention the Indiana Jones scene ... I love that one too. I saw an interview one time and Harrison Ford said that he wasn't feeling well the day of that shooting. It was suppose to be a long fight scene and he told Steven Spielberg, "Can't we just shoot them?" ... and he agreed. Funny!

This is awesome!

Headed to the Cape tomorrow till monday. Wish we could stay longer but i have class (2 weeks left!) just finisehd, packing...I am the worst packer, I have SO MUCH STUFF and im only there for a few days haha. oh well at least im prepared for everything!

Oh gosh, you and me both! I was a MUCH better packer before we started travelling with the car. But you know what, that extra stuff often comes in handy!! I hope you have a GREAT time at the Cape! I always love swimming and playing mini-golf there... such a beautiful destination.

WOOSH!!!!!!

4 pound weight loss this week!!!!! I didn't weigh in last week because it was still the same as the week before. But this week I was really really focused on food.

Now to run with it!!!

16 pounds gone since January!!!

Congratulations! Four pounds is AWESOME! It's amazing what happens when you really focus on your plan and your food--oh, and when your body cooperates, of course. Onwards and downwards!

Hello everyone. Time to get back on track I didn't do so well on vacation and the scale shows that. We are talking about doing a 5k in Nov. which means I've got a lot of work to do to get ready for it. I would love to at least jog the whole thing but where I'm at right now I know that won't happen. We've downloaded the couch to 5k program and we are starting it Monday. I've planned out our meals for the next 2 weeks (we get paid bi-weekly) and made my shopping list hoping this will help me stay on track. I hope you all have a great weekend.

Welcome back from vacation, and good luck starting the Couch to 5k program! Having your meals planned out makes SUCH a difference. You've really set yourself up for success.

Just checking in to celebrate reaching my mini-goal of losing 13 pounds.

I am no longer morbidly obese!! Clinically obese sounds MUCH better

Good day today, so far. I did have DD's fruit pastry at Panera (need to go log it) but the sweetness really did me in. I've got a headache, and I feel blech. Not the result I was expecting but I'll take it! It's a good reminder that I don't need that crap.

I'm just going to keep plugging away.

I know it may not seem like it, but I think this is great! This is when I kind of had my healthy foods breakthrough myself--knowing the calorie count of a bad food isn't always enough to make me NOT want to eat something, but when I splurged and saw how I DIDN'T FEEL GOOD after I ate sweet or heavy food, that feeling often helps me make the choices that are best. So I hope this helps you in the future!

I love this! I have a similar relationship with Excel and have been meaning to learn more about Access. I totally get this one.

There's one of us in every crowd!! I love my spreadsheets!! I don't know Access very well at all, but Matt's a lot more advanced than me with setting up databases--and using SQL, which I can't do at all. I'm really excited about being able to run a report and get my shopping lists without having to fish through all my cookbooks at once! Also, he's setting it up so I can search for "Soups" that use "Leafy Greens" or "Root Vegetables", or recipes that are "Easy" and "Rated over 3 stars", or recipes I made more than five times last year. Then, I can say how many servings I want and the math for the shopping lists will all be done for me! I'm really excited about this!

The kitty cat photos are too cute. I love cats, they are so comforting. I also adore the fact that you love animals the way you do. I wish more felt that way. OK after posting I am going to have to look up Seitan, it sounds like a meat substitute? The recipe looked interesting and a database for recipes??? Great GOOGAMOOGA how does anybody design those. That is way over my head. He must really adore you. The pillowcase is lovely, I wish I could sew. I buy patterns and fabric and even a machine, but somehow I have yet to introduce them all together. I am not catholic, but I do think a lot of the prayers are very heartwarming and inspirational. I am also getting a big kick out of reading all the responses.

Thanks!! I do love our kitties! Although they are kind of deadbeat roommates--they don't lift a finger around the house and you can't take them ANYWHERE.

Seitan is a wheat gluten meat substitute that is, I think, texturally most like meat because it's chewy. It is essentially made by boiling a wheat gluten dough. It's in most veggie burger products to give it chew and substance. I think it's great, but you've gotta know what you're doing... the line between toothsome and rubbery is VERY fine with this stuff, so it's great to go to a place that does the stuff justice! You're also, of course, eating straight gluten, which can be heavy to digest. So it's a Sometimes Food (i.e. one or two meals a week max) in our house.

The time will come when you're just ready to start sewing! I really enjoyed using the book Stitch by Stitch, I think it's a great introduction that really gets you sewing right away, producing neat little projects, and teaching you all the other stuff as you go. I kind of had to put my sewing on hiatus, but I'm looking forward to getting into it again where I left off!

Gee, technically still obese but only two pounds from being overweight, hopeful I can start August being overweight and by Christmas be normal weight zone! So excited! It is nice to see a loss while it's bloat time but hope to really knock off some next week!

Congrats.. it really is right around the corner! I love the Norman Rockwell painting--it is so idyllic!! That makes me think of the "tableau vivant" episode that uses that painting in Modern Family... have you happened to see it?

Have a great weekend everyone!!

 

[kollerbear]

Anyone else find it hard to resist temptation without seeming rude when at a friends house? I just don't feel tonight is going to be good for my waistline!

As for the QOTD
1. My camera
2. Cellular genetics book
3. Some dirt
4. a bottle of nail polish
5. A picture of my yard

Also, are we still sending our weighins to dvccruiser until the next challenge starts?

Sorry I missed this one... YES YES a TRILLION times yes. Social outings at others' houses and at restaurants are by far the thing that throws me off my plan the easiest, especially when others are cooking. (The added dietary gymnastics that come from being vegan make this more complicated, too.) I'm still struggling to strike a balance with this... depending on the friend, a lot of them know that I'm tracking all my food, so they're usually very understanding when I take small portions or avoid things like alcohol. I think being sure to eat slowly can also help distract from the fact that you're not eating very much.

A lot of times in those situations, though, I just eat normally and enjoy myself. I don't see it as an "off" night, though-- I try to think of the way that my skinny sister naturally approaches a plate of food (slowly and kind of picky) and I try to channel her energy... "Oh goodness, I couldn't eat another BITE of that dessert, I'm so STUFFED." I usually either decide to tell the person about my diet ahead of time or just don't mention it all and go with the flow.

And yes, send your weight to dvccruiser through the summer!

 

[buzz5985]

Also, are we still sending our weighins to dvccruiser until the next challenge starts?

Yes weights are still going to Sue.

Janis

 

[buzz5985]

I just wanted to apologize for not being a more active member of the challenge. My life has been crazy lately. I just spent the last week trying to work on my resume to apply for a couple of jobs in my department - higher salary. That task is finished. My Aunt that has been battling cancer for the past year has had a major setback and has just been admitted to a hospice house - so I have been trying to spend as much time as I can with her. My poor father needs cataract surgery - so dealing with all those appointments. throw in a the physical therapy for DS kyposis - I am so ready for vacation. I dropped my sister and family off this morning for their cruise to Bermuda from Boston - so now I feel a need to check on her dog at the kennel. All I can say is - 4 business days till my summer vacation.

Janis

 

[lmhall2000]

I just wanted to apologize for not being a more active member of the challenge. My life has been crazy lately. I just spent the last week trying to work on my resume to apply for a couple of jobs in my department - higher salary. That task is finished. My Aunt that has been battling cancer for the past year has had a major setback and has just been admitted to a hospice house - so I have been trying to spend as much time as I can with her. My poor father needs cataract surgery - so dealing with all those appointments. throw in a the physical therapy for DS kyposis - I am so ready for vacation. I dropped my sister and family off this morning for their cruise to Bermuda from Boston - so now I feel a need to check on her dog at the kennel. All I can say is - 4 business days till my summer vacation.

Janis

so sorry, will pray for your aunt..I hope the vacation is a perfect break for you! Thanks for all you do!

 

[SettinSail]

I'm back after a week of being slack. Going to catch up a little at a time. I lose my posts so often on the Ipad

I have an announcement to make -

Sue (dvccruiser), CC (cclovesdis) and I (buzz5985) are stepping down in our roles of weightkeeper, HH, and hostess. We wanted to give plenty of notice in order for other's to step up to the challenge.

Any questions regarding any of the positions, just PM me. We will help any new people in anyway that we can.

Janis

Janis, Sue and CC, THANK you ladies for your dedication, creativity and encouragement ! You will never know how many lives you have influenced. I look forward to seeing how the next challenge evolves.

Pamela

Thank you so much for the oatmeal recipe- plan to prepare it this weekend!

I'm honored!

Hmm. This is a tough question. Since Matt's been home before starting a new job last week, he did all the cooking, so I wouldn't share the recipes he used because he wings it a lot and I don't really know what he did! But I'll share a couple of my favorite recipes with leafy and cruciferous greens instead...

Broccoli:
40-Cloves Chickpeas and Broccoli: Matt doesn't typically enjoy broccoli, but this is a really delicious way to prepare it! It's nothing fancy, but if you like garlic (this doesn't actually have FORTY cloves), this is a really nice, relatively easy way to get a ton of nutrition into a bowl.

Bistro Broccoli Chowder: Never in a million years would I have thought there was only 150 calories per serving in this soup. It's creamy and delicious--the secret ingredient is parsnips. Also, there is 5.5 grams of protein just from vegetable sources. It is kind of a game changer. It's really, really delicious, although the chopping takes a little bit of work. Well worth the effort, and it reheats beautifully!

Cauliflower:
Lasagna with Roasted Cauliflower Ricotta and Spinach: Cauliflower can be SNEAKY! And it's super healthy. Pulse up cooked cauliflower and add it to your ricotta in stuffed shells or lasagna. Sometimes, we also mash cauliflower to mix in with mashed potatoes.

Cabbage:
Curried Cabbage and Peas: Cabbage is so healthy, but I have such a hard time eating it! I like this side dish a lot, and it's got some color and variety with peas and a little bit of carrot. It would go really well with some rice cooked in a little bit of broth, and any kind of protein you're cooking up that night.

Swiss Chard:
Posole with Garnishes: Sometimes Martha just really knows what she's doing. A soup is a GREAT way to cook leafy greens, because it's easier to boil them than to sautee them, but you don't lose the nutrition because the nutrients just leach into the broth. If you're in a neighborhood where you can find tomatillos (and this is the season for them!), then this recipe is a delicious summer soup!! I typically only crisp up a couple corn torillas in the oven and slice up some avocado and radish as toppings, but you can also use Greek yogurt or sour cream if you like.

Dandelion Greens:
Leeky Broth with Ravioli: I make this with a small spoonful of pesto over the top and with gemelli pasta now that I'm vegan, and that is healthier than making it with filled pasta. But I've had very picky eaters eat this recipe when I made it with the tiny raviolis from Trader Joe's! This is perfect in the spring when leeks and bitter greens come into season before everything else.

Kale:
Sauteed Kale with Umeboshi Vinegar: OK, I don't have a recipe link for this one. I tried to find a recipe online that approximates it, but no dice, because everyone makes it fancier and more complicated than it needs to be when they're writing up a recipe. The basic gist is you par-boil the kale for just part of the way, drain, and rinse. Then sautee the kale in about a teaspoon per serving of sesame oil and, as the leaves become more tender, sprinkle with umeboshi vinegar. This is an Asian plum vinegar, and the flavor is incredible and just really makes the kale sing. It's worth looking for in the Asian section of your supermarket. Then, taste and sprinkle with soy sauce and/or Kosher salt until it's seasoned as you like. My FAVORITE way to make this recipe is with Lucianato (aka dinosaur) kale, which is a more wrinkly variety that cooks to be more tender than regular kale. And how fun is it to cook with something with "Dinosaur" in the name? (Note: If anyone is really interested in this but can't find umeboshi vinegar locally, I would be happy to ship some to you because I am crazy about it and would be happy to spread the love! Just PM me.)

Whew. OK. That's a good start. I hope somebody finds something that sounds interesting to them here!

I'm home sick from work today and feeling hungry but not up to cooking, so maybe I just wanted to eat vicariously through the recipes?

A lot of these are from a REALLY good low-calorie vegan cookbook called Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. I actually would recommend this book to ANYONE looking for yummy ways to cook with a variety of vegetables, not just vegans. I've cooked at least 1/2 of the recipes in the book--some are better than others--but it's honestly just my go-to book for cooking a veggie based meal. And she's got all the nutrition info. for each recipe right in the book! (And someone awesome has entered them all into MFP, too, so it's very easy to fit the recipes into your plan!)

WOW. These look awesome! The combo of kale and vinegar is soooo good. I just get some off the Whole Foods salad bar about once a week. I may have to break down and actually prepare some myself. I will look for the Asian vinegar, I love love vinegar!! All the recipes look great, thank you so much for taking the time to post

Laura, congrats on the job Will catch up more in a bit

Shawn

Shawn

 

[leeandstacismom]

If you could meet anybody in history, who would it be? What would you ask/tell them?

 

[pjlla]

I missed the quote, but I completely get what you mean about the food you enjoy being REAL food, not necessarily sweets or junk. I'm so lucky that I've ALWAYS loved vegetables--I'm hard pressed to find a vegetable that I intrinsically don't like. I am going to play around with my daily routines and see if maybe I could have half a shake portion as a snack when I get home to help fill the gap, but still leave me with an extra 100 calories or so to have REAL food with. I had the BEST velvety grits tonight made with creamed cashews, almond milk and vegetable stock, and I could have had another serving for only 130 calories!!

That sounds delish. I really like grits.

I'd love to get that recipe for the overnight oatmeal shake if you have the time to find it--when you get back from vacation--our tiny little apartment doesn't have room for another appliance (crock pot) just yet! Thank you!

Here is the link I found via Pinterest. I will say that both of the different recipes I found included yogurt (didn't realize that at first) and I'm not sure if you eat any kind of alternative yogurt (soy?).

http://www.theyummylife.com/Refrigerator_Oatmeal

Too bad you couldn't find a tiny crockpot like the old one I use. It holds just a half batch of the overnight oatmeal (1 C oats and 4 C water) and it comes out just right. I've also used it in the past to make a half batch of baked beans and it is a great size for keeping things warm for a buffet like cheese sauce and dips.


Been there! I know the scale didn't end up working out, but hopefully you're back to normal and even a bit lighter before you head off for your vacation!!

Starting to think that the scale battery needs replacing. Stepped on again this a.m. for another try and it said I was up a pound from yesterday... so I peed and tried again and it showed me up YET ANOTHER half pound! Not sure what's up, but I KNOW I didn't gain 1.5 pounds from yesterday's weigh in! I'll worry about it when I get home from vacation.


There's one of us in every crowd!! I love my spreadsheets!! I don't know Access very well at all, but Matt's a lot more advanced than me with setting up databases--and using SQL, which I can't do at all. I'm really excited about being able to run a report and get my shopping lists without having to fish through all my cookbooks at once! Also, he's setting it up so I can search for "Soups" that use "Leafy Greens" or "Root Vegetables", or recipes that are "Easy" and "Rated over 3 stars", or recipes I made more than five times last year. Then, I can say how many servings I want and the math for the shopping lists will all be done for me! I'm really excited about this!

Jealous! I'd love to create something like that!!


Thanks!! I do love our kitties! Although they are kind of deadbeat roommates--they don't lift a finger around the house and you can't take them ANYWHERE.

Well, at least our kitty is an excellent hunter and keeps the mouse/chipmunk/squirrel/mole/vole population under control! She earns her keep! Still can't take her anywhere though!

Congrats.. it really is right around the corner! I love the Norman Rockwell painting--it is so idyllic!! That makes me think of the "tableau vivant" episode that uses that painting in Modern Family... have you happened to see it?

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Hope your weekend is terrific!

I just wanted to apologize for not being a more active member of the challenge. My life has been crazy lately. I just spent the last week trying to work on my resume to apply for a couple of jobs in my department - higher salary. That task is finished. My Aunt that has been battling cancer for the past year has had a major setback and has just been admitted to a hospice house - so I have been trying to spend as much time as I can with her. My poor father needs cataract surgery - so dealing with all those appointments. throw in a the physical therapy for DS kyposis - I am so ready for vacation. I dropped my sister and family off this morning for their cruise to Bermuda from Boston - so now I feel a need to check on her dog at the kennel. All I can say is - 4 business days till my summer vacation.

Janis

WOW.... with all that on your plate I understand why you haven't been more active! That is a lot of stress and a lot to handle all at once. Prayers for you, your aunt, your dad, your stress level, all of it! Enjoy your vacation and RELAX!!

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

Morning friends! Awoke to a disappointing text from my Mom stating that my oldest nephew (19) has decided that he CANNOT go on vacation with us this week. According to him it is his job, but we all KNOW it is that he doesn't want to leave the girlfriend. I'm sad and frustrated and angry and disappointed, but mostly just sad that it broke my Mom's heart.

SO MUCH to do around the house today and nearly ALL of the packing still left to do! And here it is, 10:15, and EVERYONE is still sitting on their butts! I've already been to the dump and the bank and had my breakfast (and consoled my Mom).

Time to do some butt kicking around here! TTYL.............P

 

[Disneywedding2010]

Hi Everyone!

Sorry, I've not been around much. Its been kind of crazy around here. Yesterday was the 4.5 year anniversary of Josh and Maddie's passing. Unfortunately it was a VERY BAD day. Lots of stress and feeling overwhelmed compounded with grief. I RARELY drink alcohol and before 4pm had already drank 2 large roman cokes. I didn't exercise and had fried food for dinner at Chilis. I just didn't care and wanted the day over with.


****TMI ALERT****
Then you add into the mix I started spotting. Which I have now found out today has turned into a full blown TOM. Yeah, that's just crazy considering I've already had a TOM for July. Well, on the good side I saved myself money from having to go buy another dose of Provera.

Hoping today is better. Sarah (Alan's daughter) is at Wet N Wild with our neighbors. She's done more in the past 5 days then she has her entire life. Her mom kept her very sheltered during childhood.

She's made the decision to remove certain people from her life because they aren't happy for her. They hate the fact that she's here with Alan. I told her "Your a big girl. You don't have to keep them in your life just because they're family. The way I look at it is if someone can't support you and be happy for you then there is no room in life for them. I haven't talked to a lot of my family in almost 3 years because they pulled a lot of the same crap your mom and her family are doing. Its not worth the headache, aggravation, or heartache. Your happy, they need to suck it up and support you. You've not had your dad in your life at all since you were born. This is your chance to get to know him, spend time with him, and have a life of your own without people dictating what you can and can not do. Embrace it."

 

[Octoberbride03]

Checking in here for the weekend.

Had work today although a bit shorter than I planned. But at this point i am like whatever as far as my hours at Target go.

Got a lot done around the house yesterday. 3 loads of laundry and clothes got put on the line to dry. Other loads were linens and my line is not big enough for those. Got 2 rooms dusted and a 20 minute workout with my stability ball in. Also got my doggie walked first thing in the morning before it got too hot and cleaned out my cockatiel's bottom tray.

For I don't know how long I have just not really cared much about a lot of things 1 way or another. I can't pinpoint 1 specific reason for it, but with a new tiel in the house( my old tiel Rally passed away a year ago) I have found myself getting myself together in the morning and looking around at what needs doing. And its a good change. I am trying to make it stick. And to that end I ordered a new workout for myself yesterday. So I am happily awaiting the arrival of Pilates on the ball. So something new with a familiar piece of equipment to keep me working out.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

If you could meet anybody in history, who would it be? What would you ask/tell them?

Alexander Graham Bell - I'd like to show him a cell phone and ask him what he thinks of communication and technology.

Princess Diana - I would ask her if she's proud of the way the boys turned out. Is she pleased with Williams choice as a wife.

 

[pjlla]

If you could meet anybody in history, who would it be? What would you ask/tell them?

I LOVE this question. We play around with this question in the car a lot.

My number one choice is Laura Ingalls Wilder. I would love to hear more about her "real" life (not the fictionalized version that she wrote about). I've read other bio's about her and I know it wasn't just like the books.

She was a strong, courageous, brave, faithful, hardworking woman. She is truly an American legend in my mind. In fact, I named my only DD after her! I've been fascinated with her life since I read my first "Little House" book in about 1st grade (I was always reading ahead of grade level).

Love to spend a few hours talking with Walt Disney too, but honestly LIW is always my first choice.

Hi Everyone!

Sorry, I've not been around much. Its been kind of crazy around here. Yesterday was the 4.5 year anniversary of Josh and Maddie's passing. Unfortunately it was a VERY BAD day. Lots of stress and feeling overwhelmed compounded with grief. I RARELY drink alcohol and before 4pm had already drank 2 large roman cokes. I didn't exercise and had fried food for dinner at Chilis. I just didn't care and wanted the day over with.

So sorry. Glad it is over for now. And what the HECK is a "roman coke"?

****TMI ALERT****
Then you add into the mix I started spotting. Which I have now found out today has turned into a full blown TOM. Yeah, that's just crazy considering I've already had a TOM for July. Well, on the good side I saved myself money from having to go buy another dose of Provera.

Not sure whether to say "woohoo" or "so sorry". I know you are trying to become a baby oven and I'm not sure if having a "P" is a good thing right now or not. My guess is that your body is trying to finally get itself back into a regular rhythm and the irregularity is just part of that.

Hoping today is better. Sarah (Alan's daughter) is at Wet N Wild with our neighbors. She's done more in the past 5 days then she has her entire life. Her mom kept her very sheltered during childhood.

She's made the decision to remove certain people from her life because they aren't happy for her. They hate the fact that she's here with Alan. I told her "Your a big girl. You don't have to keep them in your life just because they're family. The way I look at it is if someone can't support you and be happy for you then there is no room in life for them. I haven't talked to a lot of my family in almost 3 years because they pulled a lot of the same crap your mom and her family are doing. Its not worth the headache, aggravation, or heartache. Your happy, they need to suck it up and support you. You've not had your dad in your life at all since you were born. This is your chance to get to know him, spend time with him, and have a life of your own without people dictating what you can and can not do. Embrace it."

I agree that you cannot waste time on haters.

I'm back after a week of being slack. Going to catch up a little at a time. I lose my posts so often on the Ipad

I only post from my Ipad occasionally. I still haven't figured out the whole "cut/copy/paste/delete" thing.


Janis, Sue and CC, THANK you ladies for your dedication, creativity and encouragement ! You will never know how many lives you have influenced. I look forward to seeing how the next challenge evolves.

Pamela

Thank you so much for the oatmeal recipe- plan to prepare it this weekend!

Enjoy! I've got it on the vacation schedule for Wednesday morning. Hope everyone else enjoys it as well!


WOW. These look awesome! The combo of kale and vinegar is soooo good. I just get some off the Whole Foods salad bar about once a week. I may have to break down and actually prepare some myself. I will look for the Asian vinegar, I love love vinegar!! All the recipes look great, thank you so much for taking the time to post

Laura, congrats on the job Will catch up more in a bit

Shawn

Shawn

That kale and vinegar sounds delish. Is it cold raw kale or cooked??

Checking in here for the weekend.

Had work today although a bit shorter than I planned. But at this point i am like whatever as far as my hours at Target go.

Got a lot done around the house yesterday. 3 loads of laundry and clothes got put on the line to dry. Other loads were linens and my line is not big enough for those. Got 2 rooms dusted and a 20 minute workout with my stability ball in. Also got my doggie walked first thing in the morning before it got too hot and cleaned out my cockatiel's bottom tray.

Productive day!!

For I don't know how long I have just not really cared much about a lot of things 1 way or another. I can't pinpoint 1 specific reason for it, but with a new tiel in the house( my old tiel Rally passed away a year ago) I have found myself getting myself together in the morning and looking around at what needs doing. And its a good change. I am trying to make it stick. And to that end I ordered a new workout for myself yesterday. So I am happily awaiting the arrival of Pilates on the ball. So something new with a familiar piece of equipment to keep me working out.

I agree.... sometimes a new workout "toy" really helps!

Well.... the packing and cleaning is moving slowly. My family appears to all have LEAD BEHINDS today! I have to keep prodding them all to get going. I finally got so sick of seeing DH just sitting there I let him go to Costco. We don't really need anything except steak tips for DD's birthday meal this week and so it is hardly worth the 2 hour roundtrip drive, but if he didn't get something done SOON, I was gonna go bat crap crazy on his butt!

DD keeps packing in spurts between Olympic swim events on the tv. Sadly, I found her Ipod in the bottom of the washer after doing a load of her shorts (she brought me 2.5 loads of dirty laundry this morning, just when I thought I was DONE!! ). Fortunately it was her Nano and not her Touch, but STILL...... We quickly Googled some solutions and have opted for a combo of suck the water out with the vacume, dry the water out with a hairdryer, and let it sit in rice for at least 48 hours (hope brown rice is okay as that is all I buy.... healthy Nano repair! ).

I hear hollering upstairs.... that probably means that she is rooting for something on the tv.

Gonna fly for now......................P

 

[ougrad86]

I didn't know there was a podcast. Where is it? The Iphone definitely tells a lot about a person, I am lost without mine. Your the second person to include a scale. And the pic of the castle is nice touch. Shows you are fun and young a heart. That is a great way to be. It also helps in the staying healthy areas. Thanks for the great answer.

There is a link to the podcast at the top of these pages. You can also check out the podcast DIS Unplugged section of the DIS Boards. I myself pick them up on iTunes. I enjoy it, they are a bit irreverent at times, pull no punches but also informative and fun to listen to. They have alot of things going on that listeners get together for, including cruises and ABD trips. Someday I hope to go on one, but so far they don't quite fit into DS's school schedule.

Gee, technically still obese but only two pounds from being overweight, hopeful I can start August being overweight and by Christmas be normal weight zone! So excited! It is nice to see a loss while it's bloat time but hope to really knock off some next week!

Cool - always great when you can see the next step toward your goal!

Anyone else find it hard to resist temptation without seeming rude when at a friends house? I just don't feel tonight is going to be good for my waistline!

Yes, I do. I usually just take a smaller portion or try to gravitate toward the less sinful items (which is hard!!!). But most of my friends know that I watch my weight.

I just wanted to apologize for not being a more active member of the challenge. My life has been crazy lately. I just spent the last week trying to work on my resume to apply for a couple of jobs in my department - higher salary. That task is finished. My Aunt that has been battling cancer for the past year has had a major setback and has just been admitted to a hospice house - so I have been trying to spend as much time as I can with her. My poor father needs cataract surgery - so dealing with all those appointments. throw in a the physical therapy for DS kyposis - I am so ready for vacation. I dropped my sister and family off this morning for their cruise to Bermuda from Boston - so now I feel a need to check on her dog at the kennel. All I can say is - 4 business days till my summer vacation. Janis

I'm sorry life has been for you lately. I hope it calms down, and good luck on getting one of the new jobs. It is so hard when family is battling health problems . And dropping someone off for a nice trip is really depressing when you need one just as much. Hope you have fun on your vacation and that you come back relaxed and full of energy !

If you could meet anybody in history, who would it be? What would you ask/tell them?

There are so many people I would love to talk to...Abe Lincoln, Princess Diana, Helen Keller...does this count family members as well who lived during a historic time. But I can't cut it down to one, and I have no idea what I would ask!

Morning friends! Awoke to a disappointing text from my Mom stating that my oldest nephew (19) has decided that he CANNOT go on vacation with us this week. According to him it is his job, but we all KNOW it is that he doesn't want to leave the girlfriend. I'm sad and frustrated and angry and disappointed, but mostly just sad that it broke my Mom's heart.

It is so sad when the older kids start pulling back from the family get-togethers for other things. I know the time will come when I am looking forward to DS coming home for time from college and he'll be going off on a trip with friends!

Hi Everyone!
Sorry, I've not been around much. Its been kind of crazy around here. Yesterday was the 4.5 year anniversary of Josh and Maddie's passing. Unfortunately it was a VERY BAD day. Lots of stress and feeling overwhelmed compounded with grief. I RARELY drink alcohol and before 4pm had already drank 2 large roman cokes. I didn't exercise and had fried food for dinner at Chilis. I just didn't care and wanted the day over with.
****TMI ALERT****
Then you add into the mix I started spotting. Which I have now found out today has turned into a full blown TOM. Yeah, that's just crazy considering I've already had a TOM for July. Well, on the good side I saved myself money from having to go buy another dose of Provera.
Hoping today is better. Sarah (Alan's daughter) is at Wet N Wild with our neighbors. She's done more in the past 5 days then she has her entire life. Her mom kept her very sheltered during childhood.
She's made the decision to remove certain people from her life because they aren't happy for her. They hate the fact that she's here with Alan. I told her "Your a big girl. You don't have to keep them in your life just because they're family. The way I look at it is if someone can't support you and be happy for you then there is no room in life for them. I haven't talked to a lot of my family in almost 3 years because they pulled a lot of the same crap your mom and her family are doing. Its not worth the headache, aggravation, or heartache. Your happy, they need to suck it up and support you. You've not had your dad in your life at all since you were born. This is your chance to get to know him, spend time with him, and have a life of your own without people dictating what you can and can not do. Embrace it."

Take care. Your loss is overwhelming.

Good advice for Sarah. She sounds like she is dealing with some of the same stuff you had too, and it is hard at her age. Glad you all are together and she is getting to know her Dad again.

*****************************************************
Another blah day...I swear, it is starting to take longer to recover from these trips then the trips themselves! Of course, I come back, work one day, take a day off for DS teeth, another day at work then the weekend. My schedule is a little off kilter. Taking it easy though, since my knees are still protesting.

Watching the opening ceremonies last night, it was quite nice. Some of the references were easier to understand than the Chinese, probably because we are closer traditionally. Been watching them today, I always enjoyed the Olympics. I tried to avoid the news during the day so I can watch them fresh at night; got to be careful, I knew the results of the swimming prelims since I stumbled across it on a website. I'm not big on the games like basketball or water polo or volleyball or such, but like the other events. Enjoyed the archery this morning! Unfortunately (at least for me, I am sure other people enjoy these), these are what they concentrate on so I catch some of it on the computer if I can't see it on TV.

Staying OP today...so far. Since not feeling great, craving not great things for me, trying to ignore those. Might make my chicken salad for dinner, something light and cool since it is another hot day. DS still has to be careful, he had scrambled eggs for lunch and will probably have chicken soup for dinner, with lots of soft veggies and noodles and meat. He doesn't like chicken salad anyway, so he won't mind!

Hope everyone is having a great day!

Carol

 

[ougrad86]

I LOVE this question. We play around with this question in the car a lot.
My number one choice is Laura Ingalls Wilder. I would love to hear more about her "real" life (not the fictionalized version that she wrote about). I've read other bio's about her and I know it wasn't just like the books.
She was a strong, courageous, brave, faithful, hardworking woman. She is truly an American legend in my mind. In fact, I named my only DD after her! I've been fascinated with her life since I read my first "Little House" book in about 1st grade (I was always reading ahead of grade level).
Love to spend a few hours talking with Walt Disney too, but honestly LIW is always my first choice.
DD keeps packing in spurts between Olympic swim events on the tv. Sadly, I found her Ipod in the bottom of the washer after doing a load of her shorts (she brought me 2.5 loads of dirty laundry this morning, just when I thought I was DONE!! ). Fortunately it was her Nano and not her Touch, but STILL...... We quickly Googled some solutions and have opted for a combo of suck the water out with the vacume, dry the water out with a hairdryer, and let it sit in rice for at least 48 hours (hope brown rice is okay as that is all I buy.... healthy Nano repair! ).

I forgot about her...my DS never really got into her, although his friend did. She was fascinating, I really her actual bio as well. And Disney would be cool. There are so many!

Sorry about the Nano. Wanted to give you a heads up, if it actually survived the washer...the rice is a temp fix. After awhile you need to get a new one. I have heard...not from Apple, but just from some things I have read...that is can lead to problems later on. If she has a lot of purchased music, she might want to back it up to another source as well.

Carol

 

[lmhall2000]

If you could meet anybody in history, who would it be? What would you ask/tell them?

Amelia Earhart....was she spying, how were her last days

 

[Bungle]

Amelia Earhart....was she spying, how were her last days

Oooooh that is a good question. The QOTD is a good one in general. There is a debate in our house going on, my oldest son wants to speak to Lewis from Lewis and Clark to find out if he really committed suicide or was murdered. I would just want to have lunch with Linus Pauling. Nothing I really want to ask just would love to have some moments with him.

As for the temptation last night I did okay, but did end up having a few glasses of wine that wasn't really in my calorie allowance.