Mickey's Very Merry Holiday WEIGHT LOSS Party! December 2016

[4Mickeys]

what is making this time different?

After baby number 1 - I tried Jenny Craig to drop some weight when it wasn't shifting with what I was doing - I was nowhere near as big as I am now through - and it was mostly for vanity that I wanted to lose. Other times I have dropped weight post twins - initially I was pretty good and with feeding twins and running after 3 kids it did drop off to some degree. I did start to put it on though due to stress eating from personal drama that most of you know by now - one of the times I dropped quite a lot of weight I had been very sick with gastro - so sick that when you can start eating again you have to start slowly with clear soups etc ... so I took advantage of that for a while and tried not to go straight back to eating bigger portions. Sometimes stress has been my friend with loss of apetite, sometimes it has been really really tight financially and to make the healthier food stretch for the kids I would eat cereal for breakfast and lunch. I have used diet shakes just before our 2014 DL trip. But really up until this year my vanity has really been the biggest reason for wanting to lose weight but at times there have been many different reasons and strategies used.

This time ... whilst vanity is part of it - always is a bit - it really is more about my health both physical and mental. I am gathering support of my GP, dietician, you guys, making exercise dates with friends who are more active than me and very supportive of me as well.

he looked at me in shock and said "you're not my wife! You must think I'm a real *****!"

Lol that is pretty funny - especially with you leaning on his legs!

...................

It was the last day of school term for state schools summer break here today!! My kids have been on break already as they are in Catholic school. I am working in the office on Monday and Tuesday next week then I am off!!!! I so need it - but still have so much to do first. Tomorrow I need to hit the shops and CHRISTMAS SHOP TILL I DROP - I seriously have only bought 2 presents!! This is the most disorganised I have ever been.

 

[pjlla]

Good morning all and HAPPY FRIDAY!!

Here is your QOTD for Friday, December 9, 2016:

Tell us TWO terrific things about you! Anything you want!



Don't forget it is also time to start sending in our week one results! I'll take reports from now until Sunday night with a goal to get the results posted Monday night.

 

[piglet1979]

Good morning all and HAPPY FRIDAY!!

Here is your QOTD for Friday, December 9, 2016:

Tell us TWO terrific things about you! Anything you want!

View attachment 209504

Don't forget it is also time to start sending in our week one results! I'll take reports from now until Sunday night with a goal to get the results posted Monday night.

1. I am a helper. If someone asks for help I am always there. Weather it is advise or someone to talk to or physically helping. Sometimes this gets me in trouble and then I realize that I need to say no sometimes for me. My sister was a single mom when i was 19. I took on the mother roll while she went out still and Would drive her places and basically do anything that she needed. Including buying her a cell phone and a pager (this was back in 2000). When I realized that it was affecting me and the relationships I was in I had to start telling her no. It was hard but I had to for me.

2. I am a very positive person. The glass is always full or at least most of the time. Right now not so much but hopefully I will be back to this soon.

+++++++++++++

Well I went back to the minute clinic last night. I now have a bacterial sinus infection. I am now on an antibiotic. Hopefully I will start feeling better by the end of the weekend. Last night was a rough night. I was coughing so bad i was getting sick and then got an ocular migraine with visual disturbance. I stopped taking the over the counter meds they had me on and took triaminic last night before bed. I slept so much better. Today i am just taking sudefed. Yesterday I only ate 4 slices of bread because the cough is making me feel sick to my stomach and I am losing my appetite. I don't think i have ever been this sick. I friends that think I am starting to get pneumonia. I hope not. If I continue to feel sick by Monday I will go see my family doctor. I am really hopping the the antibiotic works though. I have decided that this weekend I am staying in bed all weekend. We only dentist appointments for the kids tomorrow and my husband can take them.

I had some issues with my coworker that I don't get along with yesterday. She wanted me to do some of the talking at a meeting that we are presenting at today. I told her I did not want to because of how I am feeling and the cough. She did not like that and still felt I should do it because she is tired and she is still speaking. I got my boss involved and he is going to the presentation and doing the parts that i was supposed to do for me. I am very thankfully that i have a boss that understands why I didn't want to do it and know I don't have to walk in the cold to get there. i can just stay at my desk and semi rest. I am still very frustrated with my co-worker and my boss did set up a meeting for the 3 of us today so we are on the same page. I am not looking forward to it. Hopefully it will go good.

 

[Lady Marie]

Funny parade story - a man standing just behind me kept inching up and bumping me with his shoes. I was firm about standing my ground and staying in my curbside spot but he didn't get the message. At one point he was so close that I ended up leaning back against his legs hoping he would back off. He didn't. When the parade was over and I stood up, he looked at me in shock and said "you're not my wife! You must think I'm a real *****!"

LOL! That's funny!

I got my boss involved and he is going to the presentation and doing the parts that i was supposed to do for me. I am very thankfully that i have a boss that understands why I didn't want to do it and know I don't have to walk in the cold to get there. i can just stay at my desk and semi rest. I am still very frustrated with my co-worker and my boss did set up a meeting for the 3 of us today so we are on the same page. I am not looking forward to it. Hopefully it will go good.

Kudos to your boss for backing you up! Sending pixie dust thoughts your way for feeling better and good meeting

Tell us TWO terrific things about you! Anything you want!

1. I'm an idealist. I like to see the good in situations and make things work that others think aren't possible. Luckily, I have my realist DH to balance me out so I don't always live in the clouds haha!
2. I'm fairly organized. I've shaken the boys at work up a bit since I came on the scene. I'm the first girl to be on the ground working the store and we've repainted, reorganized, and found enough room to bring in a few new lines of products! Also, pretty happy at how organized Christmas is for me this year. Shopping all finished, half wrapped, and only need to go get a case of wine and ribbon to keep in the car for people that surprise you with the chocolates or wine that you aren't expecting

(This took me way too long staring at the screen and telling myself no I'm not the things I would think of... Filing this away in the "working on me" part of my journey.....)

Weekly check-in - 25%
I've actually lost another 0.5 lb this week! If this is how my brain and body see me trying to "maintain," then I need to "maintain" next month too! LOL I wonder if I'm loosing because I'm taking pressure off myself. I don't know. I'm going to give it another week and see if this is a pattern.

I may also ruin that half pound loss this weekend. DH and I literally booked a hotel for Disney like 1 hour ago. We're going to head up after we have dinner tonight and I pack. Now it's not as last minute as it seems bc (like any good Disney obsessed diva) I've had FP+ reserved for 2 weeks in the event we do go, but we've been up in the air. There's a lot we need to do for our main job and our new business before the year ends, but customers and general holiday work craziness is getting out of hand. We want a break. I feel like I need to check to see if there's a full moon because that's just how nuts our customers and work load has been this week! 'Tis the season I suppose. We are in the construction/home improvement industry so it does pick up this time of year with people trying to spruce up before they have company. Usually though we have the Hanukkah lull where most people don't want work done during that time, then it picks up a bit for the Christmas crowd. But I think this year is a bit off with Hanukkah being later in the month.

Anyway, all that is to say it's nuts and we want a little break. It will mean next weekend is all about work, but that's ok. I need a little Christmas spirit

 

[Oneanne]

Good morning all and HAPPY FRIDAY!!

Here is your QOTD for Friday, December 9, 2016:

Tell us TWO terrific things about you! Anything you want!

View attachment 209504

Don't forget it is also time to start sending in our week one results! I'll take reports from now until Sunday night with a goal to get the results posted Monday night.

Two terrific things about me:

1. I'm creative, not just in the 'traditional' sense of being artistic or crafty but also creative in problem solving.
2. I'm fluid, meaning if Plan A isn't working I can transition to B, C, D easily.


Results for this week: I'm going to change the way I measure and give myself 10% toward my goal for the month.


We got snow! It came later in the evening, and so didn't impact the evening commute - perfect. It didn't turn in to rain and disappear before morning - perfect. And the roads were clear and a lot of people stayed home, so smooth commute this morning - also perfect. Plus it'll be gone by tomorrow when I do my 45 minute drive out to my yarn store for my class on color work - yes, perfect!

With the increased stress at work I've really been doing a number on myself, flipping into victim/martyr mode, making stuff up in my head and creating internal drama that makes things even worst. The crux of the matter is we have a new Director, who is new to the company and jumps in to things without stopping to figure out what is what - not the end of the world. Example is an email exchange I was having with our Sr Director yesterday and New Guy jumps in and starts answering the questions about how the system works - totally wrong because he has no idea how the system works. It was almost comical... almost. But it was also so blatantly wrong I had no problem correcting him. Overall he seems like he'll be OK, once we train him, but it's going to take a while to get thru the 'storming' phase of the new group dynamic. For my part I am going to spend a considerable amount of time this weekend focused on the Peace exercises, as her main message is if we all find the place of peace within ourselves we can then bring that to the world.

Here's a photo of my walk to the bus stop this morning... I only have to go about 3/4 of a block up to the main road and I was sure wishing it was a longer walk this morning - so pretty and, well, peaceful:

 

[piglet1979]

Two terrific things about me:

1. I'm creative, not just in the 'traditional' sense of being artistic or crafty but also creative in problem solving.
2. I'm fluid, meaning if Plan A isn't working I can transition to B, C, D easily.


Results for this week: I'm going to change the way I measure and give myself 10% toward my goal for the month.


We got snow! It came later in the evening, and so didn't impact the evening commute - perfect. It didn't turn in to rain and disappear before morning - perfect. And the roads were clear and a lot of people stayed home, so smooth commute this morning - also perfect. Plus it'll be gone by tomorrow when I do my 45 minute drive out to my yarn store for my class on color work - yes, perfect!

With the increased stress at work I've really been doing a number on myself, flipping into victim/martyr mode, making stuff up in my head and creating internal drama that makes things even worst. The crux of the matter is we have a new Director, who is new to the company and jumps in to things without stopping to figure out what is what - not the end of the world. Example is an email exchange I was having with our Sr Director yesterday and New Guy jumps in and starts answering the questions about how the system works - totally wrong because he has no idea how the system works. It was almost comical... almost. But it was also so blatantly wrong I had no problem correcting him. Overall he seems like he'll be OK, once we train him, but it's going to take a while to get thru the 'storming' phase of the new group dynamic. For my part I am going to spend a considerable amount of time this weekend focused on the Peace exercises, as her main message is if we all find the place of peace within ourselves we can then bring that to the world.

Here's a photo of my walk to the bus stop this morning... I only have to go about 3/4 of a block up to the main road and I was sure wishing it was a longer walk this morning - so pretty and, well, peaceful:

View attachment 209513

We were supposed to get snow too yesterday. We did not get in my area but 30 minutes east got hammered. There was a 50+ car pileup on the highway out that way yesterday. We are still under a Lake Affect Watch until tomorrow afternoon and my husband said we should start getting it soon. Then Sunday we are supposed to get a snow storm (not lake affect) that should give us several more inches unless it moves a little bit more north then we will get rain. I would rather have the rain.

 

[4Mickeys]

I had some issues with my coworker that I don't get along with yesterday. She wanted me to do some of the talking at a meeting that we are presenting at today. I told her I did not want to because of how I am feeling and the cough. She did not like that and still felt I should do it because she is tired and she is still speaking. I got my boss involved and he is going to the presentation and doing the parts that i was supposed to do for me. I am very thankfully that i have a boss that understands why I didn't want to do it and know I don't have to walk in the cold to get there. i can just stay at my desk and semi rest. I am still very frustrated with my co-worker and my boss did set up a meeting for the 3 of us today so we are on the same page. I am not looking forward to it. Hopefully it will go good.

Happy to hear your boss had your back for the meeting. Hope the meeting goes well ...

Here's a photo of my walk to the bus stop this morning... I only have to go about 3/4 of a block up to the main road and I was sure wishing it was a longer walk this morning - so pretty and, well, peaceful:

That is such a beautiful shot - and it shows your creativity

Tell us TWO terrific things about you! Anything you want!

1. I am a super loyal friend
2. I am also a nurturer/helper type person - the reason my career suits me so much and a makes me an awesome mum!

 

[HappyGrape]

[GALLERY=][/GALLERY]

Checking in from Orlando while I soak my poor beleaguered feet. I think this trip maybe what makes a difference for me!! I'm not more then 10-15 pounds heavier than I was for our March but I'm really struggling this time around. The unfortunate first day blisters are the main problem but I'm also realizing that my size is interfering with my life. I don't like the fact that the way I look in pictures makes me reluctant to meet characters. I hated the fact that I fretted the whole time we were in line for the Gringott's coaster I was fretting about whether I would fit. It is embarrassing that individual lap bars are so my higher on me than they are on my skinny husband. And shared lap bars are worse when you realize they are nowhere near the lap of your seat mate. I just know that I need to make some pretty drastic changes.

All the self doubt aside, this trip has been a lot of fun! MVMCP turned out to be extraordinarily crowded and we didn't enjoy it as much as we had hoped but I still think it was worth it. We ended up mainly riding things - rides were close to walk on other than Peter Pan and the Mine Train - because lines for the characters were incredibly long and you couldn't get close enough to really see the shows. People started gathering in the hub and along Main Street at 6:00! We watched Holiday Wishes from the bridge outside Be Our Guest which isn't the greatest for choreography but is absolutely amazing for having fireworks going off in every direction around you. I watched the second parade from Frontierland while the husband took another ride on Space Mountain. I liked the parade a lot but the song .... oh so repetitive! Funny parade story - a man standing just behind me kept inching up and bumping me with his shoes. I was firm about standing my ground and staying in my curbside spot but he didn't get the message. At one point he was so close that I ended up leaning back against his legs hoping he would back off. He didn't. When the parade was over and I stood up, he looked at me in shock and said "you're not my wife! You must think I'm a real *****!"

I'll post some better pictures when I'm home and can get them off the good camera but I loved watching Nick and Judy!

View attachment 209477

This is so funny!

We didn't enjoy MNSSHP and I won't be paying for it again as it was too busy. Everything was busy, including the rides.

 

[4Mickeys]

Reporting In: 19% - I am doing well so far I think - and last night when picking the kids up from my parents my mum was trying to send home left over hotdogs and my DS12 said no we don't need them we have a dinner plan for the next few weeks so they won't fit. Although I did remind him he could have them for lunches instead - so they came home with us after all.

I went back to look at my goal specifics this morning and noticed that our hosting schedule is looking empty for the next few months - sooo - if no one else wants it I will volunteer for January - I will be on leave for most of it so that will give me time for hosting duties before I head back to work and what I think is going to be a super busy term 1 in schools for me. Now to start thinking about a theme

 

[HappyGrape]

Good morning all and HAPPY FRIDAY!!
n
Here is your QOTD for Friday, December 9, 2016:

Tell us TWO terrific things about you! Anything you want!

View attachment 209504

Don't forget it is also time to start sending in our week one results! I'll take reports from now until Sunday night with a goal to get the results posted Monday night.

Report from 1st to today my calorie balance is deficit of 130 calories! Grant total of 14 calories each day! I have been working out regularly and while I am enjoying occasional glass of wine or extra treat I keep a overall balance.

29% towards the goal.

Ideally I would create little bit of cut until 24th but kind of enjoying having some treats and more chill out time lately! Exactly 2 weeks to the first family meal out planned and there are so many celebrations packed in the last 8 days of the month, it's little early to announce it's Christmas! 2 meals out planned with friends next week, one of them sushi, the other drinks so I it's shouldn't be too hard not to over do it.

 

[pjlla]

Good morning and welcome to the weekend edition of the QOTD!

We all know that there are many, many different HOLIDAYS that are celebrated during this time of year. While the focus around where I live is on CHRISTMAS and to a slightly lesser degree, Hannukah, there are many more celebration traditions out there! So, whether your winter holiday looks like this....





or like this....



or like this.....



or this.....




WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITION????

(BONUS FOLLOW-UP QUESTION: If your favorite holiday tradition involves FOOD.... how do you plan to work that into your new(ish) healthier lifestyle?)

 

[piglet1979]

Today I woke up feeling better then I have in awhile. Still not great but better. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. It looks like the antibiotics are working. YAY!!!!!! I am still going to take it easy this weekend.

I did weigh myself this morning and I have lost almost 5 pounds since Monday. I am hoping when my appetite comes back I don't over do it and gain a ton back. I still have the dreaded Christmas cookies to back with the kids. I need to practice a lot of self control that day.

Check in -- 4.6/1 pounds = 460% I am assuming this number will go down as I feel better. hoping to keep at least 1 pound down from the beginning of the month.

 

[piglet1979]

Good morning and welcome to the weekend edition of the QOTD!

We all know that there are many, many different HOLIDAYS that are celebrated during this time of year. While the focus around where I live is on CHRISTMAS and to a slightly lesser degree, Hannukah, there are many more celebration traditions out there! So, whether your winter holiday looks like this....



View attachment 209625

or like this....

View attachment 209626

or like this.....

View attachment 209627

or this.....

View attachment 209628


WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITION????

(BONUS FOLLOW-UP QUESTION: If your favorite holiday tradition involves FOOD.... how do you plan to work that into your new(ish) healthier lifestyle?)

One of our old traditions was backing cookies with my mom. this is the tradition I miss the most. since she was diagnosed with celiac she can't do it anymore. she would get really sick if she did. I still make them with my kids but miss her being here with me.

Another tradition is putting up the tree the day after Thanksgiving. and the other is spending time with family. for the last 7 years my husband and I have taken the 2 weeks between Christmas and new years off of work to have just family time. we never go anywhere. it is just time to hang out at home and play with all the new toys. we also get a lot of spring cleaning done during this time.

 

[pjlla]

Good morning! Lots of great answers to yesterday's QOTD.... and hoping to get a few more today! Even though that question seemed deceptively simple, it definitely can involve some deep thinking. Why is it SO HARD to think nice things about ourselves!? Why do we talk to ourselves (internally) in a way that we would never talk to others (in a discouraging, negative manner)?
I ENCOURAGE you to give back to YOURSELF this holiday season with healthy positive thoughts and actions!

Well..... I'm in a bit of a bind..... my hand-me-down laptop that I bought from DS earlier this summer (we bought him a new one for college) is acting funny. Last night I totally lost all internet connection and couldn't get it back (even though every other device in the house was on the wi-fi). While on the weekends this is just a bit of a PITA, for work days it is a bigger deal. I use my laptop to do my 24/7 chat. And yes, I CAN do it on the family desktop, but it is much less comfortable and really hinders me.... I am used to walking around the house with the laptop answering questions and starting dinner and getting dressed for my other job along the way. When I have to work on the desktop I am locked into sitting still for hours! Plus I don't have the luxury of working from my bed in the early morning hours! Fingers crossed that my men can get it functioning again today because with 2 weeks until Christmas and TWO tuition payments coming due, there is absolutely, positively not a penny in the budget for a new computer for me. My iPad is 5+ years old and is in "I-crash-without-warning-with-increasing-regularity" mode and while is okay for checking Facebook occasionally and listening to podcasts while I drive, isn't useful for anything much else (other than playing solitaire ).

So all of that whining is to also explain why I may not be posting with the regularity that I would like!

And just to add "excitement" to the holiday season, DS ended up coming home from college on Thursday night so that I could treat him for LICE! YUCK!!!!!! Not sure if he gave it to his girlfriend or she gave it to him, but they are both were suffering! He brought home every pillow, sheet, blanket, etc, plus his dirty laundry and I washed every thing in hot water and put it in the dryer. Also gave him a full treatment/comb-through Thursday night. Then he went back to school for his last lab Friday morning and then came home again (thank goodness he isn't too far!) and we did ANOTHER treatment last night. In between I washed the sheets he had slept on last weekend and then washed the Thursday night sheets for Friday night.... and I will strip his bed again today when he is up and wash everything AGAIN! And I'm washing MY sheets, blankets, quilt, etc today, just in case! I am tired of laundry and I imagine that my electric bill for this month will be sky-high! I NEVER use my dryer this much!!!!

I plan to re-wash the clothes he wore yesterday (including his jacket and hat) this morning, just in case. And last night we did a second treatment (different brand of stuff) and a full comb-through again. His hair is nearly as long as mine, so this is a pretty big ordeal!

So in addition to some personal life stress that has me LITERALLY tied up in knots (no appetite, stomach/digestive issues, a few more physical manifestations that aren't pleasant), I've got some piddly PITA stuff that I could do without this week! So if you are one for prayers, I could use a few this week. Thanks.............P

 

[piglet1979]

Good morning! Lots of great answers to yesterday's QOTD.... and hoping to get a few more today! Even though that question seemed deceptively simple, it definitely can involve some deep thinking. Why is it SO HARD to think nice things about ourselves!? Why do we talk to ourselves (internally) in a way that we would never talk to others (in a discouraging, negative manner)?
I ENCOURAGE you to give back to YOURSELF this holiday season with healthy positive thoughts and actions!

Well..... I'm in a bit of a bind..... my hand-me-down laptop that I bought from DS earlier this summer (we bought him a new one for college) is acting funny. Last night I totally lost all internet connection and couldn't get it back (even though every other device in the house was on the wi-fi). While on the weekends this is just a bit of a PITA, for work days it is a bigger deal. I use my laptop to do my 24/7 chat. And yes, I CAN do it on the family desktop, but it is much less comfortable and really hinders me.... I am used to walking around the house with the laptop answering questions and starting dinner and getting dressed for my other job along the way. When I have to work on the desktop I am locked into sitting still for hours! Plus I don't have the luxury of working from my bed in the early morning hours! Fingers crossed that my men can get it functioning again today because with 2 weeks until Christmas and TWO tuition payments coming due, there is absolutely, positively not a penny in the budget for a new computer for me. My iPad is 5+ years old and is in "I-crash-without-warning-with-increasing-regularity" mode and while is okay for checking Facebook occasionally and listening to podcasts while I drive, isn't useful for anything much else (other than playing solitaire ).

So all of that whining is to also explain why I may not be posting with the regularity that I would like!

And just to add "excitement" to the holiday season, DS ended up coming home from college on Thursday night so that I could treat him for LICE! YUCK!!!!!! Not sure if he gave it to his girlfriend or she gave it to him, but they are both were suffering! He brought home every pillow, sheet, blanket, etc, plus his dirty laundry and I washed every thing in hot water and put it in the dryer. Also gave him a full treatment/comb-through Thursday night. Then he went back to school for his last lab Friday morning and then came home again (thank goodness he isn't too far!) and we did ANOTHER treatment last night. In between I washed the sheets he had slept on last weekend and then washed the Thursday night sheets for Friday night.... and I will strip his bed again today when he is up and wash everything AGAIN! And I'm washing MY sheets, blankets, quilt, etc today, just in case! I am tired of laundry and I imagine that my electric bill for this month will be sky-high! I NEVER use my dryer this much!!!!

I plan to re-wash the clothes he wore yesterday (including his jacket and hat) this morning, just in case. And last night we did a second treatment (different brand of stuff) and a full comb-through again. His hair is nearly as long as mine, so this is a pretty big ordeal!

So in addition to some personal life stress that has me LITERALLY tied up in knots (no appetite, stomach/digestive issues, a few more physical manifestations that aren't pleasant), I've got some piddly PITA stuff that I could do without this week! So if you are one for prayers, I could use a few this week. Thanks.............P

I hope things turn around for you. I understand the lice. my neice spent the night a few weeks ago and had it. we found out a day later. I think we caught it quick and thankfully we didn't get it. but we had to wash everything and pack up stuff animals and dolls.

 

[4Mickeys]

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITION????

I also love decorating the tree and the house with the kids ... This year DS16 said to me "we seem to have more decorations than usual" .... I think I am compensating for it feeling different this year now that they are all getting older and there are less toys to buy and even they themselves have had trouble coming up with a wishes list!

The other one I love is watching Christmas movies all together ... luckily DS16 didn't have a shift Friday night because it was the first of the Tim Allen - The Santa Clause - movies and watching that every year has become a tradition in our family.

A drive through the nearby neighbourhoods to admire the Christmas lights on the houses - some people are so creative!

Oh and I cannot forget the Santa photo!!! and yes they are still having one this year - I am going to keep this going for as long as possible as I like to see the changes in the 'same' photo every year as they grow.

Look at that I couldn't narrow it to one thing ....

(BONUS FOLLOW-UP QUESTION: If your favorite holiday tradition involves FOOD.... how do you plan to work that into your new(ish) healthier lifestyle?)

Whilst Christmas lunch is a tradition - its not my favourite thing ... we will indulge on the day I won't feel guilty - but the days around it will be ok - no other parties for us and the days following will be about working the left overs into meals all of which can be healthy really.

So in addition to some personal life stress that has me LITERALLY tied up in knots (no appetite, stomach/digestive issues, a few more physical manifestations that aren't pleasant), I've got some piddly PITA stuff that I could do without this week! So if you are one for prayers, I could use a few this week. Thanks.............P

Prayers and coming your way - I hope they can sort your laptop out for you!

............................

I managed to make a start on my Christmas shopping yesterday ... I was exhausted ..... we were at the shops by opening which is 9am and didn't leave until 2pm - We had my Mum with us as well so that she could get the kids presents with my help. The kids shopped as a group for me an in different variations for each other - they went on a paddle boat ride together to kill some time while Mum and I shopped for them - The shopping centre is built over creek inlet of the river where I paddle each morning. I needed a nanna nap when I got home ... but not too long only 30 minutes as a friend rang to catch up and then had to make dinner for DS16 so that he could head back to the plaza for a 6-9pm shift last night. He has a bigger one this afternoon 12-6pm. His savings account is getting a nice boost these holidays.

I did have lunch out mum and I shared a pizza and the kids had what we couldn't eat. Now our pizzas over here aren't as big the ones I have seen over in the US so when I say I had 3 slices .... that is cool they are not as giant as slices over there. It was delicious we had a chicken pizza with sweet chilli sauce - it was so fresh there wasn't a lot of cheese on there and the other toppings were layered on top of baby spinach leaves - and chicken that looked and tasted like real broken up chicken breast! so even though it was out, it was a sit down restaurant and the pizza felt healthier than other options I used to have regularly. Oh and best of all - I stopped when I was satisfied/starting to feel full rather than pushing through and eating my share .... the kids had already had their lunch but the twins were dying for a piece so they got what mum and I didn't eat

 

[dsnyfn1022]

I'm going to check in at 22% for the week. I got 4 work outs in which was a total victory. I was really having an emotional week. I struggle with PCOS and it came to a head this week with some frustrating symptoms and I was just feeling really miserable and hopeless. That threw me for a loop with some binging on Thursday and then not great lunch choices on Friday. But I was going to skip my Friday workout and decided against it! And chose to eat well for dinner and then ate well all day today.

I was talking to a friend and complaining about how large I felt and like I couldn't control my eating and that I'd just binge that night and then wake up the next morning and start over. But I know it's a cycle and the next morning I'd be angry at myself and it would start all over again. So I decided to say eff that and got to the gym instead. I can't say I'll always make the healthy choice but it's nice to know that sometimes I will.

 

[HappyGrape]

Good morning and welcome to the weekend edition of the QOTD!

We all know that there are many, many different HOLIDAYS that are celebrated during this time of year. While the focus around where I live is on CHRISTMAS and to a slightly lesser degree, Hannukah, there are many more celebration traditions out there! So, whether your winter holiday looks like this....



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or like this....

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or like this.....

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or this.....

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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITION????

(BONUS FOLLOW-UP QUESTION: If your favorite holiday tradition involves FOOD.... how do you plan to work that into your new(ish) healthier lifestyle?)

I don't think I have one! I would say we have a family day, we go out in town to see the lights, see a show or movie and have nice meal!

 

[HappyGrape]

Good morning! Lots of great answers to yesterday's QOTD.... and hoping to get a few more today! Even though that question seemed deceptively simple, it definitely can involve some deep thinking. Why is it SO HARD to think nice things about ourselves!? Why do we talk to ourselves (internally) in a way that we would never talk to others (in a discouraging, negative manner)?
I ENCOURAGE you to give back to YOURSELF this holiday season with healthy positive thoughts and actions!

Well..... I'm in a bit of a bind..... my hand-me-down laptop that I bought from DS earlier this summer (we bought him a new one for college) is acting funny. Last night I totally lost all internet connection and couldn't get it back (even though every other device in the house was on the wi-fi). While on the weekends this is just a bit of a PITA, for work days it is a bigger deal. I use my laptop to do my 24/7 chat. And yes, I CAN do it on the family desktop, but it is much less comfortable and really hinders me.... I am used to walking around the house with the laptop answering questions and starting dinner and getting dressed for my other job along the way. When I have to work on the desktop I am locked into sitting still for hours! Plus I don't have the luxury of working from my bed in the early morning hours! Fingers crossed that my men can get it functioning again today because with 2 weeks until Christmas and TWO tuition payments coming due, there is absolutely, positively not a penny in the budget for a new computer for me. My iPad is 5+ years old and is in "I-crash-without-warning-with-increasing-regularity" mode and while is okay for checking Facebook occasionally and listening to podcasts while I drive, isn't useful for anything much else (other than playing solitaire ).

So all of that whining is to also explain why I may not be posting with the regularity that I would like!

And just to add "excitement" to the holiday season, DS ended up coming home from college on Thursday night so that I could treat him for LICE! YUCK!!!!!! Not sure if he gave it to his girlfriend or she gave it to him, but they are both were suffering! He brought home every pillow, sheet, blanket, etc, plus his dirty laundry and I washed every thing in hot water and put it in the dryer. Also gave him a full treatment/comb-through Thursday night. Then he went back to school for his last lab Friday morning and then came home again (thank goodness he isn't too far!) and we did ANOTHER treatment last night. In between I washed the sheets he had slept on last weekend and then washed the Thursday night sheets for Friday night.... and I will strip his bed again today when he is up and wash everything AGAIN! And I'm washing MY sheets, blankets, quilt, etc today, just in case! I am tired of laundry and I imagine that my electric bill for this month will be sky-high! I NEVER use my dryer this much!!!!

I plan to re-wash the clothes he wore yesterday (including his jacket and hat) this morning, just in case. And last night we did a second treatment (different brand of stuff) and a full comb-through again. His hair is nearly as long as mine, so this is a pretty big ordeal!

So in addition to some personal life stress that has me LITERALLY tied up in knots (no appetite, stomach/digestive issues, a few more physical manifestations that aren't pleasant), I've got some piddly PITA stuff that I could do without this week! So if you are one for prayers, I could use a few this week. Thanks.............P

Oh dear!!! Will I still have to deal with this when my son is in collage! I use preventive spray on DS age 9 but would have thought this won't be necessary by the time he is in collage...

It's only head lice, nobody dies from headlice. They are just super annoying! It will be all good very soon

 

[HappyGrape]

We were running around yesterday and had no proper meal or food shopping done but had so much to do! End up massive 670 calories overboard, and I didn't even feel properly fed. I need to get better meals today

My son's football couch have decided not to give them break as other teams get but continue and organised games during the traditional months off. On SUNDAY!!! So now we had Saturday swimming Sunday football both at lunch time. And as few guys cancelled last few weeks, it's important that he goes so he doesn't let the team down! The cleaner doesn't want us around Saturday morning as she is off for a 3 weeks. We thought we would like a couch from Ikea and went and order it. I sow a video how much effort is involved in putting it together and found similar couch in another store for same price, went back to ikea to cancel it, had to go for swimming for DS, my husband went for tennis, I went for yoga after. By the time we finished all that it was late and we were tired. We also still don't have couch ordered¬

I had good breakfast
bread and soup in ikea, but the soup was horrible so just bread
quick musli with milk
bread and cheese sandwich and apple
and so on.
The only item that is a treat, or sometimes food was a tiny piece of semi sweet WDW peppermint bark. Super small as I knew the guys will finish it all without giving me chance to try it! 670 calories over! Proper meals really make huge difference. On the go snacking doesn't let me feel full and satisfied so I keep snacking

And now we have to do the groceries shopping in the morning, and bring DS to football. We usually have family meal out Saturday or Sunday - we can't do that! I need one day week off duty. I will spend the bulk of the day cooking. I am waiting on call from Ikea to process the refund, so I can't go to yoga class unless before they call. I need my class today, I hope they call earlier!