Teachlady

Good evening, Violets.. I just finished dinner after going to the gym and doing 30 minutes on the stationary bike. I sure love doing that. There was a young,buff guy on the bike next to me going 93 rpms so of course I had to do 95 rpms. Didn't do it for long, but I did prove my point.. lol I had a rough time at lunch today. Our PMS group went to the China Buffet and I had everything on my plate.. a little of this and a little of that. I sat down and ate a little of this and promptly got stuck. I had to excuse myself and go to the bathroom where I upchucked the slime. I came back and didn't finish my plate. I got some fruit and pudding and that was it for the meal. Apparently "I have restriction." Kinda sounds like "We have lift off!!!" I fixed some scallops for supper, but didn't eat any. I stuck with the veggies and some ham salad that went down easy. I'll have some yogurt for an evening snack when I get home from my church meeting. Laura, you're doing great!!! 7# is awesome!! Pamela.. hope you make it through the day ok. Come home and REST!!! Which is what I'm going to do right now. Just a little snooze on the couch before I head to church for my meeting. TTFN!

Good Morning, Violets.. Just got in from letting the "garage" dog out. She's been trying to bury her ball in my flower beds so I have to keep an eye on her. Usually I go out and read the paper while she plays, but now I have to keep one eye on her. After all the work I put into those flower beds, I can't let her destroy them trying to bury a tennis ball!!! I'm off to eat breakfast and then get ready to head to the hospital to do my volunteer job. Everyone have a great day and Kat.. you especially take care!!

Are you sure it isn't Lap-Band For Life by Dr. Ortiz?? I got mine from amazon.com

Good evening, Violets.. Just got back from a Democratic party meeting and it was meet the candidates night. Such a longggggggggg meeting, but very informative. We endorsed two City Council candidates, but not a Mayoral one. Tomorrow I will have to go to the hospital to do my volunteer work. They called to day and need me, so in I go. Then our PMS (Pastor's Main Squeeze) group meets for lunch at the China Buffet. Now that will be interesting since I said I wouldn't set foot in there again after the last time we ate there. Oh well.. it's not about the food, right girls?? TracyK.. prayers are offered for your nephew and your family that he will get the help he is crying out for. Pamela.. glad you're doing a bit better. Are you going to school tomorrow???? Kat..prayers headed your way too that everything turns out fine with your bloodwork. My Daily Plate says I had 1,168 calories today and after exercise, it was 868 net calories. I'll take that!! I'm off to watch CSI-Miami and then head to bed. Everyone have a good night and a better day tomorrow. Patience, Trust, and WWJD??

Count me in.. it's back to mydailyplate again!!

The guy with the darker hair playing the dulcimer is my family doctor and he wrote an amazing letter that really helped get me ok'd for the lap band as far as insurance was concerned. He did the same for Bob too.

Thanks, Tracy.... I feel smaller, but certainly not tiny!!! Here's a pic from a couple of years ago when I was at my highest. yuck..

Good Morning, Violets.. I'm up early to get ready for my staff meeting at church today. I open up our local newspaper and there is a picture of me on the second front page. I'm directing the high school flute choir and it's an awful picture of me from the back. Tiny I ain't!!! Course the jumper I wore was a size bigger than normal, but it was the only thing comfortable enough to wear for all day when we have Indian summer and it's 85 degrees out!! Oh well...at least my arms didn't look huge. There's always a bright side!! I had a long talk on the phone last night with someone who wanted info about the lapband and I have decided to put something in the paper asking if anyone wants to join a local support group. We don't have one here and I think it would be fun to see how many lapbanders and lapband wannabes are in my little area. Tracyk... spanx rules. I've never worn a girdle type thingy that felt so good. No rolling on the waist, no crunching on the thighs. It doesn't seem possible that anything so light could work so we;;, but it does!! Well, I've let the garage dog out, got my Crystal Light in the freezer, had my shower, put my frozen blueberries out to thaw and now I'm read to get dressed and have some breakfast. Everyone have a great Monday and remember.. Patience, Trust and WWJD!!

YOU GO, Ms. Jen.. I like your style!!!:whoo:

Good evening, Violets.. Break time from Desparate Housewives so I thought I'd come in and check posts. Tracy and Pam.. thanks so much for your compliments, but I am far from tiny!!! I still have to suck everything in with the spanx cause I still have a big belly.. I just know how to disguise it now and then. Back to the show.. everyone have a great night and a great day tomorrow. It's the beginning of a brand new week and a much more relaxing one for me. Pam.. take care of yourself. Hope you feel much better tomorrow. Patience, trust and WWJD!!

Ok.. I'll give this a shot. This a pic of me in Alaska taken last month. You'll recognize it from the avatar.. Had a great nap and now up and ready to work on my second bottle of Crystal Light before I start dinner.

OK.. TRACYK.. read my lips... YOU GOTTA TELL US WHEN YOU LOSE WEIGHT... We're here to not only commiserate when we do something we know we shouldn't, but also to CELEBRATE when we do good things and you are doing GOOD things!!! So let us in on the celebration too, k??? That goes for all the Violet Sistahs!!! And CONGRATS on the 2.5#!!!!:clap2::clap2::clap2: Pamela.. take care of yourself and get better soon!!! Kat.. great pics!! We should all post some pics of us now so we don't have to squint at the Avatars to figure out what each of us looks like!! Laura.. I can relate to what you said. Yesterday I had a chicken salad wrap from Culvers and as I was chewing a bite in my mouth I could feel the previous mouthful getting stuck. So what do I do??? Spit out what I'm chewing?? And waste all that good food?? Heck no.. just swallow it and then walk around like a crazy woman trying to get the sucker to go down. I went to the bathroom so I could flap my arms and it eventually slid down, but dang.. old habits like eating too fast and taking big bites are sure hard to break!! I did have lots of NSV's at church today. I had LOTS of people comment on how much weight I've lost. Lots were asking what I was doing so I got to tell the lap band story. I'm getting quite good at it, actually. It starts out with... "in the beginning God created me and I got fat"... and ends up with..... "and then God created the lap band and said.. it is good". :biggrin1: When I turned on my cell phone a little bit ago (I had turned it off for the concerts and forgot to turn it back on), I had a voice mail from someone saying they heard I had lapband surgery and would I be willing to talk to them about it. Willing???? Heck, I need to write a book!!! I LOVE telling the lapband story. Jennifur.. so glad your burn is better. You're lucky you got it taken care of before it got out of control. And you keep that good attitude about yourself. YOU and your kids are what matters and that jerk.. 'scuse me..... needs to own up to his obligations!!! Ms. Jen.... you have a great attitude now.. keep building on that!!! We all need to take lessons from you! Michelle.. I've been there, done that with redoing the whole house before company comes. Don't wear yourself out to the point of getting exhausted!! You want to be able to enjoy your company while they're there, ya know! Terry... I fill up two DejaVue bottles with Crystal light each morning. I know when I have drunk them both I have had 66 oz. of water. I put one in the freezer before breakfast and one before lunch. That way I can take them out an hour later and they are pretty slushy.. just the way I love them. I have never, ever drunk this much water in my life!!! Thank goodness for Crystal Light. I'm going to go and wait for Bob to get home from his church. Then we'll have to figure out lunch. And then it will be time for a nice longgggggggggggggggggggggg nap! Everyone have a great day!!

Good Morning, Violets.. Sooooooooooo glad the week is over. It was a very busy one and a very satisfying one. The concerts were a success. Friday night's concert was awesome. I looked good and sang good. Doesn't get much better! And last night's concert was just amazing. It was given by Ervin Monroe, the principal flautist of the Detroit Symphony for 40 years. We had met with him during the day for a workshop and then we taught a high school flute choir and a jr. high flute choir. After the jr. high group, I was just thinking.. shoot me.. kill me now!! To go from the very best to ones that can't even figure out what note to play really tests my patience. But it all worked out. The choirs each played a piece they had worked on and they felt good about themselve. In the evening my flute group, Wind Song, played with Mr. Monroe on a piece he had arranged andi t was really neat. I was just floored by his flute playing. What a gift. I gave my Lap Band 101 lecture to a lady who sings in the Community Chorus with me and was at the concert last night. She was sooooooo complimentary to me and she was really interested in the band. Hopefully she'll follow through with the information I gave her. I bought a new pair of size 14 pants at Penney's the other night and when I had my spanx on last night and put the slacks on, they just about fell off.. But I needed the Spanx for the new blouse I had bought. I tell ya, I swear by the Spanx. My belly is my biggest (literally) trouble spot and with the spanx, it makes it possible to get into clothes without that big bulge in the gut. I weighed in today and lost a pound this week so that leaves only one more stinkin' pound to go before I am back at pre-cruise weight. Boy, did we learn a lesson from that adventure. We cruise again in 28 days and there will be no more eating between meals on that one. We also booked another cruise for February to the Eastern Caribbean. Well, enough about my adventures.... Laura.. you look realllllllly good in those jeans, even if they are starting to bag on ya. Isn't it a great feeling???? And remember when you were sure this band wasn't going to work for you? All it took was Patience, Trust and a major adjustment on the port!!!! Everyone else.. I read all the posts, but don't have time to respond to everyone cause it's time for me to get dressed for church. Can't believe the weather here. It's been hot and muggy for several days now and today looks like more of the same. And this is October in Northern Michigan????? We had the a/c on in the bedroom last night. The great thing is that I have a choice of things to wear for church which is so much better than the same outfit each Sunday. WWJD everyone. TTFN...

Well Violets.. after months and months of practicing, the New Day Singers concert is just a couple of hours away and I'm dressed, ready and nervous. I have to admit I look good in my outfit. Cream colored blouse, black slim skirt, Lia Sophia necklace and WWJD bracelet. I be stylin'!! Michelle.. GREAT NSV's.. we all sure celebrate with you!!!! I bought a pair of pants last night at Penneys and they were a size 14.. regular 14!!! Not in the women's section. It's a great feeling, isn't it?? My birthday is June 24th and I'm wayyyyyyyyyy ahead of you all in years. But I gotta tell you, I sure don't feel my age anymore and that, my fellow Violets, is a GREAT NSV also!! I'm off to sing. Wish me luck and I'll check back tonight after it's all over. Patience, Trust and WWJD!!

Good morning, Violets.. and one SHRINKING Violet in particular.. WAY TA GO, TRACY!!!:clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::bananapowerslide:Now put the scale away til next week and ENJOY!!! TracyinKS....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! :happybday: Pamela.. My DH's name is Bob. Or the Bobster as I fondly call him when I'm chatting online. The first concert I ever went to was after I was grown up and married and it was REO Speedwagon. I couldn't hear for 24 hours afterwards!!! Today is nail appointment day and then Ethan is over for the afternoon. DD Kris and I went to Curves yesterday and had a good workout. Today the Bobster and I will go to the gym and I'll do my biking for the day. It's chilly here rifght now. 40 degrees and my furnace came on, but I ran and shut it off. It's going to be close to 80 today. Perfect fall day and the colors here are beautiful. Next it will be raking when they all fall off the trees. Everyone have a great day!! Patience, Trust and WWJD!!

Yikes!!! I had never heard of anything like SecondLife that Laura talked about today and tonight on Law and Order SVU the show is all about it!!! How spooky is THAT???

I wondered why all the posts seemed suddenly wider. I thought maybe my eyesight was getting better!! But noooooooooooo...

Good Morning, Violets.. I slept in today til 9. Still trying to get this cold to leave my body. It's been hanging on for a week now. but at least it hasn't affected my voice. But now DH has it and you KNOW how men are when they get sick. sheeeeeeeesh!! Terry...losingjusme hasn't logged on since the 14th of Sept. I followed her weight loss and was amazed at how well she was doing. Hope she's ok. And dailyplate shows the breakdown for nutrition too without having to pay for it. I tried fitday, but found dailyplate to be more user friendly for me. Hope you all have visited the before and after pic site. It is just amazing to see the transformations of everyone. The guys are looking hot too.. ooops.. did I just say that?? Pamela.. dang, if you had told me you were going to come over I would have cleaned the house a bit more. And never trust a minister if he tells you not to sell your house. Real estate is not his field, for sure!!! Kat.. hope your eye is better today. I went to the gym last night and did 30 minutes on the stationary bike. I sure do love that. Especially when there is a young chickie next to me on another bike and I keep sneaking a peek to see if I'm pedaling faster than she is.. I was!! Today I'll hit Curves with DD and then go out for soup for lunch. I've had my cottage cheese and blueberries for breakfast. Frozen blueberries sure don't taste as good as the fresh ones, but they are half the price now so I don't have much choice. Everyone have a great day. Patience, trust and WWJD!!

Good evening, Violets. Kat.. so sorry to hear about the accident. Your eye is ok, right?? And you're ok?? That must have been so scarey!! Jennifur.. did you get your resume in alright? Any idea when you will hear back? Laura....hope things turn around for your sister and she gets the help she needs in the hospital. Got to be a scarey time for you all too. Ummmmmm I have a question. Why is everyone so concerned with getting lots and lots of protein in their diets?? I've never taken a protein supplement. MyDailyPlate.com says that my protein intake each day should be 42g and I meet that each day with just the foods I eat. Anything over that amount is stored as fat and kinda defeats the purpose of dieting. My nutritionist, lapband doctor and my regular doctor all say the same thing. High amounts of protein are not necessary for weight loss. At least it's worked for me so far. I don't think I'd ever be able to stomach those protein shakes or bullets or whatever. Just gimme my cottage cheese, chicken and yogurt and I'm happy.

Terry... thank God someone else felt like me. I read your post Laura and it was like.. ummmmmmm huh? Now that you've explained it .... guess what? I'm still saying... ummmmmm huh? I think it's way beyond my pea brain at this point in my life. Just got back from Curves and have a turkey sausage/cabbage soup just about done in the slow cooker. Don't know how it will taste, but it smells delicious! Ethan has gone home with Mommy so I'm free for the rest of the evening. DH goes to his Bible study tonight and I think I'll head to the gym to do my stationary bike. I love being able to ride it and have my eyes closed at the same time. Hopefully there won't come a day when I'll fall asleep and ride right off the thing!!

Good Morning, Violets.. Ethan is here bright and early. We've just finished breakfast. I know I have restriction cause the scrambled eggs got stuck!! He's napping now so I can check things out here. I'm attaching a picture of what I found in my laundry room this morning. I couldn't figure out why Carlie was looking out the window for so long and twitching her tail. Lo and behold the little sparrow on the privacy fence just sat there and stared back at her for the longest time! It was sooooooooo cute. You just wonder what was going through their minds!!

Had a short nap and now off to the concert. Wish me luck!!! TTFN!

WOW what a perfect hourglass figure!! You GO Girl!!!

Ahhhhhh back from church and now time to relax a bit before the concert tonight. Jennifur... It's AWESOME to be able to cross my legs now and to actually have my toes pointing to the floor instead of to the ceiling!! And WOW.. I've never heard of putting that much into a band during surgery!!! Ours had nothing in until the first fill and yes, DH only has 3.5 in now after 3 fills!! I can't imagine how she is going to get anything down with that much in her band right from the start.. And how come your sister doesn't just pick up the phone and call your mom??? Why do you have to be the go-between???? And when you get crap from your family, just come in here and THIS family will boost you up. Right Sistahs?? Laura.. the UTI is nothing to fool with. You need to get to the doctor and get it cleared up. Now that you have everything the way it should be with the band, you don't want anything to mess it up!! Time to go fix some lunch and relax until tonight. Patience, trust and WWJD!!

Good Morning, Violets.. I'm up early so I can let the "garage" dog out and play with her for awhile before getting ready for church. I'm lay reader today plus directing the choir and we have a guest minister today so my job will be to make sure the service runs smoothly.. yikes!! I weighed in today and have lost 5 of the 7# I gained on the cruise. It's taken me 3 weeks to do it so that's a real good lesson we have learned about cruise eating!!! At least I know the fill is working for me now. Kat... I used ZiCam for my cold and it really made a difference. I used the nasal swabs and didn't have half the runny nose I usually do. My voice seems to be ok so I think I'll be ok singing my solo tonight at the Peace Concert. Our flute quartet will also be playing tonight. I'll be glad when tomorrow comes and I can relax a bit before our singing concert on Friday. Jennifur.... fingers crossed, legs crossed (I can do that now!!) and prayers said for good results on your job possibility!!!! Tme to get dressed for church. Everyone have a great day.. Patience, trust and WWJD??!!