Rebeccalee

That sounds so much like my junior high experience, Lauri! I love that age -- they can still have sooo much fun! I found upper high school students way too "cool" for me. I was shopping the other day and felt like a little motor boat, putting down the aisle. Sheesh! I can't believe I shared that.

Gee, Michelle, I sure feel for you. I do hope you are feeling better soon. I am also having another esophagus episode. Hoping this one doesn't weeks like the last one. I guess mine just gets so irritated and takes forever to heal. And I'm on Nexium all the time! Mine actually got better when I buckled down -- I hate it -- and stayed on only liquids. I'm trying to eat soft things now, but may have to go the total liquid route. Hope your Prevacid takes care of it in the next couple days. Hang in there!

Ho ho ho, DeLarla, Lisa, Crazy Girl. You crack me up. :laugh I just love your Christmas spirit. I didn't Celebrate the holidays all the years my boys were growing up -- don't ask me why, it is ALL in the past. They still got all the benefits. My family just celebrated my son's birthday (Dec. 23) like he was a little prince or something. :rolleyes They all kind of think I'm crazy for starting now, but I sure do enjoy it. I just packed the box for my grandson in Kansas -- sniff....

Congratulations on the new baby. What a lovely holiday gift. I love being a grandma. I think the first one is so special. Have a wonderful party.

I might have to come for the walk. I canceled my reservation for the Seattle Bash in February. I'll keep it in mind.

Wow! Who are those new people on your page? Great job! :Bunny

Party! :Bunny Wish you were a little closer or had picked an easier time of the year. Ha! :laugh

I walked today, too. Finally! :Bunny

Hope you are feeling a bit better today. I had a rough start, too. It just gets better from here. Hang in there.

That sucks! I guess the upside is that you won't be eating any of the Christmas goodies! Hope the time goes fast and your attitude stays as positive as it is. I admire you for trying to make the best of it.

Wow! Some of you are so on top of things! I actually got a good start this year. I think I have extra energy. I have to hold off on the Christmas music because it drives my family crazy. I would listen to it constantly, though. Maybe I'll start today. I am decorating this weekend while my step-daughter paints my bathroom to earn shopping money. Yeah! Our house finally looks good enough to have company -- and so do I! I am looking forward to social occasions for the first time in years. Your tree sounds very pretty, Betty. My favorite thing is the big inflatable snowman I got last year. The kids love it. It sure runs up the electric bill, but it makes all us kids very happy. :laugh Gonna put on the Christmas music and see what the boys say.

Zoe, Penni has a next bash thread. I think it is sticky, so should be at the top of someplace. Welcome back, Darcy. How was your Thanks-Christmas? Hope you had a great time with you family. Did you get your quilts done in time? Sorry about your gain; I had one too. :ermm I hope you are feeling better, Margie. I've been lying low, too, with an irritated esophagus. I think it is on the way to normal now. I really have to watch the amount I eat, or I pay big time. OUCH! Well, onward and downward!

Marie, I hope things are better after your unfill. Sorry you had to have one. I have been lying low for the last couple days. I was a bit discouraged to gain and then overate at hubby's birthday dinner. Messed up my esophagus again. Ugh! It is feeling better today, after a day of mostly liquids. I hope that's the end of it. It seems this is rather common around the holidays. No exercise the last couple days. Need to get back on that, it feels so good to do it.

That's fantastic! You look wonderful. It is a great nsv to feel comfortable in your body and not to worry about how it will limit you. Congratulations! Clothes are a challenge, but I find that I actually enjoy shopping now. That's a first!

What a difference it makes to have a very experienced doctor. I'm glad you are on you way to mending, Michelle.

Sigh......Congratulations, Greg. (No, really, good job! :Bunny ) La_Madam posted on weekly scale challenge a 3 lb. loss. WooHoo! :Bunny :Bunny I exercised 3 days this week. That's good. I gained 1 pound. :nervous It could have been worse. This week will be much better.

What a great thing to do for the holiday. Congratulations on feeling brave enough to do that!

Great pictures, Leatha! I love the effects you used as borders. We had a lovely day with our children and my parents and aunts. We managed to get our house together and bought a new kitchen table to boot. I am VERY happy with all the work we did on the house, but it sure tuckered me out. I'm looking forward to having company now that things are more accomodating around here.

I am so sorry to hear you have been so ill, Carol. I'm glad you are getting better. Walter and I enjoyed dinner and hope we can do it again. I have some pictures for you on my website. I will send you the link.

I am in the process of gradually weaning my mom from doing the majority of the holiday cooking. We moved Thanksgiving to my house. It is hard for her to let go. She has such bad knees that she is in constant pain. Before surgery I had knee pain. I also had hip pain (and a father who had a hip replacement.) I was worried about my future. I am so thankful that I am not in pain anymore. I am no longer on the fast track to disability. I also had a wake up call yesterday. As I was putting away the leftovers, I grabbed a roll, which I had avoided at dinner, sopped it in gravy -- over and over -- and devoured it in seconds. :eek A little reminder of life before banding! How thankful I am to have a tool to keep this kind of behavior in check!

I feel like I have a hangover! And I don't. It is definitely the day after. I am not snickering one little bit, Greg. I ate too much. I did too much and none of it was exercise, and I really don't feel like moving off the couch. We had a lovely day with the family and I WILL exercise today. I lost 5 pounds in the last month, which is my lowest yet. I am determined to lose that much this month, regardless of the holidays. Heaven help me when it is time to make fudge. :rolleyes

No official exercise today, but it's 1 a.m. and I'm still putting the house back together after painting and laying a new floor. I'm pooped! Everyone have a very lovely holiday.

That is definitely in the opposite direction from sexy! That sounds awful!

Michelle, there will be little goodies at the end of the challenge. You do so well with your weight loss -- give it a shot. I really needed this to get motivated. So far it is working. I swam laps for 45 minutes today while the kids swam. That's it for today because I'm pooped.

Too cute, Penni. :)I love the stripes. Isn't this just too much fun!?