Twilight

Hi ladies. I've been MIA a couple of days. Nothing big happened....just busy. Yesterday went snowmobiling. Had quite a spill. I didn't hit anything but a snowdrift, not sure why it happened. Just a freak thing I guess. But I flew over the handle bars one direction, the machine flew over the handle bars in the other direction. I made 3 somersaults, the machine made 2. Nothing broken but the windshield on the sled. Lucky! Jeff says I'm lucky the snow was soft where I landed, but I have to admit that it didn't feel all that soft. Now I have a swollen bruise the size of my entire hand on my thigh where the handlebars caught me and my shoulders feel like I've been run over, but no damage to my back. I guess because I was wearing my back brace. Need to take it easy for a couple of days. Glad I've still got some pain pills from when my back was hurting so badly. Karri, I'm glad you found another place to live. It has to be warm or nothing is good. Sounds like a horrible bout with the flu. It doesn't sound like fun. I'm really glad you got to it before it caused any permanent damage. Counting your small blessings. Phyl, it's -20 here...but at least the wind isn't blowing. I'll take the cold over the wind any day. Especially in the sand. That's gotta be icky. Grit everywhere. ick! So far today I've had a bowl of kashi crunch. Going to take it easy on the couch. Talk to you later ladies. Have a great Monday! Can't wait to hear about Candice and Janet's fun weekend. I hope she won the jackpot so we can all go to Vegas next time.

Hi ladies. Sorry I didn't say hello this morning. Rose and I had to go shopping for her house. Of course I called Jeff and said I didn't think I needed much of anything which completely just jinxed me. I did a bunch of grocery shopping though. I worked really hard at staying in the good food mode. I bought everything with lots of protein and low sugars. I got stuff for lunches. I got stuff for breakfasts. I bought a ton of veggies and fruit. As much as I wanted to I didn't buy the cookies or the candy. I was so hungry I thought I could have eaten my leg, but I stayed strong. Tired tonight. I'll talk to you all tomorrow. I hope Candice had a great flight. I hope Janet enjoys her trip. Car, tell me more about this exercise plan. Phyl, I agree, just asking for trouble. I live in BFE and don't leave my easily removed stuff just sitting out. That would be like sitting my laptop on my mailbox and being upset that it wasn't there the next day. As if!!! Okay...off to bed. Have a great day tomorrow everyone!

Hi ladies. Just thought I would check in. On the Vegas front, I found out that if you're williing to travel on certain days from certain cities in Mt. you can get a plane ticket for as little as 39 one way. So next time you are thinking of going that direction, let me know and I'll see if I can work it out. I've been working on my standards stuff today so not much going on. So far today I've had a fiber one bar for breakfast, 1/2 dried cherries for snack, yogurt and turkey, pine sausage for lunch. My protein is looking good. I'm excited about that. Well...better run and get some more work done. Awfully quiet here ladies, are you all lurking? Car??? Donna??

Good evening ladies. I'm a little excited about Obama taking office. I'm not holding my breath but I do believe he can make a difference. It was an amazing day to watch tv. I haven't watched any of the ball but I'm sure it will be all over the news tomorrow. As for the bar/gym....I'm going to look into it. How does a hotel have a workout room without anyone in there at all times? I think it's possible. We will see what the business people say. This is my thought about the bar. Monthly costs may be 3k...the building isn't that much, and if I work and mom works, payroll will be very low. Small enough for only one employee at a time. so for 3k I only have to make a $100 profit a day to break even. That's not too bad. Jeff's going to talk to his business people and we will work out a business plan and see if it's really feasible. It's all talk for right now. I'll let you know if it goes any further. I need to do my cals. I'll post them when I know them. Talk to you later ladies. Have a good day tomorrow.

HI ladies! Hope you had a great weekend. I have been busy traveling home. Those of you on facebook who ticketed me know this! I slept like a log last night, got up this morning and Jillianed this morning. I feel good and I'm going to dedicate myself to dailyplate until I am back under control. I'm going to log everything as I eat it and work my plan. It worked when I was on a budget and when I really wanted to have a snack and didn't have calories to spare, I either couldn't have it or I had to work for it. I ordered a few dvd's for my total gym. It's been sitting downstairs gathering dust but mom wants to use it and I figured we can do it together. She wants to do sweatin to the oldies and I ordered those for her too. I can do my Jillian and then total gym and she can total gym and then do her oldies. Mom and I spent the day yesterday talking about opening a business. Okay...so there is this building down the street that is for sale. It was split into two businesses. The front was a beer/wine bar, the back a restaraunt. So...our idea is to reopen the beer bar, but in back to put in some machines and do a small scale gym. Tell me what you think about this idea. Remember that I am in a very small town with nothing like this.... So if I buy 2 treadmills, 2 ellipticals, 1 bowflex type machine, put in 1 tv with some videos, and a few sets of handweights. Then you pay to "rent" them. No one there to watch what you are doing, no one there to check in with....just the space available to go in and use. It is not a huge area but part of it could be cleared out for a "kids zone" so moms could come and their kids could play. What do you all think? Am I opening myself up for big trouble liability wise? I just don't know what I have to worry about. About the beer bar....I hate beer and wine so I wouldn't be drinking there. The clientel is still around. It would be a very low scale operation. Open from 3pm to 11pm. A pool table and some dart boards. That's it. Could also make it a juice bar for those after they work-out. Just a thought. Mom and I need something to do....mom is now out here. She'll be here for a few months and then out in Lincoln and here on and off. So....just some thoughts. What do you think girls. Am I insane? Gotta run. Gotta go check out mom's new house. Later!

Gail, you look gorgeous! You SHOULD feel proud. It's been an amazing year and you've taken you to the head of the line! Let us all celebrate putting ourselves first!

Hi there ladies! I hope you had a wonderful day. Mine wasn't too bad except that I didn't want to get out of bed this morning and so I spent all day trying to get caught up from that extra half hour I took. grrrrrr. Serves me right for procrastinating. Food today was good. Haven't taken time to chart it yet so I can't give you totals but bf was a burrito from McD's and 8 oz OJ...cuz I have a cold. Lunch was a go lean crunch bar (they are the best!) and 1/2 c. dried cherries, snack was 1/2 c. of this almond stuff they sell at Costco...don't remember what it's called but it's basically almonds stuck together in little chunks....dinner was 4 oz. chicken and 1c ceaser salad (and I would have chose something else but that is what they had). One cookie at workshop. 75 oz of water if I get thiss last 20 oz in before bed. 1/2 hour on the treadmill. 2mi. I was going to go for 45 but it shut down on me and I was too frustrated to have lost all my data to start over. (really crappy machines here) I chuckle at the Hell froze over comment....I'm telling you it froze over a couple of weeks ago and I drove through it, remember???? I'm so jealous of the Vegas trip. The lady I do this workshop with is going to leave for there on Sunday afternoon. Her family has a timeshare there and they are going to spend the week. How nice does that sound? I'm telling you, jealous. But, no snowmobiling there so you are going to miss out on that fun. Vodka and I have a love hate relationship. I used to drink Southern Comfort but since my band I just get way to drunk way too fast. I tried something less alcohol like Amaretto but then I got super full and way too many cals. So I've switched to the flavored vodkas. They make an orange one, mixed with diet 7 tastes like a sunkist....the blue ras with diet squirt is pretty refreshing...the problem is that it gives me a horrendous headache and when I drink it I am fine one minute and toast the next. I can't moderate on it because it always hits me WHAM!!!! So I love it, but it hates me. As for carrying the weight in a bag....I tried to carry ONE 5 gallon jug of water....I've lost almost 2...some of you have lost 3. Can you imagine carrying those around all day. Try to carry ONE, ONE lap around the grocery store. Just ONCE. It SUCKS!!! I'm amazed everytime I think how much hell I was putting my body through. No wonder it started to give up. Okay...off to repark my cars and see how many tickets I've aquired today. I'm never going to get a million dollars! Plan is to get up early tomorrow morning and do 1/2 hour in the morning as well as the 1/2 hour tomorrow night, on the treadmill. Wish it was something more exciting but better than sitting here on my butt. Oh...and after my 1/2 hour I did 100 different crunches. Jillian was sitting on my shoulder telling me to. Okay...now...goodnight ladies!

Good evening ladies. Just thought I'd pop my head in so you didn't think I'd disappeared again. Travel was good. It is warm on this side of the state. Was 45 here in Helena today. I guess it was -20 this morning at home. I'm now in my hotel room and I've been working hard on all that I was procrastinating. Why I leave things til the last minute is beyond me. But it is mostly done so I'm taking some time for me. It's 11:30 so the rest will have to be tomorrow morning. Okay...good news first...but long story to get there..... When I last went snowmobiling I had a 2xl mens coat and 2xl women's bibs. The bibs were getting too small and the coat, though arms were too long, just fit. Anyways, I tried on the bibs last week when we went snowmobiling and they were a riot. I could have fit at least 2 if not 3 of me in them. I didn't even attempt the coat. Anywho....I went online and was trying to figure out what to order and was very troubled with the size charts. The things said a small was a 6-8 but the waist size was something crazy like 24 inches. The xl was the right waist but said pant size was 14-16. So I called the company and the idiot man on the phone didn't understand the problem and I just got frustrated. So I didn't order a damned thing because I was coming out here. So this morning I went to a shop to try on...and the size 8 fit!!! I was so worried I was going to have to get an xl and cry. It wouldn't have mattered if they ran small or not. That xl still would have slapped me. And for those of you in an xl, that is not an insult to you all in the least. Please don't take it that way. I was excited to check into hotel because I wanted to work out...but all they have is a recumbant bike and a treadmill....no elliptical. Friend is going to check to see if I can go to her gym on a day to day rate. Anyways...I did walk 1/2 hour, but my music only lasted 16 minutes. I almost gave in then but pushed through. I forgot my Jillian video in P'wood. I was all psyched about plugging it in my laptop and doing it here in the mornings. Oh well...I'll get the exercise in. No calorie count today....too tired to care. I did good food wise and did manage to get in 48 oz of water. I'm coming down with a cold. I have a fever blister from hell on my lip....about the size of a quarter inside and out. My throat is sore and nose is getting stuffy. I took some cold stuff and my back meds. Going to sign off...after I move my cars (and pay my parking fines that I'm sure Phyl gave me) and get to sleep. Candice, great job on 175!!!! What a magic number Phyl, sounds like a great party both this morning and this evening. I'm glad I wasn't there because that vodka would have been my undoing. Janet, I wish I was going to Vegas....I'm jealous. Karri, good for you on limiting your availability. It will be tough to stick to, but oh so worth it! And awesome job on the miles. Car, as soon as I get the chance to do some searching (tomorrow evening probably) I will start with the daily tips. my email is StephS@qtr.us or you can just pm me. Tomorrow's goal....1 1/2 times the water....100 oz. With the cold I need to up my liquids. And your body cannot burn calories without fluid. Have a great day tomorrow everyone. I'll check in sometime tomorrow evening.

Holy postings batman!!! You ladies have been chatty tonight. Not much to report. Tomorrow I go traveling so I won't be on at all probably. I will be at moms tomorrow night. The next day I will have internet access so you will see me Thursday. DH made up for being a butthead. He bought me some earrings for Christmas that were snap back....and my ears are too fat for them. So we took them back today to get something else. So I'm looking and he says "Whichever you want, trade them for anything." Well...I picked a pair, not having a clue what they cost. So the lady behind the counter asked DH what he payed and he said $250....so she took these out of the box and says, "We can do 3 on these." And he just pulled out his wallet and didn't even blink an eye!!! I wanted to choke! I figured 50ish....100 tops. So how can I call him an @$$ after that. I'll have to live in these earrings though, to make them worth it and hell if I ever lose one! Okay....gotta run. It's 11 and I have a huge day tomorrow. Love you ladies! Oh...and snowblowing was because I THOUGHT my back was better. Obviously I was wrong but at least it was some exercise. Okay...night ladies!

Since the morning seems to be my breaking point, that might not be a bad idea. It seems if I can get through the morning without indulging I'm pretty good the rest of the day. If I flake out in the morning I seem to be sunk. I watched Ally on QVC when she was doing Biggest Loser sales and she said, "Every choice you make is another chance to choose you. So you screwed up breakfast, lunch is another chance to make the choice that you are worth it." I wish I could live that! Tell you what, why don't we both look for healthy living life tips on the net and post them every morning to each other. Either PM or here. And we can add our own little tidbits of how we are going to work the tips. If we don't hear from each other by noon it might be a needed follow through. What do you think?

I wanted to post this pic. It's of me and my neice from when I went to San Antonio. I have gained 10 since then but it's one of the first pictures I've taken of me that I can say, "I look good in that!" I love that idea. It's been so long!

I just spent an hour out snow blowing. Now it's snowing heavier than it has for 2 days. They say there snould be less than 1 inch so I'm sure it won't last for long. ... but I should have waited I guess. Oh well. It will give me something to do this evening.

Good morning ladies! It may be sunny and warm in the desert but it's snowing again in the flatland! I can't believe how much snow we have. I am so excited to see it. It's been almost 10 years since we've had a winter like this. I LOVE it! However, it's supposed to drop back into the deep freeze this week and I HATE that. Snow is great, cold sucks! 20 degrees with 24 inches of snow is perfect! I wish I was going to Vegas instead of going to work on these standards, but have fun for us. Maybe you will win a mint and you can foot the bill for a Caribean vacation for all of us! I'll be rooting for you. Phyl, I'm sorry you have the blahs. They suck don't they? Maybe rent a good movie or something and cuddle in and laugh...or cry....depending on your tastes. Both would be good for you. At least both help me when I'm in the doldrums. Karri, it sucks that you can't get online at school anymore. You really need to buddy up to the tech guys. Why they would block LBT is crazy. Just crazy. I'm waiting to hear how your therapy sessions go too. Let us know. Car, my puppies are loving the snow. They get outside for about 3 minutes at a time but they run and jump and play. It's so cute. Chi Rho lost his pigear out there the other day. He flipped it up and it went flying and now it's lost til spring. It was so cute. Okay...I'd better get to work. I have a ton of things to do before the end of today so I can go to Rose's tomorrow. Oh...did I tell you all that she rented a house out here? She'll be moving out here next week when I come home, staying until the beginning of March and then be flip flopping back and forth for the rest of the year. I'm so excited. She got her eyelift done this week so when her bruises are gone she has told me that I can post before and afters. She wouldn't let me before her eyelift. Silly woman. Anyways....off to get some work done. Have a great day ladies!

Okay...I need to post pics. My before is the worst picture of myself that I could find and my after is from August when I went to see my darling niece graduate from basic training. I'm the picture taker of the family so not many pics of me.

Fanny! You look absolutely AMAZING!! You have got to be so proud of yourself! Looks like you've been enjoying the new you also! Good for you.

I'm so glad I don't have email notifications on. That would drive me crazy. There is a blizzard warning in effect until 6am here, and until noon in North Dakota tomorrow. I'm going to cancel my fill. I hate to say that. I'm trying to convince myself that roads won't be that bad, but I know that I need to stay home. I'm just worried what another month will do to me. I will do it. I will do just fine. I just am freaking out a little bit. Spent 2 hours blowing snow this afternoon after my little JaiJai's birthday party. Managed to only have half a piece of cake. It was a wash day food wise, and even though I was busy all day, no actual work out. Back is killing me though. It probably wasn't the best idea to go push that stupid snow blower....but the puppies really needed me to work them out a path so they could get out of their room and get some exercise. Okay...gotta get to bed. I'll talk to you all tomorrow.

Alright ladies. I'm having a rough night. Fighting with idiot husband. grrrrr Why am I the one going to sleep on the couch when he's the @$$? Because he doesn't care that I'm angry, he just does whatever the frick he thinks he wants to and treats anyone else like crap. Knows I'm mad at him and comes in after 6 hours of snowmobiling and sits in his recliner and goes to sleep. Doesn't talk to the kids, doesn't ask how our day was, dozes....until I say maybe he should get ready for bed, so he goes down and brushes teeth and goes to bed....like I'm going to go too....NO @$$bite, I'm not going to be all sweetness and light. grrrrr My darling's 2nd birthday is tomorrow. She isn't feeling the greatest today so I'm hoping she's better tomorrow. Especially since I'm going to go get a fill on Monday and need her to go to daycare! Well...better get to the couch. I'm tired but I'll be damned if I'll go listen to his snoring for the evening. GRRRR. I'm so mad! I could go in there and kick him! Okay...vented. now I need to go to sleep. Big day tomorrow. Night ladies. Kick idiot husband in your dreams for me.

Okay...forgot....who was talking a couple days about mushroom pie and did I miss what exactly that was? I think it was mushroom pie. Something like that. Fill needle....I've got one in a package in case of absolute emergency, but on Monday I'll just grab that red bag in the drs room when she isn't looking. My appointment is in the afternoon so there are bound to be a bunch in it from the day. She won't miss it, and we can put the needles through the dishwasher. If we fill with Rum, the alcohol will kill any germs anyways, so who would care if they were sterile?

You all are hilarious! I'm going to have to look into this. Phyl has a nursing background, doesn't she? She should be able to figure something out. Oh....and we can go to Mexico to get the supplies cheap. You know they have absolutely no regulations down there. Plus no snow. I'm all over this. We'll all be rich.

They HOPE you are kidding??? WTF!!!!! Some people just need to stop taking life so seriously. I was thinking, since I can't eat bread and I LOVE it, maybe, since the needle is hollow and bigger than a normal one, maybe I could get bread dough in there....and then the yeast will do the swelling and all will be fine. And then, after it ferments for awhile, we'd have grain alcohol. Whatcha think guys? I have a needle in my glove box. Maybe I'll try it. Screw the 4 hour drive Monday, I'll do it my damned self.

You have such a great attitude. Good for you. I'm going to work to have as great attitude as you do. Its a quiet morning here. Kids in tub. Michael has a bb game in a couple of hours. I need to get moving but have no motivation to. Oh....got new livingroom carpet yesterday. So my exercise was moving all the furniture out by myself and then after it was installed I moved it all back in. Maybe not as strenuous as Jillian but all I had time for. I love the carpet though. It's wonderful!!! Have a good day ladies. I will be back this evening.

Okay...now that I've kicked my @$$ out of my pity party..... Phyl, don't be self concious of your legs. They are what they are and the people be damned who don't like them. Let's be honest, is there any one of us that can look in the mirror and say, "damn I'm fine!!!" We are all too judgemental about ourselves and then when someone comes up and mouths off....tell her to kiss your kanoli! Kill her with kindness next time she makes one of those nasty remarks. Something like, "Oh, I know Martha, I so wish I had half the inate beauty that I see sitting across from me, but I wasn't nearly as blessed as you are. I'll have to be happy that I was given a good heart instead of gorgeous legs. I only wish I would look as good as you when I'm your age. You don't look like a day over 80." Janet, glad you are feeling better. I wish I had half the sun that you guys do. I would love to have sun right now. Kari, you have every right to be frustrated. But at the same time, you have not given up? You are still working the band and still staying on top of things. You are doing great. Don't give up! Alright ladies. I'm tired, it's late. I'll have to ad to this tomorrow. Love you all ladies. Happy weekend to you all.

Tell the mushroom addict about this idea of "mushroom pie"?????

Candice! You're the best. You are right as always. I need to get out of my head. I guess I've been spending too much time alone in front of the computer and giving myself too much time to think negative things. I'm a little embarrassed about the "advice" I've given in the past when I thought I was all that, doing so well. Now I feel like I was a "poser". I guess I needed taken down a few notches. Getting too big on myself. I can do this. And the pouch test isn't a way of punishing myself more, it's my way of getting back on track. Since I have to do liquids Monday because of the fill, I thought that it would be a good time to get back in touch with my band and what it feels like. I'm hoping for some restriction after this next fill. I try to remind myself that right now I have less in than when they placed it so it's almost like being in bandster hell again and everyone says not to beat yourself up at that time....but I have a hard time thinking I've learned nothing in the last year that has stuck. Anyways....after this fill I will (crossing my fingers, toes, and eyes and knocking on wood) have some proper restriction and will need to go back to learning what I can and cannot eat...and so I thought the pouch test would be a great way for me to relearn that. I will also be traveling on Wednesday and will be able to choose foods easier if I'm strictly on soft proteins. I will not be tempted to stop by McD's or other places like that. Thursday - Sunday I will be in a hotel and being back on track will be what I need. The hotel does have an exercise room and I will do at least a half hour each day on the elliptical in there....going to push myself to go for an hour a couple of those days if I have time. Staying where we are meeting will be a plus on that front. I should have more time that way. I also decided to move my work to the basement where I have to go upstairs to get food instead of 15 feet to the kitchen. The lazy me still tells myself it isn't worth those 14 steps!!! A mixed blessing I guess. Okay...back to my work. I'll check back in. BTW Candice! I LOVE the new pic with your weight! It's lovely. You're looking GREAT!!!

Hi ladies. Crappy day. I did manage to get some exercise in...if you could call it that. I finally unboxed my Jillian wii game. What a waste of freaking money!!! It was HORRIBLE!. If I was Jillian I'd be horrified that my name was on it. I ate a bunch of crap. I don't know. Just a bad day. I did decide that Monday I will begin the 5 day pouch test. I'm to go get a fill that day. I don't know. I'm feeling like a failure right now. I've gained 15 pounds in 2 months. I feel like a fraud. acting like I knew what I was doing and I have absolutely no self control. I'm almost too tembarassed to go through with the fill. I know I'm beating myself up. I know it isn't all that bad...but I'm kicking myself while I'm down. I guess I have the winter blues too. I'm going to do better. I'm working out again. I'm drinking my fluids....I just feel like crap! Like a failure. GRRRRRR.