StephC

ah Sweetie I'm sorry to hear dh may be going to Iraq. And right before the holidays!!! thats horrible and no one blames you for feeling like you do. We would all be bumming too! I hope it turns out he doesn't have to go. I just watched a suprise reunion on the Today show... it was so sweet, the daddy suprised his 5 & 8 year olds at school, they hadn't seen him in 3 or 5 months and then he's home 2 weeks and gone for another 7 months. It made me cry. I can't believe you guys like my shoes - haha - too funny. Ok I'll try to put my before with it. Here goes.

I emailed the pic of me to my mom - she hasn't seen me since July and about 20 lbs heavier - she was so happy to see me looking good. She printed the pic and hung it on her fridge. So that was nice.

Hi girlies! Kay - sounds like you had a wonderful time in Vegas. Get rested and back to the grind, worst thing about vacas is that you always have to come home. Boo and Claud - have fun in Mexico - drink a margarita for me. Bman - funny story! I'm suprised he even dared have his phone in his pocket. Still imagining a chocolate dipped uniform man. yummy! Pic of me from church on Sunday. Can you tell my skirt was 10 years old? LOL

My little girls, Sandee and Gigi - And my big girl - Ginger

Hi girlfriends! Everyone sounds so good! I was just wondering about BK- its been a while since she's checked in - it must be the new house. Nat - When I hear your comments about your dad it makes me miss mine. This is the first veterns day that I really thought about my dad. I guess as I get older I've learned to appreciate the things they've done for us. My dad passed away 12 years ago so enjoy every moment with yours and savor all his sweet comments. Nikki - I can relate about the view of yourself and how others view us. Fortunately I have a teenage daughter who keeps me on track. Remember that ugly stripped sweater I wore in my before pic? She told me not to wear it, but I didn't listen, now I look at the pic and think omg why would I have worn that? It wasn't that I was bulging out of it but that it was just plain UG-LY! So maybe they just didnt' like the dress? But I agree with Nat if your feeling cute you are cute! Trans - I can hear how worried you are about your son. I had 2 ADD kids, my oldest and my youngest. The oldest got through school with sports, he HAD to keep his grades up bc he loved to play and bc he was very athletic, went to states for wrestling and track, it was so good for his self esteem. My youngest daughter is in special ed when she's at school and cosmotolgy when shes at vo-tech - the special ed kids are in reg. classes but they take their tests with the sp.ed teacher. Yesterday she told me the kids were calling her sped again (we went through horror with teasing) but she laughed about it. She said it was bc everyone else failed a test and the s.e. kids all aced it. She said but I don't care bc I never asked the teacher for help except for one question. I said so see there you bettered them on your own. This girl WORKS at her grades. So FINALLY in her senior year she is understanding that its not about her that they are teasing her, its really about them. I hope it all works out for your son. Sweet - girl you are rocking that exercise!!! I haven't gotten off the couch yet!!! I plan on going home this afternoon and hanging the clothes up that I have draped on my dreadmill. Kaydoll - are you recovered yet? Love ya ladies!

good monday morning ladies! First and foremost OMG!!!! BMAN!!!!:wow2: You look AMAZING!! You have great legs! SEXY lady!!! Woohhooo!!! BOO - love your hair! - you're kicking ass as always! Size 8 redhead! Transformer - wtg on the new suit! Loving it I'm sure! I love a good sale and especially ones in a smaller size!!! I got that same email - too funny! VA - how was movie night? I watched a bunch over the weekend. Gilda, the old Rita Hayworth movie was one of them. I love old movies. OK - my monday morning check in... drum roll.....after last weeks wild ups and downs ... I weighed in this beautiful monday morning (actually raining here in PA but I think you know where I'm headed).... :lost2lbs::Banane42::whoo: I was so disgusted with that darn scale last week telling me I was up 4 lbs! GRRRR - so I was almost afraid to step on the evil one this morning - but then it said 169 and I got off and on and off and on. I think I may have hit 169 before but then my scale hovered around 171 for awhile so I'm gonna count it as a loss. I went to church yesterday and wore a sz 12 skirt that hung in my closet for 10 years. The last time I remember wearing it was to a Christmas party in 1996. Then it started getting tight. I took a pic but left the camera at home so I'll post it later. Anyway theres a lady there who has been debating on the band for over a year now, her insurance won't let her have it done here, she'd have to go to Pitts. and she doesn't want to ...whatever... anyway she was gushing over me, how good I look, then to our husbands, doesnt' she look good? and so then the 3 of them talked about me like I wasn't standing there... Her dh,she's beautiful, my dh, she's always been beautiful, her dh, yeah but theres less of her to love now, my dh, oh theres still enough to love on. LOL I got a kick out of it. But I really hope I encouraged her enough to get it done, she's still in her 50's and really for health reasons she needs to lose the weight. Ok its taken me 3 hours to type this bc my phone keeps ringing, guess they expect me to work when I'm on the job. To all of you bankers and postal workers - enjoy your day off!!! :bounce:

Boo wtg on the 8!!! woohoo!!! Have fun in diago with Claudoll! Ok so have any of you seen the commercial with the chocolate fountain? OMG it is soooooooooo funny!!! I don't really remember what it is they are selling but they say something about it being this time of year for indulgence. The girl is standing at a choc. fountain with a strawberry, she dips it takes a bite and then puts her head in the fountain - then at the end of the commerical her dh comes over to introduce her to someone and she comes out of the fountian with chocolate all over her face. I roared!!! Especially funny since we've all been talking about those darn fountains!!!! DD had her senior class play last night and tonight - we went last night is was great. Tonight DS and DIL are coming for dinner and then we're going to the play again. So I'm off to do some grocery shopping and then do some cooking. Talk to ya soon.

good morning! I guess Kaydoll is off on vaca in vegas - lucky ducky. We have snow. Just a covering but its still snowing lightly. I'm doing nothing today - alittle light housework, pay some bills, watch old movies and do a little baking. My son and dil are coming for dinner tomorrow night and its the only time I get to do any real cooking. Have a good day ladies.

Nat - so are you sizzling today? LOL Feels good to be looking good and you look marrrrrrrrrvolous!

Transformer - yes everything is better drizzled in chocolate (or amaretto but thats another story) VA - This fill is so flipping irritating!!! Some days my band will let me eat a little salad and a slice of pizza and sometimes it won't let me eat anything. Nikki - I'm the same way, any small neg. comment and it blows all my confidence. I could have had 10 compliments today and one negative remark would be all I can think about. Don't let them get you down, the people who know you and see you can see how great you look. Are you guys caught up with the time change yet? Its pissing me off. I can't stay awake until 11, I think I'm falling asleep 10-10:15 and then I'm wide awake at 6. Which is my old sleep time of asleep at 11 and up at 7 - so rather then take advantage of the extra hour I could probably go for a walk instead I sit here thinking its so friggin cold!!! I'm making myself feel guilty. Kaydoll leaves for Vegas tomorrow!!! woohoo - lucky lady! I hope you have a wonderful time, which I'm sure you will.

Sweethot - girlfriend you misssed the nutter butter cookies - they are to die for under the chocolate fountain!!!! Everything is better under the chocolate fountain. Nat - I totally understand your nsv! My thing is to lay in bed and feel my ribs - one night I thought I was feeling my band until I figured out it was part of my ribcage. go figure? Winter jackets? I am rocking my dd's last years pea coat - I guess its a pea coat but knee length. I love it and feel super sexy in it with my black boots and black gloves. I just ate a slice of pizza and I'm dying - I guess I better go try to throw up - this is ridiculous. It wasn't a big slice, actually a small slice of a med. pizza - last year at this time I'd have eaten 6 slices. Later chicas!

WTG Natster!!! Its so nice getting smaller. Nikki - I do the same thing - yesterday the hot pocket - I can not tolerate anything like that, rice is something I try not to even look at, just seeing it brings back all the pain and misery it causes. I also get the achy pain in all my organs when I've had something I shouldn't have. Until I puke it up and then wait 5 hours. Its horrible. I hope you are feeling better. Farting never seems to help - infact I was going to bring this up to you all... do you still fart? I am being completely honest when I say I seldom fart anymore - whats up with that? Is bc I'm not eating so much, or so fast that it causes air pockets in my intestine? I've been noticing this for a few months now - but the burping is still there, not the loud belches but when I'm too full I'll start these little burp burp burps. PMSL (hehe)

Kim did you have the surgery? Everything go ok? Hope to see you at the next support group.

Sweet - I agree with VA about the little one skiing - if she wants to do it let her. They have no fear at that age and I think its safe. You should see the little ones who water ski, its amazing. Bman - I like the sexy chocolate covered marine... oh my... a new fantasy. My dil's sister started chatting with a local service guy, he is stationed in Alaska, via internet. They knew of each other but that was all, so after a couple months of chatting she flew up to visit him, they fell in love, she came home for a couple months and then went back to visit him again and without telling anyone they got married. Flipped the whole family out. So she came home and packed up and moved to Alaska. He still has a year to serve and then when they come home next July they are having a real wedding. So the moral of the story is, mr marine may just be mr right. (I personally think she was nuts to get married that fast but thats my opinion). Transformer - I want to do jury duty and I never get picked. The last time I went in there were a couple hundred people there, I was in the 3rd group, out of 4 groups and we didnt' even have a call back, they picked all the jurors and alternates in the first 2 groups. I would find it very interesting as long as it didn't involve child abuse or something that I couldn't stomach. Nikki what does pmsl mean? Your talk of the baby brings back all those old memories. I loved being pregs and knowing there was a little life in there. Now that little life is a grown man. I think you need so many more calories when you're preg, remember the old eating for two - I don't think you should eat for 2 but if you are eating healthy the baby is probably taking most of those calories. I was never one to gain the right amount of weight, 25-30 lbs, I always took it a bit higher like 40-50 lbs - I ate for 2. Kay - I'm glad you are loving your bodybugg, I need something that makes me accountable. Dang if I'm not in a slump of lazy, junk food eating. Today I hope to leave work early (that is if I quite playing on the internet) and walk - maybe even get on the dreadmill. Sweet - the nail lady was just like the soup nazi! I couldn't quite put my finger on it but thats how it felt... where you go? Where you get nails? Hey Jill and Thininde! It was good to hear from you. I also was flipping out when the boards were down - geesh I hope that doesn't happen again. Annie - you are doing so good! And only a month to PS - woohoo!!! I have another appt with a ps in a closer town, I'm going to ask if the insurance pays for the skin removal if they would just charge extra outof pocket to make it a tt. I'm praying about it, just like I did the band and if its meant to be things will work out. In the meantime I need to get it together and lose something. Ok - gotta get to work. Just when I thought the budget was done the treasurer calls and says its all wrong.

btw - thank you for all the happy anniversary wishes - he can be sweet but as we all know .. men are men.. they all suck. LOL just kidding .. no I'm not... yeah I am...really if he didnt' do something sweet once in a while I'd throw him back for one who does.

Yes they are calling for that white stuff here too. I really don't mind the snow it the flipping cold I hate! I went to get my nails done tonight - I've been going there for over a year, close to 2 years - but last month I was in the opposite direction (remember I'm 20 miles from town whichever way I drive) so I had them done somewhere else. OMG the girl at my salon grilled me, where you go? I said I was just over at walmart - no where you go? My daughter has class play practice tonight - where you go? I'm not going anywhere - Where you go get nails? Oh well um er... well I was in Johnstown so I just ummm .. er.. stopped in the place by walmart... ohhhh... and she turns her back on me... LOL ... it was the friggin nail police!!! TOOO flipping funny!!! So after puking on my hot pocket today - I sipped on a cappychino until I spilled 3/4 of it all over my desk! Which I guess was a blessing in disguise bc I burped (mini throwups) cappicino all afternoon until supper - which I had soup and a salad and all seemed ok - until I got home and those dang chips and dip started calling my name again! My dd was supose to hide everything (like Nat does her scale) she said she would take some to her bf's and take a bag to the play practice.... but Nooooooooooo she leaves them all sitting out on the counter just daring me to pass them by - I've said it before I don't keep that crap in my house and its purely for this reason ... I HAVE NO SELF-CONTROL!!!!! DH is working out of town, feels weird knowing theres football on and I'm watching dancing with the stars... in the living room on the big screen.

Can't help it that they got one for the thumb! LOL - truth is I'm really not into football. I'm a freak. I have done HORRIBLE this weekend, HORRIBLE I TELL YOU!!! I have grazed on chips and dip and dip and chips and brownies and Cookies and chips and brownies and dip and chips and cookies and then I threw in some bbq ribs and ham pot pie too! Is it any wonder I'm up another 2 lbs? Did I mention I didn't walk once this weekend? Notta single calorie burned, other then when I lifted the chip and stuck it in the dip and then put it in my mouth. So today I'm thinking okie dokie time to get my sheet together - so I bring in a hot pocket for lunch - WHAT WAS I THINKING?? Puke city right here - pain - agony - puke puke - mental note to self... DO NOT EVER EAT BREADS OR BREADED FOODS - BAND WILL MAKE YOU MISERABLE!! So now I'm sipping on a FF cappy hoping the warmth will sooth my tummy. Anniversary was good. While we were at dinner dh says with a suprise tone in his voice - wow you look pretty tonight. I have to admit I was working it - I wore a black turtleneck with a red wool jacket - kinda cute without buttons, just a little hook at the breast. But like all of you I am in desperate need of clothing - I've also asked Santa for cash for clothes and I want a exercise bike with the bigass seat on it, and a stained glass window <-- they're so pretty with the sun shining through. Annie - wow - in the 150s! I can't wait to get there... but it aint gonna happen if I continue to eat like I have the past few days. Did you hide the scale in the closet like Nat does? hehe Sweet - the chocolate fountains are to die for - we had a huge one at ds's wedding and I have a small one that my dd uses now and then. She just used it at Fridays party but when we were cleaning up we threw the chocolate away - we both agreed we don't need that in the house. Sounds like you will be having fun. Maurden - hon, how much have you lost so far? When you say lack of progress what do you mean? And I have to say we are all the same way - its really hard to post when you have to admit to eating chips and dip all weekend and then (I won't mention names Kaydoll) others are rocking the exercise bodybugg stuff. Seriously hon, we all struggle and fail and pick ourselves up and get back to band basic and lose a little and struggle some more but we are doing it together. Like Nat said I love ya'll. I know there are some bandsters who have hit their goal and the year isn't even up yet but then there are several more of us who have had to work at it and still have a ways to go. I was really impressed by a before/after pic of someone banded 5 years ago, she said it took her 3 years to lose the first 100 lbs and then 2 years to get the last 30 lbs off. But she looks GORGEOUS now. I figure if I lose 1 pound a month I will be at my ulitmate goal in 3 years. Don't look at the short term, take what you've lost so far - say 20 lbs - thats 2 lbs a month since Dec. - in 4 years that will be 100 lbs. . We all want to lose it faster but if we don't we gotta be happy we arent' gaining. I for one am VERY happy you didn't have gastric bypass - this is so much healthier. I promised my treasurer that I would have the budget done today... so again, sorry I can't post to all of you but I love ya love ya love ya!

Excuse me, did some say Pittsburgh STEELERS

hey girlfriends!!! I see you all down there at the bottom of my screen! StephC, Banannie, CLAUDIAGDLMEX, Kaydotrn, Nathalie, nikki32, VABandster Kisses to you all and have a great weekend!!!

Wow I love reading all your posts!!! I'm not going to try to respond to everyone - you all know I'm with ya, praying for ya, yippee'ing with ya, sympathizing with ya. But I will say Nikki how exciting to see our band baby!!! Nat - DD is ok. Today. The sheethead pisses me off then he goes and does something to totally redeem himself. Its our 28th anniversary today and he came into my job with a dozen red roses. He wants to go to dinner tonight and he tells me to pick the place - heck I don't care where we eat - especially right now since I ate a hot dog for lunch (just the dog no bun) and I have horrible heartburn!!! The kitchen is closed, everyone is gone and I didn't bring anything for lunch, so I zapped a frozen hotdog - omg just kill me now!!! Anyway theres a ski resort not far from us and they have a seafood buffet - its about $50/person but it has everything, lobster, crab, shrimp, oysters, clams and just about anything and everything you would want - we usually go there 2x year but I wasn't going to bring it up since its kinda a waste for me to go...or is it? (more on that subject later) so he brought it up to me, I get a kick out of him bc he's all about me, where do I want to go, what do I feel like eating and when I say I dont' care he says well we could go to 7 springs... LOL ... I knew it!!! He was wanting to go there all along!!! I love him. Somedays I think I hate him but I guess I love him the jackass that he is. LOL Kaydoll - I'm thinkng of you sweetie, when will you be leaving on your trip to Vegas? So funny that we share (almost) anniversaries! On our 10th dh went on a elk hunting trip to Montana, me and the kids (sheesh 18 years ago! I was pg with my youngest, the other 2 were 3 and 5 years old) we stayed in Minn. with my mom & dad - dh brought me home 10 peices of torquiose jewlery from Montana. For some odd reason it didn't bother me that he went on a hunting trip for our anniversary. Go figure?! I'm starting to get mad about it now though. Anyhoo have fun - I see its just 6 days away! My flowers are beautiful.

I love the Mary Vincent - mine would be the Zita Fredrick, or my husband and mine would be the Stephanie George - not as cool as Mary Vincent.

Va - sounds like a lovely afternoon!!! I'm no where near getting done with my work today. But I got alot done so I feel like I'm almost there. So tomorrow I should be able to clean up the rest of the month/fiscal year - you all have no idea how great it feels to have the season over. Its so strange bc when I'm off work I tend to get bored (after a couple months) and then I get back to work and everything is so hectic that when this time of year comes up again its such a relief and then I start to think about what am I going to do with my time off. Resist the halloween evil candy! Today I ate a bowl of soup and my tummy feels icky - like my big tummy not my pouch. Nikki I don't have shoulder pain but I have back pain, I'm just achy all the time. Kay let us know how the body bugg is doing. I still can't see spending the extra $$ on it now. I'm hoping once I'm really off work I'll work the dreadmill and get to a 5k by spring. Boo - love those compliments!! You really don't look like you need a tt. Nikki - enjoy those walks with the little guys. When I look back I have to admit those were the happiest days of my life. I loved when my kids were little, I just enjoyed every minute. I had several friends who were also stay-at-home mom's and we got together almost everyday. I didn't work for 12 years!! Wow is it any wonder why I look forward to a lay-off every year? LOL I'm a lazy arse! Ok - the work day is done. I'm off.

Hi ya Natster!!! Good to hear from you again!! That was sweet of your dad. How do I deal with halloween candy? Theres not one single piece in my house! Since we live in the country we don't get tricksters so I didn't have to buy it. I keep those fruit chewy, roll-up stuff for the Fairy's and Darth's who come around. I don't have much of a taste for that stickytomyteeth crap so it works for me. My dd is selling candybars again for some fundraising (I will be so glad when she graduates and we don't have to sell anymore). I bought the new Eagles cd - love it. I didn't start the couch to 5k yet, but I downloaded it to cd's. I thought I'd use my dd's ipod but now I think I'll just use it when I do the dreadmill. I don't know why I didn't think of that earlier. duh! I'm still working until next week - BUT - we are officially closed as of today. Woohoo!!! The chef and crew are cleaning, the course is closed and the pro .. well he's not here yet today. Bman - hon, I think you should be checked for mono again. Did you take ALL your med when you had strep? You know thats like the biggest symptom of mono - tiredness. I want to say sleep while you can but if its depression then you should get moving. I think you need to go to the doctor and get another strep test, and - or, anti-depressants, maybe Effexor, just something to get you past the holidays. Effexor is also good for weightloss. Just a thought. BK - keep up the good work - I'm still up 2 lbs and still no period! I'm hoping when and if I get it I'll suddenly drop 5 lbs. Gotta get to work again today - being its the first of the month and I'm closing up office!!!

ok - I like Liquid Asset We have 2 boats - they are called "The Boat" and the "Other Boat" Sorry.. But I do have one for sale if anyone is interested. Its a ski boat.

I called my insurance company to check on the status, they said they didnt' have anything on me. I called my dr and the case worker called the insurance company and that very day I was approved. It doesnt' hurt to call.