I'm here to help...

[Apples2 19]

Talk of bunny cakes reminds me of the lamb cake my Grandma used to make when we were kids. She had a lamb shape pan and then put green easter grass around it and some jelly Beans. I'll have to find that pan when we move and I unpack, have no idea where it is now and won't find it by Sunday. I made a good grape salad for a pot luck tonight, think I will make it again for Easter at my MIL's

GRAPE SALAD

1 8 oz. Sour Cream

1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 C. sugar

8 Cups of grapes (mix of red and green)

Brown sugar

pecans

Mix together softened cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Fold in grapes. Put in serving bowl. Sprinkle top with small amount of brown sugar and nuts.

Of course you can use light sour cream and cream cheese.

Sounds good...similar to one I have that you put strawberries in.:thumbup:

[Great2BThin 5]

?Do you put strawberries and grapes in it or just strawberries? I can't eat this salad as I have trouble with grape skins I guess. I get a stuck feeling. So I've actually never tasted it but it gets rave reviews. Perhaps I could do the berries.

Melissa, you can do this. Go back to the place that made you get banded in the first place. Look at that person and who she was. Remind yourself you never want to go back there again. Now look at the place you want to get to. see the new body, the new self confidence, the new active lifestyle. Now try acting like that new person now. Buy some more stylish clothes (Goodwill is good as you transition and it still feels new to you), tell yourself how great it feels to have lost the weight, be more active. The more you can become that person as you are losing, the easier it will be to be that person and harder it will be to be the person before surgery. I know I am probably not very eloquent in my words and I don't mean to sound like you were a bad person before, after all we are the same person. But these type of practices helped me a lot. In other words, Fake it til you Make it, act like you are at goal now.

[Apples2 19]

Great...I just do sliced berries. I used to be able to eat grapes. But now they cause my stoma to spasm....I miss them.

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Hi everyone, just home from a wonderful Maunday Thursday Service at our church..... Our pastor is so good at doing a meaningful service. Now we are waiting for DD to bring Mimi to spend the night... She is already asleep so hope she doesn't wake up coming over.. DD is waiting for her new guy to come and then they will bring her over and we can meet him.... Whoooo Hoooo..... Now I know this is serious... We ususally have to beg to meet anyone she goes out with....

Made a quick trip to Bismarck today as we have decided now is the time to start on our little remodeling project and I had to pick out flooring... I finally settled on a nice lamenate.... wood grain... to go throughout the kitchen/dining/living area...... with a little vinyl at the main door area..... Have finally settled on the new door to replace the sliding door, so now it is wait for stuff to come in and for DH to have the time to do the work... I told him no demolition until after all the cooking I have to do for Easter....

A dear friend died last night... He was 18 days short of 100 and had such a good life, but was ready to go..... It's an honor to help do his funeral and all the food... It will be Monday....so I'll be cooking for a few days again.... Will no more about the menu for that tomorrow....

Well, time for DD to come... I'll fill you all in later.... Hugs..... Julie

[ladykcusa 1]

Melissa - so sorry you had a "detour". I loved Lori's comments - remember why you started this journey. I remember some of mine - can't pull my boots on - too much stomach in the way - even outgrowing coats and bras - yuk - always afraid I'd be fattest in the room - can't wear any of my clothes - HATE shopping. Living life with guilt and shame.

Others have been successful and you & I can too.

I had lunch today with young man who had surgery for the band same day as I did. It was delightful.

Then went to nutrition class tonight. Only 5 banders there and the same (very dull) dietitian who led group last month. I won't go again. Same info as last month and a waste of time - EXCEPT I met another new gal (teacher) and exchanged e-mail addresses. Also took all the baby food I bought before surgery and gave to friend who will pass it on to someone with a baby. I tried two jars and hated it.

PT in the morning and I did my exercises here at home today.

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Hi Guys~

We made it to NC. We actually had a wonderful flight- clear, blue sky and zero turbulence! My parents were so excited to see Nelson! GREAT news--- Dad got his nephrostomy tube out today! The nephrologist was so frustrated that the interventional radiologist did not take it out, and he removed it in the office! Well, Dad is very happy and already planning what he will be able to do. Bath, swimming, etc. He has not been able to soak in Water since November- only showers. We turned on the heat in his pool and will get it ready in the next few days.

Melissa~ hugs.. hang in there! You CAN do it! We've all been there.

Hi to everyone- the connection is iffy tonight, want to post before i lose what I typed.

peasout.... Laura

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Here are some photos from the airport... My flying ace!

[llkb4me 1]

Laura, So happy for you and your family. I bet your Dad feels on top of the moon. Tube out and you and Nelson there. Have a great time with your family.

Melissa, Hang in there you can do this.

LadyK, thanks for the reminders, it will help me too.

Laura K

[IndioGirl55 32]

Melissa

First of all you have to accept that you are a food addict - plan and simple - you have to never let your guard down around food or it will take over your life again..

Sit down this weekend - make up a menu - shop for it and stick to it - no excuse - Like Beck says if you allow yourself that one thing off plan - then the next time it will be easier to to it again - you have to stick to your plan - period - plain and simple

You can do this - you just have to get your mind in the right place and quit rebelling against yourself...

Write this letter out -

Dear Food,

I’m breaking up with you.

Don’t be surprised. I’ve certainly tried to do it many times before, but I always weakened and went back to you.

I finally woke up and realized this relationship is not good for me. I’m not getting what I need from you. It’s hurting me, not allowing me the space to grow in the ways I need to grow. You’re holding me back.

I know I’ll have separation anxiety, but I’ve stayed with you too long, way past when I should have. This just isn’t working for me. You don’t listen to me. You don’t give me attention. You don’t care about what I’m going through. It’s almost like you don’t have any feelings for me at all, yet I’ve stuck close to you, helpless and dependent.

I know you won’t let go of me so easily. I know you’ll keep calling me, asking me to come back. But please, let me go now.

In the beginning you were always there, ready to calm me and soothe me, but it went too far. I came to rely on you. I looked to you for everything. In all fairness, it was too much to ask of you. No way could you fulfill all my needs. For so long I’ve settled, afraid to go out there and find something better for myself. I need to do that.

I now withdraw my heart from you so I can be free to put it elsewhere, some place where I can be loved back. I’ve tried to break up with you before. This time it’s real. I want to be on the cutting edge of my own life, and I can’t do it while I’m still tied to you. Thinking about being free scares me, but I want it. I must have it. I know I’m brave enough at last.

I know I’ll long for you. I know I’ll think of you a lot, especially during those hard times. I know I’ll be tempted to come back to you. But this time I’ve got a plan, things I’m prepared to do when I get lonely and sad. I’ve been thinking of other ways to Celebrate when I’m happy or proud. I have remedies in place for being bored or tired.

At this point you’re a troublemaker in my life and I intend to keep my emotional distance from you. So in a way, this is goodbye. Of course, I’ll still come into contact with you day to day, but let’s just be friends, not lovers.

Don’t cry (although you never do, it’s me who does all the crying).

I would try the 5 day pouch test before you go back for another fill - and #1 eat hard Protein 1st when you get back to regular food - and if you do need a tweak they can put in 2 of the 4 they took out...

What's your drug of choice (food) - starches - sweets - high fat ?? What did you eat at Ihop..

Personally I avoid eating out too much as it is when I have the hardest time making good food choices..

What was the reason you got banded??? Why did you resort to major surgery to help you loose weight - Why do you want to lose the weight..

Give us the reason...

You can do this girl - you have started it - you are just rebelling against yourself - Why - you know that answer we don't - Yep this losing weight is hard work - it's hard to change our way of eating - but it's do able -

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Okay guys, I met the man my daughter says is the one for her....... Tall, skinny, too many peircings for my taste, a stocking hat on his head,(I don't care for this trend!!) but all in all seemed to be a nice man. He wasn't afraid to talk and seemed to take a joke okay.... DD was very nervous, but she did okay..... I guess I can see that they could make a nice couple... I just need for them to slow down just a touch.... His father is a chaplain for the Bismarck PD and has already said if they get the license he'll marry them.... OMG, too fast............ way to fast..... But I think they have both been through some hard times and seeing them happy makes us all happy right now... Life and reality will hit soon and we'll see just how strong their committment is then..... I'm praying for them that they are right and they just found their soul mate... Nothing would make me happier than for my little girls to be happy and well cared for by a nice man.....

Well, Mimi is asleep so I'd better try to catch some sleep too... I took my pain pills earlier and am not hurting too bad now... Maybe I can beat it to sleep tonight......

Sorry for not commenting about everyone's posts from the day... Just don't have the energy tonight... I love you all bunches................ Julie

[NYSparklegirl 1]

Hi all.

Passover rolls?? Passover rolls??? This is what I had to have a bite of???? Why, Why. Why???? I was so good!! I cooked and cooked and cooked...and wasnt tempted.. for the pot roast, the chicken Soup, the zuchini pie, the tzimis, the chicken, the meatballs and all the deserts I made...why why why was it the passover rolls??? All they consisted of was matzah meal, eggs, and oil!!!! I was soo good until today...after the big feasts were over and all the food was consumed by everyone while I watched.,,,,I really really didnt want or need anything but I made these stupid passover rolls and Bagels for Breakfast for mom and Dassi and well....I just couldnt stand that bag of rolls sitting on the counter! I needed to to have a bite. They were really good!!! SO a bite turned into two bites. I was afraid to eat any more then that!

Passover rolls??? what the heck is wrong with me?? lol

So, I know I havent been online as the holiday was like the sabbath for two days,,,so couldnt post.

We had a really nice passover so far. The seder we had here at my house was different and special. The theme that I decided to have was "Woman and the exodus and how they were instrumental in the freedom of the slaves". Since I have two nieces and my sister and sister in law...besides my mom, my daughter and myself was at this seder....it went over well.., we discussed this topic and different woman and their roles. It was fun and different.

The food apparently was good....I wouldnt know except for the damn passover rolls.

The two days went fast and it was nice being all together...the nicest thing of all. The sleeping sofa> for mom. That really was a great help. Glad to have bought that set it was the perfect time. Setting up an air mattress for my daughter every night would have been a real pain in the butt.

Today was the first day that wasnt like a shabbat and it is called the interim holiday,,which is between the shabbat type holiday..but nobody works and the kids are off so its called trip days. This year we have three such days only...and tomorrow and sunday is short as we have to prepare for the shabbat and shabbat type holiday again for two days that will end the holiday on Wednesday evening.

Sooo....today we took a trip to the CT Marritime Aquarium with my dad and his wife. They live in Westchester and they didnt come to the Seder.

SO....we met them there and had a great time...up till the time when it was time to eat.

Ahh this was fun ....not. I took out our passover food...and yes, those passover rolls. My dad and his wife took out their ham and cheese sandwiches on bread.

hmmm, what I thought is wrong with this picture??

My daughter was like grandpa??? dont you know its passover and we dont eat bread on passover? His response was "I tried to make a sandwhich on Matzah but it just crumbled!" I just had to laugh.....he got an "A" for trying..but Dassi wasnt too happy...as she said..after the day was out..."I really wanted that sandwich mom" Why couldnt they have just gotten a salad or something else??

I agreed that it was rude however, perhaps we also were rude in expecting them to do what they werent used to or didnt want to do. And of course then we discussed "Freedom of Choice" and that is what I said it boils down too period. We all have a choice and we shouldnt judge anyone else about their choices because we really do not know which choices we choose are the ones that will be rewarded or not.

In any case....it was a lovely day....nice weather and a great trip overall.

Thank you all for the suggestions about how to get those liquids in...I am going to try them all!!

Just wanted to take this time to wish everyone a Happy Easter as im not sure when ill be able to post again in between the holidays...that I cant post. Sat night only......SO., I hope everyone has a joyuous Easter............and is with family and friends for the holidays!

Jodi, you poor thing.. just when you get yourself pyched up to do all this cooking and such you have kitchen maintenance problems.. Hope they get solved soon.... Even though your traditions sound harse to me I think it is so wonderful the way you described why you do it... It is you and what you are.... Good for you for sticking to your beliefs...... Too many are content to be Sunday worshipers and then do whatever the rest of the week.... I hope this is a wonderful time for you and you accomplish all the is necessary.... Have a blessed Holiday...

Thank you honey. Thats so sweet. I do really love it. I love hearing about your goings on with the church and the way you are involved with your church and all that you do for it! How lucky they are to have you! I would love to watch you and try to emulate the way you give all the time!!

for example:

Also have to get things in line for Easter breakfast at church.. We have sunrise services with a pancake and sausage breakfast cooked by the men afterwards.. However, they can't make breakfast until I get all the supplies and such ready for them... Must get on that tomorrow... Small church os only have to plan for 50 or so... Not a big deal.. Will shop on Wed when DH is with me.....

small?? 50 members?? shopping and cooking?? and doing!

llkb4me;

Minted Lemon....Sounds so calming! I like it, Hope it comes out fab, sounds like it will.

ocotillo;

Jodi....hope you are having a good passover. My boss went to a passover celebration last night....said he was lucky it wan't one of the long ones where everyone is up until 2am. He wouldn't have been too pleasant if that had happened.

I could understand that for sure....No. My motto for my seder...is come and leave as you please, otherwise no body in my family would come and theyd all be cranky too including me! lol

With them I do an abreviated version. With a theme base to it that keeps everyone interested.

This year I prepared beforehand by researching some topics. My daughter came from school with several questions for me and one of them spurred a topic.

She asked,,,,,why isnt there woman named in the story of passover that we tell at the seder,

This.,....bothered me. I began researching about a week ago and found so many interesting things about "woman and the exodus of Egypt". So for our theme..."Woman and their role in freeing the slaves and leaving egypt".

At the end of the seder we discussed several different woman and what their actions did to ensure the freedom...to Moses mother and sister to the daughter of pharoah. It was an eye opener for me and everyone else. It was fun and different.

So nobody fell asleep and it didnt last long!

I love the invites!! What a great idea.

BTW what if I might ask is valley fever? I never heard of that. Is it something that is inclement to the west? Like...feline aids? Im sorry if she is sick. so sad when our best friends have these diseases or diagnosis....Hope she checks out okay.

Laura;

Im so glad to hear you are feeling good again.

Im so sorry your dad is having a hard time. I hope your visit goes well and that helps him.

Julie;

Hi. I hear your frustration about your concern about your Daughter. I agree that marriage counceling with the church paster/psychologist/social worker would be a good idea as past experiences often repeat themselves sometimes....not always but sometimes. As woman I know..that I look for the same type of "man" so to say over and over....so for me...I am really careful to check out the guy I date...even once...because maybe im not such a great judge of charachter. I call it my checks and balances.....Ill list some of what I do...perhaps it will help you suggest some of these for your daughter..or none at all...and you can say mind your own damn buisness....but as a divorced woman with a child who has some special needs....I need to be extra careful as we both are easy targets..,, not saying that your daughters new boyfriend is not a great guy he might be and that would be amazing...but second marriages are hard to start with....and having a child with any special need no matter how severe or not is stressful. We need to be on guard. I know it would be so easy to have someone else come on board and take over because im tired of doing it all alone, but I know I need to be aware......so I hear your concerns and they are rightfully so...

here is what I do...I hope it can help

First....I call my rabbi...see if he is known..explain the situation and ask him if I can speak to anyone who knows him well.

Secondly, I know this is really obnoxious...but I want to know why he was divorced and what was the situation.,..and how he behaved towards his ex...I also want to know about how he treats his ex wife now. Does he treat her with some respect as she is the mother of his child. Is he amicable to her at least, How does he talk about her? He doesnt have to love or like her but does he talk bad about her? With disdain? with cursing? with anger?? How does he treat his son? How does he interact with him? whats their relationship and whats the agreement to see him? Once a week? joint? 50/50 or does he have supervised visitation? full custody? Does he support this child and ex wife? Does he have enough for your daughter as well? These are all questions that she should be asking. Id even be so bold as to see their seperation agreement. Not to be nosey..but this is going to affect me...and my family and future family...I need to know what Im getting in to.

After all these questions are asked of numerous respected people then I would just take time.....and that means....time....with me...without my child...this means more then three times. and then time with me and my child.....and then with me and his child and then everyone together....First marriages are chick chock....fast and thats okay....second marriages are a whole different ballgame.

Okay...enough said. I hope some of this will help. othewise please throw this post out with the bathwater.

I hope I didnt intrude too much ....

Jewel,

I hope you have a great time visiting your brother.

Great2BThin'

I dont know how you looked before but you look great now...You should be very proud and proud to be happy and enjoy the compliments..Im sure you have worked hard to get to where you are today!! Why not feel great!! You deserve it! I hope you have a great trip to Hawaii. Enjoy!! by the way...Im going to get one of those measuring scoops for my dog...she is getting so big...and I called the Vet and told them about what youve done...and he said yes you can get one..Ill order one. Dont know why I havent done this before. Thanks.

QUOTE=IndioGirl55;1441847]Jodi - Happy Passover !!!!

Thank you! Happy Easter to you and your family!

To everyone else as well.

I took your suggestions about the liquids. I love the ice tea/lemonade from starbucks. Decaf of course...I ask for a vente....and sip all day. I like it better then Water and sick of watered juice...this helped...today got more then before.

And thats all folks!! Good night.....

[Apples2 19]

Good Morning...

On my way out the door. Appt and CAT scan today with specialist. Kidney stone doc. Gotta drive quite a ways so leaving early.

You all have a good one.

Melissa...wishing you luck today. Thinking of you.

[Charlene K 1]

?Do you put strawberries and grapes in it or just strawberries? I can't eat this salad as I have trouble with grape skins I guess. I get a stuck feeling. So I've actually never tasted it but it gets rave reviews. Perhaps I could do the berries.

Melissa, you can do this. Go back to the place that made you get banded in the first place. Look at that person and who she was. Remind yourself you never want to go back there again. Now look at the place you want to get to. see the new body, the new self confidence, the new active lifestyle. Now try acting like that new person now. Buy some more stylish clothes (Goodwill is good as you transition and it still feels new to you), tell yourself how great it feels to have lost the weight, be more active. The more you can become that person as you are losing, the easier it will be to be that person and harder it will be to be the person before surgery. I know I am probably not very eloquent in my words and I don't mean to sound like you were a bad person before, after all we are the same person. But these type of practices helped me a lot. In other words, Fake it til you Make it, act like you are at goal now.

Yep, that is my saying "Fake it till you Make it" when I am doing something that is difficult. Oh, thanks for the salad recipe. i remember the lamb cake too.

Lori, I I know you will have a great time in Hawaii. I wish I could go.

Apples, I hope you get some relief from the kidney stones. My DIL's stones started flaring up yesterday.

[Great2BThin 5]

Good morning, I am up early today as my guys are getting ready to head up to the hills to go fishing. They are going near Glenwood springs, DS is meeting DH here at the house. Later this morning I am stopping by church to help fold and stuff bulletins for Easter Sunday and then take Grandma to the store to get stuff for the next week while I am in Hawaii.

Apples, hope you get some answers and relief from the stones at the specialist today.

Arlene, I am sure I will have a great time in Hawaii, it's one of my favorite places and one I have been to many many times.

[ocotillo 0]

Quickie this morning too.

Jodi, great questions for Julie's daughter's new beau. It will take time to ascertain some of those things, but the questions are really on the spot. Valley fever is a fungal infection that dogs (cats) and people sometimes get in their lungs. The fungus lives in the soil and when it is disturbed the spores can be inhaled. They built a few houses behind my house and that is when my dog was infected. She's had VF for several years now and she just doesn't seem to fight it very well. They measure the amount of infection with a blood test and the results come back in the form of a tighter ....titer? Not sure of the spelling or the meaning, but when she started she had a titer of 1/32 it dropped to 1/16 after about 6 months of meds and then stayed there for a couple of years. Last year it dropped to 1/8 and yesterday I got the last blood test results and shes down to 1/4. She is still on meds, but at least the number is dropping. You can't tell she is sick, but if I don't treat it, she will get worse...coughing and sometime lesions. See more info than you wanted to know.

Janet...I loved that letter to food. I'm going to do that this weekend. You all are wonderful in the support area.

Melissa...I am in the same boat...I do really good for a couple of days and then just don't pay attention anymore. Don't know what my brain needs to make me stick to a program. I lose focus pretty quickly sometimes. PM me if you want....maybe we can chat.

Okay...gotta go...work is calling.

Eva