I'm here to help...

[Apples2 19]

I took Charlie for a one hour walk in the forest preserve. Boy, it was cold. 27 degress here. I dressed warm and went out to face it. I am so glad I did. Nothing better than walking in the sunshine. Those of you who live in cold weather climates know how to dress for it. I do too. Unfortunately, I don't do it often enough. I use the too cold excuse. No excuses today. It sure felt good. We both needed that.

I have read everyone's comments and am digesting what was said. There was so much in what you had to say that hit home. I will have to think on it, reread the posts again before I reply. Don't misunderstand, I am not upset in any way. I just need to think it over to see how to best apply the collective wisdom. You guys are better than a weight loss therapist. You have been there, done that.

Sandy...I think that bundling up and going out walking in the cold is what Janet is eluding to when she uses her "pull the boots straps up" comment. Bet it was an invigorating walk. Good going.

[Great2BThin 5]

Apples, what route are you taking south?

Eva, thanks for the info on TUscon and the airport. DH hopes to narrow some dates down soon, he has to put together his travel calendar. So far I have Tuscon and Hawaii to look forward to. then of course my frequent Grandma trips to Denver. Now for the other comment.. Brainless idiot? you? The nerve of those others. You are one smart cookie and I am an awe of all you are able to do. Let's both work on those feelings of 'not good enough'.

Linda, I was up about 330am too. I woke up and couldn't sleep for about 2 or 3 hours and then fell back to sleep not too long before I got up for the day. So am tired today.

[Meredith2424 0]

Cheri~ June 11th sounds good to me! I'm going to check the rates on Amtrack and Megabus. Also, hugs to you girl. If I were in your shoes I would have done the same. The preacher saying that seems so superficial. Like he wasn't thinking about the deeper subject matters that enter peoples minds when comments like that are made. What would possess him to say that? Glad you went somewhere else. Sounds like Apples is right when she says that it might be a time for you to change churches in the New Year.

Eva~ I've never met you in person, but I think that you are totally great, smart and talented! I especially love and admire your creativity and our shared love of turtles!

Sandy~ I feel where you are coming from. I really do. You post about being complacent really hit home with me. I think that I just need to get uncomfortable in my own skin again like I was before I got banded. That is beginning to happen now. I need to kick it into high gear again.

Apples and Janet~ The both of you inspired me with your talk of cooking (and freezing), so Andrew and I sat down last night to discuss an eating plan. Apparently he has gained 30 pounds since we met!!! I had not even noticed! I mean I knew he had a little belly now, but not a 30 pound belly! Anyhow, since I am not taking classes this semester I will have some extra time to cook and freeze things into portions. Here is my plan and any advice would be greatly appreciated. So I'm going to grill chicken and cook veggies, weigh them and/or measure them and calculate the calories in each container, then freeze. These are going to be for both lunch and dinner items. Protein drinks for Breakfast. I know that I should vary the calories in each "meal", but was wondering what calorie amounts I should do? Ideas?

Also, everyone, any meal ideas/recipes you might have for this new endeavor are greatly appreciated! Please!

Lori~ I am really glad that your friend paid you that compliment! Let me tell you, the ensemble that you picked for your daughters wedding was fantastic! When I went to all of those weddings this summer, I kept comparing all of the mother of the bride outfits with yours. Not a single one of them came close to looking as nice as yours did!

A little note on this new Oprah Winfrey Network. Last night I was watching it before I went to bed and it was about people wanting to find their birth parents. I thought it was a good program and thought this network might not be so bad. Then today I flipped on the channel while putting away Christmas stuff and it was about "Jay-Z" and "hip-hop". Two things I could care less about. What is she thinking? I'm sure I could go as far as to say that the majority of ppl in her viewing audience could not care less about this subject matter as well!

[Charlene K 1]

Arlene....original plan was to leave this coming Wed. If we are lucky it will be Friday or maybe Saturday. Not soon enough for either of us. We should make it back home here around March 5. Brisket is something that I never make. Is it like a tri-tip???? I have always thought of brisket to be stringy and tough like corned beef. Am I once again wrong??????? Good going on what you have eaten so far today. Good girl!

Apples, BBQ brisket is the BBQ of choice in Texas. To get a tender brisket you have to smoke low and slow for hours. Since I don't use the smoker i have put a rub on it .....wrap it.....and refrigerate overnight. Then I cook it around 180-200. Hrs depend on the size. I have cooked it in the crockpot wrapped in foil. I think it is called tri-tip in other states.

I just snacked on Jerky. I am getting ready to babysit so DD can put up her Christmas decoration. I don't remember anyone doing that for me when I had three little ones. lol

[Charlene K 1]

Eva, your friends are thoughtless idiots for calling you brainless. You are one cool chick!

Meredith, I'm not into some of her new shows. I sat and watched the previews yesterday. I haven't seen anything I would want to DVR. Best wishes on your cooking. I cook and freeze. I found some baby bowls with lids. They hold just the right portions.

Okay gang........my babies will be here soon. Later!!!

[JeweI 2]

Apples, having lived by mountains most of my life, I always took them for granted. They were just always there. But when we moved to Sacramento and I couldn't just see them out my window like I did in Denver, Utah and to some extent Las Vegas I really missed them. They were there but I couldn't see them, but I could get to them. But when I went back east to Delaware I really missed them. I think I need to live by mountains the rest of my life. LOL Though if DH gets sent to Atlanta one day I might have to do without temporarily but hopefully then I'd have my Grandma condo in Denver. They are just so majestic and one thing Salt Lake has over Denver, I think it is prettier. In Denver, the mountains were just to the west. Salt Lake is like in a bowl and we have them on all sides so no matter which way I look I see them but the most beautiful ones are to the east.

I agree with about Dr Phil as well. I was a huge fan back in the day and when I lived in Sacramento I was part of his Weight Loss challenge years ago and attended several show tapings, etc. I think all the fame must go to their heads. LOL Jillian of Biggest Loser is getting the same way, guess she is leaving that show after this next season. And you see her face on everything. I was at Target this morning and saw more videos and exercise equipment with her on it and even some diet supplements which surprised me that she'd promote something like that. Target had all the fitness gear out on promotion for all the New Years resolutions.

Arlene, a pedicure sounds wonderful, I am thinking I need one too, it's been about 3 weeks since I got one, DD and I went when she was here. Guess she won't be coming again anytime soon. She was to come this month but with being on bedrest she won't be doing any travelling. She was even going to try and fly to Hawaii with us in a few weeks. Though now DS is looking into it, I just need DH to pin down the dates. Doesn't his job know I have plans to make. LOL

Funny, I feel the same about the ocean. I need to be near the beach. It helps my sense of direction and the breeze and smell relaxes me.

Hello all, it took me forever to catch up with all these posts.

First off, Happy New Years to each and everyone of you.

I too feel I have made some very good friends here. I can't wait to meet you all in Chicago. I can take the train in and have done that before.

I can't even begin to remember what was said so I can't respond. Except Apples here's an idea for you. Box up the extra clothes you need and mail them to Eva. Your DH will never know. lol

My evening turned out great. To answer the big question - the extra skin didn't matter in the least. lol

He made a wonderful dinner, I met some new friends, & lost money at the casino.

I have to share a text I got last night from my DS. Sorry if it offends any of you, but at least I know he was paying attention when momma was giving him the talk. I about wet myself laughing when I read it this morning. So here it is: "remember wrap it before you let him tap it" It's crude but cracked me up, I guess I'm warpped.

Tomorrow will be one of those mixed emotion days, my DD flies back to NV in the evening. I will miss her but boy I can't wait to get some order back around here.

My yoga instructor always says "take what you need from your practice and leave the rest on your mat" so that seems to be our motto here also.

LauraK

Love the quote from your son. Cracked me up.

Melissa - you are 100% right ;0) about junking up the thread

Tina - Junk up the thread all you want - that's what it's here for and your post can be as long as you like.. The junking up the tread is a joke about Apples - when she's home she's always posting - you will find the same thing w/me sometimes - I work and sometime don't get on as much - to busy at work and then some evening just not enough hours after gym - dogs - dinner - and some down time for myself.. Heck you will find me twitter updating some time - oh I'm washing clothes - oh I'm cleaning out the fridge - nonsense sometimes :0)

I think you need us LOL and we need to give you our experiences - I think Jessica is our biggest good example of who really has changed from a caterpillar to a butterfly - we all have some issues in our lives and sharing our thoughts and feeling is what this is all about - it's about us our lives and all the crap we have to deal with...

LauraK - So glad you had a good time and even some non calorie dessert ;0) ... Love your DS text - mine would be having a shit fit he thinks he's my Daddy... Once when I was at Phyl's house for dinner - he called I said I'm at Phyls for dinner - who in the heck is Phyl - I said slow down little boy - I'm grown but for your info it's my friend and Phyl is a girl ;0)

Well had a ck thigh - it smelled so good - had to have one :0) will have salad later...

Linda isn't it funny how our bodies crave healthy foods - I know mine does..

Janet, Thanks so much for the beautiful compliment. I was thinking today about another change I need to make. It goes along with what Cheri said she needs too. I need to reach out more and make face to face friends. I have been very closed off to people. I feel judged so much because the first thing people would see about me was that I was fat. I don't believe that anymore so I am gonna try and make a face to face friend this year. I have invited old friends to do things but they blow me off so I think I am gonna try to bond with a classmate outside of class. I think I am ready.

[JeweI 2]

I'm thinking the weekend after Easter, April 9th might be a good time for people or the June 11 weekend. I've combined people's posts. If I got you wrong or missed someone hit reply at the bottom of this post, put in your data, and hit post.

Apples - Anytime

Charlene - Can't commit yet. You decide

Great - prefer the April dates that Cheri mentioned, prefer no holiday weekends, prefer spring/early summer vs later summer/fall

Cheri - April 2-11 I'm off work so that's two weekends. Can do it weekends of June 11 & 18. May be available July 16 or first two weeks in August. Waiting to find out when my niece schedules her wedding.

Laura -prefers the April time but may be able to do it early June as she's going to Turkey late June and early July.

LauraK -can do it any weekend except last weekend in March

Julie -

Phyl -

Tina -

Eva -not till after May, in class till then

Janet - Open I can go w/the flow (except for 7/15)

Linda -

Joyce -

Sandy - I am open to anytime

Jodi -

Melissa -

Jessica- The only break I have in school is March 28- April 1st. It spring break. I will not have another break until I graduate in December. I may just catch up with yall after I am a nurse. I hate to miss out but I have to make sacrifices to reach this goal.

Meredith- May, or spring/early summer is best. Might be going with my aunt to FL in April and summer time gets crazy around here. But, will be able to adjust schedule to fit it this trip.

Chris

Candice - She's gone for 2 weeks

Am I missing anyone ????

[ocotillo 0]

I'm thinking the June 11 weekend is starting to look good.

Let me clarify my earlier statement....none of my friends called me brainless, they just sometimes discount what I say because they think I don't know what I'm talking about which makes me feel like a brainless idiot. I know I'm fairly smart and pretty quick about most thing (except math) but it's more a statement that people can make you feel things you are not. AND you have to allow them to make you feel that way...which is really sad because it's not them trying to put me down, it's me putting me down. It's one of those issues I have to work on...isn't that life's purpose, to work on yourself and your issues? This is one of mine.

Okay, the stuff is all put away, yeah. Tomorrow should be nice and I'll finish up the yard work, then my friend (the one that I'm working for) is supposed to be over around 1pm and maybe I'll some work to do. Depending on what that involves I'll be doing that and working on Apples future house. I need to get over there and get some stuff done. I'm really looking forward to it for some strange reason.

I've felt a little unfocused since Christmas and now I have something to focus on again. Guess I need goals too so my goal for 2011 is to get to onederland. It's not that much weight and I deserve to treat myself better no matter how hard it is.

Later,

Eva

[IndioGirl55 32]

Good Afternoon Gang

OMG Eva - how in the hell could anyone ever treat you like a brainless idiot - they are the idiots !!!! I'm freezing still ... 56 degrees - I think I need more layers.

Sandy - WTG on your walk

Meredith - The JayZ interview - is about how he made it - a kid w/nothing from the projects who doesn't have a college education - to a mogel in more than one area besides Rap.. I personally like those kinds of stories - but again I do like some rap - hip hop & rb music.. I did hear on the news that Oprah's audience is mostly 50 yr olds so they aren't sure how the channel is going to go over w/ the rest of the world - There will be apiece of Diane Sawyer - I love her...

Meals - Well I don't really do alot of freezing - I like fresh made meals - and most of my meals can be cooked in 30 minutes -

Fish takes 15 minutes - veggies 15 - rice 20 - from start to finish 30 minutes - I eat the same things most nights - one pot wonders (meat onion bell pepper jalepeno - garlic - Tomato sauce & a veggie - usually zuchinee) again make enough for lunches for the week - cook a big pot of Soup on the weekend it will feed you for a few days and you can freeze it too - and you can always have a salad with chick on top.

I varied calories by days - mostly my Snacks - would have more or less of something..

That's what I had for lunch - then some popcorn..

June ????? Sounds good to me... Shouldn't be too humid - Cheri - what town do you live in again so I can go look up the homewood stes

Well back to the couch & my book and blanket - heater just came back on it's 3 in the after noon... Heater in the middle of the day - unheard of here in the desert..

[Apples2 19]

Meredith....I think that if are going to freeze meals, you would be better off with "one pot wonders". Easier to freeze and really no worries about calories. If you freeze in the same size bowls they would all be the same calorie amount. I am not one to freeze pieces of meat unless they have a lot of gravy on them and we all know about gravy! I guess I am unsure if you like to cook? Or not??? One way to make it easy for yourself or Andrew when making meals is to use the G.Foreman grill to cook your meat while veggies are steaming.

I can post a couple of recipes when I have time later. Some of my favorites (and DS and DH) are: White chicken Chili, Regular chili made with ground beef or turkey, chicken Soup (with Greek yogurt) and another fish/seafood based stew that my DH says is to die for. These all freeze nicely. If I know I am going to be gone from home and family needs meals at hand and neither can boil Water, I take a whole day and cook a bunch of different things for the freezer. Nice to have a variety also....

[Apples2 19]

Funny, I feel the same about the ocean. I need to be near the beach. It helps my sense of direction and the breeze and smell relaxes me.

Love the quote from your son. Cracked me up.

Janet, Thanks so much for the beautiful compliment. I was thinking today about another change I need to make. It goes along with what Cheri said she needs too. I need to reach out more and make face to face friends. I have been very closed off to people. I feel judged so much because the first thing people would see about me was that I was fat. I don't believe that anymore so I am gonna try and make a face to face friend this year. I have invited old friends to do things but they blow me off so I think I am gonna try to bond with a classmate outside of class. I think I am ready.

Good idea, Jessica... I love my friends and every once in awhile just need to spend a couple of hours talking with them. I usually meet them for coffee about once a week. Finding someone within your classes is a great idea. See, you already have something in common with them!

Sorry to hear you are so "booked" and won't make the Chicago trip. Hopefully next time.

[Charlene K 1]

Eva, me too! I want to be in onederland this year. Okay, I will back off of your friends. I have a few of them that make me feel less than I am.........I just have to dust off their comments and move on. Speaking of dusting off.......I am once again trying to honor last year's resolution......Why make someone a priority in your life when you are only an option to them? Got to dust off some toxic dust this year. It seems to come from the same people. Dust! Dust! Dust!

[Meredith2424 0]

Janet~ I like those stories too, I think I'm just sick of Jay-Z and wasn't in the mood for him, and looking for somthing like I saw last night on that station. Idk. I used to like hip-hop, but then it got really nasty, graphic and violent on the radio around here as local "artists" infiltrated. Detroit is all about who is bigger, badder, and most ghetto, and I can't handle that right now. It's another reason why I'm taking a semester off from school. Going into the heart of it all everyday is dangerous and depressing. However, I LOVE R&B still, always have, always will. I need positivity now!!! New Year! Thanks for reminding me about the one pot wonders. Sometimes I get into a slump with variety when I cook and needed some emergency meals in case I get home late from work to heat up. Apples is right, the one pot wonders will do well with that.

Apples~ I Love to cook! I just really am looking for lunch time things to make and stuff that Andrew can have cause he too cannot boil Water to save his soul. I always tell him, "if something ever happens to me, I think you would lay on the couch and starve." He probably would.

Arlene~ I went to a tupperware party a few months ago and got baby bowls that hold 1 cup with lids and some other bowls that are about 1.5-2 cups. I'm just ready to kick it into high gear again.

Got everything inside that was Christmas packed away and put in the basement cedar closet. I'm dreading taking down the outside light cause its so cold out. Because its so cold, I want to do it during the day when its sunny and warmer, but I need help because I have a wreath up on the peak in the front and don't want to risk doing it myself and falling. Maybe my dad will help this week or next? I'm not really in a big rush to get that stuff done. It will happen.

The house looks so boring inside now I just loved decorating it for our first Christmas here! Can't wait til next year!

Ok, have a great night! I think that there is a new desperate housewives on?

[1day at a time 2]

Jewel - I'm thinking the weekend after Easter, April 9th might be a good time for people or the June 11 weekend. I've combined people's posts. If I got you wrong or missed someone hit reply at the bottom of this post, put in your data, and hit post.

Apples - Anytime

Charlene - Can't commit yet. You decide

Great - prefer the April dates that Cheri mentioned, prefer no holiday weekends, prefer spring/early summer vs later summer/fall

Cheri - April 2-11 I'm off work so that's two weekends. Can do it weekends of June 11 & 18. May be available July 16 or first two weeks in August. Waiting to find out when my niece schedules her wedding.

Laura -prefers the April time but may be able to do it early June as she's going to Turkey late June and early July.

LauraK -can do it any weekend except last weekend in March

Julie -

Phyl -

Tina -

Eva -not till after May, in class till then

Janet - Open I can go w/the flow (except for 7/15)

Linda -

Joyce -

Sandy - I am open to anytime

Jodi -

Melissa - I think I am pretty open I would prefer not to go during a holiday weekend so it will be cheaper for me to fly since I will be coming from Ga,

Jessica- The only break I have in school is March 28- April 1st. It spring break. I will not have another break until I graduate in December. I may just catch up with yall after I am a nurse. I hate to miss out but I have to make sacrifices to reach this goal.

Meredith- May, or spring/early summer is best. Might be going with my aunt to FL in April and summer time gets crazy around here. But, will be able to adjust schedule to fit it this trip.

Chris

Candice - She's gone for 2 weeks

Am I missing anyone ????

[Great2BThin 5]

Seems that April and June 11th got the most votes, should we vote between those 2? Or is there a consensus yet?

Excited that this might just happen! Though a cruise would've been nice! LOL Maybe next time! Can't wait and hope to work it all out.

OH and if we do vote between the two, I vote for April. LOL But will do my best to make either.