BANG!!!

Yup - I went out with a HUGE bang in 2005. I ate and ate junk and tons of food I didn't need! THOUGH no looking at the past I am moving on! It is a new year! I feel like I have a fresh start and I am ready for it!! I am really really cutting back for the next couple of weeks. I probably will have low calories but I have GOT to train myself that bigger is not necessarily better. I am just going to have to eat very little to kind of "shrink" my stomach. I know it sounds dumb but the only time I ever really lost a good bit of weight this is how I started. I get very discouraged when I don't lose pretty quick in the first couple of weeks. I seem to do much much better when I have a little jump start. It gives me just the encouragement I need. It is a NEW YEAR! No excuses!! We can do it!!

Yikes that is alot of Calories at Shogun!! We have those type of places here and I love them. I guess if I do go there I will have to skimp out on eating the rest of the day!!

I am glad you shared those websites with me. I am trying my best to get into this. Calorie counting is one of the ONLY weightloss techniques I haven't tried! The thing is it is basically about just cutting back and exercising - which I should do anyway! I got an email saying my biggest loser book shipped. I should get it any day now...I will share with you when I do!

As far as the scale goes - I agree! No weighing EXCEPT on weigh-in day!

Also, UNLESS I don't have something to post I will probably comment to you in my post so that you don't have to look so many places since it is just us!! However, if I am not posting at the time I will leave you a comment under your post so it wouldn't hurt to occasionly check the site for my comments if you haven't received a post email from me!

Wake Up - It Is A New Year!!

So how many times did you hit the snooze button this morning? It was SO hard to wake up after all of the holiday celebrating!! I myself had a hard time!! My daughter doesn't go back to school until Thursday and I know she will be as ready as I am. It seems like when she is in school the whole house is on a better schedule...I know I am anyway.

We had a very quiet laid back weekend. On New Years we went out to dinner, shot fireworks and were in bed sometime afer 10:00pm. I for one did not see the New Year in! Sunday we hung around the house mostly and then went to my mother in laws to eat dinner and visit with my sister in law before she flew back to Orlando.

My husband and I both were off work Monday and we did not get out of our PJ's all day! We worked on painting my daughters room. It is the most "detailed" paint job I have ever done. We plan on working alot on the rest of the house this year. We have alot of decorating & painting to do inside, we need to finish our backyard fence, clean out the garage and in the spring start working on our flower beds. We are planning a summer trip to Disney World so we will be saving for that along with the fact that we will have to save because I plan to get a new"er" car around August or so. I have done really good. This year begins the 6th year I have gone without a car note. I haven't decided on what I want to get yet BUT all in good time!

Hope you all had a wonderful New Year!!

Low Calorie Recipes

I got a Low Calorie Recipe CD at Wal-Mart last week. I was so excited about it, that is until I put it in the computer. It has some really good recipes (5,500 in total) but it doesn't give the nutritional info for them. Common sense tells you that if some one is purchasing a low calorie recipe CD that they are probably counting calories also. It seemed obvious to me that it would have had at least calories and fat. If you want to know the calorie count, you basically have to take each ingredient and figure it up for yourself. I was planning on posting some recipes each week, but now I'm not sure I want to mess with it. There are some great low calorie recipe sites out there that tell you the nutritional info, so maybe I will just start posting some from there as I try them. I also planning to buy this book this weekend.

Here are a few links:
http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/local/
http://www.recipezaar.com/r/278
http://www.edietshop.com/recipes/

I did it.....

I made it through one morning without weighing. I went straight to the scale when I got up...I guess it has become somewhat of a habit obsession! I resisted though...I did stand there and contemplate doing it just one more day and then stop my everyday weigh in as of tomorrow. But I stood my ground and said no. I wondered for a just a few minutes as to what it probably was, but then I soon forgot about it. It sucks not knowing where I'm at but I know I have to be extra good today, just in case it went up or something. I will make it until Wednesday...I swear. I may not keep my "new rule" after that, but this one time...I think I can do it!!

I think you are doing great. 1500 calories is not much considering what we normally would be consuming.

By the way, I weighed this morning and I'm back down to the 214, so it had to have just been water retention that I gained over the holidays. I am sure it has to be the same with you...I don't think you can gain 5 actual lbs of fat in just a few days. Anyway, I know we have discussed whether to weigh everyday or not... I think I have decided to try to go a week or so and only weigh on "weigh in day". I realized today when I was eating lunch that I had the thought "I'm back down today, so if I splurge a bit that's ok now" WRONG! It's not ok, and I caught myself in subconsicous thought and realized that weighing everyday is probably not a good idea for me at least not right now in the beginning. I do like knowing that I'm "OK" every morning, but I think I will be more strcit if I'm clueless to how I am doing. I will be extra careful knowing that I may or may not be losing. It will be very hard.... I'm even thinking of having Bobby hide it from me. That's crazy, but I don't think I can stop myself, if it's right there when I get in the shower each morning. When I wake up it's my first thought, well after the thought that my bladder is going to burst from all the dang water! What do you think???

It's Friday! Have A Happy New Year!

Well how is everyone!!! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Mine was very nice and I got to visit with all of my family and give lots of gifts and I also got lots of great gifts! Most importantly we got to celebrate Jesus' birthday!

All and all the holidays were good. Work has been a little crazy. Not that we have been busy but the fact that out of 50 people at our office only about 15 are actually here today. Not to mention out of our whole little department I have been the only one that has been here everyday all day for the past two weeks! Others have come and gone or not been here at all. I on many occasions have been the only one in our group that was at the office. I should take advantage of that but it is hard knowing I have a hundred things I need to be at home doing too!

Let's see - what else - OH - there was an incident at a Christmas party I was at. When the party was said and done everything was fine but a week later someone had to start it all back up. Needless to say the past 3 weeks have been hell! I should not have even had to worry about that sort of thing!! I am too old for this drama. ANYWAY - so as of last night it is finally all over with. {I Hope.} It seems like this thing never dies. Every time it is "over" someone brings it back up!!This is why all of us that gossip need to learn that you can't do that because you can really make someones life miserable! ANYWHO!! There are just times in your life when you have to decide what is really important and what friendships or aquantances are worth holding on too. It will all come out in the wash but I refuse to discuss it anymore!

Well guess I better get back to work - just curious though - has anyone set any New Years resolutions?

My only one would be to try to live my life a little better. I have learned that no matter how good you try to be some people still won't appreciate it; however, I am not very good at letting go and letting God. This morning I heard that new Carrie Underwood song "Jesus Take The Wheel". It brought me to tears and the chorus reminded me of what I sometimes forget. Let go and have faith b/c I can't always handle things on my own!"

God Bless! Have a Safe and Happy New Years!

Jesus take the wheel

Take it from my hands

Cause I can't do this all on my own

I'm letting go So give me one more chance

To save me from this road I'm on

Jesus take the wheel

The Low Down on Detox

Here are a few links I found on detox diets.

Is Detox safe? Good info...uh....I think. There is so much conflicting info our there, who knows whats right!!

Detox for quick weight loss! Well heck yeah, if you only eat fruit for a month you'll probably loose some major weight...but will you still be sane??

Quiz: Do you need to detox?
My Results :
You answered 12 items out of 16 matching the detox profile.
Your score is 75%. You're body is showing signs it needs a detox diet.

According to the Today show... experts say detox diets are hype: "First of all, your colon doesn’t need cleansing, it’s an efficient machine that rids the body of impurities on its own. The body expels harmful things naturally. Plus, without enough calories (which would be the case on either diet), your body turns to muscle for fuel, which in turn lowers your metabolism"

In conclusion I think a "detox diet" is a good way to lose some weight quickly and can benefit in other ways, but as far as the claims that out bodies need it to cleanse toxins.... not so sure I'm on board. I do think I may try a "solid diet fast" for 2 days and only drink or eat fruit and water. I would like to see for myself what the weight loss effects are. If I lose 2 or 3 lbs in those 2 days, I may try and do it twice a week for a month or so. What do you think?? Also most sites that support detox...want you to spend $$ with them in order to do so!

Weigh-In Wednesday: Traci

Girl, you're not alone!!! I gained 4.2 lbs in 3 days! That's horrible. The way I look at it is if I had not of lost the 7.8 lbs that I did since the beginning, than that would be 4.2 lbs on top of what I already weighed! Which would be 225 lbs...8 lbs more than I did this morning. That may be a warped way of looking at it...but it makes it easier to accept. Notice I didn't post my "stats" yesterday. It's because they weren't real good. I did ok until I got home. There was one lonely piece of cheesecake sitting in the fridge.....and well the rest I think you know. I then had two chocolate race cars and a mini bag of M&M's. That was all before dinner! Today is going better though. I'm on track, but need to get in some water. I haven't had any today. Just 2 big glasses of tea!!!

Weigh-In Wednesday: Tiffany

This post is so sad! I don't even feel like posting a picture! Oh the misery!! I weighed this morning and I was at *gulp* 259! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Of course eating Christmas food and finger food about 10+ times over the past couple of weeks will do that to you!! I am still 3 lbs less than I oringially started way back in August but I am NOW 1lb heavier than when we officially started this! Yikes!

I am glad to have it all out in the open and that I am being honest - like I keep saying and telling myself - that is what this is about! If I am not honest here then I won't be honest with myself and I won't ever lose weight!

I do feel good that I am back on CC. I have done really good today. I brought my breakfast and my lunch and know what I am going to have for dinner so that is good!

B - Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal 160; Capri Sun - 90
L - Michelina's Cheese Lasagna - 280; Capri Sun - 90
D - Hot Dog w/Bun - 310 (If I have 1 w/Bun and 1 w/o Bun it would be 543; If I have two it would be 620)

So depend on what I eat tonight my Calorie intake will be between 930 - 1240. I haven't taken my pill today but I am gonig to take it after lunch because it is the afternoon and when I first get home that I need more energy! Plus I eat worse in the afternoon and at home so that might help save me! I also plan to get AT LEAST half my water in before I leave work today! Next weigh-in from me you will be seeing fireworks!!!

Oh My!

So does my picture give you any clues as to how I did and how my weigh-in will go tomorrow? Ha! I - as you did - ate way too much and TONS of stuff I shouldn't have! I am sure my weigh-in will be horrific but that is what this thing is about - being honest! I was really tired so even though I am back on CC (calorie counting) I did not do so well for lunch. I had mexican which as you know is horrible! However, that is all I have eaten today and I won't eat tonight considering I figured what I ate to be over 1500 C!!! Sheesh! I also have ALOT to do when I get home tonight around the house so that will add in some exercise. I haven't drank any water today so I REALLY need to do that! So maybe if I get my water in and do enough work tonight then my day won't look too bad!

Starting tomorrow I am going to have to bring my lunch OR only plan to eat out once or twice a week. It will save money and calories! We have a couple of big trips possibly in the works for next year and I want to definitley be close to goal or at goal when that time comes!! Even if not that - I would like to feel better about myself anyway! We are also going to the rodeo at the beginnning of February and even if I don't lose alot of weight by then I do hope to be able to buy a cute, comfortable pair of jeans!!

I have a juiceman juicer and I have heard people talking about "detoxing". I thought about doing that. Have you ever heard anything - good or bad - about that. It just might be a good way to get all of this holiday "junk" out of my system and give this life change a good jump start!

I failed! I failed miserably. As soon as I was in that fun food & family atmosphere ....I crumbled. Once I had given in I figured what the heck go for it. I had rotel and meatballs, cheesecake and pie, ham and deviled eggs, and a bunch of other crap that I really should have not even put near my mouth. But I will be honest and say it was SOOOO good. After not eating much for the last 3 weeks, it was some of the best food I had ever eaten. Of course after doing that for 2 days straight I feel horrible. I feel bloated and nauseous. I'm kicking myself now. I could've, should've, would've but....I didn't. All I can do is accept it and move on. So I'm back on the program today. Weigh-In tomorrow will be very interesting. How did you do????

Who needs a measuring tape or scales when you have jeans?? Jeans are one of the best indicators of loss or gain. At least for me anyway. If I gain a few, I immediately know when I put on my favorite jeans. For instance this morning, I decided to try some jeans that have been really snug. They will button, but I can hardly breathe with them on. Well, this morning they went on perfectly! They could probably stand to be a bit looser, but I didn't have to lay down to button them. I didn't even have to suck it in. I love that feeling!!

Weigh-In Wednesday - Tiffany

Well not so good this morning! I went back up to 255. I figured I had though. I just laughed when I read your last post about Christmas food. I have already celebrated Christmas with work, bunco, Garretts, Iveys and the Barnettes. I still have to celebrate with the Smiths, Brian's dad's family, Brian's mom's family and my mom. THEN at some point I have to get together with three of my friends to celebrate. We have also had some kind of food EVERY day at work!! This afternoon we are having hor' derves and libations! So needless to say I have been eating, eating, eating!! I will say I haven't eaten as much as I usually would have! I do hate there was that three pound gain BUT if this site is going to work we have to be honest about the good AND the bad!! That includes eating and weigh-ins! SO my goal for next weigh-in is NOT to gain anymore weight. Even if I don't lose any or lose much I DO NOT want to gain anymore!!

Beginning Weight: 262
Last Weigh In: 252
This Weigh In: 255

Traci

Only down 1 lb since last weigh in - I knew it would slow down, but I was hoping for at least a 2 lb loss. Oh well 1 is better than none.

Down 7.8 lbs since my begin date 12/06/05

Oh the joys of Christmas......food

One of the things I have always loved about Christmas is the food! This time around it's a little different. I wish we could just leave the food part out. This is a perfect time however to test my self control. We are having a huge food day Christmas celebration at work today. Saturday we are having all of Bobby's family over and doing finger foods (our weakness!) and then mom has decided to skip Christmas "dinner" and we are just having a huge array of ......yes again FINGER FOOD! The thing with this type of food is that you really don't realize how much you are eating. You get 1 or 2 little things here and there, not realizing that by now you have consumed a whole cup of Rotel, the equivalent to a small pig in little smokies, a couple of sandwiches (those tiny triangles seem so harmless by themselves), and about 2000 calories worth of sinful desserts. I have pledged to allow myself to eat, but only one trip. It is going to be so hard....but I'm not going to throw away the progress that I have already made. I will probably get close to 2000 calories on those 2 days, but that's still better than the 4-5000 that I probably was consuming in the past.
As for today's shindig, I have eaten a bagel and one sugar cookie. They are bringing in pizza for lunch and I will have one piece of cheese pizza (around 200) and I have to have a small slice of my cheescake. I HAVE to know if it is any good, I have to see if it's worthy cooking again...right?
For dinner tonight, I will be having my weight in water and maybe an apple. Happy Eating!

WHEW! What A Blur!!

SO! I am actually here typing a post! It is a miracle! We have been SO busy and plan on being that way right through the end of this year! Alot has been going on and I am worn out but I am still trying to stay in the Christmas spirit. Hmm...first here are some pictures from a Christmas party one of my bestfriends Carla and I had. The first one is me and my hubby (what a cutie he is!). The second one is me and my "girls!" - Carla, Brooke, Me and Jessica. We had a good time but all and all glad it is over! It was a lot of work but worth it!

This past week we have been pretty busy. Trying to get some OT in at work AND I had a final in the night class I took this semester. I am taking another one next semester but for now I am glad no more school! I don't think I could handle it through the holidays!!

My daughter was sick Friday so I missed work - I hate she was sick b/c she missed her Christmas party at school and I missed some hours I really needed. I went up to the office to pick up some things to work on for the weekend. I got pretty good hours but wish I could have gotten some more! A glass busted in our dishwasher so that has been a mess and now our dishwasher sounds funny! Our dryer went out and we had to buy one of those and that stupid thing cost us too much money for this time of year! Ugh! Oh well. I plan on getting the washer to match after the first of the year so I won't be "mismatched". Well because of all of this I had to miss a Christmas party that I was supposed to go to Saturday night and then New Years I had plans that had to be canceled though I am sure people understand that when you don't have them money you just don't have the money. PLUS, I am already tired and if you add all the Christmas celebrating that I am getting ready to do I know I will be tired then and I probably would not have been able to stay awake at that party NOR do I plan on being awake when we ring in the new year! To tell you the extent of how tired I am going to be let me just say my daughter has around EIGHTEEN (18) grandparents!!! How you ask? Well that is another post in itself!

Have a good one!

Just relax!

I really haven't felt like eating today. Nothing sounds good. I ate cereal for lunch. I couldn't even eat all of it and it was one tiny serving. I did realize that I used to eat about 4 -5 servings when I would eat cereal. Crazy!! I'm feeling pretty tired today. That may be because I went to bed at 2 and got up at 7 (thanks to Mom's dog -we are dogsitting while they are in MS) Anyway, I am very ansy today. I'm tired, yet I can't sit still. I'm sure that has a little to do with the Adipex. I feel like I need to be doing something and there is plenty to be done, but I'm having trouble getting started on anything, so I came in here and finished yesterday's post and caught up on some emails. I'm done now and trying to decide what to do next...clean out dishwasher, fold clothes, or crash on the couch while Brayden is watching the grinch. That's what my body wants to do, but my mind won't let me. It's says I need to be getting things done. Like these things can't wait until tomorrow or even the next day??? Why can't I allow myself to be lazy. I've become that way over the last few years. I used to have no problem with laying around all day, but now I feel incredibly guilty. Bobby doesn't make me feel that way, he is always telling me just to sit down and relax. I wonder where the guilt comes from. I know that I deserve to be lazy every now then, but I just can't do it without feeling bad. I think part of it is the weight. Overweight people are stereotyped as being lazy people and maybe I just don't want anyone thinking I am. It's not like anyone is watching me though... hmm it will be interesting to see if I find it easier to allow myself to relax once I lose the weight. Well I'm gonna go and see what I can find to do. I'll update you later tonight...

Just Another Night On The Job

This is the best I have seen all year! It is supposed to resemble an episode of cops! It had me cracking up because it is just like cops! Enjoy!

Santa Claus & The Cops

Cutting Calories

I agree that it's not enough calories, but I also don't want to eat for the sake of eating. I know I wasn't going to talk about the Adipex , but if I'm gonna speak honestly about this journey, I can't leave that part out. I think once I am done with the Adipex, it will not be as easy to keep the calories that low. I have been doing a lot of internet reading on cutting calories and I think we are going in the right direction, but I think we need to watch our fat intake also. Most sites tell you to cut calories, not food intake. We are cutting food intake. I think that is due to the pill though. Most of the information suggests that cutting food intake will make you hungry and make it harder to control cravings. We just aren't seeing that now because we have our little friend. I was reading also, that you shouldn't take it for more than a few weeks. I'm on week 4 and going back to get refills next week!?!

If you type "cutting calories Here is one article I found that I likto lose weight" into a google search you will find all kinds of stuff. Most articles suggest that we should be getting between 1000-1200 calories a day. I'm going to shoot for atleast 1100 a day. I need to make sure those aren't empty calories though.

Here is one fo the articles I found and liked:

"When people cut food intake right down they often experience an increased appetite and a general craving for food. Some believe this is because they are eating less however, it may actually be driven by a deficiency or lack in the correct amount of certain nutrients. In other words, the appetite is trying to force the individual to eat more food in the hope that eventually these nutrients will be consumed. Most convenient foods are low in nutrients so if only fast, processed products form the basis of the diet then the appetite may crave the consumption of more food in order to gain essential nutrition.
If the dieter is exercising to lose weight the body requires more essential nutrients to aid recovery and growth of muscles. A diet devoid of nutrient dense foods may only cause further cravings and a larger boost in appetite. Cutting calories by reducing the amount of high-energy, fast foods is an effective way to lose weight permanently but only if other processed foods are replaced with healthy, nutritionally dense foods that are low in calories.
Cutting calories will be more effective if we learn to eat healthy meals regularly. This requires the introduction of healthier choices into the diet by gradually replacing each meal with low calorie, highly nutritious food or varieties. The dieter must veer away from the idea that they are "on a diet" by changing eating habits for the long term. Calories will automatically reduce when nutritiously dense foods replace high-energy package foods for most meals. An occasional treat should be left for when one has earned it by achieving a small goal or weight loss target"

Tiffany's Random Weight-Loss Thoughts

<-----This is the girl I am using if I just have "random" life change thoughts! So if you see her then you know it is just "random"! So I had been thinking I can't wait for two things: #1 To go down a size - well this morning I was actually thinking it is going to be nice to be comfortable in the clothes that I have. So that will be the first thing I look forward to! The clothes I have now fit, they aren't too snug or anything but they are not "comfortable". (If I try to go up a size they hang on me and the size lower is too small but yet the ones I am wearing really don't fit that great - it is almost like I need a 1/2 size or something - strange!) #2 I CAN NOT wait to be under 250. I have been right around this weight for so long that I can't even remember the last time I wasn't around 250. THEN I can't wait to weight less than my husband. He is usually around 210 or so (and he is not a "fat" guy - he is just broad shouldered & muscular - of course with a little bit of a "marriage" gut!) So from when I actually started losing weight back in August (?) until the point I get to his weight it will be a loss of 52 pounds! From yesterday's weigh-in I have 42 pounds left to way the same as my hubby. That would put me at 210 and then of course my next goal will be ONEDERLAND!!! I am not going to get my hopes up because I know that you can hit plateaus and that everyone loses weight differently. Based on the weight loss of several people over the course of 3 months on BL and based on my first weeks weight loss I am going to make a little weight loss goal list based on an average loss of 3lbs a week. I don't think that is over shooting too bad. I know some weeks I may not lose and some weeks I may lose more but lets just put this into focus - makes me feel better anyway to see these numbers!

As of today: 252

Brian's Weight is 210 - to reach that I need to lose 42 lbs - based on 3lbs a week I should reach his weight by March 22nd.

Based on this same scale I should be in ONEDERLAND by April 5th!! 199!! I know that is 4 months but I have NOT seen a"1" in front of my weight in OVER 6 years! SO I figure 4 months is nothing!

WELL if we continue on that same scale I will be 180 by the end of May! Just in time for summer! THAT is only a little over FIVE MONTHS away! That is ALSO on 40 lbs from my goal weight and a total of 82 lbs lost!

SO if I continue on that same scale then I will be at my GOAL weight BY Thanksgiving of next year!! That is less than a year away!

I know that this may be unreasonable thinking and I can't count on 3lbs every week and I can't count on NO plateaus nor can I know when my body is ready say "enough weight loss" BUT considering I haven't been at my goal weight in 10 years I think 11 months is worth the weight! That in itself makes me want to stick to it!

P.S. I was looking at how low your calories were yesterday...mine have been that low for the past two days and I have been eating but not tons and tons of food. I am scared I am not going to get enough calories and stall my weight loss - what do you think?

So Much More...

This thing is so much more to me. It is about losing the weight, changing my life, losing the bad attitude, becoming a better person in all of my relationships in my life! Life is too short to sit around and wait for tomorrow - who knows if we have tomorrow!

I had decided that by the end of this year I would like to lose 10lbs. I am up to 6 and you never know how things go week to week so hopefully that goal will be reached. I feel it will be. My reward? Won't be food! I am going to treat myself to a new pair of earrings! Everytime I reach a goal that I set here in writing by a certain date I am going to treat myself. Of course, it won't always be something expensive! I might only spend $2.00 on those earrings but I am going to get them! Better than the $2.00 I would usually spend on a coke and candy bar!

Thoughts To Live By

For those that know me - you know how I like to talk and what I have written here is kind of long but it is really important to me so I thought I would share it with all of the people in my life who are also important to me! So hopefully you will have time at some point to read it!

This morning when I got to work I talked to a friend of mine here. We talked about complaining, thankfulness and life. Throughout the past week I have had those types of conversations with several people. It has been an eye-opener and made me realize how much we forget the small things - the things that are most important. Some that have really stood out to me are:

Treat others as you would like to be treated. How many times do we - as humans - do or things out of spite, revenge, envy, jealousy or for no reason at all to other people. If the tables were turned is that how we would want to be treated? This holiday season and throughout the year I will do just that - treat others as I would like to be treated!

Let go and Let God. This is my favorite. We often think we can "fix" things and think we know what is best but GOD is the only one that knows! Boy do I know I need to let go of some things! God can not give us answers if we truly never let go! When anger or hurt pops into your head or heart say "God take this from me, give me peace and remove the planks from their eyes and if I have one, remove it from mine"

Do things out of love not recognition - that is what will truly be noticed. My mom taught me this one and the very next week at church they talked about the same thing! Give gifts anonymously! Volunteer without patting yourself on the back. Truly good deeds will go noticed by others and by God whether you think they will or not!

Be grateful for what you have. Now how true is this! We complain about so much but how often are we really grateful for the good. I don't know if they realize I noticed this but my mom and grandmother used to always say things such as, "Thank you God for a beautiful day!" How often do we grumble at the rain but never give the sunshine a second thought? At a marketing meeting yesterday we were told TWICE as many people relay a bad experience than relay a good one. Lets turn those figures around!

It is truly better to give than to receive! This is especially important this time of the year. This is our Savior's BIRTHDAY and we should be thankful and happy all day no matter what. How happy it makes me to be a child of the King! What a wonderful thing to give when you can and what you can! This reminds me of the story in the bible where the "rich" man gave a lot of money and a poor woman gave only a small amount but this was greater in God's eyes for this small amount was all she had - the rich man could have given so much more! I do think that this should apply to all things in life not just monetary things but LOVE and RESPECT.

No matter what ... in any circumstance ...

Psalm 113:3 "From the rising of the sun to the going down of same, the Lord's name is to be praised."

Now that I have rambled on and on I am going to leave you with one more great story one of our co-workers wrote and sent around today! May we all remember to count our blessings and be grateful this CHRISTmas! Love, Tiffany

What I am thankful for this CHRISTmas season -
I am working on a photograph album of the snapshots of our grandchildren from 2005 to give to my son and daughter in-law for Christmas. I've sat at the computer for hours deciding which ones were "worthy" of a place in the album, I've had them printed, sorted them in date order, bought just the right genuine leather album to put them in - because after all, this album should make a statement, right?-it's my gift to my son and daughter-in-law and I want them to be properly impressed with it.

Last night as I sat in my recliner which I haven't had a chance to sit in much for the past two months, I started placing these photographs into the album and something hit me for the first time-90% of these photographs were taken at places that no longer exist due to Hurricane Katrina.

Oh, there's one of my grandson's baseball pictures - wonder where they're going to play next year. Here's the other grandson's karate pictures - well, someday they will rebuild that karate school and he'll be able to start enjoying again those grueling three-times-a-week sessions that he's become so good at.

And here's my precious granddaughter, sitting on the steps of USM, our FAVORITE place to take pictures - well, there'll be another favorite place. I think that big, beautiful tree might have survived the storm, but that's all. That tree just might have to become our favorite spot now.
And here's Easter lunch at the buffet at the Grand. We've been there every year after Easter services for three years now. We need to start cooking at their house on Easter anyway - the Grand was always TOO expensive for that many people. (Guess who always paid the bill!)

Oh, my, (as the tears start to flow) here's the Easter Sunday pictures at St. Patricks. For some reason it's always buggy on the Coast on Easter Sunday, and every year the children are always swatting gnats in their "new Easter clothes" pictures. This last year was no exception. Their beautiful, little church right across the street from the beach, where the azaleas are always blooming on Easter, is now only a slab. They're now holding church services in the gym at Coast Episcopal and the spirit is still there, but -oh, that beautiful little church where they were married and all their children were baptized is no more.

Let me get up and get myself a Diet Coke and get myself together so I can finish this album tonight. Okay, that's better. Now, where was I - okay, here's the beach pictures . . . the ones that were taken August 21, my son's birthday, just one week before Katrina. As far as beaches go, this is not necessarily the prettiest beach, but it was OUR beach, the one where the children played, and I snapped photographs till my heart was content. I guess it will be a long time before we get beach pictures again, but one day . . .

Then I realized that all of these places were just places. Our children and grandchildren were safe at our home when the storm hit. Their home suffered minimal damage compared to those that lost everything. My husband and I are so blessed that we have our family that means everything to us and that they are safe and have a home. They still don't have a "real" school, but that should happen after New Year's, and then, in their minds, they'll be all set and back to normal.

There's not many photographs of my daughter and her husband yet - not nearly enough to fill an album, but guess what, come February 11 (or thereabouts) we're going to be blessed with another precious life in this family of ours, and I guarantee you that next Christmas they'll have an album, too. The only difference will be that instead of taking pictures because it's what I do and something that I've become good at--deleting the ones that aren't technically just right or the ones where someone has a strange look on their face--I'll be taking pictures for the sheer joy of documenting my family and our times together, of watching my grandchildren grow and you can bet that with every click of the shutter, they'll be a silent prayer of thanks for the blessings I have been given.

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading. I don't usually document to paper many of my thoughts, but I really needed to stop and reflect on the past year this CHRISTmas. God is so good and we have been blessed.

The Good & The Bad: Tiffany

Well I have lost my first 6lbs. (Strange that the last diet in my first week I lost 6lbs. That must be my "starting" number. Ha! Of course, the last couple of diets I never stuck with it and didn't make it any further! This time will be different.) That is definitely good!

The bad is I really haven't exercised but I have been going like crazy with all the Christmas funtions, shopping and activities that I have been involved in. SO in actuality that is more exercise than I usually get. I just need to start trying to add it in and/or make sure AS SOON as things start slowing down I start replacing that time "running around" with exercise.

I really haven't kept up with my diet that well. I have definitely eaten less but I haven't "Crunched numbers" per say. I really didn't start "paying attention" to calorie intake until Monday and on that day I probably had about 1600 or so calories. Based on that I am ashamed to say that my regular calorie intake was probably somewhere around 3200! I say this because I ate SO much better that day. Alot of times it is not HOW much I eat at one meal but the types of foods I eat and the "little bites" of this or that throughout the day. It is funny that you think if you just take ONE cookie here and there through the day it is not as bad as sitting down eating the whole bag! Tuesday I didn't eat enough calories AT ALL! I think I only ate around 1000 and that is shooting high. I ate lunch and went shopping after work so by the time I got home it was late and WAY past dinner and I really wasn't hungry. I am also trying not to eat ANYTHING after 7:00. So the good is that I am eating less but not necessarily more healthy - yet!!

Weigh in Wednesday - Traci

I decided to go ahead and have weigh-in on Wednesday also. That way we are on the same page and can look forward to it together. As of this morning, I weighed 214.4 lbs. That's down 6.8 lbs since I started last Tuesday! That's 15 lbs since August (I lost about 11 on NS and kept 8 of it off)

Weigh - In Wednesday: Tiffany

Well I decided that instead of weighing in on Mondays I will do it on Wednesdays. Just thought "Weigh - In" Wednesday sounded good! Also, I am bad about putting things off until Monday. I will start a new diet Monday, I will do such and such Monday. It is like I make such excuses that I can't start something in the middle of the week - so this "Life Change" is going to be all around for me - not just about weight but about changing my whole life!

So to the weigh - in. When we decided to do this (even before you got the website up and going) I was 258. As of this morning I am 252. That makes it a loss of 6lbs. I know the first pounds are always "water weight" but to me any loss is good! I had told myself that I won't to lose AT LEAST 10 by the end of the year so hopefully I can accomplish that goal.

Where's the Spare?

Weighing in

Woohoo!

As of this morning I weigh..... 217.1 lbs!!! That's the lowest I have weighed in almost 2 years. It feels great!

Just an OK day

In life there is hardly anything that is black and white, there is always a little gray in between. So that is what this little guy is going to represent for me. I didn't do "bad" yesterday, but I wouldn't exactly say it was a "good" day either. I went about 90 calories over the 1400 per day that I had set for myself. Jen and I had our annual Christmas baking day. I started out with gum in my mouth so I wouldn't be tasting along the way, but the gum got old and I got rid of it about mid way through the baking. So I did taste a little bite here and there. I think I had 10 chocolate chips, 3 bites of the uncooked dough (= 1 cookie maybe?), 1 whole fresh, hot, out of the oven cookie and 1/2 of a tiny pecan tart. My estimate is probaby a little high, but I want to make sure I didn't blow it the rest of the day thinking I hadn't eaten too much, so I am estimating 500 calories. I think that is pretty close though after looking up the nutritional info for chocolate chips and a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie! That's crazy. It really showed me how much I really used to eat. I would have normally eaten 3 or 4 cookies, a couple of pecan pie tarts, 1 or 2 pieces of fudge and a closer to 1/2 cup of chocoate and peanut butter chips along the way. Which really doesn't sound like that is TOO much. I decided to see what the calories would have been in that instance. It would have been 1965 calories!! That is crazy. I have looked back at a typical day for me and I estimate that on a normal day I was eating atleast 2500-3000 calories a day and those were the days I felt like I had "behaved". On the other days, probably once a twice a week when I felt like I had blown it I was probably consuming close to 4500 calories. And then I would look in the mirror and ask myself "How did this happen"? Hello... you eat TOO much and you don't exercise! So now that I have finally woken up and I really see it on paper (or screen I guess), I really feel like it is going to change. Why it has taken this long? I think I have been in denial about how I eat. I would always say, I really don't eat that unhealthy, but I was thinking unhealthy in the sense that I don't have chocolate cake 3 times a day. I DID eat unhealthy everyday, not just a couple of times on "special occasions. You first have to acknowledge that you really do have a problem. So here it goes.... Hi, my name is Traci and I'm an unhealthy overeater!

I have never kept track of calories on any other "diet. I've always counted carbs, proteins, and fat - but NEVER kept track of calories. Regardless of all that other stuff, it's mostly about your body and how many calories it burns. As long as you burn more than you eat, you WILL lose weight. Even if your whole day only consists of 1 huge piece of chocolate cake that had 1100 calories and 80 grams of fat. As long as you burn more than that on that day, you will get rid of those calories. Is it healthy? No, but that IS how it works. It can still clog arteries, give you high blood pressure, etc...but it won't make you gain weight. Weight Watchers is the closest thing that I have done to counting calories, but honestly with those points, I think it's decieving. Those numbers are so low (around 20-30) so if you have 2 points to many it doesn't seem like much, however those 2 tiny points could contain 2 to 3 hundred calories. Now I understand why WW didn't work for me. I always allowed myself an extra point or 2 and never felt guilty about it. So I guess I say all that to say that I really like keeping track of the calories. I feel in control of it for once. I'm not watching carbs or proteins, but I am making low fat choices when the option is there (i.e. low fat cheese, skim milk, lowfat yogurt, etc). It has become a numbers game for me. I guess that's the finance analyst in me. It's like a budget. As long as I spend (eat) less than in my budget and I put a little back in everyday (exercise) I will profit. (lose weight) !!

B - 500 calories from baking day
L - Low fat Pepperoni Hot Pocket - 300
D - Grilled Chicken Breast - 231
Side Salad with cheese, bacon, and creamy herb dressing - 360
S - 1 Pkg of Right Bites Chocolate Chip Cookies - 100

Total Calories - 1491

Exercise - does shopping at the mall while pushing a 40 lb stroller for 2 hours and then doing an hour of grocery shopping with a kid in the cart count as exercise?? I would say YES! According the the site, I burned approximately 800 calories. It would take me 2 hours to burn that on the treadmill

Water - only 30 little ounces - the rest of the day consisted of about 60 ounces of unsweet tea

Weigh in is tomorrow... I can't weight (ha)

Good and Bad days

I thought it would be cute to use the images below on the post that we talk about how our day or week went as far as what we ate and how much we exercised. One would represent a good day and the other a bad. I will be doing mine daily. If you like the idea I will email you the images.

We Can Do It!

I still don't have the book and DVD!!!! What's up with that? Do you have yours?? I went to the site to see if I could check the status and it doesn't recognize any of my 4 email addressess. I know I would of had to have used one of them??



Here is my calorie intake for the day:
B - Whole Grain Fig Newton Bar - 130
L - went to a banquet for lunch, so this is all estimated using the foods as listed on www.calorieking.com
1/2 Chicken Breast - 230
Snap Peas - 50
1/2 c Scalloped potatoes - 100
S - 1 and 1/2 Hershey's Treasure Miniatures - 94
S -1 Miniature Candy Cane - 15
D - Low Fat Pepperoni Hot Pocket - 310
S - 1/2 of 1 Little Debbie Nutty Bar - 78
Total Calories - 1007

Water - 55 oz

Exercise - 20 minutes of resistance training using the fitness ball

It's been a good day and I even got to eat chocolate. I am amazed at how many calories are in 1 little piece of chocolate!! I need to work on my water tomorrow though!!

I have another Banquet tomorrow night and there is supposed to be a ton of food. I'm gonna down some water before I go and I'll have Bobby there with me, if I need a little nudge!

We can do this!!

So far...

Well although we don't have our books or tapes yet, I started eating healthy and doing my treadmill for now. I'm going to start posting what I eat and total calories for each day.
I don't remember all the way to Monday (I swear my memory is slipping ....fast) , but I'm going to list Tuesday and Wednesday and then I'll post each day going forward.

Tuesday - South Beach Bar 140, no lunch - I was too busy at work for lunch (not good...I know), a whole grain Fig Newton Bar 130, Baja Chicken from On the Border 830 (good thing I skipped lunch) & 90 ounces of water = 1100 Calories

Wednesday - Whole Grain Fig Newton Bar 130, Nutrisystem Entree (left from my NS days) 270, South Beach Bar 140, 10 mini marshmallows 22, 8 oz serving of Shrimp Alfredo 300, 1 small dinner roll w/o butter 110 & 80 ounces of water = 972 Calories

I walked on the treadmill for 25 minutes both nights - 157 calories burned each time (estimated) I used the following website to determine the calories burned, because the one on my treadmill doesn't take my weight into consideration. The website has some other really great things (other calculators, forums, and food lists) .. and it's free!

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index.html

It calculates the same BMR as what I have listed in my first post, but then the site goes on to explain that the BMR calculates resting energy (basically when you are asleep) It then shows you based on your activity level what your BMR actually is. The calcualted sedentary (because I sit at a desk most of the day) RMR (more accurate than BMR - the site explains) for me is 2226 calories. It also allows you through a huge list of daily activities so that you can get an even better idea. It's got everything from getting dressed to butchering animals!! It's a huge list! You can pretty much go through your whole day each day and choose everything you did that day. I'll post mine. They are out of order from when they occur each day, but you'll get the idea. I didn't quite hit a 24 hr day either, I'm a half hour short. Using that I see that my RMR is actually more like 3,491. It then allows you to figure your calorie deficit. To reach my mini goal on 1/15/06, my deficit is 737 calories. So if I go with the latest RMR, then I need to eat 2,754 calores a day! That seems high, so for now I'm going with the calculated RMR and my calories I should consume is 1489. I'm going with a 1400 calorie diet. So hopefully I will lose a little more than what I want by my mini goal date.

PS: What day do you thing we should use as our weigh in day?? Monday morning maybe? I think they will help me stay on track better on the weekends.


Totals: 3,491 calories in 23 hr 27 min

Kissing - light
8 calories in 5 min
Hugging - light
8 calories in 5 min
Food - preparing, at home
124 calories in 30 min
Eating - sitting
161 calories in 1 hr 5 min
Child Care - bathing, sitting
21 calories in 5 min
Hairstyling - self care
41 calories in 10 min
Applying Makeup (self care)
33 calories in 10 min
Walking - 3.5 mph
157 calories in 25 min
Grooming - personal care
33 calories in 10 min
Watching - TV or movie
199 calories in 2 hr
Child Care - play, sitting, light
124 calories in 30 min
Child Care - grooming, standing
10 calories in 2 min
Cleaning - multiple household tasks, light
83 calories in 20 min
Driving - light vehicle (e.g., car, pick-up)
66 calories in 20 min
Office Work - desk work
1,609 calories in 9 hr
Driving - light vehicle (e.g., car, pick-up)
33 calories in 10 min
Showering (self care)
33 calories in 10 min
Dressing and Undressing
33 calories in 10 min
Sleeping
715 calories in 8 hr

History of Eggnog

Well Hello! Happy Friday to everyone! Can't stay long just wanted to tell you all hello! This will be my last post until Monday! Busy day at work! We are having an office Christmas party! Yeah! Then tomorrow one of my friends and I are throwing a "Christmas Party" for all of our friends. We have been planning this for months and I am so excited! We have a lot of little loose ends to tie up before then but everything is coming together nicely!

Have a great weekend!

R.I.P. Snowman!

So how is everyone today? I have been terribly busy and have not had alot of time to post! I have something going JUST ABOUT every day between now and New Years! I am sure most of you all are the same way! I will stop into say "hello" and do quick updates but most of my post in the near future will probably consist of Christmas Cartoons! Gotta Love Them!

Have A Good Day!

Kids These Days!

Before "Face Shot"

What is sad about this picture is we tried SO hard and took so many "test" shots in order to keep them from looking like "fat" pictures! I can't wait until we can take one and like it on the first try!

Getting Started

So here is the short of my story. I have pretty much always been "chubby". I was a cute tiny baby, so I know that cute and tiny is in here somewhere. I just have to find it. My first memory of me considering myself as fat is as a teenager. Before that I just don't ever think I thought about it. I don't even remember weighing myself until I was at least 16 or 17. I maintained at 180 for several years, but then I got married and had a baby and now here I am only 5 years after the days of 180 at 221! That's 41 lbs in 5 years, almost 9 lbs a year. At this rate I'll weigh 300 lbs by the time I'm 38 yrs old. The thought of that has my head spinning. I cannot, WILL NOT let that happen. I actually gave Nutri System a try back in August. I lost 11 lbs after 4 weeks and have managed to keep all but 2 of that off. I just got so bored of eating their food.

Tiffany and I have talked about our longing to lose weight for so long, I think we have both realized that we aren't getting any younger and there is no better time than the present. So here we are, supporting each other through this journey. We WILL do this, we HAVE to.

I am posting my goal virtual model below. Notice that my second goal is to weigh 180 lbs.....before I get pregnant. My husband and I have been wanting to have a baby for the last 6 months or so, but with my weight like it is, I just can't allow it right now. So even though 180 is not ultimately where I want to end up, it's the weight I which I am comfortable getting pregnant. This is not a diet, it's a lifestyle change, so even once I am pregnant, I will continue to eat healthy and may even continue to lose fat, just not wieght due to the baby and fluid. After the pregnancy I will lose what I have gained and continue to my final goal of 160. I don't want to be a supermodel, I don't even have to be considered skinny, but I do want to be healthy and 160 is much healthier than where I am today. Last time I was pregnant I gained 25 lbs and lost all of it within 4 weeks (17 the day he was born). So hopefully after birth, I will be right around 180 where I started. Then I would like to lose another 20 over the next few months. So in summary, (if all goes as planned, babywise) I would like to lose a total of 61 lbs by April 1st 2007. Now that's some long range planning!! It seems a little far fetched even to me right now as I write, but the goals I have written above are attainable...now it's just up to me to follow them through.


Current Stats as of 12/06/05

Weight: 221.2
BMI: 35.7
BMR: 1779.20
Hips: 51 inches
Waist: 46 inches

My Story: Tiffany

I am Tiffany. My cousin Traci and I started this site (mainly her idea!) to help us be able to go through the "weight loss" process together. This site is mainly for our use but if you stumbled across it - that is okay too! Most of my post will be directly to her or mainly about my feelings, struggles & accomplishments day to day. Here is my story:

I have just about always struggled with my weight. I have not always been obese like I am now but I have always had to work to keep that extra 5, 10, 20 lbs off that most people can do without blinking an eye! Mine started around puberty and it seems like it just hasn't stopped! I was average weight (which by today's standards is probably chubby to some) until about ninth grade. All through high school my weight fluctuated. Up and down and up and down. It seems like I was on a constant weight roller coaster.

Well marriage and child birth took its toll on me! I am now considered obese. Severly obese. In the days to come I will give you my stats and will be posting before and hopefully soon - after pictures!

Today I am waiting on my "Biggest Loser" book and DVD to come in. That is the "life change" that I am going to try. I really enjoyed how the show took just normal people and showed them how to lose weight by regular methods - food and exercise!

By the end of the week I will have actual "before" photos up. I plan on updating those every two weeks. I will also set a weekly goal beginning on Mondays. Other than that I am going to play it by ear. I want this to be somewhere I can come and share exactly what I am feeling and exactly what I am going through.

My Stats as of today:

Height: 5 ft 5 inchs
Weight: 258
BMI: 42.9 Obese
BMR: 1947.70

BODY MASS INDEX (BMI)Your BMI or "Body Mass Index" helps to assess overweightness or obesity using individual weight and height ratios. BMI does not measure body fat. Depending on your calculated BMI you can gauge whether you are undeweight, overweight, or obese for others in your weight/height range. Info obtained from: Biggest Loser Website

BASAL METABOLIC RATE (BMR); This calculator will assess your Basal Metabolic Rate, which is fancy talk for the number of calories you naturally burn. Or, another way to look at it, is the number of calories you'd burn if you stayed in bed and slept all day. A person's BMR decreases as they age, meaning you need to be more active to burn the same amount of calories that you naturally burned at a younger age. The BMR calculator uses height, weight, age and gender to determine your resting calorie count. Info obtained from: Biggest Loser Website

Our Fellow Bloggers & Weekend Things!

First and foremost I would like to mention these two things:

Bombadil & Goldberry have welcomed a precious little bundle of joy into the world! Stop by and see the pictures and wish them luck!!

Sallie one of my dear blog friends has been dealing with a death in her family. Her father passed on so if you know her or would like to send her some encouragement through this time I know she would appreciate it!

Weekend Things

I had a very good weekend! I very rarely get company at my house - I guess because I live so far out or either that the hubby and I usually are the ones that go around and visit. WELL my friend Jessica and her two children came over around 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. We caught up on some DVR'd Oprah shows, some cooking shows and then made lunch. After that we loaded all the kids in the car and went to the grocery store. We went back to my house and I cooked a baked spaghetti recipe that I got from my cousin Traci (which is yummy!). We played some games and watched several movies. All and all it was a great time and I really enjoyed it!!

Sunday my mom came to my house where I reheated the baked spaghetti for lunch. We then went out to do some Christmas shopping and were gone about 6 hours or so! We never do that so my legs were KILLING me when I got home. I tried another new recipe for dinner - which was yummy - moved some furniture around and then went to bed! Over the weekend I talked to my friends Brooke & Carla two or three times and got to visit briefly with one of my neighbors. We have been so busy lately that I felt so out of touch but I am feeling much better now.

This week I have a lot I need to catch up on at work and I have to get ready for a Christmas party that my friend Carla and I are throwing. I am SO excited!

Well that is all of my "ramblings" for now! Hope you all have a good day!

Templates...UGH!!...How Did YOU Learn HTML?

So I have been working on my "template" and I will say - I am not very good at this! I am impressed at my "little bit" of knowledge but I feel well - dumb - while trying to do HTML!! Like I should just KNOW this stuff! Some of you blogspot/blogger people have the cutest blogs! (Not that the others don't but just comparing apples to apples!)

Where did you go to learn how to really use HTML and to change your blog templates???

Dog Tired!!

WHEW! I am DOG TIRED this afternoon!! I have been running and going at work and at home for days now!

AT WORK
As paralegals we have to meet a certain number of hours each year. I have taken work home at night and on the weekends to make sure I do that. On top of doing that I have been trying to get alot of things more "organized" and more easily accessible. I enjoy doing it but it wears you out! I have gotten alot done but still much more to do! I am just glad that I have such a good job and work with such great people!

AT SCHOOL
I am taking a night class and it seems like every time I turn around we have some kind of project to do! I have to meet my group tonight to go over our project for tomorrow night. THANK GOODNESS - we only have two or three more classes this semester!!

AT HOME
I have gotten all of my Christmas decorations up and 95% of my presents bought, wrapped and under the tree! I am trying to clean out closets and do "holiday" cleaning but it seems like when you finish one thing there is another to do! My cousin and I are working on a little "web project" and we have made ourselves a deadline of Friday so I have that to do!!

THOUGHTS IN GENERAL

~I have picked up SO much trash that people have left around the office today. I don't know why but that drives me NUTS! People - pick up your trash.

~I really wish this weather will make up its mind. I wear a jacket in the morning, it is hot at lunch and cool again at night. It was like 50 something today but then I think this weekend it is supposed to be in teh 70's.

~I need a nap.

Thanksgiving Pictures!!

I had gotten tired of seeing that "aggravated" post so I decided to move along to something more "cheerful"! My trip to Arkansas was great! We had an awesome time. The kids played dress-up and were our entertainment the whole time!


Traci and I mainly just "hung out" and caught up on things!

Our hubbies probably had the most relaxing time of all - as you can see!

Hope each of your holidays were just as great!

Random Thoughts!

Well I have been sick for over a week now coughing my fool head off!! I actually have not felt bad but once I started coughing I could not stop!! That made me miserable and made my head hurt! I went through two bottles of robitussun (sp?) cough and about a bag of cough drops and things did not change any! I stayed home Monday due to my daughter and myself both being sick. I went in Tuesday to work but coughed all day and made myself (and probably everyone else!) miserable! Finally, Wednesday I went to the doctor only to find out that I had bronchitis! Yuck! So they gave me a shot in the "rear end" - in which my 7 year old was there to witness and got way too much pleasure out of! Ha! Then they gave me three prescriptions. I began taking them and the coughing subsided a good bit but I have been nauseous and tired ever since I started taking them! I found out nausea is one of the side of effects along with drowsiness! I haven't had real good rest in a while so I was hoping I could sleep those side effects off. No such luck so far.

Well we left Wednesday night to drive to Arkansas to visit my cousin/one of my best friends and her family. We left alot later than I hoped because due to our hectic schedule lately and the fact that I have been sick and dealing with family issues (that is a whole other post!) I have not been a very good house keeper. When we left I left a HUGE pile of dirty clothes in my bathroom, a huge pile of blankets I need to wash and some dishes that were rinsed and set in the sink that I needed to load in my dishwasher. I am telling you it is hard to pack and leave your home in such a wreck but I did! I have really got to get on it when I get back. I have so much organizing I need to do. I am getting several new furniture pieces during the holidays and I am repainting much of my house so I need to get some things cleaned up and out of the way first!! I would like to get my Christmas decorations up as soon as we get back from Arkansas on Sunday afternoon but that depends on how tired I am. Getting back to my "travel" story...I will have to drive most of the way home my husband informed me due to the fact that he drove all but 30 minutes of our 8 hour trip up! We left Wednesday night and drove about five hours to Little Rock, spent the night and then drove in to my Aunts house Thursday morning. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner and I was so glad to see my family. We usually see each other a couple times a year but we have not seen each other since last Christmas due to both theirs and our hectic schedules. I love my cousin so much - as I mentioned above - even though most of our lives (that I can actually remember!) we have lived in two different states she is my closet cousin and one of my best friends. We laugh because we are so much alike. We call ourselves "clones"! Ha! Her mom is so cool and it is funny she doesn't treat me like most Aunts treat their nieces she is really more like "another" mother figure when we are around. She was always the cool Aunt growing up. I was thinking when I was looking at her today how she does not look like she has aged at all.

Traci's little boy Brayden is SO cute. He is now 4 years old which is SO hard for me to believe! He just cracks me up because from the time we walked in the door at my Aunts house until the time they went to bed at 9 something p.m at my cousins he talked NON STOP!!! I just laughed and laughed. I have never seen a little boy talk so much! It is way too cute!

As tired as I have been all day and as early as we went to bed (9 something also) I woke up about 12:30 a.m. and have been up ever since. It is about 2:o6 a.m. now. I got up folded a load of clothes and due to the fact that I was burning up (I don't know why either because I checked the thermostat and it is not hot in here!) and couldn't go back to sleep I decided to catch up on some email, blog reading and blog posting - hence, the really long drawn out post!

Traci, her mom and I are going to do some shopping in the morning so I should really get back to bed soon! I don't know if I will be buying anything though. Probably just browsing. I have about 95 percent of my Christmas shopping already done and wrapped and waiting to go under the tree once I get it up!

I guess I will go for now! I hope everyone had as great of a Thanksgiving as I did.

Thanksgiving Plans??

Well does anyone have any Thanksgiving plans? My family (daughter & hubby) and I are going to Arkansas to see my cousin Traci. Actually we will be seeing my Aunt, Uncle, Cousin David, his wife Tanda, Traci, her husband Bobby and their son Brayden. I say Traci because she is one of my best friends and I am so, so, so, so, so...did I mention so...excited to see her! We usually see each other several times a year and I try to go up on Thanksgiving but was not able to go last year and it has just worked out that we haven't seen each other since last Christmas and won't see each other this Christmas! I am sad about that!! However, I am so excited (did I mentioned that already?) to go see her now!! I don't know if anyone has been in Bentonville or Bella Vista Arkansas. I tell you what - it is beautiful up there! I absolutely love it. I need a break and so does my family so we are looking forward to it!! If anyone is traveling over the holidays I hope you have a safe trip!!

Happy Anniversary to Me!!

Me and my hubby Brian had been married 5 years today! Yeah!! I am a plain jane kinda girl and I got to pick out my engagment ring. I picked out a small diamond with channel set diamonds on the side. For our wedding band I just picked out a plain gold wedding band. WELL for our anniversary the hubby gave me a channel set diamond band to match my wedding ring! It looks exactly like my wedding ring except for my wedding ring has the big diamond sitting up on the middle of my ring. Anyway - I am very very proud of him! He knows what I want! So now I am "bling bling" in a small kind of way with my 18 small diamonds and one larger one. One of my friends told him that after 5 more years he better add some more diamonds! Ha! I will say he is good about getting this sort of thing. I am always trying to get him to get me costume jewelry but OH NO. He doesn't want to do that! Last year I got a cross necklace with a diamond in the middle and the year before that I got diamond earrings and a diamond solitare necklace. The boy can shop!

Women Conserve Energy! Use Eco-Bra!

In Japan this winter the new rage will be the "Eco-Bra". This bra has eco-safe padding that you heat up in the microwave and then you wear this contraption to keep your "boobies" warm. Yup - you got it - keeping your girlie goods warm. Not only does it keep your girlie goods warm but it has a long "tail" that you can use to wrap around your neck as a scarf. I believe I read that it will also come with a pair of shorts. Strange stuff. This is suppose to help conserve energy by making woman warming up their girlie goods and therefore they won't need to use the heat? Well what about the rest of your body. I tell you what my girlie goods are the last thing that gets cold! I think they should spend more time on - you know - anything other than keeping select "body parts" warm. Sheesh!

Here We Go Again!!!

I am back!! How has everyone been? Life has become a little less crazy and I have become a little more organized so I decided to venture back into the "blog world"! I have stopped in occasionally to everyones sites but never long enough to leave a message. So some things have changed since I have last talked to everyone:

1. Life (like I said above!) has become a little less crazy so I have more free time to blog now!

2. Traci (another author - my cousin - from the "old" Mind Diversion) and I created a website for our family to use since most of us live so far apart and don't have time to talk as often as we like. That address - Ivey Family - is on my sidebar. We don't have it up and going yet but we will introduce our family to it over the holidays and hopefully have it up and going soon!!

3. I like this site to be about my "vents", news and little funny things so we (Brooke, Jessica and I - both of them other authors from the old "Mind Diversion") also created a "mommy site" where I talk about strictly "mommy type things". If you are a mother (or even a father!) and want to stop by that link is also on my sidebar. There is not much on the blog yet but it will be soon - us mommies have alot to say!

4. Brooke of course has her own site which many of you already know about. You can check it out over on my sidebar!

5. Traci will be starting another site and I will have it up on my side bar soon!!

6. Jessica - who knows - she may or may not start another site but for now she is just on the Mommy Site with Brooke and I. She has a new arrival at home and I think he keeps her pretty busy!!

SO that is kind of what is going on! I kept a short list of my main site reads from the old Mind Diversion and I will be stopping in on everyone occasionally! I just have to put my family and job first - the of course blogging comes in third!! Hope to talk to you all soon!

What Does A Man Have To Do To Fish Around Here?

Four married guys go fishing. After an hour, the following conversation took place:

First guy: "You have no idea what I had to do to be able to come out fishing this weekend. I had to promise my wife that I will paint every room in the house next weekend.

Second guy: "That is nothing, I had to promise my wife that I will build her a new deck for the pool."

Third guy: "Man, you both have it easy! I had to promise my wife that I will remodel the kitchen for her."

They continue to fish when they realized that the fourth guy has not said a word. So they asked him."You haven't said anything about what you had to do to be able to come fishing this weekend. What's the deal?"

Fourth guy: "I just set my alarm for 5:30 am. When it went off, I shut off my alarm, gave the wife a nudge and said, "Fishing or Sex" ........ and she said, " Wear sun-block."

Yada Yada of 8/04/04

Hello All! Hope everyone is doing well. Not feeling so good today so I thought I would do a "yada yada" list of my thoughts and life in general.....

1. My daughter starts school Monday, August 9th. First grade already. Wow. I have learned that it cost a fortune to buy all the school supplies you need BUT it is alot easier to buy them already "packaged" to keep from having to search for every little thing.

2. I read in the school handbook that they enforce corporal punishment at school. I am all about spanking but all I am saying is I am not happy about the fact that they don't tell you until AFTERWARDS. Ho Hum.

3. I had "MINOR" feminine surgery Monday. I am not feeling so good and hopefully we will get to the bottom of it tomorrow.

4. More and more I love my job.

5. One of my best friends is getting ready to move back to New York. (Where she is originally from.) She is leaving August 13th and I am so sad. To be honest we have not seen alot of each other this summer because we both have been so busy but I think it is just the fact of knowing that she won't be "right down the road" anymore. It is a good 19 hours or so away that she will be from me! *sob**sob*

6. Why is it SO hard to get motivated to "clean out" things. I mean all and all my house is pretty clean but I HATE to clean out boxes and I HATE to do laundry. What is up with that? What are your "house" pet peves?

7. I watched the last two episodes (and only two episodes I have seen) of The Simple Life 2 tonight. I was intrigued to watch it after seeing Lionel Richie and Nicole Richie on Oprah Monday afternoon. Speaking of corporal punishment those two (Paris and Nicole) seem to really need it. Of course, I shouldn't judge but that is the impression that they seem to give the whole world.

8. Knowing my hubby will be gone for 9 weeks in October has somewhat hendered our relationship ONLY because stupid me keeps dwelling on the fact that he is leaving instead of enjoying the time that he is here.

Well I guess that is all in my little world for now!

Brian MIA: Letter Two

Yeah! I just got another letter from Brian! How cool is that!! I am so excited and I feel 100% (well 99%) better after reading it! He also wrote Baylee a birthday card! She is going to be estatic! He said alot of really good things that mean the world to me! I am really beginning to think that this is a good thing for us. I think it has made both of us appreciate what we have more. I will leave out the "mushy" stuff for his sake but this is all he really had to say about boot camp.....

Turns out the recruiters were right, we have a bunch of little punks that don't know how to act so we get alot of EXTRA TRAINING!! But things seem to be slowly coming togehter. Camp is really not that hard. You just do what you are told and act like an adult and everything is straight. The IT (initiative training) is the hardest part. That is what they use to motivate us. I am a squad leader so everyone comes to me or one of 4 other people with problems. It kind of sucks 'cause its like fighting a never ending battle to get these people to shut up........(add in other "stuff" here).....I've been yelled at a coule of times. Twice for cussing, once for looking at an officer while he was talking to me "you don't eyeball them", and then for responding to "carry on" you don't do that either. Just little minor stuff I should have been paying attention to.....(add in othere "stuff" here)......we start running today, no sweat though I've been taking a spinning class, we lift weights, we run, we do calistentics or however you spell it.......(add some really sweet stuff here about me and Baylee)...Well I hate to quit writing but I have to shine mine and my shipmates boots. He irons my uniforms and I shine his boots.....(finishes off with some really sweet things)

I think I will be sleeping with this under my pillow tonight.......I hope I have really sweet dreams!

BUNCO! Brian and Me!

Tonight is my bunco night. We play the second Thursday of every month. We have such a great group of girls! It is my favorite night out! (Just about only night out!) So wish me luck in winning the big bucks!

My mom is going to pick up Baylee for me and I am going to run home to see if I got mail from Brian and let the dogs out! (Who let the dogs out?!?) Brian can write letters on Sundays so I look for them anytime between Thursday and Saturday. Pathetic.....I know! I am ready to hear from him again! Especially, after today. My daughters grandmother brought some pictures to me that she took around Christmas. Two of Brian helping clean her house and two of us at Christmas. AWWWWW.......makes me so sad! I will live! Not TOO much longer now!

Going Thru 7 States To See My Baby!

I am so excited about going to Brian's graduation! (Yes, I know.....it is a month away!) The only problem is that I won't know until I am already there what flight he will be on coming back. I, also, won't know if he has to leave that day or if he can stay a couple. I do know that if they don't take the flight they have been given they have to pay for their own way back. We are doing good to be able to afford a plane ticket for me to go up! The problem is I can't hardly book a flight without knowing his information. First of all, we won't even get to be on the same flight coming home. Second of all, what if I scheduled mine to come home Sunday and he has to leave Friday? There would always be a possibility that I won't be able to move up my flight and I would be stuck in New Jersey for TWO days without my husband. (Which would be pointless!) So I decided that I am going to take the LONG 19 hour drive. I will actually get to go to states I have never been to before and I love "road" trips so this may be good for me. Then on the way home Brian and I will get 19 undisturbed hours together! Plus, he LOVES road trips and we would probably go through Washington coming home so we could both see the sites and/or just to say we have been there!

Friend OR Foe

I had a really good friend from Junior High, High School and I guess you would say "adult" life. We were so close we more often than not got called sisters. She had a boyfriend turned fiance that broke up with her over email and moved hours away over night. In the meantime she found out she was pregnant and she asked me to call him and tell him. They then decided to get back together and get married. I, of course, was the maid of honor. (Fast forward about two years.) I got two anonymous calls from a guy who was asking me to "do things" with him. The guy eventually fessed up to be her husband and somewhat made a joke out of the calls then asked me a couple of very personal questions. This made me uncomfortable and to make matters worse before he got off of the phone he said, "Don't tell her I called you. You know how she is." That made me feel even worse. A co-worker and my husband were each present during the calls. My husband was furious. (For obvious reasons!) I felt horrible and felt that I really needed to tell her and my husband wanted me to because he was so mad. The thing is she caught him lying and flirting on many occasions when he did not know she was around so this was not the first time he had done something shady. So I tried and tried to tell her but I never could. I finally wrote her a letter and that was three years ago. I tried on many, many occasions to contact her but she never responded. I did admit in a letter to her and of couse I am admitting now that maybe I should have told her in person. I don't think that would have changed things and I know she must have been going through a tough time especially since at the time she was going through her second pregnancy. I know that sometimes my words can "hurt" and I am trying my best to work on that but I still don't think it is fair that I was "punished" for something I did not do. If nothing else she could have at least written me and said, "Don't ever talk to me again!" I got nothing. It was as if she was "dead" to me and I went through a very long "grieving" period. Just last week at work I came across a letter that I had written her and figured, "Why do I even try." I then proceeded to rip up the letter and "write off" our friendship. The strange thing is this past Saturday I got a letter from her. Remember this is the first time she has contacted me in THREE years. I was not as excited as I thought I would be. I guess because like I said before I had just "written her off". I think I was mad because I was finally getting over things and all of a sudden she thinks she just pop back in my life like nothing happened. The letter was real short and sweet. She just asked how we all were and just gave me some details on her family. I thought about it all weekend and decided I would write back. I answered all of her questions and then very politely asked what changed and why did she write me. I then asked if we were ever going to have "some kind of" relationship again. In closing, I told her that if we don't talk again that I was very happy she wrote me, glad they were doing well and best wishes in life!

Mom Job Description

POSITION: Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy, Ma

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often
chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and
organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will
include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some
overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on
rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel
expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily,
until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also,
must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero
to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the
backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face
stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously
sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain
calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have
ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and
mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an
embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a
half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always
hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete
accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also
include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:

Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years,
without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that
those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:

None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually
exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION:

Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon
payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will
help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them
whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that
you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS:

While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement,
no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies
limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you
play your cards right.

Brian MIA: We Just Got A Letter!

Yeah! My hubby just wrote us a letter! It really doesn't say much but short and sweet if okay with me! I am just so excited to hear from him! He said the hardest part was missing us and that made me feel so good! It has been a long two weeks with everything that has been going on. As far as, boot camp this is all he really had to say:

I don't have much time to write, but everything is going pretty good. The company commanders are pretty tough, but they are fair. As long as we listen we don't get in trouble. If several people screw up we all do exercises. It's not too bad. (He fills in this part with sweet stuff to me and Baylee...then he finishes with..) Well it's about time to line up so I will write again next Sunday, that's the only time we get to write. (He then of course finishes with his sweet ending)

Baylee is so excited! She has ran all over the house saying, "We got a letter from daddy! We got a letter from daddy!" Then she ran and got all of her markers and a notebook and said I have to write him back right now so that he will write us back! I knew she would miss him, but I did not realize exactly how much of a daddy's girl she was!

Girls Night Out

UGH! Other than the stupid letter from the training center I have yet to hear from my husband! It is driving me insane! Good news is I can actually "forget about it" for once. I am going out with the girls tonight! All of our hubbies are out of town and momma needs a break! Before you start thinking anything....it is just innocent fun! I don't even drink so I am always the designated driver and I would never cheat on my husband. I honestly have never even cheated on anyone......just not my style. This is the same "girls" that my dear hubby "allows" me to go out with when he is in town! So that said, I am looking forward to a night to take my mind off of things. It has been a very stressful past couple of weeks and if this girl doesn't relax she is going to, "BLOW UP!" BBBOOOOOOMMM!