The New Water Cooler
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managed to order the lower calorie thing at Olive Garden - but I kind of hate doing it - because then I just feel like I am 'wasting' going out - still working on that relationship with food. Forever.
the boys got a cra* ton of candy for Christmas and have squirrled it away in their rooms and I keep warning them to not eat it all at once, but mostly am really worried about Caleb, he is still quite a bit bigger than his age should be, but aside from talking about health and being active and watching junk intake, I know I have to back off - but I still hate how much candy my folks dump on us - I mean bags and boxes of it. Nobody needs that much candy ever - I like what his piano teacher does - like five special treats and some chex mix. Perfect. My folks obviously feel nothing says love like the gift of obesity and diabetes (both of them are there)0 -
Hi! Very cold here too. I have to go out today and figure out my outfit for tomorrow's wedding we are going to. I have two dresses to pick from but need some nylons because it is so cold and figure out if I have any comfortable shoes to wear. Nothing like waiting for the last minute, right? I decided I wouldn't buy a new dress for the occasion and I'm not going fancy, sparkly just because it will be New Year's Eve.
I remember the boys use to keep their Halloween candy in their rooms and eat it forever! Drove me crazy but they did get sick of it and at a point didn't touch it at all. Is Caleb playing a winter sport?
Not on track yet and gained over Christmas week. I'm gaining and losing the same 2 pounds over and over. It will help when I'm back at work with a routine. Too much sitting, reading and watching Game of Thrones, and too many treats around.
We can do this!
Jenny
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The wedding was very nice and the bride looked beautiful in her mother's wedding dress that had been redesigned for her. We stayed through dinner and visited with a couple of people we know at our table but left by 9:30 to let the dogs out of their crates and outside. Russ goes to bed most nights and usually doesn't make it past 8:30 on New Year's. I could have stayed longer and caught a ride home with my friend but wasn't interested in dancing or drinking so left with Russ.
Lazy today. Rory still isn't home from last night. He went to a friend's to play board games and stay in partying due to the extremely cold temperatures.
Russ is simmering a beef stew for dinner. It smells great. I hope you had a nice New Year's Eve. Cheers to 2018!
Jenny0 -
Happy New Year!!!!
Not tracking today. Breakfast and lunch ready for tomorrow.
Still. So. Cold.0 -
boy oh boy was it painful getting moving this morning. I have been completely slugging the last couple of days. The dark-thirty rollout was killer.
It will take a few days to adjust. Zach had to go back to school today as well. They got longer this summer due to construction and now very minimal breaks. It really stinks for them. Nine days till end of semester. I am so anxious!! It's going pretty well, but of course there are still so many variables. Physics hasn't updated since end of November, History has multiple things not grades, same with English - so it could all so go to heck. I can see him struggling to maintain intensity. Yes, he is still going to Sylvan, I'm not sure he is getting a ton out of it - honestly until the year is over I won't be able to relax. Last year it was January and February where he fell apart. So.... yeah.
I did end up tracking yesterday but it was all junk - this week my goal is to get back to how I was eating before the holidays except for the day I have to take Caleb for ortho on Thursday and then focus on making better choices.
First ball game is a little over a week away!0 -
My last day off today. Back at it tomorrow working. It will be good for my eating and points intake to be back at work. This lack of structure and exposure to holiday foods has been a killer. I guess I count losing 10 pounds before the holidays as a success but there has been no loss other than that friendly 2 pounds that comes and goes since early December.
Not interested in going back to work but we do need to survive and get paychecks. Luckily I have a week and a half off in February, 2 weeks in March, a long weekend in April and almost a week off in May. End of my school year is 6/20 (I think) and then 3 weeks off at that time. It should go fast with all the breaks.
I hope all goes well for Zach. Are both boys playing basketball?
Jenny0 -
First day back at work and back on track with eating. Hopefully I weigh at my lowest before Christmas on Friday. Ugh!
I'm getting a cold. I started coughing last night and getting very congested. I've eaten many cough drops, taken Nyquil and Dayquil today and am drinking my water. Right now my glands in my neck hurt. I need to find my Zicam I bought so I can take it and nip this in the bud. Where did I put it? This poor memory isn't helping.
Hope you had a nice New Year's Marla. We need to move forward with eating right and losing weight. Holidays are done!
Jenny
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My cough turned into a flu in the evening/night. My head felt heavy last night so I went to bed early. Woke up in the night with body aches, hair follicles hurting, etc. I took another Advil PM at 3:30am and slept in until 8:30. Not working today. Not a good start to 2018.
Hope you are well. The scale is dropping the holiday weight for me. A nice positive...
Jenny0 -
Oh no!!! Maybe you should go see about anti virals. Zach came home feeling nauseous today. Please no. One week left in the semester is a horrible time. Plus we've already had it!!
Took Caleb for his braces today. This cold weather is atrocious.
Feel better!!!0 -
Home today but feeling better. Weigh in day! I lost the weight I gained at Christmas and a little more. Must have been water retention from sodium. 13 pounds total loss! I'll take it.
I hope Zach isn't getting sick. Maybe it's just nerves for end of semester grades and work?
Are you back on track with eating? I haven't exercised in awhile. I need to add that to my weekly accomplishments. I didn't exercise over break to the extent I told myself I would.
Well hope you are all well. Cold but sunny here.
Jenny0 -
I am glad you are feeling a bit better. Starting to freak out a bit about Zach. He claims the headache he has had since yesterday is getting worse - I have given him alternating advil, excredrin, advil... claims no improvement. I told Bernie to go home for lunch and ask if he has a stiff neck - b/c then I am taking him in to ER0
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lunch time update sounds like he is improving (hmmmmm....) - fun times0
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I hope Zach is ok. With my flu bug I had a headache that had to run its course. Ibuprofen didn't do anything. Has he had a physical this year? A long headache for his age seems weird. Does he get migraines?
How are you doing on your eating? Today I made a 0 point chicken salad and 3 pt homemade bagels with dill and sea salt on them. Chicken salad is not the tastiest but it's good with the bagel.
Jeff stopped in this afternoon before flying back to Atlanta. He was in town for a high school friend's wedding. He came by to pick up his stocking stuffers and then I drove him to the airport to catch his flight. He had been up most of the night so was exhausted and didn't talk much. Rory came back from Bemidji, MN too. He was up there with friends and they were up most of the night too. So not a talkative bunch sitting in the livingroom.
Feeling better but still coughing and sneezing. Body aches gone. My cubbie mate at work texted she has Influenza A and is really sick. It hit her on Saturday. I don't think mine was A but not sure. It was short lived compared to most getting that flu. She was told her fever could last a week or more and she couldn't work. I hope I didn't give it to her by being at work on Wednesday coughing. However, we get exposed to lots of illness going in homes and being with kids and their germs. I texted her back but she has not responded. Either she's really sick and can't text or is mad at me, or both.
Well hope all is well. Have a nice Monday.
Jenny
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not sure if this was a migraine or some variation of a virus - he had one day last year where he claimed his head hurt so much - and with this one when I asked he described it as more of all over which doesn't necessary scream migraine - but who knows for sure. He said he threw up once and then started feeling better. In general Zach doesn't miss school (maybe one day per year), but he's also a teenager. Chances are good it was a bug, fortunately it didn't linger and he was working on schoolwork this weekend. Not that there is ever a good time to miss, but with this being last week of the semester him missing at such a critical time gives me anxiety - but my anxiety will remain ratcheted up until final grades are posted. There are still dozens are grades to come (and more since many teachers haven't updated since early December. Grrrr.... why bother giving us access if it is basically false? One grade can swing you, let alone six weeks worth.
Sorry you didn't really get to visit with Jeff. Is it nice having Rory home for a bit?
My eating is so-so. From the way I am tracking I am not going over my total weekly points (I am using some weeklies) - but I am pretty much maintaining. Which is not bad, but I am kind of slacking off. I got back into some jeans that I haven't worn in a long time and the bigger jeans I had to buy are too big. That makes me feel like I've done enough. Such a mental game. While, yes where I am is better than I was, I hope to reinvigorate and lose a few more. Overall though I am being much more mindful and that is a win.
I hope your coworker isn't mad, and also feeling better. It sounds like a particularly bad year for illness. They are saying it hasn't even reached it's peak yet. Yikes.
Here's to being speed racers this week!!0 -
I went back to work today. Feeling so much better. Some coughing and sneezing but body aches are gone and I have more energy. Doing better with my food choices and eating now that I'm back to a routine.
It sounds like you are doing well with eating and managing your food. Kudos! I feel like I still want to be on track and keep losing so motivation is pushing me along.
Sun was out today and temps much warmer so it felt so nice. No gloves needed and my down coat felt way too warm in the afternoon.
When will you see Zach's grades?
Jenny0 -
posted a loss! Finally got to 10 pounds. Now here is where the rubber meets the road. Will I push on? Will I give up because I am not completely miserable? Come on Marla - gut check. Persevere. Ten is awesome. Twenty would be stunning.
Honestly though. As per my brain - just trying to focus on one at a time.
Grades will be final by Monday or Tuesday. (Teeth grinding)
It was almost 50 yesterday!!! That's like a 60 degree swing. Calling for a major snow Wednesday/Thursday - so boo. Just in time for Caleb's first game (no more ball for Z)
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Woo Hoo, congratulations on your 10 pounds, Way to go!!!!!!!!!!!
I have more to lose than you so I'm continuing on to 50 if I can get there. 13 down right now. Hope Friday weight in will show more loss.
We had weather in the 40's today with the sun out. It felt wonderful. We expect to get snow tomorrow eve and Thursday and back to single digits on the weekend. Boo! This is going to be a long winter.
Is Zach taking exams this week? Is Caleb excited for his first game?
Low key week for me with work and only one event on Thursday eve, book club. Hope the snow doesn't keep it from happening.
March on...
Jenny0 -
they are calling for ice overnight and then snow. NOOOOO!!!
Keep after dear J you are doing amazing! How is your sister doing with plan?
No ice, no snow. No ice, no snow. NO ICE!0 -
My sister has lost 17.6 as of tonight. She's doing well. I on the other hand battle with the same 2 pounds over and over. I don't know if I'll lose this week or not. I've been good at breakfast and dinner but have had a couple of dinners that were normal but not lean. I am doing better with portions though. I am demonstrating better control than I use to. Slow and steady I guess. This is about the time that I go ounce by ounce. This is the reason I've burned out and given up in the past. It gets so tedious and discouraging. I need to do more exercise. I was hoping to get a little further along in loss before working on the exercise because of my knee pain. It should get less as the pounds come off.
Same weather coming here. Should be an icy commute in the morning.
Take care and drive safe.
Jenny0 -
Don't give up! Even slow progress is progress. We can!
Omaha has already mostly shut down for tomorrow. I hope its not bad here. I hate ice.0 -
thankfully not too bad - terrible wind and cold moved in - but moisture stayed south of us
stay away ice0 -
so I am beyond stunned and so sad - for Caleb. First game last night - and he didn't get to play the last 40 seconds when it was too far out of reach to be winnable. I am shocked. Didn't have any idea (even with Bernie helping coach) that was how the set up was going to be. Only one post and it's Noah. They rotated everyone else in except Caleb and Alex. So sad. It's not that I am a proponent of equal playing time. I'm not. I have always been, the best should play. I don't feel the best were playing. There were three in who are average at best. Caleb and Alex are at least the same level - but not in the plan I guess. First world problem I know. Not a biggie in the scheme of life. But he was as shocked as I was. So last night was hard. And then I have to try to give him the rah-rah about being the best teammate possible, enjoying the time with his friends, etc. When we both know the next six weeks will suck, suck, suck. And I have to deal with it and the emotional breakdown with Caleb. Bernie just stalked off and shut himself away. "Nothing I can do about it." Maybe not, but you could have warned me and him, and you could just be a parent and try to help him over the emotional hump. But don't worry. I GOT IT. I have nothing else on my plate.0
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I won't give up but will move forward at snail's pace.
I hear you on the playing time. So sorry for Caleb. We had some of those same experiences in basketball and football with the boys. I am not one that feels that only the best should play at the school level. I think kids should all get opportunity, no matter how short, to play in the game. They practice and put in the time. How will they improve if they don't get the opportunity to compete? So often it is about the win. At the high school level its the competitiveness and also the coach's ego for the win (at times). We had an experience when Rory played varsity football senior year. We played a team that had only 22 players (inner ring suburb, low income, mostly black students) and about 15 family members in the bleachers watching their team. Our side was packed. We were winning 45-0 and the coaches still wouldn't put in second or third string players on our team. Parents in the bleachers were yelling for them to give all team members a chance to play and the coaches wouldn't. I imagine they accumulate points in a season to qualify for state and rankings. It was embarrassing to our school and humiliating for the other team. Not a stellar moment for those coaches. I absolutely hate sports politics as the kids get older and it gets more competitive. I don't miss it at all. If Bernie is a coach why can't he do anything about it?
Freezing here. Roads still icy. Three day weekend for me. We have Martin Luther King Day off on Monday. Grateful!
Have a nice weekend!
Jenny
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the frozen forever here too - this cold snap has been terrible.
More ball today. Same as Thursday (poor Caleb and Alex both 8th graders with very, very minimal time). We are coming to terms with this being how the season is going to be but it's tough.
Zach's semester ended yesterday. Now we wait for the rest of the grades to be posted. Should be final by Tuesday or Wednesday. So far so good, but there are several large point essays that haven't been graded and those can swing down if they tank.
I was so emotional yesterday. Feeling blind-sided about the ball thing, absorbing Caleb's distress, worrying about finals and of course TOM I was a mess. I was trying to talk to Zach last night about how I felt about something with his grades and just felt tears sliding down my face because I was such a mess. He was like, "mom, it's ok, what can I do?" I'm just tired and emotional. Let's just table this until I'm not a basket case.
I am trying to start planning a vacation, but completely at a loss for when to do it. Since Caleb hasn't decided what he wants to do for activities (band, football, etc) and next years calendars not posted I have no idea what to do for dates. Camps and conditioning will start right away, but last year we didn't get away and as much fun as they had in Orlando I really want to try but this planning aspect is also super stressful. I don't want him to miss critical camps (that's a big no-no). I am thinking Arizona, which also will be weird because it will be SO hot in July/August. I don't know.
We are off to freeze our fingers and toes off at UNL on Tuesday. I think Zach is excited for it.
Happy Saturday!0 -
Planning vacations is stressful. It's hard when kids have activities and you don't know dates, schedules, etc. When they get part time jobs it becomes even more difficult. Hope you can figure something out. Have you ever been to Lake Okeejobee in Iowa? I heard that is quite a resort area in the summer months and lots of things to do. Never been there myself. I also like the Rapid City area of South Dakota (Black Hills, Badlands, Mt. Rushmore...) There are caves to explore and Custer State Park is beautiful. I've also heard Lake of the Ozarks area in Missouri is quite nice with lots to do. Again, never been there. We enjoyed Colorado Springs (Airforce Academy, Pikes Peak...) and I've heard the Pueblo ruins in Pueblo National Park?? in southern CO is something to see.
Russ and I are going to get in the car and head south to TX mid February. We will stop in Kansas City for BBQ and head to Waco. I want to go to the Silos to shop. We may head to San Antonio too. We may download the app for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and see what kind of places we can eat good, unusual food.
Lazy weekend. I have tomorrow off too so am grateful! Vikings are one game away from the Super Bowl in their own stadium. They almost lost the game tonight but pulled a win in the end (lucky).
It snowed all day here. It was a beautiful snowfall with the big floating flakes. I never opened the door to go out but did enjoy from the window. Still freezing...
Sorry to hear it will be a tough season for C. Good luck to Z for grades.
Jenny0 -
So we survived our visit to UNL yesterday. It.was.cold. Like negative-30 in the morning. The touring part was pretty bad, but I had me and Zach in so many layers it was mostly our faces that were in bad shape. It was very interesting. No doubt about it. Their engineering department is pretty amazing. And very unique. If you are an engineering major - they really have their own world. They have three buildings, their own library, own student services, separate curriculum (i.e. they don't have to take English). The new suite dorms are pretty awesome too, of course I can't see how any freshman (maybe football players) could ever get in them though - super spacious and nice. So we'll see. Lots to ponder. I still want him to see a few more and I honestly can't picture him in Lincoln with 26000 other students. But I am committed to helping him follow his dream.
Fun fact, it's supposed to be 50 on Friday. Thanks Nebraska. But, good experience, he'll have to brave many days like that.
If grades are final (not sure - but I would think they should be) I think it's pretty good. One B-minus and one B - the rest A's. Quite the rebound from last year. Still extremely stressful for me though of course. The waiting, the hand-wringing. So tired. My neck and shoulders are like rocks.
Another ball game last night, another night of disappointment. Meh.
Hope you are staying warm and healthy.
Go us!0 -
I had knitting last night and didn't take my computer home the night before that so didn't check in. Not doing great on my eating but not bad either. My weight is stuck and no loss last week.
Suppose to be warming up here for the weekend. I hope so.
Good for Z on the grades. Sad for C with ball. I do not miss the boy's sports and coaches. Loved watching them play but the pain I felt when they worked so hard but didn't get recognized was heart wrenching. Hang in there!
Well I'm off for a hair cut. This week is flying since I had Monday off. We will celebrate Russ' 59th birthday on Sunday. Wow! He was 32 when we met.
Night!
Jenny0 -
it's crazy how when it jumps to 30 degrees after the 30-below you think it's a heat wave
I was exhausted last night - not sure if it was just a let down from all the adrenaline, or what - but still feeling a bit punky today.
Zach came home yesterday pretty excited about his advanced electronics class - "there's only nine of us - and we spent most of the class just giving Mr. Whitmore flak, and him giving it back to us" - I said, yep, getting into those higher classes often have a different 'feel' to them. So, so, so much hope this continues to be the good for him that he needs.
But of course status quo - that if one has a good day the other doesn't. Caleb was pretty grumpy last night. I just let it be.
I am having a hard time with staying low enough to be at a deficit - making better choices overall, but not losing.
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Just lost what I wrote. I've sabotaged my weigh in tomorrow by going to the bar after work for a beer and burger with friends. Hope I don't gain more than my usual "2" pounds.
Good for Z! It helps when you like a teacher and the course content. Why is C so grumpy?
We just need to stick with trying to lose. We'll have good and bad weeks.
Tired and talking to Russ so more this weekend.
Jenny0 -
it's going to be 50 today!!! Whooppeee! It's going to ice storm and heavy snow Sunday night for a treacherous Monday morning. NNNnnnoooooooo!!!!
This winter has been pretty tough already. So many long cold snaps and quite a bit of ice. Not a fan of ice.
Need to go to the store and buy healthful prep stuff and find my determination again. I have been craving pancakes. A huge stack of buttermilk pancakes with real maple syrup.... Such a slippery slope for me if I give in.0
