WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR DECEMBER 2013

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  • DeeDee2211
    DeeDee2211 Posts: 1,133 Member
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    Good morning beautiful ladies:flowerforyou:

    Katiebug :smile: Oh my, so sorry to hear about the house fire, thank goodness everyone got out and they are safe!!! Will keep them in my prayers:flowerforyou: !

    Anamika :smile: Congratulations on your race:flowerforyou: !!!!!

    Welcome to everyone new! Come in often and chat!

    Heather :smile: I want to come to your house and eat:bigsmile: !

    No more time this morning. I`m going to go boss the boys today, one of my favorite things to do:tongue: !

    Have a great Sunday! Drink your water:drinker: :drinker: :drinker: and log your food!

    Hugs,
    DeeDee in chilly but not raining NC
  • margaretturk
    margaretturk Posts: 5,098 Member
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    Good Morning Ladies,
    DeeDee I am drinking my water as I type.

    Barbie 3 min. plank.:drinker: Love the songs:love:

    Anamika congratulations on your race.:drinker:

    Michele My son was going through a difficult time two years ago at Christmas time. He would not speak to me. Things have since gotten better for him so we are on good terms now. I know how hard it is when you don't here from your children.

    Katla safe trip

    Eileen sorry about your cousin.

    drkatiebig Prayers to your family.

    Welcome Lori

    Joyce 48 pounds WOW!. I am proud of you! We need a character that claps.

    Went to my friend's Santa Lucia party last night. Her daughter is older now. She was with her friends still willing to serve us cookies. A good time was had by all. :drinker:

    My intentional act of kindness today is to wrap up a small gift for each student in my friend's kindergarten class.
    Time to get ready to go sing in choir.

    :heart:
    Margaret
  • LizPlus
    LizPlus Posts: 117 Member
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    Good morning All..and to the new ones welcome!!! :flowerforyou:
    I know I haven't been on for awhile but things have been hectic here at home...I will be glad when 2014 comes :cry: has got to be better.
    Woke up to a major snowstorm..warning drivers to stay off the roads... unless it is necessary....the wind is howling and I love to hear it....will more then likely lose our power... we usually do..I took out of the freezer what we can eat without cooking it..have lots of bread... we won't starve....
    Would someone describe the Plank to me so I can start doing it..Please and Thank you :flowerforyou: Been doing some walking was even going outside for awhile..my DH went with me so I felt more able to be out there...the weather and me being unwell for awhile has kept us from going....so I want to do more exercises at home....
    I pray you all are doing ok....will try to get on sooner next time......and I am not doing a goal for December because it hasn't worked for me so far.:grumble: ....totally my fault :angry: ......I hope you all have better results with yours....

    Take Care!!
    Liz from Halifax, NS
  • jb_2011
    jb_2011 Posts: 1,029 Member
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    Good morning, wanted to share an excerpt from a book called "The Exercise Cure" by Jordan D. Metzl, MD. I was listening to the radio the other day while driving and heard an interview on NPR's Science Friday show. I've placed a hold for the book at the library, I'm looking forward to reading it. Anything to help inspire us to move more...
    ___________________________

    "The doctor only smiles . . . and begins telling you all about this mythical, magical miracle drug.
    + + +
    First of all, he says, it's the weight-loss drug millions have been waiting for. It's very simple: If you use this drug, you will lose weight in a totally healthy way. Imagine, he says, the implications for the obesity crisis. And for those who have weight-related health issues, the drug gives immediate benefits. In the endocrine system, for example, research has shown that this miracle drug can reduce the progression of type 2 diabetes by 58 percent. For some patients who stay on this drug longterm and increase their dosage, type 2 diabetes can be reversed.

    For the cardiovascular system, the drug prevents heart disease. It immediately helps address hypertension (high blood pressure) and hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) and greatly reduces your chance of suffering a heart attack or a stroke. And if you've already been diagnosed with heart disease or related problems? This drug helps improve your condition.

    How about everyday health problems? This drug boosts your immune system against common maladies like the cold and flu, reducing the intensity and duration, or preventing them outright.

    In your brain, the drug can block the progression of dementia and Alzheimer's by up to 50 percent. The drug has also been shown to help you keep your mental faculties longer in life, and it will keep your brain working better and longer compared to those who refuse to take it.

    If we stay in your head and look at psychological factors, the drug also works wonders. It's been shown to reduce symptoms of depression by 30 percent, and closer to 50 percent in higher doses ("That's the beauty of this drug," says the doctor. "It's very hard to O.D."). It's also incredibly effective against anxiety disorders. The drug attacks low energy and boosts self-esteem. It lets you work at a higher level for a longer time. This medicine improves sleep quality and can cure sleep disorders like insomnia and apnea.

    Also, and this is a big one, we know that chronic low-level inflammation in the body plays a key role in causing some of the worst diseases we have: heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinsons disease, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, and more. Our miracle drug, when used regularly, helps tame inflammation in the body, thus helping prevent all of these nasty outcomes.

    The drug also helps make your body indestructible (or, at least, a lot less likely to break down). For the skeleton, it makes bones stronger and muscles less likely to be injured. In older people, this drug aids in mobility and prevents falls. Postmenopausal women who took this drug four times a week had a 47 percent lower risk for hip fracture. And folks in one study took this drug and saw their knee arthritis pain reduced by almost half.

    That's part of the miracle in this miracle drug: The more you take it, the more active you become. This drug can make you better at your favorite sport. It helps you jump higher, run faster, and improve your flexibility and coordination.

    Last but not least: This drug even helps prevent certain types of cancer and can help you fight back if you ever get a diagnosis.

    Every single person who takes this medicine decreases their risk of premature death, and every single person who takes this medicine raises their quality of life.

    By now you've guessed it. The miracle medicine that works across every disease state is called exercise.

    And everything I just told you is true. Science has shown again and again, across all manner of diseases, maladies, and health risks, that exercise can prevent, improve, or outright cure your symptoms. As a sports medicine physician and an avid athlete myself, I've written this book to teach you how to maximize your dose of the world's most effective medicine."
    ________________________

    Have a happy Sunday, I'm off to wrap the remainder of gifts to be shipped out tomorrow, then head to the track for a spin. I really should head to the track FIRST and THEN wrap gifts! :huh: Switch-o change-o.....get those priorities straight! :tongue:

    :smile: jb in Portland
  • Vickil57
    Vickil57 Posts: 1,818 Member
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    Good Sunday morning. We had a very nice evening with friends at the Singing Christmas tree. Everytime I see it I get all teary. When they put Jesus up on the cross it really hits home. So glad we went. It is not something I would do every year as afraid it would get old. But going every 4-5 years, they try and add something every year. This is the 40th year they have been doing this. I just find that interesting as so many people are in this and they give up alot of their time. They do 9 shows a weekend for the 3 before Christmas. Today it is to get up to 45 degrees. So hoping this evening when we go to the journey to Bethlehem as most of it is outside. My NSV is that I know I will be able to walk and enjoy this and last year I would of never consider going as couldn't walk very far.

    drkatiebug--:sad: So sorry to hear about your DB and his family. Praise God they all got out ok. That young girl should be so proud. Prayers out to them.

    Lori--Welcome. Come back often and get to know us and let us know you. This is a great group for friendship and support.

    Joyce--What a great idea:happy: :happy: Michele I understand how hard it is not hearing from them and over the holidays it is harder. Not sure that is a word. Prayers to you.

    Anamika--Congrates on a great time. You should be so proud.

    grandmallie--Glad you missed traveling in the bad weather. Hope that the rest of the trip goes well.

    Barbie--Thanks for sharing. We have some very talented women in this group.

    Eileen--:flowerforyou: Hugs first Christmas after losing a parent is not easy. Memories are so much comfort. Congrates on the 2 new grandsons coming in the New Year. I think grandkids are the best. Such a Blessing.

    Well hope you all have a good rest of Sunday and take care of yourselves.

    Blessed! Vicki GI NE
  • jmkmomm
    jmkmomm Posts: 3,247 Member
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    Normally I don't post this early but I had to, stepped on the scale this morning when I first got up. Yeah, I know I'm not supposed to weigh every day but at least I don't weigh before I go walk, when I come home from walking, before I go to supper, when I get back, and again at bedtime. That's the hubbie. Anyway I do step on the scale 3 times to make sure it is accurate. Two times was 184 and one was 183.8. Another pound gone forever!!!! One more pound to the big 50!

    Welcome back Liz

    Joyce, Indiana
  • phoo513
    phoo513 Posts: 231 Member
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    Blessed Sunday Morning, My Friends!

    It is beautiful here in southern Az this morning, and I am beginning to feel like myself again, and not a walking zombie from the marathon road trip. I was in bed before 9:30 last night and slept all the way to about 9:45 this morning! I slept while Bill got up and went to church! And, yes, he did tell everyone who asked that I was being a sloth and sleeping in. They laughed. We will go Christmas caroling with the church later, so that will make up for my laziness.

    I am struggling with the food, but I am, at least, trying to keep track of what is happening instead of just blindly stuffing food into my face. I think getting back in touch w/ my OA friends and all of you is helping. Today will be a challenge because I know that every house we visit will offer goodies, and I will just have to be strong. I am still gluten free in everyway that I can be conscious of, but I think something I ate must have had some gluten mixed in because my tum has been wonky for a couple of days, so it must have been something we had at one of the truck stops along the way. I will have to go back to being hyper-vigilant for a while.

    BarbieCat- I love your lyrics! May we copy and mail them out to friends?

    Katiebug- Angels were watching your brother and his family! Thank Heavens for that! Take care and be well, rejoice in the happy news that only "things" were lost. Don't stress over hosting the Christmas, just enjoy it!

    Michele- It just breaks my heart when you are sad because of Bryan and Diana. I want to get all positve and tell you everything will be fine, but they both appear to be so self-centered that I just can't. I know that you are kind, generous, caring and loving, and it angers me that they don't see that. If I, who have never even met you in person, can see all of your good qualities, why can't they? It is their loss. Fill your life with people who do appreciate you, and then just keep praying for them to realize their mistake.

    Joyce- Congrats on the weight loss, now, don't let that scale ruin your day by controlling you! You are doing well, enjoy it!

    For Today:
  • phoo513
    phoo513 Posts: 231 Member
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    Blessed Sunday Morning, My Friends!

    It is beautiful here in southern Az this morning, and I am beginning to feel like myself again, and not a walking zombie from the marathon road trip. I was in bed before 9:30 last night and slept all the way to about 9:45 this morning! I slept while Bill got up and went to church! And, yes, he did tell everyone who asked that I was being a sloth and sleeping in. They laughed. We will go Christmas caroling with the church later, so that will make up for my laziness.

    I am struggling with the food, but I am, at least, trying to keep track of what is happening instead of just blindly stuffing food into my face. I think getting back in touch w/ my OA friends and all of you is helping. Today will be a challenge because I know that every house we visit will offer goodies, and I will just have to be strong. I am still gluten free in everyway that I can be conscious of, but I think something I ate must have had some gluten mixed in because my tum has been wonky for a couple of days, so it must have been something we had at one of the truck stops along the way. I will have to go back to being hyper-vigilant for a while.

    BarbieCat- I love your lyrics! May we copy and mail them out to friends?

    Katiebug- Angels were watching your brother and his family! Thank Heavens for that! Take care and be well, rejoice in the happy news that only "things" were lost. Don't stress over hosting the Christmas, just enjoy it!

    Michele- It just breaks my heart when you are sad because of Bryan and Diana. I want to get all positve and tell you everything will be fine, but they both appear to be so self-centered that I just can't. I know that you are kind, generous, caring and loving, and it angers me that they don't see that. If I, who have never even met you in person, can see all of your good qualities, why can't they? It is their loss. Fill your life with people who do appreciate you, and then just keep praying for them to realize their mistake.

    Joyce- Congrats on the weight loss, now, don't let that scale ruin your day by controlling you! You are doing well, enjoy it!

    For Today:
    planned meals
    gluten free

    put up the tree and decorate outside.

    Have a wonderful Sunday!

    Pat (Phoo)
  • cityjaneLondon
    cityjaneLondon Posts: 12,370 Member
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    The tree is up! Hooray!:drinker:

    Even better DS#1 has just texted me and said he is coming down to his dad's on the 22nd and could he come to me on the 21st and stay the night! COULD HE ? ? ! ! I am so happy becsuse he is the world's worst communicator and I hardly ever see him. We fsiled to make a rendezvous with his brother and me before so I had resigned myself to not seeing him this Christmas. So now that is 5 guests plus 2 kids staying over the holidays, but not all at once, thank goodness. I was worrying about washing sheets between people, but I have decided to put DS#1 in DGS's bed, in the new dinosaur duvet set :bigsmile: as DGS isn't going to worry about his uncke having slept in it for one night.:laugh: We enjoyed our game stew with papardelle so much this evening that I am going to make it again for DS#1. Easy and I can make it ahead, which I like.

    The only downside to all this is that I have a lunch out on Tuesday with the yoga group, a lunch out on Friday with my brother snd DSIL, then 3 days of eating with guests, then Christmas and Boxing Day. :sad: :sad: :noway: :laugh: Iron self control is going to be needed and exact logging. The only day I am planning to go over is Christmas Day itself. The rest of the time I will stick to my calories. I am on reduced calories at the moment in the effort to lose my 1 lb, but my normal allowance is quite generous with the exercising so I will (I WILL) be able to do it. My downfall is alcohol, as it weakens my resolve, but I will keep that for the evening meals. That is my plan so I WILL stick to it. I keep telling myself that anyway!:laugh:

    Hugs to you Michele.:heart: Even as I was writing about my happy news I was thinking of you. I have suffered quite a lot from my son not getting in touch and not replying to me. I'm sure things will work out for you and your son.

    Love to all.
    Heather UK

    Joyce- congrats on the weight loss. Let's get rid of that pesky 1 lb! ! ! !
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 16,993 Member
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    :flowerforyou: Eileen, it’s good to see you again……congrats about the upcoming grandchildren……how sad about your cousin

    :brokenheart: Drkatiebug, I’m sorry to hear about your brother’s house and glad to hear that they are all safe….:bigsmile:

    :flowerforyou: Lori, welcome…..if you keep coming back and reading this thread and becoming part of our community you will get the additional encouragement you need to keep exercising and eating right….I get up very early but it took a long period of going to bed a few minutes earlier every night until I found the right formula.

    :bigsmile: Jane, congrats on baking cookies and eating none…..I had to give up baking because I wasn’t able to do that.

    :flowerforyou: Juanita, thanks for the reminder to take care……I can easily overdo.

    :flowerforyou: Michele, doing kind things for others (like all the baking you do) is a good remedy for the sadness you feel about your son……the biggest reason that I won’t be going over calories much during the rest of this month is that we don’t celebrate Christmas……there are other times that I’m challenged by tempting foods and have to use every strategy I know to keep my eating within healthy boundaries.

    :bigsmile: Anamika , with the difference in time zones, I may not have been literally cheering you on as your ran but you have been in my thoughts…..as much as I walk, running is not something I do and I have boundless admiration for your running.

    :flowerforyou: Heather, you are the one that provided the challenge to me to hold the plank for three minutes…..I will rest from it today to not overstress my back…..I know exactly what you mean about the challenge of keeping calories low on a non-exercise day…there is no room for any sort of indulgence (alcohol, salad dressing, sweet treat, etc)……your plans for family and Christmas sound like there are coming together is a wonderful way and they include some special events for you so you’re not devoting all your energy to doing things for other people.

    :bigsmile: DeeDee, I love hearing about your Sunday adventure “bossing the boys”….Sunday Is a good day for a special event.

    :flowerforyou: Margaret, I’ve heard about Santa Lucia parties…how nice that you went to one…was there a girl with candles in her hair?

    :flowerforyou: Liz, here is a picture of a plank……..when I started, my first goal was to get into position and keep my back straight……later I began to keep track of how long I could hold it, beginning with 10 seconds and gradually extending the time.
    https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/p200x200/1377171_605107956197907_1470013895_n.jpg [/img]

    :flowerforyou: Joyce, the people who have lost such huge amounts of weight started out much heavier than you…..and remember, just having a big weight loss goal, doesn’t mean you’ll get there…..lots of people set goals to lose a ton of weight but have no idea how to go about doing it…..you are doing so many things right…..don’t compare yourself to other people.

    :flowerforyou: Jb, thanks for sharing the excerpt from “The Exercise Cure”…..if I hadn’t already taken a walk with the dogs this morning, I’d shut down the computer and go right outside. My library doesn’t have the book yet so I’ll have to be patient.

    :flowerforyou: Pat (phoo) the lyrics were written by jb and several others on this thread last year (I feel sad that I don’t remember who all the other great lyric writers were)….probably jb is the person to ask if you can share the great “O Fitness Pal” song.

    :bigsmile: Vicki, congrats on your NSV to know you’ll be able to walk to see something that’s important to you.

    :bigsmile: I defrosted a piece of salmon….the fish was caught by a friend in the water a few hours from here…..I baked it and will make salmon patties for our lunch. Now there’s a giant white pumpkin in the oven. I’ll freeze a lot of it to eat this winter and save some in the refrigerator to put in Isagenix shakes for our evening meal.

    :flowerforyou: I’ve walked with dogs for two hours this morning and may walk with them again, but otherwise this will be a rest day to do laundry and watch my favorite NFL team…once I finish washing the sheets and putting them back on the bed, I might crawl in bed with my book and read and maybe nap.

    :heart: Barbie from beautiful chilly NW Washington
    1461351h0otf8hco5.gif


    "The reason most people fail instead of succeed is that they trade what they want the MOST for what they want at the MOMENT."

    “If it’s important to you then you will find a way, if it’s not you’ll find an excuse.”

    It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. ~Confucius
  • drkatiebug
    drkatiebug Posts: 1,947 Member
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    Thanks for all the well wishes for my DB and his family. They will be okay given time. They were well insured so they should be able to recreate a nice home. The important thing was indeed their lives.

    I'm going back up there in a bit. I wanted to get my walk in first. A woman from my church got them all new pillows. I need to take them to them.

    Y'all take care. Enjoy your Sunday.
  • grandmallie
    grandmallie Posts: 9,820 Member
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    afternoon all, OMG,I'm exsausted:indifferent:
    we finally got here about 45 minutes ago and I am just sooooo tired. granted Tom did most of the driving ,just 23 hrs on the road it is just yucky...
    now to relax.. I cant complain to much it is in the low 70's with a little breeze. just wanted to stop in and tell you all that we got here in one piece... will check in with you all in the morning:flowerforyou:
  • janemartin02
    janemartin02 Posts: 2,653 Member
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    HI!All.
    Went to church today and got some walking in.
    Made cookies again,tried a bite side of one,wasn`t sure if I cooked long enough,others are put away.
    Going to son`s tonite,so have a good one.
    HUGS
    jane
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
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    Barbie: Thanks for positing the Fitness Christmas lyrics. I love them all over again.:heart:

    Dr. Katie: I’m so glad your brother’s family is safe. Their daughter is a real heroine.:flowerforyou:

    Lori: Welcome.:flowerforyou:

    Michele: Thanks for your good wishes. We’re having a wonderful time with DDIL, and got to talk to our son on the phone this morning. It has been a fabulous day. Tomorrow she’s going back to class and we’re going home.:flowerforyou:

    Heather: Game stew sounds intriguing. I have a recipe book from the 1930’s with recipes for all sorts of wild game. I’ve never actually cooked any of these things, at least not so far. I’m happy that you’ll get to see your son.:flowerforyou:

    Liz from Halifax: Nice to see you. You can search YouTube for planks and see videos.:flowerforyou:

    JB: I love the impact on exercise in my life. I’m going to look for the Exercise Cure.:flowerforyou:

    Joyce: Congratulations on the loss!:flowerforyou:

    Pat (Phoo): I’m glad your home. I hope things go well.:flowerforyou:



    We are enjoying our visit with DDIL and will head home tomorrow as she heads back to school. We went to a car museum in Tacoma yesterday and enjoyed seeing hundreds of cars dating from the 1899 to an early Prius from about 2000. There were lots of motorcycles, and some experimental cars from design classes, too. I enjoyed seeing the old vehicles but managed to get lost in the museum. Thank goodness for cell phones! I called my family and they came and got me.:blushing: :bigsmile:

    Katla in beautiful NW Washington

    December goals:

    1. Log every bite and swallow
    2. Focus on fitness: cardio and strength every week
    3. Drink at least 3 glasses of water every day
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 16,993 Member
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    1377171_605107956197907_1470013895_n.jpg


    I just noticed that the plank picture didn't show up when I thought I posted it earlier
  • jb_2011
    jb_2011 Posts: 1,029 Member
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    Janie and I wrote most of the Christmas song lyrics last year, and as far as I'm concerned, anyone is welcome to share them with friends. It's such fun, I laughed so hard a few times that I almost.......well, you know. :laugh:

    There's still time to write more, I'll have to think of a song. Suggestions welcome!

    :smile: jb
  • margaretturk
    margaretturk Posts: 5,098 Member
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    Barbie my friends daughter is in her teens now when she was younger she wore the candles. I think my friend was happy she was willing to serve us cookies. ( I am referring to a Santa Lucia party I went to. It is a Swedish custom.)

    I am subbing tomorrow and will need to get off early so I am posting now. My intentional act of kindness tomorrow will be to donate some prizes for the teacher I am subbing for tomorrow prize box. She gives tickets to her students and they have drawings for prizes. The students love it.

    Have a great night and day tomorrow.

    :heart:
    Margaret
  • Gardengail
    Gardengail Posts: 596 Member
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    Busy weekend, so I'm just checking back in now while the last load of laundry finishes up. Went to the choir Christmas party [for my former church] on Friday night and stayed overnight with my good friend. On Saturday morning we went to 'Cookie Walk', which is the women's ministry annual fundraiser at my former church. It made me so happy to see they were doing a very brisk business! I bought some cookies for giving away and made an extra donation for their programs. I was able to see all the wonderful gals I used to hang out with - I still miss them! I also made several batches of cookies when I got home - sugar cookies cut outs, white chocolate macadamia nut (for DS#1), sugar-free peanut butter (for DH), oatmeal raisin (for the boss), mandelbrat (for dear friends), and ritz cracker thin mints (cutting the sugar of the chocolate coating by 1/3 for DH by using some unsweetened baker's chocolate). I finished up frosting the sugar cookies this morning, let it set up for a few hours, then packaged them up for the boss' family, a couple of co-workers, three neighbors and our family friends. Left a few for Christmas Day celebrations and will send anything left home with the sons.. So glad to have them packaged up and distributed - such temptation!!

    Tomorrow is my check up with the cardiologist and I hope they put me on an annual rotation going forward. DH has an appointment to have his eyes checked at the glaucoma doctor as our regular eye doc had some concerns at the annual exam, especially since he is diabetic.

    The Christmas cards STILL have not been tended to!

    Oh! My sister in IL sent me an 'open early' Christmas gift. She cross-stitched this pattern with the Christmas star in the skies and the city below, from the perspective of the approaching wise men. The colors are beautiful jewel tones on blue aida cloth and she had it framed so it hangs in a diamond shape. Nativities and the holy family are my favorite Christmas decorations and she has stitched a couple of others for me in the past. I just love them! Then I did a big counted cross-stitch of the holy family with an angel that we put on the mantle each year. If I get ambitious I'll post a picture or two... IF! :laugh: :wink:

    Well, buzzer time on the laundry! Tomorrow starts me back on the straight and narrow....having been to the only holiday party I'm likely to attend.

    Gail, metro ATL
  • exermom
    exermom Posts: 6,397 Member
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    Joyce - I'm thinking that once Jessica is married, I'll probably wind up using her husband as a proxy son. The problem I know I'm going to fall into is that I'll have to constantly remember that it's NOT my son, I need to be watchful that I don't try to do too much. Well...... I haven't lost huge amount of weight. Ohhh...NSV (for me, anyway) SO FAR this holiday season I've been keeping in the upper 130 weight range. Admitted, that Wii character keeps telling me "that's overweight" (does he know anything else? Maybe he's in some sort of "loop". I can dream, huh?). Oh, well, in one sense I can't wait for these holidays to be over so that I can get back to more normal eating.

    Lynette wanted me to go to a Christmas party with her yesterday. For one thing, I'm not a fan of Mexican food and it was at a Mexican restaurant. but even if it was being held at someplace that I absolutely loved, I wouldn't go. I don't know anyone. I'm sure they're paying, and to make them pay for someone they don't even know? No...I wouldn't do that

    Anamika - great time for your marathon

    I've prelogged my food, and it's so depressing in a way. I don't have very many calories left over. Well, I know that I have to stick to what I logged. Hmmm...maybe I can make that sandwich last longer?

    Heather - good for you keeping your calories down! You SHOULD be proud. Being a perfectionist about your cooking is a good thing. I remember once I made something, I even forget what it was now, but it called for basil and I used the dried basil the first time. Vince ate it. The second time I used the fresh basil. I thought it had much better flavor. But Vince wouldn't eat it, he didn't like "that green stuff". So I got to finish it (yea for me). When I worked in the home ec department (it isn't called that anymore), one of the things I learned was the importance of FRESH foods, how much it makes things taste better. Oh, hey a question - when a recipe calls for a fresh herb but you need to cut it up into small pieces, is there some sort of food-chopper-type-of-thing that can be used? I can never get the pieces small enough if I just use a knife. Like the other night I made rosemary shortbread. You were supposed to cut up the rosemary, but try as I might, I couldn't get the pieces small enough.

    I ordered these things for Vince, they came from Amazon in the mail yesterday. Today I got an email from Amazon saying that they couldn't deliver it. Well...I'm not going to worry about it. I have the items, that's the important thing

    DeeDee - when you go to Heather's, I'm coming along....lol Boss those guys around -- they need it to get ready for the holiday. As I type this, I have a cup of green tea right in front of me.

    margaretturk - I agree, we need a clapping icon

    Saw on facebook that some of the mahjongg gals were doing the "Secret Santa" again. I did it last year and, honestly, I thougtht it was a bit on the dumb side. When I was asked what my interests were, I told them crafts but I specifically said not to get me anything that needs to be completed. So what did I get as a gift? You were supposed to send the person a small gift 3 or 4 times during the year, then in Dec. they had a party where your "secret santa" was revealed. No, the gal wouldn't change the party to sometime in Jan. There's just so much going on in Dec. the last thing I needed was a secret santa lunch. I wasn't asked to join in this year (and I noticed that the person whose secret santa I was last year wasn't asked either, she's a busy lady and didn't make the lunch last year)

    Liz from Halifax - when the weatherman calls for snow, do people up there run to the store and buy out all the milk and bread like they're going to be standed for weeks? That's what they do here, even when we lived in PA they did that. I would always keep some bread in the freezer and have juice, we can have that if we run out of milk.

    Did an hour of balance games. I was originally planning to do training games on the Wii but changed my mind at the last minute. There's this one training game where you simulate pedaling a bicycle looking for these flags. No matter how hard I try, I can never seem to find that last flag. But the positive is that I can easily rack up 20 minutes. With the balance games you can only get 3 or 4 minutes at a pop. Tomorrow is yoga, holding my plank, and then the extremepump class.

    Joyce - big congrats to you.

    Pat - hoping your tummy gets better fast. Thank you for your kind words about me. It has been said of me "your heart is in the right place, sometimes your words just aren't, but your heart is always in the right place". Bryan used to be such a wonderful son. When we moved into the house, he helped us move in (he carried the box of all the liquor downstairs -- and that box was HEAVY), when Vince had the tibial plateau fracture and we had a truck in our driveway to bring to the storage unit in NC, it was Bryan who said "ma, you can't leave daddy. Jessica will drive the truck, I'll take your car, we'll unload and drive back to PA". That night he went out, bought the meat, and made dinner for Jessica and Denise while I as at the hospita. He used to call us all the time (ok, not real frequently) what has happened? Well, all I can say is "his loss". I know God has a plan, I just for the life of me can't figure out what it is. Maybe He's trying to teach me something (but what?). Well...it took me 30 years to figure out why He took my mother when I was so young. On another note - yes, absolutely get back to OA, especially at this time of year. Temptation is rampant

    Well, I think the tree is finished being decorated. Vince brought in the train that he's going to use this year (The Polar Express) and is going to put that under the tree. If I let him, he'd have it all around the house, but I don't want to be tripping over track all over. I don't mind under and next to the tree. Update: it's all done

    Oh, if anyone cares, my name is Michele LeGrand. Send me a facebook request and just tell me you know me from MFP. I'll be posting a video there of our Christmas decorations. I posted one of the Halloween decorations, and they were the warm up to the Christmas ones.

    Heather - how wonderful that your son will be staying with you!!!! I like making food ahead of time, which reminds me that I should probably be making the soup for Christmas Eve and freezing it. Only problem is -- my freezer is getting stuffed!!! Update: I never did make the soup tonight. But I did fry the crab cakes

    Liz - I KNEW someone would post a pic of the plank for you which is why I didn't

    And so it begins...... a neighbor of ours just brought by a tin of cookies (only 2, thank goodness) that you could tell were definitely decorated by the kids. I ate my cookie, now for Vince's. How can you NOT have a cookie that was decorated by a kid? I'll wash out the tin and probably give them some of the cookies that I made. Actually, I suspect part of the reason they gave them to us was to say "thank you for the decorations". Their children (well, the oldest really) was over here many times while we were setting up.

    Watched episodes 1 and 2 of season 4 of Downtown Abbey today. That Skinny Pop is good stuff, let me tell you. Thank you so much for turning me on to it. It has good flavor. I told Nancie (who came to watch) that we'll probably watch episodes 6,7, and 8 sometime after the holiday. Even tho it'll be on in the US, those episodes won't be here yet so we'll get a good preview. It was neat to watch 1 and 2 again, but I did find that I had to keep myself from saying too much because I knew what was coming.

    jb - I can't get over some of the real good benefits of exercise. Actually, I can't think of any downside. Oh yea, I guess there is one tiny one. The time I spend exercising prevents me from doing other things (like sleeping later, etc). I know that when I exercise, my hot flashes aren't anywhere near as bad as they are when I'm not exercising.

    grandmalle - 23 hours of driving!!!! That's something. Sounds heavenly -- temp in the 70's. Have a great time

    janemartin - whenever I make cookies (especially if I'm using the silicon mat), I usually bake them for an extra minute or two (but not so that they burn on the bottom)

    gail - those crossstitch pictures sound absolutely beautiful. I know how much work they can be. But it means even more when it's handmade.

    Michele in NC
  • mollywhippet
    mollywhippet Posts: 1,890 Member
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    We went to the lake cabin this weekend, having missed a few visits because of my heart stuff, so we spent the night and BOY was it cold in there. The heater (which is actually in the attic) works pretty well upstairs but downstairs it doesn't, even though there are heater vents and we had a special blower installed to push the heat downstairs, it really doesn't work. And we forgot to take firewood. We have two space heaters and a heater in the bathroom, but it was still so cold that we took the dogs upstairs and just camped out up there all afternoon and evening. Hubby was grading papers all weekend, so I don't see the point of going at all. But enough grumbling about that. We came home in early afternoon and I went to Joplin for a friends pottery open house. That was fun. I also was going to do some Christmas shopping, but after just one store I was pooped. And all I managed to buy was a new ball for Molly. My chest hasn't been feeling quite right today. Probably my imagination getting the best of me. I'll mention it at rehab tomorrow though.

    Made sautéed sweet potatoes for supper. Yummy! I don't know how I lived 58 years without knowing how much I love sweet potatoes. What else is out there that I think I don't like but I really love? More research is needed to answer this question. Hmmm.

    Well, I'm tired, so it's bedtime. I hope everyone had a great weekend.

    Sylvia