WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR DECEMBER 2012

:flowerforyou: Hi Vermont06 - welcome! By posting you are part of this discussion. All the best on your journey. The people on this forum are very supportive. You will like it.

:flowerforyou: Lynocourse - welcome! Not easy to be active when studying requires you to sit. Been there, so I quite understand, although I always thought my brain surely must burn major calories too! MFP is great for logging.

Today I have been home alone and enjoying it a lot. I am slow cooking a vegetarian bean ragout, and am looking forward to eating it at dinner. I just watched a 60 Minutes episode on "Is sugar toxic?" Here is the link. It is ~ 15 minutes in length. http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7403942n

Have also been reading a couple of Dr. Fuhrman's books and am inspired to eat more vegetarian. You will note that from my diary, which is open to my MFP friends. As the old-timers will know, I started MFP in the fall of 2009 and have re-started this journey on a number of occasions.

Every day is a new day.

Tomorrow it is back to a busy week at work, but I am taking some vacation time (at home) between Christmas and New Year. Looking forward to it.

Rebel

Saving my spot for later

Well it is December 16th and I mostly shopped via the internet. So my dining room is full of boxes mostly still unopened, let alone wrapped. The one thing I did do today was to bake a couple of diet meals which will last me most of the week. I work from home and so does everyone else at the small company that I work for so I am spared the company Christmas party. So while I am not yet ready for the holidays, I feel ready for another week of health and fitness - hope the feeling lasts all week.

I took my second ever aqua zumba class today. It was a ton of fun with the great advantage that no one else in the class can see how totally uncoordinated I am. I am only 14 weeks into my MFP journey, but I am already beginning to feel greater confidence with my increasing fitness despite the long way I have left to go.

Wishing you all a wonderful week.

:flowerforyou: Liz

Hi ladies, hope you are all having a restful, peaceful, meditative Sunday.
I keep thinking of all those little children and their teachers and tearing up. I went out and attacked the snow this morning with a vengeance, I think it was the frustration of the senselessness (is that a word) of the shootings. My God, why can't we figure out how to deal with mental illness. It always seems to be the last place money is spent - how tragic for the people needing help and those who bear the results. Enough.

After the snow shovelling, i chased the dogs all over the yard making trails, totally wore them and me out. Then I spent the rest of the day (any yesterday too) doing a deep clean so everything is shipshape. Next weekend I'll be on the road down to the coast and back so won't be able to do the big clean then. The problem with doing it now is that I'll feel like it should be done again (but the windows and walls and curtains won't need redoing, just the floors and vacuuming and polishing etc.).

I seem to have been on a carb kick today, first Mac and Cheese for lunch and then potato leek soup for supper. Hmm, good thing it was in moderation.

I'm glad you found something Ellen, even it it wasn't the be-all and end-all outfit. Still it's new and a smaller size and that is good.
Nancy, have fun on your Xmas break in Kelowna, glad it won't be quite as cramped as you first thought.
JaneH - so nice that you are back, the posts have been acting up a bit, gremlins. Will look forward to your post tomorrow.
Joelene - keeping you in my prayers for a good result. And glad the job came up to your expectations - that's a good thing!
Rebel - Count me in for the Fruit'n'Veggie Challenge in January.
Michele - I feel so guilty - I haven't done any baking at all yet. I think I should get going on the shortbread and sugar cookies and gingerbread this week. (I love gingerbread dough so this will be a good test of willpower for me),

Tomorrow night I get to go bowling with the Special Olympians and am so looking forward to it. I've been bowling a couple of times now and will go Tuesday evening as well for the drop in ladies league. After that I guess I'll get to the baking.

Time to go and finish my great niece's little angora bolero I knit her for Xmas, I need to get it in the XpressPost by Tuesday. Plus I'm a sucker for those lame Christmas movies on tv these days.
Good night ladies, peaceful dreams.
Lila

Hello Ladies,

Today was cold and wet just a little bit of snow on the ground. Most of it melted away by lunch time.

@Meg today was our church Christmas Program by our kingdom kids they did a good job.
@Barbie I will walk Bella if the weather is not nice but won 't if its icey. My balance isn't that great and when I fall it has messed me up for days. But we have a large backyard for those days alsomy husband can walk her on days like that.
@Linda I agree with you something needs yo be done to improved the care of the mentality ill.

@Lola I agree with you too senseless and the need for mental health reform. I too did deep cleaning today. Almost done.
@Liz. I have started making a dent in wrapping the gifts.
@JaneH. Welcome back.
@Michele -- I have started my baking for Christmas. So hard not to keep eating and eating.
@Dee I hope you enjoyed your dinner. Last Christmas was our first without My husband stepdad he was the glue that kept the family together. So without him the family scattered we went to friends this year the family still isn't pulling together after we have made attempts so have decided this year to start our own traditions. Not going going to be easy but like others share keep.some that honor yr DH too. We are. Bob always made this really calories high hot butter rum. This year we will make it and my daughter request corn. Cause Grandpa always had to have corn no matter what.

Must share a good story about my DD last night at our banquet My daughter stood up and share what she how much she enjoyed everything and the amazing part of this my daughter gave eye contact when she shared. I just was so proud. My daughter had autism and tor her to share and make eye contact took a lot.

Tomorrow is my last dayoff hoping to finish deep cleaning tomorrow. That way next weekend can just do touchups.

Wishing everyone a goodnight!

Liz M

Good morning I took notes yesterday in hopes of getting back here. But life got in the way and I had company from 1 pm to after 7 last night which was good. But boys I believe them to one 8 and two 9 year old. Bad my golly I sure don't remember mine being like that. And of course my grandkids are not that age.

They were suppose to be here to bake cookies but they were to busy playing. And two of the older girls spent most of the day playing on the wii. So the best little helper was my Amelie. She's been baking cookies with me since she's three she can roll them out cut them put them on the cookie sheets and decorate them. She loves it. And it's easy for her. Maybe a little of my love for cooking rubbed off on her.

Gail
So very well written and wakes up the knowledge in a lot of us.

So I need to get ready for my day. Every Monday I do a morning of home care for a friend.

See you all lighter.

Good Morning Ladies,

The tragedy in CT hit a nerve in us all. My first thought was "that could happen here." Sadly, it can and is happening. I am heartbroken for the town and families.

Hopefully mental health will become a priority as others mentioned. Anxiety is a four letter word and is so often brushed under the carpet. Stress is so prevalent in children and adults. Often we overlook many do not have coping mechanisms we have learned and developed over the years.

On Friday the school counselor and I had our first group meeting with some fourth grade girls in a new club focusing on RAOK. We will meet once a week and find ways to make someone's day on the elementary school level. One small way to give back. The "ME" attitude needs to change....

Thinking of you Jolene as you embark on your new job and praying for your health.

Love the encouragement and support and thanks for my dose of Vitamin F!!!

Carolyn

Hi my lovely friends! It is a nice quiet day here in Omaha. A lot of people are done with classes, and there are no students. It’s just some meetings and work time. I met my new cohort of students today; they all had that stunned look on their faces! Its’ dreary and cool but supposed to be sunnier later.

Well now our builder is coming tonight…we will see about that! He is bribing us with homemade tamales…he even made the tortillas! They should be fabulous, but loaded with calories I’m sure.

BarbaraC: I must say you don’t look anywhere near your age! Congratulations on the weight loss!

Vermont: just come anytime and post your goals, successes, falls off the wagon…anything you want. Ranting is even ok!

Jen: I love doing the stocking stuffers! We have a $10 limit on them, and it’s always a fun challenge to figure out what to get!

Lynocourse: Welcome and what an interesting picture you have LOL

Rebel: I hope you get some quiet time!

Nancy: have a safe drive!

Michelle: yes our garage is attached. It’s a tandem with two spots in front of the others and one single spot. My friend who is a chef says to never buy the day’s special which is usually something old.

Liz: aqua zumba! Now that sounds like fun!

Colleen: I hope daughter is surprised and pleased at your weight loss!

Lila: I love those old Christmas movies too! I have to stay away from the TV this time of year or I can spend hours watching them!

LizM: what a victory for your daughter! I’m sure you were proud!

DeeDee: always nice to see you!

LinC: I love how you sign off “See you all lighter!”

Well I have to get back to work if I have any hope of not coming in over the holidays! Take care! Meg

I'm so glad to be back, reading so many encouraging posts and so much news. I tried posting yesterday, but it went into Never-Neverland twice, so I gave up.

I've been doing pretty well at keeping out of my Christmas fudge. I have a tradition of giving away plates of chocolate/peanut butter fudge each year, and it is a temptation. I totally blew last night -- we went to my favorite restaurant, which I hadn't been to in over a year. I just couldn't talk myself out of my favorite dish. I think that the goal at this time of year has to be simply to maintain, and be thankful for anything more than that. I had a Christmas party on Saturday, and Bunko is tonight... so many food challenges!

My daughter's best friend is in the hospital, and is expected to be in ICU for 3 weeks. Thank goodness it looks like she'll be okay! She is 25 years old, and thought she had a stroke last week (one side of the face drooped and loss of vision). It turns out to have been a brain aneurism and a subdural bleed. She underwent two brain surgeries in the past week, and now has had a piece of her skull removed to relieve the pressure. I've only met her parents once, but wanted to go by the hospital to see if I could help in any way. My daughter didn't want me to -- she says that would be too weird. I feel badly not reaching out to them, as I would appreciate it in their place.

There have just been too many tragedies happening lately, what I think of as "man's inhumanity to man." I get sick whenever I think about it. I can't even imagine what those poor parents must be going through. I still remember where I was when I heard the news about Columbine happening here, and then the Aurora movie shootings this past summer. What is wrong with people??!

I don't have anything at all done for Christmas, having been gone. I got my cards printed yesterday, and now need to work on my Christmas letter so that I can send them. No tree, no decorations.... so much to do!

BJ -- I'll bet you look great in your formal skirt. Good for you!

Meg -- I'm always so impressed with your parenting techniques and follow-through. You've taught another good lesson with the car. I'm too much of a push-over, and have spoiled my children horribly over the years. My son is a good kid, but would benefit greatly from some of your wisdom. We did leave him on foot for four months, but mostly because my husband insisted. Now someone has told me that he's been racing -- not sure if it's true or not. I'm saving that discussion for after finals are over in two more days.

Jolene -- I'm hoping that your biopsy comes back with good news. It must be so scary having to wait. Congratulations on your new job!

Kate -- I love that your friend saw such a difference in you. Way to go!

Gail -- Thank you for the encouraging post about consistency. I needed to hear that today. Congratulations on another 2 lbs. down.

BarbaraC47 -- Happy 65th Birthday yesterday!

Liz -- What a great accomplishment for your daughter! It isn't easy for anyone to speak to a group and make eye contact at the same time.

To all of my friends, I'm so glad to have read your posts, even if I didn't mention you all here today! Have a great one!

Very grateful that College Boy is home and High School Boy hasn't left home yet -- I took an hour off Friday just to go home and hug them.