A quick check in...

I dropped all of my paintings off at the RCA office in Grand Rapids this past Tuesday morning. Feels nice to have them out of my basement and up someplace where someone will see and maybe enjoy them. There were six large pieces and three small ones.

The scales at Weight Watchers yesterday said that I have lost one more pound. Not as great as I would like; but it's one more gone and after eating all that great food on Friday night, I should be thankful that it was a one pound loss.

We are getting ready for our vacation next week. I'm trying to do some "mental rehearsing" for what I'm going to eat while I'm there and how I'm going to get through two weeks until a weigh in and still have a loss. Appears I'm going to have to psych myself up...

Like I said, we are getting ready for our vacation next week. We have rented a cottage on Beaver Island. We will be taking the bikes. We all have paniers and will be loading them up with our clothes etc. We are also each taking a small backpack.

Check back on Monday, August 11. I'll be back to work and should have pictures and more up then.

Another good weigh in.

I had another good weigh in yesterday. I lost 2.8 pounds over the last week. I'm amazed that I've had three good losses in a row. Last time, they seemed to drop off to the 1/2 pound loss per week, right away after the first week. I am exercising a half hour on the treadmill every morning and recording my points online. I think I might be overestimating the points sometimes, but I'm not sure how to remedy that. Better to overestimate I think.

I stopped by my favorite coffee shop this morning. They were slow, so I asked for the caloric content of the chocolate syrup they use in the Mochas. This way, if I decide to have one on occasion, I can, and I know how many points to record (It's six points for a 16oz. "why bother" mocha, by the way.) and yes, I did order one. I had 3/4 cup of Cinnamon Life Cereal for two points earlier, so, that makes eight points for breakfast today. Maybe zero point soup for lunch and two points worth of those All Bran Garlic Herb crackers.

I know, I sound like I'm obsessing over this, and to begin with, I do. I love the Weight Watchers program because when you are doing the program IT WORKS! Maintence is a whole 'nother thang...

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

I honestly don't think I look like any of these people. Maybe if I started with a better photo; this would've come out better. I didn't include the men that this thing says I look like. How incredibly wierd that was! You don't wanna know!

Something other than Weight Watchers

I made these eight cards yesterday for a monthly swap that I often take part in. The theme was "animals". When these swaps roll around, I tend to not have enough paper to make all the cards the same; so I used the "color combination" tool from http://www.scraptitude.com/colorcombo/ and came up with lots of different combinations with the paper I did have. It's so much fun to try these different combinations. I think we all tend to gravitate toward the same ones over and over.
I really enjoy participating in these monthly swaps. I like the challenge of working with a theme you didn't pick. If you have a chance, participate in a swap or try the color tool above.

Incredible disappointment...

My son's tae kwon do master was just arrested this past Wednesday night for allegedly soliciting murder. How do you explain that to a ten year old who was taught by this person twice a week for three years within tae kwon do to honor and respect people? We've told him the basics and that he won't be returning to the school, we aren't even sure at this point if it will ever re-open, and that we do not want him being taught by someone like this. Sounds trite to say that, "He seemed like a nice guy. He didn't seem like someone who would do something like that." We knew something about problems with his ex, but because of his reputation in the community, never would've expected this.

(Side note: When I drove past the school this past Saturday, it was still open. I don't know who is teaching, but we won't be back. We don't need to be financing this individual. It sure would be nice to get a letter or some communication from someone at the school; but he was almost a one man show, so I don't expect that will happen. It may or may not change things, but it would be a step in a positive direction. Our son attended there twice a week for three years! I know, I know, innocent until proven guilty, but if it walks like a duck...)

Book Club...

I just started reading the book "Wicked!" which is completely unlike anything I have ever read before. I'm not sure what to make of it yet. I' ve heard lots of people say that they liked how it started; but that they tired of it later on. So, we'll see how it goes. So far, I would say if you are easily offended, this is NOT the book for you to even start.

I just found the paperback I lost, "Back on Blossom Street". I couldn't bear the thought of having to buy it again.

I'm not sure what I'll bring on vacation. I'd like something light like the "Blossom Street" books, but I don't have much left to read on this one. So, if you have any recommendations, bring 'em on.

Another 1.8 pounds gone, gone, gone!

Honestly, I will talk about something OTHER than Weight Watchers. Really, I will.

I lost another 1.8 pounds this past week. Now my daily points allowance has been dropped from 22 to 19 and that is causing me a little anxiety; but I know the program works and I will do it. I just need a day to adjust to the change. I've been exercising EVERY day and feel guilty if I don't do it in the morning, then I have to do it in the evening. So that is a good change. My son spends that half hour in the morning with me in the basement. Me on the treadmill and him on the futon either playing video games or watching TV. The distraction and company help the time go faster.

Four! Count 'em! Four pounds lost!

I just wanted to record that I've lost four pounds this first week back at Weight Watchers! My friend lost 4.8 and I'm so proud of her! I am so motivated right now. I even "kicked it up a notch" ( I HATE that phrase!) and pushed myself on the treadmill this morning to walk faster and on more of an incline. The other thing I'm going to do to help my motivation is to have a picture posted someplace that I always look at of me at my heaviest and me when I lost all the weight last time.

Yes, I will blog about something other than WW, honest.

Weight Watchers

Oops, (and) I (had to do) did it again!

I re-joined Weight Watchers after a four year absense and regaining all, plus two, pounds I lost five years ago. It's a great program. It worked for me before and I'm certain it will work for me again. I'm 154.4 pounds today and my goal is still set at 131 pounds. I'd love to be less than that and I really didn't want to have a goal, but since I'm a Lifetime Member, I think it's automatically set at whatever you first set it at. That screwed me up last time! I reached the goal, gave up and eventually it all came back. Hopefully, I've learned my lesson there. Again, I've joined with a friend.

I don't want to be this heavy anymore. I want to remember how I felt at this weight. I want to feel comfortable wearing anything in my closet; not just the elastic waist stretch pants. I want to wear the blue pants that are in my closet. I want my lower back and hips not to hurt anymore when I get up in the morning. I want more energy. I want ...