Hi, Lovely ladies--I must admit I am guilty of just reading the posts & not posting. Will try to do better. Maybe I can make that one of my New Years resolutions. I do have a list of goals for the new year that I try to keep every year. One emotional, physical, mental & spiritual. Also a Bible verse that I believe I need to memorize. I try to keep them in mind but so many times I fail. Maybe we can share some of them in the New Year! Wendy-I am getting your box ready today & will mail Monday. Sure hope things are going better for you, that your guy is better & will continue in good health. Nothing touches a mothers heart like a sick child, does it? How about all those boxes being unpacked. That is a chore & moving can be so stressful. Pixie--I read your GW page & love the quote you have on it. I am so thankful you are back to gardening & all. I know Cole Matthew wants you to enjoy this season & pray others who are grieving realize that also. Bless you, dear one for keeping the faith. Vic--I do so enjoy reading your posts & wondering how Zack is doing. Please put his picture in the cookbook coming out. It is just darling. The night with great-grandbabies was wonderful. I am hoping to post some pictures if I ever learn how! I ordered a new camera for my Christmas present but have some that my Grand daughters took of them & will get their help, I hope to post. Susie--What a brave soul you are. I would never try to cut anyone's hair as I know I would get sued by them. Love the pictures of your ducks! Theresa--So glad the MRI's were ok & pray you all have a wonderful time going north. No more stress now for a while, at least. Seems there are always these bumps in the road (sometimes they are boulders we must endure as mentioned by us all here) Galium-Hope you are feeling better & that your daughter's business is going better. I looked at the pictures you posted & they are beautiful. Do you have talent as she does? Isn't it great to have those family traditions that we establish? Enjoy that great breakfast! Fran--I would like to know what classes you are signing up for, too. There are several I would like to take, mostly like learning to use my new camera, Italian cooking & other fun things. Annie--So good to read your posts. You seem to lead a very interesting life with all that goes on. I am sorry about your client, too. We do get attached to those we come to know. Just like this group. Seems one of you are always coming to my mind & heart. If I have missed anyone, please forgive me. If I posted oftener I wouldn't do that & my posts wouldn't be this long, either. Have a wonderful weekend & slow down, all & enjoy this wonderful season. Blessings, Margaret

Hi Guys I couldnt sleep last night because its going to be weigh in day today. When I got up this morning, I checked my weight atleast 10 times to make sure what I am seeing is not a fluke number. My current weight is 142.2 . My last week's weight on Tuesday was 146 ( I knew it was all water retention) I am in training session today and tomorrow all day. Hopefully I should manage to keep my food intake to 1200-1300 calories. Eklektos I hope everything goes well with your daughter's Dr appointment. Just pray. You will feel better and stronger with every prayer. Also, remember we both will hit 139s very soon :-))I was thinking to treat myself with ethnic food. But now I changed my mind. I would probably make a trip to Spa and walk some extra miles on the day I reach 139. All you guys are doing good.

Good morning, Karen, take care of yourself and up the vitamin C. I hate strep. Being allergic to most antibiotics I have to go every day for a shot of the only antibiotic I can take. Such a pain. Let's look at the bright side... You may feel too bad to eat and lose a few extra pounds! :) Poor Baby. I'm not trying to make fun of you. Just trying to make you smile. Jas, 15 minutes from the beach! How awesome is that!!!! We started camping with a tent. Then a friend gave us a good deal on a older pop-up. Nothing fancy, but has air conditioning. The older I get the less I can handle these hot, muggy, sweaty days. Harold, I know what you mean about the glasses. I take mine off and turn off the light at night , wake up and reach for them first thing in the morning. Otherwise my world is REALLY fuzzy! Ek, That waist is so tiny I got my magnifying glass out to see it! Encouraging is what Harold does best. Which Carolina are you from? I love both. Our favorite vacation is Nags Head. If it is just the 2 of us we like the off season so we can have the beach to ourselves. Snuck away one New Years and it was GRAND! We were all alone on Pea Island and the sea shells were fantastic!!!! Dh and I have a running contest of who finds the biggest seashell and biggeat piece of sea glass. He ALWAYS wins. One year after a storm I found a gallon vinegar jar washed up and claimed the biggest sea glass for the day!! He said I cheated,but I don't care!! His favorite was when I found a tall wooden step ladder washed up and dragged it forever to reach the truck. Hey, it was already salt treated! I spent a week in Chapel Hill with my niece last May. Loved the shopping. It's a beautiful town. We finally made it to Hilton Head year before last with another niece. Even sneaked down to Savannah and had lunch at 'The Lady and Sons' and checked out the beautiful homes while we were there. I'm dreading starting to work out to tone and tighten. I really need inspiration for that. I can do the treadmill, no problem. But, I don't even want to talk about all of that ab, thigh, etc. I am lazy,lazy.lazy. I will get off of the treadmill and stand in front of the mirror and do maybe 10 bicep curls, tricep extensions, and side leg raises and that's it. Hopefully when I lose a little more weight I can get motivated. I've got this lower stomach thing going on that I've had since I had my hystorectomy 22 years ago. It almost looks like the Dr forgot to bring the muscles back down and sew them back together and they 'pouch' out, for lack of a better word. My niece says she has the same little area since her cancer operation. Maybe the Pilates would help with that? I hope everyone has a great day. Betty

Donna - DeeMarie forgot to tell you that she is our resident motivator, butt kicker and cheerleader! I am one of the priviliged that got to not only meet her once, but twice and she has a beautiful smile and sparkle in her eyes that warms your heart immediately. Just some more insight to some of the people here, we have busy busy Jen who made us all aunts and uncle with 2 precious girls since we have known her, Tikanis although relatively new in comparison, fit in all too quickly - she is adventurous and has a warped sense of humor (that's why I like her), I don't think you met Patti yet, no matter what she is facing she remembers each and everyone of us (WHERE are you Patti & Dave?), there is also Gretchen from the windy city and she blows in just long enough to catch up and then disappears (very busy at work, etc.) but we miss her. Which reminds me Lynn hasn't been around in quite a while, I hope all is okay with her. I haven't kept track of who was mentioned, but I am sure there are others I haven't mentioned - but everyone here has something unique to offer and that's why this place is so special. I am getting sappy in my old age. Jen - I was the one to leave all my friends behind and I never thought they could be replaced - well they can't - but fortunately you find new friends and still have your old ones. I stay in touch with my closest old friends, but not on a regular basis (as they are ALL computer illiterate LOL), but when we do talk or get together, it is like we haven't missed a day. It does get better. Tikanis - Someone asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I couldn't think of anything - I said I felt I had all I needed and didn't want anything. I felt just like you said, thankful and grateful for what I do have. I love the gingerbread house making party with DD - those are the things I like to do. You found yourself a great place to work. Menu: B - Smoothy S - 3 bagel chips (I had an uneasy stomach from the night before) L - 2 eggs Christmas Realtors Party: S - Appetizers before dinner, shrimp & scallops wrapped in bacon, vegie skewer, deviled egg D - 2 Beef fajitas with no tortilla NO alcoholic beverages, plenty of water The night before, I thought I had 3 glasses of wine, which was bad enough, but my DH said that the waiter and a friend filled my glass at dinner more than once - so who knows how many I had and we ate very late, so we had drinks on an empty stomach. I paid dearly for it yesterday, bad headache, uneasy stomach and exhausted. I wasn't a whole lot of fun last night - but boy you should've seen me the night before. The next day a casual acquaintance, kept telling DH that he had no idea how funny I was - I don't have a clue what he's talking about - but I sort of remember it had something to do with an air guitar. Too Much Information!