Tikanis >>>> HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!! Enjoy the kayak! I have YET to venture out in my kayak - pathetic. I got it 2 years ago for Christmas. Isn't that sick? There is only open water here and I haven't had the time or $ to get an open water lesson. Jen! Happy Birthday -- belated as well!!!! I hope you had a wonderful "YOU" day and your little princesses were good to you! You are a fantastic mom! Milkdud! Happy, happy birthday to YOU as well!!!! Wowie! I think New Beginnings is a great choice, especially given the circumstances - and what a treat for you - a new style, a NEW YOU! Your divorce went very quickly - congrats. It's a (mentally) long process. I'm proud of you, too, for negotiating an amicable personal property split. That's tough to do. You should see some of the stuff we run into when the "end" is near...! I am happy to hear you're giving his name back...that's part of the healing process. Most of our clients don't get - and aren't required to pay health insurance - I don't really "get" the justice in that, but that's how settlements work... Maddie----RESULTS of your test now??? :-) George- If you could just introduce me to Brad Johnson, the Cessna pilot from the movie Always, I'll be forever in your debt! Is that too much to ask? Bee! WELCOME! I saw you on the tail-end of last week's postings - I don't know much about what sorts of foods you can have on the plan you're on, so I can't help with the hunger pangs you're having...sorry... I am still exercising weekly. I eat exactly the same thing for brekky and lunch and snack every day, then have a variety of things for dinner with the family. This is working well for me for now. Ivamae- Don't sweat the weigh in...you'll drop that pound now that you're aware of it! Well, all for now. We are meeting with a realtor to talk about selling the dream house we designed had built and are living in. It's sad but the builder underestimated the cost by SO MUCH that it has put us in a very bad financial place. The economy is still so bad around here, we can no longer hope it'll get better any time soon. We've had a year in the house and love it, but we have to face reality...at least we got to LIVE in it! :-)

I agree with eating more to lose at times. I try to start the day with some protein, a bread and some fruit. If I don't eat some protein I seem to get hungry sooner. A convenient breakfast for me would be a frozen pancake or waffle, lite sausage links or a piece of ham and a piece of fruit. Sometimes an egg, two strips of bacon and toast. Many times I eat lunch for breakfast and breakfast for dinner. Lunch is a tuna sandwich on a roll with a salad's worth of greens on top, Sometimes a roast beef or turkey sandwich or a small burger or a Lean Cuisine meal. I don't care for processed meats. Fruits and veggies as needed for hunger. Dinner is standard meat,veggie and starch but portion controlled. If I eat potatoes, pasta or rice I skip the bread. If I don't, I have bread. Snacks are usually chewy granola bars, fruit and grain bars, fig newtons or occasionally a "good" cookie like oatmeal. I eat ice cream almost every day, but measure out 1/2 cup. For crunch I measure out dry cereal or pretzels. I use sugarfree jello sometimes and clear veggie based soups to fill up when I'm on a "can't stop eating binge". I "trick" my sweet tooth by using healthy choices. For example I will slice a banana on a hot pancake or waffle, sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar and add a dollop of whipped cream...banana cream pie thats good for me. For apple crisp I nuke a sliced apple sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon and sugar and top it with crushed honey nut chex cereal. I don't get enough dairy since I'm not a milk or yogurt person, so I take calcium. I do eat cottage cheese and cheese though. The little Babybell cheeses are a good snack at 70 calories each. That's pretty much how I eat and as long as I don't get carried away with restaurant portions or eating too much fat at one meal it seems to work for me. Anyway thats what I eat. Hope it helps.

Just put frozen chicken breasts on to cook for chicken and dumplings.DDIL came in and asked if I had already planned supper and I told her what I was doing.She said she had been wanting spaghetti.Sooo,spaghetti is a lot easier,cook spaghetti,open jar of sauce,I'm done.Out of the kitchen a lot faster too.LOL So I will cook the chicken and have it tomorrow.I wasn't really in the mood to make dumplings anyway!

I love the way you pipe in on everyone's dishes Patti!! Makes me laugh right out loud. Luckygardner, next time you have homemade fried halibut, give me a shout, please. You know I can be there in half an hour. I'll bring the coleslaw! We had roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, and I simmered green beans and onions, and cooked off the water then stirred in balsamic vinegar. DH hates green beans, but he loved them this way. So it's a keeper.