melmar02

Belle, thanks for the poem!

Jan, I'm sure you will lose it quickly.

Ombud, That's great! I have a hard time with my calves too. I can't wear a cute pair of boots because my calves are too big, but I think they're my best feature. 

Jo, I'm glad the chips and chocolate didn't have an effect on the scale.

Izena, maybe your body is resting from your week after week losses. The weeks I don't see a loss on the scale, my measurements change - it's like they need a chance to catch up. 

I was even yesterday, but then my car died. DH and I stress ate quite a bit last night, and I'm up 1.5# this morning. I'm not worried; I'm sure it will come off fast. We had the car towed to the shop, and we haven't heard back yet. It's over 10 years old with 113,000+ miles on it, so we're at that point of really having to think about repair vs. replace. 

We only have 4 1/2 weeks of school left, so the schedule will go out the window in early May. 😉

I finally sat down last night to work through next year's curriculum. I can't believe my daughter will be in 7th grade! I'm switching up her Science to a company that is supposed to be more robust. They also offer Marine Biology in high school which is what she wants to do right now, so it's a good time to transition.

I got my exercise in this morning sweeping off the back porch - it was covered in mud and dust from the workers cutting tile and stone after one of the rain storms. Took about 30 minutes.

I hope everyone has good numbers tomorrow!

We're on the same schedule mostly. If we don't sit down to start school before 9am, the day just drags on. I switched back to Intermittent Fasting back in September and it's been working for me. I dropped the first 20 pounds a couple years ago that way, and 20 pounds since this fall too. I don't count calories, just try to eat non-processed foods most of the time. Both DH and I have kind of stalled though. Not because of the fasting, but because we've been snacking late and outside of our eating window. Lately I have no will power after 8pm! We're going to visit my MIL this weekend which will mess up our eating windows for a couple days. Hopefully I won't have too much water weight to report next week.

The neighbor behind us stopped by yesterday. They put in their pool at the end of the summer last year. We're both planning on replacing the fence and are planning on going with the same company, so we're trying to coordinate a time to get it all done at once for a discount. I'm so ready to have my backyard back! 

Our baby birds are close to flying off. They have their real feathers and barely fit in the nest now. It's been fun watching them, but we'd like to use our front door too. 😆

Izena, that's awesome! It will be nice to see your son and GS.

Ombud, glad you think you'll be losing this week.

Belle, just a few days. Keep it up!

Jan, I agree that it's odd what is missing from the store shelves each week. It's like everyone is planning the same meals.

Cruise42, glad you are able to exercise with your shoulder. 

We worked in the front flower beds today. Pulled weeds, put down weed block in one, and covered with mulch. We ran out of mulch or we would have done the other one and around the tree too. Also replaced a few plants that didn't survive the freeze last month. 

Our spring break ends tonight, and I didn't get any of the school stuff I wanted to done. Entering grades in my spreadsheet, clearing off my desk, getting science experiments ready for this week, ordering next year's curriculum. I was a nice homeschool mom, and didn't assign any homework over the break though, so we should all be ready and energized to finish out our last 5 weeks, right?🤣

Hi all. I was down .5 this week. 

Today is DS's 9th birthday. We went to the zoo this morning, and only stayed for about an hour and a half. We usually make it to the 3 hour mark, but he was too excited to sleep last night (still up after 11pm and up for the day by 6am). Poor thing was exhausted and just ready to go. 

Izena - glad you were able to get your flight changed. There's quite a distance between Hobby and Bush. That wouldn't be a cheap Uber ride to pick up your car when you got back to Houston. We're getting your weather tonight. Storms will be here about 8. 

Belle - I'm not in a cleaning out mood at all right now, just a mopping the floor mood. They've been working on the coping and cutting stone and tile in the back yard. We're all tracking in dust when we go out there to look or with the dogs. 

Got the phone taken care of relatively quickly. The camera on the new one is great!

DH is working late tonight, so we're having Chili's delivered. He's being good and getting a salad, and I'm being not so good with a burger. I usually get the shrimp tacos, but I guess I'm just craving beef tonight. Hopefully it won't affect tomorrow's numbers too bad.

Belle - It's been a roller coaster on the scale this week. I'm starting to come back down though, just in time for Thursday. 😉

Izena - we sail from Galveston most of the time. It's easier to drive down than fly 4 people to Florida. We usually come in a few days early, stay in Clear Lake, and go to NASA and the Children's museum downtown. The kids are getting NASA'ed out, so we may do Kemah or Moody Gardens and the Pleasure Pier next time instead.

My phone has been acting up, and DH has not been happy with them. Our contract is up, so we're going to go look at new ones today.

I was busy working this weekend. Tasting and birthday cake drop offs on Saturday and that rescheduled open house was on Sunday. Most everyone wore a mask. I'm not fully vaccinated for another week and a half, but I will say I felt better about being around people since I've had my second shot. I already got one booking out of the open house, and Saturday's tasting is booking with me too.

I was good yesterday at the open house - the caterers bring enough for the vendors (I bring enough for them too). I just opened and closed my window early and had a little snack of what they brought instead of a full plate. I didn't snack after dinner last night either. I may have pouted about it, but I didn't do it. 

I'm getting in touch with the travel agent for my October cruise to officially cancel today. I hate to do it, but I just don't see my youngest getting his vaccine by then. We still have February '22 in the Caribbean, June '22 in Alaska, and April '23 in the Caribbean on the books. I think the February ports might change. Grand Cayman is one of the stops, and they closed the port for the rest 2021. I could see them extending that depending on how well the world is vaccinated by then. Oh well, we like the western Caribbean too!

2 hours ago, Belle said:

Did everyone see 2 cruise lines are sailing in June from the Caribbean. Vaccines needed.

Well it's a start, wonder what the air fare is? Wish they would start in the USA.

I checked earlier today because I was curious like you. DFW to Nassau, flying in on Saturday and out the following Sunday was about $500 per person.

Same is good. I've been creeping up for a few days now. Pretty sure it's the antibiotic...or maybe some ice cream. Nah, couldn't be that.😆

Susan, sorry you gained. Chasing around a toddler will help it come right back off!

Royal Caribbean is also going to start sailing from Nassau. We're not ready until the kids can get vaccinated too, so it will most likely be 2022 until we set foot on a gangway again. 

There's a 2 man crew here today installing the tile and coping. It's nice to see some movement out there!

@Ombud No side effects today. My arm is a little sore at the injection site when I touch it, but the muscle is not even sore when I move my arm. 

Diana, Jan, Ombud - Same is good.

Izena, I feel like I've had an "off" week too. Just not quite feeling right. I'm sure it's the antibiotic I'm on, or maybe I'm still getting used to the time change. 

Jo, sorry you're up. 

@Ombud I just got my second Pfizer vaccine this afternoon. So far, no side effects, but it was just an hour ago. I'll let you know how I'm feeling tomorrow.

I'm up 1.5 this week. We've had salty meals the last couple nights (pot roast and taco night), and I had ice cream last night. Ironically, cake has never been my favorite dessert. Also, after you try 50 recipes to find the perfect vanilla cake and repeat for 14 different flavors, you really don't want to eat it anymore. 🤪

North Texas got some heavy storms last night. Hail and 70 mph winds in some places. It hit my bedroom window at 5:37 this morning. It was all over within an hour or so. I don't think we had any damage, and I didn't see any reports of tornadoes. 

Turkey tacos for the kids tonight. I'm going to turn them into stuffed peppers for DH and myself so I don't eat all the tortillas on my own. 🌮

I need to get some baking done today and tomorrow. Just a small birthday cake and a couple of sample cakes. I also need to re-bake the samples for that open house that was rescheduled for this weekend.

I hope everyone has good numbers tomorrow!

I picked up my prescription and the generic they gave me says to take on an empty stomach so it shouldn't be a problem now. 

We get our second dose on Thursday.

I made the dogs' reservation at the kennel for when we will be going to see my MIL in a couple weeks. I'm glad they are still open after this past year with so few people traveling - it's a small family run place. 

DS's birthday is next Friday. He's finally decided on what kind of cake he wants, but the design keeps growing. 😆

I heard on the news this morning that Moderna has started testing the younger age group of kids now, but it probably won't be available until the beginning of next year. I think we may go ahead and cancel our October cruise. Even if it goes, I'm not sure we want to be on it if the kids aren't vaccinated yet. If they  are able to get the shot by then, we can just plan a quick land vacation to Great Wolf Lodge for a few days.

Ombud - sorry you're up. 

Susan - we live in a subdivision and loose stuff always seems to fall out of the garbage truck when they pick up. You can always tell what day our trash pick up is.

Jan - glad you're down, even if it is the weight you found the last couple weeks. At least it's coming off!

Izena - I feel for you. I have told my husband that I would never move back because of the brutal summers. He went to A&M, so he had a taste of it for a few years.

I finished my part of the taxes, and then DH said he wasn't going to finish them until this coming weekend. I'm trying not to be offended. 😆

I had a very small in office medical procedure this morning, and I'll be on antibiotics for about 5 days. I'm trying to figure out how it's going to affect my eating window because I'm supposed to take them with food. Do I continue to fast through breakfast and just take one with lunch and one at bedtime, or eat a small breakfast and then dinner? It will be weird eating breakfast every morning, but I think that's what I'm leaning towards so I can space out the medicine equally. I expect to be up this week and maybe even next, but it won't last long. 

Belle, I don't care for the time change either time of the year. It's too hard to get the kids into a routine that's off by just an hour. I do like the longer days though. 

Ombud, isn't it amazing what you can find when it's all organized. My son was the same way - he found some cheese cracker packages that got buried under some other cracker for a few months and was so excited. Maybe you can get in a nap today. 

Izena, we hate changing lights too. One went out above my son's bathtub a couple days ago. I told him just to take a shower in my bathroom so he wouldn't be in the dark. DH said he'll change it today - we have high ceilings and he has this suction cup pole thing to change the lights out. 

Diana, enjoy your outing to the gym. We're starting to feel cooped up too. I think part of that is we can't even get in our back yard right now. The electrician didn't cover up any of his conduit trenches - I assume for an inspection since there's a grounding wire in them. 

I'm finally starting to get my tax stuff together for DH. It should just take me a couple hours, but I would rather go clean out the fridge or some other chore. Oh well. It will be done by this afternoon.

I cleaned out and organized the entire pantry over the last couple days, including the "cake" side. I haven't really organized my side since we moved in almost 4 years ago, and it was definitely overdue. I only had to get rid of a few expired items on the family side. I tossed out a lot of old chocolate from when I used to make cake pops. I took them off my menu a year or so ago after an all night argument with 180 of the little buggers. It looks so neat in there now that I don't want to touch anything.   

Our meal kit came messed up this week. Instead of chicken breast, chicken thighs, and ingredients for 2 different meals, they got all the meat right but gave us double ingredients for one meal and none for the other. Oh well, they're crediting our account a bit and we'll just have extra veggies with that meal. DH has a plan for the other chicken already, but he hasn't shared what it will be.

It's been sprinkling off an on today, so I'll walk inside. 

Belle - I do need to start looking for a new bathing suit, but that one isn't going to happen.🤪 

Belle, thanks for the poem.

Jo, great being down this week. 

Diana, you are always so consistent!

Izena, I'm sure you're down with all the walking. We have had some of Houston's humidity up here this week too. There's not enough hair spray to control my fly-aways. 

Susan, nice job being down with the travel and shower!

Ombud, sorry for the gain. Yay for the "just right" amount of snow.

I'm down 2.3 this week and crossed the 40 pounds lost mark. Just barely, but it still counts! 30-35 to go!

Belle - sorry you weren't feeling well, but glad it was just a one day thing. Nice your kids stopped by. 

Izena - great staying away from the scale. You're motivating me for May!

Ombud - I hope your little visitor is gone. I still need to gather my tax info for DH to do our taxes. Categorize my receipts, etc. It will only take a couple hours, but I hate doing it. It would be easier if I would do that as I buy things, but the creative in me just can't wrap my head around that concept.

We get our second dose on the 18th, so we're thinking we will go to Lubbock to visit my MIL on Easter weekend. She's already received both of her doses. I told my husband this morning that it will be exciting just to see the inside of a gas station on the road.😆 We haven't seen her since Halloween, so it will be a good visit. 

Today is leftovers - we've got some shrimp, spaghetti sauce, and lots of veggies in the fridge. I've been doing okay on water. I always seem to drink more as it starts to warm up outside. Walking around the house with ankle and hand weights or walking outside while the kids ride their bikes. We're supposed to get more rain Friday and this weekend, so we're getting out as much as we can now. 

Belle - I only had a few couples reschedule their weddings over the last year. 5 maybe, and only 1 completely cancelled to get married at the courthouse. Most went ahead with their weddings and just reduced their guest list.

Izena - sorry your son has Covid. I hope he recovers soon. That was a nice walk you got in to your friend's house!

Ombud - sorry to hear about your friend's brother. I had a house that backed up to a giant field and was always worried about mice, but never had any. Then in our last house when we had that terrible hail storm that totaled our roof, we got them. I guess not having a roof for 6 weeks gives them an easy way to get in. Cut a slice of the cake, put it in the freezer, and take the rest to your daughter. 

Diana - I've been putting off an eye appointment for the same reason. My glasses are getting terribly scratched after 2 years though, so I think I'm going to need to make that appointment. Our yard is going to be torn up for awhile. Not sure we are going to get any veggies planted this year.

It's going to be pretty here this next week. Looking forward to getting outside with the kids. We need to clear off our patio today too in hopes that they get the stonework and decking done this week.

Jan - sorry you're up this week. 

Rose - sorry to hear about your sister in law. 

Diana - same is good.

Izena - glad you were able to get your walk in. 

Jo - sorry for the gain.

Belle - same is good, especially with extra snacks. If I stay busy, I don't want to snack as much. My mind is on something other than food, so I don't eat just because I'm bored. I'll be busy all day tomorrow - I have an open house (different venue than last week) that I'm just going to drop displays and samples off at in the morning, then I have a wedding to deliver at 1pm, then pick up the displays. We're having game night tomorrow night with the kids too. Sunday is our special breakfast day. I usually don't want lunch after that and then we eat a healthful dinner.

Susan - sorry you had a reaction to the second dose. Congratulations on your grandson! Enjoy the shower! 

Thanks for starting the thread, Belle. Walking seems to be the only exercise I am consistent with. 

I'm down 3 pounds this week. I was hopping all over the house yesterday when we booked the new cruise, so I'm sure the extra activity helped. We're having take out tonight. We have really cut down eating out so hopefully I don't gorge myself and gain it all back. I find it really hard to moderate when there is good Tex Mex around.

I hope everyone has good numbers today!

We could see two eggs on the camera this afternoon when momma bird flew out to take a break. I think I may have to get a new wreath by the time the chicks are done with it. 

Jo - glad you were able to get a toaster. Your steak sounds good.  

Susan - my mom passed 7 years ago. Birthdays and holidays are always bittersweet.

Allure of the Seas bookings from Galveston opened up this morning. I called DH and said pretty please for an April 2023. We're going to be in Star Class, and the kids and I have been looking at details and watching videos between lessons today. I think I'm more excited about the new terminal and being on an Oasis class ship than I am about our Alaska cruise right now. 781 days until that one sails!

Izena - congrats on the milestone! I've been toying with "no-weigh May". It's so engrained in me to get on the scale every morning that I think I would have a hard time. Glad you were able to have lunch with family.

Jo - what a good decision to have to make! Are the two cruises very different from each other?

Belle - I'm sorry you're feeling sad. My kids birthdays are just 5 days off from sharing a half birthday so we get them a little something when it's the other's actual birthday. I'm sure you have lots of good memories from your half birthday with your dad. It's great that your daughter is going to get her vaccine soon. I know you've been worrying about her.

Diana - glad hubby's shot went well. Hopefully with the J&J vaccine being approved, they will start to get them to people quicker.

Jan - sorry to hear about your fall! I hope your hand, back, and hip heal quickly!

Susan - Yay! 

We have a couple days of sunshine and then more rain in the forecast. I don't think anything will be done on the pool this week because of that, but DH's grill was delivered. It's resting comfortably in my spot in the garage. 😆

I wanted to take down our winter wreath on the front door yesterday. It's really my Christmas wreath that I forgot to take down, but with the snow and cold, I think it's ok that it was still up. I got down the step ladder and saw that a bird had made a nest at the top of it and there was one little egg. I put it back up, and took a quick picture. The kids and I had an impromptu science lesson, and now we're on Birdwatch 2021. We did a lot of research yesterday, and we're pretty sure it's a house finch. I thought it may be abandoned because they are supposed to lay more than one egg, but they can do so over several days. I can see momma and daddy bird out there now through the glass panel in our door, and we can see the nest from our front security camera. There was only one egg still this morning. Momma bird is sitting on it now, so I'm not sure if she laid another or not. I don't think she's moving for a couple weeks now. 

This afternoon the governor rescinded his mask mandate and opened businesses back up to 100% capacity. I'm not sure we're ready for that, but they didn't ask my opinion. 

Belle - intermittent fasting seems to be working, so I'm sticking with it. Walking about 30 minutes most days. My downfall is snacking right before bed when I'm not hungry, but I'm still losing weight overall, so I'm not complaining.