Fat Ticker Friday - Show and Tell

 

 

I'm very excited today.  This is the first Friday since the contest began that I'm able to report a loss.  It's a small loss, only 0.8 pounds.  But it's very encouraging to see the scale go down a bit.

 

 

We're doing some show and tell this week.  I don't have any fancy workout clothes or recipes.  But I do have a workout I really like.  My favorite workout DVD is Leslie Sansone's Two Mile Walk from the Walk the Walk DVD set.  I can't do high impact so no running or jumping.  But the walking DVD is great!  I get a real aerobic workout for my whole body not just my legs.

Taking It Off Together Tuesday - Week 19

Wow! I can't believe that I'm the biggest loser this week. Because I've felt like one a fair amount of the time. This bouncing up and down is driving me crazy. Not because of the bounce, but because I know it's my actions that cause the bounce.

My problem isn't that I don't know WHAT to do. I just don't DO it. I picked up a diabetes magazine at CVS awhile back. I'm just getting around to reading it. One of the articles had a great suggestion using index cards.

On one card, write down all the reasons why you want to lose weight. Things like 'I want to be healthier' or 'I want to look hot!' Of course the only hot I'll ever look again is 'get the lady a fan' hot. Every morning when you get up, read the card - out loud. Or when you're facing temptation, read it - out loud if you can. I think there's something special about seeing your reasons in your own handwriting that makes it more concrete. And hearing yourself say it reinforces it, too. Just reciting isn't really the same.

On another card, write down things you can do to distract yourself when a craving comes calling. So when you're going nutso, and reading your reasons for losing doesn't help, you can do one or more of the distracting things. The author of the article said usually 1 or 2 activities are enough.

I'm thinking I'll take some more cards and write out some encouraging and cautionary statements. 'Maybe I'm not hungry, but thirsty. Have I been drinking enough water today?' One thing I learned several years ago but seem to have forgotten is that when I'm craving food and I'm not physically hungry, I'm really hungry for something else. Maybe I'm spiritually dry and need to turn more fully to God. Maybe I need to go for a little walk because I've been sitting too long. Maybe I need to start getting more or better sleep.

It can be really hard in our busy lifestyles to pause and take stock of our bodies, minds, and hearts. It's a lot easier to pop that candy into my mouth. But I know from past experience that it doesn't take a lot of time and it's really worth the effort. Now I have to take stock of my desires and decide if I REALLY want to lose the weight.


OK, enough soul searching. Here's Leigh's report for this week:

This week our contest is sponsored by Tammy! She is offering a copy of Superfoods for the prize for this week! If you'd like to sponsor a prize, let me know! We are currently out of prizes!



The names of this week's "losers" were dropped into a coffee cup and this week's WINNER is Chris!

Congrats to Clara for being this week's biggest loser of pounds!! Be sure to cruise over to her blog and congratulate her!

Chris - 1 LOSS
Tammy - 1.5 GAIN
Life With Hashi-Thyroid Blog - No Change
Grace - 0.4 GAIN
Leigh - No Change
Clara - 1.5 LOSS
Julie - 0.8 LOSS
Cheryl - no report
Audrey - 2.2 GAIN
Christy - 0.2 LOSS
Tina - 2.0 GAIN
Danielle - no report
Jessie - no report
Steph - no report
CYN - no report
This week's total - 2.6 GAIN! EGAD!

Sunday Seven

 

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name the seven places you go most frequently each week and list the distance from your door.

 

1. Church - 12 miles
2. Work - 13 miles
3. Meijer - 3.1 miles
4. Library - 1.8 miles
5. My sister's house - 3.4 miles
6. Walmart - 10.4 miles
7. Pet Supplies Plus - 3.2 miles

 

To participate, head over to Patrick's Place!

Sunday Stealing: The Meme About Memes & Blogging

Today we ripped this meme off a blogger called Barbara H. who writes the named blog Stray Thoughts. Barbara H. actually wrote the meme. So, we have a "fresh theft". She said in her original intro to this meme that its purpose was for fellow bloggers to get to know one another a bit better. She tried to come up with meme questions that she had never seen before.

1. How do you feel about being tagged for memes? - I love it!  It's a validation that someone out there is reading what I post.
2. Do you participate in any regular weekly memes? Which ones? - I do participate in a few memes.  Some are less regularly done than others.
   1. Menu Plan Monday
   2. Taking It Off Together Tuesday
   3. Wednesday Hero
   4. Thursday Thirteen
   5. Hot for the Holidays
   6. Photo Hunt
   7. This is my first time participating in Sunday Stealing
3. Have you found any bloggers that you began to read regularly after participating in a meme with them? - Yes, several. 
   1. Taking It Off Together Tuesday is a fairly small group.  We all try to visit each other every week.  I'm following their blogs.
   2. There are a few blogs I've discovered thru Thursday Thirteen that I keep track of, too.
4. Do you know of any readers who found you through a meme and became regular readers? - The only ones I know found me this way are the Tuesday group. 
5. Did you find any favorite blogs through comments or blogrolls on others’ blogs? - Yes!  I actually found Taking It Off Together thru a Thursday Thirteen post.  And I found Hot for the Holidays thru a Tuesday post.
6. Did you find any favorite blogs from someone else’s recommendation? - Again, yes.  Mostly the Tuesday and Holidays group.
7. If you comment on someone’s blog, do you expect a response? If so, do you prefer that response to come through an e-mail, a comment from them on the same post, or a a comment on your blog? - I usually try to reply with a comment on the commenter's blog.  I'm still new enough I don't know how to send an email response.  I like to receive a reply in either fashion.  I'm not so crazy about a reply in the original blog as I don't usually return to check for one. 
8. Do you ever struggle with your blogging “voice”? - I do.  That's a lot of the reason I'm participating in so many memes.  I don't really have a theme so I often struggle with what to blog about.
9. Are there certain types of blogs that attract you? - Yes!  I like to read some of the frugal and organizing blogs written by people about their real life experiences.  I guess this is the same thing, but I like blogs that tell a little about the author, but not too much personal info.  I like funny posts if they're clean.  I find I like to read blogs by people closer to my own age because we have similar life experiences.  And I love pictures!
10. Are there certain types of blogs that repel you? - Absolutely.  I do NOT like blogs that use a lot of profanity, refer to sex all the time or disrespectfully, have suggestive pictures or jokes, make fun of or try to normalize drinking or drugs.
11. What time of day do you usually blog? - I tend to blog in the morning or late evening because it's quieter.
12. Do your family and friends know about your blog? Do they read it? Do they mind if you mention them? Do they suggest posts for it? - Most of the family knows about my blog and some of my friends.  I'm not sure how many read it regularly, but my brother, daughter, and son-in-law do.  No one has yet complained of a mention.  I did get my daughter's permission before I posted any pictures of my grandchildren.  I haven't really received any suggestions from family or friends, but I did do a post about a topic my daughter brought to my attention. 

Head on over to Sunday Stealing to see other participants or to participate yourself!

Photo Hunt - Family

 

My siblings, 2 small cousins, and me with our Great-Grandmother.  This picture was taken in 1955 or '56.  I'm the one in plaid. 

 

   Check out more Photo Hunters here.

News from Joy: Ryan Walking

News from Joy: Ryan Walking



Ryan's daddy is my son-in-law's brother. Ryan turned 9 in September. He was born with severe health issues and has spent large chunks of his young life in the hospital fighting life-threatening illnesses. He's been in a wheelchair or, more recently, using a walker. He's a real miracle child. God has brought him thru so much in his 9 years. Click on the link above to see Ryan walking!!! Just be sure you have a tissue handy!

You go Ryan! I can't wait to hear of you chasing your little sister around!

Thursday Thirteen episode 10

 

Thirteen pictures I took in Northern Michigan last weekend.

 

1.  This is the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay in Northern Lower Michigan.  It was about 75 or 80 degrees but very windy.  If you look closely, you'll see that a couple of those white caps are really swans!

 

2.  This is the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, or West Bay as the locals call it.  You can see the marina in the background.  MWH's coat and my hair are blowing around like crazy.  But it was such a beautiful day.  The sky was a brilliant blue.  There's no place like the bay for colors in the water.  You get a hint of it in the picture above.  I don't think I've ever seen a picture do it justice.  This area is within the city limits of Traverse City.

 

3.  This picture was taken just a few feet to the left of where we stood for the picture above.  In the summer all the beaches teem with people and the water is full of boats.

 

4.  I love the way the sunlight reflects off the surface of the water, but also shines through it to illuminate the rocks. 

 

5. This is the outer view of the breakwater at the marina.

 

6. This is the inner view.  There are spots all along the boardwalk for boats to tie up.  You can see the posts with the electrical outlets.

 

7. Here's a look across the marina to the other pier.

 

8. This gorgeous tree is at my DMIL's cousin's place on the private lake where they live.  The lake was like glass.  But not for long.  The wind came up again and rippled the surface soon after I took this picture.

 

9. Our travels the second day took us out on Mission Point.  That's the spit of land that bisects the bay into east and west arms.  It's prime fruit growing land.  Cherries are the biggest crop in the area.  It is, after all, the 'Cherry Capital of the World'.  But this is a picture of one of the many wineries on the point.

 

10. A closer look at the grapes.

 

 

11. Across the road was an apple orchard.

 

 

12. We stopped at Sutton's Bay on the west side of the bay to look at the boats.  This one sure is cute!

 

13. These are more like what you expect to see in the marinas around the bay.

 

 

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Taking It Off Together Tuesday Week 18

I'm really amazed that I only gained 2 pounds this week.  We were up in Traverse City again for a few days.  MWH helped his dad with tree removal and closing the guest cottage.  My sister was with us, too.  We spend a couple of days driving around taking pictures of fall colors and fall fruits.  She uses them to make beautiful greeting cards.

The best thing, tho, is that the 2 pounds have already come back off.  We'll see if I can fight the season change blahs and take some off for next week!


Here's Leigh's report for the week.

This week our contest is sponsored by Christy! She is offering an Earth Theraputics Foot Care set for the prize for this week! If you'd like to sponser a prize, let me know! We are currently out of prizes!



The names of this week's "losers" were dropped into a coffee cup and this week's WINNER is Tammy!



Congrats to Christy for being this week's biggest loser of 3 pounds!! Be sure to cruise over to her blog and congratulate her!



Chris - 1 GAIN
Tammy - 1.0 LOSS
Life With Hashi-Thyroid Blog - No Report
Grace - 1.1 LOSS
Leigh - 0.5 LOSS
Clara - 2.0 GAIN
Dette - 0.5 GAIN
Julie - 1.4 GAIN
Cheryl - No Report
Audrey - 0.8 LOSS
Christy - 3.0 LOSS
Tina - No Report
Danielle - 2.0 LOSS
Jessie - No Report
Steph - No Report
CYN - No Change



This week's total - 3.5 LOSS!

Wednesday Hero

Sgt. Anton J. Hiett
25 years old from Mount Airy, North Carolina
391st Engineer Battalion, Army Reserve
March 12, 2006


Misty Hiett, the widow of Sgt. Anton Hiett, said in an interview that he, Sgt. Hiett, asked to transfer to the 391st Engineering Battalion when it looked like his reserve unit would not be deployed.

Sgt. Hiett was a truck driver who joined the military right out of high school because he "wanted to go help out" during the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. After his transfer to the 391st, he was deployed to Afghanistan on April 22, 2005.

On March 12, 2006, Sgt. Hiett, and three fellow soldiers from the 391st, Staff Sgt. Joe Ray; Spc. Joshua Hill and Sgt. Kevin Akins, were killed when an IED detonated near their Humvee during combat operations west of Asadabad, Afghanistan. He left behind his wife and their then 2(now 4)-year-old daughter Kyra.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Photo Hunt #131: Lazy

A lazy, rainy day at Great-Grandma's house.  It was wonderful.  We worked puzzles, read, or played games.  This young man found the best seat in the house!

You can find more Photo Hunters here.

Taking It Off Together Tuesday Week 17

Finally, a loss!!! And two whole pounds! This is after a couple weeks of gaining. I'm still not all the way back down to my low point, but I'm headed there!


Here's Leigh's report:

This week our contest is sponsored by Julie! She is offering a copy of the Biggest Loser Cookbook as a prize this week! If you'd like to sponser a prize, let me know! We are currently out of prizes!

The names of this week's "losers" were dropped into a coffee cup and this week's WINNER is Grace!

Congrats to Clara for being this week's biggest loser of 2 pounds!! Be sure to cruise over to her blog and congratulate her!

Chris - 3.5 GAIN
Tammy - 0.5 GAIN
Life With Hashi-Thyroid Blog - 1.0 LOSS
Grace - 0.2 LOSS
Leigh - 0.5 LOSS
Clara - 2.0 LOSS
Dette - 0.5 LOSS
Julie - 1.0 LOSS
Cheryl - No Change
Audrey - 0.8 GAIN
Christy - 0.6 GAIN
Tina - no report
Danielle - 1.0 LOSS
Jessie - No Change
Steph - no report
CYN - no report

This week's total - 0.8 LOSS!