So what has everyone been up to?

[Cynelle]

I'm finishing up midterms, working on cleaning house and reorganizing so that I can try to get a roomate in here soon. Wish me luck in finding someone willing to put up with a busy single mom of 2 active boys who still have a hard time picking up after themselves. :p

I haven't been sewing lately but my son wants me to make him some flannel boxers ... I'm just putting it off because i hate sewing the flap part. I still have a quilt I need to bind as well. Maybe next week i'll get to it after I finish Chemistry homework.

[windwillow]

WoW! Sounds like you are a very busy person. Me, I'm retired so I never have time to do anything, my dh wants me to go everywhere with him, so I don't get a lot done as far as sewing and stuff. I try to take a day every once and a while to do something I enjoy...this past week was demolition of one of my doll houses to rework. We travel a lot so its off to Charleston this month, then my dh will go safari for the last half of May and the first half of June, then to Costa Rica for July, August back to New Orleans for family reunions. September I go on my first African safari, then in Oct it is to Atlanta, November is still open so far. Well, one day I will get things done perhaps, I have always been told its not the journey's end but the journey itself. If that is the case then I'm having a blast!

[slg]

I have been trying to make time to get some samples and such going but things are busy here. I really have to make it a point to site down and work.

[Sew So Happy]

Baseball season has started! I am toting my son to ball games and practices through the week and keeping up the other two kids. My embroidery orders are starting to pile up, so I will HAVE to play catch up this week. It is really starting to go by quickly now. By the way, I have lost 20 lbs since the first of February! Trying to make lifestyle changes and lose weight before dh gets home.:)

[artsiegirl]

Congratulations Sew So Happy! Your dh is going to be so thrilled to see you! I've lost about 30 since January, and that's certainly something to cheer about.:proud: However, my mom has lost almost 90 lbs since last July. She is doing great and really sticking with her plan. She will eventually get her computer online at home and join us again (it's alittle too difficult to chat on lunch breaks at work.)

Meanwhile, I've been teaching, doing a little sewing/embroidery/smocking, and I'm taking an online class for creating websites. It's all keeping me a little too busy, and to top it all off...we have CRCT testing after next week and then another week before we get Spring Break!:eek: We'll come back to school and hold the little angels in their chairs as much as possible for the three weeks until summer. Wow this year has really flown by!:flybye: Hopefully I can get alot done during the summer break...but I won't hold my breath!

[stitchcrazy]

Congratulations Sew So Happy and Artsiegirl! I too have been on the weight loss train since January - I've lost 27 pounds! How exciting that you two are so successful as well! I'm sure you both look great! Congrats to your mom, too Artsiegirl - 90 pounds!!! That's incredible!!!! I bet she feels like a new woman!

[artsiegirl]

Thanks Stitchcrazy. She definitely feels (and looks) like a new woman. It was certainly an eye-opener and an incentive for me to start losing when I gave her a pair of jeans that were just slightly too large for me and they fit her! Noone should have to be bigger than their mom...should they?

Congratulations Sew So Happy and Artsiegirl! I too have been on the weight loss train since January - I've lost 27 pounds! How exciting that you two are so successful as well! I'm sure you both look great! Congrats to your mom, too Artsiegirl - 90 pounds!!! That's incredible!!!! I bet she feels like a new woman!

[stitchcrazy]

Well, let's just say my mother was 98 pounds when she married my father. She's only 5'2'' and has always been somewhere between 110-130 pounds. I'm 5'6'' and I was about 145 in the 7th grade and I really wasn't even overweight. I doubt there was a time after age 11 or 12 that I ever weighed less than my mother!!! It's definitely not fair! ;) Luckily, my mother-in-law and I are just about the same size though, so it's been nice to be able to share some of our clothes!

[artsiegirl]

Well we're exactly the opposite! My mother has always been larger, but my mother-in-law is tiny. Only in recent years has she begun to add on a few pounds. She and my mom stress very often how difficult it is to lose weight after 40 (which I'm not just creeping up on, but galloping towards!) and then it's even harder after 50. We've been doing the Biggest Loser at work and in our community. My team completely quit on me in the community competition, but I'm in the lead at work. The final weigh-in is tomorrow, so let's all keep our fingers crossed! I'm extremely competitive and these contests (the Biggest Loser and the Inspirations Contest on this board) have been too much this month, and I need a break from competition for a while. It's been neck and neck in both contests, and I can't stand it any longer!:p

By the way...CONGRATULATIONS on your weight loss. I forgot to mention that earlier!:o

[Sew 'N Sane]

It sounds like we need to start a new thread to support each other in our weight loss. I haven't lost anything lately, but with all the inspiration from you guys, who knows...:D

Congrats to all of you!

:marchmellow:

[stitchcrazy]

That's a great idea Sew 'N Sane! I'll take all the motivation I can get!

Artsiegirl - we are opposite! I'm only 26, but I've been battling with my weight my entire life. I think this is the first time that I've ever been this close to my goal and I haven't quit! I always get discouraged and end up quitting, but my modest goal was to lose 30 and now that I'm 3 pounds away, I think I'm going to try for 35. The Biggest Loser is my absolute favorite show on TV and I watch it religiously for inspiration. I promised myself this season I would actually lose weight with the contestants instead of gaining it! My company is starting a Biggest Loser competition next week - I really wish they would have done it back in January - now I don't have enough left to lose to join - I guess that's a good problem to have, right? I am really competitive too, so it could have gotten ugly! ;) Good luck at your weigh-in tomorrow - it sounds like you're in the running to win with 30 pounds! I hope you do! And that Inspirations Contest HAS been neck and neck - there's just too much talent on this board i guess! ;) Another great problem to have... good luck in both!

[rosebud314]

I got a project done for a birthday gift for my supervisor at work. Can't post pics, cause I didn't use a design from here. I made a door greeter that says WELCOME. It's my first real project since I bought my new machine. There are lots more waiting to come out.:)

[StitchinGrandma]

Geez look at all of you guys losing all this weight. Good for you. I'm another that has fought weight my entire life from about grade school on. It's a real pain and I'm one of those that has proven over and over again that I CAN lose, but it comes creeping on back again like an old friend that you hate that just won't go away. :confused: Rather than make myself nuts and grumpy because it won't stay off a few years ago I stopped making myself nuts trying since it affected my overall demeanor at times and self esteem too. I finally held my head up and said that's it, as long as I'm healthy (we'll forget my knees that would love me to lose) then I'm going to have the rest of my years being happy rather than miserable about it. Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE nothing more than to lose it all but I've stopped making myself nuts about it now so I am not depressed about that on a daily basis.

Anyway ~ Cynelle ~ welcome back again. Where have you been hiding? Or should I say, where haven't you been hiding? HA You have been super busy so I understand why you wandered away from here for a bit. I'm glad to see you're back again though and hope you will poke your nose in here much more often, although I understand why you aren't with all you have going on. Wow woman ~ slow down once in awhile. How old are your boys again? They sound old enough if they are asking for you to make them boxers so you tell them Momma NEEDS them to help and pick their stuff up. LOL Easier said than done. I've been there. Out of desperation when my three were younger I instituted a new rule one day and they thought I was kidding as I explained it to them. Little did they know I was not kidding at all. The next time they were given three chances to pick thier stuff up and didn't, they found that out. I did it myself except *I* put all thier things that I picked up into a big ole trash bag. OMG you would have thought as I put each item in while they watched that I was cutting their little legs off. They were told the rules again and that included them having to be good and do as they were told including picking their things up when asked for three days for each item they wanted to retrieve from this big trash bag of stuff. Worked like a charm. :p

[Sew So Happy]

Geez look at all of you guys losing all this weight. Good for you. I'm another that has fought weight my entire life from about grade school on. It's a real pain and I'm one of those that has proven over and over again that I CAN lose, but it comes creeping on back again like an old friend that you hate that just won't go away. :confused: Rather than make myself nuts and grumpy because it won't stay off a few years ago I stopped making myself nuts trying since it affected my overall demeanor at times and self esteem too. I finally held my head up and said that's it, as long as I'm healthy (we'll forget my knees that would love me to lose) then I'm going to have the rest of my years being happy rather than miserable about it. Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE nothing more than to lose it all but I've stopped making myself nuts about it now so I am not depressed about that on a daily basis.

Anyway ~ Cynelle ~ welcome back again. Where have you been hiding? Or should I say, where haven't you been hiding? HA You have been super busy so I understand why you wandered away from here for a bit. I'm glad to see you're back again though and hope you will poke your nose in here much more often, although I understand why you aren't with all you have going on. Wow woman ~ slow down once in awhile. How old are your boys again? They sound old enough if they are asking for you to make them boxers so you tell them Momma NEEDS them to help and pick their stuff up. LOL Easier said than done. I've been there. Out of desperation when my three were younger I instituted a new rule one day and they thought I was kidding as I explained it to them. Little did they know I was not kidding at all. The next time they were given three chances to pick thier stuff up and didn't, they found that out. I did it myself except *I* put all thier things that I picked up into a big ole trash bag. OMG you would have thought as I put each item in while they watched that I was cutting their little legs off. They were told the rules again and that included them having to be good and do as they were told including picking their things up when asked for three days for each item they wanted to retrieve from this big trash bag of stuff. Worked like a charm. :p

That is so working in this house! I have gotten so tired of picking up the same old things all the time! I kept telling them I was going to start throwing things away and I have been. Now they believe me! The more important things are being "held" back. Anything small and junky is really going in the garbage. It is so freeing to actually do it!

[craftmama]

Congratulations to everyone with their weightloss. I WAS on a program until they went out of business. I have slowly put back on about 7-10 lbs. I know what to do, now I just need to do it again. ahhhhh. other than that, DS got married, annual projected budget is done at work, and this week is Spring break. I'm supposed to work W-F (I'm a year round worker), however, they called and will be working on the AC on Wed, so I took a vacation day and made an appt. to get hair done. Then it's back to work. Might take my laptop and work with the new digitizer program since it will only be me and the maintenance crew.

[Jami Johnson]

That is so working in this house! I have gotten so tired of picking up the same old things all the time! I kept telling them I was going to start throwing things away and I have been. Now they believe me! The more important things are being "held" back. Anything small and junky is really going in the garbage. It is so freeing to actually do it!

I had to laugh when I read yours and Vicki's post. I have three garbage sacks full of toys in the garage waiting to find their home again in my boys room. However, it's been almost two months and they're still there. Not necessarily because they haven't picked up their toys since then (it's been off and on), but because they told me they don't care about those ones. Geez, what does that say? Little stinkers. So, I doubt they'll ever get them back. They'll definitely make some other little boys happy. Now, if it were their Nintendo DS's the story would be very different. It's amazing what gets done when those get taken away. :D

It is very FREEING to throw things in the garbage. Our house is currently for sale and I packed up a bunch of things a few months ago to make it look more spacious. I've realized over that time how much I can live without and those boxes may go straight to charity.

[StitchinGrandma]

OH those little stinkers. Of course, they probably forgot what's even in those bags by now. Do yourself a favor and donate them now and do not even let them look inside or you will have a four hour project as they pick and choose the toys they just cannot live without. LOL

I used to smile all the way to the trash when the few times did come that their stuff was tossed. It didn't happen very often though. That's one thing I have to say about my boys; they learned their lesson and remembered them.

[Jami Johnson]

No kidding. You know my boys well. The only problem is they aren't quick learners.

[Jami Johnson]

Anyway ~ Cynelle ~ welcome back again. Where have you been hiding? Or should I say, where haven't you been hiding? HA You have been super busy so I understand why you wandered away from here for a bit. I'm glad to see you're back again though and hope you will poke your nose in here much more often, although I understand why you aren't with all you have going on.

Just wanted to say welcome back, Cynelle, too. You've been missed. Keep us posted on all the "fun" happenings at your place. PS. I don't like sewing flaps, either.;)

[StitchinGrandma]

No kidding. You know my boys well. The only problem is they aren't quick learners.
LOL Well, I never claimed it happened after the first time, just that they did learn their lessons. :p I'm not sure there are any kids that are quick learners in the art of cleaning up after themselves. :D

[Cynelle]

safari? Sounds like a blast! You will have to share when you come back from it. I can't wait until i can travel like that.

Congrats to everyone on their weightloss. I've been on the gaining side lately but it seems to be holding steady - now if i could just figure out what medicine is causing it (besides the the whole stress factor) :p My weight has always fluctuated so much and usually so quickly though. I once jumped 2 sizes over the course of 5 days. So non-pregnancy I've been from size 2 to size 12. Can you say it makes keeping clothes that fit interesting...

Thanks for missing me;) My boys are 7 and 11 and yes they love the fact they they are now 7-11 LOL
I once did the garbage bag thing but I can't bear to do it to them now. They've had to lose so much in the last year. After separating we went from 3 bd house to a 2bd apt now without a garage. Can you say cluttered? LOL Plus now i'm trying to clear out the 1 bd so that we can get a roomate in here. My ex left the navy to be with his gf and has turned into a deadbeat so now I'm just trying to prevent us from having to move again. Hopefully 2more years till I get my degree and then we won't have to worry about it.

i am itching to sew some things up so hopefully I'll get something posted over the next couple of days. I just have to decide how to use my store credit.... Yippeeeee!!!! Sew many designs I want but what to make...

[StitchinGrandma]

Congrats to everyone on their weightloss. I've been on the gaining side lately but it seems to be holding steady - now if i could just figure out what medicine is causing it (besides the the whole stress factor) :p My weight has always fluctuated so much and usually so quickly though. I once jumped 2 sizes over the course of 5 days. So non-pregnancy I've been from size 2 to size 12. Can you say it makes keeping clothes that fit interesting.....

You aren't taking Lyrica or Cymbalta are you? Those will cause weight gain like that. Ask me how I know this! :rolleyes: Within two weeks of me starting Lyrica I gained 25 pounds. And....... it kept going which only caused more depression since it's either that weight gain, or the pain. Tough call. I stopped taking it and now I'm back to dealing with the terrible pain every day all day long. UGH It's bad enough that I'm actually contemplating going back on that cr*p because it did help this pain. SO tremendously frustrating to me that I have to make that kind of choice. But yea, if you're on either of those, that's the cause for the gain.