Still on that roller coaster!

Hello all!

I promised I wouldn't stop blogging, and I can't believe how long it has been since I last posted. Most of you know how my schedule is these days.I'm still up at my brothers a few days a week. This will get busier as the kids are out of school in two weeks. I have also been away every weekend since the beginning of May, and a few times for several days at a time. This weekend is the wedding shower for our side of the family. Last weekend was my youngest son's graduation in Connecticut, and this past weekend we were at the shore ( that's what we call the beaches of New Jersey, here in this part of the country) for five days. Also planning the rehearsal dinner, trying to run my husbands medical practice, yada, yada, yada!! Things never seem to settle down.

While I was at the shore, my three year old dog Riley was acting really lethargic and not eating. My dad who watched him while we were in Connecticut reported he wouldn't eat for him. After a week of this we took him to a local vet at the shore, who did tests and kept him overnight. They suspected he had cancer due to his high white blood cell count. They recommended we take him to the University of Pennsylvania. My husband drove him from the shore, back to Philadelphia which is about 60 miles. They kept him overnight, did many more tests and it turns out he has a very aggressive form of leukemia. Even with chemotherapy, he will only live a few months. So we brought him back to the shore and now we are home as of Tuesday. We are not going to put him through the chemotherapy because it is 18 weeks long and there is no hope of a cure, only prolonging his life. Right now, he's eating and drinking and sleeps alot. He does get up to go to the bathroom and he came to the door today when my husband got home. He's only three, so this is so sad for us. I have been crying for days. I know there are many people out there who have lots of problems. But for me, losing my sister in law in January, and now having to put my beloved sweet Riley down, is making me so sad and I feel overwhelmed with all the good and the bad things that are going on.

My  Riley boy, playing in the snow.

I want you all to know that I read and try to comment on your blogs. I am NOT going away. Please bear with me because I know the next few weeks leading up to the wedding are going to be hectic.  I was thinking I may just put and "XO" on your blogs, just so you know I read them and I'm still with you! Sometimes I don't have time or energy to post. So if you see that, know that it means hugs and love from me to you!

I am still losing, albeit very slowly, but with all that's going on, I'm pleased to report that. The carbs still get me from time to time, but it's good to know, as Kay recently said, you can always jump right back to the Belly Fat Cure. I really do believe it is the right choice for how I want to live the rest of my life.

I want to leave you with a few pictures from the bachelorette weekend. I am trying to keep you posted on the weekends that have passed. This was a girls weekend at my shore house. We had a great time, and I got a massage at the spa!

The girls playing their bachelorette games!!

This is a blackboard I have at the shore. We write all sorts of fun messages on it! Note all our beach badges on the sides.

Hanging out in the kitchen at the shore.

Dancing and singing with our spoons!

The bridesmaids going out on the town to Atlantic City. The moms stayed home, drank wine and WATCHED the movie Bridesmaids!!

 Thought for the day: "Ever notice that even the busiest people are never too busy to tell you just how busy they are" --Anonymous

Stop the roller coaster! I want to get off!!

Ryan and me in his apt.

Hello everyone!

How often have we said those words? Well maybe not those words exactly, but something similar. Make the world stop, make the bad man go away, calgon take me away.....you get the idea. I'm sort of feeling like that. So many things happening, at such a fast pace. I want to enjoy all the moments, savor them, mull them around in my mind. But it seems the hours, days and weeks are melting together.

Since I last wrote, I've  been to Indiana for a graduation; Longport, New Jersey for a bachelorette party weekend; and this weekend off to Connecticut for another graduation. Next weekend is Memorial Day weekend at the shore,the following is the cocktail/couples bridal shower, and then I get a blessed, few weeks with no obligations until the big wedding day in July. So many things happening at once!!

Ryan's home away from home for the last two years.

The graduation was wonderful, and despite some bad food choices, a little too many carbs in my case, I fared pretty well. I came back and was up a few pounds, but then came back down a few. Maybe all the walking we did payed off.

I am so proud of my son Ryan for getting his MBA. We had a wonderful time celebrating. Here are some photos.

Outside his apt building.

Lunch at a local brew pub!

Got our seats and waiting for the big moment

The walk for that degree!

Proud parents with the graduate

Proud mom and happy fiancee with the graduate

This is a cool tradition. Ryan says they do it after every class!

Indiana University is a beautiful campus.

So this weekend I am off to my youngest son's college graduation in Connecticut. And for the first time in eleven years I am tuition payment free!! Yay!!!

 I have so many more things to tell you. I'll post again soon. Remember to stay the course, pick yourself up and get back on track if you make a mistake, and keep a positive attitude.Oh, and always push that bread basket away where you can't reach, it at the restaurants!! Hugs and love to you all!

Thought for the day:  Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. ~ Confucius

Busy as a bee!

Hello All.

I think I told you several hundred times the following....how busy I am....how busy I am....how busy I am!! Don't I sound like a broken record? It's just that I'm so busy!! We all are. Doesn't that seem to be what everyone says when you ask them how they are. Whatever happened to the answer...."I'm doing great, and how are you?" There's a saying I heard once, that says, if you want something done, give it to a busy person. I find, especially at the beginning of the week, when I'm at my brothers for several hours in the afternoon and evening, that I often get more done in the morning hours when I'm home. I don't have the leisurely time to  go about my day at a relaxed pace. I fly from activity to activity to get to everything that needs to be done.

With that being said, I felt sad when I read Kay's post about everyone being gone from the blogs. I am not a quick blogger. I'm a bit chatty ( really??). So for me to sit down and write on my blog, I know I'm usually going to take about an hour, especially if there are pictures. I reread, edit, rearrange. I like to play around with it. So often I say, I don't have time for that now. I'm trying to be more spontaneous, because I really feel that checking in, staying connected, and getting fresh ideas and thoughts, is really the key to making this lifestyle change a permanent one you can live with. And that applies to whatever plan you are following. A support system is critical to staying the course.

I just found Kim's blog, while I was over at Kay's blog reading her posts. I can identify with Kim. I have been "following" the Belly Fat Cure for well over a year. I'm embarrassed to say that I have only lost 15 lbs. Some of you have lost that in a few months. And I take full responsibility for my slowness. I have not been as diligent as some of you. Not with the sugars, but with the carbs. I admit, I'll dabble in a little pasta, snitch a piece of bread from the restaurant bread basket, eat some of those nachos. I guess at times I haven't been a good follower. But I still feel that I can contribute to the success of all of us. I keep on going, try to do better. I have kept off what I lost and I have made lifestyle changes that I stick to.

So while I have so much to say to you all about the graduation weekend, a few new recipes that I've discovered, and what's going on with the wedding plans, that will have to wait until a later blog. Today I just want to say, I value all of you, my dear cyber friends. You  give me mental strength, moral support, great  ideas and a lot of laughs. As the Stanley Steamer man says in the commercial.....I'll be here....I'm not going anywhere!!!.

Sending love and hugs, and a promise of some graduation photos, stories and plans for the bachelorette weekend coming up!!

IT'S A TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE THOUGHT FOR THE DAY!!!

Thought for the day:

If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. The more things you do, the more you can do. - Lucille Ball

It's not so much how busy you are, but why you are busy. The bee is praised. The mosquito is swatted.

Mary O\'Connor

Rainbows in the clouds

The shower centerpieces

Some cocktails and bubbly for celebrating.

Good morning everyone! I see that as spring comes into full bloom,  many of us are falling behind in blogging, commenting, and probably everything else too!  I just want to say that last night I curled up on my favorite chair with my ipad and read all the past posts. It's only been a week since I wrote last, but so much has happened in the blogging world. So let me just put it in a nutshell and say; yay to Kay for zumbaing and redecorating, congrats to Amber's sister for continued success on her weight loss journey, and glad you had a great time in Hawaii, Amber, love to Jeri who is feeling the blogging blues, keep up the good job Katie and your happy attitude, miss you Dawn and Beth, and big hugs to Rosalie who speaks from the heart in an honest and true to herself fashion. Sorry that you are hurting and you  know you have our continued support. Oh, and hi to Carey ( I think of you everytime I put that smoked gouda cheese into my eggs in a mug recipe!!) and Shawna too. Sorry, sorry, sorry if I forgot anyone.  I love all of you who honestly contribute, read and comment.  I personally feel like I have gotten on a treadmill....a very fast treadmill.... and I can't find the button to slow down the speed. But then I was thinking back, and realizing how often in my life I have thought these very same thoughts. Wishing that life would slow down, that calmness would come over me, and all the pieces of my life would fall into their perfect little places. And so it goes, and here I am.

This past weekend started the six weeks of whirlwind activities.Every weekend there is some wonderful event to celebrate. It was kicked off with bridal shower number one, hosted by my FIL's ( future daughter-in-law) mother. It was a lovely ladies luncheon, with champagne, quiche, cupcakes and presents. Here are a few photos:

Me, and my mom and niece

The lovely tables

Cupcakes...the bride's favorite

Shower favors. Teacups with a candle inside

The delicious buffet

The bride opening her gift from me.

We all had a wonderful time, and from the buffet, I was able to choose some delicious grilled vegtables, a large salad, and two very thin slices of quiche. I left some of the crust. I passed on the croissant sandwiches and the potatoes. Of course I could have taken some of the chicken, shrimp or tuna salad off of the croissant, and it would have been perfectly fine to eat. I decided I had enough with the other items. I even passed on the cupcake. Now the wine was another story. But hey, it's all about choices. You can't have your cake and eat it too!!

After the shower we celebrated my niece's 16th birthday that evening over dinner. She wanted to go to a restaurant and we brought our gifts and a cake. It was a lovely celebration. I could feel the love for her, and I know her mom was watching down on our small, simple, family celebration of this milestone birthday. Before Beth died, there was a large celebration planned. But my niece was adamant that we abandon that plan, and keep it small and just immediate family.I took lots of pictures, but feel that I need to protect their privacy alittle so I'm keeping them private. Here's a picture of the cake. I did have a three bite sliver.  I really didn't want it, but despite all the tactics I have come to learn about refusing food, I knew I had to partipate in this cake eating ritual, when my niece passed me a plate. Rosalie has always said that if you need to eat something that's not on the plan, just have a few bites. And so I did. The day was bittersweet, but that's where we are right now. Taking the bitter along with any sweetness we can find. Maybe we will have a sweet 17th large celebration next year. If it feels right. Sending all of you love and hugs, and blessings to get through the bitter and the sweet moments in your life.

A cake for the sweetest 16 year old.


Thought for the day:  "God puts rainbows in the clouds so that each of us- in the dreariest and most dreaded moments- can see a possibility of hope." Maya Angelou