Has anyone been able to conquer issues with self image/ weight/ appearance not by dieting and losing the weight but by accepting yourself and a less than ideal weight? Is anyone out there 35 lbs overweight and truly happy/ not preoccupied with it? I am tired of obsessing about weight and losing it isn't the answer. I will only obsess about losing it/ keeping it off/ what size I am currently wearing. I am 5'4 and 160 lbs. I am a medium top and a 10-12 on bottom. My husband loves me. I think I should go through my closets and throw out anything even a smidge tight. I think I should buy some fabulous clothes in the size I currently am. I think I should keep my hair done nicely, wear make up and walk with confidence. My mother is morbidly obese (probably 400 lbs plus). I have been overweight my whole life so I have some emotional baggage here. I have actually thought about seeking therapy of some sort to try to "accept' myself where I am. Maybe then more healthy choices would follow all the way around. I am sick of this taking up any more energy. I just want to be healthy and happy. Anyone have anything for me on this? Marie

It could be negative and just had an "evaporation line" which occurs after a certain amount of time or it could indeed be positive the hcg level was just so low that it was barely detectable and took a while to show. I've had both happen. I'd try again tomorrow first thing in the am. If it's positive it should show up in time. Hope you get the desired result!

My 11 yo ds got a nice rocking chair from Cracker Barrel for his 1st birthday. It has a wide seat on it and he still sits in it to play his video games. It is very sturdy and has taken the wear of a house full of kids. Along the same lines, maybe a nice toy chest? It could be used for other things as he gets older. If you are looking for something smaller I would say get a nice book. You could start a tradition of buying a nice classic book each year to build a collection. Of course, you might want to throw in a cheap "fun" thing that he would like now. My 1 yo just got a really nice wooden play kitchen from her grandma. A nice wagon might be another idea for something bigger. Marie

I would not use scholarship money as a motivation in any of what you do with this. Baseball scholarships are limited. Generally one scholarship gets split up among multiple players. We live near the Univ. of Tennessee and know many people involved in that program. It is a Div. 1 SEC school and they haven't given a full scholarship in many, many years. Todd Helton, who plays for the Colorado Rockies, was a star here and he didn't even get a full scholarship. It is not a good investment in that sense. We spend a lot of time/ money on baseball but it is for other reasons. Think about what your short and long term goals are for their personal development. If you decide it is a good way for your family to spend time and resources NOW, then go for it. What he gets from it now has to be enough payoff- not something intangible in the future. We take it one year at a time. What are our goals? What do we need to do to get them accomplished? How much are we willing to invest? How much are we willing to invest if he walks away from it after this year? We are encouraging our boys to focus on school and developing as a person and baseball is part of that. If they happen to get to play college ball or get a little financial assistance that is just icing on the cake. As far as the church league thing- I would look for something a little more competitive. Usually those leagues just go downhill as the kids get older because the more skilled players go to other leagues. You do not usually have to go crazy with the highest level of travel, etc. Try to find something in between. My 11 ds is a star in our hometown. People think he is an AWESOME baseball player. He just got cut from a serious team in the bigger town nearby. He is a very good baseball player. The competition is just so stiff out there in this area. He's got lots of baseball still to play and just made the local middle school team as a 6th grader but he's just not that great out there in the big pond, kwim? Very good, yes. He is talented. He's no freak of nature, though, and it seems like you almost have to be that to "make it". Marie

but I do sometimes leave the trash behind at ball games and movies. If I've got the free hands and a garbage can is nearby I'll take my own. However, if it is inconvenient (sometimes a garbage can isn't even nearby at a stadium) and I've generally got hands full of kids I will leave my garbage pushed back under my seat where other people won't trip on it. I wouldn't leave a drink that could spill. My dh and kids do throw peanut shells on the ground. I do think that is pretty much a generally accepted stadium behavior. I don't think the stadium management expects people to bring their own garbage bags for shells. I'm talking about professional stadiums. I would never leave my garbage like that at a public little league field or school gym or allow my kids to throw peanut shells around. There I figure parents/ volunteers have to clean up or it would just be litter and I just wouldn't do it. I'm sure others would disagree but we spend alot of time in these venues and I think it is okay within reason. I promise we are generally courteous and that my kids don't think it's okay to litter. They also clean up after themselves at the home dinner table or fast food restaurant. Marie

Lots of great ideas. I ordered a couple pieces of the Chicago Metallic from Amazon. They looked like what I had in mind and the price was okay. I'll be looking for my package this week. The kids will be happy I will be baking. Thanks. Marie

That's exactly what I'm looking for and in the right price range. I'll look at those. Thanks. Marie

I will eventually have to replace all of it because I have really been on a roll breaking the stoneware. I have a couple of those casserole dishes I got at my wedding shower and they are still going strong 13 years later. I looked at the Chicago Metallic cookie sheets and they looked very nice and in my price range. Thanks. Marie

The sad thing is that this is one of those cases where the replacement is not as good as the original. It takes me a long time to get that nice dark seasoning on them and it is so sad to see them go. Marie

I've had a love affair with Pampered Chef stones for about 10 years but it's over. I'm having problems with breakage. They are a pain to replace and then get seasoned perfectly. I'm done with them. So, I need to start replacing them. I have no idea what to buy. I want something high quality but I really can't afford the All-Clad. What is a high quality brand that isn't quite as pricey? I don't mind shelling out some money as I cook/ bake a lot and really enjoy it. I just can't spend $100 on a cookie sheet. Any suggestions? Thanks. Marie

go for it. My dh has an unspeakable amount of student loan debt. Not all of it was taken out wisely but I cannot imagine our lives without his degrees. Yes, we could do a lot with that payment money if we didn't have it but there was no way for him to have earning potential without it. The quality of our lives and his income now (and potential growth) is so, so worth the payment. It would have been nice to have someone else to foot the bill but that wasn't going to happen. It's been a while so I'm not sure about all the details but dh's loans were federally guaranteed and there are lots of repayment options. There is one where you only pay 15% max of your income and others that really stretch out the repayment period. The ones where you are dealing directly with the government have many repayment programs. My mom works in student loan collections and they will work with you. I have family members that have private loans and they do not have the repayment options we have. I'm sure you knew all that already. Go for it! Marie

One if your sister is a reasonable person. If she is not a reasonable person, you may need to do more than one to keep the peace. I would give one whether she is a reasonable person or not!

I have never rented a vacation home but am going to when we go to Orlando January 2010. I suspect there are an awful lot of homes sitting empty in mid January. I suspect that there is a high probability of renting one at a discount at the last minute. Would I be correct in thinking this? I'm not very picky about the specifics of the home. We're pretty flexible. Is it appropriate to just "contact owner" as many of the websites give you the option to do and just ask? Is there some other way of finding last minute deals? Thanks. Marie

It was on a pretty serious team and he was new. I was extremely concerned but not enough to say "no". I was a nervous wreck initially. The 9 and 10 yos just didn't hit that hard. They don't have the same kind of acceleration as older players. Over a certain weight they were only allowed to play on the line so they weren't running and throwing their weight around. All 13 game season there was only one really hard hit that kind of knocked the wind out of a kid. Mine have played baseball, soccer, basketball and martial arts. We have had more bangs, bumps, and injuries in those other sports (nothing serious, though). I think while they are young, football is not any more dangerous than playing soccer or baseball. Baseball involves throwing and swinging dangerous implements with all your force as well as major collisions without all the gear football players have. Soccer has a high risk of collisions with other kids and head injury. We had lots of bloody noses in basketball. We had a few kicks to the head in Tae Kwon Do. Now, I am not crazy about high school football. You lose all the weight restrictions and you end up with more dangerous mismatches. Plus, they athletes are just moving so much faster with so much more force. As far as the little guys go I think your kid is more at risk if they are riding a bike or skateboard, quite honestly. Just my opinion. We are not playing football anymore but I have totally changed my tune about it. Marie

It goes to 30 lbs. When I bought it I thought that was funny and that I would never keep a baby that big in the carrier. Now she is 15 months and about 25 lbs and I love it. She is so safe and snuggly. She is able to nap in it easier than a forward facing. She usually wakes up when I stop the car but when she stays asleep it is nice to still be able to pop her in the stroller without waking her. I have been really happy. She just seems so comfy in it and it has seemed to fit her perfectly at all sizes from the 7 lb newborn that came home from the hospital in it to the chunky toddler she is now. It is easy to use and was highly rated for safety when I was researching. Then again, I only had cheapies with my older kids so maybe I'm not the best judge. Marie

I posted earlier that I have an April 28 birthday boy and a May 3 boy. April 28excels and seems to be the most mature even amongst the older kids. No problem there except when I think of how much better even he could do if he had the age advantage. The May 3 boy should have been kept back. He does fine academically. His IOWA test scores were really high. He just seems so young. I don't even know how to describe it. He's not a baby but he is not any extra mature. He is athletic and likes sports but cannot really excel while being the youngest. He will probably be able to hang in there but will always have to work harder. I have been telling myself over time that it is fine. He will learn to work a little harder and that will be to his benefit. I tell myself that he wouldn't be challenged by being with younger kids and that his behavior would likely sink to the younger level. But, I get a little tired of seeing things be harder for him than they might have to be. Am I really stuck with this decision? If he would consent (and he's not in institutional school anyways) can I just hold him back in 4th technically? I think he might understand the reasons and wouldn't feel the stigma of being "held back" because he does know how bright he is and we would be continuing to advance his work academically. Has anyone ever done that? I'm not so concerned about college. We could do a gap year or transition slowly with cc courses or he might be ready. I went at 17 and was the youngest of my whole college crowd. Incidentally, I was the first one to actually graduate :) I am more concerned about the social aspects of middle/ high school (if he goes) and the ability for him to compete in sports. I guess I should have started a new thread... I'll do that when I grab another minute. Sorry to hijack. Marie

I did not hold them back and they each started K at 5. They were already reading, knew math facts, etc. I wouldn't have dreamed of holding them back even though it is common for spring boys and summer boys and girls around here. Fast forward a few years. DS just tried out for the middle school baseball team this month. He is just turned 11 and a rising 6th grader. Many of the rising 7th graders he will be competing against are 13. That is a big difference. I can't help but think that an extra year of maturity would be an advantage in just about every way (academically and sports). My boys are also on the small side physically so the difference is more pronounced. That said, I'm not sure I'd do it differently. They are doing great academically. One is an exceptional athlete the other is able to hold his own with the older kids but doesn't excel like he might if he had been held back a year. It will probably be more of a problem for the second one as the first one is an overachiever personality and the second is not. I'm still not sure what the answer is other than that I find myself frustrated with the constant disadvantage. But they are doing FINE- better than average so it is okay. I do now understand the thinking behind holding them back better than I did before. Sometimes I wish I did. I know that wasn't at all helpful :) Marie

Or "travel" as we call it here. They are not in leagues. The oldest one does literally travel out of town for tournaments. The 9 yo has a team that just goes to local (within an hour drive) tournaments. They practice once or twice a week and then play tournaments 2-3 weekends a month from March-June. The kids that don't play a fall sport will play in tournaments in Sept-Oct but it is much more laid back. Usually only 5 tournaments during that time. Most teams hold practice indoors Dec-Feb. Around here this is THE way to develop baseball skills. The serious players leave the leagues behind between the ages of 8 -10. My oldest just tried out for the middle school team and you could see the difference between the "travel" kids and the "league" kids. That is the way it is done around here. The only talented players in the leagues are those whose parents aren't interested in the travel ball. Honestly, most of those talented kids move on to another sport that is easier to pursue locally because they get frustrated by the leagues. That's just our experience. I wish the leagues were stronger. We would have more options that way. I know there are places that there is more of a compromise available. Marie

I think that is the point (or the gimmick) of the diet. If you print up multiple 11 day menus they will all follow the same pattern of protein/carb combinations per meal just with some proteins and carbs swapped out for each other. I think it just as likely works just because you are limiting your available foods by so much and for carb sensitive people like me it limits the cravings induced by carbs. So, I don't think you'll find it to be balanced. I also think you could get by with some non-starchy veggies added to some protein meals. For example, I can't imagine that it would slow your weight loss to throw your chicken and bacon meal on a bed of romaine (as long as you don't start adding a lot of dressing/ other things to the salad). Just my opinion. Marie (plugging my way through fruit day)

I just don't think that's possible for me with 4 kids in a 2300 sq ft house ( with 3 bathrooms). I used to try to do it all on Friday (with oldest 3 kids working, too). It just was never all done even after we had worked for hours. The problem with doing it that way was that I never had extra time to work on the deep cleaning. I am now cleaning as I go and using the Motivated Moms schedule. It is working much better and when I do get a couple extra hours the basics are already done and I can tackle a bigger job. It is better for the perfectionist in me. I wouldn't clean the bath tub because I didn't have time to clean the toilet/counter/sink/mirrors/ floor and I wanted it all done at once. Now I just do one job at a time when it is on the schedule. It is always in okay condition, never all sparkling at once. It's working for me right now. I hope you figure it out! It sure would be nice to have it all clean at the same time! Marie

At least most days it is fun. I have 6th, 4th, 1st graders (and a toddler) this year. Make sure you keep it fun when they are little (fun for teacher and students). It does get harder as they get older. Burnout does set in. Don't make the early years harder than they need to be. There will be plenty of time for that. Those early years homeschooling can be precious. It is still rewarding as they get older but less often the "fun" of the early years. Marie

I think the concept is that you are having a protein and it doesn't really matter what it is. Maybe they specify deli meat for convenience or maybe because it isn't as yummy and you wouldn't eat as much of it? Then again, take my advice with a grain of salt because I only lost 4 pounds in the 11 days. I'm okay with that because I was eating pretty healthy before and haven't been able to move the scale at all for about 6 months. Still, it is not very exciting compared to all the dramatic losses others have had. I'm on day 11 today and then will take my 3 cheat days. Marie

I am careful to stick to the list. I buy shredded cheese in bulk and then package it into 2 cup servings and freeze in Ziploc bags. I buy ground beef in a 10 lb package and freeze in smaller containers. I buy AP flour and bread flour when I am doing alot of bread baking. I buy the sliced sandwich bread when I'm not in the groove of making my own. I buy spices (taco seasoning, italian seasoning, cinnamon). The Lays potato chips are a good price. I buy the kids regular store brand chips at the grocery store but I like the baked chips and Sam's has a good price on those. They also have some interesting flavors of turkey sausage links that I buy (not sure if it's a great price but I can't get them anywhere else). Yeast, rice, pinto beans. That was rambling. I think it is good for basics but not processed/ packaged foods. It depends if you are willing to do the work to freeze/ store in smaller portions. Marie

It's just as well. I am on the Fat loss thread. I'm in the south now but I still miss Buffalo every now and then. My parents moved down here too so I don't even go back to visit:crying: Glad you enjoyed it !! Marie

Some days are basically no carb, some just one meal with carbs, other (fruit day) are higher in healthier carbs. I actually like it because I think low carb is the best way for me. I am a total carb addict but then I have constant cravings and my blood sugar is all over the place. I can't stick to low carb long term, though. That is what I like about this. It is low carb with some carbs thrown in and the 3 "cheat days". I find I have so much more energy and am less hungry without the carbs. I have done WW in the past with varying levels of success (though I think it is a great diet). I just choose all carbs when I have so many options and I am constantly hungry and run out of points. If I had the discipline to do WW in a low carb kind of way it would be great- but I don't have that discipline. I actually have a lot more trouble sticking to the diet on the days that I do get more carbs. I just am never satisfied with them. So, yes, I agree that it is low carb. I also have not seen the dramatic weight loss. I am at 4 lbs down on day 10. That is the best I have done in a long time, though, so I'm going to stick with it. Not sure about getting your money back. I think I read somewhere that it is very difficult to actually get your refund :mad: