It's 6:30 am on the East Coast, and I've been awake since 4:30. I really wish I could learn to sleep in on the weekend.

Finally sunny here. It's rained every day since last Saturday, and now the grass is so wet it will be tomorrow before it's dry enough to cut. So today I plan on running some errands (dump, grocery store, bank) and then do some weeding. Oh, joy. I'll probably laze about in the sun, too. It takes hours and hours in the sun for me to get any color. For whatever reason, I don't tan and I don't burn, even after hours in the sun. I'm going to put some sunless tanner on my legs, because they tan up last. I just hate the look of white legs in shorts.

So, what do you think of the new pic? I don't know if my hair really is that reddish. It does have highlights now, which were not in the first pic. I've been thinking of coloring my hair, though, and I think I'll go a bit more reddish. I'll probably print that picture and show it to the stylist.

OK, gotta run and get ready for the Virtual Picinc! I'll bring the burgers and my famous cheesecake. What will the rest of you bring?

Good morning, I don't sleep late either.
Great Pic!!!!!! I like the idea of hair therapy, nothing like some color to put a smile on your face.(that and a glass of your Irish, but that's another discussion )

It's gone from 90 degrees last weekend to waking up to 55 degrees At least this will be a beautiful weekend for a virtual picnic.

Since my plans changed for the weekend, I am going to try a PP reinduction . The last two days I have been so hungry and have eaten everything that wasn't nailed down, even though it was low carb. I think it's stress eating but actually felt unusually physically hungry some of the time.

Now that the weather is nicer I might try a walk outside too. Just don't want to aggravate my back, so it might be a short one. Boy, I finally was able to do my crunches on the balance ball and man, are my abs weak from the surgery. It feels good to start working them out.

OK, let's see if we can repeat our amazing success of having more than you and I on the thread today

You didn't say what you're brining to the picnic!

Morning! I, too, have been up since around 4:30 am, but tossed and turned for awhile, pretending to sleep, thinking that by pretending, I might actually believe I was sleeping. And it's freezing here too, 48 degrees currently. Should shape up to be a beautiful day, but right now I am sitting here in slippers and sweats.

Bawdy-I LOOOOVE your new pic. You look radiant! How long ago did you decide to cut your hair short, b/c I think your before pics show you to have much longer hair. I don't think I'd ever have the nerve to go that short, plus I don't think it'd be flattering b/c I have a very round face.

Elaine-Good job with the ab workout. Isn't it amazing how quickly we lose strength? I also have been ravenous lately, but for some reason I haven't given in to it. Last night I was so hungry after school and so I ate dinner at 4 pm, but I cut myself off before I was full, b/c I had eaten what I had planned. I think that's part of the reason I slept so poorly, b/c I was starving. I somehow managed to wait until 7 am to eat, and I am still not full, but we'll see how long it can hold me. I think a lot of mine is stress, but now I can relax b/c it's the weekend.

Hope everyone has a good day!

Picnic fare-lc peanut butter cookies, Atkins brownies.(this IS virtual after all )

Do I have to get rough with you two?

AM I THE ONLY ONE BRINING SOMETHING TO THE VIRTUAL PICNIC!?!?!?!?!?

<ok, calm down>

Wendy, thanks for the compliment. Check my gallery. The pics with the chin-length hair were taken in 1999. It was that length for only a year or so; it was short for years prior to that phase in my life, and I cut it shortly after that pic was taken. I really think short hair flatters my features more.

I have a GREAT stylist right now. I had gone to the same one for almost 10 years, but she got so accustomed to my hair looking one way that she couldn't see me in any other way. For months I kept telling her that I wanted something new, something a bit edgier. She never did it, so after the first of the year, I went elsewhere. The first place was awful, but then I found out about another salon. I was just lucky that the random person I got an appointment with was someone who could work wonders for my hair.

Sorry, Elaine. I see now that you are bringing something.

Who's bringing the low-carb margaritas?

OK, I'm in for the picnic. It's been raining here for days!

I'll bring a roasted red pepper, bocconcini, prosciutto and basil salad.

Happy to see you posting Bawdy and the picture is great!

Karen

Ahh what a great day for a picnic!!!

I am bringing the cauliflower (potato) salad! also diet sprite and malibu!(with the virtual thing going I will not have to drive OR count the carbs in the malibu!)

Bawdy, WOW you look awsome, I like the shape of the cut and the color is very flattering! I need to find a good stylist myself as I have oft said in the past I still have my eighties hair! Well NOT quite as picked and teased!(I am shorter then my Dh now!

Wendy, HI!
Well are you all done with School?? I was up early also, my dh had to go help a neighbor brand, BUT then (for the first time in I do not recall) I WENT BACK TO BED!!! It only lasted a glorious 1/2 hour, but I did it anyway!

Elaine, WTG on the workouts!! So how goes it todat on pp induction? I do not know if it is the time of the year, but I too must confess of out eating my dh this week! Today I do feel better, I AM getting off the fat wagon and getting back into control!!!! a few weeks ago I actually bought a pair of 5/6 pants for a goal to wear soon and THEY FIT!!!!! SO I DO NOT want to have to put them back on the shelf to stare at longingly! I am trying to get back to jotting down what I eat and keep a better track of my calories, and not having as many frankens!!!! (My current goals!)

Well I need to get going if I am going to make it to our picnic!
See ya all there! Lissette

hey, am i too late, did i miss the picnic?? i have the quervo and sf margarita mix!!!!

singing.....
jose quervo, you are a friend of mine, i'd like to drink you with a little salt and lime.....

hummm..that actually souds really good, be right back.

okay,

i was in kennewick washington last week working. it really screwed my schedule up because i was working at night. we started around 6-pm and got back to the motel around 2 or 3am. i think i ate okay. but again messed up last night at a chineese buffett. i did good the first round. but the second round i didn't pass the spring rolls and crab puffs. had one of each. then while i was eating the spring roll, my attitude changes and i got dessert. this morning (even though i knew i shouldn't) i stepped on the scale. it was 204. now i know that chineese food alone will pack on the water the next day, but i don't know how much damage the dessert did.....

on the excercise front. i have been jogging a couple times a week and i am now up to 2 miles (12 min miles). i go 1 mile, rest a couple of min, then do the second. last night i wore my "skinny" pants to dinner (the ones that are usually just a little too tight for comfort) well they felt good BEFORE dinner.... so i think i was making some progress last week.

next week i am in town so i can eat more "normally".

wow, our group has gotten scarce.

bawdy...i like the new pic, you can't really see your eyes, they are all squinted up, but your smile and new hair look great!!! i am glad to see you posting more regularly again. i am actually really upset right now cause i just figured out i will not be able to make it to my cabin this summer. it will be the 3rd year in my whole life that i did not go. i have been to that cabin every year except 2 so far since i was 3 weeks old. my job is too busy this year and $$ is too tight. plus that means i do not get to meet you till next year......

orang-- thinking about you, sending good thoughts your way. hopefully you are at least reading so you will see all of our well wishes.


song-- sounds like you are doing good. i love camping. actually made reservations for the next 2 weekends. next weekend we will be taking the kids to a lake on mt hood, timothy lake, and the following weekend we are haveing an adult weekend with 2 friends of ours at nehalem bay on the coast.

wendy-- is school over yet? it gets out here next friday. do you have any big summer vacation plans??

song-- way to go on the shrinking!! i also started out a size 26. i better watch out, you will be passing me soon!! also happy annaversary comming up soon, have a great time in nashville!!

elaine-- how did the breaded fish turn out on the george foreman grill? i use mine alot in the winter (use the big one outside in the summer) but have never tried anyting breaded in it. did it make a mess or turn out well?

wow, this is long enough to be a short story!!! talk to everybody later.

The party's still going strong.

I vote for keeping it going all weekend long, all the way through Monday!

Jose Cuervo, I love you!

Hey, I took Liam out for his maiden voyage today. The whole story is in my journal.

How can I be lonely with Jose, Liam, and the rest of you for company!

Ole!

I will be providing the following for our weekend-long meal:
-Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and slice strawberries with homemade whipped cream sweetened with Splenda
-CHEESE
-Pistachios and other assorted nuts

Unfortunately, I am not yet done with school. I have six more days with kids. My last day with them is June 8th and the 9th is a workday. They have just about zero motivation right now, which makes it hard. Thankfully, we are finishing the year in social studies with them doing presentations and in math, doing an in-class scale drawing project. I don't think I could do any more direct kind of teaching.

I have heard some rumors lately about teaching next year. Currently we have 3 people on our team and I teach 3 classes of regular 6th grade math and one of social studies. Supposedly, there has been another teacher hired for our team, which means that I will only be teaching math next year. Also, it has been rumored that I have been chosen to take one of the groups of pre-algebra for next year. So, it's probably a good thing that I will be losing social studies since I am taking on something new.

Oh, and the end of the year slide show that's just for teachers always has a pic of each teacher and something to remember them by. I've heard that I will be appearing with DBF with the caption "best kept secret."

Hello Everyone!

Acipenser - thanks! I bought a real cute jacket, size 1x at Wal*Mart on sale yesterday. I'm hoping to wear it in the fall. It looks a little on the small size, but I know I'll be wearing it eventually.

Hmm, virtual picnic. Sounds like fun!

I'm waiting for my dh to come home from mowing the lawn at my parents new house. He's going to take me out to dinner.

Wendy, be sure to post a pic!